Tracks vs Hayden

[Jack Tracks]

The lights come back up, as Tracks makes his usual entrance, but as he finishes up and removes his coat, it would be quite clear to the naked eye that he was covered in scars from last week. Surely, both competitors this week are still feeling it.

(Placeholder entrance just to get the thread started. Might edit in a more proper one later.)

[Hayden]

Tracks had finished his part of the entrance and turned his attention to the entrance-way when an all to familiar sound hit the arena. As CKY's 96 Quite Bitter Beings blares out of the arena's speakers, the crowd rise in anticipation of the arrival of the legendary Jackass.



Hayden appears, albeit sluggishly, through the entrance curtain at the back of the stage. With a slight wince in his eyes to speak to the volumes of pain searing through his body, the Kiwi Battler trudges on. He steps in time to the music as he makes his way to the front of the entrance stage, where he stops to look out over his domain. Wave after wave of adoring fans cheer back at him, egging him on towards the ring. Hayden cracks a smile through pain filled eyes as he sets off again, a crackle of pyrotechnics serving to announce his intention.

He wears his usual ring attire, charcoal pants draped over Chuck Taylor boots. He wears a "Hayden HardKore: Going Ol' School" merchandising t-shirt over the top of his battered and bruised body. his left wrist is heavily taped, more heavily than usual, pointing to two long and hard weeks in the office taking their toll on his dominant fist. As he makes his way down the ramp, slapping the hands of all who reach out for him, Jack Tracks is able to ready himself for the incoming onslaught.

"Hayden has been battered and broken, coming oh so close at Nexus... And last week coming oh so close in the curve ball of a match that included the return of his once protege Magnus Gunner - The Kiwi is still looking for his first success since returning."

"Al, his left fist is heavily strapped. I understand he may have broken a knuckle during his patented Power of the South-Paw last week, where he punched through a steel trashcan lid."

"Okay, he's old... He's falling apart. And he is facing a rookie sensation in the prime of his youth. I'm sorry old timer, but my money is on Jack Tracks tonight."

"No surprises there, big shocker..."

Hayden reaches the ring and goes about riling the crowd into a frenzy. He tosses his shirt out into the crowd and it is snapped up by a particularly eager male fan who sniffs the t-shirt for a disturbingly long time before returning to his seat with the prize. All bad mental images aside, the referee gathers the two combatants in the center of the ring and calls for the bell to start the match.

"Ding, ding, ding"

TBC

[Jack Tracks]

The bell rings, and Tracks wastes no time on this one! Before the ringing even stops its echo through the arena, the tall Indianan was vaulting across the ring, aiming to get this match in his favor as soon as possible. After two steps, the King of the Road goes into a spin, turning on one foot and launching into the air, his body building up torque. Tracks finishes his spin right on target, that big rolling elbow of his lashing out...and hitting nothing but turnbuckle! Although he acted quickly, Hayden isn't about to just let himself be caught off-guard by even that much suddenness. Having enough time to react, the former Undisputed Champion took something of an odd defense. Rather than leaping out of the way like most would (and Tracks most certainly would see coming as the obvious move), Hayden went for a vertical bit of dodge, dropping down to one knee. It'-s a strategy that seems to pay off quite well, indeed, as Tracks stops and looks around in confusion after his missed blow, wondering where Hayden went, if not too the side. But he realizes only too late what happened, as he glances down, only to be met by a Hardcore fist to the jaw!

That solid counter sends Tracks reeling, turning away and taking a few steps, holding on to his jaw. With the Ferrari's engine put in reverse, Hayden rushes out, scooping his arm around Tracks' head and flying forward, bringing both of their bodies down into a textbook Bulldog. As soon as Tracks' head bounces off the mat, Hayden pushes his opponent over to try for a quick pin!

"1..."

That's all he gets on that one, as "surprised" is not the same thing as "out". The King of the Road gets back on his tires, after he was able to kick the Kiwi far enough off to make some distance.

"Not a terrible gamble to open the match, but it sure didn't pay off, did it?"

"That's why it's called a gamble. But even then, I hope Tracks didn't think he was going to win off just that. He's got some good knockout power, but even that's not going to put Hayden down right off the bat. Even I have to admit that much."

