NWA TNA Weekly PPV #8
Date: August 7, 2002
Location: Tennessee State Fairgrounds, Nashville, Tennessee
Commentators: Mike Tenay, Ed Ferrara, Don West

I keep thinking that these shows might get a bit better and that seems to be my problem. Most of the time, wrestling companies start to figure things out and the booking gets better, but this is Vince Russo’s TNA and things don’t get better around here. The big story this week is Ron Killings getting a World Title shot against Ken Shamrock so let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Apollo and the Dupps are outside Ricky Steamboat’s office.

Amazing Red/Spanish Announce Team vs. Flying Elvises

It’s a brawl to start until Siaki is left alone to clothesline Red. Jose Maximo (brother of Joel) gets triple powerbombed and the Elvises get to pose and dance. For some reason Yang and Estrada go to commentary, leaving Siaki to get triple teamed in the corner. Then they sing a little Elvis as a surfboard/dragon sleeper combination sets up a top rope double stomp for two on Siaki.

Back up and Siaki fights back but he doesn’t want a tag from Yang. Red kicks Siaki down on top and it’s a double super Spanish Fly for two. Yang and Estrada come back in and take out the Maximos but Estrada gets caught in Code Red for two more. Estrada counters a double super Spanish Fly into a double super DDT to the Maximos. A top rope legdrop/splash combination hits Red but the other Elvises pose, allowing Siaki to steal the pin at 11:46.

Rating: B-. Oh that’s a Russo trait if I’ve ever seen one. You have the team who doesn’t get along but wins anyway, making the other team look that much worse. If Red and the SAT’s can’t beat Siaki when they have him 3-1, why should I believe they can beat pretty much anyone? It’s a bad idea and something that Russo absolutely loved, which shouldn’t be all that surprising.

We run down tonight’s card.

Apollo is mad at being left out of the World Title picture because it’s a show of disrespect. Why is Ron Killings getting the shot over him? Apollo accuses Ricky Steamboat of being corrupt (Mike Tenay is STUNNED) and promises to do something about it.

AJ Styles leaves Steamboat’s office and Apollo confronts Steamboat, who will talk to him on his own time. With that done, Jerry Lynn jumps Styles and a big fight breaks out before their match tonight.

Steamboat comes to the ring but the Dupps interrupt him. Steamboat isn’t having this and sends them to the back, telling them to do whatever they wanted. Oh that does not sound smart Dragon.

NWA World Title: Ron Killings vs. Ken Shamrock

Shamrock is defending and Steamboat is on commentary. Shamrock goes for the leg and Killings goes straight to the rope. A kick to the chest takes Killings down again as Steamboat talks about “them” holding him away from the WWF Title in 1987. Killings takes him down into a chinlock but gets pulled into a quickly broken kneebar. Back up and they collide for a double knockdown before Shamrock grabs a slow motion hurricanrana.

The ankle lock is broken up again as the Disciples Of The New Church are watching from the stage. Monty Brown comes out to watch as well as Shamrock hammers away and grabs a cross armbreaker (with Killings just laying there). They fight to the floor and (deep breath), Apollo, the Disciples Of The New Church, Don Harris, Monty Brown and Ricky Steamboat get into it with them. Apollo superkicks Shamrock by mistake and Steamboat throws him inside, where Killings hits a cutter for the pin and the title at 9:20.

Rating: D+. The match was a mess (believe it or not with that many people interfering) but it’s also the right move. Killings has at least been featured somewhat regularly while Shamrock has been this guy kind of off to the side who happened to be World Champion. Shifting the title to someone who is a lot more active and important is a good thing, even if it was as messy of a way to get the title off of him as possible. It didn’t help that the match was bad too, with the two of them having completely different styles which did not click whatsoever.

Post match Steamboat gets in the ring to call out Apollo, because THE WORLD TITLE CHANGING HANDS (and Killings becoming the first Black man to win the title) isn’t important enough to warrant a few moments to breathe. Steamboat grants Apollo a title shot, but, say it with me, Jeff Jarrett comes out to complain. Jarrett says he’s not getting the title shot because he’s white, because a Black man is champion and a Puerto Rican is getting the title shot (oh dear). Steamboat is tired of this (preach it) and makes a #1 contenders match with himself as guest referee for tonight.

And now, Jive Talkin with Disco Inferno but someone has stolen his set. Cue the Dupps to announce the Dupp Cup Invitational, which is for a family cup that they have used for moonshine over the years. This is the new hardcore division and they’re doing it because Ricky Steamboat said do whatever they want. They bring out a chalkboard with rules on it, saying you have to score ten points to win the match (this is going to be really, really stupid). We even have scoring options (and yes, they go over EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM):

Put an opponent through a table: 2.5 points
Put an opponent through a burning “tabel” (that’s how it’s spelled: 5 points
Put an opponent’s head in a toilet: 2.5 points
Put an opponent’s head in a toilet with waste in it: 3.5 points
Goose a woman: 2.5 points
Goose a man: 3.5 points
Hit Jeremy Borash: 2.5 points
Hit the ticket lady: 2.5 points
Use a farm animal of any kind in any way: 2.5 points

Note that at this point we cut to a fan with her hand over her mouth and a horrified look on her face. This is about as appropriate as anything you will ever see in wrestling.

Spank an opponent’s bare a** with “Horsey Poo” (a stick horse): 2.5 points
If the opponent likes it: -2.5 points
Introduce an opponent to Jai: 2.5 points (no, they do not specify who or what Jai is)
Cry like a pu**y: – 5 points
Put your opponent’s head in a cotton candy machine for one full rotation: 10 points, automatic win

In case that’s not enough, Disco starts suggesting his own scoring idea, such as using a weapon from a fan for 5 points, but the Dupps say that’s just 1. We’re going to even have the first match, with Bo Dupp defending the honor of his “girlfriend” Goldilocks. They offer 64 cents but then add in a night with Fluff Dupp…which is enough for Ed Ferrara to accept. He even gets a 2 point head start by decking Jeremy Borash. Then he jumps West and gets in a fight with Borash, which somehow makes it 6-0 as I guess this is a match.

