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(A/N: Don't forget to give those power stones to Skyrim everyone!)
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"It is an absolute demolition derby!" Cole yelled. "Bodies and twisted metal are scattered everywhere! This is the brutal reality of the Money in the Bank match!" With Henry temporarily neutralized on the outside, the focus shifted back to the squared circle. CM Punk pushed himself up, rubbing his bruised ribs. He grabbed a fresh ladder from ringside, sliding it into the center of the ring. He carefully set it up beneath the briefcase, double checking the hinges to make sure it was secure.
Punk took a step up the first rung.
But a shadow fell over him.
Punk slowly turned his head, looking over his shoulder. Standing right behind him, a look of grim determination on his face, was John Cena.
The Chicago crowd recognized the historic rivalry instantly. A massive, deafening wave of noise washed over the arena. Half the crowd chanted "CM PUNK! CM PUNK!" while the other half, though noticeably quieter in Illinois, shouted "LET'S GO CENA! LET'S GO CENA!"
"The hometown hero and the Franchise!" Lawler said, a smile creeping onto his face. "These two men have come to blows previously in several matches, and now they find themselves standing face to face once again for a chance to get that MITB briefcase!"
Punk didn't climb. He stepped down from the ladder, turning to fully face Cena.
Cena threw the first punch. Punk ducked it, returning fire with a blistering combination of Muay Thai strikes. A left jab, a right cross, a sharp elbow, and a spinning backhand that backed Cena into the corner.
Punk whipped Cena across the ring. Cena rebounded, lowering his shoulder, and hit his signature flying shoulder tackle. Cena hit the ropes again, delivering a second shoulder tackle, followed by a sudden, explosive spin-out powerbomb!
The crowd relentlessly booed Cena's signature sequence.
Cena stood over Punk, raising his hand into the air. "You can't see me!" he shouted, dropping down to deliver the Five Knuckle Shuffle.
But as Cena bounced off the ropes, Punk suddenly kicked his legs up, catching Cena perfectly under the jaw. Punk scrambled to his feet, scooped Cena up onto his shoulders, and signaled for the Go To Sleep.
The crowd went frantic, begging to see the finisher.
Punk threw Cena off his shoulders, raising his knee. But Cena expertly caught the leg! Cena spun Punk around, hoisted him onto his own shoulders, and looked for the Attitude Adjustment.
Punk fought out of it, sliding down Cena's back. Punk shoved Cena forward, directly into the heavy steel ladder set up in the center of the ring. Cena crashed chest-first into the metal, the impact echoing loudly.
"They know each other so incredibly well!" Cole shouted. "Every move, every counter, it is a masterclass in ring psychology!"
Punk grabbed Cena, looking for a suplex, but suddenly, the ring was invaded.
Edge slid in, clutching a steel chair he had found on the outside. He didn't hesitate, delivering a brutal, sickening chair shot to the broad, exposed back of John Cena. The Franchise collapsed to the mat, wincing in agony.
Punk turned toward Edge, but the Rated-R Superstar swung the chair again, catching Punk perfectly in the midsection, followed by a vicious strike across Punk's back.
"Edge is clearing the field!" JBL praised loudly. "The Ultimate Opportunist strikes again! He knows you can't win a ladder match if you get caught up in personal rivalries! You have to neutralize the threats and climb!"
Edge dropped the dented chair, looking up at the glowing green briefcase. A hungry, desperate look crossed his eyes. He had won the first ever Money in the Bank match years ago. He knew exactly how much power rested inside that metal box.
Edge grabbed the ladder, adjusting its position perfectly beneath the prize.
He began to climb. One rung. Two rungs. Three rungs.
The crowd held its collective breath.
"Edge is making a break for it!" Cole warned. "He has a clear path!"
But a dark, massive shadow suddenly blocked the arena lights.
Mark Henry had returned.
The World's Strongest Man stepped over the top rope, his face a mask of absolute, terrifying fury. He grabbed the base of the ladder, looking up at Edge, who was desperately reaching for the briefcase.
"Edge, you better get down from there right now!" Lawler panicked.
Henry didn't push the ladder over. Instead, with a terrifying display of raw, monstrous strength, Henry grabbed the heavy steel rungs and physically lifted the entire ladder, with Edge still clinging to it near the top, completely off the canvas!
