By Marc Donmoyer, Torch Team Contributor

NWA-TNA pay-per-view #42
April 23rd, 2003
Live from Nashville, Tenn.

Show opened with the usual recap of the last few weeks. An excellent package designed to make sure everyone watching understand all of TNA's major storylines.

Last week's show was another solid outing for TNA. It was an hour and fifty minute long weekly show that was worth all ten dollars. Some would argue it was worth more than that. My expectations for a weekly wrestling PPV may be a little high, but I want consistent quality when I shell out the dough every time. Every show should revolve in the same solar system as last weeks show. I have feeling next week's show may exceed last weeks. So where does that leave us for tonight?

Raven was hanging out in a bathroom with the feet of his disciples. That is to say, it looked like a bathroom, and I could see 2 pairs of feet during his promo. Raven put over his destiny to become NWA Champion next week. He said he had a huge bomb to drop on Jeff Jarrett.

Goldylocks was in the SEX locker room with Mike Sanders & Glen Gilberti. Mike Sanders was wearing a silly outfit and says it'll be his ring wear tonight. Gilberti, enamored with dorks, said that's what he liked to see. Sanders said he didn't need to conform to �80s ring wear, and that he was still "Above Average" Mike Sanders. Gilberti pointed out that some people have been saying Sanders is below average.

Sex arrived to the locker room late. It was kind of stupid, because they all arrived late together. Gilberti was notably annoyed, and smacked Sonny Siaki. Siaki portrayed awestruck as A.J. Styles & D-Lo Brown came out of nowhere and started wailing on Gilberti & Sanders. The action moved to the ring.

(1) D-Lo Brown & A.J. Styles defeated Mike Sanders & Glen Gilberti via disqualification. A perfectly acceptable tag match with a bummer ending. Brown & Styles had control for awhile, until Gilberti & Sanders started to work Styles' hurt knee. Sanders put a brutal leg grapevine on Styles. They did a solid job isolating the injury, until Styles eventually made the tag to Brown. Brown cleaned house and nailed Sanders with the sudden impact followed by the Lo-Down. Gilberti broke up the pin. Finish came as the wounded A.J. Styles went to the top rope, but Christopher Daniels interfered. The ref called for the bell.

Match Value: 75 cents.

After the match Elix Skipper got involved. Brown & Styles were getting crushed until Amazing Red & Jerry Lynn made the save. That was short lived, as the rest of SEX took them out and beat them down.

Goldy was in the back with Jeff Jarrett. He made a few cracks on Raven being full of it. Erik Watts came into the shot and told Jarrett he had his back tonight. He showed Jarrett as straight jacket he had for Raven. Watts is kind of funny in an odd way, I'll admit it. Jarrett was annoyed, and said to stay out of it. Watts said he was going to go find Raven, Jarrett said he was going to get himself killed.

Mike Tenay and Don West said there would be an "ultimate sin" match tonight, as well as a #1 contenders tag team match between America's Most Wanted and Triple X.

Goldy was in the back with a downed Chris Harris. He'd been jumped and would be unable to wrestle in the #1 contender match next.

Triple X came to the ring and apologized for the lack of a match, and named themselves #1 contenders. It was Triple X without Low-Ki again, but what are you going to do? They're still the best tag team in TNA right now. They said Storm wouldn't be crazy enough to wrestle by himself, prompting Storm to enter, prepared to wrestle for the contender ship by himself.

(2) Triple X("The Fallen Angel" Christopher Daniels & "Primetime" Elix Skipper) defeated America's Most Wanted(James Storm & Chris Harris). Storm managed to keep control of both opponents for awhile. He nailed a sweet suicide dive to the outside on both of them. Triple X managed to get control and tore Storm apart until Chris Harris came out and stumbled to his corner. The match got really good, and Skipper hit a beautiful springboard corkscrew splash on Harris for a two count. Daniels hit his double springboard Moonsault from the top, but Harris kicked. Harris connected with an incredible spear, countering an aerial move, but it wasn't enough. Daniels hit a low blow on Harris, and Skipper rolled him up for three. This angered Storm, who "stormed" out of the ring.

