My GWF 2087-2110 History

[David Morse]

GWF 2101 Highlights

From WPU 4.3:

Lord Nexus asked Pulsar to leave the Titans after Pulsar refused to stop using his "Acid Rain" move. Quasar announced that he would also leave the Titans and would contiunue to work with Pulsar.

Infinity-Plex finally agreed to return to the year 3000. With his rival gone, Infinity also returned to his own time. Shortly thereafter, Rune Laars made a similar decision.

Magnus Colby disbanded the Dominators team but kept Holocaust under contract. He then formed a new team for the War Games, calling his group the Colby/Pelf Corporation. Original members were Holocaust, Bishop Hell, the Mad Jester, Mandrill, Painmaster, and Tocsin.

From WPU 4.4:

In the USWF, Dynamo and Gemini regained the tag team titles but were attacked after the match by a pair of large masked men. Their assailants later identified themselves as Slaughterhouse and Carnage, a new tag team known as Armageddon.

(Note: Slaughterhouse and Carnage were the creations of Steve Minskoff and were successful in my federations for a number of years.)

Massacre revealed that the former bodyguard for the Gladiator Tradition team during the Aethran civil war, a young wrestler named Slaughter, had received his first cleansing and would be entering the USWF to team with Predator.

From WPU 4.5:

Slaughter made his entry into the USWF, now calling himself Ravage. However, his first action was to attack Predator and ally himself with Malice, the former bodyguard for the Gladiator Vanguard team.

Splatter was on a rampage in the GWF, injuring U. S Patriot, Pegasus, and others.

Max Shield won the GWF Heavyweight title for the first time.

From WPU 4.6:

Mace sounded off repeatedly against his W. A. R. teammates. He and Wolf had several vocal disagreements.

Raven lost an exile match to Chaos at the Starclash supercard and went to the USWF for the remainder of the year. The following excerpt describes the surprising aftermath of this event:

A despondent Raven sat with his head in his hands and answered questions after the main event. “I thought I had him at the beginning,” he said. “I blew it. I guess I’ll go to the USWF for a while, and maybe I’ll take some time off at the end of the year. But Chaos had better be ready, because I’ll be back next year, and I’ll be right back after him. Until then, I hope my teammates can win their War Games rings without me.”

Short moments after Raven spoke, Chaos stood on stage in the media center and proclaimed his victory. “I did what I said I would,” he announced. “That fool is gone for the rest of the year. If he has the guts to come back in 2102, I’ll crush him again. No one can match Chaos! I’ve won my greatest victory today.”

“You didn’t win much,” broke in a voice from the doorway. “Raven’s gone. Now you’ve gotta deal with me. And it ain’t gonna be a picnic.”

All eyes turned to the doorway, where Spike stood with a wide grin on his face. “That’s right, big man.” he continued. “I’m back. I’m replacing Raven on the W. A. R. team for the rest of the War Games. And my main goal will be to stop you.”

“You’re a fool,” Chaos spat. “You’re washed up. You’re out of shape. How can you expect to compete with me?”

“Do I look out of shape?” Spike asked, ripping off his shirt to show his familiar powerful body. “I’ve spent the last six months training young wrestlers on Aethra. Trust me, I’m ready for you. Or don’t trust me. It don’t matter. I’ll prove it as soon as I get you in the ring.”

Chaos began to shout obscenities, but security personnel managed to keep the two men apart. The scene ended without physical violence, but the glowing light of Chaos’ victory was clearly dimmed by the prospect of facing a legend of Spike’s stature for the rest of the War Games, and suddenly the Citadel’s lead in the Games seemed less secure that it had just moments before.

From WPU 4.7:
The Citadel of the Elite won the 2101 War Games.

The USWF received a visitor from the Empire of Kaldri, a distant star system. The ambassador, a man named Tirion Astri, announced that in 2102 High Lord Marlicus, the third son of the Emperor of Kaldri would enter and dominate the USWF. Marlicus would expect to be treated as the royalty that he was.

(Note: High Lord Marlicus was my own creation and became a dominant force in the USWF, Astri served as Marlicus' manager during his time in the USWF.)

From WPU 4.8:
In the USWF, Reptillo had come to the federation several months earlier, sometimes appearing as the Serpent Unman or the Doomsday Creature. He had been harassing the Incredible Badger, who was working as a manager. At the end of 2101, Ram entered the USWF and volunteered to help the Badger. The Animal Pack was thus reformed for a few special matches.

(Note: I had created a managers card for the Badger, severely diminishing his skills.)

In the GWF, Mesmer announced that he was retiring and taking some time away from the federation, but that he would be back in 2102 "in a very different role."

Morpheus finally had to face the consequences of his actions in the Commissioner Carter gambling scandal. The story was as follows:

MORPHEUS ARRESTED BY UFSP AUTHORITIES
CHARGED WITH BLACKMAILING ZACHARY CARTER

One of the most dramatic events of the 2101 Galacticade festivities occurred before the card itself took place when Morpheus was arrested by UFSP police on the morning of event. The manager of the Citadel was charged with blackmailing former GWF Commissioner Zachary Carter into making decisions favorable to his team over the period of 2097 to 2100.

Morpheus had believed that the UFSP had ended its investigation of his role in the scandal, but arresting officers indicated that they had recently received new information from an unnamed informant. “We are not at this time prepared to reveal the nature of our information or the identity of the person who provided it,” stated a UFSP detective. “I can only say that our investigation had been at a standstill for nearly a year until this break. Morpheus covered his tracks well. We knew what he had done, but we couldn’t prove it. Zachary Carter has been unwilling to implicate Morpheus, so we had to find another way to get him. Now we have it, and this prosecution will go forward immediately.”

“I am deeply concerned over this situation,” GWF Commissioner Grogan stated. “We all knew what Morpheus had done, and his actions were deplorable. He jeopardized the integrity of our entire federation for his own personal gain. I have expected for the last year that the UFSP would bring charges against him. I feel confident that justice will finally be served in this matter.”

Chaos voiced a very different opinion. “Now even the UFSP is out to get the Citadel,” he raged. “They have no proof of these charges. All they have is an illegal invasion of privacy by Dreadnaught and Trainer Jim and a lot of accusations by Solaris. I don’t know who this informant of theirs is, but it doesn’t matter. Morpheus will beat this, and he’ll be back at ringside soon.”

[David Morse]

GWF 2102 Highlights

From WPU 5.1:

Highlights from the Galaxy Cup Press Conferences

Magnus Colby, following up on his promise to make his CPC team the most powerful in the federation, announced that in addition to Holocaust--the only remaining member of the team from 2101--the CPC would be adding the Matador of M83, Mesmer as a manager, and a new tag team called Centaurus Cluster (Archon and Crossfire).

Raven returned to rejoin W.A.R. after being exiled for the second half of 2101, but the tension within the group, mostly caused by Mace, was still obvious.

Gemini rejoined the FDF to reform his old tag team with U. S. Patriot.

Krakan sent Kati to join his team in the USWF, leaving him with only Splatter and the Mercenaries in the GWF

GWF Heavyweight Champion Bishop Hell and the Mad Jester joined the MAsked Assassins after their brutal firing of the Overlord in December 2101.

Galaxy Cup Tournaments:

Chaos won the singles tournament for a record fourth time, defeating Max Shield in the finals.

The Mercenaries defeated Superiority Complex in the finals of the tag team tournament. This marked the third time in four years that Superiority Complex had reached the finals and lost.

From WPU 5.2

UFSP RELEASES WITNESS LIST FOR TRIAL OF MORPHEUS
The UFSP Galactic Prosecutor’s office has released a partial list of the witnesses it will call in its case against Morpheus. The manager of the Citadel was arrested in December on charges of blackmailing former GWF Commissioner Zachary Carter from 2096 to 2100. The trial is set to begin next month.

Several GWF personalities appear on the witness list. The first and most obvious is Solaris, who led the investigation on behalf of the GWF and broke the news of the scandal that cost Zachary Carter his job. Also called will be Dreadnaught, the former cosmic terrorist who uncovered most of the currently known evidence against Morpheus, and USWF Commissioner Jim Powell, the former manager of the Fighting Titans who worked as a liaison between Dreadnaught and the UFSP authorities.

