By Wade Keller, PWTorch editor

KELLER'S NWA-TNA PPV REPORT
APRIL 30, 2003
LIVE FROM NASHVILLE, TENN.

-They opened with a shot of Jeff Jarrett arriving at the arena earlier in the day. He was surrounded by security and the whole scene made him seem like a big deal with a lot on his mind.

-Mike Tenay and Don West introduced the program. Tenay said the months, weeks, and hours of anticipation are now over as the Jarrett vs. Raven match was going to take place finally tonight.

1 -- JUSTIN CREDIBLE & PERRY SATURN vs. AMERICA'S MOST WANTED vs. RON & DON HARRIS vs. SLASH & BRIAN LEE (w/James Mitchell).

West said this was an exciting way to start the most anticipated night in TNA history. Lee and Saturn began the match, although no two stayed in the ring for long as there were rapid tags throughout. Anytime someone got close to a pin, it was broken up by someone since the first team to score the pin would be declared the winner. Saturn gave Storm the Death Valley Driver to end the match.

WINNERS: Saturn & Justin at 8:14.

STAR RATING: **1/2 -- Nonstop action. With eight wrestlers, the match was a bit rapid-fire without too much of an internal storyline, but the execution was strong and the pacing good.

-Goldy interviewed Glen Gilberti backstage with SEX members Sonny Siaki, Don & Don Harris, Mike Sanders, and Christopher Daniels in the background. Gilberti said he's not above slapping a woman who deserves it. He called the Extreme Revolution "degenerate low-life drug addicts from the bingo hall in Philadelphia." Gilberti said no matter what, the NWA Title would end up in the SEX locker room.

-Tenay and West appeared on camera for the first time and talked about the rest of the show.

-Goldy interviewed Jerry Lynn backstage. Lynn complained that he's used as a stepping stone. He said he deserves more himself and now he agrees with people who told him it doesn't do any good to be the good guy. He said tonight during his match everyone is going to see a new Jerry Lynn.

2 -- JERRY LYNN vs. CHRISTOPHER DANIELS

Before the match, Christopher Daniels challenged Lynn to agree that he and Amazing Red would defend the tag titles next week against all three members of Triple X next week, but only if he (Daniels) won. Lynn agreed, but only if he won the match, he and Red could face one member of Triple X of their choice next week. He then punched Daniels, showing his new aggressive side. The crowd began a "Jerry, Jerry" chant at the start. Lynn slingshot bodyblocked Daniels at ringside a minute into the match. The announcers commented on Lynn's amped-up aggression. They went to a series of nice near falls at 6:00. Lynn went for the cradle piledriver, but Daniels backdropped out. When Daniels shoved the ref out of his way, Lynn took advantage and low-bowed daniels. He followed up with a cradle and scored the pin.

WINNER: Jerry Lynn at 7:15.

STAR RATING: **1/2 -- Good seven minute match, but it felt like the first seven minutes of a 15 minute match. The finish was good because Lynn didn't instigate the opportunity at a cheap shot, since Daniels was the one who shoved the ref, but he took advantage of the opportunity. The finish fit his pre-match promo.

-A music video aired on Sandman, New Jack, and Perry Saturn.

-Backstage, Extreme Revolution and SEX faced off. Gilberti and Saturn went nose-to-nose and yelled at each other. Gilberti said he thinks Extreme Revolution are "shit for this business." Sandman denied there was any deal between them and Raven. Saturn said Raven hasn't returned their calls all week. Gilberti didn't believe him.

-A.J. Styles commented on the Raven-Jarrett match. He said it doesn't matter because soon he'll be the champ.

A.J. Styles [photo by Torch editor Wade Keller (c) PWTorch]

3 -- A.J. STYLES & D-LO BROWN vs. SONNY SIAKI & DAVID YOUNG

Styles and Young, whose matches against each other on the indy scene were what caused Jerry Jarrett to make them his first hires for his TNA project last summer, tagged in against each other at 1:00. Siaki nailed Styles with a vicious half-nelson overhead released suplex at 4:10. Siaki and Young controlled the body of the match against Styles. Styles hot-tagged D-Lo at 6:20. D-Lo didn't get much of a pop for the hot-tag, although the crowd was into the match in general. Four-way action broke out. Young nailed D-Lo with a stiff spinebuster. Styles then nailed Siaki with a flying flip enzuigiri type kick. West understandably went nuts for it. Siaki broke up D-Lo's pin attempt on Young at 7:35. D-Lo clotheslined Young over the top rope to the floor, then Styles nailed Young at ringside with a springboard flip on the ramp. The crowd chanted "Holy Sh--!" D-Lo slammed Siaki in the ring. Desire leaped onto the ring apron to distract D-Lo. He threatened to punch her, but Siaki charged at him. D-Lo saw him coming and moved, so Siaki knocked Desire off the ring apron. Styles then gave Siaki the Styles Clash. D-Lo followed with a Frog Splash for the win.

