National Wrestling Alliance: Domination

[Your Mom]

A commercial plays reminding viewers to tune in to Athletic Arts: Fusion! Check your local listings for availability. After the commercial we come back to see what could loosely be labeled as a talk show set. There is a small studio audience and in front of them is a chair where a guest would sit which is next to a desk and behind that desk sits a clean cut looking gentlemen in a suit.

Host: Hello everyone I’m Jack Douglas and welcome back to “Between the Ropes”. You all know my guest tonight as the mastermind behind Athletic Arts. He is the owner and also a member of the creative team. Let’s give a welcome to Jim Kettner! Jim Kettner y’all!

The crowd stands and applauds and whistles as Jim Kettner makes his way into the small studio. He shakes hands with Douglas and takes a seat.

Douglas: First of all thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to join us Mr. Kettner.

Kettner: Not a problem a tall Jack. It’s good to be in front of a room of wresstlin fans. But call me Jim. My daddy’s name was Mr. Kettner.

The audience claps as Douglas nods his approval as well. He lets the applause die down before asking his first question.

Douglas: Ok Jim well as I’m sure you’re aware we’ve been spending the night tonight going over some of the highlights from the first six months of Athletic Arts excitement. The fans here in house seemed to be really big fans of the 4 way Ladder Match from our first show that crowned Jeff Hardy the first ever NWA: Athletic Arts Champion. Unfortunately we all know that shortly after that he was beaten to a pulp by his brother Matt and ran like a scalded dog to LA refusing to ever have anything to do with us again. That being said I was wondering if you could tell us a couple of your favorite moments from our first six months.

Kettner: I’d be happy to Jack. Now you know I formed this promotion because I am a big fan of the Jr. Heavyweights and what they bring to the table.

Douglas: As we all are Jim. NWA Athletic Arts is the only territory where the Jr. Heavyweights are turned loose to do their thing!

Kettner: Yes… Well with that being said my favorite match would have to be the Iron Man match from last month where Shane Helms finally realized his dream and captured the Athletic Arts Title from Matt Hardy! (the crowd applauds)

Douglas: Yes indeed Jim! That one was a classic. Let’s take a look at some clips from that match right now.

A music video plays showing highlights of the Iron Man match. The men trade falls with all their signature moves until it is tied 3-3 with only 6 minutes to go. The music gets dramatic as each man kicks it into high gear trying to win the match. Finally with only a minute to go Shane and Matt are fighting on the top turnbuckle and Shane manages to connect with a top rope VERTEBREAKER!! He crawls over and makes the pin with only 15 seconds to go and the match ends 4-3. We see Shane celebrating with the title before coming back to Between the Ropes.

Douglas: Yes fans that one was a classic. Jim if you don’t mind we have some fan submitted Email questions.

Kettner: Fire away Jack. In Athletic Arts we are all about the fans.

Douglas: Our first question comes from “Hardcore Bob”. He writes “I read on wrestlescoop.com that Raven is now working for Athletic Arts. It also said that he don’t want to wrestle and he is going to be in charge. Is that true?”

Kettner: Well Bob the rumors are indeed true. Raven is now working with us for the foreseeable future. And as stated he will not be an active competitor. Instead and folks this is an exclusive just for you. Raven will be joining our own Jack Douglas on the Athletic Arts announce team. As far as him being “in charge”? Well I think we know the answer to that eh Jack? (Jim chuckles)

Douglas: We sure do sir. This next question comes from “AAinthe00’s” He asks if there is any truth to the rumor that the man who performs the most exciting move on every show is going to receive a bonus?

Kettner: Well that was only supposed to be between me and the boys, but the internet is everywhere these days I guess, so why not embrace it? Yes fans this is true. To better ensure that we here at Athletic Arts are bringing you the most exciting innovative action in the NWA I have decided to offer $500 cash to the man who most excites the crowd with his spectacular moves.

Douglas: Sounds like quite an incentive to me. Now we have time for one more question and why not go to one of the more outspoken (laughs to himself) members of our fan forums? You internet fans know her as “Paul London’s Stalker” and she has this “gem”. “I was wondering if like it was possible to get Paul to go back to the shorter tights? I mean…(Jack pauses) they make his butt look way cuter.” Thoughts on that Jim?

Kettner: Ha Ha! That girl is a peach isn’t she? Well honey I’ll pass that little bit of information onto Paul and see what we can do about it.

Douglas: Well Jim any closing words before we get started on what should be an even more successful period in Athletic Arts?

Kettner: I’d just like to thank all you fans here in the Carolinas for making our first six months so darn good. We got a lot more planned for you folks in the future. Keep tuning into Fusion every Saturday on your local stations, and be sure to come see us April 24 at the Greenville Civic Center for Aerial Assault!

Douglas: Aerial Assault will be huge for sure! And oh man fans it’s going to be interesting to deal with Raven. As usual we’ll leave you with the top 5 rankings for each division. We’ll see you again next time on Between the Ropes!

NWA: Athletic Arts Division:

Champion: “Suga” Shane Helms

Top 5 Contenders:

1. Kid Kash

2. The One and only Matt Hardy

3. Spanky

4. Paul London

5. Mike Kruel

Carolinas Division:

Champion: Mike Kruel

Top 5 Contenders:

1. Xavier

2. The Amazing Red

3. Johnny Swinger

4. Sonjay Dutt

5. Ruckus

[Hajjhowe]

I like the Athletic Arts backstory, and how it was presented. The other stuff was great too. I love how Hardcore City had to "Sell Out" to the NWA as it could definitly be played up. Looking forward to whenever the shows start to go up.

[XxCactusmikexX]

great back storys for all the promotions cant wait to see how this all works out

[ChuBalso]

great back storys for all the promotions cant wait to see how this all works out

←

[kale]

woot! Helms has a "world" title:)

[Your Mom]

Somebody has to start this thing. I'm posting out of order! Someone try and stop me! B)

NWA: Athletic Arts Fusion: April 2nd 2005

Jack Douglas and Raven are your announce team

Douglas: Welcome Carolina wrestling fans to another edition of Fusion! We’ve got a great show planned for you tonight. Mike Kruel will be defending his Carolinas Title against Keven Martel and in our main even Matt Hardy and Kid Kash who like to refer to themselves as “Money in the Bank” are going to be taking on the team of Paul London and Spanky. (a loud clearing of the throat can be heard) And yes… my new announce partner none other than the man who is a legend in his own mind Raven.

Raven: A legend in the minds of the entire NWA Jack. I’ve done things in that ring that mere simpletons such as yourself couldn’t possibly understand. That’s the theme here in Athletic Arts Jack. Like myself these men do things that you can’t possibly comprehend.

Douglas: Well I’ve been doing this here for six months now so I think I can comprehend.

Raven: Trust me Jack it is a fact that you cannot.

Douglas: Yes I can.

Raven: Jack I’m afraid it’s just not possible.

Douglas: (angry) Oh I can tell this is just going to be a treat! Let’s throw it to Money in the Bank in the ring before I have a stroke.

As good as cash in hand

Matt Hardy and Kid Kash stand in the ring and a good portion of the nearly 200 in attendance boo them. Kash has the microphone so he gets to talk first.

Kash: What up Carolinas? (they boo) Shut up you know you love it. You only boo because you wish you were half as good as Matt Hardy and the K I D! But face facts people it just aint gonna happen. When you go to your crappy little jobs everyday and tell your boss that you’ll get something done he knows you aint gonna do it. Now on the other hand when The One and Only Matt Hardy and Kid Kash say they gonna get something done you know that’s Money in the Bank! Now tell them what were gonna do Matt Hardy!

Kash hands the microphone over to Hardy and the booing gets louder. Hardy raises the microphone up with a grin on his face.

Hardy: You can boo all you like, but Kid Kash only speaks the truth. You people are a bunch of pathetic losers, so when you are faced with winners such as ourselves all you know how to do is boo. (they continue booing) That just proves my point people. You lack the sophistication to appreciate true wrestling specimens like Money in the Bank. Well there is a reason we are number 1 and 2 in the contenders list for the Athletic Arts title. We are the best in that division and soon enough Shane Helms we are going to take that title back! But tonight… oh boy tonight we are going to really enjoy ourselves. Tonight we are going to take out those two annoying pieces of trash Paul London and Spanky! (high pitched cheers) You would like those two wouldn’t you? Now onto less important issues, some of you may be wondering where Amy is this week. Well the fact is she decided that she was just too good to keep working here. She decided that… (A familiar chant of “Where’s your brother?” starts up) Yeah that’s right! She decided that she belonged out in Hollywood with my (Matt makes an effeminate hand motion) “special” little brother. I didn’t need her anyway and the fact is we are through! London and Spanky I am going to take my frustrations out on you tonight and you can take that to the bank!

Hardy throws down the microphone and the team’s music plays ending the segment and sending us to our first commercial break.

Rating: 77%

Douglas: Well Raven it looks like Money in the Bank aren’t in a good mood going into tonight’s main event.

Raven: I would be in a bad mood too if I was being disrespected, by everyone and my girl ran off to be with my happy little brother.

Douglas: Well I don’t think we should head down this road. Besides it’s time for our next match. Keven Martel is on his way down to the ring, and Raven this man has had quite a chip on his shoulder lately.

Raven: You would too if you were a movie star like him Jack. Have you had a chance to see his movie yet?

Douglas: No Raven I haven’t had the pleasure of viewing “Beach Blanket Babes” yet. I think I’ll pass.

