NWA-TNA Weekly PPV #24

December 11, 2002

 

A black-and-white video recap of  last week’s show. Thankfully, they cut out the Owen Hart stuff. It goes on for a few minutes.

 

Your hosts are Don West and Mike Tenay

 

Tenay starts by stating how all 3 title belts are on the line tonight.

 

 

Jason Cross vs. Tony Mamaluke

 

Tenay mentions how Cross wrestled on last week’s Xpolsion show and puts over his finisher, the Crossfire (Shooting Star Leg Drop). Speaking of Cross, he looks like a smaller version of AJ Styles. The two trade off a few moves until Cross knocks him off the apron. He then flies out and hits a corkscrew plancha, which looked very nice. Mamaluke shoves Cross against the railing and rolls him into the ring. He beats on Cross until he misses a baseball slide. They trade go-behinds ending with Cross hitting a brainbuster, getting two. Cross misses a somersault leg drop and Mamaluke goes to work on the leg. Cross get a quick rollup but gets caught with a German suplex. Cross gets a rollup off a shinbreaker attempt but Mamaluke goes back to work on the leg. Mamaluke misses a corner splash and Cross hits a corkscrew neckbreaker. He motions for the Crossfire but Mamaluke shoves the ref into the ropes, cutting off Cross. He punches Cross but he ends up putting Mamaluke in a double underhook then flips over hitting an Impaler. That’s a cool move which could get over as a finisher today. Cross climbs up top and hits the Crossfire but continues to sell the injured leg. Mamaluke everntually gets up and hits the Dragon Screw and makes Cross tap out to the Sicilian Crab (6:29) **1/4.

 

Thoughts: I have no clue as to why you would debut someone and put over their finisher only to have them lose cleanly to friggin’ Tony Mamaluke, who hasn’t won a single match in TNA. The match was good and Cross showed a lot of potential. The Crossfire is a sweet move too.

 

After the match, BG James comes out flanked by the Harris Twins. He lays Jarrett’s guitar on the announcers table and orders Tenay and West to “guard it with their lives” as Jarrett will need it for his match tonight. The Harris’ then destroy Cross and Mamaluke. BG grabs the mic and says Russo is not here tonight because he is scouting for more members to join SEX. BG puts over Russo for forming D-X and says this is all for the good of the business as the crowd starts chanting that BG and Russo suck. Bob Armstrong then comes out and cannot believe BG shook off his family tradition to join Russo. He asks why BG went to Russo and he comes back by saying that Russo led him to the top and keeps on saying “Daddy” sarcastically. Bob brings out Ron Killings, who is wearing a 12 foot long chain and says a chair will be attached and the match will take place tonight. Bob then tells the Harris’ that he would love to knock them on their asses but they will wrestle against the New Church tonight and if they choose not to wrestle, they are finished. Ron says he doesn’t give a shit as long as the titles are on the line. So, they get rewarded with a title shot. How the hell is that considered punishment? BG then goes after Killings and the Harris’ join only to have the New Church come out and brawl with them. Security and referees break up the melee. This segment failed to make anyone care about feud.

 

Tenay puts over Jarrett in his recent tour with WWA, stating how he defended the title against the likes of Sting, Lex Luger, and Nathan Jones.

 

West and Tenay run down the show:

 

Quiet Storm vs. America’s Most Wanted

Amazing Red vs. AJ Styles

Sonny Siaki vs. Jerry Lynn for the X Division Title

Curt Hennig vs. Jeff Jarrett for the NWA-TNA World Heavyweight Title

 

Goldylocks is with Jorge Estrada, who is distraught. Goldy jokes around that he has seemed to have “lost his smile.” He brings up Sikai burning the Elvis costume and Yang being too busy in Japan, not returning his phone calls. He also brings up Priscilla walking off with Brian Lawler and Goldy asks if this is the end of the Elvises. Jorge just walks away without speaking. Looks like they are going to move Estrada’s character in another direction. Either way, he still sucks.

