jimsub81 Handicap Match: Cliff vs Tomy&Lazlo

Cliff had time reserved in the training ring so he and his friend Walt could work out. But as the minutes ticked by and no Walt showed up Cliff was left standing in the ring alone looking rather silly. Lightweights Laz and Tommy were hopping to get some time in the practice ring too and asked Cliff if they could use it till Walt showed up, if he was even going to. Cliff had been the laughing stock of the league ever since he, as a middleweight, lost to the LW Willy. So Cliff didn't have many friends and often copped an attitude as he did with Laz and Tommy. "I'll get out when my time is up shorty!" Laz rolled his eyes and said, "Cut the crap Cliff. Its just that you're not using the ring now, so why can't we until Walt shows up?" Tommy was not one to take crap from anyone and needled Cliff by saying, "That is if Walt even bothers to show up. He probably doesn't even have time for you anymore Cliff. He made a name for himself in the four corners match. Why would he even want to hang out with you anymore?" Deep down Cliff wasn't a bad guy but he didn't like being talked to like that and he shot back with even more attitude, "You know what Tommy? I liked you better when you were in the Posse. At least then you looked like you were cool. Now look at you, the only guys you hang with are losers like this," pointing at Laz. Tommy's mentor and now good friend Bastian overheard the comment and got up off the bench press, shot Cliff a glaring look and cleared his throat, "Aaahem!" Cliff looked at Bastian who he had not seen before and, knowing Bastian was Tommy's bud, Cliff gave the bruising Heavyweight a meek smile and said, "Except you Bastian..I..I mean you're no loser." Bastian got up and walked over to Cliff. "Gee thanks Cliff. I'm glad to hear you think that I'm not a loser." Cliff gulped down a lump in his throat as he had no idea what Bastian was going to do. Cliff knew that Bastian could do just about whatever he wanted to him. Cliff got ready to get his ass kicked.

Bastian said, "I also know that Tommy's no loser and neither is Laz here", Bastian patted Laz on the shoulder and went on, "As a matter of fact I think pound for pound either of these two guys has more fight in him than you do! I'd also go as far as to say either one has a good chance to beat you in a match!" Cliff knew Tommy was tough. Laz was still unknown but apparently Bastian had seen something in him. But Cliff still had some pride and said, "I don't know about that Bastian. I mean sure Tommy's got spunk but come on! Either of these two, beat me? I don't think so I mean I could whip em both at the same time!"

Bastian looked at the two lightweight and said, "Well guys you heard him. He thinks he can whip both of you. Its been a while since I've seen a good handicap match!" Cliff was about to piss his pants. Bastian was maneuvering him into a handicap match with two small but tough lightweights. He didn't want another loss on his record, especially another loss to a lighter division opponent. Bastian played out his hand as he looked around the room, "How about you Jordan, how'd you like to see a good ole handicap match? Cliffy here says he can take Tommy and Laz!" Jordan finished stuffing a HoHo into his mouth and spoke through the chewed chocolate cake, "Wow, not sure I could take them both at the same time. Sounds like a good show to me!"

Bastian turned to Tommy and Laz. Both boys were grinning as they loved seeing Bastian do a verbal number on Cliff. "You two up for it?" Both answered yes. Bastian at last turned back to Cliff, "So, ....Cliffy. I guess it time to put up or shut up. You gonna get it on with my two little friends here? Or are you just gonna keep talking trash?" Cliff looked around. Bastian's big mouth had drawn an audience. LW Samuel, MW's Gabriel and Zack, HW Lon and the tag teams of Damon & Marcus and Keegan & Ross were all watching now and awaiting Cliff's answer. He had no choice. With confidence he said, "You got it Bastian. I hope you won't be too mad at me when I put the hurts to your two little friends there!" Bastian smiled as did the two lightweights. Bastian agreed to handle the paperwork and said to Cliff, "Just remember that you said you could take the both AT THE SAME TIME! So, no tag outs, its two on one the whole time!" Cliff had said that and agreed. He had to!

As Cliff went back to the locker room his friend Walt showed up. He saw the look on Cliff's face and said, "Hey man, what's wrong?" Cliff just shook his head and said, 'You picked a hell of a day to be late!"

The time for the match was just minutes away. Cliff was a jumble of nervous energy. He didn't really want this handicap match but Bastian had forced him into it. Walt stood behind him rubbing his shoulders and said, "Come on buddy, they're just two lightweights. Got at them hard and hurt them fast. Just take em by surprise and hurt them quick then the match is yours." Cliff nodded at Walt's logic. He made total sense.

