Post by Roddy Piper on Feb 7, 2009 15:49:24 GMT
Taken from the old WWFR vaults, an encounter between two of the company's biggest stars back in its heydays...
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Sixteen thousand pairs of eyes were glued onto the massive main Titantron where a ticker was counting down from five.
There was a feverish anticipation in the air, cheers and jeers both as young and old counted down from five...
Four...
Three...
Two....
"BREAK THE WALLS DOWNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!!!!!!
Break down the walls!"
Pyrokinetics exploded in brilliant flashes of white,throwing the arena and the crowd of thousands seated in it into stark contrasts of shadow and light.
A backlit figure stood atop the ramp and the jeering took hold of the crowd as they realized who the man was, even more when he flamboyantly turned towards them, devilish smirk in perfect place.
Dressed looking as though he was ready for a night of clubbing in the casual yet sharp ensemble of a half-opened collared shirt and dark slacks, Chris strut down the ramps in full heel arrogance as the crowd roared their disapproval.
"And here King, comes the self-proclaimed saviour of the WWFR, the one, the only Chris Jericho!"
Jim Ross announced, hands clasped on the table as he eyed Chris dubiously.
"What did I tell you, JR? What did I tell you? He proved to us he was the better man last RAW with his win over Perfect, didn't he?"
Jerry 'The King' Lawler cheerfully interjected, a little 'I-told-you-so' of a grin plastered on his face as Ross let out the smallest of mental sighs.
"Indeed King, but let it be known that those two men put up one hell of a slobberknocker last RAW, and folks, we recap the outcome of the aforesaid Qualifying rounds!"
As he said those words, the cameras cut from the live taping for a few momets to a play-by-play of the events that had taken place;
Batista's overpowering of the younger John Cena via the devastating Batista Bomb as the match bell rang three times in succession for the win.
Carlito's decimation of his opponent for the night, the Undertaker as well as Shane's shocking announcement.
Rock's patented win over Hogan in what could easily be described as the biggest match of the night.
And Chris Jericho stealing the win upon Mr.Perfect's tapping out to his signature move.
Chris had now made his way up to the steps after taking time to mockingly address the fans straining against the front barriers and insulting the Sign Guy (yet again). He had managed to avoid the projectiles that flew his way for tonight, much to his good luck---dry cleaning costs were on the rise as it was.
He posed for a few moments in front of the crimson ring ropes before ducking his way in, waving his arms to the crowd as though expecting a volley of applause.
What he got was even more heat, and it sounded like choir music to his ears.
"And King, it is evident that the crowds have not endeared themselves to Jericho's arrogance nor his upset over Perfect."
"Oh don't be ridiculous, JR. Every bold man faces a violent opposition before he's deemed right!"
The two announcers watched on as Chris made to approach one of the ring technicians in asking for a microphone.
With the said object safely in hand, he surveyed the arena, the set that had been erected in the middle of the ring.
Chris let his mind wander off for a moment as a hand fell upon the flatscreen that hung from two tiers above it.
It felt like coming home to something he knew.
"Welcome ladies and gentlemen, to the talk show that spawned countless others; The Dirt Sheet, Santino's Casa, The Cutting Edge, MVP's Lounge, Matt Striker's Classroom, Carlito's Cabana----Welcome one and all, to the return of the prestigious Highlight Reel!!!!"
The last two words he let loose with his trademark pitch-roar as he tilted back for effect.
And the crowd ballyhooed even more at that, but their interest had been piqued, and that was, he thought, a good start.
"Now, before I get started with our regularly scheduled programming, let me bring up a thing or two from the past RAW..."
"Oh for God's sakes..."
JR bemoaned as the Titantron, upon Chris' cue began to roll the footage of Perfect tapping out to the Walls of Jericho.
For added 'insult' to injury, he had the aid of graphics backstage to zoom in to the unfolding scene, seeming to take great pleasure in the pain that he had caused the veteran.
"...You might just need to find yourself a new nickname, Curt. One that suits your loss to the apparently 'Perfect Loser', as you've called it."
If the sixteen thousand could have burned him on a blazing stake, they would have.
"But enough of all that shameless, pretentious self-pandering now! For ladies and gentlemen, it was not your Saviour who stole the show that night! That honor goes to a man I conceeded defeat to in my debut match--"
The clip playing on Titantron stopped and streamed in something else instead---That of the Rock's win against Hogan, a hard-won match at that.
Chris' smile had something of a feral quality to it now, hand raised and pointed to the screen and ramp both.
"That honor goes to a man who single-handedly brought the Attitude Era to its peak. The Brahma Bull, The Great One, your Hollywood Sellout, ladies and gentlemen---the very first guest on the debut of WWFR's Highlight Reel, I present to you the People's Champion, The ROCK!!!"
