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KELLER'S NWA-TNA PPV REPORT
JUNE 11, 2003
LIVE FROM NASHVILLE, TENN.
FOCUS POINT: Can TNA actually produce a good all-around show and tie together some of their straying storylines while also elevating A.J. Styles's image as a true World Title caliber wrestler.
-The show opened with the clips of Jeff Jarrett, Raven, and A.J. Styles talking about the NWA World Hvt. Title.
-They went to Raven, Julio Deniro, and Alexis standing outside the trashy looking backlot outside the TNA Asylum (Fairgrounds Coliseum). D-Lo interrupted the promo by attacking Julio and Raven just as Julio was talking up how he was going to beat D-Lo.
1 -- D-LO BROWN vs. JULIO DENIRO (w/Alexis)
Mike Tenay and Don West talked about how D-Lo wanted revenge for Julio and Alexis costing him his no. 1 contenders' match last week. They brawled to the ring right away where D-Lo nailed Julio with an elbow. D-Lo climbed the ropes and dropped Julio with a huracanrana off the top rope which he executed better than any of his highspots last week. Julio then went for a reverse sidekick on D-Lo; it barely grazed D-Lo, but D-Lo bumped as if he was shot. The crowd moaned and Tenay even acknowledged that the kick just "grazed" D-Lo. They brawled at ringside. Julio took over offense in the ring and hit D-Lo with a legdrop off the ropes. D-Lo fought back at 3:00 with some punches, but Julio slammed D-Lo to the mat. Julio hit a tornado DDT into a Diamond Cutter ("Dream Theater") for a two count. D-Lo came back with a jawbreaker and wheel kick at 6:00 for a two count. Alexis hit D-Lo with a DDT off the ropes and Julio scored a two count. D-Lo dropped Julio with the Hi-Lo for the three count.
WINNER: D-Lo at 6:35.
STAR RATING: *3/4 -- Good action. There are times where D-Lo seems to be thinking of the next move he's going to do rather than making the move or bump he's taking at that moment look convincing.
-Don West explained that Chris Sabin must have an X Division match because Paul London is in Japan this week, but he can pick his opponent. West and Tenay then brought up Vince Russo's name, wondering what the impact would be of his baseball bat shot last week. A video feature then aired on Vince Russo's history in TNA dating back to late last year when Jarrett said he didn't want to have anything to do with Russo. They jumped to Russo last week helping Jarrett retain his title against Glenn Gilberti.
-Mike Tenay interviewed Gilberti in mid-ring. Tenay asked Gilberti, "Why? Why would Vince Russo hit you with a baseball bat, enabling Jeff Jarrett to pin you and retain the NWA World Hvt. Title." Gilberti said he doesn't know. He asked Tenay to explain it to him. Tenay said he can't get inside the mind of Russo. Gilberti said Russo is the man who came up with the idea for Vince McMahon to screw Bret Hart, to give Judy Bagwell a tag title reign, and put Viagra on a pole, put the WCW World Hvt. Title on David Arquette. "For three years I had to walk around like a jackass and pretend those were good ideas," he said. "So based on that, getting in the mind of Vince Russo, maybe it could be jealousy (that caused his actions last week)." Gilberti said he took SEX to levels Russo wasn't able to before. The fans began a "boring, boring" chants as the interview wound on and on. Gilberti said maybe it was insecurity that caused him to hit him last week. He mocked him for being a New York who talks about bravado, when in reality he's just a "pussy." Russo charged to the ring and based Gilberti with a baseball bat. "F--- you, Glen!" Russo shouted. The Harris Brothers came out and pulled Russo off of Gilberti. They had trouble keeping him away from Gilberti, but finally dragged him out of the ring.
-A breathless Tenay asked West what he thought of what was going on with SEX.
-Scott Hudson interviewed Chris Sabin backstage. He asked him who was going to get the X Division shot. "I'm 21 years old, I'm in my prime, I thrive on action, and I am going to be a fighting champion, and I've searched all over the globe." Hudson asked Juventud Guerrera and Syxx-Pac. Sabin said, "No, Shark Boy. He's heads and tails above the rest." It was meant to be a huge copout to select Shark Boy as his opponent, even though they really haven't established that Shark Boy is a jobroni in the past. On the VIP Forum message board last week, somebody brought up that Sabin's promos sound a lot like Jerry Lynn's promos, and that's true.
-They cut backstage to New Jack and Shark Boy playing a game of Twister. I think screen captures of this are going to end up on a XXX fetish website. I mean, you've got a bald black guy sticking his head up to the rear end of a guy in a shark bodysuit bending over.
