DUSK vs. NOVA
The lights cut out in the arena, and a stormy sky appears on the video screen.
Vince Howard: Coming to the ring first, he is a PRIME Hall of Famer…
As thunder booms over the speakers and lightning lights up the darkened clouds on-screen, George Clinton’s voice can be heard speaking in soft, reverberating tones.
“Mother Earth is pregnant for the third time…for y’all have knocked her up. I have tasted the maggots in the mind of the universe; but I was not offended, for I knew I had to rise above it all…or drown in my own shit.”
Vince Howard: He is The Risen Star…
The stormy sky fades, replaced by a field of stars. One of the stars shoots across the screen, and as the field of stars comes together to form the word “NOVA,” Funkadelic’s “Maggot Brain” lilts over the PA system.
Vince Howard: The Starchild… NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVAAAAAAAAAA!
At this moment, a spotlight hits the entrance ramp where Nova is knelt, one fist raised in the air. The smoke wafting up from the cigarette hanging out of his mouth swirls iridescently under the hot glare of the spotlight.
Richard Parker: That’s the real Universal Champion right there.
Nick Stuart: I believe Cancer Jiles would have something different to say about that.
After a moment, the Risen Star climbs to his feet and makes his way down to the ring, rolling under the bottom rope before standing and flicking his cigarette away.
Richard Parker: Screw that blonde jerk. IT’S NOVA!
The lights stay down this time.
Vince Howard: ANNNNNNND his opponent.
Scenes of Dusk’s career in PRIME begin flashing across the PRIMEView.
Vince Howard: Making his way to the ring from Los Angeles, California and weighing in tonight at two-hundred and twenty-five pounds…DUUUUUUUUUUUSK!!!!
The lights dim, there is a long pause. Just as the crowd grows restless, fireworks explode all around the MGM-Grand Arena and “Death Grip” by Watt White engulfs the arena in sound.
I’m awoken
And I’m fire
I’m unbroken
And rewired
From the backstage area emerges “The Lost Soul” Dusk, who looks ready for a fight. He stands at the top of the ramp and looks out at the fans, many of whom are on their feet and chanting his name.
DUSK! DUSK! DUSK! DUSK!
Nick Stuart: It’s hard to believe that Dusk and Nova have spent so long in the same promotion and have never faced each other in a PRIME ring.
Richard Parker: Absolutely Nick, and this arena is shaking for the first match between the two men and the last match in the MGM Grand.
The Lost Soul makes his way down the ramp, extending his arms and high-fiving the fans along the aisle.
Nick Stuart: What a fitting way to go out, two PRIME legends, the last match at the MGM, the last televised match of Dusk’s career. How do you beat that?
Richard Parker: I mean, I could think of a few ways. Hoyt could be here, Violence Jack, Julian Bathory and Messiah…
Nick Stuart: Shut up Richard.
Timo Bolamba finishes checking over both competitors and calls for the bell.
DING DING
Nick Stuart: And here we go.
The Hall of Famer and Dusk immediately begin circling each other, the crowd is on their feet and begin chanting.
DUSK! DUSK! DUSK!
NOVA! NOVA! NOVA!
Nick Stuart: The atmosphere here is incredible.
Dusk takes a moment holding out his hand to soak it all in. The two once again go back to circling, and collide in the center of the ring with a collar and elbow tie up. Dusk transitions to a hammerlock, Nova reverses, Dusk reverses back, Nova reverses back, Dusk fakes the same reversal but manages to stop Nova’s quick reversal attempt with a hip toss. Nova lands on his feet. Nova tries to hip toss Dusk, but Dusk also flips all the way through and lands on his feet, he grabs Nova’s arm and executes a perfect arm drag taking Nova down to the mat.
Nick Stuart: What an exchange!
Richard Parker: How old are these guys again? That was great.
Dusk wrenches in a headlock but Nova manages to get to his feet, he sends Dusk running into the ropes, Dusk comes back and Nova leapfrogs over. Dusk comes off the other ropes and Nova ducks his head, Dusk flips over Nova and brings him over for a sunset flip. Nova’s shoulders barely hit the mat before he rolls all the way through coming back to his feet.
Nick Stuart: Wow.
Richard Parker: What’s Nova doing?
NOVA! NOVA! NOVA!
Nick Stuart: Showing sportsmanship and respect, Richard. Foreign concepts to you, we know.
