DarK_RaideR Posted August 27, 2022 Share Posted August 27, 2022 Empire State Wrestling The darling promotion from the east coast, Empire State Wrestling is an entertaining independent promotion based out of New York. First opening its doors in 1996, ESW didn't exactly set the world alight with its debut show, although it was solid enough to encourage local fans to come back for their second offering. The infamous second show of ESW, "The City Never Sleeps", was absolute gold and would set the trend for what Empire State Wrestling would become known for; a modern independent market for up and coming US talent that eventually go on to be stars of the future. ESW are happy filling their niche role and are more than capable of living within their limitations. Not a threat to the bigger stateside organizations, both the AWF and CWE are respectful when approaching to sign talent as they restrain from raiding the entire promotion and putting them out of business. The roster Faces Levi Tundra Age: 28 Size: Middleweight Gimmick: Straight Edge Short Description: “No Limits” Levi Tundra has been making a name for himself in the ESW, where his clean cut, straight edge character has gotten him over as one of the top babyfaces in the promotion; though it may only be a matter of time before he's signed away by a bigger promotion. Cameron Rich Age: 38 Size: Middleweight Gimmick: No Gimmick Needed Short Description: Cameron Rich is a veteran of the ESW roster, having spent much of his career working for the New York based promotion. He has been booked as a top talent, but even among ESW's diehard fans there are some who have questioned whether he truly deserves his spot at the top. Lee Harrison Age: 29 Size: Middleweight Gimmick: Old School Face Short Description: Lee Harrison is a young wrestler from Indiana whose first few years in the promotion were forgettable; mainly due to his generic babyface character having no real substance behind it. However, over the past year, Harrison has stepped up his game after he stopped Johnny Chase from attacking his valet Janet Murrin. The ongoing feud has reinvigorated Harrison's character, as he's played the valiant hero willing to put his body on the line to protect the helpless. Notorious 187 Age: 35 Size: Lightweight Gimmick: Gang Leader Short Description: The notorious 187 is a hardened street thug hailing from the mean district of Brooklyn, New York. Combining a fearless brawling approach with a dogged determination to not be beat, the "Notorious 187" has found a great deal of success in a multitude of promotions. Joey Relamano Age: 32 Size: Middleweight Gimmick: Old School Face Short Description: Joey Relamano is of Puerto Rican heritage, but was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. A fan of the oldschool style of wrestling from the 70s and 80s, Relamano's unflashy offense will hurt his chances of winning over the more modern wrestling fans, but he's a good worker and has been a solid member of New York's ESW for the past four years. Kenneth Fairmount Age: 30 Size: Lightweight Gimmick: Fun Babyface Short Description: Kenneth Fairmount has been a huge fan of wrestling all his life; A natural athlete, he was noticed by AWF scouts who signed him to a developmental deal in 2005, but after two years of working in the California Wrestling Organisation he opted not to resign with the promotion; tired of being passed over because of his size and Japanese Junior style. Lionel Delorme Age: 26 Size: Lightweight Gimmick: Teen Idol Short Description: 'Pretty Boy' Lionel Delorme is a proffesional wrestler hailing from Belfort, France. Delorme is a very entertaining high flyer, whose Pretty Boy gimmick draws the ire of fans. Although Delorme excels in both his gimmick work and his high flying skills he is pretty poor as an all around wrestler, and relies on big spots to get over with crowds. Bradley Merton Age: 29 Size: Middleweight Gimmick: Clean Cut Short Description: Bradley Merton is a promising young all rounder who has spent the last few years wrestling for ESW in his home state of New York. One of the few College educated wrestlers, Merton has a degree in physical therapy, but seems content using that knowledge to contort his opponents with painful submission holds in the ring. Zero Age: 24 Size: Lightweight Gimmick: Mysterious Short Description: Zero is one of the few masked wrestlers in the United States whose real name is unknown. He made his ESW debut by saving Lee Harrison from a two on one beat-down at the hands of Johnny Chase and Jacob Ruthless. A flashy high flyer; Zero mixes kicks in with his aerial maneuvers to create a dynamic offensive style. The Seventh Street Saints Titus Flint and Kenta Shiozumi Age: 29/32 Size: Middleweights Gimmick: Street Fighters Short Description: The Seventh Street Saints' rough street fighting isn't a typical babyface style, but the Saints have spent their entire careers taking the fight to the biggest and toughest opponents. The pseudo-Vigilante team are mainstays of ESW, and have an ongoing rivalry with the thug-like TW3; refusing to be intimidated by threats or violence. The Ordinary Guys Alvin Benson and Harvey Steele Age: 27/30 Size: Middleweights Gimmick: Fan's Own Short Description: Benson and his Steele are fine workers, but simply come across as completely forgettable. Fittingly enough the two have called themselves “The Ordinary Guys,” fan favourite underdogs who don't win much, but always give it their all. Heels Harvey Keenan Age: 36 Size: Middleweights Gimmick: Cult Leader Short Description: Keenan is a dark and moody character in and outside of the ring. Something of an outcast, he is as unpredictable as he is nihilistic. He has gotten a cult following among the fans of Empire State Wrestling, and has an ongoing rivalry with Levi Tundra, who's clean cut, straight edge persona is a perfect foil for Keenan's dark character. Chris Boone Age: 29 Size: Light Heavyweight Gimmick: Punk Short Description: Chris Boone is a 10-year veteran from Memphis, TN. Critics say Boone could one day make it big, if it wasn't for his partying lifestyle; a habit that has slipped him up on more than one occasion. As it currently stands, Boone remains a fixture for ESW where he is booked as a top tier talent and multi-time champion. Jayson Disaster Age: 32 Size: Middleweight Gimmick: Narcissist Short Description: Jayson “Disaster” Levine is a North Carolina native who's been wrestling across the East Coast for the past twelve years. Logan Prince Age: 32 Size: Middleweight Gimmick: City Slicker Short Description: Having graduated college with an economics degree, Prince went to work as a financial analyst in the New York Stock Exchange, while working independent wrestling shows sporadically in his spare time. Despite his lucrative job on Wall Street, his passion for wrestling proved too great and Prince signed a contract with ESW. Looking to his former career as inspiration he debuted with a financial whizzkid gimmick. A rich kid who plays and beats the stock market making millions of dollars in the process. Logan Prince always comes to the ring dressed immaculately in a suit. Dirk Ivers Age: 33 Size: Middleweight Gimmick: Arrogant Heel Short Description: Dirk Ivers does an excellent job playing an obnoxious heel; mainly because it's not far off from his actual personality. Ivers has portrayed himself as an associate of Harvey Keenan, however, It's debatable whether he actually believes in Keenan's dark philosophy, or simply wants someone to back him up when he bites off more than he can chew. Vince Borden Age: 35 Size: Big Heavyweight Gimmick: Psycho Short Description: Vince Borden started off as a one-note garbage wrestler whose only claims to fame were stiff strikes and taking insane bumps. Knowing his career was going nowhere with his limited ability, he started expanding his moveset and improving his shape. After this change, he was quickly picked up by ESW who loved his superb athleticism and menacing ring presence. He's now established himself as one of the company's top heels and has come close to winning the East Coast title on several occasions. Eric Chalice Age: 34 Size: Middleweight Gimmick: Manipulator Short Description: Eric Chalice is a veteran indy wrestler who is best known for having been a member of the original Dynamite USA roster when it was founded in 2002. Chalice spent five years in the promotion, but failed to ever be anything more than an opening level worker, and was fired in 2007 after he antagonized Abraham Sound; the locker room sided with Sound and DUSA management had little choice but to release Chalice. Since then Chalice has been working in ESW, where he's already gotten heat with his fellow wrestlers after he said in an interview he deserved better than to be working in “the minor leagues.” Johnny Chase Age: 33 Size: Middleweight Gimmick: Egomaniac Short Description: Johnny Chase has spent the last few years wrestling for ESW; playing a despicable and slimy heel. For most of that time he was accompanied by his valet Janet Murrin. Over time their relationship soured as Chase became more and more controlling and began to frequently put her in danger to help him win matches. He became more and more abusive until finally Lee Harrison stepped in to save Murrin, and the two have been feuding ever since. Jacob Ruthless Age: 30 Size: Middleweight Gimmick: Bully Short Description: Ruthless plays the sexy heartthrob, the man the ladies can't live without and that men envy