By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
NWA Powerrr (Episode 19)
Taped January 25-26, 2020 in Atlanta, Georgia at GPB Studios
Streamed February 25, 2020 on the NWA Youtube Page
The show was titled “Strictly Chaos”… A video package recapped Melina calling for the NWA Women’s Title match against Thunder Rosa… Sean Mooney checked in and hyped Crocket Cup tickets going on sale and running through the lineup… The Pantera “I’m Broken” opening video aired… The broadcast team of Joe Galli and Stu Bennett checked in on commentary from their desk and hyped the main event…
Dave Marquez introduced Tim Storm and then spoke with him on the interview set. Storm spoke about his match against Thom Latimer not going the way he wanted. “I’m not close to giving up,” Storm said. “I hate to get all Water Boy, but Momma Storm didn’t raise any quitters.” Storm said the fake Momma Storm bit was ridiculous. He said we all have hot buttons and Momma Storm is his hot button. Storm said he respects Strictly Business, but he has his own path to walk.
Thom Latimer walked out and told Storm to shut his mouth because nobody cares. Latimer said the fake Momma Storm coming out had nothing to do with him losing the match. Latimer said Storm is old news and Strictly Business is done with him. Latimer accused Storm of trying to drive a wedge between him and Nick Aldis and pointed out that he was the best man at his wedding. Latimer said that if they ever have a match then may the best man win.
After Latimer left, Storm assumed that Momma Storm would be out next. Danny Deals came out and said he’d be hot if someone came out and intimidated his mother then he’d be upset to. Deals said Storm has been on a losing streak and he’s trying to save him. He said he had a deal in the form of a tag team partner who could help him get gold around his waist. Deals asked Storm if they had a deal. The crowd chanted “no” at Deals.
Storm asked where in this deal would he get his hands on Deals for impersonating his mother. Deals told him he could take door number one, which is all rainbows and unicorns, or door number two, which is hellfire. Storm asked why he doesn’t kick down both doors and choose door number three. He said he doesn’t care what’s behind it as long as he gets his hands around the neck of Deals for insulting his mother.
Deals said that Storm could face this person in a match. If the man wins then Storm has to get him a contract with the NWA office. Deals said that if Storm wins then he can have five minutes in the ring with him. Deals assured Storm that he wouldn’t win. Deals also asked Storm how he won the NWA Championship back in the day. Deals said it was shady. Deals said his man should have been in that spot and he hasn’t forgotten. Deals introduced Jax Dane as 300 pounds of fury. Dane walked onto the set and went nose to nose with Storm…
Powell’s POV: This was a little hard to follow, but it came together nicely in the end. Deals is a good talker and I like the play on the history between Dane and Storm. Dane is a former NWA Champion who may be remembered by some fans as Wilcox from the short lived Veterans of War tag team with Mayweather (a/k/a Crimson) in Impact Wrestling.
A graphic listed upcoming matches… Nikita Koloff hyped Man Camp hosted by him and Lex Luger for April 26-May 1 in Kannapolis, North Carolina…
Marquz interviewed Matt Cross, who spoke about going on the road and making a name for himself. He said it feels like the time and the place and he feels like he has the people behind him. Cross said he can live forever in the ring because wrestling and Matt Cross are forever…
2. NWA TV Champion Ricky Starks vs. Zicky Dice vs. Matt Cross in a non-title Triple Threat match. Galli quickly pointed out that it was a non-title match and thus the 6:05 time limit was not in play. Dice warned the crowd and the wrestlers not to touch his fanny pack, which drew a “we don’t want it” chant from the crowd. Bennett noted that Starks and Cross fought to a time limit draw recently.
Dice rolled to ringside when the bell rang to start the match. He ended up getting the better of Starks at ringside for a moment and yelled, “How do you like me now?” The fans responded with a “we don’t like you” chant. Cross performed a suicide dive onto both men.
Back inside the ring, Starks and Cross doubled up on Dice. Starks kicked Cross and set up for his finisher, but Cross avoided it and caught him with a cutter. Cross went up top and performed a shooting star press on Stars. Dice threw Cross to ringside and stole the pin…
Zicky Dice defeated Ricky Starks and Matt Cross in a non-title Triple Threat match.
Powell’s POV: A nice win to establish Dice, who gets good basic heat from the fun NWA crowd. With Cross going to the time limit Draw with Starks and now Dice pinning Starks, they quickly set up a couple of good contenders for the NWA TV Title.
The May Valentine Diary segment aired. She said she started the video diary because her life is so amazing and she wants to take everyone backstage. She spoke about meeting amazing people while photos were shown of her and a lot of the NWA crew backstage. She spoke about Royce Isaacs and Nick Aldis getting a recent win over the Rock-n-Roll Express and how that was the first night that Isaacs told her that he loved her.
Valentine’s friendship with her “new BFF” Sal Rinauro was chronicled. She said she hopes Kamille won’t get mad at her for saying that while people think she’s a big scary monster, she’s actually not. Valentine said she had to go because the NWA keeps her super busy. She said she loves everyone so much and thanked viewers for watching…
Powell’s POV: I didn’t enjoy this edition as much as the first one. I’m not sure what we’re supposed to think of Valentine. I thought she was the naive nice girl at one point, but now she’s talking about how great her life is, which comes off as heelish.
NWA North American Champion Aron Stevens was interviewed by Joe Galli on the interview set. Galli grilled Stevens about bailing on title defenses, which he comically denied. Galli asked Stevens if he wants to be considered a fighting champion. Stevens said he is a fighting champion and you don’t get the title without fighting.
