Wrestling Universe

RAW 13

I do not own any of the characters, people, or events involved that are associated with either ROH, WWE, TNA, and independent rights. This series is a writing exercise for myself and posted for those that wish to read.

"The champ is here!" John Cena shouted from the center of the ring, belt raised high in one hand, the microphone at his lips in the other.

Standing beside Cena, facing the camera side of the ring was, from left to right: James, Brandon Powers, Taka Michinoku, Funaki, Sun Xun, and Tajiri. All stood by their general manager as he continued his victory speech after they successfully survived a night of hell.

"I promised Degeneration-X that last night would be their night of hell, and I came through!" Cena declared. He turned to face the crowds on the other side, saying, "I went into that event as a nobody and I came out the champion! You can boo me all you want, I don't care, because I did what I set out to do and none of you did anything to stop me."

"Why are we seeing Team Rocket on Raw? What is the meaning of this?" Jim Ross pondered, finally noticing the other two next to Kai En Tai and John Cena.

"You didn't get the memo? John Cena used his powers as General Manager to switch Scott Steiner, Kevin Nash, and Evan Bourne for Umaga, and Team Rocket." Cole explained.

"I wondered why I didn't see them backstage. I also noticed two new additions to the roster, one added to Raw and one added to iMPACT. I have no clue what John Cena is doing, but he's completely taking over the company as if the Owner gave him full control and not just managerial powers."

"Tonight, I will finish off Degeneration-X by taking on Triple H in a steel cage match!" John announced, eliciting a crowd pop from the mention of the stipulation, he continued on, "also tonight will be a tag title match between the Outlaws of D-X against the World Tag Title Champions Taka Michinoku and Sun Xun! The greatest Japanese wrestlers to have ever lived." As he spoke, Xun and Michinoku tugged on the belts around their waists with pride.

"And if you're not down with that, well, then you can't see me!" Cena waved his hand in front of his face and then the group left the ring as the show went to break.

Back on Raw, Umaga came out to the familiar crowds he had gotten used to seeing prior to the brand roulettes after WrestleJam. He was eager to get started and pummel his way up the ladder once again, but this time it wouldn't be with that deceiving Paul Bearer or bothering with the deadman, he got on Raw through connections and those connections were going to ensure he got a title shot as soon as possible.

All Umaga had to do, was beat his first opponent back on Raw. That opponent just so happened to be the legendary wrestler from Memphis Tennessee - he was Jerry, The King, Lawler.

Lawler came out, hesitant at first. He had seen Umaga take on many foes during his tenure in WWE, including Lawler one a few unfortunate instances. This was going to be a game of cat and mouse and Lawler knew if he could just survive it, he might have a chance to wear down the bigger man, but that was still to be determined as he walked down the aisle.

He watched Umaga, one hand on the ring ropes and the other on the turn-post. He was contemplating never even entering the ring, but he decided to take it one step at a time.

Once he was inside, Lawler was greeted by the ring bell and then a hard, devastating samoan drop!

"I hate to see a friend get beaten like this, but hopefully Jerry Lawler can manage himself against this monster, Umaga." Jim Ross watched on with a grim expression etched across his face.

"A bad match indeed for the King." Cole commented.

After a Samoan Spike; the driving of Umaga's taped thumb into the throat of his opponent, Lawler was out for the count. There was nothing and no one getting up after that brutal strike, but Umaga didn't feel as if it was enough.

He shouted to the crowds unintelligibly and drove that Samoan Spike against Jerry Lawler's throat a second time. The King of Memphis Tennessee fell to his knees, chocking and holding desperately to his throat, gasping, and his lungs burning for air.

Umaga watched on, a wide toothy grin under his parted lips and his thirst for violence yet unquenched. To his surprise, though, Goldust and Marty Jannetty ran out to rescue the King.

Jannetty distracted Umaga with an enziguri that nearly shoved the larger man down onto one knee, but Umaga was too powerful for the former Rocker. He bashed the smaller wrestler with his Samoan Spike and then turned toward Lawler and Goldust, both of whom had fortunately made an escape out of the ring. Jannetty slid out soon after before he shared the fate of the man they came to save.

