NWA-TNA Weekly PPV #34 (February 34, 2003)
On tap tonight, Dusty teams with Vader to face the Harris Twins, and that's it so far.
NWA X Division Championship: Jason Cross vs Kid Kash (c) (w/ Trinity)
Pre-Match: Apparently Cross is returning from a broken hand suffered in a match with David Young.
Quick exchange of chain wrestling to start the match and some quick pin attempts, ending in a standoff. Another exchange, and Kash gets caught with a superkick, slow to cover for two. Kash sent off the ropes, each block a hip toss until Kash is sent to the apron, then the floor with a dropkick. Cross with a somersault takes Kash out. Cross sent into the guard rail, then they throw a chair at each other, Cross misses a spinkick and gets the chair thrown in his face. Back in the ring, Kash up top with a flying clothesline gets two.
Cross avoids a suplex with a Roll the Dice for two. Kash sent off the ropes into a clothesline, then a snapmare and a somersault leg drop for two. Rear chinlock by Cross. Kash fights his way out, sends Cross off the ropes, he tries a backslide but Kash counters into a fisherman buster off the knee for two. Cross sent to the corner chest first, ducks a clothesline and connects with an enziguri. Cross up top and misses the Crossfire, Kash off the top with a hurricanrana, then a tornado DDT gets the win. (6:47) Decent enough match but never left first gear it felt like, and the pace was too slow for something you'd expect from these guys.
Goldy is backstage as Jarrett arrives to the building. She says no one's been able to contact him in the last week and wants to know what happened after the show went off the air last week. Jarrett walks off and says nothing.
He says Jeff walked in, stood across from him, looked into each other's eyes, and nothing needed to be said, because he says Jarrett realized it's time to come home. After talking through the night, he says they ended it with a hug, they came to an agreement, and Jeff has decided to join SEX, and tonight, there will be a contract signing, him on one side, and Jarrett on the other, calling it Jarrett's homecoming. And all the scum in the crowd are invited. He also makes the offer to anyone in the back, he knows there are guys who want to be a part of SEX, tonight is their opportunity to step up to the plate like Jarrett.
Out comes Styles. He says for 2 months he's listened to Russo, and says Jarrett was right, that Russo's nothing more than a cocky, arrogant, inconsiderate, Yankee bastard. He says that Russo is right too though, that Jarrett wouldn't give up the title, because he had a blackened heart, that he'd screw his own mother before giving up the title. He says it's time for a change, but he doesn't agree with the philosophy of SEX, because he's a phenomenal wrestler, but if Russo can make him a champion, he'll sign right now. Russo says AJ's seen the light, but it's not about him, it's about SEX, the philosophy, the lifestyle, and asks if he's ready to dedicate his life to it. Styles agrees.
Out comes Raven now. Raven is upset because Russo brought him in to be his top boy and heavy hitter, to be the NWA Champion, beat Jarrett,, and not stand in line behind an X Division midget wannabe. Russo says it's not about Raven, it's about him and SEX, and maybe he made a mistake, because the ECW cronies followed him. Raven says this isn't about him and Russo for now, but implies that AJ couldn't hang with Sandman, then quotes Voltaire. He says as soon as Sandman gets his cane and a garbage can and a table, AJ will be crying. AJ calls him the new spokesmodel for Mabeline, and retorts that Raven wouldn't last a second in the X Division with the skirt he has on. He says he'd whoop Sandman no problem.
Russo says they both have something to prove to him and the SEX locker room. Raven suggests AJ takes on Sandman and he'll take on an X Division guy and he'll whoop them all over the place. AJ takes a few more shots at him, then Russo proposes those two matches for later if the NWA officials make it happen. AMW are here now. Harris says everyone's forgotten the tag division but they're here to remind them. He says they're not going to do like Russo's WCW rejects and kiss his ass, they're going to kick it. Russo says Triple X are the champions and they have 30 days before they defend the titles. Storm says they either get Triple X tonight or they get Russo.
AMW rush the ring, Russo bails immediately and they beat down Raven. Hot Shots appear suddenly in SEX shirts to beat down AMW. Security rush down to do a terrible job of breaking things up.
Goldy is backstage with Dusty and Vader, she asks Dusty if he thinks Jarrett really joined SEX. Dusty is sure it's a lie, and says Russo stole the jacket from Dustin. Then rambles a bit about the Harris Twins. Vader says it's Vader Time.
