7/1/2024 - Canada Day Celebration

The Wasaga crowd is abuzz, but the mechanical bleeps and grind of NEXUS' theme generate a mixed response.  There's many boos, but many curious onlookers as Dr. Victor Turing walks out, tablet in hand - holding it up theatrically before pressing a button.  The six foot three, two hundred and forty five pound NEXUS walks out and scans the scene before walking to the ring.

Turing plays to the crowd as NEXUS climbs into the ring.

Simple Plan's "Me Against the World" hits and the "The Crusadar" makes his way down the sandy aisle to ringside, slapping hands with a couple young fans as he gets a good 70%/30% positive to negative response.  Knight climbs up and gets checked over by referee Gideon Dube, but tells him to do the same to NEXUS. 

He calls for the bell and neither man moves.  AJ Knight carefully calculates his so-called AI opponent, lifting an arm and watching NEXUS react in kind.  AJ wipes the sweat away from his face and circles around, which leads to NEXUS doing the same the other way.  AJ turns around and heads back the way he came, leading NEXUS to spin in a circle briefly as Dr. Victor Turing furiously jabs at his tablet.  AJ seizes his opportunity and cracks NEXUS' helmet or head... or whatever with an elbow strike! It catches him off guard, but he manages to block the follow up European uppercut effortlessly.  NEXUS grabs AJ and sends him into the ropes at high speed, Knight tries to duck the attack but gets roped in by NEXUS' left arm and smacked in the back of the head by his right elbow! Turing gloats at ringside about the Execution Elbow! AJ Knight goes down and NEXUS makes an early cover!

1...

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2-NO!

AJ kicks out and the crowd begins to rally behind him, but Knight is slow to his feet.  NEXUS hits the ropes and aims for a single leg dropkick to AJ's head, but the Crusader sidesteps it.  NEXUS falls to the mat but is right back up as the fans continue to hype AJ up.  AJ delivers a half-hearted superkick, which is caught.  Turing laughs on the outside, but AJ joins him... confusing both client and manager.  AJ spins around...

ROLLING ELBOW!

NEXUS gets clobbered, staggering the AI-powered fighter.  AJ thrusts his knee into the midsection of NEXUS, backing him into the ropes... then hip tosses him into the centre of the ring.  AJ grabs a leg and starts kicking at it, then spins around with a toe hold.  Victor Turing frantically jabs at his tablet again, NEXUS uses his free leg to push into AJ's backside and send him off.  AJ hits the ropes, but rebounds... grabs NEXUS' leg and rolls forward - the Robinson Kneebreaker! The momentum carries NEXUS onto his hands and knees, so AJ keeps on the attack... grabbing him with a front chancery...

SNAP SUPLEX!

He floats over and hooks the leg!

1-KICK OUT!

Everyone including AJ is a bit surprised by that, but Knight keeps cool and immediately transitions into a grounded headlock. 

Despite AJ Knight trying to leverage and keep his weight on the side headlock, NEXUS begins the climb back to his feet and delivers a hard elbow to the midsection.  He then begins a Data Download, bashing AJ's face with several precise elbows! With AJ stunned, NEXUS heaves him up and spins around... a spinning spinebuster connects, shaking the ring and blowing off some debris that found its way in.  He grabs the legs and does a jackknife pin.

1...

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2...

-NO!

Dr. Victor Turing puts his tablet on the apron and clasps his hands behind his head in frustration, walking around in a circle before grabbing his device and then smirking as he taps it.  NEXUS pulls AJ to his feet, but AJ drops to a knee.  NEXUS pulls him up onto his shoulders in a fireman's carry...

AJ SLIPS OUT!

INVERTED DDT!

He climbs on top and hooks a leg!

1-KICK OUT!

AJ keeps his cool, even though the crowd is surprised by NEXUS kicking out so soon again.  AJ pulls NEXUS in for a DDT, but NEXUS scoops him up into the fireman's carry once more.  AJ tries to slip out again, but NEXUS chucks him forward with a body slam! Dr. Turing holds up the tablet and declares it's time! AJ is pulled to his feet and NEXUS hooks him in a front chancery and lifts him u--

SMALL PACKAGE!

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2...

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3!

AJ rolls out of the ring quick and gets mauled by some fans as he backs up to the guardrail! Dr. Turing's in shock!

AJ seems to overhear Shelzi as he's walking by and joins the desk momentarily, adding that he hopes NEXUS is worse with flash pins than he is.  Back inside the ring, NEXUS stands expressionless in body language as Dr. Turing quickly looks over the suit for an imperfections.  We head to break...