Umaga celebrated in the ring. Even threatening to drive that spike down against the referee, but once he settled, he too left the ring.

Backstage, The Miz greeted John Cena in his office, a look of familiar contempt was shared between the two, and then a grim smirk on the face of Miz. He knew now that Cena was in control, he'd make Miz pay for the interruptions and dissent of when they fought in WWE. That rivalry still burning in their hearts - if John Cena even still had one, that is.

"I haven't seen action in the ring for a few weeks. I'd like a match tonight." Miz proposed, "if you give me a match tonight, I'll stay out of your way while you're the General Manager."

"Too bad for you the show is already fully booked. The next match will see Chavo against Rey Mysterio for the number one contender spot to challenge the European Champion at a later date." Cena replied, crushing Miz's hopes for a match.

"Next Monday?" Miz was practically begging. He needed to get in the ring. The itch was too powerful and he hated to plead to the one man he despised the most.

"Fine! I'll put you against Umaga next week! You beat him, and then we'll see what happens next."

"That's al I need," and with that, The Miz exited the office with a bitter/sweet churning in his stomach. He got his match, but it was with Umaga and he had pleaded to such scum as Cena. Either way, it was what he needed.

Chavo strutted onto the stage and down aisle. Confidence was not a missing trait in this man. He was confident for a good reason, too. His opponent was Rey Mysterio.

Chavo, trying to redeem his self character to the audience had decided to dip into the pool of championship bouts. Each championship seemed to have been currently occupied by the brand's known villains such as Cena, Kai En Tai, Beth Phoenix, but the only exception was the holder of the belt Chavo qualified to achieve - The European Championship - held by Rob Terry.

Chavo entered the ring and after came his opponent.

The match between Umaga and Lawler was fresh in the mind of Mysterio and the other competitors for the European Title. It was stinging in the back of the masked luchador's mind as he popped onto the stage and descended to the ring.

Umaga must have been traded so that there were more guys able to compete for the title, which also explained why it was an American traded to iMPACT where the National Championship was currently held by Legacy's own: Cody Rhodes.

Mysterio put the horrid possibility of having to face Umaga for the title aside and concentrated on the man he was to face now. He entered the ring, exchanging glances with his familiar opponent.

Mysterio leapt into action!
He took the initiative in the bout by fitting his opponent into a surprisingly swift hurricanrana that connected Chavo' back to the canvas below them. Chavo slid, but was quick to return to his feet as the shorter, but equally athletic Mysterio followed up with a short ranged missile dropkick that kept Chavo on his back.

Mysterio rushed a cover, but Chavo wasn't going to let himself be defeated by the likes of a simple run-in struggle. He pulled out after the first count and then dragged himself up with aid from the ropes. Mysterio once again followed up, but a jerk of the boot to the masked man's face ended any plan of a heel kick his leg was extending into.

Mysterio doubled over, holding his nose where the boot connected, but otherwise he was well off. Chavo pulled him close by the waistline of Mysterio's shorts and wrapped his other arm around his opponent's head. He rolled back, bringing Myterio momentarily vertical in his grip, feet high I the air before coming back down and dropping onto the canvas.

This wasn't to be the last of that maneuver, though. Chavo kept his grip tight and turned over his opponent to hoist him up for another, then another. Considered the 'Three Amigos', Chavo finished with a pin, but even he fell victim to failure in that department. Mysterio rolled over, breaking the cover.

Something had to give.

Both Chavo and Rey knew one another like a book. It was only a matter of time before one would make the greatest error in the bout, and that was blotching a counter, or failing to follow up an attack. The latter was what occurred with Rey Mysterio.

Rey kicked the knee of his opponent, slowly starting to continue damage to that one spot on his former friend's body. He had even forced Chavo into a limping state until the time came when he had used another hurricanrana to set up the 619.

Retaliating for the Three Amigos was simple enough for Mysterio after using a Springboard Crossbody off the second rope in a rush of adrenaline to regain momentum of the match, but it was hard for him to counter as Chavo now held him by the knees, stopping the 619 dead before it knocked him out cold.