Zachary Carter is also listed as a potential witness, but as of this time the former commissioner has refused to testify against Morpheus. Carter is currently serving a three-year prison term for illegally betting on GWF events.

Several additional names appear on the list, including Commander Sam, Omega, and the Incredible Badger. However, the UFSP has not yet revealed the identity of the informant who provided the information needed to make the arrest in late 2101. The final entry on the list, which is presumed to be this unnamed individual, was crossed off before the list was released.

U.S. PATRIOT QUESTIONS MESMER’S NEW TEAM
After several matches between the Freedom Fighters and the rookie tag team of Centaurus Cluster, U. S. Patriot spoke out to reporters about his confusion regarding the newcomers.

“I just don’t understand those guys,” the Patriot said. “We’ve beaten them, and they’ve beaten us. All of our matches have been tough, and they’ve proven their ability beyond question. But every match has also been as clean as any I’ve ever had. They shake our hands when they enter the ring, they shake our hands when the fight is over, and I haven’t seen them break a rule yet. Actually, they seem like nice guys. So what the heck are they doing with Mesmer, Holocaust, the Matador, and Colby? They can’t be blind to Mesmer’s tactics. If they are really as straight as they seem, they’d ought to think about who they’re teaming with.”

Centaurus Cluster’s only reply was that Mesmer had brought them into the GWF and that they saw nothing wrong with his tactics. However, observers have noted that Mesmer has so far avoided interfering in his new tag team’s matches and has generally been on his best behavior when Centaurus Cluster is in the building.

(From the USWF Report:)

MYSTERIOUS INTERLOPER ATTACKS CANADIAN BOMBER
The Canadian Bomber, making his first USWF appearance during a GWF suspension, recently suffered minor injuries when an unidentified stranger leapt out of the crowd and attacked him as the Bomber made his way back to the dressing room after a match. The Freedom Fighters, who are also making a guest appearance in the federation due to a suspension, saved their partner from serious damage.

The next day, the Bomber’s assailant announced himself as “the Unknown Soldier.” “I suppose the Bomber doesn’t remember me,” he said, “but I remember him. I knew him as Jason LaCount when he and his scum-sucking buddy Adam Blast were back on earth. We all served together in the unified North American Forces there. They made a lot of enemies, and I never forget a score I need to settle. I’ve waited a long time for a chance to get even with LaCount for what he did to me back then. This is just the beginning.”

On the following card, the Soldier made his wrestling debut, losing to the Galactic Trooper. A few days later he and the Canadian Bomber met in the ring for the first time. The Bomber won the match handily, but after the bell Splatter appeared and helped the Unknown Soldier attack the Bomber until the Freedom Fighters again cleared the scene. The incident was repeated on the following card when the Bomber again defeated the newcomer. No one was seriously injured in either brawl.

“I have no idea who this guy is,” the Bomber stated later, “but I wasn’t really surprised to see Splatter show up. I should have known Krakan would have a hand in this, whatever’s going on. My GWF suspension is just about over, and I’ve got obligations there. But I’ll be back to deal with this bum. He’s right about one thing: we’re just getting started. If he wants a fight, he’s picked the right guy. I’ve planned on coming to the USWF to join Lance At-Las’ team for a while now, and the time is coming closer. I may not even stay in the GWF for the War Games. I guarantee I’ll be back to settle this before the end of the year.”

(Note: The Canadian Bomber was my own creation, as was the Galactic Trooper. The Unknown Soldier was created by Paul Sougleris)

[David Morse]

GWF 2012 Highlights

From WPU 5.3

TRIAL OF MORPHEUS BEGINS
The trial of Morpheus, manager of the Citadel of the Elite, began on Jupiter on April 9. Morpheus is charged with illegal time travel, tampering with GWF matches, and blackmailing former GWF commissioner Zachary Carter.

After the opening statements, the prosecution called USWF Commissioner Jim Powell, formerly known in the GWF as Trainer Jim. Commissioner Powell explained his negotiations with UFSP authorities which allowed the planting of surveillance bugs in Morpheus’ office and the covert search of the same office. He produced documents signed by the UFSP police that made the admission of evidence from the investigation legal.

Dreadnaught took the witness stand next. The former cosmic terrorist explained his role in the investigation, including his planting of the listening devices and his search of Morpheus’ office. He offered into evidence documents that showed Morpheus’ awareness of Zachary Carter’s illegal gambling and audio tapes of conversations in which Morpheus appeared to threaten Carter with disgrace if he would not “cooperate.” However, as the defense pointed out, the tapes made no direct reference to Carter’s illegal activities and could have been interpreted as a simple threat to bring Carter before GWF officials on charges of incompetence. Seen in this way, the tapes would simply indicate a concerned GWF manager expressing dissatisfaction with the decisions of the former commissioner, an interpretation which is the basis of the defense case.

From the Cosmic Mayhem Supercard:

The most stunning moment of the card came after the match between the Freedom Fighters and Centaurus Cluster. Mesmer and Holocaust entered the ring and attacked U. S. Patriot, while Mesmer signaled for Centaurus Cluster to go after Gemini. Archon and Crossfire hesitated for a moment, then clotheslined Holocaust and Mesmer out of the ring and stood guard over their fallen opponents. After the card, Archon made the following comments: “We have nothing against the Freedom Fighters. They’ve always fought fair against us. There was no reason for this attack, and we wanted no part of it. I guess everyone was right about Mesmer. As of right now, Centaurus Cluster is no longer a part of Mr. Colby’s Corporation.”

War Games Rosters Announced. Highlights:

Gemini announced that he was leaving the FDF to return to the USWF. Centaurus Cluster joined the FDF for the War Games to replace him. Jack of Diamonds also joined the FDF.

The Colby/Pelf Corporation merged with Krakan's Deadly Militia for the War Games, thus bringing the Mercenaries and Splatter on board.

Stalker joined W.A.R. for the War Games

Pulsar's new team, The Mavericks (Ram, Wildcat, Vyper, Pulsar, and Sir Garis) announced that they would be bringing in a newcomer, a large brawler named Big Daddy Steel.

Armageddon came from the USWF to join the Masked Assassins.

(Note: Sir Garis was my own creation. Armageddon was created by Steve Minskoff. Big Daddy Steel was created by another promoter --i do not recall who--and sent to me by Adam Scepaniak.)

[David Morse]

GWF 2102 Highlights

From WPU 5.4

SURPRISE WITNESS AGAINST MORPHEUS REVEALED
The prosecution case against Morpheus on charges of illegal gambling, tampering with GWF matches, and blackmailing former GWF Commissioner Zachary Carter continues on Jupiter. The trial has been slowed to a snail’s pace by countless motions of protest from Morpheus’ defense attorneys. However, the defense was totally unprepared for the latest announcement by UFSP prosecutors.

In a much anticipated press conference, the UFSP revealed the identity of the unnamed informant who provided the crucial information which led to the arrest of Morpheus. This informant was none other than Mesmer, who last year was a member of the War Games champion Citadel of the Elite team. The prosecutors would not disclose the nature of Mesmer’s testimony, but the enigmatic mystic is expected to take the witness stand near the end of the trial.

Due to the stalling tactics of the defense, recent testimony has been limited to Solaris’ account of his travels through time in investigation of Morpheus’ activities. Solaris, the commissioner of the currently inactive GWFF, visited the year 3000, where he found evidence that the defendant had recruited Infinity-Plex, aka the Dark Traveler, to return with him to the current GWF. The time-travel of both Morpheus and Infinity-Plex was a direct violation of UFSP law, as Infinity-Plex’s memory was not erased before he left his own time. The defense argued that all of Solaris’ testimony was hearsay and that Morpheus’ involvement could not be proven despite the recorded comments of several GWF officials from the year 3000 indicating Morpheus’ presence in their time.

TAG BELTS CHANGE HANDS ON WILD WAR GAMES NIGHT
Both sets of GWF tag team belts changed hands on one of the wildest nights of War Games competition in recent memory shortly after the beginning of the 2102 Games.

Two separate cards took place at Fire Island and the Luna Auditorium. On the Fire Island card, the New Order became nine time GWF Tag Team champs by defeating the Mercenaries for the belts. Mace opened the match by dominating Soldier of Fortune, but he was unable to make the pin. The contest continued for ten minutes before Dreggs leveled Vigilante with a Killer Drop and covered him for the victory.

