By David Miller, Torch Team Contributor

NWA-TNA LXXXIII
Live from the TNA Asylum
Nashville, Tennessee
February 18, 2004

After a one week hiatus, TNA comes back live tonight with the main story being the announcement of a new Director of Authority. My money is on either the recently fired Mike Tenay or Vince Russo. The line up doesn�t sound like anything special tonight, and the pre-show ran a scrolling message that due to unforseen circumstances, Joanie Laurer would not be appearing on tonight�s show. At least they acknowledged it before the show. Okay, it�s time to see what TNA offered us this week. Let�s go see!

A.J. Styles is the latest TNA employee to remind us that we should pay for their shows rather than rely on illegal �black boxes�.

A video recap of last week�s PPV was shown, focusing mostly on the new DOA storyline and nearly ignoring the outstanding Americas X Cup. Kind of shows you where TNA�s priorities lie. Silly storylines over great wrestling.

TNA�s sickening new intro aired, which included a video of Jeff Jarrett�s greatest hits. Scott Hudson (replacing the recently fired Mike Tenay) and Don West welcomed us to the show.

(1) Team NWA (Jerry Lynn & Chris Sabin & Elix Skipper & Sonjay Dutt) defeated Shark Boy & Jason Cross & Jimmy Rave & Rod Strong. The opposition for Team NWA was already in the ring. Some really good action in this opener. It�s good to see the talented Cross back in a TNA ring. Cross appeared as if he were going for his shooting star legdrop, but Lynn caught him in a cradle piledriver for the victory. After the match, Jeff Jarrett and company attacked Lynn. Jarrett said he was embarrassed by Lynn losing the Americas X Cup last week and told Elix Skipper that he was the new captain of Team NWA. Jarrett then cut a promo on Chris Harris, who he�s scheduled to face later on. Good opening match with the obligatory Jeff Jarrett segment at the end of it.


A video aired of the problems between the New Franchise and 3 Live Kru. This was followed by Terry Taylor (taking Scott Hudson�s place) interviewing Michael Shane, Shane Douglas, and Traci. Shane said he would go out there and Franchise Ron Killings� ass. I really dislike that phrase, it just doesn�t sound right. Chris Harris interrupted and cut a short promo on Jarrett.

(2) Michael Shane (w/Traci) pinned Ron Killings. B.G. James sat at ringside for commentary. I�d forgotten just how much I miss seeing Killings in singles action. Toward the end of the match, the cameras showed Shane Douglas beating the bejesus out of Konnan, who was busy doing Spanish commentary with Armando Quintero. James jumped up from the broadcast table to run and help. Killings was distracted by the extracurricular goings on, but managed to reverse Traci�s pie in the sky into a powerbomb. Shane executed a drop toe-hold and a superkick for the pin. Not too bad a match.

In the back, Kid Kash told the Redshirts that they had better win their match. They basically blew Kash off. In the meantime, David Young told Glenn Gilberti that he didn�t want to face the Insane Clown Posse in a street fight. Kash agreed to be Gilberti�s partner instead. Gilberti also promised to reveal which one, Simon Diamond or Johnny Swinger, signed Jeff Jarrett�s loyalty oath.

(3) Dustin Rhodes & El Leon beat The Redshirts (Kevin Northcutt & Legend). Both Rhodes and Leon were sporting new, more professional looking wrestling gear. A pretty decent match. Leon finally got the pin on Legend after a rock bottom. After the match, The Naturals ran in for a beatdown. Look for Chase and Douglas to be featured prominently in matches in the future. All four men looked good, but it was really nothing special.

Father James Mitchell and The Gathering cut a promo on Raven.

In the back, Kid Kash was dressing down the Redshirts. Jeff Jarrett came in and smashed a guitar over Legend�s head. Don�t cross the boss.

A segment aired that showed Jonny Fairplay on a talk show. He hyped TNA and the hosts seemed rather impressed.

Fairplay�s segment aired next. He was accompanied by the ultra-gorgeous Lollipop. Fairplay apologized for Joanie Laurer�s non-appearance, saying that she demanded first-class seating, creatine in the back, and a framed picture of Triple H. Ouch. Hudson added that she reneged on the contract. Fairplay then insulted A.J. Styles, who came out to confront him and called him an overgrown chia pet. Jonny ran his big mouth until A.J. attacked him. Abyss came out and began beating on A.J., starting their match early.

