Thursday, August 31, 2017

Grand Slam Doubles Tournament Preview

Summer Season in The Great Arena has become one of the great festival traditions of the fighting calendar! The excitement peaks at All-Star Summer Showdown in August, followed immediately by the closing chapter of the annual Summer Grand Slam and September's Grand Slam [Doubles]!

Since it snaked its way around the solo Grand Slam in the first year of competition, Grand Slam [Doubles] has showcased some of the greatest combinations in league history! Past finalists are a who's who of tandem competition, with a Hall of Fame pedigree second to none!

The History of Grand Slam [Doubles] Finalists:
1. Hokey & Mime d. Pink_Ranger & Ghostdragon - Tournament 9 (Sep 10, 2011)
2. Violent`J & Marz d. Oozaru & Banging - Tournament 22 (Sep 2, 2012)
3. Damo & DeathScepter d. Pink_Ranger & Mime - Tournament 46 (Sep 28, 2014)
4. Ratt & NightHawk d. Damo & DeathScepter - Tournament 59 (Sep 6, 2015)
5. DaemonX & Banging d. TonyTheTiger & CaTigeReptile - Tournament 74 (Sep 11, 2016)

This year's Grand Slam [Doubles] is set to take place Sunday, September 3rd with an exciting line-up of the next wave of top teams, and the dominating veterans! The winners will surely be favourites to challenge the iron grip of reigning Duo Division Champions: CCShadow & Scott-Howell!

Thirty-two teams will contest a randomly drawn bracket with some of the hottest tandem pairings confirmed to be attending! Among the favourites to win will be: Jammer2Omega & Porygonix, "The Invasion" Jason_Voorhees & edge, "The New Generation" DECEPTION & Onryo, "The Greek Crisis" maxilos & proXade, and "The 5 Minute Kismet" Baraka_MK & MKMaster!

Who will emerge supreme as we count down to this year's Night of Champions? The only way to find out is to be here this weekend for Tournament 83: Grand Slam [Doubles]!

Wednesday, August 30, 2017

Summer Fallout This Week on FNF

The Summer Season of competition may be drawing to an official close, but fallout from the All-Star Summer Showdown and 2017 Summer Grand Slam will continue when Friday Night Fights returns -- this week!

Jammer2Omega & Porygonix will take on "The Invasion" Jason_Voorhees & edge in a highly anticipated grudge match ahead of this weekend's Grand Slam [Doubles] tournament! It's an All-Star Summer rematch as both teams attempt to get themselves back on track before the tandem tourney!

The inconclusive result of Round 1 will also be resolved when Benjamin and xort go head-to-head in a tie breaking rematch from the Summer Grand Slam! It's not the first time xort has fought to a broadway, but will this spotlight be his chance to assert himself as one of the rising challengers?

The Annual Summer Battle Royal is expected to spillover into Friday Night Fights as well, as multi-man eliminations streamline into conventional matches! McDaniel & fraysol will take on Politics & Menas, while ]{0MBAT goes solo to challenge G0LD - and plenty more!

PLUS: 2017 Summer Grand Slam Winner Genku will return to Friday Night Fights to address his plans for the Undisputed Championship! He made it known he intends to leverage the win into a championship challenge, but with Night of Champions promising a title opportunity to any former champ who earns it on the night - he could have competition!

Scores will be settled in a massive night of competition when Friday Night Fights returns!

Tuesday, August 29, 2017

The Greatest KFL Championship Reigns

Reigning KFL Champion United: Mime has been dominant since winning the title back in April at Ultimate Grand Prix VII. He secured his 9th successful title defense at this year's All-Star Summer Showdown - bringing him one win away from equaling the record for most KFL title defenses!

To bring about the record-setting feat sooner: Mime has announced an Open Challenge series starting next week during the September 4th edition of the Monday Night Games!

With its inception in 2012 as the ultimate prize for the KFL sub-league, the title attracted an eclectic mix of the league's best and brightest! The rules of engagement were rewritten many times as the next phase clashed with established veterans. The title was even briefly held by Duos late in 2013! After a dramatic series in 2015 brought the sub-league to a close, the title officially opened to all contenders, becoming a broader secondary prize in its first Supercard defense at Battle Royale 2016!

There's no way of knowing who Mime will face in the record-equaling Open Challenge next week, but we do know who his rivals are for KFL Championship greatness! They faced some of the most aggressive defense cycles in league history and stood their ground. These are the reigns that secured the most successful title defenses in history!

1. VenoMark (3rd reign) - 10 defenses, 140 days
- 1. d. Genku & Shoe on February 6, 2015 (Friday Night Fights: Week 4)
- 2. d. DeathScepter on March 6, 2015 (Friday Night Fights: Week 8)
- 3. d. LordSkarlet on March 13, 2015 (Friday Night Fights: Week 9)
- 4. d. Shoe on March 20, 2015 (Friday Night Fights: Week 10)
- 5. d. Baraka_MK on March 27, 2015 (Friday Night Fights: Week 11)
- 6. d. Onryo on April 3, 2015 (Friday Night Fights: Week 12)
- 7. d. nightbreed_16 on April 10, 2015 (Friday Night Fights: Week 13)
- 8. d. LordSkarlet on April 17, 2015 (Friday Night Fights: Week 14)
- 9. d. Knickxasawrrrr on May 15, 2015 (Friday Night Fights: Week 18)
- 10. d. Baraka_MK & Onryo on May 29, 2015 (Friday Night Fights: Week 20)


2. The_Purple_Bunny (2nd reign) - 8 defenses, 84 days
- 1. d. Mime on February 1, 2013 (Friday Night Fights: Week 5)
- 2. d. Sekktor on February 15, 2013 (Friday Night Fights: Week 7)
- 3. d. m0s on February 22, 2013 (Friday Night Fights: Week 8)
- 4. d. Sekktor on March 1, 2013 (Friday Night Fights: Week 9)
- 5. d. Mime on March 8, 2013 (Friday Night Fights: Week 10)
- 6. d. Ghostdragon on March 15, 2013 (Friday Night Fights: Week 11)
- 7. d. m0s on March 22, 2013 (Friday Night Fights: Week 12)
- 8. d. ElJobber on March 29, 2013 (Friday Night Fights: Week 13)


3. Knickxasawrrrr (4th reign) - 7 defenses, 77 days
- 1. d. Nephrite on March 7, 2014 (Friday Night Fights: Week 8)
- 2. d. Nephrite on March 21, 2014 (Friday Night Fights: Week 10)
- 3. d. jack4813 on March 28, 2014 (Friday Night Fights: Week 11)
- 4. d. Coltess on April 4, 2014 (Friday Night Fights: Week 12)
- 5. d. avenger45 on April 11, 2014 (Friday Night Fights: Week 13)
- 6. d. Ghostdragon on April 18, 2014 (Friday Night Fights: Week 14)
- 7. d. jack4813 on May 2, 2014 (Friday Night Fights: Week 16)


4. The_Purple_Bunny (1st reign) - 6 defenses, 77 days
- 1. d. jack4813 on October 19, 2012 (Friday Night Fights: Week 38)
- 2. d. Chryo_Spyder on October 26, 2012 (Friday Night Fights: Week 39)
- 3. d. VenoMark on November 2, 2012 (Friday Night Fights: Week 40)
- 4. d. CaTigeReptile on November 9, 2012 (Friday Night Fights: Week 41)
- 5. d. Genku on November 16, 2012 (Friday Night Fights: Week 42)
- 6. d. Knickxasawrrrr on November 30, 2012 (Friday Night Fights: Week 44)


5. Statix (1st reign) - 6 defenses, 119 days
- 1. d. Ken on April 24, 2016 (Supercard 78: Spring Classic)
- 2. d. TripleH on May 2, 2016 (Monday Night Invasion 05/02)
- 3. d. Banging on May 15, 2016 (Pre-Show 79: Gold = Power)
- 4. d. Hokey on June 12, 2016 (Pre-Show 80: DECEPTION/TPB II - The Rematch)
- 5. d. LordSkarlet on June 27, 2016 (Monday Night Invasion 06/27)
- 6. d. LordSkarlet on July 24, 2016 (Supercard 81: Royal Roulette)

Monday, August 28, 2017

Monday Night Games (August 28, 2017)

The United were back in command as fall-out from last week's 2017 Summer Grand Slam gripped the returning Monday Night Games! The duos featured in their search for tournament payback, but the big news was an announcement of a KFL Championship Open Challenge for next week!

