TROPICAL TURMOIL QUALIFIER: THE ANGLO LUCHADOR VS. JARED SYKES

Nick Stuart: Up next, the second of our Tropical Turmoil Match Qualifiers. .

The lights dim and smoke starts to fill the staging area while “Oye Como Va” begins to play on the PA system. The Anglo Luchador, looking ragged from the ordeal he’s gone through on the show so far, steps through, shoulders slumped, head sunken. He gives a half-hearted raise of both arms to the crowd as he begins his trudge to the ring.

Nick Stuart: The year of 2023 has not been kind to The Anglo Luchador, but tonight, he has the opportunity to right the ship in a big way, launching himself into the Universal Championship picture. 

Richard Parker: I’d say it’s a tough sell, but who knows. Perhaps the most dangerous luchador is one who has its back against the wall.

Vince Howard: This contest is set for one fall and has a thirty minute time limit…and it is for a spot! In the Tropical Turmoil Match! Introducing first, from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, weighing in at 211 pounds. He is the first Intense Champion of the ReVival Era, the Anglo…. LUUUUUUUUUUCHADORRRRRRRRRRRR!!!

The luchador still takes time out to slap as many hands before getting to the ring as he can, even though he still looks like he’s had enough for the evening.

RAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH

The luchador slowly climbs up onto the apron, acknowledges the cheers, and climbs through the ropes.

The lights fade to nothing, and then the first note hits. Deep. Resonant. With it comes a flood of white light that washes over the crowd. As that first note fades, so does the light.

Northlane. “Plenty.”

I’ll never be ready to meet a memory

Vince Howard: His opponent, making his way to the ring…

A steady rhythm follows, building to something. With each note comes a pulse of white, like a heartbeat slightly out of time.

Vince Howard: Hailing from Boston, Massachusetts…

The only thing louder than the thundering guitar coming through the speakers is the explosion of the crowd.

Vince Howard: Accompanied by Justine Calvin, and weighing in tonight at 201 pounds… 

The guitar rips into frenetic tapping riff, and with it blue and purple lights begin pulsing over the crowd in time with the beat. Two figures appear at the entryway, and the cheering gets louder. 

Vince Howard: JAREEEEEEEEEEEEEEED SYYYYYYYYKES!!!

When the dirt crushes my bones
And the worms call me their home
If I’m asked to start again
I can’t pretend I’m ready
I can’t pretend
I’ve had plenty

Nick Stuart: A massive opportunity for Jared Sykes here. A chance to continue his single ascent. We know all about his tag team bonafides, and we’ve seen him in wars. He’s been one of the toughest outs in all of PRIME. But tonight…he has an opportunity to get himself in the Universal Championship conversation.

Richard Parker: Not like there’s a big Russian Bear around the corner or anything.

Tonight the pair are moving with purpose to the ring. Eyes focused on the task at hand. Jared is the only one dressed to compete, but Justine’s hands are taped. Her hair is pulled back. She’s prepared for a fight, wherever it may come from.

Jared pulls off his sweatshirt and tosses it under the nearest buckle before sliding under the bottom rope. There’s no posturing, no playing to the crowd. He simply crouches in the corner and waits for the bell.

DING DING

And with Elvis Nixon calling for the bell, the pair in this Tropical Turmoil Match Qualifier slowly make their way from their opposite corners. Both men are devoid of emotion. At this point, The Anglo Luchador slowly makes his way towards Sykes. Jared comes out of from his corner as well, the Son of the Shogun offering his hand out for a test of strength.

Nick Stuart: Anglo Luchador looking to engage in a technical contest–

Richard Parker: From a guy at home in barbwire and brutality, this might not be the smartest decision.

Sykes snaps a kick at TAL’s leg in response. The impact is enough to cause a visible wince from TAL. Another kick follows, but this time, Anglo Luchador responds with a heavy knife edge chop. Sykes backs off, Luchador pursuing, and quickly, Jared turns around, the pair locking up in a collar and elbow. Anglo quickly wrenches onto a wristlock, but Sykes fires off a forearm smash to break it up. Another knife edge chop is followed by a european uppercut, only for Anglo Luchador to grab hold of him and irish whipping Sykes across the ring. 

Nick Stuart: Hard to keep track–

Richard Parker: Sykes dives between his legs!

Nick Stuart: Sykes quickly back to his feet but he’s on the receiving end of ANOTHER razor sharp knife edge chop.

Anglo Luchador isn’t doing this out of malice, just returning fire. The blows, however, seem to surprise Jared, who grabs at his chest, falling to a knee. TAL looks for a tie up, but Sykes launches with a forearm to his midsection. Backed up a few steps, TAL lays in another forearm smash, dazing the Knight-Errant. A quick tie up and pull from the canvas has Sykes back up, and with a irish whip, and on the carom, The Luchador grabs hold of a flying head scissors, turning it into a hurricanrana, sending Sykes across the ring. A scramble to the feet has Sykes running into a double dropkick from TAL, only to have history repeat itself with Jared getting to his feet perhaps a bit took quickly, getting caught with a drop toe hold.

Nick Stuart: It’s been a rough 2023 for The Anglo Luchador, but early on in this contest, we are seeing a different kind of edge than we have seen the last few weeks. A crispness. 

Richard Parker: Way to take the crap out of him, Nick.

Nick Stuart: It’s not surprising, given what is on the line here. The winner moves on to the Tropical Turmoil Match, a shot at the Universal Championship and the main event of UltraViolence up for grabs. And in this era of PRIME, we have the two longest reigning champions…TAL with the Intense Championship, Jared with his vaunted Tag Title Championship run.

