Written by: Bob Colling
National Wrestling Alliance/Total Non-Stop Action presents Weekly PPV #89
Date: 4/7/2004
From: Nashville, TN
Opening Contest: Dean Allmark vs. Mr. Aguila: Early on they start off with some basic mat wrestling countering each others wrist locks. Allmark kicks Aguila out of a body scissors, but Aguila hip tosses Allmark leading to a standoff. Aguila takes Allmark down to the mat, but Allmark gains control with a wrist lock until Aguila trips Allmark to the mat. Aguila works over Allmark with a few right hands and misses a splash in the corner. Aguila chops Allmark a few times in the corner, but Allmark kicks Aguila on the leg. Allmark elbows Aguila in the corner but misses a clothesline. Aguila nearly wins after a spinning heel kick. Aguila misses Allmark in the corner with a boot and is met with an elbow in the corner. Allmark connects with a tilt a whirl head scissors. Allmark kicks Aguila in the midsection and Aguila delivers a few strikes. Aguila hits a powerslam off a springboard in the corner for a near fall. Allmark kicks Aguila a few times and avoids a spin kick before delivering a strike. Allmark nails Aguila with a standing spin kick to the face for a two count. Allmark botches a short arm reverse DDT. Aguila drives Allmark down to the mat face first and hits a moonsault for the win. (*. That was a clunky match and showed that these two didn’t mesh well together at all. There was several messed up moments and the flow of the match was just completely off.)
Earlier in the day, Mike Tenay interviewed Raven regarding his road to the cage match. Raven wrestles Chris Harris next week in a number one contenders match. Raven is confident that he will fulfill his destiny and Harris will go back to the tag division. Raven says that Jeff Jarrett is the champion because he’s great. Raven talks about how he took advantage of the situation last week and he’ll do the same next week. Raven says that Vince Russo will do whatever it takes to achieve the goals he wants. Raven knows he’s fallen out of favor compared to AJ Styles, Ron Killings and Chris Harris. Raven admits he’s a little freaky and isn’t the guy that people want to have represent their company. Raven says you can’t stop talent and that is what he is. Raven doesn’t see Harris as a roadblock but rather a tuneup match for Jarrett. Raven warns Harris that he’s going to hurt him and says he’s a scary person to deal with. Raven tells Jarrett that he has two words for him… final run. Raven finishes off with his catchphrase.
Second Contest: Heavy Metal vs. Robby Dynamite: Dynamite takes Metal down to the mat, but Metal gets to the ropes. Dynamite backdrops Metal followed by a clothesline. Metal keeps Dynamite on the mat controlling his legs, but Dynamite rolls free. Metal hits a fisherman suplex, but Dynamite gets arm control and delivers a knee drop. Metal fights out of a hammerlock with a few strikes and a scoop slam. Metal gets a two count following a senton splash. They trade takedowns with Metal winning with a rollup. (1/2*. That sucked.)
A video promoting Chris Harris’ journey to the cage is shown. Harris is cutting a promo while some footage is shown. Harris says that this path is wear he needs to be. Harris tells Raven that his destiny has met a roadblock. Harris is standing in the ring with the cage setup. Harris knows how Raven feels about him and knows that Raven and Jarrett don’t feel like he belongs in the title scene. Harris knows what is going on in the back. Harris says they have been dealing with backstabbing in the back for a while. Harris knows this may be his only opportunity and he’s not going to let it pass him by. Harris knows that he belongs in the cage against Jarrett. Harris is cashing in on Raven’s expense because he belongs in the title match against Jarrett.
