Pre-Show 11: Truth or Consequences

August 7, 2011 -- It was designed as an incorruptible truth, an exercise in purity, where combat between two sides would result in blind justice, an impenetrable system of cause and effect. The Great Arena was supposed to house honest battles between hardened men, but secrets have swept beneath the stone and dirt to undermine this proud colosseum.

One of the Great Arena's beacons of light, the once professed conscience of this proud tradition, has been accused of a dark act. ElJobber challenges Tyrant-Cenobite in the wake of an accusation that casts a shadow across what was supposed to be the brightest moment in competition history! Is this the gusto of an innocent man, or is ElJobber become a totem of grey, a compromised symbol, a driven force of dishonor no longer worthy of the people's trust?

While Champions sit on a golden perch, the men of The Union of The Human League scramble for an opportunity to undo them. SubMan799 & Casselman will do battle with DaMo & DeathScepter in an encounter of high stakes and dire consequences, the winners to be granted the prize of a Duo Division Championship match against the as yet untested reigning holders, Hokey & Ninja_Mime. Are they next in line to become corrupt, or can this institution still be trusted to foster truth through the fists of at least some of its party?

The summer will celebrate them like new gods in a showcase as big as any "Arena Spectacular," but first, competitors will line up, contenders will be counted, enemies will engage in mortal combat, and a fallen son will return. Before the All-Star Showdown, The Great Arena must experience a cleansing. Before this day is through, the people will have their Truth or Consequences!

12. Ares Menschlich d. Kron in a confident victory.
Prior to his scheduled match at Supercard 9, Kron rather suddenly left the mortal realm. His return proved just as startling, bringing with it secrets learned in the afterlife! It was at Supercard 10 that a far more suspicious absence was noted in the 'Bonus Stage' return of the Four Barons of Lord Mislukking. Ares Menschlich, Third Baron of War, was conspicuously absent from the rare Arena appearance, replaced in a first-ever official battle featuring Fourth Baron of Death, Sinvida Von Grimm.

As the resurrected warrior dragged "War" back inside the colosseum he helped create, he accounted for Menschlich's absence, apparently occupied by attempts to prevent Kron's return! In death, Kron had learned certain secrets about the machinations of Lord Mislukking's trusted inner circle, including a plot to divide and distract the fighters of The Union of The Human League with the subtle influence of conflict that resulted in Supercard 6 and the arena splitting war between Team Cr0w and Team Kron! Indeed, it was the mystic influence of the Baron of War that tipped the rivalry between Kron and Cr0w into epic proportions!

With the truth revealed, a returning Kron may have vowed to gain revenge against Ares Menschlich and the Barons of Mislukking, but such a feat would be easier declared than done! An always powerful warrior, swollen in the presence of such a battle tested combatant; Ares Menschlich was in top form, well prepared to repell the upstart threats of a freshly returned deadman. Though Kron would aim high in his assault against the Third Baron, it would be a half measure, leaving him wide open to a dominant retort by the situation's antagonist!

The veil of deception faded like thin smoke as the Baron of War opened up to his responsibility in stoking the largest conflict The Great Arena has ever played host to. Always excited by competition, the victorious administrator called Supercard 6 a perfect exercise in making fighters stronger. He declared the competitive ranks more potent than ever before -- a fact not easily denied! He called the ranks of the Union of the Human League better prepared to fight the inevitable war with the Mislukking faction, which he intended to fight in with honor, but not at the expense of civilized competition.

With a massive Supercard 11: All-Star Summer Showdown just a week away, the Baron of War lamented the fire that drives the best fighters of The Great Arena to battle toward the ultimate prize of the Undisputed Championship. He lamented the determination and personal sacrifice faced by ElJobber -- who would be the perfect highly motivated opponent for Kron to face in the wake of his return! He announced the truth revealed and the consequences a natural continuation of any manipulations he might inspire -- the will to win.

11. ElJobber d. Tyrant-Cenobite in a +4 decimation!
It was a changed, more aggressive ElJobber who exited The Great Arena at the conclusion of Tower of Power II! The once dubbed "conscience" of The Great Arena has lost his lustre and the support of the crowd amidst accusations levelled by Tyrant-Cenobite (at Supercard 9) that suggest the former favourite was responsible for preventing TC entering a contender Battle Royal way back in April, at Supercard 4: 2011 Ultimate Grand Prix - The Arena Spectacular!

