NWA-TNA Weekly PPV #7 (July 31, 2002)
Welcomed to the show as always by Mike Tenay, still in Nashville. We waste no time getting to the first match of the night.
NWA X Division Championship: "Prime Time" Elix Skipper vs AJ Styles (c) (w/ Jerry Lynn) (NWA World Tag Team Champions)
Elix attacks from behind immediately, then they counter Irish whips before Elix delivers a spin kick. More whip counters until Elix is caught with a spin kick while Lynn joins commentary. AJ off the ropes with a swinging neckbreaker and a cover for one. Elix off the ropes into a discus lariat and he rolls out to the apron. He counters a suplex back in, then they exchange waistlock. Elix sent to the corner for rights and chops before getting sent across the ring, AJ with a dropkick to the chest and a clothesline. AJ covers for two, then another for two.
Elix sent off the ropes into a dropkick, then sent to the corner, goes up and over with a waistlock but AJ blocks, then Elix blocks and delivers a full nelson suplex. Elix off the ropes with a forearm to the side of the head. Elix laying in the boots and an uppercut sends AJ to the corner for elbows and a somersault dropkick. AJ sent to the corner but catches Elix with a side kick, then a vicious kick to the chest. Elix blocks some kicks and delivers a back suplex. Elix with a powerslam, then a handstand leg drop from the top rope, covers for two, then another and another for two each. AJ with some rights until he's caught with a knee, then a gutwrench suplex and a cover by Elix for two.
AJ fighting back with rights and kicks, then a roundhouse is caught and Elix shoves him to the mat. Series of elbows to the back of the neck and a cover by Elix for two. AJ hung over the apron and his face slammed right into the edge of the apron, then an ax kick to the back of AJ's head. Elix whipped into the apron before returning to the ring, but Elix is back on the attack with boots. Butterfly suplex and floats over into a submission. AJ fights his way out but Elix decks him with a forearm, then he's caught with a right. Elix sent off the ropes, tries a hurricanrana, caught with a powerbomb and folded up for two. Elix with a roll up but AJ gets a shoulder up, and Elix transitions into another submission but AJ gets his foot on the ropes.
Neckbreaker by Elix, then a forearm and some blows to the back of the head. Elix tries for a Northern Lights but AJ blocks and gets a guillotine applied. Elix fights his way out. AJ with a reverse DDT after trading blows. AJ goes up top and misses a leg drop. AJ sent off the ropes only to top short, then again and takes himself and Elix out to the floor. AJ whipped toward the apron only to leap onto it, misses his moonsault and Elix in with a slingshot corkscrew. Back in the ring, Elix tries for the Overdrive/Play of the Day, then AJ tries to counter with the Styles Clash only for Elix to counter with a roll up for two. Elix goes for a springboard from the top rope and AJ kicks his legs out from under him, and he has a nasty landing on the back of his head. Spiral Tap for the win in 12:41. X Division never fails to disappoint.
Over to commentary to remind us that Steamboat is in charge tonight, and he's already made a decision about the NWA Title. He's ruled that the title is back around the waist of Shamrock after Malice stole the belt in last week's main event. Steamboat has also lifted Jarrett's suspension at Scott Hall's request and they're scheduled for a match later in the show.
Monty Brown's music hits as Elix is making his way to the back. They fight at ringside, Elix face first off the announce table, then eats some chops before going to the ring. Elix starts to fight back but gets sent off the ropes and caught with a military press into a fallaway slam. Brown is about to leave but lays in a couple more boots and lays him out with the Alpha Bomb. Then he leaves.
Commentary try to talk about Hall and Jarrett again but now Jarrett comes out with someone in a burlap sack over his shoulder. Jarrett gets the mic and says that since Shamrock isn't there, and Steamboat isn't yet, he wants to entertain himself. He brings up how Behren told he'd have to work his way up from the bottom, and that Steamboat probably would have said the same. After a few days to think, he'll abide and play ball, and start from the bottom to the top.
So he unties his bag and inside is a "midget" as he puts it, and Jarrett's going to cripple him. Jarrett with a piledriver, then a powerslam, then the "mini-Stroke." Jarrett wants some old ladies or farm animals, but he's suddenly interrupted by Puppet. Jarrett calls himself the Dwarf Destroyer and challenges Dwarf, who calls him Slap Nuts and... Oh for fuck sake, he pulls out a gun. Jarrett leaves and security immediately rushes out and they're all scared. Jarrett comes back in from behind with a chair and hits Puppet, then Elix who's still there, and more shots to Puppet.
