246. One Month Passed By

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The arena fell into stunned silence before erupting into a mix of boos and shock. Nick had done it. The bell rang, and the ring announcer, though hesitant, raised the microphone. "Ladies and gentlemen, here is your winner… and the inaugural FCW North American Champion… Nick Nemeth!"

Nick then slowly sat up, his body shaking with exhaustion. And the referee still feeling the impact of the trouble in paradise, handed him the championship belt after receiving it from the ringside, and he clutched it tightly, his breathing ragged.

Then a slow, cocky grin spread across his face as he looked at the title in his hand and looked out at the sea of jeering fans. He had won.

Sandro, still at ringside, didn't say a word. His expression was unreadable as he watched Nick slowly stand up and raise the belt high above his head, standing triumphantly over Kofi's fallen body.

Nick then turned toward Sandro, holding up the title and showing it to him. "What'd I tell you, huh? Didn't need to cheat! Didn't need your little babysitting job! I did it all on my own!"

Sandro said nothing. But the way his fingers tightened around the strap of his own title shows that he is trying his best to stay calm, because he knows what Nick has just said is the truth.

The tension in the arena was palpable as the fans awaited how Sandro would react. Then suddenly they saw Sandro get on the apron and enter into the ring, his FCW Florida Heavyweight Championship still slung over his shoulder.

Nick, who was still basking in his victory and just taunted Sandro, saw Sandro who enter into the ring. The moment Sandro entered, the energy changed. The cockiness in Nick's expression faltered as he realized Sandro wasn't just standing at ringside anymore, he was stepping right up to him.

Nick, breathing heavily and still sore from the grueling match, instinctively took a step back, his body tense. He wasn't in any condition to fight again, and he knew it. The bravado that had been plastered on his face just moments ago cracked, revealing the slightest hint of nervousness.

"What do you want, huh?" Nick blurted out, holding the North American Championship tightly against his chest as if Sandro was going to rip it away from him. "You can't do anything, and you know it." His voice was still smug, but there was an edge of defensiveness now.

Nick licked his lips, trying to steady his breath. "What I said before was the truth," he continued, his words directed at Sandro but loud enough for the fans to hear. "I won all three matches cleanly… because you made sure of it. You were out here, keeping things fair, making sure I didn't cheat. And guess what? I didn't. You might not like how it ended, but at the end of the day—" Nick lifted his title slightly, emphasizing his point "—I'm the legitimate champion."

The words hung in the air. The crowd, still buzzing from the shocking conclusion of the match, started murmuring. Some fans realized what Nick had just done, he had turned Sandro's own words from weeks ago back on him. This was eerily similar to when Sandro had spoken about how the first champion of any title had to be credible for it to matter.

Nick smirked again, feeling like he had backed Sandro into a corner with his logic. But then… nothing. Sandro didn't react. He didn't sneer. He didn't argue. He didn't scowl.

He just stood there, his expression unreadable, his dark eyes fixed on Nick.

Nick swallowed hard. The silence stretched on for what felt like an eternity, the arena holding its breath as they watched the two men, one victorious, one dominant in his own right, stand face to face in the ring while Kofi was still down.

Then, without a single word, Sandro slowly extended his hand.

The crowd gasped.

Nick looked down at the hand in shock. His eyebrows furrowed, suspicion clouding his face. Was this a trick? Was Sandro setting him up for something?

His eyes flickered up to meet Sandro's, searching for any sign of deception. But Sandro's face remained impassive, giving nothing away. There was no trap. No sneak attack waiting.

Just a simple, open hand.

Nick hesitated, glancing at the title in his grasp, then back at Sandro's hand. Slowly, very slowly, he reached out and took it. The two shook hands firmly, the crowd reacting in mixed fashion. Some fans cheered, acknowledging the sportsmanship. Others booed, feeling like Sandro had just betrayed his tag team partner and friend Kofi by showing respect to the man who had just defeated him.

Sandro finally spoke. "You deserve it," he said simply. His voice was calm, steady. Then, with a nod, he added, "Congratulations."

With that, Sandro released the handshake and turned away, walking over to Kofi, who was still groggy from the brutal Zig Zag. Sandro crouched down, checking on his best friend before helping him to his feet. Kofi, still dazed, leaned on Sandro for support as the two made their way out of the ring.

Nick, left standing in the center of the ring alone, was still processing what had just happened. The fans, too, seemed unsure of what to make of it. Had Sandro just given his approval? Had he acknowledged Nick as the rightful champion? And if so… what did that mean?

After a few moments, Nick shook off his thoughts, snapping back to the reality of the situation. His lips curled into a smirk again as he raised the FCW North American Championship high above his head. The crowd rained down boos, but he didn't care. This was his moment, and he was going to enjoy every second of it.

Backstage, FCW's official Twitter account was already buzzing with activity. Photos from the semifinals and the final match were being uploaded in real time, sparking intense discussion among the fans.

FCW Twitter posted, "Nick Nemeth has defied the odds and won the FCW North American Championship Tournament! What a match! Welcome your inaugural FCW North American champion!"

However, the real conversation exploded after the handshake between Sandro and Nick, which happened at the FCW Official Forum.

FCWhardcore12: "Did Sandro just shake Nick's hand?! WTF??"

