Post by Robert Daniels on Jul 16, 2018 8:56:47 GMT -5
Seattle Pro Wrestling
in Conjunction with A.J. Morales Presents
HARD ROCK IS DEAD
AIRING ON TAPE-DELAY
SATURDAY - 07/14/2018
HARD ROCK HOTEL & CASINO - LAS VEGAS
in Conjunction with A.J. Morales Presents
HARD ROCK IS DEAD
AIRING ON TAPE-DELAY
SATURDAY - 07/14/2018
HARD ROCK HOTEL & CASINO - LAS VEGAS
“A’right, stop, stop, hold on, hold on, hold on—”
The sounds of Marilyn Manson welcome us to the Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada. Gold light covers the stage, and columns of fire rise from either side of the entrance ramp as pyro goes off above the ring. Once all that’s settled down, “The Revolution” A.J. Morales walks out from behind the curtain, dressed to the nines in an all-black suit, but still wearing the XWA Hardcore Championship and Seattle Pro Wrestling Pride Championship belts in an X around his waist. He goes to the side at first to greet the commentary team of Scott Lupinacci, AJ Knight, and Emery Layton, then to high-five as many fans as he can possibly reach on his way down to the ring. Once he gets to the ring, he calls for a microphone, and a camera operator tosses one his way.
A.J. MORALES: WHAT’S F**KIN’ GOOD, LAS VEGAS? The crowd responds with an overwhelming amount of cheers, even breaking into song for him.
CROWD: ♫ A-J-MO-RAAAAAA-LES! A-J-MO-RAAAAAA-LES! NAAAA-NANA-NANA-NANA! A-J-MO-RAAAAAA-LES! A-J-MO-RAAAAAA-LES! NAAAA-NANA-NANA-NANA! ♫
As always, A.J. can’t help cracking up at that one.
A.J. MORALES: Now, if you’re watching this at home on the Battleground Network and you still don’t know what the hell’s going on, I’m A.J. Morales, and welcome to a little show I like to call...HARD! ROCK! IS! DEEAAAAAAAAD!
An overwhelming round of cheers.
A.J. MORALES: See, I came to this resort almost a year ago now to settle a score with a guy named Kryptops, and I left here with the XWA Hardcore Championship. But I also left here with a ban from the resort because of all the property damage that fight caused. The crowd boos the idea of that.
A.J. MORALES: I know, I know, I thought it was bulls**t too! But I knew I was gonna have to come back here and party con mi gente someday, and with all the good stuff going in my life and Seattle Pro getting me in the building for just long enough to run this, there’s no better time for it than right here, right now. So brace yourselves, ‘cause we got 7 of the deadliest Falls Count Anywhere matches you’ll see all summer. And I know they’re gonna be deadly, because I got that motorcycle I crashed here taken out of the wall—finally—and melted it down into a trophy for the person who I think did the most absolutely bats**t crazy thing of the night. Who’s gonna win it? You’ll just have to find out, but lemme introduce y’all to one of the candidates, not to mention one of the contestants in our first match of the evening...el Campeón Sudamericano, Mariano Fernandez!
—— The camera cuts behind the Joint’s stage, where DA #TROLL GUY, Mariano Fernandez, still dressed in his black leather jacket and jeans, is surveying the arena.
MARIANO FERNANDEZ: Hey yo, Hard Rock Hotel, and Las Vegas itself. SAY HELLO… TO DA #TROLL GUY!
After a small pop from the crowd, Manny goes on.
MARIANO FERNANDEZ: Here we are LIVE from the Joint at A.J. Morales’ “HARD ROCK IS DEAD”, and it’s my pleasure and honor that he’s having me here tonight, mang. Oh, and by the way - Congratulations on your engagement as well, chico!
He flashes a thumbs up as the crowd pops again.
MARIANO FERNANDEZ: But now, mang, we move to the most important thing of all, and the reason I’m here at this place at this point in time. Because tonight, at the very first match that you will see from this special venue, I face off against one of the greatest names in the business today - one half of SHOOTCAMP, none other than Owen Gonsalves!
The crowd starts another round of cheers for Manny’s opponent.
MARIANO FERNANDEZ: Now Owen and I. This match should have happened at BloodSport, mang - he was the one who specifically asked for me, and I of course was glad to have accepted. More than once have we been on opposing sides in tag teams in Japan - Kamikaze PRO, NJFC. He was on the winning side in one, I was on the winning side on the other. But never once have we been across each other in the same ring, chicos. Until today.
Another crowd reaction, and Mariano goes on, showing the camera around the still empty venue where the crowd is arriving.
MARIANO FERNANDEZ: But here in the Joint, in front of 4000 people coming to this venue where icons like Mötley Crue, Aerosmith and The Cult have performed and live recorded in its illustrious history, this is where that’s gonna change here tonight, chicos. This is where Owen is going to get the match he wanted, and this is the match that’s going to kick off this show as A.J. Morales deserves to have.
One more huge pop from the crowd at Manny’s speech.
MARIANO FERNANDEZ: Y’all know the names, chico, y’all know the place, and y’all know the time. All that’s left to say is, Owen Gonsalves - yes, DON’T WORRY, I can pronounce your last name correctly - you told me this was no imitation. You asked me to be ready. And here I honor your wish. Here I stand ready and here is where YOU meet the real Mariano Fernandez, chico.
So I hope you’ll do your best, mang - ‘cause the Emperor knows that I will - for the history of this venue that deserves it, for these people that deserve it, and more importantly, for A.J. - who deserves it most of all.
So Owen, and A.J., and the thousands in attendance and all of you watching at home…
Manny takes a deep breath, then raises is voice as a ring announcer.
MARIANO FERNANDEZ: SAY HELLO… TO DA #DREAM MATCH!
And after a final eruption in cheers for the crowd, he walks away from camera sight to get ready for the match ahead.