NWA/TNA Weekly PPV #98 - June 9, 2004
by Scrooge McSuck
Presented LIVE on Pay-Per-View on June 9th, 2004 from the TNA Asylum with Mike Tenay and Don West calling the action, unless otherwise noted. Last week on TNA PPV #97, Jeff Jarrett became a 3-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion and declared himself "King of the Mountain." Tonight, A.J. Styles challenges Kazarian for the X-Division Championship, and new Tag Team Champions America's Most Wanted make their first defense of the Tag Team Titles.
Instead of opening the show with a match, we're getting an in-ring segment celebrating Jeff Jarrett's victory from last week, with a ridiculous introduction, putting him above the level of anyone else in professional wrestling history. Mike Tenay calls it self-serving and egotistical. OK, I can see why I gave up on TNA around this time. No access to FSN and paying $10 for shows that were rumored to be on the way out, and you're opening with a 15-minute promo segment. Last week, he was crowned the first ever "King of the Mountain" in the most innovative and groundbreaking match in wrestling. He says someone needs to not only (literally) crown him, but strap the belt around his waist, and that's Director of Authority Vince Russo. He knows he would've done it for Raven, Chris Harris, Ron Killings, and A.J. Styles, so he should do the honors right now. Russo, PLAYING A BABYFACE, reluctantly comes out and does so without hesitation. Russo gives us a rundown of TNA's history and celebrates not only making it to syndication (Xplosion), but Network TV (the recently debuted iMPACT). Jarrett doesn't want to hear about them being a team. This company was built on Jeff's hard work, not Russo's. Russo doesn't discredit Jeff's accomplishments, but says that the success of TNA belongs to A.J. Styles and America's Most Wanted among others. Jarrett loses his cool and goes for Russo, bringing out 3 Live Kru. Yes, a 3-on-1 babyface attack is great booking. Jarrett bails out quickly, leaving behind his belt. Ron Killings says the man has approved a "Triple Jeopardy Match", whatever that is.
Scott Hudson is backstage with Elix Skipper. We find out that Skipper and Christopher Daniels won the voting to challenge for the Tag Team Titles. Unfortunately, Daniels was injured "in Japan" last week, and will be out for 4-6 weeks. Trinity, Glen Gilberti and Johnny Swinger interrupt, and it sounds like they'll be getting the title shot instead. I have no memory of Trinity turning heel.
Highlights of America's Most Wanted defeating Kid Kash and Dallas for the Titles on iMPACT, followed by a pre-tape from Chris Harris and James Storm. CAN WE GET A MATCH, PLEASE?
NWA Tag Team Championship Match:
America's Most Wanted (c) vs. The NYC (Glen Gilberti & Johnny Swinger) (w/ Trinity):
If Daniels was injured last week, why run a poll including him? BAIT AND SWITCH, BAY-BAY! Based on the previous segment involving the NYC, it sounds like they recently turned their backs on Pat Kenney, a.k.a. Simon Diamond. All four men brawl in the ring to start. Harris hits Swinger with a Thesz Press and unloads with left hands. Storm with a DOUBLE NOGGIN KNOCKER on the floor, followed by an assisted plancha. Back inside, Harris works the arm of Swinger as Tenay puts over the recently debuted six-sided ring. Swinger sends Harris to the post to take control. Gilberti dumps Harris to the outside and wraps the arm around the post. They blow what I can only assume is a Russian leg sweep. Harris cuts Gilberti off with a big boot, but his lariat is blocked and the NYC regain control. Lots of nondescript work on the arm. Harris keeps teasing comebacks with the arm they are working on. Harris hits a right-handed lariat (THANK YOU!) and finally tags in Storm. He runs wild on Swinger with right hands and a powerslam. Gilberti runs in and takes a swinging neck breaker for his trouble. Harris with a half-nelson slam on Swinger, then Gilberti dumps Harris. Gilberti with a Russian leg sweep on Storm. Storm pops up to avoid the elbow and lays him out with a Super-Kick. Trinity tries to interfere, but Desire runs out and shoves her to the floor. Harris with a spear to Swinger and AMW retains at 7:14. Desire chases Trinity through the crowd and blasts her with a chair as Tenay and West try to catch us up on the history between the two, including a lengthy period off for Desire due to a back injury. NYC and Trinity get the upper hand, but Pat Kenney and Sonny Siaki make the save. The match was some cookie-cutter, paint-by-numbers nothingness, by the way. *
Scott Hudson is standing by with Kid Kash and Dallas. When will the former Champions get their rematch? Kash says they won't get a rematch. He claims discrimination against the K-I-D, but from this moment on, Kash is going to prove how easy it is to get some gold. Not quite a gold standard promo.