because they can never be as handsome and awesome as he is. Ruthless struts to the ring with his signature smirk and cocky walk. Teasing that he'll kiss or let any one of the ladies touch him. On the mic he'll denounce all the guys as being fat losers and let the ladies know that he doesn't touch the filthy beasts that they are, as the are not in his class. TW3 (a.k.a. Take What We Want) Deep Freeze and Lil' Dante Age: 30/31 Size: Light Heavyweight/Middleweight Gimmick: Gangstas Short Description: Take What We Want have been the most dominant duo in the recent history of the New York based promotion. Acting as the mouthpiece of the team, Lil' Dante is not only quick to verbally put down his opponents, but actually quite a proficient brawler to boot, while Deep Freeze is a man of very few words, but big actions. Brawling in a very stiff and violent manner, Deep Freeze has become known as a man you do not want to cross paths with in the squared circle. Non-wrestling staff Timothy Packer (Announcer), Dr. Crush (Color Commentator), Lawrence Jenkins (Referee), Janet Murrin, Ca$hflow, (managers), Patrick Yardy (Road Agent), Paul Haydon (Owner, Authority Figure) Author's Note: The LondonVerse might just be my favorite non-Cverse/RW mod, but unfortunately it has yet to see a TEW2020 release and conversion attempts have been tricky so far. Between the migration to the new forums disintegrating my recent diary posts and a lazy holiday where I'm on my laptop with TEW2016 in it, it seems the stars have aligned for me to return to ESW, now with a clear idea that they're supposed to be more like Ring of Honor and less like ECW. This diary will be based on the '16 engine, but I doubt anyone checks those subforums anymore so I'm putting it on the '20 forums instead. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarK_RaideR Posted August 31, 2022 Author Share Posted August 31, 2022 Empire State of Mind 2015 Saturday, Week 1 of January 2015, Tri State, 2.900 fans in attendance Harvey Keenan and Dirk Ivers made their entrance to open the show. Keenan mocked the fans for making New Year's Resolutions they'll inevitably break, if they haven't already. Unlike them, Keenan doesn't fool himself with such things, but he does have a big change planned to start his year: these people don't deserve the truth of his sermons, so he quit ESW. That froze the smile on Ivers' face and he panicked, trying to convince Keenan to reconsider but he'd have none of this. Chris Boone vs Lionel Delorme Delorme got the early advantage by exploding into a barrage of offence, but Boone suddenly shut him down when he caught him with a german suplex. Boone seemed a bit disoriented standing back up, which prompted the fans to burst into a "drunken master" chant. Didn't help his case that he tried to climb onto the top rope and clearly struggled with his balance, but that did provide Delorme with a chance to regain control of the match. A nice series of moves built to a cradle for a near fall, then a schoolboy for another two count. Third time wasn't the charm as Boone sidestepped (deliberately or not, it's up for debate) and Delorme crashed onto the ropes, allowing Boone to lead the bout. He stayed in the driver's seat for the remainder of the bout and once he caught Delorme in the Elevated Boston Crab, it was all over. Vince Borden's music played and "The Monster of Empire State" hit the ring to make a statement. Borden said he's come close to winning the big one on a few occasions and tonight is the night he'll finally seal the deal when he puts Cameron Rich out to pasture. Eric Chalice vs Kenneth Fairmount Chalice mocked his opponents' hairstyle and got slapped for it, which started a slapping competition between the two. Chalice rolled out of the ring to catch a break but Fairmount gave him no quarter with a suicide dive to the outside between the ropes. The two brawled on the outside until Fairmount missed a flying knee and hit the steps, while Chalice rolled back into the ring in hopes of a countout win. Fairmount made it back in by the count of eight though. Furious, Chalice stomped on him and applied a crossface, but Fairmount was able to force the rope break. Chalice then resorted to his heaviest of offence in hopes of putting his opponent down at last, but Fairmount reversed an attempted superplex by knocking Chalice to the mat and delivering a big splash. That was the turning point of the match and Fairmount had to play catch up, but once he managed to pull off his devastating Omega Driver finisher, there was no kicking out of that. The victory was interrupted by the music of Logan Prince, who walked out mic in hand for a promo. Prince ran down both Chalice and Fairmount as two guys who couldn't make it in the big leagues and ESW for settling for the scraps of bigger companies instead of giving true talented homegrown future prospects like himself a chance to prove themselves… and then move on to success in the big leagues. He's been fighting the good fight against all odds, he said, but there's only so much a man can do. So he has decided to lawyer up against the powers that be and finally end this injustice! w/ Johnny Chase vs Lee Harrison (with Janet Murrin) Arguably ESW's hottest rivalry and for good reason, given not only the history behind this love triangle but also the chemistry evident between the two competitors. The two men immediately jumped at each other's throats and Chase knocked Harrison out of the ring to get things started. This was going to be a recurring theme, with lots of crazy brawling outside the ring when they weren't trading blows inside it. A pure fight, no submissions or mat grappling on display here but the action and intensity more than made up for it. In the end, Chase got the last laugh when he held onto Harrison's trunks to secure a pin. Notorious 187 came out to cut a promo on TW3, but he was quickly interrupted by the tag team champions. As they were walking down to the ring, Ca$hflow attacked 187 from behind and hit him with his pimp stick. This led to a 3 on 1 beatdown and the Notorious One taking a spike piledriver to the concrete floor, meaning he had to be stretchered backstage by the end of all this. Jayson Disaster vs Levi Tundra The initial lockup saw Disaster come on top, but Tundra quickly got right back on his feet for the reset. Disaster then tried a few strikes, to which Tundra responded in kind. This set the tone of the match as they settled down for some mat wrestling, the more experienced Disaster having the initiative but Tundra showing enough heart to survive and fight back. It was only after a few big slams that Disaster felt it was safe enough to climb up top and these few but flashy aerial moves gave him the edge he needed, establishing him as the more well rounded competitor of the two while showing a gap in Tundra's game plan. Still, he could not keep Tundra down long enough for the three count and as exhaustion began to set in, the younger man was able to slowly turn things around and build up to his Arctic Tundra finisher for the pin. ESW Heavyweight title match Cameron Rich vs Vince Borden Rich played this smart, trying to dodge the big man and tire him out by playing cat and mouse. It wasn't endearing to the fans, but it made sense. He couldn't do this forever though and once Borden got a hold of him, the beating began. Rich tried to use his technical acumen to turn things around and eliminate his size disadvantage, but it was a slow grind, leading to a pretty competitive match after its slow start. As things built up to the finish, it came full circle with Rich being the one gasping for air in the end while his opponent looked like an unstoppable force of nature. Thus, the Borden-lands sealed the deal and Vince Borden scored the clean pin to become the new ESW Heavyweight champion. Overall 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarK_RaideR Posted September 8, 2022 Author Share Posted September 8, 2022 (edited) Flames of Liberty 2015 Saturday, Week 1 of February 2015, Tri State, 3.100 fans in attendance Vince Borden began the show when he came out with the newly won ESW Heavyweight championship title. Despite being a heel, he got a loud ovation, part due to him being over with the fans and part due to him knocking the not-so-popular Cameron Rich off the top of the mountain. Borden then cut a promo to put himself over for winning the big one and proclaim himself as the dominant champion who will destroy any challenger that will stand in front of him. Chris Boone & Jayson Disaster vs The Ordinary Guys The Ordinary Guys are ESW's resident duo of relatable, everyman jobbers which helps in garnering sympathy but the outcome of this match was never in question. Still, they were given a fair amount of offence, to the point where it played out more like a somewhat competitive bout and not a complete squash. Some of it may have been necessary improv on the fly though, since Boone yet again showed up drunk to work and messed up more than a few spots. Not as good as it could have been, but still a solid contest that ended with Disaster hitting the Filthy Bomb on Alvin Benson for the pin. Jacob Ruthless vs Joey Relamano Ruthless was his usual self, antagonizing the fans to turn up the heat while Relamano held the match together like the veteran grappler that he is. It made for a decent, if unspectacular match that still told a story and was fun to watch. Between Ruthless' easy to hate character and cowardly heel tactics, the fans