NWA-TNA PPV #35 (March 5, 2003)
No opening package as we go right to the Asylum, welcomed by Tenay and West. On tap for tonight, Raven faces Sandman in a Clockwork Orange House of Fun Match, plus Amazing Red challenges Kid Kash for the X Division Title, and an exclusive, shocking interview with Vince Russo.
There's a weird cut and all of a sudden Kevin Sullivan is in the ring. There seem to be a few technical difficulties, the lights went out a few times during Raven's promo. Sullivan says he was putting pain, misery and violence on the likes of Dusty, Funk and Abdullah when Raven was still in diapers, and he wasn't doing it in a glorified bingo hall. He talks about wrestling Ray Stevens in the Cow Palace, wrestling Lawler and Dundee in Memphis, and in Charlotte against the Horsemen. He's heard that Raven is the Chosen One, the one who will take violence to a new level, about his House of Fun Match, the most dangerous match ever invented, that can only come from Raven's sick, demented mind. He demanded NWA that he be here, not as a special referee, because they put rules together, he's the special observer so that there are no rules. He says he wants and demands Raven to hurt Sandman, he wants the most violent match of all time, so that he can say he was there. He says that if Raven doesn't, the gats of Hell will open up and his ass belongs to Sullivan.
Raven says he's a few years too late to pass the torch, he respects what Sullivan's done, but the carnage he left is nothing compared to the bloodshed he himself will leave. He welcomes Sullivan to the Asylum and wonders if he'll keep his sanity. Sullivan says we'll see tonight if Raven is the real thing or just another imposter. Raven gets nailed by Sandman from behind who enjoys a beer among the fans. Hell of a promo from both, as nonsensical as it all was. I also have to point out that Sullivan drew referee stripes on his body with marker because... crazy I guess?
Back over to commentary, some music plays because more problems I guess. Tenay tells us we'll see a side of Russo that we've never seen tonight, he was flown to Atlanta at Russo's request earlier in the week and apparently Russo has an announcement that will rock the wrestling world.
Konnan makes his way to the ring. He introduces his representative for this week, ex-UWA Welterweight Champion, ex-ECW Television Champion, Super Crazy.
Super Crazy (w/ Konnan) vs Jerry Lynn
Quick exchange of holds to start the match, Lunn getting the better with an arm drag. Another exchange of holds, Super Crazy gets a rollup for two. A third exchange, Lynn is sent to the corner, then Super Crazy, then both deliver an arm drag ending in a standoff. Another exchange, Crazy getting control with a clothesline. Lynn counters a powerbomb with a hurricanrana, then a tilt-a-whirl headscissor sends Crazy to the floor, regrouping with Konnan.
Lynn sends him face first off the buckle as he climbs the apron before hitting a springboard dropkick, then a hurricanrana off the apron tot eh floor. Back in the ring, Crazy sent to the corner, gets a boot up, mounts Lynn in the corner for some rights, followed by a Spanish 10-count from the crowd. Crazy does it again only to be shoved off, caught with an elbow, sends Lynn off the ropes to springboard into a DDT for two.
Crazy sent to the corner, slides under the ropes, back in and off the ropes and sends Lynn back out with a spinning heel kick, following up with an Asai moonsault. Back to the ring, Crazy goes up top but he's cut off. Crazy blocks a superplex and shoves him to the mat before hitting a springboard moonsault for two. Crazy sent off the ropes, avoids a back drop but hit with a TKO for a near fall.
Lynn goes for the cradle piledriver but Konnan gets on the apron for the distraction. Back drop by Crazy is countered into a sunset flip, Crazy rolls through with a basement dropkick, then a third springboard moonsault gets a near fall. Lynn avoids a suplex, then Crazy off the ropes to hit a tornado DDT. Crazy with a spinning sitout powerbomb gets a near fall. Lynn set omn the top rope, Crazy connects with a Frankensteiner, but Lynn rolls through for a rull up to get the win. (9:24) Excellent match.
Lynn leaves. Konann is about ready to snap on Crazy and yells at Lynn. Konnan starts slapping Crazy in the corner and they both leave.
Recap package of what happened last week with Jarrett and Russo. Russo's failed recruitment of Jarrett, Jarrett getting a testimonial from Russo's kids. It's left out of the package, but it should also be mentioned that we had the return of Brian Lawler and debut of Eric Watts, both joining forces with David Flair. All ending with Jarrett getting laid out.
