Mindsweeper Monday: TCCW 47

TCCW are wrestling stories from two different Yahoo! groups from the early 2000's. These entries were part of a much larger universe led by other writers. There are references to characters, events and matches that will not be posted here. Titles change hands, friendships and alliances form and dissolve, all without you ever seeing it. Imagine you are watching an Indy fed sporadically.

Note: You can find ALL (?) the stories by all authors in order in their original versions HERE - thanks for the link, Mangler!

Texas College Championship Wrestling 47

Cody (HW) versus Jackson (HW)

In the back, Carson was still moaning. Clay was rubbing a balm on his abs, but even the light pressure was too much for him to take. The punk Jacoby had really taken it to him. He regretted ever having entered the ring against the snake of a wrestler. He muttered, "I should've known better. I let my guard down ..."

Carson's friends watched over him. They were all 22 and good friends from their fraternity with the recently turned 23-year old lightweight. Unlike the small and lean Carson, his friends, Clay, Terry and Jackson, were all heavyweights. They had watched the rough match and were pissed as hell.

Terry was the biggest of the three. He stood at 6'3" and weighted 235. He was an imposing man, easily one of the toughest in the federation. He was one of the top amateur wrestlers at college and a champ in Texas Professional Wrestling, or TPW, as they called it.

No one messed with him if they were smart.

Actually amend that. No one messed with him OR HIS FRIENDS if they were smart. Terry was ready to take a piece out of Jacoby's hide. But there was no way to do it. In TCCW, inter-weight class matches were hard to arrange. Terry knew Jacoby would never agree to face him.

Carson hobbled into the washroom, leaving his three friends in the locker area. Clay looked at his heavyweight buddies. Clay was in his baby blue trunks and ready to fight. His body looked like an anatomy chart - every muscle on his compact 202-pound frame was clearly defined and perfectly proportioned. He was also a skilled wrestler and didn't take crap.

Clay said, "Guys, you know we can't beat up a lightweight. But I've got an idea. He beat up our friend. Why don't we beat up one of his?"

Jackson smiled. "Actually that's a good idea. Did you see the guy he was talking to after the match? Bet the two were having a big laugh over what happened."

Clay and Terry nodded. They had seen Jacoby talking to Cody after the match. Jacoby had been smiling and, they assumed correctly, bragging about the cruel victory.

But they also assumed that Cody was laughing, too. That was incorrect. But it didn't matter.

Jackson continued, "I don't want to wait, either. I want to do this now. Clay, it's a real shame about your knee going out."

Clay said, "What are you talking about?"

Jackson smirked and said, "I said, it's a shame about your knee going out. Guess you can't wrestle me tonight. We need to find a substitute. Anyone seen any heavyweights around?"

Clay was still confused but Terry was already halfway out the door. He saw Cody in the hallway still and asked him into the locker room. By this time, Clay had finally caught on and was sitting on the bench rubbing his knee.

As Cody entered, he saw Carson coming out of the bathroom area. He said, "Hey guy, are you okay? That was brutal what Jacoby did. Sorry about that, that's not the TCCW way, normally."

Carson nodded. He had missed his friend's plans for revenge and was genuine in his appreciation for Cody's words.

A voice behind Cody said, "Glad to hear that's not the TCCW way, because it looks like I might have wrestle a TCCW guy and I was hoping for someone with a little more sportsmanship. You know, someone who's not a liar. Not the kind who would laugh about another guy getting ambushed and mauled. Sounds like you're my guy."

Cody turned. Jackson stood and introduced himself. Cody shook his hand. Jackson explained what had happened - Clay had twisted his knee and couldn't wrestle. He wondered if Cody would mind subbing for him.

Cody thought about it for a second and said, "Sure. I was actually hoping for a match, but couldn't get it done. Sounds good."

Jackson thanked him. When Cody left to get ready, Jackson smirked. "What a jerk. He laughs it up with that punk then pretends he's the good guy. Fuck him. We'll see how much he laughs after our match."

