Moss: This has been a fantastic night of action, folks, but what we’re about to see, well, you may want to let the little ones do something else for a bit.
Howley: The steel cage is nearing completion, and once this bout begins, there’s no holds barred. Anything goes. No one will be pinned. No one can submit. This match will go on until one man can no longer prevent his opponent from escaping the cage.
Moss: We’ve all seen how “Feral” Freddy Kilgore has reacted to “All Business” Alex Bruder’s continued taunting of his Wild Hearts. It hasn’t been a pretty sight. And he’s promised that when the two lock horns in the cage, he’s not going to stop until he gets every measure of revenge.
Howley: Kilgore can do it, no doubt, but Bruder is crafty, and his Cobra Clutch has earned him a lot of key victories in Classic Wrestling, including over our current Real World’s Champion and Freddy Kilgore himself. If he can lock it on Kilgore tonight, I don’t see how Papa Wild Thang keeps him from climbing out of the cage.
Moss: If Freddy Kilgore is the man of his word that we’ve known him to be, I’m not sure Alex Bruder’s going to be able to walk, much less climb. And speaking of words… I’m told that Otto Price stands with Freddy Kilgore backstage. Take it away, Otto!
We cut to a “Classic Wrestling” banner – in front of it is the eternal master of ceremonies, Otto Price. Next to him stands “Feral” Freddy Kilgore – face painted, baby oiled, veins a rippling – he is ready for action.
Price: Ladies and gentlemen, as we work to get the dangerous steel cage erected around our ring, I am joined by one of the men who is just moments away from doing battle inside that dangerous structure. Freddy Kilgore – you and I have been through a lot together, old friend, but I’ve never seen you in a situation quite like this. Can you truly be ready for what is about to happen?
Kilgore, who has been pacing and flexing and looking off into the distance, turns with bug eyes to Otto Price. He points a single finger into the air.
Kilgore: LET ME LAY IT ON YOU LIKE THIS, OTTO-MATION! YOU ASK ME IF I’M READY? YOU ASK ME IF I CAN TRULY BE PREPARED FOR THIS BATTLE? FOR THIS WAR? BABY, I’VE NEVER BEEN MORE READY IN MY ENTIRE LIFE!!
Kilgore turns to point into the camera.
Kilgore: ALEX BRUDER! NO MORE GAMES! NO MORE RUNNING! JUST ME – AND YOU – LOCKED INSIDE THE INESCAPABLE ARENA OF STEEL COMBAT, BABY! TONIGHT, YOU PAY PENANCE FOR YOUR MANY CRIMES, BRUDER! THERE’S AN ARENA FULL OF WILDHEARTS CALLING FOR YOUR HEAD! “PAPA WILD THANG,” I HEAR THEM SAY, “YOU’VE GOTTA GIVE THAT LITTLE WEASEL EXACTLY WHAT’S COMING TO HIM.” “NEVER FEAR,” I SAY BACK, “BECAUSE WHEN I GET THESE BEAR PAWS…”
Kilgore pauses to demonstrate the size of his hands.
Kilgore: WHEN I GET THESE AROUND BRUDER’S SCRAWNY NECK, HE’S GOING TO REGRET IT ALL! HE’S GOING TO REGRET PUTTING HIS HANDS ON YOU…
Kilgore jabs a finger into Price’s chest.
Kilgore: AND HE’S SURE AS HELL GOING TO REGRET EVER TOUCHING ONE OF MY WILDHEARTS, BABY. TONIGHT, YOU SEE PAPA WILD THANG UNLEASHED. I DON’T KNOW IF THIS ARENA CAN HANDLE IT, JACK – I’M COMING DOWN ON ALEX BRUDER LIKE A HURRICANE!!
Kilgore turns back to Price.
Kilgore: IT’S TIME, BABY!! I CAN FEEL IT!! CAN YOU FEEL IT, OTTO-MOBILE!? CAN YOU FEEL IT!?
Otto: Well, I…
Kilgore explodes!
Kilgore: OF COURSE YOU CAN, BABY!! FEEL IT, OTTO!! FEEL THE POWER OF THE WILDHEARTS FLOW!! FEEL THE ELECTRICITY TRAVEL UP YOUR SPINE!! INTO YOUR HEART!! INTO YOUR SOUL!! YOU CAN FEEL IT!! LET IT LOOSE, OTTO!!
