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Post by Jim Houston on Mar 18, 2018 11:59:39 GMT
The following email has been sent to all FPW roster members. Jim Houston expects responses by the end of the day on Saturday March 24th.
Dear FPW Roster Member,
As always, I'd like to thank you for your efforts so far this year. I'd also like to congratulate Marcus Allen Jones for winning the Young Lions Cup, as well as Clutch McCloud and Jeremiah Johnson for earning the chance to face The Invaders at Temple of Doom.
As you all know, Temple of Doom is a big card for us. The eyes of every wrestling fan in the world will be on New Orleans that weekend, and we have a prime position at Wrestlecon the morning of Wrestlemania. I intend to make this show as big as I possibly can to ensure that we get maximum exposure. As such, I plan to have every title defended on the show! I have my ideas as to who deserves a title shot, but I'd like to hear from you. Who would champions like to face? Why do you think you should get the title match? Aside from title matches, I'd also like to put on the best non-title matches that I can. Show me why you deserve a spot on this prestigious card.
Currently, the only matches that I have signed for this show are The Invaders v Clutch McCloud and Jeremiah Johnson for the FPW Team Team Championships and The Sons of Cerberus v Anarchy after Anarchy's challenge was accepted last night. I have five more spots to fill and will announce the full card on Sunday 25th March at 7am Eastern time.
Best wishes,
Jim Houston
Freedom Pro Wrestling General Manager
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Post by Jim Houston on Mar 18, 2018 12:19:43 GMT
Dasha Banks stands in a corridor as MDE walks towards her. In the background, crowd noise can be heard from the Young Lions Cup Night Two.
DB: MDE... you're not on the show tonight. Why are you here?
MDE: I'm here to scout my future opponents. I take this job seriously and I take this promotion seriously. This is my first chance to see some of these guys and I'm not going to miss it.
DB: What did you make of Graham Brown and James Saturn?
MDE smirks.
MDE: Graham Baker is clearly not over me yet. He desperately wanted to beat me and came up short. It's good to see that that's still affecting him. I know how that feel and I know what he has to do to get over it. When he realises it, I'll still be here.
DB: What are you hoping for when we go to New Orleans?
MDE: I'm hoping to have the chance to test myself against a high quality wrestler and to come out on top.
DB: Well... thank you for your time.
MDE walks off with his smirk still on his face.
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Post by Pizza Ant on Mar 18, 2018 15:02:13 GMT
A strange vignette is placed on the Freedom Pro Network. We see a man walking in the shadows.
Man: I’ve been all around the world.. I’ve faced many great opponents.. and now, finally, I am coming BACK to FPW with ONE goal in mind: to fight the best you’ve got and win your titles. THIS game needs playing...
The feed cuts out.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Mar 18, 2018 16:28:56 GMT
*The cameras start rolling and the cameraman opens a Boiler room door. He then situated on a man in the shadows, smacking a Kendo Stick across the wall. The man notices the cameraman and starts swinging the Kendo Stick and walking towards him. The cameraman, who’s obviously scared, tries to get out of the room but the man catches up to him and drags him back to the room and the camera falls. We hear choking sounds and then silence. The camera is picked up and the person is revealed to be Edward Dessius.*
Who do I want to face? Jim Houston, do you want to know who I want to face? I want to face the killer himself. I want to fight the undefeated. I want to fight Azazel. I might be crazy, but I fucking know I’ll be the guy to beat Azazel. He may be Arch-Angel, but I’m the fucking Lunatic from the Underground and ever single person who’s ever faced me knows that I leave no soul alive. Now, fuck off.
*Edward throws the camera on the floor and the feed cuts out.
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Post by Saturn on Mar 18, 2018 17:17:41 GMT
The camera opens to James Saturn sitting on a in his living room, the room is fairly tidy and filled with wrestling memrobilia, mostly from his time in Japan. James sits with a computer in his lap rewatching his match with Zeke with a frown on his face. He turns off the match and checks his e-mails. When he sees the message from Jim Houston he quickly clicks on it, as he reads it a smile begins appearing on his face.
Switch to James in the ring, its completely empty and he stands there facing the camera.
"I want Zeke, in the second stage of the young lions cup he beat me, and I want a rematch. I.."
James pauses for a second, thinking of what to say.