Chavo slammed Mysterio onto the canvas and climbed the nearest turn-post faster than a squirrel up a tree. Once balanced and perched high on the metal post, he performed the Frog Splash.

"The Frog Splash!" Exclaimed Jim Ross.

"This match must be done after that, and here we thought Mysterio was going to connect with the 619, but Chavo out of nowhere caught him and powerbombed Mysterio afterward." Cole continued, "and Chavo picks up the win!"

Rey wasn't too pleased with the results.

Chavo extended a hand toward his friend, but the bitterness that coursed through the veins of the masked Luchador boiled at the sight of the hand held out in front of him.

Mysterio threw up his arms, shoving the air from him and the gesture out of his sights as he turned and walked out on Guerrero.

After a short break, the show returned with the challengers for the World Tag Titles making their entrance to the ring. The Outlaws - Kip and B.G. James - were more than happy to take on the title wielding members of Kai En Tai. Such a foolish move, they thought, Cena had done to give them a shot at the belts without even going through the number one contenders or a big flashy pay-per-view build up. This chance would not slip through their fingers, and it would be the first chance Degeneration-X got to avenge the disasters from Night of Hell.

As a united front, Kai En Tai marched to the ring with breakneck pace, showing their superior agility. Inside, Taka and Kip would begin as the ringing bell echoed the arena.

With a quick arm twist, Kip pulled Taka Michinoku under his control. He stomped at the Japanese wrestler's knee and then slammed him into the canvas with a running scoopslam. The match was as the Outlaws needed, but all that changed quickly once Taka managed to take in his partner Sun Xun when countering Kip's tilt-a-whirl slam. With Sun Xun in, Kip back off to allow space between him and Kai En Tai.

B.G. James made the tag!

He barged into the ring with his guns blazing. A clothesline to knock down the purple haired Japanese man, then another to flip Taka Michinoku over the ropes.

Degeneration-X cleaned house and the crowds cheered in their favor.

After the first few seconds of his energetic high, B.G. James was knocked out clean off his feet by a high dropkick from Xun. Sun followed up with an ankle lock, twisting the body of his opponent over and applying as much pressure to the hold as he could without breaking the man's leg.

He wasn't about to let his title fall to the hands of a filthy aged degenerate living off of an old group that never made it further than the late nineties.

"Chigaimasu!" Sun Xun shouted back at his opponent after pulling him away from the ropes.

Kip broke through, kicking Sun Xun off his partner, then dragged his partner back to the corner with referee's disapproval. He didn't care if the referee shouted at him or Sun Xun, he wasn't going to let the team lose the chance of a lifetime. He tagged himself in and then followed up against Sun Xun.

Kip whipped himself against the ropes, then struck his opponent with a quick jab and used the ropes once again, taking a different angle. With Sun Xun rising up, bent in position, Kip dropped hi once again with a classic fame-asser. It was all it took to start their new title reign as the World Tag Titles off of the corruption of the enforcers - Kai En Tai.

With their titles in hand, the Outlaws of Degeneration-X cleared the ring of Kai En Tai with renewed confidence and leaving the Japanese wrestlers fleeing with a feeling they had not felt since joining the new company: fear.

"D-X has fought back against Kai En Tai!" Said Jim Ross, excited that the good guys got their revenge.

"But can Triple H make that vengeance complete tonight against the man that ruined their Night of Hell?" Cole pondered, taking down Jim Ross' excitement a notch.

"Well, I'm sure he will, but we'll see."

Backstage, Cena paced slowly back and forth, locked in a pensive state. Alone in the teal office, framed posters of himself to decorate it with his own touch. The black desk leaned up against the corner with a white couch resting casually against the wall just to the left of the door.

Cena didn't care for offices. He was a man of action and paperwork was not something he wished to use as General Manager, but his words and his fists. That indeed was what he continued to use, granting William Regal a handshake as official agreement to a match against former Legacy member, Ted DiBiase Jr.

As Regal left the office, it soon was overtaken with a strange odor like something had died and took residence in his very office.

Cena shivered.

He didn't remember the room being so cold.

