[ America West Arena ] Phoenix, Arizona



PRESENTS ....

(FADEIN: The arena as the lights suddenly cut out.)

JIVE: "What the hell?"

GHEORGHE: "The lights in the arena just went out … and I have no clue on what’s going on!"

(On the big screens, a crack of lightning parts the darkness, followed by thunder that ‘rolls’ throughout the arena.)

GHEORGHE: "I’m confused, Nick … just what is going on here? We’re supposed to have John Doe versus Jonathan Marx up next … and now the lights have gone out … and there’s thunder rolling INSIDE the arena!"

JIVE: "Someone get the lights turned back on!"

(The big screens suddenly turn bright white. In the middle of the screen is a figure shrouded in a blurry outline. The fans in the arena quiet down and look up in awe as the imposing figure is stationery. A voice crackles throughout the arena.)

VOICE: "The desolate plains have become volatile. As men’s egos have begun to clash."

GHEORGHE: "What is this figure speaking of?"

JIVE: "Egos, Tom, egos!"

VOICE: "The egos that run rampant are going to hit the wall. Soon, a shadow of darkness will fall upon New ERA of Wrestling. And all, no matter who they are, will fall to the wayside as I take my place atop the throne …. as World Heavyweight Champion."

(As soon as the figure finishes saying this, a flash of lightning comes from the top of the arena and strikes the middle of the ring. The big screen slowly flicker on and off, as the lights flicker … eventually coming on.)

JIVE: "WHAT IS THAT?!"

GHEORGHE: "That’s some sort of symbol …. Etched in the middle of the mat! The lightning bolt that struck the ring has left a remnant!"

(The camera closes in on the symbol in the ring … which is very similar to a German cross … but somehow …. different.)

GHEORGHE: "Ladies and gentlemen, I have no clue what just happened … but we have got a match to get started … and I’m sure these two men can’t wait to get in the ring!"

(The camera cuts away from the symbol in the ring and to the curtain as ‘When Worlds Collide’ by Powerman 5000 cues up. The crowd stands on their feet and give a nice little pop to John Doe as he comes through the curtains.)

JIVE: "Why are they cheering this imbecile?"

JACOBS: "The following match is scheduled for one fall … and has a 30 minute time limit …. Introducing first …. Being led to the ring by his sister JANE DOE …. He stands six foot one and weighs 210 pounds ……………. JOHN DOE!"

GHEORGHE: "John and Jane Doe walking to the ring, and John Doe looks as if he’s got his mind set on defeating Jonathan Marx here tonight."

JIVE: "Well, he can just kiss that dream on the lips and send it away, because that’s not going to happen tonight! Jonathan Marx is one of the greatest technical wrestlers of this generation … and he’s not going to let John Doe walk over him!"

(CUEUP: ‘The Touch’ by Stan Bush as the crowd gives a mix reaction .. there are a few more cheers than jeers as ‘Gentleman’ Jonathan Marx walks through the curtains, followed by Brandon Jacobs.)

JACOBS: "And his opponent… being led to the ring by Brandon Jacobs … he hails from Princeton, New Jersey and weighs 215 pounds …….. ‘GENTLEMAN’ JONATHAN MARX!"

(SFX: Bell rings.)

GHEORGHE: "Jonathan Marx enters the ring and he is getting some last minute pointers from Brandon Jacobs who is a fine man to ask about different avenues to explore against opponents…"

JIVE: "Well, Jacobs is the best play by play man in the business."

GHEORGHE: "Ahem."

JIVE: "I said, Jacobs IS the best play by play man in the business."

GHEORGHE: "And Vic Waters would be the best color?"

JIVE: "No .. that’s me."

GHEORGHE: "Yea……. Anywho .. Jonathan Marx offering a hand to John Doe … John Doe takes it and it looks as if this contest will get off to a fairly sportsman …………"

JIVE: "AND MARX JUST KICKED DOE IN THE GUT!"

GHEORGHE: "I spoke a little too soon … and now Jonathan Marx locks the head of John Doe in a headlock … he’s wrenching on the head of Doe … and John Doe pushes him off! JOHN DOE WITH A DROPKICK THAT SENDS MARX INTO THE ROPES!"

JIVE: "Come on, Jonathan … don’t you listen to what Brandon has to say?"

GHEORGHE: "John Doe walks over to the ropes … and Marx with a shot to the gut stops Doe momentarily! And now Jonathan Marx lifts up John Doe and sends him to the ground with a body slam! Marx drops the knee as he rolls out of it … and Marx is on his feet motioning to John Doe to get on his feet!"

JIVE: "Marx is just showing off for John Doe right now. He’s basically telling him to bring whatever he has on …"

GHEORGHE: "John Doe getting to his feet … Jonathan Marx with an irish whip … NO DOE WITH THE REVERSAL! Jonathan Marx on the return and JOHN DOE TOSSES HIM HALFWAY ACROSS THE RING WITH A BEAUTIFUL BELLY TO BELLY SUPLEX!"

