Out came the SMWA Heavyweight Champion of the World.  The man who, two weeks ago, fought Mike Haggar to a standstill.  A forced one...forced by the interference of Major Force.
    Slade didn't look happy when he got into the ring.  His ribs were taped up and he was wearing a light cast on his wrist to protect the break that was caused by Major Force's attack at New Year's Smash.  Our World Champion was a little worse for wear, but that didn't stop him from showing up tonight.
    Slade had the microphone.

SLADE:  A little under two weeks ago, I was supposed to have wrestled the match of my life.  It was supposed to be me and Mike Haggar, one on one, no questions, no foul ups, no doubts.  We almost got it right.  But, we got screwed by Major Force.

    The crowd booed at the mere mention of the name.  Slade continued.

SLADE:  Masters, I don't know what's wrong with you, and I don't want to know.  As far as I'm concerned, I gave you enough attention when I beat... No, wait a second... When I kicked Ghost's pale ass all over the ring TWICE!  So right now, I'm not really concerned with your "takeover", or whatever it is you want to call it.  What I'm concerned about is taking what was rightfully mine on New Year's Day.  So, Mike, I know you're in the building.  Let's settle up.

    Mike Haggar came out once more... Alone.  Jessica Haggar has been quite inconsistent with he appearances as of late, especially when it comes to confronting Jack Slade in the ring.  Who can blame her?
    Mike Haggar climbed into the ring with a mic of his own.

HAGGAR:  Jack.

SLADE:  Mike.

    There was an odd pause between both of the men.  Friends for so long, Mike and Jack weren't exactly sure where to go at this point.  The match at New Year's Smash was billed by some as a "Fight to Save the Friendship!"  It ended in a draw.  Where do friends who don't like each other go from there.
    Slade spoke first.

SLADE:  I'm guessing you know what I want, Mike.

HAGGAR:  You want another shot at me.

SLADE:  Sounds about right.

    The request made sense.  Jack Slade petitioned Mike Haggar long and hard to get him in that ring for New Year's Smash.  To have the match end the way it did was a travesty at the very least.  Slade knew it.  Even the once reluctant Haggar knew it.

HAGGAR:  You want to put the World Title on the line against me.

SLADE:  That too.

HAGGAR:  Sort of an afterthought, isn't it.

SLADE:  Nope.  Just being a fighting champ.

    The air was fraught with tension around these two.  New Year's Smash seemingly made Haggar want to settle the issue with Jack and made Jack more anxious to get in the ring with Haggar.

HAGGAR:  Alright.  You got ripped off.  Let's go.

    The crowd burst into cheers!  Mike Haggar and Jack Slade!  Here!  Tonight!

SLADE:  In a cage.

HAGGAR:  Pardon?

SLADE:  Cage match.  I want a clear winner this time.

    Haggar was silent.  His reluctance to engage in cage matches is well documented.  It was a cage that nearly ended his career against the Omega Centurion.  And though Haggar has been successful in many cage matches, he's never liked being in one.

HAGGAR:  Fine.  Cage match

    Cage match!  My God!  This is huge!

SLADE:  Good.  See you later.

HAGGAR:  See you then.

    Uh oh.  Here come THE bad guys.  Saul Masters led his troops into the arena.  He told the World his plans for domination last week.  Plans that included destroying Mike Haggar and Jack Slade.  Allies or not, Saul Masters knows where the power lies.
    Haggar and Slade turned their attention to Masters and, for a second, it looked like days of old.  Haggar and Slade together against an unstoppable force.  Unfortunately, that wasn't the case, and it may never be the case again.

MASTERS:  Disgusting.  The two heroes of the SMWA come together and completely ignore everything I said last week.  How the fans can cheer two cowards like you is beyond me.

    Well, the fans were sure as Hell going to boo Masters.  Hopefully THAT wouldn't be beyond him.

MASTERS:  Even now you support them.  You support them as they run away into their cage to avoid us.

SLADE:  Okay, Saul, I think it's "Shut Up" time, now.

MASTERS:  Didn't you at least watch the show last week, Jack?  While you were begging those nurses to let you stay in the hospital longer, didn't you at least stop and listen to what I had to say?

SLADE:  Yeah, I did, and those poor nurses had to clean my puke out of the bedpan when you were done talking.  Saul, you can go ahead and take over whatever you want.  I could really care less.  But when you mess up the most important match of my life...

