NWA-TNA Weekly PPV #25 (December 11, 2002)

Recap of Russo and Piper's promos last week, though they smart to leave out Piper's accusation of Russo killing Owen, but leaving out his comparison to Bin Laden. Also reminded of the Harris Twins and BG James joining Russo's cause, ending with the sudden appearance of the former Paul Bearer.

Jason Cross vs Tony Mamaluke

Pre-Match: Jason Cross a 6-year pro at this point from Georgia. Spent a bulk of his time in various NWA promotions, last wrestling in 2017. He also had a match on Xplosion a week before this show.

Quick exchange of holds until Cross counters an arm lock with a suplex, then Tony catches him with a drop toe hold into the bottom rope. Tony misses a leg drop and is sent into the ring post, allowing Cross to follow with a corkscrew senton. Cross with a moonsault off the steps countered with a knee to the gut, before being sent back first into the apron, then returns to the ring. Cross set up in a tree of woe but Tony misses a baseball slide into the ring post, Cross taking advantage and cranking back on the neck while upside down in the corner, then a dropkick to the face. Exchange of counters until Cross delivers a brainbuster for two, Tony getting a foot on the rope.

Snapmare and a missed senton by Cross allowing Tony to clip the knee. Tony dropping his weight with help from the ropes on the leg, then sent face first in the corner into a roll up for two. Cross misses an enziguri and gets dropped on his head with a German suplex for two. Cross counters a shin breaker into a roll up for two, then gets dropkicked in the back leg. Knee driven into the mat by Tony, but Cross gets him with a spinning heel kick. Cross avoids a dropkick to the knee and leg drops the back of the neck. Tony misses a dropkick in the corner and Cross hits some kinda neckbreaker from the middle rope. 

Front slam by Cross before he goes up top but Tony shoves the ref into the ropes to crotch him. Cross gets him with an Unprettier from the middle rope, then goes back up top with a shooting star leg drop, the Crossfire, but can't capitalize thanks to the bad leg. Shin breaker and a dragon screw by Tony, into a stretch muffer/single leg combo for the tap out in 6:31. Cool finishers at the end, decent enough opener to start the show.

Oh great, here's BG James who appeared out of nowhere at ringside to grab a mic, and he has a guitar. He tells Tenay and West to guard the guitar with their lives, threatening their lives if they don't, saying it's a direct order. He says Jarrett will need it to retain and keep his title. Harris Twins also appear and James sends them after Mamaluke who's still in the ring. H Bomb for Mamaluke, then one for Cross as he's tossed in by James.

James says their illustrious leader couldn't be here, out recruiting more talent for SEX. He calls themselves the Gleesome Threesome and says the army will only grow. He responds to a "you suck" chant by bringing up DX, crediting Russo and his own performance that boosted them to the top of the mountain. He says it was Russo's guidance and his own guts that brought them to the top of the game. He understands the mentality of pro wrestling fans, and doesn't expect them to understand, but insists this is for the good of the business.

Now out comes Bullet Bob. He says James has carried the family tradition on his shoulders a long time and can't believe he's joined that rat-fink Russo. He says he used to spank him so James knew right from wrong, and just wants to know why the hell he'd want to tag along with Russo. He says Bob never did anything for him. Bob says he's not going to show favoritism just because he's his son, so he brings Truth out, who has a big long chain around his neck and a chair in hand. Bob explains that it's 12 feet long, and the two of them will be strapped together at both ends, with a chair attached in the middle, with no DQ or countouts, and there must be a winner. 

He threatens to knock the Twins on their asses if they get involved and tells them to kiss his. He says they'll face the New Church tonight because they're both still contracted, or they don't get paid. One Twin says he doesn't give a shit as long as the titles are on the line. I don't think Bob gives them the title shot, then makes the snake analogy again. James wants to fight Truth now so they start going at it, then of course the Twins join in. Then the New Church run down to get involved as Bob calls for security.

