By Jon
COMMENTATORS: Joe Galli, Tim Storm, & Velvet Sky
This week’s Powerrr features a National Championship match as Trevor Murdoch defends against Chris Adonis in a Back For The Attack rematch. Also on the show Nick Aldis teases a couple of potential challengers to his championship, Thunder Rosa teams with Alex Gracia to take on Skye Blue & Jennacide, and Sal Rinauro challenges Aron Stevens & Kratos to a Tag Team Title match next week which is pretty bold considering he doesn’t really have any friends except May Valentine.
…
OH MAN IS MAY VALENTINE GOING TO BEAT THE HELL OUT OF STEVENS & KRATOS NEXT WEEK?!?
CHAMPIONS
- NWA WORLD’S HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION: “The National Treasure” Nick Aldis
- NWA WOMEN’S WORLD CHAMPION: Serena Deeb
- NWA WORLD TELEVISION CHAMPION: The Pope
- NWA NATIONAL CHAMPION: Trevor Murdoch
- NWA WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS: Aron Stevens & Kratos
LINEUP
- Slice Boogie vs. Jeremiah Plunkett (**1/4)
- Tyrus vs. Matthew Mims (*1/2)
- Thunder Rosa & Alex Gracia vs. Skye Blue & Jennacide (**1/2)
- NO DQ MATCH: Trevor Murdoch [c] vs. Chris Adonis for the NWA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP (**1/4)
*****
INTERVIEW PODIUM
Kyle Davis is with the “REAL” World’s Champion Nick Aldis. Aldis is here to discuss a condition he’s been dealing with for a long time: always winning. Aldis brags about beating Aron Stevens at Back for the Attack and the six-man tag team match last week, he doesn’t know how to do anything else besides win. Davis asks if Chris Adonis is “Strictly Business”, Aldis tells him to pump the breaks and says joining Strictly Business is more complicated than that. National Champ Trevor Murdoch interrupts, not wanting to wait for his time later in the night, and accuses Adonis of being part of Aldis’ “band of thieves”. Murdoch DEMANDS another match with Chris Adonis for injuring him at Back For The Attack, and a No DQ/No Countout Match to boot. Murdoch even offers to put his National Championship on the line.
Aldis admonishes Murdoch for disrespecting him, but chalks it up to being emotional and not used to life at the top. He says they have one thing in common: they were both broken into the business by the late great Harley Race. Aldis tells Murdoch the number one rule in pro wrestling: never turn your back on your opponent. Chris Adonis blindsides Murdoch and rams him into the post repeatedly as Aldis stands back and watches until a host of officials and refs tell him to get lost. Murdoch gets helped to the back, favoring his head and neck.
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–Austin Idol cuts a promo about his wrestling school, which sounds cool as sh*t.
–May Valentine is backstage with the World Tag Team Champions, Aron Stevens and Kratos. Stevens says he left Back For The Attack a better man and dedicates his career going forward to the legacy of Joseph Hudson, and says he and Kratos understand what they need to do as champions. Valentine’s bff Sal Rinauro interrupts and asks for a Tag Team Title shot. Stevens agrees, and it happens next week. Who is Rinauro going to team with, I didn’t think he had any non-May Valentine friends.
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Slice Boogie vs. Jeremiah Plunkett
Boogie and Plunkett trade waistlocks, Boogie catches Plunkett with a chop and a series of strikes in the corner. Ref separates them and Plunkett tries a lunge but Boogie moves out of the way and drops an elbow. Boogie sends Plunkett running and connects with a springboard back elbow for the 1…2…not yet. Boogie chops the back and connects with a running boot, Plunkett dodges an elbowdrop and connects with a stiff right for the 1…2…Boogie kicks out. Plunkett connects with a slam and elbow, covering for the 1…2…Boogie kicks out once more. Boogie surprises Plunkett with a sunset flip for the 1…2…not yet. Plunkett ducks a discus clothesline and drills Boogie with a spinebuster for the 1…2…Boogie kicks out. Plunkett locks in a sleeperhold, Boogie counters with a belly-to-back suplex and the 1…2…Plunkett kicks out. Boogie gets sent to the apron and rams Plunkett’s head into the corner followed by a slingshot into a lariat. Boogie signals for the end and hits the Dead Ass Driver for the 1…2…3.
