Written by: Bob Colling
National Wrestling Alliance/Total Non-Stop Action presents Weekly PPV #91
Date: 4/21/2004
From: Nashville, TN
Tonight, Chris Harris gets his title shot against Jeff Jarrett for the NWA World Championship inside a steel cage. They’ve been building to this for several weeks.
Prior to the first match, Raven is suppose to be Sabu’s tag partner, but doesn’t appear leaving Sabu alone.
Opening Contest: Abyss & Monty Brown vs. Sabu in a handicap match: Brown and Abyss double team Sabu while the announcers say they’ve seen Raven in the building and wonder where he is at. Sabu fights back with right hands, but Abyss delivers a big boot to stop Sabu. Sabu plants Brown with a DDT and kicks Abyss a few times on the knee. Brown works over Sabu with strikes a double under hook suplex for a two count. Brown clubs Sabu on the mat to maintain control of the contest. Brown elbows Sabu to the mat and Abyss tags himself into the match. Sabu kicks Abyss a few times, but Abyss decks Sabu into the corner. Abyss delivers an overhand chop. Sabu tries to fight back with strikes, but Abyss connects with a splash in the corner. Abyss pummels Sabu in the corner and Brown enters to beat on Sabu in the corner. Brown chops Sabu in the corner to keep control of the contest. Brown splashes Sabu in the corner. Brown chokes Sabu over the middle rope. Sabu fights out of the corner with strikes, but Abyss decks Sabu from behind. Brown splashes Sabu in the corner. Abyss accidentally splashes Brown in the corner and Sabu whacks Abyss with a chair shot a few times. Sabu springboard heel kicks Abyss. Brown accidentally splashes Abyss. Sabu smashes Brown with a chair shot and hits a triple jump moonsault onto Brown for a near fall. Abyss runs into a boot in the corner and Sabu hits a hurricanrana off the middle rope. Sabu delivers a leg drop chair assisted for a two count on Abyss. Brown nails Sabu with the POUNCE. Abyss plants Sabu with the Shock Treatment and Abyss gets the win. (**1/4. It’s actually not a bad handicap match. I’m assuming that Raven is going to be getting involved in a feud with Sabu, which is a very interesting one to me. I don’t recall Raven and Sabu ever wrestling each other in ECW, which is crazy. I have no interest in Abyss and Brown being a team, so I hope that’s not an actual idea moving forward.)
Backstage, Raven is attacking Chris Harris and sends Harris into a few guard railings. Raven is working over Harris’ injured left elbow. Raven puts Harris shoulder on a chair and whacks Harris arm with another chair. Raven slams the guard railing onto Harris arm and shoulder. Raven locks in an arm bar. James Storm runs over and makes the save with a trash can. There was one security guy standing there doing nothing. Vince Russo is checking on Harris. Raven enters the ring and walked over Sabu before leaving the ring and telling Sabu to come with him.
Backstage, Jeremy Borash is with NWA X-Division Champion Frankie Kazarian. Kazarian brags about beating all the x-division wrestlers, but he’s not disappointed about not being named to the team. Kazarian notes that Dutt and Amazing Red will be wrestling three matches to earn a shot at his title. David Young enters the scene and tells Borash he doesn’t know what’s going on with Gilbertti. Young doesn’t think that it has anything to do with his losing streak. Young is going to show a new David Young and will prove he’s a winner tonight.
Second Contest: David Young vs. Shark Boy: Young takes Boy down to the mat early on as we see that an ambulance has arrived for Chris Harris. Boy ducks a clothesline and taunts Young. Boy works over Young in the corner with chops, but Young battles back with right hands. Boy crawls through and gets a few near falls with rollups. Young hits a swinging gut buster to the mat. Young press slams Boy and continues with right hands and a hip toss out of the corner. Young sits Boy on the top turnbuckle and hits a middle rope hip toss to send Boy rolling to the floor. Young rams Boy back first into the apron. Young clotheslines Boy in the corner, but runs into a boot. Boy tries for the DSD, but Young counters. Young tries for a suplex off the middle rope, but is knocked off. Boy misses a top rope splash. Boy surprises Young with an inside cradle and wins the match. (1/4*. They are likely going to drag this out until Young is turned face and ends up pinning Gilbertti to end his streak. The match wasn’t good and I didn’t care for it.)
