Free-1 III Shows

[Jim Houston]

Dasha Banks, Jim Houston, Steven Deville and Mike Watson sit in plush chairs in a studio, the Free-1 III logo behind them.



DB: Welcome to our Free-1 III preview show. I’m joined tonight by FPW General Manager Jim Houston and our expert announce team Steven Deville and Mike Watson. Tonight we will be digging into the upcoming Free-1, looking at the matches we’re most excited about, making our predictions and exploring the possibilities. But before we do, last week we had one of the biggest announcements FPW has ever seen. Mr. Houston, tell us a bit about how this TV deal came to be.

JH: It’s been something I’ve had in the back of my mind for some time. When I started this company along with several other silent partners, I had a plan to build towards a TV deal when we were around four years in. We’re around that mark now, so I felt this was as good a time as any, as I felt our streaming model wasn’t going to help us to continue to grow. I’m lucky to that GEN- the Global Entertainment Network- wanted to work with us and they’ve given us a fantastic timeslot to work with.



DB: Will we see any major changes to FPW’s look or structure other than the obvious move to weekly shows?

JH: Nothing major other than that, no. They wanted to work with us because they like what we do. We retain control over the shows we produce, but will be working with GEN executives to ensure the set-up is the best it can be. We’re talking technical stuff like cameras, sound etc. that I’m sure most people won’t want to know the ins and outs of. But the presentation will remain largely the same.



DB: I’m sure we’ll be hearing a lot more about this in the coming weeks, but we’re not here tonight to talk about TV shows. We’re here tonight to discuss Free-1 III. Mike Watson, you’ve commentated on every Free-1 match. What does this time of year mean to you?

MW: To me, this is the best period of the FPW calendar. You see the elite level wrestlers facing off against one another night after night. Look at that B Block- you’ve got Berry Bishop, Botiatus, Marcus Allen Jones, Jace Mason, MDE, Artemis Evans... they’re all top-class wrestlers. You won’t see so many great matches in such a short space of time at any other point in the year.

SD: And don’t forget the stakes. They’re incredibly high. The last two Free-1 winners, Graham Baker and Jace Mason, went on to become FPW Champion and to do so in the biggest match of the year. Winning the Free-1 gets you exposure and allows you to jump up to the absolute top level in FPW. It’s a huge prize and every single one of these competitors will have a bit of extra motivation throughout August because of what they can win. I think this year will be even better than before with more competitors and more matches.



DB: Mr. Houston, you felt that you couldn’t get everyone into the Free-1 who deserved it with just six in each block. Do you feel you’ve done that with eight?

JH: Honestly, I think we could have made it even bigger. There are some very good wrestlers who have missed out. But I didn’t want to just throw everyone in there. The Free-1, as Mike so rightly says, is elite level. I want everyone to aspire to be in it. I distinctly remember how impressed I was when Jace Mason came to me before the first Free-1 and asked not to be involved because he didn’t feel he was ready. I want people to know that being in the Free-1 is a huge honour and to know they have to put the work in for it. I think all of these entrants have done that and I think it will show in these matches.

SD: Can I add, there are some names here who maybe don’t seem to fit with some of the others, but I know these guys pretty well. I’ve seen the work that the likes of Danica Jane and Jackson Banks have put in. Maybe James Saturn or Liz Karlson are bigger names, but these sixteen deserve to be in this tournament. I’m not saying that they can all win it. There are several who I really don’t think can come close, but they deserve the chance to enter and to improve themselves as a result. This is a great chance for a wrestler like Russ Bolt to face some of the best wrestlers in the world, something he doesn’t get to do very often, and to learn a lot. I expect some of the lesser names in this tournament to really develop because of the chance to wrestle better wrestlers.



DB: Let’s get into the blocks then. The block draw threw up some very interesting combinations. Before we discuss individual blocks, which do you think is more interesting?

MW: I’d have to go with the B Block. Jace Mason, Marcus Allen Jones, Botiatus, Berry Bishop, MDE, Artemis Evans, even Johnny California. I think they could all be block winners. We could easily go into the final day with five or six genuinely possible winners.

SD: I think the B Block looks very good, and probably will have the best matches, but the most interesting block? No. The A Block looks most interesting to me. Jerry Bishop, a dominant champion, on a hot streak all through this year, on a quest to finally win the Free-1. Bobby O and Aaron Williams, two guys with as much history with Jerry as anyone in FPW, trying to knock him off his perch. Kincaid and The Silent Assassin bringing a bit of mystery and Thea Donovan, Danica Jane and Jackson Banks all looking to prove themselves? There are a lot of things to watch in this block and, while it may not be as flashy as the B Block, I think this could be one of the most fascinating blocks in Free-1 history.

JH: I suppose I’m the tie-breaker then! To me, I’d edge towards the B Block. I think Mike is right that there are six, maybe seven, possible block winners. Looking at the schedule, it’s full of fascinating matches and I can’t wait to see so many of them. The winner of the Free-1 gets to main event Judgement Day III, but so many matches in this block could- and in fact have- be that main event. The A Block does have a lot of intrigue too though. We saw the end of the final show before the Free-1 as Aaron Williams came to let Jerry Bishop know that he was gunning for him, and that match could well decide the block. But Bobby, Kincaid and I think one of the others too, will be rising to that challenge to knock off Jerry. The FPW Champion goes through the Free-1 with a target on their back because a win over them almost guarantees a title match and I’d love to see how Jerry copes with people so motivated to face him.



DB: So let’s look at that A Block and give some thoughts. You’ve all mentioned the fact that the FPW Champion is in the block. No FPW Champion has ever won a Free-1 block. Will it happen this year?

SD: Yes. Jerry Bishop is the best wrestler in FPW and he will win the Free-1. Will he come through without any scars? No chance. With so many matches in such a short time, I think he’ll take some licks, but I don’t think there’s anyone who can out-wrestle him in this tournament or in this company.

MW: I think Jerry has a very good chance of winning this block, but I’m going to go against him. Aaron Williams has been incredibly motivated and he’s made no secret of the fact that he’s been looking towards the Free-1 for a few months now. I think he pulls it off. But I think Bobby O is an interesting one to watch too. He’s got a new motivation and we know his history with Jerry, a lot of which came from last year’s Free-1. That match on the opening night could go a long way to setting the tone and determining the block winner. If Bobby beats Jerry, all bets are off.



DB: You’ve mentioned that this block has a bit more of the unknown about it. What do you expect from those other five?

JH: Can I just say that each of them absolutely deserves their spot. Kincaid and The Silent Assassin are guys I’ve had an eye on for some time, and Danica Jane could be the most improved wrestler in FPW this year. Jackson Banks and Thea Donovan are both best-known for their tag-team exploits, but I think they could make an impact on this tournament.

MW: I think Kincaid could be up there come the end of this tournament. He has a big match early-on with Aaron Williams and big matches late-on with Jerry Bishop and then Bobby O. He could be a dark horse for this block. I don’t see Danica Jane, Jackson Banks or Thea Donovan really contending for the block, but I think at least one of them will get a win over one of the big three in the block which could prove decisive.

SD: I’m intrigued to see The Silent Assassin. I’ve been asking around and I’ve heard a lot about him. I expect him to make an impact and to leave having impressed a lot of people. Can he win the block? I don’t think so, not with Jerry there, but don’t be surprised if he ends up breaking into that supposed top three.



DB: How about the B Block. It’s got a lot of quality. Will that work against those top guys as they get towards the end of the tournament?

SD: It genuinely could. Seven matches in twenty-seven days, plus training, does take it out of you. Little injuries don’t get the chance to heal and they’re always on show to be exploited. With the guys in this block, the matches won’t be short. Mason and Marcus almost always go long in big matches, and Botiatus and Berry have shown they can with the Tag Classic. MDE and Artemis Evans will be out to exploit the little knocks, so facing them late on will be problematic. I think the toll this block takes on whoever wins it could easily make them second favourite in the final no matter who wins the A Block.

MW: Well, I’ll bow down to Steven’s in-ring experience but I’ll offer this point. The winner of the B Block will certainly be battle-tested. They’ll have a chance to rest a little before the final. And really, for a match like the Free-1 final, the adrenaline will be coursing around so much that it should mask most of the damage. I do think the winner could easily come from this block, and they’ll certainly have earned it.

JH: This is the beauty of a random draw. If I were choosing the blocks myself, I’d probably have evened them up a little. One of those top six would probably have been in the A Block and one of the less experienced A Block wrestlers would have been in the B Block. But that’s the way it goes. Winning the Free-1 isn’t easy. It’s not meant to be. The winner of the B Block will have nobody doubting their credentials if they win the whole thing.



DB: So let’s pin down a B Block winner. Give me a name.

JH: It’s such a hard block to call. I think it could come down to whoever wins between Mason and Marcus on the first night. Jace Mason is working so hard to get back to the top and he’s desperate to win this tournament. I think he could pull it off, but I really can’t give a confident prediction.

MW: I’ve said there could be six guys in the mix on the final day and I really believe that. I’d give a bit of a shout-out to Botiatus and Berry Bishop. They’re on a real roll as a team and I think they might carry that over into the Free-1. Facing one another on the first night will be really interesting, and a win might give either one the boost they need to reach the top of the block.

SD: I think there’s a big name you’re all forgetting. Artemis Evans. She’s back and she looked great against Hiro Takahara. I think she comes in as fresh as anyone and I think she has the mean streak to take advantage of the little injuries that build up over the course of the Free-1. For me, she takes a step closer to regaining her crown.



DB: I know there are so many great matches to come, but our own Mike Watson has been taking a look at the schedule, and here are Mike’s top ten most anticipated matches.



10, Friday August 7th: A Block: Kincaid vs. Aaron Williams



MW: Why this match? Well, I anticipate both of them coming into this match undefeated and I think it will be Kincaid’s biggest test to date. Both men are very experienced and they know how to win big matches. The winner of this match could well go into the final two rounds undefeated as they each end with Jerry and Bobby. Whoever wins this match could well be the closest challenger to Jerry Bishop for this block.



9, Wednesday August 12th: B Block: Botiatus vs. Jace Mason



MW: This is a first-time singles match and one I think will be fascinating. Botiatus got one over on Jace Mason in the All Star Tag Team Classic final and Mason will know that this is a match he needs to step up a gear for. Both men will consider themselves genuine contenders and this clash could determine which of these two goes into the final round of B Block matches in touching distance of the Free-1 final.



8, Saturday August 8th: A Block: Jerry Bishop vs. The Silent Assassin



MW: The Silent Assassin is an unknown quantity and this will be a huge test for him. This match will determine just what level The Silent Assassin enters FPW at. Is he a main event star from the off? If he compete with, and maybe even beats, Jerry Bishop, we’ll know the answer is a resounding yes. If he doesn’t, then maybe he has some work to do to get there. It might not be a flashy match like some of those on this list, but it’s as intriguing as any of them.



7, Monday August 3rd: B Block: Marcus Allen Jones vs. MDE



MW: These two men have been in a war of words since the number one contender battle royal. They’re wrestled just once before, in the first ever Free-1, but this match is going to be a very different story. MDE will consider himself as a favourite for this block and a win over Marcus Allen Jones will make sure that everyone else will see him as one too. Marcus Allen Jones has a tough start against Jace Mason and then MDE, and with this match just one day after his clash with Jace Mason, it could be a serious challenge for the man who most believe is the best chance to dethrone Jerry Bishop.



6, Saturday August 1st: A Block: Jerry Bishop vs. Bobby O



MW: Opening-night matches don’t get much bigger than this one. Bobby O and Jerry Bishop have known one another for a very long time and they’ve drifted a long way apart in the past year. Their Wrestlemania Weekend Tournament final was an excellent match, but Bobby fell short, and he’ll be determined to make up for that defeat by handing Jerry Bishop his first singles loss since 2019. Jerry will know that a win over Bobby will make a strong statement to the rest of the block, and he’ll be very determined to make sure that his former friend and ally knows just how much he’s developed since their time together in Free-1 II.



5, Thursday August 21st: B Block: Berry Bishop vs. MDE



MW: This match is as personal as it gets. I’m sure I don’t need to remind you of the sickening past these two have shared, with MDE manipulating Berry for the sole aim of getting at Jerry in the run-up to Judgement Day I. Berry has since got her revenge, but I don’t think she’ll ever feel like she’s gotten over what MDE did to her. This is a chance for Berry to vanquish some of the psychological demons that MDE and her brother have foisted upon her, but it’s also a chance for MDE to use his ability to get under the skin of opponents to pick up what could be a big win going into the final round of matches.



4, Monday August 10th: B Block: Artemis Evans vs. Jace Mason



MW: The history between these two also needs no explanation. Mason did get his revenge over Evans in a match which put Artemis Evans out of action for a few months, but as he looks to climb back to the top of the mountain, I’m certain he’ll see Artemis Evans as someone he’ll need to defeat on the way. For Evans, she lost her FPW Championship to Jace Mason and she lost months of her career too. She’ll be just as desperate to win this match as Mason will be and I think this match will see these two at their most aggressive.



3, Sunday August 2nd: B Block: Berry Bishop vs. Botiatus



MW: Any time a tag team faces one another, the match is fascinating, but for this team, I’d say it’s especially so. These two came into FPW as singles wrestlers and made their name with Freedom Championship runs. Their team has had all the momentum, of a runaway freight train, and they gave two of the best tag team performances that FPW has ever seen to become All Star Tag Team Classic winners and Tag Team Champions. However, they remain a relatively young team. Will this match help to bring them together or will it drive a wedge between them? Whichever ends up happening, I think this match will give the winner a big momentum boost to kick off what could be a break-through tournament for either of them.



2, Thursday August 27th: A Block: Jerry Bishop vs. Aaron Williams



MW: This will be the fifth time we’ve seen this singles match in 2020 and what a match it will be. Each match so far has been excellent, and this could prove to be the best match of the Free-1. I’d be very surprised if this match didn’t determine the winner of the block on the final night of the A Block. Every single fan in the arena will be desperate to see an Aaron Williams victory and that will make for an electric atmosphere for a match which will almost certainly close out the A Block.



1, Sunday August 2nd: B Block: Marcus Allen Jones vs. Jace Mason



MW: The match which propelled Jace Mason into the Free-1 final and which led Marcus Allen Jones down the path to another match with his nemesis Graham Baker last year is the match which will kick off both men’s attempts to win Free-1 III. These two had an absolute classic last year, and I believe both men are better now than they were then. All three results are absolutely possible in this match, and I think this will really be a tone setter for the run of each man in this tournament. The winner is set up to win the block while the loser will not just have to make up the points, but also for the tie-breaker his opponent will have earned.



DB: Steven, what do you make of that list?

SD: I think it’s a good list. There are a few other matches that could be on it like Bobby O versus Aaron Williams, Marcus Allen Jones versus Botiatus, Marcus Allen Jones versus Artemis Evans and Jace Mason versus MDE, but I can’t complain about too many of those selections. I think Watson makes an excellent point about Botiatus versus Berry Bishop. That will be a real test of their team and I think a lot of FPW’s tag teams will have an eye on that match to see if any cracks start to develop in the House of Berry and Bo.



DB: It’s that time again. Free-1 predictions. I want to hear from each of you how you think the blocks will end up, what the final will be, the overall winner and what the best match of the Free-1 ends up being. Let’s start with our exalted leader, Mr. Houston.



JH: On the spot. Okay, so I have the A Block as follows:

1, Aaron Williams- 12

2, Jerry Bishop- 12

3, Bobby O- 10

4, Kincaid- 8

5, The Silent Assassin- 8

6, Danica Jane- 2

7, Thea Donovan- 2

8, Jackson Banks- 2

And I have the B Block like this:

1, Jace Mason- 11

2, Marcus Allen Jones- 9

3, Botiatus- 8

4, Artemis Evans- 8

5, MDE- 8

6, Berry Bishop- 6

7, Johnny California- 6

8, Russ Bolt- 0

Which gives me an Aaron Williams versus Jace Mason final and… I hate to have to call that. I’m going with Mason barely. The best match… I think it’ll be the final.



MW: My A Block is:

1, Aaron Williams- 12

2, Jerry Bishop- 12

3, Bobby O- 8

4, Kincaid- 8

5, The Silent Assassin- 6

6, Danica Jane- 4

7, Jackson Banks- 4

8, Thea Donovan- 2

My B Block is:

1, Marcus Allen Jones- 10

2, Jace Mason- 10

3, Artemis Evans- 8

4, Botiatus- 8

5, Berry Bishop- 8

6, MDE- 6

7, Johnny California- 4

8, Russ Bolt- 2

That means Aaron versus Marcus in the final and I think Marcus wins it. Marcus versus Mason is match of the tournament for me.



SD: You guys are so wrong. The A Block will finish like this:

1, Jerry Bishop- 14

2, Bobby O- 10

3, Aaron Williams- 8

4, Thea Donovan- 8

5, The Silent Assassin- 6

6, Kincaid- 6

7, Danica Jane- 4

8, Jackson Banks- 0

The B Block will end like this:

1, Artemis Evans- 12

2, Botiatus- 10

3, MDE- 8

4, Marcus Allen Jones- 8

5, Johnny California- 8

6, Jace Mason- 8

7, Berry Bishop- 2

8, Russ Bolt- 0

Jerry beats Artemis in a classic final. The match of the tournament? I’m going for a surprise. Artemis Evans versus MDE.



DB: Those certainly are… different… predictions, Steven. With-

SD: You try to get out of this every year, Dasha. Who do you have?

DB: No, I-

SD: Come on. Who do you have?

DB: I really don’t-

SD: Just give us the names of the block winners and the overall winner. Come on!

DB: Fine… I think… I think it’ll be… I hope it’s Berry and Aaron. With that being said, thank-

SD: You hope? What do you think?

MW: I really don’t think she wants-

SD: Come on, Watson. This is a yearly tradition. Tell us, Dasha.

DB: I think he’ll win it. I just don’t want… not again.

MW: I’m sure it’ll-

DB: And that’s all we have time for tonight. Thank you all for joining us for the Free-1 preview show. We’ve got a month of phenomenal matches to come and I’m sure you’ll all be following us every step of the way. From Jim Houston, Steven Deville, Mike Watson and myself, we’ll see you all soon.

[Jim Houston]

“The Free-1… the biggest opportunity for any Freedom Pro Wrestling star. The Free-1 epitomises what Freedom Pro Wrestling is all about. Opportunity. The opportunity to earn the right to challenge for FPW Championship in the biggest match of the FPW year. The opportunity to showcase your skills in front of a huge audience. The opportunity to be noticed. Free-1 I… a man who was known as a hardcore icon stepped up to show his toughness, his skill, his potential. And he became FPW Champion. Free-1 II… an underdog on the rise picking up the biggest wins of his career to show who he could truly become. And he became FPW Champion. Free-1 III… the biggest yet. Sixteen wrestlers in two blocks of eight. Two winners facing off on August 31st to earn the biggest opportunity of their careers. But all sixteen will have an opportunity. An opportunity to make a name. An opportunity to showcase their true ability. For in the Free-1, each entrant controls their own destiny, their own narrative and their own future. Welcome to Free-1 III.”



MW: Welcome to the first show of Free-1 III! It’s the happiest time of the FPW year. Fifty-six matches in twenty-five days and all of FPW’s best in action. I’m Mike Watson and I’m here alongside Steven Deville. Steven, tonight we’ve got the first four matches of the A Block and this could be a special night.

SD: It really could. This block is really being slept on by a lot of people but I think it’s intriguing. Tonight we see a debut, a rematch of one of the best matches of the year so far and some fascinating contests.

MW: Let’s get straight to this first match seeing as you mention a debut. The Silent Assassin debuts tonight against Jackson Banks. What do you expect from this new acquisition?

SD: I’ve been doing some research and there’s not much known about him. The one thing I’ve consistently been told from those who have faced him is that he’s a man to be feared.

MW: What do we know about his style? His history?

SD: Not much. He seems to just appear from nowhere, wreak havoc and leave. He’s powerful, but doesn’t seem to be his only strength. From what I’m told, there’s not much in terms of weaknesses.

MW: And he faces the inexperienced, yet exciting, prospect, Jackson Banks. What do you make of Banks having qualified?

SD: He did well to make it to this tournament but I think he’ll find it difficult. The Free-1 is a great opportunity and, while I don’t think he’s a contender to be challenging for the block, he has a great opportunity to learn. Matches against the likes of Jerry Bishop, Bobby O, Aaron Williams and Kincaid will teach him a huge amount, and I think he’ll come out of this tournament a lot better than he went in.

MW: First up then, The Silent Assassin versus Jackson Banks. Let’s get to another Banks- Dasha, take it away!



“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the first match of Free-1 III. The following contest is an A Block match with a thirty minute time-limit. Introducing first, being accompanied to the ring by RJ Tudor, from Brooklyn, New York, he is one half of Revolution-X and is known as ‘The King of the Ropes’… Jackson Banks!”



‘You Need Me, I Don’t Need You’ begins and the fans cheer as the usual fast-paced highlights of Revolution-X flash across the screen. As ‘Now I’m in Town’ hits, Banks bursts through the curtain and charges across the stage to both sides of the fans, pumping them up. RJ Tudor comes out behind him and watches, letting Banks take the attention. Banks turns to Tudor and nods before the two of them bounce down the ramp, slapping hands with fans and continuing to pump up the crowd, who respond well to them. Banks reaches the bottom of the ramp and climbs onto the apron before springboarding onto the top rope and walking to the turnbuckle, turning and continuing to walk the rope. He walks all four before bouncing down onto the middle rope and then back up again, backflipping back into the ring and pumping up the cheers of the crowd even further. The music comes to an end and the crowd goes quiet, eagerly awaiting their first look at The Silent Assassin.



“And his opponent, making his FPW debut, from Santa Cruz, Mexico, he is… The Silent Assassin!”



The lights go out and a low thunderous rumble fills the arena. ‘Run’ begins to play and the stage fills up with smoke. The hush around the arena is palpable as The Silent Assassin emerges among the smoke and stares down at Banks in the ring. He begins his walk down the ramp at a deliberate pace, his eyes remaining on Banks, who gazes back with uncertainty. He reaches the ring and circles it, keeping his eyes on Banks, who turns as The Silent Assassin walks, trying to return his gaze. The Silent Assassin then steps up onto the apron and climbs the turnbuckle, a red spotlight shining down as he spready his arms before dropping down into the ring. He stares down Jackson Banks, raising an arm slowly and pointing a finger gun at Banks, firing the gun just as the line ‘Run’ plays. More red spotlights come down and move wildly around the arena before the song quickly cuts off, as do the lights, leaving the arena momentarily black before the lights come back up and the fans clap in appreciation of the spectacle.



A Block: Jackson Banks (0) vs. The Silent Assassin (0):



The bell rings and the two men eye one another across the ring for a few moments before Banks comes forward quickly, but he’s dropped by a big boot. The Silent Assassin looks down at Banks, who lies flat on the mat, before reaching down and pulling him up. He whips him into the ropes and catches him as he comes back, pulling him into an overhead belly to belly. Banks arches his back on landing and grabs the bottom rope, pulling himself to his feet. As he stands, The Silent Assassin moves in and drives a knee into his gut before connecting with a hard European uppercut. He pulls Banks away from the ropes and connects with a spinebuster, hooking the leg for his first cover.



One…

Two-



Banks kicks out. The Silent Assassin stands and looks at Banks as he slowly forces his way to his feet. Banks looks up to see his opponent staring down at him and he scuttles away to the corner, staring back with confusion on his face. He slowly stands and starts to come forward, The Silent Assassin coming in too and the two men locking up. The Silent Assassin forces Banks back, but Banks releases his grip and twists behind The Silent Assassin, pushing him forward into the turnbuckles. Banks then backs into the ropes and comes back at The Silent Assassin, catching him with a running dropkick which sends him through the ropes to the outside. Banks stands and calls for the fans, who clap in rhythm as Banks hits the ropes and charges at The Silent Assassin, stepping up onto the middle rope, then onto the top rope and coming down with a somersault plancha, but The Silent Assassin steps back and Banks overrotates, trying to land on his feet, only for The Silent Assassin to take him out with a hard European uppercut just before he hits the floor.



MW: Wow!

SD: Very impressive from The Silent Assassin!

MW: He’s clearly powerful, but his timing there was impressive and I must say, this man has some presence!

SD: He certainly does. I know people spoke of an intimidation factor around The Silent Assassin, and we’re seeing it here. Jackson Banks looks like he’s flustered.

MW: And now The Silent Assassin is sending him back into the ring.



The Silent Assassin follows and he positions Banks near the corner. He climbs the turnbuckles and comes down with a Vader bomb, holding for another cover.



One…

Two…

Thr-



Banks gets a shoulder up. The Silent Assassin doesn’t show any reaction, instead simply grabbing Banks by his hair and pulling him up to his feet. He whips him into the opposite corner and follows him in with a running big boot. Banks staggers out of the corner and The Silent Assassin quickly grabs him from behind, delivering a German suplex into the turnbuckles. He drags Banks from the corner and makes another cover.



One…

Two…

Thr-



Again Banks manages to get a shoulder up. The Silent Assassin stands, pulling Banks up again, and he looks for a blue thunder bomb. As Banks spins, he manages to push himself free and he lands on his feet, quickly heading to the ropes and leaping up before coming down with a springboard cross body. He rolls away from The Silent Assassin and onto the apron, pulling himself up on the ropes as The Silent Assassin gets back to his feet. Banks waits for him and then leaps up onto the top rope, coming down with a springboard hurricanrana, holding the legs for the cover.



One…

Two-



The Silent Assassin kicks out.



MW: Jackson Banks on the comeback trail!

SD: But The Silent Assassin won’t go down that easily.

MW: And both men getting to their feet now.



The Silent Assassin turns and Banks connects with a dropkick. Banks then quickly grabs his arm and pulls him up, wringing the arm and backing towards the ropes, stepping up and walking the top rope before looking to come down with a knee strike, only for The Silent Assassin to catch him and plant him into the mat with a uranage. The Silent Assassin takes a moment to recover before stalking Banks as he struggles to his feet again. The Silent Assassin bounces off the ropes and connects with Killshot, Banks folding in half and The Silent Assassin making another cover.



One…

Two…

Thr-



MW: How did he kick out?!

SD: What a thunderous lariat that was. Jackson Banks is doing all he can to stay in this one, but I don’t think he’ll be able to last much longer.

MW: Not with The Silent Assassin looking ready to end this one here.



The Silent Assassin lifts Banks to his feet and drapes an arm over him. He pulls him up into a suplex position, dropping him onto the top rope before driving him into the mat for The Silencer. He makes the cover.



One…

Two…

Three.



Winner: The Silent Assassin (8: 17).



MW: A dominant victory for The Silent Assassin on his FPW debut.

SD: Very impressive. Too much power for Jackson Banks and impressive counters too. I wasn’t sure what to make of The Silent Assassin before this tournament began, but he has to be seen as a contender for this block after such an impressive start.

MW: Jackson Banks did what he could, but he couldn’t resist this man for long. These fans aren’t too sure how to react either.

SD: No. The Silent Assassin definitely doesn’t look like a man who courts cheers nor does he look like a man who deserves disdain. He’s clearly made an impression on some of these people tonight, especially after that entrance, but they like Jackson Banks, and a lot of fans won’t have enjoyed seeing him be manhandled like that.



The Silent Assassin has his hand raised before the lights go dark again and a red spotlight shines down on him. He stares out into the crowd for a few moments, pointing the finger gun again and shooting it. The spotlight suddenly goes out and the arena is left in darkness. When the lights come up, The Silent Assassin is gone.



MW: As per usual with the Free-1, you’ll be seeing matches one after the other, so let’s look at our next match. Two Free-1 debutants, both looking to establish themselves as serious contenders in FPW, one who has been here for some time and one who is fairly new to the company. What do you make of Thea Donovan and Kincaid, Steven?

SD: I think Thea Donovan is going to surprise a lot of people in this tournament. She came into FPW with Artemis Evans and Myra Lopez and has only recently been given the chance to show what she can do. She’s going to pick up some big wins this block and I think she’ll be up there for longer than most people expect.

MW: And what about Kincaid? Will his experience see him through this one?

SD: Kincaid is interesting. He’s got a lot of experience but not a lot of stickability. He’s had some success in the past but not consistent success. I think he has what it takes to impress in this tournament, but he needs a good start to get his confidence up and I don’t know if Thea Donovan is going to be the person he can do that against.

MW: It’s time to find out. Let’s get to someone who doesn’t need to build any confidence: Dasha Banks.



“Ladies and gentlemen, the following contest is an A Block match with a thirty-minute time-limit. Introducing first, representing The Queendom and being accompanied to the ring by Myra Lopez, from San Diego, California, ‘The Black Queen’… Thea Donovan!”



‘Checkmate’ rings out around the arena as a black queen appears on the screen. ‘Hammer to Fall’ begins to play and Myra Lopez steps through the curtain, pointing back to the curtain as Thea Donovan steps through. The fans boo and Donovan sprays out a volley of abuse to them. Lopez eyes her and follows behind her down the ramp, Donovan continuing to give back to the fans. As she reaches the ring, she climbs through the ropes and moves over to the turnbuckles. Just like Artemis Evans, she steps up onto the middle rope and extends her arms, dropping her head back as the fans continue to boo her.



“And her opponent, from Bearing, Alberta, Canada… ‘The King of the North’… Kincaid!”



The lights dim as ‘Storm Eagle’ fills the arena. As the song kicks into life, Kincaid walks out onto the middle of the stage to a fairly good reception. He stares down at the ring to where Thea Donovan waits. Alyssa walks out and stands next to him, waving to the crowd and presenting him to the audience, many of whom continue to politely cheer. Kincaid makes his way down the ramp, his eyes still focussed on the ring as he holds out his arms to brush hands with fans. As he reaches the ring, hops up onto the apron and shares a few last words with Alyssa before raising his arms and slipping into the ring. He climbs up onto the middle rope and calls out to the fans, pointing to himself and promising victory before dropping down and stretching out.



A Block: Thea Donovan (0) vs. Kincaid (0):



The bell rings and then two of them come forward quickly, locking up strongly. Donovan holds firm for a few moments before Kincaid’s power and technique advantage begin to show, and he forces her back. Donovan quickly manages to turn him as they reach the corner and she drives him back into the turnbuckles. The official comes in to break them apart and begins his count, Donovan breaking at four and stepping back, only to catch Kincaid with a hard slap. She pulls him out of the corner and kicks him hard in the gut before locking in a headlock and taking him over. Kincaid quickly gets his legs up and Donovan kicks herself out. The two scramble to their feet and stare one another down, Kincaid holding a hand to his cheek as Donovan raises a cocky eyebrow.



SD: Thea Donovan playing the mind games with Kincaid.

MW: Cheating, you mean?

SD: Cheating? You call that cheating? I’d hate to see what you’d call the things I used to do.

MW: I don’t think I want to know.



The two of them come together again and lock up, Kincaid this time quickly locking in a headlock. Donovan forces him into the ropes and shoves him off, sending him into the opposite ropes. He comes back at her with a lariat, but she ducks under it and hits the ropes herself, coming at him with a running shoulder block. Kincaid staggers back but doesn’t go down. Donovan calls at him to try and take her down, and he hits the ropes, coming at her, but she connects with a superkick to his gut and hits the ropes, coming back with a knee lift. Kincaid drops to the mat and Donovan presses her foot onto his head, taunting Alyssa as she protests.



The official forces her to release Kincaid and she steps back, basking in the boos of the crowd as Kincaid gets to a knee and looks up at her. She smirks at him and beckons him forward and he gets to his feet. The two of them come together again and lock-up, Kincaid looking for a headlock but Donovan catching his arm and wringing it. Kincaid rolls through and sweeps the leg, quickly taking Donovan’s foot and wrenching at it, dropping down and applying pressure to her knee. Alyssa claps in encouragement while Donovan grimaces in pain. Kincaid leans back to apply more pressure but Donovan reaches forward and jams her fingers into his eyes. Kincaid’s grip loosens and the official calls for Donovan to release him, which she does, quickly scrambling back out of range.



MW: More unsavoury tactics from Thea Donovan. Typical of The Queendom.

SD: Typical of… you just don’t like The Queendom, do you?

MW: I don’t like the way they go about their business and I don’t think many people do.

SD: They’re winners. Donovan will prove that today and throughout this tournament.



Kincaid, frustration on his face, comes forward quickly and Donovan catches him with a drop toe hold into the middle turnbuckle. She places a foot on the back of his head and forces it into the buckle, the official once again applying the count and Donovan once again taking until four to release Kincaid. She steps back, the official admonishing her strongly, as Kincaid bursts to his feet and comes at her with hard forearms, the fans cheering as he drives her back into the corner. He unleashes a series of kicks to the gut and the official has to warn him as he protests about what she’s been able to get away with.



He pulls her out of the corner and sends her into the ropes, catching her with an arm drag as she comes back to him. She springs back up but she runs into another arm drag before Kincaid pulls her into an inverted atomic drop and then a short-arm lariat. He goes back to her left leg, stomping on her knee and dropping down and taking the boot again, manipulating her ankle before pulling her up and into a shinbreaker. She staggers away and he catches her with a bulldog, rolling her over for the first cover of the match.



One…

Two-



Donovan kicks out. Kincaid doesn’t waste time, pulling her up and sending her into the corner, following her in with a running forearm and landing a series of chops to her chest. As Donovan staggers out of the corner, Kincaid grabs her for the Llewelyn Lift, but Donovan catches him with a series of elbows. He releases his grip and staggers away before Donovan turns and catches him with a hard kick to the gut. She grips him for a vertical suplex and lifts him, holding him up for a few moments before dropping him to the mat. She rolls into a cover.



One…

Two-



Kincaid kicks out.



MW: Kincaid had control for a few moments but Donovan has wrestled it back again.

SD: And did she cheat to get it?

MW: No, not in that instance-

SD: Thank you.

MW: I didn’t say she couldn’t-

SD: She’s going to prove you wrong over and over and over again until you finally admit it.

MW: I’ve never said-

SD: Over and over and over again.



Donovan flexes her leg for a moment before reaching down and pulling Kincaid to his feet. She whips him into the corner and backs away before coming in with a running knee to the head. Kincaid staggers out of the corner and Donovan pulls him onto her shoulders before delivering a Death Valley driver into the turnbuckles. She rolls out of the ring and climbs to the top rope, looking down at Kincaid before coming down with a leg drop. She rolls away and mocks Alyssa as she tries to help Kincaid recover.



Donovan stands, flexing her leg again, before stalking Kincaid. As Kincaid turns, Donovan aims a superkick at his head, but Alyssa cries out and Kincaid manages to duck. Donovan turns as Kincaid catches her with a kick to the gut and then he pulls her in for a powerbomb. He lifts her onto his shoulders but Lopez leaps onto the apron and catches Donovan’s hands. The official quickly moves over, but Donovan manages to come down from Kincaid’s shoulders and she catches him with another superkick to the gut. Alyssa remonstrates with the official, who shrugs his shoulders, and Donovan lifts Kincaid for a Michinoku driver. She hooks the leg for a cover.



One…

Two…

T-



Kincaid kicks out. Donovan smirks down at Alyssa, who is still telling the official to take control over the match, before lifting Kincaid and setting him position for the Firebomb. She lifts him, but Kincaid frees his legs and drops down to the mat, landing another big chop before lifting Donovan onto his shoulders. Once again, Myra Lopez steps up onto the apron and grabs Donovan’s legs to pull her down. However, Alyssa charges around to the apron and grabs Lopez, pulling her down to the floor. Lopez turns and stares at Alyssa, who looks at her in fear. Kincaid, seeing what is about to happen, hits the ropes and looks to land a suicide dive to take out Lopez, but he’s cut off by another hard superkick from Donovan. Lopez takes Alyssa down with a pump kick as Donovan makes a cover.



One…

Two…

Thre-



Kincaid just manages to kick out and the fans cheer loudly. Donovan bangs the mat with frustration.



MW: You can’t say these tactics are ok, Steven.

SD: It was Alyssa Kincaid who initiated the contact. If Kincaid is so worried about her, he shouldn’t be bringing her to the ring!

MW: Lopez interfered in the match- for a second time! If the official won’t stop her, I think Alyssa was well within her rights to do it herself.

SD I agree. But if she’s going to get involved, she’s going to face the consequences. Kincaid should leave her in the back if she’s going to be a distraction.



Donovan stands and grabs Kincaid by the head, pulling him up again. She kicks him in the gut and pulls him in for the Firebomb again. Kincaid, however, grabs the left leg and lands a couple of hard strikes, forcing Donovan backwards and freeing himself. She turns back to him and he kicks out her knee before delivering a devastating Big Fat Kill. Instead of dropping into a cover, he pulls Donovan up and sets her on his shoulders in the middle of the ring, dropping her with The Red River Crossing. This time he makes the cover.



One…

Two…

Thr-



Donovan just manages to kick out. Kincaid looks out to the fans and they begin cheering. He stalks Donovan and, once she’s up, he hits the ropes, ready for The Flying Lariat, but he stops dead in his tracks as he sees Myra Lopez on the outside with Alyssa on her shoulders, ready to hit the GTS. He runs straight past Donovan and flies through the ropes, taking Lopez and Alyssa down with a suicide dive. He checks on Alyssa, who gives him a nod, before sliding back into the ring, but, as soon as he gets in, Donovan catches him and connects with a lifting DDT. She rolls him into a cover.



One…

Two…

Thre-



Kincaid gets a shoulder up! The fans cheer loudly as Donovan stares at the official, unable to believe Kincaid managed to kick out. She reaches down, grabs him by the hair, and pulls him up. She sets his head between her legs and pulls him up for the Firebomb, catching him under the arms, but he manages to wriggle free. He hits the ropes and connects with a clothesline. Donovan scrambles to her feet and Kincaid comes back with another clothesline. He pulls Donovan up and whips her into the corner, landing a huge running splash and, as she staggers out, he connects with The Flying Lariat. Kincaid quickly steps through the ropes and climbs to the top, looking down at Donovan.



MW: Wait a minute! Myra Lopez again!



Lopez gets onto the apron and calls to Kincaid, but he quickly connects with a version of the Big Fat Kill to drop her to the floor before connecting with From On High! He makes the cover.



One…

Two…

Three.



Winner: Kincaid (17:17).



MW: And Kincaid has his first points of Free-1 III.

SD: I’ll give him credit. He fought hard against a talented opponent and he deserves these two points.

MW: He had to wrestle two opponents today, let’s be honest. These kind of tactics will catch people for sure, and these are valuable points for Kincaid, who joins The Silent Assassin at the top of the A Block.



Kincaid rolls out of the ring to check on Alyssa, who is sat up on the outside. She nods to him to show she’s ok and the two embrace, the fans cheering for them both as the official comes out and raises Kincaid’s arm.



MW: Well, we’ve seen The Silent Assassin and Kincaid make the perfect start, but will we be saying the same for Danica Jane or Aaron Williams? One is maybe a bit of a surprise entrant into Free-1III while the other is considered by many as the favourite.

SD: Wrongly considered the favourite, of course. Listen, Aaron Williams is a good wrestler and I respect the lengths he’s willing to go to in his matches, but he’s in a block with Jerry Bishop. He can’t be favourite.

MW: Aaron Williams has made no secret of his desire to win Free-1 III and challenge at Judgement Day III. Disregarding your bias towards the FPW Champion, can he do that?

SD: No. And I’ve already explained why. It’s not bias. Jerry is the best wrestler in this company and he’s winning this block. Aaron Williams has made his intentions known but I’m afraid he’s going to end up being disappointed. He can say that he’s worked hard and that he’s destined to win this tournament-

MW: In all fairness, I don’t think Aaron Williams has said that he’s destined to win the Free-1.

SD: Maybe not, but a lot of people have said words to that effect. They are going to be proven wrong. Can he challenge at the top of the block? Yes, of course he can. Will he win it? Absolutely not.

MW: How about his opponent? Danica Jane wasn’t expected by many to be in this tournament and she’s certainly not expected to pick up many points. What do you expect from her today?

SD: Danica Jane has improved as a wrestler considerably since she first stepped into a ring in the last Free-1, but you’re right, she’s not someone expected to win many matches and I don’t think she’ll win tonight. Aaron Williams will be seriously motivated to get off to a strong start, and I don’t see Danica Jane beating a motivated Aaron Williams.

MW: Speaking of motivated, let’s get to Dasha Banks!



“The following contest is an A Block match-up with a thirty-minute time-limit. Introducing first, from Las Vegas, Nevada, this is Danica Jane!”



‘This Fire Burns’ begins to play and the fans react mildly. Danica Jane steps through the curtain and looks around the arena before making her way down the ramp. She slaps a few hands on her way to the ring while a lot of fans hold back, not reacting very strongly one way or the other. She reaches the ring and climbs the steps, grabbing the top rope and somersaulting over it before looking around the arena once again as her music comes to a halt.



“And her opponent-“



Dasha is cut off by cheers from the crowd, and a loud ‘Aa-ron Will-iams’ chant goes around the arena.



MW: I think these people are disagreeing with your assessment of Aaron Williams’ chances in this tournament, Steven.

SD: They can disagree all they like. They’re wrong. A bet against Jerry Bishop is a losing bet no matter who it’s for.



“And her opponent, from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he is a two-time former Ring of Honour Champion and the holder of many championships from all over the world, he is ‘A Plus’ Aaron… Williams!”



After a short pause to build tension, ‘I Still Believe’ kicks in and the fans sing along loudly. Williams comes straight through the curtain to a loud cheer and he leads the song from the stage, moving from one side to the other and pumping up the volume. He makes his way down the ramp, still singing along loudly, and slapping hands on both sides of the aisle. He reaches the bottom of the ramp and moves around the ring, continuing to slap hands until he gets to a young fan, for whom he pulls out a marker. The fan writes ‘1 = Baker, 2 = Mason, 3 = Williams’ and Williams takes off his t-shirt and hands it to the fan before sliding into the ring. He shakes hands with Dasha and the official before settling in the corner.



The official checks them both and-



‘Rise’ hits the speakers and Danica and Williams both turn. The crowd groans as Clutch McCloud walks out onto the ramp, the Freedom Championship over his shoulder.



“Did you forget about me? The rest of the misogynistic pigs in FPW may have happily entered this tournament, but I will not bow down to Jim Houston’s anti-women agenda. As your Freedom Champion, I will continue to advocate for the fair treatment of women and for the constant and consistent rejection of the glorification of man-on-woman violence. And that brings me to this match. Danica… you don’t have to do this. You don’t have to involve yourself in this embarrassment. You can do better than competing against men. Stand by me. Become a figurehead of women’s wrestling and not a footnote of inter-gender abuse. Walk away now. Make a statement. If we stand together, they can’t continue to ignore me for much longer. Let’s change the world for the better, standing side-by-side. What do you say, Dani?”



Danica looks at Clutch, clearly conflicted. A ‘no…no…no’ chant breaks out and Danica closes her eyes. Aaron Williams rests in the corner, watching with interest. Danica opens her eyes and shakes her head at Clutch.



“You’re saying no? You’re standing in the ring with a man who is desperate to beat up a woman and you’re happy to promote that kind of sickening violence? Fine. You had your chance. You’ll go down as a footnote on the wrong side of history. When they look back on this, I’ll be held up as the lone voice of reason against all of these monsters. I never thought you’d be one of them, Dani.”



Clutch turns and walks back through the curtain, leaving Danica Jane staring after him.



A Block: Danica Jane (0) vs. Aaron Williams (0):



The official calls for the bell with Danica Jane still looking flustered. Williams steps forward and extends a hand and Danica pauses for a moment before coming in and shaking it. Williams leans forward and whispers something into Danica’s ear and she smiles before the two break off their shake. Williams leads the fans in a rhythmic clap as the two circle one another before locking up. Danica looks for a headlock but Williams grabs her wrist and takes it in a hammerlock, locking in a headlock of his own. Danica forces him into the ropes and pushes him across the ring, leapfrogging him as he comes back towards her, and then again as he comes back again. He comes back a third time and Danica takes him down with a dropkick.



Danica jumps down and looks for a front facelock, but Williams rolls free and springs up, ducking Danica’s lariat attempt and leaping up onto the middle rope before taking her down with a springboard clothesline. He makes a cover.



One…

Tw-



Danica kicks out. Williams pulls her up and sends her into the corner, following her in and connecting with a hard mid-kick. Danica staggers out of the corner, holding her chest, and Williams pulls her in for a side suplex, but Danica overrotates and lands on her feet. Williams turns into a knee to his gut and Danica traps Williams in a facelock and drives a series of knees up into his chest and head. Williams staggers away and drops to a knee as Danica hits the ropes and takes him down with a shining wizard. She makes her first cover.



One…

Two-



Williams kicks out.



MW: This one has been wrestled at a lightning-quick pace.

SD: It certainly has. Aaron Williams only has one speed, and I know Danica Jane has the athletic background to keep up. She might want to consider slowing it down a little.

MW: Is that the kind of lesson she learns with experience?

SD: It is. Some have the instincts for things like that, but I’m not sure Danica is one of them.



Danica pulls Williams to his feet and forces him into the corner, landing a few kicks to huis gut and sending him across the ring to the opposite corner. She following him in with a running clothesline and allows Williams to stagger out of the corner. She grabs him by the arm and then takes him down with a swinging neckbreaker, before dropping a knee on his left arm. Williams pulls it away but she grabs at it and looks to lock in a version of a Fujiwara arm bar. Williams, however, pushes his knees underneath him and rolls through, getting to his feet and pulling Danica into a vertical suplex position, lifting her and bringing her down onto his knee with a brainbuster.



He stands and shakes out his arm before stalking Danica as she gets to her feet. As she turns, he unleashes a mid-kick to send her staggering backwards. He moves in again and grabs her by the wrist, sending her into the corner and following up with a big splash. He charges back across the ring and comes in for another, the fans cheering as he repeats the move for a third and a fourth time. Danica drops to a seated position and Williams backs away into the corner again before coming in with a cannonball. Danica rolls out of the corner and Williams climbs quickly to the top rope, coming down with a swan-ton bomb and holding for a cover.



One…

Two…

Thr-



Danica kicks out.



MW: An Aaron Williams classic combination there.

SD: It seems like it would be easy to counter, but he does things with such speed and intensity that it really isn’t. Danica Jane is in trouble here.

MW: Williams looking to bring this to an early close, perhaps?

SD: Given the number of matches he’ll be having in the next month, I think getting them finishes quickly is a good idea if he can.



Williams pulls Danica up and kicks her in the gut, looking to trap her arms and set her up for A Triple Plus, but Danica counters, gripping his left wrist and twisting his arm into a Kimura lock! Williams cries out in pain and clutches at the top rope, grabbing it before Danica can bring him off his feet. Danica releases her grip but quickly goes back to the arm, wringing it and driving an elbow down onto the triceps. She forces Williams to the mat and pins his arm out straight before performing a handstand and then driving her knees down onto the arm. Williams tries to snatch it away but Danica makes a quick transition into a Fujiwara arm bar and he cries out in pain again.



Williams scrambles to the ropes before Danica can position herself perfectly, and the official orders her to break the hold. She releases it and stands, staggering for a step after the flurry of damage done by Williams earlier in the match. He gets to his knees and Danica comes in again, only for Williams to land a forearm into her gut and pulls her down into a sudden DDT. He rolls away and cradles his arm before kipping up and pumping up the fans. He looks down at Danica as she hauls herself to her feet and he brings her up the rest of the way, kicking her in the gut and positioning her for a powerbomb, lifting her and dropping her onto his knees.



MW: A powerful backbreaker from Williams!

SD: But it damaged his arm. Look at him grabbing it rather than making the cover.

MW: Danica Jane may have a glimmer of hope if she can see that.

SD: She might be focussing a little more on her back right now. That’s another thing that comes with experience- always have eyes on your opponent, especially when they think you don’t.



Williams stands and reaches down for Danica, pulling her up and hooking an arm over her head. He lifts her into a vertical suplex position and looks to drop her over the top rope, but she manages to twist free and grabs hold of his left wrist, dropping the arm over the top rope as she lands on the outside. Williams staggers back into the ring and doubles over, grasping his arm, as Danica leaps back onto the apron and stands on the outside. As Williams turns, she leaps up and lands a springboard knee strike to the head. Williams drops to the mat and Danica makes the cover.



One…

Two…

Thr-



Williams just gets his shoulder up and Danica clutches at it, looking for the Kimura lock again, but Williams is clearly expecting it, pulling her into a small package.



One…

Two…

Thr-

Danica just manages to escape. The two of them scramble to their feet and Danica aims a hard kick at Williams’ arm, but he catches it and spins her around, taking her down with a discus clothesline. He pulls her up quickly and hooks his arm over her again, quickly lifting her and dumping her over the top rope. He climbs up to the top rope and looks down as Danica hangs over the rope before coming down with a 450 splash to send them both crashing down onto the canvas. With a grimace on his face, he crawls over to her and rolls her over, covering her.



One…

Two…

Thre-



Danica just gets her shoulder up!



MW: I thought that was it right there!

SD: It probably would have been had Danica Jane landed on her back.

MW: I think she did at first but it looked like she rolled onto her front.

SD: If that’s the case, then that’s a good veteran move that I wouldn’t have expected to see from someone so inexperienced.



Williams drags himself to his feet and reaches down to pull Danica up with him. He traps her head again and looks to get her arms for A Triple Plus, but she lashes out at his left arm and he can’t fully set up the move. She scrambles away and ducks as Williams aims a mid-kick, catching him with a Pele kick instead. He staggers and hits the ropes, coming back at Danica, who unleashes Lights Out! However, Williams manages to duck, kicking Danica in the gut as she lands and pulling her down again. This time, he traps her left arm with his right and manages to reach around both of her legs to lift her and connect with an adapted A Triple Plus. He rolls into a cover.



One…

Two…

Three.



Winner: Aaron Williams (14:31).



MW: And there it is. Aaron Williams opens up the Free-1 with a hard-fought victory over an impressive Danica Jane.

SD: I must admit that Danica Jane lasted longer in this one that I expected, and she showed some impressive ring awareness too. Aaron Williams got the win we all had him down for, but Danica Jane showed that she’s here to compete in this tournament. She won’t win the block, but a lot of the competitors in this block will be looking at her as a more serious threat than they will have been before.



Williams has his arm raised and then he quickly reaches down to Danica. She grabs his hand and pulls herself up, the two of them shaking hands. Williams leans forward and whispers a few words into her ear again before raising her arm and encouraging the fans to show their appreciation. She gets a much better reaction than she did before the match and she smiles at the crowd before stepping through the ropes and leaving Aaron Williams to take the cheers.



MW: And Aaron Williams as always is the first to acknowledge his opponent’s efforts. That’s the kind of grace and dignity I’d like to see in an FPW Champion…

SD: He’s not the champion, Watson. He won’t be the champion. Jerry is the champion. Accept it.

MW: If Aaron Williams does what a lot of people think he can do, an FPW Championship match will be in the near future for him.

SD: Maybe it will be, but not for winning the Free-1. I hate to let you all down, but this block will end with Jerry advancing. Don’t say I didn’t warn you when he pins Williams on August 27th.



MW: And this next match is set up to be one of the best of the Free-1. It’s our FPW Champion Jerry Bishop facing a man with, well, a new lease on life after recent news that he’s soon to become a father. How will that impact Bobby in this tournament and going forward.

SD: As a father myself, I know first-hand the impact that news like that can have. It gives a sense of purpose, a sense of there being something bigger than just what you want. Bobby knows the value of winning the Free-1 both in terms of prestige and in terms of a cash prize which will help his family. He knows the kind of money he could earn by being in the main event of Judgement Day III and what he could earn by becoming FPW Champion. He’s not just doing it for the personal glory now; he’s a man looking to provide for his family, and that could give him an even greater focus.

MW: Is there any way that it could damage his chances?

SD: I suppose he may become even more protective of CJ at ringside, but that’s easily rectified by her just not being there. I think we see a man with a real determination to succeed in this Free-1, even more so considering how he missed out on the first two.

MW: And what about this match, then? These two have faced one another twice before in FPW, once when Jerry was spiralling downwards and once when he was nearing his apex in the match that earned him his FPW Championship opportunity. They’re currently one for one. What does each man have to go to get the advantage in the series and a vital two points?

SD: For Jerry, he just has to go out there and do his thing. Whatever people might want to believe, he is the best wrestler in FPW. He is the FPW Champion and he deserves to be. If he’s at the top of his game, there’s no beating him. So that means Bobby has to get him off his game. How he does that, I don’t know. Jerry doesn’t seem to be a man who can be easily flustered, but if anyone can do it, I think Bobby can. The two men have a lot of history, and I’m sure Bobby will have been wracking his brains to try and find some way of using that history.

MW: Well normally I’d make some kind of clever remark here, but I’m not sure it’s appropriate given… well, you know. Over to Dasha.



“The following contest is an A Block match with a thirty-minute time-limit. Introducing first, being accompanied to the ring by CJ Holmes, he is a former FPW Tag Team Champion from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania… ‘Mr. FPW’… Bobby O!”



‘This Means War’ begins and the fans begin their cheers, building as the intro plays. As the music pauses, Bobby steps out onto the stage with his usual jacket and looks around the arena. He has a look of determination on his face and he turns to CJ, who gives him a nod. He pops his collar and then marches down the ramp, hands held out to fans along the way, before climbing the steps and entering the ring. He moves to one side of the ring and grabs the top rope, leaning over it and pointing out some people in the crowd, his usual smile replaced by an intense look of focus. He steps down from the bottom rope and settles back in the corner, waiting for his opponent.



As soon as the music stops, a loud ‘Fuck You, Jerry’ chant breaks out, which turns into even louder boos as Thalia Columbina steps through the curtain. She has to pause several times before she can make herself heard over the cacophony of the boos.



“And his opponent, he is THE greatest Free-1 performer still active in FPW, THE man who defeated Bobby O in one of the biggest matches of Bobby’s life, THE greatest FPW Champion in history, THE soon-to-be A Block winner, THE soon-to-be Free-1 III winner, THE single greatest man to ever come out of Kansas City, Missouri, THE single most exciting, engaging and enticing figure in all of FPW, wrestling, sports, entertainment, the world and beyond… THE Joker… Jerrrrrrrrrrryyyyyyyyyy Bishooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooop!”



