NWA-TNA Weekly PPV #24
Date: December 4, 2002
Location: Tennessee State Fairgrounds, Nashville, Tennessee
Commentators: Mike Tenay, Don West

We’re in the Russo/Jarrett era of the show and believe it or not, things went way downhill in a hurry last week. Russo’s mere presence drags the show down and it felt like a lot of the other stuff was treated far less importantly. It would be nice to see that change this week, but odds are it’s going to be more about Russo than anything else. Let’s get to it.

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

We open with a recap of Vince Russo wanting an answer from Jeff Jarrett to end last week’s show. After the show ended, Ron Killings and Russo got in a fight and naturally Russo was able to hold his own with him.

Opening sequence.

Here is Roddy Piper to get things going, accompanied by someone in a Piper shirt. Piper wants to talk about Vince Russo (oh geez), who wanted to be a wrestler but couldn’t so he turned it into sports entertainment. He holds up some photos from his book (which is quite the read in a not so great way) and calls Russo the Bin Laden of wrestling. Piper warns us of what is going to happen if Russo is allowed to have his way and calls Russo out to meet him.

Russo runs in through the crowd and Piper gets in his face to talk about him killing WCW. He wants to know what Russo wants to accomplish and talks about how Piper has killed everything in wrestling. Cue the Harris Twins to hold Russo back as Piper mocks him. Piper’s music cuts him off. Oh and he raises the hand of the man who came with him, with Piper saying he hopes that people like this man listen to him. This was one of those things that felt like the company thought it would be awesome but…Russo.

We run down the card.

SATs vs. Divine Storm

Trinity is here with Divine Storm. Jose can’t break Storm’s bridge to start so they trade springboard armdrags. They go to a standoff so it’s off to Joel to send Divine outside. Everything breaks down and Divine Storm hit a running dive to the floor each. Trinity adds a huge moonsault of her own but the SATs are right back with a Boston crab/camel clutch combo to both of them at the same time.

A reverse rocking horse into a slingshot Fameasser gets two on Divine, who comes back with what looked like a low blow. Everything breaks down again and Divine hits what would become known as the One Winged Angel with Jose making the save. The super Spanish Fly is loaded up but Trinity gets in a low blow, allowing Storm to roll Jose up for the pin at 7:33.

Rating: C+. It was another fine tag match between two decent teams, but at the same time it wasn’t exactly a match that felt important. Maybe Divine Storm is being built up to go after the Tag Team Titles, but they’re not exactly stealing the show thus far. It could be worse, but it could also be a lot more interesting.

Here is Chris Harris for a match but hang on because here is Vince Russo to interrupt. He says he’s here to help Harris before moving on to Roddy Piper. He’s not going to talk about Piper and get sued, but if Piper wants to use Owen Hart’s name to sell a book, he’s going straight to H***. The way Russo sees it, the NWA doesn’t care about the fans but rather about a bunch of old people who won’t admit that it’s over. These people want violence, smut and language. They want sex: SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT XTREME baby!

Russo keeps seeing signs for Athena so here she is. Naturally he won’t let her speak, instead telling her to take her clothes off. She’s not interested so he calls her a b****, earning a slap to his face. Russo grabs her by the hair and screams at her until security comes in.

Athena goes after Russo anyway, with Russo threatening her as the Harris Twins hold them apart. Russo gets on the Twins for becoming bodyguards and Ron (I guess) says he’s not doing this anymore because Russo is here. Russo tells them to take out the trash so it’s an H Bomb to Athena. They do it again and then beat up the other security for trying to help. This has been a Russo segment involving a woman and that shouldn’t be a surprise whatsoever.

In the back Bob Armstrong yells at the Harris Twins…and gives them a match tonight. And Russo is a snake whose head needs to be crushed.

AMW yells at Mike Tenay, who tells them to go to the ring.

Chris Harris vs. Brian Lee

The usual associates are here too. The brawl starts on the floor with Lee knocking him over the barricade but Harris is back with a tackle onto the announcers’ table. A suplex brings Lee inside for the first time but a low blow slows Harris down. Lee slugs away and his associates get in their cheap shots from the floor. The chinlock doesn’t last long but Lee is back up with a knee to the ribs. That’s cut off with a running bulldog so here is Belladonna for a distraction. Said distraction lets Lee get in a big boot for two so Mitchell throws in a foreign object. That lets Harris hit a quick spear for the sudden pin at 5:14.

Rating: C. Nothing to see here, partially because it was a fairly bland match coming after the big promo from Russo. That’s another big issue with Russo, as he gets to take over everything going on with the show and the wrestling has to take a huge backseat. This is a match that is part of a hot feud, but instead it’s playing second fiddle to Russo establishing himself. Lucky us.

Ron Killings is told that if he teams up with Jeff Jarrett against the Harris Brothers, he gets a title shot. So who was Armstrong going to put them against if Killings said no?

James Storm vs. Slash

Slash jumps him to start but Storm gets in a quick slam. Back up and Slash kicks him in the face, followed by a suplex for two. The slow beating ensues until Storm manages to get in a quick superkick for the needed breather. A Russian legsweep gives Storm two but Belladonna offers a distraction, allowing Slash to throw powder in his face.

Slash’s neckbreaker gets two, as does Slash rolling through a middle rope high crossbody. A chair is thrown in and the referee is distracted for the reverse tornado DDT onto said chair for…two. Oh yeah Russo is in charge again. Chris Harris has to spear Brian Lee from invading but the distraction lets Slash get in a belt shot for two more. For some reason Mitchell gets up on the apron, allowing AMW to hit a Death Sentence to give Storm the pin at 6:15.

Rating: D. The main event of Wrestlemania isn’t this overbooked most of the time. Instead, it’s a six minute match and the second instance of two members of the teams facing off. I’m sure this is just a tiny step in their feud, but why not throw everything you can out there for this otherwise nothing match?

Apparently this win gets AMW a threw way bullrope match with James Mitchell tonight. Well of course it does.

Jerry Lynn hypes up a charity event.

Bob Armstrong gives Ron Killings and Jeff Jarrett a pep talk before the main event.

Kid Kash vs. AJ Styles vs. Amazing Red vs. Kid Kash

This is a double elimination (as in you have to take two falls) match for an X-Division Title shot. Hold on though (of course) as Styles jumps Red and gives him a Styles Clash on the stage. Cue Joel Maximo to take Red’s place, because of course. Red is literally picked up and carried out (no stretcher) and Maximo and Kash trade waistlocks to start. Maximo is sent outside for a nice slingshot hurricanrana so Styles takes Kash down with a cheap shot. That doesn’t seem to matter as Kash gives Maximo a gutbuster, only for Maximo to grab a German suplex for the first fall on Kash at 2:39.

Styles is in to jump Maximo but can’t give him the Clash, instead getting rolled up for two more. The middle rope moonsault into the reverse DDT gives Styles another near fall and something like White Noise gives Styles the pin on Maximo at 5:18. Money is back in to powerbomb Styles for two but the Buckshot Lariat is cut off by a dropkick. The Styles Clash is reversed into a belly to back piledriver to give Money two, followed by the Crash Landing to pin Styles at 7:20.

Kash comes back in and gets monkey flipped but grabs a spinning DDT on Money. A fisherman’s buster gives Kash two and Money’s full nelson slam gets the same. They go up and Money’s superbomb is countered into a super hurricanrana for two, meaning it’s time to argue with the referee. Styles gets in a cheap shot from behind on Kash, allowing Money to roll him up for the elimination at 10:25.

Styles is back in with the Clash to pin Money at 10:48, leaving all three of them with a loss each. Maximo comes in to hammer on Styles, who cuts him off with a fast dropkick. Styles’ brainbuster gets two on Maximo and we hit a Muta Lock, which Styles turns over to stretch Maximo even more. With that broken up (despite looking rather cool), Maximo avoids a charge into the corner and gets a quick two of his own.

Styles sends him outside though and Mortimer Plumtree gets in a few stomps, as a good manager should. The slingshot Swanton gives Styles two back inside, as does Maximo’s sitout powerbomb. Maximo grabs a figure four necklock as we see Money watching on, which actually makes sense for a change. Styles gets out and hits a sitout Dominator for two more as this is starting to drag.

Back up and Maximo grabs a quick rollup to pin Styles out of nowhere at 19:00. So we’re down to Maximo vs. Money, with Money coming back in for a superkick. The frog splash gives Money two as Styles and Plumtree yells at the referee. That means Maximo’s moonsault doesn’t get a count, allowing Money to get in a quick piledriver to pin Maximo for the win at 21:32.

Rating: C+. I’m not sure what to make of this one, as it was a pretty random lineup, with Red being taken out to take it down a few notches, though the action was fine. The problem is it did go longer than it needed to, which took away a lot of the fun. Money winning is fine and I do like the idea of bringing back the double elimination match, though this was a weird spot for it.

Some of the production team talks about the charity stuff on their website.

Sonny Siaki wants the X-Division Title.

Jerry Lynn is injured so his title defense against Siaki is postponed until next week. As this is going on, the Harris Twins come in the ring and go after Bill Behrens, even loading up the table. Lynn runs in for the save and gets sent through Behrens, through the table. Ron Killings comes in for the real save with a chair but the Twins beat him into the crowd. The Twins throw him off a balcony and through a table.

Bob Armstrong wants BG James to do…something tonight. Are we supposed to know they’re father and son?

America’s Most Wanted vs. James Mitchell

This is a three way bullrope match but Mitchell comes out to say his personal physician (Dr. Kevorkian) says his test results aren’t great, so he can’t do this tonight. Instead, here’s Belladonna to do it instead.

America’s Most Wanted vs. Belladonna

AMW shoves her down rather than tie up with the rope and go after Mitchell, only for the Disciples Of The New Church to run out for the brawl. The Disciples lay AMW out and now the referee is willing to attach the rope to their wrists, allowing Mitchell to come in and choke a lot. Belladonna comes in and ties herself by the wrist, allowing Harris to pull her off the middle rope. A TKO lays Belladonna out and the Death Sentence finishes her off. This was a match? Sure why not.

Don West does the preview for next week.

Curt Hennig has a sitdown interview where he talks about Vince Russo. Hennig isn’t a fan of someone putting himself on camera like that, but he’s also ready to win the World Title next week.

Harris Twins vs. Jeff Jarrett/BG James

AND NEVER MIND BECAUSE JAMES WAS ATTACKED BACKSTAGE. The Twins jump Jarrett and knock him over the barricade, where a chair is pelted at his head. Jarrett slips out of the H Bomb, gets knocked down, slips out of it again, and hits a double clothesline. Cue Ron Killings, barely able to walk and carrying a chair, as Jarrett cleans house with a chair and hits a Stroke to pin Don at 5:14.

Rating: D+. It was here that I realized Jarrett is now a good guy. Why this is seen to be a good idea is beyond me but he was doing things here that regular tag teams couldn’t do. Either way, the idea of having more from the Harris Twins is not a good thing, though that’s one of roughly 18,274 issues with this show. This was the usual angle disguised as a match, which is even more Russo standard operating procedure.

Post match Killings says he wants Vince Russo out here so the Twins beat him down again. Russo jumps the barricade as Killings gets H Bombed a few times. BG James runs in with a chair for the save…and then lays out Killings before hugging Russo. In case that isn’t enough, Paul Bearer pops up on stage to end the show.

Overall Rating: D-. Oh yeah we’re in big trouble here people, and it isn’t likely to get any better. The problem here is that it feels like a total Russo show, with all kinds of stuff going on and one twist after another. While that might make for an interesting sign, you can only get so much out of that when the people turning so much takes away what interest they might have. At the same time, we’re looking at a main event scene involving Jeff Jarrett, the Road Dogg and the Harris Twins.

That’s in addition to everyone suddenly talking about Russo (sidenote: Is Russo a TNA employee or is he just someone who is showing up? You might want to clarify that.), who is apparently the most interesting person in the world. This promotion has gone from getting ok to absolutely awful, with the Russo focus being the reason. I’m sure Russo would see that as proof that he’s doing his job but….yeah not quite. It doesn’t work when the show stops being fun and becomes a chore to watch, which is the case anytime Russo is prominently featured. Awful show here, and egads Russo is atrocious.

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Battle Royal Collection
Commentators: Michael Cole, Tazz, Jesse Ventura, Gorilla Monsoon, Vince McMahon, Joey Styles, Bill Mercer, Tony Schiavone

Well, as usual the Vault saves me from having to come up with a catchy name for these things. It’s one of those deals where the idea is right there and we have a bunch of these to go through. This should be interesting as battle royals can go in all kinds of directions, often out of nowhere. Let’s get to it.

From Smackdown, January 13, 2006.

World Heavyweight Championship: Battle Royal

Bobby Lashley, JBL, Paul London, Brian Kendrick, Sylvan, Nunzio, Super Crazy, Simon Dean, Matt Hardy, Joey Mercury, Johnny Nitro, Mark Henry, Rey Mysterio, Kurt Angle, Orlando Jordan, Vito, Animal, William Regal, Psicosis, Paul Burchill

For the vacant title after Batista got injured. Angle is a surprise so JBL goes after him and is quickly suplexed. Angle tosses JBL and Vito so a bunch of people jump Angle at once. An early elimination attempt is blocked as Angle slips back under the ropes, allowing him to go after Mysterio. That’s broken up and Mysterio can’t get rid of Jordan. Animal and Henry have the big slugout with Henry knocking him out.

We take a break and come back with Dean having been eliminated, followed by Nunzio and Jordan being tossed as well. Angle throws out Regal and Burchill but Henry jumps him from behind. Henry knocks Angle outside and follows him (neither are eliminated) as London is tossed. A gorilla press sends Angle through the announcers’ table to leave him laying and Henry gets back inside. Lashley gives Henry a running shoulder but knocks himself down, allowing Henry to kick him out. Kendrick is out as well and we take another break.

