The EBWF logo flashed and then faded to a King of the Ring logo that read. "King of the Ring - Just 5 Weeks Away!"
The scene opened inside the Richmond Coliseum, and the crowd was cheering wildly.
Mauro Ranallo: You read that right! We are just 5 weeks away from King of the Ring and the tournament starts now!
Corey Graves: Four matches tonight, two for Queen of the Ring, two for King of the Ring, and I couldn't be more excited Mauro!
Mauro Ranallo: That's Corey Graves! I'm Mauro Ranallo. And Warfare is coming to you live from Richmond, Virginia!
"Illest" hit the PA and the crowd welcomed Liv Morgan, who proceeded to the ring. She threw her "Liv" branded snapback into the crowd, and rolled into the ring under the bottom rope as Zelina's theme hit and she made her way to the ring.
Corey Graves: Royalty has arrived, Mauro!
Mauro Ranallo: Or so she says. Whatever your opinion of Zelina Vega, she needs to beat Liv Morgan here tonight for her chance at queen.
With both women in the ring, the bell rang. Both ladies locked up. They traded holds, and impressive reversals until Liv landed a big right hand followed by a side head lock take down. Zelina got out of the hold as she flew off the second rope into a cross body. She pinned Liv.
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2...
Mauro Ranallo: And Liv Morgan kicks out!
Liv was back to her feet, and traded right hands with Zelina. Liv took control with a hold, setting up the full nelson slam. Zelina got out of it and reversed it into an ankle lock but Liv got out of it by flipping Zelina into the ropes. Zelina stumbled out right into the #201!
Corey Graves: Zelina's dreams of EBWF Royalty might be over right here!
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2...
3!
Mauro Ranallo: She's done it! Liv Morgan is the first woman to advance in the Queen of the Ring tournament!
Mauro Ranallo: I thought the first match in our King of the Ring tournament was a practical joke when I first saw it.
Corey Graves: You don't think Lio Rush could beat Tommy End or Grado?
Mauro Ranallo: I'd say I don't think Lio Rush or Grado can beat Tommy End, but I'm supposed to be impartial.
Tommy End's music hit, and he came to the ring alone to a chorus of boos.
Corey Graves: The action will start when EBWF Returns!
During the commercial break, Lio and Grado had made their entrances.
Mauro Ranallo: Who will be the first man to continue in the King of the Ring tournament?
The bell rang. Grado got out of dodge immediately, and Lio Rush used that opportunity to get in Tommy End’s face. Tommy hilariously picked him up like a child and tossed him to the side. Lio got right back up in his face, but End just looked over his head and talked smack to Grado on the outside. Grado finally made his way back in as Lio continued to run his mouth. Grado pushed Lio to the side like he was nothing as well.
Mauro Ranallo: You won't like Lio when he's angry!
Lio had enough and wound up for a slap, but Grado ducked and left Tommy End right in Lio’s path. Tommy was incredibly unhappy with this and tossed Lio in the corner. Grado and Lio started double teaming the much bigger End, who no-sold a Rush enzuigiri and ran him over with a lariat. Grado took his turn, chopping an unimpressed End a few times before running through a few double team lariats from Grado and Lio. They kept trying to use the number’s game, but ran into a brick wall on a double shoulder block attempt.
Corey Graves: I can respect Grado and Lio working together, but this is hopeless!
Lio managed to low bridge Tommy to the floor, but Tommy caught him and power bombed him on the apron! Grado popped up at the other side and chucked a chair at End's head. Tommy dodged, and when Grado dove at him, Tommy caught him and power bombed him on the apron too!
Mauro Ranallo: Tommy End showing his strength here!
Tommy was in control, caving Lio’s chest with a big chop. Grado laid in wait, but he ate a chop too. Tommy End set both men parallel to each other and heads to the second rope for a splash, but both Grado and Lio move before he could jump off. Lio and Grado finally started building up some meaningful offense on Tommy, and we finally see the big man on his back after a knee to the face from Grado. Both men made a concerted effort to keep on teaming up against End, which paid off for them.
Mauro Ranallo: Only one of these men can pin Tommy End!
Lio hit a standing moonsault on the downed End. Grado and Lio hit him with a double suplex. Grado offered his hand for a high five, and Lio Rush body slammed him. The crowd oohed at the betrayal.
