Back in the late 80's, the WWF was a great show to watch, but I needed something different to satisfy my wrestling appetite. It was then that I discovered that Channel 68 in The Bronx had wrestling on everyday at 7 p.m. On Sunday, I was treated to the UWF, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, I was treated to the Von Erich family's form of wrestling and on Wednesdays, I got a look at California Championship Wrestling. Mondays and Fridays were my favorite days, because I got a glimpse at the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA). I didn't know much about them, but from watching their shows, I did know that they were the #2 powerhouse in wrestling. The NWA gave me the kind of wrestling I wasn't getting in the WWF; less sports entertainment and more action.
For those unfamiliar with the NWA, let me give you a refresher course. The NWA is probably the oldest organized federation in the world. Within the NWA, there are dozens of regional promotions based out in Florida, Colorado, Atlanta and so on. The WWF World Title can even be traced back to a dispute between the WWF and NWA board of directors over a title change. Yes, the NWA is older than the WWF. It was the NWA that gave us Ric Flair and the Four Horsemen. It was the NWA that allowed us to get a glimpse at the future of sports entertainment with the flashy Dusty Rhodes. It was the NWA that gave us the brutal Magnum T.A. vs. Nikita Koloff best-of-seven series for the US title just before an accident halted T.A.'s promising career. The NWA gave us The Midnight Express, the Rock-n-Roll Express, Arn Anderson, Lex Luger and so much more. However, as the WWF became a major powerhouse, one promotion under the NWA banner got bold and that was how World Championship Wrestling (WCW) was formed, taking all the hot talent out of the NWA and under Ted Turner's owned World Wrestling powerhouse. The NWA faded into obscurity.
However, over the years, the NWA still made a name for itself. Call it a shoot or a work, the day Shane Douglas won a tournament for the NWA Title, threw it in the trash and called himself the ECW World Champion was a day that will forever live in infamy as the major turnaround point for the Extreme Championship Wrestling promotion. The NWA also saw its titles resurrected in WCW, only to have another falling out with the promotion, leading to those titles being folded once again. The NWA also gained recognition when Jim Cornette blasted WCW for claiming to have so much history and for claiming that their world title history was part of the NWA's title history, when in fact an NWA World Champion still existed. Dan Severn, famous Ulitmate Fighting Champions (UCW) Champ and NWA World champion, made his WWF debut and Jeff Jarrett and the Midnight Express brought NWA titles into the picture, mocking an New World Order (NWO) invasion with an NWA one. However, fans lost interest in the storyline and the NWA stopped working with the WWF. Still, the NWA lives on garnering an interest from the fans as Steve Corino, a popular independent wrestler won the World title after holding onto the ECW World champion almost up to its last days as a promotion. Fans were turned on by the NWA regional concept with different federations under the NWA banner using different styles of wrestling and offering a vast variety for the hardcore wrestling fan.
Before the WWF held a brand extension draft and split into two promotions, the NWA always worked with that concept in mind. The NWA World Champ would travel from territory to territory defending his title against the best wrestler in that region. Today, those regions still exist and the action is still as hot as ever. One of those regional promotions is making huge waves in the wrestling world, gaining a tremendous respect from the fans for its mixture of hardcore action, high flying excitement and future stars on the rise. NWA Wildside may be a small promotion, but it is one with a huge fan following, a deep and rich history and promising expectations for the future.
NWA Wildside started as a collaboration between two strong up and coming Indy federations, Steve Martin's National Championship Wrestling (NCW) and Bill Behrens NWA Georgia. According to Dan "The Dragon" Wilson, the voice of Wildside and historian, Martin had a crop of hungry young talent who were all just a bit insane. Many of these wrestlers would put their bodies and careers on the line just to gain exposure. Wrestlers like Rick Michaels, David Young, Kid Kash, J.C. Dazz, Scottie Wrenn, K-Krush (who we all know as K-Kwick), The Hardies, Bull Buchanan, Shannon Moore and Venom (Joey Abs in the WWF) had the tools necessary to make it to the big time. However, these same wrestlers did not really have a place to gain exposure as the WWF, WCW and ECW were holding it down at the time of wrestling's biggest boom to date. As is normally the case, many of these wrestlers left NCW and went to the big three promotions. Keeping his lineup fresh, Martin's NCW still continued to build its unique brand of talent, despite not having a place to showcase them.
Here is where Bill Behrens comes in. Behrens had been very successful in the past when it came to wrestling. Serving as a TV syndicator for USWA, Smokey Mountain Wrestling and even both the WWF and WCW, Behrens had vast knowledge and experience behind him. In the late 90's, along with Bret Prentice, the two started a company called Music City Wrestling. Eventually, Behrens left to form his own promotion, NWA Georgia. NWA Georgia used a similar formula that made Music City Wrestling a success (Memphis old school wrestling with lots of blood and deep personal angles) and built it around a different group of wrestlers (Bart Sawyer, Billy Black, Joel Deaton, Tiger Khan and more). In September of 1999, Martin and Ricky Michaels of NCW approached Behrens about helping them get the exposure they wanted for so long. NWA Wildside was born.
