By Jon
COMMENTATORS: Joe Galli & Stu Bennett
On the eve of Hard Times Nick Aldis puts his World’s Heavyweight Championship on the line against Ricky Morton in a special 90 minute edition of Powerrr. Also on the show the two mystery contenders for the Television Title tournament will be revealed, and more matches will be announced for the PPV.
CHAMPIONS
- NWA WORLD’S HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION: “The National Treasure” Nick Aldis
- NWA WOMEN’S WORLD CHAMPION: Allysin Kay
- NWA WORLD TELEVISION CHAMPION: Vacant
- NWA NATIONAL CHAMPION: Aron “Shooter” Stevens
- NWA WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS: The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express (Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson)
LINEUP
- Tasha Steelz vs. Thunder Rosa (SQUASH)
- TV TITLE TOURNAMENT – QUALIFYING MATCH: Trevor Murdoch vs. Thom Latimer (**)
- NO DISQUALIFICATION MATCH: Allysin Kay vs. Marti Belle (*3/4)
- TV TITLE TOURNAMENT – QUALIFYING MATCH: Last Chance Gauntlet (*1/2)
- Nick Aldis [c] vs. Ricky Morton for the NWA WORLD’S HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP (**)
*****
-LAST WEEK: Team Morton defeats Strictly Business to earn Ricky Morton a shot at the World Championship in tonight’s (I assume) main event.
-INTERVIEW PODIUM: Dave Marquez introduces his guest Robert Gibson. Gibson is excited for Ricky Morton to get a title shot as he’s like a brother to him and he’s his number one fan.
Tasha Steelz vs. Thunder Rosa
This is a rematch from Into The Fire, where Steelz made her debut. She was unsuccessful then, will things be different now? Let’s find out.
Steelz dodges Rosa in the corner and cinches in a side headlock. Rosa whips her off, Steelz rolls her up for a one-count, Rosa with a snapmare and kick. Rosa plays with her for a bit, Steelz dazes her with forearms but it’s not enough and she meets the bad side of a flying knee. Steelz catches a charging Rosa with a back elbow and a dropkick and heads to the middle buckle but gets caught with a dropkick on her way down. A package-looking sit-out driver later and it’s over.
Thunder Rosa defeated Tasha Steelz via pinfall (2:48)
- Dominant performance by one of my favorite people on the NWA roster so it was a great way to kick off the show in my eyes. (SQUASH)
Marquez joins Rosa at ringside and asks what Melina’s plans are tonight. Rosa tells him to ask her himself, she’s the only one who knows.
-VIDEO: Nick Aldis announces that he’s going to invade ROH’s Free Enterprise show in Baltimore as payback for Marty Scurll appearing at the Powerrr tapings scheduled for the 26th. He then calls on all the NWA fans to show up to Free Enterprise to prove that Baltimore is NWA country.
-INTERVIEW PODIUM: Galli welcomes Royce Isaacs and Mae Valentine. Galli’s tie matches Valentine’s colors, a crowd member tells him to settle down. That was great. Isaacs says Aldis is doing great and Strictly Business’ stock is on the rise. Galli counters by bringing up Isaac’s “losing streak”, Isaacs says he isn’t worried about that. Galli insinuates the losing streak began when he started dating Mae Valentine, Isaacs is offended at the fact he’s insinuating he’s been losing because they haven’t slept together yet (heh?). Valentine says there’s nothing wrong with being pure and making your man wait. The f*ck was that stupid bullsh*t?
-ADVERTISEMENT: Dr. Austin Idol: Professional Wrestling Psychologist.
NWA TELEVISION TITLE TOURNAMENT: QUALIFYING MATCH
Trevor Murdoch vs. Thom Latimer
Latimer attacks before the bell, gaining control early. Latimer with a corner elbow followed by a corner & short-arm pair of clotheslines. Aw yeah. Murdoch rolls to the floor, Latimer belts him with rights and rams his head into the apron. Back in the ring Latimer hammer throws Murdoch in the corner and connects with a pop-up powerbomb (DAYUM) for the 1…2…Murdoch gets his shoulder up. Murdoch dodges Latimer in the corner and rolls him up, handful of tights, for the 1…2…3!