MASTERS:  You ask for a rematch and avoid me?

SLADE:  You're not even worth it, Saul.  I look over there at you guys and see nothing that I can't beat.  Haggar's a challenge.

MASTERS:  Haggar's the monkey on your back.

SLADE:  Hey, whatever you want.  All I know is, I've got more important stuff to deal with than you.

    Saul Masters gave Major Force a quick glance before continuing.

MASTERS:  I guess getting out of your shadow is taking up a lot of his time, Mike.

HAGGAR:  Every year, it's somebody different.  Sarge X.  Extinct.  And now you.  You know what, Masters?  It all ends the same way each time.

MASTERS:  Not this time, Mike.  Like I said last week.  You don't get rid of us until we get rid of you.  It's just that simple.

HAGGAR:  And after tonight, I'll give you all the chances you want.  The kid and me have a match.

MASTERS:  The kid.  Nice way to talk to the World Champ.

SLADE:  Shut up, Masters.  If you're so intent on taking me out, I'm standing right here in this ring.  Chug your psycho little choo-choo on in and I'll kick all of your asses.

MASTERS:  You mean you and Mike?

SLADE:  I'm sure Mike will want in, too.

    The crowd cheered in anticipation of the brawl!  Still, it was odd.  Mike Haggar and Jack Slade were standing in the same ring and were arguing with the same man, but there seemed to be no mutual notice of each other.

MASTERS:  Mike?

HAGGAR:  I'm not going to run away if you step up, Masters.

MASTERS:  Good.  So you and Jack will accept my challenge.  Grater and Skarzz were going to wrestle for the Tag Team Titles tonight, but they will gladly give that match up to face you two in that ring.

    Grater and Skarzz vs Haggar and Slade?  That would be a great match.  IF Haggar and Slade would go for it.

HAGGAR:  No.

SLADE:  I think me and Mike against each other means a little bit more than us against your two monkey men.  I think that's a no.

    Masters didn't look concerned with the answer.  He seemed to be expecting it.

MASTERS:  I wasn't giving you two a choice.  Go and wrestle your match.  Skarzz and Grater will see you later tonight.

    And with that, Saul Masters and Major Force went into the back.  Mike Haggar and Jack Slade stood side by side in the ring.  They'd be standing across from each other later.  They may as well have been standing across from each other now.

    Welcome to Monday Night Massacre!
    Tonight, we have a blockbuster show for you.
    Newly crowned Cruiserweight Champion Rokuru will defend the Title against the up and coming surfer, the California Kid.
    West Bronco faces off against the man who cost him the TV Title last week, Major Force member Ghost.
    Rod Emerson faces off against Cody Simmons in a spillover from our tag team match last week.
    "Tricky" Rick Clark faces off against "Titan" Tim Redbury in what should be an explosive battle.  Plus, Clark and StB have a few choice words concerning Major Force and Terry Sky.
    Alexander "The Grater" and Skarzz will vie for the the SMWA Tag Team Titles against Highland Hell in a match that came about after the brawl on Saturday Night Slam Masters.
    And, in our Main Event, Jack Slade will defend the SMWA World Heavyweight Title against Mike Haggar in the confines of a steel cage.  And Saul Masters has already made himself clear.  One way or the other, Grater and Skarzz are getting involved.
    This should be a stellar night.  We went right from our first commercial into our Cruiserweight Title match.

    Well, the Kid isn't the winningest wrestler out there, but he's put together a few good ones here and there and has started the New Year with a streak... of two wins, but that's more than before.  Rokuru, on the other hand, has just regained the Cruiserweight Title that he held only briefly in the fall.  This would be a chance for him to hold it just a little bit longer.  Either way, we had the makings of a pretty good Cruiserweight Title match.

