NWA-TNA Weekly PPV #17 (October 16, 2002)
Welcomed to the show as always by Tenay and West from the TNA Asylum in Nashville, where we start with brief recaps and a rundown of the matches on the show tonight:
- Sonny Siaki faces Jorge Estrada
- NASCAR's Hermie Sadler teams with BG James to take on Jeff Jarrett & Bruce
- Chris and Rick Michaels challenge for the tag titles against James Storm & Chris Harris after earning their shot last week
- AJ Styles challenges for the X Division Title against Syxx-Pac
- In the main event, Ron Killings defends the NWA Title against Curt Hennig
First though, Goldy is backstage with Estrada, and she asks if the Elvises are still a thing. He says the Elvises have been all shook up a bit, but there's no need for her to get sweat on her blue suede shoes. He announces that the King and Priscilla are an item in the tabloids once again, as he pulls a lady into camera shot, presumably named Priscilla, but he's also holding a national search for a new Elvis, he's going to have tryouts tonight at the Asylum. He's looking for someone not with wrestling skills, but who can shake, rattle and roll just like the king himself.
Some guys comes out of a door behind them, but he just leaves. Then Brian Lawler interrupts and asks Goldy where April is, because they're friends and they talk all the time, but she claims she has no idea. He's not buying it, and is holding her responsible if something's going on. He leaves.
Jorge moves on and says he has a few men in mind, but they have to prove that they have what it takes, that they have jive. And then another woman comes out of that door but that's unimportant and we move on. On second viewing, that was Syxx-Pac and April coming out of what we're told is the locker room.
David Young vs Brian Lawler (w/ April)
Pre-Match: April is late to come out with Lawler and he berates her for it.
Lawler attacks from behind to start the match, delivering rights in the corner and stomping Young into the mat. Young sent off the ropes into a back elbow, then Lawler dances. Some back and forth to follow with a hip toss and an arm drag by Young, followed by a dropkick.
Lawler is clotheslined out to the floor right in front of April, face first in her lap, then takes a drink from a bottle at commentary. Lawler returns tot he ring and fails to flip over the ropes back in, berating the ref for some reason which allows Young to roll him up for two. Young with an atomic drop, then an inverted one, off the ropes, misses a clothesline and runs into a superkick. Lawler sent off the ropes, ducks a clothesline, hits a full nelson facebuster.
Lawler continues to get distracted by the ref as he chokes Young, then more berating for the ref and a low blow behind the ref's back. Young with a flapjack, then some rights and a trifecta of DDTs, makes the cover but Lawler kicks out. Lawler misses a clothesline and hit with a scoop slam, before David goes up top, just to miss a moonsault. Lawler goes up top now and April hands him his goggles, missing the Hip Hop Drop. Young goes up to the middle rope this time but he's distracted by April. Lawler takes advantage with an inverted DDT from the middle rope to win in 5:48.
Lawler demands April join him in the ring on her knees as she takes her out of the ring.
Recap package of the issues between Siaki and Lynn over the last few weeks, before Lynn makes his way out with a limp. He gives Siaki the benefit of the doubt, and takes responsibility for reinjuring his knee last week, but next week he's not taking responsibility for what he does to Siaki. He's bought and sold punk ass bitches like Siaki for the last 14 years, he's heard Siaki's rap before, seen it before, and he's exactly what's wrong with the business: he's earned nothing, but wants everything on a silver platter. He needs someone like Lynn for a reality check, and that check will happen next week, and when it's all said and done, he'll have newfound respect for the business and him.
Now out comes Siaki. He's still speaking in the third person and says he respects no one, and unlike Lynn he won't be a midcarder for 15 years, he starts at the top and finishes at the top. He says Siaki is life. Lynn says that after life comes death, which prompts Siaki to rush the ring and goes right for the bad knee, giving Lynn no chance to attack. Out come Ace Steel and Derek Wylde to try and help but Siaki pushes them away. David Young and Norman Smiley help pull him off and security rush down, just for Lynn to try and get to Siaki again. Bob Armstrong and Behrens are here too, plus Estrada and eventually Siaki is tossed out of the ring and sent off by... uh, whatever Harris Brother is in charge of security.
Cut to an interview from earlier in the day, conducted by Tenay with Sean Waltman, not Syxx-Pac. He's done his homework and reflecting back on his career, he thinks back to his matches in the Global Wrestling Federation with Jerry Lynn, says that Sean was X Division before X Division was cool, before there was an X Division. Sean appreciates the words and says it's good to be working with Tenay again, and kinda stumbles trying to put over the X Division.
