NWA-TNA Weekly PPV #78 1/21/2004

Written by: Bob Colling

National Wrestling Alliance/Total Non-Stop Action presents Weekly PPV #78
Date: 1/21/2004
From: Nashville, TN

Backstage, Don West confronted Mike Tenay regarding what happened between Tenay and Jeff Jarrett. Tenay told West that he wasn’t going to stand by and allow that to happen because it was too important. Everyone’s job was on the line. Tenay tossed down papers and walked off.

A video promoting the show kicks off with Erik Watts saying that tonight is Don Callis’ last night. Jeff Jarrett is in a limo with his group of men and they are positive about beating El Leon in a street fight tonight and they promote Johnny Fairplay appearing.

A letter by TNA ownership is shown and it’s saying that Watts and Callis can not coexist. They will be wrestling next week with the loser having to resign and it will be a match with no rules. Wrestlers can watch at ringside but they will be handcuffed together to prevent interference. I’m going to bet there is interference.

Erik Watts is in the ring to start the show and the fans are chanting ICP. Watts is here to reveal the captain for the America X-Cup. Watts hypes up his match with Don Callis next week saying he’s going to kick his ass. Watts promises that Callis will no longer be a pain in their ass. Watts is bringing back one of the greatest wrestlers to compete in the X-Division and brings out Jerry Lynn. Lynn thanks Watts for bringing him back for this opportunity after being at home for five months. Lynn says that everything that has happened is water under the bridge.

Kid Kash makes his way out to confront Lynn. Kash wonders if he’s hearing things correctly about Lynn being at home for five months and that everything is fine now. Kash says that Watts could have done something to fix the injunction, but never did. Kash notes that Lynn is a veteran of the sport. Kash doesn’t think Lynn deserves to be treated poorly. Kash thinks they should have just drown Lynn in one of the lakes. Kash wants Lynn to listen to him and says that Watts is trash. Lynn notes that he got Kash his tryout with the company. Kash says his talent kept his job. Kash says that Lynn is going to watch him wrestle for another six months. Kash wants Lynn to sign a contract to join Jarrett’s side. Kash says if he doesn’t he’ll have a match with him and kick his ass. Lynn will give Kash an answer right now and acts like he’s going to sign the contract but instead whacks Kash over the head and they brawl to the floor. Kash rams Lynn into the ring steps face first before returning to the ring. Lynn fights off Kash with a clothesline and tosses Kash over the top to the floor to end the segment.

Earlier today, Johnny Fairplay arrived on a private jet, though we don’t see him on it.

Backstage, Jeff Jarrett and Don Callis are not happy about the stipulation next week where Callis has to wrestle against Erik Watts. Jarrett tries to hype Callis up as being a wrestler. Kid Kash enters the scene and Jarrett tells Kash he wants a signature from Sonny Siaki. Kash promises to get the signature.

Opening Contest: CM Punk & Julio Dinero vs. Balls Mahoney & The Sandman: Dinero and Punk work over Sandman before Mahoney even gets to the ring. Mahoney gets in the ring and delivers several jabs to both men. Mahoney and Sandman share a beer in the ring. Punk and Dinero deliver kick to the heads and they spit out beer. Dinero uppercuts Mahoney while Punk chokes Sandman in the corner. Mahoney hits a sit out spinebuster on Dinero. Sandman takes Punk off the top with a hurricanrana and Mahoney hits a frog splash. Dinero spin kicks Mahoney and superkicks Sandman. Punk elbows Mahoney but is stopped by a clothesline. Dinero baseball slides a chair into Sandman while Mahoney and Punk go over the top to the floor. Sandman drops Dinero over the top rope and goes to the top with a chair to leg drop Dinero over the head for a two count. Punk nails Sandman with a springboard dropkick to knock Sandman down. Dinero drills Sandman with a chair shot. Punk connects with a shining wizard on Mahoney to send a chair into his face. Punk knee strikes Sandman in the corner. Dinero side slams Mahoney as Punk hit a top rope elbow drop and they win the match. (*1/2. I like the clean win for the duo as that’s something they need to be seen as a credible team. The match really didn’t have a lot going for itself and Mahoney didn’t do much of anything.) After the match, Dinero dumps out a bag full of thumbtacks. The lights go out and we hear “quote the Raven” several times. Punk and Dinero are confused. Sandman has a kendo stick and whacks both Dinero and Punk. Sandman hits a side Russian leg sweep on Punk. Dinero bails to the floor to end the segment.

A video promoting the feud between Glen Gilbertti and Simon Diamond is shown. Gilbertti screwed over Diamond last week and kicked him out of the group.

Backstage, Scott Hudson interviews Gilbertti and David Young. Young says that Diamond and Swinger stabbed Gilbertti in the back. Gilbertti takes credit for the success they had as tag champions. Gilbertti tells Hudson that one of them signed the loyalty contract and the other one didn’t.