3 Live Kru make their way down to the ring and they are wearing camouflage. Konnan says they’ve been getting the raw end of stick lately and insults Young for being a loser as Young is emotional on the ring steps. Konnan asks about getting an opportunity and they want Ron Killings to get another shot at the NWA World Championship. BG James chimes in and talks about the road to the cage. James says that Raven got involved when he shouldn’t have and says their should be a four way dance, but Raven got political to change things. BG says that Raven may be good in the back, but sucks in the ring. BG tells Raven that he’s not going to get the spot belonging to Chris Harris, but rather by Killings because Vince Russo needs to make things right with Killings. BG demands that Killings gets the cage match with NWA World Champion Jeff Jarrett. Killings chimes in and says that we can’t handle the truth.
Outside the venue, a doctor is telling Vince Russo that he’s got a separated shoulder and Harris would be putting his career in danger. Harris asks Russo to do him a favor and put James Storm in the match. Russo leaves without answering the request.
Third Contest: Simon Diamond & Sonny Siaki vs. Glen Gilbertti & Johnny Swinger: Gilbertti and Swinger stall on the floor for a moment. Gilbertti and Siaki kickoff the tag match. Siaki backs Gilbertti into the corner and Gilbertti delivers a chop. The referee keeps them apart and Gilbertti stalled on the apron. Siaki controls Gilbertti with a headlock before hitting a shoulder block and chops Gilbertti to avoid a leapfrog. Siaki heel kicks Gilbertti for a two count. Gilbertti atomic drops Siaki and tries for the stunner, but Siaki counters with a stunner of his own for a two count as Swinger pulled Gilbertti to the floor. Diamond tags in and pulls Swinger onto the apron to hit a suplex into the ring. Diamond jabs Swinger a few times and comes off the ropes with a right hand. Swinger continues to be beaten on in the corner. Diamond superkicks Swinger out of the corner for a two count as Gilbertti pulls Swinger to the floor. Diamond and Siaki head to the floor and they begin to brawl around ringside. Diamond elbows Swinger on the floor. Siaki sets the ring steps up and leaps off the steps to clothesline Gilbertti on the floor. Diamond hammers away on Swinger and Swinger is met with a double superkick out of a chair. Diamond rolls Swinger into the ring and gets a two count.
Diamond and Siaki hit a double flapjack on Swinger for a two count. Siaki tags in Diamond and they hit a double hip toss on Swinger for a near fall. Diamond takes Swinger over with a snap suplex, but Swinger counters any more attempts. Diamond decks Gilbertti off the apron, but Swinger knocks Diamond to the floor. Gilbertti rams Diamond face first onto the ring steps. Swinger tries for a cover, but Diamond kicks out at two. Swinger chokes Diamond and delivers right hands on the mat. Gilbertti tags in and beats on Diamond before taunting Siaki on the apron. Gilbertti elbows Diamond to the mat and tags in Swinger. Swinger works over Diamond with strikes in the corner. Swinger drop toe holds Diamond and Gilbertti connects with an elbow drop for a two count. Diamond hammers away on Gilbertti, but runs into an elbow. Diamond plants Gilbertti with a flatliner. Siaki and Swinger tag in with Siaki hammering away on Swinger and hits a flying forearm smash. Siaki backdrops Swinger and hits a swinging neckbreaker for a two count. Siaki hits a swinging neckbreaker on Swinger, but Gilbertti makes the save. Siaki slams Swinger and heads to the top rope. Trinity shoves Siaki off the top rope behind the referees back. Swinger plants Siaki with the Swing Thing to win the match. (*1/4. It’s amazing how little the crowd cares about a lot of the undercard stuff. I’m right there with them for this feud. The focus should be on Diamond and Swinger, but it’s getting lost into a tag feud that doesn’t matter. I feel bad for how far Siaki has gone down the card and has been forgotten about it feels like.) After the match, Siaki is held, but Desire slides in from behind and low blows Gilbertti and Swinger from behind. Desire has a showdown with Trinity and they have a catfight with Desire getting the better of Desire until Gilbertti pulls Trinity to the floor. Desire had been out for nearly a year with a broken back. Siaki embraces Desire.