Tenay talks about his impact on the business, from his time in the NWO, the Outsiders with Hall and Nash, his time in WWF with DX, and asks if he can get to that level of success at this point and have that same impact. Sean brings up his reputation for having both negative and positive impacts, stirring up shit in the locker room, saying some did and didn't deserve it. He says they'll never be able to recreate DX or NWO and that's not why he's there. NWA is for pro wrestling fans, he's not a a sports entertainer, been a wrestler for 15 years.
Tenay brings up his apology to Low Ki last week and AJ sticking his nose in their business, and wants his thoughts on their X Division title match tonight. He puts over Low Ki some more, then says AJ will get his chance to get his respect tonight. He admits he's not proud of how he won the title, and he's going to prove he's the X Division champion tonight.
Sonny Siaki vs Jorge Estrada (w/ Priscilla)
Jorge charges the ring and ducks a clothesline right out of the gate, hits a tilt-a-whirl headscissor. Springboard leg drop to the back of the head and a cover for two. Jorge caught with a back elbow and a right before getting sent to the corner, avoids a splash and hits a split-legged moonsault, covers for two. Siaki sent off the ropes before dumping Jorge on the outside with a belly to belly.
Pumphandle suplex to the floor by Siaki, then Jorge sent into the steps before returning to the ring. Siaki misses a front flip leg drop, then ducks a clothesline and hits a TKO, covers for a kick out. Jorge sent to the corner, gets a boot up, hits a diving tornado DDT from the middle rope. Siaki sent off the ropes into a dropkick, then a hurricanrana, rolling senton and springboard moonsault into a cover, but only gets two. Siaki sent to the corner, Jorge tries to spring off the ropes but he's caught with a lariat, Siaki covers for two.
Siaki caught with a Side Effect, rolling out to the floor to regroup. Jorge goes up top, then Siaki pulls Priscilla in the way, causing Jorge to lose his focus and hit the guard rail. Siak-olypse Now for the win in 5:18. Fine little match. Hopefully the end of this feud.
Lynn attacks from behind as Siaki is heading to the back, tossing him back in the ring and mounting with vicious rights. Security is there immediately along with some of the locker room to pull them apart. Pretty much the same thing as last time.
Derek Wylde vs Ace Steel (w/ Mortimer Plumtree)
Pre-Match: Took me a minute to realize Derek was teaming with Jimmy Rave in the Gauntlet for the Gold not that long ago.
Ace tying with Derek to start the match. Then Derek starts to outwrestle him, catching Ace with a hurricanrana. Some more back and forth with an overhead toss, then some arm drags and a drop toe hold by Derek, into a front face lock. Derek dumped out to the apron, then Ace springs off the other side only to be taken to the floor with a headscissor. Ace flips Derek who does a handspring off the apron into a headscissor back to the floor.
Back to the ring, Derek caught off a crossbody on the top rope, then crotched in the corner on the middle rope. Ace with a dropkick to the face, thn sets Derek on the top rope, setting him up for a superplex. Ace miss a clothesline, but hits some double underhook facebusters off the knee. Ace with the Twist of Kane, something like a Gory Special into a Widow's Peak, for the win in 3:58. Not too bad. Their timing was off at some points, a few spots looked sloppy, it is what it is.
Bruce (Miss TNA) & Jeff Jarrett vs Hermie Sadler & BG James
Pre-Match: They blurring a front row sign that says "Hermie Blows Engines, Bruce Blows Me". They don't blur another that says "Bruce Fears Yeast Infections." Interesting. James gets a mic and calls Bruce a shemale, then welcomes us to the baby boy's playpen, then brings up how Jeff and Bruce said that Hermie can't drive or wrestle, and he begs to differ. He says they're here to prove himself right, then implies Jarrett might be gay. Hoo boy. Jarrett gets a mic and says he was at Hermie's race in Charlotte recently, and while it didn't turn out good for Hermie Jeff has good news for him and in fact congratulates him. He says Hollywood bigwigs were at the race, and they're going to cast Hermie in The Last and the Furious.