INTRODUCING FIRST, WEIGHING IN AT 218 POUNDS, STANDING 6'3" IN THE BLACK TRUNKS, HERE IS JACKSON!

Jackson marched purposefully to the ring, ready to take Cody apart. The tall stud's body was rippled as his blood and adrenaline raced throughout his hard muscles.

The crowd applauded Jackson as he came forth. They noticed with surprise the two guys behind him. Clay and Terry were accompanying him to the ring wearing baby blue trunks and a royal blue singlet respectively. Terry had the singlet straps down and looked relaxed. Clay was wired, but limped in order to keep up the pretense of being injured.

AND HIS OPPONENT, WEIGHING IN AT 209 POUNDS, STANDING 6'0" AND WEARING THE YELLOW TRUNKS, HERE IS CODY!

The crowd went wild when Cody was announced. They had no idea that he was wrestling. Cody emerged from the back in mustard yellow trunks and matching boots. He looked strong and determined.

Cody jogged to the ring, his bulging pecs bouncing and his legs getting pumped. A set of pushups and stretching before coming forward had gotten him ready and it showed.

When he entered the ring, he extended his hand. Jackson shook it warily but forcefully. Cody had huge hands and he engulfed Jackson's average size paw. Cody smiled and said, "Relax, dude, and trust me, TCCW is a clean league. We just have a few punks. I'm not one of them." Jackson relaxed. Cody said, "Let's show 'em what we've got."

Jackson smiled and nodded. With a sly grin, he said, "Oh, I'm really looking forward to showing everyone in TCCW what I've got."

The ref went over the rules and did the preliminary check. He knew no wrestlers brought weapons into the ring - that would be ridiculous - but TCCW always tried to be as professional as possible.

The bell rang and Cody and Jackson stepped in. They circled each other cautiously. It had been a long time for either wrestler since they had faced anyone completely blind.

Cody made the first charge and they locked up in a collar and elbow. Even though Jackson was taller and heavier, Cody managed to force him into the corner. The ref called for the break and Cody let Jackson go.

Cody stepped back to let Jackson out of the corner. He relaxed as he contemplated the next lock up.

Unfortunately for Cody, that lock up never came! Jackson saw Cody relax and moved fast. He extended his long leg and drove it into Cody's unflexed abs. Cody was immediately winded and bent over, only to receive a sloppy but effective DDT from Jackson!

The ref admonished Jackson for the cheap shot. Jackson moved off and argued with the ref, challenging the rules, asking for clarification and explanation. 

Jackson had turned the ref away from Cody on the mat. Cody was rising, not hurting too badly from the surprise move. He was on his knees and reached out for the ropes to hoist himself to his feet. As he did, Terry reached into the ring and grabbed his wrist, while Clay slid under the ropes and grabbed his ankle!

The two bystanders pulled a shocked Cody to the floor. Cody scrambled up, but Terry clubbed him with a forearm to the back of his head. Cody fought back, blocking two punches. While Cody and Terry fought, Clay slipped behind him and lifted his arm between Cody's legs! The low blow dropped Cody immediately!

Terry clutched Cody by the throat and started choking him as he pulled the 209-pound hunk of muscle to his feet. The arrogant amateur wrestler crushed Cody's neck hard!

Cody struggled, raising his hands to alleviate some of the pressure. Showing his own incredible power, Cody broke the choke and pushed Terry back. Cody looked angry as he leaned on the apron, glaring at Terry. Terry smirked. Unknown to Cody, Clay had climbed to the top rope.

Clay leapt off and came down, smashing Cody to the concrete floor! Cody went down with a thud.

Meanwhile the ref continued to debate the rules with a devious Jackson ...

The crowd was in an uproar as the action moved outside. Jackson was still wasting time and Clay and Terry had been quick. Cody had had no chance to react yet.

