Written by: Bob Colling
National Wrestling Alliance/Total Non-Stop Action Weekly PPV #41
Date: 4/16/2003
From: Nashville, TN
Matches:
1.)Raven defeated D’Lo Brown
2.)Glen Gilbertti defeated AJ Styles in a street fight
3.)NWA-TNA X-Division Champion Kid Kash defeated Mike Sanders to retain the title
4.)Mike Awesome defeated Perry Saturn by disqualification
5.)David Young defeated James Storm
6.)Brian Lee & Slash defeated New Jack & Sandman in a No DQ match
7.)Jerry Lynn & Amazing Red defeated NWA-TNA World Tag Team Champions Christopher Daniels & Elix Skipper to win the titles
8.)Julio Dinero & Alexis Laree defeated NWA-TNA World Champion Jeff Jarrett in a handicap Clockwork Orange House of Fun Match
Angle Developments/Notes:
1. Outside the arena, Dusty Rhodes is waiting for Jeff Jarrett to arrive to the arena.
2. Raven, Alexis Laree and Julio Dinero are sitting in the Nest. Raven says that they are his followers who believe in him. He also says that along with SEX they are sick of Jarrett. Raven is going to take away Jarrett’s championship in an attempt to take away his power. He says that Jarrett to close to being in a rubber room and it isn’t pleasant. Raven will be wrestling D’Lo Brown coming up next.
3. Brown sends Raven over the top to the floor with a clothesline and follows up with a baseball slide in the early moments. Brown takes Raven and Dinero out with a dive over the top to the floor! Raven avoids Brown by sending him to the floor with a drop toe hold. Raven drives his knee into Brown’s neck from the middle rope for a near fall. Raven with a clothesline and a running knee lift. Brown counters a DDT with a Twist of Fate. Brown scoop slams and leg drops Raven for a two count. Brown drives Raven down with a Side Effect. Is Brown Matt Hardy all of a sudden? Brown hits a frog splash but Dinero enters to deliver a superkick while the referee was distracted. Raven can’t get a pin, though. The referee is knocked down by a Brown heel kick. Dinero tosses powder into Brown’s eyes. Brown drives Laree down with a powerbomb while blinded. Dinero is driven down with a swinging side slam. Brown is still blind. Raven waits and hits the DDT for the win. (**. Alright for what it was. Of course it was overbooked since Brown is still new to the company. Raven getting more momentum heading into the big match with Jarrett in two weeks is important. Brown is getting lost in the shuffle, I feel.)
4. A video promoting Raven and his career thus far in NWA-TNA is aired.
5. Backstage, Glen Gilbertti is with his troops and is motivating them for tonight. Gilbertti demands that Don Harris hit him with a towel wrapped around his fist and makes him hit him harder before leaving.
6. They start off trading right hands in the ring with Gilbertti getting the better of it at first but Styles takes Glen down with a German suplex. Gilbertti comes out of the corner with a clothesline. Styles is dropped face first onto the ring steps. Styles is also sent shoulder first into the ring steps. Gilbertti tosses Styles over the guard railing and they begin to brawl in the crowd. Glen sends AJ shoulder first into a railing in the stands a couple of times. Styles fights back by sending Gilbertti into the wall back first. Mike Sanders starts to attack Styles to help out his partner. Styles has been busted wide open. Styles ducks a clothesline to superkick Gilbertti in the crowd. Styles counters a powerbomb attempt with a snap suplex. Mike Sanders continues to attack Styles until D’Lo Brown shows up to help AJ. Styles leaps over the railing to dive onto Gilbertti at ringside. Styles hits a gut buster and a side suplex. AJ grabs a steel chair from the outside to use on Gilbertti but misses in the corner. Styles gets out of the Last Dance to nail Glen with a spin kick. Styles blocks being sent into a chair in the corner and is able to send Gilbertti head first into the chair. Gilbertti hits the Last Dance across the chair and wins the match! (**1/2. A huge win for Gilbertti. A decent brawl between these two, but their match the previous week was better. Gilbertti is being pushed big time and appears to be the second top heel in the company. I honestly can’t complain with it. He has been doing well.)
