GWF: The League (2087)

[giantchitwood]

Welcome to the Year 2087.

The GWF, as you know it, is changing every day.

Not just because of villains like Thantos, the dastardly Code-Breaker.

The Federation itself is about to receive a major shake-up with the change to a league-based structure.

The GWF hopes that by shifting gears away from the traditional wrestling structure, some semblance of order can return to the GWF.

“Thantos has changed the landscape of the GWF, and the sport, forever. We must do what we can to restore what is left of our Galactic Code,” a GWF spokesperson said in a press conference announcing this change.

The GWF is now comprised of two (soon to be three) leagues: The Galaxy League and the Interplanetary League.

While official details are still being worked out on how this will look in the long term, the short-term plan is as follows:

-- After a rating of all 24 GWF superstars by a secret committee, the top 12 rated wrestlers will compete in the GALAXY LEAGUE. The next 12 will compete in the INTERPLANETARY LEAGUE.

-- The league season will comprise of a single round-robin format, with each wrestler wrestling all 11 opponents once in the span of an 11-week season. Three points will be awarded for a win by any means, one for a draw, double countout or double disqualification, and zero points for a loss.

-- At the end of the 11-week season, the competitor with the most points in the Galaxy League will be declared the CHAMPION. The three wrestlers with the fewest points will be DEMOTED to the Interplanetary League in 2088.

-- In the Interplanetary League, the top two wrestlers at the end of the season will be PROMOTED to the Galaxy League in 2088 along with a third wrestler. The third wrestler will be determined by a ONE-NIGHT-ONLY tournament involving the four wrestlers that placed third through sixth in the season standings. The winner of that tournament will join the other two.

-- A third league, the RISING STARS LEAGUE, will start in 2088, comprised of 12 free agents and rookies that have been signed to GWF contracts. Contracts are still being finalized for some participants, so details on promotion and demotion with relation to the Galaxy/Interplanetary League are still being worked out.

-- Matches will be contested under normal rules unless a request is approved by the GWF prior to the match. Those in flagrant abuse of the rules beyond a referee’s discretion will be subject to suspensions. Suspended wrestlers will forfeit any matches that they are unable to participate in during their suspension. Ringside allies will be permitted as necessary unless otherwise stated by the GWF.

The GWF spokesperson also answered questions after the presentation of the League System:

Galaxy League Playoffs? The spokesperson noted that a possible playoff to determine the Galaxy League Champion is a possibility in the future, but for now championships will be determined based on final season standings.

Filling out the schedule? Tag team wrestling? The spokesperson acknowledged that the tight 11-week schedule presents some issues with the usual weekly structure that GWF fans and wrestlers have grown accustomed to. Future plans include a super show, called GWF PERENNIAL, at the end of the season that will feature the Interplanetary League Playoffs. A multi-day tag-team tournament that allows tag specialists to shine is also in the works. Other events have not been determined at this time, but trademarks have been filed for GWF GALACTIC TAG CARNIVAL, GWF SPEEDWAR, GWF HARDCORE KINGS AND GWF BATTLEZONE.

The spokesperson also acknowledged the value of giving GWF wrestlers time off to pursue ambassador work for the brand, heal injuries, return to their home planets, etc, and noted that there may be an extended offseason for the sake of the sport’s health, at least until the new League System can be evaluated for effectiveness.

Title lineage? The GWF spokesperson acknowledged that fans, and some wrestlers, may be turned away by the effective termination of the existing GWF title lineage. The spokesperson insisted that there is a substantial prize money difference for competing and winning the Galaxy League vs. the Interplanetary League, and that a lengthy career competing in the Galaxy League will be as prestigious and valuable as winning and losing title belts. The spokesperson also reiterated that they want to provide a variety of events to keep fans engaged beyond 1-on-1 competition, pointing to the upcoming tag-team tournament as an example.

The official pairings for the Galaxy and Interplanetary League, as introduced in the press conference, are listed below, ordered by the secret committee's rating:

GALAXY LEAGUE
Thantos
Star Warrior
Wolf
Lord Nexus
Massif
Exo-King
Comrade Terror
Krakan
Massacre
Actagon
Brute
Proteus

INTERPLANETARY LEAGUE
Commander Sam
Pit Viper
Killer Queen
Renegade
Executioner
Ghengis Khan
Pulsar
Vanity
Mutant
Beast-Rider
Death Knight
Omega

[giantchitwood]

(PROMOTER’S NOTE: Hello again. It’s been awhile since I’ve been down the Champions of the Galaxy rabbit hole, but rediscovering my COTG stuff from a few years ago in my Google Drive inspired some different ideas.

When forming this league idea, my goals were as follows:
- Keep me invested in the long-term, rather than several other flameouts that I’ve had over the years trying to start a GWF fed.
- Introduce something that is not done as often, which was crucial for me as I am a 2087 purist and I don’t know how many times you guys want to see Thantos and Star Warrior face off for the Galaxian Title and whatnot.
- Play into my love of games like Out of the Park Baseball by forming something that could have a deep, but structured history. In previous feds, my attempts at structure have usually gotten myself written into a corner where I felt uninspired to pick up the dice. This kind of straight-laced playing of COTG will lean a bit on dice rolling, but I’m still introducing creativity and leveraging creative control where I feel it’s necessary to build a good story.

