There is a ton of championship action in this episode of NWA POWERRR. Ashley D’Amboise and Kenzie Paige want to make it past the semifinals to get close to the NWA Women’s World Television title tournament, and Thom Latimer puts up the NWA Television title against Rhett Titus, and Mecha Wolf and Kerry Morton will see singles action in the main event. Morton seems to be carrying an attitude of late, so we’ll see if that helps him beat the member of LaRebelion.
Earlier, Joe Galli interviewed Chris Adonis in an empty arena and asks his preparation. Let me have Adonis address the topic
“I’ve been dying for the opportunity at the NWA championship for the last year. I felt like the most unappreciated and underrated wrestler in the whole professional wrestling business. But this is my shot to show everybody that Chris Adonis is one of the best in professional wrestling. This is my ticket to wrestling immortality, and let me tell you this. Everybody, I don’t want to be disrespectful, but Tyrus is right here and I want to address him personally. Tyrus, you know as well as I do that if I apply that Master Lock, it is over and I will be the next NWA champion.”
and Tyrus comes out and delivers the rebuttal:
“First of all, congratulations.
And that’s where the praise stops. I am the undisputed NWA World Heavyweight Champion. I am the undisputed face of TV, and I am the boogeyman under the Internet’s beds at night, so I hope that you all get on your keyboards and get behind Adonis, who sounds and looks like a god But even Achilles, when his mama had him by his little ankle and dipped him in the waters so he could live forever, somebody put an arrow and he was gone. Now, you’re not Achilles; you are Adonis. And the MasterLock, when he locks that thing on and puts people to sleep, he’s got to be behind him. He’s got to be dominanting and he’s got to have big enough arms to get–Check it out. Cameraman, zoom!–to get on these shoulders. I don’t think Zeus himself could lock it on the champ.”
That was the best promo work I’ve seen from Adonis in a long time, and Tyrus is equally verbose when it comes to talking.
There is a video promo where Ashley D’Amboise and Kenzie Paige make their case for why they need the NWA Women’s Television Title. Paige calls her a “D’umbidiot”, and D’Amboise considers her “dirty and an idiot.” Definitely, no love lost between these two.
We go to the PBS Studios in Tampa, FL. Joe Galli, Tim Storm, and Velvet Sky have the call and the First Match is the:
Courtesy of the NWA. Credit: Hiban Huerta
NWA World Women’s Television Title tournament Semi-Finals: Ashley D’Amboise vs. Kenzie Paige
D’Amboise showcases a lot of poise early in securing a near fall and focuses her attacks on the Pretty Empowered’s shoulder. As she goes to add more damage, Paige gets a poke to the eyes while the ref wasn’t looking and a knee to the gut, and throws her back hard to the mat, becoming aggressive as the match wears on. Paige keeps her grounded with a headlock but D’amboise fights back to a vertical base. Both women go for facebusters that send them both down, but Paige manages to get back up first. She is still in control until D’Amboise returns with a spinning somersault neckbreaker to cover for a two count. Before she can follow up, Paige stuns her on the middle ropes throat first, then gets D’Amboise into a full nelson. She escapes but counters nicely into a cutter and covers for the pin.
Your Winner and Advancing in the NWA Women’s World Television Title Tournament: Kenzie Paige
May Valentine is backstage with Trevor Murdoch about his match with Beast Mode. Murdoch acknowledges the big man hurt him and now he’s on the injured roster after Daisy Kill (who he references as “Van Hammer Jr.”) took him off the shelf. He does vow to get better, and when he does he guarantees they’ll “have a talk.”
Hate to be at the end of that conversation! Just like I hate to be in the next match, which is…
Mike Knox vs. “Space Cowboy” Stacee Alexander
Alexander was part of EC’s Control Your Narrative group when they “invaded” the NWA and attacked Thom Latimer all those weeks ago. He is pretty impressive at 6’5” and weighing 290 pounds. He looks to be a match for Knox, who is garnering huge cheers since losing the dead weight that was Matt Cardona.
Now if I can get that Steve Miller song out of my head during this match…
This is all Knox throughout the match and he doesn’t let up on the upstart. But Alexander is no slouch as he nails Knox with a throat thrust and shoots him into the corner, but Knox gets up and lands a running crossbody that runs roughshod over the Space Cowboy. He lands repeated headbutts and then delivers his Knux Out (a Sister Abigail variation) to get the pin and the win.
Your Winner via Pinfall: Mike Knox
The fans are really behind Knox as he is out to prove that he’s a force to be reckoned with on his own. Curious about where that momentum takes him.
Valentine is now with Bobby Fulton to discuss the disrespect by The Fixers. He came back as a goodwill ambassador for the NWA, but cannot believe how Jay Bradley and Wrecking Ball Legursky are not only treating wrestling but stealing the old NWA US Tag Team belts. Fulton calls them bullies and liars and offers an open challenge to both men. Valentine inquires if that’s a good idea, seeing as though he’s had health issues in the past. Fulton agrees that he’s not the man he used to be, but he’ll be the man he was when he faces them and puts them in their place.
Brave words.
