NWA-TNA Weekly PPV #18 (October 23, 2002)
- Sonny Siaki vs Jerry Lynn
- Jeff Jarrett vs Scott Hall
- In a rematch from last week, Truth defends the NWA Title once more against Curt Hennig
5-Man X Division Elimination Match: The Amazing Red vs Kid Kash vs Joel Maximo vs Jose Maximo vs "Primetime" Elix Skipper
Pre-Match: No one gets a proper entrance, they all just kinda run out together one after the other and get a brief ring introduction from Borash.
Elix goes after... you know after 17 episodes I still can't tell which Maximo is who. Like at one point only one of them had elbow pads, but then I could still never remember week to week which one that was, and it took forever for commentary to say it. Now they both wear elbow pads. Anyways Elix attacks one while Red and the other take Kash to the corner, Elix sent off the ropes, sets the Maximo on the ropes and dropkicks him to the floor. Red is popped up by the other Maximo to dropkick Elix and Kash out of the ring to the floor. Maximo 2 gets Kash and Elix with a baseball slide, then Maximo 1 nails Red with a clothesline before hitting a suicide dive on the other three, then Red follows with a front flip over the ropes taking out all four, then Kash with one of his own.
Kash takes one Maximo back to the ring, then Kash is caught with a Gory Special. Red is set on the Maximo's shoulders for a Boston crab, then Elix applies a camel clutch on the other Maximo as he hooks Red's arms. Then Elix breaks it all up with a springboard dropkick. One Maximo sent off the ropes but hits a headscissor, then a bridging German for two. Kash sends the Maximo off the ropes, he hits a hurricanrana but Kash sends him to the corner. Maximo tries a springboard out of the corner but Kash dropkicks him midair. Kash with a diving hurricanrana to the floor before being sent to the announce table. He leaps on top and hits a tornado DDT.
Kash and the other Maximo exchange counters in the corner, then Red tries a springboard, caught with a sitout spinebuster for a pin attempt but Elix breaks it up for some reason. Maximo sent off the ropes, through the legs of Elix, hurricanrana and hooks the legs but only gets two. Maximo sent to the corner, gets the boots up, tries a tornado DDT but he sets the Maximo on the apron. Elix hits a roundhouse as Maximo sits on the top rope, Elix tightrope walks across from the corner for a headscissor, makes the cover but it's only two. Kash off the top with a flying clothesline to Elix and a cover for two.
Elix counters an Irish whip and hits a gutwrench suplex, then a double underhook suplex, another cover and Red breaks it up. Red sent off the ropes, ducks a clothesline and hits Trouble in Paradise. Kash sent to the corner by Red, who's sent to the apron, Red goes up top, but Kash leaps up with him for an overhead throw. Kash goes after a Maximo on the top rope and the Maximo hits some kind of clothesline, covers and the other Maximo breaks it up. Now the Maximos going at it, tornado DDT and a cover and Elix breaks it up. Elix with the Play of the Day on Jose for the first elimination.
Kash dropkicks Joel out of the ring, then Red decks Elix, then he sends Kash to the outside and Elix hits a corkscrew crossbody. Elix with a headscissor to Joel back in the ring, then he's sent off the ropes, kicked in the back by Red, Joel stealing a page from Hangman Page with the Deadeye, or the Maximo Explosion, and now Elix is out. Kash sent off the ropes by Joel, but Kash springs off the ropes with a hurricanrana. Joel avoids a tornado DDT, but Kash hits a double underhook piledriver (Moneymaker) to eliminate Joel.
Red sent off the ropes and scoop slammed, then a leg drop and a cover for two by Kash. Red sent off the ropes and hits a tilt-a-whirl headscissor, then another Trouble in Paradise and a cover for a near fall. Red to the middle rope for a diving STO, covers but Kash gets his foot on the rope. Kash sent to the corner, goes to the middle rope and hits Whisper in the Wind for a cover but it still gets two. Red sent off the ropes, sunset flip for two, then a few counters for two. Neckbreaker off the knee by Kash and a cover but its still only two. Kash sent off the ropes, springboard crossbody and a cover for two. Kash takes Red to the top rope but he's knocked to the mat, and Infrared gets the win in 12:20. Jesus this match was nuts. Despite the fact the breaking up of pins drove me nuts the entire time.