In order to make sure that I would be stuck with this idea for at least a little bit longer than my last post on this forum [You can gaze upon that previous ill-fated 2087 voyage here and despair], I’ve already completed a good chunk of 2087 in advance, so I will be playing catch-up to where I am actually playing. It is my goal to have my writing always chasing the carrot so that I’m not tempted to drop this.

Ultimately: I love this game, and when I put this structure on it, it inspired me to play one more match, one more match. And then some feuds started falling in place thanks to the dice. Add a few injuries and baby, you’ve got a supercard going!

Hope you enjoy what you read. Don’t be a stranger.

-- Promoter Chitwood)


GWF: THE LEAGUE WEEK 1 CARD

Night 1 of 2

Galaxy League Matchups
Thantos vs. Comrade Terror
Lord Nexus vs. Actagon
Exo-King vs. Proteus

Interplanetary League Matchups
Commander Sam vs. Pulsar
Killer Queen vs. Mutant
Executioner vs. Death Knight

Night 2 of 2

Galaxy League Matchups
Star Warrior vs. Invincible Krakan
Wolf vs. Massacre
Massif vs. Brute

Interplanetary League Matchups
Pit Viper vs. Vanity
Renegade vs. Beast-Rider
Ghengis Khan vs. Omega

[Crossbones]

Great start! Some solid matches on this comings card.

[giantchitwood]

Week 1

Night 1

Interplanetary League

Executioner vs. Death Knight

A slow start to the night between these two plodding GWF stars, with an interesting finish as Death Knight clocked Executioner with a loaded glove outside of the ring, and apparently outside of the view of the official. Death Knight returned to the ring and Executioner couldn’t answer the 10 count.

WINNER: Death Knight (countout, DUD); Death Knight 1-0, Executioner 0-1.

Killer Queen vs. Mutant

While the GWF audience doesn’t quite know how to take to these matchups of villains, this one was at least a little better paced than the last match, and Killer Queen’s antics kept viewers engaged. Mutant was tripped up attempting a running clothesline, leaving him prone for Queen to lock in the CHECKMATE, cranking on the Mutant for the submission victory.

WINNER: Killer Queen (CHECKMATE, *); Killer Queen 1-0, Mutant 0-1.

Commander Sam vs. Pulsar

Pulsar scored some early points for the Flying Titans banner with an impressive display of strength to lift Commander Sam onto his shoulders for the WHIRLWIND and a Week 1 victory. After the match, Sam sat up and chuckled to himself, seemingly brushing off the defeat against the young up-and-comer.

WINNER: Pulsar (WHIRLWIND, DUD); Pulsar 1-0, Commander Sam 0-1.

Galaxy League

Exo-King vs. Proteus

Outsized and worn down from wringing his way out of Exo-King’s DEATH VISE, Proteus was nonetheless valiant in a losing effort in Week 1, unable to topple the mighty Exo-King, who finished off the Greek God with a flying body crusher.

WINNER: Exo-King (flying body crusher, ***); Exo-King 1-0, Proteus 0-1.

Lord Nexus vs. Actagon

Next up was the more technical of the Greek Gods, and Actagon was successfully able to ground this Flying Titan with superior wrestling technique. Lord Nexus had a brief glimmer of hope late in the match, but Actagon dodged a flying dropkick and locked in the GRECIAN SLEEPER GRIP for the victory.

WINNER: Actagon (GRECIAN SLEEPER GRIP, *½); Actagon 1-0, Lord Nexus 0-1.

Thantos vs. Comrade Terror

Comrade Terror set the tone for this battle, surprising the Code-Breaker with a sneak attack to start the match. While initially surprised at this ambush from his right-hand man, Thantos was up for the challenge, subduing his henchmen in short order and making Terror submit to the MASTERLOCK.

WINNER: Thantos (MASTERLOCK, SQUASH); Thantos 1-0, Comrade Terror 0-1.

Night 2

Interplanetary League

Ghengis Khan vs. Omega

Omega lacked the quickness to keep up with Khan’s martial arts maneuvers. The veteran struggled to put any offense together and took an opening-week loss.

WINNER: Ghengis Khan (Khan Nerve Pinch, *); Khan 1-0, Omega 0-1.

Renegade vs. Beast-Rider

There was a feeling-out process here between master and animal, so to speak, before business really picked up in this one. Both competitors were obviously well versed in each other’s tendencies, but it was Renegade who came out on top in this battle of Neptunian Space-Croppers.

WINNER: Renegade (flying knee, *½); Renegade 1-0, Beast-Rider 0-1.

Pit Viper vs. Vanity

After splitting matches in the first night, Pit Viper got the Flying Titans back on track against Vanity. While he may be flashy, Vanity was outshined by Pit Viper’s high-flying moveset, and a Snake Bite spelled the end for Vanity.

WINNER: Pit Viper (Snake Bite, *); Pit Viper 1-0, Vanity 0-1.

Galaxy League

Massif vs. Brute

The brawn of GWF was on display in this match. These two giants walloped the hell out of each other for a brief, but entertaining sprint. Massif had more gas in the tank by the end and creating a big WOW moment with a Massif Power Slam which may have been felt throughout the cosmos.

