District XWA: Layton & Fenric/WGYK/Uncanny Socialites/Rogers & Smyth - 4-TEAM ELIMINATION FOR XWA TAG TITLES!

[DJS]

There will be No Demons Allowed in...


Broadcast on The Xperience and the Battleground Network
LIVE! From Ticketpro Dome, Johannesburg, South Africa (20,000 Capacity),
Theme Song: "District 9 Main Theme" by Clinton Shorter

The Layton & Fenric Invitational:
Four Team Elimination Match for
XWA Tag Team Championships!



Layton & Fenric (Emery Layton and Adam Fenric) vs. The Whitest Girls You Know (Annie Zellor and Molly Reid) vs. The Uncanny Socialites (Kelsey Spencer and Rebecca Saint) vs. Jake Rogers and Amy Jo Smyth

Last month, Emery Layton outlasted 24 other people to become the 2017 Lord of the Ring, giving her a shot at the Supreme XWA Championship whenever she wants over the next year. It could be "any time", she declared, but tonight she may find herself a little busy. On XWA Massacre, Layton & Fenric threw out the challenge to ANY tag team from across the world to come to District XWA and compete in the first ever Layton & Fenric Invitational (or "Inspirational", as Emery inaccurately referred to it as). And once the gauntlet was laid, in came the teams. The Whitest Girls You Know- a team consisting of Molly Reid and Annie Zellor, champions where ever they go- were the first, and closely following were Massacre's Jake Rogers teaming with Amy Jo Smyth, meaning Fenric isn't the only doctor making a house-call in this one. Finally, the four-way was set and the world said "Gosh" as it was announced the final team would be Kelsey Spencer and Rebecca Saint, collectively known as the Uncanny Socialites, one of the most hard-working tag teams on the Australian circuit today.

All four teams now meet inside a four-team elimination match- only two people can occupy the ring at any one time, anyone can tag in, but all it takes is for one team-mate to be pinned for the whole team to be taken out of the match. It's the most ambitious challenge Layton & Fenric have faced so far. Will the champions retain their titles, or will one of these teams relieve the Lethal Lackeen and the Futurist of their prize? BIG match with a wealth of talent here, ladies and gents. You will NOT want to miss it!

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Deadline for matches is 26th September 2017 at 11:59 Eastern Standard Time.
Voting will start at this time and conclude on 6th October 2017 at 11:59 Eastern Standard Time.
[CST is one hour earlier. GMT is five hours later.]

[Uncanny Socialites]

The camera pans around the crowd, showing thousands of excited XWA fans cheering their hearts out. The shot eventually fades to one of tonight’s commentary team - Mark Sanction and Matt Steel.

Mark Sanction
“We’ve already seen some great action here at District XWA, and it’s only shaping up to get better from this point on! Because next up, we have the Layton & Fenric Invitational for the XWA Tag Team Championship!”

Matt Steel
“Don’t you mean ‘Inspirational’? I thought that’s what we were calling it.”


Mark Sanction
“...In any event, let’s send it up to Hanna Ramierez for the official introductions.”

The camera returns to ringside, where a beautiful young woman stands with a microphone in hand.

DING DING!

The bell sounds, and the rumblings of the stimulated Johannesburg crowd fall to a whisper when Hanna Ramierez raises the microphone to her mouth to speak.

Hanna Ramierez
“The following contest is the Layton & Fenric Invitational for the XWA Tag Team Championship!”


Fans cheer with excitement.

Hanna Ramierez
“This match will be contested under Fatal 4-Way Elimination Tag Team Rules! The rules are simple; two competitors will be legal in the ring at any given moment. Anyone may tag in or out at anytime. Elimination occurs when a member of a team is pinned, made to submit, or is disqualified. This process will continue until there is one team left standing - that team will be declared your XWA Tag Team Champions!”




Audience members let out a loud cheer as the heavily-distorted opening riff of Sum 41’s “Fake My Own Death” hits the arena’s sound system, indicating the imminent arrival of Australia’s Uncanny Socialites. Strobing lights rapidly flash as the song’s drums kick in, Kelsey Spencer and Rebecca Saint burst out from behind the curtain to a massive ovation. They spread out to opposite sides of the stage to greet fans, coming back to meet in the middle with a friendly fist bump.

Hanna Ramierez
“Introducing the challengers! First, from Australia… Rebecca Saint! Kelsey Spencer! The UNCANNY SOCIALITES!”


Fans roar with excitement once again at the announcement, with Spencer and Saint striding to the ring with purpose, greeting screaming fans as they pass.

Mark Sanction
“The Uncanny Socialites have their fair share of fans over here in South Africa!”

Matt Steel
“Aren’t these the girls who keep falling short in every title match they have?”

Mark Sanction
“They have had a series of unfortunate run-ins with champions in multiple promotions, yes.”

Matt Steel
“I’m not convinced how tonight will end differently for them.”


Posing briefly on the ropes for the fans, Spencer and Saint stand in the middle of the ring, awaiting their opponents.



Cheers turn to jeers as the lights dim and Sia’s “The Greatest” blasts through the arena’s speakers, preluding the arrival of the next team. A single spotlight shines on the stage as Annie Zellor and Molly Reid appear from behind the curtain - Molly bounces up and down while her partner Annie stands by her side, throwing up the devil horns.

Hanna Ramierez
“And next, making their way to the ring! At a combined weight of 247 pounds… Annie Zellor! Molly Reid! THE WHITEST GIRLS YOU KNOW!”


Mark Sanction
“Here comes the second team in our match this evening… The Whitest Girls You Know!”

Matt Steel
“That’s one hell of an assumption to make with that name of theirs, but I’ll let it slide. I like their attitudes, Sanction. In fact, I’d go as far to say they’re my pick to win the whole thing.”

Mark Sanction
“That’s a bold prediction to make! But they did shock the world when they won the Titan of Trios tournament in SSWA with Emily Carter last year. They could overcome the odds again here tonight!”

Once they’ve reached ringside, both girls enter the ring by diving under the bottom rope. Kelsey and Rebecca climb out of the ring at this time, wanting to avoid any chance of an altercation before the bell sounds. Annie and Molly jump up and climb opposite turnbuckles for a quick pose, garnering a mixed reaction from the XWA fans. They climb down and move to the previously-unoccupied corners for another pose - this time, Annie flexes her biceps as Molly brushes the dirt off her shoulders. They climb back down as their theme fades out, sharing a fist bump as they lock eyes with the Uncanny Socialites, who are still standing at ringside.

The lights in the arena shower the fans with a gold tint.



They roar with approval as Halestorm’s cover of “Shoot To Thrill” begins blasting through the speakers. A female figure can be seen on the stage with her back to the ring, head covered by the hood of her jacket. The golden lights flash toward the entrance way, giving the illusion of a cascade of glitter showering over her. She spins on her toes to face the crowd, throwing her hood off, revealing the face of Amy Jo Smyth in the shining spotlight.

She remains stationary as her theme fades, as does her spotlight.



The American Flag waves on the screen above Smyth as the spotlight returns, this time showing the former Olympic gymnast Jake Rogers standing by her side, wearing his red, white and blue ring gear.

Hanna Ramierez
“Now, making their way to the ring! The team of “The Good Doctor” Amy Jo Smyth and Jake Rogers!”

Mark Sanction
“Jake Rogers has been very impressive leading up to tonight. And now, we get to see what he can do with Amy Jo Smyth by his side! Could they be the ones to dethrone the Tag Team Champions?”

Matt Steel
“Bet you didn’t know that Smyth has a Ph.D. in submissions, Sanction. Teaming her up with a guy like Rogers is going to make for an interesting dynamic.”

The pair make their way to the ring; Rogers slaps the hands of fans as he passes, and Smyth unzips her hoodie as they approach ringside. She tosses the hoodie to a nearby ring crew member as she climbs onto the apron, Rogers chivalrously holding the ropes open for her to enter the ring. Reid and Zellor drop to the outside - keeping a considerable distance between them and the Uncanny Socialites, of course - staring back at them in disgust as they pose together in the ring to Rogers’ fading theme song.



The lights go down as the opening riff of Nirvana’s “Come As You Are” rings hauntingly through the Ticketpro Dome. Fans roar with excitement as the song’s drums kick in, craning their necks toward the stage to witness Emery Layton and Adam Fenric standing side-by-side, dressed in a leather jacket and Victorian-era cloak, respectively. Circling lights catch the highly sought after Tag Team Title belts strapped around their waists as they begin to make their way down the ramp.

Hanna Ramierez
“And making their way down the aisle! At a combined weight of 353 pounds, they are the current XWA Tag Team Champions… Emery Layton! Adam Fenric! LAYTON AND FENRIC!”


Mark Sanction
“It’s absolutely deafening in here!”

Matt Steel
“Yeah, no kidding! I can barely even hear myself think!”

Mark Sanction
“Everyone in the Ticketpro Dome is excited to see the reigning XWA Tag Team Champions, and with good reason! Layton & Fenric have put on some of the most impressive performances in XWA this year, and I can say with great confidence that tonight will be absolutely no exception! These South African fans are ready for what is sure to be a clear candidate for Match of the Night!”

Layton’s strut down the ramp is only interrupted as she greets screaming fans desperately trying to get her attention. Fenric’s focus isn’t broken, as he attempts to read each of the six opponents awaiting their arrival; there’s a great diversity of styles and strategies among the three teams they’ll be defending against tonight.

The pair split off, Fenric opting to circle around on the camera side of the ring as Layton climbs up the adjacent turnbuckle with a wide smile on display. She unclips the championship from her waist, raising it high above her head with pride - a gesture that is met with a roar of approval from the fans. She glances around the ring at the six competitors all vying for the straps as Fenric climbs onto the ring apron, raising his championship belt and surveying the challengers alongside her. Although they were the ones who threw the original challenge out there for any tag teams in the world to attempt to wrestle the championships away from them, it’s only now sinking in how difficult this confrontation will be.

Layton cautiously clears the top rope, landing with a small bounce in the middle of the ring as Fenric climbs between the ropes, draping the title over his shoulder. All members of the other three teams stand on the apron, surrounding the ring as the Tag Team Champions relinquish their titles to the referee for what could very well be the final time. He holds the championship belts over his head to the approval of the capacity crowd.

Mark Sanction
“Senior official Jack J. Tickles assigned to this all-important contest… And that’s what it’s all about! The reason these eight world-class competitors are here! The XWA Tag Team Championship!”

Matt Steel
“Only two of them can leave with the gold, though. Who wants it most? That’s what I want to know! Who’s willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done?”

Arrangements to get the highly-anticipated match started are quickly underway, beginning with the all-important question… Who will start this match? The Whitest Girls You Know and The Uncanny Socialites decide to bide their time and pick their spots, electing to begin the match with both of their members on the apron. Jake Rogers volunteers to begin the match for his team, and his partner isn’t opposed to the idea. The champions speak between themselves, Layton pleading with Fenric to allow her to start the match. Although he has his reservations, he eventually complies and steps out into the final vacant corner.

With the decision made for Jake Rogers and Emery Layton to begin the match, the bell sounds!

DING DING DING!

A large portion of the crowd gives one final ovation before respectfully taking their seats.


Mark Sanction
“And we’re officially underway! The former Olympic gymnast Jake Rogers starting off against one-half of the reigning XWA Tag Team Champions, The Lethal Lackeen herself, Emery Layton!”

Matt Steel
“I don’t understand the decision for Layton to start here. As the defending champions, wouldn’t you want to conserve your energy for later in this match?”

Mark Sanction
“They’ve clearly got a strategy in mind here, Matt Steel. They aren’t Tag Team Champions for nothing.”

Matt Steel
“I’m sure they have something in mind, but this can’t be a smart decision. I can understand Emery Layton making a hot-headed decision to start, but I can’t imagine how a tactician the level of Adam Fenric would be on board with this.”

Rogers and Layton circle each other in the middle of the ring, sizing each other up. Layton not-so-suddenly launches into a collar-and-elbow tie-up on her larger opponent, and the two engage in a brief test of strength that ends with Rogers tossing Layton aside like a rag doll. This action doesn’t seem to phase Layton, however - she shakes it off and gets to her feet with a modest nod of the head, giving off a “That’s what I thought” vibe. She simply wanted to confirm her suspicions, that Rogers is considerably stronger physically than her.

Surprisingly, Layton goes for another tie-up that has her partner Adam Fenric shaking his head with disappointment. This time, though, it’s evident she has a plan to take the power advantage away from the Olympian. With her knowledge of Rogers’ lack of professional wrestling experience, she is able to quickly manoeuvre behind him and latch onto his arm with a twisting wristlock in an attempt to gain the upper hand. She applies enough pressure in the hold to bring Rogers down to one knee in the middle of the ring.

Mark Sanction
“Emery Layton exploiting the inexperience of Jake Rogers from the get-go here, transitioning into a tight wristlock that looks to have the big man in pain.”

Matt Steel
“Maybe I was a little too quick to judge her intelligence...”

As Rogers begins to power out of the hold, Layton decides to push him up against the ropes, using the bounce back as momentum to whip him across the ring with one mighty heave. As he rebounds off the opposite ropes, Layton charges at him, taking him off his feet with a shoulder tackle. Amy Jo Smyth looks on disappointed from her corner as Layton takes a breather against the ropes to plan her next move. She decides to keep her larger opponent grounded by working some holds, but as she moves into position to do just that, she feels a slap on her shoulder in the form of a blind tag from the nearby Annie Zellor. Zellor demands that the annoyed Layton step into the corner before she even gets in. As much as she may want to dispute with the referee, Layton’s hands are tied - the tag was legal, and she begrudgingly steps out to join Fenric in the champions’ corner.

With Rogers now on his stomach and climbing to his feet, Reid delivers a hard punt kick to his abdomen before locking him in a camel clutch-like move in an attempt to keep him grounded.

Mark Sanction
“Annie Zellor had no interest in starting this match, but as soon as one of these competitors was down, she couldn’t help but tag herself in.”

Matt Steel
“That’s a smart move; incredibly effective. Why would you choose to do the heavy lifting yourself when you can get some schmuck to do it for you, then come in and pick your spot? Zellor’s in total control of this match.”

Even in Zellor’s clutches, Rogers begins to stir, still rising to his feet despite the hold.

Mark Sanction
“That could all change right here!”

A stunned Annie Zellor shakes her head vigorously as Rogers makes it to a vertical base. He suddenly drops backwards, all his weight crashing down and driving the air out of Zellor’s lungs. It’s a move that’s certainly unorthodox, but proves to be productive, as Zellor is forced to release the hold almost immediately. Rogers climbs into a pin cover, attempting an early elimination.

ONE!

TWO!

Zellor manages to roll a shoulder up, and begins to scurry to the nearest corner, slapping the leg of a confused Kelsey Spencer.

Matt Steel
“Smart girl! Take a rest and regroup, you’ve earned it.”

Mark Sanction
“Are you kidding? She applied one hold and tagged out as soon as the tables were turning!”

Matt Steel
“If you were a wrestling mastermind like Annie Zellor, you would understand how smart that is in this setting.”

The official instructs Spencer to step into the ring in Zellor’s place, and Rogers respectfully waits for her to join him between the ropes. Both competitors circle each other, with Spencer giving up a decent amount of height and muscle mass to Rogers - nevertheless, she goes in for a tie-up, transitioning into a go-behind with her arms locked around Rogers’ waist. The Olympian tries his best to wriggle free, but Spencer keeps her hands locked tight - this forces Rogers to improvise, dropping to a knee in order to grab a hold of Spencer’s head with a chinlock. Seemingly without much resistance, he flips her over his shoulder with a snapmare that sends her sliding across the mat.

Both competitors are back to their feet, and Spencer quickly locks on a standing side headlock. Rogers tries to use his strength advantage to lift Spencer in a side suplex, however Spencer shifts her center of gravity; Rogers is quick to understand a suplex will be less efficient than it would have initially been at this point. He hesitates for an extended moment before driving a forearm into Spencer’s ribs once, twice, three times - he feels her knees straighten, and decides now’s the time to go for it! He lifts her up, slamming her down with a hard side suplex!

Matt Steel
“I heard this Kelsey Spencer chick was clumsy, but that was downright sloppy! Rogers hesitated in there, she could’ve taken advantage!”

Mark Sanction
“I think she could have too, but she chose not to...”

Matt Steel
“What? Why the hell would she let herself get suplexed?”

Mark Sanction
“I’m not sure, but it almost looks like she’s training him!”

Sanction hits the nail right on the head; knowing ahead of time that he hasn’t got a lot of wrestling experience under his belt, the ever-selfless Kelsey Spencer has taken it upon herself to try and teach Rogers a handful of the techniques she’s picked up over the years in the early moments of this match; show him different ways to reverse and perform moves that he may not have thought of before. Rebecca Saint watches on with concern, knowing this is exactly what she is trying to do. It could come back to bite them.

Spencer and Rogers engage in a fierce exchange of mat wrestling holds over the next minute or so, a true display of athleticism - it’s Spencer’s near-decade of technical wrestling experience pitted against Rogers’ Olympic-level endurance and agility in an all-out battle that neither of them seems to be backing down from. It’s not long before Spencer visibly begins to tire, and has no choice but to tag out to the nearest person she sees - Molly Reid.

Mark Sanction
“What an exchange there between Spencer and Rogers, but Spencer tags Reid in!”

Matt Steel
“She’s had a chance to come up with a killer strategy, no doubt. Just watch her capitalise, Sanction!”

Reid steps in and keeps her distance, waiting to pick her spot. She makes it appear as though she’s going for a double-leg takedown, so Rogers adjusts himself into a counter position. However, he’s caught off guard when Reid slips through his legs and trips him up from behind! Rogers falls face-first into the canvas. Reid runs across the ring, rebounds off the ropes, and performs a rolling thunder that sends her crashing down onto the spine of Rogers! She flips him over onto his back and attempts a pin cover.

ONE!

TWO!

Rogers powers out of the pin, getting his shoulder up shortly after two.

Reid waits for Rogers to stand back up, and rushes at him with an enziguri...

...but Rogers ducks and grabs a hold of her ankle! Reid tries her best to scramble back to her partner, but finds herself dragged back to Rogers’ corner where he tags in his own partner, Amy Jo Smyth. This time, the WGYK’s strategy of strike and tag out doesn’t pay off as the much more experienced and methodical Smyth wastes little time in systematically dismantle her current adversary, slowing the pace right down by taking her down with a snapmare and locking her in a chinlock.