Michael Shane (w/ Traci) vs. Chris Sabin:
20 years later and Traci is an inductee into the Impact Wrestling Hall of Fame. Shane is not only the longest-reigning X-Division Champion, but he's the cousin of Shawn Michaels! Sabin is only a 2-time former Champion (he's at reign #10 now). Lockup and they jockey for control. Shane blasts Sabin with forearms, backing him into the corner. Sabin turns it around, laying into Shane with chops. Whip is reversed and Sabin with a snap arm drag, followed by a side headlock takeover. They run through a series of counters until Sabin sends Shane to the floor with a snap hurricanrana and follows him out with springboard plancha. BREAKING NEWS: Shane Douglas is looking for Raven to get answers for his challenge to Sabu. Back to the action, Shane dumps Sabin over the ropes and counters the skin the cat spot with a dropkick to the face. Sabin fights out of a chin-lock but gets caught with a wheelbarrow slam. Sabin avoids a flying elbow drop (or a senton, according to Tenay) and runs wild with a forearm, clothesline, and running enzuigiri for two. Traci picks the ankle to slow Sabin's momentum, so Sabin plants a kiss on her. That's a spot that is thankfully mostly extinct in wrestling. Traci interferes again, saving Shane from the Future Shock. Shane whips Sabin into Traci and finishes with the Super-Kick at 5:58. Clunky finish to an otherwise fine match. **½Shane Douglas is "at the remote location outside the Asylum" where Raven is still hanging around in a ring inside an empty building. Raven says it's good that Shane has accepted retirement and fell into his role of holding a microphone. Raven says that he's never had a singles match with Sabu because Sabu is afraid of him. Raven brought Sabu to TNA for the sake of having a match with him, and Sabu has denied him that opportunity. If Sabu accepts his house of fun challenge, Raven promises to retire.
Scott Hudson is with David Young, who is baffled by tonight's Gut Check Match. Hudson says Young will be in a Gut Check Challenge, which is basically "you earn a spot on the roster by winning." Hudson notes Young's record is 0-53. D-Ray 3000 wanders in, not knowing where the ring is. Young says he should be fired, he doesn't even know where he is.
Gut Check Challenge: Sonjay Dutt vs. Shark Boy vs. D-Ray 3000 vs. David Young:
Mike Tenay confirms Young's troubled year and being on an 0-53 losing streak. Dutt is coming off a losing series of matches against Amazing Red. I honestly have no memory of D-Ray 3000, but he's got an impressive afro for 2004. Shark Boy and Dutt start. Whip and Shark Boy with an arm drag into the arm bar. D-Ray tags himself in and immediately finds himself on the defensive end. Young tags himself in and hits a powerslam for two. Whip and Young with a clothesline for two. D-Ray with a surprise inside cradle for two. Whip and a cross body press for two. Young scrambles to the corner to tag in Shark Boy. How is THIS on PPV and not on iMPACT or Xplosion? We get a tower of doom spot for the sake of it. Shark Boy nails D-Ray in mid-air with a missile dropkick. Dutt brings Young in from the apron with a hurricanrana. Shark Boy hits a floating Stunner on Dutt. Young with a spine-buster on Shark Boy but D-Ray saves. Spine-buster to D-Ray and… it only gets two despite D-Ray not kicking out. Dutt with a sunset flip and Young is 0-54 at 3:58. What a mess, and they botched the finish with D-Ray not kicking out. ¼*Scott Hudson continues to earn his paycheck, this time standing by with 3 Live Kru (BG James, Ron Killings, and Konnan). What is TRIPLE JEOPARDY? Konnan talks about a strap match and tells us "don't ask about the rules." If Jarrett survives, it's Double J and BG James in a Trailer Park Trash Match. "If you can swing it, you can bring it." AND IF JARRETT SURVIVES THAT, he's facing The Truth in a Ghetto Justice Match. Does TNA not know how to book babyfaces and heels?