The crowd shrieked in awe.
"Good god almighty!" Cole screamed. "He is holding a ten foot steel ladder and a two hundred and forty pound man in the air with his bare hands!"
Henry took two heavy steps forward and violently tossed the ladder, sending it crashing into the turnbuckles. Edge flew off, crashing awkwardly onto the top rope before tumbling out of the ring, clutching his ribs in agony.
"That is exactly what happens when you anger the World's Strongest Man!" JBL laughed. "He didn't just stop the climb, he nearly broke Edge in half!"
Henry stood in the center of the ring, letting out a massive roar. He grabbed another ladder that had been left leaning in the corner, holding it horizontally across his chest.
Rey Mysterio tried a springboard attack, but Henry simply stepped forward, swatting the luchador out of the air with the steel ladder like a baseball bat. Christian ran in, ducking a swing, but Henry spun around, driving the edge of the ladder into Christian's gut before dropping it, scooping Christian up, and planting him with a devastating World's Strongest Slam directly onto the unforgiving steel!
"He is decimating the entire field!" Booker T yelled. "Mark Henry is a one man wrecking crew!"
Ezekiel Jackson slid in, realizing he was the only man left who could match Henry's power. The two behemoths locked eyes once again. They abandoned all technique, trading heavy, looping, bare knuckle right hands in the center of the ring.
The crowd cheered every strike, captivated by the sheer brutality.
Henry gained the upper hand, backing Ezekiel toward the ropes. But as Henry charged forward, Ezekiel caught him by the throat. Ezekiel lifted Henry slightly, utilizing his raw power, and delivered a massive chokeslam that planted Henry onto the canvas!
The ring shook. Ezekiel roared, turning his attention to the folded ladder lying nearby.
Before he could set it up, Kofi Kingston reappeared. Kofi sprang onto the top turnbuckle, leaped halfway across the ring, and connected with a beautiful diving crossbody that took the massive Ezekiel down.
The ring was a complete disaster zone. Eight men lay scattered across the canvas and the ringside floor, completely exhausted, battered, and bruised. Broken ladders, dented chairs, and sheer chaos painted the picture of a true demolition derby.
"I don't think there is a single man in this match who isn't in absolute agony," Cole said, his voice dropping to a serious, hushed tone. "They have put their bodies through absolute hell for a chance at that contract."
"That is the price of glory, Michael," Lawler agreed. "You want to be the champion? You have to be willing to sacrifice pieces of yourself."
Slowly, agonizingly, movement returned to the ring.
CM Punk used the ropes to pull himself to his feet. He looked up at the briefcase. He looked down at the heavy, twelve-foot steel ladder resting near the turnbuckles.
Punk dragged the ladder to the center of the ring. He opened the legs, locking the hinges securely in place, making sure it was centered perfectly beneath the green prize hanging in the air.
The Chicago crowd began to rumble. A low, steady hum of anticipation grew rapidly into a deafening, unified chant.
"CM PUNK! CM PUNK! CM PUNK!"
Punk looked out at his people. He wiped a streak of sweat from his forehead, slapped his own face to wake himself up, and grabbed the first rung.
He took a step up.
He took a second step.
"Punk is making the climb!" Cole shouted, his voice rising with the crowd. "He has a clear path! This could be it!"
Punk reached the halfway point. His breathing was heavy, his ribs bruised, but his eyes were locked firmly on the briefcase.
But on the opposite side of the ring, another figure was slowly, painfully rising from the wreckage.
John Cena pushed himself up, clutching his back where Edge had attacked him with the chair. Cena saw Punk climbing. He saw the briefcase.
Cena grabbed the ropes, hauling himself to his feet, and slid into the ring.
Punk was three rungs from the top. He reached his hand up, his fingertips brushing against the cool metal of the briefcase.
"He's almost there!" Lawler yelled. "Punk just has to unhook the carabiner!"
But the heavy steel ladder suddenly shook.
Punk looked down.
John Cena had grabbed the opposite side of the ladder.
Cena didn't push it over. Instead, the Franchise locked his jaw, ignored the burning pain in his back, and began to climb the other side.
