Booking Glory-Chapter 11: First Ever Triple Threat Match

Rob waited anxiously at the Control Pit as the time for LWC’s weekly show came around.

Control Pit was the area from where the bookers and important members of LWC directed the live show and issued real-time orders according to the changing situation in the ring.

Say, if a wrestler was injured midway during the match, then there should be prompt decisions made as to how to progress from then on until the end of the allocated time.

Do they cut short and send forth someone else to occupy the time? Or do they ask the veterans coming out later to increase their match length? Or do they simply continue on if the end time was near?

These kinds of on-the-spot decisions were made in Control Pit. Once such decisions were made, proper directions will be issued to carry them out. Hence, being present in the Control Pit when the show was going on meant that the person was high up in power in a promotion.

Rob had never set foot in Control Pit in the past six months. He had always been backstage taking orders and being part of other workers. So, this was the first time he was in such a position.

Because he was the booker of the upcoming segment.

The pressure he faced right now was huge. He had only two days to prepare and direct this segment. If it had been a match, he wouldn’t be that worried. As most of the responsibility for the matches rested with the wrestlers performing inside the ring, his burden would be minimal.

But, the segment he had booked was a promo segment.

His mind went back to two days ago when he had met with the female wrestlers present in LWC for the first time as a booker. When it began, he knew that most of the assembled wrestlers were confused as to why he was given such power.

Anyone who knew the business will understand how unusual it was for Rob to be given such power. His young age and relatively low experience in the industry didn’t help much either. So, he had explained his intentions under the skeptical eyes of female wrestlers.

First and foremost, he had asked them to throw away all their ingrained ideas of how booking should be done. He had stressed that he will be making a lot of changes to how they will be presented and some of them might not like these changes.

Under their skeptical eyes, he had singled out Alanna Spears and asked her to change the way she wrestled. The look of disbelief on Alanna’s face and indignation present on others’ faces was priceless.

As far as wrestlers here were concerned, such a decision can only be taken by the wrestlers themselves. No one had ever asked a wrestler to change his style like this.

But, when he explained to Alanna how he was looking for a wrestler who was quick and had great rope skills, she seemed to be somewhat mollified.

He had then gone on to explain how her generic wrestling style is holding her back from becoming popular with the crowd. And if she incorporated these kinds of fast-paced and high-flying moves, she could generate more interest among the crowd.

He had also explained the reason for singling her out. Her profile had told him that she had been a cheerleader at high school and had prior practice with doing flips. So, with such prior experience and after undergoing targeted training, she had a high likelihood to succeed compared to others.

So, he had sent Alanna off with instructions to undergo targeted training as per his requirement. When he had dealt with Alanna, he had garnered enough interest among the rest to at least hear him out before cursing him.

Then he outlined his plan of creating a monster powerhouse for Fiona making her eyes shine in anticipation. He also stated clearly that there will be changes in how he was going to present her. Fiona hadn’t minded it much as she was intrigued enough with the concept of a monster powerhouse.

He had then instructed her to concentrate on polishing her skillset that would suit such a presentation. He had also told Fiona that he might have something down the line for her that he was not yet sure about. But, Fiona was ready to wait for it. So, it hadn’t been much of a problem.

Then came the most important discussion as it would set the tone for the entire women’s division starting today. He had singled out Diana, Selena, and Evelyn for this explosive opening gambit due to their status, credibility, and professional skills.

What he wanted to accomplish in this show was not something that could be pulled off easily. So, he had patiently gone over what he wanted them to say and how it needed to come off. He didn’t give them a full script.

Instead, he left them to fill the script by discussing it amongst themselves and allowing them enough room to improvise as needed. He merely outlined what needed to be covered and told them what effect he was going for.

When he was done, there was a gleam in all their eyes. It was clear they knew how important what he wanted them to do was. After all, how many people had a chance at creating history?

So, he was pretty confident that the three of them would nail it.

<Check... Check... Is everything ready?>

As the last-minute checkups were called out, Rob came out of his reminiscing and focused on the present. He took a deep breath to steady himself and looked at Diana who was standing beside him. She shot him a reassuring smile to which he nodded.

Mr. Gibson was the only other person who was in the Control Pit that had knowledge of the program. He looked pretty excited as the opening montage rolled out. Rob couldn’t help but share that excitement at that moment despite the huge pressure he was feeling.

This was it. This was the moment where he was going to carve his name in the world of professional wrestling.

The pyros followed indicating the start of the show. Rob gave Diana a thumbs up as she readied herself to head out.

After much deliberation, Rob chose to open the show instead of waiting for a 15-minute slot in the middle. He needed this segment to be memorable. And the chance of it being memorable in the opening slot was far higher than other slots. So, he and Mr. Gibson decided to open the show with this particular segment.

The moment the pyros ended and the commentators welcomed the crowd to the show, Diana’s music blared eliciting a small response amidst the crowd. Rob saw Diana take a deep breath and walk out of the curtain.