NCW and NWA Georgia combined as one organization called NWA Wildside. The promotion was a blend of the old and the new and was syndicated through the America One Network on 150 markets nationwide. Wildside evolved as many of the older wrestlers began leaving the promotion over the next two years to make way for the hot younger talent. Wildside was so big, that in November of 2000, WCW signed it to be their only farm league system. Stars like Kwee Wee, Mike Sanders, Sean O'Haire, Chuck Palumbo, Sean Stasiak, Mark Jindrak, David Flair, Tank Abbot, Jamie Knoble, and Shane Helms (The Hurricane) as well as other future stars, were sent to Wildside by WCW for training and experience. David Flair became a better wrestler because of this and was actually picked up by the WWF with a developmental contract. Wildside stars, EZ Money, Air Paris and A.J. Styles all received WCW contract and many other Wildside stars received tryouts. Wildside lost many of its new stars when Vince McMahon bought WCW and took many of the developmental talent to his farm leagues at Ohio Valley Wrestling and Heartland Wrestling Association.
Still, Wildside got the exposure it wanted and were a recognized name in the sport of wrestling. After WCW closed shop, Wildside was able to sign one of their old bookers and a former WWF booker, Ed Ferrara and even saw WCW announcer Scott Hudson join the ranks with Dan Wilson and former ECW interviewer, Steve Prazak. Many wrestling stars come by for brief appearances, too. However, what makes Wildside tick, besides having championships that date back to the old Georgia promotion days of Dusty Rhodes and Wahoo McDaniel, are its stars of tomorrow. Jeremy Lopez is a star from Osaka Pro Wrestling in Japan and a student of the Malenko Dojo. A.J. Styles in the next big star. According to Wilson, the world has never seen a more innovative young athlete. The young star has renamed the Shooting Star Press, the Shooting Styles Press and a finisher that is indescribable finisher called The Styles Clash (I will try to describe it later). Onyx is a hot African-American superstar that is built like a truck, with huge muscles, aerial abilities and charisma that drives the fans wild. Jason Cross made his name by actually copying A.J. Styles and using it against him. J.C. Dazz is a great heel and can fly, but prefers to use his technical superiority on the mat. TNT is a hot tag-team fresh out of Shawn Michaels' Academy and The Lost Boys are a sinister, much darker version of the Hardy Boys. There are many more stars on the roster and when they come together, they put on a show that is just too incredible to believe.
For the Halloween season, NWA Wildside put together a stellar show from top to bottom showcasing all the stars of the federation. This show had it all, with aerial excellence, hardcore brutality and a screw job to end all screw jobs. After watching this show, I gained a new respect for independent wrestling. Wildside is the new ECW. It could be even better than that.
What a mismatch. G-Rated is rather small compared to my sisters, so against Bad Attitude, these guys looked like Slim Jims. The skinny kids with high hopes did little in this match and were clearly fighting a losing battle. I was rather impressed with Knight who held Ecstasy up in a Vertical Suplex for what appeared to be an eternity. Young impressed me with some incredible power moves, including a Spinning Powerbomb and an incredible Spinebuster that scored his team the victory. Good way to start the show.
Lazz is a throwback to the days of Adrian Adonis and Adrian Street, but with a more new millennium approach. Lazz comes down to the music of Britney Spears, dances to it with his cool Sting Crow face paint, feminine clothing and pig tails. He gives the ref a kiss and gives the security guard a lap dance. Funny stuff. So, being that he is fighting Jeremy Lopez, I guess we can call this match Britney Spears vs. J. Lo. Despite the flash, this match turns out to be a technical masterpiece. For every move Lopez hit, Lazz had a counter and for every submission hold applied, Lazz was able to use his strength to get to the ropes. There is a point where Lazz really showed his brilliance in the ring, flipping over Lopez and instantly dropkicking him, all in one motion. He then springboarded from one set of ropes to another, but missed another Dropkick, allowing Lopez to show off his submission skills. The Boston Crab didn't put Lazz out, so he tried Malenko's Classic Texas Cloverleaf, but Lazz was not giving up. Even the old school Bow and Arrow didn't do the trick. Lazz fought back, but was screwed when he went for a cross body block and was met with a vicious Dropkick. Lazz lost due to a number of missed moves and was lucky to make it that far in the match. It ends as Lazz missed the Britney Spears in the corner and J. Lo lands a beautiful Double-Arm Jumping DDT.
