Strangle-Mania: Viva Las Violence
Date: April 17, 2026
Location: Horseshoe Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada
Commentators: Joe Dombrowski, Mark Roberts, Zac Amico,

Why not end it with some Juggalo Championship Wrestling? This is the last indy show of the week that I’ll be covering and I’m coming into it completely blind. Vince Russo is now a big force in this company and that means if I’m going out, I’m going out on a ridiculous show. Let’s get to it.

A car with Texas license plates arrives and drops someone in a body bag out of the trunk before driving off.

The opening video looks at gambling.

Then we play the two videos again, with the audio fixed.

The regular opening video shows us some of the bigger names set for the card.

Here is half owner Violent J to get things going. J welcomes the fans and we’re ready with the opener.

In the back, Jasmin St. Clair yells at Vince Russo, who says the Monster Corporation is split up if they lose tonight. St. Clair is their manager so she’s issuing a challenge for a six person tag against some legends.

George South/Rock N Roll Express vs. St. Clair Monster Corporation

The Corporation is Beastman/Kongo Kong/Mr. Happy. And yes South has his face painted like a clown. The Monsters jump them to start as commentary says the legends have something like 130 years experience. That actually might be true and that’s insane. Beastman gets staggered with a knee lift and Kong is taken into the corner for some alternating wristlocks.

Kong gets knocked down but comes back with a shot to Morton. Happy comes in and knocks Kong out by mistake, leaving South to fight back on Beastman. Kong is back up but crashes into his partners as everything breaks down. Kong and Beastman crash into each other in the corner with Happy (who isn’t that bright) thinking it’s a game. He splashes both of them and Kong falls down for the pin at 4:41.

Rating: D+. This was a comedy match and I think you know where this show is going. The match was the mess you would have expected, though it’s always nice to see the Express. Thankfully they kept this short, with Happy being little more than a comedy goof and the other two not being much better.

Commentators preview the rest of the card.

Kerry Morton says he is Mr. JCW and knows Mickie Knuckles wants to face him. Vince Russo wants to get rid of him because no one can hang with him. Knuckles is getting in the ring with a Japanese legend as Morton was on a Japanese tour.

Here is Claude, an odd artist, as played by Wrestling With Wregret’s Brian Zane. He doesn’t like the fans and they don’t like him either but he’ll be here for the next match.

Mickie Knuckles vs. Kerry Morton

And apparently Claude is guest referee for this Kamikaze Death Match. Before the match, Morton tells the fans to shut the f*** up while he talks. He sees some women here for a change and some of them are actually good looking. Morton can’t believe he has to look at TWO women in his sport, meaning Knuckles and the ring announcer.

Now he’s going to show the men what it’s like to whip a woman. Knuckles slugs away to start and knocks him outside where Morton gets in a cheap shot. The weapons are already thrown in but Knuckles grabs him low to cut him off. Some trashcan shots to the head have Morton staggered but he gets in a hard shot of his own to take over again. Knuckles bites him low (“It’s not the biggest target but Mickie found it!”) and it’s a running hip attack in the corner.

A running dropkick sends a trashcan into Morton’s face and Claude is ordered to help set up some weapons. That takes too long and Morton fights back again, only to spend too much time thrusting his pelvis in her face. Knuckles shoves him through a door…but Claude stops to sneeze. Morton knees Claude down by mistake and Knuckles rolls some suplexes for two. Knuckles thrusts back at Morton and gets sent through a door, with the rest being broken over her head. A trashcan shot gets the pin at 8:58, with Morton using the rope.

Rating: C-. This was the weapons mess you would expect and that’s all it needed to be. Morton is great at being a jerk and the fans want to see him get beaten up. Knuckles got to do that and then Claude was able to make it even worse, which is exactly the idea. It wasn’t a good match, but the angle was fine.

The Outbreak don’t do well in their urine test. Yep. Because they’re zombies.

Outbreak vs. Brothers Of Funstruction

The Outbreak (again, zombies, named Abel and Jacksyn, with Barnabas The Bizarre) are apparently addicted to cocaine, hence the drug test. The Brothers (Ruffo and Yabo, a pair of clowns) bring in a bunch of balloons…and hang on as here is Violent J to make it a triple threat.

Outbreak vs. Brothers Of Funstruction vs. Backseat Boyz

The Outbreak goes after the Boyz to start fast and they take out Abel before moving on to the Brothers. That earns the Boyz a double atomic drop but the Outbreak are up to fire off elbows in the corner. The Boyz come back with a top rope G9 to Jacksyn but the Brothers make the save with their balloons. We pause for some tickling but it doesn’t work on the undead Outbreak. As Above So Below (Skull & Bones) finishes Ruffo at 7:45 (counting the two on two tag part).