    The Kid didn't waste any time getting this thing started, jumping The Teddy Bear of Destruction before the match began.  Kid knew that this might be his only shot in a while, so he had better make it count for something.  The Kid was all over Rokuru, punching, biting, scratching and basically being a dirty bastard for the opening bit of the match.  It was working, though.  Rokuru was having trouble.  The Kid grabbed Rokuru by the hair and tossed him over the top ropes.  The brawl continued outside, where Rokuru got the edge when he drove the Kid's head into the guardrail.  We went back inside where Rokuru started to work on the Kid's leg.
    The Kid fought back with a few wild punches, but Rokuru was more than prepared.  He fought back and planted the Kid with a backdrop driver.  Rokuru then went up top and delivered a very nice moonsault.  He went for the cover.  Two count.
    Rokuru went back up top for another moonsault, but the Kid was ready this time.  He knocked Rokuru's legs out from underneath him and then took him down with a back superplex!  The move took its toll on both men, but the Kid got up first.  He picked Rokuru up and planted him with a double underhook power bomb.  Two count.
    The Kid picked Rokuru up again and started hitting him with a series of kicks to the midsection.  Rokuru caught one of the kicks, but the Kid was ready for that, flooring Rokuru with an enzuigiri kick.  Rokuru was down... and the Kid started getting stupid!
    The Kid climbed up onto the turnbuckles and started yelling "Surf's Up".  He gave the crowd the Hang Ten sign, all the while ignoring the Cruiserweight Champ.  Rokuru made him pay.  When the Kid turned his attention back to him, Rokuru hit him with a leg trip and then locked on an ankle lock submission.  After much struggling, the Kid made it to the ropes.  Rokuru let go but then proceeded to stomp on the Kid.  As the Kid got up, Rokuru ran into the ropes.  The Kid picked him up and nailed an inverted atomic drop and followed with a ropeflip moonsault.  Two count.  The Kid then went into the ropes but Rokuru countered with a spinebuster slam.  Two count.
    Rokuru got up and pointed to Teddy.  The end was near!
    Rokuru whipped the Kid into the ropes, but the Kid reversed it and tried to hit Rokuru with a clothesline.  Rokuru ducked, turned the Kid around and hit him with the Roku Driver.  It was all a matter of counting after that.

Rokuru pinned The California Kid with the Roku driver in 0:09:30.
Rating: *** 1/4
(Rokuru retained the SMWA Cruiserweight Title.)

    A good effort by the Kid, who proves himself a solid competitor every single week.  Rokuru is just a little bit more solid, pudgy exterior aside.
    Before going to commercial, we went backstage to overhear Highland Hell.

ANGUS:  I'm telling you, you should should take Skarzz.

HAMISH:  No.  I want Grater.

ANGUS:  For God's sakes, why can't you just take Skarzz?

HAMISH:  Well, I'm bigger than Grater.  Figure it'll be easier.

ANGUS:  Oh, and I'm bigger than Skarzz, am I?

HAMISH:  No.  But you two kinda look alike.  I wouldn't want to beat on you by mistake.

ANGUS:  You bloody wanker.  You just want the easier one.

HAMISH:  Grater aint easy.  He's not as tough as Skarzz...

    We'll see Highland Hell against Skarzz and Grater later on tonight.  Don't worry about the Highlanders, though.  It wouldn't be right if those two didn't argue before a match.

    If you don't understand what Simply the Best did last week, I've got seven letters that will make it all the clearer.
    S - O - L - D - O - U - T!
    Simply the Best was starting to get fan support.  They were moving ahead as a stable.  All the cylinders were clicking.  Then they took Saul Masters' money.  Or, should we say, Terry Sky's stolen money.  StB took the money and ran.
    Still, they weren't completely unpopular.  StB seems to be gathering a cult following who will cheer them no matter what they do.  There were still quite a few boos, but StB chants could be heard.
    Jerry Kent took the microphone first.

KENT:  I hope nobody hurt themselves jumping off of that bandwagon.  First you're booking rooms for us in the penthouse and now you're digging holes for us in the outhouse.  You wouldn't even wait for an explanation.  Let 'em know, Rick.

CLARK:  Well, folks, I hear a lot of boos out there this week, and that hurts me in a place that's so, so deep that I don't even give a damn.  All week long people have been coming up to us and asking "Why, StB, why?"  Apparently, somebody gave a lot of you fans out there the idea that we were heroes.  Monica, what are we again?

MONICA:  Simply the Best!

CLARK:  ...  You want to handle this, Cody.

CODY:  Okay, Monica.  Fill in the blank.  We're (pause) and proud of it.

MONICA:  Simply the... Best?

CODY:  Assholes, Monica.  We're assholes.

MONICA:  I wouldn't say that.

CLARK:  We are all dumber for having heard that.  Anyhoo, like I was saying, a lot of fans out there seemed to be pegging us as some kind of heroes, like we were supposed to represent something nice and wholesome.  We come out every week and run you fans down.  We make fun of your favourites and break the rules.  There's nothing "heroic" here.  We're rat bastards, the cheque is stamped, sealed and in the mail.  Thanks for playing.