With Cody dazed, Terry and Clay each grabbed him by an arm and pulled him to his feet. With perfect coordination, the two flung Cody forward into the steel barricade that separated the ring from the audience. Cody hit abs first and grunted as Clay and Terry forced him back to the ring apron.

Cody struggled hard, but Terry and Clay quickly had his arms draped over the bottom rope. Clay had his left arm, with a tight grip on his wrist. Clay pulled Cody's wrist under the rope, effectively binding the mighty limb. Terry did the same with his right arm.

Cody struggled but had not leverage. He was stretched out, feet on the concrete floor, arms pulled out wide. Terry and Clay had him exactly where they wanted him.

Terry said, "You and your buddy like ab work? Well we're gonna give you the same treatment that your little buddy gave Carson!"

Clay lifted his knee and drove into Cody's abs. Cody grunted, but his abs held. Terry repeated the move. The two heavyweights kept slamming their knees into Cody, moving like a well-oiled machine as the blows came.

Cody was gasping for air as the rapid-fire knee lifts took their toll. Cody's incredible abs were being ravaged mercilessly and he could do nothing about it.

*****

In the back, several heavyweights were watching. Rusty was smiling as Cody got a beating. So were a couple of others who wanted to see Cody lose.

"What's going on?" Dane asked Rusty from down the hall. Dane was surprised how intently the heavyweights were watching whatever was going on.

Rusty quickly closed the curtain and said, "Not much. New TPW guys wrestling is all."

Dane nodded. "Do they look any good?" 

Rusty shook his head and said, "Nothing special. Nothing for us to worry about."

Dane nodded and moved into the locker room to find Pat and Cody. He had no idea his best friend was in the ring, having accepted an impromptu match. He definitely had no idea his friend was getting mauled outside the ring.

Rusty turned back to the action. He said to himself, "Sorry, Dane, but can't have Cody being rescued yet. Not until he takes a little more punishment and loses the match."

*****

Back in the ring, Jackson had finally run out of ways to distract the ref. Outside, Clay and Terry had been pounding on Cody's abs for a couple of minutes and the results were obvious.

Cody was slumping on the bottom rope, his head hanging down. Clay released his grip. Terry followed suit and the two let the former TCCW heavyweight champ fall to the mat in defeat.

Clay ran around the ring and hopped onto the apron. He started in on the ref, who had still not turned around. Jackson slipped out behind him and rounded the corner. He nodded confidently as he saw Cody lying in a heap.

Together, Terry and Jackson lifted the defeated stud to his feet. They moved to toss Cody back into the ring, but instead slammed him abs first into the ring apron!

Cody was completely out of it as he was finally rolled back into the ring. Jackson slid in behind him and stomped Cody's abs. Clay dropped down and let the match proceed. When the ref turned he was shocked to see Cody laid out and Jackson standing triumphant.

This match was now completely one-sided, but not the way anyone had expected!

With Cody on his back, Jackson towered over him. The tall man reached down and lifted Cody's right leg. He leveled his boots into the meaty flesh of Cody's thick, powerful leg. Cody grunted as the blows came fast and furious into his leg. He tried to roll to safety, but his abs lacked the strength to move him.

Jackson twisted Cody's right leg and then dropped, landing his full 218 pounds inside Cody's thigh! Cody yelled in pain as the move was repeated three more times!

Jackson could feel Cody's leg weakening and softening. It was no longer the invincible pillar of muscle it had been. Jackson thought briefly about extending the match, but then thought, why bother? He had proven his point. Besides, once Cody submitted, Jackson would just refuse to release the hold and then he, Clay and Terry would crush Cody.

Jackson stood facing Cody. He loved his finisher because it gave him the opportunity to watch his opponent suffer. In this case, he would enjoy it more than any time he could remember. Cody was an arrogant fake, as far as Jackson was concerned.

Jackson stood over Cody, twisting his right leg in the devastating submission hold. The pressure on the yellow-trunked stud's leg was incredible! Cody knew this was the finisher, this was what the leg torture had been designed for!

