NWA-TNA Weekly PPV #94 5/12/2004

Written by: Bob Colling

National Wrestling Alliance/Total Non-Stop Action presents Weekly PPV #94
Date: 5/12/2004
From: Nashville, TN

Mike Tenay opens the show and announces that starting on June 4th TNA has partnered with FS1 to produce a TV called Impact. Impact will air on Friday’s at 3pm.

Backstage, Pat Kenney is shadow boxing and Tenay tells us that Kenney has challenged the NYC, but has promised Russo he wouldn’t interfere on the show.

Opening Contest: NWA Tag Team Champion Kid Kash vs. James Storm: Kash attacks Storm from behind and delivers several strikes against the ropes. Storm dumps Kash over the top to the floor. Storm continues with right hands on the floor and chops. Storm chases Kash into the crowd and catches Kash with punches before tossing Kash over the railing back to the ringside area. Storm rolls Kash into the ring, but Kash stops Strom with a dropkick. Storm comes back with a Thez Press and right hands on the mat. Storm chases Kash into the crowd again. Kash tries to toss a chair at Storm, but Storm catches it and send the chair back into Kash’s face. It was a desk chair. Kash has grabbed the championship before being rolled back into the ring. Storm elbows Kash to the mat. Storm drives Kash down with a veritcal suplex. Kash must have dropped the championship before getting the ring. Kash shoves Storm into the referee and low blows Storm. Kash dropkicks Storm and bites Storm’s forehead. Kash and Storm trade chops in the corner. Kash keeps a sleeper on Storm and delivers a few strikes to the face. Kash knee lifts Storm coming off the ropes to maintain control of the contest. Kash dropkicks Storm on the knee and locks in a half Boston Crab. Storm doesn’t give in. Kash ducks a clothesline to dropkick Storm.

Kash misses a springboard somersault dropkick across the ring. Storm hammers away on Kash a few times followed by a side Russian leg sweep for a near fall. Storm elbows Kash to the mat. Storm clotheslines Kash followed by snap powerslam for a two count. Storm backdrops Kash and sees Dallas coming down to the ringside. Storm and Kash collide on clothesline attempts. Storm kicks Kash in the corner and hits a sloppy swinging noose. Kash tries to use the nightstick, but the referee takes it away and Storm delivers a superkick for the win. After the match, Dallas attacks Storm and Kash tries to use the nightstick. Storm gets the nightstick and hits Dallas. Kash stops Storm with a few strikes. Dallas plants Storm with the Blackout and Kash connects with a frog splash off the top rope. D’Lo Brown runs out and makes the save. Dallas hits Brown with the nightstick. Dallas plants Brown with a sit down powerbomb. Chris Harris and Dusty Rhodes come down to the ring to make the save. Rhodes jabs Kash several times until Kash bails to the floor. (***. A good match to start the show and I don’t mind the finish since Storm was able to overcome the attempted interference. The aftermath was effective, too. The crowd was popping for everyone involved. There was heat between these two and it made for a better match than I expected.)

Earlier today, Mike Tenay interviewed Vince Russo regarding TNA getting a show with Fox Sports Net. Russo says they earned this and is looking forward to the first show. Tenay says that several wrestlers believe that Russo has been protecting AJ Styles. Russo wishes that he could protect Styles, but AJ wants to defend the title on a weekly basis. Russo tells Tenay that Killings and Raven deserve rematches, but you can’t allow the inmates to run the asylum. Russo will give them titles on his terms. Tenay believes that Konnan is the man who ruined his office. Russo says that Konnan acts like a child sometimes and he’s going to handle Konnan personally. In the main event, Russo reveals that Killings and Raven will be at ringside so that he can keep his eyes on them. I’m sure that will end well.

Monty Brown comes out and cuts a promo saying that it’s not rabbit or duck season. Brown says it’s open season on BG James, Konnan and Ron Killings. Brown calls BG a giraffe and calls him out to the ring to get the POUNCE.

