NWA-TNA PPV #31 (February 5, 2003)
First though, Zbyszko is in the ring with the NWA Title, stolen last week by Styles. He says he did something good for himself at the expense of Styles last week, getting himself back in the limelight, played human chess that he loves so much. But he's going to do something for Styles, and hoped he instilled in him that mature wisdom is better than a youthful sword. He says Styles and Jarrett have both impressed him, says AJ always holds his own with Jarrett, and the only mark against him is not beating Zbyszko twice in 10 minutes, but admits it was a stacked deck. He declares by the power and responsibility of being a living legend, he demands Jarrett give AJ a title shot.
Out comes Jarrett and says the old adage and of possession and the law is crap, Larry and Styles both know he's the champion, and if AJ wants it all he has to do is come to Jarrett face to face, man to man ask for one, but he's yet to do it. As far as his belt though, he suggest Larry give it to him or Jarrett takes it out of his ass. Larry doesn't wanna do it the easy way. Styles attacks from behind before Jarrett can get to Larry and Larry tries to back him off. Jarrett mounts an offense until Larry pulls him off, only to deck him too. Jarrett gets his belt back until the ring is suddenly rushed by masked men in fatigues, surrounding Jarrett and dragging him out of the building with a bag over his head. They won't let a camera fallow them out of the building.
Tenay and West are convinced that was SEX, confused to what just happened.
Jorge Estrada vs Glen Gilbertti (w/ Mike Sanders)
Pre-Match: Estrada still a Flying Elvis, but not to his usual Elvis music for some reason. Glen, the former Disco, does come out in the fatigues so I guess it was SEX, but why they're in fatigues I have no fucking clue.
Disco with a cheap shot sends Estrada to the corner, who floats over into a headscissor, then a springboard senton for two. Disco with rights, Estrada sent off the ropes into a back elbow. Jorge sent off the ropes, ducks a clothesline, gets Glen with a springboard dropkick for two. Jorge sent off the ropes only to be sent to the apron, thumbed in the eye, then sends Glen face first off the buckle, and hangs him on the top rope. Split-legged moonsault by Jorge but Glen gets the knees up. Jorge sent off the ropes into an inverted atomic drop, then an inside out clothesline. Jorge sent off the ropes and caught with a swinging neckbreaker, then chokes Jorge. Another swinging neckbreaker by Glen, then dancing, then cover for two.
Jorge face first in the corner, then boots and stomps from Glen. Jorge sent across the ring hard, bouncing off the buckles, then more dancing. Jorge sent to the corner hard again and more dancing from Glen. Jorge sent off the ropes into a clothesline and more dancing. Russian leg sweep by Glen, then what he calls the Village People's Elbow, with YMCA moves included, but it misses.
Jorge sent off the ropes, ducks a clothesline and hits a crossbody for two. Glen sent off ther ropes, blocks a hip toss, hit with a clothesline, springboard moonsault by Jorge for two. Glen sent off the ropes, but catches Jorge with a DDT for two. Glen tries for the stunner, sent to the corner, rolled up for two. Jorge sent off the ropes, sunset flip for two. Glen counters an Irish whip with a knee to the gut, Jorge counters a stunner with a backslide for the win. (6:54) Jesus Christ, Disco somehow got even worse than his WCW days.
Glen and Sanders attack after the match, ripping Estrada's outfit off and leaving him in his underwear.
Goldy is backstage with Bullet Bob. She says things have gone beyond the realm of wrestling now that Jarrett's been kidnapped and they have no idea what they've done with him. Bob rambles a bit and says he's talked to someone to deal with this, and SEX won't get away with this.
Russo is somewhere with Glen, back in a mask, who welcomes us to what he's calling Operation: Sex. He says they already have NWA's leader, they're now going to take out the NWA's army, and finally every one of the scumbags who boo them every week for trying to make this a better world. Before they take over the homeless though, he makes it clear that Jarrett has not been harmed, he loves Jarrett, and he's doing it for Jarrett's own good. He says he's the uncle to Jarrett's kids. He says people have been taking from Jarrett his whole life, living their life through him, and his father Jerry wants to live his life through Jeff too. He insists he cares about Jarrett.
He explains that that's why Glen is here, he says Jarrett is confused these days. He runs down Jarrett's career: the shiny tooth in the WWF, Tennessee Lee, riding in on horses, hitting women with guitars, he says Jarrett doesn't know who he is, but Russo does, and he says Jarrett is his friend. He tells Glen he has to right a wrong that just happened in the ring, and leaves it to him to develop the character of Jeff Jarrett. He says when Jarrett returns, Russo wants him cursing, telling the fans to go screw themselves, and only thinking about tits and ass, and more importantly flush tradition down the drain. He sends Glen off, and says the infantry will hit the peon fans, he's given them fair warning.