Trevor Murdoch defeated Thom Latimer via pinfall (2:30)
- Murdoch sneaks out the win and finds his way into the Television Title tournament. He didn’t hit one offensive move but he hung in there and got the win any way he could. I would praise this but I don’t need Jesse Ventura breaking into my apartment and telling me I’m a hypocrite and a secret lizard person. (**)
-VIDEO: Melina sits down with Joe Galli is the empty studio. Melina calls herself a “living legend” and accuses Allysin Kay of treating the Women’s Championship as a mere accessory.
-INTERVIEW PODIUM: Galli is standing by with Melina and the World Women’s Champion Allysin Kay. Kay is impatient, Melina says she takes as long as she wants and tells her to f*cking listen. Melina challenges Kay to defend the title against Thunder Rosa…at Hard Times. But first Kay will have to beat Marti Belle in a No-DQ match…RIGHT NOW. Kay says to bring it on and tells Melina she won’t be able to escape her forever.
NO-DISQUALIFICATION MATCH
Allysin Kay vs. Marti Belle
Kay apparently has to beat Belle for the right to defend her own title against Thunder Rosa at Hard Times? Fair enough. Belle attacks early, Kay connects with a kick and Belle takes a powder. Kay and Belle trade forearms and chops, Belle flapjacks Kay on the steps (well in theory, it didn’t really connect). Belle grabs a chair, Kay pulls it out of her hand but eats a kick and gently drops it on the floor. Belle drives the chair into Kay’s midsection and wrenches her neck between the chair by pulling her hair. Belle seats Kay in the chair and charges, Kay moves out of the way and she eats nothing but steel. Kay and Belle fight up the steps of the studio, Kay with a whole lot of forearms across the chest. Back in the ring Kay goes to hit Belle with the chair, Belle pleads forgiveness. Kay drops it, conflicted, but then Belle tries to grab it and Kay makes her pay by dropping her face-first into the steel for the 1…2…3.
Allysin Kay defeated Marti Belle via pinfall (4:42)
- I like the bit at the end of Kay showing some mercy until Belle proved to not be worthy of it after all, as well as all the stiff forearms and chops. The pacing was a bit weird though, folks waiting to be hit plus some glaring misses which took me out of it a bit. Overall though Kay decimating her former best friend worked, and I’m PUMPED to see her and Thunder Rosa f*ck each other up at Hard Times. That should kick ass. (*3/4)
-VIDEO: Recap of the Aldis/Morton feud.
-ADVERTISEMENT: The Spiritual Advisor’s Guide of Self-Hypnosis. Only available in VHS.
-INTERVIEW PODIUM: Marquez is joined by The Pope and Eddie Kingston. Pope is looking for his Super Powers and searching for his Horsemen, and when he gathers them they’re going to bring change to the NWA. Kingston says he and Homicide shouldn’t have had the match last week due to Homicide’s condition, but Pope pushed them a little too hard to do it, then says he wasn’t to blame. Kingston says they don’t lose, they learn. Marquez asks if he’ll be taking Homicide’s place in the Last Chance Gauntlet, but he refuses.
-Bennett is joined by Kyle Davis on commentary as Galli has left to attend some business.
-Marquez is with Aron “Shooter” Stevens, the third-degree National Champion, at the podium. Stevens is here for a Mongrovian karate demonstration and introduces The Question Mark who enters from the top of the studio. Crowd cheer and chant his name, Stevens admonishes the crowd for calling him a mark. Mark and two masked Mongrovian students enter the ring, one carrying a flag and the other carrying a board. They bow to Mongrovia and then to each other. Question Mark shows off the “Kata” as Stevens narrates. Question Mark shows off some KARA-TAY on his students as Stevens gives us some scenarios (“he’s got a GUN”, “he’s got a SPATULA”). One student pretends to pull out a can of mace, Mark twists his wrist and “sprays” the mace into his eyes. For the finale Question Mark goes to break the “Mongrovian Oak” board but before he can, Stevens announces he’s ready for the fourth-degree and can break the board. Stevens gets ready but one of the students attacks him from behind with the board, revealing himself to be…Ricky Starks! Starks heads to the podium and says he never, EVER forgets…and that’s the segment?
- Oh booooy could this have benefitted from being trimmed down a few minutes. All that nonsense for a quick Ricky Starks attack and awkward cutaway. Yikes. The segments on this show have not been some of the NWA’s best work.
-ADVERTISEMENT: Tony Falk’s Waffles & Tire Irons.