Match Value: $1.75. Really good tag match, and evidence the TNA tag division is back on the map. I appreciated the Harris injury booking, but it kept it from being anything too amazing. It was still a great showing, and I'm excited for the Triple X title rematch. With any luck Low-Ki will be back in town.

Goldy was in the back with Alexis Laree. Laree was looking all over for Jeff Jarrett. Goldy asked her what she was going to do when she found Jarrett. Laree said, for starters, she would rip off his scrotum and shove it down Goldy's mouth. Goldy wasn't impressed. Laree then pointed out Jarrett's scrotum had already been there, as Goldy followed her into a room with an old woman. Laree upset the old women, and then got jumped from behind by Jeff Jarrett. Jarrett proceeded to beat the hell out of Laree, which I found upsetting. He whacked her with some trash cans and threw her in the back of a pick-up truck.

At the announce table Mike Tenay and Don West tried to explain the Ultimate Sin match. Erik Watts interrupted and said something, but you couldn't here him. This was partially due to the asylum cries of "Watts sucks," and "Erik sucks!" Watts was still looking for Raven.

James Mitchell cut a promo explaining the Ultimate Sin match. It's basically TNA's 18th version of a hardcore match. This one has barbed wire on the ropes (he mangled an apple to show it was real barbed wire), and all sorts of other things. There is even a ladder, but all you get for climbing it is a baseball bat.

(3) Team Extreme(Saturn & Sandman & New Jack) defeated The Disciples of the New Church (Mike Awesome & "KillDozer" Brian Lee & Slash)(w/James Mitchell). This was another intense hardcore outing between all of these crazy dudes. Some of the highlights included New Jack getting a dollar stapled to his head, and Awesome giving Sandman a powerbomb from the apron through a table on the outside. Saturn dropped an elbow from the top turnbuckle through a table (and I believe Brian Lee) on the outside. Saturn managed to put some great moves in amidst the chaos. New Jack hit Slash with a chair from the top rope, but Slash wouldn't pin. New Jack decided to go for the bat hanging from the roof, but didn't make it. It looked like Slash was going to get the bat, but the lights went out. Justin Credible was on the ladder when the lights came back up. He awkwardly managed to get the bat from the ceiling and cleared the ring. Saturn nailed a sit down powerbomb, and Team Extreme won.

Match Value: $1.75. Not as much of a train wreck as I expected, they went all out, and the brawl was fun.

A video of Trinity aired. It was not one of their best videos. It ended with Kash's cowardly acts from last week.

Mike Tenay introduced Kid Kash and interviewed him in the ring. He called Kash out for his behavior in regards to Trinity lately. Kash was smug, and said that Trinity didn't even have a contract with TNA. He said he owned Trinity. She came out and said no one owned her. Actually, she said owned, and Kash smacked her. She smacked him back. He said if she wanted to fight guys she could start right now, with him.

(4) Trinity defeated Kid Kash. These two managed to have a pretty convincing fight. Trinity hit her high spots, but Kash was in control most of the match. After she hit her moonsault to the outside, Kash managed control. Kash attempted a pin, but pulled her up on three with an evil grin. He hit swinging neckbreaker followed by a fisherman's shoulderbreaker. Trinity fought to stay in the match and the ref took a bump as all three hit the mat. Mike Sanders came out with the Harris Brothers, and ordered them to take out Kash - not Trinity. They hit a sick H-Bomb on Kash and Trinity rolled on him for three.

Match Value: 75 cents.

Goldylocks was in the back with James Mitchell. Mitchell was getting Slash all psyched out about losing his match. Slash ran off for vengeance. Vince Russo or a 45 year old Kenny Rogers could be seen in the background. I assume it was Russo, and that he had no idea he was on camera. Well that was stupid. Fine: 25 cents.

