Paradigm #19

STRONG STYLE /strôNG/ /stīl/ 1. ‘... A style of wrestling evolved from Japanese Puroresu (プロレス) and traditional British Catch wrestling that incorporates full contact martial arts kicks and strikes with a strong emphasis placed on submission wrestling ...’

Elite Champion: Chris Jericho Hometown: Winnepeg, Mannitoba Canada Ireland Finisher: Judas Effect Codebreaker Walls of Jericho Reign: 11/25/20

Monarch Women's Champion: Deonna Purazzo Hometown: Hackettstown, New Jersey Finisher: Venus De Milo Cosa Nostra (Cradle Piledriver) Reign: 12/19/20

Tag Team Champions: Tomasso Ciampa & Johnny Gargano Hometown: Milwaukee, Wisconsin Cleveland, Ohio Finisher: Willow's Bell, Fairytale Ending Gargano Escape, One Final Beat Reign: 01/25/21

LOCATION: London, England (United Kingdom) ARENA: Royal Albert Hall BROADCAST TEAM: Mauro Renallo & Wade Barrett INTERVIEWS: Gabby Loren & Dasha Fuentes

We go back to ringside with Mauro Renallo and Pat McAfee.  They talk about the opening remarks by Bischoff and the announcement of the winner of the main event being awarded the MLW title, plus the upcoming TEMPLE OF DOOM show …. Mauro further hypes tonight’s big main event with Keith Lee challenging Chris Jericho for the ELITE title …. We go up to the ring ….


Singles Match:
RIDGE HOLLAND
- vs -
RIDDICK MOSS

This is a total squash as Holland muscles Reeves around the ring.  After hitting several suplexes and a northern lariat, Holland puts Reeves away with the Northern Grit ….

Winner: Ridge Holland
Time: 3:11

POST MATCH:  Holland gets his hand raised, but BOBBY LASHLEY’S MUSIC HITS!  Lashley comes out, and this is the first time we have seen him in over 2 months since being injured in his match with Keith Lee …. Lashley enters the ring and gets face to face with Ridge Holland …. Both guys are nose to nose as we go to break ….




IN THE BACK: We come back from break as Bobby Lashley walks …. MVP approaches him and is surprised to see him, and asks why he didn’t call him and let him know he was coming …. MVP thought Lashley wasn’t cleared to come back for a couple more weeks …. MVP is walking next to Lashley, who just keeps looking forward and ignoring MVP . . . . Lashley gets into his car and leaves, leaving MVP standing there looking surprised ….


Back in the arena, the night of returns continues as we get an appearance by Angel Garza …. Garza is accompanied by Alberto Del Rio, except this time Del Rio is the sidekick …. He is clean shaven now, and all cleaned up and wearing a suit …. Del Rio is now the ‘Ricardo Rodriguez’ of the pairing …. Del Rio introduces Garza and says that he is eternally grateful to Garza for restoring his family name …. Garza says that the Del Rio and Garza names carry a lot of weight in Mexico, but you don’t sit someone who is Mexican royalty on the sidelines …. Graza says they are going to take what is theirs’ , and calls them ‘La Faccion Ingobernable’ ….

As they go to leave, the lights drop a little bit and once again Cara Noir appears . . . . A spotlight shines into the rafters, reflecting off Noir’s phantom of the opera mirror mask and he spreads his wings to the crowd . . . .



IN THE BACK: Johnny Gargano and Candice LeRae are in catering …. Johnny asks what can Ciampa put him through that he hasn’t been through already?  He regrets his actions last week .... People are looking at Johnny differently because of his actions last week …. Johnny can feel the weight of their stares and he turns around and screams ‘WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT?’  Johnny appears near a breaking point here because of all the unfolding drama with Ciampa ….

Johnny goes back to his food when someone comes up and sits their plate down in front of him and sits down.  It’s Matt Riddle …. Riddle has an issue with what Gargano did to Pete Dunne last week …. Johnny says he’s tired of everyone putting him under a microscope so if Riddle wants to do something about it tonight they can meet in the ring …. Riddle is all serious here, none of the ‘Bro’ stuff.  Riddle says he will fight him tonight ….



Singles Match:
JORDYNNE GRACE
- vs -
SERENA DEEB

Very good match here, with Grace winning after the ‘Fall from Grace’ (pumphandle half-nelson driver)




IN THE LOCKER ROOM:

Johnny Gargano is getting ready for his match …. Candice is there, but she leaves the dressing room and a couple of moments later the door opens again and Johnny thinks its Candice but it is actually Tomasso Ciampa …. Johnny gets up in Ciampa’s face, but Ciampa backs off . . . .

