JONATHAN-CHRISTOPHER HALL vs. KERRY KUROYAMA
We cut to ringside.
Lights fade.
A tempest rumbles through the darkness.
The sounds of howling wind and pouring rain.
Verdant stormclouds fill the PRIMEview.
A flash of lighting.
A deafening crack of thunder.
And without warning, “Blouses Blue” by Konrad OldMoney and Sleep Steady suddenly THUMPS through the PA.
The stage lights up. Flashing strobes. Smokescreen. Green lasers.
A silhouette appears and marches forth from the haze, stopping at the head of the ramp.
The spotlight hits, revealing Kerry Kuroyama, clad in his emerald and silver robe. Eyes forward. Arms up. Knuckles touching, to form a peak over his head.
Rows of white and green fountain pyros erupt at his flanks.
The lyrics kick in.
Focused and fearless, Kuroyama strides down the ramp.
His gaze never leaves the ring.
Vince Howard: Ladies and gentlemen, the following contest is scheduled for one fall! Introducing first, hailing from Seattle, Washington, and weighing in at two-hundred and fifty-four pounds, please welcome… the Emerald Apex, KERRY KUROYAMA!!
Kuroyama arrives at ringside. He climbs the stairs, steps through the ropes, and occupies the center of the ring.
He faces away from the hard camera, waiting for his music to build to its climax.
When it does, he tears off his robe in a single, swift motion and tosses it aside, gifting the camera a good look at the green storm dragon tattooed across his sculpted back.
Then he twirls around to face the camera
His clenched fist proudly held up.
His defiant eyes are full of conviction.
The storm has arrived.
Nick Stuart: Kerry Kuroyama was pretty impressive in his victory over Rocky DeLeon at ReVival 38, but every victory in this tournament just brings on a tougher opponent than the last.
Richard Parker: That’s definitely true this week, Nick! Kuroyama may be the pinnacle of REAL pro wrestling, but he’s about to be in the ring with Vickie Hall’s better half!
Vince Howard: And his opponent… from Folsom, Louisiana… being accompanied by his Amazing Life Partner, Vickie Hall… weighing two-hundred-twenty pounds… Jonathan-Christopher Hall!
The lights dim while a majestic PRETTY PINK© branded fog rolls onto the top of the staging. “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” by Aerosmith cues on the PA and out walks Vickie Hall in the most adorable little outfit which is, of course, branded by her specific shade of pink.
Nick Stuart: The biggest match to date of Jonathan-Christopher’s career. You heard his comments backstage, he sounds ready. Well, that was before Vickie took over mission control…
Richard Parker: How could you not let this dainty little flower take control?
Nick Stuart: If you’re going to be like this all match, please let me know immediately.
Richard Parker: (playing dumb) Be like what?
Jonathan-Christopher soon appears, sporting brand new glittery PRETTY PINK© board shorts with “I [HEART] VICKIE” across the crotch and backside. However, The Forever Man is not walking out alone. Four sets of an ESPN camera crew follow, catching the couple from every angle. Vickie waits at the top of the stage and extends her arm for Jonathan-Christopher to link into. She doesn’t make eye-contact with him as they start to slowly waltz down the ring, step-by-step, perfectly in rhythm. Meanwhile, inside the squared circle, Kerry Kuroyama looks like he’s ready to murder JCH in cold blood the second Hall makes it through the ropes.
Nick Stuart: Overkill with the cameras much?
Richard Parker: You have to capture love from EVERY angle, Nick. They are filming a DOCUMENTARY.
Nick Stuart: Forget I said anything.
Richard Parker: I will.
As the most wholesome couple ever shown on a PRIME television screen reach the bottom of the rampway, Vickie unlinks her arms with Jonathan-Christopher. Hall hops up onto the apron, he’s about to open the ropes for Vickie but then he sees how serious Kerry looks across the way and starts to wave Vickie off. Needless to say Vickie WANTS to be up there so up there she’s going to be. She snaps her right fingers and wags her left hand as Jonathan-Christopher quickly opens the ropes for her.
Two of the cameramen help Vickie up and onto the apron. The Woman of Wonder seems to say something off-mic to her ALP before slipping through the ropes. It might have been some minor frustration regarding Jonathan-Christopher not being there to help her onto the apron, even though he was holding the ropes wide open.
Vickie struts her stuff. She blows kisses to the crowd and then beckons her man to the center of the ring. She leaps up and wraps her arms around him as PRETTY PINK© sparklers fire off from all four corners. Again, Kerry is staring a hole through the backs of their heads, he couldn’t care less.
Vickie points to the cameramen. She asks them if they “got all that”. The four of them give a thumbs up and then each cameraman goes towards a different side of the ring.