Raven: You are making a huge mistake buddy. It is quality cinema let me tell you.

Martel poses all the way down to the ring every so often blowing kisses to his “adoring” fans. He climbs into the ring and throws his hands open to embrace his “people”. His expression quickly changes to annoyance when Mike Kruel’s music begins to play. The champion makes his way down to the ring in his usual no nonsense fashion. He climbs through the ropes and we are ready to go with our first match of the night.

Raven: Come on Kruel. You’re the champion. Act a little pleased. Jack he looks like someone just strangled his puppy.

Douglas: Mike Kruel takes his craft seriously Raven. This kind of no nonsense attitude is what has made him the Carolinas champion.

Keven Martel vs. Mike Kruel (Champion) NWA Carolinas Title

The bell rings and Kruel moves in on his opponent. Martel looks amused by the whole thing and instead offers Kruel a handshake. Martel puts on his best movie star grin and nods that it is ok to shake. Kruel takes the handshake, but quickly throws Martel over his shoulder to the mat. Martel gets up, but Kruel takes him over with a hip toss and grabs an arm bar. Kruel tries to cinch in the hold, but Martel breaks the hold by making it to the ropes. Kruel moves in again, but gets caught with a kick to the stomach Martel takes him down with a clothesline. Martel drops a knee and goes for a cover 1…2…KICKOUT! Martel picks him up and follows it up with a suplex. Another cover 1…2…KICKOUT! Martel pulls him up and hooks him in a front face lock. He motions that he is doing to deliver a DDT, but instead gets taken over with a Northern Lights Suplex! 1…2…KICKOUT! Kruel rolls backward and tries to lock on KRUEL INTENTIONS! Martel quickly escapes and scampers to the floor.

Douglas: Wow Raven. Martel ran out of there faster than you ran from Stevie Richards!

Raven: Watch it Jack. You do not want to be on my bad side.

Martel takes a moment to regroup and then slides back into the ring just in time to beat the count. They lock up and Kruel grabs a hammerlock he cinches it in tight and Martel yells out in pain. Kruel keeps the arm pinned and slams Martel down to the mat on top of the arm! Kruel grabs the arm and goes for Kruel Intentions again and again Martel escapes and moves quickly to the floor. The fans boo as he shakes his head and tries to get his bearings. Kruel just waits patiently in the ring and Martel finally rolls back in. He takes a cheap shot, but Kruel catches his arm and takes him over with a T-Bone suplex! Kruel picks him up and follows it up with a belly-to-belly suplex.

Douglas: Here we go Raven. Kruel likes to hit a series of these big suplexes before finishing his opponents off.

Martel stumbles to his feet and Kruel hooks him up again. It looks like he is going for a Fisherman’s Suplex this time, but that is interrupted when some loud rap music begins blasting through out the building. Kruel throws him down and looks towards the entranceway to see Ruckus coming down the aisle with a garbage can full of weapons. Kruel stares him down and Martel comes from behind and hits a low blow on Kruel! Martel rolls him up in a schoolboy! He has the tights! 1…2…KICKOUT! Martel pounds the mat, but quickly evacuates the ring as Ruckus throws his can of weapons into the ring. Kruel is still down as Ruckus enters the ring and grabs a baking sheet out of the can. The referee reprimands him, but Ruckus clobbers him with the sheet leaving an imprint of his head in the metal!

Rating: 40/27/63

Ruckus grabs a crutch out of the can and as Kruel is getting to his feet breaks the crutch over his head! Kruel collapses to the canvas and Ruckus empties the can onto the mat. A kendo stick, street sign, and a long thick chain fall out. Ruckus hits Kruel with the can and then grabs the chain. He begins wrapping it around his hand, but out from the back sprints Sonjay Dutt! He jumps onto the apron and springboards into the ring hitting Ruckus with a dropkick!

Douglas: This is getting crazy! We’ll sort this out and be right back!

A challenge for next week

The show comes back on the air with a segment that looks to have been taped earlier. A man in a sweater vest and Khakis is standing on the steps of the University of North Carolina. On each side of the man is a wrestler dressed in a cap and gown. The camera moves in on the man in the vest and he begins to speak.

Hightower: Carlton P. Hightower here and I bring you greetings from Academia. Myself and my protégés The Valedictorians always thirst for the benefits of higher learning. Unlike the wretched refuse that inhabit Athletic Arts we are civilized gentlemen who thirst for the finer things in life. Unlike other tag teams in this sport we are worthy of being known as champions. One day we will stand victorious over Bubba Ray and D’von Dudley as the NWA Tag Team Champions. However at the moment we have issues of our own right here in Athletic Arts. There are a pair of low life bottom feeding washouts by the names of Jerrelle Clark and Mikey Batts claiming that they are the top team in the Carolinas. Well gentlemen standing next to me are Rob Eckos and Billy Bax and they know otherwise.

Both men nod their approval before Hightower continues his speech.

Hightower: My men and I will be in attendance next week at Fusion. Clark and Batts I suggest you do the same as the gauntlet has been officially thrown down. Next week we will collide in furious combat. And as usual my men will come out at the Head of the Class!

All 3 men laugh together as the video ends and we go back to the show.

Rating: 42%

Ruckus vs. Sonjay Dutt

Back in the arena Sonjay Dutt is punching away at Ruckus who is up against the ropes. Dutt leaps up and hits a high angle drop kick right between the eyes knocking Ruckus out of the ring. Sonjay gets to his feet and yells out to the crowd and they cheer right back for him. Ruckus stumbles to his feet and Dutt comes flying over the top with a no hands tope! Both men crash to the ground and the fans come to their feet.

Douglas: What a move by Dutt! Welcome back everyone. This match got underway during the commercial break. Ruckus told everyone he wants to move up the rankings and Sonjay Dutt said bring it on fella!

Raven: I don’t think he said fella. It did start with F though.

Douglas: Yes… well on with the match!

Dutt makes his way up first followed shortly thereafter by Ruckus. Dutt jump up onto the guardrail and then comes off with a head scissors taking Ruckus right back down. Dutt is quickly back to his feet and tosses Ruckus into the ring. Dutt climbs the ropes and readies himself for Ruckus to get to his feet. Dutt comes off the top for a flying huricanrana! Ruckus counters and plants him with a SITOUT POWERBOMB! Pin attempt 1…2…SHOULDER UP! Ruckus gets up and poses for the non-appreciative crowd. He tells them to “stick it” and goes back after Dutt. Ruckus whips him off the ropes and hits a SPINEBUSTER! He climbs the turnbuckles and looks down at the prone Dutt. 450 SPLASH! Dutt rolls out of the way! Majistral cradle by Dutt! 1…2…KICKOUT! Dutt goes up to the top and comes off with a leg drop! Cover 1…2…KICKOUT! Dutt gets up and hits a STANDING SHOOTING STAR PRESS! 1…2…KICKOUT!

Douglas: Sonjay Dutt is really pouring it on. He is pulling out all his best moves here Raven.

Raven: He wants to keep his spot in the rankings, but if he is pulling out all his best moves and can’t get it done what does what does that tell you? Ruckus is movin on up Jack. Movin on up to the east side. To a deluxe…

Douglas: People used to be scared of you?

Raven: Terrified Jack. Terrified.

Dutt signals that he is going up top for his finisher. He gets to the top, but Ruckus is up! Dutt comes off the top with a flying body press instead, but Ruckus catches him. Ruckus hits him with THE HATE CRIME! 1…2…3!

Rating: 54/47/73

Douglas: Out of nowhere Ruckus picks up a huge win Raven. That will propel him right up the rankings towards a possible match with Mike Kruel.

Raven: Ruckus looks to be focused to me Jack. Plus he looks like he gives a damn. Unlike Kruel who looks like he could just as easily be a garbage man. Maybe catching a beating tonight will fire him up?

Douglas: Mike Kruel may not show much emotion on his face Raven, but the championship fire burns within him. I for one am sure he’ll show that to Ruckus or whomever he faces next.

Travel issues.

Spanky’s music fires up and he sprints down the aisle and slides under the ropes. He mounts the turnbuckles and poses for the people and gets a good pop doing so. He asks the ring announcer for the microphone and gets it handed over to him.

Spanky: You know I hate to disappoint you guys. Paul London and I come out here every week for you Carolina fans and put it all on the line just to keep you entertained. Paul and I normally travel together, but this week he had a separate car so we’ve been meeting up at the shows. (Spanky looks distraught) Well it’s time for our match and…and he’s just not here. I tried calling him at the hotel, but there was no answer. So I don’t know what to do guys.

Kid Kash’s music begins playing and Money in the Bank make their way out from the back. Kash grabs the extra ringside mic and he and Hardy climb into the ring. Spanky looks worried and backs into the corner so they can’t blindside him.

Kash: What are you complaining about now? Are you afraid of taking us on? (Spanky shakes his head) Well come on then man. Just because someone slashed Paul London’s tires doesn’t mean we can’t still have this match. Right Matt?

Spanky: How do you know that’s what happened?!?

Kash grins and Spanky charges forward and attacks! He tackles Kash and starts punching away, but Hardy knocks him down from behind and the double team is on.

Rating: 78%

Raven: What an idiot Jack! Spanky is going to get killed taking these two on by himself.

Douglas: I’m afraid you’re right Raven, but Spanky never backs down from a challenge. I hope Money in the Bank are happy with themselves after what they did to Paul London.