Heavy Metal, Hector Garza, and Jerry Lynn vs. Team Canada (Petey Williams, Bobby Roode, and Eric Young) (w/ Scott D'Amore):
I never thought I'd be begging to see Scott D'Amore and Team Canada, but here we are (if you couldn't tell, I wasn't a fan of the group in 2003-04). Lynn rushes the ring and we've got all six men going at it immediately. The ring clears just as quickly, with Lynn chasing D'Amore through the crowd. Garza with a series of counters before laying out Young with a clothesline. Whip to the ropes and Garza with a spinning back breaker. Heavy Metal comes in… and literally falls on his ass. Then Petey hits him with a clothesline. WHAT THE F*CK WAS THAT?! They take a tumble over the ropes as Tenay tells us the rules of Konnan's strap match (the winner is the first man to whip his opponent 10 times). Garza and Heavy Metal continue to control despite the 2-on-3 disadvantage. Garza and Metal with a pair of planchas as D'Amore returns to ringside, short of breath. Lynn is back too, but Roode makes the save. Lynn teases fighting free but Williams cuts him off. Don West says the MVP of Team Canada is the hockey stick with the Canadian flag on it. Lynn blocks the Canadian Destroyer and plants Petey with an Alabama Slam(a). Garza and Heavy Metal both get tags and the referee isn't bothering to make a judgment. I don't think it's Rick Knox, either. Roode cuts off Metal but a Powerbomb is countered with a Northern Lights Suplex for two. Lynn with another counter of the Canadian Destroyer, sending Williams over the top rope. D'Amore whacks Heavy Metal with the stick. Roode hits the Canada-Bomb (Liger Bomb) for three at 7:05 (after blowing the first attempt). This was a mess, and made the Team Canada 6-man on Impact look like a lost classic. Post-match, Team Canada works over Heavy Metal and Hector Garza until Lynn whacks them all with a flag pole. He teases a cradle piledriver on D'Amore, but Petey saves. D'Amore tears up the NWA flag until being chased away by Elix Skipper and Chris Sabin. *¼Moments ago, Sonjay Dutt delivers Sabu's message to Raven. "There's no match tonight, and Raven knows about the promise." Raven responds by slapping Sonjay across the face. Dutt doesn't accept the response kindly and unloads with rights. Raven no-sells a trash can shot and hits Dutt low before planting him with the Raven Effect. Raven handcuffs Dutt to the ropes and makes a turban joke while placing a food strainer on his head.
Scott Hudson is with World Champion Jeff Jarrett. Maybe cut down on the interviews so we don't see Hudson 10 times in one show, or hire more personnel. Jarrett says Konnan can't count to 10 in either English or Spanish. Russo tried stacking the deck last week, and look what happened.
Triple Jeopardy Match:
Jeff Jarrett vs. 3 Live Kru:
OK, so we've got Jarrett vs. Konnan for the first fall in a Barrio Strap Match, where the winner is the first man to lash his opponent 10 times. If Jarrett wins, then he's got BG James in a Trailer Park Trash Match, where "if you can swing it, you can bring it". Finally, if Jarrett wins that as well, he's got Ron "The Truth" Killings in a "Ghetto Justice Match". Honestly, I don't know if he needs to win or not, it's not like this whole gimmick is explained well. Konnan doesn't waste time hitting Jarrett with the strap. Jarrett cuts him off and returns fire, running the tally to a 3-3 tie. Whip and Konnan with a rolling clothesline, followed by a face-buster. Konnan gets the score to 8-3 before Jarrett powders out. Jarrett gives a modified Stroke to Konnan on the steps and closes the gap at 8-7. Jarrett digs into his tights and throws powder in Konnan's eyes before finishing him with the last 3 whips at 2:02. Jarrett gives him a few extra shots for the hell of it.
BG James comes out with a shopping cart full of goodies. Jarrett with an unsuccessful bum rush, getting smacked over the head with a trash can lid and metal mailbox. Jarrett cuts him off and rams him with the shopping cart. Minsa, a.k.a. Stephanie Bellars, formerly known as Gorgeous George (the girlfriend of Randy Savage), is watching intently. Meanwhile, Jarrett and James trade more weapon shots. I have ZERO memory of Minsa to the point I had to google her. Whip to the ropes and James busts out his signature jabs before whacking Jarrett with a trash can. They make their way to the announcer's table. Jarrett with a Stroke onto the guardrail to finish James at 3:16.
Ron Killings is the final roadblock for Jarrett with "Ghetto Justice." Still no clue what that means. Truth comes out with a guitar. Jarrett tries getting the jump but Truth hits him with a spinning forearm, followed by a running powerslam. Whip to the corner and Truth with a jumping leg lariat for two. If you took a drink every time they show Minsa, you'd be wasted by now, and we're only 7-minutes deep. Clever sign in the front row reads "JJJ fears The Truth." Get it? JEFF JARRETT WAS COMPARED TO TRIPLE H WITH HIS OWN REIGN OF TERROR. Jarrett takes control with weapon shots as the crowd just kind of groans. Truth counters a sleeper with a spinning back suplex. Truth catches Jarrett off the ropes with a sit-out spine-buster and plants him with the Falcon Arrow. Jarrett avoids a flying axe kick and snatches the guitar from the table. Why is the referee trying to stop him when weapons were used earlier? The referee gets the El Kabong treatment, and the distraction allows Truth to roll him up for three at 4:23 thanks to a second referee hitting the ring in record time. THE FIX WAS IN. How is this show this bad? If I rated each match individually, they would all be bottom of the barrel. Together? Still bottom of the barrel. ZERO STARS
We get a pre-tape from Goldy Locks, who isn't happy being accused of stealing Erik Watts' money. WHAT MONEY? Wherever she's cutting this promo has terrible acoustics, with annoying echo the entire time. She wants Watts' contract and suggests Abyss vs. Watts, money vs. contract.