The_Purple_Bunny & Mimik continued to bury the hatchet in a blockbuster main event! The one-time rivals showed devastating solidarity as "The Invasion" Jason_Voorhees & edge teamed to seek retribution for edge's MAX Damage loss to TPB in the tournament's First Round! The all-star United combination was just too overwhelmingly powerful for their duo rivals! The result puts a real crimp in the step of the top ranking duo, who'll be one of the teams to watch during this weekend's Tournament 83: Grand Slam [Doubles] event!

It was a similar story for Jammer2Omega & Porygonix, who went out in Rounds 2 and 3 in back-to-back eliminations for #3 seed United: Mime! Mime called upon the assistance of Murdoink to answer the challenge, earning a decisive victory. It was a disappointing setback for J2O & Pory, but the perfect preparation for Mime, who announced his intentions to begin an Open Challenge for his KFL Championship! If he successfully retains in next week's main event, he will equal the record of 10 consecutive KFL title defenses!

It could be Loopster who answers Mime's Open Challenge! He shrugged off The Invasion's defeat at All-Star Summer Showdown, interfering in a challenge from Shaggy2Dope, to turn a Round 2 tournament grudge match into a three-way battle! The United's Artanix had two targets on his back, allowing Shaggy2Dope to even the score for his early tournament exit with an elimination of his own! Loopster leveraged the scenario to his own advantage, picking up a strong victory!

The lingering incursion of The Invasion also produced split results as Shoe comfortably defeated MattHardy in a hard-hitting rematch of their devastating Round 1 tournament bout! Rookie United project zelse succumbed to a close fought menace from Ghrimm! The opening match also featured an emphatic victory for giandavil, who reinforced a close fought R1 win against CRX7!

Monday Night Games: Week 29 (August 28, 2017):
6. "The United" The_Purple_Bunny & Mimik d. "The Invasion" Jason_Voorhees & edge [+2]
5. "The United" Mime (c) & Murdoink d. Jammer2Omega & Porygonix [+2]
4. Loopster d. Shaggy2Dope and United: Artanix [+2/-1/-1]
3. United: Shoe d. MattHardy [+5]
2. Ghrimm d. United: zelse [+1]
1. giandavil d. CRX7 [+2]

Weekly Rankings Recap - 8/27/2017

You've gotta hand it to Genku! Winning the 2017 Summer Grand Slam is a great way to bounce back from a frustrating loss at All-Star Summer Showdown! He's already calling an Undisputed Championship, but with Supercard 98 already committed to the Night of Champions format, I'm not sure when he thinks that match is going to take place. As a former Undisputed Champion he'll be eligible for the Night of Champs Battle Royal, but knowing Genku, that won't be enough.

I was excited to see DECEPTION make the tournament final! It's been too easy to sleep on The Hitman during Damo's reign as Undisputed Champion, but this should wake everybody up! I'll be interested to see how he uses his Runner-Up status. Will he attempt to leverage it for The New Generation now that they're back together and looking very strong after All-Star Summer Showdown, or will he project ahead to Night of Champions and the solo gold?

The overall standard for this year's Summer Grand Slam was very impressive. I was surprised just how strong the final eight were. Not a lot of upsets by comparison to past years! Sad to see a couple of casualties in "Wild Pegasus" Zentile and J-Spit. Zentile in particular has made a name fighting on the edge, and it looks like he finally met his match - The Apex Predator TonyTheTiger!

Big things coming up as we put the Summer behind us and head into September! Stay tuned!

The Great Arena League Top Ten:
#1 (--) United: Mime [KFL Champion]
#2 (+2) MKMaster
#3 (-1) Evil AlbertBeefcake
#4 (-1) Oozaru
#5 (+1) Statix
#6 (RE) Genku [2017 Summer Grand Slam Winner]
#7 (+3) United: Artanix
#8 (RE) "The Hitman" DECEPTION [2017 Summer Grand Slam Runner-Up]
#9 (-4) Scott-Howell [Duo Division Champion]
#10 (-3) Benjamin

The Great Arena Duo Division Top Ten:
#1 (--) CCShadow & Scott-Howell [Duo Division Champions]
#2 (--) "The Invasion" Jason_Voorhees & edge
#3 (--) "Brexiteers" Liam & nif
#4 (--) "The Invasion" Evil AlbertBeefcake & Shen_DuHBK
#5 (--) Politics & Menas
#6 (--) Benjamin & Mo2
#7 (--) DaemonX & Banging
#8 (--) "The 5 Minute Kismet" Baraka_MK & MKMaster
#9 (--) McDaniel & fraysol
#10 (--) Jammer2Omega & Porygonix

The Division 2 Under 5k Top Ten:
#1 (+2) MKMaster
#2 (-1) Evil AlbertBeefcake
#3 (-1) Oozaru
#4 (--) Scott-Howell [Duo Division Champion]
#5 (--) Benjamin
#6 (--) United: Murdoink
#7 (--) Banging
#8 (--) Baraka_MK
#9 (RE) Shinnokxz [Division 2 Champion]
#10 (RE) SubScorpTile

The Incapacitated List:
- J-Spit [vs Violent`J - August 23, 2017]
- Zentile [vs TonyTheTiger - August 22, 2017]
- Rhyno [vs Jerrod & SubMan799 - June 30, 2017]
- Grayback [vs ]{0MBAT & tabmok99s_wife - May 19, 2017]
- GreenLantern [vs Baraka_MK & MKMaster - May 15, 2017]
- hydraslash [vs Artanix - April 24, 2017]
- m0s [vs ElJobber - April 2, 2017]
- EasterBunny [vs Damo - March 16, 2017]
- UlcaTron [vs CaTigeReptile - March 15, 2017]
- KittyKat [vs Genku - March 13, 2017]
- proXade [vs Sekktor & hydraslash - March 5, 2017]
- MercWithMouth [vs CCShadow & Scott-Howell - February 5, 2017]
- Unknown265 [vs TonyTheTiger - January 4, 2017]
- MINION [vs Mime - January 3, 2017]
- ShawnMichaels [vs Genku - December 16, 2016]
- AcidicWonder [vs LordSkarlet - December 5, 2016]
- Ironize [vs Genku - November 25, 2016]
- marianokombat [vs CaTigeReptile - August 24, 2016]
- xtactics [vs Leroy - August 22, 2016]
- jaytea [vs Artanix, Ken & Baraka_MK - August 13, 2016]
- TheMetinPorta [vs Violent`J - June 22, 2016]
- Knickxasawrrrr [vs Mime - May 22, 2016]
- Crow [vs Ratt - April 3, 2016]

Sunday, August 27, 2017

Tournament 82: Summer Grand Slam - Finals

128 fighter came to compete in the 2017 Summer Grand Slam, and with some of the greatest names in history returning among them -- it was always sure to be a thrilling tournament! The Quarter Finals showed there was no room for upstarts this year. The 2017 Semi Finals featured an elite line-up of former champions and Hall of Famers -- the first Grand Slam this year without Mime in the Semis!

If things had gone differently it could've been an all United final, but only Mimik made it past a hotly contested Quarter Final stage! Historically the Hall of Famer hasn't been a strong tournament fighter, but he emerged a dark horse after wins against Violent`J and LordSkarlet. Genku struggled with Artanix in the Quarters, but had a full tank of reserves when he attacked the Semis! The highly controversial Genku took control of his destiny, securing a convincing win to advance to the final!

When DECEPTION defended his first Undisputed Championship against Kron in the main event of Ultimate Grand Prix VI, he cemented his place among the top tier of competition! At Ultimate Grand Prix VII, the competitive rivalry was revisited with the same outcome. The Semi Final of the 2017 Summer Grand Slam gave Kron a chance to add a notch to his win column, but after walking through his match with TPB, it was Kron's turn to run out of gas! The Hitman, on the other hand, was peaking at the right time. Knowing his rival so well, DECEPTION delivered one of the most shocking results in a tournament final when he executed MAX Damage to the Hall of Famer! His second MAX impact for the tournament, having decimated TonyTheTiger in the Fourth Round!

With such a rare, strong performance coming late in the tournament, "The Hitman" DECEPTION immediately became the favourite heading into the Grand Slam Final! For DECEPTION, it was a return to the peak of competition, having slipped out of title contention over the course of the year. Genku too was fighting to take control of his own destiny, convinced of a conspiracy against him that kept him out of the Royal Roulette match. Both competitors came at the final battle with their very best, but in the end it was the controversial Invasion fighter who edged out the win!

With his first tournament crown since the 2013 Summer Grand Slam; Genku took the opportunity to address his All-Star Summer Showdown nemesis: Chairman Mick! He promised he wasn't done with the Chairman, but first he had to take care of some overdue business. Genku announced that now he's won the 2017 Summer Grand Slam - no one can stop him coming for "The Chosen One" Damo at Supercard 98: Night of Champions to finally take back the Undisputed Championship! A bold proclamation to end another amazing year of the famed tournament!

