NWA-TNA Weekly PPV #53

July 16, 2003

Your hosts are Don West and Mike Tenay

The show starts with Jeff Jarrett and Joe Legend brawling around ringside. Security struggles to intervene. After that, Tenay tells us that they will have a match tonight.

Tenay also notes that next week, D’Lo Brown will face AJ Styles in a ladder match for the Heavyweight Championship.

D’Lo Brown comes out to the ring. He plays to the crowd then lets us know that next week, it is in fact a 2-out-of-3 falls match, with the first being a regular singles match, second fall a submission match, and the third fall is the ladder match. He then calls out Sonny Siaki, stating that if he beats him tonight, the NWA Board told him that he could get five minutes with Vince Russo in the ring.

 

D’Lo Brown vs. Sonny Siaki w/Trinity

D’Lo takes out Siaki with a plancha as he heads to the ring. He rolls him inside and gets two off a slingshot senton. He roughs him up then heads up top but Trinity grabs his leg, allowing Siaki to take him down. He gets two off a neckbreaker then hits some mounted punches. Clothesline gets two. T-Bone suplex gets two. Suplex gets two. This is very slow-paced and clunky so far. D’Lo hits a cutter and both men are down. The crowd is quiet as D’Lo makes his comeback. He gets two off a calf kick then takes him down with a Thesz Press. Spinebuster gets two. Trinity climbs up top but D’Lo ducks the attack and she takes out Siaki, allowing D’Lo to use a jackknife cradle for the win (4:29) ¼*.

Thoughts: Bad match. These two were not on the same page at all and Siaki seemed like he was out of position for every spot. No one in the crowd seemed to care about D’Lo, which is a bad sign seeing that he is the number one contender for the heavyweight title.

A video package airs hyping the Last Man Standing Match between Justin Credible and Jerry Lynn. Credible promises that the beating Lynn will receive will in fact be just incredible.

Last Man Standing Match

Justin Credible vs. Jerry Lynn

The rules here state that the person who does not get up after a ten second count, either by pinfall or submission, will be the loser. They brawl in the ring to start, with the crowd behind Lynn.  He hits Credible with a springboard dropkick then drags him out of the ring. He then hits his apron leg drop and they go back and forth until Credible sends him into the steps. He busts Lynn open and digs into the cut. Back in the ring, Credible beats on Lynn in the corner. Sitout powerbomb gets two. Credible sets up a table outside the ring but Lynn takes him down with a somersault senton. He slingshots Credible into the post, busting him open. Credible has blood pouring down his face that is rolling down his body. Back in the ring, they trade stiff chops in the corner. They are both up top and Lynn takes him down with a superplex, but that only gets two. That gets the crowd to start a “TNA” chant. Lynn goes outside but Credible rolls him on the table. He heads up top but Lynn meets him then takes him through the table with a hurricarana. That looked nice. Back in the ring, Lynn only gets two. Credible escapes from a cradle piledriver attempt then kills Lynn with a superkick. He hits a tombstone and gets the three count but Lynn is able to get up after an eight count. Again, they trade chops in the corner but Credible goes low. Lynn escapes from another tombstone then hits Credible with a cradle piledriver for the pin. Credible gets up after eight then Lynn rams him the corner. Credible blocks a tornado DDT then hits a tombstone piledriver off the middle rope for the pin. Lynn just beats the ten count, then falls down. Credible takes a piece of the table into the ring. Lynn hits him with a DDT then they reserve tombstone piledriver attempts until Lynn hits a cradle tombstone piledriver. Credible beats the ten count then Lynn hits a cradle piledriver but Lynn falls down too and both men end up pinning each other. They both struggle to get up and they both get up but Lynn pulls Credible down just before ten, and he wins the match. That was a horrible finish. (11:02) **1/2.

Thoughts: It took them a bit to get going and it turned out decent, until the terrible ending. The crowd crapped all over the finish and they were hot for Lynn most of the way too.

