NWA-TNA Weekly PPV #84 3/3/2004

Written by: Bob Colling

National Wrestling Alliance/Total Non-Stop Action presents Weekly PPV #84
Date: 3/3/2004
From: Nashville, TN

Opening Contest; Kevin Northcutt vs. Chris Harris: Northcutt is not wearing a red shirt anymore and is wearing normal gear. Northcutt runs over Harris with a shoulder block and taunts Harris. Harris controls Northcutt with a wrist lock, but Northcutt counters with a wrist lock of this own. They counter each others hammerlocks leading to another shoulder block by Northcutt. Northcutt knee lifts Harris and beats on Harris in the corner with right hands. Harris nails Northcutt with a leaping clothesline, but Northcutt comes back with a right hand. Northcutt kicks Harris for a two count. Harris hits a sloppy Thez Press and pummels Northcutt with strikes. Northcutt sends Harris through the ropes to the floor. Northcutt continues to beat on Harris with strikes around ringside. Northcutt has a chair, but Harris rams Northcutt face first onto the chair. Northcutt’s head is stuck in the chair and Harris sends Northcutt into the ring post leading to a near fall. Harris tries for a spear, but Northcutt sends Harris into the ring post shoulder first.

Northcutt maintains control with a clothesline. Harris misses a splash in the corner and Northcutt hits a sit out slam for a two count. Harris elbows free, but Northcutt decks Harris with a back elbow. Harris plants Northcutt with a vertical suplex. Harris tries for a backdrop, but Northcutt blocks it. Harris atomic drops Northcutt followed by a clothesline. Harris hits a top rope crossbody for a near fall. Northcutt stops Harris with a side Russian leg sweep for a two count. Northcutt tries for a half nelson slam, but Harris breaks free and spears Northcutt for a near fall. Northcutt gets out of the Catatonic to plant Harris with a modified Rock Bottom for a near fall. Harris avoids a middle rope elbow drop and plants Northcutt with the Catatonic for the win. (**. I think that went a little longer than it should have gone. Harris being the number one contender should have had a stronger showing and win the match a little easier than he did. Northcutt is a big guy, but Harris is on the upswing and this match made it feel too competitive.)

Backstage, Scott Hudson is with Trinity. Trinity tells Hudson she’s not with Jeff Jarrett and she’s her own woman. She thinks that with Vince Russo being back that it’s time for her to shine. Sonny Siaki enters the scene and says that Russo told him to not sign with anyone. Siaki thinks that Trinity stabbed Russo in the back. Simon Diamond is there as well and sees the same fire as he does in his partners tonight. D’Lo Brown didn’t get an opportunity in the WWE. Brown notes he had a hard time in WWE and now in TNA it’s time for a change. Ron Killings is put over for having a great body and was a top prospect in TNA at the start. Killings knows that promises can be broken, but he remembers his success early on. Killings doesn’t know why he’s been spoiled milk in the back. Konnan chimes in and talks about his success in Mexico and WCW. Konnan wants Russo to do right by them. Diamond notes that Swinger tossed away five years of their lives for no reason. Diamond is going to be Swinger’s worst nightmare.

Second Contest: Glenn Gilbertti, David Young, Johnny Swinger, Kid Kash & Michael Shane vs. Sonny Siaki, D’Lo Brown, Ron Killings, Simon Diamond & Konnan: Brown and Young kickoff the ten man tag match. They collide on shoulder blocks, but neither man goes down. Brown hip tosses Young followed by a drop toe hold and a kick to the head. Shane enters the match, but Konnan tags in. Shane kicks Konnan, but is met with a shoulder block. Konnan drops Shane with a rolling thunder clothesline. Shane eye rakes Konnan, but is crotched onto the top rope. Konnan takes Young down and Killings hits a top rope leg drop. Konnan throws his shoe at Gilbertti. Siaki hammers away on Shane, but is stopped by a jawbreaker. Siaki and Kash trade strikes with Kash getting the advantage. Siaki hits a half nelson suplex for a two count. Killings tags into the match and hammers away on Kash. Killings plants Kash with a powerslam. Killings drops Kash with a wheelbarrow face buster. Kash boots Killings in the corner to hit a double springboard moonsault for a two count. Swinger enters the match and is met with a heel kick by Killings. Diamond gets tagged in and Swinger bails to Gilbertti.