Bos continue to reign down as ‘Shine My Shoes’ plays and Jerry steps through the curtain, FPW Championship over his shoulder. He bows deeply to Thalia and takes her hand to plant a kiss on it. He turns to survey the fans as another ‘Fuck You, Jerry’ chant goes up. He lets out a loud, booming laugh, conducting the chant all the way down to the ring before climbing the steps and climbing up to the middle turnbuckle on the outside of the ring, staring down at Bobby O, who stares resolutely back. Jerry holds up the FPW Championship and lets out another loud laugh as he looks out at the crowd, yelling that they deserve everything they’re about to get in this Free-1. He steps over the ropes and drops back down into the ring, holding the belt up as Bobby comes forward and the two go head to head before the official can force them apart.



MW: There’s a lot of tension in that ring right now.

SD: That’s what happens when you have someone you were close with and then you go in opposite directions. Bobby resents Jerry for turning his back on him and he resents himself because Jerry took the path that led to success and Bobby couldn’t do it. Jerry resents Bobby because he reminds him of who he used to be- a man best forgotten.

MW: And Bobby will be desperate to prove that his path is just as valid as Jerry’s.

SD: And he’ll be proven wrong.



A Block: Jerry Bishop (0) vs. Bobby O (0):



The bell rings and the two men come forward quickly, springing into a powerful lock-up. They jockey for position, each man regaining lost ground quickly and neither getting a clear advantage. They continue to try to forces one another back, but it’s Bobby who gets the initial advantage, driving with his legs and forcing Jerry towards the ropes. As they get there, Jerry manages to turn Bobby and he forces his back against the ropes, the official quickly coming in to break them apart. Jerry begins to release his grip, but then he suddenly bends down and kisses Bobby’s stomach before darting back and letting out a volley of laughter.



MW: What on Earth is that man doing?

SD: Seriously, Watson? You never did that to your pregnant wife?

MW: Of course I did, but Bobby O is not Jerry’s pregnant wife.

SD: No, but you can bet Bobby has done that to CJ. It’s all about the mind games, Watson.

MW: How will that help-

SD: Hey, just because I don’t know the game doesn’t mean I don’t respect it. Jerry has a plan for sure.



Bobby stares at Jerry as he lets out his laughter before coming forward. Jerry immediately cuts off the laughter and the two lock-up again, each man desperately trying to force the other back just as they did before. Again it’s Bobby who gets the advantage, forcing Jerry back towards the ropes. Jerry tries to resist but Bobby’s superior power shows and he drives Jerry back into the ropes. The official darts in again and looks to force the break, Bobby releasing his grip and holding up his hands, backing away. Jerry rests against the ropes and suddenly raises his hands to cover his face, before poking his head out and yelling ‘Peekaboo’. He lets out another round of laughter.



MW: Honestly, this is… strange. Even for The Joker.

SD: He’s getting into Bobby’s head. A man’s greatest motivation is often their greatest weakness.

MW: I fail to see what this could be doing other than making Bobby mildly frustrated.

SD: It’s reminding him of what is at stake. It’s reminding him that the woman stood on the outside of the ring has a tiny human growing inside of her and that it’s Bobby’s responsibility to protect and provide for that human. It’s reminding him that he absolutely has to win this match. And it’s building the frustration for when he can’t do it. Jerry Bishop is a genius.



Bobby calls Jerry forward, but Jerry holds up his hands again and does another peekaboo, laughing again. Bobby, however, holds his position in the middle of the ring, raising an eyebrow at Jerry and calling him forward again.



MW: Bobby O is keeping his cool so far.

SD: For now.

MW: Jerry seems to be trying to sucker him in, but Bobby is wisely waiting for Jerry. If he can keep his cool in this match, I think he has a great chance of picking up one of the biggest wins of his life.

SD: That’s a big if. It always has been with Bobby and it always will be.



Jerry slowly comes forward and Bobby looks for another lock-up, but Jerry ducks under it and grabs a waistlock, lifting Bobby and taking him down. Jerry hops over for a headlock, but Bobby manages to twist free, taking the arm and pulling it into a hammerlock, using it to bring Jerry back to his feet. Bobby locks in a headlock of his own and drops to a knee to try and ground Jerry. Jerry tries to force himself free of Bobby’s grip, but Bobby maintains his hold and takes Jerry to the mat, keeping the headlock locked in. Jerry tries to get his legs up, but Bobby releases his grip before Jerry can get the headscissors, instead springing to his feet and coming down with an elbow drop.



Jerry rolls out of the ring to the outside and a ‘Let’s Go, Bobby’ chant rolls around the arena. Bobby stands in the ring and looks down at Jerry, who looks up at him with a hint of frustration in his eyes. Jerry slowly begins to climb back on the apron, but drops back down as Bobby moves towards him. Jerry orders the official to get Bobby back, and Bobby obliges, holding his hands up and calling Jerry into the ring. Jerry slowly slides in and gets back to his feet, Bobby holding back and the two men circling one another before coming into another lock-up.



This time, however, Jerry takes Bobby’s arm and wrings it before landing a hard kick to the left knee. Bobby drops to a knee and Jerry takes him down with a snap DDT. He makes a quick cover.



One..

Tw-



Bobby kicks out and tries to get back to his feet straight away, only for Jerry to catch him with a knee to the gut and to drag him over to the corner, where he pushes up onto the middle rope. Jerry looks to connect with a tornado DDT, but Bobby blocks it, holding Jerry up and pulling him onto his shoulders before bringing him down with a fireman’s carry stunner. Bobby makes a cover of his own.



One…

Tw-



This time Jerry kicks out.



MW: Neither man able to build a major advantage so far in this one.

SD: And that’s a good sign for Bobby. Jerry is very good at breaking up opponents’ rhythm, but since working with MDE, he’s become even better at controlling the pace of a match. If Bobby can keep him from doing that, it’s a way of putting him off his game.

MW: Are you losing confidence in your ‘Jerry to go undefeated’ prediction.

SD: No. I’m merely doing my job and talking about the wrestling match. Maybe try the same thing, Watson. It might suit you.



Bobby gets to his feet and pulls Jerry up with him, whipping him into the corner. He follows him in with a running clothesline and then whips Jerry across to the opposite corner. He waits and the charges at him, looking for a running dropkick but Jerry drops down and rolls away from Bobby, who hits the mat hard. Jerry springs up to his feet and darts in, kicking Bobby hard in the back and pulling him up, catching him with a side Russian leg sweep. Jerry rolls backwards and pushes himself up onto the second turnbuckle, waiting for Bobby to get back to his feet. As he stands and turns, Jerry comes down with a blockbuster and makes another cover.



One…

Two…

T-



Bobby kicks out, but Jerry doesn’t waste any time, pulling him to his feet and trapping his head again. He walks up the ropes and looks for a tornado DDT again, but again Bobby manages to block it, hoisting Jerry up onto his shoulder and looking for a running powerslam, but Jerry drops down to the mat behind Bobby and backs into the ropes before taking him down with a running bulldog.



MW: The pace has really picked up now in this match.

SD: But neither man has been able to gain a clear advantage once again.

MW: Why do you think that is?

SD: Jerry especially is very good at breaking up offence, like I said earlier, but it suggests to me that both men have really done their homework. There have been a lot of counters, and that doesn’t happen unless the people in the ring know what the other is going to do. These two have clearly put a lot of work into preparing for this match.

MW: Jerry seems to have stopped the mind games. Is that because they didn’t have any effect?

SD: Maybe he’s stopped. Maybe he’s just waiting. He’s planted the thought and it won’t just disappear. Jerry will have a plan for this, mark my words.



Jerry stands and stalks Bobby as he pulls himself up. He moves in and kicks him hard in the gut before setting him in position and connecting with a float-over neckbreaker. Jerry then drops a knee on the back of the neck and grabs Bobby in a facelock, pulling him up to his feet. He moves over to the corner again and pushes himself up before finally connecting with the tornado DDT. He makes a cover.



One…

Two…

Th-



Bobby kicks out again. Jerry grabs him in a chinlock and wrenches at the neck, turning it into a form of a neck crank. Bobby grimaces and reaches out for the bottom rope, but Jerry keeps him under control and refuses to give him the room to move. Bobby reaches out a leg, but again Jerry keeps him away from the rope. Bobby grunts as Jerry cranks the neck further and the official asks him if he wants to carry on. Bobby grunts a ‘yes’ before reaching up and striking Jerry hard with his forearm, weakening the grip just enough to slip out and roll away. Jerry quickly stands and moves over to Bobby, pulling him up, but Bobby lands another hard strike to the gut and creates a bit of separation before taking Jerry down with a sudden superkick.



MW: Big time superkick from Bobby O!

SD: But Jerry’s neck work has slowed him down. He can’t capitalise right away.

MW: God strategy from our FPW Champion.

SD: Of course. A lot of his attacks target the head and neck and he’s very good at zeroing in on a target.



Bobby watches as Jerry pulls himself up on the ropes before coming in and pulling him away, catching him with a German suplex. Jerry tries to roll away under the bottom rope, but Bobby grabs him and pulls him back into the ring, lifting him up and kicking him hard in the gut before backing away into the ropes and looking for a curbstomp. Jerry, however, manages to roll aside, get to his feet and connect with a step-up enzeguiri. Bobby staggers into the ropes and Jerry slides out under him before coming back in with a slingshot DDT. He makes a cover.



One…

Two…

Th-



Bobby kicks out. Jerry shakes off the haze from the superkick before pulling Bobby to his feet and sending him into the corner. He backs away and follows Bobby in with a running dropkick and Bobby staggers out. Jerry again pushes himself up onto the second rope, looking for another blockbuster, but Bobby catches him as he comes down and holds him up for a vertical suplex, driving Jerry hard into the mat. The two men rest on the canvas for a few moments as CJ bangs the mat and the crowd let out another ‘Let’s Go, Bobby’ chant.



Bobby just beats Jerry to his feet and he grabs him by the wrist and sends him into the corner, following him in with a running dropkick of his own. Bobby stands and charges back into the opposite corner before coming in with another running dropkick, sending Jerry to his knees. Bobby stalks him for a moment before connecting hard with a superkick and Jerry flops to the mat. Bobby stalks him again and, when Jerry stirs, comes in with a curbstomp. The fans stand in anticipation as Bobby rolls Jerry over for the cover.



One…

Two…

Thr-



Jerry gets a shoulder up!



MW: So close!

SD: But Jerry Bishop is still alive in this match.

MW: He is. But Bobby O is building some serious momentum. I think Jerry could be in trouble.

SD: He needs to find a way to break this up.



Bobby pulls Jerry to his feet and drives him back into the corner. He hoists him up onto the top turnbuckle and follows. Again the crowd buzzes with anticipation as Bobby climbs, but Jerry cuts him off with the point of his elbow, which drives into the back of Bobby’s neck. Bobby drops down a step and Jerry lands a hard forearm which sends Bobby back down into the ring. Jerry climbs down after him but Bobby catches him with a hard jab and then a powerful right hand. He hoists him up to the top rope again and follows, landing another hard right before draping an arm over him and pulling him up for a superplex. Both men land hard, but Bobby looks to roll back into O Snap, only for Jerry to rolls away from him and flop down on the outside.



The fans groan and Bobby desperately stretches out to Jerry, but he’s out of reach. Bobby holds the back of his neck after his hard landing before rolling towards Jerry on the outside. Jerry begins to get to his feet and Bobby pulls him up the rest of the way, landing another right hand before pulling him in for a belly-to-belly. Jerry hits the floor hard and rolls away again, but Bobby comes right back to him. He grabs him and lifts him, throwing him back into the ring. Bobby follows, stalking Jerry as he slowly gets to his feet. As Jerry stands and turns, Bobby looks for an RKO, but Jerry cuts him off, shoving him away into the ropes. Bobby catches the top rope and quickly comes back at Jerry, but Jerry cuts him off with a rolling elbow. Bobby hits the mat and Jerry makes a cover.



One…

Two…

T-



Bobby kicks out.



MW: That was close.

SD: He caught him so sweetly there I thought that might end it.

MW: We just need to keep an eye on the time in this match. We’re twenty-two and a half minutes in. We’ve seen draws in the Free-1 in the past and this one is starting to head into that territory.

SD: That wouldn’t be the start either of these men would have been looking for. I think they’ll really step up the intensity in the next few minutes.



Jerry rolls away and uses the ropes to help him get to his feet. As he turns, Bobby is also on his feet, and the two men come together in the middle of the ring, foreheads touching. Bobby swings a right hand, but Jerry ducks it and yells ‘peekaboo’ again as he comes back up. Bobby’s eyes flicker and he aims another right hand, Jerry doing the exact same thing. Bobby’s eyes flare this time, and he aims another as CJ yells for him to keep his cool. Jerry ducks the right hand again and kicks him hard in the gut, trapping both arms and looking for Last Laugh, but Bobby fights his way free. With pure intensity on his pace, he drives Jerry back into the ropes and then sends him across the ring before popping him up for a pop-up powerbomb. However, Jerry manages to leap over Bobby’s shoulders and land behind him.



Bobby turns but Jerry drops down and rolls out of the ring. Bobby looks down at him quizzically as a smile forms on Jerry’s face and he turns his attention to CJ, who begins to back away. “How’s Bobby Junior doing in there?” he asks before letting out another loud laugh and advancing on CJ. Bobby slides out of the ring and, as Jerry starts to make baby rocking motions towards CJ, he grabs him from behind and spins him around, but Jerry is ready, catching Bobby with a kick to the gut and dropping him with Last Laugh on the outside. The fans gasp with surprise, but Jerry doesn’t play to them. He instantly turns serious, pulling Bobby up and sending him back into the ring. Jerry follows and waits for Bobby to get to his feet. He unleashes a powerful right hand and catches Bobby before he can fall, trapping the wrist and completing The Punchline.



As Jerry makes the cover, he lets out another booming laugh, the fans responding with deafening boos.



One…

Two…

Three.



Winner: Jerry Bishop (26:35).



MW: Damn it.

SD: And there we go, Watson. What did I say? The mind games paid off in the end.

MW: Going after a pregnant woman?

SD: Jerry would never have done anything to CJ. He planted the idea in Bobby’s head and he suckered him in. It worked a charm.

MW: It certainly worked. And now Jerry Bishop starts Free-1 III with a win.

SD: The first of seven block wins for Jerry, I’m sure.

MW: I wouldn’t be so sure. If he needs to play mind games to win matches-

SD: He doesn’t need to. He’s beaten Bobby before and I’m sure he will again.

MW: If he doesn’t need to-

SD: Because he’s The Joker. He had some fun.

MW: Fun? Sickening.



Jerry has his hand raised in the ring and he holds the FPW Championship aloft in his other hand as Thalia Columbina’s arrival on the stage is signalled by more boos.



“Ladies and gentlemen, your winner, advancing to two points, THE future A Block winner, THE soon-to-be Free-1 III winner, THE FPW Champion, THE Joker… Jerrrrrrrrrryyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy Bishoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooop!”

[Jim Houston]

“The Free-1… the biggest opportunity for any Freedom Pro Wrestling star. The Free-1 epitomises what Freedom Pro Wrestling is all about. Opportunity. The opportunity to earn the right to challenge for FPW Championship in the biggest match of the FPW year. The opportunity to showcase your skills in front of a huge audience. The opportunity to be noticed. Free-1 I… a man who was known as a hardcore icon stepped up to show his toughness, his skill, his potential. And he became FPW Champion. Free-1 II… an underdog on the rise picking up the biggest wins of his career to show who he could truly become. And he became FPW Champion. Free-1 III… the biggest yet. Sixteen wrestlers in two blocks of eight. Two winners facing off on August 31st to earn the biggest opportunity of their careers. But all sixteen will have an opportunity. An opportunity to make a name. An opportunity to showcase their true ability. For in the Free-1, each entrant controls their own destiny, their own narrative and their own future. Welcome to Free-1 III.”



MW: Welcome ladies and gentlemen to night two of Free-1 III. We saw a blockbuster start to the A Block last night and now the B Block is looking to match it.

SD: Last night saw big wins for The Silent Assassin, Kincaid, Aaron Williams and Jerry Bishop, who had an excellent match with Bobby O. Tonight we find out who makes a fast start in a block which promises so much.

MW: Tonight’s main event is a match not to be missed. I had it down as the number one match to watch from this tournament in my top ten most anticipated Free-1 III matches. It’s a rematch of last year’s block decider as Marcus Allen Jones and Jace Mason face off in a match that many people believe will have a huge impact on who eventually takes the block.

SD: That match will surely be another Free-1 classic, but the first match of the night is equally intriguing.

MW: Botiatus and Berry Bishop are the FPW Tag Team Champions. I believe this match is the first time in FPW history that two Tag Team Champions have faced one another in singles competition.

SD: This team is a young team, but a team which has already made a lot of waves in the FPW tag division. This match will either further solidify their ability to work with one another or drive a wedge between them. Either way, the rest of the tag team division will be watching very closely.

MW: Who has the advantage in this match in your opinion?

SD: They’ve both had similar careers in FPW in some respects. Both have been Freedom Champion. Both have had chances to become FPW Champion and haven’t been able to do it. But the stats for each of them tell a very different story. While Berry has been here longer, she’s only actually won three more matches than Botiatus, and he’s got an impressive 63.6% win rate while she’s languishing at just 42.5%.

MW: But most of those losses came early in her career here. Botiatus went through that stage elsewhere and came here a much more rounded wrestler.

SD: True. But he still is the more rounded wrestler. Berry has some demons that have held her back in the last year or so. She’s not in a block with her brother but she does have the shadow of a match with MDE looming over her. I think she struggles to focus because of it and I think Botiatus takes this match.

MW: And the impact on their team?

SD: I think they’ll wrestle fairly with one another. I don’t see either of them cheating to gain an advantage. These two respect one another. I think they’ll get stronger as a team because of this match.

MW: Well Berry isn’t only in a team with Botiatus. Her and Dasha Banks form quite the duo, and I’m sure Dasha will take great pleasure in welcoming Berry to the ring for this first B Block match-up of Free-1 III.



“The following contest is a B Block match with a thirty-minute time-limit. Introducing first, from New Haven, Connecticut, she is a former Freedom Champion and one half of the current Tag Team Champions, she is known as ‘The Bombshell’, Berry Bishop!”



‘The Entertainer’ begins to play and Berry comes through the curtain to a loud cheer. She drops into an exaggerated bow at the top of the ramp and plays along to the music as she stands and looks out at the crowd. She rearranges her Tag Team Championship at her waist before hopscotching down the ramp. She reaches the bottom of the ramp and slaps a few hands before playing the ring apron and somersaulting over the rope, landing with a bow and a wink before she stands and embraces Dasha Banks, whispering a few words in her ear as Dasha hastily covers the mic, which broadcasts: “Hey Dashy, I-“ to the entire arena. The music dies down and a ‘Be-rry Bi-shop’ chant breaks out. Berry plays all embarrassed in the ring before bowing again.



“And her opponent, from The Bay Area, California, he is also a former Freedom Champion and is the other half of the Tag Team Champions, this is Botiatus!”



The fans cheer again as the lights go down and the screen displays the foot of wide stone steps. The shot pans up to show more steps and then the now-familiar Roman pillars in front of the villa. As the song really kicks in, the light flash back on and villa melts into ‘THE HOUSE OF BOTIATUS’. Bo emerges into the arena and walks straight down the ramp, blowing kisses out to the fans and slapping a few hands. He walks around the side of the ring and hops up onto the apron before climbing onto the turnbuckle, kneeling on the ringpost and pointing down to Watson and Deville. The lights cut out and a single spotlight shines down on Bo, who stands in his signature pose. As the lights come back on, he drops down, gives Dasha and smiles across at Berry, who smiles, albeit a little uneasily.



MW: This has to be difficult for Berry. She’s built up trust with Bo after the last wrestler who agreed to train her did so much damage. Now she has to face him in the ring and that must bring back bad memories.

SD: MDE really did a psychological number on her, but Botiatus has tried to build that side of Berry back up again. She will find this hard, but I think she’ll manage to cope with it. Whether she can match him in the ring is another question.

MW: Not many people have talked about Botiatus winning this block, but every prediction I’ve seen has him up there. Can he overcome such a stacked block?

SD: He could. Is he as good as Marcus Allen Jones and Jace Mason? I’m not I’d say he is, but he certainly believes that he is. If he can pick up a win tonight and get some momentum on his side, I think he could be a challenger.



B Block: Berry Bishop (0) vs. Botiatus (0):



The bell rings and the two of them instantly come forward and shake hands, the crowd applauding in appreciation. They back off and circle one another before locking up, Bot driving Berry back towards the corner. The official comes in for the beak and Bo immediately releases his grip and takes a step back, holding his hands up. The fans applaud again and Berry gives him a nod. She comes forward and the two lock-up a second time, Bo again driving Berry back but this time Berry managing to switch positions as they reach the corner. The official comes in again and Berry is quick to break her grip, the fans again applauding. Berry backs away and Bo comes forward and offers her a fist, which she bumps. A ‘H. O. B. B.’ chant breaks out and Berry and Bo nod to one another before circling again.



The two of them lock-up for a third time, but Bo quickly snatches a headlock, looking to take Berry over, but she gets a hand down to block him and brings her legs up, looking for a cross-arm-breaker to counter. Bo keeps his hands clasped to block it but Berry keeps fighting for it. He kicks his legs and makes it to the ropes, and Berry breaks her grip, getting to her feet and looking down at Bo, who gives her an impressed nod. He gets to his feet and the two of them circle again, locking up for a fourth time with Berry taking Bo’s arm this time and getting a wrist lock. Bo twists his way free to counter and takes Berry’s wrist. She looks to roll through as a counter but Bo drops down into a quick cover.



One…

T-



Berry quickly kicks out and the two of them spring to their feet, eyeing one another with a smile. Again Bo extends a fist and Berry bumps it as the fans cheer for the two of them.



MW: A cagy opening exchange to this one, Steven.

SD: I say this every time we get a match between two people who respect one another like these two do. It’ll take one of them to decide they need the advantage before the match picks up. Until then, we’ll get little snippets and some nods and smiles because neither one wants to anger the other.

MW: Who do you expect to break first?

SD: Do you really need to ask that question, Watson? Have you ever seen Berry do something like that? It’ll be Bo. It’s a matter of when, not if.



The two of them come together again and lock-up for a fifth time, jockeying for position for a moment before Bo starts forcing Berry back. Berry, however, manages to release herself and she drops down with a drop toe hold, sending Bo into the middle turnbuckle. He stands and she unleashes a couple of kicks to his back before whipping him across the ring and taking him down with an arm drag. Bo scrambles to his feet and Berry sets herself for another arm drag, but Bo stops himself and catches her arm, wringing it and connecting with an arm stunner instead. Berry reels away and he connects with an inverted headlock backbreaker.



Bo stands and reaches down for Berry, pulling her to her feet and trapping her arms to look for a tiger suplex. He lifts her, but Berry manages to free one of her arms and she drops, taking Bo down with an arm drag as she goes. As he scrambles to his feet, Berry leaps onto the middle rope and looks for a disaster kick, but Bo catches her, pushing her up onto his shoulder and looking for snake eyes, but she manages to drop down behind him. He turns and she aims a roundhouse kick, but Bo ducks it and leaps up behind her for House Rules, only for Berry to spring forward and avoid it. The two of them eye one another across the ring and smile, shaking their heads as the fans applaud again.



MW: These two know one another too well.

SD: I know they’ve done a lot of training together but are you telling me they trained together for this match? Not a chance. A veteran like Botiatus wouldn’t have prepared so badly.

MW: What can they do to break this cycle of constant counters?

SD: One of them needs to either pull out something new, do something the other won’t expect at that moment, or catch the other with such a good shot that they slow them down enough to build some offence.



Bo and Berry circle one another again before going in for another lock-up. Only this time, Bo ducks the lock-up and grabs a waistlock, lifting Berry and dropping her to the mat before dropping to his knees and looking to apply a version of a dragon sleeper. Berry tries to fight him off, but he manages to lock his hands and he wrenches back, stretching her painfully. Berry’s face contorts in pain as Bo keeps the hold locked in, but she manages to free an arm and land a couple of blows to his head. Bo breaks the hold but he quickly lifts Berry, pulling her up and into a back suplex. He floats over into a cover.



One…

Two-



Berry kicks out. As soon as Berry kicks out, Bo lifts her and connects with a pendulum backbreaker before pulling her up again and hooking an arm over her. He pulls her up and delivers a twisting vertical suplex before making another cover.



One…

Two-



Berry kicks out again.



MW: This seems better from Botiatus.

SD: He pulled out that modified dragon sleeper and then took the pace up a notch. Berry was weakened and she couldn’t counter. Just like I said.

MW: And what now?

SD: Now he keeps his control and looks to put her away. He needs to forget that she’s his tag team partner. The longer the match goes, the worse it is for them both long-term. Put her away quickly and then go back to being a team. Don’t worry about hurting her. Do what needs to be done.



Bo waits for Berry to get to her feet and then he grabs her by the head, twisting and looking for a neckbreaker drop, but Berry rotates further than he’d wanted and she pushes him into the ropes. He turns as he comes back and Berry leaps up for a monkey flip, but Bo catches her and drives her into the corner. Berry drops down to a knee and Bo pulls her up, whipping her into the opposite ropes and catching her with a dropkick. Bo then reaches down and pulls her up again, lifting her onto his shoulder to look for snake eyes, but again she manages to wriggle free. She shoves Bo into the corner and, as he turns, takes him down with an exploder suplex.



Berry struggles to her feet and stalks Bo before landing a flurry of kicks to his legs, back and chest before ending with a hard roundhouse kick which sends him to one knee. Berry then hits the ropes and looks for a shining wizard, but Bo ducks it and Berry slides all the way onto the apron, catching herself to avoid falling to the floor. Bo stands and quickly hits the ropes, coming back at Berry with a sliding elbow drop to double her over the rope. He grabs her in a facelock and delivers a series of rising knees, a number of fans counting along with him as he gets to nine. After the ninth, he hits the ropes and looks for the running knee as the tenth, but Berry manages to withdraw her head and, as he turns after running past her, she delivers a roundhouse kick from the apron.



MW: A great counter from a clearly stunned Berry.

SD: Bo thought he’d done enough so she wouldn’t remember what was coming- or would be too groggy to block it- but he was wrong.

MW: And now both of them have taken some hard shots, will that make getting offence in easier?

SD: Perhaps. They’ll be slower when it comes to blocking, but I think they both have a few counters up their sleeves still.



Berry steps through the ropes and stalks Bo, who turns right into a Northern Lights suplex. Berry holds the bridge for the cover.



One…

Two…

Th-



Bo manages to kick out. Berry scrambles to her feet, staggering a couple of steps after the knee strikes, before reaching down and pulling Bo up. She locks him in a headlock and looks for a running bulldog, but, just as she leaps, Bo shoves her off and she lands in the corner with her legs trapped on the middle ropes. Bo charges in and delivers a hard double knee strike to the small of her back and Berry flops down to the mat. Bo shakes off the dust and reaches down to pull her up, hoisting her onto his shoulder again. He drops her on the top turnbuckle with snake eyes and then hits the ropes, looking for House Call, only for Berry to duck under it. He hits the ropes and comes back to her as she catches him and delivers the Berry Buster. Berry makes the cover.



One…

Two…

Thre-



Bo gets a foot onto the bottom rope!



MW: I don’t believe it!

SD: He must have taken a lot of those in training. The more often you take a move, the less impactful it is. Berry will need to do more to put him away.

MW: That must be a big psychological blow to her.

SD: It will be. This is where the big test of her work with Bo comes in, which is pretty ironic if you think about it. If he’s done his job well, then she’ll be able to put him away. If not, then she’ll crumble.



Berry holds her hands to her head as the fans do the same. She looks down at Bo with her eyes wide before a ‘Be-rry Bi-shop’ chant snapes her out of it. She stands and stalks Bo, coiling herself. The fans can sense what’s coming and a buzz of anticipation fills the arena. It takes Bo what feels like an age to get to his feet, and he turns, staggering as he does. Berry unleashes Checkmate, but Bo just manages to duck it. He catches Berry’s arms and connects with a tiger suplex, bridging for the cover.



One…

Two…

Th-



Berry manages to kick out. Bo stands, adrenaline keeping him going, and he reaches down for Berry. He lifts her up onto his shoulder again and drops her for a second time with snake eyes. He sets up for House Call again but again she manages to duck under it, following through and leaping onto the second rope. She comes down for a disaster kick but Bo catches her into a scoop powerslam. The Bo fans get on their feet as he makes another cover.



One…

Two…

Thr-



Berry just manages to kick out! Cheers fill the arena as Bo takes a moment to recover before banging the mat and forcing himself back to his feet. He stalks Berry as she rolls over to the ropes and begins to pull herself up. With her hand still on the top rope, Bo leaps up and looks for House Rules, but Berry manages to maintain her grip on the rope and Bo hits the mat. Berry hits the ropes and comes at him with a shining wizard, making a cover of her own.



One…

Two…

Thr-



Bo just gets a shoulder up this time. Berry stands, using her adrenaline to keep her going just as Bo did moments earlier. She coils herself up again and waits for him to get to his feet. He slowly stands but moves away from Berry rather than turning. As she moves in, he lands a hard knee to the gut and hoists her onto his shoulder again. For a third time, he drops her with snake eyes and for a third time, he sets up for House Call. As he runs at Berry, she snaps into position and delivers a lightning fast Checkmate, falling into a cover.



One…

Two…

Three.



Winner: Berry Bishop (20:38).



MW: What a win!

SD: A brilliant win for Berry Bishop. And an instinctive counter to win it.

MW: Botiatus seemed to sense Checkmate coming and very wisely moved aside, suckering Berry in to set up House Call, but her instincts kicked in and there was no time to counter that Checkmate.

SD: This is a huge win for Berry. If she can win a match like this, with all of the psychological baggage that comes with it, she has to be seen as a genuine contender for this block.

MW: Wow. You’ve come a long way since she was Clown Junior in the first Free-1.

SD: She’s come a long way herself. She’s not there yet, but this tournament could be the making of her.



Berry stands and holds a hand to her mouth. The official raises her hand as the fans cheer for her. Berry looks down at Dasha, who beams back up at her. A smile fills Berry’s face but she soon snaps out of it and turns to Bo, who sits up against the ropes and applauds her. She moves over to him and bends down to help him up, the two of them embracing as he whispers into her ear. The official brings them the Tag Team Championships and the two of them take their belts, raising them as they raise one another’s arms aloft.



MW: And Berry Bishop takes the early lead in the block, but she’s about to be joined by either Artemis Evans or Russ Bolt.

SD: Either? Are you serious, Watson? This is the return of the queen. Artemis Evans is back to reclaim her championship and she’s going to start by ploughing through Russ Bolt.

MW: Evans was impressive in her qualifying match victory but so was Russ Bolt. A lot of people are calling him the most improved wrestler in FPW this year, he and Danica Jane anyway. Bolt deserves to be here and, while he may find this block a challenge, he’s not going to roll over.

SD: Absolutely not. I’m not saying that he will. In fact, I think he’ll learn a huge amount from this tournament and come out better than he was when he started. But a win over Artemis Evans? Former FPW Champion, Artemis Evans? Artemis Evans with the best win percentage of any active FPW wrestler? Not happening.

MW: Evans certainly starts favourite, but having been out of action for so long, do you think she’ll be ready to step back into such a gruelling schedule?

SD: I think she’ll have made sure she was ready before she said she’d return. I don’t know but I’d have thought she would have been targeting the Free-1 when she knew the timing of her rehab. She’ll have spent all of her time gearing up to be back in this tournament, and she’ll be fully prepared to be at her absolute best, starting tonight.

MW: Well here’s someone who’s always at her best. It’s Dasha Banks.



“The following contest is a B Block match with a thirty-minute time-limit. Introducing first, from Miami, Florida and making his Free-1 debut, this is Russ ‘Thunder’ Bolt!”



‘Jumpman’ begins to play and Bolt walks through the curtain, his arms out to his sides, as the fans give him a moderately positive reaction. He dips to the sides and, as the song picks up, he motions as if he’s doing a face away before cupping a hand to his ear. His fans get louder and Bolt yells out, “There it is!” before making his way down the ramp and slapping a few hands. He reaches the ring and slides in, giving Dasha and the official a nod before stepping up onto the top turnbuckle and pumping up the crowd a little more.



“And his opponent, representing The Queendom from Manchester, England, she is a former Women’s Champion and a former FPW Champion, ‘The Glory Huntress’, Artemis Evans!”



Fans boo as the word ‘Checkmate’ rings out around the arena. ‘Hammer to Fall’ begins to play and Evans walks through the curtain, smirking at the crowd as they continue to boo. She spreads her arms and tilts her head back as pyro explodes around her before walking down the ramp, trash talking the fans and disparaging Bolt on her way. She reaches the bottom of the ramp and moves around to the side of the ring, grabbing a ‘We Love Jace Mason’ sign from a young fan and laughing at it before throwing it to the floor and climbing onto the apron. She jumps over the top rope and moves across the ring, climbing to the second turnbuckle and tilting her head back, extending her arms again as the fans continue to boo her loudly.



B Block: Russ Bolt (0) vs. Artemis Evans (0):



The official calls for the bell and Bolt and Evans come forward to lock up, but Evans immediately ducks the lock-up and grabs a waistlock, transitioning to a headlock and taking Bolt over. She keeps him down while talking trash to the crowd the whole time. Bolt begins to fight back, pushing up on a knee and then to two feet, driving at the ropes and shoving Evans off, she hits the opposite ropes and he looks for a shoulder block, but she catches the rope and, with Bolt off-balance, she comes in for a dropkick to the knee. He drops to the mat and Evans stands, extending her arms and telling Bolt that he’s not on her level.



MW: Disrespectful start from Evans.

SD: Sometimes the truth is disrespectful. Why give platitudes to someone who doesn’t deserve them, Watson? He’s not on her level.

MW: I guess we’ll find that out tonight.

SD: We won’t find it out tonight. We already know.



Bolt pushes up to his feet and moves in for Evans again, but she drops low and takes the leg, forcing Bolt to the mat and kicking him hard in the hamstring. Bolt grabs at his leg and Evans stomps him a few times before jamming her boot into his throat. The official warns her and begins his count, but she releases him and steps back, telling him that he doesn’t deserve to be in a ring with her. The fans boo once again and she turns to yell that they don’t deserve to be watching her either.



Bolt pushes up again, pauses slightly after putting weight on his left leg, and Evans strikes. She connects with a knee to the gut and steps back before dropping Bolt with an axe kick. He hits the mat and she rolls him over, making the first cover of the match.



One…

Tw-



Bolt kicks out. Evans reaches down and grinds her forearm into his face, leading to another warning from the official and another count, which Evans uses to the latest possible moment. She stands and pulls Bolt with her, whipping him into the corner and following him in with a high knee. He staggers out and she pushes herself up to the top rope. He turns and she comes down with a missile dropkick before making another cover.



One…

Two…

T-



Bolt kicks out again.



MW: Artemis Evans in total control of this one.

SD: As expected.

MW: Russ Bolt has looked a little nervous and certainly hesitant. Part of that may be down to Evans’ kicks to that leg, but he needs to get used to big matches quickly if he’s going to make any kind of impact in the Free-1.

SD: He’s not been in many in his career. In fact, winning the qualifying match was his biggest ever win. It’s no surprise that he’s nervous and he’s in the ring with the worst possible person when it comes to exploiting that.



Evans stands and looks down at Bolt, shaking her head and yelling at him that he’s a waste of a Free-1 spot. He looks up at her and she smirks down, pulling him up and kicking him in the gut. She hooks his arms for a butterfly suplex, lifting him up, but he manages to use the momentum and land on his feet, leaping up and taking her down with a kind of zig-zag. Bolt rolls away and the fans cheer for him as he pulls himself up. Evans stands at the same time but Bolt takes her down with a running clothesline, and then another as she scrambles to her feet. He reaches down and pulls her up, but she jams a thumb up and catches him in the eye.



Bolt reels away and Evans takes him down with a chop block to the left knee, leaving him clutching at it on the mat and the fans booing as Evans slowly rises to her feet. Bolt pushes up onto his knees but Evans quickly hooks an arm over his head and drops him with a snap DDT. Evans then looks down at Bolt and shakes her head before climbing up to the top turnbuckle. She leaps down and connects with a moonsault, holding for another cover.



One…

Two…

Thr-



Bolt just kicks out again. Evans smirks and looks down at him, patting him on the cheek before standing and reaching down to pull him up. She kicks him in the gut and hooks an arm over him, lifting him into position for a vertical suplex, but he drops down behind her and looks to grab her in a waistlock, but his knee buckles and he staggers backwards. Evans turns to him and grabs him for an inverted STO, but he elbows his way free and manages to reposition himself, this time grabbing the waistlock and taking her down with a German suplex. He rolls away, flexing his leg as Evans holds the back of her neck.



MW: This could be an opening for Russ Bolt.

SD: He needs to get on top of Evans quickly though.

MW: With the damage done to his knee, I’m not sure he can.

SD: Another piece of evidence to show Artemis Evans’ greatness.



Bolt pushes himself up and takes a couple of hesitant steps, moving over to Evans. She reaches up to jam him in the eye, but he catches her wrist and shakes his head, pulling her up and into a scoop slam. He drops an elbow on her and makes a cover of his own.



One…

Two-



Evans kicks out. Bolt stands, the pain in his knee momentarily forgotten, and reaches down for her. He lifts her up and pulls her up onto his shoulders, dropping her with a powerful Alabama slam. He points up to the top rope and calls for the fans to help him out, which a lot do as he steps through the ropes and climbs slowly to the top. In the time it takes him to reach the top rope, Evans manages to scramble to her feet and into the ropes, dropping Bolt on the turnbuckle. She heads over to him and lands a couple of forearms before climbing after him. She hooks both arms and sends him back into the ring with an avalanche butterfly suplex.



Evans rolls away and pushes herself up to her feet, looking at Bolt struggling to rise himself. She pushes herself up onto the second rope and then up to the top, stalking him as he finally stands and turns. She leaps off the top rope and connects with a top rope blockbuster before making a cover.



One…

Two…

Three.



Winner: Artemis Evans (11:10).



MW: An impressive victory for Artemis Evans to send her to the top of the table with two points.

SD: A dominant performance. Evans was in control for eighty percent of that match, and even when Bolt did get on top of her, the damage done earlier stopped him from having any real chance of winning this one. She’s a genuine contender to win the block and she showed that tonight.

MW: I don’t always like the way she approaches things, but I have to agree. Artemis Evans impressed tonight and, in a block with the flashy names like Jace Mason and Marcus Allen Jones, she could be just as big a threat.

SD: She could and she will. Artemis Evans will happily glide under the radar and pick up points without the kind of fanfare certain others will get. Don’t be surprised on the final night if we’re looking at her beating Berry Bishop to win the block.



Evans stands and has her hand raised as the fans continue to boo her. She smirks and points down at Russ Bolt before dusting off her hands. Evans climbs again to the second rope and extends her arms, but this time keeps her eyes fixed on the camera, speaking into it. “One down. Bring on Botiatus.”



MW: It seems like it’s the women ruling the B Block at the moment. But they’ll soon be joined by two men after our next two matches. Up first is Johnny California versus MDE. What are your thoughts on this one, Steven?

SD: This match intrigues me. Johnny California made his comeback to FPW and has been very quiet since then. He’s a man who saw the light. He saw the truth when he looked into the eyes of Super Che Junior and Jerry Bishop and he chose his path. He totally changed who he was and now he’s come to change the narrative. Matt Dwyer was a loveable loser. He wrestled a few matches here, didn’t make much of an impression, and then went away. Johnny California? I don’t think anyone will say he’s loveable, but we’re about to find out whether or not he’s still a loser.

MW: He’s certainly not popular after the superkick heard all over the world. But MDE is probably the least popular man in all of FPW. I’m not sure who the fans will side with in this match.

SD: They don’t have to side with either of them. California and MDE won’t be bothered by that. MDE has spent his whole career being booed by the fans and he won’t expect that to change now. I think this match is important for him. He’s talked a big game with this Free-1 and I believe he’ll be right in the mix for this block, but MDE in big matches doesn’t always get the job done. This is a big match for him. Start off with a win and he could easily run through a number of guys in this block. Start with a loss and the pressure will mount, because there are people in this block who will gobble up points quickly. This may not be the match the fans are desperate to see, but it’s fascinating nonetheless.

MW: Well here’s a woman the fans are always desperate to see… you guessed it. It’s Dasha Banks.



“The following contest is a B Block match with a thirty-minute time-limit. Introducing first, making his Free-1 debut, from The Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia, he wishes to be announced as ‘The Influential, the Controversial and the Unforgettable’, ‘The Mould-Breaker’ and ‘The Man Behind the Mask’… this is Johnny California.”



‘Losing My Religion’ hits the speaks and the fans boo loudly. As the lyrics hit, California steps through the curtain, guitar resting on his shoulder, quietly singing along to himself. He looks around at the crowd as they continue to boo him, taking in the boos before making his way down the ramp. He stares straight ahead to the ring, continuing to sing along to the song and ignoring the fans as they boo him. He props his guitar against the steps and climbs onto the apron before stepping into the ring, singing along to himself as he wanders over to the corner. He adjusts his gear and rests against the ropes and, as the music fades out, he brings his eyes up to the ramp, a look of focus on his face.



Dasha grits her teeth and raises the mic to her mouth: “And his opponent, from Plymouth, England… he is a former FPW Champion and wishes to be known as ‘Simply Great’… MDE.”



‘Dance of the Knights’ begins and the fans boo once again. MDE steps onto the stage and looks out at the arena, giving a slight smirk before looking down at the ring and locking eyes with California for a moment, something passing between the two of them. MDE then begins his usual deliberate walk down the ramp and the fans continue to boo him, some reaching out to grab at him, but he completely ignores them. He reaches the ring and steps up the steps, through the ropes and into the ring, where he moves over to Dasha, who quickly backs away and out of the ring, unable to bring herself to look at him.



B Block: Johnny California vs. MDE:



The bell rings and the two men eye one another from across the ring. A ‘Fuck you both’ chant starts up and picks up momentum. Johnny California starts to cup his hand to his ear and encourage the chant while MDE merely stands and keeps his gaze on his opponent, not acknowledging anything from the fans. California continues to encourage the chant, and it keeps getting louder, going on and on as California seems to enjoy messing with the crowd.



“Look at what they think of us,” he calls to MDE, who continues his blank stare across the ring. “Which of us do they hate more? I took away The Junior and you took away The Jester. Come on, huh? Who do you people hate more?”



The fans continue to boo loudly, and California steps through the ropes, yanking a mic from Dasha before stepping back into the ring.



“Hey, hey, hey,” he calls to the crowd. “You didn’t answer my question. We’re not starting this match until you do. You hate me for taking away your precious memories of The League of Friendmigos and crushing your hopes that the last bastion of goodness would take back ‘the devil’ from Jerry Bishop’s shoulder. You hate him because he made Jerry Bishop into the man you deserve him to be. So, tell us, who do you hate more. Let’s hear it.”



The boos continue to rain down and California laughs.



“I’m not sure we can judge it from that. So come on, him? Or me? He took the man you loved and turned him into a man you hate. I destroyed the last vestiges of the Friendmigos. Let’s hear it for MDE!”



The boos carry on, and a ‘Fuck you both’ chant picks up again.



“Not bad, I suppose. And now, let’s hear it… for Johnny… California!”



The ‘Fuck you both’ chant keeps going, gathering volume as the fans refuse to participate in California’s charade.



“Well the fans have spoken. I guess they don’t want to see us wrestle tonight. So what do we do, MDE? Walk out of here? Stay in this ring until the thirty-minute mark hits and get a point apiece. Or-“



California suddenly snaps into a Fatal Flashback, dropping MDE to the mat just as suddenly as he dropped Super Che Junior. He drops into a cover, the fans stunned into silence.



One…

Two…

Three.



Winner: Johnny California (3:59).



“That’s what I’m capable of. Nothing personal, MDE, but this block, this tournament… and this company… they’re mine.”



California tosses the mic aside and rolls out of the ring, walking up the ramp to more loud boos, the fans waking up after the shock of California’s sudden victory.



MW: I… I’m not sure exactly what that was just then.

SD: It was brilliant. Johnny California knew he couldn’t out-wrestle MDE, so he did what he had to do. If he’d gone in and locked up and exchanged holds, he’d have been on the mat in seconds and he wouldn’t have got up again. But that? Masterful. I think I need to reassess my predictions.

MW: MDE is still laid flat in that ring right now.

SD: And he’ll be kicking himself for letting his Free-1 start like that. But I think a part of him will respect California for that strategy.



California stands at the top of the ramp, guitar slung back over his shoulder, and he looks around the arena before disappearing back through the curtain.



MW: Well that was quite the unexpected path for that match. I can guarantee the match we see next will be something completely different.

SD: Jace Mason. Winner of Free-1 II and the only ever two-time FPW Champion. Marcus Allen Jones. Around in FPW from day one and arguably the greatest FPW wrestler of all time. The two men met in a match which decided the fate of the A Block last year and a lot of people think this match will decide the fate of the B Block this year.

MW: What are the keys for each man in this match?

SD: I think both are desperate to win this match. So one of the crucial factors will be who manages that better. If they let that desperation take control over their decision-making, the other will easily be able to take advantage of that. Remaining calm and in control will be crucial. For Jace Mason, I think he’s so good at taking damage and pushing on in these big matches, but if he tries to rely on that in this match, he’ll really damage his future prospects in this tournament. Mason must avoid leaning on that trait. For Marcus, I think he needs to keep the match at a fast-pace. Mason can handle a fast-pace but Marcus is capable of wrestling at that pace for longer. If he can tire Mason with the pace of the match, I think he can work his way into a position to find a killer blow.

MW: Who do you expect to come out on top in this one?

SD: It’s a tough call. We haven’t seen much of Jace Mason in the ring recently and I know he’s been working incredibly hard, so there’s a chance he has a few things that Marcus may not have seen. Marcus can beat anybody at any time, but Mason got the better of him the last time they met. It’s going to be a very difficult match to call one way or the other, but I think the motivation of Jace Mason to get back into FPW Championship contention will see him through this match.

MW: This is the match I’m most excited about for the entirety of this tournament. Let’s get to it. Dasha Banks.



“The following contest is a B Block match with a thirty-minute time-limit. Introducing first, from Chicago, Illinois, he is a former FPW Champion, ‘The Marksman’… Marcus Allen Jones!”



The opening piano notes to ‘Hall of Fame’ begin to play and the fans stand in anticipation. Marcus makes the fans wait as the song builds and, as the lyrics kick in, Marcus steps through the curtain to a loud cheer. An ‘M. A. J.’ chant fills the arena and he looks around it for a moment before performing his usual backflip and landing in his signature pose. He holds it for a few moments before springing up to his feet and bouncing up and down for a few moments, an intense look on his face. He steps forward and heads down the ramp, slapping hands with fans on his way to the ring. As he reaches the bottom of the ramp, he takes a couple of quick steps and slides into the ring, bumping fists with Dasha and climbing up onto the top turnbuckle, calling for the fans to get louder, which they do.



“And his opponent, from Seattle, Washington, he is a former Free-1 winner and the only two-time former FPW Champion, ‘The Eternal Student’… Jace Mason!”



The introduction to ‘Afterlife’ begins to play and the anticipation of the fans again builds. As the intro ends, Jace Mason steps forward in his usual pose, pyro exploding and the fans cheering loudly. Mason looks out at the crowd and nods, smiling as he sees the reaction to his first FPW appearance since the All Star Tag Team Classic final. He makes his way down the ramp, slapping hands with the fans before eyeing a couple of people in Marcus Allen Jones t-shirts, his smile slipping for a moment. He turns his head to Marcus in the ring and steps forward, reaching the ring and climbing onto the apron. He walks along to the turnbuckles and steps up onto the top and middle turnbuckles, raising his right fist and holding the pose for moment before dropping into the ring.



Mason and Marcus eye one another across the ring and the fans cheer loudly, a duelling ‘Let’s Go, Mason’ and ‘Let’s Go, Marcus’ chant breaking out. Both men look around at the fans and then back to one another, exchanging a nod before preparing for the beginning of the match.



B Block: Marcus Allen Jones (0) vs. Jace Mason (0):



The bell rings and both men come together quickly, locking up strongly. Mason quickly gets Marcus in a headlock but Marcus forces him into the ropes and shoves him off. Marcus comes in for a dropdown but Mason leaps over him, hitting the opposite ropes and coming back, only for Marcus to leapfrog him as he looks for a lariat. Mason follows through again and Marcus aims a dropkick, but Mason catches him and grabs the leg, looking to get him into position for the half-crab. The fans stand in anticipation, but Marcus scrambles to the ropes and Mason releases him. Marcus begins to get to his feet, but Mason comes in quickly, clubbing him across the back and pulling him in for a single underhook suplex, only for Marcus to land on his feet. The fans applaud loudly as the two men pause, catching their breath and staring one another down.



They come forward again, locking up for a second time. This time, Mason drives Marcus back into the ropes and releases his grip, whipping him across the ring and catching him with a back elbow as Marcus comes back to him. Marcus staggers away into the corner and Mason follows him in, catching him with several hard chops before allowing him to step out, catching his wrist into a hammerlock and taking him down with a lariat. Mason makes the cover.



One…

Tw-



Marcus kicks out.



MW: Impressive start here from Jace Mason.

SD: He really looks ready to go here. No pauses at the beginning to play to the crowd. No long delay when he gets Marcus into the ropes. We know he respects Marcus Allen Jones, but he seems much more eager to get the match won than to show that respect.

MW: Do you think that caught Marcus by surprise?

SD: I think it may have done. After seeing the slow start in the Berry Bishop and Botiatus match earlier, Marcus may have been expecting something a little similar. But although there’s a lot of respect between these two men, I’m not sure they like each other too much. That’s common when you have two guys who think they’re the best and see the other as being in their way.



Mason pulls Marcus up again and lands another couple of chops before looking to lift him onto his shoulders, but Marcus quickly drops down behind Mason and leaps into a Pele kick as Mason turns. Mason staggers backwards and Marcus kicks him in the gut before hitting the ropes and taking him down with a running swinging neckbreaker. Marcus takes a moment to catch his breath and then pulls Mason back to his feet, landing a chop of his own before whipping him across the ring and connecting with a dropkick. He makes a cover of his own.



One-



Mason kicks out. Marcus stands and pulls Mason with him, but Mason shoves Marcus back and comes in with another chop before connecting with a spinning gut kick. He takes a step back and kicks out Marcus’ leg before hitting the ropes and taking him down with a low dropkick. Marcus rolls away but Mason moves in again, pulling him up and into an Irish curse backbreaker, making another cover.



One…

Two-



Marcus kicks out again.



MW: Jace Mason showing us some new wrinkles he’s added to his offence.

SD: As I expected he would. Marcus doesn’t seem to have much of an answer to it yet.

MW: He managed to get some offence in.

SD: He did, but Mason quickly got back on top. This is impressive for sure from Jace Mason. He’s also doing a good job of controlling the pace of the match. He’s not letting Marcus kick it up a notch like he’ll surely want to.



Mason stands and pulls Marcus to his feet, lifting him into a vertical suplex position. Marcus, however, drives a knee down into Mason’s skull and drops into an impactful DDT. Mason rolls away towards the apron and Marcus follows, pulling him up and lifting him into a vertical suplex position, dropping him down into a falcon arrow and hooking the leg.



One…

Two-



Mason kicks out this time. Marcus stands but doesn’t pull Mason up. Instead he stalks him and waits for him to stand and turn, unleashing a superkick to the gut and setting him in position for a Canadian destroyer, only for Mason to block it, struggling against Marcus and managing to reposition him on his shoulders, connecting with an ushi-garoshi.



MW: Another new move from Jace Mason.

SD: That’s been the difference so far tonight. Marcus Allen Jones is relying on the old hits and Mason knows them too well. Marcus doesn’t expect any of this from Mason and he’s been punished for it.

MW: So how does Marcus adapt?

SD: Marcus has the best instincts of any wrestler I’ve ever seen. He needs to fall back on them and feel his way round.



Mason hits the ropes and connects with a version of a shotgun dropkick to Marcus as he sits up. Mason then reaches down and pulls Marcus back to his feet, setting him up for an STO. Marcus aims an elbow at Mason, but he ducks it, dropping Marcus instead with a snapmare and then hitting the ropes, coming back with a hard penalty kick. Mason drops into another cover.



One…

Two…

T-



Marcus kicks out. Mason stands and pulls Marcus to his feet, sending him into the corner. Mason follows him in for a knee, but Marcus manages to duck under it and roll away. Mason catches himself on the top rope and turns, only for Marcus to drop him with a superkick. Marcus shakes the hair out of his eyes and looks down at Mason, a flash of frustration in his eyes. He positions himself behind him and lifts him into a wheelbarrow facebuster, but Mason manages to counter, rolling through and sending Marcus into the ropes. Mason comes at Marcus, but Marcus turns just in time, leaping up and connecting with a hurricanrana which sends Mason to the outside. Marcus calls to the crowd, who clap along with him, and he hits the opposite ropes, charges at Mason and flies with a suicide dive, but Mason catches him and counters with an STO on the outside!



MW: What a counter!

SD: Jace Mason’s preparation coming through again.

MW: But that’s not just preparation, Steven.

SD: Of course not. It takes a lot of athletic ability and timing to be able to pull that off.



Mason stands and lets out a roar of intensity, the fans cheering with him. He pulls Marcus up and rolls him back into the ring. Mason steps up onto the apron and climbs to the top turnbuckle. The fans stand in anticipation again and he comes down with a shooting star press! He holds for a cover.



One…

Two…

Th-



Marcus kicks out. Mason bangs the mat, a hint of frustration showing for the first time, but he quickly pulls Marcus to his feet and sends him into the ropes, looking to catch him with Extra Credit. Marcus, however, elbows his way out and sends Mason reeling away. Marcus dives in and catches his wrist, shoving him forward and looking for Six Stars, but Mason catches the knee, shoves it down and looks for Extra Credit again. Marcus blocks it, kicking out Mason’s knee and stepping back before coming in for a superkick, which Mason ducks. Marcus turns and Mason connects with a hard sole kick, sending Marcus staggering back into the ropes. As Marcus comes back at him, Mason looks for Extra Credit again, but again Marcus elbows his way out.



