NWA/TNA Weekly PPV #19 (October 30, 2002)
No time to waste, as we get to a match about 30 seconds into the episode, after being welcomed by Tenay. Some quick chain wrestling to start the match along with a few quick pin attempts. Series of roll up counters then arm drags by Mamaluke. Kash with some arm drags sends Mamaluke to the outside.We also learn of an 8-man tournament starting tonight to find a #1 contender for the World Title. Kash with a crossbody takes Mamaluke to the floor. Back in the ring, Mamaluke sent to the corner for a clothesline, then across the ring but Kash is sent intot he middle turnbuckle. Neckbreaker by Mamaluke for two.
Exchange of blows as Mamaluke takes Kash in the corner with knees, then Kash sent off the ropes, slips behind with a pumphandle neckbreaker. Kash with a modified STF until Mamaluke gets to the ropes. Kash pulled through the ropes to the apron before getting knocked off, and Mamaluke follows with a baseball slide. Mamaluke with a cover back in the ring for two. Kash face first into the mat repeatedly, then into the corner, goes tot he middle rope with a moonsault for two.
Mamaluke counters an armlock into a kneebar, Kash eventually makes it to the ropes. Kash avoids a back drop then hits a corkscrew crossbody. Clothesline for two. Mamaluke ducks a clothesline and hits a back suplex, Kash landing on the back of his head. Kash avoids a suplex and hits a fisherman buster, makes the cover but only gets two. Exchange of chops, then a backslide by Kash for two. Backslide by Mamaluke countered into a double underhook piledriver, Kash gets the win in 8:34. Nice opening match.
Over to commentary to run down the card for tonight:
- Jarrett vs Hennig in a qualifying match for the tournament
- Amazing Red vs Styles for the X Division Championship
- Truth defends the NWA Title against Scott Hall
Over to an interview Tenay did with Hall earlier in the day. Tenay starts by asking about his experience so far working with TNA. He says he's worked all around the world and a lot of the time in a top position, but TNA attracted him because it had an outlaw, renegade spirit, and thinks they might be too stupid to quit, they wanna go up against mega companies, and he likes the spirit and attitude.
Tenay runs down Scott's resume, x4 IC Champion, multi-time WWF and WCW Tag Champion, but mentions how he's never won a world title, and wants a word on the title and Truth. Hall says the NWA Title is the oldest title in wrestling and a lot of great wrestlers have held it, talks about the TNA name attached to it now and the young talent, and more of that renegade spirit. He says he's impressed by Truth and says he's really good, much like himself, but isn't as good as he thinks he is.
NWA World Heavyweight Championship: Scott Hall vs Ron "the Truth" Killings (c)
Pre-Match: Truth gets a mic. Apparently Hall, Syxx and James think Mr. Wrestling III is Jarrett but Truth doubts it, and accuses them of locker room politics.Then tells Hall to just bring it. Hall comes out and gets a mic, tells Truth not to waste his energy badmouthing fans, and stop being Jarrett's stooge, says he's playing Truth like one of Ricky Ricardo's bongo drums.
Hall starts working the arm and shoulder early on, slapping the back of Truth's head as he does, then into an ab stretch and a modified STF, before releasing prematurely. Truth with some rights avoiding another wristlock before being sent into the corner, floats over and hits a dropkick. Powerslam by Truth, then off the ropes with a slingblade for two.
Truth with some more rights before sending Hall off the ropes, a boot and an ax kick connects for two. Truth up top with the leg drop, slow to cover for two. Hall fights back and sends Truth off the ropes but catches a boot, and Truth hits the flatliner for two. Truth misses a dropkick and Hall delivers a chokeslam. Hall with some rights, then Truth sent off the ropes, ducks a clothesline, caught off a crossbody and Hall with a fallaway slam. Truth set on the top rope for a back suplex from the middle rope. And of course, here's Mr. Wrestling III who gets decked by Hall several times. Hall manages to unmask him but the man manages to hide his face, while Truth hits a sitout front suplex to retain in 6:45. It was actually a fine match until the end, this Mr. Wrestling III shtick is getting old.
