The arena was still buzzing from Mason Brooks' dramatic return.
Fans were on their feet, some chanting his name while others exchanged glances between him and Eddie Prince, eager to see what would unfold next. Even Noah and Irvin had paused their chatter, letting the palpable tension fill the air.
Eddie stood in the middle of the ring, clutching the championship tightly against his chest, his face a mix of disbelief and anger.
Mason, on the other hand, appeared calm.
That only seemed to fuel Eddie's irritation.
Finally, Eddie raised his microphone again, taking a deep breath before he spoke.
"First of all…" he started, his tone surprisingly less aggressive than usual, "I'm really glad you're okay."
Eddie locked eyes with Mason.
"And I truly apologize for what happened to your arm."
That sounded sincere. Even Mason's expression softened a bit.
Eddie pressed on.
"Your forgiveness means more to me than you can imagine."
For a brief moment, it looked like the tension might ease.
Then Eddie's demeanor shifted.
"But let's be clear about one thing."
He lifted the championship high.
"I am the champion."
The crowd erupted.
Eddie pointed to himself.
"I fought for this title. I bled for this title. I survived Hogan Hornet for this title."
He stepped closer to Mason.
"I earned this championship fair and square."
Mason let out a soft chuckle.
That chuckle instantly rubbed Eddie the wrong way.
Mason slowly lifted his microphone.
"Rightfully?"
He shook his head in disbelief.
"Eddie… you're not the rightful champion."
The crowd went wild.
Eddie's expression darkened.
Mason pointed at the championship belt.
"That title was mine."
He tapped his chest with conviction.
"I never lost it."
Cheers erupted once more.
Mason stepped in closer.
"You were just keeping it warm until I returned."
The crowd roared in approval.
Eddie looked like he was about to explode.
"No."
He shook his head vigorously.
"No, I fought too hard for this!"
He stepped right up to Mason, chest to chest.
"I'm not giving this title away."
Mason grinned.
"Then I'll take it."
That was the last straw.
Eddie shoved Mason.
The crowd went wild again.
Mason quickly retaliated with an even harder shove.
Officials rushed into the ring.
Several referees and backstage staff jumped in between them just before any punches could land. Eddie tried to break through, shouting angrily while Mason pushed against the officials holding him back.
"You're delusional!" Eddie yelled.
"You're holding my title!" Mason shot back.
Officials struggled to keep the peace as the crowd chanted loudly for a fight.
Noah shouted over the chaos. "This is completely out of control!"
Irvin laughed. "And I want to see them throw down right now."
It took nearly two full minutes for the officials to finally pull both men to opposite sides of the ring.
Eddie was still screaming, clutching his title tightly.
Mason pointed at him one last time before exiting.
"That championship is coming home."
The crowd erupted once again as Mason made his way backstage.
Eddie stayed in the ring, seething with anger.
---
The arena was still buzzing from the showdown between Eddie Prince and Mason Brooks.
Noah shook his head as he provided commentary. "That title picture just got a lot more complicated."
Irvin leaned back in his chair, looking amused. "Complicated? The former champion just came back and basically called Eddie a placeholder."
"That's one way to see it," Noah replied.
"And he wasn't wrong," Irvin added.
The crowd was still buzzing about the confrontation when Noah's voice rang out across the arena once more.
"Ladies and gentlemen… it's time for tonight's main event!"
A deafening roar erupted from the audience.
Luke leaned forward, excitement written all over his face, while Tony shifted in his seat, eager for what was next. Justin, who looked worn out from everything he had seen that night, suddenly perked up.
"What's happening now?" Justin asked, his curiosity piqued.
Noah grinned. "Flashpoint Brothers… versus… the Road Warriors!"
The reaction was electric.
Luke jumped to his feet. "No way!"
Tony's eyes widened in disbelief. "This is wild!"
The Flashpoint Brothers made their entrance first.
