MAW: 10 Simple Rules...

[Hyde Hill]

The Gatekeepers vs. [B]Sean Deeley and Davis Wayne Newton[/B] RCI: [B]“Bulldozer” Brandon Smith[/B] vs. Marc Speed [B]Alicia Strong and Wendy Summers[/B] vs. Joanne Rodriguez and Lauren Easter [B]El Heroe Mexicano, “Machine” Jean Cattley and Tim Westybrook[/B] vs. Ruin, Ernest Youngman and Rip Chord

[foolinc]

The Gatekeepers vs. [B]Sean Deeley and Davis Wayne Newton[/B] RCI: [B]“Bulldozer” Brandon Smith[/B] vs. Marc Speed Alicia Strong and Wendy Summers vs. [B]Joanne Rodriguez and Lauren Easter[/B] [B]El Heroe Mexicano, “Machine” Jean Cattley and Tim Westybrook[/B] vs. Ruin, Ernest Youngman and Rip Chord

[AzzMartin]

[B]MAW Nationwide[/B] The Gatekeepers vs. [B]Sean Deeley and Davis Wayne Newton[/B] RCI: [B]“Bulldozer” Brandon Smith[/B] vs. Marc Speed Alicia Strong and Wendy Summers vs. [B]Joanne Rodriguez and Lauren Easter[/B] [I]El Heroe Mexicano, “Machine” Jean Cattley and Tim Westybrook vs. Ruin, Ernest Youngman and Rip Chord[/I] ~ Draw

[Tigerkinney]

The Gatekeepers vs. [B]Sean Deeley and Davis Wayne Newton[/B] [I]Surely too good for their opponents[/I] RCI: [B]“Bulldozer” Brandon Smith[/B] vs. Marc Speed [I]BBS has done a little more than Speed during his time in FCW and he see him advancing to the next round[/I] Alicia Strong and Wendy Summers vs. [B]Joanne Rodriguez and Lauren Easter[/B] [I]J-Ro and Easter will tease tension but will come out on top this time. Wendy Anderson (oh I mean Summers) is solid but unless she's really improved since 2008, then I see her taking the place of the divisions whipping girl.[/I] El Heroe Mexicano, “Machine” Jean Cattley and Tim Westybrook vs. Ruin, Ernest Youngman and Rip Chord [I]This one will finish in some kind of out-control, non finish schmozzathon.[/I]

[James Casey]