Now here's Steamboat, alongside a Harris Brother and Bob Armstrong. He says Jarrett won't push him around like he did with Behrens. and Jarrett wants to know what the hard way is. Then he suggest the two of them go at it, with a title shot or a suspension on the line. Bob and the Harris try to talk him down but Steamboat takes off his jacket and sends his friends to the back.
Hall comes out from behind through the crowd and he decks Jarrett, dropping him with rights and clotheslining him over the ropes. Security back out to separate them and Hall pulls out an old-fashioned stretcher from under the ring, plus a mic. He's not worried what Steamboat or the fans think because it's between him and Jarrett, after weeks of going out on a stretcher. Tonight he says Jarrett's going out on one after their match.
Goldy is backstage with Siaki, who's set to face Slash tonight, but his partners are nowhere to be seen. Siaki accuses her of checking out his ass and doesn't want her doing it without his permission, and tells her not to think dirty thoughts about him. Then he says he doesn't need backup, and claims Elvis was half the man he is because he had the Jordanaires. He gave Yang and Estrada the night off because the world wants him to showcase his talent, and one Elvis is better than three.
Slash (w/ Father James Mitchell) vs Sonny Siaki
Sonny backed into the corner for rights and boots. We see Mitchell join commentary with what he calls the Ark of the New Church, which contains the blood of the Audad, which is a wild sheep or something like that. Arm drag and a Samoan drop by Siaki, followed by a somersault leg drop and a cover for two. Slash into the corner and sends Siaki to the apron, then tries a sunset flip to the floor but Siaki counters with a hurricanrana. Slash sent into the guard rail followed by a back body drop by Siaki. Back in the ring, Siaki with a slingshot senton and a cover for two.
Slash sent off the ropes, ducks a clothesline, a scoop slam into an elbow drop for a cover and two. Chops and raking the eyes by Slash, then a spinning crucifix slam, or the Slash and Burn as he calls it, a cover for two. Pump kick by Slash and a cover for two. Mitchell leaves commentary as Slash applies a cobra clutch. Siaki starts to go down but fights his way out, only to catch a Russian leg sweep, Slash covers for two.
Slash sent to the corner, gets a boot up and goes up top only to be cut off. Siaki joins him up top and they trade shots, only for both to get crotched on the top rope. Slash pulls himself back up and misses a senton. Siaki with rights, then some clotheslines. Pumphandle suplex by Siaki and a cover, but Slash gets his foot on the rope. Snap suplex by Siaki before going to the middle rope and misses a seated senton. Slash pulls out a sack and puts it over Siaki's head for... some reason, then delivers a hangman's neckbreaker for the win in 7:42. Yeah this was a pretty nothing match. You had two heels, even though Siaki was sorta the babyface, you had a nonsensical finish that even commentary couldn't explain, and the crowd couldn't care less.
Mitchell enters the ring with a mic and the Ark. Slash hooks Siaki in the ropes. Mitchell says the Blood of the Audad can be used to anoint or desecrate. Siaki obviously chose the wrong path, so it's time to desecrate. So Mitchell opens the Ark and puts some of the blood on his face in some kind of symbol. Now Don Harris comes out to make the save because... reasons, dropping Slash with a powerbomb. Malice tries to get his hands on Don but Mitchell holds him back. There's a staredown. New Church leave. Harris checks on Siaki.
Goldy is backstage with Steamboat. She recaps the chaos of the last six weeks and wants to know what he's doing to take control. He tells Jarrett and such to lump it if they don't like him, then takes offense when she compares him to Behrens and he walks off. Not sure what that accomplished.
Out comes K-Krush with a mic. He turns to one of the dancers by the stage and says she's caged like an animal, caged against her will, and says they're exposing her for their own benefit, for the almighty dollar, and it's nothing but a freak show. He says the truth has taken a stand, and it's time for her to take a stand, and to tell everyone how she's been treated. Then he starts to mock her and calls her a $2 ho, and how she's been brainwashed into thinking she's the next Destiny's Child and her destiny is being on the street corner. Monty Brown comes out to put an end to this and go at it in the crowd. Brown is whipped into the side of bleachers, then hit in the back with a garbage bin, then a 2x4 is broken across his back and he's out cold. Security rush in to check on him. Truth makes his way to the back. Brown is helped to the back.
