by Scotty Nicodemus
Exclusive to OnlineOnslaught.com

Before I even get started, I want to express my sadness at the passing of Flyboy Rocco Rock.  Back in ’96, two years before I would be turned-on to ECW, The Public Enemy was my favorite tag team.  In fact, I’ve probably still got some of their antics from their WCW days on tape somewhere, so I’ll probably be digging that stuff up this week.  My condolences and thoughts go out to his family and friends.

OK, so my name is Scotty Szanto-Nicodemus and I’ll be recapping NWA: TNA for Rick, it seems.  I have really enjoyed the TNA shows so far (since about the third or fourth week at least), and just this past weekend I saw a commercial on the FX network for NWA: TNA, so hopefully the company will start you actually make some money.  I’ll leave it at that and get on with the recap.

We start with:

“Iron” Mike Tenay and Don West…but wait!!  We go backstage where Jerry Lynn is roughing-up Sonny Siaki.  They make use of the women’s bathroom door, some spare bleachers and a chalkboard before security makes it on the scene.

Whew!  Our announcers are finally able to preview tonight’s matches.  I don’t pay close enough attention to what they’re saying, but if you want to preview the matches, you have the advantage of being able to scroll down!  Tenay finally says, “Let’s not waste any more time and go to the ring.”  I heard that!

Our opening match is:

The Amazing Red v. Sonny Siaki:  Siaki comes out holding his midsection, selling his confrontation with Lynn.  Also notable is that Siaki is not wearing his Flying Elvis jumpsuit, opting instead for just shiny black pants.  I’m a big fan of Red’s, but unfortunately I don’t like his chances against the much bigger Siaki.  Red starts fast and furious, leaping from the top rope before Siaki even makes it into the ring, and follows-up with a Red Star Press from the apron onto Siaki on the floor!  Siaki takes over after a couple of minutes, but crashes into the ring post when he tries three consecutive shoulder breakers.  Red is able execute only two or three offensive moves before Siaki dumps him over the top rope onto the floor.  At this point, Don West helpfully informs us that Siaki is favoring his left ribs, and Mortimer Plumtree (who hasn’t been seen since the third or fourth program) is seen in the entryway taking notes.  Siaki maintains control until Red takes over with a Code Red, Tornado Inverted DDT of some sort, and a Spin Kick.  Red misses a high-risk move, however, and Siaki is able to hit the Money Clip for the pin.

Jorge Estrada is on the ramp, and he wants Siaki’s Elvis jumpsuit…TONIGHT!

We go backstage, where Tha Truth is about to attack The Amazing Red.  Apparently Tha Truth is starting a feud with the entire X-Division.  Next, we get some replays from last week to set-up the tag team match…but they don’t show my favorite part from the Harris/Storm promo when Storm tells Harris “you can say ‘buckaroo’ cause you’re my partner!”

Ron Harris and “Prime Time” Brian Lee v. “Cowboy” James Storm and “Wildcat” Chris Harris (champs):  This match for the tag titles will be a Tables Match.  These guys have been feuding since god was a boy, and I am still having trouble caring at all.  Chris Harris starts for his team, and quickly channels Ricky Morton until Ron Harris brings a table into the ring, placing it leaning against one of the turnbuckles.  Lee and Harris continue the assault on The Wildcat until Lee misses a top-rope move, enabling Chris to make the tag to Storm.  Ron Harris is quickly disposed of outside the ring, and Storm and Harris are able to isolate and double-team Brian Lee.  Eventually, Chris Harris and Lee are situated on either side of the ring rope, battling over who will suplex whom, and Storm lands a kick on Lee, then is able to hit him with what Jesse Ventura used to call the “Flying Burrito” during Tito Santana matches, the Flying Forearm.  This causes Lee to fall off the apron; through a table that I had forgotten was located on the floor.  Your winners, and STILL world tag team champions are “Cowboy” James Storm and “Wildcat” Chris Harris…but Ron Harris isn’t done, putting Storm through the table in the ring with a Powerbomb.  Security comes out, but Ron Harris tosses them all aside until Don Harris finally comes to the ring to stop his brother.

