NWA TNA Xplosion 11-23-03
Submitted by Michael Langan II on Monday, November 24, 2003 at 12:41 PM EST



NWA TNA Xplosion
Episode #? (#8 on EMPIRE)
Weekend of 11/22/03 (aired 11/22/03 in Nashville, 11/23/03 on Empire)
By: Michael M. Langan II, mrnewz@newzbytes.org
AIM/AOL: MrNEWZ

Ah yes. THANKSGIVING week. That means? TERM PAPERS! TESTS! MORE STUFF THAT
SHOULD BE DUE IN THE SPAN of *48* Hours! WOO!

In other news, SUNSHINE didn't air IWA this week. Because of how everything
worked out and random airings, there are 3 episodes of IWA I need to do
reports on. I think I might just slam them together into short "digest"
versions. Any recommendations? It'll prolly occur *NEXT* week as right now
school and everything.

I plug them throughout the report, but you can see up-to-date NWA TNA
rankings and records at:

http://www.newzbytes.org/TNA0311.txt

TNA Title Defenses can be found at:
NWA World Championship: http://www.newzbytes.org/NWAC.txt
NWA X Division Championship: http://www.newzbytes.org/NWAX.txt
NWA World Tag Team Championship: http://www.newzbytes.org/NWAWTT.txt

I'll be in KENTUCKY this THANKSGIVING with my girlfriend's family... maybe
I can sneak to the ASYLUM on WEDNESDAY night? Any help? :-D

Comments/Suggestions/Thoughts/Concerns.... e-mail me @ mrnewz@newzbytes.org
... Thanks for reading!

The Big News: The fans of NWA TNA will have their revenge this WEDNESDAY
night as JEFF JARRETT faces "THE AMERICAN DREAM" DUSTY RHODES in a FAN'S
REVENGE MATCH. 10 fans will have straps at ringside and get to beat up JEFF
JARRETT. If only HUNTER had JARRETT's balls.

Plus, A.J. STYLES challenges JEFF JARRETT for the NWA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP on
DECEMBER 3rd, 2003.

Match Results:
"Gifted" Glenn Gilberti (X) & David Young d. Mikey Tenderfoot & Z-Barr
(O), "The Franchise" Shane Douglas p. Shawn "Hotstuff" Hernandez, NNA X
Division Champion: Michael Shane p. "Fast" Eddie (Non-Title)

Overview:

Roll open! TNA XPLOSION has credits! Look at TEDDY HART do flips within the
confines of a match and not afterwards! Shock!

Let Us Take You Back... "THE AMERICAN DREAM" DUSTY RHODES challenges JEFF
JARRETT next week in a FAN'S REVENGE MATCH! Wow. I bet BILL BEHRENS was all
"I have this GREAT idea!" in the production meetings. Go BILL... it's your
birthday.

JEREMY BORASH & MIKE TENAY open the show talking about the huge news
revolving around NWA WORLD CHAMPION: JEFF JARRETT. BORASH glances over the
upcoming title shot for A.J. STYLES on DECEMBER 3rd, 2003. They switch to
talk about RHODES v. JARRETT for this coming week. Notably, on DECEMBER the
3rd, when JARRETT will be defending the NWA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP it will be
day 42 of his reign and only his first defense. What a scam. Don't believe
me? Check out NWA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE DEFENSES at
http://www.newzbytes.org/NWAC.txt ... really.

Let Us Take You Back... SCOTT HUDSON interviews ABYSS, DON CALLIS, NWA
WORLD CHAMPION: JEFF JARRETT, & RED SHIRT SECURITY to open the show. The
entire interview airs. JARRETT doesn't want STYLES to make it through
ABYSS, wants the RED SHIRTS to kill RAVEN, and is begging HULK HOGAN to
show up. He also runs the company. Man, he's busy.

Let Us Take You Back... RAVEN, THE SANDMAN, & ERIK WATTS d. RED SHIRT
SECURITY (JOE E. LEGEND, KEVIN NORTHCUTT, & RYAN WILSON) when RAVEN pinned
WILSON in RAVEN'S CLOCKWORK ORANGE HOUSE OF FUN MATCH. The finish airs.