Dupp Cup: Bo Dupp vs. Ed Ferrara

First to ten points wins and Ferrara is up 6-0. The Dupps chair him down a few times to make it 6-2 and more weapon shots make it 6-5 in a hurry. A blowup doll is brought in as this somehow gets dumber. Stan goes after the ticket lady, who comes out of her office with a broom to beat him up.

Paulina From Tough Enough (yes that is her official name) uses the chalk board to beat up Stan as Ferrara spears Bo at ringside. Somehow it’s 8 to 6.5 so Ferrara uses Horsey Poo…which Bo likes so it’s tied (I think, as this is somehow even dumber and messier than it sounds). The table is brought in but Bo chokeslams Ferrara through it to win at 6:45.

Rating: N/A. This wasn’t wrestling.

By the way: this whole thing, from the start of Disco’s segment to moving on to the next thing was over seventeen minutes. That’s longer than the main events of multiple Wrestlemanias. On this mess. The next time you’re at some low level, badly paying job, just remember that someone was paid to come up with this. See how much worse that makes you feel. Absolutely horrible and one of the dumbest things I have ever sat through in wrestling.

Earlier today, Mike Tenay sat down with Monty Brown. We hear about his career in football as part of the Buffalo Bills and now he’s wrestling. He had to fight to get a contract as an undrafted free agent so he knows about the politics that he’ll have to face in wrestling. As for Ron Killings, he’s tired of hearing about about “them” holding him back. Cue Elix Skipper with a bunch of yellow paint to cover Brown.

Don Harris vs. Malice

First Blood. They brawl around ringside to start as James Mitchell is on commentary. The fight goes into the crowd as we hear about the weird symbolism of the blood from last week. It’s BLOOD. This doesn’t require an explanation. Harris hits him with a chair and they walk around the building with Malice taking over.

They go to the ramp where Harris reverses a powerbomb into a backdrop but here is Slash to jump him as well. Harris takes a spike from Slash and busts him open but Malice jumps him again. Mitchell gets the ceremonial blood poured on him, followed by Harris hitting a Boss Man Slam. Somehow this busts Harris open (yep) and Malice wins at 6:28.

Rating: D. Somehow, this was miles better than the previous match and it was a terrible brawl. The first blood thing is something that fits into what they did last week, but Malice won while Harris, as in one of the HARRIS TWINS, was beating him up. You can’t have one of the Harris Twins take a pinfall against the person who was supposed to be the big monster? It’s no wonder this promotion is such a mess if that’s their mentality out here.

Post match the Disciples beat him up and leave him laying.

Sonny Siaki is looking for Ricky Steamboat. Taylor Vaughn comes in to jump Bruce (who is here too) and challenges him for tonight. Bruce is in, for an evening gown match. Then AJ Styles and Low Ki start brawling.

Apollo vs. Jeff Jarrett

#1 contenders match with Ricky Steamboat as guest referee. Apollo hammers away to start but Steamboat cuts him off, allowing Jarrett to get in a shot of his own. The fight heads outside but Apollo grabs a sitout powerbomb for two back inside. They go back outside where Apollo (already bleeding) is dropped onto the announcers’ table but Steamboat cuts off a chair shot.

Back in and Jarrett knocks him down for two before tying him in the Tree of Woe. Steamboat breaks that up so Jarrett goes with the Figure Four instead. Apollo is up at two arm drops and the comeback is on, including a DDT for a double down. The right hands in the corner have Jarrett in more trouble and the superkick connects but Jarrett gets a foot on the rope. Apollo grabs a German suplex but Jarrett gets his shoulder up for the (delayed) three count at 10:05.

Rating: C+. Yeah Jarrett won, but my goodness it was nice to see a match actually go clean around here. It wasn’t a great match or even a particularly good one, but what matters is that it was actually wrestling. After everything else tonight, I’ll absolutely take this, even if it was just ok for the most part.

Post match Apollo yells at Steamboat, who says he has no problem with Apollo but Jarrett won. With Apollo gone, Steamboat says Jarrett gets Killings….just not in a World Title match. Instead, it’s Jarrett and Killings against AJ Styles and Jerry Lynn in a Tag Team Title match. So yeah, there’s the screwy twist that they just have to do. The fans even boo, because not only were they screwed out of a title shot, but Jarrett is screwed over as well as he won that match 100% clean and is getting ripped off. Again: this booking is horrible.

Miss TNA: Bruce vs. Taylor Vaughn

Bruce is defending in an Evening Gown match so Bruce is indeed in a dress. Bruce immediately takes her down and hits a suplex before adding a faceplant. Then he takes Vaughn’s dress off for the win in a total squash. This stuff is still so dumb.

Post match Bruce strips to make the fans happy and we get a lot of pixelation.

Don West gives us a preview of next week’s show and shills merchandise. To be fair, this is his specialty and he’s awesome at this kind of thing.

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

Styles is defending and gets double teamed to start, including a faceplant. A tilt-a-whirl backbreaker gives Lynn two on Ki but Styles is back up with a powerslam. Ki is back up with a dropkick and elbows but Styles pulls the referee in and kicks Ki low (there’s a joke there somewhere). Ki and Lynn strike it out until Lynn sends him to the apron for a legdrop over the rope.

The dragon sleeper has Styles and Lynn in trouble but Lynn takes Ki down. A top rope hanging DDT gets two on Styles with Ki making the save. Ki butterfly suplexes Styles for two and Styles puts Ki down for the same with Lynn making the save. Styles and Ki go up top and it’s a super sunset bomb to turn it into a Tower Of Doom. Ki gets back to back dragon sleepers for back to back saves.