7. Outside, Dusty Rhodes says he understands the pressure that Jarrett is going through and he needs to talk to him man to man. Erik Watts arrives to the building and is wearing a “Jeff You’re Dead” shirt. Rhodes starts to yell at Watts about stuff I can’t understand. Dusty turns around and Watts attacks Dusty by throwing his bag at him. Inside the bag was the replica NWA World Championship.
8. Prior to the next match, Kid Kash talks to Trinity in the ring. Kash is ashamed and embarrassed of himself for how he acted last week. He is now crediting Trinity for his success. Kash says he will be there for Trinity for whatever she wants to do. He wants to know if she can accept his apology. They share a kiss and everything seems to be okay between them.
9. Sanders gets in Trinity’s face but Kash stops that quickly with a head scissors takedown. Kash clotheslines Mike over the top to the floor. Sanders drops Kash throat first across the top rope to regain control of the contest. Sanders counters a head scissors with a spinning side slam for a near fall. Sanders continues his offense with a snap suplex but Kash continues to kick out before three. Sanders stops Kash with a quick clothesline to maintain control of the champion. They begin to trade a series of pin attempts before they both go for clotheslines and crash to the canvas. Sanders shoves Trinity off the top rope as she tried to get involved. Sanders drives Kash down to the mat with a wheelbarrow suplex for a near fall. Kash hits a nice springboard twisting dive in the ring but Sanders kicks out on the cover attempt. Sanders stops Kash with a dropkick to the knee and Trinity hits a top rope cross body. She also drops Sanders with a spin kick and a moonsault off the top. Kash had the referee distracted. Sanders counters a double springboard hurricanrana with a powerbomb for a two count. Kash hits a springboard somersault dropkick across the ring and wins the match. (**1/2. A decent match between these two. The finisher that Kash used is incredibly dangerous and awesome. Sanders held his own pretty well.) After the match, Kash bails on Trinity, who is attacked by the Harris Brothers, who hit the H-Bomb. So, the whole having her back lasted all of about ten minutes.
10. Backstage, Goldylocks is with the New Church. Mitchell talks about Sandman and New Jack and their bloody war last week. Mitchell says that he and Sandman could have fun. He doesn’t take rejection all that well. He is blaming Perry Saturn for Sandman not joining him. He has found the dragon that will eat Saturn’s flesh tonight, apparently.
11. Mike Awesome is the man to take Saturn out. Awesome hits a side suplex but Saturn hits one of own as well. Awesome runs into a big boot in the corner and Saturn delivers a clothesline. Saturn continues with a t-bone suplex and goes under the ring to set up a table. Awesome leaps off the apron to hit a double axe handle. Awesome sends Saturn into the guard railing but is backdropped over into the crowd. Saturn is dropped throat first across the railing and Awesome takes Saturn out with a leaping clothesline at ringside. Awesome attempts a powerbomb through the table on the floor but Saturn gets out of it. Saturn leg sweeps Awesome back in the ring and gets an arm breaker on Awesome for a few moments. Awesome hits a slingshot shoulder block from the apron for a two count. Saturn hits a release German suplex after Awesome hit the corner gut first. Saturn hits another German suplex. Saturn gets a near fall after a springboard dropkick. Awesome nearly wins after a top rope clothesline. Saturn gets out of a powerbomb to hit a superkick for a near fall. Awesome drops Saturn with a double leg slam and goes to the top rope. Awesome hits a top rope big splash but can’t put Perry away. Sandman and New Jack run out to attack Awesome, which causes the disqualification. (**. Alright match between these two. Awesome isn’t exactly in great shape, but could be a nice addition to the roster. Plus, he is a good fit for the New Church. Both guys hit their top moves and put together a non-offensive match.)