Kilgore puts a meaty arm around Otto’s shoulder, and together the two men lean back and release a powerful howl with all they’ve got…
Price & Kilgore: HOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWLLLLLL!!
Back to our announcers.
Moss: To say Freddy Kilgore is pumped up would be an understatement!
The arena lights dim, and Megadeth’s “Train of Consequences” begins to play. “All Business” Alex Bruder emerges from the curtains, lit by a solitary spotlight.
Moss: Bruder looks focused. This is new ground for him, for Kilgore, for all of Classic Wrestling. Cage matches shorten careers.
Howley: I’ve seen a lot of men walk into a cage, sure that they knew what they were in for. I’ve seen just as many being carried out, wondering what just happened.
Bruder pauses at the end of the aisle, for the first time appreciating the sheer size of the steel cage. He hesitates for a moment, and looks over his shoulder quickly, before he climbs the steps and walks through the open steel door and into the ring.
Robbins: In the ring at this time, weighing in at 238 Lbs, Hailing from Hillsboro, NC. All Business….ALEX BRUDER!
Alex stands in the far corner from the entrance, reaching back to grab the steel bars behind him and then leans forward, getting a sense of how little give the cage has.
The opening chords of “Wild Side” by Motley Crue fill the arena and the fans rise to their feet in anticipation, as that can only mean one thing – the arrival of “Feral” Freddy Kilgore! Papa Wild Thang himself appears from behind the curtain, huffing and puffing, running down the aisle and slapping the hands of all of his Wild Hearts.
Like Bruder in the ring, KIlgore reaches up to grab the highest horizontal bar he can from the ringside area, and with one hand easily pulls himself up. Satisfied at the solid American construction, Freddy Kilgore drops back to the floor, steps up the stairs, walks in the door, and waits for referee Kevin Clady to close the steel door and chain it shut.
Moss: Kilgore is raring to go. Both men are some of the most accomplished wrestlers in Classic Wrestling. Inside that cage are Classic’s first Premier American Champion and Real World’s Champion. They each hold one win over the other in singles competition. And despite that, what we are about to witness will in no way resemble how well either man can wrestle, Thunderbird.
Howley: In the game of human chess, we’re looking at two grandmasters. And they’re about to flip the board, Moss.
Robbins: And his opponent… weighing in at 282 lbs… from The Wild Side… “FERAL!” FREDDY! KILGORE!
Both men lock eyes, frozen in place.
DING DING!
The calm breaks, and the storm rolls in, as both men charge each other, colliding chest to chest in the middle of the ring. Bruder peppers Kilgore with a series of stiff body shots. The King of the Jungle smiles at him, and floors him with an uppercut to the jaw.
Bruder pops back up and shoots a single leg, bringing Kilgore to the mat. Bruder mounts him and rains closed fists down on the larger man. Kilgore isn’t smiling any longer, but he also only takes a handful of shots before he rolls over, reversing positions and returning the favor with thundering blows of his own.
Howley: If trading blows with “Feral” Freddy Kilgore was Alex Bruder’s plan, he needs a new plan.
Kilgore dismounts Bruder, and then jerks him to his feet with a fist full of hair. Maintaining his grip, Papa Wild Thang points at the nearest cage wall, to the approval of the massive crowd. Only then does he briefly release Bruder’s head, before pressing Bruder over his head and chucking him lengthwise into the steel cage!
Howley: I’ve changed my mind. He should go back to trying to outpunch Kilgore.
Bruder pulls himself up the ring ropes, having landed on the apron between the cage and cables, but Kilgore grabs his head before he can climb back into the ring. His hands occupied, Bruder has a free shot to rake his eyes, and then drag Kilgore’s painted face against the ropes and to a corner. He slips back into the ring, and then rams Freddy head first into the top turnbuckle not once, not twice, but thrice.
Moss: “Feral” Freddy Kilgore is stumbling out of the corner. Every bit of that was legal, but hardly sportsmanlike.
Howley: It’s easy to ask for good behavior from the comfort of the announce chair, Moss. Bruder needed to turn the tide, and it looks like that did the trick.
