NWA Wildside presents Freedom Fight 2000
Date: 7/8/2000
From: Cornelia, GA
Opening Contest: Battle Royal: The show opens with a battle royal already taking place on the show, which is full of wrestlers who were not previously booked to appear on the program. The NWA Elite come out during the battle royal since the winner will wrestle Wildside Junior Heavyweight Champion Onyx later in the show. Ed Swimmer is being protected by White Trash throughout the battle royal. Swimmer shoved White Trash into a double team by Total Destruction. Swimmer is left alone against Total Destruction. Swimmer avoids a double clothesline and taunts them. Swimmer is driven down to the mat by Sean Royal. Riddle hits a top rope leg drop on Swimmer. Royal powerbombs Swimmer. Swimmer is tossed to the floor, but Scottie Wrenn catches Swimmer. Total Destruction leave the ring by exiting over the top rope and Swimmer is rolled back into the ring and wins the match. (NR. So, this is a bit silly. The finish is kind of creative. I’ll like this more if Swimmer ends up winning the title from Onyx.)
Second Contest: Wildside TV Champion Eddie Golden vs. Jesse Taylor: Golden puts a hammerlock on Taylor, but Taylor counters. Taylor shoulder blocks Golden, but Golden responds with a shoulder block. Taylor hip tosses Golden and dumps Golden over the top to the floor. Golden regroups by pulling Taylor to the floor and they trade strikes. Golden sends Taylor face first into the ring post and deliver a big boot. Taylor rams Golden onto the apron face first and they return to the ring. Taylor plants Golden with a DDT and gets a two count. Taylor hits a top rope crossbody for a near fall. Taylor keeps control with an arm drag and puts an arm bar on Golden. Golden forearms Taylor, but Taylor powerslams Golden coming out of the corner. Taylor climbs to the top rope and hits an elbow drop for a two count. Taylor plays to the crowd and ducks a clothesline. Golden clotheslines Taylor followed by a forearm drop. Golden stops Taylor with a jawbreaker. Golden throws Taylor through the ropes to the floor. Jeff G. Bailey cheap shots Taylor as the referee is distracted by Golden. Golden pulls Taylor up to the apron and drops Taylor over the top rope. Golden chokes Taylor on the apron. Bailey kicks Taylor on the floor. Golden pulls Taylor into the ring and delivers a back rake. Golden chops Taylor and keeps headlock control on the mat. Taylor plants Golden with a neckbreaker for a two count. Golden low blows Taylor and connects with a DDT. Golden keeps Taylor on the mat with a modified surfboard. Golden low blows Taylor and rams Taylor into the corner. Golden misses a splash in the corner and Taylor leaps off the middle rope missing a moonsault attempt. Taylor still hits a belly to belly suplex, but Bailey pulls the referee out of the ring. Bailey gets decked over the railing into the crowd by Taylor. Taylor hits another belly to belly suplex, but there’s no referee. Another referee comes out and counts the fall to give Taylor the win. However, the original referee gets in the ring and gives the belt back to Golden. Jimmy Rivers reversed the decision due to Bailey hitting him. Thus, Taylor won by disqualification, but not the title. (*1/2. The finish is a bit dumb.
Al Gaetz is the commissioner of Wildside, but allows the finish to stand. Gaetz decides to fine Jeff G. Bailey $5,000. This is a bizarre turn of events that Gaetz is the commissioner. I had to double check, and this was never mentioned on TV prior to this.
Third Contest: AJ Styles vs. JC Dazz: Dazz takes Styles down to the mat, but Styles counters quickly with a front face lock. Styles counters with another face lock, but Dazz elbows free and takes Styles down to the mat, but is kicked away. Dazz arm drags Styles, and they trade several arm drags leading to a double dropkick attempt. Dazz drops Styles from behind for a two count. Dazz hits a tilt a whirl backbreaker on Styles. Styles bails to the floor to regroup. Styles avoids a baseball slide, but Dazz rams Styles into the post. Styles also rams Dazz into the post shoulder first. Both men are laid out on the floor for a moment. Dazz hits a springboard leg drop onto Styles over the bottom rope. Styles low blows Dazz and delivers a neckbreaker over the top rope. Styles climbs to the top rope, but Dazz hits an arm drag off the top rope. Dazz stomps Styles on the mat and knocks Styles to the floor. Dazz rams Styles into the ring post face first. Dazz tries for a cover, but Styles kicks out at two. Styles dropkicks Dazz away after being lifted into the air. Dazz connects with a cutter leading to a near fall. Styles hits a sit out powerbomb for a near fall. Styles hits a top rope hurricanrana to keep his advantage managing a two count. Styles rams Dazz into the corner and sits Dazz on the top rope. Dazz stops Styles with a middle rope atomic drop. Dazz tries for a cover, but Styles kicks out at two. Dazz delivers a quick leg drop. Dazz sits Styles on the top rope, and hits a superplex. Dazz slowly covers for a two count. Dazz sends Styles into the corner upside down. Dazz throws Styles to the floor to continue the battle. Dazz superkicks Styles on the floor. Dazz rolls Styles into the ring for a near fall.
