"Born to the Wild" by Slayer hits and Jack Mace comes rushing out, then settles down to a slow walk. He swings his arms out, warming up in the space provided by not having his manager, Eddie Dante or tag team partner Mushigihara at his side. The Wrestling Bear circles the ring, then leaps onto the apron and climbs into the ring. The opening drum and claps of "Same Ol'" by the Heavy signal the arrival of the World's Heavyweight Champion. Indeed, the King of Lions emerges from the back as the vocals kick in. Adorned in nothing special, aside from his usual ring attire and of course the World's title that is strapped around his waist. He takes his time heading to the ring, looking ready for a fight. He climbs up and in as Marvelle speaks up.
MASON MARVELLE
Ladies and gentlemen! This is your main event of the evening and it is sponsored by Pollo Bucket - "because chicken soup isn't the only thing good for your soul!" And by FUNDOSHI - "comfort where you need it the most!" This event and championship fight is sanctioned by Big Time Fights in conjunction with the Laurentide Athletic Commission! When the fight begins, your referee in charge is Cordell Garner! Here to make the special prematch declaration for this King of Lions World's Heavyweight title bout is Great Lakes wrestling legend, Teddy Davis!
TEDDY DAVIS
It is here tonight in Chicago, Illinois that World's Heavyweight Champion David Troy looks to make his second defense of his third reign against the man known as the Wrestling Bear, Jack Mace. These two fighters are vying for the highest honour in all of Lion's Road! May the best fighter emerge victorious this evening and lay claim to the title of King of Lion's Road!
Davis gives a fist bump to both men before exiting.
MASON MARVELLE
This is a World's Heavyweight title bout! It is to be fought over a thirty minute time limit with one fall, one submission or a knockout...
Troy nods at Mace.
MASON MARVELLE
...to decide the winner! In the blue corner... fighting out of Grewelthorpe, England! He weighed in this morning at two hundred and eighty eight pounds! He is the number one contender, the Wrestling Bear... JACK MACE!
Mace steps forward and lets out a roar that echoes through the venue.
MASON MARVELLE
In the red corner... fighting out of Camden, New Jersey! He weighed in this morning at two hundred and two pounds! He is the current, reigning and defending King of the Lions World's Heavyweight Champion! He is...
Dramatic pause.
MASON MARVELLE
"DYNAMITE" DAVID TROY!
Troy continues stretching as Garner takes his title and holds it high in the air for the camera. He hands it to Davis, then quickly checks both men over before calling for the bell. Mace comes out from his corner and greets Troy in the centre of the ring, he extends his hand and Troy gives him a short, gruff slap on the hand instead. Mace doesn't look too impressed, staring at his hand as he tur--
LARIAT!
Mace puts Troy on the mat with a quick discus lariat. Troy scrambles back to his feet but the bear is on him, backing him into the ropes. He shoots him off and rushes in...
FRONT DROPKICK!
Troy is sent through the ropes and to the floor! Mace roars as Garner attempts to tell him to stay in the ring while he checks Troy out, but the champion returns to the ring in short order. Some words are exchanged before a tie-up, Mace backs Troy into the ropes but Troy slips out and turns the tables. He delivers several elbows to Mace before trying to Irish whip him, but Mace knees him in the gut and puts him back against the ropes again. Mace looks at the shoulder, but instead opts to drive his own shoulder into Troy's midsection. Troy falls forward, dropping to his knees. Mace grabs him by the left arm - the one with the damaged shoulder and pulls him into a European uppercut! Troy falls against the top rope, keeping him upright for the most part. Mace tries to close the distance but eats a kick to the stomach. He doubles over and Troy hoofs him in the head with a push kick to create some distance, then executes a spinning heel kick! Troy grabs the still standing Mace and slaps on a side headlock, but quickly spins around and puts him on the mat with a drop toe hold - then leaps up and applies the side headlock again!
SAM HEWITT
2021 will be Troy's 24th year in the sport, having started in 1997 and you can bet he's learned to bring a much larger opponent down to his level in that time. This Tiger leg sweep into a side headlock is proof.
Mace roars up, bringing Troy with him but the champion hangs on. Mace folds Troy's leg and drops it down across his knee, but even though Troy's face grimaces with pain - he keeps his grip around Mace's big head intact. Mace tries to turn it into a top wrist lock and nearly gets it, but Troy kicks him in the thigh and he relinquishes his grip and we return to the side headlock. Mace gets frustrated and bulls Troy into the ropes to force a break, the champion lets go and Mace slowly pulls himself away. The two circle around the ring, sizing each other up. Troy won't engage in a collar-and-elbow, opting for a striking stance and this frustrates the challenger some. Mace drives in for a takedown, but Troy knees him! Mace tries to pull back out, but the champion applies a front chancery and feeds him a knee each time he tries to escape and get back to his feet. Mace reaches around and grabs hold of Troy's legs, then pushes him back into the corner turnbuckles to force a break. Garner begins counting, but Troy doesn't relinquish the hold until 4 and this only serves to piss the Wrestling Bear off! As soon as he gets his head free, Mace lariats the crap out of Troy in the corner! Troy falls down, Mace hooks him up in a pumphandle and powerbombs him!