Tenay did an interview earlier in the day with Russo in his office in Atlanta. Russo called him over the weekend asking for his presence, because Russo had something important that couldn't wait until the show. Russo says he's fought and beaten everything thrown his way the last 10 years, working at WWF, with Vince McMahon, being his slave, being at his beck and call 24 hours a day, being away from his family 7 days a week. From there going to WCW and getting caught up in a political hell that might have put him on the verge of a nervous breakdown, sending him home, just to come to TNA and deal with Jerry Jarrett for six months. He says he fought every fight thrown at him because he knew he was right, because he had a passion and love for the business and wouldn't be denied.
Last week though, he saw the price he paid for the passion firsthand, when his son pointed out to him some of the highlights of his career as a father in front of the world, the fact he wasn't there for his daughter's birth, that he took the son and his brother, moved them a thousand miles away to Atlanta and wasn't there for them and make sure everything was OK, that he's been the worst husband in the world since day one in the business. He says he was on such an emotional high and a roll that he became overcome with the business that he didn't think about those things or the people he hurt, his own kids. He says he can't take back that time, he's ashamed of that, and wishes some of the boys realized that..
He brings up the death of Curt Hennig and his sudden passing, his time away on the road away from his family, and says he's not going to do it anymore, because it doesn't mean that much to him. He claims to be done with the business, he's 42 and says he needs to be a man, he needs to grow out of the business, to be where his priorities are needed and that's with his family.
Tenay brings up the fact that Russo's credibility is shot, seeing as he's claimed he signed Styles and Jarrett to S.E.X., and asks how he's supposed to believe anything the man is saying. Russo says that this is the problem, that Tenay is so consumed with the business that Russo's here telling him about his life, he broke down in the ring last week like a child and immediately he thinks its a work, and Russo understands that, because that's the mindset he himself is in, and has been for the last 10 years. He says its tunnel vision, the wrestling business and nothing else, sports entertainment and nothing else, the ratings and nothing else, but he's 42, he looks at a guy like Hennig, he doesn't want to not be there tomorrow and lose all the time away from his kids. He insists its not an angle and doesn't even wish it was, it's him finally doing the right thing, stepping up to the plate, and living up to the role and title of father. I still think this is a swerve of some kind, which makes all of this completely pointless, but a hell of a promo either way. On the other side of things if this is him really being done as an on-screen character, S.E.X. is basically dead in the water.
The Hot Shots (w/ Mike Sanders & "Gifted" Glen Gilberti) vs Disciples of the New Church (w/ Father James Mitchell)
The Church jump the Hot Shots right away, Brian tossing one out to the floor, Slash sends the other off the ropes into a cobra clutch leg sweep, as Siaki and Desire make their way out. Another cobra clutch leg sweep by Slash to Chase. Siaki and Desire leave with Glen and Mike while Slash hits Chase with a back elbow back in the ring. Slash with a back drop on Cassidy and an inverted DDT on Chase for the cover and Cassidy breaks it up. Hot Shots send Slash to the corner, Cassidy sent to the apron and the floor, then Chase is headscissored head first into the middle turnbuckle.
Brian tags in but gets his eyes raked, Cassidy tags in and runs into a big boot. Scoop slam by Brian and a series of elbows coming off the ropes. Truth is watching in the crowd and Slash tags in, sends Cassidy off the ropes into double back elbows. Chase tags back in, Slash sent off the ropes, ducks a double clothesline and hits one of his own. Double teaming by the Church as Chase is sent off the ropes, Cassidy tags in, trips up slash for a missile dropkick for two. Chase back in.
Slash face first in the corner, then the next corner. Slash sent across the ring, avoids a clothesline, caught with a spinning crucifix bomb. Chase back in and Brian tags in, delivering rights and clotheslines, then a chokeslam to Cassidy. Brian goes for a tombstone but Cassidy makes the save, then they hit a double Russian leg sweep. Cassidy misses a springboard frog splash, then Slash misses a top rope senton. Chase up top misses a moonsault, then Brian hits a knee drop front he top, covers and Cassidy saves it.