Still dazed, Kilgore is caught from behind with a chop block. Bruder grabs his left ankle, and furiously kicks at Kilgore’s hamstring. Tucking Kilgore’s ankle under his arm, he rolls him over in a modified single leg crab. Rather than squatting down deep to cinch in the hold, Bruder stands tall, and plants his foot on the back of The Apex Predator’s head.
Moss: “Feral” Freddy Kilgore is in a rough spot here. He can’t lose, but it looks like Bruder is targeting his leg to take away both his speed and power advantage.
Kilgore plants his hands to the mat to try to push up and out of the hold, but with Bruder already standing, he’s able to just take his foot off Freddy’s head and stomp on him between the shoulder blades. Kilgore grunts and collapses back to the mat. On instinct, he grabs the nearest rope.
Howley: The King of the Jungle has the power advantage, but Bruder has all of the leverage, and tonight he doesn’t have to break the hold when Kilgore has the ropes.
Moss: I’m not sure Freddy Kilgore is looking for a rope break. Look at that!
Indeed, Freddy Kilgore has now grabbed the bottom rope with both hands, before reaching up and grabbing the second rope, and then the top rope! He lets go with one hand, twists over, and boots Alex Bruder in the mush with his right foot, forcing him to release.
Moss: I’ve never seen anyone try that before! This is a partisan crowd, and these Wild Hearts are nearly exploding for Freddy Kilgore!
Kilgore hobbles to Bruder, catching him with a knee lift as he stands, whips him into the corner and follows in with a forearm smash. He grabs Bruder out of the corner, grabs him by his trunks and the back of his head, and heaves him face first into the cage! Bruder lands on his feet just long enough for Kilgore to hoist him up for an atomic drop, but once he’s horizontal he slips both of Alex’s feet through two adjoining holes in the cage, and then rams Alex groin first into the steel cage!
Moss: …
Holwey: …
Moss: Wow. And after that, he drops on his head.
Howley: Both of them in a matter of seconds!
Freddy Kilgore beats his chest and screams. He brings Bruder to a vertical base, and body slams him right back down to the mat. Picks him up again, and delivers a second. Again he brings Bruder to his feet, this time lifting him cleanly onto his shoulders, and then hits a running power slam.
Howley: “Feral” Freddy Kilgore is relentless. I’ll admit it, I wasn’t sure he had this in him, despite what we’ve seen from him since Capital Clash.
Moss: And he still isn’t done. He’s dragged Alex Bruder to his feet, and now lifts him to the top turnbuckle.
With his opponent perched on the top turnbuckle, Papa WIld Thang climbs to the second rope, hooks the head, and then steps to the top rope! He lifts Bruder up for a superplex, but holds him in a perfect vertical position.
Holds him…
Holds him…
HOLDS HIM…
DROPS HIM WITH A TOP ROPE DELAYED SUPERPLEX!
The crowd roars in approval when Freddy Kilgore jumps back to his feet, and looks derisively at the heap on the ground who’d thought it a good idea to cross him. Satisfied at his work, he returns to the turnbuckle, climbs it again, and then transitions to the corner of the cage. He takes in the adoration of his Wild Hearts, the crowd noise growing with every rung he climbs.
Moss: “Feral” Freddy Kilgore is straddling the cage. He has won this match, and destroyed “All Business” Alex Bruder. This has been a remarkable event, fans, but I hope we never see anything of its like again in Classic Wrestling.
On the mat, Alex Bruder starts to stir. He rolls over, and sees Kilgore about to descend out of the cage. He gets to his knees, and then his feet, but as he tries to make it to the corner to give chase, he collapses back to the mat. Kilgore, having seen all of this, makes a strange decision.
Moss: Oh no, this isn’t a good idea.
Howley: What are you doing? You won!
He starts climbing down…back into the ring. By the time he makes it to the top rope, Bruder is back to his feet. He grabs a fistful of tights and wrenches Kilgore from the top rope to the mat. Bruder rolls him onto his stomach, and hits a small flurry of cross faces on the Apex Predator, and while they are delivered with bad intent, there’s not much force behind them. Kilgore gets back to his feet and leans down pressing his forehead against Bruder’s. Alex boxes both of Kilgore’s ears and snapmares him back to the mat, before kicking him in the spine and locking in a headlock.
Moss: “All Business” Alex Bruder is trying to buy himself some time to recover.
Howley: I’m not sure there’s enough time left on this Pay-Per-View for that. We still have a main event!