Corey Graves: That may have been a bad idea, Lio! Now there's no one to help you with Tommy!
Tommy squashed Lio with a power bomb in the center of the ring. Lio struggled back to his feet as Grado recovered and got back into the ring. All three men traded strikes. Tommy countered a double Irish Whip by just tossing both men behind him like children, and he hit Grado with a slingshot crossbody. Lio ducked the Owari Death Kick, but ran into a pop-up slam! Tommy covered Lio.
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Grado broke up the count. Tommy was incensed and moved to his feet. Grado hit Tommy with an enzuigiri, but got elbowed out of a spinning DDT. Grado eats a reverse hurricanrana from Lio. Lio jumped up and kicked Tommy square in the head! Tommy stumbled, and fell over the top rope to the outside. Lio scrambled to the top rope and hit The Money Shot on Grado.
Corey Graves: Are you kidding me?
Lio hooked the leg.
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2...
Tommy End tried to climb in under the bottom rope, but he couldn't reach Lio's leg.
3!
Corey Graves: Lio Rush has done it! The Almighty's Mouthpiece is going on to the second round of King of the Ring!
Lio's arm was raised in victory as EBWF went to commercial.
Warfare had no sooner come on the air and finished with an impressive pyrotechnic display when the audience came out of their seats at a familiar word.
"AWEEEEEEEEEESOMMMMMMEEEEEEEE"
Followed by a mashup of "I Came To Play" and "Phenomenal" was heard over the PA System as AJ Styles and the EBWF Champion, The Miz made their way out from behind the curtain. They were all smiles as they made their way to the ring. The Miz got in first and held the rope for his buddy who looked like "aw shucks" in a comical way and entered the ring. They both were granted microphones from the time keeper. AJ held his up to his mouth first and an "AJ Styles" chant broke out from the crowd.
AJ Styles: DAMN that felt good last week!
The crowd cheered loudly.
AJ Styles: It had been much to long since I'd been able to do what I was put on this planet to do, and that's beat the living shit out of phony's like Ted DiBiase and Alex Riley. I can't tell you how long I've been pacing, waiting, praying that the day would come where I'd be right back in this ring, doing exactly what we did last week- and boy oh boy- I'd be lying if I said that "little AJ" didn't move just a little bit with how great it felt to pick up the victory last week!
Laughter and more cheers. Miz patted AJ on the back. He had a confident smile on his face as a "Miz is Awesome" chant broke out from the capacity crowd.
The Miz: It had been a long time coming- and it was a pleasure to join you in the brutal beat down that we gave out last week. I was thinking though last week just was NOT enough- last week was a the definition of a tease- these guys made my life miserable for a month.. one beating of them in a tag match is just not enough. Now I know for a fact that neither one of these fruit cups are in the house tonight- so my proposal is this. Next Week on Warfare- it's going to be The Miz vs. Ted DiBiase and Alex Riley vs. AJ Styles- THAT way you get to watch The Sequel destroy these two losah-paloosa's in TWO matches instead of one.. what do you think of that Mizfits?!
The crowd cheered their brains out.
The Miz: It's going to be brutal, it's going to be gory, it's going to be graphic, it's going to be.. well it's going to be downright hilarious watching these two bumbling idiots try and compete with the two best talents in this company. Make no mistake about it.. above all else the destruction that we are going to bring to them is going to be DESERVED.
AJ Styles: Damnnnn right!
The Miz: BECAUSEEEEEE WE'REEEEEE THE SEQUELLLLLLLLLLLLL
AND WE HAVE NOOOOOOOOOOO
Crowd: EQUAL!
Miz and AJ flipped the mics to the mat in unison and made their way out of the ring and back up the ramp as Warfare went to a commercial.
Mauro Ranallo: Welcome back to Warfare! We're going to see another match for Queen of the Ring!
Corey Graves: This one should be something else as the veteran Mickie James, takes on the legend Trish Stratus.
"Obsession" hit, and Mickie did her usual skipping entrance down to the ring. The crowd cheered for Mickie, and the cheers kept coming when "Bossy" hit and Trish entered the arena. She ran down to the ring and jumped up on the second turnbuckle and played up to the crowd. The two ladies circled each other in the center of the ring, and the bell rang.