Cody moaned and slapped the mat. The ref saw his shoulders on the mat and started the count.

Cody forced his shoulder up to break the count, but he couldn't hold it up. He fell back and the count started again!

This bouncing kept up as Cody's right leg grew weaker and weaker! He moaned as the ref asked if he wanted to submit! Cody did, desperately, but he would not go out this way.

He would sooner fall unconscious than surrender to this cheater.

But the pain ... the pain was excruciating!

Cody heard the ref slapping the mat. This time it wasn't until two and a half that Cody managed to raise one shoulder. He could feel consciousness leaving him. "At least the pain will be over," he thought.

Cody looked for the ropes, but he was too far away. Jackson had positioned him perfectly. Cody's shoulder began to fall. He needed something to hold onto to stay up. He needed something to hold onto ...

Then he saw them. With one swift move, Cody forced his way up. He reached out and grabbed hold!

"WHAT?" Jackson managed before, "ARGH!"

Cody's fingers dug in under his arms, his thumb driving into Jackson's firm chest! Cody tightened his grip! Jackson cried out as Cody used Jackson's pecs as support!

The claw had the double effect of pulling Jackson's pecs from his body and keeping Cody from being pinned! Cody grimaced as he held on for dear life.

Jackson's grip on Cody's leg loosened and Cody sensed it. He dug his fingers in tighter! The two muscle studs remained this way for minutes until Cody sensed Jackson's grip loosen a bit more. Cody twisted in the submission hold and raised his left leg. In one move, Cody released the incredible claw and drove his boot upwards, sending Jackson off him and onto the mat.

Cody rolled away, his leg feeling numb, almost paralyzed. He had done it, but was he just delaying the inevitable?

In the back, the heavyweights were definitely impressed. Impossibly, the match had turned and the result was now in serious doubt.

Jackson was crawling across the ring, his chest aching from the cruel claw. Jackson massaged his pecs and gritted his teeth. He couldn't believe Cody had broken down his chest muscles. And he definitely couldn't believe Cody had resisted his finisher and broken out of it! No one in TPW had ever managed that feat, not even the powerhouse Terry.

Outside the ring, Terry and Clay were beside themselves. This TCCW punk was a lot tougher than they had suspected. The TPW heavyweights had wanted to put the hurt on Cody as revenge for Jacoby's mauling of Carson. But now it was all turning bad for them.

Across the ring, Cody was slapping the mat in frustration to pump himself up. He looked up and saw Jackson crawling away. "Crawling like a rat," Cody thought. 

With new resolve, Cody rose to his feet in one smooth move. Everyone in the audience was cheering him on, even the other TPW wrestlers and fans, who were appalled at the cheating from the heavyweight trio.

Cody marched purposefully over to Jackson, who was just making it to his feet. Cody grabbed him by the nape of the neck and manhandled Jackson to the corner. Cody's hands were large and mighty, able to grip a basketball comfortably. Gripping the tall man's head was easy. Cody wasted no time. When he had Jackson in position, he slammed the taller man's head into the corner turnbuckle.

The crowd started counting right away, hoping to encourage Cody to keep up the abuse. Cody took the cue and hammered the dazed wrestler's head in fast and hard. ONE! TWO! THREE! FOUR! FIVE! SIX! SEVEN! EIGHT ! NINE!

The ref started counting as well. He was counting to five. When he reached it, he ordered Cody to break. Cody kept going, but was pulled off before the tenth slam. He was incredulous. He let go of Jackson, who fell to his knees in the corner, draped over the middle turnbuckle, gasping for air, facing the crowd, but not able to really see them.

Cody yelled, "Now you start enforcing the rules? Now? Where have you been all match when I was double-teamed by his buddies?"

The ref and Cody started jawing. As they did, Clay quietly and quickly sprayed Jackson's face with water. Jackson woke up a little. Clay sprayed him again. Jackson was wide awake now.

