249. The Show Goes On

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He looked towards Sandro, who was still at the top of the ramp, his breathing heavy as he listened."Sandro Zhang is in no condition to defend his title tonight," Dusty stated, his tone leaving no room for argument. "And until we get an official statement from the medical team, his title defenses are postponed."

The crowd immediately erupted into boos. They wanted to see their champion fight. They wanted to see him bounce back and take down Bray Wyatt for what he had done to him and his friends.

Sandro, acting like he was still in pain, managed to let out a hidden smirk at the crowd's reaction. Even when beaten down, they still believed in him. Looks like he has made them support him completely which is very good.

Dusty held up a hand, signaling for the crowd to let him finish. "Look, I know y'all don't like it, and trust me, I don't like it either. But this is about the well being of our talent. Sandro needs to be at a hundred percent before he gets back in that ring."

More boos, but some of the crowd understood.

Dusty sighed again. "Now, let's get back to business," he said before lowering the mic and walking through the curtain, allowing the show to continue.

Backstage, the atmosphere was completely different from the chaos outside. The moment the cameras were off, the tension faded, replaced by mutual respect and camaraderie.

Sandro, now seated on a medical bench, still acting as he rubbed at his jaw like it was still sore while glancing across the room. Kofi and Taylor had stopped acting unconscious and were getting checked over by the medical staff. They were well awake, but they still felt sore and a bit of pain from the beatdown.

Then, the door opened, and in walked Bray Wyatt, Erick Rowan, and Luke Harper. Bray's usual eerie expression was gone, replaced by an easygoing grin as he walked over to Sandro and clapped a hand on his shoulder.

"That," Bray said, shaking his head with admiration, "was one hell of a show we just put out there man."

Sandro chuckled acting like he was fighting through the pain that he actually never felt. "You sure as hell made me work for it."

Bray let out a warm laugh before sitting down beside him. "Man, the way you controlled that crowd? The way you carried yourself in that promo? That's something special."

Erick and Luke, who had been standing back, both nodded.

"Damn right it was," Harper said, crossing his arms. "We've been around for some years, worked all over the indies, but I ain't never seen two who was still considered rookies—" he gestured between Sandro and Bray, "—who can own a crowd like that."

Rowan, usually the quieter one, added, "Your psychology's on another level. Both of you, and to see it firsthand in the ring was a great sight."

Sandro shook his head with a grin. "You guys ain't exactly slouches yourselves. The way y'all carried that whole segment just by standing there and saying nothing? It felt… real. The way the crowd reacted seeing two big men at Bray's beck and call, man, that's magic."

Bray leaned forward, rubbing his hands together. "And that's why this business is beautiful, man. That's why we do this. We like the adrenaline and also playing a character that not just interests us, but others as well."

Sandro, still acting as if he was fighting through the pain, smirked. "Well, you certainly got their attention. And now? Now they see the Wyatt Family as a real damn threat."

Luke Harper chuckled, shaking his head. "Man, they were eating it up out there. They hate us, but they have no choice but to believe in us."

Kofi, now sitting up on one of the benches while a medic wrapped tape around his wrist, let out a low whistle. "I ain't gonna lie, that was one hell of a way to introduce yourselves. Y'all didn't just show up, you made a huge statement and I git the end of the bad stick for that."

Taylor, still rubbing his neck from the clothesline he ate from Harper, groaned. "Yeah, you guys really know how to throw hands. I think I might've seen my soul leave my body for a second after that discus lariat."

Bray let out a loud laugh and patted Taylor's shoulder. "That's the point, my brother. That's how we do things. And Sandro…" He turned back toward the champion and his best friend, his expression one of genuine appreciation. "You, my friend, are the special ingredient."

Meanwhile, FCW's fanbase had already flooded Twitter and the FCW Official Forum, despite the fact that the show wasn't even over yet and it was just the opening of the show that ended.

Not many words were needed to be said, everyone was already talking about the moment. Bray Wyatt just debuted his family showing it to the world, and he's coming for Sandro's title.

The Wyatt Family DOMINATED tonight. Sandro, Kofi, and Taylor got absolutely wrecked. Dusty Rhodes just postponed Sandro's title defenses indefinitely. This beatdown must've been worse than we thought.

The discussion then quickly turned into a debate. Should Sandro be stripped of the FCW Florida Heavyweight Championship?

Some fans believed that since Sandro was unable to defend his title, he should vacate it. Others, however, were adamant that he deserved a chance to recover before any decisions were made.

"Sandro is a fighting champion. He shouldn't be punished for getting jumped by three guys at once."

"If he can't defend the title, they should crown an interim champ!"

The controversy only fueled the hype even more. The Wyatt Family had done more than just debut, they had thrown the entire FCW title picture into uncertainty.

Back in the ring, the action moved forward as FCW's next match was set to begin.

Tyler Black made his entrance, looking focused as he prepared for his singles match against Scotty Goldman. The match was fast paced, with Tyler dominating most of it, showing off his athleticism and technical prowess.

But then, the crowd erupted as Jon Moxley stormed down the ramp. He had come for payback. Moxley attacked Tyler, tackling him to the mat and throwing wild punches. The referee had no choice but to call for the bell, ruling the match a no contest.