Now out comes Steamboat and takes a mic. K-Krush, or Ron "The Truth" has got his attention, he's been listening to Krush talk the last few weeks, and since he wants to talk about "them" he should at least have the balls to say it to his face. So Truth comes back out. Truth snatches the mic and takes offense to being called son. Steamboat says he has to earn respect, and after hearing Truth the last few weeks, whether Truth's "them" is the people in authority, or people of a different color, he's here to listen to Truth talk.
Truth says that while Steamboat considers himself one of "them" he means as much to them as Truth does, and as proof he brings up Steamboat's career, more specifically his WWF career. He grew up a big fan of Steamboat's and people still talk about Steamboat/Savage at Mania 3, and became IC Title. But he wonders why he never had a chance at the WWF Title, if it was "them" holding him back like they hold Truth back, and says the IC Title was always for second-class citizens. Now 15 years later they're pulling the same thing on him, but he's tired, mad as hell, and isn't taking no for an answer. He says Steamboat can change it.
Steamboat takes a few moments before getting back on the mic, and as much as it hurts his feelings, he knows where Truth is coming from, so he's going to give Truth that shot at the NWA Championship next week. Steamboat leaves. Truth breaks into a sudden rap before leaving. Easily the best thing on this show, Truth never disappoints.
Malice (w/ Father James Mitchell) vs Apolo
They shove each other, then some rights by Apolo drive Malice into the corner. Malice with knees and rights now, before driving Apolo into the corner for some more rights. Then Apolo turns it around for some chops until Malice rakes the eyes. More shots and Apolo face first in the corner, before being sent across the ring, leaps to the middle rope and tries for... I think a headscissor but Malice just falls back and they botch it. Cover by Apolo for two.
Malice clotheslined out to the floor, then Apolo with a tope over the ropes takes out Malice. Back in the ring, he's back dropped out to the floor only to land on his feet and pull Malice back out. More chops by Apolo, only to be sent face first into the ring post, then a second time and a third time. Apolo sent into the guard rail and he's been busted open. Malice sent into the guard rail now, then across the floor into the guard rail. More chops before returning to the ring, Malice off the ropes, Apolo tries for a Thesz Press only to be caught with a powerbomb, Malice covers for two.
Malice opening up the cut with some rights, then Apolo is set on the top rope for a superplex. Malice covers but it only gets two. Scoop slam by Malice who goes to the middle rope for a leg drop and a cover but still gets two. Boots to the back of the head of Apolo, then he goes face first in the corner. Apolo sent off the ropes, ducks a clothesline, Malice catches a kick but Apolo tries a victory roll for two. Forearm takes Apolo back down, then Apolo sent off the ropes, ducks a clothesline, tries a crossbody, caught but counters with a DDT. Superkick gets the win for Apolo in 6:35. Another mostly nothing match.
Mitchell berates the referee, then Malice attacks Apolo from behind, before laying out the referee with a chokeslam. He goes to chokeslam Apolo but Don Harris is here again for... reasons. Big boot to Malice, then tries a powerbomb but Malice uses the hood and the hangman's neckbreaker to make the save. Mitchell returns to the ring with his Ark and a mic, as Malice drops Don with a chokeslam. Mitchell says Don's chosen the wrong path and it's time for more desecration, before painting his face too with the blood. New Church leave.
Break
Don West is in the ring to give us a little T&A, specifically Miss TNA, Taylor Vaughan. Don asks what she's been up to since we haven't seen her in a while, but they're interrupted by Bruce of the Rainbow Express before she says anything. Bruce takes the mic and noticed Truth come out last week, and not only did he agree he was inspired, he wants to be treated equally, tired of being treated as a second-class citizen and wants to have rights. He wants to be Miss TNA. Taylor gives him a low blow and a ref comes out, so...
Title of Miss TNA: Taylor Vaughan (c) vs Bruce
She throws a shoe at Bruce, then hits a suplex, covers for one. Scoop slam and a cover for one by Taylor. Chops in the corner, then she's sent across the ring, only to hit a clothesline. They do the catfight spot before he hits a short-arm clothesline. Abdominal stretch by Bruce only to release the hold, then a scoop slam. Bruce to the middle rope and misses a leg drop. Bruce hits that wheelbarrow facebuster for the win in 2:10.
Bruce gets the tiara and the sash and gets all emotional.
Goldy is backstage to get a word from Low Ki, who's getting ready for his match. He says he does his talking in the ring.