Bruder repositions his headlock, and tries reaching across to grab Freddy Kilgore’s arm looking for the Cobra Clutch, but in the transition Kilgore escapes the hold. Both men struggle to their feet, and grasp at each other’s heads. They exchange forearms, which miraculously grow in strength with each blow. Bruder! Kilgore! Bruder! Kilgore! Bruder! Kilgore! Bruder! Kilgore! Bruder! Bruder! Bruder! Bruder! All Business with a flurry, but they’re having no effect! Kilgore fires back! Kilgore! Kilgore! Kilgore! Kilgore! Kilgore! Kilgore! Bruder is dazed on his feet, so Freddy takes a moment to play for the crowd… before winding up his arm… and delivering the big right hand that sends Bruder head over heels to the mat!!
Moss: Bruder back on his feet… he’s looking to head to the corner for a respite! But Kilgore is right there to meet him!
With Bruder in the corner, Papa Wild Thang climbs to the second rope. He balls up a fist, displaying it to the crowd who roar their approval before he begins to lay in the right hands. The crowd, ever the Wild Hearts, count along with each shot…
ONE! TWO! THREE! FOUR! FIVE! SIX! SEVEN! EIGHT! NINE!
Kilgore pauses, cups his hands to his mouth, and all along with the packed house…
Kilgore: HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWLLLLLL!
And then the tenth, and final, shot to Bruder’s head! Bruder steps forward before just falling to the mat. Freddy Kilgore looks down at him. This is it. He’s got it. Freddy looks to the left side of the arena. Looks to the right. The people are on their feet. The cage is right there for the escaping. But Kilgore holds up a single finger. Wiggles from side to side… “no, no, no!”
Moss: I don’t think Freddy Kilgore is done! After months of waiting, he’s relishing getting his hands on Bruder!
Howley: This is stupid! You’ve got the match won – stop being a hero.
Kilgore takes point in the corner farthest from Bruder’s beaten form. Papa Wild Thang leans forward, crouching like a hungry predator – stalking Alex Bruder to finish this once and for all. His leg is ready to deliver his high impact running big boot known as The Call of the Wild as Bruder begins to stir. The people are on their feet and stomping in unison as Kilgore doesn’t take his eyes off Alex Bruder as he rolls over. Gets to a knee. Finally to a crouched position. And then finally… back to his feet. Bruder shakes away the cobwebs as he turns around… Kilgore chooses that moment to strike, bursting forward and raising his boot high…
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH!
Moss: WAIT! WAIT! BRUDER WAS PLAYING POSSUM… HE JUST THREW SOME KIND OF POWDER INTO KILGORE’S EYES!! WHERE DID HE EVEN GET THAT?
Howley: From the tights, Moss! This is why you don’t give men like Alex Bruder a second chance!
Kilgore’s momentum halted once the powder hit his eyes and now he’s clawing away at his digits and trying desperately to clear his vision. Bruder hangs on to the ropes to regain his composure, breathing deeply and taking the opportunity to regroup. Kilgore lashes out wildly, arms swinging as he tries to connect with his opponent in his blinded state. Bruder adopts a similar manner of Kilgore earlier – he pushes off the ropes and his eyes narrow as now HE is the one stalking his prey. Leaning backwards to avoid Papa Wild Thang’s erratic swings, Bruder moves to position himself behind the bigger man. He waits for just the right moment… just when Kilgore’s movements have put him in the perfect position…
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Moss: COBRA CLUTCH!! He’s got it locked on!!
Freddy Kilgore’s erratic movements have gone from offensive to defensive, as now his arms flail as he feels the crushing power of the deadly hold. Bruder grits his teeth and snarls, knowing that victory is in his grasp and he has his chance to put his rival away. Like a pitbull, he refuses to let go, and Kilgore’s movements slowly… slowly… slowly begin to lessen in intensity. He falls to a single knee with Bruder still locked in.
Howley: Turn out the lights, Wild Hearts, cause it’s time for Papa to go to sleep!
It sure looks that way. With Kilgore’s eyes (now bare as the face paint has long ago smudged away) looking particularly glossy, the referee moves in to check to see if he can continue. He lifts up Kilgore’s right arm… it falls, dead and useless. Bruder grins as the referee lifts the arm again… same result.
