20th November 2023 - 10th December 2023 One Day Auto-Hit or Auto-Recover
The following match is scheduled for one fall and it is a Salem Says Match!
A Salem Says match starts under normal rules.
The referee has a microphone and at any time a competitor can speak in to the microphone to change the stipulation of the match!
Posted: Tue Nov 21, 2023 8:35 pm
On a long and lonesome highway, east of Omaha You can listen to the engine moanin' out his one note song You can think about the woman or the girl you knew the night before But your thoughts will soon be wanderin' the way they always do When you're ridin' sixteen hours and there's nothin' there to do And you don't feel much like ridin', you just wish the trip was through
Here I am On the road again There I am On the stage Here I go Playin' star again There I go Turn the page
Metallica's "Turn the Page" began with a strum of the guitar and the fans rose to their feet, earlier in the night being alerted to the fact that they'd not just be seeing the first Salem Says match in quite some time, but also the first meeting between Hiro Shin-Mozas and Salem Croft since their controversial and absolutely devasating Bad Blood Wrestling World Championship match nearly ten years prior. As the singing of Metallica's Hetfield began to permiate the packed building, Hiro Shin-Mozas appeared on the stage. His eyes were bloodshot, and the bags beneath them were enough to distract from that fact. He had been hurting, physically and mentally -- and while the time off the last few shows certainly went a long way towards being able to go tonight, it still wasn't a comfortable ask of his body. That didn't matter though, not to Hiro nor his opponent, and certainly not to the common enemy that put the two into this perdicament of reconnecting through the very thing that drove them apart so long ago.
Hiro gingerly walked down the ramp, not due to pain, but rather a meloncholic physical reaction to the situation at hand. It was one thing to come across Salem again in such a non-chalant way -- his former friend and junior was a father now, babysitting through the backstage area...living a life that now had more purpose than simply leaving it all in a wrestling ring. Salem would still do that very thing of course, but in Hiro's life he was resigned to it being everything and the only thing. The Ethnic Enigma slapped hands with some excited fans at ringside, but his eyes locked on to something in particular: a fan wearing a vintage BBW Blackjack t-shirt. Certainly it had been well worn, and despite the evil and depravity associated with Blackjack that the majority of people shunned him for...this fan didn't seem to care. Though even with that, he cheered on Hiro and clapped for him, perhaps unaware of his own presence in the mind of the former World Champion.
Hiro made his way up the steps and stepped into the ring, walking over to a corner and standing up on the middle rope, throwing up his arms for a nice reaction. He had yet to win a single match since returning, a thought that weighed on him more and more each day; he would take pleasure in these moments where he could pose for the crowd as there were many he'd missed, and so few left down the road.
"The following contest is a SALEM SAYS MATCH! Introducing first, fighting out of McIntosh, South Dakota by way of Tokyo, Japan -- he weighs in at 226 pounds, he as the WIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIILL TO GO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON...HIRO...SHIN....MOOOOOOOOOZAS!"
Hiro jumped down from the corner and posed to the hardcam, ripping away his ring jacket as he steeled himself for yet another night of confronting the past. It was one thing when Nuke apologized and they wrestled to truly clear the air. It was unknown by Hiro if Salem truly knew that he was sorry, and if Salem even understood the fact that confronting the moment the two had back in BBW was more traumatising for Hiro than anything else he'd been dealing with. Hiro looked out into the hills upon hills of people before him, barely visible past especially bright lights that shone down on him from above. He couldn't help but think one thing as he turned from them and towards the ramp for Salem Croft, perhaps as a way to calm himself even further.
As Hiro's music ended, the arena lights would go dark, a blue smoke starting to build and fill the surface of the stage. The crowd was anxious for a snake sighting, looking and straining through the darkness to see a glimpse of Salem. But after a moment, a booming voice would shout over the speaker system...
"IT'S SHOOOOOWTIIIIIIME!"
The entrance to the stage would light up a blinding white, the doorways outline a clear contrast to the surrounding dark. Shadows moved in the light as a series of figures strutted out onto the smoky stage, lithe and limber women in snake print leotards who began dancing as the music started (at 5:34). From under the stage, a figure started to rise, "Showtime" himself at last revealed in a very sharp three piece suit that appeared scaly to the eyes. But more than that, a long, iridescent rainbow boa constrictor draped over his shoulders caught everyone's attention - including the dancers who began gyrating and contorting rhythmically around "The Copperhead", petting the animal as they surrounded him.
