NWA-TNA Weekly PPV #73 12/3/2003

National Wrestling Alliance/Total Non-Stop Action Weekly PPV #73
Date: 12/3/2003
From: Nashville, TN

A video package of Jeff Jarrett taunting Hulk Hogan and having a moment of silence for his career starts off the show. Jarrett said people are either with him or they are against him. Erik Watts confronted Jarrett that he made various decisions and was promptly attacked by Abyss. Footage of the lumberjack strap match was shown, as well. Dusty Rhodes and Jimmy Hart got some level of revenge on Jarrett.

Don Callis cut a pre-tape promo saying that it is important that everyone does their job to make sure that the NWA World Championship remains around Jarrett’s waist because their lives depend on it. Jimmy Hart also cut a promo saying that AJ Styles has a heart and he wants this business. Dusty Rhodes suggests that Jarrett doesn’t take Styles too lightly. Jarrett is happy on the phone that people aren’t in the building. Jarrett says that Hogan is out of the picture and Dusty Rhodes is nowhere to be found. Jarrett is going to take AJ Styles out tonight and knows that Abyss is going to finish off Raven tonight. Jarrett is excited for the huge night ahead.

Opening Contest: Christopher Daniels vs. Low Ki vs. Kid Kash in a number one contenders match: Ki ducks a clothesline by Kash and delivers a few chops before being double teamed briefly. Ki clotheslines both men and nails Daniels with a few kicks. Kash stops Ki with a strike and tosses Ki to the floor. Kash beats on Ki on the floor as they trade strikes. Daniels hits a moonsault onto Ki! Kash moonsaults Daniels on the back in the ring. Daniels kicks Kash to avoid a backdrop and Ki kicks Kash followed by a clothesline to Daniels. Kash catches Ki on a springboard with an atomic drop. Ki drops Kash with a leaping kick and chops Daniels against the ropes. Daniels plants Ki with an STO for a two count. Daniels slams Ki and delivers a slingshot leg drop from the apron for a near fall. Daniels rams Ki into the corner back first and sits Ki on the top rope. Kash yanks Daniels off the middle rope and they shove each other. Kash pokes Daniels in the eye. Kash catches Daniels in the corner and delivers a reverse DDT turned into a shoulder breaker. Ki comes off the top to double stomp both men!

Ki chops Daniels against the ropes and delivers a forearm strike followed by a somersault kick to Kash. Ki connects with a springboard kick to drop Daniels. Ki has Daniels on the top rope, but is elbowed to the mat. Kash hits a springboard head scissors on Ki. Daniels slams Kash and hits the BME for a two count. Daniels rams Ki into the corner and sits Ki on the top. Daniels thrusts Ki and has Ki on the top rope, but Kash stops them. Kash tries to suplex Ki into the ring, but Ki fights off. Daniels chops both men on the middle rope and slams them both off with the Fall From Grace. Daniels fails to get a three count on either man. Ki has a dragon sleeper on Daniels in the ropes and has to let go. Daniels dumps Kash to the apron. Kash and Ki try for stereo springboard clotheslines and collide in the middle of the ring. Daniels misses a springboard moonsault and all three men are down. Kash chops Daniels against the ropes and is caught on a springboard allowing Ki to deliver a springboard kick. Daniels sends Kash over the top to the floor. Daniels gets a rollup on Ki for a two count. Ki dropkicks Daniels on the knee. Daniels ducks a knee, but Ki delivers a second kick from behind. Daniels avoids Ki in the corner and nearly wins with his feet on the ropes. Ki almost wins with a rollup as Daniels yelled at the referee. Ki locks in an octopus in the middle of the ring. Ki switches to a go-behind, but Daniels drops Ki with a back heel trip for a near fall. Daniels tries for the Angel Wings, but Ki breaks free and hits the Ki Krusher for the win! (***1/4. The finish was bizarre since Kash was really just standing on the floor and probably could have made the save. They all hit some big moves and had their moment to shine. I thought this was a strong opener to the show and showcased the men really well.) After the match, Kash smashes Ki with a chair. Kash holds a sign that he doesn’t fear any man. Don Harris appears behind Kash on the aisle and Kash is decked with a right hand. Don rolls Kash into the ring and rolls to the floor to runaway.

Backstage, Scott Hudson interviews AJ Styles regarding his title match against Jeff Jarrett. Styles notes that he’s beaten Abyss and Lex Luger. Styles thinks that Jarrett thinking he can’t compete is ridiculous. Styles believes that Jarrett knows it, too. Styles is confident that the championship will come back to him.

