By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
NWA Powerr (Episode 2)
Taped September 30 and October 1, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia at GPB Studios
Aired October 15, 2019 on the NWA Youtube and NWA Facebook Page
A video package recapped last week’s premiere episode… The NWA Powerrr opening aired to the tune of Dokken’s “Into The Fire”… The broadcast team of Joe Galli and Jim Cornette checked in from their desk…
Dave Marquez introduced Aron Stevens (formerly Damien Sandow), who talked about leaving the industry. He said he heard a rumor while he was away the NWA and studio wrestling was back. Therefore, Stevens announced that he is back. Stevens asked fans to avoid eye contact with him. Marquez asked him about his first match and he spoke about being a star and not needed a supporting cast…
1. Ricky Starks vs. Trevor Murdoch. Cornette said Starks and Murdoch are polar opposites in size and other ways. Starks had Murdoch pinned at one point, but the referee stopped his count and pointed to Murdoch’s foot being on the bottom rope. Starks showed frustration. Murdoch blocked a tornado DDT attempt and went on the offensive until Stars caught him in a crucifix pin for the three count…
Ricky Starks defeated Trevor Murdoch.
Starks headed to the interview set. Murdoch approached Starks, shook his hand, and told him he did a good job. Murdoch left the set. Starks said he’s not about taking titles, he’s about taking things to the next level. Starks said he’s happy to have the platform. Starks said he knows Marquez wishes he could be like him. He said God didn’t have a lot of beauty left over once he created him. Starks spat out some rhymes that concluded with him saying that he might act a little funny, but he’s counting your money…
Powell’s POV: Starks was good in the ring and did a really nice job of on the mic. It’s was nice to see Murdoch again. Murdoch is a throwback wrestler on a throwback show. I like it.
A graphic teased Colt Cabana and a surprise partner…
Galli stood in a studio and spoke about the “clickbait” incident. Galli said he’s an award winning journalist who will continue to ask the tough questions as a fair and balanced journalist…
Galli interviewed Colt Cabana on the interview set and brought up James Storm beating him for the NWA National Championship. Storm said he was injured at the time and is now 100 percent. Cabana noted that he had a tag team match coming up. “I got a guy and his name is…” Before Cabana could say the name, “Mr. Anderson” was belted out by Ken Anderson, who joined Cabana on the interview set. Anderson did his entrance schtick again while Cabana chimed in with his own version…
2. Colt Cabana and Ken Anderson vs. Jordan Kingsley and Sal Rinauro. Cabana turned Kingsley inside out with a clothesline and then tagged in Cabana, who continued to work him over. Anderson tagged in and hoisted up Kingsley. Rinauro tagged himself in and then Anderson hit a rolling senton.
Colt Cabana and Ken Anderson defeated Jordan Kingsley and Sal Rinauro.
Powell’s POV: A basic squash match. Anderson has been training wrestlers at his school in Minnesota, so I assume he’s been spending a lot of time in the ring even if he hasn’t been taking many high profile bookings.
Footage aired from “earlier today” of a cameraman catching up with Nick Aldis in a parking lot. Aldis said he was done with it. He said it’s the NWA, not TMZ. He took issue with Galli’s line of questioning and said it shouldn’t air and he probably said some things that he didn’t mean…
Powell’s POV: Galli came off as an arrogant journalist (insert your own joke here) in his speech earlier, and now Aldis was shown being upset by his line of questioning. They are doing a nice job of building up the footage of the interview.
A Tony Falk commercial aired. He said he spoke Shawn Michaels how to speak carny. He said he became fond of waffles and tire irons over the years and decided to open Tony Falk’s Waffles & Tire Irons in Kentucky…
Highlights aired from last week of Eddie Kingston confronting the Wild Cards tag team and being joined by Homicide…
Kyle Davis interviewed Kingston and Homicide. Kingston cut off Davis and said the people want to hear from him, not Davis. Kingston said the Wild Cards aren’t anything until they beat him and “the God of New York” Homicide…
3. NWA Women’s Champion Allysin Kay vs. Ashley Vox in a non-title match. Kay used her power size and power to dominate the early portion of the match. Vox rallied and hit a cannonball in the corner and then covered Kay for a two count. Kay blocked Vox’s fish on a hook hold and then hit her finisher and scored the clean pin…
Allysin Kay defeated Ashley Vox in a non-title match.
