Wrestlemania Weekend Special- Night Three

[Jim Houston]

The show begins with Jim Houston drawing out the first name for the semi-final: Jerry Bishop. It shows highlights of Jerry’s tournament victories, defeating Berry Bishop with the Chelsea Smile and then Masa Tchyukiro with Last Laugh. Houston’s voice then reads out his opponent: Aaron Williams. It shows Williams hitting A Triple Plus to defeat James Saturn before rolling up Clutch McCloud. It then lurches into highlights of the recent battles between Jerry and Williams, showing each of them getting a count-out victory and then some of the biggest moments in the steel cage, ending with Jerry pinning Williams after The Punchline. It goes on to show Houston picking out Marcus Allen Jones’ name, showing the Mark Out Moment that defeated Russ Bolt and the Six Stars that took down Karlson. We hear the name ‘Bobby O’ and see him tapping out Tommy Saxon with O Snap before taking MDE down with a top-rope RKO. We then see small moments between Bobby and Marcus, before the match cards for each match appear on the screen, followed by the now-familiar match card showing Jace Mason and a blacked-opponent.



MW: Ladies and gentlemen, the right to be that opponent is on the line this morning in Tampa. Welcome to the first ever outdoor show from FPW as you’re joining us, along with a huge crowd of people, in the shadows of Raymond James Stadium.

SD: Tickets for this show have been selling like hot cakes, Watson. This might be the biggest crowd of people I’ve ever seen at an FPW event.

MW: And what a show we’ve got lined up for them. We kick off with Jerry Bishop and Aaron William before seeing Marcus Allen Jones square off against Bobby O. The winners of those two matches will meet in the final to determine Jace Mason’s uprising challenger.

SD: My pick for the tournament was- and still is- Jerry Bishop. But the second match… I’ve been back and forth on that one all night and I still don’t know who I think will win it.

MW: Whoever wins either match, we are in for a very special final after what I expect to be two match of the year candidates. Not to forget, we’re scheduled to see a very special guest appear here tonight, but there is no information about who it may be.

SD: I’ve heard a name.

MW: Care to share?

SD: Let’s just say that if it’s who I’ve been told it is, we may be unable to perceive him visually.

MW: What?

SD: You’ll get it if he’s the one who turns up.

MW: Well they’re due to appear after our second semi-final, but let’s focus on our first. This draw could not have come out any more intriguing. Jerry Bishop and Aaron Williams have faced one another on three recent occasions, and each match has been very different and very interesting.

SD: And now Jerry gets the chance to beat Williams again.

MW: Clearly that your pick for this one, but why are you so confident that Jerry Bishop will be the man to win this match tonight?

SD: For one, he’s better than Aaron Williams. But in addition to that, Aaron Williams’ back is shot to pieces. He’s hurting from his match with Jerry seven days ago at Opening Day and it’s been made worse in each match he’s had this weekend. James Saturn weakened it, Clutch McCloud targeted it and now Jerry can step in to finish him off.

MW: Can Aaron Williams overcome the injury?

SD: Maybe. We spoke yesterday about how tough he is and he definitely is tough. But I don’t think he’ll allow himself to get distracted like Clutch did and I don’t think he’ll allow Williams to surprise him. If he’s somehow managed to have a miracle recovery, maybe- maybe- he can find a way. But I don’t see it.

MW: Let’s head to the ring and join Das-



Watson is cut off by Thalia Columbina, whose appearance on the ramp draws instant boos from the fans.



“Ladies and gentlemen, you are about to witness the arrival of THE single reason you are all here in Tampa, Florida, THE soon-to-be-crowned winner of this tournament, THE next Freedom Pro Wrestling Champion, THE greatest man to ever come out of Kansas City, Missouri, THE conqueror of Berry Bishop, Masa Tchyukiro and THE man who has defeated Aaron Williams twice in succession, THE Joker, THE single most exciting, engaging and enticing figure in all of professional wrestling, today, yesterday and forever… Jerrrrrrrrrry Bishooooooooooooooooooooooooooooop!”



‘Shine My Shoes’ begins and a loud ‘Fuck you, Jerry’ chant rises to meet it, the two tunes mingling in the air as Jerry walks through the curtain. He bows deeply to Thalia, who returns in kind, before conducting the fans, just like he did yesterday. Jerry then makes his way down the ramp, laughing to himself as the chant overcomes the sound of his entrance music. He walks up the steps and climbs to the second turnbuckle, looking down into the ring, but not meeting Dasha Banks’ eyes, before dropping into the ring and moving over to the far corner.



“And his opponent,” Dasha begins as the crowd begin a loud ‘Aa-ron Will-iams’ chant. “From Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he is a former two-time Ring of Honor Champion and the holder of many championships from around the world, ‘A Plus’… Aaron Williams!”



‘I Still Believe’ begins and Williams bursts through the curtain, singing loudly to the song as he paces back and forth along the stage. When he’s happy with the volume of the crowd, he points down to the ring at Jerry and talks into the camera. “This time! Just win baby!” Williams then bursts down the ramp, slapping every hand he can before coming to a young fan with a Berry Bishop t-shirt who hasn’t been able to take her eyes off Jerry the whole time he’s been in the ring. Williams taps her on the shoulder and hands her a marker pen. She uncaps it and simply writes ‘plees win’ on Williams’ knee pad. Williams gives her a brief hug and then slides into the ring, shaking hands with the official and with Dasha before he stares a hole in Jerry, who looks back at him with cold disinterest. Williams then takes off his top to reveal tap around his ribs as well as kinesiology tape on his back.



Match 1: Jerry Bishop vs. Aaron Williams:



The bell rings and Williams explodes forward, lunging at Jerry with a running boot, which Jerry avoids, ducking under it and looking for a kick to the back, but Williams’ momentum takes him away from the impact. Williams turns and comes straight back to Jerry, who ducks a clothesline and aims a forearm to the back, but again Williams dodges the blow. He turns and connects with a calf kick which takes Jerry down. Williams darts in and grabs him into a chinlock, keeping him down and driving his knee into the back of Jerry’s neck. Jerry quickly gets to his feet and runs Williams into the ropes, pushing him off. Jerry fakes a drop-down, and Williams leaps up, but Jerry catches him and drops him with an Alabama slam.



Williams holds his back after the impact and Jerry wastes little time in coming in with stomps to the taped up area. Williams scrambles away to the ropes but Jerry keeps on him, pulling him up and whipping him across the ring before looking for an arm drag. Williams, however, floats over and lands on his feet, trapping Jerry’s arm and unleashing a hard mid-kick. Jerry staggers back and Williams kicks him in the gut lifting him into a powerbomb position, only for Jerry to drop down and take Williams down with a Russian leg sweep. Jerry makes a cover.



One-



Williams kicks out.



MW: This match has started a mile a minute.

SD: And you can see why. Aaron Williams knows that he won’t last for too long. He’s trying to start much faster. He was looking for that powerbomb backbreaker- not a move he tends to hit early in matches.

MW: And I’m sure Jerry has taken note.

SD: He certainly will have. Williams is dangerous because he has to finish the match quickly and avoid taking too much damage. Jerry will be aware, be careful and be looking to slow things down to not just damage Williams, but to frustrate him and force mistakes.



Jerry pulls Williams up and whips him hard into the corner. Williams arches his back upon impact and staggers out of the corner. Jerry hits the ropes and grabs a headlock on his way back, connecting with a running bulldog. Jerry then rolls Williams into a seated position and grabs both of his wrists, jamming a knee into his back and pulling back on the arms as hard as he can. Williams grimaces in pain and tries to fight it, but every time he gets a knee under him, Jerry increases the pressure on his back and forces him back into position. Williams continues to fight, though, and Jerry eventually releases the hold. Williams tries to roll away and create separation, but Jerry darts in and kicks him hard in the ribs before dropping a knee onto his back. He jams the knee into the small of the back and grabs Williams by the chin, pulling him up and putting pressure on the back again.



