Unlike March Madness, The Crockett Cup does not have One Shining Moment… but rather several moments, and the NWA had a great showing on night one of the pay-per-view. Sixteen teams (or twenty if you count those in the “Play-In” match) are all looking to make an impression on their way to winning the coveted cup.
Before we step Into The Fire at the Nashville Fairgrounds in Tennessee, there’s a just a couple things I need to advise you, dear readers, going forward.
Covering a match like this righteously requires stamina, endurance, and a certain panache to details. That is why I will keep some aspects of the show brief, highlighting only the big moves and the finishes of the match.
Plus, I’m sticking to one (!) shot of bourbon to keep the medulla oblongata fluid and functional.
We go to the preshow, where Kyle Davis is at The Podium with “The National Treasure” Nick Aldis. He emphatically states to the crowd that the Ten Pounds of Gold is coming back to his waist, and that the current champ Matt Cardona will be crying to Chelsea Green when he loses the belt
Joe Galli and Tim Storm are at commentary running down the tag teams, but check my run down for more details, as well as the four team in the Four Way Play-in.
We also get some matches like…
Magic Jake Dumas vs. Captain YUMA (with Danny Dealz and Jeremiah Plunkett)
Dumas shows a magic trick, and makes the cigarette disappear, along with his Adam’s apple with a double chop. The match is all Magic, and while YUMA tries get in some hope spots, Dumas gets the Abracadabra finisher, and Shazam!
Your Winner via Pinfall: Magic Jake Dumas
Afterwards, Plunkett and Dealz left YUMA in disgust, and this can’t bode well for the space captain.
But now we get to the…
Four Way Play-In Match: Violence is Forever (Dominic Garrini and Kevin Ku) vs. The Heatseekers (Elliott Russell and Matt Sigmon) vs. The Bad News Boys (Brandon and Brent Tate) vs. The Rip City Shooters (Joshua Bishop and Wes Barkley)
Galli notes that the Heatseekers were the current NWA Tag champs when the titles had dissolved during the Lightning One Era, and they never lost the belts. Also looking over the teams for the first time, Bishop has serious “Doctor D” vibes about him (and a word of caution to the Shooter… avoid ABC newscasters moving forward. Just saying!)
(Author’s Note: During the preshow, Galli spoiled who was moving forward to the First Round, but I ain’t gonna do that to you. I may be a hack, and I may be [slightly] drunk…but I don’t spoil things. I learned my lesson well through painful experience. But enough about Provo, UT.)
The match is a straight-up Pier Eight brawl. As I took in the scene, the Boyz were crisp in their tag execution, as they hit with a backstabber/senton double team for a two count, and they are the de facto ‘faces in the match. The Heatseekers and Violence is Forever are the most dominant teams on the mat for most of the match. That said, Bishop went up top with an amazing Van Terminator to a double choke slam with Barkley, but the Boyz broke the count. Violence is Forever gets Brent in a powerbomb to a (missed) lungblower, but Garrini transitions to a choke, but Brandon hits a Superfly splash on his back, and Brent rolls him up to a pin.
Your Winner and the Number Sixteen Seed in The Crockett Cup: The Bad News Boyz
It’s fantastic that The Bad News Boyz are in the cup, but against Bestia 666 and MechaWolf…. well….
As we catch our breath and ponder the fate of The Boyz against La Rebelion, we hear the gunshot intro song, and that means it’s time to Reach for the Sky, boy, because it’s…
The Briscoe Brothers (Mark and Jay Briscoe) vs. The Now (Vik Dalishus and Hale Collins
As I watched the comments from the YouTube preshow, I was like some other fans and wondered why they were on the preshow, but it matters not as there were massive cheers for “Dem Boys” from Sandy Fork, Delaware.
Mark starts off against Collins, and outwrestles him. Then, Jay tags in, and it’s just savage brutality, and Collins is Now in Peril. At one point, Dalishus kick Jay in the back, and The Now take back control in this match, with a slingshot lungblower to a double stomp for a two count. Dalishus hits with a German suplex to a bridge on Jay for another two count. Then, Dalishus nails a massive spinebuster, tags Collins in for a big elbow and …”there’s no water in the pool”, according to Galli. Jay gets the hot tag and Mark is a Spicy Chicken en Fuego. Jay Briscoe gets Collins with a neckbreaker, and Mark lands with the Froggy bow and they advance.
