Slocumbe: Well, that match ended with a small fireball, but the next one might end with a fireball large enough to toast the whole arena!
Jihad: Yes! We have Inquisitor Salem, armed with that huge flamethrower of his, and you have the Anarkister, with a seemingly inexhaustable supply of explosives! The question is - which'll go off first? Of course, if you were to ask that same question of myself and Alan, then I'd have to reveal...
Slocumbe: Shut up, shut up, SHUT UP!!!
The chattering horde writhe in clear agitation, the lust for bloodshed rife within the teeming auditorium. Suddenly the SWF arena is plunged into darkness. As the shackled Choir croak their torturous melody of "Firestarter" by Prodigy, a spotlight is cast down upon the stage, hailing the arrival of the Inquisitor, Salem. The ramp way suddenly ignites, a pathway of lit torches glaring their purified light as the Inquisitor strides to the ring, flamethrower cocked beneath one arm, the apparition of the lurching Heretic limping behind him. "Anarchy in the UK" replaces the melody as the Anarkister appears on stage, casting a payload of petrol bombs upon an unsuspecting demon. Its last howls resound through the arena as Anarkister slides into the ring.
Anarkister is immediately greeted with a boot to the face by Salem. Dropping his extra petrol bombs the Anarkister rises to his feet, under a hail of blows from his opponent. He lashes out with a kick to the midsection, as the Inquisitor stumbles backward, withdrawing a flintlock pistol from his belt. Anarkister regards his foe warily, before rolling swiftly to one side, as the shot resounds through the arena. Thrusting a foot upward, he knocks the weapon from the hand of its bearer, as he leaps to his feet. Salem smiles meekly, as he lashes out with a boot, catching the Anarkister in the gut, before driving his head to the blood soaked canvas in a DDT. He rolls away shaking his head groggily as he gets to his fee, grasping a petrol bomb in one hand. Salem glares, regarding the petrol bomb cautiously. Anarkister smirks as he tosses casually at his opponent. The Inquisitor sidesteps wisely, as the fatal cocktail sails over the rope, into the waiting hands of Heretic. It explodes sending the maimed pawn sailing backward into the guard rail in a bloody streak of carnage. Anarkister nods his head laughing only to be nearly decapitated by a vicious clothesline from Hell. Salem regards his opponent in disdain as he wrenches him to his feet, before slamming him back to the mat with an elbow to the back of the head. Anarkister grunts in agony as he rises to his feet, only to be met with a big boot from the leather garbed foot of the Inquisitor. Arcing backwards, he shakes his head dazedly as he rises from his stupor. He charges forward, into Salem's waiting arms. With a quick spiral, the Anarkister writhes in agony as he is driven downward in a tilt to whirl backbreaker. Salem peers at the fallen Heretic, who appears to be bleeding profusely, but breathing. Grasping a handful of hair, he wrenches the recumbent form of Anarkister to his feet, who lashes out with a forearm to the gut. Salem wheezes slightly, as Anarkister grasps the Inquisitors head and drives downward in a jawbreaker. Salem lurches backward, and is swiftly driven off his feet by a spear from his foe. The Inquisitor winces at the impact as he and the Anarkister rise to their feet. They exchange blows, Salem getting the better hand, backing the Anarkister into the corner. As he lashes out with a palm strike, Anarkister grasps the Inquisitor's head, driving him to the mat with an X-factor. Both men lay, breathing heavily, as the Anarkister stumbles to his feet. Salem follows suit, volley after volley of thundering blows exchange hands, as the Inquisitor stumbles backward. The Anarkister whips him off the ropes, but Salem reverses, catching the Anarkister in mid run into a thunderous powerslam. Raising to his knees, the Inquisitor gazes at the stirring figure of Heretic, who is clutching his right leg with a crippled hand. Anarkister groggily stands, wrenching the figure of Salem from his stupor. He hits the Punk Drop. Heretic stumbles on the outside of the ring, rolling gracelessly in. Anarkister goes for the cover, only to be knocked to the canvas by Heretic's steely arm. His face contorts in agony as he lashes backward at his attacker, impacting into his wounded limb. A growl escapes his lips as he collapses. Anarkister stands lashing out Heretic's recumbent figure with a boot, behind Salem rises shakily, slinging his flamethrower to bear. Anarkister turns, only to caught in a torrid lance of fire. He howls in pain as Salem swiftly rolls him up in a schoolboy - 1..2..3! Salem wins the match!