Earlier on the same card, Raven successfully defended his Interplanetary title against Mayhem. After the bell, Thunder and Overkill knocked out Destructon 3000 from behind and entered the ring. Together with Mayhem they brutalized Raven until the New Order arrived. Raven suffered fairly serious injuries in the incident. Commissioner Grogan immediately suspended the Gladiator trio for twelve War Games cards.

Later that night at the Luna Auditorium, another brawl broke out after Max Shield pinned Nefarus. Mandrill came in to attack Shield from behind, but Titan Fury immediately rushed to the ring to intervene. Nefarus was injured in the battle, and the commissioner again took immediate action by suspending Shield and Titan Fury. With Buck Steele and Genesis Prime already under suspension, the Genesis team was left with no active wrestlers.

A few matches later, War Games champion Wolf defended his title against Mandrill. The Prime Colonizer won the match and the title, but after the bell a furious Wolf applied his Savage Face Claw to Mandrill for several minutes. Mandrill suffered an eye injury. Wolf was warned by the commissioner but not suspended.

Despite their suspension, Titan Fury was allowed to follow through with their scheduled defense of the Interplanetary Tag belts against Superiority Complex. Skinhead and Prodigy dominated the match, capturing the titles at the six minute mark when Rising Sun went down to the “Perfect Tag Finisher.”

After the Deep Space Showcase Supercard, on which Wolf lost badly to Vengeance in a Torture Chamber, Raven defended the IP title with a DQ loss to Janus, and Armageddon upset the New Order to claim the tag team titles, the following comments from members of W. A. R. were printed:

Several times in late 2101 Mace spoke out in anger and frustration against his W. A. R. teammates. After he and Dreggs lost the GWF tag team titles to Armageddon, his disappointment once again found a voice.

“We never should have fought this match,” said Mace, who was pinned by Carnage for the loss. “Dreggs was hurt. I had to fight almost the whole damn match by myself, and those are two big men we lost to. So now we lost the belts again, and we’re losing the War Games--again. Why did Destructon sign this match? And where was he when we needed him? He helped Raven keep his title, but he watched us go down. And Wolf was pitiful tonight. Vengeance almost killed him. We’d better get it together soon.”

Dreggs would offer no comment on his partner’s opinions, nor would Destructon 3000. Raven would say only, “The big man’s frustrated. Don’t make too much out of it.” But Wolf, speaking from the hospital to which he was taken after his loss in the Torture Chamber, was less understanding.

“Mace mouthed off too much to suit me last year,” the GWF legend declared. “I’m really getting sick of him. He talks big, but he’s always the one getting pinned, just like tonight. Yeah, I took a beating, but I’ll be back sooner than you think. I’ll get even with Vengeance, and if Mace gets out of line, he’ll find out he’s not the only enforcer in W. A. R. He’s a big dude, but he better not forget I fought Spike for years, and Spike could crush Mace. If Mace thinks I’m afraid to take him on, he’ll find out just how stupid he is.”

From the USWF Report:

Eternal Torment (Night Wraith and Shadow Assassin) made their debut in the federation by sneak attacking the Demons of Hydra, who had also arrived in the federation recently.

(Note: Night Wraith and Shadow Assassin were sent to me by Adam Scapaniak. I belive that they were Adam's creations.)

[David Morse]

GWF 2102 Highlights

From WPU 5.5

CARTER TESTIFIES AGAINST MORPHEUS
The defense team for Morpheus in his trial for illegal gambling, match tampering, and blackmail received a shock when former GWF Commissioner Zachary Carter unexpectedly agreed to testify against the Citadel of the Elite manager.

Carter is currently serving a three year prison term for betting on GWF matches. He had previously refused to serve as a witness against the man accused of blackmailing him, and his sudden change of heart left the Morpheus’ defense attorneys angry and frustrated.

Carter now freely admits his own illegal activity. In his testimony, he narrated the manner in which Morpheus discovered his betting in 2095. From that time on, Carter claims he was forced to serve as Morpheus’ agent in the GWF, making decisions favorable to Chaos and the Citadel upon demand for the manager. He also admits that Morpheus coerced him into deleting GWF records for certain cards between 2087 and 2094 in order to allow Chaos to move up the all-time victory list more quickly. Finally, he confessed to giving Morpheus access to GWF time-travel equipment so that the Citadel manager could illegally import Infinity-Plex from the year 3000.

Prosecutors immediately added time-travel violations to the charges against Morpheus. The stunned defense team protested to no avail. Defense attorneys attacked Carter’s credibility on cross-examination, but his testimony is so far the most damaging evidence against Morpheus.

SPLATTER STRIKES AGAIN, KNOCKS OUT COMMANDER SAM
Commander Sam was hospitalized due to an attack by Splatter after a match between Justice and Monad at the Mimas Spectrum. The incident was just the latest in Splatter’s continued assault on the FDF.

U. S. Patriot rushed to the ring to help his manager, but the damage was already done. Sam suffered a severe concussion and was expected to be absent from ringside for two weeks. Ms. Liberty has accompanied the FDF wrestlers to ringside in Sam’s place.

Following the incident, U. S. Patriot challenged Splatter to a Torture Chamber match at War Dome Warfare. “I don’t know what it will take to stop that maniac,” the Patriot said, “but I’ll keep trying until I put him out for good.”

From USWF Report:

NEW RESPECT BORN BETWEEN PREDATOR, BLACK HAWK
One of the best matches in the USWF this year occurred at the end of a War Games contest between Warrior Legion and the United Defenders at the Ariel Armory when new USWF Heavyweight champion Predator faced Interstellar champ Black Hawk. The Defenders had already won the War Games contest by taking three of the first four matches of the night, and neither title was on the line, so the contest was fought primarily for respect. The two superstars put on a wrestling clinic, competing for nearly fifteen minutes before Predator caught Black Hawk in his “Aethran Lock.” Black Hawk’s manager, Lance At-las, threw in the towel, seeing no reason to risk injury to his wrestler in a non-title contest.

After the bell, Predator called for the ring microphone. “I think that was one of the best matches I’ve ever had,” he said. “Black Hawk, this is the first time we’ve ever fought, and you’re everything I’ve heard you are. No one has ever taken me closer to the limit than that in a clean match. I just want to say that you’re a real champion. If you ever need a partner, give me a yell. I’m honored to fight against you, and I’d be honored to fight beside you.”

The two champions shook hands and left the ring. The match may have meant nothing in terms of titles, but it established a new level of respect between the combatants and the apparent possibility of an alliance that even High Lord Marlicus might find unbeatable.

(Note: As mentioned in previous posts, Predator, Black Hawk, and High Lord Marlicus are my own creations.)

[David Morse]

GWF 2102 Highlights

From WPU 5.6

THE CASEBREAKER: MESMER TAKES THE STAND
The prosecution has rested its case in Morpheus’ trial for illegal gambling, tampering with GWF matches, unauthorized time travel, and blackmailing former GWF Commissioner Zachary Carter, but not until after the enigmatic Mesmer provided enough evidence to practically guarantee a conviction on at least some of the charges.

Mesmer, the key witness in the prosecution case, testified for total of six days. As with the other witnesses, Morpheus’ attorneys made every possible motion to slow the trial and discredit Mesmer, but they managed no more than to prolong Morpheus’ agony.

The mystic first provided a notarized contract between Morpheus and Infinity-Plex, aka the Dark Traveler, with the date March 7 of the year 3000. The document, which was signed by the defendant, offered the first direct evidence of Morpheus’ illegal time-travel. Next Mesmer produced a list of GWF cards between the years of 2087 and 2094 that exactly matched those that were mysteriously deleted from the federation office’s files. The list, which was later proven to be in Morpheus’ handwriting, made no mention of tampering with records, but its implications were clear. Finally, Mesmer offered into evidence a taped telephone conversation between Zachary Carter and Morpheus. The call was apparently placed after Carter had been committed to prison, as the former commissioner begged Morpheus to do something to set him free and stated that Morpheus knew that “It’s all your fault. You forced me into this, and if you don’t get me out of it I’ll talk.” Morpheus made no attempt to deny Carter’s accusations on the tape.

The most surprising aspect of the taped conversation was that several of Morpheus’ comments indicated that Chaos had been directly involved in his dealings with Carter. The UFSP authorities are now said to be considering charges against Chaos as an accomplice in Morpheus’ crimes.