Undertaker suddenly came into thoughts. He hadn't forgotten what Undertaker had done to him, nor what Paul Bearer had promised during Night of Hell. Somehow, however, it hadn't crossed his mind that Undertaker would try anything during his match against Triple H in the main event of Raw.

He was wrong.

Cena opened the door. He heard three heavy knocks that broke his train of thought. On the other side was a looming dark mass, but it wasn't the source of the rotting odor or the cold feeling that crept up his body as if he was being cast into a freezing tomb from the feet up.

This man smelled of vengeance. He smelled of rage and the air around him gasped as it burned slowly, melting the oxygen into corrupt, contemptuous carbon and heat.

Kane.

Kane's bulging, soulless eyes pierced through the smaller man, and soon his fists were at Cena's throat, pushing him against wall with as much power as the most enraged bull in all of Spain. A bull none could run from, one Cena could not run from.

"You wanted me to protect you from my brother," grunted Kane with deep breaths and gritted teeth. "Nothing can protect you from the hell fire that awaits you when my brother finds and destroys you." He began to chuckle, a sinister grin scarring the ugly, distorted features of his face.

"What are you here for?" Cena choked out.

"I want Undertaker next week." Kane's grin melted away under the heat of angered response, pushing Cena harder against the wall.

"Yo, man, whatever you want! You got it." Cena tried to push Kane away, but only Kane decided when he would release.

"You're a dead man." Kane smirked, backing off from Cena as he slowly exited the office, noticing a presence he had not felt since the Summer Bash event.

Cena took in a deep breath of air and brushed off his shoulder, stretching his neck after having been under the burning grasp of Kane's soulless chokehold. "Damn." He breathed to himself.

Cena soon arrived to the arena. With Team Rocket to escort him toward ringside, he felt a little safer, but he knew even they could not defend him if anyone as volatile and unstoppable as Undertaker chose to attack him before the match, but perhaps he would survive this night. He still had to go against a very angered Triple H. It seemed like the janga tower that Cena had begun plucking the bricks from the night prior had finally begun to wobble.

Perhaps Cena had rearranged the wrong bricks from that tower? It didn't matter now as he stood in the ring, watching Triple H make his own entrance with Shawn Michaels and Chyna at his side.

The lights blackened.

James and Brandon Powers looked around, their senses at full alert in the darkness that shrouded their sights. Nothing, however, came of the scene. Triple H reached the ring by the time the bright lights illuminated the arena once again and no Undertaker had appeared to drag Cena to his fiery judgement in hell.

Cena couldn't worry about Undertaker. He had Triple H to deal with. And Triple H was going to make sure that Cena's hands were indeed full with the game.

The Cerebral Assassin stepped foot into the ring, his eyes refusing to lose their hold on his target, pacing slowly whilst waiting for the bell to allow the carnage he planned to unleash. Like a degenerate bomb waiting to explode.

Once the bell did ring, Triple H burst into action. Extending his arms out to grasp Cena and smash him to the ground after a perfected knee strike. He then dropped to rub his elbow into Cena's face, then punched at the man before being forced to let go at the orders of the referee.

As Triple H hammered Cena with various maneuvers; DDT, Scoop Slams, punches and knee strikes, Shawn kept his attention on his rival across ringside. James, however, seemed to keep his gaze away from Shawn.

The two knew there would be a day soon where they would clash yet again, but neither knew that day and this day was about vengeance against the enforcement for Degeneration-X and the restoration of order for the enforcers of the absent owner.

Cena clotheslined Triple H!

A wrong move left Triple H on the receiving end of his opponent's five knuckle shuffle and an arm-trap crossface submission hold. One arm hooked between Cena's knees as his hands held the chin of his opponent, pulling backward on his neck. Every wrestler and ever human that knew wrestling also knew this move, it was the only move Cena had dared to do after certain events, but it wasn't a move that was going to stop Triple H.

He held tightly to his sense of control, refusing to quit, refusing to give Cena the match. Triple H fought to reach the ropes, but as he did and as Cena released him, the General Manager only pulled H away and stomped into the back of his head.

