BRYAN, TX - The abilities of MIA FRIDAY and TRENT MERCER have been evident since the starts of their careers. So has their perseverance and growth. Now, they are each champions.

At Here to Stay 5, Friday became the first woman to capture the Lions Pride Sports Championship by winning a chaotic four-way match against now-former champ ZANE VALERO, “OUTLAW” J. AUSTIN and MJ SANTANA. Each competitor looked to be on the brink of victory as the main event of our fifth anniversary show progressed. Friday’s arch rival Santana got help from boyfriend SHIMBASHI despite a ringside ban handed out before the event, but that backfired when Shimbashi accidentally knocked Santana out of the ring. Friday ultimately hit her M.I.A. on Valero, pinning him to secure the gold.

After the match, Valero offered a heartfelt congratulations to Friday. The Lions Pride Sports locker room also came out to the ring to pay tribute to Mia, who in an emotional speech urged kids to follow their dreams like she had. In addition to being the first woman to hold the title, she is also now the youngest champion in the promotion’s history.

An incredible reign by Valero came to a conclusion at 232 days, the second-longest in the history of the promotion. He also successfully defended the title nine times, a record for any Lions Pride Sports Championship reign.

It was a bad night for the self-proclaimed Power Couple of The Pride. Not only did Santana fall short in winning gold, Shimbashi lost the Lions Den Championship to Mercer in a two-out-of-three falls match. Things were looking bright for “The Canadian Dragon” to retain when he scored the first fall, but Mercer quickly equalized. For once, interference by Santana did not pay off, as she was eliminated. Shimbashi had a pair of close near falls, but perseverance from “Watchdog” and an opening led to his Kill Shot kick and a final three-count.

Mercer would get to celebrate with fellow new champion Friday at show’s end, but his initial celebration was interrupted by the latest in a series of dark videos, this one showing Trent’s photo being placed in a casket outside the Neal Recreation Center. The hooded figure from the video then hit the ring and hit Mercer with a shovel. The man revealed himself as HOSTAGE HIRSCH, Mercer’s partner in Onslaught who has been unseen for months. Why has Hirsch taken an even darker turn, and why has he targeted Mercer?

Shimbashi’s Lions Den Championship reign concludes at 127 days. It was also the second-longest reign in that title’s history.

In other action at Here to Stay 5:

TKO JOE finally scored his long-sought win over MATHAYUS. In a match in which the competitors unloaded their arsenal of power moves on one another, Joe was finally able to keep Mathayus down for a ten-count in their Knockout Match. DEVON DEVILLE, whose interference had been key in Mathayus’s series of wins over Joe, was largest neutralized by being handcuffed to a security guard at ringside.
On the topic of long-sought wins, HASTUR got his over PRINCE LY in a Tattered Mantle Match. A take on the “I Quit” Match, the loser would be the one who declared the other was the king of The Pride. Having cheated repeatedly to defeat Hastur in the previous weeks, Ly ultimately made the dreaded declaration when Hastur had him prone on the top rope and was about drop Prince’s neck on a chair.
All Elite Wrestling star and Lions Pride Sports original LANCE ARCHER made his presence felt at the start of the show in a five-person gauntlet match which featured CHAVY CHULO, SECURITY GUY and the debuting CANNONBALL CARMICHAEL, ZAK CALLOWAY and ZAE CARTER. Security Guy would score the first win over Carmichael, then get eliminated by his returning rival Chulo. Chavy’s cheating ways scored that fall, a second over Calloway and nearly a third to defeat Carter for the overall win, but “The Murderhawk Monster” had enough when the match official was knocked out. Archer took out Chavy and made a three-count for Carter to win. Lance then presented Zae with a check from Big Daddy’s Tattoo Studio, the prize for the winner of the match.
DRAKE DURDEN earned a measure of revenge against THE MOUNTAIN and his new partners in The Bad Boys of Wrestling. After attacks and underhanded tactics had knocked him down and out the past month, Durden and his partners, PAC ORTEGA and the debuting SPACE TIGER, JR., would earn a six-man tag team win over Mountain, KOOL DADDI DENZELL and RODZILLA.

Mia and Mercer Gain Gold