She hoisted Max up into a pump-handle position, looking for The Wolfbane! But Max used his leverage, slipping out behind her and driving a stiff knee directly into her face with Han-decapitation!
Amber collapsed! Max dropped to the mat, immediately locking in his signature submission—the Crippled Crossface! Max trapped Amber’s arm and wrenched back on her neck with everything he had left!
Biff Franklin: "CRIPPLED CROSSFACE! MAX HAS IT LOCKED IN! AMBER HAS NOWHERE TO GO!"
Leina Debaillion: "TAP OUT! TAP OUT, AMBER! TAP OUT!"
Amber screamed in pain, clawing at the canvas, desperately trying to reach the ropes, but ropes don't force a break in a Fatal Four-Way! Amber was on the verge of tapping—
When Aaron Snyder dove across the canvas, breaking the hold with a vicious soccer kick to Max's ribs!
Aaron pulled Max to his feet, hooked both of Max's arms behind his back in a straightjacket hold, and locked in the PRODIGAL CROSS! Aaron dropped to the mat, wrapping his legs around Max's body, choking the life out of the veteran! Max thrash-fought against the submission, his eyes rolling back as his consciousness began to fade!
Biff Franklin: "Aaron Snyder has the Prodigal Cross! Max Ironside is fading fast!"
Just as Max was about to pass out, Mark Cross leaped off the middle rope, delivering a laser-focused SHINING WIZARD straight to the back of Aaron Snyder's skull!
*CRACK!*
Aaron’s grip shattered, and he released Max, tumbling onto his back, clutching his head in shock!
TIME: 23:45 / 25:00
The crowd was on their feet, screaming at the top of their lungs as the final minute approached.
Amber Payne rose behind Mark Cross, looking to capitalize on the chaos. She grabbed Mark, hoisted him onto her shoulders, and drove him into the mat with a devastating Pain Killer Kudo Driver!
Amber hooked the leg:
ONE!
TWO!
Max Ironside, summoning the last ounce of his strength, lunged forward with his outstretched hand, barely getting his fingertips under Mark’s shoulder to break the count!
Amber shrieked in absolute fury, throwing a wild backfist at Max that knocked him completely out of the ring to the arena floor!
Amber turned around—only for Aaron Snyder to charge in with a massive, brutal lariat that turned Amber completely inside out! Aaron picked Amber up and hurled her mercilessly over the top rope, crashing hard onto the floor next to Max!
Inside the ring, only two men remained standing: Aaron Snyder and Mark Cross.
The two bitter rivals, bloodied and exhausted, stood in the center of the ring, staring into each other's eyes.
Aaron Snyder: "You're a relic, Mark! Die already!"
Aaron threw a furious right hook, but Mark blocked it! Mark answered with a stiff knife-edge chop! Aaron fired a European uppercut; Mark responded with a spinning heel kick that rocked Aaron back onto his heels!
Aaron stumbled forward, attempting to lock in another Skull End choke, but Mark anticipated it perfectly! Mark ducked under the arm, lifted the 250-pound Snyder onto his shoulders, and delivered a thunderous GO 2 SLEEP!
*THWACK!*
Aaron's knee met his own jaw with sickening force! Aaron staggered backward, bouncing off the ropes in a total daze.
Mark didn't let him fall. Fueled by pure warrior spirit and veteran tenacity, Mark grabbed Aaron by the waist, hooked both arms under Snyder’s shoulders, hoisted him completely upside down in mid-air, and drove him straight down into the canvas with the devastating, ultimate finisher—KETTEITEKI DESAKI (Tiger Driver '91)!
*BOOOOOOOOOOM!*
The entire arena exploded as Aaron's shoulders hit the canvas with sickening finality! Mark hooked both legs, stacking all of his weight across Aaron's chest, screaming at the referee!
Dan Jacobs dropped to the mat:
ONE!
Leina Debaillion: "COUNT IT!"
TWO!
Biff Franklin: "FOR THE NUMBER ONE CONTENDER SPOT!"
THREE!
*DING! DING! DING!*
TIME: 24:48 / 25:00
Mia Rivera: "Ladies and gentlemen, here is your winner... and the NEW NUMBER ONE CONTENDER FOR THE SUPERSTAR CHAMPIONSHIP... MARK 'THE DRAGON' CROSS!"
The Nashville Municipal Auditorium came unglued. A sea of cheering fans stood on their feet, showering Mark Cross with a thunderous standing ovation.
Mark rolled off Aaron and lay flat on his back, staring up at the arena rafters, his chest heaving violently as tears of sheer exhaustion and vindication welled in his eyes. He had survived twenty-five minutes of pure, unadulterated hell against three of the best wrestlers on the planet.
Referee Dan Jacobs knelt beside Mark, carefully helping the veteran to his feet and raising his hand high into the air.
Biff Franklin: "WHAT A MATCH! WHAT A WAR! Mark 'The Dragon' Cross weathers the storm, outlasts three world-class competitors, and with that devastating Tiger Driver '91, he seals his destiny as the number one contender for the Superstar Championship!"
Leina Debaillion: "That was pure heart, Biff! Aaron Snyder threw everything he had, Max Ironside wrestled a technical masterpiece, and Amber Payne tried to take over the whole damn show—but Mark Cross refused to stay down! He fought like a dragon, and now he is next in line to face Nikki Payne!"