WINNERS; D-Lo & Styles at 9:05.

STAR RATING: **1/4 -- A bit methodical in the middle, but overall a good tag match.

-D-Lo commented on the Raven-Jarrett match. He said whoever wins the match will have to deal with him. "They're ass will have to be down with Brown," he said.

-Mike Tenay did a sitdown interview with Ron Killings and Konnan. Killings said he called a meeting with Konnan and they accomplished a lot with their talk. They talked about forming an alliance against racism in TNA. Killings recounted all of the speed bumps he's run across in his months with TNA. They accused Tenay of holding prejudice beliefs. Killings threw in a few MFers into the mix and reminded everyone he is a former NWA World Champion.

A pretaped promo aired with Raven, who talked about his title match against Jeff Jarrett while pouring candle wax onto his palms.

4 -- CHRIS SABIN vs. JASON CROSS vs. JIMMY RAVE vs. SHARK BOY

Rave and Cross began the match. Cross nailed Rave with what Tenay generically called a "vicious kick" (which even Michael Cole now properly identifies as a roundhouse kick). At 2:00 Sabin went for a springboard off the top rope, but completely cleared the top rope by mistake, but luckily landed reasonably well. Cross followed with a twisting dive over the ropes onto Sabin at ringside. Back in the ring Shark Boy gave his Dead Sea Drop to Rave to score the pin at 2:43. Cross began dominating action against Shark Boy. Shark tagged out to Sabin at 5:10 who, as the fresh man, took control on Cross. West claimed over 1,000 people were turned away from the Asylum before the event. At 6:21 Cross fell to Sabin's fisherman buster. Shark Boy and Sabin were the final two in the match. They went into a series of pinning combinations and reversals. Sabin gave Shark his Future Shock fisherman buster for the win.

WINNER: Sabin at 8:12.

STAR RATING: *** -- Really good four-way X division style match. Crisp execution without crossing over into "acrobatic highspot happy mode."

-Goldy interviewed Erik Watts backstage, who was bashing a trash can lid against a wall. He said he is going to have to take his match to the next level tonight with trash cans. He seemed a bit delusional about having a close friendship with Jarrett. Dusty Rhodes entered the scene. Dusty told Watts he has a "line of bullsh-- so long people can't help but step into it." He told him as long as he's in the building, he'll prevent Watts from getting involved in Jarrett's match. Watts then presented Dusty with the stolen NWA Title belt. He offered it as a sign of peace and proof he's not crazy. I think Watts's gimmick is imitating somebody doing a lot of cocaine or speed. Dusty called Watts "one crazy son of a bitch."

-West laughed and said, "I love Erik Watts! He's great. He doesn't take himself seriously. He's so funny." Tenay responded: "You're not buying into that bull, are you?"

-Highlights aired of the Kid Kash-Trinity situation.

-Goldy interviewed Kash backstage live. He said Trinity wasn't present this week, then made a bunch of sexist comments, prompting Goldy to say: "We all obviously have a place with you, don't we?" Kash said after he's done with Trinity he'll make Goldy his project. Goldy asked him about Amazing Red. Kash said Red is like a hemorrhoid that sticks to your ass and just won't go away. He seemed to indicate he has a lot of experience with that problem. He said he is going to do away with Red once and for all. Kash is getting better behind the mic each week. He's making his points more clearly now than in past weeks.

5 -- KID KASH vs. AMAZING RED - X Division Title match.

Good opening few minutes or back-and-forth action. Kash hit a nice looking top rope clothesline on Red at 2:30 for a two count. Red made a spirited comeback at 7:00 with a series of crisp flying moves including a springboard elbowdrop from outside the ring to Kash in mid-ring. Kash caught a charging Red with a boot and then flipped onto Red, knocking the ref down in the process. Red set up a backslide, but Kash flipped out and went for his own backslide. Kash went for an underhook suplex, but Red kicked out of it in an innovative way. The black masked mystery "luchador" then attacked Kash from behind with an inverted DDT, giving Red a chance to cover him. The ref was still out, though. The ref finally recovered and made the three count at 9:15. The mystery man gave Red an inverted DDT as he celebrated his win.

WINNER: Amazing Red at 9:15.

STAR RATING: *** -- Good X Division-style match. Red is really good, and Kash is much better.