"I almost had him, something must have gone wrong, maybe I didn't hit him hard enough, but I swear to god I almost fucking had him."
James clenches his hands into a fist and a look of determination clouds his face.
"I made a mistake, but I know that if I train harder, every hour, every day..... I know that if I face him again I'll be able to beat him. I don't care what stipulation the match has, I don't care what I have to do, I just need to win. I know I can beat him."
James thinks about it a bit more.
"That's it, that's all I have to say."
The camera backs away from a stone faced James Saturn, then cuts to black.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Mar 18, 2018 18:49:52 GMT
We fade into a dark room. Opposite the camera is a window with the curtains closed and in the centre of the shot there is a swivel chair with wheels. Suddenly the door bursts open and a man, who can’t quite be made out in the dark flies into the room. He literally dances around the room, swinging a vaguely Freedom Pro Wrestling World Championship-shaped belt around. He leaps over to the light switch and turns it on, shocking everyone by revealing himself to be FPW Champion Adam Thompson. He turns around, leaps onto the chair and lunges forward to the camera.
AT: I got my MOTHERFUCKING belt back!
He spins around in his chair with glee, arms raised with the championship on his lap before addressing the camera again.
AT: After god-damned weeks of torture I finally feel whole again! I feel unstoppable! And I’m gonna prove it! Here’s a challenge for the entire FPW roster: I don’t have a match set for Temple of Doom and I’d quite like to amend that and you know what that means....
Thompson spins the camera around to reveal a whiteboard. Written on it in bold, black text are the words “OPEN CHALLENGE!!!!!”
AT: That’s right, you too can have the prestigious opportunity to try and try and TRY to come and fucking take this thing from my cold dead hands, like so many others have tried and failed to do! So there ya’ go, BOOK IT HOUSTON!
Adam dashes out of the room and slams the door. After a couple of seconds we hear the door open again as he pokes his head back in view of the camera.
AT: Oh yeah, anti-heroes need not apply.
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Post by The_Aviator_GB on Mar 18, 2018 19:02:20 GMT
Approaching from behind, Dasha Banks catches Graham Baker as he stands in the FPW locker room, tending to his gear merely a day after his loss in the Young Lion's Cup. She motions for the cameramen to get into place, before Graham speaks, noting her presence.
GB: I heard you walk in, Dasha. No need to be sneaky, i'm ready to chat.
Graham puts one of his kickpads down as Dasha looks him over. He's bruised, and old scars are visible on his bare torso, but he still looks to be in decent spirits despite his last two losses. He turns toward the camera.
Dasha: Graham, you spoke highly of yourself leading into the first round of the Young Lion's Cup, and as commentary noted, you seemed to have the win in the bag...but you went for a Gutwrench Powerbomb instead and opened yourself up, once again, for a loss. What was going through your mind when you did that?
GB: I...don't know. I tried to put MDE out of my mind, but the entire match felt the same. We kept trading positions, submissions, hitting moves on one another. I could've pinned Saturn after the last German...but I wanted to show off. I wanted to show MDE that I was better than him, you know? To show him i'd improved enough to take him on. Saturn took advantage of my slip-up, he capitalized, he put me down. Nothing more, nothing less. Saturn's a hell of a talent, and I was disappointed to see him knocked out in the second round. I'd like to think I'd have done better in his place...but I still don't know. I need to get into a different headspace heading into my next match, or my next few matches. I need to go back somewhere else.
Graham sorts his bag, and the camera catches a glimpse of a pair of thicker, darker tights, fashioned from denim and stronger fibres. Graham places them down on the table next to him, and looks over an older pair of kneepads. One is adorned with what looks to be pockmarks from thumbtacks, alongside intentionally-made bulletholes. The other kneepad has scars from barbed-wire sticking out of the surface, as if they were cut free from wire.
Dasha: What do you mean by getting into a different headspace? Or going elsewhere? Are you thinking of leaving FPW?
At this, Graham chuckles. He shakes his head.
GB: Nah, no way. I said FPW was my home, and my spirit was here. I'm not changing that because of two simple losses. What I am saying is...I need to direct my efforts elsewhere. Earlier today, I considered challenging Saturn to a rematch, or challenging MDE, but that's playing into what MDE wants. He wants a more decisive victory, one not made of my fuckups, but his own efforts. If he wants that, i'm willing to give it to him, but I need to build myself up to challenging him. In challenging him again, I can't let him in my head like I have before. So...i'm going back to my roots.