Williams reaches out and takes the bottom rope, forcing Jerry to break the hold. He does, but then he rolls Williams out of the ring with his foot. Williams lands on the floor, grateful of a bit of time to rest his back, but Jerry quickly follows, stomping on the back again. He lifts Williams and drives him back-first into the guardrail before doing the same against the edge of the ring. He pauses as another loud ‘Fuck you, Jerry’ chant breaks out, Jerry turning to conduct the crowd again with a laugh, clearly happy that Williams won’t take advantage of a pause in the hostilities.



MW: Jerry may be getting a little over-confident here.

SD: I doubt that very much. For all of his dismissal of Aaron Williams, he knows how good he is. He won’t give him a sniff.

MW: But turning to antagonise the fans? I don’t think it’s a good idea to give Williams time to recover.

SD: Jerry knows what he’s doing.



Jerry reaches down and drags Williams to his feet. He lifts him and rolls him back into the ring, climbing onto the apron to meet him. As Williams gets to his feet, Jerry launches himself over the top and connects with a slingshot DDT. He rolls Williams over and makes a cover.



One…

Two…

Th-



Williams gets a shoulder up. Jerry then pulls him to his feet again and whips him across the ring to the corner. Jerry follows him in and connects with a forearm before backing away and then hitting a running dropkick. Williams staggers a couple of steps and then drops to his knees. Jerry pushes himself up onto the second rope and waits for Williams to stand before coming off with a blockbuster. He makes another cover.



One…

Two…

Thr-



Williams gets a shoulder up again. An ‘Aa-ron Will-iams’ chant breaks out as the crowd try to get Williams some momentum in the match, but Jerry doesn’t let him. He pulls him up again and lifts him, holding him up for a moment before delivering a backbreaker over his knee. Williams drops to the mat and Jerry looks down at him with a patented laugh. The ‘Aa-ron Will-iams’ chant gets louder but Jerry looks to the crowd and shouts, “That’s your hero? He’s a joke.” The chant soon switches back to a loud ‘Fuck you, Jerry’. Jerry reaches down and pulls Williams to his feet again, kicking him in the gut and walking up the ropes, connecting with a tornado DDT. He covers him once again.



One…

Two…

Thr-



Again Williams gets a shoulder up.



MW: This match is as one-sided as I think I’ve seen in a long time.

SD: Aaron Williams wouldn’t normally be getting dominated like he is, but with his back being in the state it’s in, he can’t perform to his best. And Jerry isn’t letting him perform at all right now. This is an excellent execution of a gameplan from The Joker.

MW: And one that these fans are not enjoying very much, I must say.

SD: Jerry doesn’t care about that. It doesn’t matter to him if they enjoy the match or not. He wants to win and fulfil his destiny. Next FPW Champion in that ring right there.



Jerry pulls Williams up and looks to trap his arms, going for Last Laugh, but Williams drives him back into the corner. He frees the arms and then blocks an attempted forearm from Jerry. Williams lands a hard mid-kick and then follows up with two more before raising a hand to the crowd and backing into the corner. He charges at Jerry and lands a big splash, backing away as the crowd begin to get louder, hitting another and another and another. Jerry drops down to a seated position and Williams looks all around. He looks back at Jerry and hits the opposite corner, running at him and landing a hard double knee strike. Jerry rolls out of the corner and Williams climbs to the top rope. He leaps off with a shooting star press and makes the cover.



One…

Two…

T-



Jerry kicks out.



MW: Aaron Williams showing a great adaptation of his usual methods there.

SD: He learnt yesterday the impact that the swan-ton and cannonball have on his back. It was very smart to adapt those moves.

MW: And now he’s building a bit of momentum.



Williams reaches down and, with some difficulty, pulls Jerry up to his feet. He hooks an arm over him and grips his tights, looking to pull Jerry into a vertical suplex, but he struggles to lift him. After a second attempt, he releases him and reel away, Jerry taking advantage by driving a forearm into the small of Williams’ back. Williams arches it and drops to his knees, allowing Jerry to land a series of kicks to the back. Williams drops down and Jerry shakes off the impact of the earlier Williams flurry before lifting him he pulls Williams in and delivers a backdrop suplex before rolling under the bottom rope. Jerry stands and waits for Williams to struggle to his feet before he leaps up and connects with a springboard forearm. He makes another cover.



One…

Two…

Thr-



Again Williams just gets a shoulder up. Jerry looks down at him before reaching down again and lifting him. He tries to trap Williams’ arms for Last Laugh again, but Williams refuses to allow Jerry to do it, pushing up and driving Jerry into the corner again. He tries to pull away but Jerry maintains his grip on his arms and looks to trap them again, but Williams keeps resisting. Eventually, Jerry drops the arms and instead connects with a snap DDT, rolling under the ropes for a second time. He stalks Williams, who struggles to get to all-fours, before looking for another slingshot DDT. This time, however, Williams resists, refusing to let Jerry drop him. Despite the pressure it puts on his back, he holds Jerry up, hooks an arm over his head and pulls him up into a vertical suplex position. The fans cheer loudly as he drops Jerry with a brainbuster across his knee and drops into a deep cover.



One…

Two…

Thr-



No! Jerry just gets a shoulder up. Williams holds his head but doesn’t pause for long. He hauls himself up on the ropes and stalks Jerry. He grabs Jerry’s wrist and whips him across the ring before taking him down with a hard dropkick. He then pulls Jerry into a powerbomb position and, with difficulty, lifts him onto his shoulders before dropping him with a powerbomb backbreaker. He rolls into another cover, hooking both legs.



One…

Two…

Thr-



Again Jerry just gets a shoulder up. Williams rolls away, unable to get straight back to his feet because of the impact those two moves had on his lower back. He slowly pulls himself up on the ropes as Jerry fights to his feet as well, and the two men meet in the middle of the ring. Williams connects with a forearm, which Jerry returns. Williams lands another and then Jerry another, before Williams unleashes a hard mid-kick. He staggers as Jerry drops down, but comes back with a rolling elbow. Williams staggers but comes back with a discus clothesline, and both men drop to the mat.



MW: Astounding effort from Aaron Williams! I can only imagine the pain that he’s fighting through right now!

SD: But I can also only imagine how much he has left, and I don’t think it’s much.

MW: He needs to end this match quickly.

SD: He needs to end this match now or, if he somehow does pull out a win, he won’t have anything to give in the final.



Williams manages to rise first and he unleashes a hellacious kick to Jerry’s chest, followed by another to his head. He pulls Jerry up and drapes an arm over him. He tries to haul him up for a vertical suplex, but he struggles, dropping him back down. He tries again, but again he can’t manage. Jerry this time manages to reach around and land a clubbing blow to the back. This seems to spur Williams on as, with one last great effort, he drags Jerry up and dumps him over the top rope. Williams staggers back a few steps before coming back to Jerry and landing a hard kick to the side of his head. Jerry goes limp, and Williams steps through the ropes. He pulls himself up onto the top rope and looks down at Jerry before unleashing a 450 splash.



Both men drop into the ring and onto their backs. The fans stand and cheer for Williams, but he can’t roll into a cover. Instead, he simply holds the small of his back as the official checks on both him and Jerry. Slowly, Williams manages to roll to the ropes. Using the noise from the fans to help him, he yanks himself up and makes his way over to Jerry. He pulls him into position for the A Triple Plus, hooking his arms, but he can’t lift him. Jerry pushes Williams away and then kick him in the gut. He clubs him across his back repeatedly and then traps his arms, dropping him with a Last Laugh. The fans go silent as Jerry makes the cover.



