NWA Smoky Mountain Collision Course

This was the show of the year for the NWA and maybe the show of the year regardless of where you are.  NWA Smoky Mountain is one of the best promotions in the NWA, probably the best monthly promotion.  And this show was huge. 

The show opened with a woman's match, and then did have some of the local guys promoting story lines.  The main point was Brent Evans defeated Chris Richards to earn a future title shot.  Brent Evans is the second biggest face in the company and has been on a very slow build since top face Kincaid is still going strong.  Evans lost a year or so ago to Richards in the Smoky Mtn Cup and Richards has constantly been the road block to Evans being in the top ranks.  So this was no minor thing.  It was a decent match, but had major implications in the long running story lines. 

Jax Dane took on Rob Conway.  These two do show up three or so times a year at Smoky Mtn and are also part of long term story lines.  In fact this story line is probably going to be done in several places as Dane and Conway are both top contenders for the World Title.  Dane had Conway set up for the spear after a Samoan drop (yes Dane broke out moves I had not seen him use before).  There was outside interference, but they never got a shot in on Dane who destroyed a few guys with clotheslines.  Dane then returned to spear mode, but Conway slipped out of the way and Bruce Thwarp, President of the NWA, took the spear.  He made it look pretty nasty and the match was ended.  I think it was a no contest because of the injury to Thwarp, but it could have been a DQ win for Dane. 

AJ Styles then took on Chase Owens in a non-title match (Styles's IJPW title).  Owen was just named to New Japan's Best of the Super Juniors tournament, which shows some of the talent at Smoky Mountain.  This match was praised up and down twitter.  Just go look at how many people said it was the best match they had ever seen.  Owens looked good, took a few ugly bumps including a hip toss outside the ring, and AJ won clean with the Styles Clash.  The two shook hands afterward.  Owens has a big future ahead of him.  I just hope he stays in the NWA because he will be a future NWA World Heavyweight Champ.

Then Jason Kincaid took on John Morrison for the NWA Southeastern Heavyweight title.  This match was also very good.  Kincaid just won an 8 man tournament himself showing him to be a top wrestler too.  Which of the two matches you thought was match of the night depends upon what kind of style of wrestling you enjoy.  Styles-Owens was back and forth, big move, big bumps to a finish kind of TV style match.  Morrison-Kincaid showed the strength of both of these two wrestlers, which is innovation.  They had counters for counters and it ended with Kincaid hitting his finisher from the top rope (which is not normal), and thus retaining the longest running title reign in wrestling. 

How often do you see a double main event show where both main events deliver and the undercard advances story lines in good ways.  And in fact had some development for Jax Dane.  It is no secret I am not a huge Dane fane, but he pulled out some moves for this match.  I enjoyed it.  Conway is off to wrestler in NWA Supreme this weekend for a future World Title Shot over in Japan (I expect Conway to win - it is also the rubber match up there in Supreme too).  Dane as the National Champ is going to have more shots at Conway. 

NWA TItle update

It has been a bit since I updated everyone on the NWA Titles. 

The Women's Title is still on Santana Garrett.  She defended successfully at the show in Las Vegas.  It was not against Barbi Hayden, so hopefully that rematch is down the line.  Maybe in Texas. 

The NWA World Junior Heavyweight belt is on Steve Anthony.  He won it by cheating in Las Vegas.  Retained in a rematch with Liger in Japan.  He defended it at NWA Mid South, and is looking like a good champ. 

The NWA National Title is in the hands of Jax Dane.  He did hold on to it at Collision Course in a match that I think was a no contest.  It was a nice match with Rob Conway, and sets Dane up to be the enemy of Mr. Bruce Thwarp the authority figure.  I am guessing that they have retired the North American Title. 

The NWA World Heavyweight Title was successfully defended by Tenzan against Brian Wilcott in Japan in the run up to Wrestling Donaku.  Tenzan did get to participate in Wrestling Donaku with Kojima and some others in a big tag match against the Bullet Club.  Tenzan and Kojima won and the reviews of the match seemed positive.  So at least the champ appeared on the big show just not defending the title. 

The NWA World Tag Team title were finally defended again in ProWrestling Noah.  The Killer Elite Squad won retaining the titles and the Noah tag team titles.  Killer Elite Squad had been participating in a Tag team tournament in Noah where they did lose some matches.  This match was with the team that won the whole tournament, so Killer Elite Squad is back on top. 

NWA Mid South

If you are looking for how to run a weekly wrestling show it maybe that you need to take notes from NWA Mid South Wrestling.  They do it, week in and week out.  And yes, you can still have mega shows in a weekly format as Mid South proved the other week with their Empire Strikes Back show.  It had a 6 man tag that furthered a feud with Jason Peter Rose, the second biggest face in the company with a new comer heel.  Then they had The Golden Boy Greg Anthony (who ought to be the next NWA World Heavyweight Champion) beat Jason Kincaid, who is a top contender to the Junior Title, and has SouthEastern NWA Title, which was not on the line.  That match was good as you would expect between two top NWA stars.  Matt Rivera with JJ Dillion retained the Western States Title.  New Junior Heavyweight champ, Steve Anthony retained the World Junior title.  And then Tim Storm rebounded from losing the North American title with a victory to win the Mid South title over Jason Peter Rose (who was filling in for a strangely absent Gaylon).  Other than that glitch of Gaylon (the top face of the company) not showing up, it was a huge night of good wrestling thanks to the talent of the Empire. 
What is great about Mid South is that don't wear out the story lines.  Next week the headline is Jason Peter Rose concluding his feud that has gone on since he lost the Mid South title.  This will draw because Rose is a good face, and it allows the title and the big heels to sit out.  You have a Storm v. Gaylan feud ready to go.  You have Greg Anthony who can make anything look good.  They don't feature every feud every week, and it works. 