Styles brainbusters Lynn for two but Lynn is back with a Ki Crusher 99 for two on Ki. Back up and Ki accidentally takes out the referee (ERG) but gets launched out to the floor. Styles chairs Lynn down so Ki covers for two, only for Styles to hit the Styles Clash to break it up….but Ki falls back on Lynn for the three (as in the third count, with the break apparently not mattering, which isn’t how it works in wrestling) for the title at 16:18.

Rating: A-. Rough ending aside, this was great. They were all going nuts and doing their thing as fast as they could and it made for an awesome match. As usual, the X-Division stuff is stealing the show and that shouldn’t be a surprise given what else we’re seeing. Excellent match here as they were doing everything they could for all of the time they had.

Jeff Jarrett and Ron Killings argue in the back as Styles beats up Lynn. Jarrett comes out to yell because OF COURSE he’s the last thing we see.

Overall Rating: C-. I’m not sure what it says when a show with that awesome of a main event, plus a good opener and a fine Apollo vs. Jarrett match is still so weak. The bad parts on this are just so bad that they drag down the good things. As usual with a Russo booked show, everything is just so all over the place and at times idiotic that you forget how good some of the wrestling really is. It’s an improvement over last week, and that’s all because of the X-Division carrying everything they can.

 

 

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NWA TNA Weekly PPV #7
Date: July 31, 2002
Location: Tennessee State Fairgrounds, Nashville, Tennessee
Commentators: Mike Tenay, Ed Ferrara, Don West

While there are some interesting parts to this show, there are far more things where I either don’t know what is going on or even worse, I don’t care. Since security has given up around here, Ricky Steamboat of all people is going to be in charge this week. I’m sure he’ll set everyone right. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

X-Division Title: AJ Styles vs. Elix Skipper

Styles is defending and Jerry Lynn is on commentary. Skipper jumps him to start but Styles fights up with some right hands in the corner. A legdrop gets two on Skipper and a leg lariat puts him down again. Skipper is back up with a running forearm and a belly to back suplex cuts off Styles’ kicks to the ribs. A hard slam gives Skipper two and he knocks Styles down rather hard again.

Skipper kicks him in the back of the head and we hit a front facelock. That’s broken up and Styles tries a hurricanrana, which is countered into a powerbomb for two. Back up and Skipper tries a northern lights suplex but gets reversed into a guillotine for a smart counter. Styles leverages him out to the floor but Skipper switches places and hits a slingshot dive. Back in and Styles breaks up a springboard, setting up the Spiral Tap to retain at 12:40.

Rating: B-. This was a way for Styles to get a title defense against someone the fans are going to know. That’s the point of using people from WCW, as they are useful to boost up the new stars. Styles isn’t overly well known six weeks into the company’s history, but now they know he can beat a star from WCW. Build Styles up that way and let him go from here.

Ricky Steamboat has returned the NWA World Title to Ken Shamrock and lifted Jeff Jarrett’s suspension so Jarrett can face Scott Hall tonight. I mean, we don’t get to SEE these things but apparently they happened. And Malice stealing the title is just leading to….nothing? Sure.

As Elix Skipper is leaving, Monty Brown runs out to beat him up as payback from last week. The Alpha Bomb leaves Skipper laying. What a hero.

Here is Jeff Jarrett, carrying a big burlap sack over his shoulder, which appears to contain a person. Jarrett has to start from the bottom and work his way up to the top so he’ll start against….this kidnapped midget. Jarrett calls out anyone for a fight and gets Puppet, who pulls out a GUN. Security distracts him though, allowing Jarrett to drop Puppet with a chair. Cue Ricky Steamboat, with a Harris Twin and Bob Armstrong. Jarrett challenges Steamboat for a fight but Scott Hall sneaks in to chase Jarrett off before anything happens.

Sonny Siaki is fine with wrestling on his own tonight. And stop staring at his a**.

Slash vs. Sonny Siaki

James Mitchell is on commentary as Slash sends Siaki out to the apron. That earns Slash a hurricanrana to the floor but he sends Siaki into the barricade. Back in and an Eye Of The Storm plants Siaki again and Slash grabs the cobra clutch. They both go up and wind up crotching each other for a double down. Siaki fights up with some shots to the face and a pumphandle suplex gets two. Mitchell gets up on the apron for a distraction though and Slash puts a hood over Siaki, setting up a neckbreaker for the pin at 7:41.

Rating: C. It needed more Elvises. The match wasn’t much more than Siaki acting too much like Elvis as played by the Rock. Slash is just kind of a generic heel as well so there wasn’t much to be seen here. The New Church feels like a situation of “we need a weird heel stable” and that was the extent of the thinking behind it, which isn’t exactly inspiring.

Post match Slash ties him up in the ropes and Mitchell rubs blood on Siaki’s head. Don Harris, the head of security, comes in for the save.

Ricky Steamboat is here to lay down the law and he is not Bill Behrens.

Ron Killings comes out to complain about one of the cage dancers being exploited as a Black woman. She might claim to be a dancer, but she is nothing but a “$2 ho.” Violence is teased but Monty Brown comes in for the save, only to get hit in the head with something made of wood.

Cue Ricky Steamboat to say Killings has his attention, so have the guts to come say it to his face. Killings gets in his face but Steamboat doesn’t get his problem. Killings brings up Steamboat’s time in the WWF and says he was a fan. Steamboat was the Intercontinental Champion, but then it stopped. Why was that? It’s because the Intercontinental Title was always for second class citizens, which is just what is happening to him today. Steamboat actually agrees and gives Killings a World Title shot next week. Killings raps a bit. So did Steamboat just accuse the WWF of racism and side with the heel? Did I get that right?