After Mesmer’s testimony, the judge, fearing that the new information would cause Morpheus to take fight, revoked the defendant’s bail. Morpheus was therefore prevented from making his planned appearance at the GWF’s Starclash extravaganza.

COMMANDER SAM REMAINS OUT OF ACTION
The injuries suffered by Commander Sam in an attack by Splatter have been determined to be more serious than previously believed. Sam has been released from the hospital, but doctors have recommended that he delay his return to ringside.

“Sam has suffered a serious head trauma,” U. S. Patriot announced. “He’s having problems with both his vision and his memory. Although he has returned to his home, doctors are still running tests on him to determine the exact extent of the damage. At this point, we have no idea of when he will be able to return to the GWF. The FDF will carry on in his absence, but we miss him, and we hope to have him back soon,”

SPLATTER CONTINUES ASSAULT ON FDF
The lunatic Splatter’s attacks seem less random than usual recently as he has apparently focused on crippling the FDF. While Commander Sam remained out of action due to his beating at Splatter’s hands, Ms. Liberty took on the duties of overseeing the FDF wrestlers at ringside. However, Ms. Liberty was also knocked out of action when she was attacked by Krakan’s primary henchman after a victory by Archon over Blazing Skull.

“There seems to be no stopping that maniac,” U. S. Patriot fumed. “The commissioner has suspended him. I’ve beaten him to a pulp. He just keeps coming back. I’m sick of it. I don’t know what it’s gonna take, but I’m ready to do something drastic to put an end to Splatter and Krakan, even if it means putting my own career on the line.”

STARCLASH XVI SUPERCARD
The Main Event
The Galaxian title match between GWF Champion Pegasus and Janus started slowly, with neither man willing to take a major risk. Finally Janus went for a sleeper hold, but Pegasus ducked and clotheslined Janus out of the ring. The champion followed his opponent to the floor, where Janus recovered and whipped Pegasus to the ringpost. The move might have justified a disqualification, but special referee Massif let the match continue. Janus immediately threw the injured champion back into the ring and slapped on his “Gordian Knot.” Omega was left with no choice but to throw in the towel, giving Janus the victory and the third Galaxian title of his career.

[David Morse]

GWF 2102 Highlights

From WPU 5.7

GUILTY!: MORPHEUS CONVICTED OF BLACKMAILING CARTER
The verdict is in, and Morpheus has been found guilty of blackmailing former GWF Commissioner Zachary Carter into decisions favorable to the Citadel of the Elite. Morpheus was also convicted of tampering with the results of GWF matches. The jury returned not guilty verdicts on the charges of time travel violations and illegal gambling.

The judge for Morpheus’ trial chose to impose sentence immediately rather than to observe the usual waiting period, saying that the case had dragged on long enough. On the charge of blackmail, Morpheus was sentenced to three years in prison. For tampering with the results of professional sporting events, the manager of the Citadel of the Elite received two additional years. The judge announced that the sentences would run consecutively.

Had Morpheus been convicted of time travel violations, the most serious of the charges against him, he would have faced up to twenty years in prison. With his current sentences, the legendary GWF star will be eligible for parole in no less than three years. Morpheus’ lawyers have promised an appeal, but the convicted manager is currently behind bars and will remain there unless the appeal is granted.

WAR GAMES GOING TO THE WIRE
The closest War Games competition in GWF history has been extended beyond the Titan Challenge for the first time since 2098, as no team has yet eclipsed the 200 point total needed for victory. Commissioner Grogan announced at the last scheduled War Games event that additional cards would be added after the supercard until the point goal was reached. Matches at the Titan Challenge will not be counted in War Games totals.

The Federation Defense Fighters are the current leaders at 194 points, only six short of the total needed to win. Omega’s Defenders of the Galaxy are second, just two points back, while the Gladiators of Aethra have put on a furious rally in the final month to pull within six points of the leaders at 188. Since 2096, no third place team has finished less than 26 points behind the winners. Currently the sixth place Colonizers of Scorpi have already registered 178, making the 2102 Games easily the most competitive ever.

“We should have this won by now,” Vengeance argued in a recent interview. “If Mayhem, Thunder, and Overkill wouldn’t have been suspended for the first month, it wouldn’t even be close. But we’re still going to win this thing. We’re on a roll now, and no one can stop us.”

Thantos, shooting for the War Games ring that has eluded him for so long, had more positive sentiments. “I’m having more fun than I’ve had in years,” the GWF legend said. “This is the closest I’ve ever been to winning. It’s great just to be in the thick of things at the end. What a way to go out.”

Justice also expressed excitement at the situation. “I was on the first winning War Games team with the Defenders of the Galaxy,” he stated, “but the FDF has never won. We want to take these rings for Commander Sam. But whatever happens, this has sure been exciting.”

CONTROL SLIPPING FOR CHAOS
2102 has been a bad year for Chaos. The Citadel failed badly in its attempt to win a second straight War Games championship, and the big man from Dimension X has lost all five matches he has fought against his arch-rival Pegasus. Now Chaos also faces the possibility of prosecution for his role in Morpheus’ blackmailing of former GWF Commissioner Zachary Carter.

This series of trouble has clearly taken its toll on Chaos. He has been even more angry and sullen than usual of late, and he has recently begun to lash out at his teammates in the Citadel. His control over the alpha stone has also been erratic, and he has sometimes entered the ring in a weakened state.

“I have no problems!” Chaos shouted when confronted about the situation by Qualitar in a recent interview. “I’m fine. It’s my teammates who failed the Citadel. And now the UFSP is out to get me, too, but I’ve done nothing wrong. They can’t touch me. They took away my manager. They took my title. Now they want to send me to prison. But Chaos always rises from the ashes. It’s all Mesmer’s fault. First he helped Omega and Alpha Force trick me years ago when I first found the alpha stone. Now he’s helped take Morpheus away. I’ll get him. I’ll get Colby. I’ll get Pegasus. All of them will pay for this.”

Such tirades have become commonplace for Chaos recently. His teammates have frequently grumbled about his instability, and Enigma has openly questioned the team’s direction. The Citadel may be destined for a rocky year in 2103.

COMMANDER SAM STILL OUT OF ACTION
FDF manager Commander Sam has yet to return to the GWF after being injured in a brutal attack by the lunatic Splatter. Doctors have determined that Sam suffered what they term a serious bruise to his brain and have advised continued rest. Sam remains at home in Boston, Massachusetts on Earth. He hopes to return to the GWF at the Galacticade supercard in December.

In a strange development to this story, Mesmer was rumored to have been seen visiting Sam on two separate off days for the GWF. U. S. Patriot issued a warning for Mesmer to stay away from Commander Sam or risk an all-out war between the FDF and the Colby/Pelf Corporation.

TITAN CHALLENGE SUPERCARD
The Titan Challenge Supercard, originally created as a showcase for special matches and held late in each GWF year, became the first joint promotion of the GWF and the USWF in 2102. While wrestlers from both federations fought in many matches, the primary attraction was a seven match head-to-head challenge pitting the various champions and other major stars from both federations against each other. The GWF won this special challeneg five matches to two.

Also at the Titan Challenge, GWF Commissioner Grogan announced the creation of a new women's federation, the Galaxian Women's Wrestling Federation. The GWWF would be established in 2103, with long-time GWF star Torin Caelum serving as its first Commissioner.

In other GWF news, U. S Patriot lost an exile challenge against Splatter and was forced to leave the GWF until December. He competed in the USWF during his exile.

[David Morse]

GWF 2102 Highlights

From WPU 5.8

THANTOS GETS HIS RING:
DEFENDERS WIN WAR GAMES IN DRAMATIC CONCLUSION
In the most closely contested GWF War Games ever, the Defenders of the Galaxy overcame the Federation Defense Fighters and the Gladiators of Aethra to claim the championship for the first time since 2093. The dramatic ending of the Games came at the Callisto Centroplex just five days after the Titan Challenge supercard.

