The Legend of Zelda: The Ring of Destiny, Chapter 11

HPW starts the Second-Ever Triforce Tournament strong with the Bracket of Power! Who survives day one of round one into the semifinals?

OFFICIAL RESULTS

• Bracket of Power: Yuga VS Darbus; Yuga wins and advances to the next round.
• Bracket of Power: King Moblin VS Hinox; Hinox wins and advances to the next round.
• Bracket of Power: Nabooru VS Groose; Groose wins and advances to the next round.
• Bracket of Power: Ganondorf VS Midna; Ganondorf wins and advances to the next round.

PLAY BY PLAY

HPW and HXS TV run down the match-ups!

The tournament starts with the Bracket of Power! Nabooru is the only female wrestler in the bracket, and she is up against the Skyloft Stud! Is #NBR, Nobody Ready, for what she’ll bring to the tournament? There are also some incredible returns to this bracket, such as Darbus and King Moblin, but of course last year’s winner, Ganondorf Dragmire! Will the original winner of the Bracket of Power, and the second-ever HPW Triforce Champion, dominate again?

Yuga VS Darbus!

Last year, The Artist was in the Bracket of Courage and was a signature victory for Link on the Hero of Hyrule’s path to the top! Will Yuga redeem himself against the gargantuan Goron that stands before him?

The bell rings and the fans here at Goro River are strongly behind Darbus as he circles with Yuga. They tie up but Yuga gets around and CLUBS Darbus on the back. Darbus doesn’t even flinch! Yuga gulps as Darbus glares at him, but Yuga baits Darbus to the ropes and dumps him out! Darbus is on the apron, Yuga dropkicks his legs out and Darbus bumps off the edge! Yuga runs to build speed and goes for a dropkick, but Darbus steps aside and lets Yuga slide out. Darbus then uses one arm to SHOVE Yuga into the barriers! Darbus brings Yuga up in a gorilla press and he TOSSES Yuga into the ring! Yuga crawls as Darbus gets back in the ring.

Darbus stalks Yuga, then dead lifts him in a waistlock. Yuga flails, throws elbows and gets free! Yuga runs but Darbus CLOBBERS him with a full body attack! Darbus looms over Yuga, drags him back up with one arm, for a CHOKE SLAM! Cover, TWO!! Yuga survives but Darbus keeps his cool. Darbus dead lifts Yuga again and GERMAN SUPLEXES him! Yuga flies across the way, tumbles and gets out of the ring. Darbus storms over, but Yuga chop blocks him in the ropes! Then Yuga gets up on the apron and boots Darbus in the back to POST him! Yuga gets in the ring, drags Darbus from the corner and rolls him up to cover, TWO! Darbus grits his teeth but Yuga is the one upset!

Yuga stomps away on Darbus’ leg and fans boo. Darbus throws body shots but Yuga boots him down. Yuga grabs a leg and gives it a DDT to the mat! Darbus clutches the foot, Yuga KICKS Darbus in the back! Darbus is on his stomach as Yuga stomps his other leg. Darbus crawls to ropes and Yuga grabs a leg to bring Darbus around. Yuga SLAMS the leg on the edge, then soaks up the heat as fans boo. Then Yuga elbows Darbus back down, grabs the leg again and SLAMS it against the apron again! Yuga drags Darbus out by his leg and brings him over to Side Leg Sweep him into barriers! Darbus drops to his knees, and Yuga gives him a basement DDT to the floor!

Yuga leaves Darbus behind as the ring count begins. After all, a count-out is still a win in this tournament! Darbus doesn’t sit up until 3, crawls over to the ring at 5, and drags himself up to the apron. Yuga rushes over but Darbus shoves him away. Darbus steps through the ropes but Yuga somersaults back and leaps to hit a COMPLETE SHOT! Yuga rolls Darbus over to cover, TWO! Darbus survives and fans rally up behind him. Yuga grows frustrated, and he stalks Darbus as he crawls to a corner. Yuga stomps a mudhole in, the ref counts but Yuga stops at 4. He drags Darbus out of the corner to hook a leg, but Darbus resists, and he monkey flips Yuga into buckles!

