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(A/N: Don't forget to give those power stones to Skyrim everyone!)
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He adjusted the cuffs of his shirt, a patronizing smile touching his lips. "Did you honestly believe we were going to march down to the ring tonight?" Barrett asked the camera, his voice echoing through the quiet arena. "Did you think we were going to play into your hands and fight a unified locker room on your terms? Please, give us a little more credit than that."
Barrett took a slow step forward, the flickering overhead lights catching the bright yellow 'N' on his chest.
"I heard the announcement from our pathetic excuse for a General Manager," the Englishman continued, a dark amusement lacing his words. "A nine on nine tag team match this Sunday at Capitol Punishment. You actually think we're afraid of a little locker room unity? I spent a year standing shoulder to shoulder with the God King. And you know the most valuable lesson Sandro Zhang ever taught me? Unity is a myth."
Barrett pointed a finger directly at the lens. "When the pressure gets too high, when the pain becomes unbearable, those bonds will snap. You can bring Cena. You can bring Orton. You can find whoever you want to fill that ninth spot. It doesn't matter. The result will be exactly the same. We are going to break your spirits, and we are going to take this company by force."
Behind him, the rest of the Nexus chuckled in agreement, their faces hardened with a ruthless determination. Ryback pushed his way to the front, his massive chest heaving. His eyes were wide, burning with an unhinged intensity.
"Send whoever you want," Ryback growled, his deep voice rumbling through the speakers. "I don't care if it's Cena, Orton, or anybody else hiding in the back. I am hungry. And this Sunday, you are only going to feed me more!"
Barrett patted the enforcer on the shoulder, flashing one final, wicked grin at the audience.
"We accept your challenge, Paul," Barrett finalized. "We'll see you in Washington."
Without another word, Barrett swung his heavy right fist directly into the camera lens. The screen shattered into a burst of static, and Monday Night RAW slowly faded into darkness.
The days passed in a blur of intense speculation and heated debate. The wrestling world buzzed about the looming gang warfare, wondering who the RAW locker room would manage to recruit for their final spot.
But before long, Sunday finally arrived.
The sweltering summer heat of Washington D.C. wrapped around the Capital One Arena. Fans flocked through the turnstiles by the thousands, packing the venue from the floor seats all the way to the upper decks. They carried signs declaring their allegiance, wearing a mix of Nexus black and bright neon New Day colors.
As the clock struck the hour, a massive, thunderous pyrotechnic display erupted across the entrance stage, bathing the nation's capital in a brilliant flash of red and gold fire.
"Welcome, everyone, to Washington D.C.!" Cole yelled, his voice fighting to be heard over the deafening roar of the sold out crowd. "We are live for Capitol Punishment! I am Michael Cole, joined at ringside by Jerry 'The King' Lawler and John Bradshaw Layfield, and gentlemen, the stakes tonight have never been higher!"
"You said it, Michael!" Lawler replied, adjusting his headset. "The whole world is talking about the massive main event! Nine members of the Nexus against Team RAW! And let's not forget the bombshell Paul Heyman dropped on WWE.com yesterday. That main event is no longer a standard match. It is an Elimination Tag Team Match!"
"That changes the math completely!" Cole added. "You can't just score one lucky pinfall to win. You have to eliminate every single member of the opposing team! It is going to be a grueling, punishing war of attrition!"
JBL scoffed, fixing his collar. "It's going to be a massacre, Cole. Team RAW is relying on a bunch of big egos who hate each other. Cena and Orton? They'll probably turn on each other before the match even hits the twenty minute mark. Meanwhile, Wade Barrett has his soldiers trained and disciplined. The Nexus is going to clean house."
"We will find out later tonight," Cole transitioned seamlessly. "But right now, we are kicking off Capitol Punishment with sheer, unfiltered brutality! The steel cage is lowering and it's just a precaution against the Nexus! Heyman have said the match could only be won through pinfall or submission!"
Above the ring, heavy motors whined. A massive, unforgiving structure of chain link fencing and reinforced steel beams slowly descended from the rafters, locking securely into place around the ring apron. The crowd buzzed with anticipation, knowing the violence that this specific structure promised.
The heavy, intimidating brass horns of Bobby Lashley's entrance theme blared through the speakers.
The fans instantly showered the entrance stage with a chorus of hostile boos. The Dominator stepped through the curtain, looking like a block of solid granite. He ignored the insults hurled his way, marching down the ramp with a cold, mercenary focus. Lashley climbed the steel steps, walking through the open cage door and stepping into the ring. He paced the canvas, cracking his knuckles and waiting for his prey.
A moment later, the apocalyptic guitar riff of "The Next Big Thing" hit the sound system.
