NWA Wildside TV review
Aired in national syndication on May 31, 2003
Taped on May 3, 2003 at the NWA Arena in Cornelia, Ga
By Larry Goodman, PWTorch.com correspondent

"No, it's not the latest reality based nonsense on prime time TV. It's actually the best pro wrestling in North America."

Steven Prazak opened this week's episode of NWA Wildside with thanks to Scott Hudson for subbing while he was on vacation. Dan "The Dragon" Wilson wanted to know how Prazak could afford the Bahamas on a meager Wildside salary. Prazak replied that some people got paid more than Dragon. Wilson threatened to go to the HR department.

Wilson said last week's show had a segment that was supposed to put the rumors to rest about the problems in the Scottie Wrenn/Tank partnership. What we got instead was Tank joining Al Getz Enterprises in perpetrating a gang attack on Wrenn. The other major development was Iceberg's destruction of "rookie upstart" Jason Blackman. Wildside CEO Rick Michaels was going address that situation in just a few minutes. Also during this hour, the NWA North American Champion, Jorge Estrada was going to defend his title against the challenge of "The Texas Sandstorm" Hotstuff Hernandez.

The first of two vignettes featuring NWA Wildside Junior Champion, Salvatore Rinauro aired. Sal was at the concession stand, trying to talk concession lady Sandy into signing a petition to reinstate the Phoenix Fury Legdrop. "Now I know I may have dropped a few people on their heads, but it's wrestling. I wanna win. I'm a champion and I want to keep this bad boy." Sandy blew him off and tried to sell him some popcorn. Rinauro left in a huff when he heard the price was one dollar.

Dan "The Dragon" Wilson honored Rick Michaels with an introduction highlighting his in-ring accomplishments. Michaels called out Attorney/Agent Jeff G. Bailey. Michaels said he wanted to knock the crap out of Bailey, but since he was a Wildside official, he was going to take the high road. The fans were begging Michaels to get physical with Bailey. Michaels said he saw Bailey whip Jason Blackman like an animal last week. "He's a human being." Michaels accused Bailey of targeting Blackman as way of insulting the him, because Blackman was he last trainee. Michaels told Bailey he didn't need to go through anyone else. "If you've got something to say to me, bitch, then say it." Bailey responded:

I understand how your love for this business enslaved, degraded and eventually destroyed you. You're no longer the man you once were. You're a shell of your former self. What you've become is a burden to your friends and your family. The job you're doing around here is mediocre at best.

Bailey claimed that things ran smoothly during his tenure as CEO and made a "generous" offer to take over. Bailey set up a classic line by suggesting that they might even work together. "We could be just like Steven Hawkings. I would be the smartest man half and you could be the worthless cripple half."

Michaels had heard enough. He readily admitted that he wasn't ready to go with any of the boys in the back but even at 25%, he could take care of Bailey. "If we ever get face to face again, I'm going to stick my boot so far up your ass that you're gonna floss my shoe string, bitch." As Michaels started to walk away, Bailey clubbed him in the back, a back that had gone under knife less than a week earlier. Bailey pulled off his belt and got in five good licks across Michaels' back before a slew of people, including Rick's wife Tonya, hit the ring to make the save. Bailey escaped out the back door. As they were tending to Michaels, Wilson was screaming about Michaels' recent career ending surgery. Michaels left under his own power, but Wilson later reported that Michaels went to the hospital as a precautionary measure. Prazak's wish for Bailey was inoperable tumor at the base of his spine.

The next segment opened with Air Paris in the ring. Paris addressed the stories about his no-shows, saying that you don't get the privilege of seeing Air Paris for $10. The way Paris figured it, fans had now forked over $30 to see him. Now it was Sexton that was the no-show. "If you're not man enough to face me, you can lick my balls." Sexton appeared on the video screen. Sexton said he had met Paris's henchmen, Nemesis and "Simon Semen" and superkicked both of them. That left Paris as the only one he hadn't superkicked. Sexton said it was his turn to waste Paris's time and he would face Paris when HE was ready. Paris said Sexton was never going to be a star and called for a ref to count Sexton out. Andrew Thomas called for the bell, but Sexton came through the crowd to enter the ring leading to...