[I]OOC: You know, I was thinking of ending this diary with the RCI... but now I think we might have a few months more just yet.[/I] [B][CENTER]Mid Atlantic Wrestling presents: Nationwide Friday, 12th January 2014[/CENTER] Alicia Strong and Wendy Summers vs. Joanne Rodriguez and Lauren Easter[/B] Of particular note, for the first time Rodriguez and Easter came to the ring separately – and Rodriguez was accompanied by a smug looking Sara Silverman, who had evidently been taken on as her adviser. During the match, the champion and her partner were clearly at odds, with a lack of communication between the two giving Strong and the newcomer Summers ample opportunity to take advantage. In the end, Easter’s frustrations boiled over and she yelled at Rodriguez, who responded with a hard slap. The two began to fight, and couldn’t be pulled apart, leaving the referee no choice but to throw the match out. Winners: No contest (C) * The two brawling women were eventually pulled apart as Strong watched on, an amused look on her face. Rodriguez broke free, but instead of charging at Easter, she turned to walk away. But Silverman was there immediately, persuading her client to turn back, and pressing a microphone into her hand. Rodriguez looked uncertain, but turned around, visibly steeling herself. [COLOR="Blue"]“That’s it! I’ve had enough. Lauren, I want a match for the title. You cost me last week because you don’t want us to fight, and I was almost prepared to let that go. I don’t want to fight you either. But I have to – it’s clear. We can’t co-exist like this, both wanting the same thing. I won’t rest until I have that belt, even if it means going through you. I’m sorry – you’re my friend, and I want to support you... but I have to have that title!”[/COLOR] Easter scowled, and looked as though she were about to refuse, but Alicia Strong cut in. [COLOR="Blue"]“That’s fine by me. We can make it a triple threat match at the Invitational.”[/COLOR] She smiled and left the ring. Rip noted that it seemed like a wise decision to him – Easter and Rodriguez seemed set to tear each other apart. Rock wondered whether Easter and Rodriguez would work together to take Strong down before settling on each other. * [B]RCI: “Bulldozer” Brandon Smith vs. Marc Speed[/B] This was a relatively short match, as Speed tried in the opening exchanges to chop away at Smith’s legs, depriving him of his explosive speed and tremendous strength. However, a mistake by Speed allowed Smith to take control of the match, and he was able to slam Speed around the ring with throws and rapid suplexes before finishing him with the Inverted Piledriver to advance to the quarter-finals, where he will face Ernest Youngman Winner: Brandon Smith (D) * At the announcers’ table, Rip noted that he couldn’t block the tag title match at the Invitational. On the other hand, he was under no obligation to make things easy for The Gatekeepers – so they could take on Sean Deeley and Davis Wayne Newton next! * [B]The Gatekeepers vs. Sean Deeley and Davis Wayne Newton[/B] This was a perfectly evenly pitched contest, seeing the technicians trying to keep their aerialist opponents grounded, while the Gatekeepers tried to deliver their best soaring offence as much as possible. In the end, although Deeley and Newton seemed to have the edge at times, it was the tag experience of Ota and Powell that told, as they were able to isolate Deeley and catch him with a move that Rock claimed the duo had dubbed The Fastened Portal Barred, giving Powell the pinfall victory as the duo continued their march towards the Invitational. Winners: The Gatekeepers (C) * We came back from the break with Rip in the ring, dressed for the main event but with two microphones in his hands. He was flanked by Ernest Youngman and Ruin, the latter of whom has his World title belt clutched in one hand, as usual. Rip stood in the ring, and faced Ruin. [COLOR="Purple"]“Ruin, I want to say something to you. When I took you under my wing, I promised to make you indestructible. I promised to unleash the potential that you never quite managed to realise. I promised you that you would never again have to worry about who was on the other side of the ring. “Clearly I’ve failed. I wanted to make you the ultimate weapon, impervious and unstoppable. And yet... I know you’ve heard the whispers. I know that people have been asking if Tim Westybrook is your equal – or even your superior. “Ruin, you defeated Jean Cattley for that World title. Tim Westybrook could never do that. You were signed by me, and personally selected for greatness by me. Tim Westybrook never had that. You... are the epitome of everything that I’ve set out to achieve. Greatness personified. Destruction embodied. Victory harnessed. I named you Ruin to make it clear to anyone who dared to face you what awaited them. “You are everything I could hope for, my finest achievement in this company. And at the Invitational, I assure you, Tim Westybrook will be brushed aside as easily as anyone else who has shared this ring with you.”[/COLOR] Ruin’s expression didn’t change – in fact, he didn’t even seem to move. All that did happen was that, perhaps, he stood a little straighter. In a hushed voice, Rock wondered if Westybrook felt nervous. [COLOR="Blue"]“Because I sure do,”[/COLOR] he added. [COLOR="Purple"]“At this time, I’d like to invite Jean Cattley down to the ring in order to discuss matters relating to the future of this company. Jean, I can give you my assurance that you won’t be attacked.”[/COLOR] Cattley came down the ramp, but he was flanked by Tim Westybrook and El Heroe Mexicano, his partners in the night’s main event. Rip nodded. [COLOR="Purple"]“I suppose I can’t blame you,”[/COLOR] he said, as Jean stepped into the ring, and took the proffered mic from Rip. [COLOR="Navy"]“What do you want?”[/COLOR] [COLOR="Purple"]“I want to bring a definite end to hostilities,”[/COLOR] Rip said. [COLOR="Purple"]“And I have a solution of how to do that. People have been asking me why, when I’m the owner of this company, I didn’t just fire you all when you chose to stand against me. I have to admit, I gave it some thought – but I’ve always been a man who tackles my opponents myself. Even if I don’t do it in an ‘honourable’ way... I do my own dirty work. Still, when the Invitational comes around, it will be The Firm’s last night in MAW. After that night, once The Cult have crushed you, we will have shown our superiority, and that we deserve to take control of this company without interference from the geezer brigade. At the end of the Invitational, when my boys have retained their belts and won the tournament, you will be fir-“[/COLOR] [COLOR="Navy"]“No. Sorry, Rip, but no.”[/COLOR] Jean turned to Westybrook, who handed him an envelope, his eyes never leaving Ruin’s. Westybrook smirked slightly, but Ruin’s face retained its imperturbable expression, not betraying even the faint hint of anxiety previously seen when confronted with the Iron Man. Westybrook’s smirk faltered slightly. Jean was oblivious as he waved the envelope in front of Rip’s face. [COLOR="Navy"]“I’m sure you can guess what this is – the list of timebombs. There’s only one left, Rip, but it’s a good one: It prevents you firing anyone associated with The Firm for the duration of their contract with MAW. And all of us have long, long contracts, Rip.”[/COLOR] Cattley smirked, and Rip scowled. [COLOR="Navy"]“Which does kinda put us in prime position for striking a bargain, doesn’t it?”[/COLOR] [COLOR="Purple"]“What do you want?”[/COLOR] Rip growled. [COLOR="Navy"]“Oh, cheer up Rip. I’m going to give you what you want – after a fashion: A chance to rid the company of The Firm. You see, I’m prepared to rip up this list, and you can go ahead and fire us at the end of the Invitational if that’s what you want – but you have to put something on the line to make it worth our while.”[/COLOR] [COLOR="Purple"]“What?”[/COLOR] [COLOR="Navy"]“You have to put up your control of MAW. You see, there’s three matches scheduled for our sides at the Invitational – The Tag Title match, our match, and the World title match. If either side wins two out of those three matches, then they win the bet. Either The Firm leaves MAW... Or you hand over your shares in this company. And if that happens, I think we can say for pretty much certain that the person who takes over will make their first act shutting down The Cult. We’re not out to cost anyone their jobs – unlike you – but we don’t have to subscribe to this rubbish that your kids are superior to us just because they’re younger than us. So what do you say, Rip? Will you take a chance on pitting your future against ours?”[/COLOR] Rip looked torn. Clearly he wanted Cattley and the others gone, but equally he was weighing the chances of his side coming out on top in at least two of the matches at the Invitational. [COLOR="Purple"]“You have a deal,”[/COLOR] he said, at last. [COLOR="Purple"]“If I win, I can fire you. If you win, I hand over my shares in this company. So help me, when we win, we’re going to hand you your heads on a silver platter.”[/COLOR] The two sides stood on either side of the ring, awaiting the entry of the referee for their match. * [B]El Heroe Mexicano, “Machine” Jean Cattley and Tim Westybrook vs. Ruin, Ernest Youngman and Rip Chord[/B] As with most six-man matches, this was a wild brawl from bell to bell. The Cult seemed to be at a disadvantage, as everyone seemed to be avoiding their Invitational opponents, but while this meant that Rip and Youngman took a beating from Westybrook, Ruin was kept fresh and was able to deliver his trademark heavy blows to Heroe and Cattley, keeping the momentum of the contest fairly even. At last, Chord consented to entering the ring with Cattley, and the veteran seemed to be suffering from the punishment he’d taken as Cattley pitched him around the ring with relative ease. However, Chord is nothing if not experienced and it seemed that he was just biding his time as he waited for the right moment. With the referee unsighted, Rip caught Cattley with a low blow and quickly rolled him up with his feet on the ropes to score the shock win. The Cult celebrated – well, Rip and Youngman did – as Cattley pounded the mat, furious with himself for falling to a rookie trick. Winners: The Cult Of Chord (C) [B]Overall: C[/B] [I]Next: Lots of newsbites...[/I]

[James Casey]

OOC: At some point, I'll be doing a post on the financial minefield that is Cult. I seem to remember that Miscellaneous expenses cover a lot of the costs. If anyone has any suggestions for what those costs include (I'm guessing backstage catering and upgraded office costs, among others) then I'll see if I can work it in. It should be a fun read, I hope.