Dusty comes out of nowhere to attack Glen as he tries to leave the building, and Dusty returns to the ring, with Russo sending Glen back on his way. Russo says Dusty won't rain on his parade and also leaves. Dusty talks about Jarrett's abduction and says this has to stop. He brings up his speech from a few weeks back and says the bullshit needs to stop. He asks Truth, Lynn, Red and AMW to join him in the ring.
Out they all come. Dusty calls them some of the most talented men he's seen, says Lynn bleeds and breathes tradition, says AMW they're the best tag team in the world, gives Truth his props for winning the World Title, and says it's time they take back the Asylum. He says Truth needs to lead them and tells them all to get ready to kick ass while he goes to find Jarrett. Putting a spotlight on Disco is... a choice. Good promo by Dusty though here.
Break
NWA X Division Championship: Sonny Siaki (c) (w/ Desire) vs Amazing Red
Red overpowered into the corner off a lock up before the ref breaks it up. Red overpowered and thrown to the mat into the corner off another lock up. Siaki gets on his knees mocking Red and gets kicked in the side of the head. Siaki sent to the floor and Red with a flip dive takes him out. Back in the ring, Red off the ropes and they almost botch a tilt-a-whirl headscissor, Siaki to the corner caught with a dropkick and a spin kick for two.
Siaki sent to the corner, sends Red to the apron who goes up top with a missile dropkick for two. Red sent off the ropes, tries a crossbody and caught with a Samoan drop for two. Siaki with an alleyoop into the top rope for two, then another cover for two. Bearhug by Siaki. Red starts to fade, manages to fight out and delivers another spin kick, then an enziguri sends Siaki over the ropes to the floor. Red tries a hurricanrana off the apron but he's caught and swung into the side of the announce table.
Red face first off the title belt sat atop the table, then off the steps before returning to the ring, Siaki covering for two. Red sent off the ropes, caught with a boot and a rolling neckbreaker for two. Siaki with a surfboard, Red fights out but runs into a side kick for two. Front suplex hangs Red on the top rope for two. Red sent to the corner for a clothesline, then set on the top rope, but knocks Siaki back to the mat, Red with a flying flatliner for two.
Red with rights and sent off the ropes, Siaki caught with kicks, then the Code Red but only gets two. Red sent off the ropes, tripped by Desire and caught with Siak-olypse Now, but it only gets a near fall. Red sent to the corner, gets a boot up, flips over Siaki's back, sweeps the legs, standing shooting star for two. Red goes up top, Siaki distracts the ref, Desire trips up Red. Pumphandle tombstone to retain. (9:47) Took a while for this one to kick into second gear. Decent enough match.
Red and Desire shove each other, Siaki attacks. Kash and Trinity run in to send them packing.
Recap package of Konnan's attacks the last few weeks, going after anyone in the X Division.
We get the sitdown promised last week between Tenay and Konnan. Tenay gets right to the point and asks him why he's been attacking everyone, and why he says Tenay knows why already. Konnan he's not gonna let Tenay treat him like he did Russo, he's going to moderate the interview as he sees fit. Konnan boasts about having the all-time attendance record in Mexico, main eventing for AAA in 1997 when they were out-drawing WWF and WCW, in major markets like LA and San Jose, and helping produce and book AAA TV from '92 to '97. He also calls himself the biggest crossover star from Mexico, doing commercials, soap operas, everything.
He asks Tenay if WCW used him to his full potential to draw Latino fans, and Tenay concurs they didn't, he talks about how everyone in some restaurant in Tijuana would leave the kitchen to watch him on TV, and how Tenay used to mark out at the Tijuana shows wondering why they weren't wrestling in the states. He says Tenay worked the Worlds Collide show, which Konnan helped book, because he's the only guy who knew Mexican history, tradition, and holds, and getting a job with WCW from that.
Konnan seems to take offense to the fact that lucha libre has been renamed the X Division, and that Tenay has become a "corporate kiss ass" and let it happen despite all that. Konnan says NWA stole their style like everything else, says promoters like the fans are racist, from Bischoff, to McMahon, to the Jarretts, they're racist because they went to school when segregation was a thing. He runs down how minorities have overtaken the sports world, from baseball to boxing, and TNA don't want to deal with them.