Raven: I’m sure they are Jack. You know that’s usually the point of doing things like that.

Money in the Bank vs. Spanky and ?

Hardy and Kash pound away at Spanky with punches and stomps. Things are looking bad for Spanky as they set him up for a double vertical suplex. Just as Spanky crashes to the mat music familiar to every fan of Athletic Arts begins to play and none other than the Athletic Arts Champion Suga Shane Helms crashes the party! Hardy meets him first and meets with the SUGA SMACK! Hardy bails out and Kid Kash comes after him next. They exchange right hands, but Helms gets the better of that battle and sends Kash into the ropes. Shane backs up and connects with another SUGA SMACK! The big super kick sends Kash tumbling over the top to the floor! Helms helps Spanky to his feet and they look ready for a fight.

Douglas: Looks like we are going to have a tag team match after all Raven!

Raven: So because he’s the champion he gets to make his own rules? Shane Helms is not a part of this match Jack.

Douglas: He is now Raven! Let them go I say!

Hardy and Kash compose themselves on the outside and then climb back into the ring to officially get things underway. Hardy starts things off in the ring with Helms and they lock up. Hardy grabs a top wristlock and Helms quickly counters into a hammerlock. Hardy counters that with a back elbow and a go behind into a waist lock. Hardy tries to take him over with a German suplex, but Helms locks his legs around Hardy’s waist and counters with a victory roll 1…2…KICKOUT! Both men back up and Helms takes a swing. Hardy ducks and executes a backslide 1…2…KICKOUT! To their feet again and Hardy goes for a kick to the stomach. Caught by Helms! Helms spins him around and goes for a kick of his own which Hardy catches! Hardy lifts up on the leg causing Helms to do a back flip, but Helms lands on his feet! Kick to the stomach by Hardy connects doubling him over. DDT attempt by Hardy is countered and Helms hits a knee lift. Helms picks him up for a powerbomb, but Hardy flips out! Kick to the gut and Hardy goes for a powerbomb. Helms rolls over the top and finally hits a REVERSE DDT! The crowd cheers the athletic sequence as Helms tags in Spanky.

Douglas: Helms and Hardy know each other far too well. It seems they don’t have a move that the other one doesn’t know a counter for.

Spanky comes on a house of fire and weakens Hardy with a series of flashy moves. Spanky’s arsenal betrays him however when after a couple minutes of punishment he goes for a 450 Splash when a regular splash probably would have done the trick. Hardy rolls out of the way and makes a tag to Kid Kash. Kash comes in and hits a quick leg drop to the back of Spanky’s head and Money in the Bank take control of the match like they have many times in the history of Athletic Arts. Spanky is your typical face in peril for the next five minutes or so as his opponents execute quick tags and keep him isolated in their half of the ring.

Douglas: Spanky is in trouble fans, but we have to take a commercial break. We’ll be back as quick as we can!

The show comes back on the air with Spanky hitting Kash with a drop kick. He begins crawling towards his corner as quickly as possible, but Hardy comes in the ring and cuts him off. Helms comes into the ring to help his partner, but the referee stops him which allows Hardy to toss Spanky back towards his corner. Kash and Hardy stomp away until the referee finally gets Helms out of the ring. Hardy makes the clapping motion over his head and makes Kash go out to the apron.

Douglas: Hey! There was no tag there! Ref get Hardy out of the ring.

Raven: Shut up Jack. He so totally could have tagged if he wanted to.

Douglas: Are you talking like a valley girl now?

Raven: (awkward pause) Look Jack! Hardy is cheating again!

Hardy blatantly chokes away at Spanky until the referee comes over to break it up. The referee tries to pull Hardy back and Matt argues with him allowing Kash to sneak in some choking as well. Helms is furious on the apron, but stands his ground this time. Hardy measures Spanky and allows him to make it to his feet. He sets him up for the TWIST OF FATE! Matt twists around, but Spanky reverses it into an inverted falling backbreaker! The crowd cheers and Spanky begins to crawl again. Kash sprints across the ring and uses Spanky’s back as a springboard and tackles Helms to the floor! Hardy pulls himself in the corner and looks down at his partner down on the floor. Spanky pulls himself to his feet and sneaks up on Hardy. SLICED BREAD #2!! Cover! 1…2…3!

Rating: 67/72/78

Douglas: Spanky has just scored a pinfall victory over Matt Hardy! This is huge Raven! Huge!

Raven: Quite the upset Jack. Spanky got the piss kicked out of him and still managed to come back. I have nothing bad to say about Spanky here tonight.

Douglas: No one should Raven. No one should. This is Spanky’s night to shine! Go ahead and celebrate kid. For Raven I am Jack Douglas and we’ll see you next week on Fusion!

Overall Rating: 60%

TV Rating: 0.29

Attendance: 179

[XxCactusmikexX]

Awesome show i liked all the matches but i really enjoyed the Kid Kash and Matt Hardy interiew and their match though i wouldve liked hardy/kash to win

[ADG]



I poured over the list of names.

Nick Dinsmore

John Cena

Chuck Palumbo

Randy Orton

James Storm

Chris Harris

Michael Shane

Air Paris

Ron Killings

AJ Styles

Shane Helms

Paul London

The Amazing Red

The New Wave class of 2000, and not one of them remained…..

NWA: New Wave had grown from the debris left by the death of “Terrific” Tony Rumble in early 1999. Rumble had owned and operated NWA: New England, one of the best and biggest NWA affiliates.

Rumble was a great man, an excellent friend, a brilliant booker and pardon the pun, a terrific wrestling mind. But he was a terrible businessman. Throughout its seven year history from its opening in 1991 NWA: New England had never made a profit, instead being kept alive through subsidies from other NWA territories. The only reason New England survived was because of Tony Rumble, he went to every NWA meeting, committee and conference. He pushed hard for New England to be given a bigger chance in the NWA family, but nothing would ever come of it. Their cutting edge style didn’t fit the mould of wrestling in the mid 90’s when sports entertainment rose to prominence throughout the northeast and Rumble took a back seat to the McMahon family and to the then independent (now affiliated) Hardcore City and Paul Heyman. Still Rumble persisted, crafting the Iron Eight Tournament in late 1996, bringing in some of the best junior heavyweights in the world for one night only, and using the opportunity to put over his own youngster, and son, “The Boston Bad Boy” Jason Rumble, pinning Sean Waltman in the final of the night, much to the chagrin of Vince McMahon.

New England was heavily punished for making one of McMahon’s new “can’t miss” prospects job to an unknown and for six months all funding was withdrawn by all the NWA as a result, leaving Tony Rumble to work on a shoestring. Keeping New England afloat in these six months almost killed Rumble who had to resort to Prozac to stay in any mood to. As his prescriptions increased in length, the attendance at the shows decreased, hitting an all time low when only 17 fans turned up to watch the first annual Independence Day ‘Scars & Stripes’ show in July 1997. With nothing else to lose, Rumble turned to his son and crowned him the ‘franchise player’ of the company, as Jason Rumble pinned “The European Extremist” Alex Wright at the September show, ‘Let’s Get Ready To Rumble!’ With his son at the forefront New England again began to grow, pulling in a record attendance of 750 fans at the Seventh Anniversary Show in April 1998 which saw Rumble dethroned as champion by the extremely popular “Made In The USA” Donovan Morgan. But only one day after Morgan’s win, an injury led to him being out of action for twelve months, by the time he’d be fit to wrestle again, NWA: New England would be no more.

Rumble carried on undaunted however, putting their New England Heavyweight Championship on a new youngster in the territory by the name of “California’s Finest” Christopher Daniels. While Daniels was a terrific talent, skilled on the microphone and excellent in the ring, the impact of the Morgan injury meant his reign was doomed from the start. By January 1999, NWA: New England again was reminded of Donovan Morgan as he was preparing to come back and reclaim his New England Heavyweight Championship. He would never get the chance. In March 1999, Tony Rumble suffered a heart attack while out for dinner with his son Jason and despite the best efforts of Jason and the paramedics, “Terrific” Tony Rumble was announced dead on arrival at the Boston General Hospital at 8.41pm. NWA: New England was left to Jason Rumble in his father’s will, but what did I say about Tony Rumble being a terrible businessman?

As far as anyone else knew, NWA: New England didn’t make a profit, but thanks to the assistance of other NWA members, they didn’t lose any either. But that was as far as anyone else knew. Tony Rumble knew differently, NWA: New England had a series of loans taken out through banks all throughout the north east and when they came calling for their money Jason Rumble couldn’t pay. His father hadn’t made wise investments and so after the funeral was paid for, the huge sum of zero dollars and 66 cents made its way into Jason Rumble’s bank account after tax.

With nothing else for it, Jason Rumble convinced Donovan Morgan, Christopher Daniels, Slyk Wagner Brown and all the other stars of NWA: New England into one last show, the Tony Rumble Memorial Invitational in April 1999 with Donovan Morgan reclaiming the NWA New England Heavyweight Championship from “California’s Finest” Christopher Daniels. The night ended with a farewell speech from “The Boston Bad Boy” Jason Rumble. It would be eight months before he would be heard from again.

In those eight months all the former workers in NWA:NE found alternative employment. Some headed south to East Coast or Hardcore City for work, some headed further south to Florida or to the Carolinas and Jim Crockett. But one man wouldn’t leave, no, Jason Rumble had to stay, he had to bring wrestling back and keep the memory of his father alive.

