Phase Sixty-Eight: Beta House
Moment of Bliss with Mitchell Knight
Alexa sits with her cup of coffee and takes a sip before bringing the mic to her lips. “Last week I was unjustly kicked out of the tournament thanks to Ivelisse. She gets rewarded for attacking Shaul and I’m still on this freaking chair with no gold around my waist. This will not go unpunished. I promise you all that.” She rolls her eyes as they boo her and waves them off. “Whatever. I have a guest tonight who just won the Future Phoenix Championship and will have two opponents at Black Rain—Mitchell Knight!”
The champion makes his way out to the ring with a brace on his leg and takes a seat, the title still comfortably around his waist.
“Mitchell, I see you have a brace today. That wouldn’t happen to be the fault of the current PCW Champion, Tyler Breeze...would it?”
“He gave me the fight of my life and had to change his gameplan upon realizing he wasn’t the only one in the ring with aerial expertise. Tyler tried to take out my leg and still couldn’t keep me down. Now that says a lot about me as a competitor, but it says even more about him as champion. Maybe Breeze isn’t quite as good as the championship would have you believe.”
“Oooh, tough talk for someone on one leg right now. And I suppose you feel the same way about Jackal as champion? Let’s talk about him because he attacked you to end that match.”
Mitchell rolls his eyes and nods. “Yeah, he did and it’s disappointing. He’s good, damn good, and tarnished his name by attacking me. I would’ve gladly anticipated a rematch, but now I just wanna kick his little ass for disrespecting me and costing me a huge victory over Tyler. Taya says I should rest due to my very temporary injury, but I fought until she gave me the match because I deserve retribution. I need to prove to him that my win wasn’t a fluke.”
“Let’s say you bypass Phil tonight. What about MJF and Will Osprey at Black Rain? Are you confident you’ll walk out of that match still champion.”
“Absolutely,” he says before pointing to his title. “I suffered a lot of losses and humiliation trying to get to this place I’m in. Sure, I was in the right place at the right time, but I capitalized on the attack MJF made to Will and won. I beat Phil without distraction, but still, people haven’t taken me seriously. Maybe this is how he felt when holding this belt, but I’m going to do what he failed at—change the game. People are going to look at this title with reverence and respect. No more will it be labelled secondary.”
“You’re right that the game will be changed at Black Rain, but it won’t be because of another bounce house enthusiast.” The crowd boos as MJF makes it to the stage with a smirk. “It’ll be revered because of me, the best wrestler on this roster will be the new champion. My fame, my prestige, my talents—all will give the Future Phoenix Championship the attention it deserves.”
Mitchell drops his mic and steps to MJF, both men staring each other down. Maxwell starts to laugh and backs up as if retreating before kicking the hurt leg. He stomps down on it as Knight drops to the floor and proceeds to bend and stretch the leg until security arrives. They break it up and toss MJF out of the building while helping Knight to the back.
UIC Pavilion
Isla Dawn (With Killer Kross) vs Joey Ryan
Heart of Phoenix Championship Tournament
Joey makes his way down the ramp but is bulldozed down by Kross. Kross slings the man into the barricade before choking him on the floor. Isla watches from the stage as Killer Kross kicks him down the ramp. She follows closely behind, removing her robe as Kross forces Joey into the ring. Isla climbs inside and the match begins.
She slinks her way to him and steps on his face before stomping down on it. Dawn forced him up and whips him into the ropes. She tries to connect with a clothesline him, but he gets the boot-up. He elbows her back from another attack and takes her down with a dropkick from the second rope. Isla is barely up as Joey clothesline her to the mat. He goes for the pin, but she kicks out one. Joey grabs her by the face and tries to force her up, but she rolls him up for a two count.
They’re up at the same time and Dawn races forward, but he kicks her in the gut. He takes her hand and forces her to grab his junk. Dawn can’t escape as Joey flips her over with the Penis Plex. She rolls out of the ring as he tries to pin her. Kross tries to help her recuperate and Ryan goes for a suicide dive to take them both down. He tosses Isla back into the ring and forces her up to her feet. Suddenly she grips him around his neck with wide eyes and a wicked grin.
She kicks him in the gut and connects with an enzuigiri before following up with a shining wizard for a two count. Dawn rebounds off the ropes for the double knees, but Joey rolls out of the way. He trips her up for the two count pin before trying for a crossface. She escapes and forces him up by the hair for the half Nelson suplex to put him away for the three count.
