When we return we are told by the announce crew, Joe Aiello and Linley Tolbert that the next match will be part of a two-division round robin to determine a Heritage Champion. Vice-President Dale Kuentz has hand picked 6 men that he feels are some of the best technical and mat wrestlers in GPW. Those six men have been divided into the following two divisions; 

Bracket A: Gabriel Argos, Den Graves, Union Jack

Bracket B: Vic Gate, Gregor Kitnitsov, Mr. Wrestling

Our first match tonight will also be the first match in Bracket A. 
Den Graves (6'3 260 lbs. Wiggan School of England, via Potsdam, Germany)

V

Gabriel Argos (6'2 252 lbs. Cyprus)

1 fall 20 minute time limit 

Two of the best ground grapplers in GPW go at it right here. Both bring a well defined strategy to the match. Argos tries his best to engage Graves in a series of chain wrestling, hoping to wind Graves or to pick up a quick pin. Graves though stays in the middle, forcing Argos to be the aggressor, and to expend more energy working around Graves. Den Graves waits for his chance to put on a submission hold, and when he doesn't get the chance he breaks off from any sequence by grabbing the ropes. Argos goes for a crucifix but Graves holds his balance and drops back into a Samoan drop. He gets the 2 count.

Argos is the fan favorite here and takes on that role even more when he becomes the aggressor. Graves is an arrogant German born mat technician, while Argos is an olive skinned, black tights and boots, throwback style grappler from Cyprus.

Graves nails Argos with a release German suplex and Argos bounces off the mat and rolls out of the ring. Graves goes through a couple of sequences not allowing Argos back inside the ring before Argos grabs Graves by the head and drags him to the floor.

Outside the ring the match degenerates into a brawl, and referee Jimmy Appleseed is forced to leave the ring and get between the grapplers, insisting they return to the ring. We go to commercial as he tries to retain order. 

[commercial break] 

When we return from break Argos is in control and pushes his advantage with a pair of flying dropkicks, a snap suplex, and then a 2 count after an enzuigiri. Graves reverses things with a thumb to the eye, and then takes control with a punishing spinebuster, followed by a belly-to-belly suplex. Graves reaches down and attempts to grab the leg of Argos for a submission, but the opponent blasts out with a kick to the knee of the German. Argos reaches up and pulls Graves down by the front of the tights and applies a front facelock while trying to reverse positions and get on top of Graves. The German though maintains his balance, and does a headstand as a precursor to kicking out. Both men scramble to their feet and Argos attempts to catch Graves with a surprise standing dropkick, but the German moves out of the way. Graves seizes his opportunity and begins to work over the knee of Argos with a series of stomps and twists. Within seconds he applies the kneelock submission and Argos submits in a great deal of pain. 

[Den Graves defeats Gabriel Argos by submission with the kneelock submission at 10:35] 

Post-Match:

Graves refuses to release the hold until Union Jack storms the ring from the backstage area and makes Graves bail out of the ring. UJ will be Graves next opponent in Bracket A. He helps Argos to his feet, and the two fan favorites shake hands. 

Backstage:

The announce team informs us that Saturday Morning Squash will premiere this coming Saturday, February 1^st. One of the shows special features will be a guest commentator, and the ability of fans to ask that commentator questions via e-mail. This weeks guest color commentary will be added by our President Jack Larkin.  

The next match is a qualifier match. The winner of this match will still have one more match to win before getting a spot in the Eight Ball Scramble.  

Hombre Muerto Recorre (6'2 262 lbs., Mexicali, Mexico)

V

"Greaser" Johnny Rivale (6'1 189 lbs. Topeka, Kansas) 

Pretty even match up between these two youngsters. Rivale is a natural brawler, and a very dirty player. He has a bit of Rowdy Roddy Piper in him, and plays well to the crowd. HMR has a bit of a walking dead Desperado type gimmick going and was the fan favorite in this one. Rivale kept frustrating HMR with eye gouges, stalling tactics, and chokes, but never really showed he was better then Recorre. In the end it just took a strong, sustained rally by Recorre to put him over the top. 

[Hombre Muerto Recorre defeated Johnny Rivale by pinfall after an Aztecan Suplex at 9:52] 

[commercial break] 

In ring interview:

Deane Moore is in the ring to interview big time star, Chrome. The Black Hills wrestler has a biker look, and major league size at 6'9 and 328 lbs. All he lacks is experience, fluidity in the ring, and a few injury free months. 

Moore] Chrome, welcome back to your native lands, welcome back to the Great Plains. 

Chrome] You know Deane, its such a pleasure to get a chance to move back here, to God's country. I loved my stay in Japan, but nothing beats wrestling at home. I've looked at the roster, and although we have some good wrestlers, I don't see anyone here that is going to get in the way of this big hogg. 

Moore] Next week, here on Rage, you will take on the winner of the Lord Valmont and Damien Demento match for the right to be in the 8-ball scramble. Who do you prefer to wrestle? 