On the outside of the ring, Max Ironside was sitting up against the barricade, clutching his battered neck. Despite the bitter loss, Max looked into the ring, locked eyes with Mark, and gave a slow, respectful nod of acknowledgment. A craftsman recognizing another craftsman's finest work.
Across the ringside floor, Amber Payne was on her knees, slamming both hands against the concrete in uncontrollable rage. Her plan to secure an all-Payne championship showdown had gone up in smoke. She glared into the ring with venomous hatred, pointing a finger at Mark before storming up the ramp.
Inside the ring, Aaron Snyder was slowly being helped up by medical personnel, his scarred face twisted in dark, bitter humiliation. He shoved the medics away, glaring at Mark Cross with cold, murderous intent before slinking through the ropes.
Mark Cross climbed to the middle turnbuckle, raising his fists to the Nashville faithful. He touched his heart, bowed respectfully to all four corners of the arena, and looked straight into the hard camera, sending a clear, unequivocal message to the new champion:
Mark Cross: "Nikki Payne... the Dragon is coming for that gold!"
MATCH FOUR: SHOOTING STAR CHAMPIONSHIP ELIMINATION MATCH
Biff Franklin: "Welcome back to Nashville, Tennessee, and the historic Splatoberfest! If you are just joining us, what an unforgettable night of championship caliber professional wrestling! And right now, history will be made once again! For the first time ever, Splat! Wrestling will crown an inaugural Shooting Star Champion!"
Leina Debaillion: "This is what it's all about, Biff! The Shooting Star Division was built for the hungriest, most dangerous competitors with two and a half to five years in this business. These four women have been tearing each other apart across the country—and after that absolute brawl in Charleston last week that trashed half the arena, there's no way this match doesn't turn into complete **[BLEEP]**ing mayhem!"
Biff Franklin: "Watch your language, Leina! But you are entirely correct—the bad blood between these four has reached a boiling point. General Manager Madoka Kawada has sanctioned this under Tornado Elimination rules! All four competitors will be legal at the same time. No tags. No count-outs. Falls count anywhere inside the ring. Eliminations will occur via pinfall or submission until only one woman remains standing with the gold!"
In the center of the ring, Mia Rivera stood resplendent under a cluster of dazzling purple and gold spotlights, holding the silver-and-amethyst Shooting Star Championship belt high above her head for the entire arena to see.
Mia Rivera: "The following contest is the INAUGURAL SHOOTING STAR CHAMPIONSHIP FOUR-WAY ELIMINATION MATCH! The rules of the match are as follows: all four competitors are legal simultaneously under Tornado rules! Eliminations will occur via pinfall or submission. The final remaining competitor will be crowned the INAUGURAL SPLAT! WRESTLING SHOOTING STAR CHAMPION!"
A classical baroque harpsichord piece abruptly warped into a pompous, heavy bass synth.
Mia Rivera: "Introducing first... from Oxford, England... weighing in at 175 pounds... 'THE INTELLECTUAL ASSASSIN'... BINKA MOAB!"
The Nashville crowd immediately showered the aisle with boos. Binka strode out from behind the curtain wearing a bespoke emerald-green velvet robe with gold trim. She adjusted her imaginary spectacles, looked out at the audience with utter condescension, and scoffed. Walking down the ramp with rigid, aristocratic posture, Binka stepped into the ring, sneering down at Mia Rivera as she shrugged off her robe.
A high-energy, bubblegum pop-punk track with roaring electric guitars and camera shutter sound effects hit next.
Mia Rivera: "Introducing next... from Los Angeles, California... weighing in at 117 pounds... she is the Blonde, Bratty, and Better... 'TRIPLE B'... FELICIA ATHERTON!"
A loud wave of heat reverberated through the auditorium as Felicia Atherton strutted through the curtain. Dressed in shimmering baby-pink and platinum designer ring gear, the USC journalism graduate held up three manicured fingers, flashing a smug, million-dollar smile. She paused on the ramp to check her lip gloss in a compact mirror, entirely unfazed by the crowd's vitriol. Felicia vaulted onto the apron, wiped her designer boots, and entered the ring, shooting a haughty, dismissive glare across the canvas.
A pulsating, infectious Los Angeles club beat shook the arena speakers next.
Mia Rivera: "Introducing next... from Hollywood, California... weighing in at 120 pounds... 'THE IT GIRL'... TAYLOR LANDRY!"
Taylor Landry emerged onto the stage under glittering golden pyro, blowing kisses to the cameras while flashing her signature radiant, conceited smile. Dressed in custom lavender silk and studded leather gear, Taylor strutted down the ramp like it was a Paris fashion week runway. She stepped through the ropes, hopped onto the second turnbuckle, and struck an elaborate influencer pose, mouthing to the hard camera: "You're looking at the first signed Shooting Star—and your next champion!"
Finally, a deep, resonant taiko drumbeat thundered through the auditorium, followed by the electrifying roar of heavy metal distortion. The arena plunged into crisp ice-blue lighting.
Mia Rivera: "And introducing finally... from Osaka, Japan... weighing in at 125 pounds... A-Y-A!"
The Nashville Municipal Auditorium erupted into massive, roaring cheers. AYA marched through the curtain with cold, predatory focus, wearing sleek black-and-silver shootboxing shorts with tight hand wraps. Her long dark ponytail swung behind her as she ignored the spectacle entirely, her dark eyes locked straight on the championship belt. She slid smoothly under the bottom rope, popped to her feet, and assumed a disciplined southpaw striking stance in her corner, radiating dangerous intensity.