WrestlingManiac002: "I think this is a hint that Sandro is turning heel. Why else would he shake the hand of the guy who just screwed over his best friend?"

SandroZhangBigFan: "It wasn't a screwjob, though. Nick won fair and square. If anything, Sandro is just staying true to what he's been preaching this whole time—making sure the system is fair. He might not like Nick, but he respects the win."

Joack675: "Nah, this felt off. Like, I get why Sandro did it, but it still didn't sit right. Kofi just lost a huge match, and his best friend is out here congratulating the guy who beat him? Feels weird."

WrestlingTrueObserver: "Sandro's playing the long game. Mark my words."

The speculation was rampant. Some fans felt betrayed by Sandro's sportsmanship, viewing it as a slap in the face to Kofi. Others saw it as a continuation of his mission to ensure fairness in FCW.

Meanwhile, Nick was reveling in the controversy. In a backstage interview that was posted to the FCW YouTube channel, he had an arrogant grin plastered on his face as he clutched his new championship. "People wanna act shocked that Sandro shook my hand, but let's be real, he had no choice. I did exactly what he's been preaching this whole time. I didn't cheat. I won fair and square. So yeah, he had to give me my props. That's just facts."

When asked about Kofi, Nick simply shrugged. "Hey, no hard feelings, man. He fought hard. But guess what? Second place doesn't get a championship and belongs in the sideline, just like how he was a sideline to Sandro all along."

As Nick strutted away, the camera lingered on his championship, making it clear, love him or hate him, he had cemented himself in FCW history. And whether Sandro's handshake was a sign of respect or something deeper… only time would tell.

After that, a month passed by, and the weight of the past month had settled into the very fabric of FCW, yet the echoes of Nick Nemeth's victory over Kofi Kingston in the FCW North American Championship Tournament still lingered in the minds of fans.

Though Sandro Zhang's handshake with Nick was just a moment in time, still sparked an inferno of speculation even though a mouth had passed by. Was it respect? A strategic move? Or was it a sign of something more?

Yet, while the fans speculated and debated, Sandro moved forward. In the four weeks since that night, he had been an unrelenting force in the ring, defending his FCW Florida Heavyweight Championship week after week against formidable challengers.

Yamamoto, Manu, Johnny Curtis, and Ryan Braddock, all had stepped up, and all had fallen. Each title defense had further cemented Sandro's dominance, and with each passing week, one thing became painfully clear to the FCW fans, that Sandro Zhang was unstoppable.

But his dominance wasn't just in his win record and successful defenses. His Downfall DDT had become the most brutal finisher in the eyes of the fans. No one had kicked out of it. Not once. Fans even had started calling it "The Guillotine", emphasizing its deadly precision. When Sandro hit it, the match was over.

Yet, for all his success, Sandro remained had suddenly becomes enigmatic. He rarely engaged in lengthy promos, speaking only when necessary, and though his actions still aligned with his philosophy of fairness and fight against the corrupt system with his wealth, the fans sensed a shift in his demeanor but they didn't know what, as he still acted the same as before after the introduction of his new persona.

While Sandro's dominance reigned supreme, the rest of FCW was undergoing its own transformations. Rebecca Knox, the reigning FCW Divas Champion, had followed in Sandro's footsteps, defending her title every week against FCW female wrestlers and female local talents, proving that she was every bit the champion she claimed to be.

Her matches had drawn increasing attention, with fans and insiders alike noting that she might be the most technically proficient and hard hitting woman in FCW's history.

The FCW Tag Team Championship meanwhile had undergone a major shake up. After months of dominance since defeating Dragok Boom to become the tag champs, Tyler Black and Jon Moxley lost the titles to Beer Money Inc., James Storm and Bobby Roode, in a brutal showdown. But it wasn't just the loss that stunned fans, it was what came after their loss.

The moment the bell rang, and the titles were handed to Beer Money, Moxley who sat in disbelief, stood up and ran his hands through his face. While Black, on the other hand, was eerily still.

Then, without warning, he approached Moxley from behind and hit a low blow. Moxley collapsed to his knees, gasping in pain. The audience erupted in a chorus of shock and outrage as Black grabbed him, lifted him up, and drove him into the mat with Paroxysm and then hit a Phoenix splash to seal the deal.

The betrayal was absolute. Fans condemned Black as he stood over Moxley, his face expressionless, his eyes dark. He didn't taunt. He didn't celebrate. He simply left the ring, ignoring the jeers as he walked up the ramp, never looking back.

The fallout from this betrayal was still fresh, and with Moxley will be hellbent on revenge, the landscape of FCW was more unpredictable than ever.

Meanwhile, eerie occurrences had begun taking place on FCW's titantron. Over the last two weeks, the screen would randomly flicker to life during shows, displaying quick, distorted images of Bray Wyatt and Forest, intercut with static. No explanation had been given. No one knew what it meant. But fans knew Bray Wyatt was up to something, and whatever it was… it was coming.

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Name: Alessandro Zhang

Age: 19 (2009)

Birthplace: Orlando, Florida USA

Brand: FCW

Wrestling Style: Mixed Of All Style

Faction: Dragon Boom (Tag Team)

Championship History: 1x FCW Tag Team Champions & 1 FCW Florida Heavyweight Champion