With enough distance made after the kickout, combined with Tracks' ability to cover a lot of ground from just about any position, the young rising star gets his head back in time to intercept Hayden's attack, with the veteran having rushed in to try and catch Tracks with a big stomp. But Hayden was slowed just a bit too much from age, and Tracks is just a bit too quick, and is able to get his hands around the boot before contact. The technician jumps to hit feet and pulls at the boot, moving Hayden off'-balance and tumbling right into a Tracks clutch, which is quickly turned into a Trapped Belly-to-belly...but with a variation. Having made so much distance, the two men were right by the turnbuckle, and the momentum from a very well'-executed suplex sends the Kiwi crashing neck'-first into the buckle, and collapsing on to the mat.

"Oh! I don't know how intentional that position in the ring was, but either way, Hayden Hardcore takes a brutal crash into the corner!"

"It might have just been dumb luck for Tracks, but hey, luck is the most important skill!"

"And a smart move by the former champion, rolling out of the ring before a cover...but that neck can't be feeling too good..."

Indeed, Hayden had found a bit of sanctuary outside of the ring, rolling underneath the bottom rope after that nasty landing. It seemed to tweak him pretty good, as he had to hold on to the back of his head, even after getting up. However, despite the opponent's weakened state, Jack Tracks stays inside the ring, waiting in the center, pacing back and forth as the referee begins to count.

"Well that's weird. Get on out there, this is your chance!"

"I don't think so. For one, Tracks has told me before that if he beats someone as legendary as Hayden Hardcore, he wants it to be like a sportsman. No tricks, nothing illegal, not even attacking on the outside. Not to mention, that space out there is much6 more Hayden Hardcore's turf than it is Tracks'. I think he's factoring that in, as well."

"...so he wants to beat as clean as a whistle the same guy that smashed him through barbed wire last week?"

"...Well, yeah."

"What a maroon."

The crowd seemed to share in the confusion, at least at first, looking to each other, not quite sure what to make of this somewhat out of place show of sportsmanship. Especially in the pit that is GHW. But when they start to catch on, while Tracks stays far enough away from the ropes that Hayden is able to roll in unharmed after four, a polite, japanese-style clap comes from the crowd.

His opponent back in the ring, Jack Tracks meets Hayden Hardcore right in the center of the squared circle. Hayden looks a little suspicious, as anyone would, but Tracks' nod seems to reassure him, and the two lock-up in a classic collar-and-elbow tie-up.

"And now the two men meet for a proper lock up for the first time in this match. Tracks seems to want to prove a point here. He prides himself on his extensive grappling and technical ability. But can it stand up to the years of experience behind arguably GHW's greatest champion?"

"Well now you're just kissing Hayden's ass...."

[Hayden]

The men break off their collar and elbow tie up after some time, the exchange ending in an inevitable stalemate. In a sign of mutual respect, the men are seen exchanging a casual hand slap before settling back into the match itself. The next grapple ends quickly, with Jack Track forcing Hayden downwards and the Kiwi breaking the grapple up with a shrug of his shoulders. Track, not one to give up easily, wastes little time in following up on his first attempt. Grabbing the New Zealander by the wrist, he wrenches Hayden forward into an Arm Drag Takedown. The Kiwi hits the mat but gracefully rolls to the side and is standing again in the blink of an eye. His chest raising and lowering with heavy breaths, Hayden waits for his rookie opponent to spring forth again. Showing the patience only a veteran can muster, Tracks is baited into making the next move.

He wrenches Hayden by the wrist again, this time into an Irish Whip. Hayden bounds off the rope and hurtles back across the ring at his opponent. Tracks had taken the time to prepare himself for an assault. He marches forward as Hayden approaches and drops his shoulder, aiming it into the point of his sternum. However, the wily veteran leapfrogs Tracks harmlessly and continues to run. By the time Jack had turned around, the GHW Legend was on the return, aiming a targeted Dropkick to his knee. With a crack, both of Hayden’s boots connect soles first with Jack’s knee, causing it to buckle underneath him. Falling to a three point stance, the rookie’s eyes shoot open in pain as the Kiwi Jackass prepares for a follow up.

”Hayden showed poise and patience to goad Jack Tracks into a mistake. The veteran instincts that he possesses are second to none.”

”He has been around since Noah’s Ark, so I would be surprised if he hadn’t picked up a few tricks in his time. Still, that doesn’t make up for being old and outdated.”

”Underestimate if you will, Hayden has been known to surprise even the staunchest nay-sayers in his career to date.”