Dazz heads to the top rope missing a big splash attempt. Styles gets a rollup on Dazz for a near fall. Styles and Dazz trade right hands on the mat as there are ten minutes left in the time limit. Dazz powerbombs Styles for a near fall. Styles throws Dazz through the ropes to the floor. Styles elbow drops Dazz on the floor. Styles is bleeding from the nose. Styles covers leading to a near fall. Styles slams Dazz and heads to the top rope, but Dazz dropkicks Styles in midair on a moonsault attempt. Dazz tries for a springboard, but slips and lands on his neck dangerously. Styles hits a springboard moonsault and covers Dazz for a near fall. Styles dropkicks Dazz coming off the ropes. Styles covers for a two count as Dazz reaches the ropes. Dazz backdrops Styles coming off the ropes. Dazz dropkicks a seated Styles. Dazz rolls Styles over and manages a two count. Dazz decks Styles with a clothesline as there are five minutes remaining in the match.
Dazz is stopped by an elbow strike from Styles. Styles spikes Dazz with a piledriver and heads to the top rope. Styles leaps off missing a shooting star press attempt. Dazz climbs to the top rope missing a 450 splash, but landed on his feet. Dazz drives Styles to the mat with a suplex for a near fall. Dazz spikes Styles with a tornado DDT, but can’t get a cover. Dazz sits Styles on the top rope, but Styles pummels Dazz with right hands. Styles hits a reverse DDT off the top rope and manages only a two count on Dazz. Styles sits Dazz on the top rope. Dazz catches Styles to hit a middle rope spinebuster for a two count. Styles sunset flips Dazz, but Dazz kicks out. Dazz tries for a backslide, but they trade several pin attempts. They seem to mess up a rollup by Dazz on Styles. They collide in the middle of the ring as there are thirty seconds remaining in the match. They collide on another double clothesline. Dazz covers, but the time limit runs out. After the match, Styles tries to deck Dazz, but is met with a heel kick instead. (**1/4. Good lord. I was hoping this was going to be a hell of a match, but it was clear that Dazz seemed to run out of gas just after the halfway point of the match. With about two minutes left in the match it came across as if they weren’t sure how to drag this out all the way to the full time limit draw. It’s quite clear that Dazz is not at the same level of Styles. I’m guessing this is leading to more matches between the two of them, and I hope they get better.)
Fourth Contest: Shank vs. Timber in a Cell Block match: This match is happening outside in the parking lot surrounded by fencing. Timber is the cell block first waiting for Shank to come join him. As you’d imagine, the lighting in the parking lot is not very good. Timber gets the advantage tossing Shank into the fencing and tells Shank he’s not afraid of him. They brawl a bit with Shank getting the advantage. Shank drop toe holds Timber onto the ground and delivers stomps before raking Timber’s face onto the fencing. Timber smashes Shank over the head with a chair shot. Timber hits Shank in the midsection with a weapon before hitting a suplex on the ground. Timber calls for the door to open. Timber can’t get through the door and jokes he shouldn’t have had a cheeseburger. Shank tosses Timber into the fencing and delivers another chair shot over Timber’s head. Shank whacks Timber over the head again to knock Timber to the ground. Timber threatens someone to open the door. Shank hits Timber with a piece of wood. Shank climbs the cage, but stops and hits a moonsault off the top of the cage. Shank leaves the cage to win, but is attacked by Jeff G. Bailey and Terry Knight. Knight rubs Shank’s face into the cage as Bailey taunts Shank. Knight and Bailey leave the scene. (*. It’s certainly a unique match, but it’s not one that’s going to be memorable or likely desired to be seen again. Shank is quite the character, and his badass persona is making him a top babyface for the Wildside promotion. I could see Shank being a major thorn in the NWA Elite stable at some point. Since it was outside, there was no commentary for the match, which is a nice touch.)