[Remianen]

Upgraded production values (you're moving from free TV to pay per view. You can't keep your bush league production values. Looks really bad. Think: Wrestling Society X). New hires in the office - most companies' biggest expense: People. Salary & benefits can kill ya. Upgraded training facilities Marketing - you can't have the "street team" you had at Regional as your primary means of spreading the word. You're almost to the big time now. You need to hire brand consultants, hold focus groups, use targeted marketing techniques. All that costs bookoo dollas. Upgraded medical coverage Legal representation - Your Cousin Vinny aint gonna cut it at Cult size. You need to have a decent firm on retainer. and the biggest one of all.......... Upgraded [B][I]INSURANCE[/I][/B]. You can't operate a business of that size without it. The bigger you get, the more you need. Whether it's errors & omissions or straight liability, gotta have it.

[James Casey]

[I]OOC: Good suggestions all. I hadn't even considered insurance, but even with our low injury rate, it's gotta be considerable. No Lloyds of London in the Cverse...[/I] * News from beyond the Mid Atlantic: Jean Cattley claims vacant NYCW Regional title ... Texas ’Ruin’ Pete joins CZCW ... USPW and SWF in hunt for Lenny Brown ... Fuyuko Higa turns down MAW ... El Heroe Mexicano signs new deal with MAW ... Casey Valentine signs with PSW ... Jean Cattley signs MAW contract extension ... Jay Darkness claims first SWF North American title * Just as a side note, we tried promoting On Tour for this week more in line with our new ‘Cult’ status as something of a Big show. Advance interest for the show – at least in the Great Lakes – suggests it’s not worth it right now, but MA shows are more likely to be valid candidates, so that’s something worth trialling. It may just be that the fans know that ‘On Tour’ usually equals ‘Booked around anyone who didn’t get lost on the way to the venue’. * [QUOTE] [I][CENTER]MAW.com Show Report – On Tour in Great Lakes Thursday 18th January 2014[/CENTER] Hello everyone, this is Reese Paige reporting from the Great Lakes, and a sell-out 2,000 crowd here at Perry Hall. Tonight’s action kicked off with Eddie Powell in action against Phil Jerome, as Rip Chord continued to try and punish the Gatekeepers ahead of their title match at the Invitational. However, his efforts backfired here as Powell was able to come out on top without too much effort as he scored with a Motion Censor for the win. After the match, Powell revealed a message from the MAW Board of Directors – Casey Valentine and Antonio had to take part in a singles match apiece tonight. Powell also knew the opponents they’d been drawn to face: Antonio would take on Brandon Smith, and Casey Valentine would square off against newcomer Insane Machine! Next, Dazzling Dave Diamond and Justin Sensitive took on Delirium and Felipe Caballero. Diamond seemed to have bonded with Sensitive’s chimp, in a redneck/primate bonding reminiscent of Every Which Way But Loose – even if that’s the only time Diamond will ever be compared to Clint Eastwood. Still, Diamond was the winner in this match as he scored with a Diamond Mine on Caballero. Before the next match, the Second Sons tried to get the jump on Brandon Smith, but the genial Bulldozer pie-faced Valentine before spearing Antonio to start the match – and shortly after finish it with an Inverted Piledriver. Ahead of his RCI qualifier, El Heroe Mexicano chatted to the fans, with Rip Chord glowering at ringside. During the match, GB Wood did his utmost to try and upset the #4 seed, but ultimately he couldn’t overcome the odds as he was forced to submit to a Mexican Mutilation. Casey Valentine took a few moments to complain about the Board of Directors overruling Rip. The first act of the Cult when they came to absolute power would be to eradicate the ‘fogeys in the suits’. Valentine then took on Insane Machine, an indie veteran with a huge amount of talent. Valentine is a talented wrestler, even if it’s easy to forget it, and he was able to overcome the masked man – with a little help from the ropes for leverage. Rip then entered the ring, looking pleased with his protégé’s performance. He informed us that due to Lenny Brown’s demands, the RCI brackets had been slightly arranged – KC Glenn would now be taking on Crossbones Bonham in the next match. Bonham’s brute strength and surprising agility was a real test for Glenn, who had to use every trick in the book, and invent some as well, before he scored the pin after a Tune Up The Sunshine Band. Lenny Brown was next up – and didn’t look pleased that his ‘demands’ had been answered. He then demanded that someone in the back come out and face him. I can only hope that he learns to be careful what he asks for, as his opponent was the returning Phoenix, making his first appearance in over two months. Brown fought hard, but wasn’t able to match up to the veteran masked star, and eventually fell to a Phoenix Firebird Splash in a very exciting match. Fans, this has been Reese Paige On Tour with MAW. Be sure to catch us next week, and tune into Arcadia 2 tomorrow for Nationwide! Eddie Powell def. Phil Jerome – D Sensitive and Diamond def. Felipe and Delirium – E+ Brandon Smith def. Antonio – D- RCI: El Heroe Mexicano def. GB Wood – D+ Casey Valentine def. Insane Machine – D RCI: KC Glenn def. Crossbones Bonham – D+ Phoenix def. Lenny Brown – C- Overall: D+[/I] [/QUOTE] [CENTER][B]MAW Nationwide[/B] Tim Westybrook and “Machine” Jean Cattley vs. The Second Sons KC Glenn and Alicia Strong vs. Ernest Youngman and Lauren Easter vs. Crossbones Bonham and Joanne Rodriguez RCI: Phoenix vs. Davis Wayne Newton El Heroe Mexicano vs. Ruin in a Lumberjack match[/CENTER]

