Booker Vs Robert...I jimsub81

Robert and his best buddy Grant were working out. Their moods were decidedly different. Both Grant and himself had just joined TW not too long ago. Grant had won a match against the young muscleboy Stefan but his latest loss to Luke gave him an unimpressive . 500 record. Robert had but a single match under his belt but it was a win over fellow newcomer Jamie. Grant was still fretting over his loss to Luke. What made matters for him was the fact that HE had been his own worst enemy. His showboating had cost him whatever chance he may have had against the formidable Luke. Robert by contrast was flying high. He had come off a rather one sided victory over Jamie and was looking to make a name for himself. Robert heard all the talk about some of the longer term members and how good some of them were. Robert remained unimpressed. "Sure," he said to Grant, "guys like Daryl, Kane and Martin are tough but some of the other guys ......come on!" Grant just stood and listened. Robert continued, "Guys like Joey, who gets his ass kicked every match! Vinny! What's his record?" Before Grant could answer Robert cut him off, "I don't know either but I DO know IT SUCKS! And now everyone's talking about Zack, Zack this, and Zack that, just because he got lucky in that Battle Royal! He didn't throw anyone out except for Rico did he? He let everyone else do the hard work and he just sat back and tossed out a lightweight to win!"

At last Grant got to speak, "Well..Joey DOES have some wins to his credit and he CAN take a ton of punishment. Vinny's faced some seriously tough competition but I wouldn't want to call him a loser! and Zack DID last a long time in that Battle and he sure enough got the crap pounded out of him but he still hung in and won. I don't think he's lucky." Robert glared and him, "I thought you were my friend?" Grant sighed as he could tell Robert was in "one of his moods", "I am your friend Bobby but I just disagree with you is that OK? Come on lets just get a few more throws before we gotta go." Robert stood with his arms crossed and showed no sign of moving. Grant sighed again and said, "Hey man..if you think you can take these guys, challenge em. A win over any of the guys you just mentioned would really make you look good!" Robert wrinkled his brow and thought about what Grant had just said and decided he was right. A win over a Vinny or a Zack WOULD do a lot for his status in the league.

After their practice session was over and he had showered Robert set out to find an opponent he felt worthy. He spied Zack in a practice ring and watched for a few moments.

Zack was practicing his handicap moves against muscle bound Timon and the chubby yet strong as an ox Gabriel. Timon and Gabe each grabbed an arm and whipped Zack to the ropes. As he came off them they each made ready their clothesline and Zack slid right under it and popped up behind the startled boys. They turned and Zack slammed a standing drop kick nailing each of his sparring partners in the chest knocking both down. With the quickness and grace of a panther Zack dropped a hard elbow to the chest of Timon and rolled over and swinging an arm as he did slamming it into the slightly flabby belly of Gabriel. Gabe let out a whoosh as Zack connected hard. Zack was up fast and lifted Gabriel into a slam position and then jerked his 186 pounds over his head! He held him aloft over Timon.

Timon didn't look scared but he DID look concerned as he saw Gabe's big body held high over him. Zack could no longer hold in the grin and let loose with a big laugh as he neatly let Gabriel down to his feet and offered Timon a hand up. All three were laughing now and patted Zack on the back for a job well done.

Robert shifted uneasily as he saw the ability of Zack. He would never acknowledge it but he thought he may have misjudged the Battle Royal winner's abilities. His idea of challenging Zack seemed all of a sudden not such a good idea at the moment. He reasoned that with some more hard work with Grant and others he would eventually take on Zack,..but not just yet! He turned and saw Booker heading over the ring to join his friends when Robert caught him by the arm and said, Hey Booker, how bout a match,...You & me?"

Following the tag match between Jessie & Jack and Alan & Greg their match was ready to go."Our next event is a middleweight match. First, standing 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighing in at 164 pounds...BOOKER!" Booker entered to a good reception. He had made some good showings of himself but his inexperience had cost him a few too. Nevertheless he was well built and had boyish good looks that the girls loved, and they showed him with their squeals of glee. "And his opponent, standing 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighing in at 168 pounds...ROBERT!" Robert entered to polite applause. He was still relatively unknown.

As they faced off all could see very little difference. A mere 4 pounds separated them and they were the same height and build. They were not muscle boys but were well toned, lean and fit. Everyone expected a close match as the bell rang...