Apparently Red earned a title shot for next week now.
Goldilocks is backstage with Brian Lawler, who keeps looking out the doors to the outside, and set to face Not Road Dogg later. He snaps at her than apologizes, says he has a lot of pressure and asks to do this later and leaves.
Back to commentary to talk about what happened surrounding the tag titles last week, and we get a recap package of the post-match attack.
Champs waste no time rushing to the ring and Hot Shots are right on the attack. Champs take control soon enough and take the fight to the floor. Storm whips one with his belt while the ref tries to take control of things.Storm and Cassidy whip each other into the guard rail, then Cassidy leaps off of it and gets powerbombed to the floor, couldn't tell if that was a botch though or not. Cassidy is suplexed onto the floor by Storm who then mounts with rights, while Harris and chase fight behind commentary. Chase face first off their table and he's been cut open over his eyes, then off the table again.
Storm and Chase in the ring to start this properly, Chase sent to the corner for an elbow and a bulldog. Harris tags in and sent off the ropes, nailed by Cassidy from behind, who's then nailed by Chase by accident as Harris ducks. Harris sent off the ropes and tripped by Cassidy, who tags in. Suplex on Harris and a cover for two. Chase back in for a scoop slam, into a half crab before releasing prematurely. Harris fights back with chops only to be sent off the ropes, ducks a clothesline and hits one of his own. Cassidy back in to stop Harris from making a tag, stomping Harris into the corner. Cassidy sent across the ring, tries to go up and over but caught with a spear.
Storm gets the hot tag. Cassidy off the ropes into a back drop, then Chase off the ropes into another. Double noggin knocker to the Hot Shots before one is sent head first into the other's nuts with a drop toe hold. Storm sent off the ropes and out to the floor, then Harris sends one off the ropes to go for the Catatonic. The other gets Harris with a superkick while his partner falls on top for the cover but it only gets two. Cassidy goes up top but Storm cuts him off, then sent to the floor. Harris hits... some kind of spinning front slam, called the Eight Second Ride, to retain in 7:24. Hard to keep track of these Hot Shots and I'm pretty sure I got them confused multiple times. Fun match.
Tenay mentioned they've been dubbed America's Most Wanted by the fans, so it's about time they get that name.
Recap package of Lynn and Siaki's issues.
Goldilocks is backstage with Lynn and asks about his knee. He admits it's not at 100%, but he's worked a month and a half with a fractured pelvic bone before so this is nothing new, it's what he does. She suggests he just put the match off another week, but he says they don't get an off-season and he doesn't put anything off in wrestling, especially with Siaki. He says the young guys wanna make a mark for themselves by using him as a stepping stone, but that's not happening. He says it's dog eat dog and survival of the fittest. Lynn leaves, then Lawler gets his face right in the camera and says... something before leaving too.
Pre-Match: Lynn doesn't waste anytime as he yoinks Siaki out of the ring and lays into him with rights, sending him face first off the steps. Siaki trips him just to be sent into and over the guard rail. Lynn flies over and takes Siaki to the floor, before hitting him over the back with a chair. Back to ring side and Lynn sends him face first off the announce table before finally taking it to the ring.
Lynn tries a scoop slam but the knee gives out and Siaki falls on top. Siaki goes to the knee with elbows into the back of it, followed by a shin breaker and a half-crab. Lynn eventually makes it to the ropes for a break. Siaki gets back dropped to the apron, then misses a shoulder block and gets leg dropped across the back of his head and neck, sending him back to the floor.
Lynn can't capitalize as he hit the leg drop with the bad leg, allowing Siaki to wrap his knee around the ring post repeatedly. Another shin breaker, then Lynn counters another with a sunset flip for two. Lynn with a crucifix roll up for two. Siaki sweeps the bad leg after ducking a clothesline, then covers for two. Now Siaki with a variation of the figure 4, Lynn fighting out with a series of rights.