Chrome] Well its an old cliché but it really doesnt matter Deane. To me its just a warm-up for bigger and better things. 

<<< cue "Bitter Sweet Symphony" by the Verve >>> 

Lord Valmont, along with his wife and valet Sherry Valmont come to the ring and interrupt the interview. These two are like a velvet throwback to a long ago era, as she takes off his ring robe and he primps himself in the mirror before speaking. 

Lord Valmont] Chrome...Chrome...what kind of name is that? Is that Barvarian perchance? To be quite frank Monseigneur the only thing more depraved that I can imagine then being in these wastelands of cattle herders, is to have to listen to one more second of your boorish clap trap. Now my match with Mr. Demento is next, so be a good boy and run along. Ta-ta. 

Chrome] You sir are in the wrong ring, in the wrong part of the country, and the wrong decade. But I'm just going to laugh this off, and feel pity on you. I've met your opponent for tonight, and I really dont think I will be seeing you next week in the qualifier. But if I do, you better pray that the punishment I give out will be severe enough to cause you early paralysis and save you from a hellish night of pain. 

Preliminary Qualifying match for the 8-Ball Scramble.

Lord Valmont (6'0 250 lbs. The South of France)

V

Damien Demento (6'2 288 lbs. The Outer Reaches of Your Mind) 

Valmont used a lot of stalling tactics and complained a lot to referee Jimmy Appleseed making false accusations of treachery against Demento. Damien has put on about 40 lbs., of bulk since we last saw him around a decade ago. He still seems just as much out of his mind, but this time around the fans are solidly behind him.

Demento finally snaps and begins to punish Valmont with knees and elbows. Unable to get the pin Demento is taunted by Valmont and finally loses it. Demento grabs a chair and blasts Valmont twice in the head busting him open, and then blasts Appleseed when he tries to grab the chair. Demento leaves the ring, and head of officials Buddy Lane comes down to the ring and disqualifies Demento. 

[Lord Valmont defeats Damien Demento by disqualification when Demento nailed Valmont with a chair at 6:11] 

[commercial break] 

<<< cue "Oh Canada" >>>

Playboy Vincent Regliatti & Eric Scott come to the ring. Both these men once competed in Mid-America. They climb inside the ring and grab a mic. 

Regliatti] Hello U.S.A. !!! It is such a privledge to be here in the cradle of civilization! But you know, looking around, you know what I don't see? Sinister Stan Baker.

Scott] Vincent, thats because in the dying days of NPW we ran him out of town. He was a real tough guy until you got a hold of his goatee and led him around the ring like the *beep* he is. 

The fans boo, as the Great Canadians have a good chuckle. 

Regliatti] You know what Scott? There is only one thing I hate more than Americans who act tougher than they really are.

Scott] American women?

Regliatti] No, but close. Its Western Canadians, they are so uncouth and backward. Like our opponents tonight the Calgary hillbillies.

Scott] Bring them on! 

<<< cue "Choke" by Kittie >>>

Pistol Greg Pawluk and Hotshot Johnny Devine, the Young Guns, run to the ring. They slide under the bottom rope and are greeted by the boots of the Great Canadians. 

The Great Canadians (Scott/Regliatti) 485 lbs.

V

The Young Guns (Pawluk/Devine) 405 lbs. 

The Young Guns have the energy and the intensity to give the Great Canadians quite a handful. However, the deciding factor in this match seems to be Scott's experience. To be more precise Scott knows just how to cheat behind the ref's back to gain the advantage. His cause is helped greatly by the fact that the ref is long time inept official Jurgen Hermann. Once Scott takes control of the match his partner Regliatti is a very efficient attacker and technician, in the Hart Dungeon tradition. Even after Devine gets the hot-tag to Pawluk, it takes only a matter of seconds before the Great Canadians have control of the match again.

Regs stuns Pawluk with a reverse neckbreaker, and then devastates him with a double underhook faceslam. Somehow Pwluk manages to kick out after a two count. The fans are solidly behind the Young Guns but it is not to be their day. Unable to watch any longer Johnny Devine enters the ring and attempts to come to the aid of his partner. But referee Jurgen Hermann takes considerable time to escort him out of the ring and to lecture him on staying in the corner. In the meantime, Scott and Regliatti hit Pawluk with a double spear to the legs, causing Pawluk to crumple to the ground. He's then easy pickings for Scott to apply the figure-four leglock. Pawluk is in too much pain to even lift his shoulders off the mat and is given the 3 count. 

[Great Canadians defeat Young Guns by pinfall when Scott pins Pawluk with the figure-four at 7:26] 

[commercial break] 

Winner gets a spot in the Eight-Ball Scramble at Alive

Asp Evergreen (5'11 205 lbs., Hailey, Idaho)

V

Vendetta (6'4 261 lbs., Port-au-Prince, Haiti) 

Asp seemed quite eager to get something going in this match but was obviously over matched and never got anything going. This was a squash.

