ShadowedFlames

Breaking News: The League’s Sponsorship Deal Ends After Sudden Closure of Sponsoring Company BALTIMORE, MD — Largely overshadowed by the tragedy that took place overnight at the Francis Scott Key Bridge, a smaller piece of news came out of Baltimore today as it was announced that The League’s involvement with online sports book DraftFanatics would come to an end immediately. ”We were not given a choice in the matter,” League Commissioner Will Prydor told reporters this morning. “We received official documentation that the sponsor had declared immediate Chapter 11 bankruptcy. With that in mind, and the fact that they were behind in sponsorship payments already, The League had no choice but to cut ties with the company effective immediately.” When asked about how this development would change the on-air presentation of The League, Prydor responded, “It will be a minimal change at worst. We’re just going to eliminate the ‘odds’ that had been shown before every match, as that was really what their company wanted from us. Our Chief Statistician will be elated at having some of her workload taken off her plate, though I have other ideas in mind to come as a potential replacement.” DraftFanatics (which is a privately owned sportsbook) could not be reached for comment as of the time this article went to print. /—\—/—\ And now, the real reason this feature is being discontinued: Somewhere, the weekly ELO ratings for a handful of League members got overwritten by the default value of 300. This gave me odd lines of Angela Wassermann being a slight favorite over Yoshii Nakamatsu this week, or Terrance Stevens as a favorite against Diego Rodriguez. Sure, I could go back and redo everything ELO-related from the start of The League until now to fix the issues, but that’s a bit too much work. So it’s easier to just scrap the entire thing and try to figure out a better solution to use for the future. The long-term ratings I will keep for assorted uses, as those are less likely to get fouled up on a consistent basis. Plus, with as many freaking ads I see for DraftKings, Fanatics Sportsbook, et al online, I had to take a potshot at them when I could!

They are also 260+ pounds each. I’m certain Mastodon’s eaten larger meals than Kichi’s weight before. So yeah, I expected a minor change due to the size difference. Silly of me, I know.