The Defenders and the FDF entered the final card with 196 points each, four short of the total needed for victory and just one ahead of the Gladiators of Aethra. Commissioner Grogan set all ten matches involving wrestlers from the three teams at the end of the card, with each team having the possibility of gaining eight points. The Gladiators started strong with victories by Malice over the injured Canadian Bomber and Thunder and Overkill over the Watchmen, pulling even with the Defenders at 197 points after Thantos defeated feud opponent Mandrill by DQ. However, the Aethrans then saw Ravage and Vengeance both lose crucial matches, while Colossus blasted his feud rival Splatter in just twenty seconds with a “Cyborg Deathblow. When Pegasus pulled out his sixth straight victory over Chaos, the Gladiators fell four points back and lost their last chance for victory.

Yet the FDF, which saw IP tag champs Centaurus Cluster go down to the New Order in a non-title match, refused to quit. Jack of Diamonds pinned feud rival Ravage to raise the team’s score to 198, leaving the pressure on Janus a non-title match against new GWF champion Mayhem. After being battered terribly and surviving only due to interference by Exo-King, Janus fought back and caught Mayhem in his “Gordian Knot” for the win. Because even non-title matches involving the GWF champion are worth three points, the victory pulled the FDF into a tie with the Defenders at 201.

Almost every active wrestler in the GWF was watching from the audience for the final match, which pitted Coat of Arms against War Games tag champs Armageddon. Alpha Force dominated the contest, smashing both Slaughterhouse and Carnage repeatedly while allowing Star Warrior into the ring for only short stints. Finally Alpha leveled Carnage with a series of “Tomahawk Thrusts,” keeping the assault going despite repeated interference by Slaughterhouse and Darkos. With one mighty final chop, Alpha pinned Carnage to win the War Games tag belts and claim the War Games championship for the Defenders.

Overall, the finish was the most dramatic since Wolf defeated Janus in the final match to win the 2097 Games for W. A. R. After the card, the Defenders held a huge celebration in the locker room area. “We won this one for Thantos,” Star Warrior said. “For the last two years we’ve promised him a ring, and each time we failed. Janus had me worried there for a while tonight. His performance against Mayhem was amazing, and he deserves all the credit in the galaxy. But we came through, thanks to a great team effort from everyone. This feels as good as anything I’ve ever won.”

Thantos, who won his last three outings in the War Games including victories over Mandrill, who had defeated him in three previous matches, and Interplanetary champion Enigma, finally claimed the first War Games ring of his tremendous career. Star Warrior picked up his third ring, the first two having come in 2091 and 2093. Alpha Force and Pegasus won for the second time, having taken home rings in 2093 and 2098 respectively, while Colossus earned the first ring of his career.

WOLF BREAKS WITH W. A. R.
W. A. R. suffered an unexpected loss when Wolf confronted Mace in the locker room after the final War Games card. “Well, big mouth, we came back,” Wolf barked. “We made it a contest. Are you satisfied now?”

“I’m never satisfied by losing,” Mace growled. “Get out of my face.”

“You’d better get used to losing,” Wolf snapped back. “You and Dreggs did a lot of it at the end. But I’m sick of you anyway. I couldn’t challenge you this year because we were teammates. Well, we’re not teammates anymore. I quit. And the next time I hear something from you I don’t like, I’ll come to settle things.”

Mace shouted back an angry reply, but Wolf turned and stalked out of the locker room. Raven and Destructon 3000 were very upset by the development, but Wolf, who has been a member of W. A. R. since 2100, later insisted that he is permanently finished as a member of the team.

TROUBLES GROW WORSE FOR CHAOS
The tumultuous year through which Chaos has suffered reached a shocking low shortly after the end of the War Games. The giant from Dimension X failed to appear for a match against Buck Steele. When Chaos finally made his way to the ring later in the evening, no one was prepared for what took place.

Kati had just made his way to the ring with his new manager Mesmer for a match against Janus when Chaos came rushing out of the locker room area. Janus braced himself, expecting an attack by the giant, but instead Chaos ran directly at Mesmer. When he reached the ring, Chaos grabbed the manager by the shirt and lifted him off the ground.

“Thief!” the obviously distraught Chaos screamed. “Thief! Where is it? What have you done with it?”

Kati moved toward the confrontation, but Mesmer remained calm. “Where is what, Chaos?” he asked. “What’s your problem?”

“You know what the problem is!” Chaos shouted. “You stole the alpha stone from me! I want it back now! It’s mine! Where is it?”

At a quick hand signal from Mesmer, Kati plowed into Chaos from behind, forcing the big man to break his hold on the mystic. A brawl ensued, but in his distracted mental state and without the power of his stone Chaos was forced to retreat by the Samoan.

“I know he took it,” Chaos said later. “Who else would do this to me? He’s done everything he can to destroy me, but he won’t get away with this. I’ll get the stone back, and I’ll break that runt and all of his men in half. Then I’ll go after Colby. They can’t do this to me!”

Asked about the accusations, Mesmer flatly denied them. “What would I want with his stone?” the mystic asked. “I don’t even believe it was stolen. Chaos has lost his mind, and he’s having a bad year. What better excuse could he have for his failures than to hide the alpha stone and blame me? He’s lost his confidence, and this is the easy way out. But no one will believe his excuses.” Then, with an enigmatic smile that seemed to belie his denial, he added, “Chaos is finished. The Citadel is in ruins. I’d say Mr. Colby’s revenge is complete now.”

TRAGEDY IN THE RING:
CROSSFIRE FATALLY BURNED BY BLAZING SKULL
In its nearly thirty years of competition, the GWF has seen many horrifying incidents, from the maiming of Thantos by Sin to the Society of Death’s attack of Dragonfighter to the career ending injury inflicted on Lance At-las by the Cosmic Forces. Yet nothing can compare with the tragedy that took place at the Brymstone Battledome on December 3, 2102.

The card was the first ever held on Brymstone, and a capacity crowd turned out for the event. One of the most anticipated matches pitted Blazing Skull, a native of Brymstone, against Crossfire, the rookie from Centaurus. Although he had lost twice in previous matches against the Skull, Crossfire battled valiantly in the match and eventually took the advantage. Preparing for his “Bow and Arrow” finisher, the youngster set Blazing Skull up for a neckbreaker. Then the unthinkable happened.

As Crossfire began the move, Blazing Skull’s head erupted in an enormous explosion. Fire covered the ring area for approximately two seconds before the Battledome security systems cleared the holocaust away. Crossfire’s charred body lay in the center of the ring. WPU special reporter Qualitar was on hand and offered the following description of the situation:

“Crossfire was basically cheek to cheek with Blazing Skull when the explosion occurred, and it ravaged his upper body. The horrific smell of burned flesh permeated the arena. Crossfire’s entire upper body was burned considerably, and he lay in the ring motionless. I knew he was dead right away.

“Other wrestlers on the card came out to see what happened, and they stood by in horrified silence. Archon, who was at ringside, remained at Crossfire’s side the whole time. Supernova, who had developed a friendship with Crossfire, was there next, and she was hysterical. Wraith and Bishop Hell, Blazing Skull’s new partner, soon appeared. Massif tried to keep everyone away and maintain order. But there was nothing anyone could do for Crossfire.”

Twenty minutes later, the ring was cleared and the card attempted to continue, but many of the wrestlers clearly could not focus on their own matches. U. S. Patriot, Crossfire’s teammate in the FDF, lost in just two minutes to Grunge. Archon pulled out of his match with Vigilante and was replaced by Lord Nexus. The GameMasters and Genesis Prime also refused to fight. By the time Mayhem defeated Big Daddy Steel in the main event, most of the shocked wrestlers had left the arena.

On the following day, Commissioner Grogan called a press conference to make the following announcement: “By now everyone is aware of the horrible incident that took place yesterday on Brymstone. As a result, I am canceling all GWF cards for the next two weeks as a period of mourning for Crossfire. We will resume action at Galacticade. Blazing Skull is indefinitely banned from all GWF cards and activities. I will make a decision on his status when I have more information.”

(Note: Obviously, the Qualitar quotation is a direct copy from the Sudden Death 2103 Booklet.)

[David Morse]

GWF 2102 Highlights

From WPU 5.8 (continued from previous post)

GALACTICADE VII
As it has yearly since 2096, GWF action reached its conclusion at the Galacticade extravaganza in Los Angeles, California on Earth. Galacticade was created at the suggestion of Commander Sam and consists of the year-end awards banquet and the final supercard of each year. The 2102 event was held on December 19 and 20.

