NWA-TNA Weekly PPV #8

August 7, 2002

Live from the Tennessee State Fairgrounds in Nashville, TN

Your annoucers are Don West, Ed Ferrara, and Mike Tenay

The Dupps and Apolo are shown standing outside of Steamboat’s door with Goldylocks standing around holding her microphone.



Flying Elvises vs. Spanish Announce Team (Amazing Red, Joel Maximo, Jose Maximo)

Tenay tells us that the Spanish Announce Team is here to protect the Spanish announce table, which always gets destroyed at WWE events. Then why are they at TNA, where there is no Spanish announce table present? The SAT’s go after the Elvises right as they enter the ring. Tenay messes up and refers to Red as Jose as he gets clotheslined down by Siaki. All three Elvises are beating on Joel as Estrada gets a split-legged moonsault. Triple powerbomb to Jose then he is tossed outside. Red enters and Siaki brushes off his teammates. Red with a dropkick but charges and gets backdropped outside onto his teammates. Yang & Estrada pose and Siaki tells them to knock it off and orders them to stand on the apron. Siaki rolls Joel into the ring and stomps away. Spinning neckbreaker by Siaki gets two and he brushes off his teammates again and they go to the announcers table. The SAT’s are now triple teaming Siaki as Yang says that they left the ring because Siaki says he is “TCB’ing” (Taking Care of Business) by himself. Standing shooting star press by Red gets two. Yang is awful on commentary but things get worse when Estrada starts to sing like Elvis about Siaki getting his ass kicked in the ring. SAT’s get Siaki in the SAT stretch (surfboard, inverted headlock combo) then Red comes off the ropes with a stomp. Yang and Estrada continue to be anything but impressive on commentary as the SAT’s beat on Siaki some more. Siaki finally gets the upper hand and catches Red in a pumphandle suplex as Yang returns to the apron. Joel gets two off of a suplex as Yang goes back to the announcer’s table and says that Siaki looks lke a “Big ol’ hound dog.” Dear lord. They are using Elvis quotes quite frequently on commentary and it is grating. Red with a spinkick to Siaki when he is up top as Joel & Jose get the Spanish Fly on Siaki and Red gets the Infrared (corkscrew moonsault) for two as Yang & Estrada break up the pin. Yang & Estrada clear the ring of the SAT’s and Yang follows them out with a plancha. Red gets the Code Red to Estrada for two but Yang breaks that up. Jose gets a piledriver on Yang after botching a double team move. Estrada turns the Spanish Fly into a double DDT. Red charges at Yang and gets spinkicked. Yang & Estrada with a top-rope splash/legdrop combo and they pose as Siaki rolls in the ring and gets the pin (11:43) **.  After the match, Yang & Estrada look at each other in disbelief as to what just happened.

Thoughts: The whole angle about Siaki being all about himself is fine but this match went on for way too long. It had a few decent moves and got a lot better towards the end but this dragged. Yang & Estrada are awful on the mic and having them quote Elvis didn’t help them out either. The Siaki storyline is okay but he really doesn’t carry himself as a star. He has the look and is okay in the ring but lacks the charisma and mic skills.

Tenay plugs tonight’s Triple Main Event: Jeff Jarrett vs. Apolo in a #1 contender’s match. Low Ki vs. Jerry Lynn vs. AJ Styles for the X-Division Championship and Ron “The Truth” Killings vs. Ken Shamrock for the Heavyweight Championship.

Tenay sits down with Apolo in a pre-taped interview. Apolo, in broken English, is angry about being overlooked for the title. Says respect is everything in his country and that he no longer respects Ricky Steamboat for “giving his spot” to Killings. He calls Steamboat “corrupt” and demands respect from Steamboat tonight. Apolo did not come off to good here, mostly due to the language barrier, but at least the segment made sense   

Camera cuts backstage to Goldylocks as Apolo runs into Steamboat as he exits his office after talking with AJ Styles. Apolo demands to speak with him as Steamboat tells him he will have to wait. The Dupps chase after Steamboat and Lynn jumps Styles, prompting Goldylocks to yell “Holy Shit.” After a good brawl, security breaks it up. Lots of stuff going on in a short amount of time.

