January 29, 2003
9:00PM hits on the Eastern seaboard as the screen dims, before vibrant yellow, gold, red and black strokes fill the shot. The NEW TNA logo pops up before we fade inside
THE MANHATTAN CENTER, which from this point forward will now be referred to as THE JUNGLE- where over a thousand rabid fans are on their feet, shouting “TNA! TNA!” at the top of their lungs!
“PUMP IT UP” by Joe Budden blasts throughout The Jungle! This song will be the official intro song for TNA in 2003 here inside The Jungle!!! And if you shoot listen to this song, you'd be lying if you didn't envision finishing moves and X-Division guys flying through the air!!
We continue to pan around The Jungle to show the
DJ BOOTH!! DJ CLUE is spinning that shit as TNA’s vibe has shifted from the echoes of a glorified warehouse in the middle of nowhere, to feeling like it is the center of attention inside a bustling and bumping night club! Throughout The Jungle the rabid crowd is decked out with their classic 2003 threads- fitted hats and throwback jerseys! You could mistake TNA for a Nelly music video!
Who knows? Maybe Nelly is filming his music video right here, right now???
We’ve left a lot behind in Nashville, most importantly that damn HVAC guy who really pulled the strings inside The Asylum!
Now, we just hope this guy “Paulie” from the local electrician’s union hall received the envelope he asked for us to leave under a rock outside of an abandoned apartment complex to ensure our heat stays on!!!
Heading down to ringside, we are greeted by our
FAMOUS DYNAMIC DUO of Don West and “Professor” Mike Tenay! They welcome us all to not only another episode of
TOTAL NONSTOP ACTION…but also to the year 2003!!! They hype up tonight and say we have
AN INSANE EPISODE on tap for you all!!!
NWA Championship- Four Way Dance
©Raven vs. Rhino vs. Ken Shamrock vs. Ron Killings
Battle of TNA Titans
Mike Awesome vs. Ekmo w/Don Callis
X-Division Championship
©AJ Styles vs. Paul London
NWA Tag Team Championship
©America’s Most Wanted vs. Travis Tomko & Matt Morgan
Tag Team Match
Murderaz Row vs. Air Canada (Petey Williams & Bobby Roode)
Singles Match
Shelton Benjamin vs. EZ Money
X-Division Showcase
CM Punk vs. Amazing Red vs. Christopher Daniels vs. Jerry Lynn
After running down tonight’s
MASSIVE card, we stick around, gearing up for our first
X-DIVISION SHOWCASE of the year!!
It is an unspoken rule that some of you may have figured out, but the winner of the X-Division Showcase usually goes on to challenge for the X-Title the following show…this will not change…
Match 1: X-Division Showcase
CM Punk vs. Amazing Red vs. Christopher Daniels vs. Jerry Lynn
All four men are hungry for a victory…CM Punk has talked about how he made a deal with the devil…Daniels is looking for a shot at building some momentum…Jerry Lynn wants another crack at AJ Styles…and Amazing Red is over like crazy as he calls NYC home!!
Our first match of 2003 starts off
WITH A BANG!!
Lynn goes for Red while Punk and Daniels duke it out on the opposite corner! Lynn tosses Red into the center of the ring while Punk tosses Daniels…
RED LEAPS OFF OF DANIELS WITH A BACKFLIP…
RIGHT INTO A TORNADO DDT ONTO JERRY LYNN!!!!
HOLY SHIT!!!!
Damn, that holy shit felt good to get out!!!!
Punk turns Daniels around and drops him with a forearm smash! Daniels falls outside the ring…Punk sprints full speed ahead, leaps off the ropes…
CM PUNK WITH A SPRINGBOARD FLYING CLOTHESLINE TO CHRISTOPHER DANIELS ON THE FLOOR!!!
Punk and Daniels are both down, as Jerry Lynn decides to get in on the fun…
JERRY LYNN LEAPS OFF THE TOP ROPE ONTO PUNK AND DANIELS!!!
You know we’re not finished quite yet…as it’s
AMAZING RED’S TURN TO GO FLYING!!!