2 -- CHRIS SABIN vs. SHARK BOY - X Title match.
Sabin hit a nice suplex over the security railing onto the floor on Shark Boy at 2:00. Good all-around action. After the match Sabin was going to unmask Shark Boy afterward, prompting New Jack to charge to the ring and attack him. Mike Sanders then ran out. He and Sabin beat up New Jack. Tenay announced Sanders and Jack would wrestle each other next week in a Hard 10 Tournament match.
WINNER: Sabin at 6:18 with his Future Shock finisher to retain the title.
STAR RATING: **1/2
-Hudson interviewed Konnan and Ron Killings backstage who spoke briefly about their tag match. Killings said the Harrises better have their pooper scooper because they're going to kick the sh-- out of them.
3 -- KONNAN & RON KILLINGS vs. THE HARRISES
Tenay said that Desire has taken Gilberti to the hospital due to injuries suffered at the hands of Russo and the baseball bat. In the end, B.G. James hit a Harris with a chair leading to the pin for Killings.
WINNERS: Killings & Konnan at 6:48.
STAR RATING: *1/4 -- Pretty standard fare. Killings worked most of the match selling for the Harrises.
-Tenay interviewed Jarrett about his three-way title match later. Jarrett said Styles doesn't even know how good he can be. Jarrett said this is without a doubt his toughest test. Tenay asked Jarrett for his thoughts on Russo's interference last week and if he has an alliance with Russo. Jarrett said there is no association. He said that they were once good friends, but they aren't anymore. "Do you really think we're going to kiss and make up after all that's gone down?" Jarrett said.
-Hudson interviewed Goldy, Trinity, and Erik Watts. Watts said he won't let anything happen to the women because "it would ruin the experiment." A man in a half facemask attacked Watts and shoved him head-first into the doorway. Kid Kash walked up, classy as always, asking, "Has anyone seen my cup." Goldy told him to get away. He introduced himself to Hudson, then walked away, totally unconcerned with Watts's condition.
4 -- GOLDY LOCKS & TRINITY & ERIK WATTS vs. KID KASH
Goldy was hesitant to come to the ring because Watts was too hurt to wrestle. West said he didn't blame her since that's not what she signed on for; she expected Watts in her corner. Trinity opened the match against Kid Kash. Kash dominated early with a neckbreaker at 1:00. Tenay pointed out that Goldy doesn't have any wrestling training. Kash put on a claw hold at 3:00. She fought back, although briefly and ineffectively. Kash went to the top rope, but Trinity knocked him off balance, threw some roundhouse kicks to Kash's head, and then went for a top rope suplex. Kash reversed her into a powerbomb attempt, but she reversed it mid-air into a huracanrana. The guy in a half mask (I assume it's Mideon) slammed her to the mat. Kash the stood on her chest to score the pin. Goldy never tagged in.
WINNERS: Kash at 4:58.
STAR RATING: 3/4* -- Passable action.
-Hudson interviewed Devon Storm backstage about his match against Sandman in a Hard 10 match. Storm said he has used a scientific formula to figure out how to beat him including his blood alcohol level and kilogram and temperature. Very "indy-style" promo with goofy facial expressions.
-Bill Behrens made his obligatory PPV appearance by being yelled at backstage by D-Lo after he told him security was going to stop him from interfering later.
-Tenay ran down the brackets for the Hard 10 tournament. The final quarterfinal match was scheduled next.
5 -- DEVON STORM vs. SANDMAN - Hard 10 Quarterfinals
Tenay pointed out how Storm was once known as Crowbar when he was WCW Hardcore Champion and most recently changed his name to Tempest. Sandman didn't get to do his five minute ring intro, but instead Storm attacked him at ringside to jumpstart the match. Sonny Siaki wheeled a shopping cart to the ring filled with weapons. A fan supplied a ladder to add to the chaos. Sandman flipped off the top rope toward Storm, but Storm moved so Sandman landed on his back on the ladder. Storm then gave Sandman a Northern Lights Suplex onto the chair. Sandman won when he flipped off a ladder in the ring onto Storm on a table at ringside.
WINNER: Sandman at 6:48.
STAR RATING: *1/4
-Tenay and West did the "Interrogation" section with Justin Credible and Jerry Lynn. Justin called Lynn a "whiner." Lynn said Justin is a hell of an athlete who got to the top of ECW, but not always using the right ways. Justin called ECW the best experience of his life. Lynn called ECW the best time of his life and said it's too bad it's not up and running. Regarding Paul Heyman, Justin said he gives him credit for getting his career back on track. Lynn said he couldn't give Heyman the money he was owed because he was too busy being "Justin's butt buddy." Justin got up and got in Lynn's face. They got into a brawl. Security had to pry them away from each other.
