WWA: The Reckoning

[Guest nWoScorpion]

WWA: The Reckoning (Aired: June 9, 2003)

 

- Show Opens with some Natives from New Zealand giving us their happy dance. a Waste of three minutes if you ask me, considering they only have two hours.

 

- Highlights of Sting beating Lex Luger for the WWA World Championship back in December. Highlights of past results plus the hyping of the Jeff Jarrett versus Sting title unification match.

 

- "Live!" From Auckland, New Zealand!

 

- Your Commentators are Jeromy Borash & Glen Gilberti.

 

- Opening Match:

Rick Steiner Vs. Mark Mercedes:

Mercedes cuts a heel promo because he's from Australia. He's wearing a Sydney shirt that has the superman logo on the front. Steiner gets the face pop for ass kissing New Zealand, and dishes out his catch phrase "If you don't like me, bite me!" At least WWA is smart enough to put the really good match towards the end of the show, and put everything else on the beginning.

 

Steiner pummels on Mercedes on the outside to start and sends him into the security railing. Mercedes returns the favor and they continue to brawl with Steiner gaining the upper hand. Inside the ring and Steiner with a big back body drop, followed by a modified crossface submission. Steiner hammers him with a few forearms and goes for a German suplex, but a low blow stops that and Mercedes with a DDT for two. Release German suplex by Mercedes gets two again. Mercedes was trained by Dean Malenko for those who care. Mercedes with a big boot and hammers Steiner. Front headlock into a rear chinlock by Mercedes and he poses to lots of boos. Mark You Suck chants. Steiner with a boot in the corner followed by the steinerline clothesline. Release overhead belly to belly suplex. Steiner goes to the top but Mercedes stops him and goes for a top rope suplex, but Steiner knocks him off and nails the top rope bulldog for three at 3:49. *1/2 Match was passable for who was in it and had a hot crowd.

 

- Borash & Gilberti pimp the card...until the lights go out.

 

- The camera man can't find the guy, so he starts guiding the camera man with insults. It's STING!!! He gets a face pop for kissing Zealander ass. He's back in black if you didn't know. He kisses more hometown BUTT and insults Australians He ends it with a WOOO!

 

- Triple Threat Midget Match:

Puppet The Midget Killer Vs. Meatball Vs. Teo:

Puppet and Meatball cut promos but that doesn't matter. Actually, Puppet isn't that bad on the stick. Meatball is the world's largest midget at 250 pounds, and even made a recent appearance on the Howard Stern show. Look at the size of Puppets head! Gilberti insults Meatball while Puppet rolls him up for two right away.

 

Teo with rights to both his opponents and he and Meatball both avalanche Puppet. Meatball knocks Teo down but misses a splash, and Teo runs into a Puppet clothesline. Teo stomps a mudhole and headbutts Meatballs groin. Drop toe hold sends Puppet into Meatballs stuff and we get some double teaming on Teo. Puppet with a big slam on Puppet, and nails a big elbow. Teo covers Puppet for two. Teo with a head scissors take over on Puppet and he hammer son Meatball. Teo beat up Beetlejuice on Stern recently. 3 Foot 11 to Meatball by Teo (the 619). Gilberti says Teo is at least 5 1/2 feet in the air! Teo with a senton bomb to Meatball wins it at 3:13. Match was not too bad for a midgets match but it wasn't too good, so I'll give it a *. Crowd of course was hot for this match as well. Teo dances to celebrate afterwards.

 

- We get quick promos from Johnny Swinger & Frankie Kazarian, two participants in the Cruiserweight Title Unification Match later tonight.

 

- Falls Count Anywhere (Hardcore Rules) Match:

Devon Storm Vs. Konnan:

For the three of you who don't know, Devon Storm is formerly Crowbar of WCW. Konnan has his NWA-TNA theme song for this show, since it is a joint show of WWA/NWA-TNA. Konnan has a Houston Rockets jersey on. No opening promos, shocking Konnan didn't talk.

