Harley Race. Dusty Rhodes. Tim Storm. Nick Aldis. The past, the present and the future. It all clashes with the NWA each and every show. The more things change, the more they stay the same and Wrestling At The Chase encapsulates that perfectly. So much rich history in St Louis and NWA are determined to hold on to their legacy and not only show the wrestling world where they’ve come from but where they’re going. As much as they respect the old guard, there’s a whole heap of new talent backstage who are ready to go out and put on a show and live up to the NWA name.
After the exceptional Empowerrr show on Saturday night, NWA 73 had a lot to live up to. The women took every opportunity they were given and their stars have never shone brighter. With Joe Galli, Conrad Thompson and Velvet Sky at ringside calling the action, this Sunday night card was a solid mix of both men and women’s wrestling with championships on the line, careers on the line and a fresh bunch of talent reaching for that brass ring and continuing to break through that glass ceiling that so many did in the same building the night before. This was a celebration of the professional wrestling you grew up with as a child and what made you fall in love with it in the first place.
We’d like to thank the legendary John Goodman for providing the narration for the opening of #NWA73.
History. Legacy. Tradition.
It all happens here.
This is the NWA.https://t.co/bCn5I2nlsv
— NWA (@nwa) August 28, 2021
Tim Storm vs Thom Latimer vs Crimson
Crimson got attacked outside of the ring before the match even started. His now-former partner took him out, slammed him through a ladder and then smashed the ladder on him some more just to show his intentions as a singles star. While the chaos took over outside, Latimer gained control inside the ring with a chair on Storm and it all got as crazy as we all expected. If you’ve never seen Tim Storm, then I’ll go out on a limb and say he’s been one of the best things about the NWA over the past few years. If you get the chance, then go back and watch some of his matches because he’s one of the most believable and lovable talents they have on the roster.
This Brawl In The Lou was every bit as physical as it was hyped up to be with not a moment wasted. Slams on the outside. Punches being thrown all over the place. Absolutely no love lost between anyone. You couldn’t have hoped for a hotter opener for the PPV and it really set the tone for the rest of the card. Latimer is a cold and calculated maniac. At one point he set up a guard rail, then dived off a ridiculously high ladder right through Tim Storm’s body. The floor, just covered in carpet, had absolutely no give.
Crimson made a valiant return, taking it to Thom while Tim was down and out on the outside. A death valley driver through two chairs looked to have it won but Storm pulled out the referee and suddenly any friendship or respect was out of the window. Let me tell you I would not want to get in the ring with any of these guys. The NWA crowd were solidly behind Tim Storm and fired him up, and while Crimson took a belt as a weapon Storm then stole the ref’s belt to even the score. Latimer tried to get some offence in again but both his opponents threw him out of the ring again, allowing Storm to hit a Perfect Storm on Crimson right to his injured ribs and pick up a hugely popular win. Tim Storm is my hero and he should be yours too.
Mickie James vs Kylie Rae
From being a backstage hero at Empowerrr to stepping in the ring against one of the most popular current stars in NWA, Mickie James had quite the weekend. She quickly had to shift from worrying about everyone else to being a little more selfish as facing Rae was certainly no easy task. Could Mickie still deliver at the top level against the best talent in 2021? And would Kylie be able to keep her nerves together in such a huge occasion against a true legend? Despite Rae’s popularity, the ‘Thank you Mickie’ chants filled the arena, showing the love for everything Empowerrr but as soon as that bell rang it was all about focusing on the win.
After that insane opening brawl, the women delivered a technical masterclass to start with, slowing the mood down and quickly showing some impressive escapes and counters to try and gain an advantage. Smiles and laughs turned into some vicious kick exchanges as both women soon decided to cut through all the respect and try to gain the all-important win instead. James showed that she still had the flexibility and determination that many associates with her, hitting a huge top rope dive and nearly pinning Kylie for the 1-2-3 but the smiler wasn’t ready to give up quite yet. In fact, just a few seconds later she hit a near-perfect kick right to Mickie’s face and almost had the win herself.