Jeff Jarrett is still in the ring and in a foul mood while Mike Tenay eggs him on from ringside. Next Wednesday on PPV! Team NWA vs. Team Canada in a Flag Match! The NYC takes on Pat Kenney and Sonny Siaki in an "Ultimate Humiliation Match." AMW defends the Tag Team Titles against Monty Brown and Abyss! Tenay and West put over Impact on FSN, including clips from matches we haven't seen yet.
D'Lo Brown... RETURNING SOON. I didn't know he was gone.
Scott Hudson interviews A.J. Styles about tonight's Main Event. Styles says he only needs a 3-second mistake from Kazarian.
NWA-TNA X-Division Championship Match:
Kazarian (c) vs. A.J. Styles:
I'm surprised this gets to go on after Jeff Jarrett. Styles earned the title shot on the debut episode of Impact. We're going to need a home run to make up for this lackluster night of entertainment (and I use that term loosely). Watching this almost 20 years later, I forgot what Kazarian looked like with hair. I also forgot they dropped the "Frankie" part of his name. Lockup into the corner and the referee forces the break. Styles with a takedown into a front face-lock. Kazarian counters, working the arm until Styles gets to the ropes. Styles works the arm but Kazarian rakes the eyes to break the hold. Kazarian gets dumped and the crowd continues to chant "you suck" at him. Styles sweeps the leg but Kazarian quickly gets back to his feet. Styles with kicks to the left leg before grabbing a side headlock. Crisscross and Styles showboats by running across Kazarian's back. Whip is reversed and Kazarian powders out, pointing to his head to tell us how smart he is. Styles brings him in with a slingshot but Kazarian blocks the Styles Clash. Kazarian counters a whip with an elbow, but Styles is unphased and knocks Kazarian silly with a dropkick to the face. Styles with a slam and jumping knee drop for two. Kazarian with a leg sweep and Styles comes right back with a head-scissors. Kazarian avoids a plancha and hits a DDT on the apron.
Back inside, Kazarian with a magistral cradle for two. Suplex and float over into a series of mounted right hands from the X-Division Champion. Styles tries the Styles Clash again, but Kazarian escapes and connects with a swinging neck breaker. He plants Styles with a slam and comes off the top with a high elevation leg drop. Unfortunately for Kazarian, Styles rolls out of the ring. Kazarian follows, dropping a double axe-handle across the back. Styles teases a comeback, hitting a diving splash in the corner. Kazarian avoids a second attempt and knocks Styles into the corner with a shotgun dropkick. Snap mare and Kazarian slows things down with a chin-lock. Kazarian willingly gives up the hold and sends Styles across the ring with another dropkick. Kazarian blows a kiss at some jabroni in the crowd. He hangs Styles up across the top rope but botches a springboard. Like, I have ZERO idea what he was going for. They fight for control on the ropes until Styles takes Kazarian to the floor with a super-plex! Both men are able to avoid the count-out, back when that spot wasn't done to death. Unfortunately, the spot loses a lot of Impact because the referee didn't continue the count while Kazarian was still on the floor. They trade blows, with Styles getting the better of the exchange. He lifts Kazarian up for a delayed suplex and turns it into a hangman's neck breaker for a near-fall. Kazarian flips through a back suplex but Styles surprises him with the Pele Kick. Kazarian counters the Styles Clash and sits down with a victory roll for "two". Maybe it was the camera, but I don't think I saw the shoulder come up. Kazarian with a Super-Kick for two. Styles blocks a flying hurricanrana but is caught with Wave of the Future for a near-fall. Styles fights out of a lift and turns Kazarian inside-out with a lariat. Kazarian nails Styles on the top rope with a jumping Super-Kick. Styles shoves Kazarian off the top rope and "hits" the Spiral Tap for two, but the bell rings anyway at 19:31 and despite Kazarian getting his shoulder up AT two, the referee awards the belt to Styles. Post-match, Dallas attacks Styles, setting up a further attack from Kid Kash. I don't know what happened, but this went from a pretty good match to a series of f*ck ups, and it's hard to ignore them when one is THE DECIDING FALL. I'm knocking a full star off the rating for the multiple screw-ups near the end of the match. **
Final Thoughts: After enjoying the launch of Impact, this PPV was a sobering reality of what NWA-TNA was for the most part: a lot of nonsensical overbooking and the referees being some of the worst the business had to offer. The best match of the night was ruined by one of the most incompetently executed finishes possible, and the rest is some Grade-A Russo junk. Women being assaulted by men, a bunch of random stipulation matches with no heat, and hey, they got Gorgeous George to make an appearance and do absolutely nothing. I don't know if this is a sign I should give up on the 2-hour weekly PPV's and just watch Impact and the monthly 3-hour offerings, but don't bother checking out anything from this show unless you're a TNALOL kind of person.
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