Your Winners, and Advancing in the Quarterfinals: The Briscoe Brothers
Kyle Davis is in the ring, and asks if anyone will upset Dem Boys in competition. Jay gets on the mic and says “Hell, no! One down, three to go. We taking it this year!” Jay ads that they’re gonna prove to the world that, “Ain’t another tag team that can match their level!”
And as that closes down, we head to Fite.TV proper for…
Night One of The Crockett Cup
During the introductions, May Valentine brings out David Crockett to say hello to the fans, and he will join at commentary for the final two matches. For now, Joe Galli, Tim Storm, and Velvet Sky have the call at The Nashville Fairgrounds. Galli notes that Kratos is not in the building, and reportedly Stevens is scrounging for partner. We’ll come back for more as the story develops, but let’s get to the …
First Round of The Crockett Cup…
And the First Match of Night One is…
Hawx Aerie (Luke and PJ Hawx) vs. The End (OdinSon and Parrow)
Sky says during their intro that The End are not in sync, and had been training separately. There’s also plugs for Luke and PJ doing work on the TV show Heels on STARZ (and on a quick note, as my podcast partner Bill Frost noted one day: Can someone tell Stephen Amell to get some more southern rock on the show? At least some .38 Special, or Molly Hatchet?)
Parrow showing aggression before the bell rings, and OdinSon tries talking down his tag partner. PJ and OdinSon start, and while OdinSon has some size, PJ manages to outwrestle him at every turn. The match has Hawx Aerie flying high, while The End is off. There is a misstep by Luke, and he is your Hawx In Peril. The End get back on the same page, with their signature senton splash to by Parrow onto Luke, but it gets a two count. Parrow pummels away at Luke in the corner, but the elder Hawx shows his strength and gets a Razor’s Edge on the big man (which was Too Sweet an homage to the late Scott Hall). A tag to his son, and PJ cleans house. He tags back his dad, but OdinSon breaks up their attempted double team. The End go for the Supercollider, but PJ wiggles out and spears Parrow, and Hawx Aerie get a double backbreaker on OdinSon for a two count. Luke is sent outside and OdinSon goes for an airplane spin, but PJ reverses to a package rollup and gets the pin
Your Winners, and Advancing in the Quarterfinals: Hawx Aerie
Parrow becomes unglued and powerbombs Luke after the match. OdinSon makes PJ watch, as Parrow beats down his dad before leaving the ring. As PJ checks on Luke, there’s speculation whether or not he’ll be able to continue in the next round.
We go to May Valentine, who’s backstage with NWA President, Billy Corgan. Corgan talks up the rich history of the NWA, and thinks about the great history of the tag teams of yesteryear, and wants to bring it to the modern era with a tough gauntlet. He also talks up the match on Night Two for the Ten Pounds of Gold and how Cardona requested that Jeff Jarrett be the Special Guest Referee. Corgan and Jarrett have had some history in TNA, he notes, and Jarrett made some controversial remarks recently. Corgan’s not sure which Jarrett will be there at the Main event.
As for me, I can’t wait.
But let’s go to the next match in the First Round between…
Da Pope and Big Strong Mims vs. The Cardonas (VSK and Mike Knox)
Galli calls Mims/Pope the dark horse favorite, and I would like to believe that is the case. As Pope and VSK start out, VSK gets a huracanrana that spikes Pope hard on the top of his head, but “Pope is pimping ©” through the match. Pope and Mims appear to have strong Tag chemistry, as Mims tags in and gets a Big Strong Slam for a two count. Knox hits Mims from the back, and the tempo changes to favor the Cardonas as they isolate Mims and break him down. But a hot tag to Pope, and he is Pimpin’, Daddy, with shades of The American Dream Flip, Flop, and Fly, if you will. Tag to Mims, and they nail The Doomsday Device to VSK, but Knox breaks the pin count. Knox gets Mims with a reverse Sister Abigail-type move and a frog splash by VSK gets them the pin.