Steamboat is heading to the ring as the Dupps chase after him. Steamobat, not wanting to be bothered, says they can do whatever they want. Dupps are now ecstatic.

Tale of the Tape between Shamrock and Killings.

NWA-TNA World Heayweight Championship Match

Ken Shamrock (Champion) vs. Ron “The Truth” Killings

Steamboat is on commentary. Shamrock tries a leg lock but Killings reaches the ropes. Shamrock ducks a clothesline and nearly falls down before kicking the Truth. Steamboat is on commentary telling us that promoters play favorites, blaming “them” as a reason he didn’t get a World Title shot in the WWF as Shamrock gets the figure four neck lock. Truth floats over and gets a leg lariat. Shamrock breaks a chinlock but is hit with a flying forearm that gets two. Shamrock completely botches a sunset flip attempt and takes down the Truth with a leg lock as Ferrara states the match is early in the show so that they can accommodate the 60 minute time limit. Truth with a clothesline and gets a legdrop for two. Killings with mounted punches in the corner but Shamrock counters with a powerbomb and both men are down. Shamrock with some punches then catches Truth in a powerslam that gets two. Back elbow smash by Shamrock and then a really shitty looking leg lariat. Shamrock tries a rana but they fuck up that spot as well as Killings appeared confused and held him up there before selling the move. Shamrock gets an ankle lock but Truth quickly grabs the ropes. Truth gets clotheslined to the floor as we see the New Church looking on from the ramp as well as Monty Brown. Don Harris comes down with a chair. Shamrock works on Truth but gets suplexed.  Truth rolls Shamrock back in but is met with punches. Cross armbreaker by Shamrock as a faint “Shamrock sucks” chant breaks out. Truth charges but gets backdropped to the floor. Shamrock goes out and they slug it out until Apolo runs out and is joined by the New Church, Brown, and Harris. Steamboat tries to clear people out as Apolo goes to superkick Truth but he ducked and hit Shamrock instead. That was not even close to connecting. Steamboat then roles Shamrock in the ring as Truth walks around in a daze for a few seconds until he hits the Truth or Consequences (cutter) for the win and the championship (9:17) ½*.  Truth celebrates after the match and most of the crowd is cheering. Tenay then compares Truth to other greats in the NWA’s history and says he is the first “black man” to win the title.

Thoughts: Match sucked as Shamrock kept fucking up and the two had zero chemistry. Still, the change was good and needed to happen as Shamrock was a failure as the champ. For that reason alone, the segment was successful.

Steamboat enters the ring and calls out Apolo. Says he might have made a mistake last week by not giving him a shot at the title. He then tells Apolo that running around like a maniac is unacceptable but he will get a title shot. Jeff Jarrett interrupts and is upset that Steamboat told Apolo that he earned a shot at the title. Jarrett then states that this is reverse racism because he is being looked over due to not being a minority. Steamboat says that the “bullshit” will stop tonight as Apolo will get a shot at the belt if he wins and that Jarrett will get “the truth” if he wins tonight. Steamboat isn’t finished as he says he will be the special guest referee and promises no false winner. Jarrett says that Steamboat is fair game because he is stepping into the ring. Seeing how they already announced this as the #1 contenders match earlier in the show, this whole segment made zero sense. Add in another race angle and it gets even worse.