Wasting little time listening to the bickering at the sidelines, Hayden lashes out with a foot. His kick catches Tracks in the guts with a thump, expelling the air in his lungs as a result. The Kiwi continues to charge, grabbing Tracks by the head and hoisting his long haired opponent to his feet. The height difference is staggering. Even doubled over, Tracks still towers over the tiny Kiwi. However, it is the smaller man who takes charge. He yanks his opponent by the wrist this time, looking to send him sailing on the same course that he himself was sent moments earlier. However, Tracks was having none of the Kiwi’s plan. On his way past, a well times Roundhouse Kick put a stop to Hayden’s plan.

The kick connects with a crack, stunning the Kiwi and stopping him dead in his tracks. A Snapmare takes Hayden off his feet and plants him firmly on the mat. This gives Jack Tracks access to the neck region of his opponent, and he sets to work. Grabbing him up into his clutches, he locks in a Front Face Lock. With Hayden at his mercy, he drags him forward on his hands and knees, the Front Face Lock still applied. With his free hand, Jack Tracks wipes a wisp of hair from his eyes. Then, with all the venom he can muster, the rookie drops the Kiwi Legend to the mat with a DDT. As Hayden’s skull bounces off the mat, the split crowd reach an ambivalent reaction. Half of the fans supporting Jack Tracks rise in support of the rookie sensation; half of the fans supporting the Kiwi Legend fall to their seats once more, deflated. Taking the match by the horns, Jack Tracks looks to capitalize on the opening he had made for himself.

”That’ll give Hayden something to think about! A picture Perfect DDT that plants Jack Tracks in the driver’s seat”.

”This could spell the beginning of the end for the once mighty Hayden HardKore!”

”We have been down this road many times before Al. Don’t count Hayden out until it is all over!”

The buzz of the crowd fills the air as Jack Tracks stands to his feet. Looking down at his opponent, the rookie sensation smiles to himself. With a glance to his left, he looks up at the corner turnbuckle. All in attendance instantly read his mind. The high flying sensation gallops toward the corner, looking to put the match away early. With the dazed Hayden still lying on his back, starting up at the lights, Jack Tracks begins to climb. He reaches the top rung of the turnbuckle and surveys the scene. The smile spreads on his face as he lines up his killing blow. With his head in the clouds and a determined look on his face, Jack jumps…

TBC JT

[Jack Tracks]

...and crashes to the ground! Although he had always wondered what it'd be like to be a high-flyer, he was never very good at it, and it shows. His timing was quite off, and the arc of the attempted Suicide Headbutt was far too high, giving Hayden all the time in the world to roll away! Tracks clutches his head in pain, writhing on the ground after his potentially-fatal mistake.

"Well....there's a good reason Tracks doesn't do that very often, I suppose..."

"If he's the King of the Road like he claims, he better keep his wheels on the ground where they belong! As much as I want a Jetsons car, automobiles just don't fly!"

The momentum no longer firmly on one side or the other, the former champion is given the chance to get himself back into this match. Rolling up to his knees, the Kiwi checks his forehead, just in case the DDT might have opened up an old wound. Fortunately, that doesn't seem to be the case. Back on his feet, Hayden runs to the ropes, bouncing off to gain some extra momentum as he aims right for the downed Tracks. A few steps later and he takes to the air himself, hopping upwards and extending his legs, crashing down on the back of Tracks' head with a time-tested leg drop. Tracks' body heaves for a moment from the drop, and since it gets results, Hayden runs back and tries it again! Tracks is still too stunned from the bad landing, and has no choice but to lay there and take it.

The second one seems to rouse Tracks back up again, probably due more to survival instinct than anything. That said, he is groggy to get even up to his hands and knees. And, even with their show of sportsmanship earlier, Hayden isn't one to let up an advantage and let it slip out of his grip. His prey in the perfect hands-and-knees position, the Hardkore one makes one last dash, trying to put this away now. A few long strides, and Hayden lifts himself up, leading with his knee, going for a Regal-style Knee Trembler. But the usual CRACK such a move would make is nothing but a WHOOSH, with the naturally-alert Tracks straightens up to sit on his knees, getting his head out of the way before the moment of impact. The old timer's (well, relatively speaking) momentum carries him off'-balance, but before Hayden tumbles forward, his entire body is pulled back by his tights, and before he can try to shift his weight to a more manageable position, the former champion finds himself rolled up in a hasty schoolboy!

