By Jon
COMMENTATORS: Joe Galli & Stu Bennett
NWA Powerrr celebrates the Christmas season with a drunk Eli Drake, a six-women tag team match, and two qualifying matches for the TV Title tournament.
CHAMPIONS
- NWA WORLD’S HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION: “The National Treasure” Nick Aldis
- NWA WORLD WOMEN’S CHAMPION: Allysin Kay
- NWA NATIONAL CHAMPION: Aron Stevens
- NWA WORLD TELEVISION CHAMPION: Vacant
- NWA WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS: The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express (Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson)
LINEUP
- NWA TV TITLE TOURNAMENT QUALIFIER: Ricky Starks vs. Eddie Kingston (**1/2)
- James Storm vs. Royce Isaacs (NR)
- Allysin Kay, ODB, & Ashley Vox vs. Melina, Thunder Rosa, & Marti Belle (**1/2)
- NWA TV TITLE TOURNAMENT QUALIFIER: Colt Cabana vs. The Question Mark (**)
*****
-CLIPS: Nick Aldis retains the World Title by somewhat nefarious means, Marty Scurll makes his debut at Into The Fire. Scurll wants a title shot, Aldis is ducking him, Aldis and his new group (The Wild Cards & Kamille) beat up Tim Storm for disrespecting him at the end of last week’s episode.
-Galli and Bennett welcome the home audience and we go to another clip of Aldis’ new stable from last week.
INTERVIEW PODIUM
Dave Marquez is standing by with Trevor Murdoch and Zicky Dice while Eddie Kingston and Ricky Starks wait to get their match started. Murdoch announces that he’s finally got an NWA contract to the cheers of the crowd, Dice interrupts him to talk about banging strippers or whatever. Out comes The Pope (fka D’Angelo Dinero) to interrupt/make his NWA debut. Pope is here looking for his version of the Superpowers/Horsemen to run roughshod across the wrestling landscape. Dice asks Pope if he’s the type of man he’s looking for, Pope walks off to join the commentary team.
NWA TV TITLE TOURNAMENT QUALIFYING MATCH
Eddie Kingston vs. Ricky Starks
Kingston controls early with a side headlock, Stark finally counters out with a hammerlock. Kingston escapes via back elbow, Starks catches him with a boot and a flying shoulderblock. Starks with a flying crossbody for a two-count. Kingston tells Starks to give him everything he’s got, Starks peppers him with strikes and a head kick for a two-count. Kingston catches Starks mid-air and sends him crashing with an Exploder suplex. Starks ducks a pair of clotheslines and drops Kingston with a sling blade. Starks catches a charging Kingston with a kick and connects with a tornado DDT for the 1…2…Kingston kicks out. Starks escapes out of a slam and rolls Kingston up for the 1…2…Kingston kicks out, Starks kicks him in the mush and connects with Buster Keaton for the 1…2…3.
Ricky Starks defeated Eddie Kingston via pinfall (4:09)
- As I said last week I’m digging this 6:05 time limit for the tournament…which I thought was starting this week but I guess we’re still in the qualifying round. I pay attention good. Fun sprint of a match, Starks gets the big win as he should. (**1/4)
Pope nods at Kingston before heading to the back. I’m into the idea of a Pope-led stable, I wonder who he’ll be recruiting.
-LAST WEEK: Nick Aldis and his new group beat Tim Storm up. Alright guys we get it.
INTERVIEW PODIUM
Marquez welcomes Royce Isaacs and a mystery woman. Isaacs says today he’s in a much better mood than usual because he gets to introduce everyone to the newest member of the NWA: Mae (May?) Valentine. Isaacs whispers something into Marquez’s ear, Marquez is all like “TMI, dude”. Isaacs wants to show that he’s not just a Wild Card, he’s also a singles competitor and wants to fight someone one-on-one to show off. Out comes “Cowboy” James Storm to answer the challenge. Storm says he’s got beer cooling backstage and wants to kick Isaac’s ass then tip Valentine’s ass. Charming.
- I appreciate giving Royce Isaacs some mic time and character, but admittedly I was a little taken aback at his jokey nature. Not that someone can’t be happy but he was coming off like an angry ass kicker so it felt like a weird 180 to me. But hey who hasn’t changed thanks to the love of a beautiful woman?
-Danny Deal$$$ ad for Highspots. Fun Thunderbolt Patterson reference with a preacher guy.
-Valentine gives Isaacs four kisses for good luck and continues stalling by having her give him a shoulder rub to warm up. Storm breaks it up and pummels Isaacs around the ring.
“The Cowboy” James Storm vs. Royce Isaacs [w/ Mae(May?) Valentine]
Storm rolls Isaacs in to officially start the match, dropping him with a series of rights. Storm goes for the Last Call, Isaacs immediately bails from the ring and leaves with Valentine. Ref starts counting normally, Storm tells him to count faster since he’s obviously not coming back, and revs up the crowd so they can all count “TEN”.
James Storm defeated Royce Isaacs via count-out (1:02)
- An entertaining segment pretending to be a match. I can respect that. (NR)
-The Television Title returns at NWA Hard Times next month…which is officially SOLD OUT.
INTERVIEW PODIUM
Marquez welcomes Eli Drake and a big ol’ bottle of booze. Drake grabs the mic and gets the crowd yelling “YEAH” along with him. Drake admonishes Marquez for trying to do some comedy during his promo time like he does between segments during the tapings. Drake has some new goals for 2020: some GOLD. YEEEAAAAH. Drake shows off his shoes of a champion and shoes (jacket) of a champion and laughs about his mistake. Ho-Ho-Hosephus and Mrs. Claus start singing Christmas carols and Drake drunkenly sort-of joins in, then lets the Santa-looking dude take a swig from his bottle.
