EWA Exclusive - Finlay's Civil War Reaction

“Lambeg” blasts over the P/A system and after a few moments, Fit Finlay slowly walks out from behind the curtain with the National Championship around his waist to a thunderous ovation from the crowd in San Diego. Finlay stands on the stage a moment and places his hands in his hips. He scans the capacity crowd from left to right. He shakes his head.-- obviously overwhelmed by the adulation he is receiving. It is one of the loudest sustaining roars in the history of the EWA.

SCOTT STANFORD: Here comes the EWA National Champion, Fit Finlay, DW! This guy may be the most popular man in the building tonight! And after the show of guts we witnessed from him during the Civil War match, I could see why! I can barely hear myself talk, Don!

DON WEST: I don't understand why these people are showering this gut with such adulation! Sure, he had an awesome showing-- lasting from the number one entrant, over an hour, all the way to the end… only to LOSE!

SCOTT STANFORD: Give me a break, DW! If it wasn't for the members of The Horde, Finlay very well may be the number one contenders for the EWA World Heavyweight Championship!

DON WEST: It doesn't matter how he lost, he lost! These people are cheering for a loser!

SCOTT STANFORD: You're an idiot...

Finlay makes his way down the ramp with a grin on his face. The roar of support from the EWA faithful continues as Finlay walks around the ring shaking hands and mingling with the fans in the first couple of rows. Finlay slowly makes ascends the shell ring steps and walls across the apron. He stood just before he enters the ring and looks back at the crowd. It doesn't seem possible, but the fans get even louder.

SCOTT STANFORD: Still think he's a loser, DW!?

DON WEST: Yes! I never said he wasn't likeable, I said he lost!

SCOTT STANFORD: Why don't you go into the ring and call him a loser to his face?

DON WEST: I'm not that stupid...

Finlay steps through the ropes and into the ring. He walks over and takes the microphone from the outstretched hand of the timekeeper. Finlay travels to the center of the ring. The music cuts now. The fans take this opportunity to shower Finlay with more adulation. The sustaining roar becomes louder and more lengthy. Finlay tries to raise the microphone to his lips, but the fans won't allow him to speak. Finlay seems overwhelmed as he turns to admire the capacity crowd. Chants of “Marathon Man,” “Finlay,” and “He's our guy!” break out over the span of the next several minutes. Finlay stands and takes it all in. He even wipes a tear from his eye.

SCOTT STANFORD: Finlay has been standing in the ring for over five minutes!! The crowd here in San Diego loves him much that their cheering is hindering him from speaking!

DON WEST: Well, they do love losers here... this is the home of the Padres after all!

SCOTT STANFORD: Will you stop!?

After another few moments, Finlay is finally able to get a word in between the shower of cheers.

FIT FINLAY: You guys are overwhelming. Thank you!

Another minute or so passes with more cheering. Finlay raises the microphone to his lips again. He has an expression on his face of sheer determination.

FIT FINLAY: For all the energy you have given me over the last eight months, I'll never be able to properly give all of it back to you. But what I can do is stand here in the center of this ring, look all of you in the eye, and promise you this; I WILL be the EWA World Heavyweight Champion. I don't know how, and I don't know when-- but it's going to happen. While my son was sick, I promised him I would end my career at the top of this business, and now I'm promising all of YOU. I know my window is small. I know I'm sixty-one years old. I know there's a lot of people who are thinking “it's not going to happen.” I will... regardless of how Civil War ended... I will be EWA World Heavyweight Champion!!

SCOTT STANFORD: He's the man who never gives up, DW! He's our Rocky Balboa!

DON WEST: He's delusional!! And so are you and these people!!

The crowd erupts at Finlay's vow. Finlay waits and continues.

FIT FINLAY: I couldn't be more proud of the run that I had in Civil War. I couldn't be more honoured to be the EWA National Champion-- a fighting champion, and a representative of this great company. And even though I lost Civil War, I went the distance. Here very soon I'll be going the distance again, but there will be one monumental difference this time; I'll be crossing the finish line at the end of the race before anyone else. That includes you... Marty Scurll...

The crowd erupts in boos as Finlay's expression becomes more serious. He moves slightly side to side in the ring.

FIT FINLAY: You see, Marty. I'm old school. I come from an era of men who handled their own business - men who respected professional wrestling. These guys respected the veterans, plied their craft with honor, and wiped their feet before they entered the ring because they respected the canvas of which they plied their craft. I've talked about this before. It's a different time. I realize things have changed. However, I have not changed. I believe if it wasn't for your Horde, the outcome of Civil War may have been different. In fact, I KNOW it would have been different. And that's not something I'm prepared to let you slide on. The old school way at its core is that if two people have an issue they should deal with it directly. So, with that being said, I think it's time we have a little chat, Marty. So, if you have the balls, show me you're a man.. come down to this ring, right now, and we will handle this the right way!!

SCOTT STANFORD: Finlay has just called out the winner of Civil War, Marty Scurll! And I think he has a legitimate point! Let's see how much of a man Marty really is!

DON WEST: Finlay better be careful what he wishes for!!