Third Contest: Hector Garza vs. Frankie Sloan: Garza shoves Sloan to the mat to start the contest. Garza takes Sloan down to the mat, but Sloan gets a chokehold locked in, but Garza reaches the ropes. Sloan controls Garza with a top wrist lock, but Garza yanks Sloan down to the mat. Garza drops to his knees to mock Sloan and kicks Sloan on the knee. Garza pummels Sloan with strikes in the corner, but Sloan no sells it and wants a test of strength. Garza kicks Sloan in the gut and delivers a shoulder block for a two count. Sloan works over Garza with strikes in the corner for a few moments. Sloan dropkicks Garza on the left knee and drives the knee down to the mat. Sloan puts a leg lock on Garza, but doesn’t get a submission. Sloan continues to deliver kicks to Garza’s legs. Sloan wraps Garza’s leg around the bottom rope and wraps the leg around the ring post. Sloan puts a half Boston Crab on Garza, but doesn’t get a submission. Garza doesn’t give in even as Sloan is using the ropes for leverage. Garza elbows Sloan a few times into the corner followed by a chop. Garza misses a splash in the corner and Sloan gets a rollup on Garza for a two count. Sloan continues to work over Garza’s knee. Sloan slams Garza to the mat and hits an elbow drop before heading to the top rope. Sloan misses a leg drop. Garza almost wins with a rollup and kicks Sloan on the leg. Garza powerbombs Sloan and drags Sloan to the corner. Garza hits the corkscrew moonsault for the win. (*. The finish was cool, but the action was incredibly boring and it’s because of the style of Team UK. They are preventing Team Mexico from doing high spots, which is a good thing story wise, but the action is taking a huge hit and the matches are just not good.)
Backstage, Scott Hudson is in the Team UK locker room where Dave Taylor is not pleased with his team. Taylor says he is tired of seeing them lose and says he can’t go back to England and tell them how they lost.
Fourth Contest: James Mason vs. Abismo Negro: Mason attacks Negro from behind with right hands and an uppercut. Mason continues to deliver strikes and a knee lift. Mason clotheslines Negro followed by more strikes against the ropes. Negro comes off the ropes and is met with a clothesline and a leg drop. Negro ducks a clothesline and dropkicks Mason. Mason kicks Negro in the corner, but Negro comes back with a back suplex for a two count. Negro comes off the ropes to hit a stunner. Negro continues with a snap suplex for a near fall. Mason knee lifts Negro followed by an uppercut a shoulder block. Negro hits a pump handle slam for a near fall. Negro continues to beat on Mason in the corner with right hands. Mason comes off the ropes to hit a somersault roll for a near fall. Mason locks in a double under hook standing submission before letting go and switches to an octopus submission. Mason tries for a rollup, but Negro reaches the ropes. Mason drops Negro with an uppercut. Negro almost wins with a snap powerslam and dropkicks a seated Mason. Negro heads to the top rope hitting a frog splash for a two count. Negro headbutts Mason from the apron, but Dave Taylor comes out and hits Negro with a flag. Mason takes advantage with a crossface chicken wing and Negro is forced to submit. (*1/2. That was a little better since Negro was able to showcase some of his ability. These matches have just been a chore to get through.)
Backstage, Scott Hudson is with Kid Kash and Dallas. Kash puts himself over as the best pound for pound wrestler and hypes up the big man Dallas. Kash isn’t impressed by Daniels and Ki. Kash says that Daniels forgot the talent and suggest he hand in his wrestling license. Kash dismisses how tough Low Ki thinks he is. Kash calls Ki a midget and says the biggest thing on him are his lips. Kash promises they will win the tag team titles. There’s nothing anyone can do about it. Dallas doesn’t want to talk.
Fifth Contest: Mr. Aguila & Hector Garza vs. Frankie Sloan & Robby Dynamite: Aguila and Dynamite start off the tag match. Dynamite keeps a wrist lock on Aguila for a moment until Aguila is able to counter with a wrist lock of his own. Dynamite dropkicks Aguila on the left knee followed by a few forearms. Dynamite tries for a German, but Aguila lands on his feet and misses a wild kick attempt. Aguila kicks Dynamite a few times and springboards off the ropes to deliver a kick to the jaw. Garza tags in and kicks Dynamite in the ribs. Dynamite bounces to his corner and tags in Sloan. Sloan misses a kick and tries to shoulder block Garza. Garza slams Sloan to the mat and delivers a dropkick. Sloan dropkicks Garza on the left knee. Sloan stomps on Garza and Dynamite rams the knee on the apron while the referee is distracted. Garza tries to tag in Aguila, but Dynamite delivers a leg drop to the leg. Dynamite locks in an ankle lock and Garza is hurting until Aguila makes the save. Sloan returns to the match and they drive Garza’s injured leg down to the mat. Sloan leg drops Garza on the leg and keeps twisting the leg. Dynamite tags in and kicks Garza on the leg before tagging Sloan back into the match.