(1) Todd Sexton beat Air Paris in 5:25. So the Paris-Sexton program that got off to such a promising start amounted to nothing more than this one battle of the superkicks. Paris is a classic case of a guy with a great mind for the business that lacks the character and maturity to take advantage of what he has. It's almost gotten to where dealing with Paris is like making friends with the snake in that story Jake Roberts used to tell. He had the appearance of someone that who hadn't done any lifting lately except 12 ounce curls. This looked like a burial, being as though Paris had the benefit of heavy outside interference and was still pinned cleanly in short order.

Sexton decked Paris with one punch and tried for the superkick. Paris took a powder. Paris went into reverse gear until he got chance to poke Sexton in the eyes. Paris pummeled Sexton with right hands. Sexton blocked a Paris superkick and fired back. Sexton hit a spinwheel kick for a two count. Paris pulled up and kicked Sexton low on a leapfrog. Paris raked the eyes and chopped Sexton in the corner. Sexton spun Paris around to deliver some chops of his own. Sexton whipped Paris across the ring and charged into a boot. Paris clotheslined Sexton for a two count. Sexton elbowed out of a rear chinlock. Sexton hit a reverse atomic drop. "Paris's dumplings just got glazed," said Prazak. They exchanged punches. Sexton used a jawjacker, a clothesline and a flying forearm into the corner. Reversals both ways and it was Paris that was first to connect with a superkick. Sexton rolled to the outside. Paris crotched himself on the rail trying for another superkick. Sexton knocked Paris off the rail with a superkick. Sexton rolled Paris back inside for a cover. 1..2..Nemesis pulled ref Andrew Thomas out of the ring. Sexton went after Simon Sermon, who was up on the apron. Sermon ducked and shoved Sexton into a superkick by Paris. Cover with no ref to count, but Sexton got a foot on the ropes anyway. Thomas finally started the count and Sexton kicked out. Paris had Sermon hold Sexton steady for another superkick. Bullseye on Sermon. Paris was like "what have I done?" Paris turned and ducked, but Sexton reloaded and nailed him the superkick for the pin. Wilson said Sexton had put a stop to Paris's verbal diarrhea with a superkick enema. Funny line even though it didn't make sense.

Murder One was in the ring with Shadow. M1 said the fans were ungrateful bastards because he had given them his best over the last two years. "Damn it. I've even given you a big fat white dude (Tank) going down Level Grove Road on the back of an SUV." He told the crackers to direct their attention to the Murdertron for a viewing of the "Murder One mix tape." M1 and Shadow were shown stalking Lewis in his car. When Lewis got out, they beat him down. Back in the ring, M1 proclaimed himself to be Oscar material as an actor. Cut to a live shot on the video screen, where Lewis was shown pulling up in the Arena parking lot. Lewis approached the building with his shirt torn up and wearing a huge patch over his eye. M1 greeted Lewis as he stumbled down the ramp. "Hey, you turn Hulk or what, you bitch." Lewis said it was always two on one: chains, knucks, blunts and now a parking lot attack. Lewis vowed to get a partner and even things up. M1 advised Lewis to get some glasses. Lewis said he may need glasses but he could still kick some asses.

The saga of Rinauro and his petition continued. Sal was at the ticket counter whispering sweet nothings to his Rookie of the Year trophy. Sal tried to get box office lady Maria to support the return of the Phoenix Fury Legdrop "the biggest, dopest, baddest, too hot for TV, for sheezy, if you know what I meanzy finisher." Rinauro said anybody could see that Jeremy V's neck was toast long before taking "the boom" of the PFL. Rinauro got insulted when Maria ignored him and offered to sell him a ticket for the show. He kissed his Rookie of the Year trophy. "C'mon sweetheart. I love you so much."

(2) Hotstuff Hernandez beat Jorge Estrada to win the NWA North American Title in 7:58.
This match didn't do much to help the status of the title. Their styles didn't mesh well at all. On the other hand, it wasn't as bad as some of the atrocities committed against other NWA belts. It didn't serve Wildside well either. Hernandez sold too much, too early for the guy being built up as the babyface monster capable of ending Iceberg's reign.

