Loser Leaves AW
Johnny Bacchus vs. Downfall
Adilene Floyd: The following is scheduled for ONE FALL, and it is a Loser Leaves AW match!!
The crowd, already pumped up from the full night of exciting AW action, are driven into a frenzy, because everyone knows what this means.
Chris Avery: There can only be one winner here tonight! All rules are out the window! This is as personal and dangerous a grudge match as any we've seen in recent history!Billy: Oh, the DRAMA! The GRAVITAS!!Adilene Floyd: Introducing first...
Entrance:The lights in the arena cut out as the opening notes of “The Death of Peace of Mind” begin to play over the P.A. On the Actiontron, a series of images and letters flash:
the letter I, a match lighting a prayer candle,
the letter N, a set of onyx rosary beads,
the letter S, an illustration from John Milton’s “Paradise Lost” of Lucifer cast from Heaven,
the letter U, a black balaclava being pulled over a face,
the letter R, a sigil drawn on a concrete floor,
the letter G, an illustration of Icarus plummeting to Earth,
the letter E, bullets falling from the cylinder of a revolver,
the letter N, a coat being pulled over shoulders,
the letter T, a set of hands pulling on a single black leather glove,
the letter S, a woman’s eyes,
the letter I, the gloved hand wrapping around the handle of a baseball bat
the letter A, two silhouetted figures
As Noah Sebastian’s vocals begin, a spotlight hits one end of the stage. Beneath it walks Johnny Bacchus, dressed in a black turtleneck and peacoat with a balaclava over his head and the black baseball bat draped over his shoulder. The lights go black once more, and with each hit of the echoing 808, the spotlights flash to reveal him walking towards the center of the stage. One there, he stands under an icy blue spotlight, down the ramp towards the ring. Johnny reaches up to pull the balaclava off his head, and the lights explode in a strobe burst before coming fully on as the song kicks into a more driving beat.
Adilene Floyd: Making his way to the ring, hailing from Los Angeles, California and weighing in at 215 lbs... JOHNNY BACCHUS!!
At the base of the ramp, Johnny circles the ring, eventually placing the bat beside the stairs before he takes to the steps and vaults over the top rope. After he goes to the corner, Johnny pulls himself up to stand on the middle rope. Looking out over the crowd, he takes in the reaction before pulling off his turtleneck and discarding it to the outside. As he turns to sit on the top turnbuckle and glowers at his adversaries, a quiet, confident smile parses his lips as the lights slowly come on.
Chris Avery: Johnny holds the records for longest-reigning Pure champion. He is a former Hardcore champion. Former Tag champion. Johnny has left such a mark in his brief career... and he has to put it all on the line tonight!Billy: He's gonna need every bit of that surviving an exploding ring energy to survive this tonight!!Adilene Floyd: And his opponent...
The arena lights dim, as the crowd goes silent and a blazing neon-red Anarchy symbol appears on the tron, which then transitions into the symbol becoming the A in Downfall's name. Then, as the jumbotron begins playing images of shots of Downfall hitting various kicks and signature moves, the opening drum rhythm to "Mainlining Murder" begins.
"Don't touch me baby your fingertips, they feel like pins across my skin
Just light another cigarette so I don't regret, inviting you over
Well, don't hold my hand or I'll punch your face
I'm a hungry rat in this hole I waste
There's no blood to taste in this awful place
I'm mainlining murder!
I'm mainlining murder!!"
Adilene Floyd: Weighing in at 217 lbs... he hails from Chicago, Illinois... DOWNFALL!
As the music is kicking in harder, Downfall's head is bowed, and he kneels one knee on the stage, tracing the fingers of his right hand across the ramp, then he slowly raises his head to look at the ring. In his left hand, he is carrying a long, curved, black iron crowbar... and, to chilling effect, as Downfall stands, he looks at the crowbar and nods his head. The arena lights brighten, and then, he begins his walk down to the ring, holding his arms out to take in the reaction of the crowd. The crowd, some put off by his newer, more aggressive demeanor and the presence of the crowbar in his hand, boo, but there are still some, hoping for him to listen to his better angels, that cheer. He cracks his neck to the side in an aggressive manner and, one hand on the crowbar, raises it up over his head and as Lars' voice reaches the roughest note of the bridge he slides in the ring, walks over to the ropes and balances himself on the second rope, and then he holds his arms up in a crossed-wrist X symbol. Then he hops down, takes off his leather jacket, sets the crowbar down in the corner, and stretches for the match.
Chris Avery: No partners in sight, just the hatred, the enmity between these two men. No assistance beyond the weapons they've chosen. Not even any morality, just the ugly shades of grey these two have drabbed themselves in!Billy: Downfall looks ready to rip off JB's head and shit down his neck!!Bacchus has none of his smart-mouthed, aggravating trollishness to his demeanor, but he taunts Downfall just the same as the bell rings. The history and bad blood between both men is boiling over. Downfall, incensed, comes towards Bacchus, shoving him. Bacchus, piqued and mouthing "Come on then, bitch" and dares Downfall to come in, and Downfall charges in, blindly, and Johnny takes him out of his element by sidestepping, grabbing Downfall from the back and pulling him over into a schoolboy rollup. Downfall, pissed off, pops up out of that quickly, and Johnny rolls onto his chest, Downfall goes for a buzzsaw kick and Johnny scouts it again and pulls Downfall over into a cradle pin. The referee has to reposition from the blitzing, berserk pace, and barely had any time to get ready for this.
The referee: One... Kickout!
Johnny pushes himself up on his elbows, and shoots a look at Downfall, who has his mouth open in a bit of shock and anger. Johnny motions that it was that close. Downfall, snarling, gets up again, and pulls Johnny up to his feet only for Johnny to counter into a rolling La Magistral cradle! The referee, clearly not pleased that this match is about twenty seconds in and he's already having to hustle for these pins, drops down for the cover.
The referee: One... Kickout!
