Non-American National Titles

Sometimes it is easy to forget that the National Title is simply the title for America.  There are other "national" titles in the NWA that should be treated just as big. 

The NWA Australian Champ is Chris Target.  He unified the titles down in All Action Wrestling a few months ago.  Target is actually in America for a bit and just retained the NWA Australian title against Top of Texas's Panhandle Champion Jason Erra.  Target hit the Famouser for the win.  Shark, from AAW, was also present, but lost to Jake Logan.  The AAW gang also appeared the night before at NWA Texoma and successfully defended the title. 

There is also the NWA British Championship currently held by Marty Scrull.  Marty has held onto the title after winning the tournament at NWA Fight Nation.  He defeated Joel Redmen, former NXT superstar, in September.  Marty takes on MVP, from TNA, in November.  Marty is also front and center for the December poster. 

This is actually part of the problem I have with the NWA running those rankings.  Personally I think something like that is a good idea, but they have to be real ranking.  I understand if you want to say that national titles get you on the list.  But then all national titles ought to get you on the list.  Chris Target is as good as Arrick Andrews, and if we are honest, Marty Scrull is better than both.  Yet, several NJPW are on the rankings.  Jax Dane should try his best to get to these shows and help strengthen the NWA in these countries making it a truly World Title. 

The Expanding NWA

The NWA announces two new promotions joining the fold. 

Iconic Heroes of Wrestling Excellence is a Fort Worth, TX based company.  This puts the NWA back in the Dallas metroplex area and back into the old World Class Championship Wrestling territory.  IHWE is not bringing a lot of new talent with them.  NWA has a lot of Texas territories, and so it is not surprising to see Andy Dalton, Charlie Haas, and others already participating in IHWE.  They have monthly shows and the one on October 31 looks to be big.  I mentioned earlier that Tim Storm has an appearance, and now it will be for the NWA North American Title.  It seems as if Jax Dane will also appear to defend the World Title. 

The other territory is Southeastern Wrestling Alliance that wrestles in Southern Georgia.  This promotion appears to be smaller, but does give NWA Atlanta some close-by help.  I would expect the NWA Georgia champ to make some appearances down in the new NWA Southeastern Wrestling.  This roster does appear to be almost completely new.  The champ is Effy Gibbs, and we will see how this promotion does and if it can benefit from sharing talent with other NWA promotions.  Also we will see if The NWA Southeastern Title currently defended in Smoky Mtn. Wrestling gets another rename.

Either way this is good news for the NWA who lost NWA Houston at the end of last year and NWA 360 a few months ago.  They have aggressively grown, and these are good steps.

Here we go again

Well that was predictable.  Steve Anthony dropped the World Junior Heavyweight Title to Tiger Mask IV.  Another trip to Japan another humiliation for the NWA.  I get it.  Sometimes Japanese wrestlers hold the belts, but this is too much.

Plus, each trip to Japan is producing diminishing returns.  Kojima defended the NWA title all the time and was an ongoing feud with the NWA.  Then Conway dropped it to Tenzan.  Tenzan defended it three times, less than once a month, and never on a big show.  Jushin Liger had the World Junior title and he defended it twice.  Less than once every other month.  The NWA World Tag Champs are still in Japan, but they are so forgotten that New Japan loaned them out to NOAH. 

When was the last time Tiger Mask had a role on New Japan TV?  I don't remember it either.  I assume he will keep it until the Las Vegas event in May or June.  My bet is one title defense between now and then with no more than two. 

I can understand the Tag Titles because Tag teams are not big in America right now, and they probably get more dates over there.  But, Junior Heavyweight I don't get.  That is everywhere in the US.  I can name a list of contenders a mile long.
Purple Haze, Ali Shabaz, Andy Dalton, Jason Kincaid, Chase Owens, half the roster in Pro Wrestling Vendetta, Wrestling Revolution's entire roster, Brian Kendrick, Americos, John Saxon, and many, many more. 

It is time for us to stop.

Does WWE copy ROH now?

I can't believe that this topic does not get more exposure.  But I do believe the WWE is out to copy Ring of Honor. 
First, look at NXT and what it has brought to WWE.  Samoa Joe, Daniel Bryan, Kevin Owens, and Seth Rollins were all ROH guys.  The new NXT signings are ROH guys.  WWE could have done this years ago, and now are doing it almost too late.  Bryan broke down, Joe has been on TNA for too long and we will see what kind of run they get out of Owens.

Second, Seth Rollins now holds both the US Title and the World Title.  He will be defending both on the next PPV.  SURPRISE!  ROH has this same story line going.  Jay Lethal has both the TV title and the World Title and is defending both this weekend on their PPV!  Both Jay and Seth are smarmy heels who keep the titles through sketchy tactics.  Hey maybe the difference is Jay Lethal actually wins matches sometimes, and Seth Rollins gets help from Comedy Central Talk Show hosts. 

WWE's product has never been my favorite.  They are finally getting some good wrestlers, but I doubt they will ever unleash them to be wrestlers.  I would stick with ROH. 

