Time to kick off the first round of The Crockett Cup proper, as tag teams in the National Wrestling Alliance are looking to make a name for themselves and vie for a chance at tag team gold down the road. Chief among them are last year’s winners Trevor Murdoch and Mike Knox and they want to repeat their success heading into the tournament. There’s also singles action as Joel Alonzo will defend his new NWA Junior Heavyweight title later tonight.
But first, a quick rundown on the teams involved:
We come to you from The PowerrrStation in Tampa Bay, FL. Joe Galli and Danny Dealz have the call, along with NWA owner William Patrick Corgan, and your First Match of the Night is women’s action with…
Courtesy of the NWA. Credit: Hiban Huerta
La Rosa Negra and Ruthie Jay vs. Tiffany Nieves and Reka Tehaka
This is a rematch from the start of Hard Times, and Nieves and Tehaka are looking to avenge their loss in the rubber match. Also on the line is a chance to be a number one contender for the NWA Women’s World Tag Team Champions, The King Bees
Jay and Nieves have a staredown until La Princesa indicates she wants Negra in the ring. Jay obliges and Nieves promptly brings in Tehaka.
Jerk.
They tie up and Tehaka shows off her power and plants Negra with a slam in the center of the ring for a one count. She shoots her to the ropes and Negra manages to land the Three Amigos and switches up on the third to a fisherman’s suplex and a hook of the leg for a count of two. Now, Nieves wants in, and they double-suplex Negra. La Abusadora manages to evade and get the tag to the Five Star Athlete and connect with a crossbody for two. Nieves gains control and she and Tehaka go for a double team, but Jay hangs on to Tehaka and she deadlifts her, and nails a powerbomb for two. Nieves takes over and covers but Negra breaks the pin attempt. The ref admonishes Rosa and gets her back to the corner as Nieves gets Jay in a straight jacket submission, and she is in Peril with Five Stars. Jay finally hits a desperation Step up enzugiri and gets the hot tag to Negra, who is a Boricua en Fuego, and drills Tehaka with a spinning spinebuster. She covers and Nieves breaks the pin. Jay and Negra attempt a double-team high-risk maneuver, but Nieves pulls Jay off the apron and pushes Negra off the top rope to crash and burn. Tehaka crawls over and gets the pin.
Your Winners via Pinfall: Reka Tehaka and Tiffany Nieves
Kyle Davis is standing by with the members of The Southern Six and Pretty Empowered. He mentions they got Slimeballz coming up next week in the first round. Kerry Morton says the Six are known “for smashing heads and breaking beds.” “Thrillbilly” Silas Mason punctuates this by explaining to the Tampa Bay crowd this is “class versus inbreds,” as he shows off his Biden socks and lets them know in The Crockett Cup there are stars in the Southern sky.
Turning to the NWA Women’s World champion, Kenzie Paige is not worried about Taylor Rising coming after The Burke. That’s when Davis spills the tea about her Pretty Empowered member Ella Envy throwing in her name as the number one contendership. Needless to say, nothing is pretty about the exchange after they go to commercial.
But let’s turn to title action, and this match is for the…
Courtesy of the NWA. Credit: Hiban Huerta
NWA Junior Heavyweight Championship: Damian Fenrir vs. Joe Alonzo
Galli mentions Fenrir comes from the FTW promotion in the Florida area, and this is his debut for the NWA. Alonzo is defending the title for the first time since beating Corino for the belt.
At the onset, Alonzo is outmatched and overpowered by Fenrir, so he channels The Power of Douchenozzlery™ with a chop block to the back of his leg and he is back in control. He whips him to the ropes and Fenrir catches Alonzo with a spinning enzugiri. Then he clotheslines the champ and follows with a beautiful standing dropkick. Alonzo tries to go for a clothesline but Fenrir reverses and gets a crucifix powerbomb. He grabs his knee as he may have hurt himself more with the big move, but Fenrir covers for a two count. Limping Fenrir goes after Alonzo, but he stuns the big man on the top ropes and then delivers the Joey Special finisher (aka The Stroke) to retain.
Your Winner and Still NWA Junior Heavyweight Champion: Joe Alonzo
After the match, Alonzo talks to Kyle Davis about the next number-one contender, Alex Taylor. Alonzo gives Taylor his props but says the difference between them is Taylor relies too much on The Southern Six, whereas he relies on himself to get the job done.
Ehhhh, debatable. But, sure. Let’s give it to him for now.
Now for the other teams in the Crockett Cup, Daisy Kill and Talos talk to Kyle Davis, as well as The Slimeballz. Kill points out that next week they face The Stew Crew for Joe Cazana Promotions and they promise they will have a good time once they advance. Good Times.
Chantz and Rant have The Southern Six, and they promise they’re going to Slimeball City and it’s never pretty. Gotta love the confidence of these teams, however misplaced it may be.
We get a report on what will take place in the NWA in a segment called Around the Territories. Here’s what you missed last week, if you wanna catch up:
Vampiro cuts a promo that, on a scale of one to Raven, is very in-depth. So I’m gonna let him speak for himself:
“There was so much more going on here. You think it’s me but it’s not me. Who am I? Who are you?