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The crowd give a huge pop as The Rock's theme music kicks in. Then, after a moment, they give an unbelievable pop as The Rock walks out through the curtain sporting a black T-Shirt which reads 'Know Your Role', black tracksuit bottoms with white stripes going down the sides, white trainers and black sunglasses. He also has a mic in hand. Chris Jericho begins to clap mockingly as he sees The Rock.
Jerry "The King" Lawler:
Here is one of Chris Jericho's opponents in the Hell in a Cell tonight and his guest on the 'Highlight Reel', The Rock!
The Rock then begins to stroll down the ramp, looking straight toward Chris Jericho with determination as he does so. The cameras focus around the arena and see signs such as 'Rocky' and 'Save Us From Y2J'.
Jim Ross:
The Hell in a Cell match is gonna be a slobber knocker, King. I can't wait to see who's gonna emerge as the first ever 'World Wrestling Federation Revival' World Heavyweight Champion!
The Rock then quickly walks to the bottom of the ramp. He then walks up the steps to the ring, walks across the apron, steps up onto the second turnbuckle, still on the outside of the ring, and flings his arm in the air, making a fist. The crowd cheer as he does so. The Rock then lowers his arm after a moment and stares toward Chris Jericho, who still claps. The Rock then steps off the second turnbuckle, before entering the ring through the second rope. He then stares toward Chris Jericho once more.
Jim Ross:
Could we be looking at our next World Heavyweight Champion in the ring . . . it could very well be Chris Jericho or The Rock!
The crowd then begin to chant as The Rock's theme music fades . . .
Jim Ross:
It's easy to see who the crowd prefer out of these two talented superstars!
Jerry “The King” Lawler:
I'm not taking anything away from Y2J, but The Rock is the People's Champion . . .
As The Rock's theme music completely fades away, Chris Jericho raises his microphone to speak.
Chris Jericho:
Here we have it ladies and gentlemen . . . your-
Jerry “The King” Lawler:
Uh oh!
The crowd cheer loudly as The Rock extends his arm and puts his hand right in front of Chris Jericho's face. Chris Jericho goes wide eyed with both shock and anger as The Rock does this.
The Rock:
Before you run your mouth anymore, The Rock just has to say this . . .
The Rock gazes at the crowd before continuing . . .
The Rock:
Finally . . . The Rock has come back . . . (the crowd join in) to North Carolina!
The crowd give a nice pop for the mention of their city. The Rock then looks back toward Chris Jericho.
The Rock:
Chris Jericho, you talk about The Rock being a Hollywood sellout-
The Rock gets cut off by boos as the crowd disagree with Chris Jericho's insult to the Great One.
The Rock:
Well Jabroni, you're right . . .
The crowd go silent with shock as Chris Jericho smiles and shrugs.
Jerry “The King” Lawler:
What!?
The Rock then looks at Chris Jericho as if he is about to attack him.
The Rock:
Wipe that smug grin off your face or The Rock will come over there and slap the lips right off your face!
Chris Jericho shakes his head and laughs it off as the crowd cheer loudly, clearly wanting The Rock to attack the hated Chris Jericho.
The Rock:
You see The Rock was gonna say that yes, he is a Hollywood sellout . . . because he's sold out Hollywood movies all over the world, Jabroni!
Jim Ross:
There ya go.
The crowd cheer as an animated Rock begins to to speak with a bounce.
The Rock:
Now The Rock was in the people's locker room, listening to you run your mouth . . . and he saw how you liked to show clips of the previous shows, like the one where you made Mr. Perfect tap out-
The Rock gets cut off by boos as the crowd are not pleased by Chris Jericho show boating the victory over one of their favourites.
The Rock:
So The Rock thought he would show you some footage of his own. Take a look at this, Jabroni . . .
Jim Ross:
This isn't gonna be good . . .
Chris Jericho looks intrigued, much like the rest of the fans in attendance, as The Rock points toward the titantron. Then the titantron shows, in SLOW MOTION, Chris Jericho turning around and receiving a Rock Bottom before getting pinned. As the this disperses off the titantron, the crowd cheer loudly as Chris Jericho looks lost for words. The Rock smiles and turns back toward Chris Jericho.
The Rock:
So The Rock says-
Chris Jericho:
STOP IT! NO!
The crowd boo as a livid Chris Jericho begins pacing around the ring.
Chris Jericho:
You're not coming onto my show and taking it over. You see I'm larger than life and, when I win the Hell in a Cell match and the World Heavyweight Title tonight, then the whole world will revolve around me!
The crowd boo as Chris Jericho smiles after saying this, imagining himself winning the World Heavyweight Title.
Jerry “The King” Lawler:
Chris Jericho seems pretty confident here.
The Rock removes his sunglasses and folds them up before resting them on his T-Shirt. He then creeps toward Chris Jericho while speaking into his microphone.
The Rock:
The fact of the matter is that you don't know large, Jabroni. You see The Rock has something that is very large . . .
Feminine whistles can be heard as The Rock says this.
The Rock:
What The Rock was referring to was his size 12 boot which he's gonna shine up, turn sideways and stick straight up your candy ass tonight!