Reid forces her way back to her feet, but Smyth expertly transitions herself into a go behind, takes Reid down into a prone position and applies a front facelock. Reid manages to manoeuvre her body weight sharply, and force Smyth’s shoulders down in a makeshift pin.

ONE!

Smyth swiftly reacts, rolling through and maintaining the hold. When Reid attempts to repeat the crafty pinfall attempt, Smyth performs a gator roll before swapping to a grounded side headlock in the center of the ring. Finding it difficult to escape and absolutely despising the snail’s pace, Reid slaps the mat in exasperation.

Mark Sanction
“Molly Reid clearly becoming frustrated here. She hasn’t been able to get much offense in against Smyth.”

Matt Steel
“That pin attempt she made was creative, but you’re right. She’d rather be building momentum, not spending her time stuck on the mat. Amy Jo Smyth wants her to get frustrated and keep her grounded, because it takes away that speed factor. Reid’s got to find a way to keep a cool head and get back to her feet.”

Almost as if she’s listening in to the commentator’s conversation, Annie Zellor takes it upon herself to give her partner the window of opportunity she needs. Fed up with seeing Smyth cut Reid off at every turn, decides to enter the ring illegally and deliver a harsh stomp to the back of Smyth’s head. Her grip on Reid instinctively loosens from the shot that garners a chorus of boos from the fans - Rogers understandably takes exception to this, vocally making his displeasure heard as Zellor admires her handiwork. The referee sides with Rogers, and ushers Zellor from the ring with a verbal warning; this provides Molly Reid with the chance she’s been waiting for. She rakes Smyth’s eyes while the referee’s focus is on removing Zellor from the ring, revealing that she wasn’t actually as worn down as she led everyone to believe.

The oblivious official returns to call the action as both combatants climb to their feet, Smyth favouring her eyes and struggling to see straight. Reid circles her like a shark stalking a wounded seal before unloading with a flurry of well-placed punches and stinging kicks that have AJS reeling. After a hard side kick to the gut doubles Smyth over in pain, Reid delivers a concussion-inducing axe kick to the back of her unsuspecting opponent’s head! The force of the kick sends Reid recoiling back into the nearby ropes, and leaves Smyth on the canvas, presumably unconscious!

Mark Sanction
“A devastating axe kick from Molly Reid! And it looks like Amy Jo Smyth may be out cold!”

Matt Steel
“That’s what I’m talking about! She’s done a great job turning the tables in her favour, and now Smyth’s at her mercy!”

Before she’s able to capitalise, Reid’s unwillingly tagged out by Rebecca Saint, who slaps her arm and climbs in the ring. Reid and Saint bicker with each other as the referee tries to step between them and restore order before they can come to blows. Annoyed that she needs to get out of the ring just as she’s mounting an offense, Molly Reid retreats to her corner in a huff, watching on as Rebecca Saint attempts an elimination off the move she performed.

ONE!

TWO!

THR-- NO!

A collective gasp hangs in the air as Amy Jo Smyth - whom everyone thought was surely knocked unconscious - manages to kick out before a three count, much to the relief of her partner watching on from his corner. He loosens his grip on the sweat-drenched tag rope clutched in the palm of his hand.

Mark Sanction
“There’s still life! We thought the lights had gone out, but Amy Jo Smyth is still in this thing!”

Smyth begins to stir on the mat, trying to shake the cobwebs. Saint knows she needs to keep on the submission specialist - giving her even just an inch could prove to be devastating. She pulls the dazed Smyth to her feet, holding onto the back of her head with one hand as she delivers stinging forearm shots to the bridge of her nose, rendering her groggy. Saint rebounds off the ropes and takes Smyth down with a hard clothesline before attempting a pin once again.

ONE!

TWO!

Smyth rolls a shoulder up to escape the cover.

Saint slaps a sleeper hold on Smyth, opting to wrestle a style that strays away from her own. Primarily a striker, Saint knows she is taking a risk trading holds with a mat-based opponent, however it is proving to be effective thus far. That is, until Smyth has had ample time to recover from the axe kick she suffered minutes earlier.

Before she can even fathom what’s happening, Saint finds her right arm - the arm she uses to deliver her Saint-Hearted finishing move - is being wrenched behind her in a hammerlock position. Just moments ago, Smyth acted swiftly, delivering a sharp elbow to Saint’s ribs while simultaneously latching onto her arm with her free arm. Freed from the sleeper, she was then able to get behind Saint and wrench the hold tight. It is an expertly-applied move, and a testament to how proficient Amy Jo Smyth really is.

Matt Steel
“This right here is a prime example of what happens when you take your eyes off the ball for even one second when you’re in there with Amy Jo Smyth!”

Mark Sanction
“Smyth had the wherewithal to make sure Rebecca Saint was trapped right in the middle of the ring, far from anyone she can tag out to!”

Saint screams out in pain as her concerned partner, Kelsey Spencer, reaches out desperately to try and make a tag. It’s no good. Saint is a good three-arm-lengths away from her partner. Smyth applies pressure to the hold, and Saint’s cries of anguish bring smiles of delight to the faces of Molly Reid and Annie Zellor, who are glad to see it is not one of them suffering the pain.

Smyth forces Saint face down to the mat, maintaining the hammerlock as she rears back with her knee… before driving it directly into the shoulder with malice! She delivers another, and another… It’s quite clear to everyone watching that Smyth is trying to take away the best weapon in Saint’s arsenal; her discus elbow smash, Saint-Hearted. Following a fourth knee to the right shoulder blade, Smyth releases the arm, and Saint coddles it to try and shake the pain.

Believing they are firmly in control of the match, Smyth leaves Saint in a seated position and tags her partner back into the match to take over the punishment. A camera shot catches a glimpse of Adam Fenric - who is yet to enter the ring - watching on with a stern expression. Unlike Smyth and Rogers, he has first-hand knowledge of how deceptively crafty Rebecca Saint can be.

Rogers lifts Saint up with ease, as if she were a child, and plants her on the canvas with a spine-rattling body slam. Saint winces and holds her shoulder in pain as Rogers hooks her leg for a cover.

ONE!

TWO!

Saint rolls her other shoulder off the canvas.

Mark Sanction
“This isn’t looking good for Rebecca Saint.”

Matt Steel
“Yeah, she’s really favouring that right arm of hers.”

Mark Sanction
“The Uncanny Socialites could be out of this thing if she isn’t able to make a tag soon.”

Rogers lifts Saint up onto his shoulder again, but the smaller Saint wriggles free, dropping down behind him. As Rogers turns, Saint uses her good arm to deliver the hardest knife edge chop she can muster. It has little to no effect. Despite being right handed, Saint fires away with a series of left-handed chops in a bid to protect her injured arm - Rogers goes behind and locks his arms around Saint’s waist in a German suplex starting position. Refusing to take the move Rogers has planned for her, Saint suddenly dashes toward the corner she’s facing - which happens to be that of the WGYK. Rogers keeps his arms locked around her and goes along for the ride - before crashing into the turnbuckle, Saint ducks between the top and middle ropes, with Zellor deciding to take a cheap shot at Rogers by smacking him across the face. Though it is unexpected, seeing as Zellor was holding the tag rope at the time, the referee rules this as an official tag.

Zellor puts up little dispute, happy to pick the bones of an already-injured Rebecca Saint. While the referee explains to Jake Rogers that a tag was made and he needs to leave the ring, Molly Reid strangles Saint at the urging of her partner, who postures before the jeering fans.

Mark Sanction
“Oh, come on! This is an absolutely disgusting display! How can the referee be so blind?”

Matt Steel
“What are you talking about, Sanction? All I see is two world-class athletes taking advantage of the opportunities presented to them.”

Mark Sanction
“How many times are the Whitest Girls You Know going to bend the rules to gain an advantage in this match?!”

Reid proves she has expert timing, releasing the stranglehold mere milliseconds before the official turns his attention back to the action. A spluttering Saint staggers into the waiting arms of Annie Zellor, who takes her down to the mat with a neckbreaker into a pin cover.

ONE!

TWO!

Saint kicks out!

Zellor is quick to yank Saint to her feet and throw her into her team’s corner to keep her isolated from the other five wrestlers in this match - Reid innocently raises her hands above her head to signal to the referee she’s not interfering as Zellor strangles Saint in the corner with her boot. The ref isn’t having it, however, and immediately begins the count.

One!

Two!

Three!

Four!

Zellor releases at the last possible second, and slowly takes several steps back. With Reid ensuring Saint remains propped up in the corner, Zellor is able to deliver a discus clothesline to the wounded Socialite, before performing a running bulldog that plants Saint in the middle of the ring.

Mark Sanction
“She calls that sequence “I Gots Skillz”! Saint’s down!”

Matt Steel
“It’s hard to argue with that statement. Zellor and Reid are working together like a well-oiled machine in this one.”

Zellor hooks Saint’s leg for a cover.

ONE!

TWO!

Saint manages to kick out again!

She’s running out of options. Failing to make a tag soon will spell the end for Rebecca and her partner. She desperately tries to claw her way to her partner, who is bouncing up and down with anticipation at this point - Zellor follows along behind, grabbing a handful of Saint’s locks and taunting Spencer from a safe distance. All the while, the referee orders Zellor to stay off the hair, to which she audibly replies with a “Shut up!”. She drags Saint back to her corner, where she makes a tag to Molly Reid - the two whip Rebecca across the ring for a double-team clothesline, trying the referee’s patience with how long they’re deciding to remain in the ring.

However, it doesn’t go quite according to plan. Saint is able to duck the clothesline, rebound off the ropes and take both ladies down with a double clothesline. She collapses to the canvas alongside Reid and Zellor, clutching her right arm in pain. The Johannesburg crowd passionately wills Saint to her corner, where she finally makes the tag to her partner!

The crowd explodes as Kelsey Spencer, brimming with energy, bursts into the ring for the second time in this match. Saint rolls out under the bottom rope as the stunned Reid and Zellor get back to their feet - Spencer floors Zellor with a clothesline, then delivers one to Reid right after. Zellor staggers to her feet and retreats to the ropes… only to be sent tumbling to the outside by a well-placed dropkick!

Sizing up the legal Reid, Spencer sneaks up behind and grabs a hold of both Reid’s arms. She folds them over into a straightjacket position before launching into a bridging German suplex!

Mark Sanction
“That’s the Spitfire Suplex! One of Spencer’s signature moves!”

Matt Steel
“What the f-?! How did she--?!”

Spencer maintains the bridge, and the referee gets down to count the pin!

ONE!

TWO!

THR-- NO! Zellor is back in, and breaks the hold up with a clubbing blow to Spencer’s ribs!

The official is understandably upset, as he demands Zellor gets out of the ring - however, Zellor has no interest in complying. She has plans to give yet another unfair assist to her partner - she waits for Spencer to climb back to her feet, and charges at her with a flying knee…

...but Spencer’s able to see it coming, dodge to the side, and the misfired shot actually hits Adam Fenric in the stomach instead! Fenric - who couldn’t have anticipated the shot - falls off the apron to the arena floor, attempting to walk it off. Meanwhile, set off by the attack on her partner, Emery Layton enters the ring and begins blasting an unsuspecting and unsympathetic Annie Zellor with right hands!

Matt Steel
“Hey! She can’t be do that! Get her out of there, ref!”

Mark Sanction
“Oh, so you have no problem when the Whitest Girls You Know take an unfair advantage. But when someone else comes in to even the odds, that’s when you have an issue?”

Steel ignores Sanction, and while Layton and Zellor are brawling on one side of the ring, Spencer and Reid - the two legal competitors at this time - are beginning to stir on the other. They begin exchanging backhand chops before they both step back simultaneously - it’s apparent they both have the same idea, as they deliver superkicks to each other at the exact precise moment! Both ladies collapse to the canvas in a heap, with neither of them able to capitalise!

Mark Sanction
“They both had the same idea! Double superkicks, knocking each other down!”

Back on the other side of the ring, Zellor grabs a handful of Layton’s orange locks and yanks her to the floor with a mighty heave. Having seen enough, Jake Rogers and Amy Jo Smyth finally enter the fray to attempt to restore order. When Zellor catches a glimpse of them advancing toward her, she quickly leaves Layton on the mat to get out of dodge, not wanting to deal with the pair. Smyth gives chase, following Zellor to the arena floor as Rogers drags Layton toward the ropes, with every intention of pushing her to the outside…

...it just happens to be as Adam Fenric has recovered enough from the winding knee strike to peer in the ring. Without context of what has happened, all he sees is someone dragging his tag team champion partner for what he believes will be some kind of move. He slides into the ring and rushes to his partner’s aid, clubbing Rogers in the back.

Mark Sanction
“Adam Fenric in now, and this is beginning to devolve into chaos here!”

Matt Steel
“Yeah, the referee has lost all control of this one...”

Layton tries to collect her wits as the two men in the match engage in a shoving contest over what is essentially a misunderstanding - Rogers tries to explain he was evening the odds and actually helping Layton out to a degree, but Fenric is having none of it. Sooner rather than later, shoves turn to closed right hands, and the men find themselves in an all-out brawl! Rogers seems to have the upper hand at first… but The Futurist catches him with a hard-hitting spinning wheel kick that has the American seeing no stripes… only stars. But it’s not enough to take him off his feet, as seemingly on instinct, Rogers fires back with a swift and devastating big boot! Fenric falls to the mat hard, the back of his head bouncing off the canvas like a basketball. An exhausted Rogers falls to one knee, but finds himself being tossed over the top rope by a now-recovered Emery Layton.

Mark Sanction
“The ring seems to be emptying out now. Emery Layton, Kelsey Spencer and Molly Reid are the only ones left inside.”

Matt Steel
“You forgot about Saint over there.”

Sure enough, Mark Sanction failed to notice Rebecca Saint has climbed into the ring after the brawl has settled down. Still holding her shoulder, she comes face-to-face with Emery Layton in the middle of the ring, only meters from Spencer and Reid, who are still laid out after double superkicks. Just as it seems they are going to come to blows, they glance over toward the entrance ramp and notice that Smyth and Zellor are trading right hands just outside the ring.

Layton and Saint exchange a knowing glance. Not a word is spoken. They launch into one of Layton & Fenric’s tag team moves - a Suicide Dive/Top Con Hilo combination! The fans come unglued as Emery Layton dives through the ropes and takes out Annie Zellor while Rebecca Saint, injured arm and all, temporarily takes on the role of Adam Fenric as she launches into flight with a senton bomb onto Amy Jo Smyth.

Mark Sanction
“What did we just see?! Emery Layton and Rebecca Saint working together to take out Annie Zellor and Amy Jo Smyth on the outside, with a move we’d normally see out of Layton & Fenric!”

Matt Steel
“That has to be against the rules! They’re opponents, they shouldn’t be working together!”

Cameras at ringside survey the damage; Fenric is laid out by the announce table; Rogers is lying several feet away from him; and Layton, Smyth, Saint and Zellor are in a collective heap near the entrance ramp. It resembles the scene of a car crash… and the fans are eating it up! They’re loving every minute of it.

The focus soon returns to the ring, where Kelsey Spencer and Molly Reid remain. Reid begins to pull herself up to her feet with the ropes’ aid.

Mark Sanction
“And we’re back to where we started before everything got out of hand. Molly Reid’s somehow getting up ahead of Kelsey Spencer, even though she’s been active in this match for longer.”

Matt Steel
“Are you telling me you forgot that her finisher is the Molly Kick?! Of course Reid’s superkick is more devastating than Spencer’s. Do you know what the best part about this is? There’s no-one in any of these corners that can interfere and bail Kelsey Spencer out of this one!”

Still feeling the effects of the jaw-fracturing superkick, Molly Reid drags Spencer’s unconscious body to the middle of the ring, and throws her arm across her chest for a pin attempt.

ONE!

TWO!

THREE?

NO! Kelsey Spencer manages to roll her shoulder off the canvas, to a thunderously positive reaction from the fans!

Matt Steel
“Are you kidding me?! How is Kelsey Spencer still conscious after taking a Molly Kick?!”

Mark Sanction
“Somehow, some way, Kelsey Spencer was able to kick out! And these fans are overwhelmed! Molly Reid can’t believe it! The Uncanny Socialites are still in this match!”

Matt Steel
“It’s okay, Sanction, don’t panic. Molly knows what she’s doing.”

Reid struggles to keep her composure as she watches Spencer beginning to stir before her eyes. She takes a moment to think about it, and comes to the conclusion that there was only one reason Spencer was able to kick out - the considerable amount of time that elapsed between the Molly Kick and the pin attempt. The solution? Simple! Wait until Spencer stands, and take her down with a second Molly Kick!

Reid bides her time, waiting for Spencer to stand with aid from the ropes and stagger closer to her. Then… BAM! A well-placed Molly Kick finds its mark, and Kelsey Spencer falls like a sack of potatoes!

Matt Steel
“And there it is! One more Molly Kick for good measure! Spencer’s out cold for sure now, no doubt about it!”

The fans scream encouragement at Spencer, who’s become unresponsive. Reid flops into a cover.

ONE!

TWO!

THREE?

No, the referee has stopped counting! Surely Spencer didn’t kick out of a second Molly Kick?!

A perplexed Reid lifts her head to see what’s going on… She catches a glimpse of a visibly-spent Rebecca Saint’s hand on Kelsey’s right boot - and Kelsey’s right boot on the bottom rope!

Mark Sanction
“Unbelievable! Rebecca Saint placed Kelsey Spencer’s boot on the bottom rope! She prevented her team from being eliminated!”

Matt Steel
“This is bullcrap! These Socialites are nothing but a bunch of cheaters!”

Molly Reid is justifiably upset; she advances on Saint, kicking away at her with frustration, knocking her flat on her rear end. While this is going on, Adam Fenric drags the unconscious Kelsey Spencer back to his team’s corner and arranges for a legal tag to be made - this goes undetected by Reid, but not the referee, who signals for the switch to be official. When Molly Reid turns around, she sees Adam Fenric waiting there to greet her with a kick to the gut, quickly followed by a drilling DDT. Fenric quickly attempts a pin.