Backstage, Jeremy Borash is with Vince Russo. Russo is pacing back and forth and says he wants to respect Chris Harris and his wishes, but he’s not sue if Storm is the right guy. AJ Styles walks into the scene and asks if he’s the right guy for the match. Styles tells Russo that he’s ready. Styles reminds Russo that he’s been the NWA World Champion before. Styles tells Russo if he wants to make it up to him then this is how you do it. Russo tells Styles he’s been trying to apologize for six weeks and Styles wouldn’t give him the time of day. Russo tells Styles he should have thought of that six weeks ago and walks off.
Fourth Contest: Michael Shane vs. Christopher Daniels winner joins Team NWA: They lockup a few times but Daniels tries for a rollup only to be slapped. Daniels goes after Shane with strikes and a chop in the corner followed by a backdrop out of the corner. Shane shoulder blocks Daniels but is met with a slap after missing a slap. Daniels heel kicks Shane for a two count. Shane Douglas is on commentary saying that he is united with Michael Shane. Shane kicks Daniels, but is dumped over the top to the floor with a backdrop. Daniels rams Shane face first onto the apron before they return to the ring. Shane drives Daniels down with a swinging neckbreaker. Daniels tosses Shane through the ropes to the floor. Daniels comes off the apron to axe handle Shane. Traci grabs Daniels boot on the apron and Shane delivers a kick to the head. Shane drops Daniels with a short arm clothesline and a flapjack managing a two count. Shane sends Daniels chest first into the corner and continues with strikes. Daniels stops in the corner and nearly wins with a rollup. Shane drops Daniels chest first over the top before dumping Daniels to the floor. Traci delivers a strike to the midsection using her cast. Shane continues with strikes and locks in an abdominal stretch. Traci helps Shane get some extra leverage. Daniels doesn’t give in. Daniels counters the hold and grabs Traci on the apron. Shane decks Daniels from behind and Daniels falls to the floor. Shane hits a slingshot crossbody to the floor and pummels Daniels with right hands.
Shane sends Daniels into the guard railing before returning to the ring. Daniels punches Shane a few times. Shane tosses Daniels with an overhead suplex for a near fall. Shane keeps control with a chin lock before going back to strikes. Daniels drives Shane down to the mat face first and they are both laid out. Daniels hits a t-bone suplex and a sit out powerbomb for a near fall. Daniels continues with right hands in the corner, but Shane shoves Daniels off and delivers a boot in the corner. Shane is punched on the top rope and Daniels crotches Shane over the top rope. Daniels decks Shane to the floor and Douglas is trying to encourage Shane to get up. Daniels baseball slides Shane and Douglas is yelling at Shane. Douglas shoves Shane out of the way on a moonsault attempt by Daniels. Shane tosses Douglas down and is sent into the railing. Douglas has grabbed a chain from his pants. Shane back elbows Daniels, but Daniels slams Shane to the mat. Daniels hits the BME for a two count. Shane sends Daniels face first into the corner. Daniels sends Shane chest first into the corner and is met with a superkick. Douglas is thrilled on the floor thinking Shane will win, but Daniels kicks out at two. Daniels backdrops Shane followed by a kick to the head for a near fall. Daniels headbutts Shane and goes for the Last Rites, but Douglas hits Daniels with the chain from the apron. Shane is telling Douglas he wants to win his way. Shane is getting distracted by Douglas and wants to hit the superkick. Daniels counters and hits the STO to pin Shane. (**1/4. The action was average and I’m glad that Daniels is with Team NWA and he works much better for that team. I think it’s safe to say that the point of this was to advance the Douglas/Shane feud and it looks like Michael Shane is moving into a face role.) After the match, Douglas confronts Michael Shane asking why he didn’t just pin Daniels. Michael slaps Douglas hand away and shoves Douglas a few times. Shane tosses Traci to the mat and continues to have a confrontation. Michael slaps Douglas in the face and Douglas tosses his shirt down. Douglas takes his belt off and begins to whip Shane. Douglas clotheslines Shane with the belt and continues to whip Shane. Shane fights back with strikes, but Douglas clotheslines Shane with the belt. Douglas mounts Shane with right hands. Traci has the belt and begins to choke Douglas. Traci holds Douglas allowing Shane to superkick Douglas. Traci whips Douglas with the belt and Shane stands tall with Traci.