Konnan, BG James, and Ron Killings are now called “Three Live Crew.” We are shown a video of the trio searching for the meaning of life, at the Nashville Stockyard. Killings is playing a character “Jing-A-Ling,” which is similar to his “Pretty Ricky” character he used in the WWE with the giant fake teeth. Anyway, they interview an old lady and it goes nowhere. They then interview a few black guys. BG attempts to speak in slang but is told to leave as he is not a pimp. Konnan interviews some hick then BG attempts to interview a cow. At the end, they talk in the parking lot about there hometowns and how they can find the meaning of life back there but they then find the meaning of life several feet away, which is a pile of shit. A waste of time.

After the video, Legend and Jarrett are brawling, again.

X Division Championship Match

Frankie Kazarian vs. Chris Sabin (Champion)

They start by taking it to the mat. Sabin kicks Kazarian down then beats on him in the corner. Kazarian fights back and hits a dropkick. Swinging neckbreaker gets two. Sabin slides outside then pulls Kazarian down after a springboard attempt. He hits a somersault senton off the ring apron then rolls Kazarian in the ring. Sabin hits a rollup then counters a tilt-a-whirl by locking on a submission. Kazarian reaches the ropes then manages a few rollups but gets dropkicked in midair. Sabin targets the back then puts him in a tree-of-woe. He stats ramming his head off the mat then in a neat spot, Kazarian lifts himself as Sabin charges and hits a cutter. Kazarian fights back with clotheslines. Flying forerarm gets two. Facebuster gets two. Sabin gets a double knee-lift but Kazarian escapes a running powerbomb attempt and gets two off an Ocean Cyclone Suplex. He places Sabin on the top rope but gets knocked down. Kazarian ducks a missile dropkick, which hits the ref. Sabin hits an backbreaker then grabs his belt off the announcer’s table. He heads back in the ring but Kazarian ducks a belt shot and hits Sabin with the Wave of the Future onto the belt then covers Sabin as the ref awakes and Kazarian gets the win and the title but senior referee Rudy Charles runs out and reverses the decision, with Sabin winning by DQ as Kazarian used the belt (7:56) **1/2. Another dumb finish.

Thoughts: Another pathetic finish that looks even worse when you watch the rest of the show. These two had good chemistry in the ring but both needed to show emotion, as they had neutral expressions most of the way.

Scott Hudson is backstage with Shark Boy and New Jack. He cuts off Hudson and grabs the mic and yells at the Harris Brothers for attacking Shark Boy without him being there. Shark Boy shows him a Shark mask and Jack calls him a pain in his ass but will wear it anyway if that is what it takes to fight them. Jack was good here.

Harris Brothers vs. Shark Boy & New Jack

Jack comes out wearing the shark mask. Ron knocks Jack off the apron and its 2-1 against Shark Boy. Jack comes back in and he gets attacked but takes them down with a double clothesline. He punches away at Ron then goes out and hits Don with a chair, pulling up his mask so he can laugh at him. In the ring, Jack gets two off an elbow smash. Shark Boy tags but gets destroyed with repeated clotheslines. Don tags and the Harris Brothers get a suplex/leg drop combo. Shark Boy fights back but gets caught after a crossbody and slammed down. He gets tossed outside and rammed into the guardrail. Back in the ring, Ron hits him with a chair, which apparently is not a DQ in this match. Shark Boy is able to hit a neckbreaker then tag Jack. He beats on the Harris Brothers as the crowd is silent, probably because this match is atrocious. In the ring, Jack sets up a chair on Ron then drops the leg. He heads up top with a chair but Don is waiting for him with a chair of his own and hits him, in an incredibly contrived spot, setting up the H Bomb for the win (4:27) -*. After the match, The Harris Brothers unmask Shark Boy but Jack takes off his mask and puts it on him. The Harris Brothers see this and go after him again but he escapes then they beat on Jack until Shark Boy comes back out, wearing his giant hulk hands and punches out the Harris Brothers.