-Tenay called the Raven vs. Jeff Jarrett match "the talk of the wrestling world." They went to comments from Chris Harris, James Mitchell (who said he has no opinion because it doesn't involve him and he's "rather bob for apples in a colostomy bag"), Mike Sanders (who acted shocked he was getting any TV time (what?!?!) because he must've rubbed people the wrong way, then did a Hulk Hogan imitation and acted afterward as if he were just really, really witty), and Dusty Rhodes (who talked about the "weight of the world being on Jeff Jarrett's shoulders").

-A woman attacked one of the TNA dancers, Lolly Pop and took her place in the dancing cage. Lolly Pop then went to the ring with a wireless mic and said: "I don't know who this two dollar ho thinks she is. You come here and try to take my spot? Well, everyone here knows nobody can do it better than Lolly Pop." She said she doesn't know she is or where she came from, but her job is to dance, but if that other woman wants to fight, "bring it on, bitch!" They had a brief scuffle before security dragged the new unnamed woman to the back.

-A video feature aired on Raven. Top notch video feature, as usual from TNA.

-Don West screamed about next week's "Anarchy in the Asylum" Gauntlet for the Gold where pins count anywhere and weapons are allowed. The winner becomes no. 1 contender. Tenay said there would be competitors involved in the match who formerly were in ECW, WCW, WWE, WWA, Japan, and Mexico, but didn't mention any names.

-A Jeff Jarrett video feature aired with Jarrett talking about Raven with his voice distorted with an echo effect.

-They showed a "Tale of the Tape" graphic which Tenay talked about for a few seconds.

6 -- JEFF JARRETT vs. RAVEN (w/Julio Deniro, Alexis) - NWA World Title match.

Raven came out first, followed by champ Jeff Jarrett. Jeremy Borash then did formal ring introductions. They wrestled clean for the first minute. At 1:30 they brawled at ringside with Jarrett whipping Raven into the security railing two times. Julio mistaken gave Raven a chairshot at 2:15 when Jarrett ducked. Raven took over a minute later, but was already bleeding heavily from his forehead. Back in the ring at 4:15 Raven hit Jarrett with a soft clothesline followed by a strong kneelift. Jarrett was also bleeding heavily from the forehead. Julio handed Raven a chair, which Raven set up in mid-ring and dropped Jarrett face-first into it with a drop toe hold. Raven drove Jarrett's head into the mat with a knee off the ropes. Raven followed up with an upperbody chinlock at 5:30. Raven shifted to a sleeper. Jarrett made a full-fledged comeback with a jawbreaker attempt and then a series of punches at 8:00. He fended off interference attempts from Raven's cronies, and then catapulted Raven into the corner turnbuckle followed by a two count. Raven took control again as the crowd stood and chanted "TNA, TNA." They both sailed over the top rope to the floor after a Raven clothesline attempt at 10:30. Jarrett got to his feet first and put Raven on a table at ringside. He then leaped off the middle turnbuckle with an elbow drop, driving Raven through the table. In the ring Jarrett went for a pin, but Julio yanked the ref out before he could count to three. The ref ordered them to the back. Meanwhile, Raven shoved Jarrett into the ref. Jarrett and Raven then hit each other with simultaneous low-blows. The New Church and SEX members got involved in a ringside brawl. Raven called for his pals, the Extreme Revolution, to come out. Saturn, New Jack, Justin Credible, and Sandman attacked Jarrett. Raven and Saturn handcuffed Jarrett's hands behind his back. The ref was still KO'd at ringside. The lights went out. When they came back on, Sabu was in the ring with a chair. He attacked Extreme Revolution, including a big dive over of the top rope onto all of them. He then dove into the crowd and knocked over a fan. He stopped to check on the fan, who was feeling his or her forehead. He then continued up the stands. In the ring, Raven beat up Jarrett, whose hands were still cuffed behind him. Raven grabbed a chair and then signalled to the crowd. Jarrett ducked his chairshot, and the chair bounced off the top rope into his own head. Jarrett made the cover, but Raven kicked out at two. Bill Behrens brought a key to the ring to help uncuff Jarrett. Raven stood and watched as the ref attempted to uncuff him. Raven took the key and uncuffed Jarrett himself. It took a minute and Raven seemed a bit worried about it for a few seconds, but he finally got him uncuffed. Raven called for Jarrett to rise. As soon as he did, Raven gave him a DDT for a two count. Jarrett then surprised Raven with a reversal into a Stroke for the win.

WINNER: Jarrett at 17:15 to retain the NWA Hvt. Title.

STAR RATING: **** -- Really good brawl that included a little bit of everything.

After the match, Dusty Rhodes entered the ring and offered a handshake to Jarrett. Dusty held Jarrett's arm and belt in the air. Jarrett stood on the second rope and accepted the cheers of the fans.

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