Results: The Eternity Tour (Ormskirk Civic Hall) Saturday 12th March

Kevin Jones defeats Dwayne Dark.

Pavel Vanszycha defeats Jared Johnson.

The Beasts From The East defeat the debuting Nigerian Hit Squad.

'The Tower Of London' Danny Patterson defeats 'Rolling' Johnny Stones

'The British Samurai' Robert Brown wrestles to a time limit draw with Nigel Svensson.

Results: CWL At The Dome, Saturday 5th March

Once again the show opened to a chorus of boos as Nova Corporation, accompanied as always by their manager Jeff Nova, made their way to the ring. Radiating an almost visible aura of smugness, Nova addressed the crowd with a pomposity even greater than usual. With 'The British Samurai' Robert Brown's ludicrous challenge defeated once and for all, there was no credible resistance that could be mustered against the dominance of Nova Corporation. They controlled all the titles, and with each member of the stable watching the other's backs nobody would be able to take from them that which was rightfully theirs. As the crowd made its displeasure felt, the music of The Phoenix hit the sound system. The effect on Nova Corporation was visible as they quickly cast about the arena, well aware that their opponent might come from any direction. For once the masked superstar was content to use the usual entrance, walking down, microphone in hand, accompanied by Kevin Jones. Though it took some minutes for the cheers to die down, eventually silence fell enough for The Phoenix to speak. He congratulated Jeff and the rest of Nova Corporation on having found some other reality to live in, considering that they had clearly abandoned this one. While he was sure that it must be very nice to live in a world where Nova Corporation could go entirely without fear of opposition he feared that it was time for them to come back to earth with a bump. Nova Corporation, he observed, were short on friends, and even if they didn't have the titles, then it wouldn't be long before every wrestler in the promotion was coming for them. It just so happened that one such man was standing right here with him. Taking the microphone, Kevin Jones continued the tirade to the customary cheers of the fans. For the longest time, he said, he had set his sights on the CWL Red Rose Championship as the highest prize he could attain. Now, though, a greater prize seemed to have presented itself. Though the Red Rose Championship was very pretty, winning it would be nothing next to the pleasure of destroying Nova Corporation once and for all. He was going to make it his personal crusade to beat each and every member of Nova's little club, one on one or all at once, whatever happened. And tonight, he was going to start with with Pavel Vanszycha.

In spite of Jones and The Phoenix's words, defeat seemed an unlikely possibility in Nova Corporation's first match of the evening. Though 'The Tower of London' Danny Patterson was outnumbered by his opponents, The Martin Brothers, two to one, the unstoppable power of the Red Rose Champion could not be denied. Though the brothers fought their hardest it was to no avail and Patterson despatched them both with a double chokeslam in less than five minutes.
Danny Patterson defeated The Martin Brothers.

Next up, boxing expert Dwayne Dark looked to continue his recent run of good form in a match against 'The Red Dragon' Ian Davies. The match was an even contest throughout as the Welsh Wonder played the hit-and-run game to stay out of the reach of Dark's punishing strikes. His great athleticism and acrobatic talent served him well in this strategy but could not protect him entirely and every mistake was met with a punishing flurry of blows that left Davies reeling. Dark was quick to capitalise on every opportunity, slowly closing down his opponent's capacity to retreat before landing a stinging volley of right hands in the corner that drew blood from the face-painted high flier. At that point the result was almost academic as Dwayne Dark floored his opponent in the centre of the ring with a Dream Left Hook for the count of three.
Dwayne Dark defeated 'The Red Dragon' Ian Davies.

Once again wrestling action was interrupted as former champions Harder Better Faster Stronger came down to the ring to address the audience. The pair's anger was palpable as Petey Barnes tersely demanded a further rematch against The Wigan Bulldogs. Without the interference of Pavel Vanszycha, he claimed, the match would not have gone in The Bulldogs' favour and the Tag Team Championship belts would once again be in the hands of their rightful owners. A response was quick to come as Jeff Nova, accompanied as always by Nova Corporation, made his way out into the entranceway. His response was simple: not a chance in hell. The Tag Team Championship belts, he said, were only to be held by teams capable of actually displaying teamwork. Nova Corporation's teamwork was unquestioned, it was the secret of their success, and the reason that they were unstoppable. Petey Barnes, on the other hand, couldn't focus enough to even stay in the same ring as his tag team partner, let alone work with him. Unless he and Menace could demonstrate that they were on the same page there would be no further title shots, and if they could no longer perform at the highest levels of competition, there might as well be no more team at all.