NWA Wildside – Friday, Sept. 27 – NWA Arena – Cornelia, GA – 8pm…NWA Main Event – Friday, Sept. 27 – Morton’s Sportatorium – Columbia, TN – 8pm…NWA ECCW – Friday, Sept. 27 – Bridgeview Hall – Surrey, BC – 8pm…NWA Mississippi – Saturday, Sept. 28 – Hollywood Palace – Greenville, MS – 8pm…www.nwawrestling.com

Earlier today, Bruce arrived already wearing his dress and tiara.  Goldylocks attempts to interview him before the old lady that works the ticket window attempts to attack him.  Thankfully, security intervenes before too long.

Jeremy Borash asks us to help him in welcoming the World Heavyweight Champion to the ring, and out comes Tha Truth.  He pushes all of the racial buttons, and the crowd reacts…tepidly.  Although, the camera is able to find a fan that appears to be trying to jump the railing and is being held back by his friends…OK, don’t let HIM drive home tonight!  Tha Truth goes on and on, eventually making a good point when he asks, “Where’s my Ron ‘Tha Truth’ Killings merchandise?  Where’s my private dressing room?”  He also complains that his match against Jerry Lynn is going to be a Lumberjack Match.  BG James comes out to talk some sense into Tha Truth.  In an ironic twist, James is wearing a “BG James” hat with his logo on it.  When Killings is responding to James, the crowd begins to yell “What” during his pauses, and he turns to the crowd and says, “Ya’ll about to piss me the hell off!”  The promo goes on and on, without ever really going anywhere until James finally attacks Killings, who bails, and mercifully the segment is over.

The same dates as listed above are shown, while Tenay tells us Friday Oct. 4 and Saturday Oct. 5, AJ Styles will be in action at the West Virginia Gilbert County Fair for NWA Tri-State, and Tha Truth will be on the Oct. 5 show.

Goldylocks attempts to interview Brian Lawler and his girlfriend April, all three of whom are visibly distracted by the sounds of Jeremy Borash warming-up the crowd before the show.  See Brian, “when you arrive on time, you get to cut your promo before the fans are in their seats” seems to be the moral of this promo.  For storyline purposes, when Lawler says that April has been “put in her place”, she steps forward to tell him that she is tired of his “verbal, mental, and physical…” Lawler grabs the microphone and cuts her off before she can say “abuse”, like that matters to him, I guess.  He tells her “our business is our business.”

AJ Styles v. Lo Ki: This is a 2/3 Falls Match for the #1 Contender’s position in the X-Division.  Tenay tells us that Lo Ki recently wrestled for the Zero-One promotion in Japan, winning their International Junior-Heavyweight Title.  The match goes back-and-forth early, until Styles begins showboating for the crowd, and gets caught with a couple of kicks.  We head outside, where Lo Ki hits what appears to be a running senton splash, but Tenay calls it a Topo Kick, so I’ll call it that, too.  Don West repeatedly points out that the crowd is 1) firmly behind Lo Ki, and 2) standing-room only.  West also tells us that the loser of this match will fall to the bottom of the X-Division rankings, and I wonder “even below Christopher Daniels and Tony Mamaluke, who only wrestled for NWA: TNA once?”  After a double-clothesline followed by a 10-count that reaches 6, Lo Ki takes control, eventually locking-in the Dragon Clutch.  Styles slowly crawls towards the ropes, but before he makes it, Lo Ki turns him towards the middle of the ring, and sits-back, really pulling back on the move.  Styles taps-out, and Lo Ki is the winner of the first fall.  Styles then quickly takes control, and briefly channels Ric Flair as he holds Lo Ki up for the Vertical Suplex, then comes off the ropes and drops a knee to the head.  Styles continues to taunt the crowd as his attacks on Lo Ki become X-treme again.  We head outside the ring, where Lo Ki jumps on Styles’ back, attempting to lock in the Dragon Clutch, but Styles falls backward, slamming Ki onto the metal ramp.  Back in, and they do a roll-through/powerbomb spot, and Styles is able to hang-on for the pin.  We are tied at one fall apiece, and the match continues.  Outside the ring, Lo Ki attempts a kick, but Styles catches his leg and slams it into the metal barrier.  Back in, where Ki attempts a Super-Frankensteiner, but Styles stops him, and hits a shin breaker from the turnbuckles.  This gets Tenay to point out that Styles’ methodical attack on Lo Ki’s leg is reminiscent of Ric Flair…once again pointing out my uncanny ability to stay 5 minutes ahead of any wrestling announcer!  A few Spinning Toe Holds later, and Styles hits the Styles Clash seemingly out of nowhere. 1,2,3.  AJ Styles is your #1 Contender for the X-Division title.