 

Konnan with an odele off the bat. Konnan hammers Storm to start so Storm nails him with a singapore cane a few times for two. Storm with a leg drop gets two again. Headbutt and a series of jabs to Konnan followed by a slingboard splash and lionsault for two! Nice pop for that. Gilberti wants to see someone die in a hardcore match via stabbing or shooting. Konnan with a pussy chair shot gets a nice reaction. We Want Tables chants. Konnan creams Storm with a garbage can lid for two. Racist jokes on Konnan by Gilberti. X-Factor by Konnan followed by the rolling clothesline sending Storm outside. Konnan sets up a piece of the security railing in the aisle and whips Storm into it hard. Holy Shit chants. Wait until later. They fight up into the stage where Konnan slams one of the statures of a new zealand thing across the head of Storm. Storm sends Konnan into a pice of the stage and Gilberti asks if hes dead. One more time chants. Storm obliges with the chants knocking over part of the set. They fight back to the ring, and Konnan is busted open. Storm gives Konnan a seat and drags the steel steps into the aisle way, and lays the security rail across the top step and the ring apron. Oh my god...this is going to be ugly. Storm nails Konnan with a trash can lid back in the ring for two and covers for two again after a splash.

 

Konnan catches Storm in a slam and tosses him right onto the set up rail on the apron & steps!!! holy shit chants and Konnan with a floating cover for two. Back in the ring and Konnan with a float over suplex for two. Replay of that sick slam and Konnan wedges a chair between the second and top rope. Whip is reversed and Konnans skull meets the chair. Storm with a leg drop to the groin followed by a spinning back elbow for two. Big clothesline by Storm and northern lights suplexes Konnan on a steel chair for two! Storm beats the crap out of Konnan with the trash can lid and sets up his railing again. Konnan is laid across the barricade and Storm with a slingshot splash on to Konnan through the propped up rail for three at 10:08. For a Hardcore match it was good, but the hot crowd made it better, so I'll go **1/2. This crowd is crazy hot.

 

- More quick promos from the Cruiserweights. NWA-TNA X-Division Champion Chris Sabin first, who is sporting a S.E.X shirt (when did he join?) followed by the WWA Cruiserweight Champion, and fan favorite to win, Jerry Lynn.

 

- NWA-TNA X-Division Championship & WWA Cruiserweight Championship Unification Match:

Jerry Lynn (WWA Champion) Vs. Chris Sabin (NWA Champion) Vs. Johnny Swinger Vs. Frankie Kazarian:

This is going to be good. Jerry Lynn is way over with the crowd. Lynn's been on TV three times this week on TNA, MLW, and now WWA. Busy schedule. Swinger & lynn battle while Sabin stomps down Kazarian. Swinger with a scoop slam on Lynn who mule kicks him off and hip tosses Sabin who mule kicks him off and every body misses stuff and Sabin rolls up Swinger for two, so Lynn sunset flips Sabin for two, and Swinger rolls up Lynn for two and we got a hot stand off to a big pop. Jesus CHRIST what a run-on sentence. Sabin hammers Kazarian and Lynn arm drags him who arm drags Swinger who arm drags Sabin. Swinger gets sent outside, as does Lynn. Standing enziguri by Sabin to Kazarian gets two. Big clothesline by Kazarian gets two. Sabin gets blasted with another clothesline and a springboard leg drop by Kazarian gets two. Kazarian with the back to the future pin for two, and Swinger stomps away at him. Swinger looks more like a Heavyweight to me, but I forgot X-Division has no weight restrictions. Flap Jack to Kazarian gets two for Swinger & Sabin. Double teaming to Kazarian, and Lynn back in with a cross body press to both Sabin and Swinger.

 

Boot to Kazarian by Lynn followed by a hurricanrana. Running one foot drop-kick by Kazarian and Swinger applies a figure four leg-lock, to woos and a big pop. Sabin and Kazarian with duel top rope maneuvers to break the submission. Double pin-falls both get two. Sabin sends Kazarian flying over the top rope and he pounds Lynn. Snapmare by Sabin but he eventually gets nailed with a hurricanrana and a tilt-o-whirl back breaker for two. Kazarian with a stiff kick to Lynn. Kazarian sunset flips Lynn who German suplexes Sabin at the same time for duel two counts. Swinger with an Indian death lock to Sabin. Lynn with a dragon sleeper on Swinger at the same time, and Kazarian has an inverted neck breaker submission at the same time and we get a double death drop. We get quadruple count outs going with the crowd way into it. Swinger gets nailed by Lynns guillotine leg drop and Lynn runs into a Kazarian superkick who nails a plancha, except he lands FACE FIRST on the floor! Sabin hammers on Lynn and chokes him out. Lynn with a springboard somersault plancha on Swinger & Kazarian! Sabin with a springboard senton bomb (aka The Leap of Fate) on all three men!!! Holy Shit!

