MATCH 5: TV TITLE MATCH: Jeremy Byron vs. Sebastian Sloan
Sloan, accompanied by Lilith, makes a slow, methodical walk to
the ring. He looks all business and more than a little scary.
Lilith is badmouthing Mark Davidson the entire way. From there,
a crowd pop to the heavens as Byron is introduced....
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{It's difficult to tell whether the cheers were a negative reaction to Sebastian
Sloan, or the TV Champ's entrance, but probably a combination of the two as the
Pyramid became deafening. "Tubthumpin" ushered in a thrilled Jeremy Byron, who
was all smiles. Wearing a black satin jacket with BYRON stitched in gold across
the back, the television champ wore the belt around his waist slapping
hands down the aisle, pausing to show off the belt to the camera and
mouthing "I love you Josie [his daughter, as the smarts know]" Byron
lapped the ring, and secured the mic to address the impatient Sloan
pacing the ring.}
[Jeremy Byron]
"Right now is the best time of my professional life, and I'm glad all you
people are along for the ride. You know, I wasn't born a 6'10" 279 pound
man-beast without a heart like some guys in this business...no offense
Sloan...I'm just a regular guy who comes to work everyday to do the very
best I can. I've paid my dues, more than most, and nobody is going to
end this ride, until I say so! If you want this TV belt, then you've
got to overcome the biggest heart in this business...and the will of
all these people!"
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Byron then spikes the microphone as Sloan charges into a boot to
the gut by Byron, then a series of forearm uppercuts, until Sloan
is backed into a corner, where Byron does his very best Stone Cold
impersonation, punching and stomping the big man until he's on his
backside in the corner. Byron then steps back about two feet before
hitting a dropkick square in the mush of Sloan. Sloan rolls out
and talks briefly with Lilith, who was adorned in chains.
Once Sloan came back in, the match was *very* back and forth for
about 10 minutes, then Sloan started unloading with everything he
had. Funny thing, tho...Byron wouldn't let himself get pinned.
It was most frustraing for Sloan when Byron kept kicking out at
the two count after three successive powerbombs. When Sloan
went for the fourth, Byron suddenly exploded with 5 quick shots to
Sloans head, then pushed his body up so that his butt was to
the back of Sloan's head instead of in front of it, then fell
down and back into a stylized piledriver from the EC Suplex
position. This got hands down the loudest pop of the night.
Sloan didn't move for about 30 seconds while Byron was catching
his breath, but Sloan finally got up.
He was met by an on fire Byron, who was firing lefts and rights
all over the place. He came off the ropes behind Sloan with
an enziguri, then followed up with a springboard moonsault
that got a 2 count. Byron then slid under Sloan's legs and rolled
him into a sunset flip position for a 2 count, then jumped to
the 2nd rope, hit a springboard Harlem High kick, then signaled to
the crowd...this brought Lilith onto the apron, which Byron didn't
see...but the referee did. Byron kicked Sloan in the stomach and
set up for the Equalizer, but Sloan shoved Byron *right* into the
referee, who went over the top and onto Lilith, who managed to fall
so that she was only stunned for a moment. Byron rebounded, and
Sloan wrapped him up for the "Enlightenment" Bulldog Cobra Clutch...
only Byron back kicked him into the netherregions, and
nailed the Equalizer. He covered Sloan for a *ten* count but there
was no referee to count it. He got up, went outside and rolled the
referee into the ring...and turned around *RIGHT* into a fireball
by Lilith. In intense pain, Lilith managed to roll Byron into
the ring, where Sloan rolled over and fell onto Byron for a 3 count.
#############################################
# WINNER: Sebastian Sloan, by pinfall 19:31 #
# NEW EWC TELEVISION CHAMPION #
#############################################
Postmatch, Lilith pulled a sackcloth bag over the burned Byron's
face, then kicked him while Sloan got to his feet. Together, they
take Lilith's chains and hang him over the top rope...at which time,
Lilith sets fire to the *BAG*. By this time, "Slayer" Mark Davidson
was down there like a shot and bitchslapped him upside the head
with a chair, allowing Byron to fall to the ground and EMT's
to put the fire out...but by now Byron was screaming in agony,
and several people at ringside looked really uncomfortable.