Rating: C. This was all about the insanity and ridiculous gimmicks and that’s exactly what it came off as, which is…good? I guess? It’s certainly memorable and while “cocaine addicted zombies” might not be the most traditional gimmick, it’s better (I think) than some of the terrible ideas we could be seeing.

Post match the Outbreak celebrate with cocaine. Of course they do.

Big Vito (yes that Vito) pays off PCO to help him in the main event against Vampiro. PCO isn’t in but Vito has another idea.

American Title: Disco Ray vs. Mikey Avalon vs. Mecha Wolf vs. Ninja Mack vs. Facade

Facade is defending and goes to the floor as the other four do a test of strength. Ray starts dancing and Wolf is mesmerized by the hips. Some tambourines to Avalon (the Man Of 1000 Gimmicks) have him in trouble for a change and it’s Facade back in to take over on Ray. That leaves Facade to do a handstand in the corner and then kick Ray down. Wolf slugs away at Facade and Avalon pushes Mack off the top.

Avalon is back in with his surfboard, which he throws at Facade’s head followed by…a surfboard. Wolf gets in a frog splash for two, with Ray making the save. Avalon side slams Wolf for two but Wolf is back with some mist. Mack backflips into a dive to the floor and Ray Downward Spirals (Panic At The Disco) Facade. Hold on as Ray’s Ring Rat (yes that’s her name) comes in to hit him low. Facade chairs Ray down and hits a Sabu Triple Jump Moonsault to retain at 10:21.

Rating: C+. This is pretty easily the best match of the night thus far, mainly because it was more about a wrestling match than all of the ridiculous stuff. Yes you had the stuff with the Rat (because her name is Ring Rat) and the mist, but I’ll take that over the other stuff we’ve seen thus far. The athleticism was certainly good.

Post match the Rat leaves with Steven Flow.

Violent J and Big Vito yell at the Vampiro retirement match. Vince Russo comes in to ask what happened to Vampiro’s honor and Vito yells a lot. With Russo and J gone, Vito pays someone off to do…something. The guy calls Vito horrible and Vito says don’t you forget it or it could be you next.

Here is the Green Phantom. He doesn’t do anything, but he’s here. Then he leaves.

Women’s Title: J-Rod/Nyla Rose vs. Alice Crowley/Dani Mo

Crowley is defending and yes it’s a tag match for the singles title (whomever gets the fall gets the pin), with Katie Forbes as guest referee. After a long weapons check, it’s Crowley suplexing J-Rod to start and hitting an Emerald Flosion for an early two. Mo comes in to kick J-Rod in the head but Crowley tags herself in to face Rose.

The usually bigger Crowley gets thrown around by Rose, so Mo tags herself in and gets powerslammed for two. J-Rod comes back in to strike away on Mo before it’s back to Rose, with Mo giving her a Code Red for two more. That doesn’t get her very far as it’s J-Rod with a running elbow in the corner. Crowley is drawn in and a double chokeslam gives J-Rod the pin and the title at 8:12.

Rating: C. As usual, the stipulations don’t make a ton of sense and the reason for them being added didn’t really get explained. That’s where things get complicated because it leaves you wonder why you’re watching this. I wanted to see more of Crowley, who has impressed me in the limited time I’ve seen her, while J-Rod looks like an amazing prospect. At the same time, it’s nice to see Rose, as she’s too good to leave sitting on the sidelines.

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2 Tuff Tony/Rob Van Dam/Willie Mack vs. Kenta/Good Brothers

Tony’s entrance takes forever and Van Dam (who does not age) has Bill Alfonso with him. Anderson and Tony start things off with Tony stopping for a drink. It seems to work, with Anderson shouldering him down and Gallows coming in to face Mack. The power exchange doesn’t get either of them very far so it’s off to Kenta vs. Van Dam.

Believe it or not, Kenta runs his mouth before getting pulled into the corner for the tag off to Tony. Everything breaks down (I’m shocked it took that long) and we settle down to Mack Stunnering Anderson. Gallows is back in to strike away but he gets caught with a Van Daminator. Not to be outdone, Tony lights something on fire and knocks Gallows down. The Five Star finishes for Van Dam at 8:59.

Rating: C. They were probably better off keeping things a bit nuts here rather than trying to do a regular match. Van Dam continues to defy all things involving time and aging as he’s still about the same as he was ten years ago. The others didn’t really add much here but the Good Brothers kind of come packaged in with a show like this one.

Vince Russo gives Caleb Konley (Russo’s chosen one) a pep talk, telling him to be less relaxed. Konley says he’s done everything Russo has asked him to do and now he gets yelled at again. That’s what Russo wanted to hear.

JCW World Title: CoKane vs. Matt Riddle vs. Nic Nemeth vs. Caleb Konley

CoKane, a cocaine addicted Kane enthusiast, is defending and this is elimination rules. Hold on though as here is Jeeves to bring out EC3 as guest referee. Because that’s a thing that he can do. And apparently Jeeves and EC3 are cousins. Konley has Vince Russo with him and Nemeth has his face painted. Actually Russo jumps on commentary because of course he does.