Siaki kicks the bad leg out from under him and delivers more elbows, then applies a variation of a deathlock, releasing the hold prematurely. Lynn's knee is slammed into the mat repeatedly. Siaki tries a figure 4 only to be sent shoulder first into the ring post, Lynn with a victory roll for the win in 5:50. Decent match, but that was anti-climactic.
Siaki isn't done as he applies another half-crab until referees rush down to pull him off, Lynn screaming in pain. Lynn hobbles back up and attacks Siaki driving him out only to collapse back to the mat. Siaki leaves and Lynn is helped to the back.
Break
Recap of Truth and Hennig's problems.
Hennig and Not Road Dogg make their way out. Hennig says he's fought plenty who've tried to be just like him, in how they dress, what they wear to the ring, the way they have their hair, chew their gum. Then he calls DDP a mark and accuses him of trying to steal his gimmick. He says Jarrett though takes the cake, he's a Hennig wannabe from day one and everyone knows it. He reminisces a few years when Jarrett was a rookie and Hennig had him in that building, used Jarrett's head for a mop. Couple years later he started a band called Curt Hennig and the West Texas Rednecks and had a #1 gold single Rap is Crap, and next thing he knows Jarrett has a guitar trying to be a country singer. He admits he's a bit older than Jarrett, which is why he has to train harder, stay in the gym more, to keep his outstanding body healthy. Then he has the camera zoom in on his face and brags about taking down Lesnar at 35,000 ft. He challenges Jarrett for next week, no matter what happens against Truth tonight, because he's the guy who took down Lesnar at 35k feet. Jarrett's music hits as he keeps talking about what he'll do at ground zero.
First though the camera cuts to just behind the curtain, where Goldy is with Jarrett and Lawler. Jarrett wants him as backup but Lawler wants no part of this, he's waiting on April. Jarrett says screw them both and leaves. Not Road Dogg takes the mic and makes a joke about how it's still a few months away before running down all the names Lawler's gone by, then settles on Lonely. He says Lawler saw fit to take out the trash last week and figured he was the dumpster, but this week it's no garbage can, it's man to man, nose to nose, toes to toes, and like his mama said that's just how it goes. He promises that Lawler will remember the name BG James and the G stands for "get it, got it, good." Well that was a rambling promo.
Break
Now out comes Hall, who we're told is not scheduled based on the format right now. He gets a mic and knows he's supposed to wait until later, but he's not good at following rules, and he's tried to be a good boy since he got there, and he's sick and tired of trying... or something, he stumbles over his words, he's done being a good bo basically. He's heard Jarrett has something to say about him, so he's gonna do whatever he wants from now on, and he wants Jarrett right now.
Hall decks Jarrett right away a few times and Jarrett rolls out to the floor. Jarrett back in after going face first off the apron, then eats another right hand. Jarrett face first in the corner, then the opposite corner, and a chop sends him back to the floor. More rights by Hall and back to the ring, Jarrett getting him with a right as he climbs back in, stomping away. Jarrett sent off the ropes, ducks a clothesline, Hall catches a crossbody and hits a fallaway slam.
Jarrett tries to leave but Hall is right behind him, taking the fight beside the staging area. Hall hits him with a trash bin, then again. Jarrett hits him with it, then a chair across the back. Hall face first off the bleaches before Jarrett digs a chair into his neck. Hall now with a chair across Jarrett's back, then again before they take the fight into the crowd.
Eventually back at ringside as Hall keeps control, Jarrett face first off the announce table before returning to the ring. Hall sent off the ropes, avoids a back drop, goes for the Razor's Edge but gets back dropped to the floor. Jarrett off the apron with a forearm to the back, then Hall goes face first off the ring post. Jarrett grabs another chair and sends it into the ribs of Hall before returning to the ring.
