TOP OF THE CLASS TOURNAMENT FIRST ROUND MATCH
DANIEL LANNING vs. SIMON RAINES
Minoru Asano: Hello friends, we know that was really hard to watch, but cheer up! It’s time for our next first round matchup as bounty hunting guy fellow Daniel Lanning takes on kicky kick kick man Simon Raines!
Pond: Lanning has the most to lose in this one, though. Raines, for all of his martial arts wizardry, still doesn’t really know the proverbial wristlock from a wristwatch.
Minoru Asano: True indeed, but that is not a weakness Daniel Lanning will punish. Lanning is a fighter; a much more straightforward one than Lanning, but a fighter nonetheless. And he is a man suffering under the yoke of two crushing defeats - to the Masked Salaryman at Autumn Effect 2, and to Jaina Frost just last week. He’s expected to win this. He’s a heavy favorite - and we’ve seen upsets already tonight.
David Zinkus: This contest is scheduled for one fall, and it is a first round match in the Top of the Class Tournament! Introducing first!
As "Fighting 17th" by Hans Zimmer off the Backdraft soundtrack begins to play, a most unusual man in most non-unusual attire emerges from the back. Simon Raines, though, isn’t his usual enthusiastic self. As he walks down the aisle towards the ring, there’s a clearly displeased look on his face.
Minoru Asano: Mr. Raines does not look in good sorts.
Pond: His girlfriend DID just blatantly attack his best friend. That’s enough to put anyone in a bad mood, but he’s going to HAVE to focus if he wants to beat Lanning tonight.
Wearing a (R)evolution Dojo t-shirt, red trunks, red boots, and red kneepads, the self-proclaimed Artist of War runs down to the ring, diving in under the bottom rope.
David Zinkus: Hailing from Phnom Penh, Cambodia, he stands six feet tall, and weighs in at two-hundred and one pounds! This is THE ARTIST OF WAR...SIMON RAINES!
Raines begins to shadow-box in his corner, getting ready for the task at hand. Finally, he sits down, closing his eyes, trying to get in some last minute meditation to focus his thoughts.
David Zinkus: And, his opponent!
My sound we come to take over
M.C. you better look over your shoulder!
As the intro for "Nobody" by Skindred starts, the crowd turns to the entrance to give a positive but mixed reaction for RW's resident bounty hunter, Daniel Lanning! Having his jacket rolled up to his elbows, he comes down to the ring taping up his wrists as he nods his head to the music, Tom Higashikata behind him as he starts hyping up the challenger. Daniel starts to get into the ring as Tom starts slapping the mat for a moment before slamming the mat a few times before it looks like Daniel starts looking like he's aiming an imaginary gun toward the entrance, looking like he's pulling the trigger at the sound of a heavy beat during the chorus!
David Zinkus: From San Diego, California, standing six feet, two inches, and weighing in at one hundred and eighty nine pounds, he is WRESTLING’S ONLY BOUNTY HUNTER, ladies and gentlemen...DANNIIIELLL LANNNIIIINNGGG!
Pond: Strap yourselves in, folks. Dis gun be good.
The official has a brief discussion with both men. Each nods, and the bell sounds soon after.
DING DING DING!
At the bell, Lanning sizes up Simon. Raines stands with his hands at his sides, staring into the eyes of Wrestling’s Only Bounty Hunter. Daniel shrugs, rearing back to throw a huge overhand left, torquing his hips for extra power.
There’s only one slight problem - that being Simon, whose right hand shoots up, catching Daniel’s wrist as he throws the punch. Raines side-steps slightly in the process, then steps forward, hooking his heel behind that of Daniel Lanning to perform a quick back-heel trip, sending Lanning flat on his back to the canvas.
Minoru Asano: …
Pond: ...what.
Even
Simon looks a touch astonished, but he smiles down at Lanning, giving the bounty hunter room to get back up. Daniel mouths a rather naughty four letter word that can’t be repeated on this broadcast, before he gets back to his feet, looking more than a little ticked off.
He lunges in, looking to throw a big rising knee strike, but Raines is away to the side, spinning and switching levels with a low spinning sweep, catching Daniel behind the heel once more and dropping him to the canvas again. The Artist of War measures his quarry carefully, stepping forward and raising one leg in the air, trying to bring it down as hard as possible into Lanning’s sternum, but the bounty hunter is able to catch the heel.
