Triple X vs. Mystery Opponent

The crowd began to stir as 'Renegade' (Jay Z/Eminem) blared over the arena's speakers. The fans rose from their seat in anticipation, as the curtain slowly separated... and, Sean 'Triple X' Stevens stepped through. Pausing at the top of the ramp, letting the mixed reactions of the fWo fans soak in... he thrusted his arms into the air letting out a sparkling white smile of arrogance as he paced down to ringside. Turning his attention to a nearby announcer, he winked at him, signalling for him to enter the ring, once he did... he snatched the announcer's microphone out of his hand... until his music lowered. "Ahem... excuse me, may I have your attention please?"

He stood there for a moment, looking around as the fans continued to cheer, as if he hadn't even spoken. The noise level was deafening... so loud you could hardly hear yourself think. Sean pulled the microphone down for a moment, placing his hands on his hips, attempting to wait the crowd out. After realizing this was a war he wouldn't be winning anytime soon, he pushed the microphone up to his lips again.

"...and, that's EXACTLY why I hate Japan..."

Suddenly, he had their attention... that and more. The rumble that was the fans echo turned into complete jeers. A few pieces of trash even flew into the ring. But, Sean - clad in a black 100% cotton, 'Blue- Eyed Badass' tshirt, leather pants, and black boots - paid it little mind. He simply ran his fingers through his military style, buzz cut, and smirked. Focusing on the task at hand. He pressed on...

"Thank you, thank you..."

"But, enough about this boring ass side of the world. ...Chris Universal... I've gotta be honest, this is getting a little old. Ever since I signed on to compete here... week in and week out, you've sent 'em... and, in return... I've done what I do best... I allowed each and every one of them in *my* ring... and, I beat the living hell out of 'em, sending them back to YOU, defeated men. And, I know it kills you, Chris... it HAS to. And, I know you're jealous. ...you HAVE to be. Why else would you go out of your way like you do to see me destroyed. You've thrown Primetime at me... the Boston Strangler... the Frenchie..."

He smirked.

"...and, Black Quicksilver..."

"So all I want to know is... what's next Universal? Who you got hidin' behind that curtain, that has you so confident? huh? Is it the Strangler again? Doubt it. ...rumor has it... he don't want anything else to do with me. Is it Ric Chronos? Picture that. ...that loser's to busy wipin' his tears. So who is it? Ruben Ross? Nah... Contrary to what Ruben will tell you if asked... we know each other, and we know each other well. And, he knows what would happen if he ever had the balls to come down to ringside while I'm out here."

"You know what, Chris... I don't care who it is... because the fact of the matter is, the outcome is still gonna be the same... so just bring it on... I'm getting bored..."

Suddenly, "Infected" by Bad Religion cued.

Sean's eyes glared as his head quickly darted back to the entrance ramp. His mouth opened in astonishment. He had heard that theme thousands of times in the past... but, it had been nearly a year since he heard it last.

Maybe it was a mistake.

Maybe Chris Universal was playing a joke.

Maybe not.

From behind the curtain, a hand grabbed it. Slowly, it parted ways as a figure stepped out. From the outline of the character to the physical description of him, Sean Stevens knew instantly who he was, and he nervously removed his t-shirt.

Zero had come to the fWo.

The fans erupted as the man stood on the entranceway for a moment. He looked out into the crowd, then slowly brought his focus back to the center of the ring. Looking into the eyes of Stevens, the two remained in the stare before Zero smiled out of the corner of his mouth and began the slow walk to the ring. A group of hardcore fans, started up the chant that would soon pick up throughout the entire arena.

"ZERO! ... ZERO!"

Stevens made little waste of time as he tossed the microphone down and burst out of the ring to meet Zero at the halfway mark. Zero picked up his pace as well as the two forces collided in a brawl along the entranceway. Stevens swung wildly as Zero ducked then connected with a punch of his own into Stevens' rib cage. Stevens stumbled back towards the ring as Zero continued the assault onto Stevens' back. Stumbling to the mat in front of the apron, Stevens was assisted as Zero rolled him back into the ring. When Zero climbed through the ropes, the referee called for the bell and the match was officially underway.

The two locked up in the middle of the ring. Stevens took the advantage with an armbar that he quickly powered into an open spot to land a front kick under Zero's arm. Zero stumbled back, then turned only to received a leaping clothesline from Stevens. The two fell to the mat, with Stevens quickly getting back up to his feet. Zero rolled backwards then stood to his feet. Stevens ran forward for another clothesline but Zero sidestepped him and used the momentum to hurl Stevens into the turnbuckle. He quickly followed it up with a sharp knee thrust and a forearm to Stevens' lowering head. Sensing a chance, he grabbed Stevens' head for a DDT but Stevens' used the hold to swing to his left and thrust Zero over him with a back body drop.

Stevens turned sharply and dropped a quick leg drop over Zero's throat. Trying for a quick and decisive win, he latched onto Zero's leg.

The referee went down for the count, but only made it to one as Zero quickly kicked out. Stevens motioned out to the fans for their approval of his quick and clever workrate, but he was only greeted with the jeers that he had received earlier. Annoyed, he turned back to grab Zero but was met with a right hand to the face. Stumbling back, he reached for the ropes to pull himself out to safety, but he was still a few feet shy.

Zero kicked the back of Stevens' leg, causing it to buckle. He then grabbed hold of Stevens' head and pulled him back with a modified Russian leg sweep. During the quick moment while the two were down on the mat, Zero muttered under his breath, "How has the business been treating you, Trip?" It had been a while since the two had seen each other, much less been in a match together. Their last matchup had incidentally been Zero's last matchup up until that moment, from April of 2001.

