NWA-TNA PPV #8
AUGUST 8, 2002
NASHVILLE, TENN. AT THE FAIRGROUNDS
Originally Published PWTorch Newsletter #718
Report by Wade Keller, PWTorch editor

Not a VIP member? Find out how to get access to over 1,000 PWTorch Newsletter back-issues by going VIP HERE.

(1) The Flying Elvises (Jorge Estrada & Jimmy Yang & Sonny Siaki) beat The Spanish Announce Team (Joel & Jose Maximo & Amazing Red) at 11:30. Really good opener with lots of lucha style moves. Siaki's partners abandoned him for a few minutes to do commentary, getting back at him for doing that to them before. (***1/4)

Mike Tenay, Ed Ferrara, and Don West previewed the rest of the show. Then they aired a pre-taped Tenay interview with Apolo done outdoors. Apolo showed more fire than he had yet, but his English is broken.

Backstage, Apolo confronted Ricky Steamboat, but Steamboat said he'd talk to him on his time. The Dupps followed Steamboat around, too. Then Jerry Lynn and A.J. Styles entered the scene brawling. Intense brawl with tables and chairs until security intervened. Steamboat meanwhile made his way to the ring. The Dupps followed. Steamboat told them to do whatever they wanted, just leave him alone.

(2) Ron "The Truth" Killings beat Ken Shamrock at 9:17 to capture the NWA World Hvt. Title. Okay match, but too short to earn (or deserve) any kind of buzz. In a nice touch, they showed a number of wrestlers watching the match from the stage area. Steamboat on commentary again failed to bring up his history of the NWA Title, instead focusing on the WWF screwing him out of a title shot. In the final minutes, Apolo, Monte Brown, and Malice blew past Don Harris stationed at ringside and interfered. Apolo kicked toward Truth, but kicked Shamrock instead. Steamboat threw Shamrock into the ring at which point Truth his his Truth or Consequences finishers and scored the pin. Even if it wasn't sloppy, the finish as designed took away from the prestige of Truth's victory. Truth got very emotional as he held the title belt in the ring. (**1/2)

Steamboat walked to the ring and demanded Apolo explain himself. Apolo said he deserved a title shot. Steamboat said he'd give him one. Jeff Jarrett walked out and accused Steamboat of reverse discrimination. As a result, Steamboat said Jarrett would get The Truth in a title shot if he won later. He said he'd referee, too.

Disco Inferno interviewed the Dupps, who took Steamboat's words earlier to heart and established their own hardcore division. They explained elaborate rules which included things such as two-and-a-half points awarded if you punch the old ticket lady. Winner was first to ten. When Fluff Dupp was offered as bait, Ed Ferrara accepted the challenge and got into a brawl with the Dupps, but lost. Really, really bad and campy. It was Ferrara's masturbation session. His bumps and facial expressions were horrid.

A sitdown interview aired with Tenay and Brown. Elix attacked Brown with a bucket of yellow paint.

(3) Don Harris beat Malice in a first blood match at 6:34. A wild brawl involving Slash, too. (*1/2)

Bruce demanded a shot at the Miss TNA Title from Taylor Vaughn in her locker room. Low Ki and Styles brawled in the background. Good, intense brawl.

(4) Jeff Jarrett pinned Apolo at 10:34. Okay, but very basic. Steamboat counted Apolo's shoulders down while he back suplexed Jarrett into a bridge. (*3/4)

Steamboat announced Jarrett's title match would be a tag title challenge with Truth as his partner against A.J. Styles & Jerry Lynn. Jarrett was very upset.

(5) Bruce beat Taylor Vaughn to capture the Miss TNA Title at 2:07. Bad. Bruce stripped to a male G-string afterward. Don West almost puked on the air.

West did his weekly "hard sell" for the next PPV.

(6) Low Ki beat A.J. Styles and Jerry Lynn in a three-way match at 16:18 to capture the X Title. Perhaps the best NWA-TNA match to date. Great action, great internal story. In the end, Styles had Lynn down, but as he climbed to the top rope for his finisher, Low Ki snuck in and scored the pin. (****1/4)

Jarrett yelled at Truth on the stage to end the show.

[Torch art credit Cory Gould (c) PWTorch.com]

We suggest these recent related articles...

WWE FLASHBACK: Kane character debuts 18 yrs. ago today in first-ever Hell in a Cell match - Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels

HIAC FLASHBACK: Kane beats Undertaker in HIAC match 5 yrs. ago today, plus Randy Orton vs. Sheamus for WWE Title

ROH FLASHBACK: The aftermath of Joe vs. Kobashi 10 years ago today