Meanwhile in ring, Lilith jumped on the back of Slayer, but Davidson
tossed her off his back, and she rolled out of the ring, stunned on the
outside. He then grabs a ringside mike and stands over the fallen Sloan.
[Davidson]
"Well, let's see here, my old friend Sebastian has done his mommy
pround and won himself a nice shiny TV Championship belt. I've got
another TV championship for you right here."
He then rolls outside, grabs a TV monitor, and tosses it right onto
the fallen Sloan. He then picks Sloan up and Devil Bomb's him right
onto the monitor, shattering it. Before he can do anything else,
tho, Lilith rolls in and mists Davidson in the eyes, allowing Lilith
to get the beaten Sloan out of there in a hurry. Byron, in the
meantime, was EMTed out of the building, and later was shown being
placed in a lifeflight helicopter to be taken to the burn trauma center
in Nashville.
They go to a commercial. When they come back, they look in on
Byron one more time, with a camera in the helicopter. Byron's
wife is apoplectic. The com system on the helicopter says
that Mr. LeBeaux has prepaid the expenses involved, and that
Jeremy was to get the best care they had.
*MAIN EVENT*
EWC WORLD TITLE MATCH: Fuego vs. Roker Showtime
*GUEST REFEREE: Barry Bromowitz*
They announce Barry first, and he comes down to ringside, and comes
to talk to the announcers briefly...
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[Cross]
Barry, any comments on tonight's match up between Feugo and Roker?
[Barry]
As long as they abide by the rules, we won't have any problems. I'm
calling this right down the middle, the best WRESTLER will win.
[Stone]
Come on Barry, we know you've got a match up with Roker at Slamrock,
if you favor him tonight, you've got yourself a title match at the PPV.
[Barry]
If Roker expects to win that title tonight, he's going to have to earn it.
And if he expects to win at Slamrock, he's going to have to earn that too.
Nobody ever gave me a handout in my career and I'm not about to start giving
them out tonight. And title or no title, it doesn't matter much to me, I
plan on beating Showtime at Slamrock and that's all I have to say...
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Barry then goes into the ring as "It's Showtime" plays on the PA
system...Roker comes down, and despite everything, the fans are solidly
behind him (with the exception of a team of mutants chanting "YOU SOLD OUT"
throughout the match). Roker comes into the ring,
shakes Barry's hand, and waits for the champion.
[PA]
"Fuego's gonna kill you!"
With that, "Rusty Cage" comes on and Fuego comes out to an *incredibly*
loud face pop. He's all business. He rolls into the
ring, glares at Showtime, and gives a passing nod to Barry as he checks
both men for international objects.
The match saw Roker take his usual submission/technical based game,
working mainly on Fuego's back, while Fuego was in power mode, tossing
Showtime around with hiptosses and suplexes. At one point
three minutes in, Fuego was hitting Showtime with palm thrusts while
Showtime retaliated with European uppercuts back and forth, until
a Thai kick by Fuego shifted Showtime's focus enough for Fuego to
nail a spinning heel kick.
Barry was a complete non-factor..except for one thing. About halfway
through, Jon Owens strolled down to ringside and watched
for a few minutes, then began to jaw with Showtime while Fuego had
a nervehold on him. Barry wasted no time in telling Owens to hit
the road...with Barry stepping outside long enough to tell him
so..and long enough for Roker to regain control with a shot to
the solarplexus that looked *reeeeeeaaaaallllllllllyyyyyy*
close to a low blow.
Going south was a hallmark for this match...both men went to the
netherregions a couple of times, and the end saw an all-out brawl
that had Showtime *nailing* Fuego with a *stiff* clothesline, followed
by a *wicked* belly to belly. The final two count ratio...
Showtime had 15, Fuego 10.
The end came when Showtime hit another belly to belly, then went
for the STF..Fuego rolled to his side and slid Showtime into a pinning
position before Harold could lock it in, and 3 counts later,
Fuego had successfully defended.
#####################################
# WINNER: Fuego, by pinfall, 14:21 #
#####################################
After Fuego headed to the back, they showed the replay...and
Showtime's shoulder was *UP*. Barry was at an angle in making the count
that he couldn't see Showtime's shoulder. Roker pleads his
case but Barry sticks to his guns. They are seen arguing as the show fades.