I love seeing pro-wrestling on my TV. Especially if it’s bell-to-bell action, which the National Wrestling Alliance delivers in spades as the shows had a ton of matches, culminating in the Team War finale. Will Strictly Business members Thom Latimer and Chris Adonis reign supreme alongside El Rudo, or is the powerhouse trio of Rodney Mack and The End members Parrow and OdinSon able to get the $30,000 prize?
We’ll find out later, as we are at the GPB Studios in Atlanta, GA. Your commentators Joe Galli, Velvet Sky and Madusa have the call, and can we just have Madusa be the permanent color commentator for the NWA shows henceforth? I’m sure Billy Corgan can make it happen.
But let’s turn to the First Match of the night, which is…
Courtesy of the NWA
Fable Jake and Jaden Roller vs. The British Invasion (Nick Aldis and Doug Williams)
It’s a good match as Williams starts and manages to tie up Roller…literally. Williams gets Roller in knots a yogi would at in astonishment. Aldis gets in, and is able to make Jake regret taking the match. Tag back to Williams, and Roller pops him the in the mouth from the outside, and Jake uses the opportunity to isolate him in the corner and use double teaming to wear him down, making Williams an Ambassador in Peril. But Williams fights out to get the hot tag to Aldis, and he becomes a National Treasure en Fuego. A Thesz Press to Jake, followed by a Michinoku Driver to cover gets Aldis a two count. The match breaks down as all four men enter the ring, but The British Invasion reverse the Irish whips to do a do-si-doe to corner splash Jake and Roller, and Aldis and Williams get stereo monkey flips to Roller and Jake to collide. The end comes when The British Invasion gets the Chaos Theory suplex to a flying elbow finish off Roller
Your Winners via Pinfall: The British Invasion
We got another big match on the ticket, and it is….
Courtesy of the NWA
Tootie Lynn (with Kylie Rae) vs. Marti Belle (with Allysin Kay)
The story of the match is that Rae has a win over Kay, and if Lynn gets the pin over the other half of the NWA Women’s tag team champs, they could be in line for a title shot.
(Hey, if it works in the WWE, I’ll go with that logic.)
This is a good back and forth match, and Lynn is laser focused on overtaking Belle. Belle offers a handshake, but baits Lynn to a pin for a two count. Belle goes on offense, and hits Lynn with a hip attack in the corner. It looks like trouble for the Little Blue Dragon, as Belle gets her in a fireman’s carry, but Lynn fights out, and nails a step up enzugiri, and follows with a crossbody to Belle for two. Lynn then gets Belle in a pin with a bridge, and she gets the upset victory.
Your Winner via Pinfall: Tootie Lynn
As Lynn and Rae celebrate, Kay goes to Belle, and it looks like The Hex may be hexed in back to back losses.
We go backstage with May Valentine, and she is with Cyon and Austin Idol. She asks Cyon about his parentage (which is another way of saying, “Who’s your daddy, Cyon?”), Cyon is mum on the subject. That leads to the big question on why Idol wants to help. Idol says everyone wants his services, but Cyon gets in his grille and says he needs no one, because he was the son of a great NWA World Champion.
Let the speculation commence!
We go to The Podium with Kyle Davis, and he’s with Natalia Markova. He asks if she has any words before her match, and Markova grabs the mic and says to Jennacide, “You’ve called down the thunder? Well, now you got it!”
(Yes, I know that’s from the movie, Tombstone, but it’s better dialogue than what Markova was spitting.)
Courtesy of the NWA
Natalia Markova vs. Jennacide
As if you had to guess, the Cyborg easily overpowers Markova, but The Russian Crush has moves, too, with a flying head scissors to a forearm. She tries the Beautiful Disaster leg lariat, but Jennacide catches it, and sends Markova down to a split, and a boot to the back, and follows to a big boot to Markova in corner. Jennacide hits a nice suplex to cover Markova for two. They go to back and forth pin attempts, but neither can gain the advantage. Jennacide double chops Markova right in the…err, Markovas. Jennacide goes for a spinebuster to Markova for a two count. Markova goes outside the ring, and Jennacide follows in hot pursuit. Markova catches the Cyborg in a tornado DDT to the ring apron to the concrete floor. Jenna comes back up, Terminator style, and powerbombs Markova to the ring apron edge, and…the bell rings. So that means…
The Match is a Double Disqualification
Refs comes out to check on both women, and you can bet that a rematch is in the works.
(Author’s Rant: I get Markova doesn’t quite have the chops on the mic, but she does have a skillset in the ring… kinda like Randy Orton. So, henceforth, I shall dub her Russian Randy Orton ™)
Now it’s time for…
Courtesy of the NWA
Christi Jaynes vs “The Living Legend” Melina
As soon as the bell rings, this looks to be a good one, as they tie up in a collar and elbow and go back and forth, with neither woman giving an inch. The match is definitely an upstart (Jaynes) versus legend (Melina) story in the making. Jaynes is making good on her upstart spirit, as she lures Melina and delivers a boot to head. Jaynes sends her to the corner and delivers a knee strike. She rolls Melina through to follow up with a kick to back of head for two. Jaynes’ offense focuses on kicking Melina’s head, but the Legend fires up with her own kick to the Brazilian Wonder Woman’s head.