Though both Menace and Barnes remained in the ring, only one of them was to be involved in the next match. Chances to show teamwork would be few and far between as Petey Barnes faced off against Roy Edison. With his temper roused, Barnes took the fight to the MMA specialist from the start of the match, lashing out with a series of kicks and punches that drove the American most of the way around the ring. A straight-up striking game, however, was not likely to floor Edison for long and he quickly rallied, matching his youthful opponent punch for punch and kick for kick. Eschewing his usual high-flying tactics Barnes seemed content to let the match evolve into a straight-up brawl, targeting his opponent with all of his intensity and aggression. Victory seemed far from certain however, as Edison's superior experience started to give him an edge over Barnes' youth and fire. As the former tag team champion reeled it seemed as if Edison might be about to pull off an upset before Menace made his presence felt, grabbing the American's heel as he came to close to the edge of the ring, tripping him to fall flat on his face. His partner did not seem pleased by this interference, and rather than capitalising Barnes began to remonstrate with Menace. This was almost to prove a fatal mistake as Edison was able to roll Barnes up for what was almost a three count. Barnes rallied, though, and was able to land a Superkick that floored Edison for just long enough to make the pinfall. Petey and Menace continued to argue after the match was done, exchanging heated words as they made their way backstage.
Petey Barnes defeated Roy Edison.

Fresh talent entered the CWL ring next as Swedish-born Nigel Svensson made his debut against tag team veteran, Sumo Sam. The crowd's opinion of the new arrival quickly solidified when, as the referee turned away to call for the start of the match, he kicked his opponent squarely in the testicles. This was to set the tone for the rest of the match as Svensson broke out more and more dirty tricks to ensure a victory. Sumo Sam's renowned strong style offence was almost able to turn the tide on a few occasions, but each time Svensson was waiting with some new act of villainy to bring things back into his favour. The crowd were greatly displeased when, after fifteen minutes of action, Svensson brought Sumo Sam down to the ground and applied a grapevined ankle lock. Sam had no option but to submit, giving Svensson his first victory in the CWL ring.
Nigel Svensson defeated Sumo Sam.

Tensions were running high as both Nova Corporation and Kevin Jones, accompanied as always by the ho-tastic ever-faithful Bambi, made their way to the ring for the night's Main Event. Jones seemed unusually focussed, barely acknowledging the fans and hardly groping Bambi at all. Vanszycha's early confidence was soon dispelled as Jones began the match with an intense assault that sent his opponent fleeing out of the ring to recover in the arms of his stable-mates. This was to prove a recurring theme as the match went along, as every time the fan-favourite built up any degree of momentum the Krakau Crippler would swiftly bail out to catch his breath, with Jones unable to follow at the risk of incurring a beating at the hands of the rest of Nova Corporation. Even so, the fans were vocal in their approval as while Jones largely controlled the match with his usual brawling tactics he proved far from defenceless against the amateur style offence of his villainous opponent. The pair traded holds at several points during the match before Jones took the fight back onto his own turf. As the match dragged on Jeff Nova grew more and more agitated before losing patience with his man's failure to put Kevin Jones away. As The Tower of London and The Wigan Bulldogs advanced on the ring it seemed as if Nova Corporation would be willing to risk a disqualification to beat down their rival. They did not, as it turned out, get the chance. Reverting to his traditional tactics, The Phoenix made his appearance out of the crowd, chair in hand, flooring the despicable Nova with a blow that was heard around the arena. The Red Rose Champion and his allies turned away from the action in the ring to defend their fallen manager, an action that was to prove decisive. As The Phoenix fended off his attackers and made his retreat Jones was at last able to prevent the flight of his opponent, dropping him in the centre of the ring with a thundrous Superplex to claim the victory to the delight of Bambi and the fans alike.
Kevin Jones defeated Pavel Vanszycha.

Results: CWL At The Dome, Saturday 19th February

As is becoming depressingly inevitable in CWL the show opened with Jeff Nova approaching the ring, flanked by Nova Corporation, microphone in hand. Nova was quick to express his displeasure with the latest decisions of the CWL booking committee. Apparently, he said, to the delight of the crowd, as 'The British Samurai' Robert Brown was not decisively defeated by 'The Tower Of London' Danny Patterson, his rematch had been declared null and void. As he was not disqualified due to his own actions, and did not lose by his opponent's skill, he had one more shot at the CWL Red Rose Championship. This announcement received an ecstatic reaction from the crowd, but their cheers were cut short when Nova revealed a twist to the tale. His influence over the booking committee was not enough to squash this match, but it was enough to get a certain stipulation added to it. If 'The British Samurai' Robert Brown lost this match and did not regain the CWL Red Rose Championship, then not only would he have to take the loss but he would not be allowed to challenge for the Championship for the next six months. Nova promised the crowd that the era of Nova Corporation was not yet coming to an end. 'The Tower of London' Danny Patterson was the premier athlete in the sport of professional wrestling and nobody, not Robert Brown, The So-Called Phoenix or anybody else was going to take his title or break his undefeated streak.

