It’s been a while since we stepped Into The Fire with the National Wrestling Alliance, and we get to see some of the matches that took place earlier in the year as part of The World Is A Vampire: Australia tour. We will get to see the debut of a new faction in the NWA, plus junior heavyweight title action as Kerry Morton puts up the belt against one of the rising stars of the Lucky Country.
Kyle Davis is in the ring with a knight dubbed Sir Phillip and he welcomes the fans to majestic Kryal Castle in Ballarat, Australia. Joe Galli and Davis have the call as with start with tag team action in the First Match of the night with…
The Southern 6 (Alex Taylor and “Thrillbilly” Silas Mason) vs. Caveman Ugg and “Bone Collector Jake Taylor
They were originally introduced on the second night of The Crockett Cup, but this is the first time in Australia that Alex and Mason formed up, along with others (which will get highlighted later on).
Jake and Alex start off the match and the Bone Collector and Ugg have some nice chemistry as they give The American Gigolo a slam and splash combo. Alex runs to Mason, and once tagged in he and Ugg have (as they would say Down Under) a bung on a blue. For a Caveman, Ugg has quite the technical display as he arm drags the Southerners and he is looking good until Alex gets a backstabber. Now he and Mason keep Ugg down, and he is a Caveman in Peril as they give the big man a double brainbuster. Things don’t look good until the Caveman gets the hot tag to Jake and he is a Bone Collector en Fuego. pretty soon, the match deteriorates into a Pier Four brawl until Mason sends Ugg on a Thrillride but doesn’t pin right away. Jake tosses Big Daddy Thrill over the top rope, but then knees the Collector out of the ring and uses the opportunity to cover Ugg for the pin and the win.
Your Winners via Pinfall: The Southern 6
Kyle Davis also talks about the events happening on July 8th and 9th in Highland Park, Il. The NWA will be returning to Studio One for tapings as well as being a part of “HP Cares for Cooper.” This is in the News and Rumors section of Slam!, as well as on the NWA’s website for more information.
But let’s get back to the action as the women head up the next match between…
Natalia Markova vs. “First Class” Aysha
Davis gives the mic to Aysha, who tells the audience she was trained in the United States and wants to test her skills on her opponent. Looks like there is some truth to it, as her Twitter profile shows she did an eight-week run at Flatbacks Wrestling School, led by Shawn Spears and Tyler Breeze.
8 week course at Flatbacks ✅️
I know I will always look back at this experience as what changed the game for me.
Thank you @FlatbacksTpic.twitter.com/mlgjbIoEQq
— Aysha 🍾 (@AyshaFC_) March 4, 2023
Both women have a nice back-and-forth, but The Crush starts to get the advantage over the First Class. She chops away at Aysha and lands a split-legged arm drag. Markova goes early for the Beautiful Disaster kick and misses. Aysha charges and she answers with a boot to the gut and follows with a cutter for a two count. Aysha lands a jawbreaker and then a spinning heel kick to cover but Markova kicks out at two. The crowd cheers on the Victorian native as she nails a Russian legsweep on The Crush for another two count. The upstart proceeds to ram her head into each of the three turnbuckles but Markova stops her on the fourth with a back elbow. She gets back on offense with a roundhouse kick and nails the Jazz stinger to Aysha, and both women are down. They slowly get back up and Aysha whips her to the corner. As she rushes, Markova gets both feet up but grabs them and swings her around for a rope-assisted backstabber for another two count. She lands another Jazz stinger and Markova still can’t put the Aussie away. She catches her flush in the face with a high knee but no dice. Markova digs deep and sets up for the Beautiful Disaster…but Kenzie Paige rolls into the ring and kicks Markova out cold. There was no bell to hear, but the ref calls the match, and…
Your Winner via Disqualification: Natalia Markova
Aysha isn’t happy with what went down and takes it to the current NWA Women’s Television champion, and the female member of The Southern 6 beats a hasty retreat.