THE LEAGUE: SEASON ELEVEN, WEEK TEN DELTA DIVISION (7) Mickey Steele (4-5, OVR 421) vs. (Favorite, 51.54%) (5) Leon de Ramos (5-4, OVR 424)* Anyone who stopped watching this match five minutes in would have been excused for thinking that de Ramos was on his way to a squash victory. They would have missed the second half of a Match of the Night contender as Steele fought back, bloodied face and all, to make Leon prove that the first encounter was no fluke. A spear from Steele netted only a one count, and a second spear that was attempted led to a quick counter, an application of a new wrinkle in Leon’s arsenal, a short-arm scissors he dubs the Sevillian Stretch, which was chained into an Iberian Twist for the submission victory. A well-fought match on both ends, as Leon completes the season sweep in a match that could have gone either way in the last two minutes of the contest. Leon de Ramos (6-4) def. Mickey Steele (4-6) via Submission (Iberian Twist) in 10:46. Rating: *** Changes for Leon de Ramos: OVR + 4.72, XP + 525.60, no notable damage Changes for Mickey Steele: OVR + 1.19, XP + 131.40, no notable damage DELTA DIVISION (8) George Stevens (2-7, OVR 415) vs. (Favorite, 56.69%) (1) Nocturne (6-3, OVR 453)* In the week leading up to the show, more than a few fans had taken to discussing on The League’s official forums that maybe Cary Stevens had a point earlier this season, in that Nocturne was using an illegal hold in her Midnight Solstice. They were cowed into silence this week, though, as Nocturne utilized a simple strategy of “let the larger man gas himself out, then take advantage.” Granted, she had to eat a pair of Stevens’ signature chokeslams to utilize that plan, but after the second one some nine minutes in, Stevens looked to be on the verge of collapse, gasping for wind heavily. Nocturne would whittle down her opponent over the next seven minutes, never looking tired, before finally applying the ankle lock when Stevens was simply too exhausted to defend against it for the victory and the season sweep. Nocturne (7-3) def. George Stevens (2-8) via Submission (Midnight Solstice) in 16:20. Rating: ** Changes for Nocturne: OVR + 3.82, XP + 487.84, minor damage to head and body Changes for George Stevens: OVR + 0.43, XP + 121.96, minor damage to head DELTA DIVISION (4) Sterling Silver (5-4, OVR 466) (Favorite, 53.47%) vs. (2) Rock Sheridan (5-4, OVR 426)* Bob Sinclair: We stay in the Delta Division for our next contest, a match with potential promotion implications as two members of the logjam at 5-4 face off. Rock Sheridan is looking to finish the season sweep over Sterling Silver, Frankie, do you think he does it tonight? Frankie Garnett: I see no reason to doubt him, Bob. Not only does he have the massive size and power advantage, his body hasn’t been at beaten up as Silver’s has over the years. If she survives this match it may be a moral victory for her! Bob Sinclair: I’m not about to write Silver off yet, Frankie. Experience does count for a lot in the ring, and Silver is arguably one of the most experienced wrestlers in The League. We’ll see if that knowledge pays off for her, as the bell sounds to get this contest under way! Bob Sinclair: We’ve established that these shorter Delta Division matches are a boon to folks like Sheridan, who maybe don’t have the stamina to last in longer bouts, but I’d argue it’s a bigger boon to the fliers like Silver. They can break out their flashier moves sooner and steal a win that much faster. Frankie Garnett: Bob, you and I both know this division was designed for the likes of Kichi Hida. She made art out of a four minute window! Bob Sinclair: Yet Silver had an even faster match in Omega last season, Frankie, and those are held under Delta Division rules. Frankie Garnett: Wait, faster than Hida? How the heck did she…? Frankie Garnett: That looks to be an issue of “not enough weight on that headbutt to really cause an impact,” Bob. Bob Sinclair: Not to mention Silver’s history with concussions, Frankie. The fact that she seems that desperate to pull that out of her arsenal makes me wonder if everything’s all right with her. Bob Sinclair: A quick bit of improvisation by Silver there, and she nearly got rewarded for it! Frankie Garnett: But Bob, it’s only going to be a matter of time before that giant in there swats her out of the sky. She knows it, and she needs to end this before he can get a chance to do just that! Bob Sinclair: Rock’s a bit slow getting into the cover,, but finally gets there…one, two, and three! Rock Sheridan completes the season sweep, though he had to fight hard to earn this one! Frankie Garnett: I kind of called it, Bob. While she didn’t get swatted out of the sky, she got pulled back to earth by the giant and that was all she wrote! Bob Sinclair: Sheridan continues to be right on Nocturne’s heels in the race for promotion out of Delta, and with four weeks remaining anything could still happen! Rock Sheridan (6-4) def. Sterling Silver (5-5) via Pinfall (Grit City Lariat) in 10:23. Rating: **** Changes for Rock Sheridan: OVR + 5.87, XP + 665.81, minor damage to head and body Changes for Sterling Silver: OVR + 1.97, XP + 241.45, minor damage to head This was the Match of the Night (2 [2 this season] for Rock Sheridan, 4 [1 this season] for Sterling Silver) DELTA DIVISION (3) Diamond (5-4, OVR 500) (Favorite, 55.87%) vs. (6) Scott Stevens (4-5, OVR 437)* Another solid match out of the Delta Division, this one featured the First Lady fighting from behind for the most part, picking and choosing her spots to counteract the power game of Stevens. Stevens would rattle Diamond a few times, but got a bit cocky and was locked into the Florentine. Even then, his experience let him find the back door out of the hold, as he reached an arm far enough back to grab the ankle of Diamond and pull on it, unbalancing her to break the hold. It would be the last hope for him in the contest, though, as Diamond would apply it a second time less than a minute later, and this time ensure that she kept out of Stevens’ reach to force the tap out and avenge her loss to him earlier in the season. (Author’s Note: The first Florentine had a 929 to finish, and Stevens rolled 973 to escape it.) Diamond (6-4) def. Scott Stevens (4-6) via Submission (Florentine) in 11:04. Rating: *** Changes for Diamond: OVR + 4.74, XP + 525.75, minor damage to head Changes for Scott Stevens: OVR + 1.2, XP + 131.44, minor damage to head GAMMA DIVISION (7) Lance Heartilly (3-6, OVR 460)* vs. (Favorite, 56.51%) (5) Indigo Rose (4-5, OVR 508) With Delta Division action complete, we turn now to the Gamma Division. Technical grappling fans were looking forward to this one, to see if Heartilly could repeat his actions from earlier this season with another win against Rose. The answer to that was a solid “no.” In a rather dull bout, Rose wrestled circles around Heartilly, ignoring the faint trickle of blood from her forehead as she forced a submission with what appears to be the primary back-up submission for a lot of wrestlers in The League now—the stump puller. She evens her record on the season, as Heartilly’s chances of avoiding relegation now seem to rely on only one spot being dropped to Delta this coming offseason. Indigo Rose (5-5) def. Lance Heartilly (3-7) via Submission (stump puller) in 8:53. Rating: * Changes for Indigo Rose: OVR + 2.30, XP + 510.49, minor damage to head Changes for Lance Heartilly: OVR -0.38, XP + 127.62, no notable damage GAMMA DIVISION (6) Markus Clay (3-6, OVR 492) (Favorite, 52.12%) vs. (8) Terrance Stevens (1-8, OVR 493)* In some circles, this would be considered a squash. In others, it would not because the loser got some offense in. Regardless, this was a one-sided bout that went the way of Markus Clay. Terrance never seemed to get out of the gate at all, and Clay made him pay for it in under eight minutes, without the need for a finisher. While he has not clinched a spot in the bottom two of the division yet, it seems all but inevitable at this point that next season’s Delta Division is going to be Stevens central, with Terrance joining Scott and George there… Markus Clay (4-6) def. Terrance Stevens (1-9) via Pinfall (top rope flying clothesline) in 7:36. Rating: * Changes for Markus Clay: OVR + 2.25, XP + 509.85, no notable damage Changes for Terrance Stevens: OVR -0.37, XP + 127.46, minor damage to head BETA DIVISION (7) Angela Wassermann (2-7, OVR 489) vs. (Favorite, 50.92%) (8) Blood River (1-8, OVR 509)* After the poor showing in the previous Gamma Division bouts, could the bottom two in Beta at least get the crowd back into the show? Yes…barely. The author maintains this should have been a Match of the Night contender, but Maven Deltzer or whomever was watching the match decided otherwise. Wassermann controlled the opening minutes, even busting open River with a knee to the forehead after exercising top control for close to two minutes (with various jabs and punches thrown in the mix). River would find an opening to pick up the pace, and he kept Wassermann off-balanced for several minutes afterwards. One of the more noteworthy sequences saw River hit a springboard splash for two, a stump piledriver into a top rope double footed stomp that also got two, into a spear with very nearly got three. When he attempted a springboard cross body, though, Wassermann rolled through the impact and got a two count of her own…and then never let off the gas after that. It took only two more minutes to move from a rear naked punch flurry into her cross arm breaker, and the tap out victory. While she’s not out of danger yet, Wassermann earns a much-needed win to give herself some space near the bottom of the table! Angela Wassermann (3-7) def. Blood River (1-9) via Submission (Wassermann Cross Arm Breaker) in 15:15. Rating: ** Changes for Angela Wassermann: OVR + 3.76, XP + 633.52, moderate damage to head, minor damage to body Changes for Blood River: OVR + 0.43, XP + 158.38, minor damage to head GAMMA DIVISION (3) Kichi Hida (5-4, OVR 483)* (Favorite, 52.59%) vs. (4) Big Scott Weathers (4-5, OVR 508) This was a tale of two matches, told in under nine minutes. The first one was of Scott Weathers using his size and power to absolutely demolish Kichi Hida, who looked like she was still having trouble adjusting to things after Tag Team Turmoil. It appeared to be on course for a one-star squash match when Weathers hit Blackout some five minutes in… …only to be stunned as Hida immediately popped to her feet, shouting something in Japanese and looking absolutely furious as she glared at Weathers. The League had finally found its third member of the Adrenaline Rush club. The second match happened in about three minutes, and was typical Kichi Hida business. Sure, her adrenaline faded after about a minute, but after chaining Bumper Kars into the Funhouse Stomp (or vice versa) a few times, Weathers seemed to be a bit dazed from the onslaught. He still managed to kick out of a UFO Spin elbow, though…but not the Eternal Violence that followed. Hida picks up a win, finally shows off her adrenaline rush, and suddenly things just got interesting in the Gamma Division! Kichi Hida (6-4) def. Big Scott Weathers (4-6) via Pinfall (Eternal Violence) in 8:53. Rating: *** Changes for Kichi Hida: OVR + 4.59, XP + 603.31, minor damage to head Changes for Big Scott Weathers: OVR + 1.16, XP + 150.83, minor damage to head (Behind the curtain chat: Normally, I would not allow a turn mid-season. If I did, I could see people deciding their alignment would be “Big Show,” turning almost every week as they deemed fit. Not having it. I allowed it in this case following the whole debacle with not knowing Adrenaline Rushes were hard-locked to faces only, and EP has had this trait locked in for a while at this point. I thought that it was only fair that due to a wrinkle in the game engine that we both were ignorant of, that I should make amends for it promptly. I didn’t expect it to be…well…that one-sided well after the rush ended!) BETA DIVISION (6) Pulsar (3-6, OVR 498)* vs. (Favorite, 63.82%) (5) Billy Norris (4-5, OVR 528) A cool moment in this sprint of a Match of the Night contender, as The League got to see a rarity unfold. Norris had charged in, looking for a flying forearm, only for Pulsar to counter it into a rana pinfall that nearly got a three. It was a sudden and dramatic momentum shift for Pulsar…who ultimately squandered it away over the next two minutes. (Author’s Note: those dramatic momentum shifts have happened less than a handful of times in The League since this project was restarted in Season Eight.) The masked man would not get another chance to fight back, as Norris simply picked up where he left off before connecting with his newly-debuted finisher, the springboard 450 he calls the Bonzer Splash. Billy Norris (5-5) def. Pulsar (3-7) via Pinfall (Bonzer Splash) in 8:39. Rating: *** Changes for Billy Norris: OVR + 4.58, XP + 681.85, no notable damage Changes for Pulsar: OVR + 1.16, XP + 170.46, minor damage to head ALPHA DIVISION (8) De'siree Mitchell (3-6, OVR 515) vs. (Favorite, 59.94%) (7) The Mastodon (3-6, OVR 539)* First match in the top flight this week, once again featuring the bottom pair in the standings in a crucial must-win for both. It would turn out to be a Match of the Night contender, and a showcase of puroresu style wrestling. Neither competitor backed down, trading stiff shots and head drops at will, though Mastodon had the slight advantage due to his size. That never deterred Mitchell, who seemed to be ready for Mastodon’s submission finisher and got a near-fall from the counter. By the same token, Mastodon was ready for the Blitz, as he stopped Mitchell in her tracks with a well-timed roundhouse to the face. It would be about a minute later that Mastodon would connect with the lariat, and earn the victory to give himself a little space at the bottom end of the division. He still has a little work to do, but having the tiebreaker over at least one person in danger of dropping to Beta is a plus in his book! The Mastodon (4-6) def. De'siree Mitchell (3-7) via Pinfall (Rampage) in 14:37. Rating: *** Changes for The Mastodon: OVR + 4.97, XP + 791.40, minor damage to head Changes for De'siree Mitchell: OVR + 1.26, XP + 197.85, moderate damage to head BETA DIVISION (1) Lucas Molina (8-1, OVR 510)* (Favorite, 53.23%) vs. (2) Reverend Johnny Gross (6-3, OVR 529) We now turn our attention back to the Beta Division. Molina’s lead is secure—he cannot fall into second place tonight no matter what happens—but the Right Reverend looks to continue his revival after a poor opening to the season. This was close for the most part, though the sudden ending is what killed the rating in the eyes of most viewers. Just as the match was starting to get good—Molina breaking a Sermon on the Mount—the Right Reverend rolled through Molina’s next offensive volley, a Juey de Tierra, and then dropped Lucas on the top of his skull with a brainbuster. Even the referee seemed surprised when he got to the count of three. Not only does Gross get a surprise win, he also claims the tiebreaker over Molina (by over eight minutes) should it come to that. Another wrinkle in the Beta Division as the fight for promotion into Alpha intensifies! Reverend Johnny Gross (7-3) def. Lucas Molina (8-2) via Pinfall (western brainbuster suplex) in 10:37. Rating: * Changes for Reverend Johnny Gross: OVR + 2.35, XP + 578.07, no notable damage Changes for Lucas Molina: OVR -0.39, XP + 144.52, no notable damage ALPHA DIVISION (6) Mel O'Hallister (3-6, OVR 542) vs. (Favorite, 68.72%) (4) Brandy McDonald (5-4, OVR 539)* Another Match of the Night contender, and this one was rightly deserved. Once again, those leaving the match part of the way through missed a great second half of the contest. Eight minutes in, this was Brandy’s match to win, she was dominating O’Hallister in basically every category. Mel is nothing if not stubborn and hard-headed, though, and slowly fought his way back into contention, even kicking out of a Detox at one to surprise McDonald. A spinning back fist finally gave O’Hallister some momentum, and he turned that into an Irish Clover that did not get the win but did soften McDonald up for a follow-up powerbomb. A few moments later, Mel landed the Dream, got the three count, and could have possibly saved his chances of remaining in the Alpha Division next season as he scores an upset victory over the Season Eight League Champion! Mel O'Hallister (4-6) def. Brandy McDonald (5-5) via Pinfall (Dream of the Emerald Isle) in 16:06. Rating: *** Changes for Mel O'Hallister: OVR + 5.07, XP + 792.56, minor damage to head Changes for Brandy McDonald: OVR + 1.28, XP + 198.14, minor damage to head ALPHA DIVISION (3) Jean-Paul Ouilette (5-4, OVR 541) vs. (Favorite, 65.84%) (2) George Mastachas (6-3, OVR 551)* A bit of a cooldown match before the division leaders (and Christian Priest) take to the ring, this was competitive but not terribly exciting. Ouilette certainly put forth a fair bit of effort, but Mastachas showed that, at least on this night, there was still a sizeable gap between himself and the current number-three of the Alpha Division. The Wrath of Zeus was a foregone conclusion, as Mastachas now has to put his hopes on the slumping Brian Blackfield to essentially keep his season alive. George Mastachas (7-3) def. Jean-Paul Ouilette (5-5) via Pinfall (Wrath of Zeus) in 13:25. Rating: ** Changes for George Mastachas: OVR + 3.67, XP + 729.66, minor damage to head Changes for Jean-Paul Ouilette: OVR + 0.42, XP + 182.42, minor damage to head GAMMA DIVISION (1) Monty Dhillon (9-0, OVR 555)* (Favorite, 58.45%) vs. (2) Diego Rodriguez (7-2, OVR 536) A top-two clash in the Gamma Division, as Monty looks to push his record to ten wins without a loss. While this ended up being a Match of the Night contender, you’d never had known it after the first four minutes, which were all Dhillon. The crafty veteran in Rodriguez found holes in the offense to wear Dhillon down some, and even utilized a few of his more effective submission holds to weaken Monty. However, what Diego was not expecting was for those submissions to simply get Dhillon angry. In a rather inspired bit of chain wrestling, Dhillon managed to link the Wheel-Lock into the Blockade Lock to force the verbal submission, and move to 10-0! Next up on the list in the hunt for perfection: the always dangerous Kichi Hida...with an added bonus that he could clinch the Gamma Division crown next week as well! Monty Dhillon (10-0) def. Diego Rodriguez (7-3) via Submission (Blockade Lock) in 12:41. Rating: *** Changes for Monty Dhillon: OVR + 4.85, XP + 605.58, no notable damage Changes for Diego Rodriguez: OVR + 1.22, XP + 151.40, minor damage to head BETA DIVISION (4) Christian Priest (6-3, OVR 599) (Favorite, 80.45%) vs. (3) Yoshii Nakamatsu (6-3, OVR 533)* Winner here would gain sole possession of third place in the Beta Division, with a steep hill to climb to get by Reverend Gross due to tiebreakers. Despite a bit of a down season, Priest came in to this match as the third-heaviest favorite since The League started tracking that fact this season. (Nuclear at 86.17% over Mitchell in Week 6, and Blackfield over Mitchell at 81.62% in week 8, are the two larger favorites.) In the interest of full transparency…the author had to run this match twice. The first time, the match was about fifteen minutes in, was shaping up to be at least a three-star match if not a full Match of the Night, when WS3 crashed. It was then that the reason made itself known—Pastor Richards tried to interfere, but was not set to a Beta Division contract (he was still on Gamma from the last season, which is an oversight on my part). WS3 doesn’t know how to resolve a manager attempting to interfere under a ruleset they are not assigned a contract to, and crashed to desktop. So yes, there’s proof that Richards can interfere! It just means that instead of giving control to Priest, Pastor Richards broke the game entirely. I should dock Priest some XP for that alone! (For legal purposes this is a joke.) So, one hotfix later, back in to run the match again…and this time, Nakamatsu stood no chance. A lengthy squash that somehow managed two stars was the result, as Priest claims third place in the division outright…with Reverend Gross slated to be his next opponent in a match that has huge promotion ramifications! (Personally I would have liked to see how the other match finished!) Christian Priest (7-3) def. Yoshii Nakamatsu (6-4) via Pinfall (Judgement) in 11:32. Rating: ** Changes for Christian Priest: OVR + 3.58, XP + 631.20, no notable damage Changes for Yoshii Nakamatsu: OVR + 0.41, XP + 157.80, moderate damage to head ALPHA DIVISION (5) Brian Blackfield (3-6, OVR 577) vs. (Favorite, 76.29%) (1) Nuclear Templeton (8-1, OVR 567)* All right, show of hands. Did anyone expect Nuclear to come in to this match as a 3-to-1 favorite? The author certainly did not; he figured the odds would be around 63% in favor of Templeton as this main event got underway. This was actually a close match, and the runner-up for Match of the Night, as bombs were thrown from the start by Templeton. Blackfield weathered the storm and tried to wear down Nuclear with holds and a few shots of his own, but the former League Champion seemed to have gotten enough of a head-start that he was shrugging off most of Blackfield’s offense. This continued for a few more minutes, as Templeton started to deploy Tactical Nukes at will. But Nuclear was stunned when Blackfield hit the Tartan Effect and nearly stole a win with it. This seemed to anger Templeton, and in a fit of not thinking ahead, he blasted Blackfield with an Armageddon Lariat. Enter The Juggernaut. The next minute saw Blackfield beat down Templeton to kill the momentum advantage, but he was unable to apply the Highland’s Wrath on three different occasions as the adrenaline faded from his body a bit quicker than many would have guessed. Templeton would feint the lariat when he next had an opening, and instead catch Blackfield in a Radiation Leak that would end up scoring the submission victory. The longest match of the night by far goes to Templeton, who has a chance to clinch the Season Eleven League Championship next week with a victory and a corresponding Mastachas loss…. Nuclear Templeton (9-1) def. Brian Blackfield (3-7) via Submission (Radiation Leak) in 22:05. Rating: *** Changes for Nuclear Templeton: OVR + 5.47, XP + 797.23, minor damage to head Changes for Brian Blackfield: OVR + 1.38, XP + 199.31, moderate damage to head, minor damage to body /\/\/\/\/\/\ STANDINGS AFTER WEEK TEN x – clinched promotion y – clinched division title z – clinched relegation ALPHA DIVISION 1. Nuclear Templeton: 9-1, ATV 18:03, (AMR 2.500), OVR 572.35 2. George Mastachas: 7-3, ATV 14:29, (AMR 2.300), OVR 554.90 3. Jean-Paul Ouilette: 5-5, ATV 19:12, (AMR 2.200), OVR 541.16 4. Brandy McDonald: 5-5, ATV 16:03, (AMR 2.500), OVR 539.97 5. Mel O'Hallister: 4-6, ATV 15:39, (AMR 2.700), OVR 547.34 6. The Mastodon: 4-6, ATV 16:47, (AMR 2.700), OVR 543.61 7. De'siree Mitchell: 3-7, ATV 13:37, (AMR 2.800), OVR 516.64 8. Brian Blackfield: 3-7, ATV 17:43, (AMR 2.100), OVR 578.41 *Nuclear Templeton clinches League Championship with: win AND Mastachas loss (Templeton has the tiebreaker) 5-5 and 4-6 ties are broken by simple H2H 3-7 is broken by victory time in a split series. BETA DIVISION 1. Lucas Molina: 8-2, ATV 13:19 (AMR 2.500), OVR 510.07 2. Reverend Johnny Gross: 7-3, ATV 12:55 (AMR 2.300), OVR 531.50 3. Christian Priest: 7-3, ATV 11:18 (AMR 2.500), OVR 602.29 4. Yoshii Nakamatsu: 6-4, ATV 11:33 (AMR 2.100), OVR 533.61 5. Billy Norris: 5-5, ATV 9:54 (AMR 2.600), OVR 532.46 6. Angela Wassermann: 3-7, ATV 12:45 (AMR 2.200), OVR 492.74 7. Pulsar: 3-7, ATV 8:44 (AMR 2.700), OVR 498.76 8. Blood River: 1-9, ATV 10:39 (AMR 2.100), OVR 509.50 Both ties are broken by simple H2H GAMMA DIVISION 1. Monty Dhillon: 10-0, ATV 9:06, (AMR 2.100), OVR 559.69 2. Diego Rodriguez: 7-3, ATV 10:48, (AMR 2.200), OVR 537.01 3. Kichi Hida: 6-4, ATV 10:24, (AMR 2.300), OVR 487.47 4. Indigo Rose: 5-5, ATV 13:18, (AMR 1.900), OVR 510.23 5. Markus Clay: 4-6, ATV 9:54, (AMR 2.100), OVR 494.13 6. Big Scott Weathers: 4-6, ATV 11:40, (AMR 2.200), OVR 508.86 7. Lance Heartilly: 3-7, ATV 13:50, (AMR 2.000), OVR 459.75 8. Terrance Stevens: 1-9, ATV 10:48, (AMR 2.200), OVR 492.33 *Monty Dhillon wins the division with: win OR Rodriguez loss (Dhillon has swept Rodriguez this season) *Monty Dhillon clinches promotion with: win OR loss to Hida in 9:16 or longer. (He would win the tiebreaker in this scenario, so even if he and Kichi ended up tied at 10-4 he would still advance.) 4-6 is broken by victory time in a split series. DELTA DIVISION 1. Nocturne: 7-3, ATV 11:30 (AMR 2.100), OVR 456.88 2. Rock Sheridan: 6-4, ATV 10:13 (AMR 2.800), OVR 431.42 3. Diamond: 6-4, ATV 9:52 (AMR 2.400), OVR 504.86 4. Leon de Ramos: 6-4, ATV 12:10 (AMR 2.500), OVR 428.76 5. Sterling Silver: 5-5, ATV 8:36 (AMR 2.300), OVR 467.91 6. Scott Stevens: 4-6, ATV 8:10 (AMR 2.100), OVR 437.74 7. Mickey Steele: 4-6, ATV 7:20 (AMR 2.500), OVR 421.79 8. George Stevens: 2-8, ATV 10:35 (AMR 2.500), OVR 415.04 6-4: Sheridan has beaten Diamond and Leon, Diamond has beaten Leon 4-6 is broken by simple H2H PREDICTION STANDINGS (Reminder: The official scores will have the lowest two weeks dropped at the end of the season, and are ranked below accordingly.) 1. Eternal Phoenix: 92 (Total Score: 110. This week: 14. Drop Weeks: 2 and 4 [8 / 10]) 2. Croquemitaine: 85 (Total Score: 102. This week: 10. Drop Weeks: 1 and 4 [8 / 9]) 3. Derek B: 80 (Total Score: 90. This week: 10. Drop Weeks: 1 and 2 [4 / 6]) 4. SeanMcG: 68 (Total Score: 68. This week: 0. Drop Weeks: 9 and 10 [0 / 0]) 5. Jman2k3: 65 (Total Score: 70. This week: 9. Drop Weeks: 6 and 1 [0 / 5]) WEEK ELEVEN CARD The * in each pairing denotes the winner of the previous match this season ALPHA DIVISION (3) Jean-Paul Ouilette (5-5, OVR 541)* vs. (8) Brian Blackfield (3-7, OVR 578) [Career: Brian Blackfield, 2 - 1] (4) Brandy McDonald (5-5, OVR 540) vs. (2) George Mastachas (7-3, OVR 555)* [Career: George Mastachas, 4 - 3] (1) Nuclear Templeton (9-1, OVR 572)* vs. (7) De'siree Mitchell (3-7, OVR 517) [Career: Nuclear Templeton, 6 - 1] (6) The Mastodon (4-6, OVR 544) vs. (5) Mel O'Hallister (4-6, OVR 547)* [Career: Mel O'Hallister, 3 - 2] BETA DIVISION (2) Reverend Johnny Gross (7-3, OVR 532)* vs. (3) Christian Priest (7-3, OVR 602) [Career: Reverend Johnny Gross, 1 - 0] HARDCORE MATCH: (5) Billy Norris (5-5, OVR 532)* vs. (8) Blood River (1-9, OVR 510) [Career: Billy Norris, 3 – 2. Career in Hardcore Matches: Norris 0 – 2, River 1 – 0] (4) Yoshii Nakamatsu (6-4, OVR 534)* vs. (6) Angela Wassermann (3-7, OVR 493) [Career: Yoshii Nakamatsu, 3 - 0] (1) Lucas Molina (8-2, OVR 510)* vs. (7) Pulsar (3-7, OVR 499) [Career: Lucas Molina, 1 - 0] GAMMA DIVISION (3) Kichi Hida (6-4, OVR 487) vs. (1) Monty Dhillon (10-0, OVR 560)* [Career: Monty Dhillon, 3 - 2] (2) Diego Rodriguez (7-3, OVR 537)* vs. (8) Terrance Stevens (1-9, OVR 492) [Career: Diego Rodriguez, 2 - 1] (4) Indigo Rose (5-5, OVR 510)* vs. (5) Markus Clay (4-6, OVR 494) [Career: Indigo Rose, 3 - 2] (6) Big Scott Weathers (4-6, OVR 509)* vs. (7) Lance Heartilly (3-7, OVR 460) [Career: Big Scott Weathers, 1 - 0] DELTA DIVISION (8) George Stevens (2-8, OVR 415) vs. (3) Diamond (6-4, OVR 505)* [Career: Diamond, 1 - 0] (6) Scott Stevens (4-6, OVR 438) vs. (5) Sterling Silver (5-5, OVR 468)* [Career: Sterling Silver, 1 - 0] (1) Nocturne (7-3, OVR 457) vs. (7) Mickey Steele (4-6, OVR 422)* [Career: Mickey Steele, 1 - 0] FIRST BLOOD MATCH: (2) Rock Sheridan (6-4, OVR 431)* vs. (4) Leon de Ramos (6-4, OVR 429) [Career: Rock Sheridan, 1 - 0] TRAINING AND PREDICTION DEADLINE: FRIDAY, MARCH 29, 2024 AT 11:59 PM EASTERN US! (A REMINDER TO THOSE OUTSIDE THE US, DAYLIGHT SAVINGS IS NOW IN EFFECT HERE SO THE EASTERN US IS TREATED AS UTC-4, NOT THE USUAL UTC-5. PLEASE CALIBRATE YOUR TIMEPIECES ACCORDINGLY!)