Konley drops to the floor to start and it’s Riddle coming in to clean house. CoKane kicks him down but gets suplexed for his early efforts. Konley comes in and has to block the straws to the head. CoKane’s rope walk is cut off and Konley elbows him in the back of the head. Nemeth is back in to knock Konley down and drops the big elbow. Nemeth’s superkick puts CoKane down but Konley kicks Nemeth low.

A Burning Hammer pins Nemeth at 5:20. Riddle is back up to kick away, with a fisherman’s buster getting two on CoKane. A Broton hits CoKane as Konley heads outside again. Riddle Tombstones CoKane but Konley kick Riddle low, with another Burning Hammer finishing him off at 7:21.

We’re down to one on one as Russo rants about commentary not praising Konley enough. Konley knocks the referee down by mistake and gets caught with CoKane’s Lethal Injection. The cocaine is loaded up but Steven Flo takes it away. The Burning Hammer only gets two and Russo is ticked. CoKane sits up, has some cocaine, and hits a chokeslam to retain at 11:21.

Rating: C-. The cocaine stuff is dumb and I don’t know how else to say it. Maybe they’re going for the idea of “well we don’t know exactly what it is” but it’s still just a dumb story no matter how they present it. CoKane is at least a funny character, but to have him as the top name in the company is…yeah there’s a reason this place isn’t taken the most seriously. Throw in Russo being his usual self on commentary and this wasn’t going to work.

Post match Russo gets in the ring to yell and it means nothing.

We recap Vampiro’s retirement match. Vampiro returned to help Violent J and then wanted to retire. For some reason Vito hates him and is sending PCO to get him. Vito wants to get rid of him as well and…yeah I’m not sure if this makes sense either. Eh you take what you can get.

Vampiro vs. Big Vito vs. PCO

Vito, wrestling in most of a suit, insults the crowd and the ICP fans, which is more complicated as the ICP come out with Vampiro. Before the match, Vampiro thanks the fans for staying around and thanks the ICP for working with him for so many years. PCO has him scared and he doesn’t know Vito very well (Then why is he here?) so let’s fight. Vampiro chops away at PCO to limited avail so PCO helps him knock Vito down.

They go outside with PCO and Vito being sent into the post before the brawl heads out into the crowd. They come back to ringside with Vampiro being knocked into a chair, leaving Vito’s shots to PCO to not have much effect. J gets in and cue the man Vito paid off earlier (Shane Mercer), who hits Vito by mistake.

PCO is back in with a headbutt to Vito so Vampiro comes in to steal a cover. Vito’s crossface goes on so PCO makes the save and stomps away on Vampiro. Vito yells at PCO for trying to go after Vampiro and gets chokeslammed for his efforts. Vampiro cuts PCO off and it’s the Nail In The Coffin to finish Vito at 10:42.

Rating: D. I watched this show and I’m not sure if I know why these people are fighting or what is going on. That’s something that might make sense after a big time World Title match, but this was a simple retirement match. Why do we have this much going on in Vampiro’s retirement match? Ah yes: Russo is booking and it’s a bunch of people who were past their primes decades ago (ok maybe not PCO) so what else were you expecting?

Post match Vampiro gets the streamers and a trophy to end the show.

Overall Rating: D. Yeah this was as bad as you would have expected, with some fun/funny ideas in there but so much stuff that was just either bad or made no sense. I still don’t get the idea of running angles during what should be your biggest show of the year but that’s always been a Russo thing. This really did not work and while the weekly show might be better, this had way too many of the Russo issues and tropes dragging it way down.

Results
Rock N Roll Express/George South b. St. Clair Monster Corporation – Splash to Kong
Kerry Morton b. Mickie Knuckles – Trashcan to the head
Outbreak b. Brothers Of Funstruction and Backseat Boyz – As Above, So Below to Ruffo
Facade b. Disco Ray, Mikey Avalon, Mecha Wolf and Ninja Mack – Triple jump moonsault to Ray
J-Rod/Nyla Rose b. Alice Crowley/Dani Mo – Double chokeslam to Mo
Rob Van Dam/2 Tuff Tony/Willie Mack b. Good Brothers/Kenta – Five Star Frog Splash to Gallows
Vampiro b. Big Vito and PCO – Nail In The Coffin to Vito

 

 

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Midnight Xpress
Date: April 15, 2026
Location: Horseshoe Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada
Commentators: Emil Jay, Mo, Righteous Reg

What would Wrestlemania Week be without some cross promoted shows? That’s what we’re getting here, with Hybrid Wrestling teaming up with Pro Wrestling Unplugged. I’m really not sure what that is going to mean as I don’t follow either promotion, but that can make for some interesting results. Let’s get to it.