Marquez interviewed Kay on the interview set. Kay made him switch spots so that she could show off her good side. Kay called over Vox and said, “You did good, kid.” She said Vox has a bright future, just not with her championship…
Powell’s POV: A good showcase win for Kay. Her promo talking down to Vox while praising her reminded me of Kelly Klein in ROH, but I suspect that Kay is more self aware of how she comes across.
A graphic hyped James Storm as coming up next… An NWA ad aired for the NWA Powerrr television tapings on December 14-16 in the same studio…
Footage aired from last week of the “clickbait” incident with Nick Aldis leaving the interview set, then waving to his opponent Tim Storm, who received a nice round of applause from the fans. Kyle Davis attempted to interview Storm backstage about coming up short in the NWA Title match, but Storm walked away without saying a word…
NWA National Champion James Storm was interviewed on the studio interview set by Galli. Storm said the National Title is like a fast ticket to get him in the picture for the NWA World Championship. He assumed that with Tim Storm out of the picture, that left him as the top contender.
Eli Drake walked onto the set and told Storm to relax because he wasn’t dressed for a fight. Drake said Storm was right, the title he held means that he is next in line for the championship. Drake wondered if Aldis was ducking Storm and he also wondered if Aldis was ducking him. Drake told Storm not to waste time in going for his shot at the NWA Championship. “If you do pick up that Ten Pounds of Gold, just remember your boy,” Drake said…
The Austin Idol ad aired for his wrestling school… Galli, Aldis, and Kamille were shown on the interview set and a graphic said their interview would air after the match…
4. “The Wild Cards” Royce Isaacs and Thom Latimer vs. Eddie Kingston and Homicide for the NWA Tag Titles. The broadcast team mentioned The Dawsons and the team of Cabana and Anderson as potential tag title contenders. Isaacs went up top at one point and ended up being crotched by Homicide, who made a hot tag to Kingston, who worked over both champions. The Dawson Brothers hit the ring and attacked Kingston and Homicide and then tossed Isaacs and Latimer to ringside.
Royce Isaacs and Thom Latimer fought Eddie Kingston and Homicide to a no-contest in an NWA Tag Title match.
Powell’s POV: It was refreshing to hear the broadcast team actually announce that the match was a no-contest rather than just acting like the match result didn’t matter. It was interesting that the Dawsons seemed more concerned with beating up the challengers than doing any harm to the tag champions.
Galli interviewed Aldis and Kamille in front of the ring in the empty studio “earlier today.” Aldis put over Tim Storm and their match the week before. Galli said Aldis is a spectacular athlete and wondered why he needed Kamille as an insurance policy. Aldis said he felt like he was on 60 Minutes. Galli said he is an Emmy award winning broadcast journalist. Aldis said it was his time to talk.
Aldis said he lost the NWA Championship “to an inferior athlete” at All In due to outside interference and a crooked referee. Aldis said that at the NWA 70th Anniversary event, he decided to even the odds with his insurance policy. Aldis said that when people are gunning for you, the best thing to do is play to your strengths. Aldis asked Galli if he could name a time when Kamille did anything illegal. Galli couldn’t come up with anything.
Aldis said Kamille is free to speak when she wants to speak and praised the job that she does. Galli asked Kamille what’s in it for her to serve as Aldis’s insurance policy. Kamille checked her mic. Galli continued to push for her to speak. Kamille looked up for a moment and remained silent. Aldis said he didn’t want to hear another word about him not allowing her to speak. He asked if they were done. Galli said they were finished. Aldis and Kamille left the set…
The closing credits aired… Graphics listed the NWA returning to pay-per-view on December 14 with an event called “NWA Into The Fire” from Atlanta…
Powell’s POV: The interview segment and the dynamic between Aldis and Kamille is interesting. The semgnet didn’t really set up Aldis with a future challenger. It will be interesting to see if Aldis referring to Cody as an inferior talent even without mentioning him by name works up some fans. I’d love to see a rubber match between the two men, but I’m not holding my breath for obvious reasons. Episode two was another fun show with some decent in-ring action and good promos. My only concern is that they are making the lead play by play voice Joe Galli come off a little pompous in his dealings with Aldis. I wonder how many people missed the pay-per-view announcement given that it occurred after the closing credits?
MLW and NWA on PPV this year. Thankfully we’re finally getting real wrestling again.
Disappointed that Stevens showed up on NWA Powerrr’s dumb retro studio.
Would have had a huge pop on AEW Dynamite tonight.