Once again the tag team action opened this CWL show, as Eddie Robinson and Jared Johnson looked to continue their recent winning streak. Their opponents, The Beasts From The East, having suffered recent losses, both in title competition and singles action, were looking to regain some momentum and hopefully make another challenge for the CWL Tag Team Championships. Though The Beast From The East have been perennial title contenders they found themselves faced with an unexpectedly great challenge as Johnson and Robinson worked together with a smoothness and fluidity normally reserved for teams active for years rather than weeks. Jared Johnson in particular acquitted himself in great style as he managed to not only survive the hard hitting onslaught of Sumo Sam but to slow down and counter the veterans precise striking game with his own technical offence.
Though the match was closely fought and competitive it became obvious as time went on that the fire displayed by the newer team was easily a match for the experience and precision of The Beasts From The East. The match came to a close as Jared Johnson was able to lock The Banzai Kid in the Toronto Crossface with Robinson managing to hold Sumo Sam at bay just long enough for the Banzai kid to tap out.
Eddie Robinson and Jared Johnson defeated The Beasts From The East.


As he and Jared Johnson celebrated their victory, Eddie Robinson rolled out of the ring and grabbed a Microphone to address the crowd. He praised his tag team partner's fighting spirit, passion for the business and technical prowess. He said that although he had never been part of a long-term tag team in this man he had found somebody who he could not only trust but absolutely and unreservedly respect. With his veteran savvy and Johnson's youth and fire it would only be a matter of time before they not only challenged for the CWL Tag Team Titles but won them. He concluded by saying that win or lose it was an honour to team with his young friend and that for those that set store by such things the pair would now be competing as The Blood Brothers.

Fan favourites went head to head next as perennial underdog Dwayne Dark faced off against the unconventional stylings of 'Rolling' Johnny Stones. The pair exchanged a handshake as the bell rang, something which set the tone for the rest of the match. For once Stones showed some hint of caution, taking care to stay out of arms' reach of Dark wherever possible, while Dark himself was similarly careful not to underestimate the speed and power that his opponent displayed. Though previously such a contest might have seemed one-sided, the young boxer seemed at last to have found his feet in the CWL ring, and even surprised his opponent by countering his offence with amateur-style holds as well as with his powerful striking game. In the end, however, the match came down to one moment, as Rolling Johnny Stones was a fraction too slow on his feet, allowing Dark to connect with a Dream Left Hook and cover for the count of three. 
Dwayne Dark defeated Rolling Johnny Stones.

More tag team action followed in the CWL ring as the veterans of Nova Corporation faced the first ever CWL tag team champions, Harder Better Faster Stronger. Surprisingly, The Wigan Bulldogs were not accompanied to ringside by the rest of Nova Corporation. The veterans showed reluctance even to get into the ring, stalling until the referee threatened to throw the match out entirely and award victory to their opponents if they did not stand and compete. This reluctance continued throughout the match as despite Petey Barnes' and Menace's best attempts, The Bulldogs would not be pinned down, frequently going so far as to bail out of the ring entirely to catch their breath. The fan favourites grew increasingly frustrated by this behaviour, until eventually one retreat became one too many as Barnes launched himself at the cowering veterans in a suicide dive. This opened the floodgates and Menace joined him to turn the match into a brawl on the outside. Both sides only narrowly avoided being counted out, but the heat was on and Harder Better Faster Stronger were not about to let up any time soon. It seemed that youth and enthusiasm were to triumph once again over experience when it became clear what Nova Corporation's strategy truly was. With Menace in the ring, Pavel Vanszycha appeared out of the crowd and dragged Petey Barnes off the apron, staggering him with a volley of chops and punches before fleeing, with Barnes in hot pursuit, backstage. From that point it was a simple numbers game. Unable to tag out, Menace was beaten down, two on one, until finally Walter Morgan was able to put him away with the Wigan Wrench.
The Wigan Bulldogs defeated Harder Better Faster Stronger.