Tenay thinks it would be great if the top luchadors from Mexico came to TNA. Konnan says guys like Tito Santana, Pedro Morales and Chavo Guerrero aren't in positions of power because they're kicked to the side as Latinos and now calls Tenay a racist too. He says he's here to make sure they aren't held back, made fun of, laughed at, and cast aside, he'd rather instill fear. He has no plan and will do whatever it takes to make sure they're never fucked over again. Not sure I did this interview enough justice, it was a little rambly and audio quality wasn't great at times, but this is a far cry better than the Filthy Animals bullshit.
Back to real time as Goldy catches up with Bullet Bob backstage for an update. They're interrupted by Not Road Dogg, who says he shouldn't be worried, and then the audio goes out. Bob says he has a surprise waiting for him in the ring.
BG James vs Tenacious Z
Pre-Match: I had no idea who this guy was at first, but it's Zack Gowen. Yes, that Zack Gowen.
James attacks from behind and clubs him down from the corner, then shouts about this being a rib. Z sent off the ropes, popped up with a dropkick. Kicks in the corner and mounted rights before he's shoved off to the mat. Z sent to the corner, back flips over James, tries a roll up but shrugged off and nailed with a clothesline. Z stomped down, then some shake, rattle and roll from James, Z ducks the last shot and dropkicks him out of the ring, following with an Asai moonsault.
Back in the ring, James with a low blow, then some kicks, off the ropes with a big boot for a cover, but pulls Z up at two. Suplex by James and a cover, pulls Z up again at two. Scott acting as the referee and James shoves him as they have words. Scott slaps him, Z rolls up James for two. James misses a clothesline on Scott, who low blows James, inside cradle by Z gets the win. (4:00) Crowd loved the Z man, but there wasn't a whole lot to this match, especially with a limited Road Dogg in there.
Raven appears out of nowhere to attack Z and James joins in, until Scott pulls Z out to safety, security helping him to the back.
Raven gets a mic and calls Z debris. He says AJ has his property, says possession is 9/10 of the law and AJ possesses the NWA Title, and AJ needs to bring it to him right now. He says AJ is a mere gardener in the yard of life, while he walks a different road, one of horror, a narrow one with no turns, that only the bravest of men would dare travel. He says pain is a bridge on that road, carrying the traveler over dark waters of deceit and scorn. He says a debt incurred on this road is a lifelong bond, a hunger to be satiated, it's a debt of blood that requires sacrifice, AJ's sacrifice.
Out comes AJ with the belt. Raven says that unless he's, I can only assume thanks to the bleep, a pussy of the highest magnitude, AJ will attempt to go down and keep Raven from regaining his position, and granting him an eternity of youthful oblivion. He says while AJ's claimed to have beaten everyone, but he hasn't beaten anyone until he's taken a walk through his Clockwork Orange House of Fun, calling him an arrogant little bitch.
AJ wastes no time and Raven attacks right away, raking at AJ's eyes only to be caught with an enziguri. Raven sent off the ropes but slips out to the floor, only to be caught with a baseball slide. Raven sent into the guard rail before returning to the ring, Raven has control again, AJ sent to the corner and caught on the rebound with a clothesline, then a knee lift. AJ fights back with some rights and a discus clothesline, then a spin kick. Low blow by Raven, then snaps the fingers of AJ like he's Pete Dunne. Zbyszko runs in with a chair and security as Raven runs off with belt in hand. AJ is helped to the back. Fun segment, good promo by Raven.
Goldy is still trying to get an update from Bullet Bob, who's talking with the New Church backstage. Bob says his wife does enough bitching and has no news for Goldy. AMW arrive and want their rematch for the tag titles. Mitchell says he can make it happen as soon as his Church win the titles tonight so they can bathe in AMW's blood. Bob gives them their title shot no matter who wins tonight.
Recap of the history between Truth, Lynn, Sanders and Flair.
Four Corners Elimination Match: Mike Sanders vs David Flair vs Ron "the Truth" Killings vs Jerry Lynn
Pre-Match: Flair still carrying the burlap sack around with him. Match will have two in the ring, two on the apron to starts, tags enforced.
Sanders and Lynn start the match with some back and forth, Lynn taking control with a wrist lock, until Sanders rakes the eyes. David tags in and runs into a hip toss, then an armbar takedown. Scoop slam by Lynn and forces a tag to Truth. Truth with rights in the corner, then sent across the ring, floats over, backflips and dropkick for two. David counters an Irish whip with a right, then Sanders tags in. Drop toe hold by Truth, then an ax kick gets two.