 

Kid Kash vs. Jorge Estrada

 

Estrada comes out with his Elvis gear. They do a fast-paced sequence to start, which wasn’t all that impressive before they trade off armdrags. Estrada couldn’t even do that right as he nearly snaps his arm in half. Kash works the arm as Tenay and West discuss the X Division competitors. Estrada knocks Kash off the apron and hits a quebrada, whacking his head off the ground in the process. Estrada rolls Kash back in the ring but runs into a boot in the corner. Kash gets two off a somersault senton. Faceplant gets two. They engage in an awkward Irish whip sequence that ends with Kash getting a scoop slam. Estrada comes back with a drop toehold and a springboard leg drop. He hits the All Shook Up and gets two, nearly breaking Kash’s neck in the process. In all honestly, I’m pretty sure that Estrada knocked himself silly on the quebrada as he looks absolutely lost out there. Kash comes back with a missile dropkick and a tornado DDT, which gets two. They trade chops for a bit then Kash hits the Money Drop (Brainbuster on the knee) for the win (5:15) ½*.

 

Thoughts: Bad match, due to Estrada. Kash looked pissed off and paced the ring after winning the match before storming off to the locker room. Like I said earlier, Estrada porbably knocked himself silly one the quebrada but he also has a reputation of being a sloppy worker.

 

 

Goldylocks is out back with Bob and Scott Armstrong. Bob walks away after getting off the phone. Nothing much happened here.

 

 

America’s Most Wanted vs. Divine Storm w/Trinity

 

Quiet Storm are riding a two-week long winning streak. Harris and Devine trade off working the arm to start. Harris gets a shoulderblock and brushes off a dropkick attempt. Harris then takes his head off with a clothesline as both men tag out. James and QS do a fast paced sequence that sees James snap off a rana. They height difference is really notable here as QS looks like a midget wrestler. Storm gets an enziguiri but is shortly tossed over the ropes. He manages to skin the cat and get back in as QS falls to the outside after missing a dropkick. Devine gets backdropped onto his own partner and AMW take them out with planchas. Trinity then takes out AMW with a moonsault block from the top rope. Back in the ring, AMW double team QS, to the delight of the crowd. Storm hits a delayed vertical suplex on QS for two. Harris tags but Devine interfers and tags in afterwards. Harris blocks a tilt-a-whirl but gets caught in a side Russian leg sweep. Divine Storm neutralizes Harris by making quick tags. QS goes up top but Harris shoves him to the floor He spears Devine and Storm tags. He runs wild for a bit. AMW hits an H Bomb on QS for two. Storm catches Devine with a tilt-a-whirl slam for two. AMW sets up Devine for the Death Sentence but QS distracts the ref and Trinity hits Storm with the low blow then Devine rolls him up for the win (6:55) **.

 

Thoughts: Solid match. Divine Storm gets the cheap win, which is all they should get against AMW, advancing up the tag division ranks. Despite the win, it is clear that Trinity is the focus of the team. She is also about 100x more interesting than either Storm or Devine.

 

Tenay says that the last PPV of the year will be next week as they are pre-empted for Christmas and NYD. They will be back live on January 8.

 

Goldylocks is backstage with BG and Scott Armstrong. Scott mentions about helping him growing up and BG is having none of that, stating he made his own way. This is just continuation of the feud between the Armstrong’s. No one cares, by he way.

 

Video recap of AJ Styles taking out Amazing Red last week before the double elimination match.

 

 

AJ Styles w/Mortimer Plumtree vs. Amazing Red

 

Red ambushes Styles from behind. Red hits a spinkick then the 718. He dropkicks AJ to the floor but gets caught attempting a pescado and AJ hits a backbreaker from the powerbomb position. Back in the ring, Red fights back but eats a discus clothesline. AJ puts on a chinlock for a bit as the crowd starts chanting for Red. They engage in a sweet reversal sequence that ends with AJ blocking a tornado DDT attempt with a Northern Lights suplex, which gets two. Another cover gets two. AJ tosses Red to the floor and distracts the ref, allowing Plumtree to land some kicks. Red gets rolled back in and AJ covers for two. Red manages to take down Plumtree with a baseball slide into a tilt-a-whirl headscissor in a mistimed spot but AJ ducks out and attacks him. AJ turns the steps on its side and eventually hotshots Red. AJ goes back in and taunts the crowd before covering Red. Senton with an arrogant cover gets two. Red catches AJ with a rana for two but is caught with an inverted DDT shortly afterwards. AJ puts on the Death Lock with a bridge. He breaks after a few minutes then covers, getting two. Red comes back and gets the Code Red for two. Red beats on AJ in the corner but runs into a boot. Sitout powerbomb by AJ gets two. He goes up top but Red cuts him off. They fight up top and Red escapes from the Styles Clash and lands a kick. He goes back up top and they fight some more until Red takes off AJ with a super hurricarana, which AJ sells by using a 450 bump to the mat, and Red quickly covers for the win (12:05) ***1/4. Tenay and West put this over as a huge upset as the crowd pops for the finish.