Apollo vs. Malice

James Mitchell is here with Malice. Apollo jumps him to start but gets knocked into the corner without much effort. Something like a top rope leg lariat gives Apollo two and he knocks Malice outside to hammer away. They trade whips into the barricade until Malice takes him back inside for a powerbomb. A superplex gives Malice two and a middle rope legdrop connects for the same. Apollo was busted open somewhere in there but comes back with a DDT into a superkick for the pin at 6:34.

Rating: C+. This was mainly a brawl on the floor but that worked as you had two bigger guys here. Malice is a fairly generic monster but that’s the kind of thing you need to have on a show. On the other hand you have Apollo, who still feels like someone who could be something, with his look alone being a nice appeal.

Post match Malice chokeslams a referee so Don Harris runs in for the save. Slash comes in and helps tie up Don, who gets the blood treatment as well.

Don West brings out Taylor Vaughn for a chat about being Miss TNA but Bruce interrupts. Bruce wants a match for the Miss TNA title and gets kicked low, with the referee coming in.

Miss TNA: Taylor Vaughn vs. Bruce

A suplex gives Vaughn two but Bruce runs her over. The abdominal stretch has Vaughn in trouble and a spinning faceplant gives Bruce the win at 2:06. This is, in fact, stupid.

Post match Bruce cries after being given the tiara and sash.

Low Ki is ready to prove himself in the ring.

Low Ki vs. Jerry Lynn

AJ Styles is on commentary. Ki grabs a hammerlock to start but gets reversed into a headscissors. The grappling on the mat goes to a standoff so they fight over wrist control. Ki takes him down by the leg but gets reversed into an armbar and kicked in the head. Lynn’s tilt-a-whirl backbreaker gets two but Ki kicks him in the face for two.

It’s too early for the Ki Krusher 99 so Ki goes with a dragon sleeper in the ropes instead. Back in and Lynn gets in a facebuster but the cradle piledriver is countered into a triangle choke. That’s broken up (Styles approves) and Lynn hammers away. Ki’s dropkick into a jackknife rollup gets two and a springboard kick to the face knocks Lynn silly.

Another kick to the head gets two but Lynn catches him with a helicopter bomb for two. The dragon sleeper is countered into a tornado DDT to give Lynn two more but Ki kicks him in the head. Ki loads up the Ki Krusher 99, only for Styles to kick Lynn in the back for the DQ at 14:11.

Rating: B. These guys were rolling by the end and then it fell down a few pegs because of the lame ending. Other than that it was good stuff with both of them working hard and trying to steal the show, which they pretty much did again. Styles getting involved might make sense, but dang it would be nice to see a match end without something screwy happening.

Post match Ki plants Lynn as the match is a no contest, because a DQ apparently means something very different around here.

Don Harris wants a first blood match with Malice.

And now, it’s Jive Talkin, with Disco teasing that he’s going to replace Oprah Winfrey. He’s tired of the lack of skin around here so he introduces a “dumb b****” who is going to take her top off. The guest is Goldilocks and we talk about her music career a bit before he tells her to take off her shirt. That’s not happening so she slaps him and gets in a low blow but a woman from Tough Enough comes in to choke Goldilocks out. This show continues to go 100mph and it’s all about bringing in anyone who might have been around wrestling in any way.

Don West gives his usual overly hyped preview for next week and it’s awesome.

Scott Hall vs. Jeff Jarrett

Stretcher match. Hall brawls with Jarrett on the ramp to start and drops him face first onto the announcers’ table. They go up the ramp and into the back, almost going outside in the process. Hall uses various things to knock him back into the arena and Jarrett staggers into the crowd.

The stretcher (which is the kind that folds up rather than the traditional wrestling version) is pulled out and Jarrett hits him in the ribs but Hall whips him into it a few times. Hall drops him throat first onto the stretcher and then hits the Razor’s Edge…for two, as that’s what happens in a stretcher match. Anyway Ron Killings runs in for the save and gives Hall an ax kick so Jarrett can get two.

Monty Brown goes after Killings and Jerry Lynn goes after Jarrett so AJ Styles (who has pretty much NOTHING to do with ANY of this) comes in, only to get cut off by Don Harris. The Disciples Of The New Church take out Harris and we need a double count, with both of them getting up. They slug it out and Jarrett grabs a chair but Ricky Steamboat (the ninth person to get involved in the match) comes out to take it away. Steamboat takes it from Hall as well, but Jarrett hits the Stroke on Hall onto the chair for the win at 12:05.

Rating: D-. When you have enough people to present a decent battle royal involved in a singles match, you’re doing something wrong. Throw in the stretcher thing not making a ton of sense (at least not by the traditional definition) and this was, as usual, a Russo mess. Oh hey and Jarrett gets to stand tall again, because of course he does.

Hall is laid on the stretcher to end the show. Not moved, but just laid on it.

Overall Rating: D+. This is a show where the good parts are few and far between, because everything in between is so terrible and it kills the rest of the show. This show was built around Ricky Steamboat being in charge and we didn’t even get to see most of what he did. Other than that, you had Jeff Jarrett being brought back after a suspension (where he was threatened with another suspension, which doesn’t have much of a threat) and the rest of the dumb stuff filling it in.

This show is a mixture of some good action, which usually involves wrestlers who are able to avoid the storylines, and the worst of Vince Russo, who is getting to be his over the top worst here with no one to call him off. And odds are it’s only going to get worst as he loses whatever is left of his mind.

