My GWF 2087-2110 History

[David Morse]

GWF 2104 Highlights

From WPU 7.1

Highlights from Year-Opening Press Conferences
The following stories are excerpts from the press conferences held by the teams that will compete in the GWF in 2104. Each independent group held its own event. In addition, Dynamo and Dreadnaught requested their own press conferences.

SIGNS OF DISSENSION IN DEFENDERS CAMP
Omega’s Defenders of the Galaxy entered the Deimos Media Center as a group. Following the manager were his sons Star Warrior and Alpha Force, GWF Champion Pegasus, Colossus, Supernova, U. S. Patriot, and Ms. Liberty. However, the Patriot wore an uncharacteristically sour expression on his face.

“The Defenders of the Galaxy failed to defend our War Games championship last year,” Omega began, “but we still had a good year. Supernova held the GWWF title. Coat of Arms was GWF tag champs and won the Galaxy Cup last year. Pegasus is the reigning Galaxian champion. We’re ready to build on last year’s success and to climb back to the top of the federation while continuing our fight against Commander Sam, Chaos, and the rest of the Citadel.”

“Speaking of Sam, I have a few comments to make,” U. S. Patriot broke in. “Everyone heard Black Hawk’s comments last year when he questioned the integrity of the United States and of Sam himself. We all know Sam is being manipulated by Mesmer. As for the history of the United States, Black Hawk was way off base. Our country is built on freedom and justice. If that punk shoots off his mouth again . . .”

(Note: In reflecting on Commando Sam's defection to manage Chaos and the Citadel, Black Hawk had commented on the history of the United States Government's treatment of his Native American people and stated that Sam's betrayal was in some sense consistent with the history of the country he stood for.)

“Now hold on,” Pegasus interrupted. “I know you’re mad, Adam, but Black Hawk is my friend. I’m not going to stand here and let you insult him. He didn’t say anything personal about you.”

“No?” the Patriot shot back. “He insulted my country. That’s the same as insulting me. If he was here, I’d slap his big mouth.”

“But he’s not here,” Pegasus continued. “He’s in the USWF. If you want to fight him or say something to him, fine, but do it to his face. Or deal with me.”

“That’s enough,” Omega snapped. “Both of you, stop it. A lot of what Black Hawk said was true, but he may have gone farther than he should have. But none of that is the reason we’re here today.”

“That’s right, side with him,” the Patriot muttered. “You trained him. Of course you’ll stick up for him.”

“I’m not sticking up for anybody,” Omega replied. “I just don’t want someone else’s comments to cause problems for us. Can’t you understand that?”

With a scowl, the Patriot turned and stalked off the stage. The other members of the team followed more slowly, all of them appearing concerned with the Patriot’s anger and obviously uncertain of what the result would be.

THUNDER RETURNS WITH A SURPRISE
The Gladiators of Aethra press conference, always a dramatic event, began with Thakur, Vengeance, Overkill, Thunder, and Thrash on stage. Thakur was the first to speak.

“We want to welcome Thunder back from his second cleansing,” the Aethran general began. “He has been through a rigorous routine, and now he and Overkill will be ready to dominate tag team wrestling in the GWF.

“Vengeance will continue as the leader of this team, while I will again spend most of my time in the USWF. However, I will remain here for the Galaxy Cup Tournaments. As always, the Gladiators will meet the challenge of W. A. R. Raven, Mace, and Dreggs will be no match for us this year.”

Next Vengeance stepped forward. “I’m sure you all heard Krakan’s comments,” he said. “Overkill did what he did at Starclash for his own reasons. If Krakan wants to make an issue of it, then bring it on. He’s already in enough trouble with the Gladiators for supporting the traitor Mayhem. We’re not worried about the Deadly Militia in any case. But just to make sure we win against both Krakan and W. A. R., we have a big surprise. Meet the newest full-time member of our GWF team: Malice, the Aethran Butcher!”

The awesome physical specimen that walked out onto the stage was clearly the bloodthirsty Malice, but he was greatly changed. The huge Aethran had lost approximately forty pounds and looked much leaner and faster. The maniacal gleam was also gone from his eyes, although his look still implied a calmer sort of insanity like that of Vengeance.

“No more Aethran Butcher,” Malice stated. The sound of his voice shocked the press corps, as Malice had not spoken during the previous five years he had spent in the USWF and as a bodyguard in the GWF, and many had wondered if he was sane enough to communicate. “The butcher image was an act, although I admit it was one I liked. Yeah, I can talk. I always could. The silence was part of the act, too. But now I’ve had the most brutal cleansing in Aethran history, and I’m ready to step into the fight against W. A. R. The butcher is gone, but don’t think that means it was all an act. I’ll still go just as far to destroy anyone who opposes Aethra.”

“Do you see this, Krakan?” Vengeance crowed. “Can you feel it, Destructon? We’re the toughest Gladiator team ever. With Malice and Thunder back, we’ll crush all of you. Prepare for pure hell!”

COLONIZERS PROMISE TO END THE WAR
“The war between the Colonizers and Genesis has gone on long enough,” Mandrill stated to begin the Colonizers of Scorpi press conference. With him on stage were Nefarus, Painmaster, Tocsin, and Ram. “We have dominated them for years. The weaklings from Omicron cannot compete with us, and we’ve proven it. This year, we’re going to drive them out of the GWF for good. In fact, I have a challenge for Genesis. We’ll have the GWF office keep track whenever one of us fights one of them. If we have more victories at the end of the year, that mutant Buck Steele leaves the GWF. If they have more wins, which won’t happen, one of the Colonizers will be banished. But I’ll be surprised if they’re even still here by the end of the year. Let’s see if they have the guts to take this challenge.”

When notified, Vertigo immediately accepted on behalf of the Genesis team.

AN OLD ALLY RETURNS FOR W. A. R.
The W. A. R. press conference began with all four members of the team on stage. Destructon 3000 spoke, with Raven, Mace, and Dreggs standing behind him.

“Every time the Gladiators think they have a big surprise, we one up them,” Destructon stated. “In 2098, they planned to announce the arrival of Predator, and they were shocked when he joined us instead. This year they’ve brought back Malice. Well, we have news for them. We still have spies on Aethra, and we knew Malice was coming. We’ve brought in someone who can handle him. Welcome back to W. A. R. a man who has been a three-time heavyweight champion in the USWF. Here he is again, Vengeance: Predator of Aethra!”

The young Aethran powerhouse stepped out onto the stage and took the microphone. “You all know about the problems I’ve had in the past few months, learning that my rival Wrath and I are brothers. You also know that Wrath and I left the last USWF event together after he saved me from the Gladiators. We’ve talked, but the only arrangement we’ve come to is that we don’t want to fight each other any more. That doesn’t mean we’re friends. Massacre and Wrath will explain more themselves. As for me, it will be easier if Wrath and I are just away from each other for a while, so I’m coming back to the GWF. Besides, after what they tried to do to me at the Center Stage Spectacular in December, I have some unfinished business with the Gladiators. I’ll take care of Malice, but look out Vengeance. It’s you I want, and you I’ll get before I’m satisfied.”

The other members of W. A. R. stepped forward and stood shoulder-to-shoulder beside Predator, as if posing for a team portrait. It was the most definite show of unity by the team in several years, and the clear implication was that this team is ready to defend its War Games crown.

Comment from Pulsar at the press conference for Thantos' Ringmasters
“I was listening to Mandrill earlier when he made his challenge to Genesis. I don’t like Mandrill, but I like the idea. Bishop Hell, I’ll make you the same offer. We count up the wins this year, both singles and tag-team. Whoever loses is gone, and I mean gone for good. Whoever has fewer wins, me or you, never wrestles in the GWF again. Do you have the guts to accept the challenge?”

MESMER REVEALS THE ULTIMATE GOAL AT CPC PRESS CONFERENCE
Mesmer began the press conference for the Colby/Pelf Corporation. With him on stage were Janus, the Matador of M83, Terminus, Bishop Hell, Blazing Skull, and Maleph.

“Last year, we added another important piece to our picture in signing Janus the Overman,” the mystic began. “Along with the Matador, Terminus, and the Lords of Fire, Janus is now a part of the greatest collection of wrestling talent ever assembled. We have also just completed negotiations with another new member of our team. His identity will be revealed at a later date, when he officially joins us.

“But the Corporation has much bigger plans than just one superior team. You may notice that Holocaust and Kati are not here with us today. You will see both of them in a few days, when they announce the members of the Colby/Pelf Corporation entry in the USWF. Holocaust and Kati will be the stars of our team in that federation. In addition, I would like to bring out the members of the third branch of the Corporation. Please enter, ladies.”

Onto the stage walked three familiar faces. The first was already known to be affiliated with Janus and thus with the Corporation, Cassandra. The second was also no major surprise, as it was Cassandra’s tag team partner Anaxis. But the third woman brought a gasp from the press corps. It was the mystery woman who had hounded Supernova in 2103, Voodoo Queen.

“Yes, Voodoo Queen was working for us all the time,” Mesmer smiled. “Now we can reveal the fact that the Corporation will be the first group organization in the GWWF. As you can see, we are now the only supergroup to have an entry in all three major federations. Those entries will continue to grow. Before we are finished, it is Mr. Colby’s intention to take over professional wrestling. Obviously, we are well on our way.”

When Mesmer finished, Bishop Hell took the microphone. “I have an answer for Pulsar Puke,” he snapped. “Okay, patch, you’re on. I accept your challenge. Blazing Skull and me can destroy you and your wimp partner. At the end of 2104, I’ll finally be rid of you for good.”

DREADNAUGHT PULLS A SHOCKER
Dreadnaught had left the GWF in late 2103 due to what he termed as an important message. Now he was back, appearing on stage alone.

“I have a major announcement,” the aging former GWF champion stated. “For several years, I have been suffering from the effects of the transrevolver. Now I’ve found the one man who can help me, and he has promised that he will. He will be my new manager. Welcome back--Doomsayer!”

The creature that walked out on stage was hideous. It had Doomsayer’s swelled head on top of a metallic, skeletal frame. The creature moved slowly and awkwardly toward the microphone.

“Yes, I’m back,” Doomsayer announced. “Dreadnaught and I have settled our past differences, and I gave that worthless Astarte his body back. As you can see, I have my own now. But the surprises are just beginning. You know I always come up with a shocker. At the Galaxy Cup singles tournament, I will reveal the next member of our team and Dreadnaught’s new tag team partner. The team will be called ‘Masterplan’ for now, until a few more of my plans are completed. Wait until you see us in action. The fun is just starting.”

[David Morse]

GWF 2104 Highlights

From WPU 7.1 (cont.)

GALAXY CUP TOURNAMENTS 2104
The prestigious Galaxy Cup singles and tag team tournaments marked the opening of GWF action for the eighteenth consecutive year when they took place at the Deimos Intergalactic Arena from January 19 to January 23, 2104. The event is held over five days, with two days allotted for each tournament and one day off between. All matches after the first two rounds of the singles tournament and after the first round of the tag team competition are Titan Death Matches. Massif is the referee for the championship finals of each event. Winners of the tournaments are granted automatic title shots at the GWF heavyweight and tag team titles at Galactic War, the federation’s first regular supercard of the year.

Singles Tournament Final: After a great tournament, the final match was no contest. Chaos won the Galaxy Cup singles championship for a record fifth time and for the fourth time in six years. The giant from Dimension X took just five minutes to catch Vengeance in the “Bow of Defeat and to squeeze him into submission.

Tag Team Tournament Finals: The championship match of the tag team tournament turned out to be the most controversial contest in Galaxy Cup history. X-Termination, the current GWF tag champs, and the Warrior Kings, who lost the belts to Grunge and Sleeze just a month earlier at Galacticade, put on an amazing battle in what was easily the best match of the tournament and one of the best in years. After nearly 25 minutes, King Colerain became frustrated when he was prevented by special referee Massif from chasing Sleeze to the floor. After a heated exchange between wrestler and referee, a shoving match ensued which culminated with Massif leveling Colerain with a “Volcanic Drop.” X-Termination immediately went for a “Headbanger’s Ball,” but Colerain managed to kick out. When Grunge followed up with a “Killer Air Guitar,” however, the dazed Colerain was unable to escape. X-Termination thus won their first Galaxy Cup tag team championship and became the first reigning GWF tag champs since the Mercenaries in 2096 to win the tournament. Brute and Massacre are the only other team to accomplish the feat, having entered as champs and won the tournament in 2092.

GALAXY CUP NOTES
Both tournaments provided plenty of great matches and some controversy, but perhaps the most outstanding aspect of the week was the amazing consistency of Chaos. His eighth appearance in the finals in ten years may be an unbreakable record, and no one has come close to his four victories in six years or his five wins overall. Alpha Force and the Matador have each managed three wins, while Star Warrior ranks second in finals appearances with six.

The biggest upsets of the week came right at the beginning. First, Karah, pinned Grunge in the qualifying round of the singles tournament. Then both Janus and the Matador lost their first round matches. Janus took himself out with a disqualification, but the Matador was actually pinned by Vertigo.

Doomsayer revealed his big surprise in the singles tournament when he brought Monad back to the GWF. However, the multi-armed wrestler was quickly beaten by Vyper.

Overall, the 2104 Galaxy Cup will be remembered for three decidedly controversial incidents. The first came in the second round of the singles tournament after Malice had won his terrific match with Max Shield. Splatter suddenly appeared at ringside, clubbed Thakur aside, and then attacked Malice, beating the Gladiators’ new addition unconscious. Malice was taken to the hospital and was forced to withdraw from the tournament. Shortly later Splatter struck again, this time attacking Overkill after the Aethran powerhouse had beaten Rising Sun. Overkill remained in the tournament, but with his injury he was no match for Chaos in the next round.

Vengeance eventually took a small measure of revenge by eliminating Splatter from the tournament in a brutal match, but he was clearly not satisfied. “We had more men in round three than any other team, and that maniac took two of us out,” the Aethran leader stormed. “Oh, he will pay for this. Does he think he can take on all of us? He can’t always sneak up. Sooner or later he’ll have to face us. And Krakan, we know you’re behind this. You wanted a war? You’ve got one!”

Krakan was clearly pleased with his psychotic wrestler’s actions. “We warned them,” he said smugly. “Overkill never should have touched me. This was just a taste of what’s coming. This was just Splatter. Wait until the rest of my men get involved. It’s far from over.”

The second incident occurred in the quarterfinal round of the singles tournament during the match between GWF champion Pegasus and the Mad Jester. Pegasus’ teammate, U. S. Patriot, appeared at ringside even though his presence was forbidden under Titan Death Match rules. The referee ordered him away, but the Patriot snuck back down to ringside and remained crouched low near the ring apron. When the Jester whipped Pegasus into the ropes, the Patriot reached out and tripped his own teammate, allowing the Jester to score the upset win.