GRAYSON:  And speaking of money, Rick.

CLARK:  Thanks, Ronnie, I lost my train of thought.  I tend to ramble every once in a while.  It's really something I have to work on.  I mean, it can really disrupt the flow of an interview, right, Monica?

MONICA:  What?

CLARK:  Point proven.  Anyway, enough rambling.  I've rambled too much.  Last week, StB and Major Force came to an agreement.  Ron, since you're the business major in the group, you want to let the fans in?

GRAYSON:  It works like this.  Simply the Best and Major Force reached an agreement.  Number one, we stay out of Major Force's way, they stay out of ours.  Number two, we keep Terry Sky out of Major Force's business and put him smack dab into ours.  In return, we got a pretty nice chunk of change.

CODY:  I wonder where old Saulorama got that money?

CLARK:  We may never know, Cody.  Now, just to clarify what Ron said, this is just a simple deal that the two of our groups reached.  We're not going to form Majorly the Best or Simply Force or Simply the Best Major Force .  StBMF doesn't look right on a T-shirt.  So, you see, when we attacked Terry Sky last week, it wasn't because we were joining Major Force.  We just wanted to make sure that Terry didn't hurt Grater and Masters.  It's just business.  Still, Terry, I'll say this much.  We would have hunted your ass down for free.  I don't know if they've reposed your TV yet or if they have one in the shelter, but I hope somebody passes along the message.  From this moment on, it's going to be a hard knocks life for you.  You're flat broke, you're a joke and when you come back, it is you that we will smoke.  If you still can't grasp what I'm talking about, I've got three letters that are going to make your life Hell.  S!  t!  B!  So from the Rebel, the Daredevil, the Streetfighting Stud and the woman who can't even spell MENSA, let alone join it, this is "Tricky" Rick Clark saying good night, God bless and, as soon as you hitch your way to one of these arenas, let the ass kicking commence!

    So StB has been paid to stay out of Major Force's business and to take out Terry Sky.  And Major Force is going to stay out of StB's business.  Interesting.  Potentially dangerous, but interesting.
    We went to commercial and most of StB returned to the back.  One member stuck around, though, to do colour commentary in our next match.  "The Rebel" Jerry Kent was going to share his wisdom with us.

    Why did Jerry Kent stick around?  Well, first, he's going to be facing off against West Bronco at the next big Slam Masters event, Secrets.  But, there was another reason.  That would be the referee for this match.
    "Jumbo" Jack Flap.  Kent's already accused Jumbo of intentionally calling matches against StB and using his influence to help his former protégé in others.  Kent wasn't going to miss this chance for observation.  John Lee and Tony B were ready to do a little commentary with The Rebel at their side.
    The bell rang...

    It didn't take long for this one to get heated.  Bronco remembered the sting of the Final Breath that was delivered to him on the floor last week and he took it right to Ghost.  Ghost wasn't a stranger to brawls, however, and he was willing to give it all back.  But it was Bronco who got the edge with a vicious standing neckbreaker.  He then climbed on Ghost and began pounding him.

KENT:  See, any good referee would be warning Bronco about those closed fists and telling him to let up.

TONY:  We still have a closed fist rule?

LEE:  Ghost up and DOWN!  Big lariat from Bronco.  The former TV Champ is taking it right to the Pale Rider.  Jerry, in spite of any feelings you have against Jumbo Jack, you've got to admit that this Bronco is one hell of an athlete.

KENT:  I never debated that, John.  Bronco's come a long way and I'm sure he's going to be challenging at Secrets.  How challenging will depend on our favourite referee.

LEE:  You honestly believe that Jumbo's somehow biased.

KENT:  Damn, Lee, I thought you'd be able to pick up on it.  I don't know whether he's just calling against StB or just trying to help Bronco along, but it doesn't matter.  Like I told him last week.  He makes one mistake, he's gotta deal with me one-on-one in that ring.

    Bronco ran right into a combination powerslam/Northern lights bomb from Ghost and the Pale Rider took control.  Ghost slapped a dazed Bronco around a bit before setting him up for a power bomb.  Bronco countered with a rana that drove Ghost to the mat!  Another series of lariats had Ghost in trouble as Bronco signalled for the Tombstone.  He hooked Ghost up, but Ghost wasn't ready yet.  He escaped the hold and escaped to the outside.