Let Us Take You Back... SCOTT HUDSON interviews DON CALLIS & RED SHIRT
SECURITY. We learn that RYAN WILSON has been taken out. NORTHCUTT
challenges RAVEN for next week. The entire interview airs as normal.

Let Us Take You Back... RAVEN interupts MIKE TENAY & DON WEST's shill for
next week, realizing that there's a pattern in his life and thus wants
LEGEND & NORTHCUTT in a handicapped match this week. They put the interview
in gray, but they didn't bother to stop the blood dripping all over RAVEN's
face. Good lord, that was sick and weird. Oddly enough, RAVEN has had
fights with microphones now two weeks in a row. Can he make it three this week?

It's the best wrestling on Pay-Per-View today! Don't believe me! Believe
the ever omnipotent VOICE OF BORASH! It's only on PPV and worth my $10
every week, yup.

NWA TOTAL NONSTOP ACTION is only on Pay-Per-View. The face of wrestling on
Pay-Per-View is about to change... BECOME A FAN AGAIN!

Let Us Take You Back... SCOTT HUDSON interviews NWA WORLD TAG TEAM
CHAMPIONS: SIMON DIAMOND & JOHNNY SWINGER with "GIFTED" GLENN GILBERTI.
SIMON has a problem for the first time since they've returned to TNA.
GILBERTI says he'll take care of the problem. They clip the interview and
stuff involving DAVID YOUNG. Poor guy gets no respect here in Segment #2.

Let Us Take You Back... SCOTT HUDSON interviews 3 LIVE KRU ("B.G." BRIAN
GERRARD JAMES, RON "THE TRUTH" KILLINGS, & KONNAN). They join the interview
talking about the YOUNG v. CHRIS SABIN matches we never see in replay. They
include the jawing with AMERICA'S MOST WANTED. AMW wants the winners of the
tag title match.

Let Us Take You Back... NWA WORLD CHAMPIONS: SIMON DIAMOND & JOHNNY SWINGER
draw 3 LIVE KRU's team of "B.G." BRIAN GERRARD JAMES & RON "THE TRUTH"
KILLINGS when SWINGER and KILLINGS are both pinned according to a different
official. While this is now the third time they've vacated the NWA WORLD
TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP with the double pin finish, it usually involves one
member of a team pinning and the other getting pinned, so at least this was
a variation. What tag lineage here. Check out the defenses over at
http://www.newzbytes.org/NWAWTT.txt

"Simon's Got A Problem": DIAMOND, GILBERTI, & SWINGER are in the back
talking as DAVID YOUNG sits distraught near by. SIMON has a problem.
GILBERTI says that they have a serious problem and calls them a bunch of
schmucks with one belt. DIAMOND says GILBERTI screwed everything up.
GILBERTI wants to know how it can be blamed on him. DIAMOND says that the
tag team champions were DIAMOND & SWINGER, not GILBERTI & GILBERTI. DIAMOND
mentions bringing in Mr. 0-2 DAVID YOUNG. YOUNG says they need to be a
little more supportive and it's not his problem that DIAMOND & SWINGER have
a problem with us. GILBERTI & YOUNG leave. SWINGER yanks on DIAMOND's shirt
and they chat to end the segment. What I'm trying to figure out is why
DIAMOND & SWINGER would be upset with YOUNG about anything as he's
obviously done them more good than GILBERTI... I mean, shouldn't they all
be upset with GILBERTI?

NWA TOTAL NONSTOP ACTION: It's the best wrestling on Pay-Per-View today!
Don't believe me! Believe the ever omnipotent VOICE OF BORASH! It's only on
PPV and worth my $10 every week, yup.

