And So It Begins...

Welcome back to "Indulging Synn," friends and foes. With as little fanfare as possible this week, let's get on to what's happening in the good ol' X-H-of-W.

This past week was certainly one of new beginnings in one way or another. Let's start with the first Anarchy following Full Throttle, where a new championship belt was christened and a new champion crowned.

Last week's Saturday Night Anarchy was one to be remembered, folks. The show started off with a bang as everyone was excited to be back in the Stomping Grounds after a hellacious across-the-globe trek to Japan. Opening up the night was an appearance by one of the most recent XHW signees: Shark Boy. Adding to the more bizarre characters that we've seen appearing in the fed over the past few weeks, Shark Boy made quite the impact, decimating two XHW Academy hopefuls with a flurry of fists and a couple Deep Sea Stunners. It looks like Shark Boy wasn't too pleased with being left off Anarchy this week, but no doubt he'll get his chance soon.

Shortly after order was restored in the Grounds after Shark Boy's disruption, former Undisputed and Universal Champion and most recent XHW MVP 2008 Award Winner Dante West made his way to the ring to call out Giovanni Valentino. Furious over the events that transpired at Full Throttle, West demanded Valentino next week in the ring on Anarchy. I guess we'll have to wait until tomorrow night to see exactly how Gio plans on weaseling his way out of this one...

After West, it was right back to the freak show as a pair of brothers in the Sheglins, Doug and Danny Bean, took on O.D.B. and Casey Dodge. Despite their... eccentricities, the Sheglins couldn't find the handle on this night, and it was the returning Casey Dodge that scored the pin over Doug. I don't know what I'm more confused about, how a team with a drunk on it managed to win a match, or how two brothers with the last name "Bean" are called "the Sheglins."

After a brief episode of Dirk Diver insulting both the women in the audience and intelligence of our world-wide audience, we caught a glimpse of Ethan Price gathering more signatures for his petition to keep the Undisputed Woman's Championship around the waist of Cordelia Murphy. It remains to be seen exactly how that's going to work out of the ever-present manager, and we won't have to wait long as it seem Max Turner will address the situation on this week's edition of Anarchy. Either way, Grace Rourke is waiting for her chance at the eventual champion at Superbrawl II.

Speaking of chances, we saw Maverick Harley get left at the alter against the man known as "The Chance" after Cleaven couldn't quite find his way out of Japan last week. Unfortunately for the the local talent that they sent to the ring in his place, Mav Harley wasn't amused. One Anti-Aircraft Cannon later and Harley walked away with a "W" in his return to the federation. At least it gives him some motivation for his blog later, right?

After the abject humiliation that Christian Cage suffered at Full Throttle against the returning Roger Reinhardt (what's with all these superstars suffered nostalgia all of a sudden?), JBL had some harsh words for the former Universal Champion. It turns out that Lucy Walker has given JBL creative license when it comes to naming the stipulations for the Cage/'Hardt match at Superbrawl II, and, believe it or not, their fate is in the hands of the fans. One of the four options, a Street Fight, a Texas Bullrope Match, a Two out of Three Falls Match, or a tag match pitting Cage and JBL against Reinhardt and Sara Foxx, the popular vote from the fans will make the final decision. Regardless of what the stipulations are, I get the feeling this won't end pretty...

It was a pretty easy night this past week for Tyler Kiss. She woman-handled Freyja all over the ring before finally putting her down for the count. This seems like a pretty textbook case of two careers heading in opposite directions to me.

J.T. Cash and the rest of the Next Generation caused a bit of a stir Saturday as they conducted some incognito activities with Mark Matthews trying to get the scoop. Matthews failed, and we had to wait until Wednesday to see what Cash, Hoss, and Riggs were actually planning, which we'll touch on later. It's like I always say: never send a boy to do a man's job.

In a couple of moments that fans would sooner like to forget than remember, Asylum's arch-nemesis North Starr came down to the ring to remind the world that he's not going anywhere, and he brought his new bodyguard, the Cobra Commander, with him. Needless to say, the entire scene was a bit of a bizarre sight, but that seems to the norm lately on Saturdays. Not to be outdone, Starr was immediately followed by Leon Lees letting the Saturday Night faithful know that he was in the market for some new talent. And if you're saying "Leon who?" I can't particularly blame you. Not even Jimm Red wanted to give his former family friend/manager the time of day...

Grace Rourke decided to make an example of Audree Gates on the night as well. With her eyes firmly on Superbrawl II, Rourke made quick work of the elder Gates, despite Audree's resolve. One GVR later, and the match was over.

The crowd was a bit disturbed when the voice of Ravage took over the air in the Stomping Grounds. He was there to deliver a message to a little lady who had been sticking potatoes in his tail pipe... literally. However, I think we all know that Casey Blue had little to worry about now, which we'll get to later.

In a moment which can only be described as "glad it's over," Jimm Red graced us all with his presence in his farewell to Anarchy. Accompanied by the ever opportunistic Leon Lees (again), Jimm let all the Anarchy fans know that he hasn't quite made up his mind which WarZone division he'll be gracing with his presence, and was even congratulated by last month's Anarchy Cup Graduate, Aston Michaels, before he left the arena. I have to admit, it was a strange sight for almost everyone, but I get the feeling that relationship is just starting...