The masked man gets his mask back on before retreating through the crowd.
Break
Jarrett comes out now. Jarrett's gonna keep it short and sweet, and has two points to make. Six weeks ago he said he told the world he was gonna quit ranting about the NWA Title and was gonna earn his way to get it, so he thanks NWA for putting him in the tournament. All he has to do is win three matches and his sights are set on Truth. He says he'll walk out the champion one night. Onto Mr. Wrestling III. Jarrett's putting a bounty on his head, but won't name a price, he says if anyone in the building, publicly or privately, can tell him who's behind the mask, he'll pay whatever the person wants.
Hennig is out next with a mic. He says Jarrett is dumb, bringing up his old country singer gimmick, and how he was the Chosen One, then mentions DDP again for some reason. He then implies Jarrett and the masked man are the same guy, then calls Truth dumb for not thinking it's Jarrett, then tells Jarrett to run and hide because he's gonna find him and kick his ass.
Break
Hot Shots and AMW start fighting on the outside immediately, and the Michaels join in and it becomes 4 on 2. Storm is hip tossed onto exposed concrete as they pull the mats up, then sent into the guard rail. Harris is taken to the ring for a Blue Thunder Bomb, then a pair of running leg drops before being tossed back out. Storm scoop slammed on the floor, then a leg drop off the apron. Harris is sent back first into the apron. Storm sends oe Michael into the guard rail, only to be popped up and nailed with... something, the camera completely missed it.Harris sent face first off the steps.
Storm is tossed back in as one Michael trades shots with him, then sent off the ropes and delivers the superkick Harris comes in to help clear the ring out. One Hot Shot is sent to the corner for a back elbow, then a bulldog by Harris. Rick with a DDT on Harris and covers, but a Hot Shot breaks it up. Now they trade shots, Hot Shot hits a handspring elbow. Cover by a Hot Shot and Storm breaks the pin. Frog splash by Cassidy for two. Harris back in, Rick sends the Hot Shots out to the floor. Facebuster and a neckbreaker by Rick, then an elbow by Chris off the top for two. Storm sends Chris out with an elbow to the top of the head. Storm and Rick trade blows, then Harris with a leg drop spinebuster for the win in 6:24. It's hard to tell anyone apart in this match, the Michaels look the same, the Hot Shots look the same, and most of the time Harris and Storm look the same. It was a fine match though.
Lights immediately go out as the bell rings. Disciples of the New Church, specifically Slash and new disciple Brian Lee, have appeared in the ring and start attacking everyone. James Mitchell looks on from the stage and tells them to take the garbage out.Brian hits Storm with a suplex on the stage before taking him to the side of the stage, chokeslamming him... sorta off the ramp. Mitchell tells Slash to sacrifice himself for the good of the church while Brian lays Harris on a table. Slash climbs the balcony to splash Harris through it. Mitchell calls them off.
Mitchell says his disciples have descended upon TNA like a plague, and the slaughter's only begun. Under his guidance, his disciples will do what they want, when they want, to whom they want for as long and hard as they care to do, until he alone tells them to stop. They follow him like rats behind the Pied Piper and there's nothing NWA can do to prevent it. They don't care about rules, regulations, their ideas of good and evil. He says he's beyond good and evil, and he is their personal messiah, the alpha and omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end. He says to prepare for the apocalypse before the lights go out again and they disappear. Mitchell will never not be a highlight.
Another sitdown interview from Tenay, this time with Bullet Bob, who also has one of the Harris twins sitting with them. Bob has an announcement to make about changing some rules in regards to title matches. Basically he takes a long time to say that the champions advantage is no more, titles will change hands on a DQ or countout going forward, so there will be clear cut winners and to give people their money's worth.
Tenay says Bob's been the target of many charges by many, that he's been unfair with granting NWA Title shots. Bob says he finds the best cure for that is to give everyone an even chance in a tournament starting tonight. He knows these guys are young and wanna be at the top, and he's having the Harris twin handle the refereeing, he wants a strong hand.
