From Jeff Richards: No New King Crowned in Kingsport KINGSPORT, TN -- With a split crowd differing on whom to pull for, Chris Ric...
No New King Crowned in Kingsport
KINGSPORT, TN -- With a split crowd differing on whom to pull for, Chris Richards failed to lift the NWA Title from Rob Conway last Saturday (7/26). The "Strong Style Redneck" gave it his all. but it seemed like the odds were stacked against him.
From the warped cage to an audience not sure who to cheer, Richards had the closest near-fall of any Conway challenger. He even had promoter and oft-tag team partner Tony Givens at ringside pounding the apron and a heel ref outside. In the end, Conway came away with the retaining pinfall in 11:12.
The 75-year old Civic Auditorium in Kingsport was the site for the NWA's best to wrestle on a hot summer night. Walking in, you immediately smell a distinctive odor like urine but keep in mind that Elvis himself donned the auditorium's stage many moons ago.
"Steel Cage Showdown" was the named event, and fortunately this was not a TNA iMPACT "Lockdown"-styled show. Only the heavyweight title match was contested inside the steel structure which had seen some better days.
NWA Smoky Mountain Wrestling (SMW) places seats on three sides of the auditroium space. There were 252 chairs out at first, and six more were added after match #3. All were filled.
No guardrails are used, and security desperately needs to be beefed up. One fan was slapped by a wrestler (Thorn), and apologies were made over and over again by TV broadcaster Matt Rhodes. The Auditorium includes a "perch" instead of a balcony, and there was no hard camera set high up. There is a two camera shot for the internet and local TV feeds. In fact, it seemed like the show was delayed for a cameraman to arrive, but that was not the case.
From behind a curtain, the wrestlers walk down some steps off the stage onto a gym-like floor (no goals or rims though). The ring itself consists of black ropes, turnbuckles, apron and ringposts. Only the canvas is blue.
1. In a pre-show match, Shawn Adams pinned Tristan Ramsey in 2:37. Ramsey missed a splash off the top, landing on his knees. Adams turned Ramsey right side up w/ a lariat that dropped the babyface on his head. 1/4 of a star
2. Cody Blade was the winner of a six-man open contract match which netted him an immediate NWA SMW TV Title bout. The contest lasted 14:39 and pitted wrestlers of different experience levels against each other. Unfortunately, nothing says cluster like a six-man scramble, but all combatants held it together for the most part.
Others in the match included Alyx Winter, Joe Briggs, "Picture Perfect" Jordan Kage, ATL and babyface Andrew Boyd. Winter's backsuplexing Blade early looked like he was taking a small child for a ride. Blade probably wished he had left his wedding ring in the back when he had both hands stomped. Winter also pulled off a military press bodyslam on the featherweight Blade and landed an impressive standing moonsault. Bald-headed Briggs showed a lot of heel charisma. Kage missed on a left-armed elbowdrop a la the "Macho Man." ATL hot-tagged and was the only participant smart enough to knock everyone off the apron. Briggs took ATL out though with a ringpost introduction. Kage's offense included a flatliner (on Boyd) into the corner buckles, a double foot stomp off the top, and a reverse neckbreaker. It was all for nothing, as Briggs broke up the pin attempt. Winter saved after a spinebuster on Kage. A "Kryptonite Krunch" by Winter on Briggs was diverted by ATL. Boyd bulldogged Kage, but the KY star kicked out. There were no alliances by this point, and the poor referee had no idea who was legal. There was a nice near-fall for Kage as he delivered "Sliced Bread #2" to Boyd. Winter threw ATL over the top rope onto the masses waiting below to catch him. Blade came down the back of Winter as the veteran was trying to "Krunch" his foe and got the pinfall. 1 3/4 stars