slowly riled up behind Relamano and cheered him on, yet it was still more a case of them wanting to see Rutheless get beat rather than wanting to see Relamano win. And win he did, when he caught Ruthless playing to the crowd and cradled him from behind for the quick pin. Destruction vs Zero Former AWF powerhouse Destruction made his ESW debut in a quick and brutal six minute squash against ESW's designated singles jobber, Zero. Destruction dominated the bout and even seemed in a mood to play with his victim, who he tossed around like a rag doll and slammed repeatedly to the mat, before he ultimately pulled off the Total Destruction to end Zero's torment. Lee Harrison came out next with Janet Murrin by his side and addressed the live audience. He talked about how he's been living rent-free in Johnny Chase's head ever since he beat him and Janet Murrin dumped the man, something Chase just can't get over to the point where he had to have another match last month and cheat to win it. As much as Harrison would like to move on to bigger and better things instead of having to deal with Chase again, he just can't rest with leaving a cheater get the last laugh on him. He has to set the record straight, so he requested a rematch. Bradley Merton vs Dirk Ivers No longer having the support of Harvey Keenan to watch his back, this bout was a test of sorts for Dirk Ivers. He tried to grapple his opponent to the mat, but got outwrestled and Merton put that BA in Physical Therapy to good use as he kept Ivers down for a stretch. Few rope breaks later, it was clear that Merton was the better wrestler, so Ivers switched to a striking approach instead. Merton took a beating, but was able to regain his composure and fight back, much to the delight of the audience who cheered him on. There's no denying these two had something going that elevated the experience and Merton even managed to score a clean win over Ivers with the Check Out. Levi Tundra vs Logan Prince Considering the promo Prince cut last month, he found himself booked against Levi Tundra and though you'd think that made him instantly regret his words, Prince showed no shortage of confidence here. He stood his ground and disrespectfully slapped his opponent, then when momentum swung against him, he resorted to stalling and left the ring, motioning for a timeout. Fans took the bait and booed him relentlessly, only for Tundra to convert those boos into cheers for him when he flew out of the ring with a suicide dive to take down Prince. A brief brawl followed on the outside, which Prince got the best of when he reversed an irish whip to send Tundra into the steps, a spot that busted Tundra open. Prince pressed his advantage and mounted him for a few punches on the cut, but when he rolled him in for the pin attempt only got a two count. Tundra fought on and yet again, Prince shut him down with surprisingly fluid reversals, showcasing his technical prowess. It was ego alone that brought about Prince's downfall, the taunting and showboating carrying him away and providing Tundra with enough time to recover during crucial points of the match, until he eventually made his fired up comeback to hit the Arctic Tundra and win the match. ESW Tag Team titles match TW3 vs Seventh Street Saints The tag titles were on the line next as the champions faced their long time rivals. Ca$hmoney was conspicuously absent (due to him signing an exclusive deal with a major promotion after January's show) but that didn't take anything away from the contest. Deep Freeze started the match for his team and quickly dominated the ring, only for the Saints to pick up the speed and use quick tags to throw him off and turn things around. Lil' Dante got tagged and he was able to keep up with the challengers, though they were the ones to cut the ring in half and isolate him on their corner, something that's usually considered a heel tactic. TW3 are over with the fans though despite being heels and somehow the idea of a hot tag to Deep Freeze worked. The big man cleaned house, Lil' Dante picked his spots to come in and do some easy damage, then Freeze hit Flint with the Ring Pop and covered him to retain. After the match was over, TW3 continued the assault and beat down their defeated opponents, just to establish themselves as heels to be disliked despite being over. Flint and Shiozumi seemed like they were done for, until... Two men hiding their faces under some rather patriotic masks ran down to the ring to make the save. They were followed by former CWE World champion Colt Magnum, who seemed to be their coach and guide as they forced TW3 to a retreat. The show ended with the newcomers standing tall, a strong debut for what seems to be ESW's latest addition to the tag team division. Overall Edited September 16, 2022 by DarK_RaideR 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarK_RaideR Posted September 16, 2022 Author Share Posted September 16, 2022 (edited) Manhattan Meltdown 2015 Saturday, Week 3 of March 2015, Tri State, 2.700 fans in attendance w/ Eric Chalice & Jacob Ruthless vs Team USA (with Colt Magnum) After their big debut at the end of last month's show, Team USA opened Manhattan Meltdown with their in-ring debut. Revealed as Independence Day and Mr. America, the duo put on a rather entertaining show to get fans excited against the easy-to-boo pairing of Chalice and Ruthless. With Colt Magnum coaching them from the sidelines, Independence Day held things together thanks to a good mix of technical wrestling and high flying, while Mr. America played worked the crowd using his charisma as he played the part of the powerhouse who waited and then got the hot tag, entering to clear the ring and hit his Star Spangled Banner finisher on Jacob Ruthless to secure the win. Team USA had little time to celebrate, because two new faces walked out and demanded for the music to be cut so they could speak. Taking turns on the microphone, Cornbread Grits Jr. and Chief Strongwolf Jr. introduced themselves as the second generation superstars that they are, while taking jabs at Team USA's gimmickry and berating the fans for cheering them. Furious, Independence Day cut them off and promised to make them eat their words, before Mr. America challenged them to a match next month! Destruction vs Harley Steele Steele was the next victim to get steamrolled by Destruction, the big man toying with him in an absolutely dominant performance until he got bored and flattened him with the Total Destruction. Dirk Ivers vs Kenneth Fairmount Still struggling to find his footing after the departure of Harvey Keenan, Dirk Ivers took on the high flying Kenneth Fairmount in a well received contest. It was a change of pace from mat grappling expert Bradley Merton last month, but Ivers stood his ground as the tough street brawler against some fast paced, athletic offence. Unlike his previous bout against Merton though, Ivers managed to pull off a clean win here without resorting to any shenanigans. Instead, his Anti-Social Remedy finisher did the trick for the 1-2-3. Two months ago, Logan Prince promised to lawyer up and on this night, he revealed his ace (attorney) in the hole: Creighton Fall. Descending from a long and prestigious line of lawyers attached to the wrestling industry, Creighton is the first of his family to take things a step further and enter the squared circle as a competitor. Thus, Prince's move is doubly genious, they claimed, because he not only gained someone to support him legally, but also watch his back in the ring and in the locker room. Cameron Rich & Seventh Street Saints vs Jayson Disaster & TW3 First ever six man tag match to be presented by ESW this year, this was the first for Cameron Rich since losing the ESW Heavyweight title while also building on the rivalry between TW3 and the Saints. The best way to describe this would be "structured chaos". There was intensity and a sense of unpredictability, but things never fell apart as everyone came and went for their planned spots. Furthermore, the finish came out of nowhere when the most unassuming participant of the match, Jayson Disaster, hit a low blow on Rich for the dirty pinfall win. Levi Tundra came out to the ring next with the recently won AAA All Action title around his waist and cut an intense promo, saying he's been on a roll lately but one thing weighs heavily on his mind and its name is Chris Boone. Tundra said he can't stand how he and others are being so passionate, so serious about professional wrestling while people like Boone are allowed to behave so recklessly, so unprofessionally without consequences. This brought out a furious Boone, who took some verbal jabs at Tundra's straight edge lifestyle, saying he thinks he's got the right to act all high and mighty because of it, patronizing him for choices he makes about how he lives his own life. The blurring of kayfabe and reality here had the fans on the edge of their seats, reacting to every punchline and the segment ended with the two men agreeing to meet in the ring next month and find out who the better one is. First Blood match w/ Johnny Chase vs Lee Harrison (with Janet Murrin) Harrison was granted his request of a rematch, but as it was announced, was going to be a First Blood match. This played up to the heated feud between the two, while also promising a decisive winner without any tricks like Chase pulled off last time. What didn't change from their previous match was the wild brawling in and out of the ring, with the stipulation