Bastian stood by the two excited younger lightweights. Tommy had a ton of ring time and proven himself a capable wrestler. His time in the Posse had been well spent and he had learned from the best. Now his new friend Bastian had shown him how to box as well. Tommy was becoming one of the best rounded wrestlers in TW. Laz didn't have much ring time yet. But he and Tommy had become friends a while ago and worked out regularly. Laz and Tommy were like two of a kind. Both were young and tough and liked to mix it up. They were tough but stopped just short of being bullies. Martin passed by them and slapped Tommy on the backside and said "Good luck squirt!" The use of the term "squirt" was friendly not condescending at all. "You too Laz." "Thanks Martin," said Tommy and Laz almost in unison. Tommy and Martin had been friends while in the Posse. After Martin's break with the Posse Tommy hoped their friendship could be renewed. Martin's few but sincere words made Tommy believe that indeed would happen. Bastian and Martin had no disputes between each other and Martin patted the big heavyweight's shoulder as he left.

The intros began. "And now, our next feature is a handicap match between two lightweights and a middleweight. First the middleweight, standing 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighing in at 169 pounds...CLIFF!" Cliff was booed even though he had but a single match to his credit. He was well known for losing to LW Willy. He also had developed a reputation as a dirty fighter from that single fight. "And, his opponents, first, standing 5 feet 7 inches tall and weighing in at 128 pounds...LAZLO!" Laz entered to a nice reception. He had limited ring time but he was the partner of the overwhelming crowd favorite. And his partner, standing 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighing in at 134 pounds...TOMMY!" The crowd exploded with cheers. Ever since Tommy's break from the Posse he had become a fan favorite. His return to ring action with wins helped his popularity. He ran to the ring waving to his supporters. He caught sight of his ex-Posse mates Tyson and Brett. They gave him the "thumbs up" sign. Tommy felt good!

As the three faced off Cliff towered over the smaller boys but both Tommy and Laz showed signs of nicely developing muscles. Cliff wasn't wimpy looking in the slightest either. He had nice firm pecs and a flat gut that showed the beginnings of some definition. Cliff was bigger and stronger but a single fighter, a lone wolf...about to fight two wolverines! The bell rang...

Tommy and Laz had a plan to get one of them behind Cliff and have that wrestler trip him up and or tie up his arm(s). They came out of their corner tentatively Laz moving left while Tommy went right. Cliff remembered Walt's advice; 'hit fast and hard and hurt them quick!.' Cliff charged Tommy and Tommy ducked under his reach. Cliff turned fast and saw Laz running at him. Cliff leapt at him and slammed a shoulder into the smaller boy's body and flattened him. Laz was stunned as he lay on the canvas. Tommy was moving on Cliff now and Cliff charged into him plowing Tommy's smaller body into a corner. Tommy hit the turnbuckles with a crash and he slumped down. Cliff reeled off a hard shot to Tommy's developing abs and quickly grabbed an arm and tossed him over his back to the canvas.

Cliff stomped Tommy's stomach then saw Laz getting up. Cliff turned on him and dropped knee to the small boy's gut. Laz winced and curled into a ball hugging his belly. Cliff tried to get a real quick win and hopped on top of Laz. The referee was down but only got to a single count before Tommy slammed into Cliff's side knocking him off his partner. Cliff was incredulous at Tommy's thwarting of his pin.

Cliff was not extremely experienced but neither was he a weakling. He gripped Tommy under the chin with one hand and pummeled the lightweight's belly with the other. Tommy was driven back into a corner and Cliff sent another series of punches to the young teen's gut. Tommy had learned much from Bastian and Doug not the least of which was how to take a punch. He feigned more pain than there was as he slumped in the corner keeping one eye on Laz who was moving in behind Cliff.

Cliff gave Tommy a cocky grin and said, "Say your prayers little man!" As he went to blast Tommy again Tommy leapt to life and held the middle ropes on either side of the post and shot both feet straight out nailing Cliff's chest knocking him backward. Cliff didn't go far till he fell head over heels as he tripped over the squatting Lazlo.

Cliff was scrambling to get to his feet but a stomp to the back of his head from Laz put a quick end to that. Just for good measure Tommy added a second one and Cliff fell forward on is knees wrapping both arms over his head. As he was recovering from that Tommy took hold of both his ankles and jerked his body out straight. As Cliff lay flat on the mats with his feet held Laz did a leap off the top rope and drove a high flying elbow into the small of the older boy's back. Cliff howled in pain and Tommy let him go. Cliff arched up and gripped at his aching back. But as he exposed his front the two lightys took full advantage and both sent in a hard kick to the stomach. Cliff was knocked to his back not sure which hurt more his belly or his back!

