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The bell rings and the champ dances forward and boxes Nicky as though he considers the man an amateur.
“The champ stings the slower challenger with jabs at will. Martin blocks eighty percent of the blows with his face and doesn't look the best he's ever been but is moving smoothly. He snaps out a triple combination that backs Martin into a corner and he then monkey flips Martin to the mat,” explains the commentator.
“The champion is smiling and toying with the man! He’s trying to give the fans their money's worth and make a show of it. Another left to right combination. The champ does his finishing move, the pedigree” says the second commentator.
“Martin is down!” exclaims the commentator.
“At the count of only five, Nicky suddenly explodes with an upswing hook to the jaw and the champ is dropped. The arena explodes and the spectator’s eyes show disbelief. So does Nicky's.”
Nicky backs into his corner. “You can do it! You got the power! Get the body, get the body! Ya got him goin'!” yells Johnny.
“Six! Seven! Eight!” counts the referee.
“He is up. His playful attitude is gone and he is now all business. His lightning jab stings Nicky's face repeatedly,” says one of the commentators.
“Come at me, sucker!” taunts Warrior.
Nicky charges and a terrific right jab crashes against Warrior's chin, followed by an uppercut to the liver that causes the champ to cringe. Nicky bounces the champ off the ropes into a power bomb. Nicky is too impassionate to leave the champ down for the count.
Warrior counters with jabs and Nicky whips brutal combinations to the body.
Nicky rushes out fast and furious. Warrior melts out a left hook that raises a goose egg over Nicky's eye. Warrior employs footwork that dazzles Nicky. He has class. He studies Nicky and employs his lightning jab with cutting accuracy. Still Nicky shuffles ahead, bombarding his midsection with hooks. The champ throws Nicky around like a bag of potatoes.
It nearly ends when Warrior assaults Nicky with blinding combinations and then delivers a stupendous right cross close line that flings Nicky into the ropes and shatters his nose.
Warrior stands in his corner and jokes with the fans, but he is beginning to show the strain from the body punches.
“Man, I rearranged his face with that right! The people love what's happenin' tonight!” brags Warrior.
The medical staff checks Nicky’s nose and sure enough it is broke. They try to cancel the match, but Nicky just says, “No, I’m wrestling’”
The commentators are caught up in the action. They speak rapidly into their microphones. “If you had asked anyone who knows wrestling, they never would've predicted this. Nicky has a chance, explains one of the commentators.
“Warrior comes out dancing. He skips and sidesteps Nicky's sledge hammer hook. An expert ring general, Warrior uses the ring fully. Nicky keeps tearing in and meets the bombing attack that causes thick swelling. Nicky fires a penetrating punch to the heart,” says the commentator as he describes the action. After a brief pause, he continues on. “Warrior almost sprints out of the corner, feints and throws a pair of left-right combinations. Martin drops beneath a left uppercut and lands a very solid shot on his temple—not much movement from Martin, duck a left, a right, another left and explodes with a right hook to the temple. The champ backs off,” says the commentator as he gives a play by play of the action.
“There's no way Warrior expected this kind of hitting power!” exclaims the second commentator.
“The brilliant ability of the Champion to master situations like this is one of his most outstanding traits! He tosses a perfect right hand that strikes Nicky,” announces the commentator.
“On the offensive, Martin takes the punishment and counters with a left flush over the heart. Oh, that had to hurt!” counters the second commentator before he continues. “The wallop knocks Warrior off balance. Nicky releases a terrifying uppercut that opens a gash under his eye, and his face contorts with excruciation.”
“Nicky follows with a close line.”
“That man's takin' his job too serious,” says Warrior as he stares at Nicky.
“Nicky's face is in very bad shape, not cut, but wretchedly swollen around the eyes,” announces the commentator.
Meanwhile, Stephanie is unable to remain alone. She is lured by the growing roar of the fans. She exits the dressing room and walks down the corridor. The increasing cheers make her speed up. She opens the door at the end of the corridor and is hit by a thunderous wave of sound. The guard at the door inspects her and goes back to watching the match. Stephanie stands at the rear of the arena and watches the battle. She is engrossed by the power of it all.