Goldylocks interviews Jeff Jarrett backstage, and Jarrett suggest that she “keep smoking that hemp” at one point…see, even in Tennessee the farmers support legalization!

“Prime Time” Elix Skipper and Brian Lawler (with April) v. Syxx Pac and Scott Hall:  Lawler goes way overboard with the controlling-boyfriend thing, which I guess is the point.  Skipper and Pac start slowly, and Skipper wastes The Matrix move by using it during the feeling-out process.  Oh well.  Scott Hall tags in, and Lawler insists on tagging-in against him.  Lawler is distracted by April, sliding out of the ring repeatedly, telling her “Stand here!  Not over there, right here!”  He eventually grabs a chair and tells her to sit and not to move.  When Lawler re-enters the ring at this point, Skipper tags himself in, and Hall takes-over against him.  Skipper and Lawler turn the tide by crotching Hall on the ring post, which causes Lawler to demand that April applaud their tactics.  When Skipper goes for a leaping kick, Hall is out of position to catch him and he has to try for the kick again so that Hall can catch him and slam him.  At this point we see Lawler tormenting April, which causes Don West to leave the announce position to check on her.  Naturally, this causes Lawler to jump down from the apron and threaten West.  While Lawler is on the floor, Skipper is looking for the tag, of course.  Pac is able to work-over Skipper until Lawler finally re-enters the match by breaking up the pinfall attempt following an X-Factor.  With one punch, Hall sends Lawler over the top rope onto the floor.  Skipper comes off the ropes into the Fallaway Slam, and then is set-up in the corner for the Broncobuster, but he is able to move out of the way, causing Syxx Pac to crotch himself on the bottom turnbuckle.  The momentum doesn’t stay on the side of the heels for long though, as Skipper attempts a diving move from the top turnbuckle, and Pac turns it into a Super X-Factor for the pin.  Jeff Jarrett hits the ring immediately after the match, hits The Stroke on Syxx Pac, then one for Hall (who sometimes looks like he doesn’t even know how to sell moves in which he falls forward, and this would be one of those times, it looked awful).  One by one Security comes to the ring as the heels continue their beatdown, until Don Harris makes it to the ring and the heels bail.

Goldylocks is in the back with AJ Styles, who is sniffing her hair, rubbing against her, and acting slimy.  Styles throws-out a challenge for a Ladder Match next week for the X-Division title.

Bruce (Miss TNA) comes to the ring to issue another open-challenge to the women in the audience, and once again the ticket lady comes out to accept the challenge.  Borash has the release for her to sign, but for whatever reason, Security comes out and prevents her from getting in the ring…and so the segment ends without actually doing anything.

While the TNA-Girls dance and the same dates scroll by, Tenay reminds us about the BIG 54^th anniversary NWA show coming-up on Saturday, Oct. 26 in Corpus Christi, TX (and my wife and I are planning to be there!)  Tenay tells us that AJ Styles, Tha Truth, and Jorge Estrada will all be there…when I checked the NWA: Southwest website a few weeks ago, it listed the main event as being AJ Styles v. Ken Shamrock, but who knows if that will still be a month from now.

