NWA-TNA Weekly PPV #2 (June 26, 2002)

 

We start with a video package recapping everything involving Jarrett last week, from his confrontations with Hall and Shamrock at the start, his issues with Fargo, Keith, the Gauntlet for the Gold, Shamrock's win and Jarrett's shit at the end of the show.

We're still in Huntsville, Alabama and probably will be for the foreseeable future, welcomed by Tenay joined by West and Ferrara. They remind us of the matches set for tonight: K-Krush vs Brian Christopher, the Lingerie Battle Royal, Jeff Jarrett vs Scott Hall, and AJ Styles, Low Ki, Psycosis and Jerry Lynn in a round robin tournament to crown the first X-Division Champion.

Speaking of Jarrett and Hall.

Jeff Jarrett vs Scott Hall (w/ Jackie Fargo & Toby Keith)
20 min time limit.
Hall throws his toothpick in Jarrett's face, then Jarrett with an armdrag off a brief lock up. Another lock up. Jarrett takes down Hall and some slaps the back of his head. Jarrett sent off the ropes into a right, then into the corner into another right. Jarrett sent off the ropes, ducks a right and caught with a fallaway slam, before getting clotheslined out to the floor. Fargo and Keith get in his face and scare him back into the ring, where he takes the advantage. Rights to Hall and Jarrett's sent off the ropes, through the legs and a pair of dropkicks. Hall face first in the corner for more rights, then some of his own, then sent off the ropes and caught in a sleeper, Jarrett piggybacking as he locks it in. Hall starts to fade, only to fight back up, Jarrett sent off the ropes and caught with a sleeper, only to counter with a back suplex. Jarrett crawls over and drapes the arm for a near fall.
Jarrett off the ropes and caught with some rights, then a discus right. Jarrett sent into the corner for a clothesline, then across the ring into another and a third, cover by Hall for two. Hall goes for the Razor's Edge but out comes K-Krush to pull Jarrett from his shoulders. Krush decks him and Fargo decks Krush. Brian is out to chase Krush and go at it in the aisle, occupying the ref's attention. Jeff sends Hall face first off the mat, then goes for the Stroke but Keith comes in with a low blow. They both send Jeff face first into the mat, then Hall covers for the win in 7:03. Alright it was a fine little match, a little too much overbooking for my taste, but I've seen worse overbooking in WCW.

Now we go to a recap of the ladies segment last week, and from what Ferrara says I guess the winner of this gets a TNA contract with their Miss TNA title.

Cheex (w/ The Brown-Eyed Girl) vs Frank Parker
Pre-Match: Cheex is the 400 lb guy who infamously broke the ring ropes right before last week's show was set to air. Commentary say he was supposed to have the opening match tonight until Jarrett demanded his match start instead, and was apparently trained by the Anderson brothers. Frank Parker is just your run of the mill jobber here, though he's apparently big on the Carolina indies and trained by Jimmy Valiant according to Tenay. It's also announced that Hall and Christopher will face Jarrett and Krush next week.
Parker off the ropes with a clothesline that does nothing, then again, and a third time, all do nothing. More clotheslines until Cheex takes him down with one. Parker tries to counter an Irish whip but Cheex won't move and he delivers a scoop slam. Cheex with a running ass to the face on a seated Parker in the corner, and a second time. Parker with some rights drives Cheex into the corner and Alicia is talking to Borash as Parker is sent off the ropes, goes for a sunset flip only for Cheex to drop onto his chest. Splash off the ropes by Cheex for the win in 2:10. Yeah this wasn't good.

Borash gives Alicia some money much like Slick did last week. 

Tenay tells us that next week will focus on tag teams, with the crowning of the first TNA Tag Team Champions in a one-night tournament, plus the Hall/Christopher vs Jarrett/Krush match previously announced.

Now a full replay of K-Krush, the NASCAR guys, and Christopher segment from last week before the next match.

