Randal Savage slowly lowered his microphone, a smug grin spreading across his face as he turned to the towering giant beside him.
"Andre." Savage's voice dripped with arrogance. "Take care of him."
The arena erupted in a deafening wave of boos. Every eye in the building was glued to the giant.
In the center of the ring, Victor Cross stood frozen, shock etched on his face. He stared at Andre, trying to wrap his head around the betrayal.
Just days ago, Andre had been celebrated as the heroic savior of Promotion Wars, stepping in to help IRW fend off NJPW. Now, he was playing the muscle for one of Victor's fiercest rivals.
"Andre!" Victor shouted, stepping forward. "Don't do this! You don't have to listen to him!"
Andre took a heavy, deliberate step forward.
The crowd groaned in unison.
"I can't believe this," Noah gasped on commentary. "Andre is actually going through with it!"
"I told you, Noah," Irvin chuckled, leaning back in his chair. "Everyone has a price. Randal paid Andre's."
Realizing words wouldn't change anything, Victor let out a sharp sigh and charged. He lunged at the giant, hoping to strike before Andre could use his massive size to his advantage.
Victor slammed a powerful forearm into Andre's chest—but the giant barely flinched. He threw another strike, then a third, each landing with a heavy thud, yet having no effect.
Andre took control.
Planting both massive hands on Victor's chest, the giant shoved him backward with staggering force. Victor stumbled, barely managing to stay on his feet—only to look up just as Andre charged. A thunderous clothesline nearly turned Victor inside out, flipping his momentum completely upside down.
Victor crashed hard onto the mat.
Angry jeers echoed off the rafters.
"Victor never stood a chance against that kind of size!" Noah said, disappointment clear in his voice.
"You've got to hand it to him, Noah," Irvin pondered, "that was one stunning clothesline."
Randal Savage let out a cackle, swaggering over to the downed superstar. "I told you this time would be different," he taunted, delivering a vicious kick right into Victor's ribs.
As another wave of animosity washed over him, Savage reveled in every moment.
"You still think you're better than me?"
Victor clenched his teeth, struggling to push himself off the mat, but Savage quickly put him back down with another heavy boot to the chest. His eyes flickered toward the turnbuckle, and a spark ignited within him.
"You know what?" Savage proclaimed, playing to the crowd. "I think everyone needs a little reminder."
He began his ascent up the turnbuckles. Behind him, Andre stood like an unyielding fortress, ready to fend off any would-be intruders.
The crowd sensed what was about to unfold.
"Somebody stop this!" Noah cried out.
"I don't see anyone stepping up," Irvin quipped.
Savage steadied himself on the top rope, leaped into the air, and crashed down with his signature diving elbow drop right into Victor's sternum. The impact reverberated through the arena.
Victor immediately rolled onto his side, gasping for breath, while Savage sprang to his feet, raising both hands in a victorious gesture.
A flurry of officials and referees rushed down the ramp and dove into the ring.
"Back up! Step away from him!" one official shouted, raising his hands in command.
Savage merely chuckled mockingly, casually retreating. Andre cast one last stoic glance at Victor before turning away from the chaos. Amidst a chorus of furious cheers from the IRW fans, the giant and the veteran made their way up the ramp together.
Inside the ring, referees knelt around Victor, assessing his condition.
"I still can't wrap my head around it," Noah confessed, shaking his head in disbelief. "Andre debuted as a hero in Promotion Wars, and now he's doing Randal Savage's dirty work."
"I don't buy it," Noah replied flatly. "Something about this doesn't add up."
--
The atmosphere in the arena shifted noticeably after the commercial break, buzzing with anticipation until a familiar theme song blared through the speakers.
Marcus Vane and Cal Bishop made their entrance, and the Flashpoint Brothers were met with a warm, respectful cheer as they walked down the ramp.
"Great to see these two back in action," Noah remarked.
"They definitely have some unfinished business to attend to," Irvin chimed in.
Once inside the ring, Marcus took hold of a microphone. "I've been keeping an eye on everything that's been happening over the last few weeks," he said, gesturing toward the backstage area. "I've seen the Apex Predators crumble."
Cal stepped up next to him, nodding in agreement. "I've witnessed long-time friendships come to an end."
"And honestly..." Marcus paused, his tone growing serious, "...it's a real shame. But we're not here to kick anyone while they're down. We're here to look ahead."
The crowd responded with a wave of applause.
"We have one dream," Cal said, taking the mic. "We want to be Tag Team Champions." He pointed directly at the entrance curtain. "Those titles are what we're after."
Marcus raised his microphone high. "Road Warriors! We're throwing down the challenge!"
Almost immediately, the champions' thunderous entrance music blasted through the arena.
Road Warrior Hawk and Road Warrior Animal appeared on stage, the Tag Team Championships shining brightly over their broad shoulders. The crowd erupted in excitement. Without hesitation, the two powerhouses charged down the ramp and leaped into the ring, locking eyes with their challengers.
Animal grabbed a microphone, a cocky grin spreading across his face. "So... you boys think you deserve a shot?"
"We know we do," Marcus shot back, quick as a flash.
Hawk let out a booming laugh, stepping right into Marcus's personal space. "No. You haven't done a damn thing since you lost that first match."
"A rookie doesn't walk into the boss's office demanding a promotion," Animal added, drawing an intrigued hush from the crowd. "You have to earn it."
Marcus narrowed his eyes. "And how do we do that?"
Animal grinned wickedly. "You don't fight the bosses first. You fight the bosses' men."
Before Marcus or Cal could reply, an explosive heavy-metal riff blasted over the sound system. The arena turned as one toward the stage as the entrance theme of the Steel Titans tore through the building.
"Ah, I see," Noah said, the picture coming into focus. "I think we just found out who the Road Warriors' 'minions' are."
Irvin chuckled loudly. "And if Marcus and Cal want those belts, they're going to have to survive the Steel Titans first!"