Tournament 82: Summer Grand Slam - Semi Finals:
1. Genku defeated United: Mimik in convincing fashion! [+2]
2. "The Hitman" DECEPTION defeated Kron in a complete annihilation! [+MAX]

Tournament 82: Summer Grand Slam - Grand Final:
1. Genku defeated "The Hitman" DECEPTION in a competitive contest! [+1]

DECEPTION made it to the final of the 2017 Summer Grand Slam, but the story isn't over! Next Sunday marks Tournament 83: Grand Slam [Doubles] -- a traditional Duo Division event that brings together the best teams in the league for one epic scramble! With The New Generation reunited at All-Star Summer Showdown, The Hitman will be back to take on a field hungry to rise to the challenge of the reigning Duo Division Champions - CCShadow & Scott-Howell! Don't miss it!

Tournament 82 Impact Players:
- Statix +MAX (R1), Genku +MAX (R1), Mime +MAX (R1), The_Purple_Bunny +MAX (R1), Violent`J +MAX (R2), Kron +MAX (R2), DECEPTION +MAX (R4, SF), Artanix +21 (R1), VenoMark +20 (R1), Shoe +19 (R1), LordSkarlet +19 (R2), Marz +17 (R1), Shen_DuHBK +16 (R1), BilboFett +13 (R1), Ratt +10 (R1), Mimik +10 (R3)

Tournament 82 Shock Eliminations:
- CaTigeReptile (R1), CCShadow (R1), ElJobber (DNC), Onryo (R1), Damo (R2), Rockey316 (R2), Ken (R3), Ratt (R4)

Tournament 82 Casualties:
- Zentile (R1), J-Spit (R2)

Saturday, August 26, 2017

Tournament 82: Summer Grand Slam - Quarters

Eight all-star competitors advanced to the Quarter Final round of the 2017 Summer Grand Slam! With two Hall of Famers and six former Undisputed Champions competing, expectations were at an all-time high! It turned out experience-plus was the key to an edge in the close fought Quarters!

Genku found himself vulnerable in the opening QF, drained after claiming an impressive victory over Ratt in the Fourth Round! United: Artanix came highly motivated, seizing the opportunity to advance his solo credentials. He came close to upsetting Genku in Round 2 of this year's Grand Prix Warm-Up. The United fighter had to settle for almost - coming tantalizingly close to scoring the upset win. After such a hard fought battle, Genku enters the Semi Final with a major question mark.

United: Mimik found momentum from his defeat of Violent`J in the last round, flexing his muscles against a less experienced rival in "Red Nightmare" LordSkarlet. Mimik was never known for his tournament prowess, but showed phenomenal form in his Quarters clash. LordSkarlet had a hard win against "Champion of Champions" Poasty coming into the Quarters, but Mimik's performance was at a high level! The +3 impact could elevate Mimik to a dark horse contender!

As the last remaining top seed; United: Mime had the confidence of having made the Semi Finals of this year's Grand Slam Open, Grand Prix Warm-Up, and Mid-Year Grand Slam! He seemed destined to make it four from four, but the reigning KFL Champion hadn't counted on DECEPTION! The Hitman devastated TonyTheTiger in Round 4, executing a dominant MAX Damage win! Momentum was on clearly on DECEPTION's side, but the clash would turn out to be the big fight of Day 6! Mime did his best to dig his heels in, but The Hitman has been eager to fight his way back to the top of the league! It was a competitive contest, but in the end, Mime's Semi Final streak came to an end.

Like DECEPTION; United: The_Purple_Bunny has been solely motivated by the desire to win the Undisputed Championship once again. He wants to win his 7th title reign in 2017! It was enough to spur him past All-Star Summer nemesis Marz, but there was nothing left in the tank when he came up against one of the most revered Hall of Famers in history: Kron! Kron had his own struggles, edging past VenoMark in a hard fought Fourth Round clash. He wasn't in great shape heading into the QF, but old enemy TPB had absolutely nothing left. The Kron Line capitalized, consuming TPB in a bitter defeat!

The final day of competition will decide the winner of the 2017 Summer Grand Slam! For "The Hitman" DECEPTION and Kron it will be an Ultimate Grand Prix rematch that could decide the ultimate winner! In the other half: Genku and United: Mimik will battle for the recognition they've so long been denied! Two Hall of Famers, four former champions - one Grand Slam Tournament winner! It all begins tomorrow with the Semi  Finals!

Tournament 82: Summer Grand Slam - Quarter Finals:
1. Genku defeated United: Artanix in a hard fought contest! [+1]
2. United: Mimik defeated "Red Nightmare" LordSkarlet in a strong victory! [+3]
3. "The Hitman" DECEPTION defeated United: Mime (c) (#3) in a competitive match! [+1]
4. Kron defeated United: The_Purple_Bunny in a comprehensive victory! [+4]

Tournament 82 Impact Players:
- Statix +MAX (R1), Genku +MAX (R1), Mime +MAX (R1), The_Purple_Bunny +MAX (R1), Violent`J +MAX (R2), Kron +MAX (R2), DECEPTION +MAX (R4), Artanix +21 (R1), VenoMark +20 (R1), Shoe +19 (R1), LordSkarlet +19 (R2), Marz +17 (R1), Shen_DuHBK +16 (R1), BilboFett +13 (R1), Ratt +10 (R1), Mimik +10 (R3), TonyTheTiger +9 (R1), TripleH +9 (R1)

Tournament 82 Shock Eliminations:
- CaTigeReptile (R1), CCShadow (R1), ElJobber (DNC), Onryo (R1), Damo (R2), Rockey316 (R2), Ken (R3), Ratt (R4)

Tournament 82 Casualties:
- Zentile (R1), J-Spit (R2)

Friday, August 25, 2017

Tournament 82: Summer Grand Slam - Round 4

It's not often you see a MAX Damage result from a Round 4 dream match, but that's exactly what we were treated to at the 2017 Summer Grand Slam! It was an all-star round of sixteen, with only one seed making it three -- and three of five Hall of Famers biting the dust!

"The Hitman" DECEPTION was the impact player of the Fourth Round, living up to his name in a devastating victory against "The Predator" TonyTheTiger! TTT struggled to keep up the pace in the match, contributing heavily to the punishing MAX Damage loss. #3 seed United: Mime fought a more even match in his comprehensive win over SubMan799. Mime has reached the Semi Finals of all three Grand Slam Tournaments this year, and will go into the Quarters firm favourite despite the severity of DECEPTION's R4 victory.

United: The_Purple_Bunny announced himself as the fighter to watch, executing a near perfect fight against Marz! The grudge match result reversed fortunes at All-Star Summer Showdown that momentarily distanced TPB from his driving goal of winning a 7th Undisputed Championship in 2017. If he's able to continue the pace he's shown in his last two matches, it could be the fasttrack! He will find stiff competition from another old rival, however. Kron's near-miss in Round 3 must've been a wake-up, or perhaps just conserving energy. He crossed swords with #2 seed VenoMark, who fought close to his very best! A high-caliber close fought bout!

"Red Nightmare" LordSkarlet was impressive in his elimination of #4 seed Poasty! The "Champion of Champions" showed potential for another big defying of odds, but LordSkarlet was able to call upon his superior experience to match the Royal Roulette winner's penchant for momentum. With United: Mimik comfortably besting fellow Hall of Famer Violent`J, it's anyone's guess what will happen in the Quarter Finals! Mimik's early career was dotted with poor tournament showings, but he's been making up for it in his second career with The United!

It was another of The United's impressive number that brought an end to the upstart run of Statix! He took out the Undisputed Champion in Round 2, but was out-gunned by United: Artanix in the Fourth! He'll face a highly motivated Genku in the Quarters, as the controversial Invasion fighter comes off a high of decimating Ratt in a huge win!

Tournament 82: Summer Grand Slam - Round 4:
1. United: Artanix d. Statix [+2]
2. Genku d. Ratt [+5]
3. United: Mimik d. Violent`J [+1]
4. "Red Nightmare" LordSkarlet d. "Champion of Champions" Poasty (#4) [+1]
5. United: Mime (c) (#3) d. SubMan799 [+9]
6. "The Hitman" DECEPTION d. "The Predator" TonyTheTiger [+MAX]
7. United: The_Purple_Bunny d. Marz [+2]
8. Kron d. VenoMark (#2) [+1]

Tournament 82 Impact Players:
- Statix +MAX (R1), Genku +MAX (R1), Mime +MAX (R1), The_Purple_Bunny +MAX (R1), Violent`J +MAX (R2), Kron +MAX (R2), DECEPTION +MAX (R4), Artanix +21 (R1), VenoMark +20 (R1), Shoe +19 (R1), LordSkarlet +19 (R2), Marz +17 (R1), Shen_DuHBK +16 (R1), BilboFett +13 (R1), Ratt +10 (R1), Mimik +10 (R3), TonyTheTiger +9 (R1), TripleH +9 (R1)

Tournament 82 Shock Eliminations:
- CaTigeReptile (R1), CCShadow (R1), ElJobber (DNC), Onryo (R1), Damo (R2), Rockey316 (R2), Ken (R3), Ratt (R4)

Tournament 82 Casualties:
- Zentile (R1), J-Spit (R2)

Thursday, August 24, 2017

Tournament 82: Summer Grand Slam - Round 3

A strong field surged through Round 3 of the 2017 Summer Grand Slam as the All-Star field began to assert itself! A who's who of competitors advanced to Round 4, setting up a scintillating round of sixteen with three top seeds, and five Hall of Famers still live in the bracket!