We come back with Hardy getting rid of Sylvan, leaving us with Hardy, Henry, Mercury, Mysterio and Nitro, plus Angle on the floor. Henry gets rid of Hardy and Mysterio eliminates Nitro and Mercury. Mysterio realizes he’s alone with Henry but loads up the Eddie Dance to show he’s serious. Some kicks to the leg stagger Henry and the 619 connects. Another one hits the ribs and Mysterio tries to pull him out, only to get sent to the apron.

A springboard is pulled out of the air though and Mysterio is tossed, but Angle gets up. The straps come down and Angle hammers away but Henry runs him over. Back up and an Angle Slam drops Henry, who is right back with a running splash in the corner. Angle manages a headscissors choke but Henry powerbombs the heck out of him for the break. They get up again and Angle hits a German suplex, followed by the front facelock. Angle can’t get him out but another headscissors lets Angle get the elimination and the title at 23:57.

Rating: B-. They weren’t hiding the fact that Angle was the heavy favorite here, but Henry felt like a monster in his own right. There’s nothing wrong with letting you know what’s going to happen from a mile away on occasion and that was the case here. Angle is a good choice for the last minute champion and the fans were into what they were seeing, so I’ll take what we got here.

From Saturday Night’s Main Event X.

Battle Royal

Honky Tonk Man, Sika, Ax, Smash, Koko B. Ware, Nikolai Volkoff, Hillbilly Jim, Andre The Giant, Hulk Hogan, B. Brian Blair, Jim Brunzell, Paul Orndorff, Lanny Poffo, Butch Reed, Tama, Billy Jack Haynes, Haku, Blackjack Mulligan, Hercules, Ron Bass

Commentary completely ignores everyone other than Hogan and Andre during the entrances and…well yeah. Hogan and Andre square off but Orndorff and others jump them to start fast. Honky Tonk Man is out in a hurry and Andre gets rid of Sika as well. Andre beats up Jim and Mulligan before tossing out Haku with ease. One heck of a headbutt busts Poffo open and Andre tosses him in a hurry.

Poffo is gushing blood on the floor as he’s taken out on a stretcher as Andre beats on Mulligan (who stands 6’6 and weighs about 350lbs and is dwarfed by Andre). Bass is out and Mulligan follows him. Hogan dumps Volkoff as Ventura is begging to see Hogan vs. Andre. There goes Blair and Hogan is whipped into Andre and HERE WE GO!

Hogan slugs away and Ware of all people jumps Andre. Thanks you bird brain. Hogan dumps Orndorff but Andre grabs Hogan for the headbutts and tosses him with no trouble. We take a break and come back with Hogan still leaving and a bunch of people getting together to toss Andre, who takes the interest in the match with him.

Hercules tosses Tama and Ax is gone. Smash dumps Hillbilly and Ware dropkicks Reed out to get us down to four. We have a bizarre tag match of Smash and Hercules against Ware and Haynes (sounds Lethal Lotteryish). Ware is tossed and a double clotheslines has Haynes in trouble. Haynes manages to dump Smash though and slugs it out with Hercules. Cue Bobby Heenan on the apron for a distraction though and Hercules dumps Hayes for the win at 11:16.

Rating: C+. This was a tale of two battle royals, as you have everything before the Hogan vs. Andre showdown/eliminations and then everything after them. That’s where things fall apart, because there was no reason to care in the slightest after the two of them were gone. Andre was feeling like a monster though and the heat for the showdown with Hogan was great, so I’ll let the rest slide.

From Superstars, February 25, 1995.

Battle Royal

Sionne, Fatu, Jacob Blu, Jerry Lawler, King Kong Bundy, Duke Droese, Aldo Montoya, 1-2-3 Kid, Mantaur, Mabel, Jimmy Del Ray, Adam Bomb, Bob Holly, Mo, Shawn Michaels, British Bulldog, Kwang, Henry Godwinn, Eli Blu, Tom Pritchard

Michaels runs away from a mob and eliminates himself to spare quite a bit of pain. We settle way down with everyone brawling and no one really coming close to being eliminated. Lawler has to run away from Mabel and we slow down again. Jacob is knocked over the top to finally get rid of someone else and we take a break. We come back with Godwinn backdropping Droese out, which Lawler finds hilarious. Del Ray is out and Mabel splashes Bundy onto Kwang in the corner. Holly clotheslines Montoya out and Godwinn is gone as well, followed by Fatu.

Bomb and Pritchard are both out and Kid fires off the kicks to Lawler in the corner. Bundy and Mantaur get rid of Mabel, with Bundy saying he did it by himself. A bunch of people toss Bundy and we take another break. We come back with Holly getting tossed and we’re down to six. Kid and Smith get Lawler out to the apron but he hangs on, even landing on one foot to stay alive. Lawler tells the audience to stay quiet because he’s still officially in.

Cue Bret Hart to look at the hopping Lawler, with a rather amusing look on his face. Lawler tries to hop away (Vince: “He looks like a demented kangaroo out there.”) but Hart stomps on his foot and that’s enough for Lawler in a funny bit. Hart beats on him a bit more and we’re down to five.

Kwang misses a spinwheel kick and gets eliminated by Bulldog. That leaves us with Bulldog, Eli, Kid and Mantaur, with Eli tossing Kid. Bulldog gets rid of Mantaur and the powerslam hits “either Jacob or Eli” but here is Michaels to cheap shot Bulldog so Eli can take over. Then Bulldog low bridges Eli out anyway for the win at 13:51.

Rating: D. The only entertaining part here was the Hart segment and this was a really lame battle royal as a result. Bulldog was the only realistic winner near the end and that made for a long stretch until the finish. Nothing to see here and given that it was the doldrums of 1995, that shouldn’t be a surprise in the slightest.

From ECW Hardcore TV, December 24, 1996.

Battle Royal

This is a King Of The Hill battle royal, meaning pinfall, submission or over the top eliminations. Taz is in the ring (but not an entrant) when the lights go out and Sabu is in at #1. The Eliminators (Saturn and Kronus) are in at #2 and #3 and give Sabu a pair of Total Eliminations. Taz heads outside to yell at Sabu as New Jack and Mustafa (the Gangatas) are in at #4 and #5.

A mini tag match breaks out while Sabu is down and Taz leaves. Another pair of Total Eliminations hit the Gangstas and the Eliminators eliminate them. Sabu gets dropped with a rather rough spike piledriver as Rob Van Dam is in at #6. Van Dam (and his snazzy pants) can’t do much on his own but Sabu is back up for the save as another tag match breaks out. Balls Mahoney (he’s new at this point) is in at #7 and the fans think he’s fat. Spike Dudley is in at #8 as Van Dam hits a nasty looking springboard kick to Mahoney’s face.

Things settle down a bit as it’s more of a standard brawl, which is pretty logical for ECW. Little Guido is in at #9 and is immediately kicked in the face by Saturn. Another Total Elimination gets rid of Spike and Bubba Ray Dudley is in at #10. Bubba shrugs off Guido’s forearms and gorilla presses him out for the big crash. Van Dam and Mahoney are out, leaving us with the Eliminators vs. Sabu/Bubba.

Chris Candido is in at #11 to help Saturn break up Sabu’s camel clutch on Bubba (so much for that partnership). Saturn saves Candido from Sabu and hits a powerbomb but Sabu is back up with a springboard clothesline to the Eliminators. Brian Lee is in at #11 as Candido eliminates Kronus. Bubba is knocked out by Lee and Shane Douglas is in at #12. Douglas stomps away at Saturn and Candido gets two on Sabu.

Tommy Dreamer is in at #13 and Douglas panics, eliminating himself rather than face Dreamer. Saturn and Dreamer drop everyone else, with Saturn superkicking Candido through the ropes. Sabu is back up with a double clothesline to Candido as D-Von Dudley is in at #14. Lee has a chair to clean house until Sabu takes it away and chairs D-Von for two. Sandman is in at #15 and goes after Saturn as the ring is starting to get full. Saturn is kicked out and Sabu moonsaults D-Von for two.

Louie Spicoli is in at #16 and tosses Candido out and a bunch of people go after D-Von for two more. Lee tosses Dreamer and Spicoli as the Blue World Order is in at Stevie Cool, Nova and the Blue Meanie are in at #17, #18 and #19. The Stevie Kick gets rid of D-Von but Lee takes out Meanie and Nova (his teammates in Raven’s Nest). Another Stevie Kick hits Sandman but Lee tosses Richards as well. Lee tosses Sandman, only to get clotheslined out by Sabu for the win at 19:45.

Rating: C+. It’s ECW so your mileage is absolutely going to vary, but what matters the most is that this felt different. ECW didn’t do this kind of match very often and it made things that much more interesting. Sabu going wire to wire is fine as he’s such a fan favorite and the people were happy throughout. Nice little surprise here and that’s a good thing.

From World Class Championship Wrestling TV, January 7, 1983.

Battle Royal

Wild Bill Irwin, Bugsy McGraw, King Kong Bundy, Terry Gordy, Kerry Von Erich, Andre The Giant

Pinfall, submission or over the top. Von Erich charges at Gordy to start before the bell. Andre comes in and we’re ready to go. Michael Hayes offers a distraction on the floor though and Von Erich is out in a hurry. That’s not ok with Von Erich, who goes back in to go after Gordy again. Von Erich is finally dragged out as Andre chokes Gordy for a change. Bundy hammers and chokes Andre, who doesn’t seem to notice.

A middle rope ax handle finally drops Andre, who falls onto Gordy in a funny spot. McGraw is tossed as Andre chokes Gordy on the mat. Bundy and Irwin go after Andre for the save but he gets up and chokes Gordy again (Does Gordy owe him money or something?). A headbutt knocks Bundy down and of course it’s time to choke Gordy again. Andre headbutts Irwin and chokes Gordy AGAIN like he’s in a slasher movie.

Bundy gets punched through the ropes and Andre gets to massage Gordy’s throat some more. Irwin and Bundy try to help Gordy again and it works for all of two seconds before Gordy accidentally drops Bundy. Some triple teaming slows Andre down as the fans are all behind him. They manage to get Andre down to his knees and the mat, but he gets back to his feet again.

Irwin hammers away but Andre fights up and atomic drops Irwin out. Hayes saves Gordy from elimination so Andre eliminates himself to give chase. So we’re down to Bundy vs. Gordy as Andre realizes how much he just screwed up. Bundy slams Gordy for two but misses s the Avalanche. Gordy dropkicks him in the back for the win at 12:57.

Rating: C+. This was ok enough, but at the same time it was mainly only funny for Andre’s near stalker killer movie villain obsession with Gordy. Andre went after him time after time and it was rather entertaining, with even commentary wondering what was with Andre’s obsession. Von Erich being pretty much nothing here was kind of weird, but Andre made up for him leaving so soon.

From Battlebowl 1993.

Battlebowl

Cactus Jack, Vader, Johnny B. Badd, Brian Knobbs, Shockmaster, Paul Orndorff, King Kong, Dustin Rhodes, Sting, Jerry Sags, Steve Austin, Ric Flair, Rick Rude, Shanghai Pierce, Hawk, Rip Rogers

Rogers is very banged up after getting beaten up earlier in the night. It’s the usual brawl to start and Rogers is out first, which is quite logical. Pierce is out as well as commentary admits there is too much going on to call here. Austin and Flair go outside (not eliminated) to brawl and Badd is sent to the ramp, which is NOT an elimination (as covered by commentary). Not that it matters as Badd is out a few seconds later.

Back in and Orndorff tries to toss Flair, with Hawk making a save to leave Ventura annoyed/confused. Jack loads up a superplex on Vader (of course) but gets broken up, allowing Vader to toss Jack out. Orndorff is out as well and the fans are not pleased with either of those two. Kong and the Shockmaster are both eliminated and the ring is a lot more clear. Vader gorilla presses Sting to the ramp (again, not out) but Sting comes back in to choke Vader in the corner.

Sags and Vader save Knobbs from Sting, who then saves Flair from Vader for some reason. Flair goes outside (not out) to go after Harley Race as Sting goes after the Nasty Boys at the same time. Back up and Vader runs Sting over before Flair beats up Knobbs, which isn’t something you see very often. Rhodes and Austin brawl to the floor, again without going over the top as we’ve gone a long time without an elimination. Rhodes gets posted and busted open and we slow way down, with commentary pointing it out as well.

Back up and Knobbs, Sags, Rhodes, Rude and Hawk all being eliminated in VERY short order. Well that picked up the pace. We’re down to Austin, Vader, Sting and Flair (not bad) as Rhodes is being led out and looks to have had his bell rung. Sting suplexes Austin and Vader misses a charge at Flair in the corner, leaving Flair to beat up Race on the ramp. Vader goes out for the save as Sting clotheslines Austin in the ring.

Sting and Austin join the other two on the ramp as this is not following proper battle royal procedures. The trainer comes out to check on Flair so Vader kicks him too. Flair is stretchered out and is officially eliminated due to injury. Naturally Race tries to turn the stretcher over, because that’s the kind of thing Race would do. Vader gorilla presses Sting back into the ring but Sting pops up and powerslams a diving Vader out of the air.

House is quickly cleaned with a bunch of clotheslines but the numbers game finally catches him in the corner. Austin gets in a rather impressive middle rope elbow (and has to stop himself from covering) before Vader drops Sting again. Vader hits two splashes but Sting avoids the third and makes the comeback on Austin.

Sting gets dropped again though and the Vader Bomb crushes him. Vader has hurt his own back though and Austin misses a top rope splash. Sting backdrops Austin onto the ramp and he falls onto the floor, which apparently counts as an elimination. So believe it or not, it’s Vader vs. Sting, with Vader hitting another splash. Sting avoids a charge though and fireman’s carries Vader onto the top, only to miss the Stinger Splash and eliminate himself so Vader wins at 25:35.