DUSK! DUSK! DUSK!
Nova stands in the center of the ring, arm outstretched in a show of respect. Dusk accepts it, smiling as he gets to his feet. The two men exchange a small hug before separating from each other once again.
Richard Parker: Why would you do that!?
The two men take a moment and start circling once again. They go back to the center of the ring with another collar and elbow tie up. Nova pushes on Dusk, managing to march him back near the corner. Dusk pushes back, and manages to march Nova back across the ring. Nova tries to spin, but Dusk drops to the mat and sends Nova down with a drop toe hold. Dusk rolls through right up to his feet.
DUSK! DUSK! DUSK!
It’s Dusk’s turn to stand in the center of the ring, this time with his hand outstretched and a smirk on his face. Nova grins and gets to his feet with the help of Dusk.
NOVA! NOVA! NOVA!
Nick Stuart: Ha! That’s great.
Richard Parker: Wake me up when we get to wrestling.
The two men nod at each other and stare across for the third time, and continue the same way as before. They come together, collar and elbow tie up, Dusk with a hammerlock, Nova steps back and counters into a side headlock. Dusk sends Nova into the ropes, Nova comes back looking for a flying forearm. Dusk ducks under and hits the ropes himself, Nova pops back to his feet just in time to Matrix bullet time dodge a big clothesline attempt. Dusk hits the ropes and Nova goes for a dropkick but Dusk grabs the ropes as Nova crashes to the mat.
Nick Stuart: These two can’t seem to catch one another in the ring.
Richard Parker: Of course not! They don’t even want to!
Dusk comes off the ropes, hopping over Nova who kips up right after Dusk steps over. Dusk comes off the ropes with a head of steam and Nova, on his way up swings a rising clothesline just as Dusk swings one of his own. The two men collide with each other’s arms and both go sprawling to the mat.
DUSK! DUSK! DUSK!
Nick Stuart: What a collision in the center of the ring.
NOVA! NOVA! NOVA!
Richard Parker: FINALLY!
Both men are down, and Timo stands in the ring awestruck for a moment. They crawl towards the same corner and start getting to their feet. As they get to their knees, Dusk smashes Nova’s head off of the middle turnbuckle. Once. Twice. Three times.
Nick Stuart: Dusk is done with the pleasantries!
Richard Parker: He wants a fight!
Nova looks up mildly shocked and dumbstruck. Dusk shoves Nova, who smiles and smashes him across the face with a forearm. Dusk fires back, Nova returns fire, Dusk lets another one rip as he makes his way to his feet. Nova follows and unloads with a haymaker, Dusk staggers and lets fly with a right hand.
DUSK! DUSK! DUSK!
Nova fires off another right, then a left, then a right.
NOVA! NOVA! NOVA!
Dusk blocks a left and fires back with a right, then another right, then another right, he drives Nova all the way back to the corner. His last right hand sending Nova sprawling into the corner. The elder statesmen of PRIME runs to the far corner, and comes sprinting in with a huge splash. He immediately runs back to the corner, colliding with the turnbuckles and sprints back out, hitting Nova with a helluva kick.
DUSK! DUSK! DUSK!
Richard Parker: Nova’s going to be seeing stars! He might not make it to Colossus!
Dusk grabs Nova from his seat on the middle turnbuckle around the waist and drags him from the corner. He smashes him to the canvas with an overhead northern lights suplex. Nova skitters across the ring and Dusk goes to the corner, fired up. He assumes the same position as he did with Larry Tact, yanking down on the top rope.
DUSK! DUSK! DUSK!
Nick Stuart: He might be telegraphing too much here!
Nick Stuart is never wrong, as Nova stumbles to his feet Dusk comes across the ring and fires off a superkick but Nova manages to slide underneath it. He pops back to his feet in one fluid motion and grabs Dusk around the waist. He lurches back and smashes Dusk to the canvas with a german suplex. Nova manages to maintain waist control and pulls Dusk back up, dead lifting him from the canvas and tossing him over his head for a second german suplex.
Richard Parker: Shades of Brandon Youngblood!
Nova keeps control and gets to his feet again, lifting Dusk up. Grandpa PRIME furiously kicks his legs this time and Nova has to put him down to reset. Dusk spins around and absolutely floors Nova with a discus forearm. Both men collapse to the canvas, but Dusk manages to drape his arm across Nova’s chest.
Nick Stuart: Desperation pinfall attempt for Dusk!
