[PPV Recap] ‘NWA Into the Fire’ – Aldis vs. Storm, RNR vs. The Wild Cards

DATE: December 14, 2019
VENUE: GPB Studios (Atlanta, GA)
COMMENTATORS: Joe Galli & Stu Bennett

 The National Wrestling Alliance presents its first PPV of the Powerrr Era as Nick Aldis defends the World’s Heavyweight Championship against James Storm  in a 2 out of 3 Falls Match. Also on the show Colt Cabana defends the National Championship against Aron Stevens and Ricky Starks, The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express defend their Tag Team Championship (IN 2019!) against The Wild Cards, and much more.

CHAMPIONS

• NWA WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION: “The National Treasure” Nick Aldis
• NWA WOMEN’S WORLD CHAMPION: Allysin Kay
• NWA NATIONAL CHAMPION: Colt “Boom Boom” Cabana
• NWA WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS: The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express (Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson)

LINEUP

• Eli Drake vs. Mr. Anderson (***)
• Tasha Steelz vs. Thunder Rosa (**3/4)
• Trevor Murdoch vs. The Question Mark (**)
• The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express [c] vs. The Wild Cards for the NWA WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP (**1/2)
• Allysin Kay & ??? vs. Melina & Marti Belle (***)
• Colt Cabana [c] vs. Ricky Starks vs. Aron Stevens for the NWA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP (***1/4)
• 2 OUT OF 3 FALLS: Nick Aldis [c] vs. James Storm for the NWA WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP (***3/4)

*****

-OPENING VIDEO: Stu Bennett narrates over footage of Powerrr leading to tonight’s big PPV. Gotta love that British bravado.

-Galli welcomes Bennett to the commentary table. I know Cornette is a trash human but I’m going to miss him on commentary. It fit really well. Rundown of the lineup.

–Eli Drake makes his entrance for the opening contest, complete with ENTRANCE MUSIC. They’ve spared no expense. Also it looks like the entrances are coming from atop the studio instead of ringside. That’s about it in terms of presentation differences though, ring looks the same.

Eli Drake vs. Mr. Anderson

Both men lock up around the ring, Anderson backs Drake to the corner and the ref forces a break. Anderson with a hammerlock, Drake reverses it, Anderson reverses right back. Drake escapes with a drop toehold, Anderson slides out of a headlock and goes back to the hammerlock. WRRRRRRESTLING! Drake escapes with a snapmare, Anderson back to the hammerlock. Drake connects with a back elbow and rams Anderson into the buckles. Anderson sent into the corner, comes running out with a clothesline, and drops an elbow for a two-count. Anderson with a corner splash and face-wash, Drake bails to the floor. Anderson stalks him back inside and connects with a back elbow. Drake reverses an Irish whip and connects with a stun gun followed by a neckbreaker for a two-count. Anderson escapes a chinlock, Drake connects with a scoop slam and an elbowdrop for a two-count. Drake connects with a shoulderblock for the 1…2…Anderson kicks out and Drake settles into another chinlock.

Anderson escapes, Drake buries a knee to the midsection and gets another two-count. Third trip to chinlock city. Both men trade rights, Drake with a knee. Anderson mounts a comeback, countering a neckbreaker with one of his own followed by a rolling senton for the 1…2…Drake kicks out. Drake goes for the Gravy Train, Anderson counters with a roll-up for the 1…2…NOPE. Anderson to the top, Drake HOPS TO THE TOP TURNBUCKLE and they duke it out. Drake blocks a sunset bomb and Drake drops right on top of him for the 1…2…3!