(5) Justin Credible wrestled Slash to a no contest. Sharkboy was entering, but Slash came out and gave him a reverse DDT on the ramp. That's a bummer, as Sharkboy just kinda left afterwards. Slash was holding a dagger (?!) and held it to Jeremy Borash's neck, demanding Justin Credible. Credible slinked into the ring and started beating on Slash. They wrestled for a few minutes, than brawled to the outside, where Team Extreme and The New Church continued to fight. I'm not sure if this was technically a match or not, if it was, it was a no contest.

Match Value: 50 cents. When given the time, I think Credible will impress, he seems quite motivated. There wasn't much happening here though.

Erik Watts was in the ring and called out Raven. Julio Dinero came to the ring instead. He seemed to have taken on the character of a crack head now. Watts said he doesn't want to fight, and that it's all about peace. He tells Dinero to go fetch Raven, but Dinero jumps him. Watts was ready, and flattened Dinero with a clothesline and a chokeslam. Alexis Laree came out and they outnumbered Watts. Jeff Jarrett did a run-in and snapped Laree with a DDT. He then hit the Stroke on Dinero. Alexis Laree tried for a huracanrana but got powerbombed through a table. West was questioning if Jarrett wanted to beat up the Laree and Dinero, or if he wanted to help Watts.

A video package of Lynn-Red aired.

Konnan entered to do commentary on the X-Division match.

(6) Amazing Red defeated Jerry Lynn to win the #1 contender ship for the X-Title. An exciting match for these two, but not a particularly special or unique story. It was very fun to watch with some amazing spots, as expected. Jerry Lynn had Red in a single leg lion tamer early. Red hit a standing drop kick, and a ring apron to outside huracanrana. Red wanted a baseball slide but Lynn caught him and hung him off the barricade. Lynn countered a head scissors with a powerbomb in the ring. Red kicked. After some more incredible spots, including Lynn hitting a sidewalk piledriver, they both tried to hit the cradle piledriver. Red managed to counter Lynn's attempt and hit his spinning kick. Konnan ranted through the whole thing, but was pretty good once he got serious and watched the match. He talked about wrestling being racist. In the ring the ref got bumped and Red was on the outside (he did a crazy fall over the stairs to the outside). Ron Killings did a run and plowed Lynn with his sit out front suplex. Killings then went and grabbed Konnan, saying they needed to talk right now. Red climbed into the ring and to the top turnbuckle and hit the infra-red on Lynn for the win. Lynn and Red hugged after the match, despite the interference.

Match Value: $2.00. Fun number one contenders match, and it looked painful at points. I'd imagine these two could have an even better match than this, but it was still cool.

That was the final match of this 5 _ match show. It was 9:40, and the rest of the show was dedicated to building next week.

Goldy was with Watts in the back. Watts said he was hunting Raven's. He walked into a room and got jumped by Raven. Raven gave him the Evenflow DDT onto a chair, and left Watts laying.

The Raven-Jarrett video aired, now with goofy music.

Raven and Jarrett brawled through the arena to the ring. As they were brawling, the lights went out. When the lights came back up Team Extreme were in the ring backing Raven. They beat Jarrett senseless, and West pointed out this was Raven's big surprise. They put Jarrett in the straight jacket, tied him in some barbed wire, and beat him with a kendo stick. Show ended as Raven cheered in triumph with his new gang.

Segment Value: It was enough of an ending to make me feel a little less empty. 50 cents.

This show belonged on free television. It had great build up for next weeks show, but didn't put in much effort to be entertaining within itself. The #1 contender matches were both good, and kept it from being a disaster. The Team Extreme angle is interesting as well. The annoying part was the lack of a 7th match, and the general feeling of you'll get more for your money next week. If this was the only PPV someone saw of TNA, I dunno if they would order next week's show, simply because they didn't get their money's worth tonight.

It was still a fun show, just not worth ten bucks. One more match would have helped a lot. Fine: 75 cents.

Total Value: $7.00. Next week's show better be good, I assume it will be. The #1 contenders matches helped this show.

Marc had dug the last few weeks of feedback. Keep it up, and drop him a note at MDonmoyer@PWTorch.com.

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