Opening video, featuring a bunch of people in rather shiny pants.

The ring announcer welcomes us to the show.

BackSeat Boyz vs. Effy/Joey Janela vs. Jordan Oliver/Ryan O’Neil

O’Neil is filling in for Alec Price, who was apparently injured earlier tonight while he…walked down some stairs. Effy on the other hand is apparently going a bit insane. Janela annoys JP to start and JP flips out of a wristlock. Effy comes in for a double atomic drop and a double hip shot to the head.

Oliver and O’Neil come in to clean house but the Boyz come in to clean house. A Devil’s Kiss has O’Neil in trouble and a spinning top rope splash gets two. Oliver makes the save and grabs a German suplex/rollup combination for two on both of the Boyz. Back up and the Boyz hit a Hart Attack into the Dream Sequence but Janela and Effy suplex them down.

Some clotheslines leave everyone on the mat for a breather and the fans get to count. The Boyz are up for a middle rope G9 and Tommy gives Effy an Air Raid Crash. O’Neil hits a Swanton for the ave but he walks into a double spinebuster to give the Boyz the quick pin at 10:18.

Rating: B-. Pretty nice three way tag with everyone going all over the place until the finish. The Boyz aren’t quite as good as the originals (shocking) but they do well enough for what they are. It’s a shame that Price is hurt as he and Oliver work well together and make for a good team. Effy being on the brink of snapping is interesting and you can all but guarantee to see more of that in the coming days.

Hybrid Women’s Title: Mia Friday vs. Brittnie Brooks vs. Ruthie Jay vs. Jazmin Allure

Jay is defending and Kiera Hogan is guest referee. We get a four way test of strength to start until Jay and Allure are knocked outside. Friday springboard armdrags Brooks down and sends her outside, only for Allure to trip Friday from the floor. Allure’s neckbreaker gets two on Friday but Brooks is back in with a double high crossbody.

Jay is back in with a rolling X Factor to Brooks, followed by an airplane spin of all things. Friday’s running neckbreaker makes Jay DDT Allure for two each but Brooks drops Friday with a belly to back. Jay sunset flips Allure for two but Hogan sees a rope being grabbed to cut it off. That has Jay yelling at Hogan so Friday grabs a rollup for the pin and the title at 6:51.

Rating: C. They didn’t have much time here and that hurt things a bit, especially with the ending being built around the guest referee. That being said, it’s nice to see a title change on a show like this, as you don’t often get such a thing. Unfortunately I still don’t know much about Friday, as storytelling is not quite the focal point of such a match. They did good spots in the time they had here, but they only had so much time in the first place.

Video on BLKOUT vs. VNDL48. They hate each other and keep attacking each other with lots of threats ensuing.

BLKOUT vs. VNDL48

That would be JGeorge/Robby Illuminati/Face (with Skillz da Great) vs. Atticus Cogar/Christian Napier/Otis Cogar. It’s a big brawl on the floor to start with 48 cleaning house and sending JGeorge inside for a triple beating. A moonsault and hilo hit JGeorge, who is busted open and favoring his ankle. Atticus gives him an Air Raid Crash but Face is back in to send the Cogars into each other.

Naturally it’s time for a door but Napier is back up to dropkick it into Face’s face. Atticus saves Napier from being suplexed through the door so Napier takes over on Illuminati. That doesn’t last long as Illuminati spears him through the door. The Cogars are back in to tie Face up with some rope in the ropes and of course it’s time for some skewers to JGeorge’s head. Otis loads up a chair to Face but Matt Tremont (who got the same thing before) runs in to cut it off…and the match just ends at we’ll say 10:00.

Rating: D+. What am I supposed to say here? It’s the hardcore/weapons match of the night (at least the first one) and they didn’t even have an ending. I’m still not sure why they’re fighting but they certainly did, though it wasn’t exactly much of a match. This felt more like a fight in a long running feud, and it would have helped if I had known why they were fighting. Or if someone won.

Post match Tremont takes his jacket off and he’s ready for his scheduled match as the other people leave. It’s as random as it sounds.

Matt Tremont vs. Gangrel

They start fighting in the aisle before the bell and chop it out at ringside. Gangrel goes to the eyes to cut him off and grabs a door before opting for a kendo stick. They go inside with Tremont using the kendo stick before grabbing the chairs. That means they both get to sit down and slug it out until Gangrel throws a chair at his head. Tremont misses a fork shot, which hits the door instead. A spear puts Gangrel through a door and the big splash gives Tremont the pin at 1:57. It might be better to keep it that short.

Post match, respect is shown.