Over to commentary who talk about Jarrett touring the UK, where he defended against Sting, Lex Luger and Nathan Jones, and will be wrestling for Zero-1 that Sunday. Then onto the night's card:

- Divine Storm vs America's Most Wanted

- I guess it will be a title match as the Harris Twins challenge Father Mitchell's New Church

- Amazing Red looks for revenge against AJ Styles after the ambush last week

- Sonny Siaki finally challenges Jerry Lynn for the X Division Championship

- Curt Hennig challenges Jeff Jarrett for the NWA Title

First though, Goldy is backstage with Jorge Estrada, who is oddly not wearing his Elvis getup. She says he seems to be down on the dump. He says Siaki left him and burnt his sacred outfit, Jimmy Yang won't return his phone calls and is too busy in Japan, and his girl Priscilla left with Lawler 2 weeks ago. He's wondering if he's the problem, and maybe he needs to take a different direction for his career, because if his blue suede shoes won't carry him, he doesn't know what can. He's going to play it by ear from now on. She asks if the Flying Elvis is dead, but he says nothing and walks off. OK I actually liked the promo, and doing away with the Elvis crap is a plus.

Kid Kash vs Jorge Estrada

Pre-Match: I take it back, Jorge is still a Flying Elvis. But, more X Division stuff is always a plus.

Quick exchange of holds and throws, Kash taking control with an armbar. Estrada sent off the ropes, hooks the ropes and sends Kash to the apron, then the floor. Springboard corkscrew and Jorge nearly lands on his head, returning to the ring for a two count. Kash sent to the corner, goes to the middle rope, hits a corkscrew of his own for two. Kash sent off the ropes, ducks a clothesline and throws him on his face for two.

Knees to the face of Jorge, then he's sent off the ropes and caught with a scoop slam. Kash sent off the ropes into a drop toe hold then a springboard leg drop. Kash sent off the ropes, hip toss into a neckbreaker for two. Kash sent off the ropes, gets Jorge with a kick then of the middle rope with a dropkick. Tornado DDT for two for Kash. Jorge fights back until he's thumbed in the eye, sent off the ropes, ducks a clothesline, caught with a brainbuster for the win in 5;17. This wasn't good. Jorge was sloppy and slow for like 90% of this match, I don't know if that corkscrew to the floor knocked him silly or what. Kash spiked him on his neck with that brainbuster too, had trouble just getting him up for it.

Kash leaves and looks unimpressed.

Goldy tries to get a comment backstage from Bob, but he's on the phone with someone, and Scott Armstrong is there. He offers to try and talk some sense into his brother and leaves. Bob also leaves without saying anything to Goldy.

America's Most Wanted vs Divine Storm (w/ Trinity)

Harris and... I still can't tell these guys apart, but they exchange holds to start, ending with Harris shrugging off a dropkick. Another exchange and Harris delivers a clothesline to get the upperhand. The Storms tag in for another exchange, James with a hurricanrana, then caught with a headscissor. James with an enziguri, then off the ropes is back dropped over the ropes, hanging from the top rope. Quiet tries a baseball slide but James skins the cat to avoid it, back dropping Divine onto his own partner. James off Harris' back onto Divine Storm, then Harris with a crossbody onto all three. Trinity up top with a moonsault onto all four. 

Back in the ring, Quiet sent off the ropes, caught by Harris as James comes off the top with a dropkick, then Quiet is catapulted into the corner. Divine knocked off the apron, Harris with a stalling suplex on Quiet for two. Harris sent off the ropes, kicked by Divine who's knocked off the apron. Quiet with a discus forearm before tagging in Divine, who delivers a back suplex for one. Divine sent off the ropes into a tilt-a-whirl Russian leg sweep for two. Quiet back in with a snapmare and a rear chinlock. Quiet off the ropes with a running cutter, then Divine back in. Harris fights back but he's thumbed in the eye. Divine sent to the corner, gets a boot up but gets shoved out to the floor. Quiet in to send Harris off the ropes into a spear.

James gets the hot tag. Forearms off the ropes, then Quiet counters an Irish whip, but caught with an Alabama slam. Divine off the top caught with a dropkick midair and James covers for two. Quiet back on the attack but sent off the ropes into a double spinebuster for two. Divine back in and sent off the ropes, caught with a tilt-a-whirl powerslam for a near fall. Divine sent off the ropes, avoids a back drop. AMW go for the Death Sentence, but Quiet has the ref distracted allowing Trinity to hit a low blow. Divine Storm with a roll up for the win in 6:57. Alright, this was better than the last and a solid match all around. 

