By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
NWA When Our Shadows Fall Pay-Per-View
Aired live June 6, 2021 on FITE TV
Atlanta, Georgia at GPB Studios
The show opened with a video package that featured an animated black and white clown followed by a man playing a guitar. Various NWA highlights aired while the man played guitar…
Joe Galli, Tim Storm, and Velvet Sky checked in from the commentary desk. Sky spoke about how excited they were and said there would be surprises. The trio ran through the pay-per-view lineup…
Powell’s POV: The NWA is not using its usual set. There are curtains hanging in place of the set. The broadcast desk and interview podium appear to be in their usual locations. They still have the various flags hanging next to the lights.
1. “The End” Parrow and Odinson vs. MechaWolf and Bestia 666 vs. Marshe Rockett and Slice Boogie vs. Sam Rudo and Sal Rinauro (w/Danny Deals) in a four-way tag match. The referee wore a medical mask. Parrow and Odinson hit Hell on Earth (modified Doomsday Device) on Boogie, but the pin was broken up. Rudo, who was billed as El Rudo, performed a dive onto a pile of wrestlers at ringside. Rockett followed up with a dive of his own. Parrow tossed Rinauro onto the pile.
Parrow teased a dive, but Rockett cut him off and then the two big men traded strikes. Rockett performed a cutter on Parrow and had him pinned, but Bestia broke it up. Bestia performed a Muscle Buster on Rockett, then his MechaWolf performed a 450 splash onto Rockett. Bestia covered Rockett and got the pin while everyone else was down at ringside.
MechaWolf and Bestia 666 defeated Marshe Rockett & Slice Boogie, Sam Rudo & Sal Rinauro, and Parrow and Odinson in 8:45 in a four-way tag match.
Powell’s POV: The big spot opening tag match. The AAA team went over, and they teased issued between them and the team of Parrow and Odinson afterward, so I assume they will end up facing off on Powerrr.
Kyle Davis, who was dressed as a circus ringmaster, conducted a brief interview with Pope on the interview set. Once Pope headed to the ring, Davis introduced Tyrus and Austin Idol. Tyrus pulled Davis’s top hat off his head. Tyrus said he would be in the NWA Championship match if it wasn’t for Pope. Tyrus dedicated his match to his Love-Alive Charity, which he said was horribly mismanaged. The broadcast team explained that it was Pope’s charity…
2. NWA TV Champion Pope vs. Tyrus (w/Austin Idol) in a non-title match. Tyrus teased blowing his nose on the charity t-shirt, but Pope attacked him to start the match. Pope went for a running cross body block, but Tyrus stood his ground and let Pope bounce off of him. Tyrus splashed Pope. He sat down on him a short time later and got a two count.
Pope eventually came back and hit a top rope elbow drop. Pope lowered his kneepads and went for double knees in the corner, but Tyrus grabbed him by the the throat and slammed him to the mat while the broadcast team claimed it was the Tongan Death Grip. Tyrus covered Pope, who kicked out, and Tyrus acted stunned.
Tyrus went for an ass splash from the middle rope, but Pope put his knees up. Pope hit double knees to the back of Tyrus, then got caught up in jawing at Idol. While Pope and the referee were tied up, Idol slipped something to Tyrus, who hit Pope with a heart punch and scored the pin…
Tyrus defeated Pope in 10:25 in a non-title match.
After the match, Tyrus took the top hat and put it on his head before heading to the back…
Powell’s POV: I’m sure Davis is devastated that he doesn’t have to wear the silly top hat along with the rest of his silly ringmaster outfit. The match closed with the expected outcome given the non-title status of the match. One can only assume that this will lead to Tyrus challenging for the NWA TV Title again.
3. Thunder Rosa and Melina vs. Kylie Rae and Taryn Terrell. Galli said Rae was coming out of retirement and making her NWA debut. Terrell entered the ring when she wasn’t legal at one point. The referee told her that if she did it again he would eject her. Later, Rosa picked up Terrell at ringside and carried her through the curtain. In the ring, Rae rolled up Melina and appeared to hold her tights while pinning her.
Kylie Rae and Taryn Terrell defeated Thunder Rosa and Melina in 8:55.