This maybe the best NWA promotion.  It has talent in the ring, on the mic, and the booking is solid. 

Titles Defended

New Japan held a show this past Wed where both the NWA World Heavyweight and Junior Heavyweight Titles were defended. 

Bryan Wilcott took on Tenzan for the Heavyweight title, and lost.  Tenzan has now defended it successfully twice.  Wilcott has now lost at least three different attempts to three different world champs.  One wonders why they did not send Michael Tarver, since last year I think Tarver beat Tenzan.

Steve Anthony defended the Junior title against former champ Jushin Liger.  This was refreshing because it has been a while since a title was defended in Japan successfully.  It also gave the people in Japan a chance to see their champ lose.  Good for Steve Anthony. 

Why NXT is to going to save the WWE

For those who have hope for WWE’s future because of the greatness of NXT, let me throw some much needed reality in the mix. 

First, WWE is not NXT.  They still push their own homegrown guys more.  Even though it is clear that independent starts are better in the ring, better at engaging the crowd, and better on the mic (see Daniel Bryan and CM Punk) the main product still pushes Roman Reigns and Rusev. 

Second, WWE still does not tell stories like NXT.  While NXT develops characters and gives motives and has to the point mic time, WWE has scripted garbage.  And while NXT prolongs feuds and is unafraid to let people wrestle other wrestlers while still in a feud with someone else (see Owens vs. Riley while Zayn is the feud or Nevile vs. four other guys while Zayn was the feud), WWE feeds us the same thing over and over again.  This will be the FOURTH PPV in a row where we see Cena vs. Rusev.  FOUR.  That is insane.  Two of these matches will have had stipulations. 

Third, there is no real bridge between NXT and WWE.  I think I wrote about this earlier.  All the great story telling Zayn and Neville is gone.  All the great story and matches between Zayn and Ceasaro is gone.  It is non-existent.  This lack of connection has hurt the transition of characters like Bo Dallas.  And while good wrestlers still get over, it does make it harder. 

Fourth, and this is the most important, all of this should have been happening 3 to 5 years ago.  Zayn has been great on the independent circuit forever.  So has Owens (Steen).  Finn Balor and Itami were both great in Japan and should have been here sooner.  You can make the same argument for CM Punk and Daniel Bryan.  These guys were undeniably great and they had to do crazy things to get over and get known in an independent circuit.  They did it.  This takes a toll on their bodies.  We have seen it with CM Punk.  He is fine being done with wrestling because he wore himself out pre-WWE and in it.  We see it now with Daniel Bryan.  His body is broken probably at least in part due to the wear and tear.  The WWE made them go too long before admitting their potential.  So it is also true with Zayn and Owens.  Do not expect long run from these guys because they have many miles already logged.

If WWE was serious about this they would have already had Bryan and Punk on the top of the card fighting off Zayn and Owens who would be coming up quick and NXT would not be full of guys we already know, but younger guys like Chase Owens with other guys who could use development like Jamin Olevencia or Vordell Walker. 

It is good that WWE is finally hiring the obviously great talent.  But they missed their prime or at least they missed having them for long great runs.  The WWE is still failing to get good independent talent soon enough to use them for decades. 

New Champs

Night two is over at the Big Cauliflower Alley Club show: Casino Royal.  The big news is there is a new World Junior Heavyweight champion and it is Steve Anthony. 

Also on night one Jax Dane unified the National and North American titles.  I am assuming the National Title will be the one used now. 

Also Santana Garrett successfully defended her title, which is a hard thing to do at CAC.  Last year the World title changed hands, this year the World Junior title changed hands as did the North American title. 

More on this big NWA event soon.

Cauliflower Preview

The big show is coming up soon in Las Vegas and the NWA has been busy adding on to itself.
The NWA is back in Portland, with NWA Blue Colar and has also added NWA Supreme in Indiana.  NWA Supreme by the way is another weekly promotion and Rob Conway just won the NWA Supreme Heavyweight Title. The NWA has added a second England group with NWA Fight Nation, and that group is now having a tournament to crown the NWA British Heavyweight Champ. 

Santana Garrett is now a quad champ holding belts in Shine, Ring Warriors, and Southern Championship wrestling as well as being the NWA World champ. She also will be making appearances in I Believe in Wrestling, FIP, and Evolve in April and makes it up to Jersey Championship Wrestling in May.  She does defend the Ring Warriors title Saturday the 11th.  
The World Tag Team Champs are back in the US and competing in Ring of Honor.  They are looking to become a tri champ as they also currently hold the Pro Wrestling Noah tag titles. 

The Big thing is the Cauliflower Club event in Las Vegas on Sunday and Monday.  Santana is scheduled for both days it seems and Barbi Hayden was originally advertised.  We also are going see a unification bout between Jax Dane and Tim Storm.  Steve Anthony is getting the shot at the World Junior Heavyweight title held by Jushin Thunder Liger.  Matt Rivera defends the Western States title vs. Americos.  Greg Anthony is in action.  There is a Tri Force title match currently held by Jester as well.  It is an absolutely huge event. 

It is going to be a good show.  Great weekend for the NWA.