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Tyler Breeze vs Jenny Blake
Jenny awaits Tyler in the ring, but he never shows. Instead, the titantron shows Breeze on the floor, unconscious. Blake looks on in confusion and disappointment as Taya makes her way out to the stage moments later. She was equally pissed. “Anything can and will happen in a place like this. It seems Simeon’s didn’t want Breeze out here tonight, but Jenny? You will still compete. I found someone last minute to take his place.”
Zara makes her way to the ring ready to fight. Spike isn’t too far behind, but it was clear there was still distance between them. Zara locks up with Jenny and has the headlock for the takedown. Trivet cheers her on as she wrenches on the head. Blake gets to her feet and escapes, shoving Zara into the ropes. She takes Sabre down with an arm drag and she rolls out of the ring. Sabre recuperates with Spike on the outside as Blake goes for the drive.
Zara sees it coming and stops her with a forearm. She follows up with a neckbreaker across the ropes. She drags Jenny to the floor and starts to beat down on her before slinging her into the barricade. Trivet continues to applaud Zara, but he momentarily sees a vision of Pavor. He starts to panic, getting behind Zara to fend off Pavor. Sabre looked on in confusion and tried to get him from behind her while Blake is back to her feet.
The luchadora connects with a superkick to Zara and Trivet can only watch as she shoves his girlfriend into the ring. Jenny gets her up and plants her with the Canadian Destroyer for the victory. Zara is barely up as Trivet joins her in the ring. She glares at him before slapping him across the face. “I’m so DONE with you and your paranoia! Just stay away from me!” Zara exits the ring and leaves him alone in the arena.
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Heart2Hart vs Sabre & Havoc
Zach has Frankie in an armbar early on, but she uses her strength to battle out and forearms him off her. He retaliated with a kick to the chest. He then takes her down with a huracarrana. Frankie is barely up before he gets her from behind with a neckbreaker for a one count. He tags in Jimmy and they double team her with a boot to the gut followed by a double backbreaker. Havoc tries to pin her but she kicks out. Havoc forces Frankie in the corner and elbows her multiple times before whipping her into the opposite corner. He goes for a running knee, but Frankie evades him.
Havoc crashes into the corner and Frankie tries to tag out, but Jimmy has her by the hair. He slams her down to the mat before knocking Natalya down from the apron. Frankie is lifted on the shoulders and drops down on the ropes to choke her. He then plants her with a full Nelson suplex. He hooks the leg, but she still kicks out. Frankie tries to fight out of a dragon sleeper, struggling to get to her feet before Jimmy tries to drop her with a backbreaker to the knee. Jimmy drags Frankie to the corner and tags back in Zack. They try to double team her by whipping her into the ropes but she rebounds with a crossbody to them both.
Jimmy rolls out and Zack grabs the leg, but Frankie kicks him off and makes the tag. Natalya takes Havoc down with a shoulder block. She forces him up by the legs and launches him into the ropes. She then drives fist after fist into the back of the head by the ropes and forced back by the referee. He capitalizes with a code breaker and follows up with meteora for a two count. Natalya kicks out and grabs the legs for the sharpshooter. Zack grabs the ropes and she backs off. He tries for a clothesline and she ducks under for an Atomic Bomb. She follows up backbreaker for a two count. Zack rolls into the ropes and trips up Natalya as she goes after him before connecting with a dropkick to the ropes. He forces her up and chops the chest before trying to whip her. She uses her power to remain and scoop slams him before locking in the sharpshooter for the victory.
After the match, she requests a mic. “Last week Jenny and Arisa made a bold statement. They wanna face the champions, but where are they this week? Not to sound arrogant, but I could understand why they’d be afraid to lock up with us. However, I’m calling you two out. You against us. Show us you are capable of facing the tag team champions.”
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As the show progresses, Taya is seen looking on in amusement as security tries to break up Bray and Moxley. The two were throwing them off and ripping through the crowd to get to each other. Jon had Bray by the hair and slammed his fist into the face while holding him still. He rush slings the head into the wall. He’s grabbed by the security team and that allows Wyatt to spear him down for strikes to the face. Valkyrie continues to look on before finally walking off once they’re restrained.
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Tessa Blanchard
There is nothing more genuine, rare, beautiful, and priceless than a true diamond. It is the peak of authenticity. The ultimate symbol of infinity and worth. And then we have Priscilla Kelly, who couldn’t even compare to a lab-created gemstone.