K-Krush vs Brian Christopher (w/ Hermie Sadler & Sterling Marlin)
Krush attacks from behind as Brian's playing up the crowd in the corner, dropping him to the mat. Rights and boots and elbows in the corner by Krush, then Brian sent off the ropes, leapfrogs, then hits a hangman's neckbreaker. Running bulldog out of the corner by Brian and a cover for two. Brian goes for another bulldog but he's crotched in the corner instead by Krush. Suplex by Krush, then a cover for two. Brian with rsome rights before sending Krush into the corner, goes up and over into a cartwheel, splits to duck a clothesline and connects with a dropkick, another cover for two.
Krush with a rear chinlock. Brian fights out only to be clubbed in the back. Brian with some rights, then sent off the ropes, ducks a clothesline, through the legs and an enziguri. Brian sent off the ropes but catches Krush with a stunner. Mounted rights in the corneris countered with an inverted atomic drop by Krush. He steps out to the apron but the NASCAR guys hop the apron to low blow him with the middle rope. Brian goes up top with the Hip Hop Drop for the win in 4:49. Alright an improvement from the last match, though I don't know why Brian wasn't DQ'd for the interference.

Replays as Brian and the NASCAR guys pose and celebrate.

Still to come, Rainbow Express are in action, plus we hear from Shamrock, in addition to the crowning of an X Division Champion in a round robin elimination tournament.

Lingerie Battle Royal: Tyler vs Francine vs Joanie vs Shannon vs Alexis Laree vs Taylor Vaughan vs Elektra vs Erin vs Miss Sasha
So elimination happens when they're stripped down to lingerie, last one standing is crowned Miss TNA plus a TNA contract. I'm not gonna win this, Taylor (formerly B.B) wins this in 4:50. Francine is consoled by Ferrara after she's eliminated only to be whipped with his own belt. around ringside, which is the only highlight of this thing.

Francine comes back in to strip down Taylor, then take the belt to start whipping her which Taylor no sells and just leaves the ring with the ref.

Goldilocks is backstage with Apollo who spent most of his time in Puerto Rico, and mentions Orlando but they're interrupted by... someone named Bobcat who's joined by... some guy she claims to be the next superstar and Goldilocks should be interviewing him, and they argue until Goldilocks cuts the interview. We never got the name of the guy.

Apollo vs David Young (w/ Bobcat)
Pre-Match: So fun fact, Bobcat here is the Godfather ho who won the Hardcore Title for all of 5 seconds from Crash. Huh. David has mainly appeared in NWA Wildside, and is a former NWA Tag Team, Smoky Mountain Tag Team, Wildside Tag Team and Wildside Wolrd Champion.
David attempts some shoulder blocks that are shrugged off, then he comes off the ropes, Apollo leap frogs once, then caught with a kick to the midsection on a second attempt, David off the ropes into a tilt-a-whirl slam. Apollo sent of the ropes, hip toss blocked, arms trapped for a belly to belly suplex, sending him out to the floor. Back in the ring, chops in he corner from Apollo, then David sent across the ring for a splash, then back across the ring and Apollo misses a shoulder block, hitting the top turnbuckle. David with kicks to the chest and face, then Apollo sent across the ring. David wrings out the arm and takes him down before applying an armbar. The camera spends way too much time on Bobcat trying to seduce Borash at ringside. David gets distracted by this and gets rolled up for two.
Apollo turns around into a clothesline. Rights by David and a step-up enziguri, then a cover for two. Suplex by David and another cover for two. Snapmare by David into a rear chinlock. Apollo fights to his feet, off he ropes, blocks the clothesline, springs off the middle rope for a tornado DDT. David sent into the corner, ducks a clothesline and hits a spinebuster. More distractions from Bobcat as David goes up top and misses a moonsault. Superkick by Apollo, then a TKO for the win in 5:27. Way too much time spent on Bobcat and Borash taking away from the match to really enjoy it. 

Apollo leaves and Bobcat starts dancing in the ring as if she's celebrating.