WINNER: Massif (Massif Power Slam, ***½); Massif 1-0, Brute 0-1.

Wolf vs. Massacre

Now it was the more cunning Gladiator’s turn, looking for a measure of revenge against his former teammate. Wolf seemed more preoccupied with hurting Massacre instead of beating him in the middle of the ring. Wolf dispatched Massacre to the outside of the ring and looked to hit a knee drop to a downed Massacre from the apron, but Massacre rolled out of the way, getting to his feet to deliver a devastating Gladiator piledriver on the outside! Wolf was able to answer the ten count, but Massacre was there to hoist Wolf up for a MASSACRE SLAM and a major Week 1 upset!

WINNER: Massacre (MASSACRE SLAM, **); Massacre 1-0, Wolf 0-1.

Wolf accosted the GWF official after the match, with security swarming into the ring to calm Wolf down before he could cause any lasting damage.

Star Warrior vs. Invincible Krakan

Still buzzing after the Wolf/Massacre match, the crowd was excited to see Star Warrior in the main event. The creator of the Federation Defense Fighters did not disappoint, breaking out a Greatest Hits kind of match against Krakan, who didn’t put up much of a fight before being squashed with the NOVA LAUNCH.

WINNER: Star Warrior (NOVA LAUNCH, SQUASH); Star Warrior 1-0, Krakan 0-1.

Galaxy League
Thantos 1-0
Star Warrior 1-0
Massacre 1-0
Actagon 1-0
Massif 1-0
Exo-King 1-0
Proteus 0-1
Brute 0-1
Lord Nexus 0-1
Wolf 0-1
Invincible Krakan 0-1
Comrade Terror 0-1

Interplanetary League
Pulsar 1-0
Pit Viper 1-0
Killer Queen 1-0
Renegade 1-0
Death Knight 1-0
Ghengis Khan 1-0
Omega 0-1
Executioner 0-1
Beast-Rider 0-1
Mutant 0-1
Vanity 0-1
Commander Sam 0-1

What we learned in Week 1

Alliances are tenuous at best. Whether it’s tag partners like Renegade and Beast-Rider squaring off or battles between a leader and his henchman like Thantos and Comrade Terror, there is power and glory in victory, whether it can be found in the Galaxy League or the Interplanetary League. It’s all about individual glory for now, as the competitive spirit is alive and well in the GWF.

The League will yield some surprises. Wolf’s Week 1 loss to former stable-mate Massacre is perhaps the biggest shocker, slightly ahead of Pulsar’s minor upset of Commander Sam. However, for all involved, 10 matches remain, so opportunities to climb or fall remain in play.

The Evil Ones will be a group to watch. Exo-King, Killer Queen and Death Knight have started strong at a combined 3-0. Thantos’ mysterious creations from parts unknown may yet make a big impact in the GWF.

Week 2 preview

Twelve more matches await in Week 2, but none of them will likely compare to Thantos vs. Star Warrior in the Galaxy League. Both got off to impressive 1-0 starts, and in terms of talent this may be a de-facto Galaxy League championship match right out of the chute as it’s hard to imagine either competitor taking many losses after this one.

We’ll also be keeping an eye on Renegade vs. Vanity; Omega vs. Death Knight; Krakan vs. Lord Nexus and Proteus vs. Brute.

Week 2 Card

Night 1

IP League
Omega (0-1) vs. Death Knight (1-0)
Ghengis Khan (1-0) vs. Beast-Rider (0-1)
Commander Sam (0-1) vs. Pit Viper (1-0)

Galaxy League
Actagon (1-0) vs. Exo-King (1-0)
Massacre (1-0) vs. Massif (1-0)
Comrade Terror (0-1) vs. Wolf (0-1)

Night 2

IP League
Executioner (0-1) vs. Mutant (0-1)
Pulsar (1-0) vs. Killer Queen (1-0)
Vanity (0-1) vs. Renegade (1-0)

Galaxy League
Brute (0-1) vs. Proteus (0-1)
Krakan (0-1) vs. Lord Nexus (0-1)
Star Warrior (1-0) vs. Thantos (1-0)

[Swarm]

It’s incredible to see the 2087 set still popping up like it’s brand new in 2020. Great start!!!

[giantchitwood]

Dec 31, 2019 10:49:16 GMT -5 Swarm said:

It’s incredible to see the 2087 set still popping up like it’s brand new in 2020. Great start!!!

I've got a lot of nostalgia for the original set as something that I've grown up with. While this won't be the prototypical "sample card" GWF, Thantos/Star Warrior matches are basically comfort food for me. If I can throw a few twists and turns in there, that'll be good, too.

[on_the_edge]

Nice start. Looking forward to seeing more. One suggestion, along with posting W-L include the point total after the record.

