We are a few days away from the National Wrestling Alliance presenting Hard Times on The CW, and things are taking shape as various contenders look to punch their ticket at the NWA National Championship. One of those men is AJ Cazana and he and his family have been hindered by the recent antics of Austin Idol and some of his goons, such as the former Country Gentleman, Anthony Andrews. Tonight, Cazana has Booby Fulton in his corner as he looks to get past Zyon for a chance at the title. Will Cazana stay focused to get his shot?
Galli narrates how things have progressed in this feud between the Cazanas/Idol:
We’ll find out how Cazana will answer back as we are in the Powerrr Station as Joe Galli and Danny Dealz have the call for the First Match of the Night, and it is a…
NWA National Title Qualifier Match: “Magic” Jake Dumas (with CJ) vs. Burchill
It’s hard-hitting action as Dumas gets sent out of the ring due to Burchill. He goes after The Magic Bastard but gets thrown shoulder-first into the steel steps. Dumas sends him back in the ring and he throws him into the middle turnbuckles to further damage his arm/shoulder. Burchill comes back with a tackle to the corner and rushes at him but Dumas evades and once again his shoulder hits the ring post. Dumas gives a codebreaker to the arm, continues focusing on that bad wing, and covers for a two count. Dumas keeps focused on the arm until Burchill fights up to a vertical base, headbutts him in his magic melon, and uses his power to nail a one-armed suplex. He gives Dumas Garvin Stomps followed by a knee drop to the head. Dumas gets back control and brings Burchill down hard to the mat, and then he climbs up the top turnbuckle for a moonsault. He belly flops as Burchill moves out of the way at the last second, and then comes flying with a running knee and the Grit Your Teeth (double arm DDT) puts Dumas away.
Your Winner via Pinfall, and Qualifying for the NWA National Title: Burchill
Pretty Empowered appears on the screen, and Kenzie Paige speaks about Natalia Markova, and how she gets so close and so far away from winning the big title. Paige all but calls her a loser, but promises that Hard Times will stay hard for a Markova in Dothan, AL.
Let’s head back to the ring for an…
Unsanctioned Match: Mecha Wolf vs. Alex Misery
Now a couple of things to go over before the recap: One, both men have been featured in vignettes involving Vampiro, who seems to be some kind of Svengali to these individuals. Second, (no matter how much you wish it was the case) this is not a dream fight where Mecha Wolf beats down Bill Skarsgård for doing a remake of The Crow. Just relax on that one, folks.
As for the match, Wolf goes right on the attack and then sends him into the ropes. Misery counters with a huracanrana and dropkicks Wolf out of the ring. He climbs back in and as Misery hits the ropes gets cut in half with a springboard spear. He rolls out and Wolf follows after him with a dive to the outside that clears a lot of runway. They continue to battle to the outside and as Wolf throws Misery to the fence of the Powerrr Station, he climbs up top, a la Spider Man, and then comes down in a double axe handle to a huge “N-W-A” pop from the crowd. He gets Wolf back in the ring and then lands a running knee in the corner, then follows with a bulldog. Misery continues with a springboard elbow but it gets blocked and Wolf sends him up and kicks his back in midair. Misery is still in the fight with a backflip to a clothesline and then connects with a neckbreaker. He follows with a ripcord roundhouse kick and before he can get any more offense to Wolf in he catches Misery with a pop-up powerbomb to cover for a two count. Wolf pulls down his knee pad for his new finisher called How The Gods Kill (a running knee strike), rushes and misses the target. Misery comes back with a springboard cutter for another two count. He goes up top for a swanton and Wolf gets out of the way. Misery rolls through and manages to connect with an enzugiri, and climbs up top once again. Wolf cuts him off and nails with a German superplex and How The Gods Kill ends it for Misery.
Your Winner via Pinfall: Mecha Wolf
Looks like Wolf’s foray into a singles career is looking good.
EC3 cuts a promo on claiming the NWA World Heavyweight Championship title at NWA 75 retiring Tyrus, and how he will do anything to stay on top and hold the Ten Pounds of Gold. That means facing anyone in a mat classic or going to war in an Ultimate Match of Death. He has no problem doing this so he can forge his legacy, because like a wise old man of Flair once said, “To be The Man, you have to beat The Man.”
Now as for “Thrillbilly” Silas Mason relinquishing his NWA National title to face him for the Ten Pounds of Gold, this intrigues him. As much as he respects what the big man brings to the ring, EC3 states flatly that he’s not there yet. He’ll face him at Hard Times, but makes it clear to Mason, “To be The Man, he must beat The OverMan.” Thus spoke EC3.
One thing is for certain; when it airs on The CW, it will be a Thrillride for certain.
Now let’s go back to the ring for tag team action between…
Magnum Muscle (Dak Draper and Big Strong Mims) vs. Jax Dane and Tim Storm
Galli notes this is the first time in a while that Draper and Mims have been back together as a tag team since Mims was defending the NWA Television title before losing it to Max the Impaler. Much is made of Mims’ lack of focus here which is interesting to see.
Back in the ring, Dane and Mims start and he is having a tough time getting any rhythm going. A Tag to Storm and they get a double tackle to Mims, and Storm hits a backbreaker to cover for a two count. He sends him to ropes and Mims nails a flying tackle to Storm. There’s a bit of miscommunication until he gets the tag to Draper. They send him to the ropes and Storm kicks them both and backflips Draper onto Mims. Magnum Muscle is off pace and as Storm sets up for the Iron Claw, Mims trips him up on the outside. Now Draper toys with Storm with a Funk-style spinning toehold, and then tags to Mims who works the bad leg of Storm. It’s not looking good as Storm is In Peril as Draper tries to cinch in a Calf Killer. Storm evades a springboard maneuver by Draper, crawls to the corner and gets the hot tag to Dane and he is Godzilla En Fuego. As he connects with a Samoan drop to Mims, he readies to Pop the Trunk until Draper interferes. It’s bedlam for a minute until Storm gets the Iron Claw applied to Mims and Dane drills him with a spear. He’s not finished as he sends Mims to Trap City to submit.
Your Winners via Submission: Tim Storm and Jax Dane
May Valentine is backstage with Rolando Freeman and Slade. Rolando states they are ready to face Knox and Murdoch and (*snicker*) Eric Smalls. But they make it clear they don’t have anything to worry about and Rolando tells them next week they should Fear the Spectaculars.
It’s time for the Main Event and it is another…
NWA National Title Qualifier Match: AJ Cazana (with Bobby Fulton) vs. Zyon (with Austin Idol)
This is a tense matchup as both men lock up and neither shows signs of backing down. There is a shoulder tackle to Zyon, and the masked man comes back. He receives a takedown by Cazana and then a scoop and a slam. He follows with a series of elbow drops to Zyon and they go outside the ring with chops. Things are looking good for Cazana, and as he takes a minute to jaw-jack with Idol before heading back to the ring, Zyon sneak attacks and proceeds to choke him down. He then connects with a swinging neckbreaker to Cazana and Zyon is in control of the match. Both men are swinging for the fences and at one point Cazana drapes Zyon on the top ropes and sends him back to the ring with a suplex. He follows up with a running splash and then a clothesline and Cazana in the driver’s seat. He gets the fallaway slam on Zyon and then prepares for the Vader bomb. He misses and Zyon takes advantage going up top with a flying crossbody and the ref counts one, two, and three.
Your Winner via Pinfall: Zyon
The masked man is the next person who will have a chance to face Blake “Bulletproof” Troop and Burchill for a chance at the NWA National title, and he celebrates with Austin Idol as the show goes to the credits
