NWA Wrestling Showcase
by SamoaRowe
Episode 9: April 2nd 2008
-Show opens with Karl Anderson talking to himself in the mirror. He’s upset over losing the NWA Tag Team Championship to Los Luchas last week. He blames his reflection for the loss and claims he needs to find himself. However, he finally got some sleep and had a vision that he must learn from the masters in the far East. At first I thought he said “forest.“ That would have been hilarious. Interesting promo, that is seemingly writing Anderson out of the show for the time being.
-We get an official announcement that Karl Anderson is on his way to New Japan. And instead of David Marquez, we get an improvement video package announcing bouts for the show.
-David Marquez is standing by with Chris Escobar. He isn’t new to the NWA, but he’s new to television! Escobar is considered to be pure talent and the best kept secret in the NWA. We’ll have to wait and see if these claims hold up.
Chris Escobar vs. Don Kobrick
There is a change of venue, as they are holding tonight’s event in California. Kobrick is a thick brawler type character, who backs Escobar into the corner in the early going. Escobar holds his own against his stronger opponent. They lock up and Kobrick works the arm. They exchange locks, and so far the crowd is much more lively than the Vegas bunch. Escobar sends Kobrick to the floor and pursues. Kobrick returns to the ring and misses an elbow drop. Kobrick turns his back to argue with fans and gets with an Asai moonsault. That was a great way to make Kobrick look like a moron. Kobrick rebounds anyway and uses some ground and pound offense. The crowd chants “Kobrick sucks” and that’s just plain charming. Escobar tries to rebound using his speed, but Kobrick hit’s a nasty drop-kick for a cover attempt. Snapmare and crossface strikes by Kobrick. Escobar hit’s a spear from the apron on Kobrick and both men are down. They trade shots, but Kobrick uses a fireman’s carry power slam and gets a near fall. Escobar attempts a rope assisted Unfretted (known as the Escalator) and picks up the win at 7:25. The match was complete cookie cutter, but worked in putting Escobar over. *½.
Winner: Chris Escobar
-David Marquez is standing by with NWA World Champion Adam Pearce, Joey Ryan, and C. Edward Vanderpyle. Pearce talks about Brett Favre, suggesting that he’s in his league (editor's note: he's retired and hawks Prilosec?). They talk about the loss of Karl Anderson. Ryan says he lost the best partner in the world and his best friend. However, with Pearce and Vanderpyle, Ryan will continue to bring “the sleaze” in the NWA. Marquez asks Pearce about TJ Perkins, to which Pearce takes great offense. Pearce tears Perkins apart verbally in highly entertaining fashion. Pearce announces that next week Perkins will face his crony, El Nicho Millionaro. Marquez brings up the issue of Brent Albright, who also wants a title shot. Pearce asks if Albright is “manly enough” to wear a red cap like the one he is sporting. The segment jumps the shark as Sonny Sampson joins them. Pearce asks Sampson to take out Albright. Actually, with all kidding aside, Sampson turns out to be a good talker and talks some crap against Albright.
Matt Jackson vs. Joey Ryan (with C. Edward Vanderpyle)
Ryan is smoking in the building, which outrages the commentators. A group of kids in the front row are yelling shit at Ryan. HIGH-larious! Jackson and Ryan tie up, with a clean break by Jackson in the corner. Ryan hides in the ropes, and I might add that the camera work is pretty shoddy this week. They must have left the HD cameras in Vegas. Ryan paces himself and pummels on Jackson. Jackson rebounds with a hip toss and arm drag. Ryan heads to ringside to regroup with Vanderpyle. The match restarts with Ryan hitting a cheap kick to the gut and unleashing some shots. Jackson repeats the hip toss and arm drag spot. Ryan pouts at ringside, as the match seems to be stuck in a loop. Jackson chases Ryan around the ring and hit’s a springboard cross body over the top to the floor. Jackson is in firm control and Ryan begs for mercy. They trade shots and Jackson nails a drop kick and drop toe hold. Scoop slam by Jackson, who goes high risk. Vanderpyle knocks Jackson off the turnbuckles, which I haven’t seen a million times before. This lures out Nick Jackson, to oversee Vanderpyle. Ryan blocks a comeback by Jackson and hit’s a drop kick for some cover attempts. Abdominal stretch by Ryan. Jackson hit’s a nifty slam and becomes a house on fire. They reverse each other’s slams, with Jackson hitting a rolling fireman’s carry. Ryan dodges a high risk move, and hit’s a spear and super kick for a very close near fall. Jackson drives Ryan down with a body scissors and goes for the cover, but Vanderpyle distracts the ref. Ryan gets a roll-up, pulls the tights, and picks up the win. The match took a while to get going and had a bad finish, but was quite strong in the middle portion, **¼.
Winner: Joey Ryan
-Ricky O is reporting from New York City. He is advertising some NWA live events.