Vendetta used an Asai leg lariat to get the pin. 

[Vendetta beat Evergreen by pinfall with the Asai leg lariat at 3:37] 

[commercial break]

Earlier tonight we had the first match from bracket A in the Heritage round robin. Next we had the first match from bracket B. It featured long time fan favorite, the venerable Vic Gate, against Gregor Kitnitsov. The other wrestler in this bracket will be Mr. Wrestling. Before the match began Kitnitsov and his Korean manager Sammy Yip came down to the ring and cut a promo. 

Kitnitsov] Shut up mouths, stupid Americano fans. You dont know nothing. Kitnitsov tell you the truth. Americans say they save Soviet people. I spit on you, petuey. Soviet Union now run by mobsters, like Chicago, from bad American movie. Before we have long bread lines, sometimes you get, sometime, not. Now we have only black market. Everyone go hungry except the dirty rich, and the hookers. I blame you, Americano fans for being stupid, for making your government peoples change our peoples. I come to the United States not to wrestle, but to let you know you have changed nothing. Just made worse.  

Yip] Everywhere you go, Americans make worse. Korea, worse. Vietnam, worse, Kuwait, worse. Canada, worse. Soviet Union, worse. Like Kitnitsov I share hatred for American people. Unlike Kitnitsov I have some money to do something about it. So take that and you gonna rike it, you plicks. 

Bracket B Heritage Championship Round Robin

Gregor Kitnitsov (5'10 225 lbs., the former C.C.C.P)

V

Vic Gate (6'1 235 lbs., St. Louis, MO) 

Gate is one tough and wiley veteran. He managed to keep the stronger, more aggressive Soviet off his game plan for most of the match. When Kitnitsov did grab control it was thanks to a well placed trip on the part of Sammy Yip. Kitnitsov turned on the attack with a double underhook suplex, and a somersault bodyblock, but only got a 2 count. A piledriver, and a pair of snap suplexes again yielded only a 2 count.

Referee Buddy Lane got bumped out of the action and Kitnitsov put Gate in a full nelson and pulled him to the corner where Sammy Yip was waiting with the ringbell. But Gate managed to run-up the body of Yip and springboard off, flipping away from the full nelson and a very surprised Soviet. Gate picked up Kitnitsov and delivered a devastating back suplex. He then kicked Yip off the apron. Referee Buddy Lane awoke just in time to see Gate deliver his German Suplex finisher and to count the 1, 2, 3. 

[Vic Gate defeated Gregor Kitnitsov by pinfall at 8:39 after a German Suplex] 

[commercial break]

Nest up we have the match set up at the start of the show. This is the pro wrestling premiere for NCAA legend, Cael Sanderson.

Winner gets a spot in the 8-Ball scramble.

Boss Strickland (6'3  256 lbs. , St. Cloud, MN)

v

Cael Sanderson (6'2  227 lbs., Heber City, UT)

Quite frankly Sanderson was just ill prepared for this match. His takedowns were effective, and was able to neutralize a lot of Strickland's attack but did nothing to really damage Strickland. One time he managed to lock in a rear naked choke, but of course it was broken up as it is illegal in the pro game.

Strickland seemed to toy with Sanderson at times but when he tried to put away the youngster he had problems of his own as Sanderson turned out to be a defensive wizard. However, Strickland managed to send Sanderson head first into the ringpost, between the turnbuckles, and then delivered an inverted DDT. He then felt it necessary to hold onto a handful of tights in the subsequent pin.

[Boss Strickland defeated Cael Sanderson after an inverted DDT, and aided by a handful of tights, at 12:17]

Cut to the backstage area where a camera crew is following the sounds of yelling voices. The camera bursts into Larkin's office where sitting down with the phone cradled into his shoulder he is being verbally blasted by Chrome. 

Chrome] Are you mad Larkin? I thought this was going to be a no bullshit wrestling company, free of all that crap? I didn't think you were going to stoop this low to bolster ratings. 

Larkin] *hissing* Lower your voice, or he'll here you. 

Chrome] I don't care if he hears me. I'm not afraid of his twisted soul. Bring it on. But Larkin, this is the worst move you could make. This guy is infamous for hurting people, burning bridges, and destroying goodwill in towns. Mark my words he's going to come in here, win a few matches, destroy someone's life, and then leave in the middle of the night. I can't believe you would be this stupid. 

Chrome walks furiously past the camera crew, slamming the door on his way out. 

Larkin into the phone] Okay, its all set. What? That? That was just Chrome. Yes, he's a local guy. Uh-huh. Well if you qualified for the 8-ball scramble next week then you would get your hands on him at Alive. Let's see, yes I left a spot open for you. You'll take on Moses Luke, and if you win that match you're into the 8-ball. Okay, we'll see you next week. 

FADE TO BLACK