As the male vocals began to chant, more shadows crossed through the blinding threshold, a series of well-dressed men in domino masks coming onto the stage as the female dancers dropped low and dramatically bent their arms and torsos to the ring. Passing by Salem, the mystery gentleman descended the ramp, each carrying a different python or constrictor from Salem's collection. Circling around the ring, both Hiro and the audience got a good look at the dazzling variation of colors and morphs as Salem's driver, Murphy, joined Salem on stage. Carrying Croft's old burlap sack from his Copperhead days, Salem took the bag as Murphy took the boa, the marching men on their way back up the ramp to join Murphy and the women. For his part, Salem began moving down the ramp, staring like a serpent at Hiro with the sack over his shoulder.
"AND INTRODUCING HIS OPPONENT...REPRESENTING APEX AND FIGHTING OUT OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA...HE IS 'THE COPPERHEAD'! HE IS THE 'GYPSY SAVAGE'! IT'S 'SHOWTIIIIIME' SALEEEEEM CROOOFT!"
Reaching the ring apron, Salem stopped, not yet getting into squared circle. Instead, he crouched and opened his burlap sack, revealing a monstrous 18-foot king cobra! Standing up, the hood flared on the snake as it stood nearly six feet off the ground, slithering onto the mat and towards Hiro! It got halfway across the ring before Salem grasped its tail, the venomous creature trying to lift and square up with Shin-Mozas as Salem began pulling the beast back off the canvas! Easing it back into the sack, Salem would secure the satchel and slide it under the ring skirt, undoing his blazer, vest, and shirt go remove them as he walked towards the ring steps. Hearing a distinct cheer of a child's excitement nearby, Salem glanced and noticed Kyra, Trent, Jessie, Avari, and Eryn - the remainder of Apex - all in the front row to support him. Smiling and giving his daughter a wink and his comrades a two-fingered salute, he strutted up the stairs and wiped his fine black polished shoes on the apron, ducking under the top rope to enter the squared circle! Walking up to Hiro, Salem got almost nose to nose with the man, looking like a yakuza style gangster with his tattoos and fine shoes and slacks still on, sizing his old friend and more recent enemy up with a firm stare as the bell rang!
DING, DING, DING!
Posted: Wed Nov 22, 2023 6:29 pm
This was quite the scene -- long from the hills of his past, Salem was now indeed "Showtime" with an entrance like this. Hiro was a little amused, admittedly -- but once Salem drew closer Hiro could tell he was leaning into his snake-like qualities a bit too much. The Ethnic Enigma would begin to sweat a little bit, his nerves growing as the thought dawned on him that perhaps his dillusions of snakes were all an omen that he would cross paths with Salem Croft again. Then an actual snake appeared...and thank god it was far enough away. Though, that sack...it couldn't be anything good. That idea was proven very true as a stunned Hiro saw a large King Cobra produced from said sack and placed to the ground, it slithering it's way by. Hiro didn't know what the hell Salem thought he was doing, taking a few steps back from the snake before Salem grabbed it and put it away. "What the hell is wrong with yo-" Hiro tried to bark out through his fear but Salem's daughter laughing caught him off guard, and for a moment, it seemingly calmed him back down. His own fears and anxieites were his own, and it's not like Salem knew that he'd been at the mercy of snakes as of late. The Copperhead would get in his face soon after and the two found themselves closer than they'd been in an incredibly long time. As it broke apart, the bell would ring -- and Salem Says was underway.
The fans roared loudly as this rare match was back once again and two fan favorites at the behest of the evil Cartwright were going to get reaquainted in combat, and Hiro immediately took to the offense attempting to close the gap between Salem and he quickly with his arms out, wanting to force a beginning collar-and-elbow!
Salem watched Hiro's expressions carefully, noting the anxiety he was showing as he finally stepped forward to offer a tie-up! Reaching out to accept, "Showtime" would waste no time as he immediately clenched up, aiming to twist Hiro into a side headlock and start to hammer his skull with a flurry of fists, bringing the fight to his former friend while the audience cheered him on!
"After that wild entrance, it seems this snake wants to strike first!"
"Don't talk about snakes anymore, J.R.! Did you see how many he brought out here?! And that cobra is still under the ring somewhere! How is that legal?!"
"This is a 'Salem Says' match, King! That means potentially anything goes! All Salem would have to do is take the microphone from the referee and he could make it legal in an instant!"
"Just like that snake Salem to think of something like that! Dammit, now you got ME saying it! I'm not paid enough for this!"
Posted: Thu Nov 23, 2023 5:24 pm
It was as obvious to everyone as it was shocking to Hiro as his lock-up ended in Salem taking over to begin the match. "Showtime" was living up to that moniker as he slapped Hiro into a tough side headlock, driving a few blows to his head that caused the Ethnic Enigma to rip his head from Salem's grip out of pure desperation. Hiro tried to keep his footing clear despite the blunt trauma to his head seconds prior. Hiro would turn to what he'd gotten used to of late: he tried to chop Salem across the chest and stop his momentum before it really hard the chance to build up!
