The cameras returned from the break to a scene of utter mayhem inside the ring. Bodies were flying into corners, fists were connecting with jaws, and boots were kicking into ribs. The Battle Royale had been cut down to fifteen men, but the crowd was still going nuts with every twist.
Luke and Tony leaned over the guardrails in their front row seats, shouting over the noise.
"I'm telling you, Tony," Luke said, eyes locked on the action in the ring, "Diego has this. He's already tossed out Victor once tonight—he's hungry."
Tony scoffed, crossing his arms. "You're blind. Hogan Hornet is built for this. Look at him in there, he's a machine! I'll bet twenty bucks on him right now."
Luke smirked. "Alright, but don't come crying to me when Hornet is laying on the canvas."
And neither of them even thought of Eddie Prince. He was cowering in the corner just trying to hang on, and for them, he didn't have a chance in hell.
Another elimination occurred abruptly inside the ring. A thin, young man with sharp eyes and an intimidating glare made a veteran tumble over the top rope with a stiff lariat. The crowd hyped up as Noah nearly yelled into his microphone.
Noah: "There's a debut! Folks, remember the name - Steve Austin! First night in IRW, and he's already making a scene!"
Irvin laughed beside him. "The kid's got guts, Noah, but guts don't keep you in a match like this."
In the middle of the ring, Hogan Hornet was doing what he did best. He was driving his opponents into the canvas with his headbutts and tossing them around like they were sacks of flour. After flooring one poor opponent with a running clothesline, he stopped and looked around.
Almost everyone was flat and sprawled across the canvas. And standing across from him was Eddie Prince.
The crowd erupted quickly, boos for Eddie and loud cheers for Hogan. The men locked eyes, energy in the building happening fast. Hornet puffed out his chest and soaked in the crowd chanting his name. Eddie grinned cockily, but sweat was glistening off his forehead.
They went around and the fans stomped in unison.
Hogan swung first—but Eddie ducked and come up quickly with a right uppercut that hit Hogan right on the jaw. The crowd gasped as the hulking mustached man stumbled back against the ropes, holding his hands to his face.
Noah: "Oh no way!"
Eddie wasted no time. He charged forward, springing off the ropes and clobbering Hogan with a huge clothesline. Hogan's legs flew over the top rope as he crashed to the floor.
The crowd booed unbelievably loud. Hogan sat on the floor outside, digging daggers into the ring with his eyes, while his jaw throbbed. Eddie was bent over the ropes, with a perfectly crooked smile on his face, and raked his hand through his hair in a flippant motion.
Irvin: "Ha! Good riddance! Hogan Hornet thought he was indestructible and Eddie Prince just made him look like yesterday's used trash!"
Noah: "C'mon, Irvin! Hogan had this crowd fully behind him, he had this match just where he wanted and—Eddie Prince of all people—just sent him packing!"
Luke, ringside, was laughing so hard he almost toppled out of his chair. "Pay up, Tony! Your guy's outta here!"
Tony brought his fist down onto the barricade. "No way! This is unbelievable! That cocky-a__ doesn't deserve it!"
The crowd roared in appreciation towards Eddie. With a flourish, he brushed off his hands and walked back towards where the action was happening in the middle of the ring.
--COMMERCIAL BREAK--
The festivities began again as Justin Garland was still hot from previous eliminations when he whipped another wrestler over the ropes with reckless abandon. But the fun would be short-lived because before Justin could begin to celebrate, Victor Cross blindsided him with a clubbing forearm.
Meanwhile, Steve Austin was crouched down in the corner, covering up as Justin kicked away at him. The crowd roared in excitement for the newcomer, already beginning to clap for him even though he was at a disadvantage.
Diego Cortez ducked under Victor's whip and used the ropes for extra momentum. He jumped up onto Victor's shoulders, balanced for an instant before snapping down with an spectacular hurricanrana. Victor's body flipped over the top rope crashing onto the floor below.
The crowd went bananas and began chanting Diego's name.
Noah: "Diego Cortez! On this night, he tops Victor Cross, again! That's two in one night!"
Diego stood tall, basking in his added glory from the crowd support—until he was bashed from behind by Randy Merman. This monster stood six-feet of intimidating baldness, bearded down to the chest, and crazed up in his eyes. He scooped Diego up like he was nothing and threw him straight over the top rope.
The cheers instantly fell to boos.
Irvin: "And that quickly, Diego goes from triumphant to defeated at the hands of Randy Merman. Ouch!"
Luke's mouth dropped open. "No! Dammit, Diego!"
Tony slapped him on the back. "Told ya kid. Should have stuck with Hornet."
But neither one picked Eddie—and neither one expected him.
Inside the ring, the numbers were narrowing. Eddie Prince kicked Steve Austin right in the face and Steve rolled back into Justin Garland's arms. Justin didn't hesitate and lifted the rookie, tossing him over the ropes like a bag of trash.
Steve hit the floor hard, but rolled right back to his feet and raised his arm to the crowd for applause.
There were fans who stood and cheered for him as he hopped up the ramp. He had lost, but he had made his mark.
Luke sighed and said, "Poor guy. He wasn't bad at all."
Tony nodded begrudgingly. "Yeah, tough kid."
There were only four remaining now: Eddie Prince, Justin Garland, Steve's conqueror Randy Merman, and the boy that eliminated Diego Cortez.
The crowd erupted as the four men stood and circled in the ring, the tension between them real.
"You want to agree to work together for a moment?" Justin was the first one to speak, yelling across the ring to Eddie. "First, we take him down. Then we settle this!"
Eddie smirked, and pretended to think about it. He shrugged. "Alright, that works."
The two proceeded to turn on Randy, pummeling him with punches, boots, and double-team strikes. Randy staggered backwards, arms raised to protect himself. After shoving Justin away, Eddie drove a knee into his gut and stayed on him.
Eddie hooked him and lifted him up high, then bellowed and delivered the Prince Bomb—a thunderous powerbomb that shook the mat. The crowd was stunned at the impact.
Justin was quick to capitalize. He dragged Randy up and strained as he tossed him over the top rope. Randy hit the floor and crashed as he was eliminated.
Justin raised his arms and shouted. "Yeah! That's how it's done!"
But Justin had one thing to forget, Eddie Prince never shares.
As soon as Justin turned, Eddie pounced. He grabbed Justin by the leg, pulled him off balance, and maliciously propelled him off the top rope.
Justin's eyes widened as he hit the floor and 'had a realization' too late. The bell rang.
Ding ding ding.
The boos echoed for miles. The building shook with the fury of the crowd. Eddie Prince was the last entrant, standing alone in the ring, arms raised tall and proud. There was sweat dripping off his head, his chest heaved, and the grin was blinding.
Noah: "I still can't believe what we just witnessed. Eddie Prince—Eddie Prince—is the first-ever IRW Men's Champion."
At ringside, Tony was furious, shouting curses at Eddie. Luke, however, laughed uncontrollably, elbowing him. "You wanted Hornet, I wanted Diego. Guess who actually pulled it off? Eddie freaking Prince!"
Tony glared at Eddie as he strutted around the ring, mocking the fans with bows and smirks. "I hate that man."
Michael Myers, though, didn't sit. He stood, clapping slowly, eyes gleaming. He'd hated Eddie too, but what he saw was undeniable—charisma, and drama.
In the ring, Lance Dawson brought the golden IRW Championship, handing it to Eddie. Eddie snatched it greedily, holding it aloft as the cameras zoomed in on his triumphant sneer.
Eddie Prince—the most despised man in IRW—was now its king.