The camera opens on a sweeping aerial shot of Coral Gables, Florida, the city glowing beneath the warm evening sun. Palm trees line the streets like they were placed there by design, their fronds swaying above the elegant Mediterranean-style architecture that gives the city its signature charm. The camera glides past the historic Biltmore Hotel, its tower rising proudly against the pastel sky, then sweeps across the shimmering blue water and old-world stonework of the Venetian Pool, one of the city’s most beloved landmarks.
The shot continues down the tree-canopied avenues before transitioning to the exterior of the Watsco Center, where hundreds upon hundreds of fans are filing through the entrances. SCW signs are raised high. Replica championship belts gleam beneath the arena lights. Fans in Summer XXXTreme XIV shirts cheer, wave, and shout toward the camera as the excitement builds outside the venue.
The scene cuts inside the Watsco Center, and the roar becomes deafening.
The camera sweeps across the sold out crowd, catching fans on their feet, waving signs, clapping, and screaming as the lights dance across the arena. The six-sided ring sits proudly at center stage, the SCW logo bright across the mat, surrounded by a sea of cheering fans ready for the final stop before the summer’s biggest spectacle.
The camera finally settles on the six-sided ring, where Justin Decent stands beneath the spotlight. Justin is dressed for the South Florida heat in a crisp white short-sleeved button-down, the top buttons open just enough to show a little skin, paired with fitted tan slacks and polished loafers. Microphone in hand, he flashes his trademark smile as the crowd continues to roar.
Justin: Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Coral Gables, Florida!
The fans erupt again.
Justin: For the very first time ever, Sin City Wrestling has come to the Watsco Center, and tonight, we make our debut right here in beautiful Coral Gables for Climax Control!
The cheers rise as the camera catches fans jumping and waving toward the ring.
Justin: And tonight is not just any edition of Climax Control. Oh no. Tonight is the Going Home edition, because in two weeks, SCW sets sail once again for the hottest event of the summer, Summer XXXTreme XIV!
The mention of Summer XXXTreme brings a massive reaction from the crowd, with chants beginning to break out across the arena.
Justin: Championships will be defended. Rivalries will explode. Careers may change forever. But before we hit the high seas, we have one more night of action, one more night of drama, and one more night where anything can happen!
Justin turns toward the stage with a grin.
Justin: And now, Coral Gables, please welcome the woman who puts the extra in extravaganza, the glamour in mayhem, and the mascara in mass hysteria. She is SCW’s Hostess With the Mostess, Miss Amanda Hugginkiss!
Campy piano bar music begins to play over the speakers, bright and theatrical, and the fans immediately cheer as Amanda Hugginkiss emerges through the curtains and onto the stage. She steps into the spotlight with one hand raised high, soaking in the applause like it is owed to her personally. Dressed in a dazzling tropical-inspired ensemble with sparkling accents, oversized sunglasses, and enough confidence to power half the state of Florida, Amanda struts onto the stage with a huge smile.
Amanda: Coral Gables, darling, hello!
The crowd cheers as Amanda places one hand dramatically over her heart.
Amanda: Look at all of you! Tanned, hydrated, overdressed in some cases, underdressed in others, and every last one of you absolutely ready for a night of sin, sweat, sequins, and questionable decision-making!
The crowd laughs and applauds.
Amanda: I have to say, Coral Gables is just gorgeous. The Biltmore, the Venetian Pool, the palm trees, the beautiful streets, the rich history, the architecture. It’s all very classy. Very elegant. Very refined. Which means, naturally, SCW has arrived to lower the property values for one night only!
The audience laughs louder, and Amanda gives a proud little bow.
Amanda: But really, what a city. You can swim in a historic pool, admire a luxury hotel, enjoy the culture, the food, the weather, and then come here to watch people in very tight clothing throw each other around for your entertainment. That, my loves, is what I call balance.
Amanda walks a few steps across the stage, scanning the crowd with theatrical delight until something catches her eye. She points toward the front rows with a warm smile.
Amanda: Oh, now hold everything. Look at this little superstar right here!
The camera cuts to a young fan near the barricade, beaming as she points proudly to a pride pin on her shirt, which also happens to feature Amanda Hugginkiss merchandise. The crowd cheers as the young fan waves shyly to the camera.
Amanda: Sweetheart, I see that pride pin, and I see that impeccable taste in merchandise. That is what we call being raised correctly.
The crowd applauds, and Amanda blows the fan a kiss.
Amanda: You keep shining, darling. The world needs every bit of that sparkle, especially on nights like this.
Amanda turns back toward the arena, lifting her arms as the piano music swells beneath her.
Amanda: And now, my beautiful Coral Gables creatures, my sun-kissed troublemakers, my wrestling-loving darlings, it is time to begin this evening the only proper way. Not with violence, not with chaos, not with a backstage brawl before the first commercial break, although knowing this company, give it ten minutes.
The fans laugh again.
Amanda: No, no. We begin as civilized people. We begin with elegance. We begin with grace. We begin, my loves, with a song!
Amanda strikes a pose at center stage as the crowd cheers, the lights brighten, and Climax Control officially begins.
Amanda: Well, the lights were low, the beats were hot,
The queens were painted, the drinks were bought,
The boys were dancing, the vibe was right,
Then the door flew open like a crime scene light.
In came twelve in matching shirts,
With glitter sashes and bridal smirks,
One had a veil, one had a whistle,
One screamed “WOOOO!” like a guided missile.
They stormed the floor, they blocked the bar,
They parked themselves like a getaway car,
They said, “It’s her special night, you know!”
Honey, so is mine. I’m doing a show.
Bride tribe, bye tribe, take it outside tribe,
This ain’t your limo stop, this is our pride tribe.
You want the spotlight? Sweetheart, get in line,
There’s a queen in six-inch heels and that spotlight is mine.
Bride tribe, bye tribe, lower that shriek tribe,
You’ve had three mimosas and a very long week tribe.
You came for attention, but here’s the decree,
The only special treatment is tipping me.
They waved a plastic pecker in my face,
Like it was culture, like it was grace,
One yelled, “Dance with us, we love the gays!”
I said, “That phrase has haunted me for days.”
The bride grabbed a twink and called him “bestie,”
He said, “Girl, I just came here to rest me.”
Another asked the DJ, “Can you play Swift?”
He said, “Ma’am, read the room. That’s not your gift.”
They shouted, “Shots!” at a man named Troy,
Who had not known silence since he was a boy,
They screamed, “We’re crazy!” and “No regrets!”
Then Venmo’d for water and split twelve debts.
Bride tribe, bye tribe, take it outside tribe,
This ain’t your limo stop, this is our pride tribe.
You want the spotlight? Sweetheart, get in line,
There’s a queen in six-inch heels and that spotlight is mine.
Bride tribe, bye tribe, lower that shriek tribe,
You’ve had three mimosas and a very long week tribe.
You came for attention, but here’s the decree,
The only special treatment is tipping me.
Now listen, ladies, I wish you well,
May your centerpieces never smell,
May your groom be faithful, your cake be moist,
But please stop using your outside voice.
We love an ally, we really do,
But allyship ain’t screaming “YAAAS!” at Drew.
You want respect? Then here’s the plan:
Don’t grope the dancers, don’t steal the fan.
Don’t touch the wig, don’t grab the mic,
Don’t ask the bartender what boys he likes,
Don’t shove your bride in the middle of my set,
Unless she’s got cash and a healthy respect.
Then the bride came up with misty eyes,
Said, “Can I sing? It’s my last night alive!”
I said, “Girl, unless the wedding is fatal,
Get your bouquet off my cocktail table.”
She said, “But I’m getting married!” I said, “That’s cute.
I’m getting paid, now scoot-scoot-scoot.”
She said, “But we’re fun!” I said, “You’re loud.”
She said, “We love queens!” I said, “Tip proud.”
Then one by one, they learned the law,
Gay club karma with a padded bra,
No free drinks, no stage, no pass,
Just glitter, side-eye, and a humbled ass.
Bride tribe, bye tribe, take it outside tribe,
This ain’t your pity party, this is our pride tribe.
You had your moment, your sash, your sign,
Now let the drag queen finish her wine.
Bride tribe, bye tribe, bless your loud life tribe,
Good luck with the seating chart and future wife tribe.
You came for attention, but now you can see,
The only special treatment is tipping me!
So raise your glass, but not too high,
Don’t spill prosecco on the passing guy,
Clap for the queens, behave with class,
And keep your bride’s veil out of my ass.
Congratulations, sweetheart. Now get off my stage before I register for damages.
Amanda holds the final note with one arm raised high and one hip popped dramatically to the side, milking every last second as the campy piano bar music reaches its grand, ridiculous finish.
Amanda: The only special treatment is tipping me!
The music hits its final flourish, and Amanda throws both arms wide as the Watsco Center erupts into applause and cheers. Fans whistle, laugh, clap, and stomp their feet as Amanda beams under the spotlight, fanning herself as though the ovation might simply be too much for one woman of such delicate fabulousness to endure.
She prances across the stage from one side to the other, blowing kisses to every section of the sold out Coral Gables crowd. She points to the young fan with the pride pin once more and sends one especially grand kiss in her direction, drawing another wave of cheers. Amanda spins in place, gives the audience one final theatrical curtsy, then turns with a swish and vanishes backstage behind the curtains as the crowd continues to applaud.
The camera then transitions down to ringside, where Belinda Simone and Erik Lunam are seated at the broadcast table. Belinda is dressed in tasteful business casual, wearing a soft coral blazer over a cream blouse with neatly tailored slacks, polished and professional as always. Beside her, Erik Lunam is dressed in a punk-edged black cropped jacket covered with silver accents, a loose sheer patterned top beneath it, ripped dark trousers, layered necklaces, and heavy boots, his dark hair styled with a reckless, rock-and-roll flair.
Simone: Welcome, everyone, to Climax Control! We are coming to you live from a sold out Watsco Center in Coral Gables, Florida, and what a way to kick off SCW’s debut in this beautiful city!
Lunam: Aye, Belinda, the roof nearly came off the place for Amanda Hugginkiss, and I cannae blame them one bit! Coral Gables is loud, proud, and ready for a fight tonight!
Simone: They certainly are! Tonight is a historic night for Sin City Wrestling as we make our very first appearance here in Coral Gables, but it is also one of the most important nights of the entire summer. This is the Going Home edition of Climax Control!
Lunam: And ye know what that means! In two weeks, SCW packs the bags, boards the Princess Cruise, and sets sail for Summer XXXTreme XIV! The hottest event of the summer is almost upon us, and everybody in that locker room knows this is their last chance to make a statement before the ship leaves port!
Simone: Summer XXXTreme has always been one of the most unique and unpredictable SuperCard events in all of professional wrestling. Championships, grudges, personal rivalries, career-defining moments, all unfolding aboard the Princess Cruise in front of the SCW faithful!
Lunam: There’s nothing like it, Belinda. Sun, sea, chaos, gold on the line, and a whole roster full of men and women who’d throw each other overboard if it meant getting an advantage. Figuratively, of course. Mostly.
Simone: Mostly is doing a lot of work there, Erik.
Lunam: I’ve read the waivers. Barely.
Simone: Tonight, the pressure is at an all-time high. For some, this is the final opportunity to gain momentum before Summer XXXTreme XIV. For others, this is the final chance to send a message to their opponents, their rivals, and perhaps even the champions themselves.
Lunam: And that’s the dangerous bit, isn’t it? When ye get this close to a SuperCard, people stop thinking clearly. They take bigger risks. They throw harder shots. They make choices that can change everything in a blink.
Simone: We have a packed house, an electric crowd, and a night filled with combustible situations waiting to unfold. Coral Gables has been waiting for SCW, and SCW has arrived with a show that promises to deliver.
Lunam: Buckle in, lads and lasses. This one’s going to get wild before the night is through!
Simone: We are live from the Watsco Center! We are on the road to Summer XXXTreme XIV! And Climax Control starts right now!
Lunam: And we’re kickin’ things off with a belter, aren’t we? Ryan Keys walks into Coral Gables as the Roulette Champion, but tonight that title is not on the line, which means he’s got every reason to show the world why he’s carryin’ that championship into Summer XXXTreme XIV! In two weeks aboard the Princess Cruise, Keys has to defend that gold against two hungry challengers in Zayvion Lyons and Ciarán Doyle, so every eye is on him tonight to see if the champ is sharp, focused, and ready for the storm ahead. But across the ring is LJ Kasey, and don’t ye dare sleep on him! LJ is headin’ into the Overboard Gauntlet to crown a brand new Internet Champion, and a win over the Roulette Champion would send a massive message to every man in that match! This is momentum versus momentum, champion versus contender, and if ye ask me, Belinda, this opening match could set the tone for the whole bloody night!
Simone: And later tonight, we are being treated to something truly rare in SCW competition, a mixed tag team match with championship implications written all over it! On one side, you have the dangerous brother and sister combination of Cy Riddle and Kat Jones, two competitors who know each other’s instincts better than almost anyone and have no problem using that bond to their advantage. Across the ring, they face the veteran husband and wife team of “Bulldog” Bill Barnhart and Bea Barnhart, a pairing with years of experience, toughness, and a willingness to do whatever it takes to survive. But what makes this match so important is that all four of them are heading into Summer XXXTreme XIV with championship opportunities waiting aboard the Princess Cruise! Cy, Kat, Bill, and Bea all have gold in their sights, and tonight is about more than family pride or marital unity. It is about momentum, control, and proving who is ready to rise when the stakes get even higher!
Lunam: Up next, we’ve got Carleigh “Crave” Annis steppin’ into the fire against a woman who knows exactly what it means to stand at the very top of the Bombshell division, Frankie Holliday! Frankie is a former World Champion, and whether ye love her or cannae stand the sight of her, ye’d be a fool to deny what she’s capable of inside that ring. But tonight is bigger than pride alone, because Frankie is bound for Summer XXXTreme XIV and the Ultimate X Match for the Bombshell Roulette Championship, one of the wildest, most unforgivin’ matches in all of SCW! That means every bit of momentum matters, every win matters, and Frankie will be lookin’ to send a message before she ever sets foot aboard the Princess Cruise. But Carleigh Annis isnae here to be a tune-up, Belinda! She’s hungry, she’s lookin’ to carve out her own place in this division, and if she can knock off a former World Champion tonight, she’ll make every Bombshell in SCW sit up and take notice!
Simone: Up next, we have a tremendous Bombshell division clash with major Summer XXXTreme XIV implications, as Mercedes Vargas steps into the ring against Bella Madison! Mercedes Vargas is no stranger to pressure, no stranger to championship moments, and in two weeks aboard the Princess Cruise, she will challenge Victoria Lyons for the World Bombshell Championship in one of the biggest matches of her career. But tonight, she cannot afford to look past Bella Madison, because Bella has her own golden opportunity waiting at Summer XXXTreme XIV in the Ultimate X Match for the Bombshell Roulette Championship! These are two women chasing very different prizes, but the goal tonight is the same. Momentum. Mercedes wants to prove she is ready to dethrone Victoria Lyons, while Bella wants to show everyone in that Ultimate X Match that she has the heart, toughness, and skill to climb above the chaos and leave with championship gold! This is exactly the kind of match that can shift the entire landscape of the Bombshell division before we set sail!
Lunam: And now we’ve got ourselves a proper Clash of Champions, haven’t we? Internet Champion Alexandra Calaway goes one-on-one with Roulette Champion Brittany Williams, and while neither title may be changin’ hands tonight, make no mistake, pride, momentum, and reputation are all on the line! Alexandra Calaway has been carryin’ that Internet Championship with power and purpose, but she knows Summer XXXTreme XIV is comin’ fast, and every champion in SCW is walkin’ around with a target on their back. Then ye’ve got Brittany Williams, the Roulette Champion, a woman who thrives in chaos and loves nothin’ more than provin’ she belongs in the spotlight. With the Princess Cruise waitin’ just over the horizon, this is the kind of match that tells the entire Bombshell division who’s sharp, who’s dangerous, and who may be sailin’ into Summer XXXTreme XIV with the wind at their back! Two champions, one ring, and a whole lot of ego ready to collide!
Simone: And in tonight’s Main Event, we have a tag team match that almost no one ever believed they would see, because Alexander Raven and Helluva Bottom Carter, two former World Champions with their own complicated histories, will be standing on the same side of the ring! That alone is enough to make this match must-see, but the opposition makes it even more combustible. Across from them will be Brandon Hendrix, the man who has become Alexander Raven’s personal demon, a relentless thorn in his side and a threat Raven cannot afford to ignore, and Logan Hunter, the man Carter is set to face in two weeks at Summer XXXTreme XIV aboard the Princess Cruise! There is hatred in this match. There is pride. There is danger. Raven and Carter may not be natural allies, but tonight they share common enemies, and that may be enough to create one of the most fascinating alliances we have seen in SCW. With Summer XXXTreme XIV looming, this Main Event is not just about victory. It is about survival, momentum, and sending one final violent message before we set sail! All this and more on SCW Climax Control!
Ryan Keys stands behind a rickety folding table with the SCW Roulette Championship, a bright orange life vest, and a crumpled cruise itinerary. A handwritten sign on the wall says:
SUMMER XXXTREME SAFETY BRIEFING
HOSTED BY RYAN KEYS
A MAN WHO HAS LEARNED
Aron Baltasarsson stands next to him, looking like he’s already regretting his life choices.
Ryan claps his hands together.
Ryan Keys: Alright! Official Ryan Keys Summer XXXTreme safety briefing, let’s go!
Aron points at the sign.
Aron Baltasarsson: This isn’t official.
Ryan Keys: It’s got a table, bro. That’s official enough.
Ryan holds up the wrinkled itinerary.
Ryan Keys: Rule number one: Know when the damn boat leaves.
Aron pinches the bridge of his nose.
Ryan Keys: Last year I showed up late to Summer XXXTreme. Missed the cruise, missed everything. Whole ship sailed off without me. Brooke and Logan went overboard together, which I would have paid money to see.
Aron looks at him.
Aron Baltasarsson: Careful.
Ryan lifts one hand.
Ryan Keys: Respectfully.
Aron Baltasarsson: That does not help.
Ryan Keys: Respectfully, I would have paid money.
He shrugs.
Ryan Keys: So this year? I’m early. Sunscreen, hand tape, life vest, the whole thing. Aron says the vest is too much, which is rude, but not shocking.
Aron Baltasarsson: You were going to wear it over the championship.
Ryan looks down at the title.
Ryan Keys: For safety.
Aron Baltasarsson: For attention.
Ryan Keys: Those overlap.
Ryan slings the Roulette Title over his shoulder.
Ryan Keys: But before any of that cruise nonsense… we got tonight.
He looks straight into the camera.
Ryan Keys: LJ Kasey.
Ryan taps the itinerary on the table.
Ryan Keys: I already missed the boat once. I’m not missing you.
He leans in a little.
Ryan Keys: You got close at King’s Ransom, and close does weird things to people. It makes them mad. Makes them sharper. Makes them show up looking to prove the whole room missed something.
Ryan grins.