3. NWA SMW TV Titleholder Jeff Connelly immediately ran in and demanded the challenger's title shot start now! Connelly was joined briefly by a mealy entourage (KAOS) of which he is a key centerpiece. Blade was a true underdog here, and Connelly reminded us of that by contantly picking his challenger up, refusing to pin Blade. It was all Connelly, and he kept the challenger on the mat. Connelly though is awfully young to be wearing a major league looking knee brace. KAOS' Arawn did stay at ringside, appearing to be mesmerized or hypnotized when not calling his one spot to the referee. Blade reversed a back suplex into a bodypress, but Connelly was out in plenty of time. Arawn climbed to the apron to distract the referee. Connelly was going for the piledriver, but Nick Hammonds ran in and put a limp Blade on top for the 1-2-3 & title. Hammonds' motive to attack Connelly and cause him to lose stemmed from his not being allowed to wrestle earlier in the six-man. 3/4 of a star
4. "The Black Cloud" Joe Black surprised 1/2 of the NWA SMW Tag-Team Champions "Southern Sycho" Elliott Russell. Did you know this referee outweighed 75% of the SMW roster? The match was competed within a very old school timeframe. SMW though needs to recruit and promote to a wider African-American audience, as there were few female fans who were not caucasian. Russell has the wild-eyed look down pat. A technical specialist, Russell locked in a Dragon sleeper but draped his feet on the ropes for leverage before the referee caught it. The "Southern Sycho" then tried a Boston Crab, but Black, led by the fans' applause, reached the ropes. Russell also displayed brawling tactics to offset Black's fiery offense. Black almost scored the win with a hgh flying bodypress but bounced off. Russell attempted a slingshot suplex, but Black got behind him and bridged on a German suplex for a "2." Black reversed a side salto into a hurancanrana. Then the "Black Cloud" connected with a splash off the top rope to pin Russell. 2 stars
5. "Godzilla" Jax Dane routed "The Morning Star" Will Huckaby (w/Dylan Sizemore) in 6:32. Hackaby asked fans at ringside, "What's Godzilla to a God"? Well, when you are as massive as Dane.... The two competitors participated in a neat brawl around ringside with some sweet-sounding chops. After Sixemore choked Dane in the corner, Huckaby followed with a foot-wash. There was not a count though, as Dane was too close to the ropes. Dane went up for a Hucakby spinebuster but powered out after "1." A Samoan drop by Dane flattened Huckaby, and Sizemore instantly jumped up on the apron. Distracted, Dane fell victim to a schoolboy for a close two count. Sizemore again distracted everyone involved when Dane Uranage'd Huckaby out of his tights. That was it for Sizemore, as Dane knocked him off for the best bump of the night so far. Getting up, Huckaby turned into a gore from you know where for the Dane win. 1 1/2 stars
6. Following intermission, NWA Mountain Empire Champion Daniel Mulligan turned back the challenge of the "Carolina's Killer" Ryan Hunter (w/Sizemore). Mulligan brought back memories of ECCW's Hillbilly Jethro and more recently Bray Wyatt. Hunter resembles a bigger Jeff Lewis Neal. After a hiptoss and meaty legdrop, Hunter powdered and scrammed. A mysterious figure wearing a black top hat showed up at ringside confusing Sizemore even more. Hunter excused himself from the ring once again after a belly-to-belly suplex. A neckbreaker on a nearly unconscious Mulligan was almost the end of his championship reign. Mulligan retaliated with a "Northern Lights" suplex for a two count. Panicking, Sizemore returned to the ring apron. "Mad Dog" Mulligan disposed of Sizemore and visited the top turnbuckle for a diving headbutt, pinning his challenger to remain Mountain Empire Champion. 3/4 of a star
7. In a match you could book from home, Hammonds let Connelly cost him his chance of winning the NWA National Heavyweight Title. Three-time champion Lou Marconi retained his belt by pinfall in 7:24 after the Connelly distraction. Hammonds was the most charismatic worker on the show at this point. He resembles Colt Cabana but obviously is much younger. Marconi's belt looks small around his waist. In fact, all the SMW belts look huge compared to Marconi's National Championship strap. Marconi was decked out in purple, and all at once the whole crowd sang the "Barney" theme to him. The National Champion works methodically and carries the air of a champion in his workrate. A sleeperhold took Hammonds to his knees before a chinbreaker broke it. Hammonds rallied and had the champ in trouble after a top rope missile dropkick. An ace crusher stunned Marconi, but the ref was busy containing Connelly. Marconi's full nelson with a knee to the shoulder blade area (like a G2S) was not an effective finisher. 1 3/4 stars