NWA Tag Team Championship:
Los Luchas © vs. Black Star and Scorpio Sky
Zokre starts off for Los Luchas, and it’s nice to see them making a title defense after chasing the belts for eight episodes. Zokre is in control of Scorpio Sky, hitting takedowns and pinning combinations. They hit mirror drop-kicks and slap hands. Phoenix Star and Black Star make tags, and continue the spotty takedowns. Black Star isn’t as good a sport as Sky and slaps Phoenix Star across the face. Los Luchas hit a double team, and get a near fall. Boot to the gut by Black Star and a modified back stabber. Chinlock by Black Star. Suplex by Black Star and a knee drop for a cover attempt. Scorpio Sky makes a tag and hit’s a nice backbreaker for a cover. Another set of nasty backbreakers by Sky, but Phoenix Star kicks out of another cover. Big drop-kick by Sky for another cover. Black Star tags, but Phoenix Star plants him with a face buster. Zokre tags and hit’s a springboard clothesline on Scorpio Sky and cleans house on the challengers. Los Luchas double team Sky, with Phoenix Star getting a near fall. Chops by Phoenix Star, but he gets caught in an ace crusher by Sky. VERY close near fall by Sky. Black Star tags, and they overwhelm Phoenix Star with a series of hard shots. Another VERY close fall by Black Star. Sky tags, but Phoenix Star drop-kicks both of them. Zokre invades and hit’s a sunset flip on Scorpio Sky. Zokre elevates Sky into a spear by Phoenix Star, who gets the pin at 7:10. This was good until things got confusing at the end, as the referee didn’t care who the legal man in Los Luchas was. **½.
Winners and still NWA Tag Team Champions: Los Luchas
-David Marquez is standing by with the victorious Los Luchas. Zokre puts over Scorpio Sky and Black Star for giving them a battle, but they aren’t ready to hand over the belts yet. Phoenix Star cuts a Spanish promo over how it feels to be the champions and to go back to Mexico. Zokre is proud of their accomplishments and challenge anyone to step up to them.
Brent Albright vs. “Sexy” Sonny Sampson
They lock up and shove each other into the corner. Clean break by Albright. Sampson shoves and does a little funky walk. Side note, Vanderpyle is on commentary and there is music playing in the building. Albright blocks Sampson’s attacks and traps him in a head lock. Sampson no sells some shoulder blocks and almost gets caught in a suplex. Albright rolls him up and hit’s a drop-kick. Albright goes back to the head lock takedown. Sampson rolls Albright into a pinning predicament, but Albright kicks back into the head lock position. Albright gets tossed through the ropes to the floor. Sampson tries to drag him in by the hair, but gets slapped across the face for his trouble. Albright goes high risk and connects with a flying cross body! Sampson kicks out, and thinks he’s hit a body drop, but Albright lands on his feet and hit’s a series of takedowns. Albright on the top again, but Sampson directs him wrist-first onto the ropes. Sampson smells blood and targets the wrist, driving it into the apron. Todd Kennely on commentary accidentally calls Albright “Gunner Scott” which is followed by awkward silence. In the ring, Sampson is continuing to work over Albright’s injured wrist. Sampson does his stupid strip-tease, and Albright takes advantage. Sampson rights him off, driving Albright’s injured wrist (and now arm, I guess) into the turnbuckles. Sampson bites and locks the injured arm in the ropes. Sampson continues to display this vicious streak, while Vanderpyle rants about how overrated Albright is. Albright fights out of a hammerlock, but gets immediately caught in a big spine buster. Sampson does his strip tease again and it’s time for the Sexy Elbow. Albright dodges two elbow drop attempts and hit’s a desperate power slam. Albright fires away with shots from his good arm, while trying to shake life into his dead arm. Back body drop by Albright and a bull dog. Cover by Albright gets 2. Albright runs into Sampson’s boots, but he hit’s a suplex for a cover near fall. Albright misses the flying head butt. Sit-out power bomb by Sampson gets a ridiculously close near fall. Sampson dances, but Albright blocks a slam and hit’s a German suplex and a side Russian legsweep. Albright connects with his Gun Rack submission, and Sampson taps at 12:53. This was by far the strongest performance by Sampson yet, as he was in a position to pick up a huge upset on more than one occasion. Very good main event this week, ***¼.
Winner: Brent Albright
-After the match, Adam Pearce charges the ring and attacks Albright. Albright fights back, which draws out Joey Ryan. This allows Pearce to hit a piledriver on Albright. The Young Bucks make the save, but the damage has been done.
Final Thoughts: The change of venue was nice, as we got a more lively crowd (that, and any wrestling show that airs from the same place every week tends to start to feel dull sooner than later). We got some fresh faces and the first title defense by Los Luchas, which was nice to see. It’s sad that Karl Anderson won’t be around for a little bit, but his farewell segment was great, as well as the reactions from Pearce and company. The big surprise this week was the emergence of Sonny Sampson as a strong force on the show. Not only did he show that he can talk, but that he can put on a great match when he’s in there with someone like Albright. And it wasn’t even a carry job either, Sampson held his own, applying some good psychology while attacking Albright’s wrist. The best part about this episode though? NO EUGENE!
Thumbs up.
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