[giantchitwood]

Week 2

Night 1

IP League
Omega (0-1, 0 pts) vs. Death Knight (1-0, 3 pts)
Ghengis Khan (1-0, 3 pts) vs. Beast-Rider (0-1, 0 pts)
Commander Sam (0-1, 0 pts) vs. Pit Viper (1-0, 3 pts)

Galaxy League
Actagon (1-0, 3 pts) vs. Exo-King (1-0, 3 pts)
Massacre (1-0, 3 pts) vs. Massif (1-0, 3 pts)
Comrade Terror (0-1, 0 pts) vs. Wolf (0-1, 0 pts)

Night 2

IP League
Executioner (0-1, 0 pts) vs. Mutant (0-1, 0 pts)
Pulsar (1-0, 3 pts) vs. Killer Queen (1-0, 3 pts)
Vanity (0-1, 0 pts) vs. Renegade (1-0, 3 pts)

Galaxy League
Brute (0-1, 0 pts) vs. Proteus (0-1, 0 pts)
Krakan (0-1, 0 pts) vs. Lord Nexus (0-1, 0 pts)
Star Warrior (1-0, 3 pts) vs. Thantos (1-0, 3 pts)

IP LEAGUE: Omega defeated Death Knight with a karate chop
(DUD, Omega 1-1, 3 pts; Death Knight 1-1, 3 pts)

Thantos has made it no secret that Death Knight was brought into the GWF to put Omega of Cetus on the shelf for good, but Omega ain’t done just yet. Death Knight was too slow to keep up with Omega, and when DK went for the loaded glove, Omega saw it coming and unleashed a tactical strike of a karate chop to put Death Knight on his back.

IP LEAGUE: Ghengis Khan def. Beast Rider with a TWIN THRUST
(**1/2, Khan 2-0, 6 pts; Beast Rider 0-2, 0 pts)

Beast-Rider was resilient (5 tokens) but ultimately could not match the tenacity of the Society of Death member. Khan finally put Beast-Rider away with a TWIN THRUST.

IP LEAGUE: Commander Sam def. Pit Viper with Sam’s Atomic Drop
(*, Sam 1-1, 3 pts; Pit Viper 1-1, 3 pts)

After an iffy start against Pulsar, Sam was better able to use his strength to slow down Pit Viper. Sam didn’t let Pit Viper’s natural agility come into play and got in the win column with Sam’s Atomic Drop.

GALAXY LEAGUE: Actagon def. Exo-King via disqualification
(DUD, Actagon 2-0, 6 pts; Exo-King 1-1, 3 pts.)

Actagon continued his strong start in league play, frustrating the larger opponent in Exo-King and showcasing some brute strength in getting Exo-King up with a power slam at one point. Exo-King tried to even the score by resorting to choke holds and eye pokes, and after repeated warnings from the official, Exo-King was disqualified.

POST-MATCH, Exo-King tried to get Actagon in the DEATH VISE but Actagon slipped out of Exo-King’s grasp and went to jump on Exo-King for the GRECIAN SLEEPER GRIP. That was enough for Exo-King, who bailed and left Actagon standing tall in the ring.

GALAXY LEAGUE: Massacre (w/ Brute) def. Massif via disqualification
(**1/2, Massacre 2-0, 6 pts; Massif 1-1, 3 pts)

Massif had to know The Gladiators coming to the ring together was only going to spell trouble. It was a fairly competitive match to start, but later in the bout, when Massif put on a bear hug, Brute distracted the referee. That got Massif’s attention away from Massacre, who grabbed a foreign object from parts unknown and looked like he was going to clock Massif with it, only for the giant to turn around, spot the object and wrestle it from Massacre’s hands. Massif asked the crowd if they wanted to see Massacre get a taste of his own medicine, but when Massif hit Massacre with the object, he didn’t realize the referee had turned his attention back to the match.

Massif could only stand dumbfounded at the bad timing, while Brute grabbed his tag partner to head for the hills.

GALAXY LEAGUE: Comrade Terror def. Wolf with the ATOMIC WARHEAD
(**, Terror 1-1, 3 pts; Wolf 0-2, 0 pts)

Night One ended with the lone Wolf looking to get in the win column. The wild one from Andromeda had the upper hand on Comrade Terror in this matchup and hit the Wolf Skullcrusher, but before he could make the pinfall, a man in a Gladiator helmet ran down to ringside. Spotting him, Wolf jumped to his feet, distracted long enough for Comrade Terror to get back to his feet, smash Wolf in the back of the head with an elbow and then hit the ATOMIC WARHEAD!

After Terror left ringside and Wolf had returned to his feet, a look of rage was clear to see, and Wolf sprinted out of the ring, likely to try and find this mysterious Gladiator!

Night 2

IP LEAGUE: Executioner def. Mutant with HEADSMAN GUILLOTINE
(*, Executioner 1-1, 3 pts; Mutant 0-2, 0 pts)

Executioner leaned on his size advantage to get win No. 1, controlling the match from start to finish and taking out Mutant with the HEADSMAN GUILLOTINE.

IP LEAGUE: Pulsar def. Killer Queen with WHIRLWIND
(DUD, Pulsar 2-0, 6 pts; Killer Queen 1-1, 3 pts)

Perhaps there should be more in the Interplanetary League that take Pulsar seriously. Killer Queen didn’t, but the Flying Titan was impressive, winning again in quick fashion with the WHIRLWIND.