A video highlighting the tag title match from last week is shown. AMW helped 3LK win the tag titles from Johnny Swinger and Simon Diamond. There was also a confrontation between AMW and 3LK as AMW handed the tag titles over before walking off.

NWA-TNA Tag Team Champions 3LK come out to the ring to cut a promo. Konnan does his usual catchphrases as does BG James. BG says they are here to talk about the present and now that they have the belts means they are the number one targets. They are also getting more money and their kids will have a good Christmas. BG calls out for any bitches to come and try to take their belts and money. America’s Most Wanted make their way out to confront 3LK. BG says he is getting sick and tired of AMW coming out. Harris understands why 3LK wouldn’t invite him down, but James Storm should have been brought out because his superkick helped them win the titles. Harris reminds BG that they have them to deal with now. Harris wants to know when they get their tag title match.

NWA-TNA World Champion Jeff Jarrett comes out to the aisle with Don Callis. Jarrett says that all five men have a bigger decision to make later tonight. Jarrett says that this is a major decision to be made and has news that will shock the wrestling world. Jarrett says that they are either with him or against him. Jarrett says it’s either a yes or no question. Harris tells Jarrett that they looked up to Jarrett for a long time. Harris calls Jarrett a disgrace to the NWA. Harris tells Jarrett that he’s not with him. Jarrett expected that from two midcard tag team wrestlers. Jarrett turns his attention to 3LK. Jarrett puts over Killings as a future star, tells Konnan that Mexico might be hated in Mexico but is loved here, and recalls the history with BG in the WWF. Glenn Gilbertti and his men come out to tell Jarrett to not waste his time. Gilbertti thinks that him and Young deserve to be number one contenders more than AMW. Gilbertti tells Jarrett that he and Young are behind Jarrett. Simon Diamond tells Gilbertti to not speak for them and they got killed for it in the past. Diamond reminds Gilbertti that they lost the tag titles because of him. Diamond suggests Gilbertti will have a problem soon if he doesn’t smarten up. Jarrett chimes in and says that he and Don Callis will be running the show as long as they have the belt and Callis has power.

Erik Watts makes his way out through the crowd. Watts has Goldylocks with him. Watts has two decisions to announce. Watts says there will be a three way tag match between AMW, Diamond/Swinger and Gilbertti/Young for a title match next week. Watts wants Jarrett to get out of the 90s. Watts insults Jarrett calling him a jackass and says he’ll be in AJ Styles corner in the main event tonight. Jarrett is going to prove that Styles can’t compete on his level and never could. Styles runs up from behind and attacks Jarrett leading to a pull apart on the floor. Jarrett breaks free and they trade a few more strikes.

Backstage, there is a confrontation between Goldylocks and Traci Brooks regarding a locker room. Brooks says that she’s heard some talk about Erik Watts. Goldylocks tells Traci that Watts runs the company and Brooks tells Goldy that it’s not true. Traci suggests that Goldy talk to her boyfriend and she’ll do that.

Backstage, Scott Hudson interviews Chris Sabin and Sonjay Dutt. Dutt says that revenge is the right word and his rise to the top in TNA continues. Sabin says he’s refocused and he’s focused on Michael Shane. Sabin remembers Michael Shane beating him in an Ultimate X match and suggests there be another one soon.

Second Contest: Shane Douglas & NWA-TNA X-Division Champion Michael Shane vs. Chris Sabin & Sonjay Dutt: Shane and Dutt start off the match with Shane working over Dutt with several strikes and chokes Dutt over the ropes. Dutt kicks Shane and hits a springboard moonsault for a two count. Dutt keeps arm control on Shane for a moment. Shane eye rakes Dutt and tags in Douglas. Dutt hip tosses Douglas and twists the arm. Dutt tags in Sabin and Douglas backs off. Douglas keeps a headlock on Sabin for a moment and delivers a few shoulder blocks. Sabin fights back with a leaping forearm. Sabin decks Shane off the apron, but Douglas clotheslines Sabin and decks Dutt off the apron. Douglas hits two snap suplexs and a delayed vertical suplex on Sabin to keep control. Douglas continues with a rolling neck snap before tagging in Shane. Shane delivers a backbreaker after sending Sabin into the corner. Shane keeps Sabin over his knee and manages a two count. Shane staggers Sabin with an elbow strike and jabs in the corner. Sabin fights back with right hands out of the corner. Shane tosses Sabin overhead with a suplex for a two count.