Billy Gold/Kidd Legend/LiveDanger vs. Channing Decker/Corazon/Juni Underwood/Simon Gotch

The latter has a manager named Amadeus with them and LiveDanger is the team of LiveWire Charlie and Danger Ross (doing an 80s throwback). Danger and Decker lock up to start with Danger knocking him down. Charlie comes in to gorilla press Corazon into a fall away slam (that looked great) and it’s already off to Gotch vs. Legend for a slugout. Legend is sent into the wrong corner and triple teamed, which lasts all of a few seconds before he gets over to Gold.

Underwood gets taken into the wrong corner for a double gorilla press and everything breaks down (I’m stunned it took this long). That actually doesn’t last as it’s Charlie sending Corazon flying for the tag back to Danger. Everything breaks down and Corazon gets backdropped into a powerslam from LiveDanger (not bad) for the pin at 8:20.

Rating: C+. As usual, there is only so much to be gained out of this many people having so little time, though LiveDanger were a fun team with some nice combinations. If the Outrunners weren’t a thing, they could become a nice act on the circuit. The rest of the people didn’t have a chance to showcase themselves, but that’s how matches like this tend to go.

PWU Silver Skywalker Title: Deklan Grant vs. Angel Metro vs. Angel Orsini vs. Don Freeze vs. Jazmyne Hao vs. JJ Doze vs. Mickie Knuckles vs. Tarzan Duran

Grant is defending in an eight person scramble. Grant is sent outside fast to start and the other men join him. That leaves the four women in the ring but they would rather dive than fight each other. Doze is back in for some dives but Hao gives him a Samoan drop. Freeze drops Hao with a spinning belly to back suplex so Duran flips in with a slingshot double faceplant.

The door is set up on the floor, leaving Orsini to chop away at Duran. Orsini manages to get up top for a moonsault onto the pile so Knuckles gives her a suplex back inside. A door is broken over Knuckles’ head and Grant wraps a bag over her head. That and a piledriver is enough for Grant to pin Knuckles and retain at 7:59.

Rating: D. Between the random lineup, everyone going everywhere at once and the rather horrible ending, there was nothing to see here. I get why these scramble matches have to take place but my goodness they can be a wreck. At the same time, this show could really use some more one on one matches, as this was another mess of a match, but without the good parts.

1 Called Manders vs. Thomas Shire

Apparently PCO isn’t here so they’re fighting each other despite being partners and friends. Manders takes him into the corner for a…nice pat on the trunks. They trade big strikes in the corner until Manders hits a springboard (off the bottom rope) elbow of all things. Shire is back with an ax handle and they clothesline each other down.

They get back up for a slugout from their knees until Shire drops him with a German suplex. Manders hits a lariat from his knees and they go outside, which can’t end well. Shire cuts him off with a jumping knee and a spinning torture rack slam drops Manders for two back inside. Back up and Manders slips away from…something, setting up a heck of a lariat to pin Shire at 6:39.

Rating: B-. Maybe it was just the previous match being such a mess, but this was two big, strong guys beating the fire out of each other. Manders is not a complicated gimmick but he does it pretty well. I’m still not sure why he’s never gotten a chance elsewhere but he certainly gets the idea well enough. I haven’t seen much of Shire but he fits in well with Manders.

PWU Women’s Title: Lacey Lane vs. Mercedes Martinez vs. Priscilla Kelly

For the inaugural title and Kiera Hogan is guest referee. Martinez is sent outside early to start but comes back in to break up the cover. Lane rolls Kelly up for two but Martinez is back in to throw both of them down. Martinez is knocked into the corner, allowing Lane to Death Valley Driver Kelly into her.

Kelly knocks Martinez outside and kicks away at Lane, followed by a nasty looking suplex. Lane is knocked outside so Kelly teases a dive, only for Martinez to catch her with a spider superplex. Back up and Lane is sent outside again, leaving Martinez to spinebuster Kelly for the pin and the title at 7:02.

Rating: C+. They didn’t have much time out there but they were going as fast as they could with the time that they had. That’s not easy to do but it worked well here, with Martinez being the one who stayed in the ring most of the time. She doesn’t have much time left in the ring, though she can still more than hang in there. Lane did well too, as she’s quite the athlete who looks natural in the ring. That leaves Kelly, who more than held her own and will probably be back in a bigger promotion one day.

PWU Title: Jack Evans vs. Pat Dynamite

Dynamite is defending. They go with the grappling to start until Dynamite hits a quick dropkick to knock him outside. Back in and Evans gives him a handshake before posing on the ropes. An enziguri hits Dynamite to cut him off though and Evans sends him outside. Dynamite gets tossed into the steps and suplexed on the stage to make it even worse. Back in and a Falcon Arrow sets up a chinlock.

That’s switched into a Muta Lock but Dynamite makes the rope in a hurry. A brainbuster onto the knee has Evans down for a change, setting up a top rope clothesline for two. Evans is back up to send him outside for the tumbling flip dive, followed by a 450 back inside. Another 450 is loaded up (Evans loves his flips) but Dynamite gets the knees up and small packages him to retain at 10:33.