Ryan Keys: So no, LJ, I’m not treating you like the thing before the boat. You get my attention tonight. All of it.
Aron picks up the clipboard.
Aron Baltasarsson: Rule number two?
Ryan looks over.
Ryan Keys: Don’t give the serious guy the clipboard.
Aron looks down at the paper.
Aron Baltasarsson: You wrote more rules.
Ryan reaches for it.
Ryan Keys: I did?
Aron reads.
Aron Baltasarsson: Rule number three: Do not let LJ make you look stupid before the cruise.
Ryan takes the clipboard from him and sets it face down on the table.
Ryan Keys: Okay. Safety briefing is over.
Aron Baltasarsson: That was your briefing.
Ryan Keys: And I am showing leadership by knowing when to abandon it.
Ryan lifts the Roulette Championship a little.
Ryan Keys: LJ, I will see you tonight.
Aron Baltasarsson: I already put the cruise date in your phone… again.
Ryan nods.
Ryan Keys: Champion behavior.
He starts to walk off, then turns back.
Ryan Keys: Love you, man.
Fade out.
The camera shot changes to a view of the inside of the dressing room where Bill and Bea Barnhart are relaxing getting ready to head to the staging area to be ready for their match against Kat Jones and Cyrus Riddle. Bea looks into the camera to provide her take on their upcoming match.
Bea: I am not sure how I got back-to-back matches against Kat Jones but having her sidekick Cyrus Riddle is going to make for quite an amusing match as me and Bill are facing off against Kat and Cyrus in a Mixed Tag Team match.
Bill: Perhaps Kat feels she can get back-to-back wins over you.
Bea: Well that is not going to happen. We will win the match and send our opponents packing. That is all I wanted to say leading up to our match. I will do the rest of my talking through my actions in our match.
Bea informs the camera person that she will turn the camera time over to Bill to allow him to present his comments on their upcoming match.
Justin: This match is scheduled for one fall…hailing from Las Vegas, Nevada… Ryan Keys…!
The arena goes dark, then bursts alive with flashing neon strobes. As “I’m Made of Wax, Larry…” hits, Ryan Keys explodes onto the stage with infectious energy. He spreads his arms wide, sunglasses glinting, before jogging side-to-side to pump the crowd. Ryan points to the fans, slaps hands down the ramp, and slides dramatically into the ring. He leaps onto the turnbuckle, tossing his shades into the crowd before striking a playful pose. With a grin and a wink, Ryan hops down, bouncing on his feet, ready to turn the match into his dance floor.
Justin: And his opponent… hailing from Middleton, United Kingdom… L.J Kasey!
The arena plunges into darkness, leaving only the pulsating glow of neon lights that flicker in sync with the opening notes of "Kingslayer" by Bring Me The Horizon (feat. BABYMETAL). A single spotlight pierces the shadows, illuminating the stage as smoke billows out like an ominous tide.
L.J. Kasey emerges, his long black-and-gold jacket flaring out like wings as the hood obscures his face. The camera zooms in, capturing a glint of determination in his shadowed eyes. The crowd roars in recognition of the young, daring British sensation. He pauses at the top of the ramp, slowly pulling back his hood to reveal a smirk that borders on defiance.
The song's tempo shifts, and Kasey matches its energy, striding down the ramp with an unshakable confidence. He slaps a few outstretched hands from fans but never breaks his piercing stare aimed directly at (opponent), who stands waiting in the ring.
Kasey reaches the base of the ramp, unbuckling his jacket with one fluid motion. He tosses it to the side, revealing his gear: a sleek, gold-accented ensemble that gleams under the lights. He takes a step back and then sprints forward, launching himself onto the apron with a flawless leap.
He grabs the top rope, his eyes never leaving (opponents name), and in one smooth motion, slingshots himself into the ring. Landing in a crouch, Kasey slowly rises to his feet, spreading his arms wide to soak in the electric energy of the crowd.
The ref moves in and checks both for weapons before indicating for the bell to be ring…
DING DING DING!
Keys and Kasey stare at each other from their respective corners as they warm up a little, but as soon as the bell rings, they rush out of their corners and meet in the middle with bump of shoulders before a brief moment of hesitation before starting to brawl as they trade shots back and forth before Kasey pauses and pushes Keys back a little before delivering a boot to his stomach and then grabs him into a headlock.
Simone: Keys and Kasey take a moment before quickly move in and try to shoulder bump each other but then begin to brawl.
Lunam: Kasey briefly pauses and pushes Keys back, where he delivers a boot and then into a headlock.
Keys wraps his arms around Kasey’s waist and pulls him backwards towards the ropes, where they hit them and Keys pushes Kasey away, Kasey bounces off the ropes back at Keys and tries to shoulder block him, but Keys doesn’t go down but instead takes several backwards and bounces off the ropes himself and goes for his own shoulder block, but Kasey doesn’t go down and he goes to copy the same process and he bounces off the ropes but this time Keys steps forward and fires in a forearm shot.
Lunam: Keys grabs Kasey by the waist and drives him towards the ropes, where Keys then pushes Kasey away, Kasey hits the ropes and tries for a shoulder block and well it was blocked and Keys didn’t go down.
Simone: interesting… as they repeat the process and still neither goes down. They try once more and this time fires in a forearm shot.
Kasey holds his face, as Keys turns and bounces off the ropes, but Kasey charges forward and puts a whole lot more effort in with his shoulder block and knocks Keys down to the mat. Keys sits up rocked from the hard shoulder block, as Kasey takes a moment before turning and kicks Keys in the arm and then chest before Keys makes his way to his feet, where Kasey pushes Keys and Kasey fires in a chop to the chest, which Keys takes a step back before Kasey fires in a forearm shot, which Keys takes a few more steps and up against the ropes.
Lunam: Kasey is rocked and Keys turns and bounces off the ropes, but Kasey puts more effort into the shoulder block and sends Keys down to the mat. Kasey takes a moment before fire in a kick to the arm and then chest. He pulls Keys to his feet and fires in a chop.
Simone: Keys steps back but Kasy hits a forearm shot and Keys is back against the ropes.
Kasey grabs Keys hand and Irish whips him across the ring, Keys bounces off the ropes and ducks the wild swing from Kasey before hitting the ropes opposite and as he returns, he leaps up and hits a headscissors takedown. Keys makes his way to his feet, as Kasey quickly bails from the ring. Keys looks to where Kasey is, who is shaking off the headscissors take down and Keys begins to line up… as the ref begins to count Kasey…
Lunam: Kasey Irish whips Key and Keys bounces off the ropes and he ducks the wild swing and bounces off the ropes and then leaps up and hitting a headscissors takedown.
Simone: Kasey rolls away from Keys and bails from the ring.
ONE!
Keys moves to the ropes and grabs the ropes…
TWO!
Keys then leaps up but Kasey moves out of the way and Keys lands on his feet.
Simone: Keys looks to go high risk, but Kasey moves and Keys lands on his feet.
THREE!
Kasey moves in and delivers a boot to his stomach and then grabs him and throws him into the barriers.
FOUR!
Lunam: Kasey moves in and boots Keys in the stomach and the throws him into the barriers.
Keys goes stomach first into the barrier before sliding back off them and dropping to a knee holding his torso, as the ref demands the action to be brought back into the ring, Keys begins to crawl away from the barriers, as Kasey moves back towards Keys and grabs him and pulls him up, where he grabs him by the ring gear and looks for a snap suplex but it’s blocked and Keys attempts a counter but it’s also blocked.
Simone: Keys is in trouble here, as the ref gives up on the first count and starts again. But Kasey moves back to Keys and grabs him and pulls him up, where he looks for a snap suplex but it’s blocked and Keys attempts to counter but that’s also blocked.
The ref who gave up on the original count starts again…
ONE!
TWO!
Kasey fires in a punch to his stomach, which forces Keys to release and Kasey grabs Keys hand and Irish whips him towards the steps, but Keys puts the breaks on and stops himself colliding with the steps and Kasey takes a few steps forward and Keys throws an elbow backwards and catches Kasey.
THREE!
FOUR!
Lunam: Ref up to four… as Kasey looks to send Keys into the steps, but its blocked before Keys throws an elbow back and catches Kasey.
Keys looks over his shoulder and grabs Kasey around the head and uses the steps and hits a Asai DDT.
FIVE!
Simone: Keys drives Kasey into the mat with Asai DDT.
Keys moves climbs back to his feet, as Kasey holds his neck, as Keys grabs Kasey and drags him up, where he rolls him back into the ring.
SIX!
Keys climbs onto the apron where he moves to the corner and climbs the turnbuckle, where he then leaps off with the Keys To The Sky (Diving corkscrew senton). He then goes for a pin on Kasey…
Lunam: Keys hits the diving corkscrew senton and goes for a pin.
ONE!
TWO!
TH…kickout!
Kasey thrusts his shoulder up and Keys looks to the ref before trying again…
Simone: Another pin and again Kasey kicks out.
ONE!
TWO!
Kickout!
Keys shakes his head as he moves to his feet and grabs Kasey sits him up and then fires in a kick to his chest, which makes Kasey hug his chest and Keys takes a few steps backwards before moving in hits a running shining wizard.
Lunam: Another kick out, as Keys makes his way to his feet and grabs Kasey and fires in a kick and then shining wizard.
Kasey is rocked, as Keys then pulls Kasey up to his feet and Irish whips into the corner, where Keys rushes in and hits a splash before taking a few steps back, Kasey stays in the corner before Keys rushes back in and looks for a running boot, but Kasey dodges and Keys lands against the turnbuckle and gets hooked up in turnbuckle.
Simone: Kasey may be in trouble here as Keys whips Kasey into the ropes and hits a splash before attempting to follow up with a running boot but Kasey dodges it.
Kasey shakes off the shining wizard the best he can and he grabs Keys legs and hits a dragon screw and sends Keys down to the mat and clutching his leg. Kasey slowly moves back to his feet, as he rubs his head before stomping on Keys leg before grabbing his leg and pulls away from the corner before coming down on his leg. Keys grimaces in pain, as Kasey does it one more time.
Lunam: Kasey manages to shake off the shining wizard and begins his fight back, as he hits a drag screw and works on that leg.
He grabs Keys once more and pulls him up, Keys shoves Kasey away but Kasey rushes back in and hits a running dropkick, which drops Keys to the mat. Keys tries to roll away but Kasey stops him from going anywhere. Kasey moves to his feet with Keys on his knee and Kasey fires in some knees to Keys face before setting up and locking in the Dragons Keep (Dragon Sleeper).
Simone: Kasey doesn’t allow Keys to move or crawl away and locks in the dragons keep.
Keys tries for fight out of it, but Kasey pulls back a little more and then wraps his legs around Keys torso and Keys doesn’t fight it any more and taps out.
Lunam: Keys tries but can’t escape it and has no choice but to tap out.
Kasey releases and pushes Keys away.
DING DING DING!
Justin: The winner of this match via submission… L.J Kasey.
Simone: Kasey gets the upper hand in anything that is planned for him in the next supercard.
Kasey’s music hits over the p.a, as she climbs to his feet and the ref raises his arm in victory.
Backstage, the camera opens on a quieter corner of the arena, away from the noise of the crowd and the chaos of last-minute production. Folding tables line the wall, stacked with water bottles, spare towels, rolls of athletic tape, and a few half-empty boxes of supplies. Standing at one of those tables is Helluva Bottom Carter, but he is not stretching, pacing, shadowboxing, or doing anything that would suggest he has a main event match looming over him later tonight.
Instead, Carter is carefully arranging items inside a small gift basket.
A couple of bottled waters. A pack of throat lozenges. Pain relief patches. A few packets of tea. Tissues. A small container of soup from catering, sealed up tight. Some crackers. A roll of athletic tape that very clearly does not belong with the rest of the items, but Carter adds it anyway with a thoughtful little nod, as if it makes perfect sense. He then picks up a handwritten note card, reads it over once, makes a face, and underlines something with a pen before tucking it gently into the front of the basket.
He reaches for a ribbon, trying to loop it around the handle with more determination than skill, when Pussy Willow steps into frame with a microphone in hand. She pauses, taking in the sight with a curious smile.
Pussy Willow: Carter?
Carter looks up, eyes widening for half a second as if he has been caught doing something scandalous, then immediately tries to play it off by tugging the ribbon tighter.
HBCarter: Pussy Willow. Hi. Hello. Welcome to… whatever this is. If you are here to judge my ribbon work, I will have you know that I am an athlete, not one of Santa’s elves.
Pussy Willow: I was actually going to ask what you’re doing.
Carter glances down at the basket, then back to Pussy Willow. He gives a casual little shrug, as if he has not been carefully arranging every item with genuine concern.
HBCarter: Oh, this? Nothing. Just putting together a little something for Janet. You know, Janet the Makeup Lady? Heard she’s been under the weather, and considering half this roster would look like haunted leftovers without her, I figured the least someone could do was make sure she had a few things.
Pussy Willow leans slightly closer to inspect the basket, her expression softening.
Pussy Willow: That’s actually very sweet.
Carter immediately points the pen at her.
HBCarter: No. Absolutely not. We are not doing that.
Pussy Willow: Doing what?
HBCarter: Making a thing out of it. It is not a thing. It is soup, tea, crackers, some patches, and a note telling her that if she tries to come back before she feels better, I will personally report her to every maternal figure in this building. That is basic civilization, Pussy. We live in a society. Sometimes people feel bad and you bring them soup. End of story.
Pussy Willow: You also put athletic tape in there.
Carter looks down at the basket and taps the roll of tape with one finger.
HBCarter: Janet works around wrestlers. At some point, someone is going to need tape. It may be emotional support tape, but it is tape.
Pussy Willow smiles, then shifts gears, bringing the microphone a little closer.
Pussy Willow: Well, as kind as this is, I do have to ask about tonight. You are scheduled for the main event, teaming with Alexander Raven against Brandon Hendrix and Logan Hunter. Are you ready for that?
The humor in Carter’s face does not vanish, but it tightens. He keeps working the ribbon through his fingers, though his movements slow slightly.
HBCarter: Ready is a funny word tonight, isn’t it? Because when you ask me if I’m ready to face Brandon Hendrix and Logan Hunter, the answer is yes. I can be ready for them. I can be ready for a fight. I can be ready for two men who have spent their recent careers proving that misery loves company and bad decisions travel in pairs.
He pulls the ribbon across the basket handle, then exhales through his nose.
HBCarter: But teaming with Alexander Raven? After the year that he and I have had? After everything we put each other through? That is the part that has me standing here feeling like I should be checking the walls for exits and the ceiling for falling objects. Because facing enemies is easy. You know what to expect from enemies. You know where the knife is coming from. Teaming with someone like Raven means trusting, even for one night, that the monster beside you is aimed at the same people you are.
Pussy Willow: So you’re more on edge about your partner than your opponents?
Carter gives her a look, then lets out a small laugh with no real amusement behind it.
HBCarter: Pussy, I am teaming with Alexander Raven. Of course I’m on edge. That man does not enter a room so much as he lowers the property value of the atmosphere. He has this whole storm cloud in human form thing happening, and I say that with the respect due to a man who has tried to ruin my life in several creative ways.
He pauses, his expression sharpening.
HBCarter: But here is the thing. Raven and I do not have to like each other tonight. We do not have to hug, we do not have to bond, and we do not have to sit around a campfire talking about our feelings while someone plays acoustic guitar. All we have to do is understand the assignment. And the assignment is Brandon Hendrix and Logan Hunter.
Pussy Willow: Speaking of your opponents, let’s start with Brandon Hendrix. How concerned are you about him tonight?
Carter stares at her for a beat, then blinks.
HBCarter: Brandon?
Pussy Willow: Brandon Hendrix.
HBCarter: I mean… how intimidated can anyone be by a man named Brandon?
Pussy Willow tries not to laugh.
Pussy Willow: Carter.
HBCarter: No, I am asking a serious question. Brandon. That is not a name that strikes fear into the hearts of men. That is a name that complains because his latte had one pump of vanilla instead of two. That is a name that leaves a bad Yelp review because the breadsticks were not endless enough.
He holds up a hand, warming to the thought.
HBCarter: And look, maybe that is why he has to walk around calling himself Brandon effing Hendrix, because if you have to drop an F bomb between your first and last name just to sound dangerous, then sweetie, you are overcompensating for something. I am not saying what. I am simply saying that when a man has to add his own sound effects to his name, maybe the problem is not the volume. Maybe the problem is the content.
Pussy Willow: So you’re not worried about Brandon?
Carter tilts his hand back and forth.
HBCarter: I am not stupid enough to say Brandon cannot hurt someone. He already has. He has shown everyone what kind of man he is when he blindsides people, when he attacks from behind, when he tries to make a name for himself by putting others down. So yes, I know Brandon can be dangerous. But intimidated? No. Annoyed? Deeply. Prepared? Completely.
Pussy Willow: And Logan?
The mention of Logan Hunter changes Carter’s expression more noticeably. The sarcasm does not disappear, but something colder settles beneath it. He stops fussing with the ribbon for a moment and looks directly at Pussy Willow.
HBCarter: Logan is different.
Pussy Willow holds the microphone steady, letting him continue.
HBCarter: See, with Logan, I do not have to guess. I know what he is capable of. I know how he thinks in that ring. I know how he moves. I know what kind of training is in his bones because it is in mine too. Logan Hunter was trained by the same people who trained me at the GO Gym. That means he was trained by the best to be the best.
Carter’s jaw tightens, and he looks down at the care package for a moment, as if choosing the next words carefully.
HBCarter: And that is what makes him so damn frustrating. Because when someone has no talent and runs their mouth, fine. You roll your eyes and move on. When someone has no discipline and acts like the world owes them something, fine. Let them embarrass themselves. But Logan? Logan had the tools. Logan had the teachers. Logan had the foundation. He had people who believed he could become something great.
Carter looks back up.
HBCarter: It is just a damn shame he turned out to be such a bitter disappointment.
Pussy Willow: That sounds personal.
HBCarter: It is personal. Not because Logan hurt my feelings, not because he said mean things, and not because he wants to stand across the ring from me tonight acting like he is everything the GO Gym should be proud of. It is personal because every time Logan Hunter opens his mouth, every time he throws his little tantrums, every time he acts like the world failed him instead of admitting he failed himself, he drags mud across a place that made me stronger, better, and tougher than I ever thought I could be.
He leans slightly toward the microphone.
HBCarter: So tonight, if Logan wants to prove he is everything he says he is, wonderful. I will be right there. If Brandon wants to prove that putting a bad word in his name makes him scary, great. I will be right there too. And if Alexander Raven decides, for one night only, that the enemy of his enemy is useful enough not to stab in the back, then I guess he and I are going to give everyone a main event worth remembering.
A beat passes. Carter looks down at the ribbon, then back to Pussy Willow with a sudden return of his lighter expression.
HBCarter: Speaking of teamwork, put your finger right here.
Pussy Willow: What?
HBCarter: Right here. On the ribbon. I have been fighting this thing for five minutes, and I refuse to let a decorative bow defeat me before Logan Hunter gets the chance to try.