Yuga writhes and Darbus goes after him in the corner. Fans cheer as Darbus gives Yuga stomps in return. Darbus drags Yuga up, whips him corner to corner and follows, to corner splash! Darbus whips Yuga back the other way, and hits another corner splash! Yuga flounders and staggers, but Darbus whips him corner to corner again! Yuga goes up and over this time, and hits another Side Leg Sweep! Yuga keeps Darbus rolling back for a leg hook clutch! Cover, TWO! Yuga grows frustrated and he hammers away on Darbus’ back. Yuga then hops up the corner, aims at Darbus as he rises, and leaps for a DESTROYER!! Cover, TWO!! Darbus survives and fans are fired up!

Yuga is furious and he goes to his corner. He grabs his “magic wand” even though it’s more like a scepter with LED lights in printer ink colors of cyan, magenta and yellow inside. Yuga wants to hit Darbus but the ref stops him! They argue over the item and Yuga lets the ref take it. But as the ref puts the scepter back, he misses Yuga hitting a LOW BLOW KICK! Darbus doubles over, and Yuga runs to SUNSET BUCKLE BOMB! But Yuga isn’t done there, he drags Darbus by his legs, ties them up in a figure four but pulls them back into Darbus’ face! And Yuga adds on by hooking Darbus’ arms with his legs in a double omoplata! THE PICTURE FRAME!! Darbus is trapped, and he verbally quits! Yuga wins!!

Winner: Yuga, by submission (advances to the second round)

The Artist holds on until he is satisfied, and then he soaks up all the heat from the fans! Yuga then takes his wand back and waves it at the titantron. The tournament bracket appears on screen, and his name appears on the next portion to signify his moving on to the semifinals. Will Yuga turn the bracket into his own personal masterpiece?

King Moblin VS Hinox!

Speaking of gargantuan, a battle of superheavyweights is upon us! Moblin looks normal sized going against the Super Cyclops, but can he send Hinox packing with the world’s largest black eye?

The bell rings and the two stare down as fans rally up. The two circle, egging the other on. They tie up, and Hinox powers Moblin right to a corner. The ref calls for a break and counts, and Hinox lets off at 4. Hinox dares Moblin to bring it, so Moblin rushes him! Hinox blocks the tackle with a facelock, CLUBS Moblin on the back, but Moblin just frowns as he glares at Hinox. Moblin throws forearm after forearm, then runs, but Hinox BOOTS him down! Hinox roars and fans fire up. But Moblin gets up, runs, redirects Hinox and rams him shoulder to shoulder! Hinox stays up, and he dares Moblin to try that again. Moblin runs, rams Hinox again, but again Hinox stays up!

Moblin runs a third time, ducks Hinox’s haymaker and comes back to leaping shoulder tackle! Hinox staggers and rebounds off ropes, Moblin side steps and UPPERCUTS! Hinox wobbles but still stays up! Moblin fires up and runs again, and he BLASTS Hinox with a big shoulder tackle! Hinox is finally down and fans are going nuts for Moblin! Moblin stomps Hinox to a corner, then stomps him in the corner, but Hinox just gets mad. Hinox tanks the stomps and Moblin isn’t sure what to do now. Moblin throws forearms as Hinox rises but Hinox just keeps getting up! Hinox leans into the forearms, then DECKS Moblin with one!

Hinox drags Moblin up, pushes him to a corner and pushes him against the buckles. The ref counts but Hinox hushes the crowd, to CHOP Moblin in the chest! Even fans are stinging from that one, but Hinox brings Moblin around to bump him off buckles. Hinox pushes Moblin against buckles again, hushes the crowd again, and CHOPS Moblin again! Moblin flops over, and Hinox stands on him at the ropes! The ref counts but Hinox steps off at 3, and Moblin gasps and sputters more as he bails out of the ring. Hinox waits as Moblin catches his breath on the outside and the ref counts. Moblin drags himself to the railing at 3 and uses the railing to get up at 6. Moblin hobbles back to the apron and rolls in at 8, which fans cheer.