[foolinc]

[B]Tim Westybrook and “Machine” Jean Cattley[/B] vs. The Second Sons KC Glenn and Alicia Strong vs. [B]Ernest Youngman and Lauren Easter[/B] vs. Crossbones Bonham and Joanne Rodriguez RCI: [B]Phoenix[/B] vs. Davis Wayne Newton El Heroe Mexicano vs. [B]Ruin[/B] in a Lumberjack matc

[AzzMartin]

[B]MAW Nationwide[/B] [B]Tim Westybrook and “Machine” Jean Cattley[/B] vs. The Second Sons [B]KC Glenn and Alicia Strong[/B] vs. Ernest Youngman and Lauren Easter vs. Crossbones Bonham and Joanne Rodriguez RCI: [B]Phoenix[/B] vs. Davis Wayne Newton El Heroe Mexicano vs. [B]Ruin [/B]in a Lumberjack match

[Bigpapa42]

[B][U]MAW Nationwide[/U][/B] [B]Tim Westybrook and “Machine” Jean Cattley[/B] vs. The Second Sons [B]KC Glenn and Alicia Strong [/B]vs. Ernest Youngman and Lauren Easter vs. Crossbones Bonham and Joanne Rodriguez RCI: Phoenix vs. [B]Davis Wayne Newton[/B] El Heroe Mexicano vs. [B]Ruin [/B]in a Lumberjack match

[Hyde Hill]

[B]Tim Westybrook and “Machine” Jean Cattley[/B] vs. The Second Sons [B]KC Glenn and Alicia Strong[/B] vs. Ernest Youngman and Lauren Easter vs. Crossbones Bonham and Joanne Rodriguez RCI: Phoenix vs. [B]Davis Wayne Newton[/B] El Heroe Mexicano vs. [B]Ruin[/B] in a Lumberjack match Did I just read that Casey Valentine accepted an offer to work somewhere else then MAW? What happened?

[Tigerkinney]

[B]Tim Westybrook and “Machine” Jean Cattley[/B] vs. The Second Sons [I]Take it this is non title, as I don't see Westybrook and Cattley have their sights set on the Tag belts, therefore the non regular pairing of main eventers take the win here[/I] [B]KC Glenn and Alicia Strong[/B] vs. Ernest Youngman and Lauren Easter vs. Crossbones Bonham and Joanne Rodriguez [I]Throw a prediction up in the air, see which one lands...honestly this could go any of the three ways. The storyline here is all about the women.[/I] RCI: Phoenix vs. [B]Davis Wayne Newton[/B] [I]I'm a Phoenix fan but he's never quite been a TOP guy in MAW, he's been near the top but he's never been on top, so I see him putting Newton over here, unless Newton is already on his way back to one of the big boys.[/I] El Heroe Mexicano vs. [B]Ruin[/B] in a Lumberjack match [I]Firm get the win in the Tag, the Cult get a win here in singles competition.[/I]

[James Casey]