An irate Salem wanders up the ramp way, leaving the felled Heretic in a pool of his own blood. A host of EMD's bend over his crippled form, as the Anarkister wanders after the Inquisitor shakily, clutching at his burnt face, tossing a petrol bomb in annoyance into the congregated ranks of daemons. Drowned in the cacophony of screaming and the acrid aroma of incinerated flesh, he stumbles to the back.
Slocumbe: What an incredible match! I can't believe that Anarkister survived the Heretic!
Jihad: I can't believe the ring survived an Anarkister match.
Slocumbe: That's a huge win for Inquisitor Salem tonight! With a win over the Anarkister, it promises big things for his career here in Stygian!
The voices fade out, and are replaced by Ozzy and Boss once more.
Boss: Coming up next, Lycan defends his InterDimensional title against Omega!
Ozzy: Yes - in a Lake of fire match! Last time a match took place there, it almost destroyed Hell!
Boss: I doubt President Morningstar would allow this match if he thought that was likely to happen again. We have cameras standing by, so let's go!
Acrid clouds of fermented sulphur arise from the steaming cesspool of lava. Set upon the precipice of torrid fluid, ebbs of crimson lava lap at the shore. Set within the centre of the lake a rectangular surface of soot covered rock floats precariously upon its pivot. Stood apart, glaring wrathfully at the other, Lycan and Omega stand in resolute. Within the SWF arena, the congregated hordes peer at the Hell-Trons, as the bell rings.
Both beings shift nervously, each very aware of the fate that may befall them should fall from the precarious plateau. Then suddenly they charge, Omega gaining the upper hand with a knee thrust to Lycan's lower abdomen. Grasping him about the waist, he drives the Werewolf to the hard stone with a diving powerbomb. Lycan rolls away with a snarl, leaping to his feet with unnatural grace of a being of his size. He charges forward, sending the shimmering figure of Omega toppling backward as he hits a leaping gore to the ribs. With guttural growl, Lycan lashes outward with thunderous lefts and rights. As Omega groans under the hail of blows, he aims a double palm strike to the Werewolf's heart, sending him sprawling backward. Spreading his vast wings, Omega leaps to his feet, as Lycan also gets to his feet with a snarl. They lock up, this time Lycan gaining the upper paw, sending the shimmering being lurching dangerously close to the lake of lava with a superkick to the jaw. Billowing his wings furiously he regains his balance, leaping forward, knocking the Werewolf down with a butterfly kick. Stroking his chin Lycan rolls to his feet, dodging another foot sweep at his face. Grasping his opponent from behind he sends Omega sprawling with a Full Nelson Slam. Omega grunts as the Werewolf leaps downward, driving his knee into hi foe's throat. He lurches violently, as Lycan wrenches him to standing, hoisting him firmly onto his shoulders, before leaping upward, driving Omega to the stone in a death valley driver. The plateau shudders, as Lycan gazes nervously, as the platform returns to its previous location. In his moment of uncertainty Omega pounces, sending Lycan sailing backward in a louz thez pres. The Werewolf growls as tosses Omega away from him, rising groggily to his feet. Charging forward, Omega takes to the sky. As Lycan stares upward, clouds of acrid sulphur obscure his vision. A mocking laugh wafts downward, as the Werewolf is knocked from his feet by a missile dropkick to the back of the head. The shimmering figure sneers, as he soars upward into the sulphurous clouds. A snarl emits the Werewolf's lips as he leaps to his feet, staring cautiously for his foe. Beneath his feet the stone platform shudders. Lycan glares downward, as his feet are swept beneath him, sending him sprawling face first. A guttural growl escapes his fanged mouth as he rises groggily. Peering angrily at the sky above, he shifts along the stone platform, as another shudder ripples along it. Omega spirals in the sky, peering downward at his wary opponent through streaming eyes, suddenly he lances downward. Lycan glares briefly, as he grasped roughly by his opponent and borne to the sky. Omega laughs at the snarling Werewolf, as he casts him downward playfully in a Jacknife powerbomb. Lycan's body lurches violently as he impacts on the sooty rock below. Shaking his head groggily he rises dazedly to his feet, as the platform beneath him reverberates in a hideous judder. The shimmering figure smirks as Lycan attempts to regain his footing. He arcs downward teasingly at his foe. Lycan unwilling to be caught off guard again, leaps upward, dragging the glistening figure of Omega downward by the wings. With a swift spiral, he lifts him upward into a tilt to whirl Dogg Meat, sending Omega crashing to the stone below. With a violent lurch Omega lays still, as the exhausted Werewolf collapses on top of his fallen foe. And the cover - 1..2..3! Lycan wins the match and retains the InterDimensional title!