ONE!

TWO!

THR-- Reid kicks out!

Fenric keeps his composure after the kickout. If pinning isn’t going to put her away, perhaps the shots to the head mean she’s more like to submit? The other competitors in the match slowly begin to climb back onto the apron one by one and get in the corners, just in time to witness Fenric transitioning into a quick surfboard submission, Fenric puts as much pressure as he can on the hold. Although she’s fading, Reid remains defiant. She doesn’t have to endure the hold for long, as Zellor comes crashing down on Fenric’s head with a diving knee strike from the middle rope, which instantly breaks up the hold!

Fed up with the constant interference, the official demands that Annie Zellor remain in her corner and not get involved illegally again, under penalty of disqualification. Zellor complies with his instructions - after all, she already freed her partner from the hold. Reid crawls to the corner and manages to tag Amy Jo Smyth back into the match.

Mark Sanction
“Adam Fenric’s taken a number of shots to the head in this match - the big boot from Jake Rogers earlier, and that diving knee looks to have him reeling. It’s concerning.”

Matt Steel
“He quite literally asked for this when he and his partner issued this little open challenge. He deserves everything that’s coming to him, if you ask me.”

Fenric and AJS exchange several catch-as-catch-can moves, with Smyth gaining an advantage when Fenric is nurses an obvious thumping headache. Smyth targets the head for a binding headlock, but Fenric is still responsive enough to avoid the move and knock her off her feet with a well-placed knee to the jaw! Smyth falls to the canvas hard as Fenric staggers backwards, coming to a seated rest in the corner of the Whitest Girls You Know.

Seeing her opportunity, Zellor tags herself in and ascends the turnbuckle! Reid cheers her partner on as fans stand to their feet, hot with anticipation.

Matt Steel
“She’s got Smyth right where she wants her, Sanction! Here it comes… the Ode to Smurf!”

Zellor launches into the Shooting Star Press finisher to put Smyth away…

...but Smyth’s able to shift herself into position, absorbing the impact by catching Zellor between her legs! Latching onto her arm, she smoothly transitions Zellor’s finisher into one of her own - Eat Me Out! A binding triangle choke!

Mark Sanction
“What a fantastic counter by Amy Jo Smyth! Annie Zellor’s trapped in that triangle choke, and it doesn’t look like she’s going anywhere!”

Matt Steel
“Oh no! Quick, Molly! Your partner needs you!”

Zellor flails desperately, trying to force any of her limbs to reach the ropes. However, the way Smyth has positioned the hold, that’s simply not possible. Just as Zellor is about to submit, Reid comes rushing in - only to be taken down with a tackle by Fenric, who has yet to leave the ring; both Reid and Fenric collapse to the mat, and Zellor is left with no choice but to tap out!

Matt Steel
“What?! Why would Fenric do such a thing?!”

Mark Sanction
“That’s one less team that could potentially win this thing! And he’s probably sick of Reid and Zellor getting involved constantly when they shouldn’t be!”

Matt Steel
“I knew there was a conspiracy against Reid and Zellor!”

Hanna Ramierez
“The Whitest Girls You Know have been eliminated!”

Mark Sanction
“And with that, we’re down to three teams! Smyth and Rogers, the Uncanny Socialites, and the current champions, Layton & Fenric!”

Extra referees make their way to ringside and usher Reid and Zellor to the back, while Fenric takes over as the legal man by default, seeing as he was still in the ring when the elimination occurred. He scans the immediate area, understanding that he is in no condition to continue the match at the immediate minute. Both members of the Uncanny Socialites are still incapacitated on the arena floor, so the option to tag someone in the closest corner to him is out of the question - he has no choice but to make it across the ring and tag Emery. Which means getting by Amy Jo Smyth to do so.

It proves to be a much harder task when put into practice; AJS isn’t interested in giving him an inch to get ahead. As he tries to dart by her to slap Emery Layton’s outstretched hand, he gets caught with a side kick to the abdomen that doubles him over in pain. Smyth reacts quickly, scaling the nearby ropes and launching herself at him into a Springboard Tornado DDT. Layton cries out in desperation as Fenric lies motionless on the mat, fans sharing her concern, as Smyth hooks the far leg for a pin attempt.

ONE!

TWO!

THREE?!

NO! Fenric manages to kick out with mere moments to spare!

Mark Sanction
“We were one sixteenth away from having guaranteed new champions!”

Matt Steel
“I know a thing or two about DDTs, Sanction, and that one was picture perfect! How in the hell did Adam Fenric kick out of that?!”

The Uncanny Socialites can be seen slowly rising to the apron in the corner of the wide camera shot, as AJS makes a tag to her partner. Fenric crawls and reaches out to Layton - who is fingertips away - but Jake Rogers drops an elbow on his back! Fenric writhes in pain as Rogers lifts him up and powerslams him over near the empty corner - the one once occupied by the Whitest Girls You Know. He glances out over the sea of fans, who slowly begin to catch on to what’s coming next; they begin cheering wildly as Rogers scales the turnbuckles.

Mark Sanction
“The fans are on their feet! Could we be about to see the First Amendment?”

Matt Steel
“Fenric’s not moving! The champs could be out of this!”

A restless Emery Layton screams from across the ring for her partner to get up, but he doesn’t respond to her pleas; he remains in a supine position, clutching his neck with both hands. The arena lights are eclipsed by the 5’9, 165 pound frame of Jake Rogers as he stands perched on the top rope. With the undying support of 20,000 screaming XWA fans, he takes the leap - rotating an impressive 630 degrees to perform his senton finishing move…

...which doesn’t find its mark! Fenric was lying in wait the entire time, and manages to roll out of the way at the very last second! Rogers crashes hard where Fenric was positioned when he began to perform the move, his sweaty torso leaving an imprint on the canvas. Layton lets out a cheer and begins stomping the apron beneath her feet in an attempt to will her partner over to her.

Fans erupt into a frenzy when Fenric’s long crawl across the ring ends with an open-handed slap to the extended palm of his elated partner. The Worst of the Pavees bursts into the ring with a fury - Jake Rogers is up to his feet, just in time to eat the soles of Layton’s boots, courtesy of a running dropkick. As Fenric rolls out to the apron, Rogers climbs back to a vertical base and gets taken down by a second dropkick. Amy Jo Smyth fights past the referee and enters the ring illegally in an attempt to extinguish Layton’s burning momentum, but is taken off her feet by Layton’s slingblade for her troubles. With Rogers and Smyth both taken off their feet, Layton takes a moment to stand tall with her arms spread wide, soaking in the fans’ adulation.

Matt Steel
“This isn’t a time to be gloating! She’s gotta stay on them!”

Mark Sanction
“She knows what she’s doing, Matt Steel. There’s nothing wrong with taking a moment to acknowledge these great fans.”

Matt Steel
“There is if it gives your opponents time to recover.”

Smyth rolls out under the bottom rope as Layton approaches Rogers… who pops up and hits her with a jarring European uppercut! Caught off guard by the quick move, Layton staggers back a few paces and gets caught with a desperation Olympic Slam! Saint and Spencer watch on from their corner as Rogers crawls into a cover.

ONE!

TWO!

Layton kicks out before a three with relative ease.

Smyth shouts from the corner, demanding a tag from Rogers. Knowing that his much more experienced partner must have a strategy in mind, he trusts her judgement and makes the tag.

Smyth’s plan is simple - force Layton to wrestle her style of match, much like when she made Zellor submit earlier. She tries to pull Layton into her triangle choke, but neglects to realise that Layton was a fly on the wall for the previous application of the hold; with the motion fresh in her mind, Layton’s able to shift her body weight enough to push AJS into a pinning position.

ONE!

TWO!

THRE-- Smyth releases the hold to roll her shoulder up!

Layton tries her best to take advantage of the situation, but Smyth is just too good at catch-as-catch-can wrestling - she slips out of Layton’s guillotine choke and traps her in an excruciating toe hold!

Mark Sanction
“Oh, Smyth’s got Layton in a painful toe hold!”

Matt Steel
“Let me tell you, put enough torque on those joints and you can pop them right out of their sockets.”

Mark Sanction
“How in the world is Emery Layton going to get herself out of this one?”

She’s quick to identify that her arms aren’t long enough to gain a rope break. Her partner is over the other side of the ring, the Uncanny Socialites in the opposite corner. There’s no other way out, she has to fight. A desperate Layton begins to furiously kick with her free boot, the sole smashing into Smyth’s nose and causing her eyes to water. After the fifth or sixth kick, AJS finally lets go, and Layton immediately reaches for her recently-freed boot. Both women lie on the mat for an extended moment, nursing their respective injuries before Layton begins to stir. She hobbles over to the corner of the Uncanny Socialites and slaps the first hand she sees, which happens to be Kelsey’s. Smyth, holding her face, tags in Rogers.

Both Spencer and Rogers meet in the middle of the ring once again, however this time, there is no impromptu training session - both wrestlers exchange open hand chops to one another before Rogers gains the upper hand. He whips Spencer across the ring, who ducks the rebound clothesline attempt, and performs a crossbody on the second rebound. Rogers catches the Australian in mid-air, maintains his balance and hurls her over his head for an impressive fallaway slam - the momentum of which propels Spencer from the ring.

Rebecca Saint isn’t about to let Rogers make the tag. She enters the ring illegally and, still nursing her arm, tries to restrain Rogers with a side headlock - if it’s not enough to hold him back, there’s always the chance AJS will become fed up and insert herself back into the match. Risking disqualification, Saint ignores the ref’s instructions to vacate the ring and keeps the tight hold on as best she can. Sure enough, Smyth takes the bait, jumping in the ring and clobbering her with a hard right fist to the forehead. Saint falls to the canvas as Smyth checks on Rogers…

...all of a sudden, WHAM! Layton comes barrelling off the top turnbuckle behind the pair, flooring them both with a thunderous missile dropkick that appears to damage herself just as much as it does them.

Matt Steel
“Again, this match has devolved into anarchy. How much are we paying this referee? Someone needs to revise his salary, or look into retirement homes for him.”

Mark Sanction
“For those of you watching at home who may be lost right now, the legal competitors are Jake Rogers - who is lying face down by his partner’s side - and Kelsey Spencer, who is yet to get back up from the arena floor.”

Matt Steel
“You forgot to mention Rebecca Saint and Emery Layton lying in the ring, too. Both of whom has no business being in there to begin with, mind you. Is it too much to ask for everyone to abide by the rules?”

Kelsey Spencer rolls back in from under the bottom rope - tagging Adam Fenric in as she does - her hand clutching her lower back as she unsteadily makes her way to the other legal competitor, Jake Rogers. She takes her eyes off Amy Jo Smyth, who catches her in a Full Nelson! Lucky for Spencer, Saint is right there to try and break it up - but Smyth sees her coming, and attempts to use Spencer as a battering ram to deter her. Maintaining the hold, she swings Spencer around with such force that her legs are off the canvas! Saint ducks her partner’s legs… and they collide with the official! He takes a tumble from the shot, landing face down in a heap on the mat. Saint takes advantage of the commotion, delivering a quick Saint-Hearted to Amy Jo Smyth; the shot frees Spencer from the Full Nelson, but is albeit weak, due to the damaged shoulder of Saint.

With the referee incapacitated, it truly is anarchy rules in this match. Now legal in the match, Fenric scraps with Jake Rogers, but he’s caught off guard when Rogers takes him off his feet with a devastating flying clothesline that just about knocks him out of his wrestling boots!

Mark Sanction
“Are you seeing this scene? The champions are down! The challengers are down! The referee is down! What else are we going to see here tonight?!”

Matt Steel
“This just goes to show what the XWA Tag Team Titles mean in the world of professional wrestling, Sanction. These teams came from across the globe, and they’re leaving it all in Johannesburg tonight, all for the sake of the XWA Tag Team Championship.”

Rebecca Saint and Emery Layton are the first two up on their feet. This time, they realise what’s at stake - there’ll be no courtesy in this encounter. The two start throwing fists at one another in an all-out melee that has the fans in a frenzy! Suddenly, with one last burst of energy, Amy Jo Smyth dunks both of them over the top rope with double clotheslines - Saint and Layton tumble, crash into the apron and land hard on the padded mat outside the ring. Smyth can’t celebrate for long, as Fenric heaves her over the top rope after them, unceremoniously dumping her from the ring.

Meanwhile, several feet away, Spencer uses the turnbuckle to get to her feet as Rogers kneels dead center in the middle of the ring. Fenric turns and makes eye contact with Spencer, who glances at Rogers for a moment, then back to Fenric with a beaming smile.

[Uncanny Socialites]

Matt Steel
“Don’t tell me...”

Mark Sanction
“Are they… Could we see it?!”

Cameras switch between shots of Fenric and Spencer, documenting their polarising reactions - Fenric vigorously shakes his head at the thought of co-operating with Spencer, and Spencer nods her head with delight, looking as though she could burst at the seams with excitement. The audience catches on to what could potentially happens, and begins a series of chants to best ensure it will:

“LET’S GO FEN-RIC!”
“KEL-SEY SPEN-CER!”
“LET’S GO FEN-RIC!”
“KEL-SEY SPEN-CER!”

Fenric looks out at the sea of people egging him on, then shrugs it off and preps himself in the opposite corner. What does he have to lose here? A temporary alliance isn’t so bad if it could result in the elimination of another team. They rush toward the dazed Rogers at full sprint - Kelsey’s constant practice of the move coupled with Adam’s compulsive studying of the Uncanny Socialites’ in-ring behaviour shows that they can pull the double team maneuver off with near-expert precision; Spencer’s superkick collides with Rogers’ chin at the exact moment Fenric’s spinning elbow smash collides with the back of his head! The now-insensible Jake Rogers falls in a heap on the canvas as a result!

Mark Sanction
“The Socialite Sandwich, from Kelsey Spencer and Adam Fenric! I never thought I’d see the day!”

Matt Steel
“As much as these constant alliances are annoying me, I’ll admit it, that was impressive cooperation there. Rogers is out, Sanction.”

Fenric hooks the leg for a deep cover while Spencer does her best to revive the clobbered referee and drag him over to count the pin. She hops on top of Fenric playfully to pack on the weight for the pin cover.

ONE…

…

TWO…

…

...THREE!!

Even with a relatively-slow count from a groggy referee, it was obvious Jake Rogers wasn’t going to get up from a shot like that.

Hanna Ramierez
“Jake Rogers and Amy Jo Smyth have been eliminated!”

Mark Sanction
“And with that, we’re down to just two teams in this match! The champions, Layton & Fenric… The challengers, The Uncanny Socialites… Who’s leaving South Africa the XWA Tag Team Champions?”

Matt Steel
“I couldn’t tell you, Sanction. All I know is even though this match has been completely off the wall for the most part, it’s some of the best tag team wrestling I’ve seen recently.”

The official is still feeling the effects of taking Spencer’s boot to the side of his skull, remaining face down, cradling the back of his head. Fenric vehemently pushes Spencer off him and recoils in disgust, while Spencer stares back with a goofy smile, believing they just became friends. Her smile soon fades, however, when she remembers the task at hand and what’s at stake. Both competitors rise to their feet for the final confrontation - one that will determine the fate of the XWA Tag Team Titles - and stand mere inches from each other over the downed referee. Spencer is giving up a good five inches in height to The Plague Doctor, who glares down at her with intensity.

Just as it looks like someone’s going to make a move, a reaction from the audience feels out of place - as if something noteworthy has just taken place. The viewers at home are soon shown what they’re reacting to…

Mark Sanction
“It’s Annie Zellor! Annie Zellor’s in the ring! She came running out of the crowd!”

Zellor blasts an unsuspecting Fenric over the back of the head with a clubbing forearm, and then shoves him into the corner where she begins hammering him with closed-fist shots.

Mark Sanction
“What the hell is this about?! Annie Zellor is beating the living daylights out of Adam Fenric?! Why?!”

Matt Steel
“Haha, isn’t it obvious, Sanction? Adam Fenric’s the reason it’s not the Whitest Girls You Know in the final two here! If he hadn’t stuck his nose in their business earlier on, Molly Reid could’ve saved her partner.”

Mark Sanction
“Are you serious? That’s what this is about?!”

Though she’s confused at first, Spencer isn’t interested in letting her opponent get beaten up before their showdown - in the spirit of fair competition, she lends her aid to Fenric, spinning Zellor around and connecting with a series of Mongolian chops before delivering one that takes her down. As the winded Zellor tries to catch her breath, Spencer actually goes to check on Fenric in the corner, remaining completely oblivious to the situation unfolding behind her…

...Molly Reid has also jumped the security barrier and occupied the ring. However, unlike her partner, she came armed with a metal folding chair! Spencer unwittingly turns around and gets cracked hard across the cranium with the foreign object! With Spencer laid out, Zellor lifts Fenric out of the corner and whips him across the ring - Reid swings for the fences with a chair shot that smacks him square in the face. The clamorous crowd jeers with great passion and anger as Zellor and Reid stand tall in the ring, arms raised high in triumph.

Mark Sanction
“What has gotten into these two?!”

Matt Steel
“It’s all in the name of pride, Sanction. An eye for an eye. They could be Tag Team Champions right now, and it’s Adam Fenric’s fault they’re not. Spencer’s just a casualty of war, if she kept her nose out of their business, she wouldn’t have had to suffer their wrath.”

Mark Sanction
“I can’t believe you’re actually defending their actions here tonight! This is absolutely deplorable!”

Satisfied with their handiwork, Zellor and Reid leave the way they came in; through the sea of angry fans who feel they’ve been robbed of a great ending to the match. Back in the ring, Spencer and Fenric are lying flat on their spines as the referee finally collects his thoughts and gets back to his feet. Understandably confused by what’s just occurred, he scans the immediate area and sees a downed Fenric and Spencer with no sign of Rebecca Saint or Emery Layton.

A small rumbling blankets the audience, gradually getting louder as fans picks sides to will their favourite competitor back into the match. As the smattering of support becomes booming cheers, Fenric and Spencer slowly begin to stir. Layton finally re-emerges, slowly climbing back onto the apron and gripping the tag rope - Saint soon follows suit as both active competitors crawl to their respective corners.

