NWA-TNA Weekly PPV #60

September 3, 2003

Your hosts are Don West and Mike Tenay

The show starts with a lengthy video to promote the “Wednesday Bloody Wednesday” match between Jeff Jarrett & Raven & D’Lo Brown & America’s Most Wanted vs. AJ Styles & Shane Douglas & Christopher Daniels & Simon Diamond & Johnny Swinger.

The Super X Tournament also takes place tonight. The contestants are Nosawa, Juventud Guerrera, Teddy Hart, Johnny Storm, Jerry Lynn, Chris Sabin, Frankie Kazarian, and Michael Shane.

 

Lazz vs. Mad Mikey

Lazz wears face paint and a women’s shirt, using a flamboyant homosexual gimmick. He also liked to rub himself, a lot. Mikey comes out pissed and that doesn’t change when Lazz gropes him. Lazz humps Mikey after hitting a Thesz Press then humps him from behind in the corner. He kisses Mikey but gets knocked down as Mikey takes control then wins with a double underhook DDT (1:50) ¼*.

Thoughts: I am guessing this was done to fill time. They were giving Mikey a bit of a push with his gimmick, which was actually entertaining for a lower-card comedy act.

 

Tenay and West plug the one-night “Super X “tournament as the camera focuses on the trophy. Here is the bracket:

Juventud Guerrera vs. Nosawa

Teddy Hart vs. Jonny Storm

Jerry Lynn vs. Chris Sabin

Michael Shane vs. Frankie Kazarian

 

Terry Taylor is with Dusty Rhodes. He puts over the violence that happens in War Games matches and that he will be holding the key to the cage. He said that War Games makes him think about how many times he has kicked Arn Anderson’s ass.

 

Super X Tournament Quarterfinals

Juventud Guerrera vs. Nosawa

Nosawa had a similar look to Tajiri but covered in ugly tattoos. Juvy got a good response from the crowd. They have a fast-paced sequence that ends with Nosawa ducking outside. Juvy hits a springboard move then chops him hard. In the ring, they have a reversal sequence that ends with Juvy getting a nearfall off a spinning heel kick. Nosawa flattens Juvy with a super kick and they work another lightning-quick sequence that Nosawa wins. Buzzsaw kick gets two as Tenay lets us know that Nosawa has tattooed the ICP record label on himself and that he is the Juggalo Champsionship Wrestling champion. That is something to tell your grand kids about. Juvy chops Nosawa in the corner and sets up for the Juicy Elbow but that only gets two. Nosawa comes back with a basement dropkick but Juvy then hits him with the Juvy Driver and follows that with the 450 for the win (4:31) **1/2.

Thoughts: That was all action and it was a blast. Nosawa was a fairly decent worker and could have stuck around as a Tajiri knockoff.

 

Taylor is with James Mitchell. He says that he promised Raven he was going to teach him about real pain and loss by taking away his self-image, which is his hair. Glen Gilbertti interrupts and reminds him that Shane Douglas is part of a team including his guys. He then tells Dusty that he will be watching out for him.  

 

Super X Tournament Quarterfinals

Teddy Hart vs. Jonny Storm

This is the TNA debut for Teddy. Storm has been on TNA several times. Hart stomps Storm to start. Storm comes back with a DDT and a dropkick then flies out and hits Hart with a double springboard senton. Hart catches Storm with a cutter and locks on an armbar. Hart then hits Storm with a top rope quebrada that has the crowd chanting “holy shit” as he holds his wrist. Back in the ring, Storm misses a moonsault then Hart comes off the tope rope and hits the craziest DDT I have ever seen before putting Storm away with a shooting star press (2:58) **.

 

Thoughts: Good stuff and Hart looked like a star. Too bad he is a flake because he had a boat load of talent.

 

Sonny Siaki and Trinity are with Terry Taylor. He goes through all of his nicknames then tries to start a cheer with the heel side of the cage match but just pisses them off. Douglas then cuts a decent promo about the match. They have yet to give up on Siaki.

 

Super X Tournament Quarterfinals

Chris Sabin vs. Jerry Lynn

Sabin beats on Lynn before the bell. Lynn fights back and acts aggressively but Sabin stops that with an eye rake. Lynn gets two off a sunset flip powerbomb and stomps away. Lynn yells at the ref before punching away. Lynn sidesteps a charging Sabin and ends up on the floor but is able to snap his head off the ropes. Back in the ring, Lynn hits the TKO but Sabin is able to get his foot on the ropes. Lynn goes mental and puts the ref in a chinlock as Don Callis comes out and tells Lynn he will lose his job if he hurts him. Sabin then comes from behind and kicks Lynn in the balls then rolls him up for the win (3:31) *1/2.

