NWA Wrestling Showcase
by SamoaRowe
February 13th 2009
As you might have noticed, there was no episode of the Showcase last week. Colours screwed up and aired one of last year’s episodes. I’m not sure how to even begin to make fun of that properly.
-This was taped in Hollywood, California. David Marquez is in the ring for a special interview with Adam Pearce and C. Edward Vanderpyle. There are audio difficulties in the early going, which is unfortunate. Pearce throws his food in Marquez’s face when asked about “working his way back up” in the NWA. According to Pearce, Blue Demon Jr. is an imposter champion, as he didn’t really beat him for the belt. Pearce threatens a small child in the crowd for booing him. Vanderpyle starts bitching about how his other client, Joey Ryan, has been mistreated (while Pearce helps himself to some popcorn off the mat). Joey Ryan makes his entrance, and he looks ready to wrestle. Willie Mack comes out to challenge Ryan, and they throw some racist “janitor” comments at him.
Joey Ryan (with Adam Pearce and C. Edward Vanderpyle) vs. “Milk Chocolate” Willie Mack
Mack was unimpressive on this show last year, so let’s hope he’s improved. Ryan was a consistent highlight before, so my expectations are high. Mack outmaneuvers Ryan in the early going, sending him to ringside to regroup. Mack dumps Ryan in the hard way and nails a series of slams. Leg drop by Mack gets a cover for 2. Adam Pearce distracts, allowing Ryan to hit a jawbreaker and take control. Ryan goes right to a chinlock. Mack breaks, but Ryan elbows for a near fall. Ryan goes back to the chinlock. Mack breaks but gets a cheap shot from Pearce. Snapmare by Ryan and a knee drop earns him a near fall. Ryan stretches the arm. Mack powers out with a hip toss, but Ryan knocks him back down for another cover attempt. Suplex by Ryan for 2. Enziguri by Mack connects. Mack is on fire with clotheslines and nails an overhead T-bone suplex for 2.5. Falcon Arrow by Mack still can’t get the job done. Ryan nails a bad Spinebuster and a sloppy super kick for the win at 7:57. Color me disappointed, this was all kinds of unimpressive, *.
Winner: Joey Ryan
-Terry Funk is serving Raven and The Sandman drinks at a bar. Buy their Last Call DVD
-The screen goes black for about two minutes. I really hope this mistake only occurred on the website version of this episode, as this would be unacceptable if aired on actual television.
-The show finally returns with David Marquez interviewing NWA North American Champion Mike Dibiase. He talks about his lengthy title reign and how he cares more about this belt than he does for the World title.
Tito Aquino and Liger Rivera vs. Trevor Murdock and Lance Cade
Cade and Murdock get a great pop from the tiny crowd during their entrance. Cade starts the match, beating down Aquino. Cade knees the face and nails a clothesline. Murdock tags and maintains the beating on Aquino. Rivera tags and immediately misses a drop-kick, making him an easy victim to some stiff offense from Murdock. Cade tags and drops Murdock on Rivera. Murdock dispatches Aquino on ringside while Cade nails the “Ace of Cade” on Rivera for the win at 2:22. This was a fine squash as it didn’t get tedious and it established Cade and Murdock on this program, ½*.
Winners: Lance Cade and Trevor Murdock
-David Marquez interviews Cade and Murdock on their victory. Murdock says he wants to talk to the Skullcrushers and Cade chimes in that they want their NWA Tag Team Championship. Murdock points out that the Skullcrushers like to push people around and they call out the champs as if they were puppies. The Skullcrushers don’t respond, so they call out the Young Bucks instead. The Bucks come down to the ring, so Murdock puts them over as fantastic wrestlers. However, Cade and Murdock want to test how good they really are. Cade shoves Nick Jackson but offers him a hand up. Murdock says that the next time the Skullcrushers do that to them, they should pick themselves back up. “Bully the bullies” says Cade and they take their leave. Damn, Murdock is actually pretty decent on the mic.