Disco Inferno is out for “Jive Talkin.” Disco disapproves off his set that features a chalkboard. The Dupps come out to announce the “Dupp Cup Invitational.” Bo has his cup and explains how it was passed down from his family. Bo says that this will be the new Hardcore Division in TNA because “Ricky Steamship” says they could do what they wanted as long as they stayed away from him. Explain the rules on the chalkboard. Need 10 points to win. Here are the rules:

Put opponent through table: 2 ½ pts
Put opponent through burning table: 5 pts
Put opponents head in a toilet: 2 ½ pts
If it has shit in it: 3 ½ pts
If you goose a woman: 2 ½ pts
If you goose a man: 3 ½ pts
Nail Jeremy Borash: 2 ½ pts
Nail Sarah the ticket lady: 2 ½ pts
Use a farm animal: 2 ½ pts
Spank opponent with Horsey Poo: 2 ½ pts (Stan came out with a wooden horse, similar to Chavo’s Pepe in WCW)
If they like it: -2 ½ pts
Introduce opponent to Jay: 2 ½ pts
Cry like a pussy: -5 pts
Put opponents head in a cotton candy machine for one full rotation: 10 pts
Hit opponent with fan-brought weapon: 1 pt

This lasted forever and was anything but comical. Stan challenges Disco but Paulina from Tough Enough steps in between the two. Ferrara enters the ring and says he will win in order to get a night with Fluff and decks Borash, getting 2.5 points.

Dupp Cupp Invitational Match

Bo Dupp w/Stan Dupp vs. Ed Ferrara

Borash jumps on Ferrara but gets dumped over the guardrail. Don is doing the announcing by using a microphone and standing up near the ring. Stan hits Ferrara with a chair and Bo hits him as well before tossing him out. Ferrara is getting hit by stuff that the Dupps are grabbing from the crowd as Disco, still standing on his set, and West are yelling the score, despite being on opposite sides of the arena. Stan brings out a blow-up doll and throws it at Ferrara. Bo then attemtps to go after the Sara the Ticket Lady but she hits him with a broom. Stan breaks Disco’s lamp and goes after him but Paulina gets a low blow and hits him with the chalkboard repeatedly. Ferrara with a few chairshots on Bo and no one can keep track of the score. Ferrara gets “Horsey-Poo” and hits Bo, who likes getting hit, so he grabs a table but Bo chokeslams him through the table and gets the win (5:43) -***.

Thoughts: An abomination of a match. I realize that this was an alleged “comedy” segment but good lord this was brutal. Having Disco and West announce the match with microphones on opposite sides of the arena and struggling to keep score made it seem even more bush league than it already was at this point.

Tenay interviews Monty Brown in what appears to be a picnic table outside of an office park. Brown tells us his football and academic background but says he is now a wrestler. Tenay asks him about politics in the NFL and in wrestling. Brown says you control your own destiny. He talks about the Truth until Elix Skipper ambushes him and hits him with yellow paint and says Brown is a “chickenshit.” A continuation of the feud between the two. The segment was fine.  

Tenay says that Ferrara has been carted out of the arena and will not return tonight. Well, that’s good news.   

First Blood Match

Malice w/James Mitchell vs. Don Harris

The two start brawling on the ramp. Malice grabs a chair but Harris boots it into his face. Malice gets whipped into the guardrail as Mitchell joins the booth and talks about the “Blood of the Audad.” They fight near the concession stand as two seemingly planted fans spaz out over the action. Harris grinds Malice’s head on the guardrail then hits him with a chair. Malice fights back and shoves Harris into the bleachers. More token brawling as they now fight on the ramp. Harris counters a powerbomb attempt with a backdrop. He tosses Malice off of the ramp and onto the guardrail. Slash jumps Malice and takes out a shank but Harris takes it away and hits Slash on the head, causing him to bleed. Mitchell is on the ramp as Harris beats on Slash. Malice runs in and rolls him down the ramp. Malice grabs a chair as Harris kicks the blood out of Mitchell’s hand and it spills all over him. In the ring, Harris catches Malice in a sideslam as all of a sudden Harris is visibly bleeding. Malice shows it to the ref and the match is over (6:29) DUD. New Church destroy Harris as Mitchell grabs the mic and calls Harris “weak.”

Thoughts: The match sucked. The brawling was terrible and we didn’t even see how Harris bled. That was the whole point of the match, whoever bled first would lose and it ends with Harris bleeding all of a sudden. The “Blood of the Audad” stuff is corny and does the promotion no help in trying to be a viable alternative to the WWE.

