Written by: Bob Colling
National Wrestling Alliance/Total Non-Stop Action presents Weekly PPV #55
Date: 7/30/2003
From: Nashville, TN
Outside the arena, NWA World Champion AJ Styles tells Scott Hudson that he has no comment about D’Lo Brown. Sonny Siaki comes out of the limo as well and tells Hudson that TNA is making a documentary based on his life because the cameras are always on him.
Opening Contest: Elix Skipper vs. Jerry Lynn in a best two out of three falls match: Skipper attacks Lynn before the bell working over Lynn with an overhead double under hook suplex. Lynn counters the Play of the Day and rolls Skipper up to win the match. Skipper is pissed about that and issues a challenge to Lynn for a second match right now. Skipper wants a best two out of three falls and Lynn accepts that. Skipper misses a standing spin kick and Lynn hits a back suplex to continue his dominance of Skipper. Lynn hammers away on Skipper in the corner until Skipper drops Jerry face first over the top rope and hits a spinning kick. Skipper crotches Lynn on the top rope and Skipper manages to walk the top rope to hit a hurricanrana for a near fall.
Elix continues to work over Lynn with basic strikes. Lynn fights back with right hands and backdrops Skipper to the apron. Lynn misses a leg drop but Skipper misses an elbow drop. Skipper botches a slingshot clothesline from the apron for a near fall. Skipper boots Lynn in the corner and hits a handstand leg drop from the corner for a two count. Skipper nails Lynn with a leg drop on the apron from the floor. Lynn backdrops Skipper and hits a swinging neck breaker. Lynn hits a middle rope swinging face buster but Skipper kicks out at two on the cover. Skipper counters the cradle piledriver and catapults Lynn into the corner. The referee is knocked down and Skipper low blows Lynn. Skipper has his weight scale but that gets dropkicked into his face and Lynn gets the win. (*1/2. There was some decent action here, but the finish was lame and the booking doesn’t do any favors to Skipper. Skipper winning here would have been far better off in trying to make him a singles threat.)
Sonny Siaki made his way out to the ring and promptly began to rip on the NWA-TNA World Champion, AJ Styles. Styles came out and reminded Siaki about his role on “Team Styles.” Styles tells Siaki that Sonny rides his coattails, which gets a response from Siaki insulting Styles, but AJ fires back with a slap to his face. D’Lo Brown makes his way out and puts over AJ for having the fire to the best in the business. Brown knows that it is has been eating Styles up knowing that he wasn’t able to defeat him last week, so they agree to have a rematch next week. Siaki attacks Brown for a moment until Styles pulls Siaki off. Styles gets a few shots in on D’Lo until Erik Watts came out and made the save. Watts ends up announcing that next week Styles will defend against D’Lo Brown inside a steel cage.
Backstage, Julio Dinero tells Raven that CM Punk flaked out on them for the match tonight, but Raven doesn’t care because no matter what he will get his revenge tonight.
Second Contest: Edward Chastaine vs. The Sandman: A short match with Sandman getting the win with the White Russian leg sweep. The Edward Chastaine character is a short-lived experiment.
Backstage, Shark Boy is feeling depressed until Athena and Norman Smiley try to cheer him up. Smiley is able to improve Shark Boy’s spirits by showing him how to do the Big Wiggle.
Mike Tenay announces that Don Callis suspended Jerry Lynn from last weeks show and that New Jack is indefinitely suspended.
Third Contest: Norman Smiley & Shark Boy vs. Simon Diamond & Johnny Swinger: This is another short match as the main purpose is to get over Diamond and Swinger against a comedy duo. Diamond and Swinger win the match following the Problem Solver. After the match, Glen Gilbertti has his men grab Jeremy Borash to attack him but here comes Chris Harris and James Storm to make the save running the heels from the ring. Storm issues a challenge to the heels for a strap match next week.
Mike Tenay had a sit-down interview with Vince Russo who said that he once loved Jeff Jarrett but now hates him for having put his children on television.
Backstage, NWA-TNA X-Division Champion Chris Sabin taunted Frankie Kazarian about having to start from the bottom again. That was until Erik Watts came over and revealed that Kazarian was the special referee for the upcoming title defense.
