NWA-TNA Weekly PPV #108 8/18/2004

Written by: Bob Colling

National Wrestling Alliance/Total Non-Stop Action presents Weekly PPV #108
Date: 8/18/2004
From: Nashville, TN

Raven comes down to the ring and cuts a promo saying that Sabu is a coward. Raven believes that Sabu has faked an injury to get out of a match against him and thinks the Sheik taught Sabu to be afraid. Tenay notes that Sabu hurt his back in Buffalo. Raven says the fans need to worship him. Raven wants Sonjay Dutt to replace Sabu because he needs to beat someone up.

Opening Contest: Raven vs. Sonjay Dutt in a Hangman’s Horror: Dutt runs into the ring and goes after Raven with right hands in the corner. There are straps and chains attached to the ropes for the match. Raven delivers a powerbomb out of the corner and rubs Dutt’s face on the mat a few times. Raven uses the chain to choke Dutt and attaches the chain to Dutt’s neck. Raven has Dutt on his shoulders and drops Dutt throat first across the top rope. Raven kicks Dutt in the ropes to drop Dutt to the apron. Raven continues to deliver strikes on the apron. Dutt avoids a knee strike and kicks Raven into the railing. Dutt dives off the ropes to take Raven out with a crossbody on the floor. Dutt clotheslines Raven in the corner followed by a bulldog. Raven ducks a clothesline and delivers a superkick. Raven tosses Dutt to the floor. We see druids in the rafters watching the match. Raven delivers a side Russian leg sweep into the railing. Dutt takes Raven over with a hurricanrana, but Raven stops Dutt with a clothesline. Raven wraps the chain around Dutt’s neck against the ropes. Raven hangs Dutt over the top rope. Dutt avoids a chair shot and chokes Raven with his legs. Raven breaks free with a chair shot to the head. Dutt fights back with right hands in the ring.

Dutt clotheslines Raven a few times to keep control of the contest. Dutt nails Raven with a kick to the head. Dutt heads to the top rope hitting a flying a clothesline. Dutt slides a trash can into the ring puts a chain around Raven’s neck. Dutt attaches another chain to Raven’s neck in the middle of the ring. Dutt whacks Raven with a trash can several times. The second chain fell off of Raven’s neck. Dutt springboard dropkicks Raven on the apron, but Raven doesn’t fall off. Raven slams Dutt off the top rope to send Dutt crashing through a table on the floor. Dutt tosses a fireball into Raven’s face! Dutt hangs Raven over the top rope and the referee calls for the bell giving Dutt the victory! (***. Well, that’s a major upset and a clean one at that considering the stipulation. I’ve been enjoying Dutt’s work and I think that Dutt would excel getting a larger role. I wonder if they will bring Sabu back after his injury or if they’ll pivot to Dutt and perhaps try to elevate Dutt instead. I enjoyed the match and they got plenty of time.)

Earlier today, Mike Tenay conducted an interview with NWA World Champion Jeff Jarrett. Tenay wants to talk about the issues between Vince Russo and Dusty Rhodes. Jarrett thinks it is obvious and says that Russo had one goal to take the championship away from Jarrett. Now, Dusty has been trying to do the same thing. Jarrett thinks that he benefits from them feuding with each other. Tenay brings up Monty Brown wanting a shot on September 8th. Jarrett thinks that Brown is a Double A ballplayer trying to reach the majors. Jarrett doesn’t believe Brown is ready for a championship match. Tenay brings up the match with Jeff Hardy coming up on September 8th. Jarrett brings up all the big matches he’s had and the major odds against him. Jarrett hypes the match as being the biggest match of the company and both their careers. He’s going to show why he’s King of the Mountain.

Backstage, Scott Hudson is with Team Canada where Scott D’Amore has been banned from ringside for the next match. D’Amore calls Vince Russo a bias American. D’Amore wonders if other coaches wouldn’t be at ringside for their players. D’Amore hypes up Williams to get the job done tonight. D’Amore warns Dusty that he’s been writing checks that his body can’t cash.