Jarrett and James start the match. Jarrett with a cheap knee to the gut and some rights right out of the gate, then he's sent off the ropes, only to get James with a hip toss. James sent off the ropes but hits a forearm, then a dropkick to the back of the head, cover for two. Jarrett sent off the ropes, James tries a big boot but Jarrett tags out. James tags in Hermie. Bruce outwrestling Hermie between showing off his ass. Drop toe holds and paint brushing from Bruce, then an arm drag. Bruce sent off the ropes into a hip toss, then he slaps James and Hermie sends Bruce off the ropes. James tags himself in, Bruce puts on the breaks, then trips over Hermie.
James goes for a punch between the legs, then spends several seconds staring down there in confusion before opting not to. He's sent off the ropes, avoids a back body drop, then goes for the pumphandle slam only for Bruce to ward him off by wiggling his ass. Jarrett decks James from the apron and Bruce stomps away, slamming his face into the mat before Jeff tags in. Jeff sent off the ropes and gets James with an enziguri, covers for two.
James choked over the middle rope, then Bruce chokes him from the floor. James sent to the corner hard before Bruce tags back in. Knee drops to James and choking him with his boot followed by vicious rights. Jarrett back in. Double boots in the corner, James sent off the ropes, ducks a clothesline and deliver some shake rattle and roll, then a knee drop to Jarrett. James covers and Bruce breaks it up. Hermie sent off the ropes by Bruce but he hits a nice suplex.
James and Jarrett fight up the ramp as Bruce is sent off the ropes into a back body drop, Hermie covers for two. Lawler comes out with a trash can and nails James in the back of the head as he's mounted Jarrett with right hands. Back suple by Bruce, now he's distracte dby the fight on the stage. Security come out to break that up as Jarrett nails James with the can. Bruce is sent off the ropes, tries a sunset flip, Hermie drops down and hooks the legs for the win in 6:56. I mean this was really your typical Jarrett match. Hermie did fine.
Jarrett returns to the ring as Hermie checks on James. Jarrett is arguing with the ref and Bruce is too. James is helped to the back as Jarrett and Bruce come to blows. Bruce is putting his tiara and sash on and hugs Jarrett but he's low blowed and Stroked for his troubles.
Norman Smiley vs Ron Harris
Norman shoved down easily off a lock up. Then again. Then a knee to the gut. Ron sent off the ropes and Norman wiggles, then delivers some arm drags. Norman with a neck crank, then sent to the corner, floats over and hits some chops and rights. Ron blocks a hip toss, only to be sent off the ropes and dropkicked in the knee. Ron avoids the Big Wiggle with a back elbow and delivers more rights, off the ropes with a big boot.
Norman tossed out to the floor, just to toss him back in. Elbow to the top of the head, then Norman avoids a slam, kicks the back of the knee, Ron sent off the ropes into a back elbow, then a clothesline, and another finally takes Ron down. Winding scoop slam by Norman, then the Big Wiggle, Ron misses a clothesline and delivers another big boot. Norman sent to the corner for a clothesline, then back across the ring and back again for two more. Norman sent off the ropes into a sidewalk slam, covers for two. Ron tries a cobra clutch slam but botches it, still gets the win in 4:51.
Ron goes to leave, only to continue the beatdown. Norman fights back with forearms and a discus right takes Ron down. Norman chokes Ron now and delivers more rights until Don comes out to pull him off. Security take Norman away, then Ron and Don get into a shoving match, nose to nose.
NWA World Tag Team Championship: Chris & Rick Michaels vs "Wildcat" Chris Harris & "Cowboy" James Storm (c)
Storm and Rick start the match out with some quick back and forth until Rick is sent out to the floor off a waistlock counter. Chris comes in, sent off the ropes, then over the ropes onto Rick. Harris tags in and Storm launches himself over the ropes into the Michaels'. Harris follows with a crossbody onto both of them as well. Harris gets a two count on Chris back in the ring during a replay, before a back body drop from Harris.
Storm back in, sent off the ropes, ducks a clothesline, then a back elbow. only to be pulled out of the ring by Rick and sent into the guard rail. Storm tossed back in and Chris is back on the attack. Snapmare and a kick to the back of the head, then the face, then a leg drop for a cover and two. Rick back in. Storm sent off the ropes, ducks a clothesline, hits a crossbody for a cover for two. Leg lariat by Rick and a cover for two. Chris back in with a knee lift off the ropes, then caught with a hurricanrana. Chris caught with an enziguri as he tries to stop Storm from making a tag.