 

 

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NWA-TNA Weekly PPV #3
Date: July 3, 2002
Location: Nashville Auditorium, Nashville, Tennessee
Commentators: Mike Tenay, Ed Ferrara, Don West

We’ve got more titles to establish this week with the Tag Team Titles being set up this time. So far the World and X-Division Titles have gone well enough so maybe they can continue the trend. The shows are still not exactly great though and they have a long way to go with what they are doing. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Commentary runs down the card and hype up the main event of Jeff Jarrett/K-Krush vs. Scott Hall/Brian Christopher.

NWA President Jim Miller joins us to present the promotion with a trophy. Other than that though, he is bringing in a new star to face the winner of tonight’s World Title match.

Tag Team Title Tournament Semifinals: America’s Most Wanted vs. The Johnsons

Mortimer Plumtree is here with the Johnsons. #1 drives Harris into the corner to start but gets armdragged down, followed by some left hands. It’s off to #2 for a double toss into the air to Storm, followed by a double shoulder for two. One heck of a double backdrop puts Storm down again but #1 comes off the middle rope for the sole purpose of diving into raised boots. Storm scores with a superkick and hands it back to Harris to clean house. Everything breaks down and Harris hits a spear on #2, setting up a crossbody. #2 pulls him out of the air, only to have Storm add a missile dropkick for the pin on #2 at 4:42.

Rating: C. This is where the promotion is coming off as a bit of a mess, as you have a good, young team in AMW who could go somewhere but their two matches have been against comedy/joke teams. That is only going to get them so far and shows what happens when you have the wrong people putting everything together. The match was pretty run of he mill, but the faster they find some serious opponents for AMW, the better things will be going.

Post match Plumtree yells at the Johnsons and gets laid out.

Here is Scott Hall for a chat but Jeff Jarrett cuts him off before he can get started. Jarrett isn’t impressed but Hall tells him to bring it. Jim Miller cuts Jarrett off though and Jarrett says he’ll see Hall in the main event…as K-Krush jumps Hall. That earns K-Krush a fall away slam and a clothesline out to the floor. Well that was short.

America’s Most Wanted has been attacked and left bloody.

Monty Brown vs. Anthony Ingram

This is Brown’s debut and he cuts a promo before the match, which is drowned out by his music. Brown slugs away to start and hits a running powerslam, setting up the Alpha Bomb (slam lifted up into a powerbomb) for the pin at 1:32. Total destruction and Brown is a ball of charisma.

Jim Miller has gone missing but Puppet comes in, saying he wants to beat up either Gary Coleman, Mini Me or the midget from the Howard Stern Show.

Buff Bagwell and Apollo are ready to win the Tag Team Titles.

Tag Team Title Tournament Semifinals: Rainbow Express vs. Buff Bagwell/Apolo

Joel Gertner is here with the Express. Bagwell hiptosses Bruce to start but stops to pose, allowing Bruce to send him into the corner. Cue Alicia to get money from Ed Ferrara as Apolo comes in with a powerbomb for two on Bruce. A Gertner distraction lets Lenny come back with a running DDT and Apolo gets stomped in the corner. Lenny’s slow crawl over Apolo doesn’t sit well and Apolo is back up with a full nelson slam for two. Buff comes in to slug away but a crossbody to Lenny…doesn’t work as planned, leaving Apolo to TKO Bruce. Lenny makes the save and sends Apolo outside, setting up a superkick to finish Bagwell at 5:49.

Rating: C-. There wasn’t much to be seen here and that shouldn’t be a shock, as you have a makeshift team losing to a comedy team but they went with a clean pin instead of any kind of cheating. That doesn’t make for the most thrilling match and it wasn’t like Bagwell was one to lead a match if need be. And now we are on the way to a rematch from last week with AMW vs. the Express, assuming the former can go, which isn’t the most thrilling idea.

Post match Bagwell is mad about losing to “two gay guys” and quits.

Here is World Champion Ken Shamrock for a chat. He wants to fight anyone but here is James Mitchell for a distraction so Malice can jump Shamrock before their title match tonight. So the champ is easily dupped. Got it.

Jim Miller is busy and doesn’t have time to talk to Jerry Lynn.

Puppet vs. Todd Stone

This is the result of Puppet wanting to “kill a midget”. Puppet slugs away with a kendo stick and trashcan as this is apparently anything goes. Stone gets slammed onto the trashcan, which is then put onto his head for a beating with the kendo stick. A fireman’s carry faceplant onto the trashcan finishes Stone at 1:45. This was stupid, as you probably guessed.

Post match Puppet chases the referee to the back.

We’re not sure if Ken Shamrock can defend the World Title.

We look at Francine being annoyed at losing the lingerie battle royal and beating up the winner, Taylor Vaughn.

Francine vs. Taylor Vaughn

And never mind as Francine whips out a belt to beat her like last week. Vaughn takes it away and whips her instead…and only Vaughn is disqualified.

Post match Ed Ferrara comes in to raise Francine’s hand but she puts his hand on her chest. Then she slaps him.

Here is Hermie Sadler for a chat. He thanks the NASCAR fans for coming out tonight but here is K-Krush to interrupt. K-Krush doesn’t like race car drivers and insults him, so Sadler gives him a spear. The match is made for next week.

NWA World Title: Malice vs. Ken Shamrock

Shamrock is defending and Malice has James Mitchell with him. Shamrock comes straight to the ring without any notable problem so the whole injury angle seems to have been a waste of time. Malice jumps him before the bell and hammers away on the floor before choking on the ropes. That’s not enough so Malice lifts him up for more choking, setting up a legdrop for two.

Shamrock can’t get a cross armbreaker so Malice sends him outside in a heap instead. Back in and Malice hammers on the banged up neck (which was apparently hurt in the backstage attack, though you wouldn’t know it as Malice jumped him before the bell anyway), which he bends around the top rope. Then Shamrock fights up and hits a belly to belly out of nowhere to retain at 5:53. It’s as sudden as it sounds.

