Fans of professional wrestling around the world are still reeling from the events of Into the Fire on Saturday, December 14th. Stu Bennett’s first broadcast at the commentary desk saw The Rock n’ Roll Express retain their tag team titles, Aron Stevens capturing the NWA National Title, the notorious ODB partnering with Allysin Kay but nothing more shocking than the revelation that “The Villain” Marty Scurll has appeared in the NWA! Let’s look at NWA Powerrr Episode 10, ‘The Villain Effect.’
David Marquez w/ Aron Stevens & The Question Mark
Aron Stevens reveals that, not only is he the first American to reach the distinction of third degree black belt in Mongrovian karate (karatay!), he is also the first ever third degree NWA National Champion and reveals his alteration to the title belt with three yellow tape stripes on the side. He says that he is now to be referred to as “Shooter Stevens” to denote his martial arts mastery. David Marquez asks him who is next for him and Stevens says it’s not “who” but “what.” He’s out for belts (as “belt” is a word that can be said in the NWA.) He would be insisting on a match for the world title belt (if he weren’t on a juice cleanse,) that he and Question Mark have their eyes set on the tag team belts, and that Question Mark is looking to win the NWA Television Title belt.
That brings out Colt Cabana. Marquez thanks Colt for intervening. Colt says that, on paper, he’s the NWA National champion but Aron Stevens corrects him in that he is a “third degree National Champion.” Colt says that, without Question Mark, Stevens would never be any type of champion. Stevens dismisses him and says that he’s clearly upset that Stevens is no longer part of his life anymore but that he should take up a hobby to fill the void.
Aron Stevens & Question Mark head to the back but divert their path from that of Thunder Rosa. She walks out and has the crowd stand up for the arrival of a festively dressed Melina. Melina is about to get in the ring but Ashley Vox comes out to attack Thunder Rosa! Ashley Vox looking for revenge after Thunder Rosa nearly broke her arm at Into the Fire! Vox is handled and Melina motions for Thunder Rosa to go up top while she holds Vox’s arm in place for the stomp! Allysin Kay and ODB are out to make the save as Ros and Melina slink off smiling. In the back, Melina reprimands Marti Belle for not being out there to pitch in, saying that they “basically got jumped out there.”
The @NWA TV Title is back and it's got new rules!
Find out now on #NWAPowerr – https://t.co/FqUiLPgzY9 pic.twitter.com/iacqTSrdMS
— NWA (@nwa) December 17, 2019
Joe Galli & Stu Bennett with news on the NWA Television Title
The Television title belt has the classic design and, curiously, the logos for ABC and CBS on the side plates. The new champion will be crowned at their next PPV on 01/24/2020 following a tournament to be held in the upcoming weeks. These matches will have a time limit… of six minutes and five seconds?! Any match in which neither competitor defeats the other within that time limit will be declared a draw and BOTH men are eliminated. The first qualifying match… is right now!
Sal Rinauro vs CW Anderson vs Zicky Dice (qualifier for entry into the NWA Television Title Tournament)
Independent mainstay, Sal Rinauro, and ECW alum, CW Anderson, seem a bit perturbed by the bleach blond, hot pink, arrogance of Zicky Dice. Quick covers at every opportunity with the TV Title time limit in play. Sal Rinauro takes control up until CW Anderson lives up to his moniker with a beautiful spinebuster. That dastardly Zicky Dice has other plans, though, and he sends Anderson into the ring post before delivering a “Snake Rattle and Roll” neckbreaker to Rinauro for the win.
Winner: Zicky Dice
Note: If your social media feed has popped up sponsored videos from Indeed job search engine, you may have already met Zicky Dice and seen his story on YouTube. Worth a look.
Dice is at David Marquez’s podium and he says that “Outlandish” Zicky Dice is the future NWA TV champ. That’s about all he can get out before The Dawsons come out and shoo him off. They say that they know the fans can’t stand them but the feeling is mutual. They say that James Storm is right about his conspiracy talk… because they were a part of it. They were supposed to get paid and get title shots from Wild Card but, since they lost at into the Fire, they haven’t been picking up their phones. That’s because their hands were full with steel chairs! Wild Card chases off The Dawsons and that gives a free podium to Marty Scurll!