Hall face first in the corner, then some mounted rights by Jarrett. More rights by Jarrett, then Hall with some, Jarrett sent off the ropes, but sends Hall face first off the mat, then drops the leg across his back. Jarrett sent off the ropes after some rights, hits a spinning neckbreaker, makes the first cover of the match for two. Then again with his feet on the ropes but the referee catches him. Hall sent off the ropes, ducks a back elbow and Jarrett slaps on the sleeper. Hall tries to get to the ropes but he quickly starts to fade. Hall fights his way back to his feet, sends Jarrett off the ropes, he blocks a hip toss, then Hall delivers a chokeslam. Hall can't capitalize as we get standing 10 count, then Jarrett drapes the arm for two.
Hall delivers some rights, then Jarrett ducks one, Hall nearly clobbers the ref but stops short. Then he ducks a clothesline and Jarrett clobbers the ref instead. Jarrett sent to the floor with a right as he grabs another chair, nailing Hall right in the head with it. Jarrett makes the cover but the ref's out. Now Hennig runs out, sends Jarrett off the ropes and hits a clothesline. Now the lights go out and... Truth appears on the screen. He says Hennig never ceases to amaze him and gave him too much thought, because Hennig is more concerned with Jarrett then he is with Truth. He says he's gonna be in Hennig's ass like a rectal thermometer.
Lights come back on and nothing else has changes, but now out runs Lawler to attack Hennig. Then Not Road Dogg runs out and he and Lawler head to the back. Jarrett gets back up and goes for the Stroke on Hennig, but gets low blowed. Hall hits the Razor's Edge as Hennig wakes the ref for the win in 11:40. This was actually a fun match until the typical overbooked bullshit.
Recap of Lawler and Jarrett beating up Not Road Dogg last week.
Lawler is right on the attack as James enters the ring, stomping and vicious rights drive James repeatedly into the mat, then misses a double ax handle and goes over the ropes. James with an ax handle off the apron before sending Lawler into the guard rail, then crotching him on top of it. Lawler fights back and sends him face first into it, then across the floor and into the guard rail again. Lawler gets a mic and asks if anyone's seen April before nailing James in the head with it. Lawler goes for a piledriver, but James tries to back drop him onto the padding, only to drop him right on his head on the bare concrete by the commentary desk. Fucking hell.
James cracks a chair over his back and Lawler goes face first off the table, then sends Lawler into the guard rail. He goes to do it a second time only to be whipped into the steel steps instead. Now Lawler gets a chair from the fans, but James gets it and nails him in the head, before taking it back to the ring. Lawler rakes the eyes before sending James off the ropes, ducks a clothesline for some shake, rattle and roll, but Lawler ducks the last shot, just to walk into a big boot. James goes for the pumphandle, but gets sent off the ropes and eats a superkick.
Lawler goes up top, but now Syxx comes out on the stage with April and just starts making out with her. Lawler gets distracted of course and pissed off and ends up crotching himself, James rolls him up for the win in 4:42. Less a match and more a fight, and I still hate this Lawler storyline.
Lawler tries to go after April and Syxx but James holds him back and Lawler starts bawling. And they're still making out before finally leaving. Lawler leaves heartbroken. How is he the heel here?
Over to commentary to speculate, and mention that April wasn't rejecting Syxx's advances.
Recap of the X Division Title match from last week, that ended in DQ, leading to tonight's rematch.
No Disqualification Match for the NWA X Division Championship: AJ Styles (w/ Mortimer Plumtree) vs Syxx-Pac (c)
Pre-Match: Syxx gets a mic and thinks it's a disgrace and the shits when a title match ends in DQ, says the people paid too much money for that crap, but tells Mortimer that if he gets involved he's getting his ass whipped, and tells him to stay on commentary. I think Mortimer calls him "sizzle chest" but I don't know what the hell that's supposed to mean.