- This was ridiculously but super entertaining. Eli Drake is the best.
The fun is stopped by the arrival of Nick Aldis, Kamille, and The Wild Cards to the interview podium. Aldis gifts his group (and himself) track jackets, and says everything they’ve seen over the past few weeks was a carefully calculated plan. Marquez asks about Ricky Morton’s less than complimentary thoughts last week, Aldis asks The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express out to the podium so he can address them directly. Aldis asks Morton to clarify his comments; Morton apologizes if he offended the champ. They shake hands, Aldis warns him about opening his mouth again, lest he end up like Tim & James Storm.
-PSA: Flag Football Under 14.
–INTO THE FIRE CLIP: Thunder Rosa injures Ashley Vox before her scheduled tag team match. ODB debuts to team with Allysin Kay instead.
Allysin Kay, ODB, & Ashley Vox vs. Melina, Thunder Rosa, & Marti Belle
The winner of the fall gets a one-on-one match against anyone on the opposing team. Rosa with a hammerlock on ODB to start, transitioning into the side headlock. ODB whips her off and drops her with a shoulderblock. Kay tags in and buries a series of jabs to the ribs, Rosa escapes a suplex and connects with a neckbreaker. Belle tags in and follows up with a running knee strike for a two-count. Kay shakes it off, connecting with a Samoan drop and tagging out to Vox. Melina tags in as well and Vox drops her with a, uh, dropkick. Yikes, gotta word that better next week. Melina rakes the eyes, and Rosa/Belle attack behind the ref’s back. Belle stomps a mudhole into Vox in the corner, extra focus on the taped-up arm. Melina with a shoulder in the corner followed by a DDT for the 1…2…Vox kicks out. Melina trash talks Kay, Vox rolls her up for a one-count. Vox kicks Melina away and Kay tags in. Kay drops Melina with a running boot, Melina escapes her clutches with a jawbreaker. ODB and Rosa tag in, the former hitting the latter with a fallaway slam. Vox tags in and follows up with a missile dropkick. Belle and Melina clear the other members of Vox’s team, Vox locks in an armbar but Rosa breaks out by BITING HER FINGERS and connects with a sit-out slam for the 1…2…3.
Melina, Thunder Rosa, & Marti Belle defeated Allysin Kay, ODB, & Ashley Vox via pinfall (5:46)
- Not the biggest fan of that stip but it’s whatever, I enjoyed the match a lot. Thunder Rosa proving once again she’s an alpha of the women’s division and introducing a new finisher to her arsenal was killer; gives her more options in the future. I do hope Allysin Kay does get to defend her title at some point though. (**1/2)
The heel trio stop by the interview podium. Rosa goes to choose her next opponent, Melina chooses ODB for her and she reluctantly agrees. Ha.
INTERVIEW PODIUM
Marquez is standing by with Anastasia Fisher of some law form, Tim Storm, and The Dawsons. Fisher picks two names out of the fish bowl for next week’s TV Title qualifying match and they are: Tim Storm (convenient) and…NICK ALDIS. Eyyy. Oh goodbye Dawsons. Storm announces that Momma Storm turned 95 this week, leading to a chant from the crowd. Storm says every time he visits she asks how long he’s going to do this wrestling thing, and for the first time he’s unsure. Storm says he got his work ethic from his mother, who raised him by herself after his Dad left. Storm says he still has something left to prove and while his body may be broken down he’s BAD and everyone knows he’s BAD. YEEEEEAH GO GET EM OLD MAN.
- From the outside looking in I was always wondering why the NWA went with Tim Storm of all people to be their first World Champion of the Corgan Era, but after watching Powerrr on and off since October I finally get it. He’s playing the aging grappler role beautifully and every time he talks I get behind him just a little bit more. Mea culpa on not taking Tim Storm seriously before.
NWA TV TITLE TOURNAMENT QUALIFYING ROUND
Colt “Boom Boom” Cabana vs. The Question Mark
I just noticed that the border around the time limit graphic is acting like an hour glass of sorts. That’s good design. No “Shooter” Aaron at his sensei’s side. Mark stops Cabana in his tracks with KARA-TAY defense, Cabana manages to outwrestle him a bit and roll him up for a two-count. Cabana tries a series of lateral presses, Mark kicks out of ‘em all. Mark squashes Cabana in the corner and connects with a KARA-TAY thrust to the chest. Cabana responds with a pair of Bionic Elbows. Mark dodges a corner splash from Cabana and he follows up with a pair of karate chops to the head. Cabana responds with another Bionic Elbow and heads to the top. Mark catches him on the way down with the Mongrovian Spike for the 1…2…3!
The Question Mark defeated Colt Cabana via pinfall (3:06)
- I was hoping for a little more comedy from this one honestly, and that was a little disappointing, but I’m glad Question Mark got the CLEAN win and gets to move on in the tournament. (**)
BACKSTAGE: Aron Stevens has a mic and a The Question Mark. They have their sights set on all of the BELTS BELTS BELTS because they have the power of karate…or as Mark says “KAAARAAATAY”.
*****
FINAL THOUGHTS: Brisk episode of Powerrr this week with some storyline progression, a Papal debut, Tim Storm talking my butt into a seat, and a host of fun matches. Not much to say other than I enjoyed it. No big spiel to make.
- MATCH OF THE NIGHT: Allysin Kay, ODB, & Ashley Vox vs. Melina, Thunder Rosa, & Marti Belle
- MOMENT OF THE NIGHT: Eli Drake drunkenly steals the damn show by riffing and singing along with Jocephus