Downfall explodes out of the la Magistral, and he bangs on the mat, getting frustrated, as he gets to his feet, and he tries to stomp his boot right down on Johnny, but Johnny rolls out of the way, going all the way to the ropes. Downfall's head snaps over and he glares at Johnny, but Johnny motions that that was twice, clearly getting in Downfall's head.
Chris Avery: I think Johnny is trying to impress clearly on Downfall that the pinfalls have weight and meaning in this match. If Johnny can surprise Downfall with a quick rollup here in the early goings, there's no coming back from it... all he needs is a three-count, and Downfall's career here in AW is over!Downfall swarms Johnny, not letting him get up and clubbing him over the head as Johnny gets up using the ropes. Downfall, moving quickly, wraps Johnny in the ropes and begins giving him beats of the Bodhran-style clubs to the chest, beating Johnny into submission. Johnny sags a little, as Downfall furiously slaps him over the back of the head, shouting "Let's see those tricks now!" Downfall goes to pull Johnny through the ropes by his hair back into the ring, but as Downfall goes for a double underhook, Johnny fights it with all of his might. Downfall is having trouble clasping his hands on the double underhook, as Johnny is flexing his shoulder muscles and trying to keep them apart. Downfall frees one hand to mercilessly pound Johnny across the back, dropping Johnny to one knee. But then, Johnny grabs the leg with the arm Downfall freed and picks the ankle, tripping Downfall onto his back and quickly rolling over with a jackknife cover! Downfall is shocked, and the referee, once again has to get on top of the count...
The referee: One...
Downfall, holding on to Johnny's midsection in the jackknife cover, begins to bridge upwards, and wrestle him around. Downfall clamps on to the midsection like a gator performing a death roll. Johnny tries his hardest to avoid being turned over from the jackknife cover, but Downfall rises up with them both bridged up off the mat, and rolls Johnny over... now Downfall is able to lift the smaller Johnny up and turns him over, hooking the arms and rolling Johnny over into a backslide! Turnabout is fair play, mf... the referee drops into the cover.
The referee: One... Kickout.
Johnny pops out of the backslide, and Downfall doesn't waste the time in pointing out the reverse of Johnny's taunting is true, that if he had gotten a three-count there, Johnny would be gone... Nah, Downfall, a bit more vengeful, rises up and potatoes Johnny right in the fucking ear with a right hand. Bacchus fires right back with a shot, Downfall lands a knife edge chop across the chest of Bacchus, and the gloves come off!
Chris Avery: We've devolved into RIGHT HANDS!!Billy: I think that the opening minutes of each man just saying "Hey if I do this, you're gone for good" and just getting, like, really pissed off about it.Bacchus comes right back with an open handed chop across the chest of Downfall! Downfall swings with a right hand only to be blocked by Bacchus, Bacchus counters with a right hand rocking Downfall back against the ropes. Bacchus comes forward only to have Downfall come off the ropes with a boot the midsection, and he tries to lift Johnny up for the Godkiller only to have Bacchus squirm free by dropping to the mat and sliding out to the floor! Downfall walks towards the ropes showing Bacchus how close he was to suffering a humiliating defeat.
Chris Avery: And once again, it's in the front of each man's mind... they want to put the other man away. If Downfall hits that Godkiller, it's over. Johnny is done.The referee backs Downfall up before turning around to lay the count to Bacchus only to find Bacchus crawling up to the ring apron, re-entering the ring. Bacchus and Downfall circle each other before locking up center ring. Each man jockey for position, they continue to jockey before it's Downfall who snaps Bacchus over with a deep arm drag. Downfall reaches his feet while Bacchus reaches one knee. Downfall motions towards Bacchus while screaming in his face.
Downfall: THIS IS THE LAST TIME, JOHNNY!! YOU'VE STOOD IN THE WAY OF MY LEGACY FOR THE LAST TIME!
The crowd pops as Bacchus responds with a middle finger right in front of the eyes, shouting back to Downfall defiantly.
Bacchus: FUCK YOUR LEGACY AND FUCK YOU!
Chris Avery: These two men know what's so important to each other, they know how to push each other's buttons and get in their heads.The referee tries to talk to Downfall only to have Downfall brush past him as Bacchus stands to his feet catching Downfall coming in with a thumb to the eye! The crowd responds with a ferocious roar as Bacchus drives Downfall back into a corner where he unloads with right hands before swapping with chops across the chest before transitioning into boots to the chest before bringing Downfall out of the corner with a snapmare take over, which is followed up with a shining wizard! Bacchus quickly makes the cover hooking the near leg of Downfall.
The referee: One... Kickout.
Downfall throws a shoulder up the mat breaking the count. Bacchus gets back up onto his feet within milliseconds of Downfall’s elbow bouncing off the canvas and delivers a sharp kick to Downfall’s chest as he reaches a kneeling position. Downfall winces, winded from the thrust of Bacchus’s foot. He goes for a second, but this time Downfall catches his foot and twists it sharply, throwing Bacchus off his feet. Downfall clambers to his feet, slapping an ankle lock in place. Bacchus grimaces as Downfall tries to twist the ankle like a stubborn bottle cap. Bacchus is able to grab a hold of the nearest rope, yet Downfall hauls Bacchus back into the center of the ring before the referee can force Downfall to break the hold. Not yielding to Downfall’s early submission hold, Bacchus tries to fold his head and neck beneath his torso, succeeding in flipping himself over and sending Downfall flying into the ropes with a helpful shove from his free boot.
Chris Avery: These two have not let up since the opening bell.Downfall gets back to his feet right into a deep arm drag from Bacchus. Downfall, turned inside out, stumbles to his feet, and Bacchus grips the arm, irish whips him into the corner and follows in for a monkey flip that throws Downfall all the way across the ring! Downfall tries to move himself away from the ropes and instead settles himself in one of the turnbuckles. As he turns, he is met with a full-steam straight ahead splash from Johnny, who had charged all the way from the opposite corner. Downfall stumbles forwards a little, Bacchus leads him towards the center of the ring before delivering a bulldog to Downfall. Johnny goes for a swift cover…
The ref: One
Two- Kickout from Downfall.