The sound of taiko drums heralded the arrival of the former CWL Red Rose Champion, 'The British Samurai' Robert Brown.  Rather than addressing the crowd however, Brown turned his attention to the backstage area. He said that though they had had their differences in the past he understood entirely why Joss Thompson, now known as The Phoenix, wished his revenge against 'The Tower of London' Danny Patterson. The most important thing to any wrestler is their career, he said. The fact that Patterson nearly robbed The Phoenix of his was inexcusable. However, he said, he had one request to make. The one thing that Jeff Nova and Danny Patterson had been chasing since the very start of CWL was the CWL Red Rose Championship. As someone who had previously held said Championship himself, he was sure that The Phoenix would understand how important this title was.  While revenge was all very well, one of the things that would hurt 'The Tower of London' the most was the loss of both his winning streak and his precious championship belt. That loss could not be achieved if The Phoenix handed him yet more victories by assaulting him in his title matches. Brown's request was simple; "Whatever it is you're planning to do, save it until after the match is over. As long as I can stand up and compete fairly, win or lose, in front of this crowd, it doesn't matter to me. That's all I want." The crowd's reaction was mixed as they awaited The Phoenix's reply. They did not have to wait long, as the masked Thompson also made his way to the ring. Brown and The Phoenix faced down for along moment before The Phoenix finally spoke. He and Brown had fought one another many times, he said. Their rivalry had made CWL into the success it is today and he knew just how hard Brown would fight when both his pride and the Red Rose Championship were on the line. If anyone else could beat 'The Tower of London', one on one, face to face, he knew that man was Robert Brown. As the crowd's reaction grew louder, The Phoenix made his final statement. For the respect that Brown had shown him, he would take this one match off. But once that match was done, Danny Patterson was his, and god help anyone who got between him and his revenge.

The fans erupted with joy as Kevin Jones made his way to the ring, hoping to settle once and for all his rivalry with Crusher Von Steinberg. The pair exchanged heated words and the first punch was thrown before the bell even rang. What followed was a furious back and forth brawl as Jones brought every bit of his power and fighting spirit to bear in an attempt to counter Von Steinberg's technical expertise. Von Steinberg seemed overwhelmed by Jones' attacks, barely lifting a finger to defend himself except for to counter against Jones more powerful moves. In the end, all he could do was delay the inevitable, as Jones, fired up by the cheers of the crowd and the encouragement of the skankilicious devoted Bambi, overwhelmed the German's defences and claimed the victory with a picture-perfect Powerbomb.
Kevin Jones defeated Crusher Von Steinberg.
[OOC: This is probably the most effort the CWL crowd has ever seen Kevin Jones make with a match, so the fact that Crusher was blatantly aiming to make him look as bad as possible was kind of a shame. He sabotaged all of Kev's big moves, refused to make any kind of effort himself, and when the match was over just got up and walked off like nothing had happened.]

The crowd was tense with anticipation for the third and potentially final championship match between 'The British Samurai' Robert Brown and 'The Tower of London' Danny Patterson. As the bell rang it became clear that Brown was adopting a different strategy, as rather than moving to engage the giant and attempting to use speed against him, Brown instead backed off, inviting the champion to take the initiative. Caution won out over aggression in the mind of 'The Tower of London' as the match began slowly, doubtless the challenger's attention all along. Brown had quick counters ready for the first few moves Patterson attempted, and each time, after landing his riposte, backed off and invited the champion to continue. It soon became clear, however, that this attempt to wear down the Red Rose Champion was not being as successful as might be hoped. Though Patterson seemed surprised by the blows that Robert Brown landed he was not stunned, staggered or even slowed down by their impact. It soon became clear that the matche's slow pace was only serving to prolong the inevitable. Patterson quickly got wise to Brown's strategy and began to pick up the pace significantly, using his new-found speed to chase down his challenger and to continue his punishing assault. Swiftly Brown's resilience was worn down as he found it more and more difficult to counter the champion's offence, fighting more to evade the worst of the damage than to inflict any of his own. The dismay of the crowd was palpable as with each passing minute it seemed less and less likely that their hero would mount a comeback. Then, with five minutes before the time limit, something unexpected happened. The action in the ring paused as The Phoenix made his way out to the ringside area. Patterson turned his attention away from his challenger to meet this new threat as the masked man reached into the crowd and grabbed an unoccupied chair. Jeff Nova was beside himself at ringside calling for the referee to disqualify Brown even before interference had begun. Rather than launching an attack, however, The Phoenix simply set up the chair at ringside and sat down to watch the match, politely motioning for the action to continue. The distraction almost proved fatal for the Red Rose Champion as before he could turn around Brown slammed into his knees from behind with a stinging chop block before locking in the Samurai Stretch. The crowd were on their feet, hoping to see the end of Patterson's winning streak, as well as the end of his first Championship reign. Joy soon turned to despair, though, as with a mighty heave Patterson not only broke the hold and almost threw Brown out of the ring entirely. As 'The British Samurai' regained his feet the champion was waiting for him. A giant chokeslam followed and both the pin and the end of Brown's Championship hopes were at that point merely academic.
'The Tower Of London' Danny Patterson defeated 'The British Samurai' Robert Brown for the CWL Red Rose Championship.