Nick Stuart: We have our own crew out here!
Richard Parker: Nothing wrong with a couple more angles.
Jonathan-Christopher opens the ropes for Vickie and as she exits the ring, JCH QUICKLY drops the ropes directly after Vickie leaves them, hops off the apron and helps her woman back down.
Nick Stuart: I haven’t seen Jonathan-Christopher move that fast, well… ever.
Finally, with Vickie content with her position outside of the ring, Jonathan-Christopher slips inside as Ashley Barlow calls for the bell.
DING DING
Both men begin to pace around the ring in a circle, sizing each other up for a moment, looking for an opening that can garner them an early advantage over the other. Kerry nods his head a few times, extending his hands toward JCH who in turn does the same as they inch their way closer to each other until they eventually lock up in the center of the ring. Hall gets a bit of leverage and manages to get his arm around Kuroyama’s neck, but the head lock isn’t quite clenched in tight enough and Kuroyama manages to slide out. Still in control of Jonathan-Christopher’s wrist, he maneuvers behind Hall and pulls his arm up into the small of his back for a moment as he presses his heel into the back of JCH’s leg to drop him down to a knee. Then, before Hall realizes his arm is free, Kerry drives his shin into the back of the head of Jonathan-Christopher with a swift kick. Down on the mat, JCH’s attempt to get to his feet is cut short by a stomp on his left shoulder from The Pacific Blitzkrieg that forces him back into a prone position on the mat.
Nick Stuart: Kuroyama with the quick start here, and Vickie doesn’t look very happy right now.
Richard Parker: Would you be happy if someone was stomping on your favorite toy?
Jonathan-Christopher rolls out of the ring as quick as he can, swinging his arm enough to rotate his shoulder as he makes his way around the ring to Vickie’s awaiting embrace.
Richard Parker: That’s a lucky man, Nick.
Nick Stuart: I’m sure there’s quite a few people on the roster that would disagree with that statement.
Richard Parker: And I would fight them all.
Kerry has been patient long enough, sliding out of the ring and making his way toward the Hall’s. He shoves aside one of the cameramen as he passes, causing him to stumble into the edge of the mat while KK continues his mission to get his hands on Jonathan-Christopher. Vickie gets between the two, as JCH slides into the ring. Kerry doesn’t even reach her though, as he launches himself under the bottom rope – sliding across the mat before a few stomps on his back stop him from getting up to his feet on his own accord.
Richard Parker: Impressive ring awareness from Jonathan-Christopher there.
Nick Stuart: It was definitely something.
Hall grabs Kerry by the head and lifts him up, driving a knee into his gut before whipping him into the turnbuckle. Like a shark with a taste of blood, JCH follows him in and drives his shoulder into Kerry’s ribs a few times before delivering a belly to belly out of the corner that sends Kerry sliding three quarters across the mat on his back.
Nick Stuart: Okay, that was unexpected.
Richard Parker: Hater.
Nick Stuart: Jonathan-Christopher Hall has improved quite a bit since his match against Brandon Youngblood at the inaugural Revival, but he’s still got a lot to learn.
Richard Parker: Is Youngblood still in the Almasy tournament?
Nick doesn’t answer, as he watches JCH yank KK to his feet and wrap his arm around his neck in what looks like a set up for a DDT. Before Hall can do anything else, a balled up fist is driven into his side repeatedly as Kuroyama attempts to fight his way out of the hold. Another knee to the gut takes a bit of the fight out of KK, but only for a moment as the fists start swinging once again. This time though, it is coming from both sides as Kerry Kuroyama manages to loosen Jonathan-Christopher’s grip enough to drive him back a few steps, before an open-palm slaps JCH across the chest. Hall screams out as the sudden sting backs him up a little more, just enough for KK to get a bit more momentum for another open-palm slap that causes JCH to clutch at his chest as he starts to dance around the ring. Hopping from one foot to the other with his back to Kuroyama, his eyes are shut tight as he attempts to shake off the pain that has left his chest looking like a toddler’s about to finish finger painting a turkey on it. Despite Vickie yelling at him to turn around, he doesn’t realize where KK is at until it is too late.
Nick Stuart: Russian Legsweep from Kerry Kuroyama, and Jonathan-Christopher Hall is dazed.
Richard Parker: NO! Do something Vickie!
Vickie pulls herself onto the apron as Kerry rolls JCH onto his back. Barlow notices Vickie leaning into the ring between the middle and bottom ropes, just as KK hooks the leg of JCH. He doesn’t notice Ashley cutting Vickie off, only that there is no count being made.
Nick Stuart: Unbelievable!