Break
Low Ki vs Jerry Lynn (w/ NWA X Division Champion AJ Styles) (NWA World Tag Team Champions)
They exchange holds for a little while to start the match. Then Low Ki is backed into the corner off a lock up and Lynn follows with boots and rights, plus a spin kick before backing off. Then Lynn with arm drag. Low Ki takes him down and scissors the leg, Lynn tries to transition to the cross-armbreaker but Low Ki clasps the hands, then escapes into ankle lock only to be hit with an enziguri. Low Ki sent to the corner before leaping onto the shoulders with a headscissor, then caught with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker and a cover for two.
Knee drops by Lynn before sending Low Ki to the corner, only to catch a kick himself, then a cover for two. Lynn face first in the corner then some chops and rights drive Lynn down to the mat. Scoop slam and an elbow into a cover for two. Neck scissor now by Low Ki, then another cover for two. Lynn catches a kick and rolls into a cradle for two. Clothesline by Low Ki immediately following and some more chops in the corner, then some more kicks. Low Ki sends Lynn to the apron before applying a dragon sleeper in the ropes. Low Ki caught with a leg drop from Lynn through the ropes to the back of the head, then one back in the ring into a cover for two. Gory Special now by Lynn before planting him on his face, then a cover for two.
Lynn tries for the cradle piledriver but Low Ki turns into a triangle hold, until Lynn rakes the face with his boot. Front suplex and a cover by Lynn for another two. Mounting with rights from Lynn, then Ki sent off the ropes and hits a forearm, followed by a dropkick, then dropped throat first onto the top rope. Low Ki with a sunset flip into a bridge for a near fall. Kicks and forearms are exchanged, then a clothesline from Lynn. Ki ducks another and springboards with a kick to the side of the head. Low Ki back up first and delivers a pair of kicks to the chest, then one to the side of the head, then covers for another near fall.
Lynn sent to the corner and Ki goes for a cartwheel kick, but he's caught on the shoulders and hit with a sitout powerbomb for a near fall. Low Ki counters a suplex with a small package for two, then transitions right into a dragon sleeper. Lynn fights to his feet and hits a tornado DDT, covers but only gets two. Lynn tries for the cradle piledriver but Low Ki rolls through for a kick to the top o the head. AJ gets on the apron as Low Ki goes for the Ki Crusher, then Lynn blocks and tries to whip him into AJ, only to be countered and AJ kicks Lynn in the back of the head. Ki Crusher connects but the ref calls for the bell in 14:12.
For some reason this is being ruled a no contest. AJ talks trash over a knocked out Lynn. Ki is pissed and kicks him in the side of the head, knocking him out of the ring.
Goldi is backstage to get a word from Don Harris.on the situation with Malice from earlier. He says he's not gonna cut some wrestling promo but admits Malice got one up on him, but now he's gonna get Steamboat to book them in a First Blood Match, and payback's a bitch.
Break
Oh great, it's time for Jive Talking with Disco Inferno. After his announcement last week, his cellphone's been ringing off the hook, and has been in talk with networks to replace a very famous black female talk show host that happens to have her own book club and recurring weight problem, but he can't name names due to legalities. His nationwide search for "the hottest, sexiest, dumbest bitch" he can find has begun to be the first Miss Jive Talking, who will be revealed in the coming weeks. As for tonight, he talks about how the show is called TNA, and he's seen a lot of A but not a lot of T, so he introduces his guest, the first to expose her breasts on his show, one hot sexy dumb bitch, Goldilocks.
Out she comes and of course she takes offense to what he just said, but he denies having just called her a dumb bitch. He just meant she's misunderstood, but she has none of it and tries to leave. Disco pulls her back and tries to get her to sit down but she doesn't sit on the couches of jackasses. Disco apologizes and she finally just sits down, but then he has a problem with how she sits. He wants to talk about music for some reason and he brings up how she's from LA, and claims he knows a lot about music, he's friends with the Bee Gees, had dinner with the Village People, and KC from KC and the Sunshine Band is a good friend of his, then wonders if there's an artist she sounds like that the fans can identify with. She's a musician I guess? This is news to me. She claims she's been called a female Kid Rock, which gets a bit of a pop and he has no idea who that is. He has her list off some of her song titles and he makes a joke.