Billy: I would say Johnny knows it's too early for that, but does he? DOES HE?Bacchus is undeterred. He goes to lift Downfall up but is met by a heelish thumb to the eye. Downfall then throws Bacchus swiftly between the middle and top rope to the outside, and he rests before getting to his feet. Downfall exits the ring, finding Johnny, gripping his forehead before delivering a stiff punch right to the face that sends Bacchus stumbling about five feet away. Downfall follows Johnny down the aisle, laying in a few more punches, and then grabbing his head, talking some trash, and giving him a harsh Russian legsweep into the side of the guardrail. The back of Bacchus's head hits the steel with a resounding crack! The ref warns Downfall to get back in the ring and he does, as he lays a lifeless Bacchus on the mat. He rolls in, and back out to break a ten-count. Then, he lifts Johnny up and irish whips him shoulder first into the steel ring steps. Bacchus hits with a loud BANG, shuffling the steps a bit to the left.
Chris Avery: Downfall is going a bit rougher than Bacchus's early intentions, trying to brutally assault the Insurgent on the outside.Downfall lifts Bacchus up and punishes him with a back drop onto the concrete floor. Bacchus rolls around, contorting and holding his back. Downfall, grinning widely now, paintbrushes the top of Bacchus's head and pushes him in the face with his boot. The ref tells them they need to finish this in the ring, so Downfall lifts Bacchus up and rolls him back in the ring. He covers...
The referee: One...
Two - Kickout.
Downfall, annoyed, lifts Bacchus up and gives him a stalling scoop slam, showing off a little bit before dumping Bacchus to the mat. More stomps from Downfall, before dropping knees to the face as he places Bacchus’s throat on the second rope, pulling the rope up while pressing down on Johnny’s head for a blatant choke. Downfall finally relents, but with Johnny draped across the rope, Downfall looks to do further damage, grabbing the top rope, slingshots over the top rope to drop a forearm to the back of Johnny's head. The impact causes Bacchus’s throat to violently bounce off the middle rope. He is left rolling away, coughing and spluttering as Downfall raises his arm in so called “victory” as these fans let him have it, although Downfall could carless as he looks back and watches and then lands a few more shots to the back of Bacchus’s head with his boots. Downfall gets Bacchus to a vertical base as he is once again sent into the corner as Downfall again looks to get some offense going and rushes at Bacchus, but the Insurgent raises an elbow that Downfall runs into throat first. This sends Downfall reeling a few steps as Bacchus lifts himself up to the second rope, diving uppercut, NO! Downfall sidesteps and Johnny goes down hard. Landing hard on his shoulder and his head, he and Downfall knowing each other so well, that the original "anarchist" saw it coming. The Purveyor of Anarchy now sees a window of opportunity, mounting Johnny and starts pummeling his face, letting out all his frustrations! But unlike Bacchus’s outburst, Downfall’s doesn’t last long at all, only rattling Johnny around long enough for Downfall to pull him up and hit him with a nasty twisting neckbreaker.
Chris Avery: Johnny cannot afford a single mistake, or Downfall will pounce on it, that's why Downfall is one of the most dangerous predators in the wrestling business.Downfall lifts Bacchus up, and irish whips him to the ropes. As Bacchus runs, Downfall runs past him, then comes in from behind with a running bulldog. Downfall goes for a cover...
The ref: One...
Two - Kickout!
Downfall lifts Bacchus up and drags him over to the middle ropes. He begins choking Bacchus, pushing a knee into his back and pushing his throat into the ropes. Downfall bobs his head aggressively as he chokes Bacchus out. The referee says come on, you can't do that, but... there's probably no rules in this match, right? At length, Downfall breaks the hold of his own accord. He holds his arms out, playing to the crowd, garnering a shower of boos. Then, he gets a running start, attempting to pounce on the back of Bacchus as he's laid on the ropes, but Bacchus ducks out of the way and Downfall goes sliding through the ropes, to the outside, and dumped onto the concrete! The crowd pops seeing Downfall downed. Bacchus then rests for a second, pulls himself over to the turnbuckles and climbs up, then as Downfall is getting to his feet on the outside of the ring Bacchus hits a diving somersault senton that takes both men down!! The crowd erupts, "THIS IS AWESOME!" Bacchus gets back to his feet and throws Downfall inside. Downfall, gasping for air, keeps rolling and he exits out the perpendicular side of the ring. Bacchus, annoyed, sees Downfall retreating and getting out of the ring and goes "Ah no you don't," chasing him down and throwing him back in. Bacchus reaches a vertical base where he reaches down picking Downfall up off the mat. Bacchus under hooks the arms of Downfall looking for a version of his very own 11th Hour, yet quickly Downfall manages to counter with a bridging northern light suplex to Bacchus.
The referee: One...
Two... Kickout!
Both Bacchus and Downfall reach their feet with Downfall landing a double thrust to the throat of Bacchus! The referee admonishes Downfall as he takes Bacchus head first into a top turnbuckle! Downfall spins Bacchus around where he laces him across the chest with a knife edge chop before taking Bacchus and hurling him through the ropes and out to the floor. Downfall walks towards the ropes and steps out to the ring apron before dropping down to the floor. Downfall reaches down picking Bacchus up off the mat before driving him head first into the steel steps! Downfall hammers Bacchus with a straight right hand before choking Bacchus with both hands!