[QUOTE=Hyde Hill;689094]Did I just read that Casey Valentine accepted an offer to work somewhere else then MAW? What happened?[/QUOTE] [I]/innocent My talking to at New Years made him get his backside in gear. Or, I edited his and Antonio's relationship to Rip to strong friendship, as Rip has [U]always[/U] let his trainees go to other feds... apart from these two...[/I] * [B][CENTER]Mid Atlantic Wrestling presents: Nationwide Friday, 19th January 2014[/CENTER] KC Glenn and Alicia Strong vs. Ernest Youngman and Lauren Easter vs. Crossbones Bonham and Joanne Rodriguez[/B] With Strong, Easter and Rodriguez at one another’s throats, Bonham could have simply earned his appearance fee by not doing much. Instead, the rugged biker got into it with both his opposite numbers, roughing up the technicians while the women battled on the outside of the ring. However, he couldn’t keep his opponents at bay indefinitely, and while it was clear that they were loath to work together, Youngman and Glenn did show a certain chemistry as they fought back in unison, if not exactly in tandem. Outside the ring, Easter was clearly reluctant to engage with Rodriguez, and spent precious time trying to stay out of her clutches. Strong found herself in the unusual position of not being the focus of the action. She tried to take advantage of this by hauling J-Ro off Easter, but Rodriguez was immovable, and Easter was focused on defending herself rather than fighting back. The three continued to tussle without any clear advantage, as Easter was often able to use J-Ro’s momentum against her to gain some time. Back in the ring, however, Glenn scored with a dropkick on Youngman, sending him crashing into Bonham and thence out of the ring. Bonham crashed to the mat, and before he had a chance to react, Glenn wrapped him up in a Carolina Crossface for the win. Winners: Glenn and Strong (C) * Lauren Easter made her way backstage, where she was approached by Haley Buck. The two exchanged words, before Easter hung her head momentarily – and then nodded her agreement. Buck looked victorious, and walked off. Easter turned, and noticed the camera. [COLOR="Blue"]“So, this is what it comes down to. You know, I thought I’d found a kindred spirit in Joanne. Someone who I could dominate this company with. Someone who I could share in the spoils of battle with. Who holds this title,”[/COLOR] she brandished the Women’s title belt at the camera, [COLOR="Blue"]“was irrelevant – so long as it was one of us. “Don’t get me wrong, I’ll fight anyone. But everyone needs to be able to rely on something, and I thought I could rely on Joanne. It seems that there’s no honour even among people like us. “Joanne, since I came to MAW you’ve been a mentor and a friend. It’s because of you that I’m the champion today. It’s because of what you taught me that I was able to go against Alicia Strong and win. “And you want to throw that away because of your need to be seen as the best? That’s fine. You could have come to me and we could have arranged something – but you took this public. And that means, at the Invitational, that the beating I give you will be public as well. “I wouldn’t have chosen this. I wanted to be able to trust you – to believe that you had my back, the way I did yours. When the time came that I lost the belt, I knew that you’d step up and take it for yourself, and when you lost it, I’d win it back. But you got selfish, Joanne... So at the Invitational, don’t think I’ll hold back because of our friendship. If anything, I’m just going to hit you even harder.”[/COLOR] She turned and stalked off in the same direction, Rip noticed, as Haley Buck. Rock wondered how much Lauren meant what she said: [COLOR="Blue"]“She talks the talk, but there’s something that makes me wonder if she’s prepared to walk the walk...”[/COLOR] * Joanne Rodriguez was backstage with Sara Silverman, who was hovering in the background, looking like she’d found the goose who lays the golden eggs. [COLOR="Blue"]“Lauren, look at my history. I’ve never been a team player. I betrayed Nadia to get a title shot. At least I always said to you that I was out for myself. I let you come along for the ride, but you had to know that when it suited me...”[/COLOR] She tailed off, and her features betrayed a mix of emotions. [COLOR="Blue"]“I’ve always been about one person: Me. Yes, we had fun, but you’re nothing but a kid. Don’t start thinking that you’re in front of me in the queue for gold and glory, Lauren. You cut in line, and at the Invitational I’m going to show you exactly what I do to people like that.”[/COLOR] She turned and walked away, with Sara Silverman close behind. [COLOR="Purple"]“Alicia Strong must be loving this,”[/COLOR] Rip mused. [COLOR="Purple"]“Her dad was always devious, too...”[/COLOR] * [B]“Machine” Jean Cattley and Tim Westybrook vs. The Second Sons[/B] From the bell, it was clear that neither Cult member wanted anything to do with their opposite numbers, and they tried to beg off the match – even going so far as to walk away from the ring in an effort to get counted out. However, Westybrook and Cattley dragged them back into the ring and delivered a short, but thorough, beating that ended when Antonio fell victim to a TNT Whirlwind. On commentary, Rip seemed unfazed – noting only that his protégés hadn’t taken too much damage in defeat. Winners: Westybrook and Cattley (D) * After the match, Katie Cameron entered the ring and took the mic: [COLOR="Magenta"]“I have some personal business to attend to, separate from my commitments to The Firm,”[/COLOR] she said. [COLOR="Magenta"]“Earlier this week, I was approached by a noted wrestler with a very particular specialism. He has asked me to take control of his business affairs, and arrange for him a match for the All Action title. Raphael, as you haven’t defended that belt for some time now, you will have to defend it by the Invitational. And as you have to accept any challenge that comes your way... my client wants to face you in a hardcore match!”[/COLOR] * Davis Wayne Newton was in the ring already when the guitar riff hit and Phoenix returned to MAW TV for the first time in almost three months. He bounced on the stage, showing off his fully-healed ankle as he saluted the crowd, before making his way to the ring. Halfway down the aisle he stopped and waited as Newton began to speak. [COLOR="Blue"]“Hero and villain, good guy and bad, you’ve been everywhere and done everything,” [/COLOR]he said. [COLOR="Blue"]“I’d be a fool not to respect what you bring to this business, and what you bring to this company. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not going to go easy on you. You’re standing in my way, and I’m determined to reach the very top of this business. But it’s just business – it’s not personal.”[/COLOR] * [B]RCI: Phoenix vs. Davis Wayne Newton[/B] This was a back and forth match with Newton seemingly giving Phoenix all the respect he claimed he would – right up until the referee was unsighted, and Newton tipped the momentum of the match in his favour with a low blow. Phoenix continued to fight on, and frustrated Newton by kicking out of a series of near falls. He even managed to block a Fisherman’s Suplex attempt by wrapping Newton in an inside cradle for a desperately close near fall. In the end, however, Newton was able to successfully lock Phoenix into a Fisherman’s Suplex to score the pin and the win, and book his place in the quarter-finals against El Heroe Mexicano. Winner: Davis Wayne Newton (C) * Heroe and Ruin stood in the centre of the ring, fixing each other with unblinking looks. All the members of both The Firm and The Cult Of Chord prowled at ringside, Westybrook especially prominent, his eyes never leaving Ruin. Ruin, for his part, stared back, at first surreptitiously, seemingly focusing his attention on Heroe, but then openly, Rip’s words clearly having found their mark. Neither man showed any expression and yet the crowd held its breath in anticipation of a preview of the Invitational main event... but on this night, the tenuous ceasefire held. On commentary, Rock and Reese gave a brief rundown of the feud between the two sides: The Firm protecting their livelihoods and their legacies, The Cult trying to take their place at the head of the business, the titles, the individual feuds, the hospitalisation of Ota, Powell and Raphael... [COLOR="Blue"]“On Monday it comes to an end. One of the most brutal conflicts ever to wrap around MAW!”[/COLOR] * [B]El Heroe Mexicano vs. Ruin[/B] in a [COLOR="Purple"]Lumberjack match[/COLOR] This was your basic Lumberjack match – lots of interference on either side in between spells of the two men doing their all to try and claim victory. Heroe took a hefty beating when he was thrown from the ring, Ernest Youngman taking particular delight in putting the boots to Heroe’s mask, which was still noticeably padded after the War Games match. When Ruin ended up on the outside, Heroe’s stablemates seemed more respectful of the rules – although Ruin was always quick to get back in the ring. Rock wondered if he was evading Westybrook. Rip countered that he was just eager to get back to the fight. The match wore on, with neither man seeming too worn down by the battle, and in the end the bell rang on the twenty-minute mark to signal the draw – and also to signal the opening of the floodgates as the full contingents of the two groups flooded the ring, tearing into one another with unbridled ferocity as the show drew to a close. Winner: No-one (C+) [B]Overall: C+[/B] [I]Next: The famed RCI preview with Jason Reso...[/I]

[ShadowedFlames]

I hate to sound as if I am picking nits, but did Heroe go twice? you have him as Cattley's partner in the tag match heading. :D Looking forward to the RCI, and I'm trying to figure out who would want a straight hardcore AA title match....