Before the final bell had even rung the Champion's attention had immediately refocussed on his enemy waiting at ringside. Jeff Nova joined his client in the ring, cane in hand, and issued dire threats as the Tower of London simply beckoned for the masked man to approach. The Phoenix, however, chose not to oblige. Instead, blithely ignoring his nemesis in the ring, he made his way around to the departing challenger, picking up a microphone as he went. To the delight of the crowd, The Phoenix shook Robert Brown's hand and congratulated him on a solid match and a near success. Turning back to the ring he at last addressed Patterson and Nova. "You know what?" he said. "I think I'll give you a pass for now. But this is your notice. Brown's had his turn and now it's mine. You can rest assured that the next time you face The Phoenix in this ring, nothing will be able to save you."

Results: The Eternity Tour (Blackpool Tower) 12th February

The Phoenix defeated KAZ before repeating his intention to have his revenge and destroy Danny Patterson once and for all.

Roy Edison defeated Dwayne Dark.

Eddie Robinson and Jared Johnson defeated The Foreign Legion (on loan from White Rose Grappling).

Crusher Von Steinberg defeated 'The Red Dragon' Ian Davies.

'The Krakau Crippler' Pavel Vanszycha defeated Sumo Sam.

Results: CWL At The Dome, Saturday February 5th

A fan-favourite kicked off the CWL show this month, as Kevin Jones, accompanied as always by his eye candy ringside manager Bambi, made his way to the ring to address the fans. After the eager crowd had finally calmed down enough for him to speak, Jones launched a blistering attack on Crusher Von Steinberg for his actions in front of the Dome crowd last month. The welsh warrior was quite rightly displeased by the stinging attack on his testicles launched by his opponent last month, and at several points was nearly overcome by his passionate rage at the sheer lack of sportsmanship of "that bald, worthless kraut!" With the vocal support of the crowd, he declared that he would be happy to face his opponent again at any time, just for a chance to win fairly and show the CWL who was truly the better man.
(OOC Note: For ' was overcome by passionate rage' read 'had to stop a sentence part-way through because he was about to say something utterly obscene and had just remembered he wasn't supposed to'. This write-up cannot truly convey just how terrible this promo was, from the incoherent mixed metaphors, thinly-veiled homophobic abuse, blatantly racist anti-German sentiment and random non-sequiteurs about Bambi's sexual proclivities. Seriously. And the fans went wild for it.)

Jones promptly went on to take out his displeasure on the ever-unfortunate KAZ, whose terrible win-loss record did not improve at this show. As a warning to Von Steinberg, Kevin Jones took every opportunity to display a wide and creative variety of low blows that knocked the Japanese rookie from his feet early on in the match and kept him from regaining any form of momentum throughout. To the vocal approval of the crowd, Jones was able to knock his opponent down with a simple poke to the chest, before pinning him for the victory.
Kevin Jones defeated KAZ.


Next up came the start of the eagerly-awaited chance for Harder Better Faster Stronger to earn their rematch against The Wigan Bulldogs, as Menace squared off against Walter Morgan in singles competition. Though Menace was backed up as always by his tag team partner, the champion had the greater advantage of numbers at ringside, accompanied as he was by the entirety of Nova Corporation. Interference seemed inevitable, and though Menace fought with all the power and intensity that the fans have come to expect, any advantage was quickly counteracted either by Morgan's own veteran trickery or by distractions from Nova and his allies. It seemed that the former tag team champions might fall at the first hurdle as the referee was unable to keep an eye on all potential sources of interference at once, but Barnes was able to turn the tables on his enemies; climbing to the top rope, he executed a Flying Splash onto Jeff Nova himself, and as the rest of Nova Corporation piled on to rescue their leader, Menace capitalised, turning Morgan head over heels with a vicious clothesline for the pinfall.
Menace defeated Walter Morgan.

Next up, tag team action graced the CWL ring as two impromptu teams faced off against one another. The backing of the crowd was solidly behind 'The British Samurai' Robert Brown and Dwayne Dark, but their opponents, 'The Krakau Crippler' Pavel Vanszycha and Roy Edison seemed entirely unfazed by their lack of support. All four men gave good account of themselves, as Dark and Edison proved that they had what it took to hang with two of the best in the company. The match seemed like it might come to an early end when Dark nearly took Vanszycha's head clean off with a giant haymaker that saw the Nova Corporation member staggered and reeling. Edison made the save, however, and in his turn floored Robert Brown with a roundhouse kick. The back-and-forth continued for some time, until finally Dark and Edison once again faced off in the ring. Edison seemed to have the upper hand when out of nowhere, ark connected with a Dream Left Hook which dropped the MMA specialist cold.
'The British Samurai' Robert Brown and Dwayne Dark defeated 'The Krakau Crippler' Pavel Vanszycha and Roy Edison.