12. Outside the arena, Goldylocks is with Jeff Jarrett who is tossing weapons out of a truck. Jarrett wants the ring crew. That’s it.
13. Mike Tenay sat down with James Storm and Chris Harris earlier in the day. Harris thinks they are still the most dominate tag team in the company. Harris says a few singles matches aren’t going to keep them away from the tag team glory. Chris says nothing is going on between himself and SEX. Storm chimes in and says you don’t hangout with the guy you’re trying to beat outside the ring. Harris thinks that they will win the tag titles once again. Harris supports James Storm having a singles match tonight.
14. Backstage, Goldylocks is with David Young, Sonny Siaki and Desire. Siaki chimes in and says it’s none of her business regarding what happened last week. Siaki was supposed to wrestle James Storm this week, but he calls Storm a nobody and isn’t going to wrestle him. Young says he is going to spinebuster Storm through the canvas. Siaki is making fun of Young and how he talks. Siaki wants him to let him do the talking.
15. Young hammers away on Storm early on but is monkey flipped by Storm. Storm also hit a hurricanrana. Storm takes Young out with a cross body on the floor. Storm hits a head scissors on the entrance ramp. Storm is sent back first into the guard railing but Young stops him with a powerslam on the floor. Siaki distracts Storm so Young can deliver a clothesline. Young hits a nice dropkick for a near fall. Storm fights back with a kick to Young’s face. Storm crotches David on the top rope and hits a top rope hurricanrana! Storm covers but can’t get a win. Storm heads to the top rope and hit a cross body but Young rolled through and nearly won the match. Young plants Storm down to the canvas with a middle rope ace crusher for a near fall. Storm hits the Eight Second Ride but Siaki pulls the referee out of the ring. The referee is distracted as Desire low blows Storm and Young hits the spinebuster for the win. (**. Another average at best. I didn’t really care for the match, not that I have a reason to care since there isn’t a story between these two.)
16. Backstage, Sandman and New Jack are playing a game of chess. Goldylocks asks if they are on the same page. Sandman says they are extreme brothers. New Jack says they are here to beat people up. Jack doesn’t want a belt and says that the New Church is going to hell.
17. Jack heads to the ring to fight both Slash and Lee while Sandman is in the crowd hanging with the fans. Sandman arrives to the ring and helps Jack fight off both men. Sandman hits a hurricanrana on Slash off the top rope. Sandman puts Slash gut first across the top rope and hits a leg drop off the top. They begin to brawl on the floor. All four men return to the ring where Slash hits a spinning slam on Sandman. Sandman nails Slash with a kendo stick as he went to the top rope. Mitchell attacks Sandman from behind but Sandman isn’t hurt. He is hurt when Lee nails him with a big boot. Mitchell punches Sandman with a spike a few times. Perry Saturn runs out to make the save. New Jack has a chair and hits Slash over the head. Mike Awesome comes out to attack New Jack. Awesome powerbombs Jack over the top and through a table on the floor! Slash covers and gets the win. (*1/2. I didn’t like the match. It was a boring brawl for the most part.) After the match, the lights go out and Justin Credible appears with a kendo stick. Credible hits the New Church and is part of the extreme family.
18. Outside, Jeff Jarrett goes after Erik Watts who came over to get under his skin. It looks like Jarrett is trying to get the Clockwork Orange House of Fun put together.