Thoughts: The match was shit but the post-match antics were good for a chuckle. As a lower card comedy team, New Jack & Shark Boy had some awesome chemistry. The Harris Brothers appeared much slower than usual.

Tenay interviews Kid Kash in a segment that was taped earlier in the day. Abyss is off to the side, walking around in the background. Kash says that after 13 years in the business, he has a right to piss off whoever he wants. He then says that he paid his dues the right way, instead of blowing somebody. Kash is a really good at being an asshole, that’s for sure. Tenay asks him about his lack of respect for women. Kash calls Goldylocks and Trinity “working rats,” accusing Trinity of sleeping with Russo to get her spot right now. Tenay calls Kash out for hiding behind Abyss as Kash has Abyss grab him as Kash tells Tenay that he will respect him. Tenay looks terrified as they leave.

A video package on Erik Watts. He refers to himself in the third-person. Man, was he grating.

Scott Hudson interviews Watts and Goldylocks. He asks him about “Eric from WCW,” who is supposed to be here next week. Goldy asks Watts since he has pull with Eric, he should be able to get her job back. He tells her not to get her panties in a knot, prompting Goldy to remind him that she doesn’t wear panties. They then walk away together.  

Nurse Veronica and an unidentified woman (Lizzy Valentine, before breast impants) in a cheerleader costume run out and attack Lollipop and April. Security separates them. The brawling was awful but at least it was short.

Another “Fallen Angel” Christopher Daniels video. He will return to save your soul. I like Daniels but the “Fallen Angel” gimmick was bush league stuff.

Elix Skipper comes out before his match with a scale He tells the crowd that he is pound-for-pound the best wrestler and the best athlete in he world. He puts down Kobe Bryant, Michael Vick, and Roy Jones Jr. Skipper tried but its hard to get past his voice in these promos.

Elix Skipper vs. Amazing Red

This is Red’s first appearance in two months as he was in Japan. What a lame way to bring him back. He attacks Skipper to start then they engage in a rather sloppy sequence of moves. Red turns Skipper’s suplex attempt into a small package. Skipper bails but catches Red on a baseball slide then DDT’s him on the floor from the apron. Back in the ring, Skipper gets two off a double underhook suplex. Legdrop gets two. Red counters a catatonic with a DDT as both men are down. Swinging STO gets two for Red. Hurricarana gets two as Skipper uses the matrix to escape the pin attempt. Skipper grabs a chair but the ref takes it away and Red cradles Skipper for two. Skipper grabs a scale and hits Red as the ref slides the chair out of the ring and gets the pin (4:59) *1/4.

Thoughts: I don’t know if it was the next tour or the one he just came back from here, but when Red blew out his knee in Japan, he was never close to what he was when TNA first started ever again. He seemed off at times in this match but there were some nice moves at least.

Part III of “Behind the Paint” with Sting. He is asked about his first time winning the NWA Heavyweight Championship. He says how Flair carried him and he trusted him enough in the ring to come back two months early for the match. He is asked about he was in the Number #2 promotion until they became #1. He is asked about hanging in the rafters and said he would be scared today. They show a clip of part #4 for next week.

Don Callis comes out holding the “Hard Ten” cup. Edward Chastain is also with him. Callis says that he has his MBA and is market research has suggested that the fans do not want hardcore wrestling anymore. The crowd chants for Sandman, who is not here, selling the beating from last week. All of a sudden, Norman Smiley’s music hits and we have a match

Edward Chastain w/Don Callis vs. Norman Smiley

Smiley gets in a few shots in the corner but Chastain knocks him down. Smiley regains control and fails to get him over on a sunset flip but dodges a sitdown splash. They have a horrible brawling sequence that ends with Chastain hitting a back elbow. Smiley tries to put on an armbar but Chastain hits him with a sideslam. Smiley eventually knocks him down and hits the Big Wiggle but walks into a clothesline and Chastain hits a splash for the win (3:09) -*.