The two men turn and face one another, eyes locked after their stalemate. Mason unleashes a hard chop, his frustration coming out at not being able to hit Extra Credit. Marcus returns the chop just as hard, his frustration coming out at Mason controlling the match. Marcus then thrusts out his chest and calls for Mason to chop him again. Mason chops him hard before thrusting out his own chest and absorbing a second chop from Marcus. The two men continue their exchange as the crowd cheer louder and louder, Mason getting the better of it and forcing Marcus back into the corner. He continues to land hard chops before whipping him hard across the ring and charging after him, connecting with a shotgun dropkick to send a staggering Marcus crashing into the turnbuckles.



Marcus rolls underneath the bottom rope and onto the apron and Mason wastes no time in following. He pulls Marcus to his feet and hooks an arm over his head. He tries to pull him up for a vertical suplex, but Marcus blocks it, dropping back down and landing a leaping enzeguiri to drop Mason to one knee. Marcus quickly catches him around the head and connects with a jumping DDT.



MW: That’s done it!

SD: That could be the end of this one. Huge impact from Marcus.

MW: Jace Mason could be in trouble here.

SD: And notice that he’s just rolled back into the ring. I think if that were Marcus, he’d have just dropped to the outside. Mason may be a very talented wrestler, but he’s not as experienced as some think he is, and he’s shown it there.



Marcus climbs back up and steps up onto the top rope. He carefully turns, looking down at Mason for a moment before leaping down with a perfect phoenix splash. He holds on for a cover.



One…

Two…

Thr-



Mason just gets a shoulder up and the fans gasp as they started to believe the match could be over. Marcus stands, hit chest reddening from the chops, and reaches down to drag Mason up to his feet. He forces him into the corner and lands a couple of kicks to the gut before pushing Mason up onto the top turnbuckle. Marcus follows, landing a couple of forearms and looks for a frankensteiner, but Mason catches him, grabbing both of his legs and blocking the move. Mason readjusts and drops Marcus’ right leg, locking in a particularly painful looking half-crab. The fans wince and official comes in to force Mason to release Marcus, which he does, dropping back down into the ring with him.



Mason holds his head for a moment before reaching down and pulling Marcus to his feet. He whips him into the corner and follows him in with a running knee, which this time connects, and he allows Marcus to stagger out of the corner. Mason then runs past Marcus and leaps onto the middle rope, taking Marcus down with a disaster kick. He quickly scrambles back up and grabs Marcus’ left leg, turning him and locking in the half-crab, sinking as low as he can. The fans stand as a strong section chants for Marcus to tap, while an equally strong section begs for him to hold on. Marcus grimaces in pain but manages to push himself up enough to drag his way to the ropes, forcing the break.



MW: We all know how dangerous that half-crab is.

SD: Marcus Allen Jones knows it too. He couldn’t let Mason keep it locked in for very long.

MW: And this match is really stepping up the intensity levels.

SD: I said at the start that these two don’t like one another much. They see the other as a major obstacle to getting what they want. Marcus wants to finally win a Free-1, the only major thing missing from his FPW resume, while Mason needs to win the Free-1 again to get another chance to reach the top.

MW: I should add that we are around the twenty-minute mark in this match. As with all matches at this point, the draw comes into it as a real possibility.



Mason drops the leg and turns towards Marcus, who is pulling himself up on the ropes. Mason comes in and clotheslines Marcus over the ropes. Marcus lands on his feet but Mason comes through the ropes with a hard wrecking ball dropkick, sending Marcus back, crashing hard into the guardrail. Mason staggers as he lands, but stays on his feet, grabbing Marcus and whipping him into the side of the ring. Marcus arches his back and Mason lands a couple of kicks to the left knee before looking to the guardrail. Mason pulls Marcus towards him and grabs him by the leg, lifting him and looking for a shinbreaker over the guardrail, but Marcus manages to push himself free, landing on his feet in the front row and then connecting with a Pele kick over the guardrail.



Mason staggers back towards the edge of the ring and Marcus catches him from behind, lifting him into a wheelbarrow facebuster but bringing him down on the ring apron. The fans gasp as Mason folds to the floor and Marcus flexes his knee. He reaches down and pulls Mason up, hooking an arm over him and lifting him slightly before dropping him down over the guardrail. Marcus then looks up to the top rope and the fans gasp as he begins to climb up, first onto the apron and then the turnbuckles.



MW: I don’t believe… he can’t be thinking…

SD: We saw a very similar situation in the first Free-1 with Marcus Allen Jones and Jerry Bishop!

MW: And Marcus… shooting star DDT!

SD: How can Jace Mason survive that! A guardrail-hung top-rope-to-the-outside shooting-star-DDT!



The official scrambles out of the ring to check on both men, as Mason lies motionless on the floor and Marcus cradles his knee, which buckled on landing. The official slides back into the ring and begins his count.



One……….

Two……….

Three……….



MW: This could be the end of the match right here.

SD: I don’t see Mason getting back in. Marcus maybe.



Four……….

Five……….



Marcus forces himself to a knee and manages to crawl towards the edge of the ring.



Six……….



Marcus uses the ring apron to climb in and he rolls into the middle of the ring. Mason barely stirs.



Seven……….

Eight……….



Mason pushes himself up and looks around, his expression fairly glassy-eyed.



Nine…



He turns towards the ring and makes a dive to get in, but falls short.



…



He makes a second attempt, grabbing the ring apron.



…



T-



Mason just dives in as the official begins the word ‘ten’. The crowd cheer loudly as both men keep the match going. Marcus pushes himself up and limps over to Mason, lifting him carefully. He lands a chop to the chest and Mason stares up at him, intensity radiating from him. Marcus pulls Mason down with a snapmare driver before heading to the ropes. He steps through and begins to climb to the top rope, his steps slower than usual, before pausing on the top rope, the fans beginning their usual rhythmic clap. Marcus comes down with the Mark-Out Moment, the usual ‘Screw you, Trevor’ just caught by the camera. He holds for the cover.



One…

Two…

Thre-



Mason kicks out!



MW: I don’t believe it!

SD: Jace Mason is maybe the most resilient in-ring competitor we have. I believe it, but only just!

MW: Marcus certainly can’t. And I should remind you, we’re over twenty-five and a half minutes into this match.

SD: I’m not sure Mason will be able to last the final four and a half. Not after that.



Marcus slowly pushes himself up to his feet, looking at Mason who is struggling to grip the ropes. He moves over to him and pulls him away, grabbing the wrist and pulling him into the middle of the ring. He looks for the ripcord, but Mason stands firm, refusing to be pushed out. Marcus tries again but Mason still stands resolute. Marcus releases his grip on the wrist and then shoves Mason forward. As he turns, Marcus unleashes a superkick, but Mason ducks it, staggering forward but maintaining his balance. Marcus charges at Mason and he catches him with Extra Credit, scrambling to make the cover as the fans stand.



One..

Two…

Thre-



Marcus barely gets a shoulder up this time!



MW: These two men refuse to lose!

SD: I told you at the start that they are driven in this match by their need to win this tournament. But as this match has gone on, I honestly think they’ve forgotten about the tournament. I think they need to beat one another. I think it’s as simple as that.



Mason rolls away and catches his breath, the fans cheering loudly and stamping their feet on the floor. Mason and Marcus slowly begin to roll to the ropes, grabbing the bottom rope and pulling themselves to their feet. After they get there, they turn and eye one another across the ring. They slowly come forward, Marcus limping and Mason staggering. They meet in the middle, Marcus landing a heavy chop to Mason. Mason aims a kick at Marcus’ knee in return and he drops to one knee, Mason then landing a chop to his chest. He pulls Marcus up and whips him into the ropes. Marcus hits them and starts to come back at Mason, but he collapses, his leg giving out.



MW: Just like Mason collapsed when Marcus went for Six Stars last year!

SD: These two have barely a minute left to win this match!



Mason almost dives at Marcus, grabbing his left foot and looking for the half-crab again, but Marcus twists himself free and forces himself to get to his feet. Mason aims another kick at Marcus, but Marcus catches it and spins him around. He traps Mason’s wrist and pushes him out, ripcording him and leaping up for Six Stars, but Mason catches the knee and pops Marcus up, looking to catch him into Extra Credit, only for Marcus to come down with a DDT to counter! Marcus rolls into a cover.



One…

Two…

Thre-



Mason- DING DING!



MW: Did he get him?

SD: I think Mason kicked out!

MW: He did. Jace Mason kicked out just moments before the bell rang.



Match Result: Time-Limit Draw (30:00).



Marcus rolls off Mason and holds his head in his hands as Dasha Banks announces the result. Jace Mason also holds his head in his hands, slowly sitting up. The fans begin to stand and applaud the efforts of both men, and the arena is soon filled with the sound of cheers and applause.



MW: These fans showing their appreciation for two men who gave it everything they had.

SD: Both men were desperate to win this match, but they were equally desperate not to lose it. Neither managed to win, but neither suffered the agony of defeat either.



Mason raises his head, his face filled with pain as he looks out to the fans, who still stand and cheer. Marcus also sits up, disappointment on his face as he looks out to the crowd too. The two men lock eyes and they share a brief nod of respect, before Mason rolls out of the ring and staggers away up the ramp.



MW: No handshake between them, Steven.

SD: No handshake. These two respect one another immensely, but they’ll both be devastated at not being able to get the job done in such an important match.

MW: This has the feeling of a story which is only half-written. I’m sure these two will meet again and I’m sure they’ll be even more motivated to prove who is the better man.

SD: I agree. But more importantly- at least in the short-term- is that neither man takes two points. We’ve got Berry Bishop, Artemis Evans and Johnny California tied at the top with two, and these two sit just behind them with one each.

MW: Their next matches surely become must win if they want to win the block. Marcus Allen Jones will be back in this arena tomorrow night, facing MDE, while Jace Mason will have a slightly longer rest before a match with Berry Bishop, someone who he doesn’t have the best record against.

SD: I worry for Marcus coming back tomorrow night after a match like that. MDE will be fresh, albeit with a slightly sore head, and now Marcus has a target on that knee. He won’t be able to recover sufficiently in one day before taking on someone like MDE. That has to be a worry for him.

MW: Well, we’ll have to see on that one. That match is tomorrow night along with Jackson Banks taking on Kincaid in a fascinating A Block encounter. Thank you for joining us tonight. We’ll see you tomorrow!

[Jim Houston]

“The Free-1… the biggest opportunity for any Freedom Pro Wrestling star. The Free-1 epitomises what Freedom Pro Wrestling is all about. Opportunity. The opportunity to earn the right to challenge for FPW Championship in the biggest match of the FPW year. The opportunity to showcase your skills in front of a huge audience. The opportunity to be noticed. Free-1 I… a man who was known as a hardcore icon stepped up to show his toughness, his skill, his potential. And he became FPW Champion. Free-1 II… an underdog on the rise picking up the biggest wins of his career to show who he could truly become. And he became FPW Champion. Free-1 III… the biggest yet. Sixteen wrestlers in two blocks of eight. Two winners facing off on August 31st to earn the biggest opportunity of their careers. But all sixteen will have an opportunity. An opportunity to make a name. An opportunity to showcase their true ability. For in the Free-1, each entrant controls their own destiny, their own narrative and their own future. Welcome to Free-1 III.”



MW: Welcome back to the Free-1. We’ve reached night three and every single competitor has been in action. Steven, can I get your reaction to what was a fantastic opening weekend to Free-1 III?

SD: It really was. Look, I don’t think you’re going to find a much better match than Jace Mason and Marcus Allen Jones had last night, but I can’t wait to see people try to better it. That match was wild and both men really showed the intensity of their desire to win this tournament.

MW: How do you think the draw will affect them moving forward?

SD: It’ll set them on the back foot early on. They know the quality in their block makes every point valuable, and they’ll both see it as a point lost rather than a point gained. I think we’ll only see their intensity levels rise after that. But we’ve also seen other great matches. Berry and Bo had a very respectful match but a very good one, and Jerry and Bobby put on a very good match to open up the A Block.

MW: Let’s focus on the A Block for a moment. We saw wins for Jerry Bishop, The Silent Assassin, Kincaid and Aaron Williams, probably the four men expected to win their opening matches. Who impressed you the most?

SD: I have to say Jerry Bishop. His ability to mentally manipulate opponents is second to none. But I got chills when The Silent Assassin made his entrance. That man has a serious presence, and he backed it up by demolishing Jackson Banks.

MW: And it is Jackson Banks who will kick us off tonight. How will he come back from such a loss, especially given that tonight he’s up against a veteran like Kincaid?

SD: It’ll be tough for him. He’s only two days off that loss after no doubt coming into the Free-1 with high hopes. He’ll have learnt that he has a long way to go if he wants to be competitive, and I think he might find it hard to come to terms with that. I’m sure he’ll come out fighting tonight, but it’ll be interesting to see how he deals with adversity when Kincaid gets on top.

MW: What did you make of Kincaid in his opening victory over Thea Donovan?

SD: I thought he did what he would expected to do. He did however show a vulnerability where Alyssa is concerned. Now I don’t think that Jackson Banks will look to exploit that, but there will definitely be people in this block who would. I know that Jerry Bishop will have taken note of that for example, and I’m sure veterans like Bobby O and Aaron Williams will file it away.

MW: Most of our fans are expecting a win for Kincaid in this one. Is that the way you’re leaning too?

SD: I’d say so. Kincaid is a good veteran wrestler who I think has the smarts to out-do a rookie like Banks. Banks is talented, there’s no getting around that, but I think he needs more time in the tag division before we see his talent really come out in matches like these.

MW: Well here’s someone with no shortage of talent. For the first time tonight, let’s get to Dasha Banks.



“Ladies and gentlemen, the following contest is an A Block match with a thirty-minute time-limit. Introducing first, currently sitting in fifth place in the block with zero points, from Brooklyn, New York and being accompanied to the ring by RJ Tudor, he is ‘The King of the Ropes’… Jackson Banks!”



‘You Need Me, I Don’t Need You’ begins and the fans cheer as the usual fast-paced highlights of Revolution-X flash across the screen. As ‘Now I’m in Town’ hits, Banks bursts through the curtain and charges across the stage to both sides of the fans, pumping them up. RJ Tudor comes out behind him and watches, letting Banks take the attention. Banks turns to Tudor and nods before the two of them bounce down the ramp, slapping hands with fans and continuing to pump up the crowd, who respond well to them. Banks reaches the bottom of the ramp and climbs onto the apron before springboarding onto the top rope and walking to the turnbuckle, turning and continuing to walk the rope. He walks all four before bouncing down onto the middle rope and then back up again, backflipping back into the ring and pumping up the cheers of the crowd even further.



MW: Well it doesn’t look like Jackson Banks has lost any of his trademark energy after the loss in his first match.

SD: He’s come out showing he’s ready but we’ll see what happens when that bell rings.



“And his opponent, currently in third place in the block with two points from a win over Thea Donovan, from Bearing, Alberta, Canada and being accompanied to the ring by Alyssa Kincaid, ‘The King of the North’… Kincaid!”



The lights dim as ‘Storm Eagle’ fills the arena. As the song kicks into life, Kincaid walks out onto the middle of the stage to a fairly good reception. He stares down at the ring to where Thea Donovan waits. Alyssa walks out and stands next to him, waving to the crowd and presenting him to the audience, many of whom continue to politely cheer. Kincaid makes his way down the ramp, his eyes still focussed on the ring as he holds out his arms to brush hands with fans. As he reaches the ring, hops up onto the apron and shares a few last words with Alyssa before raising his arms and slipping into the ring. He climbs up onto the middle rope and calls out to the fans, pointing to himself and promising victory before dropping down and stretching out.



A Block: Jackson Banks (0) vs. Kincaid (2):



The bell rings and the two men come together and lock-up. Kincaid forces Banks back fairly quickly and the two men end up in the corner. The official comes in and Kincaid breaks the lock-up, respectfully moving back as the fans applaud. Banks pushes up onto the top rope and walks along to the next corner before dropping down, bowing to the crowd, who cheer as Kincaid looks at him with a quizzical smile. The two lock-up again and Kincaid grabs a headlock, but Banks forces him into the ropes and shoves him off across the ring. Banks drops down and Kincaid vaults over him, coming back as Banks goes for a leap-frog, but Kincaid catches him into a sit-out powerbomb, which he holds for a cover.



One…

Two-



Banks kicks out.



MW: Almost an early end to this one.

SD: That’s an example of the difference in experience from these two. Kincaid will have seen that move hundreds- if not thousands- of times. Jackson Banks doesn’t have the experience-sharpened instincts that Kincaid has.



Kincaid stands and pulls Banks up with him, sending him into the ropes and then taking him down with an arm drag before locking in an arm bar. Banks kips up, but Kincaid keeps hold of the arm, wringing it and then sweeping the leg, taking Banks’ foot and manipulating the ankle. Banks grimaces in pain as Kincaid forces the ankle to the mat and jams a knee down on it before sliding the knee up his leg and twisting, stretching Banks’ knee ligaments. The official keeps a close eye but Banks doesn’t show any signs of wanting to quit. RJ Tudor bangs the mat on the outside and the fans clap along with him, helping Banks to fight back against Kincaid, reaching up and landing a couple of forearms to force Kincaid to back away.



Banks quickly gets to his feet but Kincaid comes in and lands a hard chop to his chest, sending Banks reeling back towards the corner. Kincaid comes in with a running clothesline and grabs Banks by the wrist, pulling him out of the corner and taking him down with a short-arm lariat. He then goes back to the leg, lifting it and landing a couple of kicks to the inside of the knee before looking to drop into a knee bar. Banks manages to kick out at Kincaid before he can lock the hold in and he forces him back again. Banks scrambles to the ropes and pulls himself to his feet but Kincaid comes in again, taking his leg and pulling him away from the ropes before taking him down with a dragon screw.



MW: Kincaid seemingly targeting that left leg of Jackson Banks.

SD: And I think he’s right to do it. We might see something similar in our next match too. Guys like Jackson Banks- especially Jackson Banks actually- need to be slowed down. How will he jump onto the ropes with a bad knee?

MW: He needs to find a counter that lets him get some offence of his own in to stop this from Kincaid or this might be another very short match for Jackson Banks.



Kincaid stomps on the knee and then pulls Banks up, looking to set him up for a shinbreaker, only for Banks to backflips out of his grasp. He staggers a couple of steps on landing but, as Kincaid turns, he rolls under him and hits the ropes, coming back at Kincaid with a running clothesline to take him down. Kincaid looks to get quickly to his feet as Banks steps through the ropes, and Banks leaps up, taking Kincaid down with a springboard DDT. He makes a cover.



One…

Two…

T-



Kincaid kicks out. Banks springs back to his feet, takes a little leap as he first puts pressure on his left leg, and then stalks Kincaid. As Kincaid stands, Banks steps up onto the middle rope near the corner and then across onto the top rope. He walks a few steps before coming down with a huricanrana, which sends Kincaid into the ropes. Kincaid rests over the top rope and Banks backs up, looking for The Banks Job. Kincaid, however, manages to block the impact and he catches Banks, repositioning him and this time connecting with a shinbreaker. Banks rolls away in pain and Kincaid drops down and locks in a heel hook.



Banks cries out in pain and reaches out for the ropes, the fans cheering him on, but Kincaid keeps the hold locked in. RJ Tudor calls encouragement from the outside and Banks does all he can to fight off Kincaid, kicking out at him with his other leg to weaken him and then dragging himself over towards the ropes. With Banks close to the ropes, Kincaid releases the hold and looks to drag him back into the middle of the ring, only for Banks to reach up and pull him in for a small package.



One…

Two…

Thr-



Kincaid forces his way out.



MW: That was a close one!

SD: Kincaid almost caught there.

MW: Can Jackson Banks get his way back into this match now?



Banks tries to get quickly to his feet but he drops to a knee as his left leg gives out. Kincaid takes advantage, connecting with a Big Fat Kill. Banks flops down to the mat and Kincaid steps through the ropes and climbs up to the top. He comes down with From On High, but Banks just manages to roll out of the way. Kincaid grabs his mid-section as Alyssa looks on with concern. Banks pulls himself to his feet and he looks down at Kincaid before pushing himself up to the top rope. He stalks Kincaid before coming down with a shooting-star crossbody. He rolls backwards and pushes himself to his feet before connecting with a standing shooting-star press and holding for another cover.



One…

Two…

Thr-



Kincaid just manages to kick out. Banks stands, RJ Tudor leading the cheers for him, and he pushes up onto the top turnbuckle again. He sits and waits for Kincaid to push himself up before standing and walking along the top rope before coming down with a Rope-KO! But Kincaid manages to catch him into a Llewelyn Lift! The fans cheer the impressive counter and Kincaid darts in and locks in The Finishing Touch. Banks resists for a moment before tapping his hand on the mat.



Winner: Kincaid (10:45).



Kincaid releases Banks and the official raises his arm. The fans give him a warm cheer as Alyssa comes into the ring and the two of them embrace. RJ Tudor helps Jackson Banks out of the ring and Kincaid gives him a respectful nod as he looks up. Kincaid steps up onto the middle turnbuckle and raising his arms, taking the applause from the fans.



MW: A good win for Kincaid tonight, and a chance for him to show us some impressive submission skills.

SD: He’s always been a good technician but we’ve only just seen it pay off for him in this match. He now gets a decent rest before a big match with Aaron Williams on the 7th.

MW: And Williams faces Thea Donovan tomorrow so we could well be seeing those two going into that match each on four points. But right now it’s Kincaid who takes the top spot in the A Block as the first man to four points.

SD: He’s got to be considered a contender after a strong start, but the Williams match will be his first big FPW test.

MW: And speaking of big tests, let’s get to the B Block as we see one of the more hotly anticipated matches of this year’s Free-1. Both of these men were in action yesterday, but the contrast in their condition could not be more obvious.

SD: MDE comes in with maybe a sore head and a feeling of disappointment, but otherwise he’s going to be very fresh. Marcus Allen Jones comes off a thirty-minute draw in a match where Jace Mason did a considerable amount of damage to his knee. MDE is not the man Marcus would have liked to be facing tonight.

MW: And these two have a bit of history, don’t they?

SD: They do. Before the number one contender battle royal that RJ Tudor won a few weeks ago, they had a few words in the run-up to it and Marcus dumped MDE out of the match. Marcus recently even had words for MDE, saying that he and Jerry were on a reign of terror. Marcus vowed to be the man to stop it, and no doubt he’ll see the chance to stop MDE from picking up his first points as a big motivator for this match.

MW: You said earlier that MDE is not the Marcus will want to be facing given his gruelling match last night. How do you expect MDE to take advantage of this situation?

SD: I’d imagine he’ll target the leg, as I think most people would. It’ll also slow Marcus down, because MDE most definitely can’t keep up with Marcus at his free-flowing best.

MW: And how can Marcus stop MDE from controlling the match and damaging the knee?

SD: He has to stick and move. He needs to use his high-impact offence to keep MDE at bay. If I’m Marcus, I’m looking to end this match quickly. He might well be looking to prove that he can out-wrestle MDE, to try and inflict punishment on him, but I think he’d be better served by catching him like Johnny California did last night.

MW: And our prediction for this match?

SD: This is a tough one to call. I think MDE will do some damage to the knee, but I think Marcus might be able to come through it. He’ll need to start the match with the intensity he reached by the middle of the Mason match, but I think Marcus might pull this one off.

MW: I’m sure Dasha Banks will have some intensity in this match. Let’s get to her. Dasha.



“The following contest is a B Block match-up with a thirty-minute time-limit. Introducing first, sitting jointly in fourth place with one point gained via a draw with Jace Mason, from Chicago, Illinois, ‘The Marksman’… Marcus Allen Jones!”



The opening piano notes to ‘Hall of Fame’ plays and the anticipation builds for Marcus’ entrance. As the lyrics hit, Marcus steps through the curtain and performs his usual backflip, landing in his usual pose with his head down. He stands and looks around the arena before making his way down the ramp, a slight limp with each step on his left leg. The fans cheer loudly for him as he passes and slaps hands with them before he reaches the ring and slides in, nodding to Dasha Banks before moving over to the corner and stepping up onto the top turnbuckle. He stands and pumps up the fans before dropping down and stretching out his left leg.



MW: You can see the limp from Marcus even before this match begins.

SD: You can. And I’d make a suggestion. If your leg is sore, maybe don’t do a backflip onto a hard stage before the match!



“And his opponent, in sixth in the block with zero points, from Plymouth, England, he wishes to be called ’Simply Great’… MDE.”



‘Dance of the Knights’ plays and MDE steps out onto the stage. He surveys the loudly booing crowd before smirking and beginning his slow walk down the ramp. His eyes remain on Marcus Allen Jones, who stares resolutely back at him as MDE makes his way to the ring. He reaches the bottom of the ramp and climbs the steps, stepping between the ropes and heading into the ring. MDE makes a beeline for Dasha Banks, but Marcus moves in and steps between them as Dasha moves out of the ring. MDE and Marcus stare each other down for a few moments before the official comes in to separate them and they reluctantly move back into their respective corners.



B Block: Marcus Allen Jones (1) vs. MDE (0):



The bell rings and the two men eye one another from across the ring, both hanging back in their corners as an ‘M. A. J.’ chant echoes around the arena. They slowly come forward, the two of them carefully watching one another before they spring into a lock-up. MDE forces Marcus back quickly towards the ropes, but Marcus turns him and presses him back against them. The official darts in and looks to break them apart, and Marcus releases his grip, stepping back before lightly tapping MDE on the cheek and flashing him a typical Marcus smile.



MDE charges at him, but Marcus catches him with a drop toe hold and hops over into a headlock. MDE pushes up quickly and Marcus releases him, taking a step before connecting with a handspring enzeguiri. MDE drops to the mat and Marcus quickly gets onto the top rope, looking for a shooting star press, but MDE rolls out of the way. Marcus, however, lands on his feet but staggers a step because of his knee. MDE darts in to look for a chop block but Marcus leaps up and comes down with a standing double stomp. He drops into a cover.



One…

Tw-



MDE kicks out gets to a knee, Marcus backing up and staring down at him, an intense look in his eyes as MDE stares back with a hint of surprise.



MW: Well you said Marcus needed to start the match with the intensity he ended the Mason match with and we’ve certainly seen that!

SD: He’s also looked to go high-impact early on. No time for MDE to take control and no chance for him to exploit the knee injury. He may be trying to rush things a little too much, so he has to be careful not to give MDE the chance to catch him.



MDE pushes up and he and Marcus circle one another before MDE darts in and looks to take the left leg, only for Marcus to spring aside and land a superkick to fell him. Marcus reaches down and pulls him up, trapping the wrist and ripcording him, leaping up for Six Stars, only for MDE to catch the leg and land a hard kick to his standing left leg before pulling him into a belly-to-belly suplex. MDE pushes himself up and shakes off the cobwebs before driving Marcus into the corner as he tries to get to his feet. He drives a shoulder into the gut and pulls him out, catching him with a snap suplex and making a cover, driving a forearm into his face.



One…

Tw-



Marcus quickly kicks out. Marcus tries to scramble to his feet but MDE catches his leg and takes him down, twisting away at his knee and then driving it into the mat, dropping his own knee on it and wrenching at it, stretching the knee ligaments. Marcus reaches up to try and force MDE away, but MDE positions himself perfectly, avoiding Marcus’ attempts to catch him with a forearm and keeping the pressure on the knee. Marcus tries to push himself towards the ropes, but MDE keeps him in place expertly, continuing to wrench the knee.



MW: This is the exact position Marcus won’t have wanted to find himself in.

SD: Certainly not. He needs to find a way out of this before even more damage is done.



Marcus throws another forearm, but MDE dodges it, only for Marcus to use his right arm to grab at MDE’s hair, pulling back at his head. The official tells Marcus to release his grip, and he does, using the slight distraction to land a couple of forearms to MDE and forcing him to break his grip. As soon as he’s released, Marcus scrambles away towards the ropes and pulls himself up, but MDE comes in and pulls him away again, grabbing at the leg and pulling it up, only for Marcus to counter with an enzeguiri. MDE staggers back and Marcus gets to his feet. MDE comes in again and Marcus jumps up and takes him down with a hurricanrana which sends MDE to the outside.



Marcus flexes his leg and looks down at MDE before calling for the fans to get behind him, which they do, and loudly. Marcus hits the ropes and charges at MDE, leaping up and going for a corkscrew moonsault plancha, taking MDE down but landing hard on his left leg. The fans stand and applaud loudly but Marcus is clearly hurting. The official comes out and checks on him as he clutches the knee but Marcus says he’s fine, and the official backs away.



MDE stands and looks at Marcus, who remains down. He moves over to him and lifts him up, hooking his leg and lifting him up, looking for a shinbreaker just as Jace Mason did yesterday. MDE, however, succeeds in bringing Marcus down over the guardrail and Marcus screams in agony, dropping to the floor and grabbing at his knee once again. MDE looks down at him before the official comes to check on him, telling MDE to stay back. MDE grabs the official and pulls him away from Marcus, lifting Marcus to his feet as the fans boo loudly. MDE throws him back into the ring and follows.



MW: This looks very bad for Marcus Allen Jones.

SD: We said that this was the last opponent he’d have wanted today and MDE is proving that to be absolutely correct.

MW: Can Marcus even continue in this match? Should he?

SD: We often talks about this in the Free-1. Sacrifice two points here with the aim of winning more down the road or fight for the points here and potentially lose them in future matches or even having to pull out of the tournament? I think he should throw in the towel in this match.

MW: But will he? Would anyone give in when they think they can carry on? Especially with the bad blood between these two men, I just don’t see Marcus Allen Jones allowing himself to do that.



MDE stalks Marcus as he crawls away towards the opposite side of the ring. Before he can get too far, MDE reaches down and grabs his left foot, lifting it and driving the knee down into the mat before dropping down and locking in an STF. Marcus tries to push up and reach for the ropes, but MDE has him in a perfect position and he can’t get anywhere. The official checks on Marcus again but Marcus grits his teeth and refuses to give in, pushing himself up again and doing everything he can to inch towards the ropes. He slowly forces himself closer and closer and closer, but MDE makes his progress incredibly difficult. As Marcus reaches the ropes, MDE pulls back harder and keeps his hand from reaching them. With one final cry of intense effort, Marcus stretches out one more time and finally manages to grasp the bottom rope.



The official leaps in and almost pulls MDE of Marcus before ordering him back on pain of disqualification. He bends over Marcus and has quiet words in his ear, Marcus shaking his head and trying to pull himself to his feet. The official tells him to stay there for a moment, but Marcus refuses, pulling himself up and turning to face MDE, who sinks low and stares at the knee, waiting for the moment to strike. Marcus hops forward, keeping his left leg behind him as much as he can, and MDE darts in, but Marcus steps aside, struggling to keep away from MDE, who comes in again. Marcus just manages to keep him at bay a second time, but his movements are stunted and his left leg looks almost useless.



MW: This is hard to watch.

SD: I’ve said it already, but Marcus needs to think about his other five matches. Artemis Evans, Botiatus, Berry Bishop, Johnny California… all of them will beat him if he can only use one leg. He needs to realise that this tournament can’t be won in just one match, but, if he keeps going here, he will lose it in this one.



MDE comes in again and Marcus tries to step aside again, but this time MDE manages to catch him, lifting him and looking to take him down, but Marcus somehow counters into a kind of Canadian destroyer. MDE rolls away and Marcus scrambles to make the cover.



One…

Two…

Th-



MDE just gets a shoulder up and Marcus rolls away, flexing his knee and pounding on it to try and get some feeling back. He reaches up and uses the ropes to get himself to his feet, getting there as MDE pushes up too. MDE turns and Marcus catches him with a hard forearm. MDE reels away and Marcus grabs his legs and pulls him up into a wheelbarrow facebuster. Marcus rolls backwards and forces himself up to a standing base, staggering a little and then beating at his left leg again. He stalks MDE as MDE gets to his knees. Marcus comes in and leaps into the air, connecting with a standing-shooting-star DDT! Marcus quickly rolls MDE over and covers him with a back-press.



One…

Two…

Thr-



MDE just kicks out. The fans gasp as Marcus holds his hands to his head before gritting his teeth and standing again. He takes a few unsteady steps before moving back over to MDE and reaching down to pull him up. MDE, however, takes his chance, driving into Marcus and taking him down before grabbing the left leg and turning him into a half-crab.



MW: This is the move that did a lot of the damage yesterday.

SD: MDE is a simple man in some ways. He doesn’t mind using other people’s moves if he sees that they’ve been effective. This could be the end of this match.

MW: Marcus is in so much pain. Luckily for him, he’ll have some adrenaline coursing through him after getting a little bit of momentum back in this one, but it won’t keep him going forever.

SD: That’s a very good point. He’ll have some resistance in him, but not much. He needs to find a way out of this hold quickly.



Marcus pushes up and tries to get to the ropes, but MDE keeps sinking lower and Marcus can’t make too much ground towards them. Marcus then tries to force his other leg up and he connects with a few mule kicks towards MDE, catching him once in the chest but missing two others. He pushes up with one final kick which catches MDE in the nose, and MDE instinctively loosens his grip, one hand going to the nose and allowing Marcus to scramble to the ropes. MDE releases the hold and turns to Marcus, a trickle of blood coming from his nose and a flash of anger in his eyes. He reaches down and pulls Marcus up, driving a knee into his gut and pulling him in for a gutwrench. He drops him over his knee and then takes him down with a gutwrench suplex. MDE floats over and lifts Marcus onto his shoulders to complete the Triple Gutwrench, but Marcus drives a few elbows into the top of MDE’s head and drops down behind him.



As he lands, Marcus’ knee gives out and he falls to the mat. MDE turns but Marcus rolls through to the outside and takes a moment to catch his breath. MDE steps through the ropes and Marcus grabs him by the leg and pulls him off the apron. MDE lands hard on the floor and Marcus grabs the middle rope, leaping up onto the apron and coming off with a moonsault onto MDE. The fans cheer loudly as Marcus rolls away and uses the guardrail to pull himself to his feet. He stands for a moment and looks down as MDE pushes up to all-fours before grabbing him by the back of singlet and tossing him into the ring.



MW: This could be Marcus’ time to find a way to win.

SD: Somehow he’s still standing but I have no idea how!

MW: MDE is a man that Marcus Allen Jones does not want to lose to. I’d also add that we’ve passed the twenty-minute mark again.

SD: There’s no way that leg last another ten minutes.

MW: I don’t think so either, but it’s always worth pointing out. Surely it won’t be two draws in a row for Marcus Allen Jones?



Marcus hoists himself up onto the apron and then climbs up the turnbuckles, taking his time with each step and grimacing every time he has to push up on his left leg. He looks down but has to try to quickly adjust as he sees MDE getting to his feet. Marcus looks to set himself, only for MDE to get onto the ropes and pull him down into a top-rope belly-to-belly. Marcus tries to land on his feet, but his left leg folds underneath him and he lands awkwardly. MDE rolls over to him and hooks the injured leg for a cover.



One…

Two…

Thr-



The fans cheer as Marcus barely forces his shoulder off the mat. MDE stares daggers at the official, and then he pushes himself up and stares down at Marcus. He shakes his head, looks out at Dasha Banks and signals for the end of the match. She stares back, concern etched all over her face as MDE pulls Marcus up into a vertical suplex position. He holds him up but, just as he looks to pull him down, Marcus manages to twist his way out of MDE’s grip and he lands behind MDE, grabbing his singlet to keep himself on his feet. He frantically reaches for MDE’s wrist and traps it, ripcording him and leaping up to connect with Six Stars. MDE collapses to the mat and Marcus falls on top of him.



One…

Two…

Three.



Winner: Marcus Allen Jones (23:18).



Dasha Banks joins the fans in leaping out of her seat as the official’s hand comes down a third time. A loud cheer goes around the arena and Marcus rolls off MDE, one arm raised above his head and the other already going to his knee.



MW: Marcus did it!

SD: I have no idea how he survived that match, let alone won it!

MW: Marcus Allen Jones moves onto three points, but what has he given up to do it?

SD: Only time will tell. His next match will be fascinating as he takes on Johnny California on Saturday.

MW: Will his knee have time to heal by then?

SD: It depends on how much damage is done. Remember Botiatus last year? His arm was damn near torn off by Graham Baker in his first match of the tournament. He pushes through and won the match, but his performances drastically dropped off as the tournament went on because he could barely use the arm. Maybe Marcus will suffer something similar or maybe he’ll manage to get through it. We’ll see how he fares.



Marcus stands, all of his weight on his right leg, and the official raises his arm. His face is a mixture of pride and agony as he limps over to the ropes, stepping up with his right leg onto the middle rope and forcing himself up, raising his arms and thanking the fans as the show goes off the air.

[Jim Houston]

“The Free-1… the biggest opportunity for any Freedom Pro Wrestling star. The Free-1 epitomises what Freedom Pro Wrestling is all about. Opportunity. The opportunity to earn the right to challenge for FPW Championship in the biggest match of the FPW year. The opportunity to showcase your skills in front of a huge audience. The opportunity to be noticed. Free-1 I… a man who was known as a hardcore icon stepped up to show his toughness, his skill, his potential. And he became FPW Champion. Free-1 II… an underdog on the rise picking up the biggest wins of his career to show who he could truly become. And he became FPW Champion. Free-1 III… the biggest yet. Sixteen wrestlers in two blocks of eight. Two winners facing off on August 31st to earn the biggest opportunity of their careers. But all sixteen will have an opportunity. An opportunity to make a name. An opportunity to showcase their true ability. For in the Free-1, each entrant controls their own destiny, their own narrative and their own future. Welcome to Free-1 III.”



MW: Welcome back one and all to Free-1 III. We’re into the second round of matches and these blocks are shaping up to be just as exciting as we expected.

SD: Absolutely. We’ve seen some amazing matches so far- Jerry Bishop versus Bobby O, Botiatus versus Berry Bishop and two matches from Marcus Allen Jones- one against Jace Mason and the other last night with MDE. Tonight’s two matches prove just as intriguing as it’s Queendom night!

MW: We do have two members of The Queendom in action tonight. Artemis Evans faces Botiatus later on but first up is Thea Donovan, who faces one of the favourites for the A Block- Aaron Williams.

SD: The A Block has been pretty much going to form so far. All four winners were largely expected on Saturday and Kincaid was a big favourite last night against Jackson Banks. He now tops the block but Aaron Williams could well join him if the trend goes on tonight.

MW: Do you expect it to?

SD: We all know I’m a big Queendom-stan, but Aaron Williams, for all his faults, should win this match. Thea Donovan will test him I’m sure, but it looks like we’ll see Williams and Kincaid facing one another with neither man having a blemish on their record.

MW: What can Thea Donovan do to avoid a loss?

SD: Play the numbers game. I’m sure she’ll have Myra Lopez with her. Aaron Williams has been very focussed on this tournament, but there’s a chance he could be put off his game if Lopez can get involved like she did against Kincaid.

MW: Will Aaron Williams just look to wrestle his normal match tonight?

SD: I’d expect so. There’s no book on Thea Donovan and she doesn’t have obvious weaknesses. Williams will look to keep things at a fast pace and he’ll expect to do enough to pick up the two points tonight.

MW: Someone else with no obvious weaknesses is of course Dasha Banks. Let’s get to her now.



“Ladies and gentlemen, the following contest is an A Block match with a thirty-minute time-limit. Introducing first, currently in sixth place with no points, representing The Queendom and being accompanied to the ring by Myra Lopez, from San Diego, California, ‘The Black Queen’, Thea Donovan.



‘Checkmate’ rings out around the arena as a black queen appears on the screen. ‘Hammer to Fall’ begins to play and Myra Lopez steps through the curtain, pointing back to the curtain as Thea Donovan steps through. The fans boo and Donovan sprays out a volley of abuse to them. Lopez eyes her and follows behind her down the ramp, Donovan continuing to give back to the fans. As she reaches the ring, she climbs through the ropes and moves over to the turnbuckles. Just like Artemis Evans, she steps up onto the middle rope and extends her arms, dropping her head back as the fans continue to boo her.



“And her opponent, currently in third place in the block with two points courtesy of a victory over Danica Jane, from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, ‘A Plus’… Aaron Williams!”



After a short pause as the fans chant ‘Aa-ron Will-iams’, ‘I Still Believe’ kicks in and the fans sing along loudly. Williams comes straight through the curtain to a loud cheer and he leads the song from the stage, moving from one side to the other and pumping up the volume. He makes his way down the ramp, still singing along loudly, and slapping hands on both sides of the aisle. He reaches the bottom of the ramp and moves around the ring, continuing to slap hands until he gets to a young fan, for whom he pulls out a marker. The fan writes ‘A Block= Williams. B Block = Mason’ and Williams takes off his t-shirt and hands it to the fan before sliding into the ring. He shakes hands with Dasha and the official before settling in the corner.



A Block: Thea Donovan (0) vs. Aaron Williams (2):



The official calls for the bell and Williams and Donovan come forward into a lock-up. Williams grabs a headlock and takes Donovan over. She quickly gets her legs up into a headscissors and Williams kicks himself free. The two scramble to their feet and Williams runs at Donovan, who steps aside. He hits the ropes and comes back at her, but she takes him down with a shoulder block. Williams quickly kips up and hits the ropes again. He ducks an attempted clothesline from Donovan and follows through, hitting the ropes and coming back with a shoulder block of his own, taking Donovan to the mat. Donovan quickly rolls away and drops out of the ring, Lopez coming around to her side and the two of them speaking as the fans boo.



Williams hits the ropes and looks ready to dive onto them both, but they quickly step aside and he grabs the middle rope to stop himself, only for Donovan to unleash a hard slap which sends him reeling. She slides quickly back into the ring and pulls Williams in for a short-arm lariat, following up immediately with a leg drop and hooking the leg for a cover.



One-



Williams kicks out. Donovan stands and pulls him up, hooking an arm over his head and lifting him into a suplex position, but Williams twists his way free and pulls Donovan down with a reverse DDT.



MW: Nice counter from Williams.

SD: I like the resourcefulness from Thea Donovan so far. She got out of the ring when she needed to and took advantage of a mistake from Williams. She giving him something to think about.



Williams sits Donovan up and backs into the ropes before connecting with a running knee strike. He then hits the ropes and performs a forward roll before following through into a splash. He hooks the leg.



One…

Two-



Donovan kicks out. Williams lifts her to her feet and sends her into the corner, looking to come in with a big splash, but Donovan grabs the official and Williams just pulls out, the fans booing as Donovan shoves the official at Williams. He catches him and sets him aside before Donovan connects with a superkick to the gut before pulling Williams up for a vertical suplex, which she delays, holding him up for a few moments before driving him into the mat. Donovan rolls aside and pushes herself up, stalking Williams as he climbs to his feet. She grabs him and pulls him up onto her shoulders, delivering a Death Valley driver. Donovan looks down at Williams and waits for him to sit up before she backs into the ropes and comes back at him with a hard penalty kick before making a cover.



One…

Tw-



Williams kicks out. Donovan wastes no time in pulling him to his feet and forcing him back into the corner. She lifts a leg and chokes him as the official moves in, giving her a count. She releases Williams but quickly pulls him into position and connects with a fisherman’s suplex, holding for a cover.



One…

Two…

T-



Williams kicks out again.



MW: Thea Donovan making some inroads here.

SD: She’s impressing me. She’s had control of this match for some time now and Aaron Williams doesn’t seem to have many answers.

MW: He may have a few if he were willing to sink to her level.

SD: Sink to her level? How dare you.



Donovan reaches down and pulls Williams to his feet before hooking an arm over his head and looking for a lifting DDT, but Williams drops back down and forces Donovan into the corner. He connects with a couple of mid-kicks before sending her back across the ring. Williams builds up a head of steam and connects with a big splash, before charging away and coming back with another, the fans cheering loudly as he connects with another and another and one more before Donovan drops down to a seated position.



Williams backs away and the fans cheer in anticipation as he runs towards Donovan, but Lopez reaches in and pulls her away before he can connect with the cannonball. The fans boo loudly as The Queendom get up to more of their usual antics, and Williams, his hands on his hips, stares down at them.



MW: This is ridiculous.

SD: This is what happens when you’ve got someone at ringside for you. I said she needs to play the numbers game and that’s just what she’s doing.

MW: But pulling someone out of the ring? It’s too much.

SD: It’s good strategy. It’s only too much when the official throws her out.

MW: And maybe he should.



The official orders Donovan back in, and Williams stands back to give her the room. Donovan steps up onto the apron and slowly comes through the ropes, Williams staying back as she comes back into the ring. He then comes forward, but a shout from Lopez distracts him and Donovan lands a hard slap once again before Donovan drives a knee into Williams’ gut and hits the ropes, coming at him with a running boot before making a cover.



One…

Two…

Th-



Williams kicks out. Donovan stands and lifts him up, hooking her arm over his head again and looking for the lifting DDT, but again Williams manages to counter, dropping down and connecting with a Northern Lights suplex. He rolls away and pushes himself up to his feet, frustration on his face, before taking Donovan down with a mid-kick and then another. As she stands a third time, he sends her into the corner and follows up with a big splash. He charges away and comes in with another, the fans cheering just as they did before, and it takes two more splashes before she drops to a seated position. Williams then backs away, but quickly changes course, charging at the ropes and diving through, taking Lopez out with a suicide dive before heading straight back into the ring and connecting with a cannonball.



MW: Brilliant from Aaron Williams!

SD: Myra Lopez is not in this match-

MW: Come on, Stephen.

SD: Don’t you ‘come on’ me!

MW: Erm…

SD: Yeah you heard.



Williams climbs up to the top rope and Donovan rolls out of the corner and he comes off with a swan-ton bomb. He holds for the cover.



One…

Two…

Th-



Donovan kicks out. Williams, however, doesn’t waste any time, lifting her up and setting her in a powerbomb position, pulling her onto his shoulders before connecting with a powerbomb backbreaker. He makes another cover.



One…

Two…

Thr-



Again Donovan just kicks out. Williams stands and looks around the arena as the fans cheer loudly for him. He reaches down and pulls Donovan back up again, hooking an arm over her and pulling her up in to a vertical suplex position, only for Donovan to twist and drop down. Williams turns and she aims a superkick at him, but he catches it and spins her around, catching her with a discus lariat. Williams turns to find Myra Lopez up on the apron and he takes her down with a mid-kick before Donovan reaches up and pulls him into a schoolboy roll-up, grabbing the tights.



One…

Two…

Thr-



Williams just escapes. The two scramble to their feet and Donovan catches Williams with a superkick to the gut, this time pulling him in for the lifting DDT and making another cover.



One…

Two…

Th-



Williams barely kicks out again. Donovan rolls away as Williams lies flat on his back, an ‘Aa-ron Will-iams’ chant echoing around the arena.



MW: This is a big moment in the course of this match.

SD: Whoever makes it to their feet first will surely have a big advantage.



Williams rolls towards the ropes to get to his feet, but Donovan makes it just before he can. She pulls him away from the ropes and kicks him hard in the gut before backing into the ropes and landing a hard knee to the side of his head. He reels away and she moves in and scoops him up before planting him with a Michinoku driver. Donovan then steps through the ropes and climbs up to the top. She looks down at Williams before coming down with a big leg drop, hooking his leg for a cover.



One…

Two…

Thr-



Williams gets a shoulder up and Donovan turns to the official and throws her arms out. He confirms that it was just two. Donovan stands and reaches down for Williams. She drags him up and shoves his head between her legs, lifting him onto her shoulders. She sets him into position for the Firebomb, but he wriggles his legs and drops down behind her, connecting with a hook kick to send her staggering. Williams grabs Donovan and pulls her into position for a vertical suplex, lifting her quickly and dropping her with a brainbuster over his knee. He rolls into a cover.



One…

Two…

Thr-



Donovan barely gets her shoulder up this time. Williams stands and looks out to the fans before reaching down and pulling Donovan up. He hooks her arms and lifts her for A Triple Plus, but Myra Lopez get onto the apron and he’s distracted for a moment, allowing Donovan to free her arms and drop down. Lopez tries to step through the ropes and the official moves quickly to stop her, giving Donovan the chance to land a hard low blow to Williams. He doubles over and, before he can drop to the mat, Donovan sets him in position and lifts him up, connecting with the Firebomb. She drops into a cover, hooking the leg.



One…

Two..

Three.



Winner: Thea Donovan (16:12).



MW: No way!

SD: What a victory.

MW: What a way to cheat to win.

SD: Watson, if I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a million times, it’s not cheating. It’s taking advantage of a situation.

MW: Come on. Aaron Williams had this match won and Myra Lopez had to get involved-

SD: Aaron Williams attacker her first.

MW: To stop her from getting involved in the match again. Did you not see that low blow?

SD: All I know is that the official didn’t see it and that’s all that matters. Thea Donovan pulls off the biggest win of her career!

MW: And it’s the first big shock of the A Block- probably the biggest shock of the tournament so far. Aaron Williams’ quest to win the Free-1 has suffered a serious set-back tonight.

SD: And Thea Donovan’s quest has just got started.



Lopez and Donovan stand in the ring, arms raised, as the fans boo loudly. As Aaron Williams sits up, they climb back out again, Williams staring at them in disbelief. He shakes his head as they head back up the ramp, Donovan exchanging words with fans on her way to the back.



MW: Thea Donovan started the night just as The Queendom will have hoped. Can Artemis Evans make it a Queendom one-two?

SD: I’m going to say she can. I’ve heard a lot in past few days about Artemis Evans cheating and needing help to win matches. Let me just run off a few things from her resume. Artemis Evans has the highest win percentage of any active FPW wrestler at 66.7%. Artemis Evans has won the Women’s Championship, the Dead Man’s Chest and the FPW Championship. Artemis Evans is legitimately one of the best wrestlers FPW has, and with the added motivation of proving all of her doubters wrong, she is going to take a lot of stopping in this block.

MW: She does have an impressive resume for sure, but to counter that, she won the Women’s Championship after another woman’s move. She won the Dead Man’s Chest after Marcus Allen Jones sacrificed himself to stop Jack Sevren from winning it. She won the FPW Championship after Jace Mason had gone through a gruelling battle with the man she’s about to face tonight, and she retained it against him because of Queendom interference. There are asterixis next to all of her achievements in FPW.

SD: Asterixes or not, I can count on the fingers of one hand the people in FPW who have anywhere near the resume that Evans does. Marcus Allen Jones has. Graham Baker has. Jace Mason maybe. I don’t think Jerry Bishop has yet. That’s two- maybe three- people. At that level, asterixis don’t matter. Evans has certainly achieved more in FPW than Botiatus has.

MW: Botiatus has been Freedom Champion- and a good one- and is a current Tag Team Champion and All Star Tag Team Classic winner. This match hasn’t had much publicity compared to others in this block, but this one of the biggest matches FPW has to offer, isn’t it, Steven?

SD: Yes. And it’s a perfect chance for Artemis Evans to showcase just how good she is. By the end of this one, Evans will have four points and Botiatus will be on zero and will need a miracle to catch her.

MW: Well let’s get straight to this one and let’s start with our miracle, Dasha Banks.



“Ladies and gentlemen, the following is a B Block match with a thirty-minute time-limit. Introducing first, sitting in seventh place in the block with zero points, from The Bay Area, California, this is Botiatus!”



The fans cheer as the lights go down and the screen displays the foot of wide stone steps. The shot pans up to show more steps and then the now-familiar Roman pillars in front of the villa. As the song really kicks in, the light flash back on and villa melts into ‘THE HOUSE OF BOTIATUS’. Bo emerges into the arena and walks straight down the ramp, blowing kisses out to the fans and slapping a few hands. He walks around the side of the ring and hops up onto the apron before climbing onto the turnbuckle, kneeling on the ringpost and pointing down to Watson and Deville. The lights cut out and a single spotlight shines down on Bo, who stands in his signature pose. As the lights come back on, he drops down and settles in one corner, his face looking focussed as he prepares for Evans’ arrival.



“And his opponent, sitting in third place in the block with two points thanks to a win over Russ Bolt, from Manchester, England, ‘The Glory Huntress’… Artemis Evans!”



Fans boo as the word ‘Checkmate’ rings out around the arena. ‘Hammer to Fall’ begins to play and Evans walks through the curtain, smirking at the crowd as they continue to boo. She spreads her arms and tilts her head back as pyro explodes around her before walking down the ramp, trash talking the fans and disparaging Bolt on her way. She reaches the bottom of the ramp and moves around to the side of the ring, climbing onto the apron. She jumps over the top rope and moves across the ring, climbing to the second turnbuckle and tilting her head back, extending her arms again as the fans continue to boo her loudly.



B Block: Botiatus (0) vs. Artemis Evans (2):



The official calls for the bell and Botiatus comes forward quickly, Evans hanging back and looking him up and down. He calls her forward and she slowly moves in, the two eyeing one another carefully before locking up. Bo forces Evans back a few steps before she digs in and pushes him back to the middle of the ring. Bo looks to snap into a headlock but Evans takes his wrist and pulls it into a hammerlock. He twists himself free but Evans kicks him in the gut and locks in a headlock of her own, taking him over and pushing up with her hips to apply more pressure.



Bo tries to get his legs up for the head scissors, but Evans releases her grip before he can and she drops a knee down across Bo’s chest. He grabs his ribs and rolls away, Evans stomping hard on the ribs before pulling Bo up and whipping him across the ring. She catches him with a knee to the gut and then backs up, looking for an axe kick, but Bo lifts his head and he drops Evans with a hard forearm. He backs into the ropes and charges at Evans, aiming a knee strike as she sits up, but she ducks under it and pushes to her feet. Botiatus hits the ropes and comes back at her, taking her down with a powerful shoulder block.



MW: Impressive power shown by Botiatus there.

SD: He has the power advantage, but Evans showed her technical advantage earlier.



Bo reaches down and pulls Evans to her feet, forcing her into the corner. He lands a right hand and then grabs the wrist, pulling her out of the corner and wringing the arm, dropping into an arm stunner. Evans reels backwards into the ropes and Bo follows up with a running knee to the gut. Evans drops to a knee and Bo connects with a snap DDT. He rolls her over for the cover.



