The feud between Bully Ray and Matt Cardona is heating up in the National Wrestling Alliance, and Cardona wants a piece of the Hall of Fame wrestler…but first, he needs to go through Mike Knox. Ray has already beaten him in a Tables Match at NWA 74, so this is the rubber match to see if he can get his hands on the self-purported savior of the NWA.
Kyle Davis is at The Podium with La Rosa Negra and she has a big announcement. Since she earned a title opportunity from The Champion Series, and she gives props to Team Rock and Roll, La Rosa wants to challenge Kamille and is ready to take on The Brickhouse for The Burke and now is her time. That prompts the NWA Women’s champion to come out, and they both hug. Kamille talks about how she met her in Florida and appreciated the potential she saw in her, but oh how the tables have turned. She has beaten everyone, and when La Rosa steps in the ring, she warns her former friend, “When we get in that ring, you become my enemy… and I have no mercy on my enemies.”
Kamille gives a warning to La Rosa Negra.
We come to you from the PBS Studios in Tampa, FL. Joe Galli, Tim Storm, and Velvet Sky have the call, and your First Match of the night is…
Courtesy of the NWA. Credit: Hiban Huerta
“Psycho Boy” Fodder vs. V.H.S.
Galli mentions that Fodder is calling his kendo stick a “psycho stick,” and that is a phrase that conjures a barrage of imagery for me. Then again, I went to Catholic school for nine years…in Utah. But, I digress.
Fodder’s opponent goes by “Vic Hops Shaquille,” according to his Twitter bio, but that doesn’t stop Galli and company from making VCR VCR quips.
(Author’s Note: See, Kids, VCRs or “Video Cassette Recorders” were the bulkier versions of YouTube back in the day, and they used magnetic tape to record programs you wanted to watch).
If you wondering why my Smark-y Sense is tingling, that means this has the earmarks of a Squash, so allow me a POWERRR Haiku in Review™:
*ahem*
When facing Fodder,
VHS knows he is not
Kind and won’t rewind.
Your Winner via Pinfall: “Psycho Boy” Fodder
May Valentine is backstage with EC3 and Jordan Clearwater and The Essential Character goes into more detail about joining forces with BLK Jeez and The Church’s Money Entertainment. He states that theirs is a partnership, and he believes in good infrastructure. Clearwater is not sure about CYN merging with their group but decides to go along for the ride because…hey, he’s The Golden Boy. EC3 admires this and announces, “On this rock, I will build my Church.”
I think the Catholic school kid in me enjoyed that more than others would.
But here’s something we know everyone will like, and that is a…
Courtesy of the NWA. Credit: Hiban Huerta
NWA World Women’s TV Title Tournament Qualifying Match: Kilynn King vs. Kenzie Paige
Paige is slippery and plays mind games with the taller and more physical King. She tries to get King in a sleeper, but The Majesty of Muscle easily pulls her off and slams Paige hard onto the mat twice. She attempts to set up the Excalibuster finisher, but Paige wriggles out and superkicks King and follows with an impressive uranage to cover for a two count.
There are hard slaps by both women that someone in the Power Slap League should take notice of and see how it’s done (yes, I said that). Paige then unleashes palm strikes, but King manages to knock down the Pretty Empowered one. King goes for a facebuster but Paige rolls through for another two count. King comes back with a roundhouse kick to the back of her head and nails Paige with a double underhook slam for one, two…whoa, that was a close kick out. King attempts the Excalibuster again to put her away for good, but Paige escapes and delivers a cutter on King to cover for a three count.
.@KenziePaige_1 WINS!! #NWAPowerrr pic.twitter.com/pSrJRyCNLU
— 𝐃𝐫𝐚𝐕𝐞𝐧 (@WrestlingCovers) February 28, 2023
Your Winner via Pinfall, and Advancing is the NWA Women’s TV Title Tournament: Kenzie Paige
Aron Stevens and May Valentine are going through couples therapy and they do it with the help of Mike Busey.
(Author’s Note: Mike Busey is the owner of the infamous “Sausage Castle” in Florida. According to a VICE article, he is supposedly a nephew of actor Gary Busey, and he hosts some rather debaucherous parties. The article describes him as “a Juggalo version of Willy Wonka” and damned if that isn’t a great description. Anyway, check the article here if you want to learn more.)
Mike Busey offers Couples Therapy to May Valentine and Aron Stevens
In any case, this goes off the rails quickly, as Valentine accuses Stevens of stringing her along and coming up with all these lame excuses, including his screw-up during their “wedding.”
Did anything get resolved? Nah.
Is Stevens a jerk? Oh, yeah!
Is that a smart thing to do with the current Playboy cover model May Valentine? God, no! What idiot wastes that opportunity?!
Could Mike Busey be involved more in the NWA? Eh, we’ll wait and see.
Was this a humorous segment? On a scale of one to “Deuce Bigalow,” it was a tour de farce!
There’s an ad for Madusa’s biography coming out that our own Greg Oliver helped out with. I think if you click here you can learn more about her and maybe start an order.
There is a recap of the main event between “Thrillbilly” Silas Mason and Judais, but read here for what you missed on this NWA USA
Joe Galli interviewed Chris Adonis earlier in the program. Adonis states that since coming to the NWA, he delivers one great match after another, and he recently defeated the former NWA Heavyweight Champion, Trevor Murdoch. Since he was part of the winning team on The Champion Series, Adonis will cash in on his title opportunity and challenge Tyrus at the NWA 312 Live PPV for the Ten Pounds of Gold, and he promises the fans Tyrus won’t break the Masterlock.
Chris Adonis with Joe Galli to make a title announcement
But now it’s time for the Main Event between…
Courtesy of the NWA. Credit: Hiban Huerta
Bully Ray vs. Mike Knox
Ray enters first, and then Knox storms into the ring with a steel chair and proceeds to beat him down. Knox is possessed as he doesn’t want to wrestle so much as end Bully Ray. He gets ahold of Ray’s chain and strangles him with it, and uses his poncho as well. The ref tries to get some semblance of control, but he finally calls it so, as far as anyone is concerned…
Your Winner via Disqualification: Bully Ray
Knox has the chair and swings and misses. Ray spears Knox, and he’s spurred on by the fans chanting, “Get the tables!” but works with the steel chair. Now he acquiesces and goes under the ring, and a fan assists in pulling out a table for Bully Ray. As he sets the table, Cardona runs out and attacks from behind. He and Knox further beat down the ECW legend, and Cardona tells Knox to send him through the table. Knox is starting to get visibly irritated, and then Cardona pushes him too far by slapping him. Just as Knox set up Ray for a powerbomb, he gets Cardona in a goozle and then choke slams him through the table.
.@TheMattCardona has pushed Mike Knox too far!
The Cardona Family has imploded! #NWAPowerrr pic.twitter.com/4okhIQQtvy— 𝐃𝐫𝐚𝐕𝐞𝐧 (@WrestlingCovers) February 28, 2023
Ray is in the corner and he and Knox eyeball each other. Then he looks over the prone body of Cardona and gives him a parting one-fingered goodbye before exiting the ring. Ray is in a daze at what just happened as the show goes to the credits.
NWA POWERRR - 02/23/2023
Final Thoughts:
Not crazy that the Main Event went to a DQ Finish, but I am intrigued that Knox broke away with Cardona in such a fashion. It’ll be interesting to watch how this adds to his feud leading up to the NWA 312 PPV.
I also didn’t expect Paige to advance, but it may be her time is coming, and that will be a lot of fun to see how the Women’s TV Tournament shapes up.
For now, see you in seven!