-Head on over to Highspots.com and purchase some Pro Wrestling Guerrilla!
-More darkness. By now I’m assuming this is where a commercial would be on television and they didn’t feel like putting more effort into editing the show for the website. Lazy bastards.
Espiritu Inturnal and Sidareal vs. The Boarder Patrol (with Oliver John)
I’m not sure if they meant “Border Patrol” or not, since typos are pretty prevalent in this promotion. Apparently the Patrol detained a Mexican wrestler backstage, questioning his papers and stopping him from wrestling. Derrick Sanders of the Patrol starts the match against Sidareal, who outsmarts him in the early going. Springboard drop-kick by Sidereal, who is a House on Fire. Nathan Rulez tags and shoves down Espiritu Inturnal. I will mention that Rulez is a balding man with a terrible haircut. Inturnal outmaneuvers Rulez. Side slam by Rulez. Sanders tags and gets aggressive with Sidareal. Fallaway slam by Sanders gets 2. Rulez tags and helps nail a double slingshot suplex. Sanders tags and continues to wrestle like a true prick. Inturnal tags and cleans house with drop-kicks. The Boarder Patrol take stereo hurricanranas but kick out. The Mexicans try flying but each get caught and slammed. The Patrol connect with their “Deportation” finishing sequence (stunner and clothesline) for the win in about 3 minutes. Nothing special, but Rulez and Sanders are convincing in this gimmick, ¾*.
Winners: The Boarder Patrol
-Fade to black.
Tristan Gallo vs. Khan Kussion
Gallo tries to pick up an early victory but the match restarts. Some arm work by Gallo, and another quick cover attempt. Kussion outmaneuvers and nails a big boot for 2. Gallo plants Khan on the ropes but gets kicked away. Khan flies right into a drop-kick. Cover by Gallo gets 2. Kussion reverses a whip and lands on the apron. Gallo charges, Khan sidesteps, and Gallo hits the concrete floor in sickening fashion. Kussion dives over the ropes, wiping out Gallo. Khan takes a chair and mimics his mentor, Sabu, with a missed springboard moonsault. Gallo tries to finish, Khan reverses, but Gallo connects with the “Reflection of Perfection” for the win at 3:59. Khan needs some work but Gallo looks a lot more polished here than he did on this show last year, ¾*.
Winner: Tristan Gallo
-During the match it was revealed that since the wrestler the Border Patrol detained was supposed to challenge Blue Demon Jr. for the NWA title, Derrick Sanders will be getting the shot instead.
Blue Demon Jr. vs. Derrick Sanders (with Nathan Rulez and Oliver John)
Sanders talks some crap and gets slapped across the face by Blue Demon Jr. They exchange hard chops. Snapmare by Blue Demon sets up a drop-kick to the back of the head. Lateral press by Demon gets 2. Blue Demon misses a second drop-kick attempt, giving Sanders the upper hand. Sanders mockingly hits the Three Amigos suplexes. Sanders repeats the spot and gets a cover for 2. Blue Demon counters with a bridged suplex for 2. Clothesline by Sanders gets another near fall. Blue Demon blocks a clothesline and locks an armbar. Sanders counters with a fireman’s carry for 2. Backdrop by Sanders gets another near fall. Blue Demon looks for a submission and gets the win at 4:35. Good exhibition for Blue Demon Jr., **.
Winner: Blue Demon Jr.
-John Oliver promises to check Blue Demon Jr.’s papers to make sure that he can never return to America.
Final Thoughts: Nothing offensive, although nothing really worth going out of your way to see. Some of the production quirks need to be fixed if the NWA wants to get their television show taken seriously. I like what’s going on with the tag team scene, with Cade and Murdock rallying the Young Bucks to take a serious stab at the Skullcrushers. That is by far the most compelling angle that has started up since the re-launch, though to be honest it’s the only real ongoing angle that’s been established.
Thumb in the middle.
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