Mauro Ranallo: This one might be an instant classic!
Trish and Mickie locked up and Mickie grabbed an arm wringer. Trish flipped out and got a heel trip. She covered.
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Mickie reversed into an Oklahoma Roll, and Trish's shoulders were down.
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Kickout!
Corey Graves: Trading pins early!
The two locked up again with Trish putting Mickie in a side headlock. Mickie sent Trish to the ropes, and Trish came back with Air Canada and then some right hands. Mickie hit a back elbow in the corner, but then Trish went for the Stratusphere. Mickie blocked and hit the Mickcanrana out of the corner. Both Trish and Mickie then hit a double clothesline on each other, and both were down.
Mauro Ranallo: I think it's safe to say that Mickie and Trish are leaving it all in the ring tonight!
Both women pulled themselves up on the ropes at opposite sides of the ring. Mickie hit a dropkick and then went to the top rope but this time Trish scored with the Stratusphere. Trish hit some right forearms and then a handstand into the whirly bird heads cissors. Trish measured Mickie for the Chick Kick, and connected. She went for the cover.
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3!
Mauro Ranallo: And just like that Mickie James is out of the tournament!
Corey Graves: And the Quintessential Diva goes on to round two!
The referee raised Trish's arm in victory, and a promo package for King of the Ring began to play.
Corey Graves: As we prepare for our final match of the night, next week The Miz will take on Ted DiBiase and AJ Styles will take on Alex Riley.
Mauro Ranallo: The King of the Ring Tournament will continue, and right now we'll see who will advance to the next round!
Tommaso Ciampa was out to the ring first. Followed by Andrade. The crowd was on their feet when PJ Black came down the ramp.
Corey Graves: PJ always goes deep in the King of the Ring Tournament, but with the qualifying matches being Triple Threat matches this year, this is new territory for him.
Mauro Ranallo: It'll be interesting to see how this new dynamic plays into the tournaments results.
The bell rang and the triple threat match was underway. Ciampa went straight for PJ but wound up getting knocked out of the ring by Andrade. PJ baseball slid Ciampa but was attacked by Andrade right after. Andrade tacked PJ in the corner and took him down with a clothesline. He went for the quick pin.
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Ciampa broke up the count when he kicked Andrade in the head. He grabbed PJ by the waistband and threw him out of the ring. Ciampa tried to vertical suplex Andrade but wound up in a sunset flip pin from PJ.
Mauro Ranallo: Veteran move by Black!
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Ciampa left the ring and Andrade back dropped PJ over the top rope onto Ciampa. Andrade put PJ back into the ring and tried to pin him again, but PJ kicked out at 2 again. Andrade followed up with a running powerslam. Ciampa hung Andrade on the rope but then took a kick from PJ off the apron. PJ hit Andrade with the 450 splash, and pinned him. The crowd was on their feet.
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Mauro Ranallo: Oh! Ciampa pulled PJ by the ankle and interrupted the pin!
Ciampa hit Project Ciampa on Andrade and the downed man rolled out of the ring. Ciampa seized on PJ and put him in the arm bar. PJ tried to wriggle out, but Champa got better leverage and locked PJ in an abdominal stretch. Ciampa started chopping PJ in the ribs. PJ finally got out of the hold. Ciampa Irish whipped PJ and then splashed an empty turnbuckle. PJ started kicking Ciampa and dropped him with a roundhouse kick, followed by a roaring elbow. PJ splashed Ciampa and hit him with a springboard cross body block and pinned him, but Ciampa kicked out. The two men moved back to their feet, and PJ struck first, hitting an STO. He hurried to the top rope and hit the 450 Splash!
Corey Graves: What a move from PJ Black.
PJ hooked the leg.
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3!
The crowd cheered the athletic match as PJ's arm was raised.
Corey Graves: PJ Black joins Lio Rush in the next round of the king of the ring tournament.
Mauro Ranallo: Liv Morgan and Trish Stratus advanced for the women's tournament, and next week, the brackets will become even clearer as we host four more qualifying matches!
Corey Graves: We'll see you next week! Goodnight from Richmond.
The camera focused on PJ climbing the turnbuckle in celebration as Warfare went off the air.