Referee Dan Jacobs held the gleaming Shooting Star Championship between all four women.
Felicia rolled her eyes and inspected her nails. Taylor smirked and mouthed trash-talk at AYA. Binka scoffed at all three of them. AYA simply stared through them.
Jacobs handed the title belt to the timekeeper at ringside.
*DING! DING! DING!*
TIME: 00:00 / 20:00
The bell had barely finished echoing when the ring erupted into total pandemonium.
Taylor Landry charged directly at Felicia Atherton, but Felicia sidestepped gracefully, tripping Taylor onto the canvas! Meanwhile, Binka Moab lunged at AYA with a heavy right forearm, but AYA slipped the punch with crisp head movement, immediately firing back with a lightning-fast combination of shoot-style palm strikes straight to Binka’s jaw and sternum!
Biff Franklin: "Tornado rules in full effect! No feeling-out process here in Nashville—four of the absolute finest athletes in Splat! Wrestling going toe-to-toe!"
AYA backed Binka into the corner with a vicious liver kick, followed by a stiff spinning back kick that echoed with a sharp *THWACK* across the arena! Binka slumped against the turnbuckles, gasping for breath.
Across the ring, Felicia grabbed Taylor by the hair, dragging her to her feet and planting a stiff European uppercut under Landry’s chin.
Felicia Atherton: "You're not the first of anything, Landry! I'm the real star here!"
Felicia whipped Taylor across the ring, but Taylor caught the top rope, rebounded with fluid acrobatics, and connected with Twice as Nice—a flying headscissors takedown that sent Felicia crashing to the mat, immediately followed by an arrogant standing moonsault!
Taylor hooked Felicia's leg:
ONE!
Felicia kicked out with ease, rolling to her knees and shooting Taylor a venomous glare.
Before Taylor could follow up, Binka charged out of the corner, blasting Taylor from behind with the Somnambulism hangman's neckbreaker! Taylor collapsed, clutching her neck. Binka immediately stepped over Taylor and dropped a heavy knee across her throat, locking in a seated chinlock while looking out at the crowd with smug arrogance.
Binka Moab: "Observe, you philistines! True anatomical precision!"
Leina Debaillion: "Nobody cares about your big words, Binka! Kick her in the face, AYA!"
As if on command, AYA sprinted across the canvas, leaped into the air, and drove a vicious running penalty kick straight into Binka’s exposed chest!
*SMACK!*
Binka folded backward, clutching her sternum in agony! AYA dropped down, instantly transitioning into a grounded keylock submission, torquing Binka’s shoulder! Binka shrieked, clawing at the canvas, but before she could tap, Felicia Atherton slid in from behind, wrapping her legs around AYA’s neck in a tight inverted figure-four headscissors!
Biff Franklin: "Look at the technical innovation! AYA has Binka in a shoulder lock, and Felicia Atherton has locked AYA into a headscissors! All three women intertwined!"
Taylor Landry, recovering on the apron, surveyed the submission pretzel in the center of the ring. Smirking, Taylor climbed to the top turnbuckle, adjusted her hair, and leaped across the ring with a picturesque AirTay split-legged senton, crashing directly onto all three women!
The impact shattered all three holds simultaneously! The auditorium erupted in applause as all four competitors lay sprawled across the canvas!
TIME: 05:40 / 20:00
Leina Debaillion: "Holy [BLEEP], what a crash! Taylor Landry just wiped out the entire field!"
Taylor was the first to crawl over, covering AYA:
ONE!
TWO!
AYA powered her shoulder off the mat!
Taylor scrambled over to cover Binka:
ONE!
TWO!
Binka shoved Taylor off with authority!
Taylor rolled toward Felicia and hooked the leg:
ONE!
TWO!
Felicia bridged up, countering into a crucifix pin!
ONE!
TWO!
Taylor kicked out, and both women scrambled to their feet, trading rapid-fire forearm strikes and blistering chops in the center of the ring!
Felicia caught Taylor's arm, spun behind her, and locked in a textbook hammerlock, looking for a dragon suplex. But Taylor countered with a sneaky heel kick backward between Felicia's legs! It was a borderline low blow that caught the referee off-angle! Felicia doubled over in pain, and Taylor immediately dropped her with the Tay Drop (Code Red)!
*BOOM!*
The crowd gasped as Taylor hooked Felicia’s leg:
ONE!
TWO!
THRE—NO! AYA broke the count with a stiff basement dropkick straight to Taylor’s ribs!
TIME: 09:15 / 20:00
AYA hauled Taylor up by the wrist, looking to whip her into the ropes, but Binka Moab blindsided AYA with a brutal Chromosome Splitter—a high, delayed atomic drop that rattled AYA's spine!
Binka followed up by grabbing AYA by the hair, throwing her down to the mat, and locking in the Pathogenic Ocular Dissonance—a brutal surfboard stretch, pulling back on AYA’s arms while repeatedly grinding her boot heels into AYA’s face!
Biff Franklin: "Binka Moab applying maximum torque to the martial arts prodigy! AYA is in serious trouble!"
Binka Moab: "Submit, you pedestrian brute! Acknowledge your intellectual superior!"
Taylor Landry slowly pushed herself up in the corner, catching Felicia Atherton sneaking up behind her. Taylor sidestepped, grabbed Felicia, and drove her spine into the canvas with the Knife in the Back backstabber!
Felicia rolled to the apron in agony. Taylor turned her attention toward Binka and AYA.