Kylie might be all sweetness and light but once she’s between those ropes she has a mean streak include a deadly crossface and took James to the limit but Mickie has been through so many battles over the years and knows how to power through the pain. Rae was about to finish James off with a cannonball in the corner but the veteran moved out of the way at the last second and her opponent was down and out. Mickie saw that Kylie was vulnerable and seized the opportunity to hit her huge DDT finisher and come out on top. Hardcore Country blasted through the arena and everyone celebrated a fantastic match – well, everyone apart from a mysterious masked woman who rushed in and attacked James, unveiling herself to be the Virtuosa Deonna Purrazzo. A stark reminder that despite all the celebrations during the weekend, Deonna is still on top in Impact Wrestling and AAA and no one should forget that.
Welcome back @MickieJames ? #NWA73 @nwa @IMPACTWRESTLING pic.twitter.com/34vXmPu3Yz
— The Virtuosa (@DeonnaPurrazzo) August 30, 2021
Tyrus, Jordan Clearwater and The Masked Man vs Pope and The End
With Conrad off commentary and replaced by my hero Tim Storm, we were back to some men’s action with a whole lot of bad blood. Tyrus is no longer the dancing fool many of you may have been familiar with previously. He’s a no-nonsense big man that will happily destroy anyone in front of him and it looked like he might start things but he told the crowd to kiss his behind and tagged right out. Instead, Jordan got in on the action first against both members of The End and it really didn’t work out well for him. Power move after power move, he was almost crushed into oblivion within the first few minutes but showed a surprising amount of fight, and eventually got rescued by The Masked Man.
Pope was fired up but lost control of Clearwater and this allowed Tyrus to get in and show him who’s boss. For three very unlikeable guys, Tyrus and his team showed a decent amount of teamwork even if it was a lot of cheating along the way with sneaky tags and attacking the Pope in their corner. The Masked Man showed some impressive innovation that even surprised Tim Storm on commentary and the dominance on Pope left him desperate for a tag which he thankfully got. The End remind me a lot of the Viking Raiders and that’s no bad thing, with surprising speed and a whole lot of physicality.
Every time Tyrus got in the ring there was a huge amount of booing from the crowd. No one likes him but he just doesn’t care these days. He’s not there to please anyone apart from himself. Suddenly everything broke down with some outside interference which Tyrus took advantage of by hitting a heart punch and just when he was about to win The Masked Man stole a tag and the pin. They may have got the win, but it was clearly a team of three individual egos that couldn’t care less about each other. I think there’s far more to come between those guys and I just know I wouldn’t want to be on the opposite end of a Tyrus beatdown.
NWA National Heavyweight Championship – Chris Adonis (c) vs James Storm
A battle between two men who clearly have a lot of experience in the industry over the years from WWE to NXT to Impact Wrestling and beyond, and yet they’re both still finding success and championships even in 2021. You can’t question the talent that both Adonis and Storm have and hey everyone loves to drink a beer with James Storm right? Actually I don’t drink beer but I’ll always have a soft spot for his Beer Money team with Bobby Roode from back in the day. BEER. MONEY! I also like to think I’ve got a very similar physique to Chris Adonis but I haven’t looked in the mirror for a few years so that might not be true. You can trace the history of the title way back to Jack Brisco, Dusty Rhodes and Tully Blanchard so it’s certainly a championship worth fighting for.
This was Storm’s return to NWA and what a night to step back into the company. With the crowd firmly behind him, James knew exactly what he was getting into with Chris Adonis. The power game of the champion is known far and wide, and Chris being a part of Strictly Business has given him an additional cocky edge. Adonis used his power to ground James Storm from the get-go and wrestle the match on his terms but the former NWA tag team champion eventually upped the pace and used his agility to gain an advantage. Things broke down and spilled outside and Chris smashed James into the ring post, happy to take any victory he could get. But with so many years up and down the road, it takes a lot to put away a guy like James Storm.
Adonis spent the match trying to weaken his opponent’s body parts to set up for his submission finisher and every time it looked like Storm might be getting some momentum, Chris smashed him with a punch or a vicious elbow to gain control again. A fiery babyface comeback finally came and the crowd went wild, with James hitting a picture-perfect top rope hurricanrana and following up with a few huge moves including the double knees to the face to try and set up for the Last Call. It wasn’t his night though as Adonis blocked it and from there it was all about a back and forth over the Masterlock. The champ got cocky, drank some beer and ate the Last Call for the 1-2-3 or so we thought as the referee made the call that Adonis had his foot on the rope. The crowd chanted ‘ref you suck!’ and Chris took the advantage, rolled up James Storm and got the pin with his feet on the rope. A screwy and controversial finish leaving Storm raging in the ring and a deflated and disappointed crowd but a well-deserved ‘thank you Cowboy’ chant gave James something to smile about even if it wasn’t the National Heavyweight Championship. I think he’ll be back for a rematch sooner rather than later.
