NWA-TNA Weekly PPV #45 5/21/2003

Written by: Bob Colling

National Wrestling Alliance/Total Non-Stop Action Weekly PPV #45
Date: 5/21/2003
From: Nashville, TN

Raven is sitting on the edge of a trailer rooftop complaining about how he was denied from reaching his destiny. He accuses eft Jarrett of sitting at hime milking his injuries. Moments later, Raven is attacked from behind and we hear Jarrett’s voice! We also briefly saw Jarrett’s face as he attacked Raven. Jarrett grabs the microphone and tells Raven that he figured he would first pay him a visit.

Opening Contest: CM Punk vs. Jason Cross vs. Paul London vs. Kid Romeo in an elimination match: Romeo gets triple teamed with Cross hitting a nice brain buster. Cross backdrops London over the top onto Romeo on the outside. London yanks Punk off the apron and down onto the floor. Romeo hits a slingshot clothesline onto Cross from the apron back into the ring. Romeo kicks Cross to the floor but London hits a top rope cross body for a two count. London grabs Romeo from the middle rope and goes for a power bomb but Romeo counters with a hurricanrana and clothesline. Romeo plants London with a wheelbarrow bulldog for a two count. Punk trips Romeo from the outside and sends Romeo into the guard railing. Punk leaps off of London to knee lift Cross to the floor. Punk shoves London off the top onto the railing!

Romeo and Punk trade a few chops until Punk hits a tilt a whirl back breaker and a short arm clothesline for a two count. Cross gets a near fall on Punk with a spin kick. Punk plants Cross with a Devil Lock DDT on Cross for only a two count. Cross hits the Crossover neck breaker on Punk to eliminate him.

Romeo holds Cross so that London can deliver a super kick and Romeo gets a two count. London gets slammed down to the mat and Romeo clotheslines him to the floor. Romeo springboards and takes London out with a cross body. Cross gets ready and takes both men out with a twisting dive over the top! Cross slingshot hurricanranas Romeo back in the ring for a two count. Romeo fights back with a spinning heel kick. London crotches Romeo on the top but Cross dropkicks London to the floor. Romeo low blows Cross and hits a sick Kiss Goodnight from off the middle rope to eliminate Cross.

London is on the apron and hits a head scissors back into the ring. London gets crotched on the top thanks to Romeo tossing the referee into the ropes. Romeo meets London on the top and rolls London off to the mat for a two count. London knocks Romeo down with a kick to the head and gets a near fall. Romeo delivers a jaw breaker and hits a spinning torture rack slam. Kid goes to the top rope and misses a frog splash. London hits the Waffle Face and heads to the top to hit the Shooting Star Press to win the match. (***. A good match, though the Punk elimination was kind of surprising and disappointing. Romeo is a good talent and I’m surprised he never got a run in TNA. London is the new number one contender for the X-Division Championship.)

Backstage, Goldylocks interviews Sonny Siaki and the rest of SEX. Siaki tries to do a pep talk but several members aren’t interested in hearing it. He sends David Young to get Raven so he can concentrate on his match with Sandman. Young balked at it due to a tag match, so Siaki said he’d do it himself.

Backstage, Raven is furious with Julio Dinero and Alexis Laree. He threatens to pour bleach down Alexis throat to clean her soul. He tells them that if they betray him again, neither will have a destiny.

Second Contest: NWA-TNA World Tag Team Champions Christopher Daniels & Elix Skipper vs. Justin Credible, the Amazing Red & Slash in a handicap match: Skipper and Red kick off the handicap match. Red dropkicks Skipper in the corner and delivers a spin kick before Daniels tags in. Slash tags in and bites Daniels before delivering several blows in the corner. Slash catches Daniels in the corner to deliver a neck breaker/elbow combo. Credible tags in and works over Daniels. Skipper tags in but Credible keeps control with strikes in the corner. Credible clotheslines Elix over the top to the floor and hits a cross body to the floor.