MATCH #1: "GIFTED" GLENN GILBERTI & DAVID YOUNG [1-2-0] v. MIKEY TENDERFOOT
& Z-BARR [0-0-0]

Wow. A match. How novel. TENAY and DON WEST talk about how the vacant NWA
WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP is at stake in a SIX MAN tag team match this
week. No mention yet how 3 LIVE KRU are 10-1-2 in straight up six man tag
team matches (not counting the elimination six man they lost to
DIAMOND/GILBERTI/SWINGER). No mention either of DIAMOND/GILBERTI/SWINGER
being 0-1 in straight up six mans. Ah well, maybe if everyone read my NWA
TNA RANKINGS over at http://www.newzbytes.org/TNA0311.txt it would all fall
into place. DAVID YOUNG and TENDERFOOT start off. Circle. Collar and elbow.
YOUNG with a series of rights that take TENDERFOOT into the corner. Cross
corner whip, then a clothesline in the corner by YOUNG. YOUNG with another
cross corner whip. TENDERFOOT leaps to the top turnbuckle and moonsaults
over YOUNG who followed him into the corner. Dropkick by TENDERFOOT, then
another after YOUNG regains himself from being pushed against the ropes.
TENAY & WEST put over CHRIS SABIN's two victories in a row over YOUNG on
pay-per-view this week. GILBERTI tagged in. More circling. Collar and elbow
again. GILBERTI backs TENDERFOOT into the corner, then gets a series of
shoulder blocks in the corner. TENAY puts over how YOUNG is trying to prove
himself to the Boss (not SAVIO VEGA!) that he can do it all. GILBERTI pulls
TENDERFOOT out of the corner. Whip by GILBERTI, who then gets a really
delayed hip toss that allows TENDERFOOT to land on his feet. TENDERFOOT
tries a dropkick, but GILBERTI swats it away. GILBERTI whips TENDERFOOT to
the ropes, but TENDERFOOT boots GILBERTI in the face. Tag into Z-BARR.
Rights by Z-BARR and GILBERTI is backed into the corner. Cross corner whip
by Z-BARR and GILBERTI elbows Z-BARR on the charge. GILBERTI then with an
ugly clothesline out of the corner. The white light does not mean I'm being
taken away, but rather that we've time slipped through this match. YOUNG is
talking with GILBERTI in the corner... and ... good lord, not more DUTCH
MANTEL stuff. GILBERTI is telling YOUNG to FOCUS. Complete with the MIGUEL
PEREZ, JR. hand gesture. I swear. Does MANTEL have a single new thought? I
mean... at all? Again, I like MANTEL... but please? YOUNG pulls Z-BARR back
to his feet and Z-BARR fights back with rights. Z-BARR backs YOUNG to the
ropes and tries a whip, but YOUNG reverses and gets a short whip into a
clothesline. Clothesline again by YOUNG. And another. YOUNG nails
TENDERFOOT on the ring apron, then hits a spinning spinebuster on Z-BARR in
the center of the ring. Oddly, during that series was the only time TENAY
or WEST mentioned either of the wrestlers by name. I hate the fact that
they clip the jobber introductions. What's worse is they run them every
week with commentary like they MIGHT actually air their introductions this
week. Bah! YOUNG doesn't cover as GILBERTI wants to tag on the apron.
GILBERTI makes the cover and gets the three count in 2:07 TV Time. YOUNG
nails TENDERFOOT coming in. GILBERTI & YOUNG celebrate. TENAY plugs the six
man for the vacant NWA WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP this week on NWA TOTAL
NONSTOP ACTION. Hmmm. I'll be in the area this Wednesday night. Maybe DAVE
or someone can get me in... hmmm. Nah, never. I'm just a scrub. :-D

MATCH #1: "Gifted" Glenn Gilberti & David Young [2-2-0] d. Mikey Tenderfoot
& Z-Barr [0-1-0] by Pinfall (2:07 TV Time) when Gilberti pinned Z-Barr
after a spinning spinebuster by Young.

JEREMY BORASH & MIKE TENAY are back with their weekly shill of everything
on http://www.nwatna.com ... BORASH puts over us seeing ABYSS v. A.J.
STYLES later today on the broadcast.

