Post by Joshua Bishop on Jul 18, 2014 1:44:45 GMT -5
Live from the Mobile Civic Center in Mobile, Alabama, it's the long-awaited first event of iCONic Pro Wrestling, Iconic Revolution, now broadcasting from the ZODIAC Network!
Twenty men started down the Road To Glory and went through three grueling stages, fighting for the right to compete for the iPW Global Heavyweight Championship.
However, not all of these men would be satisfied with the outcome of this sprawling tournament. Lemarcus Carter and Brent Delivine, two of the original participants, forfeited their places before the preliminary stages concluded, notably upsetting two veterans in Smokey & John Blackrose. Smokey would be the first man to call the two villains out - but Carter & Delivine would be the first ones to make a move. In his Global Title quarter-final match with Keith Connor, Carter & Delivine would leave an impact, viciously attacking The Young Gun before the match could ever begin. It was later confirmed that Connor had joined forces with Carter & Delivine, who would become known as "Sacrament." In an effort to grow their numbers, Connor would attempt to recruit Trey Owens into the fold, who promptly declined their offer with authority. Owens, Blackrose, and Smokey would soon plead their case to the iPW President for a six-man tag match against the trio and get their wish for Iconic Revolution.
The Road To Glory did not end well for Caylen Rogers OR Zach Starr, two of the heavy favorites coming out of the preliminary stages. Zach Starr came out of the stages with the most points accumulated and had strong performances in all three stages, but he would have a disappointing showing in the Long Walk, losing in the quarter-final to Caylen Rogers. Caylen, like Starr, had impressive performances in all three stages as well, but would ultimately fall just short, losing in an exciting bout against Steven Santos in the semi-final. Determined to redeem himself, Starr would issue a challenge to Caylen for a rematch, feeling that one of them would be the first man to get a shot against the Global Champion in his first defense. With that enticing thought in mind, Caylen Rogers would accept the match.
According to the results of the preliminary stages and the Long Walk, Evan O'Shea and Dante Styles are two hard men to judge properly. Both men have had their moments where they certainly looked impressive and shined in the limelight, but those moments were only flashes. Their talents are undeniable, but the main thing holding these two back from taking the next step is inconsistency. It may be surprising to use that term to describe Evan O'Shea, a decorated veteran known and respected for his excellent in-ring skills, but it's hard to deny when you consider that his peers have found greater success. Dante Styles, on the other hand, is a frustrating case. Like his older brother, Louden Styles, Dante is a talented wrestler - perhaps even more so. But any chances of this potential being realized continue being dashed due to Dante's youthful arrogance. It's clear these two men have a gift and may be ready to take the next step, but only one man will get the chance to get the catalyst that could kickstart their rise to the top: the iPW Legendary Championship.
And in our main event, we have the two true survivors of the Road To Glory, the two men who made it to the finals of the Global Title bracket and the two men who have consistently given inspiring performances throughout the whole tournament. Marcus King and Steven Santos have been fighting since the day iPW opened its doors. Marcus King has fought his entire life growing up on the tough streets of Yonkers, New York, and tonight he'll be in for the toughest fight of his life. No one expects Marcus King to defeat his opponent - "The Loose Cannon", Steven Santos. Santos, a dangerous adversary who has been criminally underrated by his peers and many fans, is hellbent on fighting everyone in his path and beating them to bloody pulps. Santos has already seen a fair share of high-profile matches in iPW and has stood head and shoulders above the rest of the crowd in the Road To Glory tournament. Santos has been on a tear since Stage 2 of the tournament and he hasn't looked back, leaving a path of destruction everywhere he's been and not looking back. Either way you look at it, these two men are facing their potential toughest opponent to date, with both looking for the same prize with life-changing implications: the iPW Global Heavyweight Championship. For Steven Santos, it's about "holding the Championship hostage" so he can fight everyone that comes for the gold. For Marcus King, it's a story about pride and redemption - the ability to say that he truly started from rock bottom and worked all the way to the top. But only one man will leave with Championship gold. One man will leave with fortune...the other will leave with famine.