Cal and Marcus burst onto the stage with their trademark energy, high-fiving fans and soaking in the crowd's cheers. They looked confident, but there was a hint of nervousness behind their smiles. They knew exactly who they were up against.
Then, the arena lights dimmed.
A heavy, aggressive theme blasted through the speakers.
Road Warrior Hawk.
Road Warrior Animal.
They strode onto the stage, their faces painted and looking like they were engineered for destruction. Their sheer size had the audience on their feet. Hawk let out a primal scream toward the crowd, while Animal walked with a chilling intensity.
Tony leaned closer to Luke. "I still can't believe the Apex Predators managed to beat them last week."
Luke shook his head in disbelief. "I think that was luck."
The bell rang.
Marcus squared off against Hawk.
Right off the bat, Marcus relied on his speed, darting around Hawk and landing quick kicks to his legs. Hawk barely flinched. Marcus sprang off the ropes, aiming for a flying forearm.
But Hawk caught him mid-air.
The crowd gasped in shock.
Hawk held him for a moment before tossing him across the ring like he was nothing.
Marcus rolled over near his corner, wincing in pain as he clutched his back.
Cal quickly tagged himself in.
With a more cautious approach, Cal entered the ring and immediately targeted Hawk's legs, trying to take down the bigger opponent. He landed a series of strikes and managed to stagger Hawk with a dropkick that sent him crashing into the ropes.
The crowd erupted in cheers.
Cal climbed to the top rope and executed a missile dropkick.
This time, Hawk actually dropped to one knee.
Tony shouted, "That's it!"
Cal swiftly tagged Marcus back in, and the brothers began a rapid-fire tagging strategy, wearing Hawk down with quick strikes before retreating.
For a brief moment—
It was working.
Marcus hit a springboard clothesline that took Hawk down.
The crowd jumped to their feet as Marcus went for the pin.
"One!"
"Two!"
But Animal broke it up by dragging Marcus off the cover.
The crowd booed loudly.
And just like that, chaos ensued.
Cal rushed in, attacking Animal from behind. Soon, all four men were brawling in the ring while the referee completely lost control.
Noah chuckled. "This is pure chaos!"
Irvin stood up, shouting, "Let them fight!"
Animal tossed Cal out of the ring.
Marcus tried to go after Hawk again but got slammed down with a spinebuster.
The ring shook with the impact.
Hawk crawled to his corner and tagged in Animal.
The crowd reacted with a roar.
Animal stormed in like a freight train.
He flattened Marcus with a clothesline.
Then another.
And sent Cal flying off the apron with a massive boot.
Tony groaned, "This is it."
Luke nodded in agreement. "They've lasted too long."
But somehow, Marcus found the strength to fight back, landing a dropkick to Animal's knee. Cal managed to recover and re-enter the fray to assist his brother.
The Flashpoint Brothers executed a stunning double-team move that sent shockwaves through the crowd.
The crowd was buzzing, convinced they had it in the bag.
Then Hawk made his dramatic return.
With a fierce clothesline, he nearly took Cal's head off.
Marcus spun around as Animal hoisted him up onto his shoulders.
Hawk ascended the ropes.
The audience leaped to their feet.
In perfect sync, they executed a jaw-dropping double-team powerslam combined with a top-rope clothesline.
Marcus hit the mat hard, bouncing off it like a rag doll.
Noah yelled, "That's it!"
Animal went for the cover while Hawk kept Cal at bay outside the ring.
"One!"
"Two!"
"Three!"
The bell rang out.
The Road Warriors had claimed victory.
The crowd erupted in cheers as Hawk and Animal stood proudly in the ring.
The Flashpoint Brothers were helped out by officials, clearly spent after the grueling battle they had just fought.
Tony leaned back in his chair, shaking his head. "And the Apex Predators are in serious trouble."
Luke nodded in agreement. "They barely made it out last week. Their luck can't hold forever."
Justin adjusted his glasses nervously. "I really hope Jett doesn't end up getting tossed around like Marcus did."