Let Us Take You Back... MIKE TENAY had a sit down interview A.J. STYLES
where STYLES talks about surviving and how he's done it all his life. The
entire interview airs. STYLES says that they've always told him he couldn't
compete and he's proven them wrong every time.

IWA is apparently the most trusted name in professional wrestling. Plus,
it's coming up next (which they don't tell us, but really should)... At
least EMPIRE is airing an episode of IWA TOTAL IMPACT this week as SUNSHINE
NETWORK decided they were too good for it.

Back with JEREMY BORASH & MIKE TENAY for Segment #4. This time they pimp
the various columns on http://www.nwatna.com then lead us into the MOVE OF
THE WEEK brought to us by "MACHO MAN" RANDY SAVAGE's CD, BE A MAN. They air
the entire SABIN v. YOUNG match. Well, the first one with the corkscrew
sunset flip from the corner for the pin in two seconds. Oh yeah.

MACHO MAN's CD PROMO. BE A MAN HULK! How this managed to get time on TNA is
sort of funny. http://www.machoman.com to buy the CD less that 4,000 people
were intrigued enough to check out. My brain is fried from seeing this.
What's worse is they managed to leak some of the SAVAGE music into the TNA
hype videos during the pay-per-view. Urgh.

Segment #5 brings us the well produced History Recap Video of MICHAEL
SHANE's Triple Chance Invitational Tournament. I do like how they
incorporated the not likely seen by many XPLOSION only footage. And
theoretically, didn't they way things happen for DUTT give it away since he
really had a Triple Chance? Alas.

Let Us Take You Back... SONJAY DUTT pins X in a Triple Threat that also
involved "FALLEN ANGEL" CHRISTOPHER DANIELS. DUTT continues the TNA theme
for the week that SIZE DOESN'T MATTER in TNA, which is a nice change of
pace from "X kills everyone because he's big"... No mention that DUTT lost
to SHANE just prior to this tournament in a non-title match.

"Sonjay... Meet The Champ": NWA X DIVISION CHAMPION: MICHAEL SHANE says
that for the last two weeks he's been sitting at home. SHANE says that DUTT
has come out of his creation the victor, but he doesn't stand a chance
against MICHAEL SHANE. SHANE actually has a memory and says that DUTT's
tried it before and failed. SHANE says that DUTT will fail again and he'll
be walking out still X DIVISION CHAMPION. Since I feel like it, you can
check out the NWA X DIVISION lineage and defenses over at
http://www.newzbytes.org/NWAX.txt ... whew.

NWA TOTAL NONSTOP ACTION is only on Pay-Per-View. The face of wrestling on
Pay-Per-View is about to change... BECOME A FAN AGAIN!

MATCH #2: "THE FRANCHISE" SHANE DOUGLAS [9-2-0] with TRACY v. SHAWN
"HOTSTUFF" HERNANDEZ [0-0-0]