One…

Two…

Thre-



The arena explodes as Williams forces his arm off the canvas. Jerry looks down at him in shock but then shakes his head. He pulls Williams up and looks for the right hand to begin The Punnchline, but Williams ducks it. Williams connects with a Pele kick to send Jerry staggering towards the ropes. He follows, hauling Jerry up to the top rope with great difficulty. He hooks an arm over Jerry, looking for Denoument. He tries to lift him, but his back gives out. He breaks his grip and grabs his lower back and Jerry shoves him down. Williams lands in a seated position and struggles to get to his feet. Jerry launches himself into another blockbuster, but Williams catches him! He staggers back a couple of steps but then manages to shift Jerry’s position and drop him with A Triple Plus! The fans go wild as Williams drapes an arm over Jerry to make the cover.



One…

Two…

Thre-



No! The ecstasy turns to agony as the fans put their hands over their heads. Jerry managed to get a foot onto the bottom rope just as the official’s hand was coming down for the three count.



MW: I don’t believe my eyes!

SD: The A Triple Plus couldn’t finish Jerry Bishop off!

MW: Was that the last of Aaron Williams’ incredible fight? Does he have a single ounce of effort left to give?

SD: I’m not sure he does, but I don’t think we can count him out. It was about fifteen minutes ago when we suggested he wouldn’t last much longer, and look at what’s happened since then!



Williams rolls away and catches his breath on the canvas. He tries to force himself up to his feet, but he can barely get himself to one knee. After a monumental effort, he stands, staggers a couple of steps, and looks at Jerry as he pulls himself up on the ropes. He slowly moves over to Jerry and grabs his arm, pulling him away from the ropes. He kicks him in the gut and tries to get him into position for A Triple Plus again. Jerry, however, droops down and scrambles through Williams’ legs. Jerry unleashes three hard right hands right to the small of Williams’ back before trapping the wrist and completing The Punchline. He falls into a cover, the fans begging Williams to kick out.



One…

Two…

Three.



Winner: Jerry Bishop (24:48).



As the official’s hand comes down for a third time, the air is sucked out of the place. The fans drop back into their seats and all that can be heard is a loud laugh coming from the ring.



MW: Jerry Bishop… he’s done it again.

SD: Once again he takes the best that Aaron Williams has to offer and once again he beats him. Everyone is going to have to face it: this is not the same old Jerry Bishop.

MW: Sadly not. What he is is our first finalist in this tournament.

SD: Jerry put a lot into that match and took a great deal of punishment. He’ll need the rest before the final.

MW: But he got the better draw. He gets a longer rest than Marcus or Bobby. Speaking of which… what a final we’re going to see.

SD: Either Bobby versus Jerry for the very first time or a battle of two men who I believe are the best this company has to offer. It couldn’t get any better than this.



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Behind the stage, Jim Houston sits inside a trailer which he’s using for his office. There’s a knock on the door and he looks up, frowns and then answers. Berry Bishop stands at the door.



JH: Berry. I didn’t expect to see you.

BB: I’m sorry Mr. Houston… can I have a minute?

JH: Of course. Come on in. I’m sorry it’s not quite as comfortable as my usual surroundings.

BB: It’s ok.



Berry takes a seat behind a makeshift desk.



BB: Mr. Houston, I’ve come to ask you for a match.

JH: Look, Berry, I really don’t think I can put you through that again. If truth be told, I wish I hadn’t made the first round draw in the ring otherwise I would have changed it-

BB: No… it’s not with… not with him.

JH: Oh… I’m glad. What’s the match you’re looking for?

BB: I just… I’ve been working so hard with Botiatus recently and I want to make up for some bad matches I’ve had. I lost to Danica Jane a while back… I was hoping you’d let me wrestle her again so I could see how much better I’ve got?

JH: Berry, it would be my pleasure. You’ve got the match.

BB: Thank you.



Berry stands up to leave, but Houston clears his throat and she turns back.



JH: Look, Berry, I… I know these last few months have been hard on you. I felt at the time that I was making a mistake by granting you that Judgement Day match and to be honest I wish I hadn’t done it. What’s happened with your brother has caught us all of-guard and I can only imagine the impact it’s had on you. If you need to take any time, or…

BB: No, I…

JH: Honestly, if there’s anything I can do for you to help you… I know this is a really difficult thing to be watching. For all of us.

BB: Thank you. I wish I could get through to him, but… every time I say his name at home, Fozzie growls at me. Every time I think about him I feel sick. I just want to get back to being the Berry that the Freedom Fighters des-



They pause as Berry realises what she was about to say.



BB: I just want to get back to being me.

JH: I understand. I mean what I said. If there’s ever anything I can do, you know where to find me.

BB: Thank you.



Berry stands and leaves the trailer. After she closes the door, she dials a number on her phone.



BB: Hey Foz……….. yeah, I got the match…………. What? No it needs to be purple…………. And make sure you get the extra big marshmallows for when Dashy comes…………….. no I haven’t had the chance yet…………. Ok…….. see you soon!



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MW: And now it’s time to find out who Jerry Bishop will be facing in the final. Marcus Allen Jones and Bobby O seem to have somewhat of a shared history, but this is the very first time they’ll meet in a Freedom Pro Wrestling ring.

SD: Bobby O and Jack Sevren initially got together to combat Marcus Allen Jones and The Invaders, but they moved off that path as they had success as a team. Then Sevren usurped Marcus as the leader of TakeOver, creating TakeOver 2.0, leading to Marcus and Bobby sharing an interest in taking TakeOver 2.0 down. Marcus couldn’t do it so Bobby did. They’ve been allies and enemies, but this is the first time they’ll be opponents.

MW: Unlike in our first match, neither will come in with a big advantage or disadvantage here.

SD: Marcus did have a bit of a knee injury after his match with Liz Karlson yesterday. We don’t know just yet how that knee will come into play.

MW: Do you think it’ll play into the match as much as Aaron Williams’ back injury did in the last match?

SD: I doubt it. Aaron Williams looked like he was wrestling on a broken back. This will be a minor injury which may hamper Marcus a little, but I doubt it’ll be a major factor.

MW: Well the time has come. Marcus or Bobby?

SD: I… Marcus. I think… no… Bobby. He’s got the… damn it… I don’t know. Marcus is quicker; Bobby is stronger. Marcus is more explosive; Bobby is more technical. It could easily go either way. I expect it to go fairly long too, although both men will know they’ve got to leave something in the tank for the final.

MW: So your prediction is…

SD: A great match.



“Ladies and gentlemen, the following contest is our second-semi-final and is scheduled for one-fall. Introducing first, from Chicago, Illinois, he is a former Young Lions’ Cup winner and a former FPW Champion… ‘The Marksman’… Marcus Allen Jones!”



Hall of Fame plays and a loud cheer comes up as the piano notes open ‘Hall of Fame’. He performs his usual backflip and lands in his familiar pose, holding it as the music begins to build. As the lyrics come on, he springs up and moves to either side of the stage to play up the fans. As ‘Standing in the Hall of Fame’ hits, he begins to make his way down the ramp, slapping hands with the fans on his way to the ring. He slides in and climbs up onto the top rope, raising his arms to the sky and pointing out at the fans, shading his eyes as he looks into the distance at all of the fans making their way up from the Raymond James carpark. He drops down and settles into the corner, giving Dasha a smile and a wink.



“And his opponent, from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he is a former Tag Team Champion… ‘Mr. FPW’… Bobby O!”



Another cheer goes up as ‘This Means War’ begins to play. The first fifteen seconds allow the fans to build their anticipation before Bobby walks out through the curtain with CJ just behind him. He pops his collar and looks around all of the fans who have gathered for this match. He then makes his way down the aisle, holding his hands out to slap hands with the fans but keeping his eyes on Marcus in the ring. He walks up the steps and enters through the ropes before moving over to where most of the fans have gathered and leaning over the ropes, pointing out at those who cheer especially loudly for him.



Match 2: Marcus Allen Jones vs. Bobby O:



As the bell rings, Marcus and Bobby eye one another from across the ring. A ‘Let’s Go Marcus’ chant is met with a ‘Let’s Go Bobby’, and the two chants battle for supremacy as the two men look around the arena. Each of them encourages their fans to chant louder than the other as the chant goes on, before Marcus comes forward and offers a hand to Bobby. Bobby moves forward and shakes it, the fans applauding before the two men break apart and circle one another, Bobby leading the crowd in a rhythmic clap. As the clap builds in pace, the two of them come forward and lock-up, Bobby locking in a headlock.