The Werewolf rolls away from the shimmering figure, kneeling groggily. Suddenly the plateau judders ominously. The Werewolf gazes in restrained horror, as a almighty crack courses down the centre of its blackened surface. Rising gracelessly to his feet, he stares indecisively. Omega stirs, his eyes parting, only to see the figure of Lycan leaping from the platform, seemingly straight into the lava. He blinks and the Werewolf has disappeared (courtesy of Vision's unorthodox method of transportation, his patented portal like device). He shrugs, just as the platform decides to give way. He flounders on air, as he spreads his wings, flying upward, albeit with the grace of a flying brick, narrowly escaping a fiery incineration.
Boss: What a hot match! The voices fade out and are replaced, for the final time, by the second pair of commentators.
Slocumbe: And now the moment you've all been waiting for! Dante, Phoenix, one on one for the SWF World Title! A slideshow of SWF footage is shown. It starts off with Dante and Phoenix declaring their intentions to battle. Dante and Phoenix defeating Serpentine to become the Tag Team Champions. An argument in the back. Dante beating Phoenix in an arm-wrestling contest after kicking him in the shin. The two shoving each other in a Stygian bar. Dante trying to injure Phoenix earlier in the match, just prior to losing the Tag Team title belts. The footage fades out into the picture of the main event shown earlier. Dante v Phoenix.
"Eyeless" starts playing, and Dante emerges for a second time and walks down to the ring. He no longer has the smirk on his face he did earlier. He looks focused and a little dark.
Jihad: The Dark God, Dante. He's been both a partner and a hinderance to Phoenix for weeks now, and tonight it finally gets settled. "Linchpin" replaces "Eyeless", and Phoenix emerges to a huge roar of applause from the crowd. Halfway down the aisle, he takes off the SWF World title belt and tosses to the ring table, dashing into the ring and spearing down Dante. And the match begins! Slocumbe: And that's it!! Phoenix wins the match, and retains the SWF World title! Vision has pulled out a contract. He grabs a mic and starts to speak, catching the attention of the victorious champion.
Vision: Phoenix!! Congratulations on your victory! No, that's not sarcasm. I really was hoping you'd win. You see...heh, perhaps I should have told you about this sooner. Do you remember a few weeks ago, when you and Dante defeated Serpentine for the Tag Team titles? You made the pinfall, and the stipulations said that you were to decide the match type for tonight. Yet the administration never received your decision. And so, as SWF Comissioner, it fell to me to decide the match type instead.
Vision pauses and chuckles. Phoenix watches him, now wearing the SWF World title belt over his shoulder. Dante has also gotten up, and is also looking down at Vision.
Vision: And so I did. Now, if the match's referee will look at the contract for this match, he'll know what to do.
The crowd is puzzled, as are the ref, Phoenix and Dante. The ref goes over to Vision and looks at the contract. His eyes widen, and he looks at Vision, then Phoenix, then Vision again. Vision nods. The ref walks over to the ringtable and speaks to the ring announcer. There is a heated discussion, then the ring announcer speaks.
Announcer: Ladies and gentlemen, here is the referee's decision. As a result of the stipulations for this match...your new SWF World Champion is DANTE!!!!
Slocumbe/Jihad: WHAT????!!?
The crowd is shocked silent for a moment, then they let rip with roars of rage and displeasure. Dante looks suprised, but a smile creeps onto his face. Phoenix looks aghast, and more than a little angry.