"1!

2!"

Tracks' sneaky pin attempt is thwarted as Hayden kicks out, sending them both tumbling away from one another. Each man tries to quickly get back to their feet so they can get on the offensive, but, whether due to youth or natural speed, Tracks gets a split-second advantage. Plenty enough to take a running start, and wrapping his arm around Hayden's neck as he flies by. The quick impact of a running Hart-style clothesline jolts Hayden's neck, and Tracks is on him again for the pin.


"1!

2!"

And again, another kickout, but Tracks is not deterred. In a flash the King of the Road leaps to his feet, only to come crashing down again with one of those nasty elbows of his, driving the sharp bone right into his opponent's sternum. Hardkore's body is rocked, the wind blasting right out of him, his entire body momentarily convulsing from the hit. And another. And another. The precise blows feel like lightning to the chest, and before long, even the tough as nails Kiwi starts to turn red in the face. As he gasps for air, Tracks goes for yet another pin!

"1!

2!

Thr-"

Another kickout, but this one was lacking much of the strength the last two had. The older Fighty fighty person tries to sit up and get the air flowing properly again, but can only get a few breaths in before an arm tightens just below his chin. Not quite a choke,but definitely will cut off the air.

"A series of near-falls nonetheless sees Jack Tracks unable to finish this match off! That's got to be frustrating after awhile."

"You would think so, but I don't think those pins were meant to end the match. Sure, it'd be great if they did, but there's more to it. Hayden's body is beat up real bad from years of abuse in that ring, and there's no way he can keep up his stamina. Compare that to a young buck like Tracks, who even for his young age has a stamina like I've rarely seen, and the strategy is obvious. Cut out the opponent's airflow, make them exert themselves to push you off, and there's nothing they can do. Especially a broken-down fogey like Hayden there."

"Come on now, he's not THAT old."

"Maybe. But this business ages you quick."

Back in the ring, the chinlock seemed to be doing its duty, with Hayden's eyes starting to drop. Slowly, his body begins to wear out, stance drooping. As the arms start to fall to the side, it almost seems like he may be out...until his fingers touch the mat. Something about the feel of the canvas shoots Hayden's eyes open! Perhaps a sudden surge of desperation, or a second wind. But whatever it was, the Kiwi fights against the hold, bringing his hands up and locking them around Tracks' head. The Indianan tries to shake the grip off, but it was really in there. Struggling, The Jackass begins to fight back to his feet, both men starting to rise...before falling back down again. But this time, it was to Hayden's advantage. The drop causes Tracks' chin to land on top of Hayden's thick Wellington head, snapping Tracks back, and immediately releasing the lock! Jack takes a few steps back, stunned and holding his jaw with both hands, in pain and surprise.

The Jackass coughs a few times as he fights to his feet, but after a few breaths, he finds he is able to move again! Control there to be taken, Hayden sees his stunned foe, and takes his shot! Going for a nice run once again, Hayden Hardkore leaps as high as his feet will take him, swinging his right leg up to Tracks' eye level, and catches the Ferrari square with a crowd-cracking Enzuigiri! Jack's arms drop to the sides immediately, his eyes glazed over, stunned...before falling like a tree. But he's not the only one. After that burst of adrenaline, Hayden also was laying on the mat, clutching his chest, the assault from earlier still punishing him even now, especially after that level of effort. The aged champion lays there, arms crossed over his chest, fighting for air, as well as to fend off the residual pain. Both men down, the referee begins his count....

[Hayden]

The referee manages a count of six before Hayden manages to stagger to his feet. The stunned Jack Tracks is beginning to come to as Hayden reaches his vertical base. He lets a small groan escape his lips as he brings his hands up to his head in an attempt to numb the pain. Hayden stumbles over to his downed opponent, punch drunk, and proceeds to hoist the youngster to his feet on instinct alone.