 

Sabin works over Kazarian and monkey flips him into clotheslining lynn & Swinger and springboards to the top rope, where Sabin nails a beautiful release German suplex!! Holy Shit again! Sabin with a bum rush! Kazarian with a wave of the future! Swinger with the swinger stinger! Lynn with a TKO! That gets two! Kazarian with a slingshot DDT on Sabin for two! Kazarian goes for a super-plex on Sabin, and lynn with a springboard sunset flip onto Kazarian who nails the super-plex on Sabin for two!! Swinger with the mood swing for two!! Sabin with a back breaker for two!! Springboard DDT by Sabin on Swinger and Kazarian with a crescent kick to Sabin. Lynn with a modified neck breaker for two on Kazarian! Kazarian brawls with Sabin and gets buckled, so Sabin nails the future shock (modified brain buster) for three at 14:55!!! Awesome match!! ****1/2 No blown spots, which is unusually for cruisers, and the crowd was hotter for this match than any other one before it. Chris Sabin kicks so much ass. I just realized Sabin has the S.E.X theme music.

 

- It's time killing time! With your favorite complainer, "The Franchise" Shane Douglas. Seriously all this guy does is BITCH for a good 10 minutes, then says he suffered a career threatening injury versus Sabu, so he can't wrestle. So Joe E. Legend comes out and offers his services, and Douglas tells him to break Sabu's neck. OK, lets finally get to the match.

 

- Sabu Vs. Joe E. Legend:

None stipulation match finally, but it's probably no disqualification since, you know, Sabu is in the match. Legend starts it off with a little mat wrestling and applies a headlock reversed into a head scissors by Sabu. Leg take down by Sabu followed by an elbow drop gets two. They trade rights and Legend pounds Sabu in the corner. Whip is reversed and Sabu with a springboard DDT but misses a splash, but does nail a somersault splash. Legend with a diving clothesline to Sabu gets two in the ring, and he stomps away at Sabu. Legend steps on the back of Sabu's neck and does some mocking of Sabu. Vertical suplex by Legend and he goes to the top, but he gets pushed off and he eats steel. Sabu brings a chair in the ring and baseball slides Legend. Air Sabu by the man from Bombay nails Legend in the entrance way.

Sabu sets up a table but Legend makes him eat steel...several times. Springboard splash by Legend to Sabu on the outside. Back in the ring and Legend covers for two, then applies a rear chin-lock. Legend sends Sabu to the outside and we still haven't gotten any weapon shots. Whip sends Sabu to the rail and Legend follows up with a shoulder thrust. Sabu is busted open from nothing just about and Legend slams his face into the table. Sabu hammers back but gets sent into the steel again. Super-plex doesn't work so Sabu suplexes Legend back into the ring, but he runs right into a crescent kick for two.

 

Snapmare by Legend and he locks on a modified cross-face. Legend with the chair and he kicks it into the back of Sabu's neck. Legend chokes Sabu against the steel post and rams his neck into the edge of the ring apron. Sabu with the chair and he nails the smash mouth (throws chair in face) and leg drops him with the chair for two! Sabu with the camel clutch, but Legend makes the ropes. Sabu kicks the chair into Legend again and covers for two. Northern Lights Suplex by Legend and he takes Sabu to the apron, but Sabu shoulder blocks him off, but legends jumps over the table. Knee lift by Legend and he sends Sabu into the steel a few more times. Back in the ring and Legend with a powerbomb for two! Sabu buckles Legend on the top rope and nails the hurricanrana followed by a springboard leg drop for two!! Diving head-BUTT misses and Legend kicks him in the head for two! Sabu with a boot to the head, but he gets caught with a chokeslam for two! Sabu blocks a splash with the chair and nails a springboard splash of his own for two. Sabu sets up the chair and gets caught with a face buster onto the chair!! Legend covers for only two! Sabu back up and he sends Legend outside and sets him on the table. Sable sets up the chair and nails the leg drop perfectly off the top rope!! Sabu botches something so he slams the chair on Legends face for two. Sabu to the top rope and he throws the chair into Legends head again, and nails the second rope chair leg drop for three at 17:21. Pretty good match, and the crowd again loved it. **3/4 Sabu didn't blow anything until he tripped over Legend towards the end. Douglas of course beats the crap out of Sabu with his cast after the match.