Pussy Willow laughs softly and places her finger on the ribbon where Carter indicates. Carter loops the other end around, pulls it tight, and ties it into a surprisingly neat bow. He gives it one final adjustment, then looks at the basket with satisfaction.
HBCarter: There. Look at that. Main event talent. Gift basket excellence. Range.
Pussy Willow removes her finger.
Pussy Willow: Happy to help.
Carter picks up the care package carefully, cradling it in one arm as if it matters more than he is willing to admit. He gives Pussy Willow a grateful nod.
HBCarter: Thank you, Pussy.
He starts to walk off, then pauses and looks back over his shoulder.
HBCarter: And for the record? Still not a big deal.
With that, Helluva Bottom Carter exits the shot, carrying the care package down the hallway as the camera lingers briefly on Pussy Willow’s amused smile before fading out.
The camera person in the dressing room of Bill and Bea Barnhart turns their attention on Bill since Bea has already presented her comments for their Mixed Tag Team match against Kat Jones and Cyrus Riddle.
Bill: Bea decided to keep her comments short and then by her actions in our match she will deliver the slam dunk on Kat and Cyrus and we will walk away with the win. I don’t know much about Cyrus except for what they have stated on their Bio Sheet. Just the fact that he hangs out with Kat is reason enough to know his logical thinking processes are corrupted and he cannot make good decisions.
Bea: I do not think that you had to reach that far down into the trash can for a comment like that Bill.
Bill: I say what I feel, Bea, and that is what I feel. So, Cyrus, you think you and Kat will have an easy time against us and that you will obtain an easy win? Think again because you two winning this match is simply not going to happen. We are walking into the wrestling ring, just as you two will walk into the wrestling ring, but me and Bea will walk out with the win and our hands raised high in victory while you two crawl back to your dressing room and hide under the couch. See you two in the ring shortly. I will wish you two GOOD LUCK as you are going to need all the good luck you can find to have any chance of defeating us.
Simone: Welcome back to Climax Control and our next match has major implications for Summer XXXTreme as it features three contenders for the Internet Championship as Kat Jones teams with Cyrus Riddle to take on the Barnharts!
Lunam: Bill and Cyrus are one of two men who are scheduled for the vacant Internet Title in the Overboard Battle Royal while Kat Jones will challenge Alexandra Callaway for the Bombshell Internet Title alongside Cassie Wolfe, as of yet? Bea is the only wrestler in this match who doesn’t have a match but that can change tonight!
Simone: Let’s take it to Justin!
Justin: The following is a mixed tag team contest, scheduled for one fall!
Raise Your Glass by Pink hits the speakers and we see Bill Barnhart walk out from the backstage area holding a pink glass chalice in his hand. He is followed by his wife and Manager, Bea Barnhart, who is leading their English Bulldog Iris by a pink leash attached to her pink diamond-studded collar. When the song comes to the lyrics RAISE YOUR GLASS Bill Barnhart raises the chalice into the air. The crowd gives a mixed reaction to Barnhart.
Justin: Introducing first, Bill and Bea, the Barnharts!
The three make their way to the ring where they enter the ring and start warming up afer Bill hands the chalice to a stage hand.
Simone: Much has been said about the collective Win/Loss records of the Barnharts but they can go in the ring.
Lunam: But Kat and Cyrus won’t make this easy for them.
Justin: And their opponents!
Release me"
The two words from the Public Address system in the arena cause the fans in attendance, already on their feet, to react with disdain and unappreciative shouts. Kat Jones,, badass Cincinnati native of ill repute methodically makes her way to the top of the ramp from the gorilla position. Her black shorts and knee high boots are more characterizing of her facial expression and attitude toward the scathing crowd, than her highly decorative top full of self expression.
Kat walks toward the ring, methodically and without much concern at all, regarding the insults and jeers thrown in her direction.
Justin: “Making her way to the ring, hailing from Cincinnati, Ohio, standing five feet, eight inches tall and weighing in at one hundred twenty eight pounds, she is the "WildKat"... KAT JJOONNEESS!!!”
Standing before the ring apron, Kat removes her black leather jacket, whips it behind her, releasing it and allowing it to sail toward the ramp, ultimately letting out a bloodcurdling scream, before she enters the ring and awaits .......... arrival.
Simone: Kat’s return to SCW was a surprise to many but it was marred when her return match against Alexandra for the Bombshell Internet Title hot delayed due to both women getting injured.
Lunam: And their rescheduled match was itself marred when Cassie Wolfe used her win over Alexandra at the beginning of the cycle to get herself a Bombshell Internet Title Match, turning it into a Triple Threat!
The lights in the arena cut instantaneously as the beginning melody of “Glass Houses” by Bad Omens begins to play.
As the breakdown hits and guitar riffs, Cyrus Riddle makes his way out from behind the curtain, spitting a purple mist in the air as the spotlight focuses solely on his presence. With the lights lifting in their opacity, he holds up his index and middle fingers on each hand as he takes a confident stroll down the aisle, surveying the crowd.
Justin: AND HER PARTNER, MAKING HIS WAY TO THE RING, hailing from London, England. He stands at 6’3” and weighed in at 230 pounds! He is The Impaler, he is the Cryptic Legend, he is The Archetype… CYRUUUUUUUUUUS RIIIIIIIIIIDDLE!”
Upon arriving at the ring, Cy slides onto the apron on one knee and gets to his feet, quickly ascending the second rope and outstretching his arms as the chorus kicks in and he mouths the lyrics.
Placing a foot on the top rope, he propels himself into the ring and hits the ropes only to drop to his knees in the center, closing his eyes momentarily and opening them to a visceral growl in ceremonious self-hype. He finally makes his way to the corner, dumping his entrance attire outside and leaning back calmly.
Simone: Cyrus signed with the company right before Into the Void but he’s had a rough go of it.
Lunam: A win here could change that!
Dawn goes over the rules with both teams before asking them to decide who’s going first, the men agree to go first as Kat and Bea step out onto the apron and Dawn calls for the bell.
Simone: And our first of two Mixed Tag Team Contests is on!
Lunam: This will be good.
DING DING DING!
Once the bell rings the two men circle around each other before they lock up in the middle of the ring, Bill has the slight weight advantage on Cyrus and he backs the Brit up to the ropes before firing off some punches and sending him across the ring, Bill goes for a clothesline on the rebound but Cyrus ducks and connects with a clothesline of his own, knocking Bill off his feet.
Simone: Already this tag team match is going better for Cyrus than the one he had with Brandon Hendrix, who is also in the Internet Title Match, against Miles Kasey and HB Carter.
Lunam: Which isn’t exactly hard when you remember that that bar is in the centre of the earth!
Cyrus goes for the first pin of the match.
ONE!
TWO!
And Bill kicks out! Bea cheers on Bill from the ring apron while Kat remains focussed but the cheering from Bea distracts Dawn just long enough for Bill to sneak in an eye rake followed by a Back Suplex! Bill goes for the pin!
ONE!
Simone: I’m surprised Bill didn’t try for the Barnhart Shoulder Breaker finisher, he had Cyrus in a good position for the Flying Hammerlock!
TWO!
Lunam: It’s also early in the match so Bill probably thought there was a low chance of a submission win.
And Cyrus kicks out.
Simone: True as that may be? He didn’t get a pinfall win either.
Lunam: Cyrus won’t be pinned that easily
Bill shakes his head before he picks up Cyrus but the Brit scores with a knee lift before going for a DDT, however Bill fires off some shots to the midsection knocking the wind out of Cyrus but Bill then sees his wife calling for a tag.
Simone: It seems Bea wants a tag.
Lunam: Which will mean that Cyrus will have to tag in Kat due to the intergender rules, but I don’t think Bill’s done yet.
Bill ignores his wife but gets hir by Cyrus with an Enziguri for his troubles before Cyrus goes for a pin!
ONE!
TWO!
And Bill kicks out again, Bea tries to call for the tag again but Bill ignores her.
Simone: Brave move ignoring your wife Bill.
Lunam: Brave or stupid.
Bea is clearly frustrated at this point but there’s little she can do since Bill is out of range for her to even try for a blind tag! Both men get to their feet but Bill scores first with a forearm to Cyrus’s chin before he hits the ropes and then Cyrus with a spear! Bill goes for a pin!
ONE!
TWO!
And Cyrus kicks out! Bill backs up to the ropes near his team’s corner but before he can try for another move? Bea tags herself in via a blind tag! Bill shoots his wife a look but complies and Cyrus makes his way over to his team’s corner and tags in Kat!
Simone: Bill may not like it but now the ladies are picking up from where they left off with their one on one match from last week!
Lunam: Kat picked up the win in that match which may explain why Bea’s so eager to get in on the action and what are they doing here?!
The camera cuts to the entranceway where Lexie Frost and Riley Francs, two members of Cassie’s entourage, have just shown up, the crowd boos the young ladies but they ignore them.
Simone: Either Cassie sent them to scout Kat or something more nefarious.
Lunam: Who knows with Cassie nowadays?
The duo remain at the top of the ramp for now with Lexie staying stoic with her arms crossed while Riley scrolls through her phone but that doesn’t stop Kat from noticing them, mostly thanks to the boos, but the distraction allows Bea to score with a surprise Roll-Up!
ONE!
TWO!
And Kat kicks out!
Simone: Lexie and Riley may not be directly in the ringside area but their presence is having an effect on Kat already.
Lunam: Hopefully Dawn gets them ejected from the ringside area.
Cyrus complains to Dawn about Lexie and Riley but since they aren’t getting directly involved? There’s nothing she can do, meanwhile both women get to their feet and Kat lands the first shot with a stiff forearm, Bea returns the favour and the two women start brawling while their partners cheer them on, however Bea goes for a wild right hand which Kat ducks, causing Bea to spin around and leaving her open to a bridging German Suplex!
ONE!
TWO!
And Bea kicks out! Suddenly Bill drops from the apron and heads over to Cyrus before yanking the Brit off the apron and causing a brawl between the two men.
Simone: Guess Bill isn’t done with Cyrus!
Lunam: If I had a dollar for everytime Cyrus Riddle got into a brawl during a mixed tag where he wasn’t the legal man? I’d have two dollars, which isn’t much but it’s weird that it’s happened twice!
Simone: At least it isn’t with his own partner this time!
Kat pays no attention to the brawl at ringside as she picks up Bea and hits another German Suplex, this time releasing Bea, Kat then calls for the finish but the brawl between Cyrus and Bill has gotten so out of control that Dawn has to leave the ring to try to restore order, up on the ramp Lexie nudges Riley and they start making their way down the ramp while Dawn is distracted.
Simone: Oh here we go.
Lunam: Turn around Dawn!
Kat spots them and takes her eyes off Bea to stare at the two young women but they stop just short of the ringside area, Kat tilts her head……
Simone: WHERE THE HELL DID CASSIE COME FROM?!
Lunam: SHE MUST’VE BEEN LURKING IN THE AUDIENCE!
Kat learns this the hard way as Cassie slams a steel chair into her back, dropping the veteran, Cassie then yanks Kat up and drops her with the Judas Bite Double Underhook DDT onto the chair! Casie bails from the ring and takes the chair with her before she, Riley and Lexie leave via the audience while Bea crawls onto Kat for the pin as Dawn slides into the ring.
Simone: NO! NOT LIKE THIS!
Lunam: Someone stop this!
ONE!
TWO!
THREE!
DING DING DING!
Justin: Here are your winners, the Barnharts!
Simone: Cassie just screwed Kat out of a win, that’s gotta mess with Kat’s head as the cruise nears!
Lunam: And remember, Cassie is the only member of that Triple Threat Match not in action tonight, Alexandra Callaway is set to take on Brittany Williams in a Clash of the Champions match later on tonight and if I where her? I’d be worried!
Cyrus checks on Kat with Dawn while the Barnharts celebrate.
Backstage, the camera fades in not on the usual interview station, not on the looming Summer XXXTreme XIV promotional banner, and not on an eager competitor waiting to tell the world why he is destined for greatness.
Instead, it finds Ciarán Doyle carrying the back end of a heavy black production case.
A visibly frazzled production assistant walks backward ahead of him, both hands gripping the front handle of the case as the wheels bump and rattle over a thick coil of cables stretched across the concrete floor. The assistant looks like they have been running around since sunrise. A headset hangs crookedly from one ear, a clipboard is tucked under their arm, and a roll of gaffer tape dangles from two fingers like they forgot they were holding it.
Ciarán, dressed casually in jeans and a fitted dark shirt, braces the weight of the case with ease, his expression calm as the assistant mutters under their breath.
Production Assistant: I swear this was supposed to be in position ten minutes ago. They moved the camera setup, nobody told me, then they asked where the spare cable trunk was, and apparently I’m supposed to be three people now.
Ciarán: Easy now. You’re doin’ grand. Just mind the turn there before ye take out the poor coffee table and start a backstage war nobody’s prepared for.
The assistant huffs a laugh despite themselves as they guide the case around the corner. Ciarán shifts his grip, lifting just enough to help the wheels clear another mess of cables. A stagehand passes by with a headset and gives Ciarán a quick nod of thanks, which he returns without making anything of it.
Production Assistant: You really don’t have to do this. I know you’ve probably got media stuff, or training, or whatever.
Ciarán: And you looked like you had a mountain fallin’ on your shoulders. The media’ll survive without me for another minute.
They reach a marked-off area beside stacked lighting cases and folded tripods. Ciarán helps guide the production case into place, then crouches to push the brake down on one wheel with his thumb. The assistant exhales like they have just survived a small natural disaster.
Production Assistant: You have no idea how much that helped.
Ciarán: I’ve a fair idea. I’ve carried worse for less gratitude.
The assistant smiles, genuinely relieved.
Production Assistant: Thank you, Ciarán.
Ciarán: No bother. Get yourself a drink of water before somebody hands ye a lighting rig and says it’s urgent.
The assistant laughs and hurries off, leaving Ciarán to coil one loose cable properly before someone trips over it. He is halfway through looping it neatly over his arm when Stoner Scott Oliver drifts into frame, microphone in hand, moving with the slow, easygoing energy of a man who may or may not have forgotten which hallway he was supposed to be in.
Stoner blinks at the cable in Ciarán’s hands, then looks at the production case, then back at Ciarán.
Stoner: Duuuude. I was looking for Ciarán Doyle, future championship contender, and I found, like... backstage roadie Ciarán Doyle. That’s a wild side quest, bro.
Ciarán looks up, smiles faintly, and finishes coiling the cable before setting it carefully on top of the case.
Ciarán: Somebody needed a hand. I had two free ones. Not much of a mystery there, Scott.
Stoner: That is, like, deeply wholesome, man. You’re out here doing good deeds before the cameras even find you. Wait. The cameras did find you. So does that make it secretly not secret anymore?
Ciarán: I wouldn’t lose sleep over it.
Stoner nods slowly, as though this is profound advice he plans to consider for the next several hours. Then he lifts the microphone between them.
Stoner: Alright, man, since I did find you, and you’re not currently trapped under a pile of cables, I gotta ask. Summer XXXTreme XIV is coming up. Big cruise. Big show. Big title match. Are you ready for all that?
Ciarán lets out a breath, glancing briefly down the hall where crew members are still rushing around, then back to Stoner. The smile remains, but there is honesty behind his eyes now.
Ciarán: Aye, I’m ready. More than ready, if I’m bein’ honest with ye. But I’d be lyin’ through my teeth if I said I wasn’t more than a bit nervous too. It’s my first cruise, for a start, so I’m hopin’ I don’t spend half the trip discoverin’ I’ve no sea legs whatsoever. And on top of that, it’s my first championship match on a cruise, which is a sentence I never thought I’d be sayin’ out loud.
He gives a small chuckle, rubbing the back of his neck.
Ciarán: So aye, there are butterflies. Plenty of ‘em. But I don’t think nerves are the enemy, Scott. Nerves mean it matters. Nerves mean I know what’s in front of me. And what’s in front of me is the kind of chance I came to SCW to earn.
Stoner: That’s beautiful, dude. Like, butterflies, but motivational butterflies. Little inspirational insects in your stomach. But speaking of what’s in front of you, man, you’ve got Ryan Keys, the Roulette Champion, and Zayvion Lyons, the former Roulette Champion. That is a whole lot of champion energy in one match. How are you feeling about facing those two?
Ciarán’s expression shifts, not sour, but thoughtful. He nods once, taking the question seriously.
Ciarán: Truthfully? I’ve nothin’ against Zayvion. Not a thing. He’s a hell of a competitor, he’s carried that championship before, and if anyone understands what that title means, it’s him. Now, I’ll be honest enough to say when I won my spot, I was under the impression I’d earned a one-on-one match. Me and the champion. That was what I had in my head.
He gives Stoner a wry look.
Ciarán: But apparently I attract multi-person matches like a magnet attracts every bit of metal in a junk drawer.
Stoner slowly nods, eyes widening.
Stoner: That’s, like, super specific and super accurate.
Ciarán: Still, Zayvion’s the former champion. He deserves his rematch. Fair play to him. I’m not goin’ to stand here and act like he hasn’t earned his place, because he has. But his place bein’ earned doesn’t change mine. I fought to get here too. So if it has to be three of us, then it’ll be three of us, and I’ll deal with the match that’s in front of me instead of complainin’ about the one I expected.
Stoner: That’s a solid vibe, bro. Very centered. Very mature. Very ‘I have processed this in a healthy way,’ which is not always the energy we get around here.
Ciarán laughs under his breath.
Ciarán: I’m tryin’, anyway.
Stoner: So what about Ryan Keys? The champ himself. New Roulette Champion. Dude’s been on a roll, he’s got confidence, he’s got swagger, he’s got, like, champion aura. What do you make of him?
This time Ciarán chuckles more openly, his posture loosening a little.
Ciarán: Ryan? Ryan’s an interestin’ one. I’ll give him that. And the funny thing is, I reckon we’ve a fair bit in common outside the ring. Current professions, former professions, reputations for enjoyin’ life maybe a little louder than some people are comfortable with.
Stoner gives him a look of delighted recognition.
Stoner: Ohhhh, yeah. I see it. I see the parallels, dude. There’s, like, a mirror universe thing going on.
Ciarán: I wouldn’t go that far now. I’ve enough trouble with one of me. But aye, Ryan and I might understand each other a bit better than people expect. He’s fun-lovin’, confident, talented, and he doesn’t strike me as a man who apologizes for bein’ himself. I can respect that. But respect doesn’t mean I’m goin’ easy on him, and common ground doesn’t mean I’m steppin’ aside.
His tone firms without losing its warmth.
Ciarán: Ryan Keys is the champion. That means he’s the man with what I want. So whatever we have in common, once that bell rings, all of that gets left behind. He’ll fight to keep the Roulette Championship, Zayvion’ll fight to take it back, and I’ll fight to bring it home with me for the first time.
Stoner: That is heavy, man. Like, in a good way. Not heavy like when you eat too many nachos before a flight. Different heavy.
Ciarán stares at him for a beat, then smiles despite himself.
Ciarán: I’ll trust you know the difference.
