Sometimes, it’s the little things that matter in the National Wrestling Alliance for this season finale. For example, in the Main Event Trevor Murdoch and Mike Knox will team with Eric Smalls as they take on the latest incarnation of The Spectaculars, and Rolando Freeman and company want them to put some respect on their name and not sell them short.
Before I go on, here is an…
(Author’s Note: Yeah, I realize short jokes are low-hanging fruit, and such little jokes like this are beneath me. But in my defense, I’m a wee bit into some genius juice. Just a small bit of cognac. In all seriousness, This snark is just preparation for when I cover Night One of Wrestlemania 40. So be sure to tip your wait staff and try the nachos. I’m here all week, folks!)
With that out of the way, we get to see what led to this match taking place:
You can also catch up from a couple of weeks ago when I recapped it, but hey! You do you.
We are coming to you from the PowerrrStation, where Joel Galli and Danny Dealz have the call, and your First Match of the Night is an…
NWA National Qualifier Match: Thom Latimer vs. Carson Drake
Latimer shows Drake he’s “number one” and goes to pummeling the upstart from Exodus Pro. Drake rolls out and Latimer gives chase. Back in the ring Drake kicks him in the gut and slams his head on the turnbuckle. He whips Latimer to the corner and The King of All Evil Comes back with a vicious clothesline and follows with a throat chop. Drake goes back outside and the chase is on. Back in the ring, Drake attempts an elbow drop that misses. Latimer stalks him and The Golden State God yanks his tights to the ropes and now gets in a flurry of offense. He measures Latimer with knee drops and covers but gets a two count. Drake pulls down the knee pads for another drop, except Latimer rolls away in time and Drake nurses his kneecap. Latimer punts and Drake flips head over heels. Drake pulls him down by the hair and Latimer with a double leg takedown plus ground and pound on the young man. The end swiftly comes as Latimer nails the pop-up powerbomb and quickly transitions to the crossface as Drake has no choice but to tap out.
Your Winner via Submission: Thom Latimer
He is now the last man to punch his ticket in the fatal four-way match between, Burchill, Blake “Bulletproof” Troop, and Zyon for the vacated NWA National Title at Hard Times.
It’s time for tag team action between…
The Kidz (Alexander Lev and Jackson Drake) vs. The Slime Ballz (Sage Chantz and Tommy Rant)
So a couple of things to notice: First, The Kidz and The SlimeBallz are getting more airtime outside of Exodus Pro. Second, not since the 90s has the letter “Z” been so prominent in the last name of tag teams. They now join such luminaries as The Dudleyz and The Hardyz, to name a few.
That said, they’re not quite at Table, Ladders, and Chairs level (oh my!), but there is a lot to appreciate here. As Drake and Lev offer to shake hands in sportsmanship. Chantz spits in his hand because, I guess, that’s the thing to do in Slimeball City (which I assume is a suburb of Provo, UT, but I digress). The Kidz go after The Slimeballz and as the ref tries to restore order, Drake gets sent out of the ring and Lev is a Kid in Peril. The Slimeballz work him over in the corner until Drake comes back and kicks Chantz’s head. That allows Lev to cover for a two count. Now The Kidz are in the groove as they hit a double team sweep kick/Russian legsweep combo and Drake connects with a gutwrench suplex to Chantz and the Kidz are all right and in control, as he feeds the Slimeball to Lev for a beautiful STO for a two count. Chantz fights out of the corner and gets the hot tag to Rant and he is a Slimeball en Fuego. He gives a double underhook to Lev onto Drake, followed by a senton. He covers Lev but Drake makes the save. Once again it becomes pandemonium and as Drake pushes Rant into the ring post on the outside, Chantz climbs up top and attempts a crossbody that misses, and that allows Lev an atomic drop to set him in place for Drake’s shotgun boot for The Kidz to win it.
Your Winners via Pinfall: The Kidz
May Valentine is backstage with Joel Alonzo on his upcoming match with Mo Jabari. The self-proclaimed “Mr. NWA” says he is a waste of his and everyone’s time. That neatly allows Daisy Kill and Talos to advise Alonzo his time is up. Then Kill explains at Hard Times he and Talos will reclaim the NWA US Tag Team titles once again and they promise good times.