Crowd:
Ohhhhhhhhhh!
Jim Ross:
This is getting heated!
The Rock then shows his trademark People's Eyebrow as he waits for Chris Jericho to respond.
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Anger, embarassment, spite.
There was a whole gamut of emotions now that had been unleashed in Chris' head as he and the Rock circled each other silently for a moment with hackles raised.
Predators, looking for any sign of weakness.
Around them the crowd came off their hinges, anticipating ----no, demanding a showdown.
Right here right now, to hell will the damn steel cell.
"And King, it appears no love was ever lost between these two men ever since their respective debut matches!"
"You've got that right, JR---But part of me wonders which one of them will emerge the winner this time!"
Even as the Rock had all but opened his Pandora's Box, Chris had the sense to slam the lid shut and regain some degree of control over his state of mind.
No way was he going play into this man's hands that easily, oh no.....
Chris clenched his fist and seethed a little, before bringing the microphone up to his lips once more.
"Let me remind you once and for all just who the hell I am."
He thundered, suddenly putting up a hand the way Rock had done to interrupt him previously, when the Great One attempted a snappy comeback.
The raised eyebrow and deepening scowl told him that the Icon was more than a little miffed by his act.
"You, Rocko. You may be the People's Champion. But that doesn't mean SQUAT when you're standing in the ring with THE very first Undisputed Champion in the history of this industry! You come out here as MY guest, with your idle threats of Candy Asses and Jabroni-isms, you DARE take the spotlight from ME on MY show..."
The crowd seemed an undulating mass now, hooting and booing away at the heelish prattling as a chant started to rise up from right behind the Announcing area, sounding suspiciously like;
"SAME OLD SHIT! SAME OLD SHIT!"
Rock now had a smirk on his face, hardly batting an eyelid at the people.
He held up the microphone in his hand towards them instead, as though telling Chris Jericho to listen to what exactly their opinion on the Highlight Reel was.
"You think you've cornered me? Think you've driven that King into checkmate with your Knight and Queen combo?
THINK AGAIN, JUNIOR! I know your minds games..You can trust that I've been on the recieving end of many in my tenure. You beat me once, Rocky, but don't think for a SECOND that lightning strikes in the same place twice!"
"Well, those are some pretty strong proclamations right there, King? Will he be able to back up those words I wonder?"
"You have me wondering the same about the People's Champion, JR---I mean, these men have a lot to live up to!"
The din of the crowd was now bordering on rascous.
They were screaming themselves hoarse, and the main event was still nowhere near.
For a few moments, Rock stood still, head tilted in the air as he took in the frenetic adulation.
"That's it, Rocky---Listen to those twelve-year olds, those idiots and Assclowns. The sheep who hated your guts out not so long ago, the ones who called you a cop-out when you sold youself to Hollywood. Go ahead---LET'S HEAR IT A LITTLE LOUDER, GUYS!"
Mockingly, he held up his microphone the same way Rock had done, goading the audience to cheer harder for their favourite star.
It had now become a wild mish-mash of;
ROCKY ROCKY ROCKY!
It didn't take a rocket scientist to divulge on who exactly the crowds were on to now.
"Enjoying that, big shot? Well enjoy every second of it, because when I'm done with you in Fully Raged.."
Chris' voice which had been loud and demanding just second ago pipened down to a serious tone as he stood face-to-face with the Rock, faces mere inches from one another.
It was also irony that he did so, being a couple of centimetres shorter than the Great One and adopting the air of an annoying, brash little Jack Russell Terrier that had bitten off bigger than it could handle.
"That belt is coming home with me....and these people will be all you have to your name."
Silently they stood for a few moments, deep breaths and seething between them.
"And I could just cut the tension in the air with a knife, King."
JR noted, tugging at the collar of his shirt.
"You're telling me, JR---I mean, is it getting hot in here or what?"
"And Rock...you say you're gonna stick those size -twelve boots up my Candy ass? Is that how it's gonna be?"
"You bet your Assclowns that's how it's going to be, you little popcorn fart!"
Rock shot back.
"Make no mistake about it, KYJelly, for when the Rock comes into Fully Raged, he's gonna take all you Jabronis right up to the Smackdown Hotel right off Know-Your-Role Boulevard--"
"--Then let me give you a little something to think about, oh Great One."
SMACK
The world's loudest OOOOOOOOOOHHHH!!!!!!!! rang out through the Arena as JR and Jerry Lawler stared on bug-eyed at the open-handed slap.
Chris had the smirk back in place, a trace of defiance and arrogance in the mix as well.
Rock was no longer staring him in the eyes, blow of the shot taking its effect.
The camera panning into his face though, told the crowd and the few millions back home that the man was anything but happy of the outcome of this segment so far.
His shades had clattered to the ring canvas, and he stared at it for a few moments before death-glaring Chris and slowly turning the Canadian's way.