BIG FRIENDLY BOMB!
But the intensity behind it indicates that it was anything but friendly! He covers!
1...
...
2...
NO!
BRIAN SHELZI
In most cases, I'd applaud the strategy by David Troy. He's trying to aggravate Mace, but I don't think this is going to work to his favour. I think Troy needs to manipulate the friendship aspect, keep the challenger from getting too fired up. After an exchange, he should extend his hand and compliment him like it's a sparring session. I think he might have blown that chance in the beginning of the match though.
Troy doesn't get a chance to roll away from the pin as Mace grabs the legs of his and applies a Boston crab. With the move applied in the dead centre of the ring, Troy has no choice but to fight through the weight on his back and power his way to the ropes - which he does! Mace releases without issue and Troy slinks out onto the apron to buy himself a moment. After about thirty seconds, Mace grabs Troy and pulls him back into the ring and drags him to his feet. The champion fires off a palm strike, then an elbow! With the challenger staggered, Troy spins around and clocks him with a rolling elbow strike! Mace staggers back into the ropes... Troy tries to press the attack but Mace manages to hit a desperation headbutt that sends the champion down in a hurry! He rolls back out to the floor and Mace stays on his knees inside the ring. Jack Mace shakes out the cobwebs, trying to clear his head after the two brutal elbow strikes. Troy has a hold of the ring skirt and looks poised to climb back in, but is watching Mace intently.
BRIAN SHELZI
He's baiting him - watch!
Mace sees Troy and tries to grab him between the second and bottom rope but the champion steps back out of reach and knees Mace in the head! With Mace so focused on grabbing Troy, he falls onto the apron and hits the floor! Troy slides back inside and takes a breather, watching as Garner counts Mace out. As Mace returns to his feet at six, Troy grabs the top rope and slingshots himself to the floor with a pescado! He and Mace crash down to the cement floor - a rough landing for anyone! Troy favours the shoulder for the first time in the match as he returns to his feet, climbing back into the ring. Garner tells him to stand back and let him count. With a reset count, Mace doesn't grab the middle rope until seven and pulls himself onto the apron at eight to negate the count. He tries to step in, but Troy dropkicks him right back down to the floor! Garner threatens the champion with a yellow card and orders him to stand back! Troy obliges, but looks very impatient as Mace drags himself back to the ring for a second time. Troy grabs him as soon as his head is through the ropes and pulls him into the ring. He tries to bring him up to his feet, but the dead weight behind Mace takes its toll on Troy's shoulder and he drops him and backs up.
SAM HEWITT
The pescado is high-risk and it seems to have exacerbated Troy's shoulder injury from last week.
BRIAN SHELZI
High-risk, high reward. You can't always get your desired outcome without taking a chance. If he's operating with a real bad shoulder, then he's going to need to take a few chances. That's just how it goes.
Troy stands over Mace and grabs his leg, pulling it toward Mace's head - then drops back and delivers the inverted stomp! Mace howls in pain as he rolls onto his back, but the champion gets right back up and begins stomping away on it! He then makes his way around the world, Garvin-style - stomping every part of Mace that's visible like he's a carpenter nailing down a floorboard! Content with his work, Troy tries to grab both of Mace's legs but the tree trunks prove hard to turn over for a Boston crab so he opts to grab one instead and tries to turn him over but Mace uses his free leg to shove Troy off! The champion nearly leaves his feet from the force generated by Mace's push - landing against the corner turnbuckles! As Mace gets up, Troy is trying to crawl - a replay shows Troy more or less bodychecking the turnbuckles with his bad shoulder. Troy is hooked, butterfly-style and Mace suplexes him to the mat! Mace covers!
1-KICK OUT!
Mace stares incredulously at Garner who holds up one finger in response. Mace nods, repeatedly saying "OK mate!" as he brings the champion back up to his feet. Troy is whipped off the ropes and eats a bell clap and body press!
1...
...
2-NO!
Mace pulls Troy off the mat, scoops him up onto his shoulder and drives the champion down into his knee - shoulder first!
BRIAN SHELZI
A shoulder breaker! Haha! You might as well call it the championship winner!
Troy writhes in pain as Mace pushes his forearm onto Troy's face, turning it onto its side as he hooks a leg!
1...
...
2...
...
NO!
Mace gets up, visibly frustrated but trying to play it cool. He allows Troy to get to a knee and hits him with a second bell clap, Troy is clobbered by the two big hands and falls onto all fours. He hurriedly retreats to the corner, Mace backs up into the opposing corner and dashes across the ring! A big bear splash is narrowly avoid by the World's Champion, who dives out of the way! All of two hundred and ninety pounds hits the buckles and Troy grabs him...
GERMAN SUPLEX!
He can't bridge him, so he gets up and double stomps his chest! His boots and the sweat on Mace are a bad mix and he inadvertently sentons the challenger, too but accepts it and reaches back with his good arm to hook a leg!
1...
...
2...
MACE GRABS THE BAD ARM!