Break
We don't get a bracket, but we do get the matches in the first round of the tournament:
- Jarrett vs Hennig
- Sonny Siaki vs Jerry Lynn
- Syxx-Pac vs Brian Lawler
- Ron Harris vs BG James
We're told Syxx vs Lawler will happen at a later date due to a hip injury suffered by Syxx, apparently happened last week against Styles.
NWA Championship #1 Contender's Tournament First Round Match: Ron Harris vs BG James
James easily shoved into the corner, then Ron with rights and knees. Don pulls him back to stop a closed fist punch. James sent off the ropes, duck a clothesline to deliver some shake rattle and roll, but he's pulled back by Don as well for he same reason. Ron takes advantage with a clothesline. More boots and rights by Ron before choking James over the middle rope, then a snapmare and a series of elbow drops.
We're interrupted by a cut to backstage, where Jarrett has turned Hennig into a bloody mess as he delivers some right hands, security trying to pull them apart. Back to the ring, James sent to the corner, then sent off the ropes, ducks an elbow and hits a forearm, then a knee drop for two. James gets into an argument with Don even though it was a fair count, and Ron decks him with a right. James sent off the ropes into a clothesline. Cut to the back again as Hennig is having gauze wrapped around his head, Goldilocks right there.
Rest hold by Ron back in the ring. James fights out but gets sent to the corner, gets a boot up and sends Ron face first in the corner. Mounted rights by James just to be yanked off by Don. Big boot by Ron. Now Bullet Bob comes out to fire Don as referee and Don gets on the mic. Jarrett and Hennig are now fighting again backstage while Don tries to defend himself, accusing Bob of protecting his fat-ass son, then threatens to suspend both brothers. Don decks Bob on the stage, then James rolls up Ron with a completely obvious fast count for the win in 5:39. Dud is the best way to describe this shit show.
James and officials check on Bob before sending security after the Harris twins. James helps Bob to the back.
Replay of the Ace/Mortimer/Priscilla/Jorge problems last week.
Mortimer comes out with a mic. He says he overstated his case last week, says a Plumtree doesn't roll around in a ring with women, he's a man, one that doesn't fight women. However, he's secured the services of someone who claims to be more woman than Priscilla could ever be.
Mixed Tag Team Match: Jorge Estrada & Priscilla vs Ace Steel & Bruce (w/ Mortimer Plumtree)
Pre-Match: Yes, this match is actually being billed as mixed tag. This is the first Plof only two matches Priscilla's wrestled, the other being in 2008 and not for TNA.
Ace and Jorge start the match. Bruce chases and gets hold of Priscilla around until Jorge hits him with a suicide dive. Ace joins the action before returning to the ring. Jorge sent off the ropes to hit a headscissor. Bruce sent off the ropes into a hip toss neckbreaker for two. Ace takes Jorge to the corner for some forearms, then Jorge sent off the ropes into a powerbomb position, Bruce off the top with a dropkick for two. Bruce with boots and ax handles, followed by a scoop slam for two.
Jorge sent to the corner to hit a crossbody for two, Bruce rolling back to mount with rights. Ace back in, suplex to Jorge, then Ace flips off Priscilla before covering for two. Bruce is back in. Jorge sent off the ropes into a double back drop, Bruce covers for two. Snap suplex then Ace comes back in, to the top and misses a headbutt. Priscilla tries to get a tag but Mortimer pulls her off the apron. Jorge is sent to the corner as Ace misses a slash and Jorge hits Bruce with a dropkick Jorge to the top for a crossbody and a double pin for two.
Jorge popped up and into Bruce, then Ace is tripped up by Priscilla. Jorge with the Trip to Graceland and a springboard moonsault but it only gets two. Jorge goes back up top only to be crotched by Bruce from the apron. Twist of Kane by Ace before Bruce tags back in cover and win in 5:53. Well it wasn't a terrible match. And they didn't have Priscilla try to wrestle, which was probably a good thing.