Kid Kash v. Jorge Estrada:  The Chiron lists Estrada simply as “Jorge” which is a little annoying.  The match starts-off slowly, which gives Tenay the opportunity to tell us that Kash was trained by Ricky Morton, and relies on versions of the huricanrana…which makes sense because Morton relied on his own versions of the Head-Scissors Takeover.  We also see Mortimer Plumtree taking notes in the entryway, and Tenay informs us that Plumtree was also spotted during the X-Division #1 Contender’s match, but they didn’t get him on camera.  As for action, Estrada goes for a diving move over the top rope onto the floor, and misses Kid Kash all together…it is all Kash can do just to fall down and sell for the people in the bad seats!!  Kash then climbs onto the apron and demonstrates how to hit the high-risk move, with a Double-Springboard Senton from the top rope onto Estrada on the floor.  Back in the ring, and Estrada is able to land a running Shooting Star Press, but when he goes to the top rope, Kash pushes the ref into the ropes, causing Estrada to be crotched on the turnbuckle.  After a Split-Legged Moonsault gets 2 for Estrada, they trade chops until Kash takes-over with a thumb to the eye.  Estrada stops Kash’s momentum with a Powerbomb that looks a lot like The Undertaker’s finishing move, and then a twisting Lionsault into a Senton (which Tenay tells us he calls the T.C.B. Takin’ Care of Business) gets the 3-count for Estrada.  Tenay also says “props to Estrada” which is disturbing to me for some reason.

After the match, Estrada calls-out Sonny Siaki, and Siaki says that Estrada can have his Elvis jumpsuit, but he hopes that Estrada doesn’t mind that he gave the jumpsuit “a proper burial”.  On the big screen we see footage of Siaki (dragging Goldylocks with him) toss his Elvis jumpsuit into a burning trashcan, then he cuts an Elvis pose, and we see Estrada in the ring lamenting the loss of the jumpsuit.  This segment wasn’t BAD, don’t get me wrong, but I just think that it was done a little too soon.  Jorge could’ve challenged him to a match next week, and the footage of Siaki burning the jumpsuit could’ve been the payoff…but hey, I’m just the recapper, I ain’t the booker!!

As we see the same dates scroll by again, Tenay tells us that the NWA will be sponsoring a car in an upcoming NASCAR race…maybe in Tennessee they care, but here in Texas, if it ain’t about the Cowboys, I ain’t listening!

We get replays of last week’s World Title match between Tha Truth and Jerry Lynn.  Oh yeah!  I had forgotten that Siaki caused Lynn to lose.  If you didn’t see it, here’s how it went down: Siaki declared that Lynn (the X-Division champ) has the chance to “put the X-Division on the map” by becoming the World Champion, and all the members of the X-Division should unite to cheer-on their champ.  Late in the match, after Lynn was wearing the proverbial crimson mask, the X-Division competitors made their way to ringside, and when Lynn climbed to the top turnbuckle…Siaki crotched him on the top, to which Mike Tenay yelled, “Damn you, Sonny Siaki!”  So you KNOW it wasn’t right!

Jerry Lynn (champ) v. Ron “Tha Truth” Killings:  This X-Division title match will be a Lumberjack Match, and your lumberjacks are Red, Kid Kash, Lo Ki, and Jorge Estrada.  As the match begins, Killings bails, and The Amazing Red quickly throws him back in the ring.  Lynn hits a bulldog from the middle turnbuckle, and Killings looks like a million bucks selling the face-first move compared to Scott Hall’s sloppy attempt earlier.  When Killings tosses Lynn to the floor, Kash stomps on Lynn, which draws the ire of the other lumberjacks.  Back in the ring, and Tha Truth hits a wicked-looking neckbreaker as we see AJ Styles on the stage with a ladder.  Estrada and the other lumberjacks encourage the fans to chant “Jerry! Jerry! Jerry!” when Killings takes control of the match.  Killings locks-in a front face lock, and scoots over so that he can use the ring ropes for leverage, which is always nice to see.  Killings goes for a huricanrana, but Lynn is able to reverse it into a Powerbomb.  Lo Ki is up on the apron and lands a punch on Killings, then drops down, enabling Lynn to catch Killings with The TKO (a fireman’s carry into a Diamondcutter) for the pin.  Your winner and STILL X-Division champ is Jerry Lynn.