Though ElJobber vehemently denied the allegations, it was clear they tainted his success in the Championship contending Tower of Power, where six superstars of The Great Arena went down, before he fell at the last hurdle against reigning Undisputed Champion, Cr0w. Guilt turned to steely resolve over the course of the special event, but it was something far more infernal that motivated the fighter in the Truth or Consequences main event. Determined to clear his name or deliver violent consequences, ElJobber exerted sufficient force to dominate his opponent into a +4 impact submission! Tyrant-Cenobite arguably never stood a chance, but it was that fact that played right into his favour, recasting ElJobber in the role of unsympathetic superior. Indeed, there would be no clear resolution as TC revealed nothing more, absorbing the "Consequences" of ElJobber's ire with no chance for retort.

Did ElJobber engage in an unprovoked, underhanded attack at Supercard 4? The truth of the matter may be no clearer, but the consequences remain, proving the old addage of mud sticking. ElJobber appears more determined than ever to claim the Undisputed Championship, but with the opposition of the fans, will the ultimate prize be more elusive than ever before? The two-time runner-up will certainly have his work cut out for him!

10. DeathScepter & DaMo d. SubMan799 & Casselman in a comprehensive Duo Division Championship Contender match!
With a key victory earned at Supercard 9, the Truth and Consequences were clear for both teams vying for a shot at the Duo Division Championships! SubMan799 & Casselman earned valuable credit at SC9 with a long sought win over Duo Division stalwarts, Scott-Howell & Murdoink; while DaMo & DeathScepter did well to establish a valuable win over top ranking tandem, DECEPTION & Onryo, courting the opportunity to advance to Supercard 11: All-Star Summer Showdown!

Predicting the outcome between such competitive teams would be tough at the best of times, but with the bizarre combination of D&D, the X-factor was cranked up to 11! The high stakes situation seemed to bring out the best in the unorthodox pairing, who enjoyed similar success into the Semi Final stages of the Champion inducting Tournament 6! SubMan799 & Casselman were without a doubt competitive, but DaMo & DeathScepter were fighting as one, surpassing the sum of the individual to deliver a gestalt comprehensive victory! The win delivers DaMo & DeathScepter to the rare opportunity of contesting the Duo Division Championships in the first official defense by reigning pair, Hokey & Ninja_Mime!

9. Ratt d. STEROLIZER in a +12 decimation!
As the affectionatley regared "heart of The Great Arena" -- fan-favourite Ratt isn't known for holding grudges! The "Iron Man" has made a name for himself facing down impossible odds with grit and determination, but even he had to loath the shock upset defeat he suffered against STEROLIZER at Supercard 9! The upset win proved a launching pad for STERO to claim Challenger 7 status in the opening rounds of Tower of Power II -- supposedly proving his point that he was more contender than the men who have faced and failed against five-defense strong Undisputed Champion, Cr0w!

Ratt earned back credibility with his +30 annihilation of STERO's shadow, JRF, at Pre-Show 10, but was highly motivated to prove once and for all that STEROLIZER's win was nothing but a fluke. He did exactly that -- as if there was ever any doubt -- unleashing a +12 impact on the cocky upstart! The consequences of his victory bode well for Ratt, who seems likely to anticipate the challenge of one of The Great Arena's lead antagonists -- Toryn -- with confidence heading in to the Supercard 11 blockbuster!

8. Piccolo d. NightHawk in a close encounter!
They may be two of the less storied fighters in the competitive ranks, but it was at Pre-Show 9 that they took part in one of the most thrilling three-way fights The Great Arena has ever seen! The fateful fight saw NightHawk emerge victorious over Piccolo and GreenLantern in a battle that very nearly entered a triple tie! So incredible was the match that it is already announced to be repeated as one of the intriguing undercard features in a massive Supercard 11: All-Star Summer Showdown!

The warm-up bash between two of the three men proved to be something of an equalizer, offering up a truth that represents just how evenly matched the trio were in their original clash! Piccolo picked up a valuable victory heading in to the rematch, setting himself up with key momentum heading in to the rare spotlight!