Second Contest: NWA X-Division Champion Petey Williams vs. Chris Sabin: Williams arm drags Sabin to the mat and gets a two count with a rollup. Sabin sweeps Williams for a two count and they have a standoff. Williams shoulder blocks Sabin, but Sabin comes back with a dropkick. Sabin sends Williams to the floor. Sabin goes to the apron and hits a slingshot head scissors for a two count. Sabin works over Williams with strikes in the corner. Sabin monkey flips Williams, but lands on his feet. Williams hits a hurricanrana off the middle rope for a two count. Williams forearms Sabin in the corner. Williams elbows Sabin in the corner and runs into a snap powerslam for a two count. Williams puts Sabin on the apron and tries for a suplex, but Sabin counters and suplexs Williams to the floor. Williams sends Sabin into the guard railing and hits a tornado DDT off the apron. Williams tries for a cover, but Sabin kicks out at two. Williams dropkicks a seated Sabin after a snapmare. Williams keeps Sabin on the mat with a chin lock. Sabin connects with a back suplex and they are both down. Sabin chops and forearms Williams a few times followed by a clothesline. Sabin goes for a backslide and nearly wins. Sabin drives Williams down with a suplex for a two count.

Williams gets a two count with a crucifix pin attempt. Williams signals for the Destroyer as Sabin slowly gets up. Sabin tries for a Death Valley Driver, but Williams counters with a facebuster for a two count. Williams tries for the Destroyer, but Sabin sits down for a near fall after a backdrop. Sabin kicks Williams in the corner and has Williams over the shoulder to hit a running Razor’s Edge into the corner! Scott D’Amore comes out and shoves Sabin off the ropes with the hockey stick. Williams uses the ropes for leverage, but Sabin kicks out. Dusty Rhodes comes down as well to chase off D’Amore. Sabin hits the Cradle Shock and has the pin, but there’s no referee. Bobby Roode clotheslines Sabin from behind and Williams recovers to hit the Canadian Destroyer for the win. (***. A good match with some fun spots, but I really dislike the interference. They give a visual pin for Sabin, which makes me think that Sabin is going to be a regular challenger for the title and may eventually beat Williams for it.) After the match, D’Amore accidentally clotheslines Williams and Rhodes stalks after D’Amore. 3LK come out and toss D’Amore into the ring. D’Amore is trapped in the ring with Dusty. D’Amore bails once Dusty gets in the ring. Vince Russo comes down as well to confront Dusty. They bicker to end the segment.

Backstage, Scott Hudson is with Michael Shane, Kazarian and Traci. Hudson notes that Kazarian almost retained the title being the first person in the match. Shane was eliminated before Kazarian was despite being last into the match. Traci isn’t going to let Hudson get between her men. Shane puts over Kazarian as being an extremely handsome man, just like himself. Shane also notes that Kazarian will hookup with women and have no regrets the next morning. They are closer than a lot of siblings and relationships. Kazarian says that they are all about trust. Kazarian says they aren’t Friends like the TV show because their friendship is real. We are going to see how real their friendship is. Big Vito enters the scene after they depart and suggests that Shane and Kazarian make him nervous. Vito wants to find David Young because he has some family business to take care of.

Third Contest: XXX vs. America’s Most Wanted: All four men are in the ring brawling to start off the match. Harris and Skipper fall to the floor trading strikes. Storm and Daniels are also on the floor trading blows. Daniels elbows Storm, but Storm hits a swinging slam. Skipper decks Storm from behind and delivers a suplex for a two count. Harris nails Skipper with a clothesline. Harris slams Skipper and Storm delivers a dropkick. Daniels and Harris trade strikes until XXX hit a double hip toss. Daniels clotheslines Harris for a two count. Daniels slams Harris and hits a standing moonsault for a near fall. Daniels kicks Harris and is met with a full nelson slam by Harris. Storm tags into the match and works over Daniels injured arm with several strikes. Storm rams Daniels into the corner shoulder first. Storm locks in a modified Rings of Saturn, but that doesn’t last long. Harris returns to the match and chokes Daniels against the ropes. Daniels is sent into the corner shoulder first a few times. Harris delivers a shoulder breaker, but Daniels kicks out at two along with Skipper breaking the cover. Harris has Daniels over the shoulder, but Daniels breaks free to hit an STO. Storm tags back into the match and Daniels delivers a clothesline. Skipper tags in and cleans house with strikes. Skipper spin kicks AMW to knock them both down. Skipper tosses Storm with an under hook suplex. Harris dumps Skipper to the apron, but Skipper tries for a somersault clothesline only to be caught and nailed by the Hart Attack.