I’m planning to run most of this week’s matches tomorrow morning, as I’ve been away from the computer all morning due to errands and staying up late last night for Dynamite + Rampage back to back. I can do 13 out of the 16 available immediately so that’ll be a big chunk of the work done ahead of time. Likely waiting until the weekend to pick up on Omega work.

I am heading out to a blood drive shortly, figured I’d deliver another Omega update. We are now a little over a third of the way through the schedule—8 rounds completed out of the 23. It took until round 8 for everyone to finally have at least one win; Lord Robert Abernathy was the last person to get a win and he had to best Selene Luneweaver to get it. PC Updates: ”Dirty” John Murdoch has been doing well, sporting a 5-3 record, ATV of 13:32. That’s good enough for 8th overall at the moment. Two of his losses are to people above him in the standings, and he is also the one in Nora Blackfield’s 7-1. Joslin Baroni’s fortunes have taken a sharp dive. Whether it’s mental or just bad luck is unknown, but she has dropped to a 2-6 record with a 9:01 ATV, currently putting her in 21st position out of 24. She’s gotten close a few times but seems hesitant to go for her Baroni Bomb, which leads the author to think it’s a mental thing given how two different people kicked out of it in the opening three rounds. THE TOP 10, AFTER ROUND 8: Jun Onoo, “Twilight” Terra Harding, Nora Blackfield: 7-1 Vaea, Dan Lewis, Rebecca Solomon: 6-2 Rhys Caddell, “Dirty” John Murdoch, Otto von Schwarz: 5-3 Jimmy Anarchy rounds out the top 10 as the leader of the 4-4 pack.

Day 1 of a (planned) two weeks off from work. After a couple of hiccups with my master spreadsheet and final tweaking of movesets, Omega Division action has begun. 12 matches down, 264 to go… 🤣 If round 1 is anything similar to what’s going to happen, I think this season’s Omega results are going to be interesting even if no one manages to be promoted due to the impending returns of Daniel Simmons to Gamma and Erick Gibson to Delta, which is going to throw a wrench into the bottom two divisions’ changes this season. I’ll need to get to the end of this season and make the medical rolls for the roster to see the full effects but I’m already feeling like this is going to be a logistical nightmare for the Commish to tackle… 😛 EDIT TO ADD: Quick summary after round 3 of 23. Three wrestlers remain unbeaten. It should really be four as one person has had finishers kicked out of twice that has led to losses a few minutes later (this would be Joslin Baroni, for the record—she should be 3-0 but Jun Onoo and Kyler den Boen decided to no-sell the finishes…). Two of the people introduced to Omega this season are in the 3-0 club. Three regulars to Omega are the lone inhabitants of the 0-3 club, with 9 people each having either 1 or 2 wins. The current top four: Nora Blackfield Otto von Schwarz (!) Rebecca Solomon Jimmy Anarchy (!!) PC wise, as mentioned before Joslin Baroni has been gypped by the engine and should be 3-0 instead of 1-2. “Dirty” John Murdoch sits at 2-1, but with the worst ATV of those tied at 2-1. 240 matches remain, which will be worked on in part tomorrow.

