RWK: Democracy Rules

**Democracy Rules (2017)** is a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by Royal Wrestling Kingdom. It took place on August 17th, 2017, at the Ricoh Coliseum in Toronto, Canada. It is the first event under the **Democracy Rules**chronology. Eight professional wrestling matches were scheduled on the event's card.

In the main event, Christopher Jordan defeated Michael Kelly in a Ladder match for the RWK European Championship. During the match, Jordan pushed the ladder over while Kelly was at the top, resulting in Kelly falling and hitting his head on the top turnbuckle, Jordan then left the ring, grabbing a kendo stick and hand cuffs. Jordan cuffed Kelly to the bottom rope, followed by hitting him countless times with the kendo stick. Jordan then climbed the ladder and retrieved his RWK European Championship. The event received overall positive reviews from fans and critics alike.

## Production

### **Background**

Democracy Rules was the ninth event held by Royal Wrestling Kingdom and is controlled by the fans as the fans get the opportunity to vote on various different things surrounding the event, including voting on the match stipulations for every match on the card. Democracy Rules also hosts the beginning of the road to the Lion's Crown, a crown that rewards the holder with an RWK Imperial Championship match at any time, as long as they inform management one month before an event. Democracy Rules hosts a 4 v 4 tag team match, resulting in the winning team facing off in a fatal four-way at the next event RWK: Last Rites, the winner of that fatal four-way claims the Lion's Crown, the fans votes for the captains of both teams. It is considered one of RWK's bigger shows, placing it in the category of an A show. The offical theme song for the show was Revolution Radio by Green Day.

## Event

### **Preliminary Matches**

The event opened with a quick run-down of the event's upcoming matches by the RWK broadcast team, James O'Connell and Vincent Baker, in order to hype the crowds watching by livestream for the event. Fireworks were also set off after the event's opening video package to hype the live crowds.

Before the opening match, Nova Taylor made her way down to the ring. Taylor commented on her injury and revealed she won't be wrestling for awhile, but she is the new RWK ring announcer.

In the opening match of the night, The Red King faced Brad Adams in a Lion's Den match. During the match, Brad Adams reversed The Iron Branch by shining a bright torch in the face of The Red King, stunning the beast, Adams took advantage and hit a cutter, followed by the pinfall for the win.

In the second match of the night, Frankie Highwood (w/ Maria Stafford) faced Joseph Diamond in a kendo stick on a pole match. During the match, Frankie Highwood and Joseph Diamond put on a soap opera as Highwood pretended he was stabbed by the kendo stick, Diamond would fall down and drape his arm over Highwood to claim the victory. Following the match, the two men celebrated together.

Following the aftermath of the last match, the show cuts to a cryptic video revealing the debut of a new signee at RWK: Last Rites.

In the third match of the night, Kameron Kalmar faced Arno Frye in a Fans Bring the Weapons match. During the match, Kalmar hit Frye with the Cranium Driver onto a pile of lego, to claim the victory.

Before the Lion's Crown Tag Team match Azrael & El Pecador are revealed as the team captains, also due to a backstage attack by the frustrated Ryan Vendetta, Alex Valander was removed from the match, resulting in Team Azrael only having three members.

In the fourth match of the night, Team Azrael (Azrael, Aleks Grayson & Slate Bass) faced Team Pecador (El Pecador, Chris Young, Ryder Parks & Al Blizzard) in a Three vs. Four Lion's Crown Qualifying match. During the match, El Pecador hit the Sinner's Whirlwind on Slate Bass, followed by a pinfall, resulting in his team claiming the victory. Following the match, El Pecador attacked fellow team member Ryder Parks with a roundhouse kick.

Following this match, a man in a hood ran through the crowd and jumped the barricade, grabbing a chair and fighting off the security guards that were chasing him with it. The man is revealed to be Ryan Vendetta. Vendetta calls out Kristina Oliver. Oliver answers Vendetta and the two get into a heated argument, trading insults, until it all boils over and Kristina Oliver fires Ryan Doucette. Security drags Doucette out of the arena as he screams at Oliver to watch her back.

