NWA-TNA pay-per-view #37
March 19th, 2003
Live from Nashville, Tenn.
By Marc Donmoyer, Torch Team Contributor

Show opened with �Hacksaw� Jim Duggan giving a pro America speech. He punked out France and Germany. He discussed his children�s fear and led the crowd in a USA chant. What a strange night it is. Love from New York to all at risk, including all of us.

I feel I have to clarify my rating system. I�m putting a price tag on a really fun wrestling show. I meant what I said when I began reviewing TNA for PWTorch.com four weeks ago. I think TNA has proved itself to be a consistently entertaining show. I believe it could be successful on free cable and gain solid buys for monthly PPVs. It has a different energy and a different appeal than the WWE, and often includes incredible wrestling. There is no denying it has many flaws, but that is par for the course in Pro Wrestling today. TNA is forced into a position where it simply has to produce worthwhile shows on a consistent basis. Memorable moments and segments are great to have, but TNA has to continue to be special event every week. It�s a rough position to be in, and TNA has exceeded many people�s expectations, including my own. It has improved vastly from my earlier experiences with it. I hope it continues to improve, and streamlines the bad into good. The card for tonight�s show is solid. I�m going to kick back and see if they can break Marc�s glass ceiling. My only hope is that I don�t have to see a segment with Glen Gilberti�s junk accidentally falling out.

A long recap aired, summing up the last few weeks.

SEX was in the ring. Gilberti invited D-Lo Brown to come on down and D-Lo slinked to the ring with a chair. Sonny Siaki apologized for his actions last week, but D-Lo wouldn�t shake his hand. Gilberti said he understood then tried to pitch D-Lo to join SEX again. He said there wasn�t a glass ceiling in TNA, there was a concrete one, thanks to Jarrett. Gilberti told D-Lo that Jarrett was already having D-Lo fight his battles for him. I may be the only person who likes Gilberti�s character right now. Jeff Jarrett came out and told D-Lo that Gilberti was full of it. He said the Vince Russo D-Lo used to know has changed. Jarrett told D-Lo he would get his title shot, but not any handouts.

Erik Watts, Brian Lawler, and David Flair (The Next Generation) attacked Jarrett. D-Lo backed up Jarrett, but got triple teamed by The Next Generation while Jarrett was being beat down by SEX. Dusty Rhodes ran in and started delivering elbows. The faces were still outnumbered until America�s Most Wanted and Ron Killings ran in and cleared the ring. Ron Killings is back for active duty it seems, and he even embraced Jarrett.

Raven cut a promo in the back. He�s planning to win his #1 contender ladder match against A.J. Styles. The item over the ladder will be the contract. He says Pain and Trash are his family. I�m okay with that. I can�t help it, I mark out for Raven. Bonus: 25 cents.

(1) Triple X (Low-Ki & Elix Skipper)(w/Chris Daniels) defeated The Disciples of the New Church (�Killdozer� Brian Lee & Slash)(w/James Mitchell) via disqualification to retain the NWA-TNA Tag Team Championships. I was completely caught off guard by this match. This match had my roommates and me going crazy. It was incredibly well put together, and featured exciting moves and brilliant timing. It opened with Slash & Brian Lee clearing all three members of Triple X out of the ring before we knew who Triple X�s legal two were. Brian Lee dove over the ropes to the outside on Triple X. The legal men ended up being Low-Ki & Elix Skipper. Triple X took over and Skipper took it hard to Slash. The crowd was completely involved, and Skipper was really on. Slash was isolated until he flattened Low-Ki with a devastating sit-down powerbomb. Brian Lee caught Skipper with a great Death Valley driver. Low-Ki got thrown into the ref for a ref bump. Brian Lee tried to hit a tombstone piledriver but Chris Daniels jumped from the top rope and hit Lee with the title. Slash hit a great airplane, but no ref. Skipper had a play of the day reversed, but managed to hit it later. The ref was out as Malice returned to NWA-TNA. He�s in cahoots with The New Church and destroys Triple X with huge powerbombs. He caught Low-Ki with a nasty chokeslam then crushed the ref with an even nastier chokeslam. The New Church got disqualified, but stood triumphant. This is the most I�ve ever marked out for Malice. The match had great spots, and a really exciting story. I had no idea a match booked like this could be a show stealer. It was great fun, and I dug it the most.