Shane throws Sabin face first into Douglas boot in the corner and Douglas returns to the match. Douglas tags Shane back in quickly. Shane blocks a boot in the corner and Sabin ducks a clothesline to kick Shane on the back. Sabin tosses Shane with a German suplex after getting out of a back suplex attempt. Douglas is tagged in and stops Sabin, but is kicked. Dutt hits a crossbody on Douglas followed by right hands. Dutt dropkicks Douglas and elbows Shane. Dutt drops both men with several right hands. Sabin hits a springboard missile dropkick on both men. Shane goes to the floor while Dutt snapmares Douglas. Douglas crotches Dutt on the top with a press slam. Douglas hooks Dutt looking for a suplex, but Dutt shoves Douglas to the mat. Dutt connects with an elbow drop and goes for the cover, but Traci puts Douglas foot on the ropes for a near fall. Shane accidentally forearms Douglas to the floor and Dutt almost gets Shane on a rollup. Sabin fakes a dive, but nails Douglas with a slingshot crossbody. Dutt hammers away on Shane in the corner. Traci leaps off the top to drop Dutt and Shane nails Dutt with a superkick to win the match. (**. It was okay, but it kind of dragged on a bit as I’m not really invested in the Douglas/Shane pairing. The finish isn’t necessary. It’s okay to have heels win over a babyface that isn’t high up the card. It puts the heel over and gives him heat. I don’t know why this is so difficult.) After the match, Sabin beats on Douglas with right hands and rolls him into the ring, which makes zero sense. Shane beats on Sabin and Douglas helps. Sabin ducks a clothesline and plants both men with a DDT. Sabin assists Dutt on a standing moonsault and Traci is upset on the aisle.

Backstage, Scott Hudson is with Glen Gilbertti and his men. Simon Diamond is pissed about Gilbertti talking for them. Swinger reminds Gilbertti that they were tag champions for four months and they are blaming David Young for ruining this. They think that Gilbertti is stupid. Gilbertti tells them that Erik Watts has booked a four on two handicap match. Gilbertti says that if they win the match they’d give the title shot to them, but Young disagrees. Gilbertti calls for hands in and they do so, but they aren’t happy. Diamond asks Swinger what he thinks and Swinger says to remember where they met him.

Mike Tenay hosts a video highlighting the somersault dive by X last week where X landed back first on the concrete floor. Scott D’Amore, an agent in TNA, said that X could have killed Chris Sabin if he hit the move. Erik Watts announces that X will wrestle Don Harris.

Third Contest: Don Harris vs. X: Early on, X beats on Harris with strikes and stomps in the corner. X splashes Harris in the corner, bur runs into a back elbow. X kicks Harris in the midsection and continues to deliver strikes. Harris backdrops X to the floor, but X pulls Harris to the floor and they trade right hands. Harris sends X into the guard railing back first. Harris smashes X with a steel chair. X hammers away on Harris in the ring. X plants Harris with a side slam and heads to the top rope. X leaps off and hits a leg drop for a two count. X stomps on Harris before going to the top rope again. X connects with a swanton bomb for a tow count. Harris and X trade right hands. X hooks Harris for a package piledriver, but Harris backdrops free. They trade a few right hands with Harris getting the better of the exchange. Harris backdrops X and delivers a few clotheslines in the corner. Harris nails X with a big boot. Harris signals for a chokeslam, but Kid Kash comes out and distracts Harris on the apron. X gets the chain and decks Harris for the win. (1/2*. I’m glad that X got the win as Harris really shouldn’t be getting any momentum in a wrestling sense. However, he’s buds with Jarrett and we can’t be that lucky.) After the match, Kash sends Chris Vaughn over the top to the floor. Kash hammers away on Harris. Vaughn returns and is decked by the chain. Harris has gotten up and throws Kash to the mat. Harris sends Kash into the ropes, but Kash escapes and runs backstage.

Backstage, Scott Hudson enters a room and Christopher Daniels ha smashed Ki’s head between another chair. Daniels tells Ki that he’s ahead once again and doubts that Ki will make his match next week against Michael Shane. Ki has been left laid out with a pool of blood by his head.

