Phoenix Rising: Proving Ground #136 Results

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."

Dani Sterling def. Alexandria Kirison
Argent def. Hana Estrella
Allison Avery def. Fresh Fuji
Telan Kintelas def. Nicole Blade
Sanya Markov and Arthur Wright def. The Rising Storm to retain the Phoenix Rising Tag Team Championships
Telan Kintelas def. Dani Sterling
Argent def. Allison Avery
Flex Steele won the eight-way over-the-top battle royal
Firehawk Sentarl def. Concrete Pete to retain the Phoenix Rising World Championship
Argent def. Telan Kintelas to win the Grand Ascension

Firehawk Sentarl: "I know the world's probably getting tired of seeing this. Standing tall, for the fifteenth time this year, still the World Champion. But I'm not the kind of man who steps down and lets this go without a fight. Anything less than my best is disrespecting this title. Anything less than my best, and whoever takes me down won't have earned it. Pete's a damn good wrestler, that much I've learned after tonight. He's got what it takes to go a long way... do I think he's gonna be Evergreen Champion at some point? Absolutely. Will he capture the Evergreen tag titles? Undoubtedly.

But tonight, I made it clear that I'm still every bit as dangerous as I've ever been. The best I've ever been. So if I'm looking to the future, and seeing Argent there... well, there we go, another Evergreen star. And another chance for me to defend everything Phoenix Rising stands for."

Argent: "Simple as that. I told you. Size matters. As simple to understand as anything in this world. What isn't so easy to understand is why in the hell I would get the reception I got tonight. You have a problem with me taking down Hana Estrella? With Allison Avery? With Telan Kintelas? Three people with bigger mouths than skills, when it comes to facing me. You're really gonna cheer some rich Hollywood diva that doesn't give a damn about a single one of you, fine. You have a problem with me, fine. You wanted your damn hero story for Telan Kintelas, then maybe he should've been born with an extra six inches of height to stand at the table with the rest of us.

Like I said. Size matters. That's why the Silver Towers are one of the most dominant, destructive teams in Evergreen. That's why I'm the Grand Ascension champion. That's why I'm going to be the Phoenix Rising World Champion when all is said and done. Prove me wrong. Because I know you can't."

The Grand Ascension winner and the reigning World Champion crossed paths not long after Argent’s match with Kaelara. “Wasn’t expecting to give you a front-row seat into what you’ve gotten yourself into for New Year’s Bash, champ. But figures a smart guy like you would do some scouting. Not gonna do you much good in the long run.”

“Maybe, maybe not. Guessing you’ll be watching when Showdown rolls around next.” Firehawk adjusted the belt across his shoulder. “Smart guy like you should be doing some ‘scouting’ yourself. Everything you’ve done up to this point was the warm-up.”

“Right. The kid’s supposed to be every bit as tough as her dad… and you saw how I handled her. So remind me-”

“In your own words, Argent, size matters. Kae’s got spirit and resilience like nobody else I’ve seen in years. She’s also nowhere near your size. But you can’t exactly throw your weight around quite so easily if you step into the ring with me.” Firehawk stared him down for a moment. “But here’s the real kicker… even if you do scout, could be for nothing. Could be I falter before the year’s out. Could be my next challenger is the last. Never know, on any given night…”

“Right. I’m gonna believe that one of the most dominant World Champions ever is gonna fall before the big one. You’re itching to face me. You need to face me.”

“Please, big guy, quit acting like you’re so much more important than everyone else…” Another voice came from behind Argent, and as he turned, he saw Veronika Armstrong approaching. “I swear, I wouldn’t have taken you for the kinda guy that got one big win and suddenly grew an ego over it, but here we are.”

“And what does it matter to you?” Argent shook his head, glancing between her and Firehawk. “Unless…”

“Bingo. Showdown’s big guy upstairs is always looking for the next big name to challenge the champ, the boss-man here. And see… I’ve been itching for another shot at that World Championship for two years now. No better time than right now, when I’m hot. When I got momentum on my side. When Oakland’s Most Metal is at their height.”

“Then let me remind you again… I may have discussed the size difference or lack thereof between myself and Firehawk, but you…”

“Just wiped out Kroll without breaking a sweat.” Veronika cut him off, tension between the two razor-sharp in the air while Firehawk gave a small chuckle beside them.

“At any rate. Veronika gets her shot at Showdown #136. If she wins, she’s going to New Year’s Bash… to face you, Argent. But I want to remind both of you what I said before facing Concrete Pete last week on finals night: it’s one thing, defending this title as much as I have. It’s another entirely, defending it against someone outside of the Phoenix Rising main circle. You have an uphill battle more than most.”

“Don’t get me started.” Veronika turned to Firehawk. “I know you and the rest of the ‘main fed’ have looked down on Evergreen from day one. You pick who you like, who you think could be ‘mainstream’ stars, and damn the rest. You think I’m one of the ‘few’ that can come under the main umbrella and join up with the ‘real wrestlers’. Just remember, I’m the fucking heart and soul of Evergreen. The one who defines who Evergreen is more than anyone, yes, including Mercy, including Royce! So if you look down on me, if you look past me, then you’re damn well gonna see an Evergreen star lifting the World Championship. And as for you, Argent-” She turned to the larger man, who scowled down at her. “Win or lose, you and I have some business to settle. You seem to have a bit of a problem with me, huh? So here’s the deal. I win and become World Champion, I’ll see you at New Year’s Bash. I blow it against Firehawk, which I acknowledge is a possibility… then you and me, next Evergreen, and I show you just how much ‘size matters’, Mr. Insecure.” She gave Argent’s chest a firm pat before turning to leave, all three of them parting ways... Veronika fired up, Firehawk calm and collected as ever, and Argent... seething quietly, briefly watching Veronika before taking his own path out of the building.