Wooooooooo!
When you think of NWA, then one of the first names that come to mind absolutely has to be Ric Flair. When you’re looking to fill that Mount Rushmore of wrestling, then how many of you are putting Flair up there? I’d say most people definitely give him a spot. So, if you’re going to be looking at the legacy of wrestling and NWA, then it’s no surprise that they had Ric Flair come out and share a few words. He’s still got the fire in his soul. He’s still the man. He’s still showing that passion for everything he’s been through and there’s no one quite like the Nature Boy.
The refreshing moment when a guy leaves WWE, gets the mic at another event and PRAISES them instead of burying them.
He's telling stories, he's putting folk over, @RicFlairNatrBoy is having a wild time and so am I!
Thank you @NWA! #NWA73 pic.twitter.com/1qmocFoC3D
— Tom Campbell (@TomCampbell) August 30, 2021
I mean sure, he cries a lot these days, but he’s got so many stories to tell that it’s always a pleasure to see him. Flair surprisingly took the time to thank HHH, Shawn Michaels, Undertaker and even Vince McMahon for building him up and reminding him of who he was. All men who loved NWA growing up and now Flair is back in front of an NWA crowd where he belongs. A heartfelt and heartwarming promo from one of the biggest legends ever and the audience ate up every word. If you’ve never seen Ric Flair’s earlier work, then do yourself a favour and go find it because he was as over as anyone you’ll ever see. And you know what? He still is.
12 Man Battle Royale – #1 Contendership for the NWA National Championship – JTG, El Rudo, Jamie Stanley, Marche Rockett, Slice Boogie, Jeremiah Plunkett, Luke Hawx, Captain Yuma, Rush Freeman, Heartthrob Jaden, Mims, Sal Rinauro and Judias
Just when everyone thought they had it figured out a mysterious tune played and, the Sinister Minister himself, Father James Mitchell came out and led the monster called Judias to ringside. Formerly of NWA Wildside and NWA Anarchy before moving on to TNA where he teamed with Gunner (aka Jaxson Ryker) he hasn’t been seen for quite some time so he was a big surprise to everyone standing in that ring. Being aligned with Mitchell is more than enough to give someone an intimidating presence but a good few men tried their luck against Judias as the bell rang, but let’s be honest – it didn’t exactly go well for them. His size and power were far too much for his smaller opponents.
While it looked like everyone might focus on Judias, it quickly broke down with every man for himself for quite some time. As the commentary team made clear, all eyes were on the prize – a shot at the NWA National Championship that Chris Adonis fought so hard to retain. I was personally impressed by the fight between Sal Rinauro and Captain Yuma, both showing some great athleticism until Plunkett took the Captain by surprise. Another great spot had seven men involved in a crazy multiple suplex leaving most of the field on their backs apart from Judias.
Anyone notice @SalRinauro's attire?
❓Can you name all the legends represented?#NWA73 pic.twitter.com/QcORt67s2l
— NWA (@nwa) August 30, 2021
It was all too hectic for me to break down every single elimination. Sal got a few guys out but he was then left facing the giant surprise entrant and received a Razor’s Edge right over the top rope. It was looking like no one could stop Judias but Slice Boogie stepped up and many thought he might be the favourite but that didn’t end well for him either. Judias even nearly crushed someone under a Tower of Doom move and it all got pretty messy from there. Despite all the punishment being dealt by the big man, everyone kept fighting back as much as they could, but it came down to the popular JTG trying to cut down the monster and it just wasn’t enough. A stiff punch knocked the fan favourite off the apron and Judias shocked the world by becoming the Number 1 contender for the NWA National Championship with a maniacally happy James Mitchell looking on. I doubt Chris Adonis liked that result at all.