Reigning KFL Champion and #3 seed United: Mime delivered the most destructive impact of the round, executing a +17 demolition against Porygonix. The United delivered all of the double digit impacts for the round, with Artanix and Mimik crushing their opponents for +11 and +10 damage.

The impacts weren't as flashy, but three fighters asserted themselves with impressive heavyweight performances. All-time great Ratt was at his scintillating best when he beat Invasion figurehead DaemonX! The benefit of a bye in the last round helped Marz come in fresh against DeathScepter, setting up an All-Star Summer Showdown rematch with United: The_Purple_Bunny, who was at his best in a comprehensive elimination of ICWW alum Shamrock!

The #2 seed VenoMark weathered a notably competitive match with MKMaster. He'll face a Kron who just narrowly made it past G0LD in a remarkably close fought match! Kron's looked strong until now, despite suffering a high-profile loss at All-Star Summer Showdown. #4 seed Poasty had the benefit of an unprecedented double withdrawal from Round 2, granting him a ticket straight into the Fourth Round. "Red Nightmare" LordSkarlet should provide a tough challenge after taking out DArqueBishop in a comprehensive elimination!

Round 4 is littered with main event match-ups and hot rivalries! Genku has been out to prove a point, but will face one of the toughest opponents possible when he meets Ratt! Only one Hall of Famer will survive when United: Mimik takes on "Y2Juggalo" Violent`J! Summer bad blood will be revisited when Marz faces United: The_Purple_Bunny. The sleeper of the round could just be "The Predator" TonyTheTiger versus "The Hitman" DECEPTION!

Tournament 82: Summer Grand Slam - Round 3:
1. Statix d. Torchia [+1]
2. United: Artanix d. BilboFett [+11]
3. Genku d. Kiara85 [+4]
4. Ratt d. DaemonX [+2]
5. United: Mimik d. McDaniel [+10]
6. Violent`J d. Jerrod [+1]
7. "Red Nightmare" LordSkarlet d. DArqueBishop [+4]
8. Poasty (#4) progressed to Round 4 as a result of a bye.
9. United: Mime (c) (#3) d. Porygonix [+17]
10. SubMan799 d. King Ken [+3]
11. "The Predator" TonyTheTiger d. Shinnokxz (c) [+2]
12. "The Hitman" DECEPTION d. The_Hurricane [+3]
13. Marz d. DeathScepter [+8]
14. United: The_Purple_Bunny d. Shamrock [+2]
15. Kron d. G0LD [+1]
16. VenoMark (#2) d. MKMaster [+1]

Tournament 82 Impact Players:
- Statix +MAX (R1), Genku +MAX (R1), Mime +MAX (R1), The_Purple_Bunny +MAX (R1), Violent`J +MAX (R2), Kron +MAX (R2), Artanix +21 (R1), VenoMark +20 (R1), Shoe +19 (R1), LordSkarlet +19 (R2), Marz +17 (R1), Shen_DuHBK +16 (R1), BilboFett +13 (R1), Ratt +10 (R1), Mimik +10 (R3), TonyTheTiger +9 (R1), TripleH +9 (R1), Damo +8 (R1)

Tournament 82 Shock Eliminations:
- CaTigeReptile (R1), CCShadow (R1), ElJobber (DNC), Onryo (R1), Damo (R2), Rockey316 (R2), Ken (R3)

Tournament 82 Casualties:
- Zentile (R1), J-Spit (R2)

Wednesday, August 23, 2017

Tournament 82: Summer Grand Slam - Round 2

High caliber competition at the 2017 Summer Grand Slam pushed the Second Round into just about every conceivable outcome! There were shock upsets, a seed elimination, MAX Damage, close fought contests, walkthrough byes -- and even the first-ever double withdrawal!

Expectations were immediately thrown out in the first fight when reigning Undisputed Champion and #1 seed Damo was upset by Statix! It was a bad case of deja vu, reminding everyone of Damo's Round 2 loss in the Mid-Year Grand Slam! That result earned Poasty the moniker of "Champion of Champions", and as #4 seed, he earned another confident win in Round 2 against 4-time Div.2 Champ: SubScorpTile! Thanks to unprecedented circumstances: Poasty will advance straight to the Fourth Round -- completely skipping the Third via a bye!

The Pacific Connection may've dominated at All-Star Summer Showdown, but Oozaru infamously left the league early last year when the random draw of Tournament 66 pit him against his partner: Banging. Fate once again matched Oozaru and Banging in the Second Round, and Oozaru again refused to fight his friend. Unwilling to take advantage, Banging also declined to advance, resulting in a double withdrawal! It means the 2017 Mid-Year Grand Slam winner is out of the tournament - and Poasty gets that bye in Round 3!

Allegiances were also tested when members of The United met in the Second Round. Mimik did not shy away from the contest, finding himself hungry for tournament success in another inter-team contest! He earned a convincing win against Shoe, but one wonders what the cost of advancement may be considering his battles last year with Hokey, and earlier this year against TPB. Not a concern he'll have to worry about until the finals. The_Purple_Bunny advanced with a solid win against notorious "Italian Bishop" Shen_DuHBK.

#3 seed and KFL Champ United: Mime had no trouble dealing with Jammer2Omega in a match-up that drew curiosity. He'll face J2O's partner in the Third Round after Porygonix advanced against Killswitch. #2 seed VenoMark was also a comfortable winner against Mime's teammate, United: Murdoink. He'll face one-half of The 5 Minuet Kismet duo - MKMaster.

Only one Hall of Famer fell out of the race in Round 2: Division 2 Champion Shinnokxz earned a big scalp when he beat the much talked about Rockey316! It was smooth sailing for Marz thanks to a bye provided by a Day 2 draw. Shamrock earned a solid win against Red_Spaniard of The Red Reign. Kron delivered one of two MAX Damage wins of the day against upstart GuiltyByDesign. The other came when Violent`J brought an end to the run of J-Spit, who suffered the direst of consequences from his defeat. J-Spit marks the second sidelined casualty from the 2017 Summer Grand Slam.

Tournament 82: Summer Grand Slam - Round 2:
1. Statix d. "The Chosen One" Damo (c) (#1) [+4]
2. Torchia d. giandavil [+2]
3. BilboFett d. ErmackDaddy [+1]
4. United: Artanix d. Shaggy2Dope [+8]
5. Kiara85 d. Sgtf [+1]
6. Genku d. Baraka_MK [+5]
7. DaemonX d. Coltess [+5]
8. Ratt d. "The Sword of Europe" Chromatose [+4]
9. McDaniel d. legoslayer10 [+1]
10. United: Mimik d. United: Shoe [+1]
11. Violent`J d. J-Spit [+MAX] [-1up]
12. Jerrod d. jack4813 [+3]
13. DArqueBishop d. foahchon [+1]
14. "Red Nightmare" LordSkarlet d. Jauger [+19]
15. No match occurred as a result of a double withdrawal.
16. "Champion of Champions" Poasty (#4) d. SubScorpTile [+2]
17. United: Mime (c) (#3) d. Jammer2Omega [+4]
18. Porygonix d. Killswitch [+1]
19. SubMan799 d. proXade [+1]
20. King Ken d. NovaStarr [+1]
21. Shinnokxz (c) d. Rockey316 [+1]
22. "The Predator" TonyTheTiger d. JoelKatz [+5]
23. "The Hitman" DECEPTION d. Evil AlbertBeefcake [+1]
24. The_Hurricane d. STEROLIZER [+4]
25. Marz progressed to Round 3 as a result of a bye.
26. DeathScepter d. TripleH [+2]
27. United: The_Purple_Bunny d. Shen_DuHBK [+3]
28. Shamrock d. Red_Spaniard [+12]
29. G0LD d. nif [+2]
30. Kron d. GuiltyByDesign [+MAX]
31. MKMaster d. GohanSon [+3]
32. VenoMark (#2) d. United: Murdoink [+5]