Second Contest: Simon Diamond & Johnny Swinger vs. Glen Gilbertti & David Young: Gilbertti and Young go after Diamond and Swinger to start the match. Young is met with a double flapjack and right hands by both men. Swinger drops Young with a jawbreaker and keeps control with stomps on the mat. Diamond returns to the match to hit a side slam/reverse DDT on Young for a two count. Diamond wants to force Gilbertti to tag in, but Gilbertti avoids a tag. Diamond takes Young over with a snap suplex two times and a front suplex. Young plants Diamond with a spinebuster. Gilbertti tags into the match insult and taunt Diamond. Gilbertti delivers a swinging neckbreaker for a two count. Young returns to the match and beats on Diamond with a drop toe hold/elbow drop combo. Young hits a moonsault off the middle rope for a two count. Young clotheslines Diamond, but Diamond hammers away on Gilbertti. Gilbertti stops Diamond with a side Russian leg weep. Gilbertti misses a middle rope knee drop. Diamond tags in Swinger. Swinger drops Young with a few strikes. Swinger backdrops Young and Gilbertti gets dropped by right hands. Gilbertti is met with a double Flatliner. Gilbertti rams Swinger into the corner chest first. Gilbertti accidentally clotheslines Young and they hit the Problem Solver on Young for the win. (*1/4. The crowd didn’t care about this and rather cared more about chanting for ICP. Looks like they aren’t paying off the loyalty contract signing.. at least not yet.)

Kid Kash brings Sarah Lee to the ring by her hair, which is a bit too much. Lee tries to fight back and Kash chokes her. Kash is demanding she sign the loyalty contract and she is. Tiny the Timekeeper enters the ring and punches Kash! Gilbertti grabs Lee and is going for a piledriver. Chris Vaughn clotheslines Gilbertti and cleans house with right hands. Vaughn dropkicks Gilbertti, but Kash hits Vaughn with a clipboard and Young connects with a spinebuster. Don Harris runs into the ring to make the save. Don plants Young with a slam to end the segment.

Outside the venue, a limo is shown with several woman walking out. A woman is brought back into the limo to suggest something physical going on.

We see footage from earlier where Kid Kash tried to get Sonny Siaki to sign the loyalty contract while Siaki was taking a dump. Trinity wants Siaki to sign the contract, but he refuses. Kash wants to know who is advising Siaki to not sign it. Trinity signs the contract.

Backstage, Scott Hudson is with Sonny Siaki and Trinity. Siaki is pissed that Trinity would sign the contract behind his back. Siaki is going to take care of business and wants her to stay backstage. Trinity declares she will be there.

Third Contest: Sonny Siaki vs. D’Lo Brown: Siaki attacks before the bell, but that offense doesn’t last very long. Brown delivers a leaping forearm smash and a backdrop. Siaki delivers a swinging neckbreaker to regain momentum. Siaki delivers an elbow strike for a near fall. Brown gets out of a chin lock and tries for a backdrop, but Siaki connects with a superkick. Siaki shoulder rams Brown in the corner several times. Brown runs into a boot in the corner but plants Siaki with a spinebuster. Brown forearms Siaki in the corner and heads to the top rope. Brown delivers a clothesline and plays to the crowd. Brown clotheslines a seated Siaki for a two count. Brown delivers a swinging side slam for a near fall. Trinity is now at ringside. Siaki drops Brown over the middle rope and Siaki argues with Trinity on the floor. Siaki grabs a chair and slides it into the ring. Siaki gets the chair kicked into his face. The referee stops Brown from using the chair and Trinity hits a top rope tornado DDT. Siaki goes for the cover, but Brown kicks out at two. Brown hits the Sky High for the clean win. (*1/2. I was bored by this, really. I think this is setting up for a Siaki face turn, and I can get behind that. There doesn’t seem to be much of a direction for D’Lo at this point.) After the match, Kid Kash makes his way out to confront Siaki. Kash slaps Siaki after he refused to sign. Siaki tackles Kash and delivers right hands. Trinity decks Siaki with a kick. Kash drops Siaki over his knee. Trinity hits a top rope moonsault.

Backstage, Jeff Jarrett says that he wants the tag titles and the Red Shirts are going through AMW tonight. Trinity enters the scene and says she wants nothing to do Kid Kash. Jarrett has his troops and Callis goes to get Johnny Fairplay.