Finally he tries to get her to take her top off all casual like and tells her to make herself useful, and makes a comment about how he won't show his dick. She gets booed by the guys and cheered by the ladies and goes to leave and he keeps yapping, says he thought she had talent, and says she won't show because she didn't bring her kneepads. She slaps him. He grabs her by the throat and she delivers a low blow, then comments on how he has no balls. Then... well we're told it's Paulina Thomas from Tough Enough, she comes from behind and gets Goldi in a sleeperhold, womanhandling her until she passes out. Paulina helps Disco who plugs his show for next week. Sigh.
Break
Over to commentary for Don West to run down what's in store for next week:
- Just announced, Low Ki, Jerry Lynn and AJ Styles for the X Division Title.
- Don Harris vs Malice in a First Blood Match
- Ken Shamrock defends the NWA Title against K-Krush/Ron Killings.
Don West is a hell of a salesman.
Scott Hall vs Jeff Jarrett
Pre-Match: Hall comes out with that old style stretcher.
Hall wastes no time as he attacks Jarrett on the stage as he comes out and the bell is rung. Hall lays into Jarrett with some right hands, then some more as they make it to ringside. Jarrett face first off the steps, then the announce table. More rights by Hall, then a low blow and face first off it again. Taking things to the ring now but Jarrett takes control, only to be sent off the ropes into another right. Off the ropes and through the legs and another right by Hall, then ducks some clotheslines only to be caught with a fallaway slam, Jarrett rolling out to the floor.
Back up the ramp to the stage and Jarrett tries to leave, taking the fight to the back now, Hall in full control and Jarrett goes face first into a door to the outside. Jarrett hits Hall with a chair before whipping Jarrett into another door. They take things back to the stage with Hall laying into him some more, now to the other side of the stage and into the crowd. Jarrett takes control and sends Hall ace first into a guard rail, then a chair to the ribs. Hall takes back control and hits him in the back with a chair before finally taking it back to ringside.
Hall grabs his stretcher but gets it sent into his ribs with a baseball slide, then Jarrett jabs it into his ribs. Jarrett bridges it over the guard rail and steps before sending Hall into it, followed by an elbow from the apron to the back of the neck. Stretcher across the back of Hall, then a second time. Jarrett tosses it and Hall into the ring before laying it across the middle rope in the corner and whipping Hall into it. Jarrett places it back in the corner and Hall is whipped into it again. Now Jarrett leans it in the corner before wasting time with the fans and he's whipped twice into the stretcher.
Hall lays the stretcher over the middle rope now and crotches Jarrett on it, then hits him across the back with it, and a second time. Now it's laid across the top rope and gets dropped on it with Snake Eyes before the point is jabbed into Jarrett's face. Hall delivers the Razor's Edge and makes the cover but Truth appears out of nowhere and pulls the ref out. Scissor kick to Hall after a cheap shot, then Jarrett rolled on top, but Hall kicks out at two. Monty Brown is here to take care of Truth. Now Jerry Lynn is here for some reason with a slingshot splash onto Jarrett. Hall rolls over for a cover but Jarrett kicks out.
Truth and Monty are fighting around ringside and AJ comes out, decking Lynn as he tries to head to the back. AJ goes up top but Don Harris takes him down instead. Now Malice and Slash come out to fight Don. Back in the ring, Hall sent off the ropes and he and Hall bonk heads. We have a standing 10 count and both are up. Hall with some right hands drop Jarrett, then takes the stretcher and nails the ref by accident. Jarrett dropkicks it back into his face. Jarrett goes out and grabs a chair but out comes Steamboat, Jarrett misses a shot and it rebounds off his ropes into Jarrett's face. Hall grabs the ahcir but Steamboat stops him from using it. As Steamboat is holding the chair up, Jarrett hits the Stroke onto it into the mat as the ref comes to for the win in 12:11. Alright I actually really loved this match for the first half or so, until we had the random as all hell run ins that made absolutely no sense. Finish I'm a bit iffy on, I liked Steamboat not playing favorites, but in a match that was basically No DQ as it was, it didn't make a ton of sense.
Jarrett puts Hall on the stretcher and stands tall.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Well we got two excellent X Division Matches, another great promo from Truth, and a mostly fun main event, that devolved into the usual Russo bullshit. That was the good stuff, even despite that last part. But then you had Puppet pulling a gun, the Miss TNA stuff, and everything that involved Disco Inferno, not to mention for some reason a Harris Brother is getting some kind of a push because... fucked if I know. The next show promises to be somewhat interesting at least. With a run time of 1:52:53, this show had a total 55:31 of wrestling.
Comments
Post a Comment