Tournament 82 Impact Players:
- Statix +MAX (R1), Genku +MAX (R1), Mime +MAX (R1), The_Purple_Bunny +MAX (R1), Violent`J +MAX (R2), Kron +MAX (R2), Artanix +21 (R1), VenoMark +20 (R1), Shoe +19 (R1), LordSkarlet +19 (R2), Marz +17 (R1), Shen_DuHBK +16 (R1), BilboFett +13 (R1), Ratt +10 (R1), TonyTheTiger +9 (R1), TripleH +9 (R1), Damo +8 (R1), Baraka_MK +7 (R1), DECEPTION +7 (R1), SubScorpTile +5 (R1), DaemonX +5 (R2)

Tournament 82 Shock Eliminations:
- CaTigeReptile (R1), CCShadow (R1), ElJobber (DNC), Onryo (R1), Damo (R2), Rockey316 (R2)

Tournament 82 Casualties:
- Zentile (R1), J-Spit (R2)

Tuesday, August 22, 2017

Tournament 82: Summer Grand Slam - Day 2

The encore to the All-Star Summer Showdown continued with Day 2 of the annual 2017 Summer Grand Slam! The bottom half of Round 1 delivered more hard-hitting, star-studded eliminating as the final prestigious Grand Slam Tournament for the year brought out all the big names!

#3 seed and KFL Champion United: Mime picked up one of two MAX Damage wins on Day 2! He utterly destroyed Brexiteer Liam in the opening match! United: The_Purple_Bunny delivered the other ultimate destruction, destroying another prominent figure from the Duo Division: edge! The #2 seed VenoMark was next most destructive in his Round 1 win, dominating Mo2 for -20p!

We learned the random draw has evenly distributed eight Hall of Famers competing in this year's Summer Grand Slam! Kron ruined the glendi of The Greek Crisis' Summer comeback by beating maxilos. ICWW All-Stars Marz, Rockey316, and a DOAX returning Shamrock, were also confident First Round winners!

The Mid-Year Grand Slam was a bloodless event, but "The Predator" TonyTheTiger reminded everyone of his lethal potential when he executed the first fatal victory of Tournament 82! Many competitors have been trying to break "Wild Pegasus" Zentile, but for the last two years he's managed to fight on the edge. His high-risk style finally caught up with him in a devastating loss!

Day 2 of the Summer Grand Slam also had the distinction of featuring the first draw! xort was part of a Day 1 tie in the Mid-Year Grand Slam, and once again found himself fighting to a standstill, this time against Benjamin! A bizarre case of the same crud happening to the same guy twice!

"Mad Dog" Onryo was one of the shock exits of Day 2, losing an unlikely close fought bout to GuiltyByDesign! The second-half of the reigning Duo Division Champions was knocked out when NovaStarr defeated Scott-Howell. Duo Division hopefuls Jammer2Omega and Porygonix both bounced back from their All-Star Summer Showdown disappointment, with J2O claiming a big win against Nephrite to set-up a Round 2 clash with the KFL Champion!

Other big names to watch in the Second Round include: "The Hitman" DECEPTION, Division 2 Champion Shinnokxz, King Ken, Evil AlbertBeefcake, The_Hurricane, Shen_DuHBK, G0LD, MKMaster, SubMan799, and United: Murdoink.

Tournament 82: Summer Grand Slam - Round 1, Day 2:
33. United: Mime (c) (#3) d. Liam [+MAX]
34. Jammer2Omega d. Nephrite [+4]
35. Killswitch d. ArtemisFlow [+1]
36. Porygonix d. Fantoche [+1]
37. SubMan799 d. mwgrant0 [+4]
38. proXade d. VR-FIST [+1]
39. King Ken d. Jason_Voorhees [+1]
40. NovaStarr d. Scott-Howell (c) [+1]
41. Rockey316 d. Darfus [+2]
42. Shinnokxz (c) d. "Bad Bad" Leroy [+1]
43. JoelKatz d. AlexanderLuthorJr [+1]
44. "The Predator" TonyTheTiger d. "Wild Pegasus" Zentile [+9] [-1up]
45. "The Hitman" DECEPTION d. Loopster [+7]
46. Evil AlbertBeefcake d. NOOB [+4]
47. The_Hurricane d. nightbreed_16 [+1]
48. STEROLIZER d. Vultyrex [+1]
49. Marz d. Miller [+17]
50. Benjamin and xort fought to a complete standstill!
51. TripleH d. Onimike [+9]
52. DeathScepter d. Piccolo [+1]
53. Shen_DuHBK d. "Big Johnny" Bofh [+16]
54. United: The_Purple_Bunny d. edge [+MAX]
55. Shamrock d. Sekktor [+1]
56. Red_Spaniard d. abcdeath [+2]
57. nif d. Jesseman [+2]
58. G0LD d. Celeste [+1]
59. GuiltyByDesign d. "Mad Dog" Onryo [+1]
60. Kron d. maxilos [+6]
61. MKMaster d. Shizuma [+3]
62. GohanSon d. deadly [+1]
63. United: Murdoink d. deadpool [+2]
64. VenoMark (#2) d. Mo2 [+20]

Tournament 82 Impact Players:
- Statix +MAX (R1), Genku +MAX (R1), Mime +MAX (R1), The_Purple_Bunny +MAX (R1), Artanix +21 (R1), VenoMark +20 (R1), Shoe +19 (R1), Marz +17 (R1), Shen_DuHBK +16 (R1), BilboFett +13 (R1), Ratt +10 (R1), LordSkarlet +9 (R1), TonyTheTiger +9 (R1), TripleH +9 (R1), Damo +8 (R1), Baraka_MK +7 (R1), DECEPTION +7 (R1), Kron +6 (R1), SubScorpTile +5 (R1), Jammer2Omega +4 (R1), SubMan799 +4 (R1), AlbertBeefcake +4 (R1)

Tournament 82 Shock Eliminations:
- CaTigeReptile (R1), CCShadow (R1), ElJobber (DNC), Onryo (R1)

Tournament 82 Casualties:
- Zentile (R1)

Monday, August 21, 2017

Tournament 82: Summer Grand Slam - Day 1

There was no quit in the best competitors in the league as the 2017 Summer Grand Slam got under way just twenty-four hours after a massive All-Star Summer Showdown! The random bracket for Day 1 was a star-studded affair, with "The Chosen One" Damo (#1) and Poasty (#4) advancing from seeded placements at the top and bottom of the half-bracket!

Damo's win sets up another intriguing Second Round face-off, this time with ICWW All-Star Statix, who executed a staggering MAX Damage win against Politics. It was bad news for Politics' partner Menas, as well! He took the other MAX Damage loss at the hands of Genku, who eliminated Statix at All-Star Summer Showdown during the team clash between The Invasion and Mick's All-Stars!

There were strong, All-Star wins all across the First Round bracket! Four Hall of Fame competitors advanced with Ratt, United: Mimik, Violent`J, and Mid-Year Grand Slam winner Oozaru picking up good wins. "Red Nightmare" LordSkarlet, United: Artanix, United: ShoeDaemonX, Banging, and DArqueBishop also advanced with strong results.

The biggest upset of the day was "The Guardian" CaTigeReptile, who lost an absolute shocker to BilboFett just twenty-four hours after her All Star-making victory against Kron! One-half of the Duo Division Champions, CCShadow, also had a surprising loss to Sgtf.

Jerrod advanced to the Second Round despite drawing the defending 2016 Summer Grand Slam champ, and reigning 2016 & 2017 Grand Slam Launch winner: ElJobber. ElJobber hoped to defend his crown, but was forced to make a last minute withdrawal after suffering a punishing Steel Cage Fight defeat at All-Star Summer Showdown! Cage winner VenoMark is expected to compete in the bottom half of the Summer Grand Slam bracket as #2 seed, on Day 2!