Rating: C+. Evans is someone who has been around for the better part of ever and you know what you’re getting with him. He’s going to run his mouth and flip a lot, but the good thing is he still knows how to do that style pretty well. The ending didn’t offer much, though at least the match had some time for a change.

Overall Rating: C. There are some talented wrestlers on here and some of the matches were pretty nice. At the same time, there were multiple parts that felt either dumb or almost incomplete, including the weird ending to the six person tag. I’ve seen far worse shows, but this felt like it needed more planning and structure, as it’s kind of all over the place otherwise.

Results
BackSeat Boyz b. Effy/Joey Janela and Jordan Oliver/Ryan O’Neil – Double spinebuster to O’Neil
Mia Friday b. Brittnie Brooks, Jazmin Allure and Ruthie Jay – Rollup to Jay
BLKOUT vs. VNDL48 went to a no contest
Matt Tremont b. Gangrel – Splash
Billy Gold/Kidd Legend/LiveDanger b. Channing Decker/Corazon/Juni Underwood/Simon Gotch – Backdrop into a powerslam to Corazon
Deklan Grant b. Angelo Metro, Angel Orsini, Don Freeze, Jazmyne Hao, JJ Doze, Mickie Knuckles and Tarzan Duran – Piledriver to Knuckles
1 Called Manders b. Thomas Shire – Lariat
Mercedes Martinez b. Lacey Lane and Priscilla Kelly – Spinebuster to Kelly

 

 

Remember to follow me on Twitter and Bluesky @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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NWA-TNA Weekly PPV #11
Date: August 28, 2002
Location: Tennessee State Fairgrounds, Nashville, Tennessee
Commentators: Mike Tenay, Don West

Things took a big turn last week and it actually gives me some hope for the company. The problem right now is that the promotion is having financial issues so a lot of things, including people, have been cut down. That made for a far more interesting and entertaining match last week so maybe things can be a bit better. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

Earlier today, Brian Lawler was asked what Jeff Jarrett did to him. Again though, before he can answer, Jarrett runs in and beats him down.

Kid Kash vs. Amazing Red

They fight over wrist and arm control to start with neither getting very far. Kash sticks the landing on a monkey flip so they trade legsweeps and we get a staredown. Red’s headlock doesn’t last long so they trade armdrags and it’s another standoff. Kash flips him off and gets sent to the apron for some elbows to send him outside. Back up and Kash gets in a shot of his own, setting up a springboard clothesline for two.

Red charges into an elbow in the corner and a middle rope clothesline gets two more. Kash hammers away but Red is back up with a middle rope Downward Spiral for a near fall of his own. They go up top and Kash throws him down for two, followed by a slingshot legdrop in the ropes for the same. Kash runs the rope and hits a springboard spinning high crossbody, followed by something like a kneeling MuscleBuster for the pin at 9:28.

Rating: B-. This is something that the X-Division needs, as you can only have Styles/Ki/Lynn as the focal points for so long. At some point you need some fresh blood in there and these two could certainly fit the bill. They had an exciting enough match and that’s good to see, especially as a way to open the show.

Post match Red offers him a handshake but Kash hits a clothesline instead. The SAT’s run in for the save.

Sonny Siaki, on his own, has to be asked to turn around and face the camera and isn’t worried about facing Monty Brown. Sure Brown was in the Super Bowl, but Siaki is bigger than the Super Bowl.

Sonny Siaki vs. Monty Brown

Before the match, Brown grabs the mic and promises to take out Jeff Jarrett for costing him the World Title last week. Siaki backs him into the corner to start and fires off some shoulders to the ribs. That earns him a trip to the floor but Brown misses a charge into the barricade. Back in and Brown gives him a side slam before stomping away for two. A running splash in the corner hits Siaki and a butterfly suplex into a vertical suplex gets two more.

We hit the chinlock on Siaki but he fights up, only to get clotheslined right back down. A running DDT drops Brown though and we get a double breather. Siaki’s clothesline gets two but Brown drops him again. An overhead belly to belly sends Siaki flying and a powerbomb swung into a Rock Bottom plants him again. Cue Jeff Jarrett though, with the distraction allowing Siaki to hit Brown low for the pin at 10:13.

Rating: C. Brown is in a weird place as he’s a monster with charisma, but he’s nowhere near ready for this level in the ring. The problem with that is if you keep beating him, he loses the status that he has. It would be nice to let him smash through some people to rack up some wins and then bring him along, but why do that when you can just have him lose?

Post match Brown hammers on Jarrett and here is Brian Lawler to go after Jarrett as well. Security breaks it up and Lawler is cut off again. Darn the luck.

Commentary hypes up the X-Division ladder match.

