Forged By Violence agrees to sit down and talk with The Doom Bringers!

Before battling over the HPW Trios Championships, the champions agree to a meeting with their challengers. Will they keep from fighting it out right here?

Iron Knuckle and the Darknuts wait inside The Storytelling Bird.

It seems to be a popular pub in the Passeri Greenbelt in Central Hyrule. FBV have seats at a table, and Iron Knuckle watches the door. After a moment, a new group enters the pub, and it’s the Doom Bringers. “About time,” Knuckle says as he gets up. “I’m almost on my third glass.” Knuckle orders another round of Gnarled Root and some for his “friends.” At least, Knuckle hopes they’re still friends on some level. The Doom Bringers sit with FBV, each team taking a side of the table.

Knuckle wants Doomknocker to talk things over with him. Back at Clash of Fates, and ever since then, Knocker’s trying to make this like Knuckle abandoned them. Is that what Knocker told Darkhammer and Gooma to get them to follow him? Is Knuckle calling him a liar? No, but it seems Knocker was misinformed and then spread that misinformation.

When HPW came looking around, “they talked to everybody.” Hagie of Skull Lake Wrestling, Shabonne of Mesa League Wrestling, Joute of Necluda Wrestling Swamp, and even Selmie of Hebra Wrestling Heights. They all had great things to say about all four of them, even “The Duchess of Downhill” Selmie. If HPW didn’t send them an invite to the tryouts, that’s not his fault. “Was I supposed to just give up on my chance to do something for me and mine?”

Knocker says Knuckle could’ve vouched for them. Knuckle wants Knocker to stop fooling himself. HPW brought in those they were most interested in. “I love you guys to death, you know that. But if you didn’t make an impression on their guys, that’s on you.” They always talked personal responsibility, didn’t they? Knuckle knows Knocker would say the same thing if the tables were turned. And if not, Knocker is either lying to himself, or he’s the one who’s changed.

Alright, Knocker will give him that. But Knocker wants Knuckle to admit something, too. “Admit that once you moved up to the big time, you moved on from us. Admit that you focused 100% on yourself, never even thinking about those of us that got left out.” What is Knocker even talking about? Knuckle didn’t focus just on himself, he’s literally sitting here with Red and Blue as Trios Champions. That doesn’t mean Knuckle isn’t just using the Nuts for his own purposes. Well, is Knocker using Gooma and Hammer for the same thing? It sounds like Knocker is the only one with a problem.

Hammer speaks up to say Knuckle is wrong there. They wouldn’t be with Knocker if they didn’t agree and see things the same way. Gooma speaks up to say he agrees, too. The Darknuts may be following Knuckle as a leader, but Gooma and Darkhammer each went to Knocker with the same feelings. “Exactly,” Knocker says. “And as such, we have a proposal of sorts. FBV, Forged By Violence, is a strong name and a bold claim. But you need to back it up.” HyruleMania is gonna be epic, massive, gigantic, “the whole thesaurus for ‘big friggin’ deal.'” Knocker wants Knuckle and the Nuts to agree to make their Trios match on the same level.

Knocker asks, “You remember how they love to do it at Skull Lake, right?” Knuckle does. “Then you know, it has to be to the last man. We want an elimination Trios match. It doesn’t end just because I pin you or you pin me. Red Nut, Blue Nut, Hammer and Gooma, they gotta earn it just as much as we do.” What does Knuckle say? Knuckle looks to the Nuts and they nod. Challenge accepted! All they have to do is tell management now. But maybe after the drinks, now that the six glasses have arrived. The six toast to their agreement! Can Knocker still knock ’em back? Why do you think that’s his name? The two trios have eased the tensions for now, but will it only mean things get intense at HyruleMania?

My Thoughts:

Time to make the Trios match even bigger! And if there’s any parallels in the Doomknocker story with Iron Knuckle to how AEW did Eddie Kingston and Jon Moxley, I didn’t intend that. I know Clash of Fates was Halloween, but wrote Knocker into this long before Kingston and Moxley had their great character work going into Full Gear.