The two got back to their feet, Zero doing so only a moment before Stevens. Zero swung a right hand at XXXstasy, but Stevens blocked it and pulled Zero into a locking position. "I've been treating it just fine, Lint," he muttered in an arrogant tone as he lunged backwards, throwing Zero over his body in a release overhead suplex. Stevens again signaled for the approval of the crowd but was given the same reaction as last time. Throwing a chin to the air, he dropped to the mat for an arrogant cover on Zero.

The referee attempted the count but Zero was able to kick out again just past the one. Annoyed, Stevens pulled Zero to his feet by his head and slingshot him into the ropes. As Zero made the rebound, Stevens dropped to the mat and allowed Zero to step over him as he made his way to the opposite rope.

But as Zero went over Stevens, he landed lightly and dropped to a slide instead of hitting the ropes. He slid under the ropes and down to his feet on the outside. Turning back around, he had a grin on his face as he had finally returned to the area in which he had thrived on throughout the past years: outside the ring. He raised his arms into the air and motioned to Stevens with his fingers, taunting, almost begging Stevens to go to the outside.

Stevens, free from the confused expression of the move Zero had pulled, cautiously walked towards the ring ropes. He didn't want out there. His match was in the ring. He motioned Zero to come back into his area, back onto the canvas. The two verbally traded words for that split moment. But when Stevens stepped too close to the ropes, Zero seized an ankle and pulled. Stevens fell to the mat and was drug to the outside. Instantly, a fist connected with the side of his head. He threw a wild punch, but it came up void as another punch connected with his upper chest. Quickly, he felt his body being controlled and before he knew it, Zero threw him into the guardrail.

Zero made little waste of time as he grabbed a nearby chair from ringside. Setting it up a few feet from Stevens, Zero ran and catapulted himself off of the seat and towards Stevens and the guardrail. Stevens, his eyes opening to see the incoming body his way, quickly rolled out of the way as Zero hit tailbone first against the top of the guardrail and crashed down on his shoulder against the concrete floor. Breathing hard, Stevens remembered the falls count anywhere nature of the match and draped an arm over Zero's chest.

The ref got down on one knee and started the count...

One...

Two...

But Zero threw a shoulder up just after the two count. XXXstasy raised his arms to the air in surprise. Then, out of frustration, he slowly got on his knees and crawled the ring apron. Throwing it up, he seized a table and began sliding it out from under the ring. As he had slid the entire piece out, though, a kick struck him in the back of the leg.

Zero kicked him in the leg, then placed his arms around Stevens' head and pulled him up to his feet. Stevens swung a punch over his shoulder, but Zero swayed his head to the side to avoid it. Then, with a sudden twist, he swung his body to the right, dragging Stevens with him until they slammed face first back down onto the outside mat. Stevens hit first, then Zero's body crashed atop him. With a quick rollover, Zero went for the cover.

One...

Two...

XXXstasy threw a punch into Zero's face to break the count. Zero's head rocked back, but Stevens capitalized more. He swung out with another punch that connected with the other side of Zero's face. As the two both got to their feet, XXXstasy grabbed hold of Zero's body and slammed him down with a body slam. Seizing the moment to a great level, Stevens quickly launched himself onto the guardrail, then leaped over the body and caught his footing on the ring apron. Then, with a fluid motion, he performed a quick snapping moonsault to the mat below him.

The only problem was, Zero raised his knees as Stevens landed. XXXstasy hit hard, then received a punch to the face as Zero made his way to his feet. Grabbing hold of the table, Zero began to prop up one set of the legs. It left it sitting in the middle area between the guardrails and the ring. Then, going back over to XXXstasy, he pulled him up to his feet and set him up for a move.

Having none of the move being done on him, Stevens quickly fought back. He thrust Zero back, then rushed in and placed his arm across Zero's chest and around his head. It was the setup to a yugangi suplex. He quickly lifted him up, but a split second pause would be his only mistake.

As Zero went into the air, his right arm quickly went over Stevens head and clutched it tight. Then, with all of his momentum, he thrust backwards. The sway in balance worked, as the two crashed down into the half-propped table, sending Zero back first and Stevens head first in a DDT.

Dropping a sole arm over Stevens chest, Zero waited for the count...

One...

Two...

And no! XXXstasy, at the last moment, kicked out of the move. Zero was shocked. The audience gasped. Perplexed, it was all Zero could do to make it to his feet. Looking down at Stevens' body, he walked to the other side of the ring to find one device that he could use in the aiding of putting Stevens away for good in the match. But, as he suddenly heard the audience's volume increase, he turned around, only to feel something slam him in the head.

XXXstasy, dazed and in pain, grabbed the first thing he could. All that was available was a large particle of the table that he had just gone through. Grabbing it, he used all of his reserve energy to take two quick lunges towards Zero. Just as Zero turned, Stevens the piece from the table and connected with Zero's head. The two collapsed right after the move.

Stevens managed to lay the piece of the table on top of Zero's upper body, then fell on top of it to prevent a shoulder from coming up. The referee, seeing the pin attempt, dropped down for the count...

One...

Two...

Three!!!

Sean Stevens had proved himself right. Whoever Universal sent out, he would beat them. And, as he laid in the rubble that he and Zero had collected, he felt his arm being raised in victory yet once again.

Result: Triple X by pinfall