As the National Wrestling Alliance winds down in these Hard Times, they saved the best for last on The CW app. Not only will we determine who will hold the vacant NWA National title, but “Thrillbilly” Silas Mason will challenge EC3 for the Ten Pounds of Gold. There’s already history between both men, as they battled not so long ago for the NWA National title, only for EC3 to drop the belt for the heavyweight championship at NWA 75.  Will tonight be the time the OverMan goes on a ThrillRide?

We’ll find out later tonight, but there is a video montage on the history of the rivalry between Mason and EC3.

And we come to you once again from the Dothan Civic Center in Dothan, Alabama. Joe Galli and Danny Dealz have the call, and your First Match of the Night is…

Courtesy of the NWA. Credit: Hiban Huerta

AJ Franci$ vs. Bryan Idol

Idol gets on the mic and says he is The Looks That Kill and is excited to be in Dothan, AL. He then introduces a man whom he has considered a friend for many years, and we see AJ Franci$ enter an NWA ring for the first time.  He comes in and says there is no need for Idol to introduce him since fans “paid Top Dolla to see Dolla” and then he runs down the Alabama crowd. Franci$ claims he’s the future of the NWA, and Idol should retire like The Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban, as everyone should refer to this show as “NWAJ Franci$.”  Now, them’s fightin’ words as Idol tells him to shut his mouth before he does. They start to brawl and Kyle Davis announces he got word from the back that this is a No DQ match.

Idol dives on Franci$ to the outside and then goes for a huracanrana from the apron edge.  Franci$ catches him, slams Idol onto the ring post, and powerbombs him on the apron.  He brings Idol back in the ring, sets him in the corner, measures the distance, and hits a running knee.  From there he tries to separate Idol’s shoulder using the ring post as leverage.  Idol ties to get some offense going and mounts with punches in the corner, but Franci$ with a big boot to cover for a two count.  Franci$ pulls out a door underneath the ring and sets it in the corner with Idol on top.  He goes for a tackle and Idol steps away at the last minute and then hip-tosses Franci$ to the door.  He follows with a flatliner and two superkicks to knock down the the Top Dolla star and covers for a count of two.  Now Idol goes high risk for a moonsault, but Franci$ (barely) catches him and spikes with a tombstone pile driver for another near fall.  Now a table comes out, and Franci$ tries to drive him through the wood but Idol manages to escape each time.  A choke slam finally ends it as Idol goes through the table and Franci$ covers to claim victory.

Your Winner via Pinfall:  AJ Franci$

Not a bad debut for the Top Dolla man, and I guess a Happy Birthday is in order.

Kyle Davis is backstage with Thom Latimer on those who question him winning the title.   He responds that the two people he listens to are himself and his wife. He promises to give the other competitors the hardest time of their lives, and you will know his name and fear it.

Strong words from The King of all Evil, and we’ll see if he makes good on that boast as we head back to the ring for the…

Courtesy of the NWA. Credit: Hiban Huerta

Fatal Four-Way for the NWA National Championship: Thom Latimer vs. Zyon (with Austin Idol) vs. Blake “Bulletproof” Troop (with Chris Silvio, Esq.) vs. Burchill

Once the bell rings, everyone goes for broke and Troop demonstrates his MMA expertise on all four men and goes to a rear naked choke on Burchill.  Zyon breaks it up with an elbow and Latimer follows suit after the masked man.  They trade European uppercuts, and then Burchill comes in and offers an assist to Latimer with a double suplex on Zyon.  Troop gets sent out of the ring, as does Zyon, and Burchill is rolled up by Latimer for a two count. He stomps on Latimer and connects with knees to his chest.  Burchill follows with a suplex to Latimer and then to Zyon for a two count, and Troop comes back in the ring, and Burchill suplexes him, too.  Zyon sets Burchill up the top turnbuckle and gets tossed off.  Latimer continues on offense and then nails Burchill with a superplex.  Troop comes back into the fray with a gutwrench suplex to Latimer and locks in his patented Crossfire figure four leglock, but Zyon breaks the submission.  Zyon and Burchill battle on the apron edge and they get knocked off by Troop to the outside.  He winds up for a spinning roundhouse to Latimer, but he ducks and The King of All Evil delivers a pop-up powerbomb for the pin and the win.