Your Winners, and Advancing in the Quarterfinals: The Cardonas
Kyle Davis at back at The Podium with the current NWA Women’s Champion, Kamille. Davis inquires her thoughts on the upcoming three way match. She respects Kylie, but wonders why she’s in the match, as she was tagging with Tootie Lynn. Also, she wants to give Chelsea G some Chapstick, from kissing so much a ** to get in this match. At the end of the day, Kamille confidently states she will be a one-time champ because she ain’t losing the belt anytime soon.
Gall reports from the back that Luke Hawx has a concussion, and more updates as they follow going to the quarterfinal.
Now we have a Weird Match coming up, but Aron Stevens heads to The Podium with Davis, and starts to quote “the famous yogi, ‘Dee-a-mond’ Dallas Page” that change is not a bad thing, but a good thing. He does drop the act for a second to say the Crockett Cup in Nashville is a good marriage. Speaking of marriages (after he calls the fans a “festering wound on the right buttock of Nashville”), he uses that premise to illustrate that there needs to be something old (the NWA); something new (his ring jacket); something borrowed (the video wall behind them loaned for the show), and something blue… which means tonight is…
The Blue Meanie and Aron Stevens vs. The Dirty Sexy Boys (JTG and “Dirty” Dango)
What in the name of the Blue World Order is going on? I dunno, and I don’t care!
Folks, this is now a “Weird Off”, as Meanie channels Da Blue Guy and throws a toothpick at the camera (another homage to Scott Hall), and then Dango and Stevens disrobe, while Sky gives this “Two Yums Up!”
(Message to Commentary: Down, girl! Fan yourself off!)
Dango gets “dirty” with Stevens, who ducks out as Dango gets the best of him, as fans call Stevens, “Chicken!” As Stevens tags to Meanie, and The Gawd is tagged in by Dango, Meanie goes for a tickle attack, and JTG reciprocates.
Again, “weird” doesn’t quite cover this.
Stevens and Meanie are cohesive as a tag unit. Stevens goes up top to mock Dango and tries a high risk maneuver, but Dango gets a leg up. Stunned, Dango tags in JTG and he starts to clears house, but Blue Meanie gets in and is a Blue Flame en Fuego. Meanie attempts a splash but misses. Dango gets behind Meanie, and a JTG boot trips up Meanie and Dango covers for the pin.
Your Winners, and Advancing in the Quarterfinals: JTG and “Dirty” Dango
There’s still more tag action, as we get…
Strictly Business (Chris Adonis and Thom Latimer) vs. GoldRushhh (Jordan Clearwater and Marshe’ Rockett, with BLK Jeez and Tyrus)
Yeah, I’m not a fan of heel versus heel matches, and this isn’t changing my mind anytime soon. Tyrus gets on the mic, and asks the “Nashville nitwits for respect” Clearwater unrobes to show “what pure gold looks like.” While that happens, Adonis and Latimer sneak attack the ‘Rushhh and Adonis gets in the Masterlock on Clearwater. That should be the end, but the bell never rang, and Jeez and Tyrus berate the ref. Once the bell rings, the damage done as Clearwater is your Golden Boy in Peril. A tag to Rockett, and Adonis gets another Masterlock in, but Jeez is on ring to distract. Adonis gets Rockett to tap but the ref never saw. As Adonis goes to get the ref in the match, Clearwater gets behind for a low blow, and grabs Tyrus’ Television title belt to knock out Latimer to roll up for pin.
Your Winners, and Advancing in the Quarterfinals: GoldRushhh
As in March Madness, so in the Crockett Cup; always choose the number twelve seed.
As Rockett and Clearwater celebrate, Tyrus leads them back, saying not to celebrate until they win it all.
May Valentine is backstage with The Fixers and… Fixers Rule! They got the momentum, says “The Boss” Jay Bradley. Wrecking Ball wants Muta and Steen, but… they aren’t in the Cup. Oh and they have new t-shirts that say “Pro Wrestling is Fixed!” and I want one.
Fixers, throw me a bone, here!