Gilbertti shoulder blocks Diamond, but Diamond comes back with arm drags and a right hand. Diamond fights out of a corner with right hands. Gilbertti nails Diamond on the knee and delivers a scissors stomp. Swinger tags in and continues to work over the left knee. Shane enters and continues to work on the knee. Diamond tries to fight back, but Shane stops Diamond with a dragon screw leg whip. Shane misses a top rope elbow drop. Killings enters and is decked by Gilbertti. Killings hits a forearm smash and double dropkicks Swinger and Young. Killings plants Young with a front slam, but Kash comes off the top with an axe handle. Gilbertti tags in and stomps on Killings. Kash returns to the match and elbow drops Killings after a drop toe hold. Shane tags into the match and takes Killings over with a snap suplex for a two count. Killings kicks Swinger and hits a scissors kick. Diamond and Young tag into the match with Diamond hitting a backdrop and snap suplexs leading to a two count. Young plants Diamond with a spinebuster. Siaki nails Young with a swinging neckbreaker. Gilbertti hits a side Russian leg sweep. Brown nails Gilbertti with the Sky High. Kash hits a hurricanrana on Brown. Konnan powerbombs Kash, but Shane nails Konnan with a face buster. Killings slams Shane, but Swinger hits a jawbreaker. Diamond superkicks Young and wins the match. (*1/2. This was mostly exactly what you’d expect from a ten man tag match. I’m glad that they kept Diamond and Swinger apart as it will mean more for when they eventually square off in a singles match.) After the match, Traci slaps BG James at the commentary table. Kash smashes Siaki with a chair shot. Shane nailed James. There is an all out brawl going on right now. They trap Diamond’s head into a chair, but the ICP rundown to the ring and the crowd exploded for that. ICP stands tall with the faces.

A pre-tape promo by Frankie Kazarian is shown. Kazarian is pissed for not being in the X-Cup thanks to Jerry Lynn not wanting him in the tournament. Kazarian is back to challenge Lynn and is here to prove that he should be on Team TNA. Kazarian is going to show why he’s the future.

Third Contest: Jerry Lynn vs. Frankie Kazarian: Kazarian misses a somersault leg drop early on into the match. Kazarian boots Lynn in the corner and misses a tornado DDT. Lynn hits a middle rope head scissors for a two count. Kazarian is tripped by Lynn and Lynn hits a leg drop over the middle rope on the apron. Kazarian drops Lynn over the guard railing chest first. Kazarian sends Lynn into the ring steps shoulder first. Kazarian focuses his offense on the left arm of Lynn. Lynn atomic drops Kazarian, but Kazarian nails Lynn with an arm breaker for a near fall. Kazarian sends Lynn shoulder first into the corner followed by a dropkick in the corner. Kazarian connects with a hammerlock slam, but gets crotched on the top rope. Lynn takes Kazarian over with a top rope hurricanrana. Kazarian yanks down on Lynn’s arm and delivers a pump kick. Kazarian keeps Lynn on the mat with an arm bar. Lynn reaches the ropes to break the hold. Kazarian yanks down on Lynn’s arm over the top rope. Kazarian tries for a springboard, but Lynn dropkicks Kazarian in midair. Lynn clotheslines Kazarian a few times followed by a reverse DDT for a two count. Kazarian tries for a hurricanrana, but Lynn hits a sit out powerbomb for a near fall. Lynn misses a leg drop over the middle rope and Kazarian hits a slingshot DDT managing a two count. Kazarian sends Lynn into the corner shoulder first and nearly wins with the Back To The Future. Lynn gets out of the Wave of the Future to hit the TKO for a near fall. Lynn can’t hit a cradle piledriver and they bridge out. Lynn fails on a DDT attempt and Kazarian wins the match with a rollup. (*1/2. The finish fell flat and the whole match just felt odd to me. Kazarian winning is the right move to introduce him back into the fold and to be a viable contender. I just can’t over how off the match felt overall, though.) After the match, Raven makes his way down to the ring. Kazarian backs into Raven and doesn’t backdown. Raven spikes Kazarian with a DDT.

Raven cuts a promo asking how long he’s been coming out saying he deserved a title shot. Raven thinks at some point patience becomes a joke. Raven doesn’t think anyone is more qualified than him to get a NWA World Championship match. Raven mentions he’s been hitting a DDT while Harris was in the parking lot wanting autographs. Raven lists the guys that he got rid of in the company. Raven says people will be mortified at what he can do. The Naturals come out and attack Raven after tossing powder into Raven’s face. Kazarian mounts Raven choking him. Andy Douglas grabs a microphone and asks “what about the Naturals?” The lights go out and when the lights come back on… SABU is in the ring! Sabu smashes the Naturals with chair shots. Sabu splashes Stevens in the corner and Raven kicks Douglas to the floor. Sabu hits a triple jump moonsault to send the Naturals running.

In the parking lot, Scott Hudson meets with NWA World Champion Jeff Jarrett and Shane Douglas. Jarrett knows what Russo is trying to do. Jarrett thinks that Russo is trying to make sure he’s unprepared and has ring rust. Douglas says that he’s friends with Jarrett and they can’t stand someone from outside the company telling them what to do.