Eli Drake defeated Mr. Anderson via pinfall (9:14)

• I had literally no expectations for this one and was very pleasantly surprised. Good match and a solid way to open the show. Drake should be put into title contention sooner rather than later; he’s got everything the NWA could want in a representative for their company. Anderson was good here as well and hung in there with Drake, which is more than I think anyone expects in 2019. What a sleeper match. (***)

–Dave Marquez welcomes Nick Aldis to the interview podium. Aw they didn’t replace the Powerrr logo with the PPV logo, that’s sad and also a nitpick. Aldis puts over the NWA’s unlikely resurgence, causing the crowd to stand and chant “NWA”. Aldis says Kamille has been given the night off so there are no excuses. Marquez then introduces Aldis’ opponent, James Storm. Storm says when the dust clears Aldis will know he’s been in the ring with one of the toughest SOBs in the world and Storm will become the World Champion. SORRY ABOUT YOUR DAMN LUCK.

-VIDEO: Melina makes her NWA debut and joins forces with Marti Belle and Thunder Rosa.

–Tasha Steelz makes her entrance and Marquez joins her at ringside for an interview. Steelz says she always brings the Latina heat, and is the brightest star in the sky. OKURRRRR. I understood that reference.

Tasha Steelz vs. Thunder Rosa

This is Steelz’ NWA debut, and on PPV no less so it appears that they’ve got faith in her. Thunder Rosa’s stone-faced entrance RULES, what a badass.

Rosa grabs the hair and buries a chop to the shoulder blades. Rosa connects with a couple more chops, Steelz ducks a clothesline and connects with a tilt-a-whirl headscissors. Rosa belts Steelz with a short-arm clothesline and ties her up in a Tree of Woe, wiping her feet on Steelz’ face followed by a running dropkick. ROSA RULES. Rosa trash talks and belts Steelz with a forearm for a two-count. Steelz with a pair of chops, Rosa counters an Irish whip with a drop toehold. Steelz dodges a double stomp and connects with a kick to the charging Rosa. Steelz with a running stunner FOR THE CULTURE but Rosa kicks out of the lateral press, so not the win. Steelz dodges Rosa, Rosa with a pair of running kicks and a double stomp to the back from the top turnbuckle for the 1…2…3.

Thunder Rosa defeated Tasha Steelz via pinfall (4:16)

• Good match and win for Rosa. She is a KILLER and I love it. Steelz looked good in her debut as well. (**3/4)

Rosa attacks Steelz, Ashley Vox makes the save. Rosa fights her off and hits a shoulder/backbreaker and BENDS HER ELBOW IN AN UNNATURAL POSITION. Gross. This is going to put Vox’s participation in the tag match later tonight.

-POWERRR VIDEO: Aron Stevens pins Ricky Starks thanks to interference from The Question Mark.

–The Question Mark makes his way out for the next match and people LOVE HIM. Aron Stevens accompanies him in a karate gi and is called “Student Stevens” as he’s learning Mongrovian Karate. Stevens grabs a mic, shuts down the Question Mark chants, and is here to help Question perform the sacred Mongrovian flag ceremony. Stevens asks for silence so Question can sing the Mongrovian national anthem while the Mongrovian flag is unveiled. The anthem is just guttural sounds and it’s beautiful, like a human didgeridoo. Eventually it’s interrupted by the music of Trevor Murdoch.

Trevor Murdoch vs. The Question Mark [w/ Masked Flag Bearer]

Stevens is gone from ringside, replaced by a masked flag bearer. Mark uses some Mongrovian karate to start, flummoxing the Texan. Murdoch makes him pay with a series of rights and a big boot to the boos of the crowd. Murdoch with three scoop slams, Mark bails to the apron. Murdoch tries to remove the mask, Mark fights him off with a palm strike. Mark charges, Murdoch takes him down with a drop toehold and buries forearms to the back of the head. Mark ducks a clothesline and connects with the Mongrovian Spike for the 1…2…MURDOCH KICKS OUT. Nobody kicks out of the spike apparently! Murdoch absorbs some karate chops then lays into Mark with knife-edged chops of his own. Mark comes flying out with a missile dropkick from the middle buckle for the 1…2…Murdoch gets his foot on the rope. Murdoch dodges a legdrop and drives Mark into the canvas with a spinebuster. Murdoch heads to the top, grabs the Mongrovian flag and throws it on the floor! Aron Stevens comes back out to distract Murdoch, Mark with a DOUBLE MONGROVIAN SPIKE for the 1…2…3.

