Written by: Bob Colling
National Wrestling Alliance/Total Non-Stop Action presents Weekly PPV #111
Date: 9/8/2004
From: Nashville, TN
Opening Contest: X-Division Battle Royal: So this is a tag team battle royal where the final two will then bring their partner back out and there will be a tag team match. Eliminations can only happen by being thrown over the top to the floor. Sabin manages to eliminate Petey Williams with a head scissors from the apron to the outside. The match had been going on for maybe a minute. Shark Boy tossed Delirious over the top to the floor. Kazarian knocks D-Ray off the apron to the floor. Kazarian pushed Sabin over the top to the floor with a catapult. Shane suplexs Batts from the apron over the top to the floor. Kazarian and Shane toss Shark Boy over the top to the floor. Red and Shane are on the apron trading strikes. Red nails Shane with the 718 for an elimination. Clark nailed a middle rope reverse hurricanrana on Devine. Kazarian avoids the 718 from Red and tosses Red to the floor. Dutt dropkicks Kazarian coming off the ropes. Dutt tries to eliminate Kazarian, but can’t do so. Dutt elbow drops Devine off the top rope and a double moonsault to Kazarian and Devine. Dutt continues with a running flip neckbreaker to both men. Naturally, Dutt gets caught and dumped to the floor. Kazarian kicks Devine off the top rope to eliminate Devine and now it’s time for the tag match. (**. I hate battle royals for these guys, but it wasn’t too bad. I was surprised that Williams was eliminated so quickly. I thought Dutt did a good job in there and his flurry of offense was a bright spot. He looked great in defeat.)
Second Contest: Mikey Batts & Jerrelle Clark vs. Frankie Kazarian & Michael Shane: Shane jumps Clark from behind and delivers stomps to keep control. Shane works over Clark with right hands and Tenay mentions that AMW will not get a tag title shot due to James Storm’s injury and thus XXX get a title shot. Batts slips on a springboard and Shane delivers a backbreaker. Kazarian keeps control with his knee on Batt’s back while pulling back. Kazarian yanks Batts down by his hair and delivers a kick to the back. Shane returns to the match and taunts Batts before driving Batts down to the mat face first. Shane keeps a sleeper on Batts, but doesn’t get a submission. Shane nails Batts with a dropkick and knocks Clark off the apron. Shane drives Batts over his back with a backbreaker and Kazarian hit a top rope leg drop. Kazarian tosses Batts with a gut wrench suplex for a two count. Shane tries for a wheelbarrow, but Batts counters with a stunner! Clark gets the hot tag and cleans house with strikes. Clark slams Shane followed by a handspring moonsault for a two count. Batts sneaks a tag and they drive Kazarian down to the mat with a double slam. Clark misses the 630 on Kazarian and is superkicked by Shane. However, Batts gets a rollup from behind and pins Shane to win the match! (**. Not a bad tag match, but man that missed 630 by Clark had to hurt. I liked the upset win for Batts and Clark as it’s not a bad thing to add depth to your X-Division. This win could make them viable threat for a long time even in squash matches.)
Backstage, Scott Hudson is with XXX for an interview. Hudson notes that James Storm is injured and out of the tag title match. XXX get the shot instead and Skipper says that the games are over. Skipper warns the Naturals to bring more than their A-game tonight. Daniels says they have always been a team with the same focus. Daniels thinks they were worried about bragging rights instead of the champions. They will not make the same mistake tonight. Daniels promises to give AMW a tag title match when Storm is healthy. The Naturals enter the scene tossing powder into Skipper’s face and attacking Daniels shoulder with a steel chair until Skipper covers Daniels to protect him from further abuse.
