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Trent's conversation would be cut short by Aaron Lewis' voice being broadcast through the speakers, surprising everyone who'd expected an acoustic country song of a different variety. Accompanying the music was a video package, one typically seen set to a much more somber song. However, the fans nonetheless burst into cheers when they saw that it was Salem Croft stepping out onto the main stage. Strewn over his shoulder was the burlap sack that had now become infamous after its occupant envenomated Ryan Killman at "Spring in the Ring" following The Copperhead's victory in their I Quit match. Still, there were light bruises on Salem's chest and a slight stutter to his step as the raven-haired serpent strolled down the ramp with mic in tow.

Taking his time, the bare-chested People's Champion walked in a sidewinding fashion, allowing fans to get selfies and touch their hero and his enormous sack on his way to the ring. But Salem wasn't bothering to look around at his adoring public - rather, his dark, viper-like eyes were focused on Trent, who he smirked at clear down the aisle until he reached the ringside steps and strolled up them without a care in the world. Perhaps the taste of blood was still fresh on his fangs, and the would-be Rookie of the Year looked like an appetizing meal to the hungry defender of that title. Instead of ducking under the ropes or stepping over them, "The Copperhead" climbed up the turnbuckle, looming like a gargoyle from the top rope as he tilted his head back and raised the microphone to his mouth.

"HELLOOOOO, LITTLE ROCK!" he screamed, hopping down from the corner while leaving his sack on the apron beneath it. Before his feet ever hit the canvas, the fans showered him with one of the loudest pops of the night, giving it up for their beloved brawler with the snakeskin wrist wraps.

Looking around at the BBW Faithful, Salem slammed a fist against his still-sore chest, wincing with a grin. The pain only stimulated him in this moment, in his element - in a ring, surrounded by screaming fans who wanted to see brutality, who wanted to see pride, the kind shown when "Wrestling's Favorite Son" stepped onto the mat. Turning around to face Trent, Salem reached up to gesture for the music to stop with a cut of his hand, looking the lad up and down from just a couple feet away.

"Now, Trent..." Salem started, the crowd quieting to allow him the air to speak. "I know you must be feeling pretty good about yourself after 'Spring in the Ring'. Getting to walk out there, look pretty, get all dressed up for nothing and still manage to get a win for your troubles. Some nights, you just get lucky. But let me tell you somethin'...this ain't your lucky night."

Turning to a thirty-degree angle, Salem started pacing a small circle around his prey, stalking Trent with his eyes as he continued to talk - tension, rising with every word that fell off Croft's lips. The fans, meanwhile, started to hoot and whistle a little at seeing Salem size up who they expected to be his next victim.

"See, you're feeling good, but wanna know who's not feeling so good right about now? Ryan Killman. That's because I not only scared that good-for-nothing b*****d so bad that he quit, but I made sure he knew never to cast a shadow on my door again when I let my...friend..." he said, pausing mid-step to glance over at his burlap sack on the apron, in the corner. "...heh. Well, I think we can just let the video speak for itself." he chuckled, waving a hand over towards the Titantron from behind Trent.


As the audience's attention was turned towards the big screen, a series of clips aired detailing the final moments of Salem's intense encounter with Ryan Killman, most notably the end which saw Croft's dreaded cobra strike and chew at his helpless opponent.

Leaning over Trent's shoulder, Salem smirked and looked over at the lad from the corner of his eyes, his spare hand slapping the rookie almost supportively on the back. "Heh. Yeeeeah, I don't think he's having too good of a day. That is, if he's awake in whatever hospital they left him in. But you, oh tsk, tsk, tsk..." Salem said, stepping away from Trent to walk around towards his front while waggling a finger on his empty hand. "You...you made a bigger mistake. Yeah - Ryan cost me my world title...a belt I loved. a championship I treasured...but, hey. It was one match. It happens...and you can believe that after I'm done with Freakshow, I'll be coming back for what's mine..." Salem growled, almost hissing through his teeth as he leaned forward, almost touching noses with Trent. Then, he'd immediately turn around and walk towards the ropes, leaning against them to look out over at the entrance ramp.

"Heh. But you? No. You made an even worse sin...you dared to come out here...come out here, in Little Rock, Arkansas...in my ring, on my show, knowing full-well how many 'CopperHEADS' were in attendance, tonight..." he paused, allowing the audience a moment to chant:

"SA-LEM CROFT!"

"SA-LEM CROFT!"

"SA-LEM CROFT!"

"...and you want to lay claim to being the best wrestler in this company? Heh. Not on my watch, son."

Marching back up to Trent, Salem would press his chest up to the lad's with enough of a bump to push him back just a half-step, staring him down with a menacing gaze before spitting with venom into the mic.

"So how's about you try backing up that trash with me, so I can whip your a** three times for these fine folks to see. That is...unless you're afraid of a lethal injection."

With that, Salem dropped the microphone and shrugged his shoulders, wondering if Trent would accept his challenge after the allusion to his new finisher, yet to be revealed. The crowd, meanwhile, continued to chant for the former world champion, probably both out of support and irritation for Trent's attitude, hoping to see some comeuppance!

The timekeeper was quick, but Trent was quicker - managing to land his cheap shot against Salem's skull and force him back a couple steps, hunching over with a headache. Reaching up to cradle his temple, Croft winced and felt for any blood near the site of swelling that was surely going to leave a bump. The bell rang out, but "The Copperhead" couldn't hear it from the ringing already reverberating around his head after having his scalp busted with the microphone. It wasn't looking like a very good start, fans booing the b*****d upstart for his blatant pre-match attack!

Trent wrenched Salem's head backward to look up at his aggressor, forcing "The Copperhead" to cringe while the lad spat in his face about his place in the company...that was, until Salem decided to strike, looking to throw an elbow forward from his hunched position and into the soft spot of Trent's gut! If he were successful in doubling over his opponent with the blow, he'd immediately take advantage by reaching up with one arm while rotating his shoulders...looking to catch Trent by the back of the head and drop to a seated position with a sudden three-quarter face lock jawbreaker - Salem's new finisher, the "Lethal Injection"!

The crowd burst into cheers at the sudden reveal of Salem's new finishing maneuver, the staggered superstar still sitting on the mat following his flawless execution of the technique. Glancing over his shoulder at the laid-out Trent, "The Copperhead" wasted no time slithering across the ring, closing the gap between them so he could lay across his opponent's chest and look up for the referee's count! Could this be the first fall?!

Even though he'd gotten the three-count, Salem spared little time springing back up to his feet, knowing that there'd at least be one more match to go before this fight was through. That didn't stop fans from cheering for "The Copperhead", who walked towards a corner and raised his hand high for the crowd while waiting for Trent to recover. Putting his back into the turnbuckles, Salem watched intently, waiting for the referee to clear Trent for action, knowing that while he may have caught him off-guard the first fall, there'd be no such quick victory this time around.