On January 1st 2000, the Millennium Bug turned out to be a massive disappointment to all anarchists and entropy fans, but this was also the day that NWA: New Wave opened its doors.

Unfortunately New Wave didn’t get off to a good start. The NWA had set out strict guidelines for New Wave to follow and used it as nothing more than a development territory, sending their under utilised men for the first six months. Then Jason Rumble went to the man at the top and argued the case for NWA: New Wave. It worked and money started being poured back into New Wave, and the talent sent from other promotions was sent away, with Rumble - and his close circle of friends and fellow bookers - building the promotion they envisioned. Unfortunately while this was true on the surface, behind the scenes, New Wave was being undermined.

July 4th 2000 saw ‘Scars & Stripes III’ and the first show with the newly assembled roster. Nick Dinsmore, John Cena, Chuck Palumbo, Randy Orton, James Storm, Chris Harris, Michael Shane, Air Paris, Ron Killings, AJ Styles, Shane Helms, Paul London and The Amazing Red were the inaugural roster and they put on a show to be remembered for a long, long time as after three exciting hours “The Baddest Brother On The Planet” Ron Killings was crowned the first NWA: New Wave Heavyweight Champion. Killings would go on to spend the remainder of 2000 successfully defending the title against challengers like AJ Styles and “The Man Destined For Greatness” Randy Orton, before the return to the ring of “The Boston Bad Boy” Jason Rumble, who took the title from Killings at the First Anniversary Show in January 2001. While on the surface this was the result of Rumble coming back to pay tribute to his father, behind the scenes it was because the NWA saw a greater purpose for Killings elsewhere and requested (read: forced) New Wave to let Killings head to pastures new elsewhere in the US.

The Tony Rumble Memorial show was a lacklustre affair as the NWA dictated that no titles could change hands on a show with free admission and any donations given to charity. This meant that Rumble had to construct a show which would not bury their major players, which had the consequences that it was a poorly received show, best left forgotten.

June rolled around and New Wave debuted a new event, ‘Crowning Glory’, a three man round robin tournament to determine a new #1 contender for the Heavyweight Championship. John Cena, James Storm and “Suga” Shane Helms entered the tournament and it was Storm who emerged victorious after two match of the year contenders in one night. This attracted the attention of NWA: Texas who requested that he join their roster immediately. While Rumble protested strongly, when put to the vote, the NWA board voted with an 11-1 in favour of Rhodes and NWA: Texas. “The Boston Bad Boy” had been crossed for the second time in only six months and lost two of his biggest stars. ‘Scars & Stripes IV’ saw a chance to rebuild again one year after New Wave’s re-birth. It saw several new faces emerge as “The Brooklyn Assassin” Dan Maff and “The Complete Package” John Walters while some other faces returned as “California’s Finest” Christopher Daniels took on Donovan Morgan in a special attraction match.

At the annual Iron Eight Tournament, “Suga” Shane Helms defeated Shannon Moore - another new recruit - in an excellent 30 minute match, winning by 2 falls to 1. Again putting on an excellent show would curse Jason Rumble as NWA: Hawaii came a calling for Helms and Moore, and again Rumble could do nothing but lodge an official complaint which came to nothing, and in 2002, Helms and Moore debuted in Hawaii as a tag team, winning their tag straps. Again Rumble had to re-organise and centralised power with one man, but to a lot of people’s shock, it was not himself. Instead, in a deal brokered behind closed doors, Andrew Gray, from NWA: Strong Style headed for New England, in return for the contracts of AJ Styles and “California’s Finest” Christopher Daniels. A costly move, but one which was needed, however this would spell the end of Styles and Daniels in New Wave.

Again New Wave went through a change as Jason Rumble debuted two friends of his at the Tony Rumble Memorial Show, Beau Douglas and “Kickass” Kyle Storm. Together the three proclaimed themselves The Rebels With A Cause and took on all comers. Rumble was still the New Wave Heavyweight Champion but he wouldn’t be for long as dissention within the Rebels cost him the title, presenting it on a plate to Chuck Palumbo. Palumbo had joined together with John Cena, Randy Orton and Nick Dinsmore in a rival group. An angle was planned to see the four battle over the title but before that could be planned, Vince McMahon came calling and took all four to the East Coast, debuting them against The Kliq, after months of preparation, again New Wave were in a jam.

While the previous raids had been hurtful, losing four of their biggest stars in one night caused damage which wouldn’t be repaired until early 2005. Still they struggled on, seeing their attendance drop, their profits bottom out and their TV show cancelled. Eventually New Wave became the smallest of all the NWA member promotions and then the other promotions launched a series of attacks against New Wave. The remaining members of the original roster departed in 2003 and 2004 as Chris Harris, Air Paris, Paul London and The Amazing Red were “re-located permanently” by the NWA board, while Michael Shane walked out in late 2004, joining Styles and Daniels in Strong Style.

Still New Wave soldiered on, putting the belt on “The New Model Soldier” Wagner Brown in mid 2004, sticking him into a feud with Jason Rumble over April Hunter alongside the introduction of a bigger and better tag division as teams such as The Briscoe Brothers, The Havana Pitbulls and The Backseat Boys entered the promotion. However while these three teams excited, the effects would soon be felt as Johnny Kashmere was forced to retire from in-ring competition, taking a superplex off a ladder incorrectly and fracturing two vertebrae in his spinal column. This led Trent Acid to attempt to go it alone, taking on a cockier attitude, dubbing himself “The Nature Boy For A New Generation”, eventually winning the New Wave Heavyweight Championship at the ‘New Year’s Revolution’ show from Wagner Brown with the help of a returning Kashmere - in a manager’s role - and successfully defending it against Jason Rumble at the Fifth Anniversary Show. The Fifth Anniversary Show saw another era start in New Wave as the “new wave” of talent entered the promotion, including Arch Kincaid, Frankie Armadillo, B-Boy, Jimmy Rave and Aaron Stevens. With the Tony Rumble Memorial Show only a few weeks away New Wave have regained their coveted TV slot on Monday nights, 10-11pm on Fox Sports!

Champions:

NWA New Wave Heavyweight Champion



TRENT ACID

NWA New England Champion



“TOO HOT TO HANDLE” JAY LETHAL

NWA New Wave Tag Team Champions



THE HAVANA PITBULLS

CURRENT ROSTER

“The Idol” Aaron Stevens

Adam Booker

“Intellectual” Arch Kincaid

“The New Age Punisher” B-Boy

Beau Douglas

“The Brooklyn Assassin” Dan Maff

Dukes Dalton

Fast Eddie w/ “The Twisted Genius” Dave Prazak

“The Americana Kid” Frankie Armadillo / w Miss Kristy

Jacey North

“The Boston Bad Boy” Jason Rumble

Jay Briscoe

“Too Hot To Handle” Jay Lethal

“The Original XTC” Jimmy Rave w/ Dave Prazak

“The Complete Package” John Walters

“Kickass” Kyle Storm

“Latin Fury” Luis Ortiz

Mark Briscoe

Ricky Reyes

Rocky Romero

Roderick Strong

“The New Model Soldier” ‘Slyk’ Wagner Brown / April Hunter

“The Nature Boy For A New Generation” Trent Acid w/ Johnny Kashmere

Vince Vicallo

[TheRaySays]

NWA: Florida... A Lesson in Pride

It ended, not with a bang, but with a whimper. In this case, the whimper came from the lips of Nancy Dauss-Sullivan, and it came during preliminary talks to dissolve her failing marriage to Florida wrestling mainstay Kevin Sullivan. There'd been other instances of men growing too comfortable with their gimmicks, of personalities lost or altered by the constant rigors of kayfabe and the demands of the vagabond lifestyle of a professional wrestler.

Such difficulties are compounded when one's gimmick is that of a Satanic cult leader.

Kevin Sullivan had headlined the Florida wrestling scene throughout the 1980s, battling such fan favorites as the humble common man Dusty Rhodes and the double tough Windham Brothers. Still, no matter how many feuds lost, Kevin Sullivan was always back, often with new minions and new schemes.

Only one thing remained constant... the love of Nancy Sullivan... The Fallen Angel... his wife and confidant. And while she played the seductress to a T in those early days, recruiting Rick Steiner into The Varsity Club with a wink and a kiss, her heart was always Kevin's, and he didn't always treat it with the tenderness required.

The preliminary talks with the lawyers covered such issues as emotional and verbal abuse. Nancy never claimed it, but some looser tongues in the locker room cited incidents of physical abuse. One such incident was said to have explosively ended the long friendship between Sullivan and Rhodes, but only Kevin and Dusty knew for sure... and Nancy, of course.

For the first time in his life, gimmick or not, Kevin Francis Sullivan didn't have a scheme. None of his minions would be any help. Not even Nancy stood by him, and he found himself quiet and alone in that room faced with a pack of jackal-like lawyers, each ready to take his pound of flesh out of Nancy's percentage. In a moment of clarity... an epiphany... he realized what Dusty and Nancy and all the others had been trying to tell him for years, but now it was perhaps too late. He had pissed his dreams away and for precious little.

He was a footnote in the careers of certified legends like Hulk Hogan and Dusty Rhodes. He had almost single-handedly killed Championship Wrestling from Florida, spending thousands of dollars on multiple false starts through the late 1980s. And now he was poised to lose his wife. And for what? For a gimmick that didn't draw anymore. For a gimmick he had worked with such vigor, such imagination, that he had become his own biggest mark. He believed his own lie, and now it was going to cost him everything that ever mattered.