Rating: B-. This took some time but there is something about watching Sting and Vader no matter what they’re doing. Throw in Austin out there and getting to see Flair taking a beating and I couldn’t complain that much. It’s one of those things that works even with the extra time, though the ending was kind of out of nowhere and didn’t make Vader look that strong.

From Smackdown, November 29, 2011.

Battle Royal

Curt Hawkins, Ted DiBiase, Ezekiel Jackson, JTG, Johnny Curtis, Darren Young, Tyler Reks, Justin Gabriel, Tyson Kidd, Jinder Mahal, Hunico, Percy Watson, Yoshi Tatsu, Titus O’Neil, Sheamus, Jimmy Uso, Jey Uso, Hornswoggle, Kofi Kingston, Heath Slater

The winner gets a Christmas wish. Hornswoggle goes under the ring to start, leaving Sheamus (the Great White, in something that actually made air) tosses Young. Jimmy Uso is out as well, followed by JTG. Cole rants about how much guest host Mick Foley loves Christmas as Jackson dumps Hawkins. Sheamus pounds Jackson down and ducks a clothesline to get rid of him.

Curtis (Fandango) is gone and there goes Jey Uso and Kingston back to back. Tatsu and DiBiase are out, with Hornswoggle popping out from underneath the ring to pull Kidd out as well. We take a break and come back with the graphics messing up (which I believe was another Chris Jericho return), plus Gabriel being eliminated. O’Neil plants Reks but gets clotheslined out by Sheamus.

Reks jumps Sheamus from behind and gets pummeled but runs outside for a breather. Everyone goes to the floor for the brawl, with Sheamus being sent into the barricade. The non-Sheamuses get back inside but realize that they have to get rid of Hornswoggle as well. Hornswoggle is thrown back inside and can’t escape, with Slater throwing him down. Sheamus comes back in for the save and quickly eliminates everyone not named Hornswoggle.

Sheamus tells him to get out but Hornswoggle says he wants Sheamus out instead. Hornswoggle kicks him in the shin so Sheamus calls him a lunatic. Sheamus easily picks him up but Hornswoggle hangs onto the top rope. In a not so bright move, Sheamus goes over the top to pull Hornswoggle off the ropes. He tells Hornswoggle (who went through the ropes) to get down, but first Hornswoggle wants a hug. Hornswoggle shoves him off the apron for the clever win at 14:01. Hornswoggle would use the wish to be able to talk, which he could do before but was forgotten for the sake of the match.

Rating: C. Yeah I can’t get that mad at some like this. It was a goofy, lighthearted battle royal for the holiday special. Hornswoggle winning is a good way to go as the fans were behind him, especially when he finds an easy way to eliminate Sheamus and win. It wasn’t particularly good, but the result was charming enough.

Post match Sheamus is mad but raises Hornswoggle’s hand in holiday spirit.

Overall Rating: C+. This was a good example of why you don’t have multiple battle royals very often. Some of what we got here was fine enough, but seeing them over and over got repetitive. That is only going to get you so far and it was only so interesting. I did like that they offered a nice mixture of stuff from promotions, which is one of the places where the Vault tends to shine.

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

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NWA-TNA Weekly PPV #14
Date: September 25, 2002
Location: Tennessee State Fairgrounds, Nashville, Tennessee
Commentators: Mike Tenay, Don West

Things are in quite the transitional period around here and that makes for an interesting time. If nothing else, it makes for a necessary time, as the show has gone from total insanity to something more coherent, but that doesn’t make it interesting. Last week’s show ended with something of a Kliq reunion and that is not something that has me interested. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

We go to the back where Jerry Lynn is attacking Sonny Siaki, who cost him the World Title last week. The brawl keeps going until security breaks it up.

Commentary previews the show.

Sonny Siaki vs. Amazing Red

This doesn’t seem fair. Red jumps him on the floor to start and they get inside, with Siaki being sent into the corner for a running dropkick. Siaki fires off some running shoulders in the corner and a big backdrop sends Red to the floor. Red gets dropped onto the barricade for some near falls back inside but the bad rips are slowing Siaki down. A bearhug keeps Red in trouble and a superkick makes things even worse. Siaki chokes a bit but Red is back with the Code Red for two. A spinning kick to the head drops Siaki again but he’s right back with a spinning neckbreaker for the win at 7:25.

Rating: C+. Well so much for Red. Not only did he come in with an advantage, but he jumped Siaki to start, only to lose anyway. Siaki is getting more and more featured time and there are worse ideas, but it isn’t going to matter all that much unless he breaks into the holy trinity of the X-Division. Those guys are the ones who matter and everyone else is just kind of there beneath them. Either change that or nothing Siaki does really matters.

Post match Jorge Estrada comes out to say the rest of the Flying Elivses are giving up on Siaki.

We go to the back, where Ron Killings is attacking Amazing Red.

Tag Team Titles: Brian Lee/Ron Harris vs. James Storm/Chris Harris

Storm and Chris are defending in a tables match and this is a rematch from last week when they won the belts. Lee hammers on Chris to start as I wonder why there are tags. The villains are sent to the floor for a pair of dives from the champs but Lee takes over back inside. Ron loads up a table in the corner but gets cut off, leaving Lee to choke Chris instead.

With Storm on the floor, Ron loads up a powerslam…and completely ignores the table and plants Chris in the middle of the ring instead. Chris fights out and brings in Storm to clean house and after sending Ron to the floor, knock Lee through the table at ringside to retain the titles at 6:39.

Rating: D+. This is where TNA, and other promotions for that matter, look bad and I still don’t get it. There are some people who need to be protected and others who can take a loss without any issues. Ron Harris and Brian Lee have next to no value around here and having one of them take a finish for a clean pin is not going to hurt them. If you want Storm and Chris to be a big deal, let them look like a big deal rather than having to knock Lee through a table to win.

Post match Ron wrecks the champs again, but security breaks it up…including Don Harris, who gets in a shoving match with his brother. So yes, the newly crowned Tag Team Champions, and by far the best team in the company, is laid out for the sake of THE BATTLING HARRIS BROTHERS.

Earlier today, Bruce arrived and got in an argument with an elderly woman.

Here is Ron Killings for a chat. He talks about growing up in poverty with five people in one bed but now people who grew up with security are talking about how he should live. There is real prejudice around here because Ricky Steamboat is gone now that Killings won the title. Where is Killings’ merchandise? Or his private dressing room? Killings calls out Jerry Lynn but gets BG James, because they were partners in the WWF (which commentary points out).

James says that he protected Killings in the WWF and now it’s time to slap some sense into his head. After getting annoyed at the WHAT chants, Killings says this is a new reality and James is his b****. The brawl is on and Killings bails, with James saying he isn’t Tom Cruise or Jack Nicholson because he can handle the truth. It’s more stuff from the WWF, but at least it’s something that was only a few years ago at this point.

You can see AJ Styles at a county fair in West Virginia! And that’s the kind of thing that makes this place feel low level.

Brian Lawler insists that everything is fine with April (his girlfriend) and their business is their business. April doesn’t want her talking for him so he yells at her and gets the camera cut off. This really isn’t as interesting as TNA thinks it is.

AJ Styles vs. Low Ki

2/3 falls for the #1 contendership to the X-Division Title. Styles works on the arm to start and then grinds away on a headlock. Ki kicks his way out of a wristlock and drops a hard elbow for two, only to get caught in an atomic drop of all things. Back up and Ki sends him to the floor for the big running flip dive from the apron but Styles gets in a crotching on top back inside. Styles strikes away and grabs a quickly broken chinlock and kicks him down, setting up the Dragon Clutch for the first fall at 6:35.

Styles is right back up with a discus lariat and a delayed suplex into a knee drop. A jumping enziguri knocks Ki to the floor, where Styles drops him hard onto the ramp. Back in and Ki strikes away but Styles sunset flips him out of the corner for the pin to tie it up at 10:57. Styles kicks him out to the floor and gets smart by going after the legs.

Back in and a super shinbreaker sets up something like a spinning toehold to keep Ki down. The Ki Crusher attempt is countered and the leg gives out again so Styles rolls him up for two with feet on the ropes. With the cheating not working, Styles hits the Styles Clash for the pin at 14:43.

Rating: B-. This felt rushed even though they had some time. The good sign here though is that these two (along with Jerry Lynn) are guys you can throw out there in any combination for a good result. That’s what you had here, even if the 2/3 falls deal wasn’t really necessary for the match.

Jeff Jarrett isn’t happy with the suggestion that he’s getting further from the World Title. Tonight though, he has options.

Elix Skipper/Brian Lawler vs. Scott Hall/Syxx Pac

April is here with Skipper and Lawler. Pac and Skipper trade missed kicks to start until Skipper throws him down. Lawler dances on the apron (as he does) and it’s off to Hall. We pause for Lawler to order April to stay in a chair on the floor, allowing Hall to come back on Skipper. A chokeslam gives Hall two but the villains get together to crotch him on the post a few times.

Lawler and Skipper take turns beating on Hall, who finally clotheslines his way out of trouble. Naturally, Lawler is on the floor checking on April, even as Pac comes back in to clean house. The fall away slam sets up a missed Bronco Buster but Skipper dives into the X Factor for the pin at 9:12.

Rating: D+. And again, it’s a problem of focusing on one idea and not realizing that it isn’t very interesting. Why in the world should I care about Lawler and April? There is nothing to April save for her being with Lawler, who isn’t interesting in the first place. That was the entire focus of the match and it’s not like Hall is able to do much to keep up the interest between the bells.

Post match Jeff Jarrett is in with a Stroke each to Hall and Pac. Don Harris makes the save.

AJ Styles hits on Goldilocks and wants to face Jerry Lynn for the X-Division Title in, say it with me, a ladder match.

Jorge Estrada vs. Kid Kash

They fight over wrist control to start but Kash messes with Estrada’s hair. That leads to a standoff as a rather nerdy man is shown watching from the stage. Estrada fights back and hits a clothesline to the floor, setting up a dive which is almost left low. Kash is right back up to chop away and a double jump flip dive drops Estrada for two. Estrada hiptosses him into a running shooting star press for two but a pumphandle faceplant drops Estrada again. They chop it out until Kash hits a DDT for two. Back up and Estrada drops him for a Lionsault into a Swanton for the pin at 6:06.

Rating: C+. You had two guys who can do flips and dives doing flips and dives until one of them won. That’s the kind of filler match that is entertaining but doesn’t feel overly important. At least Estrada has something going on with Sonny Siaki, though it’s still a bit difficult to make him seem important or serious when he’s in an Elvis suit.

Post match Estrada calls out Sonny Siaki, who comes out to apologize for the issues with the rest of the team. He’s willing to turn in his Flying Elvis uniform…and we see a video of him burning it earlier today.

We recap the X-Division getting behind Jerry Lynn trying to win the World Title last week, only for Siaki to cost him.

X-Division Title: Jerry Lynn vs. Ron Killings

Only Lynn is defending in a lumberjack match. Killings tries to bail to the floor to start but is quickly tossed back inside. Lynn hammers away in the corner and a middle rope bulldog gets two. Back up and Killings hits a middle rope shoulder into a wheelbarrow faceplant for two of his own. Lynn is tossed outside where the lumberjacks check on him, which earns Amazing Red a shot to the face from Killings.

Back in and a kneeling MuscleBuster gives Killings two more and we hit the chinlock. A powerslam plants Lynn as AJ Styles has set up a ladder on stage. Lynn gets a boot up in the corner but charges into a powerslam. The front facelock, with feet on the ropes, keeps Lynn in trouble but he fights out and grabs a reverse DDT. Back up and they slug it out until Killings sneaks in a low blow. The cutter is blocked though and Low Ki gets in a cheap shot, setting up Lynn’s TKO to retain at 9:07.

Rating: B-. Again, no surprise that this worked, as Lynn is one of the few people around here who can wrestle with anyone and Killings is certainly fine enough. Lynn getting a win should set up a rubber match between the two of them, or Ki getting a World Title shot of his own. This was another example of the X-Division being treated seriously and that is very refreshing to see.

Don West hypes up next week’s show, with the ladder match confirmed.

Jeff Jarrett vs. BG James

Naturally James runs his mouth before the match and promises a beating before getting in his catchphrase. James punches him down and dances before a right hand sets up the shaky knee drop. Jarrett comes back with an enziguri but James’ dancing punches send him outside. Some chair shots to the back knock Jarrett into the crowd, where he takes over. They go back to ringside where Jarrett gets in some chair shots of his own, setting up the running crotch attack to the back inside.

Jarrett grabs a sleeper but James fights up into one of his own, meaning it’s the required belly to back suplex counter. James hits a big boot and rains down some right hands in the corner. Jarrett is sent into a chair in the corner but here are Elix Skipper and Brian Lawler. The latter offers a distraction but Jarrett runs into him by mistake. James goes after both of them, allowing Jarrett to get in a chair shot to the head for two. Another comeback is on but this time Lawler and Skipper run in for the DQ at 9:08.

Rating: D. I know I’m getting repetitive with these criticisms, but it’s the same thing again: the least interesting people are getting these spots because they’re stars with names. That might make sense on paper, but it’s also making for some awful television. James was busted open last week and his dad has been attacked, so he’s out there doing his funny dancing stuff to pop the crowd. It’s almost tolerable if he’s having a good match, but this was just more slow paced stuff that wasn’t any good in the first place.

Post match the brawl is on, with Syxx Pac and Scott Hall running in for the save. Ron Killings runs in with belt shots and the villains stand tall to end the show.

Overall Rating: C-. It really is amazing to see how much this show feels divided in two. You have the X-Division having fun, fast paced and athletic matches where they all feel like they’re trying to break out and become stars. Those parts are often good, but the rest of the show feels like “here are a bunch of former WWF names, you’ll probably remember them, ignore that their stuff is terrible.” It’s a problem that has plagued many a promotion and it’s doing so again here. Having those people around is ok enough, but just cut down on their focus really fast.