The champ roars out in pain but rolls backwards to mitigate the pain and kicks Mace right in the face! Mace rolls onto his back, clutching his face and Troy leaps up - double stomping the back of his head! Mace hits the mat and springs up to his knees, still clutching his face. Troy hits the ropes, springing off into a busaiku knee strike!
He covers!
1...
...
2...
...
NO!
BRIAN SHELZI
Now the champion is getting frustrated!
SAM HEWITT
Both champion and challenger have taken turns throwing bombs at one another, David Troy used Mace's own momentum against him to complete the German suplex and then followed that up with a nice sequence of strikes and stomps but it still wasn't enough to secure the three.
Troy uses his foot to bring Mace's chin up from the mat while he's on all fours and smacks him with a buzzsaw kick! Mace fires up and slaps Troy in response! Troy lays into him with a kick to the chest!
SLAP!
KICK!
SLAP!
KICK!
SLAP!
KICK!
SLAP!
KICK!
SLAP!
Troy topples over and Mace isn't far behind! Garner quickly checks both men over and gets a reasonable enough response to keep the match going, so he begins the ten count.
1...
2...
3...
4...
5...
Troy begins stirring and grabs the middle rope, pulling himself up to a knee.
6...
7...
Mace sits up.
8...
And the Wrestling Bear is back up, grabs Troy in a butterfly lock for the second time in this bout and tries to suplex him. Unfortunately for him, Troy blocks it! Mace gets angered by this and releases the hold, shoving Troy into the rop--
GAMENGIRI!
Troy is shoved into the ropes but comes right back with a gamengiri - a face kick, that is - that drops Mace to his knees. Troy follows it up with some kicks to the chest, then tries sending Mace's head into the crowd with a spinning back kick! Troy is unable to immediately follow up, but drags himself over and drapes an arm across Mace's chest!
1...
...
2...
...
FOOT ON THE ROPE!
Troy yanks it off and tries again!
1...
...
2-KICK OUT!
Mace piefaces Troy off of him and rolls out to the floor. Troy gathers his bearings and charges into the ropes, picking up speed to deliver a baseball slide... but Mace sidesteps it and smacks Troy with a forearm upside the head! The challenger grabs Troy and rolls him back inside, then heads for the top rope. Troy glances in various directions, trying to figure out where his challenger is... then spots him! Mace is struggling to get up top.
SAM HEWITT
You have visual evidence of fatigue and the effects of a long match - this is the longest singles match that Mace has fought in and it's affecting his ability to climb up top.
BRIAN SHELZI
Which is why you should NOT be climbing up this late in the match! Not a man his size!
SAM HEWITT
These two are in the midst of a war, Brian and the World's title is the prize. Are you telling me you'd be any dif--OH MY GOD!
"Dynamite" David Troy gives a brief glimpse into his past as a more agile man as he leaps onto the second rope, then climbs up top and delivers a FRANKENSTEINER to Jack Mace! Once more, both men are down! Troy grabs the ropes in the corner and through many deep breaths, forces himself to his feet. Mace is slowly getting back to a vertical base himself, but has his back turned to the champ. Troy sees his chance and charges...
ROUGH DI-NO!
His shining axe kick fails, just as it did in the Strongest Tag League! Mace grabs him in the rear waist lock, but unlike before - Troy hooks his leg on Mace's and then Victory rolls Mace!
1...
...
2...
...
3-NO!
Troy leaps up immediately and stomps him! He heads back to the corner and seems poised to try again. He rests with his hands on his thighs, sizing up Mace as the big man gets back to his feet with his back to the champ. He charges...
...
Mace turns and Troy gets turned inside out by a bear swipe lariat!
He covers!
1...
...
2...
...
3!
Mace gets up to his knees as the bell rings. Garner quickly checks on Troy and motions for medics and the dojo boys, who crowd into the ring and put ice packs on both men. Mace looks down at his stablemate before a shot of Eddie Dante and Mushigihara is shown. The duo leave the locker room and look to be heading to the ring.
SAM HEWITT
What a bout! We've seen rivals, bitter enemies and men with no animosity between them whatsoever compete here in Lion's Road, but seldom do we see two teammates, two stablemates compete against one another and certainly not to the degree that these two fighters did. Jack Mace and David Troy put everything they had out there, all in the name of the World's Heavyweight Championship.
Troy is now sitting up and watches as Jack Mace is presented the World's title by Teddy Davis. Davis shakes his head and congratulates him on the win, Troy calls out to Mace despite the medics requests and asks for a hand up. Mace looks at him for a few long moments and extends his hand, the two share a hug. Troy grabs the belt and straps it around Mace's waist and has to switch sides to raise his arm on account of his bad shoulder. Dante and Mushigihara get into the ring and check on both men. Dante puts the ice pack on Troy's shoulder as the former champion falls to a knee, patting him on the shoulder. Mushi and Mace are all fired up in the victory, slapping each other's chests before bumping into each other. Troy can't help but smile through the pain and disappointment.
SAM HEWITT
Fans, thank you for joining us! Jack Mace is the fourteenth World's Champion in Lion's Road history and the second English-born champion after Ben Chrenshaw. We're back here next week with two, yes... TWO title bouts. For Brian Shelzi, I'm Sam Hewitt! See you next week!