Rob watched like a hawk to see how Diana was going to carry the initial five minutes as it would lay the foundation for the entire storyline. Diana made her way to the ring with her usual demeanor and tried to get the crowd going.

It was a mixed success.

Seeing it, Rob couldn’t help but show a grim expression. It was clear that Diana’s appearance hasn’t caused the effect he wanted. Nevertheless, he had hope that Diana would be able to change the situation around.

"What do you think?" Mr. Gibson asked him from the side.

"There isn’t much reaction. I can only hope she can get them interested in the next few minutes," Rob said shaking his head.

"There is no use worrying about it. We all have to start somewhere," Mr. Gibson said noncommittally.

Rob could only nod in reply to that.

*****

<August 21, LWC Arena, Longham City>

Diana Wharton stood in the middle of the ring posing with the championship after she made her entrance. There was a genuine smile on her face and she seemed to be happy to be here.

"You know, this had been a hard journey. There had been countless times that I had questioned myself whether this was worth it..."

Silence reigned as Diana spoke from her heart.

"Whether it was worth it to put my body through all these things? Whether it was worth it to wrestle week in week out? Whether it was worth it to carry LWC women’s division on my shoulders?"

The crowd was captivated by her impassioned speech as she went about questioning her career. Diana started pacing in the ring. She looked as if she was about to be overcome by emotion.

"I’m 33 years old. And I have been wrestling for a long time to stand here as a champion. I have ground my levels and paid my dues in the business! I have crawled my way out of hell to stand here as the LWC Women’s Champion!"

"And at last, I have reached the summit of the mountain I have been climbing for a long time! I gotta say, I feel like I have accomplished the goal that I set when I laced up my boots for the first time."

The crowd cheered for her. Diana stood there soaking in their applause for a minute or so.

"So, now that I have accomplished my goal, what do I do next? Do I sit back and relax just because I am at the top of the mountain? Do I enjoy the success that I have obtained? Or..."

Diana dragged the last word in a playful manner working up the crowd’s interest.

"Do I prove again and again that I am the best female wrestler to ever step foot in LWC? I have thought long and hard about this. I can feel that my body can’t withstand the punishment I have put it through for a long time. So, I want to do something that sets me apart from all the other champions to have ever stepped foot inside this squared circle."

The crowd was eager now for what Diana was going to say. They waited patiently as she pandered to the crowd as she roved inside the ring.

"I have decided that I am going to be different. I have decided that I am going to be not just another champion, but a true-blooded fighting champion. That’s why I am laying out now an open challenge for my LWC Women’s Championship!!!"

Diana cried out rousing the audience.

"Two weeks from now. At <Break Out>. I am issuing an open challenge for LWC Women’s Championship. So, if there is anyone out there in the locker room from the women’s division who feels they could hang in the ring with me, here’s your chance. Step out and step inside this ring. I will put my title on the line!"

Diana hollered towards backstage causing whispers to erupt from the audience. Usually, a challenger will come out and challenge the champion for the title after a match or during their promo by listing out their accomplishments.

However, this time, LWC Women’s Champion Diana had issued an open challenge for anyone inside the locker room.

This was absolutely new to the fans present in the arena. They began to feverishly discuss amongst themselves. Several people were beginning to get interested in who would step up to the challenge as this was something brand new.

As the discussions among the crowd came to a head, music blared and someone stepped out of the curtain.

Evelyn Carter stepped out of the curtain with a serious look on her face. She didn’t pander to the crowd or tried to rouse them in support of her. But, she walked with determination towards the ring.

The crowd began murmuring as several people recognized who was making her way to the ring. Discussions emerged as they began listing out her accomplishments and prowess.

Evelyn stepped foot inside the ring with a microphone in her hand. She and Diana eyed each other for a few moments and began circling inside the ring. Everyone could feel the tension in the air. And then Evelyn spoke.

"Diana, we have faced each other countless times. Sometimes you have won, sometimes I have won. We both have lost and won. But, here you are talking as if you are the best wrestler in LWC."

Crowd nodded along with Evelyn’s words as they realized what she said was true. Evelyn and Diana were not strangers. They have wrestled multiple times since LWC went on-air. While it was true that Diana had won a lot, Evelyn was no slouch either.

"You think you are so great that you want to issue an open challenge. The only reason you have that belt on your shoulders is that you have never put that belt on the line when facing me."

"You are right," Diana spoke in a calm manner, "it’s true that you have beaten me. It’s true that I have never wrestled you for this belt. But.... Understand one thing, Evelyn. The one you faced in the past is not the same one you are facing now. I... AM... THE... LWC WOMEN’S CHAMPION!!!"

Diana postured with her belt over her head as she got in Evelyn’s face.

"It doesn’t matter if you have beaten me in the past. It doesn’t matter if you have my number. All that matters is that this championship belongs to me. And what it means is that I am the best wrestler in the women’s division in that locker room. You want a shot at my title. I say bring it on."

The crowd absolutely erupted as Diana’s confident speech stirred them up. Evelyn wasn’t backing down either as she got into Diana’s face. They stood face to face, unwilling to give an inch.