Plumtree gets to a knee and puts Priscilla over it, and he proceeds to give her a spanking, while Bruce and Ace beatdown Jorge some more. Referees rush out to break it up.
Break
Pre-Match: Curt's head is heavily bandaged and he's still a bit of a bloody mess. Jarrett attacks with a chair from behind right away and they start the match anyways.
Jarrett is talking trash as Curt is laid out at ringside, finally tossing him into the ring. Stroke for the win in 1:14.
Jarrett grabs the chair again and security try to stop him, but one is yeeted right out of it. More try and come out but they're laid out by the chair. Jarrett scares off Borash and just heads to the back, Hennig is trying to still get his hands on Jarrett but officials hold him off, he can barely stand after the loss of blood.
Over to Goldy who's backstage with Lynn ahead of his tournament match with Siaki, asking if revenge is on his mind tonight. He says though revenge is satisfying, it can also bite him on the ass, especially when focus is all on it. Tonight he has the opportunity of a lifetime, says he's been World Champion, but the NWA Title is the oldest recognized title. He says he's been held down for years by backstabbing and politics, but tonight his focus is on taking one step closer on fulfilling his dreams, which is more important than revenge.
Recap of Lynn and Siaki's match last week.
Now Goldy is with Siaki and reminds him he couldn't get the job done last week. Siaki says, in the third person, that he's tireless, he has stamina, he keeps going and going all night long, he's the gift that keeps on giving. He didn't give Lynn everything he had last week, it's a game, the ring is his playground, and he's the biggest bully on the block. He says he'll push Lynn back down Jacob's Ladder, then leaves the interview.
Shoving match into the corner off a lockup, and another, both getting the upperhand. Siaki takes control until Lynn delivers rights and boots, then a headscissor. More rights by Lynn in the cover before he's sent across the ring, gets a boot up and hits a bulldog from the middle rope for two. Siaki sent off the ropes just to retreat to the floor. Baseball slide by Lynn, then off the apron with a somersault. Siaki sent into the guard rail, then Lynn is whipped into it. Lynn breaks the cont before sending Siaki face first off the steps then returns to the ring, Lynn covers for two.
Both trade waistlocks before Siaki blocks a roll up, then flapjacks Lynn throat first on the top rope. More boots by Siaki, then a short-arm clothesline and a leg drop to the back of the head for two, and another cover for two. Chinlock in the ropes by Siaki, then chokes Lynn with his boot. Siaki focusing on the neck with elbows to the back of it until Lynn fights back, taking Siaki to the corner. Lynn sent across the ring, floats over into a rollup for two.
Siaki misses a clothesline, then hits a neckbreaker off the knee, followed by an inverted DDT for two.
Siaki cranking the neck now, then covers for two. Lynn ducks a short-arm clothesline into a rollup for two. Siaki with a rolling neckbreaker off the ropes for two, then another cover for two. Lynn choked over the middle rope and in the corner, followed by some shoulder blocks. Snapmare into a reverse chinlock by Siaki, then a suplex, for two. More boots by Siaki before going up top only to be crotched by Lynn. Lynn with a superplex, clutching his neck on impact.
Exchanging shots now until Lynn takes control, Siaki sent off the ropes into a back drop and a pair of clotheslines. Tornado DDT by Lynn for two. Lynn with a TKO for two. Lynn calls for the end but Siaki fights off and back drops Lynn. TKO of his own from Siaki for two. Siak-olypse Now blocked by Lynn, who tries to send Siaki into the ropes but ends up sending him into the ref by accident. Low blow by Siaki who goes out and grabs a chair, but Lynn ducks and dropkicks it into Siaki's face. Ref is still down as Lynn makes the cover.
Lynn tries for something on the chair, only to be DDT'd onto it instead. Siaki wakes the ref up and makes the cover but Lynn kicks out. Lynn sends Siaki to the corner just to be sent to the middle turnbuckle with a drop toe hold, then Siaki covers with his feet on the ropes for the win in 15:03. Well that was rather anti-climactic for a good match.