One…

Two-



Evans kicks out. Bo sits her up and backs into the ropes before coming back with a sliding forearm. Evans rolls away from Bo, who moves over to her and lifts her up, Evans catching him with a forearm to the gut before getting to her feet and driving a couple of knees up into his ribs. He backs away and she jumps up into a hurricanrana, taking Bo to the mat. Evans stands and shakes off the shots she’s taken to the head before stalking Bo. He pushes up and turns as she catches him with a kick to the gut, pulling him in for an inverted STO. She rolls him over for a cover.



One…

Two-



This time Bo kicks out.



MW: Both of them now with near-falls.

SD: Artemis Evans seems to be targeting Bo’s ribs. I haven’t seen a weakness there before, but she may have seen something worth targeting.

MW: How does it feel to wrestle with sore ribs?

SD: It’s horrible. A leg injury or an arm injury might hurt more, but a rib injury takes away your chance to breathe. It’s very difficult to recover from bad ribs and it’s very hard to keep going with a rib injury like you can with an arm or a leg.



Evans pushes up on her hands and drives a knee down into the ribs again before lifting Bo to his feet and forcing him into the corner. She drives a knee into the gut again and pushes Bo up onto the top rope. She follows him, landing a forearm to the face before hooking his arms and looking for an avalanche butterfly suplex. Bo, however, manages to counter, freeing his arms and driving a forearm into the gut before a straight right hand drops Evans back into the ring. She lands on her feet but staggers back a couple of steps as Bo comes down with a missile dropkick.



Bo lies on the mat for a moment before kipping up, the fans cheering for him as he stalks Evans. She start to pull herself up and Bo comes in and connects with a facebreaker knee smash. Evans reels backwards into the ropes and Bo sends her over the top rope with a clothesline, but she remains on the apron rather than dropping to the floor. Bo then backs away and waits for Evans to get to her feet before charging at her and looking for a sliding elbow drop. Evans, however, leaps over him and somersaults into the ring, rolling through and hitting the ropes, coming back at Bo with a low dropkick to the back.



MW: An impressive counter from Artemis Evans.

SD: She’s clearly scouted Botiatus. That sliding elbow sets him up for those knee strikes, and they aren’t something you want to be on the end of.



Evans stands and pulls Bo up, delivering a couple of rising knees into the ribs before sending him across the ring and taking him down with a spinning wheel kick. Evans pulls him up to his knees and hooks an arm over his head, dropping him with her own snap DDT. She rolls Bo over onto his back and then climbs up to the top rope, extending her arms to take in the boos before leaping down for the moonsault, but Bo just manages to get his knees up, and Evans bounces off and rolls away. The fans cheer as Bo rolls away towards the ropes and catches his breath before pushing up to his feet and moving over to Evans, who is also pushing herself up.



He connects with a right hand before hooking an arm over her and lifting her into a vertical suplex, twisting as he drives her down into the mat. Bo stands and steps through the ropes, stalking Evans as she scrambles up. As she turns, he leaps onto the top rope and comes down with a springboard blockbuster, rolling into a cover.



One…

Two…

Th-



Evans manages to kick out. Bo pulls her up and hooks an arm over her again, this time lifting her and dropping her over the top rope before hitting the adjacent ropes and coming back with a knee to send her dropping down onto the apron. Bo then hangs back as Evans groggily stands before coming in with a sliding elbow drop, which doubles Evans over. Bo pulls her through the ropes and delivers rising knee strikes the fans counting along as he reaches nine hard knees before backing into the ropes and delivering another running knee for the tenth. Evans flops down through the ropes and Bo makes the cover.



One…

Two…

Thr-



Evans just gets a shoulder up.



MW: That was close!

SD: Bo has targeted the head just like Evans has targeted the ribs. He’s very good at zeroing in on that head with his knees and forearms. I wouldn’t like to be on the end of those knees.

MW: And now he looks ready to bring this match to a close.



Bo lifts Evans up and pulls her onto his shoulder. He moves over towards the turnbuckles, but Evans drives a fist down into his ribs and digs it in, causing a grunt of pain and giving her the chance to drop down from his shoulder. Evans shoves Bo into the turnbuckles and follows in with a hard forearm to the ribs. She pulls Bo out of the corner and lands a knee to the gut, backing away and this time connecting with the axe kick, dropping into a cover.



One…

Two…

T-



Bo kicks out. Evans brushes her hair back and stands, pulling Bo with her before sending him into the corner. She follows him in with a running forearm and allows him to stagger out of the corner. She then charges past him, hitting the ropes and coming back with a silver bullet knee strike. Bo collapses to the mat and Evans steps up the ropes onto the top before coming down with a moonsault, which this time connects. She holds for a cover.



One…

Two…

Thr-



Bo barely kicks out. Evans stands, staggers a step, and then stands and stalks Bo. He lethargically pushes his way to his feet and Evans grabs his head to trap him for the Guillotine Strike, but he manages to twist free and catch her from behind with an inverted headlock backbreaker. Evans drops to her knees and Bo hits the ropes, connecting with a shotgun dropkick to send Evans rolling back onto the apron. Bo follows, stepping through the ropes and grabbing her around the head, looking for another snap DDT, but Evans manages to push up and drive Bo back into the ringpost. He drops down off the apron and holds his ribs as Evans drops back into the ring.



MW: A chance for each to catch their breath for a moment.

SD: I wouldn’t be letting my opponent catch their breath right now. Both of these two are going to hurting by this point. Get on top of them and get the two points.



Bo, seeing Evans still down in the ring, forces himself back up onto the apron. He watches as she stands and turns, leaping up and going for a second springboard blockbuster, only for Evans to catch him with a cutter! She rolls into a cover.



One…

Two…

Thr-



Bo just manages to get a shoulder up again. Evans pushes up to her knees and then stands, stalking Bo for a second time. He gradually makes his way to his feet and Evans pulls him into position for the Guillotine Strike for a second time, but Bo manages to counter, standing and pulling Evans up onto his shoulder before moving over to the corner and dropping her with snake eyes. She staggers out of the corner and Bo hits the ropes, looking for House Call, but Evans drops under him as he charges and catches him in the ribs with a hard right hand. He drops to his knees and Evans sits herself up onto the middle rope. As Bo struggles to get back to his feet, she leaps off and into a Canadian destroyer. Instead of making the cover, Evans stands and pulls Bo into position before delivering a Guillotine Strike. She makes the cover, holding up two fingers.



One…

Two…

Three.



Winner: Artemis Evans (17:17).



MW: A huge win for Artemis Evans!

SD: And did she have to cheat to do it?

MW: No-

SD: And did she have help?

MW: No-

SD: There. Artemis Evans proves her value and her ability once again. Evans is one of the best in FPW and this block is now hers.

MW: She does indeed take the lead in the block and it’s a lead I’m sure she’ll want to hold onto.



Evans stands and has her arm raised, slowly moving over to the corner and stepping up onto the middle rope. She extends her arms and calls to the fans, “Mason. I took your title and now I’ll take your Free-1.”



MW: And that match is next for Artemis Evans on Monday.

SD: She has a long time to prepare for this match. It could be one of the best Free-1 matches we’re going to see.

MW: Especially if Mason manages to defeat Berry Bishop tomorrow. It would have major ramifications at the top of the block, which is currently held by that woman there.

SD: Tomorrow Berry Bishop could join her, but this block is currently in her hands.

MW: Tomorrow we do have Mason and Berry as well as Jerry Bishop and Danica Jane.

SD: Today was a Queendom day and tomorrow is a Bishop day. The Free-1 is starting to really heat up!

[Jim Houston]

“The Free-1… the biggest opportunity for any Freedom Pro Wrestling star. The Free-1 epitomises what Freedom Pro Wrestling is all about. Opportunity. The opportunity to earn the right to challenge for FPW Championship in the biggest match of the FPW year. The opportunity to showcase your skills in front of a huge audience. The opportunity to be noticed. Free-1 I… a man who was known as a hardcore icon stepped up to show his toughness, his skill, his potential. And he became FPW Champion. Free-1 II… an underdog on the rise picking up the biggest wins of his career to show who he could truly become. And he became FPW Champion. Free-1 III… the biggest yet. Sixteen wrestlers in two blocks of eight. Two winners facing off on August 31st to earn the biggest opportunity of their careers. But all sixteen will have an opportunity. An opportunity to make a name. An opportunity to showcase their true ability. For in the Free-1, each entrant controls their own destiny, their own narrative and their own future. Welcome to Free-1 III.”



MW: Welcome back to Free-1 III. We’re half-way through the second round of matches and we have a big night of action for you tonight.

SD: Our FPW Champion is in action and our B Block match-up sees Jace Mason facing Berry Bishop, somewhat of a bogey opponent for him.

MW: That match has a lot of promise but let’s focus on the A Block first. Last night we saw Thea Donovan pick up her first win, meaning that Kincaid maintains his grip on top spot with four points. Can Jerry Bishop join him tonight?

SD: Yes. He can and he will. Danica Jane gave Aaron Williams a bit of a challenge but she won’t be a challenge to Jerry Bishop. I think this will be a standard Jerry victory.

MW: What can Danica Jane do to-



‘Rise’ interrupts Mike Watson and there is a noticeable sigh in the crowd as Clutch McCloud steps out onto the stage, dressed in a suit with the Freedom Championship over his shoulder. The crowd boos loudly as Clutch walks down the ramp and around the ring.



MW: It looks like we’re going to be joined once again by Clutch McCloud for this match.

SD: Oh good. More preaching about how this tournament promotes… whatever he thinks.



Clutch takes a headset and sits down.



CM: It promotes senseless man-on-woman violence and should be stopped. You know that just as well as I do, Steven.

MW: Clutch, you came out here during Danica’s first Free-1 match and she didn’t seem too happy to see you.

CM: I gave her a chance to do the right thing. I gave her a chance to stand on the right side of history on this. When people look back at these barbaric times, where television shows and wrestling companies actively encourage men to indulge their worst fantasies and brutally attack the women they’re supposed to love, they’ll see me standing alone against a sea of enablers and abusers. Danica Jane should be standing alongside me and she should add a women’s voice to mine. In these times of activism and awareness, I cannot believe that I stand alone.

SD: Maybe she wants to prove to you that she can stand in the ring with the men?

CM: I’ve said it again and again. I know she could beat up most men. That has never been my point. My point is that by putting her again a man, it gives men all around the world the idea that they can hit women, brutalise women, and that it’s ok. Jim Houston and FPW have blood on their hands. Blood of women like my mother. And I have had enough.

MW: Well, with that being said, this match is going to take place. Danica Jane has looked to distance herself from you in recent months. How do you think she’ll feel about you being out here?

CM: My hope is that she’ll have reflected on her behaviour and will choose to stand alongside me in condemnation of this appalling decision which FPW has continuously stood behind.

MW: Well, let’s join a woman who never makes appalling decisions-

CM: Other than willingly announcing matches which promote man-on-woman violence, you mean?

MW: Dasha Banks.



“Ladies and gentlemen, the following contest is an A Block match with a thirty-minute time-limit. Introducing first, sitting in sixth place in the block with zero points, from Los Angeles, California… Danica Jane!”



‘This Fire Burns’ plays and Danica Jane emerges onto the stage. She looks down at Clutch and sighs before making her way down the ramp, slapping hands with fans on her way. The fans give her a fairly warm reception, although there’s a sense of deflated inevitability around the arena as she enters. Danica reaches ringside and Clutch stands, inviting her over to the announce table, but she hops up onto the apron and flips over the rope into the ring, shaking her head at Clutch as she climbs onto the middle rope and calls for the fans to get behind her. A quiet ‘Da-ni-ca. Da-ni-ca’ chant starts up, but it soon turns to boos as Thalia Columbina emerges onto the ramp.



“And her opponent, THE soon-to-be leader of the A Block, THE man soon to have fourteen points, THE man soon to have beaten Bobby O, Danica Jane, The Silent Assassin, Jackson Banks, Thea Donovan, Kincaid and Aaron Williams, THE greatest man ever to come out of Kanas City, Missouri, THE current and greatest ever FPW Champion, THE single most exciting, engaging and enticing figure in all of professional sports, THE Joker… Jerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrryyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy Bishooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooop!”



‘Shine My Shoes’ plays and Jerry Bishop walks out alongside Thalia, bowing deeply to her as a ‘Fuck You, Jerry’ chant goes round the arena. He stands and looks out at the fans, laughing loudly before almost skipping down the ramp and conducting the chant. He reaches the ring and walks all the way around to the announce table, where he bows to Clutch McCloud, who regards him with suspicion, before he steps up the stairs and climbs up onto the middle rope, holding the FPW Championship aloft and looking down at Danica in the ring. She looks up at him warily and he lets out another booming laugh as the chant still goes on. Jerry drops down and hands his title to the official as he prepares for the start of the match.



A Block: Jerry Bishop (2) vs. Danica Jane (0):



The bell rings and Danica and Jerry regard one another across the ring for a few moments, Danica swallowing hard as Jerry gives her a twisted smile. The ‘Fuck You, Jerry’ chant picks up again and Jerry suddenly explodes into a sidestep, conducting the chant as he steps around the ring, Danica trying to keep up with him and circling. Jerry completes a couple of circuits of the ring before stopping just as suddenly as he started, bursting out into a booming laugh. Danica regards him nervously and he calls her forward.



She slowly steps forward to lock up but Jerry moves aside and Danica steps past him. She turns and Jerry lets out another laugh before calling her forward again. She comes in again but Jerry steps aside a second time, laughing again as Danica looks back at him, the fans booing loudly.



MW: Jerry Bishop is playing with Danica Jane here.

SD: Like a cat with a mouse.

CM: This is sickening. He’s torturing her. Once again a man holding all the power and using it to intimidate a woman.

SD: He’s exploiting her nerves. She’s visibly nervous and Jerry is using that to his advantage. The more games he plays, the more nervous she’ll get.

CM: This is a man who locks holds in on his sister for pleasure. He’s sickening. He shouldn’t be allowed near the women on this roster, let alone be in a ring with them.

MW: For once we agree.

SD: Oh come on. Jerry Bishop is our FPW Champion and he’s a genius. Trust me, this match is going just the way he wants it to.



Danica moves in a little quicker than before and Jerry seizes his chance, catching her off-balance with a rolling elbow. She drops to the mat and he pulls her up, trapping her arms and looking to drop her with Last Laugh, but Danica manages to wriggle free. She backs away into the ropes as Jerry just stares at her, another smile coming across his face. The fans boos start to be overtaken by a ‘Da-ni-ca, Da-ni-ca’ chant, and she looks around the arena, visibly growing in confidence.



CM: And now these fans are showing that they’re just as complicit in this as anyone else. Disgraceful.

MW: I think they’re just trying to give her some confidence, Clutch.

CM: They’re trying to make her think she can take part in this charade. They’re actively encouraging man-on-woman violence and each of them should hang their head in shame.



Danica comes forward and her and Jerry lock up. Jerry locks in a headlock but Danica quickly backs him into the ropes, shoving him off. He comes back at her with a running clothesline, but she cartwheels underneath it and, as he comes back at her, she takes him down with a clothesline. The fans cheer loudly and, as Jerry springs back to his feet, she connects with a step-up enzeguiri. Jerry staggers back into the corner and Danica follows him in, looking for a running knee, but Jerry catches her and shoves her back into the middle of the ring. As she comes back at him, he rolls under her outstretched arm and hits the ropes, taking Danica down with a leaping forearm. The cheers are cut off as Danica hits the mat.



Jerry stands and looks down at her, and then at Clutch, who stares back disgustedly. Jerry pulls her to a seated position and locks in a chinlock, his eyes staring at Clutch, almost daring him to get involved. As Clutch stands, Jerry releases Danica and backs away into the ropes, coming back with a low dropkick. Danica rolls towards the edge of the ring and Clutch looks on with concern. Jerry looks out at him again and laughs as the official gives Clutch a warning look. Jerry moves over to Danica and rolls her out of the ring with his foot. Danica lands on the floor in front of Clutch, who looks down at her for a moment.



MW: Jerry Bishop seems to be taunting Clutch McCloud more than Danica Jane at the moment.

SD: He does. I think I can see his reasoning, and I think I can see that it might work, but he might be better off just wrestling.

MW: Are you criticising the great Jerry Bishop?

SD: Not criticising as such… just suggesting.



Jerry steps through the ropes and drops down, his eyes on Clutch as he lifts Danica up. He holds her out in front of him before dropping her with a Russian leg sweep. Jerry sits up and looks at Clutch, whose face is plastered with anger by this point. Jerry lets out a loud laugh and the official quickly leaves the ring, telling Clutch to stay back. Jerry argues, telling Clutch to come forward and not listen to the official, telling him to come and stop Jerry from encouraging such senseless violence, but Clutch manages to hold himself back and he sits back down.



Jerry shakes his head and turns back to Danica, who catches him with a forearm and then a Pele kick. Jerry staggers back and the fans cheer as Danica grabs him and rolls him back into the ring. She settles herself on the apron and stalks Jerry before leaping up and coming down with a springboard knee strike. Jerry drops to the mat and Danica scrambles into a cover, hooking both legs.



One…

Two…

T-



Jerry kicks out, much to the fans’ annoyance. Danica stands and backs away, stalking Jerry as he gets to his feet. She looks for Lights Out, but Jerry ducks under it and pulls her into a running bulldog. He stands and looks down at Danica before pulling her up, trapping her head and walking up the ropes into a tornado DDT. He rolls her over and makes a cover of his own.



One…

Two…

Th-



Danica manages to kick out.



MW: Danica Jane giving Jerry something to worry about, but it’s the FPW Champion back in charge now.

SD: He knows that he can win this match whenever he wants to.

MW: I wouldn’t go that far.

SD: He’s having fun.

CM: It’s sickening.

SD: It’s the approach of a man who is so confident that he’s not trying to reduce his match time in case he needs a tie-breaker.



Jerry stands and steps through the ropes. He stalks Danica as she pushes up before looking for a slingshot DDT, only for Danica to hold him up and somehow switch her position, trapping Jerry into a Kimura lock! Jerry cries out before grabbing the rope and Danica is forced to break her grip. Instead, she takes Jerry down with a snapmare and hits the ropes, aiming a shining wizard but Jerry drops down and quickly gets to his feet. Danica catches the rope and Jerry stares at her, his face no longer playful.



MW: Jerry Bishop’s mood has suddenly changed, here.

SD: A snapmare followed by a leg strike like that? That’s Jerry’s move.

MW: A lot of people-

SD: He’s not going to let Danica Jane steal a move from him. I don’t think he’d consider her worthy of one of his trademarked moves.

CM: As if it’s up to him what Danica Jane does. More toxic-

MW: Aren’t you trying to stop her from wrestling against men?

CM: That’s completely different. I won’t even dignify that.



Danica holds back as Jerry continues to stare at her before he bursts into an even louder laugh than before. She comes forward and he quickly snaps into action, taking her down with a snapmare before hitting the ropes, laughing all the while, and connecting with a penalty kick. He follows through, hitting the ropes again, and connects with another as she sits up. He repeats the move twice more, the laugh barely being heard among the boos of the fans. He then turns to Clutch and stares directly into his eyes as he drops down and traps Danica in the Chelsea Smile. She resists for a few moments before tapping out.



Winner: Jerry Bishop (13:30).



The official tries to get Jerry to release the hold but he keeps it locked in, his eyes staring directly at Clutch again. Clutch rips off his headset and stands, moving towards the ring. Jerry keeps the hold locked in until Clutch slides in, at which point he releases Danica and goes face to face with Clutch. The two exchange a few words before Danica pushes herself up and gets between them.



“I don’t need you to protect me,” she yells at Clutch, who turns and looks at her. “Just stay away. I’ve made my choice.”



Clutch backs away and Jerry lets out another loud laugh. Danica turns to him and shakes her head, a painful expression on her face as she turns it too sharply. She steps through the ropes and walks back up the ramp, Clutch following, as Jerry holds up the FPW Championship to a loud cacophony of boos.



MW: Well that was… quite the different match.

SD: It may have been different to normal, but Jerry Bishop got the win to put him level on four points with Kincaid at the top of the A Block.

MW: So let’s refocus on the B Block. We’ve currently got Artemis Evans sat on the top of the block with four points and Marcus Allen Jones with three. Jace Mason could go level with Marcus or Berry Bishop could go level with Evans after this match.

SD: This is a match we’ve seen several times before. Berry Bishop beat Jace Mason for the Freedom Championship before the Free-1 last year after pinning him in the All Star Tag Team Classic. She also beat him in the Free-1 , leading to Mason seeing her as a bit of a bogey opponent. This match is very important for him as he tries to prove to himself that he’s still one of the best in FPW, and Berry is possibly the last opponent he’d have wanted to face.

MW: What is it about Berry that seems to cause Jace so many problems?

SD: I’m not sure. Berry is a very sudden wrestler. She can hit that Checkmate from anywhere and it’ll put anyone out for the count. Maybe that’s what it is. Or maybe it’s simply a lack of fire from Mason. Berry isn’t an easy person to find that aggressive streak against unless you innately have it, and I think that might be an issue for Jace.

MW: He was visibly more intense than we’ve seen in some time against Marcus. Do you think he’ll be able to carry that across given the determination that he seems to have to prove himself at the moment?

SD: Maybe. I think he will show it but I think it’s a fairly new thing for Jace to feel like this. He’ll be wary of losing his self-control.

MW: And what can Berry do in this match? She picked up a great win over her tag team partner in the first match of the block and will be looking to back it up and show that she’s a genuine contender for this block. Is it a case of do what she normally does against Mason?

SD: I doubt she’ll be thinking that way. She’ll have seen his match with Marcus and she’ll have picked out a few points. Jace Mason is quite different to the last time they faced one another, and she’ll have to adapt her style a little because of that. I think she needs to keep pretty much to what she’s used to, but to be aware of the strikes that Mason has worked on and look for the chance to catch him cold with Checkmate. If she does that, she wins. It’s as a simple as that.

MW: Let’s get to someone who’s not at all simple. Dasha, take it away.



“The following contest is a B Block match with a thirty-minute time-limit. Introducing first, in fourth place in the block with two points after a win over Botiatus, from New Haven, Connecticut, ‘The Bombshell’… Berry Bishop!”



‘The Entertainer’ begins to play and Berry comes through the curtain to a loud cheer. She drops into an exaggerated bow at the top of the ramp and plays along to the music as she stands and looks out at the crowd. She rearranges her Tag Team Championship at her waist before hopscotching down the ramp. She reaches the bottom of the ramp and slaps a few hands before playing the ring apron and somersaulting over the rope, landing with a bow and a wink before she stands and embraces Dasha Banks, who already has the mic covered after last time out. The music dies down and a ‘Be-rry Bi-shop’ chant breaks out. Berry bobs along to it and Dasha laughs.



“And her opponent… in fifth place in the block with one point courtesy of a draw with Marcus Allen Jones, from Seattle, Washington, ‘The Eternal Student’… Jace Mason!”



The introduction to ‘Afterlife’ begins to play and the anticipation of the fans again builds. As the intro ends, Jace Mason steps forward in his usual pose, pyro exploding and the fans cheering loudly. Mason looks out at the crowd and nods before making his way down the ramp, slapping hands with the fans. He scans the crowd and his gaze stops on a couple of young fans in Berry Bishop t-shirts, before he mutters a couple of words to himself and continues on to the ring. He walks along the apron to the turnbuckles and steps up onto the top and middle turnbuckles, raising his right fist and holding the pose for moment before dropping into the ring.



B Block: Berry Bishop (2) vs. Jace Mason (1):



The bell rings and Berry steps forward and offers Jace a hand. He moves forward and shakes it, the two of them giving one another a nod before locking up. Mason quickly locks in a headlock and tries to take Berry over, but she blocks him and hooks an arm over his head, looking for a kind of dragon sleeper, which Mason twists out of, taking Berry’s wrist and wringing her arm. Berry rolls to ease the pressure and wrings Mason’s arm instead. She kicks out his leg and drops him to the mat, landing another kick to the ribs before Mason rolls through and breaks Berry’s grip, landing a hard chop to send her staggering backwards.



Mason moves in and grabs her wrist, sending her across the ring and aiming a spinning gut kick, which Berry catches, spinning Mason around and aiming a roundhouse kick at him. He ducks it and leaps onto the middle rope, looking for a disaster kick, which Berry ducks under and leaps onto the middle rope, looking for her own disaster kick, which Mason ducks. Berry stands and looks at Jace, who quickly moves in and lands another hard chop, following her as she reels backwards and landing another, whipping her across the ring into the corner and following in, connecting with a running back elbow to leave Berry collapsed in the corner.



MW: An aggressive start from Jace Mason.

SD: We’ve seen both of them show their knowledge of the other’s offence with a lot of counters, but Mason does seem the more aggressive. How many times would that exchange have ended with the two of them staring at each other?

MW: These fans have gone a little quieter since Mason moved in for that chop. Is he risking some fan support with this new-found aggression?

SD: I doubt it. The fans love Jace Mason because they’ve seen him grow from a rookie to being one of the best. I’m sure they’ll accept a slightly more aggressive Mason and, if they don’t, it won’t matter as long as it works.



Mason moves away into the opposite corner and runs at Berry, looking to drive his knee into her face, but she reaches up and pulls herself up to her feet before leapfrogging Mason. As he turns, she connects with a thrust kick to his gut and brings her foot down into an axe kick before backing away and connecting with a low dropkick. Berry makes a cover.



One…

Tw-



Mason kicks out. Berry stands and lands a couple of kicks to Mason’s back as he sits up. He pushes through and stands, only for Berry to land a spinning kick to the gut and take Mason down with a running bulldog. She stands and stalks him, waiting for him to push himself to his feet. He turns and she pulls him in, looking for an exploder suplex, only for Mason to land a hard elbow to the side of her head and to take her down with a snapmare. Mason hits the ropes and comes back with a penalty kick to Berry, falling into a cover.



One…

Two…

Thre-



Berry just gets a shoulder up.



MW: What happened there?

SD: It’s almost as if Berry froze!

MW: Well that move is of course the Touchstone Takedown. She has bad memories of that move.

SD: And they almost cost her this match.



Mason stands and reaches down to pull Berry up, but she gets a foot up and catches him in the top of the head. He staggers back and Berry quickly gets up to her feet, shaking her head after freezing up. Mason moves in towards her and she takes him down with an arm drag. He gets to his feet and Berry feigns going for another, leading Mason to halt himself, only for Berry to sweep his legs instead. Mason sits up and Berry lands a hard kick to the chest. Mason drops down and Berry backs up, waiting for him to sit up again and running at him, connecting with a shining wizard. She makes the cover.



One…

Two…

Th-



Mason kicks out. Berry stands and sits Mason up, aiming another kick at his chest and connecting with a hard thud. Mason looks up at her and the two lock eyes for a moment. Berry aims another kick and Mason absorbs it before pushing himself up. He stares Berry down and offers his chest again. She steps back and connects with a mid-kick, which Mason absorbs, before he responds with a hard chop which sends Berry staggering backwards. Mason roars out to the fans, who cheer loudly at his display of intensity, and he catches Berry with another chop before taking her down with an STO.



MW: I guess that answers our question about whether or not Mason can bring the aggression against Berry.

SD: When you’re getting kicked like that, it hurts, yes, but it frustrates you. Mason showed that frustration and he used it to get back on top in this match.



Mason rolls away and takes a moment to recover from the pain of the kicks. He stalks Berry as she pushes up to her feet and he hooks her arm and pulls her in, lifting her into an Irish curse backbreaker. He pulls her up straight away and traps her wrist in a hammerlock before connecting hard with a hammerlock lariat. Berry folds in half and Mason makes the cover.



One…

Two…

T-



Berry kicks out. Mason quickly pulls her up to her feet and hooks an arm over her head. He pulls her up and brings her down into a falcon arrow. Mason rolls backwards and moves over to the corner, stepping through the ropes and climbing up to the top. He looks down at Berry before coming off the top rope with a shooting star press and holding for the cover.



One…

Two…

Thr-



Berry gets a shoulder up. Mason pushes up on his knees and sits Berry up, pushing onto his feet and pulling her with him before whipping her into the ropes and setting up to catch her with Extra Credit. Berry, however, catches the top rope and waits for Mason to move in towards her before catching him with a roundhouse kick. Mason staggers and then drops to his knees, Berry catching him hard with a buzzsaw kick. Mason flops to the mat and Berry rolls him over, making the cover.



One…

Two…

Th-



Mason gets a shoulder up.



MW: That must have been painful.

SD: A kick like that will really take it out of you. It won’t often end the match, but it might shorten it.



Berry pushes herself up and she stalks Mason, coiling herself. The fans stand in anticipation as Mason slowly gets himself to his feet. He turns and Berry unleashes Checkmate, but Mason barely manages to duck. As Berry’s foot comes down, Mason catches her and hoists her onto his shoulders, bringing her down with an ushigaroshi. He drops down to the mat for a moment and a duelling ‘Be-rry Bi-shop’, ‘Let’s Go Mason’ chant goes up and echoes around the arena.



Both Mason and Berry start to stir, Mason pulling himself up on the ropes and Berry pushing up towards the middle of the ring. They each reach their feet and they turn towards one another, Mason moving in quickly and aiming a chop at Berry. She catches the chop and lands a kick to the thigh before taking Mason down with an exploder suplex. Mason tries to scramble quickly to his feet, but he has to drop down to a knee again, his head swimming. Berry springs up onto the middle rope and comes down with a disaster kick before pushing up and stalking Mason again.



He pulls himself up on the ropes and staggers towards Berry, who unleashes Checkmate again, only for Mason to duck under it and follow through towards the ropes, leaping onto the middle and connecting with his own disaster kick. Berry staggers backwards into the ropes and comes back at Mason, who connects with a spinning gut kick, kicks out her leg and hits a low dropkick. Berry rolls over and lies on her back as Mason steps through the ropes and climbs back up to the top rope. He pauses for a moment before coming down with a shooting star press again, only for Berry to somehow catch him and counter into a monkey flip!



MW: I’ve never seen that before!

SD: What a counter. Was that a bit of Bishop magic?

MW: It may have been. It was impressive whatever it was.

SD: And now Berry looks to have an advantage. That took a lot out of Jace Mason.



Berry pushes herself to her feet, the crowd pulsating after her surprising counter. She reaches down and pulls Mason up, throwing him into the ropes and looking to catch him with the Berry Buster, only for Mason to counter into a DDT. Mason rolls away as the fans cheer another impressive counter. He forces himself to his feet and reaches for Berry, pulling her up too. He connects with a hard chop to the chest and Berry staggers back into the corner. Mason backs away and waits for Berry to step out of the corner, running at her and connecting with a shotgun dropkick to send her back into the turnbuckles. She drops down to a seated position and Mason stands, pushing back into the opposite corner and coming in with a hard knee to the head.



Mason catches his breath before pulling Berry out of the corner and lifting her to her feet. He lands another chop before sending her across the ring and catching her into Extra Credit, only for Berry to land more elbows and free herself from Mason’s grip. He staggers away and she brings up her foot for Checkmate, which he somehow twists out of the way of. He and Berry each drop to a knee and they stare at one another across the ring for a moment.



MW: It’s like they know each other so well that they can’t bring this match to an end.

SD: We’ve seen so many attempts at Extra Credit and Checkmate be countered in this match. I don’t know how they’ll ever connect with one.



They each get to their feet and come together, Mason landing a chop to Berry which sends her back a step, and Berry responding with a hard leg kick. Mason connects with another chop and Berry hits another kick as the two pick up the pace of their exchange, the crowd cheering as they continue to lay into one another. Berry seems to get the better of the exchange, landing the final leg kick before landing a kick to the other leg which sends Mason to his knees. She connects with a kick to the chest and then steps back to connect with another buzzsaw kick, only for Mason to duck down and push through, stepping up and hitting the ropes, coming back at Berry and catching her by surprise with a superman punch.



MW: That must be Mason’s Hammer!

SD: Mason’s what?

MW: He mentioned a new move. Mason’s Hammer. And he’s covering Berry. One………. Two……… Three!



Winner: Jace Mason (18:52).



Mason rolls off Berry and raises an arm to the ceiling as the fans stand and applaud both of them for their efforts.



MW: A huge victory for Jace Mason.

SD: He couldn’t win with what he knew, so he went to something different. That… what was it? Mason’s Hammer? That looked to knock Berry out cold!

MW: And Jace Mason picks up his first win of the Free-1 and joins the man he drew with on three points, just one behind his next opponent Artemis Evans.

SD: What a match that promises to be.



Mason looks across at Berry, who sits up, a dazed look on her face. He moves unsteadily over to her and reaches a hand down to help her up. Berry takes his hand and stands, and the two of them shake hands, Berry giving Mason a nod and stepping back, applauding him before she steps through the ropes and out of the ring.



MW: We can celebrate Jace Mason, but let’s also recognise Berry’s efforts. She matched up with one of the best we have and proved that she belongs in that conversation too. She may only have two points so far, but I think she’ll pick up a fair few more.

SD: She fought hard, but she seems to be off her game after Mason caught her with that penalty kick. She has to make sure she’s psychologically right for her next match.

MW: I think you may be being a little harsh there. Berry is of course back in action in two days’ time against Russ Bolt as she looks to get back on track, while Mason won’t be in action until Monday against Artemis Evans. Tomorrow we bring you another appearance from The Silent Assassin as he takes on Bobby O on the A Block while Johnny California will look to get his second win out of two matches as he faces Russ Bolt. We’ll see you tomorrow!

[Jim Houston]

“The Free-1… the biggest opportunity for any Freedom Pro Wrestling star. The Free-1 epitomises what Freedom Pro Wrestling is all about. Opportunity. The opportunity to earn the right to challenge for FPW Championship in the biggest match of the FPW year. The opportunity to showcase your skills in front of a huge audience. The opportunity to be noticed. Free-1 I… a man who was known as a hardcore icon stepped up to show his toughness, his skill, his potential. And he became FPW Champion. Free-1 II… an underdog on the rise picking up the biggest wins of his career to show who he could truly become. And he became FPW Champion. Free-1 III… the biggest yet. Sixteen wrestlers in two blocks of eight. Two winners facing off on August 31st to earn the biggest opportunity of their careers. But all sixteen will have an opportunity. An opportunity to make a name. An opportunity to showcase their true ability. For in the Free-1, each entrant controls their own destiny, their own narrative and their own future. Welcome to Free-1 III.”



MW: Welcome back to Free-1 III! Tonight we round off the second round of matches and we have two intriguing contests for you.

SD: Two matches tonight where the winner could join those at the top of their block or could tighten things up just behind the block leader.

MW: Starting with the A Block, we have Bobby O, who lost his first match in an excellent effort against Jerry Bishop, facing off against The Silent Assassin, who had a big win over Jackson Banks to become the first A Block leader. What do you expect from this match?

SD: I’m not sure. With all due respect to Jackson Banks, The Silent Assassin is stepping up massively in quality tonight. We know how good Bobby O is and we know how much he’ll be eager to put the record right tonight. Whether or not The Silent Assassin can take advantage of that desperation, I don’t know, but I think this match will be far more of a chance for us to assess The Silent Assassin’s potential than his match with Jackson Banks.

MW: You mentioned that Bobby will be desperate to win this match. We saw some of his well-known temper rear its head in the match with Jerry as well as his Freedom Championship match with Clutch. Will that play into this match?

SD: I’m not sure. Bobby tends to be more affected by his bad temper when he’s facing people he has a history with. He certainly doesn’t have history with The Silent Assassin, so I think he should be able to maintain control. A loss tonight, however, and he’ll find himself four points off the pace with only ten more for him to pick up. That could send him into a tailspin.

MW: And The Silent Assassin? How will he look to approach this one?

SD: I don’t know. If it were me, I’d be playing the mind games and trying to activate that temper, but I don’t know The Silent Assassin well enough to judge how he in particular will approach this match. It’ll be fascinating to watch.

MW: And here’s someone else who’s fascinating-

SD: I need to stop setting you up for these. What is it about the Free-1 that brings this out in you?

MW: ….. it’s Dasha Banks.



“Ladies and gentlemen, the following contest is an A Block match with a thirty-minute time-limit. Introducing first, in seventh place in the block with zero points, accompanied to the ring by CJ Holmes, from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, ‘Mr. FPW’… Bobby O!”



‘This Means War’ begins and the fans begin their cheers, building as the intro plays. As the music pauses, Bobby steps out onto the stage with his usual jacket and looks around the arena. He has a look of grim determination on his face and he turns to CJ, who gives him a nod. He pops his collar and then marches down the ramp, hands held out to fans along the way, before climbing the steps and entering the ring. He moves to one side of the ring and grabs the top rope, leaning over it and pointing out some people in the crowd, his usual smile replaced by an intense look of focus. He steps down from the bottom rope and settles back in the corner, waiting for The Silent Assassin.



“And his opponent, in third place in the block with two points courtesy of a victory over Jackson Banks, from Santa Cruz, Mexico, he is… The Silent Assassin!”



The lights go out and a low thunderous rumble fills the arena. ‘Run’ begins to play and the stage fills up with smoke. The hush around the arena is palpable as The Silent Assassin emerges among the smoke and stares down at Bobby in the ring. He begins his walk down the ramp at a deliberate pace, his eyes remaining on Bobby, who stares resolutely back at him. He reaches the ring and circles it, keeping his eyes on Bobby, who looks down and says, “You can’t intimidate me.” The Silent Assassin then steps up onto the apron and climbs the turnbuckle, a red spotlight shining down as he spreads his arms before dropping down into the ring. He stares down Bobby, raising an arm slowly and pointing a finger gun at him, firing the gun just as the line ‘Run’ plays. More red spotlights come down and move wildly around the arena before the song quickly cuts off, as do the lights, leaving the arena momentarily black before the lights come back up and the fans clap in appreciation of the spectacle.



A Block: The Silent Assassin (2) vs. Bobby O (0):



The bell rings and the two men stare at one another across the ring for a moment before coming forward. They pounce into a powerful lock-up, neither man gaining much of an advantage before they break it off and The Silent Assassin stares at Bobby. They come together again and The Silent Assassin drives Bobby back a couple of steps before Bobby digs his heels in and pushes back again, gaining some ground before the two break off the lock-up again. Bobby slaps his chest a couple of times and calls The Silent Assassin forward again. The two lock-up for a third-time and, after a brief period of jockeying, The Silent Assassin drives Bobby back into the corner and the official comes in to separate the two. The Silent Assassin releases his grip and slowly backs away cleanly, tossing hair back as he and Bobby exchange another stare.



A loud ‘Let’s Go, Bobby’ chant is met with a much quieter ‘A-ssa-ssin’ refrain as the two men circle one another before coming into another collar and elbow tie-up. Bobby looks to lock in a headlock but The Silent Assassin shoves him off fairly quickly and runs him down from behind with a big boot. The Silent Assassin pulls Bobby up and throws him into the corner, following him in with a running European uppercut. Bobby staggers out for a couple of steps and The Silent Assassin hits the ropes, looking for a Killshot, which Bobby manages to duck. Bobby hits the ropes himself and comes back with a clothesline, taking The Silent Assassin down as Bobby roars to the fans.



MW: That was a fairly tentative start but Bobby may have just taken it up a gear there.

SD: They’re feeling each other out. Bobby knows very little about The Silent Assassin and he needs to avoid making too much of a mistake early-on.



The Silent Assassin sits up as Bobby is roaring to the fans and he stares up at him, pushing up to his feet and beckoning Bobby to try the same thing again. Bobby hits the ropes and aims another running clothesline at him, but The Silent Assassin blocks it with an axe handle, spinning Bobby round. He catches him from behind with a blue thunder bomb and makes the cover.



One…

Two-



Bobby kicks out. The Silent Assassin pulls him up and connects with a European uppercut before pulling him in and sending him across the ring with an overhead belly-to-belly. Bobby lands hard and rolls towards the corner, where The Silent Assassin grips the top rope and climbs up, coming down with a Vader bomb and holding for another cover.



One…

Two…

T-



Bobby kicks out. CJ bangs the mat and yells encouragement to Bobby as The Silent Assassin tosses his hair back again and reaches down to pull Bobby up. He drags him to his feet and sends him across into the ropes, looking for another big boot, but Bobby ducks it and follows through into the ropes, looking for another running clothesline, but The Silent Assassin ducks that and crosses to the adjacent ropes, taking Bobby down with a running big boot when they meet in the middle of the ring.



MW: Ooof.

SD: I have to say, I’ve been very impressed by The Silent Assassin. He dominated Jackson Banks and he’s doing the same to Bobby O.

MW: He wrestles the match at a very deliberate pace, doesn’t he?

SD: He keeps things at his own pace. I think that’s something I’d try again him: if you can up the pace, maybe he won’t be able to keep up.



The Silent Assassin pulls Bobby up again and clubs him across the back before positioning himself behind him and pulling him into a German suplex. He looks down at Bobby and presses his foot down lightly on his throat before reaching down and pulling him up. He hooks an arm over his head and hoists him up, dropping him over the top rope as he looks for Silencer, but Bobby catches the rope and drops down, pulling The Silent Assassin’s throat over the top rope and sending him reeling backwards. Bobby quickly slides back into the ring and looks to take advantage, taking him down with a belly-to-back suplex.



Bobby pushes up to his feet and stalks The Silent Assassin as he too stands. Bobby catches him with a series of jabs and forces him back into the corner, whipping him across the ring into the opposite corner and following him in with a running dropkick. The Silent Assassin staggers and Bobby heads back to the corner before coming in again with a second running dropkick. The Silent Assassin drops to a knee and Bobby lands a straight right hand before backing away and connecting with a superkick. The Silent Assassin slides down to the mat and Bobby rolls him over and makes the cover.



One…

Two…

Thr-



The Silent Assassin kicks out. Bobby pushes himself up and grabs The Silent Assassin, pulling him with him before lifting him onto his shoulders. He pushes The Silent Assassin off for the fireman’s carry stunner, but The Silent Assassin blocks it, shoving Bobby away. As Bobby turns, The Silent Assassin takes him down with another big boot and staggers a couple of steps to rest on the ropes for a moment after Bobby’s earlier onslaught.



MW: The Silent Assassin catching a breather.

SD: After those head shots from Bobby, I can see why.

MW: Would he be better getting Bobby up and taking control of him?

SD: Perhaps. It depends on how his head feels. If it’s bad enough that he needs to clear it, he may as well do it.



The Silent Assassin stalks Bobby as he stands and he moves in and connects with a spinebuster. The Silent Assassin then rolls under the bottom rope and stalks Bobby again, waiting for him to get to his feet. As Bobby stands, The Silent Assassin leaps into a springboard knee strike, rolling through and hitting the ropes, coming back to the original ropes and completing the Double Tap with a shining wizard. He covers Bobby.



One…

Two…

Thr-



Bobby barely forces his shoulder off the canvas. The Silent Assassin flicks his hair back again and stands, reaching down to pull Bobby up. He drives him back into the corner and lands a couple of European uppercuts before lifting Bobby up onto the top rope. He follows him and connects with another European uppercut before hooking his arms around Bobby’s waist and connecting with a top-rope belly to belly. Bobby lands hard and rolls over to the ropes. CJ hurries over to him and reaches out for him, but The Silent Assassin rolls him back into the middle of the ring and makes a cover.



One…

Two…

Thr-



Again Bobby just manages to kick out.



MW: This is still very impressive from The Silent Assassin.

SD: Bobby just hasn’t been able to get into this match. I can see a few areas like the pace of the match and maybe trying to test his technical ability, but there aren’t many chinks in the armour of The Silent Assassin.



The Silent Assassin again pulls Bobby up, Bobby dropping back to a knee when The Silent Assassin’s grip slip momentarily. The Silent Assassin pulls him all the way and hooks an arm over him, looking to lift him for Killshot again, but Bobby drops his hips and refuses to be lifted. The Silent Assassin clubs him across the back a couple of times and tries to lift him again, but Bobby manages to counter into a DDT. The Silent Assassin rolls away and Bobby lies flat on his back as a ‘Bo-bby, Bo-bby’ chant goes around the arena, CJ banging the apron along with it.



The two men both pull themselves to their feet, The Silent Assassin moving over to Bobby and aiming a European uppercut, but Bobby catches it and brings him down into a backslide.



One…

Two-



The Silent Assassin frees himself but Bobby gets to his feet first, landing a couple of jabs and then whipping The Silent Assassin into the ropes, taking him down with a powerslam. As The Silent Assassin tries to get back to his feet quickly, Bobby runs at him and takes him down with a curbstomp. He rolls him into a cover.



One…

Two…

Th-



The Silent Assassin kicks out. Bobby, a burst of energy coursing through him, pulls The Silent Assassin up and forces him into the corner. He heaves him up onto the top rope and follows, draping an arm over The Silent Assassin and looing for a superplex. However, The Silent Assassin grabs hold of the bottom rope and refuses to be hoisted up. Bobby releases his grip and lands a jab, to which The Silent Assassin replies with a European uppercut. The two exchange on the top rope, the fans cheering loudly as the exchange goes on, before Bobby gets the better of it, landing a jab and then draping his arm over The Silent Assassin, who immediately lifts Bobby and sends him back down to the mat with a uranage!



MW: That’s got to be it!

SD: What a counter! Brilliant from The Silent Assassin to make Bobby think he could get the superplex. He suckered him in perfectly.



The Silent Assassin drops down to the mat and covers Bobby.



One…

Two…

Thre-



Bobby manages to get a shoulder off the canvas, and the fans cheer for him, CJ letting out a long sigh of relief. The Silent Assassin stares down at Bobby before standing and pulling him up to his feet. He drapes an arm over Bobby and drops him over the top rope, looking for Silencer again, only for Bobby to twist free and avoid being driven into the mat. The Silent Assassin turns and Bobby shoves him back into the ropes before popping him up and connecting with a pop-up powerbomb. Bobby collapses into a cover.



One…

Two…

Thr-



The Silent Assassin just kicks out. Bobby holds a hand to his head before banging on the mat, CJ and the fans clapping along with him to help him back to his feet. He forces himself up and stalks The Silent Assassin, waiting for him to stand before leaping up and looking for an RKO. The Silent Assassin catches Bobby and looks for a belly-to-back suplex, only for Bobby to land on his feet. The Silent Assassin turns and Bobby drives him back into the corner, unleashing a flurry of strikes to his head and mid-section. The official pulls Bobby back and The Silent Assassin staggers out of the corner. Bobby leaps up and connects with an RKO, making a quick cover.



One…

Two…

Three.



Winner: Bobby O (18:01).



MW: Bobby gets the victory!

SD: A hard-fought victory it was. He won’t be able to say that he was in control of the match, but he got what he needed to get in the end- a win.

MW: And he picks up his first ever Free-1 points. Bobby now sits just behind Jerry Bishop and Kincaid at the top of the A Block, and joins The Silent Assassin, Thea Donovan and Aaron Williams on two points.



Bobby stands, staggers, and is met with a big embrace from CJ. She and the official raise his hand and he breathes heavily as he nods to the fans. The lights suddenly flicker off, and, when they come back on, The Silent Assassin is gone. Bobby shrugs his shoulders and climbs up to the top rope, calling out to the fans that he’s not finished yet. They cheer and applaud for him and he graciously accepts their attention.



MW: Well following that excellent contest we turn to the B Block where Artemis Evans currently leads by a point to Jace Mason and Marcus Allen Jones, although that could all change after this match, Steven.

SD: It certainly could. Russ Bolt comes into this one following a loss to Evans and with a match against Berry to come tomorrow. It’s a difficult spot and he’ll be facing an opponent flush with confidence.

MW: Johnny California didn’t exactly pull of a regulation victory over MDE in his first match, did he?

SD: No. He only performed one move after masterfully distracting the man who prepares for everything. He certainly wasn’t prepared for such a masterstroke from Johnny California, who comes into this match fresh against an opponent who has been told several times that he doesn’t belong in this tournament.

MW: What do you think? Does Russ Bolt belong in the Free-1?

SD: He won a qualifying match so in that regard he deserves to be here. However, I don’t know if he’s the calibre of wrestler who can win many matches against the best of FPW, who are all in this tournament and many of whom are in this block. I’ve said that this is a learning experience for Russ, and I think he has to see it that way.

MW: And what of Johnny California? He has two points and a very low match-time thanks to that win. He’s put himself in a good position.

SD: He has, although I’ll be interested to see what happens in an actual match. He didn’t pull up any trees as Matt Dwyer when he was first here, although he looks to have improved since then. If he wins this match and goes into his next match with Marcus Allen Jones on four points, I’ll be interested to see how he fares.

MW: Here’s someone we’re always interested to see: Dasha Banks!



“Ladies and gentlemen, the following contest is a B Block match with a thirty-minute time-limit. Introducing first, in sixth place in the block with zero points, from Miami, Florida, this is Russ ‘Thunder’ Bolt!”



‘Jumpman’ begins to play and Bolt walks through the curtain, his arms out to his sides, as the fans give him a moderately positive reaction. He dips to the sides and, as the song picks up, he motions as if he’s doing a fade away before cupping a hand to his ear. His fans get louder and Bolt yells out, “There it is!” before making his way down the ramp and slapping a few hands. He reaches the ring and slides in, giving Dasha and the official a nod before stepping up onto the top turnbuckle and pumping up the crowd a little more.



“And his opponent, currently in fourth place in the block with two points thanks to a victory over MDE, from The Gold Coast, Queendland, Australia, he wishes to be introduced as ‘The Influential, the Controversial and the Unforgettable’, ‘The Mould-Breaker’ and ‘The Man Behind the Mask’… this is Johnny California.”



‘Losing My Religion’ hits the speaks and the fans boo loudly. As the lyrics hit, California steps through the curtain, guitar resting on his shoulder, quietly singing along to himself. He looks around at the crowd as they continue to boo him, taking in the boos before making his way down the ramp. He stares straight ahead to the ring, continuing to sing along to the song and ignoring the fans as they boo him. He props his guitar against the steps and climbs onto the apron before stepping into the ring, singing along to himself as he wanders over to the corner. He adjusts his gear and rests against the ropes and, as the music fades out, he brings his eyes up to Russ Bolt, a look of focus on his face.



B Block: Russ Bolt (0) vs. Johnny California (2):



The official calls for the bell and Bolt comes forward quickly, but California holds up a hand.



“Whoa, whoa,” he tells Bolt, motioning for him to slow down. “Last time out here, these people didn’t seem to like me too much-“



Bolt comes forward and cuts off California by grabbing him in a headlock. California tries to resist but Bolt takes him down, grounding him and keeping the headlock locked in. The fans react positively, knowing they won’t have to listen to another Johnny California speech. Bolt maintains the headlock despite California’s resistance, but California finally manages to work a hand inside Bolt’s grip and forces his way out. He quickly scrambles to his feet and aims a kick at Bolt as he gets up, but Bolt catches the kick and spins California around, catching him with a hard lariat and making the cover.



One-



California is quick to kick out. Bolt takes the wrist as California gets to a knee and he wrings it before lifting California into a scoop slam. He drops an elbow onto California and locks in a headlock again. California quickly gets his legs up for a headscissors and Bolt kicks his way out, both men getting to their feet. Bolt aims another clothesline, but California ducks under it and hits the ropes, jumping up and connecting with a springboard roundhouse kick which drops Bolt to the mat. California waits for Bolt to get to his feet and he whips him into the corner, following him in and connecting with a step-up enzeguiri. Bolt staggers out again and California takes him down with a fameasser. He makes a cover.



One…

Two-



Bolt kicks out.



MW: California firmly in charge now.

SD: Russ Bolt looked to keep him grounded early on, and I’d say that’s a good approach for a lot of people, but Russ doesn’t have great technical skills either. I’m not sure he’s going to get as much of an advantage there as he’d like.



California stands and stomps Bolt repeatedly, the fans booing him. Bolt retreats towards the corner and California follows, connecting with a series of facewashes before backing away and hitting a running facewash. Bolt rolls out of the corner onto his hands and knees and California moves over to him and takes him down with a sanding double stomp to the back. He rolls Bolt over and makes another cover.



One…

Two…

T-



Bolt kicks out. California stands and pulls Bolt up this time. He hooks an arm over his head and jumps up, looking for a jumping DDT, only for Bolt to throws him off. California lands on his feet but Bolt comes in with a running clothesline and folds him in half. Bolt shakes off the shots to the head and turns, watching California push himself to his feet before pulling him in and connecting with a German suplex. California backs into the corner and Bolt steps back a couple of paces before coming in with a big splash. California staggers out and Bolt hits the ropes, coming back with a flying forearm to take him down. He makes his own cover.



One…

Two-



California kicks out.



MW: Much better from Russ Bolt.

SD: For most people, I’d suggest a slow pace against Johnny California, but a slow pace doesn’t suit Russ Bolt. He’s sped things up and it’s paying off for him. But he has to keep on top of California. Don’t give him room to breathe or to find a counter.



Bolt pulls California to his feet and sets him in position for a powerbomb, lifting him over his head. California, however, pushes up and drops down behind Bolt, who turns into a Pele kick. Bolt staggers back into the ropes and, as he comes back, Dwyer connects with a football kick to trip him. He taunts Bolt with a few little kicks to the head before allowing Bolt to get to one knee and backing into the ropes before taking him down with a running lariat. California makes another cover.



One…

Two…

Th-



Bolt kicks out again. California pulls Bolt to his feet and kicks him hard in the gut, hooking an arm over his head and jumping up for a jumping DDT again, but Bolt blocks it again, this time driving California back into the corner. He frees his head and lands a hard forearm before lifting California into position and dropping him with a hard Alabama slam. Bolt staggers a step or two before looking up to the top rope. He steps through the ropes and climbs up, pointing down at California before coming down with Thunderbolt, but California rolls out of the way.



MW: That would have won this match for Russ Bolt.

SD: Maybe so, but I don’t think he was ever going to hit it. California had too long to recover from not enough damage.

MW: Another example of Bolt’s lack of experience?

SD: Yes. Something else he’ll need to learn, which this tournament will help him to do.



Bolt rolls away in pain as California gets to his feet. He stalks Bolt as he pulls himself up on the ropes before backing away and coming at him with Last Kiss, only for Bolt to manage to catch him and somehow counter into a powerbomb. Bolt makes a cover.



One…

Two…

Th-



California gets a shoulder up. Bolt rolls away, flexing his arm where he came down from the elbow and pushing up to his feet. He turns to see California standing and he runs at him with a clothesline, but California performs a matrix escape. Bolt just stops himself before he gets to the ropes and he turns, only to be met with a dropkick by California. Bolt staggers and tumbles through the ropes and California looks to follow him with a suicide dive, but he pulls out at the last minute, much to the chagrin of the fans, who boo him.