Slash, with new partner Kobain (better known as Flash Flanagan in OVW), is ready to win a spot in a Gauntlet For The Gold for the Tag Team Titles. Kobain says what is likely supposed to sound like Nirvana lyrics.

Backseat Boyz vs. James Storm/Chris Harris vs. Hot Shots vs. Disciples Of The New Church

Elimination rules and the winners are in the Gauntlet For The Gold for the vacant Tag Team Titles. Chase Stevens (partners in the Hot Shots with Cassidy O’Reilly) starts with Trent Acid (of the Backseat Boyz, along with Johnny Kashmere) with Acid flipping over him. Stevens hands it off to Kashmere, with the Boyz having to fight because they can’t be eliminated.

Then they point at each and clean house, including the Dream Sequence (later made famous by the Motor City Machine Guns) to Stevens. Some moonsaults to the floor drop most everyone else and Stevens shooting stars onto everyone else. Back in and Slash tags herself in for a neckbreaker to get rid of Kashmere at 4:13.

Kobain comes in for something like a Demolition Decapitator to Stevens. O’Reilly comes back in and kicks Harris down, setting up a double basement dropkick for two. Harris fights up and hits a heck of a clothesline on Cassidy, with Kobain coming in. That doesn’t last long as Storm tags himself in and hits a reverse tornado DDT to get rid of the Hot Shots at 7:55.

Slash chokes away at Storm in the corner, followed by what would become Storm’s Eye Of The Storm. Kobain comes in and sends Storm outside for the big dive and Slash adds a running knee back inside. Cue Don Harris and Brian Lee for commentary as Harris comes back in to clean house, with Kobain accidentally elbowing Slash. Storm superkicks both of them as everything breaks down, only for Slash to come back with a cutter out of the corner. Another neckbreaker is countered and a slam swung into a Rock Bottom finishes for Harris at 12:54.

Rating: C. This was one of those matches where they didn’t quite have time to build anything up and it hut things. At the same time, you have some teams who aren’t overly familiar around here, with the Kobain deal feeling more stupid than anything else. The good thing is Harris and Storm are being built up as the best team around here and it would not surprise me at all to see them get the titles.

Post match Harris and Lee run in for the beatdown with the other teams all running in as well. Harris and Lee clear the ring, because of course they do.

Jeff Jarrett runs into Bob Armstrong, who tells Jarrett he’ll get what he deserves. Jarrett says he deserves all the titles and promises to deal with Armstrong’s surprise.

Miss TNA: Bruce vs. April Hunter

We get a bunch of BEEPs, which are likely due to crowd chants. Hunter fires off chops and snaps off a headscissors but Bruce pulls her down by the hair. A slam and delayed vertical suplex give Bruce two and he sends Hunter face first into the buckle a few times. Bruce flips out of a belly to back suplex and pulls her down by the hair, setting up a powerbomb for the pin at 3:01.

Rating: D. What even is the point of this anymore? In theory they’re setting someone up to beat Bruce in a big moment, but is it even going to matter when it happens? There comes a point where it’s been run into the ground and it isn’t like it had far to go in the first place. Another bad match here, even with Hunter being better than some of the people who have been in there.

Post match Bruce goes to take off Hunter’s top but Slyck Wagner Brown (Hunter’s boyfriend) makes the save.

The Flying Elvises aren’t all shook up without Sonny Siaki but he better not come back because he’s lonesome tonight. Siaki comes in to say he’s fine without them.

Spanish Announce Team vs. Flying Elvises

Jose wrestles Estrada down to start and they trade some not very near falls. Everything breaks down in a hurry and the Elvises clear the ring, setting up stereo Asai moonsaults. Back in and Estrada plants Joel for two before handing it off to Yang for a dropkick into the corner. Estrada’s slingshot legdrop gets two more but he misses a charge, allowing the tag back to Jose.

Estrada crotches him on top and grabs a neckbreaker for two, followed by a suplex into a neckbreaker. Yang grabs a front facelock as commentary previews upcoming shows, including next week’s Best Of The X-Division (which may or may not have been a way to avoid having to pay for another show). That doesn’t last long and Estrada comes in to miss another charge, allowing Joel to come in as well.

Everything breaks down and Estrada hits a DDT into a springboard corkscrew hilo. Jose grabs a dragon suplex and Joel adds a missile dropkick but Yang is back with a running spinwheel kick in the corner. Cue Sonny Siaki to shove the SAT’s off the top though, allowing Yang to….miss Yang Time. Instead he hits a quick superplex for the pin on Jose at 14:23.

Rating: B-. Much like the opener, this felt like a way to help establish some more names in the division. In this case, we’ve seen both of them before but it was fun to have them out there going crazy for a bit. It’s not like this is some great match, but I had a good time with it while it lasted. If nothing else, either of these teams could come after the Tag Team Titles when they’re brought back.