After the match, Rae acted like she felt bad for pinning Melina…
Powell’s POV: It was nice to see Rae again, and the best portions of the match were clearly when he and Rosa were in the ring together. It was a bit of an odd dynamic. Rosa has been working as a babyface and Terrell has been a heel, but the first thing Rosa did when she came out was grab a fan sign and throw it. And then watching her work over the likable Rae character made her feel heelish even though Rae appeared to cheat to win in the end.
4. JTG vs. Fred Rosser. Galli stated multiple times throughout the show that this could be the show stealing match. JTG and Rosser shook hands before the match. Galli spoke about both men being friends with the late Shad Gaspard. Late in the match, both men fought for backslide position. Eventually, JTG caught Rosser in an inside cradle and scored the pin.
JTG defeated Fred Rosser in 9:30.
After the match, Rosser looked dejected. JTG helped Rosser to his feet and then left the ring…
Powell’s POV: A solid match. JTG looked great physically. It’s cool that he’s wearing boots and trunks rather than going for a Cryme Tyme nostalgia look. Here’s hoping that both men will be featured prominently in the NWA going forward. Rosser worked the last season and was booked like he was just another guy. Hopefully they were simply building to Rosser’s character reaching his breaking point or will at least go in that direction creatively even if that wasn’t the initial plan. Both guys have a lot to offer.
5. Aron Stevens and Kratos vs. Thom Latimer and Chris Adonis vs. Crimson and Jax Dane in a three-way for the NWA Tag Titles. The rules allowed one man from each team to be in the ring at all times. Adonis caught Stevens in the Master Lock early in the match, but Crimson broke the hold to prevent Stevens from tapping out.
Stevens was isolated and worked over by the members of the challenging teams. However, the challengers didn’t allow their opponents to pin Stevens. Adonis held Stevens and then Dane worked him over with punches and a headbutt. Latimer tagged in and joined Dane in performing a double delayed vertical suplex on Stevens. Latimer and Dane both went for pins, but the referee didn’t count since they were both covering Stevens.
Latimer and Dane traded blows and then Stevens got up and fought both men. Crimson tagged in and clotheslined Latimer to ringside. Stevens knocked Dane down, but Crimson dropkicked him. Latimer returned to the ring and performed a spinebuster. Adonis snuck up behind Crimson, who caught him and slammed him to the mat. Kratos entered the ring with a title belt. The referee took the belt away, but Kratos low-blowed Crimson and pinned him while the referee was clearing the belt from the ring. Stevens covered Crimson and pinned him.
Aron Stevens & Kratos defeated Thom Latimer & Chris Adonis and Crimson & Jax Dane in a three-way in 14:15 to retain the NWA Tag Titles.
After the match, Kratos and Stevens actually shook hands despite all of their previous issues as teammates…
Powell’s POV: I’m legitimately surprised that we didn’t see a title change in this match. I thought this would be the end of the road for the bickering tag team champions. Instead, they appear to be on the same page at least for one night, though it’s unclear whether babyface Stevens was aware of the low blow that his partner delivered that led to him getting the win. I wasn’t sure what to make of having three men in the ring all at once, but it worked nicely for the story they were telling with Stevens taking so much abuse four all four opponents.
6. Serena Deeb vs. Kamille for the NWA Women’s Championship. Deeb and Kamille approached one another and had a staredown. Kamille shoved Deeb and then the match started. Camille targeted the left arm of Deeb while also performing various power moves. Deeb eventually rallied and targeted Kamille’s left knee. Deeb knocked Kamille down and covered her for a two count.
Deeb applied an octopus stretch. Kamille powered out of it and then hoisted Deeb onto her shoulders and performed a rolling senton. Kamille went to the corner and then went for a spear, but Deeb caught her with a dropkick to the bad knee. Deeb set up for another move, but Kamille powered her over for a backdrop. Kamille went for another spear, which Deeb countered by rolling her into a single leg crab. Kamille reached the ropes to break the hold.
Deeb sold left knee paid. Kamille took her down and applied a single leg crab of her own. Deeb teased tapping out and eventually reached the ropes to break the hold. Kamille set up for a powerbomb, but Deeb countered into a pin for a two count. Kamille came back right back and speared Deeb before covering her and getting the three count…
Kamille defeated Serena Deeb in 14:20 to win the NWA Women’s Championship.