Graham pulls out an old, shredded tanktop, ripped up from barbed wire and punctured from thumbtacks. He runs his hand along the coarse fabric, the emblem of a flaming skull with the letters 'GB-FU' emblazoned on the forehead. He places it down, and then pulls another out of the bag, a similar design but modified on a shirt that's not torn to pieces. He places it on top of his other gear.
GB: I need to go back to that place I was in years ago, I need to push myself back into being the Combat Zone's Graham Baker, with fire in my heart and my blood in the water. This whole 'try and match my opponent's talents and cockiness' clearly ain't working, so i'm done trying to be something i'm not and letting the fans down. I used to match my technical skill with feats of insanity, with hardcore talent, by spilling my own flesh and blood and sweat into what I did and doing anything I could to come out on top. I never won a championship match easily, I never defended it with ease, i'm not going to say i'm going to here, either. But I need to go harder, I need to put 110% in, and in my first challenge, i'm calling out Adam fucking Thompson.
Graham looks at the camera, dead on.
GB: You want to put your belt on the line? You want someone to take it from your cold dead hands? I'm hungry, Thompson, and I need to prove myself. If you happen to be the person I prove myself against, then so be it. I don't know if i'll take that belt from you-going into an open challenge with two losses under my belt isn't putting me in a great spot-but i'm going to show you what a fucking fighter I am, and i'm coming for you. You all can scoff and denounce me all you want, but that's all i've ever had done to me my whole life. I've always been 'scrappy', an 'underdog', i've always had the odds against me, so i'm in no worse place than I have been before.
I accept your 'open challenge', Adam. I respect you enough to tell you that so you know what you're getting yourself into.
Graham looks away, and Dasha clears her throat to get his attention.
Dasha: Graham, do you have anything else to say on the subject of MDE before we move on?
Graham stops, and looks back to the camera.
GB: Yeah, I do. You might think you're in my head, MDE, but watch this match closely. Win or lose, I want you to see how i've changed. Because after I throw myself, 110%, at this challenge, i'm coming for you. No matter how many bones I break, how many scars I collect, injuries I sustain...you're next. Be ready for me.
Dasha thanks Graham for his time and leaves him in the locker room as he looks over his replacement shirt, the door closing on the image of a new, impassioned Graham Baker ready for war.
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Post by Pizza Ant on Mar 18, 2018 19:55:20 GMT
TJ Cole paces back and forth in the locker room. Jerry Bishop is sitting behind him, with his head in his hands.
TJC: No. No. No! Graham Baker is NOT getting that FPW World Championship shot in New Orleans! He hasn’t even won a single match yet!
TJ calms down and looks at the camera.
TJC: So here’s what I’m suggesting, Jimbo. I should get that shot. I mean, I did beat Matt Dwyer back in February. And I am one of the best of all time...
Jerry looks up.
JB: You aren’t Ric Fla-
TJC: Shut up, Jerry. I’m the greatest of all time. And Matt Dwyer and Graham Baker are losers. And Adam Thompson is overrated.
TJ leaves and Jerry looks at the camera before following him out.
JB: Matt, if you’re listening, I’m sorry. I didn’t want it to go about this way. Just.. stay out of TJ’s way. Please.
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Post by Jim Houston on Mar 18, 2018 19:59:04 GMT
Dasha Banks stands with MDE, who is looking at his watch and tapping his foot in frustration.
DB: MDE, I just wanted your thoughts on Graham Baker accepting Adam Thompson's open challenge for the F-
MDE laughs for a moment.
MDE: Graham Baker accepted Adam Thompson's open challenge? Graham Baker? The guy who's wrestled here twice and lost both times? If he gets a title match before I do then I'm out of here. He's got to be joking.
DB: No. Actually he was deadly serious. And he called you out for his first opponent after the match.