Slash sets Cassidy on the top rope but he's caught with a running sitout powerbomb by Chase for two. Brian goes to Cassidy on the top rope but is elbowed away, then Cassidy off the top with a loaded right. Chase off the top with a splash on Brian gets two. Chase comes off the ropes, tripped up by Mitchell, allowing Slash to get Chase on his shoulders for a Doomsday Dropkick for the win. (6:19) Church continue to look good. Hot Shots looked fine but the crowd didn't care much for them. Match was overall fine.
Hot Shots and Harrises are arguing and they break out into a fight now, Harris Twins beat the crap out of them easily, going so far as to throw them out of the building.
Goldilocks is standing by with Sandman ahead of his match with Raven and asks him how this match works. He has no idea, he just thought there's lots of history between the two of them, runs through the multiple weapons, the violence and Kevin Sullivan. He remembers the days when he first started and Sullivan gave him some great advice, and how he used to beat the crap out of people, saying Sullivan's as sadistic as they come. This was mostly a lot of rambling.
Now we get a recap of Watts, Lawler and Flair laying out Jarrett last week.
Tenay introduces Jarrett to the ring. Tenay says that whoever's held the NWA Title has had a target on their back, so he's not surprised about recent events. He wants to talk about guys like Styles and Raven who want title shots, but first, he wants his thoughts on what Russo said earlier. Jarrett says it's hard to believe, but on the other hand it's a hard pill to swallow, having brought Russo's kids into things. He admits it was a low blow and black hearted, but he did because he had a purpose, he says Russo isn't the game guy he knew 10 years ago. He says if he had to stoop to that level to do the right thing, get the old Russo, then he'll do it.
He says Tenay might not feel the same way that he does, but at one time Russo was his best friend, someone who stepped up to the plate and came from a magazine writer and rose through the ranks in WWF, was THE guy in WCW, and for all Russo's bad points he has good ones, and he has big balls. He says it's not been the same guy he always knew the last few months, he became deranged, sick, obsessed with S.E.X, and when he did that, he lost focus of the business he once loved. He says he doesn't know what to hink as he has lots on his plate, but for Russo to walk away, it's not the Russo he knows and he's confused.
Tenay moves onto what he mentioned earlier, the people gunning for his title, whether it's Raven, Styles, or the trio who laid him out last week. Jarrett is about to go down the line but he's interrupted by Watts, joined by Lawler and Flair. Jarrett leaves the ring to grab a chair, ready to attack, but Watts assures him he won't need it, says he came to talk and not fight, to explain why he put Jarrett through a table last week.
He says he could stand there and tell him what he wants to hear, that he was mad Jarrett left out three of the greatest second-generation wrestlers ever, but that's not it. They need to go deeper, he brings up how he and Jarrett spent time together as kids, their fathers both promoters, they went to each others houses while their fathers talked about the next great wrestlers, and the two of them talked about selling out across the nation in every arena. He brings up how he went to play college football, went to Germany and Japan to wrestle, and Jarrett thanked him. He talks about being called up to train Malone, Rodman and Leno, and he wrestled in WWF, Jarrett called him to tell him he was doing a great job, and that's where the problem lies.
He says when they crossed paths in WWF and they held him down, because they couldn't see the talent, Jarrett didn't make a call, he was Double J, a star, and didn't bother to help Watts out. He thinks it eats Jarrett up that it took 10 years to get to the big leagues, and it only took three weeks of training for Watts to get a WCW contract. He thinks that it bothers Jarrett that it took him four months to be PWI's Rookie of the Year. He thinks it bothers Jarrett that he's tall and big, and Jarrett had to work his ass off in the gym to prove he's a heavyweight.
It bothered Watts that he never raised a finger to make a call, he's here on his own, his daddy's not the boss, and neither is Jarrett's, he came to prove himself. He repeats what he said last week, that Jarrett's going to regret what he did to him. Watts turns his back to allow him to hit him with the chair, and Jarrett doesn't do it. They all leave. Well... that was awful. And none of it explained why Flair and Lawler was there.