JIVE: "And look at that little runt Jane Doe cheer for him. She had her ass handed to her earlier so she decides that she can come out here and play cheerleader?"

GHEORGHE: "John Doe now over to Marx … he picks him up by the hair … Marx with a right hook attempt, but Doe ducks and locks his arms around Marx’s waist ….. GERMAN SUPLEX!! Wait, Doe’s holds on and rolls over ……. AND CONNECTS WITH A SECOND GERMAN SUPLEX!!! Doe rolls them over again ……… AND CONNECTS WITH A THIRD GERMAN SUPLEX!! John Doe with a triple German Suplex and Jonathan Marx is on the mat!"

JIVE: "Come on … the referee shouldn’t allow that to happen."

GHEORGHE: "Why not?"

JIVE: "Doe shouldn’t be allowed to do a continuous move like that … it should be illegal."

GHEORGHE: "But it’s not. John Doe now climbing the turnbuckle …. He hits the top …. AND FLIES OFF WITH A MOONSAULT AND CATCHES JONATHAN MARX RIGHT ON THE RIBS! John Doe with the cover ………… ONE ………….. TWO ………. KICKOUT!"

JIVE: "Marx isn’t going to go THAT easy … John Doe must be on crack if he thinks he can get him to go down without a fight."

GHEORGHE: "John Doe now standing over Jonathan Marx ….. AND MARX GRABS THE THROAT OF DOE!"

JIVE: "YES!"

GHEORGHE: "John Doe is trying DESPERATELY to get the grip of Marx loosened … but Jonathan Marx isn’t letting go!"

JIVE: "Squeeze the life out of him!"

GHEORGHE: "Jonathan Marx is getting to his feet now … AND HE RELEASES THE CHOKE HOLD …. BUT SWEEPS JOHN DOE’s legs FROM UNDERNEATH HIM! Doe hits the mat, and Jonathan Marx immediately drops the elbow to the sternum."

JIVE: "What a fantastic move by the ‘Gentleman.’ Marx is the epitome of what wrestling should look like."

GHEORGHE: "Jonathan Marx picks up John Doe … he hooks the arms … AND TAKES DOE OVER WITH A DOUBLE ARM SUPLEX! Marx quickly to his feet and he grabs the legs of John Doe ….. AND MARX TRYING TO GET DOE OVER ON HIS STOMACH!"

JIVE: "He’s going for a Boston Crab! Doe’s lower back won’t be able to sustain this type of pain! He’s going to cry daddy!"

GHEORGHE: "Jonathan Marx trying to get it over …. BUT HE STOPS! Jonathan Marx holding his back … and I think those german suplexes have finally taken their toll, Nick!"

JIVE: "And this is why they should be banned when done by Doe .. he does them so sloppily …."

GHEORGHE: "John Doe now gets up … SMALL PACKAGE BY DOE!!! ONE ………. TWO ……….. KICKOUT BY JONATHAN MARX! Marx kicks out at the last moment, and I thought for sure that Doe had snuck a victory."

JIVE: "Doe’s great at cheating .. you saw how he grabbed the tights of Marx for extra leverage?"

GHEORGHE: "He did no such thing, Nick. John Doe now over to Jonathan Marx … he irish whips him into the ropes … Marx comes back …. John Doe sticks out his arm, BUT MARX GRABS IT …. REVERSAL … AND MARX SENDS DOE INTO THE ROPES! Doe on the way back …. Drop toe hold and Marx floats over and locks Doe in a side headlock! John Doe is hitting the mat trying to get some momentum!"

JIVE: "NO! HE’S TAPPING! HE’s TAPPING, Tom!"

GHEORGHE: "He is not. Doe trying now to grab anything to get Marx off him … and he grabs the hair of Jonathan Marx! But the referee starts counting and Doe lets go. Jonathan Marx now with a fist right into the face of Doe, and he releases the headlock."

JIVE: "A nice little measure by Marx to make sure that Doe knows his place."

GHEORGHE: "But if that were Doe, then he was cheating, right?"

JIVE: "Of course … because Doe’s sole purpose would have been to cheat .. whereas Marx is a gentleman .. and he was just letting him know that he shouldn’t try any funny business…."

GHEORGHE: "Jane Doe on the apron … and she’s complaining to the referee."

JIVE: "What Jonathan Marx should do, is punch her right into the mug, and let her know her place!"

GHEORGHE: "I don’t think Jonathan Marx would appreciate you talking about hitting a woman, Nick."

JIVE: "Jane Doe isn’t a woman, Tom .. she’s a beast."

GHEORGHE: "John Doe now getting to his feet … and he’s behind the referee telling Jane to get down .."

JIVE: "Oh … Marx is scheming …."

GHEORGHE: "JONATHAN MARX WITH A SUPERKICK TO THE BACK OF JOHN DOE’s HEAD ….. AND DOE GOES CRASHING INTO THE REFEREE … AND THE MOMENTUM KNOCKS JANE DOE FROM THE APRON AND SHE JUST HIT THE GUARDRAIL HARD!"