Everyone in attendance was stunned at the Patriot’s actions. Because the contest was a no DQ match, the referee had little choice but to let the decision stand. Pegasus simply sat in the ring, stunned, and watched the Patriot walk away. Matters immediately became clear, however, when U. S. Patriot was met at the entryway to the dressing room area by Mesmer, the Matador, and Janus. Ms. Liberty was also with the group, smiling and congratulating her husband.

“I stood by Omega and the rest for years,” the Patriot told the press a few minutes later. “Where are they when I need them? And who does Pegasus think he is, defending that punk Black Hawk to me? I don’t need any of them. I have a wife to think about. I have to support her. With what Mr. Colby has offered me, supporting her and myself will never be a problem again. I’ve just made a major career move. Anyone who doesn’t like it will have to deal with the Corporation.”

Finally, the Warrior Kings were livid after their loss in the tag team tournament finals, blaming their defeat directly on Massif. “Who does that big goon think he is?” Colerain stormed. “Is it a referee’s job to knock out a wrestler? I’m asking Commissioner Grogan to investigate this immediately. We were robbed. X-Termination didn’t beat us; Massif did!”

The GWF’s head referee defended his actions. “I’m sorry for what happened,” Massif stated, “but Colerain pushed me first. No one has the right to push a referee around. I was just doing my job. Watch the tape. I did nothing wrong, and I expect Commissioner Grogan’s complete support.”

Grogan, however, was non-committal. “I am reviewing tapes of the incident,” the commissioner stated. “It was all an unfortunate occurrence, and I hope we can get it resolved to everyone’s satisfaction soon.”

USWF REPORT

HIGHLIGHTS OF YEAR-OPENING USWF PRESS CONFERENCE
The USWF held its annual press conference to announce team rosters for the coming year on January 24, 2104 in the press room of the Europa Garden. Representatives from each team were gathered on stage. Commissioner Jim Powell opened the program by welcoming both the media and wrestlers.

The Star Defenders
Lance At-Las, manager: “Thanks, Commissioner. The Star Defenders have a few changes this year. Black Hawk, Space Ranger, and the Galactic Trooper will return. As you may have heard earlier today, Jason the Canadian Bomber has chosen to return to the GWF, and we wish him well. We will miss Jason, but we had already planned to add a new man to our roster. He is a friend of Black Hawk’s from earth. His name is Crazy Horse, and we expect him to be a major star in this federation. As always, we will go after Marlicus and the Imperial Powers. We’ll stand up to anything they can throw at us.”

The Imperial Powers
Tirrion Astri, manager: “We wish to announce that the Unknown Soldier, who was injured at the end of 2103, is no longer a member of the Imperial Powers. We have chosen to bring in one of our own people from Kaldri. His name is Gorthanor, and he has been our greatest warrior in our gladiatorial games. You will receive more information on him later. Of course, High Lord Marlicus is still our real leader, and Rock Ravishing and Marikel the Magnificent will remain a dominant tag team. We also expect Pathfinder of Ceres to return, although I am concerned that I have not heard from him for two weeks. We fear some sort of foul play, probably instigated by Lance At-las and his jealous group of henchmen. We are asking that Pathfinder’s disappearance be investigated by the commissioner’s office and, if necessary, by the Galactic Patrol.

The Untamed Warriors
Incredible Badger, manager: “We, too, have made a few changes. Lycanthrope and Cougar Claw will be back, but they will fight more in singles competition this year. Silverfang will also return for us. But our most exciting news is that we have a new tag team, which will be called the Night Prowlers. Its members are Scavenger and our newest teammate, Crow. Crow is a young man from Andromeda 6. He has been preparing for this moment for a long time, and we expect him to form a dynamic team with Scavenger. Our main focus will be on the Agents of Fortune. Cougar and Dagger Mack began a feud last year that still has not been settled, and we are always ready to slow down the disgusting acts of Krakan’s men in any way possible. With our new changes, we expect to have a great year.”

The Agents of Fortune
Dagger Mack, team leader: “Dream on, Badger. Cougar Claw can never compete with me. And, under Krakan’s leadership, the Agents are always ready to adapt to anything. Homicide, the USWF champion, and I will be back as singles competitors. Knight of the Dark is sick of the Assassin’s Guild, and he’s been added to our roster. And we have a new tag-team to fight the Badger’s losers. They will be called Shock Wave. You already know one member, Bloodbath. I brought along the other to introduce him to you. Meet our newest teammate, Deuce!”

(The new wrestler named Deuce walked out onto the stage, his face marked with war paint. Suddenly Thakur began to shout in protest.)

Thakur: “Wait a minute. I know that man. He’s from Aethra. Aethrans don’t join other teams, especially Krakan’s. I demand that he return to Aethra now.”

Dagger Mack: “Too bad. You held him back on Aethra. Now he has a team to help him. This is a message to you from Krakan: Nothing is safe, not even here in the USWF. The Gladiators will all pay for what Overkill did to the Invincible Krakan.”

Thakur: “And you will pay for this insult. Deuce, I advise you to go back to Aethra. If you get in the ring here, it’s war.”

(At this point, Commissioner Powell regained control of the proceedings, and the program continued.)

The Aethran Rebels
Massacre, manager: “Looks like it’s a bad day for you, Thakur, because I have some news, too. Of course, Blitz and Scar will be back as a tag team power. You all know by now that Predator has left for the GWF. But what you don’t know is that, with some hesitation, Wrath has agreed to join us. You’ll hear more from us about our arrangement later. The important thing is that I spent the last month training him in secret, and I put him through a program that can even compare with a cleansing. You won’t like the result, I promise.”

The Gladiators of Aethra
Thakur, manager: “If I would have known who Wrath was and where he came from, I would have destroyed him years ago. But it’s not too late. So the Gladiators have enemies on all sides? What’s new? We are still the strongest force in the Galaxy. We’re not worried about the half-breed Wrath, and Krakan is getting himself into a fight he can’t win. Our men in the GWF can dominate the Deadly Militia, and his Agents of Fortune in this federation are similarly outclassed. Violator, Ravage, and Ruin can handle anything his men come up with. And never forget that we always have more wrestlers back on Aethra to draw help from. Massacre, Wrath, Krakan, Deuce, and all the rest will pay for their insults and their insolence.”

The Assassin’s Guild
Shadow Assassin, team member: “I don’t know what’s going on. Night Wraith and me can’t find our manager, Shadowmaster. We haven’t heard from him in days, and he’s supposed to be here. Now we hear that Knight of the Dark has signed with the Agents. We’re the tag team champions, but our team is falling apart. I wish I could tell you what’s happening with the Guild, but I have no idea. Me and Night Wraith will just have to keep fighting and winning and see what happens, but Shadowmaster had better show up soon.”

The Ivy League
Conrad Chase, team member: “Reganald Witherspoon and I will continue climbing in the tag team rankings, rising as the cream always does. This year the inferior Estorians will be put in their place. And just in case those two losers who attacked us at the Center Stage Spectacular are still around, we’re ready for them. And to ensure our success, we are happy to announce that we’ve found ourselves a manager. He will help us at ringside and with strategy, but he will also continue his own wrestling career. He is the most intelligent man in wrestling, so he will fit in perfectly with us. He is, of course, Brainstorm, and the three of us will stand out as the class of the federation this year.”

(At this point, Commissioner Powell stepped back up to the microphone.)

Commissioner "Trainer" Jim Powell: “Now we come to a man we all know, and we know why he’s here. Welcome Kati to speak on behalf of a new team in the USWF, the Colby/Pelf Corporation.

The Colby/Pelf Corporation
Kati, team leader: “First of all, call off the search party, Astri. I can tell you where Pathfinder is. The new Interstellar champion has chosen to join the fastest growing group in wrestling, the Corporation. We’ve also reached an agreement for the Unknown Soldier to join us as soon as he recovers from his injuries. I will be a full-time member of the team, and Mr. Colby has sent Holocaust from the GWF to join us. We’ve also signed one of the top tag teams in wrestling, two men who have proven themselves in both the GWF and USWF: Armageddon, Slaughterhouse and Carnage.

“Finally, Shadow Assassin, you can stop worrying, too. We needed a manager, so we went out and got one. He’s been one of the most successful leaders in this federation since it began. Come on out, Shadowmaster!”

Shadowmaster, manager: “The Assassin’s Guild is disbanded. Why would I leave Eternal Torment when they are the champions? How can I go back to managing Armageddon after our past disagreements? Because Mr. Colby offered me more money than you can imagine. Armageddon and I have put our differences aside, and I will soon be managing the tag champions again. In fact, the Corporation will have all of the belts soon. As Mesmer told you at our GWF press conference, we plan to dominate all of wrestling. Count on it.”

(Unexpectedly, a group of seven men stepped out of the stage wings. All but one were familiar faces to USWF fans. They were led by Parsec, manager of Estoria Reborn.)

Star Union
Parsec, manager: “Not a chance, Shadowmaster. We knew something was up last year. As soon as we heard what Mesmer had to say, we went into action. I want to introduce the new team that will oppose the Corporation in the USWF. We will be called the Star Union. I’m sure a man like Colby hates anything having to do with a union. Estoria Reborn will handle Armageddon. Sir Garis of Condrell can take on the Unknown Soldier. As you can see, Big Daddy Steel and Brave have joined us. Steel is as big and strong as Holocaust, and Brave wants a shot at Kati. As for Pathfinder, we have a real surprise. The man you see here with us today is called Stargazer. He and his wife, Celestia, will be joining us. Look out, Pathfinder, because this man wants your belt. Together we intend to put an end to Colby’s plans.”

“You’ll have to get in line,” Astri snapped. “Who does Colby think he is, stealing Pathfinder from us? I don’t know this man, but he obviously doesn’t understand who he’s dealing with. He may be rich, but we represent High Lord Marlicus’ father, the Emperor of Kaldri. Colby’s team will pay for this insolence.”

“They sure will,” Dagger Mack broke in. “They made a mistake in signing the Unknown Soldier. The Agents still have unfinished business with the Soldier for deserting us last year. No one crosses Krakan and gets away with it. The Soldier and Colby will find that out.”

“A lot of nerve Shadowmaster has, dumping us,” Shadow Assassin muttered. “We never liked Armageddon much anyway. They were always Assassin wannabes. Now we have a reason to take them out. When we’re done, old Shadowmaster won’t even want them”

The angry comments continued as the press conference broke up. In one afternoon, the new Colby/Pelf team had managed to make enemies of half of the federation, but Kati and Shadowmaster did not appear concerned. With Colby’s money behind them. they might be capable of anything.

[David Morse]

GWF 2104 Highlights

From WPU 7.2

GROGAN MAKES SUDDEN DEATH OFFICIAL
Three days before the Galactic War supercard, GWF Commissioner Grogan called a press conference to announce the federation’s second Sudden Death challenge.

“As I’m sure you all remember, the GWF’s first Sudden Death was held in 2094 and 2095,” Grogan began. “The federation office had no plans to resurrect this system, but the wrestlers have recreated it themselves. As you know, Mandrill and Pulsar both issued challenges to their rivals at the Galaxy Cup press conferences, and those challenges took a form similar to the Sudden Death format. Having reviewed those situations and several others currently taking place in the GWF, we have decided to make the second Sudden Death an official GWF promotion. The following teams and individuals have agreed to participate under the following conditions:

“First, of course, is the Colonizers and Genesis feud. Per Mandrill’s own challenge, if Genesis loses, Buck Steele will be banished. If Genesis wins, one of the four original members of the Colonizer team will be banished. Because Ram is not a full-time wrestler for the Colonizers, he will not be eligible for banishment. In this and all other cases but one, the banishments will be for two years.

“The exception is the feud between Pulsar and Bishop Hell. Please notice that this feud is between two individuals, not teams, and only singles and tag matches involving Pulsar and the Bishop will count in the decision. In this case and this case only, the losing wrestler will be banished from the GWF for life.

“Those were the feuds that started this. However, at the request of my office, several other teams have agreed to participate. First, the Gladiators of Aethra and Krakan’s Deadly Militia have agreed to settle their differences of the past two years under this format. The leader of the losing team, Krakan or Thakur, will decide who is banished. All members of both teams are eligible.

“In addition, Dynamo and Vanity have challenged Dynamo’s two former partners, Hammer and Powerhouse, to a Sudden Death feud. One member of the losing team will be banished, as determined by a coin flip.

“Finally, our most unusual matchup involves two managers. Terak and Cannibal have decided to settle their long-standing feud under the Sudden Death format. Each has chosen one wrestler to represent him in the ring. Terak has designated Skyfire, while Cannibal has chosen Death’s Head. However, while the competition will involve these two wrestlers, it is the manager represented by the losing wrestler who will be banished at the end of the year.

“We hope that this competition can settle some of the current issues in the federation in an organized manner,” Grogan finished. “I repeat that all banishments with the exception of Bishop Hell or Pulsar will be for two years. My office will periodically publish updates on the competition. Good luck to everyone.”

GALACTIC WAR SUPERCARD 2104 HIGHLIGHTS
Since it was instituted in 2090, Galactic War has been the first regular supercard of each GWF year. It is the third oldest GWF event, with only Starclash and Galaxy Cup having existed longer. The card is held at the Io Coliseum of Jupiter.

One week prior to the supercard, Commissioner Grogan announced two important decisions affecting the event. “After reviewing the finals of the 2104 Galaxy Cup tag team tournament, I have concluded that the circumstances of the X-Termination victory over the Warrior Kings were indeed irregular,” Grogan’s statement began. “Massif’s actions as referee unduly influenced the outcome of the match. I have issued a reprimand to Massif, but I am upholding his decision. However, I am also ordering a rematch at Galactic War. X-Termination will continue to be recognized as the Galaxy Cup winners for 2104, but they will also defend their GWF tag team titles against the runners-up at Galaxy Cup, the Warrior Kings. Due to the controversy involving Massif, I have asked USWF head referee Bounty Hunter to serve as referee for the match”

In the same statement, Commissioner Grogan announced that Splatter would be reinstated for the supercard and would face Malice in a Falls Count Anywhere Match. Krakan’s maniacal henchman had been suspended since Galaxy Cup for his attacks which injured both Malice and Overkill. Malice was scheduled to return to action just days before the supercard.

GALACTIC WAR RECAP AND NOTES
Pegasus stunned Chaos with his quick victory to retain the Galaxian Heavyweight Title in the main event, but the giant from Dimension X did not accept his defeat easily. Immediately after the bell, Heracles stormed the ring and joined Chaos in attacking the Galaxian champion until Coat of Arms and Colossus arrived to drive them away. Pegasus suffered minor injuries and was not expected to miss any scheduled matches.