Marcus fights against it, pushing Bobby towards the ropes, but Bobby releases him and moves behind Marcus, locking in a waistlock. He lifts him, but Marcus drops back down again and rolls away. The two men eye one another as the fans applaud them again. They circle one another for a second time before another lock-up, Marcus this time grabbing Bobby’s wrist and wringing the arm before bringing it up behind him. Bobby rolls forward and switches the grip, pulling Marcus down and wringing his arm. He maintains control of the arm with Marcus on his knees before Marcus rolls through and kips up, releasing himself. The two stare at one another again as the crowd applaud once more.



MW: A respectful start between these two men.

SD: Oh they clearly respect one another, but I can definitely feel a lot of pride and- dare I say- ego in that ring.

MW: Do you not think the respect will last?

SD: I think when one man starts to get the upper hand, we’ll see how much deference and respect they want to show one another. The stakes are too high to be this cagey.



The two men circle one another again before locking up for a third time. This time neither manages to get a quick advantage, Marcus looking to push Bobby backwards before Bobby takes the upper hand and forces Marcus towards the corner. The official comes in once they reach the corner and orders the break, Bobby breaking his grip and stepping back, but then quickly aiming a right hand to Marcus. Marcus flinches, but Bobby pulls it, smiling at him, raising and eyebrow, and patting him on the cheek. The fans let out an ‘oooooh’ as Bobby backs up and calls Marcus forward again.



Marcus comes forward and they lock up once again. Bobby locks in a headlock but Marcus quickly forces him into the ropes, shoving him across to the opposite side. Marcus drops down as Bobby comes back at him, but Bobby jumps him. Bobby comes back again but Marcus leapfrogs him before taking him down with a dropkick as Bobby comes back a third time. Bobby quickly gets to his feet but Marcus catches him with an arm drag, and then another, this time holding the arm in an arm bar. Bobby quickly gets to the ropes and the official orders the break. Marcus releases his grip, but then lightly pats Bobby on the cheek. Another ‘ooooh’ goes up from the crowd as Marcus backs away and Bobby stands.



MW: Still very cagey from both of these two.

SD: But we’re seeing an escalation of the ‘I respect you but I’m better than you’ vibe from both of them. They don’t just want to make it through to the final, they want to prove they’re better than someone who they know a lot of people think is the best in the company.

MW: To what extent is this also a recognition of not wanting to expend too much energy?

SD: I think that’ll factor in, but I think they both know they can’t win this match without losing a lot of energy. They just have to hope there’s enough energy left once they’ve made it. No point in not giving enough in this match and losing.



Marcus comes forward and offers a hand to Bobby again, and he shakes it before they lock up once again. This time Bobby quickly ducks under and locks in a waistlock, lifting Marcus then dumping him to the mat. Bobby switches position and grabs Marcus in a front facelock, keeping his weight on him to force him to stay grounded. Marcus tries to get his legs under him, but Bobby keeps him down before switching position again, taking the left leg and tweaking the knee. Marcus manages to wriggle himself towards the ropes and he grabs the bottom one, forcing Bobby to let him go. Bobby releases him and Marcus flexes his leg before getting to his feet.



As he gets up, Bobby comes in and drives a knee into his gut, dragging him into the corner. He then whips Marcus across to the opposite corner and aims a running dropkick, but Marcus drops and rolls away before Bobby fully leaps into it. Marcus springs to his feet and catches Bobby with a Pele kick to sends him into the corner. Marcus then jumps up onto the middle rope, leaps across Bobby onto the perpendicular top rope and drops down into a DDT. He makes the first cover of the match.



One…

Two-



Bobby kicks out. Marcus pulls Bobby to his feet and he whips him across the ring, taking him down with a dropkick before looking to trap Bobby’s leg, but Bobby quickly gets to the ropes.



MW: We don’t see much of Marcus looking for submissions anymore, but he seemed to be about to look for one there.

SD: He does have a good bank of technique to go to when he needs to. He just tends to stick with his real strength- his speed and his athleticism.

MW: Why would he be looking for a submission this match?

SD: To save energy. It’s a risk but if he manages to get through this match with 60% of his energy reserves left, he’ll be a big favourite in the final.



Marcus releases Bobby and lets him up, but he quickly moves in and whips him across the ting again. He looks for a superkick, but Bobby ducks it, hits the opposite ropes and comes back with a hard clothesline. He then quickly lifts Marcus and pulls him in for a German suplex. He stands and sees Marcus up to his knees, so he pulls him up the rest of the way and hooks and arm over him, lifting for a vertical suplex, only for Marcus to slip out and land on his feet. Before Bobby can turn, Marcus catches him with a hook kick and then he leaps onto the middle rope and comes down with a springboard forearm. He makes a cover.



One…

Two-



Bobby kicks out this time. Marcus gets to his feet and grabs Bobby’s leg, kicking the inside of his knee and then dropping down, looking to trap Bobby’s leg. Bobby tries to wriggle free but Marcus grabs his chin and positions himself for the kneeling cross-legged STF. Bobby tries to pull himself free but Marcus locks the hold in tightly and Bobby grimaces with the pressure on his knee. Marcus tries to apply more pressure but Bobby seizes his chance to lunge forward and grab the bottom rope. Marcus disentangles himself and Bobby looks to pull himself to his feet, but Marcus pulls him away from the ropes and hooks an arm over him, looking to lift him for a falcon arrow, only for Bobby to counter by dropping Marcus with a desperation DDT.



MW: The aggression is ramping up nicely now.

SD: It certainly is. Neither of these two wants to lose, and I think each would admit that neither wants to lose to the other.

MW: With the stakes in this match, I’m not surprised that they don’t want to lose.

SD: An FPW Championship shot, a tournament win and the chance to wrestle Jerry Bishop. There’s a lot on the line in this one.



Bobby stands, checking that his knee is ok, and pulls Marcus up with him. He drives him into the corner and drives a shoulder into his gut. He then backs away and comes in with a running dropkick. Marcus staggers a few steps out of the corner and Bobby catches him with a German suplex back into the turnbuckles. Marcus slumps down and Bobby hits the opposite corner again, this time connecting with a second running dropkick to a seated Marcus. Marcus rolls out of the corner and Bobby calls for the crowd to get louder as he makes a cover.



One…

Two…

T-



Marcus kicks out. Bobby pulls him up and lifts him onto his shoulders into a fireman’s carry position, but Marcus quickly counters, freeing his legs and twisting round into a DDT. He and Bobby both lie on the canvas for a few moments before Marcus kips up, calling for his fans to up the noise too. He then stalks Bobby as he pushes himself up, waiting for him to turn before he connects with a superkick to the gut and then pulls him in for a Canadian destroyer. Marcus makes a cover.



One…

Two…

T-



Bobby kicks out. Marcus then stands and positions himself behind Bobby, pulling him up and dropping him with a wheelbarrow facebuster. He rolls Bobby over and lands a standing shooting star press before jumping onto the top rope and coming down with a phoenix splash. He makes another cover, the fans cheering the quick combination.



One…

Two…

Th-



Bobby kicks out.



MW: Marcus with a real flurry of offense there.

SD: He’s starting to ramp it up. Bobby will need to respond.

MW: But can Bobby match that speed?

SD: No, but his power advantage means he might not need to. One big move from Bobby could do as much damage as three from Marcus.