Vision: Perhaps I should have told you before, but you were so intense in preparing for this match that I didn't want to interrupt you. Heh heh...You see, in an ordinary title match, the person who leaves as the champion is the one who defeats his opponent. But a few days ago, I made this match a Reverse Title match. In other words, it is the defeated wrestler who becomes the champion. And as you weren't the one defeated, you therefore lose the title to Dante. Thank you for listening, and in the immortal words of Mick Foley...have a nice day!
Vision laughs and leaves. Phoenix stares after him, then throws the title belt down to the mat and storms out of the arena. Dante grabs the title and makes his exit. The crowd is truly furious. Bottles, cans, and other garbage is being thrown into the ring.
Slocumbe: I...simply can not believe it! Phoenix fights a truly great match, he beats off Dante's attempts to take him down, he wrestles two matches in the event, he even overcomes Vision's interference...and he loses the title for being victorious??? The camera fades out to screams of anger from the crowd.
Ozzy: WHAT?? You ought to be killed for a crap pun like that!
Boss: I'm sorry.
Ozzy: Those two athletes put on an amazing show at the Lake of Fire, and you have to ruin it with a stupid...
Jihad: This has been boiling up for a while, and it comes to a head tonight. One man will walk away as the SWF Champion, the other will walk away in defeat...if they can walk away at all!
Slocumbe: Dante almost had Phoenix hurt in tonight's first card, but he was thwarted. Will he finally win through now, or will the SWF Champion put him in his place?
Phoenix throws punch after punch at Dante, who desperately tries to cover his face with his forearms. The ref pulls of Phoenix, who pushes him aside and goes back to Dante. Dante rolls out of the ring. Phoenix snorts and steps back, beckoning to Dante. The Dark God carefully steps back in the ring, and gets booted in the abdomen by the Firebird. Phoenix whips him to the opposite corner, then charges in. He jumps right over the top rope, grabbing Dante by the face and snapping the back of his neck off the top tope! Even as Dante falls to the mat, Phoenix is landing on the ring apron and jumping up to the top rope in one fluid action. Without hesitation, he jumps and executes the Leap of Faith! The crowd is overjoyed as the ref counts - 1..2..thre-shoulder up!
The crowd is stunned, and so is Phoenix. Barely able to believe that Dante survived his finisher, he reacts a second too slow as Dante lashes out with a kick to the groin. Dante hooks Phoenix, lifts him up in a vertical suplex...and drops him over the ropes! Phoenix's head cracks on the ring apron on the way down, and he hits the concrete floor nastily. Dante leans on the ropes and tries to recover his strength from Phoenix's brutal attack. He looks up, and sees the HellTrons replaying Phoenix's Leap of Faith. He growls and jumps to the outside. Phoenix is trying to get up, but is wobbling unsteadily. Dante hooks Phoenix's head, and drives his face down onto the concrete with an implant DDT! Phoenix is busted open, blood pouring from a cut in his forehead. Dante walks a little way away and, with a huge effort, picks up the ringsteps! He hefts and throws it right at Phoenix. It isn't the best throw - Dante's body is still aching, and the ringsteps are supernaturally heavy. But Dante does throw them far enough for them to come crashing down on Phoenix's arm! Phoenix yells, and clutches his arm tightly. Blood is now pouring from his forearm as well as his forehead. Dante walks over to the ringsteps in their new position, runs up them and comes crashing down on the Champion with an elbowdrop. The crowd is wildly chanting Phoenix's name as he is rolled back into the ring. Dante follows and covers - 1..2..thr-kickout!
Dante keeps on dealing out the punishment. He twists Phoenix's hurt arm and hauls him up by it. Keeping on the pressure, he yanks it almost hard enough to dislocate the shoulder. He applies a hammerlock-STF combination. The referee asks Phoenix if he wants to quit. Phoenix grits his teeth and shakes his head. Somehow, without the use of one of his arms and one of his legs, he starts moving towards the ropes. Dante squeezes the hold as tightly as he can. But Phoenix won't be denied. Blood is now pumping from his head, but he hooks his free arm around the bottom rope. Dante releases the hold, then lays in numerous kicks to Phoenix's back. He picks up Phoenix and sets him up for a piledriver. But Phoenix counters with a bearhug. The hold is pretty weak, but Phoenix isn't going for a submission. He lifts dante up and falls backwards. Dante's chin connects with the top turnbuckle, and both men crumple to the floor.