The winner of the next match, along with the Wildside Junior Heavyweight Championship, will get a lap dance from Candi. Steve Martin is interviewed before the match and says he promised to get the ratings up and can’t think of a better way than a lap dance by Candi. Candi does a half-assed tease.
Fifth Contest: Wildside Junior Heavyweight Champion Onyx vs. Ed Swimmer: Onyx quickly works over Swimmer with stomps in the corner and press slams Swimmer onto the turnbuckle face first. Onyx continues with a backbreaker for a two count. Bailey cheap shots Swimmer from the floor. Onyx chops Swimmer followed by a powerslam for a two count. Swimmer gets a two count with a sunset flip, but Onyx quickly recovers to clothesline Swimmer. Onyx comes off the ropes to punch Swimmer to the mat. Onyx strikes Swimmer before hitting a backdrop. Swimmer kicks out of a cocky cover attempt. Swimmer nearly wins with a rollup as Onyx argued with the referee. Onyx kicks Swimmer to the mat and delivers a forearm strike to the back. Onyx lifts Swimmer into the air and drops Swimmer to the mat chest first. Onyx hits a popup powerbomb and holds onto the move to hit a sit out powerbomb. Onyx goes to the floor and almost backhands a fan in the front row. Onyx returns to the ring and Swimmer head scissors Onyx over the ropes to the floor. Swimmer takes Onyx out with a somersault dive to the floor! Swimmer treats Onyx as a surfboard for a near fall. Swimmer hits another tilt a whirl head scissors. Onyx hits a lifting DDT and picks up the win. (*1/2. For a moment, I thought that Swimmer may have pulled off the major upset, but Onyx winning is probably the right call. NWA Elite needs to have a time of dominance over the Wildside and this is a match they needed to win.) After the match, Onyx sits in the ring waiting for the lap dance by Candi. Onyx gets excited, so Martin tapes Onyx down to the chair. Instead of Candi, Lazz comes out! Martin is trying to get Onyx out of the chair, but they can’t get Onyx out of the chair. Lazz enters the ring and Martin bails. Lazz gets a little bit of a lap dance on Onyx until Bailey pulls Onyx out of the ring. Honestly, Lazz coming out and doing that was fantastic. Lazz has gotten the Wildside Junior Heavyweight Championship as Scottie Wrenn and others came out to chase Lazz out of the ringside area.
Jeff G. Bailey comes out and cuts a promo on Lazz saying he’s not sure what Lazz is (proceeding to use phrases that aren’t so great) and says Lazz will find out what happens when you put his hands on him. Bailey promises Lazz his days are numbered just like Shank and Christopher Sampson. Sampson apparently didn’t show up for the match. Bailey continues to use slurs, and it’s kind of uncomfortable. Bailey promises they are going to celebrate a great night for the NWA Elite. Romeo Bliss comes out for the match and the fans like this return.