David argues with Lynn from the floor, allowing Sanders to whip Truth into him, knocking Lynn off the apron. Truth caught with a dropkick, then sent of the ropes into double back elbows for two. Suplex by David for two, then another cover for two. Sanders back in, exchanging rights with Truth until he delivers a knee. Lynn knocked off the apron, Truth attacks in the corner then sent across the ring, floats over, Lynn comes in to clothesline Sanders who ducks and Truth is nailed instead. Truth sent off the ropes, snapmare and neck snap combo by SEX for two. David with chops in the corner, then Truth sent off the ropes, ducks a clothesline, then a double clothesline to take each other out.
Truth tags in Lynn and in comes Sanders. Sanders sent off the ropes into a back drop, then a clothesline. Lynn sent off the ropes, Sanders caught with a sitout powerbomb off a leapfrog for two. Lynn with a Boston crab, David tries to break it but he's caught. Truth goes after Sanders but gets back dropped to the floor. Estrada comes from the back and hits Sanders with a missile dropkick from the top, Lynn covers for the first elimination.
David with a clothesline on Lynn, then some chops until he's sent off the ropes into a spinning back elbow, then a dropkick. Lynn sent off the ropes, floats over, David sent off the ropes and avoids a dropkick David with some elbows to the back of the knee, tries a figure, countered with a small package and David's eliminated. Truth tries a flying forearm, Lynn ducks and the ref gets taken out. Lynn sent off the ropes, nailed in the back of the head by David with the sack, front suplex by Truth to get the win. (9:10) This was bad. Even with three guys who knew what they were doing, David dragged it down quite a bit. Even Sanders was sloppy in spots. Not to mention the crowd didn't care one bit about this.
Lynn is obviously pissed off and they shove each other, get in each other's face. Truth leaves.
Goldy is backstage with Low Ki and Elix. She says they stole the tag belts from AMW a couple weeks back. Elix says it was a collaboration of a family. Low Ki says a family will bring the gold home. Siaki and Desire approach now, her match being next. She says Goldy has the worst boob job she's ever seen, that her nipples should be pointing up instead of looking down for loose change.
Desire (w/ NWA X Division Champion Sonny Siaki) vs Trinity (w/ Kid Kash)
Trinity sent off the ropes, ducks a clothesline and sends Desire to the floor with a dropkick. Desire slaps Kash and Trinity chases after her, running right into a kick to the face from Siaki. Back in the ring, Desire covers for two. Trinity thrown to the mat by the hair, then sent off the ropes into a back elbow for two. Rear chinlock by Desire, Trinity starts to fight out, only to be thrown back to the mat. Trinity sent off the ropes, ducks a clothesline, springboard crossbody for two.
Headlock takeover by Trinity, then a headscissor by Desire, Trinity escapes. Trinity just kinda... falls and Desire covers for two, then tosses Trinity to the floor, Siaki with some cheap shots before rolling her back in. Elbow drops by Desire for two. Desire with a suplex for two. Chops by Desire, then some from Trinity. Trinity sent off the ropes, tripped by Siaki, then a dropkick by Desire. Trinity sent of the ropes into a back elbow, then tossed back out to the floor.
Siaki pulls on the hair while standing on her hands. Kash goes after Siaki but the ref stops him, then Trinity sent face first off a chair, before tossing her back in the ring. Trinity sent off the ropes into a clothesline for two. Trinity sent off the ropes, ducks a clothesline, gets a Northern Lights suplex for two. Exchange of rights, then an enziguri from Trinity and a dropkick. Desire sent off the ropes into a clothesline. Trinity sent to the corner, avoids a monkey flip, Trinity up top with a moonsault for the win. (8:25) This went on too long, and wasn't very good.
NWA World Tag Team Championships: Disciples of the New Church (w/ Father James Mitchell) vs Triple X (c)
Pre-Match: I guess Belladonna isn't part of the Church anymore, or with the company from what I can tell. Daniels is also nowhere to be seen, in Japan.
Church don't bother waiting for the bell, going right after the champs on the floor, taking early, brutal control of the match. Slash lays Low Ki on the table to launch off the steps with a running elbow, not putting him through the table. Elix face first off the steps by Brian Lee, then scoop slams him onto the table and taking the fight behind th table. Slash with a Michinoku Driver onto Low Ki on the ramp. Lee and Elix fighting into the crowd.