"And King...I hate to say this...but Bussiness has just picked up.."
"And it isn't even Main Event time yet, JR! What in the world is Jericho thinking?!"
____________________________________________________
The crowd come alive and begin to chant, desperately trying to get The Rock to retaliate . . .
Jerry “The King” Lawler:
I get the feeling that The Rock isn't gonna take that slap lightly . . .
Jim Ross:
You may be right, King!
The Rock slowly turns his head until he is once again face to face with Chris Jericho. Then, after a moment, The Rock lets out a laugh.
Jim Ross:
What's so funny?
The Rock then steadies himself and raises his microphone to once again speak.
The Rock:
Jabroni, do you really think you're gonna prove how tough you are by bitch slapping the Great One?
Chris Jericho shrugs.
Chris Jericho:
Yeah, actu-
The Rock gets right up in Chris Jericho's face . . .
The Rock:
IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT YOU THINK!
Jim Ross:
Oh my.
The crowd cheer loudly as The Rock takes a step back and Chris Jericho scowls.
The Rock:
You see the only reason you decided to bitch slap the Great One is because you are, indeed, a little bitch!
Crowd:
Ohhhhhhhhh!
Jerry “The King” Lawler:
I hate to say it, but The Rock may have to swallow those words if Y2J has his way . . .
Chris Jericho clenches his fists in anger once more, clearly trying to steady himself and not let The Rock get to him. Upon seeing this, The Rock smiles with satisfaction, knowing his trash talking is working.
The Rock:
You run your mouth a little too much to The Rock, especially considering The Rock whipped your candy ass just two weeks ago . . .
The crowd cheer, remembering The Rock's hard fought victory against Chris Jericho, as Chris Jericho is again lost for words.
The Rock:
Even though The Rock guaran-damn-tees to book you into the SmackDown Hotel in that Hell in a Cell match, there are two other Jabroni's in the back who will also be bringing their roody pooh candy asses down the people's ramp into hell . . .
With that, The Rock turns his attention toward the titantron. Chris Jericho puts his hands on his hips and looks at The Rock with a confused expression.
The Rock:
So, Batista and Carlito-
The crowd boo as an enraged Chris Jericho begins to yell into his microphone . . .
Chris Jericho:
NO! THIS IS NOT A JOKE! I AM NOT A JOKE!
The Rock slowly turns his attention back toward Chris Jericho as he begins to yell, and the crowd boo as Chris Jericho does this.
Chris Jericho:
. . . AND YOU WILL NOT LOOK PAST ME, YOU SON OF A BITCH!
Crowd:
Ohhhhhhhh!
The Rock goes wide eyed with both shock and anger as Chris Jericho pouts after yelling this.
Jerry “The King” Lawler:
What!? Tell me I'm hearing things . . .
Jim Ross:
I'm afraid you're not and I'm afraid Y2J just booked himself a trip to the SmackDown Hotel!
The Rock then begins to creep toward an enraged yet worried looking Chris Jericho while speaking into his microphone . . .
The Rock:
Oh The Rock's knows you're not a joke . . .
The Rock continues to creep toward a cautious Chris Jericho, who is cautious of a possible attack by the Great One.
The Rock:
The Rock is taking you seriously. Despite all the trash talking, The Rock still has a lot of respect for you, man.
The Rock playfully taps Chris Jericho on the chest and you can see that Chris Jericho is beginning to feel more at ease.
The Rock:
So, just like The Rock did with Hulk Hogan last week on RAW, he's gonna offer you to shake hands . . .
The Rock then extends his arm and Chris Jericho looks down at it, clearly still cautious. The crowd neither cheer nor boo as they are intrigued by what is about to transpire.
Jerry “The King” Lawler:
I don't know about this. Can Y2J trust The Rock?
The Rock, seeing Chris Jericho looking cautious, smiles to try and ease the tension some more.
The Rock:
C'mon, man. Shake the people's hand . . . lets seal the deal!
Chris Jericho takes a moment before slowly placing his hand in The Rock's.
Jim Ross:
Chris Jericho just accepted The Rock's hand shake!
Then, after a moment of their hands meeting, The Rock gives a cheeky smirk as he looks toward Chris Jericho.
The Rock:
Oh yeah, and when The Rock said he respected you . . . well that was a load of Brahma Bull crap!
Chris Jericho goes wide eyed with shock and the crowd cheer loudly as . . .
Jim Ross:
ROCK BOTTOM! ROCKY BOTTOM! ROCK BOTTOM!
Jerry “The King” Lawler:
Y2J literally just hit Rock Bottom!
The crowd cheer in a louder volume as The Rock's theme music hits the PA system and The Rock stands above and peers down at Chris Jericho, who is laid out on the mat.
Jim Ross:
Could this be the scene at the end of 'Fully Raged'?
Jerry “The King” Lawler:
I wouldn't like to say, JR. There's two other great athletes in there also, so anything could happen!