Stoner: Oh, tragically, I do.
Stoner shifts the microphone in his hand, suddenly looking more serious, or at least as serious as Stoner Scott Oliver tends to get.
Stoner: Alright, last question, my dude. Ultimate X Over the Pool. That is not just a championship match. That is cables, climbing, danger, water underneath, and probably at least one person having a really bad splash landing. How do you even prepare for something like that?
Ciarán glances upward, as though picturing the structure hanging above the pool, then gives a small, almost mischievous smile.
Ciarán: Carefully.
Stoner waits for more, nodding like that answer alone might be enough.
Ciarán: Very carefully, actually. I’m workin’ on grip strength, balance, endurance, all the things you’d expect. I’m not foolish enough to think I can walk into that match on heart alone and come out with the championship. It’s a wild setup, and if you hesitate up there, the pool might be the kindest thing waitin’ beneath ye.
He pauses, then the smile grows a little.
Ciarán: But just in case things go sideways, or downwards as the case may be, I’m goin’ to do what the bosses asked of Ryan Keys.
Stoner tilts his head.
Stoner: Meditate? Hydrate? Not insult the lifeguard?
Ciarán pats Stoner lightly on the shoulder.
Ciarán: Not wear white.
For a second, Stoner processes it. Then his eyes widen and he slowly lowers the microphone.
Stoner: Bro. That is probably the smartest strategy anyone has said out loud all night.
Ciarán laughs, giving the production case one last nudge to make sure it is safely out of the walkway.
Ciarán: Sometimes wisdom is just learnin’ from another man’s wardrobe warnings.
Stoner: That belongs on a shirt.
Ciarán: I’ll leave that to merchandising.
Ciarán gives him another friendly pat on the shoulder and starts to walk away down the hall, calm and collected as the backstage chaos continues around him.
Stoner turns slightly toward the camera, watching him go.
Stoner: Ciarán Doyle, man. Helpful, humble, nervous, ready, and apparently not wearing white on a cruise ship pool match. Honestly? That dude might have this whole thing figured out.
The camera lingers for a moment as Ciarán disappears around the corner, then fades out.
Already standing in the ring is the SCW General Manager, Evelyn Hall. The crowd murmurs at the serious expression on her face. They are obviously expecting a big announcement, and as they begin to quiet down, a smirk forms as she raises the microphone.
Evelyn Hall: Things move very quickly in this business. We had about finalized this card when a little bird told me that a Hall of Famer might have some interest in coming back to the fold.
The crowd starts to get excited as the anticipation builds.
Simone: I wonder who that could be?!
Lunam: Looks like we are about to find out. This is great! One of the old guard coming back home?
Evelyn Hall: Our leaders worked very hard to get this deal done, so without further ado, allow me to welcome the fifth person to the Internet Title gauntlet match. Hall of Famer, Four Time World Heavyweight Champion Mac Bane!
The crowd explodes as “Absolute Zero” by Stone Sour begins to play. The outlaw comes out onto the stage as the pyro goes off, Mac pauses there and takes his hat off, bowing slightly to the crowd and the GM as a show of respect. He then starts walking down the ramp, singing the occasional autograph or shaking hands as the case may be, on his way to the ring. He walks up the ring steps, pausing only long enough to wipe his feet on the apron, and then he enters the ring with his hands held high.
Lunam: I know my history, and this guy is an absolute legend around here. It’s like he never left the company!
Simone: I have to agree: Mac has been gone for a few years, but the faithful have kept an eye on him and on what he’s been up to since he left.
Mac and Evelyn wait for the crowd to settle in, she smiles as she raises the microphone back up.
Evelyn Hall: Mac, you will be taking on some familiar names and some probably not so familiar. “Bulldog” Bill Barnhart, Brandon Hendrix and Cyrus Riddle, I know you are familiar with. Brayden Williams and LJ Kasey are probably not as well known. This match will remain the same; it’s a gauntlet match for the vacant Internet Title, which I know you’ve held before.
The crowd pops at this announcement, causing both Evelyn and Mac to smile. Mac starts to raise the microphone, but the crowd gets louder. So he lowers it, and they quieten down; then he raises it, and they get loud again. Seeing the opportunity for shenanigans, he tests the crowd, starting to raise and lower the microphone quickly.
Mac Bane: Gotcha! How the hell are y’all doin'?
The ovation is thunderous as Mac stalks around the ring with the microphone held high.
Mac Bane: It sounds like ya missed me. This is not a one shot deal for a title that doesn’t matter, y’all. This is my official return…..home. Miss Evelyn, yes I know all of these names, and a gauntlet match is exactly in my wheelhouse. My old ex-husband-in-law is in this match, Cyrus. Much love to you, my man. Billiam…
He lowers the microphone but has that knowing smirk on his face, remembering the long history between the two of them.
Mac Bane: I see you, Bulldog. I hope you’ve learned a few things since we last met. Brandon Hendrix… Big man, bigger mouth. Brayden and LJ are very similar in their technique. What’s that old phrase, as quick as a hiccup? Speed kills, boys, and not always your opponent. I’ve said it many times, it’s not the fall that will kill you, it’s the sudden stop there at the end. I am the stop at the end, and I’m very sudden.
Zayvion Lyons is found sitting on some crates backstage with Cleo nearby when the cameras catch up to him.
Zayvion Lyons: I took a hard L a few weeks ago, when I lost the Roulette Championship. All the work I put in to get it and it was gone just like that but hey that's life you know. Ryan Keys what is the better man on that night.
He shrugs.
Zayvion Lyons: But, I ain't going to sit around and cry about it. I'm going to pick my ass up, Ima regroup and I'm going to walk into Summer Xxxtreme and take my Championship back.
He pauses
Zayvion Lyons: I hope you're ready for the bounce back Ryan because it's coming straight for you and that Roulette Championship.
He grins.
Zayvion Lyons: I ain't forgot about you either O'Doyle, with all due respect if you get in my way, I'm going to have to bust up that pretty little face of yours. All business of course.
He exhales.
Zayvion Lyons: At summer Xxxtreme I will become a two-time roulette champion, and the two of you will go back to the drawing board.
Cleo Phillips: Bet.
The scene fades out into the next segment.
Flamboyant referee Holly Wood struts through the ropes with a bright smile. Justin Decent stands ready at center ring with the microphone in hand, but Holly plants a peck on his cheek. Justin blinks, grins despite himself, and steps back as Holly takes her place near the ropes to check them with theatrical precision.
Justin: The following contest is scheduled for one fall!
The arena lights suddenly cut to black. A low murmur begins to run all across the crowd.
“County road…”
The opening line of Gunpowder & Lead by Miranda Lambert begins to play, echoing through the arena. A soft pink spotlight flickers on at the top of the stage… then fades into a mix of pink and warm southern gold lighting. As the beat begins to build a Loud boom begins to go off.
BOOM!!!!
A quick burst of gold pyro shoots up on both sides of the stage.
Justin: Making her way to the ring being accompanied by Brayden Williams. Standing in at 5’3 and 119 pounds she is Carleigh-Raye Annis “CRAVE”
Carleigh-Raye “CRAVE” Annis steps out from behind the curtains. The petite blonde pauses at the top of the ramp, one hand on her hip, the other brushing through her hair. She wears shimmering pink-and-white gear with a glamorous, model-style design, catching the light as she smirks out at the crowd. Standing just behind her is Brayden Williams, who gives her a confident nod. CRAVE takes a few slow steps forward, her walk full of southern swagger and runway confidence. She scans the crowd, soaking in all of the cheers. She blows kisses out to everybody as she playfully begins to walk towards the ring. She stops halfway down the ramp, turns slightly, and gives a playful wink before doing a smooth spin, letting the lights reflect off her gear. She continues to walk and brushes her fingers along the barricade. She gets cheers in return and that’s when she blows kisses to the crowd and receives louder cheers.. She smiles with a wave and continues to walk. At ringside, Brayden quickly moves ahead and holds the ropes open. CRAVE steps onto the apron, pauses, and wipes her boots carefully before sliding into the ring.
She climbs the second turnbuckle, facing the crowd. As her music picks up she strikes a pose placing her hands together in a small heart… then breaks it apart with a smirk, pointing out toward the audience.
CRAVE backs into her corner, stretching against the ropes with gymnast-like flexibility before flipping her hair and looking for her opponent’s entrance.
Simone: Carleigh Annis has all the tools to become a breakout star. She has speed, flexibility, technical instincts and enough confidence to fill this entire arena, but Brayden Williams at ringside is going to be something Holly Wood has to watch from the opening bell.
Lunam: Aye, and that’s what bothers me, Belinda. Carleigh is talented enough on her own, but Brayden lurkin’ around the outside makes every pinfall, every rope break, every distraction a wee bit suspect before the match even starts.
Justin: And her opponent!
The opening piano strokes of “Skeletons” by Wednesday 13 harbor the arrival of Frankie Holliday. As the guitar riffs begin to ramp up the song, Frankie parts the curtain. A sinister and knowing grin on her face as she doesn’t acknowledge the response in any way, walking down to the ring.
Justin: From Milwaukee, Wisconsin! Weighing one hundred and forty nine pounds! Frankie Holliday!
Once she hits the ringside area, she simply rolls under the bottom rope and sits in the corner, still with the grin across her lips. She even chuckles to herself as she readies herself for the match.
Simone: And here comes trouble. Frankie Holliday is a former 2025 Blast From the Past Champion, a former World Champion, and she is already lined up to challenge for the Roulette gold at Summer XXXTreme XIV in the Ultimate X match.
Lunam: That’s a dangerous résumé, Belinda. Frankie’s not here to be dazzled by CRAVE’s pageant walk or Brayden’s pretty face. She’s here to hurt somebody and remind the whole Bombshell division that she’s still a championship level threat.
Holly Wood checks both competitors, gives Brayden a warning glance before the match has even begun, then steps back with one arm raised.
DING DING DING!
Carleigh comes out light on her feet, circling with her hands up as Frankie stalks forward with that same ugly grin. Carleigh darts in first, catches Frankie by the wrist and twists into a quick arm wringer, then slips under and snaps Frankie over with a crisp arm drag. Frankie rolls through to a knee, annoyed more than hurt, but CRAVE is already moving. A second arm drag sends Frankie sliding across the canvas, and when Frankie charges up in anger, Carleigh leaps into a tilt-a-whirl headscissors that whips the bigger woman across the ring. The crowd pops as Carleigh springs to her feet and blows a kiss, but Frankie’s expression changes from amusement to irritation in a heartbeat.
Simone: That is exactly how Carleigh needs to start this match. Do not let Frankie plant her feet. Do not let her turn this into a fight.
Lunam: Easier said than done. Frankie only needs one opening, and then all that pretty footwork becomes panic.
Carleigh rushes in again, looking for a dropkick, but Frankie swats her legs aside and lets her crash to the mat. Frankie pounces with a hard stomp to the ribs, then another to the shoulder, forcing Carleigh to cover up. Holly warns Frankie off, but Frankie drags Carleigh up by the hair and cracks an elbow across the back of her neck. Carleigh staggers into the ropes, and Frankie drives a knee into her body before whipping her across the ring. Carleigh rebounds and ducks a clothesline, but Frankie catches her on the return with a one-woman flapjack that bounces CRAVE chest-first off the canvas. Frankie turns her over and hooks the leg tight.
ONE!
TWO!
Kick out!
Frankie does not argue. She punishes. She hauls Carleigh up and snaps her over with a suplex, floating into another cover with her forearm grinding across the jaw.
ONE!
TWO!
Kick out!
Carleigh kicks free, but Frankie stays on her with a chin lock, wrenching back as she plants a knee between the shoulder blades. CRAVE reaches out, trying to get the crowd behind her, and Brayden slaps the mat from the outside, urging her forward. Frankie sees him and tightens the hold with a sneer, then releases it only to drive a kick into Carleigh’s spine. Carleigh arches in pain, and Frankie follows with a running leg drop across the throat before leaning close enough to say something nasty that Holly immediately warns her about.
Simone: Frankie is slowing this down and making Carleigh carry every pound of that size difference.
Lunam: Aye, that’s veteran cruelty. She’s not just beatin’ her. She’s takin’ away the springs in those legs.
Frankie pulls Carleigh toward the corner and starts battering her with shoulder thrusts, each one folding the smaller woman deeper into the buckles. Holly steps in to count as Frankie uses the ropes for leverage.
ONE!
TWO!
THREE!
FOUR!
Frankie backs off with both hands raised, innocent as a thief with stolen jewels in her pockets. She comes back in, but Carleigh suddenly jumps, plants both boots against Frankie’s chest, and tries to launch her with a monkey flip. Frankie locks her stance, blocks it cold, and Carleigh’s eyes widen just before Frankie shoves her down violently. CRAVE hits the mat on the back of her head and shoulders, folding awkwardly beneath the impact. Frankie immediately stacks her up, folding her in half and sneaking both feet onto the middle rope for extra leverage.
ONE!
TWO!
Holly Wood stops cold, spots the boots, and slaps Frankie’s legs off the ropes before waving the pin away. Frankie shoots up furious, jabbing a finger in Holly’s face, but Holly steps forward and gives it right back, making clear she will not be bullied.
Simone: Holly Wood caught her! Frankie Holliday had Carleigh folded in half with both feet on the ropes!
Lunam: And Frankie looks insulted she got caught, not ashamed she cheated. That tells ye plenty.
Carleigh is still dazed when Frankie goes back to work. A toe kick doubles CRAVE over, and Frankie follows with a release gourdbuster that sends her face-first into the mat. Frankie covers again, this time clean.
ONE!
TWO!
Kick out!
Frankie’s frustration grows. She yanks Carleigh up by the wrist and hammers her with short clotheslines while refusing to let her fall, one after another, snapping CRAVE’s head and shoulders back until Holly warns her again about the clenched fist and closed strikes. Frankie whips Carleigh hard toward the corner, but CRAVE uses the momentum to spring upward. Frankie charges, and Carleigh twists over her, landing behind. A spinning heel kick catches Frankie in the jaw and finally drops her to one knee. Carleigh hits the ropes, comes back, and blasts her with the Runway Kick, the running big boot landing flush to the seated opponent.
CRAVE crawls into the cover.
ONE!
TWO!
Kick out!
The crowd rises with Carleigh as she feeds off the comeback. She snaps Frankie over with a snapmare and cracks a penalty kick across the chest, then follows with a standing moonsault that lands clean across Frankie’s torso. She hooks both legs.
ONE!
TWO!
Kick out!
Carleigh pulls Frankie up, looking to keep the pace fast, but Frankie rakes the eyes behind Holly’s angle and smashes a headbutt into Carleigh’s forehead. CRAVE stumbles backward, blinded, and Frankie wipes her out with a big boot. Frankie drops into another cover, hooking the leg deep.
ONE!
TWO!
Carleigh’s shoulder pops up, but Brayden has also reached in and placed her boot across the bottom rope. Holly sees the rope and calls the break, while Frankie sees Brayden’s hand retreating. Her face twists in rage. Frankie slides out of the ring and chases Brayden around ringside, Brayden retreating fast as the fans roar with a mix of laughter and boos. Frankie rounds the corner, closing in, but Carleigh sees the chance, hits the opposite ropes, and launches herself through the middle and top rope with a suicide dive that wipes Frankie out on the floor.
Simone: CRAVE through the ropes! Frankie gets distracted chasing Brayden and Carleigh makes her pay!
Lunam: And there’s the unfair influence we warned about. Brayden sticks his nose in, Frankie chases him, and Carleigh gets a free shot out of it.
Holly starts the count as both women are down outside.
ONE!
TWO!
THREE!
Carleigh grabs the apron and pulls herself up first, rolling Frankie back under the bottom rope before sliding in after her. She climbs to the top turnbuckle as Frankie staggers upright, and CRAVE soars with the Dixie Dive, crashing into Frankie with a diving crossbody that takes them both down. Carleigh stays on top.
ONE!
TWO!
Kick out!
Carleigh slaps the mat, then drags Frankie toward center ring. She traps one leg, crosses over the body, and locks in an STF, pulling back hard on Frankie’s head as the crowd erupts. Frankie claws at the canvas, her face twisted in pain, one hand reaching for the ropes. Carleigh leans back with everything she has, and Frankie crawls inch by inch toward escape. Her fingers are almost there when Brayden, crouched low outside the ring, pulls the bottom rope back just enough to keep it away from Frankie’s hand.
Frankie screams in fury, reaching again, and this time Holly sees it. The referee immediately orders Carleigh to release the hold, then points straight at Brayden. Brayden protests, palms up, but Holly is not having it. She throws one arm toward the back and ejects him from ringside. The crowd explodes with approval as Brayden argues all the way up the ramp, and Carleigh looks stunned, torn between frustration and the sudden loss of her ringside support.
Simone: Holly Wood has ejected Brayden Williams! That is absolutely the right call.
Lunam: Aye, and listen to these people! They’re cheerin’ it because they know Carleigh can wrestle, but Brayden is turnin’ this into a numbers game.
With Brayden gone, Carleigh tries to refocus fast. She catches Frankie rising and spins into the Tennessee Twister, snapping through a spinning headscissors and transitioning into a roll-up.
ONE!
TWO!
Kick out!
Frankie escapes and comes up swinging, but Carleigh ducks, springboards from the ropes, and nails the CRAVE Cutter. Frankie bounces off the mat, and Carleigh rolls her over with desperate urgency.
ONE!
TWO!
Kick out!
Frankie barely escapes, but she does escape, and the disbelief on Carleigh’s face costs her precious seconds. She pulls Frankie toward the corner, looking for Southern Charm, and sprints in with the handspring back elbow. She connects in the corner, then grabs for the bulldog, but Frankie shoves her off hard. Carleigh hits the ropes, rebounds, and Frankie catches her with a sitout spinebuster that rattles the ring. Both women are down, but Frankie rolls over first, dragging Carleigh up with cold determination.
Frankie hooks the arms. The crowd senses the danger before Carleigh can escape it. CRAVE kicks, twists, and fights, but Frankie muscles her into position and drops her with Black River Falls, the Vertebreaker spiking Carleigh brutally into the canvas. Frankie rolls her over, hooks both legs, and leans all her weight into the cover.
ONE!
TWO!
THREE!
DING DING DING!
Justin: Here is your winner, Frankie Holliday!
Frankie pushes herself to her knees with that same wicked grin slowly returning to her face. Holly Wood reaches to raise her arm, but Frankie yanks it away, wanting no shared moment with anyone. She stands alone in the center of the ring, lifts both arms high, and soaks in the boos like they belong to her. Carleigh remains down, one arm across her midsection, while Holly checks on her and the crowd gives CRAVE a respectful cheer for the fight she has shown.
Simone: Frankie Holliday controls most of that match, survives Carleigh’s biggest comeback, overcomes the Brayden Williams factor, and finishes it decisively with Black River Falls.
Lunam: Aye, that’s a statement, Belinda. Carleigh shows heart, speed, and serious promise, but Frankie Holliday is marchin’ toward Summer XXXTreme XIV and the Ultimate X with murder in her eyes. Tonight, she reminds everyone exactly why a former World Champion can never be taken lightly.