Storm hammers away on Skipper, but Skipper comes back with right hand. Storm stops Skipper with a knee to the gut and Harris tags into the match. Harris hooks Skipper for a vertical suplex and drives Skipper down to the mat for a near fall. Harris pummels Skipper with left hands on the mat. Storm returns to the match chopping Skipper against the ropes. Storm and Skipper collide in the middle of the ring on attempted crossbody blocks. Harris and Daniels tag in with Daniels hitting a clothesline and heel kick. Daniels nails Harris with an STO. Daniels is dropkicked by Storm after trying for the Angels Wings on Harris. Daniels snaps and pummels Harris with strikes in the corner. Skipper and Storm fall to the floor. Daniels kicks Harris in the corner followed by a clothesline. Daniels is dropped over the top rope throat first. Skipper trips Harris and Daniels manages to get a rollup to pin Harris in the middle of the ring. (**1/2. A fine tag match and I’m hoping the third match allows them to go all out. The first two matches have felt like they are slowly building to a big time match, which is fine with me. I liked that Daniels essentially snapped because of his shoulder and showed some aggression.)

Backstage, Monty Brown is interviewed by Scott Hudson. Brown promises that tonight Ron Killings will get hurt tonight. Brown issues a challenge to whomever wins the title on September 8th between Jarrett and Hardy. Brown is cutoff by Kid Kash and Dallas. Kash wants to smarten Brown up a little bit. Kash notes there has been politics and favoritism. Kash thinks the same will happen to Brown and thinks that Vince Russo is against them. Kash believes that Brown needs some backup and promises they would be there for Brown if he needed it. Monty says he’s never needed backup and he hunts alone. Brown promises that Killings will feel the POUNCE!

Outside the venue, Vince Russo and Dusty Rhodes are still arguing and Russo doesn’t want to talk to Scott Hudson, who was trying to get the scoop.

Fourth Contest: Monty Brown vs. Ron Killings: Brown backs Killings into the corner and delivers a boot to the midsection. Brown pummels Killings with strikes and stomps. Killings gets to the top rope and missile dropkicks Brown. Killings hip tosses Brown and follows up with an arm drag. Brown dumps Killings to the apron and drops Killings throat first over the top rope. Killings lands on the railing and stomps on Killings. Brown sends Killings into the railing and apron to maintain control of the contest. Killings sends Brown into the guard railing back first. Brown drops Killings throat first over the guard railing. Brown fakes out the crowd and rolls Killings back into the ring. Killings plants Brown with a flatliner to gain momentum followed by right hands. Brown stops Killings with a knee lift and a vertical suplex. Brown taunts the crowd before keeping Killings on the mat with a chin lock. Killings fights free with strikes, but is caught on a crossbody and Brown tries for a powerbomb, but Killings counters with a facebuster. Killings punches Brown a few times and delivers a dropkick. Killings delivers a leaping forearm smash off the ropes. Killings nails Brown with a kick off the ropes for a near fall.

Killings heads to the top rope while playing to the crowd. Killings tries for a crossbody, but Brown catches Killings with the Alpha Bomb for a two count. Brown works over Killings with strikes in the corner. Killings comes off the ropes to hit a scissors kick for a two count, but Kash pulled the referee out and is shoved down by the referee. AJ Styles comes out and chases after Kash to the backstage area. Brown delivers a jawbreaker and nails Killings with the POUNCE to win the match. (**. The distraction protects Killings a little bit, but if we are trying to elevate Brown into the title picture, is it so hard to give the guy a clean win over a former champion that isn’t doing much? Brown is a lot of fun and has potential to be a star for TNA.)