Rating: C-. What was that? Malice jumped him, beat him up and then loses to Shamrock’s one move. That’s straight out of the mid-90s Randy Savage playbook and that is not meant as a compliment. Shamrock feels like he is living off his reputation as champion and that’s a really bad sign just two weeks into his reign.

X-Division Title: David Young vs. AJ Styles

Young, with Bobcat, is challenging. Styles flips over him to start and hits the dropkick but the bigger Young hits a running shoulder for a knockdown. Back up and Styles sends him outside for something like a running Buckshot Lariat out to the floor. Young breaks up the springboard back inside but Styles is fine enough to flip out of a German suplex. An overhead belly to belly sends Styles into the corner for two and a running kick to the head gets the same.

Bobcat answers a phone call as Young grabs a headscissors choke, which just fires Styles up. That earns him a suplex back down and Young grabs the chinlock. Back up and Styles hits a superkick for two before striking away, only to walk into a spinebuster for two. They go up top together, where Styles gets in a shot to the face and hits a super Styles Clash to retain at 8:45.

Rating: C. Young wasn’t much of a challenger here but Styles got to show just how smooth he can be in the ring, which is quite the sight to behold. There is a reason he has become one of the early bright spots around here and being able to move that way has a lot to do with it. This was all Styles and that is what it should have been.

Bobcat gets in the ring to celebrate for some reason and Young is rather confused.

Joel Gertner and the Rainbow Express are ready to win the Tag Team Titles. If AMW can’t wrestle, it makes things even easier.

Tag Team Titles: America’s Most Wanted vs. Rainbow Express

For the vacant titles and Joel Gertner is here with the Express. Hold on though as AMW can’t wrestle but we have replacements.

Tag Team Titles: AJ Styles/Jerry Lynn vs. Rainbow Express

For the vacant titles and yes this is indeed a Vince Russo booked show with tag partners who do not get along. It’s a brawl to start and the Express is sent to the floor, with Lynn hitting a dive. The tired Styles hits a dive of his own and it’s time to head inside, where Lenny and Lynn fight over a German suplex. Bruce gets sent face first into a low blow on Lenny, who is nice enough to kiss Bruce’s hand for a tag.

Lynn is sent to the apron for a slingshot Fameasser to drop Bruce but he’s back up with a quick low blow to take over. Styles breaks up Lenny’s Liontamer but Bruce gets in a cheap shot. Lenny gets two off a delayed vertical suplex and Bruce counters a headscissors into a faceplant for two more.

The figure four necklock has Lynn in more trouble but he’s back up for an exchange of countered piledrives. Lynn gets in a DDT and that’s enough for the tag off to Styles to pick up the pace. Lenny hits a Skull Crushing Finale on Styles but gets caught with the cradle piledriver. Lynn and Bruce go to the floor, leaving Styles to hit the Spiral Tap on Lenny for the pin and the titles at 12:23.

Rating: C. This was long and showed that the Express really wasn’t much in the ring. The problem is that the team is only around because of their gimmick and that gets old very fast. I could go for seeing more from Styles and Lynn, but they’re going to need better opponents to make that work.

Lynn isn’t sure about this but he’ll take a title.

Jim Miller has been attacked with the letters FU written on his stomach.

Brian Christopher/Scott Hall vs. Jeff Jarrett/K-Krush

Fallout from last week’s big brawl. They start fast and fight into the crowd with Hall and Jarrett fighting into one of the dancers’ cage. Christopher takes over on Krush and sends him inside, only to miss the Hip Hop Drop. Hall is back in with a chokeslam to Krush but gets jumped by Jarrett. We settle down to a regular match, with Christopher missing a charge into the corner, leaving Hall and Jarrett to knock each other down.

Krush comes in for a running spinning forearm, which kind of goes flying over Hall’s back. Hall rolls through Jarrett’s high crossbody for two, leaving Jarrett to grab a sleeper. As they’ve done hundreds of times, Hall reverses into a sleeper of his own, only for Jarrett to easily break it up.

Krush’s reverse chinlock is countered into an electric chair drop, followed by a double clothesline for…well not a tag off to Christopher, as he hits Hall in the face instead. Hall beats all of them up at once and hits the Outsider’s Edge on Krush, only for Christopher to break up the same thing to Jarrett. The Stroke into the Hip Hop Drop lets Jarrett get the pin at 11:43.

Rating: C. This match showed the biggest problem with this story: the matches aren’t very good and even worse, they’re not interesting. If Brian Christopher turning on Hall a full week after joining up with him in the first place is their best idea, they don’t have much to go on here. Hall feels like a star and he has a history with Jarrett, but that doesn’t exactly scream top story in 2002.

Post match Jarrett yells about how many times he’s beaten Hall before knocking him outside. The trophy (from the beginning of the show) is broken over Hall so a stretcher is brought in. That’s not enough for Jarrett, who drops an elbow off the apron onto Hall onto the stretcher. Jarrett is still not done and turns the stretcher over while ranting about how he should be World Champion.

Commentary previews next week’s show as Jarrett stomps away one more time to wrap it up.

Overall Rating: C-. There are some good points here, but the wrestling ranged from dull to pretty lame throughout the two hours. That being said, the promotion is still only three weeks old and there is only so much you can tell from that little time. The show still feels big, but they are going to need to make things a good bit more interesting than what they are doing so far. It’s just not that good and it was showing badly this week.

 

 

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NWA-TNA Weekly PPV #2
Date: June 26, 2002
Location: Von Braun Center, Huntsville, Alabama
Commentators: Mike Tenay, Ed Ferrara, Don West

So after last week’s not so great debut, we have the followup here, which was taped after the first show. The big story is Jeff Jarrett (shocking I know) vs. Scott Hall, which was set up at the end of last week’s show. In addition, we’re crowning the first ever X Champion, which should be quite a fun way to go. Let’s get to it.