UPDATE FROM "GOODY"

Backstage reporter Xavier “Goody” Goodman found Wolf in the arena and asked about the attack the previous night from the unknown Gladiator. Wolf provided no verbal answer, offering only a cold stare in reply.

IP LEAGUE: Vanity def. Renegade with the PULVERIZER
(*, Vanity 1-1, 3 pts; Renegade 1-1, 3 pts)

On the subject of not taking opponents seriously, Renegade clearly overlooked Vanity. And the referee overlooked the eye rake that quelled Renegade’s momentum adding insult to injury with a Cropper Slam followed by the PULVERIZER.

GALAXY LEAGUE: Proteus def. Brute with a full power slam
(****½; Proteus 1-1, 3 pts; Brute 0-2, 0 pts)

On a weekend where it was expected that Star Warrior/Thantos would be the only standout match, Brute and Proteus engaged in a battle worthy of praise for both competitors – Yes, even Brute, who was confident enough to have Massacre stay back away from ringside for this match.

Plenty of fireworks in this match: Brute had the early advantage and nearly hit the DECAPITATOR before a Proteus dodge that sent Brute to the outside. Later, the crowd roared when Proteus pressed Brute’s gigantic frame over his shoulders and hit an OVERHEAD TOSS, but it was going to take more than that to keep Brute down.

Brute became the answer to a future trivia question when he was the first GWF superstar to be busted open in League play after Proteus reversed an irish whip on the outside to send Brute skull first into the ring post.

After some intense action and lenient officiating, Brute and Proteus exchanged strikes, with Proteus stunning Brute with a head butt. Brute staggered away and then, angry, charged at Proteus, but Proteus scooped him up and, after a breath-taking moment where it was unclear where this mass of humanity would land, planted Brute with a full power slam for the 1-2-3!

POST-MATCH, Proteus celebrated, climbing the turnbuckles to absorb the adoration of the GWF crowd, but Proteus didn’t see Brute approaching to dump him off the turnbuckles and over to the outside with a sickening THUD.

Massacre came down to ringside to clean up the scraps as Proteus struggled to get to his feet with Brute and Massacre closing in, but a howl pierced the air!

Wolf sprinted down to the ring, with Actagon close behind. The Gladiators scattered into the audience as Actagon got his tag partner to his feet. It was unclear what the exact injury was at the time, but Proteus appeared to be favoring his right leg, possibly having landed awkwardly outside the ring. Actagon went to shake Wolf’s hand, thanking him for his help, but Wolf sneered, gave a brief nod to Proteus, and went to give chase to the Gladiators.

GALAXY LEAGUE: Krakan def. Lord Nexus with a flying knee drop
(DUD, Krakan 1-1, 3 pts; Lord Nexus 0-2, 0 pts)

While there were plenty expecting even more shenanigans with this match, the battle between the leaders of the Flying Titans and Society of Death was a much more straight-laced affair.

Krakan was the better man on this night, outdoing Lord Nexus at his own game with a flying knee drop to the back of Nexus’ head, reminiscent of his FALLING FACE SLAM, for the victory.

INJURY REPORT FROM “GOODY”

Xavier “Goody” Goodman checked in to inform the GWF fans that Proteus sustained a lower-body injury that will limit his mobility for several weeks but not keep him out of Galaxy League competition.

GALAXY LEAGUE: Star Warrior and Thantos battled to a DOUBLE COUNTOUT
(**, Star Warrior 1-0-1, 4 pts; Thantos 1-0-1, 4 pts)

Thantos held an early advantage, zeroing in on the legs of Star Warrior to soften his rival up for the MASTERLOCK. Star Warrior fed off the energy of a pro-FDF crowd to fire up for a comeback, but sparks really began to fly when Comrade Terror came to the ring. Fans were furious to see Terror after the hijinks from the night before, but Star Warrior remained focused, taking down Thantos and signaling for the NOVA LAUNCH! When Warrior climbed the ropes, however, Terror pulled Thantos to the floor.

Star Warrior changed his trajectory and leapt onto both of them on the outside instead, with Comrade Terror taking the brunt of the leap and also a baker’s dozen of punches to the head from Star Warrior! Thantos recovered and clubbed Star Warrior from behind and it turned into an all-out brawl, sprawling all around the ringside area as the referee counted to ten and called for the bell!

POST-MATCH, the referee jumped outside to get in between Thantos and Star Warrior, creating enough separation for security to fill in and pull the two apart as the GWF broadcast went off the air!

What we learned in Week 2

Loyalty can still be bought. Comrade Terror, after going toe-to-toe with Thantos in Week 1, apparently had a price tag in mind to do the Code-Breaker’s dirty work in bailing Thantos out of a sticky situation against Star Warrior. It seems that any time the GWF puts rules in front of Thantos, he’ll find a way to break them.

There may be lasting impacts from the Star Warrior/Thantos draw. Who would have pegged Actagon and Massacre as the Galaxy League leaders two weeks in? Plenty of wrestling to go, but the competition for the top spot just got wide-open with the two favorites settling for one point each in the head-to-head.

Who’s gonna stop the Gladiators? While Brute has yet to score a point in the Galaxy League, he may have improved his chances, injuring Proteus in a post-match attack. And now a third Gladiator, with a face slightly obscured but clearly donning similar face-paint to Brute and Massacre, has put a target on Wolf’s back. Wolf will need to find a way to overcome, also sitting on zero points after two weeks.

