NWA-TNA Weekly PPV #68 10/29/2003

Written by: Bob Colling

National Wrestling Alliance/Total Non-Stop Action Weekly PPV #68
Date: 10/29/2003
From: Nashville, Tennessee

Jimmy Hart teased announcing who the mystery man is but he changed his mind.

Opening Contest: America’s Most Wanted vs. Glenn Gilbertti & David Young: Storm takes Young down with a shoulder block but Young trades arm drags before they have a standoff, which didn’t seem to be necessary. Harris atomic drops Young and Storm hits a side Russian leg sweep for a two count. Harris holds Young up and drives Young down with a vertical suplex. Harris continues with a bulldog but Gilbertti pulls Young to the floor to berate his partner. Storm takes both men out with a cross body on the outside. Harris does the same with a slingshot cross body. Gilbertti uses a tennis racket on Harris and that gives them the advantage. Gilbertti connects with a swinging neck breaker for a near fall. Young yanks Harris down by his hair and tags Gilbertti back in. Gilbertti clotheslines Harris a few times but runs into a big boot. Harris with a flurry of left hands but Gilbertti plants Harris with a DDT for a two count. Young enters and hits a snap suplex for a two count. Young leaps off the top but misses a splash as Harris rolled out of the way. Young plants Harris with the spine buster to counter a swinging side slam. Storm leaps off the top to dropkick Young while the referee was distracted. Storm gets the hot tag and hits a standing hurricanrana on Young. Storm nearly pins Young after a kick but Gilbertti makes the save. Storm comes off the ropes with a forearm shot a few times. Storm hits a power slam on Gilbertti but Gilbertti isn’t the legal man on the cover attempt.

Harris hits a double clothesline and soon goes to the floor with Gilbertti. Young misses a dropkick and Storm puts the sharpshooter on Young. Gilbertti throws a chair in but the referee takes it out and Gilbertti uses a tennis racket on Storm. Young covers Storm but can’t get a three count. Young misses a tennis racket shot and Harris hits a spear. Gilbertti nails Harris with the Stunner. Gilbertti also takes Storm down with a side Russian leg sweep. Storm knocks Gilbertti to the floor with a superkick. AMW hit the running Hart Attack on Young. AMW hit the Death Sentence on Young for the win. After the match, Harris says the games with Gilbertti is over with. They will take out any team that Gilbertti sends their way. They want a rematch next week against Swinger and Diamond. (**1/4. Solid action between these two teams. The story with Young isn’t all that interesting, but it’s serving a purpose, I guess.)

Backstage, Michael Shane says that someone told him to not defend the NWA-TNA X-Division Championship against someone that wouldn’t elevate his career.

Second Contest: NWA-TNA X-Division Champion Michael Shane vs. Sonjay Dutt in a non-title match: Shane stops Dutt with a knee lift early on and hammers away on Dutt in the corner. Dutt lands on his feet on a backdrop attempt followed by a head scissors. Shane elbow strikes Dutt charging the corner. Dutt dropkicks Shane to the floor and takes the champ out with a cross body on the floor. Back in the ring, Dutt nearly wins after a springboard clothesline. Dutt baseball slides Shane on the outside but can’t hit a springboard move and settles for a leg drop on the apron. Shane sends Dutt face first into the ring post. Shane nails Dutt with a forearm shot and hip tosses Dutt over the top but Shane nails Dutt with a spear to knock him off the apron. Dutt drops Shane with a swinging neck breaker. Dutt with a running knee and another neck breaker but Shane kicks out at two. Dutt misses a splash in the corner and Shane goes to the top but Dutt dropkicks Shane off the top to the floor. Dutt proceeds to take Shane out with a somersault dive over the top on the floor. Back in the ring, Dutt hits an exploder suplex before heading to the top and hits a double springboard elbow drop but Shane still kicks out. Dutt misses the Hindu Press. Shane rolls Dutt up and uses the tights for the victory. (**. Eh, it was alright but again it wasn’t that I was invested in. Dutt’s getting over for his style and is losing to put heat on the heels, which is fine, I suppose.)

Backstage, Dusty Rhodes wonders who Jimmy Hart could possibly be talking about.