[James Casey]

Whoops, fixed - this show underwent a lot of rejigging at the last minute, and not everything got caught :o

[James Casey]

Sara Silver(man) is back on screen as Joanna Rodriguez’ manager. We made the move a couple of weeks back, when I realised that she wasn’t doing anything much since her association with Tim Westybrook was abruptly ended. In fact, Rip had drawn it to my attention, which was slightly embarrassing. Sara’s a really nice person backstage, and hadn’t complained about not being used. Still, roster management is my job, and it’s a bit annoying that someone like Quentin Queen or – yes, them again – Antonio and Casey Valentine can get some grease by squeaking loud enough, while the absence of Sara, who actually contributes to the show when she’s on-screen, rather than just being a cipher, went unnoticed by me. I think Rip still likes to get the odd one over on me – he was chuckling to himself when he left my office. * Something we’re trying over the next little while: On Tour will now take place on Saturdays. We only share Thursday and Saturday with TCW, which effectively means no Ota on either day, but otherwise the rest of the On Tour crew is available. It just seems weird to go from a big show to On Tour before we get to Nationwide and the real fallout from the big show. * We’ve been trying to get a PPV deal in place, or at least to open negotiations to see what sort of money would be involved. No dice thus far. I think I’ll ask Reese to speak to the program directors – she’s much better at being convincing about our ability to succeed in the short term than I am... * [QUOTE] [CENTER][B]TEW.com RCI preview[/B][/CENTER] First off, it’s important to look at this year’s RCI show in terms of the sheer volume of matches present on the card. Four of the five titles will be defended. The Invitational occupies the bulk of the card. The future of MAW is up in the air... It’s also important to note what was [I]not[/I] supposed to happen at the Invitational. Almost nothing noted above was intended to make the card – other than the tournament itself, of course. The MAW bookers tend to begin planning for the Invitational around the middle of the previous year. Over the last six months, though, the MAW roster has changed a lot – with Aaron Andrews and Kirk Jameson leaving, for a start. Amazing Fire Fly was in line for a big push in the second half of the year, and would have been lined up as a potential winner of the tournament. KC Glenn, Ernest Youngman, Sean Deeley and Davis Wayne Newton, all of whom are in the quarter finals, weren’t with the company until recently. Newton’s arrival bumped Phil Jerome out of the qualifiers, for heaven’s sake. The jump to Cult for MAW has come about as a result of these workers, and other great talents, being added to the mix – it makes their shows that much stronger. They’re not quite in a position where they can put on classics like they did in the artificially-inflated days of Rich Money, but their roster is on a par with almost anyone outside the big two. No wonder, then, that this year’s RCI is set to be a four hour event – the first in MAW history. With twelve matches confirmed, Rip Chord’s crew need that time to breathe. So, let’s look at the field for the Invitational. I think that we can discount Peverall and probably Smith. Peverall is MAW’s perennial midcarder, who’ll always beat those below him, and lose to those above him. His making the show is a nod to his company loyalty, which is absolute, but he won’t go over Deeley. I could see Smith advancing – if he weren’t set against Ernest Youngman. There’s a lot to be gained from potentially having Youngman tangle with another Firm man along the way, especially if the outcome ‘levels the scores’, one way or another. One thing that intrigues me is the potential for a final pairing of the 2011 and 2012 RCI winners in KC Glenn and Sean Deeley. Such a duo would surely light up the arena, even if the expected long matches would exhaust them by the time of the final. That’s my pick for the final, especially as MAW teased it a few weeks back, along with the possibility of Newton/Deeley. I don’t see that happening just yet – but again, it’d be something to see. As for who’ll win the final... Well, Deeley’s push got abruptly cut off last year when he left the company. I don’t believe he’d do so again, so I suspect that the plan involves him getting the same push this year that he was in line for last year. And I was right about his win then, incidentally... As for the non-tournament matches, we have a mystery challenger to the All Action title. I think I know who this is, and it would make quite a plash for him to appear in MAW and take the belt from the heat-vacuum that is Raphael. However, he’s pretty old and definitely not in great shape, so I can well believe that he’s a short-term acquisition. We’ll have to see if I’m right. The tag belts are going to The Firm. Let’s be honest, Valentine and Antonio have had several months with the belts, and they haven’t exactly set the world on fire. The possibility of uppercarders holding the belts means that match quality could improve in the tag division. And that means that the LMS match is likely to be a win for Rip Chord. The conflict between The Firm and The Cult has been a strange one, with the older workers accused of holding down the youngsters occupying the face role, and the youngsters being c0cky, arrogant heels. I think it’s worked quite well – the youngsters have a valid reason for believing they’re good enough. Ernest Youngman is good enough, Antonio and Valentine have long been recognised as Chord’s protégés, Raphael clearly has talent, and Ruin is a super heavyweight in a company of middleweights. Each of them can stake a claim to deserving a place among the elite... but of course, this is MAW. Talking big doesn’t automatically make someone big. You have to deliver in the ring, and there The Cult has had mixed results. Has the feud elevated anyone? Not as well as MAW would have hoped – certainly not among Chord’s side, but Ernest Youngman is only going to improve, and outside The Cult, the heel uppercard contingent is strong. What about the Women’s title match? This one is too close to call. Each woman has a reason to walk out with the belt. Strong wants to make her case for being the best American women’s wrestler. J-Ro can’t keep losing – she needs to win at some point or risk losing all her momentum. Easter for her part, has the title – and won’t want to give it up easily. Beating Strong last month was a statement of intent, and sooner or later MAW are going to have to leave that belt on someone for a lengthy title run, I hope. Which leaves the World title... Can you believe MAW have managed to keep Ruin and Westybrook apart from each other for five months? In another company, these two would have been pitched at each other within days – even weeks. But MAW have been gradually teasing out the conflict between the two, and with Ruin clearly being shown to be cautious about engaging with the Iron Man, it seems that MAW could be doing something slightly different with this clash of the titans. It will be interesting to see if this pays off, as the duo will only get one chance to make a first impression. Assuming that we see a flurry of brute strength and thunderous power moves – and these two aren’t likely to take to the top rope anytime soon – then we just might see a match of the night candidate. As for who will win... Well, do you really see Rip giving up control of MAW? He may have the right to fire The Firm, but I can see him wanting to make them suffer first... Folks, my flight is boarding so I have to go. Be sure to check in on tew.com for the latest news from the Mid Atlantic, and add the RCI DVD to your wishlist now. This year promises to the best ever! [RIGHT]~Jason Reso[/RIGHT] [/QUOTE] [CENTER][B]MAW The Rip Chord Invitational[/B] QF: El Heroe Mexicano vs. Davis Wayne Newton QF: Bradford Peverell vs. Sean Deeley QF: KC Glenn vs. Swoop McCarthy QF: “Bulldozer” Brandon Smith vs. Ernest Youngman Alicia Strong vs. Joanne Rodriguez vs. Lauren Easter (c) – MAW Women’s title The Gatekeepers vs. The Second Sons (c) – MAW Tag Team titles ??? vs. Raphael (c) – MAW All Action title "Machine" Jean Cattley vs. Rip Chord – grudge match Tim Westybrook vs. Ruin (c) – MAW World title Plus: The semi-finals and final of the Rip Chord Invitational tournament[/CENTER]