Next, Valentine is with The Spectaculars and Rolando Freeman, and she asks him pointedly about what he was doing with her ex-fiancée Aron Stevens. Rolando feels betrayed as well because Stevens got in his head that he could beat Tyrus. He admits that despite Stevens’ encouragement, he was not prepared and wasted the title shot he earned from The Champions Series. So he failed, and if he ever sees Stevens, he will make it personal. Valentine is supportive, given her own history
We head back to the ring for your next match, and it’s for the…
Courtesy of the NWA. Credit: Hiban Huerta
NWA World Television Championship: Thom Latimer(c) vs. “The Professional” Rhett Titus
As usual, the 6:05 time limit for the tile will be observed. Titus offers his hand and (even though it’s not Ring of Honor) the Code of Honor is observed. Galli mentions that Titus has his left leg heavily taped and mentions that can be an x-factor during this match if Latimer zeroes in on that injured body part.
At the onset, both men go for quick takedowns and neither gains an advantage. They go for a test of strength at 4:48, and Latimer is able to overpower Titus and drive him to his knees, but The Professional shoots to take him off his feet, but Latimer gets him in a head scissors. Titus reverses and goes for a submission but the champ manages to get out before he can lock it in. This is a very technical-paced match, and at 3:27 gets a shoulder and neck in a stretch submission but Latimer gets his bad leg and lifts to unbalance the challenger. At 2:54, Latimer attempts with a backslider that gets a two count and then keeps Titus’ shoulders locked on to add more pressure to his back. Titus is sent to the corner and he manages to jump over the King of all Evil, but he winces as he lands on the mat. Latimer comes back with a spear and goes for the crossface at the 2:00 mark. Titus desperately blocks and Latimer rams his bad knee hard to the mat, reapplies the crossface, and cinches it in and Titus has no choice but to tap out.
Your Winner, and Still NWA World Television Champion: Thom Latimer
Latimer offers his hand, and Titus shakes it after the match in a show of sportsmanship.
We get a recap of the Main Event between Rush Freeman and Daisy Kill from last Saturday but read it here if you missed the action from this NWA USA.
Valentine now has Pollo Del Mar and “Thrillbilly” Silas Mason, and she noticed they both look a little sad. Mason is upset that he didn’t get the job done in winning the NWA National Championship and he’ll deal with it later since there are a lot of shenanigans going on that prevent him from facing Cyon. For now, he needs to face Brady Pierce and he’ll his frustrations out of him. Del Mar is equally upset for her man at the politicking that goes on backstage. But she knows Mason will be a champion. While Del Mar (as a proper lady) is not upset at Pierce, she promises that “Big Daddy Thrill” will take out the competition.
For now, it’s time for the Main event, and it’s a non-title match between…
Courtesy of the NWA. Credit: Hiban Huerta
Kerry Morton vs. Mecha Wolf
Wolf comes out solo without his La Rebelion teammate, as does Morton who doesn’t have Ricky Morton by his side. Interestingly, there are some boos spattered in the crowd throwing shade Morton’s way. Curiouser and curiouser.
Wolf plays mind games with the Future Legend early on, and then it’s a back-and-forth between the combatants. Morton doesn’t seem to have his head in the game, much like a few weeks ago when he and his dad battled La Rebelion.
Wolf is pugnacious and attacks the right arm/thumb area of Morton’s still injured hand. He whips him hard into the corner, and then Morton ducks out and chops, and nails a crossbody. Before he can follow up, Wolf clotheslines him back down. He slows the pace and nails a snap suplex to Morton and goes for a cobra clutch. Morton gets out and a botched spot by Wolf allows him to roll up for a two count, but this is still Wolf’s match. He sends Morton to the ropes and nails a flatliner and follows into the Koji Clutch submission (or as Galli calls it, the “Lock of the Wolves”). Morton’s eyes start to roll to the back of his head. As it looks like he’s going to pass out, he rolls Wolf to his back for a cover to make him break the hold. Wolf slams him hard to the canvas and goes up the top turnbuckle. He attempts a moonsault and Morton rolls away before he can do more damage, and now he fires back with punches to the body, then a bionic elbow and he transitions to a Polish hammer, and then a powerslam but Morton is unable to cover. He attempts his new Elbow strike finisher, but Wolf reverses to exploder suplex on his head and then nails a Final Flash DDT to cover, and Morton kicks out at the last second. Wolf goes for a powerbomb but Morton shifts his weight to get him in a pin but gets a two count. Now Bestia 666 comes out, and as the ref tells him to leave Wolf attacks Morton from behind and grabs the NWA Junior Heavyweight belt, but the ref grabs it and takes it away. As Wolf looks on in disbelief, Morton is in prime position and delivers the Kiss it Goodbye knee strike, followed by the elbow strike to cover for the one, two, and three.
Your Winner via Pinfall: Kerry Morton
As Morton celebrates to some more boos from the crowd, the champ is looking more off his game than when he entered, and that can be a factor down the road as the show goes to the credits.
NWA Powerrr - 03/14/2023
Final Thoughts:
Good Promo Work by Adonis and Tyrus ahead of their match. Paige is definitely blossoming in the ring, even as a chickens*** heel. Latimer is proving he is a worthy champion and is more than just power moves.
Morton seems to be descending to the Dark Side. Now, on a scale of one to Dominik Mysterio, It’s not the same path but it shows a lot of promise for the younger Morton.
Until then, see ya in seven!