The arena exploded. The boos were washed away by a massive wave of raw adrenaline as Brock Lesnar stomped out from the back. The Beast Incarnate wore his black fight shorts and MMA gloves. Beside him walked Paul Heyman, still wearing his thick medical neck brace, clutching a clipboard to his chest. Lesnar didn't play to the crowd. He looked like a predator ready to feast.
Lesnar marched down the aisle, never breaking eye contact with Lashley. He stepped through the heavy steel door.
On the outside, the referee immediately grabbed a thick metal chain, looping it through the bars of the door and snapping a heavy padlock shut. There was no escape.
The bell rang.
DING! DING! DING!
Neither man bothered to circle the ring. They charged.
They met dead center, colliding like two runaway freight trains. The impact sent a shockwave through the mat. Lashley threw a heavy right hook, Lesnar absorbed it and fired back with a brutal knee to the gut. It wasn't a wrestling match in the opening moments, it was a bare knuckle brawl.
Lesnar grabbed Lashley by the back of the neck, driving a series of stiff knee strikes directly into the Dominator's ribs. Lashley grunted in pain, but retaliated by scooping Lesnar up by the waist and driving him into the corner turnbuckles with a ferocious spinebuster.
"Look at the sheer power on display!" Cole shouted. "These two heavyweights are holding nothing back!"
"They want to tear each other limb from limb!" Lawler added, wincing as Lashley drove his shoulder into Lesnar's midsection. "The steel cage just guarantees that nobody can interfere!"
JBL shook his head in disgust. "I hope they destroy each other. Lashley is a mercenary who bit the hand that fed him, turning his back on Sandro Zhang just to chase a paycheck. And Lesnar? He's nothing but a blunt instrument being wielded by that slimy walrus on the outside. Paul Heyman betrayed the God King, and now his pet monster has to pay the price. Neither of these men deserves a victory tonight."
Inside the cage, the violence quickly escalated. Lashley grabbed Lesnar by the throat, looking to deliver a chokeslam. But Lesnar violently swatted the arm away, locked his hands around Lashley's waist, and launched the 270 pound powerhouse backward with a massive German Suplex.
Lashley hit the mat hard, but the adrenaline fueled his recovery. He scrambled to his feet just as Lesnar charged forward. Lashley sidestepped, grabbing Lesnar by the tights, and sent the Beast crashing head first into the unforgiving chain link fencing.
The steel rattled loudly under the massive impact. Lesnar staggered backward, a small cut opening above his left eyebrow.
Lashley didn't give him a second to breathe. He backed into the opposite ropes, building a terrifying amount of momentum, and launched himself across the ring for a Spear.
But Lesnar's combat instincts kicked in. At the last possible fraction of a second, the Beast sidestepped.
Lashley couldn't stop his forward momentum. He flew through the air, crashing shoulder first into the chain link wall near the locked door. The sheer, terrifying force of the impact buckled the steel panel. The hinges groaned, the padlock snapped under the pressure, and the cage door violently burst open!
Lashley tumbled through the broken door, crashing heavily onto the ringside floor.
The Washington D.C. crowd erupted into a frenzy.
"He broke the cage door!" Cole screamed, rising from his seat. "Bobby Lashley just put himself through the steel!"
Lesnar didn't wait for the referee to restore order. The Beast rolled out of the ring, stalking his wounded prey on the outside. Lashley pushed himself up, but Lesnar grabbed him by the combat vest and hurled him spine first into the steel ring steps.
The brawl spilled past the ringside area. Lesnar grabbed Lashley by the head, dragging him over the barricade and directly into the sea of screaming fans.
"They're in the crowd!" Lawler yelled as the camera crew scrambled to keep up with the chaos. "This match is officially out of control!"
The two behemoths traded heavy, exhausted blows among the audience. Fans scrambled out of the way, holding up their phones to record the carnage.
Lashley grabbed a stray fan's plastic beverage cup and smashed it into Lesnar's face, using the momentary distraction to deliver a stiff European uppercut. Lashley grabbed Lesnar by the waist, utilizing his amateur wrestling background to lift the Beast into the air, driving him down onto the concrete floor with an earth shattering body slam.
The fans surrounding them started a massive "HOLY SHIT!" chant, echoing through the arena rafters.
"This is exactly what these animals do," JBL muttered, watching the monitor closely. "They have no respect for the rules, no respect for the fans, and no respect for the business. They belong in a cage, and they couldn't even stay inside it."
Lashley dragged a battered Lesnar back toward the barricade, tossing him over the padded wall. The Dominator hopped over, landing back in the ringside area. He pulled Lesnar to his feet, aiming to drive his skull into the announcer's desk.
But Lesnar fought back. He threw a desperate elbow that caught Lashley flush on the jaw. Lesnar scooped Lashley up, spinning him around, and launched the mercenary head first into the steel ring post.
CLANG!
Lashley collapsed to the floor, clutching his head.