Simon Diamond & Johnny Swinger vs Disciples of the New Church (w/ Father James Mitchell)
Slash and Simon start the match, Simon with a headlock takeover and an arm drag for early control. Then a quick exchange with Simon being driven into the corner and stomped down, Swing is thrown into the corner with Simon for more stomps, then whipped into Brian who drops Swinger to the floor. All four at ringside now, Simon and Swinger whipped into each other, Simon off the steps. Double clothesline to Simon, Swinger face first off the steps, then back in the ring.
Slash is sent off the ropes, ducks a clothesline from Swinger, runs into a superkick by Diamond and another clothesline from Swinger gets two. Swinger tags in, Slash off the ropes into a double sidewalk slam, cover but Brian has the ref occupied. Diamond back in with a whiplash into the corner. Back suplex by Swinger gets two. Simon back in with a pair of snap suplexes, then a gordbuster for two, then another cover for two. Swinger in again, Slash sent off the ropes into back elbows, then a knee to the groin. Slash sent off the ropes into aa sleeper, but Slash escapes with a back suplex. Swinger misses a leg drop and crotches himself on the middle rope.
The ref gets distracted by... nothing as Slash makes the tag behind his back. Brian with rights, a kick and a scoop slam until the ref sends him out. Swinger has a chair and nails Slash with it while the ref argues with Brian, Diamond covers but it's a near fal. Slash sent off the ropes, caught for a double team but Briam makes the save. Hangman's neckbreaker by Slash gets the win. (6:33) I don't know what this match was other than a mess. Crowd were into the New Church but they quickly died as this match went on.
Goldy is outside Jarrett's locker room to try and get a word, so he invites her inside. She brings up Russo's words earlier in the night and asks what really happened, calling it typical Russo BS. Jarrett says he's known Russo for years now, says he was his best friend at one time, not just in the business but in life. He says their families hung together. He says everyone thinks Russo's all about sex, drugs and rock and roll, a deranged New Yorker, and off his rocker, but based on his interviews he says Russo's a man of conviction, who truly believes what he's talking about.
He says Russo is trying to save Goldy's job, his job, the cameraman's job, and everyone's in the business. He says it may be a hard pill for her to swallow, and says it may be time for a change, proceeding to remove his jacket and reveal a SEX shirt. Jarrett says the joke's on her and everyone watching, and if she wants to see what happened at his home, he produces a tape for the whole world to see. He teases it for the end of the show.
Commentary are in disbelief. Tenay's totally convinced but Son is skeptical.
Tenay did a sitdown interview earlier in the day with Sanders and Gilberti. Oh joy. Tenay starts by having Glen list off his resume, asking how many characters he's developed in his career. Glen knows Tenay is implying he has no idea what he's doing (he doesn't), and he avoids the question, saying ratings are through the roof and the buy rates have been up since SEX showed up, so Tenay can't question his credibility (he can).
Tenay asks for his resume again, while agreeing about the ratings and buy rates, saying it's because people have a passion for it, that being traditional wrestling vs sports entertainment, it's not a one-sided situation. Glen says they had that for months and now they have SEX and there's a buzz, people are talking about the show, says it's strictly sports entertainment.
Tenay moves onto Sanders and asks what great talents he's acquired through the years in the business. Sanders doesn't appreciate his condescending tone, threatening to slap the taste out of his mouth on Russo's behalf. He says he acquired Glen since coming on the scene, and that Russo SEX to a different level, took TNA to a different level, and if there was more support from Tenay he might see the vision.
Tenay insists it's only working because of the balance, it's why last week's show was so great. Sanders insists that traditional wrestling won't put food on Tenay's daughter's table. Tenay says he's not naive and believes there's a place for both. Tenay says this is their chance to sell him on their vision, Sanders just repeats the ratings rise as their selling point. Glen says Tenay loves wrestling too much, he lives in a big pro wrestling bubble and nothing exists in the world outside of it. Sanders mockingly brings up Kamala, Mr. Wrestling II, "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan.
Glen asks how many people watch TV on Mondays, Tenay says just under 5 million, and under Russo at its peak it was 11 million. Glen says there's a sea of people, sports entertainment fans, that aren't watching wrestling right now, and SEX is slowly drawing them in. He says Tenay isn't the voice of the people, the people are the ones who aren't watching now, SEX is trying to get them back to watching wrestling, and it's not gonna happen with traditional wrestling.