Break

Joel Gertner is in the ring, who says he's a licker and not a biter, and for a girl with him it's gonna be an all nighter. He's a lover, not a fighter but he never needs a writer. Apparently lots of people have been asking what he's doing with the Rainbow Express, he's nothing like them, they're nothing like him, in fact they're gay, and he's not, and 90% of the fans probably aren't either. He says that whether they're actors or musicians, athletes or politicians, Olympic legend Greg Louganis or Elton John making the music that they all listen to, there are people with alternative lifestyles, some or even most of them live better lives than the fans. He doesn't care what they do in their hotel, that's their business, when they get in the ring they're all business. Well that promo took a better turn than I anticipated, I was sure this would be a poorly aged promo but he actually put them over fairly well.
This is supposed to be Rainbow Express vs The Dupps. Go to the back where Goldilocks are with them. I take back what I said about poorly aged promos. Bo (I think it's him) doesn't want to wrestle the alternative lifestyle boys, Stan calls them left-wingers. But on the bright side, Storm and Harris are nearby having just arrived talking to Bull Behrens. They agree to take the Dupps place but Bill doesn't give them time to change into their gear, so they go out in jeans.

Rainbow Express (Bruce & Lenny Lane) (w/ Joel Gertner) vs "Cowboy" James Storm & Chris Harris
Express are right on the attack, then send Harris and Storm off the ropes, caught with a pair of kicks, Bruce clotheslined out to the floor while Lenny is caught with an inverted atomic drop. Storm with rights, then off the ropes with a bulldog to Lenny. Superkick is caught, then Lenny is dropped to his knees and kicked in the side of the head. Lenny sent into the corner, catches Storm with an elbow and delivers a tornado DDT. Leg drop by Lenny, then Bruce tags in. Bruce springboards and goes for a sunset flip, assisted with a clothesline from Lenny but it only gets two. Harris runs in and takes down Lenny with a tilt-a-whirl headscissor.
Bruce with stomps to Storm in the corner, scoop slam to Storm and slams his face into the mat repeatedly. Suplex to Storm, then Lenny makes a lewd cover for two. Mounted rights by Lenny before tagging in Bruce. Scoop slam and boots to Storm, then vicious rights. Lenny in again, Storm sends him off the ropes but he hangs on to avoid a dropkick, before getting trapped in what they're calling the Tiger Tamer, their take on the Liontamer. Harris breaks it up with a clothesline off the ropes.
Harris gets the hot tag and Bruce is in. Harris with rights and a clothesline. Lenny sent off the ropes into a Thesz Press and more rights.  Bruce off the ropes, back dropped to the apron by Storm, Storm slides out through the legs and sends Bruce face first off the apron. Harris is launched throat first onto the top rope by Lenny. Scoop slam is countered with an inside cradle by Harris for two. Backslide by Harris for two. Lenny with a roll up for two and he's sent into Bruce who's climbing the apron, bonk heads and Harris rolls Lenny up again for the three in 4:50. Alright better than the last match. I guess this is the unofficial forming of America's Most Wanted. Though West comes off as a homophobe on commentary.

Celebrating in the aisle as Storm and Harris head to the back. Then some replays. 

Break

Steamboat is in the ring in a ref shirt, and he introduces the new NWA Champion Ken Shamrock, who makes his way out. Steamboat puts him over among the greats, like the Funks, Ric Flair, himself, Harley Race, all former NWA Champions, no one can take that from Shamrock it's etched in stone, written in the books. Shamrock takes the mic and talks about the history behind the belt, and says he'll defend it with honor and pride. He says he's been all over the world, Japan, Puerto Rico, and every company he's been apart of whether it be in MMA or pro wrestling he's risen tot he top... well not quite. He says it's no different in NWA because he's champion, and he appreciates those that stand behind him, and the others can kiss his ass.
Minister James Mitchell interrupts, who hates to intrude on this schmooze party, this trip down memory lane as he calls it, but he might vomit if it continued. He calls the people of Huntsville crackers and tells them to be quiet, because he has an announcement, he's on a mission from God, but not Shamrock's God, his God. He says that's the reason his agents, minions and Disciples of the New Church are going to ensure that his organization controls the NWA Championship. According to legend, Shamrock is the "World's Most Dangerous Man" and if that's true, Mitchell wants to issue a little challenge, dares Shamrock to face one of his disciples and put his title on the line next week. He introduces Slash who makes his way out. Shamrock suggests that instead of waiting for next week, he takes the belt, lay it on the mat, and Mitchell can send that freak to try and take it from him.
From behind, Malice enters the ring, and Mitchell makes it clear he wasn't talking about Slash, who was just here to make a distraction. Malice spins Shamrock around to deliver a chokeslam, then begins choking him. Steamboat tries to pull him off and more refs and security run out to pry Malice off, only to be shoved away and he keeps choking away. Mitchell eventually calls him off to save a piece of Shamrock's carcass for next week. Mitchell says that might is right, and the meat shall inherit nothing. I'm not particularly excited for Shamrock/Malice 2, but I liked this segment, and Mitchell was great as always.