Garza kicks Sloan and tags in Aguila. Aguila clotheslines Sloan and tags Garza into the match. Sloan is met with a double drop toe hold. Garza has Sloan in a wheelbarrow and Aguila hit a springboard bulldog for a near fall. Dynamite slams Garza, but Garza comes back with a few clotheslines. Dynamite takes Garza down to the mat and keeps left leg control. Aguila tags in and cleans house with strikes, but tags Garza back into the match. Aguila has Sloan in a tombstone and Garza delivers a dropkick to Sloan. Dynamite hammers away on Garza, but is backdropped over the top to the floor. Sloan is double teamed, but Garza is pulled to the floor by Dynamite. Aguila avoids both men and kicks Dynamite. Aguila nails Sloan with a jumping kick. Aguila has the camel clutch locked in, but Dave Taylor hits Aguila with the flag and Sloan manages to get the pin. (*1/2. So, I’m assuming that TNA is well aware that Team UK are nowhere near the level of Team Mexico and the only way they can win a match is by cheating. The match was okay with some decent stuff, but the tournament as a whole has just not been good at all.)
Backstage, Scott Hudson is with Christopher Daniels and Low Ki. Ki says that they are together for one reason and that is to regain the NWA Tag Team Championships. Hudson asks Daniels if they will revisit XXX. Daniels says that in order for Triple X to exist there needs to be three, but there’s only two of them. Daniels says that Kash and Dallas are going to be in for the fight of their life tonight. Daniels suggests they say their prayers.
Sixth Contest: James Mason & Dean Allmark vs. Heavy Metal & Abismo Negro: Allmark and Metal kickoff the tag match. Metal dropkicks Allmark in the corner and trips him to the mat. Metal slams Allmark to the mat and keeps wrist control for a moment. Metal keeps Allmark on the mat, but Mason tags in and kicks Metal followed by right hand. Mason knocks Negro down on the apron. Mason kicks Metal a few times followed by a clubbing blow to the back. Allmark uppercuts Metal a few times and taunts the crowd. Allmark drives Metal down with a backbreaker for a near fall. Allmark tags into the match and delivers a strike to the back for a two count. Allmark keeps a double under hook on Metal, but doesn’t get a submission. Metal breaks free and tags in Negro. Allmark decks Negro from behind to help Mason get control. Mason clotheslines Negro several times and Metal tags into the match. Metal is sent into the corner by Mason and Mason almost wins with a rollup. Mason holds Metal from Allmark, but Allmark superkicks Mason on accident. Negro hits a springboard dropkick on Mason and a tilt a whirl backbreaker to Allmark. Metal hits a crossbody off the top on Mason. All four men are in the ring brawling at this point. Metal and Negro hit springboard and handspring attacks. Mason and Allmark are dropkicked to the floor. Metal and Negro dive to the floor onto Mason and Allmark!
Negro and Mason are sent into each other on the floor. Metal and Allmark trade rights on the floor before entering the ring and trading more strikes. Metal slams Allmark and goes to the top rope missing a back senton. Allmark heads to the top rope hitting a leg drop for a two count. Metal kicks Allmark on the leg followed by a kick to the chest. Metal leaps off the apron to dropkick Allmark. Metal is kicked into the ropes by Mason. Negro hits a hurricanrana on Mason. Negro locks in an octopus while Mason and Metal knock each other off the apron. Dave Taylor comes out and attacks Metal. Mason locks in the chicken wing in the middle of the ring to get the submission and wins the match. (*3/4. I don’t think anyone could possibly take Team UK seriously as they always need help to win their matches. Team Mexico is far better and they are working with guys that aren’t anywhere near their level.)