Seeing Binka fully committed to the surfboard, Taylor sprinted off the opposite ropes, launched herself into the air, and caught Binka with the It Girl Spike DDT!
*CRACK!*
Binka’s head bounced violently off the canvas! Binka rolled onto her back, dazed and glassy-eyed.
AYA, freed from the hold, rolled to her feet with frightening fighting spirit. Her eyes locked onto the stunned Binka Moab. AYA unleashed the Mach Punch Rush—a rapid-fire, shootboxing flurry of blistering open-palm strikes, body blows, and a vicious spinning backfist that left Binka completely limp!
AYA grabbed Binka’s legs, crossed them with surgical precision, stepped through, and locked in her devastating signature finisher—the SCISSORS TEXAS CLOVER CLUTCH (Kuroba no Shokei)!
Leina Debaillion: "SHE'S GOT IT! AYA HAS THE CLOVER EXECUTION LOCKED IN! CRANK IT, AYA!"
Biff Franklin: "Maximum pressure on the lower back and knees! Binka Moab has nowhere to go!"
Binka screamed in sheer agony, thrashing against the canvas, but AYA sat deep into the hold, wrenching back with terrifying torque. Binka’s hand slapped the mat frantically!
*TAP! TAP! TAP!*
Referee Dan Jacobs signaled immediately!
*DING! DING!*
Mia Rivera: "Binka Moab has been ELIMINATED!"
TIME: 11:22 / 20:00
(Current competitors remaining: AYA, Felicia Atherton, Taylor Landry)
Binka Moab rolled out to the arena floor, clutching her lower back and screaming in frustrated rage at the referee, kicking the steel barricade as security ushered her toward the back.
Inside the ring, three women remained.
Taylor Landry and Felicia Atherton slowly pulled themselves up on opposite sides of the ring. Both looked at each other, then glanced at AYA, who stood tall in the center of the ring, breathing steadily and resetting her hand wraps.
Leina Debaillion: "Uh oh... looks like the two Hollywood brats are realizing they can't take AYA one-on-one."
Biff Franklin: "In an elimination match, survival is everything. An unspoken truce has formed between Felicia and Taylor!"
Felicia and Taylor slowly circled AYA from opposite sides. AYA showed no fear, nodding slightly as she raised her guard.
Taylor lunged first; AYA blocked her right hook and drove a knee into Taylor’s midsection. But Felicia struck simultaneously from behind, chopping down the back of AYA’s knee! AYA dropped to one knee, and Taylor immediately connected with a stiff European uppercut!
The two heels began a ruthless double-team assault. Felicia wrenched AYA’s left arm in an armbar while Taylor drove repeated stomps into AYA’s ribs. They hoisted AYA to her feet and whipped her hard across the ring.
As AYA rebounded, Felicia and Taylor looked for a double clothesline—but AYA ducked underneath! AYA rebounded off the opposite ropes, launched herself horizontally, and took both women down with a breathtaking double diving crossbody!
The Nashville crowd roared! AYA was on fire!
AYA sprang to her feet, grabbed Taylor Landry, and hit a stunning capture suplex! She spun around, caught Felicia charging in, and planted Felicia with a release Northern Lights suplex!
AYA climbed to the top turnbuckle, looking across the arena as the crowd rose to their feet. She was setting up the Double Lotation Moonsault to wipe out both opponents!
AYA balanced on the top rope—
Suddenly, Taylor Landry sprang back to life, leaping up to the middle rope and raking her manicured fingers straight across AYA’s eyes! AYA gasped, temporarily blinded!
Taylor grabbed AYA around the waist from the top rope, hooking both legs under AYA’s chin, and leaped backward into the ring with her devastating ultimate weapon—FALL FROM GRACE (Avalanche Frankensteiner)!
*KABOOOOOOOM!*
AYA spiked violently from the top rope straight into the center of the ring! The entire auditorium gasped at the terrifying impact!
Taylor rolled across the canvas, exhausted, while Felicia Atherton watched from the corner with sharp, calculating eyes.
As Taylor scrambled to crawl toward AYA, Felicia suddenly sprinted forward, shoved Taylor violently out through the ropes to the floor, and dropped her entire weight over AYA, hooking the far leg tightly!
Dan Jacobs slid into position:
ONE!
Leina Debaillion: "NO! AYA, KICK OUT!"
TWO!
Biff Franklin: "FELICIA STEALING THE PIN!"
THREE!
*DING! DING!*
Mia Rivera: "A-Y-A has been ELIMINATED!"
TIME: 15:45 / 20:00
(Final two competitors: Felicia Atherton vs. Taylor Landry)
Biff Franklin: "AYA is gone! What an unbelievable elimination! Taylor Landry hits the Fall from Grace from the top rope, but Felicia Atherton capitalizes like an absolute vulture!"
Leina Debaillion: "That is so dirty! Taylor did all the damn work, and Felicia just steals the elimination! But now it's down to the final two! Blonde, Bratty, and Better versus The It Girl!"
On the floor, AYA sat up against the barricade, clutching her neck in shock and disbelief. She shook her head, frustrated beyond measure, but slowly stood up under her own power, walking to the backstage area to a thunderous standing ovation from the Nashville crowd.
Inside the ring, Taylor Landry re-entered, her face flushed with fury. She stared at Felicia Atherton, who stood in the opposite corner with her hands on her hips, grinning from ear to ear.
Taylor Landry: "You thieving little [BLEEP]! That was my pin!"