He begged for another chance in a life full of second and third and fourth chances, most of them just another run through the territory. He begged and pleaded and for the first time in a long time, let the real Kevin Francis Sullivan say his peace. He let tears fall and didn't care about how he looked or what the lawyers thought. Kayfabe be damned... He fought for bigger stakes than ever in that room... and he won...

Brief Year by Year History of NWA: Florida

The Early 1990s (1991-1993)

Kevin Sullivan built his new promotion around Florida wrestling mainstay “Gator” Steve Keirn, one half of legendary tag team The Fabulous Ones. Keirn traded the newly reactivated Florida Heavyweight Title back and forth with “Latin Heartthrob” Lou Perez up and down the Gulf Coast. The cards didn’t draw huge crowds, but a steady schedule bred consistent fans, and a groundswell network of support emerged.

Meanwhile, Sullivan wasn’t afraid to import talent. Tennessee provided “Double J” Jeff Jarrett, working a country singer gimmick to predictable jeers, and “The Birdman” Koko B. Ware, who electrified the crowd with his high-flying acrobatics and dancing antics. Ware even got back to his tag team roots, forming a team named High Energy with the late Owen Hart, who was touring the U.S. and trying to keep out of his brother’s shadow.

Another powerhouse team arrived from NWA: Hawaii, in the form of The Head Shrinkers, Samu and Fatu, and they victimized the High Energy bump machines at every opportunity. Kinsman Yokozuna even got in on the action, squashing Koko B. Ware flat on multiple occasions, but somehow, “The Birdman” always seemed to get up to fly again.

Native American Tatanka worked the region, bringing back fond memories of The Youngbloods, who helped put Florida on the wrestling map just a generation previous. Tatanka would turn away a succession of “invaders” to the promotion, including luminaries no less accomplished than “The Model” Rick Martel, Shawn Michaels, a returning Lex Luger, and Jerry “the King” Lawler. Still, the Florida Heavyweight Title always managed to elude him.

1994

1994 brought a shocking return to the scene as a former disciple of Kevin Sullivan’s, “The Daughter of Darkness” Luna Vachon, led her Blackhearts to NWA: Florida. Bam Bam Bigelow and Gangrel wreaked havoc on the roster, destroying teams like The Smoking Gunns and High Energy until being reigned in by “The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase, who vowed to purchase NWA: Florida from the Sullivans, whether they wanted to sell or not.

Tatanka rallied the troops and united The Smoking Gunns and High Energy as well as the fervently patriotic Lex Luger and Florida Heavyweight Champion “Gator” Steve Keirn against this “hostile takeover,” but nothing seemed to be clicking. Keirn even lost his title back to Million Dollar Corporation member “Lucky” Lou Perez. High Energy were sidelined after a particularly brutal attack, and morale amongst the loyalists seemed at an all time low despite Kevin Sullivan donning the tights once again to potentially save his promotion.

As the losses mounted, Tatanka insisted that there was a traitor in their midst, that someone had sold out to Ted DiBiase and was actively sabotaging their efforts. The weeks wore on before Tatanka accused Lex Luger of being the traitor and challenged him to a one-on-one match at Spring Break Showdown (April 1994) in Tampa. Tatanka emerged victorious, thanks to some help from DiBiase, and shocked Florida fans by revealing himself as the “traitor” and taking a bribe from DiBiase to deliver NWA: Florida on a silver platter.

In a blood-soaked War Games match at End of Days (November 1994), The Sullivan Army defeated The Million Dollar Corporation. Bam Bam Bigelow was blamed for the loss by DiBiase and his cohorts, who all headed off to the greener pastures of NWA: Texas to continue their issues. Kevin Sullivan was still the man in charge of NWA: Florida.

1995

1995 saw the return of a familiar face in an unfamiliar gimmick and the debut of what would become one of the most popular stars in NWA: Florida’s history. Scott Hall came down from NWA: East Coast working as a Scarface-inspired character named Razor Ramon. Fans recognized the big Tampa native and, while he may have drawn heel heat up north, the largely Latino crowds loved him and welcomed him home with resounding cheers.

Puerto Rican superstar Savio Vega arrived on the scene to save Ramon from the team of Jeff Jarrett and his “Roadie.” The two teams battled back and forth for the better part of a year until behavior issues and bigger paychecks drew Hall out of Florida and sent Savio onto a solo track, picking up singles wins over Florida icon Mike Rotundo, Yokozuna, The Roadie, and finally Jeff Jarrett himself.

With Lou Perez stripped of the Florida Heavyweight Title due to a career-ending knee injury, Savio was ready to go for the gold, but came up short in the tournament finals against an uncharacteristically vicious Dustin Rhodes. Dustin had become estranged from his father both in storylines and in real life, and came to NWA: Florida to ply his trade where he knew his father would not follow. To his credit, Kevin Sullivan vowed to let bygones be bygones, and “The Natural” Dustin Rhodes found himself wearing The Florida Heavyweight Title and drawing considerable heel heat.

1996

Ted DiBiase returned to NWA: Florida with a souvenir from The Lone Star State, “The Texas Rattlesnake” Steve Austin. Ted DiBiase’s team of Texas Hangmen included not only Austin, but Florida Heavyweight Champion Dustin Rhodes and John Bradshaw. BG James, out from under the thumb of Jeff Jarrett, joined Savio Vega to oppose this new threat, as did “Gator” Steve Keirn.

Eventually, Savio would get the better of Austin and whip him and DiBiase both in a Caribbean Strap Match. John Bradshaw defeated BG James in a brutal Texas Bullrope Match, but the end was once again nigh for DiBiase and Co. Steve Keirn regained the Florida Heavyweight Title from Dustin Rhodes and closed out the year beginning his fifth reign as champion.

1997

Kevin Sullivan reinstated the Florida Tag Team Titles. Bam Bam Bigelow returned to team with Gangrel as The Blackhearts and traded the belts back and forth with The Headbangers, Mosh and Thrasher. The wild young renegades would hold the belts for much of the year, turning away a number of diverse teams.

One of these teams was formed when Ron Simmons returned to his Florida roots, but with a new attitude. Dubbing himself Faarooq Asad and embracing his African heritage, the former Ron Simmons took other angry minority workers under his wing to forge The Nation of Domination. Savio Vega turned his back on his fans to badmouth America alongside Faarooq and Koko B. Ware. The trio would feud with Steve Keirn and The Smoking Gunns.

Eventually, egos tore The Nation apart, and the three members met in a St. Petersburg Street Fight at Urban Warfare (September, 1997) that saw Savio Vega emerge victorious and apologize to his fans for his actions. Welcomed back with open arms, Savio swore to never again forget his people, and even brought in Miguelito Perez and Huracan Castillo to form the popular and stylish Los Boricuas.

Los Boricuas commenced chasing the Florida Tag Team Titles now that The Headbangers had joined Gangrel’s Brood and sent Bam Bam Bigelow packing once again to Texas. Under the vampire’s evil influence, The Headbangers dumped buckets of blood on the pristine white suits of Los Boricuas and war was declared. Through blood, sweat, and tears, Los Boricuas still failed to liberate the titles from the grip of Gangrel’s minions.

1997 ended in controversy as Dory Funk Jr. defeated Steve Keirn for the Florida Heavyweight Title and tried to hijack the booking of the promotion. Kevin Sullivan had hoped to work a deal with Dory and bring in fresh young talent, but he hadn’t planned on shotgunning the title onto an unknown rookie so soon. Dory was resolute in not wanting to drop the belt to Savio Vega, so it was held up and would remain so through 1998 as Kevin Sullivan regretted every drop of ink on the contract that allowed Dory to veto his title defenses.

1998

Without a Heavyweight Champion, Kevin Sullivan soon found himself once again living his gimmick, but this time it was that of an owner under siege. Dory Funk Jr. was trying to force Kevin to sell NWA: Florida. Talent cancelled and with shows becoming fewer and farther between, many defected to other parts of the NWA. The Headbangers abandoned their Florida Tag Team Titles and split up, going their separate ways.

This time around, End of Days (November, 1998) was perhaps more than a clever name. Faithful Steve Keirn teamed with Koko B. Ware to win the vacant Florida Tag Team Titles from “The Cuban Connection,” Fidel Sierra and Ricky Santana. In the main event, Kendall Windham made his return to Florida, but was defeated by Gangrel.

1999

A solution to Sullivan’s woes was found in the hands of “The Cuban Assassin” Fidel Sierra. Sierra had carried around the Cuban Heavyweight Title for much of his career, and in most cases it was just a prop, something he never planned on defending. In Anglo regions, it was instant heat, but among the Latino crowds, it made him a legitimate people’s champion.

At Civil War (March, 1999), Fidel Sierra put the Cuban Heavyweight Title on the line against Navy Seal, a popular young patriot. Fidel retained his title, but shook the hand of his opponent and forged a fast friendship with the former soldier. Together, they came to be known as The Allied Forces, and joined Los Boricuas in a battle against The West Texas Rednecks, a stable brought in by Kendall Windham that included his brother Barry, Bobby Duncum Jr., “Mister Perfect” Curt Hennig, and Ted DiBiase’s former manservant Virgil, now known as “Curly Bill.”