Backstage, Jeremy Borash is with Vince Russo trying to find out who will get a title match against Jeff Jarrett tonight. Russo is getting annoyed with the same questions and knows what is at stake tonight. Russo needs some time to make a decision and he’ll let Borash know as soon as he makes a decision. Abyss enters the segment, but Goldylocks enters the scene acting Latina telling Russo that Abyss needs to be put into the title match. Russo tells her that Halloween is over and walks off.
Fifth Contest: NWA Tag Team Champions D’Lo Brown & Apollo vs. Kid Kash & Dallas: Kash and Dallas attack before the bell, but the champs deliver clotheslines to send Dallas to the floor. Apollo press slams Kash to the floor, but Dallas catches Kash. Brown dives over the top to the floor onto the challengers. Apollo takes the challengers out with a somersault dive over the top to the floor. Kash dropkicks Brown to gain the advantage, but Brown lifts Kash into the air to hit a cutter. Apollo tags into the match and the champs hit a double slam to Kash. Kash eye rakes Apollo and Dallas returns to the match trading right hands with Apollo. Apollo shoulder blocks Dallas followed by a spinebuster. Apollo slaps Dallas and tags in Brown to keep the momentum in their favor. Brown decks Kash on the apron, but Dallas drops Brown over the top rope. Kash hits a springboard missile dropkick on Brown. Dallas returns and slams Brown leading to a near fall. Brown tries to tag in Apollo, but Kash and Dallas hit a clothesline/spear combo for a two count. Brown hammers away on Kash, but is met with a kick. Brown catches Kash on a springboard attempt connecting with a powerbomb. Dallas gets tagged in as does Apollo. Apollo drops Dallas with a leaping shoulder block and clotheslines. Apollo tries for a press slam on Kash, but Kash slid free. Apollo drives Kash down with a vertical suplex instead. Brown dropkicks Dallas in the corner Brown clotheslines Kash and Apollo superkicks Dallas to the floor. Brown hits a swinging side slam, which barely grazes the referee, which was a weird spot. Apollo stops Kash from using the lead pipe. Apollo goes nuts and hits the challengers with the pipe and they are disqualified. Thus, the titles change hands. (*1/2. I’m not surprised that they did the same kind of title switch as they did the week prior. I prefer Kash and Dallas to be the champions.)
Backstage, Raven meets with Vince Russo. Russo is not happy because Raven caused all of this to begin with. Raven reminds Russo they started together a year ago and Raven put his destiny in Russo’s hands. Russo doesn’t care about that. Russo agrees that the goal is to get the title off of Jeff Jarrett. Raven tells Russo that he’s the man to get the title off of Jarrett. Raven says that he’s the lesser of two evils. Raven wants the title shot. Russo thinks that Raven would be a thorn in his side as champion. Raven just wants the title and will do whatever Russo wants him to do once that happens. Raven knows that he’s the only man to beat Jarrett. Russo thinks he’s mad his decision and shakes hands with Raven after saying a lot of people will not like it.
A video promoting the World X-Cup, which will feature the Ultimate X. It takes place on May 26th.
Backstage, Jeremy Borash is with NWA World Champion Jeff Jarrett. Jarrett says he’s talking directly to Russo. Jarrett admits that he was fooled into thinking Russo had turned over a new leaf. Jarrett says that Russo is making a deal with the devil again. Jarrett believes he’s wrestling Raven again nearly a year to the date of their first encounter. Jarrett notes that Harris couldn’t get the job done and Russo doesn’t trust the Truth. Jarrett is confident he’ll walkout as the champion tonight.