Fenric makes a tag to Layton, followed quickly by one from Spencer to Saint. Nursing their respective ankle and shoulder injuries, Layton and Saint fight with all they can to push through the pain for their teams. They meet in the centre of the ring, where Saint delivers a stinging knife-edge chop to Layton’s sternum - the Irish star is quick to retaliate with a stiff right hand fist to the forehead of her Indigenous Australian foe. The shot has her reeling but a moment before she’s right back with a second chop; the receipt? Another closed fist shot.

Chop!
Punch!
Chop!
Punch!

This trend continues until Saint isn’t able to respond - Layton’s chest may be beet red from the many stinging shots, but Saint has been knocked loopy from the constant jabs to the cranium. Layton adds in one more for good measure before she whips Saint across the ring, taking her down with a standing dropkick to the face. She flops into a pin cover attempt, looking to end this match as quickly as possible.

ONE!

TWO!

Saint kicks out, favouring her right shoulder. Layton attempts another cover.

ONE!

TWO!

Saint kicks out again, and her shoulders are forced down for a third time.

ONE!

TWO!

The former Red Lightning’s shoulder shoots off the canvas for a third time, and Layton finally relents.

Mark Sanction
“It’s going to take much more than that to put an end to this match. I’m sure Emery Layton understands that.”

Matt Steel
“I’m sure she does, too. But you’ve got to think how much effort it takes to kick out of a pin cover this late in the match. With an injured shoulder, no less!”

Mark Sanction
“You think she’s using the pin covers to wear Saint out?”

Matt Steel
“Absolutely. Notice how she was pinning from the left side of Saint’s body? She’s forcing her to shoot her right shoulder - her injured right shoulder - off the canvas to nullify the pin. It’s a smart strategy for sure, one I bet she picked up teaming with Adam Fenric all this time.”

Layton moves Saint into position for a straightjacket crossface, however she is able to avoid it by tucking her knees to her chest and pushing off the canvas, sending both ladies sailing across the ring toward the Socialites’ corner. Keeping a hold of Layton’s wrist, Saint uses her healthy arm to reach up and give the tag to Spencer.

Still feeling the effects of that devastating chair shot at the hands of Reid and Zellor, Spencer’s holding her head as she steps in to take her partner’s place. She takes Layton’s arm from Saint’s grasp and locks in an armbar to keep her in place. It doesn’t seem too devastating…

...until a few moments have elapsed, and Spencer speedily releases the arm bar to grab a hold of Layton’s legs, folding one over the other. Fortunately for the defending champions, Layton is able to identify this as the beginnings of Spencer’s submission hold finisher, the Kelsey Cloverleaf; if her injured ankle is placed into Spencer’s most devastating submission, surely they can kiss their titles goodbye. She is able to hook her arm around Spencer’s neck and pull her down to her level, rolling her up in a small package.

ONE!

TWO!

THR-- Spencer’s able to forcefully kick her way out of the sudden pin and spring back to her feet, where she rushes toward her opponent, desperate to regain control of the match. Her headstrongness costs her, as she walks into a hip attack from the waiting Layton! The side of The Journeylass’s right buttock connects with the blonde’s jaw, causing her head to snap back and send her falling to the sweat-soaked canvas below. The move isn’t performed without consequence, however, as Layton lands awkwardly on her ankle and crumples on the mat not too far away. Rather than go for a pin attempt, she opts to crawl to her corner and tag in her partner to take over.

Fenric’s eager to capitalise on the situation, and wastes no time to rush into a pin cover.

ONE!

TWO!

THREE?!

NO! Spencer manages to kick out at the last possible second! The fans leap to their feet with astonishment!

Matt Steel
“I thought for sure that was a three, but the referee’s insisting it was only a two count!”

Mark Sanction
“Fenric can’t believe it! These fans can’t believe it, either! Kelsey Spencer kicked out, the Uncanny Socialites are still in this!”

Fenric doesn’t spend more than a moment shocked over the kickout, as he’s right back on the offensive. The dazed Spencer is unable to defend herself from the incoming move - before she can blink, she finds herself trapped in a binding Anaconda Vice! Enduring unutterable amounts of pain from the pressure being applied to her head from the hold, Spencer flails around in a panic. Thoughts of Rebecca’s advice from many fights before race through her mind - live to fight another day. It could all be over right here!

Rebecca’s mind is operating on a different train of thought. Too many opportunities have slipped through their hands with that mentality. In her mind, they’ve come too far to give up now. She runs in and delivers a hard stomp to the shoulder of Fenric, breaking the hold and freeing her partner. Understandably upset by the interference, Layton comes rushing in (as quick as she can on a dodgy ankle) and blasts Saint in the face with a forearm smash that has her reaching for the ropes to support herself. Layton charges at her for a clothesline to try send her tumbling over the ropes…

...but Saint sees it coming, and back drops her over her head! Layton grasps the top rope on the way over and manages to land on her feet on the apron, but a sudden jolt from her ankle surges up her leg from the landing; Saint takes advantage of the hesitation, delivering a ferocious kick to the injury! Layton falls, bounces face-first off the edge of the ring and collapses onto the arena floor.

The official is being incredibly lenient with the rules right now - he knows what’s at stake, and is understandably hesitant to call this thing off with a disqualification. He watches as Rebecca turns to face the now-standing Adam Fenric and Kelsey Spencer in the ring with her; she uses her left arm to deliver a forearm shot to Fenric, causing him to stagger back into the waiting arms of Kelsey Spencer, who drives him down to the mat with a sitout spin-out powerbomb! Even though it isn’t delivered with nearly as much spin as it normally is, the crowd comes unglued at the sudden execution of Spencer’s other finisher, the Blue Thunder Bomb!

Mark Sanction
“Blue Thunder Bomb out of nowhere!”

Matt Steel
“My god, they’ve actually done it!”

Kelsey remains in position as the referee counts Fenric’s shoulders down for the pin.

ONE!

TWO!

THRE-- NO! Fenric’s left shoulder shoots off the canvas like a naive child touching a scorching-hot stove! A collective gasp washes over the crowd as Spencer and Saint exchange a look of disbelief that Fenric was able to kick out of Spencer’s greatest technique. Before they can figure out a follow-up, Saint’s tripped up from behind by Layton, who drags her under the bottom rope to the outside. Spencer watches on as Layton whips Saint into the steel ring steps - she crashes into them injured-shoulder first with a loud THUD!

Meanwhile, Fenric collects his wits enough to roll a distracted Spencer up into a schoolboy!

ONE!

TWO!

THRE-- NO! Spencer kicks out at the final possible second!

Mark Sanction
“Fenric almost had this won for his team!”

Matt Steel
“This is absolutely insane, Sanction! The back and forth between these teams is unlike anything I’ve ever seen before!”

It all stems from their previous encounter in IYHWF. The compulsive studying of tapes from both sides - the refusal from Layton & Fenric to be defeated a second time, the desire for the Uncanny Socialites to do it again - they’ve learned each other's strengths, weaknesses, habits and tendencies. For instance, Adam Fenric knows the best way to get the drop on Kelsey Spencer is to distract her with one thing while hitting her with something she’s not expecting. That’s their best bet win this thing.

Layton hobbles back to her corner whilst Saint writhes on the floor in pain. Fenric lifts Spencer to her feet, wrenches an arm lock on her and drags her over to his corner; after questioning if she’s okay to come back in, he tags Layton, who climbs to the second turnbuckle and drops onto Spencer’s restrained arm with a double axe handle. Fenric happily gets out of the ring, only to be tagged back in for another double team move.

This trend continues for quite a while - constant tags and double team moves from the champions, designed to systematically break down their challenger. It isn’t until Spencer counters a springboard moonsault from the now-legal Fenric that she’s finally able to catch a break! She climbs to her feet, turns around to face her opponent, only to see him in a seated position against the opposite ropes, discussing with the referee while favouring his ribs.

Mark Sanction
“What’s this? It looks like Fenric really injured himself coming off that springboard moonsault. He’s discussing something with the official… He may have broken several ribs here, guys.”

A concerned Kelsey lurches over to see if he’s okay. Bad move. Fenric reveals he was feigning the injury all along to sucker her in, and viciously kicks Spencer in the face with the sole of his boot. Fans boo as Spencer stumbles backwards, holding her face from the stinging shot.

Mark Sanction
“What the?! It was all a ruse?!”

Matt Steel
“It may not be popular, but when you’re the champion, you’ve got to be willing to do whatever it takes to hold onto the championship.”

Even though it was a trick for the most part, Fenric’s still visibly winded from the missed move - still seated, he tags Layton in, who doesn’t even step into the ring - instead, she ascends the turnbuckle and sizes up the groggy Spencer. Picking her spot, The Lethal Lackeen leaps off the top rope with unwavering resolution; even with a busted-up ankle, she performs a picture-perfect top rope diving cutter that sends Spencer to slumberland.

Mark Sanction
“PRIKASSSAAAAA!!!”

Matt Steel
“Holy hell! She damn near took that girl’s head off! Thanks for coming!”

Kelsey Spencer is done. The Prikasa has taken her eyes and rolled them up into the back of her head. She lies completely motionless on the mat, too far from a rope break. A dog-tired Emery Layton crawls over to weakly hook the outside leg, and put an end to this all-out tag team war.

ONE!

TWO!

THR-- Wait a minute! Rebecca Saint launches herself in through the ropes with a desperation attempt to break up the pin! And it works, as she’s able to land close enough to shove Layton off the cover with what little energy she has left! Thousands of Uncanny Socialites fans leap to their feet to cheer their favourite tag team on… Once again, Rebecca Saint has saved her partner from elimination!

Mark Sanction
“I don’t believe it! Rebecca Saint in again to save this match for herself and Spencer!”

Matt Steel
“I’m going to stop calling the end of the match, because these teams are dead-set on proving me wrong each time.”

Mark Sanction
“You can sense how much this win would mean to the Uncanny Socialites, to leave South Africa as XWA Tag Team Champions… But you’ve got to ask, how much can they have left in the tank?”

Emery Layton sits in the ring for a moment, hands clasped to her head as she takes in the swirling of cheers from the audience. Chants of “THIS IS AWESOME!” rain down from the rafters as Layton looks over the scene before her - an unconscious supine Kelsey Spencer and a barely responsive prone Rebecca Saint, both of whom have left everything they have in this ring tonight. She runs her hands through her sweaty orange hair, a smirk of pride sweeping her face as she does so; this match has been fantastic, and the fact that she and Fenric were the ones to push these two to this point is beyond fulfilling.

But it can’t last forever. It’s time to end it.

Layton scoots over to her corner and tags an equally-strained Adam Fenric in, and the two cooperate to lift Saint up in a cradle position. The plan is simple - toss her out of the ring, Fenric can pin Spencer, and that’ll be that. However, Saint resists with every ounce of her being, kicking and flailing wildly until she’s able to break free. Though she stumbles slightly, she recovers quickly enough to throw herself at Layton with a desperation high knee that catches her flush on the jaw, followed by a Saint-Hearted to the temple. Fenric responds almost instantaneously with a hard right kick to the injured arm of Saint. He tosses her over the top rope - with a little less force than he would’ve liked, but it gets the job done - it’s just him and Kelsey left in the ring.

He sticks to the plan; after all, Spencer has not moved a muscle since suffering the Prikasa. He drags her a comfortable distance from the ropes and hooks the leg.

ONE!

TWO!

THREE?!

NO! Spencer, seemingly on instinct, kicks out after a long two count!

Mark Sanction
“How is Kelsey Spencer still breathing, let alone still kicking out!?”

Matt Steel
“Incredible. Absolutely incredible.”

Mark Sanction
“Kelsey Spencer’s known for her resolve, but this is almost superhuman!”

Shaking his head in disbelief, Fenric watches the vacant expression on Spencer’s face before coming to the simplest conclusion; The Division Bell. One final nail in the coffin.

He ragdolls Spencer to her feet, and puts her in a pumphandle position. Fans look on - most of them cheering their hearts out - as they know what’s coming next! As Fenric lifts Spencer up to perform the final half of the move, the reverse STO, he couldn’t have anticipated what’s about to happen instead…

...he feels Spencer’s ankles lock around his neck; she’s used his own momentum against him to reverse his move into a headscissors takedown! The move spikes Fenric on top of his already-injured skull, and he lands like a ton of bricks in the ring from the shot!

Matt Steel
“What the hell?! Spencer countered The Division Bell?!”

Mark Sanction
“She was playing possum, just like Fenric had earlier! Can she capitalise, though?!”

That’s the golden question. Although Kelsey Spencer pulled off the move effectively, she’s hurt… badly. Several moments elapse and she looks up and sees her partner struggling to stand in their corner, her right arm hanging by her side as she signals for a tag with her left. Spencer nods with compliance, army crawling to her corner while Fenric begins to stir. She reaches up and makes the tag, awkwardly swapping positions with Saint as the transition is made.

She may not have suffered as much punishment as her partner, but Saint is in a bad way also. She stays propped up against the turnbuckle as Fenric begins to stir, doing his best to shake the cobwebs. He glances over and notices the switch has been made.

This is not how it was supposed to go. The plan was to take advantage of Spencer’s naivety, not deal with a like-minded opponent in Rebecca Saint. Perhaps on frustration or just sheer desperation, Fenric charges at Saint with a running corner enziguri in mind, but Saint manages to duck out of the way, and slap the taste right out of his mouth as he stands back up! Fenric teeters, checking that all his teeth are in fact still in place - as such, he fails to see the blind tag made by Spencer!

Matt Steel
“Bling tag by Spencer! Blind tag by Spencer! You saw that too, right Sanction?”

Mark Sanction
“I did, and so did the official… but I’m not so sure Fenric did!”

Instead of making her way to the ring as the referee has instructed, Spencer remains on the apron for the time being as Saint continues on as if no such tag was made - even though she’s certainly aware there was. She walks directly into a single-arm DDT that targets the injured shoulder - Saint yelps in pain as they fall to the mat.

But, Fenric’s not done there.

He quickly transitions into the bridging grounded double-chickenwing submission finisher he calls “Goodbye Cruel World”! The referee’s attempts to inform him of the blind tag made moments ago fall upon deaf ears; Fenric’s like a man possessed, determined to force her into submission. This would have Saint giving up in the very instant her bad arm was torqued so badly out of place - if she were actually legal!

Without a warning, Spencer clumsily stumbles in as the hold is applied and grabs a hold of both of Fenric’s ankles before flipping herself on top of him for a jackknife pin cover. The official, fully aware that Spencer is indeed the legal competitor, rushes into position to count the pin.

ONE!

TWO!

THREE!!

DING DING DING!!!

Matt Steel
“Hang on… WHAT?!”

Mark Sanction
“They’ve done it! The Uncanny Socialites are XWA Tag Team Champions!”

Matt Steel
“That blind tag switcheroo paid off after all!”



Fans explode into a frenzy as “Fake My Own Death” blasts through the arena and a spent Kelsey Spencer collapses out of the pin, unable to stay up under her own power any more. Fenric remains on the canvas with his hands pressed to his face in disbelief - he could never have anticipated his opponents to pull off such an elaborate plan. Fighting through immense amounts of pain, Saint crawls over to her partner to check on her; both women are soon able to fight their way to a seated position, where the reality of the moment begins to set in.

Emery Layton pokes her head up from the outside, peering into the ring with a look of shock on her face at was has just transpired - she witnesses the official hand the XWA Tag Team Title belts over to the new champions.

Hanna Ramierez
“Ladies and gentlemen, here are your winners… and the NEW XWA Tag Team Champions… THE UNCANNY SOCIALITES!!”


There’s one more thunderous roar of a standing ovation from the great Johannesburg natives, who show their undying support for the pair. Saint struggles to lift her arm and place it around her partner, the two engaging in an embrace as the tears begin to flow - they’ve worked so hard, built a strong bond through wars with the best tag teams the world has to offer. They had blown so many opportunities that their peers were beginning to not take them seriously. Through crushing setbacks and heartbreaking defeats, holding major tag team gold seemed to be nothing more than a distant dream.

And yet, here they are.

Unified.

Victorious.

Champions.

Mark Sanction
“These two fought hard to make their dreams a reality. And now that they’ve got the gold, what can XWA expect with the Uncanny Socialites as its Tag Team Champions?”

Matt Steel
“Hold that thought, Sanction… Looks like the former champs have something they want to say.”

Sure enough, while Spencer and Saint climb to their feet and soak in the ovation, an essentially one-legged Emery Layton and a most likely concussed Adam Fenric confront them. The music dies out and the audience falls to silence as the two teams engage in a staredown - Layton and Fenric glance at the titles now draped over Spencer and Saint’s shoulders, then back at each other before they begin to applaud the effort; the show of respect puts the new champions at ease.

Layton raises Saint’s left arm in victory as Fenric raises Spencer’s right, much to the delight of the fans. Sounds of Sum 41 flood the Ticketpro Dome again as the celebration continues into the night.

Mark Sanction
“An amazing effort by all four teams here tonight, but in the end, it’s the Uncanny Socialites who are leaving District XWA as the Tag Team Champions! We’ve still got plenty of action to come here tonight, XWA fans, so stay put! As it pertains to the tag team division here in XWA, I can’t wait to see where we go from here!”

[Annie Zellor]

The lights in the arena dim as “The Greatest" by Sia begins to play over the loudspeakers. A spotlight appears on the stage as Annie Zellor & Molly Reid both walk out in their wrestling gear; Molly is bouncing around with a slight smirk on her face, whilst Annie throws one arm up into the air with the devil horns raised and a #grrface on! The crowd begin to boo as the WGYK begin their walk down the aisle.

Hana Ramierez:
Introducing first. Making their way to the ring- at a combined weight of 247Ibs...Annie Zellor! Molly Reid! THE WHITEST GIRLS YOU KNOW!

Once they get near the ring, both Annie and Molly sprint and dive into the ring under the bottom rope. They jump up and run to opposing turnbuckles, posing for the crowd, before climbing down. They move to the next turnbuckles, posing for the crowd again; Annie flexes her ‘bulging’ biceps as Molly brushes the dirt off her shoulders. The WGYK climb down and unite in the center of the ring, giving the other a fist bump as they wait for their opponents.

Mark Sanction:
It’s time for the XWA Tag Team title match, Matt, and I can’t wait for this one. Emery Layton and Adam Fenric put out the challenge, an invitational to try and find a worthy challenger for their titles.