Chris Avery: Downfall's been waiting for this opportunity ever since Johnny cost him at All-In! He's holding nothing back!Billy: Let's not forget that Downfall kinda started this by bonking him over the head with a crowbar... Safe to assume these men will never be friends.Chris Avery: Well, yes, but... didn't Johnny start things more by targeting Dionysus with savage, obnoxious tweets and insults for months, and directly cost the Vanguard wins on multiple occasions?Billy: So they're the Hatfields and McCoys, then! Nobody remembers who started it, everyone is wrong, fuck it!Downfall releases the choke before throwing Bacchus back into the ring under the bottom rope. The heat from just increases as Downfall snatches up a steel chair, teases a few swings in the air like he's warming up at bat, and slides back into the ring, where he looks to inflict more damage. However, he is blindsided with a nasty dropkick right to his face via Bacchus. Leaping out of nowhere Bacchus sends Downfall to canvas as the chair comes crashing down inadvertently hitting Bacchus on the side of the head. But it’s nothing he can’t shake off considering Bacchus now holds the steel chair for himself, meanwhile Downfall is still trying to recover, but he’s stopped dead in his tracks when Bacchus cracks the chair off his spine. Downfall yells and contorts in pain as he collapses against the ropes and towards a corner from the first chair shot of the match, forcing himself up in said corner while holding his back. Bacchus goes to the corner directly across the ring from Downfall, steel chair still in hand before rolling somersaults across the ring, setting the steel chair down center ring as he does so, before springing himself up on the full roll-through onto Downfall... ending with a monkey flip across the steel chair. The camera catches the look of horror on Downfall’s face as he goes flying through the air, knowing he’s doomed by gravity to land right on top of the steel chair! Downfall oversells the pain a little bit, crawling on his knees as he slips under the bottom rope with the steel chair he just landed on. Just as Downfall turns to get back in the ring, Bacchus grips the ropes and kicks it right into Downfall’s face as Bacchus slips feet first right to the outside. Downfall is thrown for a loop for a second with the steel hitting his chin, allowing Bacchus to grab hold of him again and drive a hard knee into his gut, followed by yet another pair of right hands to the cranium. Bacchus walks over and takes his bat from where it laid, and he stalks Downfall with it! He rushes in and goes to go full Gallagher (note to anyone not a racist prick, never go full Gallagher) by smashing Downfall's head like a melon, but Downfall moves and the bat smacks the apron. Johnny turns, and Downfall boots him, grabbing him by the back of the head and throwing him into one of the front row seats! Fans in the front row scatter, cups of overpriced beer slosh around, hard-backed steel chairs tips over and Bacchus goes spilling over in a heap. Bacchus, breathing heavily, pushes the chairs off of his back. Downfall advances on Bacchus, but Bacchus meets him with a short jab from his bat. He follows this up by climbing back over the guardrail, bat in one hand, and taking Downfall’s head and bashing it against the steel steps. The Purveyor is stupefied from the hard knock. As he drunkenly wanders around, Bacchus grabs his head again and dashes it into the steps again.
Chris Avery: The crowd may not like either man very much, Downfall obviously much less... but one has to wonder if both of these gladiators aren't going to go over the line in their actions tonight.Billy: It's been hard as hell to tell who's the white hats from the black hats in this one... but that's what makes this whole feud between these two men so gritty, and ugly.Chris Avery: You just have a sense it can't end well.Bacchus lifts Downfall up, but Downfall breaks loose by digging his fingers into Bacchus's eye socket and violently ripping at his face. Bacchus's jaw stretches wide in pain. Downfall then hurls Bacchus hard as he can back first into the guardrail. Downfall walks over, snagging Johnny's bat, and as Bacchus gets to his feet, Downfall runs forward and drives it into Bacchus's face like a battering ram, dropping Bacchus where he stands. Downfall throws a limp Johnny into the ring.
The referee: One...
Two... Kickout.
Bacchus throws a shoulder up off the mat breaking the count by the ref. Downfall works his way to his feet where he picks Bacchus up off the mat only to have Bacchus quickly counter with a jaw breaker! Bacchus stands to his feet where he follows up with a boot to the midsection before delivering a double underhook suplex to Downfall! Bacchus begins to work his way back to his feet where he takes a moment to gather himself before coming forward towards Downfall where he lays in several stomps to the body before rolling Downfall over to his chest where Bacchus places his right boot in the middle of Downfall's shoulder blades before taking both of Downfall's arm and curb stomping him into the mat face first! Downfall is floored, and stunned, and rolls around on the mat. Bacchus, however, goes over and begins scaling the top turnbuckle. Finally, as Downfall begins making his way to his feet, Bacchus leaps off the top rope with a missile dropkick that's right on the money! Once again the Insurgent makes the cover on his elder counterpart.
The referee: One...
Two... Kickout!!
Downfall throws a shoulder up off the mat. Bacchus reaches his feet where he cuts his eyes towards the ref before going back to Downfall. Bacchus reaches down picking Downfall up by the head before delivering another solid right hand before shooting Downfall towards a set of buckles, Bacchus charges in after Downfall, Downfall side steps Bacchus at the last possible second which sends Bacchus sternum first off the buckles to a mild pop from the crowd. Downfall quickly latches on to a back waist lock before hurling Bacchus backwards with a throwing Chaos Theory German. Downfall works his way to his feet where he shakes off the damage done by Johnny. Downfall comes forward picking Bacchus up off the mat before sending Bacchus across the ring and into a set of buckles. Downfall charges across the ring where he delivers a running knee to the jaw of Bacchus before crushing him with a snap dragon suplex, right onto Johnny's neck. Downfall goes for a cover...
The referee: One...
Two... Kickout!
Bacchus throws a shoulder up off the mat to a gasp from the crowd.
Chris Avery: In Downfall's mind, you have to figure Bacchus is the cause of Downfall's woes... Downfall has chosen to pin the blame for a lot of his frustrations as of late on Johnny's interference. A win tonight would certainly validate Downfall.Billy: Doesn't that seem like an easy cop-out excuse though? Like why wouldn't Downfall want revenge for Johnny and Ash beating Dionysus to a bloody pulp at All-In? Why wouldn't Dion, for that matter? Like who are the baddies, here?Chris Avery (whacking Billy with a folder): What... have I... told you.... about using logic to pick at... minor threads??