It was a rather anticlimactic end to the feud between Johnny Blade and Whitesnake last week. After all the bickering and name-calling and ring-announcer-threatening, their cage match came to an end with Whitesnake bloodied in the ring and Blade standing on the outside. I guess that's that.

Just before the main event, Reinhardt decided to explain his actions at Full Throttle to my colleague, Elise Jones. He laid out how he went to Steve Lombardi and offered him more than Layfield would to take his place in the Battle Without Honor or Humanity, and how he'll come out guns blazing at Superbrawl II regardless of the stipulation. I for one can't wait to see this match play out (and I voted for the Street Fight!).

Of course, then it was time for the moment that all the Anarchists had been waiting for since the match was made: the crowning of the first ever Bronx Champion. It was a battle royal that had all the superstars in a ruckus, and the promos throughout the week were intense to say the least. The first few elimination went in a blur as Violator, James, Gabriel Alexander, Espio, Slapnutz, Bronko Allen, and Matthew Wellington were tossed out almost with ease. After that, the road got a little tougher as Trent Larson, Victor Mason, Quentyn Sullivan, Kurt Angle, and Z.Styles were eliminated. With two-thirds of his faction gone, it was only natural that Ravage fell victim next, and he did thanks to some mace from Mr. Jingles. After a brilliant showing from these three men, Asylum, the man-beast Reno Drake, and the hardcore Doc Hammer were gone next. With only four men left, Dirk Diver, Jimi Saint, Mr. Jingles, and Diego Cortez, everyone knew that the fireworks were going to fly. They didn't have to wait long as the Spaniard exacted a measure of revenge on the "more than handful" superstar, tossing Dirk to the outside and turning to nail a clothesline on Jimi Saint to eliminate him as well. And in a last, valiant effort, Diego monkey-flipped Mr. Jingles to the outside to claim Saturday's hottest new prize, the Bronx Championship. The moment capped a truly outstanding night for the XHW.

Over on WarZone, the scene turned a little more malicious this week as certain superstars are setting themselves up for Superbrawl II as well as trying to advance in their divisions.

In a pair of X-Core Divisional match-ups, Alyx Gates and Scott Walker founds themselves standing 1 and 2 in the division rankings after victories over Daman Arress and Chris Crawford, respectively. The two friends aren't satisfied with the situation, however, and plan on determining who the real number one contender is next week after talking it out with each other backstage. In that same conversation, we also learned that Gates is behind the spray-paint attack on Lucy Walker's office, also taking place on WarZone. It was an incident sparked by a backstage spat between Gates and Lucy's younger sister, Claire, back when the younger Logan first arrived in the federation. Surely there will be hell to pay for the entire situation...

In their first Universal Divisional match outside of the Japanese Seaman's Pirate Ship match a few weeks ago, Dakota Burrows and Joe Riggs squared off in a vicious encounter. With Riggs still bent on proving that he's got what it takes as a single competitor and Burrows wanting show that she didn't make a mistake in stepping up to the "big boys," neither of these competitors was willing to lose. But in the end, someone was going to prove the mightier, and Riggs certainly showed that he has what it takes, pinning Burrows for the 3 count and moving up in the division rankings.

In an interestingly hushed moment on Wednesday, we saw the Japanese Seaman approach Dante West backstage before West's bout with Mike Hoss, offering him a chance to fight for the Undisputed Championship. However, the offer was dismissed rather briskly by West, saying that he didn't want to risk having yet another honor stripping from him by Hendrix Walker. Certainly the events of the past few weeks were weighing heavily on the former champion's mind as he took on Hoss later in the night, falling victim to the Brimstone Breaker as the Hellraiser continues to establish himself as one of the top-tier names in our federation. "One to Watch" indeed...

In what earned "Match of the Night" honors from management, Jimm Red made quite the debut on WarZone by battling it out with Universal Division member Eddie Rourke. However, Rourke welcoming Red to Wednesday nights in his own fashion, dealing Red his first submission loss courtesy of the Snake Eyes maneuver. Once again, Team Michaels showed up next to the ring to watch Red in action, giving more fuel to the fire that there may be something brewing between these two Cup Graduates.

Good news, fans! The voting for the Superbrawl II match stipulations between Christian Cage and Reinhardt is already open. You only have until this Saturday Night Anarchy (6:00PM EST, 03.08.08) to get your votes in, so do it quickly! The early favorites at the moment seem to be the tag match with JBL/Cage vs. Reinhardt/Sara Foxx and the Street Fight. It seems the people really want to see Foxx return along with her soon to be hubby! That's right folks, in a surprisingly random moment, Reinhardt popped the question to his long-time girlfriend.