Matt Steel:
And instead they found three. The Whitest Girls You Know may not be a regular team, but that doesn’t mean they’re not accomplished, having won gold together in Europe.

Mark Sanction:
And up next, from Australia come some long time rivals turned tag team partners.

The opening riff of Sum 41's "Fake My Own Death" blasts through the arena. Fans leap to their feet with a massive roar of excitement, craning their necks toward the entrance ramp with anticipation. As the drums kick in, Kelsey and Rebecca burst out from behind the curtain to a massive ovation. They head to opposite ends of the stage to greet the fans before swapping sides, getting the fans pumped up. They meet back in the centre of the stage, where they bump fists.

Hana Ramierez:
And their opponents - at a combined weight of 256Ibs...Becky Saint! Kelsey Spencer! THE UNCANNY SOCIALITES!

Down the ramp they stride, purposeful and enthusiastic. Kelsey slaps the outstretched hands of fans as they pass, while Rebecca simply acknowledges them from a comfortable distance. They arrive at the ring simultaneously, both jumping up onto the apron. Kelsey opens the ropes for her partner to climb through, and once Rebecca's inside, she returns the favour for Kelsey. They retreat to opposite corners, climbing to the second turnbuckle to strike poses for the enthusiastic fans one last time as their theme fades out.

Matt Steel:
These two have nearly killed each other on several continents, but they’ve buried those issues and are back together as a team. Mentor and protégé back together again.

Mark Sanction:
Currently down in Australia, they’ve come to South Africa with the intention of once again beating Layton & Fenric, and this time becoming the XWA Tag Team Champions. But they’ve got some competition in the form of these next two.

The American flag waves on the titantron, “Shoot to Thrill” by Halestorm hits. As the beat kicks in, a spotlight shines on the entrance, showing Jake, clad in his red-blue-white ring gear. Next ti him, Amy Jo Smyth steps out onto the stage, her back turned to the crowd, head covered by the hood of her jacket. The spotlight changed to golden lights and simulate a cascade of glitter over her. Smyth spins around on her toes and faces the crowd as she holds a large silver cannon connected to a tube running backstage.

Smyth screams as she presses the trigger on the handheld cannon. Large pieces of golden glitter shoot into the air and rain down over the right side of the crowd. Smyth moves to the left, aims again, and fires off another round of glitter into air.

Smyth hands the cannon off to a production staffer standing in the wings. She then throws her head back and arms upward and outward, letting the remaining glittering light wash over her. The pair of them make their way down the ramp, looking over the crowd, giving high fives to every willing fan. They reach the end of the ramp and Amy throws a fist up in the air. The crowd pops.

Hana Ramierez:
And their opponents - at a combined weight of 335Ibs...the team of Amy Jo Smyth and Jake Rogers!

Once he reaches the ring, Jake ascends the top turnbuckles, soaking in the atmosphere and looking around in the crowd, using their passion and energy to fuel himself; to pump him up and get an adrenaline rush going that will help him during his upcoming match. He slowly nods, and as the chorus kicks in, he raises his broad arms, acknowledging their support. Meanwhile, Smyth runs forward, sliding into the ring, before she stands. Smyth throws her hood down, unzips her hoodie, and spins on her toes with her arms raised. She throws both arms down triggering an explosion of glittering light over the ring.

Matt Steel:
That’s certainly something, but the fans here in South Africa seem to love this team for some reason, Mark.

Mark Sanction:
Amy Jo Smyth is well known around the world, Matt, and Jake Rogers is one of XWA’s own. So he should know better than most what awaits him in the final team tonight. The champions!

The lights go down as the first few notes of "Come As You Are" by Nirvana ring out through the arena. When the drums come in and Kurt Cobain's voice begins to echo through the arena, that's when finally light begins to circle as Emery Layton, in her beanie and leather jacket, leads Adam Fenric, in his Victorian-era cloak, out from the curtain to a sea of chearing fans. Her arms are out, her head swaying with her eyes closed, she's completely feeling the moment while Fenric stands by, observing everything around him. After those first few moments, that's where Em begins to slowly strut down the ramp, spinning around as she meets fans along the way while Adam maintains a focused gaze on the ring.

Hana Ramierez:
And their opponents, making their way to the ring- at a combined weight of 353 Ibs – they are the current, reigning, and defended XWA TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS! ... Emery Layton! Adam Fenric! LAYTON AND FENRIC!

As they reach the bottom of the ramp, they split off. Adam disposes of the cloak as he pops up onto the apron and into the ring, while Em- as per usual in her entrance- pops up onto the top rope. After a few moments of being up there, the eccentric traveller leaps down from the top rope and into the ring, transitioning from that into probably the most graceful, crisp forward-roll you've ever seen. Once she's in there, she runs to the rope right behind her bouncing off it as she drops to her knees and skids forwards, all while Adam stands by in the corner. Em flips over onto her front and crawls into the corner as Adam begrudgingly moves out of the way. Adam stands while Emery sits in the corner, legs out. Layton & Fenric await the beginning.

Mark Sanction:
There they are, Matt. For nearly a year now, Layton and Fenric have held those titles. But this could be their toughest test to date.

Matt Steel:
You have to wonder what they were thinking when they made this challenge. When they invited teams from around to world to compete for those titles.

Mark Sanction:
They’re fighting champions, they don’t want an easy life and they don’t know the meaning of the word quit. But tonight they’ll be defending those XWA Tag Team titles against three of the top teams from every corner of the globe, and I can’t wait any longer!

All eight competitors stand near their corners, looking around at one another as the referee tries to gain some semblance of order. The Whitest Girls You Know are the first to step out of the ring, leaving their opponents to start it off as Layton & Fenric wave them off. The Uncanny Socialites look ready for action, not wanting to back down from anyone, and neither does Amy Jo Smyth. Finally, the referee gets the champs out of the ring, causing the WGYK to wave back sarcastically, leaving the other two teams to decide on the legal competitors.

DING! DING! DING!

The bell sounds to start the match as it looks like Amy Jo Smyth is going to start things off with Rebecca Saint. The pair circle the ring for a moment before locking up collar and elbow, with Smyth gaining the upper hand as she applies a side headlock. Saint battle back, however, firing off some elbows to the midsection before she pushes Amy away and against the ropes, and Saint takes her opponent over with a back elbow to the face. She follows that up with an elbow drop, before dragging Smyth to the corner; a quick tag out to Kelsey Spencer and the Uncanny Socialites take the opportunity to double team their opponent.

Mark Sanction:
The Uncanny Socialites utilizing the five count to work over Amy Jo Smyth here.

Matt Steel:
Whatever they can do to try and gain an advantage, Mark. They know they’ve got an uphill battle ahead of them here.

The punches and kicks wear Smyth down in the corner before the referee finally orders Saint out of the ring. Spencer doesn’t let up though. She continues stomping at the midsection of her opponent, before switching up to some knife edge chops, and finally she brings Smyth out of the corner with a snap suplex. Kelsey floats over into a cover.

ONE!

TWO!

But Smyth kicks out with ease. Spencer gets back to her feet and takes a moment to taunt AJS, beckoning her forward as the Good Doctor complies; a double leg takedown sweeps Spencer off her feet. The punches rain down, but Spencer is quick to kick her opponent away, and both women scramble back to their feet. A clothesline attempt misses, ducked with relative ease by AJS, who counters with a mule kick to the midsection. She grabs Kelsey by the head and brings her towards her own corner, slamming Spencer head first into the top turnbuckle before making the tag out to her partner.

Matt Steel:
And in comes Jake Rogers.

The Olympian enters the ring as he and his partner double team Kelsey; a flapjack by AJS allows Rogers to land a European uppercut, and Spencer collapses to the mat. She’s soon picked up by Jake, who backs her against the ropes. A few chops to the chest connect, and an Irish whip ensues. Spencer is sent across the ring, only to get blindly tagged out by Annie Zellor on the far side of the ring. The referee saw it, even if Rogers didn’t, as he’s distracted by Kelsey Spencer sliding through his legs. He looks up in time to see Zellor springboard into the ring with a crossbody block!

Mark Sanction:
The blind tag by The Whitest Girls You Know, and I’m not sure Jake Rogers knew too much about that, Steel.

Matt Steel:
Does he ever know much about anything that’s going on? He’s not exactly the sharpest knife in the drawer.

Rogers is quickly back to his feet, but Annie’s waiting for him. She peppers him with low kicks to the legs, before sweeping the leg out from under him. Zellor goes for a standing shooting star press – NO! Rogers rolls out of the way, and Annie finds nothin’ but mat waiting for her!

Mark Sanction:
Nobody home! Annie Zellor may be lightning fast in that ring, Steel, but she’s got some competition in the speed department when it comes to Jake Rogers.

Zellor pops up to her knees, clutching her chest in pain as Rogers hits the ropes for momentum, coming back with a basement lariat! It’s enough to allow him to be back on his feet first as Jake greets his opponent with some uppercuts, backing Annie against the ropes. An Irish whip ensues again, and Rogers catches her with a powerslam upon her return!

Rogers kips back up to his feet, and he takes a moment to pose for the crowd as Annie is down on the mat at his feet. She’s brought back to her feet again, and this time Rogers whips her towards the Uncanny Socialites corner, before retreating to the opposite corner for his run up. Saint tags herself into the match while Jake’s back is turned, however, and he’s none the wise as he charges in with a running clothesline sandwiching Zellor in the corner. She stumbles out towards the center of the ring, right into a boot to the midsection as Rogers lifts her up for a powerbomb–

Mark Sanction:
Becky Saint with a chopblock to cut Jake Rogers down there!

Rogers crumbles to the mat, with Annie landing in a seated position across his chest. Saint disposes of her, though, tossing Annie out through the ropes. But she doesn’t see AJS sneak into the ring behind her; she charges in with a clothesline to the back of Becky Saint, knocking the Australian over the top rope all the way to the outside. That causes Kelsey Spencer to enter the ring as well, however, as she rushes AJS, taking the both of them over the top rope with a Cactus clothesline!

Matt Steel:
The referee needs to restore some order here, before all hell breaks loose!

Mark Sanction:
He’s got eight competitors to keep an eye on, it’s not an easy task.

The Uncanny Socialites pick themselves up on the outside, smiling to themselves as AJS is down at their feet. But they’ve taken their eyes off the legal man! Jake Rogers is back on his feet and picking up speed as he runs against the ropes, taking both Uncanny Socialites out with a plancha!

Matt Steel:
Jake Rogers just went airborne!

That’s the opening the champions were waiting for, though. Emery and Adam step into the ring for the first time in this match, keeping their eyes on AJS and Jake Rogers on the outside. The Olympian is helping his partner back to her feet; the champions pose momentarily for the fans, who know exactly what’s coming next, before the run against the far ropes. Emery leaps through the ropes with a suicide dive, taking out The Good Doctor, just as Fenric leaps over the top with a tope con hilo to Jake Rogers!

Mark Sanction:
There’s carnage on the outside, bodies everywhere.

Matt Steel:
Don’t forget the fourth team though!

Back inside the ring, Molly Reid and Annie Zellor are surveying the wreckage on the outside; they nod to each other and run towards the turnbuckles, leaping up to the top rope with ease. The champions are up first, followed by the Uncanny Socialites, and lastly AJS & Rogers stand back up … just in time to see The Whitest Girls You Know fly off the top rope with moonsaults, all the way to the outside!

Matt Steel:
All eight competitors down on the outside here, but what a risk by The Whitest Girls You Know.

Mark Sanction:
The champions have a real challenge on their hands here, Steel. All these combustible elements in one ring, and we know anything can happen in a match like this. As we just saw!

Matt Steel:
And it’s elimination rules, so you don’t have to beat the champions to win the belts. If Emery Layton & Adam Fenric get pinned early on, we’ll see new champions here. And God I hope we see new champions here!

Mark Sanction:
They’ve held those belts since December of last year, defending them against all comers. But this invitational has drawn some big names from around the world; the Uncanny Socialites coming all the way from Australia – where they recently defeated the team of Layton & Fenric.

Matt Steel:
Amy Jo Smyth has made a name for herself in the States, winning singles and tag titles wherever she goes. And the Whitest Girls You Know are more known for their team work in Europe, where they’ve won tournaments and titles alike.

Mark Sanction:
Do you think Layton & Fenric may have bitten off more than they can chew, Matt?

The Whitest Girls You Know are the first back to their feet as they high five each other. Molly picks up Jake Rogers and rolls him back into the ring, before both girls follow him in. Rogers is dazed, and can do little to defend himself against Reid’s spinning backfist. He spins on the spot, facing Molly again just in time to see her springboard off the middle rope with a moonsault into an inverted DDT! Reid thinks quickly, though, catching Jake’s legs as she holds him legs akimbo; Zellor is already scaling the turnbuckle, ready to leap off with a diving headbutt–

Matt Steel:
Where did Emery Layton come from?!

Zellor goes flying off the top rope, all the way to the outside after a hard shove from Emery Layton; inside the ring Molly Reid looks on aghast as her partner hits the mats, so she doesn’t even notice Becky Saint being back in the ring. Reid gets spun around by the shoulder and Saint meets her with the Saint Hearted!

Mark Sanction:
And down goes Molly Reid!

Reid collapses to the mat and rolls away, out under the bottom rope. Saint follows her towards the edge of the ring, shouting down at the WGYK – so she doesn’t even see Jake Rogers sneak up behind her with a schoolboy pin!

ONE!

TWO!

THREE!!!

Hana Ramierez:
Ladies and gentlemen, the Uncanny Socialites have been eliminated!

Becky and Kelsey look at each other in disbelief as the referee order them to the back. AJS stands on the apron smiling, and applauding her partner.

Matt Steel:
And then there were three.

Mark Sanction:
Becky Saint took her eyes off the legal man for a second, and she paid for it.

Adam Fenric enters the ring to stomp at Jake Rogers, before picking him back up and backing Jake into the corner. A tag out to Emery Layton follows as Rogers gets whipped from pillar to post. Emery then gets sent across the ring with an Irish whip, as she drills Rogers with a running dropkick! And the cover.

ONE!

TWO!

But AJS is there to make the save. She continues to stomp at Emery, until Adam re-enters the ring. But his clothesline attempt is ducked as Smyth sets off against the ropes, coming back with a handspring back elbow that catches Fenric flush on the jaw. He staggers back a step as AJS runs against the ropes again – only to get caught by an Emery Layton slingblade! Both women scramble to get back to their feet as Emery charges in again with a flying forearm. AJS gets right back up, and finds herself on the receiving end of a dropkick that staggers her backwards, so that she’s leaning against the ropes. Layton runs against the far ropes–

Matt Steel:
Look out below.

Reid and Zellor grab a foot each and drag Emery out of the ring. The XWA tag champion hits the mats face first, and the WGYK can’t look prouder with themselves.

Mark Sanction:
Wait a second, what are Rogers and Fenric doing here?

Both men are back on their feet in the ring as the referee struggles to maintain order. They see Annie and Molly on the outside and charge forward, each leaping through the ropes with suicide dives that send the WGYK crashing backwards against the guard rails. Rogers grabs up Emery and rolls her back into the ring as the two legal competitors are finally left alone again, and AJS and Fenric make their ways back to their respective corners.

Mark Sanction:
Big time suicide dives, but it looks like we’ve got some order back here.

Matt Steel:
If the referee can even remember who the legal wrestlers are.

Rogers brings Emery over to his own corner, making the tag out to AJS as the pair double team the champion; a hiptoss by Rogers sends Emery down across AJS’s knee, and she’s quick to cover.

ONE!

TWO!

But Emery kicks out. So AJS sits her up and applies a chinlock. It’s not long before Emery is managing to battle through it, however, as she fires off some elbows to the midsection and pushes Smyth away and against the ropes – only for Amy to return with a high knee strike to the face! Down goes Emery, but she scrambles back up to her feet, stumbling right into a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Smyth makes the tag out to her own partner again, before delivering another backbreaker to Emery, holding her there as Rogers leaps over the top rope with a diving legdrop! And the pin attempt.

ONE!

TWO!

Mark Sanction:
Another kick out by Emery Layton, and just in time.

Matt Steel:
The challengers are throwing everything they have at the team of Layton & Fenric here. I really think the champions have bitten off more than they can chew.

Rogers looks to the referee for confirmation, but accepts the two count. He brings Layton back to her feet and doubles her over with a knee to the gut. Jake scoops his opponent up onto his shoulders with a fireman’s carry, but Emery drops down the back. She still has the wherewithal to duck the spinning back kick, and Emery sets off against the ropes. Rogers leapfrogs over her upon her return, forcing Emery to hit the ropes again. This time Jake lowers his head for a back body drop–

Mark Sanction:
Emery Layton playing with the mind of her opponent here.

Emery mimics the doubled over position of her opponent, and it takes a moment for Jake Rogers to realise what’s going on. Layton has a smile on her face as both competitors stand back up, before she has to duck under the lunging clothesline attempt. Emery hits the ropes once more, but this time Rogers catches her with a pop-up powerbomb! And the cover!

ONE!

TWO!

Matt Steel:
Adam Fenric keeping the champions in this one.

Mark Sanction:
A timely save there, but Jake Rogers isn’t wasting a second of time here.

The referee escorts Adam back to his corner as Rogers stomps at his prone foe. He makes the tag out to AJS, and the pair team up again for a double suplex, before The Good Doctor floats over into a pin attempt.

ONE!

TWO!

But Emery gets the shoulder up. Smyth doesn’t look best pleased with the tenacity of the champion, as she drags the redhead back to a vertical base. Her temper flaring as she yells at Emery, before connecting with a forearm smash to the face. And another. But Emery stays on her feet as AJS runs against the ropes for a lariat – NO!

Mark Sanction:
Rolling the ball connects!

Layton backflips the avoid the clothesline, before tagging Smyth upside the head with an enziguri! And The Good Doctor drops to her knees in a daze. Layton falls to the floor in exhaustion, but soon starts to drag herself towards her corner.

Matt Steel:
For all our sakes, someone needs to stop Emery Layton from making that tag here.

Mark Sanction:
Adam Fenric is fresh and ready, but it doesn’t look like The Whitest Girls You Know are intent on stopping her here.

