Jordan Huie of the Overtimer here and today I’ll be recapping the first three episodes of NWA Powerrr! We of course begin with the premiere where Tim Storm has his last-ever shot at the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, his blowoff encounter with Nick Aldis!
We begin with a brief history lesson before David Marquez introduces Aldis and his charge Kamille. Marquez says they’ve gotten to know each other well, been all over the world together, asks what this all means to him. Aldis says an incredibly brilliant man once said it’s so hard to be humble. And now that he’s coming up on over 300 days as the real world’s champion, it’s hard to stay hungry. But he says NWA has gone from a punchline to a headline. He puts over the likes of the Wild Cards, James Storm, Allysin Kay; the NWA’s other champs. Aldis puts over the roster gunning for his championship, which brings him to Tim Storm.
Aldis says he respects him as much as anyone he’s ever met but respect is a two way street. Aldis says that every meal that he’s ever put on his son’s dinner table comes from pro wrestling and he hasn’t come this far to do the J-O-B in the ATL. When they’re done, you will know why he is the National Treasure and the World’s Heavyweight Champion.
The Dawsons vs. Sal Rinauro & Billy Buck
Dawsons immediately commence with a double suplex. Zane Dawson is legal, goes for the cover but then picks Rinauro up before the cover. Hoists him up, Sal gets a slap and gets the tag. Buck comes in, eats a huge lariato. Buck taken to the corner, tag to opposing Dawson, double team elbow/side slam. Rinauro comes off the top, eats a huge uppercut out of the air. Buck whipped to Zane, basically hit the Compactor to get the quick win.
Winners: The Dawsons
Afterwards they get an interview saying that was just a taste of what you’re gonna get from them. They own this world, they’re here to fight everybody and they don’t care how they win. They’re the two guys you turn the other way from when you see them in the alley, the two guys who bullied you for your lunch money when you were kids.
We get one of NWA’s great, wacky commercials promoting Austin Idol’s training facility. Universal Wrestling College!
We come back to see Joe introducing Eli Drake. He asks what’s on his mind and Eli interrupts to say you can ask anybody on this Earth that Atlanta GA is NWA country. Big pop, round of ‘yeah’. He says it doesn’t take a scientist to look around this place and tell you there’s something different about this place. Because everywhere in this business you got a buncha children, but here you have grown men. You look at James Storm, you look at Nick Aldis. Well each and every one of you with a belt, keep your eyes open ’cause Eli’s coming for you. He will walk out with their titles and that’s not an insult, that’s just a fact of life.
Eli Drake vs. Caleb Konley
Konley with a side headlock, Eli shoots him off, shoulder tackle. Caleb gets a roll-up for quick kickout, trips him, cradles him again, Eli keeps kicking out but Caleb gets a big dropkick! Chops, monkey flip! Runs the corner, wants another monkey flip but Eli holds onto the ropes to send him to the mat. Caleb avoids an elbow, but Aldis avoids a corner charge and hits a Running Neckbreaker! Bodyslam, Caleb slips to the back for a waistlock, but Drake slips around, another neckbreaker gets 2.
Eli starts laying in the stomps as they chant “Eli”. Caleb strikes his way to his feet, gets drop toe held into the second rope. Eli with a running kick from the apron, slingshot shoulder block gets two! Eli has the fans spell out his name, before going for a slam but Konley escapes, gets the enziguri, blocks some blows and gets some good shots in, roundhouse kick lays Drake out! Whips him, Drake avoids and throws him to the apron, Konley with the WWE Headkick, slingshot corkscrew splash gets a nearfall! Konley strieks in the corner, Drake reverses a whip but a double foot stomp takes him to the mat! Konley up top, gets a BME but Drake has the boots up! Hoists him up, Air Raid Crash and that’s that!
Winner: Eli Drake
Pretty good showcase for both men, solid win to build Eli. Pretty clearly gonna be a major name in NWA.
We see a video of Aldis making the challenge to Tim Storm; one last match for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. Storm accepted of course, because he knows in his heart that he can beat him.
