Post by Staff on Dec 31, 2023 21:07:15 GMT
5 Nights in the 5 Boroughs
LIVE! From Manhattan
Friday 19th January
The night started with a cold opening to see 'The Midwest Nightmare' Ryan Samuels walking through the backstage area. He sees a couple of female ring crew employees and yells 'HOT DAMN!' assuming they'd be impressed but they look at him with complete disdain. Suddenly he feels a right hook from nowhere as his opponent for this evening, Jack McGrath launches an unprovoked attack at him. Samuels goes crashing through the catering, various condiments and sandwich fillings covering his over-sized frame. 'What in gods name!?' he says, before seeing McGrath stood over him. He pulls himself to his feet and two begin brawling through the corridors, launching any objects they can find at one another, as the cameras cut to another section of the backstage area.
Chelsea LeClair is seen entering the arena. An audible cheer can be heard in the distance as she stops to sign a few autographs. She's not scheduled to be booked tonight, and is dressed in casual clothing, leading the commentators to speculate why she's here, before we cut to ringside for the opening bout.
TELEVISION TITLE MATCH
Andrew Raynes (c) v Mateo Salavea
Defence number three for Raynes, this time against the imposing Mateo Salavea. The Salavea’s have been a formidable force since their arrivals in 5LW, but singles gold has eluded them up to now.
The two men came face to face before the bell, neither saying a word, just staring right through one another. Raynes turned to go back to his corner but quickly flipped back and landed one on the challenger.
From there it was an all out war, both men intuitively countering one another as though they’d fought this fight a thousand times over. With neither man able to gain a real advantage it was testament to their in-ring IQs, as the match rapidly ebbed back and forth.
Mateo looked to land his trademark elbow to close this one out, but Raynes had done his homework, and sidestepped, following up with one himself. He wasn’t going to waste any time, and hit the Shattered Glass (Leaping Reverse STO) for a third successful defence.
Winner: Andrew Raynes (Still Television Champion)
BACKSTAGE
After the match Raynes was backstage with Emma Harrington. She asked him who he thought his opponent might be in Brooklyn this Monday, as it was yet to be announced, but Raynes shrugged it off. 'Whoever it is, it'll be another successful defence, this belt isn't going anywhere'. With that Chelsea LeClair came into shot. The two old enemies stared one another one down for a few seconds, before Chelsea began to speak. She came here tonight for one reason and one reason only - the Television Title. For too long she has been the bridesmaid, and never the bride. She has missed opportunities, narrowly lost fights, and as everyone knows.. been screwed out of wins she deserved, but it was time to put all that behind her. Raynes doesn't have an opponent yet for Brooklyn, so she was laying down a challenge for him. Raynes smirked. 'Like I already said, whoever I face next week, I'm walking out with this belt' he replied, adding 'If you want another one in the loss column, step right up.' Harrington asked to confirm if the match was made, and they both agreed, before staring another hole through one another before we cut back to another section of the arena.
Jack McGrath and Ryan Samuels were seen still brawling, this time in the parking lot. Samuels dived off a vehicle and delivered a big Lariat, but once both men were back on their feet McGrath replied with a Fatal Dose (Hangman's neckbreaker) onto the concrete. Both men looked bruised and battered and the match hadn't even began yet, as we cut back to ringside for further action.
BRASS KNUCKLES TITLE TOURNAMENT
SEMI FINAL
Alejandro Rivera v Duke Andrews
Rivera laid down a marker against household name Travis Levitt in the opening round. While Duke had to overcome the experienced Monty Margolis in order to advance to this stage of the competition.
Duke came out to the ring with the baseball bat he used to defeat Margolis in this last outing, but as he swung at Rivera he was tackled to the floor and the two men began throwing arms left, right and centre. Rivera picked up the bat and went for a body shot but Duke rolled out the way and it quickly smashed to pieces. Both men exited the ring and began to assemble items that would inflict more damage, unfurling some tables and ladders before getting stuck back into one another.
Back and forth this one goes, the two bruisers loving every minute of this bloody war. Andrews somehow manages to kick out of a Capital Punishment (Wrist Clutch Burning Hammer), and picks himself back up to come back at a weary Rivera. But Big Papi digs deep and rescues this with a Dream Shatterer (Diamond Head) onto a steel chair to book his place in Monday's title match. There's a few cheers from the New York crowd, a rare sight for him, as he raises his hand following a hard fought victory.
Winner: Alejandro Rivera (Advances to Final)
OUTSIDE THE ARENA
Once again we cut to the backstage area where Jack McGrath and Ryan Samuels have somehow made it out into the streets of Manhattan and are still fighting. People have spilled out from nearby bars to cheer them on as they smash beer bottles and road signs across one another. Samuels puts McGrath through a car windscreen, but later finds himself tossed through the window of a convenience store as the fight escalates down the street and back towards the arena.
SEMI FINAL
Alejandro Rivera v Duke Andrews
Rivera laid down a marker against household name Travis Levitt in the opening round. While Duke had to overcome the experienced Monty Margolis in order to advance to this stage of the competition.
Duke came out to the ring with the baseball bat he used to defeat Margolis in this last outing, but as he swung at Rivera he was tackled to the floor and the two men began throwing arms left, right and centre. Rivera picked up the bat and went for a body shot but Duke rolled out the way and it quickly smashed to pieces. Both men exited the ring and began to assemble items that would inflict more damage, unfurling some tables and ladders before getting stuck back into one another.