Stevens said Scott Steiner and Trevor Murdoch tried to take the belt from him and were unsuccessful. Stevens turned the focus to his sensei The Question Mark, who joined him on the set. Stevens noted that Question Mark had a match and then joined him at ringside…
3. The Question Mark (w/Aron Stevens) vs. Trevor Murdoch. Murdoch put Question Mark down with three straight clotheslines. Question Mark dodged him in the corner and then went for a karate thrust, but Murdoch moved. Murdoch hit a top rope bulldog and scored the pin.
Trevor Murdoch defeated The Question Mark.
After the match, Stevens attacked Murdoch from behind and put the boots to him. Question Mark joined in on the attack once he recovered. Stevens sat beside Murdoch in the corner and hit him with a barrage of elbows to the head that left him lying…
Powell’s POV: The usual good fun from Stevens, who continues to be one of my favorite acts anywhere. It looks like they are building to Murdoch getting another shot at Stevens’ championship.
An ad for NWA merch aired…
Sean Mooney stood on the interview set and introduced NWA Champion Nick Aldis, who came out wearing a suit and placed the title belt on the desk. Aldis boasted about his attire and said he heroically beat “Flop” Gordon at NWA Hard Times, then he and Royce Isaacs beat the Rock-n-Roll Express. Aldis said it’s further proof that he is the man who pulls the wagon and drives the NWA forward. “It’s not trickle down economics, it’s Nickle Down economics,” Aldis said.
Aldis said he knew Marty Scurll was in the building. Aldis told cheer fans to “keep it in your pants.” Aldis gave Scurll a chance to come out and back out of the deal by admitting that Aldis is the better man. Marty Scurll walked onto the set and fans chanted his first name. Scurll said he’s not backing out of anything. Scurll said he didn’t want to waste more time and called for the match to take place on the spot.
Scurll headed to the ring carrying his umbrella and took his shirt off. Aldis asked Scurll if he was sure that he wanted to do this. Royce Isaacs walked into the studio. Aldis asked Scurll if he was positive that he wanted to do this. Thom Latimer walked out. Aldis said he would ask Scurll one more time if he was sure. Scurll indicated that he still wanted to face Aldis. Scurll’s fellow Villain Enterprises member Brody King ran down from above the bleachers and fought with the Strictly Business members…
Sean Mooney hyped NWA Circle Squared…
Eddie Kingston was interviewed by Dave Marquez on the interview set. Kingston taped up his fist and said it was about time for him to bust somebody up. Kingston said that somebody was Pope. He said Pope has The Dawsons and he has The Bouncers. Kingston looked into the camera and dared Pope to come out.
The Pope walked out and teased wrapping his own fist with tape before dropping the roll. Pope called for Marquez to come closer because he doesn’t like to stand close to trash (Kingston). Pope said what he wants is what he gets.
“The Bouncers” Beer City Bruiser and Brian Milonas walked out and stood by Kingston. Pope said that if he wants beer then he just has to snap his fingers and he has beer. The Bouncers attacked Kingston from behind. They brought him to the ring and Kingston fought back briefly, but he was outnumbered by The Bouncers, who hit their Closing Time finisher on him while Pope celebrated at ringside…
Powell’s POV: Pope went on longer than necessary, but the angle worked in terms of aligning him with The Bouncers and the duo getting heat after being cheered in their debut.
A video package aired on Thunder Rosa and Melina to set up the main event… The NWA merch ad aired…
Sean Mooney hosted a control center segment and announced The Rock-n-Roll Express as the first team entered into the Crockett Cup tournament. He also announced Ricky Starks vs. Zicky Dice for the NWA TV Title, and Eli Drake and James Storm vs. The Bouncers for the NWA Tag Titles for next week’s NWA Powerrr. Mooney also hyped his own podcast interview with Nick Aldis…
4. Thunder Rosa vs. Melina for the NWA Women’s Championship. Dave Marquez delivered in-ring introductions for the title match. The bell rang and Rosa squared off in a fighter’s pose, but Melina had words for her. Rosa jawed back at her, but there was no way (beyond lip reading) to make out what they were saying. Rosa shoved Melina. Bennett questioned if Melina wanted Rosa to let her win.
Melina rolled out of the ring and walked up the bleachers. Bennett said that Melina thinks that Rosa owes her the title and that’s now how this works. Melina didn’t return to the ring and was counted out while standing in the bleachers. The broadcast team noted that not a single punch was thrown.
Thunder Rosa beat Melina via count-out to retain the NWA Women’s Championship.
Melina started to walk up the bleachers, but Allysin Kay blocked her path and backed her down to ringside. Kay punched Melina and rolled her inside the ring. Kamille showed up in wrestling gear and speared Kay. Kamille glared at Rosa, who glared back before leaving the ring while the fans chanted “Thunder” for the champion. The credits rolled to close the show…
Powell’s POV: The main event was a letdown, but they were clearly telling a story. And the broadcast team did a good job of telling that story, but I’m surprised the wrestlers weren’t booked to have their conversation at the interview desk to make this easier for the live crowd to follow. Kamille has been muscle for Nick Aldis and the Strictly Business faction until now, so seeing her in wrestling gear and spearing Kay felt like a big deal.
Overall, this was a nice bounce back edition from the show two weeks ago (Powerrr was preempted in favor of the NWA Circle Squared premiere last week). The previous episode featured more in-ring action than usual, whereas this edition got back to the balance of talking and wrestling formula that works best for Powerrr.
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