THE LEAGUE: SEASON ELEVEN, WEEK NINE DELTA DIVISION (8) George Stevens (1-7, OVR 408)* vs. (Favorite, 56.99%) (2) Rock Sheridan (5-3, OVR 423) Bob Sinclair: Good evening, ladies, gentlemen, and everyone outside the binary! It’s Week Nine, and time is starting to run out for some title contenders, while for others the fight to escape relegation becomes even more desperate! Frankie Garnett: Bob, I have a question. Bob Sinclair: Frankie, we’re not even through the intro yet! Frankie Garnett: It’s about the intro, though. Bob Sinclair: …proceed. Frankie Garnett: Honest question here, no sass. Why do you open every show with that line about the binary? Bob Sinclair: The League’s all-inclusive, Frankie. Men, women, folks who identify as either one, as neither of them, or some other classification. Frankie Garnett: Ah. Was just wondering, it’s been bugging me for a season and a half now and I wanted some answers. Bob Sinclair: Meanwhile, our opening match is just about to get underway, down in the Delta Division! Frankie Garnett: That might have been a blessing in disguise, Bob. If Rock had hit that, there might not have been a ring left! Bob Sinclair: I’m certain the ring’s been properly reinforced, Frankie. Frankie Garnett: Bob, do you see the size of those men? Reinforced or not, the ring would have been hurting after something like that! Bob Sinclair: Stevens knew that wasn’t going to be enough, but the respite gives him a chance to talk strategy with his father at ringside. Frankie Garnett: Not sure that’s necessary, Bob. George Stevens is the only blemish on Rock’s record so far, so he’s doing something right that no one else in the Delta Division has done! Frankie Garnett: Bob, I’m telling you, I don’t think the ring’s ready for this one! I swear I saw the ring post wiggle a bit on that impact! Bob Sinclair: Frankie, I think you’re over-reacting. I’m looking at the same thing you are and I didn’t see anything move. Bob Sinclair: The official is getting on the case of George Stevens, and rightly so, but the Texan doesn’t seem to care at all! Frankie Garnett: A great philosopher of our time was once quoted as saying “win if you can, lose if you must, but always cheat.” I’m fairly certain that that person stole that line from Cary Stevens, if the way his sons wrestle is any indication. Bob Sinclair: What the hell?! Frankie Garnett: I told you, Bob! I told you the ring wasn’t going to survive this! Bob Sinclair: Stevens just delivered his Texas Size Slam to Sheridan, and the ring just…imploded, I guess! Both men are down, with Stevens still in a lateral press…wait, a second official has come in…one, two, three?! How can you count a pinfall when the mat isn’t even level? Frankie Garnett: Does it matter, Bob? The official went and did it, and we have a winner in George Stevens! Bob Sinclair: Something about this stinks, Frankie. Something just isn’t right about this whole thing… George Stevens (2-7) def. Rock Sheridan (5-4) via Pinfall (Texas Size Slam) in 13:43. Rating: **** Changes for George Stevens: OVR + 6.14, XP + 534.15, minor damage to head Changes for Rock Sheridan: OVR + 2.06, XP + 241.92, minor damage to head and body This was the Match of the Night (2 [2 this season] for George Stevens, 1 [1 this season] for Rock Sheridan) (And now for a quick behind-the-curtain chat...no, as far as I know WS3 does not have the ability to make the ring implode. As soon as I saw this match went to four stars, I immediately decided "if this ends up as MOTN, I'm adding that gimmick in to the write up." For the record, the actual line of commentary for George's finisher is "George Stevens just delivered a Texas Size Slam to DEFENDER FULL NAME." Besides, one's a Super Heavyweight and the other is a Giant. Is it really that difficult to believe such a thing could actually happen? Plus, the opening line of the intro was my go-to intro line in the rare instances I did commentary for Final Fantasy Randomizer race streams once upon an ago. It's still a line I stand behind to this day. Anywho, back to the remainder of the show you paid zero dimes to come read...) DELTA DIVISION (5) Sterling Silver (4-4, OVR 462)* (Favorite, 51.46%) vs. (4) Leon de Ramos (5-3, OVR 424) Once again, the second match of the card would have the unenviable duty of following up the Match of the Night..well, after the fans were shifted to a different part of The Aerie to sit around one of the other two rings in the gym, anyway. To their credit, Silver and de Ramos made this competitive. To their detriment, neither could really push the match into MOTN contender status. Leon made good use of his technical skills to avoid a fair bit of Silver’s high speed offense, but the luchadora is nothing if not persistent. After thwarting de Ramos’s attempts at the Iberian Twist a handful of times, Silver finally connected with a springboard splash and that was enough to keep Leon down for three…and even then only barely. Silver completes the sweep on the season, and at least for the moment more importantly finds herself in fourth place in the Delta Division, safe for the moment from relegation back into Omega. Sterling Silver (5-4) def. Leon de Ramos (5-4) via Pinfall (springboard splash) in 11:33. Rating: ** Changes for Sterling Silver: OVR + 3.58, XP + 485.54, minor damage to head Changes for Leon de Ramos: OVR + 0.41, XP + 121.39, minor damage to head DELTA DIVISION TABLES MATCH (6) Scott Stevens (3-5, OVR 433) vs. (Favorite, 60.06%) (1) Nocturne (6-2, OVR 452)* To those of you thinking Nocturne was in trouble here: you’re right. She only has one move in her arsenal that can break a table against Stevens (women’s DDT, Medium level), and it’s no good in this match since you need a High or Finisher level move to break a table. So it should come as no surprise really that Stevens managed to take just nine minutes exactly to end things, utilizing a sit-out spinebuster to do the trick. Door is open for Diamond now to move up in the rankings, though Nocturne will remain the division leader thanks to George Stevens’ sweep-clinching victory earlier in the show, and her current tiebreaker over Diamond. Scott Stevens (4-5) def. Nocturne (6-3) via Table Break (sit-out spinebuster) in 9:00. Rating: ** Changes for Scott Stevens: OVR + 3.57, XP + 484.32, no notable damage Changes for Nocturne: OVR + 0.62, XP + 121.08, minor damage to head DELTA DIVISION FIRST BLOOD MATCH (7) Mickey Steele (3-5, OVR 417) vs. (Favorite, 53.32%) (3) Diamond (5-3, OVR 499)* This was a sprint, and just barely above a squash. Diamond got some offense in but tonight belonged to Steele. The former kickboxer was in his element here, unleashing his striking offense to stun Diamond with a Mickey Finn before a pair of knees to the forehead busted Diamond open the hard way. Steele gains a measure of revenge for the loss earlier this season, as the entire top half of the Delta Division is defeated this week. Who had that on their bingo cards? Mickey Steele (4-5) def. Diamond (5-4) via First Blood (hard knee strike) in 4:26. Rating: ** Changes for Mickey Steele: OVR + 3.87, XP + 482.13, no notable damage Changes for Diamond: OVR + 0.79, XP + 120.53, minor damage to head GAMMA DIVISION (7) Lance Heartilly (2-6, OVR 455)* (Favorite, 56.11%) vs. (8) Terrance Stevens (1-7, OVR 491) Terrance Stevens, who is nominally the face in this pairing, came out to a smattering of boos here after his actions at Tag Team Turmoil. The intensity of the rival between these two men turned this into a Match of the Night contender, and deservedly so. Both men had chances to end it somewhat early on, though both bypassed them in order to inflict more damage on each other. The action even spilled outside at one point, where a strike exchange was made and both men took it in turns to slam their opponent’s head into the ring apron. Back inside the ring, Stevens missed a Maple Leaf Meltdown thanks to a single leg trip from Heartilly, who then immediately applied his figure four in the center of the ring. Stevens did not have the fortitude to fight to the ropes and tapped in short order. While he has not clinched a relegation spot yet, it seems rather inevitable for Terrance Stevens at this point, as he is now guaranteed a losing season with his eighth loss of the season. Lance Heartilly (3-6) def. Terrance Stevens (1-8) via Submission (Hellacious Leglock) in 16:01. Rating: *** Changes for Lance Heartilly: OVR + 5.07, XP + 607.58, minor damage to head Changes for Terrance Stevens: OVR + 1.28, XP + 151.89, minor damage to head BETA DIVISION LAST ONE STANDING MATCH (6) Pulsar (3-5, OVR 495) (Favorite, 60.30%) vs. (8) Angela Wassermann (1-7, OVR 482)* The clear runner-up for Match of the Night contendership, it was the only other match on the card that got a four-star rating. Wassermann made it a point early to target the head of Pulsar, busting him open with a hard knee about six minutes in and worsening the laceration with repeated strikes to the head over the next few minutes. Despite this, Pulsar gave back as good as he got, using his speed to keep Wassermann guessing where he was going to be. However, he zigged one time when he should have zagged, and whiffed on a springboard guillotina. Trying to get to his feet to attempt to salvage some offense, he walked right into a high spinning roundhouse kick from Wassermann that knocked him out cold. The ref didn’t need to make the count, but did anyway for the formality of it as Wassermann gets her second win of the season, both against the same opponent, and this one in rather decisive fashion! Angela Wassermann (2-7) def. Pulsar (3-6) via Last One Standing (Wassermann Spinning Roundhouse Kick) in 13:06. Rating: **** Changes for Angela Wassermann: OVR + 6.82, XP + 737.54, minor damage to head and body Changes for Pulsar: OVR + 2.41, XP + 184.38, moderate damage to head GAMMA DIVISION (5) Indigo Rose (3-5, OVR 504) (Favorite, 53.50%) vs. (4) Big Scott Weathers (4-4, OVR 507)* There wasn’t much chance that this match was going to live up to the expectations of the previous one, so it was no surprise that this turned out to be an average, competitive bout. Weathers took off to an early lead but could not finish the deal. Rose nearly gave it away a couple of times, but eventually the technician found the right combination to keep Weathers down long enough to apply her inverted STF. The submission happened moments later, and Rose earns another much-needed victory. While her chances of promotion are all but gone, solidifying a position in the middle of Gamma to ensure she avoids relegation is certainly within her reach. Indigo Rose (4-5) def. Big Scott Weathers (4-5) via Submission (Vite d’Indaco) in 18:02. Rating: ** Changes for Indigo Rose: OVR + 3.90, XP + 561.95, minor damage to head Changes for Big Scott Weathers: OVR + 0.44, XP + 140.49, minor damage to head GAMMA DIVISION (3) Kichi Hida (5-3, OVR 482)* vs. (Favorite, 59.29%) (2) Diego Rodriguez (6-2, OVR 532) The key to a Hida victory here was to start off hot and not let Diego start to apply his technical knowledge. If anything, the complete opposite happened here. By the time Kichi even hit Bumper Kars, she had had to fend off a stump puller and a Prelude to Dissonance. Rodriguez was relentless in his offense, and Hida could only withstand a stump puller so many times before she finally had to give up to save her neck and legs for the remainder of the season. If there is any solace for Kichi, though, it is that should she manage to match Diego’s record, she holds the tie-breaker due to a faster victory time. Diego Rodriguez (7-2) def. Kichi Hida (5-4) via Submission (stump puller) in 11:16. Rating: ** Changes for Diego Rodriguez: OVR + 3.56, XP + 558.22, no notable damage Changes for Kichi Hida: OVR + 0.40, XP + 139.55, minor damage to head ALPHA DIVISION (8) De'siree Mitchell (2-6, OVR 512) vs. (Favorite, 57.14%) (6) Mel O'Hallister (3-5, OVR 542)* While competitive, this one lacked that extra oomph needed to push it into a Match of the Night contender. It didn’t help that by nine minutes in, it seemed like a foregone conclusion that Mitchell was winning this one, given the type of offense she was using compared to what O’Hallister was attempting. While Mel would eventually manage to attempt an Irish Clover (and fail terribly), Mitchell needed only a single attempt at the All Out Blitz to grab a victory, and in the process a critical tie-breaker over O’Hallister due to the faster victory! De'siree Mitchell (3-6) def. Mel O'Hallister (3-6) via Pinfall (All Out Blitz) in 13:58. Rating: ** Changes for De'siree Mitchell: OVR + 3.70, XP + 730.06, minor damage to head Changes for Mel O'Hallister: OVR + 0.42, XP + 182.51, minor damage to head and body BETA DIVISION (1) Lucas Molina (7-1, OVR 506) (Favorite, 53.86%) vs. (5) Billy Norris (4-4, OVR 527)* Realistically speaking, this was an eight-minute match. It only reached ten minutes because Molina essentially gave Norris a two-minute head start before attempting any offense. But once he did, Norris had no answer for it. One sequence of signature moves had Norris quickly eating a San Juan Buster…only to kick out at two. Molina decided there would be no more of that malarkey, and the Maunabo Crab was quickly applied, with Molina wrenching extra hard to ensure the tap out. The Beta Division leader does what he has to, and continues to keep his focus on reaching the Alpha Division next season. Lucas Molina (8-1) def. Billy Norris (4-5) via Submission (Maunabo Crab) in 10:22. Rating: *** Changes for Lucas Molina: OVR + 4.69, XP + 683.01, no notable damage Changes for Billy Norris: OVR + 1.18, XP + 170.75, minor damage to head GAMMA DIVISION (1) Monty Dhillon (8-0, OVR 551)* (Favorite, 75.67%) vs. (6) Markus Clay (3-5, OVR 491) This match was actually much closer than the match rating would have you believe. Yes, Monty dominated the opening five minutes. However, the next three minutes were all Clay, and right at the eight-mintue mark, Clay hit a slingshot moonsault that got a very long two. It seemed like the momentum was on Clay’s side…at least, until Dhillon hit a Livewire Lariat from out of left field and followed that with the Empire Bomb. Clay wasn’t getting up from that. After a bit of a minor scare, Dhillon moves to 9-0 as his quest for perfection continues! Monty Dhillon (9-0) def. Markus Clay (3-6) via Pinfall (Empire Bomb) in 8:55. Rating: ** Changes for Monty Dhillon: OVR + 3.45, XP + 556.92, minor damage to head Changes for Markus Clay: OVR + 0.39, XP + 139.23, minor damage to head ALPHA DIVISION (3) Jean-Paul Ouilette (5-3, OVR 540)* (Favorite, 62.55%) vs. (7) The Mastodon (2-6, OVR 535) In their previous match, Ouilette scored a surprising win over Mastodon. The big man would not let that happen a second time, as he came out very aggressive at the bell and barely took his foot off the gas. If this match went another four minutes, Mastodon would have been desperately trying to get some oxygen in his lungs, but at twelve minutes, he still had enough in the tank to blast Ouilette with the lariat to gain a modicum of revenge in the rematch. The Mastodon (3-6) def. Jean-Paul Ouilette (5-4) via Pinfall (Rampage) in 12:03. Rating: ** Changes for The Mastodon: OVR + 3.60, XP + 728.68, minor damage to head Changes for Jean-Paul Ouilette: OVR + 0.41, XP + 182.17, minor damage to head BETA DIVISION TABLES MATCH (2) Yoshii Nakamatsu (6-2, OVR 533) vs. (Favorite, 71.86%) (3) Reverend Johnny Gross (5-3, OVR 526)* A sprint of a tables match, that was mostly (but not entirely) one-sided. The second star likely came from the action spilling to ringside, otherwise there wasn’t much to write home about here. Gross showed why he won the first match between the pair as he controlled Nakamatsu for the majority of the contest. By the time the match went outside, it seemed only an inevitability for the match to end. Sure enough, a powerbomb from the Right Reverend was enough to do the trick, and that quickly Gross finds himself trailing only Lucas Molina in the division! Reverend Johnny Gross (6-3) def. Yoshii Nakamatsu (6-3) via Table Break (powerbomb) in 8:17. Rating: ** Changes for Reverend Johnny Gross: OVR + 3.53, XP + 629.17, no notable damage Changes for Yoshii Nakamatsu: OVR + 0.61, XP + 157.29, minor damage to head BETA DIVISION (4) Christian Priest (5-3, OVR 594)* (Favorite, 78.21%) vs. (7) Blood River (1-7, OVR 508) A chance here for Priest to create a logjam for second place in the division; a win would make a three-way tie at 6-3. Granted, Rev. Gross would hold the tiebreaker with a 3-0 combined head-to-head, but that’s a scenario that Priest would accept as at least he’d be equal on record with the others. And while River put up enough of a fight to push this match into Match of the Night contendership, it wasn’t enough to overcome the determination of Priest. A powerbomb into Canonized was enough for Priest to make it a three-way tie at 6-3 for the second promotion spot in the Beta Division! Christian Priest (6-3) def. Blood River (1-8) via Pinfall (Canonized) in 11:41. Rating: *** Changes for Christian Priest: OVR + 4.78, XP + 683.90, minor damage to head Changes for Blood River: OVR + 1.21, XP + 170.97, minor damage to body ALPHA DIVISION (5) Brian Blackfield (3-5, OVR 577) (Favorite, 57.07%) vs. (4) Brandy McDonald (4-4, OVR 536)* This was another match that was closer than the match rating would lead one to think. Very much so on this occasion, as by fifteen minutes deep both wrestlers were at risk of trademark moves. It would be McDonald who found a spurt of energy, picking up the speed to stun Blackfield long enough to apply her bulldog choke. Blackfield was within an inch of the ropes before Brandy rolled them over and back to the center, and Blackfield tapped soon after. Ever since reaching the Alpha Division, The Juggernaut has shown signs of vulnerability; is he working through an injury that no one at all knew about before this season started that is affecting his in-ring ability? Brandy McDonald (5-4) def. Brian Blackfield (3-6) via Submission (Hair of the Dog) in 17:58. Rating: * Changes for Brandy McDonald: OVR + 2.60, XP + 671.86, no notable damage Changes for Brian Blackfield: OVR -0.43, XP + 167.96, minor damage to head ALPHA DIVISION CAGE MATCH (1) Nuclear Templeton (7-1, OVR 561)* (Favorite, 61.57%) vs. (2) George Mastachas (6-2, OVR 550) Main event time, with control of the Alpha Division and the inside track to a League Championship at stake. For Nuclear, it’s simple—win, and have not only the outright lead but also own a tiebreaker over the man right behind you. Mastachas needed to win in under 14:52 to steal the tiebreaker from Nuclear. This ended up being the third-best match of the night, not only due to the stakes involved but also the way the match progressed. Nuclear controlled the opening half of the match, but try as he might he was unable to land the lariat or apply the choke to Mastachas, and the Greek would storm back, putting Nuclear on the back foot with the power game. However, Templeton is one of the stronger men in The League, and would eventually match Mastachas move-for-move in the power game. A Tactical Nuke led to the Armageddon Lariat, and Templeton kicked the door to the cage open, making the ref standing there flee to the opposite side of the ringside area as Templeton walked down the steps and reached the floor. With the win, The League Championship is Nuclear’s for the taking, as he essentially holds a three-match lead with five weeks remaining in the season! Nuclear Templeton (8-1) def. George Mastachas (6-3) via Cage Escape (Armageddon Lariat) in 19:55. Rating: *** Changes for Nuclear Templeton: OVR + 5.86, XP + 795.54, minor damage to head and body Changes for George Mastachas: OVR + 1.61, XP + 198.88, major damage to head, minor damage to body /\/\/\/\/\/\ STANDINGS AFTER WEEK NINE ALPHA DIVISION 1. Nuclear Templeton: 8-1, ATV 17:33, (AMR 2.444), OVR 566.88 2. George Mastachas: 6-3, ATV 14:40, (AMR 2.333), OVR 551.23 3. Jean-Paul Ouilette: 5-4, ATV 19:12, (AMR 2.222), OVR 540.74 4. Brandy McDonald: 5-4, ATV 16:03, (AMR 2.444), OVR 538.69 5. Brian Blackfield: 3-6, ATV 17:43, (AMR 2.000), OVR 577.03 6. Mel O'Hallister: 3-6, ATV 15:30, (AMR 2.667), OVR 542.27 7. The Mastodon: 3-6, ATV 17:31, (AMR 2.667), OVR 538.64 8. De'siree Mitchell: 3-6, ATV 13:37, (AMR 2.778), OVR 515.38 5-4 is broken by simple H2H. 3-6: Blackfield has beaten O’Hallister and Mastodon; O’Hallister has beaten Mastodon. BETA DIVISION 1. Lucas Molina: 8-1, ATV 13:19 (AMR 2.667), OVR 510.46 2. Reverend Johnny Gross: 6-3, ATV 13:18 (AMR 2.444), OVR 529.15 3. Yoshii Nakamatsu: 6-3, ATV 11:33 (AMR 2.111), OVR 533.20 4. Christian Priest: 6-3, ATV 11:16 (AMR 2.556), OVR 598.71 5. Billy Norris: 4-5, ATV 10:13 (AMR 2.556), OVR 527.88 6. Pulsar: 3-6, ATV 8:44 (AMR 2.667), OVR 497.60 7. Angela Wassermann: 2-7, ATV 11:30 (AMR 2.222), OVR 488.98 8. Blood River: 1-8, ATV 10:39 (AMR 2.111), OVR 509.07 6-3: Gross has a combined 3-0 record against Nakamatsu (1-2) and Priest (0-2). Nakamatsu has beaten Priest for the remaining tie-breaker. GAMMA DIVISION 1. Monty Dhillon: 9-0, ATV 8:42, (AMR 2.000), OVR 554.84 2. Diego Rodriguez: 7-2, ATV 10:48, (AMR 2.111), OVR 535.79 3. Kichi Hida: 5-4, ATV 10:43, (AMR 2.222), OVR 482.88 4. Big Scott Weathers: 4-5, ATV 11:40, (AMR 2.111), OVR 507.70 5. Indigo Rose: 4-5, ATV 14:24, (AMR 2.000), OVR 507.93 6. Markus Clay: 3-6, ATV 10:39, (AMR 2.222), OVR 491.88 7. Lance Heartilly: 3-6, ATV 13:50, (AMR 2.111), OVR 460.13 8. Terrance Stevens: 1-8, ATV 10:48, (AMR 2.333), OVR 492.70 4-5: determined by faster victory time, which goes to Weathers (14:18 vs. 18:02). 3-6: broken by simple H2H DELTA DIVISION 1. Nocturne: 6-3, ATV 10:42 (AMR 2.111), OVR 453.06 2. Rock Sheridan: 5-4, ATV 10:10 (AMR 2.667), OVR 425.55 3. Diamond: 5-4, ATV 9:38 (AMR 2.333), OVR 500.12 4. Sterling Silver: 5-4, ATV 8:36 (AMR 2.111), OVR 465.94 5. Leon de Ramos: 5-4, ATV 12:27 (AMR 2.444), OVR 424.04 6. Scott Stevens: 4-5, ATV 8:10 (AMR 2.000), OVR 436.54 7. Mickey Steele: 4-5, ATV 7:20 (AMR 2.444), OVR 420.60 8. George Stevens: 2-7, ATV 10:35 (AMR 2.556), OVR 414.61 5-4: Sheridan wins the four-way tie due to best combined record (3-0 compared to Diamond 3-1, Silver 2-3, Leon 0-4). Diamond then wins the three-way tie due to best combined record (3-0 compared to Silver 2-2, Leon 0-3). Silver then wins simple H2H via season sweep for the third spot. 4-5: broken by simple H2H PREDICTION STANDINGS (Reminder: The official scores will have the lowest two weeks dropped at the end of the season, and are ranked below accordingly.) 1. Eternal Phoenix: 78 (Total Score: 96. This week: 10. Drop Weeks: 2 and 4 [8 / 10]) 2. Croquemitaine: 75 (Total Score: 92. This week: 12. Drop Weeks: 1 and 4 [8 / 9]) 3. Derek B: 70 (Total Score: 80. This week: 8. Drop Weeks: 1 and 2 [4 / 6]) 4. SeanMcG: 62 (Total Score: 68. This week: 0. Drop Weeks: 9 and 1 [0 / 6]) 5. Jman2k3: 56 (Total Score: 61. This week: 11. Drop Weeks: 6 and 1 [0 / 5]) WEEK TEN CARD The * in each pairing denotes the winner of the previous match this season ALPHA DIVISION (5) Brian Blackfield (3-6, OVR 577) vs. (1) Nuclear Templeton (8-1, OVR 567)* [Career: Nuclear Templeton, 1 - 0] (3) Jean-Paul Ouilette (5-4, OVR 541) vs. (2) George Mastachas (6-3, OVR 551)* [Career: George Mastachas, 1 - 0] (6) Mel O'Hallister (3-6, OVR 542) vs. (4) Brandy McDonald (5-4, OVR 539)* [Career: Brandy McDonald, 3 - 2] (8) De'siree Mitchell (3-6, OVR 515) vs. (7) The Mastodon (3-6, OVR 539)* [Career: The Mastodon, 5 - 2] BETA DIVISION (4) Christian Priest (6-3, OVR 599) vs. (3) Yoshii Nakamatsu (6-3, OVR 533)* [Career: Yoshii Nakamatsu, 1 - 0] (1) Lucas Molina (8-1, OVR 510)* vs. (2) Reverend Johnny Gross (6-3, OVR 529) [Career: Lucas Molina, 1 - 0] (6) Pulsar (3-6, OVR 498)* vs. (5) Billy Norris (4-5, OVR 528) [Career: Pulsar, 2 - 1] (7) Angela Wassermann (2-7, OVR 489) vs. (8) Blood River (1-8, OVR 509)* [Career: Blood River, 4 - 1] GAMMA DIVISION (1) Monty Dhillon (9-0, OVR 555)* vs. (2) Diego Rodriguez (7-2, OVR 536) [Career: Monty Dhillon, 1 - 0] (3) Kichi Hida (5-4, OVR 483)* vs. (4) Big Scott Weathers (4-5, OVR 508) [Career: Kichi Hida, 1 - 0] (6) Markus Clay (3-6, OVR 492) vs. (8) Terrance Stevens (1-8, OVR 493)* [Career: Markus Clay, 5 - 2] (7) Lance Heartilly (3-6, OVR 460)* vs. (5) Indigo Rose (4-5, OVR 508) [Career: Lance Heartilly, 1 - 0] DELTA DIVISION (3) Diamond (5-4, OVR 500) vs. (6) Scott Stevens (4-5, OVR 437)* [Career: Scott Stevens, 1 - 0] (4) Sterling Silver (5-4, OVR 466) vs. (2) Rock Sheridan (5-4, OVR 426)* [Career: Rock Sheridan, 1 - 0] (8) George Stevens (2-7, OVR 415) vs. (1) Nocturne (6-3, OVR 453)* [Career: Nocturne, 1 - 0] (7) Mickey Steele (4-5, OVR 421) vs. (5) Leon de Ramos (5-4, OVR 424)* [Career: Leon de Ramos, 1 - 0] TRAINING AND PREDICTION DEADLINE: FRIDAY, MARCH 22, 2024 AT 11:59 PM EASTERN US! (A REMINDER TO THOSE OUTSIDE THE US, DAYLIGHT SAVINGS IS NOW IN EFFECT HERE SO THE EASTERN US IS TREATED AS UTC-4, NOT THE USUAL UTC-5. PLEASE CALIBRATE YOUR TIMEPIECES ACCORDINGLY!)

