With mere days away from the Nuff Said pay-per-view, the National Wrestling Alliance is creating some buzz in setting up the matches for the show in Tampa, FL. Chief among them is the Ten Pounds of Gold is on the line between Matt Cardona and the current holder, Tyrus. Tonight, the stakes get raised as we will have a six-man tag match, with each side getting mystery partners. But whoever wins will be able to pick the stipulation for the title fight.
That said, we join from the Knoxville Convention Center in Knoxville, TN. Joe Galli, Tim Storm, and Velvet Sky have the call, and it’s time to hop on for a thrill ride, as your First Match of the night is…
“Thrillbilly” Silas Mason (with Pollo Del Mar) vs “The Most Feared” Kratos
Once Mason turns his back, Kratos dumps him out of the ring before the match starts. This is a hoss fight once Mason gets back in the ring, and he gets the better of Kratos with a shoulder tackle, but the Most Feared is just dazed. From there, you might as well serve up some steaks since we are in a chophouse, and Mason comes out ahead and finishes with a scoop and slam to cover for a two count. He runs into the corner, but Kratos counters with a back elbow and then a drop toehold on the bottom turnbuckle. Kratos proceeds to choke Mason on the bottom rope, as Del Mar looks on in concern for her man
Kratos demonstrates his power with a deadlift suplex to Mason back in the ring and a cover for just a one count. He then gives knees to the side of Mason’s head in a side mount position and then up with a slam. Kratos takes time to climb up top, but Mason catches him and dumps him back to the mat, a la Ric Flair. Mason is revved up with back elbows to the corner then a big corner splash, followed by a modified powerslam to the corner. He signals the Thrillride, but Kratos catches him with a pop-up powerbomb for a two count. He follows up with a suplex that launches Mason to the other side of the ring, and Del Mar enters to protect her man, but Kratos barrels through her. As Mason checks on her well-being, Kratos attempts a roll-up for a two count and then delivers a jumping knee that knocks him out and allows him to cover for the three count.
Your Winner via Pinfall: Kratos
Mason picks up Del Mar and carries her lifeless body to the back, you know this won’t sit well with the Thrillbilly for long.
But let’s get back to the ring for our next contest…
The Renegade Twins (Robyn and Charlette Renegade) vs. Ella Envy & Roxy (with Kenzie Paige)
The story of this match is that if the Renegade Twins win, they’ll earn a tag title shot for Pretty Empowered’s NWA Women’s Tag Team belts at Nuff Said, and to make sure the playing field is level, Kenzie Paige will be handcuffed at ringside. As Paige protests, Kyle Davis produces pink furry handcuffs. As commentary tried to figure out *how* he has such handcuffs, I learned long ago it is unwise to kink-shame (and that is why I never speak to, or of, ex-girlfriends #9-13.).
Any-whoosles, Robyn and Envy start off the match and she dropkicks and gives double knees to the Pretty Empowered one’s head to cover for two. As Envy gets the worst of the beatings, Paige tries in vain to break the handcuffs to no avail. The Renegades are Twinning away until Roxy comes into the match and lands a stiff kick that rocks Robyn. Galli and company note how Roxy has a new bad attitude. She and Envy keep her isolated and that makes her a Renegade in Peril. She tries to fight back and then both Roxy and Robyn nail a double clothesline to rock both of them. A hot tag to Charlotte, and she comes in as a Renegade en Fuego. Things aren’t looking so good for Pretty Empowered and even little sister Kylie Paige comes from out of the audience and tries to get Kenzie freed while all hell breaks loose. The Renegade Twins then deliver to Envy a variation of the Hart Attack to cover for the pin and the win.
Your Winners via Pinfall: The Renegade Twins
The Twins managed to punch their ticket to Nuff Said and a title shot, much to the dismay of Pretty Empowered.
May Valentine with Matt Cardona and Mike Knox, the poor woman is still wearing her wedding dress from last week. Cardona states he shouldn’t be wrestling tonight, but it’s important to him to call the shots for the main event at the PPV, and the guy he has handpicked is someone he guarantees will get him the win. Not even Knox knows who it is, so we’ll all find out later tonight.
But it’s time for a title match for the…
NWA Television Title: Jordan Clearwater (with BLK Jeez) (c) vs. Big Strong Mims
Mims is cashing in the title shot he earned from being part of Team Rock N Roll, who won The Champions Series. As always the NWA Television title rules apply, where the match will go to 6:05 minutes, and if there is no winner then it will count as a win for the champion. There has to be seven title defense before they trade up for a chance at the Ten Pounds of Gold.