Annie and Molly are both standing on the apron watching the action unfold before them as AJS recovers enough to see Emery crawling across the ring. She dives over, grabbing The Lethal Lackeen by the ankle.

Mark Sanction:
Emery kicks her away, and she can make the tag here.

AJS rolls backwards, standing back up in time to see Adam Fenric is the legal man! He rushes in with a spinning back elbow, knocking Smyth down as Rogers enters the ring. He’s caught by a hiptoss, though. And a dropkick knocks Jake out through the ropes as he gets back to his feet. Jake tries to get back into the ring, drawing the referee and Adam Fenric over to that side of the ring.

Matt Steel:
Amy Jo Smyth getting back to her feet here, and Fenric doesn’t know what’s coming!

Mark Sanction:
He’ll need some eyes on the back of his head here.

The champion still has his back turned as AJS stands back up, albeit wobbly. She runs against the far ropes – only to get caught by a Molly Reid knee to the back! Smyth staggers away before turning and lunging with a wild swipe, which Reid ducks. Molly pops back up and fires off a Molly Kick from the apron, sending The Good Doctor staggering backwards towards the center of the ring.

Matt Steel:
I don’t know how much of that Molly Reid got, but Amy Jo Smyth might be in trouble here.

Fenric turns around to see The Good Doctor staggering towards him, so he grabs her arm and plants her face first into the mat with The Division Bell! Rogers tries to enter the ring, but Emery cuts him off as the Fenric covers.

ONE!

TWO!

THREE!!!

Hana Ramierez:
Ladies and gentlemen, the team of Amy Jo Smyth and Jake Rogers have been eliminated!

Matt Steel:
And just like that, we’re down to two!

Mark Sanction:
The champions are still in there though.

Matt Steel:
But they’ve been through the wars, Mark. The Whitest Girls You Know have been biding their time on the apron, watching their opponents wear each other down. They’re fresh, and they’ve only got one team standing in their way of becoming the new XWA Tag Team champion!

Molly steps up first, taking Fenric down with a flying leg lariat before both competitors scramble to their vertical bases. The champion struggling to keep up with Reid as she flies at him from all angles; a headscissors takedown sends Adam sprawling across the ring, before Molly springboards off the ropes with a back elbow. A tag out to Annie, and Molly drops Fenric with an inverted headlock backbreaker, holding him there as Annie slingshots in with a senton. And the cover.

ONE!

TWO!

Mark Sanction:
Emery makes the save again!

The referee ushers Layton back to her corner as Annie moves around to the legs of Adam Fenric, holding them up as she drops a knee down across the groin. Another tag out follows, and in comes Reid; the WGYK double teaming Fenric with stomps as Emery tries to stop them, only to be restrained by the referee again.

Matt Steel:
She’s trying to help, but it’s just going to end up doing more harm to Adam Fenric.

Mark Sanction:
The Whitest Girls You Know know how to exploit these openings, Steel. Layton & Fenric are going to have to be careful not to get caught out too often.

Fenric is down as Annie lays down near his feet; Molly runs in and gets vaulted upwards by her partner, coming down across Adam with a body splash as the referee finally turns around to see the pin attempt.

ONE!

TWO!

But Fenric gets the shoulder up in time. The WGYK look at each other in disbelief, but Reid continues. Backing Fenric into their corner, Molly and Annie use quick tags to wear him down with shoot kicks to the chest and forearm strikes, before Annie ends up as the legal competitor. An Irish whip sends Adam from pillar to post again, and Zellor charges in after him–

Mark Sanction:
Tremendous ring awareness from Fenric there!

The big boot catches Annie square in the face, and she staggers back a step as Annie tries to gather her bearings. She charges in again, but Fenric catches her with a back elbow to the face!

Mark Sanction:
Fenric’s fighting back here, the champions are still in this one!

Once again, Annie charges in, only to be met by a big boot to the face! This time she goes down as Fenric props himself up on the middle rope, waiting for Zellor to get back up before he leaps with a crossbody block – NO! Annie counters with a dropkick in midair!

Matt Steel:
And just like that, the wind has been taken out of the sails.

Fenric drops to the mat holding his midsection as Annie heads to her corner to make the tag out. Emery is calling out for her partner to recover, but Reid hits him with a rolling thunder while he’s down. She quickly pops back to her feet and leaps up onto the top rope for a split legged moonsault. And the pin attempt follows.

ONE!

TWO!

But Emery makes the save again. The referee ushers her to the corner as before, leaving Molly to drag Fenric across the ring towards the WGYK corner. They use the distraction wisely, hitting simultaneous legdrops to the throat of groin of the tag champion. Emery looks frustrated as Molly stands over Fenric, taunting him by dusting her hands off. She makes the tag out to Annie again and quickly exits the ring, leaving Zellor to pick Fenric back up to his feet. She pushes him back into the corner and fires off yet more shoot kicks, before taking a run up. Annie kisses her bicep before charging in with I Gots Skillz! The discus clothesline connects as she tries to follow up with a bulldog – NO!

Mark Sanction:
There’s still some fight in Adam Fenric. He just pushed Annie Zellor away in midair, and the challengers are shocked.

Matt Steel:
As they should be, Mark. I thought this one was as good as over, but Fenric just found a way back in.

Zellor lands on her ass, howling in pain as Fenric knocks Molly off the apron with a fierce back elbow to the face. He stumbles out of the corner as Zellor picks herself up and attempts a roundhouse kick. But Adam ducks under it and counters with an atomic drop, bringing Annie crashing ass first across his knee time. Zellor hops away in pain, turning around as she charges in with a lariat, only to have that dodged as well. Fenric sets off towards the ropes, springboarding off them with a cross body block!

Mark Sanction:
And the tide has turned.

Fenric drags himself valiantly back to his feet and her dives, arm outstretched, towards the corner! And in comes Emery Layton! She knocks Annie down with a flying forearm, before charging to the corner to knock Molly off the apron with a dropkick. Reid flies off, landing near the guard rail as Layton turns her attention back to the legal competitor. A running dropkick sends Zellor flying backwards to the corner, and Emery follows her in with a running hip attack. And Emery stays on the attack, climbing to the middle rope as she starts a ten punch combo, followed close behind by a monkey flip that sends Annie half way across the ring!

Matt Steel:
The champions showing some fighting spirit, but will it be enough to retain these belts?

Mark Sanction:
Emery Layton is giving this everything she has, Steel. They don’t want to leave South Africa without those belts, and the Whitest Girls You Know aren’t going down without a fight.

Zellor picks herself up, clutching her lower back in pain as Emery doubles her over with a boot to the gut, followed up with a spinning neckbreaker. And the cover.

ONE!

TWO!

But Annie gets the shoulder up. Layton makes the tag out to Fenric, and he sends Zellor against the ropes with an Irish whip, scooping her up with a side slam as Emery springboards off the rope with a diving leg drop. And another cover attempt, this time by Fenric.

ONE!

TWO!

Mark Sanction:
Another kickout by Zellor, but she’s expending energy each time she has to get that shoulder up.

Adam, still feeling the effects of a moment ago, decides to tag out again. And this time Layton & Fenric combine to perform an aided moonsault, as Fenric German suplexes his partner onto the prone Annie Zellor. Emery hooks a leg.

ONE!

TWO!

But Molly Reid drags Emery out of the ring! She throws the fiery redhead against the guard rail before the referee can intervene, absconding Reid for interfering and ordering her back to the corner. Layton staying down for a moment as she appears to have hit her head on the steel. And it’s enough time for Annie Zellor to start to stir.

Zellor gets back to her feet and steps out onto the apron as Emery starts to get back up on the outside. The champion turns around just as Annie leaps off the apron, catching Emery with a knee strike to the face! The action quickly returns to the squared circle though, as Annie rolls her opponent back in before making the tag out to Reid.

Matt Steel:
Molly Reid may have just saved this match for her team right there, and now the Whitest Girls You Know are right back in control.

Molly drags Emery towards the ropes, placing her throat down across the middle rope as she begins to choke out Emery Layton. The referee intervenes again, forcing Molly to break the choke; she plays coy as he scolds her about the five count, allowing Annie the opportunity to deliver a running knee strike to the side of Emery’s head.

Matt Steel:
And there they are again, exploiting the openings they create. The champions might have finally met their match, Mark.

Mark Sanction:
Layton & Fenric have the full support of these South Africa fans, Matt. They’re got the XWA universe behind them, and there’s still plenty left in the tank. Believe me. The Whitest Girls You Know would be wise not to go too easy in these closing minutes.

As Layton crawls away from the ropes, forcing herself back to her feet near the center of the ring, Reid leaps up to catch her with That’s Using Your Face! Emery gets driven face first across the knees, and Reid hooks the leg as she covers.

ONE!

TWO!

NO! Fenric makes the save again, stomping at Molly’s back. This action causes her to rise to her feet and lunge at Fenric; the pair trading blows until Adam appears to be getting the upper hand over his opponent. He ducks a forearm smash attempt and counters with a side kick to the gut, doubling Molly over before dropping her with a DDT! But the referee ushers him out of the ring before Fenric can do any more damage, leaving both competitors down momentarily.

Mark Sanction:
Who’s going to get up first?

The ten count starts as both Molly and Emery are down on the mat. Layton starts to stir around the four count, rolling over onto her front as she forces herself to all fours around seven. Molly follows suit, breaking the count at nine as both women stand up in the center of the ring. Layton strikes first, landing a hard right, before Molly fires one right back. Emery goes again, and Molly lashes out in response. And Molly goes again, and again, before Emery manages to duck under an errant right hook.

The champion runs towards the nearest ropes, springboarding backwards off the middle rope as she lands on Molly’s shoulders, and pulls off an inverted hurricanrana! Reid spikes head first into the mat and rolls through, ending up on her knees as Emery forces herself back to a vertical base. She soon runs against the ropes, coming back with a huge shining wizard! Down goes Reid, and Emery hooks both legs!

Mark Sanction:
This could be it!

ONE!

TWO!

Annie makes the save! The referee is quick to force Zellor out of the ring as Emery recovers from the boot to the back. That second wind picking up steam as she lifts Reid up off the mat and tags in Fenric. The champions combine again, this time dropping Molly with a back suplex/neckbreaker combo. And Adam covers.

ONE!

TWO!

But Molly gets the shoulder up. Fenric can’t quite believe it, clasping the back of his head in shock as he makes the tag out to Emery again. Layton comes into the ring and drops a rising Reid face first with a diving bulldog before rising back to her feet; the Trench War Traveller looking around the arena before pointing to the top rope.

Matt Steel:
Molly Reid in trouble right now, Mark. Emery Layton is going up top and that can only mean one thing!

Mark Sanction:
It’s Wuthering Heights time!

Emery steps out onto the apron as she climbs up to the top rope. The fans chanting her name as she steadies herself on that top turnbuckle, ready to leap off with a double somersault splash.

Mark Sanction:
NO! She misses Wuthering Heights!

Matt Steel:
They don’t call it high risk for nothing, Mark!

Molly rolls out of the way in time, and Emery hits the canvas with a thud! Both competitors are down again, and this time it’s Molly Reid who stirs first as she has to slowly but surely drag herself towards the corner where Annie is reaching out for the tag! Layton showing signs of life, but Zellor gets the tag in first! In she comes, and she makes a beeline for Fenric, knocking him off the apron with a triangle dropkick!

Zellor turns her attention to Emery, who’s just getting back to her feet as Annie leaps up with the Sparkle Princess Special! Emery staggers, falling to one knee in the center of the ring as Annie has to tag out to Molly again, bringing Reid back into the ring. She lifts Annie up onto her shoulders and propels her forward, taking Emery down with a modified Rough n Tumble II! But Annie keeps hold as Molly brings herself crashing down on top of Emery Layton with a senton drop! Reid covers as Annie stands guard to fend off Fenric.

ONE!

TWO!

THREE!!!

DING! DING! DING!

Hana Ramierez:
Ladies and gentlemen, the winners of this match and NEW XWA TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS … ANNIE ZELLOR, MOLLY REID … THE WHITEST GIRLS YOU KNOW!

Mark Sanction:
They did it?! The Whitest Girls You Know have dethroned Layton & Fenric!

Matt Steel:
We’ve got new tag champions, Mark. Finally, we have new XWA tag team champions!

The referee hands The Whitest Girls You Know the title belts, and they hold them up high for all the world to see. Fenric is just getting up on the outside, looking on in disbelief as Annie and Molly hug in the center of the ring.

[AmyJoSmyth]

(OOC: I've never done this kind of thing before so forgive me if I've gone and fucked it up. Good luck everyone. :D )




https://youtu.be/AOai94e3MhE

The lights suddenly drop to nothing, plunging the entire arena into darkness. “Shoot to Thrill” by Halestorm starts slowly but the arena still remains dark. A single spotlight lands on the entranceway, falling on Amy Jo Smyth cloaked in a long coat with an oversized hood. Next to her stands none other than Jake Rogers. She slowly lifts her arm, showing off a metallic gold elbow sleeve that covers her elbow, and raises a clenched fist into the air. The lights pop back on and Smyth spins around on her toes to face the crowd, glitter cannon in hand. She wears including matching red, white, and blue elbow sleeves, black and gold boots that match knee pads, and sets it all off with the long, hooded coat made of that same metallic gold. The Massacre Superstar Rogers, making his first appearance in tag team competition, wears the same metallic gold long coat as Smyth and sets off his red, white, and blue singlet with golden stars on his knee pads. He also carries a glitter cannon. With a 2-0 record, the former Olympian is well on his way to becoming the XWA mainstay and household name he hopes to be one day, but for now he is completely focused on this massive opportunity... And shooting the glitter cannon.

Mark Sanction: Take a look at that, the longest reigning LAW Champion in history and a prospect on the rise. They should make for one formidable team, Steele!

Matt Steele: Eh… We’ll see.

The two former Olympic-level gymnasts look at each other and hold their place for a moment. Rogers aims his cannon to the left while Smyth aims hers to the right.

I got my gun at the ready, gonna fire at will
‘Cause I shoot to thrill and I’m ready to kill
I can’t get enough and I can’t get my fill
Shoot to thrill, play to kill
Pull the trigger, pull it
Pull it, pull it
Pull the trigger!

With perfect timing, just as Lizzy Hale hits the final word, the daring duo fire off their weapons on command. Large pieces of golden glitter fly into the air and start to rain down over the crowd sitting nearest the stage. They quickly trade places and fire again, sending more glitter into air, because once is not enough.

Hana Ramirez: On their way to the ring first, weighing in at a combined weight of 325-pounds...

Smyth and Rogers hand their cannons off to production staffers waiting in the wings. Rogers moves forward, beginning his high fives and fan greets. Meanwhile, Smyth opens the hooded coat to expose a black t-shirt that reads, “Rise Up!” in golden letters. Slowly following Rogers, she makes her way down the ramp as golden lights flash around them, all the while giving the occasional fist bump to a fan who knows how it works for her. The suddenly stop just before the ring. After a quick moment of listening to the crowd, each one rushes forward and leap on to the ring apron on opposite sides. In perfect form and with perfect timing, they fling themselves forward, flipping over the top rope, and land in the center of the ring superhero style, facing each other.

Hana Ramirez: They are the team of The Good Doctor, Amy Jo Smyth and Jake Rogers!

They each stand. Rogers slowly removes his long coat while Smyth throws up a fist, holding it in the air. After a few seconds, she slides out of her robe, gently folding it up, and passes it off to the ringside staff. Rogers also passes his to the side, ever so careful careful with it. She throws up another fist and turns to expose the back of her sleeveless t-shirt. It reads, “WITH FISTS!” in that same gold lettering. Meanwhile, Jake does his usual climb-the-turnbuckle-and-greet-the-fans schtick. There’s a reason it’s a classic.

Mark Sanction: I wonder how well they’ll gel as a unit. They got along quite well on social media, but can that translate into the ring? I certainly hope so! Both these competitors have displayed near unparallelled athleticism in the past.

Matt Steele: They’re up against teams that have been tagging for a long time and these two met on Twitter like, a month ago. You really think this is gonna go well for them?

Mark Sanction: Why must you be such a Negative Nancy?

Matt Steele: I am not. I’m being a Truthing Trudy.

Mark Sanction: What even? Like, Trudy from Facts of Life?

Matt Steele: Her name was Tootie, fool.

Mark Sanction: You take the good, you take the bad…

Matt Steele: Oh, God, here we go.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6Ipeu6Z26g[/youtube]

The lights in the arena dim as “The Greatest" by Sia begins to play over the loudspeakers. A spotlight appears on the stage as Annie Zellor and Molly Reid both walk out in their wrestling gear.

Mark Sanction: Here comes team number two.

Matt Steele: And not a minute too soon.

Mark Sanction: The Whitest Girls You Know… Both international stars in their own right. Molly Reid is coming off two big matches and Annie Zellor comes from a long line of wrestling legends. Together, they’ve won a number of titles.

Matt Steele: I think they’re the team to beat in this…

Mark Sanction: Not Layton and Fenric?

Matt Steele: ...The team Layton and Fenric have to beat?

Mark Sanction: Uh huh.

Molly is bouncing around with a slight smirk on her face whilst Annie throws one arm up into the air with the devil horns raised and a #grrface on.

Hana Ramirez: Making their way to the ring now, at a combined weight of 247-pounds…

The crowd begins to boo as the Whitest Girls You Know start their walk down the aisle.

I'm free to be the greatest, I'm alive
I'm free to be the greatest here tonight, the greatest
The greatest, the greatest alive
The greatest, the greatest alive

Once they get near the ring, both Annie and Molly sprint and dive into the ring under the bottom rope. They jump up to their feet, run to opposing, open turnbuckles and pose for the crowd before climbing down.

Hana Ramirez: They are the pairing of Annie Zellor and Molly Reid... THE WHITEST GIRLS YOU KNOW!

Matt Steele: Look at them, they’re already in command of that ring. Look. At. Them.

Mark Sanction: Those ladies are certainly making their presence known.

They move to the next turnbuckles, forcing Smyth and Rogers to move out their way, but not without some long, hard stares. They once again pose for the crowd. Annie flexes her ‘bulging’ biceps as Molly brushes the dirt off her shoulders. The WGYK climb down and unite in the center of the ring, giving the other a fist bump, and then slowly make their way to the corner of their choosing to await the two other teams.