Fourth Contest: Shane Douglas & Michael Shane vs. Christopher Daniels & Elix Skipper: All four men are in the ring brawling to start the match. Daniels sends Shane to the floor and Skipper clotheslines Douglas to the floor. Daniels rolls Douglas into the ring and they hit a double hip toss. Daniels clotheslines Douglas in the corner and follows with stomps. Skipper and Daniels tag in and out quickly to beat on Douglas in the corner. Skipper kicks Douglas over the back and plays to the crowd. Shane returns to the match and hammers away on Skipper with right hands. Skipper sends Shane into the corner and Daniels delivers an elbow strike. Shane comes off the ropes to crossbody Skipper, but Skipper gets out of the pin and heel kicks Shane. Daniels scoop slams Shane and hits a moonsault for a two count. Daniels and Skipper hit a vertical suplex/top rope crossbody combo on Shane for a two count. Skipper decks Douglas on the apron, but Shane hooks Skipper for a suplex only for Skipper to hit a front suplex. Douglas illegally enters to deliver a rolling neck snap for a near fall.

Shane drives Skipper down with a neckbreaker for a near fall. Douglas locks in a full nelson submission, but Daniels makes the save. Shane keeps a chin lock on Skipper, but doesn’t get a tap out. Shane tosses Skipper with an overhead suplex for a two count. Douglas grabs a couple of steel chairs on the floor. Douglas has setup four chairs on the floor. Skipper fights out of the corner with several right hands, but Douglas decks Skipper from behind. Douglas sends Skipper to the floor. Skipper counters a back suplex attempt onto the chairs and sends Shane into the guard railing. Douglas is shocked to see Shane knocked down. Skipper heel kicks Douglas and tries to tag in Daniels, but is stopped. Daniels does get tagged in as Shane tags in. Daniels cleans house with strikes and heel kicks. Daniels clotheslines both men and rams them into each other face first. Daniels hits a sit out spinebuster for a two count on Shane. Douglas delivers a Stroke to Daniels, but Skipper takes Douglas out with a twisting dive to the floor! Skipper lays Douglas onto the four chairs and goes to the middle rope. Shane shoves Skipper and Traci off the middle rope and they crash onto the chairs. Daniels plants Shane with the Last Rites. Douglas has the chain and decks Daniels right in the face. Shane has the cover and wins the match. (*1/2. Douglas really shouldn’t be working with X-Division guys largely because it exposes how far behind Douglas is to them in the ring. The chair spot with Skipper and Traci was surprising and a big spot. There just wasn’t a lot of heat into this match.)

We see 3LK mocking various heel wrestlers on the big screen.

Fifth Contest: America’s Most Wanted vs. Kevin Northcutt & Joe E. Legend in a number one contenders match: All four men are on the floor brawling around ringside to start the contest. Legend and Storm start off in the ring trading right hands. Storm counters a hip toss with a clothesline followed by right hands. Harris tags in and continues to beat on Legend against the ropes. Legend avoids a back drop, but Harris mounts Legend with right hands. Northcutt tags in and chops Harris in the corner. Harris bulldogs Northcutt out of the corner for a near fall. AMW mess up a dropkick off the top and Storm is holding his left shoulder after slipping off the top rope. Legend goes after Storm with stomps in the corner and Harris can’t do anything about it. Storm fights back and tries for a clothesline, but Legend blocks it. Northcutt drives Storm down with an arm breaker. Legend focuses his attack on the left arm. Storm is double teamed in the corner for a moment. Northcutt tosses Storm overhead into the corner and Storm appeared to land on his neck.

Northcutt sends Storm to the floor and Legend sends Storm shoulder first into the railing. Legend axe handles Storm’s shoulder over the railing. Legend places Storm on the top rope looking for a suplex, but Storm counters with a sunset flip powerbomb. However, Northcutt is distracting the referee. Storm backdrops Northcutt to the floor. Storm kicks Legend and tries to tag in Harris, but Northcutt pulls Harris to the floor and sends Harris into the railing. Storm goes to the top and is stopped by Legend. Legend hits a superplex on Storm, who seemingly landed on his shoulder. Northcutt works over Storm’s shoulder, but Storm kicks Northcutt to the mat. Harris gets tagged in and hammers away on Red Shirts hitting a backdrop on Legend. Harris clotheslines Northcutt and clotheslines Legend to the floor. Harris drops Northcutt over the middle rope chest first. Storm tags in and takes Northcutt over with a hurricanrana for a two count. Legend drops Harris chest first over the top rope. Storm tries for a slam, but Northcutt counters. Legend is backdropped, but recovers to send Storm to the floor. Harris spears Northcutt! Harris plants Northcutt with the Catatonic.

Wait, Chase Stevens and Andy Douglas are in the ring. Stevens has a chair, but Harris stops him. Douglas tosses powder into Harris eyes. Stevens whacks Harris with a chair over the head! Northcutt covers Harris and wins the match. (**. I didn’t hate this as there was some good storytelling provided throughout the bout. The Naturals getting involved was brutal and I’m interested in seeing how they work with AMW.)