Downfall starts working his way back to a vertical base where he reaches down picking Bacchus up off the mat. Downfall rocks Bacchus with a chop across the chest that sends Bacchus back into the ropes. Downfall comes forward shooting Bacchus across the ring, Bacchus bounces of the ropes ducking under Downfall's clothesline attempt, Bacchus ducks down and then hits a gender-inclusive Trouble in Paradise kick!
Chris Avery: KINGS DEAD!Both Bacchus and Downfall lay on the mat for several seconds before it's Bacchus who manages to execute the cover hooking the near leg of Downfall!
The referee and the crowd: One..
Two...
Three-
Downfall throws a shoulder up off the mat before the fatal count of three!
Billy: Downfall still has fight left in him!Chris Avery: Let's not forget, Downfall has had to fight for his career before... he's spent long periods of time barely employed before receiving his AW contract, he is doing everything he can, fighting tooth and nail, so he doesn't lose it again!Billy: Oooooooooh we love context!!Bacchus rolls to the outside, and he looks under the apron, pulling out a toolbox. He lays it on the apron, and opens it, pulling out a flashlight, which he gives a disdainful look, then he pulls out a large wrench. He looks over at Downfall with a slight smile. He slides back in the ring, and raises the wrench in the air, measuring Downfall, and Downfall turns around as Bacchus starts to swing the wrench at him. Downfall ducks under the swing, then he boots Bacchus in the gut, cutting him off, and then he grips Bacchus's arm and whips him to the ropes. Bacchus stops himself by grabbing onto the ropes. Downfall comes charging at him, but Bacchus stops him by jamming the wrench into his sternum. Downfall is doubled over resting against the ropes, and Bacchus drops the wrench and runs to the opposite ropes and then comes in and takes them both over the top rope with a big clothesline. The crowd pops.
Chris Avery: Both of these men are looking to get, well, more effed up than we've seen here in a while.Billy: I think it has to, there's lots of history and L A Y E R S!!!Both men start to get to their feet slowly. Bacchus is first to his feet, and he clubs Downfall over the back a few times, then he wraps his arms around Downfall's waist and drives his lower back into the ring apron with a lot of force. Downfall screams, and arches his back, as Bacchus pulls him out and does it again. Downfall staggers out, and Bacchus grips him by his hair, and then drives him back into the ring apron with a Russian legsweep.. He lifts Downfall up to his feet. He grips Downfall's arm and goes for an irish whip into the steel steps. Downfall resists being whipped for a moment by setting his feet. Bacchus tries again, but again Downfall is able to resist being whipped, and then he reverses, sending Bacchus crashing into the steel steps himself. Bacchus hits the steps shoulder first with a loud crash, hard enough to dislodge the steps. Bacchus screams in pain. Downfall rests for a second, checking his forehead for blood, then he walks over and lifts Bacchus up, punishing him with a few clubs to the back. He grips Bacchus by the hair and the back of his pants and throws him over the security guardrail into the crowd.
Chris Avery: Into the crowd again!!Billy: SAME OLD TRIP IT WAS BACK THEN, SO I MADE A BIG MISTAKE, TRY TO SEE IT ONCE MY WAYYYYY -Chris Avery: What... Alice In Chains?? I was providing helpful analysis, not singing karaoke.Billy: Oh. Well... good, because I'm more of a Bonnie Tyler type of register...Bacchus stumbles to his feet, and staggers through the crowd. Downfall follows after him as they make their way through the crowd. Fans pat Downfall and Bacchus on the back, as he catches up to Bacchus. Suddenly, though, Bacchus turns and poke Downfall in the eye. Downfall turns, scrubbing at his eyes in pain, and stumbles back a little. Downfall turns, and Bacchus has made a fan get out of his folding chair. Bacchus lifts the chair up and flings it in Downfall's face, connecting with a whack. Downfall stumbles back. Downfall lays against the rail. Bacchus retrieves another chair, folding it up and holding it in front of him.
Chris Avery: Bacchus is using everything in his surroundings to his advantage, even the items in the crowd.Bacchus comes towards Downfall holding the chair in front of him as Downfall is on a few steps above him. Bacchus holds the chair up, but then Downfall lashes out with his boot and kicks the chair back into Bacchus's face. Bacchus is knocked back into the crowd. Downfall gets to his feet. He walks down the steps, over to Bacchus, who is on all fours. He grabs him bodily and drags him to a small cement wall separating the two levels. He throws Bacchus into the side of the wall. Bacchus hits back first. Downfall wraps his arms around Bacchus's midsection and his rams Bacchus's back into the wall. Bacchus yells in pain and arches his back. Downfall keeps his arms wrapped around Bacchus, and takes him down with a belly to belly suplex onto the floor. Bacchus arches his back in pain. The fans all around them in the aisle are going apeshit at them fighting into the crowd. Downfall lifts Bacchus up by the back of his head. He walks him back through the crowd, towards the ring. As they get to the guardrail, Bacchus elbows Downfall in the gut, and bounces his face off the guardrail. Bacchus climbs over the guardrail and pulls Downfall out so that he is hanging half over the guardrail into the aisle. Bacchus runs forward and elbows Downfall across the back of the head while he's in the prone position. Then Bacchus grips Downfall in a facelock and hits a spike DDT off the guardrail onto the floor! Downfall is standing straight on his head like an exclamation point for a second... then he crumbles. Bacchus leans down to Downfall, yelling that Downfall isn't going to finish him, that he's going to finish Downfall, and kill his career for good!