Fourth Contest: Elix Skipper, Sonjay Dutt & Chris Sabin vs. Kuushinbo Kamen, Ebessan & Nosawa: Dutt and Kamen kickoff the tag match. Dutt gets control on the mat with a chin lock. Dutt gets a rollup on Kamen for a two count. Sabin tags into the match, but Kamen delivers a few strikes to control Sabin and tags in Nosawa. Sabin forearms Nosawa and delivers a dropkcik. Sabin knee strikes Nosawa in the corner. Nosawa dropkicks Sabin on the knee followed by a shining wizard before tagging in Ebessan. Ebessan delivers a dropkick to Sabin and Nosawa does the same. Skipper tags in and forearms Ebessan in the corner followed by an overhead suplex. Ebessan nails Skipper with a spinning heel kick for a two count. Skipper kicks Ebessan on the back before tagging in Dutt. Dutt takes Ebessan over with a snap hurricanrana. Ebessan dumps Dutt to the apron and Nosawa delivers a kick. Ebessan sends Skipper to the floor, but Dutt kicks Ebessan. Kamen hits a springboard moonsault to the floor. Nosawa dropkicks Sabin off the ropes. Nosawa plants Dutt with a Death Valley Driver for a two count.

Kamen chops Dutt a few times before tagging in Ebessan. Dutt spikes Ebessan with a tornado DDT. Sabin is tagged in and cleans house with a kick to Ebessan. Nosawa decks Sabin from behind, but Skipper hits a double clothesline and a belly to belly suplex. Skipper is stopped by a Nosawa heel kick. Nosawa plants Skipper with a Michinoku Driver. Ebessan and Kamen hit stereo slams but miss top rope splashes. Skipper nails Nosawa with a spinebuster leading to Sabin and Dutt hitting splashes off the top rope for the win. (**. I really didn’t have a lot of interest in this match, but the action was okay. Team NWA needed a win here had the trio lost I think it would have hurt interest in the X-Cup.)

Backstage, Scott Hudson is with Goldylocks. Goldy is on the phone trying to call Erik Watts. Goldy is laughing about Erik not having a job. Goldy thinks that the DOA is better than Watts. Goldy is going to find a better man and find a man who listens to her. Goldy insists that she’s not crazy. Goldy continues to try and call Erik as she leaves the scene.

Fifth Contest: AJ Styles vs. Abyss in a falls count anywhere match: Styles hammers away on Abyss on the aisle and hits a head scissors off the apron. Abyss counters a discus punch and press slams Styles over the railing into the crowd from the ramp. Styles tries to fight back with chops, but Abyss stops Styles with a blow to the back. Abyss misses a clothesline and hit a hand railing. Styles shoves Abyss into the wall and delivers a few kicks. Abyss tosses Styles into a wall. Styles walks up the balcony and kicks Abyss away. Styles takes Abyss out with a somersault dive off the balcony to the floor. Styles tries for a cover, but Abyss kicks out at two. Styles grabs a steel chair and gets the chair punched into his face. Abyss whacks Styles over the back with a chair as we see Shane Douglas flipping out backstage. Abyss tosses Styles over the railing back towards ringside. Johnny Fairplay tossed water into Styles face. Styles spin kicks a chair into Abyss face. Styles tries for a slam, but Abyss lands on top for a two count. Abyss lays a chair over Styles body and goes to the middle rope. Abyss leaps off and splashes onto Styles managing a near fall. Abyss wedges a chair into the corner. Abyss misses a spear hitting the corner shoulder first. Styles nails Abyss with a kick to the head.

Abyss sends Styles into the referee causing the referee to crash to the floor. Styles delivers a leaping clothesline in the corner. Styles sends Abyss into the corner but runs into the Black Hole Slam. Abyss has a cover, but there’s no referee. A second referee slides into the ring and Styles kicks out at two. Abyss continues with right hands in the corner to maintain control of the match. Styles fires back with strikes in the corner, but a knee lift stops him. Abyss hits the chair face first and Styles almost wins with a German suplex. Abyss accidentally clotheslines the referee after Styles ducked. Styles plants Abyss with a piledriver, but Abyss kicks out at two. Styles goes under the ring to grab a table. Styles lays Abyss onto the table, but the table breaks and the fans boo that. Styles lays Abyss on the broken table and leaps off the top, but splashes both Abyss and the third referee through the piece of table.

They begin to trade strikes from their knees until Styles delivers a kick. Abyss mounts Styles with a series of right hands. Abyss smashes Styles with a table shot. Don Harris comes out and is punched by Abyss. Don is punched by Styles. Security has entered the ring and stop the match leading a no contest. Abyss breaks free and splashes Styles in the corner. Styles breaks free to splash Abyss in the corner. (***. A fun match as per usual between these two, but the finish is lame and repetitive. I’d imagine we’re going to get another stipulation match out of these two at some point.)