X-Termination settled the controversy concerning their Galaxy Cup victory over the Warrior Kings with a clean pinfall win. Grunge and Sleeze have lost only once in 2104, a non-title match against the Mercenaries.

The matchup between Malice and Splatter was as out of control as everyone expected. The contest spilled put of the ring almost immediately and went all over the arena before Splatter finally managed the pin. The loss was Malice’s first defeat since returning to the GWF, as he had bowed out of the Galaxy Cup singles tournament without losing due to the injury inflicted by Splatter.

One of the best matches on the card was the Interplanetary tag team championship between the Mercenaries and Superiority Complex. Soldier of Fortune was beaten nearly senseless by Skinhead and Prodigy, but he simply refused to be pinned and finally made the tag to Vigilante. The contest continued for twelve terrific minutes before the Mercenaries finally claimed the victory and the titles. Krakan’s star tag team has held more tag team titles than any team in GWF history, claiming an amazing combined total of eighteen GWF and Interplanetary tag championships.

MASSIF SPEAKS OUT OVER GALAXY CUP CONTROVERSY
On the day after the Galactic War supercard, GWF head referee Massif reacted publicly to Commissioner Grogan’s announcement concerning his actions in X-Termination’s victory over the Warrior Kings at Galaxy Cup. The former FDF star expressed extreme unhappiness in an informal discussion with reporters.

“So I’m gonna be reprimanded, huh?” Massif grumbled. “A wrestler pushes me, and I get blamed? The way I understood it, they hired me to keep order. I did what I had to do. No wrestler has the right to push a referee, and Colerain pushed me. All I did was put him back in line. This thing was not my fault, and I don’t accept the reprimand. I’ve given enough to this federation to deserve better than this. If I don’t get an apology from the commissioner for his suggestion that I was in the wrong, I’ll consider this an intentional slap in the face to me, and I may have to reconsider my career options.”

GLADIATOR/MILITIA FEUD GROWS HOTTER AND HOTTER
The latest ugly series of incidents in the Gladiators of Aethra/Deadly Militia feud left both Thunder and Splatter on the sidelines with injuries as the intensity of the volatile situation continued to escalate.

Splatter began the sequence of events shortly after returning from his suspension for attacking Malice and Overkill at Galaxy Cup. This time the lunatic’s target was Thunder, who had just defeated Predator in a tough match. After knocking down Thrash, Splatter jumped into the ring and began pounding the young Aethran with Arsenal. Surprisingly, it was Predator, one of the Aethran team’s most hated rivals, who ran Splatter off, but Thunder suffered a mild shoulder separation.

Commissioner Grogan did not take immediate action against Splatter, so Overkill decided to take matters into his own hands. “Time to put an end to this for a while,” the Aethran powerhouse declared. “We got other things to worry about besides that psycho jumping us. I want a Torture Chamber match with him, where he can’t get at his club. When I’m done, he’ll be out of the way. I promise it.”

Anxious for the opportunity to take out the other half of the Gladiator tag-team, Splatter accepted the challenge. The Torture Chamber match was a tougher contest than Overkill seemed to expect, but in the end the huge Aethran was victorious, and he succeeded in temporarily putting Splatter out of action. Commissioner Grogan is expected to make a decision regarding Splatter’s actions soon.

[David Morse]

GWF 2104 Highlights

From WPU 7.3

MASSIF INVOLVED IN CONTROVERSY AGAIN
The much-anticipated matchup between the GWF’s two hottest wrestlers of 2104, Chaos and Malice, finally took place at the Astral Gardens of Formalhaut. Malice walked away with the win and earned a title shot against GWF champion the Matador of M83 at Cosmic Mayhem, but not without more controversy surrounding special referee Massif.

Commissioner Grogan designated four men to vie for the title shot at the Cosmic Mayhem supercard. In reaching the final showdown, Malice devastated Max Shield in a rematch of their great Galaxy Cup encounter and Chaos downed Colossus in a tough match. At the Astral Gardens, Chaos took an early advantage but knocked Massif down as he came off on a deathjump. Malice took advantage of the situation and blasted Chaos outside the ring with his “Fields of Malice” finisher. When Commander Sam tried to interfere for Chaos, Massif hit the manager so hard that he knocked him unconscious. The match continued for ten more terrific minutes before Malice again struck with his finisher. This time, with Sam having been helped from ringside, no one was present to stop the pin, and the Aethran sensation claimed the victory.

Later that night, Chaos and Sam complained about Massif’s role in Malice’s victory. Commissioner Grogan issued the following statement almost immediately: “I have reviewed the tape of the match, and I do not believe that Massif acted inappropriately this time. No action will be taken.”

Surprisingly, Massif was incensed by the Commissioner’s statement. “He says I acted appropriately this time?” the referee snapped. “Meaning that he still claims I was out of line at Galaxy Cup, huh? I’m getting sick of this. I have never acted inappropriately as a referee, and I’m fed up with the implication that I did something wrong against the Warrior Kings at Galaxy Cup. I am not going to take this lying down anymore.”

UNEXPECTED ALLY FOR WOLF AGAINST MAYHEM
One of the strangest GWF incidents so far in 2104 took place recently after a match between Interplanetary Champion Wolf and Mayhem at the Alpha Centauri Colonnade. Mayhem won the non-title match, but after the bell he continued his attack in an obvious attempt to injure his long-time rival. Krakan, Mayhem’s manager and another of Wolf’s most bitter enemies, climbed into the ring to assist in the assault. Suddenly Vengeance dove into the ring, knocking Krakan through the ropes to the floor and then attacking Mayhem from behind. Wolf quickly recovered from the attack, and together he and Vengeance suplexed Mayhem over the top rope and onto a security railing before league officials broke up the brawl.

Mayhem suffered badly bruised ribs and missed two weeks of action. Both Wolf and Vengeance were suspended for their actions. Later Wolf commented on his unlikely cooperation with Vengeance in the incident.

“I don’t know what Vengeance was doing there,” the Animan superstar said. “I guess he hates Krakan and Mayhem more than he hates me right now. He’s insane, so don’t ask me to explain him. He was there, and at that moment we had something in common: we can’t stand Mayhem. It don’t mean I feel any different about Vengeance and the Gladiators. This was just something that happened. Don’t expect to see us work together again.”

COSMIC MAYHEM 2104
Cosmic Mayhem was created in 2092 and is the third oldest of the GWF supercards. It was originally held at the Aldebaran Exposition Center, but in 2099 the GWF moved the event to Saturn’s Rhea Forum. In 2100 Cosmic Mayhem was permanently relocated to the huge Polaris Interstellar Stadium.

The main event, a GWF title match between the Matador and Malice with Massif as the special referee at the request of the CPC, was mired in controversy. The Gladiator powerhouse dominated the early portion of the match, beating the champion down until he finally connected with his “Fields of Malice” in the ring. As Massif began his count, however, Mesmer jumped onto the ring apron, and Massif inexplicably stood up and moved the manager away instead of making the count. Malice continued his assault, and moments later he again blasted the Matador with his finisher, this time on the arena floor. The champion was clearly beaten, but Janus rushed to the ring and attacked Malice to prevent the pin while Massif again allowed himself to be distracted by Mesmer.

The match continued, with the Matador taking over after Janus’ interference. Vengeance came to ringside to try to even the odds, but when he tried to help Malice, Massif knocked him to the floor and out of the action. Malice nevertheless recovered and took control again, but after the Gladiator made a mistake and missed a turnbuckle charge the Matador caught him and rolled him up for the victory, thus retaining his title.

Malice, as usual, had little to say about the match, but Vengeance was at no loss for words. “I guess now we know why they wanted Massif to referee,” he stormed. “I’ve never seen such an obvious fix. We were robbed. Malice should be the GWF champion right now. He beat the Matador cleanly, but Massif obviously had other plans. Maybe Colby’s money can buy anything after all.”

Massif responded to the accusations with disgust. “Are we going to start this again?” he complained. “When a manager climbs up on the apron, it’s my job to get him down. That’s all I did. And they tell me Janus interfered, but I didn’t see it. Again, I was doing my job by getting Mesmer down from the apron. When I saw interference, in Vengeance’s case, I took care of it. That’s all I can do. I’m not superhuman. But I resent the suggestion that I was paid off. I guess the mighty Gladiators don’t take losing very well.”

COLOSSUS CRIES FOUL AFTER LOSS TO MATADOR
Just two weeks after the Cosmic Mayhem Supercard, Massif was once again the center of controversy after a title match between Galaxian Champion Matador of M83 and Colossus at Ganymede Stadium.

As he had at Cosmic Mayhem, CPC Manager Mesmer requested Massif as the referee for the championship contest. Colossus, who has been the hottest wrestler in the GWF recently, manhandled the Matador for most of the match and had the champion trapped in pinning situations several times, but on each occasion the Matador managed to kick out just in time. To many observers Massif’s counts seemed especially slow, and Colossus grew increasingly frustrated with the near falls. Finally the Sagittan superstar made a mistake, and the Matador caught him with a “Bullwhip.” This time Massif’s count was immediate, and the champion got the victory to retain his title.

The following evening, at the Rhea Forum, Colossus spoke out to reporters. “I never thought I’d say this, but I got robbed by Massif,” he stated. “I don’t know what’s going on. All I know is I should be the GWF champion now. I understand how Malice felt after Cosmic Mayhem. But Malice still has some dues to pay. I’ve paid mine, and I deserve another shot. I’m asking Commissioner Grogan to make this right and give me another shot right away.”

The Commissioner issued the following response to Colossus’ request later in the evening: “Regarding Massif’s recent conduct, I can only say that no matter how upset anyone gets, I cannot take any action until someone has proof of improper activity. However, I agree with Colossus that he is deserving of another title shot, and he will get one immediately after the beginning of the War Games.”

GWF INTERVIEW: U. S. PATRIOT AND MS. LIBERTY
For fifteen years, U. S. Patriot stood as a symbol of justice and fair play in the GWF. From the time he entered the federation as Adam Blast in 2088 through all of his years as a member of the Federation Defense Fighters and in 2103 with Omega’s Defenders of the Galaxy, he was the definition of a clean, honest wrestler upon whom the fans could depend. All of that changed earlier this year when the Patriot turned on his teammate Pegasus at Galaxy Cup and revealed that he had joined the Colby/Pelf Corporation. Recently U. S. Patriot and his wife, Ms. Liberty, granted the following interview to Qualitar.

Q: I want to thank you both for being here. There are a lot of questions that many people have been wanting to have answered.

U. S. Patriot: Many people? People like Omega and Pegasus, or maybe my ‘friend’ the Canadian Bomber? Like any of them don’t already know the truth.

Q: And what truth is that?

U. S. Patriot: That they turned their backs on me. That they chose not to defend me when that punk Black Hawk started insulting my country and what I stand for.

Q: But Black Hawk never made any reference to you. He was just talking about American history in general, and most people agree that what he said was true.

U. S. Patriot: True? That we’re a country based on greed and broken promises? Look, just because a lame bunch of Indians like him couldn’t stand up to a superior civilization, they’ve been crying for centuries. We did them a favor. We brought them out of the dark ages, and they complain that we broke promises and tried to take away their culture. Well, when a superior culture moves in, the lesser culture suffers. That’s just how life works.

Q: That sounds strangely like the Aethran philosophy.

U. S. Patriot: Does it? And look at them: one of the strongest, most stable civilizations in the galaxy. I’d say they prove my point.

Q: But even if what you are saying is true, why join Colby’s team? You could have just walked away without betraying your friends.

U. S. Patriot: Friends? I’ll ignore that. Hey, I have a wife to support. Mr. Colby showed me the money, and I took it. I joined an elite team, a team that will take over the GWF in the coming years, and I was well paid for doing so. My future is guaranteed. What else should I have done?

Q: Let’s talk about your wife for a minute . . .

U. S. Patriot: Let’s not. I’ve heard her insulted enough, with people calling her Sweet Thing again and such. She’s not Sweet Thing, and I’m sure not a loser like Vanity.

Q: But Ms. Liberty, you did turn your back on your friends, too, like your tag team partner Supernova . . .

U. S. Patriot: I said drop it. She’s not answering questions. Supernova is a part of Omega’s bunch. We made a career move, and it didn’t include them. That’s the end of it.

Q: You do realize, of course, that in the eyes of many people you have simply proven everything Black Hawk said to be true.

U. S. Patriot: Why? Because we stood up for ourselves? Because we decided to take a chance and move ahead in our careers? Because we stepped out of what people expected and into something new? That’s the America I stand for. How does that prove Black Hawk right?

Q; You also dealt less than honestly with Omega and your teammates, and you did it for money. That’s what Black Hawk accused you of.

U. S. Patriot: So I like money. That’s wrong? That’s American, I admit, but it’s not wrong to try to get ahead in life. And sometimes, as you get ahead, some compromises have to be made. People who don’t understand or can’t keep up, like Omega and his group, get left behind, just like Black Hawk’s people did in the past. Anyone who doesn’t understand that that’s how life works is naive or stupid.

Q: Well, that’s one way to put it . . .

U. S. Patriot: I’m getting bored with this. I have one more statement, and then we’re done. Anyone who doesn’t like what I’ve done can take it up with me in the ring. That includes Pegasus, the Bomber, and especially Black Hawk, if he has the guts to come to the GWF. But be ready. I’m part of a real team now, and together we plan to rule the GWF. We’re not going to let anything stand the way of progress. If Black Hawk’s people understood that attitude, they’d have fewer problems, and so would he.

USWF REPORT

WOLF STIRS UP USWF TO BATTLE MARLICUS
Wolf, the GWF’s all-time victory leader, made his debut in the USWF during a recent suspension from GWF action for his attack of Mayhem. The legendary brawler fought just twice, both times against former USWF champion High Lord Marlicus.

Wolf had not planned to compete in the USWF during his suspension, choosing instead the role of guest commentator for the federation’s broadcast team. However, on the night of Wolf’s announcing debut, the Animan’s son Lycanthrope happened to have a match against High Lord Marlicus. Lycanthrope put up a good fight, but in the end the arrogant lord claimed the victory. After the bell, Marlicus picked up his defeated opponent and prepared to administer another “Divine Triumph.” Wolf sprang from his broadcast position to defend his son, and he and Marlicus proceeded to brawl all over the Ariel Armory.