The scene then ends with The Rock standing over a downed Chris Jericho.
EOT
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Sixteen thousand pairs of eyes were glued onto the massive main Titantron where a ticker was counting down from five.
There was a feverish anticipation in the air, cheers and jeers both as young and old counted down from five...
Four...
Three...
Two....
"BREAK THE WALLS DOWNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!!!!!!
Break down the walls!"
Pyrokinetics exploded in brilliant flashes of white,throwing the arena and the crowd of thousands seated in it into stark contrasts of shadow and light.
A backlit figure stood atop the ramp and the jeering took hold of the crowd as they realized who the man was, even more when he flamboyantly turned towards them, devilish smirk in perfect place.
Dressed looking as though he was ready for a night of clubbing in the casual yet sharp ensemble of a half-opened collared shirt and dark slacks, Chris strut down the ramps in full heel arrogance as the crowd roared their disapproval.
"And here King, comes the self-proclaimed saviour of the WWFR, the one, the only Chris Jericho!"
Jim Ross announced, hands clasped on the table as he eyed Chris dubiously.
"What did I tell you, JR? What did I tell you? He proved to us he was the better man last RAW with his win over Perfect, didn't he?"
Jerry 'The King' Lawler cheerfully interjected, a little 'I-told-you-so' of a grin plastered on his face as Ross let out the smallest of mental sighs.
"Indeed King, but let it be known that those two men put up one hell of a slobberknocker last RAW, and folks, we recap the outcome of the aforesaid Qualifying rounds!"
As he said those words, the cameras cut from the live taping for a few momets to a play-by-play of the events that had taken place;
Batista's overpowering of the younger John Cena via the devastating Batista Bomb as the match bell rang three times in succession for the win.
Carlito's decimation of his opponent for the night, the Undertaker as well as Shane's shocking announcement.
Rock's patented win over Hogan in what could easily be described as the biggest match of the night.
And Chris Jericho stealing the win upon Mr.Perfect's tapping out to his signature move.
Chris had now made his way up to the steps after taking time to mockingly address the fans straining against the front barriers and insulting the Sign Guy (yet again). He had managed to avoid the projectiles that flew his way for tonight, much to his good luck---dry cleaning costs were on the rise as it was.
He posed for a few moments in front of the crimson ring ropes before ducking his way in, waving his arms to the crowd as though expecting a volley of applause.
What he got was even more heat, and it sounded like choir music to his ears.
"And King, it is evident that the crowds have not endeared themselves to Jericho's arrogance nor his upset over Perfect."
"Oh don't be ridiculous, JR. Every bold man faces a violent opposition before he's deemed right!"
The two announcers watched on as Chris made to approach one of the ring technicians in asking for a microphone.
With the said object safely in hand, he surveyed the arena, the set that had been erected in the middle of the ring.
Chris let his mind wander off for a moment as a hand fell upon the flatscreen that hung from two tiers above it.
It felt like coming home to something he knew.
"Welcome ladies and gentlemen, to the talk show that spawned countless others; The Dirt Sheet, Santino's Casa, The Cutting Edge, MVP's Lounge, Matt Striker's Classroom, Carlito's Cabana----Welcome one and all, to the return of the prestigious Highlight Reel!!!!"
The last two words he let loose with his trademark pitch-roar as he tilted back for effect.
And the crowd ballyhooed even more at that, but their interest had been piqued, and that was, he thought, a good start.
"Now, before I get started with our regularly scheduled programming, let me bring up a thing or two from the past RAW..."
"Oh for God's sakes..."
JR bemoaned as the Titantron, upon Chris' cue began to roll the footage of Perfect tapping out to the Walls of Jericho.
For added 'insult' to injury, he had the aid of graphics backstage to zoom in to the unfolding scene, seeming to take great pleasure in the pain that he had caused the veteran.
"...You might just need to find yourself a new nickname, Curt. One that suits your loss to the apparently 'Perfect Loser', as you've called it."
If the sixteen thousand could have burned him on a blazing stake, they would have.
"But enough of all that shameless, pretentious self-pandering now! For ladies and gentlemen, it was not your Saviour who stole the show that night! That honor goes to a man I conceeded defeat to in my debut match--"
The clip playing on Titantron stopped and streamed in something else instead---That of the Rock's win against Hogan, a hard-won match at that.
Chris' smile had something of a feral quality to it now, hand raised and pointed to the screen and ramp both.
"That honor goes to a man who single-handedly brought the Attitude Era to its peak. The Brahma Bull, The Great One, your Hollywood Sellout, ladies and gentlemen---the very first guest on the debut of WWFR's Highlight Reel, I present to you the People's Champion, The ROCK!!!"
____________________________________________________
The crowd give a huge pop as The Rock's theme music kicks in. Then, after a moment, they give an unbelievable pop as The Rock walks out through the curtain sporting a black T-Shirt which reads 'Know Your Role', black tracksuit bottoms with white stripes going down the sides, white trainers and black sunglasses. He also has a mic in hand. Chris Jericho begins to clap mockingly as he sees The Rock.