Hinox still waits as Moblin gets up in a corner. Moblin takes deep breaths, and then he approaches Hinox, daring him to bring it on. Hinox laughs, but then Moblin SLAPS him! Uh oh…! Hinox glares at Moblin but Moblin kicks low and throws body shots! Moblin fires off forearms, a few more kicks to the leg, and he gets Hinox down to a knee! Moblin clubs away on Hinox’s back, then he runs, to CROSSBODY Hinox down! Cover, ONE as Hinox sits up with Moblin in his arms! Hinox gets up and carries Moblin, and then POWERSLAMS him down! Cover, TWO!!

Hinox doesn’t let off, he brings Moblin right up and into a scoop! Hinox aims for a corner but Moblin slips out! Moblin shoves Hinox into buckles, gets him in a waistlock, or at least tries! Hinox butt bumps out of it easily, and he DECKS Moblin again! Fans duel as Moblin sits up in a daze. Hinox reaches down and choke grips Moblin, to dead lift him, for a CHOKE SLAM!! Hinox kneels and covers with one hand, Hinox wins!

Winner: Hinox, by pinfall (advances to the second round)

What a showing of strength! Hinox moves on into the second round and will face Yuga, will he win that match even easier than this one?

Nabooru VS Groose!

The iconic Gerudo wrestler already has the historic honor of being the first woman to wrestle in this tournament! But will she have the historic honor of being the first woman to win in this tournament? Or will the Skyloft Stud finally get off the ground and soar into the second round?

Tingle and Skull Kid, Groose’s tag partners in their new trio, The Studly Guys, join commentary, and commentary congratulates Skull Kid on being chosen to face Link in the non-title match for the Bracket of Courage event. Skull Kid thanks them, but just wants to cheer on his teammate right now. The bell rings and Groose ties up with Nabooru right away. They go around, onto ropes, into a corner, then more ropes. Groose tosses Nabooru but she rolls through to get back to her feet. Groose nods respect and they tie up again. They go around, Groose powers Nabooru to ropes then tosses her again! Nabooru doesn’t roll up to her feet this time, and Groose puffs up his chest with hands on his hips.

Nabooru looks at the crowd with an “Are you serious?” expression, and then she CHOPS Groose in the chest! Groose isn’t so puffed up anymore! Nabooru wrenches an arm to a hammerlock, Groose drops and rolls then wrenches back. Nabooru rolls, handsprings, wrenches, and reels Groose in for a headlock. Groose powers out, Nabooru ducks and dodges and shotgun dropkicks him down! Groose gets to a corner and now Nabooru flexes on him! Fans cheer and Groose nods again. Groose gets up and circles with Nabooru. They tie up, Groose throws Nabooru down, then gut wrenches for a suplex!

Groose gut wrenches again, brings Nabooru up for a rack but Nabooru slips out. Nabooru jumps and gets Groose with a neckbreaker! Nabooru rolls back to a cover, TWO, but she gets Groose’s arms and drags him into the GERUDO STRETCH! Groose staggers as he tries to stay up and as fans fire up! Nabooru pulls harder on his arms but Groose reaches out with a leg, for a ropebreak! Nabooru lets go quickly and watches Groose as he slowly gets up. Skull Kid and Tingle cheer Groose on but Nabooru runs and handsprings to overhead arm-drag Groose! Nabooru gets the arms again but Groose scrambles to fight off the Gerudo Stretch!

Groose gets back to ropes, the ref counts and Nabooru lets go quickly to reset. Groose is wary as he and Nabooru circle again. Nabooru shoots in, gets a leg and trips Groose up. Groose scrambles but Nabooru heel hooks! Groose endures as Nabooru pulls on the leg. He drags himself and Nabooru over and gets the ropebreak. Nabooru lets go right away, to go out and drag Groose to the apron. She turns him over, and puts on a GERUDO STRETCH against the apron! The ref counts because it’s out of bounds, but Nabooru lets go at 3. Nabooru gets back up on the apron and slingshots in to drop knees on Groose’s back! She then drags Groose back, rolls with a waistlock to get a bridging cover, TWO!