Grabbing Tracks by the wrist, Hayden looks to fling him into the ring ropes with an Irish Whip, but stops him short instead with a stiff armed Clothesline using his free arm. All the momentum and speed that Jack Tracks had picked up in the Irish Whip are poured into the Clothesline, and the rookie plummets back to the mat as a result. Hayden holds onto his opponent's wrist and does not allow him to fall the entire way. This helps him to link the Clothesline into a second move, as he has Jack Tracks back on his jelly-legs in an instant and flinging him off in the direction of the ring ropes again. This time, he lets the Irish Whip take effect, and the Ferrari races across the ring once more. In a stroke of what could be instincts, ring awareness or just dumb luck, the rookie manages to hook an arm around the ring rope to stop himself soaring back into the waiting clutches of the Jackass. A look of relief spreads across Jack's face through his dazed and agonized eyes. However, this relief is short lived, as the Jackass is quick to follow - Flinging his weathered body into the air and Dropkicking Jack Tracks directly on the chin. The force is enough to send the rookie up and over the ring ropes and tumbling to the floor outside the ring, much to the bloodthirsty delight of the crowd.

"I thought Jack Tracks had a foothold there for a second, but it looked like Hayden kicked that out of him."

"He damn nearly kicked his teeth out of him too. A Dropkick with that force... You're bound to feel that tomorrow!"

"The question now is, can old man River seal the deal? Or will his rickety bones give up on him again like they did last week?"

With a smile on his weathered face, Hayden wastes little time in hurling himself outside the ring, after Jack. Running up to the turnbuckle, Hayden springboards from the second rung onto the top rope. Taking a little time to steady himself atop the ring rope, the Kiwi Battler proceeds to fling himself to the outside, catching Jack Tracks with a Crossbody as the rookie sensation struggles to his feet. Both men sprawl to the ground once more, Tracks catching the worst of the fall, with Hayden using the rookie to cushion the blow for himself. The Kiwi winces as he takes his feet once more, clearly feeling the effects of a hard fought few weeks.

As the referee begins his standing ten count, Hayden tries to build his adrenaline up once more. Encouraging the crowd to follow along, Hayden begins to clap in time. Before long, the capacity crowd had caught along and even the slowest of fans is clapping along with the Jackass. With a second wince, Hayden adjusts the heavy taping on his left fist, covering his battered knuckle - remnants of last week's trashcan encounter. With the crowd cheering along, Hayden lifts Tracks to his feet and rolls him back into the ring. Tracks is up to his knees by the time the Kiwi manages to follow him in and feebly tries to fend the Kiwi off, but the effects of Hayden's onslaught are still clearly visible. Hayden simply slaps the rookie's hands out of the way and flings him toward the ring ropes once more.

"Hayden is wanting to control the pace of this match. He has Tracks reeling, and this is where the Jackass is deadly. He builds a bit of momentum and then never lets up."

"Move after move, Hayden sequences them together seamlessly. But over time, the old man's body has got to slow down. He can't keep the pace as well as he once could."

"He seems to be doing just fine so far."

"Yes, but for how long?"

This time, there is no grabbing of the ring ropes by Tracks, he comes hurtling back at the Kiwi at a rate of knots. Hayden readies himself, charging forward to meet his opponent head on. However, from nowhere, the rookie high flier drops his shoulder down and steam rolls right on through the lightweight Kiwi. The effect is instant, the cheering crowd stop momentarily and Hayden drops to the ground like a bag of bricks. It is then the Ferrari's turn to pull a 'U-Turn' on the match and grasp it into his own control. Taking the heavily taped, injured hand of the Kiwi from last week, he wraps the Kiwi Legend up into a Wrist Lock. As soon as the hold is applied, the injured Kiwi begins to hoot and holler. The referee asks if Hayden wishes to yield and end the suffering, but he is met with a defiant and resounding "Hell No". Still, the groaning continues.

The pain is etched into the face of the Kiwi, with little let up in sight. Being in the center of the ring, any hopes of a rope break are dashed from the veteran's mind. He knows that if he is going to continue in this match, he is going to have to escape this hold and quick. What's more, the Kiwi knows that he will have to do it the Old School way. Every second that Hayden remains in the wrist lock with his injured hand being stretched and contorted every which way is a second closer to permanent injury, and one can see it in his eyes. Desperately, the Jackass seeks for a way out. Tracks, in contrast, simply grits his teeth and twists the hold further - relishing the squeal of agony that he gets from the Kiwi as a response.

"Smart stuff by Tracks. He knows that the Kiwi has an injured, potentially broken knuckle. Target the hand, and the Kiwi will falter."

"There's some fight in the old dog yet. But if Hayden cannot escape this Wrist Lock, not even fight will save him."

"Stick a fork in him, this turkey is done... Next!"

TBC