She sends Jaynes to the corner, and gets double knees to the midsection to cover for a two count. Jaynes answers back but going for a pin, but rolls Melina to a STF to make her submit. Melina strains, and manages gets to ropes. Melina goes on the attack with forearms and a facebuster, but Jaynes has some tricks up her sleeve as she rolls her back to a stiff knee strike. She covers Melina, but gets a two count to her surprise. Jaynes gets her in a fireman’s carry, but Melina escapes and goes to the California Dream, but opts instead to stack up Jaynes for a pin.
Your Winner via Pinfall: Melina
Check out NWA USA on YouTube, or check my report from last week, which is like watching it… but with words.
Now for some heinous douchery most foul, it’s…
“Alwayz Ready” Matt Cardona vs. “The Savage Gentleman” Victor Benjamin
(Author’s Note: Obviously this was pretaped prior to the events over the weekend, as Galli and company mentioned he will never be better than the current NWA Heavyweight Champion, Trevor Murdoch, so just suspend your disbelief and play along.)
The match is all Cardona, as he just toys with The Savage Gentleman, and riles up the crowd at ringside. Benjamin gets some spots in, but Cardona is in rare form, as he gets Benjamin in the corner with the Reboot facewash, and he covers for one, two… and Cardona pulls up Benjamin by the beard. Benjamin gets his second wind and gets on offense with a high knee strike in the corner. Benjamin goes to the well once too often, and goes again to corner. Cardona puts up his knees to stop the momentum, and hits finishes Benjamin with Radio Silence to end the match finally.
Your Winner via Pinfall: Matt Cardona
Again, Cardona works perfectly as a heel and a foil against Murdoch. But that is a recap for another day.
Right now, It’s time for the Main Event, and it is the…
Courtesy of the NWA
Team Wars Final: Strictly Business (Thom Latimer and Chris Adonis) with El Rudo vs. The End (Parrow and OdinSon) with Rodney Mack
Like before, the keys to win the match are by pinfall, submission, or being thrown over the top rope. Whichever team gets eliminated, the remaining member(s) will get the $30,000 prize.
Mack and Rudo start off in the ring, and Mack shows he hasn’t lost a step. El Rudo is getting chewed like a rawhide bone by The Red Dog. He sends Rudo out over the top rope, but Rudo lands on his feet on the apron. He leaps back in the ring and goes for a sunset flip but… nope. Mack attempts a corner splash, but Rudo moves out of the way, and manages to stack up Mack to pin and eliminate him. As Rudo celebrates, Parrow in, and the fans rightfully chant, “Parrow’s gonna kill you.” One powerbomb later by Parrow, and it’s so long to El Rudo.
Latimer climbs in the ring, and it’s a tense stare down…to a kiss by Latimer on Parrow’s forehead to a headlock. Parrow withstands the King of all Evil, displaying awesome power with a bear hug to Latimer. He writhes in pain, but Latimer bites at Parrow’s head to try to break the hold, but Parrow goes back on the attack with the bear hug, and then transitions to a powerbomb to cover for a two count. Latimer answers back with a Piledriver to pin, and Parrow gets eliminated.
OdinSon is left for the team and comes in the ring, and Latimer gets him in a Facelock, and then delivers Muay Thai-style knee strikes. OdinSon answers back with his signature back drop/body slam to Latimer, then goes to flying European uppercuts to a twisting neckbreaker that has some serious torque, as Madusa notes on commentary. He gets Latimer in a torture rack to a slam, and as the ref checks on Latimer, Odinson back up and Adonis gets him cinched in a Masterlock. The ref turns around and sees this, and ejects Adonis. With that the match is now do to one man per team. Latimer hits three successive neckbreakers, and then follows to a camel clutch, and Latimer sits hard on OdinSon’s back. OdinSon doesn’t relent, and Latimer then goes to leap down on his back, but OdinSon turn around and his knees drive right to Latimer’s….err, little Evils. As Latimer back to the corner, OdinSon goes for a corner splash, but he ducks away and OdinSon hits the turnbuckle hard. Latimer takes advantage and gets OdinSon in a spike piledriver and pins for one, two, and three.
Your Winners of Team War: Strictly Business and El Rudo
As Rudo and Adonis come in the ring to celebrate, they lift Latimer up in victory, as the crowd boos at the decision and the show goes to credits.
Final Thoughts
I will never complain when the show is stack with a lot of action. I especially dug the showings by Jaynes, Benjamin, and Markova on the POWERRR episode against the established vets of the sport.
It took a while, but Team War warmed up to me. I’m curious how they’ll utilize this in the future. I’m equally curious if this means El Rudo will fill the spot in Strictly Business.
Either way, what an exciting show to prepare for the action that was taped during PowerrrTrip, and we’ll see you in seven!