Felicia Atherton: "Work smarter, sweetie! Not harder! Now why don't you lay down so the real star can get her belt?"
Taylor shrieked and charged!
The final two tore into each other with wild ferocity! Taylor threw heavy forearms; Felicia answered with vicious slaps and stinging palm strikes. They tumbled to the canvas, rolling across the ring in a fierce catfight brawl before Jacobs separated them.
TIME: 17:30 / 20:00
Taylor whipped Felicia into the ropes and connected with her trademark TayTay—two consecutive rolling suplexes! Taylor held on, looking for the third, but Felicia countered mid-air, landing behind Taylor and snapping her back with a textbook bridging German suplex!
ONE!
TWO!
Taylor kicked out at two and a half!
Felicia immediately transitioned, grabbing Taylor’s arm and locking in a vicious cross-armbreaker! Felicia hyperextended the elbow, pulling back with all her leverage!
Taylor screamed, clawing at her own wrists to keep her arm from breaking. Desperately, Taylor rolled her body toward the ropes, finally managing to hook her toe under the bottom rope!
The referee ordered the break. Felicia held the hold until the four-count before releasing with a bratty smirk.
Felicia pulled Taylor up, setting her up for a hammerlock DDT. But Taylor countered with a lightning-fast jawbreaker! Felicia stumbled backward into the ropes.
Taylor bounced off the opposite ropes, sprinted toward the turnbuckles, leaped to the top, and flew backward looking for the California Vacation (Panama Sunrise)!
She flipped—but Felicia anticipated it! Felicia sidestepped, and Taylor landed on her feet, but stumbled off-balance!
Felicia lunged, but Taylor caught Felicia in mid-stride and locked in the California Dreamin' guillotine lock in the center of the ring!
Biff Franklin: "CALIFORNIA DREAMIN'! Taylor Landry has the guillotine locked tight! Felicia has nowhere to run!"
Leina Debaillion: "TAP OUT, TRIPLE B! TAP OUT!"
Felicia’s face turned bright red as Taylor wrenched back on her neck. Felicia thrash-fought against the choke, her legs flailing. Sensing her consciousness slipping away, Felicia used her veteran ring awareness and drove Taylor backward into the corner, ramming Taylor’s spine into the turnbuckle pads!
Taylor loosened the grip slightly, but kept the hold applied.
Felicia, desperate and ruthless, reached up behind the referee's back and violently raked her sharp, manicured nails across Taylor Landry’s eyes!
Taylor Landry: "AHHH! MY EYES!"
Taylor instinctively released the hold, clutching her face in agony.
Referee Dan Jacobs stepped in to check on Taylor, asking if she could see.
Felicia didn't hesitate for a single microsecond. While Jacobs was distracted by Taylor's face, Felicia grabbed Taylor from behind, hooked Taylor's legs, and rolled her backward into a tight schoolgirl rollup!
As Felicia went over, she grabbed a fistful of Taylor's trunks with one hand—and swung both of her boots up, firmly planting them on the middle rope for illegal leverage, completely hidden from the referee’s field of vision!
Dan Jacobs dropped to count:
ONE!
Leina Debaillion: "HER FEET ARE ON THE ROPES! REF, LOOK AT HER FEET!"
TWO!
Biff Franklin: "FELICIA WITH MAXIMUM LEVERAGE!"
THREE!
*DING! DING! DING!*
TIME: 19:42 / 20:00
Mia Rivera: "Ladies and gentlemen, here is your winner... and the INAUGURAL SPLAT! WRESTLING SHOOTING STAR CHAMPION... 'TRIPLE B' FELICIA ATHERTON!"
The Nashville Municipal Auditorium erupted in a wall of deafening boos.
Felicia instantly released the rollup, rolled backward onto her feet, and let out an ear-piercing scream of pure, unadulterated ecstasy! She threw both hands in the air, hopping up and down on the canvas like a spoiled heiress who had just received the keys to a brand-new sports car.
Taylor Landry sat up on the canvas, blinking furiously through watering eyes, screaming at referee Dan Jacobs.
Taylor Landry: "SHE PULLED MY TIGHTS! HER FEET WERE ON THE ROPES! ARE YOU BLIND, YOU IDIOT?!"
Jacobs shook his head, holding his hands up to signify that the three-count was official and the match was over.
General Manager Madoka Kawada walked down the entrance ramp carrying the silver-and-amethyst Shooting Star Championship belt. Madoka entered the ring, her face maintaining an impeccably professional, neutral expression despite the obvious rule-bending that had just taken place.
Madoka handed the championship belt to Felicia Atherton.
Felicia snatched the belt from Madoka's hands, hugged it tightly against her chest, and kissed the center plate repeatedly. She climbed to the second turnbuckle, held the title high above her head with one hand, and flashed three fingers with the other, screaming at the booing crowd:
Felicia Atherton: "I TOLD YOU! I'M BLONDE! I'M BRATTY! AND I AM BETTER THAN EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU!"
Biff Franklin: "Controversy reigns supreme, but the history books will record only one name! 'Triple B' Felicia Atherton outlasts Binka Moab, outlasts AYA, and outsmarts Taylor Landry to become the first Shooting Star Champion in Splat! Wrestling history!"
Leina Debaillion: "She cheated, Biff! She gouged Taylor's eyes and put her feet all over the ropes! That belt should have an asterisk next to it! But... damn it... she survived the tornado. She got the job done."
Down at ringside, Taylor Landry stormed up the ramp, kicking the stage curtains and screaming in absolute hysterics as staff tried to calm her down.
