NWA-TNA Weekly PPV #34 3/5/2003

Written by: Bob Colling

National Wrestling Alliance/Total Non-Stop Action presents Weekly PPV #34
Date: 3/5/2003
From: Nashville, Tennessee

To open the show, Raven is hanging out at his Nest area. Raven says “No one respects the flame quite like a fool who gets badly burned.” He begins to hype up his match with Sandman that will be a Clockwork Orange House of Fun match. He also says that it is his destiny to be the NWA World Heavyweight Champion. There ends up being difficulties with the broadcast, but after a few minutes the broadcast returns. Kevin Sullivan has come out and talks about pride. Sullivan lists guys like Terry Funk, Butcher, Ray Stevens, Lawler, Dundee and the Horsemen. Sullivan brags about making his name at the Cow Palace and not at a Bingo Hall. Sullivan wants Raven to badly beat up Sandman tonight. He wants to be part of a match that people talk about for a long time. Raven tells Sullivan that if he is here to pass the torch, he is late at doing it. Sullivan tells Raven they will find out if he is for real, or just another imposter. Sandman ends up coming out to attack Raven and drinks a beer with the audience to end the segment.

Opening Contest: Jerry Lynn defeated Super Crazy: Crazy gets the early advantage with a quick clothesline but Lynn fights back with a hurricanrana and a head scissors take down sending Crazy to the floor. Lynn dropkicks Crazy off the apron to the floor. Lynn runs off the apron to take Crazy over with a hurricanrana on the floor! Lynn runs into a super kick from Crazy back in the ring. Lynn springboards off the middle rope to hit Crazy with a tornado DDT for a two count. Crazy sends Lynn to the floor following a spinning heel kick. This has been full of action thus far. Crazy takes Lynn out with a springboard moonsault off the top onto Lynn on the floor! Back in the ring, Crazy gets a two count following a springboard moonsault! Lynn plants Crazy with a TKO but isn’t able to keep Crazy down for a three count. Crazy rolls through a roll up and dropkicks Lynn in the face like Guerrera did last week. Crazy springboards off the middle rope to connect with a moonsault but doesn’t get the three count! Crazy runs off the ropes to drive Lynn down to the mat with a tornado DDT. Crazy connects with a sit out power bomb but Lynn pops his shoulder up at two on the pin attempt. Crazy connects with a hurricarnana off the middle rope, but Lynn rolls through and pins Crazy. ***1/4
After the match, Konnan yells at Crazy in the ring for losing. Konnan slaps Crazy but Crazy doesn’t do anything to Konnan.

Mike Tenay and Vince Russo are at the TNA offices. Tenay wants to know why Russo needed to talk to him so badly. Russo says he has paid a big price for his passion in the wrestling business. He worked with McMahon and was on the road for three days a week. He had to deal with political garbage in WCW and nearly had a nervous breakdown. Then, he came to TNA and dealt with Jerry Jarrett for six months. The message he got from his son last week really made him think. He can’t replace the years he has missed with his kids. He believes he needs to grow out of the business and be with his family. Tenay asks why he should believe what Russo is telling him. Russo thinks Tenay can understand him because he has been there himself. Russo doesn’t want to be gone one day out of the blue and have lost so much time with his kids. Russo says he is stepping up to the plate and is going to be a father.

Second Contest: New Church defeated The Hot Shots: During the bout, Sonny Siaki takes Gilbertti and Sanders back to their locker room. Brian Lee and Slash control the Hot Shots early on as the new additions to SEX really struggle to get any kind of offense in during the early stages of the bout. Ron Killings is also seen watching the match from the crowd. Stevens comes off the top to missile dropkick Slash, which is a bright spot of the Hot Shots offense. The Hot Shots miss a few top rope moves, and Lee hits Stevens with a top rope knee drop. O’Reilly hits Lee with a chain and Stevens comes off the top with a splash but is still unable to pin Lee. Lee holds Stevens on his shoulders and Slash leaps off the top to dropkick Stevens, leading to Lee picking up the win. *1/4

Backstage, Goldylocks talked to Sandman who remembered his past experiences with Kevin Sullivan.

In the ring, Jeff Jarrett talks about Russo’s retirement announcement. Jarrett says he had to lower himself down to Russo’s level to get him out of the company. He says for all the bad points he has, he has good points as well. He believes that Russo became obsessed with SEX. Jarrett gets cut off by Erik Watts, David Flair and Brian Lawler. Watts brings up how they all talked about feuding with each other when they got older. Watts thinks that Jarrett left them behind and didn’t do anything to help them out. Watts talks about his Techno Team 2000 tag team and notes that Double J didn’t help him. Watts thinks that Jarrett is jealous of him because it only took him twenty one days of training before getting a break in the business. Watts again tells Jarrett he will regret doing what he did to him.