Second Contest: BG James vs. Monty Brown: They start the match on the aisle with BG hammering away on Brown. Brown tosses James over the railing into the crowd and delivers several right hands. BG eye rakes Brown and grabs a trash can to whack Brown over the head. BG continues to have control with right hands. Brown sends BG into the wall. Brown whacks BG with a trash can lid. Brown grabs a table and sets it up. BG whacks Brown with a trash can lid and they walk up to the balcony. Brown sends BG into the bleachers. Brown tries to toss BG over the balcony, but BG blocks it. They come down from the balcony and BG powerbombs Brown through the table! Brown crotches BG on the guard railing and delivers a few right hands. Brown whacks BG on the knee a few times. Brown sends BG into the railing chest first. Brown stomps on BG in the ring, but BG battles back with right hands. BG misses a strike in the corner and Brown hits the POUNCE for the clean win. (**. I’m glad they went with the brawling in the crowd that took up the majority of the match as I have very little interest in a BG singles match. Plus, a clean finish for Brown is fantastic.) After the match, Brown attacks BG’s knee with a chair until Killings and Konnan make the save.

Backstage, Pat Kenney is working out.

Earlier today, Don West interviewed Desire regarding her back injury. They are at a park. Desire describes how it felt to break her back and she felt her back exploded. Desire tells Sonny to “get them down, that’s too high.” Desire says that her doctors didn’t want her to compete ever again. Desire is motivated to wrestle because she’s a mother. She has an eight year old and a five year old. West asks what the relationship is with Siaki. Desire says they’ve been together for almost four years. Siaki was there for her and took care of the kids when she couldn’t help. West thinks that Trinity wants to hurt her back again. Naturally, Trinity appears from behind and rams Desire’s back into the wooden railing. Trinity kicks Desire from behind and digs her knee into Desire’s back. Trinity taunts Desire and runs off as Sonny Siaki runs into the scene to make the save. Desire doesn’t want her kids to see her like this. We never saw the kids.

Prior to the next match beginning, NWA X-Division Champion Frankie Kazarian watches the match from the top of the ramp.

Third Contest: Amazing Red vs. Sonjay Dutt in match two of the best of three series: Dutt shoulder blocks Red and they proceed to counter and avoid each other leading to a standoff. Dutt gets the advantage with a test of strength and has Red on the mat, but Red gets out with a hip toss to send Dutt to the floor. They both fake out leg sweeps, but Red hits a swinging flatliner on the floor! Dutt tosses Red over the railing into the crowd and hits a springboard somersault into the crowd. Dutt plants Red with a tilt a whirl tornado DDT on the floor. Dutt uppercuts Red and delivers a swinging neckbreaker over the middle rope for a near fall. Dutt works over Red in the corner with strikes. Red hits a slingshot Code Red from the apron for a near fall. Red heads to the top rope, but Dutt stops Red. Red shoves Dutt off, but Dutt dropkicks Red off the top to the floor. Dutt drops Red with a Muscle Buster for a two count. Kazarian is talking to someone on the phone. Dutt misses the Hindu Press and is slammed by Red. Red hits the Red Star Press and cleanly pins Dutt. (**1/4. A better match than last week as they hit more of their high risk moves. Dutt looked good in there and I think I’d rather see a Dutt/Kazarian match at this point.)

Backstage, Scott Hudson is with 3LK and BG James has suffered a knee injury. Ron Killings says this isn’t right and he should be in the title match tonight. Killings warns that Russo made the worst decision to have him handcuffed. Konnan holds Russo responsible for this and thinks Russo called for the injury. Konnan leaves to take care of this.

Fourth Contest: Shane Douglas vs. Michael Shane in a Corporal Punishment match: There are straps tied to the ropes along with wooden paddles. Shane shoulder blocks Douglas, but Douglas comes back with a hip toss. Shane leg sweeps Douglas, but Douglas does the same and they have a standoff. Shane almost wins with a northern lights suplex. Douglas drop toe holds Shane and keeps control with a wrist lock. Shane slaps Douglas after reaching the ropes and runs away from Douglas. Douglas back elbows Shane to gain control. Douglas grabs a paddle, but Traci gets on the apron. Douglas backdrops Shane over the top onto Traci. Douglas sends Shane into the railing and spits water at him. Douglas sends Shane into the ring post. Douglas eye rakes Shane, but Shane fights back and rams Douglas face first into the ring steps. Douglas catches Shane coming off the steps to deliver a powerbomb. Douglas tries for a cover, but Shane kicks out at two. Shane drops Douglas arm over the top rope from the apron. Shane focuses his offense on the arm of Douglas. Shane uses the strap to hang Douglas over the top by his injured arm. Shane heads to the top and nails Douglas with a double axe handle. Shane eye rakes Douglas and tries for a kick, but Douglas elbows free. Douglas delivers a rolling neck snap causing both men to be laid out.