Harris with the hot tag. Inverted atomic drop, then a flying clothesline to Rick. Chris sends him off the ropes but get caught with a clothesline. Chris sent to the corner for a bulldog, then Harris goes up top with a crossbody, covers but Rick breaks it up. Storm sent to the corner, goes to the middle rope for an inverted tornado DDT, while Harris with the Cactus clothesline to Chris. Storm makes the cover but the ref is busy dealing with the two on the floor. Chris goes up top with a leg drop, puts Rick on top but it only gets two.
Rick nearly decks his partner, then Storm decks him instead Rick walks into a superkick from Storm but it only gets two. Storm goes up top but knocked to the floor by Chris. Harris sent off the ropes, misses a clothesline, facebuster and a neckbreaker, then an elbow from the Michaels', cover but it still gets two. Storm low bridges Rick, then Harris hits the Catatonic on Chris to retain in 6:49. Simple, fun match. Nothin to complain about here.
Hot Shots run out to attack after the match, then the Michaels' join in on the beatdown. Officials finally run out to send them away to no effect.Security finally rush down to help break it up but they have no effect either. Finally they leave.
Break
NWA X Division Championship: AJ Styles (w/ Mortimer Plumtree) vs Syxx-Pac (c)
Feeling out process to start. AJ outwrestles and outmaneuvers Syxx twice, then AJ with some knees and rights. Now Syxx outwrestles him and mounts him for paintbrushing to the back of the head. AJ with a cheap shot off a lock up, then some more back and forth, Syxx caught with a hurricanrana. Chops by Syxx after AJ taunts the crowd, then some kicks in the corner. Syxx calls for the Bronco Buster early but Mortimer pulls AJ out for the save. More back and forth back in the ring, Syxx with an arm drag off a headlock counter sends AJ back out of the ring. Now Syxx with the cheap shot back in the ring, taking AJ to the corner for rights and chops before being sent across the ring. AJ sent to the apron, drops and trips up Syxx, before pulling him into the ring post. AJ with the first cover for two.
AJ with some chops of his own, then Syxx draped over the middle rope for AJ to drop his weight down, before Mortimer chokes Syxx behind the ref's back. AJ with another cover for two into a rear chinlock. Syxx fights his way out, only to be sent back down to the mat by the hair. Syxx with some rights and chops before getting sent off the ropes, thrown through the ropes to the floor. Mortimer gets his licks in before AJ dives over the ropes onto Syxx. Back to the ring, AJ makes the cover but only gets two.
Another rear chinlock by AJ. Syxx fights his way out again, then off the ropes, into a boot, and a leg drop to the back of the head by AJ. AJ goes up top and misses the Spiral Tap. Syxx with a spinning heel kick, then a second turns AJ inside out. AJ sent off the ropes into a third that turns him inside out. Syxx up top only to be dropkicked midair. AJ with the cover but it's a near fall.
AJ tries for a Bronco Buster but Syxx launches him over the ropes to the floor, then goes up top with a corkscrew. Back in the ring, Northern Lights with a bridge by Syxx for two. AJ sent to the corner, gets a boot up, Syxx ducks a clothesline and it hits the ref. Syxx tries the X-Factor, then AJ tries the Styles Clash, then Syxx pops him up into the X-Factor. Syxx with the cover but the ref's out and Mortimer breaks the pin. The ref comes to pull them apart.
Syxx takes AJ to the corner and drops him down to hit the Bronco Buster with some added right hands. Ref tries to pull him off and Syxx shoves him away, then continues the assault on AJ. Ref calls for the DQ, so AJ wins and Syxx retains in 13:55. Well that was anticlimactic for what was a pretty good match.
Syxx attacks the referee post match knocking him off the apron to the floor. AJ and Mortimer leave while security come out to hold Syxx back. Behrens is out here too as Mortimer argues with him up the ramp.
Onto West's weekly sales pitch for next week:
- Sonny Siaki vs Jerry Lynn
- BG James vs Brian Lawler
- Storm and Harris defend the Tag Titles
- Jarrett, Truth, Hennig, Syxx-Pac, Styles and more
Another sitdown interview, this time with Hennig. Tenay starts talking about Hennig's history, starting in the AWA, calling it traditional much like the NWA. Hennig concurs with Tenay and says the business has evolved, but he got his first World Title with the AWA when he beat Bockwinkel. He also mentions how he was Tag Champion with Scott Hall.