NWA title updates

The NWA has a new World Champ in Jax Dane and where he goes next is interesting.  He had a successful defense to start September at Branded Outlaw Wrestling and has another in October against Shane Taylor.  He does have an appearance at Smoky Mtn. Wrestling on October 3rd, I bet it is against Rob Conway, although a ten man battle royal was held for a future title shot, but whether that is the one coming up or not is hard to tell as is finding out who won it.  That Conway feud will also be featured on September 19th at Southern All Star Wrestling.

The love affair with Japan continues as NWA World Junior Champ has a defense scheduled against Tiger Mask at an upcoming New Japan event. 

And remember the NWA World Tag Team Champs are still in Japan as the Killer Elite Squad will defend against War Machine (which is Raymond Rowe and Hanson) at an upcoming Pro Wrestling NOAH event.  Now, this is for the Noah Tag titles, but I don't think the NWA titles are on the line.  But wouldn't this have been great on ROH TV rather than hidden in Japan?  I don't know what they are doing with the NWA Tag Titles right now.  They have not been defended in America forever.

Santana Garrett is still the Women's Champ and still destroying everything.  She made two people tap out at once in a pretty cool submission move that I don't even know the name.  She is now also the NOVA women's champ.  And she continues to represent the NWA almost everywhere except in the NWA. She is down in Puerto Rico with WWL this weekend.

Arrick Andrews has an appearance at NWA SAW coming up.  He did retain against Greg Anthony at NWA Mid South, which by all accounts was a great match.  Also he made a defense against Purple Haze.  The odd thing here was that Purple Haze, a Louisiana regular, was at the NWA Smoky Mtn. show for this match.  Both guys wrestling debuts for Smoky Mtn.  Andrews continues his National Title reign on SAW on the 19th.

North American Champ, Tim Storm, has retained at NWA Mid South.  He seems to be a SmashMouth Wrestling regular in Texas.  Storm actually has been doing a lot of wrestling outside the NWA, but I don't think the North American title makes appearances.  For instance on October 31st he is wrestling in IHWE against Brian Breaker, but there is no mention of the North American title.  Too bad because this title could use getting out a bit more.

NEW NWA WORLD CHAMP!!!

Jax Dane is your new NWA World Heavyweight champ.  He defeated Tenzan tonight at World War Gold.

Tenzan had run the gauntlet defeating Tim Storm, Juicy Ramos, Nathan Briggs, and then dropped it facing Dane. 

Just in case you are wondering about other results:
Tim Storm defeated Americos (I assume this was a North American Heavyweight bout)
Keith Lee and Shane Taylor beat Papi C and Rudy Russo.  Keith Lee is an up and comer.  He is huge and powerful.  Taylor is no slouch either. 
Dirty Andy Dalton defeated the Amazing Red.  Dalton retains the Branded Outlaw Cruiser Weight Title.
Lance Hoyt defeated Mike Dell.  Hoyt is one half the NWA World Tag champs. 
Cherry Ramons defeated Weazy Woo.  A bit of surprise here as Weazy Woo is sort of popular.


So begins the reign of the Vanilla Godzilla Jax Dane.  I believe he is already scheduled for a defense next weekend in another Branded Outlaw event. 

NWA RegionTitle updates

I finally got a chance to see the National Title tournament, and it was pretty good.  The finals ended up being Arrick Andrews vs. Chase Owens and the finals were FANTASTIC.  It is hands down the best match I have ever seen from Andrews.  No doubt a lot of that is due to Chase Owens, but Andrews hit his moves.  The psychology was flawless.  Maybe a few too many kick out of finishers, but still very good.  You believed the roll up was going to win the title, you believed every bit.  Check out.  Also SAW set up a nice reason for Shawn Shultz to get a National Title shot as he had Andrews pinned for a three count in the opening round that was missed by the ref.  Look for a Shultz v. Andrews feud coming up.

Juicy Danny Ramos is once again Grand Warrior Champ down in Wrestling Revolution.  He won it in a very good no DQ match with Teddy Hart.  Hart and Ramos had a nice feud going since Hart won the title in a three way that included Riccochet, which by the way was unbelievable. 

Little Cholo is closing in on one year as champ out in Pro Wrestling Vendetta.

NWA Mid Atlantic is up an running and it is nice to see Lance Ericksen back in the fold as the title holder.

NWA Central States had a few events this summer and the Mad Hatter dropped the title to Shane Sommers.  Mad Hatter also had to vacate the secondary belt and he no longer holds that one either.  Also in that region there is a new NWA Missouri and NWA Illinois title holders.  Mitch Johnson and Evan Morris are the new champs respectively and they will face each other where one man will walk out with both titles at a Live All Star Wrestling even this weekend.

NWA Top of Texas also had a title change as the Cancun Kid final was defeated in a ladder match by Ryan Justice.  Top of Texas is prepping for the arrival of NWA World Champ as is Wrestling Revolution.

NWA Florida Underground (or Signature Pro whatever they call themselves now) still has the same champ: JD Maverick.  Although he defends the title tonight (they have Tuesday shows) vs. Aaron Solo. 

Just a few regions and some title changes through the summer.