All Champions Retain Belts/Titles
Pro Wrestling in the Peach State has not fallen on hard times... yet. While some groups have had difficulties in retaining or bringing fans back from the dead, others have flourished. One such victorious promotion is William Patrick Corgan's NWA, which staged another ambitious FITE TV pay per view event on Saturday from the ATL. Fan capacity at Georgia Public Broadcasting (GPB) was limited to 90 persons, and I counted 84 present. Everyone was masked up, including Cyon, and was vocal per the NWA's request. It was an intimate crowd which clearly had its favorites and enjoyed being pampered by the home team promotion.
1) In the pre-preshow bout, Kenzie Paige downed Maxi (Wrenkowski) in 4:12. Maxi was introduced without a last name by play by play man Joe Galli. Paige kicked out of an "X-Factor." A cutter close to the ropes ended it for the victorious Paige, who has lost in a couple of title shots this year. Rating: 1.5 stars
2) Big Strong Mims upset former NWA World Heavyweight Champion Jax Dane in under 8 minutes. This was the opening contest of Fite TV's actual pre-show. Mims was accompanied by Anthony Mayweather, also known as Crimson. A lackadaisical cover by Dane resulted in his being rolled up in a crucifix pin by (Matthew) Mims. Rating: 3/4 of a star
3) The Hex (Allysin Kay & Marti Belle) retained its NWA Women's World Tag Team Championship in a four-way attraction. The bout was originally scheduled for just three teams, but out came Taryn Terrell to introduce her entry. So the other teams were Natalie Markova & Missa Kate, Kylie Rae & Tootie Lynn, and Jennacide & Paola Blaze (via Terrell). This championship encounter provided a lot of action, almost a Texas Tornado match at times. Belle especially showed some improvement. She took out six grapplers with a top rope plunge. A sweet combo move with Kay's powerbomb and Belle's kick to the head caused Tootie to fall victim in 6:32. Rating: 1.75 stars
Darius Lockhart announced he was not medically cleared for the next match, a 12-man gauntlet performed Rumble style. Consider yourself lucky; you would have gotten lost in that mess. Jaden Roller was next out to call Tim Storm a cheater. Imagine that!
4) Homicide won the aforementioned gauntlet in a rousing 21:25 to qualify for the NWA Junior Heavyweight Championship tournament. The first two men to compete were Luke Hawx and Kerry Morton. They were soon joined by popular Sal Rinauro (w/ Danny Deals). A powerslam by Hawx at 4:17 ended Rinauro's night. The fourth man was Ariya Davari, who was followed by PJ Hawx. The younger Hawx pinned Davari in 5:58 after a doubleteam backbreaker with his dad. Returning to the NWA next was CW Anderson (w/ George South Sr.). Then a youngster named Alex Taylor appeared. CW mercifully pinned Taylor, who was stinking up the joint with missed moves, in 9:14. Morton scored an unorthodox pinball on CW at the 10:53 mark with a sunset flip countering Anderson's spinebuster attempt. You'd have to see it to believe it. Homicide returned to the NWA, and a very impressive Victor Benjamin saw action too. Two exploder suplexes by Homicide eliminated Benjamin at 12:57. Too bad Benjamin didn't stick around longer. Former NWA World Jr. Heavyweight Champion Ricky Morton was replacing Lockhart in the gauntlet, and he was followed by Jeremiah Plunkett. I missed Plunkett's elimination, but he was definitely the sixth man out. Last man in was Jamie Stanley, who lasted a whole five seconds! A Morton eliminated the vlog man @ 16:49. Homicide was left with Hawx Aerie and the Morton family. The former Altar Boy Luke schoolboyed the elder Morton in 17:31. Son Kerry returned the favor by rolling up father Luke (17:47). Homicide hit Perry Hawx with a cutter at 18:41. That left Kerry vs. Homicide. An ace crushed by Homicide finally finished a game Morton off. Rating: 3.75 stars
