2 Impulse vs. 6 Julian Bathory
The Enigma TNG.
Shadow.
The MGM Grand Garden Arena is quick to drown the music with a wave of boos as The Prince of Tears strolls onto the ramp, focused as he makes his way to the ring.
Vince Howard: Our next match is scheduled for one fall! On his way to the ring, hailing from Szeged, Hungary, standing six feet, one inch tall and weighing in at two-hundred and twenty-six pounds…The New World Savior…JULIAN BAAAATHORRY!!
Nick Stuart: What has already proved to be a huge night continues here at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, and the momentum won’t stop any time soon, Richard!
Richard Parker: That’s right, Nick! Teddy Palmer and Anna Daniels will provide the night cap to ReVival 4, but Julian Bathory and Impulse have the stage as we continue the Third Round of The Almasy Invitational!
The Carpathian Devil steps into the ring, taking his place in the corner. He flashes a look ringside, as if to look for his mentor. Seeing he’s not there, he resets his focus to the ramp.
Nick Stuart: Julian Bathory has come in strong during his PRIME debut, picking up a big win at ReVival 3 against rookie sensation Hayes Hanlon. His tactics, however, are less than sportsmanlike.
Richard Parker: You don’t have to like it, Nick, and the guy gives me the creeps, but he gets results.
Nick Stuart: Maybe, but tonight will be very telling; as you may have noticed, there is NO Violence Jack at ringside.
In time, the Enigma TNG fades off, and is interrupted…
HEY HEEEYYYY!
The crowd pops hard as blue and purple strobe lights bathe the entrance. The cheers rise as Impulse steps out with a grin, followed by Calico Rose. She twirls her hand, leading into a low bow while The Marathon Man soaks it all in.
Vince Howard: And his opponent, accompanied by Calico Rose, from New York, New York! Standing five-feet, ten inches tall and weighing in at one-hundred and ninety-one pounds…he is The Marathon Man…IIIIIMMMPUUUULLLLSSE!!
With another pop from the PRIMEates, the two make their way to the ring, Impulse throwing out a few high fives, Cally hanging back to take a selfie with a few fans.
Nick Stuart: Similarly, Impulse has already left his mark here on the PRIME scene, besting Darin Zion in round one of the tournament and defeating Rezin just last week at ReVival 3. Julian Bathory, however, should prove to be his greatest challenge so far.
The Marathon Man hops onto the apron and opens the ropes for Cally, who steps through and does the same for him. Impulse hands off his leather jacket and pulls off his shirt while Cally holds her hands in the air for the crowd. He chucks his t-shirt into the stands before opening the ropes again for Cally. She exits while he keeps a smug grin locked on Bathory. His music fades, the lights come up, and Jimmy Turnbull checks on each opponent before calling for the bell.
DING DING
Nick Stuart: The Marathon Man vs. The New World Savior is underway!
The two start to circle, the quicker Impulse feigning a couple dives for the leg. Bathory ignores the bait, staying central in the ring as The Marathon Man strafes him. Seeing that The Carpathian Devil won’t be making many mistakes tonight, Impulse lunges in, locking up with the larger Bathory.
Nick Stuart: Bathory has the clear size advantage tonight against Impulse, flipping the script from last week’s bout against Hayes Hanlon.
Richard Parker: Small and quick, big and slow, I don’t think it matters much to Bathory.
Impulse digs his heels in, but Julian is able to push him to a knee, followed by headlock. ’Pulse fights the hold, but finds himself on his back after a snapmare. Bathory pivots on his knee to mount from the side, firing a few quick closed fists into his opponent’s head. Turnbull protests with a warning. The Prince of Tears pays little attention, but relents nonetheless.
Nick Stuart: Bathory is going to have to stay on top of Impulse tonight, if he gives him too much room to breathe he’ll be tough to slow down.
Julian stands, allowing Impulse to quickly climb to his feet, but not before a couple hard boots to the rib cage, giving Bathory enough of a window to scoop him up and send him over to the mat with a scoop slam, laying him flat once again. The Marathon Man holds his back in a seated position as The Carpathian Devil builds momentum, bouncing off the ropes and charging back, connecting with a nasty neck snap followed by the cover:
ONE!
TWO!
T…kickout!
Nick Stuart: A vicious series from The Prince of Tears!
Richard Parker: They used to call me the Prince of Beers.
Nick Stuart: No they didn’t.
Richard Parker: Yeah, no they didn’t.