Galaxy League after Week 2

Wrestler	W	L	T	Pts
Actagon	2	0	0	6
Massacre	2	0	0	6
Star Warrior	1	0	1	4
Thantos	1	0	1	4
Exo-King	1	1	0	3
Massif	1	1	0	3
Comrade Terror	1	1	0	3
Proteus	1	1	0	3
Invincible Krakan	1	1	0	3
Lord Nexus	0	2	0	0
Brute	0	2	0	0
Wolf	0	2	0	0

Interplanetary League after Week 2

Wrestler	W	L	T	Pts
Ghengis Khan	2	0	0	6
Pulsar	2	0	0	6
Omega	1	1	0	3
Commander Sam	1	1	0	3
Pit Viper	1	1	0	3
Executioner	1	1	0	3
Killer Queen	1	1	0	3
Vanity	1	1	0	3
Renegade	1	1	0	3
Death Knight	1	1	0	3
Mutant	0	2	0	0
Beast-Rider	0	2	0	0

[giantchitwood]

Week 3 Schedule

Night 1

Interplanetary League

Ghengis Khan (2-0, 6 pts) vs. Vanity (1-1, 3 pts)
Omega (1-1, 3 pts) vs. Mutant (0-2, 0 pts)
Commander Sam (1-1, 3 pts) vs. Killer Queen (1-1, 3 pts)

Galaxy League

Exo-King (1-1, 3 pts) vs. Invincible Krakan (1-1, 3 pts)
Comrade Terror (1-1, 3 pts) vs. Massif (1-1, 3 pts)
Star Warrior (1-0-1, 4 pts) vs. Lord Nexus (0-2, 0 pts)

Night 2

Interplanetary League

Renegade (1-1, 3 pts) vs. Pit Viper (1-1, 3 pts)
Beast-Rider (0-2, 0 pts) vs. Death Knight (1-1, 3 pts)
Executioner (1-1, 3 pts) vs. Pulsar (2-0, 6 pts)

Galaxy League

Brute (0-2, 0 pts) vs. Actagon (2-0, 6 pts)
Massacre (2-0, 6 pts) vs. Proteus (1-1, 3 pts)
Thantos (1-0-1, 4 pts) vs. Wolf (0-2, 0 pts)

[giantchitwood]

Week 3 headlines
By Xavier “Goody” Goodman
GWF.com

Security tightens after Gladiator attack

The mysterious man in the Gladiator helmet that attacked WOLF last week has triggered a comprehensive response by GWF officials to make sure that there will not be another incident. Unfortunate fans who look up to the dastardly Gladiators will have their home-made Gladiator helmets confiscated at the gates to the arena. Superstar acquisition representatives are interested in the identity of this new Gladiator, and have reached out to BRUTE and MASSACRE only to receive radio silence in return.

Rising Stars to be rolled out

The GWF’s new acquisitions are piling up, and the GWF will reveal names over the coming weeks, including one during this week’s broadcast. A marquee match at GWF PERENNIAL is a strong possibility to introduce these Rising Stars.

Proteus injury update

PROTEUS, a member of the Greek Gods, had a rough landing from the top turnbuckle to the outside of the ring after a surprise post-match attack by BRUTE in Week 2. He is expected to recover in one month’s time but is cleared for in-ring action in the meantime and working hard on rehabbing the apparent leg injury.

Week 3 Schedule

Night 1

Interplanetary League

Ghengis Khan (2-0, 6 pts) vs. Vanity (1-1, 3 pts)
Omega (1-1, 3 pts) vs. Mutant (0-2, 0 pts)
Commander Sam (1-1, 3 pts) vs. Killer Queen (1-1, 3 pts)

Galaxy League

Exo-King (1-1, 3 pts) vs. Invincible Krakan (1-1, 3 pts)
Comrade Terror (1-1, 3 pts) vs. Massif (1-1, 3 pts)
Star Warrior (1-0-1, 4 pts) vs. Lord Nexus (0-2, 0 pts)

Night 2

Interplanetary League

Renegade (1-1, 3 pts) vs. Pit Viper (1-1, 3 pts)
Beast-Rider (0-2, 0 pts) vs. Death Knight (1-1, 3 pts)
Executioner (1-1, 3 pts) vs. Pulsar (2-0, 6 pts)

Galaxy League

Brute (0-2, 0 pts) vs. Actagon (2-0, 6 pts)
Massacre (2-0, 6 pts) vs. Proteus (1-1, 3 pts)
Thantos (1-0-1, 4 pts) vs. Wolf (0-2, 0 pts)

Week 3 - Night 1

INTERPLANETARY LEAGUE: Ghengis Khan def. Vanity with a throat chop

(*½, Khan 3-0, 9 pts; Vanity 1-2, 3 pts)

One of two remaining undefeated GWF stars in the IP league keeps marching on, ruthlessly effective in a short match with Vanity.

Lord Nexus on his opponent tonight, Star Warrior: “I think he’s going to be fired up after the match with Thantos last week, but I’ve looked forward to this matchup for awhile. It’s an honor to step into a ring across from Star Warrior, and I hope he’s ready to go, because we’re gonna go out there and steal the show.”

