Welcome all to Rising Phoenix Wrestling's Ascent Pre-Show. Tonight we will crown our champions and put on an unprecedented evening of professional wrestling. Without further ado, let's send it to the back where Lenny Leonard is standing by to get a word with Brent Albright.
Backstage--Lenny Leonard is outside of Albright's locker room. We can hear Brent talking to someone inside. Leonard knocks, which brings Albright to the door. He exits and hurriedly closes it behind him. Leonard attempts to find out who is in the dressing room, but Albright ignores the questions and begins to talk about James Storm. Albright to Storm, "I will not tolerate failure. Brent Albright is a thoroughbred, and the best this business has to offer. James Storm will experience the best tonight!"
Video Package--Undertaker--The Phenom. Looking to add to his legacy. Working on his 2nd Decade of Destruction.
Video Package--Edge--The Rated R Superstar. The Ultimate Opportunists looking to bolster his rep as one of the best in the business by being the first RPW World Champion.
"Cowboy" James Storm v Brent Albright
Winner: Albright via Crowbar Submission. They brawl back and forth and eventually go to the floor. Albright slams Storm into the guardrail and heads back in the ring. As he does so, Davey Richards runs to the ring and sends Storm shoulder first into the post and back into the ring. Brent locks the Crowbar for the tapout victory. Richards and Albright continue to work over Storm's shoulder and arm until RPW Security runs them off.
Video Package--Samoa Joe--Submission Machine. Looking to break through the glass ceiling and ascend to his throne as the man who will take wrestling into the next era.
Video Package--Triple H--The Game. He's been to the mountaintop 12 times. His number 13 will be unlucky for the rest of the RPW roster. There is only one first, and he will be the 1st RPW World Champion.
Age of the Fall v Austin Aries/Roderick Strong
Winners: Aries and Strong via pinfall with half-nelson backbreaker/450 combo on Jacobs. After the match, Shelton Benjamin and Elijah Burke hit the ring with an unidentified man. Elijah Experience (running knees in corner) on Aries and a wrist clutch exploder on Strong. Burke grabs a mic and introduces their advisor and leader, Bruce Eagle. Bruce Eagle tells the RPW audience, "A change has come to RPW yet the Movement has only just begun."
We close the Pre-Show with a rundown of the card interspersed with video highlights of the roads taken to the PPV.
RPW's Ascent
RPW Trios Championship
The Embassy w/Prince Nana v AJ Styles/Christopher Daniels/Bryan Danielson
Winners: Styles-Daniels-AmDrag via MMA elbow tapout on Jimmy Rave as Styles and Daniels hold Miz and Morrison at bay. As the match is starting, Prince Nana attempts to leave with the belts, but he is stopped by RPW Security. Incredible spot as heels attempt stereo face finishers only to be countered into their own. Morrison's attempt at a Dragon Suplex on AmDrag is countered into the flip neckbreaker. Miz' attempt at Angel's Wings on Daniels is countered into the Reality Check, and Rave's attempt at Styles Clash on AJ is countered into the Ghanarhea. Faces nail finishers, crisp and clean, for stereo nearfalls. After the match, the Embassy leaves the ring as Nana screams into the camera that the Embassy was robbed and that someone will pay dearly.
No DQ 6-Man Tornado Tag
Sweet N Sour Inc v Strong Style Thugs
Winners: Sweet N Sour Inc via Mic Check. Before the match, Sweeney, who is not dressed to wrestle, grabs the mic and tries to weasel out of the match. Homicide leaves the ring and rings the bell himself. SnS Inc scatters with Hernandez taking off after Sweeney. Sweeney runs up the ramp and through the curtain. Hernandez goes through the curtain. We hear a struggle and the sound of the mic striking skull. Sweeney emerges back onto the ramp smiling with Mr. Kennedy at his side. Sweeney and Kennedy join the fray at ringside and have a 4-on-2 advantage until Hernandez returns. Commissioner Stroia comes out with RPW security and stops the melee. Stroia asks Sweeney what he is doing. Sweeney states that the match was for SnS Inc, but the Commish never said which members. Sweeney says he has Kennedy under contract, and Kennedy will be taking his spot in the match. The match continues as Hero, Claudio, and Kennedy versus Low-Ki, Homicide, and Hernandez. Funny spot ensues during the brawl as the 6'5" Hero runs full-speed from the 5'8" Low-Ki after a strike exchange ends decisively in Ki's favor. The finish comes as Sweeney enters the fray and busts Cide open with one of his hard bottomed shoes. Kennedy is then able to hit the Mic Check on Cide for the pinfall. SnS Inc celebrate on the ramp as Sweeney states into camera, "We're always 2 steps ahead of you ham and eggers."