Fourth Contest: America’s Most Wanted vs. Glen Gilberti & David Young vs. Simon Diamond & Johnny Swinger in a number one contenders match: AMW brawls with Diamond and Swinger around ringside while Gilbertti and Young just watch in the ring. Harris sends Diamond into the railing while Swinger stomps on Storm. Harris drops Diamond chest first over the railing. Harris sends Diamond face first into a steel chair and pummels Diamond with left hands. Young and Gilbertti are yelling at Swinger on the floor. Harris climbs to the top and takes everyone out with a crossbody to the floor. 3LK are watching the match in the crowd. Gilbertti enters the ring to take on Storm. Gilbertti accidentally decks Diamond off the apron and Storm hammers away on Gilbertti followed by a clothesline in the corner. Harris enters and double teams Gilbertti in the corner. Swinger and Diamond stomp on Gilbertti, but that appeared to be on accident thinking it was Harris. Gilbertti and his men are arguing some more on the floor. Harris clotheslines Diamond coming off the ropes and hits a standing dropkick for a two count. Storm drops Gilbertti with a right hand, but Young knocks Storm down.

Storm is met with a double shoulder block from Diamond and Gilbertti leading to a two count. Gilbertti connects with an elbow on Storm after a drop toe hold by Swinger. Storm is driven down to the mat with a double flapjack. Young drops Storm with a right hand and hits a seated dropkick to the back for a two count. Diamond beats on Storm and tags in Gilbertti. Storm kicks Diamond and forearms Gilbertti. Storm tries to tag in Harris and makes the tag. Swinger tags in, but Harris cleans house with left handed strikes. Harris drops Diamond with a Thez Press and drops Swinger with a clothesline. AMW hit their version of the Hart Attack on Swinger for a near fall. Diamond and Swinger drive Harris down to the mat with a double flatliner. Harris fights back with more strikes, but Young plants Harris with a spinebuster. Diamond and Swinger brawl to the floor as they couldn’t agree on the pin. Storm nails Diamond with a superkick to win the match. (*1/2. There wasn’t really a lull moment in the match, which was nice. It was kind of obvious that the heels would miscommunicate to cost them the match at the end of the day. AMW seems to have really found their grove and are a lot to fun in the tag division. This felt like the end of Diamond and Swinger, sadly.)

Backstage, Scott Hudson is with the Gathering for an interview. Raven says that Hudson would think he’s frustrated and annoyed that Jeff Jarrett would try and stop his quest for the NWA World Championship. Raven enjoyed snapping Ryan Wilson’s arm and will enjoy hurting Abyss tonight. CM Punk is determined to change Raven’s mind about teaming more than one time tonight.

Fifth Contest: Abyss, Kevin Northcutt & Joe Legend vs. Raven, CM Punk & Julio Dinero: Northcutt starts the match with Dinero delivering right hands, but Dinero comes back with a neckbreaker and a heel kick. Dinero kicks Legend to the apron and Punk tags in. Northcutt cuts Punk off, but Punk head scissors Northcutt followed by a hurricanrana. Legend is knocked down again as Punk focuses on boot scrapes in the corner. Legend clotheslines Punk from behind. Northcutt rams Punk into the corner and tags in Abyss. Abyss beats on Punk with right hands in the corner. Abyss chops Punk in the corner and scares the referee. Legend tags in and keeps working on Punk with right hands and stomps. Punk tries to tag out, but Legend stops Punk with a kick to the face. Northcutt nails Punk with a clothesline as Legend hit a back suplex for a two count. Northcutt keeps a chin lock on Punk. Northcutt yanks Punk down by his hair and hits an exploder suplex leading to a near fall. Punk kicks Northcutt on the side of the head and tries to tag out, but Legend makes the save to prevent the tag. Northcutt beats on Punk with several clotheslines in the corner but misses a spear and hits the post.

Raven gets the hot tag and cleans house with right hands and knee lifts. Raven clotheslines Legend followed by a bulldog/clothesline combo. Abyss enters the ring and taunts Raven. Raven jabs Abyss and connects with a discus clothesline. Raven kicks Abyss to the mat. Dinero hits a crossbody sending both men over the top to the floor. Raven plants Abyss with a DDT and has the cover. Don Callis has a chair, but runs away. Abyss spears the chair into Raven’s midsection. Abyss has the cover and wins the match. (*1/4. I wasn’t expecting that to be the finish because the match didn’t really get out of the first gear, which was a little disappointing. I’m looking forward to a match between Raven and Abyss to take place at some point, unless they go right into the Gathering split.) After the match, Abyss beats on Punk and Dinero. Dinero gets a few right hands in and Abyss is dropkicked to the floor. Northcutt and Legend get knocked down, too. Abyss plants Punk and Dinero with a double chokeslam. Abyss plants Raven with the Black Hole Slam. Punk and Dinero run the heels off with steel chairs.

Roddy Piper cutting a pre-tape promo from his living room is shown. Piper will be coming in on December 10th and says we’ll be surprised by the power one can show. Piper says he’s coming and he’ll be live next week.

