Phoenix Rising: Proving Ground #127 Results

Christine DeWalt def. Mercy Devine
Fox and Wolfe def. The Takeda Sisters
Sunanda def. Kylie Anderson
Priya Mallaya def. Dani Sterling (Ascension qualifier)
Kroll and Mercedes Ortega def. Lily Lyons and Amanda Skye
Holly Randolph def. Robin Nox (Ascension qualifier)
Helena Lundgren def. Virginia Caldwell in a shoot-match
Empress Fenix def. Addison Grey (Ascension qualifier)
Tina Remington and Natasha Clover def. The Sheridans
Demarcus Browning def. Andrea Hawke (Ascension qualifier)

Block A

Kojiro Burai
Eddy Introspect
Todd Colton
Gabriela Gallego
Rod Washington (WP)
Holly Randolph (The Office, Valkyrie Pro slot)

Block B

Firehawk Sentarl
Lance Marshall
Kevin Royce
Rafael Gallego
Jerome Harris
Demarcus Browning (Sakura Pro, Valkyrie Pro slot)

Block C

Telan Kintelas
Ash Defiant
HAYATO
Carmen Latour
Priya Mallaya (Valkyrie Pro)
Atlas Stone (The Office)

Block D

Rilantha De Nav
Calista Vargas
Freya O'Malley
Ryan Donovan
Kaito Arai (Sakura Pro)
Empress Fenix (Valkyrie Pro)

Kojiro Burai def. Holly Randolph
Kevin Royce def. Rafael Gallego
HAYATO def. Carmen Latour
Todd Colton and Gabriela Gallego went to a 20-minute draw
Demarcus Browning def. Firehawk Sentarl
Ash Defiant def. Priya Mallaya
Rod Washington def. Eddy Introspect
Jerome Harris def. Lance Marshall
Atlas Stone def. Telan Kintelas
Bonus: Jazmin Reyes def. Sunanda

Priya Mallaya def. Carmen Latour
Gabriela Gallego def. Holly Randolph
Rilantha De Nav def. Calista Vargas
Telan Kintelas def. HAYATO
Rod Washington def. Todd Colton
Empress Fenix def. Ryan Donovan
Atlas Stone def. Ash Defiant
Kojiro Burai and Eddy Introspect went to a 20-minute draw
Kaito Arai def. Freya O'Malley
Bonus: Mew Mew Muscle def. Sunanda

Priya Mallaya def. Atlas Stone
Holly Randolph def. Rod Washington
Kojiro Burai def. Gabriela Gallego
Natasha Clover and Tina Remington def. The Marshall Sisters to become the NEW AFW Tag Team Champions
Carmen Latour def. Telan Kintelas
Todd Colton def. Eddy Introspect
Ash Defiant def. HAYATO
Silver Hawk def. Besos to retain the Pacific Northwest Championship
Bonus: Andrea Hawke def. Shiana Sentarl

Due to Silver Hawk reaching and successfully making his fifth defense of the Pacific Northwest Championship, he will receive a shot at the World Championship in the near future, after the Ascension. The PNW Championship will be vacated, and a new champion will be determined soon.

Telan Kintelas def. Priya Mallaya
Todd Colton def. Holly Randolph
Ryan Donovan vs. Calista Vargas went to a draw
Rafael Gallego vs. Firehawk Sentarl went to a draw
Ash Defiant def. Carmen Latour
Gabriela Gallego def. Eddy Introspect
Empress Fenix def. Freya O'Malley
Lance Marshall vs. Kevin Royce went to a draw
HAYATO def. Atlas Stone
Rod Washington def. Kojiro Burai
Rilantha De Nav def. Kaito Arai
Jerome Harris def. Demarcus Browning

Block A: Kojiro Burai and Gabriela Gallego (seeding TBD)
Block B: Jerome Harris and Firehawk Sentarl (Jerome higher seeding)
Block C: HAYATO, Ash Defiant and Telan Kintelas in a tiebreaker on finals night (first to be pinned is eliminated, winner gets higher seed)
Block D: Rilantha De Nav and Kaito Arai (Ril with the higher seed)

HAYATO def. Ash Defiant and Telan Kintelas (Telan eliminated)
Kojiro Burai def. Kaito Arai
Rilantha De Nav def. Gabriela Gallego
Firehawk Sentarl def. HAYATO
Jerome Harris def. Ash Defiant
Team Eddy Introspect def. Team Empress Fenix
Firehawk Sentarl def. Kojiro Burai
Rilantha De Nav def. Jerome Harris
Mascara Avispa def. Blake Dynamite to retain the World Championship
Firehawk Sentarl def. Rilantha De Nav to win the tournament

Chichi def. SATOMI
The Heyward Sisters def. Chido Ortega and Cruz Corona
Robin Nox def. Angela Rothenberg
Laenara Kintelas def. Kellaron Sentarl
Vindication (Sayuri/Shinobu) def. Winifred Wright and Titania
Eri Sentarl def. Selisha
Layla Al-Amin def. Mia Vega
Victor Kintelas became the NEW Pacific Northwest Champion after an 8-wrestler battle royal
Mascara Avispa def. Silver Hawk to retain the World Championship