Lynn shoves Siaki out to the floor as he's posing in the corner. Lynn sends him face first into the chair at ringside and into the guard rail, then off the steps. Lynn takes Siaki up the ramp with rights, mounting with vicious shots. Siaki off the entrance set before getting thrown off the stage into the guard rail.
Break
Recap of the love triangle (sort of) with Lawler, April and Syxx.
Goldy is backstage with April and Lawler, who seems to be happy as can be. Brian says there's never been a relationship with as much love as the one he has with April, not Romeo and Juliet, not Antony and Cleopatra, none in the universe has what they have. He gets mad at himself when he thinks how he could have doubted how his angel wanted to go out with, be seen with, hold hands with the greaseball, piece of trash, slime Syxx-Pac, and says there's no way she would wipe her feet on a piece of garbage like that. Then they make out.
Now they come out to the ring, for some reason. Brian and a fan have words, so he proceeds to beat the crap out of this guy, leaving him bloody too. He gets a mic and says we're not gonna hear what he has to say because of assholes like that, then they leave.
Quick exchange of holds and throws to start the match until AJ lands a kick after blocking an arm drag. More quick back and forth, an exchange of pin attempts until Red lands a roundhouse. Red lands on his feet off a German suplex and AJ tries a springboard only to be dropkicked out of the ring, then AJ reverses a hurricanrana off the apron just for Red to land back on it. Kick to the face of AJ before Red dives over the ropes to stick the landing this time. Back in the ring, Red covers for two.
Red sent to the corner, AJ misses a splash and gets a dropkick to the back. Red caught with some version of a gutwrench for two. Red sent of the ropes, booted and caught with a swinging neckbreaker. Stalling brainbuster by AJ for two. Red sent off the ropes, AJ blocks the Code Red, then tries a suplex but Red counters with the Code Red for two. AJ sent to the corner, Re eats an elbow, AJ with a moonsault into an inverted DDT for two. Rear chinlock by AJ. Red fights out, ducks heel kick and hits a tilt-a-whirl DDT for a near fall. AJ blocks an Irish whip but misses a clothesline, then rolls through a rollup into a Styles Clash attempt, but Red grabs the rope. AJ turns it into a sitout powerbomb for a nearfall.
Red face first in the corner then snapmared, followed by a soccer kick to the back. AJ nails a superkick after they each duck a clothesline for two. AJ with a front facelock until Red fights his way out, taking AJ to the corner with some rights. Red sent across the ring and gets a boot up, sweeps the legs, hits a standing shooting star for two. Red off the ropes, popped up, Red blocks the Clash into a snap hurricanrana but only gets two. Red sent off the ropes, booted, taken up into a Razor's Edge position just to be driven down on his face for a near fall.
AJ sent to the corner and kicked in the side of the head twice for two. Red sent off the ropes and tripped up by Plumtree, allowing AJ to turn him inside out with a clothesline. AJ goes up but Red pops up to crotch him. Red tries a hurricanrana, then AJ tries to powerbomb him from the middle rope, then Red hurricanrana's only for AJ to roll through into a roll up for the win in 12:39. Can't complain here, Mortimer was a minimal part of the match, clean win, great action like always with the X Division.
Time for the hype for next week's show:
- Elimination Tables Match: Ace Steel vs Kid Kash vs SATs vs Tony Mamaluke. Winner gets an X Division Title shot.
- Jorge Estrada vs Bruce. Priscilla becomes Miss TNA if Jorge wins.
- AJ defends the X Division Title against Jerry Lynn
- Jarrett vs Hennig again
- BG James vs Sonny Siaki in a semifinal match
And that's it.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Well aside from the X Division matches, as usual, plus the Lynn/Siaki match, this show as somewhere between forgettable and a mess. I'm also confused how this tournament is going to work, Jarrett is going to win it (presumably) and win the title on episode 22, and Syxx vs Lawler doesn't seem to be happening on the next one, plus they're already doing a semifinal match. I don't get it. Getting rid of the champion's advantage is nice in theory, but we'll see if they actually take advantage of it. With a run time of 1:53:34, this show had a total 1:02:11 of wrestling.
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