Moss: You can’t win the match this way, but if that arm falls a third time, you can be sure that Kilgore’s done for and it will be an easy escape for Alex Bruder!
The boos come down in earnest as the ref raises “Feral” Freddy Kilgore’s arm one final time…
But the boos transform into booming cheers as somehow, someway, somewhere… Kilgore feels the energy of his Wild Hearts and instead of hitting the mat like a lump of bricks, Kilgore stops his hand, flexes his bicep, and balls his fist! With a primal scream that makes Bruder’s eyes nearly bug out of his head, Kilgore – in a last ditch effort – pushes off the ground with all the strength he can muster, and he throws both himself and Bruder into the steel cage! Bruder takes the brunt of the unforgiving steel in his back, and he lets go of the hold and drops to the mat in agony. Kilgore, having used the last of his strength, also falls to the mat!
Moss: And both men are down!! The people are on their feet!!
Howley: They’re hanging from the rafters, Moss!!
The people are stomping and clapping as the hero and the villain both begin to stir. Although they’re both taking their time getting back to a vertical base, it’s Alex Bruder who gets upright first. He wastes zero time, reaching up and gripping the cage by one of its blue bars. Bruder pulls himself up to the top rope before finding his footing with the cage. The fans are yelling at Papa Wild Thang to get up as Bruder begins his ascent… and the King of the Jungle does not let them down!! He leaps up after Bruder, quickly climbing to keep pace with All Business. Now both men are just an arm’s length from the top, but both have stopped climbing in lieu of trading right hands!
Howley: They’re really up there… if one of them bites it, it’s clear for the other man to win this!
At that very second Papa Wild Thing blocks the arm of Bruder and is able to slam his head into the cage instead. Bruder falters but doesn’t fall. He regains his balance but Freddy Kilgore’s not going to let him have it for long.
Moss: Russian leg sweep off the cage! BOTH MEN ARE DOWN AGAIN! Kilgore gave up his own body to take down Bruder!
The fans are ravenous. Not one seat being used in the entire arena. Everyone on edge as this boils over.
Both men slow to get up from the huge crash on the mat.
Howley: They’re lucky they can even walk at this point!
Both men to their feet. Kilgore goes to boot Bruder in the gut but its block. Bruder hits a right hand that’s a little light due to the fall he just took. He swings again and lands another punch. Now Bruder Irish whips Kilgore into the ropes, and when he comes back he goes for a back body drop. Kilgore leapfrogs him and bounces back. When Bruder turns around… Lights out.
Moss: CALL OF THE WILD! HE HIT IT! HE HIT THE KICK!
Bruder falls over backwards and the momentum of the kick sends him over his head and onto his stomach. He’s out in the middle of the ring as Papa Wild Thing looks out to the crowd. They are screaming for him to climb. Kilgore pauses for a moment, looks down at Alex Bruder lying motionless and decides he’s satisfied. The fans want him to climb and that’s exactly what he begins to do. It isn’t long before Kilgore reaches the top. Bruder still motionless inside the ring. The fans cheering swells up to a crescendo when Kilgore steps over the cage and sits on the top of it. He looks out to the fans who cheer his name loudly.
KIL-GORE! KIL-GORE! KIL-GORE!
Freddy smiles big and climbs down the other side.
The bell rings and the ring announcer has the call.
Robbins: Ladies and Gentlemen, your winner of this contest… “FERAL” FREDDY KILGORE!
The fans erupt as Kilgore embraces Mikey in the front row. They high five before hugging. Freddy gives Mikey’s dad a big hug as well on the way out of the ringside area. Bruder is just now waking up and realizing he lost as he listens to the subtle tones of “Wild Side” by Motley Crue. None to pleased, Bruder starts kicking the ring ropes as he gets up. His hands on his hips, he’s got a long walk of shame out of the ring to take care of.
Moss: What a contest, what a feud these two have had all over Classic Wrestling the past several months. It started well before Capital Clash, and tonight after fighting in a solid steel cage, this has come to an end. “Feral” Freddy Kilgore triumphs over Alex Bruder!
Howley: Let’s not give the devil his due, there were many times tonight I thought Bruder was going to take this one home!
Moss: Right you are partner, but it’s Kilgore whos boots hit the ground first, something many Classic Fans have been clammoring for since this match was announced several weeks ago.