Bolt hops back up onto the apron and California comes in quickly, landing a kick to the gut and doubling him over. California hits the ropes and charges at Bolt, leaping over the ropes and looking for a sunset flip powerbomb, but Bolt manages to catch the top rope and he blocks California from pulling him down. California drops his grip and staggers forward and Bolt turns, coming down with a diving forearm to take him down.



MW: Impressive innovation there from Bolt.

SD: But can he follow up. He needs to get Johnny California back in the ring and fast.



Bolt stands and pulls California up, rolling him under the bottom rope. He follows him in and pulls him to his feet, driving him into the corner and pushing him up onto the top rope. Bolt follows and lands a couple of forearms before turning and trying to set California up for From Downtown. He tries to lift him onto his back, but California resists, landing a couple of clubbing blows to the chest before catching Bolt with an elbow to the throat which sends him down into the ring. Bolt staggers away and holds the side of his neck before turning right into Last Kiss as California comes down with the knee from the top rope. California makes the cover.



One…

Two…

Three.



Winner: Johnny California (12:11).



California stands and the official raises his hand. The fans boo but California barely acknowledges them, dropping down and rolling under the ropes. He picks up his guitar and sings along to his music as he walks slowly back up the ramp.



MW: And now we’ve reached the end of the second round of matches with a win for Johnny California.

SD: A good, solid, unspectacular win. He would have expected to win this one and he did what he needed to do.

MW: What did you make of Russ Bolt in this match?

SD: A little better than he performed against Evans but still some way to go. He’s back in action tomorrow against Berry, so it’s a fast turnaround and he’ll be preparing for a totally different opponent. I’ll be interested to see how that match goes.

MW: Well we are two rounds in and the blocks are starting to shape up. With five more rounds to go, there’s a lot of wrestling still to happen, but let’s a take a look and get some thoughts. The A Block looks like this: Jerry Bishop and Kincaid each have four points, with Aaron Williams, The Silent Assassin, Bobby O and Thea Donovan on two and Danica Jane and Jackson Banks yet to get on the board. Is that roughly what you’d have expected at this point?

SD: Jerry yes. Kincaid will be happy to be where he is and Bobby and Aaron will be a little disappointed. Otherwise I’d say we’re about where you’d expect.

MW: The next round of matches in the A Block starts with Aaron Williams versus Kincaid tomorrow, followed by Jerry Bishop facing The Silent Assassin, Danica Jane versus Thea Donovan Bobby O rounding it off against Jackson Banks. What would you expect from those matches?

SD: The first two look very interesting to me. If Kincaid beats Aaron Williams and leaves him four points behind, Williams is in trouble. Jerry will be tested against The Silent Assassin for sure and Bobby will get the chance to add two more points in a match he ought to be winning. Thea Donovan could also make it to four points and keep pace. By the end of these matches, I think we’ll have sorted the contenders from the also-rans.

MW: And the B Block is just as interesting. Artemis Evans and Johnny California lead the way on four points, closely followed by Jace Mason and Marcus Allen Jones who have three each. On two points, we have Berry Bishop while Russ Bolt, Botiatus and MDE so far have none.

SD: People may be surprised with the two block leaders, but I’ve been impressed with them, especially Evans, who I’ve predicted to win this block all along. Botiatus and MDE will be looking to pick up their first points very quickly as they’ll both have aspirations to win the block, and Mason and Marcus will look to manage their workload after they’ve already clocked up some serious time in the ring.

MW: And for our next round of matches we have Berry Bishop versus Russ Bolt, Marcus Allen Jones facing Johnny California, Botiatus versus MDE and Jace Mason versus Artemis Evans. An intriguing set of matches given the circumstances.

SD: Indeed. Botiatus versus MDE is must-win for both. The loser of that match could be six points off the pace by the end of this round and essentially out of the running. I’m most interested in our two leaders facing off against the two chasing them. We could see Evans and California pull away into a big lead or Mason and Marcus really tighten things up at the top of the block. After this round, the block could be looking like a two-horse race or we could have a very close set of four, maybe even five people at the top.

MW: Free-1 III starting to get very interesting, so do not miss tomorrow’s action as we bring you Kincaid versus Aaron Williams and Berry Bishop versus Russ Bolt. We’ll see you tomorrow.

[Jim Houston]

“The Free-1… the biggest opportunity for any Freedom Pro Wrestling star. The Free-1 epitomises what Freedom Pro Wrestling is all about. Opportunity. The opportunity to earn the right to challenge for FPW Championship in the biggest match of the FPW year. The opportunity to showcase your skills in front of a huge audience. The opportunity to be noticed. Free-1 I… a man who was known as a hardcore icon stepped up to show his toughness, his skill, his potential. And he became FPW Champion. Free-1 II… an underdog on the rise picking up the biggest wins of his career to show who he could truly become. And he became FPW Champion. Free-1 III… the biggest yet. Sixteen wrestlers in two blocks of eight. Two winners facing off on August 31st to earn the biggest opportunity of their careers. But all sixteen will have an opportunity. An opportunity to make a name. An opportunity to showcase their true ability. For in the Free-1, each entrant controls their own destiny, their own narrative and their own future. Welcome to Free-1 III.”



MW: Hello one and all and welcome back to Free-1 III. Tonight our third round of block matches begins and we have two fascinating contests for you.

SD: We do indeed. In the A Block, we have two men with genuine ambitions to win the Free-1. One man looking to claw his way back into contention at the top of the block and the other looking to draw away. In the B Block, we have a woman who started with a big win and is looking to get back one track against an inexperienced man with a tough draw looking to find his first points.

MW: Let’s start with our first match. Kincaid is tied for the block lead with Jerry Bishop after wins over Thea Donovan and Jackson Banks. Two matches he’d have expected to win, but is this first big test going to see Kincaid cement his status as a possible block winner or will he fall to a man many expect to win the block?

SD: I think Kincaid has done well so far. Thea Donovan, I remind you, did defeat Aaron Williams, so a win over her is not to be sniffed at. Kincaid tougher matches are still to come, but he’s top of the block on merit. This match will be a big test for him, but I think the pressure is more on Williams than Kincaid if I’m honest.

MW: Aaron Williams has made no secret of his desire to win the Free-1 this year and he began with a regulation victory over Danica Jane but the loss to Thea Donovan will have set him back for sure.

SD: It will. He’d have been banking on the block coming down to him and Jerry or him and Bobby. He will have expected himself to match results with whichever of them was doing better. As it stands, he’s fallen behind Jerry already, and he knows that he can’t afford another loss or he’ll be reliant upon Jerry losing a match somewhere before they face one another.

MW: So the pressure is on in this match, but Aaron Williams is a man who can handle pressure.

SD: Is he? He’s had success elsewhere, but not since he left New York. He’s wrestled for the Freedom Championship and lost. He’s tried to become the number one contender for the FPW Championship and lost. He’s been in the semi-final of the number one contender tournament and lost. He’s been in the final of the All Star Tag Team Classic and lost. Aaron Williams has lost big matches over and over again in FPW. If Kincaid can really push him, it will be interesting to see if he can hold up under that pressure in this match.

MW: Well it’s time to find out. Over to a woman who always holds up under pressure… Dasha Banks!



“Ladies and gentlemen, the following contest is an A Block match with a thirty-minute time-limit. Introducing first, sat at the top of the block with four points from wins over Thea Donovan and Jackson Banks, from Bearing, Alberta, Canada… ‘The King of the North’… Kincaid!”



The lights dim as ‘Storm Eagle’ fills the arena. As the song kicks into life, Kincaid walks out onto the middle of the stage to a decent reception. He stares down at the ring and then out around the arena. Alyssa walks out and stands next to him, waving to the crowd and presenting him to the audience, many of whom continue to politely cheer. Kincaid makes his way down the ramp, his eyes still focussed on the ring as he holds out his arms to brush hands with fans. As he reaches the ring, hops up onto the apron and shares a few last words with Alyssa before raising his arms and slipping into the ring. He climbs up onto the middle rope and calls out to the fans, pointing to himself and promising victory before dropping down and stretching out.



“And his opponent, in fourth place in the block with two points thanks to a victory over Danica Jane, from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, ‘A Plus’… Aaron Williams!”



After a short pause to build the cheers from the fans, ‘I Still Believe’ kicks in and the fans sing along loudly. Williams comes straight through the curtain to a loud cheer and he leads the song from the stage, moving from one side to the other and pumping up the volume. He makes his way down the ramp, still singing along loudly, and slapping hands on both sides of the aisle. He reaches the bottom of the ramp and moves around the ring, continuing to slap hands until he gets to a young fan, for whom he pulls out a marker. The fan writes ‘1, Williams, 4 (47:17)’ and Williams takes off his t-shirt and hands it to the fan before sliding into the ring. He shakes hands with Dasha and the official before settling in the corner.



A Block: Kincaid (4) vs. Aaron Williams (2):



As the bell rings, a loud ‘Aa-ron Will-iams’ chant breaks out and Williams smiles. Kincaid looks around the arena and then at Williams, raising an eyebrow and nodding to himself before coming forward. He and Williams circle one another before locking-up. Kincaid forces Williams back a couple of steps before snapping into a headlock. He wrenches hard on the headlock and Williams drops to a knee. Kincaid releases his grip and takes a step away before aiming for a Big Fat Kill, which Williams barely manages to dodge, rolling aside and staring up at Kincaid, who holds his index finger and thumb close together and raises an eyebrow again.



Williams smiles and pushes up, the two of them locking up again. Williams takes the arm and wrings it, forcing Kincaid to a knee and landing a few kicks to the back. Kincaid drops down to all fours and Williams drops the arm before hitting the ropes and connecting with a low dropkick. Kincaid rolls over and Williams lifts him up, pulling him to his feet and landing another couple of kicks, these to the legs, before pushing Kincaid’s head between his legs and trapping his arms, lifting him for A Triple Plus. Kincaid thrashes and frees himself, dropping down and scrambling away as Williams repeats Kincaid’s gesture from earlier and the two share a smile.



MW: There’s some respect between these two, but you can see the rivalry there.

SD: Certainly. I know they’ve come across one another in the past and I know they’ve had some matches which a lot of fans speak highly of. They know what each other is about and they know what a win over the other means.



They come together again and lock up, but Kincaid ducks the lock up and locks Williams in a waist lock. Williams performs a standing switch and trips Kincaid, transitioning into a headlock and rolling Kincaid through before releasing his hold and jumping up into a knee drop. Kincaid’s hand goes to his head and Williams, having rolled through, comes back with a low dropkick to the side of the head. Williams reaches down and pulls Kincaid to his feet, sending him into the corner. Kincaid steps out and Williams sends him back in with a mid-kick. He then takes the wrist and whips him across the ring to the opposite corner, following him in with a high knee. Kincaid staggers out of the corner and Williams, having landed on the outside of the ring, leaps up and connects with a springboard bulldog. He rolls Kincaid over for a cover.



One…

Two-



Kincaid kicks out. Williams stands and pulls Kincaid with him, sending him into the corner and following him in with a big splash, but Kincaid pulls aside and Williams connects only with the turnbuckles. Williams staggers away and Kincaid hits the ropes and takes him down with a leaping forearm. Kincaid rolls through and takes a moment to recover before stalking Williams. As Williams stands, Kincaid grabs him by the leg and lifts him, bringing him down with a shinbreaker before sweeping his foot through in a head kick to take Williams off his feet. Kincaid then looks to grab the leg, but Williams kicks out at him with his right leg and forces him back.



Williams kips up and ducks a running clothesline from Kincaid. Kincaid follows through into the ropes and Williams aims a mid-kick at him as he comes back, but Kincaid catches the leg and takes Williams down with a dragon screw. He moves in and grips the leg again, kicking the inside of the knee before dropping a knee on it and manipulating the left leg. Williams grimaces and tries to force Kincaid away, but Kincaid absorbs his blows and continues to try to weaken the knee.



MW: Kincaid looking to follow his usual gameplan.

SD: Kincaid is known for targeting legs. Sometimes that’s a bad thing because opponents can be prepared for it, but against someone like Aaron Williams, there’s no reason to change tact. Weakening Williams’ legs will slow him down, and that’s important to do.



Kincaid drives his elbow into the side of the knee and Williams sits up in pain. He grimaces and tries to push Kincaid away but Kincaid maintains his position and continues to grind at Williams’ knee. Williams finally does manages to weaken his grip but Kincaid quickly switches position, looking for a heel hook. Williams kicks at him right his right leg and loosens his grip enough to manages to scramble backward into the ropes. Kincaid moves back in quickly and pulls Williams out by his left leg, looking to hook him into a half-crab, but Williams counters, managing to get his right leg underneath him and leaping up into an engeguiri.



Kincaid staggers back and Williams pushes up. Kincaid comes at Williams and takes his wrist, looking for a short-arm lariat, but Williams ducks it and switches so that he’s got the wrist, ripcording Kincaid and connecting with a mid-kick. He maintains his grip on the wrist and pulls Kincaid to his feet, landing a couple of forearms before whipping Kincaid into the corner. He follows him in with a big splash before charging into the opposite corner, the fans beginning to cheer as he connects with another. Williams runs into the opposite corner again, his movement slightly hampered this time, before coming in with another splash. Williams hooks Kincaid’s leg and drops him to a seated position before backing off and coming back in with a cannonball.



MW: Not the usual set-up, but the execution was as perfect as ever!

SD: Williams clearly realises that he can’t keep running at full pace with a damaged knee. I like the way he adapted a sequence that he’s been doing for years there.



Kincaid rolls out of the corner and Williams climbs up to the top rope, coming down with a swan-ton bomb. He holds for a cover.



One…

Two…

T-



Kincaid kicks out. Williams stands, flexing the knee a couple of times, before pulling Kincaid up with him. He sets him into position for a vertical suplex and pulls him up, but Kincaid twists and drops down behind Williams. Kincaid grabs Williams in a headlock and runs towards the ropes, connecting with a bulldog over the middle rope. Williams bounces back into the ring and Kincaid lands on his feet on the outside, smiling at Alyssa as she claps him loudly. He reaches into the ring and drags Williams over to the corner, wrapping his legs around the ringpost and locking him into a figure-four. Williams screams in pain and the official quickly comes out to begin his count, a number of fans booing Kincaid.



Kincaid releases his hold and Williams scrambles backwards, clutching at his knee in pain. Kincaid quickly slides back into the ring and takes the leg, looking to lock-in The Finishing Touch. Williams fights against it, kicking out at him with his right leg and forcing him back a step. Williams quickly gets to his feet but Kincaid cuts him off with a dropkick to the knee and Williams drops to the mat again. Kincaid backs off and comes in with a Big Fat Kill, Williams dropping to the mat and Kincaid rolling him into a cover.



One…

Two…

Thr-



Williams just manages to get a shoulder up.



MW: That superkick is deadly.

SD: Kincaid has his sights set on victory now. He’s weakened the knee and now he’s got a big shot in to scramble Williams’ brain. This could be the beginning of the end of the match and of Aaron Williams’ Free-1 hopes.



Kincaid stands and pulls Williams with him. He scoops him onto his shoulders, looking for The Red River Crossing, but Williams elbows his way down and drops back again, staggering back a step as he lands on his left leg. Kincaid turns and Williams leaps into a dropkick, taking Kincaid down but also doing Williams some damage. Williams does manage to scramble to his feet, pumping up the fans on his way before grabbing Kincaid as he begins to stand and draping an arm over him, lifting him for a vertical suplex and dropping him over the top rope. Williams backs into the corner and pushes himself up onto the top rope, pausing for a moment before coming down with a 450 splash to drop Kincaid into the ring. Williams rolls into a cover.



One…

Two…

Th-



Kincaid kicks out and Williams rolls away, taking a moment to recover. Another ‘Aa-ron Will-iams’ chant breaks out and Williams uses it to help him to his feet. He watches Kincaid as he gets to his as well, and then grabs him by the shoulder and spins him round, driving a knee into his gut and jamming his head down between his legs. He looks to pull Kincaid up for a powerbomb, but Kincaid grabs at the left knee and it buckles, Kincaid freeing himself and stomping down on the knee. Williams drops to one knee and Kincaid lifts him into an inverted atomic drop. Williams staggers away and Kincaid hits the ropes, coming back at Williams with another flying forearm.



Kincaid rolls away and forces himself to his feet, moving over to Williams and dragging him up, forcing him into the corner. He hauls him up onto the top rope and follows, landing a couple of forearms before hooking an arm over him. He lifts Williams and pauses for a moment before bringing him crashing down into the ring with a superplex. Kincaid rolls gradually over into a cover.



One…

Two…

Th-



Williams gets his shoulder up.



MW: These two are throwing everything at one another.

SD: I’m impressed with the pace of this match. Williams is the naturally quicker of the two, but they’ve maintained this for over fifteen minutes now.

MW: Can Kincaid take advantage of the damage done to Aaron Williams’ knee?

SD: He’ll certainly be looking to.



Kincaid pushes himself up and reaches down to pull Williams up too. He kicks him in the knee and Williams drops again, Kincaid pushing his head between the legs and pulling him up into a powerbomb. He drives Williams into the mat and instantly transitions into The Finishing Touch, turning Williams before he has the chance to offer up a counter. Williams cries out in pain and pushes himself up, trying to crawl across to the ropes. Kincaid sinks down as low as he can, but Williams manages to fight through the pain, grabbing the bottom rope and forcing the break.



Kincaid releases Williams’ legs and steps away for a moment before crouching and stalking Williams. As Williams stands, Kincaid comes in with a clothesline. Williams gets to his feet quickly but he’s taken down with another clothesline. Williams scrambles up again and Kincaid sends him into the corner, coming in with a big splash. Williams staggers out of the corner and Kincaid hits the ropes, looking for the Flying Lariat, but Williams takes him out of the air with a mid-kick! Williams drops to a knee before forcing himself back up and reaching down for Kincaid. He pulls him up and hooks an arm over him, pulling him up into a kneecap brainbuster. Williams makes the cover.



One…

Two…

Thr-



Kincaid barely forces his shoulder up and Williams rolls away, the fans cheering the match so far. Williams slowly climbs to a knee before pushing himself up and limping over to Kincaid. He pulls him up and connects with a forearm before forcing Kincaid down and trapping his arms, setting up for A Triple Plus. He lifts Kincaid, but Kincaid drops back down again, freeing an arm and grabbing Williams’ knee, pulling at it and forcing him down to a knee. Kincaid steps back and comes at him with another Big Fat Kill, only for Williams to drop down and duck it again. Kincaid follows through and Williams pulls him into a schoolboy roll up, rolling him through and connecting with a hard kick to the head.



Kincaid falls back into the ropes and Williams stands, pulling him up and looking for A Triple Plus again. He pulls Kincaid up, but drops quickly, his knee giving out before he can complete the move. Kincaid rolls away and Williams tries to move in quickly, but he pulls up short, dropping down to a knee again. Kincaid stands and backs into the ropes, connecting with a version of The Flying Lariat to drop Williams. Kincaid rolls under the bottom rope and grabs the ropes, pulling himself up and slowly climbing the ropes to the top. He comes down with From On High, but Williams barely manages to roll out of the way.



MW: That couldn’t have been much closer!

SD: Williams might have liked to get his knees up, but I think he made the right decision. But can he finish Kincaid off?

MW: Can he stand?

SD: I’m not sure. But Aaron Williams will do everything he can to get the better of this match.

MW: Which is almost at the twenty-two minute mark by the way.



Williams rolls over to the ropes and climbs to his feet. He tests a step on his left leg before gingerly moving over to Kincaid. As Kincaid gets to his knees, Williams unleashes a kick to the chest followed up by a vicious kick to the side of the head. Kincaid flops to the mat and Williams reaches down to pull him up. Kincaid, however, pulls Williams down into a small package.



One…

Two…

Thre-



Williams barely escapes and Kincaid quickly gets to his feet, grabbing the legs and looking for The Finishing Touch again. Williams resists, kicking away at Kincaid and, when he bends down, pulling him into a small package but rolling through, pushing to his feet and switching position, pulling Kincaid up and dropping him with A Triple Plus. Williams drops into a cover.



One…

Two..

Three.



Winner: Aaron Williams (23:20).



Williams rolls off Kincaid and sits up, his fists clenched as the fans stand and applaud. He accepts the official’s offer of help to get to his feet and, after staggering a couple of steps, steadies himself and has his arm raised.



MW: That man just picked up a huge victory.

SD: Another match where someone had to battle through a targeted attack on a limb. We’ve seen a few in this tournament, probably because people know their opponent will have more reason to submit.

MW: And now Williams joins Kincaid and Jerry Bishop on four points at the top of the A Block.

SD: He’s where he feels he belongs but I think he might still be chasing down Jerry Bishop. Both of them face The Silent Assassin next, so neither have easy matches coming up.



Williams thanks the fans and then turns to Kincaid, who sits and looks up at him, Alyssa alongside him. Williams nods at Kincaid as he pushes himself up. Kincaid looks at Williams for a moment before Williams extends a hand and Kincaid shakes it. The two men have a quiet word with one another in the middle of the ring before Alyssa also shakes Williams’ hand before she and Kincaid leave the ring and Williams celebrates again as the fans chant his name.



MW: That was a great match. The A Block has really stepped it up over the past two days.

SD: They have. Most people thought the B Block would be leading the way with the match quality but there’s some pressure on Berry Bishop and Russ Bolt to match that.

MW: There’s pressure to match that match but there’s also pressure to get points on the board. Let’s start with Berry. A big win over Botiatus to start things off and then a defeat against Jace Mason on Wednesday. What would a second loss mean for Berry tonight?

SD: Berry has had confidence issues for some time- she’s not been the same since Judgement Day II after her match with Jerry and another loss, especially to Russ Bolt, would really knock her. I think she needs to win this match, especially given that her next match after this is against Marcus Allen Jones.

MW: And Russ is winless so far, with an opening night loss to Artemis Evans and a loss just last night to Johnny California. How would you rate his chances of a victory tonight?

SD: I think this is one of the matches he’ll have circled on his calendar as a possible win. He’ll know that he has a power advantage over Berry and he can at least match her speed. If Russ Bolt is going to win a match in this block, I think he’s set up to win this one.

MW: So how does Berry approach this one? Go for the quick win with Checkmate or draw it out and take advantage of Russ having wrestled last night?

SD: I’d like to see her use her technical advantage. She has good technical skills but she’s generally reluctant to use them because of where she learnt them. That’s a big advantage for her and it can help to slow Russ down. Otherwise, she’s the more experienced wrestler. She’ll find spots where she can connect with Checkmate because I’d expect Bolt to make some mistakes and let her in.

MW: Someone who never makes a mistake is Dasha Banks. Let’s get to her now.



“The following is a B Block match with a thirty-minute time-limit. Introducing first, sitting in fifth place in the block with two points thanks to a victory over Botiatus, from New Haven, Connecticut, ‘The Bombshell’… Berry Bishop!”



‘The Entertainer’ begins to play and Berry comes through the curtain to a loud cheer. She drops into an exaggerated bow at the top of the ramp and plays along to the music as she stands and looks out at the crowd. She rearranges her Tag Team Championship at her waist before hopscotching down the ramp. She reaches the bottom of the ramp and slaps a few hands before playing the ring apron and somersaulting over the rope, landing with a bow and a wink before she stands and embraces Dasha Banks before stepping back and sharing a smile with her. The music dies down and a ‘Be-rry Bi-shop’ chant breaks out. Berry nods and a focussed look comes over her face.



“And her opponent, in sixth position in the block with zero points, from Miami, Florida… Russ ‘Thunder’ Bolt!”



‘Jumpman’ begins to play and Bolt walks through the curtain, his arms out to his sides, as the fans give him a moderately positive reaction. He dips to the sides and, as the song picks up, he motions as if he’s doing a face away before cupping a hand to his ear. His fans get louder and Bolt yells out, “There it is!” before making his way down the ramp and slapping a few hands. He reaches the ring and slides in, giving Dasha and the official a nod before stepping up onto the top turnbuckle and pumping up the crowd a little more.



B Block: Berry Bishop (2) vs. Russ Bolt (0):



The bell rings and Berry comes forward, extending a hand to Bolt. Bolt nods and comes to shake it, the fans applauding the two of them. They begins to circle, a ‘Be-rry Bi-shop’ chant overpowering a much quieter ‘Let’s Go, Bolt’ chant. They lock-up and Bolt pushes Berry back a couple of steps before she drops down and grabs Bolt in a waistlock. He throws back an elbow, but Berry ducks it and transitions into a headlock, taking Bolt over. He tries to force her off him, but she maintains her grip and pushes her hips up for extra leverage. Bolt manages to power his way into a seated position but Berry quickly releases her grip, stands and lands a hard kick to the back.



Bolt gets quickly to his feet, his back arched, and creates some separation, but Berry moves in quickly, landing a couple of leg kicks before grabbing Bolt by the wrist and whipping him across the ring, taking him down with a dropkick. Bolt backs away towards the corner as Berry gets to her feet. She moves in and pulls him to his feet, sending him into the opposite corner and following him in with a running dropkick. As Bolt staggers out, she brings him down with a running bulldog and rolls him over for the cover.



One…

Two-



Bolt kicks out.



MW: It looks like Berry has gone for the quick approach in this one.

SD: She’s making sure she keeps on top of Russ. When someone has wrestled the day before, they can take a bit of time to get their body going again. The sooner they get some adrenaline coming through, the quicker they get going. I’m sensing a bit of Botiatus in this approach.

MW: Would they still be helping one another if they’re competing directly against each other?

SD: Maybe. I don’t know. It could have come from the All Star Tag Team Classic where they faced an opponent who had already wrestled that night, or it could be fresh advice.



Berry stands and brings Bolt up with her, connecting with another leg kick before sending him across the ring and bringing him down with an arm drag. Bolt springs to his feet again and Berry takes him down with another. Bolt gets up again but is met with a roundhouse kick, dropping him to his knees. Berry backs into the ropes and connects with a shining wizard, dropping Bolt. She makes a second cover.



One…

Two…

Th-



Bolt kicks out again. Berry stands and stalks him, the fans buzzing with anticipation as she coils up. Bolt pushes to his feet and turns as Berry unleashes Checkmate, but he catches her foot and scoops her up into a hard Alabama slam. Bolt staggers back a couple of paces, a look of slight frustration on his face, before moving back to Berry as she starts to get to her feet. He pulls her the rest of the way and connects with a short-arm lariat before pulling her up again and whipping her into the ropes, connecting with a dropkick to take her down. He makes his own cover.



One…

Tw-



Berry kicks out.



MW: This is more like it from Russ Bolt.

SD: Berry maybe got a little greedy in going for Checkmate so quickly. Bolt took advantage and it looks like he’s getting into his rhythm now.



Bolt stands and stalks Berry as she climbs to her feet. She turns and he scoops her up, driving her into the mat with a scoop slam and then dropping an elbow across her chest. As she instinctively sits up, he moves around behind her and locks in a sleeper hold. Berry fights against it, trying to force Bolt to loosen his grip, but he maintains it and she starts to fade. The official keeps checking on her, but she keeps responding and trying to fight back. After a few moments, Berry manages to get a foot underneath herself and she pushes up to a knee, and then to her feet. Bolt tries to keep the sleeper hold locked in, but Berry connects with a couple of elbows to the gut and forces him to break his grip.



Bolt takes a couple of steps back before coming back to Berry, who leaps up and catches him into a monkey flip. He scrambles back to his feet and comes back to her, but she catches him with an exploder suplex, sending him across the ring and rolling towards the corner. Berry stands and stalks Bolt and he pulls himself up using the ropes. He turns to her and she connects with a mid-kick before springing onto the middle rope and looking for a disaster kick. However, Bolt manages to catch her, and he holds her up before delivering a hard powerbomb. Bolt rolls away to recover and Berry lies prone on the mat.



MW: Should Russ Bolt have made a cover, there?

SD: Perhaps. I doubt it would have ended the match, but Berry would have had to use some energy to kick out. Russ gets to recover, but he needs to remember that Berry will be recovering in this time too, and she has a lot less to recover from than he does.



Bolt pushes up to a knee and then up to a vertical base as Berry forces herself to her feet too. She turns and he kicks her hard in the gut and forces her into the corner. He comes in off a couple of paces with a running clothesline and she staggers out of the corner. He grabs her around the waist and connects with a German suplex into the turn buckles. A audible gasp can be heard around the arena as the official comes in to quickly check on Berry, who lies holding the back of her head. As soon as the official moves away, Bolt pulls Berry to her feet and then scoops her up, dropping her with another scoop slam.



He steps through the ropes and climbs up to the top, looking down at Berry before coming down with Thunderbolt, only for Berry to roll out of the way at the last possible second. Bolt lands hard on his elbow, just like he did yesterday, and he rolls away from Berry cradling the arm. Berry slowly forces herself to her feet, one hand holding the back of her head, and she moves over to Bolt, pulling him to his feet. She lands a couple of kicks, one to the leg and the other to the elbow, before pulling him in for a Northern Lights suplex, bridging for the cover.



One…

Two…

Thr-



Bolt forces his shoulder up and Berry rolls away. She pushes up to her feet again and stalks Bolt, coiling herself. Again the fans stand in anticipation as Bolt struggles to get to his feet. He stands, staggers a couple of steps and then turns into Checkmate, but he somehow manages to duck under it, pulling Berry in and delivering another German suplex. He takes a moment to get to his feet before moving over to Berry and pulling her up again. He drives her into the corner and forces her up onto the top rope before backing up the ropes himself and trying to set her up for From Downtown.



MW: If he can connect with this, the match will be over.

SD: Berry is in big trouble here. She needs to find a way out of this.

MW: It’s a risk for Bolt of course. He lost to Johnny California yesterday after trying this very move.



Berry, just like Johnny California yesterday, drives an elbow hard into the side of Bolt’s head and then shoves him off the ropes. He lands on his feet and she stands, but Bolt quickly comes back to the ropes and leaps up, pulling Berry into a sudden superplex. The fans gasp again as Bolt rolls over to make a cover, his section of fans cheering loudly.



One…

Two…

Thr-



Berry just manages to get a shoulder up! Bolt shakes his head before pushing himself up, flexing the left arm a little as he stalks Berry. She struggles to her feet and he hits the ropes and looks for a flying forearm, but Berry unleashes Checkmate from nowhere! Bolt plummets to the mat and Berry drops into a cover.



One…

Two…

Three.



Winner: Berry Bishop (14:02).



MW: Berry with a big win!

SD: And what a counter that was! We all know she can hit Checkmate from nowhere, but she showed it against Botiatus and she’s shown it again tonight. She really can hit when absolutely nobody is expecting it.



Berry stands and smiles as the official raises her arm. She looks out at the fans who stand and applaud her loudly before turning to Russ Bolt as he rolls out of the ring. She calls out to him and he turns to see Berry give him a bow. He nods to her and gives her a thumbs up as he walks up the ramp and Berry climbs to the top turnbuckle and gives the fans a bow too.



MW: And with that win, Berry joins the log-jam at the top of the block. She, Artemis Evans and Johnny California are all on four points with Jace Mason and Marcus Allen Jones each on three.

SD: This block is absolutely fascinating. And with Johnny California to face Marcus Allen Jones tomorrow, it could get even more interesting.

MW: That should be a great match and it’ll be good to see how Marcus copes after Jace Mason and MDE both did a number on his knee.

SD: Johnny California isn’t the most technical wrestler, so don’t expect a submission, but he takes a bit of keeping up with. Marcus will need to be on his game.

MW: Of course we also have A Block action and an intriguing contest between FPW Champion Jerry Bishop and impressive new star The Silent Assassin.

SD: That match is one I’m really looking forward to. Jerry is the best in FPW, there’s no questioning it. But The Silent Assassin destroyed Jackson Banks and pushed Bobby O to the limit. If Jerry is going to lose a match in this block, it could be this one.

MW: Well you heard it here first- Steven Deville thinking Jerry Bishop could lose this match. Join us tomorrow for two of the biggest matches yet in Free-1 III.

[Jim Houston]

“The Free-1… the biggest opportunity for any Freedom Pro Wrestling star. The Free-1 epitomises what Freedom Pro Wrestling is all about. Opportunity. The opportunity to earn the right to challenge for FPW Championship in the biggest match of the FPW year. The opportunity to showcase your skills in front of a huge audience. The opportunity to be noticed. Free-1 I… a man who was known as a hardcore icon stepped up to show his toughness, his skill, his potential. And he became FPW Champion. Free-1 II… an underdog on the rise picking up the biggest wins of his career to show who he could truly become. And he became FPW Champion. Free-1 III… the biggest yet. Sixteen wrestlers in two blocks of eight. Two winners facing off on August 31st to earn the biggest opportunity of their careers. But all sixteen will have an opportunity. An opportunity to make a name. An opportunity to showcase their true ability. For in the Free-1, each entrant controls their own destiny, their own narrative and their own future. Welcome to Free-1 III.”



MW: Welcome to day eight of Fre-1 III. The time is flying by and the great matches are flying in. Tonight we have two more for you.

SD: Later tonight Marcus Allen Jones and his bum knee are back in action against block leader Johnny California. But before that is a match that is generating a lot of buzz among Freedom Fighters.

MW: We’ve had a lot of votes in our poll for this match and- amazingly- The Silent Assassin has taken over fifty percent of the votes!

SD: I’ve got to stick with Jerry Bishop in this one, but The Silent Assassin… I love that guy. He’s shown so much in the two matches that he’s been here and I think Jerry is really up against it.

MW: He’s approached the last two matches by trying to get inside his opponent’s head. I don’t know how he does that with The Silent Assassin.

SD: I don’t know either. I’ve thought long and hard about it, and, other than trying to frustrate him like he did with Aaron Williams with a lot of so-called rest holds and powders, but even then I’m not sure how that will affect a guy like The Silent Assassin.

MW: And how does The Silent Assassin approach this one?

SD: I’d try to get into Jerry’s head. I’d be looking to out-Joker The Joker. I think Jerry might be a little scared of this guy. I don’t know for sure, but I think there’s a bit of an intimidation factor there. If The Silent Assassin can play into that, he might be able to put Jerry off his game. Might. I’m not saying he will and I’m not actually predicting that The Silent Assassin will win this match, but if he did… I wouldn’t be shocked.

MW: Well let’s get to it. FPW Champion Jerry Bishop ver-



Mike Watson is cut off by Thalia Columbina and a cascade of boos.



“Introducing THE soon-to-be sole leader of the A Block, THE man soon to have fourteen points, THE man soon to have beaten Bobby O, Danica Jane, The Silent Assassin, Jackson Banks, Thea Donovan, Kincaid and Aaron Williams, THE greatest man ever to come out of Kanas City, Missouri, THE current and greatest ever FPW Champion, THE single most exciting, engaging and enticing figure in all of professional sports, THE Joker… Jerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrryyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy Bishooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooop!”



‘Shine My Shoes’ plays and Jerry Bishop walks out alongside Thalia, bowing deeply to her as a ‘Fuck You, Jerry’ chant goes round the arena. He stands and looks out at the fans, laughing loudly before almost skipping down the ramp and conducting the chant. He reaches the ring and walks all the way around to the announce table, where he bows to Clutch McCloud, who regards him with suspicion, before he steps up the stairs and climbs up onto the middle rope, holding the FPW Championship aloft and looking down at Danica in the ring. She looks up at him warily and he lets out another booming laugh as the chant still goes on. Jerry drops down and hands his title to the official before taking a mic.



“The FPW Champion has had to come out first because-“



Jerry is cut off as the lights go out and a low thunderous rumble fills the arena. ‘Run’ begins to play and the stage fills up with smoke. The hush around the arena is palpable as The Silent Assassin emerges among the smoke and stares down at Jerry in the ring who looks back at him with an incredulous gaze. He begins his walk down the ramp at a deliberate pace, his eyes remaining on Jerry, who shakes his head and turns away. He reaches the ring and circles it, keeping his eyes on Jerry, who looks down and calls, “Who do you think you are?” The Silent Assassin then steps up onto the apron and climbs the turnbuckle, a red spotlight shining down as he spreads his arms before dropping down into the ring. He stares down Jerry, raising an arm slowly and pointing a finger gun at him, firing the gun just as the line ‘Run’ plays. More red spotlights come down and move wildly around the arena before the song quickly cuts off, as do the lights, leaving the arena momentarily black before the lights come back up and the fans clap in appreciation of the spectacle.



“And his opponent, in fourth place in the block with two points courtesy of a victory over Jackson Banks, from Santa Cruz, Mexico, he is… The Silent Assassin!”



A Block: The Silent Assassin (2) vs. Jerry Bishop (4):



The bell rings and Jerry immediately leaves the ring, shaking his head as he looks up at The Silent Assassin, whose feet remain planted in his corner. Jerry shakes his head up at the ring and snatches a spare mic from the announce table.



“No, no, no, we’re not going to do this. I won’t be silenced. The Silent Assassin. Who do you think you are? Forcing me to come out first? The FPW Champion coming out before some nobody who’s only ever had two matches here? And what are you supposed to be anyway? The Silent Assassin. Is it because you can’t talk? Is it because you like to pretend to kill people? I remember another man who liked to point finger guns around here and where did it get him? He’s gone. I outlasted him just like I outlasted everyone else. Just like I’ll outlast The Silent Assassin. Don’t you dare interrupt me again.”



Jerry drops the mic and steps up onto the apron. The Silent Assassin keeps watching him without any kind of emotion. Jerry steps through the ropes and moves towards The Silent Assassin, who doesn’t move. Jerry calls him forward and prepares to lock up, but The Silent Assassin stays in the corner. Jerry calls him forward again but there’s still no reaction. Jerry frowns at The Silent Assassin and slowly moves towards him, looking at him carefully and getting closer and closer; the only part of The Silent Assassin which moves in reaction is his eyes, which track Jerry on his way towards him. Jerry spreads his arms and raises an eyebrow.



“So what are you, exactly? Are you like those guards that limey bastard’s queen has? You know this is a wrestling match, right? You have to do something sometime.”



Jerry steps forward and pinches The Silent Assassin’s nose. There’s no reaction. He smiles widely and pokes his tongue out of the corner of his mouth. There’s no reaction. He blows a raspberry in his face. There’s no reaction. Throwing his arms out to the sides, Jerry turns away before instantly coming back and looking for a big right hand, only for The Silent Assassin to explode into a big boot. The fans cheer wildly as The Silent Assassin looks down, only for Jerry to burst into increasingly out-of-control booming laughter.



MW: This is bizarre.

SD: It seems like both men have taken my advice. Jerry is trying to throw The Silent Assassin off his game but it seems like The Silent Assassin is doing the same thing in return.

MW: And these fans are not sure what to make of this.

SD: Neither is The Silent Assassin!



The Silent Assassin stares down at Jerry and then reaches down to pull him up. He whips Jerry into the ropes and aims another big boot, but Jerry ducks under it and slides under the bottom rope on the run. He points up at The Silent Assassin and lets out more laughter. The Silent Assassin throws back his hair and looks down at Jerry, still showing no emotion. The official calls Jerry to come back into the ring, but Jerry refuses, the fans booing him loudly. The official shrugs and starts counting.



One……….



Jerry looks up at the official and lets out a loud, “Two!” just before the official does.



Two……….



Jerry starts chuckling and lets out a, “Three!”



Three……….



The chuckle starts to become more like a laugh as Jerry yells, “Four!”



Four……….



Jerry’s laughter increases some more and he gets out, “Five!”



Five……….



His laughter makes it difficult for him to call, “Six!”



Six……….



Suddenly Jerry cuts out the laughter and points up to the ring. “Why don’t you come and join me? There’s room for everyone on the outside!”



Seven……….



The Silent Assassin’s eyes haven’t left Jerry for the entirety of the time he’s been on the outside.



Eight……….



Jerry sits down and crosses his legs, the fans starting to think that he might get counted out.



Nine………



Jerry darts back into the ring and stands, laughing again as the fans groan. The Silent Assassin grabs him this time and aims a European uppercut, but Jerry spins out of it and pulls him down with a Russian leg sweep. Jerry quickly stands and stalks The Silent Assassin, kicking him in the gut as he stands and hooking an arm over his head, walking up the ropes and planting him with a tornado DDT. He rolls him over for a cover.



One…

Two…

T-



The Silent Assassin kicks out and Jerry slides back out of the ring. The fans groan and another ‘Fuck You, Jerry’ chant goes up, causing more laughter from The Joker.



MW: Damn it, this match is frustrating.

SD: Jerry Bishop is doing his damndest to get to The Silent Assassin… and I think it might be working.

MW: Really?

SD: He got a couple of moves on him and got out of the ring. There has to be some frustration under that calm demanour. If Jerry keeps going with this, it might pay off.



The Silent Assassin stands and looks down a Jerry, a neutral expression on his face again.



“Why don’t you start counting again?” Jerry tells the official through his laughter. The official rolls his eyes and shakes his head, turning to The Silent Assassin and motioning for him to go to the outside, but The Silent Assassin completely ignores him.



Jerry sits down again and starts conducting as the ‘Fuck You, Jerry’ chant gets louder and louder. The official sighs and begins his count, but Jerry shows no sign of moving, continuing to conduct as the chant gets louder and loduer.



One……….

Two……….

Three……….

Four……….

Five……….

Six……….

Seven……….

Eight……….



Jerry gets to his feet and stretches, feigning a yawn.



Nine…



“I may as well hop back in,” Jerry says before rolling under the bottom rope. As soon as he gets into the ring, The Silent Assassin comes in and puts the boots to him, the fans cheering before they realise that Jerry is letting out more laughter as he takes the stomps. The Silent Assassin pauses for a second, looking down at Jerry with a momentary look of confusion, which is just enough for Jerry to get to his feet and land a step-up enzeguiri. The Silent Assassin staggers back and Jerry connects with a rolling elbow. The Silent Assassin drops into the corner and Jerry comes in with a running dropkick. As The Silent Assassin staggers out of the ring, Jerry grabs him and brings him down with a running bulldog. He makes the cover.



One…

Two…

Th-



The Silent Assassin kicks out.



MW: I think you were right, The Silent Assassin is definitely off his game.

SD: I wasn’t sure that Jerry could do it… but I wasn’t sure even Jerry could go this far.

MW: He needs some psychological help.

SD: But he doesn’t need any help in the ring. The man is a genius. I don’t believe that I could have doubted him even for a second.



Jerry stands and pulls The Silent Assassin up, kicking him in the gut and trapping his arms, looking for Last Laugh, only for The Silent Assassin to free his arms and lift Jerry into a spinning Samoan drop. Jerry immediately rolls out of the ring and drops to a knee on the floor, leaving The Silent Assassin on one knee in the ring looking down at him. The fans boo once again as the official becomes visibly frustrated. Jerry looks up at The Silent Assassin and mockingly applauds him, the fans booing Jerry even louder, but The Silent Assassin keeping his cool as he regards Jerry from inside the ring.



The official begins his count again.



One……….



Jerry points a finger gun up at The Silent Assassin and fires it.



Two……….



Jerry mimes pulling out a knife and slitting someone’s throat.



Three……….



Jerry mimes choking someone out and throwing them to the ground.



Four……….



Jerry mimes choking someone with piano wire.



Five……….



Jerry mimes dropping some poison in someone’s drink and sneaking away in an exaggerated manner.



MW: This is getting ridiculous.

SD: Come on, Watson. He’s being a silent assassin! This is great.

MW: I really hope The Silent Assassin catches him and beats him.

SD: You know what would happen if he did?

MW: What?

SD: We’d probably get to see this match all over again!



Six……….



Jerry mimes shooting a blow dart at The Silent Assassin, who remains stoic as he looks down at him.



Seven……….



Jerry begins a mime and then shrugs his shoulders, cautiously stepping up onto the apron. The Silent Assassin doesn’t move and Jerry orders the official to get him back. The official gives Jerry a look before motioning to The Silent Assassin, who stares at Jerry as he steps back. Jerry gives an exaggerated bow of thanks to the official before stepping through the ropes, but he pauses, leading to more boos, and steps back onto the apron. Another loud ‘Fuck You, Jerry’ chant starts up and Jerry drops back down to the floor.



“You see,” Jerry tells the crowd. “This is why I give you what you deserve!”



The official sighs, shaking his head and beginning another count.



One……….



Jerry slowly begins to walk around the ring, mocking the way The Silent Assassin enters.



Two……….

Three……….

Four……….



Jerry reaches the point where he started and he hops up onto the apron.



Five……….



He climbs up onto the top turnbuckle and extends his arms, before looking around.



“Hey! Where’s my spotlight, Ted Lighting-Guy?”



Jerry looks up and begins to call out again, but he’s cut off by The Silent Assassin, who rushes to the corner and steps up, bringing Jerry back into the ring with a top rope belly-to-belly. Jerry tries to roll under the rope, but The Silent Assassin catches hold of him and the fans cheer loudly. The Silent Assassin pulls Jerry to his feet and sends him into the corner. He follows him in with a hard running European uppercut and then backs into the ropes, coming off with a big boot to take Jerry down as he staggers out of the corner. The Silent Assassin tosses his hair back and reaches down to pull Jerry up, lifting him into a waistlock and planting him with a German suplex, bridging for the cover.



One…

Two…

Thr-



Jerry just gets a shoulder up.



MW: Wow that one was close!

SD: The Silent Assassin has caught up to Jerry’s games. Jerry needs to be careful now as I’m not sure The Silent Assassin is as frustrated as Jerry thought he would be.

MW: And if he is, je can start taking it out on the FPW Champion and these fans are gagging to see it!



The Silent Assassin pushes quickly to his feet and grabs Jerry before he can make a break for the outside. He pulls him up and lifts him for a blue thunder bomb, only for Jerry to drop down and land on his feet, taking The Silent Assassin down with a float over neckbreaker. Jerry stands and then points a finger gun down at The Silent Assassin, firing it before pulling him up and trapping his arms for Last Laugh, only for The Silent Assassin to free himself again and connect with a uranage.



Jerry rolls under the bottom rope but The Silent Assassin catches him before he can roll all the way to the floor. He holds him on the apron and heads out to join him, lifting him and dropping him with a blue thunder bomb on the apron. Jerry arches his back and rolls to the floor, the fans cheering loudly as The Silent Assassin steps off the apron and tosses his hair back. He steps up onto the guardrail and connects with a modified Vader bomb before standing and pulling Jerry up, tossing him back into the ring.



The Silent Assassin slides in after him and pulls Jerry to his feet, hooking an arm over his head and pulling him up. He tries to drop Jerry over the top rope for Silencer, but Jerry catches the rope and manages to free himself. He quickly slingshots over the rope into a DDT and rolls The Silent Assassin over, covering him.



One…

Two…

Thr-



The Silent Assassin kicks out and the fans cheer loudly.



MW: These people are desperate for Jerry Bishop to get his comeuppance here.

SD: But he’s back in control. Jerry Bishop can’t be kept down for long and he looks like he’s setting himself up to win this match.

MW: A match which rather remarkably has gone over the twenty-one minute mark by this point. How much of that was wrestling and how much was bullshit, I don’t know.



Jerry pulls The Silent Assassin to his feet and connects with a hard right hand. The Silent Assassin staggers and Jerry pulls him in to complete The Punchline, but The Silent Assassin ducks the lariat and follows through into the ropes, leaping onto the middle rope and taking Jerry down with a springboard knee strike. He rolls through and hits the ropes, coming back to the ropes he springboarded from and completing the Double Tap. Jerry rolls backwards and pushes to his feet, only for The Silent Assassin to grab him for a ripcord knee, completing the Triple Tap! He drops into a cover.



One…

Two…

Thre-



The fans drop to their seats in shock as Jerry gets a shoulder up. The Silent Assassin stands and pulls Jerry to his feet. He hooks an arm over him and pulls him up, slingshotting him into Silencer- only for Jerry to manage to twist in mid air and counter into a modified Last Laugh. The cheers quickly turn to silence as Jerry rolls slowly over to The Silent Assassin for the cover.



One…

Two…

Thre-



The Silent Assassin kicks out and the arena explodes!



MW: He kicked out!

SD: Jerry took a bit of time to get over there and it gave The Silent Assassin the extra second he needed. But now Jerry must be ready to put him away!

MW: I don’t know, that Triple Tap will have send Jerry’s head to crazy town. Or… further into it anyway.



Both Jerry and The Silent Assassin haul themselves to their feet on the ropes. Jerry hangs back as The Silent Assassin moves in, but he comes out with a rolling elbow, which staggers The Silent Assassin. Jerry moves in again and kicks him in the gut, looking to trap his arms for Last Laugh again, only for The Silent Assassin to drive Jerry into the corner. Jerry releases his grip and The Silent Assassin lets go with a couple of European uppercuts before pulling Jerry out and sending him into the ropes before connecting with a vicious Killshot.



MW: By the way, we’re coming close to reaching the twenty-five minute mark. Jerry might come to regret messing around so much.

SD: I’m not worried.

MW: No. You don’t sound worried at all.

SD: No need for sarcasm, Watson. You’re better than that.



The Silent Assassin forces himself to his feet and bends down to pull Jerry up. He points a finger gun down at him and then pulls him up. He lifts him onto his shoulder and tries to set Jerry into position for a tombstone piledriver, but Jerry wiggles his legs and drops down free. He staggers back a couple of steps and The Silent Assassin turns, coming at him for another Killshot, only for Jerry to duck under it and pull The Silent Assassin into a schoolboy rollup.



One…

Two…

Thre-



The Silent Assassin just forces himself free and the crowd cheers wildly again. They begin to sense the possibility of the draw and, from the shift to a much more focussed expression, so does Jerry. He stalks The Silent Assassin as he gets to his feet and he comes in with another big right hand, but The Silent Assassin catches it and the two lock eyes for a moment. The Silent Assassin reaches out and points a finger gun at Jerry, who stares down the barrel for a moment before The Silent Assassin pulls him in and tries to set him up for Silencer again.



However, Jerry catches the arm and forces The Silent Assassin to the mat. He quickly locks his hands into Chelsea Smile, and The Silent Assassin immediately tries to reach out for the ropes. The fans scream for The Silent Assassin to hold on, and Jerry wrenches back as hard as he can.



MW: The Silent Assassin has to survive for just over two minutes for force a draw out of Jerry.

SD: He can’t survive for that long in the Chelsea Smile! No one can!

MW: This is reminiscent of Jerry’s final block match with Graham Baker last year! Will he keep the hold locked in or release him and risk the loss?



Jerry pulls back further and further as The Silent Assassin starts to fade. A loud ‘Ass-a-ssin’ chant goes up and The Silent Assassin pushes up, giving it one last effort to get to the ropes. He stretches out a hand and inches closer and closer, but Jerry notices and he pushes back with his feet, rolling The Silent Assassin over and keeping the Chelsea Smile locked in.



MW: One more minute!

SD: He won’t hold on!

MW: These fans are desperate to see The Silent Assassin hold on.





Jerry pulls back further and further as The Silent Assassin makes one last big effort to reach out to the ropes. He forces his hand as far as he can, but can’t get there and finally brings his hand down, tapping out.



Winner: Jerry Bishop (29:37).



The air goes out of the arena and the fans drop down to their seats. Jerry releases his grip and rolls away, the official taking the FPW Championship and dropping it onto his chest.



MW: The Silent Assassin only had to survive another twenty-three seconds!

SD: To be fair to him, he didn’t know that. The official does know the time but he can only tell the wrestlers when they ask. I suppose The Silent Assassin could have asked, but… that wouldn’t have been very silent.

MW: And Jerry Bishop makes it three wins from three, but this match was a lot harder than he would have expected. Maybe there’s a lesson to be learnt about playing mind games.

SD: The lesson is that Jerry can still come through even when he barely has any time left. He’s the FPW Champion because he’s the best in FPW. Sometimes the best get tested, and that happened tonight, but he came through and got a win.



Jerry stands and looks out at the fans, letting out a loud, booming laugh at the disappointment he sees on their faces. They begin to boo him loudly before the lights go out and all that can be heard is Jerry’s laughter. When they come up, Jerry is left in the ring alone and the boos go on, a tangible sense of anger and desperation among the fans as Jerry bows deeply, still laughing almost uncontrollably.



MW: Well we’ve heard of from the sublime to the ridiculous, but let’s hope we’re going in the opposite direction with our next match.

SD: This could be a real treat. Marcus Allen Jones, now in fifth place in the B Block with three points versus the man on top of the block, Johnny California. These two are separated by just one point. This match could be huge in determining the direction of the B Block.

MW: Of course one of the big stories going into this one will be the health of Marcus Allen Jones. Have you heard any updates about his knee?

SD: Nothing concrete other than confirmation that he has been cleared to compete tonight. But that knee can’t be in good shape and the rest of the block know it. Marcus can’t hide it after what they will all have seen in his match against MDE. I don’t think he can win the block with an injury like that.

MW: Is Johnny California the man to exploit the injury?

SD: Honestly, I don’t think so, not in the traditional sense of working the knee and picking up a submission victory. MDE tried it, I think Artemis Evans will try it for sure and there are others with the technical skill to do it, but I don’t think California is that man. I do think that he’ll be able to take advantage of how the knee injury slows Marcus down however. That could be lethal for Marcus.

MW: Marcus of course relies on his quickness and explosiveness. California is fairly similar. Do you think that’s a big advantage for Johnny California?

SD: I’d say so. He’s fresh, having been in the ring a full thirty-seven fewer minutes than Marcus, and he’ll definitely look to start firing off kicks and trying to get Marcus to come after him. I think California plays to Marcus’ ego tonight. Marcus won’t want to let someone prove they have more athletic ability than he does, and I think he’ll try to match up with it even if he knows that the injury means he can’t.

MW: And how about Marcus. How will he approach this match?

SD: I’m not sure. Has he had time to adapt his style to work around the knee injury? Maybe a little bit, but enough to win this match? That’s a question I can’t answer without seeing him.

MW: Well, let’s get to someone who never needs to adapt her style. It’s Dasha Banks.



“The following contest is a B Block match-up with a thirty-minute time-limit. Introducing first, sitting in first place in the block with four points thanks to wins over MDE and Russ Bolt, from The Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia… he wishes to be announced as ‘The Influential, the Controversial and the Unforgettable’, ‘The Mould-Breaker’ and ‘The Man Behind the Mask’… this is Johnny California.”