Hiro was staggered a second by the hefty fists, but managed to separate from the Gypsy Savage by pushing out of the headlock! Stepping forward to chop Croft, "Showtime" would snatch the incoming forearm and transition his weight into an Irish Whip, looking to throw Hiro into the ropes!
Posted: Thu Nov 23, 2023 5:34 pm
"Wh-What?!" Hiro exclaimed as his chop was caught, a completely unexpected stop to his attempt to get in a hit. Salem was fully prepared tonight, and while Hiro was still jarred over working this match at all it clearly didn't matter much to his opponent. Hiro was worked over again as his arm was used as a slingshot to send him into the ropes, irish whipping him and on the rebound sending him back towards Salem, leaving the two on a collision course! Hiro would duck his head however on the rebound, anticipating an attempted move from Salem -- and if he did duck underneath SOMETHING, he'd rebound of the ropes again!
Salem managed to sling Hiro into the ropes, and on his opponent's return, "Showtime" would look to pop up and aim a high kick to Hiro's face, looking to deliver his patented "Mic Drop" signature! But the craftsman would intuitively duck the maneuver, running to bounce off the other side of the ring, instead! On his rebound, Salem would look to feint Hiro into ducking again - popping up like he was aiming for another "Mic Drop", but instead aiming to sling his leg back down and drive his heel hard into the back of Hiro's head, attempting his famous "Nap Town Shuffle", instead!
Posted: Thu Nov 23, 2023 5:46 pm
Hiro was confident he'd outsmarted Salem, going for the double rebound he'd be able to catch him with a chopblock and take him down to begin working the legs. The only issue was Salem seemingly faked Hiro out, he didn't leave his leg planted at all and as Hiro went down to try and connect with a chopblock he was caught square on the top of his head with the "Nap Town Shuffle", a move that was very fitting as it nearly knocked Hiro out...but thankfully for the Etnic Enigma he managed to keep his conciousness going a little longer, but lay sprawled out on the mat!
The crowd lit up as the Salemaniacs got on their feet, cheering on the early dominance "Showtime" was displaying! Hiro's skull rattled off the back of Salem's boot, sending the Ethnic Enigma face-first into the canvas from the brutal impact! Looking to add on the pressure, Croft would leap up and stretch his body horizontally in mid-air, attempting an elbow drop to the center of Shin-Mozas' spine while he was aching and unaware!
Posted: Thu Nov 23, 2023 5:57 pm
Salem was right on the money, his elbow and his confidence, as the crowd was slowly alligning more with him than the former World Champion -- and Hiro took note as he realized he was once again making it look like he'd be an easy victory for someone and was well on his way to yet another loss. The elbow was drilled into Hiro's back and Hiro's body arched as he got on his side, yelling out a few explatives as the pain was quite real and VERY sharp. He slammed his foot to the mat a couple of times completely unaware of what Salem's next move might end up being.
The fans roared, the arena was alive with excitement, and the momentum was swinging firmly in Salem's direction as he landed the elbow and forced Hiro into a compromising position! Taking some of his amateur wrestling experience into play, "Showtime" would drop to the canvas and hook an arm under Hiro's from behind and bend it to the back of his neck, trying to leverage his weight into his exposed side and drive Hiro to the flat of his back with a half-nelson pin attempt!
"Hiro's in trouble, J.R.! This match might be over before it even gets started!"
"Maybe so, King! That 'Nap Town Shuffle' wasn't the dance number Hiro wanted to see!"
Posted: Thu Nov 23, 2023 6:07 pm
Hiro was trying so very hard to gather his barings, but like a snake constricting it's prey Salem refused to let up and instead coiled Hiro as if he'd been without food for a lifetime. The Ethnic Enigma's arm was hooked and he was twisted about, and he ended up slightly slammed onto his shoulders as the ref would drop down to the mat looking to check his shoulders for a pin attempt! Hiro, however, was now operating purely on desperate instinct -- one arm wasn't hooked and it began to claw towards the ref, grabbing the microphone from him as he screamed into it, TRULY getting a Salem Says match underway.
"SUBMISSION MATCH!"
Hiro would scream it into the mic, and so it would be -- this was now a submission match and Salem's pinfall attempt was invalid. Hiro would grip the microphone tight and struggle his body around to try and break out of Salem's grasp once again.
Just when Salem thought he had this match in the bag, Hiro managed to nullify his pin attempt by exploiting the 'S.S.' rules and changing the stipulation to Submission! The referee immediately got back up, canceling the count as "Showtime" felt frustrated at the sudden development! Trying to reach over for the microphone, Croft would try to capture the mic for himself from the man, looking to make a stipulation better suited to his own strengths!
"Salem was showcasing some of his amateur background for a change, but Hiro went all in on a Submissions Match!"