CIAMPA – “Relax, Johnny …. Easy …. I’m just here to talk.  Just you and me …. I just wanted to tell you something and I wanted to tell it to you face to face without anyone listening.  Because I know the real you Johnny.  I know you better than anyone.  And for a split second last week I saw that Johnny Gargano that I know, the one that you’ve hidden deep down.  The one that you hid when you put on that wedding ring.  That killer that will do whatever it takes to win.  The side of you that you hid away when you married her.  She’s your wife, I get it.  She has your best interests at heart, but so do I Johnny.  I know you, but YOU KNOW ME TOO.  And you know that it wasn’t me that corrupted you, it was the other way around.  You are listening to the wrong people.  So what I am going to do is I am going to bring out the real you for the world to see.  And the only way you are going to be able to stop me is to become that guy again.  Become more than what you are right now.”

Ciampa backs off and turns to leave, stopping briefly at the door to look back over his shoulder . . . .

CIAMPA – “Don’t worry Johnny, I’ll make a killer out of you yet . . . “  



Tag Team Match:
THE NORTH (Ethan Page & Josh Alexander)
- vs -
LUCHA HOUSE PARTY (Gran Metallik & Lince Dorado)

During the match, the crowd is buzzing as the Street Profits come out in the crowd and interact with the fans …. Montez Ford has his red solo cup and is dancing with the people, while Dawkins is high-fiving people …. There is a ‘STREET PROFITS’ chant that breaks out …. Meanwhile, in the ring this seems to drive The North to be more aggressive, and they get back on the winning track here as they get an entertaining win following the Northern Assault (torture rack tossed into sky high spinebuster) ….

Winners: The North  
Time: 6:41

POST MATCH:  The North turn their attention to the Street Profits in the crowd, and it seems like the Profits are just generally having a good time with the fans …. Ford raises his red solo cup in a toast to The North in the ring ….



We get a black and white video on the screen with a group of people walking down train tracks all wearing jackets with 3 slashes on the back of them …. The vignette continues as the mob grows bigger, and then the camera pulls back to reveal that the herd of people is headed toward a warehouse . . .




We see the man in the hoodie from previous vignettes enter the warehouse, and everyone clears a path to let him through, leading to an old wrestling ring . . . the person enters the ring and finally turns back the hood to reveal . . .  ETHAN CARTER III????  This is a darker, edgier ECW though, with a shaved head and a goatee.  The people are surrounding the ring and pounding on the mat . . .


EC3 – “Ethan . . . Carter . . . III . . . Ethan . . . Cash . . . III.  Those were the names that THEY gave me.  That is no longer who I am.  I’ve been punished by everyone, including the so-called ‘top 1%’ of this industry because of those names.  Cancelled by blue checkmarks in the Twitter mob.  But now I will wash away every attachment to the past in order to liberate the future.  To become the person I was always supposed to be.  E . . . C . . . 3.  I sacrificed it all for “them” and all I wanted in return was respect, pride . . . love.  But all I got was pain, regret, and hate .... Now my mind is free.  I warned you.  For weeks I warned you.  But now I broke the narrative, and I control it.”

EC3 debuts . . . NEXT WEEK . . .



Singles Match:
MATT RIDDLE
- vs -
JOHNNY GARGANO

Good, hard-hitting match here with good aggression from Riddle …. But Johnny matches him, channeling his frustrations over recent events revolving around Tomasso Ciampa …. This is a good battle with both guys exchanging blows from the start and no long stretches of dominance by either guy …. Tomasso Ciampa comes out of the back and tries to slide a chair to Johnny when there is a ref bump.  Johnny refuses to hit Riddle with the chair and throws it down instead!  This allows Riddle to hit a Final Flash knee strike out of nowhere!  Riddle to the top but the floating bro misses!  Johnny to the apron and goes for the One Final Beat, but Riddle catches him on his shoulders and hits the Bro 2 Sleep for the 3 count! ….

Winner: Matt Riddle
Time: 8:49

POST MATCH: Ciampa is in the ring and he looks disappointed at Johnny …. Ciampa helps Johnny up, but Johnny turns on Ciampa and tackles him to the mat!  Ground and pound by Johnny, and Ciampa is trying to get away from him!  Candice runs out of the back and actually has to pull Johnny off of Ciampa and get him to calm down!  Johnny seems like he is totally losing it here ….



IN THE BACK:

Valifornia are in their private dressing room, and Deonna Purazzo is being a diva …. Purazzo cuts a promo about how dominant Valifornia is, and says they have taken out Bianca BelAir and Hyan last week …. Who else is there?  No one can stop their meteoric rise, least of all the so-called ‘champions’ Su Yung and Rosemary …. She calls them ‘gross’ and says they aren’t the type of women that the UWF should want representing them as champions.  Valifornia represent the class of women’s wrestling in the UWF.  No one can touch them.  Deonna says last week Su Yung and Rosemary wanted to try to play mindgames with them, but she isn’t worried.  She is the Virtuosa and she always has a plan.  Last week, that plan was her personal policy, Raquel Gonzalez ….