Powell’s POV: A good match with a sensible outcome given that Kamille is under contract to the NWA, whereas Deeb was on loan from AEW. Kamille has come a long way since she debuted in the NWA. Yes, she benefits from working with great wrestlers in Deeb and Thunder Rosa, but Kamille has shown major improvement. It’s hard to tell how many fans are actually in attendance, but a number of them were cheering for Kamille.
7. Nick Aldis vs. Trevor Murdoch for the NWA World Championship. Davis delivered in-ring introductions for the title match. The referee brought both men together and delivered in-ring instructions. Murdoch ended up shoving Aldis and then the bell rang to start the match. Storm said he had a childhood flashback when Murdoch delivered an early bionic elbow. Aldis took a powder.
Aldis regrouped and cut off Murdoch on the top rope, then took offensive control for the next few minutes. Aldis targeted the back of Murdoch and put him in a Camel Clutch. Murdoch rallied and hit a top rope bulldog for a good near fall. Thom Latimer came out with a chair and the referee cut him off. Aldis got a chair of his own and hit the referee from behind with it, then worked over Murdoch with it. Latimer left.
Aldis went up top and dropped an elbow on the back of Murdoch. Aldis jawed at Murdoch, then went back up top and went for another elbow drop but Murdoch rolled out of the way. Murdoch grabbed the chair and worked over Aldis with it. Murdoch put Aldis in a leg lock submission hold. The referee returned to the ring and called for the bell. Murdoch thought he won, but the referee disqualified him.
Nick Aldis defeated Trevor Murdoch by DQ in 12:55 to retain the NWA World Championship.
After the match, Galli explained that the referee spotted Murdoch using the chair and had no choice but to disqualify him. Aldis was down on the floor selling when the referee placed the title belt over him. Murdoch joined Davis at the interview desk. Murdoch said he worked his ass off to get to this moment and he got shafted. He asked what else he had to do.
Murdoch said he was honest with people and asked what he had to do to be world champion. Murdoch said he didn’t know what else to do at this point and said he didn’t know if it would ever happen for him. Murdoch thanked the fans for watching him and said he didn’t know what else to say.
Galli stated at the broadcast table that Murdoch had nothing to apologize for. Sky said she had tears in her eyes after seeing the emotion that Murdoch displayed. Storm said the belt means everything in the NWA and there should be a fair winner. Galli told viewers that he hoped to see them on Tuesday’s edition of NWA Powerrr…
Powell’s POV: Well, that’s an old school NWA finish, but it’s not a fan pleasing finish. The match was entertaining and Murdoch may have salvaged this for some viewers with his teary eyed post match promo. It was a ballsy finish in that the company clearly runs the risk of turning off some pay-per-view buyers who expected to see a clean finish to the main event. This would have been just fine had it occurred on Powerrr, but it’s the type of finish that puts heat on the company rather than the heel champion. Obviously, it creates the need for a rematch and the NWA has to hope that any frustrated fans will forgive them by the time they run another pay-per-view.
Overall, this was a solid two-hour pay-per-view with non-stop matches. It was the opposite of NWA Powerrr, which is more about promos and angles than the actual in-ring product most weeks. This show featured very little talking from the wrestlers and no video packages. It also lacked the surprises that Sky seemed to tease early in the show. Speaking of Sky, she’s improving as a color commentator, but it’s still difficult to hear her at times. I don’t know if it’s as simple as turning her up in the audio mix or if she needs to develop more of a television voice as opposed to speaking in her regular voice. I like the dynamic of the broadcast team and Sky is getting better at expressing emotion during key points of matches, but I just wish I didn’t have to strain to hear her so often, and I fear it could get worse as they allow more fans to attend the shows. The main event finish will surely upset some viewers, but it was a solid outing otherwise.
Slight slip on the Kylie Rae POV text there Jason.
That was the Yugo of wrestling PPVs.. Wanted it to be better, but it just wasn’t. Everything was too “fake”, just flawed. Need to school the talent better.