Minoru Asano: I’m not sober enough to handle this right now. Two drinks for Simon Raines, with more to come!
Pond: Pass that bottle over, old man. I need some.
Lanning returns to his feet, holding the heel, forcing Simon to hop up and down on one foot. Daniel tries to use his free hand to punch, but Simon sways backwards, keeping his head out of the way of any strikes. The bounty hunter finally simply pushes up on the heel, trying to knock Simon to the ground, but the Artist of War uses the momentum to backflip, landing deftly on his feet.
It takes Daniel a moment to process this, but that’s all Simon needs, raising his right leg up in the air, then angling his knee down to throw descending torque on the Brazilian style high kick that catches Daniel Lanning right in the temple, sending him crashing face-first to the canvas.
Raines drops down and crudely shoots the half, hooking the leg for the cover.
ONE!
TWO!
KICKOUT!
Minoru Asano: Where in the Hell has this been for the past month?
Pond: I...hope you’re not seriously asking that? Umm, he was in a battle royal and a four way, not conducive to giving him space for this sorta stuff--
On the floor, Tom Higashikata frantically waves to his charge. Daniel reluctantly nods, looking at Raines and shaking his head as he steps outside the ring, to take a moment with the leader of the #BasedEmpire.
Tom Higashikata: Alright! It’s gonna be fine! So he’s doing some ridiculous ninja shit! You hit harder than a train, so get in there and punch him until he doesn’t get up!
Minoru Asano: Higashikata-san earning one of his many salaries, folks.
Pond: He’s right, though. Lanning...Lanning looks totally out of sorts. I don’t think he’s seen anything like Simon Raines, in Revo or when bounty hunting.
Minoru Asano: That’s a good thing, we’d have a lot more criminals at large if they could do things like that!
Lanning smacks himself in the head, then slides back in under the bottom rope, breaking the official’s count at seven. He stays low, diving for Simon Raines’ ankles. He pushes them both together, toppling Raines to the canvas, then switches focus to one leg, trapping the ankle with an anklelock.
Pond: That’s the Daniel Lanning we’ve come to know. He’s got a strategy back, and it’s take away Raines’ dangerous kicking techniques by making him hobble around on a gimpy ankle.
Lanning cranks the anklelock as Tom leads the cheers for his charge on the floor. Simon posts both hands on the mat, using them as leverage to mule kick Lanning with his free leg square in the chest, but Daniel doesn’t break the anklelock! Simon begins to frantically dive, managing to snatch hold of the bottom rope, forcing a break from Lanning after one last torque of the ankle.
Minoru Asano: Daniel cannot give this young man a moment to rest! A drink in his honor for making me not drink as much for a moment!
As Asano tips back his poison of choice, Lanning picks Simon Raines back up, leaning him against the ropes. With Raines’ back against a wall of steel cables, Daniel has more success, throwing a pair of short uppercuts to the floating ribs that drive the air from Simon’s lungs. With Raines doubled over, Daniel grabs a quick front facelock, DDTing the Artist of War into the canvas.
Daniel rolls him over, and covers.
ONE!
TWO!
KICKOUT!
Lanning stays on Simon, picking him back up. Thinking spinebuster, he Irish whips Raines into the ropes, but Simon baseball slides between the legs of the bounty hunter, and continues to log roll until he’s on the ring apron. Using the ropes to pull himself up, and testing his ankle, he springs off the top rope as Daniel turns around, drilling the taller man with a springboard knee to the face!
Pond: This guy is like watching a movie…
Minoru Asano: A horror movie, if you’re Daniel Lanning!
Pond: Do you think he needs this TOO much? I mean, he was really forthright about how much he wanted the money that came with a main roster spot, if he could get his hands on the contract that came with the Call Your Shot battle royale! And now, here he is again, another chance at a guaranteed main roster spot if he can navigate this tournament…
Lanning forces himself up to a knee, only for Raines to grab him, butterflying the arms, and taking Daniel up and over with a butterfly suplex. Simon holds on, though, and rolls through, executing a second butterfly suplex! Simon floats over on the second one, and while it’s not pretty, it does mean that he ends up atop Lanning for the cover.
ONE!
TWO!
TH-KICKOUT!
Minoru Asano: I do not know, but Lanning has explosives in his hands. All it takes is one clean shot, and things could be over!