NWA TELEVISION TITLE TOURNAMENT: QUALIFYING MATCH
The Last Chance Gauntlet
Winner of this one gets Zane Dawson’s spot in the Television Title tournament, having aggravated his wrist injury in his win over his brother last week. Every two minutes another man will enter, eliminations can be via pinfall, submission, or being thrown over the top rope. Won’t that make it longer than 6:05 though?
C.W. Anderson and Caleb Konley start it off and do some RASSLIN’ to pop the crowd. Konley rolls up Anderson for one, Jocephus is out next. He charges, Konley and Anderson toss him out. JOCEPHUS HAS BEEN ELIMINATED. Konley connects with a spinning headscissors, Anderson dodges a dropkick and hits a sliding clothesline for a two-count. Next participant is Colt “Boom Boom” Cabana. They try to toss him out but he lands on the apron and drops them with a double springboard crossbody. Cabana with Dusty Jabs and a double Bionic Elbow. Cabana wraps Konley up in a double arm submission, Konley shifts his weight into a cover for the 1…2…Cabana kicks out, Anderson dropkicks him for the 1…2…kickout. Next entrant out is Dave Dawson, who probably should have been given the spot in the first place. Dawson splashes EVERYBODY in the corner, then hits an Avalanche on Konley for the 1…2…Konley kicks out. Konley with a back fist to Anderson. Dawson catches him in mid-air and sends him into Cabana and Anderson via fallaway slam. Next out is Aron “Shooter” Stevens who is favoring his back from the attack earlier. Stevens rolls in…then rolls out and hides under the ring.
Zicky Dice comes out to cut a promo during the match, calling the lack of cord on the mic “Outlandish”. Dice climbs the apron and brags about being undefeated in the NWA. Dice says he is a PPV wrestler and has tickets to BC Squared. He wishes everyone good luck for some reason and walks off, the match resumes and the actual next competitor is Sal Rinauro. Rinauro flips in and sends Konley to the apron. Anderson attacks, Rinauro hits him with a stunner. Cabana whips Rinauro in the corner, Rinauro catches him with a kickflip kick off the buckles! LOVE IT. Cabana splashes Dawson in the corner, Anderson connects with a spinebuster. Konley with a moonsault on Dawson and everyone covers for the 1…2…3! DAVE DAWSON HAS BEEN ELIMINATED. Next participant is Mr. Anderson who beats on everybody except Cabana. Rinauro launches at him, Anderson with a Mic Check for the 1…2…3. SAL RINAURO HAS BEEN ELIMINATED.
Konley fights out of the corner, Anderson moves Cabana out of the way and he misses the moonsault. Anderson with a Mic Check for the 1…2…3. CALEB KONLEY HAS BEEN ELIMINATED. C.W. drills Anderson with a spinebuster, Cabana attacks and rolls him up with a Superman for the 1…2…3. C.W. ANDERSON HAS BEEN ELIMINATED.
The Question Mark shows up, allowing Stevens to attack Cabana and Anderson from behind. Stevens holds them, Question Mark accidentally hits Stevens with a Mongrovian Spike. They clear Question Mark out and Stevens sells it WONDERFULLY by going stiff as a board before getting tossed to the floor. Cabana and Anderson are left; Cabana goes for a handshake, Anderson rolls him up for the 1…2…3! COLT CABANA HAS BEEN ELIMINATED.
Mr. Anderson won the Last Chance Gauntlet, last eliminating Colt Cabana via pinfall (12:34)
- A Qualifying Round built around the 6:05 gimmick ends in a 13-minute gauntlet. I know it’s nitpicking bullsh*t on my part to be annoyed about it, but here I am. Gauntlet was fine, Stevens selling a double spike by going stiff was funny and Zicky Dice cutting a promo just to brag that he didn’t have to be in the match was fun, but to be honest the least interesting man won. I would’ve been more excited for Sal Rinauro to pull it off. Give us a cool underdog. (*1/2)
Anderson asks for a post-match handshake, Cabana falls for it and gets dropped with a Mic Check. FRIENDSHIP OOOOOOOVER. Anderson teases leaving, then hits a Mic Check INTO THE STEEL POST.
-INTERVIEW PODIUM: Marquez is with Eli Drake and “The Cowboy” James Storm. Drake and Storm put over Ricky Morton, Storm says Morton made him want to become a tag team wrestler and that the underdog can always beat the big dog if he has the drive and heart. Storm gets everyone to stand up and bow their head in prayer for Ricky Morton to kick the crap out of Nick Aldis, Drake finishes with all sorts of nonsense, and honestly this is all very good. FINALLY A GOOD SEGMENT.