5) In the PPV opener, Austin Aries pinned Rhett Titus in 9:02. This was also a NWA Junior Heavyweight Championship qualifier and an excellent choice to kick off the action on PPV. Sporting a little gray, Aries has not lost a step. His tope took out a fan on the front row. Both men did kneebreakers followed by back suplexes. After a big dropkick in the corner, Aries claimed victory with a brainbuster. Aries is moving on in the tournament (or series). Rating: 3.5 stars
6) The OGK (Matt Taven & Mike Bennett) retained its ROH World Tag Team Championship over Aron Stevens & Kratos in 10:57. Kratos' first name of JR has been dropped, but the moniker "Most Feared" has been added. Neither team used its ring straps to tag in and out. Kratos suplexed Taven out of his boots. Stevens appeared to be 99% back to his rulebreaking style. It took Bennett three tries to get Kratos up for a "Death Valley Driver." A cradle by the former Damien Sandow was countered, and Taven ended up on top to topple Stevens. The bout featured a lot of selling by the champs. Rating: 1 star
7) "The Last Bastion" Colby Corino earned one of his biggest victories ever over England's Doug Williams in 8:45. Corino was escorted to the ring by The Fixers (Jay Bradley & Wrecking Ball Legursky). Colby went sprawling after a Williams forearm, but the tope which preceded it did earn some frequent flyer miles. Corino blocked "Chaos Theory" and connected on a double foot stomp. The Fixers stopped Colby's momentum on the next "Chaos Theory" attempt. It was kind of awkward, but Corino was able to pull off the pinfall with the referee way out of position. Rating: 1.75 stars
8) Mickie James retained her Impact Knockouts Championship over Kiera Hogan in 13:22. The challenger, Hogan, was introduced as hailing from Atlanta. "Hardcore Country" hugged her challenger before tussling with her. Fans were really invested in this contest. James put away the challenger by rolling through on Hogan's flying bodypress to pin and win. Rating: 3.5 stars
9) Tyrus (w/Austin Idol) pinned the masked Cyon in 15:53 to retain his NWA World TV Championship. Cyon was cashing in his Championship Series opportunity (as if anyone remembers those atrocious episodes of NWA Powerrr). Tyrus was also acompanied by Blk Jeez and Jordan Clearwater (who was not Cyon here). The Pope (Elijah Burke) was our special guest referee for this no DQ, no time limit, way too long match. Pope threw out the riff raff but allowed Idol to stick around. Cyon used a chair 1:10 in. He found a bunch more chairs hidden under the ring. Tyrus went to the back and found a trash can (empty b/c they didn't sell concessions to us fans). The champion press-slammed Cyon onto the podium and posted the masked marvel. After setting up the in-ring plunder, Tyrus press-slammed Cyon onto four steel chairs. Following 12 minutes of really slow working, a table was introduced. Pope caught Idol interfering and tossed him out at 12:44. Cyon powerbombed Tyrus through this sad table, and even that did not faze the TV Champ. Suddenly here came the Goon Squad (it was no dq) back out again. Pope got fed up with the backtalking Tyrus and set up for an "Elijah Express." But it was Cyon who took the blow when Tyrus moved. All it took then was for the "Big Slow" to heart punch and pin his challenger. Rating: 1.5 stars.
Kyle Davis introduced Mick Foley who was dressed as Santa. Foley wondered how the NWA fit so many stars in one dressing room.