Tenay makes the argument that the 6 million viewer loss is because they got sick of sports entertainment and want wrestling. Glen calls it ludicrous and cites WCW going out of business . Tenay says this discussion could go for hours and Glen's convinced they'd win it every time. They talk about people going on the street in their masks like traditional wrestlers, Tenay brings up Glen going out in disco outfits. Glen says he's a character, an over-the-top TV superstar, he doesn't take his job home with him, walk around the house putting on a John Travolta CD. Glen brings up making Arquette a wrestler which Tenay mocks, then Glen says it's as good as putting a wig on Kurt Angle. What was the point of any of that?
Hot Shots (w/ Mike Sanders & Glen Gilbertti) vs America's Most Wanted
AMW charge right at the Hot Shots and fight outside the ring immediately, AMW taking early control. Storm takes it to the ring with one of them, who I still can't differentiate after all this time, Storm blocks a hip toss and hits a clothesline. Harris tags in with a short-arm clothesline off an arm wringer. Storm back in, Hot Shot off the ropes, caught with a dropkick and a slingshot into the corner, followed by a leg splitter. One Hot Shot launched into the other and they retreat tot he floor. Storm takes them both out with a crossbody. Back in the ring, Harris with a stalling suplex gets two.
Storm sent off the ropes, kicked in the back from the apron, caught with a suplex. Cassidy tags in, Storm sent off the ropes into a series of kicks, followed by double dropkicks, cover and Storm saves. Cassidy off the top with a moonsault gets two. Chase back in, with a double slingshot. Rights in the corner on Harris, then choking. Cassidy back in with a suplex for two. Chase back in, Harris off the ropes into a double back drop for two. Snap suplex by Chase gets two. Harris moutns a comeback only to be sent to the corner, avoids a splash and runs into a clothesline from Cassidy, then Storm drops Chase.
Storm tags in with rights, one sent off the ropes into a back elbow, then Storm sent off the ropes to deliver a headscissor on the other. Kick to the side of the head by Cassidy and a cover gets two. Chase sent off the ropes, hooks the ropes and launches Storm out to the floor. Harris tries the Catatonic but gets superkicked, the other Hot Shot falling on top for a pin but only gets two. Storm clothesliens one to the floor, then tries a superkick on the other but it's blocked. Off the middle rope into a superkick by Storm, cover but it's a near fall.
Storm pulled through the ropes to the floor, and Sanders sends him into the guard rail. Harris hits the Catatonic on one Hot Shot, covers but the other distracts the ref. Glen off the middle rope with a double ax to the back of Harris to break up the pin, and roll things over, but it's a near fall. Storm tries to hit Glen, misses, then the Hot Shot misses. 8 Second Right by Storm connects for the win. (8:16) Better than the last match, but the Hot Shots seem a bit limited. The middle was rather boring until things picked up in the last couple minutes.
Goldy is backstage with Siaki. Harris Twins are also there in the background. She wanted to talk to Russo about what Jarrett said earlier, but Siaki says it's not important right now, he's the ace in the hole, he's in charge when Russo's not there. He tells the Twins to take care of Vader and Dusty. Then he chastises the Hot Shots for losing. Siaki mentions a "House of Horror Match" that Raven has and asks what it's about but Raven just leaves.
Raven vs Julio Dinero
Julio shoved into the corner on a lockup , then Raven shoved into the corner until he shoves Julio away. Quick exchange follows, Raven caught with a headscissor, then a slingblade for two. Julio sent off the ropes, ducks a clothesline and hits a spin kick for two. Raven with some rights until he's caught with a swinging neckbreaker, then Julio misses a moonsault from the top.
Julio sent to the corner chest first, Raven off the ropes with a clothesline, followed by a running knee lift, and another sends Julio to the floor. Russian leg sweep into the guard rail by Raven before taking it back to the ring, dropping his weight down across the back twice, following with a chinlock. Julio fights out and sends Raven into the corner, following with a sitout spinebuster.
Julio with some rights drops Rsven, then sends him off the ropes into a flying forearm. Julio counters an Irish whip into a pumphandle neckbreaker for two. Jawbreaker from Raven but caught with a belly to belly for two. Julio misses a splash in the corner and nails the ref, Julio with a superkick and a cover but the ref is out. Styles is out now as Julio goes up top but Styles cuts his legs out from under him. Evenflow DDT gets the win. (6:04) An OK match. The crowd is completely dead at this point, maybe they were expecting more of an X Division match, or maybe TNA was doing multiple tapings at this time, who knows?
Raven and Styles are argue and split off.