Continuing to work on this revised “private” League idea while I wait until tomorrow morning to run the remaining three matches, and it already appears to be a good thing that The League proper doesn’t have upper stat limits and is scaled by total stat points, not individually. Going by GMPCs alone, De’siree (striking), Mastachas (grappling), O’Hallister (grappling AND ground), Pulsar (speed), Sin (grappling), and The Siberian Nightmare (grappling) would technically be illegal as their current stats are above the base maximums allowed for their size/style. Plus folks like Mastodon, Diego, and Rose would be around 200,000 XP in debt with their 1000-point stats… 😂

Through the first bit of work this week. 13 out of 16 matches can be, and have been, run. The clubhouse leader for MOTN comes from the lower half of The League, a four-star match that I’m not quite sure how it got to that status. I think Maven Deltzer is ill or something and his body double Raven Deltmez is running things this week, judging by some of the match ratings I saw tonight.

Yes. The base DB is a copy of the vanilla C-Verse. I kept finishers in for ease of copying moves for trademarks (I’ll be damned if I was remaking the Maple Leaf Meltdown from scratch when I could simply copy Super Kick and change a few things). To me, it’s much easier to go about it that way with copying vs. importing. Plus it helps me for researching changes to rules a bit easier instead of switching between two databases constantly.

Tonight is the initial round of edits, and I intend to finish any new GMPC movesets for Omega tonight as well. I have at least one entire week (possibly two) off from work coming up and any time not playing FF7 Rebirth I intend to be using doing Omega Division stuff. As if that’s not enough, my brain is also trying to work overtime in developing a “new” version of The League for my private use, using only GMPCs from this thread and a few new additions. Some of the ideas my traitorous mind has thought up include expanding the main roster to 48 people, either 4x12 or 3x16; a total reworking of XP, OVR, and SPR gains to be a bit more scaled back over the long term; implementing stat limits based on character size (a very small person shouldn’t have 900 strength, etc.) and changing the XP scaling to per stat instead of by total stat count; and the biggest change being to abolish the “only trademark finishers allowed” rule and just allow the game to auto-generate movesets throughout, which is the largest headache I have in running this thread as it presently exists. (The second biggest is getting the spreadsheet to accurately display everything in the Roster Post back on page 1 of this thread!) As we’re already four seasons deep in this thread none of those changes will be making it to The League proper any time soon/at all. This would be for a sort of “reboot” or sequel to The League if I ever let it go public beyond what I’ve posted here. All of the above is still in conceptual stages; I haven’t even begun trying to convert my Frankenstein-esque spreadsheet into one for this project. So…if anyone was wondering what my brain is doing when I am supposed to be working…there ya go.

As the guy who runs this thing, I’m all for chaos. Makes for a better narrative. Besides, Nuclear must like chaos too given a 0 OVR Manager successfully interfering. Just sayin’, the recipe is right there.