urging both men to behave in increasingly violent ways as they attempted to bust each other open. A good match through and through, with Harrison getting a measure of revenge when he sent his opponent face first onto a turnbuckle that Chase had previously exposed, resulting in his forehead getting a cut that ended the match. Vince Borden made his entrance next and took a moment on the mic to hype up his main event match that was scheduled to happen next. Borden said he welcomed all challengers and it was Joey Relamano who answered the challenge this month, but just like the champion promised, he would destroy any and all challengers, a streak that was set to begin on this night. ESW Heavyweight title match Vince Borden vs Joey Relamano Relamano had a chance to shine in this marquee match and he made the most of it. Borden attempted to bully him around, but through a combination of ring smarts, experience and technical skill, Relamano stayed in the fight and even pushed the champion as his crisp grappling did a lot towards eliminating the size and power advantage of Borden. Things turned around in spectacular fashion however when the Chicago native applied a front facelock to choke Borden, only for the defending champion to power through and lift him up for a delayed vertical suplex that showcased his strength. From that point, Borden took charge of the match and brought the pain like he knows to. Relamano had the occasional moment to respond, but he was never able to chain together more than a couple of moves before Borden put the brakes to kill his momentum and regain control, leading to a pinfall win with the Borden-lands after fourteen and a half minutes. Overall Edited September 16, 2022 by DarK_RaideR 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarK_RaideR Posted September 20, 2022 Author Share Posted September 20, 2022 Showdown in the Big Apple XIV Saturday, Week 3 of April 2015, Tri State, 2.800 fans in attendance w/ Heritage vs Team USA (with Colt Magnum) ESW's latest two arrivals on the tag team scene opened the show after the debut of Heritage last month and Mr. America's subsequent match challenge. There is not doubt the future is bright for all these young men, but showing a bit of vulnerability wouldn't hurt their performances. Bonus points to Mr. America for referencing Lady Liberty and playing up to anything patriotic in the Tri State area, a great showing despite his rather gimmicky character (at least by ESW standards) but it was Cornbread Grits Jr. who picked up the win after a Southern Comfort on Independence Day. Dirk Ivers vs Lionel Delorme What would have otherwise been an uninteresting match suddenly gained heat due to the split in fan support; some cheered for the high flying spots of Delorme against heel Ivers, but almost the other half of the audience gave him the "you can't wrestle" chant and cheered every time Ivers ruined the set up for what was teased to be another Delorme aerial spot. Both competitors played to that dynamic and Ivers took in whatever cheers he could get, while Delorme waved fans off, up to the finish of him poking the eye of Ivers and rolling him up with a hand on his tights to secure the win. Certainly not what you'd call a babyface move from Delorme, who cemented his apparent heel turn by bowing and ironically "thanking" the fans on his way back to the locker room. Logan Prince & Creighton Fall vs The Ordinary Guys Prince was in action alongside Fall for his ESW in-ring debut and their team had no problem playing the bullies against The Ordinary Guys. Very much a character driven match, where fans booed the heels and cheered for every chance at a comeback the faces got, even if the outcome wasn't really in doubt. Creighton Fall got a chance to shine by hitting his Injunction finisher and he scored the pin, some ten minutes into the match. After their win, Prince and Fall requested microphones to put themselves over and gloat about their win. They proclaimed themselves to be "The 1%" and said everyone in ESW better watch their backs. Cameron Rich vs Jayson Disaster Following Disaster's dirty pin in the trios match last month, Rich sought revenge in his first singles match since losing the ESW Heavyweight title. Fans did give him the occasional boo when he slowed things on the mat and cheered for Disaster picking up the pace with a bit of brawling, but anything Rich did, he took the most out of it, whether in terms of psychology and fan reaction or pure damage, resulting in a submission victory for him once he caught Disaster in the Neutraliser. Lee Harrison hit the ring next, with Janet Murrin by his side. Harrison cut a fiery promo to say that he's now done fending off Johnny Chase and after last month's win over him, he's been granted a title match tonight. Harrison said he's glad to have Chase in the rearview mirror, which now allows him to focus on the real chase, and that's the chase for gold. ESW Tag Team titles match TW3 vs Joey Relamano & Kenneth Fairmount A seemingly random pairing to put in a title match, Relamano and Fairmount still proved formidable opponents between the veteran's ring IQ and the youngster's enthusiasm. Lil' Dante tried to take things outside the ring for a dirty brawl, but a corckscrew dive from Fairmount on the other three men put an end to that plan. With the action back between the ropes, Relamano attempted to wrestle Deep Freeze to the mat and eliminate his advantage, but the big man was able to power through and hit the Ring Pop for the pin while Fairmount was still reeling outside the ring. With Freeze looming menacingly in the background and cracking his knuckles, Lil' Dante demanded a mic and proclaimed that TW3 rule ESW's tag team division. They've beaten everyone there is to beat and all these new tag teams better take notice, if they step up they're gonna get put down as well. Levi Tundra vs Chris Boone Fans were hot for this one since the challenge was dropped last month and, as if to prove a point, Boone yet again showed up and wrestled the match while clearly suffering from a terrible hangover. Oddly enough, what this took away from in-ring quality it added in storytelling, blurring the lines between reality and kayfabe as the wasted Boone fought the real-life straightedge Tundra. Even the ending looked odd, to the point where one couldn't tell if it was a sloppy call on the fly or whether it had been expertly put together ahead of time, but Tundra hit his finisher and pinned Boone clean in the middle of the ring. Despite his victory, Tundra didn't seem all that thrilled. Instead, he got on the mic and told Boone that he hopes tonight will be a lesson learned, then offered a handshake. Boone refused to shake his hand though and left the ring, flipping fans off on his way back. ESW Heavyweight title match w/ Vince Borden vs Lee Harrison (with Janet Murrin) As announced, Harrison got his shot at gold and he brought the fight to the champion. Well aware of his power disadvantage, Harrison tried to strike first and overwhelm Borden, which gave him a good chunk of offence before the champion took control. Even then, Harrison refused to give up and lie down as he stayed in the fight and kept kicking out of Borden's big offensive moves. It seemed like his only chance by this point was to stubbornly stay up and exhaust the champion for an opportunity to turn the tables, but the tables were actually turned on him... when Chase made an appearance! Although he did not attack Harrison, Chase went for Murrin instead, pulling her arm and demanding that she follows him out of the arena, nay, come back to him altogether. This of course threw Harrison off his game and the distraction was all the champ needed to zone in and hit the Borden-lands for the pin, retaining the ESW Heavyweight title. Overall 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
619 Posted September 22, 2022 Share Posted September 22, 2022 I just read all four shows and I really enjoyed the pace of the booking. How you’ve been evolving the roster but on a gradual show-by-show basis with a few big moments per card, rather than changing everything all at once. I like how everything has consequences too, like Dirk Ivers struggling after losing Harvey Keenan, or Cameron Rich losing his first match after dropping the title. A few other things that stood out were the First Blood match ending, as I’m a fan of that booking where something dastardly the heel does backfires on them, and the Injunction being the name of the attorney’s finisher (I’m not familiar with this universe so not sure if it’s your work or the mod’s, but it’s perfect). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarK_RaideR Posted September 22, 2022 Author Share Posted September 22, 2022 Thank you and welcome. I try to follow the game's pacing, pop and skill gains are super slow, so with an indy fed with one monthly show and no broadcast deal, it's not like you can strap a rocket onto someone for a few months and turn them into a star, so I have to take the long way around. Plus, it probably makes for a better read if I space out events and play out a story in more episodes. As for the Injunction, it's Creighton Fall's default finisher name in the mod, you have @LoNdOn to thank for that, though I do understand he's taken a lot of player input and ideas from other forum users during the making of the mod, so Creighton Fall may have been a character suggested by someone else. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarK_RaideR Posted September 24, 2022 Author Share Posted September 24, 2022 Family Business 2015 Saturday, Week 3 of May 2015, Pennsylvania Park, Tri State, 2.000 fans in attendance (SOLD OUT) Lee Harrison came out to get the show started and, as expected, addressed his title match from last month. Harrison said although he's done with Chase, apparently Chase is the kind of insecure guy who can't take a loss and has to keep getting involved in other peoples' business. Still, Harrison knows Chase is vying for attention and another match between the two, but he's not going to do him that favor. Instead, Harrison said he wants another shot at gold, with a guarantee that Chase won't get involved again. Instead of Chase, it was Cameron Rich who came out to join him in the ring. The former ESW Heavyweight champion said he respects Harrison's ambition, but he too is out to reclaim his belt. Thus, the powers that be have booked them together in a tag team match for tonight's main event, against the team of Vince Borden and Johnny Chase. Harrison offered a handshake that Rich took to solidify their partnership, but before he let go, Harrison added that he wants to inject some friendly competition and bring out the best of them both: as a gentlemen's agreement, if they win tonight, whoever scores the pin will be the one to challenge for the title. w/ Jacob Ruthless & Lionel Delorme vs Team USA (with Colt Magnum) If anyone wasn't sure about Delorme's heel turn last month, seeing him team up with insufferable pretty boy Jacob Ruthless was proof enough. The amount of ego and posing between the two of them was insufferable, drawing plenty of heat from the fans as well as allowing Mr. America a fun little spot when he challenged the two of them to a posedown mid-match. What's interesting though was the finish, as Jacob Ruthless attempted to remove the mask of Independence Day. Delorme rushed to cut off Mr. America who tried to make the save and Ruthless pinned his disoriented opponent to win the match. After the match, Ruthless got on the mic and told the fans to get used to this, seeing the two of them together and seeing them win. He and Lionel Delorme are the two best looking guys on the ESW roster, he claimed, and their team is... Absolutely Stunning! Logan Prince made his entrance next, but he called for production to cut his music. Instead, he used his moment to hype up Creighton Fall, who would be wrestling in a match next. w/ Bradley Merton vs Creighton Fall (with Logan Prince) This had "outside interference" written all over it, but somehow Prince limited himself to cheering his guy up and antagonizing the fans, which was exactly what was needed as it turned out that Merton and Fall have exceptional chemistry together so Prince didn't draw any attention away from the excellent action. A solid, competitive match that highlighted both competitors, it still ended with interference from Prince that allowed Fall to hit the Injunction for the pin, but holding back throughout the match made that finale sting even more. Destruction vs Kenneth Fairmount Fairmount's had a decent year thus far, so going one on one against Destruction didn't exactly favour his odds to continue down that road. Still, he wrestled surprisingly well, outshining his opponent and even giving him a run for his money, as this was the first time ever that Destruction didn't absolutely squash his opponent in an ESW ring. Instead, he had to cope with Fairmount's fast, athletic style and keeping up was no small task for a man his size. He had to work for it, but eventually he was able to hit the Total Destruction and earn the pinfall win. Heritage vs Seventh Street Saints Heritage seemed to have the advantage here, especially thanks to the size and power of Chief Strongwolf Jr, but the Saints are no strangers to fighting from underneath and they've been teaming up for much longer than their opponents, which helped them stay in the match and even push the opposition. Another open ended, competitive match here with momentum swinging frequently between the two teams, until Chief Strongwolf Jr hit a Sacred Ground on Shiozumi to score the fall and win the match. After the match, Heritage called out TW3 and what they said last month about ruling the tag division in ESW. As Cornbread Grits Jr pointed out, Dante and Freeze have run through all of the tag teams that have been around for a while. He and the Chief have just arrived and they've never faced TW3. If Dante and Freeze have the balls to put those titles on the line, Heritage will be glad to take them and show TW3 who really rules the roost in ESW. Jayson Disaster vs Joey Relamano Jayson Disaster is ESW's "what about me?" guy, obviously skilled and over but never really involved in a major storyline or given a title shot, something that apparently drives him mad. It was this anger and frustration he took out on Relamano here, taking frequent breaks to yell at him that he didn't deserve the tag title shot he got last month or that it was "Jayson friggin Disaster" who should be featured more prominently over all those losers. Between these breaks and his emotions getting the better of him, Disaster gave his opponent more than one opportunity to regroup and gain control of the match, until he got carried over the edge and kicked Relamano in the balls, in full view of the referee who disqualified him. Needless to say, Disaster was furious at the decision and he shoved the ref to the mat, before leaving the ring. Dirk Ivers came out to cut a promo next, but not many expected what he had to say. Ivers said he's been struggling since Harvey Keenan quit ESW, but in this time he's learned a lot about himself and the most important lesson has been how to stand on his own two feet, free from anyone's shadow. He said he wasn't pleased at how Lionel Delorme beat him last month, but he understands doing what's necessary; what he couldn't bear to watch was seeing him this month immediately attach himself to Jacob Ruthless, much like Ivers would attach himself to Keenan in the past. Levi Tundra's music hit and he joined Ivers in the ring, praising him for the steps he's taken to become a better person, as opposed to, say, Chris Boone, who is clearly beyond redemption. Tundra said he respects that and he offered a handshake, but Ivers refused it saying he appreciates it, but doesn't need any recognition from him, or anyone. From now on, Ivers is his own man. w/ Vince Borden & Johnny Chase vs Cameron Rich & Lee Harrison (with Janet Murrin) Unlikely teams in the main event, given how all four men are singles competitors with no known alliances, but the intertwining storylines between them made for a compelling match. Chase let Borden do the heavy lifting for the heel team, picking his spots like the opportunist he is. This in theory should have aided the babyfaces, but the unofficial competition between them about scoring the pin to get a title shot caused a bit of a rift. Thus, both teams had to struggle to get on the same page and it made for a captivating match, on top of the actual in-ring action. The big finish saw Chase argue with Janet Murrin on the apron, only for Harrison to rush in for the save. In all the slapping and shoving that followed, Chase actually dumped Harrison off the top rope and onto Murrin, dropping both to the outside but not before Rich blind tagged himself in to catch a distracted Chase with a roll up for the three count. Overall 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
619 Posted September 24, 2022 Share Posted September 24, 2022 I’m really impressed again that just a few shows in, so many characters have clear identities and motives, and not a single segment feels wasted. Particular highlights were the Ivers progression and not accepting the handshake to solidify his newfound independence, and the smart main event finish to both pay off the contender shot stipulation and give Harrison renewed motivation to go another round with Chase. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarK_RaideR Posted September 24, 2022 Author Share Posted September 24, 2022 1 hour ago, 619 said: I’m really impressed again that just a few shows in, so many characters have clear identities and motives, and not a single segment feels wasted. Particular highlights were the Ivers progression and not accepting the handshake to solidify his newfound independence, and the smart main event finish to both pay off the contender shot stipulation and give Harrison renewed motivation to go another round with Chase. Thanks again for your feedback. I do indeed try to not have any "filler" segments, so it's nice that it comes across. Ivers' promo was a moment of inspiration, but I knew I wanted the juxtaposition with Boone and that since his new gimmick is Loner, he wouldn't take the handshake, make any alliances or replace Keenan's shadow with Tundra's. And yeah, the main event was probably predictable but it gives Rich a reason to have a title rematch and keeps Harrison away from the title for a while so he can have the rubber match against Chase. I've done another ESW diary in the past so I know the characters, but it helps that they're so well fleshed out already (plus all the awesome portraits). It really is a great mod and I've almost fine-tuned its conversion to TEW20 while I still hold out hope that @LoNdOn releases a proper updated version 🙄 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarK_RaideR Posted October 3, 2022 Author Share Posted October 3, 2022 Bad