Awards Banquet
Wrestler of the Year: Pegasus and Janus (tie)
The voting for the GWF’s top honor ended in a tie for the third time in federation history and the first since 2099 when Wolf and Spike shared the award. Pegasus held the Galaxian title longer than any other wrestler in 2102 and led his team to its War Games win. Janus held both the Galaxian and Interplanetary titles briefly and had the GWF’s highest victory total with 47 entering Galacticade, as well as leading the FDF to its best War Games finish ever.

Tag Team of the Year: Generation X
The surprise winners in a very close vote, Grunge and Metalhead finally established themselves as an elite team with two Galaxian tag titles and a fine 34-22 record.

Top Newcomer: Nefarus
The easiest choice of the day. Nefarus held the War Games singles belt twice and was ranked for both the Galaxian and Interplanetary titles all year.

Hall of Fame Inductees: Brute, Massacre, Spike

Galacticade Supercard
In the main event, Pegasus pinned Mayhem with a brutal clothesline to win the Galaxian Heavyweight championship for the third time in his career. Thantos lost his farewell match to Chaos, while U. S. Patriot lost to Splatter in a hitman match.

Despite his loss, Thantos expressed no regret over choosing to fight Chaos in his last match. “I wanted to go out fighting,” Thantos said, “and I did. I gave him a match he’ll remember for a while. Winning or losing didn’t matter much to me. I beat him up one last time. That’s what counts.”

Pegasus celebrated his Galaxian title win with his teammates and with USWF guests Black Hawk and Lance At-las. “I got it again,” the new champion said. “It feels good. This has been an incredible year. We’re going to have a party like you won’t believe. Then maybe I’ll go find that punk Marlicus and slap him up a little (see related story on the Interstellar Rumble in the USWF Report below).”

In spite of the great victory by Pegasus and Thantos’ upbeat reaction to his match, one incident from the evening cast a tremendous cloud over the atmosphere. U. S. Patriot failed in his effort to get revenge on Splatter in a Hitman match and was left lying in the center of the ring after being blasted by Arsenal. As the Patriot tried to recover, Commander Sam climbed through the ropes and helped him to his feet.

“So this was your way of getting him back, huh?” Sam snapped. “Where were you when he was beating on me? You didn’t help then, and you failed tonight. All of that just proves what a loser you are.”

Then, while the shocked fans looked on, Sam slapped the Patriot across the face.

Stunned, the Patriot could only look on in dismay as Sam walked out of the ring. The FDF manager was later seen leaving the arena with Mesmer.

USWF REPORT

FURY OUT IN SHOCKING CONFRONTATION
Fury, one half of the USWF Tag Team champions with Wrath, is out of action after one of the most stunning and disturbing incidents in federation history took place at the Vesta Sports Complex.

Dagger Mack and the Mad Jester, who were not ranked for the tag belts, challenged the champions to a grudge match. Fury, willing to battle any of Krakan’s men, eagerly accepted. However, when Dagger Mack and the Jester entered the ring, a third individual came with them. The face of the unexpected guest was hidden under a heavy cloak. The Mad Jester called for the ring microphone.

“Fury, we wanted this match so we could introduce you to our new bodyguard,” the Jester said with a wicked smile. “He’s an old friend of yours, after all.” Then the Jester laughed. “I also have a message from Krakan: you’ll never be free! Never!”

With a quick movement, the stranger tore off his cloak. He was older and heavier than he had once been, but there was no mistaking his identity. He was the man who had performed some of the most dastardly deeds in GWF history. He had been one of Krakan’s henchmen for years. And he was also the man who, on Krakan’s orders, had imprisoned and tortured Fury for months in 2097 and 98: Ghengis Khan.

To put matters simply, Fury went berserk.

The huge wrestler who had been abused first by the Gladiators of Aethra, then by Krakan and Khan lost all control. He dove at Khan, but he was intercepted by Dagger Mack. Then he began swinging at everyone in sight, including the referee and his own tag team partner Wrath. Security personnel entered the ring, but it took three minutes before Fury could be restrained. Finally the victim of the cruel incident was taken from the ring in a straight jacket.

As Dagger Mack, the Jester, and Khan congratulated themselves, Wrath picked up the microphone, which had fallen to the mat during the melee. “That was the wickedest thing I’ve seen since I’ve been in wrestling,” he said. “You knew what would happen when Fury saw Khan. You knew what it would do to him. I’m going to get you sick bastards if it’s the last thing I do.”

The Jester turned back to Wrath. “I almost forgot about you,” he said. “We have a surprise for you, too. But you’re not our problem.”

Suddenly Ravage, Ruin, and Malice, who had apparently been hiding in the crowd, jumped into the ring and attacked Wrath. The tag team champion fought madly, but he had little chance to save himself against such odds. While Ruin and Ravage pinned their victim’s arms to his sides, Malice grinned and pulled out the metal spike which he uses for his illegal finisher.

Then, to the astonishment of the fans, Wrath was saved by the most unlikely rescuers anyone could imagine. Predator, Scar, and Blitz, with whom Wrath had feuded as violently as with the other Aethrans, rushed into the ring and knocked the spike from Malice’s hands. Another brawl broke out, and after several minutes Malice and his allies were driven from the ring.

Wrath stared at his saviors, his face flushed with anger. Then he again picked up the ring microphone. “Just what the hell do you think you’re doing?” he demanded.

Predator shrugged. “You looked like you needed some help,” he replied. “We have as many problems with those thugs as you do.”

“I don’t need anything from you!” Wrath shouted. “You’re Aethran scum just like them. From now on, stay out of my business or you’ll be sorry.”

Wrath stalked out of the ring, ending the strange and frightening incident. Predator would say later only that he and his partners hadn’t expected any thanks from Wrath, but that they still wouldn’t let Malice injure anyone if they could stop him. Fury remained hospitalized at last report, leaving the future of the tag titles in doubt.

PATHFINDER ISSUES A CHALLENGE
Pathfinder of Ceres, annoyed by threats from High Lord Marlicus and Tirrion Astri, made a special challenge to the Imperial Powers for the upcoming Interstellar Rumble supercard.

“What I’d like is to get Marlicus in the ring again,” Pathfinder said, “but Black Hawk is already set to fight him, so I’ll do the next best thing. Pure Power thinks they’re a tough team. They won tag team of the year last year. But the Canadian Bomber and I were a pretty fair team ourselves once. We were tag champs in the Titan Training Alliance before anyone ever heard of Rock and Marikel. If I can’t have Marlicus, the Bomber and I will fight Pure Power at the rumble. I’ve had a tough year, and I want a chance to show everyone just what I’m made of.”

Interstellar Rumble Supercard: Main Event
As the two combatants in the USWF title match faced each other at the opening bell, High Lord Marlicus slapped Black Hawk across the face so hard that he knocked the challenger to the floor. Marlicus threw Black Hawk out of the ring, then brought him back in and delivered his “Divine Conquest” finisher. However, Lance At-las managed to distract Marlicus and stop the count, saving Black Hawk from defeat. After a few more minutes of punishment, Black Hawk made a comeback, knocking the champion out of the ring and then leveling him with a “Tomahawk Chop.” Marlicus kicked out of the pin, but Black Hawk immediately grabbed an Indian Death Lock and held on to gain the victory and win his first USWF Heavyweight title.

Interstellar Rumble Wrap-up
Black Hawk finally showed that he could defeat High Lord Marlicus, but after the match the former champion was quick to point out that the victory came only with the help of Lance At-las. A huge celebration followed in the Star Defenders’ locker room, with Omega and Pegasus attending to congratulate Black Hawk on his win.

But the most stunning incident of the card came before the special challenge matching Pure Power against Pathfinder and the Canadian Bomber. As the four combatants came to the center of the ring before the bell, Pathfinder suddenly blasted the Bomber in the back of the head with a forearm. Then, with the help of Pure Power, Pathfinder nailed his partner with a piledriver. The damage might have continued, but Pegasus jumped out of the crowd and into the ring to confront the Bomber’s assailants. As Pegasus faced Pathfinder, High Lord Marlicus entered the ring behind him and clotheslined the GWF star in the back of the head. Marlicus then began to pummel Pegasus, but Black Hawk and the Star Patrol quickly ran to the ring to stop the attack. Wolf and Omega also left the audience to help drive Marlicus and his allies away.