Tenay says Hennig's always had the gold no matter the organization, bringing up his IC and US Title reigns with WWF and WCW. Hennig goes back to AWA though and says that's where he learned the basics of wrestling, emphasis on wrestling because he doesn't see the wrestling like he wants to see it, other than NWA.
Tenay asks for his first impressions from his debut the week before. Hennig talks about the overwhelming reaction he got from the fans, which surprised him, but the people never forget. Now for tonight's show, his shot at the NWA Title against Truth. Hennig puts him over as a great wrestler, fast, strong, and on top of his game for a while and Hennig isn't taking anything away from him. But he guarantees that if he's held belts everywhere else he sees no reason why he can't have one in NWA.
Pre-Match: Truth says it's the moment of truth, asks when the TNA officials are going to show their punk ass faces, grow a set of balls and stop hiding behind their title. He has a title and doesn't hide behind it, and asks where those responsible for making half-ass rulings and decisions are, says they won't show their faces because they're punk-ass cowards. He says he was told by "the Board" that he'd be able to give minority wrestlers who never get a chance, like him, a shot at his title, but it didn't take long before the politics, the con games, and the "bull shiznick" came into effect. He says those same board members are walking around talking about him ducking top contenders, but he doesn't duck nobody, and says Hennig's blood is on the Board's hands, not his own. He says Hennig might be the king of backstage politics, but in the ring, he's the shiznick, the suntan Superman. He pipes back at the "overrated" chants saying their mothers are overrated, before calling Hennig out. Hennig has a mic too as he comes out. He says Truth is flapping his gums like he owns the joint, but calls him a punk and says he's gonna knock Truth on his ass, he doesn't like him, no one does, and Truth can kiss his ass.
We have a lot of stalling before we get to a lockup, with Truth getting shoved into the corner until the ref gets between them. Truth with a back elbow to counter a waistlock. Hennig takes him down with another and a front facelock. Truth gets to the ropes to force a break and hennig smacks him on the back, Truth rolling out to the floor. Hennig follows and delivers a chop, only to be backdropped onto the announce table. Truth with a clothesline sends Hennig into the crowd, only briefly though after some rights. Hennig with a chair across the back twice.
Back in the ring, Truth blinds Hennig with something, before delivering a running powerslam. Mortimer has come out with Styles, Steel and Ron Harris, standing at the top of the ramp to watch the match. Hennig regains his sight only to get his eyes raked, then Truth kicks the leg out from under him, and a second time. Truth covers for two.
Truth sent to the corner, floats over and hits a leg lariat after ducking a clothesline. Knee lift by Hennig, then gets Truth up for the scoop slam for a terrible looking ref bump as Truth's feet hit the ref on the way up. Hennig goes for the Hennig-plex, but then Mr. Wrestling III runs in. He attacks Hennig and Truth until BG James and Syxx come out, so the masked man bails. Now Mortimer's crew have come down to the ring to join in the fight. The ref is finally coming to Bob Armstrong comes out along with Behrens and security.
Commentary mentions that no bell has rung and that technically this match is still going on,and Bob eventually clears the ring to restart the match. Truth is arguing with the ref and just throws him across the ring, and Truth bails. Now he's arguing with Borash, who's just about to announce the restart but gets decked instead. Armstrong tries to reason with him but he gets decked too. Truth gets a chair and threatens to him everyone. Bob gets a mic and tells Truth to either get in the ring and defend his title, or get counted out and lose his title.
Ref is making the count so Truth reluctantly returns to the ring, while Jarrett appears out of nowhere to low blow Hennig. Truth covers to retain in 9 min flat. The best I can say about this match is Hennig looked slightly better than he did last week, but not much. This was a mess and a clusterfuck. This should have ended in DQ or a no contest twice, between the interference the ref getting thrown across the ring, and then Hennig loses to a low blow.
Truth gets the mic for a quick rap dissing the crowd, then tells them to kiss his black ass.
Tenay sends the show off the air, but first we get a tease with what sounds like the New Church's music. "Evil Knows No Bounds" "Evil Never Will Rest" "Evil Returns" "10.30.02" And then the show ends.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Well... Once again the X Division were the better parts of the show. I continue to not care about this Jarrett/James thing. The tag title match was fine. Mostly everything else was forgettable, and I've already given my thoughts on the main event, which I gave more energy than I should have for. With a run time of 1:53:46 this show had a total 56:35 of wrestling.
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