The ref ignored Cody's comments and told him to resume the match. Cody turned back to Jackson. As he did, the re-awakened Jackson hurled his elbow back, driving it into Cody's abs! Cody stumbled back and Jackson charged out, leveling him with a huge clothesline!

Cody went back to the mat hard. He hit his head on the mat and reached back instinctively to hold it. Jackson looked down at the supine stud. Cody's ripped abs were wide open and too inviting to ignore for Jackson!

Jackson drove his boots down, breaking down the muscles. Cody's abs looked like concrete blocks stacked atop one another, but even concrete could be pulverized with enough force.

Jackson stomped Cody's abs until the TCCW stud managed to roll to his side. Jackson bent over and forced Cody back onto his back. He measured Cody, then jumped up and landed squarely on his abs with both feet!

Cody curled up and screamed as 218 pounds of TPW muscle landed on him. He coughed violently as Jackson stayed on his abs. Jackson yelled down at the fallen muscle hunk, "Quit! Quit now or it gets worse!"

The ref asked Cody if he wanted to quit.

Cody gave the only answer he could.

"NEVER!"

The crowd cheered. Cody summoned his resolve and rolled to the side, causing Jackson to stumble off him. Jackson just laughed at Cody's bravado. This slab of beef was the dumbest guy he had ever faced.

If the punk was a masochist, Jackson had no problem obliging. He reached down and grabbed a handful of Cody's tight yellow trunks. He yanked up hard and fast, delivering the wedgie with great delight.

Cody let out a yelp and scrambled up, the pain from the humiliating taunt worse than the agony in his abs. Jackson spun Cody around and sent him back first into the corner. Cody fell back and slumped down, barely able to keep his feet under him.

Cody's left leg was supporting his entire 209 pounds as his thigh was really cramping now for the earlier submission hold. His abs were a bright red and Cody felt like his gut had been ripped to shreds. He looked up and saw Jackson approaching slowly.

The look on Jackson's face said it all. He had a lot more in store for the former heavyweight champion of TCCW.

Jackson kissed his fist arrogantly and launched a huge right hook at Cody! At the last possible moment, Cody lifted his arm and deflected the shot. Jackson followed in with his left, but Cody caught it!

The look on Jackson's face was one of complete shock! Cody squeezed down hard, his bigger hand crushing the TPW hunk's lean fingers. Jackson pushed his fist forward, his arm growing as blood flowed in to empower him. His bicep swelled as the contest of strength began in earnest!

Cody held firm. His incredible arm was throbbing as he resisted the fist of his oppressor. Cody had two of the strongest arms in TCCW, probably the strongest for his weight. Jackson was forced back, his hand aching as Cody crushed it and humiliated him by dominating this contest of strength!

Jackson was incredulous at this defeat. It was only a minor battle, but Cody should have been begging for mercy, not outmuscling him this way!

Jackson finally realized his struggle was futile. He opted for the easy way out, driving his body into the corner, crushing Cody into the turnbuckle! Cody knew it was coming, he had been wrestling since he was a high school lightweight!

Cody couldn't stop the move, but he did manage to turn and take the impact on his side, protecting his right leg and his aching abs as much as he could.

When Jackson backed off, Cody slumped down again. Jackson smiled arrogantly and moved back in. 

Cody was strong. He was tough. He was impressive, especially handling a three-on-one. But he was still just an 21-year old wrestler who had been punished hard.

Jackson knew that they had sent the intended message. Destroy one of our friends, and we destroy one of yours. Now it was time to end this charade.

He knew it was time to end the abuse, the point had been proven. It was time for Jackson to put this poor sap out of his misery. Jackson almost felt sorry for Cody, being beaten so badly, but then he remembered Carson and Jacoby's abuse of him earlier.

Jackson marched forward purposefully. As he approached the corner, Cody shocked him. He sprang forth, having deflected the worst of the slam into the corner. Cody's adrenaline was racing, empowering him in rage.

Cody's hands sprung forward and clenched Jackson's pecs!