The Question Mark defeated Trevor Murdoch via pinfall (5:57)

• The Question Mark is OVER, BROTHER. I don’t necessarily get it but I haven’t been watching TV like I should have been (that’ll change). I enjoyed his shtick and his eventual split from Stevens should be fun. (**)

-POWERRR VIDEO: The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express win the NWA World Tag Team Championship for the 9^th time.

–The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express make their entrance, joined by Homicide and Eddie Kingston. They join Marquez at the interview podium. Outlaw Inc. is their insurance policy.

The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express (Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson) [c] [w/ Homicide & Eddie Kingston] vs. The Wild Cards (Thomas Latimer & Royce Isaacs) [w/ Zane & Dave Dawson] for the NWA WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP

Morton dodges a lock-up attempt from Latimer. RNR are apparently wearing the same gear they wore at Starrcade ’86. Nice. Isaacs tags in, Morton with a side headlock, Gibson tags in and they hit a double back elbow. Isaacs with a headlock, malfunction at the junction as he ends up running into Latimer. Wild Cards to the floor, Gibson holds the ropes open and Morton takes ‘em out with a tope suicida! Tremendous. Ref gets distracted, Wild Cards double team Morton with a DVD into a power bomb. Isaacs covers but the ref says there was no tag so he refuses to count. Latimer tags Isaacs in full view, and Isaacs covers for the 1…2…Morton kicks out. Issacs charges at Morton but eats nothing but buckle. Gibson gets the hot tag and he goes buck wild on the Cards. Sleeper hold on Latimer, Isaacs breaks it up with a double a handle. Latimer accidentally drops Isaacs and Gibson covers for the 1…2…Latimer tries to break it up but Gibson moves and he hits own partner AGAIN for the 1…2…kick out. All four men are in the ring, MORTON WITH A CANADIAN DESTROYER. Meanwhile on the floor The Dawsons attack Outlaw Inc., distracting Isaacs and causing him to turn right into a double dropkick for the 1…2…3!

The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express [c] defeated The Wild Cards via pinfall to retain the NWA WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP (5:02)

• Morton with his suicida and Canadian Destroyer ruled as usual. Surprising win for RNR, I totally thought they were going to drop them back to the Cards quickly. Dawsons and Outlaw Inc. were unnecessary to the whole thing though, they didn’t need to be there. (**1/2)

-Galli announces that the next PPV will be on January 24^th. Bennett brings out the NWA Television Championship which will also return at the PPV. HELL Y-wait the Television Title is debuting on a PPV?

-Marquez welcomes Eli Drake to the interview podium. Drake thinks James Storm will win tonight, then puts himself over as the next #1 contender for the World Title. Drake gets heated, Mr. Anderson comes out for the revenge attack, complete with a steel chair to the ribs. Anderson wraps Drake’s head in the chair and throws him into the post. PILLMANIZED. Officials come out to break it up, but Anderson fights through them and into the ring. Anderson sets up a steel chair and puts Drake through it with a Mic Check. Drake might be hurt but not too hurt to ignore his gum. Officials help Drake to the back and it’s time for the next match.

-Out comes Women’s Champ Allysin Kay but without Ashley Vox, who was taken out earlier by Thunder Rosa. Melina and Marti Belle are out next. Looks like it’s going to be a handicap match…until Marquez announces she has a partner: ODB!