Purazzo pauses as the lights flicker again, but then she laughs and says that it’s more mindgames . . . . Mindgames don’t help you between the ropes because Valifornia is too good . . . . They are elegant, they have class, and they are professionals.  And that rises above all the smoke & mirrors that Su Yung & Rosemary could have …. The lights flicker again, AND WE HEAR A SCREAM IN THE DARK!  When the lights flicker back on, DEONNA PURAZZO and CHELSEA GREEN ARE COVERED IN A RED LIQUID!!!!  Purazzo starts screaming in horror as we cut the camera ….


Back in the arena, we get another video package hyping the signing of Gina Carano . . . .




Following the video, Becky Lynch's music hits and she makes her way out to the ring ….


BECKY - "Wow, that was a great video package.  Top notch production value there fellas.  Seriously, good stuff.  But I didn't think this was about highlights, I thought this was about fightin'.  Why is it so hard to find someone to fight me?  Deonna Purazzo sure wont do it.  I thought after that grand entrance that Gina Carano made last week, it might be her.  I thought Gina was supposed to be about the fight too.  But all she did was come out here and have a staring contest.  I was ready to go last week, but Gina blinked first.  Now this week comes and Gina is nowhere to be found.  Now, Gina Carano the woman might be a pioneer.  She put womens MMA on the map and paved the way for all the female fighters you see today, Ronda Rousey included.  But that was a long time ago.  As far as Gina Carano 'the fighter' is concerned, there is a lot left to be desired.  You went to Hollywood and you forgot what it means to be a fighter.  So let me show you.  Gina, you step in the ring with me, and I'll drop ya faster than Star Wars did after your social media posts.  The ball is in your court now ...."




Split screen as Jericho and Keith Lee walk backstage …. Christy Hemme asks Jericho for his thoughts before the match, and Jericho just blows her off ….

Now Lee walks backstage and he comes face to face with Shane Taylor …. Taylor gives him a fist-bump and wishes Lee luck …. Lee keeps walking and Dasha gets some comments as he is about to go through the curtain …. he says he dedicates this match to his grandmother that died when he was 12 because she helped him become a wrestler . . . .


Paradigm ELITE title Match:
(Champion) CHRIS JERICHO
- vs -
‘Limitless’ KEITH LEE

The referee holds up both title belts and this match has a big fight feel to it …. Lee shows off his power early as Jericho tries a shoulder block but just bounces off of Lee …. Lee knocks Jericho to the floor, but he goes for the big left forearm but Jericho dodges and Lee strikes the post instead …. Jericho concentrates his work on the arm of Lee now …. Lee keeps fighting Jericho off, so Jericho tries to cheat right in front of the ref trying to get himself DQ’d on purpose …. Jericho screams at the ref daring him to ring the bell …. Jericho locks on a cross-armbreaker but Lee deadlifts him into the air and hits a Buckle Bomb to break the hold …. Lee is selling the arm, but he tries to POUNCE Jericho using the good shoulder but Jericho is out of the way and Lee crashes into the buckles!  Codebreaker by Jericho!  1 … 2 … Lee does the power kickout where he sends Jericho flying and he rolls to the apron.  Lee with a big forearm shot to Jericho on the apron, then he goes to the middle rope and deadlifts Jericho off the apron and into a super-plex back into the ring!!!!  Lee is trying to get feeling back in his injured arm, and he hits a one-armed spinebuster on Jericho for a 2 count!  Jericho bails out and is going to take the countout like he did in their previous match, but Lee chases him down.  It’s a trap!  Jericho with the low blow to Lee …. JUDAS EFFECT!  1 … 2 … Lee escapes by getting his foot on the ropes!  Jericho is pissed and gets in the refs face, blaming him for a slow count and wasting time …. Jericho goes for a lionsault, but as he springboards off the ropes Lee is up and catches him in mid-air …. SPIRIT BOMB!  1 … 2 … Jericho kicks out!!!!  Lee is stunned and so is the crowd!  He pulls Jericho’s lifeless body to his feet and scoops him up on his shoulders!  GROUND ZERO!!!!  1 … 2 … 3!!!!  New champion!!!!



Lee is visibly emotional as he is handed both title belts …. He stands to his feet and turns to see Shane Taylor has entered the ring …. Taylor steps to Lee, then embraces him in a hug as confetti rains down …. Lee holds up both titles and celebrates as the show ends ….