Goldy is with Konnan backstage. She recaps last week when Konnan through the SATs at Lynn and his backfired and hopes he has better plans this week. Konnan says she should be bowing down, and says the plans is still in process. He says the SATs are young kids, been in the business a couple years, he wanted to see what Lynn would do. He says Lynn showed him he was good against two guys still breaking into the business. He's bringing someone in from Mexico, someone trained in lucha libre, because the X Division is just a ripoff of lucha libre
In pops Juventud. Konnan runs down his accomplishments, says he has credentials upon credentials, and that Lynnw ill meet the guy he's been watching so many years, stealing his moves, along with the rest of the division. He says they rip off Juvie's best stuff and never give him any credit, and now Lynn will learn from him.
Juventud Guerrera (w/ Konnan) vs Jerry Lynn
Quick exchange to start the match ends in a standoff. Another quick exchange ends with Lynn missing an elbow, then some chops in the corner by Juvie, Lynn sent to the corner, floats over, then caught with a headscissor. Lynn off the ropes, hits an inverted atomic drop for two. Lynn with an inverted Gory special, Juvie counters with a headscissor, but caught with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker coming off the ropes for two. Juvie sent off the ropes, avoids a tilt-a-whirl and hits a spin kick. Lynn blocks a suplex attempt, then sends Juvie off the ropes, catches him and crotches him on the top rope. Juvie sent off the ropes, ducks a clothesline, Lynn sent off the ropes, tries a sunset flip but caught with a basement dropkick for two.
Juvie sent off the ropes, hits a tilt-a-whirl DDT sending Lynn to the floor, following with a fakeout and a springboard somersault takes out Lynn. Back in the ring, Lynn avoids a suplex back in, then does an inverted suplex out to the apron but Juvie catches himself, misses a shoulder block and nailed with a leg drop, then a dropkick to the back gets Lynn a two count. Lynn sent to the corner, gets the boots up, to the middle rope, tries a tornado DDT, but Juvie counters into a Northern Lights. Juvie tries a Juvie Driver, then avoids an inverted suplex to hit an inverted DDT for two.
Juvie with a torture rack into a sitout powerbomb but it's a near fall. Lynn sent to the corner, floats over into a rollup for two, then a series of rollups follows. Juvie lands on his feet off a German and hits a wheelbarrow bulldog for two. Lynn with a folding pin of some sort gets the win after an exchange of counters. (9:11) This one brought the crowd back to life finally, and a great match too.
Konnan yells at Juvie and pushes him around before they leave.
Goldy is with Siaki again and she's still waiting on Russo. He says Russo's still taking care of last minute party favors and keeps calling himself the ace in the hole. Plumtree shows up and he wants to talk to Russo too.
AJ Styles vs The Sandman
Pre-Match: Sandman joins one of the cage dancers for a makeout session during his entrance, carrying a trash can and a kendo stick with him.
AJ eventually puts an end to his entrance with a dive over the ropes, followed by a kick to the chest before taking it to the ring, outwrestling Sandmamn to start. AJ with some rights and another kick to the chest drops Sandman for two. Styles goes out to throw the trash can in the ring, nailing Sandman in the back of the head. Sandman starts to fight back in the ring, nailing some rights, Sandman sent off the ropes, avoids a drop toe hold into the can before throwing it in AJ's face.
Sandman leaves the ring and grabs a table next to the stage, setting it up across the apron and guard rail, caught with a baseball slide from Styles. Sandman laid across the table as Styles goes up top but misses a splash through the tables. Sandman tosses in a chair before tossing AJ back in, then misses a pair of cane shots, eating a superkick. Styles wedges a chair in the corner, then tries a Styles Clash but Sandman escapes with some cane shots to the head. AJ counters a powerbomb with a rollup, but Sandman rolls through to catapult AJ into the chair.
For some reason the ref bumps when Sandman pulls AJ down for a rollup attempt, Sandman doesn't even bother to try the rollup after that. AJ set on the top rope, Raven nails him in the back with the chair, Styles hits the Clash from the middle rope for the win. (6:11) Actually a fun match, until the weird finishing sequence there. AJ also barely got Sandman into position for that Styles Clash.
Over to commentary, still to come it's Vader and Dusty vs Harris Twins in the main event, plus Jarrett signs a SEX contract, but first Don sells us on next week's show:
- Kid Kash defends the X Division title against a yet to be named opponent
- Raven faces Sandman in a "House of Clockwork Orange Match", though I'm pretty sure the name is Clockwork Orange House of Fun Match.