Back in the ring, Nicky keeps grinding ahead. He plants a thumping left over the champion's heart and gasps. Nicky is game but losing.
The men are wrestling with appalling tenacity. Nicky rips and tears into the body. Warrior counters with a ceaseless stream of windmill like lefts. The challenger is seriously outclassed.
Nicky wades in and employs incredible footwork. The champ sets himself and cuts loose with a thunderbolt right cross to Nicky’s already broken nose. Blood sprays from the wound and red droplets drip from his chin.
Nicky takes a merciless beating and is staggered by a torrent of combinations. Nicky's eyes are closed, but the champ cannot drop him.
The commentators shift in their seats. “Without a doubt this is the most punishing brawl I have ever seen! The ringside audience is spotted with blood. The champ has never been pushed to this limit,” exclaims one of the commentators. After a brief pause, he continues. “This match should have been stopped long ago, but Nicky Martin refuses to fall.”
“Not only has he refused to fall, but he has beaten the champion's body without mercy and the match has become a vicious slugfest,” remarks the second commentator.
Johnny yells, “Wanna keep goin’?” at Nicky.
“Would you keep goin'?” Nicky counters.
“Yeah,” he replies.
At the rear of the arena, Stephanie looks transfixed at the ring. She is caught up in the heat of the battle. Then she takes a moment to bow her head and pray.
Nicky bores in close, but Warrior still has spring in his legs. He seems determined to end it this round. Warrior catches Nicky flush on the jaw causing him to stagger. Like a beast, Warrior cuts loose with pure savagery. Nicky is driven against the ropes and receives a devastating beating from the champion. Nicky is dropped. The champion picks up Nicky and gives him yet another finishing move, the pedigree and then gives him another one. That is two pedigrees in a row.
Nicky lies stunned in the middle of the ring. Everything seems distorted as he looks for familiar faces. Johnny screams frantically for him to stay down.
“Six, seven, eight,” continues the referee.
Nicky gets to his feet and tenses with renewed energy. He is like a wounded wild animal. The tide suddenly turns. Nicky drops down low and catches Warrior with a pair of terrific body punches that seem to drive Warrior's diaphragm up to his throat. A glaze of pain covers Warrior's eyes. It is only with supreme effort that keeps the Champion upright. Warrior is badly hurt. He is bent over.
Nicky moves towards Warrior. Warrior flicks dread jabs into Nicky's eyes. Nicky wades in with punches that seem to cause Warrior's back to take the punishment. Nicky gives the champ yet another Power Bomb and then puts a Cross-Face submission move on. It’s a Last Man Standing Match, even if the champ taps out it won’t be over until a ten count. The champ is tapping, but the bell won’t ring. Nicky releases the hold.
From his knees, Warrior leans over Nicky and blood drips from his mouth down on Nicky’s neck and shoulders, as the champ climbs up Nicky’s warn body.
“I think my ribs are broken,” spats Warrior to his manager.
Blood trickles from the corner of Warrior's mouth. The trainer feels the ribs. “You’re bleedin' inside, man?” quizzes the trainer.
“Don’t stop anything. This guy was a nobody. I have to finish it,” says the Warrior.
“Don't kill yourself, man. Cover the ribs! Look here, elbow down, tight and stand straight. You're the best, you're the best!” encourages his trainer.
Nicky no longer resembles himself. His face has completely been beaten to jelly, but his mood is buoyant. He is approaching the supreme moment of his life. He cannot be bothered with pain or doctors.
Everyone is distraught over Nicky's dangerous condition but Nicky and Warrior are back in middle of the ring. Warrior moves cautiously out of his corner and circles to Nicky's right.
The commentators stare in awe at the wrestlers. This stuff is for real. It’s not about entertainment any more. It is about the World Wrestling Championship.