‘Losing My Religion’ hits the speaks and the fans boo loudly. As the lyrics hit, California steps through the curtain, guitar resting on his shoulder, quietly singing along to himself. He looks around at the crowd as they continue to boo him, taking in the boos before making his way down the ramp. He stares straight ahead to the ring, continuing to sing along to the song and ignoring the fans as they boo him. He props his guitar against the steps and climbs onto the apron before stepping into the ring, singing along to himself as he wanders over to the corner. He adjusts his gear and rests against the ropes and, as the music fades out, he brings his eyes up to the ramp, a look of focus on his face.



“And his opponent, in fifth place in the block with three points after a draw with Jace Mason and a victory over MDE, from Chicago, Illinois, ‘The Marksman’… Marcus Allen Jones!”



The opening piano notes to ‘Hall of Fame’ begin to play and the fans stand in anticipation. Marcus makes the fans wait as the song builds and, as the lyrics kick in, Marcus steps through the curtain to a loud cheer. An ‘M. A. J.’ chant fills the arena and he looks around it for a moment, nodding to himself before stepping forward and heading down the ramp. His movement is better than it was after the MDE match, but there’s still a pronounced limp. The camera catches Johnny California smiling as he watches Marcus limping and slapping hands with fans on his way to the ring. As he reaches the bottom of the ramp, he takes a couple of quick steps and slides into the ring, bumping fists with Dasha and climbing up onto the top turnbuckle, calling for the fans to get louder, which they do. He steps down and looks over at Johnny California, who points down at his knee with a questioning gaze. “Yeah, that’s the one,” Marcus replies, before dropping back to his corner.



MW: That’s interesting. No backflip, Steven.

SD: No backflip. Sensible.



B Block: Johnny California (4) vs. Marcus Allen Jones (3):



The two men come forward, Marcus leading with his right side as California looks to circle around him. California aims a kick at the left leg, but Marcus steps out of range and feigns coming in, California throwing another kick out at him. The two of them continue to circle watchfully, California looking to get to the leg and Marcus looking to protect it. California comes in with another kick and Marcus sees his opportunity, pivoting out of range and coming in to take California’s leg. He takes him down and immediately drops an elbow onto the knee, wrenching at it as California tries to wriggle away.



California drags himself over to the ropes and Marcus releases his grip but stomps down on the knee before California can get to his feet. Marcus then quickly moves out of range as California swings a foot at his left leg again. California stands and Marcus maintains the distance between them, forcing California to move in as Marcus turns to present his right side again. California aims a kick at Marcus’ chest, but Marcus catches it and sweeps the other leg, taking the left leg again and dropping down to manipulate it. California presses at the back of Marcus’ head and stops him from being able to torque the knee as much as he’d like.



Marcus releases California’s leg and gets quickly to his feet, stomping down on the knee again before California can move aside. California scrambles to the ropes as Marcus looks down at him, moving back as California gets to his feet. California comes in again and calls Marcus to come in for a lock-up, but Marcus continues to hang back and shield his left side. California moves forward and tries to swing himself around to get to the left leg, but Marcus again dodges aside and drops down into a sudden DDT. He rolls California into a cover.



One…

Two-



California kicks out, and Marcus quickly moves back.



MW: This is a very different Marcus Allen Jones we’re seeing tonight.

SD: It certainly is. He’s clearly thought about adapting his style. We haven’t seen Marcus focus much on his technical skills for some time now, but they’re very solid. Remember that he tapped MDE out in the first Free-1.

MW: Is that his plan for tonight?

SD: It looks like it could be. He’s certainly making sure that he avoids California’s kicks and he’s keeping his left knee away from his opponent. He knows that Johnny California is not a technical wrestler in the slightest, so maybe this is where he sees his advantage. And if he can, he might jump in with the odd big move to try and get a sudden pin.



California pushes up and Marcus hangs back again. California spreads his arms and tells Marcus to come forward, but Marcus just turns to the side again and circles California watchfully. California moves in and tries to lock up with Marcus, but Marcus lands a hard kick to the right leg before forcing California to a knee. He hits the ropes and comes back with a shining wizard. He sits up, flexing his left leg for a moment before grabbing California’s leg and crossing it over his right leg, sitting down to trap the legs in position and then lacing his fingers under California’s chin, locking in the kneeling cross-legged STF.



California reaches out for the ropes, but he’s too far away. Having to find a way out by himself, tries to pull at Marcus’ hands and free his chin to release some of the pressure, but Marcus refuses to break his grip. California then pushes up and tries to reach out behind him, grabbing and scratching at Marcus, but Marcus grits his teeth and keeps the hold locked in. Finally, California’s fingers find Marcus’ eye, and he has to break his grip to protect himself, allowing California to crawl over to the ropes. Marcus quickly releases him and comes down with another couple of stomps to California’s leg.



MW: This is a more aggressive Marcus than we’ve seen in recent months.

SD: He’s maybe channelling some of the old Marcus Allen Jones in this match. We know how desperate he is to win this tournament and he’s doing what has to be done.



Marcus backs away as California pulls himself up on the ropes, before coming in with a kick to the leg. California drops to a knee again and Marcus tries to hook him in for a DDT again, but California drives forward and forces Marcus off his feet. California stands and repeatedly stomps on the left knee, Marcus desperately trying to roll away but California attacking the knee until Marcus manages to roll under the bottom rope to the floor. The fans boo loudly, but California ignores them, stepping out of the ring after Marcus. He lifts him up and traps his leg, looking over at the guardrail as he hoists Marcus into the air. The fans gasp as California looks to bring Marcus down just like MDE did, but Marcus manages to counter, freeing his leg and leaping up into a desperation reverse rana, the fans cheering loudly.



Marcus, however, remains down, his hands going to his knee as his face contorts in pain. California lies motionless on the floor as the official comes and checks on them both, his face looking doubtful when Marcus tells him that he’ll be fine. He reluctantly steps back into the ring and begins a count.



One……….

Two……….

Three……….



Marcus pushes up to one knee and looks into the ring. California starts to stir.



Four……….



Marcus pushes up and half-limps, half-hops to the apron, pushing himself up and rolling back in.



Five……….

Six……….



California also gets to his feet, sliding into the ring after Marcus, who rests against the ropes.



MW: Was that enough time for Marcus to regain some strength in that leg?

SD: I’m not sure. California really went at it. I think it could be seriously damaged- even more than it already was, I mean.



Marcus holds back, waiting for California to make the first move. He stands, but his leg is also causing him some trouble. Moving over to Marcus, he focuses his gaze on the left knee and aims a sweeping kick at it, but Marcus leaps and the kick misses. Using a hand on the ropes to help him, he connects with a Pele kick to staggers California, and then takes him down with a drop toe hold as he comes back in. Marcus quickly grapevines the leg and locks in a knee bar, but California manages to break the grapevine fairly easily, gripping the bottom rope and forcing Marcus to break the hold.



Marcus pushes himself to his feet, but his movement is limited. He stalks California and then grabs his wrist, trapping it and ripcording him, but Marcus doesn’t have the leg strength to keep California from moving away, so California pulls Marcus with him, landing a hard roundhouse kick to counter. Marcus tries to maintain his grip on the wrist, but California connects with a football kick to the left leg and Marcus drops to the mat, releasing California. California backs into the corner and stalks Marcus as the official checks on him.



MW: This could be bad for Marcus Allen Jones.

SD: Johnny California looks to be setting up for the Last Kiss.



The official looks down at Marcus and shakes his head, turning to Dasha Banks, but Marcus grabs him by the shirt and he turns back. Marcus shakes his head and tells the official that he can still go. The official gives him a long look and then shrugs his shoulders. Marcus nods to him and then pushes himself up, turning as California runs at him for Last Kiss, but Marcus’ leg gives out and he drops underneath California, who connects with thin air. There’s a concerned silence in the arena as Marcus grimaces in pain and the official comes over to him again, but he grits his teeth and pushes himself up to his feet.



As soon as Marcus gets to his feet, California comes in with a Fatal Flashback, but Marcus catches his leg. He drops into a kind of dropkick to the back of California’s standing left leg and it buckles, a yelp of pain coming from California. Marcus quickly sets California into position and locks in the kneeling cross-legged STD again. He pulls back as hard as he can and California’s face contorts into an expression of agony. California desperately tries to reach out for the ropes as the silence in the arena turns into loud cheers and calls for California to tap. He continues to reach out for the ropes and then to scratch and claw at Marcus’ hands, but Marcus refuses to let him break the hold.



California then reaches back and tries to find Marcus’ eye-socket. Marcus moves his head away from California’s hand but California finally manages to catch him, jamming his finger into Marcus’ eye. Marcus cries out, but he refuses to break the hold, instead pulling back even harder. California’s finger slips from Marcus’ eye and he finally taps out.



Winner: Marcus Allen Jones (15:22).



MW: Marcus has done it!

SD: How? How did he overcome that?

MW: With sheer grit and determination.

SD: That sums up Marcus’ desire. He wrestled that match on one leg- quite literally on one leg for about half of the match- and then he resisted a finger being jammed into his eye to keep a hold locked in.

MW: It’s a brilliant win, and these fans are showing their appreciation, but how will this impact on Marcus for the rest of the tournament?

SD: I don’t know if he’ll be able to compete. He may be top of the block now, but he’s got some tough matches left. Berry Bishop, Botiatus and Artemis Evans are his next three. I don’t know if Berry will try to use the knee to her advantage, but I’m sure Botiatus will and I know Artemis Evans will. He’s shown a lot of guts, but he might have the decision taken out of his hands.



Marcus stands and looks out at the fans as they give him a standing ovation. He nods to them and raises a hand before dropping down and rolling under the bottom rope. He sits on the edge of the ring for a moment before Dasha Banks comes over to him and helps him down. The fans continue to applaud him all the way up the ramp as he disappears through the curtain.



MW: Well that was maybe not the most conventional Free-1 night, but what a night it was. Tomorrow could be just as interesting. Thea Donovan and Danica Jane meet in the A Block and Botiatus gets the match he’s been asking for with MDE as each man surprisingly looks for their first points. We’ll see you all tomorrow.

[Jim Houston]

“The Free-1… the biggest opportunity for any Freedom Pro Wrestling star. The Free-1 epitomises what Freedom Pro Wrestling is all about. Opportunity. The opportunity to earn the right to challenge for FPW Championship in the biggest match of the FPW year. The opportunity to showcase your skills in front of a huge audience. The opportunity to be noticed. Free-1 I… a man who was known as a hardcore icon stepped up to show his toughness, his skill, his potential. And he became FPW Champion. Free-1 II… an underdog on the rise picking up the biggest wins of his career to show who he could truly become. And he became FPW Champion. Free-1 III… the biggest yet. Sixteen wrestlers in two blocks of eight. Two winners facing off on August 31st to earn the biggest opportunity of their careers. But all sixteen will have an opportunity. An opportunity to make a name. An opportunity to showcase their true ability. For in the Free-1, each entrant controls their own destiny, their own narrative and their own future. Welcome to Free-1 III.”



MW: Welcome to Free-1 III! This is night nine and we are well into the third round of matches. Tonight we have four competitors with just two points between them, but two fascinating match-ups.

SD: The B Block match tonight of Botiatus and MDE is sure to be a heated one, but the A Block match-up of Thea Donovan and Danica Jane is interesting to me. Both are relatively inexperienced in FPW, and Thea Donovan drew attention to Danica Jane’s win-loss record, claiming she can’t get the job done. Jane currently had no points but I’m sure she’ll be desperate to prove Donovan wrong tonight.

MW: And do you think she can?

SD: I think Thea Donovan will win, but I think it’ll be close match. As you mentioned, Donovan is the only one of the four in action tonight with any points so far in the Free-1, and a win here will keep her within range of Jerry Bishop at the top of the block. Danica is six points back and a loss effectively eliminates her, especially as Jerry has already beaten her. I don’t think Danica Jane has ever been a serious contender for the block anyway, but she won’t want to be the first person eliminated.

MW: We know that Thea Donvoan will be looking to gain the advantage because of Myra Lopez, as we’ve already seen, but how will Danica Jane approach this match?

SD: I’m sure she’ll want to use her athletic ability to her advantage, but I think Thea Donovan will be expecting that and I’m confident she’ll be prepared.

MW: And won’t it be nice not to have Clutch McCloud out here given that this is a woman versus woman match.

SD: Yes, Watson. Yes it will.

MW: Well here’s someone who we always like to see out here. It’s Dasha Banks.



“Ladies and gentlemen, the following contest is an A Block match-up with a thirty-minute time-limit. Introducing first, representing The Queendom and being accompanied to the ring by Myra Lopez, sitting in fourth in the block with two points courtesy of a win over Aaron Williams, from San Diego, California, ‘The Black Queen’… Thea Donovan!”



‘Checkmate’ rings out around the arena as a black queen appears on the screen. ‘Hammer to Fall’ begins to play and Myra Lopez steps through the curtain, pointing back to the curtain as Thea Donovan steps through. The fans boo and Donovan sprays out a volley of abuse to them. Lopez eyes her and follows behind her down the ramp, Donovan continuing to give back to the fans. As she reaches the ring, she climbs through the ropes and moves over to the turnbuckles. Just like Artemis Evans, she steps up onto the middle rope and extends her arms, dropping her head back as the fans continue to boo her.



“And her opponent, sitting eighth in the block with zero points, from Las Vegas, Nevada, this is Danica Jane!”



‘This Fire Burns’ begins to play and the fans react mildly. Danica Jane steps through the curtain and looks around the arena before making her way down the ramp. She slaps a few hands on her way to the ring while a lot of fans hold back, not reacting very strongly one way or the other. She reaches the ring and climbs the steps, grabbing the top rope and somersaulting over it before looking around the arena once again as her music comes to a halt.



A Block: Thea Donovan (2) vs. Danica Jane (0):



The official calls for the bell and the two come together and lock-up. After a moment, Donovan shoves Jane backwards and she falls to the ground.



“You don’t belong in the ring with me!” Donovan calls, the fans booing her loudly.



Jane stands and comes into a lock-up again, Donovan shoving her back again, Jane dropping to the mat a second time. Donovan stands and extends her arms, giving Jane a dismissive stare as she pushes herself up and resolutely comes forward into a third lock-up. This time, she holds her ground and even starts to push Donovan back before Donovan counters, driving Jane back into the corner and shoving the palm of her hand into her face.



“You really think you can match-up with me? You’re a waste of a match, Jane.”



The fans boo and a ‘Da-ni-ca, Da-ni-ca’ chant goes up. Danica shoves Donovan back and kicks her in the gut before unloading a few forearms. She whips her across the ring and catches her, looking for a belly to belly, but Donovan blocks it, driving a knee up into Danica’s gut and then pulling her in for a short-arm lariat. She makes a cocky cover.



One-



Danica shoves Donovan off.



MW: Well this is a confident start from Thea Donovan.

SD: She’s the master of trash talking and I think she must feel that she can throw Danica Jane off her game with it. Danica’s confidence can’t be especially high at the moment, so Donovan is looking to exploit her vulnerability.



Danica pushes up to her feet but Donovan lands a hard kick to the gut and she whips her into the corner. She follows her in with a running clothesline before extending a leg and choking her, the official coming in and forcing her to stop. Donovan stops and Danica drops to a knee, only for Donovan to quickly come back in and pull her up onto her shoulders, driving her down with a Death Valley driver and making another cover.



One…

Two-



Danica kicks out again. Donovan stands and pulls Danica up by the hair as the official remonstrates with her. She turns Danica and faces her towards Myra Lopez.



“See her? She’s three times the wrestler you are. She should have this spot, not you. Maybe when I break you in half, she’ll get the chance to take it.”



Donovan unleashes a vicious slap and Danica drops to the mat, Donovan exchanging some words with fans as their boos fill the arena again. Danica touches her cheek before looking up at Donovan, who stomps down hard on her. Danica drops to the mat again and Donovan stomps on her head, pressing down on it with her foot and extending her arms, the fans continuing to boo loudly as the official gives her a count. Donovan lifts her foot up at four and then stands back, stalking Danica.



MW: This could be bad for Danica Jane.

SD: Thea Donovan seems to want to end it here. She’s played with her food for long enough and now it’s time to eat!



Danica pushes up and Donovan comes in with a vicious superkick. Danica drops to the mat and Donovan places a foot on her chest. The official is reluctant at first, but Donovan orders him to count.



One…

Two…

Th-



Danica pushes Donovan’s foot away and the fans cheer. Donovan looks down at her before grabbing her by the hair again. The official comes in once again but Donovan yanks Danica to her feet and aims another hard slap at her, only for Danica to catch her wrist and block it. The fans cheer loudly as Danica lands a few forearms to back Donovan into the corner before pulling her in for a belly to belly suplex. Danica stands, a determined look on her face, as Donovan gets quickly to her feet and turns into a running clothesline. Donovan stands and Danica lands another clothesline before grabbing Donovan by the head and delivering a series of hard rising knee strikes.



The fans cheer as Danica drives her knee into Donovan’s head and then backs away, stalking Donovan as she tries to get back to her feet. Just as Donovan stands, Myra Lopez jumps onto the apron and Danica’s focus is distracted for a moment. She turns to Lopez and delivers Lights Out, dropping Lopez off the apron. However, she turns right into a hard kick to the gut and a lifting DDT. Donovan makes the cover.



One…

Two…

Thr-



Danica just kicks out.



MW: That was a close one!

SD: The numbers game paying off for The Queendom again.

MW: Myra Lopez should be banned from ringside.

SD: Just because Danica Jane doesn’t have a friend like Myra Lopez to help her out shouldn’t mean Thea Donovan gets punished. Yeesh, you act all nice and get some friends and you get clobbered for it.

MW: Thea Donovan? Nice?

SD: The Queendom are lovely, misunderstood, young women.



Donovan stands and drags Danica up with her. She kicks her in the gut and positions her for Firebomb, lifting her up and placing her hands under Danica’s arms, only for Danica to drop down and deliver a hook kick to drop Donovan to her knees. Danica backs into the ropes and connects with a shining wizard to the back of Donovan’s head. She makes the cover, the fans counting along.



One…

Two…

Th-



Donovan just manages to kick out. A disappointed groan goes around the arena. Danica rolls away and holds her head for a moment before forcing herself back to her feet. She looks down at Donovan as she pulls herself up and she moves in, looking for a swinging neckbreaker, only to be caught with a thumb to the eye. Jane backs away and Donovan connects with a running knee. Jane hits the mat and Donovan stands, pulling her up and setting her up for Firebomb again. She gets her into position, but Jane manages to swing her legs through and counter into a variation on a Canadian destroyer.



MW: What a counter!

SD: Danica Jane using some of that core strength from her gymnastics background and she caught Thea Donovan totally by surprise!



Jane stands and stalks Donovan, who rolls over to the ropes and tries to get to her feet. As she stands, she turns and Jane leaps up, catching her with Lights Out. She drops into a cover, hooking both legs.



One…

Two…

Three.



Winner: Danica Jane (10:48).



MW: Danica Jane with her first ever Free-1 victory!

SD: She took out Myra Lopez and used her athleticism to set her up for that final Lights Out. Impressive from Danica and a big blow for Thea Donovan.

MW: Danica Jane onto two points, still four off the block lead, but she’s already faced both Aaron Williams and Jerry Bishop. Her next match is against Kincaid while Thea Donovan takes on Bobby O.

SD: Both will be must-win matches if either of them hope to keep their slim chance of winning the block alive. Jerry is already on six points and his next match is Jackson Banks, so I’m expecting him to move six ahead of both of them. That’s a huge chasm to try to overcome, and I’m not sure they’ll be able to do it.

MW: Well, whatever happens, Danica Jane can be proud of her victory tonight.



The fans cheer as the official raises Danica’s arm. She waves to the fans on each side of the ring and then looks down the lens of the camera.



“See, Clutch, I don’t need you out here to protect me, man or woman.”



She steps through the ropes and slaps a few hands on her way round to the ramp.



MW: And now we move to the B Block. Steven, has there been a bigger surprise to you so far than both Botiatus and MDE still being on zero points after two rounds?

SD: No. I expected both of them to be real contenders, and they still could be, but this start has really impaired them. Botiatus has lost against strong opponents- Berry Bishop would have been a tough one for him mentally and I think Artemis Evans will win the group- and MDE has suffered a shock defeat to Johnny California and then one which I know disappointed him against Marcus Allen Jones. Both men will be desperate for a win tonight.

MW: And is it a case of win or go home do you think?

SD: It could be. Marcus leads the block on five points and we’ll either see Artemis Evans on six or Jace Mason on five after tomorrow’s final match of the round. It may only be five points to make up, but with so many people ahead of them, making up five points on so many others will be nigh-on impossible.

MW: Botiatus has added motivation in this match after some of MDE’s comments towards his tag team partner, right?

SD: He does. But MDE isn’t stupid. He won’t just be saying those things for no reason. If he’s saying them, it’s because he’s confident that they’ll help him win this match. We haven’t ever really seen someone try to get under Botiatus’ skin, so it’ll be interesting to see how he wrestles tonight, but if MDE is right and it hampers him, then we may see it again in the future.

MW: What kind of match do you expect to see tonight? MDE is clearly more at home with technical wrestling while Bo has had some great striking battles with the likes of Takahara and Tchyukiro this year. Who will impose their style on the other?

SD: I think MDE has to make this a technical match. If Bo can make it a strike-fest, he wins hands down. MDE is a better technical wrestler than Bo, although Bo is no slouch.

MW: You sound like you think Bo has the advantage in this match?

SD: I think it’ll be close. MDE will be frustrated that all of his technical prowess wasn’t enough to beat Marcus Allen Jones, although it did leave him wrestling with one leg, and he’ll be eager to get a submission win tonight, I think. Bo has the experience to know that he needs to control the pace and the style of this match and to avoid protracted technical exchanges. If he finds himself trading holds, he needs to look for a way to get out rather than to try and one-up MDE, but that isn’t always Bo’s strong point. I expect a good match and I think the winner will be whoever can better impose their style on the match. If I had to call it, I’d pick MDE because he’s less likely to want to beat Bo at his own game than Bo is to try and out-technique MDE.

MW: Well here’s someone who always imposes her style. It’s Dasha Banks.



“The following contest is a B Block match-up with a thirty-minute time-limit. Introducing first, in eighth in the block with zero points, from The Bay Area, California, this is Botiatus!”



The fans cheer as the lights go down and the screen displays the foot of wide stone steps. The shot pans up to show more steps and then the now-familiar Roman pillars in front of the villa. As the song really kicks in, the light flash back on and villa melts into ‘THE HOUSE OF BOTIATUS’. Bo emerges into the arena and walks straight down the ramp, blowing kisses out to the fans and slapping a few hands. He walks around the side of the ring and hops up onto the apron before climbing onto the turnbuckle, kneeling on the ringpost and pointing down to Watson and Deville. The lights cut out and a single spotlight shines down on Bo, who stands in his signature pose. As the lights come back on, he drops down, gives Dasha a nod and settles in his corner, a look of focus on his face as he stares back up the ramp.



“And his opponent, currently in sixth place with zero points, from Plymouth, England, he wishes to be known as Simply Great, despite his block position-“



Bo gives Dasha a sideways smile.



“- MDE.”



‘Dance of the Knights’ begins and the fans boo once again. MDE steps onto the stage and looks out at the arena, giving a slight smirk before looking down at the ring and locking eyes with Botiatus for a moment, Botiatus MDE then begins his usual deliberate walk down the ramp and the fans continue to boo him, some reaching out to grab at him, but he completely ignores them. He reaches the ring and steps up the steps, through the ropes and into the ring, where he moves over to Dasha, who quickly backs away, Botiatus coming over and MDE turning to him, the two of them staring one another down before the official separates the two of them.



MW: You can really sense the dislike Botiatus feels for MDE.

SD: He’s itching to get at him. This match could be very intense.



B Block: Botiatus (0) vs. MDE (0):



The official calls for the bell and Botiatus moves in quickly, but MDE hangs back. Bo stares at him from the middle of the ring and calls him forward, but MDE remains in his corner for a moment, giving Bo a smirk before finally stepping in and locking up with Bo. The two men jockey for position for a few moments, neither man gaining much of an advantage. Neither is willing to break the lock-up despite neither of them gaining any advantage, and they continue to try and drive one another backwards. MDE gains a step before Bo pushes him back and gains a step of his own. MDE drives him back and they remain in the centre of the ring. After a few more moments of jockeying, Bo breaks off the lock-up, and MDE quickly tries to take him arm, Bo swinging a forearm to counter and MDE dropping back, the two men eyeing one another across the ring.



MW: A tense start to this match.

SD: They both know the stakes in the block, but they both want to win this match for much more than just points. Bo wants to punish MDE for what he said about Berry and MDE wants to get further under the skin of a man who holds a title that I know MDE has his eye on.



The two of them come forward again and lock up. MDE goes for a headlock but Bo catches his wrist and wrings his arm. MDE quickly rolls through to reverse the pressure and takes Bo’s wrist instead, wringing his arm. Bo rolls through too and kips up, pulling MDE into a headlock and taking him over. MDE quickly gets his legs up for a headscissors and Bo kicks his legs to escape, but MDE keeps the headscissors locked in, pushing up with his hips to apply the pressure further. Bo tries to force an escape with his legs again, but MDE refuses to allow him slip out, so Bo tries to prise apart MDE’s legs, but MDE seizes his chance and takes Bo’s arm, momentarily releasing his legs to transition into a cross arm-breaker. Bo quickly locks his hands, but MDE drives through with his hips and forces Bo’s hands apart. Bo manages to force his leg onto the bottom rope and the official moves in to make MDE break the hold.



MW: MDE showcasing that technical advantage we talks about.

SD: And this illustrates the point I made earlier. Botiatus tried to trade holds with MDE and MDE got the better of him. If Bo focusses on his striking, like he did when he forced MDE back by throwing a forearm, he’ll win this match. If not, MDE will do a lot of damage.



MDE rolls back and pushes up to his feet as Bo rests on the ropes for a minute. MDE slowly moves in, Bo raising a foot to try and keep the distance between them. MDE moves in and tries to take the foot, but Bo throws a kick at him and MDE drops back a couple of steps again, Bo reaching up to the middle rope and pulling himself to his feet. He steps forward and calls MDE into a lock-up, but Bo ducks under it and pulls MDE into a waistlock. MDE performs a quick standing-switch, pulling Bo into a German suplex, but Bo overrotates and lands on his feet.



MDE scrambles up and Bo catches him with a hard forearm before taking his arm, wringing it, and connecting with an arm stunner. MDE reels backwards and Bo comes in quickly, driving a knee into his gut and landing another hard forearm, dropping MDE to a knee. Bo stands over him and stares down, but MDE takes his chance driving up with his legs and taking Bo down with a double leg, taking his arm and looking for another cross armbreaker, but Bo kips up again and stomps down hard on MDE’s ribs. MDE rolls away and Bo follows him, kicking him hard in the back and then pulling him up into a belly to back suplex.



MW: Botiatus coming into this match now.

SD: He’s got a few strikes in and it’s given him the separation to hit some of his more impactful offence. This is what he needs to do rather than letting MDE draw him in.



Bo stands and quickly pulls MDE up with him, whipping him into the ropes and then taking him down with a dropkick. Bo drops a knee on MDE’s head and then pulls MDE to his feet again. He hooks an arm over him and pulls him up, but MDE drops down, wrapping his legs around Bo’s midsection and locking in a guillotine. Bo grimaces as his face starts to go red, MDE pulling back on his hold more and more until Bo drops down to his knees and MDE pulls him down to the mat. The official comes in and checks on Bo, who is struggling to respond, but he refuses to give in.



MDE keeps the hold locked in, a determined grimace on his face as he applies more and more pressure. The official raises Bo’s arm but Bo manages to keep it in the air before trying to pull MDE’s fingers apart. MDE maintains his grip and Bo instead tries to push up and get his legs underneath him, but MDE repositions himself and Bo can’t manage to get off the mat. Instead, Bo tries to extend a leg to reach out for the ropes, blindly groping for the bottom rope and finally managing to find it, the official quickly coming in and ordering MDE to break his grip, which he finally does.



MDE stands as Bo rolls out under the bottom rope, resting on the apron as he tries to let the blood circulate properly around his body again. MDE grabs Bo by the leg and drags him back into the ring, not showing any interest in leaving the ring himself. He stomps down on Bo’s knee before dropping a knee onto his shoulder and locking in an arm bar. Bo manages to walk his legs around before MDE can step through and he gets to his feet, driving MDE into the ropes and forcing him off. MDE moves across the ring but he catches himself on the top rope, Bo charging in and clotheslining him over the rope.



MW: Some hope here for Botiatus.

SD: Botiatus has got his shots in, but MDE has been in control of most of this match. Botiatus needs to up the intensity and not give MDE the chance to regain control.



Botiatus backs into the ropes and charges at MDE, landing a sliding elbow drop to double him over the middle rope. He pulls MDE’s head through the ropes and begins to drive rising knee strikes into his head, the fans enthusiastically counting along as Bo hits nine knees before backing into the adjacent ropes and hitting a running knee which causes MDE to flop down into the ring. Bo pulls him all the way through the ropes and rolls him over, making the cover.



One…

Two…

T-



MDE kicks out. Bo stands and flexes his neck and left arm before stalking MDE, who rolls over and pushes up to one knee before standing. Bo whips him around and kicks him hard in the gut before quickly lifting him into a twisting vertical suplex, not giving him the time to counter like he did earlier. Bo then rolls under the bottom rope and stands, stalking MDE again. MDE stands, his forehead showing a trickle of blood after the knee strikes, and Bo springs off the top rope with a springboard blockbuster. He rolls into another cover.



One…

Two…

T-



MDE again manages to kick out.



MW: Another close two-count from Bo.

SD: Bo is into his stride now. MDE has to find a way to slow him down and get back on top of him because this is only going in one direction if the match remains at this pace.



Bo pulls MDE to his feet and sends him into the corner. He runs in with a running forearm and MDE staggers out before Bo pulls him in for an inverted headlock backbreaker. MDE drops to a knee and Bo hits the ropes, coming back at him with a facebuster. MDE rolls over and looks to get to his feet, but Bo intercepts him, stomping down on the neck and then pulling MDE into a neckbreaker drop. Bo then rolls out of the ring and stands on the apron. He looks out to the fans and leads them in a loud ‘H. O. B.’ before connecting with the H. O. B. Leg Drop. He rolls MDE over again and makes another cover.



One..

Two…

Th-



MDE again manages to kick out. Bo stands and looks out to the fans again, leading them in another big ‘H. O. B.’ call. He pulls MDE to his feet and hoists him up onto his shoulder, staggering for a moment because of the weight. This allows MDE to drop back and grip Bo around the waist, pulling him onto his shoulder and then driving him down onto his knee for a shoulder breaker. Bo rolls away and MDE moves in quickly, landing a flurry of stomps to the shoulder before driving a knee down into it and pulling back on Bo’s arm. Bo cries out in pain and reaches for the ropes, but MDE rolls back and moves him further from them, dropping down again into a cross armbreaker. Bo grunts in pain again before managing to stretch his leg onto the bottom rope.



MDE stands, staggers for a moment, and then pulls Bo up, delivering a snap German suplex. He rolls with Bo and traps his right arm with his leg, reaching for Bo’s left arm and looking to pull it back into the Simply Great Stretch. Bo pulls his arm down so MDE can’t lock in the hold, but MDE drives an elbow into his ribs and snatches up the wrist, yanking it back and looking to lock it in fully. Bo grimaces in pain and flails his legs as MDE drapes his leg over the arm and catches the legs to fully lock in the Simply Great Stretch.



MW: He’s got him. Nobody can last for long in this hold.

SD: Botiatus needs to find a way out as quickly as possible. Look at the angle of that shoulder! His arm is about to be pulled from the socket.



Bo manages to free one of his legs and he kicks out hard at MDE, but MDE absorbs the blow and keeps the hold locked in. Bo uses the free leg to walk himself around slightly and he stretches for the bottom rope, reaching out and just making contact with the rope. The official orders MDE to break the hold, and he does, Bo rolling away into the ropes and nursing his left shoulder. MDE stands and moves quickly over to Bo, pulling him away from the ropes and hooking his arms under Bo’s stomach. He pulls him up and drops him over his knee, pulling him into a gutwrench suplex and then floating over. He lifts Bo and hauls him up onto his shoulders, but Bo lands a couple of right hands to stagger MDE, freeing his legs and dropping down.



Bo lands a couple of forearms to send MDE into the ropes and then he tries to whip MDE across the ring, but MDE catches himself and sends Bo across instead. Bo comes back and MDE takes him down with a shoulder block, only for Bo to kip up, the fans cheering loudly, and he unleashes a flurry of right hands to drive MDE into the corner. Bo kicks him repeatedly in the gut before trying to hoist him up onto his shoulder again, but he drops him as he doesn’t have the strength in his left arm. Bo staggers away and MDE gets to his feet, moving in and grabbing a waist lock before lifting Bo into a German suplex, dropping him onto his left shoulder.



MW: And that has to hurt.

SD: MDE is targeting that shoulder in the hopes that he can lock in the Simply Great Stretch again. It’s also stopped Bo from using that snake eyes to set up House Call. Botiatus will need to find something different if he wants to come through this match.

MW: And once again we’re over twenty minutes in this one- over twenty-one now in fact.



MDE looks to catch Bo to set up the Simply Great Stretch, but Bo rolls far enough away to get under the bottom rope and out to the floor. MDE looks down at him and makes the decision to roll out. He pulls Bo up but Bo catches him with another forearm, staggering MDE. Bo then drives at MDE and forces him back-first into the ring post before landing another hard forearm and grabbing MDE by the back of the head and ramming his head into the top of the guardrail. He drives him down again and again, the fans cheering loudly as the anger shows on Bo’s face. The trickle of blood that had been coming from MDE’s forehead returns and turns into more than a trickle. The official quickly leaves the ring and separates the two of them, cautioning Bo, who pushes him aside and grabs MDE, rolling him back into the ring.



Bo follows MDE and drives a few stomps into the back of his head and then to the back of his neck. Bo then drops down and hooks MDE’s arms, looking to set him up for ADT. MDE resists, pushing his legs under himself and trying to get to his feet, but Bo drives the point of his elbow down until MDE drops back down, and then he flips over, bridging and locking in ADT. MDE cries out and kicks his legs, doing everything he can to get to the ropes. Bo keeps the hold locked in and MDE switches his focus, pushing his knees under him and trying to get to his feet. Botiatus somehow keeps the hold locked in as MDE forces his way to his feet and then Bo manages to drop him into a kind of unprettier. Bo resets himself and locks ADT back in again, MDE powerless to resist. The official checks on him and, after a few moments, MDE verbally submits.



Winner: Botiatus (24:17).



MW: What a win for Botiatus!

SD: And a submission victory as well. That’s a big achievement given his opponent. Botiatus showed the kind of toughness we always knew was there, and he showed the intelligence to know when he needed to switch up his gameplan. He picks up his first points of the Free-1 and he does it in style.

MW: The intensity Botiatus showed was very impressive too.

SD: We spoke about how he really wanted to beat MDE and prove a point, and he did that tonight. If he can wrestle like that in the rest of his matches, he could still be a contender for this block.



Botiatus stands, his left arm still clearly sore, and the official raises his arm. He looks down at MDE as MDE rolls out of the ring and he calls down to him.



“Now you can shut your fucking mouth about Berry.”



MDE looks up at Bo and manages to give him a little smirk before making his way up the ramp. Bo shakes his head and stares up at MDE before turning to the fans, who applaud him loudly. He climbs up onto the middle rope and acknowledges the fans, thanking them for their support.



MW: And now it looks like MDE might be out of the running for the block, but Bo has a bit of a hope. His next opponent will be Jace Mason, and that will be a big match for him.

SD: Botiatus has a tag team victory over Mason, and he’ll believe that he can beat Jace, but he’ll need to find this kind of intensity again if he’s going to do it.

MW: Speaking of Jace Mason, he’ll be in action tomorrow against Artemis Evans in a clash with big implications at the top of the B Block, and we’ll also see Jackson Banks looking for his first points against Bobby O, who will be trying to hang onto Jerry at the top of the A Block. We’ll see you tomorrow.

[Jim Houston]

“The Free-1… the biggest opportunity for any Freedom Pro Wrestling star. The Free-1 epitomises what Freedom Pro Wrestling is all about. Opportunity. The opportunity to earn the right to challenge for FPW Championship in the biggest match of the FPW year. The opportunity to showcase your skills in front of a huge audience. The opportunity to be noticed. Free-1 I… a man who was known as a hardcore icon stepped up to show his toughness, his skill, his potential. And he became FPW Champion. Free-1 II… an underdog on the rise picking up the biggest wins of his career to show who he could truly become. And he became FPW Champion. Free-1 III… the biggest yet. Sixteen wrestlers in two blocks of eight. Two winners facing off on August 31st to earn the biggest opportunity of their careers. But all sixteen will have an opportunity. An opportunity to make a name. An opportunity to showcase their true ability. For in the Free-1, each entrant controls their own destiny, their own narrative and their own future. Welcome to Free-1 III.”



MW: Welcome everybody to night ten of Free-1 III. I can’t believe that these are the final matches of the third round. After tonight, we’ll have a clear picture of the contenders for each block and maybe those who’ll have to start planning for next year.

SD: Things are really starting to settle in each block with the cream beginning to rise to the top. Tonight we see three wrestlers who believe they belong with that cream and a big chance for each of them to be right in the mix.

MW: Tonight’s B Block offering is a chance to revisit Jace Mason and Artemis Evans’ rivalry that really exploded in the early part of 2020, but we start with the A Block and with Bobby O facing Jackson Banks.

SD: These two are opposites in a lot of ways. Jackson Banks is a young, flashy upstart who snuck into this tournament and is really just here for the experience. Bobby O is more experienced, more calculating and has only just got into this tournament where he’ll perhaps have felt he deserved it earlier. Bobby is a genuine contender for this block and he’s playing catch-up after an early loss. This is a match he should win and a match he needs to win.

MW: And would you expect him to win it?

SD: Yes. Bobby should be able to approach this match with a calm and clear head. He knows Jackson Banks isn’t going to try and play mind games with him or try to make that temper flare up like others will. He can go in there and have a straight-up wrestling match with someone not on his level. Bobby should be looking to control this match from the start and win within ten minutes.

MW: Can Jackson Banks cause him some problems or will this be all Bobby?

SD: He could. Banks needs to dictate the pace of the match and make it his style of match. Fly. Fly from the start and not try to compete with Bobby on a technical level. Maybe he could get some momentum going and, if he does, who knows? But I don’t think Bobby will let him do it. He’s too motivated and too focussed to let Jackson Banks catch him in that way.

MW: And here’s someone always motivated and always focussed. You guessed it. Dasha Banks.



“Ladies and gentlemen, the following contest is an A Block match-up with a thirty-minute time-limit. Introducing first, currently in eight place in the block with zero points, being accompanied to the ring by RJ Tudor, from Brooklyn, New York, he is one half of Revolution-X and is known as ‘The King of the Ropes’… Jackson Banks!”



‘You Need Me, I Don’t Need You’ begins and the fans cheer as the usual fast-paced highlights of Revolution-X flash across the screen. As ‘Now I’m in Town’ hits, Banks bursts through the curtain and charges across the stage to both sides of the fans, pumping them up. RJ Tudor comes out behind him and watches, letting Banks take the attention. Banks turns to Tudor and nods before the two of them bounce down the ramp, slapping hands with fans and continuing to pump up the crowd, who respond well to them. Banks reaches the bottom of the ramp and climbs onto the apron before springboarding onto the top rope and walking to the turnbuckle, turning and continuing to walk the rope. He walks all four before bouncing down onto the middle rope and then back up again, backflipping back into the ring and pumping up the cheers of the crowd even further.



MW: He’s certainly popular.

SD: Both of these kids are. The fans can see their potential and that kind of style always leads itself to a good reception.



“And his opponent, currently in sixth place in the block with two points courtesy of a victory over Danica Jane, being accompanied to the ring by CJ Holmes, from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, ‘Mr. FPW’… Bobby O!”



‘This Means War’ begins and the fans begin their cheers, building as the intro plays. As the music pauses, Bobby steps out onto the stage with his usual jacket and looks around the arena. He has a look of determination on his face and he turns to CJ, who gives him a nod. He pops his collar and then marches down the ramp, hands held out to fans along the way, before climbing the steps and entering the ring. He moves to one side of the ring and grabs the top rope, leaning over it and pointing out some people in the crowd. He steps down and looks over at Jackson Banks, giving him a respectful nod before settling back in his corner.



A Block: Jackson Banks (0) vs. Bobby O (2):



The official calls for the bell and Bobby and Banks step forward, circling one another for a moment before coming together to lock-up. Bobby drives Banks back a few steps before Banks resists, not letting Bobby force him into the corner. Bobby then switches his grip, locking in a headlock. He forces Banks down to a knee and keeps the headlock locked in, but Banks manages to step back up and force Bobby into the ropes, shoving him off. Banks then drops down, Bobby stepping over him and ducking under a leapfrog before Banks meets him with a springboard forearm which drops Bobby to the mat. Banks quickly gets to his feet and jumps up onto the top rope, walking over to the corner as Bobby stands. Bobby turns and Banks meets him with a shooting star crossbody. The fans applaud the move while Banks holds for a cover.



One…

Tw-



Bobby kicks out. Banks rolls away and gets quickly to his feet, stalking Bobby before grabbing his wrist and whipping him into the ropes. He connects with a drop toe hold onto the middle rope and then backs into the ropes before running at Bobby and looking for a 619. Bobby, however, dodges out of the way and Banks turns all the way through to end up back in the ring. Bobby quickly moves in and catches him with a German suplex, rolling away to catch his breath for a moment before pushing up. Banks moves over to him but Bobby catches him with a couple of jabs before sending him into the ropes and taking him down with a hard clothesline. He makes a cover.



One…

Two…

T-



Banks kicks out, RJ Tudor shouting encouragement from the outside.



MW: Impressive start from Jackson Banks, but Bobby is in control now.

SD: Bobby would have expected Banks to come out firing, but he’s got it all in hand. Bobby has the power to dominate the match from this point, and he’ll be looking to stop Jackson Banks from getting any kind of momentum from here.



Bobby reaches down and pulls Banks to his feet, forcing him into the corner and landing another couple of jabs, before laying a few strikes into the upper body. Banks doubles over and Bobby pulls him out of the corner, lifting him onto his shoulders and bringing him down with a fireman’s carry stunner. Bobby turns him over and makes another cover.



One…

Two…

Th-



Banks kicks out again. Bobby stands and pulls him up again, sending him into the ropes. He pops him up, but Banks springs over Bobby’s head and lands on the middle rope. He steps up onto the top rope before leaping off into a blockbuster. Banks rolls through and stands behind Bobby, grabbing his arm as he stands and wringing it, stepping up onto the top rope and walking over to the corner. Bobby tries to swipe at his legs, but he leaps over Bobby’s arm and kicks out at him, staggering Bobby. Banks maintains his balance before coming down with a meteora. He covers Bobby.



One…

Two-



Bobby kicks out.



MW: Banks fighting back into this one. What has Bobby done wrong?

SD: He gave him the chance to use that athleticism. Bobby needs to keep him grounded. A move like a pop-up powerbomb is dangerous against someone with the leaping ability of Jackson Banks. I’d have thought Bobby would know better than to try something like that.



Banks stands and pulls Bobby up with him. He drives him into the corner and lands a few forearms before whipping Bobby into the ropes. Banks springs up onto the top rope and meets Bobby with a springboard dropkick before pushing up to his feet and connecting with a standing shooting star press. He holds for a cover.



One…

Two…

Th-



Bobby kicks out. Banks stands, encouraged by RJ Tudor and a section of the fans, and he rolls out of the ring to the apron. He stalks Bobby and then leaps up onto the top rope, walking a few steps before coming down for the Rope-KO, but Bobby catches him and takes him down with a belly to back suplex. Bobby frowns for a moment before pulling Banks to his feet and landing another jab. He jabs Banks back into the corner and then unleashes a flurry of shots to the body before backing away and connecting with a running dropkick. Bobby pushes up and backs away again before coming in with a second running dropkick. Banks staggers out of the corner and drops to his knees. Bobby hits the ropes and comes in with a curb stomp, rolling Banks into a cover.



One…

Two…

Thr-



Banks gets a shoulder up.



MW: A nice little sequence from Bobby there.

SD: As you might expect. Bobby regaining control but showing a little hint of frustration.

MW: That he couldn’t put Banks away sooner?

SD: Maybe. It seemed to be after that Rope-KO attempt. Whether Bobby feels it’s a bit disrespectful of a rookie like Jackson Banks to use a version of his move against him, I don’t know, but he wasn’t too pleased with it either way.



Bobby stands and pulls Banks up with him. He drives him into the corner again and hoists him up onto the top rope. He climbs after him and hooks an arm over his head, setting him up for a superplex. Banks, however, manages to resist, freeing his head and landing a couple of forearms to Bobby. With Bobby slightly dazed, Banks pushes up to his feet and lands a knee strike to drop Bobby off the top rope. Banks then steadies himself and comes down with a 450 splash, holding for a cover.



One…

Two…

Thr-



Bobby gets a shoulder up. RJ Tudor holds his head in his hands on the outside while CJ breathes a sigh of relief before banging the mat and yelling some encouragement to Bobby. Banks rolls away and pulls himself up on the ropes, watching Bobby carefully as he rolls towards the opposite ropes. Banks settles himself as Bobby begins to pull himself up. He then runs at him as Bobby stands and looks for The Banks Job, but Bobby catches him out of the corner of his eye and moves away from the ropes before catching Banks’ legs and driving him into the mat with a hard powerbomb. Bobby then settles in and stalks Banks, the fans sensing what he’s about to do. As Banks stands, Bobby jumps up and takes him down with an RKO. He rolls into a cover.



One…

Two…

Three.



Winner: Bobby O (11:04).



MW: And there’s the three. Bobby O advances to four points.

SD: A win for Bobby, although maybe not quite as dominant as he would have liked.

MW: Jackson Banks with a good showing.

SD: It was. He managed to counter where he could and build some offence. He has a lot of potential, and it’s definitely showing through even though he doesn’t have any points at the moment.

MW: Bobby continuing to chase down Jerry as he joins Kincaid and Aaron Williams on four points.

SD: And they look like the major contenders for the block. Kincaid and Williams both face Jerry later in the tournament, while Bobby faces both of them, so there are some huge matches to come in this block.



Bobby stands and CJ embraces him. The official raises his arm and the fans applaud his victory, Bobby acknowledging them before turning to Jackson Banks, who is being helped out of the ring by RJ Tudor. Tudor and Banks look up and Bobby raises an eyebrow to them before turning away and climbing to the top rope to celebrate.



MW: And now we come to a match which I was already very much looking forward to, but after the strong start both have had, this could be a very special match.

SD: Arguably the most important match of the tournament so far. Artemis Evans has four points, winning both matches so far. Jace Mason has three with one win and one draw. Evans will go top of the block by a point to Marcus Allen Jones if she wins, while Mason would join Marcus at the top and would be one point ahead of Evans, Johnny California and Berry Bishop.

MW: The block will be very tight at the top no matter what. As well as the ramifications of this match in the block, Evans and Mason have a very personal rivalry, beginning with Artemis Evans taking advantage of Mason’s exhaustion following his match with Botiatus at the End of Year Awards show in 2019 and taking the FPW Championship. How will the obvious dislike each has for the other play into this match?

SD: I think it’ll focus them even more. Evans defeated Mason then and retained the title against him a little while later. Mason regained it after going through the Young Lions’ Cup, so Evans still has edge in the series, but neither will want to lose to the other.

MW: Their last match went over forty minutes. Do you think that will impact on their approach to this match?

SD: I think it ought to. It took a long time for Jace Mason to put Artemis Evans away. He’s an expert in long matches, and he’s already wrestled for nearly fifty minutes in this tournament. He doesn’t want to keep taking matches close to the time limit. He said himself that he faces Botiatus on Wednesday. Another long match tonight will leave him tired for that match. Mason needs to think about how he can end this match sooner than his instincts might suggest. As for Artemis Evans, she’s a very cerebral wrestler. She knows exactly what Jace Mason’s mindset is. She knows how desperate he is and she knows he’s desperate to out-do himself from last year. I’m sure there will be a few mind games played in this match, and I’m sure Artemis Evans has a clear plan of how to disrupt Jace Mason’s flow.

MW: You say Mason needs to find a quicker way to win. How would you suggest he does that?

SD: I think he’s been working on that with his more strike-oriented style. Mason’s Hammer looks like a move he can hit from anywhere. He certainly caught Berry by surprise with it and was able to beat her in under twenty minutes. Evans has to be watchful of that. Expect to see a lot of intensity from Mason tonight.

MW: And another person who brings intensity is Dasha Banks. Let’s get to her now.



“The following contest is a B Block match-up with a thirty-minute time-limit. Introducing first, currently in second place in the block with four points from victories over Russ Bolt and Botiatus, representing The Queendom, from Manchester, England, this is ‘The Glory Huntress’… Artemis Evans.”



Fans boo as the word ‘Checkmate’ rings out around the arena. ‘Hammer to Fall’ begins to play and Evans walks through the curtain, smirking at the crowd as they continue to boo. She spreads her arms and tilts her head back as pyro explodes around her before walking down the ramp, trash talking the fans and disparaging Bolt on her way. She reaches the bottom of the ramp and moves around to the side of the ring, grabbing a ‘We Love Jace Mason’ sign from a young fan and laughing at it before throwing it to the floor and climbing onto the apron. She jumps over the top rope and moves across the ring, climbing to the second turnbuckle and tilting her head back, extending her arms again as the fans continue to boo her loudly.



“And her opponent, in fifth place in the block with three points after a win over Berry Bishop and a draw with Marcus Allen Jones, from Seattle, Washington, ‘The Eternal Student’… Jace Mason!”



The introduction to ‘Afterlife’ begins to play and the anticipation of the fans again builds. As the intro ends, Jace Mason steps forward in his usual pose, pyro exploding and the fans cheering loudly. Mason looks out at the crowd and nods, smiling as he hears the loud cheers. Mason makes his way down the ramp, holding out his hands but keeping his eyes locked on Artemis Evans, who stares right back at him. When he reaches the bottom of the ramp, he steps up onto the apron, walking along to the turnbuckles and stepping up onto the top and middle turnbuckles, raising his right fist and holding the pose for moment before dropping into the ring.



B Block: Artemis Evans (4) vs. Jace Mason (3):



The official calls for the bell and Evans and Mason eye one another from across the ring, both of their faces a picture of concentration. They slowly come together and lock-up, Mason gaining the advantage before Evans puts on the brakes and catches Mason into a headlock. Mason pushes back into the ropes and shoves Evans off. She hits the ropes and comes back with a shoulder tackle, but Mason stands his ground. The two of them stare one another down for a moment before locking up again, a little stronger this time. They jockey for position, Mason slowly forcing Evans backwards, one step at a time. They hit the corner and the official comes in to break them apart, Mason releasing Evans and slowly stepping back, only for Evans to reach up to jam a finger into his eye. Mason, however, reacts, catching the wrist and pulling Evans into a short-arm lariat.



MW: Mason has clearly been watching back their last match!

SD: Artemis Evans really used that eye poke as a means to break up Mason’s momentum in that match. She knows now that she might not have much success with that this time around and will need to adjust.



Mason pulls Evans up and lands a hard chop to her chest, driving her back into the corner with more chops and continuing to land them before kicking Evans in the gut and pulling her out of the corner. He connects with a single underhook suplex and rolls into a cover.



One…

Tw-



Evans quickly kicks out. Mason stands and pulls Evans with him, whipping her into the ropes and catching her with a spinning gut kick as she comes back. He quickly kicks out her leg and hits the ropes, connecting with a low dropkick. Evans rolls away under the apron but Mason quickly follows, stepping through the ropes and meeting her there. He pulls her to her feet and lands another hard chop as Evans rests against the ropes. He then sends her back into the ring with a clothesline over the rope and steps through. He waits for her to get to her feet before driving a knee into her gut and pulling her up into position for a vertical suplex, dropping her with a falcon arrow and hooking the leg.



One…

Two…

T-



Evans kicks out.



MW: What an impressive start to this match from Jace Mason!

SD: He’s clearly thought about timing in this one just like discussed. Artemis Evans has no answer for this so far from Mason, and that’s got to give him confidence.



Mason stands and drags Evans up to her feet with him. He takes her back down with a snapmare and then hits the ropes, coming back with a hard penalty kick. With Evans lying on her back, Mason steps through the ropes and climbs up to the top rope. The fans cheer as he comes down with a shooting star press, but Evans manages to get her knees up and Mason lands hard. He bounces off her knees and holds his gut as Evans rolls away, pulling herself up on the ropes.



She moves over to Mason and kicks him hard in the ribs before pulling him to his feet. She sends him into the corner and comes in with a running knee to the gut before hooking an arm over his head and pulling him up, dropping him quickly with a brainbuster. She rolls into a cover.



One…

Two-



Mason kicks out. Evans backs away and catches her breath before pushing herself up, waiting for Mason to start to get to his feet. As he does, she moves in and connects with a knee to the gut, following up with an axe kick. Mason tries to push up quickly but Evans comes in and sets him up for a butterfly suplex, connecting and then floating over into a cover.



One…

Two-



Again Mason kicks out.



MW: Strong offence there from Artemis Evans.

SD: Yes, she managed to get back into this one after Mason’s desperation got the better of him and now she’ll look to slow him down and take advantage of what must be fairly sore ribs after that landing and the kicks and knees that we’ve seen.



Evans keeps Mason grounded, driving her elbow into his ribs a couple of times before locking Mason into a version of a grounded octopus hold. Mason grunts in pain and reaches out for the ropes, but he’s too far away. Evans keeps twisting the mid-section and she drives an elbow into it again, Mason grimacing with pain before pushing back and rolling Evans over onto her back.



One-



Evans quickly breaks her hold and Mason rolls away, but Evans pushes to her feet first and she comes in with stomps to the ribs and gut. Mason rolls onto the ropes and Evans presses down on his head, choking him over the bottom rope. The official starts his count and Evans takes as long as she can, releasing the pressure on the count of four. Mason lies coughing on the mat as Evans reaches down and grabs him by the head, pulling him into a seated position and dropping her knees into the small of his back. She then pulls him up into position for Guillotine Strike, but he manages to free himself and throw a pump kick to the gut.