Disgraceland (w/ Mike Sanders & "Gifted" Glen Gilberti) vs Jorge Estrada
Disgraceland attacks from behind, before sending Jorge off the ropes, he ducks a clothesline and hits a forearm. Sanders and Glen briefly join commentary but once again are called away by Siaki and Desire for some sort of meeting, despite insisting staying at ringside. We miss about 30 seconds of action watching them bicker and it distracts Disgraceland long enough for Jorge to hit a superkick, Jorge misses a splash off the top, Disgraceland rolls him up for two. Slingshot suplex by Disgraceland gets two. Elbow drop by Disgraceland gets two. Back suplex by Disgraceland gets two.
Jorge taken to the corner, then they exchange chops, Jorge taking control with a dropkick. Jorge sent off the ropes into a knee, rolls around into a rollup for two. Headbutt to the gut by Disgraceland, jackknife cover for two. Scoop slam by Disgraceland who goes to the middle rope, misses an ax handle and gets a shot to the gut. Some version of a leg sweep, something like the old Paige Turner, gets Jorge the win. (3:36) Surprisingly decent match, though probably helped that it was so short.
Goldy is in the SEX locker room during the meeting Siaki called. Siaki seems to be taking control of the group with Russo gone now and calls himself the ace in the hole. Sanders calls him an asshole and they start to come to blows. Glen gets them to shut them up, and introduces his new partner, at least I think that's what he says.
Her name I think is Hollywood? Siaki didn't approve of this. Now Plumtree barges his way in but eventually he's ejected by the Harrises along with Goldy. Could barely hear anything going on this segment, between Jorge's music being too loud and just generally bad audio. This is apparently Hollywood from the original GLOW, she owns an artisan soap company now.
Time for another edition of The Interrogation, this week with Kid Kash:
- Ricky Morton: mentor
- Rap or Rock: rock
- Paul Heyman: Jewish (which I laughed way too hard at for some reason)
- AJ Styles: really good
- Favorite move: Money Maker
- Toughest X Division opponent: AJ
- Trinity, business or pleasure: he avoids the question, but implies there's some pleasure involved.
- Kid Kash, cocky of confident: very confident
- Konnan and the luchadors: wannabes
- Make war or make peace: make love
- Winning the X Division Title: biggest night of his life
- Amazing Red, real deal or hype: real short
NWA X Division Championship: Amazing Red vs Kid Kash (c) (w/ Trinity)
Quick exchange of strikes and counters to start the match, then some snap arm drags ending in a standoff. Quick exchange of holds now, then some more arm drags and another standoff and a handshake. Baseball slide by Kash takes out the legs before slamming Red's knee into the mat, then Red sent off the ropes, through the legs, gets a drop toe hold and a hurricanrana. Flapjack sends Kash out to the floor to regroup only to be caught with a flip dive.
Red takes control with some kicks and strikes, one right between the shoulder blades, until he's sent into the guard rail, then each miss a chair shot until Kash throws one right at Red's head. Back in the ring, Kash off the top with a flying clothesline gets two. Red sent of the ropes but hits the Code Red for two. Kash sent off the ropes,, catches Red with a fisherman's neckbreaker for two. Red sent to the corner, elevates Kash to the apron, goes up top, but cut off with a superplex for two.
Kash sent to the corner, pops Red to the middle rope, he goes up top but caught with a German suplex. Red even tries landing on his feet but it just sends him rolling backward flat on the mat. Kash covers but it's a near fall. Red sent off the ropes and gets Kash with a headscissor, then a superkick and a 718, covers and Kash gets his foot on the rope. Red sent to the corner, sends Kash to the apron but knocks him to the floor with an enziguri. Red tries to follow up with a flip dive on Kash but ends up taking out Trinity instead.
Back in the ring, Red sent to the corner, gets a boot up, goes to the middle rope with a spinning STO, then a standing shooting star for two. Kash tries for the Money Maker but Red counters with a Northern Lights for a pin attempt. Kash bridges up to counter with the Money Maker to retain. (10:41) Awesome match.
Goldy is outsidde Jarrett's locker room ready to get a word with him, but Styles shoves past her and barges in. Styles accuses him of being scared because he won't give him a rematch, and threatens to take his rematch. Jarrett calls him a little bitch and says AJ screwed up his opportunity, so will give him a rematch on his terms before kicking him out.