Tournament 82: Summer Grand Slam - Round 1, Day 1:
1. "The Chosen One" Damo (c) (#1) d. Jericho [+8]
2. Statix d. Politics [+MAX]
3. giandavil d. CRX7 [+1]
4. Torchia d. kibble [+1]
5. BilboFett d. "The Guardian" CaTigeReptile [+13]
6. ErmackDaddy d. kingjolly [+1]
7. United: Artanix d. Cherri [+21]
8. Shaggy2Dope d. WilliamRegal [+1]
9. Sgtf d. CCShadow (c) [+1]
10. Kiara85 d. redman [+1]
11. Baraka_MK d. Cukier [+7]
12. Genku d. Menas [+MAX]
13. Coltess d. __-Standards-__ [+1]
14. DaemonX d. J1sy [+3]
15. Ratt d. Mark [+10]
16. "The Sword of Europe" Chromatose d. PaganFreak [+1]
17. legoslayer10 d. rxvt [+3]
18. McDaniel d. Nemesis316 [+1]
19. United: Shoe d. MattHardy [+19]
20. United: Mimik d. KombatKid [+2]
21. J-Spit d. Quan Jeeves [+2]
22. Violent`J d. "The Jackal" Maridany [+1]
23. Jerrod progressed to Round 2 via a bye.
24. jack4813 d. Dez-Burnett [+1]
25. foahchon d. Kairyu [+2]
26. DArqueBishop d. ]{0MBAT [+1]
27. "Red Nightmare" LordSkarlet d. fraysol [+9]
28. Jauger d. Mojo6 [+2]
29. Banging d. United: zelse [+11]
30. Oozaru d. Dolce [+3]
31. SubScorpTile d. LadyRaiden [+5]
32. "Champion of Champions" Poasty (#4) d. avenger45 [+2]

Tournament 82 Impact Players:
- Statix +MAX (R1), Genku +MAX (R1), Artanix +21 (R1), Shoe +19 (R1), BilboFett +13 (R1), Ratt +10 (R1), LordSkarlet +9 (R1), Damo +8 (R1), Baraka_MK +7 (R1), SubScorpTile +5 (R1), DaemonX +3 (R1), legoslayer10 +3 (R1), Oozaru +3 (R1)

Tournament 82 Shock Eliminations:
- CaTigeReptile (R1), CCShadow (R1), ElJobber (DNC)

Weekly Rankings Recap - 8/20/2017

Was that the best All-Star Summer Showdown of all time? Last year's event set the bar very high, but Supercard 97 had a tremendous amount of depth! I reckon the UGP throne is safe, but a new peak may've been achieved for the Supercard of the Summer!

It was the first time since the addition of secondary titles that there were no championship changes at All-Star Summer Showdown. That could be seen as a negative, but I actually think it was the right result for the right time. The fairytale coronation of an up-and-comer is a tempting narrative, but this is a sport, and we increasingly see these mega-shows serve as proving grounds for the next dynasty that's arrived -- not the next one coming through.

Poasty put on an outstanding performance in the main event! In terms of success, I think he would've been much better served saving that Royal Roulette opportunity for some time in the middle of next year. Can't fault the timing of the match, though! When a guy you just beat is carrying the strap, how can you pass that up? He damn well nearly did it, too! CTR missed a similar opportunity back in 2014 and never quite got back, but there's no doubting Poasty will be champ some day! For now, Damo will be the "Chosen One" carrying the belt forward with an All-Star notch on his belt!

Speaking of CaTigeReptile, how about her massive win over Kron? September's Night of Champions might curb her chances to capitalize on the star-making win, but this could be the beginning of a make-good on the missed opportunity of late last year. Former champ VenoMark could be an immediate danger after his big Steel Cage Fight win over the former #1 Contender. I'll bet Genku and United: The_Purple_Bunny will want to use the stip to get back in the hunt, too!

In the Duos it was a big dynastic win for CCShadow & Scott-Howell on Sunday! They managed to be underdogs heading into the Spring Classic rematch with Ratt & NightHawk. Now they're pretty well cemented as the dominant force ruling the Duo Division! The Pacific Connection had another big win, but after their four match championship series, I think that ship's sailed. "The New Generation" DECEPTION & Onryo seem like the most logical challengers after the weekend.

I was impressed to see Shinnokxz follow-up his upset Div.2 Championship win with a strong first defense. "Wild Pegasus" Zentile has been very tough to get a read on. United: Mime continues to be a rock with the KFL Championship. I'm not sure who will shake it from him, but after winning the Summer Battle Royal, DArqueBishop could be a logical contender.

The prestigious 2017 Summer Grand Slam kicks off next week, bringing 128 fighters to the arena for a week of elimination competition! Most of the big names from All-Star Summer Showdown are expected to return to try to claim the coveted tournament crown! Remember: That means a week off for the Monday Night Games and Friday Night Fights.

The Great Arena League Top Ten:
#1 (--) United: Mime [KFL Champion]
#2 (+1) Evil AlbertBeefcake
#3 (+1) Oozaru
#4 (-2) MKMaster
#5 (--) Scott-Howell [Duo Division Champion]
#6 (--) Statix
#7 (--) Benjamin
#8 (--) "The Guardian" CaTigeReptile
#9 (new) United: Murdoink
#10 (-1) United: Artanix

The Great Arena Duo Division Top Ten:
#1 (--) CCShadow & Scott-Howell [Duo Division Champions]
#2 (--) "The Invasion" Jason_Voorhees & edge
#3 (--) "Brexiteers" Liam & nif
#4 (--) "The Invasion" Evil AlbertBeefcake & Shen_DuHBK
#5 (--) Politics & Menas
#6 (--) Benjamin & Mo2
#7 (--) DaemonX & Banging
#8 (--) "The 5 Minute Kismet" Baraka_MK & MKMaster
#9 (--) McDaniel & fraysol
#10 (--) Jammer2Omega & Porygonix

The Division 2 Under 5k Top Ten:
#1 (+1) Evil AlbertBeefcake
#2 (+1) Oozaru
#3 (-2) MKMaster
#4 (--) Scott-Howell [Duo Division Champion]
#5 (--) Benjamin
#6 (--) United: Murdoink
#7 (--) Banging
#8 (--) Baraka_MK
#9 (+1) Jason_Voorhees
#10 (RE) CCShadow [Duo DIvision Champion]

The Incapacitated List:
- Rhyno [vs Jerrod & SubMan799 - June 30, 2017]
- Grayback [vs ]{0MBAT & tabmok99s_wife - May 19, 2017]
- GreenLantern [vs Baraka_MK & MKMaster - May 15, 2017]
- hydraslash [vs Artanix - April 24, 2017]
- m0s [vs ElJobber - April 2, 2017]
- EasterBunny [vs Damo - March 16, 2017]
- UlcaTron [vs CaTigeReptile - March 15, 2017]
- KittyKat [vs Genku - March 13, 2017]
- proXade [vs Sekktor & hydraslash - March 5, 2017]
- MercWithMouth [vs CCShadow & Scott-Howell - February 5, 2017]
- Unknown265 [vs TonyTheTiger - January 4, 2017]
- MINION [vs Mime - January 3, 2017]
- ShawnMichaels [vs Genku - December 16, 2016]
- AcidicWonder [vs LordSkarlet - December 5, 2016]
- Ironize [vs Genku - November 25, 2016]
- marianokombat [vs CaTigeReptile - August 24, 2016]
- xtactics [vs Leroy - August 22, 2016]
- jaytea [vs Artanix, Ken & Baraka_MK - August 13, 2016]
- TheMetinPorta [vs Violent`J - June 22, 2016]
- Knickxasawrrrr [vs Mime - May 22, 2016]
- Crow [vs Ratt - April 3, 2016]

Sunday, August 20, 2017

Supercard 97: All-Star Summer Showdown

The heat is on for the Supercard of the Summer! The mercury always rises to its apex in August when the biggest names in history converge for the All-Star Summer Showdown! The annual Great Arena spectacular brings blood feuds to the boil, dream matches to reality, and career defining moments that will echo through time. It's half-summer bloc party, half-championship play-off! All the titles will be on the line, but none is bigger than the Undisputed Championship main event! It's show time!



16. "The Chosen One" Damo (c) defeated "Champion of Champions" Poasty in a close fought match! [+1] [Undisputed Championship]
Everything about the Championship Preview preceding the match seemed to favour "The Chosen One" Damo, but there was just one flaw in the overwhelming advantage of his experience: Poasty already defeated him! As Division 2 Champion; Poasty won the clash of champs in the Second Round of the Mid-Year Grand Slam, inspiring the nickname of "Champion of Champions". He lost his title in a surprise upset at Pre-Show 96, but immediately bounced back with an unexpected victory in the 2017 Royal Roulette match! While Damo was dominated the gold, Poasty vowed to win it! An opportunity he simply couldn't pass-up, cashing-in on an opponent he knew he could beat!

Most years the Undisputed Championship is defined by two or three fighters, and Damo had proven himself a "Chosen One" with wins at The Spring Classic and Tower of Power XIX! The odds were in his favour, but Poasty has never cared much about odds. The blue chipper looked remarkably at home in the Summer main event, immediately going toe-to-toe with the champ! Every time Damo tried to exert powerful dominance over the match, Poasty found an energetic counter-attack! It truly looked as if The Champion of Champions might pull off the steal of the century, but The Chosen One was able to call upon an extra gear. It went down to the wire, but in the end, Damo secured the win!