The crowd realized what was happening, and the volume in the Allstate Arena reached an ear-splitting, chaotic fever pitch.
"Cena is going up!" JBL yelled. "The Franchise refuses to let Punk take his moment!"
Punk desperately fumbled with the latch on the briefcase, his hands slick with sweat. He got the first clip undone, but before he could unhook the second, a heavy hand grabbed him by the shoulder.
Cena had reached the summit.
The two historic rivals met twenty feet in the air, balancing precariously on the top steps of the swaying steel ladder.
Punk threw a desperate, wild right hook. It caught Cena on the jaw.
Cena fired back, delivering a stiff punch that snapped Punk's head back.
Boo! the crowd yelled as Cena landed a strike.
Yay! they cheered as Punk returned fire.
Boo! Yay! Boo! Yay!
They traded heavy, exhausting blows at the top of the world. Below them, the other six competitors were slowly beginning to stir, realizing the match was slipping away.
Cena grabbed Punk by the hair, looking to smash his face into the top rung. Punk blocked it, delivering a sharp elbow to Cena's ribs. Punk reached up with his left hand, his fingers desperately grabbing the handle of the green briefcase, trying to yank it free with pure force.
Cena saw it. He reached up, his own hand clamping down firmly over Punk's hand on the exact same handle.
The ladder swayed violently under their shifting weight. Both men stared into each other's eyes, their hands locked on the ultimate prize, neither willing to let go, neither willing to surrender the future.
The heavy, metallic groaning of the steel ladder echoed through the Allstate Arena as John Cena and CM Punk shifted their weight, fighting for balance twenty feet above the canvas. Their hands were locked together in a desperate, white knuckled grip over the handle of the bright green briefcase. Neither man was willing to surrender an inch.
Punk realized he couldn't win a battle of pure strength against the Franchise. He let go of the handle, abandoning the prize for a fraction of a second, and drove a stiff, desperate headbutt straight into Cena's nose.
Cena blinked, momentarily blinded by the impact, his grip slipping from the briefcase. Punk followed up instantly, delivering a rapid-fire sequence of heavy right hands to Cena's jaw. The Chicago crowd roared with every strike, practically willing their hometown hero to knock Cena off the summit.
Punk grabbed Cena by the back of the neck, looking to smash his face into the top rung of the ladder. But Cena's legendary resilience flared to life. He blocked the attempt, planting his heavy boot on a lower rung for stability, and delivered a devastating right hook to Punk's ribs.
Punk gasped, his body folding slightly. Cena didn't give him a moment to recover. With a terrifying display of raw, unfiltered power, Cena ducked his head under Punk's arm, wrapped his thick bicep around Punk's leg, and hoisted the Second City Saint completely off the ladder, settling him squarely onto his shoulders.
"No! No, he can't do this!" Lawler shrieked, his voice cracking in absolute panic. "They are twenty feet in the air!"
"He's got him up for the Attitude Adjustment!" Cole screamed, jumping out of his chair. "For the love of god, John, don't do it! You're going to break his neck!"
Cena didn't hesitate. He locked his jaw, let out a booming shout of exertion, and threw his shoulders violently to the side, launching CM Punk off the top of the ladder!
Punk plummeted through the air, his arms flailing helplessly, and crashed spine first onto the unforgiving canvas with a sickening, heavy thud that made the packed stadium collectively gasp in horror.
"Holy smokes!" Booker T yelled, tearing his headset off. "Tell me he didn't just do that! That boy is broken in half!"
"That is what it takes!" JBL preached, a wicked grin spreading across his face. "You want the contract? You want the guaranteed championship? You have to be willing to end a man's career to get it!"
Cena stood alone at the top of the ladder, his chest heaving, his face covered in sweat. He reached his hand up, his fingers brushing the cool metal of the briefcase. But the physical exertion of the super Attitude Adjustment had drained his reserves. His legs trembled under him. Before he could unhook the carabiner, the ladder began to tilt violently.
Ezekiel Jackson had rolled back into the ring. The massive SmackDown powerhouse grabbed the base of the aluminum frame and forcefully shoved it forward.
Cena couldn't hold on. He rode the ladder down, diving off at the last possible second. He crashed shoulder-first into the top rope, tumbling awkwardly to the ringside floor.