After the event, Wolf announced that he had changed his mind about competing in the USWF. “Tell Commissioner Jim [Powell, formerly known as Trainer Jim] to get me a temporary contract,” he demanded. “I came here to rest, but I guess that ain’t gonna happen. That loudmouthed, overrated loser picked on the wrong family. I’ve heard about him, and I’ve seen his interviews. Now I’m gonna see if he can back up his big mouth in the ring.”

The first meeting between the two superstars took place in a cage at the Miranda Center on Uranus. Wolf had the advantage early, but Marlicus recovered after a mistake by Wolf and won the match with his “Divine Triumph” finisher.

The second contest was held at the Achernar Technodrome under Titan Death Match rules. This time the battle went back and forth for over fifteen minutes, with Wolf controlling much of the action but both wrestlers taking their opponent’s best shots. Finally Wolf caught Marlicus in his “Savage Face Claw” and appeared to have the match won, but Rock Ravishing and Marikel ran to ringside to distract the referee. Black Hawk and Crazy Horse quickly arrived to intervene on Wolf’s behalf, but while the official’s attention was diverted, Gorthanor slipped in from behind and attacked Wolf to break the hold. Marlicus then recovered and blasted his still-dazed opponent with another “Divine Triumph” to score another victory.

“Everybody saw what happened,” Wolf growled after the card. “The big goon couldn’t beat me himself. I had him. He knows it, and I know it. Gorthanor was the only thing that saved him. I gotta go back to the GWF for Cosmic Mayhem, but I’m not done with this. I’ll settle things with this punk and his overgrown slave just as soon as I get a chance. They’d better be looking over their shoulders from now on.”

BIG DADDY STEEL ENDS WRATH’S HEAVY METAL REIGN
For the first time in over three years, the USWF has a new Heavy Metal champion as Big Daddy Steel finally managed to take the cage title from Wrath at the Beta Centauri Blue Star Pavilion.

The hard-hitting match between former teammates on the “World’s Apart” War Games team lasted for just over ten minutes. Steel controlled much of the action, but both big men were bloodied by the end. When it was over, Wrath had lost the belt he had won in December of 2100 and held for 40 months and 43 successful defenses, one of the most amazing reigns in professional wrestling history.

“It had to end eventually,” Wrath commented later. “It doesn’t matter that much. I’ve held every belt in this federation, and I’ll have one again soon. For now, all I care about is getting at Thakur’s men. Titles just don’t mean much to me at the moment.”

(Note: Big Daddy Steel was a bootleg creation from another promoter and was provided to me by Adam Scepaniak. Wrath and High Lord Marlicus, as mentioned previously, are my own creations. Wrath would regain the Heavy Metal Title three weeks later and hold it until he left the USWF for a stint in the GWF in early 2107, giving him the title for all but three weeks of a six year period and making him by far the most dominant champion I have ever had in any division of any federation.)

[David Morse]

GWF 2104 Highlights

From WPU 7.4

MULTIPLE TITLE CHANGES AS WAR GAMES BEGIN
The first night of the 2104 War Games saw three major GWF belts change hands on a double card at the Vesta Sports Complex and the Iapetus Scope.

In the main event at the Sports Complex, Interplanetary Champion Wolf defended his title against Nefarus. The challenger dominated most of the slow-paced match, using his agility to avoid Wolf’s most dangerous moves. After just nine minutes, Nefarus caught the champion with a “Scissordriver” and rolled him up for the victory. The win gave the co-leader of the Colonizer team his first title in the GWF. Wolf’s most recent reign as Interplanetary champion lasted just four defenses.

Later the same night at the Iapetus Scope, Coat of Arms saw their GWF tag team title reign come to an end after just one defense as they lost the belts to X-Termination. The contest lasted for only six minutes, with Alpha Force going down to a “Headbanger’s Ball” after Grunge took the advantage outside the ring. X-Termination, who had lost the belts to the Warrior Kings three weeks earlier, claimed the titles for the fifth time.

But the fireworks were not over at the Scope. In the main event, Colossus was granted another shot at Galaxian Champion the Matador of M83 after his controversial loss just over one week earlier. CPC manager Mesmer again requested Massif as the special referee over the protests of Colossus.

The match began much as the previous encounter between the two superstars had. Colossus dominated the action, never allowing the Matador to put together a serious offensive threat. The challenger repeatedly attempted to pin the Matador, and again Massif’s counts seemed somewhat slow. As he had in the first match, Mesmer was able to divert Massif’s attention at key points. This time, however, Colossus did not allow himself to become frustrated, and after he knocked out the Matador with a “Cyborg Deathblow” Massif made the count that gave Colossus the first Galaxian title of his career.

Perhaps the greatest drama of the evening occurred immediately after the bell sounded giving Colossus the victory. Splatter appeared at ringside, clubbed Omega from behind, and attempted to attack the new champion. However, the controversial Massif blocked the lunatic’s path and sent him flying out of the ring with a “Volcanic Drop,” thus saving Colossus from injury. Omega suffered minor head injuries from the attack.

“All I did was my job--again,” Massif commented later. “Splatter isn’t going to beat on people when I’m in the ring. I don’t appreciate Colossus’ comments about me lately, but he won the match. It’s my job to keep order, and I did.”

“I don’t know what’s going on with Massif,” Colossus noted in a separate interview. “It just feels good to be a champion. It’s been a long time coming.”

MYSTERIOUS MEETINGS BETWEEN MANDRILL AND KRAKAN
The leaders of two of the GWF’s most dangerous supergroups, the Invincible Krakan and Mandrill, have been seen in each other’s company on three recent occasions. In all three cases, the pair were spotted entering or leaving small, enclosed corners of arenas where their conversations could not be overheard.

“It’s none of your business,” Mandrill snapped when questioned about the meetings. “What I talk to Krakan about doesn’t concern anyone else. When it’s time for you to find out about it, if ever, you will.”

Krakan gave a similar non-response regarding the connection to Mandrill. Some observers have noted that both men have grudges against the Gladiators, but to date no one has uncovered any concrete evidence that would reveal the subject of the private meetings. Nevertheless, the possibility of an alliance between two such ruthless individuals has made many members of the GWF very uneasy.

COLONIZERS SPRINT TO WAR GAMES LEAD
The Colonizers of Scorpi have gotten off to the fastest start in War Games history, building a lead by as much as an incredible 61 points in the early weeks of the competition. Dominant performances by GWF Tag Team Champions X-Termination and Interplanetary Champion Nefarus, along with several great victories in three-man tag matches, have carried the Colonizers to their huge advantage. The only team even close to them in the standings, the Citadel of the Elite, trails by eleven points, and all other opponents are at least 27 points off the pace.

“They’ve been incredible so far,” acknowledges Defenders of the Galaxy Manager Omega, “but it’s not over. Most of the teams are thirty or forty points behind. That’s a lot, but it’s not impossible. The Colonizers still need another 125 to win. But someone has to stop X-Termination. I think that’s the key. They’ve been getting three more points every night from tag team title defenses. As long as they have those belts, no one will catch them. Our best bet is the Warrior Kings, but they had better get back soon.”

The Warrior Kings, the team which has had the greatest success against X-Termination, have been suspended since the first card of the War Games for injuring Daemon in a brawl after their match against the Ninja Assassins. They are due to return to the GWF soon.

GWF INTERVIEW: THE GLADIATORS OF AETHRA
Since 2095, the Gladiators of Aethra have been one of the most feared and respected groups in the GWF. The original Gladiators, Brute and Massacre, set a new standard for tag team wrestling, and Spike became one of the most honored wrestlers in GWF history. Their teammate, Mayhem, remains one of the most dominant wrestlers in the sport, though he has now defected to Krakan’s Deadly Militia. The current group of Gladiators has also earned its share of distinctions: Vengeance is a former GWF champion and a five time former Interplanetary champion, and Thunder and Overkill have held the GWF tag team titles twice. For 2104 Malice returned from the USWF to fill out the team. Recently the Gladiators granted the following interview to Qualitar.

Q: I want to thank all of you for being here. We have a lot to discuss. Vengeance, we’ll start with you. You’ve been one of the hottest wrestlers in the GWF this year, but you have yet to hold a title. Do the responsibilities of acting as leader for the Gladiator team hold you back?

Vengeance: What a stupid question. Look at the number of times I’ve been Interplanetary champion. Does it look like I’m being held back?

Q: That’s true, but you’ve been unable to take the Galaxian title since 2096.

Vengeance: I’ve had bad breaks, and I’ve been cheated several times. I still plan to hold that title again.

Q: Okay, let’s talk about Malice. You spent five years saying nothing, acting like you did not even have the intelligence to speak. Now that is obviously not true. Why the act for so long?

Malice: Were people frightened of me? Did my silence and size intimidate people? It was what Thakur wanted, so I did it. And I think it worked.

Q: You spent most of the last four years in the USWF, but you didn’t win any titles while you were there.

Malice: At the time, I wasn’t concerned with titles. My job was to create havoc. I did it. Look at how many people I put out of action.

Q: So what changed?

Malice: The cleansing. It changed everything for me. When Thakur found out who Wrath really was, he decided that we needed a response. Just sending me in as a four hundred pound monster wasn’t good enough anymore, especially if there was a chance of Wrath and Predator teaming up. I was supposed to be the response. But the cleansing did more for me than anyone expected, and when Thakur saw what I had become he decided that I was needed in the GWF.

Q: There’s one more question I have to ask before we move on, now that you’re speaking at last. When you first arrived in the GWF in 2099, there were stories of you having crippled other wrestlers and even some fans on Aethra, and you were also rumored to have been involved in several unsolved murders. Was there any truth to those stories?

Malice: (laughs) Did I injure a few opponents? Obviously. They took their chances getting into the ring with me. Did I go into the crowd and hurt a few people? They were in my way. Am I responsible for the unsolved murders? (laughs again) Even on Aethra, murder is a crime. You think I’m gonna admit anything?

Q: I don’t know if that’s a confession or more image creation, but I won’t push it. Let’s move on to Thunder and Overkill. You two have not been able to capture the tag titles since 2101. Even this year you seem to be struggling. What do you think is the problem?

Thunder: There’s no problem. We’ve still won our share of matches. We’ve had some bad luck, but now that I’ve had my second cleansing we plan to change it.

Q: You’ve both done very well in singles competition. Any chance of you trying singles full-time for a while?

Thunder: Not at this point. We’re a team, and we’ll stay a team. The Gladiators of Aethra have always been known for tag team excellence. Brute and Massacre set a standard, and it’s our job to uphold it. But who knows what will happen down the road? We may decide to try singles some day.

Q: Overkill, last year at Starclash you defended Thantos by choke-slamming Krakan and started a war between the Gladiators and the Deadly Militia. Why did you do it? Why Thantos?

Overkill: For years, people have thought of Aethrans as barbarians. Well, we’re fierce, but we’re not barbaric, and we’re not stupid. We can appreciate history and ability as well as anyone. Thantos is a legend. I don’t have to like him to appreciate what he’s done for wrestling, and I do like the style he always showed. No surrender, no matter what. Do whatever it takes. I like that. So I just got sick of Krakan shooting off his mouth. And don’t forget that Krakan had already stolen Mayhem from us. I don’t really believe I started this.

Q: So did you do what you did to defend Thantos or to get at Krakan?

Overkill: Maybe both. As I said, I have respect for Thantos. But slamming Krakan sure felt good.

Q: There’s something else I’ve wanted to ask for a long time. After the final match as a team for Brute, Massacre, and Spike at Galacticade 2100, Brute and Massacre stopped you and Thunder and shook hands. They clearly had no wish to do the same with Vengeance and Mayhem. What did that mean?

Thunder: It meant they respected us. It was like passing the torch. They just told us to remember what it meant to be Aethran. I’m not sure that means the same thing to us that it did to them anymore, but the gesture was important.

Q: Okay, one more question. We all heard the rather startling revelations about Predator and Wrath last year. Malice, you even referred to it earlier. What is your take on all of that, and on the Aethran Rebels in the USWF?

Vengeance: I’ll answer that. The Aethran Rebels are traitors. Blitz and Scar are a poor imitation of Thunder and Overkill. Massacre has chosen to side with them and protect them, so he will pay, too. Even the legendary Massacre can’t oppose Thakur like he has and get away with it. But the big issues are Predator and Wrath. Both of them have been thorns in our side for years. Now we find out they’re brothers, and Wrath, who hates Aethra so much, is working with Massacre. Believe me, they will all suffer. If they want to stick together now, they can suffer together.

Q: Malice, Overkill, Thunder, any other comments?

Malice: I agree with Vengeance, but we don’t want to take them lightly. Blitz and Scar trained with Spike and Brute. Predator went through the Aethran Academy with me, and I know very well what he can do. And I don’t know how Wrath trained, but he’s dangerous. I can’t stand any of them, but I know what they’re capable of.

Overkill: That’s right. They betrayed Aethra, so we’ll take them out. But it’s not gonna be a walkover. All of them can fight. Blitz is almost as strong as I am, and Wrath is pretty close, too. They are Aethran, after all. They aren’t pushovers. And I also want to say that no matter what else has happened, I still respect Massacre, too.

Vengeance: After what he’s done? Thakur will be happy to hear that. Don’t forget that he’s been supporting the traitor Predator and opposing Thakur for two years now. And don’t forget how friendly he is with W. A. R.

Thunder: Hey, we fought Brute and Massacre. We know what they were. You don’t just forget that, or Spike either, no matter what else has happened. Those guys are legends. We’ll fight whoever we have to, but we also respect our own history.

Vengeance glowered at Thunder and Overkill for several seconds. Malice remained silent, showing no sign of his opinion. Suddenly Vengeance barked a command and led his men out of the room, putting an abrupt end to this unexpectedly tense interview.

[David Morse]

GWF 2104 Highlights

From WPU 7.5

UNEXPECTED COMPANION HELPS GLADIATORS WIN GWF TAG TITLES
Just four days after Mandrill won the Galaxian title to give the Colonizers of Scorpi all of the GWF’s major belts, Thunder and Overkill took the GWF tag team gold away from X-Termination in a match at the Castor Twin Towers with the help of a surprise guest.

With Vengeance and Malice suspended, Thunder and Overkill were left with no true leadership other than their bodyguard Thrash as they went after the belts. However, when the Gladiators made their way to the ring for the title match, Thrash did not accompany them. In her place was a familiar individual whose presence shocked everyone in attendance: Aethran legend Massacre, the manager of the tag team Rebellion and of Wrath in the USWF. Johnny Rocket protested Massacre’s appearance to no avail, and the contest began despite Rocket’s arguments.