to the Core 2015 Saturday, Week 3 of June 2015, Pennsylvania Park, Tri State, 2.000 fans in attendance (SOLD OUT) The show began with an entrance and promo by Vince Borden. The ESW Heavyweight champion revealed that the semi main event would see Johnny Chase and Lee Harrison go at it inside a steel cage. Since the structure would be set up for that, he said, there's no reason to tear it down again after the match: he would also be defending his title against Cameron Rich inside the cage! Destruction vs Bradey Merton The opening match saw Destruction pick up another win to extend his undefeated streak, but yet again he had to work for it instead of having an easy night. Merton absorbed plenty of offence, showed off his technical prowess in the moments he used submission wrestling to counter his much larger opponent and stayed in the fight for almost ten minutes, before he was taken out with a Total Destruction. Out next were the ESW Tag Team champions. With Deep Freeze cracking his knuckles in the background, Lil' Dante cut a promo for the upcoming four way tag team ladder match that would crown the next contender for the titles. According to Dante, whoever came out of that match victorious better watch their back and hold no hope, because the titles weren't going anywhere but around the waists of him and his teammate. #1 Contender Ladder Tag Team match w/ Absolutely Stunning vs Heritage vs The 1% vs Team USA (with Colt Magnum) A showcase of ESW's newly bolstered tag team division, this match had a little bit of everything and with so many people around to cut off anyone climbing the ladder, there was a lot of action that extended the duration of the bout. Excluding a dive off the ladder by Independence Day, there were no insane high flying spots off of it but there was a fair share of using it as a weapon, especially by the massive Chief Strongwolf Jr. who at one point spun it around to take out every member of the competition. Team USA were the absolute fan favourites in this as they were the only babyface team up against three pairings of heels and they triumphantly overcame the odds when Independence Day found himself alone on top of the ladder, considered another dive but instead (and thanks to a bit of reasoning from Colt Magnum on the outside) completed his ascent to grab the briefcase with the contract guaranteeing his team a shot at tag team gold. After the match, Team USA celebrated their victory and got on the mic to warn TW3 that their time on top is coming to an end. Jayson Disaster vs Levi Tundra Disaster got to do some more character work here, taking out his frustrations on ESW's poster boy Tundra, who he yelled at frequently, saying he's been overlooked while Tundra has been receiving favourable treatment. Despite the violent onslaught, Tundra was able to recompose himself and push back, but Disaster got the last laugh thanks to a bit of extra leverage from the ropes as he scored the dirty pinfall win. Dirk Ivers came out after the match and spoke about blazing his own path. Ivers said he understands fans were frustrated with the way he treated Levi Tundra, but after all this time under Keenan, Ivers has smartened up. Jayson Disaster, he said, has been trying to get into his head backstage by telling him they have both been overlooked and should rally against "the man". Levi Tundra wants to portray himself as Ivers' saviour and protector. No matter what anyone says, Ivers has made up his mind and will no longer trust anyone but himself, he will no longer hide behind anyone. Steel Cage Grudge match w/ Johnny Chase vs Lee Harrison (with Janet Murrin) A much anticipated contest here and an early candidate to steal the show, thanks to both the storied rivalry between the two men and their undeniable chemistry when facing each other. There were no flashy aerial moves or crisp technical wrestling on display, just a down and dirty brawl that was made all the more intense by the presence of the cage that contained it. Chase used every dirty trick he could get away with, including the use of the cage as a weapon, driving Harrison onto it and grinding his busted face on the wires to maximize the damage. Harrison fought back with all the fire he could muster and between his white outfit and his blonde hair, the visual of him bleeding in such a match drew a lot of parallels to legendary brawls of the past in southern territories. After about fifteen action packed minutes of fighting, Harrison hit the third Integrity Tamer of the match (first one Chase kicked out of, second one he was too spent to make the cover in time) and collapsed on top of his nemesis to get the three count victory. Cage match for the ESW Heavyweight title Vince Borden vs Cameron Rich Just as advertised, the cage was kept in place and the main event also took place within its confines. There was an interesting story told here, with Rich now smartened up to his opponent in their rematch but his mat grappling style not quite being the best fit for a cage match. This conflict made his life hard, while also complicating things for Borden, who was faced with a lot of reversals but also had a chance to unleash even more violence thanks to the match stipulation. That said, there was a surprising frequency in the shift of momentum, making this a pretty competitive match through and through, but at the end of the day Rich's dreams of regaining the title anytime soon were shattered along with his body when the champion nailed a Borden-lands to retain. Overall 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarK_RaideR Posted October 8, 2022 Author Share Posted October 8, 2022 Justice Prevails 2015 Saturday, Week 3 of July 2015, Tri State, 2.200 fans in attendance The 1% marched out as the show began and grabbed a mic to announce that they will be appealing the result of last month's ladder match. They claimed to have a solid case, backed by video evidence. Fans booed and chanted about them being sore losers, then their opponents came out for the opening match. The 1% vs Bradley Merton & Zero Oddly enough, the random pairing of Merton and Zero showcased an intuitive chemistry as a team, the former's mat work providing the sweet science to the latter's flashy aerial offence. It didn't help them much as they still lost the match after Prince hit the Market Crash on Zero, but it kept them in the fight longer than expected and made for a pretty competitive, entertaining bout to get the show going. Joey Relamano vs Lionel Delorme Still bearing the physical signs of the hits he sustained during last month's ladder match, Delorme took on Relamano and the veteran seemed to have it all figured out as he kept the youngling grounded for a stretch. Delorme had to take risks and up the pace of the bout to stand a chance, but that wasn't a strategy he could keep going for long. A failed dive later and a suplex from Relamano turned the tide, which is about the time Jacob Ruthless marched to the ring, seemingly to give Delorme a pep talk. Both competitors and the ref seemed confused as to the intentions of Rutheless, but Relamano was the first to refocus and he used the opportunity to pull off the Chi-Town Crossover on his opponent for the pin. After the match, Delorme seemed frustrated, Ruthless tried to explain he was only there to support him but the Frenchman insisted his true intention was to steal his spotlight. The announce team wondered if there's already tension in Absoluetly Stunning, yet it never came to a boiling point as eventually the two men would leave the ring without further bickering. Destruction vs Dirk Ivers Destruction's momentum seems to be coming to a slow, grinding halt as his matches have been turning from one sided squashes into more and more competitive contests. Dirk Ivers was the latest one to give the big man trouble and although he couldn't beat the monster, neither was Destruction able to complete the job as the 15 minute time limit expired with no clear winner between them. With the match over, Johnny Chase made his way to the ring and approached a frustrated Destruction, his hands in the air signalling he wasn't here for trouble. Instead of addressing him on the mic though, Chase leaned in and said something in the big man's ear. Destruction seemed puzzled but there was no definite resolution here, since Chase could be heard saying "think about it" before leaving the ring. ESW Tag Team titles match w/ TW3 vs Team USA (with Colt Magnum) Despite their undeniable charisma and momentum, Team USA still have their detractors for being too gimmicky, so fan support was 50-50 here with many in favour of ESW's resident gangsta pair. Quick tags allowed the faces to gain an early advantage, then Deep Freeze hit the brakes thanks to his power when he clotheslined Mr. America over the rope to the outside. This initiated a ringside brawl which is where TW3 are most comfortable, working the challengers over before the action was returned to the ring. Independence Day managed to reverse a chokeslam into a pinning rana for a two count and Mr. America got the hot tag for a comeback, which Dante shot down thanks to a sneaky eye poke. It seemed as though the heels were about to wrap things up, but then Independence Day caught Dante this time in a small package and was able to hold him down for three while Mr. America rushed in to fend off Deep Freeze. New champions! Team USA had no time to enjoy their victory, as Heritage rushed down to the ring and attacked them. Cornbread Grits got on the mic