Mark Sanction: We’ve still got two - TWO teams left to join us in the ring for this match and it’s already looking stacked. With Fenric and Layton putting their titles up on the line, this match is going to be one of the greatest here in XWA.

Matt Steele: I hate to admit this, but Layton and Fenric have a real mountain here to climb. But it’s going to be sooooo goooodddd.

Mark Sanction: Team number three now...

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waixG1Dhr3w[/center]

The opening riff of Sum 41's "Fake My Own Death" blasts through the arena. Fans leap to their feet with a massive roar of excitement, craning their necks toward the entrance ramp with anticipation. As the drums kick in, Kelsey and Rebecca burst out from behind the curtain to a massive ovation.

Matt Steele: Well aren’t they popular.

Mark Sanction: They are. They’re pumped up, too.

They head to opposite ends of the stage to greet the fans before swapping sides, getting the fans pumped up. They meet back in the centre of the stage, where they bump fists.

Hana Ramierez: The third team, currently on their way to the ring, weighing in at a combined weight of 255-pounds...

Down the ramp they stride, purposeful and enthusiastic. Kelsey slaps the outstretched hands of fans as they pass, while Rebecca simply acknowledges them from a comfortable distance.

Mark Sanction: These two together are one of Australia's top tag teams.

Matt Steele: The land down under full of kangaroos and didgeridoos?

Mark Sanction: And one of the best tag teams in the world today. Fenric and Emery Layton have attracted the world’s best talent.

They arrive at the ring simultaneously, both jumping up onto the apron.

Hana Ramierez: They are the team of Kelsey Spencer and Rebecca Saint, collectively known as The Uncanny Socialites!

Kelsey opens the ropes for her partner to climb through, and once Rebecca's inside, she returns the favour for Kelsey. They retreat to opposite corners, avoiding the corners filled with their opponents, and climb to the second turnbuckle to strike poses for the enthusiastic fans one last time as Sum 41 fades out. They leap down and come together in an open corner, talking to each other, scoping out their competition.

Mark Sanction: Fenric and Layton attracted some talent for this match, didn’t they?

Matt Steele: Open invite titles matches tend to do that. Everyone wants themselves a title shot.

Mark Sanction: Speaking of which, here come the champions who brought this match together...

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vabnZ9-ex7o[/youtube]

The lights go down as the first few notes of "Come As You Are" by Nirvana ring out through the arena. When the drums come in and Kurt Cobain's voice begins to echo through the arena, that's when finally light begins to circle as Emery Layton, in her beanie and leather jacket, leads Adam Fenric, in his Victorian-era cloak, out from the curtain to a sea of cheering fans. Fenric and Layton both wear their respective titles.

Matt Steele: Aren’t they so pretty?

Mark Sanction: What?

Matt Steele: The titles, aren’t they pretty?

Mark Sanction: I’m sure that’s exactly what you meant.

Her arms are out, her head swaying with her eyes closed, she's completely feeling the moment while Fenric stands by, observing everything around him. After those first few moments, that's where Em begins to slowly strut down the ramp, spinning around as she meets fans along the way while Adam maintains a focused gaze on the ring.

Hana Ramierez: Last but by no means last… Making their way to the ring at this time, at a combined weight of 353-pounds…

As they reach the bottom of the ramp, they split off, and every single competitor in the ring stands at attention, some of the watching the champions and some of them watching the other teams watching the champions. Adam disposes of the cloak as he pops up onto the apron and into the ring, while Em- as per usual in her entrance- pops up onto the top rope.

Hana Ramierez: They are the team of Emery Layton and Adam Fenric! They are the XWA Tag Team Champions!

After a few moments of being up there, the eccentric traveller leaps down from the top rope and into the ring, transitioning from that into probably the most graceful, crisp forward-roll you've ever seen.

Hana Ramierez: They are… LAYTON AND FENRIC!

The crowd explodes into thunderous cheers. Now in the ring, she runs to the ropes right behind her, bouncing off it as she drops to her knees and skids forwards, all while Adam stands by in the corner. Em flips over onto her front and crawls into the corner as Adam begrudgingly moves out of the way. Adam stands while Emery sits in the corner, legs out, removing the title from around her waist and hand it to Fenric.

Mark Sanction: Don’t forget, it’s this team and those titles that brought this together. It’s their creation and it could be destruction.

Matt Steele: It’ll be interesting to see they’ve gotten in a little over their heads and all this tough talk…

Mark Sanction: It might just come to bite them in the behind.

Fenric then passes both the titles to referee. Layton and Fenric await the bell along with the six other competitors.

Matt Steele: Let’s go over the rules of this one last time… Only two competitors in the ring at any given time. Being pinned or submitting means that the whole team is eliminated, not the competitor who took the pin or submit. At the same time, anyone can tag themselves in at any time.

Mark Sanction: This is going to be something else. This is just going to be…

Matt Steele: I’m excited, Sanction, I won’t deny it!

Mark Sanction: There seems to some fussing and fighting over who will start the match.

Molly Reid and Annie Zellor don’t even make an attempt to start off the match as they hang in their corner, leaning up against the ropes lazily and unconcerned. Kelsey and Rebecca discuss it a little but move too slowly, missing their opportunity. It’s Smyth who fearlessly and without hesitation jumps forward and steps into the center of the ring, greeting Emery Layton.

Mark Sanction: And will you look at that - the debate is settled. Smyth and Layton will to start the match! The L.A.W. Champion against the XWA Lord of the Ring! Doesn’t get much bigger than that!!

As soon as the referee calls for the bell, Emery and AJS lock up in the middle of the ring. AJ uses her superior size and weight advantage over Emery to drive her back to the top right corner where Jake is waiting. Emery, however, manages to use that backward momentum to catch AJS off guard, grabs her hand, and reverses it into a wristlock of her own. But AJ backflips, relieving the pressure off her wrist and goes down, dragging Emery with her.

Mark Sanction: Great little exchange there by these two phenomenal athletes. Lock-up into a wristlock into an armdrag. Nice way to set the pace!

Emery grins as she quickly rolls through, getting back to her feet. She nods, acknowledging the fact AJS managed to out-counter her. Emery seems to want to up the pace, and rushes in for an attempted slingblade, but AJ rolls through, avoiding it. Emery avoids it, landing in the corner next to Jake. He winks at her and smiles, and the momentary distraction is enough for AJ to dropsault Emery in the back, sending her chest first into the turnbuckle. AJ follows her to the corner, tags in Jake, and sends Emery flying with an overhead German suplex.

Mark Sanction: First tag of the match! AJS seemed to get the better of Emery Layton in their little back and forth, let’s see what our All-American can do! Emery down in the middle of the ring, and it looks like Rogers is going to take to the skies already! He hops on the turnbuckle and leaps!

Jake moonsaults off the turnbuckle, and hits Emery with deadeye precision.

Matt Steele: What elevation he got off that moonsault! Not a fan of the guy, but that was spectacular! He goes for the cover!!

The referee drops down, and counts!

ONE!

TWO!

But before the referee can even think about going for three, or Emery even had a chance to kick out, Adam Fenric slips through the ropes and breaks up the pin by stomping Rogers on his lower back! The referee is quick to get to his feet and force Fenric out of the ring. But as he does so, Emery rolls up Jake from behind! Hs shoulders firmly pinned, but no count happening, Rogers is struggling to break free. Fenric sees what is up and hurries out of the ring, realizing it’s in his best interests to do so. He shouts at the referee to turn around. As he does so, he slides in for the pin.

ONE!

TWO!!

Jake kicks out! After what seemed almost like an infinity stuck in a pin, he finally manages to kick out at the last split second.

Mark Sanction: So close! Ironically, while Fenric may have saved their match, he could also have cost them an elimination.

Matt Steele: In this match, survival is more important than getting pinfalls, Sanction. Unless when it comes to the very last one, I guess! And now, Layton gets Rogers back to his feet, and it’s obvious she’s trying to ground him with this headlock here.

Emery wrings away at Rogers’ head, but the former Olympian hooks his arms around Layton’s knees and almost effortlessly lifts her into the air! He flings her into the air, forcing the release, and Layton lands hard on her back! With no time whatsoever to recuperate or dodge, she is hit with with a standing moonsault, followed directly by another pinfall attempt.

ONE!

TWO!

Mark Sanction: Layton kicks out! I admire Rogers’ enthusiasm, but there’s no way that you eliminate the Lord of the Ring quite that easily. More high impact moves will be needed, I’m afraid, or some hard hitting tag team maneuvers! She didn’t get to where she is without being tough as nails.

Rogers gets back up and grabs Layton by the wrist. He tries to Irish Whip her, but Layton digs her feet in, blocking it. Jake frowns.

Matt Steele: Looks like he’s not used to being overpowered!

Jake’s frown reverts into a grin. He groans and puts some extra effort into it. This time, Layton does indeed move, as she is sent into the Fenric’s corner with such velocity the ropes almost break off the post!

Mark Sanction: Rogers can’t hold back. We saw it here, he’s gruesomely strong. He has to use that strength! Now, it looks like Emery is ready to tag herself out. And she does! Fenric’s in! A match like this, you need to keep your stamina up. And the Plague Doctor rushes in the ring, and he absolutely nails Rogers with a spinning wheel kick! Jake is levelled. He gets back up and stumbles to the nearest corner, but it’s not his own. He claps Molly Reid on the shoulder and the referee calls the tag! For the first time now, the team of Smyth and Rogers are not involved in the action!

Reid steps through the ropes and Fenric gestures for her to come over. Reid rushes in and hits Fenric on the knee with a low dropkick, causing it to buckle. She follows it up with a shining wizard after running the ropes.

Matt Steele: Fenric caught completely off guard there, and he is down! Great initial sequence by Molly Reid, who now drags Fenric to her corner. She tags in Anny Zellor, her tag team partner, and it looks like they’re going for the double team!

Zellor hops on the top turnbuckle and springboards, dropkicking Fenric in the face as Reid makes sure he doesn’t budge. Zellor goes for a legdrop while Reid drops an elbow on him simultaneously. Zellor goes for the cover!

ONE!

TWO!

Fenric kicks out! Layton already had her legs between the ropes to run interference, but Fenric managed to avoid getting pinned. Zellor now drags Fenric back to her corner, and tags Reid back in.

Mark Sanction: Frequent tags by Zellor and Reid on the champion. Good strategy, and good teamwork! Zellor gets him in stalling suplex position, and Reid goes to the top turnbuckles again… she leaps, and Zellor drives him into the canvas with a brainbuster, before Reid stomps him right on the face! My God, Fenric’s face might have caved in!

The crowd squirms after the high impact maneuver, and Reid, back in as the legal woman, immediately goes back in for the pin!

ONE!

TWO!

THR--THis time Emery does break up the pin! But as she rushed in to save her partner, Zellor nails her with a dropkick that sends her rolling out of the ring. Reid goes back in for another cover.

ONE!

TWO!

Fenric kicks out! The crowd gasps in amazement, but the extra time needed was just about enough to recuperate. Fenric looks worse for wear as Reid helps him up though, especially when she kicks him in the gut! He doubles over, and Reid runs the ropes…

Mark Sanction: Axe kick! What a vicious hit, it nearly guillotined the champion! He’s being brutalized by these two. He must be seeing stars! Reid now gets him back to his feet and tags Zellor back in. Reid subdues Fenric with a headlock and Zellor is going for the skies as she springboard from the apron and off of the top rope!

Zellor grabs Fenric’s head in mid-air and hits him with a perfectly executed springboard codebreaker!

Matt Steele: Rough ‘n Tumble II! I don’t believe it! What a move, this could very well be it, but Layton is on the lookout! Zellor goes for the pin!!

ONE!

Layton rushes into the ring to once again make the save, but out of nowhere, Rebecca Saint hits her with a Lou Thesz press!

TWO!

THREE!!

The bell rings the first time!

Matt Steele OH MY GOD! I don’t believe it! Fenric doesn’t get up. Is this… is this real? Are the champions seriously the first ones to be eliminated? I don’t know who put money on this, but if you did, I think you can go into early retirement. Listen to this arena, you can almost hear a pin drop as the South African crowd looks on in stunned silence.

Zellor and Reid aren’t silent however; they clap hands and laugh. Saint gets off of Layton, whose jaw has dropped several inches, realizing that the title is lost to her. Rogers and Smyth can’t believe it either, but just like the Uncanny Socialites, they don’t seem all that unhappy with it, as what was arguably perceived as the biggest threat in the match are out!

Mark Sanction: I a absolutely shaking, Steele! And look at the disappointment on the face of Emery Layton, she seems gutted. What a way to lose the titles. But props to Reid and Zellor, they worked together like a team, isolated Fenric completely, and now they have an elimination to their name.

Matt Steele: An elimination, yes, but while the titles are now up for grabs, one elimination won’t make them champions.

Mark Sanction: What a situation, though! Six wrestlers remaining, and only one is an XWA full-timer, being Rogers. All five others are invitational talents who took up the challenge when Layton and Fenric laid it out. It’s just… I don’t know whether to call it absurd or awesome!

Zellor, still celebrating, wait for someone from the two other remaining teams to jump into the fray and challenge them. Already in the ring, Rebecca Saint takes the honor and the two women lock up. Zellor doesn't even bother with it and just slams her knee into Saint’s gut, drops down, bringing the Australian sensation down with her, and cracks Saint’s back over her knee. Not to miss the trifecta, Zellor follows that with a knee drop to the prone Saint’s back, almost exactly where she took the knee seconds ago.

Mark Sanction: Marvellous combination there. Knee to the gut, backbreaker, and a knee drop.

Mark Sanction: She's gonna feel that in the morning.

Mark Sanction: I think she's already feeling it.

Zellor lifts Saint to her feet by the hair, pops her in the mouth with a few quick right hands, and drags to her corner. The brunette tags in the blonde and Reid climbs through the ropes. Together, the Whitest Girls You Know, lift Saint upright into the air and drop her with a powerful vertical suplex that rattles the ring. Reid goes for the cover while Zellor plays guard while calling out the other teams. Rogers tries to go through the ropes but Smyth grabs him, shaking her head.

Mark Sanction: What?

Mark Sanction: Interesting strategy. Save your energy for later.

Mark Sanction: You mean let someone else do the fighting for you?

Mark Sanction: Remember, only that final pin will get you the titles.

There's no one to stop Kelsey from charging in and she does exactly that. Even though Zellor is ready, she isn't ready for the savage spear that sends her down atop Reid and Saint, breaking up the pin at two. Smyth gives Rogers a knowing, almost smug look and he smiles back at her.

Mark Sanction: Ha! That's one way to do it.

Mark Sanction: It was effective and now we've got a whole new match here. Looks like Kelsey will be the first one off that dog pile.

Kelsey grabs Zellor and whips into the ropes. Unstable and unaware, Zellor goes over the ropes, landing on the outside, hard. Kelsey goes for Reid next, lifting her by the hair, and wrenches the arm behind her back. She kicks her in the gut, twists the arm again, and back kicks her right in the face, sending Reid to the mat, where she lands, splayed out like a starfish. Saint comes to her feet with the aid of her partner. The referee, ever so forceful in his approach, finally moves in to tell Kelsey that she must leave the ring. After some debate, but mostly attending to her partner and making sure she is okay, she slowly moves to her corner, but not before giving Reid some stomps and kicks. Kelsey moves in for the kill, lifting Molly Reid to her feet.

Mark Sanction[: The tides, they have turned.

Matt Steele: Let’s see the momentum keeps. The Uncanny Socialites have a real chance here now.

Spencer Irish whips Reid into the corner. Sprayed out against the turnbuckles with her arms wide, Kelsey hops on the middle ropes and starts hammering away at Reid’s face, throwing haymakers to her face, over and over and over again. The crowd starts counting along with every strike, and as Spencer gears up for number ten, Reid suddenly blocks it by getting her forearms up! She grabs Kelsey by the legs and gets her in powerbomb position.

Mark Sanction: Looks like Reid is going for a good old fashioned powerbomb. Nothing like the classics. But wait, what’s she doing?

Mark Sanction: I don’t know, but it doesn’t bode well for Kelsey Spencer, Sanction!

Reid is climbing up the turnbuckle with her opponent on her shoulders.

Mark Sanction: That’s a long, long way down if you ask me!

Mark Sanction: They already eliminated the tag team champions and if they hit her with this, it’s game over for the Uncanny Socialites.

Mark Sanction: Smyth and Rogers will be all too happy to let them finish the job for them, I bet!

Reid, displaying tremendous leg and core strength as well as incredible balance, now stands on the top turnbuckle with Spencer on her shoulders. She calls out for Annie Zellor, who gets the message and climbs through the ropes.

Mark Sanction
Zellor looking to assist in a big time move, but Rebecca Saint isn’t about to just let this happen...

Rogers leaps off the apron, dashes toward, and takes out Rebecca Saint by sweeping her legs from behind, preventing Saint from helping her partner in her time of need.

Mark Sanction: Oh wow! Didn’t know that goody-goody had it in him. Bout dang time they left that little corner of theirs.

Mark Sanction: Rogers took out Saint and that gives The Whitest Girls You Know the freedom they need to do some real damage.

Mark Sanction: Amy Jo and Jake would benefit from it, too. I guess it’s a good strategy. Do what you can to win, I say!

As the crowd holds its collective breaths, Zellor positions herself in the middle of the ring. Reid jumps and Spencer, with flailing arms, is powerbombed off the top rope, right onto Annie Zellor’s knees!

Mark Sanction: My God! That was vicious beyond belief. Zellor went down and formed a target for Reid to bomb Kelsey’s body into.

Mark Sanction: I think she’s damn near broken in half!!!

The crowd absolutely blows the roof off the place after the amazing high impact move. As Reid, the legal woman, signals the referee, she also goes for the pin, as both Smyth and Rogers look on, safely and smartly staying out of this any further.

One…

Two…

Rebecca Saint makes a mad dash in the ring.

Matt Steele: Saint doesn’t make it! Rebecca doesn’t make it!

THREE!!

Mark Sanction: The Uncanny Socialites have been eliminated!

Matt Steele: Reid made the pin and The Uncanny Socialites are gone.

Mark Sanction: It’s down to Smyth and Rogers and The Whitest Girls You know. This is going to be impressive.