The Texas Invasion had become a recurring storyline in NWA: Florida, and this incarnation lasted through the year. The Windham Brothers even stole the Florida Tag Team Titles for a brief period before Koko B. Ware and Steve Keirn could win them back. At End of Days (November, 1999), Kendall Windham angrily banished his “incompetent” stablemates back to Texas and still managed to accomplish the unthinkable. In a hard fought match, he defeated Fidel Sierra for the Cuban Heavyweight Title.

2000

Fidel Sierra would get his title back in short order, defeating Kendall Windham in a Cubano Cage Match at January Jailbreak (January, 2000), but at the cost of his neck, which required surgery that put him out for the rest of the year. Talk of retirement went around the locker room and internet, but Fidel Sierra vowed to be back when the fans would least expected it.

Meanwhile, Dory Funk Jr. finally agreed to crown a new Florida Heavyweight Champion by holding a one night tournament at Blaze of Glory (August, 2000). In the finals, “The Royal Stud” Adam Windsor defeated Chris Nelson of The New Heavenly Bodies to become champion. Miguelito Perez defeated “Iceman” Buck Quartermain for the Florida Jr. Heavyweight Title and The Florida Tag Team Titles were held up after The Sheepherders drew Koko B. Ware and “Gator” Steve Keirn when Keirn and Koko began brawling amongst themselves.

Dory Funk Jr. might have been able to veto his title defenses, but with the belt now around his protégé’s waist and not his own, Kevin Sullivan was determined to call the shots. It all fell apart, however at End of Days (November, 2000), when Adam Windsor no-showed his title defense against Kendall Windham. Dory Funk Jr. wanted a greater stake in NWA: Florida, and Kevin Sullivan wasn’t about to give it to him, regardless of whatever token offerings of talent Dory was willing to concede.

The Florida Heavyweight Title was vacated even as the vacant Florida Tag Team Titles were decided. Steve Keirn defeated Koko B. Ware and named “TAFKA Tatanka” Chris Chavis as his new partner. Keirn and Chavis were insufferable together, sporting suits and ties and generally showing little to no respect for the next generation of talent.

2001

The first order of business for January Jailbreak (January, 2001) was to crown a new Florida Heavyweight Champion. Savio Vega defeated Miguelito Perez, “The Black Nature Boy” Scoot Andrews, and Kevin Sullivan himself in a Fatal Four Way Match to finally take home the gold.

An influx of young talent would continue throughout the year, no thanks to Dory Funk Jr. The Shane Twins arrived in time to defeat The New Heavenly Bodies for the Florida Tag Team Titles after injuries forced Steve Keirn into retirement.

At End of Days (November, 2001), “TAFKA Tatanka” Chris Chavis defeated Savio Vega for the Florida Heavyweight Title. In other matches, Los Boricuas defeated The Shane Twins for the Florida Tag Team Titles and Gangrel and Luna Vachon took their bizarre marital issues into the ring in a Casket Match that ended with a “touching” reconciliation.

2002

The theme for this year’s Spring Break Showdown (April, 2002) was the arrival of new blood to NWA: Florida. Naphtali, a messianic daredevil and doomsayer, debuted to challenge Miguelito Perez for the Florida Junior Heavyweight Title in a bloody brawl that would go the distance with both men rendered unable to continue.

So Cal Val was brought in on the arm of “Dastardly” Danny Doring, who defeated Savio Vega in the final round of a one night Florida Heavyweight Title #1 Contender’s Tournament. Chris Chavis was given the night off due to a nagging knee injury, but Doring insisted on having his title match immediately after the tournament. It was clearly a set-up, as he and So Cal Val had already paid to fly in Chavis’ personal physician and have the champ medically cleared to wrestle.

Doring was exhausted from his prior two tournament matches, but Chavis’ knee was also clearly giving him trouble, and things stood about even. Chavis had Doring down and was climbing out onto the apron to go up top for The Tomahawk Chop, when So Cal Val blasted him in the back of the knee with the title belt unseen by the referee. Still, despite her best efforts, she was unable to roll Chavis back into the ring, and Doring picked up the victory, but not the title, on a countout.

Other Florida Heavyweight Title contenders would emerge throughout the year. Scoot Andrews continued his quest for it from the previous year. At Blaze of Glory (August, 2002), Puerto Rican sensation El Gran Apolo made his debut to challenge #1 Contender Danny Doring and Florida Heavyweight Champion Chris Chavis to a triple threat title match. Kevin Sullivan himself presided over the match as Special Guest Referee and Nancy Sullivan kept So Cal Val in her place, but Danny Doring managed to get the win and the title thanks to a double handful of tights on Apolo after he had superkicked Chavis into seeming unconsciousness.

The NWA Southern Heavyweight Title was reinstated at End of Days (November, 2002). For much of the year, NWA: Florida wrestlers had competed in elimination matches to crown who would carry the prestigious belt and its storied history into the modern era. After an almost three year hiatus, “The Cuban Assassin” Fidel Sierra made his return from injury to pick up the title in a spectacular run that saw him eliminate his former partner Ricky Santana, Chris Chavis, and, in the finals, Gangrel, to unify the NWA Southern Heavyweight and Cuban Heavyweight Titles.

Danny Doring was ordered to defend the Florida Heavyweight Title one-on-one against El Gran Apolo, but managed to squeak out a disqualification victory when Savio Vega and Los Boricuas were goaded into attacking. So Cal Val had set fire to the Puerto Rican flag Apolo carried to the ring. The fans would have probably rioted had Doring not been carried out a bloody mess, but with the Florida Heavyweight Title still strapped firmly around his waist.

2003

The issues between Doring and Apolo were set to be settled at January Jailbreak (January, 2003) in the most appropriate manner… a fifteen-foot high steel cage. Despite the desperate measures of So Cal Val and a pair of wire cutters, Danny Doring fell prey to “El Leon,” and lost the Florida Heavyweight Title. Blaming Val for the loss, he stormed out of NWA: Florida and off to Hardcore City.

January Jailbreak was also the debut of “The American Hardbody” Vanessa Harding, who took exception to Luna Vachon interfering in a match between Gangrel and Navy Seal. Seal got destroyed by the ruthless vampire, but before his blood could be spilled, Gangrel and Luna were driven off by the busty bombshell and a steel chair.

Kendall Windham looked to get back in the good graces of the Florida fans. He apologized for forgetting his roots and announced his retirement. His heartfelt speech was interrupted, however, by “TAFKA Tatanka” Chris Chavis, who called him “a shitlicking dingleberry on Dusty’s ass.” The two immediately came to blows, and the retirement was called off until they could at least settle their differences properly.

After a long absence, the tag team known as PG-13 made their return to the region. JC Ice and Wolfie D were best known as the two laughably white hip-hop wannabes who got squashed left, right, and center trying to impress The Nation of Domination over five years ago. Now, in the era of retro-cool and Eminem, their antics were applauded, especially in contrast to prima donna prettyboys, The Naturals.

The Naturals and PG-13 challenged Los Boricuas in a triple threat Florida Tag Team Title match at Spring Break Showdown (April, 2003). The Naturals picked up the win and the straps, thanks to “Superstar” Bill Dundee, the indignant father of JC Ice and a Memphis legend. Over the preceding months, Dundee had offered his son gifts of cars, women, and cash to get him to abandon his wanksta lifestyle and come home to Tennessee, but Ice treated the gifts and his father with an equal amount of disrespect.

Kendall Windham and Chris Chavis finally met in a Cowboys & Indians Bullrope Match. Chavis walked away the winner after a low blow and The Tomahawk Chop, but the cheers of the fans convinced Kendall Windham to stay. Kendall got on the microphone and openly wept before thanking them and vowing to be back.

After Gangrel and Luna put Navy Seal out of action, “The American Hardbody” Vanessa Harding appealed to the other half of Allied Forces, NWA: Southern Heavyweight Champion Fidel Sierra to try putting a stake in the vampire’s heart. Sierra agreed to put the title on the line, but only if the match was no holds barred, and he got his wish. In a bloody, out-of-control brawl that ended up in the concession area and included tables, chairs, and thumbtacks, Sierra successfully defended his title and his friends.

El Gran Apolo defended the Florida Heavyweight Title against a curious set of challengers. Wanting to prove he was deserving of the title and mantle, he challenged not one, but TWO Florida legends in Savio Vega and Kevin Sullivan himself. The match was a hard-fought affair, but in the end, Apolo picked up the victory over Kevin Sullivan, and shook the hands of both of his opponents, thanking them for the opportunity to compete with a pair of all-time greats.

At Blaze of Glory (August, 2003), “Superstar” Bill Dundee announced he would unveil a tag team to destroy PG-13 once and for all and send his son “crying to his room in Memphis without any supper.” JC Ice sought to make a preemptive strike, and along with Wolfie D, the two assaulted Florida Tag Team Champions The Naturals upon their arrival in the building, laying them out with pipes and chains and taking the DQ loss as they booted them out of the ring.

But “The Superstar” was undeterred. He announced that his tag team was still intact, and that The Naturals were not who he was talking about. A lone biker with a long brown mane rode out to the ring on a Harley and dismounted, threatening to tie Ice to the bike and drag him all the way back to Memphis. The back of his leather jacket identified him as Sinn. Ice questioned if his father was Sinn’s partner, but Dundee shook his head no. “Allow me to introduce,” he said, “the NEW M.O.D. Squad… The Masters Of Disaster… Slash and Sinn!” Ice turned around, right into a big boot from his former partner, who was handed a leather jacket by Sinn bearing his new moniker.

