Paradigm #20

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: ‘Limitless’ Keith Lee Hometown: Wichita Falls, Texas Finisher: Ground Zero Spirit Bomb Reign: 03/21/21

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: Christy Hemme & Dasha Fuentes

Brand new ‘MLW’ champion Keith Lee opens up the show, coming out with both the ELITE title and MLW title belt …. Lee cuts a promo and says it’s been a long road, but he is just getting started …. he says he is the guy that is going to lead this company into the MLW era, and the future is going to be ‘Limitless’ ….

Lee is interrupted as Shane Taylor comes out without MVP …. The announcers talk about how Taylor has become more and more visible in recent weeks and says that his star is on the rise.  Taylor hugs Lee again, and says watching Lee last week was emotional …. The end of the show was raw, it was unfiltered and it was just about two friends lifting each other up in the ring …. Taylor wanted to make sure he was the first one to congratulate Lee on winning the title ….

Last week was about emotion, but this week is about business …. Taylor wanted to be the first to congratulate Lee for breaking through for ‘people who look like them’, but he also wants to be the first man to challenge Lee for the title …. Lee looks obviously surprised by this …. Taylor says Lee got his big break because someone believed in him, and now Taylor is asking Lee to give him that same break …. This tense moment is broken up by the arrival of former champion Chris Jericho!  Jericho cannot hide his disgust ….

JERICHO – “Quiet . . . quiet . . .  QUIET!!!!  I don’t know what is more insulting, looking at you standing there with MY championship, or all the pomp and circumstance that this company rolled out for you last week.  I mean, confetti?  Really?  Where was my confetti when I won the championship scramble match to become the FIRST champion???  Where was my parade when I put this company on my back and used my star power to carry it to where it is today.  Face it, without Chris Jericho both of you would be right back to wrestling in front of 200 people in a bingo hall!  Whoever paid for that celebration wasted their money because it is all going to be for nothing.  Because I want my title back, and I want it NOW!  I am officially invoking my rematch clause for the ELITE title and I want it next week!  So that means there will be no match tonight, because Chris Jericho is at the front of the line.  Not Shane Taylor!  And you want to know why?  Because I’m Chris Jericho and you’re not!  No one gets to beat you but ME!  Do you understand … what I am saying to you … RIGHT NOW????”

Taylor looks at Lee and says his challenge still stands, but then looks at Jericho and says someone that ‘looks like him’ is always trying to hold down people that ‘look like Taylor and Lee’.  Jericho says Taylor can save the identity politics because this is about who DESERVES it and neither Lee nor Taylor deserve to be in the same ring as ‘Le Champion’.  Taylor instead challenges Jericho to meet him in the main event tonight, saying he is the new impact player in PARADIGM and his star is on the rise.  Jericho blows him off and says that he will destroy Taylor tonight and wants Lee to watch.


We go back to ringside with Mauro Renallo and Pat McAfee and they talk about what happened in the opening segment.  We are waiting on confirmation, but it looks like Shane Taylor vs. Chris Jericho is on for our main event tonight …. They hype the rest of the show and talk about being 2 weeks from Wrestlemania.  Mauro announces that Pete Dunne has been medically cleared after suffering a concussion at the hands of Johnny Gargano a couple of weeks ago, and he will be in the Fatal 4 Way ladder match to crown a new UWF Junior champion . . . . We will hear from Dunne tonight ….  


Singles Match:
‘The Black Swan’ CARA NOIR
- vs -
ZACK SABRE JR.

These two work the british strong style of wrestling and the action is nice and snug …. Noir is making his return after being out with an injury, and ZSJ is a main-stay on the British independent scene …. After a nice long contest, Noir traps ZSJ in the Black Swan sleeper and Sabre cannot reach the ropes …. He is forced to tap out ….

Winner: Cara Noir
Time: 11:49

POST MATCH: Will Ospreay’s music hits and he comes out to the ring.  He and Noir have an intense staredown, which ends with Noir flashing Ospreay a little smile before Ospreay nods …. The lights drop and the spotlight shines on Noir ….


IN THE BACK:

Bobby Lashley arrives to the arena alone.  Christy Hemme is waiting on him to get a comment, and Lashley gives zero fucks …. He says he stepped foot back in the building and immediately went straight for the biggest and baddest dude he could find.  He wants Holland in a match at the upcoming ‘TEMPLE OF DOOM’ show ….  Lashley continues walking and MVP catches up with him …. MVP says that he already went to Bischoff and got the match with Holland set up, and he will be in Lashley’s corner …. Lashley says ‘Thanks but No Thanks, he’s got this’ …. He walks off and leaves MVP hanging ….


La Faccion Ingobernable come out to the ring in suits looking all sophisticated.  Del Rio introduces Garza and once again puts him over as the man that helped restore his name in Mexico …. Garza says that they are Mexican royalty and they deserve to be treated better.  They were promised fame and fortune and a prominent position in this company, but Bischoff has kept him on the sidelines.  So Garza wants to speak to the man in charge, the boss.  He says TEMPLE OF DOOM is coming up, and they want to be the centerpiece.

The lights go out ….