Backstage Victoria Lyons stand ready to address the cameras her husband Darian standing confidently by her side, and her World Bombshell Championship probably displayed over her shoulder
Victoria Lyons: You just don't get it do you Mercedes, you can't accept the truth that I am better than you and I have proved that each and every time we step into that ring together. You're so caught up in your own delusions that you actually think I'm the one making excuses.
Victoria and Darian both laugh.
Victoria Lyons: Mamita…., I'm the World Bombshell Champion. I shattered records with my victory at Into the Void. I don't make excuses. I get results.
She casually palms her championship.
Victoria Lyons: I don't need to make excuses when it comes to you, because the simple truth is you haven't beaten me. You proved nothing at Into The Void,but I proved that I belong at the top of Sin City wrestling and I proved that I am without a doubt a future Hall of Famer.
She pauses shortly.
Victoria Lyons: if anybody's going to run out of excuses after Summer Xxxtreme it's going to be you. So when that second fall Hits in you're the one staring at the lights then you remember that it wasn't bad luck it's just a simple fact that Victoria Lyons is better than you. You will have no choice but to accept the truth.
She smirks.
Victoria Lyons: good luck against Bella tonight by the way don't let my presence distract you too much… oh and by the way, apology NOT accepted.
Darian Price: Long live the queen.
The two smirk confidently as the scene cuts to the next.
Bella Madison stood in front of the SCW backdrop, dressed in a black hoodie over her ring gear, wrists already taped. There wasn't much emotion on her face. Just focus.
Bella Madison: You know, Mercedes...
Bella let out a quiet breath before shaking her head.
Bella Madison: I've been thinking about what you've had to say this week, and honestly... I'm disappointed.
She folded her arms across her chest.
Bella Madison: Not because you took shots at me. Hell, that's part of the job. If you aren't trying to get under your opponent's skin, you're probably in the wrong profession. But you're better than this.
Her eyes stayed fixed on the camera.
Bella Madison: Or at least... you used to be. You've been doing this a long time, Mercedes. Long enough to know that the second you start worrying about somebody sitting at ringside instead of the woman standing across from you, you've already handed your opponent an advantage.
Bella nodded once.
Bella Madison: There was a time when you'd have welcomed this match. You would've walked in, done what you always did, and let everyone else worry about the noise outside the ropes.
A faint smirk tugged at the corner of her mouth.
Bella Madison: But somewhere along the way that changed.
She tilted her head slightly.
Bella Madison: I don't know if losing your little coat-tail rider changed you...or if it just exposed something that was already there.
Her expression hardened.
Bella Madison: The Mercedes Vargas I have battled on several occasions never showed her hand this early. She kept people guessing. She made her opponents wonder what was coming next. But this week? You've already told me exactly where your attention is.
Bella uncrossed her arms.
Bella Madison: And it isn't on me.
She pointed toward the camera.
Bella Madison: That's a mistake because while you're worried about making a statement to Victoria Lyons, I'm worried about beating Mercedes Vargas and getting that momentum going into Summer Xxxtreme and those are two very different priorities.
Bella's voice lowered.
Bella Madison: So here's a little advice from someone I KNOW that you have spent years looking down on. If you're half as smart as everyone says you are...and honestly, I'm starting to think you aren't...then when that bell rings, forget the guest commentator. Forget what Summer XXXTreme has in store for you, forget the World Champion and focus on me. Because I'm the woman standing across from you. I'm the woman that's going to hit you. I'm the woman that's going to make you pay for every second your eyes leave this ring.
Bella stepped a fraction closer to the camera.
Bella Madison: And if you spend even one moment looking past me...you're going to find out exactly why that's the biggest mistake you've made all week.
She held the camera's gaze for another beat before turning and walking out of frame.
SCW referee Jacob Summers enters the ring to a mixed roar from the crowd, checking the ropes, glancing toward the timekeeper, and taking his place near center ring with the practiced authority of a man who knows exactly how quickly a Bombshell match can explode out of his control. The cameras sweep across the arena as the crowd builds louder and louder, signs rising for both competitors while Justin Decent steps into position with microphone in hand.
Justin: The following contest is scheduled for one fall!
The arena lights crash into total black. A sharp crackle of red-and-silver static flickers across the video screen.
“I’ll bite my tongue ‘til it bleeds…” ??Addie Nicole’s voice cuts through the darkness, raw, haunting.
A single red spotlight slashes across the stage. Fog rolls in across the ramp. Bella Madison steps into the light. Her hood is up. Her head down. Arms at her sides. Her silhouette is sharp, black matte leather gear with crimson trim and silver-glitched detailing. No theatrics. Just presence.
On the screen behind her, her name glitches to life:
BELLA MADISON
BITE. YOUR. TONGUE.
Justin: Introducing first! Hailing from Manhattan, New York, representing Wolfslair, weighing in at 125 pounds, this is BELLA MADISON!
“Metallic tranquility… the pain gets buried beneath…”
She begins her walk down the ramp. Controlled. Heavy with purpose. Every step deliberate, this isn’t performance. It’s confrontation. She stops halfway down, head tilting up just slightly.
The beat drops. The lights shift — strobe pulses echoing like warning shots.
“I could destroy you with one line…”
At ringside, Bella circles the ring once, staring up at it like a battlefield. She slides under the bottom rope, staying on one knee for a second — grounded, still, gathering the storm. Then she stands.
Simone: Bella Madison has been fighting like someone with everything to prove and nothing left to waste. At Summer XXXTreme XIV, she steps into Ultimate X Over the Pool for the Bombshell Roulette Championship, and you know a win here tonight gives her a tremendous surge of momentum.
Lunam: Aye, and she’s got the tools for it. Technical wrestling, catch-as-catch-can, high flying, and a mean streak when she needs it. Bella Madison is not just looking toward Summer XXXTreme. She’s looking to remind every Bombshell in that match that she can beat them on the mat, in the air, or flat in the middle of the ring.
Justin: And her opponent!
Suddenly, the arena lights turn off and the crowd is hyped up for what was in store. As the opening of "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me" by U2 blares across the PA system, the mood of the crowd changes instantly and the arena is under the subtle glowing of the lights. As the lyrics finally kick in, a figure emerges; the highlight of their attire is being under the illusion. Mercedes Vargas stops short of the entrance ramp, hands on waist, and overlooking the crowd.
Justin: Making her way to the ring, from Buenos Aires, Argentina, weighing in at 125 pounds, MERCEEEEEDEEEES VAAAARGAAAAS!
Cheers, boos and catcalls soon greet her. Oblivious and yet satisfied with their reaction for several seconds, she flips her long hair, then makes her way to the ring. As she goes up the steps and walks to the end of the ring apron, she climbs to the turnbuckle, then turns her head back as the camera shows her determined expression-perhaps a message that her opponent will be in for a tough fight. Mercedes vaults into the ring and walks over to the opposite corner where she relaxes along the corner ropes while waiting for her opponent(s) to arrive.
Simone: Mercedes Vargas is one of the most decorated competitors in Bombshell history, and at Summer XXXTreme XIV, she gets her return match for the World Bombshell Championship.
Lunam: And that’s dangerous, Belinda, because Mercedes with gold in her sights is as crafty as they come. She can wrestle, she can fly, she can lie, cheat, and twist the rules until the referee is dizzy. The woman is a walking argument with a championship résumé.
Before Jacob Summers can bring the two women together for final instructions, I Am The Fire by Halestorm blasts across the sound system and the arena erupts in boos.
Simone: Speaking of the champion!
Victoria Lyons steps out atop the stage with the World Bombshell Championship proudly displayed and Darian standing at her side. The champion wears a smug, satisfied expression as she looks down at the ring, and Mercedes immediately steps away from her corner, both hands gripping the top rope as her eyes narrow into a glare sharp enough to cut glass. Bella watches carefully from the opposite side, not turning her back on either woman, but it is clear that Mercedes has forgotten everything else in the building except the champion making her way down the ramp.
Lunam: Well, now we’re being joined by the champion herself! Victoria Lyons is coming down here to get a front-row look at the woman who wants her title!
Victoria arrives at the broadcast table, slipping on a headset as Darian remains close behind her. Mercedes leans over the ropes and shouts down toward her, pointing at the championship and then at herself. Victoria smiles coldly and gives Mercedes a slow, dismissive beckon, as though telling her to remember there is still a match to wrestle.
Simone: Victoria, welcome to the broadcast position. I imagine you have a vested interest in this match.
Lunam: Aye, champion, always a pleasure to have the World Bombshell Champion here with us.
Victoria: Save the welcome mat. I’m here to keep a close eye on the woman who wants to be here. Mercedes can glare all she wants, but if she cannot handle Bella Madison tonight, she has no business pretending she is ready for me.
Jacob Summers finally steps between Bella and Mercedes, issuing firm instructions. Bella nods once, focused. Mercedes barely listens, her eyes flicking one last time toward Victoria before she rolls her shoulders and steps forward.
DING DING DING!
Bella and Mercedes circle each other cautiously, both women lowering their centers of gravity before stepping into a collar-and-elbow tie-up. Bella tries to angle for wrist control, but Mercedes plants her feet, shifts her hips, and suddenly yanks Bella down by the hair, slamming her to the mat before sprawling across her shoulders. Jacob Summers immediately drops to a knee, questioning Mercedes about the blatant hair pull, but Mercedes lifts both hands with offended innocence while keeping her weight pressed across Bella’s upper body.
Mercedes: No hair! No hair! Ask her why she fell!
Simone: Oh, come on! She pulled Bella down by the hair right in front of Jacob Summers!
Lunam: She did it plain as day, Belinda! Mercedes is already testing how much she can steal before the referee starts taking receipts.
Victoria: That is Mercedes Vargas in one move. Cheat first, deny second, pose third.
Mercedes lets Bella up with a smug grin, but Bella does not rush. She gets back to her feet, brushing hair from her face while keeping her eyes on Mercedes. They lock up again, and Mercedes repeats the offense, grabbing a handful of Bella’s hair and snapping her down to the mat with another cheap takedown. This time she tries to float over into a front facelock, but Bella twists beneath her, threads an arm through, and reverses beautifully into a hammerlock, face down on the mat, pinning Mercedes’ wrist high behind her back.
Mercedes kicks her legs, hissing in frustration as Bella drives a knee lightly between her shoulder blades and leans into the hold. Mercedes pushes up to one knee, then to both feet, forcing her way upward with a wince before rotating her body and reversing into a hammerlock of her own. She gives the arm an extra crank, smiling toward Victoria as though asking if the champion is impressed.
Mercedes: Watch closely, campeona!
Victoria: I am watching. I am still waiting to see something impressive.
Mercedes’ grin falters just long enough for Bella to drop to her knees, hook Mercedes by the head, and snapmare her over with crisp technique. Mercedes hits seated, rolls through, and immediately pops up, pointing angrily at Jacob Summers.
Mercedes: Hair! She pulled my hair!
The crowd laughs and boos as Bella stares at her in disbelief, palms open.
Simone: Mercedes Vargas has pulled Bella Madison down twice by the hair, and now she is complaining about a perfectly legal snapmare!
Lunam: The hypocrisy is so thick ye could spread it on toast! That was clean wrestling from Bella, and Mercedes is acting like she’s been robbed in broad daylight.
Victoria: That is because Mercedes believes rules are only rules when they protect her.
Bella steps forward and catches Mercedes with an arm drag, then another, then holds the arm on the third, grounding Mercedes with a tight armbar. Mercedes grimaces as Bella shifts her legs and transitions into a hammerlock again, trying to wear down the shoulder and limit Mercedes’ ability to hit those lucha-style counters. Mercedes reaches for the ropes, but Bella drags her back toward center and rolls her into a modified crucifix pin.
ONE!
TWO!
Kick out!
Mercedes kicks free and scrambles up, but Bella is already moving. A sharp dropkick catches Mercedes flush in the chest and sends her staggering back into the corner. Bella charges, but Mercedes ducks out through the ropes, using the apron as a shield while Jacob warns Bella back. The moment Jacob’s eyes are on Bella, Mercedes reaches over the top rope and snaps Bella throat-first across it. Bella reels backward, clutching at her neck, and Mercedes vaults back in with a slingshot leg drop across the back of Bella’s head, rolling her over for a cover with a forearm across the face.
ONE!
TWO!
Kick out!
Mercedes sits up and slaps the mat, already irritated. She drags Bella into a seated position, clamps on a body scissors, and snakes one arm around Bella’s chin, teasing a dragon sleeper while squeezing with her legs. Bella’s face tightens as Mercedes rocks backward, dragging her away from the ropes and turning her head just enough to shout toward the commentary table.
Mercedes: This is what a champion looks like, Victoria!
Victoria: No, that is what someone trying very hard to convince herself looks like.
Simone: Mercedes is wasting breath talking to Victoria Lyons, but the body scissors is doing damage.
Lunam: Aye, she’s squeezing the ribs and bending Bella backward at the neck. But every time Mercedes opens her mouth, she gives Bella a chance to think, breathe, and fight.
Bella wedges an elbow inside the grip, turns her chin, and begins striking backward into Mercedes’ ribs. Mercedes tightens the scissors, but Bella bridges, rolls her weight, and nearly stacks Mercedes onto her shoulders.
ONE!
TWO!
Kick out!
Mercedes releases the hold and beats Bella to her feet, catching her with a short-arm knife-edge chop that cracks through the arena. She shushes the crowd with a finger to her lips, then fires another chop across Bella’s chest. A third. A fourth. She grabs Bella by the wrist, pulls her in, and finishes with a short-arm clothesline that turns Bella inside out. Mercedes struts around her fallen opponent, stomping once, twice, three times while circling like a shark, then plants a boot against Bella’s throat in the corner.
Jacob Summers: ONE!
Mercedes: UNO!
Jacob Summers: TWO!
Mercedes: DOS!
Jacob Summers: THREE!
Mercedes: TRES!
Jacob Summers: FOUR!
Mercedes releases dramatically and turns to the referee with a smirk.
Mercedes: I have until five!
Simone: And there it is. Mercedes Vargas knows exactly where the line is, and she loves dancing on it.
Victoria: She loves dancing near it. Against me, she will get thrown over it.
Mercedes turns back to Bella and pulls her up by the hair, drawing another warning from Jacob. She whips Bella across the ring and charges, but Bella springs off the second rope and twists back with a springboard enzuigiri. Beautiful Disaster connects against the side of Mercedes’ head! Mercedes drops to a knee, stunned, and Bella hits the ropes, looking for a Shining Wizard, but Mercedes collapses flat to avoid the strike, then rolls Bella into a schoolgirl with a handful of tights.
ONE!
TWO!
Kick out!
Bella bursts free and both women scramble up. Mercedes swings for a spinning roundhouse kick, but Bella ducks under, hooks the waist, and pulls Mercedes backward into a sharp DDT variation that spikes her to the mat. Bella rolls her over and hooks the leg.
ONE!
TWO!
Kick out!
The crowd is fully alive now as Bella pulls Mercedes up and sends her into the ropes. Mercedes rebounds, leapfrogs, then drops into a split to avoid Bella’s follow-up. Bella keeps running, rebounds again, and Mercedes catches her with a tilt-a-whirl, looking for the backbreaker, but Bella swings through into a headscissors takedown that sends Mercedes skidding under the bottom rope to the outside.
Simone: Tremendous counter by Bella Madison! Mercedes wanted Double Jeopardy, but Bella knew it was coming!
Lunam: That was instinct and skill, Belinda! Bella felt the rotation and turned danger into opportunity!
Victoria: Mercedes should focus on Bella before she starts worrying about me. But she will not. Her ego is louder than her ring awareness.
Bella steps through the ropes to the apron, but Mercedes yanks her feet out from under her, sending Bella crashing hard onto the edge of the apron before tumbling to the floor. Jacob Summers begins his count as Mercedes drags Bella up and drives her back-first into the barricade.
ONE!
Mercedes grabs Bella by the wrist and sends her toward the steel steps, but Bella hops onto the bottom step and turns, only for Mercedes to rush in and sweep her legs. Bella hits the floor hard, and Mercedes tosses her hair back, turning again toward Victoria.
TWO!
Mercedes: You see that? You are next!
Victoria: I see a woman standing outside the ring while the referee counts.
THREE!
Mercedes leans over the table, jawing at Victoria, and Darian takes one subtle step forward behind the champion. Victoria does not rise. She simply smiles, tilting her head as Mercedes continues shouting.
FOUR!
Lunam: Mercedes had Bella down, and instead of staying on her, she’s arguing with the champion again!
Simone: This is exactly what Victoria wants. She is under Mercedes’ skin without lifting a finger.
Mercedes finally turns around, but Bella explodes off the floor and tackles her with a Thesz press! The crowd roars as Bella mounts Mercedes and unloads with fists to the head, each shot forcing Mercedes to cover up and roll sideways. Jacob Summers leans through the ropes, warning them both to get it back in the ring.
FIVE!
Bella drags Mercedes up and rolls her under the bottom rope, then climbs to the apron and waits. Mercedes staggers to her feet, dazed and angry. Bella springboards in, but Mercedes catches her mid-flight with a sudden dropkick to the ribs, knocking Bella out of the air. Mercedes crawls into the cover, hooking both legs.
ONE!
TWO!
Kick out!
Mercedes screams in frustration and grabs Bella from behind, pulling her into the Red Peril, locking the lotus position as Bella’s arms are trapped and her body twists painfully. Bella clenches her teeth, refusing to submit as Mercedes rocks backward, trying to fold her in half while keeping her eyes on Victoria.
Mercedes: Say it! Say I am ready!
Victoria: You are ready to embarrass yourself.
Bella hears the exchange and begins fighting with everything she has, shifting her hips inch by inch. Mercedes tries to roll the hold into a Gedo Clutch pin, but Bella anticipates it, kicks her legs free, and rolls through to one knee. Mercedes charges with a hook kick, looking for 2 to Tango, but Bella ducks the kick, catches the arm, and snaps Mercedes down into a surfboard stretch. The crowd rises as Bella plants a knee into Mercedes’ back, pulls both arms, and bends her backward in a painful arc.
Simone: Bella turns the tables! Mercedes wanted to punish her, but Bella Madison can wrestle with the best of them!
Lunam: That’s the Wolfslair training right there! She’s not panicking. She’s adjusting. She’s making Mercedes pay for every mistake!
Mercedes screams and kicks until she reaches the bottom rope with one boot. Jacob calls for the break, and Bella releases cleanly at three. Mercedes rolls to the apron, clutching her shoulders, then lures Bella in and snaps her throat across the top rope again. Bella stumbles back, and Mercedes springboards in with a tornado DDT that plants Bella near the center of the ring. She covers with a back bridge, showing off as she stacks Bella’s legs.
ONE!
TWO!
Kick out!
Mercedes slaps the mat again, furious, then drags Bella up by the arm. She wrenches it hard, sets her feet, and nails the hook kick to the face.