to remind everyone that he and Chief Strongwolf Jr. have had these guys' number since day one: they attacked them after their debut, they beat them in their first and only match so far against each other and it took a four way tag match for Team USA to get this shot, without them ever pinning or submitting Heritage. Grits said this would be the case when they meet again soon, with Heritage once more getting the best of the masked duo, this time with the tag team titles on the line. w/ Jayson Disaster vs Lee Harrison (with Janet Murrin) Harrison came in with all the shine of a man who'd just won a cage match against his nemesis last month, so of course this did not sit well with Jayson Disaster who once again took out his frustrations on an opponent. Judging from his words between moves, Disaster was jealous even of the mere fact that a cage had been set up for Harrison's match, when no such investment had ever been made for a match of his own. Despite the two men not being involved in a storyline, this hatred and intensity on Disaster's part added some much needed heat to the solid in-ring action to make for a main events that really drew fans in. What's interesting though is the finish, where Disaster fell to the mat near the edge of the ring and he grabbed Murrin's clutch bag out of her hands. Murrin got on the apron to protest, which momentarily drew the referee's attention, allowing for a shot between Harrison's eyes with the bag and a quick cover from Disaster, who stole the win. After the match, Levi Tundra came out but Disaster cut him off when he quickly got on the mic to say he doesn't need another preachy speech from goody two shoes clean cut Tundra about his ways. Tundra smiled and said it was these very ways that gave Disaster the win in the match between them last month but, he continued, he's not here to complain. When they first met this year on January, it was Tundra who got the win, so he knows he absolutely can beat Disaster. He wouldn't bother with him any more, he'd go straight for a shot at the title, but given Disaster's complaining and the score between them being one victory each, he wanted to take out two birds with one stone: beat Disaster for good and skip his inevitable complaining if Tundra had gone directly for gold, by defeating him next month in a match to determine the #1 contender for Vince Borden's title. Before Disaster could agree, Vince Borden's music hit and the ESW Heavyweight champion came out to ensure them that he would beat whoever's placed in front of him, hell, he was even willing to take them on both at the same time! The show ended with the fans cheering over that suggestion, yet leaving doubt as to whether they should expect that triple threat match next month or if it's going to be Disaster versus Tundra with the winner going one on one against Borden. Overall 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarK_RaideR Posted October 14, 2022 Author Share Posted October 14, 2022 Broadway Beatdown 2015 Saturday, Week 3 of August 2015, Tri State, 2.300 fans in attendance Absolutely Stunning vs The Ordinary Guys Last month's friction between Ruthless and Delorme seemed to carry over, causing some miscommunication and hesitation for Absolutely Stunning that The Ordinary Guys were able to exploit, making for a surprisingly competitive match. This was the story all the way to the finish, when Jacob Ruthless hit his finisher on a defenseless Harley Steele but instead of pinning him, he tagged in Delorme and invited him to score the pin, as if to prove a point that he wasn't trying to steal his spotlight. After the match, Ruthless got on the mic to claim that "Absolutely Stunning are FINE" and the two men hugged it out as the audience booed them. Deep Freeze vs Zero The only surprising thing about this squash match was the fact it took so long. Deep Freeze was his usual silent but violent self and he took out his frustration for losing the tag titles on Zero, who he threw around the ring until he'd had enough and finally went for the pin. Kenneth Fairmount vs Lil' Dante Lil' Dante also went solo for this night, but not only he lacked his partner's physical prowess, he was also in the ring with a much more capable opponent. As tough as the matchup was for Dante, it made for a way more exciting bout for the fans, Fairmount's athleticism meshing well with the fireplug brawling of Dante. A match that really could have gone either way, this one ended with Dante taking the Omega Driver and the pin as Fairmount celebrated, with the broacast team putting him over in light of his upcoming tour in Japan with JWA. Prince and Fall came out with shit-eating grins on their faces to announce that their appeal was a success and they've been offered a shot at the tag team titles as compensation. This brought out Heritage, who objected and repeated their promo from last month about having Team USA's number to say they're the real #1 contenders who should be wrestling for the titles next. Seventh Street Saints joined them in the ring and also pleaded their case, saying they should be getting a chance as they weren't even included in that Ladder match. Heritage were all too happy to solve this between the ropes right now, but Prince and Fall wouldn't hear it, as they claimed they would not get involved in another multi tag match, where they could lose without getting pinned or submitted. Fans jeered them for their cowardice, but The 1% waved them away and left, leaving the other two teams to duke it out. Heritage vs Seventh Street Saints Though probably not an official #1 contender match, this was still a matter of pride for these two teams and no man held back. Grits and Strongwolf spent most of their time on offence, but the Saints proved yet again they're hard to kill and kept bouncing back from everything that was thrown at them. This frustrated their opponents and eventually, led to a rookie mistake on Strongwolf's part; the second generation star overcomitted and Shiozumi managed to reverse into a roll up for the surprise pinfall win. w/ Vince Borden & Destruction vs Joey Relamano & Lee Harrison (with Janet Murrin) Borden & Destruction have never had an interaction in ESW, so seeing them team up was sudden but it made immediate sense. Relamano and Harrison had to bring their A game for this match. Their plan was simple in trying to isolate the less experienced Destruction, bring him to the mat and work over a limb with technical wrestling, but that's easier said and done when both your opponents are as big as a Mack truck and hit just as hard. Match of the night, no doubt, and a big moment for Destruction who held his own with the ESW veterans to pin Relamano in the end. After the match, Destruction turned to also attack Harrison. Borden didn't care to join in, but Relamano and Harrison teamed up and in all the chaos, Johnny Chase ran out to assist Destruction with two sneaky brass knuckle shots. I quit match Jayson Disaster vs Levi Tundra It was announced before the match that in order to ensure an undeniable outcome, the only way to win would be by verbally submitting. Disaster was all too happy to make full use of the stipulation, mostly bringing the fight out of the ropes and holding onto submissions since he couldn't be forced to release because of rope breaks. A hard fight that never really slipped into hardcore or crazy brawl territory, the main event showcased Disaster's skill and character, while keeping Tundra as the clean cut babyface who wouldn't cheat but also wasn't going to give up. Tundra would have ended the match around the 12th minute when he hit his Arctic Tundra finisher, but the bout couldn't end via pinfall. Disaster desperately tried to make a comeback, but it was short lived and few minutes later, Tundra locked in a Boston Crab that forced his opponent to give up. Overall 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigelow Cartwheel Posted October 14, 2022 Share Posted October 14, 2022 (edited) I’m not familiar with the Londonverse but am enjoying how you’re creating the characters from essentially a blank canvas (as with any non-RW scenario). As previously noted, good pacing, not rushed. Enjoying the action, will check back. 