Time seemed to slow as Jackson looked down, almost in disbelief. He saw Cody's hands positioned on his pecs. He watched as they slowly tightened, gripping the hard muscles like that aforementioned basketball. Jackson wanted to stop the move, but he was moving in slow motion too. The whole thing took only seconds, but to Jackson it was an eternity.

ARGH!

Once Cody squeezed, though, time resumed its normal pace for Jackson. The initial clench was enough to elicit a scream! Jackson lost his energy, his legs wobbling like two strings of spaghetti as he felt his chest being torn apart!

Cody leaned into the corner, his position perfect. The corner supported him while he dug deep into Jackson's meaty flesh. Cody's earlier claw had softened the once-hard muscles enough to get an immediate reaction from Jackson. Jackson's concentration was shot as he wobbled and flailed ineffectually in the steel claw.

Cody stood high as Jackson got lower and lower. The three-inch height advantage for Jackson was gone as Cody tenderized the flesh, continuing to reap some measure of revenge!

THUD!

Jackson fell to his knees. His once powerful arms were as drained as the rest of him. They stopped hitting Cody's forearms and fell to the side. Cody pushed down, enjoying his supreme leverage advantage.

Cody continued to apply the pressure. Jackson was in disbelief. He gathered his energy and placed his hands on Cody's wrists, trying to pry them off. He failed, But as he looked out, he saw Cody's sweat drenched yellow trunks. The yellow was so bright, like a beacon.

With all deliberate speed, Jackson thrust his hand forward, aiming right for Cody's crotch! Cody saw the fist and barely managed to turn his hips. He took the weak shot on his hip, but the twist had forced him to release the claw.

Jackson fell back. He rolled to the side and out of the ring, desperate for a breather. Cody was out instantaneously. As he landed beside Jackson, he saw Clay and Terry charging over to interfere again. This time, however, the ref was paying attention. 

Clay leapt onto the apron to distract the referee and leave Cody to Terry's devices. But the ref had taken Cody's earlier comments to heart. He knew it was a ploy and would have none of it.

Terry could not take even a step before the ref was down on the floor between them, protecting Cody. He said to Cody, "Get back in the ring." He turned to Clay and Terry, "And you two go to the back. You aren't allowed here any more."

Cody smirked. He pulled Jackson to his feet and rolled him into the ring. Cody forced Jackson's head between his legs. As Cody reached down, he saw Clay and Terry backing slowly down the aisle. They were leaving, but as slowly as humanly possible.

Cody hoisted Jackson up and held him aloft, letting the blood drain down. When Cody felt his right leg giving out, he dropped down, delivering a perfect piledriver.

One, two, three and it was over. Cody had won.

The match was over but the post-match activity was not. The victor was clear, no matter how it had happened.

Outside the ring, Clay and Terry couldn't believe it. They were pissed beyond belief!

Clay slid under the ropes and charged Cody! Cody, though, was ready! He turned and drove forward in one smooth move, flattening the heavyweight to the mat.

Cody immediately turned, knowing that Terry had to be getting ready to ambush him. Sure enough he was!

Terry towered over Cody, his 6'3" muscle frame impressive by any standards. Cody had not seen anyone this imposing in TCCW for a while. Terry's chest expanded and his arms were flexing. Terry smirked. He was ready to take this punk down!

Terry charged forward, throwing a big left at Cody! Cody tried to block it, but Terry was too strong for Cody, especially after a 30-minute beating, and Cody stumbled back, only remaining on his feet thanks to the ropes.

As the former TCCW champ hung limp on the ropes, trying to regain his balance, Terry approached slowly. He had no idea how Cody had lucked into a win, but he was going to regret not just going down like a good boy.

Terry reached out to grab Cody's head. As he did, Cody dove forward, aiming his left shoulder right at Terry's abs! Both wrestlers toppled down. Terry was winded, but more than that, he was shocked.