MDE: Well then let me be deadly serious for a minute. Graham Baker, if you think you can walk into a world title match without doing a single thing to earn it, you're wrong and what's more, you've got a lot to learn. You earn world title matches by winning matches over and over and over again. You're winless. You're nothing. Until you've got a win, you don't get close to the FPW Champion. I considered accepting the open challenge myself but I felt there was something I needed to do first. I waited for you to work it out yourself, but seeing as you haven't done that yet, it's simple. To get me out of your head, you have to beat me. So I challenge you to one more match in New Orleans at Temple of Doom. If you win, you'll have proven that you deserve a shot at Thompson, but if you get a shot before you beat me, I'll make sure you don't make it to Temple of Doom.
MDE stares into the camera for a moment before walking off.
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Post by The_Aviator_GB on Mar 18, 2018 20:32:47 GMT
Hours later, after seeing both TJ Cole and MDE's promos, Graham Baker walks down a dark street with a camcorder in hand, recording his face in a 'selfie-style' promo. He looks motivated, different, but ready to go.
GB: MDE, you claim that i'm a fool, that i've done nothing to deserve a title shot, and I can't help but agree. You said before that you wanted me to 'prove myself' before we fought again, that you respected me but you would be watching me closely. You said before that titles, to you, didn't matter, and judging by the fact that you've hung around so little anywhere but here, you must be telling the truth. Otherwise, someone with your pedigree would hold quite a few belts. You wanting a shot at the FPW World Title, however...that's interesting. Something's changed in you, much like it's changed in me. So...here's my challenge.
You want me in New Orleans, you've got me. Clearly i've taken up space in your mind too, and i'll make sure that I justify that space. However, we played by your rules for the first match, MDE, and we'll play by mine for the second. You thought I was unpredictable before...i'll be worse now, MDE. At Temple of Doom, I'm not gonna miss a step, not gonna slip up to try and hit you with a gutwrench, or apply your 'Simply Great' hold, because those cost me last time. I'm coming in for the kill, and i'm gonna make every motion, every move, every action I do count for the win, and nothing else.
At Temple of Doom, MDE, I don't want you in a standard match, or a submission match, or any sort of lightweight stipulation you'd be used to. When I won my first title, MDE, I was bloodied and stuck with barbs and filled with tacks and cut up. Every defense gave me scars, scars I wear proudly as badges of honor. In New Orleans, I'm taking you on in my style of match. A 'Bourbon Street' Street Fight. Falls count anywhere, hardcore rules, no disqualification. The whole nine fucking yards. You bring everything you want to equalize the situation, to fight me on my turf, and i'll bring my bag of toys, too. You're a damn good technician, a 'submission surgeon', as you said, and in the ring you're one of the best, but I brought you to the limit in your kingdom. Now, i'm going to take you to the limit in mine.
I look forward to you accepting my challenge, or backing off. After all, if you don't take it...well, i've still got that open challenge to go after, right?
Graham cracks a smile, and shuts the camera off.
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Post by Pizza Ant on Mar 18, 2018 20:55:07 GMT
TJ Cole watches Graham Baker’s response. He turns to Jerry Bishop.
TJC: I can’t believe he didn’t even acknowledge me! Like.. who cares about MDE vs Graham Baker?! It should be all about me! Me me me me!
Jerry doesn’t respond.
TJC: You’re right, Jerry. Who cares about him. Adam Thompson, if you’re watching, I’m coming for you in NOLA. And there’s nothing you can do to avoid it. Accept. My. Challenge.
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Post by kingclutch on Mar 18, 2018 21:17:39 GMT
Setting: Essentially a "man cave". A variety of UNC Tar Heel and San Antonio Spurs memorabilia can be seen along with Clutch's trophy room, which includes replica belts from his time in WWE.
CLUTCH: Hi, name is Clutch McCloud. For a bit I've been having something of an existential crisis. I've been thinking lately about whether or not I went in the right direction. I've been thinking about my time in FPW and what I've done with it. Made some waves, sure. But I have not shown that I am THE man in FPW. Which is why I'm answering Adam Thompson's open challenge for the FPW Championship. *pauses* Now I know what you're going to say: "But Clutch, you and Jeremiah have a tag team title match!" Oh I know that full well and I look forward to that, but I am a man who has spent his days, made his living pulling the double duty and doing the shit no one else wanted to do. But I'm going to walk in with Jeremiah Johnson, and Pain & Gain will become the NEW FPW Tag Team Champions and then Adam, I am coming for you. I will stand across that ring from you and I will look you in the eyes, I will out wrestle you. I will analyze and scrutinize your every weakness, your every fault! And as the ref counts three, you're going to be on your back looking at the inside of your eyelids.