Well, my only personal experience seeing HERNANDEZ in person was a fine
one. HERNANDEZ is a freaking monster and is pretty amazing what this guy
can do for his size. Think MIKE AWESOME with a little more KURT ANGLE mixed
it. DOUGLAS and TRACY have a long introduction sequence. TENAY informs us
that SABIN will be gunning for revenge against X this week on NWA TOTAL
NONSTOP ACTION this week. They circle to start. Collar and elbow, but
DOUGLAS quickly gets an arm wringer. HERNANDEZ reverses it and arm wringers
DOUGLAS a few times before flipping him to his back. DOUGLAS negotiates
back to his feet and HERNANDEZ with another wring of the arm. DOUGLAS gets
HERNANDEZ to the ropes and whips him, but HERNANDEZ reverses. HERNANDEZ
tries to gorilla press DOUGLAS, but DOUGLAS goes up and over behind him.
DOUGLAS lifts HERNANDEZ up with both arms (like a RAIDEN BOMB), but then
releases HERNANDEZ so he can boot him in the groin. High lift seated
dropkick by DOUGLAS, who then taunts the crowd. WHITE LIGHT! We've cut more
from the matches this week! How grand! DOUGLAS now is working over
HERNANDEZ in the corner. Ten count corner mounted punches by DOUGLAS.
DOUGLAS with a cross corner whip, and HERNANDEZ charges out of the corner
spearing DOUGLAS as DOUGLAS follows him into the corner. HERNANDEZ gets two
as DOUGLAS gets his foot on the rope. HERNANDEZ pulls the foot off the rope
and gets two again.Back up, whip by HERNANDEZ. DOUGLAS ducks a clothesline,
but gets nailed coming off the other side with a clothesline anyways. TRACY
leaps to the apron and she and HERNANDEZ have a little chat. WEST says
"there she is AGAIN" which implies they clipped out TRACY's other
involvement. I bet the conversation between HERNANDEZ and TRACY was about
how glad HERNANDEZ was that TRACY got rid of those fugly furry boots that
she wrestled ONE DIRTY BITCH in at NWA WILDSIDE FRIGHT NIGHT 2003.
Nightmares, seriously. DOUGLAS takes forever to get up and TRACY slaps
HERNANDEZ. HERNANDEZ lifts her up from the apron and DOUGLAS nails
HERNANDEZ over the back. Whip by DOUGLAS and what I'll "nicely" call a
belly to belly suplex gets the victory for DOUGLAS in 1:46 TV Time. What a
marathon. DOUGLAS can't even do his finish... isn't it time to start doing
something like a DDT now? A Stunner would prolly work too. Maybe re-debut
the FRANCHISER.

MATCH #2: "The Franchise" Shane Douglas [10-2-0] with Tracy d. Shawn
"Hotstuff" Hernandez [0-1-0] by Pinfall (1:46 TV Time) after a belly to
belly suplex.

JEREMY BORASH & MIKE TENAY welcome the new viewers of XPLOSION as they're
expanding markets. They segway to talks about HULK HOGAN... so we get
footage of an interview, of course.

Let Us Take You Back... MIKE TENAY interviews "THE MOUTH OF THE SOUTH"
JIMMY HART. HART recaps the happenings between himself and JEFF JARRETT on
THE JOHN BOY & BILLY BIG SHOW. HART informs us that HOGAN is almost armed
and ready and that hopefully in the next week or so they'll be making a
huge announcement about BOUND FOR GLORY. Clip to JEFF JARRETT at ringside.
HOGAN wants to know when and where HOGAN will show up. JARRETT goes after
JIMMY HART when A.J. STYLES makes the save. RED SHIRT SECURITY shows up and
JARRETT high tails it. Again, STYLES is put over really strongly. Did they
miss something when he had the belt or prior to him having it that they
just COULDN'T let him look good?

MACHO MAN's CD PROMO. BE A MAN HULK!

MATCH #3: NWA X DIVISION CHAMPION: MICHAEL SHANE [12-2-1] v. "FAST" EDDIE
[0-0-0]. Non-Title.