This was actually not that cool. Ed Ferrara, looking like a Rob Zombie wannabe, came out to humiliate Persephone. He owns her contract and she wants to wrestle, so he ordered her to wrestle Destiny, a non-wrestler, who is clearly outmatched by Persephone. Worse yet, he wants her to lose so she can be an embarrassment to the fans. The match starts and Persephone wins in a matter of seconds, riling up Ferrara in the process. He attacks her and Destiny, until the huge Goth comes down and makes the save, destroying Ferrara and ripping up the contract, freeing Persephone. Awww!!
This was an interesting match. The rules stated that if it went to the third fall, it would be a falls-count-anywhere match. These two were one time friends, but after fighting several #1 contenders matches, the two teams became bitter enemies and became a tag-team highlight reel, further enhancing a division that included some serious hardcore teams. This match was just exciting. I have never seen teams move so fast in my life. This match made Edge and Christian vs. The Hardies look like a walk in the park. They start out the match blocking kicks, reminding me of an old Kid-N-Play movie. TNT performs a great Demolition-Type Backbreaker-Elbow Smash Combo. They even performed a variation of the Hart Attack, with Tony springboarding to the top ropes and landing a clothesline. The Lost Boys fought back and placed Tony in the Tree of Woe (upside down in the corner, attached to top rope). Azrael ran in for a jumping dropkick, but Tony actually powered his body up, grabed Azrael and hit the Ace Crusher (A type of Stunner). TNT won, but almost as fast as they celebrated, The Lost Boys picked up the victory.
Then it was time for the sickest third fall. At one point, Gabriel stood on top of the entrance way and took a dive onto both members of TNT and his own partner. Azrael climbed on top of The cage in the back of the NCW Arena. Todd Sexton threw him off and through a table. Tony had Gabriel in the air and rammed him into the cage, knocking down his own partner into a pile of chairs. The match just moved at a lightning pace with both teams switching advantages until Todd held Gabriel up and Tony came flying off the railing with a Bulldog onto the wooden floor and a final pin for TNT. So far, this was the match of the night.
Michaels came out of retirement for this match. Michaels is a big, agile man. Wrenn is very stocky and muscular, and can come out with some spinning kicks here and there. The match started off as a brawl as Wrenn smashed Michaels with a cup of beer on the outside and then cut his opponent open and tasted it as the fans chanted TICK TICK TICK TICK to cheer the champ on. Wrenn smashed Michaels with a chair and the Chosen One was bled all over. Michaels eventually got the chair and started smashing Wrenn with it. The only problem was, Wrenn liked it. Every time he got hit, Wrenn would get back up again. Finally, Wrenn was shoved down onto the chair in a seated position. Michaels Superkicked Wrenn, but the chair seat remained lodged by the champ's crotch. Michaels grabbed another chair and smashed the seat into Wrenn's package and then pounded him with vicious chair shots just to get his point across. Wrenn still wouldn't go down and landed a massive APA-style Spinebuster before taking the fight outside. Back and forth things went, but everything changed when Wrenn sprang off the ropes and landed an elbow on the ref, who was pulled in the way by Michaels. Wrenn continued on and sprung off the ropes with a Legdrop. A new ref came in and made a two count. Wrenn snaped and landed a huge, I mean huge, Sidewalk Slam for what should have been the end. He then went for the pin, but Terry Knight of Bad Attitude came down and pulled the ref out of the ring. Wrenn chased him to the back. Michaels gave chase, too and some time later, Michaels came out with Wrenn, who was covering his face. Michaels rolled Wrenn into the ring and got the three-count and won the Wildside Championship. However, was that really Wrenn? Of course not. Keeping true to their roots, Wildside pulled out an old trick once played by the Four Horsemen on Sting. What a screw job.
The match started with a huge box outside the ring, meant for someone, but who? Onyx is huge and he man handled Jacobs for much of the match. Interference by Jacobs' manager, Jeff G. Bailey hurt Onyx, who got set up in a Tree of Woe and had a chair smashed into his face thanks to a vicious Jacobs' Dropkick. However, Jacobs could not keep the advantage after a massive Clothesline by Onyx that nearly decapitated him. Ahmed Johnson in his heyday is nothing compared to this guy. Onyx brutalized Jacobs, throwing him into the turnbuckle so hard that Jacobs fliped up and got stuck in the top ropes. Jacobs fought back and it looked like he would keep the title as he landed a Legdrop from the top ropes. But he messed up and didn't even go for the pin. I was upset with the booking on this finish, but it was funny when Jacobs decide to open the box and come out screaming with his pants around his ankles. Lazz was in the box and the distraction allowed Onyx to hit a big Swinging, Jumping DDT. Onyx won the TV Title and Lazz did some celebrating by humiliating Bailey and his partner Big Business Brown. He kissed Jacobs and as I'm a Slave for You plays, he also gave Jacobs the lap dance of his life.