NWA Women’s Championship – Kamille (c) vs Chelsea Green
What a weekend for Chelsea Green. Stealing the spotlight at Empowerrr on Saturday night, proving all her doubters wrong and winning the invitational but also grabbing an opportunity at Kamille’s title. And for me, Kamille was in the match of the night at Empowerrr, defending it in a back and forth battle with Leyla Hirsch who lived up to her ‘Legit’ nickname for sure. So both women only had a night to prepare for their second match of the weekend but Green has fought an uphill battle for years now and Kamille isn’t someone who makes excuses. She will defend that title no matter who is opposite her in the ring.
The match started off with both women feeling each other out, trying a number of submissions and quick pinfalls to see exactly what they were dealing with. Chelsea outsmarted Kamille on a few occasions while the champ got to showcase some of that strength she’s well known for. What was clear is the determination both had to walk out of The Chase with that belt. Chelsea looked to use speed to outrun Kamille’s blows but it only took a few mistakes to allow Kamille to hit some brutal strikes and a huge suplex with which she nearly threw Green from one side of the ring to the other. The champ loves dishing out punishment but found out just how much Chelsea can take as she kept coming back for more.
Unsurprisingly Kamille’s focus switched to Chelsea’s wrist which she has had so many problems with recently. And yet with every move she went for, Green managed to slip out and hit various desperation moves like a cutter to try and survive just a little more. As much of a fighter as you’ll ever find in between those ropes, Chelsea gave it her all to dethrone Kamille and it really looked like it might be her night. She managed to avoid a spear, hit a German suplex and looked like she was on a roll but got hit by a second spear attempt yet survived Kamille’s pin attempt by finding the bottom rope with her foot. She went for her modified Unprettier finisher but Kamille had her number, locking in a submission on the already injured arm and forcing Chelsea to tap. Green was tough and forced the champion to dig deep into her arsenal to walk out with the belt on her shoulder. Another great showing for women’s wrestling and it’s looking like it’ll have a bright future in NWA.
NWA World Tag Team Championship – Aron Stevens and Kratos vs La Rebelion
I can’t keep up with the number of surprises NWA delivered over the weekend. Just as we were waiting for the first team to make their entrance for the match the LAX theme hit and Konnan made a shocking appearance to be in the corner of La Rebelion. That was something that Stevens and Kratos couldn’t have planned for, and while they’re an odd couple, they’re a team that has come together to find success recently. Most people will know Stevens as the former Damien Sandow, so he has a huge wealth of experience from all over the world, while Kratos has worked with Josh Barnett so you can imagine the level of physicality that he brings to the ring.
Bestia 666 and Mecha Wolf 450 were dominated by the champions in the early moments of their title opportunity as Stevens and Kratos showed their newfound teamwork. Kratos worked on his opponents methodically with some impressive power moves like a one-armed stalling vertical suplex and used quick tags to Stevens. They were working well together until Stevens got caught in the wrong corner, got bitten and even took a few shots from Konnan who wasn’t just there to smile on the outside. It all broke down pretty quickly and the numbers really didn’t work in the champions’ favour at all. Aron got worked on by both members of La Rebelion – and the sneaky third one outside – and struggled to tag in the fresh man. Kratos didn’t help by getting frustrated and allowing his opponents to use sneaky tactics when he was accidentally distracting the referee.
Stevens dug deep on a number of occasions and finally, Kratos got his opportunity to deliver his unique brand of destruction with massive suplexes, clotheslines and slams. It looked like Kratos had beat down La Rebelion enough to set up for Stevens to deliver a Doomsday Device but instead, things turned around with an escape, a Konnan distraction and a low blow. Bestia hit a moonsault on Kratos outside and then quickly rushed to the top rope and delivered a Mark Of The Beast to Aron Stevens on Mecha’s shoulders for a huge victory. As impressive as La Rebelion are, you can’t help but wonder how they would’ve done without Konnan by their side. I hope Stevens and Kratos get a rematch under fairer circumstances, but hey we all love hearing from Konnan anyway. He cut a passionate promo after the match to put over the women from Empowerrr, professional wrestling and another celebration of all things NWA. I couldn’t be too angry with him after that.