Third Contest: Abyss, Alex Shelley & Goldylocks vs. Erik Watts, Sonny Siaki & Desire: Abyss works over Watts to start the match with right hands in the corner. Watts fights back with a flurry of strikes and shoulder blocks Abyss to the mat. Watts tries for a chokeslam, but Abyss breaks free only to run into a big boot. Abyss ducks a clothesline and tries for a double chokeslam, but is taken over by Watts and Siaki with a suplex for a one count. Siaki tags into the match and Abyss stops Siaki with an eye rake. Shelley tags in and Siaki takes Shelley down with a couple of arm drags. Siaki kicks Shelley followed by a heel kick for a two count. Watts tags back into the contest and along with Siaki drops Shelley to the mat gut first. Abyss pulls the ropes down to cause Watts to crash to the floor. Abyss sends Watts into the guard railing. Shelley dropkicks a seated Watts and Abyss tags back into the match to keep control of the contest. Watts fights back with right hands, but is stopped by a clothesline from Abyss. Watts drops Shelley throat first over the top rope. Abyss and Siaki get tagged in with Siaki hammering away on Abyss. Siaki ducks under a clothesline and knocks both Abyss and Shelley down. Siaki continues with a neckbreaker to Abyss and a Samoan Drop to Shelley for a two count. Abyss plants Siaki with a chokeslam. Goldylocks tags into the match and Siaki kips up to stop her in her tracks. Desire tags in and that leads to everyone brawling. Watts hammers away on Abyss in the corner while Shelley and Siaki brawl into the crowd. Watts clotheslines Abyss over the top to the floor. Desire grabs Goldylocks by her hair in the corner. Desire tosses Goldylocks to the mat and they roll around a bit. Abyss grabs Desire by the hair, but Erik Watts’ wife gets on the apron to tell Abyss to not do it. Goldy slaps Abyss and that causes Abyss to grab Goldy by the neck. Abyss lets Desire go and hits a backbreaker on Goldylocks! Desire covers Goldy for the win. (*1/2. I’m shocked that Goldylocks took a move, but it needed to happen to blowoff the angle. The match wasn’t anything great or interesting, but I’m glad they blew off the angle and I’m assuming Abyss is going to be turning face?)
Backstage, Scott Hudson is with Team Canada for an interview. Hudson notes that tonight could be Dusty Rhodes could be forced to retire tonight thanks to D’Amore. D’Amore has no problem with that fact and says he sleeps on a mattress made out of money. D’Amore calls Rhodes a self serving, lying, egomaniac and is everything wrong with America. D’Amore references Dusty working in WWE with polka dots and being part of the circus. D’Amore is going to expose Rhodes and his lies. Tonight, Dusty will die his first death.
Fourth Contest: Kid Kash vs. Aj Styles in a best two out of three tables match: Kash goes after Styles before the bell for the cheap advantage. Kash chops Styles against the ropes and Styles delivers a forearm on the apron. Styles tries to suplex Kash to the floor, but Kash avoids it. Kash dropkicks Styles through the ropes to the apron. Styles hits a springboard forearm. Kash hammers away on Styles on the floor after avoiding a baseball slide. Kash sends Styles into the railing. We see doctors checking on Christopher Daniels and his injured shoulder. Styles drops Kash chest first over the railing. Styles puts Kash on a table at ringside and goes back into the ring. Styles tries for a slingshot but instead hits a springboard moonsault to the floor. Styles sets up a table in the ring, but Kash kicks Styles from behind. Kash beats on Styles in the corner and delivers a backbreaker. Kash knee lifts Styles in the corner and delivers chops. Kash low blows Styles and tries for a suplex through the table, but Styles counters with a facebuster. Styles slams Kash and delivers a knee drop. Kash stops Styles with a stunner and Kash puts Styles through the table with a German suplex. The referee didn’t give it to Kash. Kash slams Styles through the table and that’s enough for the referee to give Kash the first victory.
Kash low blows Styles again to keep the advantage. Kash plants Styles with a vertical suplex. Styles kicks Kash from behind to avoid a shot with the broken table. Styles hammers away on Kash and hits a springboard kick to knock Kash off the apron through a table on the floor to even the match at one.
Styles struggles to setup the table in the ring as it’s stuck on the ropes. Styles tries to get another table, but Kash dropkicks Styles to stop AJ. Kash slides a table into the ring. Styles backdrops Kash coming off the ropes followed by forearm strikes. Styles hits a springboard reverse DDT. Kash avoids a suplex, but Styles drops Kash with a Pele kick. Kash hits Styles with the broken piece of table in the ring. Kash rams Styles into the corner a few times back first. Kash tries for a top rope hurricanrana, but Styles battles back. Dallas tries to get involved, but Styles manages to Styles Clash Kash off the middle rope through the table to win the match. After the match, Styles avoids an attack by Dallas. However, Petey Williams attacks Styles from behind and rolls Styles back into the ring. Dallas beats down on Styles. Williams tries for the Destroyer and plants Styles. Kash hits a top rope frog splash. 3LK rundown to the ring to make the save. (***. I’d say that was a disappointing match overall. The action felt a little slow and the match was based around a couple of big spots. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a solid match but I was hoping for something a bit more memorable.)