The match itself was one of the best so far this year. Grunge and Sleeze proved again that they have become an elite tag team, fighting toe-to-toe with the Gladiators for seventeen tough minutes. Both Thunder and Overkill were leveled by X-Termination’s “Headbanger’s Ball” and had to be saved by their partner. The champions’ War Games teammate Nefarus also made an appearance, interfering to save Grunge from being pinned. Finally, with all four men bloodied and battered, Sleeze was blasted by a “Decapitator” and covered by Thunder for the win.

After the match, Thunder commented on Massacre’s presence. “Vengeance wasn’t here to say no,” he stated. “Massacre offered his help. He said he could get us back to the top. Hey, we haven’t been able to win these belts since 2101. We were ready to take any help we could get. Overkill and me said before we respect Massacre. I don’t know why he helped us. I don’t imagine Vengeance will like it, but we got the belts. That’s what counts.”

Immediately after the card, Massacre returned to the USWF and was unavailable for comment. As Thunder predicted, Vengeance was not pleased at his old rival’s influence on the match. A loud and violent argument took place in the Gladiator locker room upon his return. The content was unprintable.

STARCLASH XVIII
The GWF’s oldest and most prestigious supercard, Starclash has been held annually at the Deimos Intergalactic Arena since 2087. Normally a late-summer event, this year the supercard was moved to mid-year by Commissioner Grogan. Starclash XVIII took place on July 12, 2104. The main event for this year’s card was set to be a Galaxian title match between GWF champ Mandrill and Chaos.

STAR WARRIOR SURPRISES THE GWF
On the morning of the Starclash event, the Defenders of the Galaxy called a press conference in the Deimos Media Center. Appearing on stage were Star Warrior, Omega, Thantos, Alpha Force, Supernova, and Commissioner Grogan.

“It was my decision to call everyone here today,” began Star Warrior, who stepped forward first to take the microphone. “The others are really just here to lend support, because I have a very difficult statement to make. I appreciate the commissioner joining us. Of course, in a time like this, Omega, Alpha, and Supernova, my family, are going to be here. And Thantos has been a part of our family for many years, so we also wanted him with us.

“I’ve been in the GWF since 2079. I’ve held every major title. I’ve won three War Games rings. I’ve won the Galaxy Cup. I’ve been named wrestler of the year. I’ve done everything in the ring I could ever have imagined. And, more than that, I’ve had a lot of good times, and made a lot of friends.

“But after twenty-five years, your body just starts to give in to the pounding. After twenty-five years, you hurt when you get up every morning. We compete in a grueling, dangerous sport, and in the end it’s a sport for young men. In 2079, I was a young man. I’m not anymore, and I can no longer do the things I used to do in the ring. I sometimes feel as if I’m even hurting the team now, and my body is telling me to end things before I get seriously injured.

“Therefore, I have called you here to announce that my final match will be at Galacticade in December. I will finish this year and do my best to help my team win the War Games one more time. But, like my friend Thantos, I will not hang on as a part-time wrestler whose skills have eroded. Once I retire, I will be gone for good.”

Starclash Main Event
Chaos was forced to come to the ring for his championship match without his manager Commander Sam, who had been hospitalized in an attack by Splatter a few days earlier, but even this disadvantage could not stop the rampaging giant from Dimension X. Chaos dominated most of the contest, and the only time Mandrill seemed to have the big man in trouble, Heracles interfered to save his teammate. After just seven minutes, Chaos caught the champion in his “Bow of Defeat” and forced Mandrill to submit, thus becoming the GWF Heavyweight champion for an incredible fourteenth time.

STARCLASH XVIII NOTES
Max Shield got his first win in three tries over Malice in what is developing into an intense rivalry . . . Predator failed to get his revenge on Vengeance once again. The younger Aethran was dominated in the Torture Chamber match . . . the Barbaric Destroyer nearly broke the Draconian Sheik in half with a series of incredible “Barbarian Bombs” . . . X-Termination continued their great year by destroying Theater of Pain . . . The Gladiators’ DQ loss to the New Order was not an attempt to save their belts. Thunder and Overkill had controlled the match up until the DQ took place.

One of the most interesting aspects of Starclash was a member of the audience: Reynard B. Guile, who appeared in a GWF arena for the first time in more than a year. At Cosmic Mayhem 2103, Guile’s own men betrayed him and left him at the mercy of Krakan. Guile suffered numerous injuries to his head as well as spinal damage and spent months in rehabilitation. Finally returning to the GWF, the former Department of Power manager still moved slowly to and from his seat with the assistance of crutches. He watched the card calmly from a seat in the fourth row and would make no comment to reporters.

USWF Report

SPLATTER DISABLES USWF CHAMPION BRAVE
In a frightening incident reminiscent of the scarring of Dragonmaster by the Society of Death or Bishop Hell’s burning of Pulsar, Splatter put USWF champion Brave out of action indefinitely after a War Games match at the Phobus Sundome.

Brave had just defeated Homicide in the final match of a War Games contest between the Star Union and the Agents of Fortune when Splatter appeared at ringside, clubbed Brave’s manager Parsec from behind, and attacked the champion. Brave, already spent from his fight with Homicide and caught by surprise, was unable to defend himself. However, this assault was different from the usual random poundings perpetrated by Splatter. With a dreadful purposefulness, the lunatic focused on the fallen champion’s right knee, repeatedly stomping on the joint and smashing it with Arsenal. By the time Estoria Reborn arrived to chase Splatter away, Brave had passed out from the pain.

Commissioner Powell reacted immediately to the incident. “We have doctors examining Brave’s knee, and as soon as we are certain of his status I will decide the fate of the USWF heavyweight belt,” Powell said. “Unfortunately, even though Homicide stood by and watched this horrible act, I can’t take action against him because he did not actually participate. Splatter, however, is suspended from any appearance at a USWF arena for the next four months.”

When asked later whether his assault had been another random attack, Splatter laughed gleefully. “You people are idiots,” he said. “You don’t get it, do you? I was paid well for this one. If you can’t figure it out, go back and think about those meetings Krakan was having with Mandrill.”

Confronted with this information, Mandrill acknowledged its accuracy. “What are they gonna do, suspend me from the USWF? I don’t wrestle there anyway,” the Prime Colonizer stated. “Brave is from Omicron. He was a threat to us. We took out the threat. End of story.”

Vertigo, however, gave his assurance that the story was not over. “Brave was a talented kid, a champion already, and the Colonizers were afraid of him, so they tried to end his career” he explained. “We don’t yet know whether they were successful. All I can say for sure is that there will be retribution for this. Brave was never our teammate, but he is one of our people, and we will not take this lying down.”

POWELL VACATES USWF HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE
USWF Commissioner Jim Powell called a press conference on July 8 at the Oberon Civic Center for the purpose of clarifying the status of the federation’s heavyweight championship.

“As everyone knows, our top title has been in limbo since Splatter’s terrible attack on Brave,” Powell began. “This has been a major tragedy for us. Brave had proven himself to be a talented, promising champion with a bright future. He was struck down by nothing more than Mandrill’s cruelty and paranoia and Splatter and Krakan’s lust for money.

“I have waited as long as possible to make this painful decision. One of the effects of the Omicron Event on Brave was to give him incredible recuperative powers in the ring. We hoped that those same powers would aid in his recovery. However, even Brave’s special abilities can not help him regenerate damaged nerves and tissue. His knee was, simply put, smashed into pulp by Splatter’s club. Although he has made amazing progress already, showing some of the recuperative abilities we had hoped for, his doctors do not know when or if he will wrestle again. The damage to his knee and his mobility is expected to be severe and permanent.

“As a result, I have no choice but to declare the USWF heavyweight championship vacant for the first time since its institution in 2099. We will hold a tournament at the upcoming Interstellar Rumble Supercard at the Rhea Forum and crown a new champion there. Again, I want to express my deep regret over this decision. There is simply no other choice at this time.”

[David Morse]

GWF 2104 Highlights

From WPU 7.6

HUNTER’S MOON STUNS GLADS FOR TAG BELTS
In one of the biggest upsets in GWF history, Hunter’s Moon captured the federation’s tag team titles by defeating Thunder and Overkill at the Triton Pavilion.

The Gladiators originally signed a non-title match against Vyper and Wildcat, thinking it would serve as a warm-up for their upcoming defense against Theater of Pain. However, the champions were shocked when their would-be victims battled them for fifteen tough minutes before Wildcat blasted Overkill with a “Wildcat Strike” to score the upset. On the following card, Hunter’s Moon defeated Theater of Pain by pinfall, thus clearly earning the title shot that had been planned for Tragedy and Comedy.

The match at the Triton Pavilion was again a long, physical battle, with all four wrestlers bloodied before the finish. Thunder was battered badly early, leaving Overkill to fend for himself for much of the contest. After seventeen minutes of action, including interference by Malice and Vengeance, Wildcat again hit Overkill with his “Wildcat Strike” and then pinned him to claim the titles.

The win gave Hunter’s Moon its first tag title reign ever. It also marked the first championship ever held by Wildcat. Vyper is a two-time former Interplanetary champion and the current Heavy Metal champ. The Gladiators’ third reign as GWF tag champs ended after eight successful defenses, their longest run so far.

“They’re still punks,” Overkill muttered after the match. “But I gotta give them credit: they’re tough punks. It was a fluke, and we’re gonna take the belts back. We proved we can win the titles this year, and we’ll get them back as soon as we get another title match. But for now, they’re the champs, and they earned it.”

CANNIBAL WALKS AWAY FROM SUDDEN DEATH
Cannibal the Headhunter, trailing Terak in the Sudden Death feud between Skyfire and Death’s Head which would have resulted in one of the managers being banished, has disbanded his “Dementia” team and left the GWF.

“I got other things to do,” Cannibal stated as he prepared to depart from the federation shortly after the Starclash supercard. “Hurricane can stay with Krakan. Death’s Head and Mutant will be with Doomsayer for the rest of the War Games, at least. Cycle Hog and the Turk of Taldra IV can do whatever they want. We created all the mayhem we could. Now it’s on to bigger and better things. I quit. Terak wins Sudden Death. Banish me if you want to.”

Commissioner Grogan immediately accepted Cannibal’s offer. “Cannibal entered into an agreement for Sudden Death,” Grogan announced. “By leaving the federation now, he breaks that agreement. He was trailing in Sudden Death in any case. Therefore, I hereby banish Cannibal from the GWF until the end of 2105, approximately seventeen months from now. He will be eligible for reinstatement at that point.”

From WPU 7.7

COLONIZERS TAKE WAR GAMES CROWN
The Colonizers of Scorpi took advantage of suspensions to Citadel of the Elite members and claimed the 2104 GWF War Games championship, but no more than a day passed before the champions used their win to create controversy.

The Colonizers put the final touches on their victory on a card at the Charon Ice Castle of Pluto. Before the evening began, the leaders appeared to be a lock to end the Games on this day, having five matches on the card and needing only a single win to reach the 200 point goal, but they ended up backing into the championship. In consecutive matches by team members, Sleeze lost to visiting USWF star Scavenger, Tocsin was beaten by Monad, Painmaster lost to Buck Steele in a cage match when Steele transformed into Genocide, and Mandrill was pinned by Max Shield. Both Mandrill and Tocsin were injured in their losses.

The Colonizers were therefore left with only Nefarus’ Interplanetary title defense against Raven to fulfill their hopes of winning the Games. Raven dominated the champion in the match and appeared to have the contest won with a “Bladerunner” when Ram and Painmaster ran into the ring and interfered. Nefarus lost the match by disqualification, but he earned one War Games point for a successful defense by a loss. The Colonizers therefore managed to claim the championship rings without winning a match on the final card.

The victory gave all of the members of the Colonizer team, including temporary members Grunge and Sleeze, their first War Games rings. X-Termination manager Johnny Rocket also earned a ring for the first time. However, on the day after his team’s big win, Mandrill made the unexpected announcement that his bodyguard, Ram, would not receive a ring.

“What did he do to deserve one?” Mandrill asked. “All he did was demand more singles matches than we wanted him to have. He didn’t win us any points. He didn’t provide us with leadership, like Rocket did. He does not deserve to share this victory.”

Ram was furious at the announcement. “ I worked for that ape for two years, and this is how he pays me back?“ the Animan stormed. “Okay. Let them keep the damned ring. But Mandrill and all of his goons are gonna be sorry for this insult. I’m not working for them anymore, but I’m not through with them by a long shot.”

TITAN CHALLENGE 2104: THE REWARD OF TREACHERY
As has become tradition, the 2104 Titan Challenge was a joint promotion of the GWF and the USWF, the only card so promoted each year.

CHAOS SHOCKS GWF AT PRESS CONFERENCE

On the morning of the Titan Challenge, Chaos called a press conference for the Citadel of the Elite in the Titan Sportatorium Press Room. Heracles, Dark Justice, Skinhead, Prodigy, and Commander Sam gathered on stage with the GWF champion, but all of them claimed that they had no knowledge of why Chaos had assembled them.

“We should have won the War Games this year,” the giant from Dimension X began. “I had my best year ever. We had the best talent. But we lost. One reason for that loss was the suspensions inflicted on me, Heracles, and Superiority Complex by Commissioner Grogan. The Commissioner didn’t want us to win, and he made sure we didn’t.

“But I can’t blame it all on Grogan. Someone else let us down, too. We only lost by seven points. If we could have picked up anything at all during those suspensions, I still could have won it when I came back. But Dark Justice, the only active wrestler we had left, chose this time to lose seven straight matches. With just two or three wins, he could have kept us in it. He failed. And that, more than anything else, is why we lost.”

As Dark Justice started to protest, Chaos simply raised his voice and continued. “I told you at Galaxy Cup that if we didn’t win the Games this year, we would make some changes,” he said. “This is the first one. Obviously Dark Justice is not the sort of wrestler who belongs in the Citadel. He is therefore no longer a part of this team.”

“Now wait a minute,” Commander Sam interrupted. “We need to discuss this . . .”

“Which brings us to you, Sam,” Chaos went on calmly. “A decent manager would have found a way to stop Justice’s slump. Obviously, you’re not what we hoped you’d be. We don’t need you anymore, either. Get off the stage before we throw you off.”

Commander Sam and Dark Justice looked first at Chaos, then at each of their other former team members. Left with no choice, they exited the room without further comment. Sam is rumored to have returned to Earth. The man who betrayed Omega and all of his other friends finally received his reward, suffering this unceremonious dismissal and finding himself without a team to manage.

TITAN CHALLENGE CARD HIGHLIGHTS
Painmaster hammered Ram in a Four Weapons of Destruction Match

Malice, Ravage, and Ruin beat Predator, Blitz, and Scar in a brutal three-man tag match in a battle between the opposing Aethran factions. Order of exit was Malice over Predator, Malice over Blitz, Ruin over Scar. After the match, the Aethrans held their annual all-over-the-arena brawl and were fined accordingly. (Note: The wrestler named Ruin mentioned above was one of my own creations, not Ruin of Desolation Factor.)

