It’s been a while, but the National Wrestling Alliance is back and it’s stepping Into The Fire on the CW app. We see tons of title matches, including the main event where EC3 defends the Ten Pounds of Gold against the uncrowned Deathmatch King, Matt Cardona, in an Ultimate Match of Death.
What does that mean? We will find out later in the show as we come to you from Revolution Live in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Joe Galli and Danny Dealz have the call as we start the show with this First Match of the night for the…
NWA World Tag Team Championship: Blunt Force Trauma (Carnage and Damage, with Aron Stevens)(c) vs. Jax Dane and Tim Storm
It’s a battle between two former NWA world champions versus the current tag team tile holders. Once the introductions are done, Blunt Force Trauma jumps Storm and Dane, but they’re no pushovers as they fight back at the masked me. They pummel the tag champs in the corner, and then Storm and Dane whip Blunt Force Trauma into each other, and they bail out of the ring to regroup and get their new marching orders from Stevens. Carnage comes back in the ring as Storm and Dane double-team with a dual arm drag. As Strom goes to his corner, the bell NOW rings and Damage pulls Dane out and throws him hard into the steel steps. Blunt Force Trauma continues to isolate him in the corner, and he becomes a Dane Event in Peril. He manages to fight his way out and Dane gets the hot tag to Storm and Mama Storm’s baby boy is en Fuego. Things are looking up the challengers’ way as they go for a double-team finisher. Storm places Carnage on Dane’s shoulder but as he swivels he accidentally knocks out the ref. In the confusion, Stevens inserts himself with the loaded glove on Dane. Storm is busy with Damage as Stevens tries to clock him with the foreign object, but he grabs his fist and gives Stevens the iron claw on his gloved hand. As he writhes in pain, Damage uses the distraction to roll up Storm as the ref counts to three for the victory
Your Winner, and Still NWA Tag Team Champions: Blunt Force Trauma
Big Strong Mims cuts a promo on Fathers James Mitchell and Max The Impaler on their upcoming title versus title match. He has a chance to make history and Mims promises that he will smash Max and unify the Television titles to be the undisputed television champ. Afterward, he will relinquish the Women’s television title back to the women’s ranks, but this is a statement he wants to make after six title wins, and then he can focus on the seventh. Mims states, “That’s the history, legacy, and tradition I want to start.” He a bit of a traditionalist that way.
May Valentine is backstage with Matt Cardona on why he accepted the Ultimate Match of Death. He makes it clear he is still the real NWA World Heavyweight champion and after tonight he will prove to EC3 and everyone else why The Indy God is The Death Match King.
Let’s head back to the ring as the next match is for the…
NWA Womens World Championship: Kenzie Paige (c) vs. Tiffany Nieves
Nieves comes from Exodus Pro, was recently featured on the Samhain PPV preshow in the four-way match, and recently was signed to the NWA.
The women lock up and they go hold for hold to gain an upper hand. Paige is in control, but Nieves is more than a match for the champ. With neither side gaining any traction, they get into a shoving match until Nieves kicks her in the abdomen and pushes her into the corner. Now Piage and Nieves go for a series of roll-ups to gain a pinning advantage but neither can keep the other’s shoulders down. Nieves showboats in the corner with a kick until Paige drags her hard off the ropes. She chops her chest, and then Paige gives Nieves a boot and then drags her head down to the mat hard. Nieves comes back with a sidewalk slam to cover for a two count and gets Paige in a body scissors. She elbows her off but Nieves presses the attack with a vertical suplex. She then whips her to the ropes and then a huracanrana by Paige gets her to the mat and she locks in a crossface, but Nieves manages to roll out of the submission.
The champ whips her into the corner and gets caught in a handstand huracanrana. From there, it’s chops ahoy as Paige signals that this match it’s over until she runs to a spinebuster and then Nieves attempts to transition into a cloverleaf, but she quickly escapes the hold. Paige starts to cut corners as she grabs The Burke and goes to clock her, but the ref takes it away. As he goes to put the belt back, Paige reaches into her boot and sprays Nieves with some type of mist, and delivers the Kenzie Cutter for the pin and the win.
Your Winner via Pinfall, and Still NWA Women’s World Champion: Kenzie Paige
Valentine now is with the current NWA World Heavyweight Champion, EC3. She asks his thoughts about tonight’s match, and I’m gonna let him speak:
“‘Memento Mori: Remember, you must die.’ Death is a fate that hangs above us all. Death is life’s finishing maneuvers, Matthew Cardona and I; we are cut from the same cloth. We are two men who have controlled their narratives. We are two men who have become who are supposed to be. We are two men about to spill the same blood in the same mud for the ultimate prize in wrestling lore; The NWA world’s Heavyweight Championship. In a very rare twist of fate, this matches is now…The Ulitmate Match of Death!
Indy God versus OverMan. Purple and black versus red and gold. It is fight night in NWA and here I stand, declaring that I will retain. As the dust settles, as the table shrapnel slips away, as the tacks are removed, and the glass is gone from your ass, I will still and forever be the NWA world’s heavyweight champion. And if I should fall, if I were to die today; In three days I will be resurrected. Why? Because I’m over, man.”