-BREAKING NEWS: Joe Galli announces that Matt Cross will face Ricky Starks in the opening round of Television Title tournament. We then go to ROH’s Quinn McKay who welcomes Dan Maff, the other mystery wrestler in the tournament, who will represent ROH as he takes on Zicky Dice. Maff warns everybody in the tournament that he’s the NEXT Television Champion. Cool. I don’t know who he is but he scares me so that’s a plus. Galli also announces that ROH/Villain Enterprise’s Flip Gordon will be taking on Nick Aldis at Hard Times. Galli goes on to say that if Morton wins the World Title tonight he will defend at Hard Times, but if he loses then The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express will defend the Tag Team Titles against The Wild Cards and the team of Eli Drake and James Storm. Galli concludes by announcing another title match for Hard Times: Aron Stevens will defend the National Championship against…SCOTT STEINER. YES, MOAR STEINER.
-Galli returns to commentary, and he and Bennett are joined by owner Billy Corgan. I admire his restraint for waiting this long to be on TV.
-Marquez handles the in-ring introductions for the main event. Corgan whispers into Bennett’s ear, Bennett grabs a house mic and announces that all seconds have been banned from ringside in order to make this fair. No Robert Gibson or Strictly Business allowed.
“The National Treasure” Nick Aldis [c]. Ricky Morton for the NWA WORLD’S HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
Bell rings, Aldis immediately takes a powder to jaw at Corgan and play some mind games with his opponent. They finally lock up, Aldis utilizing his size to back Morton into the corner with ease and breaking clean because he knows he has this in the bag. The arrogance of Nick Aldis is impressive. Morton grabs a side headlock and wrenches in as Aldis tries to whip him off, taking him to the mat. Aldis tries to escape with a belly-to-back suplex, Morton shifts his weight and counters into another side headlock takeover. Aldis backs Morton in the corner and chops him, Morton drops him with ONE PUNCH and the champ hides in the corner. Aldis calls for a test of strength, Aldis turns it into a hammerlock but Morton easily breaks out with a back elbow. Count-a-long rights in the corner, Aldis tries to counter with an inverted atomic drop but Morton dodges it and sends him to the floor with another right hand. Morton has enough and sends him into the apron, Aldis stops him with an eye rake and rams him spine-first into the post. Aldis hangs Morton off the apron and drives an elbow right to the sternum.
Back in the ring Aldis goes a stompin’, Morton drives his shoulder into the midsection but the champ fires back with a right hand and sends him careening out of the corner and to the floor. Aldis to the top, he and Morton trade rights. Finally Aldis comes off the top with a flying double ax, but it’s countered with a right to the gut. Aldis rakes the eyes again and slams Morton. Aldis goes back to the top, Morton slams him off and follows up with a hurricanrana for the 1…2…champ kicks out. Morton with an ankle pick into the Figure Four! Aldis fights through the pain and makes it to the ropes. Aldis charges, Morton with a small package for the 1…2…Aldis reverses and grabs a handful of trunks for the 1…2…3!
Nick Aldis [c] defeated Ricky Morton via pinfall to retain the NWA WORLD’S HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP (10:59)
- Ricky Morton may have slowed down a ton but goddamn if I still don’t root for him every time he wrestles. The consummate babyface and underdog. Not a ton of action here but what there was had impact and Aldis sneaking out the win was a nice touch. Corgan geeking out on commentary was oddly endearing as well. (**)
The post-match goings on are interrupted by a final push for this Friday’s Hard Times and a written announcement by Marty Scurll that he’ll see Nick Aldis then.
*****
FINAL THOUGHTS: If anything this week’s episode of NWA Powerrr showcased why it doesn’t need to be longer than an hour on a weekly basis. Things felt more stretched out and the flow of the episode just felt…off. Add in a couple of really bad segments and a gauntlet match that I’ll admit I probably didn’t like more than others for VERY PETTY REASONS, and this episode barely kept my attention. There were some good things though, I liked the main event and the random Storm/Drake promo. Let’s keep to an hour or under going forward though, yeah?
- MATCH OF THE NIGHT: Nick Aldis vs. Ricky Morton
- MOMENT OF THE NIGHT: Zicky Dice thinking the mic having no cord is “outlandish”