Outside, Scott Hudson is determined to get the scoop on Russo and Dusty talking. Russo tells Hudson that this is between the two of them and doesn’t want the world to know what’s going on. Dusty wants everyone to know what’s going on. Rhodes wants to know what Russo’s issue is with him. Russo says this is about the rules and not about the people. Russo promised Rhodes that he’d have a job as long as he’s here. Russo says that Dusty is making his job hard. Russo warns Dusty that he doesn’t want to do something, but Dusty might make him do it. Dusty says they think of the business differently and Dusty isn’t going to change how he does things. Russo is left frustrated to end the segment.

Fifth Contest: NWA Tag Team Champions The Naturals vs. Konnan & BG James: Naturals go on the attack to start the match, but 3LK deliver clotheslines to send the champions to the floor. Konnan does his usual mic work and BG chimes in as well. Naturals return to the ring and they are knocked down again by the challengers. Douglas is left alone in the ring and is met with a double back elbow while Stevens is knocked off the apron. Douglas kicks Konnan followed by strikes. Konnan shoulder blocks Douglas and delivers a rolling thunder clothesline. Konnan works over Douglas in the corner with right hands. BG delivers a few strikes, as well. Konnan takes Douglas down to the mat and locks in a submission, but Douglas doesn’t give in. BG tags in and works over the left arm of Douglas. Douglas fights free and keeps an arm lock on BG. BG nails Douglas with a forearm strike coming off the ropes. Douglas knee lifts James to get the advantage, but misses a clothesline. James jabs Douglas and forearms Stevens followed by one to Douglas. James comes off the ropes to deliver a knee drop for a two count. Stevens nails BG on the apron allowing Douglas to connect with a knee strike.

Stevens tags into the match and hammers away on BG in the corner. Stevens chokes BG in the corner. Stevens nails BG from behind while BG is choked over the ropes. Stevens hits a snap suplex for a two count and chokes BG on the mat. Douglas chokes BG over the middle rope. Stevens punches BG in the ribs a few times and kicks a charging BG followed by a clothesline out of the corner. Douglas continues to beat on BG with strikes. James ducks a double elbow and clotheslines the champs. Konnan nails Stevens with a facebuster and lifts Douglas into the air and down to the mat gut first. Konnan powerbombs Douglas only to be kicked by Stevens. BG plants Stevens with a DDT and jabs Douglas several times. Douglas kicks BG and tries for a piledriver, but Scott D’Amore comes out and hits BG with the hockey stick to prevent the pump handle slam. BG still kicks out on the cover. Dusty attacks D’Amore on the aisle and hits Team Canada with the hockey stick several times. Dusty hits Douglas with the hockey stick and BG hits a vertical suplex, but the referee calls for the bell. 3LK has been disqualified because Dusty used the hockey stick. (*1/2. I was rather bored by this and the finish is a little annoying. The takeaway from this match is seemingly setting up a match between Dusty and D’Amore. The crowd was mostly dead for this and I didn’t care for it either.)

Backstage, Scott Hudson interviews Goldylocks and her contracted wrestlers. Goldy says she has game and wants to acquire as many contracts as she can. Desire enters the scene and Goldy prevents Siaki from greeting her. Desire wants Siaki back. Desire says she’ll buy Siaki back. Goldy says that Desire has a contract that she wants. Goldy wants Desire to put her contract up. If Desire wins then she gets Siaki back, but if she loses than Goldy gets the contract. Desire agrees to the match and promises Siaki will come home with her. Abyss enters the scene and Goldy tells him to pickup her slop. Alex Shelley tells Abyss to get a mint.

David Young and Big Vito brawl at ringside until Trinity hits Young with a kendo stick. Vito rolls Young into the ring and Trinity punches Young several times on the mat. Vito continues to hit Young with the kendo stick over the back. Security runs down and tries to stop Vito, but Vito decks Chris Vaughn with the stick several times. Vaughn fights back with strikes on Vito. Vito stops Vaughn and sends Vaughn into the corner shoulder first. Don Harris enters the ring to make the save. Vito has a standoff with Don to end the segment.