Richard Parker: And only one of these men didn’t lose their title. And one of these men actually managed to beat Paxton Ray.

Nick Stuart: Not for lack of trying. And not after a long run with the Intense Championship.

The action continues, Sykes caught in a chinlock, rising up and throwing a back elbow to stun the slightly larger Anglo Luchador. Another back elbow creates separation, and Jared uses the opportunity to hit the ropes, charging forward, only to get grabbed with another headscissors. This time, Sykes doesn’t go down, instead, working to try and powerbomb TAL to the canvas. To the shock of everyone, TAL not only survives, but manages to get a hurricanrana that sends Sykes over the rope head over heels. 

Nick Stuart: OH! WOW!

Justine looks on in shock, but not as much shock as she is about to.

Nick Stuart: DO A BARREL ROLL!

The tornillo to the outside splatters against Jared, getting the fans in The Pit to go wild! Elvis Nixon begins his out of the ring count. At around the five mark, both wrestlers slowly pick themselves up off the padding on the outside, only to have TAL roll into the ring, causing the ring out count to stop. He exits the ring again, grabbing Sykes and rolling him back into the ring. With Jared prone in the ring, TAL sees the opening, climbing onto the ring apron and springboarding to the top rope, then launches himself on top of Sykes with a corkscrew body splash He hooks both legs for the cover.

ONE

TWO

THR–KICKOUT!

Nick Stuart: Jared NARILY avoiding the upset here!

Justine starts smacking the ring apron, trying to impart some kind of rising alarm in Jared. He tries to stagger upward, TAL waiting, ready to launch at him with more lucha libre. Sykes gets to his feet, and as TAL launches with another dropkick, Sykes drops to the canvas in avoidance, quickly pouncing on TAL and his arm, spinning him around, lifting him up and slamming him into the canvas.

Arm trap saito suplex.

Jared pulls TAL from the canvas, trapping the arm again, chaining another arm trap saito suplex.

ONLY FOR HIM TO DO IT A THIRD TIME! 

Cover!

ONE

TWO

THRE–KICKOUT!

Nick Stuart: And that has changed the momentum of this match!

Richard Parker: An explosive volley!

Nick Stuart: Sykes is one of the toughest challenges in wrestling, but The Anglo Luchador was outpacing him. Is this his moment to shift everything back in his favor?

Jared looks to hit a cutter, a hallmark, but the instincts of the dazed Luchador kick in, getting a desperation arm drag. The impact causes Sykes to skip across the canvas, and as he rises, he charges forward, only to get caught with a flap jack into an enziguri!

Richard Parker: OH!

The amazing display is finished with another trapping of Jared’s legs for the cover.

ONE

TWO

NO

Nick Stuart: The Anglo Luchador so close there!

Justine is much more intensive as she slaps the canvas, barking for Jared to get up. His bell rung, he is shocked to be quickly with a snug headlock takeover.

Nick Stuart: Justine is looking apoplectic right now.

Richard Parker: Well…she isn’t the biggest fan of The Anglo Luchador. We all know that.

Nick Stuart: But right now, she’s a mere bystander. Caught like everyone else. This…could be TAL’s night to get back on track and make a major MAJOR statement.

The Anglo Luchador utilizes his slight size advantage, working from the position, and hooking an elaborate style pin.

ONE

TWO

THRE–KICKOUT JUST IN TIME

Nick Stuart: The complexity, the tangle of bodies, that was almost enough by itself to steal this one!

The kickout has both men separated, and as TAL tries to get his hands on Sykes, it’s the Knight-Errant who surprises, grabbing hold with a violent and sharp Regal Cutter. He quickly jerks TAL from the canvas, only to have TAL blast him with a knife edge chop, staggering him backward. An irish whip follows. And after that? A tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Another hook of the leg from The Anglo Luchador.

ONE

TWO

NOO

Nick Stuart: TAL leaving it all out there on the canvas tonight! What a fine display!

Richard Parker: The thing with all these pinning combinations is that it soaks your energy having to kick out. And with TAL having taken most of this match, he’s making the bet that those pins are working as offense as well. I know there isn’t a massive size discrepancy here, but there is enough of one that if you know how to use it to your advantage, you can do some real damage to someone’s stamina.

Nick Stuart: And you have to wonder…this isn’t the Jared Sykes we’ve grown accustomed to seeing. Is his mind elsewhere? Because if it is…he picked a heck of a dangerous opponent to do this against.

The Anglo Luchador looks to follow up, to press his advantage, grabbing onto Sykes for a dragon suplex. As he lifts, Jared hooks his legs around his, and rolls through, holding a pin of his own.

ONE

TWO

NO

TAL is out in a hurry, but Sykes grabs him around the neck, snapping him violently with a NTD. 

Nick Stuart: Oh that was vicious!

There is no pinfall attempt this time, instead, Sykes jerks TAL to his feet, executing a quick hitting Lightning Spiral. 

Nick Stuart: Everything here is hitting with heavy volume!

Justine lets out a mighty roar. Jared grabs onto the stunned TAL, perhaps going for another NTD. The Anglo Luchador tries to hit an elbow to get out of it, but Sykes hits him with a clubbing blow over his exposed midsection, and with a yell, he lifts The Son of the Shogun up and spikes him head first into the canvas.

Nick Stuart: OMEGA! 13!

Cover.

ONE

TWO

THREE

DING DING DING

Vince Howard: Your winner…and advancing to the Tropical Turmoil Match…JAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARED! SYYYYYYYYYYYYKES!

Nick Stuart: What a display here! That three piece assault at the end helps Jared Sykes escape a very game Anglo Luchador!

Richard Parker: And his woes continue…and the Turmoil match gets its second participant.