Jerry "The King" Lawler:
Here is one of Chris Jericho's opponents in the Hell in a Cell tonight and his guest on the 'Highlight Reel', The Rock!
The Rock then begins to stroll down the ramp, looking straight toward Chris Jericho with determination as he does so. The cameras focus around the arena and see signs such as 'Rocky' and 'Save Us From Y2J'.
Jim Ross:
The Hell in a Cell match is gonna be a slobber knocker, King. I can't wait to see who's gonna emerge as the first ever 'World Wrestling Federation Revival' World Heavyweight Champion!
The Rock then quickly walks to the bottom of the ramp. He then walks up the steps to the ring, walks across the apron, steps up onto the second turnbuckle, still on the outside of the ring, and flings his arm in the air, making a fist. The crowd cheer as he does so. The Rock then lowers his arm after a moment and stares toward Chris Jericho, who still claps. The Rock then steps off the second turnbuckle, before entering the ring through the second rope. He then stares toward Chris Jericho once more.
Jim Ross:
Could we be looking at our next World Heavyweight Champion in the ring . . . it could very well be Chris Jericho or The Rock!
The crowd then begin to chant as The Rock's theme music fades . . .
Jim Ross:
It's easy to see who the crowd prefer out of these two talented superstars!
Jerry “The King” Lawler:
I'm not taking anything away from Y2J, but The Rock is the People's Champion . . .
As The Rock's theme music completely fades away, Chris Jericho raises his microphone to speak.
Chris Jericho:
Here we have it ladies and gentlemen . . . your-
Jerry “The King” Lawler:
Uh oh!
The crowd cheer loudly as The Rock extends his arm and puts his hand right in front of Chris Jericho's face. Chris Jericho goes wide eyed with both shock and anger as The Rock does this.
The Rock:
Before you run your mouth anymore, The Rock just has to say this . . .
The Rock gazes at the crowd before continuing . . .
The Rock:
Finally . . . The Rock has come back . . . (the crowd join in) to North Carolina!
The crowd give a nice pop for the mention of their city. The Rock then looks back toward Chris Jericho.
The Rock:
Chris Jericho, you talk about The Rock being a Hollywood sellout-
The Rock gets cut off by boos as the crowd disagree with Chris Jericho's insult to the Great One.
The Rock:
Well Jabroni, you're right . . .
The crowd go silent with shock as Chris Jericho smiles and shrugs.
Jerry “The King” Lawler:
What!?
The Rock then looks at Chris Jericho as if he is about to attack him.
The Rock:
Wipe that smug grin off your face or The Rock will come over there and slap the lips right off your face!
Chris Jericho shakes his head and laughs it off as the crowd cheer loudly, clearly wanting The Rock to attack the hated Chris Jericho.
The Rock:
You see The Rock was gonna say that yes, he is a Hollywood sellout . . . because he's sold out Hollywood movies all over the world, Jabroni!
Jim Ross:
There ya go.
The crowd cheer as an animated Rock begins to to speak with a bounce.
The Rock:
Now The Rock was in the people's locker room, listening to you run your mouth . . . and he saw how you liked to show clips of the previous shows, like the one where you made Mr. Perfect tap out-
The Rock gets cut off by boos as the crowd are not pleased by Chris Jericho show boating the victory over one of their favourites.
The Rock:
So The Rock thought he would show you some footage of his own. Take a look at this, Jabroni . . .
Jim Ross:
This isn't gonna be good . . .
Chris Jericho looks intrigued, much like the rest of the fans in attendance, as The Rock points toward the titantron. Then the titantron shows, in SLOW MOTION, Chris Jericho turning around and receiving a Rock Bottom before getting pinned. As the this disperses off the titantron, the crowd cheer loudly as Chris Jericho looks lost for words. The Rock smiles and turns back toward Chris Jericho.
The Rock:
So The Rock says-
Chris Jericho:
STOP IT! NO!
The crowd boo as a livid Chris Jericho begins pacing around the ring.
Chris Jericho:
You're not coming onto my show and taking it over. You see I'm larger than life and, when I win the Hell in a Cell match and the World Heavyweight Title tonight, then the whole world will revolve around me!
The crowd boo as Chris Jericho smiles after saying this, imagining himself winning the World Heavyweight Title.
Jerry “The King” Lawler:
Chris Jericho seems pretty confident here.
The Rock removes his sunglasses and folds them up before resting them on his T-Shirt. He then creeps toward Chris Jericho while speaking into his microphone.
The Rock:
The fact of the matter is that you don't know large, Jabroni. You see The Rock has something that is very large . . .
Feminine whistles can be heard as The Rock says this.
The Rock:
What The Rock was referring to was his size 12 boot which he's gonna shine up, turn sideways and stick straight up your candy ass tonight!