Your Winner, And New NWA National Champion:  Thom Latimer

During the ad break after the match, Silvio asks what the hell happened to Troop, and he proceeds to choke him. It’s lights out for Silvio, and it’s interesting to see how this will play out later.

Vampiro has some words directed to Markova that she should’ve taken those flowers.  Yeah, nothing good can come from this.

Now it’s time for the Main Event for the…

Courtesy of the NWA. Credit: Hiban Huerta

NWA World Heavyweight Championship: EC3(c) vs. “Thrillbilly” Silas Mason

Mason comes out to the ring with Michael “P.S.” Hayes-inspired ring gear, but he arrives without his Southern Six compatriots.  EC3 heads down to the ring, and Galli acknowledges he also holds the OVW title in addition to the Ten Pounds of Gold.  I’m curious what the endgame is with The OverMan holding both titles.  Can someone say, “Netflix?”

Guess that’s a subject for another time.

The bell rings and they lock up and Mason shows he has the power.  There’s another collar and elbow tie-up, and Mason lands a shoulder tackle, but a big elbow drop misses and EC3 gets in a headlock to Big Daddy Thrill.  Mason is more focused on offense and is more methodical in his approach than in previous matches with The OverMan.  Mason sets him up in the corner, picks up EC3 in a military press, slams him to the mat, and then clotheslines him out of the ring, which leads to…

Ads (I promise not to complain about this.  I truly do.)

We come back and Mason brings the champ back in the hard way with a suplex from the apron to the mat on one end and then repeats on the other side, and covers for a one count.  He attempts to whip him to the ropes and EC3 reverses to an STO, and now the OverMan goes for a crossbody but Mason catches him and connects with a fallaway slam.  He picks up the champ in a fireman’s carry, goes up the top turnbuckle, and connects with a superplex.  He dumps the champ outside the ring and Mason follows after him.   A clothesline misses and his arm hits the steel post, but Mason recovers and slams EC3 to the steel steps, and when he is thrown back in the ring the champ is busted open (since it’s in black and white, and this is why I will complain to The CW.  You have blood show in technicolor on the other shows on your app, but THIS is where you draw the line?!  Why not slap a “PG” label and get it over with?  UGH!!!)

Mason proceeds to slap on a bear hug to the champ but he elbows his way out and gives a jawbreaker to the big man.  EC3 gives him a knee to the solar plexus followed by a clothesline and then a Thesz Press to Big Daddy Thrill.  Now he clotheslines Mason and himself over the top rope, but Mason picks up the champ.  EC3 wriggles his way out and thrusts him into the ring post and he follows with a Russian Legsweep to the apron edge.  Back in the ring, EC3 punches at the big man but is sent to the corner. He gives Mason a second rope One Percenter followed by another to cover for a one count.  Then Mason sends EC3 on a Thrillride but doesn’t cover right away. He finally does and the ref counts for one, two…EC3 grabs the bottom rope.  Mason rushes into the corner but EC3 side steps away and he plants Mason with heatseeker between the ropes and delivers a third One Percenter that does the job in one, two, and three.

Your Winner via Pinfall, and Still NWA World Heavyweight Champion:  EC3

The OverMan holds the Ten Pounds of Gold aloft as we close out this weekend of Hard Times in Dothan, AL.

3.5

Final Thoughts:

 

I miss the PPVs from the NWA, but this format still delivers the action, and Mason/EC3 was great in this title match.  Latimer deserves his flowers as well, and there is no shortage of contenders for the Natty down the road.  I am curious how Franci$ will feature in future programming since he is signed to TNA, but that is a story for another time.

Until then, we’ll see you at the Powerstation for the NWA next Tuesday!