 

- Andrew McManus makes his appearance, decked out in a loser shirt, and introduces Bret Hart. Bret cut his hair a little, just imagine Shawn Michaels hair length at Summerslam last year, just a tad shorter. Bret is recovering from his stroke last year, making his first appearance since spring of 2002. Crowd gives him a nice reaction. More Bret Hart signs than anything in the crowd. Bret Hart brings up Owen died four years ago from a few days before (this was taped 2-3 weeks ago) and says if he were still alive he would be proud he was there in New Zealand. Bret brings up how he lost a few friends in wrestling over the past year, Curt Hennig, his brother-in-law Davie Boy Smith, and just recently Miss Elizabeth. Freddie Blassie died several days later, that's why he wasn't mentioned. Owen gets the best reaction out of the above mentioned. This is pretty emotional as he doesn't try to make his stroke the main focus. Crowd doesn't want him to leave but he has to and thanks them.

 

- Jeff Jarrett gives a pretty short interview before his match, which leads into...

 

- WWA World Heavyweight Championship/NWA World Heavyweight Championship Unification Match:

Sting (WWA Champion) Vs. Jeff Jarrett (NWA Champion):

Jeff Jarrett actually has a slapnutz guitar with him, something I don't think he does anymore in NWA. Sting gets a nice reaction and pyro. Boxing Introductions, which is pretty cool considering this is the NWA Title Match. Sting looks to be in good shape for a man of his age and someone who's been in nearly full retirement for over two years. The Ring announcer sounds like the guy who lent his voice for the Legends of Wrestling 2 game. Jarrett gets the boos and Sting gets the mega-face pop. Jarrett and Sting have a dueling guitar and bat.

 

Sting gives us a big woo and they lockup. Sting wins the traditional lock-up and applies a headlock and nails a shoulder block. Sting with a headlock again followed by another shoulder block. Slapnutz chant. I don't get it. Knee lift by Jarrett and he slugs away at Sting and nails a splash across the second rope and does some strutting. Another hard right puts Sting down, but Sting nails an inverted atomic drop and a big roundhouse right, followed by another inverted atomic drop and running bulldog. Outside and Sting makes Jarrett eat the steal security railing, and then they trade off shots of slamming each others face on the commentators table, which hasn't been broken. Jarrett off the table but Sting nails a right to the midsection and slams Jarrett onto it, but no breaking. Back inside and Sting nails a huge roundhouse right followed by mounted corner punches, which ends with a Jarrett low blow as the tenth shot, and Jarrett stomps away at the fallen champion and does some posing on the second rope.

 

Sting is sent face first into the turnbuckle quite a few times by the NWA Champion, and Jarrett nails a big clothesline for two. Jarrett covers again for two. Jarrett covers again for two. Glen Gilberti makes fun of him for it. Jarrett covers again for two and tries pinning down his arms, which Sting reverses with a sunset flip for two of his own. Jarrett up with a back elbow and a huge fist drop. Irish whip and Jarrett with a sleeper hold. Sting with a series of elbows to the midsection breaks the hold and the Stinger with a big scoop slam, but a splash meets the knees of Jarrett. Referee starts counting out both champions, which the crowd counts along with. They collide heads of an Irish Whip and Sting intentionally head-butts Jarrett to the nether regions. Down again for the count and the crowd goes with it. Sting misses the stinger splash...but he's playing possum and lays down. Jarrett gets his guitar and sting has his bat, so Sting blocks the guitar and smashes it with his bat, and starts wailing away at Jarrett with it and gives us a big ol' swing connecting on his back. Stinger Splash connects! He goes for another but Jarrett pulls the referee in front. Sting with the scorpion death drop!! No referee! Here comes Joe E. Legend with a guitar but Rick Steiner saves and hammers away at him. Stinger splash to Legend by Sting, and another Splash to Jarrett, and Steiner clothesline Legend out. Sting blocks a drop-kick and applies the Scorpion Death Drop!!! Rick Steiner clobbers him with the guitar though, and Jeff Jarrett covers Sting for the inevitable three count at 10:27. BOO!! Match was pretty good again, and again the crowd was hot for it. Sting was pretty good out there, and Jarrett never sucked. *** Jarrett celebrates with both champions, which Glen Gilberti bitches about the finish, since he has a program wit Jarrett in NWA-TNA. Sting is finally recovering in the ring. Damn it, he should have won.

 

- Highlight Package for tonight's action from each of the matches occurring on tonight's program. Jeremy Borash & Glen Gilberti say farewell for World Wrestling All-stars: The Reckoning.

 

Final Thoughts: This was definitely a good show tonight. The bad matches weren't that bad, and were kept short, while we were given several above average hardcore matches with time given, an awesome cruiserweight match, and a very solid main event. Plus the appearance of Bret Hart made me mark out. I know a few of my ratings are a tad bit too much, but the crowd made it much more enjoyable.

 

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