Slice Boogie defeated Jeremiah Plunkett via pinfall (4:44)
- For some reason I didn’t expect this one to be as competitive as it was and got pleasantly surprised as a result. Both men had me buying into some of those nearfalls, also Jeremiah Plunkett is a GREAT ring name. (**1/4)
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–Tyrus and Austin Idol make their way out, Idol proclaiming him the next NWA World’s Heavyweight Champion. Velvet Sky decides to step away to let Idol sit at commentary and avoid a dangerous situation, Tyrus mocks them for kicking a woman out.
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“The Great American Smash” Tyrus [w/ Austin Idol] vs. Matthew Mims
Mims gets a “BIG STRONG BOY” chant from the invisible crowd, which is pretty great. Ref takes FOREVER to call for the bell, seemingly waiting for Idol to finish his rant on commentary which is considerate I guess. Tyrus backs Mims into the corner and breaks clean as Idol calls his new charge the “MANster” and proclaims he is still managing Nick Aldis even though it doesn’t seem to be the case anymore. Mims tags Tyrus with a series a corner mount rights, a dropkick, and a clothesline but Tyrus stays on his feet. Tyrus catches a crossbody and drives him to the canvas with the World’s Strongest Slam followed by an Atomic Elbow for the 1…2…Tyrus pulls Mims up to do more damage! Tyrus SQUEEZES the trapezius muscles in a double nervehold, Mims connects with a jawbreaker and a series of rights. Tyrus regains the control with a T-Bone suplex, Idol tells him it’s time to finish the bum off and Tyrus SQUASHES Mims in the corner followed by a chokeslam (‘Nuff Said) for the 1…2…3.
Tyrus defeated Matthew Mims via pinfall (3:52)
- Austin Idol was damn near unbearable on commentary, talking SO F*CKING LOUD that I had to turn the volume on my TV down. I guess that was the point, be an overbearing obnoxious manager, but it was really distracting and crossed that line into go away heat for me. Match was pretty alright, Mims got some good offense and “BIG STRONG BOY” is an awesome nickname that is fun as hell to chant (look sometimes I chant stuff at home okay, stop looking at me). I did like Tyrus switching up finishers here, refusing to win with the same move from Back For The Attack and instead debuting a new finisher. Well-played. (*1/2)
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INTERVIEW PODIUM
Kyle Davis is with TV Champ The Pope and his #1 contender Fred Rosser, their match moving to next week due to the events from earlier in the show. Rosser tells Pope he isn’t ready for a fight, Pope remembers a young Rosser coming to him for advice, Pope tells him to be ready because he’s bringing that work, daddy.
- Aw man, I was looking forward to that.
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Thunder Rosa & Alex Gracia vs. Skye Blue & Jennacide
Melina joins Galli & Storm on commentary, can’t blame Velvet Sky for hightailing out of the studio entirely after having to be around Tyrus and Austin Idol. I have never seen Jennacide before but that is an AWESOME name and look.
Rosa and Blue lock up and roll around the ring jockeying for position, Rosa grabs a front chancery and Blue counters with a hammerlock. Rosa with a standing switch into a drop toehold and reverse chinlock. WRESTLING! Melina doesn’t seem to be taking Thunder Rosa turning her services down last week in stride, I’m sure she’s not mad about it at all. Blue belts Rosa with a cartwheel forearm and a superkick for a two-count. Rosa responds with a slam and a running senton for the 1…2…Blue kicks out. Gracia tags in for a couple of chops then tags out to Rosa to land a chop of her own. Rosa and Gracia connect with a double basement dropkick, Rosa covers but only gets a two-count. Gracia tags in and connects with a pair of armdrags and a dropkick and FINALLY Jennacide tags in, towering far above Gracia. Jennacide bats a dropkick attempt away and counters a crossbody with a fallaway slam. Jennacide easily breaks a waistlock and connects with a clothesline, then bodyslams Blue onto Gracia for the 1…2…not yet. Blue rams Gracia’s face into Jennacide’s knee and tags her in. Jennacide picks Gracia up and does some squats before slamming her to the canvas. Blue tags in and prevents the tag, bringing Rosa in so an illegal double-team can take place. Gracia connects with a Shining Wizard, Jennacide tags in but so does Rods who beats her into a pulp on the floor. Blue throws Gracia into the post, Rosa revs up but out comes Kamille who rips her in half with a SPEAR and the ref calls for the bell.