The ref is counting both men out - 1..2..3..4..Phoenix starts crawling over to Dante...5..6..7..Phoenix drapes an arm over Dante's chest. The ref counts - 1..2..thr-kickout! The crowd groans. Phoenix pulls himself up. Dante also gets to his feet. He lashes out with a punch - blocked! Phoenix comes back with his own punch to the jaw. Dante is rocked. Phoenix hits again...and again...and is blocked! Dante kicks Phoenix in the stomach, sets him up and lifts him for a powerbomb! But Phoenix, at the highest point of the move, digs his fingers into Dante's eyes! Dante cries out and falls backwards. Phoenix is bounced off, but blood is gushing out of Dante's left eye now. Phoenix grabs him, and tilt-a-whirls him onto his shoulder. It looks like Phoenix is attempting a tombstone piledriver, but Dante kicks backwards, grabbing Phoenix around the waist. Phoenix falls backwards, and Dante hauls him up to reverse the positions! But Phoenix too kicks back, and the positions are reversed again! Phoenix doesn't let Dante try that again - he sits sharply down, executing a thunder driver! Dante's head bounces off the mat. He sits abruptly up, then falls onto his back. Phoenix covers in front of his ecstatic fans - 1..2..thre-shoulder up! The crowd can't believe it!
Phoenix pulls Dante straight up. He attempts a second thunder driver, but Dante slides down his shoulders. As Phoenix turns around, Dante claps both his hands onto Phoenix's head in an earringer. Phoenix's sense of balance is damaged. He staggers for a moment recovering, but falls victim to the Rings of Hades! The fan's jubilation has changed to screams of dismay as he pins Phoenix for the 1..2..three-shoulder up! The fans almost take the top off the roof as Dante grabs his head in disbelief. He goes to continue the beating of Phoenix, but the Firebird flips on the ground and ensnares Dante in an anklelock. Dante quickly grabs the ropes.
With no warning at all, "Stroke of Luck" starts up, and the crowd starts booing like crazy - Stygian Vision has appeared at the HellGate! He is wearing what appears to be a grey plastic mask with tiny eye-holes, presumably to protect his face that Phoenix damaged weeks ago. Phoenix is kneeling by the ropes, looking hatefully at his most hated enemy. Dante tries to charge him from behind, but Phoenix drops to the floor, pulling down the ropes as he does, and Dante's momentum carries him down to the floor at ringside. Vision runs down the aisle and grabs a steel folding chair. He runs into the ring, swings at a rising Phoenix...and misses! In fact, his swing didn't even come close to Phoenix - either his mask or his injury is hampering his sight, possibly. Either way, Phoenix doesn't give him a second chance. He kicks the chair up into Vision's face, cracking the mask, and throws him over the top rope. Dante has come back into the ring, but Phoenix has got is second wind and looks unstoppable. He ducks a clothesline attempt, reaches back and pulls Dante down into a neckbreaker. Wiping his now totally-crimson face, he loops and hooks both of Dante's arms and leans back into a butterfly surfboard. Dante writhes and kicks, but he can't get loose.
Vision has ripped off his mask at ringside. His face is slightly red, as if he was sunburnt, but otherwise shows no visible signs of Phoenix's attack. He runs back into the ring, grabbing the chair as he does so. He raises it up, but takes his time about it, and Phoenix easily sees it coming. He jumps away, and the chair crashes down on Dante's head. Inexplicably, a small smile appears on Vision's face. Phoenix is behind the Comissioner, and doesn't see it. He spins Vision around pulls the chair to the ground, then DDTs Vision onto the chair. Dante is somehow struggling to his feet. Phoenix hits a running kneelift to the face, then leaps up the turnbuckle. The crowd roars, and he flies off with a Leap of Faith! The ref counts - 1...2...3!!! Phoenix wins the match!
Jihad: Stygian Vision came back to screw Phoenix out of the title, but all he did was screw up...
Slocumbe: Wait a second. The Comissioner's pulled out...I think that's a contract. But what for?
Jihad: And why the hell's he smiling so braodly?
Jihad: Everyone knows Vision for being a sadistic bastard, but this is just...evil!
Slocumbe: We're out of time here. Purgatory is cancelled as always because of the PPV, but do join us at DemonGate on Friday, where we can hopefully sort out what the hell is going on here!