Nabooru stalks Groose, drags him up to a dragon sleeper, but he spins through and throws her off. Groose runs in and tackles her to a corner! He RAMS his shoulder into her again and again but the ref counts. Groose stops at 4, whips Nabooru corner to corner and runs in to corner clothesline! He hoists her up top, climbs up, but Nabooru throws forearms. Groose drops off the corner, Nabooru adjusts and leaps, missile dropkick! Groose flounders up and Nabooru runs up and DOUBLE ST- Wait, Groose stays up!? And he pushes Nabooru away with his pecs! But Nabooru flips to land on her feet!

Nabooru kicks but Groose blocks, spins her around, and goes after the arms! He gets the chicken wings but Nabooru resists the turn. Groose still gets her turned around but she shoves him away. Groose turns around into Nabooru’s BOOT and he staggers to the ropes. Nabooru runs up, waistlocks and rolls Groose back, with a bridging cover! TWO, and Groose gets Nabooru’s arms again! Groose gets up and around to pop Nabooru into a Camel Clutch! Nabooru endures as Groose bends her back and fans fire up! Nabooru powers up to get an arm free, manages to roll Groose back to another cover, TWO!

Nabooru gets up but walks into Groose’s JAB! Another JAB! Fans chant “GROOSE!” with each JAB! “GROOSE! GROOSE!” Groose winds up the left hand but Nabooru ROUNDHOUSES first! Groose wobbles, Nabooru fireman’s carries, USHIGOROSHI! To a ghost pin! TWO!! Skull Kid and Tingle are losing their minds on commentary as Groose survives, but Nabooru sunset flips! Groose stays up, slaps Nabooru’s hands away and goes to stomp, but Nabooru rolls out of the way. Nabooru mule kicks Groose’s leg out, front kicks, then ROLLING ELBOWS! Fans fire up with Nabooru and she dares Groose to get back up!

Groose slowly rises, Nabooru grabs him in a dragon sleeper again, but he snapmares free! Groose winds up the left, but Nabooru ducks under! Nabooru handsprings, but Groose catches her to a waistlock! GERMAN SUPLEX! Groose holds on, brings Nabooru back up, and chicken wings the arms! Groose turns Nabooru, LOFT WING DRIVER! Cover, TWO!?! Nabooru survives and Groose is shocked! Skull Kid is freaking out but Tingle calms him down as Groose brings Nabooru up. Groose gives her an atomic drop, then a BIG back suplex! Groose drags Nabooru around by her legs, aims at a corner and CATAPULTS! Nabooru bounces off buckles, into chicken wings, and ANOTHER LOFT WING DRIVER!! Cover, Groose wins!

Winner: Groose, by pinfall (advances to the second round)

Skull Kid and Tingle jump off commentary to celebrate with Groose! Though, the way they’re acting, you’d think Groose already won the whole tournament. But Groose is past the first round and headed to the second! Though, looking at who he could end up facing, will he be doomed either way?

Ganondorf VS Midna!

By either fortune or misfortune, this incredible match is already happening in the first round! The Gerudo Ace and the Twilight Princess could be battling for the entire bracket right now! Who becomes the instant favorite to win the Bracket of Power?

The bell rings and the fans rally already as Midna steps up and dares Ganondorf to bring it. Ganondorf chuckles and circles with her. Midna has her hands up for a grapple but Ganondorf doesn’t even care. She gets annoyed and shoves him! Midna tells him to take her seriously or she’ll “whoop your ass!” Ganondorf laughs at her and says, “Yeah, sure.” But then Midna SLAPS him! Ganondorf doesn’t laugh this time. He swings fast hands but Midna bobs ‘n’ weaves to then kick low. Midna grabs Ganondorf and turns him, but he powers out and throws a back elbow! Midna staggers, Ganondorf whips but Midna holds ropes. Ganondorf runs in but Midna gets around and table tops him for a roll up! TWO, and the two stand off as fans cheer.

Midna smirks at Ganondorf as the two circle again. They tie up, she wrenches an arm to a wristlock, yanks on the arm, then digs an elbow into his shoulder. Ganondorf endures, rolls, and reels Midna in to ram her with a shoulder! Ganondorf then wrenches her arm to a wristlock in return. Ganondorf whips again but Midna ducks to get around and waistlock. Midna floats all over Ganondorf then reclines on him like he’s a lounge chair. Ganondorf gets up and Midna is right on her feet to ROCK him with a right! Midna spins Ganondorf around and around and hits the neckbreaker! Cover, TWO!