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

We open with a long recap of last week. Dang that’s a lot of Jeff Jarrett.

Opening sequence.

Commentary previews the show.

Scott Hall vs. Jeff Jarrett

Jackie Fargo and Toby Keith (yes the singer) are here with Hall, who knocks Jarrett down to start. That means an early standoff, which lets Jarrett yell at the referee. Hall slugs Jarrett down and sends him flying with the fall away slam, as he tends to do. Back up and Jarrett snaps off some dropkicks before grabbing the sleeper.

Hall reverses into one of his own but gets suplexed down (they LOVED that sequence) for a delayed two. The discus punch and some clotheslines have Jarrett in trouble but cue K-Krush to break up the Razor’s Edge. Jackie Fargo goes after K-Krush so Keith comes in to hit Jarrett low. A double faceplant finishes Jarrett at 6:58. Ignore that the referee would have seen everything Keith did.

Rating: C+. This was a match that wasn’t exactly lighting the mat on fire but what mattered was the star power. This might not exactly be a top level match on the biggest stage, but it is a pair of big, established names. That is how you get people watching and hopefully they stick around for everything else, though that is quite the tricky situation to make work.

We look at the various women in the lingerie battle royal, including the fight between Francine and Elektra last week.

Cheex vs. Frank Parker

Cheex, who probably weighs over 500lbs, has the Brown Eyed Girl with him. Parker’s clotheslines have no effect so Cheex slams him down and hits the running hip attacks. Parker gets in a cheap shot though and hammers away as Alicia is here to talk to Jeremy Borash. Not that it matters as Cheex fights back and hits the big splash for the pin at 2:10. This was exactly what you would think it would be.

Post match, Borash pays Alicia off.

Next week: Tag Team Titles.

We look back at K-Krush arguing with the NASCAR drivers last week, with Brian Christopher making the save.

K-Krush vs. Brian Christopher

Christopher has Sterling Marlin and Hermie Sadler (the aforementioned drivers) with him. Krush jumps him to start and hits an elbow in the corner but Christopher fights back in a hurry. A running bulldog gives Christopher two but Krush is right back with a suplex. We hit the chinlock for all of a few seconds before Christopher fights up and hits an enziguri. Christopher goes to hammer away in the corner but gets atomic dropped back down. Krush goes to the apron and gets crotched by the drivers. The Hip Hop Drop finishes Krush off at 5:07.

Rating: C. Something tells me Christopher is going to be getting a lot of TV time in the near future and that is only so interesting. There’s a reason he is best known for his time either as part of a team or with his dad and that is likely going to be on display here. The match was little more than an excuse for the drivers to hurt Krush and that is hardly interesting in the first place.

Miss TNA: Lingerie Battle Royal

Joanie, Francine, Shannon, Alexis Laree, Elektra, Taylor, Erin, Sasha, Tyler

This is bra and panties rules and the winner gets a contract. The fact that commentary doesn’t bother mentioning most of the entrants during their individual entrances isn’t the best sign of things to come. It’s a brawl to start as Ferrara talks about wanting to see skin pop out.

Various clothing is removed and Tyler and Sasha are out rather quickly. Erin is gone and a bunch of women get together to eliminate Francine. Joanie is out too and we’re quickly down to four. Ferrara goes over to hit on Francine and gets whipped for her efforts. Shannon and Laree eliminated in the melee, leaving Taylor to eliminate Elektra for the win at 4:48.

Rating: D. This was barely a match as it was more about everyone running all over the place and getting eliminated. There’s only so much you can get out of something like this and they weren’t hiding the point. That being said, this was bad even under this style’s standards, which says a lot as it doesn’t exactly have standards in the first place.

Post match Francine comes back in, takes out Taylor, and whips her with the belt.

Goldilocks is interviewing Apollo when Bobcat, with David Young, interrupts. Bobcat wants to know why she isn’t getting attention and yells at Goldilocks, who isn’t having it.

Apollo vs. David Young

Bobcat is in Young’s corner. Young’s running shoulders have no effect and a double arm trap belly to belly sends Young flying again. Back up and Apollo misses a charge into the corner as Bobcat hits on Jeremy Borash. A chinlock doesn’t last long so Young grabs a suplex for two, setting up another chinlock. Apollo is back up with a tornado DDT but Young snaps off a spinebuster. Instead of covering though, Apollo yells at Bobcat for being on Borash’s lap. The distraction lets Apollo hit a superkick into a TKO for the pin at 5:27.

Rating: C. This was a nice enough showcase for Apollo, who was treated as a pretty big deal in last week’s Gauntlet For The Gold. The company is going to need to build up some names that aren’t all WWF/WCW castoffs and Apollo could be a nice place to start. He certainly has a good look and that is more than a nice foundation, with the col finisher helping too.

Post match Bobcat gets in the ring with Young and celebrates, leaving Young to walk off.

Here is Joel Gertner to limerick about various things and then talk about the joys of alternative lifestyles. That’s enough to bring out the Rainbow Express and we’re ready to go.

Rainbow Express vs. The Dupps

Hold on though as we cut to the back where the Dupps aren’t going to wrestle. Executive Bill Behrens panics but runs into Chris Harris and James Storm, who he sends to wrestle the match instead.

Rainbow Express vs. Chris Harris/James Storm

The Express jumps them during their entrance but Storm kicks away at Lenny. A tornado DDT puts Storm down and Lenny kisses Bruce’s hand for a tag. Bruce’s sunset flip gets two and everything breaks down for a bit. The Express uses the distracted referee to get in a cheap shot on Storm, allowing Lane to grab the Tiger (Lion) Tamer. Harris isn’t having that and breaks it up with a clothesline, meaning it’s a hot tag to bring in Harris to clean house. Everything breaks down and the Express is rammed together, with Harris grabbing a rollup for the pin at 4:48.