THE LEAGUE: SEASON ELEVEN, WEEK EIGHT DELTA DIVISION (7) Mickey Steele (2-5, OVR 411)* (Favorite, 51.67%) vs. (8) George Stevens (1-6, OVR 406) Bob Sinclair: Good evening, ladies, gentlemen, and everyone outside the binary! Welcome to the start of the second half of Season Eleven! As usual, sixteen matches on the card tonight, and also as usual we start in the Delta Division, with a match featuring two men who are desperate to get a win. Frankie Garnett, your thoughts? Frankie Garnett: Bob, you know I’m usually a “size beats everything” guy. But from what I’ve seen of George Stevens so far this season, I’m not entirely sold on the concept in this one. Steele’s legs are dangerous in their own right and since he can use them to strike from outside George’s reach, I think that’s going to be the deciding factor here. Probably ten or eleven minutes, tops. Bob Sinclair: All valid points, Frankie. Both men are already in the ring, with their seconds at ringside…here’s the bell and Week Eight is officially underway! Bob Sinclair: And now we see the double-edged sword of the Delta Division ruleset; Stevens wasting very little time in bringing the power game to bear here. Frankie Garnett: Bob, I almost think that shortening the matches all around might be good for The League. Bob Sinclair: I am completely afraid to ask why. I have a feeling I’m not going to like the answer. Bob Sinclair: …All right. I’m going to ask anyway. Why would shorter matches overall be a benefit? Frankie Garnett: The attention span of the modern audience. We’re living in a world of TikTok and Twitter, where everything comes in bite-sized portions. No one really has the attention span for forty-minute epic matches. Bob Sinclair: Some of the better-known matches in The League say otherwise, Frankie. Especially the Tag Team Turmoil finals. Frankie Garnett: The exceptions that prove the rule, Bob. Bob Sinclair: Wait…you’re just saying that so you can work less and get paid the same amount, aren’t you? Frankie Garnett: …how did you--? Bob Sinclair: I’ve known you too long, Frankie. Bob Sinclair: That almost looked like that punch was thrown in desperation, Frankie. Stevens knew he was in trouble. Frankie Garnett: Desperation or planned, what does it matter if the result still works in your favor? Bob Sinclair: Flush on the jaw, here’s the cover…one, two, three! A very competitive match to open the show, and Mickey Steele scores a crucial win! Frankie Garnett: Stevens has nothing to be ashamed of, Bob. It’s rough coming right into Delta, and the fact that George is managing to make things competitive is a credit to him and his family! Bob Sinclair: I’m not entirely sure that Cary would agree with you, Frankie. A family accustomed to success running into issues just getting a winning record? I have a feeling that the Stevens patriarch has had a few choice words for his sons in the last weeks…. Mickey Steele (3-5) def. George Stevens (1-7) via Pinfall (Mickey Finn) in 11:05. Rating: **** Changes for Mickey Steele: OVR + 5.92, XP + 666.21, minor damage to head Changes for George Stevens: OVR + 1.99, XP + 241.55, moderate damage to head This was the Match of the Night (2 [2 this season] for Mickey Steele, 1 [1 this season] for George Stevens) DELTA DIVISION (5) Leon de Ramos (4-3, OVR 419)* (Favorite, 56.53%) vs. (6) Scott Stevens (3-4, OVR 432) To the credit of these two men, they did not act like the Match of the Night had opened the show, as they put on a match worthy of contention. Stevens controlled the opening three minutes, Leon the next four, and then it was back-and-forth for the remainder. Stevens at one point landed the Toxic Sting, but only got a one count as Leon was quick to pop a shoulder up. That seemed to incense Scott, and in hindsight would cost him the victory. Stevens got too aggressive, continually trying to go low against de Ramos, and one attempt too many missed that opened the door for de Ramos to wrap up Stevens in a cradle for the sudden pin. Despite the arguments of a fast count from Cary Stevens, Leon’s Lisbon Prayer is answered as he emerges from Week Eight with a win! Leon de Ramos (5-3) def. Scott Stevens (3-5) via Pinfall (Lisbon Prayer) in 12:57. Rating: *** Changes for Leon de Ramos: OVR + 4.86, XP + 526.73, minor damage to head Changes for Scott Stevens: OVR + 1.23, XP + 131.68, no notable damage DELTA DIVISION (2) Rock Sheridan (5-2, OVR 423) vs. (Favorite, 50.02%) (1) Nocturne (5-2, OVR 449)* This match would determine the outright leader in the Delta Division. Additional pressure was on Sheridan here—a win slower than 11:38, and he’d still lose the tiebreaker to Nocturne going forward. Nocturne was aware of this, and came into the contest staying mainly on the defensive, taking what openings she could from Sheridan without exposing herself to additional offense. She seemed determined to land a flying forearm, and it took three separate misses before finally connecting, but in the interim she had opened herself up to a Tacoma Choke Slam. Sheridan would miss the follow-up lariat, and Nocturne went to the ropes to land a running bulldog. She then went right to the legs, locked in the ankle lock, and hung on tight as Sheridan was finally forced to tap. Nocturne earns the sweep, and finds herself in prime position with six matches remaining on the season! Nocturne (6-2) def. Rock Sheridan (5-3) via Submission (Midnight Solstice) in 13:07. Rating: ** Changes for Nocturne: OVR + 3.66, XP + 486.30, no notable damage Changes for Rock Sheridan: OVR + 0.41, XP + 121.57, minor damage to head DELTA DIVISION (3) Diamond (4-3, OVR 496)* vs. (Favorite, 53.68%) (4) Sterling Silver (4-3, OVR 462) This was a fast-paced match, as one would expect from the two speediest wrestlers in the Delta Division. While not terribly exciting—after all, this was the fastest match of the night so far, it didn’t have time to get exciting—it was still a definitive finish as Silver went for a knee drop, missed it, and then ate a Jawjacker immediately afterward. Diamond finishes the sweep and now has her eyes set on the top of the division, and her goal of a return to the Gamma Division as she finds herself one match behind Nocturne for the division lead. Diamond (5-3) def. Sterling Silver (4-4) via Pinfall (Jawjacker) in 6:20. Rating: ** Changes for Diamond: OVR + 3.32, XP + 483.04, no notable damage Changes for Sterling Silver: OVR + 0.38, XP + 120.76, minor damage to head GAMMA DIVISION (6) Lance Heartilly (2-5, OVR 454) vs. (Favorite, 62.36%) (3) Diego Rodriguez (5-2, OVR 527)* A good showing from both men, in a match that was a little too short for Match of the Night contention. Heartilly seemed to be well in control for a good portion of the contest, applying his trademark Arm Breaker a couple times on Rodriguez. The second time, Diego nearly tapped out before managing to find a way free of the hold…and from there, Rodriguez would not look back. Twice he would hit the Prelude to Dissonance, but instead of going for either of his signature submissions he utilized the stump puller—which seems to be a move a lot of technical grapplers are relying on these days—to force the submission and earn his sixth victory of the season, and League-best twenty-second in total via submission. Heartilly looked good in a losing effort—perhaps the best he’s looked in a while—but the threat of relegation is rapidly closing in. Diego Rodriguez (6-2) def. Lance Heartilly (2-6) via Submission (stump puller) in 12:44. Rating: *** Changes for Diego Rodriguez: OVR + 4.85, XP + 605.61, minor damage to head Changes for Lance Heartilly: OVR + 1.22, XP + 151.4, minor damage to head GAMMA DIVISION (2) Kichi Hida (5-2, OVR 482)* (Favorite, 51.90%) vs. (7) Indigo Rose (2-5, OVR 500) After the finals of Tag Team Turmoil, and how close Rampage Carnival came to making a comeback in the final minutes of the match, the crowd seemed to have thrown its support behind Hida. This seemed to confuse Hida a time or two during the contest, as she seemed a bit hesitant in her offense against Rose. The Italian grappler had no such issues, sticking to her usual offensive plan and letting Hida exhaust her opening surge of offense before wearing down her opponent considerably. At one point the referee was laid out following a reversed whip, and Rose managed to lock in the Vite d’Indaco, to no effect except to soften Hida up. Hida would attempt to fight back, and hit a couple of her trademarks, but the damage was too much. A second application of the Vite d’Indaco would do it, and Rose emerges with a minor upset in the Gamma Division! Indigo Rose (3-5) def. Kichi Hida (5-3) via Submission (Vite d’Indaco) in 15:53. Rating: ** Changes for Indigo Rose: OVR + 3.79, XP + 560.77, minor damage to head Changes for Kichi Hida: OVR + 0.43, XP + 140.19, moderate damage to head, minor damage to body and legs GAMMA DIVISION SUBMISSION MATCH (5) Big Scott Weathers (3-4, OVR 504) (Favorite, 54.93%) vs. (4) Markus Clay (3-4, OVR 491)* This was ugly. No question about it. Sure, the match was okay for the first ten or eleven minutes. Then Weathers sent Clay to the floor and went out after him. After that it was like Weathers forgot that he had a sleeper hold finisher as he was content to use the environment at ringside to attempt to force a submission. Clay would take a shot at a submission as well, but the size of Weathers proved to be the difference. Wrapping a camera cable around the neck of Clay and then hoisting him onto Weather’s back like a sack of potatoes was enough as Clay tapped before he could be fully choked out. Big Scott Weathers (4-4) def. Markus Clay (3-5) via Submission (force submission) in 13:46. Rating: ** Changes for Big Scott Weathers: OVR + 3.69, XP + 559.60, minor damage to head Changes for Markus Clay: OVR + 0.42, XP + 139.90, minor damage to head BETA DIVISION (8) Angela Wassermann (1-6, OVR 483) vs. (Favorite, 73.58%) (1) Lucas Molina (6-1, OVR 503)* Yeesh. Less said about this one, the better. A squash, plain and simple, with Wassermann getting next to no offense under the withering assault of Molina. A Molina Bodylock eventually, mercifully, put an end to the proceedings here tonight as Molina maintains his pace in the Beta Division. Lucas Molina (7-1) def. Angela Wassermann (1-7) via Submission (Molina Bodylock) in 11:24. Rating: * Changes for Lucas Molina: OVR + 2.38, XP + 578.52, no no table damage Changes for Angela Wassermann: OVR -0.39, XP + 144.63, minor damage to legs BETA DIVISION (7) Blood River (1-6, OVR 507) (Favorite, 54.83%) vs. (2) Yoshii Nakamatsu (5-2, OVR 529)* This was only marginally better than the previous match. Almost as nearly one-sided, River at least got some offense in to force Yoshii to fight from the defensive for a few seconds. In the end it was far too much for River to handle, and Nakamatsu maintains the gap between himself and Molina atop the Beta Division. For what it’s worth, the author is also surprised that despite their fortunes this season, River came in as the mathematical favorite based on historical data. Yoshii Nakamatsu (6-2) def. Blood River (1-7) via Pinfall (Nakamatsu Driver) in 9:49. Rating: ** Changes for Yoshii Nakamatsu: OVR + 3.49, XP + 630.13, no notable damage Changes for Blood River: OVR + 0.4, XP + 157.53, minor damage to head GAMMA DIVISION (1) Monty Dhillon (7-0, OVR 549)* (Favorite, 75.79%) vs. (8) Terrance Stevens (1-6, OVR 492) This was never in doubt, and was never even close. Monty’s perfect season continues as Terrance was not even a speed bump in Monty’s path. It took less than six minutes for a Livewire Lariat to seal the deal in this one, and Dhillon rolls on to week nine with the streak intact. Yet despite a sub-six minute finish, this does not rank in the top ten fastest normal matches in League history, which shows you just how insanely high the bar has been set. Monty Dhillon (8-0) def. Terrance Stevens (1-7) via Pinfall (Livewire Lariat) in 5:43. Rating: * Changes for Monty Dhillon: OVR + 2.19, XP + 508.89, no notable damage Changes for Terrance Stevens: OVR -0.36, XP + 127.22, minor damage to head BETA DIVISION (4) Reverend Johnny Gross (4-3, OVR 522) vs. (Favorite, 53.18%) (3) Billy Norris (4-3, OVR 526)* Aside from a five-minute span of offense from Norris, this was all Gross. Some would argue that even that five minutes was by Gross’ design, as he let Norris get enough momentum to attempt a top rope flying clothesline, only to walk away while Norris was in mid-flight. Norris landed hard on the mat, and Gross immediately pounced, locking in the dragon sleeper for the submission victory. The Right Reverend still has some ground to make up on the top two in the division, but he cannot be counted out of the hunt for promotion into Alpha quite yet! Reverend Johnny Gross (5-3) def. Billy Norris (4-4) via Submission (Come to Jesus) in 10:54. Rating: ** Changes for Reverend Johnny Gross: OVR + 3.55, XP + 630.80, no notable damage Changes for Billy Norris: OVR + 0.40, XP + 157.70, minor damage to head ALPHA DIVISION SUBMISSION MATCH (8) De'siree Mitchell (1-6, OVR 509) vs. (Favorite, 81.62%) (5) Brian Blackfield (3-4, OVR 578)* Many expected this encounter to go like the first one had. After all, Blackfield has a submission finisher. Mitchell does not. So naturally, the complete opposite happened, as Mitchell absolutely dominated this match, barely allowing Blackfield to get out of the gates. In the end, she would use a roughly-executed STF to force a submission out of Blackfield, who seemed bewildered by the furious onslaught from the former nose tackle. An overwhelming upset in the Alpha Division to kick off proceedings in the top division this week, which doesn’t matter to De’siree despite her form of match ratings this season. A win trumps a Match of the Night every time! De'siree Mitchell (2-6) def. Brian Blackfield (3-5) via Submission (force submission) in 15:42. Rating: * Changes for De'siree Mitchell: OVR + 2.52, XP + 670.36, no notable damage Changes for Brian Blackfield: OVR -0.42, XP + 167.59, moderate damage to head BETA DIVISION (6) Pulsar (3-4, OVR 494) vs. (Favorite, 71.94%) (5) Christian Priest (4-3, OVR 589)* A good match, and mentioned as one of the better contests of the evening. Pulsar was at a distinct disadvantage in this one, having lost the first match earlier this season and giving up the size and a lot of popularity to one-half of the Tag Team Turmoil champions. Pulsar stuck to his speed, and found a modicum of success with it, but the problem was that in order to wear down Priest he’d have to get in close somehow, whether with strikes or through the air. That was when Priest was at his most dangerous, using his size and his power to batter Pulsar until the luchador could create more space to attempt to disorient the larger opponent. Pulsar’s attempts at high-risk offense would backfire, as a top rope missile dropkick missed, and later a top rope diving headbutt also missed, with the latter being turned immediately into a Martyrdom for the submission. Priest keeps his promotion hopes alive, moving up a spot to fourth in the rankings after losing the tiebreaker to Rev. Gross. Christian Priest (5-3) def. Pulsar (3-5) via Submission (Martyrdom) in 13:23. Rating: *** Changes for Christian Priest: OVR + 4.89, XP + 685.05, minor damage to head Changes for Pulsar: OVR + 1.24, XP + 171.26, minor damage to head and body ALPHA DIVISION HARDCORE MATCH (6) Mel O'Hallister (3-4, OVR 541) vs. (Favorite, 59.82%) (3) Jean-Paul Ouilette (4-3, OVR 536)* O’Hallister seemed more determined this week to make up for his loss in their previous matchup. Ouilette made certain to make Mel pay for this, as he countered a fair bit of the Irishman’s offense. Sure, O’Hallister got his fair share of shots in, but not nearly as many of quality as JPO managed. Mel would never even get a chance to attempt an Irish Clover, much less the Dream, as Ouilette chained a Fleur de Lis into a new wrinkle in his arsenal, a crossface submission takedown he calls Se Soumettre. O’Hallister wasn’t ready for this, and tapped shortly after the hold was locked in. Ouilette continues his surprising run in Alpha, picking up a fifth win and moving ever-closer to clinching a second season in the Alpha Division. Jean-Paul Ouilette (5-3) def. Mel O'Hallister (3-5) via Submission (Se Soumettre) in 18:47. Rating: ** Changes for Jean-Paul Ouilette: OVR + 3.94, XP + 733.52, minor damage to head Changes for Mel O'Hallister: OVR + 0.45, XP + 183.38, minor damage to head ALPHA DIVISION (2) George Mastachas (5-2, OVR 546)* (Favorite, 72.22%) vs. (7) The Mastodon (2-5, OVR 535) Not quite a squash, not quite a competitive match. Mastodon was still feeling the effects of the Tag Team Turmoil finals here, and the reigning League Champion made him pay. A hammerlock powerbomb preceded a Wrath of Zeus, and that was held for a full three count as Mastachas continues to mount a challenge to Nuclear Templeton atop the Alpha Division standings! George Mastachas (6-2) def. The Mastodon (2-6) via Pinfall (Wrath of Zeus) in 12:00. Rating: ** Changes for George Mastachas: OVR + 3.60, XP + 728.64, no notable damage Changes for The Mastodon: OVR + 0.41, XP + 182.16, minor damage to head ALPHA DIVISION (4) Brandy McDonald (4-3, OVR 535)* vs. (Favorite, 74.23%) (1) Nuclear Templeton (6-1, OVR 556) The main event of the evening proved to be the runner-up to the Match of the Night, as McDonald looked to prove why she was the lone blemish in Nuclear’s record this season. The two former champions traded offense for a good nine minutes before McDonald started to string two minutes’ worth of offense together, putting Templeton against the figurative ropes. When Brandy slipped out of a Power Surge, she went to the ropes looking to take out the knees of Templeton… …only to be tripped up by “Rigor” Tony Mortis, who had until this point been silently pacing back and forth at ringside. One angle seemed to indicate that the trip was an honest mistake, a second made it look intentional, and neither one managed to get a face shot (much to the consternation of Will Prydor in the production area). Regardless of the intent, the referee ejected Mortis from the ringside area, and Nuclear took full advantage of the opening he had been given to bust open Brandy with some seated knuckle punches. Not even twenty seconds later, the Armageddon Lariat ended things, and Templeton emerges the winner after the most unlikely manager interference in League history! (Author’s Note: remember that Tony Mortis has a 0 Manager Overall. Zero. And yet he still found a way to interfere. That makes the occurrence even more surprising than The Acolyte’s first interference a few seasons back.) Nuclear Templeton (7-1) def. Brandy McDonald (4-4) via Pinfall (Armageddon Lariat) in 15:48. Rating: *** Changes for Nuclear Templeton: OVR + 5.05, XP + 633.86, minor damage to head Changes for Brandy McDonald: OVR + 1.28, XP + 198.08, minor damage to head /\/\/\/\/\/\ STANDINGS AFTER WEEK EIGHT ALPHA DIVISION 1. Nuclear Templeton: 7-1, ATV 17:12, (AMR 2.375), OVR 561.02 2. George Mastachas: 6-2, ATV 14:40, (AMR 2.250), OVR 549.62 3. Jean-Paul Ouilette: 5-3, ATV 19:12, (AMR 2.250), OVR 540.33 4. Brandy McDonald: 4-4, ATV 15:34, (AMR 2.625), OVR 536.09 5. Brian Blackfield: 3-5, ATV 17:43, (AMR 2.125), OVR 577.46 6. Mel O'Hallister: 3-5, ATV 15:30, (AMR 2.750), OVR 541.85 7. The Mastodon: 2-6, ATV 20:15, (AMR 2.750), OVR 535.04 8. De'siree Mitchell: 2-6, ATV 13:27, (AMR 2.875), OVR 511.68 Both ties are broken by simple H2H BETA DIVISION 1. Lucas Molina: 7-1, ATV 13:45 (AMR 2.625), OVR 505.77 2. Yoshii Nakamatsu: 6-2, ATV 11:33 (AMR 2.125), OVR 532.59 3. Reverend Johnny Gross: 5-3, ATV 14:18 (AMR 2.500), OVR 525.62 4. Christian Priest: 5-3, ATV 11:11 (AMR 2.500), OVR 593.93 5. Billy Norris: 4-4, ATV 10:13 (AMR 2.500), OVR 526.70 6. Pulsar: 3-5, ATV 8:44 (AMR 2.500), OVR 495.19 7. Blood River: 1-7, ATV 10:39 (AMR 2.000), OVR 507.86 8. Angela Wassermann: 1-7, ATV 9:54 (AMR 2.000), OVR 482.16 Both ties are broken by simple H2H GAMMA DIVISION 1. Monty Dhillon: 8-0, ATV 8:41, (AMR 2.000), OVR 551.39 2. Diego Rodriguez: 6-2, ATV 10:43, (AMR 2.125), OVR 532.23 3. Kichi Hida: 5-3, ATV 10:43, (AMR 2.250), OVR 482.48 4. Big Scott Weathers: 4-4, ATV 11:40, (AMR 2.125), OVR 507.26 5. Indigo Rose: 3-5, ATV 13:12, (AMR 2.000), OVR 504.03 6. Markus Clay: 3-5, ATV 10:39, (AMR 2.250), OVR 491.49 7. Lance Heartilly: 2-6, ATV 12:45, (AMR 2.000), OVR 455.06 8. Terrance Stevens: 1-7, ATV 10:48, (AMR 2.250), OVR 491.42 The tie is broken by simple H2H DELTA DIVISION 1. Nocturne: 6-2, ATV 10:42 (AMR 2.125), OVR 452.44 2. Rock Sheridan: 5-3, ATV 10:10 (AMR 2.500), OVR 423.49 3. Diamond: 5-3, ATV 9:38 (AMR 2.375), OVR 499.33 4. Leon de Ramos: 5-3, ATV 12:27 (AMR 2.500), OVR 423.63 5. Sterling Silver: 4-4, ATV 7:52 (AMR 2.125), OVR 462.36 6. Scott Stevens: 3-5, ATV 7:53 (AMR 2.000), OVR 432.97 7. Mickey Steele: 3-5, ATV 8:18 (AMR 2.500), OVR 416.73 8. George Stevens: 1-7, ATV 7:28 (AMR 2.375), OVR 408.47 5-3: Sheridan has beaten Diamond and de Ramos; Diamond has beaten de Ramos. The other tie is broken by simple H2H. PREDICTION STANDINGS (Reminder: The official scores will have the lowest two weeks dropped at the end of the season, and are ranked below accordingly.) 1. Eternal Phoenix: 68 (Total Score: 86. This week: 10. Drop Weeks: 2 and 4 [8 / 10]) 2. Croquemitaine: 63 (Total Score: 80. This week: 11. Drop Weeks: 1 and 4 [8 / 9]) 3. Derek B: 62 (Total Score: 72. This week: 13. Drop Weeks: 1 and 2 [4 / 6]) 4. SeanMcG: 56 (Total Score: 68. This week: 10. Drop Weeks: 1 and 7 [6 / 6]) 5. Jman2k3: 45 (Total Score: 50. This week: 10. Drop Weeks: 6 and 1 [0 / 5]) WEEK NINE CARD The * in each pairing denotes the winner of the previous match this season ALPHA DIVISION CAGE MATCH: (1) Nuclear Templeton (7-1, OVR 561)* vs. (2) George Mastachas (6-2, OVR 550) [Career: Nuclear Templeton, 4 - 3] (5) Brian Blackfield (3-5, OVR 577) vs. (4) Brandy McDonald (4-4, OVR 536)* [Career: Brandy McDonald, 1 - 0] (3) Jean-Paul Ouilette (5-3, OVR 540)* vs. (7) The Mastodon (2-6, OVR 535) [Career: Jean-Paul Ouilette, 1 - 0] (8) De'siree Mitchell (2-6, OVR 512) vs. (6) Mel O'Hallister (3-5, OVR 542)* [Career: De'siree Mitchell, 4 - 1] BETA DIVISION (4) Christian Priest (5-3, OVR 594)* vs. (7) Blood River (1-7, OVR 508) [Career: Christian Priest, 1 - 0] TABLES MATCH: (2) Yoshii Nakamatsu (6-2, OVR 533) vs. (3) Reverend Johnny Gross (5-3, OVR 526)* [Career: Reverend Johnny Gross, 1 - 0] (1) Lucas Molina (7-1, OVR 506) vs. (5) Billy Norris (4-4, OVR 527)* [Career: Billy Norris, 1 - 0] LAST ONE STANDING MATCH: (6) Pulsar (3-5, OVR 495) vs. (8) Angela Wassermann (1-7, OVR 482)* [Career: Angela Wassermann, 3 - 0] GAMMA DIVISION (1) Monty Dhillon (8-0, OVR 551)* vs. (6) Markus Clay (3-5, OVR 491) [Career: Monty Dhillon, 1 - 0] (3) Kichi Hida (5-3, OVR 482)* vs. (2) Diego Rodriguez (6-2, OVR 532) [Career: Kichi Hida, 1 - 0] (5) Indigo Rose (3-5, OVR 504) vs. (4) Big Scott Weathers (4-4, OVR 507)* [Career: Big Scott Weathers, 1 - 0] (7) Lance Heartilly (2-6, OVR 455)* vs. (8) Terrance Stevens (1-7, OVR 491) [Career: Lance Heartilly, 1 - 0] DELTA DIVISION FIRST BLOOD MATCH: (7) Mickey Steele (3-5, OVR 417) vs. (3) Diamond (5-3, OVR 499)* [Career: Diamond, 1 - 0] TABLES MATCH: (6) Scott Stevens (3-5, OVR 433) vs. (1) Nocturne (6-2, OVR 452)* [Career: Nocturne, 2 - 1] (5) Sterling Silver (4-4, OVR 462)* vs. (4) Leon de Ramos (5-3, OVR 424) [Career: Sterling Silver, 1 - 0] (8) George Stevens (1-7, OVR 408)* vs. (2) Rock Sheridan (5-3, OVR 423) [Career: George Stevens, 1 - 0] TRAINING AND PREDICTION DEADLINE: FRIDAY, MARCH 15, 2024 AT 11:59 PM EASTERN US!

Nuclear doesn’t even have an adrenaline rush. I went back through all the correspondence to be sure. And he’s a heel to boot. EDIT: If things hold, this week’s MOTN is a 3*, roughly 20 minute contest. There are a handful of PCs not accounted for with training, so something may overtake that yet. But right now that’s the baseline for the write up this week.