 

Thoughts: Good match, although their match from several weeks ago was better. This match had a slower pace but AJ is playing the heel role well and Red is good at selling so it worked well. Red is over with the crowd and Don West, who was essentially his cheerleader on commentary.

 

 

NWA-TNA Tag Team Title Match

New Church w/James Mitchell & Belladonna (Champions) vs. Harris Brothers

 

The Harris’ make their way to the ring through the crowd, without entrance music. AJ Styles and Mortimer Plumtree join the booth and claims that Red cheated in their match as the two teams brawl inside of the ring. Plumtree calls this a scandal and an outrage as the teams continue to brawl. The Harris brothers take the advantage as they brawl outside of the ring and into the stands. This is all just really basic stuff by the way. Styles and Plumtree continue to babble as the Harris’ hit a double suplex on Lee, which is identified as a “powerbomb” by Don West. He is short on knowledge but high on enthusiasm. He is the Brian Fellows of Pro Wrestling color commentators. Styles and Plumtree walk away as the match breaks down in the ring. The New Church gains the upper hand. BG James then comes into the ring with a steel chair and hits Slash, allowing Don Harris to cover for the win (4:16) DUD. Percy Pringle then comes to the ring and tells the ref what happened and he reverses he decision so the New Church retains. James Mitchell goes into the ring and tells his men and the Harris’ to place the blame on Pringle, as he had no business getting involved in the match. The Harris’ go after Pringle but AMW comes out in street clothes and lays them out with chairshots.

 

Thoughts: The commentary from Styles and Plumtree was featured more than the match itself. The entire segment was one sloppy clusterfuck. I have no idea where they are going with Pringle. Speaking of the match, it was all punching and kicking and very bland.

 

Video Recap of the Sonny Siaki/Jerry Lynn feud.

 

Tenay is with Siaki in a pre-taped interview. He brings up Lynn talking out lack of respect as Siaki says that it is out with the old and in with the new. Also, he will win the X Division Title.

 

 

NWA-TNA X Division Title Match

Sonny Siaki vs. Jerry Lynn (Champion)

 

This gets the Boxing match-style ring introductions. The two lockup then trade stuff on the mat. Lynn gets a shoulderblock and a crucifix. Drop toehold by Lynn and he gets the La Magistral for two. Lynn goes to work on the arm until Siaki backs him in the corner. Siaki cheapshots Lynn then tosses him to the floor. Lynn ducks a baseball slide then dropkicks Siaki off the apron as a “Jerry” chant breaks out. They brawl outside of the ring, with Lynn getting the upper hand. Back inside, Lynn gets a slingshot leg drop and that gets two. Siaki blocks a suplex then blocks a reverse rollup before hot-shotting Lynn. He stomps on Lynn and hits a clothesline. Lynn gets a cradle but Siaki hits a low blow after shoving the ref and gets two off a superkick. Lynn gets tossed to the floor and Siaki beats on him for a bit before rolling back inside to break the count. Lynn fights back and reverses a piledriver attempt with a back drop. Siaki then regains the upperhand and rolls Lynn back inside for two.  Lynn gets an inverted DDT and both men are down. They slug it out and Lynn hits a few clotheslines. Sitout powerbomb gets two. Tornado DDT gets two. Siaki hits the Samoan Pop for two. Lynn tries a reverse rollup and runs over the ref in the process. He hits the Cradle Piledriver as the ref slowly recovers and counts to two. Sideslam by Lynn and he heads up top but some woman yanks his leg and he falls. She winks at Siaki as she backs up the ramp and Siaki hits the Siakalypse for the win (11:57) **1/2. Siaki celebrates in the ring.