Simone: 2 to Tango! Mercedes may have her!
ONE!
TWO!
Kick out!
Mercedes cannot believe it. She rises slowly, glaring daggers at Jacob Summers, then at Victoria Lyons. She backs into the corner, waiting for Bella to rise, slapping her own knee and calling for Be Still My Heart. Bella gets to one knee. Mercedes charges for the savate kick, but Bella drops low, kicks Mercedes in the knee, and snaps her down with a short trip hurricanrana that drives Mercedes face-first into the mat.
Lunam: Bella Aube! Bella got all of it!
Bella reaches for Mercedes’ legs, looking to turn her into Bella Notte, but Mercedes claws forward and gets to the ropes before Bella can secure the submission. Jacob makes Bella break, and Mercedes pulls herself onto the apron, breathing hard. Bella closes in, but Mercedes grabs another handful of hair and snaps Bella down across the middle rope. Jacob warns her yet again as Mercedes climbs back in and points toward Victoria.
Mercedes: You cannot beat me! Nobody can!
Victoria: Bella is beating you right now.
The words hit exactly where Victoria wants them to. Mercedes snarls and steps through the ropes, shouting again, completely ignoring Bella as she rises behind her. The crowd begins to swell, seeing the danger before Mercedes does. Victoria leans back in her chair, eyes cold, amused, and almost bored as Mercedes turns from the ropes.
Bella catches her instantly. She hooks the arm behind Mercedes, drives forward, and pancakes her out with Ashes to Ashes! Mercedes is planted face-first into the mat with brutal impact, and Bella rolls her over, hooking both legs tight as Jacob Summers dives into position.
ONE!
TWO!
THREE!
DING DING DING!
The arena explodes as Bella Madison releases the cover and sits back on her knees, breathing hard, sweat in her hair and fire in her eyes. Mercedes lies flat on the canvas, stunned by her own mistake as much as by the finishing blow. Jacob Summers rises, calling for the bell again as Justin Decent makes the announcement.
Justin: Here is your winner! BELLA MADISON!
Jacob Summers takes Bella by the wrist and raises her arm high in victory. Bella stands tall, battered but triumphant, her chest rising and falling as the crowd cheers her hard-earned win. At ringside, Victoria Lyons slowly removes the headset, staring at Mercedes with open disgust as Darian watches from behind her.
Simone: Bella Madison has done it! A massive win over Mercedes Vargas, and what a statement before Ultimate X Over the Pool at Summer XXXTreme XIV!
Lunam: Aye, and Mercedes has no one to blame but herself! She had chances, she had momentum, but she could not stop shouting at Victoria Lyons long enough to finish the job. Bella Madison stayed sharp, stayed hungry, and hit Ashes to Ashes when it counted!
Victoria: Mercedes wanted my attention. She got it. And what I saw was exactly what I expected. A woman more worried about yelling at the champion than winning the match in front of her.
Victoria drops the headset onto the table and leaves with Darian at her side, never once looking impressed. In the ring, Bella climbs the turnbuckles and raises both arms, soaking in the reaction as Mercedes rolls toward the ropes in humiliation. The final image is Bella Madison celebrating a huge victory, momentum firmly on her side, while the World Bombshell Champion walks away shaking her head at the challenger who just lost sight of the fight.
Absolutely. Here is a heartfelt SCW tribute segment written in the style of an on-screen Pride Month feature, blending charity work, community involvement, parade visuals, youth outreach, and individual messages from the listed characters.
SCW Pride Month Tribute Segment The scene opens not inside an arena, not beneath the roar of pyro or the glare of championship spotlights, but beneath a bright summer sky where rainbow flags ripple above a crowded city street. The SCW logo fades into view, not in its usual hard-edged silver and black, but overlaid with the colors of Pride. The sound is softer than usual at first: laughter, cheering, music from a parade float, the distant beat of drums, and the voices of thousands gathered not for combat, but for celebration.
Footage rolls of SCW Owner Christian Underwood walking near the front of a Pride parade, dressed sharply but casually, waving to the crowd with one hand while holding a small rainbow flag in the other. Beside him is General Manager Evelyn Hall, smiling warmly as she hands out SCW-branded Pride wristbands to fans lining the route.
Helluva Bottom Carter is seen dancing with a group of young fans near the barricade, making one nervous teenager laugh so hard they have to wipe tears from their eyes.
Ryan Keys stands nearby, signing a Pride flag for a fan who tells him quietly how much it means to see someone like him succeed in the ring.
Victoria Lyons is seen a few feet away, the World Bombshell Championship resting proudly over her shoulder as she takes photos with fans draped in rainbow flags, giving one overwhelmed young woman a confident nod and a quiet word of encouragement before the fan pulls her into a grateful hug.
Zayvion Lyons moves along the parade route with Cleo nearby, helping volunteers pass out bottled water and Pride wristbands while stopping to dap up fans and remind them that being seen should never feel like asking permission. The footage shifts to a community center.
The SCW roster members sit in a circle with LGBTQ youths, listening more than speaking.
Alexandra Calaway kneels beside a young person painting a banner that reads “You Are Enough.”
Harper Mason helps organize care packages with hygiene supplies, snacks, resource cards, and handwritten notes of encouragement.
Marissa Brooke interviews volunteers from a local LGBTQ youth shelter, giving them the platform, not taking it from them.
Miles Kasey and LJ Kasey laugh as they help hang decorations for a charity fundraiser, while Bella Madison hugs a young fan who had been too shy to approach her until Bella waved them over first.
Victoria Lyons sits with a group of young women and nonbinary youths during a confidence workshop, speaking with the poise of a champion but listening with unusual patience as they talk about fear, identity, and the pressure to shrink themselves in rooms where they deserve to stand tall.
Zayvion Lyons works beside Ryan Keys at a self-defense demonstration, showing a group of LGBTQ teens basic balance and stance while reminding them that strength is not about looking for a fight, but knowing they have the right to protect their peace.
A soft instrumental version of SCW’s theme music plays underneath as the screen fades to Christian Underwood standing alone in the center of an empty SCW ring. The arena around him is dark except for the rainbow lighting across the ropes and canvas.
Christian Underwood: Pride Month has always been deeply personal to me. Not because it is about one month on a calendar, and not because it gives people a reason to wave a flag. It is personal because that flag has meant survival to a lot of people. It has meant hope. It has meant family when family was hard to find. It has meant that someone, somewhere, was willing to stand up and say, “You are not broken. You are not alone. You belong here.” As a gay man, I know what it means to look for that kind of sign. I know what it means to need it. And as the owner of SCW, I want every person watching to hear this from me clearly. Whoever you are, whoever you love, however you identify, there is room for you in this world. There is room for you in our audience. There is room for you in our locker room. There is room for you in this fight.
The screen cuts to Evelyn Hall at the charity fundraiser, standing behind a table covered with donation jars, pamphlets, rainbow pins, and handwritten thank-you cards from youths helped by the program.
Evelyn Hall: Being an ally is not about giving yourself credit for being decent. It is about showing up, especially when it would be easier to stay quiet. It is about listening when someone tells you who they are. It is about believing them, respecting them, and standing beside them when the world tries to make them feel smaller. I have had the privilege of working with strong people in SCW, people who have lived their truth loudly, quietly, painfully, proudly, and beautifully. Pride Month is a celebration, yes, but it is also a responsibility. To our LGBTQ fans, coworkers, friends, and families, I want you to know that you are valued exactly as you are.
The footage changes to Helluva Bottom Carter sitting on the floor of a youth center, surrounded by teenagers working on glitter-covered signs for the parade. He holds one sign that says “Loud, Proud, Loved,” and smiles before looking into the camera.
HBCarter: I know what it feels like to laugh loud because you are trying not to cry. I know what it feels like to make yourself the joke because you are scared somebody else will do it first. But let me tell you something, baby, there is power in becoming the person you once needed. There is power in walking into a room and refusing to apologize for the space you take up. To every young LGBTQ person watching this, especially the ones who are scared right now, listen to me. You do not have to have everything figured out today. You do not have to be fearless every minute. You just have to keep going. There is a future version of you who is so grateful you stayed.
The scene shifts to Ciarán Doyle standing near the parade route, wearing a Pride ribbon pinned to his jacket. He has just finished helping unload bottled water and snacks for volunteers.
Ciarán: I’ll say this plain, yeah? Nobody should have to earn dignity. Nobody should have to prove they deserve respect. Whether you’re gay, straight, bi, trans, pan, queer, still figuring yourself out, or you haven’t found the words yet, you deserve kindness. Back home, and everywhere I’ve been, I’ve seen people carry things they should never have had to carry alone. So if being an ally means standing there beside someone when the world gets cruel, then that’s where I’ll be. Right there. No hesitation. Pride is joy, but it is also courage, and I’ve got nothing but respect for that.
The next shot shows Alexandra Calaway at a charity auction table. An autographed pair of ring boots, an SCW event chair, signed merchandise, and title replica plates are being auctioned to raise money for LGBTQ youth housing and crisis support.
Alexandra Calaway: I have always believed strength is not just what you do when the bell rings. Strength is how you protect people when there is nothing to gain from it. It is how you use your voice when somebody else’s voice is shaking. As an ally, I do not want to simply say I support the LGBTQ community. I want that support to have action behind it. Donate. Volunteer. Defend people when they are not in the room. Correct ignorance when you hear it. Make your support visible enough that someone who needs it can see it. Pride should not be something people have to celebrate in spite of fear. It should be something they celebrate surrounded by love.
The footage shifts to Victoria Lyons standing beside a wall of Pride artwork created by local LGBTQ youths. At first she looks every inch the champion, polished, composed, and impossible to ignore, but when one young artist nervously explains that their painting is about learning not to apologize for existing, Victoria’s expression softens. She rests one hand over her championship and then gestures toward the artwork with quiet approval.
Victoria Lyons: I know people hear my name and expect arrogance. They expect the crown, the championship, the attitude, and yes, they usually get all of that. But Pride is not about pretending to be small so others feel comfortable. Pride is about standing in your truth and refusing to let anyone shame you out of it. To every LGBTQ person watching, especially those who have been told they are too loud, too proud, too different, or too difficult, listen carefully. You do not have to lower your head for anyone. You do not have to make yourself easier to accept. You are allowed to take up space. You are allowed to shine. And when the world tries to make you feel powerless, remember that your truth is not weakness. It is royalty.
Ryan Keys appears next, sitting on the edge of the ring in an empty training facility. A rainbow towel rests beside him, and young trainees can be seen in the background working through basic drills with SCW stars.
Ryan Keys: When you are an athlete, people talk a lot about toughness. They talk about pain tolerance, endurance, grit, and fighting spirit. But some of the toughest people I have ever met are LGBTQ kids who wake up every day in places that do not understand them and still choose to be themselves. I am proud to be a gay man. I am proud of the road that brought me here, even the parts that hurt. And I want every person watching to know that your identity is not a weakness someone gets to exploit. It is part of your truth. And there is nothing more powerful than someone who finally stops running from who they are.
The screen shifts to Marissa Brooke standing with a microphone, not in an arena, but outside an LGBTQ community resource center. Behind her, SCW stars help unload boxes of donated clothes, books, and food.
Marissa: Tonight, we are not just talking about Pride. We are standing inside the work that Pride makes possible. These centers, these shelters, these hotlines, these volunteers, they save lives. They give young people a safe place to breathe. They give adults a place to rebuild. They remind people that community is not just a word. It is a lifeline. SCW is honored to help raise awareness, raise funds, and most importantly, raise voices that deserve to be heard. Pride Month belongs to the people who fought for it, the people who need it, and the people who will carry it forward.
The camera cuts to Harper Mason at a table covered in handwritten cards. She is carefully writing one that reads, “You matter more than you know.”
Harper: I think a lot of people underestimate how much one kind sentence can mean. One person saying, “I see you,” can change the entire direction of someone’s day. Maybe even their life. I am proud to stand as an ally because nobody should have to wonder if they are loved because of who they are. Nobody should have to hide the best parts of themselves just to feel safe. So to everyone celebrating Pride, and especially to everyone who cannot celebrate openly yet, please know this. You are seen. You are loved. And there are more people standing with you than you may realize.
The scene shifts to Zayvion Lyons standing in a gym space inside the community center, helping a group of LGBTQ youths run through light footwork drills. Cleo Phillips watches nearby, smiling as Zayvion slows down to encourage one nervous teenager who keeps apologizing for getting the steps wrong. Zayvion shakes his head, gives them a fist bump, and looks toward the camera.
Zayvion Lyons: Let me tell y’all something. You do not have to be perfect to be proud. You do not have to be fearless to be brave. Sometimes courage is just showing up when everything in your head is telling you to hide. I have been in enough fights to know that the hardest battles are not always the ones people see. So to every LGBTQ fan out there, every kid trying to figure out who they are, every person who feels like they have to defend their own heart, I see you. Keep standing. Keep breathing. Keep moving forward. And do not let anybody convince you that being yourself is something you have to apologize for.
Miles Kasey appears next on a parade float, one arm around LJ Kasey, the other waving to the cheering crowd. The footage cuts to him later, seated in a quieter setting, a pansexual Pride pin visible on his jacket.
Miles Kasey: Pride, to me, is freedom with memory attached. It is joy, but it remembers the people who were denied joy. It is celebration, but it remembers the people who had to fight just to exist openly. As a pan man, I know that identity can be misunderstood, questioned, or brushed aside by people who do not want to take the time to learn. But I also know how beautiful it feels when someone simply accepts you without making you defend your own heart. That is what I want for everyone. A life where love is not treated like a debate. A life where being yourself does not have to be an act of bravery, even though for so many people, it still is.
Bella Madison is shown helping a young fan adjust a rainbow cape around their shoulders before the parade begins. The fan looks nervous, and Bella gives them a reassuring smile before they walk together toward the crowd.
Bella Madison: There is something powerful about watching someone step into themselves. You can see the moment they realize they do not have to shrink. They do not have to ask permission. They can stand tall, smile, cry, dance, be messy, be joyful, be real. That is what Pride gives people. Not perfection. Permission. As an ally, I am here to say that your life is not up for public vote. Your love is not up for judgment. Your identity is not a phase someone else gets to dismiss. You are real. You are worthy. And you deserve a world that treats you that way.
The screen cuts to LJ Kasey standing near the SCW booth at the fundraiser, helping hand out signed posters to fans who donated. He pauses as one fan thanks him for showing up, and LJ nods with clear emotion before addressing the camera.
LJ Kasey: Support is not complicated. People try to make it complicated, but it really is not. You respect people. You use the name they give you. You use the pronouns they give you. You do not make jokes out of somebody’s existence. You do not stand silent when someone else does. That is the bare minimum. The real work is making sure people feel safe enough to be themselves before they are in crisis. Pride Month matters because visibility matters, but care matters every day after the parade ends. So from me to every LGBTQ fan watching, I am proud to stand with you.
A montage follows.
Christian Underwood cuts the ribbon at an SCW-sponsored donation drive for LGBTQ youth housing. Evelyn Hall sits with parents at a support group, listening as one mother cries while talking about learning how to better support her child. Carter performs on a small outdoor stage, turning a charity event into a celebration while reminding the crowd to donate before he “personally comes to your house and judges your throw pillows.”
Ryan Keys helps coach a self-defense workshop for LGBTQ youths, calm and patient as he teaches confidence without aggression.
Ciarán Doyle carries boxes into a shelter storage room and quietly slips an extra donation envelope into the hands of the director.
Alexandra Calaway speaks to a group of young athletes about locker room respect and standing against bullying.
Harper Mason paints faces at a Pride family event, giving one little kid rainbow stars across both cheeks.
Marissa Brooke records interviews with volunteers and activists, making sure each organization’s name and mission are clearly heard.
Miles Kasey speaks at a panel on queer visibility in sports entertainment, his voice steady and honest.
Bella Madison and LJ Kasey help lead the SCW group in the parade, walking beside fans, not ahead of them.
Victoria Lyons stands at a mentorship table, autographing a Pride flag for a young fan before telling them to keep their chin up like they already belong in every room they enter.
Zayvion Lyons helps load boxes of donated clothes and supplies into the community center storage room, then stops to laugh with a group of volunteers as Cleo hands him another stack before he can even pretend he is finished.
The montage fades back to the ring, where all thirteen figures now stand together. The arena is still empty, but the rainbow lights shine brighter now. Christian stands in the center, not as the owner above everyone else, but as one voice among many.
Christian Underwood: SCW has never been just about championships, rivalries, victories, or defeats. At its best, this company is about people. The ones who fight in this ring, the ones who cheer from the seats, the ones watching at home who may never know how much their support means to us. Pride Month reminds us that being seen can be life-changing. Being accepted can be life-saving. And being loved without conditions is something every human being deserves.
Evelyn Hall: To the allies watching, do not let your support begin and end with a rainbow graphic. Let it show in your choices. Let it show in your language. Let it show in the way you protect people when it matters.
HBCarter: To the LGBTQ fans watching, you are not too much. You are not wrong. You are not a problem to be solved. You are a whole person, honey, and the world is better with you in it.
Victoria Lyons: And do not let anyone make you feel like pride is something you should whisper. Your life is not a secret somebody else gets to manage. Stand tall, wear your truth like a crown, and never apologize for knowing your own worth.
Ryan Keys: Be proud at your own pace. Be loud if you are ready. Be quiet if you need to be safe. Your truth is still real either way.
Miles Kasey: Love is not weaker because someone else does not understand it. Identity is not less valid because someone else needs educating.
Zayvion Lyons: Whoever you are, however you love, whatever name finally feels like home, hold on to it. Nobody gets to take that from you.
Ciarán: And if anyone tells you different, well, they can take it up with the lot of us.
Alexandra Calaway: Pride is celebration.
Harper: Pride is courage.
Marissa: Pride is community.
Bella Madison: Pride is love.
LJ Kasey: Pride is for everyone who needs to know they belong.
The camera pulls back as the group stands shoulder to shoulder beneath the rainbow lights. On the screen behind them, footage from the parade appears again: fans waving flags, kids laughing, volunteers embracing, SCW stars marching beside the community. The final image is a simple message across the screen: SCW celebrates Pride Month. You are seen. You are loved. You belong. The segment fades out to the sound of the crowd from the parade chanting, “Pride! Pride! Pride!”
We cut to the backstage area where we see Logan Hunter sitting on a crate with the Shields Sisters standing nearby.
Logan: This week will be remembered as one of triumph.
Brooke: Yes! For one thing? I’m officially twenty one!
Marissa: So am I but thanks for remembering!
Brooke: Well yeah but I’m the one people want to see!
Marissa: Keep telling yourself that.
Brooke: PUH-LEASE, you know it’s true!
Logan ignores the two bickering beautiful women.
Logan: This is the last show before Summer XXXTreme and I will carry my tandem with Brandon Hendrix to victory against Carter and Raven and after that? I will cap things off with Carter on the cruise! So it has been written, so it has been foretold!
The trio walk off as the scene fades.
Simone: Welcome back to Climax Control and our next match! Alexandra Callaway and Brittany Williams are set to defend their respective titles at Summer XXXTreme but tonight? They will face off in a Clash of the Champions Match and that match is next!
