NWA-TNA #9-#17
Want a more in depth look at NWA-TNA from the second eight weeks? We’re reviewing every Weekly Pay Per View on our WrestleCorp Review show.
(*NWA-TNA Weekly PPV #12 on the GWN app is a highlight show, so it’s being skipped*)
The Asylum Years Part 1
Full Show Reviews:
NWA-TNA Weekly’s #9-#17
A’s
It should be no surprise that AJ Styles once again tops this portion. He’s still shit on the mic but his matches with Jerry Lynn, Low Ki and even Sean Waltman helped raise his profile better than any promo.
Low Ki was able to win the X-Division title during this stretch of the show, but quickly lost it. More to the point, he’ll end up not being rated at all next cycle, due to him missing a huge chunk of time.
He won the X-Division title, but lost the Tag Team titles, however Jerry Lynn still did enough to earn himself an ‘A’ – even with him missing two weeks. Lynn even had some solid promos at the time period, but it’s clear that the best promo guys aren’t in the X-Division.
They were tag team champions all the way through this grading period, so America’s Most Wanted gets an A for sure. The thing that’s worth nothing is that AMW carried lesser known teams to great matches. Something that’ll plague the World Champion during the same period.
B’s
He may of been the first black NWA World Champion but Ron Killings‘ run with the title is largely disappointing in the ring. It’s not entirely his fault, having to carry past their prime type workers in Scott Hall and Curt Hennig. However, matches with Monty Brown, Jerry Lynn and Low Ki did help save his title run in my opinion. Especially his match with Low Ki, which was arguably his complete outing as Champion.
With Killings, Jeff Jarrett is the top promo guy and that’s not entirely a compliment. His matches are either generic or in a tag team that ends often times in a DQ, but his sheer presence does lend credibility to many segments. If only he spent more time working with Low Ki, Killings, and Styles as opposed to Curt Hennig, Scott Hall and B. G. James.
Syxx-Pac is this high. You aren’t having issues reading. Syxx came back in the best shape of his career, and even defeated several other men (in a stupid ass match nonetheless) to win the X-Division championship. He’d only hold it for two weeks but his two matches with AJ Styles weren’t bad. Also keep in mind that the other 3 nWo/DX members that were in this company as well (Hall, B.G. James, Hennig) were all garbage in the ring. At least Pac could still go.
C’s
Mortimer Plumtree makes it this high because he actually made Ace Steel someone we talk about; despite Steel being awful. Plumtree should of had a bigger run with the company, as he was a great pickup for the young heels in the company at the time, because Plumtree even seconded Styles.
If you need consistent work, Amazing Red is your guy. His six man matches wit his cousins, the S.A.T’s., really helped fill time on shows that didn’t have a lot of talent.
The S.A.T. are the second best tag team in the company at this point and I don’t think it’s debatable. Are they a great tag team? No, not even sort of. but in this day and age in TNA, you gotta take what you can get. I’ll forever be baffled why Sean Waltman and Scott Hall didn’t get made into a tag team.
He hasn’t been used as much but in time Elix Skipper will become a much needed worker on the roster. His promos aren’t bad and for a time in this stretch, he was near the main event.
The New Church (James Mitchell, Malice, Slash) would be a little out of the loop during this time period. Yet, they still stuck around and eventually grew their ranks from the #18-#25 block of shows. Though much of these shows saw them as little more than roleplayers.
His feud with Estrada should of propelled Sonny Siaki further up the card but Vince Russo gave up on the angle and the fans soon did after. Siaki would spend most of these eight weeks paddling around, not doing much. His matches were still good, even if the biggest praise he fought for was Elvis attire.
Jorge Estrada has had a string of good matches, and his promos are rather enjoyable. He’s mostly up this high though due to who’s below him. The company isn’t deep at all. At. Fucking. Al..
Kid Kash didn’t suck.
D’s
Monty Brown lost a lot and then wasn’t see again for a while. It’s hard to argue that Scott Hall has a place as a singles star, maybe in a tag team but not on his own. The Hot Shots are fine, but nothing special. Ace Steel is bad, and yet somehow a good trainer? Ok. The Harris Brothers were on TV alot.
