NWA Texoma

There a lot of really great NWA organizations right now.  NWA Mid South is probably the best since it puts on weekly shows.  Among the monthly shows NWA Smoky Mtn. and Pro Wrestling Vendetta have long histories of greatness.  But NWA Texoma is gaining ground on all of them.

NWA Texoma has always worked well with the weekly shows of NWA Top of Texas.  Part of what makes working in the same alliance so nice is cross over.  Earlier this year NWA Texoma brought down some stars from the rather new NWA Mid West.  I took notice, but NWA Mid West was pretty new and not real regular yet.  Now they are and it is NWA Midwest's turn to host Texoma.  It looks to be an 8 man tag that will put the best of NWA Mid West such as Seth Allen against NWA Texoma stars APOC, Daniles, Dane Griffth, and also Tim Storm.  If done rightly this could set up a nice return date for the North American Champ, Storm at NWA Mid West.  It is good to see Texoma not just working with next door neighbor territories.  By the way NWA Mid West in that same show is having Vince Brett, a rising star in NWA Smoky Mtn.  It is good to see him appear in other promotions as he has the makings of a future NWA World Junior Heavyweight champ.  NWA Texoma also featured Badd Blood from the Pacific Northwest earlier this year too.

But that is not even the best part.  NWA Texoma, on the same show where Tenzan beat Tim Storm to retain the World Title, the Von Erichs 3G made their debut.  They took a shot at the Tag Titles, but failed to win the title.  The won the match by DQ, but no titles.  Well, this past week they hosted Freebirds Generations (also Jax Dane defended the NWA World Title).  This tag team features Tristin Hayze and Buddy Roberts Jr and they were escorted by Miranda Gordy.  Wow!  It seems pretty clear that Ross and Marshall Von Erich are headed to a show down with the Hayze and Roberts team in the future and probably at NWA Texoma. 

Add this to the fact that Charlie Haas is a regular on the shows and the local talent of people like Mike Foxx and Jake Logan and you have a great show every month.  Keep an eye on this promotion.  They are making serious waves! 

NWA Results and what to watch for

I found out about the results for Chris Target's match at NWA Texoma.  Target lost to NWA North American champ, Tim Storm.  Obviously then the Australian title was not on the line.  Good to see Target get a shot at a larger belt.

NWA National champ is out on the road, which is good to see.  He has a match with Badd Blood at NWA Circle City wrestling in November, which is good to see Arrick Andrews go to new territories.  I think he may have been scheduled for NWA Appalachia, but I think the show was canceled.  He also got a victory over Rob Conway at NWA SAW, which is a big win for Andrews. 

At that same SAW event Jax Dane defeated Greg Anthony to retain the World Title.  Now, I make no bones about it, I want Greg Anthony as the World Champ.  But, it is good to see Dane vs. smaller guys.  I worry about the always fight the large power guy.  See his match vs. Shane Taylor and upcoming match this Saturday vs. the Giant of Smoky Mtn. Wrestling.  Greg Anthony can go, and I hope they upload that match to You Tube.  It should be noted that Greg Anthony had already successfully defended his Southern Championship earlier in the show. 

Top of Texas does not appear to have an event this weekend, but next weekend is huge as Ryan Justice has a Fatal Four Way title defense. 

NWA Supreme has a benefit show.  It appears champ Texas Outlaw will be there. 

NWA Circle City Wrestling has an event this Sunday that will feature Too Cool.  Yes, that Too Cool.  Rob Conway will be there and Rhyno goes against Dru Skillz. 

NWA Wrestling Revolution features Brian Kendrick returning to take on South Texas Champ, Eric Shadows. 

NWA Smoky Mtn. has a show as well where the aforementioned World Title Jax Dane will take on Giant Arwen, or whatever his new name is.  Jason Kincaid defends his Southeastern Title against Nick Hammonds who is the Mountain Empire champ.  If Kincaid wins, it will be a 4 year title reign.  Kid Kash also takes on EZ Money for those who care about wrestlers who used to be TV. 

Some things to watch this week. 

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.