Billy: Edgy! This black hair dye era Johnny is dark!Chris Avery: Sometimes I miss the chimp cartoons. Bacchus hunts around under the apron, taking his time, but is trying to find a weapon he can use. As he does so, Downfall slides his hand under the apron as well, and seems to firmly grasp something. (FIRMLY GRASP IT) Downfall then retrieves a kendo stick and, as Bacchus turns with his own weapon, finding Downfall playing possum, Downfalls hand whips the kendo stick up and smacks it over Bacchus's face! Downfall rises up, twirling the kendo stick dangerously. He cracks Bacchus over the back with it. Bacchus arches his back in pain. Downfall performs a kendo-stick assisted choke around Johnny's throat, barking at Johnny to tap out. If Johnny does this, even outside of the ring, the feeling is his career will be over, and Downfall shouts at Johnny he is going to kill him dead. Downfall senses Johnny going limp from the kendo-assisted Anarchist Cookbook, and he ragdolls him, firmly, into the ring. Now Downfall slides in, wielding the kendo stick. The hardcore icon motions for Johnny to get up, and brandishes the kendo stick as he paces around at Johnny's back. Johnny finally starts to get up, and Downfall goes to give him a shot to the head with the kendo stick... but Johnny ducks it! Downfall whirls around! Johnny grabs Downfall in a side headlock and plants a smooch on his temple before drilling straight down into the mat with a headlock driver! Downfall is laid out and the kendo stick goes flying!
Chris Avery: I DON'T BELIEVE IT! WE'VE SEEN THE BOTTOM OF EVERYTHING!Billy: DOWNFALL IS LIFELESS! THERE MAY BE NO BETTER TIME THAN RIGHT NOW! PIN HIM JOHNNY, PIN HIM AND SAVE YOUR CAREER!!The referee: One...
Two...
Three - Kickout!
Chris Avery: From the time that the final three-count hit the mats at IEW Frosts of Fury 2007, Downfall's last loss in a career-threatening match has haunted him!! He's talked about the feeling of the curse placed on his career at times! You have to believe it's driving him to keep fighting, to keep from laying down!Billy: This mf gonna switch to a white hat midstream??!Johnny motions that it's over, and he punches Downfall a few times, dropping fists on him and, in a way, looking every bit the savage that Downfall usually is laying his shit in. Downfall tries to cover up. Bacchus grabs him, and drags him over, and peppers Downfall in the corner until he's sitting there limply in a seated position, then Johnny walks over to the other corner. Sagging a bit, and gingerly ascending the ropes due to the agonies of this match, Johnny takes a bit longer thus to get up to the top rope, and when he does, he sets himself, but he starts looking around and motioning to the fans that this is it, this is done. He sets his feet, and begins to leap off... amazingly, as HIS feet leave the turnbuckle, and Johnny starts to fly for a Coast 2 Coast dropkick, Downfall nips up out of the corner, plants his leg and lets fly, all in one unbelievably superhuman motion to catch the incoming Johnny, who is tucked in for a dropkick, sidestepping his boots and BEAST KICKING HIM IN THE FACE!! Johnny's forward momentum causes him to flip in the air, and fall onto his face!!
Chris Avery: NO WAY NO WAY!!!Billy: IN MID FLIGHT!! SHIT FIRE!!!!Chris Avery: BEAST KICK!! BEAST KICK!!!!Downfall collapses, and holds his leg, because it turns out the recoil of hitting an incoming target mid-flight can cause some aftershocks, and he grimaces and rolls around, holding his leg... Johnny is laid out on the mat, face down, and not moving, stunned. Several long seconds pass, as Downfall shakes his knee out with a pained grimace.
Chris Avery: Downfall just clipped Johnny's wings, sending him falling like Icarus from the sky, because he wants to ascend to the throne and become the king of the gods again!Billy: That was the biggest reach I've ever seen, come on... Booooooooo.Chris Avery: I don't write the material, it's someone who needs more coffee!Downfall finally scoots over on his elbows, and snarling at Johnny, muscles him over for a pin...
The referee: One...
Two...
Three - Kickout!
Downfall sits up, and he lets out an anguished and angered yell. He runs his hands through his hair in extreme agitation. Downfall pounds Bacchus down until Bacchus is laid out on the mat. He rolls outside to the apron where he found tools earlier, and, sinisterly, his face a frightening mask, he pulls out a length of steel chain and he winds it around his fist. He lifts Bacchus up, walking him over to the ropes, and he lays Bacchus against the second and top rope. He begins wrapping Bacchus's arms up in the ropes, so that Bacchus is tied up. Now Bacchus is laid against the ropes, his arms wrapped up and he's crucified for all intents and purposes.
Downfall: You want to be a martyr so bad, I'll give you your wish.
Downfall gives the Insurgent a few body shots with the chain-wrapped fist, then one final shot to the head with the force of a runaway train. Now, Johnny, obviously taking a few heavy hits from a steel chain being the breaking point, is bleeding from his forehead. He unwraps the chain from his hand, and he pulls Bacchus loose from the ropes. Bacchus is unable to stand on his feet, and he slumps down to the mat... but then, Downfall, screaming "GIVE UP! GIVE UP YOUR CAREER! GIVE UP STANDING IN MY WAY!! GIVE UP!!" and wraps the chain around his throat like a necktie and pulls it back as far as it'll go!! Blood is squirting from the busted places on his forehead with every pump of his heart, made even worse what with the chain choking him out. Bacchus's color turns an unhealthy reddish purple as he's lifted. The ref says "come on, stop it, I didn't sign up for this" and taps Downfall's shoulder but Downfall flings his arm off and snarls at him.
Billy: THIS IS THE SICKEST THING I'VE EVER SEEN!!Chris Avery: This is why this match isn't used often or at all, we've gone to a very dark and disturbing place just now.Billy: This is inhumane!Chris Avery: Billy, come on, calm down...Billy: I will not. Our company's insurance liability is all well and good, but if you saw men doing this to each other on the street, they would get the law involved. Downfall should be arrested.Now Downfall lifts Bacchus up, pulling him without a care for the skin getting rope burns, and Bacchus can barely even stand on his own two feet. Blood is pouring from his wounded forehead. Downfall shouts for him to give up. It's over. Johnny, dazed and wobbling, looks at him, his bleary eyes unfocused, but then turning to Downfall in a glazed expression, but then Johnny defiantly spits in Downfall's face. Downfall's mouth falls open. He stares in shock, after everything these two have gone through. Last November, in the Wrestler of the Year tournament. February, in the seven-man World title ladder match. June, at Evolution. In the lead-up to All-In. The bitter singles matches, each one that grew more and more heated. All of them tick through the air like pages falling off a calendar, and Downfall wipes the spit from his cheek, and he begins shaking, incensed. He snaps Johnny up quick as a hiccup in a double arm DDT and spikes him into the mat. Johnny doesn't move. Downfall, enraged at the nerve, sits up, eyes glowing with hatred.