Fans rally as Midna drags Ganondorf up. Midna reels him in, underhooks, but Ganondorf resists the lift. Ganondorf powers up and has Midna in the Hebra lift, only for Midna to slip out! Midna wrangles Ganondorf into a BACKBREAKER, to COMPLETE SHOT! Cover, TWO, but Midna has an arm and drags Ganondorf around! Ganondorf resists the crossface, scrambles and reaches out to get the ropebreak! Referee Sahasrahla counts, Midna lets go at 3 and STOMPS Ganondorf on the head! Fans are fired up as Midna looms over Ganondorf! Ganondorf bails out but Midna follows, and pushes him into barriers! And then whips him into more barriers!

Midna CHOPS Ganondorf as Sahasrahla starts a ring count. Midna whips but Ganondorf reverses and sends her into barriers! Ganondorf whips her the other way, into more barriers! The ring count is past 5 but Ganondorf refreshes it before he goes back to Midna. Ganondorf whips Midna but she reverses now. Ganondorf stops himself from running into barriers, but turns around into Midna’s SPEAR! They go through barriers!! Fans lose their minds while Sahasrahla hurries to check on Ganondorf and Midna! Midna rises first, staggers over to the ring and gets in while Sahasrahla still checks on Ganondorf. He’s okay so Sahasrahla goes back to the ring and starts a count.

Ganondorf slowly sits up, and uses a barrier to drag himself up at 4. He hobbles over to the ring at 6, Midna PLANCHAS out! Direct hit and Ganondorf goes down! Fans fire up, Midna puts Ganondorf in and covers, TWO! Midna stomps Ganondorf at the ropes, springboard stomps him, then drags him to a drop zone. Midna goes to the corner, climbs up, but Ganondorf anchors a foot! She kicks until he lets go, goes to the top rope, and MOONSAULTS! Direct hit again! Cover, TWO! Midna watches Ganondorf as he sits up, and runs in for TWILIGHT SLE- NO! Ganondorf blocks the rolling cutter to a dragon sleeper! Ganondorf inverted suplexes Midna to a fireman’s carry, and hits a TKO! Cover, TWO!

Fans rally up but Ganondorf glares at Midna as she sits up in a daze. Ganondorf drags her up, reels her in, lifts, but she throws hands to avoid the bomb! Midna huricanranas Ganondorf out of the ring! Midna hurries over, PLANCHAS, but Ganondorf moves! She lands on her feet, but Ganondorf kicks low and double underhooks! Midna RAMS Ganondorf into the apron! Midna ROCKS Ganondorf with a forearm! The ring count climbs, Midna gets in at 3 and runs, to WRECK Ganondorf with a dropkick! Ganondorf is sent into railing! Midna goes out and CHOPS Ganondorf against the railing, puts Ganondorf in, then runs, to SPEAR! Cover, TWO!

Midna drags Ganondorf up, wrenches, reels him in, but Ganondorf wrenches back! Ganondorf kicks the arm! Midna clutches the elbow, Ganondorf waistlocks and GERMAN SUPLEXES! Ganondorf holds on, drags Midna back up, and GERMAN SUPLEXES again! Bridging cover, TWO! Ganondorf drags Midna up, reels her in, lifts, and GANON BOMBS!! Midna reaches for ropes as Ganondorf covers, TWO!?!? Midna barely gets a shoulder up, it was more like 2.9! Ganondorf drags Midna up, double underhooks again, and lifts for a FACEBUSTER!! Cover, Ganondorf wins!!

Winner: Ganondorf, by pinfall (advances to the second round)

The Gerudo Ace still has a path back to the Triforce of Power! Will that new move he used to finish the Twilight Princess be the trump card that helps him take the Bracket of Power for the second time?

My Thoughts:

How’s your bracket? Did it get busted right here? Did anyone make a bracket? It’s fine if you didn’t, there’s no prize for predicting things. But I do wonder if the results were obvious or not. Ganondorf was going to get past the first round, it’s just a shame the shuffle did work out that way. But Midna and Nabooru can both fall back to the Goddess Championship as we continue through the year.