The semi-main event of the show saw the second half of Harder Better Faster Stronger's challenge, as Petey Barnes met Leo 'The Lion' Price in singles competition. Nova Corporation were once again at ringside, although with Walter Morgan exhausted from his earlier match, Pavel Vanszycha similarly reeling and Jeff Nova suffering the effects of Barnes' attack earlier, the potential for interference was dramatically reduced. With this in mind, Leo Price defaulted to his standard strategy: when in doubt, cheat, run away and look for the cheapest victory possible. Barnes was not to be outdone, however, and kept the pressure up constantly with a barrage of kicks, high-speed strikes and innovative aerial offence. At one point the Red Rose Champion seemed set to interfere, but was prevented from doing so by Jeff Nova, who seemed increasingly nervous. Said nerves were not allayed when Price was laid low, allowing Barnes to score the victory with a Spiral Tap.
Petey Barnes defeated Leo 'The Lion' Price.

As the victorious members of Harder Better Faster Stronger hastily made their way backstage, the members of Nova Corporation made no move to follow. Instead, Jeff Nova grabbed a microphone and began a ranting diatribe against the masked man who had assaulted his client, 'The Tower Of London' Danny Patterson, at the last two CWL shows. Nova was wild with anger as he laid down a tirade of abuse against his enemy, calling him cowardly, dishonest and unsportsmanlike, entirely without any sense of irony. Nova also issued a dire warning to the backstage staff at CWL - he'd identified the production assistants who had accepted bribes to sabotage the lights and video screens, and anyone else who did any such thing would be reported to the CWL Booking Committee immediately. He called out the masked man, who apparently identifies himself as The Phoenix, to face him there and then, and to answer for his actions. "Oh, and in case you think that mask is fooling anyone, we all know it's you, Joss. Don't get any ideas." Sure enough, The Phoenix appeared at the entranceway. To Mister Nova's annoyance, he also had a microphone in hand. In a voice dripping with sarcasm he applauded Nova for discovering his 'secret identity'. If this is the extent of his powers of detection, then truly the world has a new supervillain to fear. However, it wasn't Jeff Nova he had returned to CWL to punish: it was the man with the belt. After Danny Patterson had beaten him down, slammed him through a table and left him mostly crippled, he'd had a lot of time to think about his priorities. He'd mused on the nature of life, on his relationships, on his past history, and had come to one conclusion: he didn't care about any of that. One thing had brought him back from his sick bed, one thing had given him the willpower to rehab his broken limbs and climb back into the ring: revenge. Revenge against Danny Patterson, and everyone who wanted to stand with him. Revenge kept him going, put fire in his veins and steel in his bones. Revenge made him invincible to harm. Revenge was the one thing he cared about, and any chance he got to take that revenge, he'd take it. Like, for instance, right the hell now.

So saying, The Phoenix dropped his microphone, rushed the ring and began attacking everyone in sight with a fire rarely seen even in the intense and violent environment of CWL. He'd chosen an ideal moment to attack, as the weakened Nova Corporation were easily knocked aside by a brutal flurry of blows, leaving The Phoenix face to face with his nemesis. Without further ado, the two began to brawl with ferocious intensity, first around the ring, then the ringside area, then finally into the crowd! Patterson tried to rely on his superior strength to give him the advantage, but against The Phoenix this strategy proved ineffective as the smaller man simply absorbed any punishment that was dealt to him, giving as good as he got. Eventually the champion simply hurled his opponent bodily into the rows of chairs in which people were still sitting - something that proved to be a very bad idea when Thompson grabbed one of said chairs and began using it as a weapon, punishing the back of the giant with repeated strikes. Patterson was staggered, dropping to one knee, before a mighty strike to the head knocked the champion to the floor! The Phoenix was not content to simply knock his opponent down, however, and continued to lay a vicious beatdown on the prone form of the Red Rose Champion as the crowd roared its approval. It was not to last, however, as before serious damage could be done the rest of Nova Corporation along with several other members of the CWL roster rushed to prevent an untimely end to The Tower Of London's career. The Phoenix beat a hasty retreat, allowing Danny Patterson to be helped back to his feet as the show came to an end.

Results: The Eternity Tour (The Duke's Theatre, Lancaster) 22nd January

Walter Morgan defeated KAZ

Leo 'The Lion' Price defeated 'The Red Dragon' Ian Davies

Crusher Von Steinberg defeated The Banzai Kid

'The British Samurai' Robert Brown and Kevin Jones defeated Jared Johnson and Eddie Robinson

'The Tower Of London' Danny Patterson defeated Rolling Johnny Stones (non-title)

After his match, Danny Patterson was once again attacked by the mysterious Phoenix, who went toe-to-toe with the giant before being attacked by the rest of Nova Corporation. Once again the lights went out, allowing the masked man to escape in the confusion.

