Al Locker: Winner of this match gets a spot in the finals for the Television Championship on Bitter Enemies.
DING DING DING
They circle each other and Canelli stops and offers a handshake. Hammerstein glances for a moment then extends his hand as well, though neither hand is close enough to actually shake. They remain in that position for a moment then they both pull their hand back and kick each other in the midsection.
Al Locker: Looks like they both had the same idea in mind right there. A little bit of treachery here.
Hammerstein off the ropes, but Canelli trips him with a drop toe hold, then rolls over and grabs onto a headlock, but Hammerstein gets to his feet and pushes her off and into the ropes. Canelli with a leap frog over him and as he spins around she grabs another headlock.
Alan Carcia: Kennedy slapping the apron, telling him not to get frustrated and that’s exactly what Canelli is trying to do here.
Hammerstein tries to push her off again, but this time she grabs onto a handful of his hair to stop herself from moving away from Hammerstein. Kennedy is on the outside screaming at the referee about the hairpull.
Al Locker: Referee was out of position for that one. He can’t call what he can’t see here.
Hammerstein just pushes her into the corner and the referee forces the break and Canelli puts her hands up as Hammerstein leans into her in the corner. He backs up slowly and then tries to slap her but she ducks, spins around him and schoolboys him for a pin.
One.
Kickout by Hammerstein.
Alan Carcia: Hammerstein is up quick and he just bum rushes Canelli and shoulderblocks her out of the ring.
Alan Carcia: He’s a big boy.
Hammerstein quickly goes out after her and whips her into the guardrailing and then nails her with a couple of chops before rolling her back into the ring. He gets onto the apron and enters the ring and then lifts himself up onto the second turnbuckle and as Canelli gets to her feet, he leaps off but she nails him in the gut.
Al Locker: Kennedy is on the ring apron and Canelli is going into her tights.
Alan Carcia: Those look like brass knuckles to me!
Canelli gives her knucks a kiss as she waits for Hammerstein to get to his feet while the referee is distracted with Kennedy and she takes a wild swing, but Hammerstein ducks and scoops her up.
Al Locker: Hammersteiner! Cover!
One.
Two.
Three!!
DING DING
Richard Bassett: Winner of the match and advancing to the finals in the TV Championship Tournament at Bitter Enemies: Hammerstein!
Al Locker: Hammerstein advancing here, but I’m sure we’ll here more from Joanne Canelli in weeks to come, but we know one of the finalists who’ll vie for the vacant Television Championship.
Alan Carcia: He’ll go on to face the winner of the Slamsley McBody vs. Gabriel Ohio match which is coming up next.
Backstage
Biff is standing by the back entrance as Blake Archer walks through.
Biff Franklin: Well, if it isn't Mr. Elusive. Care to chat?
The large man turns and looks at Mr. Franklin as he approaches staring up at Blake who has a good eight inches on him. He looks down at the man who is showing no sign of intimidation.
Blake Archer: And if I say no?
Biff Franklin: Well, then I will have to have security detain you and have you thrown in a jail cell for trespassing. And then, of course, I'd have to get a protective order barring you from all future HcW events and to be honest, I think that just far too much work for me to have to do just to deal with the likes of you. So, listening?
Blake Archer: What do you want?
Biff Franklin: I knew you'd see it my way. Look, I just need you to sign this form and I'll make sure you get your shot at Raven Trueblood at Bitter Enemies.
Biff hands over the clipboard and a pen.
Biff Franklin: You can ignore the part where you can't hold us liable when Raven beats your ass and sends you scurrying away like a ferret. And you can forget the part where we're not paying you a dime, considering you don't really work for us. You want to fight Raven, or do you want me to call security? Or you can just leave with your tail between your legs and take your feud to Twitter, with hashtags and all. The choice is yours, really.
Blake looks at it and starts laughing.
Blake Archer: “Just because I look like I am all looks doesn’t mean I am an idiot. Clearly you want to keep a world champion off your television program, you don’t want people to know I hold a Golden Ticket outside the walls of HcW. That little shit blindsided me, maybe you don’t know that since you wasn’t employed back then for the company, but he has it coming.
Blake glares at Biff and looks down at the paper giving a sigh before signing on the dotted line. He hands the clipboard back to Biff.
Biff Franklin: That wasn’t so bad. Glad we had this chat. Oh, and security is going to go ahead and walk you out of the arena. Tonight, we're going to be Blake-free.