Backstage, Scott Hudson is with Father James Mitchell, CM Punk and Julio Dinero. Hudson says that Mitchell can’t keep Raven down forever and he’s lurking. Mitchell said that Sandman wouldn’t be able to trust Raven. Mitchell thinks that Sandman is in serious need for a tag partner. Mitchell dares Raven to come out and play. He wants Sandman to choose Raven as his partner and make the same mistakes over and over again. Punk knows every trick in Raven’s book. Punk wants Raven, as well.

Don Callis is in the ring and promotes his match with Erik Watts next week. Callis says that he’s smarter than Watts and that’s how you win big matches. Calls says he has the World Champion in his corner while Watts has Goldylocks, but he insults Goldy several times. Callis is going to survive and he transitions into bringing out Johnny Fairplay. Fairplay proceeds to insult the fans about not having soap. Fairplay asks what these people have survived through in their poor lives. He considers himself a mega star. Johnny says he’s bigger than Johnny Cash, Dale Earnhardt and ICP (which the fans are still chanting). Johnny gets cutoff by AJ Styles. Mike Tenay acts like he doesn’t know AJ’s music. Styles has a steel chair with him. Styles asks who Johnny is. AJ doesn’t know why Johnny is here and doesn’t care. AJ says that Johnny looks like Carrot Top’s evil twin. AJ doesn’t understand why he’s in his ring talking to his people. Styles should be getting a NWA World Championship match. Styles turns his back and Johnny spins him around. Johnny insults Styles saying he didn’t understand a word the hillbilly said. Johnny shoves Styles and says he just got punk’d. Callis wants Styles to return backstage and asks nicely. Styles backs Callis into the corner, but Johnny splashes Styles in the corner with the chair. Johny misses a chair shot and Styles plants Fairplay with a powerbomb to end the segment.

ICP are shown in the crowd with the fans, which would explain the crowd chanting for them throughout the show.

Backstage, Erik Watts is with El Leon hyping him up for the main event. Watts says that Jeff Jarrett is a cancer and Leon is the cure. Watts tells Goldylocks that he’s going to dedicate the match to Goldy and asks her to stay backstage. She’s fine with that. Watts promises to get rid of Callis next week. Watts reveals that Brian Urlacher will be here next week. Don Callis enters the scene and they are kept apart by security.

Main Event: NWA World Champion Jeff Jarrett vs. El Leon in a street fight: Leon hits Jarrett with a cooking sheet and a trash can to start the street fight. Leon atomic drops Jarrett followed by a clothesline over the top to the floor. Leon rams Jarrett onto the announcers table. Mike Tenay shoves Jarrett off the table into the railing. Leon rolls Jarrett into the ring and brings a chair with him. Leon whacks Jarrett over the back and wedges the chair into the corner. Leon boots Jarrett in the corner sending Jarrett to the floor. Jarrett hits Leon with a trash can lid and cooking tray. Jarrett rams Leon face first onto a steel chair. Jarrett hits Leon over the back with a chair in the crowd. Jarrett continues to beat on Leon with a strap. Jarrett has a chair and whacks Leon over the head. Jarrett shoves Tenay to get some revenge. Tenay is furious. Leon battles back with a few more weapon shots. Leon rams Jarrett face first onto another chair.

They trade strikes in the crowd until Jarrett delivers another chair shot. Leon has a chair and whacks Jarrett over the head. Jarrett hits Leon several times over the back with the chair. ICP throw drinks at Jarrett. Leon decks Jarrett with a clothesline in the ring for a two count. Leon hits a twisting TKO for a near fall. Leon spears the referee into the chair in the corner on accident. Jarrett has the guitar, but Tenay pulls the guitar out of the ring. Leon plants Jarrett with a sit out spinebuster for a near fall. Tenay is livid on the apron. Leon superkicks Jarrett for a two count. Jarrett elbows Leon in the corner and whacks Leon over the head with the guitar. Jarrett is going to unmask Leon and shoves the referee. AJ Styles comes off the top to clothesline Jarrett and a brainbuster. The referee has ruled the match a no contest. Styles goes for the Styles Clash, but Abyss comes out. Abyss hits the Shock Treatment. Abyss sets a table up on the floor. Styles decks Abyss on the apron. Abyss forearms Styles and press slams Styles over the top through the table on the floor! Jarrett tells Tenay he’ll be out of a job next week. Tenay says it will be a cold day in hell when he loses his job because of Jarrett to end the show. (*1/2. It’s just a usual brawling segment with weapon shots. The aftermath was effective and Tenay continues to crack me up.)

Final Thoughts:
The loyalty contract angle for Jarrett continues to be a major focus for the programming and a little too repetitive. The Fairplay segment was not very good and it’s clear that Fairplay watched a lot of 80s wrestling or his heel promo. The action this week wasn’t the greatest and felt like a weak card. Next week is the apparent blowoff for the Callis/Watts feud and I’m interested to see the direction they go in for it.

Thanks for reading.