JC Ice challenged Slash to an immediate match-up, and asked for a Loser Leaves Florida stipulation. Before Slash could agree, Dundee called for the bell, eager to get his wayward son home. Dundee’s interference was nullified by the arrival of fellow Tennessee icon Koko B. Ware, but nobody could keep Sinn from being the difference maker, and Kevin Sullivan had to reluctantly tell Ice that his days in NWA: Florida were over.

Shortly thereafter, a dynamic new team of masked men appeared on the scene, calling themselves The CyberpunX 2.0. Nothing was more telling than the signature dance moves of Fire and Ice, and Bill Dundee and The M.O.D.s angrily insisted it was Koko B. Ware and his son Jamie under the masks. The match was made for the two teams to meet at End of Days. If either man was unmasked to be Jamie Dundee, then he would be subject to prosecution for fraud, trespassing, breach of contract, and whatever else Bill Dundee could convince a lawyer he was guilty of.

The two teams met at End of Days (November, 2003), but The CyberpunX 2.0 got the victory, thanks to some ill-timed interference from Bill Dundee. During the dance celebration, however, Dundee was able to waylay Ice from behind with a steel chair and unmask him, but the man under the mask was not his son, but Florida Jr. Heavyweight hopeful Naphtali. Confused, he was left with no choice but to attack and unmask the other man, who was indeed Koko B. Ware.

Dundee and the recovered M.O.D. Squad laid chairshots into Koko until he was a bloody mess. Dundee wrapped a chair around his foot and demanded that his son come out and reveal himself, or he was going to break Koko’s ankle. Another man dressed as “Ice” reluctantly walked down the ramp and unmasked, condemning himself to being banished from NWA: Florida, but saving the man who had become a friend to him when he looked to have lost everything. His actions didn’t save Koko, however, and Dundee stomped on the steel chair, putting Koko B. Ware on the shelf for no other reason than sheer spite.

The Naturals defended their Florida Tag Team Titles against The Strong Brothers, Roderick and Sedrick. So Cal Val came out during the match to observe, presumably looking for new charges now that she was without “The Danaconda.” Her appearance was distraction enough for The Naturals to get caught out and defeated, and her decision was seemingly made as she presented the belts to the new champions with a strut and a smile.

“The Modern Miracle” Steve Madison made his debut late in the year as a cocky young upstart trying his damnedest to get signed onto the NWA: Florida roster. After losing his debut match in short order to Huracan Castillo, Kevin Sullivan told him to go back to the gym and come back after some improvement. Madison couldn’t take “No” for an answer, and instead appealed to Nancy with rather unsubtle sexual advances. Nancy was as unimpressed as her husband, and Steve was shown the door.

“The Black Nature Boy” Scoot Andrews had finally worked his way back up the contendership ladder and got his shot at NWA Southern Heavyweight Champion Fidel Sierra. Fidel looked to have things in hand when “The Modern Miracle” Steve Madison hopped the rail and began gyrating in front of Fidel’s wife, Fantasy. Fidel was about to climb out of the ring and rescue her from the unwanted attention, when Scoot caught him from behind with a chop block. A knee drop and a few kicks to the hamstring set up the patented Figure 4 Leg Lock, and Fidel Sierra was forced to submit. Fantasy slapped the taste out of Madison’s mouth and attended to her fallen husband.

El Gran Apolo put the Florida Heavyweight Title on the line against Gangrel with Luna Vachon locked in a wooden coffin at ringside to prevent interference. Without his dark mistress, “The Vampire Warrior” was unable to match the power of “El Leon,” and he was defeated. Afterwards, an angry Gangrel did the unthinkable and set fire to the coffin. EMTs and security flooded ringside, armed with fire extinguishers and crowbars. Opening the casket found it to be shockingly empty.

2004

El Gran Apolo found himself faced with a spectre from his past in 2004. “Mr. Rey-tings” Rey Gonzalez had followed him from Puerto Rico, and began making all sorts of claims as to how he was going to put NWA: Florida on the map. Armed with a fistful of cash and a host of sponsors, he threatened to have The Sunshine Network pull the plug on Inferno Saturday Night if the ratings didn’t improve.

Of course, “Mr. Rey-tings” had a solution, and it involved countless segments of him pandering to the mainstream American audience with insincere patriotism, and painting “El Leon” as a “paper tiger.” The Cuban Connection was no more, as Ricky Santana came onboard for a “Gonzo” paycheck, leaving Fidel Sierra in the lurch.

Fidel Sierra was temporarily distracted by begging Kevin Sullivan to put “The Modern Miracle” Steve Madison on the roster so the two could square off. Sullivan reluctantly obliged, and the two met at January Jailbreak (January, 2004). Fidel got the win, but the youngster put on an impressive showing, and Fidel convinced him to give up his over-the-top antics and concentrate on the mat skills that impressed where his would-be gigolo hijinks did not. Madison seemed to take the advice to heart and respectfully shook the veteran’s hand.

That out of the way, Sierra and Apolo battled Santana and Gonzalez, Los Nenes, while the Florida Tag Team Champions, The Naturals argued over who would face Scoot Andrews for the NWA Southern Heavyweight Title. Always willing to indulge his ego, “The Black Nature Boy” defeated Chase Stevens, then Andy Douglas, then BOTH Naturals in a triple threat match, all on the same evening at Civil War (March, 2004).

While The Naturals endured some friction for a singles title opportunity, The Strong Brothers almost ripped each other apart over the affections of So Cal Val. At Civil War, Sedrick and Roderick squared off in a Lover Her or Leave Her Ladder Match. Val was handcuffed to the ring post to prevent interference. Sedrick won the match by being the first man to climb the ladder and retrieve the handcuff keys suspended high over the ring. He retain the managerial services of So Cal Val while his brother Roderick would have to leave NWA: Florida empty-handed.

The M.O.D. Squad battled with Los Boricuas in a stable war that saw Savio Vega come to the aid of his comrades and climb into the ring with “Superstar” Bill Dundee. Vega came out on top, but Jamie Dundee made his shocking return in prison greys to assault Vega on behalf of his father. Brainwashed by daddy’s “tough love”, Jamie fawningly sought his father’s attention and approval, brutally attacking Los Boricuas with little regard for rules, laws, or his own safety. At the end of the day, he would return to his father’s feet and be cuffed and taken into “custody.”

Kevin Sullivan reminded “Superstar” Bill Dundee that as per contract stipulations, his son was no longer on the roster of NWA: Florida, and was about to have him removed from the building when Koko B. Ware made his return from injury. Koko challenged “The Superstar” to a Tar N’ Feather Match which would result in the certain humiliation of the loser. Koko won the match and was about to inflict punishment on the man who had ruthlessly attempted to cripple him and end his career, but Jamie Dundee slid into the ring and dumped the tar and feathers on himself instead, sacrificing his own dignity to save his father’s.

“The Ragin’ Cajun” Lash LeRoux made his NWA: Florida debut, picking up impressive wins over Steve “The Machine” Madison, Jamie Dundee, and Sedrick Strong. Soon, however, he was faced with a despondent Gangrel, who was lost without his Luna. Gangrel seemed convinced that Luna had gone to the blackest bayous of Louisiana, the dark heart of voodoo and vampirism in America, and that he needed LeRoux’s help to find her.

LeRoux blew him off as a nutjob, and deservedly so, but the decision had dire consequences. After LeRoux jokingly circulated a caricature of Luna throughout the crowd, asking "Have you seen this thing?", Gangrel attacked Lash at every opportunity, until the two squared off in a Bayou Voodoo Coffin Match at End of Days (November, 2004). LeRoux had Gangrel beat and was about to put him in the casket when the lid was thrown open and Luna Vachon broke a bottle of red wine over the head of Lash LeRoux. Gangrel pushed him into the coffin and slammed the lid shut, reunited with his vile mistress once again.

Roster and Champions to follow...

Edited March 29, 2005 by TheRaySays

[Guest Dean Batista]

It pains me to have to do this but I have to bring some criticism into the diary. Some things seem off as to how the NWA would've ran and I plan to address all of this.

- Jim Crockett Promotions being in Georgia. Crockett never moved from his Mid-Atlantic territory to running Georgia. He only filmed out of TBS Studios because it was Ted Turner's wish and national expansion fit into Crockett's plan at the time. The Crocketts ran out of North Carolina for almost 50 years and Jim Crockett never fully left there and if it came to it, would never leave there and take up shop in another territory. In fact, when Crockett left North Carolina to set up shop in another territory, he moved headquarters to Dallas, Texas (Into Bill Watts' old office) following the purchase of Mid-South. If the expansion failed and Crockett had money, it could be assumed that Jim would return to the territory that respected him the most and that is the Carolinas. Having JCP in Georgia shows to me lack of research. As someone who made it a yearly tradition to have Thanksgiving dinner and to watch Starrcade since it first started (In 1983, I was the ripe old age of 4), I'm sensitive about JCP.

- So..........what happened to some of the other territories? Since Crockett is still alive, we are to assume that he never bought UWF/Mid-South. The debt he obtained by buying Mid-South put him out of business. I did like the mentioning of Championship Wrestling from Florida going out of business and mentioning that World Class was renamed to NWA Texas (Though as to WHY the name change happened is never explained). Seeing as as Bill Goldberg is NWA World Heavyweight Champion, we are to assume that Bob Geigel never handed over control of the NWA World Title to Jim Crockett seeing as Goldberg isn't part of JCP OR that the NWA President got the belt back from JCP at some point. If the former is the case, what caused the old territories to die? Did Mid-South just go bankrupt? I mean, they were going bankrupt after the oil bubble burst in the late 80s. I'll address what happened to Bill Watts down below.