U. S. Patriot pinned Jason the Canadian Bomber with an “Atomic Blast” after what appeared to be a slow count by Massif when Jason had the Patriot covered

Genocide emerged as the winner of the annual battle royal, throwing out five of the twenty competitors on his way to the win.

USWF Tag Team Champions the Star Patrol downed GWF Tag Team Champions the Gladiators when Galactic Trooper pinned Overkill after a missed deathjump

GWF Heavyweight Champion Chaos squeezed USWF Heavyweight Champion High Lord Marlicus with a “Bow of defeat.”

Titan Challenge Notes
The card held many interesting moments. Among them was what happened after the final match. Chaos beat Marlicus in a good fight, but afterward the GWF champion did not want to release his “Bow of Defeat.” Then the massive Gorthanor came to the ring to save his leader. Chaos released his hold, and for a few tense seconds he stood face to face with perhaps the only man in wrestling who can match his strength. Then Chaos turned away and left the ring without further confrontation.

Once Buck Steele transformed into Genocide, the battle royal was a route. The Genesis star threw out the last three men even after they teamed up against him. He was never in any danger. No one has so dominated a battle royal in GWF history. Wrestling historians immediately made comparisons to the legendary late-twentieth century Earth wrestler Andre the Giant, who is said never to have lost a battle royal. On this day, Genocide looked fully capable of compiling a similar record.

The three-man tag match among the Aethrans was far more competitive than it would seem on the surface. Thakur’s team did survive without losing a man, but all three were battered severely before the final bell. After the match, Thunder, Overkill, Violator, Wrath, Wolf, Lycanthrope, and Massacre joined the competitors in another of the wild brawls that seem to take place among the Aethrans every year at the Titan Challenge.

The event also marked the first time in months that Wrath and Predator have been in the same place at the same time. The two brothers spoke briefly and civilly, but without any apparent warmth or desire for reconciliation.

Finally, as he did at Starclash, Reynard B. Guile made an appearance in the audience. The former manager, still recovering from his beating at the hands of Krakan over eighteen months ago, used a cane for support but seemed to move much more freely than he had just a few months earlier. He was uncharacteristically unwilling to speak to reporters.

USWF REPORT

AGENTS OF FORTUNE REVEAL NEW BODYGUARD
Having fired Ghengis Khan a few weeks earlier, Krakan revealed the new bodyguard for his Agents of Fortune on a War Games card at the Ariel Armory. The Agents were facing the CPC on the card. When Bloodbath and Deuce made their entry to battle Galactic Invasion, Agents’ team captain Dagger Mack, who at the time was out of action due to an injury, accompanied them to the ring to make the announcement.

“As always, Krakan has delivered what he promised,” Dagger Mack began. “We have a new bodyguard to watch out for us. He’s worked for Krakan before, and he’s also the man who brought Homicide into wrestling. Come on out--Cannibal!”

Cannibal the Headhunter emerged from the dressing room and took over for Dagger Mack at ringside. With his help, Deuce and Bloodbath pulled an upset over Galactic Invasion, but the Agents could not overcome the CPC overall in the War Games contest. Nevertheless, Cannibal’s presence at ringside with lunatics such as Dagger Mack, Homicide, and Bloodbath can only spell trouble for the rest of the USWF.

[David Morse]

GWF 2104 Highlights

From WPU 7.8

MAX SHIELD CHALLENGES SPLATTER
Three weeks after the Titan Challenge, Max Shield issued a challenge of his own at an impromptu press conference at Ganymede Stadium.

“Everyone knows what Splatter did to Brave in the USWF this year,” Shield stated. “He has apparently ended what looked like a superb career for Brave. You also know that Brave never had any allegiance to Genesis, but that doesn’t matter. He was still from Omicron, and that’s why Mandrill hired Splatter to take him out. We can’t let this pass without an answer.

“We’ll deal with Mandrill, and with Krakan, as soon as we can. Right now, I’m going to get rid of their hit man. I challenge Splatter to a match at Galacticade. He can name the match. It can even be a Hitman match, his specialty. The loser leaves the GWF for two years. At Splatter’s age, that should slow him down a lot. How much good will he be in 2107?”

Informed of the comments, Krakan agreed to Shield’s terms on behalf of Splatter, who did indeed choose a Hitman match. Krakan demanded that Genesis put up the bounty for the match themselves. Genesis quickly complied.

VERTIGO INJURED BY COLONIZERS
Another stunning incident involving Genesis and the Colonizers took place recently on a card at the Hyperion Craterdome just four days before Galacticade. The Watchmen defeated Genesis Prime when Tocsin pinned Vertigo. After the bell, Tocsin produced what appeared to be a wooden club from under the ring and pounded Vertigo’s knee with it. Wraith finally managed to save his partner, but the victim took a brutal beating. Vertigo was pronounced unable to compete at Galacticade. Tocsin was immediately suspended from the supercard by Commissioner Grogan. A further ruling on Tocsin’s status was expected to come on Galacticade Weekend.

CHAOS TAKES TOP HONORS AT ANNUAL AWARDS BANQUET
The annual GWF year-end awards banquet was held on December 20, 2104, at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California, Earth. Most of the federation’s active wrestlers and managers attended, as well as USWF personalities Massacre, Lance At-las, the Incredible Badger, Black Hawk, Parsec, Thakur, Kati, Shadowmaster, and Commissioner Jim Powell. GWWF Commissioner Torin Caelum was also in attendance, as were former GWF stars Stalker, Tantalis, and Billy Jo Boxer.

As always, Commissioner Grogan began the program and acted as master of ceremonies. “We’ve had another great year,” Grogan stated. “I know we’re all anxious to get to the awards, but we have some other business to attend to first. As you know, we had several Sudden Death contests this year. At this time, I want to announce the official winners and to declare who will be banished. Two special exile contests will take place tomorrow when Talisman fights Mesmer and Max Shield fights Splatter. The loser of each of those matches will be banished for two years. We already know that Cannibal is banished, since he quit his Sudden Death feud at mid-year. Dynamo and Vanity have conceded their Sudden Death feud to the Stormtroopers, and they will fight to tomorrow to see who will be banished. That leaves us with three more contests to resolve.

“First, I want to make official the fact that Pulsar defeated Bishop Hell by a 13-10 count. This was a special Sudden Death because it was not for a two year banishment. Bishop Hell will be allowed to compete against Star Warrior tomorrow at Galacticade, but that will be his final match in the GWF.

“Next, the Gladiators defeated Krakan’s Militia by a 29-15 count. I’d like for Krakan to come up to announce who will be banished.”

The Invincible Krakan strutted to the stage and took the microphone. “This was a pretty easy choice,” he stated. “We had one very weak link. He lost ten straight matches at one point. He used to be crazy and dangerous. Now he’s just crazy. The Mad Jester is banished.”

Grogan stepped back up to the podium. “Okay. Like Bishop Hell, the Mad Jester will be allowed to compete tomorrow. Now, I have some special business with the Colonizers, if Mandrill will come up.”

The Prime Colonizer climbed onto the stage. Instead of surrendering the microphone, however, the commissioner continued. “Your team lost to Genesis, 36-30,” he said. “Before you announce the banishment, however, I have some news for you. I’m tired of your tactics. You put Splatter up to taking out Brave in the USWF this year. Now Tocsin has injured Vertigo, perhaps permanently. This has gone too far.”

“So what are you gonna do about it? Fine us?” Mandrill smiled.

“Like I said, I have a surprise,” Grogan said. “I know your plan was to banish Ram, despite the fact that he is no longer with your team. But I am overruling you. As a disciplinary action for his attack on Vertigo, Tocsin is banished from wrestling for two years.”

“What?” Mandrill roared. “You can’t do that!”

“I can, and I just did,” Grogan answered calmly. “Now sit down. And the next time you want to cripple someone, think twice. You may be the next to go.”

After this dramatic exchange, Grogan presented several awards, among which were the following:
Wrestler of the Year: Chaos
Tag Team of the Year: X-Termination

GALACICADE SUPERCARD
In addition to the special challenge matches mentioned by the commissioner at the awards banquet, several other important matches were also included on the supercard. Among them, Raven earned a Galaxian Heavyweight Title shot against Chaos, Doomsayer challenged X-Termination to a match against Monad and a mystery partner--who turned out to be Dreadnaught--, Archon and Blazing Skull signed for a falls count anywhere match, Superiority Complex was to meet Theater of Pain, and Predator replaced the injured Dreggs to team with Mace against GWF Tag Team Champions Thunder and Overkill.

GALACTICADE IX SUMMARY
The supercard was one of the most memorable in recent memory for several reasons. In the main event, Raven came inches from reclaiming the Galaxian belt with a “Bladerunner” after Chaos missed a deathjump. Heracles and Skinhead came to the ring to interfere, but they were driven off by Destructon 3000. However, their presence was enough to give the champion the few seconds he needed to recover.

Many members of the audience laughed aloud when Doomsayer announced Dreadnaught as the promised mystery partner for Monad. However, the Dreadnaught who came to the ring was not the weak, dilapidated wrestler of the past few years. Instead, he looked once again like the powerhouse who was once the GWF champion. Doomsayer’s transrevolver has obviously been at work again, but Dreadnaught and Monad were still unable to defeat X-Termination.

Prodigy did not appear for Superiority Complex's match, and his absence remained unexplained after the card. He simply did not appear to have come to the Sports Arena at all, and Skinhead ended up fighting Theater of Pain alone. No information on Prodigy’s whereabouts has been made public.

At the conclusion of the Falls Count Anywhere match between Archon and Blazing Skull, Archon was attacked by Skull and Death’s Head. Apparently the long-time member of Cannibal’s teams is from Brymstone and has allied himself with Skull and Maleph.

The three exile matches all had dramatic conclusions. During the contest between Dynamo and Vanity, Brainstorm unexpectedly appeared at ringside. While the so-called genius distracted the referee, Maxine handed Dynamo a pair of brass knuckles, which he used to knock out Vanity. Dynamo, Brainstorm, and Maxine then left the ring together, leaving the stunned and alone Vanity behind.

Talisman also had help in his fight against Mesmer. A young man who at the time was not identified came out of the crowd and dropped Mesmer with a spin kick to the head. Because of the stipulations of the match, the referee had no choice but to count the win for Talisman. Later in the evening, the interloper was identified as Blade, the younger brother of the late Crossfire.

“I’m here to help Archon,” Blade told reporters later, “and to honor my brother’s memory. I’m obviously also here to go after Blazing Skull. But Talisman is one of our people, too. Mesmer came to Centaurus and brainwashed him. Then he came back a few years later and brought my brother and Archon to the GWF under false pretenses. He deserved to go, and now he’s gone. But now it looks like Skull has found a friend in Death’s Head. That’s okay, because I’ll be right there with Archon to go against them, and they’ll never keep us down.”

Max Shield was clearly beaten by Splatter, who was about to climb the pole and take the bounty when Brave, the young man whom Splatter had crippled earlier this year, appeared at ringside, picked up Arsenal, and blasted Splatter in the back of his head. Shield then recovered and climbed the pole to take the victory. Brave, who walked away from the scene with a very noticeable limp, was not seen again for the remainder of the evening. Shield claimed to know nothing of the young man’s motives or future intentions.

Finally, a heated argument broke out between Overkill and Vengeance after the tag champs lost by DQ to Mace and Predator. Overkill and Thunder clearly felt that the interference was unnecessary, although Predator did appear about to put Thunder in the “Aethran Lock” when the DQ occurred. The debate among the Aethrans continued all the way back to their dressing room.

As he had at the Titan Challenge and at Starclash, Reynard B. Guile appeared in the crowd. Guile’s mobility continues to improve after the brutal attack on him by Krakan more than twenty months ago, but he still refuses to speak regarding his reasons for attending the GWF events.

USWF REPORT

CENTER STAGE SPECTACULAR SUPERCARD
No titles changed hands on the card, but the year-ending event once again featured more than its share of excitement. The first big moment came when Lycanthrope, Cougar Claw, and Crow came to the ring for their match against Dagger Mack, Homicide, and Bloodbath. As the Animan trio walked down the aisle, they were met by Lycanthrope’s father, Wolf. After shaking hands with Crow, Wolf asked the rookie if he would step aside and let Wolf replace him in the match. As the crowd erupted in cheers, Crow smiled and agreed. The fired-up Cougar Claw and Lycanthrope, having the amazing GWF star on their side, proceeded to devastate Krakan’s trio.

Another unexpected incident occurred after Titanius defeated Kati in their Turnbuckle Shock match. If any doubt regarding Vulcan’s loyalty remained, he made his position clear by coming the the ring and helping Kati attack Vulcan’s former partner Titanius after the bell. Titanius did not suffer serious injury, but he was furious with Vulcan after the card.

As it did in 2103, the wildest moment of the night occurred at the conclusion of the card. High Lord Marlicus held off Wrath in a tough match to retain the USWF title. After the bell, however, the champion showed that he has not forgiven Wrath for interfering in his attack on Crazy Horse at the Interstellar Rumble. GWF star Malice stormed into the ring and, along with Marlicus, held Wrath down while Vengeance leapt from his ringside seat and into the ring, brandishing a single-edged razor like the one he had used in his foiled attack on Predator in the year before.

In 2103, Wrath came to the ring to save his estranged half-brother, Predator, from an Aethran attack. This time Predator, who was also seated at ringside, was the first to reach the ring to defend Wrath. Surprisingly, the next person to arrive to fight Marlicus and his allies was not one of Wrath’s Aethran Rebel teammates, but Crazy Horse, followed closely by Black Hawk. Ruin and Violator quickly jumped in to swing the fray back in favor of the attackers, but they were soon offset by Blitz and Scar.

The wild brawl skyrocketed totally out of control as more and more wrestlers joined in. Marlicus’ huge teammates in the Imperial Powers, including Pyramid, Sphynx, Marikel, and the awesome Gorthanor were next to arrive, although Marikel’s involvement seemed decidedly half-hearted. Jason the Canadian Bomber and the Star Patrol were next, with Lycanthrope and Cougar Claw close behind. Seeing his son and his friend Predator involved, Wolf left his seat in the crowd and attacked Vengeance. Moments later Krakan’s men, including Homicide, Dagger Mack, and Bloodbath, stormed the ring and began to attack both sides in the conflict. Marlicus attempted to jump Black Hawk from behind, but he suddenly found himself the victim of a “Project Pegasus” as his bitter GWF rival also got involved. Finally, as if all of this were not enough, Splatter appeared from nowhere in the center of the ring and began swinging Arsenal at everyone in sight.