Vince Russo makes his way out to the aisle as NWA World Champion Jeff Jarrett is in the ring Some fans are chanting for Ron Killings to get the shot. Russo says that Chris Harris deserved to be in the cage and promises that Harris will get a title match when he’s healthy. Russo mentions some names that were mentioned to challenge Jarrett. Russo says that James Storm is not ready for a match with Jarrett. Russo says that Abyss will not push people around to get a title shot. Russo will not be bullied into putting Killings into the main event. It comes down to Raven, right? Russo says he’s had a bond with Raven wherever he’s gone. Russo brought Raven into TNA and knows that Raven can beat Jarrett. Russo reveals he will not make a deal with the devil and Raven is seen flipping out backstage. Russo has to make a decision for the company. Russo reveals that Jarrett will defend against AJ Styles.
Main Event: NWA World Champion Jeff Jarrett vs. AJ Styles in a steel cage match: Jarrett takes Styles down to the mat with a headlock and they trade pin attempts in the opening minute of the match. They shove each other with Styles delivering a chop after they didn’t budge on a shoulder block. Styles arm drags Jarrett, but misses a spin kick. They begin to trade chops with Jarrett decking Styles with a right hand. Jarrett works over Styles with right hands and has Styles over the shoulder, but Styles breaks free and dropkicks Jarrett coming off the ropes. Styles slams Jarrett and delivers a knee drop for a two count. Styles forearms Jarrett, but Jarrett knee lifts Styles in the midsection to gain control. Jarrett drops Styles with a right hand. Styles hits a kip up head scissors followed by forearms and a snap powerslam. Styles hooks Jarrett for a suplex and drives Jarrett down to the mat for a near fall. Styles tries for a springboard reverse DDT, but Jarrett catches Styles and tosses Styles into the cage a couple of times. Jarrett hits a back suplex on Styles a few times and hits a back suplex for a near fall. Jarrett crotches Styles on the top rope, but Styles fights off with right hands to knock Jarrett to the mat. Styles kicks Jarrett and misses a missile dropkick.
Jarrett splashes down onto Styles left knee and tries for the figure four, but Styles almost wins with an inside cradle. Jarrett locks in a sharpshooter in the middle of the ring. Styles is able to crawl to the ropes. Styles is able to counter the hold with the sharpshooter of his own. Jarrett reaches the ropes, as well. Styles gets a rollup for a two count. Styles hits a German suplex for a two count. Styles hits the springboard reverse DDT for a two count. Styles goes for the Styles Clash, but Jarrett rams Styles into the referee in the corner. Style misses a discus strike and hits the cage. Jarrett has gotten powder out of his tights and tosses powder into AJ’s eyes. Jarrett gets a backslide on Styles for a two count. Styles sends Jarrett into the cage a few times. Styles fights back with strikes in the corner. Jarrett goes into his boot and has a chain. Jarrett misses a chain shot and Styles almost wins with a rollup. Jarrett nails Styles with the chain for a two count. Jarrett tries for the Stroke, but Styles elbows free. Jarrett kicks Styles and signals for the Styles Clash. Styles counters with a hurricanrana and rolls through to hit the Styles Clash! Styles has the cover, but Jarrett kicks out at two. Styles climbs the cage getting to the top of the cage. Jarrett shoves the referee into the cage and Styles dangerously gets crotched on the top. Jarrett knocks Styles off the side of the cage and Styles crashes to the floor. Jarrett tosses Styles back into the cage and grabs a guitar. Jarrett has the guitar, but Vince Russo is trying to get involved in the match. Jarrett hits Russo’s hands with the guitar. Styles kicks the guitar and gets a rollup on Jarrett to win the match and title. (**. I’m glad they took the title off of Jarrett, but I think the cage match stipulation hurt this match. I’m trying to figure it out, but it just felt a little rushed and the flow was off throughout. AJ will be a good champion, but I think knowing that the build was for a Harris title win, but they pivot away from that, hurts the match. There’s a lot of challengers for Styles and fresher matchups compared to Jarrett. I feel disappointed after watching this one.)
Vince Russo and AJ Styles embrace on the aisle to end the show.
Final Thoughts:
It’s a really average show with a a decent show long angle of who would replace Harris in the main event. I don’t think anyone actually believed that Raven would be inserted into the main event. This is likely going to lead to a lengthy Raven vs. Russo feud and Styles vs. Raven is probably the next main event feud until Harris comes back. Raven probably should win the title from Styles and then drop it to Harris, but we’ll see what happens. This weeks episode gets a thumbs in the middle from me.
Thanks for reading.