To see two top competitors going at each other was absolutely novel for LWC fans in the arena. The crowd started cheering them both as they faced each other down.

"Come <Break Out>, bring your A-game. Because then you will realize that even your A-game is not enough to match me inside this ring..."

"Ahem.... Hold on. Hold on."

A disharmonious voice interrupted Diana’s impassioned warning causing the crowd to grumble in disappointment. Everyone looked towards the entranceway, only to find Selena Sanchez, another top competitor, making her way towards the ring with a microphone in her hand.

Diana and Evelyn looked at her in confusion. They separated waiting for her to make her way inside the ring. Selena walked in cool as a cucumber towards the duo. She looked confident and it was clear that she had business inside the ring.

"Evelyn, dear, this isn’t a restaurant where it is first come first served. While I agree with your point that Diana here has no business talking as if she is the best wrestler in the locker room, I also feel that I need to point out to you that I am far ahead in the rankings compared to you."

Evelyn looked as if she was going to attack Selena at any moment. But, she controlled her temper and waited for her to finish.

"If there is anyone that is going to put Diana in her place and take away that title. It is... going... to... be... me!"

Selena stressed each and every word to make it clear that she too wanted a title shot. The crowd began to erupt in whispers as they began discussing Selena’s statement.

Inside the ring, it looked as if a fight would erupt at any moment as all three of the women eyed each other fiercely. Neither Selena nor Evelyn backed out. The trio began to talk among themselves inside the ring in a heated manner causing the crowd to roar in approval.

Just as it looked like they were going to get into a brawl, music blared again, and out came the legend and the owner of LWC, Andrew Gibson himself. The trio inside the ring calmed down and looked toward him to see what he was going to say.

The crowd also began to chat amongst themselves in anticipation as to what the owner of LWC was going to do about this situation. Without letting the crowd speculate for long, Andrew Gibson spoke.

"Ladies, I can see that the fierce spirit of LWC is burning bright inside all of you. Your competitiveness to be the best is very clear to all the people present in the arena. I can’t say how happy I am to witness such a scene. And I am sure that this crowd agrees with me..."

The crowd roared in agreement taking the atmosphere to a new level. Inside the ring, the trio waited impatiently to hear what Mr. Gibson had decided.

"Usually, if there were two challengers challenging a champion at the same time, we go with a match to determine who will be the #1 Contender for the title..."

Andrew Gibson paused as if he was thinking about it. Meanwhile, inside the ring, Selena and Evelyn began mouthing at each other looking as if they were ready to go at any moment. Before anything could happen, Andrew Gibson continued.

"However..." Andrew Gibson paused looking at the crowd.

Both the crowd and the competitors inside the ring were confused as to what he was going to say next.

"However, I did hear Diana say that she wanted to do something that no other champion in the history of pro wrestling has done before. With that in mind, I have an idea. An idea that would change the face of this business..."

Andrew Gibson teased the crowd and let it hang in there for a moment. Both the competitors and the crowd were confused as to what he was going to propose now.

"Diana, you wanted to prove that you are a fighting champion, right?"

Diana nodded her head.

"Evelyn, Selena, you both want a shot at Diana’s championship, right?"

Evelyn and Selena nodded their head.

"Diana, Evelyn, Selena, you all wanted to decide who was the best wrestler in that locker room, right?"

All three of them agreed with the statement.

"Then, here’s what I propose. At <Break Out>, Diana, you will defend your LWC Women’s Championship against Evelyn..." Evelyn looked happy, but Selena looked put out, "and... Selena at the same time."

Absolute silence followed that statement. Even the crowd was confused as to how that could be possible.

"For the first time ever, Diana would defend her championship against both Evelyn and Selena at the same time. There will be no disqualifications, no count outs, and the only way you can win this match is via pinfall or submission."

"I call this match a Triple Threat Match. Because you don’t have to just beat one opponent but two. The threat level for the champion is tripled in this match. And Diana, one last reminder. You don’t have to be pinned to lose your title. If either Evelyn or Selena pins or submits the other, you will still lose your championship."

Absolute silence reigned in the arena as everyone digested the information Andrew Gibson had just dropped on them. Diana’s face looked grave as she realized the implications of the stipulations of the match. Evelyn and Selena looked to be deep in thought.

"And the same goes for you two too. If Diana pins or submits either of you, you both will lose the match. So, ladies, I wish you good luck with your match at <Break Out>. May the best women win..."

Andrew Gibson turned and walked towards the curtain. The crowd was still reeling from the bomb that Andrew Gibson had dropped. None of them had ever seen such a match. They didn’t know how such a match could be done.

The more they realized this, the more excited the crowd became. This was something entirely new for them and they were eager for it. Just as the crowd started rousing themselves, Andrew Gibson stopped and turned. He looked at the three women in the ring and spoke.

"And congratulations dears, you will be making history come <Break Out> by wrestling in the first ever Triple Threat Match."

With that Andrew Gibson turned and walked into the curtain.