The melee lasted for fifteen incredible minutes. It may have been the most out-of-control moment in wrestling history. Afterward, the combatants made these comments:

Marlicus: “I told you all I’d get Wrath for sticking his nose in my business. I worked with the Aethrans during the War Games, so this was convenient. They hate him more than I do. They’re not my kind of people, but you do what you have to do to get the job done. And Pegasus, you got involved in my life again. You’re going to regret it. I’m sick of you, and I’m going to put an end to you.”

Wrath; “Marlicus can’t handle me alone, so he cooked this plan up. That’s okay. I’ll take on all of them. And I appreciate Predator and Crazy Horse coming in to help. I guess we’re all even now. I always said I could stand alone, but with scum like Marlicus and Vengeance around, I guess it’s good to have friends--and family, I suppose.”

Black Hawk: “Wow, was that a wild night. When Splatter showed up, I knew we were over the top. Who even knew he was in the building? And obviously Marlicus and I have unfinished business. I’m glad Pegasus was here to help. Marlicus can make all the threats he wants to , but I know Pegasus isn’t worried. We can both handle that egomaniac chump whenever we need to.”

Wolf: “Owoooo. That was fun! Let’s keep it going. Bring Mayhem in next time!”

[David Morse]

GWF 2105 Highlights

From WPU 8.1

HIGHLIGHTS FROM YEAR-OPENING PRESS CONFERENCES
As in every year since 2087, the GWF kicked off its 2105 campaign with the Galaxy Cup tournaments on Deimos. In the two days immediately prior to the tournaments, the federation held its annual press conferences at which teams announce their rosters for the upcoming year. Commissioner Grogan opened the events with his own press conference in the Deimos Intergalactic Arena Media Center on January 18.

(from Commissioner's Press Conference--Grogan's Statement on Massif)
“Finally, in reference to Magnus Colby, Sonora Pelf, and the CPC, I have been asked repeatedly what I plan to do about them. Mr. Colby and Ms. Pelf have a right to conduct their business in this federation like anyone else. I’m not crazy about their tactics, but there is very little I can do about them. However, after last year, many of our wrestlers are uncomfortable with Massif as our special referee. Massif has a contract, and he will continue to perform his duties until I see a violation flagrant enough to deal with. Nevertheless, in order to give GWF wrestlers another option, I have arranged for Bounty Hunter to split his time between the GWF and the USWF. He will be eligible to referee for our matches any time he is requested.

A LEGEND STEPS ASIDE
The Defenders of the Galaxy began the team press conferences in the Deimos Intergalactic Arena Media Center, and they set an exciting tone for the upcoming events by making a number of surprise announcements. Appearing on stage were team members Pegasus, Colossus, and Alpha Force, along with their manager, Omega. However, the regular team members were joined by two unexpected guests: Star Warrior, who had retired at the end of 2104, and Jason the Canadian Bomber, who spent most of 2104 in the USWF.

“I know some of you are surprised to see Star Warrior here,” Omega began, “but if you’ll bear with me, I will explain. I’ve been in this federation for more than thirty years as a wrestler and as a manager. The GWF means as much to me as anything in my life except for my family. However, after all of those years, I feel a need for a little rest and peace. For that reason, effective immediately, I am retiring as the manager of the Defenders of the Galaxy.”

As a shocked murmur spread through the crowd of reporters, Omega continued. “I want to thank everyone I have worked with over the years for both the good times and the bad. Now, however, I want to introduce the new manager of the Defenders of the Galaxy. He’s the only man I could think of passing the job on to: my son, Star Warrior.”

“Thanks, Dad,” Star Warrior said as he took the microphone. “I’m honored to be following in your footsteps, but then that’s all any of us do in this federation. Many of the reporters have noticed that we have another surprise guest here today. It’s time to make this official: Jason the Canadian Bomber will be a member of the Defenders of the Galaxy until further notice. Jason has not given up his USWF career, and this move may not be permanent. We have some other plans in the works. For now, though, and for as long as he wants, we welcome him as a full team member.”

“I have a comment, too,” Pegasus stated, taking the microphone from his new manager. “First, I want to thank Omega. You took me as an underachieving, arrogant journeyman who no one else wanted, and you made me into a champion. I’ll always appreciate it. But I also have a message for my USWF buddy, Little Lord Marlicus: you shot off your mouth a lot last year after the Center Stage Spectacular. Well, I’m still here. Whenever you think you’re good enough to back up your big mouth, I’ll be waiting for you.”

CPC EXPANDS TO TWO TEAMS
Magnus Colby and Sonora Pelf appeared on stage alone at the beginning of the Colby/Pelf Corporation press conference. “This is an exciting day for us,” Colby announced. “Today we officially expand the CPC to include two distinct teams. Of course, we really had two teams in the War Games last year, but we did not make our support of ‘Entropy and Disorder’ public at the time. Now we want to reward our loyal supporters by bringing out our two managers: Mesmer and Doomsayer.”

This announcement alone was a shock, as no one had been previously aware that Doomsayer was working for the CPC. When the two managers were both on stage, Colby continued:

“Our first team will be managed by Mesmer. Due to some underhanded actions at last year’s Galacticade, Mesmer can no longer wrestle, but he can still be at ringside. We will deal with those responsible for that situation later this year. Now, I’ll let Mesmer introduce the members of our first team, which will be called ‘Penthouse Suite.’”

“Thank you, Mr. Colby,” said Mesmer. “As you said, I am not finished with Talisman and that punk kid that helped him against me last year. But first things first. Four members of Penthouse Suite are recognized CPC wrestlers from last year. I want to bring out Janus the Overman, the Matador of M83, and the tag team of Theater of Pain, Tragedy and Comedy.”

The four men Mesmer had announced joined him on stage. Then, with a smile, he continued. “The last member of Penthouse Suite is a new addition. Like Janus and the Matador, he got sick of that blowhard Chaos and decided to join a real team. You know him as a great tag team wrestler, but now he will focus on being the greatest cruiserweight in wrestling: Prodigy!”

This announcement stunned everyone in attendance. Now it was clear why Prodigy had not appeared for the match between Superiority Complex and Theater of Pain at Galacticade. As the new team member shook hands with his teammates, Colby took back the microphone.

“Thank you, Mesmer,” the CPC leader said. “Now I want to let Doomsayer introduce our second team, ‘Executive Order.’”

Doomsayer took the microphone next. “This is an honor,” he said. “First, to answer the stupid questions that will be coming, no, Maleph and Cannibal did not know who our funding came from for our War Games team last year. Neither did any of the wrestlers. Only I knew that Mr. Colby had helped to put Entropy and Disorder together, and now that team has developed into Executive Order.

“Our team members should be obvious. You all saw my new tag team at Galacticade. Dreadnaught is back at full power, and he will team with Monad as ‘Transrevolver.’ The third man I managed last year, who has always been a member of the CPC, is Holocaust, and he is still here. Finally, Mr. Colby and Mesmer have offered me the services of U. S. Patriot and Terminus to make us one of the most powerful teams in wrestling.”

“This is just the beginning,” Colby stated as he concluded the press conference. “You’ll see similar expansion of our team in the USWF. We will not challenge any one particular group. Our goal is bigger than that. By the time we’re finished, we plan to rule every major federation in wrestling.”

SHOCKING INTERRUPTION AT GLADIATOR PRESS CONFERENCE
The Gladiators of Aethra press conference began with Malice, Vengeance, Thrash, and a clearly agitated Thakur on stage. Thakur spoke for the team.

“The power of Aethra will again rule in the GWF this year,” the gladiator manager said. “Last year we put away Krakan’s Militia with ease. I want to compliment Vengeance on leading the team to victory. But I’m concerned by the absence of two of our team members. Where are the tag team champions?”

“Don’t ask me,” answered Thrash, who has sometimes been romantically linked to Overkill. “They’ve been acting weird for a while now.”

“You ain’t seen weird yet,” said a voice from offstage. Overkill entered, followed by Thunder. “We got something to say.”

“What do you mean by arriving late?” Thakur growled. “What’s going on?”

“Thakur, we been loyal to you, but you ain’t here much,” Overkill answered. “Vengeance ain’t no leader. Last month at Galacticade, he interfered and got us DQ’d in a match we could have won. We’re sick of it. He’s a maniac, and we’re going our own way.”

“You mean you plan to leave the gladiator team and fight alone?” Vengeance snapped. “No way. If you try it, we’ll destroy you.”

“He said our own way, not alone,” Thunder replied. “Meet our new partner and manager.”

A gasp went up from the audience as Pulsar and Thantos walked out onto the stage. Overkill took back the microphone.

“We always said we had respect for guys like Thantos and Massacre, men who’ve really done something in this federation. Now Thantos has agreed to manage us, and we figure we can work with Pulsar, too. Our team will be called ‘No Surrender.’ Now, are you sure you wanna make threats?”

Thakur glowered at the foursome for a moment. Then he spoke again.

“You just joined the list with Predator and Mayhem,” he stated. “If you set foot on Aethra again, I’ll have you arrested as traitors. And as soon as we get you in the ring, you’re history.”

With that, Thakur led his team offstage. Thantos picked up the microphone.

“It’s nice to have men this talented to work with,” the GWF legend stated. “Our main goal will be to take out Krakan’s Militia. But we’ll all do it our own way. My philosophy is still ‘whatever it takes.’ We don’t care about being anyone’s heroes. All we care about is winning, and we plan to do a lot of it.”

TROUBLE RESURFACING IN W. A. R. CAMP?
The W. A. R. team came out on stage as it had in 2103, with Destructon 3000, Raven, Mace, Dreggs, and Predator. Whereas last year the team had seemed more upbeat than in recent years, however, Mace arrived for this press conference with a scowl once again spread across his face.

“We all enjoyed watching the Aethrans fall apart again,” Destructon stated. “But it doesn’t change anything. Pulsar is a friend, and we respect Thantos, but we’ll go after Thunder and Overkill as hard as ever. And you can bet we’re not through with Vengeance, Malice, and Mayhem yet, or with X-Termination.”

“Sure,” Mace mumbled. “We’ll take on the world. But we can’t promise we’ll win.”

“What was that?” Raven asked.

“You heard me,” the big man said more loudly. “We had shots at the Galaxian belt and the tag team titles at Galacticade. We walked away with nothing. I thought we were getting it together, but it sure didn’t look like it last month.”

“Hey, we did okay,” Raven argued. “You and Predator won by DQ, and I almost had Chaos.”

“Almost?” Mace replied. “Where’s the almost belt you won?”

“Enough!” Destructon snapped. “I won’t have this bickering, especially in public. We’ve stated our plans. Let’s go.”

W. A. R. walked off stage together and left the room, but one could not help noticing that this powerful team again seems to be going in separate directions.

GALAXY CUP TOURNAMENTS 2105
For the nineteenth consecutive year, the GWF restarted competition after the holiday break with the Galaxy Cup singles and tag team tournaments. The event took place over five days at the Deimos Intergalactic Arena from January 20 to 24, with two days for each tournament and a day off between. The format of the tournaments is all Titan Death matches after the first two rounds of the singles tournament and after the first round of the tag tournament. Seventy Four wrestlers competed in the singles tournament, down from a record 87 in 2104. In the tag team tournament, 27 duos were entered, with the top five seeds receiving byes.

Singles Tournament Final:
This match marked the first time two teammates have ever met in the championship match of the Galaxy Cup. Both competitors fought well, but Colossus finally nailed Pegasus with his own “Project Pegasus” finisher to claim his first Galaxy Cup win ever.

Tag Team Tournament Final:
For the first time ever, the finals of the Galaxy Cup tournament featured two of the makeshift teams that are often put together specifically for the event: Heracles and Skinhead against Max Shield and Buck Steele. Heracles made his second appearance in the finals, having been the tournament runners-up with Kati in 2101, while Skinhead had previously finished second in the tournament three times as a member of Superiority Complex. Neither Shield or Steele had made the tag finals before. The final match itself was a stunningly brief affair. Heracles, who defeated Max Shield to win the singles tournament in 2101, took only ninety seconds to level Shield with an “Olympia” and pin him for the win. Skinhead thus finally won the Galaxy Cup championship that had eluded him and Prodigy for so many years.

Galaxy Cup Tournament Notes:
The Galaxy Cup event was a huge success for the Defenders of the Galaxy. Colossus, Pegasus, Alpha Force, and Jason the Canadian Bomber put together a combined record of 14-1 against the rest of the federation when you exclude the two matches in which Colossus defeated his own teammates. No other team has ever before put three men in the semi-finals or two in the finals. Pegasus and Alpha were also impressive in the tag team tournament. If the Defenders continue in this manner, Star Warrior will look like a genius by the end of the War Games.

Skinhead’s victory just a month after he and Prodigy broke up one of the most successful tag teams in GWF history never to win the Galaxy Cup was certainly ironic. Most impressive was the fact that he and Skinhead knocked out the GWF tag champions Thunder and Overkill on their way to the title. They will have an opportunity to do so again at Galactic War, this time with the GWF tag belts on the line.

As always, the Galaxy Cup featured its share of upsets. Among the most notable this year were Grunge over Terminus, Skyfire over Archon, and Mace over Enigma in round one of the singles tournament and Daemon over U. S. Patriot in round two. Raven also continued his tradition of poor Galaxy Cup showings, failing to advance past the second round for the eighth time in nine years.

Two of the best performances of the event were turned in by Buck Steele and Thunder. Steele advanced all the way to round three, defeating Dynamo and Alpha Force, without transforming into Genocide. Thunder handled Blazing Skull, Raven, and Grunge before he finally went down to Pegasus.

One of the most impressive performances of the singles tournament came in defeat as Manslaughter lost to Nefarus in round one. The big masked man struggled through a horrible second year in 2104, but in this year’s Galaxy Cup he gave the Interplanetary champion an incredible fifteen minute match.

On the tag team side, TitanAttack stunned everyone by defeating first Janus and the Matador, then the New Order, both by pinfall. If this tournament is any indication, Ursa Major and Scion Nexus may be ready to make a real impact on the GWF tag scene.

Never before have so many temporary tag teams done so well in the Galaxy Cup. With such outstanding duos as Superiority Complex, the Warrior Kings, Coat of Arms, and the Watchmen all gone this year, and the Mercenaries and Titan Fury beginning to show signs of age, the door was open for a strange tournament.

Massif was very unhappy at Bounty Hunter’s selection as referee for the tag tournament finals. After the event, the former FDF star spoke out against the federation.