Daniels goes for a suicide dive but hits Skipper on accident. Slash somersault dives onto Daniels. Red hits one of them as well onto Daniels and Skipper. Slash spins Daniels around with a whirly bird for a near fall. Skipper holds the top rope causing Slash to crash to the floor. On the floor, Skipper whacks Slash with a steel chair! Elix awkwardly slams Slash and tags in Daniels to double team Slash with a vertical suplex. Slash drops Skipper with a big boot and Red comes off the top with a big splash followed by a standing shooting star for a near fall.

Skipper holds Red on his back to allow Daniels to hit a clothesline and regain control of the match. Elix takes Red over with a double under hook duplex and a gut wrench slam. Daniels delivers a few back breakers on Red was the fans start to get behind Red. Daniels drops Red across the top rope and Skipper hits a top rope leg drop but Slash makes the save on the cover! Skipper has Red over his shoulder as Daniels comes off the top to deliver an elbow strike for another two count. Red manages to dropkick both men and tries to make the tag. Red kicks Skipper away and Credible gets the hot tag.

Credible cleans house on the champs hitting a power bomb on Daniels out of the corner. Credible super kicks Skipper in midair as he jumped off the middle rope. Daniels hits Credible with a tag title but Slash makes the save. Skipper crotches Slash on the top and dropkicks Slash to the floor. Credible sent off the apron into the guard railing. Triple X hits a suplex/cross body combo but Red kicks out at two. Red is caught on the floor by his partners and Red hits a swinging face buster to pin Skipper! After the match, Raven enters to plant Red with a DDT! (**. I had no interest in Slash and Credible being in there. Any credit of entertainment goes to Triple X and Red putting forth some quality action despite being held back by two performers.)

Raven remained in the ring with Amazing Red laid out saying that he would take everyone out until he got Jeff Jarrett in the ring again.

Backstage, Goldylocks interviews Mike Sanders who talks about beating Andre the Giant, the Undertaker and Sid Vicious (which never happened). He says that if he can beat the real Undertaker he can beat the fake one too.

Third Contest: Brian Lee vs. Mike Sanders in a Hard Ten Match: Sanders and Lee both grab a weapon from a crowd member. Sanders avoids being hit with one and bails to the floor. Sanders stomps away on Lee but Lee runs over Sanders with a few clotheslines and hits Mike with a trash can lid. Lee whacks Sanders over the back with a 2×4 on the floor. Lee hits Sanders with another trash can lid to have a 3-0 lead. A fan refuses to give Sanders a weapon and Lee hits Sanders with a trash can lid. Sanders head scissors Lee into a trash can lid in the corner. Lee has been busted open as Sanders works over Lee with a cooking sheet. We are at 4-4 in points as Sanders clotheslines Lee to the floor and hits Brian with a trash can lid.

Sanders places Lee on the table and punches the lid onto Lee’s face. Sanders comes off the apron but Lee hits him with the trash can lid. Lee with a few more shots to get a 7-5 lead. Lee brings a table into the ring. Lee hits Mike with another trash can lid and comes off the top but misses a splash and crashes through the table to give Sanders the win. (1/2*. Just a poor hardcore match between these two. A lot of offense focused with a trash can lid which leaves you limited.)

Backstage, Sonny Siaki tells Raven that he expects him to cheat for him against Sandman later tonight. Siaki slaps Raven on the cheek and calls him buddy before leaving.

Backstage, New Jack and Shark Boy are playing Candy Land with Goldylocks. Jack is playing the game by his own rules which Goldylocks didn’t like. Jack doesn’t want to be in the ring with a damn fish!

Backstage, Goldylocks talks to Ron Killings. Ron says that Konnan isn’t here and he has to tag with a Harris brother that he doesn’t like. Harris Brothers come over and attack Killings as Goldylocks screams. New Jack comes over and attacks Killings to kickstart the match.