Smyth suddenly slingshots herself off and over the rope, tackling Reid with a single leg, and rolls forward, somersaulting toward the opposite ropes, and stands. It doesn’t take long for Zellor to spin around and hit Smyth with a smooth clothesline that levels the Doctor. Dazed, confused, and taken off guard, Smyth pops up to her feet and gets hit with another one. As soon as Smyth gets up, she eats another one. The man in a striped shirt, known as the referee, finally gets to doing his job and informs Zellor that she is not the legal man - or woman in this case - and demands she exit the ring. Thankfully, Reid is starting to stir.

Mark Sanction: Zellor has no choice but to return to her corner or they’ll be disqualified.

Matt Steele: Can the titles be won by disqualification, though?

Mark Sanction: They’d have to be. Or we’d have vacant titles.

Matt Steele: Yeah, but then we can have another match like this, with all this talent.

Smyth climbs to feet. Zellor climbs to her feet. They turn, face each other, and charge like bulls. Smyth trips Zellor, sending her face first into the second turnbuckle, and Smyth rolls out of the ring. She circles the ring and finds her way back into her corner. When Zellor stands, Smyth slides back into the ring and sharply kicks Zellor in the back of the thigh and forces Zellor into the corner by way of punches. Zellor counters with a quick upward knee to Smyth’s midsection. Smyth falls to the mat and Zellor begins assaulting the Doctor’s shoulder with stomps. Zellor lifts her, throws her into the corner, kicks her for good measure, and sends into the opposite corner with a powerful whip. Still fired up, Zellor drives her shoulder into Smyth’s midsection a few times and and tosses Smyth into her team’s corner where Reid is waiting. Reid wiggles around and kicks the Good Doctor in her stomach.

Mark Sanction: Things are not going well for Smyth and Rogers here.

Matt Steele: Now we know why they waited so long to get in on this.

Mark Sanction: They aren’t completely out of this yet, Matt.

Jake Rogers jumps into the ring, abruptly stopped by the referee, who kindly informs him that he must remain in his corner. Reid and Zellor take quick advantage of the distraction: Reid holds Smyth in place with a rear naked choke while Zellor goes to work on Smyth’s ribs.

Mark Sanction: Not only are they inhibiting airflow but they’re also pushing it out of her lungs.

Matt Steele: They wearing her out. Beating her like a rug.

Rogers finally returns to his corner and the referee turns around to see The Whitest Girls You Know engaging in their illegal activities. Zebra Man quickly calls out it out and the women release Smyth, letting her fall to her knees. Zellor tags Reid and Reid lifts Smyth to her feet while Zellor takes a few steps back. Zellor rushes forward, hits a big discuss clothesline then pulls her out, runs forward with Smyth in her grasp, and plants her into the mat with a big bulldog.

Mark Sanction: I Gots Skillz!

Matt Steele: An homage to her to her cousin!

Molly Reid has climbed up the turnbuckle and leaps, hitting a Corkscrew Moonsault on Smyth. Reid makes the cover, hooking the leg.

One…

Matt Steele: It’s all over!

Mark Sanction: Things are not looking good.

Two...

Matt Steele: I told you!

Rogers rushes into the ring, ducks under a clothesline from Zellor, and drops a fist onto the pin, breaking it up.

Mark Sanction: The All-American Boy has saved the day.

Matt Steele: Captain America!

Zellor grabs Rogers and the two start battling it out with right hands. Reid, angered and annoyed, pushes Rogers, sending him falling forward. Rogers is able to roll to his feet and leaps, taking Reid and Zellor down with a flying double clothesline. Smyth exits the ring under the bottom rope and just lays on the outside. Rogers leans through the ropes, checks on his partner. Zellor slams her fist into his back and forces him through the ropes, right to the outside. The Whitest Girls You Know follow closely behind Rogers and Smyth, heading to the outside.

Matt Steele: Ah, yeah.

Mark Sanction: Everyone is on the outside now. This is getting messy now.

Zellor grabs Smyth, whips her toward the ring steps. Smyth reverses! Zellor crashes into the steel steps. Rogers is able to catch Reid with a kick to her midsection and slams her head first into the apron. He throws her back into the ring, resetting the count. Smyth, with a little guidance from Rogers, climbs back into the ring. The opposing women climb to their feet while Rogers returns to his corner. The sassy Southerner looks at Rogers and heads right for him, ready to make the tag. Reid grabs her by the hair and whips her back, preventing her from reaching Rogers’s outstretched hand. Reid hooks her neck from the front, gets ready for backbreaker or choke but Smyth wants none of it. The gymnast rolls back, flips free, and in swift, almost elegant move, dropkicks Reid in the face. Finding a second wind, she rushes forward, tags Rogers, and baseball slides right into Zellor’s face as she tries to climb back into the ring.

Mark Sanction: Oh. The Whitest Girls You Know just ate a lot of boot leather.

Mark Sanction: I told you not to count them out just yet.

Smyth tangles with Zellor on the outside, throwing her into the ring post. In the ring, Jake Roger leaps and hits Reid with a corkscrew elbow. He lifts her up, leaves her wobbling in the center of the ring, and shoots himself off the ropes. The Olympic medalist flattens her with a sling blade. He turns to find Smyth waiting on the top turnbuckle and moves in toward. Smyth, careful and slow, climbs up onto his shoulders.

Mark Sanction: Oh, okay. What’s this now?

Matt Steele: I - I have no idea. It’s a giant.

Mark Sanction: This can’t end well.

As soon as Smyth gets stabilized with Rogers’ help, she releases his hands and jumps, landing on Reid with a single rotation senton. The crowd explodes as they get to their feet. Smyth bounces off Reid, growls in pain, and stumbles forward. She instantly rolls out of the ring, clutching her back, and starts screaming at Rogers to pin Reid. Rogers hooks Reid’s leg.

One…

Matt Steele: Is that even legal?

Mark Sanction: Yes, and Smyth and Rogers are two second away from winning the XWA tag titles.

Two…

Matt Steele: That Chinese Acrobat move is about to give us new champions.

Mark Sanction: Zellor is coming!

Smyth grabs Zellor and out of pure desperation, shoves her back, sending her into the barricade.

Matt Steele: Or not…

THREE!

Mark Sanction: Rogers and Smyth have done it! We have new champions!

Matt Steele: The Gymnasts!

The bell rings. Smyth lamely rolls back into the ring and has to be helped to her feet and held up by Rogers.

Matt Steele: Oh, my, God, they did it! They freakin’ did it! I don’t believe it!!

As ‘Victory’ starts playing, the crowd erupt in massive cheers. Jake and Amy Jo are exhausted, stunned, and delighted in equal measure. Before the referee can even hand them the belts, AJS and Rogers hug in the middle of the ring.

Mark Sanction: This is beautiful! Two competitors, barely even knowing each other, agreed to this match on what was little more than a whim. She, already a phenomenal champion, and he… an Olympic medalist, but a green rookie inside this squared circle. They gelled immediately and they pulled an upset victory here tonight. What an incredible turn of events!

As Jake and AJS break up their hug, the referee hands them the titles. Jake grabs it with both hands, unable to fathom what this exactly means for him. AJS is visibly delighted as well and allows the referee to grab both her and Jake’s hand to raise it in the air.

Mark Sanction: This is what wrestling is all about. Two people with a love for the sport, making an instant connection and persevering on sheer skill and power of will! I think this match didn’t go down like anybody would have thought beforehand. The champions and odds-on favorites were the first to be eliminated, and a team that has never tagged before gets the victory and the tag team titles.

The referee lowers their hands, but AJS drapes her arm over Jake, and her title over her shoulder. She playfully taps Jake on the shoulder, clearly mouthing ‘well done, buddy’, and slaps him on the ass, giving him her patented good game. Jake grins and raises his title once more to the delight of the crowd.

[DJS]

Ok guys...annoyingly, I'm not showing for this. I've tried but I do not see myself being able to finish this today with all I've got on and I don't want to hold voting up any longer cos it's not fair on you lot who've put all the effort in that you have...so I'm just gonna take this to vote and congratulate whoever the new champs end up being. Be warned though, I'm invoking my rematch clause next month so whoever wins- you're defending on the next Supershow!

Voting is now open.

VOTING DEADLINE: 6th October 2017

[RevolutionJones]

So first off, I gotta give everybody props for even attempting this matchup. Four-ways with other stipulations on top are a nightmare to write, as I learned at Fool's Gold last month, so just getting this far is an accomplishment in itself. On top of that, all of you found ways to use each other's characters well and get everybody a chance to shine, which is always a plus. Can't wait to see where you all go from here, assuming you stick around.

Anyway, let's get to the individual reviews...

Uncanny Socialites
OK, I don't know if you already write here as somebody else, but if this is your first time, WOW. You have all the little things down, from the action descriptions to the formatting to the commentary to the pre- and post-match bits, that take a match from just being a transcript of a match to an immersive experience in itself, and when you add all that spice to a well-constructed match, you get magic. Phenomenal job.

Whitest Girls You Know
You definitely had a unique situation compared to the other writers here, seeing as you played the only heel team in a field otherwise full of unambigiously heroic, fair-playing faces. So I appreciate that you found just the right balance for Annie and Molly between cheap shots and genuine cleverness, because for me, those kinds of heels are always a million times more compelling than the ones who cheat and run without having the talent to back it up. My main critique would be to use more descriptions of moves rather than just name-drops. It helps the match flow if I don't have to stop for a second, think about what the move looks like, and then carry on every time someone makes an attack.

Rogers & Smyth (All-American Doctors?)
You seem to have a similar approach to commentary to what I have, in that Mark and Matt call things pretty much move-for-move. I like that, but the way moves would get named in the action description and then the commentary would be all-analysis felt a little...off. If you can capture the move in your action paragraphs, then name-drop and analyze in the comments, it really helps. I also have to wonder if the storyline of "Amy and Jake find their team chemistry as they go" could have been emphasized a little more. It's clear the idea of that plotline was there, but if you'd put it front and center, maybe by starting them off not quite in sync and then gradually bringing them to the same page as the other teams' aptitude and pre-existing bonds force them to evolve or be eliminated, that would have really taken this to a higher level. Still, though, pretty good for a first match.

And my final vote goes to...Uncanny Socialites! This version was the one that--for me, at least--really fired on all cylinders and showed maximum care and effort in every line. What a way to introduce a team to this crazy world we call XWA.

[styg]

Uncanny Socialites
The early focus on Layton & Fenric's relationship, and the odd couple approach they have, was a solid way to start this off, but their effective disappearance from the match for a while after Em tags out, with not even any reaction shots, was seriously jarring. We got some nice characterisation for the Uncanny Socialites to make up for it; however, the real stars early on are Amy and Jake, who are made to look like a million bucks. Unfortunately I don't know the characters well enough to know how accurate the portrayals were (based on their own version, it seemed reasonable though). On that note, however, the first really big negative for me is the handling of WGYK. They didn't feel like Annie and Molly at all; they felt like token generic heels just because somebody had to be. Emery going after Annie off the back of a genuine mistake, and Adam quickly following suit on Jake, also struck me as out of character. Adam in particular just... didn't quite feel like Adam at multiple points in the match. Not in any major ways, just in small ways that added up.

Following the first elimination the escalation between the three remaining teams, and the commensurate build in excitement for the fans, was done well. I found the return of WGYK, again, contrary to their personalities and it didn't add enough to the flow or story of the match to justify it; if anything it felt quite an artificial way to make the match come off as more epic, when in fact the action leading up to it had done that just fine and the interference really just let the air out. On the other hand, once it got going again, I LOVED the idea that in Emery's time teaming with Adam, she's learned tricks like which side to force the weight of the kickout onto. The exhaustion between the two remaining teams felt very real, as did how well they know and have studied each other, based on their prior relationship going into the match. The finish was solid, and that this is the culmination of a long journey for Rebecca and Kelsey well-conveyed.

Whitest Girls You Know
There's something a lack of energy comparative to the Socialites' version, with the stock entrances lacking any interplay between the teams; in terms of the overall feel, this definitely read like something that had been produced with a certain degree of writer's block. And again, I have to question the characterisation - Rebecca abusing a five count seems reasonable, but it just seems so implausible for Kelsey. The fact things broke down so early on seemed believable, and heightened the "anything could happen" nature of this match's setup. The sudden, flash elimination did a great job there too. Emery copying the back body drop gesture was brilliant! That definitely felt in keeping with her personality. Once down to two, Adam was put over heavily, first with strong kickouts and excellent awareness no matter what WGYK did to him and then pretty much immediately getting back into the thick of things. The action thereafter was good, but maybe a little flat as per my writer's block comment above, and the lack of any real post-match was also a shame.

Amy Jo Smyth & Jake Rogers
The commentary made me smile. Matt and Mark certainly had more personality here than in the other two matches, although in a few places those personalities weren't quite in line with how they're usually portrayed. The broken YouTube tags were unfortunate, and betray a lack of care in proofing. Again, Uncanny Socialites had a bit of interplay around the entrances, which this is lacking. That's the kind of touch that can add electricity to a match. Something you did that I always love to see is the use of moves themselves, and the reactions to them, to convey character. While it wasn't necessarily the most overtly characterful match, everyone seemed to be acting quite true to their identity, certainly in comparison to the other two matches. Having the commentators describe the action rather than showing the action is not to my tastes, though, I'll admit. Having the champs eliminated first is bold, given how dominant Layton & Fenric have been; the shortness of this match meant they didn't get much shine, sadly, but to be fair it took a LOT of punishment to keep Adam down. Again, with the Socialites' elimination, what was there was good but it could really have benefitted from being longer, firstly to give the eliminated team more shine and secondly to ramp up the feeling that this is a big-time match. The other main criticism I'd have, beyond the lack of meat to the first two acts, is that the dynamic between Amy and Jake is never really at the fore much. I understand that where it might go next is the big thing, and I've always said that putting over your opponent is arguably the most important thing in a match writing fed, but it feels like this was a missed opportunity to tell a deeper story about Amy and Jake's partnership. Regardless, a really solid match despite some flaws.



VERDICT
Uncanny Socialites had perhaps the strongest match in a vacuum, anchored by the complex relationship between the Socialites and Layton & Fenric, but some of the directions the story went in - like pulling focus away from champions early on, and having WGYK return to attack the remaining teams - really hurt the overall flow imo. Together with the questionable characterisation of WGYK and Layton & Fenric, I found myself sliding between parts I really loved and parts I didn't care for at all.

WGYK too suffered from some characterisation issues, and it felt like there was some struggle in the writing; I know they're capable of much sparkier, zippier matches than this. In both Amy & Jake and WGYK, you wouldn't know there was any history between Layton & Fenric and Uncanny Socialites; I presume the writers genuinely didn't know OOC. On one it's hard to punish someone for not writing about stuff they weren't aware of; on the other, it's still clearly a dimension Uncanny Socialites' version contained that was lacking from the other two and it's hard to completely set that aside. Something else of note, that no team used at all, is the friendship away from the ring between Molly and Emery. I was sure that would be an element to work in somewhere!

I gotta say I would love to see what WGYK and Uncanny Socialites could do if they were more familiar with each other's characters. However, while both of those matches were certainly good, even great in some ways... I have to go with Jake Rogers and Amy Jo Smyth. While it certainly was not without its own flaws, for me this one struck the best balance of characterisation, flow of action, and energy in the writing.


Complete aside to all of this: "They’ve held those belts since December of last year"
- No they haven't, and I checked the title records to be sure. Turns out we have it listed wrong, apparently copied straight over the the Dan/Drake reign. Whoops. I'll try to get that fixed ASAP.

[Michael Swift]

Uncanny Socialites: The first thing I notice was how well you introduced the XWA to the Uncanny Socialites. Little things, like talking about how when Smyth was working Saint's arm that it would hinder her finisher, or trying to get over Kelsey's helpful attitude. It is a good thing to do, since these are very established character with quite a few established relationships to a section of the XWA roster. When the action was high, it was great, intense, and well described. The Mark half of the commentary felt great, and Matt was technical sound.
Before I get into my main critique, I would like to say, while Matt's dialog was solid, it didn't feel like Matt to me. Can't really use that against you as it is your first time writing here, but I feel it would be doing you a disservices if I didn't bring it up, though it won't really affect my judging in this case.
Anyhow, my biggest critique would, at several points in the match you do a bit like "Spencer and Rogers engage in a fierce exchange of mat wrestling holds over the next minute or so, a true display of athleticism". And I will fully admit, this is a personal thing, but this takes me right out of the match. I want to feel like I am in the match, feeling every strike and blow, I want to feel the tension and struggle, but moments like these cut right into it.

Whitest Girls You Know: Your match definitely benefits from WGYK making it through the entire match, as it creates a more tense environment. While not traditional heels in most senses, the fact that morally grey tactics made through your entire match allowed for some very clever moments.
The pacing was this match is incredibly fast, to a point that it makes it harder appreciate parts of it. Like, your pinning sequences were great, but they would have been better if they came after either something slow, or an increase in action after a slow build. This would either act as a quick peak of intensity in the match, or the apex of a larger one before a valley. As it is, it feels like everything is running at the same/similar rate, which doesn't leave them with them with the impact they should.

Amy Jo Smyth & Jake Rogers: This is a odd thing to mention, but I actually really like how this match didn't come down to the champion versus AJS & JR, created a nice different dynamic from the other matches. It was a completely different direction that was cool to see.
You did a great job of keeping things in the match, and I really like how you approached who started in the ring first. All the sequences were fun, though I think my favorite is still the opening one with the wristlock. The overall pacing was fast, but you did manage to still make it feel natural and not exhausting.
Normally I try not to judge spelling and grammer too much, especially since I am super bad about it as well, but you lost a lot of meaning because of it. Like here "Last but by no means last". Commentary on a whole was good, but Steel felt a little off to me.

My Vote: Amy Jo Smyth & Jake Rogers.
I went back and forth on this vote for a longgggg while, but for all the voting writing I have done here, what tipped the scales for me was the closing lines of Sanction, they invoked a lot of emotion, and that was the little boost needed.

[DJS]

Okie doke- Winners and NEW XWA Tag Team Champion: Amy Jo & Jake Rogers

I think you all made smashing efforts on this, wish I could've joined in here but I guess I'll just have to see Amy and Jake personally at With A Vengeance!