Thoughts: Good lord, this was terrible. Chastain was blown up a minute into the match and nothing anyone did looked good. Chastain’s run in TNA wouldn’t last very long at all.

The Interrogators with America’s Most Wanted. They call Bret Hart the best there ever will be and call the Rock & Roll Express the best babyface team of all time. This was dull.

Johnny Swinger, Simon Diamond, and Glenn Gilbertti come out and harass Jeremy Borash, blaming them for their loss last week. AMW comes out for the save and gain the advantage early on but Diamond and Swinger use chairs as Gilbertti grabs the mic and will not leave until someone from the NWA comes out and sanctions a title match. All of a sudden, Raven comes into the ring and goes after the heels. AMW comes to and cleans house, with Harris dragging Swinger to the parking lot. A nice segment to further along a feud.

Raven is in the ring by himself and has the mic. He said he came out and calls out Shane Douglas, who then comes out with James Mitchell. Raven goes after Douglas, and drags him into the ring but the New Church makes the save. Brian Lee looks like he is about 185 lbs here. They all beat down Raven, who wouldn’t back down. They repeatedly use his drop toehold into the chair spot, busting him open. Mitchell is yelling at him and Raven tells him to go to hell, with his forehead covered in blood. Another good segment.

Scott Hudson is with Joe Legend. He calls himself a great Canadian athlete who came to destroy Jeff Jarrett. He closes by stating legends live forever.

Joe Legend vs. Jeff Jarrett

Jarrett attacks Legend on the ramp. In the ring, Jarrett sends him to the floor with a backdrop. He beats on him as they go through the crowd. Jarrett hits a pair of chairshots but the ref tries to grabs the chair and end sup getting tossed. Security comes in and Jarrett whacks them. They are now in the ring as Jarrett goes up top with a chair. The refstands in front of him but Jarrett hits Legend anyway. Russo runs in with a bat but Jarrett knocks it out of his hands with a chair and as the ref yells at Russo, Legend hits Jarrett with the bat. And covers for the win (2:22) ½*.

Thoughts: Looks like this feud will continue, to the joy of no one. Almost all of these finishes have been terrible tonight. They also make the decision in the X Division Title match look even worse, as seemingly everyone is using weapons in plain sight of the referee.

West runs down next week’s show

America’s Most Wanted vs. Johnny Swinger & Simon Diamond for the Tag-Titles

Raven & Julio & CM Punk vs. Shane Douglas & New Church

AJ Styles vs. D’Lo Brown, 2-out-of-3 falls for the Heavyweight Championship

Scott Hudson is with Vince Russo, who is wearing his hockey helmet. He says that Jarrett is now out of the title picture. Russo says that wrestlers are stupid, hinting that he will not be the one that gets hurt.

Now, D’Lo gets his five minutes with Vince Russo. He brings out the flimsy cage with him in the ring. Russo continues to state that he is not a wrestler and stalls until AJ Styles comes out. D’Lo takes care of AJ then locks AJ in the cage. Siaki comes out with a pair of handcuffs but D’Lo cuffs him to the top rope. Trinity comes out and gets powerbombed. Legend comes out and D’Lo fights back. He goes after Russo but AJ busts out of the cage and D’Lo gets outnumbered. Trinity unlocks Siaki and they all take turns beating on D’Lo with Russo spouting off his nonsense as the show goes off the air.

Final Thoughts: One of the worst shows they have had in the past few months. Almost every match had a bad finish and only two of them were halfway decent. The Jeff Jarrett/Joe Legend feud is taking up too much time and even worse, it is not over at all. The tag-feud is heating up and Raven against the New Church is cool but that is really all the promotion has at this point. There are too many guys well past their prime clogging up space too. This promotion needs to find some talent to build for the future, ASAP.