Crowd:
Ohhhhhhhhhh!
Jim Ross:
This is getting heated!
The Rock then shows his trademark People's Eyebrow as he waits for Chris Jericho to respond.
____________________________________________________
Anger, embarassment, spite.
There was a whole gamut of emotions now that had been unleashed in Chris' head as he and the Rock circled each other silently for a moment with hackles raised.
Predators, looking for any sign of weakness.
Around them the crowd came off their hinges, anticipating ----no, demanding a showdown.
Right here right now, to hell will the damn steel cell.
"And King, it appears no love was ever lost between these two men ever since their respective debut matches!"
"You've got that right, JR---But part of me wonders which one of them will emerge the winner this time!"
Even as the Rock had all but opened his Pandora's Box, Chris had the sense to slam the lid shut and regain some degree of control over his state of mind.
No way was he going play into this man's hands that easily, oh no.....
Chris clenched his fist and seethed a little, before bringing the microphone up to his lips once more.
"Let me remind you once and for all just who the hell I am."
He thundered, suddenly putting up a hand the way Rock had done to interrupt him previously, when the Great One attempted a snappy comeback.
The raised eyebrow and deepening scowl told him that the Icon was more than a little miffed by his act.
"You, Rocko. You may be the People's Champion. But that doesn't mean SQUAT when you're standing in the ring with THE very first Undisputed Champion in the history of this industry! You come out here as MY guest, with your idle threats of Candy Asses and Jabroni-isms, you DARE take the spotlight from ME on MY show..."
The crowd seemed an undulating mass now, hooting and booing away at the heelish prattling as a chant started to rise up from right behind the Announcing area, sounding suspiciously like;
"SAME OLD SHIT! SAME OLD SHIT!"
Rock now had a smirk on his face, hardly batting an eyelid at the people.
He held up the microphone in his hand towards them instead, as though telling Chris Jericho to listen to what exactly their opinion on the Highlight Reel was.
"You think you've cornered me? Think you've driven that King into checkmate with your Knight and Queen combo?
THINK AGAIN, JUNIOR! I know your minds games..You can trust that I've been on the recieving end of many in my tenure. You beat me once, Rocky, but don't think for a SECOND that lightning strikes in the same place twice!"
"Well, those are some pretty strong proclamations right there, King? Will he be able to back up those words I wonder?"
"You have me wondering the same about the People's Champion, JR---I mean, these men have a lot to live up to!"
The din of the crowd was now bordering on rascous.
They were screaming themselves hoarse, and the main event was still nowhere near.
For a few moments, Rock stood still, head tilted in the air as he took in the frenetic adulation.
"That's it, Rocky---Listen to those twelve-year olds, those idiots and Assclowns. The sheep who hated your guts out not so long ago, the ones who called you a cop-out when you sold youself to Hollywood. Go ahead---LET'S HEAR IT A LITTLE LOUDER, GUYS!"
Mockingly, he held up his microphone the same way Rock had done, goading the audience to cheer harder for their favourite star.
It had now become a wild mish-mash of;
ROCKY ROCKY ROCKY!
It didn't take a rocket scientist to divulge on who exactly the crowds were on to now.
"Enjoying that, big shot? Well enjoy every second of it, because when I'm done with you in Fully Raged.."
Chris' voice which had been loud and demanding just second ago pipened down to a serious tone as he stood face-to-face with the Rock, faces mere inches from one another.
It was also irony that he did so, being a couple of centimetres shorter than the Great One and adopting the air of an annoying, brash little Jack Russell Terrier that had bitten off bigger than it could handle.
"That belt is coming home with me....and these people will be all you have to your name."
Silently they stood for a few moments, deep breaths and seething between them.
"And I could just cut the tension in the air with a knife, King."
JR noted, tugging at the collar of his shirt.
"You're telling me, JR---I mean, is it getting hot in here or what?"
"And Rock...you say you're gonna stick those size -twelve boots up my Candy ass? Is that how it's gonna be?"
"You bet your Assclowns that's how it's going to be, you little popcorn fart!"
Rock shot back.
"Make no mistake about it, KYJelly, for when the Rock comes into Fully Raged, he's gonna take all you Jabronis right up to the Smackdown Hotel right off Know-Your-Role Boulevard--"
"--Then let me give you a little something to think about, oh Great One."
SMACK
The world's loudest OOOOOOOOOOHHHH!!!!!!!! rang out through the Arena as JR and Jerry Lawler stared on bug-eyed at the open-handed slap.
Chris had the smirk back in place, a trace of defiance and arrogance in the mix as well.
Rock was no longer staring him in the eyes, blow of the shot taking its effect.
The camera panning into his face though, told the crowd and the few millions back home that the man was anything but happy of the outcome of this segment so far.
His shades had clattered to the ring canvas, and he stared at it for a few moments before death-glaring Chris and slowly turning the Canadian's way.
"And King...I hate to say this...but Bussiness has just picked up.."