But here’s the next match of the First Round…
The Commonwealth Connection (Doug Williams and Harry Smith) vs. The Ill-Begotten (Rush Freeman and Alex Taylor with Danny Dealz and Jeremiah Plunkett and…)
Dealz and Plunkett send YUMA packing to the back, as the team exercises “Freebird rules.” But it’s all for naught, as Williams and Smith attack right away. Smith looks crisp since we last saw him in Major League Wrestling. Williams is tagged in, and Freeman gets a throat chop now Ill-Begotten is in the driver’s seat. During the match, YUMA comes back to the ring, and Plunkett punches him out. Williams gets separation from Taylor and a tag to Smith who unleashes an offense of ten count punches, then to a belly to belly suplex to a powerslam, and then to Saito suplex, but Freeman breaks count. Smith slams Taylor to the mat, and an assisted slam Williams gets the pin.
Your Winners, and Advancing in the Quarterfinals: The Commonwealth Connection
Now for the final First Round match between…
La Rebelión (Bestia 666 and MechaWolf) vs. The Bad News Boyz
Rebelión channels serious Ghost energy with their ring gear, and they hold the original NWA tag belts gifted to them by David Crockett. Early on, the champs give no respect to the Boyz, but they learn their lesson as the Tate show some fight. The Boyz are bossing around the champs, and Rebelión step out to rethink their strategy as the clearly underestimated their opponents.
Bestia and Mecha come back to give respect and…psyche! They just manhandle the Boyz. Rebelión get back to the beat down, but Brandon and Brent send the champs out and hits stereo somersault dives on La Rebelión to the outside. Brent and Brandon deliver their Space Jam finisher on Mecha for the pin, and Bestia breaks hold. The champ hit their Mark of the Beast finisher, and that ends the match.
Your Winners, and Advancing in the Quarterfinals: La Rebelión
Valentine is backstage with The Cardonas. Knox addresses the Pope, “sympathizing” with him, since he has had multiple concussions, and he wants Pope to retire and focus on the mic. Valentine asks if they are they a legit team, and VSK says Cardona is saving the NWA and they will save the tag division.
So…Probably not a tag team, but they have The Power of Douchenozzlery™.
Now, onto the….
Quarter Finals
While we’re on the subject of obnoxious tag teams, here’s…
The Fixers vs. The Cardonas
During The Fixers intro, “Wrecking Ball” comes out with a Cookie Crisp cereal box, and spills some to the Cup. He and Bradley also tease a little kid with some, but then pull away. It’s terrible, but also a little funny , which means I’m going to Hell.
Now normally, I hate heel versus heel matches, but The Fixers are the de facto ‘faces here. The Fixers rule throughout, and Legurtsky goes up to splash, and Bradley barrels through The Cardonas outside the ring. Heh! Nerds.
Legurtsky and Bradley keep on fixing The Cardonas, like crotch VSK on to the ring post. Each time The Fixers come to pin, Knox breaks the count. The Fixers utilize their tag chemistry and double suplex VSK to a pin, but Knox Chop blocks Bradley. Bradley and Knox brawl outside the ring, and Legurtsky attempts a Vader bomb but VSK moves away. From there, The Cardonas deliver their neckbreaker/frog splash finish, and then
Your Winners, and Advancing in the Semifinals: The Cardonas
But now for something to make Velvet Sky hot and bothered, here’s…
The Briscoes vs. Dirty Sexy Boys
During DSG’s intro. Galli notes they haven’t broke a sweat, to which Sky replies, “They don’t sweat; they glisten.” Methinks someone needs a moment to decompress.
Dango and Mark start off, and it’s a chop fest from the get go. He sends Dango out, and JTG gets in the ring, but Dem Boys work over Tha Gawd. The action spills out to the ring, and Mark uses a chair as a springboard to launch from the ring to all men outside. The fans chant, “Briscoes!” as Dem boys are dominant throughout, as gets in a Muta Lock, but JTG breaks out of the submission. Tag to Dango in and he’s getting “dirty” with a falcon arrow for a two count, and then gets Dem Boys in an Air Raid/DDT combo. But Mark returns and gets Kung Fu fighting, and from there it’s the signature Redneck Boogie but kicks out at the two count. One Jay Driller and a Froggy bow and Goodbye to Velvet Sky’s Favorite Team because…
Your Winners, and Advancing to the Semifinals: The Briscoes
Now, May Valentine is with BLK Jeez and Tyrus, and questions the upset win against Strictly Business. Jeez states she should be asking what they do when they win, but Tyrus says they didn’t get the job done, and GoldRushhh ain’t celebrating until they get it right. She asks about tomorrow’s TV title match, and Tyrus assures that he is aggressively ready, and it pains him to think what he will do to put Rodney Mack down.