Hernandez powered out of the lock up. Estrada out-quicked Hernandez for a waistlock. Hernandez with a standing switch. Estrada took Hernandez down for a two count. Hernandez lunged into a drop toehold. Estrada took Hernandez off his feet again with a dropkick. Hernandez telegraphed a backdrop and ate a boot. Estrada scored with an armdrag and barred the arm. Hernandez did a pair of impressive leapfrogs and clotheslined Estrada, first with the right arm and then with the left. The champion was reeling. Estrada escaped from a press slam, but Hernandez dropped him with a Michinoku driver. Hernandez lit Estrada up with a chop. Hernandez suplexed Estrada by his neck for a two count. Hernandez hit a slingshot splash for another two count. Estrada caught Hernandez with a short powerbomb for two. Estrada applied a sloppy rear chinlock. Hernandez fought his way out and Estrada decked him again with a lariat. Estrada did a pair of flying forearms into the corners but went to the well once too often. Hernandez deposited Estrada's crotch on the top rope and hit a springboard dropkick that sent Estrada to the floor. Hernandez followed him out. Estrada ducked a clothesline and chopped Hernandez against the rail. Estrada did a missile dropkick and covered, but Hernandez managed to roll a shoulder. Hernandez hit a Dominator for a near fall. Hernandez went to the top. Estrada dropkicked Hernandez into a crotch shot on the top buckle. Looked bad because Hernandez mis-timed the bump. Awkward transition into a super huracanrana by Estrada. Cover and Hernandez kicked out at two. Estrada tried for a moonsault and took the third top rope crotch bump of the match. Hernandez gave Estrada a crucifix toss powerbomb for distance. New champion. Wilson said that might make Hernandez the number one contender for the Wildside title.

(3) Jason Cross (with Jeff G. Bailey) beat Jimmy Rave in 6:43. This was close to perfect for a hot TV length match. Both have shown so much improvement. They couldn't have done this match a year ago. Cross is showing good charisma as an egotistical heel. Rave has been elevated through his work in consecutive singles match losses to Rainman and Cross.

Cross got off to a cocky start, slapping Rave across the face and doing a backflip. Rave started firing chops, followed by stiff lariats, the last of which sent Cross over the top. Bailey tried to pull Rave's leg to no avail. Rave telegraphed a backdrop and ate a boot. Cross hit a reverse enziguiri. Cross caught Rave in the corner with a high kick to the face. Cross did a trio of legdrops, topped off with a somersault legdrop and a nonchalant cover for a two count. Cross applied a rolling head-scissors and leg grapevine submission. Rave got a leg under the ropes. Reversals back and forth until Cross landed a somersault kick. Cross pantomimed putting Rave to sleep. Another lazy cover for two. Cross kicked Rave in the ribs. Cross set up for a brainbuster, but it was Rave planting Cross with the brainbuster instead. Rave crawled to make a cover for a two count. Cross reversed a whip. Rave looking for a spinning DDT...no. Cross with a clothesline...no. Rave with a release german suplex...yes. Cross blocked a reverse roll up and landed a kick to the head that left Rave in a heap. Cross went to the top, but Rave countered that double underhook flippy thing and snapped Cross off the ropes. Cross landed on his feet and struck a pose. Rave surprised him with a Thunder Fire Powerbomb. 1..2..Cross kicked out and Rave immediately locked in a crossface. Cross made the ropes with help from Bailey. Rave kicked Cross in the kidney and lowered his kneepad for a Shining Wizard. Cross it off with a dropkick to the knee and hit that sweet rolling double underhook reverse facebuster. Rave sold it like he was done before throwing a foot over the ropes. Cross threatened ref Speedy Nelson. Cross tried for the brainbuster again and Rave countered with a Northern Lights bomb. Rave was slow to follow up (rightfully so), and Cross was able to kick out of the pin.

Cross blocked Rave's old Gravity Killer finisher and hit the Triple Cross (corkscrew neckbreaker off the ropes) for the win. Post-match Cross did a bump and grind version of that big brainbuster and Rave sold it like he was out. Cross signaled for the Crossfire, but Jeremy V, neckbrace and all, cleared the ring with a chair.

Next week: Rainman defends the World TV Title against Onyx.

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