The bout between the Herkmen and the Punch Line started with Kalidah's minions showcasing their teamwork, keeping themselves fresh by tagging out every 20-30 seconds.  This drew the Canadian crowd to respond in kind, helping the Punch Line to weather the early storm and escape the initial onslaught.  The youngster, Rick Hull managed to dropkick Azalo's leg out from underneath him and so began their mission.  Norris and Hull turned the tides of the match in the summer heat, picking apart Azalo's leg with quick tags and teamwork of their own.  Azalo managed to mount a comeback, the Punch Line getting a bit too overzealous as they went for the Five Minute Major.  Unfortunately for them, Azalo countered Norris' powerbomb into a facebuster as Nizbel yanked Hull out of the ring.  Nizbel and Hull brawled in the sand as Azalo struck with a running knee, but hobbled in pain as he climbed up top for a shooting star press.  Norris rolled out of the way and Azalo struck hard, not improving his knee's situation any.  Norris applies the Haas of Pain, the elevated cross leglock he calls the Red Deer Rebel Yell and Azalo taps out to the roar of the crowd.  Norris and Hull celebrate their victory on Canadian soil by waving the Canadian flag.

We return with a shot of the scenic beauty of the makeshift arena.  Waves gently crashing nearby as the fans roar to life...

Roy Vezina walks out by himself, raising his arms to cheers from the crowd.  He jumps up inside the ring and quickly runs the ropes, the opening strands of "Hotel California" begin before transforming into "Damned Anthem" by the Killing Kind.  The usual spookiness of the King of Iron Champion's entrance is offset by us being outdoors for this great event.  Lotte walks out, holding the King of Iron title above her head.  There's some catcalls as she looks sensational and spooky, but also dressed for the summer weather.  Kalidah emerges behind her, decked out in his red gear as the catcalls suddenly stop as he menacingly looks around.

Mason Marvelle steps into the centre of the ring.

Roy pumps his arm into the air in response to the growing cheers, culminating in a good pop.  A loud "ROY!" chant breaks out but quiets back down as Marvelle continues.

He gets a great pop too as the crowd starts up a "LET'S GO ELI!" chant which causes Lotte to smirk.  She wags her finger at the crowd and shouts to respect him... or else!

Lotte and Marvelle exit, Thomas shows off the new King of Iron title and hands it to a stage hand before signalling for the bell.  Both men circle around slowly, Roy Vezina giving Kalidah a ton of respect before they lock-up.  Kalidah immediately goes behind and uses his size, applying a full nelson.  Kalidah releases it quickly after Vezina wraps his leg over the bottom rope and the two men return to the centre of the ring without issue.  Vezina looks a little displeased about the opening sequence as steps in for a lock-up, but fakes Kalidah out.  Vezina backs up and smirks, but Kalidah lunges in and boots him in the midsection! Vezina falls back into the corner and eats several more kicks as the fans roar! Kalidah grabs Vezina and Irish whips him, but gets reversed and sent into the opposing corner! Vezina charges in, but eats a kick to the mush! The challenger staggers away, but rushes right back in...

LARIAT!

Vezina goes down and rolls out of the ring, collapsing to the sand on the outside and holding steady on his hands and knees.  Some of the ringside fans give him a handful of chirps, but they go ignored as he gets back up to his feet and strolls around the ring. 

Vezina goes to get back up into the ring, but Kalidah runs to greet him.  Vezina ducks a shot, grabs the mask and climbs onto the second rope...

AND LEAPS OVER THE ROPES AND THE ADJACENT ROPES - DROPPING KALIDAH THROAT FIRST ACROSS THE TOP ROPE!

Roy Vezina lands safely on the sand as Kalidah falls down inside the ring, coughing up a storm.  Vezina walks past the fans chirping him earlier and spins around, asking them what they've got to say now! Vezina unwraps the bandana off his head and slides into the ring, he wraps it around Kalidah's throat and begins choking him! Thomas begins the five count, getting up to four before Vezina throws it aside.  Thomas quickly retrieves it and puts it in his pocket as Vezina wraps his arms around Kalidah's neck for a sleeper... but Kalidah reaches up and gouges the eyes! Vezina yelps and relinquishes the hold, backpedalling as he tries to get his vision back.  Kalidah makes his way up to his feet, still coughing... and lariats Vezina again! This time the two of them go over the top rope and to the floor!