Billy: This is it. This has to be the nail in the coffin.Downfall grabs the referee's shirt, growling at him to count it and get this piece of trash out of his sight. The referee counts...
The referee and the crowd: One...
Two...
Three - Kickout!!!
Chris Avery: WHAT.Billy: WHAT??Chris Avery: Johnny kicked out!! Johnny by god kicked out!! Johnny is still alive in this!!Downfall gets right up in the referee's face, gripping him by his lapels and threatening his life. You can see the desperation warring with the anger on his face, because he can't lose this... but he is also in fervent disbelief that this could be. The referee protests being handled and affirms his count was correct. Downfall is shouting at him, swearing that he is not going to lose his career again. Not for a second time. Behind him, Johnny is starting to stir and move around... and Downfall turns around, not seeing Johnny winding a length of that steel chain around his fist... Downfall moves into position to pick Johnny up and Johnny punches him, very hard, in the balls, with a chain-wrapped fist. Downfall groans loudly and long, doubled over, holding his groin in pain and agony, and Johnny takes the chain wrapped fist and punches Downfall so hard in the face that his nose bursts in a bloom of blood, obviously broken. Blood is now gushing from Downfall's nose, lips and gums and, stunned and dazed, he falls back into the ropes, barely able to keep upright, and when he stumbles forward, he is dropped by a chain-assisted sling blade! Downfall contorts on the mat.
Chris Avery: HE CALLED FOR IT! HE DELIVERED IT! HE TOOK DOWNFALL'S HEAD OFF WITH THE STEEL UNDER THE JAW! FETCH!! THE!! GUILLOTINES!!!Billy: I DON'T BELIEVE THIS! HE'S ABOUT TO END THIS MAN'S WHOLE CAREER!!Bacchus covers...
The referee and the crowd: One...
Two...
Three -
KICKOUT!
The building erupts in a heated reaction as the kickout comes, and Bacchus basically is cartwheeled off the pin. Johnny lays nearly fetal, covering his head and running his hands through his hair, thinking that last move did Downfall in, and, maybe, there is a little bit of trepidation there... because he knows that this could be the end for him if he can't close this off. Something passes over Johnny's face, and a faraway look enters his eyes as he sits up, and stares over at Downfall. He doesn't see his usual black baseball bat, but, over there, laying in the corner, he spies Downfall's crowbar, the wicked, steel curved implement that turned his lights out weeks before All-In. He goes to pick it up, and Downfall, gasping and on all fours, is too far away. Johnny snatches up the metal crowbar, and holds it in his hands, turning it over, and he goes over to where Downfall is on his knees. Downfall is bleeding heavily from the nose and mouth, but Downfall grimly wipes his mouth as he looks up at Johnny. Johnny takes the crowbar in one hand, as if to lift it up and swing it... but then...
Johnny drops the crowbar in front of him, symbolically letting it fall from his hands. The crowd goes INSANE! Downfall looks at Johnny, squinting at him, asking him what the hell he's doing??
Chris Avery: Did he just -Billy: He just threw the crowbar down and refused to use it, when it was his advantage!!Downfall has comprehension dawning across his face, as he looks from the crowbar, to Johnny, and back again. Johnny stands there, injured, clearly bleeding and broken... Johnny sinks to his knees in front of Downfall, and for one, long moment, the two of them sit there on their knees, with the crowbar between them, in the foreground of the shot... And then, Johnny can be heard to be saying "There can only be one of us..."
Chris Avery: Johnny just made a firm and moral stand... he refused to play the game the way Downfall did! He refused to give up his honor to win this, and in that way, he served Downfall a blatant repudiation of everything he's stood for the last two months!!Downfall stares down at the crowbar, but then a fire reaches his eyes. He takes the crowbar in his hand and lands a sickening shot across the ribs of Johnny. Johnny groans in agony and falls over, holding his midsection in pain... The crowd boos loudly. Downfall paces around, telling them to shut their damn mouths as he brandishes the crowbar. But as he looks down at Johnny, some hesitation seems to cross his face.
Chris Avery: This is sick. This is just god damn sick. Johnny may have his morals, and refused to use the crowbar to win, but Downfall continues going down a shittier path.Johnny, clearly in the worst pain of his life, is rolling around, holding his ribs, and Downfall stands over him. Now, Downfall holds the pointed end of the crowbar against his chest, pinning Johnny down, and he stares down at him with cold, dead eyes. Bacchus, alive and defiant to the last, pushes himself up...
Bacchus: DO IT THEN.
Downfall snarls, and he turns his head to consider the crowbar in his hands.
Bacchus: DO IT!!
For one, long, second, Johnny looks at Downfall from his back, but he struggles to get to his knees... bloody and broken, yes, but still fighting... the crowd is giving Bacchus a massive outpouring of respect and a "JOHNNY, JOHNNY, JOHNNY" chant. Downfall looks around at the crowd, and then at Johnny, considering... he looks at the crowbar in his hands... And with a little, petulant sneer, he throws it aside. Before Johnny can do anything else, Downfall jerks Johnny up onto his shoulders and drops back with his knees up, and Bacchus' bloody face hits his shins and flies backward.
Chris Avery: ONE GODKILLER! THAT'S ALL IT TAKES!!Billy: We saw these two hit everything they could outside of their biggest guns... but this right here, spells the end. We know this.Downfall pins Johnny.