Marcus stands and pulls Bobby up with him. He lands a spinning kick to the gut and hits the ropes, looking for a running swinging neckbreaker, but Bobby counters with a powerslam. Both men rest on the canvas for a few moments before Bobby gets to his feet. He reaches down and pulls Marcus to his feet. He then sends him into the ropes again, looking for a pop-up powerbomb, but Marcus counters into a hurricanrana which sends Bobby tumbling out of the ring. Marcus stands and sees Bobby on the outside, charging at the ropes and flying at Bobby with a suicide dive which sends him into the guardrail. He then slides back into the ring and comes back with another before sliding back in a third time, hitting the ropes and finally taking Bobby down with a corkscrew moonsault plancha.



Marcus springs to his feet but flexes his knee quickly as the fans cheer loudly for him. He bends down and pulls Bobby to his feet, rolling him back into the ring and then standing on the apron. As Bobby pushes himself up, Marcus springs up and hits a springboard shooting star DDT! He makes a cover on Bobby.



One…

Two…

Thr-



Bobby just gets a shoulder up. Marcus holds his head and then flexes his leg again before pushing up to his feet. He grabs Bobby by the back of his trunks and pulls him up, trapping his wrist for Six Stars. He shoves him forward but Bobby hooks a boot around Marcus’ knee and Marcus stumbles, releasing the wrist and freeing Bobby, who turns and delivers a vicious superkick to the head. Marcus drops to the mat and Bobby rolls him over for a cover.



One…

Two…

Th-



Marcus kicks out. Bobby rolls away and uses the ropes to help him get to his feet. He stalks Marcus as he stands and then shoves him into the ropes. Marcus comes back and Bobby pops him up, looking for the pop-up powerbomb again, sending him crashing hard into the mat. Bobby drops into another cover.



One…

Two…

Thr-



Marcus just gets a shoulder up. Bobby wastes no time in standing and dragging Marcus to his feet with him. He forces Marcus into the corner and pushes him up onto the top rope. Bobby follows and hooks an arm over Marcus, but Marcus resists, not allowing Bobby to hit the superplex. Bobby connects with a right hand and tries again, but Marcus holds onto the top rope and won’t let Bobby take him over. Bobby releases his grip and Marcus brings his right knee up hard into Bobby’s chin. Bobby drops down and Marcus looks down at him for a moment before standing. He comes off the ropes with the Mark Out Moment- but Bobby just rolls away in time and Marcus hits the mat hard.



MW: That would have almost certainly won him this match!

SD: But Bobby had it scouted.

MW: And now Bobby is slowly getting to his feet. This one could be close to its end.

SD: But what’s Bobby thinking?



Bobby reaches down and pulls Marcus up again. He forces him into the corner again and lands a couple of right hands to the gut. He then hauls Marcus back up onto the top rope. Bobby follows and lands another right hand to the head. He hooks an arm over Marcus’ head and delivers the superplex, rolling through to lock in O Snap! Marcus writhes in pain as Bobby cranks it as much as he can. Marcus tries to reach out for the ropes but he can’t manage it. The official checks on him but he refuses to quit, instead driving his left knee into the back of Bobby’s head until Bobby breaks the hold.



Bobby is forced to release the hold, but Marcus rolls away clutching at his knee after the collisions with Bobby’s head. Bobby pulls himself up on the ropes, holding the back of his head. Marcus gets to one knee as Bobby turns to him. Bobby comes over and aims a superkick at him, but Marcus drops down and pushes up, catching Bobby’s wrist. He spins Bobby out for Six Stars, but Bobby kicks out at the left knee. Marcus still doesn’t loosen his grip so Bobby keeps kicking out at it until he does, before leaping up to take Marcus down with an RKO. Bobby immediately makes the cover, hooking both legs.



One…

Two…

Three.



Winner: Bobby O (24:01).



MW: Bobby O does it!

SD: What a victory. And what a final we’re about to see.

MW: Bobby O pins Marcus Allen Jones and he will advance to face Jerry Bishop for the chance to challenge Jace Mason for the FPW Championship at Uprising.

SD: With the stakes at their highest, Bobby O came up trumps… and now he faces his old friend Jerry Bishop in the final. What a match that will be.

MW: A match in the making since… well, since at least six months ago, maybe longer. I can’t wait for that one.



Bobby stands and has his arm raised by the official. CJ Holmes enters the ring and raises the other arm and Bobby celebrates for a moment before looking down at Marcus, who leans on the bottom ropes. Bobby taps him on the shoulder and offers him a hand, Marcus clutching it and allowing Bobby to help him up. The two embrace and Marcus holds up Bobby’s arm for a moment before limping to the ropes and leaving the ring. Bobby climbs up to the top rope and cries out, “It’s about time, Jerry.”



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Dasha Banks steps through the ropes and raises the microphone to her lips.



“Please welcome, our very special guest…”



As the arena takes a breather from their last match, the ‘tron counts down from five, ticking down through the numbers before hitting one, and-



“YOU’LL NEVER GET FREE

LAMBS TO THE SLAUGHTER

WHATCHU GON’ DO

WHEN THERE’S BLOOD IN THE WATER?



THE PRICE OF YOUR GREED.

YOUR SON AND YOUR DAUGHTER

WHATCHU GON’ DO

WHEN THERE’S BLOOD IN THE WATER?



WHEN THERE’S BLOOD IN THE WATER?”



The words ‘Graham Baker’ appear on the tron.



MW: What!?

SD: Graham Baker!



The fans stand in shock and there’s a mixed reaction as The Aviator steps through the curtains, dressed in street clothes but with ICW World Heavyweight Championship over his shoulder. He looks around the fans and nods to himself as he takes in the mixture of cheers and boos. He walks down the ramp, slapping hands with some of the fans on his way to the ring. As he approaches the ring, he holds up the title for the fans to see before rolling into the ring and climbing onto the top rope. He plays to the fans and then does the same on each of the other three turnbuckles, before walking over to Dasha Banks and taking the mic.



“Tampa… how the fuck are we doing tonight?” Baker cries out and the crowd continues their mixed response. Baker smiles and then raises the mic again.



“No… no, that’s not right… Freedom Pro… how the fuck are we doing tonight!?”



This time the crowd react a little more positively.



“Okay… let’s address the elephant in the room. The way I went out last December, I… was a bit of a scumbag to all of y’all in the crowd, Houston… I let my hubris get the better of me and I let a little birdie whisper in my ear and influence me into doing something I shouldn’t have been doing. But don’t think I’m passing off responsibility… luckily I had the chance to learn what a fucker I was being and for that… I apologise.”



The fans applaud for Baker and a ‘We forgive you’ chant begins. Baker smiles and bows to the crowd.



“It’s nice to see that byegones are byegones. Holy fuck, it’s been a while, hasn’t it? I’ve missed this energy, this ring, this fucking crowd. I’ve missed all of you more than anything else since I’ve been gone. So when I heard FPW were coming to Tampa and I knew we’d be in the same place at the same time… I’m so glad Jim Houston was kind enough to let me come back for one night only and make things right with you all. Just to be clear, I’m not here to wrestle.”



The crowd boos and Baker smiles again.



“Yeah, I know… it fucking sucks, but I came here to say goodbye. I didn’t get the chance to say it last time, but I want to do it now. I fucking love this place. I was made here. I may be off winning titles and kicking ass all over the country right now, but FPW… this place will always be my home. I may have flown the coop and gone off elsewhere, but I can see I’ve left this place in capable hands. Just look at what we’ve seen tonight. What a fucking show it’s been, huh?”



The crowd cheer loudly.



“I’ve got two people I want to address. First of all, Jace Mason…”



Another cheer goes up and a ‘Mason… Mason… Mason’ chant rolls around.



“Jace Mason… a guy I teamed with, a guy I mentored, a guy I blindsided because I couldn’t control myself. Since that Free-1 match, Jace and I didn’t really speak much and I don’t blame him. Like I said, I was an asshole. But Jace… he went from strength to strength and I can’t think of anyone better to be carrying the belt that I used to consider my permanent property. Jace, you’re the man now and I’m glad it’s you.