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

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NWA-TNA Weekly PPV #13
Date: September 18, 2002
Location: Tennessee State Fairgrounds, Nashville, Tennessee
Commentators: Mike Tenay, Don West

We’re in kind of a weird place here as the company has been gone for a bit, with only the Best Of The X-Division airing two weeks ago. Things have needed to change somewhat due to financial problems and that could be quite the shakeup around here. Jerry Lynn is the X-Division Champion but tonight is about crowning new Tag Team Champions. Let’s get to it.

Opening sequence.

Goldilocks talks about tonight’s Gauntlet For The Gold for the Tag Team Titles and here is Scott Hall, who will be teaming with Syxx Pac.

Commentary hypes up the show.

Earlier today, Jeff Jarrett tells Brian Lawler that he can trust him and implies that Lawler’s girlfriend is cheating on him.

Here is Jarrett, who wants Bob Armstrong out here right now. Jarrett immediately goes to the back but gets jumped by the Bullet. The fight comes back to the ring and it is indeed Brian James (Road Dogg) underneath the mask. James talks about walking out on the WWF with Jarrett but then he went back to become part of a team called DX. He’s so mad that he’s going to….win the Tag Team Titles tonight. His mama called him BG so his name is BG James, and the G stands for “Get it, got it, good”. So his name is BGIGIG James? Doesn’t make for a great t-shirt.

Sonny Siaki is back with the Flying Elvises and compares himself to Shawn Michaels, who needed to be a teammate before he became a singles star. Oh and he wants Jerry Lynn to win the World Title.

Kid Kash vs. AJ Styles

Before the match, Styles promises to come for the X-Division Title because he isn’t done with Jerry Lynn. They fight over wrist control to start and Styles ducks the spinwheel kick. A legsweep takes Kash down but he sends Styles out to the apron and out to the floor. The flip dive connects but Styles is back up with a moonsault out to the floor. Back in and a springboard dropkick connects with Kash, followed by a TKO onto the top rope.

A diving spinning Downward Spiral takes Kash down again but he’s back up with a German suplex for two back inside. Styles gets in a dropkick to the ribs and a hurricanrana brings Kash down again. Kash gets knocked into 619 position and a dropkick to the back gives Styles two. Back up and a springboard missile dropkick is kicked out of the air, allowing Kash to score with some clotheslines. Kash takes him up top but Styles fights out and hits a super Styles Clash for the win at 9:57.

Rating: B-. As usual, Styles is capable of doing just about anything and Kash is someone who can fly around well enough. The finish looked rather good and I want to see more of Styles every time he’s in there. He has been one of if not the best things about this promotion so far and it has been great to see him getting some time in there rather than being stuck in a four minute match.

Buff Bagwell is here for a second chance. BG James comes in and asks Bagwell to be his partner tonight. Sure.

And now, Dustin Diamond, better known as Screech from Saved By The Bell. He talks about being in Celebrity Boxing and wants to fight tonight. Don West volunteers Tiny the Timekeeper (later known as Big Fat Oily Guy).

The Hot Shots aren’t happy that they have to qualify for Gauntlet For The Gold. Disco Inferno comes in but Goldilocks does not have time for him.

Dustin Diamond vs. Tiny The Timekeeper

Tiny has no idea what he’s doing and gets knocked out in about 40 seconds.

Ace Steel/CM Punk vs. Derek Wylde/Jimmy Rave vs. Hot Shots

The team who takes the fall is out of Gauntlet For The Gold. Punk takes O’Reilly down to start and grabs a waistlock but gets knocked into the corner to cut him off. That doesn’t last long as Steel comes in with a brainbuster but Stevens cuts him off with a sitout powerbomb. Rave comes in and gets Michinoku Drivered into an Arabian Moonsault for two.

The handspring elbow sets up a double basement dropkick into an assisted moonsault for two. O’Reilly hits a gordbuster for two but a Lionsault hits raised knees. Punk comes in to clean house, including the running dive to hit Stevens on the floor. More dives connect, leaving Steel to hit a Gory Stretch neckbreaker to finish O’Reilly at 7:35.

Rating: C+. This match is noteworthy for one reason whatsoever and that’s something that wouldn’t matter for a long time. Punk was just a young kid at this point trying to make a name for himself and that is where a place like TNA could be useful. It was a nothing match, but they got to do their dives and flips and that’s better than nothing.

Chris Harris and James Storm are ready to win the Tag Team Titles because they are the best team around here.

Here are Scott Hall and Syxx Pac, with Hall talking about their history together. Pac talks about how they’re here out of their love for wrestling. They’ll likely get fired from here too so let’s make it work while it lasts. Brian Lee and Ron Harris run in and are quickly laid out.

Brian Lawler is paranoid about his girlfriend.

Here is Hermie Sadler for a chat. He respects these people and announces that NWA-TNA will be sponsoring his car in an upcoming race. At least it was short.

Miss TNA: Bruce vs. ???

Bruce is defending and Hermie Sadler is on commentary. We get the open challenge and a fan (indy wrestler Christi Ricci) answers. The fast beating ensues, with Bruce hitting a powerbomb to retain at 1:10. This stuff is still so freaking dumb.

Post match Sadler comes in to clear Bruce out.

Jerry Lynn is happy with being the X-Division Champion but he wants to beat Ron Killings, who is the best today. Killings comes in and says oh yes he is the best.

Tag Team Titles: Gauntlet For The Gold

The titles are vacant coming in. This is a Royal Rumble with one minute intervals and wrestlers entering one at a time. When we’re down to two, the partners come back and we have a regular tag match for the titles. Brian Lawler is in at #1 and James Storm is in at #2, with Lawler using the ropes for a low blow to start fast. Storm fights up but gets suplexed down. Joel Maximo is in at #3 and he teals up with Storm to go after Lawler.

Derek Wylde is in at #4 and Lawler tosses him almost immediately. Lawler kicks Joel out and tosses Storm as well to clear the ring, meaning it’s time to dance. Buff Bagwell is in at #5 and hits the running neckbreaker before hammering away in the corner. Kobain is in at #6 and fires off some clotheslines, but Lawler drops both of them. Ace Steel is in at #7 and gets in the offense you would expect. Jorge Estrada is in at #8 and doesn’t get to do much, as Brian Lee is in at #9.

Syxx Pac is in at #10 to pick the pace way up, including a bunch of kicks and an X Factor on Estrada. Kobain is out and CM Punk (partner of Ace Steel) is in at #11….as Steel is eliminated. Lawler cuts Pac off with a powerslam and Jimmy Rave (partner of Derek Wylde) is in at #12. Raven and Estrada double team Punk in the corner but Punk bulldogs his way to freedom. Ron Harris (partner of Brian Lee) is in at #13 and helps Lee get rid of Estrada, Rave, Punk and Bagwell in a row.

Lawler is out and BG James (partner of Buff Bagwell) is in at #14. James slugs away on Harris until Jose Maximo (partner of Joel Maximo) is in at #15…and Harris tosses him out in three seconds (Jose’s feet never touched the mat). A double spinebuster plants Pac, who is right back up with a double clothesline. Cue Lawler to offer a distraction though, allowing Pac to get tossed out.

Slash (partner of Kobain) is in at #16 and James gets triple teamed. Sonny Siaki (partner of Jorge Estrada) is in at #17 and goes after Slash as James can’t quite fight back. Disco Inferno (partner of Brian Lawler) is in at #18 and gets thrown into the corner as Scott Hall (partner of Syxx Pac) is in at #19.

Hall slugs away at Harris and dumps him out before clotheslining Slash out as well. Chris Harris (partner of James Storm) is in at #20 to complete the field and Siaki misses a charge to eliminate himself. Inferno stops to dance and gets punched out by Hall and James, who then slug it out. Lee tosses both of them at once though, leaving he and Harris as the winners at 23:12.

Rating: C-. It was a mostly dull Royal Rumble with two winners, one of whom represents a lame, thrown together monster tag team. I can’t believe I’m saying this but if you want to use one of the Harris Brothers, put the two of them together and let them do what they’ve done for years. That being said, the only thing that mattered here was Chris Harris and Storm advancing and that went fine.

And that leads us into:

Tag Team Titles: Chris Harris/James Storm vs. Brian Lee/Ron Harris

For the vacant titles and Harris jumps Storm on the stage. Cue Jeff Jarrett to brawl with BG James to the back as Chris gets double teamed by the monsters. Ron kicks Storm through the apron but Storm gets in anyway, only to be double teamed right back down. Naturally a table is set up….but it takes so long that Chris gets a rollup to pin Lee for the titles at 4:54.

Rating: D. What was that? The whole point of this was to crown new champions and they give the young, talented team a quick rollup win while one of the stupid monsters picks up a table? If you want the new champs to look good, then let them look good. This felt like a way to protect Ron and Lee and….why?

BG James is rather busted open in the back.

NWA World Title: Ron Killings vs. Jerry Lynn

Only Killings is defending and he starts fast by knocking Lynn down. Lynn is back up with some right hands and a slingshot elbow connects in the corner. Back up and Killings sends him to the floor, where Lynn is dropped onto the announcers’ table. Lynn is busted open as they get back inside, where Killings grabs a belly to back suplex for two. A spinning sunset flip out of the corner gives Lynn two of his own but Killings side kicks him in the face.

They head outside again where Lynn sends him into the barricade, only for Killings to go after the bloody cut again. Back in and Killings grabs a surfboard of all things, followed by a big boot for two. Lynn’s spinning sunset flip gets another near fall (and a nice hope spot) as AJ Styles comes out to watch. Cue the Maximos and the rest of the X-Division to cheer Lynn on and the comeback begins. Lynn goes up but the referee stops to yell at Styles, leaving Sonny Siaki to shove Lynn off the top. A running cutter retains the title at 12:27.

Rating: B-. This right here shows that TNA is already ahead of WCW in one major area: can you imagine the Cruiserweight Champion getting involved with the World title picture? There was a wide gap between the two title pictures before and now they’re doing a better job of spreading them out. That’s a great sign and gives me some hope for the X-Division, assuming they actually keep it up.

Don West hypes up next week’s show.

Ron Killings and Jeff Jarrett pop back up, double teaming BG James back to the ring. Scott Hall and Syxx Pac run in for the save to end the show.

Overall Rating: C-. Well, they certainly focused on the Tag Team Titles, but the execution of the two matches involving them was so weak that it brought the rest of the show down. I’m also really not happy with so much of the focus being on the “names” again as Hall, Pac, Bagwell and James got A LOT of the attention here. That’s a bad sign after seeing the X-Division get so much attention but maybe it’s just a one off. Not a good show, but for different reasons than before.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @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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NWA Weekly PPV #10
Date: August 21, 2002
Location: Tennessee State Fairgrounds, Nashville, Tennessee
Commentators: Mike Tenay, Don West

Every time I do two of these in a row, I come in thinking I should get back to this series more often but then I change my mind completely before I start the second one. That’s certainly the case here, as last week’s show was terrible. It was a string of gimmick matches which set up another string of them this week, though thankfully this week’s string involves AJ Styles and Jerry Lynn. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Thank goodness Ed Ferrara is gone from commentary.

AJ Styles vs. Jerry Lynn

Falls Count Anywhere and the first of a three match series tonight. It’s a brawl to start with Lynn taking him outside, where Styles manages a whip into the steps. Styles strikes away before getting crotched on the barricade to cut him off rather quickly. They fight into the crowd with Styles evening things up a bit, including a running flip dive off the balcony. Styles rams him into the barricade but gets suplexed back to ringside for two.

Back in and they trade flips until Lynn gets in a Stunner. A powerbomb is countered into a faceplant for two, with Lynn getting his foot on the ropes. I’m not sure why that breaks the count in a falls count ANYWHERE match but we’ll move on. A neckbreaker gives Styles two but Lynn is back up with a hurricanrana to the floor. They slug it out on the stage where Lynn drops him with a discus lariat. Something like a bulldog off the stage gets two and it’s back to the stage where Lynn hits a cradle piledriver for the pin at 9:56.

Rating: B-. These two work well together and it makes sense for the two of them to be put together this many times on one show. At the same time, they didn’t stay out there too long to burn the fans out. If nothing else, having Styles getting a rub from Lynn, who is as smooth of an in-ring veteran as TNA has, is a great idea.

Chris Harris (smoking) wants James Storm to drop the cowboy thing for one night because they have a big fight. Brian Lee and Ron Harris come in to mock them, with Storm making western movie references. Storm seems to think he got them. Uh, right.

James Storm/Chris Harris vs. Ron Harris/Brian Lee

Storm and Lee start things off with Storm not being able to do much with the power game. A running forearm works a bit better and Ron is knocked outside as well. It’s off to Chris vs. Ron and it’s quickly time for the villains to have a conference on the floor. Back in and Ron hits some running corner clotheslines as everything breaks down. Chris is back with a headscissors while Storm beats up Lee on the floor.

Back in and Ron hits a swinging side slam for two and Lee grabs the chinlock. With that broken up, it’s back to Ron for a big boot. Chris fights out of trouble and makes the tag to Storm as everything breaks down. For some reason Lee gets in a fight with a fan in the front row, though there is nothing to suggest who it might be. Chris’ top rope shot to the back of the head snaps Ron’s throat across the top and Storm gets a rollup for the quick pin at 9:00.

Rating: C. The match wasn’t anything good to see, but what matters is Storm/Harris getting to work together and continue to grow as a team. They’re a good example of wrestlers who had nothing going on and it turned out they were a successful pairing. Thankfully TNA seems to be running with it as they now have a homegrown team who is turning into something.

Post match Ron and Lee jumps Storm and Chris to leave them laying.

Jimmy Yang vs. Sonny Siaki

2/3 falls and Jorge Estrada is here with Yang, who jumps Siaki as all three do their entrance together. They get inside for a spinwheel kick to Siaki, followed by a choke over the ropes. Siaki takes part of his top down (making it FAR easier to tell them apart), followed by a suplex cutter. Yang is right back with a neckbreaker though and Yang Time is good for the first fall at 3:30.