Jocephus interrupts the commentators as they’re about to introduce Tim Storm. Jocephus yells for Storm, demands to get him out here now. Corny asks if they should take a break and see if they can get him out here. They indeed cut to see some interviews with fans putting over the resurgence of NWA. We come back and Jocephus still hollering to get Storm out here. “Where is Stoooooooorm?!”
He keeps calling for it… and James Storm emerges! “Yannow I hear you saying ‘Storm this, Storm that’, well lemme tell you something boy, I’m the only Storm you need to worry about!” Calls himself the one and only James Motherlovin’ Storm! He says Jocephus is just a guy trying to pretend he’s tough. Guys like him could never walk a mile in his shoes. Says guys like Jocephus think they can go around the world making a living doing this, he demands he go back to his desk job and quit playing star, leave this place to a real star. He says Jocephus is nothing but a joke. Brawl breaks out, referees have to separate them.
The Wild Cards vs. Danny White & Mims (Non-title)
Isaacs throws hands immediately to take out Danny White. Tag to Lattimer who comes in with a running elbow drop. White tags to Mims, Lattimer attacks him on his way in, Wild Cards get Mims with a series of corner clotheslines, Royce finishes with a flying senton after tagging in. Mims gets pummeled. Stomped in the corner. Isaacs throws Mims to his own corner, goads White to tag in and he does. Tag to Lattimer, White gets whipped into a powerbomb from Lattimer, huge German Suplex from Isaacs and that’s that.
Winners: The Wild Cards
Quick, decisive win to ensure the tag champs look strong.
Marquez interviews them afterwards, says the world is eyeing both of them and want those belts just as much. Lattimer interrupts saying no one cares what he has to say, they are the tag team champions of the world. Isaacs calls themselves thoroughbreds, but Eddie Kingston comes out to interrupt. He says he’s not here to disrespect Bram – sorry, Tommy boy… he says the Wild Cards are holding the top tag titles in the world today. They chirp about this and Kingston demands they let him speak before they get slapped. Says in his world, it means nothing to him because they don’t speak for guys like him, they don’t speak for stray dogs and underdogs, they don’t speak for the outlaws of the world. Wild Cards are pissed about this, shove the podium away! Homicide emerges to back up Kingston!
Meanwhile Storm and Jocephus are still brawling their way through the arena! Jocephus gets in the ring as Storm as being held back, Jocephus is demanding they let him square off! After a commercial break and a loud “Let them fight” chant, Storm breaks away from restraints and rushes the ring! Jocephus bails and Storm chases him all across the arena! Finally grabs him, pulls him up into the stands to give everyone a look! Jocephus reverses a whip to send Storm into the ring and get a breather. Now it’s Storm trying to goad him into the ring. Jocephus gestures that he needs to put his hands behind his back first. Storm acquiesces! “Let’s go Cowboy” chant starts, James turns his back on Jocephus as he enters the ring… bell rings!
James Storm vs. Jocephus
Jocephus starts to charge but James twitches his leg and he hesitates… finally rushes in, eats a Last Call superkick and that’s it!
Winner: James Storm
Afterwards, Storm isn’t done, rams him with knee lifts, hoists him up and gives him another Last Call! Before Jocephus falls, James puts his thumb in his mouth and he ends up laid out on the mat lookin’ like a baby.
We get an interview with Tim Storm saying he never even dreamed of being NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion. To say that he deserves to be on the list of the greatest names of all time, that can’t be true. It’s humbling. People will say because of his age he shouldn’t be doing this, he says he hopes he’s 70 and still wrestling. It’s a beautiful view from the mountaintop. He never wants to come down.
We see Aldis defeat Storm for his first title reign and a brief highlight reel for his run. We again see him lay down the challenge to Storm for tonight’s match.
Joe then introduces Tim Storm at ringside. Brings up that if he’s unable to do this, it’ll be his last shot and asks what’s going through his mind. Storm says what defined pro wrestling for him growing up was NWA from Georgia. But what defines him as a man is completely different from what defines him as a pro wrestler. He’s got a 94-year-old mom that he couldn’t even tell that he was gonna be here today. Says she wouldn’t ask if he lost but if he got hurt. Says he’s still Momma Storm’s baby boy. “Momma” chant breaks out.