Booker approached tentatively as he really wanted a victory to prove he belonged in the tough mid-wt division. Robert came out confident and bouncing on the balls of his feet. He had handled Jamie quite easily and didn't see Booker as much more of a challenge. Robert made a feint lunge and Booker backed up. 'He's scared of me,' thought Robert. Robert lunged and Booker tried to dodge again but Robert caught him in a leg take down. Booker hit face first and Robert rolled over on top of him putting a knee into the back and grabbed a fistful of hair which he used to slam Booker's handsome face into the mats! Robert then pulled Booker's right arm back in a chicken wing and pushed up as hard as he could! Booker let out a cry as his shoulder really felt the pressure but there was no way he was ready to submit and Robert knew that.

Robert pulled Booker up and, still holding his arm powered him forward into a turnbuckle. Booker's taunt chest slammed into the corner. Robert then released him and drove a hard fist into the lower back. Booker grunted and Robert spun him around and lifted a big knee to Booker's stomach. The lift had little effect but did prevent Booker from mounting any offense. Robert drove fist into the lower abs and then followed up with another knee lift and Booker at last doubled over. This was exactly what Robert wanted as he grabbed Booker's head and trunks and lifted him up into a suplex that he and Grant had been practicing. Booker came down hard on his back as his pals Zack, Gabriel and Timon winced at his fall.

Robert shot a smile over to Grant as he pulled Booker up. He was in complete command as he rammed another punch into the lower gut right above the waist band. Booker grunted again and Robert tossed him to the ropes. He went to deliver a shoulder block but amazingly Booker had regained enough of his wits to see the bent form and jumped over it placing a hand on Robert's back as he did. Robert was surprised that he had missed and turned and was slammed across the chest with a clothesline. It didn't put him down but the standing drop kick did!

The crowd cheered as at last Booker at last showed signs of life. Robert rolled to get up and a hard kick to his underside flipped him over to his back. Booker wasted no time in dropping a knee to Robert's stomach. Robert had taunt but certainly not ripped abs and Booker's second knee drop to them sunk in and Robert felt some serious pain! Now it was Booker's turn to pull Robert up by his hair. Robert was still clutching his aching midsection when a chop across the chest straightened him up. Booker rammed a hard forearm to the side of the head and Robert went staggering back to the ropes.

He fell against the ropes trying to process that he was now getting his ass kicked. His head was still spinning when Booker spun him around and grabbed the back of his hair and pressed his throat against the ropes for a few seconds. Booker didn't want to be cruel but he was mad at the way Robert had treated him and showed just a bit more viciousness then normal. The referee cautioned him and Booker released the choke the damage done.

Robert turned and fell against the middle rope with his butt on the mats. Booker stood over him and jumped high coming down with both feet landing on the stomach. Robert felt his breath leave his body and he gasped. Booker then pulled him up into a side head lock and walked him to a corner.

Robert had a great deal of pride and felt the victory he could practically taste slipping away. As Booker raised Robert by the hair intending to ram his face to the turnbuckle Robert managed to get both arm out onto the ropes to halt is forward momentum. Booker was a bit taken aback as he thought Robert out of the fight. Robert threw an elbow backward the sank into Booker's breadbasket. Booker doubled over almost instantly. A strong double ax handle across his back set Booker to his knees. Robert shot a knee to the side of the hard and Booker fell to his side.

Robert now assumed control of the match again. He shot a hard boot toe to the ribs and sent Booker rolling. When he stopped Robert dropped a big elbow to the chest and fired a hard punch to the navel as he got up. Booker was still trying to regain his senses but did not have the chance as he was hauled up, punched in the belly, chopped across the chest, punched in the gut again, whipped to the ropes and leveled with a clothesline across the chest! Robert's sense of confidence returned. He lifted him into a fireman carry and took him to the nearest corner setting his butt down on the top of the turnbuckles. He readied Booker for a monkey flip to win the match. He grabbed Booker's wrists but before he could position his feet Booker pushed his own feet into Robert's stomach and jumped forward knocking Robert to his back. Booker's feet landed hard and squarely on Robert's belly. Robert curled into a ball and the still badly beaten Booker staggered off the clear his head.

Booker recovered just a bit faster and as Robert was getting up Booker raised a knee to the chest flattening him again. Booker knew he was running out of gas and wearily pulled Robert to his feet and Irish whipped him to the ropes. A hard elbow greeted Robert's chest as he returned laying him out yet again. Booker then straddled Robert with his back to Robert's face. He reached down and grabbed both legs pulling them straight up. He then simply "fell" backward smashing Robert's chest with his weight and wickedly stretching the boy's legs. As Booker lay on top of Robert the Referee easily counted to three as Booker's finishing move proved to be devastating!

The bell sounded and the ring announcer said, "Here is your winner...BOOKER!" He received a great round of applause. Booker's friends jumped in and celebrated with him while Grant helped Robert and his battered ego back to the locker room.