Fourth Contest: NWA-TNA X-Division Champion Chris Sabin vs. Michael Shane: Early on, they trade wrist locks until Shane takes Sabin down to the canvas. Sabin backs Shane into the corner and hammers away on him until Shane hits an arm drag. Shane follows up with a hurricanrana and a spinning heel kick for a near fall. Shane backdrops Sabin to the apron and Sabin hits a springboard dropkick sending Shane to the floor. Shane rolls back into the ring to avoid Sabin and knocks Sabin off the apron with a forearm strike. Shane takes Sabin out with a somersault dive over the top to the floor! Sabin knocks Shane on the top rope and crotches Shane on the top rope. Sabin dropkicks Shane off the top to the floor and the champ hits an impressive springboard dive to the floor!
Sabin maintains control of the match with a body scissors in the middle of the ring but isn’t able to get a submission out of Shane. Sabin attempts a middle rope bulldog but Shane counters with a middle rope swinging neck breaker! Shane hits a leaping forearm shot and is acting a lot like his trainer Shawn Michaels. Shane plants Sabin with a Flatliner but can’t get a three count on the cover. Sabin spikes Shane with a springboard tornado DDT but only gets a near fall on the cover attempt. Shane cuts Sabin off with a super kick but Sabin kicks out before three. Sabin plants Shane with a DDT after having Shane over his shoulder, but Shane still kicks out at two. Sabin loses his temper and grabs the championship, but Kazarian prevents Sabin from using it. Shane rolls Sabin up but only gets a near fall. Sabin hits a big yakuza kick and shoves Kazarian. Kazarian hits the Wave of the Future on the championship! Shane goes for the cover but a second referee comes in and ejects Kazarian to the backstage area! Sabin nails Shane with the title from behind and the second referee makes the count. (**1/2. I had no idea a referee could do that to another referee. It’s a good title match with the Shane working really well with Sabin. I shouldn’t discredit Sabin, though.)
A vignette for Mad Mikey is aired as it shows Mikey getting very angry at various things in life such as traffic and having to wait for fast food.
Backstage, Ricky Morton cuts a promo saying that he taught Kid Kash everything he knows, but didn’t teach Kash everything that Morton knows.
Fifth Contest: Ricky Morton vs. Kid Kash: Kash avoids Morton early on and is begging off in the corner. Morton decks Kash with a right hand and follows up with a hip toss and an arm drag. Morton clotheslines Kash over the top to the floor and plays to the crowd. Morton takes Kash out with a suicide dive! I was no expecting that! Kash dropkicks Morton off the apron but Morton blocks a baseball slide and pulls Kash to the floor. Kash sends Morton face first into the ring steps and Kash continues to work over his mentor. Kash heads to the top rope and hits a clothesline to get a near fall on Morton. Kash and Morton exchange a few strikes until Kash knee lifts Morton and hits a gut buster. Kash has an arm lock on the canvas but Morton refuses to give in. Morton gets a near fall with a backslide but Kash hammers away on Morton. Kash kicks Morton in the ribs and heads to the apron but misses a somersault dropkick attempt. Morton takes Kash over with an overhead suplex and a dropkick for a two count. They begin to trade pin attempts but Kash pokes Morton in the eyes. Morton crotches Kash on the top rope but loses his footing and still hits a hurricanrana. Abyss comes in from behind with the referee distracted by Kash to hit the Shock Treatment. Kash covers Morton and wins the match. (**. Morton pulled out some impressive moves considering his age, but why in the hell can’t Kash win the match cleanly? This makes Kash look really bad even as a heel. These are the type of matches that a heel should win.) After the match, Kash went towards Sarah Lee and tossed a chair at Morton to end the segment.
A vignette promoting the return of Christopher Daniels is aired. He will be returning next week.
Sixth Contest: Shane Douglas, Slash & Brian Lee vs. Rave, Julio Dinero & Alexis Laree in a Clockwork Orange House Of Fun Match: Dinero nails Slash with a trash can lid several times. Raven knocks Douglas with a trash can lid as well off the apron. Laree is caught and dropped by the heels. Dinero attempts a dive but is caught as well. Raven baseball slides Dinero to knock the heels down. They begin to brawl on the floor for a few moments. Douglas hammers away on Raven against the guard railing and drops Raven across the guard railing before clotheslining Raven into the crowd. Slash nails Dinero with a trash can and hits Laree with one as well. Douglas loads up his boot to nail Raven in the crowd as Slash uses a crutch on Dinero over the back. Raven has been busted wide open as well. Brian Lee low blows Dinero while Slash hits Laree with a trash can lid in the ring. Douglas whacks Raven with a trash can to keep his rival down on the floor.