After the card, Black Hawk and Lance At-las stated their disillusionment at Pathfinder’s actions. “We just had dinner with Pegasus and Omega last night and reminisced about the time we spent training together,” Black Hawk said sadly. “He must have known then what he was going to do. How devious can you get? I don’t know why this happened, but I know I’ve lost a partner and a friend.”

Star Defender manager Lance At-las also expressed deep sadness. “I guess he was even unhappier than we knew,” he said. “He was clearly frustrated with the year he’s had, but I never expected this. I’m glad the Bomber is alright, thanks to Pegasus. I just wish none of this had happened.”

Pegasus was far less kind in his comments. “That big idiot made a huge mistake tonight,” he stormed. “What had the Bomber ever done to Pathfinder except be his friend? If Pathfinder has a problem, he chose the wrong way to get it out into the open. The Bomber can take him, and Black Hawk can twist him in half. Black Hawk and I trained with him. He doesn’t have a move Hawk can’t anticipate, and Hawk’s a better wrestler anyway. I thought once that Pathfinder could be something special. Now I guess he’s decided to settle for being someone’s thug.

“But I have a message for Marlicus, too,” Pegasus continued. “Don’t think for a minute that I’m going to forget what you did tonight. I know you better than you think, you schmuck. You walk around thinking you can dominate everyone and show how tough you are. I was doing your act in the GWF while you were still playing soldier for your father. I know everything you’ll do before you do it. But all you are is a hotshot rookie trying to make a reputation. I have business in the GWF to settle, but I’m warning you now that sooner or later you and I are going to have words about tonight.”

[David Morse]

GWF 2103 Highlights

From WPU 6.1:

Highlights from Galaxy Cup Press Conferences

The 2103 year began as it has since 2087 on Deimos with the Galaxy Cup tournaments and the annual press conferences at which teams announce their roster for the year. Commissioner Grogan kicked off the festivities on January 18 at the Deimos Intergalactic Arena Media Center by welcoming the press back from the traditional month-long holiday break.

SAM A NO-SHOW AT CORPORATION PRESS CONFERENCE
Mesmer took center stage for the Colby/Pelf Corporation press conference. Appearing with him were Magnus Colby, Sonora Pelf, the Matador of M83, Holocaust, Kati, Bishop Hell, Blazing Skull, and a strange, demonic-looking newcomer.

“The Corporation kept its word last year,” Mesmer began, but as he spoke he continually glanced off stage. “We said we’d challenge for the War Games title, and we nearly won it. This year we will go a step further and take the rings. You see out lineup here on stage with me. I also want to introduce Maleph, the highest ranking anti-official from Brymstone. Maleph will serve as the manager for Bishop Hell and Blazing Skull, who will form a tag team called the Lords of Fire. You all know the Bishop and I have not always seen eye-to-eye, and he and Skull have decided they prefer Maleph at ringside. I will retain decision-making control for all Corporation members.”

Again Mesmer glanced to the side of the stage. “I also want to announce that Commander Sam will be joining us as my assistant. We had planned for him to be here with us today, but he was obviously detained. He will learn how the Corporation does things, and he’ll be an asset to the team. With his help, wel’ll dominate the GWF and take home the War Games title.”

TROUBLES CONTINUE IN THE W.A.R. CAMP
After their tumultuous times in 2102, W. A. R. faced the upcoming year with only three regular members. Destructon 3000 spoke for the team, with Raven, Mace, and Dreggs joining him on stage.

“With the loss of Wolf, we’re at a disadvantage against the Gladiators,” the cyborg stated. “But W. A. R. has never surrendered, and we never will. We’re hoping that eventually Raven’s cousin Eagle can join us, but he’s not ready for the Aethrans yet. We’ll fight three on four against the Gladiators until we find a suitable replacement for Wolf.”

“We don’t need no help,” Mace broke in. “We’ve been doing fine for years. We can take out the Glads by ourselves.”

“Mace, shut up for once,” Raven snapped. “It’s your fault Wolf left us as it is. You’ve driven more members of W. A. R. away than the Aethrans have. Don’t let your big mouth cause any more problems. “

As the big man began an angry retort, Destructon took control. “We don’t need this,” he said. “We’ll take any useful help we can get. And I want all three of you to think about what you’re doing. This fighting is killing us. Mace, I don’t want to hear any more from you. As of now, you’ll give no interviews until further notice. When you learn to keep your comments under control, you’ll be able to speak publicly again, and we’ll all be better off.”

The team left the stage together, but Mace’s sullen face showed a great dissatisfaction with Destruction’s decision. For the second straight year, the members of W. A. R. seemed to be at odds with each other. Everyone present was left wondering how long the team could hold together with such dissension.

SHOCKING DEVELOPMENTS IN THE CITADEL
The Citadel of the Elite entered as a group. Chaos, Heracles, Enigma, Skinhead, and Prodigy were still without a manager due to Morpheus’ imprisonment and banishment, and Chaos had not yet recovered the alpha stone. As the team took the stage, the press corps wondered what mental state the giant from Dimension X would be in.

“This is a new day for the Citadel,” Chaos began. His face showed his usual scowl, but he seemed more upbeat than he had for months. “Morpheus is gone. Colby and Mesmer have tried to destroy us. But I have a surprise for them. Meet the new manager of the Citadel of the Elite: Commando Sam!”

Commander Sam stepped out into the stage. He was dressed in military gear and wore the same angry expression he had displayed at Galacticade when he slapped U. S. Patriot. “I finally got wise to my so-called friends in the FDF,” he said. “The old Commander Sam is as dead as Crossfire. With Chaos leading the way, I’m going to get revenge on everyone who has used me over the years, starting with Omega.”

“Do you see this, Mesmer?” Chaos crowed. “You lost this time. Sam has joined us, not you, and there’s nothing you can do about it. You blew it. And I got a new manager out of the deal.”

“Wait a minute,” Enigma interrupted. “You made this decision without consulting any of us? How do we know we can trust Sam?”

“I am Chaos!” the giant stormed. “I do not need your help in making decisions for this team.”

“Maybe you don’t need my help at all,” Enigma snapped back. “You’ve lost your mind. You’re bringing in one of your worst enemies to lead the team? That’s the last straw for me. This whole group has lost it, and I’m getting out while I can.”

Enigma spun away and left the stage. Heracles turned to Chaos. “We didn’t need him anyway,” he said. “This is a great move. I support you.”

“It’s a better move than you think,” Chaos said. “I knew Enigma wasn’t going to last much longer. He complained too much last year. But we already have a replacement for him. Come in—Dark Justice!”

The stunned media got another surprise as Justice walked out of the stage wings. He shook hands with Chaos and Sam, then took the microphone. “I’ve been wasting my time for years, jumping from the FDF to W. A. R. to the Alliance and even to the USWF,” he declared. “It’s time I found a team with some stability. If this is where Sam is going to be, then I’m with him. I’m tired of being jerked around by everyone.”

“Take a good look, Mesmer,” Chaos said with what was almost a smile. “Get ready, Omega. The Citadel isn’t dead. When I get the alpha stone back, we’ll regain our dominance over the GWF.”

“Oh, the stone,” Commando Sam said as if mentioning a minor matter. “I forgot to tell you. Mesmer has it. He’s planning to ship it back to Dimension X.”

With a shout of triumph, Chaos wheeled and sprinted off the stage in search of Mesmer. His team members followed more slowly. It was the most startling press conference so far in 2103, and it shows that the Citadel was indeed not to be dismissed in the coming year.

TURMOIL FOR THE FDF LEADS TO BREAKUP
U. S. Patriot spoke for the Federation Defense Fighters. He was joined by Janus, Jack of Diamonds, Archon, and Ms. Liberty. “Despite our great War Games performance,” he began, “the FDF had a tough year. First we suffered the terrible loss of Crossfire. Then Commander Sam stunned us all with his actions. Now Justice has turned on us. We don’t know what’s coming next.

“What happened to Sam seems clear now. This situation has to be the result of his head injury. After Splatter knocked Sam out, Mesmer took the opportunity to somehow toy with his mind. We don’t know if this involved hypnosis or some other means. What is clear is that Mesmer has now lost control, and Sam has joined the Citadel. I will personally never stop looking for a way to reach Sam and bring him back to what he was.