Back and forth this one goes, the two bruisers loving every minute of this bloody war. Andrews somehow manages to kick out of a Capital Punishment (Wrist Clutch Burning Hammer), and picks himself back up to come back at a weary Rivera. But Big Papi digs deep and rescues this with a Dream Shatterer (Diamond Head) onto a steel chair to book his place in Monday's title match. There's a few cheers from the New York crowd, a rare sight for him, as he raises his hand following a hard fought victory.
Winner: Alejandro Rivera (Advances to Final)
OUTSIDE THE ARENA
Once again we cut to the backstage area where Jack McGrath and Ryan Samuels have somehow made it out into the streets of Manhattan and are still fighting. People have spilled out from nearby bars to cheer them on as they smash beer bottles and road signs across one another. Samuels puts McGrath through a car windscreen, but later finds himself tossed through the window of a convenience store as the fight escalates down the street and back towards the arena.
INSIDE THE RING
Frank James comes out to greet the crowd and as always receives a warm welcome. He has some announcements to make, and confirms what was already agreed backstage that this coming Monday Andrew Raynes will defend his Television Title against long term rival Chelsea LeClair. He uses this as a segway to announce that he's agreed terms with some fresh talent in recent weeks, including a close ally of LeClair in Myra Rivers. And what better way to introduce her to the Five Lakes than a debut match with an ally of Andrew Raynes in Kimberley Williams. This gets a pop, as a brief highlight reel of Rivers is shown on the screen, following by a shot of Williams. But there's more as he reveals that the popular Sean Parker is also coming to 5LW, and as announced online in recent days, will face Andrew Garrison at LIVE! From Albany in just over a weeks time. And the debuts don't stop there as Blake Belladonna will also be appearing, as she takes on Sally Lambert in her first match. Further footage was played of these newcomers as he spoke, before revealing the last of these in Colin Moriarty. This drew some jeers from the fans for the man notoriously linked with former Undisputed Champion Kore Violet. James smirked, he knowing it would draw that reaction, before announcing that he would in fact be teaming with Violet in his debut to take on another unpopular couple in Gabriel Landry and Marisol Vilaro. He thanked the fans again for coming and hoped they enjoyed the rest of the evening.
BRASS KNUCKLES TITLE TOURNAMENT
SEMI FINAL
Ryan Samuels v Jack McGrath
As if on cue Samuels and McGrath came brawling down the entrance ramp as the Referee frantically called for this match to get officially underway. Samuels tossed McGrath off the ramp and into the barriers, but was surprised to see him come rampaging back. The fight continued into the crowd, with chairs, beers and even a woman’s handbag used to beat the living shit of each other. McGrath strangled his enemy until he was he was blue in the face, before climbing a nearby structure and launching off onto the Midwest Nightmare. He thought that might be enough to secure it but the big man was hanging on. McGrath picked him up and the fight continued towards the ring now, as they decimated the commentary table, before taking to the ring with a couple of chairs and a ladder.
They battled back and forth, inflicting more and more punishment on one another, the likes of which most wrestler's would not withstand. Eventually, after around an hour of fighting throughout the entire arena, the parking lot and local neighbourhood, Samuels hits an exhausted Give Them Jessy (Reverse-spin scoop powerslam) through a table and onto a ladder before collapsing on top of McGrath's broken body. The Referee counts as Samuels rolls off but can barely bring himself to celebrate what will go down one of the most intriguing and exciting bouts in the short history of Five Lakes Wrestling.
Winner: Ryan Samuels (Advances to the Final)
MAIN EVENT
NON-TITLE
Vanessa Reckless v Tinsley Nolan
A break from the chaos of the Brass Knuckles and Television Title scene allowed an up close look at the new Undisputed Champion in her first Five Lakes outing since she won the belt back in late December. Rowen came out first and demanded an applause of appreciation for her friend, who was naturally greeted with ire and jeers. But love her or hate her they were here to see her, and she gave them their moneys worth with a grand entrance. Nolan was given a loud pop as always, and wasted no time getting into the ring, eager to get this one underway. The champion got off to a dominating start, looking every bit the top tier star as she worked away on Tinsley's weakened knee. Inevitably, she used every trick in the book to stay on top, using the ropes, her ally, and the Referee to full advantage throughout. But Nolan was no pushover, and came roaring back into this match to take the advantage.
It looked like she might be on course to pull off a huge upset, and possibly even set herself up for a future Undisputed Title match with a successful pinfall on the champion, as she lined up a Swanton Bomb off the top rope but was pushed off the turnbuckle by Rowen without the Referee noticing. She tumbled onto the mat, clutching her arm in pain as Reckless recovered to hit her trademark We All Fall Down (Double Knee Backbreaker) to claim the win and disappoint the crowd in the process. She celebrated with Rowen and raised her belt in the air to the usual abuse as night four came a close, honing in on the Undisputed Champion and the self-proclaimed 'Reckless Era'.
It looked like she might be on course to pull off a huge upset, and possibly even set herself up for a future Undisputed Title match with a successful pinfall on the champion, as she lined up a Swanton Bomb off the top rope but was pushed off the turnbuckle by Rowen without the Referee noticing. She tumbled onto the mat, clutching her arm in pain as Reckless recovered to hit her trademark We All Fall Down (Double Knee Backbreaker) to claim the win and disappoint the crowd in the process. She celebrated with Rowen and raised her belt in the air to the usual abuse as night four came a close, honing in on the Undisputed Champion and the self-proclaimed 'Reckless Era'.
Winner: Vanessa Reckless