[D-Lyrium]

QF: [B]El Heroe Mexicano[/B] vs. Davis Wayne Newton - Assuming the RCI is bracketed, Mexicano probably goes over here to avoid heel vs. heel in the quarters. Besides, heel vs. heel is one thing, Newton vs. Deeley in an unhyped, heel vs. heel semi final match is quite another. QF: Bradford Peverell vs. [B]Sean Deeley[/B] - Sorry Brad, but... yeah... not happenin' QF: [B]KC Glenn[/B] vs. Swoop McCarthy - Glenn over Swoop to set up a semi-final with... QF: “Bulldozer” Brandon Smith vs. [B]Ernest Youngman[/B] - The Assassin wins, my forenamesake pretty much summed up why. Then Heroe over Deeley and Youngman over Glenn. Then Heroe over Youngman, cancelling out the RCI's input to the Cult vs. Firm battle at 1-1. And more importantly immortalising Heroe in MAW history and pushing him over the line between "promising up and comer" and "legit. contender". Newton, Yougman and Deeley could probably do that without the RCI if they wanted. Alicia Strong vs. Joanne Rodriguez vs. Lauren Easter (c) – MAW Women’s title - I like Lauren as champion, but she's got plenty of time to get it back. Like J-Ro said, she 'has to have that title', and she has to have it now. Plus, what good is a 'it's all fun and games until someone loses a title' storyline if nobody loses a title? :P [B]The Gatekeepers[/B] vs. The Second Sons (c) – MAW Tag Team titles - Part of me doesn't want them to, just because they're rather boring. But The Second Sons have to lose the titles... There's no reason at all for them to keep them. [B]???[/B] vs. Raphael (c) – MAW All Action title - I usually never predict a mystery opponent to win, especially in a title match, but I can make an exception for Raphael... [B]"Machine" Jean Cattley[/B] vs. Rip Chord[ – grudge match - My brain just won't allow a 50+ year old alchoholic retired wrestler to win a last man standing match against a relatively fit, healthy active one. [B]Tim Westybrook[/B] vs. Ruin (c) – MAW World title - He's been built up too well to lose this one. Ruin's had a good run mind, considering... I know I'm wrong. Possibly entirely wrong. Because no 'best of three' feud ever ends 3-0. But all the titles *are* changing and Rip Chord isn't winning an LMS match, damnit! :p

[Hyde Hill]

QF: [B]El Heroe Mexicano[/B] vs. Davis Wayne Newton QF: Bradford Peverell vs. [B]Sean Deeley[/B] QF: [B]KC Glenn[/B] vs. Swoop McCarthy QF: “Bulldozer” Brandon Smith vs. [B]Ernest Youngman[/B] [I]Deeley vs Glenn in the final like Christain said, Deeley wins.[/I] Alicia Strong vs. [B]Joanne Rodriguez [/B]vs. Lauren Easter (c) – MAW Women’s title [I]As Christian said J-Ro needs the belt to remain relevant.[/I] [B]The Gatekeepers[/B] vs. The Second Sons (c) – MAW Tag Team titles [I]Higher quality team[/I] ??? vs. [B]Raphael (c)[/B] – MAW All Action title [I]Hardcore allows lotsa interference.[/I] "Machine" Jean Cattley vs. [B]Rip Chord[/B] – grudge match [I]see above.[/I] [B]Tim Westybrook[/B] vs. Ruin (c) – MAW World title [I]Westybrook is much better and with the Firm holding the belt Chord has to be more coutious.[/I] Plus: The semi-finals and final of the Rip Chord Invitational tournament