The referee and the crowd: ONE...
TWO...
THREE!!
Ding Ding Ding
Adilene Floyd: Here is your winner... DOWNFALL!!
"Mainlining Murder" starts playing on the PA, and Downfall gets to his feet. For one, long second, he stands over Bacchus... fists clenching and unclenching. Johnny lays on his back, blood running through his fingers, conscious and alive, but with a heavy sadness over him...
Chris Avery: Billy, this means Bacchus is done... by the contract they both signed before this match, Johnny has to leave AW, perhaps to leave wrestling, this is it...Billy: You sense so much conflicted emotions here from the both of them... Relief, a curse broken from Downfall, and yet, a further sense that he's haunted by the actions he chose tonight, that he chose to use the crowbar when Johnny wouldn't...Chris Avery: But Johnny too... he fought like a MAN, and he gave it everything he could... and it was more important to him that he go out living by his moral code, which Downfall didn't do...Downfall stares down at Bacchus as his music is playing. He isn't congratulating him on a fight well fought, or expressing remorse for doing what he had to do... in point of fact Downfall isn't giving Johnny anything... the crowd is feeding Johnny all of their support as he gets up, painfully holding possible broken ribs... and Johnny stares at Downfall as he exits the ring... Johnny goes right to the front rows of the crowd and lets the fans embrace him.
Chris Avery: Johnny may have been an iconoclast and a polarizing figure, but he had a connection to the people.Downfall meets Johnny's gaze, and Downfall picks up the crowbar... Downfall ticks off a salute with the crowbar from his forehead and he leans back into the turnbuckles. That, in it's own way, is a little gesture of respect, while still remaining an unrepentant POS for what he did.
Johnny Bacchus inclines his head at him and then steps through the ropes and jumps off the apron and heads up the ramp..
Chris Avery: I can't believe what an emotional, grueling war we witnessed... and it's a shame it had to end this way...Bacchus waving at some of the fans, dejected, as some of the fans are disappointed he's having to go. Downfall stands in the corner with the crowbar on his shoulder.
Bacchus takes one look from the top of the ramp and waves his goodbye and the crowd pops one last time as Bacchus turns and heads through the curtain.
We cut back to Downfall standing in the corner..
Billy: One of them had to go, Chris, and on this day Johnny Bacchus is the one to leave.Chris Avery: At the prime of his career too, but we cannot dwell on that for too long. What's done is done and what is left is Downfall standing tall - wait what's this?!The crowd gasps as the lights in the arena suddenly go out with a low bass drop sound cue. Some in attendance pull their phones out and turn their flashlights on, it's not enough to light the arena. Downfall, in the ring, it seems has gotten to his feet.
Chris Avery: I don't think we had anything scheduled, did we Billy? Check the sheet!Billy: I have been, we were supposed to roll right into the next contest!The Actiontron comes to life, showing black and white, grainy film footage of field. Trees line the horizon, and there's a lone wooden shed. The crowd is confused, but none more than Downfall, who leans against the ropes watching the screen. As the camera comes in close to the shed, a car is revved up three times in succession. A pause, and then another three times. Eerie sounds begin, and the car once again revs up three times but this time it is accompanied by three hits of a kick drum. Some of the crowd recognizes what's going on, on the Actiontron the shed is hit with a droplet of red. It splashes down, giving the only hint of color. Then another. And more. Soon it is full on.. raining blood.
The three hits of the kick drum blast forth again as the song by Slayer hits in full, the car's engine wails and a black muscle car explodes out of the shed, getting doused in the blood red rain. The camera is coated in red, then fades to a picture.
The crowd goes absolutely insane, Slayer's "Raining Blood" is playing, Downfall is in the ring backing to the middle and crouching down, ready for whatever is about to come out. The curtain parts, and out walks a figure that cannot be made out quite yet because the Tron is the only light source. They slowly make their way to the middle of the stage, looking out at the crowd.
Chris Avery: Who is it Billy?!Billy: I don't know, I can't see yet!The Actiontron changed, morphing into a new image as red lights begin swirling.
Billy: IT'S TURMOIL SEASON!Chris Avery: OH MY, CAN IT REALLY BE?! WHERE HAS HE BEEN?!
Billy: HOLLLLLLLLLY SHITTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT!!Chris Avery: ITS COREY BLACK!! HOLLYYYY SHITTTT INDEEED!!Downfall, in the ring, licks his teeth and balls up his fists as Corey Black walks down the ramp. He's wearing a black leather jacket and black pants with red Chuck Taylors.
The crowd loses their minds, a pop so loud it could register on the Richter scale. Corey reaches ringside and makes his way around, never taking his eyes off Downfall - and Downfall reciprocating. Corey is half way around the ring, the crowd hasn't stopped, the announcers are even in shock.
Billy: How long has it been, Chris? Three months?Chris Avery: I think so, right about there. He left without warning and now, just the same, he's back!Corey has made one full lap of the ring now, stopping at the middle of the apron. He looks left, breaking his gaze on Downfall for the first time and then explodes, sliding into the ring with the quickness he's known for, popping to his feet and smiling right in Downfall's face!
Billy: This could come to blows real quick!Chris Avery: TALK ABOUT A SOCIAL MEDIA MOMENT!!Downfall doesn't back down an inch, which satisfies Corey Black, as he backs toward the rope and drops to his back, rolling to the floor and backing his way up the entry ramp, watching Downfall the whole time. Those in attendance are still going bonkers, even as Corey makes his way back through the curtain to the backstage area, and Downfall finally has his reprieve.
Chris Avery: I don't believe it, and I wonder why?! We're left with more questions than answers here.Billy: Per usual when it comes to that guy, Chris. I'm sure we'll know in the coming weeks, but for now, let's just enjoy the fact that possibly the greatest professional wrestler to ever grace the ring is back with Action Wrestling.Corey Black and Downfall continue staring at each other and we fade to a commercial break.