Lee whacks Dinero over the head with a lid as the heels are standing tall in the ring. Slash drops Laree with a Whirly Bird. Raven gets into the ring and Douglas hits a belly to belly suplex. Dinero nearly pinned Lee by countering a Doomsday Device but that momentum is short-lived. Lee accidentally big boots Douglas to the floor. Laree takes Slash over the top with a hurricanrana but Lee cuts her off with a right hand strike. Lee decks Laree a second time but is soon met with a double super kick from Dinero and Raven. Raven and Dinero clean house with trash can lid shots to the heels. Laree has a kendo stick and begins to hit Douglas and Slash in the ribs several times. Douglas is met with a duel trash can shot from Dinero and Raven. Dinero clotheslines Lee over the top to the floor and Raven puts Douglas on a table on the floor and hits an elbow drop from off the middle rope! Raven is pulled under the ring while Lee has Laree and hits a choke slam! Dinero shoves Slash off the top rope and hits Lee with a trash can lid shot. Raven is back rom under the ring and Douglas is able to pin Raven again! (***. I thought this was an enjoyable brawl with the feud being one of the better things going on in TNA at the time. Douglas hasn’t been this entertaining to me since his mid-90’s ECW time and it might be a forgotten about run.)
Backstage, D’Lo Brown uses an apple to shred it up against the steel cage and says that will be AJ Styles next week.
Main Event: Joe E. Legend vs. Jeff Jarrett in a guitar and bat on a pole match: Jarrett starts the match hitting Legend with a dropkick and hammers away on Legend in the corner with right hands. Legend cuts Jarrett off with a knee lift and stomps away on Jarrett to get control of the contest. Jarrett shoves Legend off the middle rope and Legend hits the guard railing chest first. Jarrett continues to work over Legend with right hands on the floor. Jarrett hits a backdrop and looks to go for the guitar but Legend prevents Jarrett from reaching the guitar. Jarrett pummels Legend on the canvas but Legend drives Jarrett gut first onto the canvas. Legend has a surfboard on Jarrett briefly but isn’t able to get a submission. Jarrett looks for a middle rope cross boy but Legend hits a back breaker instead for a near fall. Legend goes for the guitar but Jarrett stops Legend by hitting a running powerbomb! Legend battles back with a snap power slam and heads to the top rope. Legend tries to get the guitar but Jarrett press slams Legend to the canvas. Jarrett goes for the Stroke and hits the move on a second try.
Jarrett grabs the baseball bat but Sonny Siaki comes into the ring and yanks it away. Jarrett attacks Siaki but Legend has the bat now. Legend waits for Jarrett and hits Jeff right in the face but Jarrett kicks out at two. Siaki climbs trying to get the guitar but security prevents Sonny from getting it. Jarrett has the baseball bat and whacks Siaki with it! The red shirt security comes in and Jarrett kicks Kevin Northcutt. Legend plants Jarrett face first into the canvas but only gets a near fall. Legend climbs the rope but Jarrett crotches Legend and hits a superplex. Jarrett climbs the corner but Legend stops Jarrett again with a right hand. Jarrett rams Legend face first into pole and hits the Stroke from the top rope. Jarrett grabs his guitar and comes off the top but they seemingly botch that badly. Legend super kicks Jarrett after avoiding the bat. Jarrett comes off the middle rope and smashes Legend over the head to win the match. (*1/4. The closing minutes of the match were done really badly and made the match look awful.) After the match, Christopher Daniels enters the ring and attacks Jarrett! Daniels has returned a week earlier. Daniels takes Jarrett out with an Arabian moonsault! Daniels continues to attack Jarrett on the floor and says that tradition ends tonight. Daniels leaps off the ring steps to take Jarrett out with a cross body. Daniels comes off the top to drive the baseball bat into Jarrett’s chest to end the show.
Final Thoughts:
The main event was pretty bad mainly towards the end of it, but aside from that I enjoyed most of what was going on here. The Raven/Douglas feud continues to be a favorite of mine along with the mystery man that is attacking Raven every week. Sabin and Shane had a good match with Shane impressing in his debut for the company. The Kash/Morton wasn’t all that bad either as Morton surprised me with some of the moves he pulled out for the match. Next week should be interesting with a steel cage title defense for Styles against D’Lo.
Thanks for reading.