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Rex's stomp would crush down on Hiro's burned arm, causing the Ethnic Enigma to shoot out a very hard kick to the back of his opponent's leg as his body squirmed in pain. Hiro put everything behind that kick that he out of reflex -- the horrible pain caused a spasm that led to him hoping that kick would somehow kill Rex...though, that made no sense. Hiro would hold his arm close to the body and scream while using his legs to push himself away from the cult leader who for sure was living up to the title of 'former' friend.

Hiro's kick didn't pack the power he'd hoped, and the fans were clearly worried for him as Rex started to stalk inward towards him. There was booing aimed at the cult leader, and as he raised Hiro up from the ground with his hair and placed him against the ropes...well everyone knew what would come next. Rex reared back his arm and slammed the Ethnic Enigma across the chest with a thunderous chop that was as deafening as it was traumatic to take. Hiro's eyes opened wide and his mouth agape but with no nosie escaping -- instead he fell face forward onto the mat and didn't move...perhaps Rex truly had just stopped his heart with a the bite of a viper chockful of venom.

Hiro was in no position to stop the pinfall attempt -- the former Rexual Defiler had completely taken him down and stunned him beyond belief, and as Hiro was rolled onto his back eyes shot back open albeit quite glazed over. The ref would drop down to the mat and follow the attempted pin, slapping the mat twice before Hiro's bad arm shot up from the mat with a loud grunt and pained breathes shooting from his lungs which at this point were on the brink of collapse. This match was in the super early going but Rex had established a rhythm that involved the way of the serpent controlling the ebbs and flows like the slinking of it's own body. The Ethnic Enigma laid on his side, his body leaning into the good arm that had, however good it really was. Rex Kobra was going to be a huge problem for the rest of this encounter, that much was clear -- but Hiro may end up defeating himself before it was all said and done.

Rex would continue his offensive dominance after yet another threat -- he ran to the ropes and bounced right back quickly, leaping into the air and meeting NOTHING BUT MAT! Hiro had just rolled out from beneath his former partner's back allowing him to land on the ground and the Ethnic Enigma to get a few more moments of reprieve. He wasn't going to be getting up just yet but at the very least a stunned Rex would provide much needed healing time. The fans were cheering nice and loud, firmly back in Hiro's corner tonight while he attempted to keep himself in one piece for the rest of the battle.

Hiro's body already felt like this match had gone on too long, and mentally he was so fatigued he couldn't keep up an argument with himself. Rex, however, had quickly gotten to his feet -- albeit just to lean against the rope and nurse his back. The Ethnic Enigma began to rise to his feet behind Rex, slowly getting his equilibrium back in check so he could stumble forward and try to chop block Rex in the back of his left leg! It was time to really get those legs weakened.

Hiro's natural reaction after one chopblock connected but didn't take a guy down was to try again -- but in this instant, one was all he had in himself to strike with quickly. The Ethnic Enigma matched Rex's pace in getting back up to his feet, and gave chase, trying to take a handfull of his hair and shove the limping wrestler's face into the side of the cage and grate it like cheese! It was time to get a little payback for the early goings, but Hiro was already starting to slow down from the ever-growing issue of his arm.

As Hiro let go of Rex and used the ropes to regain his own footing following a drive-by dizzy spell, he tried to pump the fans back up and into his corner by shaking the cage wall with authority, signalling there was still life to be had in the Ethnic Enigma. "We didn't have to be doing things this way, Rex -- we could have just hugged it out and had a match anyway!" Hiro scolded his former partner, trying to knock sense into a guy he knew we beyond sane at this point. Still, Hiro was determined to defeat him tonight and maybe force him to think a different way. Hiro tried to take hold of Rex's arm and pull him in for another chop before sending him across the ring into the ropes!