Marquez asks Marty what he’s doing in the NWA. Marty says that he’s been asked for the past two months, “What are you gonna do? Where you going?” Whatever he bloody well pleases, that’s what. He says that he gave Nick Aldis the fight of his life at the Crockett Cup this past summer and it eats at him that he has yet to become a world heavyweight champion. He knows that Nick Aldis didn’t beat him last time, he escaped him and he wants a title match to prove it.
"Where are you going to end up… the truth is…"@MartyScurll from after #IntoTheFire went off the air
Watch now on #NWAPowerrr – https://t.co/FqUiLPgzY9@RealNickAldis pic.twitter.com/9Ytn03An5r
— NWA (@nwa) December 17, 2019
Joe Galli & Stu Bennet w/ Eddie Kingston
Kingston is sitting in at the commentary desk. Galli asks about the status of Homicide, said to have sustained a nasty injury during a ringside brawl at Into the Fire. Kingston is noncommittal to the question, brushing it off with “That’s my man. He’s fine. Nothing to worry about.” When pressed, he questions Galli’s credentials as a non-wrestler and tells him to leave it alone.
The Rock n’ Roll Express vs Zach Mosley & Sean Sims
Smart tags and the signature tandem teamwork of the RnR gets them a quick win with a double school boy and double pin.
Did @RealNickAldis just fire @KamilleBrick?
Watch #NWAPowerrr – https://t.co/FqUiLPgzY9 pic.twitter.com/tUGuRc9JCH
— NWA (@nwa) December 17, 2019
Winners: The Rock n’ Roll Express
When asked by Joe Galli, the Rock n’ Roll say that Nick Aldis proved to everyone that he is the NWA Champion but that looking to put himself in a category with Harley Race and Ric Flair is “a long row to hoe.” They bow out but The Dawsons come back in. They say that they’re not leaving until they expose the truth. The truth is that Wild Card doesn’t want them talking anymore and the two teams rumble so a match is made.
The Dawsons vs Wild Card
The Dawsons are bullies, enjoying a strength advantage over all their opponents thus far excepting maybe Wild Card and a size advantage without a doubt. An early miscue that sees Zane Dawson deliver a ridge hand chop to the steel ring post is all Wild Card needs. They pick Zane apart and distract referee Robert King (whom Stu calls an “idiot” yet again) so that the Death Valley Driver/Power Bomb combo puts him away.
Winners: Wild Card
After the match, Royce Isaacs holds Zane Dawson’s injured hand in place for Thom Latimer to stomp on and they laugh all the way to David Marquez’s podium. Latimer calls The Dawsons “liars” and that Santa, too, is a liar! This brings out… Jocephus Claus? Jocephus was recently suspended by the NWA. He hands out presents to applause but has to berate a similarly Santa-suited fan in attendance.
Into the Fire post-match interview w/ James Storm
He says that the whole world saw what really happened: Nick Aldis took out Storm’s referee. Aldis took the pad off the turnbuckle. Storm never tapped out. Never said that he quit. He’s going to get his justice no matter how long it takes.
David Marquez w/ Zicky Dice
Marquez introduces the participants of the Television Title Tournament: Ricky Starks, Caleb Konley, Colt Cabana, Trevor Murdoch, Thom Latimer, The Question Mark, Eddie Kingston, Tim Storm, Zane Dawson, Dave Dawson, and… Nick Aldis!? The World’s Heavyweight Champion wants to add silver to his gold?
Out to draw the matchups for next week is a former TV champ and NWA legend, Nikita Koloff!
Next week on NWA Powerrr: Ricky Starks vs Eddie Kingston, Colt Cabana vs Question Mark, Allysin Kay, Ashley Vox, & ODB vs Marti Belle, Melina, & Thunder Rosa
David Marquez w/ Nick Aldis
Nick Aldis is at the podium, showing off his NWA Powerr pocket square. Ricky Starks is inexplicably there as well. Aldi knows that the fans want to know why he would enter the TV Title field. He says that he has run off any real competitors for his world’s title. He wants to make history as the first man to hold the world title and TV title simultaneously. A fan calls out Ricky Starks’ presence and Aldis takes the bait. He says that Ricky Starks is an amazing athlete and a blue chip up-and-comer. He may even make his way all the way to the finals to lose to Nick.
