The official bps21 NWA TNA Week 8 Preview

[Guest bps "The Truth" 21]

The three people who voted 3 weeks in the "How long will TNA last" poll is out.

 

 

Although it sounds cliché to say…if you are on the fence about ordering a TNA show…this looks like a good week to give the company a tryout.

 

Why?

 

Well…I’m glad you asked.

 

 

 

We begin this week’s preview with the match that will kickoff the eighth edition of TNA.

 

Sonny Siaki, Jorge Estrada and Jimmy Yang vs. Jose & Joel Maximo and the Amazing Red.

 

Siaki, Estrada and Yang make up the Flying Elvises group. The group was undefeated for the first several weeks in TNA until suffering losses the last two weeks (Estrada and Yang lost their bid to capture the NWA tag team belts from AJ Styles and Jerry Lynn in week 6, Siaki lost to Slash in week 7). There has been friction in the group as Sonny Siaki has begun to act like he is better than the other Elivii. For the first time since week 1 the Elvises will all work the same match. A win could put them back on the right track…a loss could lead to a break up.

 

The Amazing Red debuted in TNA in week 6, losing the opening contest to Lo Ki. Joel & Jose Maximo will be making their TNA debuts. I have never personally seen the Maximo’s wrestle…but those who have assure me that we are in for a treat.

 

Expectations should be pretty high for this one. TNA has a good habit of giving X division wrestlers a decent chunk of time to compete. This match should result in an entertaining, faced paced high-energy contest that will serve as the perfect way to open the new week of TNA.

 

 

Now would be a good time to get some of what I like to call “crap” out of the way.

 

Malice vs. Don Harris (first blood match)

 

All right…as you can see by the match there is no way to sell this.

 

Malice is formerly the Wall in WCW…but you would never recognize him. He is a slimmed down big man now. And for a big man…he isn’t half bad.

 

Don Harris is one of the Harris Brothers (the Blu Brothers, Creative Control, Skull & 8-Ball). The less said the better.

 

They actually have a reason for this match to be a first blood match…they just don’t have a reason anyone would want to watch it.

 

For the last couple of weeks Don Harris has been working security for TNA. Last week he got involved with post match chicanery when Malice’s manager Jim Mitchell (Sinister Minister in ECW) was performing some odd ritual where he would paint blood on his wrestlers opponents after the match. While…after Malice’s match with Apolo last week, Harris ran in to stop Malice from attacking Apolo and got a chokeslam and some blood on his head for good measure.

 

Not much of an angle, I grant you…but Mitchell is good on the stick and tried his hardest to sell it. Anyway…first man to bleed loses.

 

Expectations should be LOW for this match. On the plus side I doubt the match itself will last very long. In a perfect world the match is a brutal brawl that makes Malice look like a legit tough man. We’ll see…unfortunately.

 

 

 

Disco Inferno has a weekly segment on TNA. It’s a talk show…but if last week is any indication it is a short one. Anyone who saw last weeks show was either entertained or put off by it. Disco is a little harsh on the females. This week his guests are the Dupps…who I actually like when they aren’t wrestling. They are pretty funny with their inbred redneck humor.

 

Expectations…I don’t know…it’s a comedy bit…so I EXPECT it to be funny…and short.

 

 

 

 

Now that that’s out of the way…we get on with the show.

 

Jeff Jarrett vs. Apolo

 

Everyone knows Jeff Jarrett. He wants a shot at the NWA title so badly that he takes it out on everyone. Last week he beat Scott Hall for his first singles win in TNA, and he’s looking to beat Apolo to solidify himself as the top contender.

 

Apolo is probably a new face to anyone who hasn’t ordered TNA. He’s an impressive looking guy who up until this past week didn’t seem to have anything to offer in the ring. Last week he faced Malice in a surprisingly decent match…showing off some charisma and ability for the first time. TNA seems determined to get this guy over…which is probably a good idea. Building new stars usually is.

 

If there is a story to this match it is simply that both guys want a title shot and winning this match should put them in that position. You know…that’s just crazy enough to work. Apolo is undefeated in TNA and has been named the #1 contender as a result. He seems like the obvious target for the title hungry Jarrett.

 

Expectations should be somewhere in the middle on this one. While I wouldn’t get my hopes up too high…the fact of the matter is Apolo had a pretty god match with a worker who isn’t even close to Jarrett. And no…that does not mean JJ is a great worker…but he is the best that Apolo has faced. It could be a good match…it could fall flat. I don’t see it getting a ton of time…but it will get long enough to do what it has to do. I don’t know who goes over here…in fact part of the intrigue is I don’t really ever know where the company is going next. I mean that in a good way.

 

 

 

 

Then we look at the double main event…featuring two of the most high profile and meaningful matches to date.

 

NWA Champion Ken Shamrock vs. Ron “The Truth” Killings

 

I didn’t list this match last (although I am sure it will be the final match) because I will have an extended article about The Truth and the importance of this match in a column that should be up soon after this one.