AJ tells him to suck it, then dropped with a chop by Syxx. Exchange of waistlocks to start until Syxx sends AJ out to the floor, followed by tope. Syxx returns to the ring and AJ flips over him just to run into a spinning heel kick that turns hum inside out. AJ sent off the ropes, popped up and lands face first on the mat. Romero Special by Syxx, but is forced to release when his shoulders go down for a pin.
Chops by Syxx in the corner before he's sent in the corner, floats over, then sent out to the floor with a headscissor. AJ caught on a baseball slide and dropped chest and face first off the guard rail, then into the steel steps. Syxx picks up the steps but AJ manages to duck. AJ whipped spine first into the ring post, then pops Syxx into the ring post himself. Back in the ring, AJ goes up top and hits the Spiral Tap but it only gets two. AJ tries again hooking the leg but it's still only two.
AJ with a surfboard. Syxx fights his way back up and reverses it, only to be taken down with a drop toe hold. AJ latches on a side headlock, then back into a surfboard, AJ fights his way out, sends AJ off the ropes, who springboard moonsaults into an inverted DDT, makes the cover but only gets two. Syxx sent off the ropes, avoids a dropkick, hits a pair of spinning heel kicks. Sent off the ropes, catches AJ with a sitout powerbomb for two.
Syxx with some kicks in the corner to set up for the Bronco Buster, then goes to the middle rope to play to the crowd, allowing AJ to hit a powerbomb. AJ with a jackknife cover, then Syxx bridges up to hit the X-Factor. Syxx with the cover, but Mortimer leaps from commentary to yank the referee out of the ring. Syxx grabs Mortimer by the collar and pulls him to the apron, then AJ accidentally nails Mortimer. Syxx with a bridging Northern Lights but AJ kicks out for a near fall.
Syxx goes up top for a flying nothing, AJ slips around for a bridging German for two. AJ with a crossbody off the top, but Syxx rolls through for two. AJ flips out of a powerbomb, then goes for the Clash but Syxx scrambles to the ropes to avoid it. Lawler appears out of nowhere to smash something over his head, allowing AJ to hit the Clash and win the title in 8:59. Finally another good match with little bullshit.
Syxx raises AJ's arm despite the questionable win, then Lawler returns from behind, taking the belt from AJ to clock Syxx in the back of the head. AJ celebrates with the title.
Break
Ace Steel vs Jorge Estrada (w/ Priscilla)
Steel takes early control outwrestling Estrada, then Estra takes control himself briefly only to bip tossed across the ring. Estrada sent off the ropes, Steel tries to leapfrog, countered with a powerslam for two. Steel sent to the corner for a back elbow, then Jorge sent across the ring, catches Steel with a headscissor sending him into the middle turnbuckle. Suplex and a floatover for two by Jorge.
Jorge sent to the corner, tries to float over and caught with a sidewalk slam, then a vicious forearm by Steel. Steel to the middle rope with a dropkick to the side of the head as Jorge sits up, before tossing Jorge out to the floor. Steel follows with a suicide dive, then Priscilla gets between them and gets thrown to the floor. Steel sent spine first into the apron, then Jorge with a handspring into a DDT to the floor.
Back in the ring, Jorge misses a split-legged moonsault, then Steel with a slingshot splash from the apron. Steel sent to the corner, sends Jorge to the apron who hits forearms and elbows, then up top. Steel crotches him to deliver a superplex. Steel drapes the arm for a near fall. Steel caught with a series of clotheslines and a dropkick, then gets Jorge into a Gory Special but Jorge counters, then caught with a bridging Northern Lights, and another for two. Steel sent off the ropes, tripped up by Priscilla, then Jorge with a rollup for the win in 6:26. Fine little match.
Mortimer is here immediately to argue with the ref about Priscilla's interference, then gets in her face. Jorge gets between them and Steel knees him from behind. She jumps on Mortimer's back only to be thrown onto her back. Referees rush down to pull Mortimer off her and Steel leaves with him.