Results: CWL At The Dome, Saturday January 8th

In the aftermath of the shocking events of the New Year's Day show, the CWL crowd was uncertain of what to expect from the year's second show. Their questions were soon answered, and not in the way that they wanted. Jeff Nova, accompanied by Danny Patterson and the rest of Nova Corporation. Amidst a tide of boos and hurled missiles, Nova addressed the crowd again in his usual ranting style. For those who had seen the end of the New Year's Day show, the theme was much the same. The best wrestlers in the world are the wrestlers who get results, Mister Nova declared. Why, then, are the wrestlers who are willing to go to any lengths to achieve victory not those most respected? The wrestlers of Nova Corporation have one another's backs, and are not afraid to fly in the face of the rules if it gets a victory. Nova continued in this vein for some time, alternating abuse with demands for respect, until the crowd were worked into a veritable frenzy.

The boos turned to cheers, however, when the former champion, 'The British Samurai' Robert Brown, made his way to ringside. Despite having only had one week to recover from his vicious beating at the hands of Nova Corporation, Brown seemed fit and healthy. In a turn of events that has proved rare since the foundation of CWL, he called for a microphone to address the crowd and his opponents. His words were brief and to the point. Nova Corporation's actions were a slap in the face to everyone in this world who respects the sport of professional wrestling. For all the current champion's power, he had been forced to claim a victory by outside interference that could have been fairly won. For the sake of his honour, for the sake of the fans, and for the sake of the sport of professional wrestling itself, he wanted his rematch, and he wanted it tonight. "And before you say anything more, you weaselly little shit, I've got a guaranteed rematch clause in my contract. So, you know... suck it up." Needless to say, the crowd went wild.

As the new challenger for the Red Rose Championship left the ringside area, Nova Corporation remained for the first match of the evening, in which 'The Krakau Crippler' Pavel Vanszycha was to face Rolling Johnny Stones. As with every match in which the unconventional Stones has thus far wrestled, there was a notable clash of styles, which left the ultra-traditional Pole off-balance from the start. What pressed the advantage was the rockstar's often-underestimated command of ring psychology, as he played a hit-and-run game with his opponent that left Vanszycha unable to make full use of his impressive amateur skills. It was not to last, however, as Leo 'The Lion' Price of The Wigan Bulldogs was able to trip Stones up with the referee's attention distracted, allowing his stable-mate to regain control of the match. A series of skillful takedowns and transitional holds later, The Krakau Crippler was locked in, and Stones was forced to tap out.
Pavel Vanszycha defeated Rolling Johnny Stones

After the celebrating Nova Corporation had retired backstage, two wrestlers who had faced one another at the New Year's Day show teamed up as Jared Johnson and Eddie Robinson faced The Martin Brothers. The superior experience of the twins allowed them to bring their strong command of team tactics into play against opponents more used to singles competiton, but one on one the older duo were more than a match for the inexperienced Martins. Johnson and Robinson's double-team tactics seemed almost experimental in nature, and each man watched the other's performance closely as the match progressed. In the end Johnson was able to make Keith Martin submit with the Toronto Crossface to bring his team victory. Once again, the veteran Eddie Robinson raised the younger man's arm in a show of respect.
Eddie Robinson and Jared Johnson defeated The Martin Brothers

Once again, former champions entered the ring to the cheers of the crowd as Harder Better Faster Stronger took a moment to speak. Petey Barnes spoke as Menace glowered at the backstage entrance, daring anyone to show signs of foul play. Barnes' statement was short and to the point: The Wigan Bulldogs cheated, we want a rematch. You think you're worth those belts? You think you're the best? Well, however good you think you are, we were, are, and will always remain, Harder, Better... The crowd-pleasing catchphrase was sadly cut short by the entrance of The Wigan Bulldogs, flanked by the rest of Nova Corporation. Jeff Nova once again earned the crowd's wrath by opening his big mouth. After the irritating incident earlier in the show, he'd done some checking, and it seemed that Barnes and Menace hadn't quite been as savvy with their negotiations as Robert Brown - there were no guaranteed rematch clauses in their contracts, and the Bulldogs didn't have to do a damn thing for them. However, since they asked so nicely, they'd have a chance to earn their shot, rather than just demanding it. If Barnes and Menace could defeat Morgan and Price one-on-one, then they'd prove that they might just have what it took. If not, then you kids can kiss your hopes of championship gold goodbye.