Richard Parker: I was just thinking, is it just called a legsweep if Ivan is doing it?
Nick Stuart: I know what you’re doing, and it isn’t working.
What did work, is Vickie keeping Ashley Barlow from making the count. Kuroyama did not get up and chase Vickie out of the ring, or berate Barlow for allowing herself to get distracted, instead he wraps his legs around JCH’s right arm before locking his left arm under his armpit and pulls back to apply pressure to Hall’s shoulder. Barlow checks on Jonathan-Christopher as Vickie slaps the mat a few times, trying to will her man back to his feet. Luckily, it’s not needed, as Ashley informs Kuroyama that he needs to break the hold.
Nick Stuart: Lady luck is definitely in Jonathan-Christopher Hall’s corner tonight.
Richard Parker: Her name is Vickie Hall, Nick!
Hall was able to stretch his foot under the rope, but Kerry was still able to inflict even more pain to that left shoulder. Hall rolls out of the ring once more, rolling his shoulders as Vickie rushes to his side to check on him. Kuroyama doesn’t give Jonathan-Christopher a chance to catch his breath this time, knocking him into the ring apron with a forearm shot to the back of his head. Vickie steps back as Kerry storms past her, clubbing JCH with another forearm shot to the back of the head before grabbing two hands full of hair and driving Hall’s face into the hardest part of the ring. Jonathan-Christopher Hall drops to the ground like a sack of Russett’s, and it looks like Kerry is going to follow suit as Vickie’s arm swings up and into his junk just as he turns around.
Kerry doesn’t do much more than flinch, before looking down at her and smiling.
Ever the gentleman, The Pacific Blitzkrieg places his thumb and forefinger at the edge of her chin and helps her to her feet, blowing her a kiss as he raps his knuckles against the cup he was wise enough to wear this evening. He turns his attention back to JCH, still slumped against the ring steps, and yanks him up to his feet before shoving him under the bottom rope to get him back in the ring. Kerry climbs the steps, his attention never wavering from the prone body of JCH laying there on the mat. Vickie tries her best to shake him awake, yelling at him to snap out of it as KK approaches. Each step is menacing as Kuroyama gets closer to JCH, finally being close enough to pick him up and prop him against the turnbuckle. Hall can barely stand on his own, but he is conscious enough to realize he needs to lean against the turnbuckle to keep his feet from giving out beneath him.
Nick Stuart: Jonathan-Christopher Hall looks like he’s done.
Richard Parker: Done playing around, Nick!
Nick Stuart: Oh yeah, look at him go.
And that they do, as desperation kicks in and Jonathan-Christopher uses everything within him to catch Kerry Kuroyama with a headbutt that causes him to stagger back a few steps. Hall’s knees buckle, but he keeps a firm grip on the ropes to keep from falling. Kerry charges in, but is met with a swift kick that catches him square in the gut and doubles him over. JCH sees the opening he needs and leaps at Kuroyama, and in one simple motion gets planted into the mat with an over-the-shoulder back-to-belly piledriver by KK.
Nick Stuart: EMERALD OBLIVION!
Richard wants to scream, but nothing comes out as the two men stay laid out on the mat. Vickie is screaming, but it is inaudible and screeches sound more like a mating call to Rocky De Leon than anything even close to resembling English. Barlow drops down to make the count as Kuroyama drapes his arm across Jonathan-Christopher’s chest.
ONE!
TWO!
THREE!
Richard Parker: NNNNNOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Nick Stuart: NNNNNOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Both men scream out in unison, but one screams because he doesn’t see what the other does. Which is Ashley Barlow sliding back slightly, as Vickie Hall tries to pull her out of the ring. Her hand went up, but kept her from slamming her face into the mat when she was pulled off balance by Hall. She looks back at Vickie and pulls her foot from Hall’s grip, not noticing the camera JCH slams into the top of Kuroyama’s head. Jonathan-Christopher tosses the camera out of the ring, then struggles to get in position to roll Kerry up as Vickie rushes around the ring. Barlow shifts her position, not noticing JCH grab a fistful of tights as he puts his feet on the bottom rope for added leverage.
ONE!
TWO!
THREE!
Richard Parker: YYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Nick Stuart: YYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Again, the two men yell out in unison, as one man notices something the other one does not. Which is Vickie Hall pulling down on Jonathan-Christopher’s feet, as the cameraman checks on his equipment and Ashley Barlow slaps her hand down on the mat for the third and final time. She sits up and signals for the bell, and Nick realizes he was wrong.
Nick Stuart: OH NO!
Richard Parker: What did I tell you, Nick!
Vickie pulls Jonathan-Christopher out of the ring, being the support he needs right now in more than one way.
We then cut to the backstage area.