Goldy has caught up with the Armstrong brothers outside the building, with James smoking a cigarette. Scott brings up their childhood watching their dad wrestle Dory Funk Jr., and how when he was 14 and James was 6, he said he wanted to be just like their dad. He also bought James his first car once he'd turned 16, which James acknowledges. He says though while their dad drove on dirt roads he paved his own, superhighways and traveling in the fast lane. Then walks off.

Recap of AJ laying out Red last week. plus the last time they were in the ring together.

AJ Styles (w/ Mortimer Plumtree) vs Amazing Red

Red wastes no time attacking AJ in the corner, jumping on his back with vicious rights and clubbing blows. AJ gets his legs kicked out and a shooting star on the back from Red. Red sent off the ropes and hits a spin kick. 718 then a dropkick sends AJ out to the floor, then Plumtree saves him from a dive. Red tries a crossbody but he's caught with a backbreaker. Back in the ring for a pin and a two count.

Red sent off the ropes into another backbreaker, then a gutbuster. Red fighting back with rights and chops, then off the ropes, turned inside out with a clothesline for two. Chinlock by AJ now, then some forearms across the face before letting him go. Red face first in the corner and some chops from AJ, Red sent across the ring, to the middle rope, AJ goes for the Clash but Red grabs the bottom rope. Red tries for a tornado DDT from the top but he's caught with a Northern Lights suplex for two, then another pin for two.

Red is tossed to the floor allowing Plumtree to get in some cheap shots while AJ occupies the ref, then Red is tossed back in for a two count. Red sent off the ropes, then baseball slides into a headscissor to Plumtree on the floor. Red sent face first off the apron by Red, then dropped face first off some kind of box next to the ring. AJ turns the steps on its side before picking Red up and dropping him face first off of them. Back in the ring only gets AJ a two count.

Scoop slam and a senton by AJ, knee across the face for a pin and another two. AJ off the ropes and caught with a snap hurricanrana for a near fall. AJ sent off the ropes, misses a moonsault but hits a reverse DDT for two again. AJ with a deathlock now, rolling onto his front, then sits upright on his knees as he cranks on the neck. Red is starting to pass out but AJ lets go of the hold. Late to cover gets another near fall for AJ. Red sent off the ropes, hits the Code Red for another near fall.

Red with rights drives AJ into the corner, then sends him across the ring but AJ gets his feet up. AJ with a sitout powerbomb and a kick out by Red. Front slam by AJ before he goes up top but he gets crotched, and Red goes for a hurricanrana. AJ tries the Clash but Red blocks and hits an enziguri. AJ fights off a superplex, then gets on top for a Clash, but Red counters with a super Frankensteiner for the clean win in 12:10. Not as good as their last one, but still fantastic.

NWA World Tag Team Championships: Disciples of the New Church (c) (w/ Father James Mitchell & BellaDonna) vs Harris Twins

Styles has joined commentary, he seems to have been sent loopy after his match and commentary are confused. Plumtree is there too, both making excuses. Big boots all around to start the match, then the Twins take control. Slash with a crossbody onto one Twin on the floor from the top. Slash sent into the guard rail and now all four fight into the crowd. Then into ringside. Slash and one Twin return to the ring, the Twin with a sitout spinebuster. Slash taken to the corner for rights. Double suplex to Lee who's on the apron into the ring. Slash sent to the corner for a clothesline, then back across and avoids a clothesline.. Slash with a reverse DDT and clotheslines from Lee. Slash with a back elbow, then takes a Twin to the corner to bite him and deliver rights. BG James comes in with a chair and nails Slash in the head behind the ref's back. Twins win the titles in 4:20. Yeah the most entertaining part of this match was Styles and Plumtree on commentary, this was awful. And worse yet, the Harris Twins have the titles now.

Now to top this off, out comes the former Paul Bearer, Percy Pringle, telling the referee about James' interference. He tries to tell him James is under the ring, and Scott is out there too and James escapes through the crowd. The ref reverses the decision, so New Church retains via DQ. 