Third Contest: Kevin Northcutt & Ryan Wilson vs. Erik Watts & Don Harris: I wish I could say I had interest in this, but I really don’t. I think it’s bizarre that Don Harris is getting over in this angle, judging by the crowd reaction for the guy. Don ducks a handcuff shot from Northcutt and wins with a rollup. After the match, Watts nearly choke slams Don Callis but instead Watts suffers a spike piledriver.

NWA-TNA World Champion Jeff Jarrett says he is Mr. October because he took out Hogan, Russo, Styles and Jimmy Hart. Jarrett read a fan e-mail who thanked him for his accomplishments. AJ Styles came out and wanted a rematch but Jarrett suggested he enter the X-Division tournament. Styles is escorted out of the building. Dusty Rhodes came out but Jarrett said he wasn’t worthy either.

Backstage, Glenn Gilbertti doesn’t know what he is going to do about AMW. Simon Diamond says they welcome the challenge of AMW. Sonny Siaki comes over and Gilbertti asks if Siaki can take care of AMW, but he has a match and leaves.

Fourth Contest: Danny Doring & Roadkill vs. Sonny Siaki & Ekmo: Siaki and Doring kick off the match with Siaki delivering a few rights but Doring takes Siaki over with a head scissors. Siaki drives Doring down with a swinging side slam. Roadkill slams Siaki and heads to the middle rope to deliver an elbow drop. Doring goes to the top after Roadkill slams Siaki allowing Doring to hit a leg drop off the top. Siaki catches Doring leaping off the apron and rams Doring head first into the ring steps. Ekmo drops a knee onto Doring and Danny is hurting. Glenn Gilbertti has come down to ringside to talk to Siaki. Ekmo connects with a leg drop but still can’t get a three on a cover. Doring is driven down to the mat with a double spine buster. Siaki tosses Doring with an overhead suplex into the corner. Ekmo misses a splash in the corner. Roadkill enters and clotheslines Siaki followed by a backdrop and side slam. Roadkill splashes Ekmo in the corner but a second attempt leads to a clothesline. Doring stops Siaki with a jaw breaker. Ekmo plants Doring with a Samoan Drop. Roadkill comes off the top with a clothesline for a near fall. Roadkill heads to the top but Siaki shoves him off. Ekmo super kicks Roadkill and goes to the top himself. Ekmo hits a big splash and gets the win. (*1/2. This didn’t have any crowd interest and the action wasn’t all that exciting.) After the match, Sonny Siaki says that next week he and Ekmo will take out America’s Most Wanted for Glenn Gilbertti.

Backstage, Jimmy Hart tells us we should wonder who is in the limo and in the hummer.

Fifth Contest: Kid Kash vs. Abyss in a first blood chair on a pole match: Kash shakes hands with Abyss but Abyss makes it firm leading to Kash low blowing Abyss. Abyss tosses Kash off the middle rope as Kash tried to reach the chair. Abyss lifts Kash up and drives him down chest first to the canvas. Abyss goes to the top rope and kicks Kash away. Abyss misses a big splash off the middle rope. Kash nails Abyss with a springboard somersault dropkick to a seated Abyss across the ring! Kash grabs the chair from the pole. Abyss avoids a chair shot and punches the chair into Kash’s face. Abyss sets the chair up in the corner but Kash fights out of a back breaker. Abyss attempts a power bomb but Kash rolls through but Abyss catapults Kash face first into the chair in the corner. Abyss tries a sit down splash but Kash low blows Abyss and nails Abyss with the Smash Mouth. Kash takes Abyss out with a springboard cross body on the floor. Kash attempts a top rope splash but Abyss uses the chair to block it. Abyss misses a spear in the corner and hits the chair face first. Abyss plants Kash with the Black Hole Slam and it looks like Abyss is busted wide open. Abyss whacks Kash with the steel chair over the head. The referee sees that Abyss is bleeding and Kash wins the match. Abyss freaks out upon seeing his blood and hits the referee with the Shock Treatment. Abyss takes out security. (*1/4. I liked that now Abyss is probably going to be insane since he saw his blood and that gives his character some purpose and depth.)

Shane Douglas with another paid advertisement regarding his new franchise who will be debuting very soon. He was talking to someone, but we don’t see who it was.