Triple X finally take control as Slash is whipped into the guard rail, and Lee tossed over the rail onto the announce table, finally taking it to the ring. Slash and Low Ki are still fighting on the floor and Ki sent face first off the steps. Elix with chops to Lee in the corner, which he no sells, then snapmared to the mat, Elix choking him with his knee. Elix sent off the ropes into a belly to belly suplex, then an elbow. Slash tags in, then Elix tags in Low Ki who runs into gorilla press but escapes. Double chops by Ki into the corner, then a dropkick. Ki sent off the ropes into a gutbuster, cover and Elix saves it.
Chop and biting by Slash, then Ki sent off the ropes, ducks a clothesline, misses a springboard enziguri and lands awkwardly on his knee to play possum, connecting with the springboard kick this time. Elix back in, Slash off the ropes into a clothesline. Slash face first in the corner and Ki back in. Stomps and chops, then Elix in again to choke Slash with his boot. Ki in again with more stomps and choking, and Elix in once again for some facewashing and more choking, ref distracted by a goaded Lee. Elix covers and Slash grabs the rope.
Elix targeting the knee now, and Ki stands on Elix's back to add pressure to a knee torque behind the ref's back again. Slash kicks his way free and a boot to the face of Ki from the corner, Ki fights off some more into a dragon sleeper variation, into an armbar, Ki bleeding from the mouth now too. Elix tags in and applies the armbar too now, but Slash clasps his hands together, Slash gets to the ropes to force a break. Northern Lights suplex by Elix for two.
Rear chinlock by Elix, into an ab stretch. Crowd oddly fully behind the Church in this match with chants for evil. Slash tries to tag but Elix holds him off, Ki off the top with a double stomp. Slash sent off the ropes into a double clothesline for two. Kicks to the chest of Slash, then misses one to the head, but connects with it with a dropkick. Ki up top caught on a crossbody, Slash with the spinning crucifix bomb.
Elix tags in and Lee gets the hot tag. Clotheslines to the champs, big boot to Elix, then military press on Ki onto Elix. Ki ducks a clothesline, but caught with a scoop slam. Lee goes for the chokeslam but Ki fights him off over to the top rope. Mitchell grabs hold of his legs allowing Lee to capitalize. Elix with a chair to the back behind the ref's back and a cover, but Lee kicks out.
Elix returns with chair in hand, gets him up but Slash fights out with an inverted DDT onto the chair behind the ref's back, but it only gets two. Slash sent across the ring by Slash, tries a cartwheel kick but gets powerbombed for his troubles right into the referee. Elix tries to nail Slash with one of the belts, blocks, but Slash gets tossed out anyways. Low blow by Elix on Lee, then goes up top and crotched by Slash. hangman's neckbreaker from the middle rope. Lee goes for a powerbomb but Ki knocks him on his back and rolls him up, while another ref runs in. The other ref comes to. One of the refs takes forever to count Ki's pin while Slash pulls Elix into position. Match ends with a double pin from Ki and Slash. (15:39) I actually really liked this match until the finish. Turned convoluted and the awful timing of... well I don't know who's to blame here, but it fucked things up.
Scott Armstrong is out to try and resolve things. Borash announces on his behalf that the titles are being held up, and Scott leaves with the belts. Now AMW come out to get in on the action, going after Triple X. Then two of Russo's guys, I can only assume it's the Harris Twins but they're still in camo and ski masks, come out to save their own. Russo's here too now and gets some cheap shots in. We just have a bunch of wild brawling now but SEX seems to have control of things. Lee nails one of the Twins with a chair until the other makes the save, then nails Lee with the chair. Lynn is here too but he's beaten down as well. It's hard to cover what's going on here, but it's a hell of a fun time to watch. Sanders gets involved now attacking Lynn. SEX has control again by large margin. Estrada's here too now. Gilbertti's probably here too somewhere. Lynn gets crotched on the guard rail. Kash is here too now. Estada's getting involed. Trinity too gets in on the action. Amazing Red is here too. Harris is trying to dump Elix over the balcony. Bullet Bob is here too and even he gets in on the action, Scott is there too for some reason. Raven's here too now with the belt and some rope as everyone seems to fight to the back. Bob attacking his own son BG in particular, then one of the Twins attacks him. Russo sends the NWA crusade to the SEX locker room and padlocks the door shut.
Russo gets a mic and says he made good on his word, and now he's going to live up to his next promise, he's going after the fans, they wanted a war they've got a war. Before that though, he wants Glen to tell the people Jarrett is OK, they tweaked his character, and didn't hurt him because Russo loves Jarrett. Then Glen himself comes to the back in a tank top and his underwear to reveal he's not in the ring. Jarrett is under the mask, attacks Sanders, then Russo and... oh the show's over.
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