Vincent Sheridan demanded a match with Firehawk Sentarl

Firehawk Sentarl def. Vincent Sheridan, The Tip Top attacked 3-on-1 afterwards

Firehawk, battered and annoyed at the post-show attack by Avispa and the Sheridans, stood with his arms folded in the locker room, panting softly but seeming undaunted by the ambush. "Don't think I haven't forgotten what you were yelling on your way to the ring, Vincent. You want a match so badly? You got one, and you'll get another, next Showdown. You want the Sheridans to get what they 'deserve', yeah? You'll get it. A tag team match, the Sheridans up against the Grand Ascension champion, and runner-up. Myself, and Rilantha De Nav. We'll see how fucking cocky you are... call me 'old man' all you want, but you're going to be reminded of one important detail: when someone sticks around this long, there's a reason for it."

He let out a deep breath, a frustrated, annoyed look in his eyes as he turned his attention to... something else, shaking his head slightly. "There's something else, though, I need to think about. Something else that's been on my mind.

“Two weeks ago, I finally pulled it off. One of the biggest wins I’ve had since Phoenix Rising opened its doors. I finally won the Grand Ascension… should feel like the biggest accomplishment of my life. Like I’ve climbed the mountain for the first time in what feels like forever. Instead, I’m wondering to myself… was it worth it? Wondering if I’m about to..."

Another voice spoke up from off-camera. Firehawk lifted his head as she spoke. "Have the fans turn their backs on you?" Shiana Sentarl stood in the doorway, before entering the room, meeting her husband's gaze. "Sounds awfully familiar… but then, that’s exactly what happened to me, four years ago, after winning the first Grand Ascension. All because… I shouldn’t have won it. I wasn’t deserving. Laenara Kintelas was. The first seeds of Vindication were planted the moment I defeated her that night, October 28, 2019."

Firehawk shook his head. "This is different."

Shiana arched a brow, hands on her hips. "Is it? It’s the same feeling. The greatest accomplishment yet, but you’re the only one who believes it. I told you, back then, what the truth was. Almost a full year after those seeds were planted, I made you an offer. Told you that the future was coming, looking to cast us aside. I offered you a place in Vindication."

Firehawk sighed. "And I denied you. For the same reason I'd deny you now."

"I know. I’ve always known. You never would’ve taken the offer. Not then, not now. I wouldn’t bother making it this time, the moment is long gone. You’re not me… standing in my position, now, four years later, I know you won’t make the same decision I did. Because it’s simply not in your nature. But this constant need to play the hero is going to consume you. It’s going to destroy you, Firehawk. I didn’t make the offer that I did entirely out of malice... I didn’t want to see you continue to destroy yourself the same way you always have. Being the hero. The paragon." Shiana was quieter now, though no less firm with her words.

"If that’s the way things are going to be, then I’m not going to turn away from it. It’s who I’ve always been. I’m not sure I’m capable of being anything else." Firehawk shook his head once more, eyes firmly locked on Shiana by now. "You say it's about me playing the hero... some kind of paragon. I'm not sure that's it, Shiana... hell, I haven't felt particularly heroic lately, if I'm being honest. But I feel like time's running out. Even for someone who's not really lost a step that much... I can feel the clock ticking away. Maybe going for this whole thing by itself is, by itself... 'heroic' somehow? If you consider Avispa the 'villain'... but. Well, it's like I said. I don't know how to be anything else but who I am. Who and what I've always been."

Shiana measured him with a gaze that looked almost... critical? “I know. That’s why we ended up together in the first place. But this is going to wear you down… more than anything you’ve ever faced before. And Mascara Avispa is the kind of champion that’s going to use that against you. He's already ended one career, Firehawk." She folded her arms, and her voice became more firm. "You can’t take the high road every single time. Sooner or later, you’re going to get dragged down. It doesn’t matter how you think it’s going to go... I won’t tell you how to handle this. One way or the other, I don’t know whether you’re going to come out the other side of this the same." She took a deep breath. "I'll be watching, though. Always."

The two fell quiet for a few moments. "Shiana..." He spoke quietly, giving a thoughtful nod. "You've given me a lot to think about. You may be right, in a few ways. I have no intention of compromising who I am... but I think I know how I've got to deal with this whole thing. It starts with dealing with the Sheridans. And from there... Avispa." He gave a firm nod. "Hero... villain... I'm not sure it matters for this. Not anymore. Where the World Championship is concerned... well. Thoughts for another day. I have some plans in mind, but... there's too much to worry about first. I'll see you at home, OK?"

The two parted after a few moments, and the cameras faded out on a thoughtful Firehawk... brow furrowed, still considering just how to deal with the night's events... and the future.