Fourth Contest: Don Harris & Ron Killings vs. Shark Boy & New Jack: Killings is worked over by Jack and Shark Boy early on as expected. Jack hits a belly to belly suplex in what may be the first actual move I’ve ever seen Jack hit. Boy hits a missile dropkick but Killings kicks out at two. Boy continues his offense with a neck breaker and heads to the top rope but Ron crotches him on the top. Killings hits a middle rope fall away slam but Boy kicks out at two on the cover attempt. Jack knee lifts Killings and here comes the Harris Brothers. They hit the H-Bomb on New Jack after tossing Boy to the floor. Killings counters the H-Bomb and dropkicks both men to the floor. Killings pins Boy after catching him on a cross body attempt and hitting a power slam. (1/2*. That was a bad, bad match.)

Backstage, Sandman is talking to Raven in a boiler room it appears. Sandman tells Raven that he has played him before by taking his wife and child. Sandman gives Raven a beer and hits him with a kendo stick.

Backstage, Goldylocks talks to Kid Kash and Trinity. He is being forced to tag with Trinity. Kash says it is going to be three on one once he gets to the ring. Kash is going to take care of everyone in the match even his own partner. Erik Watts enters the scene and says that the powerful Eric is coming to TNA. Watts says Goldylocks owes him two favors.

Fifth Contest: David Young & Traci Brooks vs. Kid Kash & Trinity: Young and Kash kick off the match with Kash getting control with a hammerlock. Kash hits a sunset flip after a springboard for a two count on Young. Kash arm drags Young a couple of times and plays to the crowd. Kash flips off Trinity and gets met with a clothesline from Young. David hits a swinging slam on Kash for a two count. Kash hits a nice double springboard hurricanrana and a tornado DDT. Young is laid out but Kash doesn’t follow up. Young actually tags in Traci Brooks who gets pulled in by Kash. Brooks slaps Kash and begs off but Trinity gets tagged in. Trinity and Traci trade some blows with Traci working over Trinity. Trinity comes back with a running clothesline and hits a top rope arm drag. Young gets tagged in again after a head scissors.

Kash kicks Young from behind and nearly allows Trinity to win. Young spears Trinity but can’t get a three count. Trinity hits a nice hurricanrana on Young and Kash tags in after yanking Trinity by the hair. Kash runs over Traci with a clothesline and hits a slingshot duplex and goes for the Money Maker but suddenly we hear a voice over the speakers. It’s the mystery luchadore and says they will reveal themselves next week! Traci hits a chair shot on Kash and Young pins lash with a spine buster. (*. Yeah, this was a cluster for everyone involved. Kash is a great heel character and is a highlight of the show, though.)

Backstage, Goldylocks is talking with D’Lo Brown and AJ Styles. D’Lo says he wants to talk about Jeff Jarrett and not America’s Most Wanted. He finds it odd that he is teaming with Styles. He thinks Jarrett is scared of them.

Raven comes out again saying that he is running out of patience and he plants Jeremy Borash with a DDT. He wants Jeff Jarrett in the ring.

Sixth Contest: AJ Styles & D’Lo Brown vs. America’s Most Wanted: Styles and Storm kick off the tag match. Neither man gets the advantage and have a standoff until Styles tags in Brown as they try a double team but Harris gets tagged in after Storm avoids it. Brown ducks under a clothesline but Harris hits one anyway moments later. Brown counters a suplex attempt with a vertical suplex turned into a stunner. Brown hip tosses AJ onto Harris for a near fall. Styles nails Harris with a dropkick. Storm gets the sneak tag but Styles runs over Storm to keep control of the match. AJ rolls through a rollup but gets met with a super kick after leaping off the middle rope. Storm backdrops Styles and strikes Brown on the apron.