JIVE: "Yes!! Her head just went CRACK against the guardrail!"

GHEORGHE: " John Doe’s leaning on the top rope … out of it … Jonathan Marx hooks his arms …. BELLY TO BACK SUPLEX! Marx with the cover ……… ONE …………… TWO ………………. THREE—NO! John Doe kicked out!"

JIVE: "How did he do that?"

GHEORGHE: "Is that a compliment?"

JIVE: "Definitely not!"

GHEORGHE: "Jane Doe is still lying on the floor … and the referee is still on the mat.. trying to regain his senses after the kickout. Jonathan Marx has pretty much taken out everyone here around the ring besides Brandon Jacobs!"

JIVE: "As long as he gets the job done, let’s not complain, eh?"

GHEORGHE: "Marx now with John Doe on his feet … He irish whips him into the ring …. Doe on the way back ….. AND JONATHAN MARX PLANTS HIM INTO THE MAT WITH A VICIOUS SPINEBUSTER! Marx with the cover ………. ONE ……………. TWO ……………….. KICKOUT!"

JIVE: "God dammit, just put him away already! Stop trying, Doe, its no use!"

GHEORGHE: "Jonathan Marx getting frustrated I think .. and now Brandon Jacobs is yelling some words of encouragement.."

JIVE: "That’s it, Brandon!"

GHEORGHE: "Wait a minute … PARAMEDICS are running down to ringside! What … JANE DOE STILL HASN’T MOVED … DOE IS STILL LYING AGAINST THE GUARDRAIL! Jonathan Marx stops for a second to look over at the commotion ….. DOE WILL A ROLL UP!!! ONE ………….. TWO …………… THREEE!"

JIVE: "NO, MARX KICKED OUT!"

GHEORGHE: "Marx was distracted by the paramedics … who are now putting Jane Doe on a stretcher … AND THEY’re wheeling her out of here!"

JIVE: "She must’ve seriously injured herself!"

GHEORGHE: "Marx is back up … and he looks over his shoulder at the parade marching up the rampway … and he looks a little shaken."

JIVE: "Don’t worry about her, Jonathan! Just beat the other Doe’s ass now!"

GHEORGHE: "John Doe getting to his feet …. And Jonathan Marx now backs him into the corner …… DOE AND MARX ARE NOW FIGHTING IN THE CORNER …… Doe reverses and puts Marx in the corner now …. NO .. MARX REVERSES and Doe’s in the corner!!"

JIVE: "The referee now going to separate them.."

GHEORGHE: "The referee now trying to squirm in between them …….. and he finally does …."

(SFX: Crowd becomes SILENT.)

GHEORGHE: "WHAT THE FUCK?"

JIVE: "Wha… wha…."

GHEORGHE: "JONATHAN MARX HAS JUST PICKED THE REFEREE UP ON HIS SHOULDERS …… AND JOHN DOE IS ON THE TOP TURNBUCKLE ……… DOE FLIES OFF AND HITS THE REFEREE WITH A FLYING CROSS BODY AS MARX FALLS BACKWARDS!! WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?"

JIVE: "Wha … wha…."

GHEORGHE: "Marx and Doe get back up …. AND NOW THEY’re BEATING DOWN THE REFEREE!! I DON’T UNDERSTAND THIS!"

JIVE: "Please don’t tell me …."

GHEORGHE: "JOHN DOE AND JONATHAN MARX ARE NOW RAISING EACH OTHER’s HANDS!"

(The fans begin to boo … Marx asks for a microphone..)

MARX: "New ERA of Wrestling is in desperate need of some REAL leadership. And what we just showed you in the very ring is indicative of what we’re going to show EVERYONE here in New ERA. I hope you enjoyed your free preview ..."

(Doe gets the microphone now.)

DOE: "It has begun! When the plague that haunts the New ERA World Heavyweight championship must be cured …. You can count on two men …. ‘GENTLEMAN’ JONATHAN MARX …… and JOHN DOE. DREDD IS HERE… and you all … will pay."

(Marx and Doe exit the ring to the jeers of the crowd as Brandon Jacobs quickly follows them, they seem to be talking about what happened to Jane Doe earlier in the match, and hurry up the ramp.)

JIVE: "I … I don’t know what to say."

GHEORGHE: "Ladies and gentleman …. Those two men … put on some sort of exhibition …. And then they took out the referee and announced that they are here to cleanse New ERA …. I’m guessing this match is a draw …. We’ve got to take a commercial break .. I am still in shock, Nick …"

JIVE: "I … don’t know what to say."

(CUTTO: The back area of the arena as Jane Doe is being loaded into an ambulance. John Doe, Jonathan Marx and Brandon Jacobs approach the ambulance, but the EMT stops them and tells them they cannot come in the ambulance. FADETO: Commercial for WFW’s next event, Paradise Lost.)

( continued... )