Replays of Malice's attack. 

Break

We get some highlights of last week's fantastic six-man tag, while commentary put over the X Division, about how it's not about weight limits, but no limits. We're told that the Elvises are fuming at not being part of this tournament and they do have a valid point since they won last week's match, but it's explained that because it was a tag team match and not a singles match, plus since the brackets were already made, TNA management decided to keep it as it is.

Four Way Double Elimination Round Robin Tournament for the NWA X Championship: Low Ki vs AJ Styles vs Jerry Lynn vs Psicosis
Ricky Steamboat as one of three referees.
Pre-Match: So I guess how his works is two guys will start, while the other two sit at ringside. Once one person is pinned, they'll be rotated out by one of the opponents at ringside, and once a person is pinned twice, they're eliminated. Last one standing is crowned the first X Champion.
AJ Styles vs Psicosis
Some quick back and forth to start, Psicosis taking advantage with a wheelbarrow facebuster. Psicosis sent off the ropes, AJ cartwheels off a monkey flip and delivers a superkick, covers for two. Psicosis sent into the corner, AJ caught with an elbow, misses a clothesline and runs into a spinning heel kick. Psicosis goes up top with a leg drop and covers for two. Psicosis sent off the ropes, goes for a hurricanrana, countered with the Styles Clash for the three in 2:01.
AJ Styles vs Low Ki
Low Ki in immediately with kicks to the chest as AJ gets to his knees, only to be caught with a hurricanran from AJ's back. AJ sent off the ropes, rolls over the back, Ki counters a waist lock with an enziguri. Chops in the corner by Low Ki, AJ sent across the ring, Low Ki cartwheels into a monkey flip attempt but he's caught. AJ tries for the Clash again but Low Ki avoids it, kick to the back of the head, AJ popped up and nearly goes face first into the top of the ring post. Low Ki goes up top with AJ only to roll back down to the mat with a dragon sleeper, but AJ's in the ropes and it forces a break. Low Ki is draped over the top rope, then kicks AJ  in the chest as he pulls him through the ropes from the apron. Low Ki up top misses a twisting moonsault but lands on his feet, and AJ connects with a clothesline. German suplex by AJ and he rolls through to follow up with a wheelbarrow facebuster, and gets the three on Low Ki in 2:17.
AJ Styles vs Jerry Lynn
Jerry with a clothesline, then the cradle piledriver to pin AJ in 17 seconds. 
Jerry Lynn vs Psicosis
Psicosis goes up top with a missile dropkick to the back of the head.  Lynn sent off the ropes, ducks a clothesline, exchange waist locks until Lynn gets him with a headlock takedown, then leapfrogs and delivers a tilt-a-whirl headscissor. Lynn sent into the corner, gets his boots up, bulldog from the middle rope into a cover for two. Psicosis hops onto Lynn's shoulders, a headscissor takes him over the ropes to the floor. Psicosis with a tope takes Lynn back to the floor. Back in the ring, Psicosis back in top with a spinning heel kick and a cover for a near fall. Lynn counters a scoop slam into an inverted DDT and covers for two. Psicosis sent off the ropes, hangs on to avoid a dropkick and goes back up top again only to be caught midair with a dropkick. Cradle piledriver eliminates Psicosis in 2:56.
Jerry Lynn vs Low Ki
Kick to the chest from Low Ki and a cover for two. Scoop slam by Low Ki, then off the ropes with a Muta-like elbow to cover for two. Rights in the corner and chops to Lynn drops him to the mat, Low Ki choking him with his boot. Lynn sent across the ring, gets the boot up, goes to the middle rope only to be caught with a kick to the top of the head. Frankensteiner by Low Ki is rolled through into a sunset flip but Low Ki kicks out at two. Low Ki with a boot to the side of the head and another kick to the chest, then misses a roundhouse and caught with an enziguri.
