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!

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