Styles gets taken down by Storm with a swinging neck breaker for a near fall. Styles is splashed in the corner by Storm and Harris gets a two count after a running bulldog. Harris goes for a swinging slam but Styles counters with a rollup for a near fall. Brown gets tagged in and backdrops Storm and clotheslines Harris. Brown scoop slams Storm and delivers a leg drop for a two count. Styles and Harris brawl on the floor leaving Storm and Brown in the ring. Storm plants Brown with an inverted DDT out of the corner for a two count. Styles plants Storm with a back suplex for a near fall.

Harris blocks a springboard reverse DDT attempt with a spear, though he was likely supposed to catch him. Harris clotheslines Styles and Storm accidentally kicks Harris. Styles hits the Styles Clash on Storm! Triple X and David Young come out to be a distraction as Brown hit a frog splash. Skipper drops Brown throat first across the top and Storm rolls D’Lo up for the win. (**. A fine tag match outside of the clusterfuck to end the match. They can’t possibly be splitting up AMW this early.)

State of TNA address with Glen Gilbertti is up next. Gilbertti says that pro wrestling is dead and it’s all about entertainment. He thinks Russo’s style needs to be brought back. He doesn’t consider himself a political player and is focused on a good show. He wants to erase NWA and says that the name of the show would be SEX presents TNA. He considers Raven a top talent who never got a fair shot in the business. Gilbertti doesn’t think Raven is all that bad of a guy. Gilbertti doesn’t think Vince Russo knows what the fans want ten years from now, but he does. He says that Jeff Jarrett has a lot to prove him and says that Jarrett isn’t going to make him rich. All Jarrett is to him is a great wrestler.

Main Event: Sonny Siaki vs. The Sandman in a Clockwork Orange House of Fun match: Raven is the special referee for the match. Siaki wastes no time hitting Sandman with a trash can as Raven is sitting in the corner. Sandman sends Siaki into a steel cage door. Sandman rubs Siaki’s face into the cage to keep control of the match. Siaki has been busted wide open. Siaki manages to send Sandman into the cage door. Sandman staggers to his feet and is met with a double trash can lid shot. Siaki whacks a trash can lid on Sandman’s groin with a 2×4. Siaki has Sandman in the tree of woe and stands on his groin.

Siaki whacks Sandman over the head with a trash can lid. Sandman uses the chair on Siaki to gain control of the match. Sandman has Siaki in the tree of woe and dropkicks a chair and trash can into Sonny’s face! Siaki avoids a kendo stick shot and uses the kendo on Sandman. Siaki covers Sandman but Raven isn’t moving to make the count. Sandman rolls Siaki up from behind but Raven doesn’t get up again! Siaki drop toe holds Sandman onto a chair. Sandman sets up a bunch of chairs and places the steel cage door on them. Sandman places Siaki on the door but they collapse. Sandman misses a senton splash and hits the cage.

Sonny works over Sandman with a chair but walks into a trash can shot. Sandman hits a side Russian leg sweep with a kendo stick. Raven gets up and plants both men DDT’s! Raven wants Jeff Jarrett! New Jack comes down and so does SEX. That means a brawl is coming. (DUD. A boring brawl between these two. There wasn’t much appeal to the match which didn’t help matters.)

Raven walks outside and the Amazing Red jumps off the side to hit a hurricanrana on Raven! Red is beating Raven up back into the arena. Red plants Raven with a tornado DDT! Red goes to the top but Julio Dinero shoves Red off the top to save Raven. Red hits the 718 on Raven and slams Dinero. Red sends Alexis into Dinero in the corner. Red places Raven on a table on the floor. Red goes to the top and leaps off hitting a Swanton bomb but the table doesn’t break! So, Red goes up top again and hits it a second time to break the table to end the show!

Final Thoughts:
This felt like a filler week of material for TNA. The main event was completely uninteresting and most of the matches just didn’t click with me whatsoever. The opener was fun, but it just steadily went down as the show went on. A thumbs down for this weeks TNA.

Thanks for reading.