Tenay sat down for an interview with AMW earlier in the day. Tenay starts by saying that they've been called an overnight success, but Harris disputes this, saying they busted their asses nine years to climb the ladder and TNA gave them the opportunity to show the world what they can do. Storm says they're here to show everyone they're the best tag team today. Tenay asks about their influences, Harris mentions Bret Hart and Curt Hennig, two of the best wrestlers there ever was, and the fact they got a chance to hang out with Hennig meant a lot to them.
Tenay says they've been at the top of the mountain twice and asks how significant it is to be recognized as NWA Tag Champions. Storm says its very important, they want to be recognized as the best and they won't stop until they get their belts back next week. Tenay follows up asking if it's a disadvantage not knowing which two members of Triple X they'll face. Harris says there are no disadvantages anymore because Russo's thrown everything at them, they wrestle a different team every week and they beat them, and whether Russo likes it or not they're the #1 contenders, and they'll do it again.
Tenay says they've fallen victim to the look-ahead factor in the past, case in point tonight they face Sanders and Gilberti. Storm says they'll take those two down like they did the rest of Russo's guys, then get what's rightfully theirs next week. Harris says their only concern is that people leave the room when Mike and Glen come out.
Mike Sanders & "Gifted" Glen Gilberti vs America's Most Wanted
Sanders and Storm start the match with a quick exchange of holds and moves, until Storm hits a hurricanrana. Sanders takes control with a thumb to the eye, taking Storm to the corner for some chops, until Storm turns it around with rights and a chop in the corner. Truth is still watching from the crowd while Storm is thrown over the ropes, skins the cat and drops Sanders with a right.
Glen tags in and delivers a hip drop after an exchange, comes off the ropes and eats a superkick. Harris tags in, Glen sent to the corner for a back elbow, then back across the ring for a bulldog, then Sanders gets decked. Glen counters an Irish whip with a knee, then sends Harris off the ropes into an inverted atomic drop, comes off the ropes but caught with a Thesz Press, followed by vicious rights. Harris sent off the ropes, kicked by Sanders and clotheslined by Glen, who cheap shots Storm. Harris sent off the ropes, tosses Glen out and tosses Sanders out onto him, then Storm is launched out by Harris onto both of them.
All four fight at ringside with AMW keeping control, Sanders sent into the guard rail, then Storm takes Sanders back in the ring. Sanders sent off the ropes, held up for a dropkick, then catapulted into the corner for a leg sweep. AMW try a double catapult of some kind back to the middle but Sanders screws it up, then they drop Glen from the apron, followed by a double clothesline to Sanders. Baseball slide to Glen on the floor and one by Sanders to Storm to the head.
Glen back in, Storm sent off the ropes, boot by Sanders, facebuster by Glen and a running neckbreaker by Glen for two. Russian leg sweep by Glen, then to the middle rope misses a knee drop. Glen avoids an enziguri but eats a second. Harris gets the hot tag and in comes Sanders, caught with a back drop after some rights. Harris sent off the ropes, ducks a clothesline and hits one of his own. Glen is dropped, Sanders sent off the ropes into a Hart Attack, cover and Glen breaks it up.
For some reason Moondog Spot is here, which would explain why the woofs from the crowd, I thought Rick Steiner had shown up. Glen tries a stunner on Storm, who shoves him off but the ref gets squashed in the corner as a result. Glen sent off the ropes, elevates Storm to the floor and pulls Glen out with him.. Sanders slammed to the mat by Harris who puts Sanders into a sharpshooter. Sanders is tapping but the ref's out. Elix Skipper appears to hit him in the back with a chair, Sanders crawls on top but it's only two.
Glen accidentally clotheslines Sanders, who stumbles into the ref, Harris spears Glen. Storm goes up top but Elix shoves him off to the floor, then nails Harris in the head with the chair. Glen rolls on top for the win, and Moondog just sort of disappeared. (8:51) The first half was... fine. Then it became a mess. And what the fuck was Moondog doing there? He showed up, did nothing and left.
Goldy is in the S.E.X. locker room to try and figure out what's going on with Russo, but this is just as Sanders, Glen and Elix are returning. Siaki's pissed because Elix acted without his OK. Sanders decks him and now they fight out of the locker room into the crowd. Siaki fights back only to be dropped back down and now they make it to ringside, while the crew seem to be setting up for the main event.