👍 Edited October 14, 2022 by Bigelow Cartwheel 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarK_RaideR Posted October 31, 2022 Author Share Posted October 31, 2022 City Never Sleeps 2015 Saturday, Week 3 of September 2015, Tri State, 2.400 fans in attendance Jayson Disaster vs Zero Jayson Disaster seems to be perpetually in a bad mood, but his big loss in last month's main event made him even more bitter and he took his frustrations out on Zero. The masked high flyer only got a couple of chances to put in a bit of offence and none of it really paid off; Disaster kept things one sided and got an easy win via his Filthy Bomb finisher. Of course, Disaster had more bubbling inside him and after the match, he took the mic to air his grievances. Maybe it was the adrenaline still pumping, but he seemed to stumble a bit and it clashed with what he was saying and the intensity of its deliverance. Still got the fans to boo him though, so mission accomplished. TW3 vs Seventh Street Saints This was TW3's first match together after losing the tag team titles. Between that and their very different results in their respective singles matches, the team seemed to have a few issues working together, which in turn allowed the Saints to gain control of the match. It looked as if the situation was leaning in favour of the babyfaces, then all of a sudden Titus Flint spun around and floored his teammate with a spinning back elbow! Fans were shocked, but Deep Freeze was there to hit the Ring Pop and score the pin. In the aftermatch, Flint celebrated with TW3 and left the ring with them, thus cementing his shock heel turn and leaving an explanation to be desired next time he's around. Dirk Ivers came out and said he had a few things to talk about after his time limit draw against Destruction, but Absolutely Stunning interrupted him to make fun of his hairstyle, his facial hair, his posture, you name it. Ivers initially paid them no attention, but when it became clear they wouldn't stop, he left the ring to get them. Ruthless and Delorme ran backstage cackling and the three men disappeared out of view. ESW Tag Team titles match w/ The 1% vs Team USA (with Colt Magnum) Creighton Fall's lawsuit finally paid off and The1% were given their title match here. All a good chance for Mr. America to shout out stuff about "truth, justice and the American way" before hitting a big move. On paper, his character should be so over the top comedic and cartoony it would never work in ESW, but his sheer charisma and creativity in coming up with stuff about America and specifically New York have made him a surprise hit with the fans. What was also a surprise was the cradle that Independence Day got on Creighton Fall, while he was busy arguing with Logan Prince on the apron. Team USA retain and that put The 1% in a very, very bad mood. Heritage jumped at the opportunity to come out and make fun of The 1%, saying they finally got their chance with no other teams around and still failed; now it was finally time for the one team who's been consistently handing the champions their asses to get a shot at gold. When that happens, Heritage will be the new ESW Tag Team champions! Lee Harrison hit the ring and cut a promo on Johnny Chase. Harrison called Chase a sore loser who just won't move on; won't move on past his loss to Harrison, won't move past the fact that Janet Murrin left him. Still, Harrison said he'd be all too happy to teach Chase that lesson if he would come out to fight him. Instead, it was Destruction who walked out and just like that, the match was set. w/ Destruction vs Lee Harrison (with Janet Murrin) Harrison is no pushover and seeing Destruction go from squashes to competitive wins to time limit draws since his arrival had paved the way for fans to accept this back and forth match without it diminishing the big man's aura. Using smart wrestling and technical reversals, Harrison stayed in the game and even made some attempt to work his opponent's leg, but he just didn't get enough damage done in time and ended up taking the Total Destruction for an emphatic win by the big man. ESW Heavyweight title match Vince Borden vs Levi Tundra Main event time, one that ESW fans have been expecting all year to see given Tundra's trajectory. Borden didn't seem impressed though and he brought the pain, punishing his challenger early on in the match. It took a lot of perseverance on Tundra's part (and pulling the top rope down as Borden was charging for a lariat, to get him out of the ring) to turn things around. A springboard dive and a DDT to the floor later, Tundra was in control and he covered some lost ground but Borden's power gave him the advantage in the ringside brawl. With things back in the ring, Tundra surprised the champion with a sunset flip for a near fall and once again, used his own momentum against him when he dodged a charge to send Borden crashing to the corner. An enzuguiri dropped a reeling Borden and one Arctic Tundra later, the ref made the three count. Winner AND NEW ESW Heavyweight champion, Levi Tundra! Overall 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarK_RaideR Posted November 7, 2022 Author Share Posted November 7, 2022 24/7 2015 Saturday, Week 3 of October 2015, Tri State, 2.300 fans in attendance Johnny Chase opened the show and said he wanted to be the first to challenge the new ESW Heavyweight champion, Levi Tundra. Lee Harrison came out instead and he said he hasn't forgotten how Chase attacked him after his match at Broadway Beatdown two months ago; Harrison thought their beef was over after he beat a bloody Chase inside the cage, but Chase clearly couldn't move on so now, Harrison had to deal with him again and pay him back for his sneak attack. Chase gave him a Cheshire grin and said he had an idea how to deal with this. In tonight's main event, Harrrison would team up with Tundra against Chase and Destruction; if Chase's team wins, he gets a title shot but if Harrison's team wins, he gets that one last match he wants against Chase. Too good a deal to pass up, Harrison agreed and just like that, the main event was set! The 1% vs The Ordinary Guys Harley Steele showed up for this match with significant muscle mass added to his frame since the last time he was around, now clearly too buff to be called just a Middleweight. Perhaps Steele aspires to be more than just a generic jobber and if so, working on his appearance is a way to achieve it. The booking team certainly seemed to think he was worth a reward for his efforts and so Steele ended up catching Creighton Fall in his Test Your Steele submission finisher for the tap out. Yet again, Fall cost his team a match and it seemed that Logan Prince is quickly losing patience with the in-ring performance of his legal representative. ESW Tag Team titles match w/ Heritage vs Team USA (with Colt Magnum) A long awaited and buit up contest between two young and exciting tag teams, the match probably didn't live up to the expectations and while part of it might have to do with the inexperience of its participants, certainly a bigger part has to do with the lack of selling on display. Independence Day was the only one who remembered to sell a bit of his opponents' offence, Cornbread Grits Jr at times too, while Strongwolf and Mr. America were all about the offence. Not bad, but not as great as it should have been either. Shocking finish though, with Grits taking out Magnum at ringside to keep Independence Day distracted while Strongwolf Jr. hit Mr. America with a Sacred Gound for the pin. Winners AND NEW ESW Tag Team champions, Heritage! Kenta Shiozumi vs Titus Flint Very much a grudge match after Flint's betrayal, this bout was personal between the two former teammates and it showed in the intensity of their strikes. It was also evident how well they know each other by the way they countered, dodged and reversed each other's moves. Shiozumi also tapped into his fighting spirit and pulled off a temporary invincibility no-sell spot that really popped the fans and it won't be a shock if he slowly incorporates it as a regular part of his matches' psychology. For now, he had his moment to push back and Flint cemented his heel turn when he used the timekeeper's hammer to smash his opponent and set up the finishing sequence in his favour. After winning the match, Titus Flint got on the mic and talked down Shiozumi, saying this is the reason he turned his back on him: Kenta isn't willing to go all the way, to do what it takes to win. Flint said he's tired of always hitting a glass ceiling and that he finally decided to ditch Shiozumi in order to ascend to new heights on his own. Dirk Ivers came out next and he cut a scathing promo on Absolutely Stunning. Ivers said he was offered a tag team match against Ruthless and Delorme if he could find a partner, but despite not having one, he's still present and ready to fight. Absolutely Stunning made their entrance and said the reason he's all alone is because nobody backstage likes him. Ivers smiled and said he's not here to be liked, he's here for a fight. Last month he gave chase and Absolutely Stunning ran away like the cowards they are, two men running off from one guy. Why should he need someone else on his side to take them on? Absolutely Stunning vs Dirk Ivers Ivers may have bitten off more than he could chew when he got himself involved in this handicap match. He is no monster bulldozing over smaller men, so he had his work cut out for him against his opponents, especially Delorme who seemed to be having a great night in terms of in-ring performance. As good as Ivers was, the numbers don't lie and he could only go on for so long before exhaustion and piled-up damage took their toll on him, setting him up for a French Connection and the pin from Delorme. w/ Johnny Chase & Destruction vs Levi Tundra & Lee Harrison (with Janet Murrin) A much anticipated match with high stakes on both sides, this didn't disappoint and it ended the show on a high note as the best bout of the night, just like every main event should be. The Chase and Harrison feud has been well documented, as has their chemistry in the ring, and Harrison also had some exchanges with Destruction, which made the action carry weight whenever he was in the ring. Tundra had no history with any of the other men in this match, but as the fresh champion and exciting babyface, he didn't need much more past that either. A great back and forth contest with some nice tag team moves and fluid teamwork, the match saw Harrison get the win with an Integrity Tamer on Chase, thus setting up their future encounter and giving Harrison the early advantage in terms of momentum and psychology. Overall 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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