We get a hype video promoting the main event between Jarrett and Styles coming up next.

Main Event: NWA-TNA World Champion Jeff Jarrett vs. AJ Styles: Styles does a running flip to scare Jarrett to the apron to start the match. Styles hammers away on Jarrett against the ropes and Jarrett bails to the floor again. Jarrett talks to Callis about a game plan before returning to the ring. Jarrett tells Styles that he can’t compete on his level as Jarrett goes for a go-behind, but Styles counters with a hammerlock. Jarrett keeps Styles on the mat with a headlock. Styles gets out of a back suplex and keeps a headlock on Jarrett. Styles shoulder blocks Jarrett but misses a clothesline. Styles counters a hip toss attempt with a DDT for a two count. Jarrett dumps Styles to the floor with a backdrop. Styles forearms Jarrett from the apron and tries for a dropkick, but Jarrett held onto the ropes and struts. Styles kips up and sends Jarrett over the top to the floor. Styles beats on Jarrett with right hands on the aisle. Jarrett stops Styles with a few strikes of his own and tries for a suplex, but Styles blocks and suplexs Jarrett on the ramp. Styles tosses Jarrett off the ramp and over the railing into the crowd. Styles gets a running head start and jumps off the ramp into the crowd, but Jarrett smashes Styles with a chair shot.

Jarrett drops Styles face first onto a steel chair. Jarrett whacks Styles over the back with another chair shot. Jarrett jabs Styles with the chair in the midsection. Jarrett drops Styles chest first onto the railing. Jarrett sends Styles over the railing and Styles hits his legs on the ring steps. Jarrett taunts Tenay at the announcers table. Jarrett slams Styles face onto the table. Styles fights back with several strikes, but Jarrett catapults Styles into the railing chest first. Jarrett continues with a slingshot crossbody to the floor and again taunts Tenay. Jarrett signals for the end as they return to the ring. Styles fights out of the Stroke and nearly wins with an inside cradle. Jarrett clotheslines Styles and taunts the crowd by showing off his muscles. Styles gets a sleeper on Jarrett, but Jarrett quickly counters with one of his own. Jarrett takes Styles over with a snap suplex several times. Jarrett plants Styles with a vertical suplex. Jarrett heads to the top rope, but is met with a dropkick in midair. Styles nails Jarrett with a spin kick and a couple of clotheslines.

Styles chops Jarrett and hits the springboard reverse DDT for a two count. Styles signals for the Styles Clash, but instead drops Jarrett with a powerbomb. Callis put Jarrett’s foot on the bottom rope. Watts decks Callis with a right hand on the floor. Jarrett elbows Styles and gets the guitar. Styles kicks the guitar to break it. Styles hammers away on Jarrett in the corner. Styles has he broken guitar and distracts the referee. Watts plants Jarrett with a chokeslam. Styles goes for the cover, but Jarrett kicks out at two. Jarrett stops Styles with a powerbomb. Red Shirt Security and the Gathering rundown and brawl around ringside. Watts chases after Callis through the crowd. Abyss is yanked off the apron by AMW and they brawl. Jarrett and Styles trade right hands but Styles accidentally kicks the referee. Styles counters the figure four with a rollup, but there’s no referee. Styles tries for a suplex, but Jarrett counters and crotches Styles on the top turnbuckle. Styles knocks Jarrett off the middle rope.

Jimmy Hart comes out with the referee shirt on. Styles was going for a springboard 450, but stopped after seeing Jarrett get his knees up. Styles superkicks Jarrett to hit the Spiral Tap. Hart with the slowest count ever. Kid Kash pulls Hart out. Kash has a guitar, but Styles blocked it and hits the Styles Clash on Kash. Jarrett has the guitar and smashes Styles over the head to win the match and retain the title. (***. It’s a solid match, but the interference nonsense was a bit much towards the end. The finish obviously protects Styles since they aren’t going to switch the titles just yet. I could get behind a Styles/Kash feud should that be the idea.)

Backstage, Raven says he’s still breathing and he wants Abyss next week. He promises that Abyss will feel the Raven Effect.

Final Thoughts:
The opener and the main event were the only enjoyable matches on the show. It seems like TNA has been able to progress things well as next weeks show has a lot of matches that have an angle and serve a purpose. I’m noticing that the delivery in the ring has been a little lackluster and they need to get away from interference type of finishes. I’ll consider this an average show at best, leaning towards a thumbs down as it wasn’t strong enough in-ring.

Thanks for reading.