Siaki gets in a low blow and now tosses Sanders into the ring. Sanders takes him back down, now Desire jumps on Sanders' back. Hollywood pulls her off which results in a catfight spot. Sanders and Siaki are still fighting, the Harrises and Elix finally break it up, all while the crew have to work around all this. Siaki and Sanders eventually shake hands. Harrises try to get Desire and Hollywood to hug but Desire hits a nasty looking Rock Bottom instead, just about folding her up and dropping her on her neck. Glen helps Hollywood out of the ring and they all go to back to the locker room.
Recap package of the issues between Sandman and Raven.
Special Enforcer/Observer: Kevin Sullivan
Pre-Match: Rules are simple. It's no pinfalls, submissions, countouts or DQs. Only way to win is throw your opponent off Raven's Nest, pictured above, and located somewhere among the stands I think. The pic of the ring is the best full look I could get before the match, but there's more weapons when we return from the video package. Commentary remind us that Sullivan is only here to "promote violence". Sandman comes out with a case of beer and smoking a cigarette.
Raven nails him in the head with a trash lid immediately to start the match, then a second time. Sandman with an immediate low blow, then a running dropkick in the corner before tossing Raven to the floor. Raven face first off a trash can at ringside, then detaches part of the guard rail to drape Raven over it. Sandman off the apron with a leg drop across the back of the neck. Sandman tosses the trash can in the ring, then slides out a table, and Raven's busted open already. Sandman sends him face first off the steps before taking it back to the ring.
Sandman sent off the ropes, Raven tries to drop him on the can with a drop toe hold, but Sandman stops himself, tries to throw it at Raven but misses. Evenflow DDT connects. Raven grabs a giant metal, chain link gate that's been strung above the ring, or at least tries to, even with Sullivan's help he can't get it, so he just throws Sandman face first into it. Raven grabs the chain strung along the ropes and uses it to whip Sandman before choking him with it. Raven sets up the table before nailing Sandman with a "For Sale" sign, then a chair to the head.
Sullivan hands Raven another chair to nail Sandman in the head with, and Sullivan hands it back to him to set up in the middle. Sandman sent off the ropes to be sent into the chair with a drop toe hold. Raven grabs another "For Sale" sign to nail Sandman in the head, before laying Sandman on the table. Raven nails him with a trash lid to keep him down before going up top, driving Sandman through the table with an elbow. Raven's face is just covered with blood at this point.
Sandman nails Raven in the head with his case of beer, then a concerto with a pair of trash cans. Sullivan hands Sandman a kendo stick, nailing Raven right over the head with it and sending him rolling to the floor. Raven is retreating through the crowd, Sandman and Sullivan follows and they all head up toward the perch. There's a stack of tables for the eventual drop as Raven nails Sandman with a trash can, then tries throw him off the perch but Sandman avoids it. Sandman tries to drop him off the perch, even with a trash can but narrowly avoids it.
Raven whipped into some boards while Sandman rips down the sign for the perch. Raven sprays him with a fire extinguisher, allowing him to throw Sandman off the perch through the tables for the win, and a nasty landing too. (8:20) For what it was, I thought it was a fun match, and the addition of Sullivan actively handing them weapons to "promote violence" as they said added an interesting part to the fun. But I don't need to see more of this feud.
Raven stumbles his way back to the ring to grab a mic. He says now that he disposed of Sandman, he wants his title shot. He says he's a bloody mess and says it's Jarrett's only chance to defeat him, and wants the title shot immediately. He screams that he has a destiny to fulfill and calls him out, Jarrett comes out just to nail Raven in the head with the title. Raven sent into the gate, then Jarrett wails on him with a kendo stick. Trash lid to the head of Raven, then another. Raven is just soaked with blood right now.
Styles comes out, tries to nail Jarrett but he ducks and Raven is nailed instead. Styles goes after Raven now and they fight through the crowd. Jarrett is now fighting Lawler and Flair, Jarrett knocks them out with the burlap sack. Watts comes out next to take out Jarrett with a bat and a triple team ensues. Flair with a scoop slam, Lawler goes up top with the Hip Hop Drop. Flair finally reveals what was in the bag and its... the NWA TItle? Tenay presumes its the one that belonged to Ric, while he's screaming for someone to come out and stop the beatdown as Watts continues beating on Jarrett with the bat, and the show ends with Watts choking out Jarrett.
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