Inside the ring, Felicia Atherton dropped to one knee, pulled a mini mirror from her ring attire, checked her lipstick in the reflection of the gleaming championship gold, and winked at the hard camera, soaking in the thunderous chorus of boos echoing through the arena.
BACKSTAGE: THE WAR BEFORE THE CAGE
The broadcast shifted from the roaring arena floor to the backstage interview area, where the sleek purple-and-gold Splatoberfest backdrop stood illuminated beneath the studio lights.
Standing ready with a microphone in hand was Splat! Wrestling’s senior interviewer, Jazmin Davis, looking exceptionally poised in a tailored charcoal blazer.
Jazmin Davis: "Welcome back to Splatoberfest, ladies and gentlemen. We just witnessed crowning the inaugural Shooting Star Champion, but coming up next, one of the most volatile, violent, and deeply personal rivalries in the history of this company will finally reach its climax. For the first time ever inside a Splat! Wrestling ring, we will witness a Steel Cage Match between Poema Tua and ONNA. Right now, I am joined by ONNA, accompanied by her legal counsel and manager, Seo Hyung Kwon."
The camera panned over to reveal ONNA standing under the harsh backstage lighting. She was pacing within a tight, rigid circle, her heavy combat boots clicking rhythmically against the concrete floor. Her dark hair was pulled into a tight, utilitarian warrior braid, her fists wrapped in thick black athletic tape. Her jaw worked constantly, grinding in silence, her eyes locked dead ahead with a burning, laser-focused intensity that bordered on feral.
Beside her, standing with pristine posture and an expensive silk scarf draped over a designer navy blazer, was Seo Hyung Kwon. Kwon held a leather folio beneath one arm, her expression cool, haughty, and radiating absolute legal superiority.
Jazmin Davis: "ONNA, for over two months, the locker room and the fans across the country have watched this feud spiral completely out of control. From backstage brawls to parking lot ambushes, General Manager Madoka Kawada was forced to issue a strict no-contact order just to get both of you to Nashville in one piece. Tonight, that order expires when you step inside fifteen feet of reinforced steel. What is your mindset heading into this match?"
ONNA stopped pacing instantly. She turned toward Jazmin, stepping so close into the microphone that her heavy, ragged breathing could be heard clearly over the broadcast.
ONNA: "Mindset? You want to talk about my mindset, Jazmin?"
ONNA’s voice was low, guttural, and trembling with venomous conviction.
ONNA: "Poema Tua took three months of my life. She broke my collarbone. She cracked my ribs. And when I was laying in a hospital bed, staring at the ceiling, wondering if my body would ever work the same way again, do you know what she called it? She called it an accident. She smiled, gave her little shaka sign to the cameras, and told the world it was just professional wrestling. But it wasn't an accident. She wanted me out of her way. She saw how strong I was, and she tried to end my career before it could even begin!"
Seo Hyung Kwon stepped forward, placing a gentle, reassuring hand on ONNA’s shoulder—a calculated gesture designed to fan the flames while appearing protective.
Seo Hyung Kwon: "And the record will reflect that Splat! Wrestling management did nothing to address that gross negligence, Jazmin. While my client suffered in physical therapy, Poema Tua was celebrated. But tonight, there is no corporate protection. There are no technicalities."
Kwon adjusted her glasses, offering a razor-sharp smirk directly to the camera.
Seo Hyung Kwon: "General Manager Madoka Kawada believes that threatening to handcuff me to the exterior of the steel cage will somehow neutralize our advantage. It is a pathetic, prejudiced attempt to stack the deck against my client. But even if I am restrained, the law of the cage remains absolute. There is nowhere for Poema to run. There are no disqualifications. And there is no referee who can stop the physical damages that will be collected in full tonight."
ONNA pushed past Kwon, her face inches from the lens. Her fists were clenched so hard the tape threatened to split across her knuckles.
ONNA: "People look at that cage and they think about climbing. They think about jumping off the top like circus clowns. I don't climb ropes. I don't jump off turnbuckles. I keep both of my feet planted firmly on the solid ground, and that's where I break people! That cage wasn't built so Poema could fly. That cage was built so she can't run away from me! No floor to dive to. No barricade to hide behind. Just four walls of solid steel and twenty feet of chain link to smash her face against until she forgets her own name!"
ONNA leaned in, her dark eyes wide and unblinking.
ONNA: "Poema... you broke my body. Tonight, inside that cage... I'm going to break your soul. You are leaving Nashville in an ambulance!"
Without waiting for another question, ONNA violently shoved past the production crew and stormed down the hallway, muttering in Thai under her breath, with Kwon striding smoothly behind her with a satisfied, predatory smile.
SPECIAL IN-RING ANNOUNCEMENT: THE TWIN STAR CHAMPIONSHIP
The cameras cut back from the backstage hallway to the buzzing Nashville Municipal Auditorium. The arena strobes pulsed with bright emerald and gold lighting as an upbeat, elegant synth-pop theme filled the arena.
Mia Rivera: "Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome your Splat! Wrestling General Manager... MADOKA KAWADA!"
The Nashville crowd erupted in cheers as Madoka Kawada walked through the curtain onto the stage. Dressed in a sharply tailored ivory pant suit, her hair styled with effortless elegance, she offered a warm, confident wave to the fans before making her way down the entrance ramp, microphone in hand.
Behind her, two ringside crew members carried a sleek, velvet-draped pedestal into the center of the ring.