19. Daniels and Lynn kick off the tag team title match. Lynn takes Daniels down with a head scissors early on and a tilt a whirl backbreaker. Skipper tags in after Daniels crawls to the corner. Red gets tagged into the match as well. Red lands on his feet as Skipper attempted a German suplex. Red arm drags Skipper and hits a head scissors before hitting the 718. Daniels catches Red in midair but Red locks in a submission but Skipper saves Daniels. Skipper met with a double backdrop. Red drops Daniels with a hurricanrana. Lynn leg drops Skipper across the middle rope. Skipper trips Lynn from the floor and Daniels dropkicks Jerry to give the champs the advantage. Daniels also hits a spinning heel kick. Skipper hits a twisting splash from the apron for a near fall on Lynn. Lynn rolls Skipper up out of the corner for a two count. Skipper hits a nice lifting reverse DDT for a near fall. Lynn hits a leaping double clothesline on the champs. Red comes off the top with a missile dropkick and spin kicks both Skipper and Daniels. Red plants Daniels with a twisting STO. All four men are brawling in the ring. Daniels is backdropped to the floor onto Skipper. Lynn takes the champs out with a springboard somersault dive! Red takes the champs out with a somersault dive to the floor. Daniels nails Red with a vicious clothesline back in the ring. Daniels drives Red down to the mat with a vertical suplex and hits a moonsault for a near fall. Skipper leg drops Red as he was hung over the top rope. Red hits a hurricanrana on Skipper but only gets a near fall. Red hits a flipping powerbomb but Daniels made the save. Skipper locks in a half Boston Crab. Red fights out of the corner but is driven to the mat by Daniels in midair and locks in the Koquina Clutch. Lynn breaks up the submission attempt. Red drops the champs with a couple of kicks. Lynn gets the hot tag and cleans house with clotheslines. Lynn hits a middle rope bulldog on Daniels. Lynn plants Skipper with a tornado DDT for a near win. Red hits a hurricanrana with Daniels being on Lynn’s shoulder but Skipper breaks up the cover. The masked luchadore shoves Red off the top and hits an arm breaker on the floor. Daniels rolls Lynn up but can’t get a win even with his feet on the ropes. Daniels hits the Angel’s Wings but Lynn still kicks out! The champs hit an elbow drop/slam on Lynn but still can’t put him away. Lynn catapults Skipper into Daniels, who was on the top rope, and Lynn rolls Skipper up to win the titles! (***. Not nearly as good as I was expecting it to be, but it was a good match and a good title change. I didn’t like the interference from the masked luchadore, which wasn’t needed at all. Nonetheless, a good match although a little underwhelming.) After the match, the former champs attack until Jeff Jarrett makes the save. Jarrett grabs a microphone and challenges Dinero and Laree to a match.
20. Jarrett goes to the SEX locker room but the door doesn’t open. Alexis Laree hits Jarrett with a trash can lid. Jarrett hits her over the head and does the same with Julio Dinero. Laree low blows Jarrett in the crowd while the Clockwork Orange House of Fun is being set up in the ring. Jarrett is being double teamed in the crowd. Laree uses a bat on Jarrett and Dinero chokes the champ with a kendo stick. Laree whacks Jarrett over the head with a trash can. Laree nails Jarrett in the ribs with a kendo stick. Jarrett is sent into a fence in the corner a couple of times. Jarrett fights back by sending Laree into the fence. Jarrett powerbombs Laree onto Dinero! Jarrett uses the trash can on Dinero. Laree gets a kendo stick shot across the back. Jarrett hip tosses Laree onto the fencing! The same goes for Dinero. Jarrett slams Laree onto Dinero and the referee on the fence. Jarrett sets a up a table in the ring. Jarrett puts both Dinero and Laree onto the table. Raven runs out and hits Jarrett with a trash can lid. Raven suplexs Jarrett off the top and onto both Dinero and Laree. Dinero rolls onto Jarrett and gets the win! (**. Another average match, but it advances the feud between Raven and Jarrett nicely. I like that Raven is getting momentum on the champ. The fans are craving for a title change in two weeks. You can sense it.) After the match, Raven plants Jarrett with a DDT. Raven poses over a lifeless Jarrett to end the show.
Final Thoughts:
A lot of average wrestling this week on the show. I am heavily interesting in seeing the Raven/Jarrett match. They are building it up very well and the fans want Raven as the champion. The tag team title match was good, but kind of disappointing. Justin Credible arriving in TNA is something I don’t actually care about. He was good in ECW, but considering how inflated the roster is each week with various debuts, I don’t see him making a splash in the company. As for the show, I’ll give it an average rating.
Thanks for reading.