Pond: That’s true...but this Raines guy nearly knocked him out with that high kick, a minute in. BOTH of these guys have knockout power!
To his credit, Daniel Lanning keeps picking himself up - even as Tom warns him that Raines is behind him. Simon hits the near ropes, springboarding off of the second rope, and twisting into a somersault dive...that Daniel catches, wrapping both arms around the waist of Simon, holding him upset down.
Minoru Asano: What strength! A drink for Mr. Lanning!
Lanning simply holds him as dead weight for a moment, before getting momentum to whip Simon up for a powerbomb. Raines, though, pushes off of the shoulders, trying to land on his feet, but Daniel has none of it, burying his shoulder in Simon’s midsection and using the leverage to DRIVE him into the mat with a vicious spinebuster!
Pond: OWWWW! I can’t keep up with this!
Lanning considers the cover, but shakes his head. He lifts a near dead weight Raines up over his shoulders, moving to center ring. Only then does he push Raines off his shoulders, hooking the head to deliver the Ace Crusher. Simon bounces off the mat, and Daniel this time immediately covers, hooking a leg deeply.
Minoru Asano: Agent X! A victory drink for Daniel! A hard-fought battle drink for Simon!
ONE!
TWO!
THR--SHOULDER!
Pond: No! Raines...he’s still in this! The shoulder squeaked up just before the three count!
Minoru Asano: Hasn’t been the best of nights for the kid. I’m impressed he’s focusing on this, all things considered.
Pond: That, I assume, is what the prematch meditation was for.
There is the barest hint of frustration on Lanning’s face, as he lifts Raines back up to his feet. Simon staggers a bit, falling back against Daniel, who seizes the opportunity to hammerlock one of Raines’ arms, the Transfer Complete seemingly on the mind of Wrestling’s Only Bounty Hunter.
Minoru Asano: Lanning’s going to DECAPITATE Simon if this lands!
Pond: Ripcord Yakuza, coming up!
As Lanning pulls Simon in, he drops down low, evading the kick, and driving away from Daniel in an effort to try and get himself free.
Minoru Asano: The transfer was denied for insufficient funds!
Raines rips his wrist free from Daniel’s grasp, and backs up another step. As the bounty hunter turns, Simon leaps, pumping his hips to DRIVE a bicycle knee into the jaw of Daniel Lanning.
Pond: PHUKET!
Minoru Asano: Young lady, you CANNOT say that on--
Lanning’s eyes go glassy, and he half-turns from impact, his body falling into the ring ropes. As he does, though, he manages to wake up, and uses the ropes for momentum. He pivots on his heel, just as Raines finishes recovering from his bicycle knee. Simon never sees him coming, as Lanning drives forward with ill intentions, his left fist exploding with all of his body weight behind it into Raines’ temple.
Both men fall to the canvas, all but dead to the world, but Daniel manages to reach out from his state of semi-consciousness, draping an armo over the Artist of War’s chest.
ONE!
TWO!
THREE!
Pond: Lanning...he...I don’t even
know! The ropes - they woke him up for a moment or something, and he CREAMED Raines with the Taskmaster to advance! Neither guy’s moving!
The official looks over both athletes, and grabs Daniel Lanning’s wrist, raising it in the air triumphantly.
David Zinkus: Your winner of this contest, at a time of ten minutes, seven seconds...DANIEL LANNING!
Minoru Asano: A huge victory for Daniel Lanning, erasing a two match losing streak and keeping his dream of main roster membership alive! Simon falls to 0-4 in his brief RW tenure…
Pond: To cap off a pretty shitty night for him. Considering his girlfriend JUST beat the Hell out of his best friend with a chair, and...the way that just went down, to end this match, it just wasn’t his day today.
Minoru Asano: Ah, young one, that is the way life works too, is it not? Sometimes, fortune just isn’t with us. Simon will have his day, one day. For now, though, we should appreciate the effort he gave us tonight.
By now, Lanning is sitting up, shaking the cobwebs out of his head, well-aware that he dodged an unexpected bullet tonight. By contrast, Raines is still mostly motionless, only slightly stirring. When he comes to, he’ll have far more to deal with than he had hoped.
Perhaps Devan Whitmore’s warnings that he was in the wrong profession weren’t so inaccurate, after all...
WINNER: DANIEL LANNING