Tommy and Laz then dropped simultaneous knees Tommy's hit Cliff's right pec Lazlo's hit just below the navel. With the bigger boy now sufficiently hurt the two LWs each picked him up by an arm. Their combined strength was more than enough to give him a hard toss to the ropes. They set him up for a double over the back toss. Cliff was indeed hurt but he saw the move and was able to dodge the bent over forms of the two little guys. He planted a firm chop to the back of each of their necks and they went down. Cliff hit the ropes on the other side of the ring and propelled himself off them taking aim at Tommy. He dropped a leg down across his back and rolled him over. Cliff again went for a pin.

The referee was down and slapping the mats. Now it was Lazlo's turn to prevent the loss. He tackled Cliff around his neck and jerked him off Tommy sending him down to the mats. While Cliff grappled with the scrappy little Laz Tommy cleared his head and helped his buddy out by planting a boot to the side of Cliff's ribs. Cliff gave Laz a parting shot to the shoulder as he scrambled to get up to defend himself.

As Cliff rose Tommy hit him with a drop kick to the chest knocking him into the turnbuckles. Now Laz recovered and stood next to his partner. Cliff was tired and breathing heavily as he took a respite in the corner. Tommy and Laz circled Cliff like two hungry sharks. Cliff seemed a little hesitant to leave the relative safety of the corner. The two smaller boys were proving to be more than a match for him...just as he had feared they would. Tommy and Laz sensed this and began making clucking chicken sounds and folding their arms into their sides in mocking wing motions. The crowd laughed along with them at Cliff. The middleweight felt like a total jerk.

His face red with anger he charged out targeting Lazlo. But Laz saw him coming and ducked quickly to avoid him. Laz threw himself into Cliff's knees and Cliff went flying over his back. Tommy was moving fast too and dropped an elbow down across Cliff's back. Tommy gave Lazlo a nod to signal the move they had been working on. Lazlo climbed on the top rope then stood on Tommy's shoulders balanced by Tommy's hands. Cliff had just gotten back to his feet and turned only to be met by the high flying cross body splash in the form of Lazlo. Cliff went crashing down hard under the move. No sooner did Laz roll off him than Tommy sprang onto him with a knee drop to the breadbasket.

<br>Tommy and Laz now had total control of their larger prey and they took full advantage. The two LW's pulled a dazed Cliff up only to bring him back down with a double gutbuster! They rolled Cliff off their knees like dead weight. He grimaced and held his middle as his two little tormentors pulled him up again. Their combined strength was considerable and they tossed the middleweight into the ropes. He came off with some force but the two were ready with charging shoulders. They leveled Cliff with strong blocks to the chest. Cliff slammed back down and hard. The two partners then dropped simultaneous elbows. Tommy's to the chest and Laz's hit the stomach.

The two little guys again pulled Cliff up. He was ripe for the picking and they knew it. In the audience they caught the approving eye of Bastian. Tommy and Lazlo flung Cliff once more to the ropes. They met his rebound with a double clothesline! Cliff's feet went sailing out from under him as he crashed down to the mats. Tommy took hold of Cliff's arms and pulled him toward the corner that Laz had climbed to the top of. Laz took a flying leap off the ropes and plowed his little but hard elbow down into Cliff''s gut from the top rope. Tommy had scrambled up right on Laz's heels and followed Laz's elbow with a high flying elbow drop of his own. His too slammed down deep into Cliff's belly.

Cliff jerked and gasped at the series of attacks. Tommy's last hit had really hurt him and he knew he was going to lose even before Lazlo jumped onto his chest and grabbed one of his legs. The referee was down and counted Cliff out with ease. The announcer came on and said, "Here are your winners...TOMMY AND LAZLO!" The crowd loved it. Tommy and Laz loved it. Bastian came into congratulate his two little buddies. He loved it. Cliff was just now getting up to his hands and knees. He definitely did not love it. He had lost again and to a lower weight class at that handicap match though it may have been. A loss was a loss and Cliff was now 0 & 2. Tommy and Lazlo left to cheers. Cliff slipped out alone with head hung low.

Back in the locker room the two winners were met by Doug, Zack as well as Martin. All gave them heatry well dones. When Cliff got there not even his one friend Walt was there for him. Walt had watched the match and when he saw Cliff getting torn apart he decided to leave altogether. Cliff changed and went home alone