David Crockett joins at commentary with Storm and Galli (as I assume Velvet Sky is in back to… “console” the Dirty Sexy Boys), and he reminisces on when it started way back when with the NWA, and praises Billy Corgan to a return to the tradition of the Cup.
That brings us to the next match, but because Luke Hawx is severely concussed, this will be a handicap match because his son wants to go on. Therefore, we get…
PJ Hawx vs. La Rebelión
Is this fair? Gods, no. Is it interesting? Yeah, I’d say so.
As La Rebelión stalks PJ, PJ assures fans that he’s got this, and MechaWolf tries to outwrestle the younger Hawx Aerie, and PJ is more than a match with his amateur background, and keeps the ‘Wolf grounded, but he soon he bites PJ’s face. Bestia tries his hand, and it’s the same deals, until finally the numbers game catches up in this handicap match. Their double team moves abound, but the younger Hawx keeps kicking out. PJ fires up and hits an array of suplexes, but the writings on the wall as La Rebelion gets the Mark of the Beast and it’s one, two…whoa, PJ kicks out! Bestia is beside himself, as he and MechaWolf quit screwing around and hit another Mark of the Beast once more, and now it’s done.
Your Winners, and Advancing in the Semifinals: La Rebelión
The fans give a standing ovation with PJ Hawx, as they chant his name for a valiant effort.
And now for the final match of Night One of the Crockett Cup, it’s…
GoldRushhh (with BLK Jeez) vs. The Commonwealth Connection
Tyrus is at The Podium on the mic, and gives props to the men in ring, and says this ain’t a game. It’s time, he says, to separate “the champs from the chumps!” ‘Nuff said, indeed.
Clearwater and Smith start off, and trade hold for hold, with the Golden Boy keeping up. But soon the Connection get Clearwater grounded, and the Ambassador shows his catch wrestling move set to the youngster. At one point, Clearwater isolates Williams to corner to tag in his partner, but Williams is a savvy veteran and he gets to his corner and takes it to Marshe’, All Day. Clearwater tries to interfere, and Smith stomps away, but Rockett gets a chop block to the back of his knees.
GoldRushhh isolate Smith, and we have a Connection in Peril. Smith manages an enzugiri to Rockett to create separation, and crawls for the hot stag and Williams is an Ambassador en Fuego. A Tiger driver to Clearwater is only good for a two count. Smith is back in, and a powerslam and an assisted senton with Williams to his sternum, but Rockett breaks count. Smith gets dumped to the outside, and Clearwater attempts the Midas Touch finisher, but Rockett eats the boot. A Sit out powerbomb and a Piledriver by Smith and Williams, respectively, but Rockett still breaks the count. Williams gets Clearwater in a hammerlock submission with a bridge and The Golden Boy finally taps under pressure.
Your Winners, and Advancing to the Semifinals: The Commonwealth Connection
Davis calls out La Rebelión to The Podium, and asks on winning the Cup. Bestia speaks, and ‘Wolf translates that all the teams are good, but the fact of the matter is who won twice, and that’s La Rebelion. He emphatically states they are the greatest tag team of all time, and they will come back to Tijuana with the greatest tequila they can find, and fill the Cup.
(Me: What? No mescal?! Bloody savages!!)
And thus concludes Night One of the Crockett Cup.
Final Thoughts:
It’s great to have the Crockett Cup back, after such a long layoff of almost three years, and each of the tag teams put forth their best efforts.
As for my predictions, there is a reason why I never won March Madness…but I’m OK with that, as the surprises are making for some interesting match ups for Night Two. Besides, if the reports are true, I am curious if this is the year The Briscoes win the Cup.
While Joe Galli and Billy Corgan were at commentary to discuss what to expect for tomorrow’s PPV, the siren call of sleep and sweet lady bourbon are calling to me, so see you for Night Two of The Crockett Cup!