Backstage, Scott Hudson is with the ICP. Shaggy 2 Dope cuts a promo saying that next week they want a six man tag match. They want a dark carnival match.

Scott D’Amore comes out with Team Canada saying that next week they finally earn their respect. Team Mexico makes their way down to the ringside area to confront Team Canada. Teddy Hart slaps Juventud Guerrera and that leads to a brawl around ringside.

Backstage, Scott Hudson is with America’s Most Wanted. Chris Harris will be wrestling Shane Douglas. Harris knows that a match with Douglas will be a test. Harris has passed every test that Russo has put in his way. Harris hasn’t lost his confidence or focus.

NWA World Champion Jeff Jarrett makes his way down to the ringside area saying that this isn’t going to work. Jarrett defends the championship every week and says that this isn’t going to work. Jarrett promises to win on 3/17 against Harris. Jarrett will book himself into a match since Russo doesn’t want to put him in a match. Jarrett threatens Jeremy Borash, but Borash runs away. Jarrett threatens Tiny and Don West. Jarrett tosses a few chairs into the ring. Jarrett threatens Mike Tenay trying to steal his chair. Chris Harris comes out and attacks Jarrett. They brawl into the ring until Shane Douglas comes out and attacks Harris.

Main Event: Chris Harris vs. Shane Douglas: Douglas beats on Harris in the corner with right hands. Douglas is wrestling in street clothes since he wasn’t prepared for a match. Harris fights back with strikes. Don Harris is the referee of the match. Douglas stops Harris with an arm breaker. Douglas drives Harris down with a shoulder breaker. Douglas sends Harris through the ropes to the floor. Douglas wraps Harris arm around the guard railing. Douglas sends Harris into the railing again and Jarrett taunts Harris on the floor. Douglas tries for a cover, but Harris powers out at two. Harris gets an inside cradle on Douglas for a near fall. Douglas takes Harris over with a snap suplex and chokes Harris briefly. Douglas drives Harris down with a vertical suplex. Douglas connects with a rolling neck snap and locks in a camel clutch. Harris fights out, but Douglas nails Harris with a clothesline. Douglas slaps Harris a few times, but Harris gets up and has found a second wind.

Harris pummels Douglas in the corner with left hands. Douglas fails on an atomic drop. Harris connects with a bulldog out of the corner. Harris atomic drops Douglas followed by a clothesline. Harris hits a top rope crossbody managing a two count. Harris clotheslines Douglas a couple of times, but there’s nothing much behind them. Douglas back elbows Harris and shoulder blocks Harris for a two count. Harris shoulder blocks Douglas to the floor. Jarrett has grabbed a chair, but James Storm stops Jarrett from using it. Douglas nails Storm with a chain on the floor. Douglas decks Harris with the chain and hides it in his pants. Douglas has the cover, but Harris kicks out at two. Storm enters the ring and kicks Douglas. Harris spears Douglas for the three count. (*1/2. Okay, so I think Harris lost his steam towards the end because his strikes looked weak and it looked like he had nothing left in the tank after wrestling two matches. I’m not sure if this has been a positive enhancement for Harris towards the championship scene.)

Vince Russo comes down to the ring as Harris celebrates the victory. Russo high fives Harris and grabs a microphone. Russo talks about 3/17 and asks Harris if he’s ready for the title match. James Storm knows that Harris is ready. Russo wants to know why Storm screwed over Shane Douglas if Harris ready. Russo says that AMW is no different than Jarrett for getting involved. Russo believes that Harris wouldn’t be able to beat Jarrett if Storm needs to help him. Russo doesn’t believe that Harris is ready for 3/17. Russo is going to hold off on the match. Harris backs Russo into a corner and says that the contract has been signed and the match will not be delayed. Harris assures Russo that he’s more than ready. Russo changes his mind and says the match is signed for 3/17. Russo doesn’t think that Harris is ready and is washing his hands clean of this. Harris says they don’t need to wait for 3/17. Jarrett runs into the ring and they begin to brawl in the ring. Harris leaps over Don to get at Jarrett in the corner. Jarrett escapes to the floor to end the show.

Final Thoughts:
I finished the show not thinking Harris is a viable contender to Jarrett and that’s not a good thought to have as it’s been a heavily promoted match. There’s no denying that Harris has star potential but he was exposed in the main event after working two long matches. This week was average at best with mostly average in-ring action. I’m not looking forward to next week because it’s the X-Cup and I’m burnt out on watching the same guys wrestle over and over again on a show. I’m hopeful that Harris/Jarrett surprises me in two weeks.

Thanks for reading.