Kalidah gets up and grabs Vezina by the hair, driving him head first into the ring post! Vezina falls to the ground, the hot sand sticking to his sweaty body as Kalidah takes a walk and grabs his throat.  Lotte comes around to check on her man as we get a shot of Roy Vezina all bloodied up from the shot to the post.  Kalidah comes back around and grabs his challenger, rolling him inside the ring.  Kalidah slides back inside and collects Vezina as he's trying to get back up to his feet.  Kalidah reels him and hoists him up, the crowd pops as he tries for the Chaos Driver - the Northern Lights Bomb that won him the King of Iron title back in June - but Vezina slips out! Vezina grabs Kalidah from behind and delivers an Atomic Drop, Kalidah falls forward into the ropes - hanging over the top.  Vezina collects himself as best he can in a bloody daze and hits the opposite ropes, but runs right into a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker!

He covers!

1...

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2...

NO!

Kalidah takes a moment to recuperate, still coughing a little bit as he gets back up to a vertical base.  He grabs Vezina by the hair, being yelled at by Thomas in the process, which prompts Lotte to leap onto the apron.  On her knees, she leans over the middle rope and chastises Thomas' officiating... which prompts him to throw her out! The crowd is mixed on that! Lotte shouts and shrieks and tries to get inside the ring, Thomas prevents her from doing so and security rushes down.  In the meantime, Kalidah has Vezina goozled against the turnbuckles...

VEZINA THROWS SAND IN HIS FACE!

Kalidah staggers away from his bloodied challenger, falling to his knees as he struggles to see.  Vezina drops to his knees, but seems like he's sizing him up rather than recuperating.  Kalidah stands up...

HIGH KNEE TO THE BACK!

Thomas is back in the action now as Lotte is led away, Kalidah hits the opposing turnbuckles and wobbles out backwards...

CHOP BLOCK!

Kalidah is cut down from behind by the attack to the leg, Vezina remains on the mat - the blood and sweat sticking to his head in the summer heat.  He rolls out onto the apron and slowly begins climbing, slipping at one point.  He gets up on top and drops to a knee, holding steady.  Kalidah gets back up, looking around through his blurred vision... but the crowds' squeals seem to put him on high alert as Vezina comes off looking for the double axe handle but instead eats a throat thrust! Both men go back down!

Thomas checks on Vezina's cut as Kalidah returns to a vertical base, he takes no time at all to grab Vezina and spears him back into the turnbuckles.  Kalidah backs up briefly at Thomas' request but goes right back to it, biting the self-proclaimed Mr. Canada! Thomas interjects himself and tells Kalidah he will disqualify him, but Kalidah brushes him aside and swats away an attempt from Vezina to kick him.  Kalidah whacks him with an uppercut and then catches him as he falls forward, lifting him up... AND OVER in a release belly to belly suplex! Kalidah tries to crawl over and make the cover, but Vezina instinctively rolls away and plops back on the floor.  Kalidah can be seen muttering as he climbs to his knees, then to his feet.  He goes between the ropes and tries to fish Vezina back inside, but he eats a shot from the floor! Kalidah falls backwards and strikes Thomas, then angrily storms back to his fe--

BELT SHOT!

Vezina smacks him with the title belt! Kalidah falls back inside the ring and Vezina throws the belt aside and tries to find his balance, then hauls himself back up onto the apron.  He debates internally, looking at Kalidah... then storms up to the turnbuckles and climbs up.  Once again, the ascent is slow... but he gets there...

FLYING ELBOW DROP!

CONNECTS!

Vezina however goes the opposite direction of Kalidah as Tubby Thomas collects himself and gets back into the action.  Vezina drags himself back across the mat, inching closer and closer...

DRAPES AN ARM!

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2...

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MANDIBLE CLAW!

Kalidah's shoulder comes up as he sticks his fingers into Vezina's mouth and underneath his tongue, into the soft tissue at the bottom.  Vezina tries feverishly to fight his way free, but the blood loss and exertion weaken his strikes big time.  Kalidah gets onto his side and puts Vezina on his back...

THOMAS CALLS IT!

The fans cheer as Kalidah is announced as the winner, but the champion is just as out of it as the challenger after the belt shot and elbow drop. 

Lotte comes to ringside with the Herkmen to collect her man and champion.  The Punch Line eek past them to attend to Roy Vezina, who's being treated by Dr. Nick Pierson.  Lotte sneers and the Herkmen hiss, but they take Kalidah and help him walk to the back as the Canadian crowd begins a "ROY!" chant for Mr. Canada.  Norris and Hull egg them on, urging them to get louder.  Vezina climbs to his feet and acknowledges the chant with a big smile before falling back down to the mat.