Kyle Davis now has Natalia Markova and Vampiro and he directs his questions to The Crush on being the number one contender for the NWA Women’s championship. She lets everyone know that she is ready for Kenzie Paige and will do everything to get The Burke. Vampiro says to forget about respect and being nice. He states he’s had a hard time fitting in so he took matters into his hands. Vampiro claims he has friends in dark and light places to get things done quickly. He even extends an offer to help Markova, but makes it clear there is a price to pay.
Guess we won’t see what she chose because it’s time for junior heavyweight action between…
Mo Jabari vs. Joe Alonzo
Nice to see The Calgary Kid back in the NWA. As the match gets underway, Alonzo channels the Power of Douchenozzlery™ and does everything to one-up Jabari, such as headlock takedowns. Jabari answers with an arm drag takedown and from there, it’s a series of near falls. Alonzo gets a monkey flip to Jabari in the corner, but he balances and lands a cross body for a two count. He gives a dragon screw leg whip to Alonzo and sends him to the ropes. Jabari attempts a running crossbody but Alonzo ducks and he bounces off the ropes. Outside the ring, he backdrops Jabari onto the apron edge and jaws at the PowerrrStation crowd. Back in the ring, Jabari catches Alonzo with a jawbreaker and then he hits the ropes but catches an elbow to the face as “Mr. NWA” covers for a count of two. He follows with a snap suplex and Alonzo keeps him grounded. Jabari tries to get momentum going but Alonzo stops him in his tracks. He gives Alonzo a spinning neckbreaker followed by an atomic drop and then a Russian legsweep. The Calgary Kid goes up the middle top for a Hitman-style elbow drop for a two count and then goes for the sharpshooter. Alonzo reverses into a pin to escape the hold and then delivers the front facebuster for the pin and the win.
Your Winner via Pinfall: Joe Alonzo
Now it’s time for the Main Event and it is a…
Six-Man Tag Team Match: Trevor Murdoch, Mike Knox, and Eric Smalls vs. The Spectaculars 2.0 (Rush Freeman, Slade, and Rolando Freeman)
As Knox, Murdoch, and Smalls get set up, The Spectaculars jump the three men and we have a Pier Six brawl in the works. Pretty soon, Knox, Murdoch, and Smalls clean house as Rolando and company rethink their strategy that has such small gains. Murdoch stalks The Spectaculars on the outside, which allows the Half Pint Punk to dive on the three men to the outside.
Now the bell rings and Knox takes Rush to school. Murdoch tags in to face Slade and he clearly does not fear the gear. As the beatings continue, Galli and Dealz debate on a tag name for Knox and Murdoch, so allow me to jump in with another…
(Author’s Note: I already had that conversation with Knox and Murdoch about that same subject in the bowels of The Chase at NWA 75, if you wanna catch up here.)
Rolando is in and Murodch nearly kicks the mullet off his head. He tags in Smalls and nails Rolando a Bronco buster (eat your heart out, X-Pac). Smalls goes to the ropes and Rush gives a kick to the small of his back (sorry. I can’t help myself) and things are now looking Spectacular. They isolate Smalls and he is a Half Pint in Peril. Slade comes in and slaps on an ankle lock. Things don’t look good until Smalls manages to connect with an enzugiri to his head, and then he gets the hot tag to Murdoch and he is Captain Badass en fuego. Knox and Murdoch finish off Slade and Rush with a double high/low tackle, and Smalls delivers what I am dubbing the IBME (Itty-Bitty Moonsault Ever) on Rolando to cover for the one, two, and three.
Your Winners via Pinfall: Trevor Murdoch, Mike Knox, and Eric Smalls
Rolando gets caught in the middle of Knox and Murdoch. As Knox Holds Rolando in place, Murdoch directs traffic as Smalls connects with a fist to Rolando’s cojones, and he is feeling the pain as the show goes to the credits.
