It’s the first night after the NUFF SAID pay-per-view, and Tyrus is still dominant as the holder of the “Twelve Pounds of Gold.”  So now that he is the undisputed champion after beating Matt Cardona, what’s next for The Great American Smash?

We’ll find out as Kyle Davis is at The Podium as Tyrus palms his head like a basketball. Tyrus is on top, and he says that the world is loving him, and the section for the Internet haters…well, they can’t make it but they can watch his success, too, and do nothing.  As Davis is going to ask more questions, Aron Stevens and Rolando Freeman (with taped ribs) come out.  Stevens acknowledges his past with Tyrus and goes into some slang, quasi-jive talk, saying, “You owe me a favor and maybe this is my cash-in, playa.  That belt looks good.  [It’d] Look better on me.”

Tyrus, just asks what we’re all thinking, “Why are you talking that way, Aron?”  

Now, Freeman is hot, and he’s sick of Tyrus ducking him, the real superstar of the NWA.  Tyrus is bemused by this, and Stevens jests that he must be *this* tall to get on these rides.  Freeman is livid that everyone is discounting him for his height, and states that he wants that title.

We’ll find out how well that goes for Freeman, but we now head to the PBS Studios in Tampa, FL. Joe Galli, Tim Storm, and Velvet Sky have the call, and she wishes the NWA fans a “Vel-antines Day, baby.”  

But we head to the ring as Kyle Davis is with Austin Idol and the NWA Television champion, Jordan Clearwater.  Idol declares that just like he did with Cyon, they’re instituting an open “Golden Boy” challenge.  They’re all smiles Davis announces the first challenger for the…

NWA Television Championship:  Jordan Clearwater(c) vs. Thom Latimer

Good luck to Clearwater as The King of All Evil makes his way into the ring.  As always, the title will be contested under the Television Title rules.

As the bell rings, Clearwater tries to stall, as has been his tactic, and gets the ref to check for weapons on Latimer’s person.  As the ref acquiesced, Clearwater then attacks and punches away on his head at the 5:12 mark.  He tossed Latimer to the outside, and Idol rams his head to post.  Idol rolls him back in and Clearwater covers for a two count.  He throws out Latimer again at 4:32, and now he slams him headfirst into the steel steps and basks in his handiworks to the boos of the crowd.  Back in the ring at 3:42 and Clearwater is preening like a peacock.  He gives double axe handles to Latimer and he starts to Hulk…err, Evil up.  Then Latimer gives the champ an atomic drop to a clothesline at 3:08, and he gets the pop-up powerbomb for two, but then transitions and cinches the crossface and Clearwater has no place to go and quickly taps out.

Your Winner, And New NWA Television Champion:  Thom Latimer

Kamille comes out to celebrate Latimer’s first singles title in the NWA to the delight of the fans, and it couldn’t have happened to a more Evil guy.

Galli comes back to give the two major announcements.  First, the NWA 312 PPV will be live on April 7th in Chicago, IL.  Also, the long-ago-announced NWA Women’s Television championship will have a tournament starting this week on NWA USA and the crowning of the new champion will happen at the PPV.  What a time to be a fan, and I’m a sucker for a good tournament.

But until then, we have another contest between…

Courtesy of the NWA

Angelina Love vs. La Rosa Negra

As the match gets underway, “Psycho Boy” Fodder tries to trip up Negra, but the ref ain’t having any of that, and since he doesn’t have a manager’s license he ejects him from ringside.  But the distraction is enough for Love to attack from behind to take on The Boricua Legend.  Negra has a few tricks up her sleeve as she goes to the corner but counters with a back elbow to cover for two.

Negra has her in a wristlock but Love gets a forearm to her temple to stun her.  She charges to the corner, but Love evades and is tripped up, landing face first to the middle turnbuckle.  Love is in control, and she scrapes her head with her boot. A Side slam to Negra gets a two count for Love.  She goes for a sleeper hold, but Negra fires back with a series of roll-ups and then follows with a couple of roundhouse kicks to the mush, but then she climbs up the top turnbuckle and finishes off Love with a frog splash for the three count.

Your Winner via Pinfall:  La Rosa Negra

May Valentine with the NWA National champion Cyon and “Thrillbilly” Silas Mason.  She asks Mason what’s next after taking on Kratos at NUFF SAID, and Mason eyeballs the champ, saying he sees what’s next: He wants his National title, and he wants him to “put his money where his mask is.” Cyon states that since doing the Austin Idol open challenge for his title, he always seeks competition…but he doesn’t see the best, and he’ll have to find it elsewhere.  Mason is livid, staring daggers at Cyon as Valentine throws it back to the studio.

