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Salem soared over the ropes, taking flight like the man who's symbol he wore to take on this 'Doomsday' of a man, crashing into him with great force to knock GQ senseless into the barricade! The crowd cheered, chanting Salem's name as he got up to his feet, pulling himself to a vertical base from the security rail as fans patted him along ringside.

A little rattled, but no more worse for wear, Salem was briefly thankful for his opponent's size as it absorbed much of the impact from his death-defying stunt. Whipping his shirt off, Salem worked the fans around him into a frenzy as he threw his tee into the crowd and let out an Indian battle cry, running forward to boot the dazed GQ across the side of his head!

A large portion of the crowd gasped as Salem's boot connected with Question's cranium, the majority cheering to see the "Most Wanted Man in Wrestling" not showing any ring rust in his return to the squared circle. Instead, he was on the offensive, making sure to target GQ's head to keep the big man as disoriented as possible. He'd need to take advantage of everything, from his health to his environment, to overcome the sheer size and strength of the titan he was currently entangled with.

Taking GQ by the wrist, Salem would use an excessive amount of power to hoist GQ up to a vertical base, going slightly red in the face as he sought to whip GQ into the nearest set of ring steps, the top-right corner of the ring!

Salem managed to get GQ into the steps, but was startled as he witnessed the walrus of a man catch himself! Rushing forward to try and hammer him back into helplessness, Salem would be stopped dead in his tracks as the giant turned around, running right into him!

The crowd gasped as the wind was taken from both their sails and Salem's lungs, the M.W. Deuce going wide-eyed as he was crushed between a rock and a hard place. Coughing, Salem momentarily went limp, struggling to lift his arms after the numbing impact into the steel post!

Salem felt his ribs expanding, but more from GQ backing away rather than him finally being able to inflate his lungs. No sooner than he got a breath, though, would GQ start strangling him, legs kicking and hands clawing to free himself in desperation. Blood being choked off in his brain, he could only hear the referee as though he were underwater...

"...Six! ...Seven!"

Salem choked on oxygen as he was rolled into the ring, oblivious to the fact he was seconds away from being disqualified. Grasping at his throat, Salem struggled to sit up as he coughed, feeling as though a python had just been knotted around his neck!

Salem wasn't able to catch his breath but for a moment as GQ pulled him up and pushed him down into the top rope, throat-first. Gagging, Salem's legs flailed beneath him as he grasped the top with both hands, feeling his strength start to go out. In a desperate effort, "The Copperhead" would tug the rope down just enough to duck his head out, collapsing to a seated position to try and whip GQ with the cable on the recoil!

Salem sparked life into the crowd with his last-ditch effort, struggling to pull himself up as GQ was both startled and stunned by the unorthodox counter to his equally unorthodox attack. The crowd clapping Salem up to his feet, he'd only just get his feet beneath him before using his gathered strength to jump and hit GQ with a Pelé Kick, hoping to knock him off his feet as he went limp to the mat!