Cena shouted at the mob-like crowds. He was in control and he was loving the punishment being rendered on his longtime rival. He continued with a quick punch and then hooked Triple H's body over his shoulders for the Attitude Adjuster - or F-U, or however Cena wished to call it the day he decided to call it otherwise.

Chyna climbed the ring rim and gave Triple H those valuable few seconds to drop off the shoulders of Cena, but it cost Chyna. Cena kicked her and suplexed the woman into the ring, at he horror of the referee to now deal with a chaotic scene playing out before him. It was quick, fortunately for the referee, but not fortunate for Chyna.

Shawn managed to get her out and resume positions outside the ring, even though he too wished to interfere, but he knew if he did then James and Brandon Powers would interfere as well and the last thing Degeneration-X needed was another loss, even a disqualification.

Cena turned and met the knee of Triple H to his gut. The meeting was grim as his arms was pulled back and toward one another as his head tucked crudely between Triple H's knees. It was the Pedigree, but it wasn't time for Cena to find himself on the receiving end.

He pulled himself out and dropped his opponent with a clothesline.

The tension in the arena rose as the action in the ring elevated. Cena and Triple H played off one another; One kicking the other, then signaling the possibility of a signature finisher, but being countered and then the other trying to lock in their own maneuver. It ended with Cena finally whipping Triple H diagonally into the left corner turnpost where he then charged his rival for a big smack of their chests, but Triple H let Cena smack into something sharper, the corners of his boot.

SMACK!
Cena saw stars, then he saw the lights as he fell onto his back.

Brandon was beginning to get antsy. Things weren't looking good for the General Manager. James, however, kept his gaze toward the side, avoiding eye contact with Shawn as if he was ashamed to even be in the same arena as him. Whether he seemed embarrassed by himself, or Shawn Michaels was unknown. In the end, he wasn't much help to Cena nor his partner. Brandon knew this and began to part himself from James, walking closer to the ring, hoping Triple H would draw closer so he could trip the Game.

That chance never seemed to come.

Triple H had the momentum of the match and he was ready to end it on a high note. He pulled Cena into the pedigree once again, but before it was executed, he saw Brandon from the side, using a neckbreaker to take Triple H out, but only to be stopped by Chyna's striking forearm.

This is when the breaking point shattered!

Shawn burst into action, grabbing the orange attired Powers out of the ring and pummeling away at him, letting out all his frustrations out on this young talented heel. Chyna joined him in the assault, but that ended once James was forced to aid his only friend.

Chyna and James fought one another around the corner as Shawn and Brandon continued their struggle for power over one another. In the ring Triple H managed to connect the pedigree and finally gain purchase to victory over the General Manager and save face after the horrid abuse Degeneration-X had gone through during Night of Hell.

DX held the tag titles, and now they held their pride higher than any other the industry.

As he bursted like a ball of energy, posing and extending his arms after a guttural yell of victory, Triple H was blanketed by a thick fog and eerie darkness that sunk into the arena like a murky swamp.

The Undertaker.

There was no mistaking that cold presence he felt in the office and the dark figure that now stood over him. No way was Degeneration-X going to stay for this, though it would joy them to see Undertaker rip Cena's still-beating hard from useless body. They retreated hastily and left Team Rocket to the futile challenge of seeing if they could truly block Undertaker's vengeful path to John Cena.

Undertaker grabbed both men by the throats and let them drop to hell in a choke slam that shook the very ground beneath them and echoed the arena. Then Undertaker sharply turned his sights over to John Cena, on his knees, trying desperately to pull himself up to fight or flight.

The fight was over for Cena, he lost against Triple H and that loss buried his chances of a momentous triumphant attempt to also overcome Undertaker's raging offense.

Undertaker spun Cena upside-down, positioning him for the Tombstone Piledriver, and then, executed his victim with it.

Undertaker dropped down to his knee and extended his arm up into the blue abyssal fog that surrounded him like ghostly allies. Paul laughed maniacally from the stage, raising the urn in jubilation, yelling out, "I told you!" between hefty chuckles. "You're dead now, oh yes! You're a dead man, Cena!" He yelled as well.

Before the show closed, Undertaker rose up and his eyes settled on one thing and one thing alone. The Universal Championship Title.