We're supposed to go to the main event, but the lights go out and Raven corrects Don on the name of the match. He says he has a destiny to be NWA Champion, that he came to TNA with one goal and purpose, but got sidetracked by a madman with a hardon for his crucifixion. He's putting Jarrett on the backburner, and he'll take Sandman in his House of Fun. He says it only existed in his head originally, but he'll bring that creation to life next week. He says he's the way to the city of woe, to the forsaken people, to eternal sorrow. He tells Raven to walk with him for he is Raven. He says it will say "Abandon Hope All Ye Who Enter Here" and the loser will be dumped from his perch through tables, and the rest we'll have to see. He says it wouldn't do it justice if he spoke of it tonight.
Video package recapping Dusty's promo talking about tradition. Then we're reminded of the random ass appearance of Nikita Koloff, who just kind of disappeared, and his issues with Dusty that continued after that. Then last week the Harris Twins attacked Dusty until Vader debuted to make the save, making the challenge for tonight.
Dusty Rhodes & Vader vs Harris Brothers (w/ Sonny Siaki & Desire)
Pre-Match: Dusty says he taught Siaki better, and that Desire deserves more than a tongue lashing, that she'll get a paddling if she sticks around the ring.
Vader starts this off with... Well I still don't know which Twin is which. A pair of lockups, then an exchange of blows, until Vader's backed into the corner. Ron sent to the corner for a splash, then a belly to belly overhead. Splash by Vader gets two. Dusty tags in, Truth is sitting in the crowd right now. Don has tagged in as well, they tease a lockup, avoids a shot in the corner and hits some elbows, only to be nailed from behind from Ron. Dusty face first off the steps, then Siaki gets in some shots behind the ref's back, Dusty's been busted open as he's tossed back in.
Rights by Don opening up Dusty further as Dusty tries to get back up, then Don tags in, following with more rights. Dusty gets in a low blow in desperation, but does him no good as he collapses back in the corner for more rights. Dusty tries to mount a comeback but collapses back down in the corner. More double teaming in the corner, then Don hits a clothesline, then caught with a running elbow from Dusty. Ron tags in to intercept a tag, but Dusty hits another low blow. Don runs in but Dusty fights back with an elbow.
Vader tags in, Don sent off the ropes into a body block, then a clothesline to Ron. Vader with a running splash in the corner. Dusty is back up with a bionic elbow, both Twins sent to the floor. Siaki runs into a Bionic Elbow, then Vader moves him into position. Referee calls for the bell. (5:44) Yeah this was bad. That said Vader was somehow the best one in the match despite his size.
Vader Bomb on Siaki. Desire runs in and tries to slap Dusty but she's caught. Dusty takes off his belt to smack at her ass and she quickly retreats. Now Nikita Koloff is suddenly here to go face to face with Dusty, but he eats a Bionic Elbow too.
Goldy is backstage with Sandman, who's talking with Diamond and Swinger, to try and get a word about what happened earlier. Sandman's got these two as backup but doesn't know what he's going to do. Diamond says that's not the Hak he knows, he says the three of them stuck it out in ECW's dying days while Raven left. Sandman says they're all about themselves but still stick together, like a brotherhood. Sandman babbles a bit more before smashing a beer can on his head.
Then he came home to announce they were moving to Georgia to go to WCW, and it was hard on them, they don't know anyone, no friends, feel alienated, and come home to tell their father but he's not there, and can't deal with it anymore. He says his father's work has become an obsession, with sports entertainment, SEX, and violence, they're non-existent to Russo, feels like they don't have a father. He asks Russo to just come home and give him 5 minutes.
Russo says everyone's stooped low but is appalled that Jeff has brought his family into this now. He calls his kid a little shit, and says he didn't mention how he let the kid stay up at night to watch Howard Stern when their mom went to bed, he let the kid have poker games after school, he put down the kid's principal when they got in trouble. Then he runs down his other son, then says he's going to go into his kid's room and will beat his little ass like he never did before.
Jarrett finally comes out. He says the boys used to be his life, and now SEX is his life, he's obsessed with it. He says Russo would have given the shirt off his back at one point to be with his sons, proceeding to take off his SEX shirt. As far as Russo's "reunion" at the Jarrett house, he wants everyone to know Russo was met with a shotgun and ran like the bitch that he is. He tells Russo to get the pen ready so he can shove it up his ass.
Jarrett pounces on Russo and hammers away until David Flair and a returning Brian Lawler run in to make the save, along with a debuting Eric Watts. David still has the burlap sack and Jarrett tries to fight out, only to be chokeslammed through the table by Watts. He gets a mic and says Jarrett will regret what he did to them. And that's how the show ends.
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