Phoenix Rising: Grand Ascension VI Finals Night Preview

The Winds of Change (Ayanda/Djeneba) def. Sunanda and Mew Mew Muscle
Donna Nobel def. Riley Montgomery
Chiyoko Tano def. Ziggy Rockefeller
Jennifer Hunter def. Kaelara Sentarl
Mercy Devine def. Haruka Matsura
Kylie Anderson def. Jackson Shaw
Andrea Hawke def. Fresh Fuji
Hana Estrella def. Dani Sterling
Alexandria Kirison def. Argent
Flex Steele and Nicole Blade went to a time-limit draw

Alexandria Kirison def. Ruthless Nicole Alger (Shoot Tournament Quarterfinal)
Nicole Blade def. Jennifer Hunter
Mercy Devine def. Donna Nobel
Colt Jacobs def. Terra Marshall to retain the Heart of Texas Championship
Kaelara Sentarl vs. Andrea Hawke went to a time-limit draw
Dani Sterling def. Riley Montgomery
Candace Monroe def. Leona Sterling (Shoot Tournament Semifinal)
Alexandria Kirison def. Mallory Spaulding (Shoot Tournament Semifinal)
Fresh Fuji def. Flex Steele
Hana Estrella def. Haruka Matsura

"For years, ever since Phoenix Rising opened its doors, I've shown a tremendous amount of restraint. I've held back on challenging for the big stuff... stepped back to see others take their opportunity, others that include one of my prized students in Candace Monroe. But eventually, when you know you're one of the best there is, you get tired of 'restraint'. You get tired of standing aside for someone else. That's why I entered the Grand Ascension. That's why I entered the shooter's tournament at the same time. To prove, beyond any doubt, who I am as a fighter. In the month of October, I am a perfect 7-0. Five straight wins in the Ascension. Two shoot-fight victories in one night. An unstoppable force set to square off with... some rich girl who has no idea what she's about to get herself into. Oh, I understand that Dani Sterling only has a single loss to her name in this tournament. That to overlook her would be foolish beyond reason. But I will make this as clear as I possibly can: my block was one of the most vicious and dangerous in the tournament. Yours... was certainly violent at times. But I hardly think you have a chance to measure up.

Thursday night, I intend to push my way through everyone. Dani Sterling in the quarterfinal. Some thick-headed powerhouse in the semifinal, be it Telan Kintelas or Nicole Blade. And who knows what the finals will bring... but I will stand tall. I will no longer be in the background. Never again. By the time the dust settles, I will have won the Grand Ascension, and I will become the new Phoenix Rising World Champion."

"Phoenix Rising is coming up on the end of its seventh year. Seven years, I've been here, with the constant reminder that I'm the black sheep of the Kintelas family. Always in the shadow of my brother. And even struggling to hold myself up against his kids. But see, Kileas ain't in the way anymore. I have a chance to finally, FINALLY fucking step up and get my spotlight. A chance to show this 'black sheep' is ready to stand at the top of the mountain. You wanna stand in my way? You think you got what it takes to overpower me? You don't. Doesn't matter who you are. I'm the undisputed fuckin' BEAST of that ring. The best there is when it comes to raw power. Nicole Blade's a hell of a talent, a raw, badass wrecking ball that I got at least a little experience with, seein' as my girl Aria has crossed paths with her more than once. But see, experience also counts for a lot around here, and I got more than damn near anyone in this situation.

This year's tournament was set to crown someone who hadn't gotten their fair shake yet. And there is no one... fuckin' NO ONE who deserves that more than I do. I'm plowing through every single one of you. Don't care who it is. Don't care what the road leads through. I'm wiping out anyone in my path and coming for that World Championship. And I'll get to one-up my brother, by doing the one thing he never could."

"Personal glory hasn't always been my way. For years, the Excellent Blades have been Proving Ground's one and only constant. The best team there is. We ARE Proving Ground, to our absolute core. And for most of the time that Donna and I have spent together, it has always been together. As a team. But we wanted to prove something more in the Grand Ascension, so we both entered, both sought to reach the final.

Wish it could've been that way. But don't you worry. Donna may not have reached the finals, but I sure as hell did. And to all of you standing around figuring this quarterfinal match with Telan is some battle of meathead powerhouses, you can shut the hell up right now. I'm not just some one-note, brain-dead 'smash what's in front of me' powerhouse. I'm the strongest woman ever to set foot in Proving Ground's ring. One of the strongest EVER in Phoenix Rising. And I know how to handle business. You think I got this far, befriended Donna Nobel, for all these years by being incapable of anything resembling strategy?

Telan Kintelas is a hell of a veteran. I won't deny it. But he's got a one-track mind. I know I can equal him in strength. Which means the deciding factor... is strategy. Intelligence.

And I have you beat, big guy."

"Fuck do I need to say about it? Look, I'm goin' out there and doin' what I do best. Sakura Pro icon or not, everyone folds to a proper lariat in the end. I ain't got anything more to say than that. No amount of fancy pins and jumpin' around is gonna stop what's about to happen to Fresh Fuji."

"Sounds to me like there's already been a lot of talk about 'strength', 'power', here in the quarterfinal. Who's got the most raw power? Who's the strongest one around? Who has the best moves? Look... I have all of that, and one extra quality not a single one of you has. Stature. Size matters, and I'll prove it by the end of the night. Hate to do it, but... nothing and no one is going to stop me."

"Well, damn if I thought this day might never finally get here. I got a special opportunity... not just for myself, but for Evergreen. See, I remember the first time I rolled up around those parts. Seein' a big dude like me and feeling everybody in the arena wondering... 'the hell'?

Took me about ten minutes to silence that mess. Wonder if anyone remembers it now. First Evergreen show I'm on, I come out facin' Eddy Introspect in the opener, ten minutes later he's laid out from the Cement Mixer and I'm locked in. Pissed off Sookie like nobody's business, sure. But from that point on I was Evergreen.

And now here I am, not just lookin' for Evergreen's top prize. Oh, believe me, I want my hands on that, and the tag titles, and you better believe the Big Boys are comin' back after the metal crew for those, and I want a shot at Elly Blackwood when all's said and done here. But I have a shot at the damn World Championship. The Big One. Seven years, ten champs, I wanna be number eleven like you would not believe. Y'know, just gotta beat someone that looks damn near unbeatable. That hasn't lost in his home ring in over a year.

Fuck it. Easy, right?"

"Ten months, I've been the World Champion. I've defended this title fourteen times so far. Concrete Pete's the fifteenth. And there's a certain level of personal responsibility behind this one. Pete's going to be the fourth time I defend this title against someone not from the main Phoenix Rising umbrella. Demarcus Browning, Lance Marshall, Jerome Harris... they were the others. And considering who I am, what I represent, I won't lie... losing this title to someone from outside? Even as closely related as AFW and Evergreen are? It wouldn't do. I can't accept it. I won't.

Pete, I know better than to treat you as anything less than a genuine threat to this reign. I know how dangerous you are in the ring. Size and stature mean nothing in the face of results, and you are a man that gets results when he comes down to the ring. So I'll keep this brief.

I have absolutely no intention of losing this World Championship to you. I welcome you to try and prove me wrong. But at the end of the night, the final night of the Grand Ascension, the tournament winner will know who they're facing at New Year's Bash. I intend to still be champion. I intend to make two more defenses before New Year's Bash, as well. And that tournament champion will face me in the main event. A bookend to 2024. I started this year by winning the World Championship from Mascara Avispa.

I will end this year, still World Champion. Until someone steps up to prove me wrong."