-Vince McMahon Sr. overcoming cancer in 1983-1984 is never fully explained. As we all know, Vince McMahon Sr. contracted cancer in 1983. He would die in 1984. Now Vince Sr. had a seat on the NWA Board of Directors so that added a bit of believablilty to the McMahons crawling back to the NWA. But Vince Sr. had terminal cancer so, that kind of drops a damper of unrealism onto the whole thing.

- The whole Central States region is completely bare. Harley Race used to rule the Central States region and even quit working for JCP in order to protect it from Vince. Of course, Harley cut his losses in 1986, closing it down and going to work for Vince but are we to assume that no one ever went back and tried to set up shop again? The whole NWA seems like

East Coast/Detroit -----------------> West Coast

With nothing in between, not to mention that NWA: New Wave or NWA: Athletic Arts could've filled the void in Illinois, Kansas, Missouri and Iowa. Everything from Detroit to California is bare. Come on guys, you oversaturated the Northeast and left America's Heartland completely open.

- So WHY is Bill Watts in Detroit? Again, this goes back to what happened to Mid-South. You mention that Bill Watts was head booker of JCP but it was impossible for Crockett to have bought them, since it was the debt from that purchase that sunk him. Watts primarily wrestled and ran his territory out of Oklahoma, Louisiana and the rest of the Mid-South territory. Watts had a large fanbase there. Detroit was the Original Sheik's city and Sheik ran the Detroit territory and Watts would never try to invade Sheik's territory. NWA Detroit should've been Sheik's territory with a protege taking over after his death.

- Why would Ric Flair leave Crockett and Carolina? Ric Flair and Jim Crockett had a close relationship with Crockett being Flair's best man at his wedding. Flair and Crockett were friends. The only thing that drove a wedge between them was Dusty Rhodes' egotistical booking. With Dusty Rhodes gone, one would assume that Flair would stay and join the booking squad but, Flair goes back to the guy who tried to bury him in the first place. If you remember, the Four Horsemen was a failed attempt by Dusty to try to bury Flair (Well, if the champion can't win cleanly then he'd look weak, of course with Ric being Ric, he overcame it and made the best out of it.) Ric Flair was a huge draw in Carolina, good friends with Jim Crockett and comfortable living in Charlotte. So much so in fact that he refused to have his home town announced as being Minneapolis and Ric Flair mentions this in his book, his career grew with Charlotte so he could never leave Charlotte. With Crockett and Flair's close relationship, he'd never leave. Of course, with the way that the location of Jim Crockett Promotions was botched, I'm not sure as to what Ric would do. One would assume that he'd never leave his good friend and go back to the man who was hell bent on burying him and destroying his legacy, that's for sure.

- Athletic Arts being in North Carolina, obviously, whoever did Athletic Arts isn't from North Carolina or isn't in touch with what the general fan base there wants. Many (if not most) fans in North Carolina laugh off guys of inferior size. From living in the state and growing up watching Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling (AKA Jim Crockett Promotions), I know what the fanbase wants. I remember attending a SmackDown taping and hearing people make fun of Paul London and Billy Kidman. OMEGA wasn't successful and the Hardys aren't huge draws in North Carolina. They only have name recognition from being on WWE Television. Had Matt and Jeff shown up in Mid-Atlantic, they would've been jobbers to guys like Dusty Rhodes, Barry Windham, Ronnie Garvin, The Andersons, Tully Blanchard and the like. This right here stands out to me as being a big no-no, North Carolina fans love Southern style wrestling, they don't care too much for people who are high-flyers. They were only conditioned to tolerate them because of the WWF. NWA Athletic Arts isn't for North Carolina. We'll take our Southern wrestling, please. Of course, I'd probably buy a ticket to a NWA: Athletic Arts show but it wouldn't sell well at all here. NC fans love tough, gritty wrestlers. I mean, why do you think that Flair got so much heel heat in the 1980s while Redneck heroes like Ronnie Garvin and Dusty Rhodes got over? It's because the audience could relate to them. Ric Flair was the anti-Southerener to them at the time. This promotion is full of anti-southern wrestlers. The OMEGA guys hailing from NC doesn't mean that the state likes that kind of wrestling. I mean, could I assume that Texas wants a promotion full of high-flyers since Shawn Michaels came from there? Of course not. NWA: Athletic Arts would not sell well at all in NC and it would only attract the marginal smark audience, 12 year olds and girls coming to scream for the boys on the card. Not enough to have a profitable promotion at all. I read your show and I saw NOTHING that resembled Carolina wrestling. I may seem over-sensitive but as a fan of Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling, betraying the legacy of that promotion and unrealistically portraying the tastes of the local fans it tends to make me a bit uneasy.

I probably missed a few things but I want to address these points first of all. I hope you guys don't get upset at this piece of feedback. I want you guys to read this first and if I can find anymore inaccuracies, I'll report back to you. If I criticized something that you guys addressed, just tell me and I'll apologize. I'm sorry if I was too harsh.

[Your Mom]

Wow. Probably all valid points, but it's not like we came up with this stuff. It's a scenario prepared by someone else. I have no idea about most of the stuff you brought up and my Territory is in Carolina because the scenario told me it's in Carolina. You could actually stick my show anywhere and it wouldn't make a difference in how I wrote it. So since we had very little to do with that yeah it's a little harsh.

Edited March 26, 2005 by Adam Copeland's Stalker

[Guest Dean Batista]

Wow. Probably all valid points, but it's not like we came up with this stuff. It's a scenario prepared by someone else. I have no idea about most of the stuff you brought up and my Territory is in Carolina because the scenario told me it's in Carolina. You could actually stick my show anywhere and it wouldn't make a difference in how I wrote it. So since we had very little to do with that yeah it's a little harsh.

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[TheRaySays]

-Vince McMahon Sr. overcoming cancer in 1983-1984 is never fully explained. As we all know, Vince McMahon Sr. contracted cancer in 1983. He would die in 1984. Now Vince Sr. had a seat on the NWA Board of Directors so that added a bit of believablilty to the McMahons crawling back to the NWA. But Vince Sr. had terminal cancer so, that kind of drops a damper of unrealism onto the whole thing.

[DMN in the House]

Well, considering that everything changed in history after WrestleMania I, half of your shit is null and void.

Anything can happen between friends, which explains a lot of your shit away. Especially Flair/Crockett. Who's to say something didn't happen that drove Crockett to Atlanta? Maybe a failed buyout by Turner? You'll have to see when TGC gets his backstory up.

I'll give you The Sheik running Detroit, but I neither made the scenario, nor wrote that backstory, so you can take that up with them.

People chose their own feds, out of the scenario, and two created ones. Its well known that the East Coast and SoCal are the two hottest places for wrestling, which explains why the scenario and the writers lean heavily towards them. You're nitpicking.

As for Athletic Arts, no one said it was a big promotion. Its basically OMEGA. More nitpicking.

You have been weighed, and measured, and been found lacking. Good news is, you always have that journalism degree to fall back on, right?

[Guest Dean Batista]

Well, considering that everything changed in history after WrestleMania I, half of your shit is null and void.

Anything can happen between friends, which explains a lot of your shit away. Especially Flair/Crockett. Who's to say something didn't happen that drove Crockett to Atlanta? Maybe a failed buyout by Turner? You'll have to see when TGC gets his backstory up.

I'll give you The Sheik running Detroit, but I neither made the scenario, nor wrote that backstory, so you can take that up with them.

People chose their own feds, out of the scenario, and two created ones. Its well known that the East Coast and SoCal are the two hottest places for wrestling, which explains why the scenario and the writers lean heavily towards them. You're nitpicking.

As for Athletic Arts, no one said it was a big promotion. Its basically OMEGA. More nitpicking.

You have been weighed, and measured, and been found lacking. Good news is, you always have that journalism degree to fall back on, right?

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[DMN in the House]

The fact is, all of your inaccuracies mean fuck all, because this isn't supposed to be a realistic, fact-based split.

[Protoman Version 2.5]

I believe ACS said there were only 200 in attendence. So yeah referring to your small attendence comment.

[Guest Dean Batista]

I believe ACS said there were only 200 in attendence. So yeah referring to your small attendence comment.

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[Your Mom]

I believe ACS said there were only 200 in attendence. So yeah referring to your small attendence comment.

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To clear up a misconception, I never said it WOULDN'T be in North Carolina, I just said that it would never work here and would probably be dead within a couple of years. Of course, it wouldn't be in North Carolina anyway if the scenario maker would've put Jim Crockett Promotions in the right place.

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The scenario didnt have Jim Crockett Promotions. And I know I'm just speaking for myself here, but I'm not even writing based on the area. Move my star from Carolina to Nebraska on the map and all that changes is the name of one of my belts.

[Guest Dean Batista]

I believe ACS said there were only 200 in attendence. So yeah referring to your small attendence comment.

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To clear up a misconception, I never said it WOULDN'T be in North Carolina, I just said that it would never work here and would probably be dead within a couple of years. Of course, it wouldn't be in North Carolina anyway if the scenario maker would've put Jim Crockett Promotions in the right place.

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