Next up is…

Courtesy of the NWA

La Rebelión (Mecha Wolf and Bestia 666) Vs. The Mortons (Ricky and Kerry Morton)

Before the bell rings, there is a show of sportsmanship(!) by Rebelión to Ricky.  Then Ricky and Wolf start off the match, and the Rock and Roller is in control with arm drags. He goes to tag Kerry in, and he seems a bit distracted.  Now Kerry and Bestia are in the ring, and the Future Legend keeps pace with head-scissor takedowns, but Bestia returns the receipt.  Now  La Rebelión double team, but Kerry fights back and is becoming aggressive, mounting Wolf with punches in the corner.

He hits Wolf with his bad hand and Bestia is on the outside and yanks down hard on the bad arm/hand of Kerry on the top ropes.  Kerry reverses to a crossbody but gets a two count for his trouble.  Now La Rebelion isolates Kerry, taunting Papa Morton on the other side.  He finally manages a hot tag and Ricky is a Rock n Roll Express en Fuego.  He gets a Canadian Destroyer to Bestia to cover, and Wolf breaks the count.  Kerry is in the ring and goes for his Kiss it Goodbye finisher, but he almost hits Ricky.  He pumps the brakes just in time, but the miscommunication allows Bestia to shove Kerry into his dad, and as he throws him out of the ring, he rolls up Ricky for the pin and the win.

Your Winners via Pinfall:  La Rebelión

After the match, there is squabbling between the Mortons and Ricky isn’t happy that his son’s head was in the clouds.  My Smark-y Sense™ is tingling, and this feels like the groundwork for a heel turn by young Morton.

Backstage, May Valentine now has the former NWA World Champion, Matt Cardona, and he’s angry. He says Bully Ray screwed him out of his title at the PPV. Then he blames everyone, from no one having his back to his Cardona family, Mike Knox, being no help.  Oh, and Rolando Freeman had One Job to do on the last POWERRR episode and he blew it!

(Author’s Snark:  Well, Rolando did the job, if you wanna be technical about it.  Thank you, Tampa!  I’m here all week!  Try the Nachos!!)

Cardona promises this isn’t over, and he’s saving the NWA…starting with Bully Ray

At The Podium with Davis are The new NWA Women’s Tag Team champions, the Renegade Twins. They’re honored to hold the titles, but then Pretty Empowered comes out.  Looks like Kenzie Paige, her sister Kendra Alexa, Ella Envy, and Roxy are in full Mean Girls mode and talk trash, saying they made those belts.  The Twins suggest round two, and Paige agrees…but she can’t be in it, ’cause she’s a little banged up. But she sees them getting the titles back…with Roxy helping Envy.  Paige assures Envy that they’re winning the titles from those “Renegade rats.”

Okay, so…this is Freebirds 2.0.  I’m curious how this plays out.

Speaking of things playing out, your Main Event was mentioned earlier tonight, and we have a title match for…

NWA World’s Heavyweight Championship: Tyrus(c) vs. Rolando Freeman

Tyrus comes out in his street clothes…and no BLK Jeez.  Huh.  That’s interesting.  Either way, Tyrus doesn’t seem concerned or impressed by Tyrus.  Freeman, with his ribs taped up, talks trash and attacks Tyrus.  This reminds me of the Bugs Bunny episode where he takes on the wrestler, and the first half is exactly what took place in the match.

Now, unlike a certain “wascly wabbit,” Freeman did not employ a little “stragedy” in his match.  Instead, he gets a goozle by Tyrus to the corner, then he gives him a hip attack, and a fallaway slam from halfway across the ring.  Tyrus puts a boot to cover Freeman for one, two…

Wait a sec! He sees Jeez on the outside with…EC3?!  What in the name of the Narrative is going on?

Tyrus stops screwing around, gives a big elbow drop, and covers for the one, two, and three.

Your Winner, and Still NWA Heavyweight Champion:  Tyrus

Tyrus looks on and Jeez and EC3 are still buddy-buddy, and he can’t make out what this is about, as the show goes to the credits.

NWA POWERRR - 02/14/2023
3.5

Final Thoughts:

The Action in-ring was Okay, to above average.  The Angles were above average, as it looks like the NWA is making shifts along the way, to Latimer winning the Television title, to Kerry Morton developing a ‘tude, and now there might be trouble with Tyrus as his man Jeez is pairing up with someone who is a bit manipulative.

I’m not sure where this leads, but I am intrigued by its possibilities.  Until then, see you in seven!