 

Thoughts: Decent match, although I’m not sure about Siaki winning the title. He has failed to get over despite being shoved down the throats of the fans, and doesn’t really wrestle the X Division style. Looks like they are pairing him up with a female in another attempt to elevate him. The mystery woman was Kim Nielsen, who was released from WWE developmental a few months before this show. She is better known as being on the show “The Biggest Loser” where she was a runner up last year. She looked gorgeous here by the way.

 

 

Chairs and Chains Match

Ron “The Truth” Killings vs. BG James

 

BG also makes his way to the ring through the crowd, without theme music. Not a bad idea, actually for a supposed rebel faction. Killings attacks BG with a flying forearm before the match. The ref locks them in and the match begins. BG lands a few shots and takes too long with the chair, allowing Killings to hit a missile dropkick. Scissor kick onto the chair gets two. Killings misses a moonsault, landing on the chair and BG goes on offense. He does a dance as Killings is on the floor but he yanks the chain and they get detached. Killings runs in and covers then hits the Truth Conviction on the chair for the win (4:01) ¼*. After the macth, Killings looks to inflict more damage but Bob Armstrong runs in and BG inadvertently hits him with the chair as BG is in disbelief and leaves ringside. TNA officials check on Bob.

 

Thoughts: The match itself was short and the chain coming off came across as being low-rent. The whole Armstrong angle was very corny too. This stuff just plain sucks.

 

Tenay promises an interview with Percy Pringle next week the West runs down the rest of the card:

 

New Church vs. AMW vs. Harris Brothers

Sonny Siaki vs. EZ Money for the X Division Title

10 man X Division Gauntlet match for the #1 contender spot.

 

Video recap of the Curt Hennig / Jeff Jarrett feud.

 

Tenay in a pre-recorded interview with Jeff Jarrett. Jeff puts over the tradition of the NWA for a bit. Tenay brings up Sean Waltman’s issues with Vince Russo and Jeff says to not appear here is a cop out as Russo does not sign his checks. Tenay asks about Roddy Piper and his comments about Owen Hart. Jarrett says that he will not discuss the death of Owen on a wrestling show and that no one is responsible for his death. Tenay asks Jarrett point blank if he is with Russo or against him. Jarrett doesn’t give an answer then says that he will answer Russo face-to-face like a man when the time is right. More drama with Jarrett and Russo.

 

 

NWA-TNA World Heavyweight Champion Match

Curt Hennig vs. Jeff Jarrett (Champion)

 

Hennig comes out with horrible theme music, wearing a black hoodie. This also gets the boxing style ring introductions.  The two lockup and Hennig reaches the ropes but Jarrett won’t break the hold as the ref has to step in and break it apart. Hennig chops Jarrett in the corner but he comes back with a hiptoss and a dropkick. They go outside and Jarrett gets in a few chairshots. He chokes Hennig against the guardrail then motions to the guitar but rolls Hennig into the ring instead. Hennig catches a kick from Jarrett and goes to work on the leg. The crowd is pro Jarrett as he attempts to fight out of a lengthy Indian Deathlock spot. Jarrett gets a pair of atomic drops and an enziguri as both men are down. He slingshots Hennig into the corner then rams his head into the exposed turnbuckle after accidentally knocking out the referee. Jarrett grabs the guitar but puts it back down and goes back into the ring. He attempts the Stroke but Hennig gets a low blow. Vince Russo runs in and smashed Hennig with the guitar and Jarrett rolls on top for the win (8:09) ¾*. After the match, Russo hands Jarrett the belt then AJ Styles runs in and attacks Jarrett as the show goes off the air.

 

Thoughts: The match was really dull and Hennig barely did anything. He was blown up a few minutes into the match. Jarrett carried everything here as we still do not know about his allegiance with Russo. Having AJ attack Jarrett isn’t a bad idea if it leads to a feud with Jarrett. Plus, it will actually give Jarrett an opponent who can work.

 

 

Final Thoughts: The Armstrong and SEX stuff just sucks the life out of everything. Also, the lack of depth is glaring. Still, it was much better than last week ad it didn’t feature anything that was downright offensive. We had a few decent matches and a title change but the Jarrett/Russo storyline continues to drag out without any payoff. Next week will feature the last TNA show of 2002 but don’t worry as I will review all of 2003 and 2004.