Match Value: $2.50

It�s Lollipop in her cage. My roommate Mike loves Lollipop. He insisted I add fifteen cents every time he gets to see her dancing. I agreed to a nickel.

Mike Tenay interviewed Erik Watts in the back. Watts is better then the last time he talked. It was comparable of Steiner at the rumble vs. Steiner at No Way Out, but at least it was an improvement. Watts talked in circles, confusing Tenay, and said he�s been kept down.

Goldylocks was in the back with Gilberti and SEX. Gilberti was giving Triple X a hard time for getting crushed by Malice, and did his whole motivating bit. Mike Sanders came in and does a Sonny Siaki impersonation. Gilberti slapped him, and called him out for losing to Jim Duggan last week. He doesn�t want a repeat in their tag match tonight. Gilberti called Holly Wood a slut and told her to rip off Athena�s top tonight.

Konnan got the interrogation. He said Jerry Lynn and Eric Bischoff were punk ass bitches, and that Rey Mysterio is in a league by himself. He got upset when the lucha win-loss record was mentioned. I prefer when this segment is more subtle.

(2) Konnan & Juventud Guerrera defeated Jerry Lynn & Jason Cross. Jerry Lynn and Guerrera started the match with a quick handshake. Konnan protested to Guerrera, who seemed irritated. Guerrera and Lynn did some solid mat wrestling, followed by a nifty pinning predicament war. Cross came in off a smart tag by Lynn and nailed a flying wheel kick. Cross put Guerrera down with a brainbuster. Cross missed the Crossfire. Konnan got tagged and the match slowed down. It started to lull. It woke back up as Lynn was on Konnan�s shoulders by the rope and Guerrera managed a huge sunset flip on Lynn. Cross hit Konnan with the Crossfire but Guerrera made the save. Guerrera planted Cross and hit a variation of the Crossfire on him. Lynn couldn�t get off the cradle piledriver, and took an X-Factor from Konnan, but managed to kick. Finish came as Konnan used the ropes for a cheap pin on Lynn. This match had potential, but ended up pretty average. It was kind of boring.

Match Value: $1.25

A summary of the recent X division aired.

Goldy was in the back with Kid Kash and Trinity. She mentioned Trinity�s role in Kash still being the X-division champion. He seemed annoyed. Amazing Red came in and cut the same promo from last week about Trinity. He challenged her to a match, but it ended up being made a three-way title match between Kash, Trinity, and Amazing Red.

(3) �Hacksaw� Jim Duggan & Moondog Spot defeated Mike Sanders & Glen GIlberti. Gilberti & Sanders double teamed Duggan until Spot came out. Gilberti was so offended that Spot was Duggan�s teammate that he mouthed off to Tenay and left in disgust. Sanders was alone, and forgot how to wrestle, leading to a Duggan/Spot victory. It was thankfully brief.

Match Value: 25 cents. My roommate, Mike Faber, mentioned that Moondog Spot looks like a Morlock from the original �Time Machine.� Bonus: 25 cents.

Goldy was in the back with The New Church. James Mitchell said tonight was just the beginning. The New Church challenged Triple X to a four vs. four match next week (they�ll have a new member).

(4) Kid Kash defeated Trinity and Amazing Red to retain the X-Division Championship. Another match that worked much better then I expected. Most of the match was Kash vs. Red, which is fine by me. Trinity got knocked out of the ring early. Red hit a springboard elbow, but Kash kicked. Kash put Red in a lion tamer and turned it into a powerbomb, but Red kicked. Red hit his Red Star Press, Kash kicked. Red nailed an enzuigiri, Kash avoided the pin with the ropes. Kash hit his impressive flipping Van Terminator. Kid Kash is an excellent X-Division champion and worth my money. Kash hit a swinging neckbreaker followed by his fisherman�s shoulderbreaker. Red managed to kick, and Kash gave the ref a hard time. Kash wanted a top rope powerbomb but Red managed to hit a supercanrana. Trinity finally joined the dance and beat the crap out of Red. She hit every spot and head scissored Red all over the ring. She nailed a sweet tornado DDT and Litacanrana. Solid finish as Kash rolled with Red until planting him with a quick slam for the pin. This was a well timed match with very little error.