Rating: C-. The right team won, which is at least somewhat due to how terrible the Express is presented. The wrestlers are fine, but it’s playing up every stereotype and treating them as heels, which is hardly a great way to go. Harris and Storm fall into the category of “they’re new and young so maybe try something”, which is something that has to happen in a big way around here.

Here is Ricky Steamboat, in a referee shirt, to bring out World Champion Ken Shamrock for a chat. Steamboat puts over the title as important and Shamrock promises to defend the title with honor. Cue James Mitchell to interrupt, saying he is on a mission from God (his, not yours) and that is why the Disciples of the New Church will control the NWA World Title. Mitchell issues a title challenge for next week against Slash. Shamrock says let’s do it tonight but here is Malice from behind to lay him out. Apparently Malice is getting the title shot instead. Makes more sense.

We look at last week’s six man tag with the Flying Elvises beating AJ Styles, Low Ki and Jerry Lynn. The three losers and Psicosis are in the X-Division Title tournament, leaving Ferrara to ask the logical question: why aren’t the WINNERS fighting for the title?

X Title: Jerry Lynn vs. AJ Styles vs. Psicosis vs. Low Ki

For the vacant title and it’s double elimination, meaning it’s a string of singles matches and you have to lose two falls to be eliminated, with the last man standing being the champion. That’s a unique idea and I could go for seeing it used again. Styles chops at Psicosis to start but gets faceplanted down for his efforts. A superkick gives Styles two but Psicosis knocks him down and hits the guillotine legdrop for two. Back up and a hurricanrana is countered into the Styles Clash to give Psicosis his first loss at 2:01.

Psicosis – 1 loss
Styles – 0 losses
Ki – 0 losses
Lynn – 0 losses

Low Ki comes in to kick away at Styles, including an enziguri. Another Styles Clash is broken up and they go to the corner, where Ki reverse superplexes him into a dragon sleeper. Styles makes the rope so Ki kicks him in the face, only to miss a Phoenix splash. A hard clothesline takes Ki down again and a belly to back faceplant gives Ki his first loss at 4:21 total.

Psicosis – 1 loss
Ki – 1 loss
Styles – 0 losses
Lynn – 0 losses

Lynn is in next and immediately hits the cradle piledriver to pin Styles at 4:41 total.

Psicosis – 1 loss
Ki – 1 loss
Styles – 1 loss
Lynn – 0 losses

Psicosis comes in to dropkick Lynn down but he’s back up with a middle rope bulldog for two. A headscissors sends Lynn outside and there’s the big flip dive to drop him again. Back in and a top rope spinwheel kick gives Psicosis two but he gets dropkicked out of the air. Another cradle piledriver pins Psicosis to officially eliminate him at 7:42 total.

Ki – 1 loss
Styles – 1 loss
Lynn – 0 losses
Psicosis – Eliminated

Ki is back in to kick Lynn down for two and a power drive elbow gets the same. A super hurricanrana connects but Lynn rolls through into a sunset flip for two of his own. There’s an enziguri to stagger Ki again and Lynn hits a jumping Fameasser from the apron. Ki tries a triangle choke but gets powerbombed down for a VERY near fall, with the fans not exactly seeming convinced by the kickout. Ki’s fisherman’s buster is countered into a DDT (nicely done) and the cradle piledriver gives Lynn the pin at 12:02 total.

Styles – 1 loss
Lynn – 0 losses
Psicosis – Eliminated
Ki – Eliminated

So it’s down to Styles vs. Lynn, with Styles needing to beat him twice in a row to win the title. Styles is right back in with a discus lariat and a spinwheel kick gets two. A tilt-a-whirl backbreaker gives Lynn two of his own but Styles blocks a sunset flip and hits a slingshot splash for two. Lynn’s tornado DDT gets two more and they’re both down for a breather. Back up and Styles’ neckbreaker gets two, followed by Lynn’s rather snappy Liger Bomb out of the corner getting the same. Styles is right back with a Styles Clash for the pin at 16:05 total.

Styles – 1 loss
Lynn – 1 loss
Psicosis – Eliminated
Ki – Eliminated

It’s one fall to a finish for the title and Ricky Steamboat comes in to referee. They trade pinfall reversal sequences to start until Lynn knocks him to the floor. There’s a whip into the barricade to drop Styles but he’s right back with a shot of his own. Back in and Lynn hits a reverse suplex to drape Styles over the top before reversing a hurricanrana into a flipping faceplant for two.

Back up and Styles hits the fireman’s carry backbreaker for two of his own but Lynn’s brainbuster gets two more. The sleeper goes on, with Styles jawbreaking his way to freedom. Styles goes up and gets superplexed back down for two and Lynn is getting frustrated. Lynn takes him up again but gets shoved down, setting up the Spiral Tap to give Styles the pin and the title at 25:59.

Rating: B. This was a really cool idea and something I could go for seeing again. The double elimination stipulation made it feel like the best person won and helped cover the idea of the last person entering having a huge advantage. Styles is someone who has already stood out and beating someone with the status of Lynn is only going to help move him along.

We look at all of the falls in the title match.

Commentary previews next week to end the show.

Overall Rating: C+. Good enough show here, though the promotion is firmly still in the “getting its feet wet” stage. They have only presented about three and a half hours of content and are still getting their initial champions set. That should make for some good enough shows, but they are still having some of the freak show aspects with things like Cheex. The main event is rather good though, as they are trying to find a mixture of established names and young up and comers, which seems to be working well enough, at least so far. It’s way too early to tell though and that is going to be the case for a long time.

 

 

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

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

AND

Remember to check out Wrestlingrumors.net for all of your wrestling headline needs.