Evans double over but Mason can’t take immediate advantage. He comes in and tries to set her up for an STO, but Evans drives a knee up into his ribs and repositions herself, instead dropping Mason with an inverted STO. She rolls into the grounded octopus hold again but Mason quickly walks his legs around and manages to catch the bottom rope. Evans releases him and stands, pulling Mason up and driving a knee into his gut again. She backs away and looks for the axe kick, but Mason lifts his head to avoid it. Evans brings her foot down and overbalances and Mason manages to catch her with a DDT, rolling aside and holding his ribs.



MW: A great counter from Jace Mason!

SD: Jace Mason has never been a man who can be dominated easily. He’s always got a counter or a trick to break up his opponent’s offence and he managed to find a good one there.

MW: And now he’ll be looking to find a way to get back on top of this match.



Mason and Evans each push up to their feet at the same time, moving together. Mason lands a hard chop to the chest and Evans looks to respond with a discus forearm, only for Mason to catch her into an STO. He gets himself to his feet and stalks her as she shakily stands, grabbing her by the wrist and sending her into the corner. He follows in with a running back elbow before landing a few chops to the chest. As Evans staggers out of the corner, Mason runs past her into the opposite corner before coming in with a shotgun dropkick. Evans flies back into the turnbuckles and slumps down to a seated position. Mason pushes up to his feet and backs away again. He comes in with a running knee and Evans rolls out of the corner, Mason hopping over the ropes and climbing to the top. He pauses for a moment before coming down with a shooting star press, rolling off Evans for a moment and clutching his ribs before crawling back to her and covering her.



One…

Two…

Th-



Evans kicks out. Mason pushes up and staggers a couple of steps before reaching down and pulling Evans to her feet. He lifts her onto his shoulders but she connects with a couple of fists into his ribs and manages to drop down. Evans staggers as she lands before she comes back in with a discus forearm to the back of the head which floors Mason. Evans catches her break before pulling Mason to his knees and then connecting with a snap DDT. She rolls him over and makes the cover.



One…

Two…

Th-



Mason kicks out. Evans drives an elbow into his ribs a couple of times before pushing up to her feet, grabbing Mason and lifting him. She drives him back into the corner and then backs away. She runs in and leaps, driving both of her knee into his ribs and catching herself on the top rope. As she drops back down to the mat, he collapses to his knees and then onto all-fours. She backs into the ropes and comes in with a low dropkick to the ribs, sending Mason rolling under the bottom rope and out to the floor. Evans quickly follows.



MW: Evans following Mason to the outside. This could be dangerous for him.

SD: At this point in a match, Artemis Evans might normally have words for the fans or taunt her opponent a little, but she’s not doing that tonight. She knows how important this match is and she knows how good Jace Mason is. No time wasted. I like her decision-making here and I like this ruthless attack on the ribs.



Evans lifts Mason and hooks his arm over hers, driving him back-first into the guardrail. Mason cries out in pain as Evans turns and drives him into the edge of the ring. She drives him into the guardrail again and then again into the edge of the ring before allowing him to drop. She reaches down and pulls him up, kicking him hard in the ribs again before hoisting him up onto her shoulder. She moves over to the guardrail and looks like she’s going to bring him down over it, but Mason wiggles his legs and drops down behind Evans. She turns and he chops her hard in the chest repeatedly before pulling her up onto his shoulders. She lands a couple of blows to the ribs, but he grits his teeth and brings her down with an ushigaroshi over the guardrail!



MW: That has to hurt!

SD: The back of Evans’ neck driven in the guardrail! Yes, Watson, I’d say that hurts a little bit.

MW: But Mason is down too.

SD: He took those shots to the ribs and delivered the move, but it doesn’t mean they didn’t do some damage. It’s hard to say which of them is suffering more right now.



The official checks on both of them and then heads back into the ring to make his count.



One……….

Two……….

Three……….



Neither Mason nor Evans are able to move much.



Four……….



Evans starts to stir, slowly crawling towards the ring before pausing to grab the back of her neck.



Five……….



Mason holds his ribs and looks up as Evans grabs the apron and hauls herself up.



Six……….



Evans pushes herself into the ring and rolls into the middle, grabbing the official as he checks on her.



MW: Wait! What’s this?

SD: It’s Myra Lopez. Myra Lopez coming to check on Artemis Evans.

MW: I don’t know about this.



The fans boo loudly as Lopez charges down the ramp and puts the boots into Mason’s ribs. As the official turns, Lopez drops down and slides under the apron, grabbing hold of Mason to stop him getting back into the ring.



Seven……….

Eight……….



MW: I don’t believe this! Myra Lopez is going to cost Jace Mason this match.

SD: And Artemis Evans will-

MW: Wait! Aaron Williams!

SD: What’s he doing here?

MW: He knows what it’s like to be screwed over by Queendom interference.



Williams charges down the ramp and pulls Lopez out from under the apron, breaking her grip to loud cheers from the fans. Mason dives back into the ring as Williams lands a hard mid-kick to Lopez before pulling her in and hitting her with A Triple Plus and then banging the mat for Mason.



Mason stands but Evans comes in quickly, driving her knee into his gut and taking him down with a second axe kick. She quickly pulls him back up and into position for Guillotine Strike, but Mason lifts a foot and connects with a hard kick to the top of her head. She drops him and staggers backwards. Mason pushes up to his feet and Evans comes charging towards him, but he catches her with Extra Credit. The fans cheer loudly but Mason struggles to make the cover, holding his ribs before he’s able to drape an arm across her.



One…

Two…

Thre-



Evans just gets a shoulder up. The fans gasp in shock and Mason holds a hand to his head. The silence is broken by Williams banging the mat and cheering Mason on, and it helps Mason to recover himself. He pushes up and holds his ribs for a moment before stalking Evans, who slowly crawls to the ropes and pulls herself up. She turns as Mason comes at her and launches himself into Mason’s Hammer, but she ducks under it. Mason lands and Evans pulls him in and connects with a quick Guillotine Strike, but she too can’t make an immediate cover as she holds the back of her neck. Evans rolls into a cover after a few moments, draping her arm over Mason’s chest.



One…

Two…

Thre-



Mason gets a foot on the ropes and the fans explode.



MW: Somehow this match is still going!

SD: Neither of these two is willing to lose to the other. But can one of them hit that killer blow?

MW: If they can, they’ll have to do it soon. We’re almost twenty-three minutes into this match.



Evans rolls onto her back and the two catch their breath as the fans applaud the match loudly. After a few moments, each of them drag themselves over to the ropes and begin to pull themselves to their feet. They stand, very unsteadily, and gradually make their way to the middle of the ring. Mason lands a chop, albeit not as hard as he had earlier in the match. Evans responds with a jab to the ribs. Mason grimaces and Evans comes in with another, and then a kick followed by a knee lift. Mason staggers back into the corner and Evans comes in with a knee to the ribs again. Mason staggers out of the corner and doubles over as Evans pushes herself up onto the middle rope. She jumps down into a Canadian destroyer, making the cover.



One…

Two…

Thr-



Mason just gets a shoulder up again. Evans rolls off him and over to the ropes, where she pulls herself to her feet. A smile shows itself on her face as she sees Mason struggling on all-fours. She crouches down and stalks him as Aaron Williams cries out for Mason to be careful. As he stands and turns, Evans runs at him and looks for a silver bullet knee strike, but Mason leaps up and takes her out mid-jump with Mason’s Hammer! He drops into a cover.



One…

Two…

Three.



Winner: Jace Mason (25:04).



MW: Jace Mason wins it!

SD: And that was the match of the tournament so far for me.

MW: There have been a lot of great ones, but I might be inclined to agree with you.

SD: A huge win for Jace Mason and a big loss for Artemis Evans. Mason joins Marcus atop the A Block, both men undefeated so far.



Aaron Williams rolls into the ring and he helps Mason to his feet. The official raises Mason’s arm, but Mason struggles to stand up straight as he holds his ribs. Myra Lopez pulls Artemis Evans out of the ring and the two stare up at Mason and Williams in the ring, Williams shaking his head at them both and calling, “Not today!”



MW: As we’ve said, this win takes Jace Mason level at the top of the B Block after round three but it won’t be easy for him to stay there.

SD: It really won’t. The B Block continues tomorrow with Marcus Allen Jones, wrestling on one leg at the moment, versus Berry Bishop and then Marcus comes back for a match with Botiatus before we see Johnny California face Artemis Evans and Russ Bolt up against MDE.

MW: What sticks out to you in that set of matches?

SD: Seeing the condition of Marcus tomorrow will be fascinating as will seeing whether or not Botiatus can overcome Jace Mason. California and Evans will go a long way to seeing which of the two of them will be a contender by the end of the block and Bolt and MDE look to get their first points. It should be a great set of matches.

MW: And the A Block continues with some interesting ones too. Kincaid takes on Danica Jane tomorrow before Jerry Bishop faces Jackson Banks, Aaron Williams takes on The Silent Assassin and Bobby O faces Thea Donovan.

SD: Aaron Williams versus The Silent Assassin could be a really special match. Jerry should beat Jackson Banks, so the pressure will be on Kincaid and Bobby O to keep up with him in matches they both should probably be winning too.



In the ring, Mason and Williams shake hands after Mason has thanked the fans and a ‘Free-1 fi-nal’ chant breaks out. The two of them look around the crowd and then nod to one another as the chant goes on while the show comes to an end.

[Jim Houston]

“The Free-1… the biggest opportunity for any Freedom Pro Wrestling star. The Free-1 epitomises what Freedom Pro Wrestling is all about. Opportunity. The opportunity to earn the right to challenge for FPW Championship in the biggest match of the FPW year. The opportunity to showcase your skills in front of a huge audience. The opportunity to be noticed. Free-1 I… a man who was known as a hardcore icon stepped up to show his toughness, his skill, his potential. And he became FPW Champion. Free-1 II… an underdog on the rise picking up the biggest wins of his career to show who he could truly become. And he became FPW Champion. Free-1 III… the biggest yet. Sixteen wrestlers in two blocks of eight. Two winners facing off on August 31st to earn the biggest opportunity of their careers. But all sixteen will have an opportunity. An opportunity to make a name. An opportunity to showcase their true ability. For in the Free-1, each entrant controls their own destiny, their own narrative and their own future. Welcome to Free-1 III.”



MW: Welcome to the beginning of the fourth round of Free-1 III block matches. Tonight, four competitors will have completed more than half of their matches and will be hoping to be in line for the opportunity of a lifetime in the Free-1 final.

SD: Our blocks are set up nicely. Jerry Bishop leads the way in the A Block and he’s got Kincaid, Aaron Williams and Bobby O all just two points behind him and looking to chase him down. The B Block is a logjam. Marcus Allen Jones and Jace Mason top by a point to Artemis Evans, Johnny California and Berry Bishop, with Botiatus two points behind them.

MW: You mentioned Kincaid in that chasing pack behind Jerry Bishop. He’s in action in our first match tonight against Danica Jane. What are your thoughts on this match.

SD: Danica Jane had a nice win over Thea Donovan to kick start her Free-1 and get her first points on the board, so she’ll come into this match with some confidence. But Kincaid has done a great job in this tournament so far and he’ll be a tougher prospect for her tonight.

MW: How do you think Danica will approach this match?

SD: I think she’ll look to keep it pretty fast-paced. Her body will be in a far better condition than Kincaid’s in general, so I think she’ll try to utilise that to her advantage. That may not be easy, as he’ll come across opponents like that so often, but I think it might be her best chance.

MW: And Kincaid?

SD: Use his experience, his technical advantage, his overall better skill set. He’ll be confident coming into this one and I think he’ll get it done.

MW: Well, here’s someone who always-

SD: Is confident?

SD: Actually, I was going to say who always gets it done. Dasha Banks.



“Ladies and gentlemen, the following contest is an A Block match-up with a thirty-minute time-limit. Introducing first, in fifth place in the block with two points thanks to a win over Thea Donovan, from Las Vegas, Nevada, this is Danica Jane!”



‘This Fire Burns’ begins to play and the fans react mildly. Danica Jane steps through the curtain and looks around the arena before making her way down the ramp. She slaps a few hands on her way to the ring while a lot of fans hold back, not reacting very strongly one way or the other. She reaches the ring and climbs the steps, grabbing the top rope and somersaulting over it before looking around the arena once again as her music comes to a halt.



“And her opponent, in third place in the block with four points gained from wins over Thea Donovan and Jackson Banks, being accompanied to the ring by Alyssa Kincaid from Bearing, Alberta, Canada, ‘The King of the North’… Kincaid!”



The lights dim as ‘Storm Eagle’ fills the arena. As the song kicks into life, Kincaid walks out onto the middle of the stage to a fairly good reception. He stares down at the ring to where Thea Donovan waits. Alyssa walks out and stands next to him, waving to the crowd and presenting him to the audience, many of whom continue to politely cheer. Kincaid makes his way down the ramp, his eyes still focussed on the ring as he holds out his arms to brush hands with fans. As he reaches the ring, hops up onto the apron and shares a few last words with Alyssa before raising his arms and slipping into the ring. He climbs up onto the middle rope and calls out to the fans, pointing to himself and promising victory before dropping down and stretching out.



The two prepare themselves for the bell when ‘Rise’ hits the speakers. A collective groan echoes around the arena and Danica Jane turns to the entrance, hands on her hips. Clutch McCloud walks out, Freedom Championship over his shoulder, and he walks down the ramp, looing at Danica. He gives her a smile and then walks around the ring towards the announce table.



MW: Well, it looks like we’ll be joined once again by our esteemed Freedom Champion.

SD: Oh joy of joys.



Clutch takes a seat and places a headset onto his head.



MW: Welcome-

CM: Save it. I know you don’t want me here. I came to make a point. Danica Jane got a win in the Free-1 and I couldn’t be happier. You know who she beat? Thea Donovan. A match I watched with pride. A great FPW women’s match. And yet now she comes back to face a man. One step forward and now two steps back. After watching that match, surely Jim Houston must realise that women’s matches have a place on this card? Surely he must see the benefits of women’s matches as opposed to the usual attempts to empower misogynistic male violence like this.

SD: Danica Jane seems to think you’re here out of some kind of attempt to protect her.

CM: Absolutely not. I’m here to protect all women. Matches like this put women all over the world in danger and I’m here to rally against it and continue to call out these matches for what they are- disgraceful.

MW: Well, let’s get this disgraceful match started and see how it goes, shall we?



A Block: Danica Jane (2) vs. Kincaid (4):



The official calls for the bell and Kincaid and Danica come forward, locking-up. Kincaid takes Danica’s wrist into a wrist lock and attempts to control the arm, but Danica smoothly rolls through and frees herself. She aims a kick at Kincaid’s leg, but he catches it and looks for a dragon screw, which Danica counters with a quick enzeguiri. Kincaid staggers towards the ropes and Danica catches his wrist, trying to send him across the ring. However, Kincaid counters and sends Danica into the ropes instead. She comes back at him and leaps up to take him down with a flying headsissors. As he stands, she connects with a couple of forearms and then whips him into the ropes again.



Danica throws a lariat, but Kincaid ducks under it. He follows through into the ropes and comes back at Danica with a clothesline of his own. She hits the mat but scrambles up into an arm drag, and then another, before Kincaid hits the ropes and takes her down with a bulldog. He pushes up to his feet and stalks Danica as she stands, grabbing her by the leg and lifting her into a shinbreaker. She drops to a knee and he pulls her into a lifting fisherman’s suplex, hooking a leg for a cover.



One…

Tw-



Danica kicks out.



MW: A nice fast-paced start to this match.

SD: Danica Jane came out firing and got some shots in, but Kincaid is in control of this match now.

CM: Disgusting actions from Kincaid.

MW: It’s a wrestling match, Clutch-

CM: It’s a glorification of male violence, Mike.



Kincaid sits Danica up and connects with a hard chop to the chest before pulling her the rest of the way and sending her into the corner. He follows her in with a running forearm and hits the ropes as she staggers out, taking her down with a flying forearm. He rolls away and pushes up to his feet as Danica rolls onto her front and tries to get to a knee. Kincaid pulls her up the rest of the way and lifts her for an inverted atomic drop. She staggers backwards and Kincaid takes her leg, looking for a dragon screw again, but again Danica counters with an enzeguiri. She forces herself to her feet and lands a couple of kicks to Kincaid’s leg before pulling him in for a swinging neckbreaker. She makes a cover.



One…

Two-



Kincaid kicks out. Danica stands and pulls him up, driving a knee into his gut and forcing him into the corner. She connects with a series of forearms, the fans seeming to get behind her, and she then whips him across to the opposite corner. She follows him in with a running lariat and he staggers out. She follows up with a Pele kick, Kincaid dropping to a seated position, and then hits the ropes, connecting with a shining wizard before making the cover.



One…

Two…

T-



Kincaid kicks out again.



MW: A brilliant flurry from Danica Jane.

SD: She’s putting herself in a strong position here. Can she follow this up?

MW: What do you think of that Clutch?

CM: How many times do I have to tell you? I know that Danica Jane can win this match. I’m not disputing that. But most women around the world can’t resist the kind of violence inflicted on them by boyfriends, husbands, fathers, uncles, brothers. This match encourages that kind of disgraceful violence.



Danica stands and reaches down to pull Kincaid with her. She jams a knee into his gut again and pulls him in for a belly to belly, but Kincaid blocks it, shoving Danica away from her and sending her into the ropes. He catches her with a lariat and then pulls her up, trying to set her up in position for a powerbomb. He lifts Danica onto his shoulders but Danica swings down and pulls him into a hirricanrana, grabbing his legs for a cover.



One..

Two…

Th-



Kincaid just manages to escape. Both of them scramble to get to their feet and Kincaid swings a chop, which Danica ducks underneath before coming up with a roundhouse kick. Kincaid staggers and Danica performs a handspring before coming in with a handspring enzeguiri. Kincaid drops to the mat and Danica stands, nodding to the fans as they continue to get behind her, before stalking Kincaid. He pushes up to his feet and she leaps into Lights Out, but he ducks under it, managing to hook Danica into position for a sit-out powerbomb and driving her into the mat, holding for a cover.



One…

Two…

Th-



Danica kicks out.



MW: Danica Jane still alive in this match.

CM: What a horrendous choice of words.

MW: It’s an expression-

CM: It’s totally disrespectful to the thousands of victims on man-on-woman violence and it’s utterly endemic of this company’s attitude to domestic abuse.

SD: Focussing on the match… Kincaid looks like he wants to end this match right now.



Kincaid reaches down and pulls Danica to her feet. He pulls her in for the Llewellyn Lift before releasing his grip and standing. Danica rolls through to her knees and he comes in with a Big Fat Kill. Danica drops to the mat and Kincaid makes a cover.



One…

Two…

Thr-



Danica kicks out again. Kincaid stands and pulls Danica to her feet. He sends her into the corner and comes in with a flying splash. Danica staggers out of the corner and he hits the ropes, aiming for The Flying Lariat, only for Danica to duck under it. Kincaid hits the floor and lands hard, Danica connecting with a buzzsaw kick to drop him to the mat. She shakes off the damage done and reaches down, pulling Kincaid back up again. She looks to lock in a Kimura lock, but Kincaid resists frantically, refusing to allow her to properly grip his arm. He manages to shove her away from him and he pulls her in for a short-arm lariat before catching his breath.



Kincaid stalks Danica and waits for her to get to her feet before connecting with a lariat. She stands quickly and he connects with another before sending her into the corner. He follows her in with the same flying splash as earlier and she staggers out, just like she did before. He hits the ropes and this time manages to connect with The Flying Lariat before rolling under the bottom rope and stepping up onto the top turnbuckle. He comes down with From On High and holds for the cover.



One…

Two…

Three.



Winner: Kincaid (11:00).



MW: And Kincaid gets the victory.

SD: And joins Jerry Bishop on six points-

CM: Unbelievable. This is exactly what’s wrong with this company.

MW: What now?

CM: You’ve just watched a horrific example of a match which encourages the worst instincts of so many men all around the world, and you’re talking about Free-1 points. How about calling out the hypocrisy of a company which claims to be for everyone but which actively participates in the most disgusting violence against women? I’ve stood by for so long, but no more!



Kincaid stands and Alyssa climbs into the ring, raising his hand along with the official. As the official moves aside, Clutch comes in from behind and pulls Kincaid around. Kincaid turns and looks at Clutch with confusion as he raises a mic.



CM: Kincaid. You’re a man who comes into this company saying that you like wrestling done a certain way. Does that way involve the encouragement of heinous man-on-woman violence? This tournament is a cesspool of disgusting enablement. You’re a man who should know better. You disgust me, just like you disgust any reasonable fan across the world.



Kincaid stares at Clutch for a moment before shaking his head and turning away.



CM: Hey. Don’t you dare walk away when I’m talking. Alyssa, you’d better watch yourself if your husband can bring himself to treat a woman like-



Kincaid explodes into a Big Fat Kill, flooring Clutch. He stares down at him as he tells him, “Don’t you dare suggest that I’d ever do something like that.”



Kincaid turns only to find Danica standing there. She apologises and the two share a few words before Kincaid offers her his hand. The two shake and the fans applaud before they suddenly go silent as Clutch grabs Kincaid from behind. He aims a TarHEEL at him, but Kincaid ducks and Clutch catches Alyssa square in the face. He stares at her in shock for a moment before running out of the ring as Kincaid charges at him.



Clutch backs away up the ramp, his eyes wide, as Kincaid consoles Alyssa before picking up the mic that Clutch dropped.



K: Is that your game, McCloud? You’re going to hit my wife? You’re going to hit my fucking wife? Next time I see you, I’m going to kick you ass. In fact, let’s kill two birds with one stone. You holding that Freedom Championship is a fucking embarrassment to this company. When I’m done with the Free-1, whenever that might be, I’ll kick your ass and save us any more embarrassment by taking that belt away from you.



Kincaid tosses the microphone away and stares intensely at Clutch McCloud, who continues to back away, a fearful look in his eyes.



MW: It seems like we’ve got a Freedom Championship match booked for some time in the future.

SD: Clutch McCloud might finally be about to get his mouth shut. And I for one would love to see it.

MW: You’re not going to defend him?

SD: Why would I do that?

MW: Normally you defend guys like Clutch?

SD: When have I ever defended someone like Clutch?

MW: Let’s move on or we could be here for a long time. Our B Block contest tonight pits Berry Bishop, currently in fifth place with four points, against the block leader Marcus Allen Jones, who happens to be just one point ahead of Berry. What are the key things to look for in this one, Steven?

SD: There’s only one. Marcus’ knee. Can Marcus even go tonight? As far as I’m aware, he’s been cleared, but I don’t know how. In his last match, he was protecting his knee as much as he could and yet Johnny California still managed to leave him barely able to walk.

MW: Marcus significantly adapted his style for that match. Can a more technical style work for him tonight against Berry?

SD: It won’t work as well because Berry is a better technician than California is. Maybe she won’t go after the knee like others have and will do, but I don’t think Marcus has a big advantage in the technical game. Berry doesn’t always show her technical skills but I think she might be as good as, if not a little better than, Marcus in that area of wrestling.

MW: So how should he approach this match?

SD: Win as quickly as he can. I said similar with Jace Mason but with Marcus it really matters. If he knows that his knee could blow out at any moment, he needs to spend the least amount of time possible in the ring. Distract Berry or catch her unawares or get a roll-up or something. But the longer he’s in there, the less chance of making it to the next match, let alone winning the block.

MW: Is it a realistic aim for Marcus to win the block with this injury?

SD: I don’t think so. Maybe he’ll get through this match, but he still has Botiatus, Evans and Bolt afterwards. Russ Bolt doesn’t scare him, but Botiatus and Artemis Evans will. I doubt he wins either of those matches and, in all honesty, I doubt he wins this one either.

MW: How about Berry? The focus is all on Marcus and this knee problem, but what will Berry do? Will she wrestle her normal game or will she shift her focus and target the knee?

SD: I don’t know if Berry has that killer instinct in her. Will she go after an injury? Maybe. Should she? Absolutely she should. If I’m Berry, I’m moving Marcus around the ring, getting some of those deadly kicks in on that leg and trying to make the knee give out. Why? Because it weakens a contender for the block. Let’s remember, a Berry win here moves her to the top of the B Block. She’ll see herself as a contender for this thing and weakening Marcus will help her. If she pussyfoots around him and chooses not to take advantage of an injury because she’s being too nice, she could lose this match and she could fail to met her aim of winning the Free-1. Killer instinct.

MW: Well here’s someone who never fails to meet her aims. Dasha Banks.

SD: Damn… I almost got you to say she has a killer instinct.



“The following contest is a B Block match with a thirty-minute time-limit. Introducing first, in fifth place in the block with four points thanks to wins over Botiatus and Russ Bolt, from New Haven, Connecticut, it’s ‘The Bombshell’… Berry Bishop!”



‘The Entertainer’ begins to play and Berry comes through the curtain to a loud cheer. She drops into an exaggerated bow at the top of the ramp and plays along to the music as she stands and looks out at the crowd. She rearranges her Tag Team Championship at her waist before hopscotching down the ramp. She reaches the bottom of the ramp and slaps a few hands before playing the ring apron and somersaulting over the rope, landing with a bow and a wink before she stands and embraces Dasha Banks before stepping back and sharing a smile with her. The music dies down and a ‘Be-rry Bi-shop’ chant breaks out. Berry nods and throws a few kicks as the music dies down.



“And her opponent, sitting top of the block with five points thanks to wins over MDE and Johnny California and a draw against Jace Mason, from Chicago, Illinois, ‘The Marksman’… Marcus Allen Jones!”





The opening piano notes to ‘Hall of Fame’ begin to play and the fans stand in anticipation. Marcus makes the fans wait as the song builds and, as the lyrics kick in, Marcus steps through the curtain to a loud cheer. An ‘M. A. J.’ chant fills the arena and he looks around it for a moment, nodding to himself before stepping forward and heading down the ramp. His movement is clearly hampered by his left knee and the ‘M. A. J.’ chant stops with fans whispering with concern as he reaches the bottom of the ramp. Marcus takes a couple of quick steps and slides into the ring, bumping fists with Dasha and climbing up onto the top turnbuckle, calling for the fans to get louder, which they do. He steps down, one rope at a time, and looks over at Berry, who eyes him carefully. Dasha looks back and forth between the two before leaving the ring.



B Block: Berry Bishop (4) vs. Marcus Allen Jones (5):



The official calls for the bell and Berry steps forward, offering a hand to Marcus. He’s watchful but comes in, keeping his left side shielded, shaking hands with Berry to applause from the fans. The two them begin to circle one another, Berry much lighter on her feet as Marcus continues to show his right side. They comes forward to lock up, Marcus locking in a headlock and looking to take Berry over, but she almost handstands on the mat and pushes herself free of his grip. She unleashes a kick to his back and he scrambles away, still protecting his left leg.



MW: Marcus definitely not moving right at the start of this match.

SD: He isn’t. And Berry didn’t kick the leg. She had a chance to test out his resolve and she chose not to take it. She needs to be more willing to do things like that if she’s going to win this match.



Marcus watches carefully as he and Berry come together again, Marcus pushing out of the lock-up and grabbing a waistlock. He lifts Berry, but catches an arm around his head and pulls him down into a bulldog. He rolls away and she stands, moving over to him and lifting him. He elbows her in the gut and takes a couple of steps back, turning his body again to protect the left side from her. Marcus moves forward and keeps low, Berry watching him as he feigns coming in for a leg. She pushes out with a little kick to keep him back but he manages to shimmy his way past it and he takes her down. Marcus instantly grabs her foot and starts to manipulate the ankle, but Berry turns onto her front, gets her right foot up and into the crook of her leg and frees herself. Marcus scrambles back just in time to avoid Berry’s leg kick.



SD: That’s more like it. That’s what she needs to do.

MW: This is unlike any Marcus Allen Jones match I think I’ve ever seen.

SD: He’s not going to be used to ducking and dodging as much as this, but it could be good for him. He takes a lot of punishment, so learning how to avoid it can’t be bad.



Marcus drops low again and looks to come in for a leg again, but Berry drops down and locks in a front facelock to block him. Marcus pushes up to his knees but he instinctively tries to stand using his left first and drops back down again. Berry takes advantage, putting her weight on him and forcing him back down to the mat. Marcus tries to push up and roll her over, but Berry uses her position well, keeping him grounded. He then reaches out for the ropes, and manages to just catch the bottom rope. Berry breaks the hold and pulls Marcus up to his feet, pulling him in and connecting with an exploder suplex.



Marcus rolls away but Berry moves in again, pulling him up and forcing him into the corner. She connects with a couple of kicks to the chest and the whips him across the ring, but he can only take a few steps before his leg buckles and he drops to a knee. Berry looks at him with concern on her face and she turns to Dasha, who shakes her head. The official comes in to check on Marcus, but he quickly dismisses him, refusing to give in. He pushes up to his feet and turns to Berry, the two of them coming together again and locking-up. Berry looks for a headlock but Marcus catches her wrist and spins her out, looking for Six Stars, only for Berry to catch him with an instinctive roundhouse kick.



MW: Marcus almost managed to catch her there.

SD: And again Berry is lacking that killer instinct. I know she’s had some difficulties recently and I do sympathise, but she needed to come in with a buzzsaw kick or a shining wizard when he went down. She’s too nice. She’s got him with the technical stuff. He can’t out-wrestle her that way and I think he knows it. She has to finish him off.



Marcus staggers and Berry pulls him into a Northern Lights suplex, bridging for the cover.



One…

Two-



Marcus kicks out. Berry scrambles to her feet and finds Marcus holding his knee. She moves in and pulls him up, forcing him back into the corner and landing a couple more kicks to the chest. She then backs away and comes at him with a running knee, sending him staggering and then dropping to his knees. Berry hits the ropes and comes back with a shining wizard. She makes the cover.



One…

Two…

Thr-



Marcus just gets a shoulder up.



SD: That’s better again from Berry. Now finish him off!



Berry stands and coils herself. She stalks Marcus as he forces his way to his feet and turns. She unleashes Checkmate, but he manages to duck under it. He kicks out at her with an attempted superkick, but his knee buckles again and he drops to the mat. Berry turns and looks at him and then at the official, who moves in again, checking on him. Marcus shakes his head and tries to push the official away, refusing to let the match be stopped. The fans sit with expressions of concern as they can tell how badly injured Marcus is.



The official shrugs and tells Berry to carry on as Marcus stands. She hesitates, looking at him for a moment. He beckons her towards him and she moves in, aiming another roundhouse kick, only for Marcus to duck under it and grabs her for a schoolboy roll-up.



One…

Two…

Three.



Winner: Marcus Allen Jones (9:37).



Marcus rolls away as the fans stand in shock, some applauding and some still looking worriedly at him. Berry sits up and gives him a look, and he shrugs his shoulders at her. She shakes her head and rolls out of the ring, walking slowly up the ramp as a doctor comes past her to check on Marcus.



MW: Well Marcus somehow managed to pick up a win with a roll-up and he extends his lead to three points in the B Block.

SD: Berry didn’t kill him off when she should have done. She should have taken him out the first time he collapsed when she tried to send him into the corner. It’s her own fault.

MW: Be that as it may, Marcus Allen Jones has picked up a huge win and has set himself up to win this block- if he can wrestle his remaining matches.

SD: If he gets any more points, it’ll be a miracle.

MW: He at least has six days now until his match with Botiatus. He’ll need to really heal up in that time if he’s going to have any chance though. And speaking of Botiatus, he’s back in action tomorrow night against Jace Mason in what could be a fantastic contest in this unpredictable B Block. We also see the FPW Champion Jerry Bishop facing off against Jackson Banks in A Block action. We’ll see you tomorrow.

[Jim Houston]

“The Free-1… the biggest opportunity for any Freedom Pro Wrestling star. The Free-1 epitomises what Freedom Pro Wrestling is all about. Opportunity. The opportunity to earn the right to challenge for FPW Championship in the biggest match of the FPW year. The opportunity to showcase your skills in front of a huge audience. The opportunity to be noticed. Free-1 I… a man who was known as a hardcore icon stepped up to show his toughness, his skill, his potential. And he became FPW Champion. Free-1 II… an underdog on the rise picking up the biggest wins of his career to show who he could truly become. And he became FPW Champion. Free-1 III… the biggest yet. Sixteen wrestlers in two blocks of eight. Two winners facing off on August 31st to earn the biggest opportunity of their careers. But all sixteen will have an opportunity. An opportunity to make a name. An opportunity to showcase their true ability. For in the Free-1, each entrant controls their own destiny, their own narrative and their own future. Welcome to Free-1 III.”



MW: Welcome to night twelve of Free-1 III. Tonight we have some of the biggest FPW stars in action as we see Jerry Bishop face Jackson Banks and Botiatus face Jace Mason.

SD: Two big matches, no doubt. Botiatus v Mason will be a hard-hitting war for sure and it’s always a big match when the FPW Champion is in the ring.

MW: Let’s focus on that A Block match, then. Jackson Banks and Jerry Bishop could not be more opposed in terms of Free-1 III record. Banks has had three matches and has lost all three. Jerry has had three matches and has won all three. Jerry is the most experienced FPW wrestler with over fifty matches, plus countless others on non-broadcast shows. Jackson Banks is right at the beginning of his career. On paper, this match can only go one way, but could Jackson Banks pull off the upset to end all upsets?

SD: Normally, I’d say anything is possible, but I don’t see it here. Jerry has three wins, a battle against Bobby and then two matches where he toyed with his opponent against Danica Jane and The Silent Assassin. That latter match almost went to a draw because of Jerry playing mind games to try and put The Silent Assassin off his game. Now Jackson Banks is no Silent Assassin when it comes to mentality, that’s for sure, but I have a feeling that Jerry will be looking to reassert his dominance tonight with a quick victory.

MW: Could the time tie-breaker come into his mind with that? If he ends up tied with more than one person at the end of the block, which is possible with Kincaid, Aaron Williams and Bobby O all snapping at his heels, he can’t afford to have too many more wasted minutes.

SD: I doubt Jerry will think that way because I’m certain that he’ll be expecting to win every match, but I know MDE will have that in mind, and he’ll be advising The Joker accordingly.

MW: It’ll be interesting to see which Jerry Bishop turns up for this one. Let’s look at Jackson Banks for a moment then. Three losses, yes, but they came against The Silent Assassin, Kincaid and Bobby O. Could he be in for a few points in the upcoming rounds?

SD: Maybe. He was dominated by The Silent Assassin, but put up a stronger showing against Kincaid and Bobby O. We know that Jackson Banks has the ability to pull off some spectacular things but I question how much he can put it together. He’s a promising young tag team wrestler at the moment, and no doubt he’ll learn some things from this Free-1, but I can’t help but wonder if this wasn’t a couple of years too soon for him.

MW: What might he do to disrupt Jerry, tonight?

SD: I’d suggest that he looks to go all-out. What does he have to lose? He’s six points behind Jerry and Kincaid and he’s not going to win the block. Go out to impress and see what happens. Maybe he catches Jerry by surprise, who knows?

MW: Well here’s someone who always has a surprise up hr sleeve. It’s Dasha Banks.



“The following contest is an A Block match with a thirty-minute time-limit. Introducing first, currently in eighth place in the block with zero points, being accompanied to the ring by RJ Tudor, from Brooklyn, New York, he is ‘The King of the Ropes’, Jackson Banks!”



‘You Need Me, I Don’t Need You’ begins and the fans cheer as the usual fast-paced highlights of Revolution-X flash across the screen. As ‘Now I’m in Town’ hits, Banks bursts through the curtain and charges across the stage to both sides of the fans, pumping them up. RJ Tudor comes out behind him and watches, letting Banks take the attention. Banks turns to Tudor and nods before the two of them bounce down the ramp, slapping hands with fans and continuing to pump up the crowd, who respond well to them. Banks reaches the bottom of the ramp and climbs onto the apron before springboarding onto the top rope and walking to the turnbuckle, turning and continuing to walk the rope. He walks all four before bouncing down onto the middle rope and then back up again, backflipping back into the ring and pumping up the cheers of the crowd even further.



Boos ring around the arena as Thalia Columbina steps onto the stage.



“Introducing THE soon-to-be sole leader of the A Block, THE man soon to have fourteen points, THE man soon to have beaten Bobby O, Danica Jane, The Silent Assassin, Jackson Banks, Thea Donovan, Kincaid and Aaron Williams, THE greatest man ever to come out of Kanas City, Missouri, THE current and greatest ever FPW Champion, THE single most exciting, engaging and enticing figure in all of professional sports, THE Joker… Jerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrryyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy Bishooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooop!”



‘Shine My Shoes’ plays and Jerry Bishop walks out alongside Thalia, bowing deeply to her and kissing her hand as a ‘Fuck You, Jerry’ chant goes round the arena. He stands and looks out at the fans, laughing loudly before almost skipping down the ramp and conducting the chant. He reaches the ring and steps up the stairs and climbs up onto the middle rope, holding the FPW Championship aloft and looking down at Banks in the ring. He stares back resolutely before Jerry drops down and hands his title to the official. He settles in the corner, the ‘Fuck You, Jerry’ chant still going strong.



MW: Jerry looks focussed tonight.

SD: Just like I said. He’ll be slightly wary of taking the mind games too far and risking a slip up. There’s still one man in FPW who Jerry feels that he needs to emulate, and that man went undefeated through the first Free-1, albeit with two draws. If Jerry can win Free-1 III with eight totally wins, he’ll feel like he’s eclipsed Graham Baker’s achievements.



A Block: Jackson Banks (0) vs. Jerry Bishop (6):



The official calls for the bell and the two come forward into a lock-up, Jerry immediately taking control, forcing Banks backwards into the corner. The official comes in for the break, but Jerry breaks before he’s asked to, pulling Banks out into an arm drag. Banks scrambles to his feet and Jerry pulls him in for another one before pulling him up and forcing him into the corner. He lands a few forearms and then whips Banks across the ring to the opposite corner, following him in with a running dropkick. Banks drops out of the corner and Jerry looks down at him with a little chuckle before moving in and trapping his arms, looking for Last Laugh.



Banks, however, blocks it and frees his arms. He ducks a forearm from Jerry and springs up onto the middle rope. Jerry pounces, trying to grab him and pull him down, but Banks leaps up onto the top rope and runs across it, crossing the turnbuckle onto the next rope before jumping down and taking Jerry down with a hurricanrana. The fans cheer as Banks stands and immediately hits the ropes, coming back at Jerry with a low dropkick and then climbing up to the top rope. He stalks Jerry as he stands and turns, coming down with a shooting star crossbody, holding for the cover.



One-



Jerry kicks out.



MW: There’s that flurry from Jackson Banks you talked about.

SD: He’s hit Jerry with a lot of quick moves there and only got a one count, though. That’s got to play on a man’s mind.

MW: But he’s in a strong position right now.

SD: Maybe so, but I doubt that Jerry lets him keep that position for long. He has three tough matches to come and I think he feels it’s time to make a statement to those opponents that he’s not going to mess around.



Banks pulls Jerry up and he wrings his arm before stepping up onto the top rope again, walking along it and coming down just as Jerry jumps onto the middle rope for a rebound arm drag. Jerry pushes to his feet and catches Banks with a rolling elbow to stagger him before taking him down with a step-up enzeguiri. He stands and pulls Banks to his feet, forcing him into the corner and driving a couple of forearms at him before sending him across the ring again. Jerry follows up with another running dropkick and then sets himself up on the middle rope. Banks is slow getting to his feet and, when he turns, Jerry comes down with a blockbuster. He rolls into a cover.



One…

Two…

T-



Banks kicks out. On the outside, RJ Tudor bangs the mat and Jerry looks out at him, letting out a laugh and pointing at him. Tudor gives Jerry a dirty look and Jerry continues to laugh before turning back to Banks, who is pulling himself up on the ropes. Jerry vaults over the top rope and kicks Banks through the ropes before connecting with a slingshot DDT. He stands and pulls Banks with him, moving him over to the corner before pushing up. He steps off the ropes for a tornado DDT and rolls Banks over for another cover.



One…

Two…

Thr-



Banks kicks out.



SD: This is child’s play for the FPW Champion.

MW: He’s certainly having things all his own way right now. But Jackson Banks could get back into this match at any time.

SD: I’m not so sure. I think we’re about to see the end of Banks and the first official elimination of Free-1 III.



Jerry stands and looks down at Banks with another chuckle. He stalks Banks, who rolls over to the ropes and starts to pull himself to his feet. Jerry catches him as he gets to a knee and pulls him towards him, trapping his arms and dropping him with Last Laugh. He makes the cover.



One…

Two…

Three.



Winner: Jerry Bishop (6:37).



MW: Well it looks like you were right, Steven.

SD: As usual, Watson, as usual. Jerry Bishop jumps ahead of the chasing pack again and is the first in either block to reach eight points. Jackson Banks no cannot catch him, and it will be very difficult for Thea Donovan, Danica Jane or The Silent Assassin to catch up as well.

MW: The FPW Champion firmly in control of the A Block, and the fans don’t like it.

SD: But there’s nothing they can do, Watson. Nothing they can do.



Jerry stands and dusts off his hands as Jackson Banks rolls out of the ring. The fans boo as Thalia Columbina emerges and raises a mic to her lips.



“Ladies and gentlemen, your winner, advancing to eight points and a clear A Block lead, THE future A Block winner, THE soon-to-be Free-1 III winner, THE FPW Champion, THE Joker… Jerrrrrrrrrryyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy Bishoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooop!”



A loud ‘Fuck You, Jerry’ chant goes up and Jerry stands in the ring with a bored look on his face, lazily conducting it before letting out a booming laugh.



MW: The A Block is looking like a race to catch Jerry while the B Block is a little closer. Marcus may lead by two points after wrestling a match more than his nearest competitors, but Jace Mason and Johnny California or Artemis Evans could find themselves very close to him after the next couple of matches.

SD: The B Block has been tight all the way and I don’t think that will change coming up to the final day. I think we could see a final set of matches with three, four, maybe even five possible block winners.

MW: So this next match sees one man right in the mix and another who believes he ought to be, and could be after this one. Jace Mason is just behind Marcus and is also undefeated, while Botiatus has just two points after a couple of tough losses before a big win over MDE in his last match. How do you see this one going, Steven?

SD: I don’t want to sound like a broken record, but a big focus of this match is another injury. Jace Mason’s ribs were damaged by Artemis Evans a couple of nights ago and, while I doubt it will be anything like Marcus’ knee injury, they could hamper him in this match.

MW: Will Botiatus test them out like Berry couldn’t do to Marcus’ knee last night?

SD: I think he will. He’s been around the block a few times and he knows how to win matches. Mason won’t get away from this one without some soreness, win or lose.

MW: And how will Mason approach this one. He defeated Botiatus the last time they met, but that was under very different circumstances.

SD: It was. That was essentially an exhibition match while this is a match with very high stakes. Mason needs the win to keep up with Marcus ahead of the final run-in and for Botiatus a loss would probably mean he’s done as a genuine contender for the block. He’d be five off the leaders, with three matches to come, and I doubt he’d be able to catch up even if he won them all.

MW: What’s your prediction for this one, then Steven?

SD: Honestly, I think it’ll be close, but I think Jace Mason will put out the win. He showed a lot of nerve in his match against Artemis Evans and he showed that his determination to win this tournament and better himself from last year won’t be used against him. I think he can come through this one and put himself in a very good position to win this block.

MW: Well here’s someone who always shows a lot of nerve. Dasha Banks.



“The following contest is a B Block match-up with a thirty-minute time-limit. Introducing first, in sixth place in the block with two points thanks to a victory over MDE, from The Bay Area, California, this is Botiatus!”



The fans cheer as the lights go down and the screen displays the foot of wide stone steps. The shot pans up to show more steps and then the now-familiar Roman pillars in front of the villa. As the song really kicks in, the light flash back on and villa melts into ‘THE HOUSE OF BOTIATUS’. Bo emerges into the arena and walks straight down the ramp, blowing kisses out to the fans and slapping a few hands. He walks around the side of the ring and hops up onto the apron before climbing onto the turnbuckle, kneeling on the ringpost and pointing down to Watson and Deville. The lights cut out and a single spotlight shines down on Bo, who stands in his signature pose. As the lights come back on, he drops down, gives Dasha a nod and settles in his corner, a look of focus on his face as he stares back up the ramp.



“And his opponent, in second place in the block with five points thanks to two victories over Berry Bishop and Artemis Evans and a draw against Marcus Allen Jones, from Seattle, Washington, ‘The Eternal Student’… Jace Mason!”



The introduction to ‘Afterlife’ begins to play and the anticipation of the fans again builds. As the intro ends, Jace Mason steps forward in his usual pose but with his ribs heavily taped, pyro exploding and the fans cheering loudly. Mason looks out at the crowd and nods, smiling as he hears the loud cheers. Mason makes his way down the ramp, holding out his hands but keeping his eyes locked on Botiatus, who stares right back at him. When he reaches the bottom of the ramp, he steps up onto the apron, walking along to the turnbuckles and stepping up onto the top and middle turnbuckles, raising his right fist and holding the pose for moment before dropping into the ring.



MW: Mason going for the tape option. Do you think that’s the right decision?

SD: It puts a target on the ribs, but that was there already. A bit of protection isn’t a bad thing. It might not help much, but it might give him a bit of confidence that he can hold up to what I expect will be a fairly long match.



B Block: Botiatus (2) vs. Jace Mason (5):



The official calls for the bell and Mason and Bo eye one another from the ring. A ‘Let’s Go, Mason’ chant rises and a quieter ‘H. O. B.’ fills the gap. Mason nods along to the fans chanting his name while Bo gives himself a nod as he realises the majority of the fans aren’t on his side for this match. The two come forward into a strong lock-up, Botiatus pushing Mason back a couple of steps before Mason digs his feet in and drives Bo back. They jockey in the middle of the ring before Bo looks to break off the lock-up, but Mason pulls him back into a headlock. He takes Bo over but Bo quickly gets his legs up into a headscissors, which Mason kicks his way out of. The two scramble to their feet and eye one another, the fans politely applauding.



They come together again, locking up and jockeying for position. Mason forces Bo back a couple of steps before Bo tries to fight back, halting him for a moment before Mason digs deep and drives him back into the corner. The official comes in to separate the two and Mason slowly releases his grip on Bo, raising his hands and stepping back, the fans applauding again for the clean break. Bo comes out of the corner and the two circle one another before locking up for a third time, again jockeying in the middle of the ring. Bo gains a step but Mason drives him back a couple before Bo digs in deeper and pushes Mason back into the middle, but neither can gain an advantage and they break off the lock-up again. Mason extends a fist to Bo, who bumps it, the fans applauding once again.



MW: A very evenly matched start to this match.

SD: They’ve started out fairly respectful. You know what I say in matches that start like that. The first man to break the pattern of respect gets a big advantage. Bo hasn’t gone for the ribs yet, has he? I wonder when he’ll give Mason a few test shots.



The two begin to circle one another again, Mason leading the fans in a rhythmic clap before they come together again. This time, Bo ducks the lock-up and grabs a waistlock, lifting Mason and dropping him to the mat. He looks for a kind of bear hug but Mason quickly connects with an elbow and Bo’s grip loosens. Mason moves away and pushes up to his feet, taking Bo’s wrist and wringing the arm. Bo looks to roll through but Mason drops into a kind of leg drop and looks to position Bo for a Fujiwara arm bar, only for Bo to grab the bottom rope.



Mason releases his grip but he pulls Bo up and connects with a spinning kick to the gut. He kicks out the leg and backs into the ropes for a low dropkick, but Bo lifts his head and avoids it, quickly springing to his feet and catching Mason with a forearm as he looks to stand. Bo pulls Mason into a twisting vertical suplex and makes the first cover of the match.



One…

Tw-



Mason kicks out. Bo pulls him up and wrings his arm, dropping into an arm stunner before hitting the ropes and taking Mason down with a running lariat. Bo stalks Mason from behind and, after he stands, he traps his arms and looks for a tiger suplex, but Mason frees an arm and throws an elbow, staggering Bo. Mason grabs Bo and whips him into the ropes before catching him in position for an Irish curse backbreaker, dropping him hard over his knee. Mason makes a cover of his own.



One…

Two-



Bo kicks out.



MW: Mason and Botiatus both picking up the pace now.

SD: It’s still fairly even and I still haven’t seen much of an attempt to go for the ribs beyond that early effort at a bear hug. I hope Bo hasn’t been weakened by Berry’s niceness.

MW: I’d hardly call being nice a weakness.

SD: In that ring, if you’re anything short of ruthless, you’re showing weakness.



Mason stands and pulls Bo up with him, forcing him into the corner. Mason chops him hard in the chest. Bo grimaces but gives Mason a stare as if to dare him to try it again. Mason chops him again and Bo comes back with a hard forearm. Mason staggers back and Bo whips him into the ropes before taking him down with a dropkick. Bo touches a hand to his chest before pulling Mason up and trapping his head, twisting and dropping him with a neckbreaker drop. Bo moves into a cover.



One…

Two-



Mason kicks out. Bo stands and pulls Mason with him, but Mason shoves him away. Bo comes back but Mason connects with another chop. Bo staggers back a step and Mason connects with a pinning gut kick before kicking the leg out again. Mason backs into the ropes and this time connects with the low dropkick. He takes a moment to adjust the tape on his ribs as Bo rolls towards the ropes before pushing up and moving over to Bo. He reaches down and pulls him to his feet, connecting with a snapmare before hitting the ropes and coming back with a hard penalty kick. He drops into a cover.



One…

Two-



Bo kicks out again.



MW: We’re seeing a lot of pin attempts in this one.

SD: We are. I think both of them are aware of the need to not just win matches but to catch quicker wins than they have been. There’s a good chance this block ends up needing a tie-breaker given the way it’s been going so far, and both of these two have higher match times than the majority of their competitors.

MW: Lots of pins, but not so many moves that might normally end the match.

SD: These two are renowned for their preparation. They’ll both have counters in mind for big moves, so I think both would love to end the match with something different. Besides, moves like Extra Credit might take it out of Mason too with that kind of landing, and they certainly leave the ribs open for a well-placed elbow.



Mason stands and pulls Bo up again, trapping his wrist in a hammerlock and pulling back for a lariat, but Bo twists free and counters into a DDT. He rolls away and stands, stalking Mason before pulling him in for a back suplex. Mason lands hard and grimaces but Bo quickly pulls him up and into a tiger suplex. He releases his arms instead of bridging for the cover and rolls under the bottom rope. As Mason stands, Botiatus leaps up and connects with a springboard blockbuster. He rolls into a cover.



One…

Two…

Th-



Mason kicks out. Bo pushes up and grabs Mason to bring him up with him. He hooks an arm over him and lifts him before dropping him onto the top rope. Mason grunts as the rope digs into his ribs and he drops onto the apron. Bo backs away and runs at Mason, aiming for the sliding elbow drop only for Mason to somehow counter with a wrecking ball dropkick into the ring. The fans cheer as Mason stands, a hand going to his ribs, before he stalks Bo. Bo pushes up to his feet and Mason pulls him into position for a vertical suplex too. He lifts him and drops him with a falcon arrow, rolling away and standing.



Mason looks down at Bo and stalks him again as he rolls over and starts to get to his feet. He grabs him by the arm and hoists him up onto his shoulders, only for Bo to drive a couple of elbows into the side of Mason’s head and force him to drop him. Bo then connects with a forearm to the back of the ribs and Mason drops to a knee before Bo backs away and lands a hard running knee to the back of his head. Bo rests on the ropes for a moment and then pulls Mason up, lifting him into position for a suplex again before trying to drop him onto the ropes a second time, only for Mason to drive a knee down onto the top of Bo’s head and to drop down into a DDT. Mason rolls away and catches his breath for a moment as the fans applaud.



MW: It looks like Botiatus is starting to target those ribs a little now.

SD: He saw the damage that was done when Mason was dropped onto the rope and I think he realised that he needed to go after them. This has been a very even match so far with a lot of counters between these two; Botiatus needed an advantage from somewhere and I think he might have decided it’s time to take it.

MW: But Mason is still fighting back.

SD: Of course he is. Jace Mason can take punishment. We all know that about him. Botiatus will need more than a couple of shots to the ribs to finish this match.



Mason pushes up to his feet and turns to Bo, who gets onto his knees. Mason moves in an connects with a hard sole kick to the side of the head before pulling Bo to his feet and driving him into the corner. He lands another couple of chops before hoisting Bo up onto the top rope. The fans look a little surprised as Mason follows him, but Bo catches him with a right hand to the ribs and he drops down a step immediately. Bo then lifts his knee into Mason’s head and he drops into the ring before Bo comes down with a version of a facebuster. Mason drops back to the mat and Bo takes a moment to recover.



Bo reaches down and pulls Mason up, lifting him onto his shoulder and looking over at the corner. He takes a couple of steps but Mason manages to wriggle free and drop down. Bo turns and Mason leaps up, catching him with a gamengiri. Bo staggers back a couple of steps and Mason pushes up again, catching him with a back elbow as he comes back in and then lifting him onto his shoulders, grimacing as he holds him up for a moment before delivering an ushigaroshi. Mason rolls into a cover.



One…

Two…

T-



Bo kicks out.



MW: Mason showcasing his striking prowess there.

SD: And Bo has to be careful of that. Mason can find those kicks and those elbows from anywhere, and if he catches one well enough it can really shake you up.



Mason pulls Bo to his feet and sends him into the ropes, catching him for Extra Credit, but Bo throws an elbow into the ribs and Mason steps away with a grunt. Bo looks to come back at Mason but Mason responds with a hard chop to the chest. The two stare at one another for a moment, fire in their eyes, and Bo throws a forearm. Mason responds with a chop and suddenly they’re exchanging at a rapid pace, the fans cheering and booing every strike that lands. Mason throws another chop and this time Bo counters with a right hand into the ribs that staggers Mason. A few fans boo but Bo ignores them, moving in and lifting Mason before delivering a pendulum backbreaker.