Thunder Rosa & Alex Gracia defeated Skye Blue & Jennacide via DQ (6:47)
- Interesting match here, Rosa kinda felt like the odd one out given her stature in pro wrestling at the moment but it was cool to see her mix with up with some folks I’ve never really seen wrestle. Skye Blue and Jennacide impressed for sure, as did Gracia, and I was really into this until Kamille had to come and be a jerk about it. (**1/2)
Melina leaves the commentary desk and jaws at Kamille, Rosa trying to hold her back. Kamille turns around and gets right in Jennacide’s face and the two stare each other down as the show cuts.
—
-Another Austin Idol promo about his wrestling school.
–Nick Aldis joins Galli & Storm on commentary. Galli asks Storm if he’s going to get back in the ring, Storm says he doesn’t know what the future holds and puts the focus on Aldis instead. Aldis says he’s glad Storm is not hanging up his boots or running his mouth about him any longer, saying he’s showing better judgment than he used to.
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NO-DISQUALIFICATION MATCH
Trevor Murdoch [c] vs. “The Masterpiece” Chris Adonis for the NWA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Murdoch enters wearing a neckbrace, a souvenir from the attack that opened the show. In all fairness Adonis looks beat to sh*t too, I think I see handprints on his chest. No DQ, no countouts, no time limit, THERE MUST BE A WINNER.
Adonis goes on the offensive immediately and tries to go after the neck, but Murdoch slides out to the floor to create separation. Adonis rams him into the apron and SLAMS HIM ON THE STUDIO FLOOR. Adonis rolls Murdoch in and clubs him right in the back of the neck but only gets a one-count. Murdoch starts fighting back, Adonis puts a stop to it with a back elbow. Adonis rips the neck brace off and clubs away at Murdoch’s chest/neck, covering for the 1…2…not yet. Aldis casually throws shade at Storm, Adonis cinches in the Masterlock, turning it into a Masterlock Slam but he doesn’t go for a pin. Adonis measures Murdoch and applies the Masterlock once more. Murdoch fades out and the ref calls it! ADONIS HAS A TITLE.
Chris Adonis defeated Trevor Murdoch [c] via knockout to win the NWA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP (4:44)
- Holy sh*t I didn’t think Chris Adonis was going to win the National Championship, even with the odds stacked against Murdoch like that. That’s awesome. I’ve been a fan of this guy since the earliest of Masterpiece days in the WWE, so I’m always excited to see him pop up. And now he’s a titleholder? Hell yeah. This match was alright, the No-DQ stipulation didn’t really matter or come into play though so that felt a little superfluous, but Murdoch did show some guts trying to grit through a neck injury to defend his title. Looks like Murdoch is being lined up as Aldis’ next World Title challenger and honestly if he’s the one to end Aldis’ 900+ days as champ that would be AMAZING. (**1/4)
Officials and medical personnel check on Murdoch as new champ Adonis high fives with Strictly Business members Thom Latimer and Kamille at ringside. Aldis makes sure to say that Adonis is just an associate of his group right now, not a full-fledged member. Aldis leaves the commentary table and celebrates with Adonis as well as the show concludes.
*****
FINAL THOUGHTS
A bunch of quick, entertaining matches and a new champion crowned made this a solid episode of NWA Powerrr to sit through for me. I’m a longtime Chris Adonis fan and to see him finally get some singles gold in a company I regularly watch feels like a long time coming; that I’m more pumped than feeling bad for Trevor Murdoch is probably not the response the NWA wanted to elicit but I am who I am. The women’s match was easily my favorite on the show, and it created a match I didn’t know I wanted to see in Kamille vs. Jennacide; I don’t think Jennacide is going to get the victory in that one but it gives Kamille a big ol’ monster to topple as she lies in wait for her Women’s Title opportunity.
- FAVORITE MATCH: Thunder Rosa & Alex Gracia vs. Skye Blue & Jennacide
- FAVORITE MOMENT: The *second* Austin Idol stopped yelling on commentary. Goddamn dude.