Goldylocks is waiting to interview Taylor Vaughn when Siaki grabs the mic asking for Steamboat. He exits by stating “Sonny Siaki has left the interview.” Bruce walks into the female dressing room and Vaughn beats him. They will be fighting tonight in an evening gown match. Camera cuts to AJ Styles and Low Ki fighting in the locker room. Security breaks that up.  

Special Guest Referee: Ricky Steamboat

Apolo vs. Jeff Jarrett

Lockup to start as Steamboat breaks it up when they reach the ropes. Steamobat stops the men when they try closed-fist punches. Jarrett gets the advantage but Apolo gets in some chops. Inverted atomic drop is followed by a clothesline and Jarrett rolls out of the ring. Apolo, on the apron, kicks Jarrett. Apolo in the ring jaws with Steamboat as Jarrett trips him up. Apolo gets a spinebuster for two. He floats over and gets a cradle for two. Apolo lands on the apron after a backdrop and takes down Jarrett. He chops Jarrett on the ramp but gets whipped into the steel steps. Jarrett does it again and keeps on rolling in and out of the ring to break the count. Steamboat orders Jarrett back inside but he rams Apolo’s head off of the table, drawing blood. In the ring, Jarrett stomps Apolo. They trade off chops but Apolo misses a charge into the corner. Apolo tries to go up top but Jarrett kicks him down and puts him into the tree of woe. Jarrett with a flying chopblock and gets the figure four. Eventually, Apolo reverses but Jarrett gets to the ropes. Jarrett misses a charge and crotches himself on the ropes. Jarrett ducks his head in a backdrop attempt and gets hit with a jumping DDT. Both men are down and Apolo gets up fist. He hits a few corner clotheslines then follows with mounted punches. A reversal sequence ends with Apolo getting a superkick but Jarrett is able to put his foot on the ropes at two. Apolo with a German Suplex and bridge but Jarrett gets his shoulder up before the three count and gets the win (10:06) **. Apolo is furious and grabs Steamboat on the ramp. He explains why Jarrett has won as Apolo puts his hands on Steamboat then gets escorted to the back by security. Steamboat then tells Jarrett that since he won, he gets “the truth” and that he is a man of his word. However, Steamboat never said he would get a shot at the title but rather “The Truth” will be is tag-team partner against AJ Styles & Jerry Lynn next week. Crowd starts a mild “bullshit” chant. Jarrett is pissed.

Thoughts: So much for establishing a #1 contender. The match itself was passable. However, setting up a tag-title match for next week with partners who hate each other is idiotic.

Evening Gown Match

Taylor Vaughn vs. Bruce

Bruce is wearing a blond wig and red dress. Vaughn ducks a charge and gets an inverted atomic drop then a regular atomic drop. Bruce with a back scratch then gets aggressive. He catches her with a knee then a delayed vertical suplex, exposing her ass to the crowd. He pulls her up by the hair and rams her against the turnbuckle. Tilt-a-whirl front slam by Bruce, who then slowly takes off her dress for the win (2:02) DUD. After the match, Bruce grabs the mic and says that he will make everyone happy and asks for his music. Bruce then proceeds to strip, revealing a thong and garter.

Thoughts: Just as embarrassing as the “Dupp Cup” stuff. I give Vaughn credit for taking some nice bumps though. That is the only positive thing I can say about this segment

West plugs next week’s show and merchandise on TNA.com. He is in all his glory and it is like he is back to selling Ken Griffey rookie cards again on Shop at Home.