Tyler, however, wasn't one to back down. He fought back, throwing elbows and managing to shove Moxley away. Thinking fast, Tyler grabbed Scotty Goldman, shoving him toward the enraged Moxley like a human shield.

Moxley, caught in the heat of the moment, flattened Scotty with his finisher Moxicity.

Tyler capitalized.

As Moxley turned, he was met with a devastating superkick straight to the jaw, followed by a Paroxysm that left him laid out in the middle of the ring.

Tyler stood tall, breathing heavily, looking down at Moxley with a smirk.

This war between them?

Far from over.

Following the chaos of the previous segment, it was time for a championship match.

Nick, who had spent a month avoiding defending his title, was finally being forced into the ring. His opponent? Eric Young.

From the start, it was clear that Nick wasn't interested in fighting fair. At a crucial moment in the match, Nick began untying the turnbuckle cover, causing the referee to get distracted as he tried to fix it.

With the official's back turned, Nick seized the moment, a swift low blow to Eric Young!

The crowd booed furiously as Nick capitalized, hitting the Zig Zag before making the cover.

One… Two… Three!

Nick retained his championship.

The smirk on his face as he walked up the ramp made it clear, he had no shame in how he got the win.

Next up, FCW's Tag Team Champions, Beer Money Inc., James Storm and Bobby Roode, headed to the ring for a promo.

Holding their FCW Tag Team titles, the duo stood in the ring with cocky grins as Storm raised the mic.

"We're the best damn tag team in the business," he declared. "And we're about to prove it."

Bobby Roode smirked, stepping forward. "We're not just gonna defend these titles, we're gonna take this to the next level. We're gonna go back to TNA, win the TNA Tag Team Titles back from the main event mafia, and become double tag team champs."

The arena erupted.

Wait, what?!

No one had expected this.

FCW and TNA working together? That wasn't just big, it was history making.

Backstage, the shock was just as real.

Most of the roster had no idea this was happening. But in the gorilla position? Dusty Rhodes and Steve Keirn exchanged satisfied grins.

They had been planning this move for weeks.

And behind the scenes, Stephanie McMahon had already signed off on it, partially because she knew she could sell it to Vince McMahon using one key fact, that the idea had come from Sandro Zhang.

Sandro, the son of the Nexum Core CEO Jack Zhang, had pitched the Forbidden Door concept a long time ago alongside the War Games Pay Per View idea.

And now?

It was happening.

As soon as Beer Money's promo ended, the internet exploded.

TNA vs. FCW?

A cooperation opening between two companies? Where one of them was the developmental brand of WWE, which was famous for not acknowledging other companies outside of WWE?

Beer Money going after the TNA Tag Titles while holding FCW gold?

No one could believe it.

This was more than just another storyline, this was a shift in the industry. And behind the scenes, Sandro was grinning when he heard this bombshell of announcement. He didn't expect Dusty and Steve to do this behind his back, and working with TNA is a great way to bring more views to FCW on the domestic level.

Later that night, long after the final bell had rung and the arena lights had dimmed, FCW's official YouTube channel dropped an exclusive backstage interview with the reigning Florida Heavyweight Champion, Sandro Zhang.

The video began with the camera cutting to the medical room's hallway, the door swinging open as Sandro stepped out, his title on his shoulder. His usual confident stride was slower, more measured. He was still acting, selling the pain from earlier in the night, subtly pressing a hand against his ribs and rolling his neck as if shaking off the lingering stiffness from the Wyatt Family's assault.

The interviewer, a young man with a concerned expression, immediately approached.

"Sandro, can we get a word with you?"

Sandro let out a breath, as if reluctant, but nodded.

The interviewer wasted no time. "First and foremost, how are you feeling after what happened earlier tonight? The FCW Universe is dying to know about your condition, and of course, the condition of Kofi Kingston and Taylor Rotunda."

Sandro ran a hand through his hair, letting the moment breathe before answering. His voice was low, measured, carrying the weight of everything that had happened.

"I won't lie to you, man," he began, eyes locking onto the camera. "I feel like I got hit by a damn truck."

He paused, adjusting the FCW title slung over his shoulder. "But after getting checked out by the doctors, they told me I'm good to go. Medically cleared."

The fans watching at home would breathe a sigh of relief at that news, but Sandro's expression darkened slightly before he continued.

"Kofi and Taylor weren't so lucky."

The interviewer's face fell.

"The Wyatt Family didn't just send a message tonight, they took two of my brothers out," Sandro continued, voice now laced with something deeper. A restrained fury. "Taylor and Kofi got the worst of it. The doctors told me they're gonna be out for a couple of weeks. Maybe a month."

The camera zoomed in on Sandro's face as his jaw clenched. He then turned, looking directly into the lens, as if speaking to Bray Wyatt himself.

"This ain't over." His voice was steady, but there was an undercurrent of intensity. "Bray Wyatt and his little family… they don't fight like men. They rely on numbers. Cheap shots. But here's the thing, Bray, you better start watching your back, because I'm coming for you."

He leaned in slightly, his expression deadly serious. "You think you broke me? Nah, man. You just pissed me off. So I hope you and your weird little cult have eyes in the back of your heads, because I will get my revenge." With that, Sandro adjusted his title one last time before walking off, leaving the interviewer standing there, speechless.

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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