In a demonstration of both power and the will to succeed, Menace then faced down boxing prodigy Dwayne Dark. Though the former Tag Team Champion's skill in the ring is not to be denied, his advantage looked significantly slimmer in the face of the lightning hands of the former amateur boxer. Indeed, Dwayne Dark held his own with great aplomb, lashing out with incredible speed and precision to rain blows down on Menace's head and body. Menace's endurance was entirely equal to the challenge, however, and his retaliation was swift and brutal when it came. The two men hammered back and forth at one another for nearly fifteen minutes of highly competitive action, until Menace was able to counter a low swing with a stunning shot to the temple, followed by an Implant DDT for the win.
Menace defeated Dwayne Dark

Another callback to the New Year's Day show followed, as Kevin Jones, accompanied to the ring as always by the skanky lovely Bambi, took on one of the men he faced in four-way action seven days ago, Crusher Von Steinberg. It rapidly became clear that in the face of the blue-collar brawling and street-smarts of the Welshman, Von Steinberg's vaunted submission offence was not going to be enough to secure the victory. Though he tried with every throw, takedown and hold in his arsenal, the German simply could not keep the fan favourite down, as each time he battled out with fists, kicks and headbutts. After a shot mid-way through the match drew blood, Jones focussed his assault on his opponent's head, capitalising on any advantage he could take, as the European veteran grew increasingly irate. So angered was he at the injury he had sustained, Von Steinberg chose to sacrifice his chances at victory completely, blocking an attempted Powerbomb before kicking Kev squarely in the balls in clear view of the referee to take the disqualification loss.
Kevin Jones defeated Crusher Von Steinberg
(OOC Note: When it says that Crusher was getting pissed off when Kev kept hitting him in the head, it certainly didn't look fake. And that kick in the balls right at the end? That wasn't faked. Not at all. It took Jones several minutes to get backstage after the match. Not that it stopped him suggesting that Bambi 'kiss it better'.)

Finally, the Main Event arrived - 'The British Samurai' Robert Brown getting his first chance to make up for his humiliating defeat at the hands of 'The Tower Of London' Danny Patterson. It seemed an impossible task, entirely insurmountable. Even with all his years of experience, even with his incredible skills and great physical conditioning, at the last show Brown had been dominated from bell to bell by the incredible strength and seeming immunity to pain possessed by the new champion. However, Brown was to prove his critics entirely mistaken, as from the very outset he met Patterson with both skill and incredible fighting spirit. While 'The Tower Of London' displayed speed that might previously have been thought impossible, he was still unable to quite match the dexterity and agility of his challenger. The veteran played a dangerous game of hit-and-run, managing to avoid the worst of Patterson's offence by the skin of his teeth, slowly wearing down the giant's defences. Still, when faced with such raw power it only takes one mistake to suddenly turn things around, and the champion was more than ready to take advantage of any slips. A brief hesitation gave him a chance to swing a hard right hand sraight into Brown's face, and from then on it was all Patterson's show. Rather than go for a swift pinfall, he toyed with his rival, seeking to make another strong demonstration of power and demonstrate his superiority once and for all. A swift victory, however, requires swift action, and Brown was not so dazed by the beating he was taking that he could not take advantage of any opportunities to turn the tables himself. The crowd went wild when Brown was able with great dexterity to drop out of a suplex lift onto his feet and launch a swift kick to the back of Patterson's knees which drove the giant from his feet, something almost unheard of in CWL. However, as he prepared to take advantage of this and possibly create the shortest title reign in CWL history, the lights in the Dome went out completely. In the darkness, the video screen once again showed that same bizarre display: the flaming bird, and the caption 'The Phoenix Rises'. When the lights came back up, both competitors were back on their feet, but a third man had entered the ring. Perched on the top turnbuckle was a man in a mask, who promptly launched himself at Danny Patterson with a Missile Dropkick, flooring the champion in one blow and forcing the referee to disqualify Robert Brown.
'The Tower Of London' Danny Patterson defeated 'The British Samurai' Robert Brown for the CWL Red Rose Championship.

Though Robert Brown vacated the ring quickly, the masked man took the chance to continue his assault on Danny Patterson's prone form. As the rest of Nova Corporation rushed the ring he turned on them too, one by one dropping them to the floor with stiff punches and clotheslines. As he turned back, though, he found his original target ready and waiting to meet him. One chokeslam later, the mystery assailant was flat on his back in the middle of the ring and Nova Corporation were beating a hasty retreat to the back, their championship belts safely in hand. However, as they made their final exit, the masked man displayed one more surprise: he sprang straight back to his feet, showing no ill-effects from taking one of the deadliest moves in CWL! Though Nova Corporation made to rush the ring once more, the technical faults that seem to accompany their mysterious assailant once again won through, and when the lights came back on, he was gone.
(OOC Note: It's Joss Thompson, quite clearly. Same height, same build, same hair coming out of the back of the mask. It's a really cool mask, though.)