We get the graphic of the 3 slashes logo shown in vignette’s over the last few weeks, followed by the debut of the new, edgier EC3 …. EC3 says that the road that brought him here is one he has to go back down in order to destroy who he was piece by piece …. History is written by the winners, but what if the winners are pathological liars who promise everything and deliver nothing?  It’s not about brass rings or being buried, or not being ‘used right’.  It’s about how everything he had to do, everything he had to be, to get here that makes him sick.  He sees failure in the mirror because every step came at the expense of his soul.  His past is his biggest foe, and he’s here for the destruction of his past.  Only when you have lost everything are you free to do anything.  He’s here to break the narrative and take back his power.  “You have been warned.”

Del Rio and Garza jump EC3 and put the boots to him.  EC3 is down while Garza removes his jacket and instructs Del Rio to keep up the attack.  EC3 fights back, unleashes right hands on both guys and Garza bails out …. EC3 clotheslines Del Rio over the top to the floor, clearing the ring and standing tall ….


IN THE BACK:

Dasha is given access to Eric Bischoff’s personal skybox, where GINA CARANO is his special guest for the night.  Gina gets the royal treatment and they gush over her accomplishments both in pioneering women’s MMA and in Hollywood.  Gina officially signs her MLW contract ….

Gina cuts a promo and says that all the bright lights and window dressing of Hollywood was never who she was.  Before all of that, all she knew was fighting.  She went to Thailand and fought against the best Muay Thai fighters in the world …. She was the first mainstream star in women’s MMA.  When the cancel culture mob came for her, she stood up and she fought back.  She refused to be cancelled.  This isn’t a movie .... this isn’t a stunt .... this is a fight.  And that is what she is here for.”

There is a commotion and we see that Becky Lynch is trying to get past security and into the skybox.  She pushes her way past security, and Bischoff says Becky weighs like 110 lbs and they couldn’t stop her from coming in here?  Gina tells them to let her through.  Becky says that every week since she has been here she has called out someone for a fight and she thought Gina was gonna be the one to answer but then she wants to act like she is on some press tour.  No one else gets all the fanfare and red carpet treatment when they sign a contract.  This isn’t Hollywood and Gina has forgotten what it means to be a fighter.  Gina gets pissed and all the smiles are gone …. She tells Becky to name a place and time.  Becky wants to fight right now, but Bischoff nips that in the bud and says that if they both want to fight them he wants time to promote it …. The match will take place, but it will take place at TEMPLE OF DOOM!!!!


Singles Match:
JINNY
- vs -
CANDICE LERAE

Good back and forth match …. Candice hasn’t been seen in the ring much, but her addition makes the already-deep womens division even deeper …. Candice wins with ‘Ms. LeRae’s Wild Ride’ (2nd rope swinging neckbreaker) ….

Winner: Candice LeRae
Time: 4:49

POST MATCH: Valifornia (Deonna Purazzo, Chelsea Green, Raquel Gonzalez & Reika Saiki) come out to the ring …. Purazzo dismisses Candice and tells her that the champ and Valifornia are here now and she can leave their ring …. Purazzo is pissed about what happened last week and she wants to address ROSEMARY & SU YUNG.  They keep wanting to play the mind games with them, but when you are the Virtuosa you are always one step ahead and the mind games don’t work …. Deonna stops in mid-sentence when she notices that Candice is still standing there …. She asks why is she still here?  Candice isn’t going to back down from Valifornia and she stands up to Purazzo but Gonzalez steps up behind her …. Candice asks Purazzo what she is afraid of, and Deonna says she isn’t afraid Candice just isn’t worth her time …. she’s just a housewife cosplaying as a wrestler.  Candice slaps Purazzo!!!!  Gonzalez immediately takes out Candice as Purazzo is standing there holding her face and Chelsea checks on her.  Purazzo orders Gonzalez to destroy Candice, but Jordynne Grace’s music hits!  Grace gets in the ring, and her and Gonzalez immediately get face to face.  Gonzalez backs off and Valifornia leave the ring ….  



We get a video package hyping the NATIONAL OPENWEIGHT TITLE, which will be introduced as the new secondary title in the MLW rebrand.  He reveals the first 4 men that will be competing for the title in block tournament format:

Matt Riddle
Shinsuke Nakamura
Angel Garza
Will Ospreay


Up next, we get a tag team summit in the ring as Mustache Mountain, The North, The Street Profits and Authors of Pain all come out and cut separate promos about how they want to be the next team in line for a tag title shot …. The North make fun of the Gargano/ Ciampa ‘odd couple’ tag team and say that the tag titles should have been theirs from the beginning …. The North and the Street Profits are talking trash to each other All four teams face off, but the tension is broken up by the arrival of ERIC BISCHOFF.  He says PARADIGM has the deepest tag division in the UWF, and he likes to see competition, so how about a Fatal 4 Way Tag Team match right now?!?!  And to sweeten the pot he will give the winner of the match a shot at the tag titles at TEMPLE OF DOOM!  