Main Event: Kid Kash vs. AJ Styles in a street fight: They are both dressed in jeans to signify this is truly a street fight. Kash is getting in the face of a fan in the front row and the camera cut away as that appeared to get quite intense for a moment. Kash is more focused on the fan than he is Styles and security finally comes over to the fan to seemingly take care of the issue. They start off trading a flurry of strikes with Styles getting the advantage and clotheslines Kash a few times. Kash decks Styles with a clothesline to gain control of the contest. Styles sends Kash to the floor and hits a slingshot crossbody to the outside. Styles sends Kash into the railing chest first. Styles rolls Kash into the ring and delivers a few strikes and kicks. Kash stops Styles with a jawbreaker. Kash tackles Styles through the ropes to the floor. Kash sends Styles into the railing shoulder first. Kash rips a fans sign on the floor and chops Styles around ringside before ramming Styles face first onto the apron. Kash sends Styles into the announcers table and hits Styles with a bottle of water. Kash smashes Styles with a chair shot. Kash sends Styles into the railing, but Styles slides under and Kash loses his footing on a springboard off the steps. Styles nails Kash with a kick on the floor and they go into the crowd. Styles nails Kash with a chair shot.

Kash stomps on Styles in the bleachers, but Styles delivers a side slam. Kash delivers an arm breaker on the bleachers. Kash delivers a DDT onto the bleachers. Kash knee lifts Styles and sends Styles into the bleachers head first. Kash grabs a table by the door. Kash eye rakes Styles and lays Styles over the table. Kash goes to the balcony, but Styles cuts Kash off with right hands. Styles blocks a hip toss off the balcony and they continue to brawl. Kash sends Styles into the empty bleachers with a drop toe hold. They continue to trade strikes with Styles getting the better of the exchange. Kash tries to toss Styles off the balcony, but Styles holds on. Styles tries to pull Kash off the balcony, but they are both dangling off the edge. They both proceed to fall off the balcony and crash through the table on the floor! Kash nails Styles with a wet floor cone and a trash can. They continue to brawl throughout the crowd. Styles tosses Kash back over the railing and they are back at ringside. Styles rolls Kash back into the ring. Kash forearms Styles and nearly wins with a rollup.

Kash misses a clothesline and Styles tries for the Styles Clash. Kash counters and kicks Styles in the midsection and hits a hurricanrana for a two count. Styles hits a German suplex and a wheelbarrow suplex for a two count. Styles tries for a suplex, but Kash counters with a slam and a big splash for a two count. Styles powerbombs Kash to counter a hurricanrana and tries for the Styles Clash, but lets go to dropkick Dallas off the apron. Styles counters a rollup with a rollup of his own to pin Kash for the win. (***1/2. It’s a good match with a couple of big spots, but they seemed to tone down the weapon shots that you might expect from a street fight. Yes, they did the big table spot off the balcony and there was a lot of brawling, but I didn’t find this to be a violent street fight. There wasn’t any blood and they did a rollup finish. I wish this was a little more intense and heavy with weapon shots to make it feel more like a fight. Again, I enjoyed the match, but this could have been a more memorable match with a few adjustments.)

Dallas attacks Styles from behind and delivers a big boot. Ron Killings comes down and scissors kicks Dallas. Killings knocks Kash down with a clothesline. Monty Brown slides into the ring and nails Killings with the POUNCE! Styles goes after Brown with a kick to the head. Brown takes Styles out with the POUNCE! Jeff Hardy enters the ring and hits the Twist of Fate on Brown and a flatliner to Dallas. Hardy connects with the Whisper in The Wind on Kash. Hardy kicks Brown to the floor and plays to the crowd to end the program.

Final Thoughts:
I thought this was a strong overall show with a lot of good wrestling and held my interest throughout for the most part.

Thanks for reading.