“I’ve given the GWF and its fans everything I have for years,” Massif said. “Now, just because of a few disgruntled people who couldn’t accept losing, I’m being accused of dishonesty, and the fans boo me when I’m introduced. What did I do to deserve this? Didn’t I earn better, both as a wrestler and as a referee? I’ve been screwed over by the GWF, by Commissioner Grogan, by the fans, and by everyone else. Now they insult me by bringing in Bounty Hunter to do my job. Well, I’m not just going to fade away. I still have a contract. I still have a job to do. I just wish that anyone who doubts me would have the guts to say so to my face.”

USWF REPORT

USWF ANNOUNCES ROSTERS FOR 2105
The United Stars Wrestling Federation revealed its lineup for 2105 at its annual year-opening press conference on January 22, the day off between the GWF’s Galaxy Cup tournaments, in the press room of the Europa Garden. Commissioner Jim Powell conducted the festivities, with representatives from each team gathered behind him on stage.
“Welcome back, everyone,” Powell began. “Before we begin with the team rosters, I have a major announcement. As you know, Bounty Hunter has agreed to split his time between the USWF and the GWF. I agreed to this arrangement, but it meant that I had to find us another special referee to pick up the slack for Hunter. When I thought about it, one man came to mind. He’s an old friend of mine, and I know we can trust him to do a great job. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome our new special referee: Billy Jo Boxer!”

The former Titan great, looking a bit older and heavier but still formidable, walked out to stand beside the commissioner. Then Powell continued. “Now, let’s proceed with the team announcements,” he said. “We’ll follow our usual format. I’ll announce each team leader, and then that team will be allowed a few remarks. This year, let’s begin with the Colby/Pelf Corporation.”

Announcements were then made by team representatives. Highlights follow:

The CPC (Kati, team leader): “First of all, the Colby/Pelf Corporation is not a ‘team’; we’re an organization. Soon, we’ll be running things here, as well as in the GWF. Last year, the full-time members of our organization were myself, Pathfinder, the Unknown Soldier, and Armageddon, with Shadowmaster as our manager. We are all back again. In addition, at the end of last year we added Vulcan, and we are happy to welcome him for his first full year with us. Finally, the Ivy League, who were temporary members of our War Games championship team, have now signed with us full-time. We’re expanding, and as we continue to grow we will swallow up everything in wrestling.”

The Imperial Powers (Tirrion Astri, manager): “Marlicus is back where he belongs as USWF champion. Gorthanor is the strongest man in wrestling. The Egyptian Spirits, Pyramid and Sphynx, proved that they are one of the elite tag teams in the USWF last year. And now, we have added a new man, one of Marlicus’ top warriors in the Imperial Forces of Kaldri: Captain Dalcost. He will soon be one of the dominant stars in the federation.

“The High Lord also once again has a message for that pretender, Pegasus. We will fight you any time, anywhere you want. You are nothing compared to Marlicus, and he will be happy to prove it again.”

The Untamed Warriors (The Incredible Badger, manager): “We return the same five men: Silverfang, Scavenger, Crow, Lycanthrope, and Cougar Claw. Lycanthrope and Cougar will be working more as a tag team again this year, while Crow and Scavenger will focus more on singles action. We’re after the Agents of Fortune again, and we intend to take them out this time.”

Agents of Fortune (Dagger Mack, team captain): “On behalf of the Invincible Krakan, I want to announce that the Agents of Fortune have added a new member. We still have myself, Homicide, Deuce, and Bloodbath, and Cannibal is still here as our bodyguard. I have no idea where the Knight of the Dark is, and I don’t care. We’ve added a better fifth wrestler, a man who is ready to step up and make a name for himself in this federation: Jackal. And with his help, we’ll be happy to answer the challenge of the Badger’s Warriors.”

Suddenly a loud crash drew everyone’s attention to the doors of the press room. The large double doors had been smashed down. Standing in the doorway were the Mad Jester and Splatter, with Arsenal clutched in Splatter's hand.

Splatter: “Don’t get too cocky, Dagger Mack. You got new problems. Krakan cut us loose when things went bad. Now me and the Jester are here to take it out on you. We may even team up sometimes. You can call us ‘the Outcasts.’ And you can call us trouble, ‘cause we’ll be right behind you whenever you turn around.”

With an evil laugh, Splatter and the Jester turned and walked out. After a few moments of confusion, Lance At-las continued the press conference.

The Star Defenders (Lance At-las, manager): “Wasn’t that fun? We’ll all have to keep an eye on those two. But Astri, I have news for you, too. We still have the Star Patrol, the best tag team in wrestling. We still have Black Hawk and Crazy Horse, both of whom have proven that they are capable of beating Marlicus. And now we, too, have added a new man. He’s from earth, Mexico to be exact. His name is Toltecas, and he’ll take whatever your Captain Dalcost can throw at him.”

The Sanglian Warband (King Colerain, team leader): “King Vortigern has retired as planned, but the rest of the Warband is back in the USWF. The Barbaric Destroyer and I will handle singles action, although I plan to slow down a bit. Singer of Tales and Guthlac will form a tag team, but both of them want plenty of singles action. We’ll take on anyone who wants a good fight.”

The Gladiators of Aethra (Thakur, manager): “We’ve made a few changes since last year. The tag team of Conquering Force is no more. Ravage will move into singles competition along with Violator. Ruin will form a new tag team called ‘Aethran Dominance’ with the newest member of our team. Massacre, when your big man Blitz hears this, he’s going to be looking for a place to hide. Our new man has been the bane of every young Aethran to go through the Academy since he took over as Master of Discipline ten years ago. Now he’s here to haunt your traitor team. Tell Blitz and Scar to be ready for hell, because Nightmare is here!”

The Aethran Rebels (Massacre, manager): “Your news is a little late, Thakur. Remember, Spike and Brute are still on Aethra. I heard Nightmare was coming. I already told Blitz. Yeah, he’s scared. He’s so afraid that he asked me to demand a cage match for him with Nightmare on the first card. His exact words were, ‘This is the dream of every young Aethran soldier: to get that sick bastard alone where you can fight him without the whole academy protecting him.’ When Blitz is done with him, he and Scar will go back to tag competition. Wrath can handle Violator and Ravage, and he wants a little piece of Nightmare, too.”

Commissioner Powell now took back the microphone. “Well, that’s about it. I have also been asked to announce that Rock Ravishing, Titanius, Gila, and Meteor will be competing as independents. And . . .”

The Commissioner did not finish his sentence. Another loud crash startled the crowd, this time from the other side of the press room. Another door had been kicked in. Standing in the doorway was Big Daddy Steel. Behind him were four more men. The first two were Shadow Assassin and Night Wraith, who had left the GWF near the end of 2104. Next was a man in red priest’s robes, a man whose face was horribly scarred, but it was a familiar face nevertheless: Knight of the Dark, also once known as Man at Arms, had removed his mask. Finally, stepping toward the front of the group came the biggest surprise of all, perhaps the most hated man in wrestling history: Bishop Hell.

Bishop Hell: “Commissioner Jim, old friend, you didn’t let me introduce my team. Meet the ‘Cathedral of Calamity.’ You know all of our members. You remember Big Daddy Steel, the only man to take Wrath’s Heavy Metal belt in the last four years. You know Shadow Assassin and Night Wraith, who will now be known by the name they used in the Avalanche Promotion: Eternal Damnation. And you know our bodyguard, who will now be called the Priest of Pain. And pain is what we will inflict on everyone here, starting with Parsec’s pitiful Star Union.”

Commissioner Powell: “Ladies and gentlemen, I apologize for this. I did not know Bishop Hell would be here. Obviously he has put together a team and plans to join the USWF. With him, Splatter, and the Jester, it seems like we’ve inherited a lot of the GWF’s problems. But I am confident that we can deal with them. I’m going to end this press conference now before anything else goes wrong. I’ll see you all at the arenas.”

[David Morse]

GWF 2105 Highlights

From WPU 8.2

COLOSSUS TAKES TITLE AT GALACTIC WAR
The third oldest annual GWF event, Galactic War has been the first regular supercard of each GWF year since it was originated in 2090. The supercard takes place at Jupiter’s Io Coliseum. The double main event traditionally features the winners of the Galaxy Cup singles and tag team tournaments receiving title shots against the GWF heavyweight and tag team champions. Galactic War 2105 was held on February 14.

Galactic War Card Highlights
The Enchantresses defeated GWWF tag team champions Leather and Lace by DQ
Jack of Diamonds pinned Prodigy with a “Black Diamond” despite an apparent slow count by special referee Massif
Vengeance dominated Vyper to win the Heavy Metal title
Pegasus pinned Terminus with an “Earthshaker” in a Lepus Stun Rod match
Nefarus got help from Sentry in holding on to his Interplanetary title over Malice
Mayhem won a dramatic Torture Chamber match against Predator
Heracles and Skinhead stunned Thunder and Overkill to win the GWF tag team belts
Colossus used the “Bow of Defeat” to defeat Chaos and win the Galaxian title for the second time in his career.

Galactic War Notes and Comments
Colossus became the first Galaxy Cup winner since Chaos in 2100 to make good on his automatic title shot and win the Galaxian belt. The new champion opened up quickly on Chaos, taking an early advantage and controlling the action until the alpha power deserted Chaos. From that point, Colossus had no problem putting the giant away with his own hold.

The unlikely duo of Heracles and Skinhead continued its amazing run by shocking Thunder and Overkill. Skinhead thus won his fourth GWF tag title, the first three having come with Prodigy. Heracles became a tag team champion for the second time, having also held the belts with Colossus. The Gladiators and their new manager Thantos demanded an immediate rematch.

One of the most exciting matches on the card was the Torture Chamber contest between Predator and Mayhem. Predator dominated the first half of the match and seemed to have the contest won, but Mayhem simply refused to quit and came back to score a narrow victory. Both men sat out the next card.

Nefarus once again managed to escape with the Interplanetary title. As he has several times already this year, Sentry saved the champion with outside interference. A frustrated Malice once again went home with nothing after dominating the match.

New GWWF Commissioner Reynard B. Guile was furious after the card. “Our so-called tag team champions intentionally got themselves disqualified,” he fumed. “They were beaten, and they knew it. I won’t stand for this. Anaxis and Cassandra were cheated, and they will get another shot immediately. This time we’ll make sure the champions don’t pull another cowardly act like they did today.” Guile denied that his anger had anything to do with the Enchantresses being CPC wrestlers.

THUNDER AND OVERKILL REGAIN TAG BELTS
The tag team title reign of Heracles and Skinhead lasted for only five days as they lost the belts back to Thunder and Overkill at the Nereid Starplex.

The title rematch was again a hard-fought battle. Heracles battered Overkill early in the contest, nearly scoring a pin to retain the belts, but he was unable to hold the huge gladiator down. Overkill finally recovered against Skinhead, and after several exchanges with Thunder the Aethran powerhouse pinned his smaller opponent at the eleven minute mark.

Thunder and Overkill thus claimed the tag team titles for the fifth time in their careers and the third time in the last year. However, Heracles and Skinhead appeared undisturbed by the loss.

“We proved what we wanted to,” Skinhead stated after the card. “I showed that I was the one who carried Prodigy to the success we had as Superiority Complex. Heracles showed who the real power was on his team with Colossus. But me and Heracles both really want singles action now. I want the cruiserweight belt. Heracles is gonna go after the Interplanetary title. And when Chaos gets the Galaxian belt back, which he will, the Citadel will have all the gold again.”

USWF REPORT

CPC GATHERS TWO MAJOR BELTS
In the weeks before the Star Challenge tournament, the Colby/Pelf Corporation took major strides toward its goal of dominating the federation by claiming the USWF’s two biggest singles prizes.

At the Europa Garden, Pathfinder of Ceres finally claimed the one honor that had previously eluded him, the USWF Heavyweight title, by taking the belt from High Lord Marlicus. Pathfinder controlled most of the match, never letting the champion get his offense started. When Marlicus was in trouble, his new henchman, Captain Dalcost, came to the ring to interfere, but Dalcost was driven away by special referee Bounty Hunter. Pathfinder then nailed Marlicus with a “Ceres Crunch” and pinned him for the title.

A few days later at the Enceladus Horizon, the Unknown Soldier ended the one month Interstellar title reign of Titanius. The match was no real contest, as the Soldier took just three minutes to blast the champion with a “Total Genocide” to claim his first USWF title.

“Things are proceeding nicely in the USWF,” Magnus Colby stated in an interview the day after the card at the Horizon. “Last year we won the War Games, and now we have the two biggest singles belts. We need to get the tag titles, but we’re right on schedule. I may have to give Kati and Shadowmaster a bonus for the good job they’re doing. Now we have to get our GWF team going the same way. When we do, we’ll rule all of the wrestling world.”

WRATH WINS SECOND STAR CHALLENGE TITLE
The sixth annual USWF Star Challenge Invitational was held on March 2 at Fire Island before a sellout crowd of 35, 463. The supercard features two tournaments, one for single wrestlers and another for tag teams.

Wrath came away from the supercard with his second Star Challenge win, having also claimed the title in 2103. Wrath had to overcome a tough challenge from an old rival, Maccavity, in the championship match. In the tag team tournament final, the new Aethran team of Nightmare and Ruin defeated another new team, Alien Assault (Caldiron Torsir and Salitir Palgin), in what was easily the best contest of the day. After a terrific sixteen minute battle, Ruin made Palgin submit to the “Ruination” to claim the win.

SPLATTER MAKES HIS FIRST BIG STRIKE
Splatter made his first major attack of the year shortly after the Star Challenge, but he did so in a manner that simply confirms his total unpredictability.

At the Miranda Center, Bishop Hell appeared to be beaten by Dagger Mack when Splatter appeared in the ring and interfered. Thanks to the interference of the lunatic, the Bishop came back and won the match over Krakan’s USWF team captain, against whom Splatter had earlier sworn revenge.

A few days later at the Adonis Athletic Center, Splatter again appeared at ringside while the Bishop was fighting. This time, however, the lunatic attacked Bishop Hell and knocked him out of action for several weeks with a concussion. Splatter was quickly suspended by Commissioner Powell.

GWWF REPORT

ENCHANTRESSES WIN GWWF TAG BELTS
After receiving several title shots, the Enchantresses finally managed to take the GWWF tag team titles from Leather and Lace. The victory came at the Nereid Starplex just days after the GWF’s Galactic War Supercard.

After the controversial battle between the two teams at Galactic War, the rematch with Massif as the referee took just five minutes. The Enchantresses dominated the contest, with Cassandra pinning Lace with a “Stud Stomp” to claim the belts.

“If you give them enough shots, they’ll win sooner or later,” was the reaction from Lace later. “Commissioner Guile was obviously going to let them keep trying until they won. Someone better take a good look at the new commissioner before the CPC has all the belts in this federation.”