For someone with all the powers of Satan she sure does fight, and make threats like every other emo wannabe goth LARPER I’ve ever met.
You know what I’ve seen from these fights with Priscilla? It’s that all of that spooky magic bullshit was just smoke, and mirrors. I’ll give my opponent this, she’s got a talent for pretending. But this is the real world, where authenticity trumps lie.
Where Queens do not fear magicians.
When it all ends she will bend a knee to The Queen of Diamonds.
Hania vs Indigo Kelly
Heart of Phoenix Championship Tournament
Heart of Phoenix Championship Tournament
Indigo and Hania meet face-to-face in the ring and eventually lock up. Kelly has the headlock and takes her down to the mat. She drives fists into the face while holding the headlock, but Hania bites down on her arm. Kelly is forced to let go and Hania takes her down by the legs before mounting Indigo. She slams the head against the mat and claws the face repeatedly. Hania forced her up and slams the face into the turnbuckle. She howls to the wind and looks for a running boot, but Indigo dodges it. Indigo kicks the free leg and lifts Hania on the turnbuckle in the tree of woe. Kelly connects with multiple kicks to the stomach before following up with a dropkick to the face.
Hania slumps to the mat for Kelly to hook the leg. She kicks out at two. Kelly drags the face across the mat and forces Hania’s head up for the camel clutch. Hania doesn’t tap, but the pain is clear as she struggles to escape. She makes it to the ropes and Indigo releases her. She stomps the back and tries to grip the hair, but Hania crawls back under the legs and swipes them. She follows up with a double foot stomp to the back and forces Indigo up to her feet. She slings Kelly through the ropes and drops the neck on the ropes. Hania is on the apron and tries for a running kick to the face, but Indigo grabs the leg. She slings it forward and Hania drops on had back.
Kelly drags Hania to her feet and slings her into the ring post. Hania is down and Kelly is on the apron. She times it right before taking Hania down with a senton to the floor. Kelly doesn’t pay attention to the referee’s count and starts to drill Hania in the face with balled fists. She brings Hania to her feet and is shoved back into the ropes before eating a superkick. Hania climbs the barricade and connects with a heel kick to the face as the ten count is made. They don’t stop and it becomes an all-our war as Indigo grabs a bat from under the ring and swings it down on the back. She breaks Hania down and beats on her until more referees break it up.
Indigo snatches up a mic, rage and tears all evident on her face.
“I was nothing, but loyal to you. I would never have betrayed you! You tried to make me choose between you and my family.
I gave up my mother for you, left Taeler behind to take on Harlow together and still it only took one moment to bring it all down. This is not because of me, but because of your own paranoia got in the way.
If you want a war, Hania, I’ll give you one.”
Austin Aries vs Kyle O'Reilly
Heart of Phoenix Championship Tournament
Heart of Phoenix Championship Tournament
Austin and Kyle took this oportunity to get their rematch after their last interruption, both of them were recovered, ready and mentally prepared for the importance of them advancing to the next round of the tournament. If anyone was going to be the first man to hold the Heart of Phoenix Championship, it was sure to be one of them.
They locked up, they countered and they chain wrestled like their lives depended on it.
The match was hot, the referee was alert and attent, however, just as Aries was preparing to land a massive dropkick on Kyle, the very distinct sound of a transporter energizing ran through the arena, and Loren Armitage landed right at the center of the ring, behind the referee, and with a touch of his finger, the man was frozen in place, as was Kyle's body against the corner.
It was just Armitage and Aries, face to face in the middle of these static figures. "Did you miss me?"
Before Austin could respond, Loren jumped to the second rope, up to the third and landed with both knees over the taller man's shoulders, forcing their bodies down to the mat, Austin's face hitting the ring with enough force to knock him out for the time being, giving Loren enough time to arrange the scene, get out of the way and let everyone wake up.
Miraculously, Austin was pinned by Kyle O'Reilly, the last few minutes of the match completely erased from his memory. But not from Aries' memory.
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Raining Threats
Scarlett comes bouncing into Taya’s office with a smile. She leans forward on the desk and gives Taya a bat of the lashes. “Taaaayaaaaaa, how are you, girlfriend?!”
“What do you want, Scarlett? We aren’t friendly here in PCW. You know that?”