-They showed A.J. Styles warming up backstage, then they cut to Raven psyching himself up, followed by Jeff Jarrett pacing.
-Hudson interviewed Tracy. She said she'd make sure Erik Watts couldn't pleasure a woman any more. She asked Hudson if he knows how to please a woman. Hudson said that is quite personal. "I'll take that as a no," she said. Hudson was so frazzled that he said, "Back you to Tony and Bobby."
-They showed the brackets for the tag tournament. The semi-finals were Harris & Truth vs. Tracy & Young and James & Konnan vs. America's Most Wanted, leading to the finals taking place next.
6 -- TRACY & DAVID YOUNG vs. AMERICA'S MOST WANTED (Chris Harris & James Storm)
Christopher Daniels and Elix Skipper did commentary at ringside during the match. Tracy distracted AMW with her cleavage. Some of AMW's offense was a bit off early on. Young gave Storm a superplex. Harris gave Tracy a drop toe hold, sending her head first into Young's crotch as he sat in the corner of the ring. When AMW set up their Death Sentence finisher, Skipper and Daniels were going to interfere, so Harris leaped off the top rope onto Daniels and Skipper rather than fly onto Young in the ring. Tracy then gave Storm a low blow leading to a two count. Storm then fired back with a spear to finish off Young.
WINNERS: America's Most Wanted at 6:18.
STAR RATING: * -- Not one of AMW's better matches.
-Storm challenged Daniels & Skipper to a match right now rather than next week. Two huge security members intervened to keep the teams separate. Tenay hyped that the match would take place next week on the First Anniversary Show next week. Nurse Veronica entered the ring and hit Young from behind, protecting Tracy from an angry Young.
-Hudson interviewed A.J. Styles. Styles said on Feb. 18 when he failed to beat Jarrett for the NWA Title, he was just a kid. He said something was missing, but D-Lo gave him the experience he needed to fill that gap. "It's been a great couple of weeks," he said. He said his match tonight would be for D-Lo. It sounded a lot like Styles is "sweet for D-Lo."
-West plugged the Anniversary Show next week. Tenay then asked for the fans' attention for one of the most important announcements they've ever made. Tenay said Sting has been signed.
7 -- JEFF JARRETT vs. RAVEN vs. A.J. STYLES
At 1:45, as Jarrett brawled with Raven at ringside, Styles flipped over the top rope onto both at ringside. Styles whipped Raven into the security railing. Raven came back by diving off the steps with a clothesline on Jarrett. Jarrett nailed Styles with a running powerbomb at 3:10. Styles came back with an inverted DDT, but when he went for the pin, Raven stopped the count. Raven blocked a Stroke attempt by Jarrett, then set up his Evenflow DDT, but Styles stopped that. Styles and Jarrett teamed up to suplex a bloodied Raven. Styles and Jarrett began mouthing off to each other as they fought over who got to cover Raven. Styles applied a half Boston crab as Jarrett put Raven in a chinlock. Styles then got up and legdropped Jarrett off the top rope across the back of his head. All three were slow to get up. Raven hit his DDT at 9:15 leading to Shane Douglas yanking Raven out of the ring and ramming him into the ringpost. Styles meanwhile took over on Jarrett in the ring and hit a top rope frog splash for a very near fall that popped the crowd at 10:30. Styles hit a sitdown powerbomb at 11:40 for another near fall. Styles went for a springboard flip splash onto Jarrett for another near fall. Russo entered the ring with a guitar. He nailed Jarrett with it. The Nashville crowd popped. Styles then gave Jarrett the Styles Clash and scored the pin. Russo hugged and celebrated with Styles.
WINNER: Styles at 13:57 to capture the NWA World Hvt. Title.
STAR RATING: *** -- Good match. The finish fit with the storyline of the past couple of weeks, be it what it is.
-As Styles and Russo left the ring, Jarrett grabbed the house mic and demanded a rematch next week on the Anniversary Show. Styles returned to the ring and said he has 30 days to give Jarrett a rematch, so he'll have to check his schedule. Jarrett said when he was champion, he didn't back down from anyone. He said Styles just proved what kind of champion he is going to be. Jarrett then challenged Styles to find himself a partner and he will find himself a partner named Sting for a main event tag title match. Jarrett said unlike Russo, his partner knows how to really use a bat. The crowd popped somewhat when Jarrett said his partner would be "Stinger." Styles accepted. Jarrett told Russo that Sting is going to shove his bat "where the sun don't shine."
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