“The wrestling has slowed down to a near stand-still. The champ circles to Nicky's right. The spectrum is nearly silent. Neither wrestler has made a motion to throw. I've never seen anything like it in sixty three minutes of a championship match. Warrior spits blood on the canvas. It appears he is protecting his right side. His ribs were probably injured,” says the commentator. He pauses briefly and then continues. “It's confirmed, unofficially, his ribs may be broken. Warrior fakes a left and throws a big tired right. Martin attacks with one hand!”
Warrior throws a fake punch and Nicky falls for it. The Champion unleashes a lethal blow to the side of the head that jolts Nicky into the first row. Nicky sags on the barricade in a crucified position. The insane crowd leaps to their feet.
Nicky's bloody teeth snarl at Warrior and he waves him to come ahead and wrestle toe to toe. Warrior obliges with a weary but an effective burst of rights and lefts that have knock out written on every punch. Nicky counters the assault blow for blow.
Blood sprays over the ropes and onto the ringside photographers. They are horrified and wipe away the blood.
The wrestlers stand toe to toe and drag every remaining bit of strength from their souls and beat each other without mercy. They look like they are in a trance and have entered a dimension far beyond blood and pain.
As the champ swings a hefty right hook, Nicky moves and catches the champion in his own finishing move.
The referee is exhausted and the count is long and slow. “One...two...three...four,” counts the referee as Nicky is leaning on the ropes. “Five...six...” the referee continues as the champ reaches for the ropes. “Seven...eight...nine,” and the champ falls from his knees to the mat. “Ten!” exclaims the referee. The bell rings and the arena explodes with thunderous approval.
The managers rush to their collapsed wrestlers. In the midst of all the confusion, both wrestlers look at each other with blatant respect. They stand like blood-drenched gladiators on the most dramatic night of their lives.
As though reacting to some unspoken command, they both step towards each other and embrace. Warrior whispers into Nicky's ear. “Welcome to the big leagues, Son.”
Johnny comes over and separates them and leads Nicky to his corner and then Johnny embraces him.
The Announcer enters the ring with a microphone. “Attention, please! Attention! Ladies and gentlemen, tonight we have had the rare privilege to have witnessed the greatest exhibitions of stamina and guts ever in the history of all of sports,” exclaims the announcer, his voice raspy with excitement.
The crowd roars. “Ladies and gentlemen, The Winner and New World Wrestling Champion Nicky Martin!” shouts the announcer.
Nicky sorely smiles and looks at the waves of cheering fans that circle the ring and reach out towards him. Johnny grabs Nicky's hand and raises it.
The crowd roars even louder.
Johnny and Nicky look at each other and grin. Johnny hugs Nicky like a son and raises Nicky's hand again. Nicky stares across the ring at Warrior. The two men lock stares that reflect admiration.
Warrior climbs out of the ring and the fans crush forward screaming his name and waving red, white and blue banners.
Nicky also climbs out of the ring and waves of frantic, well-wishing fans rumble forward. Johnny's eyes show mounting apprehension as the fans become abnormally active.
Nicky and Warrior's fans are aggressively competing against each other. Nicky's fans counter by bellowing, 'Nicky! Nicky! Nicky!'
Finally, Stephanie presses through the crowd. “I love you, I love you, I love you...” she repeats to Nicky. The two are swept along into the greatest night anyone can remember.
“Stephanie, will you marry me?”
The crowd was too loud for him to even hear her answer.
Later, the chairman of World Wrestling Federation finds Nicky at the hospital.
“What a match Nick! You Mind if I call you Nick?”
“No, it’s fine.”
The chairman asks, “Will you give Warrior a rematch?”
“Not tonight,” replies Nicky.
“I want to personally offer you a contract with us after you heal up. You have the heart that is rare to see. If you will accept our offer, I would want you to make an appearance on our Monday Night Show.
“What do you think?” asks Nicky.
Stephanie replies, “I think it would be a great opportunity. Is that what you want?”
Nicky says to the chairman, “Well....”
THE END
The questions remain. Will there be a rematch? Will Nicky be at the next Monday Night Show? Will Stephanie and Nicky get married? Will Nicky accept the contract offer?