Douglas ducks a few wild strikes and knocks Shane to the mat. Douglas atomic drops Shane and begins to whip Shane over the back with a strap. Douglas clotheslines Shane with the strap. Douglas hits a belly to belly suplex, but Traci puts Shane’s foot on the bottom rope. Shane almost wins with an inside cradle, but Douglas chops Shane to the mat. Traci tries to use a paddle and that distracts Douglas. Douglas blocks a superkick and manages to get a rollup on Shane to win the match. (*1/2. I’m not a fan of the stipulation. I’m also not entirely sure who the true babyface is in this feud. It feels like Douglas, but I’m not sure if Douglas is a good choice to be a face.) After the match, Douglas kisses Traci and tries to spank her, but Shane runs Douglas off.

Backstage, Konnan confronts Russo. Russo knows that Konnan messed with his office. Konnan doesn’t have respect for Russo and gets in Russo’s face.

Backstage, Pat Kenney is beating up Glenn Gilbertti and beats up Johnny Swinger. They aren’t backstage but rather at an empty venue. Kenney hits Swinger with a door. Trinity attacks Kenney with a trash can. NYC dump syrup on Kenney and cover Kenney with Lucky Charms cereal.

Backstage, Goldylocks cuts a promo saying that Russo has a big problem for giving Erik Watts his job back. Goldylocks believes that Watts has tainted her name. She has never taken Watts money and it’s his problem. Goldy has been talking to people and says this is a crime. Goldy has enough money to get a lawyer. They can do this in a legal matter or Russo can fire Watts. Goldy wants a public apology. Goldy has a man who is ready to takeover and that’s when Abyss appears behind her.

Fifth Contest: Bobby Roode & Petey Williams vs. Hector Garza & Abismo Negro: Garza and Williams kickoff the tag match. Garza is distracted by D’Amore on the floor, but Williams doesn’t attack. They shove each other with Williams elbowing Garza in the midsection a few times. Garza catches Williams on a crossbody and slams Williams to the mat followed by a kick to the ribs. Garza keeps control in the corner with strikes. Garza dumps Williams to the apron, but Williams goes to the top rope and hits a hurricanrana. Garza dropkicks Williams and tags in Negro. Garza misses a splash and goes to the floor allowing Williams to hit a tornado DDT on Negro. Roode tags in and taunts Garza. Garza shoves Roode and they collide in the middle of the ring. Garza wants to shake hands, but Garza delivers a kick to the legs. Garza tags in Negro and Negro continues with kicks in the corner. Roode misses a splash in the corner. Negro monkey flips Roode across the ring. Roode sits Negro on the top turnbuckle and is yanked down by his hair. Negro plants Roode with a spinebuster. Williams tags in and and Roode clotheslines Negro as Williams goes to the top rope hitting a bulldog on Negro as Roode had a wheelbarrow on Negro. Roode nearly wins following a knee drop. Garza enters the match and hip tosses Roode followed by a moonsault from Negro for a two count on Roode.

Roode and Williams are sent into each other and Roode is nailed by a double kick. Williams is put in a tree of woe and Roode is sent into Williams. They drag Roode groin first into Williams face. Negro plants Roode with a Samoan Drop for a two count. Garza continues to beat on Roode, but Roode gets control with strikes. Roode shoulder blocks Garza followed by a powerslam for a two count. Roode delivers a headbutt to Garza and hits a double under hook suplex for a near fall. Williams head scissors Negro and hits a hurricanrana for a two count. Negro tries for a slam, but Williams counters with a rollup only for Garza to hit Williams with a strike. Williams arm drags Garza to the floor and comes off the apron with a hurricanrana on the floor. Negro clotheslines Roode a few times. D’Amore jabs Negro with the hockey stick allowing Roode to win the match with a rollup. (**. A decent match, but it lacked the kind of energy you’d expect from these guys. I think we’re about to get a big Team Canada push in the coming weeks and months.) After the match, Garza is attacked until Jerry Lynn runs into the ring and makes the save with clotheslines. Lynn dropkicks both Williams and Roode. D’Amore escapes the ring to avoid Lynn. Lynn grabs a microphone and says he’s at least wrestling in the ring while D’Amore hides behind his guys. Lynn wants five minutes in the ring with D’Amore. D’Amore tells Lynn that if Lynn beats Roode next week, then he’ll get him in the ring for however long he wants. D’Amore says that when Roode beats Lynn then Lynn steps down as captain of Team NWA. Lynn accepts.