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Post by Jim Houston on Mar 18, 2018 21:25:38 GMT
Rachel sits behind her desk and sighs. She looks up to see the door to MDE's office open and he comes out with an odd look on his face.
MDE: A 'Bourbon Street' Street Fight? That's what he asks for?
Rachel: I guess you saw the video then. You don't have to do it. I can talk to Jim Houston. You're a bigger asset to him than Baker is. I can get him to make the match and make it a regular match. I-
MDE: No.
Rachel: You're turning Baker down?
MDE: No.
Rachel: You're not... you're not accepting the match?
MDE: Baker thinks he can beat me. He wants to prove himself. He wants to show that he can be the next FPW Champion. I have something to prove as well. I can beat him in a wrestling match. I can beat anyone in a wrestling match. But I pride myself on being able to adapt what I do to take advantage of my opponents' weaknesses. I can adapt myself to this match. Baker doesn't know it, but this kind of match isn't a strength for him and I'll prove it. Talk to Jim Houston. Make the match.
Rachel looks at MDE without saying anything.
MDE: And get in touch with Jimmy Havoc.
MDE turns and walks back into his office, leaving Rachel shaking her head.
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Post by marileeg17 on Mar 18, 2018 21:26:05 GMT
A video appears on the Freedom Pro Network in the style of a political campaign smear ad. Narration begins.
Narrator: TJ Cole...Who really is TJ Cole? The history of TJ Cole goes back to humble beginnings. As just a young boy, and he was a young boy, TJ had a dream. He had a dream that one day he would be able to say that he stood in the ring with greatness. But failure stood in this way and instead he lost in the first round, failing to set up the match he spends his nights dreaming of. TJ Cole...A broken man, a weak man, a man who may one day be a prince but never a king. For there is only one king and thine name is Marcus Allen Jones.
As the narration ends, the screen shifts to video of Marcus sat at a desk, flanked by the Invaders. Next to him, wrapped in purple velvet, is the FPW Young Lions Cup trophy bearing Marcus' name.
MAJ: TJ, oh TJ, you lost to Zeke in the first round. I won the entire tournament. So tell me, why is it that you deserve a championship shot when you can't even defeat this company's biggest loser? But, I'm a generous man and since this cup makes me the self-proclaimed No. 1 contender to the world title, I can challenge Adam whenever I want. Right now, I don't want to do that. I've actually grown tired of you Thompson...for now...I actually want you to get the shot TJ, because I want to sit back and watch you fail. I want to be ringside, on commentary, when the referee counts your shoulders down 1-2-3. And I want my face to be the first you see because I want to laugh at you. I need you to know TJ that it's not that I dislike you. I like you a hell of a lot more than a lot of guys in the back. In fact, I see potential in you. So consider this me giving you a free piece of advice. When you lose to Adam and you will, you know where to find me. And Adam, count your lucky stars that I'm saving my little title opportunity for a much bigger moment, one you will never see coming. I am everything I say I am and I promise you, that title will be mine. The takeover is coming Adam. You've been warned.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 18, 2018 21:35:44 GMT
We cut in to a shot from the phone of Adam Thompson. He's in his gym gear and it appears this clip was unplanned.
AT: Hey Freedom Fighters, it appears that my whole Temple of Doom open challenge announcement thing caused some confusion. While yes, anyone can accept it, that's anyone WITHIN Freedom Pro Wrestling. So ya' know, Matt Dwyer, Graham Baker, Kam Kellington, guys like that.
AT: While I appreciate the enthusiasm, random indie wrestlers can't just jump right into a match for a companies top Championship. Well, unless you're Austin Aries. So basically, guys like, shit, what was his name... Like, TJ Cole. TJ, you're gonna have to actually join FPW firs-
??: Adam, TJ Cole IS a roster member.
Adam freezes in place for a while, searching his memory as hard as he can.
AT: OH, shit, THAT TJ Cole! Damn, sorry guys, that's embarrassing. Well TJ, you aren't exactly the only guy jumping at the challenge but I guess we can fight. Alright, that's cleared up, I'll see you all at Temple of Doom!
The camera cuts.
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