Ezekiel let out a booming, guttural roar, beating his chest. He grabbed the fallen ladder, folding it shut, and tossed it carelessly out of the ring as if it weighed absolutely nothing. He wanted the ring clear. He wanted to inflict maximum punishment.
But as Ezekiel turned around, Mark Henry stepped through the ropes.
The World's Strongest Man locked eyes with the Guyanese Goliath. The crowd buzzed, sensing the impending collision of two absolute titans. They didn't exchange a single word. They simply lowered their heads and charged.
The impact sounded like two runaway freight trains colliding. Neither man gave an inch. They traded heavy, bare knuckle right hands in the center of the ring, abandoning all technique for sheer, brute force. Henry gained the upper hand, delivering a massive headbutt that staggered Ezekiel. Henry hit the ropes, building momentum, but Ezekiel caught him perfectly on the rebound, wrapping his thick arm around Henry's throat.
With a breathtaking display of raw power, Ezekiel lifted the four-hundred-pound Mark Henry off his feet and planted him with a devastating chokeslam!
The ring shook violently. Ezekiel stood over the fallen giant, flexing his massive biceps to the roaring crowd.
But Ezekiel's moment of dominance was cut short.
Rey Mysterio springboarded off the top rope with unbelievable agility, soaring through the air and catching Ezekiel around the neck with a flying hurricanrana. The momentum sent Ezekiel stumbling forward, his arms dropping over the middle rope in the perfect position.
Rey didn't miss a beat. He hit the opposite ropes, accelerating to top speed, and swung through, connecting with a flawless 619 directly to Ezekiel's jaw!
Ezekiel staggered backward, completely dazed. Before he could fall, Kofi Kingston appeared on the top turnbuckle. The high-flyer leaped halfway across the ring, delivering a spectacular diving crossbody that finally took the powerhouse down to the mat.
"Look at the teamwork from the high flyers!" Cole cheered. "Mysterio and Kingston working together to chop down the redwood!"
"That's a smart alliance, Michael, but it won't last!" JBL argued. "There are no friends in a Money in the Bank match!"
JBL was proven right instantly. As Kofi stood up, Rey Mysterio grabbed him from behind, looking for a quick roll-up, completely forgetting that pinfalls didn't matter. Realizing his mistake, Rey transitioned smoothly, kicking Kofi in the back of the knee and hitting a beautiful standing moonsault.
Kofi rolled out of the ring to catch his breath, leaving Rey alone in the squared circle.
Rey grabbed a fresh ladder from the outside, sliding it under the bottom rope. He dragged it to the center, quickly setting it up beneath the glowing green briefcase. He began to scramble up the rungs, his masked face fixed on the prize.
But the Ultimate Opportunist was waiting in the wings.
Edge slid into the ring with silent, predatory speed. He grabbed the ladder, violently yanking Rey Mysterio down by his ankles. Rey hit the mat hard, but popped right back up, throwing a wild right hand. Edge ducked the punch, kicked Rey in the gut, and hooked his arms, dropping him face-first into the canvas with a vicious Edgecution.
Edge looked up at the briefcase. A hungry, desperate look crossed his eyes. He had won the first-ever Money in the Bank match years ago. He knew exactly how much power rested inside that metal box.
He set his boot on the first rung.
Before he could take a step, Christian slid into the ring, tapping his best friend on the shoulder.
Edge spun around, his fists raised, ready to fight. But he lowered his guard when he saw it was his lifelong brother. Christian pointed up at the briefcase, then pointed at Edge, giving him a firm, determined nod. He stepped in front of the ladder, raising his fists to guard the climb, offering to protect Edge's back.
"Look at this!" Lawler said, a smile crossing his face. "Christian is willing to sacrifice his own opportunity to help his best friend secure the contract!"
"That is the bond of brotherhood!" Cole added.
Edge nodded his thanks, quickly ascending the ladder. He reached the halfway point, his eyes locked on the prize.
But the ring was suddenly invaded once again.
A bloodied, bruised CM Punk crawled under the bottom rope. His eyes were glazed over from the massive fall he had taken earlier, but he was operating on pure, unadulterated hometown adrenaline. Punk grabbed a steel folding chair that had been discarded near the turnbuckles.