F’s
Brian Lawler‘s a lack luster worker, a lack luster promo guy and his angles were garbage. Bruce is horribly offense character, and is used only as a way to mock the gay community (cue AJ Styles). Fat, drunk and lazy is no reason to sign B.G. James (Road Dogg). Oh look, the moment Curt Hennig killed his own career has arrived.
Incomplete
The Dupps are gone after this point, thank god. He didn’t show up much but Disco Inferno‘s stink was still prevalent. Tony Mamaluke, The Michaels, David Young and Norman Smiley were basically jobbers when they did show up. Brian Lee just showed up around this time, tagging with a Harris Brother, and Jimmy Yang was the third wheel in a two man feud.
Gone from the List
Ken Shamrock cut and ran back to the UFC after losing the NWA title. Sabu wrestled two matches. Yay. He finally got worthwhile the week before he left but Ed Ferrara is gone. Where’d Apollo go? Christopher Daniels is left on the shelf, why? I don’t know. Tempest was dismissed for some reason. Jasmine St. Claire and Francine quickly were let go and Puppet? Well thank god he’s gone.
Announcers
Don West‘s homophobia was rampant and disgusting. I get that Bruce’s gimmick was supposed to cause straight men to be uncomfortable but that whole bit didn’t age well. Mike Tenay is great. Goldilocks though got caught up in some god awful segments with Disco, and others.
Top Matches
NWA-TNA X-Division Title Match – Ladder Match
Jerry Lynn vs. AJ Styles (c) vs. Low Ki
Winner: Low Ki
Rating: 4.0
NWA World Heavyweight Title
Jerry Lynn vs. Ron Killings (c)
Winner: Killings
Rating: 3.5
NWA-TNA X-Division #1 Contendership Best 2 out of 3 Falls
Low Ki vs. AJ Styles
Winner: Styles
Rating: 3.25
NWA-TNA X-Division Championship Ladder Match
AJ Styles vs. Jerry Lynn (c)
Winner: Lynn
Rating: 3.0
Top 5 Must Watch Talents
AJ Styles – He’s doing brilliant work at this point in his run. Good solid matches with the likes of Low Ki, Jerry Lynn and even Sean Waltman. It’s still a far cry from when they’ll rush him into the main event but still, he’s a headliner. He would of benefited more if Vince Russo wasn’t writing such shit
Low Ki – Even though we’ll miss Ki over the next few weeks, his work so far has been impressive. I think the next time he’ll pop up will be right around the time Triple X forms. His X-Division title win really established him as a legit performer, and frankly he, Lynn and Styles should of been wrestling for the NWA World Title.
Ron Killings – Vince Russo wrote a lot of promos for and against Killings that were really racially charged (at times even racist). Yet, is matches with Low Ki and Jerry Lynn were phenomenal and he even got a good match out of Monty Brown (who was very green). The issue is that this is the best Killings will be.
The S.A.T. – Amazing Red, Joel and Jose Maximo may be green and prone to botches, but all three men have delivered in stunt filled X-Division matches. Red is unofficially officially a member of the S.A.T., so that’s why he’s included in this grouping. I know I said five must watch talents, and this brings us to Six, but lets just say “Acts” for today. The Maximo’s will be the answer to a forgotten trivia question in time, but Amazing Red will establish a legacy of one of the greats.
Jerry Lynn – While AJ Styles may be the future, Jerry Lynn is the ace. Able to have good/great matches with everyone; I still think Lynn should of been the NWA World Heavyweight Champion to start the companies run, and his promo work and wrestling with Low Ki and Killings prove that.
Dishonorable Mention
– Disco Inferno is easily the worst character in company history. A stooge of the truest sense. No real charisma, and no athletic ability that would justify being hired. He’s simply Russo’s favorite ass kisser. There’s a reason why everyone hated him.
Ace Steel also makes this list, for being so frequently used and being so terrible. Honestly, I’m surprised anyone ever wanted to train with him after his stint in TNA, because he was exposed on a weekly basis.