Storm calls Aldis one of the best champions of all time, says he didn’t have to give him this chance. Says this was not an easy decision, but he has to do it because there is nothing in the world more important to him than the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion. He quotes a philosopher who says if you have one chance, one opportunity to have everything you ever wanted, would you do it? Or would you let it slip? He says the truth is this: under those circumstances, he can’t lose. Reiterates sternly that there is nothing more important to him than that title.
NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship: Nick Aldis (c) w/Kamille vs. Tim Storm
Tie-up, Aldis forces Storm to the corner only to get tossed across the ring! Tie-up again, Aldis gets Storm to the corner again, chop, gets immediately responded with a much harder one and Aldis scurries to the opposite corner! Aldis with a kick to the gut, forces him to the corner and pounds on him, Storm reverses and lays in shot after shot! Pulls him out, side headlock, Aldis shoots him, Storm gets the shoulder tackle! Aldis wants an arm drag, Storm escapes and wipes him out with a haymaker!
Aldis bails, Storm pursues and goes clubberin’, Aldis reverses a whip and sends him right into the post! Kamille stares Storm down as Aldis approaches. Rams Storm spinefirst into the apron, sends him into the ring. Scoop slam, elbow drop gets a 1 count. Running back elbow gets 2, Aldis wears him down with a headlock. Storm fights to his feet, body shots. Hits the ropes after an escape but Aldis catches him in a sleeper. Storm brings Aldis into the corner to escape! Catches him with back elbows on charges! Shoots him to the ropes, big boot!
Aldis reverses into a double leg trip, wants the Cloverleaf but Storm gets him with an inside cradle! Storm trips now, and gets him in a Figure Four Leglock! Shoulders are down for a moment and Aldis has to get them back up at 2! Aldis struggles, eventually makes it to the bottom rope, Storm holds on for an extra 3. Aldis goes up top but Storm cuts him off, superplex for a nearfall! Storm up top! Crossbody gets a nearfall! And now he goes to the well again. Up to the second rope, swanton, but Aldis rolls out of the way and he crashes into the mat! Aldis up top now, big elbow drop to the small of the back! Aldis now gets him in the Kingsly Cloverleaf! Storm fighting to the ropes, Aldis pulls him into the center and gets it in deep! Chant for “Momma Storm” wills him on! And it’s working, he pushes up and makes it to the ropes!
Aldis is a bit frustrated. Scoops him up for a powerslam, Storm slips behind and throws him away, Aldis barely avoids knocking into the referee… Storm surprises him with a lowblow! Shoots him to the ropes, hits the Perfect Storm!! Narrow, narrow nearfall! Storm struggles his way to the top rope, Aldis cuts him off, goes up top with him. Headbutt sends both to the floor! Kamille again gets way too close to Storm as the referee keeps an eye on her. Aldis goes over to Storm, Storm ducks a clothesline and Aldis accidentally wipes out Kamille! Storm clobbers him, throws him into the ring! Wants a suplex, but Aldis counters it into an inside cradle and that is that.
Winner: Nick Aldis
We see Kamille get to her feet as Aldis is announced the winner. Storm is in tears as the crowd applauds his efforts. Chant of “NWA” as Storm slowly rises.
Storm stays in the ring as Aldis goes over to the interview area. Joe says emotions are running through him, this seems like a bittersweet moment. Aldis says the NWA stands for ‘National Wrestling Alliance’ but it also stands for ‘Never Without Authenticity’. Aldis says Tim Storm is as authentic as they come, and a hell of a man. Joe asks Kamille how she feels after that errant clothesline. Aldis gets between them and says she’s fine. Joe keeps trying to ask how she feels and Aldis tells him not to take the moment away from Tim Storm. “Save your clickbait stuff for another day, how about that?”
That’s the note we leave on.