Sixth Contest: Vampiro vs. Raven in a dream blood gallows of retribution match: They start off like it’s a kickboxing match trading kicks and jabs. Raven nails Vampiro with a discus clothesline. Vampiro attempts a splash in the corner but Raven got his feet up. Raven tosses a few chairs into the ring and soon power bombs Vampiro. Raven continues with a drop toe hold onto a steel chair. Raven puts a dog collar around Vampiro’s neck and tries to hang him. Vampiro has been busted open as Raven whips him with a chain. Raven knocks Vampiro off the apron and begins to hang him until Father Mitchell low blows Raven! Raven misses a chair shot and gets the chair kicked into his face. Vampiro leaps off the top to hit Raven with a spinning heel kick. Vampiro rams Raven face first into the ring steps. Raven is busted wide open as well at this point. Vampiro hammers away on Raven to bust him up a little more. Vampiro drops Raven onto a chair with a DDT. Vampiro tosses Raven over the top and hangs Raven over the ropes. Raven doesn’t let his arm drop three times and gets a second wind. Raven drops Vampiro over the top rope throat first. Raven clotheslines Vampiro after sending him chest first into the corner. Vampiro is met with a superkick. Raven has put two dog collars on Vampiro in the middle of the ring. Vampiro can’t go anywhere as Raven hits him with a trash can several times. Raven has gotten a table, which the fans pop for. Vampiro low blows Raven to stop him. Vampiro is stopped on the top rope by Raven. Raven hits a top rope DDT through the table. Raven hangs Vampiro over the top rope and Raven wins the match. (**1/4. It was suitable for what the feud has been. There was blood, there were weapons and it was a brawl. I didn’t mind it.) After the match, Father Mitchell tried to throw a fireball at Raven, but missed. CM Punk ran down to try and stop Raven. Raven is pissed at Punk for getting his way. Raven says all that is left is Mitchell now. Next week, it will be Raven against Father Mitchell in a last man standing match.

Jeff Jarrett comes down to the ring and demands that Jimmy Hart shows his surprises for tonight. Hart comes out and introduces his good friend, Jim Duggan.

Seventh Contest: NWA-TNA World Champion Jeff Jarrett vs. Jim Duggan: Jarrett leaps onto Duggan while he was across the middle rope and Jarrett continues to beat on Duggan with right hands. Duggan comes out of the corner with a clothesline and Jarrett bails to the floor. On the floor, Duggan nails Jarrett with a pumpkin. Duggan uses a chair on Jarrett and plays to the crowd. Jarrett comes off the middle rope to deliver a double axe handle. Jarrett gets caught in midair and Duggan plants Jarrett with a choke slam. Duggan nails Jarrett with another clothesline and goes for the three point stance clothesline, which he connects with. Don Callis prevents Duggan from using the 2×4. Jarrett has the guitar and whacks Duggan over the head with it for the three count. (1/2* Ugh, okay…)

Jarrett taunts Hart asking if that’s all he has for him. Jimmy says that was just the beginning. Rick Steiner appears from behind Jarrett!

Main Event: NWA-TNA World Champion Jeff Jarrett vs. Rick Steiner: Steiner hammers away on Jarrett and drops Jarrett with a clothesline. Jarrett rolls to the floor and Steiner tosses the champ into the crowd. Steiner nails Jarrett with a steel chair across the back. Steiner chokes Jarrett with a television camera cord. Jarrett uses a chair on Steiner to get control of the match. Rick blocks a chair shot and whacks Jeff over the back with it. Jarrett knocks Steiner down with another chair shot. Back in the ring, Steiner power slams Jarrett. Steiner takes Jarrett over with a t-bone suplex. Rick leaps off the top but Jarrett moves the referee in the way to take out the referee. Jarrett has another guitar and smashes the guitar over Steiner’s head. Jarrett asks if that’s the best Jimmy Hart can do as the match was thrown out.

Jimmy Hart informs Jarrett that next week he will wrestle the returning Sting!

Final Thoughts:
I’m not really digging TNA at this point. The angle that I was interested, which was Raven/New Church is essentially over with and now the focus is basically Jeff Jarrett as the top guy and running over TNA, though Sting returns next week so we should care about that. Sting/Jarrett must have been the Hogan/Flair for TNA. Over the years, they beat that match to death. Anyway, a subpar week for TNA and an even bigger blow to them is that Bound For Glory isn’t going to be Hogan/Jarrett and wouldn’t happen until two years later (without that match, of course).

Thanks for reading.