ONE!
TWO!
KICKOUT!
Richard Parker: You aren’t going to finish a Hall of Famer off like that!
Dusk flops over, breathing heavily and grabbing the back of his neck. He begins to make his way to his feet as Nova does the same. The two men make it back to standing at the same time and Dusk throws a wobbly forearm at Nova which connects. Nova stumbles backwards, bouncing off the ropes and smashing Dusk with a wobbly forearm of his own. Dusk comes off the ropes and Nova kicks him in the stomach and plants him to the canvas with a double arm DDT. Nova falls to his knees and lays himself across Dusk while Timo slides in.
ONE!
TWO!
KICKOUT!
Nick Stuart: And you aren’t going to take Dusk down like that either Richard!
Nova slowly gets to his feet, and drags Dusk with him. Nova once again grabs Dusk around the waist, but Dusk fires off an elbow to Nova’s midsection that causes Nova to pause. Nova tries to life Dusk into the air but Dusk fires off another desperation elbow that catches Nova in the midsection doubling him over. Dusk goes for a stomp, but Nova is quick to move out of the way and grabs Dusk around the midsection, planting him to the canvas with a corkscrew cradle suplex.
Richard Parker: IN-NOVA-TOR!
NOVA! NOVA! NOVA!
Nova hooks both legs of Dusk this time as Timo slides in for the count.
ONE!
TWO!
KICKOUT!
Nick Stuart: Dusk won’t quit!
DUSK! DUSK! DUSK!
Nova, frustrated, slaps his hands off the mat as he gets to his feet. He begins to drag Dusk up, who manages to smash Nova with a european uppercut staggering him backwards, Nova comes off the ropes again and Dusk plants Nova with a superkick!
Nick Stuart: SUPERKICK! SUPERKICK! DUSK CAUGHT HIM!
Richard Parker: I think I saw Nova’s tooth end up in the third row!
Dusk collapses on top of Nova again while Timo slides in.
ONE!
TWO!
….
……..
KICKOUT!
Nick Stuat: HE WAS SO CLOSE!
Dusk is frustrated now, and he pounds the canvas as he makes his way to his feet. He grabs Nova by the skullet and pulls him up, Dusk bounces off the ropes going for another superkick but Nova manages to duck under and gets Dusk up into the fireman’s carry position. Dusk kicks his legs wildly, and starts throwing elbows into Nova’s face. Nova falls with Dusk to his side, dumping him on his head with a regular Death Valley Driver.
Richard Parker: BOURBON FOR BREAKFAST!
Nick Stuart: HE DIDN’T GET ALL OF IT RICHARD! DUSK IS ALREADY MOVING!
Nova flips Dusk over, thinking he got him and hooks both legs. Timo slides in.
ONE!
TWO!
….
………
…………..
KICKOUT!
Dusk rolls around on the mat clutching at his head as Nova wobbles his way back to his feet. He shakes his head looking down at Dusk and grabs Dusk by the gray hair and lifts him up. He lifts Dusk up onto his shoulders, and this time in the fireman’s carry position Dusk can’t fight. The angle is correct. Everything is right. Dusk is driven emphatically into the canvas.
Nick Stuart: HE GOT ALL OF THAT ONE! BOURBON FOR BREAKFAST!
Richard Parker: I knew this guy Benny…he loved bourbon for breakfast…
Just to be sure, Nova sprawls across Dusk, planting both knees on his shoulders and pulling both legs up over Dusk’s head.
ONE!
TWO!
THREE!
DING DING DING!
NOVA! NOVA! NOVA!
Nova falls to the mat, checking on Dusk who is responsive, nodding his head. Dusk holding his head, the two men share a smile. Timo goes to raise Nova’s arm, but he points to Dusk, the two men help Dusk to his feet.
Vince Howard: The winner of this match… NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVVVVVVVAAAAAAAAAA!
Both men raise Dusk’s hand in the air, but then Nova points to the PRIME*View where it’s lit up with an image.
Dusk’s eyes turn as big as saucers as the PRIMEates cheer and clap loudly. Nova lets go of Dusk’s hand and starts clapping as well, then holds out his hand for a shake, which The Lost Soul accepts.
Another resounding cheer from the PRIME Faithful who begin cheering the new Hall of Famer’s name.
DUSK! DUSK! DUSK!
The two men stand in the ring and smile as ReVival fades elsewhere.