“Second… my FPW story seems to have been entwined around two people. One of whom I don’t want to talk about today, but the other… we had arguably- no, we did have the three best matches in FPW history. We went to war at Judgement Day, we took it up a step in Hell in a Cell and we pushed the boundaries further than anyone could have thought at Judgement Day II. Marcus Allen Jones.”



The crowd cheers loudly again and an ‘M. A. J’ chant breaks out.



“Marcus Allen Jones… at first, you were the big bad who I had to slay. Then you tormented me for months before we finally tangled again. And then you showed what kind of a man you could become when you extended a hand to me and Marcus, I damn well respected you for that. And then you finally beat me. I’d become the big bad and you were the hero coming to put me down. At the time I hated you for it, but no more. I’ve had time to look back, to become a better man. And Marcus, I thank you for helping me to do it.”



The crowd cheers loudly and Baker smiles with humility.



“But look, I’ve taken up enough time from this show. Freedom Pro Wrestling is in good hands and I can leave safe in knowledge that this place will only grow stronger and stronger in my absence. Thank you each and every one of you and, for one last time, goodbye Freedom Pro Wrestling. It’s been a fucking pleasure.”



Baker drops the mic and the crowd stands and applauds him. A ‘Thank you Baker’ chant breaks out and Baker nods, eyes welling up a little. He bows down to the crowd on each side of the ring before getting onto his hands and knees and kissing the FPW logo on the canvas. He then steps out of the ring and walks back up the ramp, turning and waving to the fans one last time before stepping through the curtain.



MW: A wonderful moment here in Tampa.

SD: I didn’t think we’d ever see Graham Baker again. Whatever people thought of him when he left, he goes down as arguably the greatest FPW wrestler ever.

MW: And a wonderful send off for a man who cut his teeth here in FPW and is now doing great things all over the USA. I wish he’d come back for a match, but he has to respect the loser-leaves-FPW stipulation.

SD: Jim Houston wouldn’t let him wrestle here either. But to me, that was the perfect goodbye for an FPW legend.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



The camera follows Graham Baker as he walks back through the curtain. He steps down the steps and starts to walk back towards Jim Houston’s trailer, but he pauses as the door to the medical trailer opens and Marcus Allen Jones, still in his gear, gingerly steps out and down the stairs. Baker eyes him warily as he walks up to him, but Marcus extends his hand to him. Baker smiles and the two share a handshake.



MAJ: I’ve waited a long time for that.

GB: How are you, man?

MAJ: I’ve been better… but I’m glad to see you and I’m particularly glad to hear what you said. I appreciate it. I wouldn’t be who I am today if not for you.

GB: We made each other better. There’s nothing like a fierce rival to drive you want to improve. We had some fucking good matches too.

MAJ: The very best. I’m not sure who I’ll have match of the year with this year now that you’re gone though.

GB: I was hoping you’d make the final and have it out with Jerry.

MAJ: One of these days I will.

GB: When you do, why don’t you hit a Mustang Driver for me, huh? For old time’s sake. I’d love to slap some sense into that fucker.



The two share a laugh but they’re interrupted as James Saturn swaggers up to them.



JS: Look at this… the Freedom Pro Wrestling good old boys’ club. I come back from injury as a replacement for someone in a tournament- no fanfare, no build-up… and you get all of this for what? A few minutes of kissing up to the fans in the hope they won’t hate you anymore and a bit of attention for Houston on Twitter? Pathetic.

GB: Remind me… what happened when we last stepped into the ring?

JS: Easy there, Baker. You can’t wrestle in this company anymore. If you want to get physical with me, I’ll take it as a criminal assault.

MAJ: Hey. He may not be able to, but I sure can.

JS: Yeah? Last time we wrestled I had my hand raised. You really want to risk losing to a guy who the bosses around here clearly don’t think anything of, golden boy? I guess you have to find someone to take on now that you’ve lost another big match.

GB: Saturn… we may both have been assholes the last time we were together, but at least one of us had the balls to admit it. You and I came into this place together. Fuck, we even teamed together a couple of times. We were 1a and 1b from that group. And honestly, when I first got here… I thought I was 1b. But I worked my fucking ass off and got to the top. You? You only got there because I hauled you up to have a title match and then you decided to thank me for it by blindsiding me. Until you learn how to put the effort in, be careful what you wish for and treat the people who built this place- like him- with some fucking respect.



Saturn squares up to Baker for a moment before Marcus steps in.



MAJ: You’re right, Saturn. I don’t have a match for Uprising. But it seems like I have one now. You wanted some attention? I’ll make sure you get it. But you’d better make sure the impression you make isn’t you lying on your back looking up at the lights.

JS: Don’t you worry. You just get that knee back to full strength. I don’t want you making excuses when I beat you again. As for you, Baker… why don’t you fuck back off to your precious ICW and your precious ALPHA wrestling. You’re not wanted around here and you’re certainly not needed around here.

GB: I wasn’t planning on staying. But if you want me to slap the taste out of your mouth and snap your arm in half, you know where to find me. Marcus… it was good to see you again.



Baker turns and walks off as Marcus and Saturn stare one another down.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



MW: It seems like we’ve got a match set for Uprising.

SD: Marcus Allen Jones versus James Saturn is the kind of marquee match that I like to see.

MW: But now it’s time to set the main event for Uprising. One of these two men will challenge Jace Mason for the FPW Championship.

SD: Jerry Bishop. A man on a mission to become the new FPW Champion. A man who has totally revitalised who he is and has stepped up to become the best wrestler in this company. A man who has constantly been critical of Jace Mason and his championship pedigree. Bobby O. A man who removed TakeOver 2.0 from FPW. A man who just defeated Marcus Allen Jones to reach this final. A man who has taken his place at the very top of this company and who had some friction with Jace Mason when they teamed together to take on The Queendom.

MW: Not to forget, these two men have a lot of history…

SD: Dating back to their time wrestling in the UK where they became friends, and then continuing through to FPW. Bobby cornered Jerry alongside MDE as the self-proclaimed angel on the shoulder during the Free-1 last year. He was the one who cost Jerry the B Block and ultimately the Free-1 win that Jerry had earned that year. He was the one who was forcing Jerry into making his decision between MDE and Bobby. He was the one who tore off Jerry’s Friendmigo mask. Jerry Bishop and Bobby O’s recent career paths have been entwined to the point that I can’t believe this is their first FPW singles match.

MW: Don’t forget the FPW Rumble, where Bobby was the one who eliminated Jerry Bishop.

SD: That too. Tonight, these two meet for the first time for the right to challenge for FPW’s biggest prize. What a final we are about to see.

MW: Well let’s get to the… actually, it looks like we’re getting the… um… vocal stylings of Thalia Columbina once again.



Thalia Columbina stands on the top of the ramp and holds the mic to her lips as the fans instantly boo. She tries to begin, but the boos of the crowd drown her out. She tries a second time, but again the boos drown her out.



“I’m going to begin anyway, no matter what you all think. Ladies and gentlemen, for the second time tonight, you are about to witness THE only reason why we are all here in Tampa this weekend, THE man who is about to become the winner of this tournament, THE soon-to-be number one contender to the FPW Championship, THE next FPW Champion, THE man who made Berry Bishop submit, THE man who dominated Masa Tchyukiro, THE man who crushed Aaron Williams’ dreams, THE greatest man to ever come out of Kansas City, Missouri, THE man who took a Free-1 spot from Bobby O, THE Joker, THE single most exciting, engaging and enticing figure in all of professional sports, today, yesterday, forever until the end of time……. Jerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrry Bishoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooop!”



Loud boos drown out the beginning of ‘Shine My Shoes’ as Jerry steps through the curtain again. He turns and bows deeper than ever to Thalia Columbina, who gives him a smile as he looks out around the arena, to see fans turning their backs and leading a loud ‘Fuck you, Jerry’ chant. Jerry closes his eyes for a moment and then makes his way down the ramp, climbing the stairs and stepping up onto the middle rope, looking down into the ring before dropping into it. He runs the ropes before settling into a corner. His music fades out and the fans begin to turn back to face the ramp.