Lunam: Brittany will defend the Bombshell Roulette Title against Harper Mason, Bella Madison and Frankie Holiday in the annual Ultimate X Over the Pool Match while Alexandra will defend the Bombshell Internet Title against Cassie Wolfe and Kat Jones in a Triple Threat Match so this is all about momentum! However we can’t ignore the fact that Cassie cost Kat the Mixed Tag Team Match with Cyrus Riddle against the Barnharts earlier and that means Alexandra will have to have eyes in the back of her head.
Simone: This should be a great match! Let’s take it to Justin!
Justin: The following is a non-title Clash of the Champions Match, scheduled for one fall!
The lights go down and "Cry Little Sister" by Lyric Noel starts to play. The arena is filled with Red and lights and fog. The Silhouette of Alexandra can be seen at the top of the ramp. She poses on the top of the ramp and as the beat drops, she starts to make her way down the ramp, towards the ring. Stopping halfway down the ramp, she stops looking out over the crowd, before continuing on. She smirks seeing some of the signs people made a cocky smirk crosses her face.
Justin: Introducing first, she is the Bombshell Internet Champion, from DALLAS, TX.. ALEXANDRA CALAWAY!!!!!"
Finishing her walk down the ramp, she climbs onto the ring apron and up onto the turnbuckle. She slips into the ring and poses on the ropes, leaning forward on the ropes, sometimes talking shit with people in front row. She watches up the ramp, messing with her hair as she waits for her opponent.
Simone: Alexandra has been on a tear since she won the Bombshell Internet Title from Victoria Lyons who, as we all know, is now the World Bombshell Champion!
Lunam: And she’s got her first proper defence coming up at Summer XXXTreme after her defence at Into the Void got postponed but with Cassie’s actions earlier tonight? She needs to be on the lookout!
Justin: And her opponent! Introducing on her way to the ring. She is wrestling’s royalty. Third Generation superstar and the SCW Bombshell Roulette Champion, “Princess” Brittany Williams!!!
We R Who We R by Ke$ha begins to blast across all the speakers. Princess Brittany Williams emerges from behind the curtain wearing a Tiara on her head and a scepter in her hand. She smiles as the crowd welcomes her with boos. Paparazzi snap photos of the little heiress as she walks to the ring doing a royalty wave. Brittany slides into the ring as she slowly takes her Tiara off and raises her scepter high into the air. She throws them to the side waiting for her opponent to come out next.
Simone: Brittany’s return has so far paid dividends though the fact that she’s only the Bombshell Roulette Champion because Cassie cost Harper the match at Into the Void can’t be ignored.
Lunam: Meaning that Cassie has had her fingers in a lot of pies lately!
Drew goes over the rules with both women before he calls for the bell.
Simone: And this Clash of Champions Match is on!
Lunam: This should be good.
DING DING DING!
Once the bell rings Alexandra and Brittany lock up in the middle of the ring before Brittany takes the early advantage with a deep arm drag followed by a standing dropkick that knocks the Texan down, Alexandra gets back to her feet but Brittany presses the advantage with a couple of forearms to the Internet Champ’s jaw before sending her across the ring……..and turning Brittany inside out with a lariat on the rebound.
Simone: Brittany had the upper hand to start but that’s just gone out the window!
Lunam: Out the window and landed in the cheapseats alongside Brittany’s head thanks to Alexandra’s Lariat!
Alexandra rolls Brittany onto her back for the first pin attempt of the match.
ONE!
TWO!
And Brittany kicks out! Alexandra shakes her head before she picks up Brittany only for Brittany to score with a jawbreaker that sends the Texan stumbling backwards, Brittany follows that up by clotheslining Alexandra to the outside and following her out, hoping to press the advantage on the Bombshell Internet Champion! Drew starts his count and at four Brittany scores with a Snap Suplex onto the floor.
Simone: Brittany managed to get back in the game thanks to that jawbreaker and that Suplex on the outside will help,
Lunam: Especially since Alexandra, despite not looking it, is one of the older Bombshells on the roster.
Drew’s count reaches seven before Brittany picks up Alexandra, rolls her back into the ring and follows her in before Brittany goes for her first pin of the match.
ONE!
TWO!
And Alexandra kicks out! Brittany decides to change tactics by locking in a Boston Crab and Drew gets into position to check on Alexandra and see if she wants to submit, naturally? Alexandra refuses and starts crawling her way to the ring ropes to try to break the hold, once Brittany realizes this she shifts her position, changing from a Boston Crab to an STF.
Simone: Brittany realized that her Boston Crab wasn’t working so she shifted to an STF.
Lunam: Either way? Alexandra’s in trouble.
Alexandra still doesn’t give up the fight that easily and keeps crawling to the ring ropes with Drew checking on her every step of the way! Brittany tries to crank the pressure up but it proves to be of no use as Alexandra reaches the ring ropes, forcing Brittany to break the hold which she does after four seconds! Brittany then drags Alexandra back to the centre of the ring for a pin attempt.
ONE!
TWO!
Simone: And that’s another strong kick out from Alexandra!
Lunam: Brittany’s quickly realizing that there’s a reason why Alexandra, on top of her current Bombshell Internet Title Reign, is a two time Bombshell Roulette Champion!
Brittany gives Drew a disbelieving look before she picks up Alexandra but the Texan surprises Brittany with a Small Package!
ONE!
TWO!
And Brittany kicks out! Both women get back to their feet and a brawl erupts between them while Drew watches closely to see if there’s any closed punches being used by either woman and so far? It’s all on the level, after a few moments Alexandra backs Brittany up to the ring ropes before whipping her across the ring, however? Brittany ducks and both women go for a clothesline, knocking them both down!
Simone: Alexandra and Brittany are both down!
Lunam: We’ll see who will get the advantage after they regain their bearings.
Drew starts his count but suddenly? Boos start echoing from the audience and Drew looks towards the entrance ramp.
Simone: OH YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME?!
Lunam: They are really trying the same trick twice?!
Indeed? Lexie and Riley have showed up at the top of the ramp and remain there, Lexie smirking with her arms crossed while Riley takes selfies with her phone! Drew has clearly watched the footage from the Mixed Tag Team Match earlier because Drew is giving them as wary eye and Alexandra sees them as she gets back to her feet! However before Alexandra can do anything she’s rolled up by Brittany!
ONE!
TWO!
Simone: Alexandra kicks out again but that terrible duo can only mean that Cassie’s not far behind.
Lunam: If I were security I’d be searching the audience for Cassie! Can’t be that hard to find a petite, short, attractive dark haired woman and………actually? Never mind.
Both women (in the ring that is) get back to their feet and Brittany tries to keep the momentum up with a Running Hurricanrana but Alexandra counters it, hoists Brittany up and flips Brittany out of the Powerbomb position to hit a Lung Blower on Brittany! Alexandra goes for the pin!
ONE!
TWO!
And Brittany kicks out! However as Alexandra gets back to her feet? Riley and Lexie make their move, heading down the ramp and stopping at the bottom.
Simone: They really are repeating this note for note, aren’t they?
Lunam: I’m just surprised that they think this will work a second time!
Drew leaves the ring and tries to order Lexie and Riley to the back and sure enough? A steel chair wielding Cassie slides into the ring behind him! However? A third woman soon joins Cassie.
Simone: IT’S HARPER!
Lunam: Oh she’s done messed up now!
Cassie hears the cheers and turns around, seeing her former tag team partner standing behind Cassie with a look on her face that screams “really?!” before kicking the Aussie in the gut, causing Cassie to drop the chain in the process, and throws her out of the ring! Lexie and Riley realize that their plan has backfired and retreat with Cassie while Harper leaves the ring with the chair, giving chase to them! Back in the ring? Brittany has motioned for her finisher.
Simone: Brittany’s going for the Coronation!
Lunam: Which is not to be confused with Cassie’s finisher of the same name which is a Corkscrew 630 Splash but rather a jumping Impact DDT!
Brittany goes for the move but when she jumps? Alexandra shoves her off, Brittany gets back to her feet clutching her midsection and Alexandra uses that to hit the Last Ride!
Simone: And there’s the Apocalypse!
Lunam: Stick a fork in Brittany, she’s done!
Alexandra goes for the pin!
ONE!
TWO!
THREE!
DING DING DING!
Justin: HERE’S YOUR WINNER, THE BOMBSHELL INTERNET CHAMPION ALEXANDRA CALLAWAY!
Simone: Cassie’s second attempt at screwing over her opponents backfired big time as Alexandra gets the win!
Lunam: And that’s a blow to Brittany’s momentum too so she just helped Harper!
Alexandra celebrates her win while Drew checks on Brittany.
The scene opens backstage at Climax Control following the match between Alexandra Callaway and Brittany Williams where Cassie, Lexie and Riley are making their way down the hallway.
Krystal: Told you to switch up the plan.
The trio looks up and see Krystal waiting for them.
Cassie: How was I supposed to know that Harper would be waiting the second time around?!
Krystal: Common sense?
Riley: Look, we messed with one of Cassie’s opponents at Summer XXXTreme successfully tonight, Kat’s going to feel that loss to Bea for a while, we can at least focus on that!
Lexie: Besides, it’s the final show before the cruise and we’ve rattled both Kat and Alexandra so I say it’s a win-win!
Cassie: Maybe you’re right, now let’s get to the hotel before………..
*CLANG, CLANG*
Both Lexie and Riley drop like sacks of potatoes after Harper attacks them from behind with the chair Cassie almost used on Alexandra!
Harper: Hi Cass!
Cassie: Oh fuck off!
The two women start brawling and Krystal goes to intervene only to get cut off by Jessie, security quickly arrives on the scene to break it up but they are glaring at each other while Riley and Lexie lick their wounds.
The backstage area buzzed with its usual controlled chaos. Road agents walked briskly from one conversation to the next, production assistants hurried by carrying clipboards, and wrestlers prepared for their own matches throughout the arena. Tucked away down one of the quieter hallways, away from most of the noise, Miles Kasey leaned against a production crate with the SCW World Heavyweight Championship resting over his shoulder while Carter finished lacing up his boots.
For a few moments, neither of them said anything, they didn't have to. After everything they'd been through over the last several weeks, silence had become surprisingly comfortable. Carter finally broke it.
HBCarter: You've got that look again.
Miles looked over.
Miles Kasey: What look?
HBCarter: The one where your brain's moving about three miles faster than the rest of you.
A faint smile tugged at the corner of Miles' mouth.
Miles Kasey: You make me sound exhausting.
HBCarter: You can be.
That earned Carter a playful roll of the eyes. Miles looked down at the championship on his shoulder before letting out a quiet sigh.
Miles Kasey: I've been thinking about Raven.
Carter stopped tying his boot and looked up.
HBCarter: Okay...
Miles Kasey: After everything, especially last week when I had that conversation with him before he went to try and nuke his rematch clause, and then he saves you from Logan and Brandon....I can't figure him out.
Miles shook his head slowly.
Miles Kasey: I've tried, too, for weeks. I've gone over Osaka in my head more times than I care to admit. I expected him to be angry. I expected him to demand his rematch. Hell, I expected him to show up every week making my life miserable until he got another shot. I mean, lets just say it, that's what I would've done, that’s what anyone who lost their championship would have done.
Carter laughed.
HBCarter: Yeah... you probably would've.
Miles Kasey: But that's not what happened.
Miles pushed himself off the crate and started pacing slowly.
Miles Kasey: He loses the World Championship. Then he gets blindsided by Hendrix. Then he comes out talking like he isn't even sure if he wants the rematch. And then last week, the same guy who looked ready to walk away runs out and saves you.
Miles rubbed the back of his neck.
Miles Kasey: I just...I don't know what version of Alexander Raven I'm walking into Summer XXXTreme against.
Carter sat quietly for a moment.
HBCarter: I don't think he knows either.
Miles stopped pacing.
Miles Kasey: You really think that?
HBCarter: I do.
Carter rested his forearms on his knees.
HBCarter: I think he spent so long being the guy around here, even before he won it from me, that losing the World Championship forced him to ask himself a question he's probably never had to answer before.
Miles Kasey: And what's that?
HBCarter: 'Who am I if I'm not the champion?' Also you gotta think about the damage that you two did to one another only for 2 weeks later, him getting absolutely clobbered. No one saved him, no one. I think there has been a major wakeup call somewhere.
Miles was quiet because quite frankly that wasn't an answer he'd considered.
Miles Kasey: You know, after everything he has done, I hadn’t even considered that. I've been looking at him like an opponent.
Carter nodded.
HBCarter: And I've been looking at him like a person, a weird one, one that talks like a weird Shakespearean play that talks in riddles but one that has been through it. I get why you are concerned but tonight, I need to trust him so I need you to trust him.
Miles smiled.
Miles Kasey: That's one of the reasons I married you.
Carter grinned.
HBCarter: Because I'm smarter?
Miles Kasey: Love, let's not get carried away.
They shared a laugh before the conversation settled again. Miles' smile faded first.
Miles Kasey: You know what the worst part is?
Carter's expression softened.
HBCarter: This isn't even really about Raven.
Miles nodded.
HBCarter: I know. I keep trying to convince myself it is but every time I start thinking about him...my brain ends up somewhere else.
Carter didn't need him to explain where and Miles just nodded.
Miles Kasey: I hate that he's done this to us.
HBCarter: He hasn't.
Miles frowned and went to argue but Carter stood and walked over until they were standing face-to-face.
HBCarter: No, listen to me.
His hand rested gently against Miles' chest.
HBCarter: He hasn't done this to us. I get it, you're worried and you're very protective. You've always been both of those things. The only difference now is you've got a reason you can't punch.
Miles couldn't help but laugh.
Miles Kasey: That's... annoyingly accurate.
HBCarter: I know. You keep trying to solve everything because that's who you are. You always have been. But Raven isn't yours to solve....at least not this week.
Miles glanced down the hallway before looking back at Carter.
HBCarter: And neither am I.
That made Miles raise an eyebrow.
Miles Kasey: What?
Carter smiled.
HBCarter: You don't have to spend every second making sure I'm okay. I’m a grown man and not some damsel, babe.
Miles Kasey: I know.
HBCarter: You know it but you don't believe it yet.
Miles opened his mouth and closed it again because Carter wasn't wrong.
Miles Kasey: I just...I've come too close to losing everything that matters.
Carter reached up and straightened the World Championship on Miles' shoulder.
HBCarter: And because of that...you're carrying this around like it's your responsibility to stop bad things from happening.
Miles looked at him for a long moment before quietly nodding. Carter leaned forward until their foreheads touched.
HBCarter: But tonight...let me worry about my match. And you...keep worrying about yours.
Miles smiled for the first time in several minutes then Carter bumped him lightly with his shoulder.
SCW lead referee Jasmine St. John steps through the ropes and into the ring, greeted by a thunderous roar from the capacity crowd. She walks with the calm confidence of an official who has overseen wars, betrayals, title changes and grudges that have reshaped entire careers. Justin Decent stands in the center of the ring with the microphone in hand, and Jasmine approaches him with a professional smile. Justin extends his hand, Jasmine shakes it firmly, and then she turns to take her position near the ropes, checking each corner and casting a careful glance toward ringside. She knows the combustible nature of this main event. She knows the personalities involved. She knows one bad decision, one illegal shot, one moment of chaos could blow this match apart before it ever reaches a proper conclusion.
Justin: Ladies and gentlemen, the following contest is the Main Event of Climax Control! It is a Tag Team match scheduled for one fall! Introducing first, team number one!
"Hope Castrated" by Cage Fight hits the speakers and as soon as the opening scream is heard Logan emerges from the back, Brooke and Marissa follow him out and the sisters have their backs to the crowd while they dance to the song, Brooke does some sensual dances while Marissa shows off dance skills while Logan glares at the ring.
Justin: From Sydney, Australia and representing the Go Gym, being accompanied by Brooke and Marissa Shields, LOGAN HUNTER!
As soon as Logan's name is called the twins spin around and the trio start making their way to the ring, Logan gets a running start before hopping on the apron and holding the middle rope down for Brooke as she enters the ring before he follows her in, Marissa follows them in on her own and they meet in the middle of the ring and while Logan remains standing broke drops to one knee and stretches her arms out with her head bowed while Marissa spins and arches her back, giving the crowd (and camera) a nice view of her cleavage before she flips her dark brown and looks at the camera.
Justin: And his tag team partner!
Lightening strikes the stage and the smoke disappears as Brandon Hendrix stands in the middle of the stage, “Anger’s Remorse”, He stares out to the cheering crowd, pointing to them before looking back at the stage, then tosses his arms up, creating a white flame that shoots up from the stage.
Justin: FROM MILAN, ITALY RESIDING IN SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS! HE WEIGHS IN TONIGHT AT TWO HUNDRED AND SIXTY FIVE POUNDS! THE GOD OF HOPE!
BBBBBBRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNNNNDDDDDDDDDOOOOOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNN…..
FUCKING……
HHHHHHEEEEEEEENNNNNNNNDDDDDDRRRRRRRRRIIIIIIIIIIXXXXXXXXXX!!!!!!
Brandon starts walking down the ramp, a single light shining down on Hendrix. The fans have all turned their flashlights on their phones and hold their phones up. The entire arena is lit with lights and the fans wave their phones along to the song. Brandon continues his walk down the long ramp of where SCW is being taken place, thousand fans becoming Brandon's light in this battle with a his opponents being who they are. Brandon looks around, giving a slight nod to those who back him before he walks up the steel steps, wiping his feet before entering the ring. Brandon stares at his opponent, and acknowledges the war that is coming. He takes his jacket off and hands it to crew outside the ring. Brandon stands in his corner and tells his opponents to bring it.
Simone: Brandon Hendrix and Logan Hunter are not a natural pairing in terms of temperament, but in terms of danger? This is a nightmare combination. Hendrix brings power, violence and that direct freight-train offense, while Logan Hunter brings speed, technique and the kind of underhanded instincts that can change a match in seconds.
Lunam: Aye, and that’s what makes them lethal, Belinda. Hendrix can knock the lungs out of ye with one shot, and Logan can pick the bones clean after. They do not need to like each other to hurt people together. They just need a target.
Justin: And their opponents!
The dancing techno beat of Lady Gaga's LGBTQ anthem, "Born This Way" kicks up over the sound system. The crowd turns to the stage where Helluva Bottom Carter dances out onto the stage amidst the cheers of the SCW Universe! Clad in his favorite Ostrich jacket and sparkling lavender shades over his eyes, Carter bows and sweeps at the waist, blowing a kiss.
Justin: From Seattle, Washington, weighing one hundred and seventy six pounds, he is the "Hardcore Bottom" -- Helluva Bottom Carter!
Carter runs toward the ring, slapping hands offered out to him all around the ringside area. He then hops up onto the ring apron in a split and slides beneath the bottom rope. He crawls seductively on all fours until he arrives in his corner. He pulls himself up and removes his shades and jacket, passing them out to the ringside attendant before laying across the top corner, awaiting his partner's introduction.
