NWA-TNA PPV #4
Air Date: 07/10/2002
Location: Nashville, TN (Nashville Municipal Auditorium)
Announcers: Mike Tenay, Don West & Ed Ferrara
Notable Happenings
Jeff Jarrett was all over the show again, this time tying up and spray-painting NWA VP Bill Behrens, and having a show-closing brawl with members of the Tennessee Titans, then Malice and the New Church. It’s just silly watching Jeff Jarrett step to multiple men like an action star hero. Jarrett wanted a title shot against Shamrock.
Speaking of Shamrock, he came out and brawled with the New Church after Malice destroyed everyone in the Briscoes tag. Shamrock brawled with the group until his opponent, Takao Omori, came out (late) and made a very lukewarm save. Their title match ended when Jarrett came in and started hitting everyone in the head with unprotected chair shots, including Harley Race. Elder abuse, anyone?
The “brewing feud” between AJ Styles and Jerry Lynn took no time at all to turn violent. After AJ tagged himself in to hit his finisher (kinda) on Tempest, the two were shown brawling in the back later in the show, ending with Lynn cradle piledriving AJ on a crate.
The X Division match was the best match on the show. Each man’s order of elimination was supposed to be what number contender they would be to the X title. It went: Lynn (six by weird countout for being off the apron), Mamaluke (five), Skipper (four), Romeo (three), Daniels (two), with Low Ki earning the title shot. The match was a little clunky at times and was probably too long, but still excellent overall.
The Flying Elvises laid out Low Ki after the contenders’ match, supposedly because they were upset by not being put in the match.
Brian Christoper did a promo burying Jerry Lawler (who worked for WWE at the time), and somehow landed on changing his name to Brian Lawler for this heel run. The fans chanted “Jerry” and “Jerry’s kid” during his promo and match, so this made very little sense.
Scott Hall was interviewed by phone and promised revenge against Jarrett, Lawler, and K-Krush.
Jasmine St. Claire debuted and teased getting naked while stripping for Jeremy Borash on a chair in the ring, but Bill Behrens covered her up. They kept teasing nudity with no plans to pay it off whatsoever.
Hermie Sadler did a decent job in the K-Krush match, but I also hated how they worked it, like Sadler was a pro wrestler. At one point, he took multiple punches and was drunk, which makes zero fucking sense for a skinny ass Nascar driver. Killings even won with his feet on the ropes.
The Results
NWA World Tag Team Title Match: A.J. Styles & Jerry Lynn (C) def. The Disciples of the New Church (Slash & Tempest) in 10:34 ***1/4
Brian Lawler def. Norman Smiley in 4:44 *1/2
Hermie Sadler def. K-Krush by DQ in 5:06 DUD
Chase Stevens & Cassidy O’Reilly vs. Mark & Jay Briscoe INC in 2:09 NR
The Flying Elvises (Jorge Estrada & Sonny Siaki) def. The Dupps (Bo Dupp & Stan Dupp) in 5:02 *1/4
NWA World Heavyweight Title Match: Ken Shamrock (C) vs. Takao Omori INC in 7:42 *1/2
NWA X Division Championship #1 Contender Match: Low-Ki def. Christopher Daniels, Elix Skipper, Jerry Lynn, Kid Romeo & Tony Mamaluke in 21:31 ***3/4
Rating: 5.5/10.0
The bookend matches were strong. I’ve already discussed the X division match, but the tag opener was building to something even stronger until Lynn and Tempest got a little too complicated at the end. The Jarrett booking is a misfire overall because he’s not right for that role, but the events themselves are exciting. This show was one of the company’s better early efforts.
The Video
Back Then Wrestling 