“If I had a penis, I’m sure you’d change your mind on that...”
“Excuse the hell out of you,” Valkyrie responds and starts to stand.
“You’ve been real easy on Tyler. We all know it, we’ve all seen it. I don’t know what you two got going on, buuuuut it’s obvious it’s more than professional. I don’t shame you for that, though. I’m a little upset I didn’t get to you first, but that’s not why I’m here. I heard what happened to him.”
“Heard?” She responds with a laugh. “Don’t pretend like you didn’t play a hand in that.”
“I would never! It could’ve been Bray! I have no reason to attack him. I’ll be seeing him at Black Rain no matter what.”
“Yes, but the weaker he is? The better. If you were looking to injure him, you failed. I let him off for the night, but he’ll be present next week. Guess you should’ve hit him harder.”
Bordeaux rolls her eyes then smiles. “I’ll have a few words for him next week anyway. I’d rather he was there to hear it all from my pretty lips. You should join us out there. I want you to get a real close look at what Black Rain is going to look like.” Scarlett taps Taya’s nose before turning on her heels and strutting out of the office with a laugh rolling off her lips.
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Phil Jackal vs Mitchell Knight
Jackal tried for the quick rollup early on and Knight immediately kicks out. He swipes the champion’s legs for another pin. Jackal quickly transitions into a headlock, trying to keep Mitchell grounded. The champion manages to get on his feet and breaks free with a sitout jawbreaker. He gets behind Phil for a backstabber for the one count. Knight rebounds off the ropes for a back handspring moonsault. He still only gets a one count. He grabs Jackal by the hair and sits him up before rebounding off the ropes for a running knee. Jackal ducks under it and rolls him up for a two count. Phil kicks the chest as he stands and follows up with a step-up enzuigiri.
Mitchell is still on his feet and Jackal springboards off the ropes for a crossbody, but Knight reacts with a dropkick midair. Both men are down on the mat as the referee starts the count. Knight is up first by the count of five. He drags Jackal to the corner and chops the chest before whipping him into the opposing corner. The champion races forward with a running knee into the knee and follows up with a springboard from the corner into a crossbody for the two count. Jackal rolls through gets the Anaconda Vice submission hold. Mitchell struggles briefly as he gets his foot on the ropes, but Jackal pushes off the ropes and rolls them further away to keep it locked in. Mitchel eventually grabs the hair and rolls Phil over for the pin. Jackal is forced to let go.
Mitchell is barely up before Phil leaps over with a sunset flip powerbomb for a two count. The champion rolls into the ropes. Jackal connects with a baseball slide, sending him to the floor. Phil waits on the apron before attempting a senton, but Mitchell catches him for a powerbomb onto the steel steps. Jackal lies still on the steps as Knight gets up on the apron then the top turnbuckle. He follows up with a double footstomp to the abdomen and against the steps. Mitchell forces him back into the ring for a really close count. He brings Jackal to his feet and Phil forearms him. Knight retaliates with a heel kick to the face before rebounding with a clothesline that Jackal counters into a neckbreaker.
MJF is suddenly out to the ring and the fans are booing him as he climbs the apron. He gets on the apron and contemplates entering the ring as the referee gives him a warning. Jackal is up first and attempts to knock MJF off the apron. The two men argue at ringside with jackal shoving MJF, blaming him for his championship loss. Knight is up on his feet and springboards from the ring with a corkscrew crossbody to Jackal. Knight slams his face into the ring post just as MJF yanks him from behind. Knight connects with a superkick and suddenly Will is racing down the ramp to spear MJF to the floor.
Phil catches Knight with a wrist lock and slams the arm into the steel. He sends the champion into the ring and tries to lock in an armbar, but Mitchell rolls through to escape and tries to kick Phil in the face. Jackal ducks and still keeps the arm to pull through Knight’s legs to flip him over. He then kicks the arm and twists it before slamming it to the mat. Jackal looks to go up high, but Mitchell kicks the leg out from under him and connects with a backstabber from the top rope before following up with the Opal Miner to put Jackal away. That doesn’t stop MJF from attacking Mitchell. He beats down on the champion from behind before Ospreay is in to even the odds and send him out of the ring.
Ospreay and Knight lock eyes before Will glances at the belt. Mitchell steps back, surrounded by wolves looking to lead the pack. He holds his belt up high and points at all three men. “This ain’t going anywhere anytime soon.”