Red gets a full head of steam…he leaps from the ropes to the top turnbuckle…
AMAZING RED WITH A MOONSAULT ONTO EVERYBODY ON THE FLOOR!!!!
The Jungle responds by shouting
“TNA! TNA!” at the top of their lungs…and any concerns that this crowd wouldn’t be into TNA are dispersed immediately!!
THE JUNGLE LOVES THE ACTION!!!
Red is first to his feet as he slides Jerry Lynn back inside the ring…he delivers kicks and punches before bouncing off the ropes…
AMAZING RED GOES FOR CODE RED….
BUT JERRY LYNN SWINGS HIM FORWARD AND CATCHES HIM IN MID-AIR…
CRADLE PILEDRIVER!!!
1..2…..NOOO!!!
CM Punk breaks up the pinfall attempt with a
TOP ROPE ELBOW DROP!!!
Punk then covers Red!!!
1…2….NOOO!!!
CHRISTOPHER DANIELS LEAPS OFF WITH A MOONSAULT TO BREAK UP THE COVER!!!!
With Lynn and Red both out, Daniels picks up the fallen Punk…
ANGELS WINGS!!!!
1….2….3!!!!
Winner at 7:00- Christopher Daniels
Christopher Daniels picks up the win here in the inaugural match of 2003!!! The Jungle cheers the match, giving all four men a standing ovation!!!!
Daniels has his hand raised, while CM Punk rolls to the floor, pissed off about taking the pinfall! Red gets a loud ovation from The Jungle, while Jerry Lynn is IRATE at ringside, throwing chairs and slamming the steel ring steps!!
For now, Daniels picks up the win and will look to get a shot at the X-Title in the near future!!!
We head to the back where we first set our eyes on
APRIL HUNTER, the new backstage reporter!! She heads outside where a white Chevy Suburban is parked out in front of The Jungle…
CHOSEN all file out of the truck, each member looking increasingly mad that they are in the cold of NYC!
After Travis Tomko, Matt Morgan and Steve Corino file out, Jeff Jarrett climbs out last…and he is
PISSED OFF tonight!!
Jarrett looks at April Hunter, pulls out a $20 bill and hands it to her…
“Park this somewhere that it won’t get stolen…”
April responds by telling him she is the new backstage reporter…Jarrett shakes his head and grabs his $20 bill back from her…
“Then you know that I SIGN THE DAMN CHECKS AROUND HERE!!”
Jarrett continues to shake his head as he looks around at the city life in disgust…
“It’s so damn cold here! The streets are so busy! Everything is so expensive! Nobody is friendly! You know what I have to say about New York City, April?”
April shakes her head as she doesn’t know…
“NEW YORK CITY PISSES ME OFF!!”
April shrugs as she doesn’t know how to answer the leader of Chosen…
“Tonight, Tomko and Morgan will wipe the floor with AMW and bring tag gold back to Chosen…Then, in the coming weeks, Steve ‘The Cornerstone’ Corino will make is presence felt as he brings the NWA World title back to Chosen…and you can take it to the bank…2003 will be simply known as ‘THE CHOSEN YEAR’!”
And with that, all of Chosen follow their leader inside The Jungle as April throws it back down to ringside…
Back down at ringside, West and Tenay don’t have much of a chance to say anything…
Because
AIR CANADA is standing inside the ring! Teddy and Tyson Hart stand tall, while the two newest additions of Petey Williams and Bobby Roode flank the Harts. Petey flies the Canadian flag through the air to a massive chorus of boos!!
A loud
“SHUT THE FUCK UP!” chant breaks out, yet Teddy Hart hasn’t even spoken a word yet! Teddy shakes his head and attempts to speak…
“Classless crowd…not surprising, given where we are at…”
More boos rain down on Teddy…
“You know, a great man once said, if you gave the USA an enema, they would stick the hose…RIGHT INTO NEW YORK CITY!!!”
Teddy garners massive heat from the crowd as he smirks…
“You know what the worst part about New York City…”
Teddy gets immediately cut off as the crowd blows the roof off The Jungle…
BECAUSE MURDERAZ ROW IS IN THE HOUSE!!!!
