J-1 Pinnacle - Block A - Round Four - Chance vs. Thorin

[Kip Whistler]

Round Four in Block A:
Arizona Chance (3) vs. "Lord" Taylor Thorin (0)

[Thumper Moore III]

The lights go dim as Hysteria by Muse begins to play. As the guitar kicks in, a single spotlight silhouettes Arizona Chance, holding aloft the JWA Title in one hand, and his whip in the other. He makes his way to the ring after the full band kicks in and the lights come on.

LERAY: The champion heads to the ring, needing a win to stay alive in the J-1 tournament, to set up a possible winner takes all match next week with Bad Luck Bradley.

BEEMAN: He stills needs help. And I mean mentally, not just with mathematics.

I want it noooooow….

LERAY: As we await the appearance of Lord Thorin Taylor, we have to wonder what condition he’ll be in after his kidnapping and subsequent rescue. Details are still emerging, but footage has emerged that after his escape, he was accompanied off the plane from London by both Red Pirate Rogers and Thorin’s opponent tonight, Arizona Chance.

BEEMAN: And Tembleberry! Unlike the rest of his disappointing crew.

LERAY: I think I hear the dulcet tones of Palladio beginning to play…

["Lord" Taylor Thorin]

Tembleberry is out first, and here comes Taylor Thorin, dressed once again in his finery although a clear 6 o'clock shadow adorns his face and there is almost a dead-pan look in his eyes.

LERAY: "Well at least he's here today!"

BEEMAN: "What are you insinuating LeRay, that m'lord was on some sort of lavish vacation?!  We've all seen the footage!!!"

LERAY: "And we also saw Thorin thanking his rescuers by turning his back on them when it was needed Sean!"

BEEMAN: "You always have to look out for number one LeRay!"

Thorin enters the ring, doing his usual foot wipe as he enters and looks towards Arizona who has become more animated as Thorin made his entrance and is now pacing waiting to get the match underway, the referee turns to call for the bell and Chance charges Thorin, who instead bails out of the ring as Arizona is held back by the official.

Paying no attention to his opponent, Thorin instead argues with a couple of fans at ringside.

[Thumper Moore III]

LERAY: Chance hangs out on the ropes, and feigns a yawn. Thorin had better get back in as referee Francis X McCorry counts. Seven… eight…

BEEMAN: Thorin, get back in there!

LERAY: I think he heard you, Sean, as Thorin rolls back in at 9. Chance is still leaning against the ropes. He looks bored. He’s checking his watch now. Thorin approaches carefully, and Arizona hasn’t moved a muscle. Thorin pokes Chance— still no response. Thorin with a big grin on his face, rears back for a haymaker— Arizona springs into action, attempts to shoot in for a single leg pickup, and Thorin quickly scurries to the safety of the outside.

BEEMAN: Thorin definitely wrestling his match right now.

LERAY: Wrestling his match? He’s done nothing but run away anytime the champ has gotten near him.

BEEMAN: I said what I said.

LERAY: Arizona seems content for now to wait on a countout win. Six, seven… Thorin is now more attentive to the count, and he rolls in at 8… and right back out. The fans are booing loudly, and I can’t blame them. They came to see wrestling tonight, not buffoonery.

BEEMAN: One man’s buffoonery is another man’s brilliance, Leray. Wait and see how this plays out.

[Thumper Moore III]

LERAY: Back in again at 8, and back out. Thorin arguing with a fan… Chance sprints to the ropes suddenly and leaps over the top rope! Tope can hilo but Tembleberry just shoved the unsuspecting Thorin out of the way and took that shot from Chance himself!

BEEMAN: The real number one hero in JWA, Tembleberry!

LERAY: Thorin jumps on Chance before he can get up and lands several heavy blows to the head. He rises and bows, but all he’s done is anger Arizona, who gets up quickly behind Thorin. Thorin turns around— WHAM! A huge forearm from Chance and Thorin tumbles over the guardrail into the crowd!

[Thumper Moore III]

LERAY: That’s a six count from McCorry, and Chance is back in, on the balls of his feet, ready to spring into action like a jungle cat. Thorin climbs back over the rail, stumbles back into the ring at 9, just avoiding the count. Chance pounces— he grabs the Lord and hoists him up— Modified Michinoku Driver!

BEEMAN: Here we go again.

LERAY: Arizona to the top— Legion of Boom Drop! Chance picks up Thorin and drags him to the corner— Crystal Skull Crusher! Eight, nine— wait, Tembleberry is on the apron. Chance takes a swing at Tembleberry, who drops to the arena floor. Chance goes for number ten— Thorin puts his foot on the second rope and Chance’s head crashes into the buckle— it’s been exposed! What happened!

BEEMAN: What guile shown by m’Lord! You can see here on the replay that while Chance was swinging at Tembleberry, Thorin quickly removed the protective covering on the corner.

LERAY: Arizona is now bleeding from his forehead. He stumbles around the ring, attempts a haymaker to no one in particular, and goes down! Can Thorin capitalize?

[Thumper Moore III]

BEEMAN: Get on him, m’Lord!!!

LERAY: Thorin pauses to point at Chance and he laughs! He bends over the champion and takes a boot to the face. Thorin is stunned, Chance has recovered— LAST CRUSADE! LAST CRUSADE! Chance with the cover! One, two— Tembleberry pulls Chance off and drags him outside in full view of McCorry, and that one results in a disqualification. The X-Factor calls for the bell, and Tembleberry starts screaming at the referee. Chance grabs him— LAST CRUSADE TO TEMBLEBERRY! Arizona rolls back into the ring, and he— he helps Thorin back to his feet? He holds out a hand, looking for a shake? After everything Thorin just did to him?

BEEMAN: I don’t know what to say here. This business is about making money, not friends. Chance can’t have it both ways.

LERAY: But how will Thorin see things?

["Lord" Taylor Thorin]

It's a long stare...the crowd clearly don't trust him, but Thorin, almost begrudgingly, accepts the handshake while mouthing "we will do this again no doubt" before rolling out of the ring to check on Tembleberry at ringside, leaving Arizona in the ring to celebrate.

Thorin hoists Tembleberry up before helping him out of the arena.

LERAY: "A terrific performance once again from the champ, even acknowledged by his Lordship"

BEEMAN:  "Bah, I still say Chance should've been disqualified for putting his hands on the help!"

LERAY: "I think you'll find...actually, never mind.  On to our next contest!!"