KENT:  Too soon for Bronco to be trying to put this thing away.  Besides, Ghost don't go down that easy.

LEE:  You seem impressed with Ghost.

KENT:  Hey, Ghost and all of Major Force impress me.

TONY:  Yeah, but you're being paid to say that, right?

KENT:  Excuse me?

TONY:  Really, Jerry, how much money was in that bag?  Hundreds?  Thousands?  Millions?

KENT:  More than is your business, kid.  It keeps Terry Sky from Major Force and, well, it nurtures the agreement that we don't get involved in their stuff and they steer clear of ours.  Trust me, we don't need to deal with Major Force, and Major Force doesn't want to start anything with StB.

    Bronco went to grab Ghost and bring him back inside, but Ghost was ready for it, grabbing Bronco's head and snapping it on the top rope.  Bronco grabbed his  throat and fell to the mat.  Ghost rolled in and began his assault, flooring Bronco with a thrust kick and a flying clothesline.

KENT:  And let me make something clear.  We don't fear Major Force, and Major Force doesn't fear us.  This is a business transaction, plain and simple, in both our best interests.

    Ghost had Bronco up on the top rope and took him down with a Frankensteiner.  He went for the cover.  Two count.

LEE:  Ghost nearly takes it and now he's locking in the deep freeze with a reverse chinlock.  He knows that Bronco is not going to go down easy.

KENT:  He went down to Ghost pretty easy last week.

LEE:  Well, the Final Breath on the concrete might have had something to do with it.

    Bronco wouldn't be kept in the chinlock.  Fighting as hard as he could, he made it to his feet and elbowed his way free.  Bronco went for a short lariat, but Ghost ducked and locked on a sleeper.  Bronco rammed Ghost into the corner and broke the hold.  He turned around and took Ghost out of the corner with a belly-to-belly suplex.  Bronco picked Ghost up, hit the move again and went for a cover.
    Two count!
    Bronco picked Ghost up and levelled him with another short lariat.  Another cover netted him a two count.  Bronco picked Ghost up and went for a rana, but Ghost moved out of the way and Bronco hit the mat hard.  Ghost picked him up, booted him in the stomach and executed the Final Breath!!!
    1...
        2...
            3!!!

Ghost pinned West Bronco with the Final Breath in 0:09:18.
Rating: *** 1/4

    A sudden ending, but a fairly competitive match.  Both men looked excellent.
    But Ghost wasn't done.
    Ghost walked over to Bronco and kicked him a couple more times, challenging him to get up.  Ghost then grabbed Bronco by the hair...
    AND WAS PUSHED AWAY BY JUMBO!!!!

KENT:  Oh, come on!  Look at that!  Jumbo's trying to protect Old West.  Could it be more obvious for you, Lee?  I'm putting a stop to this.

    Jerry Kent got up and started to take off his headset.
    Jumbo got right in Ghost's face and told him to get out of the ring.  It looked like Jumbo and Ghost were going to go at it, but Masters grabbed Ghost.  Masters had seen Bronco getting up behind Jumbo and knew what was going to happen next.  He told Ghost that the match was done and they left the ring.
    Jumbo turned around... And Bronco was right in his face!

KENT:  Whoops.  Maybe I'm not needed.

    Bronco asked the ring announcer for the mic.  This wasn't going to be a happy speech.

BRONCO:  First off, Kent, you can sit yourself down.  I'll see you later.  Jumbo, I got a couple of things to say to you.  First of all, I don't know what the hell you think you're going to achieve here, but I broke away from you for a reason.  Maybe the way I didn't wasn't right, I'll admit to being a different man then, but I had to get away from you.  You tried to shape me and mould me into somebody I wasn't.  Now, if you think that messing with my career is going to get me back on your side, you are dead wrong, Jumbo.  Do yourself a favour.  When you call that match at Secrets, you call it fair, cause if you don't you're going to have to deal with more than ol' Jerry.

    With that, Bronco tossed down the microphone and left the ring, giving Kent a look as he went by.
    Well, if Jumbo's calling things for Bronco, Bronco sure doesn't want to be in on it.

KENT:  Good kid.

    We went backstage and saw Monica and Cody Simmons coming out together.  Monica would be taking Cody to ringside for our next match.