SHANE still comes to the ring with CHRIS SABIN's SUPER X CUP TROPHY. TENAY
puts over that this is certainly not the first time that these two men have
met as they were trained at the TEXAS WRESTLING ACADEMY. They put over DUTT
v. SHANE this week on Pay-Per-View. They circle to start. Knee by SHANE,
then some rights that back EDDIE to the corner. Jabs in the corner by
SHANE. Cross corner whip by SHANE, and EDDIE tries a push-off leap frog,
but SHANE catches EDDIE over his shoulder. SHANE tries to move EDDIE
towards the ring ropes, but EDDIE goes over the back of SHANE and into a go
behind. SHANE with a standing switch, then tries a belly to back suplex
which EDDIE flips out of landing on his feet. SHANE charges EDDIE and hits
a nice back elbow. Wow, this is the best I've seen SHANE so far in TNA,
which is scary. EDDIE tries to fight it, but SHANE gets a vertical suplex
for two. SHANE roughs up EDDIE a bit, but EDDIE fights back from his back.
SHANE pulls EDDIE up and EDDIE keeps fighting. Turnbuckle smash by SHANE.
Cross corner whip and EDDIE just kills him in the corner. SHANE drags EDDIE
away from the corner and gets two. SHANE then works in a modified nerve
hold that looks a lot like the TONGAN DEATH GRIP~! MENG! EDDIE works out of
this quickly and gets up to his feet with rights to SHANE. EDDIE backs
SHANE to the ropes, gets a whip. SHANE reverses, but EDDIE then reverses
SHANE's reversal and they have a nice exchange leading to a swinging neck
breaker by EDDIE. They both sell the move a bit before getting to their
feet. EDDIE charges SHANE in the corner and SHANE gets his feet up. SHANE
gets to the middle turnbuckle and tries a Tornado DDT out of the corner,
but EDDIE pushes him off and SHANE lands on his feet. EDDIE tries a
clothesline, but SHANE ducks and holds onto EDDIE's arm turning around as
he gets a boot to the gut. SHANE with a corkscrew Fisherman's Brainbuster
DDT~! then a superkick for the pin in 2:46. At least they didn't clip this
match. I actually liked a MICHAEL SHANE match. I've seen oodles of both
these guys and would really like to see a longer SHANE v. EDDIE match as
these two seemed to really gel well. It's the best EDDIE has looked in what
I've seen him in. The superkick comes off pretty weak after the kewl
version of the old GANGREL Impaler. While they didn't say it was Non-Title
specifically, BORASH noted that the winner was X DIVISION CHAMPION MICHAEL
SHANE rather than "still X DIVISION CHAMPION"... although BORASH never
seems to worry about the details like that when doing his ring announcing
duties...

MATCH #3: NWA X Division Champion: Michael Shane [13-2-1] d. "Fast" Eddie
[0-1-0] by Pinfall (2:46) after a superkick. Non-Title.

NWA TOTAL NONSTOP ACTION is only on Pay-Per-View. The face of wrestling on
Pay-Per-View is about to change... BECOME A FAN AGAIN!

Back from Commercial with JEREMY BORASH & MIKE TENAY. TENAY says that this
past Wednesday was the final step of the TRIPLE CHANCE INVITATIONAL and
that SONJAY DUTT will challenge MICHAEL SHANE for the X DIVISION
CHAMPIONSHIP. 3 LIVE KRU (JAMES/KILLINGS/KONNAN) will face SIMON
DIAMOND/GLENN GILBERTI/JOHNNY SWINGER for the vacant NWA WORLD TAG TEAM
CHAMPIONSHIP... "THE FUTURE" CHRIS SABIN will face X... and "THE AMERICAN
DREAM" DUSTY RHODES will face NWA WORLD CHAMPION: JEFF JARRETT in a TNA
FAN'S REVENGE MATCH... BORASH says that 10 fans will be chosen and be at
ringside for the match. Didn't they say on PPV that JIMMY HART would be one
of the ten? Oh, we had an ABYSS v. STYLES match this week--- we almost forgot:

Let Us Take You Back... A.J. STYLES looks like a million bucks and defeats
ABYSS this past week. They aired more of this match than any match on
XPLOSION in recent memory. Still not more than 90 seconds/2 minutes, but
more than enough that you definitely got the point that STYLES won't give
up and can hang with anyone. Who needs LEX LUGER? They air the post match
of STYLES surviving the RED SHIRTS only to get lampooned by JARRETT on the
ramp way. They heels destroy STYLES when RAVEN runs out. JIMMY HART & DUSTY
RHODES soon follow and they clear the ring. RHODES informs us that
WILDSIDE's fan strap match will now take place in TNA in a FAN'S REVENGE MATCH.

"The Ultimate Fan Participation": "THE MOUTH OF THE SOUTH" JIMMY HART says
that this is a dream come true for him. HART says that he's been in tons of
different matches, but for the first time in his life he's going to be
involved in a Fan's Revenge Match. HART says he gets to pick up the fans
himself and that the fans can beat JARRETT with the belt until RHODES can
beat him. HART slaps the strap against the wall. HART can't wait. He laughs.