Finlay tosses the microphone to the with his arms outstretched waiting for Marty to answer the challenge. Suddenly there's some frantic commotion coming from the audience as Jay White jumps the barricade and slides in the ring behind Finlay! Finlay is a bit confused. He figures out the commotion is coming from behind him. Finlay turns just in time for Jay White to blindside him-- knocking Finlay to the mat below with a sickening thud. Jay puts the boots to Finlay. Finlay backs away, crawling from the attack and tries to shove Jay away, but Jay is right back on him. He stomps Finlay down into the corner now. His attack is relentless. Jay has a sadistic look on his face! The crowd is in a frenzy of boos!

SCOTT STANFORD: Finlay was expecting Marty Scurll but Jay White has jumped the security rail and attacked Finlay from behind... AGAIN! just like he did at Civil War!

DON WEST: Jay White is sending a message! He wants the national championship!

Jay ceases his assault on Finlay and waves toward the dressing room-- imploring someone to come out to the ring! When nobody comes out Jay looks a bit confused. He doesn't want to give Finlay too much time to recover. He glanced back at the entrance way a couple of times and then moves back over to Finlay in order to continue his onslaught. Finlay explodes from the corner and tackles Jay to the mat below! Jay tries to cover up, but Finlay is pummeling the younger Jay White mercilessly! The crowd is going nuts! Jay pushes Finlay off of him and gets to his feet. He takes Finlay's eyes Finlay stands to his feet as well. Jay goes for the Switchblade, but Finlay spins into a German suplex! Finlay is a house of fire now! This spikes Jay on his head! Finlay continues the assault with a flurry of kicks and punches to a downed Jay White! Finlay picks Jay up, TOMBSTONE!! Finlay pulls a dead weight Jay White up by his hair like he is a small child. He scoops him up. ANOTHER TOMBSTONE!! Finlay grabs Jay white by the hair once more. He pulls him off the mat and picks him up in a powerbomb position! Finlay charges and throws Jay White from the ring to the floor! Jay slams against the floor with a thud! The crowd has been going crazy this whole time!! EWA doctors are now coming down and tending to Jay! Finlay stares down at Jay with rage in his eyes! He shouts!

FIT FINLAY: That's for David you bloody piece of garbage!

Finlay points over the top and down to Jay!

SCOTT STANFORD: Finlay just destroyed Jay White! He powerbombed him from the ring to the floor after a pair of tombstone piledrivers! My god! Finlay just got revenge for his son!

DON WEST: That was overkill, this guy is a madman!!

The crowd’s attention is suddenly drawn away from Finlay’s challenge and redirected to the EWAtron at the top of the ramp. We see a live shot of two familiar bodies lying motionless on the locker room floor.

DON WEST: That’s… that’s the Guerillas of Destiny!

SCOTT STANFORD: Two known associates of Jay White!

DON WEST: Finlay has just seen off White, but it looks like someone else has gotten to Jay’s buddies.

Finlay stands there, shocked by what he’s seen. He begins to look around for signs in the arena of any foul play.

SCOTT STANFORD: And from the look on Finlay’s face, I don’t think he knows what’s going on either!

Suddenly, the lights go out in the arena. Some in the crowd cheer, some in the crowd scream. A few moments pass. Seconds that feel like minutes. The lights come back on, and…

...The Reaper. Standing mid-ring, in his trenchcoat with the hood up. Staring a hole through the Northern Irishman.

Finlay turns around quickly to be met with a vicious running European uppercut that nearly takes his head off!

DON WEST: It’s not Marty Scurll, but The Reaper will have to do!

SCOTT STANFORD: Don’t let The Reaper hear you say that, Don.

The Reaper takes the hood down on his trenchcoat-esque jacket and sets to work on Finlay, stomping down on his fallen body. Finlay rolls to his feet but staggers as the former Gabriel launches left and right hooks. Finlay begins to fight back, retaliating with some punches of his own, but he’s clearly still rattled by the uppercut as The Reaper resumes control.

Finlay backs into a corner as The Reaper continues his assault. The Reaper launches some more punches, before backing off to the centre of the ring… and launching himself at full-speed at Finlay! NO! Finlay has enough about him to lift a boot, using The Reaper’s pace against him as his foot connects with The Reaper’s face. The Reaper staggers back, as Finlay recovers enough to launch a running attack of his own. Clothesline! It doesn’t connect! The Reaper ducks the right arm, seemingly accidentally, and Finlay is left in no-man’s land. Finlay turns around… and straight into the path of another european uppercut! Finlay is rocked as he hits the ground, hard.

The Reaper takes to the turnbuckle, and readies himself. Finlay slowly and tentatively gets up and onto his feet, and… FALL OF GRACE! The Reaper comes crashing down with an almighty flying uppercut off the turnbuckle, connecting with Finlay’s jaw!

The Reaper picks himself up and walks over to the dropped National Championship. He looks into the gold… before throwing it back down at the felled Finlay. The Reaper places his right foot on top of the belt laid across Fit, and stares out into the crowd.

SCOTT STANFORD: A show of dominance from The Reaper!

DON WEST: And a message from Marty Scurll and The Horde, without a doubt!

The Reaper leaves the ring and makes his way to the back, his statement of intent made clear.