Break
Syxx-Pac is out again. He knows we've seen him too much already as he's panting for breath, so he's gonna make this quick. He says there's plenty of reasons why he lost the title tonight, and acknowledging a few in the crowd who say he sucks, then says AJ is a world-class wrestler, but the other reason is he was too worried about pushing Lawler's buttons and screwing with him and messing with his woman. He says some things start out as a rib and then turn serious, but he kinda digs April and calls her a hell of a piece of ass. He calls Lawler out to the ring to settle this in a fight, and the winner gets April.
Out comes Lawler before is music even hits with mic in hand. Pac calls him Jerry's kid and boy and asks if he's ready to fight for his woman. He also reminds Lawler he just got his ass kicked for 15 min. Lawler is still crying and stammering as he speaks and says the fight's over, he doesn't want April anymore, says she's used, a piece of trash, he saw her and Syxx kiss each other. Syxx implies they did a lot more than that.
Now out runs April who's now claiming Syxx forced her to do it and she loves Lawler, says he even drugged her. She's barely speaking into the mic so Lawler has to repeat it, so he rushes to the ring ready to kill Syxx. So they start going at it and now the refs rush out to break this up. Well this storyline has officially jumped the shark.
Break
Over to Don West for the weekly sales pitch for next week's show:
- Jorge and Priscilla will take on Plumtree and Steel
- AMW will defend their Tag Titles
- Syxx-Pac and Brian Lawler fight over April
- Amazing Red and AJ Styles battle for the X Division Championship
- Jeff Jarrett vs Curt Hennig, and Truth vs Scott Hall, one of which being for the NWA Title depending on tonight's main event
Pre-Match: Truth gets a mic for a quick rap.
Hennig goes right after Truth with rights after throwing his towel in his face, then hits an atomic drop, then an inverted one, followed by a clothesline. Truth taken to the corner for a chop and a snapmare, then another that sends Truth out to the floor. Hennig sent shoulder first into the ring post, then some rights and an uppercut by Truth. Henning face first off the announce table, Truth keeping control with boots and rights. Hennig sent to the guard rail, then Truth misses a side kick and crotches himself on the rail, eating a lariat.
Hennig takes control at ringside with a chop and a right, then Truth starts choking him with a camera cable until the ref pulls him off. Truth back on the attack with vicious rights. Hennig tries to fight back but gets his eyes raked and they return to the ring. Truth with a snapmare from the corner, then goes to the middle rope with a leg drop, wastes time taunting the crowd before covering for two.
Hennig sent off the ropes, booted and gets an ax kick for his trouble. Back to the middle rope with a fist drop. Hennig tries to fight back but Truth rakes his eyes again.Truth with a wheelbarrow facebuster and a cover for two. Hennig choked in the corner, then delivers some chops. Hennig sent off the ropes into a flying forearm. Truth puts his foot on the chest for two. Hennig with a single-leg takedown into an ankle lock, but Truth immediately gets the ropes.
Hennig twists the neck, then Truth fights back with chops. Low blow by Hennig then sends Truth off the ropes into a back body drop. Truth sent over the turnbuckle and face first off the top of the post. Now Mr. Wrestling III suddenly appears and pulled in by Hennig. Hennig with a knee lift before tossing the mystery man face first off the post. Hennig tries to unmask him but Truth nails him with something in the back of the head for the win in 8:33. Yeah this wasn't good. They do this thing with brawling outside the ring to start way too much on these shows now, and even when they got in the ring, the action was subpar, and hell Hennig looked lost most of the time.
Mr. Wrestling III is seen escaping through the crowd and out of the building as Truth takes his belt and leaves. Then we get the same graphics tease for next week, with the New Church music playing in the background to end the show.
FINAL THOUGHTS
This was actually a solid show for the most part. Two good X Division Matches, a fun tag title match, Hall and Jarrett was a fine little match until the finish. Main event and the Not Road Dogg/Lawler match was just... there. But it's kind of expected at this point. The more I see Mr. Wrestling III though, the more I'm reminded of Russo's impending arrival, we have four more shows before he finally shows up, and that's not even the only bad thing that happens there. Sigh. With a run time of 1:53:06, this show had a total 1:05:54 of wrestling.
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