NWA Powerrr Playback for Episode 18 (Money Where Your Mouth Is )

By
Ian Abugov

After 73 years in operation, the National Wrestling Alliance is alive and drop-kicking. Owned and operated by Smashing Pumpkins Billy Corgan, the federations weekly YouTube broadcast NWA Powerrr provides an excellent and original alternative to the larger promotions. The hour-long broadcast is shot in Atlanta s GPB studios. Those of us of a certain age will recall that the NWA shows of close to 40 years ago that were shot in the same location. Memories readily come to mind of Superstar Paul Jones, Jimmy Valiant and so many more. This week’s edition of Powerrr is called Money Where Your Mouth Is.

This is bare-bones studio wrestling as well, no theme music, no pyro, unvaried lighting, one entrance aisle, not even a ramp, talent entering the ring successively. The roster, far from huge with wrestlers from R.O.H. being featured prominently. The two promotions will collaborate on a major PPV in April spotlighting the prestigious Crockett Cup. Featured on Powerrr “Money Where Their Mouth Is?” –

WWE alumni Sean Mooney is part of the broadcast team and he summarizes last week’s show to get the festivities underway.

The opening contest features Ring of Honor’s The Bouncers taking on the Dawson Brothers, Dave, and Zane. The latter pair with a quasi Briscoe Bros/Dem Boys look, come out accompanied by their manager, Pope Elijah Burke.

The Bouncers whose schtick revolves around consuming beer are accompanied to the squared circle by Eddie Kingston. Impact fans will remember Kingston as the King, the manager of the OG’s, Homicide and Hernandez who had a great feud with LAX just over one year ago.

This was a hard-hitting back and forth affair. Four very large competitors engaging in a real pier 6 brawl. The Bouncers took home the winner’s share of the purse after a well-executed challenging set of moves. Brian Milonas who weighs 400 pounds and is like a 21st-century version of King Kong Bundy administered a superplex from the second rope which was followed by a top rope frog splash from the Beer City Bruiser. Keep in mind the latter looks to be in his forties and tips the scales at over 300 pounds.

A post-match celebration was to follow with James Storm and Eli Drake who were doing color commentary joined by the victors who drank beer from the Crockett Cup. Eli Drake feigning to join the fun only to ultimately take a slug from his water bottle.

We then cut to a Nick Aldis wrap up of last weekend’s ROH PPV in Baltimore.

Aldis, the reigning NWA champ while as technically sound as anyone in the game today is cast as a cowardly and conniving champion backed by a stable known as Strictly Business. Aldis is feuding with his fellow countryman Marty Scurll and this a lead up to a challenge Aldis issued to Scurl over the weekend. More on that later.

The next match featured Thom Latimer of Strictly Business vs Tim Storm. Latimer looks like a hybrid of Pac and Aleister Black. Tim Storm is a modern-day blue-collar hero. In great shape for a man in his early fifties, Storm reminds me of a Highway Patrolman who you wind up adoring for letting you off with a warning even though you were driving at 136 km/hour.

Another hard-hitting back and forth affair which saw Storm dominating the scorecard but unable to put Latimer way. The latter would wind up with a modified DDT with a sensational name, the Brighter Side of Suffering.

During his interviews, Storm frequently references his 95-year-old mother, Mama Storm.

To further humiliate our hero from Pine Bluff, Arkansas, Strictly Business marched out a bogus Mama Storm to lay her son out in lavender. Storm raised his hand to the imposter but did refrain from taking further action.

We see Trevor Murdoch being interviewed and the affable and gritty Texan wants a shot at either the NWA National or TV Title. The former, held by Aron Stevens, the sports entertainer formerly known as Damien Sandow. Stevens masked bodyguard – mentor, The Question Mark, billed as being from Mongrovia appeared and grunted his homeland’s anthem and seemed to accept Murdoch s challenge.

Sean Mooney reappears with a newsflash. Nick Aldis will indeed accept Marty Scurll’s challenge for the 10 Pounds Of Gold. The stipulation, however, is that if the Villain Scurll loses, he will have to hand over to Nick Aldis a cheque for half a million dollars. Nick, do yourself a favor and insist that it be certified. On NWA Powerrr we could see someone is where their money mouth is.

Sean Mooney also informs us that next week’s Powerrr will be pre-empted to debut a new show entitled Circle Squared. The concept being, aspiring wrestlers will get the chance to appear live via YouTube and show off their in-ring and mic skills.

The home audience would then get to vote for their faves. Quite the refreshing concept and should be fun.

Next up, a TV championship match featuring Ricky Starks vs Matt Cross, the very first Smash Wrestling champion. These TV championship matches are very exciting because you must beat your opponent in 6 minutes and 5 seconds or less. For those of you who may not know Ricky Starks, he’s a high energy high flying competitor who looks he is one Red Bull over the line.

After a slow start and feeling out process, the acrobatics came into play at about the two-minute mark. Then with six seconds left in the contest, Matt Cross hit Starks with his finishing move, the Cross Cutter but stood stagnant for 3 seconds. The bell chimed and we had ourselves a draw.

Out of the blue popped out Outlandish Zicky Dice, great mic skills and a Johnny Valiant feel with Elton John glasses look. Dice called the match a yawn fest and said that the difference between Starks and Dice is that unlike the TV champ, the Outlandish one finishes every time.

The Latina Lion, Marti Belle had her chance to set the record straight on her relationship and 10-year friendship with former champion Allysin Kay.

The schism would not be patched up. Kay trying to get Belle to believe that she was being manipulated by Melina, yes THAT Melina, but that Kay would always have her back.

Perfect transition into a match between Melina and Tasha Steelz. Pretty well a squash encounter, no surprises here except how crisply Melina moved. When all was said and done Melina grabbed the mic and stated that she insists on a championship match next week. Slight problem apart from the show being pre-empted. The belt is currently held by the immensely talented Thunder Rosa.

Billed as being from the graveyards of Tiajuana and wearing Rosemary like makeup, Rosa has exhibited first-rate wrestling skills and more. She is excellent on the mic, has a sense of humor and even world-class facial expressions. Slight complication, she is part of a Melina led faction. Even Environment Canada can predict this face turn.

The final contest pitted the Rock and Roll Express, Ricky Morton and Robert Gibson of 1980s notoriety vs Nick Aldis and Royce Isaacs. Credit is given where credit is due. Morton and Gibson while not looking the part can still go.

The match began with a touch of comedy, albeit a bit sophomoric.

Royce Isaacs was distracted because his unrequited love interest May Valentine came to watch the match with jobber Sal Rinauro. With Isaacs looking into the crowd more than focusing on his legendary opponents, the domination by the Express was very predictable. Even Aldis admonished his teammate for being distracted. Once Aldis was tagged in, the match was fought on a more even keel.

In the end, though we witnessed the time-honored convention of the referee not calling what he doesn’t see. Strictly Business would emerge victorious thanks to Isaacs resorting to a thumb in the eye followed by a pin with his legs CLEARLY draping the second rope on this edition of Powerrr “Money Where Your Mouth Is”.

We go off the air with another National Treasure – Villain promo with a promise that in seven short days we will know where and when the championship match will take place. All that possible because Marty Scurll put his Powerrr money, where his mouth is.

Powerrr Money where your mouth is
Photo / NWA

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