Exchanging shots, Low Ki sent off the ropes into a back body drop. Pair of clotheslines, then Lynn sent out to the apron. Low Ki tries to ram his shoulder only for Lynn to leap and leg drop across the back of his neck. Lynn goes for the cradle piledriver but Low Ki counters it with a triangle hold midair. Lynn counters it with a powerbomb and covers for a near fall. Suplex is countered by Low Ki with what looks like a fisherman's suplex, only to be countered with a DDT before he can deliver. Short-arm clothesline and a cradle piledriver to eliminate Low Ki in 4:18.
Jerry Lynn vs AJ Styles
Discus clothesline by AJ and a cover for two. AJ goes for the Clash but Lynn counters with a hurricanrana. He's still caught with a heel kick and a cover for two from AJ. AJ sent off the ropes into a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker, Lynn covers for two. Lynn sent out to the apron, only to send AJ face first into the turnbuckle. Lynn goes for a sunset flip only to get a stomp to the face, then AJ to the apron for a corkscrew splash and a cover for two. Lynn face first in the corner, then sent across the ring, gets a boot up then a delivers a DDT and covers for a near fall. AJ counters a suplex with one of his own into a hangman's neckbreaker, then covers for two. AJ rolls up onto his shoulders but Lynn gets him with a running sitout powerbomb for two. Lynn goes for the cradle again but AJ counters with a back body drop, then follows with the Styles Clash to pin Lynn in 3:56.
Jerry Lynn vs AJ Styles in the finals
Lynn has still only been pinned once, so one more match to crown the champion. They take their time getting back on their feet before exchanging shots. Lynn sent into the corner, goes up and over with a sunset flip for two, then exchange roll ups for a series of two counts, then take each other out with a double clothesline. Dropkick AJ sends Lynn out to the apron, then hangs AJ up on the top rope and takes it to the floor. AJ face first into the guard rail, then back first. AJ face first off the apron, then whipped toward it, leaps up onto it, moonsaults into a inverted DDT to the floor on Lynn. Back in the ring, AJ covers but it only gets two.
AJ sent off the ropes, ducks a clothesline, tries to springboard moonsault into another inverted DDT but Lynn reverses, dropping AJ on the top rope with an inverted suplex, followed by a draping DDT for a cover and it gets two. Lynn goes for some sort of piledriver variation but AJ escapes, leaps to Lynn's shoulders, flipped backward into a facebuster from Lynn who covers and only gets two. Lynn is on his feet first, goes for the cradle but AJ flips to his feet, connects with the ushi oroshi, covers for a near fall. Lynn blocks a suplex and counters with a twisting brainbuster and covers for a near fall.
AJ sent off the ropes, pulled back into a sleeper hold and brings AJ down to his knees. AJ pulls himself up and breaks out with a jawbreaker. AJ goes up top but he's cut off with a series of rights. Lynn goes up top and delivers a superplex, then covers but it only gets two. Stomp to the side of the head of AJ, then some rights drive AJ into the corner before he set on the top rope. Lynn joins him up top but AJ shoves him off. AJ up top with the Spiral Tap to win in  9:31. I mean what more can I say, that match was awesome. 

Confetti and streamers drop from the rafters as Steamboat awards AJ the championship. AJ celebrates as commentary put over the four competitors. We go to replays of the various pinfalls. Commentary run down what's in store for next week, the one-night Tag Title tournament, plus Hall and Christopher take on Jarrett and K-Krush, and Shamrock defends the NWA Title against Malice. And that's it for this week.

FINAL THOUGHTS
Alright I'd argue this was a better show than the last. I mean it had its shit, like Cheex and more of the Dupps, but the main event was awesome, it had a good tag match with the Rainbow Express and the future AMW, and the two matches to set up next week's tag match weren't too bad either. With a run time of 1:44:35, this show had a total 57:21 of wrestling.

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