Third Contest: Jorge Estrada defeated Disgraceland: Long story short, Estrada gets the win following a swinging slam. DUD

Backstage, the members of SEX are arguing with each other because Siaki is trying to direct everyone. Gilbertti introduces a female member of the group, Holly Wood. Desire appeared to be jealous that she was no longer the only female in the group. Mortimer Plumtree entered the room but was kicked out by the Harris Brothers. Tenay chimes in to say that SEX is a mess without Russo around to direct them.

Mike Tenay and Don West had an interview with Kid Kash where they did Word Association.
Ricky Morton: Mentor
Paul Heyman: Jewish
AJ Styles: Really good
Favorite Move: Money Maker
Toughest X-Division Opponent: AJ Styles
Trinity, Business or Pleasure: Wouldn’t you like to know
Kid Kash, Cocky or Confident: Very Confident
Konnan and the Luchadors: Wannabes
Make War of Peace: Make Love
X-Title Win: Night of my life
Amazing Red: Too Short.

Fourth Contest: Kid Kash defeated Amazing Red to retain the NWA-TNA X-Division Championship: Red is taken down by Kash after a kick but avoids stomps. Neither man gets a clear cut advantage, which is how seemingly every X-Division match starts off, and that is annoying. Red connects with a hurricanrana and a flapjack. Kash bails to the floor where Red dives over the top to take Kash out with a played out somersault dive on the floor. Kash sends Red into guard railing and smashes Red in the face with a chair shot. Kash hits Red with a top rope clothesline back in the ring for a two count. Red hits the Code Red but Kash kicks out. Kash drives Red across his knee with a fisherman back breaker for a two count. Red cuts Kash off on the top rope and connects with a big superplex for a two count! Kash stops Red on the top rope and tosses Red to the mat with a dangerous release German suplex where Red may have tried to land on his feet. Kash covers but somehow Red kicked out. Red head scissors and super kicks Kash followed by the 718 for another near fall. Red kicks Kash off the apron to the floor. Red attempts another dive but Kash moves out of the way and Red takes Trinity out instead! Red drives Kash face first down into the mat after leaping off the middle rope for a two count. Tenay is obsessed with replays. Kash plants Red with the Money Maker to retain the title. **
After the match, Kash checks on Trinity and they celebrate the victory.

Backstage, AJ Styles meets Jarrett in his locker room telling him that he wants another title shot. Styles says he did the right thing and has earned a title match. Jarrett tells Styles that he screwed up and need to live it. Jarrett shoved Styles out of the room.

Mike Tenay interviews America’s Most Wanted. They say they busted their asses for nine years and weren’t overnight successes. They noted that Bret Hart and Curt Hennig were big influences on both of their careers. They are ready for whatever is thrown their way next. They finish off the interview saying they don’t care which two members of Triple X they wrestle next week for the tag team titles.

Fifth Contest: Glen Gilbertti/Mike Sanders defeated America’s Most Wanted: Storm and Sanders started off the contest exchanging a series of moves until Storm takes Sanders over with a hurricanrana. Sanders was able to chop Storm in the corner but Storm quickly turned the tables hitting Sanders with several punches. Ron Killings is shown in the crowd, again. Gilbertti goes for a forearm drop off the ropes but is met with a super kick from Storm instead. Harris tags in to bulldog Gilbertti out of the corner. Gilbertti atom drops Harris but isn’t able to keep control as Harris counts Gilbertti with several punches. Sanders kicks Harris from the apron and Gilbertti keeps the advantage with a clothesline. Harris fights off a double team and tosses Sanders over the top rope onto his partner Gilbertti on the floor! Harris backdrops Storm over the top onto their opponents on the floor! Back in the ring, AMW hit a double team dropkick move on Sanders and keep control of Sanders with a double team clothesline. Sanders recovers by kicking Storm as he had his back turned. Storm is double teamed by Gilbertti and Sanders with a face buster/neck breaker combo for a two count. Gilbertti connects with a side Russian leg sweep but misses a forearm drop off the middle rope. Storm kicks Gilbertti down to the mat and tags in Harris. Harris cleans house with punches and a backdrop on Sanders. Harris knocks Gilbertti on the apron and AMW clothesline/spine buster Sanders. Moondog Spot has come down to ringside. The referee has been knocked down as Harris puts Sanders in the Sharpshooter. Sanders is tapping but the referee isn’t up. Elix Skipper enters and whacks Harris with a chair. Sanders covers but Harris kicks out at two. Harris spears Gilbertti, but Skipper shoves Storm off the top rope. Skipper uses the chair again and hits Harris over the head with it. Gilbertti covers Harris and manages to win the bout. *1/2