In the fifth match of the night, Aaron Harrows faced Vitor Mata in a I Quit match to determine the Number 1 Contender for the RWK European Championship. During the match, Harrows positioned Mata for a Half Hatch Suplex off the stage, as Harrows held Mata, Mata began screaming "THIS AIN’T WORTH IT! I QUIT! YOU HEARD ME, I FREAKING QUIT! IM DONE! LET ME GO!*”*the bell rings as Harrows is crowned the victor, but Harrows doesn't let go of Mata, Harrows yells at Mata “You shouldn’t have messed with my sister, you piece of shit.” followed by hitting the Half Hatch Suplex off the stage and onto a pile of chairs, after a few seconds Harrows crawls out with a evil smile on his face, as the medics rush over to both men.

Following this match, KJ Kidd made his way down to the ring to make an announcement. Kidd began by stating he didn't make that video last month and he has no idea who did, Kidd goes on to thank everyone who has supported him the last 17 years, revealing he is retiring. Kidd receives an ovation from the crowd, as he leaves the ring for the last time, as Kidd is heading up the ramp an hourglass shows up on the titantron with the grains of salt turning to blood. Kidd walks backwards towards the ring and begins to wait for whoever this person may be. The person is revealed to be Jeffry Mason as he emerges onto the stage wearing a "Deathmatch is Not Dead" shirt, Mason enters the ring and challenges KJ Kidd to one more match, Kidd refuses multiple times, but after multiple insults towards Kidd's wife and child he finally gives in and accepts a match against Jeffry Mason at RWK: The Grand Coronation II.

In the sixth match of the night, Tyler Keenan faced Will Neilson in a two out of three falls match to determine the Number 1 Contender for the RWK Imperial Championship. During the match, Neilson dived off the top rope, only to be met with the knees of Tyler Keenan, Keenan immediately got up and hit Streets of Gold, followed by the Mulholland Driver into a pinfall, resulting in Tyler Keenan claiming the first fall. Next, Neilson reversed Streets of Gold by ducking down onto his chest, Keenan's knee went into the ropes, as Keenan pulled his knee out, Neilson was waiting, as soon as Keenan turned around, Neilson hit the LAG SPIKE, followed by a pinfall, to claim the second fall. Next, Keenan kneed Neilson in the groin and raked his eyes, followed by hitting Streets of Gold, Neilson stumbled back and Keenan quickly grabbed him, hitting Déjà Vu (a powerbomb into the corner) Neilson then stumbled out of the corner and Keenan hit a second Streets of Gold, claiming the third fall, resulting in the victory.

In the seventh match of the night, Nick faced Spawn in a Lumberjack match. During the match, Nick reversed a chokeslam off the top rope, turning it into a snapmare driver, followed by a pinfall for the victory.

### **Main Event**

In the main event of the night, Christopher Jordan (c) faced Michael Kelly in a Ladder match for the RWK European Championship. During the match, Jordan pushed the ladder over while Kelly was at the top, resulting in Kelly falling and hitting his head on the top turnbuckle, Jordan then left the ring, grabbing a kendo stick and hand cuffs. Jordan cuffed Kelly to the bottom rope, followed by hitting him countless times with the kendo stick. Jordan then climbed the ladder and retrieved his RWK European Championship.

## Results

### **Voting Results**

* **El Pecador (61.1%)**
* Ryder Parks (22.2%)
* Chris Young (22.2%)
* Slate Bass (22.2%)
* Aleks Grayson (5.6%)
* Al Blizzard (5.6%)
 Stipulations for The Red King vs. Brad Adams
* Into the Wild match (17.6%)
 Stipulations for Joseph Diamond vs Frankie Highwood
* Strap match (21.4%)
 Stipulations for Kameron Kalmar vs. Arno Frye
* Studio 72 Street Fight (43.8%)
 Stipulations for Aaron Harrows vs. Vitor Mata
* Ambulance match (23.1%)
 Stipulations for Tyler Keenan vs. Will Neilson
* 15-Minute Iron Man match (28.6%)
 Stipulations for Nick vs. Spawn
* Best of Five Tables match (41.2%)
 Stipulations for Christopher Jordan (c) vs. Michael Kelly
* 30-Minute Iron Man match (35.7%)
* Two out of Three falls match (14.3%)