INTERPLANETARY LEAGUE: Omega def. Mutant by disqualification

(DUD, Omega 2-1, 6 pts; Mutant 0-3, 0 pts)

To be fair, Mutant isn’t here to score points or win matches. He’s here to hurt others. The match was thrown out after repeated rule-breaking by the strange Mutant, but Omega eventually got the upper hand after the match and put Mutant down with the TOMAHAWK THRUST.

Star Warrior was asked about his opponent tonight, Lord Nexus: “What’s been weighing on my mind is the cowardice of Thantos. He knew he was beat, and instead of taking defeat like a man, he has again resorted to bending rules to his will. I will show Thantos what a true champion looks like tonight.”

INTERPLANETARY LEAGUE: Killer Queen def. Commander Sam with the CHECKMATE

(½*, Killer Queen 2-1, 6 pts; Commander Sam 1-2, 3 pts)

This was another tough loss for the GWF veteran against Killer Queen, an elusive target for the Commander to take down. Sam fought hard in the CHECKMATE, but as Queen wrenched back on the move Sam finally relented to fight again another day.

Sam, reached for comment after the match: “Earth deserves better from one of its representatives, and I, along with the rest of the Federation Defense Fighters, will be better for the sake of the GWF.”

GALAXY LEAGUE: Exo-King def. Invincible Krakan with the DEATH VISE

(*, Exo-King 2-1, 6 pts; Krakan 1-2, 3 pts)

Krakan came in with a smart strategy against the bigger Exo-King, keeping himself out of arm’s reach of the King. The match turned in favor of the Exo-King after an ill-advised deathjump from Krakan resulted in Exo-King catching Krakan and delivering a reverse backbreaker, softening Krakan up for the DEATH VISE.

GALAXY LEAGUE: Comrade Terror def. Massif with the ATOMIC WARHEAD

(***½, Terror 2-1, 6 pts; Massif 1-2, 3 pts)

Massif found himself at a disadvantage early when missing a charge into the turnbuckle at Terror that sent Massif shoulder first into the ring post. While that greatly hindered Massif’s ability to power around the smaller Comrade Terror, the big man withstood a great deal of punishment from the Comrade, and Terror was unable to get Massif up for the ATOMIC WARHEAD. The turning point came when Massif went for the Massif Power Slam, but favored his shoulder trying to lift Terror up. This allowed Terror to kick Massif in the gut and, finally, get Massif’s feet off the ground to plant him into the mat with a bowling-shoe-ugly ATOMIC WARHEAD, much to the chagrin of the GWF fans.

A video package aired of a man at a boxing gym, laying into a punching bag, jabbing at a sparring opponent, working over a speed bag.

VO: “In 2088, I’ll show the GWF that I’m the greatest of all time!”

BILLY JO BOXER - COMING SOON

GALAXY LEAGUE: Lord Nexus def. Star Warrior with the TITAN DROP

(*, Nexus 1-2, 3 pts; Star Warrior 1-1-1, 4 pts)

Star Warrior was offered a hero’s welcome after last week’s brawl with Thantos, and there seemed to be a buzz in the air as the match began. Lord Nexus made a statement early in the match, catching Star Warrior’s cross-body block attempt and tossing Star Warrior up onto his shoulders and bringing him down with a TITAN DROP! Only for a two count, but a wake-up call for Star Warrior, maybe too preoccupied with last week’s match with the Code-Breaker. Star Warrior shifted gears and tried to power Lord Nexus down to the mat, but Nexus had several reversals up his sleeve, and got another near fall with a flying dropkick.

Late in the match, Star Warrior appeared to have the advantage after a miscue by Lord Nexus in taking the match to the outside. Feeling like the match was in hand, Star Warrior offered tribute to his father with a cosmic war dance and grabbed Nexus for the Tomahawk Thrust! But when Star Warrior went to throw the first knee, Nexus blocked it away and quickly put Star Warrior up and down with another TITAN DROP for the shocking victory!

POST-MATCH, Star Warrior sat up with a look of disbelief on his face – Lord Nexus, maybe a bit surprised himself, celebrated and then offered a handshake to Star Warrior. Warrior returned the handshake but the first night’s broadcast went off the air with Nexus celebrating and Warrior getting to his feet, shaking his head.

Week 3 - Night 2

INTERPLANETARY LEAGUE: Pit Viper def. Renegade with a shoulderbreaker

(*½; Pit Viper 2-1, 6 pts; Renegade 1-2, 3 pts)

Nice action to start the night as the Flying Titans’ momentum continues from last night.

Actagon of the Greek Gods, accompanied by his partner Proteus: “Tonight’s the night we get revenge on the Gladiators. Tonight’s the night we show our superiority. As for Proteus, his injury will not slow his momentum – our momentum – as we ascend the rankings in the Galaxy League.”

INTERPLANETARY LEAGUE: Beast-Rider def. Death Knight via disqualification [loaded glove shot]

(DUD, Beast-Rider 1-2, 3 pts; Death Knight 1-2, 3 pts)

Death Knight was no match for Beast-Rider in this one, but Beast-Rider got a souvenir to remember Death Knight by in the winning effort by catching a loaded glove to the jaw.