As I explained it to EP, who had the same reaction upon this discovery: “Mastodon was injury-prone pre-League. He kind of got used to welcome back babyface pops.” Besides, you ever see him go to the eyes or below the belt in his MOTN writeups? Edit to add: he was meant in my head to be a young Big Van Vader in terms of in-ring skills.

For the sake of full transparency, a rules/traits clarification that I’ll be adding to the errata on the first page of this thread this evening when I get home: Due to the nature of Adrenaline Rushes being hard-coded in the WS3 engine to apply to Faces only, players are advised that purchasing an Adrenaline Rush for 2 TP as a Heel with no intention to change to a Face is strongly discouraged. This was a wrinkle I didn’t know about until yesterday afternoon when trying to determine why Kichi Hida’s Hulk Up never triggered during the TTT finals. While I suppose it makes sense in the context of pro wrestling, I’d argue that nWo Hogan also used this at some point during the seventeen years (/sarcasm) that the nWo angle ran in WCW, and so it should be open to both sides: faces for the comeback sequence, heels as a “second wind” sort of thing. However, that’s not the reality we live in so players are advised to be mindful of their alignment when selecting this Trait for their character!

Sneaks in, casually drops a 122-page document in the thread, leaves. THE LEAGUE PRESENTS: SEASON ELEVEN TAG TEAM TURMOIL DAY 1: OPENING ROUND (8) High Velocity vs (9) De’siree Mitchell & Leon de Ramos High Velocity def. De’siree Mitchell & Leon de Ramos, Two Falls to None, in 24:22. Rating: ** Fall 1: Clay pinned de Ramos (slingshot legdrop), 21:52 Fall 2: Norris pinned de Ramos (Down Under Disaster), 24:22 (7) Rampage Carnival vs (10) Hearts of the Zodiac ( Rampage Carnival def. Hearts of the Zodiac, Two Falls to One, in 26:08. Rating: **** Fall 1: Pulsar pinned Hida (Zodiac Implosion), 23:23 Fall 2: Hida pinned Pulsar (Eternal Violence), 24:33 Fall 3: Hida got a count out over Pulsar (Eternal Violence), 26:08 (6) George Mastachas & Lucas Molina vs (11) Diego Rodriguez & Rock Sheridan George Mastachas & Lucas Molina def. Diego Rodriguez & Rock Sheridan, Two Falls to One, in 36:53. Rating: **** Fall 1: Mastachas pinned Sheridan (spinning elbow blow), 18:08 Fall 2: Rodriguez submitted Molina (stump puller), 24:20 Fall 3: Mastachas submitted Rodriguez (Siren’s Call), 36:53 (5) The First Church vs (12) Big Scott Weathers & Blood River The First Church def. Blood River & Big Scott Weathers, Two Falls to None, in 25:58. Rating: *** Fall 1: Priest submitted River (Martrydom), 22:56 Fall 2: Priest submitted River (Martrydom), 25:58 (4) Angela Wassermann & Diamond vs (13) The Stevens Dynasty Angela Wassermann & Diamond def. The Stevens Dynasty, Two Falls to None, in 19:13. Rating: *** Fall 1: Diamond pinned G. Stevens (24 Karat Kiss), 18:18 Fall 2: Diamond pinned G. Stevens (24 Karat Kiss), 19:13 (3) Nuclear Templeton & Brandy McDonald vs (14) Steel Devastation Nuclear Templeton & Brandy McDonald def. Steel Devastation, Two Falls to None, in 8:30. Rating: ** Fall 1: McDonald submitted Nakamatsu (Hair of the Dog), 6:45 Fall 2: McDonald pinned Nakamatsu (Brandy with a Twist), 8:30 (2) Mel O’Hallister & Sterling Silver vs (15) Aria of Thorns Mel O’Hallister & Sterling Silver def. Aria of Thorns, Two Falls to None, in 32:18. Rating: *** Fall 1: Silver pinned Nocturne (spear), 31:15 Fall 2: Silver pinned Nocturne (Arabian press), 32:18 (1) Brian Blackfield & Reverend Johnny Gross vs (16) Lance Heartilly & Terrance Stevens Reverend Johnny Gross & Brian Blackfield def. Lance Heartilly & Terrance Stevens, Two Falls to None, in 22:39. Rating: ** Fall 1: Gross pinned Heartilly (low blow), 14:33 Fall 2: Blackfield pinned Heartilly (Scotland Destroyer), 22:39 It should also be noted that after the match, Terrance Stevens superkicked Heartilly in the face, signifying that this team has run its course. (Author’s Note: This was planned for as soon as they lost in this tournament, and in the original write-up Lance’s inability to make it for a tag was attributed to Stevens not really making an effort to tag himself in.) DAY 2, AFTERNOON: QUARTERFINALS (4) Angela Wassermann & Diamond vs (5) The First Church The First Church def. Angela Wassermann & Diamond, Two Falls to None, in 10:30. Rating: ** Fall 1: Dhillon pinned Wassermann (Livewire Lariat), 10:10 Fall 2: Dhillon pinned Wassermann (over shoulder backbreaker drop), 10:30 (3) Nuclear Templeton & Brandy McDonald vs (6) George Mastachas & Lucas Molina George Mastachas & Lucas Molina def. Brandy McDonald & Nuclear Templeton, Two Falls to One, in 33:46. Rating: *** Fall 1: Nuclear submitted Molina (Radiation Leak), 23:18 Fall 2: Molina submitted Nuclear (Maunabo Crab), 30:03 Fall 3: Molina submitted Nuclear (Maunabo Crab), 33:46 (Author’s Note: This one was originally written as if Brandy was all but screaming for Nuclear to tag her in after the second fall, and Nuclear refusing—playing up to his Martyr Complex trait. It made for a better story than this dry presentation.) (2) Mel O’Hallister & Sterling Silver vs (7) Rampage Carnival Rampage Carnival def. Mel O’Hallister & Sterling Silver, Two Falls to None, in 23:22. Rating: **** Fall 1: Hida pinned O’Hallister (low blow), 22:21 Fall 2: Hida pinned O’Hallister (Endless Carnival), 23:22 (1) Brian Blackfield & Reverend Johnny Gross vs (8) High Velocity Brian Blackfield & Reverend Johnny Gross def. High Velocity, Two Falls to None, in 24:28. Rating: *** Fall 1: Blackfield pinned Norris (Scotland Destroyer), 23:42 Fall 2: Blackfield pinned Norris (Scotland Destroyer), 24:28 DAY 2, EVENING: SEMIFINALS (6) George Mastachas & Lucas Molina vs (7) Rampage Carnival Rampage Carnival def. George Mastachas & Lucas Molina, Two Falls to One, in 28:46. Rating: *** Fall 1: Molina submitted Hida (Molina Bodylock), 11:35 Fall 2: Hida pinned Molina (Endless Carnival), 28:22 Fall 3: Hida pinned Molina (Eternal Violence), 28:46 (1) Brian Blackfield & Reverend Johnny Gross vs (5) The First Church The First Church def. Reverend Johnny Gross & Brian Blackfield, Two Falls to None, in 27:15. Rating: *** Fall 1: Priest pinned Gross (begging off low blow), 17:10 Fall 2: Priest pinned Gross (Canonized), 27:15 DAY 3: FINALS (5) The First Church vs (7) Rampage Carnival Bob Sinclair: Over six hours of in-ring action—which you viewers at home have had condensed into just over an hour—have led us to this point. We’re guaranteed new Tag Team Turmoil champions this season, Frankie. Who do you have in this one-hour matchup? Frankie Garnett: Us, the people watching. This is going to be an hour full of violence and I am all here for it! Bob Sinclair: I meant the winner of the match. Frankie Garnett: I stand by my statement! But if you mean which team? Hida and Mastodon. I’m not about to get on Hida’s bad side with her out here for a full hour yet! Bob Sinclair: Folks, it’s time to get the finals of Tag Team Turmoil underway. Everyone looks ready, and senior League official Jacob Smalls calls for the bell. Who will be the winners one hour from now? Frankie Garnett: Duck and cover! Bob Sinclair: Frankie! Frankie Garnett: You mean that wasn’t a gunshot?! Bob Sinclair: …okay, fair point. Bob Sinclair: It’s not very often we see Mastodon manhandled like that, Frankie. I don’t think he knows what to make of this. Frankie Garnett: Yeah, Bob, when you’re used to being able to remain on or near the mat at all times, being lifted into the air is most certainly disorienting. We’ll see how Mastodon adjusts to that as the match goes on. Frankie Garnett: The question, though, is will Mastodon tag out or actually try to take advantage of this? Bob Sinclair: That could be a critical choice in the next few minutes, Frankie! Bob Sinclair: Mastodon looked like the adrenaline was starting to wear off, not a bad idea to get out. Frankie Garnett: Yet he tried at least three other times before that. It makes me think he’s leery of Priest. Bob Sinclair: Not to mention, Frankie, that one of Mastodon’s major defenses has already been used and we’re not twenty minutes into the contest. Frankie Garnett: That alone has the makings of a long rest of the night for Mastodon and Kichi, Bob…. Bob Sinclair: The First Church seems content to win the first fall by countout, Frankie, but they’re not going about it in a smart manner. Frankie Garnett: No, Bob, it seems to me that they’re just looking to make Mastodon use some extra energy to get back into the ring to beat the count. They know he’s not in danger of being counted out for certain. It’s a delaying and wear-down tactic, simple as that. Bob Sinclair: Dhillon with the cover…one, two, three! I don’t think Kichi thought that would be enough, as she never left the apron. First fall to the First Church! Frankie Garnett: Bob, Mastodon’s been dealing with a lot of targeting to his head over the first half of this season. It appears Dhillon and Priest are going to do the same thing here and look to isolate the big man from the walking embodiment of violence pacing out on the apron. Bob Sinclair: What a counter! Frankie Garnett: Dhillon almost looked surprised himself that it worked the way it did, Bob. I think that was a desperation attempt and it paid off big! Bob Sinclair: Priest into the cover…one, two, three! Mastodon was still recovering on the apron after that Livewire Lariat, and The First Church gets a second fall! Frankie Garnett: This may be in danger of getting out of hand real quick, Bob. Another fall or two for The First Church and the rout may well and truly be on! Bob Sinclair: Here comes Dhillon to run interference as the ref slides in…one, two, three! Three falls running for Priest and Dhillon, and this could turn ugly real quick, Frankie! Frankie Garnett: If this lead gets to four, it’s over, Bob. I do not see Mastodon and Hida coming back from four falls down. Bob Sinclair: Remember, though…one of those two is Kichi Hida. The current record-holder for fastest League match on the main roster. She may be able to make up four falls almost in a minute by herself! Frankie Garnett: I’m sorry, Bob, but even Kichi can’t do four in a minute. Three, I might buy. Four? No chance. Frankie Garnett: Well this is new! Bob Sinclair: Hida sprints across the ring to dropkick Dhillon off the apron as he tries to get into the ring, and in the meantime Priest taps! Rampage Carnival is on the board, and we’ve got ourselves a match now! Frankie Garnett: I wasn’t aware Mastodon had a submission finisher in him, Bob. That’s going to be an interesting wrinkle to the second half of the Alpha Division schedule… Bob Sinclair: Quick cover by Mastodon…one, two, three! Priest is there a split second too late, and it’s now a one-fall difference! Frankie Garnett: Man, both teams are just launching bombs and are just looking for collateral damage at this point. We still have twenty-three minutes of this to go! Bob Sinclair: Hida falls into the cover…one, two, three! We are tied up at three falls apiece! Frankie Garnett: Kichi has lost a fair amount of blood already, Bob, but that sick, sinister smile on her face…I’m not sure I’d want to be in The First Church’s shoes right now. Bob Sinclair: That's not to mention...it's been rumored, though we have yet to see it this season, that Kichi has an adrenaline rush of her own. Frankie Garnett: Then why haven't we already seen it in this match, Bob? Priest alone should have triggered it twice now! Bob Sinclair: Honestly, Frankie, I'm not sure. Regardless, twenty minutes remain, and we are back to even. Who will gain the advantage with the next fall? Frankie Garnett: Bob, be prepared to run. This may get ugly. Bob Sinclair: Especially given what happened the last time the ref was knocked out in a Hida contest…. Bob Sinclair: Ref is a bit slow here…one…two…no! Two and a half only! Good call by Mastodon to not draw Dhillon into the ring and possibly mess the cadence up. Frankie Garnett: You think that was a strategy, Bob? Bob Sinclair: Seemed like it to me. Frankie Garnett: You’ll forgive me if I press X to Doubt, right? Bob Sinclair: To take the lead…one, two, thr—no! How was that not three?! Frankie Garnett: I want to see a replay of that one, Bob! Bob Sinclair: Hida is incensed as she screams at the ref…here’s the replay, Frankie. Frankie Garnett: Let’s see…two…oh, that was close! His hand was literally six inches off the mat…Bob? Why are you all red in the face? Bob Sinclair: To our Japanese-speaking viewers, I wish to apologize for the crude language Kichi Hida was just using. Frankie Garnett: Wait, you know Japanese? Bob Sinclair: Enough, Frankie. And let’s just say you do not want to hear a translated version of what Hida was just saying to referee Jacob Smalls…. Bob Sinclair: Cover by Dhillon…one, two, three! The First Church retakes the lead, with fourteen minutes remaining! Frankie Garnett: I think you can give partial credit to Pastor Richards, Bob. Without him stopping Hida, she may have taken his head off with a follow-up knee! Bob Sinclair: Regardless, the question now becomes “play defense, or stay aggressive and go for a larger lead?” Bob Sinclair: Cover…one, two, three! It’s a two-fall lead again, but where was Hida to break that up? Frankie Garnett: Smart…as soon as Dhillon left the ring, he dropped to the floor and ran around the ring to pull Hida off the apron. He had her distracted as the ref made the count. Good teamwork by The First Church, and that may have sealed the victory for them! Bob Sinclair: Cover by Dhillon…one, two, and three! The lead is three falls again, Frankie! Frankie Garnett: And unless Hida gets in there in the next thirty seconds, it may already be too little too late, Bob. Bob Sinclair: About time! Without his interference this could easily be tied up right now! Frankie Garnett: You’re going to berate Pastor Richards for doing his duty? Bob Sinclair: I am! He’s done nothing but interfere and I would not want to be him if I came across Kichi Hida in the next week or two! Bob Sinclair: Cover! One, two, thr—NO! Frankie Garnett: That was three, Bob. Check it! That. Was. Three! Bob Sinclair: Mastodon looks upset, and I don’t blame him! Here’s the replay… Frankie Garnett: That’s…what. Literally an inch off the mat?! Bob Sinclair: Damn near, Frankie. Priest somehow gets a shoulder up and that may have been the best chance for Rampage Carnival to get back in this one, now gone by the wayside! Bob Sinclair: Cover…one, two, three! This one counts, and Rampage Carnival is down two falls! Frankie Garnett: But there are only 90-some seconds left, Bob! Bob Sinclair: And Hida is legal, Frankie. She may be able to get it tied up with ninety seconds on the clock to use! Bob Sinclair: Dhillon with a cover…one, two, three! Mastodon in too late, and the lead is three falls again! Frankie Garnett: Not even Kichi can make this up, Bob. It’s all over but the shouting. Bob Sinclair: The announcement goes out, one minute remaining! Bob Sinclair: Cover…one, two, three! Priest didn’t even try to interfere, he can see the time remaining. Hida gets a fall back, but there’s only sixteen seconds left in this match! Bob Sinclair: And there’s the final bell! In an absolute war, The First Church has emerged as Tag Team Turmoil champions! Frankie Garnett: And most of that can be attributed to Christian Priest for kicking out of two separate finishers, and Pastor Abe Richards stopping the momentum of Kichi Hida on a few occasions, Bob. You take those events away, this may be an 8-7 or 9-7 result for Rampage Carnival! Bob Sinclair: Be that as it may, Frankie, the record books will show that in Season Eleven, Christian Priest and Monty Dhillon have walked through hell and emerged as Tag Team Turmoil champions! Folks, it’s back to singles action next week as the second half of The League kicks off. We hope you’ll be back with us then. For Frankie Garnett, I’m Bob Sinclair…good night from The Aerie! The First Church def. Rampage Carnival, Seven Falls to Five, to win Tag Team Turmoil in 1:00:00. Rating: *****, Match of the Year Candidate Fall 1: Dhillon pinned Mastodon (western brainbuster suplex), 23:45. (1-0) Fall 2: Priest pinned Hida (Judgement), 29:06 (2-0) Fall 3: Priest pinned Hida (Judgement), 31:27 (3-0) Fall 4: Mastodon submitted Priest (Misery), 33:57 (3-1) Fall 5: Mastodon pinned Dhillon (Rampage), 36:29 (3-2) Fall 6: Hida pinned Priest (Eternal Violence), 39:41 (3-3) Fall 7: Dhillon pinned Mastodon (Empire Bomb), 46:56 (4-3) Fall 8: Priest pinned Mastodon (Canonized), 49:14 (5-3) Fall 9: Dhillon pinned Mastodon (Empire Bomb), 51:37 (6-3) Fall 10: Hida pinned Dhillon (Eternal Violence), 58:23 (6-4) Fall 11: Dhillon pinned Hida (Empire Bomb), 59:00 (7-4) Fall 12: Hida pinned Dhillon (Eternal Violence), 59:44 (7-5) TOTAL SPIRIT GAINED FROM SEASON ELEVEN TAG TEAM TURMOIL Christian Priest/Monty Dhillon: 81.50 Kichi Hida/The Mastodon: 51.41 Lucas Molina/George Mastachas: 16.16 Brian Blackfield/Reverend Johnny Gross: 11.76 Mel O’Hallister/Sterling Silver: 8.55 Diamond/Angela Wassermann: 5.74 Billy Norris/Markus Clay: 5.64 Nuclear Templeton/Brandy McDonald: 5.15 Rock Sheridan/Diego Rodriguez: 2.39 Jean-Paul Ouilette/Pulsar: 2.12 Indigo Rose/Nocturne: 0.94 Big Scott Weathers/Blood River: 0.87 George Stevens/Scott Stevens: 0.81 Mickey Steele/Yoshii Nakamatsu: -0.07 Leon de Ramos/De’siree Mitchell: -0.08 Terrance Stevens/Lance Heartilly: -0.08 /\/\/\/\/\/\ STANDINGS AFTER THE FIRST HALF OF SEASON ELEVEN ALPHA DIVISION 1. Nuclear Templeton: 6-1, ATV 17:26, (AMR 2.286), OVR 555.97 2. George Mastachas: 5-2, ATV 15:12, (AMR 2.286), OVR 546.02 3. Jean-Paul Ouilette: 4-3, ATV 19:18, (AMR 2.286), OVR 536.39 4. Brandy McDonald: 4-3, ATV 15:34, (AMR 2.571), OVR 534.81 5. Brian Blackfield: 3-4, ATV 17:43, (AMR 2.286), OVR 577.88 6. Mel O'Hallister: 3-4, ATV 15:30, (AMR 2.857), OVR 541.40 7. The Mastodon: 2-5, ATV 20:15, (AMR 2.857), OVR 534.63 8. De'siree Mitchell: 1-6, ATV 11:12, (AMR 3.143), OVR 509.16 All ties are broken by simple H2H BETA DIVISION 1. Lucas Molina: 6-1, ATV 14:08 (AMR 2.857), OVR 503.39 2. Yoshii Nakamatsu: 5-2, ATV 11:53 (AMR 2.143), OVR 529.10 3. Billy Norris: 4-3, ATV 10:13 (AMR 2.571), OVR 526.30 4. Reverend Johnny Gross: 4-3, ATV 15:09 (AMR 2.571), OVR 522.07 5. Christian Priest: 4-3, ATV 10:38 (AMR 2.429), OVR 589.04 6. Pulsar: 3-4, ATV 8:44 (AMR 2.429), OVR 493.95 7. Blood River: 1-6, ATV 10:39 (AMR 2.000), OVR 507.46 8. Angela Wassermann: 1-6, ATV 9:54 (AMR 2.143), OVR 482.55 Everyone at 4-3 are a combined 1-1 against each other. Norris has the fastest victory time in those three matches, so he gets the first tiebreaker. Then Gross has H2H over Priest. All other ties are broken by simple H2H GAMMA DIVISION 1. Monty Dhillon: 7-0, ATV 9:06, (AMR 2.143), OVR 549.20 2. Kichi Hida: 5-2, ATV 10:43, (AMR 2.286), OVR 482.05 3. Diego Rodriguez: 5-2, ATV 10:19, (AMR 2.000), OVR 527.38 4. Markus Clay: 3-4, ATV 10:39, (AMR 2.286), OVR 491.07 5. Big Scott Weathers: 3-4, ATV 10:58, (AMR 2.143), OVR 503.57 6. Lance Heartilly: 2-5, ATV 12:45, (AMR 1.857), OVR 453.84 7. Indigo Rose: 2-5, ATV 11:51, (AMR 2.000), OVR 500.24 8. Terrance Stevens: 1-6, ATV 10:48, (AMR 2.429), OVR 491.78 All ties are broken by simple H2H. DELTA DIVISION 1. Nocturne: 5-2, ATV 10:13 (AMR 2.143), OVR 448.78 2. Rock Sheridan: 5-2, ATV 10:10 (AMR 2.571), OVR 423.08 3. Diamond: 4-3, ATV 10:27 (AMR 2.429), OVR 496.01 4. Sterling Silver: 4-3, ATV 7:52 (AMR 2.143), OVR 461.98 5. Leon de Ramos: 4-3, ATV 12:19 (AMR 2.429), OVR 418.77 6. Scott Stevens: 3-4, ATV 7:53 (AMR 1.857), OVR 431.74 7. Mickey Steele: 2-5, ATV 6:54 (AMR 2.286), OVR 410.81 8. George Stevens: 1-6, ATV 7:28 (AMR 2.143), OVR 406.48 Diamond has beaten Silver and de Ramos. Silver has beaten de Ramos. All other ties are broken by simple H2H. PREDICTION STANDINGS (Reminder: The official scores will have the lowest two weeks dropped at the end of the season, and will start to be shown as such after Week Eight.) 1. Eternal Phoenix: 76 2. Croquemitaine: 69 3. Derek B: 59 4. SeanMcG: 58 5. Jman2k3: 40 WEEK EIGHT CARD The * in each pairing denotes the winner of the previous match this season ALPHA DIVISION (4) Brandy McDonald (4-3, OVR 535)* vs. (1) Nuclear Templeton (6-1, OVR 556) [Career: Brandy McDonald, 4 - 3] (2) George Mastachas (5-2, OVR 546)* vs. (7) The Mastodon (2-5, OVR 535) [Career: George Mastachas, 6 - 1] HARDCORE MATCH: (6) Mel O'Hallister (3-4, OVR 541) vs. (3) Jean-Paul Ouilette (4-3, OVR 536)* [Career: Jean-Paul Ouilette, 2 - 1] SUBMISSION MATCH: (8) De'siree Mitchell (1-6, OVR 509) vs. (5) Brian Blackfield (3-4, OVR 578)* [Career: Brian Blackfield, 1 - 0] BETA DIVISION (6) Pulsar (3-4, OVR 494) vs. (5) Christian Priest (4-3, OVR 589)* [Career: Christian Priest, 1 - 0] (4) Reverend Johnny Gross (4-3, OVR 522) vs. (3) Billy Norris (4-3, OVR 526)* [Career: Reverend Johnny Gross, 2 - 1] (7) Blood River (1-6, OVR 507) vs. (2) Yoshii Nakamatsu (5-2, OVR 529)* [Career: Blood River, 3 - 2] (8) Angela Wassermann (1-6, OVR 483) vs. (1) Lucas Molina (6-1, OVR 503)* [Career: Lucas Molina, 1 - 0] GAMMA DIVISION (1) Monty Dhillon (7-0, OVR 549)* vs. (8) Terrance Stevens (1-6, OVR 492) [Career: Monty Dhillon, 1 - 0] SUBMISSION MATCH: (5) Big Scott Weathers (3-4, OVR 504) vs. (4) Markus Clay (3-4, OVR 491)* [Career: Markus Clay, 1 - 0] (2) Kichi Hida (5-2, OVR 482)* vs. (7) Indigo Rose (2-5, OVR 500) [Career: Kichi Hida, 1 - 0] (6) Lance Heartilly (2-5, OVR 454) vs. (3) Diego Rodriguez (5-2, OVR 527)* [Career: Diego Rodriguez, 1 - 0] DELTA DIVISION (3) Diamond (4-3, OVR 496)* vs. (4) Sterling Silver (4-3, OVR 462) [Career: Diamond, 1 - 0] (2) Rock Sheridan (5-2, OVR 423) vs. (1) Nocturne (5-2, OVR 449)* [Career: Nocturne, 1 - 0] (5) Leon de Ramos (4-3, OVR 419)* vs. (6) Scott Stevens (3-4, OVR 432) [Career: Leon de Ramos, 1 - 0] (7) Mickey Steele (2-5, OVR 411)* vs. (8) George Stevens (1-6, OVR 406) [Career: Mickey Steele, 1 - 0] TRAINING AND PREDICTION DEADLINE: FRIDAY, MARCH 8, 2024 AT 11:59 PM EASTERN US!