Sixth Contest: Wildside United States Champion Terry Knight vs. Romeo Bliss: Knight goes to the floor and tries to attack Bliss, but Bliss gets the upper hand. Bliss knocks Knight to the floor and delivers a baseball slide on the apron. Bliss rolls Knight into the ring, but Knight begs off in the corner. Bliss sends Knight across the ring and delivers a knee lift. Bliss stomps Knight on the mat. Bliss keeps arm control and gets a rollup for a two count. Bliss decks Knight with a clothesline for a two count. Bliss backdrops Knight coming off the ropes and plays to the crowd. Bliss scoop slams Knight near the corner. Bliss heads to the top rope, but is stopped by Bailey. Knight rams Bliss face first onto the mat a few times before returning to the ring. Knight stomps Bliss on the mat. Knight headbutts Bliss on the back and sends Bliss ribs first into the corner, where Bailey had placed the championship. Knight knee drops Bliss on the mat to keep control of the bout. Knight sends Bliss into the corner back first and continues with strikes to the body. Bliss fights back with right hands to the midsection, but a knee lift by Knight cuts off Bliss. Knight covers for a two count. Knight holds Bliss over the top rope and backs off as Bailey hits Bliss in the ribs with the championship from the floor. Knight headbutts Bliss on the ribs a few times. Knight misses a clothesline and Bliss delivers a swinging neckbreaker. Knight hits Bliss with the championship several times to the midsection. Knight covers, but Bliss kicks out at two. Knight keeps Bliss on the mat with a head scissors. Bliss is laid out on the mat as Knight holds the ropes for extra leverage. Bliss clotheslines Knight, but Knight avoids a suplex attempt. Knight takes Bliss down with a side Russian leg sweep. Knight keeps Bliss on the mat with a neck vice. Knight lets go of the hold and sets up two chairs in the ring. Bliss counters and hip tosses Knight onto the two chairs. Knight backs Bliss into a corner and leaps off a chair to hit a bulldog for a near fall. Knight is stopped on the top turnbuckle and Bliss hits an overhead suplex. Knight scoop slams Bliss and heads to the top rope. Knight leaps off splashing Bliss for a near fall. Bliss stops Knight with a cutter and pins Knight! However, this is a non-title match. (**. So, I’m not entirely sure they mentioned this was non-title until after the finish, so that’s kind of annoying. I could be wrong, but I didn’t hear it. Anyway, the match was fine for what it was. This match may have the record for championship strikes on a guy, who ended up winning the match.)
Prior to the next match, the New South cut a promo saying they’re confused how Bad Attitude are the tag champs when they’ve never beaten New South. Hudson says America is not freedom and says you get heat for speaking up. Hudson notes when you call someone a fat whore, the police get called. Williams offers a challenge for both their tag titles being on the line. So, the NWA Georgia and NWA Wildside Tag Team Championships are on the line.
Seventh Contest: Wildside Tag Team Champions Bad Attitude (Rick Michaels & David Young) vs. NWA Georgia Tag Team Champions The New South (Kory Williams & Ashley Hudson): Williams and Michaels shove each other until Michaels delivers strikes. Williams shoulder blocks Michaels, but Michaels hip tosses and arm drags Williams to the mat. Michaels comes off the ropes and is slammed by Williams. Michaels kicks Williams away and delivers an arm drag and keeps arm control on the mat. Young tags into the match, but Williams gets arm control and they counter each other. Young takes Williams down to the mat. Williams eye rakes Young and Hudson tags into the match. Young atomic drops Hudson and sends Hudson into the corner where Michaels strikes Hudson. Young backdrops Hudson and Michaels atomic drops Williams into a strike by Young. Michaels drops Hudson over the top turnbuckle. Young runs the ropes, but Williams grabs Young. Hudson nails Young with a boomerang as the referee was distracted. Williams chokes Young in the corner as the referee is distracted. Williams returns to the match and superkicks Young into a side Russian leg sweep by Hudson for a two count. Williams snapmares Young and comes off the ropes hitting an elbow drop after a dance. Michaels gets in the ring and stomps Williams to stop the tag. Hudson enters without a tag to control Young with a chin lock on the mat. Young takes Hudson over with a float over toss and dropkicks Hudson coming off the ropes. Williams drops Young over the ropes. Hudson covers for a two count. Hudson splashes onto Young’s knee and slams Young’s left knee over the apron. Hudson wraps Young’s knee around the ring post. Williams knee drops Young’s knee a few times on the mat to keep control of the title match.
Williams kicks Young to the mat and decks Michaels off the apron. Hudson rams Young’s left knee down onto the canvas. Hudson controls Young with a front face lock. Michaels gets tagged in, but the referee didn’t see the tag. Williams dropkicks Young on the groin leading to a near fall. Williams keeps a leg lock on Young, but doesn’t get a submission. Hudson enters the match without a tag, but Young continues to refuse to submit. The referee sees Hudson cheating and forces a rope break. Young plants Hudson with a spinebuster, but Williams enters and prevents the cover or tag. The referee is distracted not seeing Michaels tag into the match. Williams stomps Young on the mat. Hudson drags Young to the floor and delivers a right hand before driving the boomerang onto Young. Hudson continues to work over Young’s knee with a chair shot as the referee didn’t see it. Hudson tries for a cover, but Michaels breaks the cover. Hudson puts a figure four on Young in the middle of the ring. Williams dropkicks Young’s knee while still in the figure four. Young continues to refuse to submit, but Williams cheap shots Young to stop a counter. Young almost gets pinned while in the figure four. Michaels kicks Hudson while the referee was distracted. Hudson reaches the ropes quickly to break the hold. Hudson stomps Young on the mat and tags in Williams. Williams tries for a figure four, but Young almost wins with an inside cradle. Williams fist drops Young on the mat to maintain the advantage. Hudson misses a leg drop attempt and crashes to the mat. Williams decks Michaels off the apron. The referee stops another tag to Michaels. Hudson stomps Young on the knee several times. Hudson and Young collide in the middle of the ring.