Thoughts: The match continued the feud between Callis and Lynn more than anything else. Fine for what it was.

 

Taylor is with Raven. He tells Taylor that is dream isn’t over, just postponed. He vows to eliminate Shane Douglas and Jim Mitchell as CM Punk & Julio take care of the New Church. He said that he is a lot more dangerous now. Good stuff from Raven.

 

Super X Tournament Quarterfinals

Frankie Kazarian vs. Michael Shane

They go back and forth to start. Kazarian hits a few dropkicks in the corner but Shaen comes back with a back suplex. Tenay notes that if Kazarian beats Shane, he will probably be the number one contender to the X Division Title, pretty much telegraphing the outcome of this match. Kazarian gets a few nearfalls then hits some clotheslines. He eats boot off a charge but is able to catch Shane with a powerslam. Shane gets two off an enziguiri. They dodge each other’s finishers and Kazarian gets the win with a hurricarana (3:25) **.

Thoughts: Good stuff and it sets up for a feud between the two for the belt.

 

Terry Taylor is with AJ Styles and Vince Russo. AJ says that no title is on the line and shouldn’t be in the match. Russo puts over AJ for fighting every challenger and says that TNA is trying to hurt AJ by putting him this match as everyone is out to get him.

 

Super X Tournament Semifinals

Teddy Hart vs. Juventud Guerrera

They start off at an incredible pace that ends with Juvy hitting a tornado DDT. Juvy comes off the top but Hart catches him with an armbar in midair. That was sweet. Hart maintains the armbar after Juvy tries to escape as the crowd goes nuts. Hart eats boot on a charge and Juvy comes back with a flying headscissors. Hart pulls Juvy outside and hits a rana off the apron. He then hits a moonsault off the guardrail but Juvy pulls him off the apron then hits a springboard crossbody. Juvy chops down Hart on the floor then they fight on the apron. Hart gets crotched on the top rope and Juvy takes him down with a rana. This match is just great as they are going at a super-fast pace and everything is clicking. Hart then hits a beautiful twisting 450 off the top rope that gets two and a replay. Juvy takes a breather but Hart hits him with another quebrada then sells his knee. In the ring, Juvy rolls through a sunset flip then kills Hart with a basement dropkick. Uranage gets two. Spinning powerbomb gets two. Hart goes up top and hits a DDT that gets two. He heads up again and hits a shooting star press but sells the knee after he lands. Juvy then hits the Juvy Driver and heads up top but Hart cuts him off. They fight on top and Juvy hits a top rope Juvy Driver for the win (9:59) ****1/4.

Thoughts: Excellent match. You would have thought that Hart earned a TNA contract after that match but he really blew it after an altercation with CM Punk several months later when they fought outside of a restaurant.

 

The Interrogators with Red-shirt Security, Ryan Wilson and Kevin Northcutt. Nothing of note happens and Northcutt does all the talking. I wonder why Northcutt never made it because he was a huge guy and a decent talker.

 

Super X Tournament Semifinals

Chris Sabin vs. Frankie Kazarian

They start with a slugfest. Kazarian hits a pair of dropkicks then they mistime a spot badly as Sabin takes control. Kazarian gets tossed to the floor but meets Sabin on the apron then hits him with a DDT then shortly after that, he sends Sabin to the floor with a sunset powerbomb. That was fucking dangerous. Back inside, Sabin catches Kazarian with a German suplex. Sabin gets two off a Tiger Suplex then works a neck tie. Both guys struggle to gain an advantage until Kazarian hits the Wave of the Future. That only gets two. Sabin kicks Kazarian on the top rope and hits the Back to the Future but that only gets two. They head up top and that ends with Kazarian hitting a one-man Spanish Fly as both men are down. Kazarian goes for a victory roll but Sabin rolls through and gets the win (7:31) ***1/2.

Thoughts: Good stuff but it did not compare to the previous match. After the one mistimed spot in the beginning, both guys did fine.

 

Taylor interviews America’s Most Wanted. Kid Kash and Abyss interrupt, with Kash giving an insincere apology to Taylor then slaps him across the face. Red-Shirt Security breaks up the melee. Looks like we will have Kash face off against Taylor soon.    