Biff Franklin: Madoka Kawada has steered this ship through turbulent waters over the past several months, and whenever she steps into that ring, major news follows!"
Leina Debaillion: "Madoka always brings the heat, Biff! Look at that pedestal in the middle of the ring—she’s got something huge cooked up for us!"
Madoka stepped gracefully through the ropes, smiling as the crowd serenaded her with a steady chant of "MA-DO-KA! MA-DO-KA!" She waited a brief moment for the applause to settle, holding the microphone to her lips with a poised, authoritative smile.
Madoka Kawada: "Thank you, Nashville! And welcome to Splatoberfest!"
The arena roared in response.
Madoka Kawada: "Tonight, we are making history at every turn. We crowned our inaugural Superstar Champion in Nikki Payne. Felicia Atherton has been crowned the very first Shooting Star Champion. And later tonight, we will witness a brutal Steel Cage war and an unprecedented thirty-minute Ironperson main event for the Rising Star Championship."
Madoka paused, letting the magnitude of the evening hang in the air.
Madoka Kawada: "Splat! Wrestling was founded on the idea of innovation, opportunity, and giving the absolute best talent a platform to showcase their craft. But as I look across our growing locker room, I see one crucial element that has yet to be recognized... tag team wrestling."
A massive cheer broke out from the Nashville faithful.
Madoka Kawada: "However, here at Splat! Wrestling, we do not do things the traditional way. We don't just put two people together who already get along. We want to test pure adaptability, ring IQ, and the ability to win under any circumstance. That is why tonight, I am officially introducing the newest title in our promotion..."
Madoka stepped over to the pedestal and grasped the velvet cloth, dramatically pulling it away to reveal a pair of gleaming silver championship belts with dual interlocking stars emblazoned across midnight-blue leather straps.
Madoka Kawada: "...The Twin Star Championship!"
The arena erupted into applause as the lighting technician illuminated the shimmering belts on the big screen.
Biff Franklin: "Look at those gorgeous titles! The Twin Star Championship!"
Madoka Kawada: "The Twin Star Championship is not about established tag teams. It is built on unpredictability. To compete for these titles, partners will be selected completely at random! Every competitor entered into the division will have their name drawn from a lottery. You might team with your best friend... or you might find yourself standing shoulder-to-shoulder with your fiercest rival."
The crowd buzzed with excitement at the chaotic possibilities.
Madoka Kawada: "We will be holding an inaugural tournament to crown our very first Twin Star Champions, and moving forward, future number one contenders will continue to be chosen by random draw. Now, if our roster continues to expand down the road to a point where a conventional tag team division makes sense, Splat! Wrestling may revise or evolve this concept. But starting next week, the Twin Star Championship is about proving you can conquer the world with anyone in your corner!"
Madoka paused, allowing the roar of the crowd to swell before raising her hand for silence.
Madoka Kawada: "The tournament officially begins next Saturday night, October 10th! The complete tournament brackets and random pairings will be revealed this coming Monday across all Splat! Wrestling digital platforms... but tonight, I am giving Nashville a sneak preview of the very first first-round matchup!"
The arena leaned in, listening intently.
Madoka Kawada: "In our opening Twin Star Tournament match next week... Ashley 'The Menace' Ellis and 'JoeStar' Stanton will join forces to take on the team of GT and Aaron 'Scarface' Snyder!"
The auditorium erupted into a wall of sound—half gasps of shock, half explosive cheers.
Leina Debaillion: "WHAT?! Are you kidding me?! Ashley Ellis and JoeStar Stanton together?! And Gabby has to team up with Aaron Snyder?! That is absolute madness, Biff! Aaron’s a ruthless technician, and GT is a high-flying showstopper! How are they even gonna be on the same page?!"
Biff Franklin: "Unbelievable! Talk about volatile combinations! Ashley Ellis’s vanity mixed with JoeStar’s gritty determination, facing off against GT and the dangerous veteran Aaron Snyder! That is exactly what the Twin Star Championship is all about—unpredictable, high-stakes drama!"
Madoka smiled, offering a respectful nod to all four sides of the auditorium.
Madoka Kawada: "Good luck to all of our competitors. Enjoy the rest of Splatoberfest!"
Her music hit once more as Madoka gracefully exited the ring, leaving the Nashville crowd buzzing with anticipation.
The screen dissolved to a pre-taped segment filmed in a quieter section of the Nashville Municipal Auditorium.
Poema Tua sat on a wooden bench, wearing her black-and-teal training gear with thick compression wraps wound tightly around her midsection and ribs—lingering evidence of the three devastating powerslams ONNA had delivered weeks prior. Despite the physical toll, Poema’s posture was relaxed. Her blonde-streaked curls cascaded over her shoulders, and her signature calm, oceanic demeanor remained intact, though beneath her cool exterior, a quiet, hardened steel gleamed in her eyes.
Jazmin Davis: "Poema, we just heard ONNA’s perspective. She remains entirely convinced that your initial match—where she suffered a severe injury—was a calculated attempt to derail her career. She believes tonight inside the steel cage is her ultimate retribution. How do you respond to that?"
Poema took a slow, measured breath, looking down at the tape on her wrists before looking straight at Jazmin.
Poema Tua: "You know, Jazmin... when you step through those ropes, you put your body, your career, and your future in each other's hands. What happened that night was an accident. Anyone with two eyes and an ounce of honesty knows that. I reached out to ONNA. I checked in on her. I apologized for the collision, because that’s what professionals do. I wanted her to come back healthy. I wanted us to compete at our absolute best."