Lesnar stood over him, heavily breathing, sweat and blood mixing on his face. The referee stood by the broken cage door, warning Lesnar that the match could only end via pinfall or submission inside the ring.
Lesnar grabbed Lashley by the ankle, dragging the 270 pound man up the steel steps and throwing him back through the broken doorway. The Beast stepped inside, signaling to the referee.
"Brock Lesnar is bringing the fight back inside!" Cole cheered. "He wants to finish this decisively!"
Lesnar stalked Lashley, waiting for him to rise. As Lashley pushed himself up, Lesnar clamped his arms around his waist.
"Welcome to Suplex City!" Lesnar roared.
He launched Lashley backward with a second German Suplex. Lesnar didn't release his grip. He rolled his hips, pulling Lashley back to his feet, and delivered a third German Suplex. Then a fourth. Then a fifth. The crowd chanted along with every single impact, watching the Dominator get thrown across the ring like a ragdoll.
Lashley was completely drained, his eyes glassy and unfocused.
On the outside, Paul Heyman slammed his hands against the broken cage wall, his face red with manic excitement.
"Break him, Brock!" Heyman shrieked, his voice piercing through the crowd noise. "Break him in half!"
Lesnar hoisted Lashley onto his massive shoulders. He spun the mercenary through the air, delivering a devastating F-5 directly in the center of the ring.
Lesnar hooked the leg.
One! Two!
Lashley kicked his shoulder off the mat at the very last second.
The crowd gasped in disbelief.
"Lashley kicked out!" Lawler yelled. "The Dominator is still in this fight!"
Lesnar didn't look surprised. He simply looked annoyed. He dragged Lashley back to his feet, hauling him onto his shoulders for a second time. Another spin, another thunderous F-5 crashing into the canvas.
Once again, Lesnar hooked the leg.
One! Two!
Lashley barely twitched, getting his shoulder up in an agonizing display of pure willpower.
"He refuses to stay down!" Cole marveled. "The sheer resilience of Bobby Lashley is unbelievable!"
Lesnar let out a frustrated growl. He stood up, pacing the ring like a caged tiger. He looked down at Lashley, realizing that standard punishment wasn't going to be enough. He dragged Lashley toward the corner of the ring, right next to the exposed, unpadded steel where the turnbuckle padding had been torn away during the earlier fray.
Lesnar hauled Lashley onto his shoulders for a third time. He let out a primal roar, spinning Lashley through the air and driving him down with a third, crushing F-5.
Lesnar aggressively hooked the leg, pressing his massive forearm across Lashley's face to ensure there was no escape.
The referee slammed his hand against the mat.
One! Two! Three!
DING! DING! DING!
The apocalyptic guitar riff blared through the arena once again. Lesnar stood up, his chest heaving, his face painted with sweat and a thin layer of blood.
"Here is your winner... BROCK LESNAR!" Justin Robert's voice boomed over the cheering crowd.
"He did it!" Cole shouted. "Brock Lesnar has finally conquered the Dominator! It took three F-5s, it took breaking through the cage, but the Beast Incarnate proved why he is the apex predator of this industry!"
"What an incredible opening match!" Lawler applauded. "They went to war, and Lesnar chose the hard way out! He didn't just escape the cage, he pinned Lashley in the middle of the ring!"
JBL crossed his arms, looking thoroughly unimpressed. "They beat each other half to death, King. Neither one of them is walking out of this building the same. They destroyed the cage, they endangered the fans, and they proved exactly why they are a liability to Monday Night RAW."
On the outside, Paul Heyman slowly climbed up the steel steps, carefully avoiding the broken door panel. He stepped into the ring, raising Lesnar's hand high into the air. Lesnar looked down at the unconscious body of Bobby Lashley, a terrifying, satisfied smirk crossing his face. The score was officially settled.
The Capitol Punishment Pay Per View had kicked off with a grueling, violent masterpiece, setting a brutally high bar for the rest of the evening. But as the cage was slowly raised back into the rafters, the anticipation in the arena quickly pivoted to the looming main event. The elimination tag team match between Team RAW and the Nexus was on the horizon, and the mystery of the ninth man still hung heavily in the air.
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Name: Alessandro Zhang
Age: 21 (2011)
Birthplace: Orlando, Florida, USA
Brand: WWE - RAW
Wrestling Style: Mixed Of All Styles
Faction: The Undisputed System
Championships History: 1x FCW Tag Team Champions, 1x FCW Florida Heavyweight Champion, 1x TNA World Heavyweight Champion, 1x TNA X Division Champion, 1x WWE United States Champion (1st - 376 days), 1x WWE Champion, & 1x World Heavyweight Champion
Other Achievements: 1x Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royale Winner, 1x Mr. Money In The Bank, Youngest WWE Champion, PWI Top 500 (No.1) - 2010, & 1x KOTR (2010)
Wrestlemania Record: 2 - 0 Main Event: 1 - 0