 

Super X Tournament Finals

Chris Sabin vs. Juventud Guerrera

The crowd loves Juvy. Tenay notes that TNA officials want to make the Super X Tournament a yearly tradition. They trade slaps then end up in a standoff after a quick sequence. Juvy catches Sabin with a heel kick as these two are wrestling at a lightning-quick pace. Juvy grounds Sabin then they have a sequence that ends with Sabin dropping Juvy directly on his head with a powerbomb in a scary spot. Sabin gets two off an enziguiri then works on Juvy in the corner. Sabin eats boot on a charge then ducks outside, where Juvy hits him with a pescado. Back inside, Juvy gets two off a slingshot elbow drop. He locks on an abdominal stretch but gets caught with a wheelbarrow German suplex that gets two. Sabin works a chinlock for a bit then heads up top. Juvy meets him then nails Sabin with a basement dropkick after rolling through a sunset flip attempt. Sabin takes control and puts Juvy in a surfboard. Juvy escapes then hits an Ocean Cyclone Suplex that gets two. Both men then engage in a series of counters that leads into one of the better pinfall reversal sequences you will ever see. That ends with both men down and the crowd applauding. Both men get up and engage in another reversal sequence that has the crowd going nuts. They were trying to hit their finishers this time. The crowd is chanting for Juvy and he hits a springboard dropkick. Sabin floats over on a Juvy Driver attempt then hits a Twisting DDT from the rack position for two. Juvy fights back and hits the Tiger Driver, dropping Sabin right on his head but that only gets two. Sabin counters a Juvy Driver mid-move with a DDT and gets two off of that. Sabin heads up top but Juvy dropkicks him in midair. Juvy goes up top this time but Sabin cuts him off and hits a superplex but that only gets two. They trade rollups then Juvy hits the Juvy Driver and sets up for the 450 but Sabin gets his foot on the ropes. Then after a brief struggle, Sabin hits the Future Shock for the win (14:46) ****1/2.

Thoughts: Incredible match. My one small complaint is that after all of the huge moves these guys hit, the match was won with a fisherman’s buster. The tournament made Juvy look like a huge star. Sadly, after the match, there was no presentation to give it that important feel.

 

A sneak preview of the Roddy Piper Interview is shown. He is still pissed off.

 

Don West plugs next week’s one-cent PPV. It contains the XXX vs. AMW cage match and the details on the September 17^th PPV, which is two weeks away.

 

Wednesday, Bloody, Wednesday Match

AJ Styles & Shane Douglas & Christopher Daniels & Simon Diamond & Johnny Swinger vs. Jeff Jarrett & Raven & D’Lo Brown & America’s Most Wanted

Before the match, Erik Watts comes out and replaces the ring attendant, announcer and timekeeper with 3 Live Kru. The rules for the match are that it is Wargames style, with the first two wrestlers going at it for three minutes then a wrestler enters every 90 seconds, with weapons hanging all over the cage. All ten men must be in the cage in order to win the match. The first two wrestlers are Christopher Daniels and Jeff Jarrett. They start brawling all over the arena and eventually go into the cage. Don Callis comes out to join the announcers and says he smells money in this match. Not much is going on in the ring and the crowd is not responding either. Jarrett beats on Daniels with a kendo stick until AJ Styles enters. Jarrett beats on AJ with various weapons then is unable to overcome the 2-1 advantage. Chris Harris is the next entrant and shows some fire for a minute. There are just too much meaningless weapon shots in this match. Jarrett gets put through a table by AJ and Daniels then Diamond enters the cage. Jarrett is busted open but fights back using his belt. D’Lo is next into the cage to even the sides. The match is getting really tiresome by the way with nothing of note going on at all. Shane Douglas is next into the ring and goes after D’Lo. The weapons are really taking away from the match. The heels are standing tall after Douglas takes out the faces with a bat. James Storm is in next and takes his time getting into the ring and goes after Diamond. Jarrett hits Daniels with a guitar from the top rope. Johnny Swinger is next and blends in with everyone else. The faces are all on the mat, setting up for Raven to come in and clean house. He is limping to the cage then comes in and uses a tray to fight off everyone but the crowd is just immune to all of the weapon shots and are not reacting at all. Russo and Dusty are yelling at each other outside the cage as this is dying. Everyone hits a big move as bodies are lying all over the place. Jarrett hits AJ with the Stroke from the top rope and gets the win (20:48) *3/4. After the match, Joe Legend runs out and attacks Dusty. 3 Live Kru gets involved as does Erik Watts. Red-Shirt security come out and this is the biggest clusterfuck for a brawl that I have ever seen in TNA, which is saying something. In the cage, Douglas is beating on Raven as the New Church and James Mitchell enter. They hold Raven while Douglas cuts his hair and that ends the show.

Thoughts: This was not good and just way, way too long. The weapons took away from the match and you could barely move in the ring. It was also too predicatble that Jarrett would win and the fans at the Asylum are starting to turn on him. I thought it would have made for sense for Raven to win then get his hair cut afterwards.

 

Final Thoughts: This show was easily worth the price for the Super X Tournament alone. The action was incredible and it was a success. The main event stunk but the tournament was the attraction anyway. If you have never seen this show or hadn’t in a long time, I would definitely seek it out.