“And his-“



Dasha Banks is cut off by a loud ‘Bobby… Bobby… Bobby’ chant from the fans. She pauses and allows the chant to fill the arena, glancing at Jerry, who isn’t looking at her, before raising the microphone again.



“And his opponent, from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he is a former Tag Team Champion and a former All Star Tag Team Classic Winner. He is being accompanied to the ring by CJ Holmes… ‘Mr. FPW’… Bobby! O!”



‘This Means War’ begins to play and the loud ‘Bobby… Bobby… Bobby’ chant accompanies the music. As the music pauses, Bobby steps through the curtain and looks out at the crowd, intensity in his eyes. He then eyes Jerry in the ring and pops his collar before marching down the ramp, holding out his hands as the fans slap them. He pauses once he reaches the bottom of the ramp and he looks either side of him, meeting the eyes of several fans who urge him to win the match. He then looks up at Jerry, that same intensity in his eyes, and climbs the steps. He steps into the ring and grabs the top rope, hanging over the top and pointing out into the crowd.



Match 3: Jerry Bishop vs. Bobby O:



The bell rings and Jerry and Bobby eye one another from across the ring. A duelling ‘Fuck you, Jerry’ and ‘Let’s go, Bobby’ chant rolls around the arena and they slowly come forward. They meet in the middle of the ring, continuing to stare one another down, before Jerry breaks it off with a kick to the gut. He traps Bobby’s arms and looks for Last Laugh, but Bobby pulls himself free, leaping up for an RKO, but Jerry shoves him away. The two pause and stare each other down again.



MW: Both men looking to win this one early.

SD: They’ve each wrestled for almost 25 minutes already today with very little rest. Neither will want a long match.



They come together and lock up, Jerry locking Bobby in a headlock. Bobby tries to lift Jerry, but Jerry keeps his feet planted and he forces Bobby down to a knee. He then takes him over and maintains the headlock. Bobby brings up his legs for a headscissors, but Jerry blocks it, maintaining his control. Bobby then pushes up onto his knees and then up onto his feet, pushing Jerry towards the ropes, but Jerry lets go just before hitting the ropes, forcing Bobby against them and then whipping him across the ring. Jerry then takes Bobby down with a dropkick and makes a cover.



One…

Two-



Bobby kicks out. He tries to scramble to his feet but Jerry rams a knee into his gut and Bobby drops to his knees. Jerry grabs a headlock and pulls Bobby up before connecting with a running bulldog. He then pushes himself up onto the middle rope and waits as Bobby finds his way back to his feet. Jerry leaps off for a blockbuster, maintains a hold on Bobby’s head and rolls back, pulling Bobby up and taking him down with a DDT. He makes another cover.



One…

Two…

T-



Bobby kicks out.



SD: You have to admit that was impressive from Jerry.

MW: It was certainly something I haven’t seen before.

SD: And to have the presence of mind to save it for the final… he must have been working on that move. A confident Jerry Bishop is a dangerous Jerry Bishop.



With Jerry in control, the crowd are fairly quiet. He pulls Bobby up again and whips him into the corner. He then backs away and charges at him, looking for a running dropkick, but Bobby explodes out of the corner with a clothesline which turns Jerry inside out and ignites the fire of the crowd. Bobby, intensity radiating from him, yanks Jerry up to his feet and lands a few hard jabs with his right hand for a combination of punches to the body force Jerry down to his knees. Bobby pulls him up into a snap suplex and floats over into a cover of his own.



One…

Two-



Jerry kicks out. Bobby stands, pulling Jerry with him, and he lifts him up onto his shoulders. He looks for the fireman’s carry stunner, but Jerry drops down behind him and catches him with a reverse neckbreaker to Jerry’s knee. Another ‘Fuck you, Jerry’ chant goes up, but Jerry doesn’t let himself get distracted by it like he did against Tchyukiro. He pulls Bobby to his feet and traps his head, walking him over to the ropes and stepping up them, looking for a tornado DDT. However, Bobby manages to drop Jerry over the top rope to the apron. Bobby aims a right hand but Jerry catches him with a kick to the back of the leg. He then slingshots over for a slingshot DDT, but Bobby catches him into a Northern Light’s suplex, bridging for a cover.



One…

Two…

T-



Jerry kicks out, but a loud ‘Bobby… Bobby… Bobby’ chant fills the arena. Bobby stands and stalks Jerry, waiting for him to get to his feet. Jerry uses the ropes to pull himself up and Bobby comes in with a clothesline to send Jerry to the outside. Bobby steps through the ropes and follows him, grabbing the back of Jerry’s head and looking to throw him into the guardrail, but Jerry blocks, switches positions and sends Bobby into it instead. Jerry backs away before coming in with a rolling elbow. Bobby slides down the guardrail and Jerry backs away as several fans reach out to try and grab hold of him.



MW: Jerry is so difficult to keep on top of- he always has been- and Bobby is learning that now.

SD: Excellent counter-wrestling from Jerry Bishop as usual. And these fans are acting completely out of order by trying to reach over and assault Jerry.

MW: I don’t condone that, but I will say that Jerry generates a very emotional reaction from these fans. And I believe he knows exactly what he’s doing when he does it.

SD: I don’t think he tries to get that kind of reaction. I think he’s simply trying to focus on wrestling. They hate that he’s not playing to them and I think they hate that he’s better because of it.



Bobby crawls away from the guardrail towards the edge of the ring but Jerry reaches down and grabs him by the head. He looks around and then quickly walks up the guardrail, performing a tornado DDT on the outside. Bobby lies motionless on the floor and Jerry simply looks down at him for a moment before hauling him into position where he can roll him back into the ring. Jerry follows and makes the cover.



One…

Two…

Thr-



Bobby gets a shoulder up and the fans cheer loudly. Jerry, however, rolls away to the outside and stands up on the apron. He stalks Bobby and then jumps up onto the top rope, coming down with a springboard forearm. Bobby hits the mat hard and Jerry rolls away, standing and quickly reaching down to lift Bobby. Jerry forces him back into the corner and then backs away. He charges at him and this time connects with the running dropkick. Bobby staggers out of the corner and Jerry takes him down with a Russian leg sweep. He makes another cover.



One…

Two…

Th-



Bobby kicks out again. Jerry pulls him up and lands a parallel snapmare before hitting the ropes and looking to complete the Touchstone Takedown, only for Bobby to pop back up and connect with a hard powerslam. Jerry rolls away and Bobby takes a moment to recover before the crowd’s ‘Bobby… Bobby… Bobby’ chant helps him to get back to his feet. He moves over to Jerry and lifts him, whipping him into the ropes and stopping him with a superkick to the gut. He then grabs Jerry and leaps up, taking him down with a jumping DDT. Bobby makes a deep cover.



One…

Two…

Th-



Jerry gets a shoulder up. Bobby doesn’t waste time, pulling him up and forcing him back into the corner. He lands another series of jabs and right hands to the body before backing away and landing a running dropkick. He quickly runs back to the opposite corner and hits another, before doing the same thing again. Jerry staggers a few steps out of the corner and Bobby hits him with a clothesline from behind, taking him down to all-fours. Bobby roars to the crowd and pulls Jerry back up from behind. He clasps his hands around his waist and looks for a German suplex into the turnbuckles, but Jerry manages to over-rotate and somehow land on the middle rope. Bobby turns to see Jerry leap off and take him down with a tornado DDT.



MW: Another incredible counter!

SD: I did not expect to see that from Jerry Bishop! He’s pulling all sorts from his bag of tricks tonight.

MW: And these two aren’t showing too many signs of fatigue from their earlier matches yet.

SD: I think that’s the adrenaline. This is one of the biggest matches of the year so far, and probably Jerry’s biggest since that Free-1 final almost two years ago. There’s enough to carry them through for now, but they’d better hope it doesn’t run out before they can finish the job.