Poema paused, shaking her head slowly as a bitter edge crept into her relaxed tone.
Poema Tua: "But ONNA didn't want the truth. She wanted a grudge. She let Seo Hyung Kwon crawl inside her head and whisper poison in her ear until she convinced herself that every bruise, every setback, and every bit of pain was a conspiracy against her. She ambushed me. She put me through tables. She drove my spine into the canvas three times in Atlanta just to prove a point. She tried to take my career away out of pure, bitter spite."
Poema pushed herself up from the bench, standing at her full height. She rolled her shoulders back, completely ignoring the visible wince from her bruised ribs as she locked eyes with the camera.
Poema Tua: "ONNA thinks she’s trapping me. She thinks that putting four walls of chain link around this ring takes away the sky. She thinks that because I like to take flight and ride the momentum, I’m going to cower in fear when the door gets locked. But that cage doesn't trap me with her, Jazmin. That cage traps her with me. No Seo Hyung Kwon grabbing my leg from under the ropes. No sneak attacks in the dark. Just me, her, and fifteen feet of steel to settle this once and for all."
Poema leaned forward, her voice dropping into a calm, ice-cold whisper that echoed with absolute finality.
Poema Tua: "ONNA... you've thrown everything you have at me. You've bruised my ribs, you've left me bleeding on the floor, and you've tried to bury me under your anger. But the tide always comes back. You want a war inside that cage? You’ve got one. But when the dust settles in Nashville, I’m walking out through that door on my own two feet... and you’re going to be left choking on the wreckage you created."
Poema gave a sharp, decisive nod to Jazmin, turned, and walked toward the arena corridor with steady, resolute strides.
The camera cut back to the broadcast desk at ringside, where Biff Franklin and Leina Debaillion were taking in the gravity of the words.
Biff Franklin: "Chills down my spine, folks! Two completely different mindsets, two extraordinary competitors, and one terrifying structure awaiting them later tonight! The bad blood between ONNA and Poema Tua has reached critical mass, and for the first time in Splat! Wrestling history, that steel cage will drop from the ceiling to contain the carnage!"
Leina Debaillion: "I'm telling you, Biff, ONNA looks like she's ready to rip someone's throat out with her bare teeth. But Poema isn't backing down for a single second! She knows ONNA is an absolute tank, but you can't break someone who refuses to stay down. When that cage door locks, somebody is leaving in a **[BLEEP]**ing body bag!"
Biff Franklin: "Leina, please! We are live! But the tension is undeniable. That epic clash is next!"
STEEL CAGE MATCH: ONNA vs. Poema Tua
[NASHVILLE MUNICIPAL AUDITORIUM - CAGE LOWERING]
The arena lights dimmed as the Shooting Star Championship celebration concluded. A low, ominous hum filled the Nashville Municipal Auditorium as the massive steel cage began its slow descent from the rafters.
Biff Franklin: "Ladies and gentlemen, it is time. For months, ONNA and Poema Tua have torn each other apart. Tonight, inside unforgiving steel, this war ends once and for all."
Leina Debaillion: "This isn't about championships or rankings, Biff. This is personal. This is about pain, revenge, and two women who refuse to back down. One of them is leaving on a stretcher tonight."
The cage settled into place with a heavy metallic CLANG, surrounding the ring in cold, unforgiving steel mesh. The structure loomed fifteen feet high, its door secured with a heavy chain and padlock.
Biff Franklin: "The rules are simple: escape the cage by climbing over the top or exiting through the door. No pinfalls. No submissions. The only way to win is to escape with both feet touching the floor."
Leina Debaillion: "And if Seo Hyung Kwon tries to interfere? She's getting handcuffed to that cage. Madoka Kawada made that crystal clear."
RING INTRODUCTIONS
The lights shifted to a cold blue as Mia Rivera stood in the center of the caged ring, microphone in hand.
Mia Rivera: "Ladies and gentlemen, the following contest is a STEEL CAGE MATCH! The only way to win is to escape the cage with both feet touching the floor!"
The crowd erupted.
A sharp, aggressive theme hit the speakers as ONNA emerged onto the stage, her expression dark and focused. Walking beside her, dressed in an immaculate black suit, was Seo Hyung Kwon, carrying a leather briefcase.
Mia Rivera: "Introducing first, accompanied by her legal counsel Seo Hyung Kwon, from Bangkok, Thailand, weighing in at 140 pounds... O-N-N-A!"
ONNA marched down the ramp with cold determination, her eyes locked on the cage. Kwon walked beside her, whispering last-minute instructions.
Biff Franklin: "ONNA has been consumed by this vendetta. She believes Poema Tua intentionally injured her months ago, and tonight, she wants blood."
Leina Debaillion: "And Kwon has been pulling the strings this whole time. But Madoka's not playing games—if Kwon tries anything, she's getting cuffed to that cage."
As ONNA reached ringside, two security officers stepped forward, holding a pair of steel handcuffs.
Security Officer: "Ms. Kwon, per General Manager Kawada's orders, if you accompany ONNA to ringside, you will be restrained."
Kwon's expression remained calm and professional. She set down her briefcase, extended her wrists without protest, and allowed the officers to secure one cuff around her left wrist. The other cuff was locked to the steel mesh of the cage near the entrance ramp.
Seo Hyung Kwon: (calmly) "I have no intention of interfering. I am here to witness justice."