As the opening rift of 'Kafka' by Jinjer begins to play out the lights change to a darkish blue, filling the area with a hazy blue. Smoke billows from the entrance way, covering the ramp and creating a cloud big enough for a person to stand in at the entrance curtain.
Alexander bursts from the smoke cloud, eyes open wide as he slowly casts his gaze over the crowd. His face drawn and stoic, the slight flaring of his nostrils as he nods a little to himself. His hand extends out to his side, as Luna Pasilno steps through the smoke, taking his hand in hers. The two of them slowly beginning to make their way down the ramp, hand in hand.
Justin: Accompanied by Luna Pasilno! From Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, weighing two hundred and twenty five pounds! Alexander Raven!
'Beauty of looks, beauty of faults.
As they reach the ring apron, they let go each others hands, Alexander stepping up onto the ring apron, and turns to look back at Luna. The two of them locking eyes as he slowly steps backwards through the ropes, never breaking gaze from her. An unspoken acknowledgement as he slowly steps backwards toward the centre of the ring, Luna making her way around the ringside area taking up place nearby. Alexander coming to a stop in the middle of the ring, eyes still locked on her. Waiting for the bell.
Frightened and offhand. Deaf to a command.'
Simone: There is the question that has been hanging over this entire match. Alexander Raven and Helluva Bottom Carter have put each other through literal hell over the past year. They have fought, bled and tested each other in ways most people would not survive emotionally or physically.
Lunam: And now they have to stand on the apron and trust one another? That is a mighty ask. Carter wears his heart where the world can see it, and Raven keeps his locked behind stone walls and scars. The question is not whether they are talented enough. It is whether they can stop looking backward long enough to survive tonight.
Jasmine St. John moves between the two teams, warning Logan and Brandon to keep their seconds out of the match and warning Raven and Carter that she will not tolerate personal grudges spilling into chaos. Logan smirks and leans through the ropes to exchange words with Brooke and Marissa. Brandon rolls his neck and points straight at Raven. Carter bounces lightly in his corner, but he keeps glancing at Raven, unable to fully hide the uncertainty in his eyes. Raven does not look back at him. He simply steps forward and volunteers to start.
Jasmine calls for the bell.
DING DING DING!
Raven and Hendrix step to the center of the ring, and there is no lockup, no feeling-out process, no test of strength. Hendrix throws the first right hand like a cannon blast, and Raven answers with one of his own, the shot cracking across Brandon’s jaw and snapping his head sideways. Hendrix grins through it and fires back with a left jab, a right hook and a knee to the gut, forcing Raven to double over before he clubbers him across the back. Raven stumbles but refuses to fall, catching Hendrix with a thrust kick to the ribs and then driving straight punches into the side of his head. The crowd rises as the two men abandon technique and trade bombs like the match has already dissolved into a street fight.
Simone: Raven and Hendrix are starting this match like they want to end each other before the first tag can even happen!
Lunam: This is not strategy, Belinda. This is pride, anger and bad intentions wearing wrestling boots!
Hendrix shoves Raven into the ropes, but Raven rebounds with a slingblade that takes the big man off his feet. Hendrix rolls under the bottom rope to the floor, and Raven immediately follows, ignoring Carter’s warning from the apron. Brandon catches Raven as he steps down and drives him spine-first into the edge of the ring apron. Raven snarls in pain, but he clamps a hand around Brandon’s head and smashes him face-first into the announce table. The crowd erupts as Hendrix answers by lifting Raven and charging forward, ramming him back-first into the barricade. Fans scatter from the impact, while Luna Pasilno inches closer with concern flashing across her face.
Jasmine leans through the ropes and starts the count.
ONE!
TWO!
Raven throws a sharp elbow into Brandon’s temple.
THREE!
Brandon answers with a headbutt that nearly drops Raven to one knee.
FOUR!
Raven hooks Brandon around the waist and tries to muscle him over with a belly-to-back suplex on the floor, but Hendrix blocks it with sheer weight and drives another elbow down across Raven’s skull.
FIVE!
Carter shouts from the apron, telling Raven to get back inside, but Raven is too busy grabbing Hendrix by the wrist and whipping him toward the steel steps. Hendrix reverses and sends Raven crashing shoulder-first into the steps instead, the metal shifting with a violent clang.
SIX!
Hendrix drags Raven up and tries to send him into the post, but Raven plants his boot against the base, turns, and blasts Hendrix with a straight right hand that staggers him backward.
SEVEN!
Raven rolls inside the ring, then rolls straight back out to break the count, drawing a warning from Jasmine and a roar from the crowd.
Simone: Raven just reset the count, but that may have been pride more than sense!
Lunam: Aye, he bought himself time, but he also bought himself more punishment if he cannot get Hendrix under control.
Raven charges, but Hendrix catches him and drives him backward into the barricade one more time before throwing him under the bottom rope. Brandon follows, finally bringing the chaos back inside, and he tags Logan Hunter with a hard slap to the shoulder. Logan enters with speed, immediately dropping an elbow across Raven’s back before rolling him over and grinding his forearm across Raven’s face. Raven tries to fight up, but Logan snaps him down with a dropkick to the side of the head and hooks the leg.
ONE!
TWO!
Kick out!
Logan drags Raven toward his corner and tags Brandon back in. Hendrix steps through the ropes and drives a heavy boot into Raven’s ribs. Logan holds Raven’s arm stretched from the apron, allowing Brandon to deliver a brutal corner jab to the exposed shoulder before Jasmine forces Logan to release. Hendrix pulls Raven upright and tosses him with a belly-to-belly suplex that shakes the canvas. Carter reaches out from the opposite corner, his hand extended, but Raven rolls toward the wrong side by instinct, then stops when he sees Carter. That hesitation costs him. Brandon crushes him with a running corner clothesline and tags Logan again.
Simone: That hesitation right there tells the story. Raven needed a tag, but for a split second, he looked at Carter like he did not know whether to trust him.
Lunam: And Logan Hunter saw it. Logan smelled blood in the water like a shark with a college degree in cheating.
Logan enters and applies a single leg Boston crab, sitting low and wrenching back as Raven claws toward the ropes. Carter slaps the turnbuckle, rallying the crowd, but Raven refuses to reach toward him and instead drags his body toward the bottom rope. Logan pulls him back to the center, then transitions smoothly, trying to trap Raven in the Faithbreaker triangle choke. Raven stacks him up before Logan can cinch it fully.
ONE!
TWO!
Kick out!
Both men scramble up, and Raven catches Logan with a German suplex, releasing him hard across the mat. Raven crawls toward Carter, but Brandon storms into the ring and cuts him off with a knee to the ribs before Jasmine can stop him. Carter tries to enter, but Jasmine turns to block him, and that allows Logan and Brandon to drag Raven back to their corner for a quick double-team. Logan snaps Raven across the jaw with a superkick, and Hendrix follows with a spinebuster that plants him flat.
Simone: This is exactly what Raven and Carter could not afford. Logan and Brandon may not be friends, but they are functioning. Raven and Carter are not.
Lunam: Carter is willing. Raven is stubborn. That is the problem. Sometimes pride is just a fancy word for standing in your own grave.
Brandon covers Raven.
ONE!
TWO!
Carter breaks it up with a diving front dropkick to Brandon’s shoulder! Jasmine orders Carter back out, and Carter throws his hands up, obeying, but not before glaring at Raven and shouting for him to stop being impossible. Brandon tags Logan, who rushes in and stomps Raven down, mocking Carter by extending Raven’s arm toward him before yanking him away. Logan pulls Raven up and goes for a brainbuster, but Raven shifts his weight, lands behind him and finally lunges toward the corner. Carter reaches as far as he can. Their fingertips brush once, miss, and then connect.
The crowd explodes.
Carter flies into the ring with instant energy, ducking Logan’s lariat and rebounding off the ropes with a spinning wheel kick that catches Hunter flush. Logan stumbles up, and Carter hits a standing dropkick that sends him into the corner. Carter charges in with a handspring clothesline, then pulls Logan out and plants him with a wheelbarrow DDT. Carter rolls Logan over and hooks both legs.
ONE!
TWO!
Kick out!
Carter keeps moving, not wasting the opening. He grabs Logan by the wrist and hits a wristlock arm drag, then follows with a basement dropkick to the face. Brandon steps through the ropes, but Carter sees him coming and ducks under a clubbing blow, springboarding off the middle rope with a tightrope dropkick that knocks Hendrix backward through the ropes to the floor. Carter turns back to Logan, but Logan catches him with a headbutt to the midsection and tags Brandon on the way past.
Hendrix storms in and levels Carter with a lariat that flips him inside out. The air leaves the crowd for a second as Carter hits the mat hard. Brandon drags him up and hurls him across the ring with a fallaway slam. Carter lands near Raven, who reaches for the tag now, but Carter is dazed and rolling the wrong way. Brandon smirks, pulls Carter up, and presses him over his head before throwing him down with a military press. Logan calls for the tag, and Hendrix obliges, though not warmly. Logan enters and immediately goes to the top rope, soaring off with a moonsault that connects across Carter’s ribs.
ONE!
TWO!
Kick out!
Simone: Carter survives, but he is now the one trapped. This match has shifted again, and Logan Hunter is enjoying every second of it.
Lunam: Logan does not just want to win. He wants Carter humiliated, isolated and looking across the ring at a man he is not sure will save him.
Logan drags Carter up and hooks him from behind, holding both arms while shouting for Hendrix. Brandon enters and lines Carter up for a big boot. Carter struggles, but Logan has him trapped. Hendrix charges, but Raven suddenly explodes into the ring, grabs Carter by the shoulder, and shoves him down and out of the way. Brandon’s boot crashes directly into Logan Hunter’s face instead! Logan collapses like a puppet with the strings cut, and Hendrix freezes in disbelief while the crowd erupts.
Simone: Raven saved Carter again! Raven just saved Carter again, and Brandon Hendrix wiped out his own partner!
Lunam: Aye, and look at Carter’s face! He knows it too. Whatever history is between them, Raven just chose him in the middle of the fire!
Jasmine forces Raven back toward his corner, but something has changed. Carter rolls toward Raven, and this time there is no hesitation from either man. Carter tags him in cleanly. Raven steps through the ropes and goes right at Brandon, ducking a right hook and firing back with a thrust kick to the stomach. Raven hooks Hendrix and drives him over with an exploder suplex, a massive display of technique and grit against the larger man. Logan crawls to the apron, shaking off the accidental boot, but Raven cuts him down with a springboard elbow that sends him tumbling back to the floor.
Carter claps from the apron, and Raven glances at him. It is brief, but it is acknowledgment. Raven grabs Brandon and tags Carter back in. Carter climbs to the top rope as Raven holds Hendrix in place with a front facelock. Carter leaps with a diving meteora to Brandon’s chest as Raven drops backward, compounding the impact. Carter covers.
ONE!
TWO!
Brandon powers out!
The match breaks open into frantic motion. Logan returns and catches Carter with a ripcord knee strike that sends him staggering into the ropes. Raven answers by blasting Logan with a shining wizard, but Brandon grabs Raven from behind and drops him with a back suplex. Carter recovers and catches Hendrix with a running hurricanrana that sends the big man into the corner. Carter rushes in and leaps, driving both boots into Brandon with a triangle running dropkick. Logan pulls Carter out of the corner and tries for a powerbomb, but Carter counters with a sunset flip powerbomb of his own.
ONE!
TWO!
Kick out!
Raven tags in, and he and Carter pull Brandon up together. They whip Hendrix into the ropes and set themselves for a double clothesline, but Brandon bursts back like a runaway truck and clotheslines both men down instead! The crowd groans as Raven and Carter hit the mat side by side. Hendrix roars, dragging both men up by the head, one in each hand, and throws them into the ropes again. He swings for a second double clothesline, but this time Carter and Raven duck beneath the arm, hit the opposite ropes in perfect rhythm, and come roaring back with a double clothesline that finally takes Brandon Hendrix down!
Simone: That was teamwork! That was not accidental. That was not survival. Raven and Carter just moved like a real team!
Lunam: And Hendrix felt every bit of it! The big man thought he had them measured, but they learned on the second pass!
Logan scrambles into the ring to cut them off, but Carter meets him with a calf kick, sending Logan backward into the corner. The crowd rises as Carter sees him seated against the turnbuckles. Carter turns his back, gives the crowd a wicked grin, and charges backward into Logan with the Passion Fruit, crushing him in the corner with the Sonny Kiss-style butt corner attack! Logan slumps further, humiliated and stunned, while the audience explodes with cheers and laughter. Carter spins out of the corner, and Raven follows by driving a facewasher boot into Logan’s jaw.
Simone: Passion Fruit connects on Logan Hunter!
Lunam: That’ll bruise the body and the ego, and I promise ye, Logan values the ego more!
Raven pulls Logan toward the ropes and sets him for The Kingslayer, but Brooke suddenly jumps onto the apron and screams at Jasmine. Jasmine turns to order her down, and behind the referee’s back, Marissa creates a distraction on the other side. Brooke reaches through the ropes and chokes Raven across the middle rope, pulling back with both hands while Raven kicks and claws for air. The crowd boos loudly, and Luna Pasilno has seen enough. Luna rushes around ringside, grabs Brooke by the arm, yanks her off the apron and hurls her hard against the ring steps. Brooke hits with a painful crash and rolls away in panic.
Simone: Luna just took Brooke off the board!
Lunam: Brooke played with fire and found the whole inferno waiting for her!
Brooke scrambles to her feet, sees Luna advancing and immediately hops the barricade, fleeing into the crowd. Luna follows over the barricade and chases after her through the fans, while security parts the sea of bodies. Logan sees Brooke running and his expression changes from strategy to panic. In the ring, Brandon is crawling toward his corner, arm outstretched, desperate for the tag. Logan climbs to the apron, sees Brandon reaching, then drops down to the floor instead.
Brandon’s hand cuts through empty air.
The crowd gasps, then boos thunderously.
Simone: Logan dropped down! Logan Hunter just denied the tag!
Lunam: He’s abandoning Brandon! He cares more about chasing after Brooke than winning the match!
Brandon pushes himself up on one knee, fury twisting his face as Logan ignores him and rushes around ringside, heading after Brooke and Luna. Hendrix turns toward him, shouting in rage, and Jasmine leans through the ropes to demand Logan return to the corner. In that exact moment, with Jasmine’s back turned, Raven slides behind Brandon and delivers a sharp, deliberate low blow. Hendrix’s eyes go wide, and the power drains from his body as he drops to his knees.
The crowd erupts in a mixture of shock, cheers and scandalized noise.
Simone: Jasmine did not see it! Raven with the low blow behind the referee’s back!
Lunam: That was ugly. That was clever. That was Raven. He saved Carter earlier, but let us not pretend the man has turned into a saint overnight!
Carter looks at Raven for one frozen second. Raven looks back, expression unreadable, then points to the top rope. Carter makes the choice. He climbs fast, balance perfect, the crowd rising with him. Brandon staggers up from his knees, wounded and exposed. Carter launches from the top and twists through the air, catching Hendrix with the Fruit Fly, the Eclipse driving Brandon’s head and upper body into the canvas with spectacular force. Carter hooks the leg deep as Raven turns and knocks Logan off the apron with a running forearm before he can even think of returning.
ONE!
TWO!
THREE!
DING DING DING!
Justin: Here are your winners! Alexander Raven and Helluva Bottom Carter!
The arena erupts as Carter rolls off Hendrix, breathing hard and clutching his ribs. Raven stands near the ropes, chest rising and falling, eyes locked on Carter. Jasmine St. John checks on Brandon briefly, then turns toward the winners. Carter slowly pushes himself to his knees, looking across the ring at the man who once stood opposite him as an enemy and tonight stood beside him when it mattered. Raven walks toward him and extends his hand.
For a long moment, Carter does not take it. The hesitation is real. The history is real. The pain between them does not vanish because of one victory, and the crowd seems to understand that, lowering into a tense, expectant murmur. Then Carter reaches up. His hand closes around Raven’s, and Raven pulls him to his feet. They stand face to face, no smiles, no easy forgiveness, but something hard-earned passes between them. Respect. Trust, maybe not fully formed, but no longer impossible. Jasmine raises both their hands, and the SCW Universe answers with a wave of cheers that grows louder by the second.
Simone: What a chaotic, physical, unpredictable tag team main event we just witnessed! Logan Hunter and Brandon Hendrix controlled the early going, Raven and Carter nearly imploded from their own history, but somehow, some way, they found common ground in the middle of the fight.
Lunam: That match had brawling, betrayal, bodies flying, Luna chasing Brooke through the crowd and Logan Hunter abandoning his own partner! But at the end of it all, Raven and Carter stood together. I did not think I’d ever say that without laughing.
Carter climbs one corner, raising both arms as the fans cheer wildly. Across the ring, Raven steps onto the opposite middle rope. He looks out over the SCW Universe, expecting judgment, expecting suspicion, perhaps expecting the same old hatred. Instead, the cheers keep coming. Raven’s face remains controlled, but there is the smallest shift in his expression, the faint recognition of a moment he may not have believed he would ever receive.
Simone: Listen to this crowd. I never thought the day would come when the SCW Universe would willingly cheer for Alexander Raven, but tonight, after what he did for Carter, after what these two survived together, they are giving him that respect.
Lunam: Aye, and he earned it the hard way. Not with speeches, not with excuses, but by stepping in when Carter was about to have his head taken off. The people remember moments like that.
At ringside, Brandon Hendrix sits against the barricade, furious and betrayed, one hand between his legs and the other gripping the apron as he glares toward the aisle where Logan Hunter disappeared. The fracture is obvious, and the consequences are waiting. Inside the ring, Carter drops down from the corner and looks over at Raven again. Raven lowers himself from the ropes, and for a second, the two men simply stand in the same ring, not as friends exactly, not yet, but as survivors of something that has changed the shape of both men’s paths.
Simone: What a night of action, and what a road we are on. In two weeks, aboard the Princess Cruise, the hottest event of the summer takes place. Summer XXXTreme XIV is coming, and after what we witnessed tonight, the waters may not be calm for anyone in SCW.
Lunam: Two weeks, Belinda. The Princess Cruise. Summer XXXTreme XIV. Champions, challengers, grudges and chaos all packed onto one ship. If tonight was any sign of what is coming, then heaven help us all, because SCW is sailing straight into a storm.
Simone: For Erik Lunam, I’m Belinda Simone. Thank you for joining us for Climax Control! We will see you in two weeks for Summer XXXTreme XIV!
Lunam: Goodnight, everyone! Keep your heads up and your enemies where ye can see them!
The final shot settles on Alexander Raven and Helluva Bottom Carter standing in the ring, the crowd still cheering around them, Jasmine St. John between them with both their arms raised. Raven looks toward Carter. Carter looks toward Raven. The uneasy alliance has survived its first test, and perhaps, against all odds, something stronger has begun. The screen fades slowly to credits.
THANK YOU! To everyone who wrote for this show. Match writers and segments are always appreciated and highly valued! Without all of you, there would be no SCW!