With the crowd going wild, Poasty reluctantly offered his to Damo in a show of respect. They shook, but Poasty assured him that he'll be coming for the gold again. Damo raised his hand, confident in the knowledge his next challenge will be far more familiar when Supercard 98: Night of Champions VI brings former Undisputed Champions back for a shot at his title.

15. Mick's All-Stars defeated The Invasion in a Survival Sequence! [5-4]
1. Rockey316 (Mick) elim. Shen_DuHBK (Invasion)
2. Black Rook 1 (Invasion) elim. Rockey316 (Mick)
3. Violent`J (Mick) elim. Black Rook 1 (Invasion)
4. Black Rook 2 (Invasion) elim. Violent`J (Mick)
5. The_Hurricane (Mick) elim. Black Rook 2 (Invasion)
6. DaemonX (Invasion) elim. The_Hurricane (Mick)
7. Statix (Mick) elim. DaemonX (Invasion)
8. Genku (Invasion) elim. Statix (Mick)
9. Mick (Mick) elim. Genku (Invasion)
Survivor: Chairman Mick

After destroying DaemonX at Dead Or Alive V; "The Spirit of Vengeance" Michael Lucifer retreated from the fight to become an official behind The Great Arena. When Chairman Mick refused to show for Genku's challenge at Dead Or Alive X, it seemed he would never fight again. After six months of continuous verbal attacks from Genku, he resorted to flat-out calling Mick a failure and a coward. It was the last straw that finally got The Chairman to act - with a catch! Genku would have to earn his match by fighting through four ICWW All-Stars fresh from their 15th Anniversary at DOAX!

Rockey316's much publicized return at Dead Or Alive failed to produce a golden win, but as the first fighter in for Mick's All-Stars, he was in fine form! "Italian Bishop" Shen_DuHBK managed to get an early shot in, but it was all Rockey after that! The Invasion recruited their mysterious enforcers for the match, bringing Black Rook 1 in to quickly dismantle the tiring sensation. The arena lit up as Violent`J arrived, entering into an all-out back-and-forth war with The Rook! BR1 briefly had control, but the Y2Juggalo was able to fight back for the elimination! He had nothing left for Black Rook 2, though, gifting an easy out. The_Hurricane ran in to a punishing blow, but recovered to sweep away the second Rook. No such luck against DaemonX, who swiftly dominated Hurricane, taunting him over the July turn of his partner AlbertBeefcake! Statix picked up where his teammate left off, unleashing holy hell against The Invasion leader for a vicious elimination! This left only Genku, who had no trouble wiping out his old rival Statix! This set the stage for the fight everyone wanted to see! Chairman Mick charged in to Sudden Death, taking full advantage of Genku's prior skirmish. It was like a flashback to ICWW as The Chairman rained down blows on Genku! There was nothing he could do. For the first time in five years: Chairman Mick celebrated the 5-4 win over Genku and The Invasion, joined by his All-Star teammates!

14. CCShadow & Scott-Howell (c) defeated Ratt & NightHawk in a dominant victory! [+4] [Duo Division Championship]
CCShadow & Scott-Howell may be one of the veteran pairings in The Great Arena, but their second Duo Division Championship win at the 2017 Spring Classic came with some surprise. In the months since: they've established themselves as the new dominant pairing, but the surprise return of Ratt & NightHawk at Dead Or Alive X signaled fresh uncertainty from an All-Star rematch challenge! Ratt remains one of the most awesome Hall of Fame fighters in arena history, and with NightHawk, one of the few teams to have beaten Team Xtreme! They captured lightning in a bottle with their Ultimate Grand Prix VII championship win, but CCShadow & Scott-Howell's time was long coming! After a close fought series with The Pacific Connection, it was presumed Ratt & NightHawk would enter the match favourites. Much has changed in the last four months, though. CCShadow & Scott-Howell have perfected the winning formula of a champion team. In front of a stunned audience, they once again proved they're the best tandem in the league by upsetting Rattamania at the Supercard of the Summer! The Duo Division has come to be defined by dominant forces, and with this win, CCShadow & Scott-Howell announced themselves as the new dynasty to beat!

13. VenoMark defeated ElJobber in a heinous battle! [-1/-6] [Steel Cage Fight]
The Summer celebrations of the previous match dissipated as competitors entered the arena for a very different type of match. The ominous confines of the Steel Cage lowered as #1 Contender ElJobber found himself in unfamiliar surroundings with a confident opponent. VenoMark knew he would have to go to extremes to beat the Iron Man who took contention from him at Supercard 96. With an undefeated streak in the Steel Cage against some of the best in the league: VenoMark knew the risk would be worth it. ElJobber clutched steel bars with uncertainty, but when the bell rung, there was no time for caution. VenoMark charged his opponent, immediately turning their environment into an unforgiving weapon! ElJobber's experience allowed him to fight back, but the dismantling endurance of UGP Death Matches couldn't prepare him in the violent sprint of a Steel Cage Fight! VenoMark fought like there was no tomorrow. Both man bled that day, but it was ElJobber who was unable to stand. VenoMark emerged from the Steel Cage 5-0, with the soft metal of gold back in sight!

12. "The Guardian" CaTigeReptile defeated Kron in a spectacular victory! [+6]
The tone shifted for one of the more unique contests at this year's All-Star Summer Showdown. Hall of Fame legend Kron returned to action during the Mid-Year Grand Slam, where he found one of his toughest opponents in Quarter FinalistCaTigeReptile. Knowing the result could've easily gone the other way, he challenged CTR to meet him again, and finally take the next step toward securing her place as a bona fide All-Star! The resulting rematch confirmed what many already knew! CTR was at her very best, seizing the opportunity to drastically reverse her tournament fortunes! Under the lights of the Supercard of the Summer, against one of the legends of competition, CaTigeReptile executed a dominant +6 victory! The Guardian celebrated her landmark win as Kron recovered from the impact, applauding the rise of the league's newest All-Star!

11. "The New Generation" DECEPTION & Onryo defeated "The 5 Minute Kismet" Baraka_MK & MKMaster in convincing fashion! [+2]
It was the loss that divided a generation: Baraka_MK and "Mad Dog" Onryo went to Ultimate Grand Prix VII to beat Mark & Leroy - but were stunned in an upset defeat! They split-up to better hone their fighting technique, but when Onryo was closing in on the Div.2 title, BMK found a new partner: MKMaster! Allegiances tore The New Generation apart, and while BMK & MKM failed to beat Mark & Leroy at Supercard 94 -- DECEPTION came to Onryo's aid, slaying their dragon at Supercard 96! BMK & MKM settled the score at Dead Or Alive X, but the perceived insult of The New Generation's one-upping celebration was already felt. At All-Star Summer Showdown, BMK & MKM were announced by a new name - The 5 Minute Kismet! The new-look team were strong, but not strong enough to mitigate the All-Star pairing of DECEPTION & Onryo! The former Duo Champs were back to their very best, writing their own destiny of victory!

10. "The Pacific Connection" Oozaru & Banging defeated Jammer2Omega & Porygonix and "The Invasion" Jason_Voorhees & edge in a spectacular 3way performance! [+2/-1/-1]
Ever since UGP7; The Pacific Connection has been on a whirlwind tour, defeating some of the very best teams the Duo Division has to offer! The rise of the classic combination and their championship series has put the pinch on rising pairs like Jammer2Omega & Porygonix, and Invasion rivals Jason_Voorhees & edge! With Oozaru & Banging missing out on gold at Dead Or Alive X, the target was on their back! The rivalry between The Connection's opponents played to their advantage as they revisited their Supercard 96 grudge! J2O & Pory managed to neutralize The Invasion, but the effort expended took its toll. The Pacific Connection navigated their way to a strong All-Star victory!

9. United: Mime (c) defeated Evil AlbertBeefcake in a comprehensive win. [+1] [KFL Championship]
The United's domination of The Invasion earlier in the night seemed like a good omen for reigning KFL Champion Mime. The champ himself has been dominant since capturing the gold at Ultimate Grand Prix VII, but in Evil AlbertBeefcake he faced an unknown. Albert was once a sworn enemy of The Invasion, but after disappearing suddenly, he returned at Supercard 96 by their side! Victory at Pre-Show 97 secured Evil AlbertBeefcake the opportunity to corrupt the KFL gold, but Mime would not be so easily bamboozled! He retained against Rockey316 ten days prior at Dead Or Alive X, and put on another All-Star performance at the Supercard of the Summer! The result was never in doubt as Mime cruised to his ninth consecutive defense! A result that could've been far more painful!