 

I will say this…I don’t have the first clue how this one ends.

 

As I see it, it can go one of three ways:

 

1. The Truth wins the title.

 

2. Ken Shamrock wins a close match.

 

3. The Truth gets screwed out of the title…so he can continue his “They” are keeping me back angle.

 

 

What’s more…I don’t know which way I would go. Any of the three puts Truth over…and that is what is most important at this time.

 

I’d be lying if I said that my expectations for this match weren’t high. As impressive as The Truth has been…Shamrock has not. He has the important task of making The Truth look good here. For his part…Truth has been absolute gold on the mic the last few weeks…but hasn’t faced a true quality opponent in a match that lasted longer than a few minutes. This match should last longer than his others…and it should have great crowd heat. Shamrock needs to step up to the tremendous build that Truth brings to the contest.

 

 

 

 

 

For the first time the NWA title and the X title will be defended on the same night this week.

 

AJ Styles vs. Jerry Lynn vs. Lo Ki

 

I hope JR is watching…because he might have to stop calling the Vengeance main event the greatest triple threat match ever…BAH GAWD!!!

 

AJ Styles and Jerry Lynn have been on a roller coaster that has now seen Styles take the heel role. Styles interfered in Lynn’s match with Lo Ki last week…resulting in a no decision. Hence this triple threat match for Styles’ X title.

 

If you’ve watched TNA or seen these three guys before…you are likely already pumped…and possibly ordering just for this match.

 

If you haven’t…now would be a good time to get acquainted with them.

 

This match, like the NWA title match, can go many ways. Personally I think that Styles should drop the belt here somehow. I’d like to see Lo Ki win it…leaving Styles and Lynn as feuding tag team champions fighting over the same goal. Of course Styles could retain with a cheap heel victory to solidify his change…or Lynn could pull out a win to change the whole dynamic of the feud. Again…I couldn’t begin to speculate what they will do…or which is the best way. It’s all good.

 

Expectations are through the roof on this one. As well they should be, as these three men have been delivering since week 1. I see this match getting a very good amount of time and hopefully meeting everyone’s lofty expectations.

 

 

Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat will be back this week in his authority figure role. He accidentally cost Scott Hall his match with JJ last week. Or did he? It’s almost unthinkable…but could they turn the Dragon heel for the first time in his career? I was dead set against it…but I’ll admit it intrigues me on some weird level. The angle he’s been playing is one of enforcing old school style NWA rules in a promotion over run with new blood that doesn’t care for them. I could see that working as a heel. I know people are sick of these wrestlers vs. authority figure angles…but it’s Steamboat. He just rules.

 

Anyway…Scott Hall hasn’t been advertised for the show…so I don’t know if that angle will be developed.

 

Other people are always floating around too…no way to tell who at this point. They’d be wise to have Monty Brown on in some fashion as he has raised some eyebrows with his good look, surprising ring work and good mic skills.

 

 

 

 

This week seems like a good week to “see what all the fuss is about” if you haven’t already. If you have…then I don’t know why you bothered reading this as you probably already have your mind made up to order based on the triple threat match and/or the title match.

 

Be sure to read the week 8 TNA rant by Dames after the show. Or he’ll cut you.

[Guest Zack Malibu]

In the 3 Way for the X Title, I wouldn't mind seeing Lynn pull out the win. Then he can go on to tell AJ "I told you so" and dub himself "senior member" of their team, since he's got 2 titles and more experience than AJ. AJ could go from "glory hog" to being humbled by Lynn, while Lynn is the one going on the ego trip. AJ can play along with following Lynn's lead for a few weeks, until Lynn makes the one comment that causes AJ to snap. Rematch is set for the following week,and we finally get these two one on one.

 

As for The Truth, bps, we've gone over it 100 times already. I've got my VCR set already, because Wednesday night could cement Ron Killings' in wrestling history forever. Go back 2 years, and when did you EVER think you'd hear that phrase used?

 

Week 8 looks to be the best show yet.

[Guest the 1inch punch]

Goddammit why do i live in Ireland

[Guest bps "The Truth" 21]

Well...

 

There must have been too much good stuff here for Russo...

 

As there has been another match added...

 

Bruce vs. Taylor Vaughn in an evening gown match for the Miss TNA title.

 

sigh...

 

It will be short...but...

 

sigh...

[Guest bps "The Truth" 21]

From Bob Ryder's notes from backstage column:

 

"The Dupps are back tonight, and they have another of their wacky ideas. This one is going to be interesting to watch. I've got the feeling people will either love it or hate it, but either way it'll create some of that "water cooler talk" Jeremy always likes to talk about."

 

 

The Dupps are on the Disco segment tonight.

 

I fear for the backlash whatever they (coughrussocough) have come up with.

 

And strangely...I look forward to seeing it.