Post by Dustin Salyers on Sept 26, 2022 1:33:09 GMT
NWA Reign ~ "Championship Wrestling from Carolina" (IWTV)
May 21st, 2022 [Saturday] @ Grady Cole Center in Charlotte, NC
2,578 Spectators
1. Jack Brisco Memorial Block Match: Bandido vs. Bobby Roode
>Winner: Roode (1335:) following a superplex
~ Bandido doesn’t move the number by losing this match but he was going for the win just before finding himself prone on the top turnbuckle. Roode now becomes the fourth man sitting on 6 points in the block.
2. Charlotte Flair & Britt Baker vs. Natalya Neidhart & Candice LeRae
>Winner: Flair (7:34) by disqualification
~ The match was going quite well for both teams when Hikaru Shida & Io Shirai rushed the ring and attacked Flair as she stood on the apron. Baker and LeRae continued to wrestle in the ring as Shida and Shirai lifted Flair and attempted to drop her across the guardrail on her right leg. Flair is now writhing in pain as Shida begins to position her ankle in between the bars of the guardrail. Shirai begins to pull at the guardrail, with Shida eventually helping her pull it down on top of Flair, with the leg sticking through the bars still. Shida climbs onto the apron as Shirai holds Flair’s arms but Shida is quickly knocked down by Neidhart. Neidhart drags Shida off of the apron and tosses her into the ring post. Neidhart now goes after Shirai, the two exchanging blows as the bell begins to ring incessantly. Shirai avoids a lariat and slides under the bottom rope, running across the ring and sliding back out the other side before jumping the guardrail and fleeing through the crowd. Shida had made her way over the guardrail as Neidhart and Baker try to remove the guardrail from around Flair’s leg.
3. Jack Brisco Memorial Block Match: AJ Styles vs. Adam Cole
>Winner: Draw (30:00) Time limit expired
~ Probably match of the night at this point as both men showed a ton of resiliency throughout. Cole seemed to have Styles scouted well and AJ seemed to miss some opportunities as the match wore on. Styles is able to move into second place with seven points but the two matches remaining doesn’t put him in a strong position.
4. Young Bucks vs. Hermanos Oscuros
>Winner: Fenix (16:43) with a springboard 450 splash on Nick
~ A very good match with a great finishing sequence. After the match, Matt yanked Fenix’s mask off as he hugged Pentagon Jr., forcing his brother to cover his face as the Young Bucks celebrated their ruse.
During intermission, ring announcer Gary Michael Cappetta welcomed long time NWA Official Tommy Young to the ring and announced that Young had recently been named the Chairman of the Championship Committee. Young thanked the fans for the warm reception before explaining the decision surrounding who advanced from the Wahoo McDaniel Block of the tournament to determine the NWA North Carolina Heavyweight Champion. Young explained the circumstances surrounding the tie between Jay White, Karl Anderson and Rush at 10 points each and followed up by reminding fans that Anderson had defeated White and Rush had defeated Anderson, while White had failed to defeat either man directly. Therefore, based on the extensive verbiage of the “Direct Victory” rule in the tournament guidelines, Rush has been declared the winner of the Wahoo McDaniel block, Anderson has been declared the runner-up and Jay White has been eliminated.
Young continued by declaring that a match between the two men who do not advance to the finals will take place on Sunday, May 29th, on the second night of the Clash of the Champions and the winner will receive a NWA North Carolina Heavyweight Championship match within 30 days. Before Young could continue further, his attention had been averted to Jay White, who had climbed onto the apron. White entered the ring and began to argue with Young about the previous decision and demanded reconsideration. Young informed White that everything had been considered, as his statement had already reflected, and he was officially eliminated. White then began to argue that he deserved “a shot at the Champion if you guys are going to screw me” to which Young announced White would have such an opportunity. Young announced that on the second night of the Clash of the Champions there would be a “Best of the Rest” match, a battle royale between the dozen men who didn’t advance to the semifinals, and the winner would receive a NWA North Carolina Championship match within 60 days. White reiterated “You screwed me Tommy” but left the ring with that announcement.
Young continued once more by announcing that on Saturday, May 28th, the first night of Clash of the Champions the NWA North Carolina Tag Team Champions, the Top Guys, will defend against the Briscoe Brothers but due to the results of the previous two Championship defenses between the two teams, this match would be contested inside of a steel cage. Young further explained that in “this territory” there must be a winner in a steel cage match, so there are no rope breaks in a steel cage match. There is also a ceiling on the steel cage and if any member of either team were to leave the cage, through the door, before a winner has been determined, they would be disqualified immediately and the match would be awarded to the opposing team. And since that is the only way to be disqualified in a steel cage match, the Championship can change hands on a disqualification in a steel cage match!
And finally, Young introduced the International World Junior Heavyweight Champion Ultimo Dragon, who came to the ring in a suit and carrying his Championship to a huge ovation from the live crowd. Young announced that Dragon would be defending his Championship on Saturday night at the Clash of the Champions against the winner of the next match!
5. Dragon Lee vs. Davey Richards
>Winner: Lee (23:42) with the Dragon Driver
~ Arguably the match of the night as both men used their speed to keep this match moving constantly. Richards would hit a turnbuckle headstand mule kick, spurring a great reaction from the crowd, as well as a Dragon Bomb and an Asai DDT for two of the closest near falls ever seen. Lee would have his highlights as well, hitting an Asai moonsault and connecting with an Aztec suplex. The finish came with Richards connecting with a diving headbutt for a near fall and then going back to the top turnbuckle again. Richards was clearly stunned from the headbutt though and eventually sat down on the top turnbuckle as Lee rolled under the bottom rope and to the apron. Lee eventually pulled himself up and Richards stood to attack but Lee shook the ropes, sending Davey almost to the floor. Richards caught himself on the turnbuckle but it took Lee to pull him back to a seated position. Lee then connected with the Dragonsteiner but Richards rolled his shoulder at the very last possible moment. Lee then used the Dragon Driver to secure a match for the NWA International Jr. Heavyweight Championship.
6. Jack Brisco Memorial Block Match: Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Roderick Strong
>Winner: Strong (17:08) following the CX ‘02
~ Strong pulls out a hard fought victory and becomes the fifth man with 6 points but also ends Sabre’s opportunity for the semifinals.
7. Jay White, Kota Ibushi & Xavier Woods vs. PAC, Adam Page & Johnny Gargano
>Winner: White (11:33) following a Blade Buster on Gargano
~ White received a horrible reception from the crowd but worked as a man possessed.
8. Jack Brisco Memorial Block Match: Kazuchika Okada vs. Prince Devitt
>Winner: Okada (18:02) following the Spinning Rainmaker
~ Okada completes the sweep and goes undefeated in the block, in turning leaving Devitt on six points and allowing AJ Styles to advance to the semifinals.