Match Value: $2.00

A recap aired, building the three on three match.

(5) D-Lo Brown & Jeff Jarrett & Dusty Rhodes defeated The New Generation (Brian Lawler & Erik Watts & David Flair). Most of the match was Lawler vs. D-Lo. D-Lo was solid, and the crowd was with him. There was nothing to exciting otherwise. Watts and Flair were fine in their limited roles, and Rhodes was never even tagged in. Jarrett eventually got tagged in. Finish came as Jarrett hit the stroke on Flair for the pin.

After the match Killings came in and raised Jeff Jarrett�s arm. As Jarrett celebrated on the turnbuckle Killings grabbed him and hit a powerbomb. I guess he doesn�t like Jarrett after all. I like the idea that so many guys want to take out the champion. It�s pretty standard storytelling, but it puts over the title in a major way. Watts came out and dragged Jarrett to the back. He had a rope around Jarrett�s neck. In the ring Lawler and Flair beat up on Rhodes. Watts took Jarrett outside after beating him with a trash can. He tied Jarrett to a SUV limo and acted like he was going to drag him. Watts didn�t start the car and taunted Jarrett. He said he didn�t want to get arrested, but that he had a bigger plan for Jarrett. He was excited because he was �in Jarrett�s head.� The segment didn�t really work for me. With Styles, Raven, Killings, and D-Lo all wanting a piece of Jarrett, why should I care about Watts?

Match Value: 75 cents. I�m including the post match shenanigans.

The New Church assaulted the SEX dressing room but no one was home. They got jumped from behind and Malice is beat down by Triple X and SEX. Gilberti ordered Siaki to take Holly Wood to the ring and show Athena�s boobs. In the ring Siaki called Athena out. She came in and beat down Wood but didn�t bare any breasts. Siaki told Athena to pull off Wood�s top. He said everyone would rather see Wood�s boobs then Athena�s anyway. Athena slapped Siaki. He gave his mic to Holly Wood and delivered the Siakilypse Now on Athena. David Young ran in to defend Athena, and Siaki and Wood left the ring to heavy boos.

Mike Tenay and Don West put over next weeks show. It�s going to include Jerry Lynn vs. Konnan, and the four on four New Church match.

My roommate demanded there be a bonus for Lollipop. She does add a certain something, bonus: 50 cents.

A cool recap aired of Raven-Styles for the #1 contendership.

(6) Raven defeated A.J. Styles in a #1 contenders hardcore ladder match. Not as crazy a match as I�d expected, but still entertaining. It seemed to lack an intensity I would have liked to have seen, but still managed to be an alright main event. Raven was sitting in the corner of the ring when Styles surprised him and took control. Styles controlled the match for awhile, hitting an incredible springboard moonsault. Styles put a trashcan on Raven before hitting a sharp kick. Styles stole Raven�s moves as he hit a drop toe hold to the chair and an evenflow DDT to the chair. Raven took control back by clocking Styles with the ladder. Raven started bleeding early. What this match lacked in flow, it did make up for in roughness. Raven had control but took a huracanrana off the ladder. Raven hit his signature Russian leg sweep into the barricade on the outside. Raven wanted to use the table on the outside. Styles hit a superkick and managed to get Raven on the table. Styles went to the top, and Raven grabbed the ref for protection while on the table. Styles dropped a top rope leg drop to the outside anyway, crushing Raven and the ref. The crowd chanted. Styles seemed to have the match won until Gilberti ran in and powerbombed Styles from inside the ring through a table on the outside. This convincingly put Styles out and Raven climbed the ladder for the win. It was a good match, but nothing special. I prefer to see more on the ladder struggle than trashcan shots. Raven was a bloody mess, and both guys put a lot into it.

Match Value: $2.00

A well put together PPV. No technical errors, solid flow, good announcing, great energy. Bonus: $1.00

Total Value: $10.00. I enjoyed it from start to finish and I got my money�s worth. Imagine if they improve from here?

Marc digs feedback. Drop him a note at MDonmoyer@PWTorch.com

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