Cody rolled off him and hobbled to his feet. Terry slapped the mat angrily. In anger he rose - he knew it was a bad move to lose his temper, but Cody had really pissed him off.

Terry stood and charged. As he did, Cody was ready! Cody leapt forward and sent him down with a massive clothesline! When Terry hit, the ring shook!

Cody screamed in the middle of the ring like a man possessed. Clay was rolling out of the ring, but Cody was on him too fast. He pulled Clay to his feet. The hard muscled hunk fired a fist at Cody's head, but Cody blocked it easily.

Cody lifted his left boot and sent it deep into Clay's chiseled abs! The pain in Cody's right leg was intense as he stood on it, but he fought through it. When Clay bent over, Cody turned just in time to see Terry, the 225-pound powerhouse charging him!

Terry had Cody lined up perfectly for the spear, but Cody slipped out of the way, letting Terry slam into his friend!

CRACK!

Clay was bent over and the two studs hit heads! Both studs went down, stunned. Cody pulled Terry up, knowing that this muscle stud was a major force. Cody felt his adrenaline running out. Terry was practically out of it from the noggin knocker.

It gave Cody the perfect idea. Cody measured Terry up and head butted him to the mat! Terry flew back, landing in a heap before rolling to the side. His 6'3" ripped physique untouched, but him unconscious.

Clay was rolling from side to side, trying to regain consciousness. Cody forced him to his feet, then sent him down with a matching head butt! Clay flopped back, totally done.

It had been three-on-one, but the three were now on the mat, defeated. Their big muscled bodies sleeping peacefully as Cody stood victorious.

The crowd was always were at the end of a match. They were in shock at the improbable result of the match. It had been won against impossible odds, but then again, that was the Cody they loved.

When he was focussed, there was simply no one better.

Cody stood in the middle of the ring, his chest heaving, his body drenched in sweat. The muscular stud was drained, but the endorphins were still racing, making him alert. He surveyed his body. His trunks were soaked and uncomfortable. The low blow and wedgie was still causing him pain.

Cody rubbed his abs. They were burning, but his hours every day in the gym had paid off. At 21, Cody was a man of steel. He flexed the pain in his right leg off. The thick thigh was quivering, but Cody ignored it.

Cody surveyed the ring. Jackson was still down-and-out from the piledriver. The TPW stud's chest was red and rising as he breathed, Cody's handprints from his desperate claw still visible. The referee slapped Jackson's face lightly, encouraging the wrestler to rise from his slumber.

It took all Cody's control not to go over there and give him a slap of his own. "One slap from me and he'll be awake," Cody mused, "At least until I put him down again."

Cody turned to exit the ring. He had to step over Clay and Terry's sprawled carcasses as he did. The clotheslines, head butts and noggin knocker had them looking like jobbers in the ring. Their ripped physiques were unharmed, but useless against Cody's fury.

Cody hopped through the ropes and found Dane and Pat waiting for him, both pissed at not being there for their friend. He smiled shyly at his friends. Cody ignored the standing ovation from the crowd and started to the back. He had calmed down considerably. Dane had not seen Cody so fired up in a long time. Probably not since they were warring months ago. He knew the match had been as dirty as he had heard.

Pat broke the uneasy silence. He said, "Cody, man, you okay?"

Cody just nodded. When they entered the back, He saw several heavyweights waiting. They had all been watching. Cody caught Rusty's eye. The heavyweight champ looked a little dumbstruck. 

Cody had defeated him more than once. In those victories Cody had never been as focussed and as impressive as he had just been. Cody said nothing, but his look told everything.

Cody, the most dominating wrestler ever in TCCW, was obviously training hard. His body showed it.

Cody, the stud who time and again had shown how deep he could dig, was focussed. His eyes showed it.

Cody, the cornerstone of TCCW, was ready for whatever challenges were thrown at him. His heart showed it.

In that split second of eye contact, Rusty knew what it all meant.

Cody was back. And he was coming for HIS belt.

THE END