I mean, I wouldn’t try to say that I’m better than Jesus ’cause I’m sure to get heat from His Dad up above. But then again, I’m not over…man.
In any case, we go back to the ring and it’s time for the Main Event for …
The Ultimate Match of Death for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship: EC3(c) vs. Matt Cardona
This match will include Ten Pounds of Gold Weapons (I.e. a Golden Door, Golden Chairs, etc.). Also, Galli acknowledges gold dripping from the champ’s hand as he currently holds the OVW Heavyweight title in his possession. Cardona is paying homage to Magnum TA with his gear, whereas EC3 in camouflage trunks makes a statement about how he is prepared to go to war.
The bell rings and they go for broke. EC3 slams his head on the top turnbuckles, then he crawls out of the ring and starts to go for the golden chairs and the golden door. As he props one of the weapons in the corner with his back turned, Cardona swings at his spine with the chair. EC3 tells him to hit it again, and he obliges. The champ is in pain, but before Cardona can connect for a third time he wrests the chair away, and slams it on Cardona’s back, and gives him a taste of his own medicine. EC3 picks him up but he rakes his eyes and Cardona rushes at him but the Over Man backdrops the Indy God onto the golden door. He rolls out of the ring and calls for a timeout, as EC3 comes out and continues to press the attack. He throws him back in the ring and as EC3 climbs back in, Cardona kicks the middle rope right in his…errr, little OverMen, and nails him with a chair shot as he drops onto a golden table on the outside.
EC3 is bleeding from the forehead, and from this point on, the picture goes to black and white faster than you can say “Timeless” Toni Storm. So this might be a good time to pause for an…
(Author’s Note: This grinds my gears when this ridiculous type of censorship is required because gods forbid, there’s a little color from cuts and gashes. However, I have to recognize we are a long way from YouTube, which I hope is for the best, and recognize the NWA is playing on someone else’s platform. So let’s enjoy the artiness, and pray that the Timeless One does not claim gimmick infringement.)
Cardona then brings out from under the ring an old framed picture of him and then-TNA President and his “aunt”, Dixie Carter. Cardona DDTs him on the picture and uses the shards from the picture to cut him further. The Deathmatch King gives more slams on The OverMan’s back with the chair, yet the bloodied EC3 fights on and kicks out of every pin attempt. Cardona unrolls his wrist tape and proceeds to choke him. EC3 manages to get a jawbreaker and rushes him, but Cardona moves away and throws a golden chair at the champ as he collapses in the corner in a daze. He adds injury to insult as Cardona props a chair on his face and gives a Reboot to cover for a two count. Cardona winds up with the chair and misses as the chair bounces off the top rope and hits him. EC3 attempts the One Percenter but Cardona escapes, but the champ hangs on and he throws him into the golden chair propped in the corner. EC3 goes out and grabs another golden door props it in the corner, and goes to Cardona who attempts Radio Silence. He averts the finisher as EC3 reverses with a Thesz press through the golden door. He follows with a chair to his gut and face, and EC3 takes pieces of the door to the center of the ring. Once again, he attempts the One Percenter but Cardona reverses to a backdrop suplex on doors and then covers for a count of two.
Now Cardona channels his inner Jeff Jarrett, grabs a golden guitar, and brings in the ring. He gives the El Kabong and uses Ec3’s own One Percenter to cover for one, two…ohh, so close. Now Cardona goes under the ring, pulls out a golden box, and dumps his action figure collection in the ring. He takes a Mick Foley figure and digs it into EC3’s face to add more crimson than there was previously. He mounts him in the corner and punches him with the figure nine times, pausing to gesture the Ft. Lauderdale crowd how he’s “number one” and EC3 slams him onto the figure, which Dealz notes will only drop in value after this. Now EC3 goes underneath the ring and comes up with a golden box of his own. He opens it and gold thumbtacks are in the center of the ring along with the figures. Chants of, “You Sick F***!” adequately ring out in the Revolution arena, until Cardona gives a low blow and then connects with Radio Silence to EC3 on the tacks and figures for one, two…Kick out. Now Cardona goes back underneath and comes back up with gold light tubes. Before he can swing them, EC3 returns the receipt with his own low blow and uses the tubes on the Deathmatch King. He finally delivers the One Percenter and adds the coup de grace with The Purpose until Cardona has no choice but to tap out.
Your Winner, And Still NWA World Heavyweight Champion: EC3
The OverMan is bloodied and battered, but he still holds Sweet Charlotte and remains over, man, as the fans cheer on the conqueror of the Deathmatch King as the show rolls to the credits.
Final Thoughts:
Gotta give props to the NWA for kicking off their CW app debut right out of the gate with The Ultimate Match of Death, and Cardona and EC3 delivered from start to finish. Storm and Dane were great against Blunt Force Trauma, and Kenzie Paige had a good showing as well.
After years of no commercials on the POWERRR shows, seeing them between matches was kind of a nice change of pace. Here’s hoping that more opportunities come the NWA’s way in 2024 and we’ll see ya in seven!