Mitchell gets a mike now and says neither team like each other, but says Pringle has no business in either of their business, suggesting they place the blame where it belongs. So the Twins go after Pringle but AMW come out with chairs to make the save, sending both teams running. OK I'm so fucking confused to what's going on.

Recap of Siaki and Lynn's issues.

Time for a sitdown interview with Siaki from earlier in the week. Tenay asks why Siaki shows such a lack of respect for those who sacrificed themselves for the business, like Lynn and the such. Siaki says he's been in the business for four years and has heard this crap since day one, but says its out with the old and in with the new. He says the people came to see him with the X Division Title around his waist. Tenay brings up his title shot and Siaki says he's waited a long time for this, reminding us how he put Lynn in the hospital for two weeks, but tonight he vows to make the belt his..

NWA X Division Championship: Sonny Siaki vs Jerry Lynn (c)

Quick exchanges to start the match, Lynn getting the better with a serious of throws and a rollup for two. Armlock by Lynn off a hip toss until Siaki takes him to the corner by the hair, then misses a cheap shot. Siaki sent off the ropes, ducks a clothesline and sends Lynn to the floor through the ropes. Siaki misses a baseball slide and Lynn slides back into the ring, luring him to the apron for a springboard dropkick. 

Lynn pulled out to the floor but Lynn keeps control, sending Siaki face first off the announce desk. Lynn then face first off the apron before returning to the ring, Siaki favoring his wrist or hand. Siaki has his legs swept while on the apron and Lynn slingshots into a leg drop on the apron, Lynn covers for two. Siaki blocks a suplex, then floats over and tries a roll up only to be launched throat first onto the top rope for two. Siaki with a short-arm clothesline for two. Lynn avoids a scoop slam but gets sent to the corner, floats over into a sunset flip for two. Lynn avoids a clothesline, then Siaki shoves the ref to deliver a low blow, followed by a superkick for two. 

Lynn tossed back out to the floor, then face first off the title belt, then the steps. Siaki face first off the guard rail now. Siaki tries a powerbomb but Lynn counters with a backdrop. Siaki rakes the eyes and sends Lynn into the guard rail, then swings him face first into the side of it by the legs. Back in the ring, Siaki covers for two. Lynn counters a slam with a reverse DDT.

Exchange of rights now until Lynn is sent off the ropes and delivers some clotheslines. Lynn back off the ropes, Siaki tries a Thesz Press, caught with a sitout powerbomb for a near fall. Tornado DDT by Lynn for another two. Lynn caught with a TKO for another two. Lynn counters an Irish whip and sandwiches the ref in the corner. Lynn couners the Siak-olypse Now and hits the cradle piledriver, but the ref is still out of it.

Sidewalk slam by Lynn. Lynn goes up top but he's crotched by a mystery woman who appears from nowhere. Siaki looks just as confused, as he hits a rope-assisted Siak-olypse Now to win the title in 12:02. It was a decent enough match. Siaki winning is confusing though, seeing as EZ Money is a heel as the next challenger. On a side note, the woman was Kim Nielsen, who was apparently a runner up on Biggest Loser and was in WWE developmental before this.

Commentary have no idea who she was as Siaki celebrates.

Chairs & Chains Match: Ron "the Truth" Killings vs BG James

James tries his damnedest to get out of this and even tries to beg Truth off, just o lure him into some rights. Chain-wrapped around his fist for some rights before James takes the chair, as Truth gets up top and dropkicks it into his face for two. Scissor kick sends James face first onto the chair for two. Truth lays the chair on his chest before going up top but misses a moonsault and nothing but the chair.

Chair into the ribs of Truth before wedging it in the corner. More chain shots to the head sends Truth out to the floor, but it allows him to pull James face first into... Well I think he's supposed to go into the chair, but the chair gets pulled too, so he hits the turnbuckle instead. It gets two anyways. Oh and the straps came off of both of them in the middle of that. DDT is avoided by James, then Truth avoids a pumphandle, hits his front suplex onto the chair for the win in 4:05. You know this match would've been passable if the chair had not been attached to the chain, but they had so much trouble trying to do spots with it in the way. Not to mention the ref didn't even care that the straps came off and the match continued as normal.