Backstage, Konnan has been attacked but Konnan doesn’t know who it was.

Dusty Rhodes makes his way out and cuts a promo. Rhodes thinks everyone is trying to jump on the train and that is why Fox Sports is teaming up with TNA. Dusty is issuing a challenge to Kash and Dallas to a bunkhouse match next week. Dusty takes his boots off and lays on the mat to interview Kid Kash, which is hilarious. Dusty promises that him and James Storm are coming for them next week.

Backstage, Scott Hudson is with Raven for an interview. Raven can’t believe that Russo would allow Chris Harris to interfere in his championship match. He’s pissed that Harris has a title match tonight. Raven puts over his intelligence saying he’s a genius. Raven believes it’s only a matter of time until he’s the champion. Raven promises the most brutal experience as he looks to win the championship in the future.

Main Event: NWA World Champion AJ Styles vs. Chris Harris: Raven and Killings are handcuffed to the ring posts, so get ready for some interference. Styles controls Harris with a wrist lock, but Harris takes Styles down to the mat. Styles arm drags Harris and keeps control on the mat with an arm bar. Harris monkey flips Styles across the ring. Harris atomic drops Styles, but Styles comes back with a dropkick. Styles slams Harris and delivers a knee drop. Styles takes Harris down to the mat and works over the left arm of Harris. Styles lets go to taunt Raven on the floor. Styles slams Harris and heads to the top rope, but Raven grabs Styles leg. Styles attacks Raven on the floor. Styles is stopped by Harris on the top turnbuckle. Harris hits a superplex, but can’t quickly followup. Harris hammers away on Styles , but Styles delivers a kick. Harris nails Styles with a leaping clothesline. Harris catches Styles in the corner to hit a powerslam for a near fall. Harris plants Styles with a full nelson slam for a near fall. Harris hooks Styles for a suplex, but AJ counters and tries for a sunset flip, but settles for a German suplex off the middle rope. Styles tries for the Styles Clash, but Harris counters and locks in the Sharpshooter. Konnan has bolt cutters and cuts Killings free. Well, Konnan has trouble doing so, but Killings is freed.

Raven is on the apron distracting the referee. Harris goes to the corner and misses a spear hitting the ring post shoulder first. Killings slides in and clotheslines Styles followed by a scissors kick. Don Harris pulls Killings out and ejects him from ringside along with Konnan. Harris heads to the top rope and hits an elbow drop for a near fall. Styles nails Harris with a spinning heel kick in midair. Styles splashes Harris in the corner. Styles sends Harris into the corner and is caught. Harris plants Styles with the Catatonic for a near fall. Raven pulled the referee out and unlocks his handcuffs. Raven grabs a chair from under the ring and jabs Harris in the midsection. Raven drop toe holds Harris face first onto the chair. Sabu slides into the ring and attacks Raven. Sabu takes Raven out with a slingshot somersault dive to the floor. Raven and Sabu brawl backstage.

Styles tries for a coverage on Harris, but only manages a two count. Vince Russo has been watching backstage. Harris spars Styles for a two count. Harris tries for the Catatonic, but Styles counters with a crucifix pin attempt and nearly wins the match. They trade clothesline attempts and they both drop to their knees. Kid Kash hits Harris with a leather strap and a pipe. Styles decks Harris with a discus clothesline and pins Harris. (**1/2. What a ridiculous match. Russo promoting no interference and then the match is full of it. It’s a frustrating trend in the main event that really hurts the matches. This finish doesn’t make Styles look strong at all. There were a few moments where the crowd thought Harris was going to win, which made for a fun match, but the finish just ruins it every time.)

Raven whacks Styles from behind with a steel chair. Harris spears Raven. Ron Killings comes in and heel kicks Harris. Raven and Killings trade strikes in the ring. The locker rook empties to try and keep them all apart. Vince Russo runs out and has a microphone. Russo ends up booking a four way match with Styles defending against Raven, Killings and Harris. Russo leaves the ring allowing for a massive brawl to finish the show.

Final Thoughts:
It’s a good episode overall as there was some quality action throughout and they advanced the important angles for next week. They promoted a bunkhouse match and a four way title match, which all has my interest. The show felt like it had a flow to it and it made sense. I’m looking forward to next weeks show.

Thanks for reading.