Allysin Kay & ODB vs. Melina & Marti Belle

Kay charges at Melina, who escapes between the ropes to force a break. Melina stalls in the corner and tags out to Belle. Belle charges, Kay with forearms and corner stomps. Kay splashes Belle and covers for two. Kay fishhooks Belle and hammer throws her into the opposite corner. Kay jaws at Melina then caves in Belle’s sternum with a slap. Corner mount rights for another two-count. Kay jaws at Melina again, Belle rolls her up for the 1…2…Kay kicks out. Kay connects with a neckbreaker and covers for another two-count. Kay slingshots Melina into the ring and goes for a move but Belle attacks and knocks her silly with a penalty kick. Hell yeah. Belle ground and pounds, Melina finally tags in to pick the carcass. Melina is VICIOUS, did I miss that during her WWE run? Belle tags back in, side Russian for two. Kay almost makes the tag but Belle catches her just in time and applies a chinlock. Kay dodges a kick and ODB gets the hot tag. ODB bowls Belle over and hits a Fallaway slam followed by a corner splash and Bronco Buster! ODB stacks Belle up for the 1…2…Melina breaks it up. Kay attacks Melina and hits the AK-47. Kay whips Belle into ODB for the BAM and the 1…2…3!

Allysin Kay & ODB defeated Melina & Marti Belle via pinfall (7:22)

• I dug this one a lot. Kay took most of the offense and punishment, but let ODB shine in the end and shine she did. I hope she gets her food truck replaced, what happened to her is awful. This also did a good job of building Kay/Melina which I am far more interested in seeing than I was at the beginning of this one. I’m in on strong-style Melina. (***)

-VIDEO: James Storm picks Brian Hebner as his referee while Nick Aldis picks Tim Storm to be his. Lots of talk about if Tim Storm will call it down the middle.

Colt “Boom Boom” Cabana [c] vs. “Stroke Daddy” (?!?) Ricky Starks vs. Aron Stevens [w/ The Question Mark] for the NWA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

I’m so glad that Stevens has essentially returned to his Damien Sandow gimmick with a “movie star” twist, and I also love that he tries to steal Question Mark’s pops. Helps me remember why I was such a big fan and doing a great job erasing that TNA run out of my memory.

Starks goes right after Stevens, who hides behind Question Mark. Back in the ring Cabana and Starks tee off on Stevens ending with a double Bionic Elbow. Cabana covers, Starks pulls him off and pummels Stevens. Cabana goes for another pin, Starks once again breaks it up. Stevens is cleared from the ring, Cabana rolls Starks up for a two-count. Stevens hides behind the Christmas tree by the broadcast area, Cabana and Starks do some nice WRRRRRESTLING. Cabana brings Starks to the mat with a leg grapevine armbar and continues showing off how good he really is. Starks uses his speed advantage to take Cabana off his game and drops him with a shoulderblock. Starks with a flying crossbody, Cabana rolls through into a lateral press for a two-count. Stevens returns and does some Mongrovian karate poses, but he misses his double chops and gets attacked. Nice try, dude. Cabana and Stark take turns with chops, Cabana then tosses Starks out to try and take advantage but Starks quickly runs back in…and eats a backdrop. Question Mark distracts the ref, Stevens connects with a low-blow on Cabana. Stevens with a discus clothesline on Starks for the 1…2…Starks kicks out and Stevens can’t believe it. Russian Legsweep, Educated KARATE Elbow but he doesn’t go fo the pin.

Stevens clears Cabana back out after hitting a series of strikes, Question Mark getting involved as well behind the ref’s back. Stevens with a snap vertical suplex into a lateral press for a two-count. Cabana tries to re-enter, Stevens kicks him back to the floor. Starks surprises Stevens with an inside cradle for the 1…2…Stevens kicks out and turns him inside out with a lariat, but he takes too long to gloat and Starks kicks out of the lateral press. Cabana hops back onto the apron and fights Stevens off this time…only to be dumped back out on the other side of the ring. Welp. Starks takes the opening and drops Stevens with a sling blade. Starks lifts Stevens into an inverted atomic drop from Cabana, then they turn him into a wishbone. Cabana and Starks splash Stevens in the corner, Cabana clotheslines him to the mat. Starks hits a senton on Stevens, dropkicking Cabana on the way down, for the 1…2…not yet. Cabana blocks the Tornado DDT but doesn’t block an abdominal stretch. Cabana powers out and locks in the Billy Goat’s Curse! Starks bites the ropes to force a break, Stevens hides himself under a sheet because…reasons. That’s unnecessary. Cabana with a sunset flip for the 1…2…Starks reverses the leverage for the 1…2…no! Starks with a backslide for the 1…2…Cabana kicks out. Cabana counters a sunset flip by grabbing the legs for the 1…2…Starks BARELY kicks out. Tremendous. Starks connects with the Tornado DDT but he’s too out of it to immediately cover. Starks runs into a right hand and hits the Superman for the 1…Question Mark with the Mongrovian Spike! Mark holds Starks back as Stevens covers for the 1…2…3!