Hmm…considering that Lo Ki lost his X-Division match earlier, and now has caused Tha Truth to lose this match, could it be that they are grooming Ki to leave the X-Division behind and go after the World Title?

Next, our announcers discuss the night’s happenings, and Don West excitedly previews next week…AJ Styles v. Jerry Lynn in a Ladder Match for the X-Division Title; Ron Killings hates the X-Division because he thinks it undermines his World Title (hey, at least they FINALLY explained it!), so what kind of havoc is Ron “Tha Truth” gonna reek on the X-Division next week?; and don’t forget Sonny Siaki defamed his Elvis jumpsuit, so what direction could he be headed next week?; and you’ll see Jeff Jarrett, Syxx Pac, Scott Hall and more!

The next event is your Main Event of the evening…

Jeff Jarrett v. BG James: James comes out with a microphone, doing his “Oh you didn’t know” shtick, and keeps stumbling over his own intro because he doesn’t want to talk over Jeremy Borash, who is still doing his official introduction.  So after two tries, James simply stops, waits (with a bit of an embarrassed look on his face) for Borash to finish, and begins again: “Oh you didn’t know!”  That was great!  If you are not a fan of BG James (or Road Dogg, or whatever you want to call him), like I am not a fan of his, then this little stumble is worth having on tape!  James tells Jarrett that his name is BG James, and the G stands for “Get it…Got it…Good.”  I swear I’m not making that up.  Besides, if I were to make something up, it would be a lot better than that!  HA!  Zing!  Anyway, it seems that James has a catchphrase, and eventually WE will have a main event.

On a side note before we get started:  I don’t like to concentrate too much on the “behind the scenes” stuff that I read about when I watch my wrasslin’ shows.  I don’t read spoilers, and I typically take anything I read on the internet with a grain of salt.  But sometimes the shit is put right in your face, and you are left with no option other than to bitch and complain about what you are watching.  This is a good case in point…tonight’s card had a match pitting the two World Champions against one another that did NOT headline the card!  Instead, our main event is a match pitting the sons of the two owners against one another!  I understand that these guys are the most “famous”, but isn’t part of NWA: TNA’s mission statement supposed to be that they offer a wrestling-based alternative to the Sports Entertainment from that other promotion?  Arg!!

And hey, since I am off-topic before the match begins, let me tell you that my wife and I were in Nashville last Wednesday, and nearly attended last week’s TNA broadcast…sort of.  You see, we were driving from Ohio home to Texas, and we hit Nashville at about 9-10am.  Unfortunately, if we had waited around Nashville for another 12 hours in order to attend the event, that would’ve been the difference between getting home at noon the next day instead of midnight that night.  We never really gave it much thought, honestly, but we did talk about it briefly.  Besides, I’m sure that Nashville isn’t cool enough to entertain us for nearly ten hours before the event would begin!!

Let’s head to the ring!  Back and forth action to start, and eventually James works-in the Boogie Woogie Leg Drop, so at least we won’t have to see it again.  Then he quickly gets the Boogie Woogie Punch out of the way, and we go outside.  James grabs a chair, and repeatedly demonstrates that only Lance Storm throws a weaker Chair Shot!  Jarrett finally takes-over and WHACKS a chair against his back!  In and of themselves, the chair shots that Jarrett lands weren’t that spectacular, but compared to what James had been doing they look positively LETHAL.  Back in the ring, Jarrett locks-in a Sleeper, and to my surprise the crowd chants “TNA! TNA! TNA!”  God bless Tennessee, I guess!  The ref drops the arm three times; James comes back on the third time, whips Jarrett into the ropes and applies a Sleeper of his own.  During the 10-punch count-along in the corner James pushes the ref away, which allows Jarrett to bring a chair into the ring and wedge it between the 2^nd and 3^rd turnbuckles.  According to wrasslin’ logic, the move should be reversed, and sure enough, Jarrett eats the chair.  At this point, Elix Skipper jumps onto the apron, but James punches him and he goes back down.  Brian Lawler is out next, and he holds James for Jarrett, but when Jarrett comes off the ropes James moves, and Jarrett hits Lawler, who gets tangled in the ring ropes…that is to say that he desperately tries to become tangled in the ropes, but really just hangs there wiggling like a doofus.  While the ref and Skipper attempt to get Lawler untangled, Jarrett hits James with a chair to the head…but this only gets 2.  James is able to land the Pump-Handle Slam, but Skipper and Lawler come in for the DQ when it appears that James is about to get the 3-count.  Out come Syxx Pac and Scott Hall, and they begin to beatdown the heels.  Tha Truth enters, and waffles each of the faces with the World Title belt…and only Syxx sells it well.