Backstage, Scott Hudson is with Dusty Rhodes for an interview. Rhodes denies that he was the Midnight Rider last week. Hudson isn’t buying that. Rhodes says this is what it’s about in TNA and doesn’t know if he can trust Russo. Dusty is looking to move up and that’s what he’s going to do tonight.
Vince Russo is the special referee for the next match and he’s got a baseball bat. Also, Russo felt the need to put the New York Yankees logo on his referee shirt. He’s keeping the bat in the ring and I’m sure it will be used at some point.
Fifth Contest: Dusty Rhodes vs. Scott D”Amore: Dusty punches D’Amore a few times, but Russo prevents a closed fist. Russo does the same to D’Amore. Rhodes works over D’Amore with strikes in the corner, but Russo tells Rhodes to open his hand. Rhodes avoids a hockey stick strike and Russo takes the stick away from Dusty allowing D’Amore to deck Rhodes from behind. Dusty gets out of a chin lock, but D’Amore nails Rhodes with more strikes. D’Amore signals for a top rope moonsault, but Dusty moves out of the way. Dusty jabs D’Amore and elbows Russo, but Russo horribly setup for that. Russo grabs the bat and teases using it. Russo doesn’t appreciate the elbow shot. Rhodes elbows D’Amore followed by an elbow drop for the win. (DUD. I’m just glad that was over with. That was not a good match or segment, at all.) After the match, Team Canada attacks Dusty Rhodes. Russo takes his shirt off and shoves D’Amore. 3LK come running down to runoff Team Canada.
Backstage, Scott Hudson is with the NWA Tag Team Champions the Naturals. Stevens says they are proud of themselves for what they did. Zbyszko has said there will be a tag title match tonight anyway. Stevens doesn’t know who could be left to wrestle. They list a few teams and insult them and laugh it off.
Larry Zbyszko comes out and says the fans will get a tag title match. Zbyszko introduces the opponents to the Naturals as being Elix Skipper and Chris Harris!
Sixth Contest: NWA Tag Team Champions The Naturals vs. Chris Harris & Elix Skipper: Harris and Skipper slide into the ring leading to a brawl between the two teams. The champs are sent to the floor with the challengers following. Harris drops Douglas over the railing while Skipper sends Stevens into the announcers table. The champs are sent into the guard railing as both teams continue to brawl around ringside. Douglas chokes Harris over the middle rope and Stevens gets a few shots in from the apron. Douglas delivers a kick to the ribs of Harris before tagging in Stevens. Stevens ducks a clothesline and Harris mounts Stevens with left hands. Harris and Skipper punch Stevens several times and Harris clotheslines Stevens to the mat. Skipper hits a slingshot splash into the ring for a near fall. Stevens avoids a kick and leg sweeps Skipper. Skipper kicks Stevens a couple of times leading to a near fall. Stevens kicks Skipper and tags in Douglas, but Skipper tosses Douglas to the mat and delivers a kick to the face for a near fall. Harris tags into the match and they stomp Douglas in the corner. Harris backdrops Douglas coming off the ropes. Skipper tags back into the match and knee lifts Douglas. Douglas dumps Skipper to the apron and Skipper tries for a head scissors, but Stevens nails Skipper with a strike to prevent that from happening. Douglas stops Skipper with a knee strike and Stevens returns to the match to pummel Skipper before Skipper rolls to the floor.
Douglas sends Skipper into the ring steps and jabs Skipper with a chair to the chest. Stevens covers Skipper for a two count. Douglas works over Skipper with strikes to the ribs and locks in a chin lock unable to get a submission. Stevens controls Skipper on the mat with a knee into his shoulder blades and pull back on the arms. Skipper quickly fights out, but Stevens delivers an elbow strike after a kick to the gut. Skipper spin kicks Stevens and both men are down. Douglas and Harris are tagged into the match. Harris cleans house with strikes and an atomic drop to Douglas. Harris clotheslines Douglas to the floor and bulldogs Stevens. Skipper hits a crossbody off the top as Harris hit a vertical suplex on Stevens. Douglas gets back in the ring and ducks a clothesline causing Harris to hit Skipper on accident. Skipper and Harris shove each other, as expected. Skipper decides to leave the match. Naturals hit a double Flatliner on Harris and get a two count as Skipper returned to the contest. Douglas has powder in his hand and Stevens has a chair. Skipper hits Stevens with another chair and Harris spears Douglas leading to a three count. (**. I’ve never been a fan of the feuding partner angle and I honestly don’t like it now either. Sure, from a storyline perspective it makes complete sense, but I just don’t enjoy it. The match was really average, by the way.)