Clearwater is peacocking to start, and as the bell rings he is clearly running out the clock on the match. Finally, they tie up at 5:09, but Mims is too strong and Clearwater ducks out again. Mims has had enough and comes out to send him back into the ring. He nails a shot to the champ’s gut and back, and then follows with a reverse atomic drop and a clothesline that gets Mims a two count. At 4:00, Clearwater stun guns Mims and then uses the middle rope to slingshot it right into his throat to make it hard to breathe. Clearwater comes in to cover for a two count. Then Clearwater rams his head on the top turnbuckle and chokes Mims with his golden boot at 3:04. Mims fires back, but Clearwater gets the upper hand with a suplex, and times ticks away in the match. He goes for a chinlock, and Clearwater keeps Mims grounded, but with 1:00 in the match, he gets back on offense with clotheslines and a flying clothesline, followed by a rollup for a two count, and a schoolboy by Mims gets another two count. With 21 seconds left, Clearwater attempts the Midas Touch finisher that gets blocked and Mims grabs him in a bear hug and the bell rings which means…
Your Winner via Countout, and Still NWA Television Champion: Jordan Clearwater
This counts as a successful defense, and Mims is left kicking himself as another attempt at the Television title slips through his fingers
Valentine is backstage with Aron Stevens (and, boy, awkward doesn’t even cover it). He shills for his team Blunt Force Trauma and their opportunity to take the NWA Tag Team titles from La Rebelion, but the only thing Valentine cares about is what happened last week at the wedding.
While Stevens offers excuses, it boils down in his mind to this: “You don’t need love for marriage, and the Tag titles are coming to Blunt Force Trauma.” Valentine hates him, and thanks him for his time, because, y’know…professionalism.
Now let’s head ringside for…
Jax Dane (with Chris Silvio, Esquire vs. Thom Latimer)
Latimer is able to go strength for strength with The Dane Event, and then he goes outside of the ring to join Silvio in signing…depositions, I think?
(Author’s Note: Of all the lawyers I know, Silvio gives ambulance chasers an ugly name. That magnificent bastard.)
The King of all Evil has had enough and he lands a dropkick to Dane and they battle outside the ring. As Latimer comes back in the squared circle, Silvio wraps his scarf around his ankle. As he kicks him off, Dane capitalizes by wrapping his leg around the steel post to injure him. From there, Dane targets the bad wheel and basks in his handiwork until a schoolboy by Latimer gets a close two count. Latimer comes back and throws bombs but can’t put weight on the bad leg. He mounts Dane in the corner and gives ten-count punches. As Latimer winces coming down, Dane comes out of the blocks with a tackle. He goes back to wrapping Latimner’s leg around the post, but Latimer brings him in to knock himself silly (which is proof you never skip leg day). He brings Dane back in the ring the hard way with a suplex and he’s still feeling the effects. Dane sets up and attempts The Dane EventClothesline, but is caught by Latimer and goes a crossface, but Silvio throws in the…scarf? Anyway, the ref calls for the bell, and that means…
Your Winner via Lawyer Stoppage: Thom Latimer
Silvio goes back in the ring to grab his scarf, but Latimer is hanging on to it. He tries to cajole his way out of this predicament, and Latimer tries a piledriver but Silvio scrapers off. Another time.
We get a recap of last week’s NWA USA where Homicide gets Austin Idol to come out and challenge his son Cyon for the NWA National belt, but read it here if you missed out last week.
Now it’s time for the Main Event, and we find out the mystery partners for each side as this six-man tag match will be…
Matt Cardona and Mike Knox and…Rolando Freeman vs. Tyrus (with BLK Jeez) and Blunt Force Trauma (Carnage and Damage, with Aron Stevens)
Well, ain’t this interesting. Cardona decided to pick the guy that beat him on Night One of NWA 74 as his partner. I guess it’s true: the enemy of my enemy is my friend in this case.
As they gather in the ring, the ref is doing an extra thorough job of checking everyone for weapons. When he gets to Freeman, he pulls out a chain from trunks, then his knee pad, then a shank. Man, he was packin’!
The match starts and it’s Carnage and Cardona but the Deathmatch King calls out the champ. Carnage obliges and brings in Tyrus and then Cardona tags in Knox. There is some shoving between the two big men until Freeman tags himself in. As Freeman comes in and dances away, Tyrus is perplexed by what is going on.
Once Freeman gets done, Tyrus plants him in the center of the ring with a choke slam and he pins for one, two, and three.
Your Winners via Pinfall: Tyrus and Blunt Force Trauma
Kyle Davis enters the ring to get the champ’s thoughts, and Tyrus wastes no time in picking the stipulation. He says at Nuff Said for the NWA World Heavyweight title it’ll be a one-on-one contest and there will be no one in either man’s corner. Cardona protests, as does Jeez, and we’ll find this Saturday in Tampa, FL. how that will play out as the show goes to the credits.
NWA Powerrr - 02/07/2023
Final Thoughts:
An overall solid show, but I wished the main event would’ve run longer. However, I’m not mad at how it ended and it presents some exciting opportunities for the main event at Nuff Said. We’ll see how it all plays out, so stay tuned for the upcoming interviews from more NWA talent and the PPV countdown this week.