Marquez switches gears to talk about Into the Fire and the appearance of Marty Scurll. A fan yells out for Kamille and Aldis reminds them that the adults are talking. His comment on Marty Scurll is “No comment.” He’s been carrying NWA on his back for two years and, now, when he’s got it to a rolling boil, he’s got “ham sandwiches” like Marty Scurll coming in for a taste of his brew. He didn’t hear what Ricky Morton said about him earlier but he’s sure it was lovely. Marquez asks about Kamille and now he give it his attention. After Into the Fire, he now sees that he needs more than an insurance policy. He needs to assemble a real team… without Kamille.
Stu Bennet sit-down interview w/ “The Villain” Marty Scurll
Marty says that he came to the NWA because he likes to keep people guessing and, even though nobody expected it, he got a taste of the NWA back at The Crockett Cup. He loves the legacy and the tradition. And he would love to join with that as world champion.
EXCLUSIVE | Marty Scurll speaks with Stu Bennett on his future on #NWAPowerrr
See the full interview on Episode 10 – https://t.co/FqUiLPgzY9@StuBennett @MartyScurll pic.twitter.com/RXhcGVDE0C
— NWA (@nwa) December 17, 2019
Joe Galli & Stu Bennett w/ Tim Storm
Tim Storm says that Nick is the champion and that he has a lot of say but Marty Scurll will be at the top of his list, whether he likes it or not, sooner rather than later.
David Marquez w/ Eli Drake
Eli Drake immediately rasps out a “Let me talk to ya.” Obviously suffering the after-effects of Ken Anderson’s attack at Into the Fire, he questions why he’s not in the Television Title pool. He guesses that he has to get over the “speed bump” of Ken Anderson once and for all. This match will be No DQ!
Eli Drake vs Ken Anderson in a No DQ match
Anderson comes out to a chorus of boos and Eli is out to get at it right away. Drake takes the former Mr Kennedy up into the stands early on. Anderson’s head gets bounced off the railings and steps and even sandwiched in one of the folding arena seats. They get all the way up onto the catwalk where Ken Anderson turns it around for a minute, attempting to drive Eli into his own poster. Drake grinds Anderson into the steel cables of the railing, using a fan’s smartphone to record it for posterity, but Anderson succeeds in sending Eli down the steps to the arena floor. At the ring, Eli Drake is run into the steel steps and ring post before Anderson grabs a chair and sets it up in the middle of the ring. Are we going to see another Mic Check? No! Eli gets his hands out and gets a drop toe hold to send Anderson face first into the chair! Full mount ground and pound. Eli grabs the steel chair but thinks better of it and tosses it aside. The Gravy Train pulls into the station with a scheduled departure in 1.. 2.. 3!
Winner: Eli Drake
As soon as the match is done, Nick Aldis is at the commentary desk in Tim Storm’s face! He tells the 53-year-old former champion to keep his name out of his mouth. Mama Storm’s little boy will only take so much and he heads to the ring to pull his jacket off and Aldis slowly joins him. As Aldis removes his tie, Wild Card sneaks in and takes it to Tim Storm. Tim’s in the corner and ripe for the picking but out comes Kamille! She’s got her shoes and the safety off! She backs Nick Aldis into a corner… and turns around to cut Tim Storm in half with a spear! She plants a big wet one on Thom Latimer and we can see that the world champion has gotten his real team started.
Top Five Takeaways
Eleven weeks. That’s how long this conspiracy storyline has gone on and the first big turn of the screw paid off. I’d imagine NWA must have twice as many writers as some other wrestling companies to pull that off. Only possible explanation, don’t you think?
No DQ. It has gotten to the point where “No DQ” means someone is going through a table. Once, it meant that a 2×4 wrapped in barbed wire was getting set on fire. But, before that, it meant two guys were going to beat each other up without rope breaks or count outs but with outside help and weapons. With maybe two dozen steps and a bit of steel cable, Eli Drake and Ken Anderson held my attention as well as any match (in context of the actual match) that was on the most recent TLC.
I get a feeling that the television title will end up with more prestige than the national title depending on who wins the tournament and how.
The tournament itself is compelling. With the field we’re being given, an argument could be made for more than half the names on the list to end up as champion.
The Dawsons went from being badass to bawling in a matter of a few weeks. A proper alliance could see them getting that redneck rub and a little “face time.”
NWA Powerrr Episode 10, ‘The Villain Effect’ can be viewed on the NWA’s YouTube page. For more on the NWA, follow them on Twitter.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DpU_VzomKkk