Here is Goldilocks to introduce Brian Lawler for the big Jeff Jarrett explanation. First though, Lawler calls her a piece of trash who shows too much skin and wants her out. With Goldilocks gone, Lawler calls out Jarrett to meet him face to face. Before he can talk though, cue Ron Killings, who is made at Lawler for hitting him with a chair last week.

Lawler begs forgiveness and Killings leaves, with Lawler saying this is personal with Jarrett. Then Lawler spots his girlfriend in the audience and accuses a photographer of hitting on her. Lawler escorts said girlfriend to the back as we’re STILL not getting an explanation. I can’t imagine it’s anywhere near that interesting and that is getting more and more obvious every time they tease this story.

We recap Jeff Jarrett being attacked by the Bullet last week, who was NOT Brad Armstrong.

Jeff Jarrett vs. The Bullet

Jarrett jumps him fast and sends things outside, with Bullet being whipped over the barricade. The beatdown is on with Jarrett blasting him with some chair shots. They go back inside where Bullet fights back and starts using quite a few familiar moves (as in similar to Brian Armstrong, Bob’s son and better known as the Road Dogg). Jarrett whips out some handcuffs and attaches Bullet to the ropes. It’s time for a chair so Bob Armstrong comes out, earning himself a chair to the head. The match is thrown out at 3:45.

Rating: C-. And yet, it’s somehow more interesting than anything involving Brian Lawler. That brings up the problem though: Jarrett is involved in quite a bit on this show and it’s not the most interesting stuff. At some point you need to give him something that gets people to care and we haven’t seen it yet. Brian Lawler and the Armstrongs isn’t the way to make that happen either.

Post match Bob gets destroyed and busted open with another chair shot. Security cuts Jarrett off and no unmasking ensues.

Don West hypes up the main event.

We recap Jerry Lynn vs. AJ Styles going to a draw in their three match series last week. This set up a three way ladder match, with Low Ki defending the X-Division Title.

X-Division Title: AJ Styles vs. Jerry Lynn vs. Low Ki

Ki is defending in a ladder match. Ki and Lynn chop it out to start with Styles quickly taking Lynn’s place. Lynn is back up but misses his slingshot Fameasser, allowing Ki to springboard kick Styles down. Back in and Lynn takes over on both of them, including a fairly illogical surfboard to Ki. A suplex drops Styles and you can see Lynn have to stop himself from covering.

Ki breaks up a Liontamer to Styles (Why?) and drops both of them in a hurry. Styles knocks Ki into the corner and they’re all down for an early breather. It’s Styles up first and he heads to the floor, where a ladder is bridged between the barricade and the apron. Ki and Styles climb onto said ladder but Lynn is right there for a double faceplant.

Lynn baseball slides a ladder into Styles’ ribs but Ki cuts off his climb. Styles unloads on Ki until he gets dropped by Lynn. A double hiptoss sends Ki into a ladder leaning against the rope, followed by a suplex sending Lynn into the same ladder. Ki is back up with a hurricanrana to send Styles into the ladder and they need a breather. Styles loads up the ladder and tries a climb but Ki pulls him down for some kicks to the chest.

Ki pulls Styles off the ladder again and then sends the ladder over, with Lynn crashing down in a heap. Back up and Lynn hammers on Styles, followed by a sitout powerbomb on Ki. Two more ladders are brought in and Styles climbs after Ki, who puts him in a dragon sleeper. Lynn breaks that up (Why?) and shoves Styles down, followed by a cradle piledriver off the ladder to plant Ki. That’s enough for Lynn to pull the title down for the win at 20:05.

Rating: B+. This was more of a match where they went after each other rather than the ladder and that makes things so much more interesting. Sometimes it’s nice to see them mix it up a bit and in this case, it was great to focus on people this talented. Lynn gets the title and can defend it against a bunch of people, including these two, and I can certainly go for more of that at the moment.

And we’re off the air before Tenay can even finish his sentence.

Overall Rating: B-. Again, these shows are SO MUCH BETTER because they don’t have all of the frills and stupid stuff bringing it down. Instead, they’re focusing on the in-ring action and it’s that much better as a result. There are still problems though, including WAY too much Jarrett and anything on Bruce. Other than that though, it’s a mile ahead of everything they were doing in the first ten weeks or so and I’ll definitely take that.

Results
Kid Kash b. Amazing Red – Kneeling neckbreaker
Sonny Siaki b. Monty Brown – Rollup
James Storm/Chris Harris b. Backseat Boyz, Hot Shots and Disciples Of The New Church last eliminating the Disciples Of The New Church
Bruce b. April Hunter – Powerbomb
Flying Elvises b. Spanish Announce Team – Superplex to Jose
Jeff Jarrett vs. The Bullet went to a no contest
Jerry Lynn b. AJ Styles and Low Ki – Lynn pulled down the title

 

 

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