Now for something (shall we say) less than-a ugly, here’s…
Mercurio vs. “The Business” Slex
The best line of the night goes to Davis and Galli as the fans boo the Book Model.
Davis: “The fans hate Italy.”
Galli: “No, they just hate Mercurio.”
Hah!
Slex is a veteran of the Australian indies, and he is clearly unimpressed by Mercurio, especially after he warns him not to “give-a the ugly face.” Slex is all business and looks crisp as he throws Mercurio around, but a well-placed thumb to the eye slows his momentum. Slex manages to come back with a leg lariat followed by a back elbow to cover for a two count. Mercurio still gets the upper hand with a double underhook suplex for a two count, and then he and Slex jockey for position as each man teeter-totters to pick the other up, but Slex wins out and lands the vertical suplex, finally, and then follows with a backslider for another two count. They both go for quick pinfall attempts but Mercurio comes back with a forearm and covers for a near fall.
Slex regains control and signals for the Close of Business, but Mercurio backs him into the corner. He goes up top for a high-risk maneuver but Slex cuts him off at the pass and nails a superplex for another two count. The fans are now perking up and Mercurio nails the Unprettier but gets a close two. More forearms by the Italian model and he goes up top for a moonsault, but belly flops in the middle of the squared circle. A well-placed Slexocution (spinning roundhouse kick) connects for three to the delight of the Aussie fans.
Your Winner via Pinfall: Slex
That leads to the Main Event, and it’s a title match for the…
NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship: Kerry Morton(c) vs. “Loose Ledge” Adam Brooks
There’s a massive pop for the Dingley Village native Brooks, who’s made a name not just in Australia for promotions like Melbourne Championship Wrestling, but also internationally in Ring of Honor and faced talent like Will Ospreay. Morton is also part of The Southern 6, and when he gets on the mic, The Future Legend heels it up as he points out, “When the champ talks, you shut the hell up!”
Early in the match, Morton plays mind games with Brooks, trying to avoid a lock-up. He finally convinces The Loose Ledge to a test of strength, and Brooks catches him in a side headlock to a backslider for a quick two count, followed by a succession of pin attempts. Morton’s temper is hanging loosely based on Brooks’ prowess.
Once he gets back in the ring, Morton offers a handshake and Brooks accepts…only to be tripped up, and he targets the knee. Both men hit the ropes and collide to a standstill. Now Brooks offers with a handshake, and Morton reciprocates as The Loose Ledge dropkicks his knee and takes it to the junior heavyweight champ. He whips Morton to the corner, and he flips, flops, and flies over the apron. Brooks catches him in a cravat and proceeds to knee his head, but Morton stuns guns his arm on the top rope.
The Future Legend has Brooks hobbled as he tries to stage a comeback, but Morton keeps targeting his bad leg and arm and lands a suplex with the arm behind his back. Brooks manages a desperation face first flatliner to the second turnbuckle and keeps introducing it to Morton. He attempts a double underhook suplex but Morton escapes with a dropkick. Now the match kicks into another gear as Brooks goes on the ring apron and nails Morton with a rope-assisted DDT for a two count. The Future Legend is laying prone and The Loose Ledge goes up the top turnbuckle for high-risk action, but Morton was playing possum. He attacks Brooks up top but the Dingley native drops him back down and attempts a swanton, but Morton gets his knees up square on his back. One Kiss it Goodbye Knee leaves Brooks dazed, and as Morton sets up for the Showstopper, he is able to push him off. He whips the champ into the corner and a running dropkick finds its mark for a cover of two, then a forearm still gets another near fall for Brooks. Morton goes up top, but Brooks catches him and his form is good with a punt. The Loose Ledge set up for a finisher, but Morton lands a flash Showstopper and covers for one, two, and three.
Your Winner, and Still NWA World Junior Heavyweight Champion: Kerry Morton
The champ leaves to a chorus of boos, as the show goes to the credits.