Another choke over the ropes is quickly broken up and Yang crashes to the floor. Siaki is back up with a suplex and they go back inside for the two count, setting up the chinlock. That doesn’t last long so Siaki grabs a pumphandle suplex for two instead. Yang fights up and hits a middle rope kick to the face, only for Siaki to grab a fisherman’s neckbreaker to tie it up at 8:27.

Siaki’s shoulder breaker gets two but Yang pulls him into a half crab. That’s broken up as well so Yang grabs a leglock. Siaki escapes that as well and is fine enough to hit a superplex. Yang is up first with a spinning kick to the chest but Siaki knocks him back down. They both go up to the same corner, where Yang manages a super swinging neckbreaker. Yang is back up with a rollup but Siaki reverses into one of his own and grabs the rope for the final pin at 14:09.

Rating: B-. I have no idea why this was 2/3 falls other than to stretch the match out a bit longer. Siaki definitely feels like the strongest of the three in the ring, though that ending of the third fall didn’t exactly work. Hopefully this gets Siaki out of the team though, as the trio isn’t getting anywhere at the moment.

Post match Jeff Jarrett storms out to say he wants to know what surprise Bob Armstrong has for him. Cue Brian Lawler to jump Jarrett and the brawl is on. Security breaks it up so Goldilocks goes into the ring to ask Lawler about his issues with Jarrett. Lawler is about to answer…and he gets jumped too. I’m really not sure if Lawler having issues with Jarrett is all that interesting.

Brian Lawler vs. Slash

The brawl is on with Lawler in trouble and they’re quickly on the floor. The mats get pulled back but Lawler reverses a suplex to take Slash down. Back in and Lawler flips the fans off as we hear about various problems in the New Church. They go outside again with Lawler hitting a bulldog on the ramp but stopping to yell at a fan. That’s enough for Slash to hit a top rope superplex for two, only for Lawler to come back with a DDT. Lawler stops to dance and gets kicked low but he’s fine enough to knock Slash off the top. The Tennessee Jam finishes for Lawler at 5:57.

Rating: C. It shouldn’t be surprising that things were fine enough here as these two had a long history in Memphis. At the same time, Lawler is only so interesting as this angry good guy, though it is likely a case of him being available rather than anything else. If nothing else, it’s nice to have Lawler stop talking about his dad, as that was killing him.

In the back, Jeff Jarrett argues with Bob Armstrong and leaves. We’re not finding out the surprise they advertised last week are we?

X-Division Title: Low Ki vs. Jose Maximo vs. Joel Maximo vs. Amazing Red

Ki is defending under elimination rules. All three challengers start hammering on Ki, who blasts them with kicks to the head. We settle down to Ki chopping Red but it’s too early for the Ki Crusher. Joel comes in for a tornado DDT to Ki and it’s quickly off to Jose. Ki is fine enough to kick both Maximos into the corner but Red comes in to pick up the pace. Everything breaks down and an Alabama Slam/neckbreaker combination drops Ki.

Red’s top rope hurricanrana sends Joel into Jose and Ki tosses Red onto both Maximos. Ki’s big twisting dive off the top takes all three of them down again, giving them a quick breather on the floor. Back in and Ki is knocked outside again, leaving Joel to hit a lifting sitout Pedigree to pin Jose at 9:07.

Back in and Ki kicks away at Joel but Red knocks Joel down and hits a twisting top rope splash for the elimination at 10:10. So it’s Red vs. Ki for the title, with Ki countering Code Red into something like an Alabama Slam into the corner. A super Ki Crusher is countered but the second attempt plants Red hard to retain the title at 12:08.

Rating: B-. Good enough, but this was similar to last week’s match against the Flying Elvises as there was no reason to believe that two of the three were going to have a chance. That leaves you a long time before we get to the one on one match and then it only lasts about two minutes. The match itself was a bunch of spots and Ki striking, which is a good way to bring Ki up even higher.

Ron Killings compares himself to Abraham Lincoln for freeing the Black sports entertainers. He has a dream too, and it involves kicking the dust off of Monty Brown.

NWA World Title: Ron Killings vs. Monty Brown

Brown is challenging and shoves him into the corner, allowing for some dancing. Three straight running shoulders give Brown two but Killings sends him crashing out to the floor. The big flip dive takes Brown down and Killings stomps away. They fight onto the announcers’ table, where Killings escapes the Alpha Bomb. West: “WHAT HAVE WE JUST SEEN???” Uh, two guys punching each other and one of them escaping a powerbomb before getting off the table?

Brown sends him flying and then takes it back inside for two. A Downward Spiral sets up Killings’ top rope legdrop for two and the chinlock goes on. That’s broken up so Killings hits a leg lariat for two more. Brown is back up with a powerslam into a splash for two of his own. Killings ax kicks him down for two so Brown tries the Alpha Bomb, which is reversed into something like a sunset bomb to retain the title at 10:13.

Rating: D+. To say Brown was green here would be a huge understatement and there was only so much that could be done in a situation like this. It helps that Killings is able to hang in there and do some of his stuff, but he needed someone better than Brown to make this work. Brown has all kinds of charisma but that isn’t enough to carry him through a ten minute match with this kind of importance.

Post match Jeff Jarrett is IMMEDIATELY in the ring to go after Killings but Brian Lawler comes in. Lawler grabs a chair but hits Killings by mistake, which he realizes is a big mistake.

Jerry Lynn is ready to finish AJ Styles for good but here is Styles to jump him from behind. Since the second match is No DQ, we’ll just start it in the back.

Jerry Lynn vs. AJ Styles

No DQ and Lynn is up 1-0. They strike it out and go inside with Lynn hitting a Stunner over the ropes. A table is set up but Styles cuts him off, with the table being turned over. Styles’ springboard dive hits the upside down table (ouch) but he’s right back up with a legdrop onto a chair onto Lynn. A catapult sends Styles face first into the chair in the corner though and Lynn hits the slingshot Fameasser in the ropes.

Lynn’s tornado DDT to the table on the floor is broken up and a double clothesline leaves both of them down. Lynn tries a sunset flip but Styles grabs the chair and cracks him in the head for the save (that was nice). Back up and Lynn hits a top rope hanging DDT onto a chair…and pulls Styles up at two (uh oh). Styles knocks him off the top but gets crotched, setting up a super hurricanrana through the ringside table (with Styles landing head first for a scary crash). Back in and Styles is fine enough to reverse another tornado DDT attempt into the Styles Clash onto the chair for the pin at 10:37.

Rating: C+. Another good enough match between the two of them and again they didn’t overstay their welcome. That’s something you need to do if you’re going to see them fighting over and over, especially if Styles was all but guaranteed to win and tie the series up. It was a bit too similar to their first match, though nothing bad whatsoever.

With the series tied, we’re having a ten minute Iron Man match for the final fall and it starts right now.

Jerry Lynn vs. AJ Styles

Ten minute Iron Man match and the winner gets an X-Division Title shot (ignore the clock on screen starting before the bell). Styles gets smart and pins the down Lynn at 11 seconds.

Styles – 1
Lynn – 0

Styles pins him again at 19 seconds.

Styles – 2
Lynn – 0

Lynn kicks out of a third cover and reverses a suplex into a neckbreaker for two. Styles grabs a sleeper to slow him down as we’re already two minutes in. Lynn fights up so Styles pulls him down by the hair and puts on the chinlock. Back up and Styles’ hurricanrana is countered into a faceplant to give Lynn a fall at 3:49.

Styles – 2
Lynn – 1

Lynn follows Styles’ plan by covering for an immediate two but Styles scores with a backdrop. We have five minutes left as Lynn comes back with the springboard Fameasser for two. Lynn goes up but gets caught in a Razor’s Edge Dominator (that was cool) and a delayed cover gives Styles another fall at 6:32 (even if the referee was a bit confused).

Styles – 3
Lynn – 1

Styles hammers away as Low Ki comes to watch, complete with a ladder. We have two minutes left as Lynn hits a tombstone for the pin at 8:13.

Styles – 3
Lynn – 2

Lynn can’t hit the cradle piledriver but can hit a Styles Clash to tie it up at 8:58.

Styles – 3
Lynn – 3

They trade very fast rollups but neither can get the pin as time expires at 10:00.

Rating: B-. This one saw the two of them getting the chance to show off their athleticism a bit more and Styles getting two falls at the start was very smart. I’m not wild on seeing the whole thing end in a draw, but otherwise, how else would we get to a triple threat title match? It didn’t get too insane, but Ki coming out with the ladder more or less guaranteed where this was going.

Post match Ki comes in and raises both of their arms, only to kick them down. Ki says the division is about the champion so next week it’s time to prove that he is the greatest in a ladder match.

Don West does his big hype package. Sweet goodness he is awesome at this stuff.

Referee Scott Armstrong asks his dad (Bob Armstrong, behind a door so we can’t see him) to not come after Jeff Jarrett. Bob says he has to and he has padding.

Jarrett is in the ring so here is Bob, in his Bullet mask and gear, with Jarrett beating him up. Jarrett calls him an old man and hammers away but Bullet fights back and clears Jarrett out. Hold on though as the real Bob Armstrong pops up on the stage with a chair. The Bullet unmasks as…well he doesn’t as we’ll see who that is next week.

Overall Rating: C+. This was actually a very interesting show because it was WAY toned down compared to everything else that they had been doing. That’s because the company was not doing well financially and they were doing things on a budget. Therefore, a bunch of people are gone and you have things like Styles and Lynn working three matches on a single show.

At the same time, my goodness this was SO much easier to watch without some of the terrible stuff. It was a much straighter show and while it might not work full time, it wasn’t the Dupps or Jive Talkin or all the other dumb ideas that get so much time. Granted it did have a bunch of Jeff Jarrett, but you know that’s coming every single week around here.

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

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Bluegrass Brawl 1993
Date: April 2, 1993
Location: College Gym, Pikeville, Kentucky
Attendance: 1,778
Commentators: Les Thatcher, Lance Russell

This is from Smoky Mountain Wrestling, a promotion that I have barely ever looked at for some reason. It’s another request and in this case we have quite the big main event, with a triple threat (before that term was a thing) nine man tag, plus a chain match for the Heavyweight Title. Let’s get to it.

We open with My Old Kentucky Home (Kentucky’s rather lame state song).

Les Thatcher and Lance Russell run down the card and talk about how great this show can be.

There appears to be a Robbie Eagle vs. Rip Rogers match missing here.

Rob Morgan vs. Mongolian Stomper

Morgan jumps him to start and they’re on the floor fast. Stomper posts him hard and stomps away back inside, setting up a big boot. A cobra clutch finishes Morgan at 1:22. Bret Hart called Stomper (who never took his jacket off here) the best Canadian wrestler ever and he looked rather dominant here so maybe Bret is on to something.

Brain Lee is ready to beat Kevin Sullivan in whatever kind of match they have.

Here is Lee to find out what kind of match he and Sullivan will be having, by way of a roll of a dice. The dice is a six, meaning Lee gets to pick. That would be….a Singapore Spike match!

Tim Horner is ready to take care of the Nightstalker and then he’ll have Lee’s back later.

Nightstalker vs. Tim Horner

Nightstalker is better known as Adam Bomb/Wrath and he shoves Horner around to start. Horner punches his way out of the corner and the fans certainly like that. Horner’s shoulder bounces off of him though and Nightstalker starts working on the arm. With that broken up, Horner dropkicks him to the floor but gets sent hard into the corner back inside.

A sideslam sets up one heck of a slingshot clothesline for two on Horner and we hit the bearhug. Two arm drops trigger the comeback but Nightstalker’s clothesline trigger another near fall. Horner fights out of the chinlock but Nightstalker sends him into corner to keep up the beating.

The comeback is on anyway though and a snap suplex gives Horner two. The sleeper doesn’t work for Horner so he tries it again, only to have it broken up again. A powerslam sets up a missed elbow for Nightstalker and we hit the third sleeper. This time Nightstalker throws him over over the top to escape and that’s a DQ at 13:13.

Rating: C+. I’ve always been a fan of Nightstalker as he’s one of those guys can get by on pure power and appearance alone. Horner on the other hand is a rather generic good guy and it’s not much of a surprise that he never went too far. The ending didn’t help things here either, as it felt like a way to set up a rematch. They were going well until then, but there is only so much that can be done with a fairly weak finish.

Kevin Sullivan is happy to face Brian Lee in a Singapore Spike match. He hasn’t had this much fun since he went to Norway and clubbed baby seals!

Kevin Sullivan vs. Brian Lee

This is a Singapore Spike (there is a box in every corner, with the spike inside one of them) match and Nightstalker/Brian Horner are the seconds, though they are handcuffed in corners. Lee unloads with right hands to start and they’re already on the floor, with Sullivan getting in a posting.

A chair shot just wakes Lee up a bit and they head inside, where Lee charges into a raised boot. They head back to the floor with Sullivan hitting him with a sandbag but there’s nothing in the first box. Lee gets in a shot of his own but there’s nothing in the second box either. Sullivan takes him to the floor again and hits him with the ring bell hammer.

Back in and Sullivan uses some pliers to keep Lee down but the third box is empty as well. The fourth box is opened but Sullivan doesn’t pull anything out for some reason. Lee fights back and the referee goes down, allowing Nightstalker to get to the apron (still hooked) to try and bring in the spike (which he seemed to pull out of the box). For some reason Nightstalker hesitates to hand it over though and Lee uses the distraction to grab a rollup for the pin at 7:08.

Rating: C. It was a decent enough brawl but at the end of the day, the boxes and the spike didn’t even matter as Nightstalker got the spike and never even used the thing. Lee vs. Sullivan seems like a big feud, but this wasn’t the best execution of what seemed to be a big time match. It had the energy, though that’s about all.

Post match Sullivan goes after the still handcuffed Nightstalker with a chair but the cuffs come off, meaning Sullivan has to run off.