While Impulse fights to pull himself off the mat, Bathory seizes the opportunity, tying in a leg lock on The Marathon Man. Impulse growls in pain, but is close to the ropes, reaching out and grabbing hold of the bottom. Jimmy “Turnbuckles” is quick to demand a release from Bathory, who holds on tight. After taking it to the full five count, The Prince of Tears releases.
Nick Stuart: As I said, more questionable tactics from Bathory!
Richard Parker: Impulse would do the same and you know it, Nick.
Impulse uses the ropes to pull himself to his feet as The Carpathian Devil steps away. He’s quick to return, however, taking hold of The Marathon Man and whipping him hard into the opposite ropes. Impulse rebounds, and Bathory looks to receive, but Impulse ducks the grab with a baseball slide under his opponent and under the ropes, popping up on the apron. He jumps onto the top rope as Bathory turns, springboards, and sends him to the mat with a flying headscissors takedown.
Nick Stuart: And a HUGE reversal from Impulse!
His stamina leading the charge, Impulse is immediately on Bathory, lighting him up with a barrage of forearms, working him into the corner. Another forearm to the face keeps The Prince of Tears in check for Impulse to take one step back and connect a standing dropkick to the chest. Bathory stumbles forward out of the corner, and Impulse wraps him up from behind, hooking a hand under Bathory’s leg and hoisting him into the edge, sending him to the mat with a crash.
Nick Stuart: Belly-to-Back suplex from The Marathon Man! He’s picking up steam!
Richard Parker: He’s the Little Engine that Could!
Impulse is back to his feet quickly, but Bathory is able to roll out of the ring before further damage is done. The MGM crowd boos heavily as The New World Savior holds his back. He looks left and right, again seemingly looking for Shanahan, but the search is short lived as Impulse comes running, sending Julian to the floor with a suicide dive.
Nick Stuart: And a dive to the outside!! Impulse won’t let Bathory off that easy!
Richard Parker: He thinks he can! He thinks he can! He thinks he can!
The Marathon Man is quickly on Bathory, pushing him back into the ring to re-level the playing field. A couple forearm shots to the back double The Prince of Tears over. Impulse wraps an arm around the neck, hooks a leg with his own, and sends them backward with a Russian Leg Sweep. Impulse goes for the cover:
ONE!
TWO…kickout!
Impulse, unphased, pops back up, taking hold of one of Bathory’s boots and twisting, turning him over and sitting on his lower back with a single leg Boston Crab. The Carpathian Devil hisses and squirms, army crawling himself forward by the forearms.
Nick Stuart: Impulse has taken control of this match!
Richard Parker: But Bathory’s about to get hold of those ropes!
Finally, Julian is able to grip the bottom ropes, and Jimmy Turnbull starts the count. Impulse, returning the favor from earlier, is more than happy to wait until Jimmy yells “five!”
Nick Stuart: A little karma going Bathory’s direction!
Richard Parker: I expected Impulse to be the bigger man. But I guess that isn’t possible for him…get it?
Nick Stuart: I get it.
Richard Parker: ‘Cause he’s short?
The Marathon Man releases the hold, walking center ring with a knowing smirk. He drops down, hands on his knees, waiting for The New World Savior to rise. Bathory snarls, rising to his feet. He walks to meet Impulse at center ring, who meets him with a quick forearm shot to the jaw. Bathory reels back, and returns the favor with a hard closed fist. Impulse trades another forearm, followed by another right hand from Bathory. Then another, and another, until Impulse finds himself in the corner.
Nick Stuart: Bathory using that size advantage to regain some momentum!
Bathory drags Impulse away from the buckle, bends him over with an arm over the neck, hooks a leg with the other, and whips him over head to the floor with a swinging fisherman’s neckbreaker.
Nick Stuart: Ode to Azathoth! Impulse should not have let up on The Prince of Tears!
Richard Parker: Who the hell is Azato…Azazaboth…Atatazit…
Nick Stuart: Ah-Zah-Thoth. A trademark of Violence Jack’s.
Richard Parker: …yeah, nevermind.
Bathory catches his breath for a moment after the signature move, spinning to a knee while Impulse stirs after the vicious maneuver. The Carpathian Devil pulls Impulse to his feet, delivering a blunt forearm to the back, followed by another, until The Marathon Man musters a burst of strength and gives Bathory a hard shove to create space. Bathory goes with the momentum, bouncing off the ropes and returning and looking for a jumping leg lariat, but Impulse counters quickly and sends him to the mat with a hip toss.