A video package of NWA World Champion Jeff Jarrett cutting a promo about how their were five guys gunning for a cage match with him. It is down to Chris Harris or Raven and one of them will have to win three matches in a row. Jarrett notes that Raven hasn’t had a title match in nearly a year and says that Raven will never swerve him because he’s forgotten more about wrestling than Raven’s ever known. The man who wins will be the man who makes the least amount of mistakes. Jarrett is going to be watching and hopes they are both ready.
Backstage, Scott Hudson is in Team Mexico’s locker room where they are discussing what has been happening. They better sweep the eight man tag match because they are getting embarrassed. Team UK is leading 5-3 heading into the final match.
Seventh Contest: Team Mexico vs. Team UK in an elimination match: Negro and Dynamite start the match by shoving each other. Negro shoulder blocks Dynamite and arm drags Dynamite. Dynamite comes back with an arm drag. Negro rolls over Dynamite’s body and dropkicks Dynamite. Negro dropkicks Dynamite to the floor. Allmark enters and uppercuts Aguila in the corner a few times. Aguila counters a head scissors by hitting a facebuster. Aguila chops Allmark, but Allmark nails Aguila with a spin kick to the face. Allmark prevents a tag and monkey flips Aguila across the ring. Garza and Sloan tag into the match. Garza goes down to his knee and kicks Sloan on the leg. Garza clotheslines Sloan in the corner and runs into a boot. Negro clotheslines Sloan. Garza head scissors Sloan. Mason enters to clothesline Garza and Negro. Negro dropkicks Mason on the mat. Mason knee lifts Negro, but Metal tags in. Mason eye pokes Metal and they trade a few strikes. They try for clotheslines, but neither man budge. Metal ducks a clothesline and kicks Mason to the mat for a near fall. Mason tries for a springboard moonsault, but Mason avoids it. Mason clotheslines Metal, but Dynamite delivers a strike on the apron. Dynamite works over Metal with strikes. Dynamite takes Metal over with a snap suplex.
Dynamite has Metal over his shoulder and hits a powerslam for a two count. Metal chops Dynamite and tries for a vertical suplex, but Taylor trips Metal allowing for a pin to eliminate Metal. Garza enters and dropkicks Sloan, but Sloan gets a few forearms in on Garza in the corner. Mason forearms Garza in the corner and delivers a double knee strike. Sloan slams Garza’s knee over the apron. Mason tags in Allmark to keep control on Garza with a kick to the ribs. Allmark and Negro trade rollups. Negro drops Allmark on his head for a two count. Allmark hits a sit down powerbomb for a two count on Negro. Allmark tries for a powerbomb, but Negro counters with a tombstone piledriver to eliminate Allmark.
Sloan enters the ring and clotheslines Negro. Mason enters to dropkick Negro. Sloan continues to beat on Negro while Metal is beating on Taylor and sends Taylor backstage. Negro kicks Sloan in the corner and Garza enters to kick Sloan on the back. Negro hits a crossbody off the top onto Sloan. Negro avoids Sloan in the corner and hits a slam before tagging in Aguila. Aguila hits a split legged moonsault to eliminate Sloan.
Mason begs off in the corner to avoid Aguila for a few moments. Aguila misses a splash in the corner and Mason delivers an uppercut. Mason controls Aguila on the mat with a bridging pin attempt managing a two count. Aguila is worked over in the corner by Dynamite as Mason deals with Garza. Aguila and Garza are sent into each other in the middle of the ring. Aguila slams Dynamite and Garza slams Mason. Garza and Aguila hit stereo moonsaults off the top and pin both men to win the match and tournament. (*. I’m just glad that the tournament is over. Team Mexico absolutely should have won this and I’m glad they did. Team UK was just no good and didn’t fit well with Team Mexico.)
Backstage, Scott Hudson is with Vince Russo and James Storm. Russo clarifies that he hasn’t handpicked Chris Harris, that is something Raven has put out there. Russo announces that Jeff Jarrett does not have a night off next week. Jarrett will wrestle James Storm next week in a non-title match. Storm says that all he’s needed to fight is his hands. Storm is going to hand Jarrett over on a silver platter for Harris. Storm promises to knock Jarrett down and knows that Jarrett won’t get back up. Storm says that Jarrett has been running on luck… and everyone knows what he says about luck.