Tracy Smothers is ready for the Dirty White Boy. The White Boy has cost him the TV Title and $5,000 but then he burned the rebel flag that Smothers gave to him.

Ron Wright (Tennessee wrestling legend in a wheelchair) has handed down his beloved Tennessee chain to the Dirty White Boy and promises violence.

Dirty White Boy is in Central Park (allegedly) and whips out a gun to deal with off screen muggers. He has a bunch of sugar for Smothers (ok then) and a beer, which Smothers has already had. Finally, he has a bunch of dirt, which the people of Tennessee have under their fingernails. He uses the whip to break the sugar and assorted fruits and promises violence.

Smoky Mountain Title: Tracy Smothers vs. Dirty White Boy

The White Boy is defending in a Tennessee Chain match, meaning they’re tied together and it’s touch all four corners rules (with “an offensive blow” being enough to reset the count). They fight over pulling on the chain to start until White Boy pulls him into a clothesline. Smothers isn’t having that and pulls him down with the chain before hammering away. They go to the floor so Smothers can twirl a rebel flag, followed by some rams into the buckle back inside.

That’s good for three buckles but White Boy breaks it up, earning himself another beating. White Boy comes up and slugs away, only to get dropped with a single right hand. They head outside for some choking, followed by some rams into the buckle back inside. Smothers grabs the mic and calls him a “stupid Yankee” before going back to the right hands to the head.

There are three buckles but White Boy punches him a few times to break it up. White Boy pulls the chain for a crotching on top and head outside, where the bloody Smothers gets choked a bit. Back in and the chain is wrapped around the cut before a clothesline lets White Boy get three buckles. Smothers breaks that run up but the chain goes around his head to slow him down again.

White Boy gets smart by wrapping the chain around Smothers’ feet and dragging him around. A monkey flip gets Smothers out of trouble but the blood has left him blinded. He can still punch away without being able to see but an atomic drop cuts him off again. Smothers breaks him up at three again so White Boy chokes him down again, giving us two arm drops. Back up and White Boy kicks him low to cut off another comeback attempt. A clothesline with the chain drops Smothers again but White Boy goes up and gets pulled back down.

They head to the floor again where White Boy is busted open, setting up a top rope chain shot to the head. Smothers grabs a fireman’s carry for three buckles, as Wright trips him down for the save. White Boy starts choking and dragging him around the ring, with both of them hitting the buckles at the same time. With just the last one to go, Smothers fights back and lets White Boy flip him over with the chain, meaning Smothers gets the fourth buckle and the title at 25:58.

Rating: B+. These guys beat the fire out of each other and it felt like an old school southern fight. What matters here is Smothers gets the title and his revenge, but at the same time it was a bloody battle, which is what the fans wanted to see. This felt like they were trying to play towards each others strengths and it worked very well. Heck of a fight here and the best thing on the show so far by a mile.

Post match Smothers is in the back and talks about how this is the greatest night of his career. White Boy jumps him though and even spits on him.

We recap the three way nine man tag.

The Stud Stable (Ron Fuller/Jimmy Golden, better known as Colonel Parker and Buckhouse Buck in WCW) and Dutch Mantel are ready to take everyone out, with Mantel promising a bunch of whippings.

The Rock N Roll Express and Arn Anderson (what a team) is ready for the fight, with Anderson talking about how you might know it’s bad, but you don’t know just HOW bad it is. Ricky Morton says it’s time to learn just how good they are.

The Heavenly Bodies (Stan Lane/Tom Prichard) and Bobby Eaton with Jim Cornette are ready as well, with Cornette talking about how many firsts you’ll be seeing here. Everyone else is going out on stretchers when they win the first ever nine man street fight.

Heavenly Bodies/Bobby Eaton vs. Rock N Roll Express/Arn Anderson vs. Stud Stable/Dutch Mantel

Three way elimination (anyone gets pinned/gives up, their team is gone) street fight. The big brawl is on to start and this is going to be a nightmare to follow. Some of them go outside and the weapons are already brought in as this is already quite the melee. Eaton and Morton fight to the back but come back with a tire wrapped around his head.

Gibson whips various people with a belt and Prichard is already busted open. Morton gets a trashcan to clean house as the wild brawling continues. Gibson and Eaton fight off this time so Cornette comes in, only to get choked down. Gibson comes back and fights over a chair with Fuller until Morton gets in a chair shot to the head. That’s enough to pin Fuller and eliminate the Stud Stable/Mantel at 9:12.

Thankfully that clears the ring a bit but Fuller goes after Gibson (now with a bad ankle/leg) anyway. A Rocket Launcher gets two on Morton but Arn is up with a fire extinguisher (Cornette loved that spot). The three DDTs take out the villains and it’s time for a table, with all of them being whipped into it in the corner. Cornette is sent into it for a bonus and Gibson puts the Figure Four on Cornette as well. Prichard comes off the top with a loaded boot though and Gibson is done at 13:16.

Rating: B. This is the kind of match where you’re not supposed to be able to keep track of what is going on. It’s designed to be all about the mayhem and that was the case here, with nine people out there to go as nuts as they can until someone gets a fall. Cornette took a beating as well and it helped a lot, but this was just a bunch of fun with stars and names you might not see around here very often. Either way, heck of a way to close, but the details aren’t what mattered here, because it was all about the calamity.

In the back, Jim Cornette talks about how they’re the best team around here and he guarantees that will be the case for a long time.

The announcers wrap it up.

Credits, with a highlight package, take us out.

Overall Rating: B. The last two matches here are all that mattered and it wound up being rather good as a result. The first match was a squash, the second was a step away from being good and the third was an idea that didn’t quite come together. This show flew by and felt like a big time TV show at various points. The last two matches carried the show though and that chain match has the emotion to make it work. It’s not exactly must see, but I can absolutely see the audience for this kind of thing.

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Summerslam 1994
Date: August 29, 1994
Location: United Center, Chicago, Illinois
Attendance: 23,000
Commentators: Vince McMahon, Jerry Lawler

Things have changed a lot in the last year. First and foremost, we’re living in Bret Hart’s WWF now as he regained the world title at Wrestlemania over Yokozuna, more or less vanquishing him once and for all. On that same show though, Bret’s brother Owen pinned him clean in the masterpiece of an opening match. Owen has chased the title all summer and tonight is his opportunity at it inside a steel cage. The other main event is the Undertaker vs. the Undertaker in a match that I want to put off talking about for as long as I can. Let’s get to it.

We open with highlights of the WWF softball team (that exists?) playing in a charity game against the Chicago media. Shawn of course plays without a shirt on. The video goes on for like five minutes with Monsoon doing commentary through every inning. Randy Savage, a former professional baseball player, hit a three run home run. The WWF won 9-7.

On to the actual wrestling tonight with Macho Man as Master of Ceremonies again. As Savage is posing in the ring, Lawler tells us that Diesel (currently Intercontinental Champion) and Shawn won the tag titles from the Headshrinkers last night in Indianapolis.

Headshrinkers vs. Bam Bam Bigelow/I.R.S.

Bigelow and IRS are part of DiBiase’s Million Dollar Team. This was originally going to be for the belts but the Samoans lost the titles last night. The production values have been upgraded by this show as we now have logos for every team/wrestler in the aisle as they come to the ring. The Headshrinkers have Afa and Lou Albano with them which I believe was Albano’s last managing job in the company.

Bigelow runs over Fatu to start but misses a charge and walks into a superkick for two. A slam doesn’t work on Bigelow so he comes back with an enziguri. That shouldn’t work on Fatu and thankfully he rolls away from the diving headbutt. Off to Samu for a double superkick but the Samoan misses a charge, allowing for the tag off to IRS. Now it’s the tax man’s turn to miss a charge in the corner and fall outside where Samu sends him into the steps. Back in and Fatu stays on IRS until Bigelow pulls the top rope down to send Fatu out to the floor.

The Million Dollar Team takes over on Fatu but a double clothesline puts he and Bigelow down. A double tag brings in Samu to face IRS as things break down a bit. A middle rope headbutt gets two on IRS and Bigelow is clotheslined out to the floor. IRS takes a double Stroke and Fatu adds the top rope splash but DiBiase has the referee. Bigelow goes after Albano which draws in Afa for the DQ.

Rating: D+. A DQ? In the opening match? 1994 was an odd year for this company. The match wasn’t bad but the lack of the titles being on the line brought the level of interest way down. Without that it was a Superstars main event which is ok, but the Headshrinkers were never in any real trouble at all and it wasn’t much to see.

Everyone brawls up the aisle.

We now get to the white elephant of the show: Leslie Nielsen and his partner from the Naked Gun movies is here to solve the mystery of the Undertaker. See, Undertaker had disappeared after the Royal Rumble but had vowed to return. DiBiase had a fake Undertaker doing his bidding but the real one was supposed to return tonight.

WWF’s brilliant idea? Bring in some detectives from crime spoof movies to solve the case. Nielsen comes complete with inner monologues about what he’s doing and completely out of place jokes (Nielsen: “I’m on the case.” Partner: “We’re both on the case.” The camera pans down to show them both standing on a briefcase.). Don’t get me wrong: Leslie Nielsen is hilarious, but this isn’t what I want to see at the second biggest show of the year.

Razor Ramon is ready to get his Intercontinental Title back tonight from Diesel. He’ll have Chicago football legend Walter Payton in his corner tonight.

Women’s Title: Bull Nakano vs. Alundra Blayze

Nakano, the challenger, is a Japanese monster and has Luna Vachon in her corner. A quick clothesline and a hair drag put Blayze down as Nakano looks strong early. We hit a chinlock less than two minutes in but Blayze gets her feet on the ropes. A spin kick puts Nakano down for a few seconds but she comes back with a choke to take over again. Off to a modified Boston Crab as Nakano is destroying the champion so far.

Blayze FINALLY makes the rope but Nakano pounds her right back down like she’s not even there. Bull starts a Sharpshooter but after turning Blayze over (Nakano doesn’t step over) she reaches down and pulls her up by the arms in a PAINFUL looking hold. Blayze finally gets an arm free to grab a rope but almost immediately Nakano has a modified cross armbreaker on the champion. Alundra FINALLY comes back with a hair takedown but Bull is easily out at two. Bull easily counters a powerbomb attempt and drops a knee for two, only to miss her guillotine legdrop finisher. Blayze hooks a quick German suplex to retain.

Rating: C. This was an interesting match but it was hard to get into at times. Nakano was a monster who destroyed Blayze for about eight minutes and then Alundra got a quick suplex for the pin in fifteen seconds. Bull would win the title in a few months in Japan in a near masterpiece.

Shawn and Diesel brag about winning the tag titles but say Diesel will have no problem with Razor Ramon tonight. This is right around the time where the Kliq had taken over backstage and were basically running the company, hence them dominating the title scene.

Intercontinental Title: Diesel vs. Razor Ramon

Shawn and Walter Payton are in the respective corners and Diesel is defending. The toothpick toss actually staggers Diesel and Ramon fires off right hands to start. A discus punch finally puts Diesel on the floor for a meeting with Shawn, likely over how they can get the WWF Title. Back in and Diesel uses the big man forearms to work on Razor’s back before taking him down with a big boot. There’s the corner leg choke but Razor comes back with more right hands.

The extra big man puts the big man in a sleeper but Razor comes out of it with a belly to back suplex. Diesel comes right back by launching Razor out to the floor, allowing Shawn to untie a buckle pad. Payton finally goes after Shawn but the distraction lets Shawn clothesline Razor down. Back in again and the champion hits his elbows and knee lifts in the corner but the referee stands in front of the exposed buckle. The referee looks at Shawn like an idiot, allowing Diesel to whip Ramon into the buckle for two.

Snake Eyes onto a covered buckle puts Ramon down again and an elbow to the back gets two. We hit the chinlock with a knee in the back and a comeback attempt is countered by a boot to the face. Diesel hooks an abdominal stretch but eventually gets caught holding the top rope. Razor puts on an abdominal stretch of his own, only to be hiptossed down onto his bad back. Snake Eyes onto the exposed buckle is countered into a rollup for two and Razor starts coming back with right hands.

The middle rope bulldog gets two on Diesel as the fans are getting louder and louder. The Jackknife is countered but Diesel suplexes him down before Razor can follow up. Shawn tries to bring in the belt but gets caught in a tug of war with Payton. The referee yells at Payton so Shawn tries a superkick but of course hits the champion. Payton pulls Shawn out and Ramon pins the out cold Diesel for the title.

Rating: C+. As political as the Kliq was, they could usually put on some solid matches. Razor was just big enough to make you believe he could go toe to toe with Diesel while still being small enough to look like an underdog. Payton was there as a celebrity and didn’t add a thing to the match at all. That superkick would set up years of stories, as Shawn and Diesel would start to disintegrate, which led to WM XI, which led to Shawn’s face turn, which led to everything up until Austin in a way.

Diesel rants about Shawn screwing up and blames him for the loss.

Shawn says he’ll get Diesel another shot and vows revenge on Payton. Don’t worry: Diesel would be world champion in three months.

Tatanka and Lex Luger are in the back where they hear the results of a WWF Hotline poll. 54% think Luger sold out to Ted DiBiase but he still denies it. Tatanka is convinced because of the times DiBiase has been watching Luger and the few times DiBiase has helped Luger win a match. Earlier today DiBiase went into Luger’s dressing room with a bag and that’s enough proof for Tatanka. Luger swears he didn’t sell out.

Lex Luger vs. Tatanka

The fans aren’t sure how they feel about Luger at the moment. They finally lock up with Luger taking it into the corner for a clean break. A shoulder puts Tatanka down but Luger still won’t follow up. Tatanka grabs the arm as we’re still in first gear. A cross body gets two for Tatanka and it’s time to slug it out with Lex taking over. Tatanka starts the war path and hits a top rope chop for two but a high cross body only hits mat. Luger starts his comeback but here’s DiBiase with a bag of money. Lex shouts that he didn’t sell out, allowing Tatanka to roll him up for the pin.