Nick Stuart: But Impulse still has plenty in the tank!!
Bathory, bewildered but keeping focus, is able to scramble to his feet quickly, but Impulse is there to meet him as he turns around, catching The New World Savior with a drop toe hold. With Bathory on his stomach, ‘Pulse scrambles and grabs a leg, looking for another submission, but Julian twists and reverses the hold, putting both opponents on their backsides with Bathory looking for a figure-four.
Nick Stuart: Impulse looked to lock in another single leg Boston Crab, but The Prince of Tears with a critical reversal!
Richard Parker: Their legs are like pretzels!
Impulse fights and squirms, rolling again, both opponents now on their stomachs, and is able to untie his legs from Bathory. He clambers to his feet, jumping into the ropes. Meanwhile, Bathory has turned once more to a seated position, just in time to catch a forearm to the face.
Nick Stuart: Flying forearm from Impulse! This match is slipping away from Julian Bathory!!
The crowd roars as Impulse rolls out of the attack, leaving Bathory flat on his back and out of it. The Marathon Man is quick to ascend to the top rope. The Garden Arena is on their feet as he balances and faces the downed Prince of Tears.
Nick Stuart: Impulse going up top!
Richard Parker: Don’t miss, lil’ guy!
After a quick breath, Impulse leaps into a gainer, lightbulbs flashing from the audience. He flips over, picture perfect and looking for the splash…
Nick Stuart: Looking for the Shooting Star Press!!
…and eats canvas as Bathory rolls out of the way.
Richard Parker: Lil’ guy missed!!!
Nick Stuart: Nobody home for Impulse! Julian Bathory with the narrow escape! Both men are down on the mat!!
Impulse clutches his stomach, coughing and struggling to his hands and knees. Bathory lies face down, breathing heavily. Cally slaps the edge of the ring, cheering Impulse on to catch his breath and get up.
Nick Stuart: This one’s coming down to the wire!
The Prince of Tears is first to find his feet with the assistance of the ropes. He leans against the turnbuckle, chest heaving as he looks outside the ring once more, shaking his head as he realizes his mentor is, once again, not there. Impulse, with an arm still around his stomach, has risen to a knee. Bathory growls, and stomps over to the struggling Impulse.
Richard Parker: Bathory is pissed! He wanted this thing finished a while ago!
The Prince of Tears throws arm arm over the neck of Impulse. Exhausted, he wraps him up in a small package and lifts.
Nick Stuart: Bathory going for the Eldritch Driver!!
Bathory hoists, looking for the slam, but Impulse is able to throw his legs over top, escaping the small package and performing a full flip, landing on his feet behind The Carpathian Devil.
Nick Stuart: IMPULSE ESCAPES!
Bathory quarter-turns quickly, but is stopped absolutely dead as The Marathon Man explodes with energy, clocking him in the jaw with lightning-fast superkick.
Nick Stuart: SUDDEN IMPACT!! SUDDEN IMPACT FROM IMPULSE!!
Richard Parker: How’d he squirrel his way out of that??
The New World Savior falls flat on his back, the crowd thundering at the reversal. Impulse, still grimacing from the missed aerial maneuver, drops to his knees and lays across Bathory’s chest, hooking the leg.
Nick Stuart: HERE’S THE COUNT!
Indeed, Jimmy Turnbull counts.
ONE!!
TWO!!
THREE!!
DING DING DING
HEY HEEEYYYY!
Nick Stuart: IMPULSE DOES IT! HE DEFEATS THE NEW WORLD SAVIOR!! WHAT A REVERSAL!
Vince Howard: Yooourrr winner! Moving on to the Final Four of the Almasy Invitational…IIIMMMPUUUUUUUULLLSSSEEE!!!
The Marathon Man quickly rolls out of the ring, where Cally is there to meet him. She puts an arm around his back for support while he continues to grab his abdomen, but with the other arm in the air in triumph. “Cannonball” by Sirsy continues to rock the roaring MGM crowd as they ascend the ramp, leaving Bathory to stir in the ring.
Nick Stuart: What a performance by both competitors! Julian Bathory has been stopped, and Impulse moves on to face Brandon Youngblood in the Final Four!!
Richard Parker: The little rascal does indeed, but I’m just gonna say; if Violence Jack were here, this would be a different story.
Nick Stuart: Maybe, but we’re better off with him outta here! Stick around, folks! “The Time Lord” Anna Daniels takes on Teddy Palmer in our main event!!
Richard Parker: Next! Here on the ACE Network!!