Young avoids Williams in the corner and pummels Williams with right hands. Young misses a splash in the corner. Williams stomps Young in the corner focusing his attack on the left knee. Hudson is assisting with extra leverage from the floor. Young low blows Williams, but Hudson enters and is met with a low blow. Young finally tags in Michaels. Michaels cleans house with strikes and dropkicks to the New South. Michaels pummels Williams in the corner with strikes. Young and Michaels work over New South in opposite corners. Michaels backdrops Williams and superkicks Williams. Williams grabs powder out of his tights and throws powder into Young’s face. Williams sidesteps Michaels and a blinded Young plants Michaels with a spinebuster. Williams covers Michaels for a two count. Hudson hits a slingshot leg drop onto Michaels for another near fall. Hudson decks Michaels with brass knuckles, but Michaels gets in the ropes quickly. Hudson connects with a Hart Attack clothesline, but Young pulls Hudson to the floor. Michaels low blows Hudson. Young sends Williams into the ring post. Bad Attitude hit a lifting slam onto Hudson for the three count. Bad Attitude hold both tag titles now. (*1/2. The extended leg work on Young made this feel like it was dragging along. The finish felt a little bit abrupt, as well. I feel like this was a bit a disappointment. Michaels doesn’t have the same appeal as a babyface as he did as a heel. I liked his persona and look much more when he was hated.)
Main Event: Wildside Heavyweight Champion Stone Mountain vs. Scottie Wrenn: Wrenn misses a clothesline and is met with a press slam. Mountain decks Wrenn with a couple of clothesline knocking Wrenn over the top to the floor. Wrenn shoulder rams Mountain and tries for a sunset flip, but Mountain blocks it and tries for a chokebomb, but Wrenn breaks free with strikes. Wrenn stomps Mountain in the corner. Wrenn chops Mountain in the corner, but Mountain responds with strikes of his own. Mountain powerslams Wrenn and hits an elbow drop for a near fall. Mountain decks Wrenn to the mat with a right hand several times. Wrenn ducks a clothesline, but Mountain decks Wrenn and works over Wrenn with strikes. Mountain hits a pump handle powerslam. Mountain misses a middle rope leg drop attempt. Wrenn dropkicks a seated Mountain for a two count. Wrenn ties Mountain into the ropes and delivers strikes to the midsection. Wrenn brings a chair into the ring. Wrenn isn’t aware that Mountain broke free and punches the chair into Wrenn’s face. Mountain wedges the chair into the corner. Mountain punches Wrenn into the corner. Wrenn breaks free from a slam and sends Mountain into the chair in the corner. Wrenn smashes Mountain over the shoulder with a chair shot.
Wrenn delivers another chair shot to Mountain on the mat. Wrenn elbow drops Mountain and delivers a leg drop. Wrenn jabs Mountain with chair shots and hits a jumping DDT. Mountain headbutts Wrenn several times. Mountain tries for a slam, but Wrenn breaks free. Mountain catches Wrenn with the Landslide, but Wrenn kicks out at two. Mountain hits a better Landslide and pins Wrenn for the win. After the match, Wrenn fakes a handshake and decks Mountain with the championship. Wrenn hits a middle rope splash as security tries to get involved. Security is tossed down to the mat by Wrenn. Mountain is left bloodied to end the show. (*. It looks like they messed up the finish originally and decided to do it a second time to make it look stronger. I’d consider this a subpar main event. Stone Mountain is a monster of a wrestler, and it’s likely going to be difficult to find someone that can be a viable contender to his title.)
Final Thoughts:
The trend continues where Wildside produces quality TV building to their bigger shows, but the bigger shows fail to have entertaining matches for the most part. It’s a similar case that SMW had where their TV was great, but often times the delivery of their payoffs left a lot to be desired. I’m going to give this a thumbs down, but I’m still overall enjoying Wildside on a week to week TV basis.
Thanks for reading.