NWA World Heavyweight Championship – Title vs Career – Nick Aldis (c) vs Trevor Murdoch
If you’re a WWE fan then yes, it’s that Trevor Murdoch from over a decade ago who teamed with Lance Cade. Ever since then he’s been going around on the independents, retired for a while and then walked back into wrestling for the National Wrestling Alliance and he’s never looked better. When you watch men like Aldis and Murdoch you can’t help but feel like the NWA is exactly where they were meant to be, with both men capturing that classic professional wrestling feel that so many yearn for. Aldis is the modern Harley Race/Ric Flair champion mould that belongs at the top of NWA while Murdoch feels more like a Terry Funk everyman that anyone can get behind. He loves wrestling and wrestles every match like it’s his life on the line. With everything both men have been through, there was no doubt that NWA 73 had to be headlined by them – but this time Trevor’s career would be on the line too.
.@TheRealTMurdoch with the tribute to Harley Race???? @nwa #NWA73 on @FiteTV pic.twitter.com/OMOFn4DduR
— BATTLE (@battleonair) August 30, 2021
At this point Aldis had held the title for over 1000 days since defeating Cody Rhodes in 2018, working hard to restore the belt to its former glory. He may have been confident, but Murdoch was the hometown hero so at times it felt like Nick was wrestling against hundreds of people at once. Aldis jumped Murdoch on the outside as quickly as he could but Trevor gained the advantage and brawled through the crowd before the match even officially started. This wasn’t a wrestling match – this was a vicious fight with both men brawling as their lives depended on it. Body shots, chops and using guard rails all contributed to the chaos as the referees and staff tried to gain control and it didn’t work until Billy Corgan himself came out and forced Aldis to get in the ring or lose the title. Nick taunted Billy over and over, even slamming Murdoch on the hard floor right in front of him.
For all the talk of respect and legacies and tradition over the weekend, the champion had absolutely no interest in wrestling a fair fight, but it was the heart of Trevor Murdoch that kept the fight going. The crowd were hot for every punch, kick and move that Trevor could pull out against the dastardly champ and I’m pretty sure there would’ve been a riot if Nick had retained the title. But sometimes fairy tales do come true, and NWA 73 delivered one to wrestling fans worldwide. It wasn’t easy with a ref bump, a low blow and Aldis even tormenting Murdoch’s family at ringside while smashing Trevor’s skull against the ring post. Nick completely lost control, even punching the timekeeper and hitting a picture-perfect top rope elbow to the outside through a table onto Murdoch. But none of that was enough to keep Trevor down and he valiantly fought back to hit the top rope bulldog to save his career, win the NWA title and blow the roof off. Ric Flair made his way down again and led the crowd in huge applause while Murdoch’s family hit the ring and celebrated. What a way to end a historic weekend. Well done Trevor Murdoch and I’m pretty sure Tim Storm and Velvet Sky are still crying now.
Full Results
- Tim Storm defeated Crimson and Thom Latimer in the Brawl In The Lou
- Mickie James defeated Kylie Rae
- Tyrus, Jordan Clearwater and The Mystery Man defeated Pope and The End
- NWA National Championship – Chris Adonis (c) defeated James Storm to retain
- 12 Man Battle Royale – #1 Contendership for the NWA National Championship – Judais defeated Sal Rinauro, JTG, Capt. Yuma, Marsche Rockket, Jeremiah Plunkett, Luke Hawx, Matthew Mims, El Rudo, Jamie Stanley, Rush Freeman and Jaden
- NWA Women’s Championship – Kamille (c) defeated Chelsea Green to retain
- NWA World Tag Team Championships – La Rebelion defeated Aron Stevens and Kratos (c) to become the new champions
- NWA World Heavyweight Championship – Trevor Murdoch defeated Nick Aldis (c) to become the new champion
Final Thoughts
Wow. After finishing Empowerrr, I honestly wondered how NWA could follow that show, especially the very next night, but NWA 73 had some fantastic matches that lived up to everything delivered the night before. A crazy opening brawl, another few top-class women’s matches, and a main event that captured the heart and passion that NWA has been known for decades now. If you weren’t a fan of NWA before this weekend, then surely these two shows have convinced you to tune in to future shows. Everyone busted their asses from bottom to top and professional wrestling is alive and well. The tradition still exists. That wrestling that you grew up on is still out there. You just need to know where to look and NWA is one of those places. Billy Corgan has something special on his hands with some incredible talent and I look forward to seeing what they deliver in the future.
Pics courtesy of Fite TV