Massacre, accompanied by Brute, asked about the identity of the third Gladiator: “I’ll keep it simple. I ain’t telling you. The Greek Gods and that puppy dog of theirs need to watch their backs, because the Galaxy League belongs to the Gladiators, and that ain’t ever gonna change.”

INTERPLANETARY LEAGUE: Executioner def. Pulsar with the HEADSMAN GUILLOTINE

(*½, Executioner 2-1, 6 pts; Pulsar 2-1, 6 pts)

Pulsar knocked from the rank of the unbeatens here, with the bigger Executioner getting a win despite Pulsar’s strong start to the match, the lone blemish for the Flying Titans this week.

GALAXY LEAGUE: Brute (w/ Massacre) def. Actagon (w/ Proteus) via disqualification

(basically no match, Brute 1-2, 3 pts; Actagon 2-1, 6 pts)

It didn’t take long for tempers to flare up between the Gladiators and the Greek Gods. When action spilled to the outside early, the referee didn’t see Brute knock Proteus to the ground, but he did see Proteus slide into the ring for a retaliatory attack, triggering the disqualification.

POST-MATCH, Massacre came in and went after the taped-up leg of Proteus, and both tag teams were going at it once again. The referee was able to restore enough order and direct traffic for security to get Brute and Actagon out of the ring, but that left Massacre and Proteus in the ring. And unfortunately for Proteus, he was up next!

GALAXY LEAGUE: Massacre def. Proteus with the MASSACRE SLAM

(SQUASH, Massacre 3-0, 9 pts; Proteus 1-2, 3 pts)

Maybe if Proteus was at 100 percent, he would have been better competition for Massacre. In his hobbled state, though, he was weakened prey for Massacre to toy with, and once Massacre got bored, a MASSACRE SLAM made sure that the Gladiator remained on top of the Galaxy League standings.

POST-MATCH, Massacre had a hearty laugh at the expense of the Greek Gods and the GWF fans, taunting Proteus on the mat and talking trash to the fans as Proteus needed the official’s help to get back to his feet.

GALAXY LEAGUE: Thantos def. Wolf with the MASTERLOCK

(***, Thantos 2-0-1, 7 pts; Wolf 0-3, 0 pts)

Wolf was trying to have eyes in the back of his head for the mystery Gladiator, and it cost him here. Bit by bit, Thantos broke Wolf down mentally and physically. Wolf was able to escape one attempt at Thantos putting on the MASTERLOCK, but once Thantos locked it in, there was nowhere to go. Wolf did not submit, instead howling in pain and anger until all his energy was expended (6 tokens), his shoulders on the mat as the referee counted him out.

POST-MATCH, Exo-King, Killer Queen and Death Knight came to the ring and got Wolf to his feet, getting a couple of cheap shots in along the way. Thantos came off the ropes with a running clothesline, and Thantos and the Evil Ones stood tall at the end of the show.

Headlines coming out of Week 3
By Xavier “Goody” Goodman
GWF.com

Wolf’s troubles continue

With no appearance from the mysterious Gladiator, WOLF was outworked by the Code-Breaker, THANTOS, and now has gone three weeks without a victory. While Wolf enjoys continued popularity, it’s not translating to the win column.

Star Warrior stunned

LORD NEXUS scored an unlikely upset over STAR WARRIOR, effectively putting MASSACRE and THANTOS in the driver’s seat for the Galaxy League championship as the only remaining undefeated Galaxy League stars. Star Warrior acknowledged after the loss that he was preoccupied with last week’s draw with Thantos, showing respect to Nexus’ ability and work ethic in the ring.

Khan leads the Interplanetary League

The cunning, ruthless GHENGIS KHAN is the final undefeated star remaining in the IP league after PULSAR lost to EXECUTIONER. It may not be long before the Society of Death member joins his stable mate, INVINCIBLE KRAKAN, in the Galaxy League.

A Rising Star is born

The first member of the class of 2088 has been introduced: BILLY JO BOXER, an impressive athlete that is looking to transition from a boxing career, drawn to the bigger prizes promised by the GWF and the Galaxy League by the recommendation of Flying Titans member LORD NEXUS. If Boxer lives up to the hype, he may be a key asset in the Flying Titans’ war with the Society of Death!

Gladiators rule, again

MASSACRE, Champion of the Galaxy League? Don’t rule it out just yet. The Gladiator known for his tag-team prowess has been shockingly effective in singles action as well at 3-0. While his massive tag partner deserves partial credit in helping with his success, particularly when it comes to softening up the Greek Gods, Massacre has emerged as a dark horse in this competition.

Week 4’s big match-ups

Galaxy League: ACTAGON looks to slow down MASSACRE, THANTOS takes on LORD NEXUS on the heels of Nexus’ upset victory, WOLF enters a tense matchup with the gentle-mannered MASSIF.

Interplanetary League: GHENGIS KHAN puts his perfect record up against a determined PIT VIPER. A couple of matchups between 2-1 wrestlers, too: EXECUTIONER and KILLER QUEEN battle to keep pace with Khan, while OMEGA and PULSAR will do the same.