Truth dances to celebrate. Then he lays the chair on James' chest again, and the chain to go up top for something, but Bob comes out to stop it. Truth obliges and has his arm raised, then James goes to hit Truth with the chair but he ducks. Bob is barely hit by it, which is probably a good thing, then Truth gets hit anyways. James is conflicted and leaves as officials rush out.

Onto the sales pitch for next week's show:

- Tenay will interview Percy Pringle to find out once and for all who he's aligned with and his situation

- America's Most Wanted, New Church and the Harris Twins face off in a three-way dance

- Siaki has his first title defense as he faces EZ Money

- 10-Man Gauntlet Match to determine the #1 contender for the X Division Championship

Recap of the history between Jarrett and Hennig.

Before the match, another sitdown interview, this time with Jarrett. Tenay starts by asking how it feels to be introduced as NWA Champion. Jarrett says he's worked his whole life for this, citing Flair, Race, the Funks as people he looked up to, and called it a special night when he won the belt.

Tenay brings up Russo and wants his thoughts on some people's reactions, starting with Waltman's refusal to work for the company. Jarrett's gut reaction is that it's ridiculous, says they go way back and started around the same time, traveled the same path on different occasions, calling him a coward. He brings up Tenay's comments on walking out if Russo signed his checks, but Waltman knows Russo doesn't write his checks. He calls it a copout.

Next, his thoughts on Piper's promo from last week. Jarrett won't talk about Owen as he was a dear friend of his, but says no one is responsible for his death. He says only one person in the building knew Piper would be there, he made some scathing remarks, and is on a list of people who don't care for Russo on a number of levels. He says Roddy's an old-timer, though he clarifies he doesn't mean it in a bad way, says he's busted his ass for the business.

Tenay finally gets to the question everyone's asking, is Jarrett with Russo or not? Jarrett brings up Russo's comments his career, something he busted his ass to achieve, everything put in front of him. He's gonna answer Russo to his face when the time is right. 

NWA World Heavyweight Championship: Curt Hennig vs Jeff Jarrett (c)

Jarrett shoved into the corner off a lock up. Hennig with a waistlock, then Jarrett until Hennig gets to the ropes. Now a brief exchange of holds, then another. Jarrett shoved into the corner again, then some chops by Hennig. Hennig sent into the corner into a hip toss, then a dropkick by Jarrett. Take down and head slaps by Hennig pisses off Jarrett and takes it to the floor.

Hennig hit over the back with a chair, then again, then chokes him over the guard rail. Hennig face first off a different chair, then Jarrett eyes the guitar but doesn't use it. Back in the ring, Jeff sent off the ropes, leg caught and Hennig drives it into the mat with a scissor stomp. Hennig targets the leg as he drops his weight onto it, then wraps it around the ring post. Hennig with some variation of a deathlock continues to work the leg, Jarrett's shoulders go down for two. Jarrett tries to fight up but he's driven back down with a right hand, shoulders are back down for two again.

Jarrett finally fights out with some rights, then some body shots, followed by an atomic drop, then an inverted one, followed by an enziguri. Jarrett kicks his legs out from under him, before Jarrett catapults him into the middle turnbuckle. Hennig removes the top turnbucke and gets sent into it, and falls back into the referee in the process for a terrible looking ref bump.

Jarrett asks the fans if they want him to use the guitar and he picks it up, just to set it back down. Jarrett goes for the Stroke and Hennig delivers a ow blow. Hennig goes for the Hennig-plex, but Russo appears out of nowhere with the guitar and... well, he just kinda taps him in the back with it, he doesn't even smash it. Jarrett covers as the ref comes to and retains in 8:13. Probably the best of the few matches Hennig's had here, but that's not saying much, and it wasn't even that great. Add Russo and it automatically makes this match a thumbs down.

Russo takes the belt into the ring with the guitar in hand. Russo hands him the belt unaware that Russo helped him, and they get in each other's face. Then all of a sudden AJ attacks from behind just as the show goes off the air.