Various TNA wrestlers provide their predictions on who will win the main event.
Backstage, Monty Brown cuts into Scott Hudson’s scene with a chair. Brown says he doesn’t need a chair for anyone. Brown is going to have a ringside seat for the main event. Brown doesn’t care who wins and say that Russo better tell him what he wants to hear.
Main Event: NWA World Champion Jeff Jarrett vs. Jeff Hardy: Jarrett slaps Hardy and Hardy goes after Jarrett with punches before the official ring entrances. Instead of starting the match that way, they make sure to get the official ring announcements completed. Jarrett tries to attack again, but security stops the brawling. Hardy goes after Jarrett, but Jarrett rolls to the floor. Jarrett hit the ring steps and he’s busted wide open. They finally ring the bell and allow the match to begin. Jarrett arm drags Hardy followed by a right hand. Hardy arm drags Jarrett followed by a right hand as we see Monty Brown sitting on the stage. Jarrett knee lifts Hardy and gains control with strikes. Jarrett misses a kick and Hardy tried for a submission, but Jarrett escaped to the floor. Hardy kicks Jarrett in the face and hits a slingshot crossbody to the floor. Hardy rolls Jarrett into the ring but misses a dropkick. Jarrett tried for the figure four and is kicked away by Hardy. Hardy spikes Jarrett with a DDT and heads to the top rope. Jarrett cuts Hardy off with a strike and climbs the ropes. Jarrett looks for the Stroke off the middle rope, but Hardy counters with a bulldog for a two count. Hardy clotheslines Jarrett over the top to the floor.
Hardy climbs to the top and axe handles Jarrett on the floor. Jarrett jabs Hardy and is backdropped over the railing into the crowd. Hardy heads to the top rope again and dives onto Jarrett in the crowd! Jarrett whacks Hardy with a chair a few times in the crowd. Abyss is watching the match on the stage. Jarrett sends Hardy into the wall and they climb up the balcony. Jarrett tries to toss Hardy off the balcony, but Hardy blocks it. Hardy tries to send Jarrett over the balcony, but fails. Jarrett rams Hardy into the guard railing chest first. Jarrett jabs the referee with a chair shot to the chest on accident. Hardy brings Jarrett back to the ringside area and they’re back in the ring without a referee. Hardy slams Jarrett and heads to the top rope. Hardy hits the Swanton Bomb, but Jarrett kicks out at two. Jarrett counters the Twist of Fate with the Stroke for a near fall. Jarrett locks in the figure four leg lock in the middle of the ring. Raven is watching up in the balcony with a straightjacket on.
Hardy manages to rollover, but Jarrett reaches the ropes. Dusty Rhodes is at ringside rooting for Hardy. Hardy locks in the Spineline submission, but Jarrett exits the ring. Dusty rolls Jarrett back in and Hardy puts the Spineline on Jarrett again. Jarrett manages to reach the ropes again. Jarrett decks Rhodes on the floor and gets on the apron. Dusty pulls Jarrett off to deliver jabs and an elbow strike. Vince Russo runs out and tells Rhodes to leave. They get into each others face. Russo had a bat with him, which Jarrett tries to use. Russo takes the bat away from Hardy. Hardy plants Jarrett with a sloppy Flatliner and goes to the top rope. Hardy leaps off missing the Swanton Bomb. Jarrett has his guitar and smashes the guitar over Hardy’s head from behind to win the match. (**1/4. The finish allows a rematch, but what the hell? They did everything that a Jarrett match in this era features. Extended brawling in the crowd, trading finishers and a screwy finish. I think I would have put the title on Hardy to conclude the era where they had a paying audience every week for PPV. Instead, the show leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. Hardy even having the title for a short reign is better than Jarrett winning in typical fashion. The match was average and a little sloppy in spots.) After the match, Monty Brown, Raven and Abyss are happy about this development.
TNA will have their first ever 3-hour pay per view on November 7th called Victory Road.
Final Thoughts:
I really wanted to give this a thumbs up as it concluded a lot of angles, but I simply can’t. It’s an average show at best with a lot of middle of the road in-ring action. The main event decision is baffling and left me underwhelmed. Maybe they are holding off on Hardy’s big win for the Victory Road three-hour PPV debut? It’s an end of an era in TNA and they kind of fumbled it.
Thanks for reading.