Rating: D. The match was very slow paced which isn’t good in a short match. We were waiting for the angle here instead of the match which is fine, but it didn’t make the match any less dull. Tatanka was into a more serious phase of his career here and his matches got a lot less fun to watch as a result.

Post match Luger is mad and he kicks the bag out of DiBiase’s hand…..only to have Tatanka reveal the HE sold out by destroying Luger. Tatanka puts him in the Million Dollar Dream and shoves money down Luger’s throat. This has always been a favorite of mine.

Jeff Jarrett vs. Mabel

Jeff Jarrett is a country singer from Tennessee and Mabel is a 500lb+ monster in purple and gold. Mabel lumbers around like an oaf while Jarrett struts. Jarrett’s wristlock is easily thrown off so Mabel struts a bit. A clothesline puts Jeff on the floor as we’re somehow two minutes into the match. Jeff trips Mabel from the floor to take him down and drops a middle rope elbow for no cover. Some middle rope ax handles stagger Jarrett a bit but a third is caught in a bearhug.

A sleeper finally gets Mabel down but he drops Jeff into the corner to escape. The big man actually hits a spinwheel kick for two as Abe “Knuckleball” Schwartz, a baseball themed guy, is in the crowd with a sign saying he’s on strike. See, Major League Baseball was on strike at this point, and if we reference something that’s going on in the world, it’s funny, right? Mabel misses a middle rope splash but blocks a sunset flip attempt. He tries to drop onto Jeff’s chest but misses completely, allowing Jarrett to score the fluke pin.

Rating: D-. This was very dull as Jarrett had nothing to work with at all. Mabel was just so huge that it was almost impossible for anyone to do anything against him. Unfortunately for us Mabel would be pushed down our throats the next year, somehow main eventing the 1995 edition of the show. The match sucked.

The detectives are in the aisle, Undertaker pops up behind them, neither sees him, more PPV time is wasted.

We get a LONG recap of Bret vs. Owen. Owen had felt he was living in Bret’s shadow and turned on his entire family at the 1993 Survivor Series when he was the only member eliminated due to a mistake by Bret. Bret offered to team up with Owen to win the tag titles which appeased Owen for awhile, but at the Royal Rumble Bret wouldn’t tag out and the referee stopped the match due to his knee injury.

Owen snapped and kicked out Bret’s good leg, turning full heel in the process. He demanded a match with Bret at Wrestlemania and defeated him clean in the opening match. Bret won the title in the main event, so Owen wanted a shot at the title throughout the summer. Tonight is Owen’s big chance in a cage match.

Bret says his recent battle with strep throat won’t affect him tonight.

WWF World Title: Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart

It’s escape only to win. Owen jumps him as soon as Bret is inside the cage, raining down right hands in the corner. Bret comes back with an atomic drop and a clothesline as their parents are watching in the front row. Owen pulls Bret down as he tries to climb out before going for a climb of his own. Bret pulls him back down and goes for the door, only to be pulled back in as well. We’re still very early in the match at this point.

Bret keeps lunging for the door but Owen keeps pulling him back in. They swap the roles for the next turn but Owen still can’t escape. With the door closed Bret tries to climb out, only to be slammed off the cage wall. Owen climbs up and manages to get all the way out but he can’t get down on the floor before Bret makes a save. Owen is pulled back in and they fight on the top rope with Bret being knocked back into the ring. Instead of climbing out again though, Owen dropkicks Bret down and climbs again.

The champion makes another save before climbing up to the top of the cage, straddling the top of it. Owen pulls him back in and they continue slugging it out on the top rope. Bret rams him into the cage wall but loses his balance in the process, putting both guys back down. Jim Neidhart and Davey Boy Smith, both brothers in law of the two in the ring, are watching in the crowd.

Bret punches Owen down again and drops an elbow but Owen makes another save. This time as Bret comes down though, he slams his knee into the mat to put him in real trouble. Neidhart, who has since turned on Bret and sided with Owen, is very pleased. Even though Bret is down, he isn’t down enough to stop Owen from leaving. He gets slammed down off the cage but Owen grabs a climbing Bret’s leg, pulling him back inside.

Owen is up first but Bret makes about his 49^th save of the match. Bret rams him face first into the steel and goes up again but Owen reaches through the bars to bring him back in. Back in again and Owen plants the champion with a piledriver but Bret still makes a save. Owen throws Bret down off the cage but Owen falls as well. Bret crawls for the door and gets the upper half of his body out, only to be pulled back in again by his younger brother. The drama on these near escapes is getting higher and higher.

Back in and Bret slingshots his brother into the cage, rattling his brains even more. They both slowly get up and Owen is rammed face first into the cage. The problem is that as Bret rams him in, Bret rams his knee into the cage and injures it. The champion tries to get out but can’t climb that fast, allowing Owen to make ANOTHER save. Owen makes another attempt to get out but his exhaustion slows him down and lets Bret stop him.

They slug it out on the top rope with both guys being rammed face first into the cage. Bret knocks Owen down but gets pulled back down as well. A double clothesline puts both guys down one more time and it’s Owen going up first. He climbs to the corner though, allowing Bret to catch up with him and superplex Owen off the top of the cage. Bret crawls for the door but Owen makes the save and puts on the Sharpshooter.

There aren’t any submissions in the match but it can make it impossible for Bret to climb. However Bret, the master of the Sharpshooter, counters into one of his own and Owen is in trouble. Bret goes for the escape but he STILL can’t keep Owen down long enough. They ram each other into the cage and both fall down before Owen climbs again. Both guys climb to the outside and it’s a race to the bottom. Owen is rammed into the cage though and gets his legs caught in the cage bars, allowing Bret to drop down and retain the title.

Rating: A+. This match was all about drama and they certainly gave us that. The match ran over half an hour and had nothing but near escapes the entire time. Bret didn’t so much win this match as he did survive it. This match has been called the last great cage match and it’s really hard to argue with that. Excellent match with great drama throughout.

Post match Neidhart jumps Davey Boy, throws Bret back in and locks himself in with them. A huge beatdown of Bret ensues as the Hart Brothers try to get in the cage. Davey Boy FINALLY gets in and the other brothers follow to save Bret.

In the back Owen says Neidhart is his real family. A series of great tag matches followed.

We recap the Undertaker disappearing at the Royal Rumble. 9 guys beat him up and locked him in a casket but his “spirit” levitated out of the casket, swearing to return. We get a bunch of people saying they had seen Undertaker in delis and coffee shops but DiBiase said he would bring Undertaker back.

Paul Bearer said that was impossible but Ted brought out the “Undertaker”. Anyone with a pair of eyes could tell it was a fake which was the point of the whole thing. Paul tried to regain the power of the Undertaker using the Urn but DiBiase’s money stopped him. The real Undertaker’s voice came over the PA, saying that he would be back.

Undertaker vs. Undertaker

We’ll call them real and fake to tell them apart. The fake one is played by ECW’s Primetime Brian Lee who wrestled in the WWF as Chainz. For the real entrance, we have druids, a casket containing the Urn and then the real guy. The entrances alone take about 10 minutes. Real is a few inches taller and blocks a right hand before pounding on Fake a bit. A big boot and uppercut send Fake to the floor, allowing Real to suplex him back in for no cover.

Fake is thrown to the floor again but Real follows him out this time. Back in and Fake hits a Stunner across the top rope to take over. This is VERY slow so far and the idea isn’t interesting at all. Real blocks Fake’s Old School but Fake sits up. The Real’s Old School connects but Fake clotheslines Real down. The crowd is SILENT for this nonsense which Vince writes off as being in shock.

Real misses a charge and falls to the floor where Fake sends him into the steps. Back in and Real wins a slugout but walks into a good chokeslam for no cover. Fake Tombstones him down but takes too long to cover, allowing for the sit up. A second Tombstone is countered into the Real one, followed by two more for the pin.

Rating: F. Well that happened. Seriously, what else do you want me to say about this? It went on for ten minutes, they were aspiring to hit a snail’s pace and the Chicago crowd, as in one of the most insane groups of fans you’ll ever see, was quieter than a cemetery watching this mess. Taker would literally spend the next year feuding with DiBiase and company.

Taker gets his Urn back and we cut to the back with the detectives finding a closed briefcase. “The case is closed.” Seriously, that’s how they end this.

Overall Rating: D+. BIZARRE main event choice aside, this wasn’t the worst show of all time. Bret vs. Owen is a masterpiece which eats up ¼ of the show and there’s some other decent stuff sprinkled in on top of the card. The rest of the show is pretty terrible though and there’s nothing other than the world title match worth going out of your way to see.

Ratings Comparison

IRS/Bam Bam Bigelow vs. Headshrinkers

Original: C+

Redo: D+

Alundra Blayze vs. Bull Nakano

Original: D+

Redo: C

Razor Ramon vs. Diesel

Original: B-

Redo: C+

Lex Luger vs. Tatanka

Original: C-

Redo: D

Jeff Jarrett vs. Mabel

Original: D-

Redo: D-

Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart

Original: A

Redo: A+

Undertaker vs. Undertaker

Original: B

Redo: F

Overall Rating

Original: C-

Redo: D+

…..a B? I’d like to know what I was on back then so I can go get more of it.

Here’s the original review if you’re interested:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2011/07/28/history-of-summerslam-count-up-summerslam-1994-from-great-matches-to-leslie-nielsen/

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up my new book of NXT Reviews: The Full Sail Years Volume I at Amazon for just $3.99 at:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B011T13PV4

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:

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Today we’ve got a big power wrestler that used to be undead: Brian Lee.

Like so many others, Lee got his start in Memphis. We’ll pick things up in his rookie year on March 5, 1989.

Jim McPherson/Brian Lee vs. Dutch Mantel/Master of Pain

Mantel is better known today as Zeb Colter and Master of Pain is better known as, ahem, the Undertaker. Lee locks up with Dutch to start and it’s quickly off to the Master. A right hand has no effect on Master so it’s off to Jim for some meaningless kicks to the ribs. Master kicks Lee in the face and brings Dutch back in for a thumb to the eye. Back to the Master who no sells a dropkick and hammers away in the corner. A powerslam doesn’t get a cover as it’s back to Dutch for some choking with a tag rope. We’re running out of time so Master plants Jim with a Boss Man Slam for the pin.

Rating: D. This was a squash that was running against the clock. As usual it’s always cool to see people who are going to become big deals in the future when they’re just starting out. Everyone has to learn at some point and Undertaker had a lot of the traits going for him that would make him famous later.

Brian would get a tryout match for WCW at Clash of the Champions XIII.

Brian Lee vs. Z-Man

Lee is a tall but not very thick guy who would become a bigger deal later in his career in ECW under the same name and then the WWF as Chainz. This is his tryout match here as the Clash of the Champions continues to be a place to put a bunch of new guys on TV. He runs Z-Man over with a hard shoulder block but walks into a hiptoss to speed things up for a few seconds. It’s only a few seconds though as Z-Man misses a cross body and crashes to the mat. We hit the chinlock on Z-Man but he easily fights up, slams Lee and gets the pin off a missile dropkick.

Rating: D. This was another short match in a series of them tonight and the formula didn’t work all that well here. Z-Man’s comeback and pin came within a span of fifteen seconds so there wasn’t any time to get into it. It’s not a terrible match but it didn’t have the time to go anywhere and what we got wasn’t much to see.

Time for a cup of coffee in Puerto Rico. From WWC in 1991.

California Studs vs. Invader #4/Jerry Mercado

The Studs are Lee and the Dirty White Boy Tony Anthony before he was dirty, though he has the white part down. Lee and the much smaller Invader get things going before it’s off to Mercado. Brian shrugs off a wristlock and nails a clothesline followed by a double back elbow from the Studs. It’s quickly back to Lee for a big boot before Anthony plants Mercado with a powerslam. Brian’s top rope knee gets the fast pin.

Rating: D. Another dull match here and the Dirty White Boy didn’t help anything out. I would have thought one of the 984 Invaders would have been a bit bigger deal than a jobber to a team like the Dirty White Boy and the eventual fake Undertaker. Nothing to see here, but Brian needs to stop using so many basic holds. He’s 6’9 and wrestles like he’s about a foot shorter.

It was off to Smoky Mountain where Lee would have some of his greatest success. We’ll start on June 6, 1992.

Brian Lee vs. Barry Horowitz

Brian is SMW Champion but this is non-title. Barry hides in the corner to start but a big hiptoss and dropkick put Horowitz down. We hit the headlock for a bit on Horowitz but he fights up with some right hands and a side slam. Barry gets crotched on top and powerslammed down for two. In a kind of lame finish, Lee picks him up for a Razor’s Edge but drops to his knees for a backbreaker and the pin.

Rating: D+. That finish is the kind of stuff I’m talking about with Lee. Instead of launching him across the ring or straight down, the backbreaker didn’t look all that devastating. Lifting Barry up like that was a nice power display, but the actual move didn’t look all that great. Still though, at least it’s a power move.

Still in SMW at some point in 1993.

Brian Lee vs. Kevin Sullivan

This is part of along feud where Sullivan has sent a series of men to try and take Lee out before finally just doing the job himself. This is a Singapore Spike match where there is a box on each corner and only one holds a spike to use as a weapon. Brian’s partner Tim Horner and Sullivan’s minion the Nightstalker are handcuffed to posts. Lee hammers away to start and the fight is quickly on the floor. Sullivan sends him face first into a table and nails him with a chair but can’t get into a box.

Lee is thrown to the floor but comes back in with a chair to the back. Two boxes are checked and empty so they head back outside to brawl some more. Sullivan hits him in the ribs with a hammer to almost no effect. Back in and Sullivan stabs him with pliers before checking the other two boxes. There’s no spike so Lee makes his comeback with right hands and a cross body which takes out the referee. Nightstalker gets on the apron with the spike in his hand but hits Sullivan by mistake, allowing Brian to roll him up for the pin.