Two security guards show up and Blake holds up his hands.
Blake Archer: Fine. I'm leaving. I'll be back here next week to beat Raven's ass.
Biff just nods his head as Blake exits from the door he entered from.
Television Championship Tournament Semi-Final Match
Gabriel Ohio vs. Slamsley McBody
Richard Bassett: This match is one fall and is the last semi-final match in our TV Championship Tournament. Introducing first:
“Back in the Saddle” by Aerosmith begins to play.
Richard Bassett: This is “The Original Vanilla Shilla” Slamsley McBody!
Cameras pan up revealing "Re: Generate" on a video wall with a picture-in-picture video of one random audience seat. Sporting a red New Era baseball cap with his face being shielded by the bill, a lime-green Armani sports jacket, banana-yellow slacks custom-tailored by L.L. Bean, and a pair of Muckmaster Boots..."Son of Slam" Slamsley McBody appears on screen. "The Workrate Warrior"/"The Walking Weapon"/"Son of Slam" Slamsley McBody raises his head as "Back in the Saddle" by Aerosmith resonates through the arena. McBody takes his seat, raises his hands in a slamming motion, and high-fives fans en route to the ring. He, Slamsley, proceeds to hop over the barricade when able before rolling into the ring.
Richard Bassett: And his opponent:
“For Whom The Bell Tolls” by Sabaton begins to play.
Richard Bassett: Here is Gabriel Ohio!
The Lights flicker until the sounds of electricity fill the arena as it is plunged into darkness. A Moon appears on the titan-tron and a white glow appears on the stage. Standing in the glow is the 7-foot-tall Gabriel Ohio, leather jack blowing in the wind, looking down at the floor. He looks up and walks slowly to the ring. He reaches the ring and steps up onto the apron and then over the top rope, his presence felt.
DING DING DING
Al Locker: Gabriel has about half a foot on McBody here as the bell rings and this match is underway.
McBody walks up and extends a hand to Ohio who looks at it for a moment and then just sneers as he reaches out and grabs McBody by the throat and pushes him backwards rather quickly and as McBody hits the ropes, he flips over.
Alan Carcia: Gabriel Ohio celebrating as he raises his hands in the air and turns his back on McBody who has landed on the apron. Ohio turns back and McBody slingshots himself into the ring and nails a tornado DDT on the big guy and he’s down! Cover!
One.
Two.
Kickout by Ohio. McBody is back up, running the ropes. He leaps into the air with a cross body, but Ohio catches him and slams him down onto the mat.
Al Locker: That look like it had to hurt.
McBody clutches his back as he rolls over and Ohio just stomps on McBody’s lower back. He grabs McBody by the hair and pulls him to his feet and then grabs his throat again and lifts him up and drops him onto his knee for a backbreaker!
Alan Carcia: I’m not sure that McBody was ready for Gabriel Ohio.
Cover.
One.
Two.
Th—Kickout by McBody.
Al Locker: Gabriel Ohio thought that it was over right there.
Gabriel stops for a moment, then looks at the ceiling for a second before wiping at something on his arm.
Alan Carcia: What’s going on here?
Al Locker: Not for sure, but Gabriel’s attention seems to be distracted. He pulls up McBody and whips him into the ropes and big boot to the face. Cover again by Ohio.
One.
Two.
Gabriel Ohio just stands up and reaches behind his neck.
Al Locker: There’s something red that he’s wiped off his neck there. What is going on here?
Suddenly it begins to sprinkle red drops onto Ohio more noticeable now as he doesn’t see that behind him is McBody trying to get to his hands and knee and Ohio steps back, trips over McBody who somehow manages to roll him up.
One.
Two.
Three!
DING DING DING
Richard Bassett: Winner of the match, advancing to face Hammerstein for the vacant Television Championship, Slamsley McBody!
Al Locker: And Ohio is pissed. He grabs McBody and hoists him up for a Día de Muertos but McBody slips free and slides out of the ring!
Alan Carcia: Probably the smartest move of McBody’s career right there.
Gabriel Ohio leaves the ring as he continues to look up at the ceiling in the arena and he keeps getting dripped on, giant red droplets following him as he goes to the top of the ramp where suddenly a wave of red liquid falls on him, covering him in the substance.
Al Locker: That has to be Anaquin Adam’s doing.