(4) A.J. Styles defeated Abyss by disqualification. Abyss overpowered Styles in the opening minutes of the match, but A.J. eventually took over using his speed and agility. Abyss set up a table on the outside, which Styles dragged into the ring and set up. He tried to powerbomb Abyss through the table, but Jeff Jarrett interfered, prompting the DQ. Styles was put on a table and Abyss jumped onto him off the top rope. The table was falling over as Abyss connected, so it looked very awkward and possibly painful for both men. Chris Harris ran in for the save. Another decent match.

Simon Diamond and Johnny Swinger both denied signing Jarrett�s loyalty oath.

An ICP video package aired.

(5) Insane Clown Posse (Violent J & Shaggy 2 Dope) beat Glenn Gilberti & Kid Kash in a Juggalo Street Fight. I know this was a street fight, but this was really not pretty. Violent J insists on trying to do a moonsault when he can�t do it. I�m worried that these two knuckleheads are going to hurt someone with their ineptitude. David Young tried to interfere, but it backfired. Dope got the pin after a sunset flip on Kash and a fast three count. After the match, the heels began beating on the referee. Simon Diamond and Johnny Swinger ran out to help, and Diamond grabbed Kash�s clipboard away from him. Diamond looked astonished at what he read on the clipboard as Swinger looked on nervously. Swinger began beating on longtime partner Diamond until black shirt security came in for the save.

Terry Taylor was in the back with Goldylocks. She was being her usual, sarcastic self and cut a decent promo on Erik Watts. Mike Tenay interrupted Taylor and told him to come with him, leaving Goldy alone and confused.

A video package was shown of the feud between Raven & Terry Funk and The Gathering.

(6) Raven & Terry Funk beat The Gathering (Julio Dinero & C.M. Punk). The Gathering nailed Funk with a chair as Raven was being introduced, busting him open something fierce. Good knock down, drag out brawl. Raven finally hit the evenflow DDT on Dinero for the pin. Father James Mitchell then came out with a taser and tried to jolt Raven, but Funk jumped in the way and took the voltage for him. Decent showing. Glad to see Funk wasn�t jobbed out again.

In the back, Scott D�Amore said there would be another Americas X Cup. He put down Team NWA and the U.S. in general. This time, it will be Mexico vs. Canada, with PWTorch.com Tool of the Year Teddy Hart as team captain.

Hudson and West ran down the line up for next week�s show.

Raven was in the back and said what he really needed to do was get someone who has no respect for his own life.....Sabu! Oh yeah! In the visualization of the night, Raven told Mitchell he would feed him his bloody intestines with a rusty fork while he was being sodomized by his own team. Okie dokie.

(7) NWA heavyweight champion Jeff Jarrett pinned Chris Harris in a non-title match. Pretty much your basic Jarrett match, only with Harris thrown in for some extra spice. I�d say it was main-event worthy, though. Harris had Jarrett down a couple of times, but Kid Kash ran out and threatened to fire the referee if he counted Jarrett out. Jarrett finally used the title belt in full view of the referee for the pinfall. Jarrett began to celebrate, but Mike Tenay came out to the ramp and said he had been re-hired by the new Director of Authority, who has promised to set things straight. Tenay then introduced a clean-shaven Vince Russo as the new DOA as Jarrett cowered in the ring.

Random Thoughts: Conspicuous by his absence was Don �Butt-head� Callis..........Can�t help it, I still think Goldylocks is entertaining as hell..........Shame to see TNA break up Diamond & Swinger, but the singles matches should be good..........I liked Fairplay�s segment and his jokes about Laurer and Triple H.

Final Analysis: By no means a bad show, but also entirely forgettable. About as average as average gets. Decent storyline progression, but nothing I couldn�t have lived without. Next week may be more interesting, as we will likely hear from Russo and his motivation for coming back as the new DOA. Get the replay if you want, but this review really tells you all you need to know.

Feedback is encouraged at dmiller705@aol.com or the Torch VIP Forum.

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