“As far as Justice goes, I don’t understand his attitude at all. But the FDF will carry on. We’ll fight the Citadel, and we’ll fight Colby’s team, standing for the same things Commander Sam always believed in.”

Suddenly a voice from offstage interrupted him. “Noble ideas, Patriot, but you’re on the wrong track,” it said. “You can’t do it that way.”

To the surprise of both the media and the FDF, Thantos walked out of the stage wings. “What do you mean?” the Patriot asked him. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m here to help,” Thantos replied. “I know what you’ve always stood for. I respect you for it. But you’ll never beat sick people like Chaos, Mesmer, and Blazing Skull that way. They won’t follow any rules. If you’re going to beat them, you have to get down to their level and fight. And I know how to do that better than anyone.”

“No,” the Patriot said firmly. “That’s not what this group is about.”

Thantos stepped forward. “That’s what this group had better get about, or you’re in trouble,” he said. “No one knows Chaos better than I do. I’ve been fighting Mesmer since 2088. And in over 25 years, I’ve learned a little something about Sam, too. I can help you beat them. But it has to be done my way: no holds barred. You have to be willing to do whatever is necessary to stop them.”

“And you propose to manage us?” Janus put in. “I like it a lot. I’m in.”

Thantos turned to Jack of Diamonds. “What about you?” he asked.

Jack turned to the Patriot. “I’m sorry, Adam,” he said. “Thantos is right. This is the way to do it. To get at Bishop Hell and Mesmer, I’ll go with him.”

Next Thantos turned to Archon. “You came in playing by the rules,” he said. “But your partner was a good kid, and he’s dead because of Blazing Skull. Where do you stand now?”

“That’s right,” Archon answered. “I tried to do it straight up. I tried fighting fair. Now all I want is revenge. If you can help me get it, I’m with you all the way.”

“I can’t go along with this,” the Patriot insisted. “This isn’t what the FDF is meant to stand for. You’re trashing what Sam believed in.”

“Sam trashed it himself,” Janus argued. “Patriot, we’re friends, but you’re wrong this time. Thantos has the right idea: any way necessary. Don’t forget, I know these people, too. I know Chaos and the Matador. This is the way to go.”

“Then you’ll have to do it without me,” the Patriot said sadly. “I’ll find some other way of my own to go after Splatter and Mesmer. All I ask is that you don’t use the name Federation Defense Fighters. That was Sam’s team, and he never would have condoned this.”

“That’s fair enough,” Thantos replied. “I really didn’t think you’d be able to go along with this. We all respect your decision. We’ll call ourselves what we are: the Equalizers. And we’ll even out the odds in this federation so you can continue to fight as you want to.”

With a sad shake of his head, the Patriot left the stage, followed by Ms. Liberty. Janus turned to Thantos. “Okay, you’ve got us,” he said. “Now what?”

“I’m not done here,” Thantos answered. “I have a couple of surprises. First of all, I found someone to help Archon fight Blazing Skull and the Bishop. Archon, you’re angry and hurt. I don’t think anyone understands that better than this man.”

With a motion to the stage wings, Thantos called Pulsar out. The Titan superstar stepped forward to Archon.

“As much as you want Skull, it’s not more than I want the Bishop,” he said. “We’ll do it Thantos’ way. No surrender. No rules. No fear. And No Fear is what we’ll call ourselves, if you’re willing.”

Without a word, Archon extended his hand. “That helps,” Janus noted. “But we’re still outnumbered by one.”

“No, we’re not,” Thantos smiled. “I have one more surprise.”

A wild howl broke out from offstage. Wolf stepped out to join the group, followed by Amazonia.

“Didn’t expect me, did you?” Wolf snarled. “But after all our battles, Thantos is one of the few people in this federation I respect. He asked for my help, and I know he’ll let me do things my own way now. I don’t care of it’s the Citadel, the Corporation, or Krakan’s Militia. We’re gonna rip them all apart.”

“Now we’re ready,” Thantos concluded. “All of the pieces are in place. If Chaos and Mesmer thought they had problems with each other, wait until they run into us.”

ANOTHER BLOWOUT FOR THE GLADIATORS
“In 2102, the Gladiators of Aethra deserved to win the War Games,” Vengeance said to open the Gladiator press conference. “Only a suspension to Mayhem, Overkill, and Thunder prevented our victory. This year we will conquer everyone, assuming that Mayhem can keep himself eligible to fight.”

“Hold on,” Mayhem growled. “You’ve been hinting for months that I lost the War Games for us. If you got something to say, say it.”

“You did cause the suspension,” Vengeance replied. “We lost by five points and you were out for three weeks. Does it need to be clearer than that?”

“Do you think you can do better without me?” Mayhem snapped. “Then do it. I made another deal for myself. You three can fight by yourselves this year.”

Vengeance looked stunned. “What other deal? I didn’t approve this.”

“I didn’t ask you to,” Mayhem barked. “What I do is none of your business. You’ll find out about my deal later. As far as you’re concerned, I’m gone.”

“Be careful,” Vengeance warned. “Think about what you’re doing. You’re either with us or against us. If you leave, we may decide to come after you.”

Mayhem laughed loudly. “Go for it. I’ve got friends to back me up. You’re the one who should be careful. You’re supposed to be leading this team. You didn’t want me. If you fail against W. A. R. now, you don’t have anybody else to blame.”

The gladiator maniac turned and left the stage. Vengeance called a quick end to the press conference, and as he left with Thunder and Overkill his face showed more anger and concern than anyone had seen from him in a long time.

GUILE SEEKS REVENGE
This press conference was a surprise. Reynard B. Guile had spent most of the last three years in the USWF, so his return to the GWF brought widespread speculation regarding his motives.

“The Department of Power is back,” Guile declared, “and I’m here for some payback. Krakan raided my USWF roster one too many times. Now my team is going to break up the Deadly Militia.

“Of course, the first member of our group will be the Draconian Sheik, the only man in wrestling crazier than Splatter. But I’ve also recruited a tag team to take on the Mercenaries. I put this team together in 2096 and made them tag team champions. Now we’re back together. The Pillars of Power are rejoining the DOP.”

As Powerhouse and Dynamo walked out onto the stage, Guile continued. “For good measure, I’ve pulled one of my greatest coups,” he said. “I’ve never gotten the credit I deserved for bringing the Matador, Pegasus, the Barbaric Destroyer, the Sheik, and others into the GWF. This time I have someone who will make everyone take notice. He is a legend in the Aran Federation of Wrestling, and now he’s coming here to help me take Krakan down. Please welcome--Terminus!”

A large individual who looked like he was built from orange brick joined Guile on stage. All of the wrestling press was familiar with Terminus, who is indeed the greatest competitor ever from the star system Ara.

“Time for me to join the big time,” Terminus growled. “I got nothing against Krakan or Splatter, but if Reynard wants them gone, they’re history. I’m like nothing you’ve ever seen. The GWF had better get ready, because I intend to rule here just as I did in the AFW.”

DEADLY MILITIA ADDS A NEW MEMBER
Krakan began the Deadly Militia press conference with a look on his face that showed even more self-satisfaction than usual. “Guile’s back,” he said. “And he’s got Terminus. Am I worried? Of course not. The Deadly Militia is still the most dominant team in the GWF. The Mercenaries should have been named tag team of the year last year. Splatter is still the most dangerous man in wrestling. And Guile, do you think the Sheik’s crazy? Look who I’ve got!”

Suddenly the battle theme of Aethra began to blare loudly into the Media Center. Mayhem stepped out onto the stage before the shocked press corps.

“Yeah, I’ve had some problems with Krakan and Splatter,” Mayhem acknowledged. “But we’ve settled that. I especially liked what Krakan did to drive Fury back out of wrestling last year. The Militia does things my way, so this is where I wanna be.”

“Still feel confident, Guile?” Krakan asked. “Can your men handle this? And if Mayhem’s former teammates from Aethra want to debate this, they know where to find us. Vengeance mouthed off too much last year. Now we’re going to shut him and everyone else up.”

Other Press Conference Notes:
U. S. Patriot joined Omega's team, The Defenders.

Enigma rejoined Darkos' Masked Assassins

Gemini brought in Rune Laars, thought to have returned to his own time in the year 3000, to battle Theater of Pain. It was revealed that Laars had requested and received temporary asylum in this time period, as his life was in danger in his own time.