Rating: C-. This was a decent brawl and the story helped things a bit. It’s always a plus when you give me a reason to care why the face is in trouble but wants to fight anyway as it makes him seem like a hero and the villain look like a coward for resorting to cheating. Lee is getting better as he’s starting to find himself in the ring.

Brian would make a one off appearance in the WWF at Summerslam 1994 as the Fake Undertaker.

Undertaker vs. Undertaker

We’ll call them real and fake to tell them apart. The fake one is played by ECW’s Primetime Brian Lee who wrestled in the WWF as Chainz. For the real entrance, we have druids, a casket containing the Urn and then the real guy. The entrances alone take about 10 minutes. Real is a few inches taller and blocks a right hand before pounding on Fake a bit. A big boot and uppercut send Fake to the floor, allowing Real to suplex him back in for no cover.

Fake is thrown to the floor again but Real follows him out this time. Back in and Fake hits a Stunner across the top rope to take over. This is VERY slow so far and the idea isn’t interesting at all. Real blocks Fake’s Old School but Fake sits up. The Real’s Old School connects but Fake clotheslines Real down. The crowd is SILENT for this nonsense which Vince writes off as being in shock.

Real misses a charge and falls to the floor where Fake sends him into the steps. Back in and Real wins a slugout but walks into a good chokeslam for no cover. Fake Tombstones him down but takes too long to cover, allowing for the sit up. A second Tombstone is countered into the Real one, followed by two more for the pin.

Rating: F. Well that happened. Seriously, what else do you want me to say about this? It went on for ten minutes, they were aspiring to hit a snail’s pace and the Chicago crowd, as in one of the most insane groups of fans you’ll ever see, was quieter than a cemetery watching this mess. Taker would literally spend the next year feuding with DiBiase and company.

Brian would head back to Memphis and the USWA for a short stretch, including this match in July 1995.

Brian Lee vs. Sid Vicious

The winner gets a title shot at some point in the future. Sid takes him into the corner and actually offers a clean break. A slam sends Brian to the floor and we get an inset interview from Sid, talking about how easy a road he has to the title. Back in and Brian’s lacket sends in a foreign object to knock Sid down to the mat. Some big shots in the corner don’t have much effect as Sid nails a clothesline, only to get knocked back down for two. A big boot and weak looking chokeslam put Sid down for no cover. Instead Sid pops up and chokeslams Lee followed by the powerbomb, but Billy Jack Haynes comes in for the DQ.

Rating: D. That big boot and chokeslam combination looked pretty bad but there’s only so much you can do in there against a guy like Sid. These giant vs. giant matches rarely work and this wasn’t much better than the majority of them. The bad looking moves bring it down a further notch though.

Lee would go to ECW and be part of the Tommy Dreamer vs. Raven feud. Here he is facing Dreamer in a pretty famous scaffold match at High Incident 1996.

Brian Lee vs. Tommy Dreamer

There’s a scaffold above the ring and a three stacks of three tables each in the ring. You win by knocking someone off the scaffold and through said tables. Instead of going near that they head to the back of the building and casually walk around without trying to hurt each other. Dreamer finally rams him into a wall a few times before nailing Brian in the head with a trashcan. A hard chair shot to Tommy’s back has Lee in control and he rams Dreamer face first into some kind of block. Dreamer is busted open. Now they’re in the crowd with Tommy fighting back, only to get hit in the head with a cooler.

Dreamer gets crotched on the barricade as they finally make it to ringside. A powerslam drives Tommy onto the concrete but he comes back with a pie to the head. Both guys climb the scaffolding, finding that much safer than a tasty dessert. Lee slams him face first into the scaffold but Dreamer hits him low. We get a very scary DDT on the scaffold has Lee in trouble but Tommy can’t throw him through the tables. Lee fights back with right hands and kicks Dreamer low to almost knock him off. Tommy gets in a low blow of his own and punches away until Lee goes through the tables.

Rating: D-. I didn’t completely hate it but this was barely wrestling. I will give them this though: at least the scaffolding had enough room to let them get their footing. The Living Dangerously mess with New Jack and Grimes had them basically standing on a bar with nothing to help them out. I almost didn’t rate it but it’s almost too famous not to.

One more ECW match at Cyberslam 1997.

Raven/Brian Lee vs. Terry Funk/Tommy Dreamer

Raven is world champion. If Funk beats Raven, he gets a shot at the title at Barely Legal. Lee is a hired gun here. This is during the Dreamer can’t beat Raven angle which I would have ended at Barely Legal, but instead they went with Funk who is the guy that was from the NWA and therefore what they were against, but hey who cares about that right? Beulah, who is dating Tommy at this point, is here being her sexy self.

We get big match intros because we need to have them for what is I guess the main event. Raven comes in and lays down to let Dreamer beat him for the first time in his life so that Funk can’t get the pin to get the title shot. Dreamer, ever the moron, hits him instead. Raven pops up and says “Hey Dreamer why didn’t you pin me?” That was funny for some reason.

Off to Funk so Raven runs and hides. Dreamer comes in again as this is stupid so far. Powerslam by Lee and he brings in Raven. Dreamer gets a DDT and tags in Funk immediately to let him try to get a win. Back off to Lee as this has been pretty basic so far. Raven won’t fight Funk so the fans chant bull. Raven and Dreamer go to the floor and the others join them. An ECW match turning into a brawl? NO WAY!!!

They’re in the crowd already and I have a feeling I’ll be able to read a novel or so while this is going on. Funk and Raven wind up back in the ring and Raven hits him low. Dreamer and Lee are on the floor having the real fight since Funk is old and Raven is probably stoned. He grabs the mic and yells at Funk for awhile while everyone looks at Dreamer and Lee who are off camera.

This creates an obvious problem of Raven vs. Funk is more or less the occasional punch and Raven yelling while the fans are all looking away at the violence on the floor. Funk grabs the mic and I’d suggest a censor button on standby. He kicks Raven’s leg out a few times and it’s the spinning toe hold. Raven screams that he quits but there’s no referee. The referee finally comes in and Lee hits Funk with a trashcan.

Lee hammers on everyone with the trashcan. Dreamer tries to protect Funk so Funk keeps getting up. Funk can’t stand up and is bleeding from the ear. Oh I have a bad feeling where this might be going. Yep the doctors are here to check on Terry and he still wants to fight. Is this supposed to be impressive or something? Terry is put on a stretcher after a few attempts and is taken to the back.

And now it’s time to make this the big angle of the show as here’s Stevie Richards who is all ticked off at Raven which I guess explains him being in the triple threat at Barely Legal. Raven wants to be kicked but Lee picks Richards off and chokeslams him. Lori Fullington, Sandman’s ex-wife comes out and is mad at Raven also. Take a DDT boy. Down she goes also.

Dreamer, ever the genius, comes out with Sandman’s son Tyler who was brainwashed by Raven at one point. Here’s a beatdown for Dreamer as well. Sandman comes out with his son on his shoulders and it’s some big emotional moment or whatever. Sandman fights both guys off and pins Raven just because. Now there’s your triple threat and Dreamer is left out in the cold. Yep that’s how they set up their first PPV people.

Rating: F+. Dude, seriously? Another big brawl, an injury angle to an old man, an ex-wife and son being brought out and a guy that hasn’t been seen the entire night is now #1 contender. Stevie is in the same spot now for getting chokeslammed and I guess beating Balls Mahoney earlier. And people wonder why non-ECW fans complain aboutnot being able to understand this company. I had no idea why they were in that match until I saw this show. Not like that’s important information to say at Barely Legal or anything right?

It was off to the WWF after this where Lee was named Chainz and put in charge of the biker group known as the Disciples of Apocalypse. We’ll start at Summerslam 1997.

Los Boricuas vs. Disciples of Apocalypse

This is the Puerto Rican gang vs. the bikers as GANG WARZ continue. Vince calls this an eight man tag because he doesn’t care enough about any of these guys. These guys feuded FOREVER and I don’t remember the bikers ever winning a match in the feud. Savio Vega and Crush are the respective leaders and the rest are pretty interchangeable other than Chainz being the only other biker with hair.

It’s a brawl to start of course and the bikers clear the ring. Skull starts with Jose and the big man throws him around with ease. Off to 8 Ball who hits a spinning sidewalk slam before bringing in Crush. Miguel comes in but walks into a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker for no cover. Back to Skull and 8 Ball (identical twins) to crush Miguel in the corner until Savio cheats to take over. All four Boricuas pound on Skull in the corner until the Nation of Domination (now with Ahmed Johnson) comes down to ringside, basically stopping the match cold.

Jesus hits a Fameasser on Skull to set up another four on one beatdown. We hit a chinlock but 8 Ball breaks it up to prevent further boredom. Skull finally gets over for the tag and everything breaks down. Chainz is sent to the floor and punches Ahmed who responds with a sitout powerbomb on the concrete, giving Miguel an easy pin in the ring.

Rating: D-. Oh man this was dull to sit through. Los Boricuas just weren’t interesting at all and other than Savio they easily could have been interchanged with one another. The bikers weren’t much better but at least you could remember which was which. I guess the idea here was to appeal to a wider fanbase but it didn’t do anything for me.

And the rematch from In Your House XVIII.

Los Boricuas vs. Disciples of Apocalypse

Los Boricuas are Miguel Perez, Jose Estrada, Jesus Castillo and Savio Vega while the Disciples are Crush, Chainz, Skull and 8-Ball. Skull starts with Jose with the much bigger Disciple taking over to start. 8-Ball and Skull (identical twins) hit a double big boot to take Jose down and it’s off to Miguel who walks into a powerslam for two.

Chainz and Savio come in with the biker scoring with a quick belly to belly for two before it’s off to Jesus who is slammed down just as easily. Everything nearly breaks down on the floor before Jesus takes over on Crush back inside. All four of the Boricuas come in for three running clotheslines and a spinwheel kick from Savio to Crush before Miguel hooks a chinlock.

The referee goes to the floor to stop another brawl, allowing the remaining Boricuas to triple team Crush again. A missile dropkick gets two for Jesus and we hit ANOTHER chinlock. Crush finally fights up and everything breaks down with Crush hitting a quick big boot but there’s no referee. Jesus gets a close two off a DDT but Chainz pins Miguel off a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker.

Rating: F+. This show is really getting bad about having dull matches. As has been the case since the beginning of this feud, no one cares about these teams or anyone on them. None of the guys on the team save for arguably their leaders do anything that sets them apart. I was having trouble remembering which Boricua was which. That’s a bad sign in an eight minute match.

Here’s a tag match from Raw on February 8, 1998.

Farrooq/Rocky Maivia vs. Chainz/Ken Shamrock

Each team has three people with them which was to set up the War of Attrition match on Sunday which was rather stupid for a name since it was one fall to a finish. Lawler is on commentary here. Rocky is IC Champion and the fans think he sucks. Rock grabs a mic and says the fans want to know his opinion on human genetic cloning.

This was a thing he was doing around this time: giving his opinion on major issues. For instance, he doesn’t care about global hunger as long as his yard is mowed. Funny as all goodness of course. Here he’s in favor, but only with people that deserve to be cloned. In other words, just him.

Farrooq vs. Chainz to start us off here but it’s off to Shamrock very quickly. Rock wants in surprisingly enough and Shamrock kicks his hips with ease. Back to Farrooq again as they’re tagging very quickly here. Rocky and Farrooq switch AGAIN before I finish typing that sentence. Chainz comes in and gets his head handed to him by the majority of the Nation. Powerslam by Farrooq gets two.

Rock hammers Chainz down and hits what would become the People’s Elbow. He didn’t have the whole thing down yet. Back to the former Ron Simmons who works on the back for awhile. Shamrock and Rock come in and it’s all the Sham version here. Somehow we get Farrooq in the ankle lock but Rock pops Ken in the head with a chair to end this pretty quickly.

Rating: D+. Pretty fast match here which wasn’t bad but I’ve seen worse. The problem here was that they went WAY too fast with the tagging and it kept them from getting anything going. The war match was just ok if I remember. Rock vs. Shamrock would happen at Mania which was a Dusty Finish. Not bad here but just filler to get us to the PPV with this angle.

And a singles match from Raw on June 8, 1998.

Darren Drozdov vs. Chainz

We get a video of how Droz got the name Puke. I’ll let you visualize that yourselves. Droz is NOT a member of the LOD. He just hangs out with them and feuds with the people they’re feuding and is in their tag matches. Ok then. Chainz takes over and it’s official: Mankind vs. Taker is Hell in a Cell. Chainz misses a middle rope elbow and Droz does the same with a corner splash, allowing Chainz to win with a Death Valley Driver. Too short to rate but it was nothing of note at all.

Lee would hit the indies for awhile after this but would return in TNA in 2002. Here he as at Weekly PPV #12 where Lee was one of two men remaining in a battle royal, earning him a Tag Team Title shot.

Tag Titles: James Storm/Chris Harris vs. Brian Lee/Ron Haris

Ron chokeslams James on the stage to start things off as a handicap match. Also here’s Jeff Jarrett to beat up BG James and take the focus off the title match. Lee kicks Chris in the face as AMW (are they even called that yet?) is in big trouble. Chris comes back for a bit but gets clotheslined down for two. West points out the problem here: too many people named James and Harris.

Storm finally gets back in and cleans house, only to get caught in a chokeslam/belly to back suplex combo for no cover. Ron pulls out a table for no apparent reason and lays Storm out on top of it. Lee loads up Chris in a chokeslam but gets rolled up (and into the ropes) to give AMW the pin and the titles.

Rating: D. This was barely even a match with Chris getting beaten down for a few minutes and Storm being on the floor most of the time. The table thing was stupid and the ending was even worse as both guys were in the ropes for the fall and the referee counted it anyway. Nothing to see here, but at least the right team won.

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