You know, the WWF has not really pushed the Lightweight Title like they should and they have never used Four-Way Ladder Matches with singles stars. NWA Wildside, always innovators, put together one of the best such matches I have ever seen. The match was almost too fast a to describe. All four men shone in the ring at one time or the other. Dazz and Cross were supposed to be partners and the same for Styles and Ray, but their friendships went out the window with the title on the line. The title was held up specifically for this match.
The match got off quick. Styles and Ray threw Dazz into the ropes, but Dazz ducked a Clothesline as Cross came flying from the ropes with a Double Clothesline to the two fan favorites. Bodies were flying everywhere and the ladders had not even been brought out yet. When they were, mass carnage ensued. A Ray Russian Leg Sweep sent Ray and Styles violently off the ladder. When Dazz and Cross were on the ladders, Cross Bulldogged his supposed friend right off the ladders as well. Dazz and Styles would go at it by the merchandise table and Dazz would be slammed onto the table. Styles stands on the rail and misses a cannonball jump onto the merchandise table. That's got to hurt. Dazz and Cross then work on Ray in the ring. Cross hit a phenomenal Running Shooting Star Press on Ray, but then fell victim to some abuse by Dazz. There was a missed Moonsault, some chair swinging action. Everything went so fast I had to keep rewinding. These guys put on an awesome show without care for their own bodies. Dazz showed how sick he is, by putting himself on the line to destroy Ray with a violent Spinebuster from the top of the ladder. Ray was abused with every hard move you can imagine in this match.
On the outside, Styles grabs Cross in an upside down position behind his back, cuped his head and just drops him. I watched this scenesix times and I still can't believe what I saw. Later, in a move reminiscent of ECW, Dazz and Cross call for chairs and the fans start throwing them into the ring. The two set up the chairs into a pile and drip Ray on them. Cross theb went to the top ropes to attack Ray, but Dazz picked him up and got ready to slam him onto the pile, when Cross reversed it and landed a Spinning DDT on the mountain of chairs. That wasn't enough, as Styles jumped with a 6-Star Splash onto Cross, who is still on the chairs. Dan the Dragon Wilson really was a great announcer and his abilities really shined during this match. He kept me in focus while I tried to write all this down. But I wasn't prepared for what was next. Cross was on the Apron and launched forward at Styles with his legs going above his head. Styles caught him, placed his legs around Cross' head and then positioned his legs behind Cross' arms. He then jumped forward with a vicious Pedigree-Like Piledriver that was just something you had to see. This was the move I discussed earlier. The sick thing is, the match just continued on, with so many moves to knock someone else off the ladder. No one could stay fresh enough to grab the title. At one point, Styles was just hanging on the ladder and Cross placed a chair in front of his face as Dazz jumped from the top ropes with a Van Daminator, sending the chair into Styles' head. This is where the match reaches a close.
Dazz had Cross on his shoulders and Ray came jumping off the ropes and landed a Tornado DDT. Ray then stoped Dazz from going up the ladder. Cross climbed the ladder and Styles launched a chair from the outside, nailing Cross and giving Ray the chance to climb the ladder and take the belt. Ray won the TV Title. Dazz shoke his hand and then kicked his ass.
The set up: Poles on each corner are stored with vicious weapons. The winner of this match would receive the Wildside Tag-Team titles.
This was a match that made ECW look rather tame. Homicide started things off rather quick with a barbed wire bat and crushed White Trash with it, sending the Droz-wannabe to the floor, bleeding profusely. The ref looked like he is going to hurl. The fighting continued all over the place as Rain Man attacked his opponents with a Bottle Cap Baseball Bat. However, Tank sliced Blackout and even hit them with a crotch shot, using the Sickle. As this goes on, White Trash gets a new life and crushes Rain Man's head repeatedly with chair shots. Blackout fights back and Tank tastes the Sickle next and I swear on my worst enemy's life that there were some people in the crowd screaming like girls when they saw this. They didn't have much more to watch as Tank hit the Key Krusher on Rain Man to get the win and take the Tag-Team straps from Blackout.
NWA WildsideRules! The federation provided me with over three hours of hot action that I didn't grow tired of once. The announcing was top notch, the wrestlers were on their game and the presentation looked very much like an old ECW telecast, which had me reminiscing about the good old days of wrestling. I urge all wrestling fans to go to http://www.nwa-wildside.com/ to check out more Wildside action and see how you can get a hold of all the hard hitting action. NWA Wildside is the perfect federation to keep the legend of the NWA alive. Get into the action. Get into the excitement. Just get Wild! NWA Wildside!
Send your comments and or questions to JMinners@ybfree.com.