Backstage, Siaki, Skipper and Sanders are fighting until Siaki and Sanders begin to brawl in the crowd. They end up in the ring, which is where clockwork orange house of fun is betting set up. Desire and Holly Wood are involved in a cat fight. The Harris Brothers entered the ring and restored order. Siaki and Sanders end up shaking hands while Desire slams Holly Wood after hugging her.

Main Event: Raven defeated The Sandman in a Clockwork Orange House of Fun: The ring has chains all around it with weapons attached to the chains. Raven quickly gets Sandman with a trash can lid. Sandman stops Raven’s early offense with a low blow. Sandman rams Raven’s head first into a trash can on the floor. Sandman puts Raven over the guard railing and leaps off the apron to hit a leg drop. Raven has been busted open already. Sandman rams Raven head first into the ring steps. Raven avoids a trash can shot and plants Sandman with a DDT. Raven unhooks a piece of fencing and rams Sandman head first into it. Raven begins to whip Sandman over the back with a chain as well. Raven sets up a table but first hits Sandman over the head with a For Sale sign. Raven keeps on beating Sandman with several chair shots. Kevin Sullivan, the special referee, is telling Raven what to do. Raven drop toe holds Sandman face first into the chair. I don’t see how a For Sale sign hurts…considering its just paper. Raven puts Sandman on the table, but the drunken Sandman falls off. Raven whacks Sandman with a trash can lid and heads to the top rope. Raven leaps off and elbow drops Sandman through the table. Sandman grabs his beer and hits Raven in the head with a few cans. Sandman makes his comeback by hitting Raven with several trash can lid shots. Sandman grabs his kendo stick and whacks Raven over the head with it. Raven crawls into the crowd and they reach the Nest. Raven avoids being sent off the edge through several tables. Sandman avoids being sent over the edge as well. Sandman almost gets Raven over the edge but runs into a big boot from Raven. They are now in the balcony area where Raven sprays Sandman in the eyes with a fire extinguisher. Sandman is blinded and is tossed over the edge crashing through numerous tables giving Raven the win. *1/2

In the ring, Raven demands he gets a NWA World Championship right now. He says that Jarrett should give him a shot because he might actually beat him. Jarrett comes down to the ring and hits Raven with the championship. Jarrett also hit Raven with a cane. AJ Styles came down to hit Jarrett with a chair but instead hit Raven on accident! Styles still hits Jarrett with the chair before going after Raven on the floor. David Flair and Brian Lawler went after Jarrett with a burlap sack. Jarrett was able to fight them off until Watts whacked Jarrett with a baseball bat. Lawler connected with a top rope leg drop on Jarrett. Flair pulled out the old NWA World Championship out of the sack. Watts choked Jarrett with the baseball bat as the show came to an end.

Final Thoughts: I really enjoyed Crazy/Lynn as they put on a really good fast pace match. The fans were into it and they kept everything nice and simple, really. It was a nice way to start the show action wise.

I guess the Hot Shots are the jobbers of SEX. Whatever, they are better than that.

I didn’t think Kash/Red was all that great. The main thing that bothers me about Red’s matches is his lack of selling. He gets tossed off the top rope with a release German suplex, and ten seconds later he is up like nothing ever happened. That is just a horrible job of selling. It was a decent match, but they didn’t really do anything out of the norm outside of top rope German suplex and superplex that both looked sick. They can do a lot better than what this week’s match saw them deliver.

It’s funny to me that AMW loses to SEX when next week they have a tag title shot. The finish made sense, but why does it always take two chair shots to keep Harris down for a three count? I prefer only needing one act of interference with a chair to keep a man down. Anything more than that is overkill.

Raven/Sandman… if you have seen them wrestle once then you know how their matches go, really. They just did their typical brawling stuff and had a nice finish this time around.

Also, I’m glad to see that Russo is apparently writing himself off television. Focus on writing the other characters and not yourself, bud.

Overall, this week was better than last week for sure. However, I’m not sure if I can say it was a good show or not. I’ll say thumb in the middle, but it’s tilting towards a bad overall show.

Thanks for reading.