Aaron Stevens defeated Colt Cabana [c] & Ricky Starks to win the NWA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP (12:20)

• Fun triple threat match. Starks RULED here and looked like a million bucks, as did Cabana, while Stevens stealing the win thanks to his much more popular sensei was pretty great as well. Stevens is having the time of his life overacting and treating this like theatre and I’m mostly here for it. Surprised they gave him the belt but I’m not against it. (***1/4)

Stevens gets on the mic and says he did it with the power of karate. Question Mark corrects him with KARATAAAAAAY and they celebrate in the crowd.

-Marquez welcomes out Tim Storm, decked out in ref gear. Tim puts over how important the World Championship is to him, and will do his best to live up to that.

-FEUD RECAP: Nick Aldis vs. James Storm. Apparently Kamille whispered something in his ear.

2 OUT OF 3 FALLS MATCH
“The National Treasure” Nick Aldis [c] vs. “Cowboy” James Storm for the NWA WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP

1^st fall will be officiated by Storm’s pick Brian Hebner, 2^nd fall will be officiated by Aldis’ pick Tim Storm. If there’s a third fall needed a coin flip will decide who will ref the 3^rd fall. THE FIX IS IN.

Storm and Aldis trade hammerlocks to start, Storm transitioning into a side headlock but Aldis escaping via top wristlock into a side headlock of his own. Storm trips Aldis up and takes the champ to the mat with a side headlock. Aldis counters with headscissors, Storm escapes, and we’ve got a stalemate. The two jaw jack and out comes Kamille who is supposed to have the night off. Aldis tells her to go to the back which she reluctantly agrees to. Aldis turns around and Storm catches him with a Last Call for the 1…2…3! JAMES STORM WINS THE FIRST FALL.

Tim Storm replaces Hebner and Storm goes right on the attack. Aldis bails to the floor, Storm belts him with a fist so hard it even hurts his fist and sends the champ knee-first into the ring steps. Storm brings Aldis up the steps and into the crowd, using a member of the crowd’s foot to ram the champ’s head into. YES. They brawl to the interview area, Storm ramming Aldis’ head off the podium and following up with a suplex on the unprotected floor. Storm asks Tim Storm to make the count, which technically would give him the win and the title, but Aldis makes it in at the count of 9. Storm immediately throws him back out, Aldis reverses an Irish whip and sends Storm into the Christmas tree (which the camera DID NOT CATCH but it is what it is). Storm pokes Aldis in the eye and rams him on the announce table. Aldis tries to re-enter the ring, Storm sends him back out with a baseball slide. The action moves to the squared circle for real this time and Storm focuses on weakening Aldis’ knee. Storm to the middle buckle, Aldis catches him in mid-air and connects with a belly-to-belly suplex. Aldis connects with a pair of clotheslines, Storm with the Eye of the Storm for the 1…2…Aldis kicks out! Storm introduces a chair in the ring, Tim Storm warns him that it’ll be a DQ and he’ll lose the fall. Storm surrenders the chair surprisingly, Aldis rolls him up with a backslide for the 1…2…Storm kicks out and rolls Aldis up with a small package for the 1…2…Aldis shifts his weight for the 1…2…3! NICK ALDIS WINS THE SECOND FALL.