Jerry rolls over to the ropes and pulls himself up. He sees Bobby sitting up and hits the ropes, connecting with a hard penalty kick before quickly pulling Bobby into position, trapping his arms, and looking for Last Laugh. Bobby, however, drops to his knees and doesn’t allow Jerry to drop him. He then pushes up and drives Jerry back into the corner, freeing his arms before taking a few steps back. Jerry comes at him with another rolling elbow, but Bobby ducks it and takes Jerry down with a superkick. Bobby staggers over to the ropes and steps through, climbing up to the top. The fans gasp, not used to seeing this from Bobby. As Jerry stands, Bobby comes down with a missile dropkick.



Jerry hits the mat but Bobby springs back to his feet, calling to the fans again. He reaches down and pulls Jerry up, whipping him into the ropes and looking to pop him up for a pop-up powerbomb, only for Jerry to counter with a step-up enzeguiri. Bobby drops to all fours and Jerry quickly steps through the ropes, looking for a slingshot DDT. However, Bobby springs up and counters with a surprise RKO! He makes the cover on Jerry, hooking both legs and trapping his far arm so that he can’t get to the ropes. The fans chant along as the official counts.



One…

Two…

Thre-



No! Jerry just gets a shoulder off the mat. Bobby holds his head in disappointment and the fans drop back down into their seats. Bobby bangs the mat and his eyes cloud, but CJ calls to him to keep focussed. He shakes his head and then turns back to Jerry, who is dragging himself up on the ropes. Bobby pulls him away from the ropes and looks for another RKO, but Jerry pushes him away. As Bobby turns, Jerry catches him with a rolling elbow which sends him staggering into the corner. Jerry then follows him in and looks to lift him up onto the top rope. Jerry follows and the fans gasp as he traps his arms, seemingly looking for a top-rope Last Laugh. Jerry holds the arms but Bobby resists, freeing his right arm and landing a hard right hand. Jerry teeters and then Bobby pushes him down from the top rope.



Jerry lands in the middle of the ring and Bobby looks down at him. He then leaps and connects with an elbow drop. However, instead of making the cover, he grasps Jerry into the O Snap! Jerry kicks his legs out to try and find the ropes, but he’s too far away. Bobby applies as much pressure as he possibly can and Jerry visibly begins to panic. He kicks his legs hard and it takes him closer and closer to the ropes, but Bobby keeps the pressure on as much as he possibly can. As the crowd urge Jerry to tap, he continues to inch his way towards the ropes and finally manages to get his leg onto the bottom one.



MW: I thought he would have to tap there for sure.

SD: Jerry Bishop is not going to tap out in a match this big. This is his destiny.

MW: But Bobby is doing everything he can to make it his destiny. He wants that title match just as much-

SD: No he doesn’t. No-one wants this as much as Jerry does. Jerry needs this. He needs it more than you could possibly imagine.



Bobby releases the hold on Jerry and stands, looking out at all of the faces in the crowd. They urge him to finish Jerry off and he positions himself behind Jerry as Jerry tries to get to his feet. Bobby readies himself, carefully watching as Jerry struggles onto one knee, pushes onto his feet, turns… Bobby leaps up for an RKO, but Jerry blocks it and manages to turn him in mid-air. Jerry traps Bobby’s arms and drops him with a snap Last Laugh. The fans go silent. Jerry rolls away from Bobby and can’t make it over to cover him. Jerry pushes himself up, clearly now feeling the effects of the match with Williams as well as the punishment he’s taken in this one. He crawls over to Bobby and drapes an arm over him.



One…

Two…

Thre-



The fans explode with relief as Bobby gets a foot onto the ropes. The official tells Jerry that it was only a two-count and he sits up, letting out a loud, pained laugh. Jerry then pushes himself up and turns to see Bobby trying in vain to get to his feet using the ropes. Jerry comes over and helps Bobby up before aiming the big right hand which starts The Punchline. However, Bobby blocks it, landing hard rights of his own to force Jerry back. His eyes light up with fire as he continues to land right hand after right hand, forcing Jerry into the ropes. He takes a step back and clotheslines Jerry over the top before stepping through the ropes himself. Jerry rests on the apron on his knees as Bobby steps towards him, landing a crunching superkick. Jerry begins to drop face-first to the mat, but Bobby doesn’t let him, instead leaping up and landing a hard curb stomp. Jerry’s face connects hard with the edge of the ring and he rolls off to the floor, landing on all-fours. Bobby looks down at him and then leaps off the apron, hitting a second curb-stomp and then dropping to the floor, too exhausted to move.



The fans urge Bobby to get back to his feet, back in the ring. The official checks both men before sliding back in and beginning his count.



1……….

2……….

3……….



MW: What happens if Bobby and Jerry both can’t meet the ten count?

SD: Then… then… I don’t know!

MW: Neither man is moving right now. They’ve each been wrestling for over forty-five minutes today. They must be out of fuel by this point.



4……….

5……….



Slowly, Bobby pushes himself up.



6……….



Bobby moves towards Jerry, but CJ yells for him to get back into the ring.



7……….



He looks down at Jerry and then shakes his head, grabbing the edge of the ring and sliding back in, leaving Jerry to slowly roll over onto his back.



8……….



Jerry forces himself to sit up and begins to crawl towards the ring.



9…



Jerry pushes up and grabs the ring apron.



…



He forces himself to get back into the ring, cutting off the count as the buzz of excitement from the fans again fades away. Bobby forces himself to stand and he staggers over to Jerry. He pulls him up and rests him in the corner. With almost everything he has left, Bobby hauls Jerry up onto the top turnbuckle and laboriously climbs after him. He hooks an arm over Jerry’s head, but Jerry suddenly grabs Bobby’s and drops down, jamming Bobby’s head into the ringpost. The crowd goes quiet after hearing the sickening crunch and seeing Bobby drop down, landing on his feet but looking completely out of it. Jerry drops down after him and connects with a vicious right hand before trapping his wrist and completing The Punchline. The fans already sink back into their seats in silence as Jerry drapes an arm over Bobby.



One…

Two…

Three.



Winner: Jerry Bishop (25:53).



MW: And there it is. The winner of the tournament. The number one contender. Jerry Bishop gets his chance to become FPW Champion.

SD: A year ago this crowd would have been on its feet with ecstatic cheers but listen to them now.

MW: There’s barely a sound to be heard in here.

SD: That’s the sound of reality hitting them hard in the face. I’ve said all along: Jerry Bishop is the next FPW Champion. I’ll say it now. That man will beat Jace Mason at Uprising and he will finally, finally ascend to his rightful place at the top of FPW.



Jerry stands and looks out at all of the glum faces in the crowd, many of whom have already started to walk away. He rests against the top rope and lets out a loud laugh as Thalia Columbina applauds from the top of the ramp. As soon as she lifts the mic to her lips, the crowd finds their voice, booing loudly.



“Ladies and gentlemen, your winner… THE new number one contender for the FPW Championship, THE next FPW Champion, THE greatest wrestler in FPW history, THE single greatest man to ever come out of Kansas City, Missouri, THE conqueror of Berry Bishop, THE destroyer of Masa Tchyukiro, THE crusher of Aaron Williams, THE eviscerator of Bobby O, THE single most exciting, engaging and enticing figure in all of the entertainment world past, present, future, and forever, THE JOKER…. JERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRY BISHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOP!”



Jerry stands and laughs against the ropes as fans boo and throw their rubbish into the ring. The boos quickly turn to cheer, however, as ‘Afterlife’ hits the speakers and Jace Mason, FPW Championship over his shoulder, comes onto the stage. He gives Thalia Columbina a disgusted look before making his way down to the ring, pointing at Jerry. He steps through the ropes and slowly he and Jerry come together, eyes locked, before Jerry taps Mason’s belt three times and lets out another loud laugh, Mason backing away and looking a little creeped out.



MW: And that match will be the main event of Uprising. Thank you for joining us for this special FPW series of shows. We’ll see you in two weeks’ time.