Mike Tenay and Don West promote what is on the show next week.
Backstage, Scott Hudson is with D’Lo Brown and Apollo to talk about how they are the number one contenders to the tag titles. They get a title shot next week. Apollo cuts his promo in Spanish and D’Lo says that it is a shame that the title reign will last only a week. Brown went into his past to find a suitable partner and got Apollo. Brown says they are going to watch the match and next week they will win the titles.
Main Event: Christopher Daniels & Low Ki vs. Kid Kash & Dallas for the vacant NWA Tag Team Championships: Daniels and Kash kickoff the title match. Kash takes Daniels down to the mat and keeps control on the mat briefly. Daniels takes Kash down to the mat and Kash reaches the ropes after a few moments. Daniels drop toe holds Kash and control Kash with a headlock. Kash fights out with a few right hands to the ribs. Kash arm drags Daniels and keeps arm control on the mat. Daniels arm drags Kash several times and Kash bails to the floor to get a chair from a fan in the front row. Kash returns to the ring and tags in Dallas. Dallas shoves Daniels down to the mat and doesn’t budge on shoulder blocks. Dallas knocks Daniels down to the mat with a shoulder block of his own. Ki tags into the match and kicks Dallas before ducking a chop. Dallas gains control with a strike in the corner. Dallas delivers a backbreaker and a fallaway slam to Ki. Dallas slams Ki to the mat and assists Kash on a back suplex moonsault onto Ki. Kash controls Ki with a neck vice for a moment and stomps on Ki’s hand.
Ki delivers a few strikes to Kash’s back and rams Kash face first onto Daniels foot in the corner. Kash is double teamed in the corner with a few boot scrapes. Dallas enters the ring, but the referee stops him. Daniels hip tosses Kash followed by a dropkick for a two count. Ki tags into the match and delivers an elbow drop for a two count. Daniels rams Kash into the corner, but Kash gets a go-behind and Dallas delivers a strike allowing Kash to clothesline Daniels from behind for a near fall. Kash kicks Daniels on the knee and locks in a chin lock. Kash puts a nerve hold on Daniels, but Daniels breaks free with strikes. Daniels gets an inside cradle on Kash. Kash kicks Daniels and springboards off the ropes to hit a hurricanrana followed by a tornado DDT for a two count. Kash leaps off the top, but Daniels counters with an STO. Ki gets the tag and decks Dallas off the apron. Ki gets a crucifix on Kash for a two count. Ki almost wins with a sunset flip on Kash. Dallas breaks up another rollup attempt and tags himself in. Daniels and Ki chop Dallas a few times. Ki dropkicks Dallas and Daniels delivers a kick to the head. Ki puts an arm bar on Dallas to counter a chokeslam. Daniels knocked Dallas to the mat with a chop block. Kash and Dallas go to the floor as Ki nails Dallas with a springboard kick. Kash sends Daniels into the guard railing. Kash whacks Ki with a chair to the back from the floor. Kash tosses the chair to Daniels and Ki thinks that Daniels hit him with the chair.
Daniels whacks Dallas over the head with a steel chair. Ki hits a handspring kick to Dallas in the corner for a two count. Kash hits Daniels with a steel pipe. Kash hits Ki with a pipe to the back as he was on Dallas’ back. Dallas drops Ki with a sit out slam and wins the match. (**1/4. I like that Kash and Dallas won the titles as I’m in favor of putting a new team over and making a change in the division. I wasn’t a fan of Ki thinking Daniels hit him with the chair. It just seemed like unnecessary drama. It should be interested to see how the Kash/Dallas reign goes.)
A video package promoting next weeks show is shown.
Final Thoughts:
Avoid this show at all costs. I’m just glad it is over as I was dreading this show to begin with. The main event is nowhere near good enough to torture yourself. Next weeks show appears to be much, much better on paper. So, I’m looking forward to that, at least.
Thanks for reading.