For the first-time ever, the Pride Championship will be fought for in a 4 Corners Elimination Match! Next Saturday at Above & Beyond II, Chris Bond and "The Rogue" Michael Tomkins, as well as FRONTIER'S Andreas Lasiewicz and "The Welsh Dragon" Michael Hopkins, will do battle for the vacant championship.
J.T. Cash was originally scheduled to defend his Pride Championship against Michael Tomkins. But Cash was injured at the hands on Lasiewicz during this past Sunday's FRONTIER vs FGA 2 show. The unspecified injury was so severe that not only did Cash have to bow out of the match, but he had to vacate his championship as well.
With the Pride Championship Match up in the air, FGA Officials were quick to come up with a solution during the past 24 hours. Their solution? The 4 Corners Elimination Match.
Tomkins keeps his spot in the match. Lasiewicz was chosen for this match due to him being the one to put Cash on the shelf. Hopkins has been inserted in this match due to his dominant performance over Tomkins at FRONTIER vs FGA 2. And of course, the most surprising name to be added to this list is Chris Bond.
Bond has been M.IA. since he unsuccessfully challenged for Chris Q's FGA Championship at All-Star Showdown II back in June. The last words we heard from Bond were of him doubting himself. Should he have taken that drink? Should he have thrown his morals out the window in favor of chasing championship glory. But Bond has not only stuck to his guns, but he's now back and ready to compete at a high level. In the eye's of FGA Officials, Bond's story of redemption and his inspirational journey embodies what Pride is all about. So it was only natural for the "Battle Hardened" legend to be selected for this match.
Will FRONTIER once again be able to get one over on FGA - this time by taking a championship as well? Will Tomkins succeed at his plan to make history? Or will Bond come one step closer to redemption? We'll found out next Saturday at Above & Beyond II.