Fun (?) facts: With all 15 matches now run, the combined play-by-play length for this show is 111 pages in MS Word. Only two matches are shorter than 20 minutes, if memory serves (I’m currently away from the computer at the moment). There might be a third but I doubt it. One match is sub-10 minutes. The final is the third TTT final to earn a 5* MOTY rating from Maven Deltzer. It is also the second final to be decided by only a two-fall margin; the last time both of these conditions were true was in Season Eight.

Trying to go by memory here… First Church and Stevens Dynasty were shoo-ins. I specifically kept Aria of Thorns as you know from our discussions in the past. Hearts of the Zodiac also made it (because of Cecile Corine, in-character). Steel Devastation made the list, though a reason was never given. High Velocity was in because there was a deliberate use of “high velocity offense” in a write-up that I even claimed was on purpose. Rampage Carnival made the cut because “Mastodon knew about Kichi’s temper and reputation, and he did not want any of that directed toward him.” (Paraphrasing) I think that’s everything that carried over. I’d have to remember the in-character reason some of the others went unused by the characters themselves.

Well. This is new, and yet familiar at the same time. I ran what bouts I could on Wednesday (all 8 of them), figured I’d try to start writing things out at work. Sometime in the last hour and 20 minutes, my documents on the flash drive apparently got corrupted and not only did it not save my work, it’s not even reading the documents on the drive anymore. So all the match summaries I had written out to save time tomorrow, gone. Unrecoverable. That’s five or six pages of work, including pre formatted headers and the like, gone. Document that had the play by plays for those matches, gone. (I have a backup on Google Docs, that’s not hard to replace. Mild annoyance at best.) The actual travel spreadsheet for The League, gone. (The main one lives on my laptop, so only thing lost between copies is TTT Spirit changes for those eight bouts. Also not the end of the world, just quite annoying.) My sanity and will to get this show out? Severely sapped. A similar situation is how I lost RRW (the immediate predecessor to this thread) a few years back. I didn’t have backups then. The fact that my backups are still functional and largely unchanged is the only reason I am choosing to go on right now. But this does mean that I’m making an executive decision on how the show is being presented. TTT will not be done in my “standard” style this season, of match summaries until the finals and then a normal MOTN write up for the finals. Instead, the finals will still be written out (since that’s being done tomorrow as I sacrifice a day from FF7 Rebirth to conduct League business), but the preliminary 14 matches will only be presented as in-game play by play, with my re-created headers like I normally do each week and end-of-match summary block. I admit, I am mildly peeved at this. I had some good stuff written, some bits about why certain teams are using EP’s names while some absolutely refuse to, and it’s gone. *sigh* Rant over, just wanted to give folks a heads up as to why the show is going to look drastically different on Sunday when it gets posted. We’ll continue on, I do not think my main files are in danger (though I will be making second backups on them now because I’m that paranoid) but the immediate will to press forward just took a shot.

I can give a canon answer to this. There are championship belts for TTT, just like for the League Championship. The TTT ones just aren’t as fancy.

I am not eligible for EP's additional prize (because I say so), but here's my blanket thoughts coming in. If this is TCW/SWF/USPW/etc., looking at the brackets makes you think there are two storylines being built up. On the left side of the bracket, The First Church and Divine Juggernaut can meet in the semis, and finally have the match they were denied last season. In a normal, scripted promotion that makes the most sense. In The League I also think that's what is going to happen, as I'm not sure any of the opposition will hurt either team's chances of making the semis. So I have a 1 v 4 matchup on the left side; how they get there is irrelevant to my thoughts. On the right, you have a similar storyline lined up for the semifinals. Emerald & Silver and the Grappling Geniuses could face off, that brings Mel and Molina to blows after the drama earlier in the season over the pairings. Unlike the right side, though, I think the Season Nine champs stumble against their projected opponents, and it's actually Hida and Mastodon who get into the semis to face Molina and Mastachas. Yes, I have them winning too--Templeton is a liability in tag matches and I think even a former TTT champ in Brandy isn't going to be enough to get him out of the second round. So you end up with a coinflip in Blackfield/Gross v Priest/Dhillonand another one in Mastachas/Molina v Hida/Mastodon. I'm rooting for maximum chaos for next season's pairings. My finals are Molina and Mastachas over Priest and Monty, 9 falls to 6.

Then wait no longer! (Author's note: Yes, I know "Rigor" Tony Mortis is not shown on this graphic. Then again it's not like ever wants to be seen on camera, so are we really missing out? 😛 Translated into actual English--I didn't have the manager avatar saved to my flash drive so I had to make do without it for this presentation.)

So. I’ve been a productive member of society today—the Season 11 bracket graphic is (finally) done. I’ll post that tonight since I can’t really do it from my work computer. Company rules and all. Like last season, EP has a list of team names ready and he is free to post them if/when he chooses. There’s a couple of bangers in the mix this season that I may just appropriate for future seasons, just be warned.

Funny how being at half staff at work will drain all your will to do anything else interesting. Tonight’s a mental recovery night now and I’ll start the movesets in the near future.