NWA Powerrr – November 19, 2019: The Missing Charm
IMG Credit: National Wrestling Alliance
NWA Powerrr
Date: November 19, 2019
Location: GPB Studios, Atlanta, Georgia
Commentators: Joe Galli, Jim Cornette
We’re back here again and things are still interesting, but they kind of need to have a story going on. Last week’s big deal continued to be wondering if Kamille would speak and there are more interesting things going on almost anywhere else. The initial idea and presentations were fine but they need to go somewhere after that. Let’s get to it.
Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.
The opening recap focuses on LET KAMILLE SPEAK and James Storm losing the National Title and coming after the World Title instead.
Opening sequence.
The announcers run down the show.
Here’s Nick Aldis for a chat and the Kamille questions start in a hurry. The internet is talking about it so OF COURSE it is on top of Aldis’ list of priorities. This is the NWA and we wrestle here, so it is time for him to prove why he is the real World’s Champion. Tonight, he has Trevor Murdoch, albeit in a non-title match. Murdoch is coming off a long sabbatical so tonight is an exhibition and if this is as close as Murdoch ever gets, at least Aldis gave him a chance.
Nick Aldis vs. Trevor Murdoch
Non-title and we get a nice handshake to start. They fight over a wristlock to start with Murdoch grabbing a hammerlock to send Aldis into the ropes. With the referee getting Murdoch away, it’s a kick to the ropes for a low blow and Murdoch takes over. Three straight slams set up the top rope bulldog but Aldis gets a foot on the rope. Aldis catches him on top before another bulldog and Murdoch slips off the ropes. That’s enough to set up the King’s Lynn Cloverleaf to make Murdoch tap at 3:31.
Rating: C-. The time didn’t help things here but Murdoch got something out of the near fall. This is a good example of someone getting something out of a loss, even if it was in such a short match. There is no shame in losing to the World Champion so it isn’t like this is some crippling moment for Murdoch’s career.
They shake hands post match.
Here are the Rock N Roll Express to announce that they have a Tag Team Title shot coming up and they’re taking something owed to them. ROCK N ROLL chants start up, because these two can make it work even in their 60s. The Wild Cards come out to say bring it on.
We get a 1979 promo video from….Andy Ardeson? Anyway a guy named Danny Deals cuts him off to plug Highspots.com.
Question Mark vs. Ricky Starks
National Champion Colt Cabana is on commentary and the place goes NUTS for Mark. Some early shots to the throat have Starks in trouble but he scores with a dropkick to the head, getting on the fans’ nerves in a hurry. Mark gets sent outside for a suicide dive but here’s Aron Stevens to jump Starks for the DQ at 1:34.
Post match the beatdown is on with Stevens turning cartwheels. Cabana makes the save and it’s a no contest, with Cornette pointing out how ridiculous that is. After a break, the tag match is announced for tonight.
Here’s Eli Drake for a chat but the QUESTION MARK chant cuts him off. Drake: “Just like a bunch of dummies.” Drake knows Mr. Anderson is looking for him and he isn’t a hard man to find, though Anderson might be beyond his expiration date. Cue Anderson to suck up to the crowd and challenge Drake to a match right now. Drake teases doing just that but jumps Anderson from behind. A turnbuckle to the back leaves Anderson laying with Drake having to be dragged away.
We recap Marti Belle turning on Allysin Kay to help Thunder Rosa. They’re ready for Kay when she gets back.
Allysin Kay/Ashley Vox vs. Marti Belle/Thunder Rosa
Kay rushes the ring and the villains bail to the floor so we can get the introductions. Belle and Vox start things off with neither getting anywhere off a lockup. Vox drop toeholds her down and Belle looks a bit surprised. Rosa comes in and grabs an armbar on Vox before sending her face first into the mat.
It’s back to Belly for a whip into the corner and some yelling at the referee for a bonus. A missed charge allows the hot tag off to Kay and Rosa with Kay winning a slugout in a hurry. The superplex brings Rosa down in a crash but here’s Melina of all people, in a rather formal dress, for a distraction. Rosa rolls Kay up for the pin at 5:24.
Rating: D+. This didn’t have time to go anywhere but the ending was quite the surprise. Rosa has all the star power she needs and should be in line for a title shot soon enough. I’m hoping Melina doesn’t get back in the ring here as she would be treated as the biggest deal around and some fresh blood in the women’s division sounds good for a change.
Post match Kay and Vox get beaten down as we have a new trio.
Austin Idol says buy the Kayfabe Cocktail.
Colt Cabana/Ricky Starks vs. Aron Stevens/Question Mark
Stevens, in street clothes as he should be, and Mark get one of the strongest BOO/YAY crowd reactions in recent memory. Starks chases Stevens to the floor to start so it’s Mark coming in to a big reaction. A dropkick won’t put him down so Cabana tries chopping away in the corner. Mark hits Cabana in the face and brings Stevens in as we hear about Mark being from “Mongrobia”, at least according to Stevens.
Some karate chops have Stars in trouble with Mark’s getting cheered loudly and Stevens’ being booed. The fans aren’t exactly being subtle here. Stevens is so annoyed that he drops his pants for the crowd, allowing Starks to hit a Sling Blade. The tag brings in Cabana to chop away and he GRABS STEVENS BY THE SCARF to send him into the corner. Starks’ jumping Downward Spiral gets two as everything breaks down. Starks goes for the mask but Stevens makes a save, allowing Mark to spike Starks in the throat. Stevens steals the pin at 6:38.
Rating: C. They would be crazy not to do SOMETHING with Mark at this point, even if it is just something goofy that means nothing in the long term. The fans just like him and that is something to run with. Don’t take it too far, but keep him around and give him a story. The NWA isn’t in a place to turn names down, so go with what works, even if it doesn’t work for very long.
After Stevens says that was the power of karate (Mark: “KA-RAH-TAY!”), here’s James Storm to say he is tired of champions not defending their titles. Kamille comes out and whispers something in his ear. Storm says his catchphrase to end the show.
Overall Rating: C. The promos are carrying this show as some of the charm is gone here. The show is still entertaining and it flies by, but after coming out of nowhere about five weeks ago, it isn’t as fun of a ride as it used to be. Also, we have less than a month before Into The Fire and nothing has been announced. You might want to get on that already.
Results
Nick Aldis b. Trevor Murdoch – King’s Lynn Cloverleaf
Ricky Starks b. Question Mark via DQ when Aron Stevens interfered
Thunder Rosa/Marti Belle b. Allysin Kay/Ashley Vox – Rollup to Kay
Question Mark/Aron Stevens b. Colt Cabana/Ricky Starks – Mongrobian Spike to Starks
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In a lot of ways, you have some wrestling shows that are of different extremes: too much wrestling with too little talking or too much talking with too little wrestler. NWA Powerrr is the latter and that makes it difficult for me to care.
Some more mic time wouldn’t hurt NXT or AEW but, at the same time, I don’t need to see half a dozen promo segments over the course of a couple of hours or 2 or 3 15+ minute promo segments featuring wrestlers telling me how good they are, how much of a badass they are, how much better they are than the fans in attendance, popping off one liners or catchphrases like Skittles, etc.. A long promo segment now and then is needed, depending on the situation, but I’ve found that most of what needs to be done can be done in a handful of minutes, cool vignettes, the wrestlers getting physical with each other in brawls or surprise attacks and some brief backstage statements.
Plus…well, the NWA image won’t be helped by what happens in the tag team division before long.