"And it isn't even Main Event time yet, JR! What in the world is Jericho thinking?!"
____________________________________________________
The crowd come alive and begin to chant, desperately trying to get The Rock to retaliate . . .
Jerry “The King” Lawler:
I get the feeling that The Rock isn't gonna take that slap lightly . . .
Jim Ross:
You may be right, King!
The Rock slowly turns his head until he is once again face to face with Chris Jericho. Then, after a moment, The Rock lets out a laugh.
Jim Ross:
What's so funny?
The Rock then steadies himself and raises his microphone to once again speak.
The Rock:
Jabroni, do you really think you're gonna prove how tough you are by bitch slapping the Great One?
Chris Jericho shrugs.
Chris Jericho:
Yeah, actu-
The Rock gets right up in Chris Jericho's face . . .
The Rock:
IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT YOU THINK!
Jim Ross:
Oh my.
The crowd cheer loudly as The Rock takes a step back and Chris Jericho scowls.
The Rock:
You see the only reason you decided to bitch slap the Great One is because you are, indeed, a little bitch!
Crowd:
Ohhhhhhhhh!
Jerry “The King” Lawler:
I hate to say it, but The Rock may have to swallow those words if Y2J has his way . . .
Chris Jericho clenches his fists in anger once more, clearly trying to steady himself and not let The Rock get to him. Upon seeing this, The Rock smiles with satisfaction, knowing his trash talking is working.
The Rock:
You run your mouth a little too much to The Rock, especially considering The Rock whipped your candy ass just two weeks ago . . .
The crowd cheer, remembering The Rock's hard fought victory against Chris Jericho, as Chris Jericho is again lost for words.
The Rock:
Even though The Rock guaran-damn-tees to book you into the SmackDown Hotel in that Hell in a Cell match, there are two other Jabroni's in the back who will also be bringing their roody pooh candy asses down the people's ramp into hell . . .
With that, The Rock turns his attention toward the titantron. Chris Jericho puts his hands on his hips and looks at The Rock with a confused expression.
The Rock:
So, Batista and Carlito-
The crowd boo as an enraged Chris Jericho begins to yell into his microphone . . .
Chris Jericho:
NO! THIS IS NOT A JOKE! I AM NOT A JOKE!
The Rock slowly turns his attention back toward Chris Jericho as he begins to yell, and the crowd boo as Chris Jericho does this.
Chris Jericho:
. . . AND YOU WILL NOT LOOK PAST ME, YOU SON OF A BITCH!
Crowd:
Ohhhhhhhh!
The Rock goes wide eyed with both shock and anger as Chris Jericho pouts after yelling this.
Jerry “The King” Lawler:
What!? Tell me I'm hearing things . . .
Jim Ross:
I'm afraid you're not and I'm afraid Y2J just booked himself a trip to the SmackDown Hotel!
The Rock then begins to creep toward an enraged yet worried looking Chris Jericho while speaking into his microphone . . .
The Rock:
Oh The Rock's knows you're not a joke . . .
The Rock continues to creep toward a cautious Chris Jericho, who is cautious of a possible attack by the Great One.
The Rock:
The Rock is taking you seriously. Despite all the trash talking, The Rock still has a lot of respect for you, man.
The Rock playfully taps Chris Jericho on the chest and you can see that Chris Jericho is beginning to feel more at ease.
The Rock:
So, just like The Rock did with Hulk Hogan last week on RAW, he's gonna offer you to shake hands . . .
The Rock then extends his arm and Chris Jericho looks down at it, clearly still cautious. The crowd neither cheer nor boo as they are intrigued by what is about to transpire.
Jerry “The King” Lawler:
I don't know about this. Can Y2J trust The Rock?
The Rock, seeing Chris Jericho looking cautious, smiles to try and ease the tension some more.
The Rock:
C'mon, man. Shake the people's hand . . . lets seal the deal!
Chris Jericho takes a moment before slowly placing his hand in The Rock's.
Jim Ross:
Chris Jericho just accepted The Rock's hand shake!
Then, after a moment of their hands meeting, The Rock gives a cheeky smirk as he looks toward Chris Jericho.
The Rock:
Oh yeah, and when The Rock said he respected you . . . well that was a load of Brahma Bull crap!
Chris Jericho goes wide eyed with shock and the crowd cheer loudly as . . .
Jim Ross:
ROCK BOTTOM! ROCKY BOTTOM! ROCK BOTTOM!
Jerry “The King” Lawler:
Y2J literally just hit Rock Bottom!
The crowd cheer in a louder volume as The Rock's theme music hits the PA system and The Rock stands above and peers down at Chris Jericho, who is laid out on the mat.
Jim Ross:
Could this be the scene at the end of 'Fully Raged'?
Jerry “The King” Lawler:
I wouldn't like to say, JR. There's two other great athletes in there also, so anything could happen!
The scene then ends with The Rock standing over a downed Chris Jericho.
EOT