8. Marz defeated United: The_Purple_Bunny in a comprehensive victory! [+7]
Before the 2017 Royal Roulette match; the paths of Marz and The_Purple_Bunny had rarely had reason to cross. As one-half of Team Xtreme, Marz set records in The Great Arena as Duo Division Champion. With his surprise entry into Royal Roulette, he revisited days as a record-setting ICWW World Champion! Celebrating ICWW's 15th Anniversary at Dead Or Alive X: Marz faced the other runners-up in a three-way, bundled out by The_Purple_Bunny on a quest for his 7th Undisputed Championship reign, in 2017! Attempted payback at Pre-Show 97 saw Team Xtreme suffer a rare loss at the hands of United All-Stars! A fire was lit under Marz that could not be denied come All-Star Summer Showdown! The_Purple_Bunny was arrogant, clearly under estimating his legendary opponent! Marz took full advantage, calling upon years of Hall of Fame experience to dominant TPB with a heinous +7 impact! An All-Star victory that left The_Purple_Bunny livid!

7. "The Predator" TonyTheTiger defeated "Red Nightmare" LordSkarlet in a comprehensive victory! [+3]
LordSkarlet has become a self-styled "Red Nightmare" for the fighters of The Great Arena, but its his own recurring horror he blames for stalling a Red Reign. He defeated TonyTheTiger at the 2015 All-Star Summer Showdown, but The Predator has continued to periodically disrupt his path ever since! He memorably sent LordSkarlet on a downward spiral after Ultimate Grand Prix VI. During his comeback in the 2017 Royal Roulette match -- history repeated itself. Payback was supposed to be swift and brutal after making TTT run the Red Reign gauntlet, but TonyTheTiger was destined to cause more upset for The Red Nightmare. The Predator was well prepared, executing a defensive-offense that cost LordSkarlet +3 impact! Salt in the wound of a demoralizing defeat!

6. Shinnokxz (c) defeated "Wild Pegasus" Zentile in a solid win! [+3] [Division 2 Championship]
An ability to fight on the edge led Zentile to two memorable reigns as Div. 2 Champion during last year's title blitz -- but his high-risk style has been slowly catching up with him! "Wild Pegasus" earned a title opportunity at the last minute, unseating favourite contender G0LD at Pre-Show 97! It was recovery from DOAX disappointment, but the instability of his style was evident when he came to All-Star Summer Showdown! Shinnokxz arrived at the big show untested, having been a surprise title winner at Pre-Show 96: Heat Up Scramble. Zentile presented a legitimate concern to the new champ, but when push came to shove, Shinnokxz pushed harder! A stunning +3 impact confirmed Shinnokxz was no mere fluke! A punishing result pushing Zentile precariously close to the edge!

5. The United defeated The Invasion in a dominant Survival Sequence! [5-2]
1. zelse (United) elim. Zengeance (Invasion)
2. zelse (United) elim. TripleH (Invasion)
3. WilliamRegal (Invasion) elim. zelse (United)
4. Murdoink (United) elim. WilliamRegal (Invasion)
5. Murdoink (United) elim. Jauger (Invasion)
6. Loopster (Invasion) elim. Murdoink (United)
7. Mimik (United) elim. Loopster (Invasion)
Survivors: Mimik, Artanix & Shoe

The Invasion were banished from Monday Nights at the beginning of the year, but Loopster found a vulnerability in The United in July, that he attempted to widen with a new front. A United broken by injury and in-fighting weren't there to defend, but the return of Shoe rallied the troops, leading to a dominant win in a round of VS United! Loopster managed to persist, leaving the last course of action to be a 5-on-5 Survival Sequence! Beleaguered rookie, zelse, led the charge in his first All-Star Summer Showdown, earning two stunning eliminations! WilliamRegal quickly stemmed the flow for The Invasion, but Murdoink obliterated him just as fast! Jauger managed to force Murdoink to work hard for his second elimination. Loopster effortlessly picked off Murdoink, but was no match for The United's Hall of Fame heavyhitter: Mimik! A stunning 5-2 result saw Shoe & Artanix join Mimik in celebrating The United's dominant victory in the Survival Sequence!

4. Benjamin defeated King Ken in a comprehensive result. [+2]
Coming out of Royal Roulette; Benjamin and King Ken had a common enemy in TonyTheTiger. Efforts to resolve the three-way issue quickly turned the pair against each other as Benjamin brushed Ken aside. A rematch further reinforced Benjamin's ability to out muscle King Ken, but throughout 2018, he's been a man torn between individual and tandem disciplines. Ken took advantage of this, crushing Benjamin with the aid of Bee_07, after bouncing back at DOAX! With Ben's lot in the duos dashed, the stage was set for the ultimate showdown! They've been comparable in so many ways, but King Ken's legendary career has always been undermined by failing to win big. Benjamin rose to the occasion, earning a comprehensive victory on the big Summer stage!

3. "Red Reign" Sekktor & legoslayer10 defeated "The Greek Crisis" maxilos & proXade in convincing fashion. [+1]
Six months ago The Greek Crisis were on a path of revolution as one of the top teams in the Duo Division. The high of participating in Tower of Power XVIII soon turned to a tragic low when the early stages of The Red Reign delivered a devastating defeat as unannounced challengers! The six month journey back for proXade finally came to an end as he and maxilos proudly marched into the arena! legoslayer10 had to play substitute in the comeback grudge match: The Red Reign suffered a karmic loss in April when hydraslash became victim of his own brutal injury! The change in line-up didn't diminish their team credentials. Sekktor & legoslayer10 reprised the role of Summer winners. The reunited Greek Crisis never the less celebrated the glendi of their Summer return, making up for missing out at UGP.

2. Mark & Leroy defeated "Brexiteers" Liam & nif [+1]
Mark & Leroy were the benchmark squeezed between competing rivals at Dead Or Alive X and Royal Roulette. The legacy of their Ultimate Grand Prix VII excellence almost cost them, but a strong win at Pre-Show 97 saved their place at the All-Star Summer Showdown! Awaiting were a duo who've set the division on fire: The Brexiteers have established themselves as a Top 5 pairing through hard work and determination. That drive wasn't enough in a match that didn't really capture either team in their best light. It wasn't pretty, but a down and dirty struggle delivered Mark & Leroy another win to compliment their UGP success.

1. DArqueBishop eliminated Chromatose to win the Summer Elimination Battle Royal!
Battle Royal Eliminations:
1. Darfus elim. Red_Spaniard
2. Chromatose elim. Kiara85
3. Menas elim. McDaniel
4. NovaStarr elim. Nemesis316
5. DArqueBishop elim. Politics
6. Onimike elim. KombatKid
7. Onimike elim. redman
8. Menas elim. Darfus
9. Chromatose elim. Coltess
10. NovaStarr elim. Onimike
11. DArqueBishop elim. SubMan799
12. G0LD elim. ]{0MBAT
13. xort elim. Menas
14. Nephrite elim. Jerrod
15. Nephrite elim. xort
16. Chromatose elim. G0LD
17. NovaStarr elim. Nephrite
18. DArqueBishop elim. NovaStarr
19. DArqueBishop elim. Chromatose
The big event atmosphere started to build as twenty fighters made their way into the arena for the opening salvo: a twenty-fighter Summer Elimination Battle Royal!

The heat was on as Kiara85 threw the opening blow, absolutely rocking Red_Spaniard! As the action erupted, it only took 31 seconds for Darfus to find his way to Red_Spaniard for the first elimination of the match! That was quickly followed with an act of karmas "The Sword of Europe" Chromatose cut down Kiara85 at the 62 seconds mark!

Onimike enjoyed a brief blitz in the first-half of the match, scoring back-to-back eliminations of KombatKid and redman! A surprise package also came from Menas, who outlasted partner Politics significantly, with an elimination of Darfus, to boot!

By the half-way point, it was becoming clear the match was a three-horse race between Chromatose, NovaStarr, and DArqueBishop. NovaStarr ended Onimike's exciting night to usher in the second half. DArqueBishop kept former allies turned Pre-Show rivals separated with an exit for SubMan799 at #11!

Top Division 2 prospect G0LD and Nephrite were able to exert some dominance around the middle of the battle. G0LD delivered chip damage to the top prospects in the match, finding time to eliminate ]{0MBAT. Nephrite got his licks in, chopping away at Jerrod and xort for two well earned elims!

Nephrite managed to hang in as part of the final four for a moment. He struck long time Fighter For Europe rival, Chromatose, with a punishing blow, before NovaStarr capitalized with a quick ambush elimination! The Sword of Europe paid her back in kind - delivering two hard shots that helped DAB secure the penultimate elimination! Chromatose attempted to cut DArqueBishop off immediately, but DAB was able to turn the tables! It took time to cut The Sword down, but persistence paid off with DArqueBishop securing the big win in the Summer Elimination Battle Royal!