Sad to saw, however, that joy wasn't on Reinhardt's mind at the end of WarZone this week. In a brutal tag-match pitting J.T. Cash and Christian Cage against Rob Gunn and 'Hardt, it was the bad guys with a "W" as Cage landed the pin over Gunn. Shockingly, the match itself wasn't the story of the night, it was what transpired after. George Daniels was just about to sign off for the night when a flurry of activity went down that won't soon be forgotten. Reinhardt was handcuffed to the railing as Cage delivered a beatdown on him and the rest of the Next Generation joined J.T. Cash at ringside to physically brutalize Rob Gunn with a steel chair. However, the moment escalated to a whole new level when Johnny Diamond raced down to the rng to seemingly stop the madness, only to turn on Gunn as well and get welcomed to the Next Generation by Cash himself. Without hesitation, Diamond called out Ben Hampton and the Japanese Seaman, letting them know that he plans on cashing in his "golden ticket" at Superbrawl II, wanting the biggest stage possible for their Undisputed Championship match. Surprisingly enough, however, the Great Darkness was nowhere to be found on this night, and the ring cleared shortly after.

For those who thought the night was over, including my geriatric friend, George Daniels, we were quite through yet. The countdown clock mystery was yet to be answered, but it was finally time to see exactly who it was that we were counting down to. As the clock struck zero, the Anarchy fans were treated to the return of a man who claimed he was coming back on Anarchy, and true to his word, it was Jay Adams who walked out from the back. Adams wasting little time in laying down the challenge to the Japanese Seaman as well, creating a bit of a logjam at the top, but no doubt an exciting prospect at Superbrawl II. It remains to be seen how the Undisputed Champion will respond the entire situation, but I'm sure we won't have to wait long.

In recent backstage news, it appears the saga of Audree Gates and Scott Walker won't be ending any time soon. The two have been nearly inseparable lately, despite efforts by Ben Hampton to warn Audree of the consequences of getting involved with co-workers.

Also, it appears that newcomer North Starr isn't making all enemies in the XHW. He was recently seen chatting it up with Claire Logan in an attempt to get her involved with his drama with Asylum. The odds certainly seem to be stacking against the man formerly known as Johnny London...

In a moment mentioned by Jay Adams in his return, it seems Reinhardt and Diego Cortez, two of the XHW's more likable superstars, are co-sponsoring the new energy drink, "The Refresher." Their commercial can be seen during most Spike! TV broadcasts.

In a little-mentioned moment backstage, we also saw a new management connection made before last week's WarZone. Perhaps taking a stab at his old manager, or perhaps just looking for a fresh perspective, J.T. Cash enlisted the services of JBL. It's clear, however, that this agreement is solely between Cash and Layfield, with the rest of the Next Generation left to their own devices.

In another note, it looks like Dante West is making the rounds as far as "last matches" go. The most recent addition to the big man's play-date calender is Roger Reinhardt. First Hoss, then the Seaman offering a last opportunity, and now West hunting down 'Hardt in an effort to make good on a long-lost chance, it seems no one wants to miss out on going one-on-one against a certain future Hall of Famer before his retirement after Superbrawl II.

However, the big news this week that comes to a relief to many of the XHW hardcore faithful is the firing of the entire GWO. It seems that management finally had enough of their actions and gave them the swift boot. However, when the faction refused to vacate the building, our Undisputed Champion decided to take it upon himself to dole out a measure of retribution for their antics against him just before Full Throttle, effectively sending the message that they were no longer welcome in the federation.

Be certain to tune in to tomorrow night's Saturday Night Anarchy. It's a full slate of matches as the road to Superbrawl II continues, completely with a championship match for the Tornado Tag Titles as the new number one contenders, the Dragongate, attempt to dethrone the seemingly insurmountable Excessive Force. We'll also see a couple Anarchy Cup qualifying matches with two matches that have now become singles competition with Jimi Saint against Kurt Angle and Doc Hammer trying to make it back to the cup finals against Victor Mason. Other matches include Maverick Harley taking on Johnny Blade, Bronko Allen locking it up with Slapnutz, and the show opener pitting newcomers Rhett Wildman and Shark Boy against each other. There will also be a pretty heated three-man tag match with the Sheglins and Diego Cortez facing Dirk Diver, Billy Coop, and Mr. Jingles.

Over on the next WarZone which will be a special "Thursday" edition, we'll see a bevy of divisional action as we try to get a clearer picture of who will be title contenders come time for Superbrawl II. In the X-Core ranks, we'll get to see Alyx Gates and Scott Walker determine who the real number one contender to the title is while Aston Michaels and J.T. Cash look to improve their chances to move up in the division as well. Jimm Red will be taking on the Hellraiser, Mike Hoss, but will it be with Red as a part of the X-Core or the Universal division? We've yet to hear from the most recent Anarchy Cup Graduate, and perhaps this will be the night. We've also got three very solid Universal Divisonal match-ups as Rob Gunn and Dakota Burrows square off (finally!), Eddie Rourke gets his shot at Dante West, and the main event pitting Joe Riggs against the champion himself, Turbine, in a non-title match. There will be lots to prove this week, so don't miss it! And surely we won't go a week without hearing from either man challenging the Japanese Seaman, Jay Adams and Johnny Diamond, or the champion himself. How will he handle the situation? Tune in to see!

That's it for this week, fans. As always, if there's anything you'd like to see, feel free to let me know. Thanks for indulging Synn!