This is the last show before we head into The Crockett Cup on this NWA power. With an odd array of tag teams and tune-up matches heading into the double pay-per-view, there is a lot to take in, including EC3 and “Thrillbilly” Silas Mason having a face-off before their match for the NWA National Championship.
Once again, we come to you from StudioOne in Highland Park, Il. Joe Galli, Tim Storm, and Danny Dealz have the call, and our First Match is a…
Courtesy of the NWA. Credit: Hiban Huerta
Crockett Cup Tune-Up Match: The Country Gentlemen (AJ Cazana and Anthony Andrews) vs. Mike Knox and Trevor Murdoch
This has the makings of a super heavyweight bout between the four men and it will go to the “land of the big uglies.” Knox and Cazana start things off and lock up strong. The Legacy manages to power Knox to the corner, and the veteran rethinks this strategy. They go again and this time Knox waylays the upstart and takes some starch out of Cazana. He sends the Country Gentleman into the corner and tags in Murdoch, who whips Knox in the corner for a splash, and then Murdoch nails a drop toehold and Knox finishes with an elbow drop to the back, but Cazana kicks out of the pin attempt. Murdoch goes toe to toe with the NWA USA Tag champion, and Cazana suplexes the former NWA Heavyweight champ. A tag to Andrews and they both shoulder tackle Murdoch and then show their tag chemistry with a double elbow on his chest, then Andrews finishes with a slam and a fist drop.
As Andrews whips him to the ropes, Knox blind tags Murdoch and comes in with a running crossbody to Andrews and just proceeds to whale on him, making him a Gentleman in Peril. Knox and Murdoch keep him isolated in the corner, and things do not look good for The Thoroughbred. Knox whips him into the corner until both men hit ropes and hit double clotheslines to knock each other out. Andrews crawls to his corner and gets the hot tag to Cazana but then the SVGS attack, followed by The Fixers coming in to add more fuel to the fire and it is bedlam in the squared circle. The ref has no choice but to call this a…
No Contest
The Gentlemen and SVGs and The Fixers are all brawling outside, and then Murdoch hits a tope (!) on the teams and Knox picks up the spare with a top rope corkscrew senton to knock out everyone.
If you needed a reason to see what will take place in The Crockett Cup, here is your selling point.
Speaking of teams wanting to work out the kinks ahead of the PPV, next up is…
Courtesy of the NWA. Credit: Hiban Huerta
The Now (Hale Collins and Vik Dalishus) vs. Mario Pardua and Ryan Matthews
Dalishus and Collins are certainly no strangers to the NWA, and they are looking to avenge their early exit last at the Crockett Cup when they faced The Briscoe Brothers. Chicago wrestlers Pardua and Matthews are the hapless victims that will face The Now’s ire.
Matthews tries to make this an even matchup until Dalishus nails with a leaping clothesline to send him and the fans at ringside a message. Collins and Dalishus are a well-oiled machine as they give Matthews a double suplex and show no signs of slowing down. Padua manages to tag in the Polish Power and gets a spot of offense in before Dalishus sends him down with a spinebuster and Welcome to The Now puts the exclamation point to end this decisively!
Your Winners via Pinfall: The Now
May Valentine is backstage with Max the Impaler, Judais, and Father James Mitchell. She asks Mitchell how he feels about his team’s chances in The Crockett Cup. Mitchell says their chances are great and everyone else’s odds in the tournament are the same as Bambi facing Godzilla. The future is so bright he has to wear radiation goggles
May Valentine interviewing Father James Mitchell alongside Judais and Max The Impaler (from left)
Now it’s time for the women to square up and this match is between…
Courtesy of the NWA. Credit: Hiban Huerta
Samantha Starr vs. Kylie Paige
Starr overpowers Paige at every turn of this match, but Kenzie’s little sister is just as wily. She tries every trick in the book, but she cannot overtake the third-generation Starr as she nails a Samoan drop on Paige and covers for two. Paige retaliates back with a side legsweep but it’s only good enough for a two count. Finally, Starr puts an end to this and delivers the Starstruck DDT and spikes Kylie Paige’s head to the mat for the pin and the win.