Let me talk to you about something. The Divine Feminine, Gaia Sophia; all these words are being thrown around the ultimate power. Who could that be? Focusing on the belts, focusing on trophies. We’re not understanding the message. I’m here to help you. I tried. But you didn’t listen.
And that’s okay. So let’s go to the other side of the fence for a second here. Let’s talk about the masculine; the ultimate power. Or is it? So the thing between the divine feminine and the divine masculine. The Alpha, the Omega, energy, power. And power without energy and energy without power, without movement, without following…there is no gender here.
You’re missing the point. You’re thinking you’re always going to be in my eyes Plan A. But let me tell you something. I have Plan B and I always want you to say no. I always want you to turn me down. I always believe more in Plan B. The B side, that’s a message for you. That’s right. Decipher things. Unwind it if you can. It doesn’t matter.
Come the Crockett cup. Take your victories, do your dances, play your games. There’s so much more going on. I need the energy, I need the mojo however it ends. I want to say I’m going to be standing there in the light. But without darkness and shadows, it doesn’t matter how bright you’re going to shine because don’t forget this one point is the most important of it all. When you thought that this was just being born and the sun was the brightest thing and those rays were coming down on you, my friends. The moon always blocks up the sun in an instant when it wants to. So don’t focus on the stars. Because it’s not even there anymore. It’s an illusion. It’s right here and right now. You asked. Now it’s time to collect.”
Then that gives way to an image of EC3. Something wicked this way comes.
But we can decipher that riddle wrapped in an enigma and served with Tapatio later, as this next match is a…
Courtesy of the NWA. Credit: Hiban Huerta
Crockett Cup First Round Match: Mike Knox and Trevor Murdoch vs. The Miserably Faithful (Sal-Vation and Gaagz the Gymp, with Father James Mitchell)
You and I can agree on how this match is gonna go, right?
Good. Here are the highlights:
Murdoch and Gaagz get into it and The Gymp gets run through the cement mixer, and Knox punctuates the pain. Sal tags in,and it should be noted he’s wrestling in a white turtleneck with white loafers and no socks. Tres Heaven’s Gate chic! He gets some offense on Knox with a stun gun on the top ropes and follows with a tiger feint kick, but he gets rocked by a running crossbody courtesy of Knox.
Murdoch comes back in and they double-team with a backdrop to Sal. Gaagz blind tags Sal and connects with the Sliced Bread but takes too much time to cover. That gives Knox and Murdoch time to deliver the high/low to Sal and then the same to Gaagz to secure the pin and the win.
Your Winners via Pinfall, and Advancing to the Second Round: Trevor Murdoch and Mike Knox
After the match, Aron Stevens comes out and tells Kyle Davis “The Mayor of Debonair is here.” That brings out Eric Smalls, and as Murdoch and Knox look on, Stevens puts down the Half Pint Punk with short jokes. That prompts Smalls to give Stevens a shot in his…err, little debonairs. Before leaving, he gives the manager of Blunt Force Trauma this parting shot, “When you mess with Smalls you get hit in the balls.”
Ahh, it’s like poetry.
Joe Cazana is backstage with The Country Gentlemen and Dylan and Zach Stewart, The Stew Crew. Papa Cazana ponders why a team like The Savages of Samoa are ranked higher in the tournament than his sons or The Crew. No matter, as they will prove why they deserve to claim the Crockett Cup.
Now for the last match of the night, which is a…
Courtesy of the NWA. Credit: Hiban Huerta
Crockett Cup First Round Match: The Looks that Kill (Bryan Idol and Natalia Markova) vs. Jax Dane and Tim Storm
Corgan notes the NWA’s working relationship with FTW promotions and why Idol and Markova are involved in the tourney.
In any case, Idol faces Dane and then he and Storm take him to the proverbial woodshed. Storm connects with a neckbreaker but Idol fights back. He sends Storm to the outside and then follows with a tope suicida. Then Idol throws him headfirst to the ring post, and Dane quickly runs over to check on his partner. Dane pops the truck on Idol to buy time, and he sends Storm back into the ring. Storm still looks like his bell’s been rung hard, but he manages to get to a vertical base. Idol tags in Markova and she nails the Beautiful Destruction kick to Storm and then to Dane to knock him off the ring apron. She follows with a DDT to Storm for a close two count. Storm is dazed and then slaps the Iron Claw on Markova with a crazed look on his face. Markova tries to fight out of the hold and manages to grab the bottom ropes, but Storm still keeps the claw clamped on. The ref tries to get him to obey his instructions but Storm is off, and that makes him call the match. Therefore…
Your Winners via Disqualification, and Advancing to The Second Round: The Looks That Kill
Dane and Idol try to pull Storm off Markova but have no luck. Idol, Mims, and Zyon come out, and now BLK Jeez as they have a little confab on the matter. Corgan leaves commentary to help talk sense to Storm and that is the last scene as the show goes to the credits.
Final Thoughts:
Nice way to kick off the first round of the Crockett Cup. Not sure the direction they’re taking with Storm, but if it involves any sort of pairing with Sal and Gaagz, I’ll watch.
Murdoch and Knox advance as expected, and Fenrir looked good against Alonzo. This tandem of Tehaka and Nieves looks interesting as well, so we’ll see if it has legs in the women’s tag division.
We’ll see you next week for more Crockett Cup action from NWA POWERRR on The CW app.