7. DECEPTION d. m0s
Three-way qualifications at Pre-Show 10 left DECEPTION and m0s ruing missed opportunities as DeathScepter progressed to the Challenger 7 stages of Tower of Power II. Keen for reprisal, m0s challenges DECEPTION in a clash of truth or consequences for the almost-challengers.

DECEPTION was in devastating form as he reprised his role as aggressor, but unlike the +2 oppression featured in qualifiers, it was a comprehensive, if modest defeat of m0s. The win bolsters DECEPTION's reputation as a solo competitor, but no doubt will bode well for the Duo Division star if and when he reteams with partner Onryo to contest the tandem Championships in the near future!

6. Liam & nif d. Dolce & Bofh in a close fought battle!
Since the introduction of the Duo Division Championships at Tournament 6 -- team-up competition has become a super-charged feature of the many events to follow! With top contender status to be delt in the Pre-Show 11 second main event; two of the lower ranked teams had plenty to aspire to in their ever important exhibition bout! Liam & nif have struggled to gain traction since their tandem debut at the Rapture and the Madness special event, but found well matched opponents in Dolce & Bofh.

The clash lived up to expectations as the pair of duos collided in a close fought encounter! It was Liam & nif who wanted it just that little bit more, able to convert a valuable win as the Duo Division landscape maps itself toward future contenders. It's not the kind of result Dolce would have wanted as she prepares for another Truth or Consequences battle at Supercard 11: All-Star Summer Showdown, where NovaStarr will look to continue their rivalry with a solo rematch of their near draw at Supercard 9!

5. plfx d. rxvt in a close encounter.
In a battle of the consonants, an overachieving plfx returns to face one of the most beleaguered battlers of The Great Arena -- rxvt! With twelve losses from thirteen matches, rxvt has struggled to convert experience to success in his many battles, missing opportunity at junctures as vital as Supercard 4: 2011 Ultimate Grand Prix! Indeed, it was a study in contrasts, given plfx' rookie status and 75% success rate, begun with a victory over the spiteful rxvt at Pre-Show 6!

rxvt showed the weather of his time in The Great Arena, but not the experience that has come with it. Clearly a dozen defeats has weighed heavily on this fighter who has faced everyone from STEROLIZER to Praga Conquette, tasting bitter defeat time and time again. No amount of vengeful motivations could produce the truth rxvt was seeking, consequences being delt definitively by plfx in a close fought, but no less convincing victory!

4. Simon d. SlumDunk in a close battle for the bottom.
Pre-Show 9 saw SlumDunk relegated to last place in the rankings race when he lost the first-ever "Battle for the Bottom!" Looking for a way to rise from the ashes as JRF did in their previous encounter, SlumDunk challenges next rung on the ladder, Simon, to yet another clash of the not-so-titans! The gambit seemed worth its while, but SlumDunk could not have anticipated a rise to the occasion by the winless Simon! Though well contested, it was once again to be SlumDunk who came out worse for wear in the Battle for Bottom, scraping his way to #144 in the league rankings!

3. Shizuma d. Jax by a narrow margin!
Always competitive, but often outmatched; Shizuma has struggled to live up to the reputation of mystique that has made her one of the top femme fatales in The Great Arena without a win! A string of bouts involving the likes of CaTigeReptile and Pink_Ranger have cost Shizuma any marking record, but when pitted against an equal opponent the calibre of Jax, the warrior within emerges! It was a battle that went down to the wire, but even as closely matched as the pair were, something special spurred Shizuma across the line to her first victory in competition! A well earned triumph for a feature player!

2. nface d. titsos in a close encounter.
Despite holding tenure in the competitive ranks since the beginning in Tournament 1; titsos has remained a rare sight in The Great Arena. It was to be a test of wills when he faced off against relative newcomer nface -- a fighter with less than a month under his belt. Rookie status wasn't about to handicap the evenly matched nface, demonstrated by a fighting tenacity far beyond his single match history. A close but confident win for nface!

1. bfk d. MinnyBean in a close match-up.
While the biggest names in league prepare for another blockbuster Supercard, action in the Pre-Show kicks off with an exhibition bout between two of the new faces in The Great Arena. Both bfk and MinnyBean made their debuts at Pre-Show 9, experiencing inverted records with twin wins and defeats, respectively. In the end, it was the winner's streak that made the difference in a hard fought battle, boosting bfk to a good win in the opening bout!