NWA Powerrr Review - October 8, 2019

By Graham "GSM" Matthews

David Marquez Interviewed NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion Nick Aldis

Kicking the show off with an Aldis interview was a smart move because he's been the face of the promotion since Billy Corgan took over a while back. I know not everyone is a fan of his, but there's no denying that he's a tremendous talker and carries himself like a star. He not only hyped himself up but also Tim Storm, who he'd defend his NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship against in the main event. He hasn't had a ton of title defenses since getting the belt back from Cody last October, but to reign as champion for almost one year is an impressive feat, nonetheless.

The Dawsons def. Sal Rinauro and Billy Buck

I wasn't at all familiar with The Dawsons coming into this episode, so this was a good way of cementing them as dominant badasses. This squash didn't last long at all, but that's exactly what it should have been. Their post-match promo at the desk was also effective in sending the message that they're always ready for a fight. I'm looking forward to seeing more of them on upcoming episodes.

Eli Drake def. Caleb Konley

Konley was mostly a background player during his time with IMPACT, so hopefully he gets more of a chance to shine in the NWA. Granted, his role here was to get Drake over, but at least he was able to score some offense before losing. Drake is the total package in my opinion and absolutely should be one of the wrestlers this brand builds around. This was a good match and Drake's pre-match promo highlighted his strengths on the mic. Please, NWA, push this man.

NWA World Tag TEam Champions The Wild Cards def. Danny White and Mims (Non-Title)

The Wild Cards consists of Thomas Latimer (f.k.a. Bram in TNA) and Royce Issacs. They haven't blown me away from what I've seen of them so far, but they're a work in progress. This was another case where it was wise to keep this as short and as sweet as possible. Their post-match confrontation with Eddie Kingston at the desk was really done, especially given the history Kingston has with Latmier from IMPACT. Kingston and Homicide vs. The Wild Cards could be fun.

NWA National Heavyweight Champion James Storm def. Jocephus (Non-Title)

I'm not sure if the championship was up for grabs or not, but either way, it didn't really seem to matter because the bout was over in a matter of seconds. Jocephus called out Storm earlier in the evening, leading to Storm accepting his championship challenge here. Storm immediately hit him with the Last Call and pinned him for the win. He cut a promo afterward about the importance of the title to him, which was great in establishing to the audience that it's a prestigious prize. I love the idea of Storm holding down the midcard in the NWA as I think there's a lot of potential for him in that role.

NWA World Heavyweight champion Nick Aldis def. Tim Storm

I remember when Aldis beat Storm to become the NWA Champion for the first time two years ago, but that's about all I know about Storm. That said, the video package that preceded the main event successfully introduced new viewers to Storm and filled us in on what he's about and how much of down-to-earth guy he is. You couldn't help but root for him after that and his pre-match promo only helped his cause. He's 54-years-old, yet their match was a lot better than I figured it would be. Since this was Storm's final shot at the strap, he was desperate to regain the gold, going so far as to hit Aldis with a low blow down the stretch. Although it wasn't enough to earn him the victory, Aldis praised him after the match. This had a ton of suspense and the crowd was into the action. It will be interesting to see what happens with Aldis and Kamille after Aldis inadvertently laid her out at ringside during the match.

Overall Show

It's cool to see so many people talking about NWA Powerrr and everything it has to offer. It's vastly different than anything else out there wrestling-wise right now and that's why it works. The old school studio set is such a throwback and the atmosphere was outstanding as a result. While there weren't many memorable matches (aside from the main event), it was more important to showcase the stars of the NWA, so in that sense, this was a strong show. The format of Powerrr is simple, easy to follow and makes the hour fly by. Putting it on YouTube is also brilliant because everyone can check it out that way. I'm excited to cover the series going forward.