10) "The Masterpiece" Chris Adonis retained his NWA National Title by subduing Judais in 10:52. Judais was managed by the "Sinister Minister" Jim Mitchell. Adonis played the underdog role, while Judais was the monster. Known as Chris Masters while in the WWE, Adonis used Judais' half crab against the usual perpetrator. Judais applied a sharpshooter, but Adonis found the bottom strand. Adonis hit a big spinebuster, but Judais kicked out. A clothesline off the top rope by Judais was another highlight, but the challenger's leg started hurting again. Adonis ultimately pulled out the "Masterlock" (full nelson) and secured the victory. Rating: 2 stars
11) La Rebelion (Bestia 666 & Mechanical Wolf) retained its NWA World Tag Team belts vs. The END (Odinson & Parrow) in 7:45. A double tope by the champions grounded their challengers before the bell even sounded. Mike Parrow caught one champ on his next tope attempt and tossed him into the other titleholder. Odinson picked Parrow up for a DVD onto Bestia. Poor Wolf had to keep saving his partner from certain doom. 450 assisted 666 with an amazing hurancanrana of Odinson. However, Odinson soon put Wolf on Parrow's shoulders for The END's finisher, but Bestia rescued. In the end, it was Parrow taking the pin after Bestia's frog splash and Wolf's 450. Rating: 2.5 stars
12) "The National Treasure" Nick Aldis put away the "King of All Evil" Thom Lattimer in 11:15. There was a 20 minute time limit announced beforehand. Lattimer almost received a standing ovation for pulling his tights up. A pair of side suplexes (saltos) and a Lattimer bodyslam almost broke the ring. Aldis' "Falcon Arrow" netted a two count. An elevated DDT by Lattimer earned another two count. Aldis' figure-four leg lock did not gain a submission. Lattimer's popup powerbomb was followed by a "cloverleaf," but Aldis reached the ropes. It was a "Byers Bridge" which delivered the pinfall for Aldis. Rating: also 2.5 stars Davis was back to host an in-ring tribute to the recently retired Jazz, accompanied by real-life husband Rodney Mack. The ladies locker room emptied to pay its respects. Jazz even thanked Madusa, who appeared to be a producer.
13) Billed from Durham, NC, Kamille retained her NWA Women's World Championship in 12:41 by defeating "Living Legend" Melina. The challenger started out quickly, using her wiles to get the better of Kamille. Melina's "disarmer" was part of the challenger's early offense. She worked over Kamille's right arm instead of the normal left limb. Kamille fired back with a lariat but sold her right arm. A " Mutalock" by Melina surprised fans who were urging Kamille to tap out. Before Melina could illegally strike Kamille with an ankle brace, she received a winning spear from the champ. Rating: 2.25 stars
14) Trevor Murdoch is still the NWA World's Heavyweight Champion following a hard-fought battle with Mike Knox in 8:15. Referee Jerald Fritz went over the rules with both competitors. A superplex by Knox only garnered a two count. Knox' "Sister Abigail" floored Murdoch, who had to reach out and grab one of the three ring ropes. A rough looking but effective bulldog off the second turnbuckle was good for the three count; Murdoch scored the pinfall.
A post-match distraction from Impact Wrestling's Matt Cardona allowed Knox to hit another "Sister Abigail" on Murdoch. Foley re-entered and called out Da Pope, but the calvary got laid out too. It appears that Cardona may be next in line for a shot at the "Ten Pounds of Gold." Rating: 1.5 stars
Editor's note: Da Pope appeared to suffer a legit injury during this. Reportedly an ambulance was called.
Notes: The dark match started at 6:50 pm, while the pre-show began at 7:00. 'Hard Times 2' commenced at 8 pm, and the PPV was over shortly after the 11:00 hour... Idol sat in with Galli for the pre-show, and at 8 the announcing team was made up of Galli, Tim Storm and Velvet Sky... The GPB studios do not contain all of the country flags, but I did see the Question Mark's old flag... Aldis warmed up the crowd with a promo at 7:55 pm regarding his upcoming war of attrition with Lattimer... The Hex were sporting new gear.. No Christmas tree was located in the studio this year for Stevens to hide behind... Robert King officiated several matches, but Mike Posey (AEW) was not to be seen... The only pre-show result I learned from the previous night's TV taping was that Aldis was going over in his match-up.
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