Christian charged forward to stop him, but Punk swung the chair horizontally, connecting flush with Christian's ribs. Christian doubled over, gasping for air. Punk raised the chair again and brought it down hard across Christian's back, dropping Captain Charisma to the mat.
Edge looked down, realizing his protection was gone. He scrambled up the remaining rungs, desperately reaching for the carabiner.
Punk dropped the chair, grabbed the side of the ladder, and tipped it violently to the side.
Edge rode the steel down, but the veteran showed incredible ring awareness. Halfway through the fall, Edge leaped off the ladder, landing feet first on the top rope, and executed a breathtaking springboard crossbody that completely wiped out CM Punk!
The Allstate Arena absolutely erupted!
"What an incredible counter by the Rated-R Superstar!" Booker T shouted, jumping out of his seat. "The athleticism in this match is off the charts!"
Edge and Punk lay motionless on the canvas. The ringside area looked like a war zone. Mark Henry was buried under a pile of twisted aluminum near the announce desk. John Cena was still recovering near the barricade. Ezekiel Jackson was clutching his jaw on the floor.
Slowly, agonizingly, Christian pushed himself up to his hands and knees. He clutched his ribs where the chair had caught him, wincing with every breath. He looked around the ring, realizing that, for the first time all night, he was the only man standing.
Christian looked up at the glowing green briefcase. It hung there, a beacon of hope, promising a guaranteed World Championship match. A title he had chased for his whole career, constantly living in the shadow of his best friend.
Christian dragged the heavy steel ladder to the dead center of the ring. He locked the hinges carefully, making sure it was completely stable.
He put his boot on the first rung.
The Chicago crowd began to murmur, the anticipation swelling.
"Christian has a clear path!" Cole practically whispered, the tension bleeding into his voice. "He is the only man moving! This could be his moment!"
Christian took a slow, painful step up. Then another.
He reached the midpoint of the ladder.
Suddenly, a massive hand grabbed his ankle.
Christian looked down in horror. Mark Henry had returned from the dead. The World's Strongest Man had blood trickling down his forehead, his face twisted into a mask of pure, homicidal rage.
Henry didn't just pull Christian down. He ripped him off the ladder, tossing him over his shoulder like a sack of flour. Henry set his feet, looking to deliver the World's Strongest Slam.
But Christian fought back with everything he had left. He delivered a flurry of sharp, desperate elbows to the side of Henry's head. Henry's grip loosened just enough. Christian slid down the giant's back, landed on his feet, and delivered a swift, brutal kick to the back of Henry's knee.
Henry dropped to one knee. Christian bounced off the ropes, utilizing his speed, and hit a spectacular jumping tornado DDT that spiked the World's Strongest Man head first into the canvas!
The crowd roared their approval!
"Christian just took down the biggest threat in the match!" JBL shouted, genuine respect in his voice. "The veteran instincts of Captain Charisma are shining through tonight!"
Christian didn't stop to celebrate. He scrambled back up the ladder, moving with frantic urgency.
He reached the top. He stood twenty feet in the air, the bright arena lights shining down on his sweat soaked blonde hair. He reached his hand out, his fingers wrapping firmly around the thick black handle of the green briefcase.
But the match wasn't over yet. John Cena suddenly slid into the ring. The Franchise grabbed a second ladder, quickly setting it up right next to Christian's. Cena scrambled up the rungs with terrifying speed, meeting Christian at the summit. "Cena is not going to let it end this way!" Lawler yelled.
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Name: Alessandro Zhang
Age: 21 (2011)
Birthplace: Orlando, Florida, USA
Brand: WWE - RAW
Wrestling Style: Mixed Of All Styles
Faction: The Undisputed System
Championships History: 1x FCW Tag Team Champions, 1x FCW Florida Heavyweight Champion, 1x TNA World Heavyweight Champion, 1x TNA X Division Champion, 1x WWE United States Champion (1st - 376 days), 1x WWE Champion, & 1x World Heavyweight Champion
Other Achievements: 1x Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royale Winner, 1x Mr. Money In The Bank, Youngest WWE Champion, PWI Top 500 (No.1) - 2010, & 1x KOTR (2010)
Wrestlemania Record: 2 - 0 Main Event: 1 - 0