NWA-TNA X Division Championship Match

AJ Styles (Champion) vs. Low Ki vs. Jerry Lynn

Lynn and Low Ki lockup as AJ watches. They see that and double team him for a bit until they start trading punches. Lynn catches Ki in a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker for one. Low Ki with a basement dropkick to Lynn and then kicks the piss out of him until AJ breaks that up. Lynn clotheslines AJ and punches away. AJ gets a powerslam on Lynn but neglects to cover. Low Ki charges at both men but they backdrop him. Spinning Gory Special by Lynn is broken up by Low Ki. Ki with a scoop slam to AJ then drops an elbow for two. Crowd loves Low Ki and he is the most popular wrestler they have. Ki pulls up on a dropkick but AJ with a kip-up headscissors then a facebuster. AJ catches Ki with a spinkick but Lynn attacks him from behind. Spinning neckbreaker by AJ as he stomps Lynn then Low Ki. Lynn counters a rana by AJ into a facebuster but Ki breaks up the pin. Ki and Lynn slug it out and Ki wins that battle. Ki lands on the apron after a backdrop by Lynn but gets leg dropped after ducking his head. With Lynn behind Styles, Ki slingshots in with a cradle as Lynn hits AJ with a German suplex. That looked sweet. Ki is beating everyone until Lynn fights back. Ki takes him down but AJ throws him against the ropes. A counter sequence ends with Ki putting AJ in the Dragon Clutch. Lynn tries to break up but Ki breaks the hold himself and pushes Lynn and gets him in the Dragon Sleeper. Lynn escapes and gets a DDT for two. AJ catches Lynn with a moonsault kick but gets put on top and Lynn gets a DDT that Ki breaks up. Snap suplex by Ki to Lynn gets two. Ki knocks AJ down with a forearm then beats on him in the corner. Double underhook gets two but Lynn breaks up the pin with an elbow. Lynn catches AJ’s foot and flips him over but AJ manages to hit Ki with the Phenomenon. Another cool looking spot. Lynn places Ki up top and goes up for a superplex but gets shoved off. AJ goes up top for a superplex and at the same time, Lynn springboards off the middle rope and powerbombs AJ as he hits the move. That was great. La Magistral caradle by Lynn to Ki gets two. Loads of roll-ups in rapid succession follow as the crowd goes nuts. Lynn breaks a roll-up by shoving Ki off and AJ catches him and tries a Styles clash but Lynn breaks that up. AJ tries a double DDT but gets put on the top rope. Hanging Dragon by Ki until Lynn breaks it up with a dropkick. Ki gets booted after a charge but blocks a tornado DDT and gets a dragon sleeper but AJ breaks that up with a moonsault. Neckbraker by AJ to Lynn gets two. Ki tries to get AJ in the Ki Crusher then hits him with a Styles Clash instead. Lynn then gets Ki with the Ki Crusher and AJ breaks that up and gets Lynn with a cradle piledriver. Fun sequence that got over with the crowd. Lynn ducks the Tidal Wave and Ki accidentally hits the ref. Ki is backdropped to the floor by both men. Lynn and AJ collide in the ring. AJ grabs a chair and heads in the ring. He crushes Lynn and goes up top. Ki crawls in and covers Lynn as the ref counts to two AJ hits the Spiral Tap but Ki ‘s arm goes back on Lynn and he gets the win (16:17) ****1/4. Immediately, the camera cuts to the back and shows Jarrett challenging Killings for the belt. In the ring, AJ attacks Lynn and they start to fight. Jarrett is now backed onto the ramp by security. Jarrett is now in the ring and challenging Killings as the show goes off the air.

Thoughts: Match was awesome. The ending looked a little bit hokey but the action was fantastic and it featured loads of innovative spots. Ki was easily the most over wrestler in the match and having him win the belt makes sense. Throwing in the Jarrett/Killings stuff at the end seemed a bit much though.

Final Thoughts: Well, lets start with the positives. The X-Division match was fantastic and they got the belt off of Shamrock, who was a failure as the champ. Also, Shitlocks never returned back to the booth. Unfortuantely, everything else ranged from mediocre to cringe-worthy. The Miss TNA stuff and the Dupp Cup angles were embarrassing. The First Blood match was awful and the rest was entirely forgettable. They crammed way too many things in each segment (Lets guess as to who was behind that) and tried and failed miserably with their comedy stuff. Also, having Steamboat supposedly defend the "tradition" of the NWA only to look like a fool and have the show feature the terrible segments that it did shows a lack of focus in the company.