Triple Threat Tag Team Match:
AUTHORS OF PAIN (Akam & Rezar)
- vs -
STREET PROFITS (Angelo Dawkins & Montez Ford)
- vs -
THE NORTH (Ethan Page & Josh Alexander)
- vs -
MUSTACHE MOUNTAIN (Trent Seven & Tyler Bate)

When War Machine and AOP are in the ring it is a big time hoss battle like 2 bulls colliding …. The Street Profits bring the high-flying aspect …. Each team gets their time to shine and Bate gets to do some of his BIG STRONG BOI moves on the bigger AOP …. The action breaks down late, and the Street Profits and North brawl outside the wing …. Mustache Mountain try to set Akam up for the Mustache Ride but Trent Seven’s knee gives out …. AOP hit the Super Collider on Bate & Seven, followed by the Last Chapter on Seven for the pinfall …. AOP will get the title shot at TEMPLE OF DOOM ….

Winners: Authors of Pain
Time: 13:49


IN THE BACK:

Pete Dunne interview.  He talks about being in the Fatal 4-way Ladder match at Wrestlemania and plans on becoming the next Junior Heavyweight champion.  He has a unique skillset and that makes him to most technical Junior Heavyweight in the UWF …. He says a ladder match isn’t the way you showcase something like that, but he is going to adapt to his surroundings and win the belt anyway . . . .

Dunne is interrupted by Johnny Gargano …. Gargano wants to apologize to Dunne for the brainbuster on the floor and giving him a concussion.  That’s not the person he is and he fears that he is becoming more like Ciampa …. Dunne walks off and Johnny whispers to himself that he knows what he has to do but isn’t sure he has the strength to do it ….


After a commercial break, we continue this segment as Johnny Gargano comes out to the ring …. He cuts a promo and says he thinks he is becoming more like Ciampa …. He has to purge these thoughts from his mind, and the only way to do that is facing Ciampa one on one …. He challenges Ciampa to a match …. Ciampa comes out to the ring smiling and insists that he is helping bring out the real Johnny Gargano …. He asks Johnny why he keeps fighting it …. Ciampa says the only way to destroy him is to become him.  Otherwise Johnny isn’t strong enough …. SUPERKICK TO CIAMPA!  Ciampa is knocked for a loop, and he tries to shake off the cobwebs for a few minutes as Johnny stands over him.  Ciampa rolls to the floor and grabs a chair!  He slides back in the ring but instead of using the chair he hands it to Johnny!  Ciampa puts his arms behind his back and invites Johnny to hit him!  Johnny raises the chair to strike, but instead throws the chair down on the mat.  Ciampa looks disappointed and sneers at Johnny, then walks out …. Johnny is standing there staring Ciampa down when suddenly The Authors of Pain come from the opposite side of the arena and attack Gargano!!!!  Ciampa just watches Johnny get beat up, but then out of the back comes Candice LeRae!  Candice gets in Ciampa’s face and is yelling at him!  Ciampa hangs his head and then Candice instead hits the ring and tries to get in between the AOP and her husband …. AOP look like they are going to go after Candice, when siddenly they are attacked from behind by Ciampa!!!!  Ciampa has the chair and he clears the ring, making the save for Johnny and Candice!  Johnny and Candice eye Ciampa cautiously as he drops the chair and walks off ….


PROMO

We get a teaser promo for the TEMPLE OF DOOM show …. It has a shot of Donald Trump on a balcony overlooking the newly-renovated Temple …. The PARADIGM flags hanging inside the temple are torn down and MLW banners now fly …. This will be the first card under the MLW rebranding ….

CARD:

Becky Lynch vs. Gina Carano
TAG TEAM TITLES: Johnny Gargano & Tomasso Ciampa vs. The Authors of Pain



Singles Match:
CHRIS JERICHO
- vs -
SHANE TAYLOR w/ MVP

Keith Lee is at ringside, and that chaps Jericho’s ass because he keeps going over there and jawing with him …. Taylor dominates with his power early on, but Jericho scores with a triangle dropkick knocking Taylor off the apron and to the floor …. A slingshot plancha follows but Taylor catches Jericho and slams him back-first into the ring post …. Taylor takes over but Jericho pulls off the turnbuckle pad and Taylor crashes into it when Jericho dodges an avalanche …. Jericho with the Lionsault but only gets a 2 count …. Jericho jaws with Lee at ringside, then snatches the MLW title belt off the announce table and tries to use it on Taylor!  Lee stops him, and then lays Jericho out with the POUNCE!  The ref sees this and throws the match out ….

Winner (by disqualification): Chris Jericho
Time: 8:39


Lee stares down Jericho, while behind him Taylor notices the MLW title laying on the mat and picks it up …. Taylor takes a long look at it, and Lee turns around to see him holding the title …. Then we get a tense staredown between Lee and Taylor before Taylor hands the title back to Lee …. Lee reaches out and takes it, but Taylor doesn’t let go of the belt!  Taylor pulls him in close and says something to him, then leaves …. Taylor doesn’t look happy that Lee got involved, and as Taylor backs away he’s got MVP right beside him in his ear telling him that Lee is only out for himself ….


NEXT WEEK: Keith Lee defends the ELITE title against Chris Jericho