Mason rolls over and grabs at his ribs, but Bo doesn’t give him time to recover, pulling him up and lifting him onto his shoulder again. He moves over to the corner and drops Mason with snake eyes. Mason staggers away and Bo hits the ropes, looking to come back with House Call, only for Mason to somehow counter into a drop toe hold and grab the arm, locking in a Fujiwara arm bar. Botiatus cries out and moves towards the ropes, Mason struggling to keep him in the middle of the ring. Bo grabs the bottom rope and Mason is forced to release the hold.



MW: An instinctive counter from Mason there.

SD: And that’s good to see. He didn’t just look to counter House Call but he wanted to gain the advantage in the match by doing so. That’s a veteran move from Mason.

MW: Just to note once again that this match is now approaching the twenty-one minute mark.



Mason rolls away and pushes up as Bo climbs up using the ropes. Mason moves in on Bo and kicks him hard in the gut before sending him into the corner. He follows up with a running knee and Bo staggers out of the corner, Mason stalking him before hitting a shotgun dropkick as Bo turns. Bo shoots back towards the opposite corner and Mason grabs his ribs after landing on the mat. However, Mason grits his teeth and stands, moving back over to Bo and pulling him up. He sends him into the ropes and looks again for Extra Credit, but Bo counters with another elbow to the ribs. Mason doubles over and Bo drops him with a snap DDT.



MW: Mason might need to avoid going for Extra Credit again.

SD: I think so. Bo has shown that he can counter it that way and it’ll do Mason more harm than good to keep trying. He has to switch his focus to Mason’s Hammer or maybe the half-crab to win this one I think.



Bo reaches down and pulls Mason up, wearily lifting him into a suplex position again and dropping him over the top rope. Mason grunts as he lands and drops onto the apron, Bo coming in with the sliding elbow drop again, but Masaon manages to move aside and Bo slides all the way to the outside. Mason then springs up onto the middle rope and comes down with a disaster kick on the outside. Bo drops to the floor and Mason forces himself back up, the pain in his ribs etched on his face as he drags Bo up and rolls him back into the ring. Mason steps up onto the apron and then looks to the top turnbuckle as the fans cheer loudly.



MW: Wait! He’s not…

SD: This was how those ribs got hurt in this first place. I’m not sure this is wise from Mason.



Mason climbs the ropes and positions himself on top. With Bo motionless, he comes off with a shooting star press, but Bo, just like Artemis Evans did, gets his knees up and Mason lands with his ribs right onto them. He cries out and rolls away from Bo as the fans look on, concerned for the second night in a row about one of their favourite wrestlers’ injuries. Bo rolls over to the ropes and grabs onto them, pulling himself up and turning to see Mason doubled over on the mat. He steps over to him, moving slower than normal, and grips him by the head, pulling him up. Bo yanks Mason onto his shoulder again and moves over to the corner, dropping him with snake eyes. Mason staggers away and Bo hits the ropes, this time managing to connect with House Call. He drops into a cover.



One…

Two…

Thre-



Mason gets a foot on the ropes and the nervous fans explode into cheers!



MW: What! Again!

SD: Two nights ago, Jace Mason survived a Guillotine Strike from Artemis Evans. Tonight he survives House Call! Unbelievable.

MW: And look at Botiatus! Four minutes to go in this match and he’s wondering how it’s still going.



Bo’s face turns from a look of shock directed at the official to a look of determination directed down at Mason. He rolls Mason over and hooks his arms under his shoulders, linking his fingers and bridging into ADT. Mason grimaces as Bo locks the hold in. The official is straight to him to check and see if he wants to give in, but Mason shakes his head and grunts with the pressure of the hold. Mason tries to get his knees underneath his body and push back against Bo, but he struggles, his ribs clearly effecting him.



MW: Surely we’re not going to see Jace Mason submit!

SD: We might be about to. And we’ve got what? Two and a half minutes left? There’s no way he lasts two and a half minutes locked in ADT.



Mason grits his teeth and tries to force his knees underneath himself again. He manages to get one and he pushes himself up before getting the other and he drives forward, forcing Bo to release the bridge. Mason rolls away and hugs the bottom rope as Bo bangs the mat in frustration. Bo stands, stalking Mason as he tries to drag himself to his feet on the ropes. As soon as Mason gets to his feet, Bo leaps into House Rules, only for Mason to catch the top rope to counter. Bo hits the mat and Mason turns as Bo rolls away and looks to get to his feet.



Mason moves in and lands a chop to the chest, which Bo responds to with a shot to the ribs. Mason grunts and stares at Bo before landing another chop. He suddenly explodes into a barrage of chops, forcing Bo into the ropes. He grabs Bo by the wrist and sends him across the ring, looking to catch him with House Rules. Bo counters again with an elbow to the ribs but Mason maintains his grip and he drops him with an STO. With the fans screaming loudly, Mason gets to his feet and stalks Bo. As Bo stands, Mason hits the ropes and connects with Mason’s Hammer!



MW: It’s over!

SD: But he can’t make the cover.

MW: Cover him, Jace!

SD: He can’t do it. Mason fought through the pain in his ribs but he can’t get to Bo.

MW: And there’s the bell!



Match Result: Time-Limit Draw (30:00).



The fans immediately stand and applaud as Mason stretches an arm out to Bo, who remains motionless in the middle of the ring.



MW: What a match that was!

SD: Another draw for Jace Mason and he falls behind Marcus Allen Jones.

MW: Is it a point dropped or a point gained for Mason given the rib injury?

SD: Five minutes ago I’d have said it was a point gained. But after that Mason’s Hammer… it has to be seen as a point dropped. And now both Mason and Marcus have injuries that could hamper them.

MW: They’ve both been in the ring far longer than anyone else too.

SD: This block is stacked with talent, and they’re pushing themselves so hard. It was inevitable that we would get a couple of injuries and now Mason, who must have thought that his first stretch of matches would be his toughest, could be in danger of falling short because of the effort he put into them.



Mason and Bo both pull themselves up on the ropes and look across at one another. They share a nod before slowly moving together and shaking hands. The fans give them a standing ovation and they both acknowledge the response.



MW: Well that was one hell of a match. Tomorrow we have two more can’t-miss Free-1 III contests.

SD: The Silent Assassin and Aaron Williams could be the match of the A Block so far, and Johnny California versus Artemis Evans will go some way to determining the favourite in the B Block for me, given Mason and Marcus’ injuries, I think the winner of that match will have a path through to the block lead opening up before them.

MW: We could be in for two excellent matches and I’m sure you’ll all be here to see them. See you tomorrow!

[Jim Houston]

“The Free-1… the biggest opportunity for any Freedom Pro Wrestling star. The Free-1 epitomises what Freedom Pro Wrestling is all about. Opportunity. The opportunity to earn the right to challenge for FPW Championship in the biggest match of the FPW year. The opportunity to showcase your skills in front of a huge audience. The opportunity to be noticed. Free-1 I… a man who was known as a hardcore icon stepped up to show his toughness, his skill, his potential. And he became FPW Champion. Free-1 II… an underdog on the rise picking up the biggest wins of his career to show who he could truly become. And he became FPW Champion. Free-1 III… the biggest yet. Sixteen wrestlers in two blocks of eight. Two winners facing off on August 31st to earn the biggest opportunity of their careers. But all sixteen will have an opportunity. An opportunity to make a name. An opportunity to showcase their true ability. For in the Free-1, each entrant controls their own destiny, their own narrative and their own future. Welcome to Free-1 III.”



MW: Welcome back to Free-1 III and thank you for joining us.

SD: We say this every day but this tournament is really starting to get down to brass tax. We have two big matches to bring you today. The B Block clash between Artemis Evans and Johnny California will determine the favourite to win the block in my opinion, and the A Block contest of The Silent Assassin versus Aaron Williams could be a match-of-the-tournament contender for sure.

MW: We’ll get to the B Block later on, but let’s start with The Silent Assassin and Aaron Williams. What a match this could be. The Silent Assassin made a big splash on debut but has since lost hard-fought matches to Bobby O and Jerry Bishop. Aaron Williams declared his intention to win this tournament a long time ago, but he sits four points behind Jerry Bishop having wrestled one fewer match. How important is tonight’s clash for each of these two, Steven?

SD: It’s huge. A loss for The Silent Assassin would all-but eliminate him from the tournament. He’d need a lot of results to go in a certain way as well as to win his final three matches. For Aaron, it wouldn’t be as final, but it would be a massive spanner in the works. A loss would leave him four behind Jerry and he still has Jerry and Bobby O to face, as well as Jackson Banks, meaning he’d need to win out and for Jerry to lose to Thea Donovan or Kincaid, and then Kincaid to also lose to The Silent Assassin and Bobby O, and for Bobby O to lose to either Thea Donovan or Danica Jane.

MW: In other words, this is must-win.

SD: In other words, yes.

MW: These two are fairly different in terms of style. The Silent Assassin is a little slower, more deliberate and more powerful than Aaron Williams while Williams can really take a match into high gear in a way that we haven’t seen The Silent Assassin cope with before. Who has the advantage in that respect?

SD: It’s hard to say. Aaron Williams won’t be put off by The Silent Assassin’s aura and presence. He’s been around the block enough to have wrestled similar guys so he knows to just concentrate on the match. His speed will be a problem for The Silent Assassin, who, as you say, likes to do things at a very deliberate pace. But I think the power of The Silent Assassin will be a problem for Williams to deal with. If The Silent Assassin can get on top of him early and control the pace, I think he could really threaten Williams’ bid for Free-1 glory.

MW: Let’s get this match started with someone who always gets the glory. It’s Dasha Banks.



“Ladies and gentlemen, the following contest is an A Block match-up with a thirty-minute time-limit. Introducing first, sitting in third place in the block with four points thanks to victories over Danica Jane and Kincaid, from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania… ‘A Plus’… Aaron Williams!”



After a short pause to build the cheers from the fans, ‘I Still Believe’ kicks in and the fans sing along loudly. Williams comes straight through the curtain to a loud cheer and he leads the song from the stage, moving from one side to the other and pumping up the volume. He makes his way down the ramp, still singing along loudly, and slapping hands on both sides of the aisle. He reaches the bottom of the ramp and moves around the ring, continuing to slap hands until he gets to a young fan, for whom he pulls out a marker. The fan writes ‘8-27. Williams b. Bishop’ and Williams nods, taking off his t-shirt and handing it to the fan before sliding into the ring. He shakes hands with Dasha and the official before settling in the corner.



“And his opponent, currently in seventh place in the block with two points thanks to a victory over Jackson Banks, from Santa Cruz, Mexico, ‘The Silent Assassin’.



The lights go out and a low thunderous rumble fills the arena. ‘Run’ begins to play and the stage fills up with smoke. The hush around the arena is palpable as The Silent Assassin emerges among the smoke and stares down at Williams in the ring who looks back at him with an interested expression. He begins his walk down the ramp at a deliberate pace, his eyes remaining on the ring. He reaches the ring and circles it, keeping his eyes on Williams, who returns his stare respectfully but without fear. The Silent Assassin then steps up onto the apron and climbs the turnbuckle, a red spotlight shining down as he spreads his arms before dropping down into the ring. He stares down Williams, raising an arm slowly and pointing a finger gun at him, firing the gun just as the line ‘Run’ plays. More red spotlights come down and move wildly around the arena before the song quickly cuts off, as do the lights, leaving the arena momentarily black before the lights come back up and the fans clap in appreciation of the spectacle.



A Block: The Silent Assassin (2) vs. Aaron Williams (4):



A buzz fills the arena as the official calls for the bell. An ‘Aa-ron Will-iams’ chant breaks out and Williams smiles, starting to circle The Silent Assassin. The two come into a lock-up and, after Williams resists for a moment, The Silent Assassin forces him back into the ropes. The official comes in and calls for the break and The Silent Assassin breaks the lock-up, standing and staring into Williams’ eyes. Williams gladly returns the gaze and The Silent Assassin slowly backs away. Williams moves in and the two lock-up again, The Silent Assassin again driving Williams back. He drives him into the ropes but Williams turns him at the last moment. The official comes in again and Williams breaks cleanly, only for The Silent Assassin to catch him with a European uppercut.



Williams staggers back and turns into a big boot. The Silent Assassin stares down at him for a moment before reaching down and pulling him up. He drives him into the corner and lands another European uppercut before connecting with a couple of back elbows. He then pulls Williams out and sends him half-way across the ring with an overhead belly-to-belly. Williams rolls away and tries to get to his feet, but The Silent Assassin moves in quickly and lifts him. He sends him into the ropes and then takes him down with another big boot. Williams, however, kips straight up, and the two stare one another down for a moment before Williams hits the ropes and comes at The Silent Assassin with a shoulder block.



The Silent Assassin staggers back and Williams hits the ropes again, coming in with a second shoulder block which sends The Silent Assassin into the opposite ropes. He comes back and takes Williams down with a shoulder block, but again Williams just kips up and the two exchange a resolute stare. The Silent Assassin looks for a European uppercut but Williams catches the arm and lands a couple of forearms to back The Silent Assassin up. He then connects with a hard mid-kick and whips The Silent Assassin into the ropes, taking him down with a dropkick and then keeling over The Silent Assassin.



MW: There’s a real atmosphere in the air about this match!

SD: Aaron Williams is determined that this is his Free-1, and he refuses to be intimidated. I think he might be trying to get under The Silent Assassin’s skin a little.

MW: We saw how that went in the Jerry match.

SD: But I don’t think Williams will go that far. I think he’s more likely to just try and make clear that The Silent Assassin can’t intimidate him and make him think about things a bit more.



Williams pulls The Silent Assassin to his feet and whips him into the corner. He comes in for a big splash, but The Silent Assassin raises a boot and catches Williams in the face. Williams staggers back a couple of steps and The Silent Assassin moves in, grabbing him from behind for a German suplex, but Williams overrotates and lands on his feet. He unleashes a hard kick to The Silent Assassin’s back and then hits the ropes, coming back with a low dropkick. Williams rolls underneath the bottom rope and stalks The Silent Assassin before leaping up into a springboard forearm. However, The Silent Assassin catches him and delivers a urinage. The Silent Assassin makes a cover.



One…

Two-



Williams kicks out. The Silent Assassin stands and pulls Williams to his feet, driving him into the corner again. He unleashes a few more European uppercuts before pulling Williams out of the corner and sending him into the opposite corner, following him in with a running big boot. Williams drops to the mat and The Silent Assassin climbs the ropes, holding onto the top one and delivering a Vader bomb, holding for the cover again.



One…

Two…

T-



Williams kicks out.



MW: The Silent Assassin fighting back here.

SD: Of course. Aaron Williams wants to show that he can’t be intimidated, but The Silent Assassin will clearly cause him some problems. He may be a more deliberate wrestler, but he showed just then that he can up the pace when he needs to.



The Silent Assassin pulls Williams to his feet and connects with another European uppercut before pulling him up into a blue thunder bomb. The Silent Assassin then steps through the ropes and onto the apron, stalking Williams as he pushes up to his feet. He springs up and looks for a springboard knee strike, but Williams takes him out of the air with a dropkick! Williams rolls into a cover of his own.



One…

Two-



The Silent Assassin kicks out. Williams rolls away and shakes off the cobwebs before pushing himself up and stalking The Silent Assassin. He kicks him in the gut and jams his head between the legs, pulling him up and delivering the powerbomb backbreaker. Williams doesn’t relent, pulling The Silent Assassin to his feet again and hooking an arm over him, lifting him into a vertical suplex position and dropping him with a brainbuster to the knee. The Silent Assassin drops to the mat and Williams drops down into another cover.



One…

Two…

Thr-



The Silent Assassin kicks out.



MW: I must admit, this is a new level of intensity that I haven’t seen from Aaron Williams since… probably since that cage match with Jerry Bishop.

SD: I thought he was excellent against Kincaid, but, yes, he’s really upped the intensity levels in this one. He knows how dangerous The Silent Assassin can be, and he’s showing that determination to win this tournament and to chase down Jerry Bishop to make that final match a block-decider.



Williams stands and pulls The Silent Assassin up, kicking him in the gut and trapping his arms, looking to lifts him for A Triple Plus, but The Silent Assassin shoves him away and catches him with a back body drop as he comes back in. The Silent Assassin turns, tossing back his hair, and calls Williams to his feet. As Williams stands, The Silent Assassin hits the ropes and folds him in half with a huge Killshot. The Silent Assassin stares down at Williams for a moment before bending down and pulling him to his feet. He drapes an arm over Williams and lifts him, looking for Silencer. He looks to slingshot him, but Williams catches the rope and drops down onto the apron. The Silent Assassin moves in but Williams catches him with a couple of forearms, staggering him. Williams then springs up onto the top rope and connects with a springboard back-elbow.



Williams rolls onto his back and catches his breath for a second before kipping up, the fans cheering him loudly. He looks down at The Silent Assassin as he gets onto his hands and knees. He hooks a foot under his chin and lifts his head before connecting with a buzzsaw kick. Williams then drags The Silent Assassin to his feet and sends him into the corner, following him in with a big splash. The fans begins to cheer as Williams moves away and then connects with another, and another, and another, and then one more as The Silent Assassin drops to a seated position. Williams backs into the corner and follows in with a cannonball. The Silent Assassin rolls out of the corner and Williams steps through the ropes, climbing up to the top and coming down with a swan-ton bomb. He holds for a cover.



One…

Two…

Thr-



The Silent Assassin just kicks out.



MW: You won’t get much closer than that!

SD: Aaron Williams is one of the best I’ve ever seen as stringing those kinds of moves together. Everyone knows that he does that- splash, splash, splash, splash, cannonball, swan-ton, but how many stop him when he’s in the middle of that combination? It’s great to watch.



Williams pulls The Silent Assassin to his feet and hooks an arm over him. He hoists him up and drops him over the top rope. Williams backs up and pushes himself up, climbing to the top and coming down with a 450 splash, but The Silent Assassin pulls back at the last moment and Williams crashes and burns. He lands hard and rolls into the centre of the ring, recovering on his knees. The Silent Assassin tosses back his hair and leaps up onto the top rope, coming down with a springboard knee strike. He rolls through and, as Williams raises himself up again, he comes back in with a shining wizard to complete the Double Tap. He makes a cover.



One…

Two…

Th-



Williams just manages to kick out. The Silent Assassin stands, a little shakily, and pulls Williams to his feet. He grips him around the waist and lifts him into a German suplex. Williams rolls back into the corner and The Silent Assassin comes in, lifting him and connecting with a couple of European uppercuts before sending him across the ring and following in with another running big boot. Williams staggers out of the corner and The Silent Assassin pulls him in for a German suplex into the turnbuckles, Williams sliding down and slumping against the bottom turnbuckle.



MW: That could be it!

SD: We talked about Aaron Williams’ combination offence, but The Silent Assassin showing that he can do it too.



The Silent Assassin stands over Williams and looks down at him for a moment before pulling him up and hooking an arm over him. He lifts him into a slingshot but Williams blocks Silencer, catching The Silent Assassin with a knee to the top of the head and dropping down, instead lifting him and dropping him over the top rope again. The Silent Assassin rests there for a moment and Williams connects with a hard kick to the head, The Silent Assassin going limp. Williams steps through the ropes and climbs to the top, a little slower than before. He looks down and follows up with a 450 splash, taking The Silent Assassin back into the ring. Williams rolls over into a cover.



One…

Two…

Thr-



The Silent Assassin forces a shoulder off the canvas. Williams pushes up to his knees and then stands, reaching down and pulling The Silent Assassin up. He traps him and catches the arms, lifting him for A Triple Plus, but The Silent Assassin resists, kicking his legs and dropping back down, lifting Williams, his arms still hooked, before sitting down and driving Williams’ head into the mat in a kind of piledriver. The Silent Assassin rolls away as the official checks on Williams and the crowd go quiet with concern.



MW: That looked dangerous.

SD: The Silent Assassin did what he could to counter A Triple Plus. It did look dangerous, but it takes something special to put Aaron Williams away, especially in this mood.



The Silent Assassin slowly stands, moving back to Williams and hauling him up to his feet. He lifts him into a spinebuster before pulling him up again and sending him into the ropes, popping him up into Crossed Out. He holds for a cover.



One…

Two…

Thr-



Williams just gets a shoulder up. The Silent Assassin stares down at him for a moment before pointing a finger gun at him. He holds it against his forehead for a moment before ‘shooting’ it and then pulling Williams up. Again he hooks an arm over him and looks to slingshot him, but Aaron Williams somehow catches the top rope with both legs and wraps them around it, refusing to allow The Silent Assassin to pull him into Silencer. The Silent Assassin pulls and pulls but Williams keeps his legs locked. As soon as The Silent Assassin releases Williams, he drops to the apron. The Silent Assassin comes in again but Williams drives a shoulder into his gut and doubles him over. Williams leaps onto the top rope and comes down with a springboard to set him in position for A Triple Plus, quickly trapping the arms and lifting him before driving him into the mat. Williams rolls The Silent Assassin into the middle of the ring and makes the cover.



One…

Two…

Three.



Winner: Aaron Williams (20:22).



MW: And that’s a big victory for Aaron Williams.

SD: He advances onto six points and keeps up his pursuit of Jerry at the top of the block.

MW: And he’s beaten a very dangerous man. The determination he showed to not lose that match was phenomenal.

SD: It was. It takes a real presence of mind to hook your legs over the top rope like that. Aaron Williams knows he can’t lose another match from here because I don’t think Jerry will and I think he’ll agree with that. This match was a statement of intent from Williams, and I can’t wait for his final two with Bobby and Jerry.



Williams stands and has his arm raised, the fans cheering loudly. The lights suddenly go off and, when they come back on, Williams is in the ring alone. He slowly moves over to the ropes and calls for the mic, which Dasha hands him. The fans go quiet as he raises it to his mouth.



“First of all, I want to apologise for having been so quiet recently. I’m not a quiet person normally and I’ve usually always got time to do an interview or record something, but I’ve been so damn focussed on winning this tournament that every waking minute has gone into training, preparing for opponents or being here each and every night. Second of all, I am fucking proud of this match. Silent Assassin, wherever you just went, you’re a hell of an opponent, and you took me to a limit tonight. But I think I showed just how desperate I am to win this block, win this tournament, and win the FPW Championship at the biggest show of the year.”



The fans cheer loudly.



“But there are a few things I have to do before I get to that. So Jackson Banks, I like you, and I respect the effort you’ve put into this tournament, but you won’t be getting your first win against me. Bobby O, you’re a great competitor and you’re a real contender for this block. I think our match will be something special, and I’m looking forward to it. And then there’s Jerry Bishop. Jerry, you and I have as much history as anyone in this company. When I first came here, you said that we could do some special things in the ring, and you were right, but I never thought you’d turn out to be the asshole that you are right now. I’m glad you had a wake up call against The Silent Assassin, because I’d hate for you to drop points because of your arrogant complacency and for our match not to mean something. It’s about time you were taken off your perch, and I’m the man to do it. August 27th, I promise each and every one of you, and most of all, I promise you, Jerry, I promise that I will put the first chink in The Joker’s armour and I promise that I’ll take a big step in becoming the man who will take the FPW Championship away from a man who I’m embarrassed to have representing the promotion that I call my home. This Free-1 has a long way to go yet, but, when it’s all said and done, it will belong to Aaron Williams!”



There’s a loud cheer as Williams aggressively drops the mic and leaves the ring.



MW: Strong words from a man who is very motivated to succeed in this tournament, but let’s move onto the B Block. Tonight we see an interesting match between Johnny California and Artemis Evans. SD: They both have four points, are third and fourth in the block respectively and will consider themselves genuine contenders.

MW: You’ve said that the winner of this match becomes favourite for the block. Why?

SD: Because the top two are both injured. Marcus Allen Jones is wrestling on one knee while Jace Mason just dropped a point because of his ribs. Whoever wins this match goes a point behind Marcus and has to be seen as the person most likely to come through this block.

MW: This will be a rare match where the fans won’t want to get behind either of them. With both of these two used to being booed, how will they react to not having a crowd so strongly against them?

SD: I don’t think it’ll have much of an impact. Artemis Evans is an experienced wrestler who has held the FPW Championship. She won’t be distracted by fans. Johnny California may be a little more distracted, but I’m sure he’ll find a way to turn the situation to his advantage.

MW: So talk about the advantages in this one. How can each of these two win this match?

SD: I’d say that Evans has the technical advantage and wants to keep the match slower and more ground-based. California is quicker and his kicks will be dangerous, but he’s susceptible to submission wrestling as he showed against Marcus Allen Jones.

MW: Prediction?

SD: I think both will be confident of a victory, but I think Artemis Evans will take this chance to surge to within a point of the block lead.

MW: And here’s someone who’s always confident. It’s Dasha Banks.



“The following contest is a B Block match-up with a thirty-minute time-limit. Introducing first, in third place in the block with four points thanks to wins over MDE and Russ Bolt, from The Gold Coast, Queendland, Australia, he wishes to be introduced as ‘The Influential, the Controversial and the Unforgettable’, ‘The Mould-Breaker’ and ‘The Man Behind the Mask’… this is Johnny California.”



‘Losing My Religion’ hits the speaks and the fans boo loudly. As the lyrics hit, California steps through the curtain, guitar resting on his shoulder, quietly singing along to himself. He looks around at the crowd as they continue to boo him, taking in the boos before making his way down the ramp. He stares straight ahead to the ring, continuing to sing along to the song and ignoring the fans as they boo him. He props his guitar against the steps and climbs onto the apron before stepping into the ring, singing along to himself as he wanders over to the corner. He adjusts his gear and rests against the ropes and, as the music fades out, he brings his eyes up to the ramp, a look of focus on his face.



“And his opponent, in fourth place in the block, also with four points thanks to victories over Russ Bolt and Botiatus, representing The Queendom, from Manchester, England, this is ‘The Glory Huntress’… Artemis Evans.”



Fans boo as the word ‘Checkmate’ rings out around the arena. ‘Hammer to Fall’ begins to play and Evans walks through the curtain, smirking at the crowd as they continue to boo. She spreads her arms and tilts her head back as pyro explodes around her before walking down the ramp, trash talking the fans on her way. She reaches the bottom of the ramp and moves around to the side of the ring before she climbs onto the apron and jumps over the top rope. Evans moves across the ring, climbing to the second turnbuckle and tilting her head back, extending her arms again as the fans continue to boo her loudly.



B Block: Johnny California (4) vs. Artemis Evans (4):



As the official calls for the bell, the fans boo both Evans and California. The two of them look around the arena and smirk, giving one another a nod of appreciation as they hear the fans’ dislike of them both. They come forward to lock-up, but California ducks under the lock-up and pulls Evans down into a schoolboy.



One…

Two-



Evans escapes and scrambles to her feet, only for California to throw a Fatal Flashback. Evans ducks under it and jams a finger into California’s eye before kicking him in the gut and looking for a butterfly suplex, only for California to free his arms, take Evans down and bridge over her for a cover.



One…

Two-



Evans again escapes and scrambles to her feet. California feigns a Fatal Flashback and Evans ducks, only for California to catch her with a fameasser, making another cover.



One…

Two…

T-



Evans kicks out again.



MW: It seems obvious what Johnny California’s game-plan is.

SD: It’s interesting. He caught MDE with a surprise Fatal Flashback. He tried to catch Evans cold. I think he’s trying to get quick wins over people who he feels can exploit his weaknesses. I like that plan, but Evans seems to be able to counter.



Evans gets to her feet but California catches her with a knee to the gut. He then whips her into the corner and follows in with a step-up enzeguiri. Evans staggers out and California then backs away, running at her and taking her into a seated position in the corner with a Yakuza kick. California then starts to connect with a series of facewashes before backing away and coming in with a running facewash. He pulls Evans out of the corner and makes the cover.



One…

Two…

T-



Another kick out from Evans. California quickly gets to his feet and stalks Evans. He backs away into the corner and waits as she gets to her feet. He charges in and looks for Last Kiss, which Evans just manages to avoid. She rests on the ropes for a minute, her face a picture of surprise, as California pushes himself up. Evans moves in and knees him in the gut before taking him down with an axe kick. She then reaches down and pulls him up, landing a couple of knees into the sternum before hooking an arm over him and pulling him into a brainbuster. Evans rolls into a cover.



One…

Two…

T-



California kicks out.



MW: It looks like she’s halted the early flurry from Johnny California.

SD: And now Artemis Evans can take control. She’ll want to slow things down here and keep California from getting the distance to unleash those kicks.



Evans gets to her feet and drags California with her. She sends him into the corner and takes a couple of steps into a forearm. California staggers out and Evans hits the ropes for a handspring back elbow. She then steps up onto the middle rope and climbs to the top, pausing for a moment before coming down with a moonsault and making the cover.



One…

Two…

Th-



California kicks out again. Evans pulls his head up and drives a forearm into it before pulling him up and looking to catch him with an inverted STO, but California manages to pull her down into a small package.



One…

Two…

Thr-



Evans just forces her way out. She gets quickly to her feet and aims a forearm at California, but California ducks it and connects with a Pele kick. Evans staggers back into the ropes and California trips her with a football kick. He stalks her as she stands and then comes in with Last Kiss again, but Evans catches him and shifts him up onto her shoulders. She adjusts into a TKO and rolls California over for a cover.



One…

Two…

T-



California kicks out.



MW: Both of these two looking for a lot of covers.

SD: California is doing it because he feels he needs a quick win or a surprise win of some kind. Evans knows that one of them will catch her as the match goes on, so she’s looking to get out of it before she gets caught, meaning she needs to make covers too. It’s sound strategy from Artemis Evans.



Evans stands and pulls California into position for Guillotine Strike, but California pushes up and lands a kick into Evans’ face. She staggers back and he caches her with a roundhouse kick. Evans drops to a knee and California catches her with a kick to the chest before backing up and connecting with a shotgun dropkick. Evans rolls under the bottom rope and California waits for her to get to her feet. She pulls herself up on the rope and California runs at her, looking for a sunset flip powerbomb. Evans, however, manages to hold onto the top rope and resists being pulled down. California keeps his grip on her until she ducks down and jams a thumb into his eye. He pulls away and Evans steps back through the ropes.



California follows quickly but Evans is ready for him, catching him with a couple of stomps before pulling him into position for Guillotine Strike. California again manages to free himself, pushing her back and standing. Evans comes in again and California avoids a lariat with a Matrix escape, before catching her with a lariat of his own. He drops down into a cover.



One…

Two…

T-



Evans again kicks out. California gets to his feet and stalks Evans as she stands. She slowly pushes up and he comes in with a Fatal Flashback, which she ducks again. Evans grabs California’s head to trap him for Guillotine Strike, but he reaches up for a grip and flips over her shoulder. He takes a step back and, as Evans turns, catches her with a Fatal Flashback. He drops into a cover.



One…

Two…

Three.



Winner: Johnny California (9:53).



MW: Well that may not have been the kind of match we’ve seen much of in this tournament, but Johnny California won’t mind that.

SD: He knew he had to catch Evans off-guard and he eventually managed to. And that victory takes him onto six points and leaves him just one behind Marcus Allen Jones at the top of the B Block.



California stands and the fans boo again as the official raises his hand. He looks down at Evans and then simply steps back through the ropes, dropping down and picking up his guitar as he sings along to ‘Losing My Religion’.



MW: Well we know where that leaves the block standings. Let’s look at tomorrow’s matches. Tomorrow we close out the fourth round of matches with Bobby O facing Thea Donovan and Russ Bolt facing MDE.

SD: They should be fascinating matches. Bobby has to win if he’s going to catch Jerry at the top of the A Block where Donovan needs a win to keep her outside chance intact. MDE amazingly has no points yet, so he’ll be desperate to get his first two against the equally pointless Russ Bolt. I doubt either of them can catch the leaders, but some kind of momentum would I’m sure be appreciated going into their final three matches.

MW: I can’t wait to see how those matches play out and I’m sure you can’t either. We’ll see you tomorrow.

[Jim Houston]

“The Free-1… the biggest opportunity for any Freedom Pro Wrestling star. The Free-1 epitomises what Freedom Pro Wrestling is all about. Opportunity. The opportunity to earn the right to challenge for FPW Championship in the biggest match of the FPW year. The opportunity to showcase your skills in front of a huge audience. The opportunity to be noticed. Free-1 I… a man who was known as a hardcore icon stepped up to show his toughness, his skill, his potential. And he became FPW Champion. Free-1 II… an underdog on the rise picking up the biggest wins of his career to show who he could truly become. And he became FPW Champion. Free-1 III… the biggest yet. Sixteen wrestlers in two blocks of eight. Two winners facing off on August 31st to earn the biggest opportunity of their careers. But all sixteen will have an opportunity. An opportunity to make a name. An opportunity to showcase their true ability. For in the Free-1, each entrant controls their own destiny, their own narrative and their own future. Welcome to Free-1 III.”



MW: Welcome back to the Free-1 and to the final show of round four. Tonight we see if Bobby O can keep pace with Jerry Bishop, Kincaid and Aaron Williams at the top of the A Block or if Thea Donovan can join him on four points. We then see who of Russ Bolt or MDE will get off the mark in the B Block. Steven, what do you think about tonight’s matches?

SD: I’m looking forward to seeing how Bobby and Donovan go about their business. Thea Donovan has one victory with the use of her numbers advantage while Bobby O suffered defeat against Jerry but has kept up his pursuit with wins since then. This will be a big match for them both.

MW: Talk to us about how these two match up?

SD: I think most people will feel that Bobby has the physical advantage, and he does, but the psychological match-up interests me. I know that Bobby’s temper doesn’t often flare up with people like Donovan where there isn’t much history between them, but I think Thea Donovan will be targeting Bobby’s mindset, his desperation to keep up with the chasing pack and the ease with which he angers.

MW: How can Bobby counter that?

SD: Stay calm. Believe in his ability. That’s what he’ll have to do. He’ll have to keep telling himself not to rise to any attempts to get under his skin and to just wrestle his match. If he can keep calm, I’d expect him to win this match.

MW: Let’s talk bigger picture for a moment. What impact will Kincaid, Aaron Williams and Jerry Bishop’s victories in this round of matches have on Bobby O?

SD: It add pressure, for sure, but if he wants to win the block, he’ll have to deal with pressure. Bobby can handle that. You don’t win a tournament like this if you can’t just block out what everyone else is doing and get the job done. That’s what Bobby needs to do. Forget that he’s keeping pace with Jerry Bishop and just win this match.

MW: And Thea Donovan? She’s six points off the lead and has very little chance to win this block. In fact, a loss tonight will take her out of contention. How does she motivate herself knowing that the block is essentially gone?

SD: The prize money, for one thing. The higher you finish, the more money you get. I think she will also be considering future opportunities. The higher she finishes and the more matches she wins against some of the so-called top-level wrestlers, the greater her chances of title matches etc. There’s plenty of motivation even if she knows she’s not likely to win the block.

MW: And here’s someone who’s always motivated. It’s Dasha Banks.



“Ladies and gentlemen, the following contest is an A Block match-up with a thirty-minute time-limit. Introducing first, in fifth place in the block with two points thanks to a victory over Aaron Williams, representing The Queendom and being accompanied to the ring by Myra Lopez, from San Diego, California, ‘The Black Queen’… Thea Donovan!”



‘Checkmate’ rings out around the arena as a black queen appears on the screen. ‘Hammer to Fall’ begins to play and Myra Lopez steps through the curtain, pointing back to the curtain as Thea Donovan steps through. The fans boo and Donovan sprays out a volley of abuse to them. Lopez eyes her and follows behind her down the ramp, Donovan continuing to give back to the fans. As she reaches the ring, she climbs through the ropes and moves over to the turnbuckles. Just like Artemis Evans, she steps up onto the middle rope and extends her arms, dropping her head back as the fans continue to boo her.



“And her opponent, in fourth place in the block with four points thanks to victories over The Silent Assassin and Jackson Banks, being accompanied to the ring by CJ Holmes, from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, ‘Mr. FPW’… Bobby O!”



‘This Means War’ begins and the fans begin their cheers, building as the intro plays. As the music pauses, Bobby steps out onto the stage with his usual jacket and looks around the arena. He has a look of determination on his face and he turns to CJ, who gives him a nod. He pops his collar and then marches down the ramp, hands held out to fans along the way, before climbing the steps and entering the ring. He moves to one side of the ring and grabs the top rope, leaning over it and pointing out some people in the crowd. He steps down and looks over at Thea Donovan, looking down at Myra Lopez too with a warning stare. She simply returns his gaze with an emotionless look.



A Block: Thea Donovan (2) vs. Bobby O (4):



The official calls for the bell and Bobby comes forward quickly, but Donovan hopes out of the ring. Bobby looks down at her but there’s a commotion on the other side of the ring, the fans booing as Myra Lopez grabs CJ Holmes. Bobby turns and goes to help, but Donovan comes in from behind and grabs him around the waist, taking him down and then putting the boots into him. Bobby rolls away towards the ropes but Donovan doesn’t stop until the official’s count reaches four. On the outside, Lopez releases CJ, who moves around to the other side of the ring with a wary look on her face.



Bobby tries to get quickly to his feet, but Donovan kicks him hard in the gut and then forces him into the corner. She lifts a leg and chokes him, the official again making his count and Donovan again taking until four to break the hold. Bobby doubles over and Donovan clubs him across the back, kicking out his leg and stomping down repeatedly on the back of head before holding the top rope and standing on the head. Bobby cries out and official swoops in again, Donovan making the most of the leeway in the count as the fans boo her loudly.



MW: This is a morally questionable start for Thea Donovan.

SD: What did I say she’d do? Try to get into Bobby’s head. Did I expect her to do it so quickly? No. Is it working? Yes.

MW: But putting hands on a pregnant woman? Is that ever acceptable?

SD: If CJ Holmes is out here, she’s putting herself in the firing line. If she doesn’t want someone to put their hands on her, maybe she should stay in the back where she won’t get targeted. You reap what you sow, Watson.



Donovan steps down and pulls Bobby to his feet, sending him into the opposite corner and running in with a hard lariat. She then pulls him out and connects with a fisherman’s suplex, holding for a cover.



One…

Two-



Bobby kicks out and quickly tries to get to his feet, only to be met with another kick to the gut and then a knee to the side of the head. He staggers towards the ropes and Donovan grabs his wrist for a short-arm lariat. She stomps down on his head again repeatedly before Bobby is able to scramble away from her and into the ropes, where she presses down on his head and arches his back over the middle rope, forcing the official to come in again and break it up as the fans again boo her loudly. She cups a hand to her ear and looks down at CJ, who stares daggers back at her.



Donovan pulls back and allows Bobby to pull himself up before she comes in again and looks to lift him onto her shoulders. Bobby, however, drives a hard elbow into the side of her head and drops down before spinning her round and connecting with a straight right hand, his face a picture of anger and frustration.



MW: Bobby O’s temper looking like it’s coming out in this match.

SD: Thea Donovan’s plan worked, but now she has to take advantage of it. It’s no good getting Bobby angry and then letting him take that anger out on you.



Bobby looks over at CJ, who quickly assures him that she’s ok and gives him the signal to calm down. He takes a moment to breathe as Thea Donovan rests in the ropes. He then moves in but she aims a kick at him, which he catches, pulling her out of the ropes and into a hard lariat. He lifts her and sends her into the corner, following in with a series of jabs to the head and gut before whipping her across into the opposite corner. He sets himself before coming in with a running dropkick, only to pull out at the last moment as he sees Myra Lopez moving over to CJ once again.



Bobby quickly steps through the ropes, following Lopez around the ring. She accelerates into a run to avoid him, sliding under the bottom rope. Bobby follows but Donovan catches him into a lifting DDT, rolling him into a cover.



One…

Two…

Thr-



Bobby just gets a shoulder up. Donovan wastes no time in pulling Bobby up and scooping him into a Michinoku driver. She then rolls back and stands, hitting the ropes and, as he sits up, connecting with a hard penalty kick. She makes a cover.



One…

Two…

Thr-



Bobby again just manages to get his shoulder up. Donovan looks around the arena and absorbs the boos flying at her before standing and stalking Bobby. He slowly pushes himself to his feet and turns right into a superkick, but he manages to duck under it, pulling Donovan into a German suplex. He rolls away and catches his breath as a ‘Bobby… Bobby… Bobby’ chant goes up. Bobby stands and looks out at Myra Lopez before shaking his head and turning back to Thea Donovan, who is just standing. She turns and Bobby lifts her onto his shoulders, dropping her into a fireman’s carry stunner. He rolls into a cover.



One..

Two-



Donovan kicks out. CJ bangs the mat to encourage Bobby and to help keep him focussed on the match. He stands and pulls Donovan to her feet, sending her into the corner and quickly following up with a running dropkick. He backs away but sees Lopez making her way around the outside again towards CJ. Bobby instantly hops out of the ring and positions himself between them, and Lopez just stares him down. All of a sudden, Thea Donovan comes flying through the ropes with a suicide dive, but Bobby must have anticipated it, because he catches her into a powerslam.



He stands and slaps hands with a couple of fans out of sheer adrenaline before he moves around the ring towards Myra Lopez, who backs away. He pursues her into the ring and catches her just before she can get out the other side. Bobby stares into her eyes before pointing out at CJ.



“You touch her ever again, and I swear you’ll never be able to step between these ropes again. Now get out this ring.”



Lopez backs away, her hands raised. She steps through the ropes, Bobby watching her all the way, and suddenly Thea Donovan catches him from behind with a schoolboy roll-up.



One…

Two…

Thr-



MW: Bobby escaped!

SD: The Queendom are putting this plan into action so well. They just can’t quite finish it off!



Bobby and Donovan both quickly get to their feet and Bobby gives Donovan a death stare. She hesitates a moment and then unleashes a powerful slap, but Bobby absorbs it and turns his head back to her, staring daggers at her. She backs up a step and he dives at her, taking her down and laying into her with a barrage of right hands. The official moves in and begins his count, Bobby only stopping when he hears CJ yelling for him to stop. He looks up at her and then closes his eyes for a moment, refocussing.



He then lifts Donovan, driving her into the corner and landing a few more jabs. He pushes her up onto the top rope and climbs up to follow, hooking an arm over her head. She grabs onto the top rope to resist and Bobby releases her, jamming a few shots to the body before setting her up again and bringing her down with a superplex. He rolls through into O Snap, Donovan crying out in pain. Myra Lopez, her eyes darting from Bobby to CJ, begins to step towards CJ, but she catches the look in Bobby’s eyes and pauses. Donovan tries to resist, but she can’t hold on for long, tapping out.



Winner: Bobby O (13:12).



MW: And Bobby O picks up the victory!

SD: He got it done in the end, but Thea Donovan ran him very close.

MW: Thea Donovan’s disgraceful tactics of distracting Bobby by going after CJ Holmes didn’t work out tonight.

SD: The key word there being ‘tonight’. Bobby O is to vulnerable with CJ at ringside. He needs to think about leaving her backstage. A time will come in her pregnancy when she really can’t be at ringside at all, and I think that time needs to be now. If she’s out here, Bobby won’t just be trying to protect her; he’ll be thinking about his unborn child. There are plenty of pragmatic wrestlers here who will look to exploit that.

MW: Pragmatic is one word for them. Anyway, Bobby O picks up a victory which sees him draw level with Kincaid and Aaron Williams, all three of them now just two points off Jerry Bishop at the top of the block. This A Block is really heating up, and I think we’re going to see a dramatic final three rounds.



Bobby stands and embraces CJ as she enters the ring. The two exchange a few unheard words before CJ and the official raise Bobby’s hands. He stares down at Donovan and Lopez as they back away up the ramp before moving to the turnbuckles and climbing them, acknowledging the support of the fans as they applaud him for picking up the win.



MW: And now we come to the B Block and a match where, let’s be honest, we don’t have any ramification at the top of the block.

SD: But both of these men will be desperate to win this match. MDE got caught by Johnny California and then Marcus Allen Jones survived him before Botiatus, all credit to him, actually out-wrestled him. Russ Bolt has ben challenged by this tournament and has struggled a little- losing to Artemis Evans, Johnny California and Berry Bishop- but I think he’s been improving and he’ll be desperate not to end this tournament on zero points.

MW: Is it a case of MDE’s technical skills being able to keep Bolt down in this one, do you think?

SD: That’s how I’d expect this match to go, yes. Russ Bolt is an athlete and he can do impressive things, but mat wrestling isn’t his thing. I also doubt that we’ll see Bolt with a plan like Johnny California had to overcome MDE’s technical advantage.

MW: What can Russ Bolt do to win this match?

SD: I’d say he needs to get a quick win, but I think MDE will be on his guard for that after what happened with California. What he can’t do is try to match MDE hold-for-hold. That would be suicide for someone as inexperienced as Russ Bolt.

MW: So you don’t see a path to victory for Bolt?

SD: I guess there’s a chance he manages to catch MDE cold and I’m sure he’ll give everything he has, especially knowing that he has Jace Mason, Botiatus and Marcus Allen Jones to come and, depending on Marcus’ knee, I don’t see him winning any of those matches. This is his chance to pick up some points and he has to find a way or he’ll end the block like a lot of people expected- with no points.

MW: Here’s someone who is never pointless: it’s Dasha Banks.



“Ladies and gentlemen, the following contest is a B Block match-up with a thirty-minute time-limit. Introducing first, in seventh place in the block with zero points, from Miami, Florida… Russ ‘Thunder’ Bolt!”



‘Jumpman’ begins to play and Bolt walks through the curtain, his arms out to his sides, as the fans give him a moderately positive reaction. He dips to the sides and, as the song picks up, he motions as if he’s doing a face away before cupping a hand to his ear. His fans get louder and Bolt yells out, “There it is!” before making his way down the ramp and slapping a few hands. He reaches the ring and slides in, giving Dasha and the official a nod before stepping up onto the top turnbuckle and pumping up the crowd a little more.



“And his opponent, in last place in the block also with no points, from Plymouth, England, he wishes to be known as Simply Great, despite his three losses in this competition, MDE.”



‘Dance of the Knights’ begins and the fans boo once again. MDE steps onto the stage and looks out at the arena, giving a slight smirk before looking down at the ring and giving Dasha a stare. MDE then begins his usual deliberate walk down the ramp and the fans continue to boo him, some reaching out to grab at him, but he completely ignores them. He reaches the ring and steps up the steps, through the ropes and into the ring, where he moves over to Dasha, who give him an MDE-style smirk before stepping through the ropes herself, leaving MDE to look Russ Bolt up and down before dismissively walking back to the corner.



B Block: Russ Bolt (0) vs. MDE (0):



The official calls for the bell and MDE and Bolt come forward. They lock-up and MDE quickly locks in a headlock and takes Bolt over. Bolt tries to get his legs up for a headscissors, but MDE positions himself away from the legs, pushing up with his hips to add more pressure to the hold. Bolt tries to force MDE’s grip apart, but he can’t manage it, and MDE maintains the headlock, continuing to push up and make things difficult for Bolt. Bolt instead tries to force his way over to the ropes, kicking out his legs and getting closer before MDE releases the hold, transitioning to a cross armbreaker, which Bolt quickly manages to break by getting a foot on the rope.



MDE stands and looks down at Bolt, giving him a dismissive look. Bolt pushes up to his feet and advances again, the two locking up a second time, and MDE this time taking the wrist and wringing the arm. Bolt tries to roll through but MDE rolls with him, leaving Bolt on his knees. MDE places a foot on Bolt’s back and forces him to the mat, pulling up on the arm in a modified Fujiwara arm bar. Bolt grimaces and pushes up, rolling through and getting to his feet, but MDE simply sweeps a leg and drops into another cross arm-breaker, only for Bolt to reach out to the ropes again.



MW: A rough start for Bolt.

SD: This is exactly what I said he couldn’t afford to do. He’s trying to go hold-for-hold and it’s not going to work for him. He need to switch the focus up as soon as possible or this match won’t last much longer.



MDE releases Bolt and stands, giving Bolt another dismissive look. Bolt pushes to his feet again and comes in, locking up with MDE and forcing him back a couple of steps before MDE switches into a waistlock and pulls Bolt into a German suplex. MDE maintains his grip to control Bolt on the mat before pushing up and driving a knee into his shoulder. Bolt tries to roll away but MDE grips him around the waist again and transitions into a front facelock. Bolt tries to push up with his knees but MDE forces all of his weight down on him and keeps him grounded.



MW: This is not how Russ Bolt will have envisaged this match going.

SD: This is how I envisaged it going, especially with Russ Bolt insisting on playing MDE’s game. He needs to get to his feet and trying some strikes, trying upping the pace. His strength is in his athleticism, not his wrestling ability. Use it.



MDE keeps the hold locked in for a few moments before quickly releasing it and shifting his grip to the waist, pulling Bolt up and seemingly looking for a deadlift gutwrench powerbomb, but Bolt manages to slip off MDE’s shoulders to the mat behind him. Bolt hooks his hands under MDE’s arms and tries to pull him in for a backslide, only for MDE to roll over Bolt’s back and lock in the front facelock again. This time, however, Bolt manages to drive MDE back into the corner, and the official comes in to force MDE to break the hold.



MDE releases Bolt and Bolt staggers away from the corner, only for MDE to come in and pull him in for a belly to belly. Bolt resists, connecting with a forearm and a headbutt to weaken MDE’s grip before pushing him away into the ropes. MDE comes back and Bolt looks for a clothesline, only for MDE to duck under it and pull him in for another German.



MW: Russ Bolt with a glimmer of hope for a moment.

SD: And MDE snuffing it out as only he can, Watson. Bolt managed to avoid a few things, but he couldn’t take advantage and now MDE is right back on top.



MDE rolls over and stands, looking down at Bolt as he lies on his stomach. MDE moves in and pulls Bolt up, but Bolt shoves him away and connects with a forearm to stagger MDE. Bolt then hits the ropes and comes at MDE with a flying forearm, but MDE catches it and counters into a belly to belly. Bolt flies across the ring and rolls towards the ropes, but MDE moves in and pulls him back into the middle of the ring quickly, lying him on his side and dropping a knee down onto the shoulder. Bolt cries out and MDE hooks his arm and locks in an arm bar, stepping through and keeping Bolt in the centre of the ring as he wrenches at the shoulder.



Bolt reaches out a foot for the ropes but he’s too far away, MDE making sure that he can’t move. MDE pulls back even harder and Bolt cries out in pain, the official checking on Bolt, who refuses to give in. MDE pulls back even harder and this allows Bolt to push up, forcing him back when he’s slightly off balance and rolling free. Bolt scrambles to the ropes to get to his feet, but MDE comes in and grabs him around the waist, pulling him in for a German suplex. However, Bolt flips out and lands on his feet, hitting the ropes and taking MDE to the mat with a flying forearm.



MW: And now Russ Bolt might be able to get back into it!

SD: It’s not impossible but I don’t think he can string enough together to keep MDE down.



Bolt stands and looks around at the fans, who are cheering for him loudly by this point. He stalks MDE and pulls him in for a German of his own, but MDE quickly performs a standing switch. He lifts Bolt, but Bolt lands a elbow to send MDE reeling backwards and he pulls him in for a German suplex, which this time connects. Bolt holds the bridge for the cover.



One…

Two…

Th-



MDE kicks out. Both men scramble to their feet and MDE looks to take Bolt down with a single-leg, but Bolt leaps over MDE to avoid him. MDE gets back to his feet and Bolt lifts him into an Alabama slam. MDE rolls away but Bolt keeps on top of him, pulling him up and into a scoop slam. Bolt points to the top rope and the fans cheer again as he steps through the ropes and quickly climbs to his feet. He leaps off for Thunderbolt, but MDE repositions himself and catches him with a kind of cross armbreaker, which he quickly transitions into the Simply Great Stretch.



MW: And this is locked in!

SD: Bolt has to give up. There’s no way he can escape.

MW: I don’t know. He’s still close to the ropes. MDE may have been a little complacent by not pulling him into the ring.



Bolt stretches out a leg and just manages to hook his toes over the bottom rope. The official orders the break and MDE reacts angrily, breaking the hold and then dragging Bolt into the middle of the ring. He looks to lock in again, trapping the arm with his leg, but he can’t reach Bolt’s left arm, which he’s rolled on top of to protect. MDE drives a couple of elbows into the ribs and manages to take the arm, but Bolt throws it back and catches MDE with an elbow. Bolt rolls away from MDE’s grip and into the ropes, where he pulls himself up, only for MDE to come in and pull him into a snap suplex.



MDE then lifts Bolt and drops him over his knee with a gutbuster, before delivering a gutwrench suplex. He floats over and hoists Bolt up, pulling him into the gutwrench powerbomb which completes the Triple Gutwrench, only for Bolt to land a couple of elbows to the side of the head and take MDE down with a hurricanrana, holding both legs for a cover.



One…

Two…

Thre-



MDE barely manages to kick out. Bolt scrambles to his feet and, as MDE stands, he catches him with a discus forearm. MDE drops to the mat and Bolt rushes to the turnbuckles, leaping up onto the top rope and turning before delivering Thunderbolt. He hooks both legs.



One…

Two…

Three.



Winner: Russ Bolt (13:53).



MW: Russ Bolt has done it!

SD: I don’t believe it!

MW: What a victory for Russ Bolt. He looked to be totally flattened by MDE’s technical skills but he held on and pulled off what has to be seen as the biggest victory of his career so far.

SD: Easily! And look at the celebration.



Bolt stands and cries out to the fans before raising both hands over his head, bringing them down to cover his face for a moment. The official smiles and raises his hand, and Dasha Banks can be seen in the background with a big smile on her face.



MW: And Russ Bolt takes his first points of Free-1 III.

SD: MDE remains without any points, and I can’t see him being happy with this result.

MW: Let’s take a look at the next round of matches in each block, Steven. In the A Block, we have The Silent Assassin facing Kincaid, Jackson Banks versus Aaron Williams, Jerry Bishop and Thea Donovan and Danica Jane versus Bobby O.

SD: All interesting matches. I think Kincaid has the toughest test of the final four, and he, Williams and Bobby must win their matches because I don’t think Jerry loses to Donovan. Being four points behind him going into the final two matches won’t be good.

MW: And the B Block sees Berry Bishop taking on Johnny California, Artemis Evans facing MDE, Botiatus versus Marcus Allen Jones and Russ Bolt facing Jace Mason.

SD: Bo versus Marcus stands out there as a match which could be excellent depending on Marcus’ knee. And what a chance for Johnny California to take the block lead. A win over Berry will really put him into position as favourite.

MW: Well we get the first of each block tomorrow and we can’t wait to see you all then.