"Whip Him... Whip Him Good": DON CALLIS, NWA WORLD CHAMPION: JEFF JARRETT,
& RED SHIRT SECURITY (JOE E. LEGEND & KEVIN NORTHCUTT)... JARRETT can't
believe that the filthy dirty fans will be able to get their hands on him.
JARRETT tells CALLIS that either CALLIS or WATTS needs to go. JARRETT tells
the RED SHIRTS to take out RAVEN and that he doesn't want to see him
walking. On a side note, the team of LEGEND & NORTHCUTT look far more evil
and imposing that NORTHCUTT & WILSON. WILSON was huge but looks more like a
goof than an EVIL KILLER like NORTHCUTT. JARRETT doesn't want to face
STYLES in two weeks. JARRETT says that he's going to prove to RHODES what
he said that RHODES isn't a contender. JARRETT is praying that HOGAN will
be there.

"A Reckoning, If You Will": "THE AMERICAN DREAM" DUSTY RHODES talks about
the match. RHODES basically talks about it coming full circle and mentions
the rules of the match. RHODES tells JARRETT that a reckoning is coming and
it's coming Wednesday night. RHODES says that JARRETT is going to feel some
pain, blues, and agony WEDNESDAY night.

"No Stopping Him Now": A.J. STYLES says that he's liking FAN'S REVENGE.
STYLES realized that JARRETT has no respect. STYLES says that DUSTY RHODES
is going to beat the respect into JARRETT and when he's done... STYLES is
going to beat the humility out of him and take his belt back.

"Hardsell It, Don!": DON WEST pimps this weeks show. Most specifically: 3
LIVE KRU (JAMES/KILLINGS/KONNAN) facing SIMON DIAMOND/GLENN GILBERTI/JOHNNY
SWINGER for the vacant NWA WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP and "THE AMERICAN
DREAM" DUSTY RHODES will face NWA WORLD CHAMPION: JEFF JARRETT in a TNA
FAN'S REVENGE MATCH.

Best Match: SHANE v. EDDIE. As I attempted to say in the match review, it
was the best MICHAEL SHANE match I've seen in quite a while. I'm not a huge
fan of SHANE as he generally doesn't seem to stand out or show anything
worthy of the pushes he generally gets. This was the first match sans some
of his RING OF HONOR and an MLW match of SHANE's where he had that certain
something that made me go "okay, this guy's good." In other news, this was
one of "FAST" EDDIE's best matches. Sure it was not even 3 minutes, but
that's beyond the point. I really hope the performance sets EDDIE up for a
debut in a 4-WAY X DIVISION CONTENDER match. My hope is they do a COLLYER
v. EDDIE v. HERO v. MATT SYDAL (or DELIRIOUS~!) old school X DIVISION 4-WAY
for a title shot. The fact that the X Division Championship isn't defended
as much as it used to be is sort of disheartening. :-/

Worst Match: I like HOTSTUFF HERNANDEZ. I really do. But even he could not
salvage SHANE DOUGLAS. Welcome home SHANE! We missed you!

Grade: C-. After last week's superior performance, they seemed to really
lose touch of what was the point of this show this week. The first 20
minutes were regulated to showing me stuff I've seen before but with no new
spin or information added to it. On top of that, what was being presented
should have probably been clipped a little differently and made a little
shorter. The lack of Original content on this particular show really hurt
the episode. They did, thankfully clip the HART/JARRETT segment from 15
minutes to half that this week. They really only worried about selling us
on SHANE v. DUTT (who got zero comments aired) and JARRETT v. RHODES. They
also tried to sell the six man tag for the tag titles (no comments from 3
LIVE KRU, but we get the dissension from DIAMOND/SWINGER's camp). After the
leaps and bounds of effort they put into making this show full of new
content, they really crapped out this week. Ah well. Live to fight another
day! Until next week...

-Michael








*NEW GALLERY* Must See! The WWE Divas PARTYING HARD After WrestleMania 24!

• Quick Links -
  [Back to LOP] [News Archives] [Results] [Columns] [Forums]