Aldis and Storm are separated. The coin is flipped and Hebner will officiate the third fall. THE FIX IS NOT IN? Fair enough. Bell rings and Aldis catches Storm with a Michinoku Driver for the 1…2…Storm kicks out. Storm with a jawbreaker, Aldis dodges the lung blower twice but not the third time and Storm covers for the 1…2…Aldis kicks out. Aldis sends Storm to the apron, Storm connects with a kick and heads to the top but gets crotched. Aldis connects with a middle buckle superplex for the 1…2…STORM KICKS OUT. Aldis seats Storm on the top buckle and connects with a pair of rights. He goes for another superplex but Storm headbutts him to the mat and connects with a flying elbowdrop for the 1…2…ALDIS KICKS OUT. Codebreaker from Storm, Aldis blocks the Last Call, Storm counters the Cloverleaf for the 1…2…Aldis kicks out and Storm locks in the Figure Four in the center of the ring. Aldis almost passes out but manages to turn it and reverse the pressure till a rope break. Aldis catches a float-over attempt and connects with a Tombstone Piledriver. Aldis heads to the top and drops an elbow of his own for the 1…2…STORM GETS HIS SHOULDER UP. Aldis is to his feet first and connects with a chop, Storm collapsing. Storm counters a backdrop and ducks a clothesline, ALDIS TAKING OUT HEBNER. THE FIX IS BACK IN?!? Tim Storm checks on Hebner and Aldis invites him in to officiate. Storm counters a sunset flip by sitting down for the 1…2…Aldis kicks out! Aldis eats a Last Call, collapsing into the corner. Aldis rips off the top buckle pad as he’s rolled up for the 1…2…Aldis kicks out and sends Storm RIGHT INTO THE STEEL. Aldis groggily applies the King’s Lynn Cloverleaf and Tim Storm calls for the bell. NICK ALDIS WINS THE THIRD FALL. The fix…is it in?

Nick Aldis [c] defeated James Storm, 2 Falls to 1, to retain the NWA WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP (21:53)

• A little shenanigan-y at the end but given the lack of bullsh*t on this show I’m willing to let it go. This was a helluva match and it’s nice to see the main event be match of the night. Those final two falls were knockdown drag-out fights and I loved the desperation from both men, really putting over how important the World Title is. I expected a Tim Storm heel turn and am delighted to not see it happen that way, or at least in my opinion; it was obvious James Storm was out cold so anyone would have called for the bell. Momma Storm shouldn’t be too hard on her baby boy. What a show. (***3/4)

Officials help James Storm to the back, the Cowboy stopping to salute the crowd before leaving. Aldis celebrates with his World Championship, still barely able to stand.

Aldis walks over to Marquez at the interview podium for post-match comments. Aldis says the younger version of him would have said it was his ring, but it’s OUR (the NWA) ring. This is the NWA where we WRASSLE and cultivate gifts. Aldis shows off the title and says this is how he tells the world who he is. Aldis says there’s not a man alive who can take the title from him but before he can leave the lights dim the music hits and out comes “THE VILLAIN” MARTY SCURLL. “HOLY SH*T” chants from the crowd. Agreed. Scurll enters the ring to go face to face with Aldis. Aldis shakes his head and walks off, shocked to see him in an NWA ring. And that’s the show!

…Or maybe not as the picture fades back in and Scurll joins Marquez at the interview podium. Feed is busted though so I don’t know what he says. I’m sure it’s real good though.

*****

FINAL THOUGHTS: Not a bad match on the show, a brisk pace, a stellar main event, and a surprise debut? Yeah it’s safe to say that Into The Fire killed it tonight. The NWA put on a good show here, limiting the bullsh*t and adding just enough pizazz to the studio to make it feel like more than an episode of Powerrr. I have ZERO complaints. F*ck yeah.

• MATCH OF THE NIGHT: Aldis vs. Storm
• MOMENT OF THE NIGHT: Marty Scurll debuts