8. KAOS (Connelly, Arawn, Lance Erikson & Eric Darkstorm) defeated "Air America" (Skylar Kruze & Gavin Darling), Wayne Adkins & Vince Brent in 8:44. Connelly was working twice. Thorn, manager John Hawkins and others accompanied the heels to ringside. The Giant Arawn was formerly known as Big Daddy Freddie. Adkins and Darkstorm started. There were lots of quadruople teaming maneuvers by the babies. Connelly tagged in. "Air America" is the 21st century's answer to the "Midnight Rockers." Hawkins could stand in for Count Grog on the NC independent circuit. It took three villains to catch Adkins and his plancha. "Air America" simultaneously took out Thorn & Darkstorm at ringside. Incensed, Erikson became a one-man wrecking crew amongst the cruiserweight nation. His stalling suplex of Adkins lasted an eternity. Darkstorm's quick release powerslam on Adkins was broken up by an AA member. The heat was on Adkins. Darkstorm laid Adkins out flat with a spinebuster for a two count. Darling, Kruze & Brent were fast to save Adkins from pinning peril. After a DDT by Darkstorm, Adkins rolled to the floor where he was kicked around by KAOS' female valet. Both Adkins and Darkstorm went down on a double clothesline spot, and Brent finally made the hot tag. An eight-way ensued, the Smoky Mountain squadron was cleaning house, but then the Big Man entered the ring. Darkstorm stole the pin (of Brent) after Arawn powerslammed the youngster. 2 stars
It took 27 minutes for the SMW ring crew to assemble the cage. This was after a moderate-length intermission was held earlier in the evening. The main event started at 10:59 pm EST.
9. Conway retained the NWA World's Heavyweight Championship in 11 minutes 12 seconds. Smoke Carver refereed inside, while heel ref Brandon commandeered the cage door (held it in place). Yes, it was WWE rules of pinfall, submission or escape the cage.
Richards stands 6'7 tall and has been a member of SMW's "Illuminati" heell faction for some time. Brought to the ring and introduced by Givens, the "Strong Style Redneck" supposedly was representing the people of Kingsport. Conway carried the 10 lbs of gold with him inside the cage and looked outnumbered. His recent style seems influenced by the late Randy Savage. Richards at once started out the door, but Conway cut him off. The champion barely avoided a chokeslam attempt. Rhodes was going crazy on commentary at ringside the second time Richards began the chokeslam routine. Richards headed out the door, but Conway caught a leg. Front row felt the breeze on a Richards kneelift that missed its mark. Richards' head hit the cage walls three times, and the challenger finally gigged for some color. Conway even performed an elbowdrop off the top, but a bloodied Richards (we're not related) escaped the pinfall. The world renowned "Iron Man" started to exit through the door, but here came Connelly again to stop the champ by grabbing the door away and smashing Conway with it. Conway fell back onto the mat, Richards covered, and we had a truly convincing near fall. Then it was Richards' turn to squeeze out, and Connelly once again played the part of Terry Gordy. Richards went down, and Conway covered for the pin. KAOS attacked both challenger and champion after the bell. Givens took off his official NWA polo shirt and joined the melee until he was triple-teamed. Dane hit the ring and traded blows with U.S. tag titleholder Erikson. Once Richards was up on his feet, the remaining SMW supporters cleared the cage, as Conway & Dane joined forces with the "Illuminati." The former challenger gave Conway his belt back and raised Rob's hand in victory.
NOTES: Conway commented that he had not been closely following New Japan's G-1 Climax tournament so far. He had predicted an Ishii win this yearand was not surprised by A.J. Styles losing 2 of his first 3 bouts....Tickets were sold in advance for $15 ($18 at the door), and advance ticketholders were allowed early entrance by 30 minutes....The Auditorium contains two clocks on its walls. One has hands; the other does not. There could be an analogy inserted here of time standing still in this East Tennessee hub where the NWA name still matters.