Rising Phoenix Championship Final
Matt Hardy v Paul Burchall
Winner: Matt Hardy via Twist of Fate. Burchall appeared to have the match won, when he declined to go for the Curb Stomp in favor of the C4 (flipping rock bottom). Hardy countered the C4 attempt into the Twist of Fate for the pinfall. Burchall visibly shaken as Hardy celebrates as the 1st Rising Phoenix Champion. JBL states "All the potential and athleticism in the world means nothing in RPW, if you don't focus from bell to bell."
Umaga v Tomko
Winner: Double Countout. Brawl goes to the floor where Umaga samoan drops Tomko. Umaga attempts a running splash from the apron onto Tomko, who moves. Tomko is a second to slow to break the count before the countout. After the decision, Tomko nails Umaga with a running, diving lariat from the apron to the floor. Joey Styles puts over the amount of damage Umaga was trying to inflict with the splash as we see replays from the closing moments.
Double Feature Match for #1 Contendership to RPW Title
(First fall is a tag match. Winning team will face-off 1-on-1 immediately after.)
Randy Orton/John Cena v Shawn Michaels/Nigel McGuinness
Winners: Michaels and McGuinness via Sweet Chin Music on Orton. Cena breaks up every nearfall (going against previous character traits) except the last one. Nigel is able to prevent Cena from making the last save. HBK avoids tuning the band in this match and hits the SCM out of nowhere after a counter of the RKO. After the 1st fall, Cena plants Orton with the FU (which is more of a Death Valley Driver now.)
Winner: HBK wins the #1 Contendership via his leg submission in an instant classic. Too many counters to call in this one. HBK avoids tuning the band all night, and the lights stay on. Michaels and Nigel shake hands after the match to a standing O from the crowd.
RPW Tag Team Championship Final
Briscoes v MotorCity MachineGuns
Winners: Briscoes via CutThroat Driver/Leg Drop Combo on Shelley. No incidents after the match, as the MCMGs allow the Briscoes to enjoy their moment. The MCMGs look on with pained expressions that sell the war they just endured and how much it hurts to fall short.
Rob Van Dam v CM Punk
Winner: CM Punk via rollup with a handful of tights and feet on the ropes. RVD tries to tell the ref about the pulling of the tights to no avail as Punk tells the camera, "RVD was this close to greatness, but he just couldn't get the job done. RVD, straight-edge means 'I'm better than you!'"
RPW World Championship Final--Fatal 4-Way Elimination
Triple H v Samoa Joe v The Undertaker v Edge
Main Event: In ring, big fight introductions chronicling a few past achievements. Black streamers are thrown for Undertaker. First fall--Samoa Joe eliminates Undertaker via Coquina Clutch after an Edge-ecution and a Pedigree. UT dominates early until everyone decides it may be in their best interests to eliminate the Deadman 1st (hence the flurry of finishers). Second fall--Edge pins Samoa Joe with a quick rollup. Edge and H attempt the same strategy on Joe, but Joe tags out. Once he tags back in with Triple H, he lands the trademarked Joe Combos, but H counters the face wash with a spinebuster. Pedigree attempt is countered by Joe as he pulls H face first into the top buckle. Joe puts a dazed H on the top buckle and sets for the MuscleBuster. Edge blind tags H. Joe lands the Musclebuster but is immediately rolled up by Edge for the flash pin. Third fall--Edge goes to attack H, but H counters to a small package and almost gets the pinfall with a 2.9999 count. H recovers, and we have a back and forth contest until Ric Flair appears at ringside. Edge falls to the outside, and Flair puts the boots to him behind the ref's back. H sees this and yells at Flair. Flair steps back and the fight continues. H and Edge hit heads midring causing H to falls into the ropes. While the ref is checking on Edge, Flair puts knux on H's hand. H thinks about it and stands as if he will take the shortcut. When he turns, Flair grabs his leg long enough for Edge to nail the spear and quickly follow-up with an Edge-ecution for the pinfall victory. Edge is your 1st RPW World Champion. Ric Flair and Edge shake hands over Triple H's prone body. Joey Styles--"Edge was right. He has walked through hell to become RPW Champion, and now he shakes hands with the 'dirtiest player in the game!'" Flair raises Edge's arm and straps the title around his waist as pyro fires off to close Ascent.