[foolinc]

QF: [B]El Heroe Mexicano[/B] vs. Davis Wayne Newton QF: Bradford Peverell vs. [B]Sean Deeley[/B] QF: [B]KC Glenn[/B] vs. Swoop McCarthyB QF: “Bulldozer” Brandon Smith vs. [B]Ernest Youngman[/B] Finals: Glenn vs.[B] Deeley[/B] [B]Alicia Strong[/B] vs. Joanne Rodriguez vs. Lauren Easter (c) – MAW Women’s title The Gatekeepers vs. [B]The Second Sons (c)[/B] – MAW Tag Team titles ??? vs. [B]Raphael (c)[/B] – MAW All Action title [B]"Machine" Jean Cattley[/B] vs. Rip Chord – grudge match [B]Tim Westybrook[/B] vs. Ruin (c) – MAW World title

[Bigpapa42]

[B][U]MAW The Rip Chord Invitational[/U][/B] QF: [B]El Heroe Mexicano[/B] vs. Davis Wayne Newton QF: Bradford Peverell vs. [B]Sean Deeley[/B] QF: [B]KC Glenn[/B] vs. Swoop McCarthy QF: “Bulldozer” Brandon Smith vs. [B]Ernest Youngman[/B] [I]I'm going to agree with the two esteemed gentlemen above me and go with Deeley[/I] Alicia Strong vs. [B]Joanne Rodriguez [/B]vs. Lauren Easter (c) – MAW Women’s title The Gatekeepers vs. [B]The Second Sons [/B](c) – MAW Tag Team titles ??? vs. [B]Raphael [/B](c) – MAW All Action title [B]"Machine" Jean Cattley[/B] vs. Rip Chord – grudge match [B]Tim Westybrook[/B] vs. Ruin (c) – MAW World title [I]I think its Timmy's time.[/I]

[Tigerkinney]

QF: [B]El Heroe Mexicano [/B]vs. Davis Wayne Newton QF: Bradford Peverell vs. [B]Sean Deeley[/B] QF: [B]KC Glenn[/B] vs. Swoop McCarthy QF: “Bulldozer” Brandon Smith vs. [B]Ernest Youngman[/B] [I]OK let's assume this thing is bracketed, so Heroe goes over Newton because he's a face to set up a meeting with Deeley (because there is no way Peverall is going over in that one) and the other semi final will be Glenn-Youngman because in all honesty that has the potential to be the better match up.[/I] [I]Any of these four could then go on to win it but I'm sold too on a Deeley-Glenn finals, with Glenn taking home the trophy this year. [/I] [B]Alicia Strong[/B] vs. Joanne Rodriguez vs. Lauren Easter (c) – MAW Women’s title [I]Strong emerges as the champion, leaving J-Ro frustrated yet again[/I] The Gatekeepers vs. [B]The Second Sons (c)[/B] – MAW Tag Team titles [I]Somehow The Second Sons hold onto the belts, because I can't see it finishing in a white-wash for the Firm (i'll come to that later)[/I] [B]??? [/B]vs. Raphael (c) – MAW All Action title [I]Mystery man to win the title, Raphael will always have that air of jobber about him, no matter how hard you try in getting him over.[/I] [B]"Machine" Jean Cattley[/B] vs. Rip Chord – grudge match [I]Cattley evens things up heading into the final match of the best of 3.[/I] [B]Tim Westybrook[/B] vs. Ruin (c) – MAW World title [I]Timmy's Time finally arrives and the Cult of Chord's reign on top is brought to a crashing halt.[/I]

[Candyman]

[B]MAW The Rip Chord Invitational[/B] QF: [B]El Heroe Mexicano[/B] vs. Davis Wayne Newton QF: Bradford Peverell vs. [B]Sean Deeley[/B] QF: [B]KC Glenn[/B] vs. Swoop McCarthy QF: “Bulldozer” Brandon Smith vs. [B]Ernest Youngman[/B] [I]First round seems pretty easy...second round is tough. Mexicano/Youngman or Deeley/Glenn in the final? I'll go with Mexicano over Youngman.[/I] Alicia Strong vs. [B]Joanne Rodriguez[/B] vs. Lauren Easter (c) – MAW Women’s title [B]The Gatekeepers[/B] vs. The Second Sons (c) – MAW Tag Team titles [B]???[/B] vs. Raphael (c) – MAW All Action title "Machine" Jean Cattley vs. [B]Rip Chord[/B] – grudge match [B]Tim Westybrook[/B] vs. Ruin (c) – MAW World title Plus: The semi-finals and final of the Rip Chord Invitational tournament [I]Would've gone with the Second Sons and Cattley if not for Rip's creative control.[/I]

[AzzMartin]

[B]MAW The Rip Chord Invitational[/B] QF: [B]El Heroe Mexicano[/B] vs. Davis Wayne Newton QF: Bradford Peverell vs. [B]Sean Deeley[/B] QF: [B]KC Glenn [/B]vs. Swoop McCarthy QF: “Bulldozer” Brandon Smith vs. [B]Ernest Youngman[/B] Final: [B]Deeley[/B] vs. Glenn [B]Alicia Strong[/B] vs. Joanne Rodriguez vs. Lauren Easter (c) – MAW Women’s title The Gatekeepers vs. [B]The Second Sons [/B](c) – MAW Tag Team titles ??? vs. [B]Raphael[/B] (c) – MAW All Action title [B]"Machine" Jean Cattley[/B] vs. Rip Chord – grudge match [B]Tim Westybrook[/B] vs. Ruin (c) – MAW World title

[Remianen]

First off, what's up with KC using Josh Jones' finisher? Secondly, who's Joanna? Third, what's the prestige on your titles? I know the tag titles must be almost bottomed out (as well as the All Action) but where's the Traditional and World at?