And that’s it.

All in all, I enjoyed the show.  But then again, I watched it with the volume turned way down, and was able to ignore most of what the announcers said.  There was one thing that I was unable to ignore from them, but I’ll get to that in just a minute.  The Red v. Siaki match was good, but not quite great.  Siaki is so much bigger than Red that it made it difficult for Red to execute some of his offense.  Not to mention the fact that Siaki isn’t exactly the selling-est wrestler that I’ve ever seen, which made some of Red’s offense look weak.  The Code Red looked fantastic, though, and personally I really liked the match.  The tag team scene leaves a little to be desired for me, and the feud between Harris & Storm and Harris & Lee just keeps going on and on…and with the addition of Don Harris at the end, I was getting Harris-overload!  I think that Chris Harris and James Storm could be good solo wrestlers, but they just don’t “do it for me” as a tag team.  AJ Styles v. Lo Ki in a 2 out of 3 falls match, well, it was about as good as one would expect after what we’ve seen from these guys over the last few weeks.  Just like the tag team feud, however, this one has been going on for too long.  The match was good (at least 3 stars if I was into that sort of thing), but it seemed to lack a little as far as ring psychology goes.  They didn’t blow any spots, and the match was well worked, but something intangible was missing…the pinfalls all seemed to just come out of nowhere.  Poor Elix Skipper is being placed in the middle of the ridiculous storyline with Brian Lawler.  As for Syxx Pac, the crowd is accepting him as a face, which makes it easier for me to watch him with a little bit of objectivity, and for the first time in years I enjoyed one of his matches…last week.  This week, unfortunately the entire match was overshadowed by Brian Lawler’s antics, and really the less I say about it the better, because overall I really liked the show, and I don’t want to concentrate too much on bitching about the few things that I didn’t like.  The only real entertaining promo of the night was AJ Styles, who plays the slimy, cocky redneck great!  His promo was followed-up by the worst promo of the night, however, which was Bruce’s non-segment.  I have defended Bruce’s honor previously, at first I liked his character as “Miss TNA”, but tonight’s debacle was simply pointless…unless they plan to bring the old lady back next week with doctor’s clearance to wrestle, and I’d be willing to pray that THAT doesn’t happen!  The Kid Kash v. Jorge Estrada match was good, but there was nothing on the line, so when my wife entered the room at the beginning of their match and asked “WHY are these guys fighting?”  There was no answer to give.  The X-Division match between Jerry Lynn and Tha Truth was the highlight of the night for me…at least in part because it opened the door for Lo Ki to be elevated into a feud with Killings.  NWA: TNA seems to be firmly behind Lo Ki, and I’ve been a fan of his for some time now, too!  I’ve already said my piece already about the main event, so I will close first by recommending that if you were thinking about getting this ppv, do it.  Thumbs-up from me.  Finally, I’m going to introduce a segment that I will be using each week, for as long as BG James continues to use the worst catchphrase since “That’s not just the coolest…That’s not just the best…That’s Justin Credible!”

The number of times that “Get it…Got it…Good” was said (by either a wrestler or an announcer) during the main event:  6.  (Plus an additional “Got it…Good” that was uttered by Tenay at one point in response to the catchphrase.)

Don’t miss next week, when I will debut colored text!!

PEACE.

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