Your Winner via Pinfall: Samantha Starr
Valentine now has Natalia Markova with her backstage and she announces she has the number one spot to challenge Kamille for The Burke at The Crockett Cup. Markova is aware of The Brickhouse’s strengths, but she is just as keenly aware of her weakness and she has the power to use that to her advantage.
And now for something different, we get…
Courtesy of the NWA. Credit: Hiban Huerta
Mercurio and “Magic” Jake Dumas (w/ CJ) vs. Joe Alonzo and Jamie Stanley
This is a Crockett Cup qualifier, Galli mentions, as he also states that Alonzo and Stanley are going by the tag team name, “America’s Ego.” Equally awesome are when Mercurio and Dumas are announced by Kyle Davis as “The Handsome Bastards.”
(Note to NWA’s Merch Dealler, Danny Dealz: Make these tee shirts happen!)
Mercurio is getting schooled by Stanley, and Dumas tags in to even the score. It isn’t long before Alonzo tags in and takes it to the Magic Bastard. Meanwhile, Mercurio and CJ are …posing outside. So yeah, that’s happening. Stanley and Alonoz are keeping Dumas isolated and beating him down making him a Magic Bastard in Peril. He finally gets away from Stanley and Alonzo and as he attempts the hot tag…Mercurio is still distracted with CJ as they admire each other’s…positive posing, I guess?
Anyways, Dumas is dragged back by Stanley and Alonzo, and they miscommunicate on a double team, and Dumas fights for his life. He finally backs up to his corner and delivers a tombstone Piledriver to Stanley, but Mercurio blind tags himself in and gets the pin and the glory, much to Dumas’ chagrin.
Your Winners via Pinfall, and still a Better Act Than Criss Angel: The Magic Bastards
CJ holds up both Mercurio’s and Dumas’ hands aloft in victory, and that isn’t even the screwiest thing about this match.
(Author’s Bewildered Note: Granted, I know these matches are taped beforehand. That said, what I find puzzling is the fact that Dumas and Mercurio qualified for The Crockett Cup when Kyle Davis mentioned that Dumas will be teaming with Brian Brock, and they are one of the official teams going into the tournament. I don’t know if something happened with Mercurio between the time this was taped to the Tag Team Bracket and Seed announcements, but I guess we’ll have to see what the explanation is at the PPV.)
Kayle Davis brings out both “Thrillbilly” Silas Mason and Pollo Del Mar along with the NWA National champion, EC3, before their Night One match. EC3 spells it out for Mason and says, “Women weaken knees and minds, and she will break your heart.” Well, Del Mar has had enough of this “Dirty Durn No-Gooder”, before Mason gets on the mic and says he earned his shot and punctuated the point by using Davis’s mom as a reference point when he illustrates, “Just like her, I had to go through nineteen others guys” to get the title shot.
If anything, Mason paints a word picture like no other.
EC3 then tries to use his Jedi…errr, CYN mind tricks on this “special” athlete and calls him a dog, whereas he is a Wolf and he hunts with a pack that will take down the NWA. He goes on to suggest they team for the Crockett Cup instead of the National title match. If he turns to the Dark Side of the Narrative, then EC3 says they will fulfill the destiny of taking over the NWA and claiming the Ten Pounds of Gold, and truly make him the Overman, because he is Over, Man! Once that is in place, EC3 promises to gift Mason the National title.
Mason takes a moment to ponder the offer while Del Mar pleads for her man to see reason until he realizes EC3 is right. As he offers his hand and EC3 takes it, Mason acknowledges he is special and he has that dog in him before sending The Overman on a Thrillride to close the show.
NWA Powerrr - 05/30/2023
Final Thoughts:
The opening match and the donnybrook that followed highlighted some of the teams and the feuds to keep an eye out for in The Crockett Cup. While I am not a fan of dueling promos to close the show, this actually worked with EC3 and Mason, and this definitely looks like it will be a show stealer of the singles matches on this double PPV.
In any case, see ya this weekend for The Crockett Cup!