Homicide and Low Ki soak in the
MASSIVE POP from The Jungle as they sprint down the entrance ramp, slide inside the ring…
HOMICIDE CLOTHESLINES TYSON HART OVER THE ROPES AND TO THE FLOOR!!!
LOW KI SUPERKICKS TEDDY HART RIGHT OUT OF HIS SHOES SENDING HIS FLYING TO THE FLOOR!!!
Match 2- Tag Team Match
Murderaz Row vs. Petey Williams & Bobby Roode
PETEY WILLIAMS BLASTS HOMICIDE OVER THE BACK WITH THE CANADIAN FLAG POLE!!!!
The Jungle boos as the official bell rings!!
Petey continues to beat down on Homicide as Bobby Roode and Low Ki brawl around the ringside area!!
Petey sends Homicide off the ropes and goes for a clothesline but Homicide ducks, keeping his momentum running forward…
HOMICIDE DIVES THROUGH THE MIDDLE ROPE WITH A CANNONBALL FLIP ONTO BOBBY ROODE ON THE FLOOR!!!
HOLY SHIT!!!!
“Mr. Bed-Stuy Do or Die” Homicide gets right up as The Jungle showers him with cheers!! Tyson and Teddy think about attacking Homicide, but they realize how hot Murderaz Row is running at this current moment and hold back…
Low Ki tosses Bobby Roode inside the ring and follows suit while Homicide slides in. Roode goes for a punch but Homicide blocks it…
HOMICIDE WITH A DISCUSS LARIAT TO BOBBY ROODE!!!
Homicide lifts Bobby up to his feet…
PETEY WILLIAMS LAUNCHES HIMSELF OFF THE ROPES…
BUT LOW KI IS WAITING WITH A DROPKICK TO PETEY IN MID-AIR!!!
Homicide puts Bobby Roode in the
NO REMORSE position while Low Ki ascends to the top…
THUG STOMP!!!!!!
Homicide with the cover while Low Ki stands guard, mean-mugging Tyson and Teddy Hart on the outside…
1….2….3!!!
Winners at 4:00- Murderaz Row
The Jungle goes ballistic for Murderaz Row as they pick up an easy victory to start off the year!! All of Air Canada begins to retreat up the ramp while Homicide and Low Ki shout to Tyson and Teddy
THAT MURDERAZ ROW WANTS THEM NEXT!!!
The party doesn’t stop there as we head inside
THE DJ BOOTH…where THE VEGAS TRIO are dancing with the TNA Girls!!! D’Lo Brown, Pimp Daddy Chuck and Vegas Roadkill have luckily made the trip up North for 2003 as they were three guys we just couldn’t leave behind!!
The Vegas Trio dances away with the TNA Girls as DJ Clue continues to spin the good stuff to keep The Jungle
ROCKING in between matches!!!
West and Tenay begin to promote
DJ Clue’s NEW MIXTAPE- “The Desert Storm Mixtape: Blok Party Vol. 1” which will be hitting the shelves in two weeks!! West says he plans on buying multiple copies, as he will have a bunch signed by DJ Clue, while Tenay says he can’t wait to pop this bad boy into his car CD player so he has something new to listen to on his commute to The Jungle!!
We head to the back where April is standing by with
SHELTON BENJAMIN!!! Shelton gets a loud reaction when The Jungle sees him pop up on the video board!! April asks Shelton about 2003 and what he plans on accomplishing…
“2002 was a great year for me, but look, I’m young, I’m athletic, and let’s be honest…everyone knows it…The Jungle is about to witness it…I’m simply the man! Which is why 2003 will be MY year! I’m calling out everyone…from AJ Styles, to Raven, to Jeff Jarrett, to anybody else who wants to try and step to this! Because The Thug Pound is gonna be rocking, and Shelton Benjamin is gonna be rocking…and soon enough, that NWA World title will be around my waist!”
Shelton smirks at April as she sends it back down to ringside…
Back down at ringside, West and Tenay put over Shelton Benjamin and say that every word he just spoke could very well come true by the end of 2003!!!
For now, Shelton is ready for his first match of 2003!!!
Match 3- Singles Match
Shelton Benjamin vs. EZ Money
EZ Money is riding solo after an apparent dissolve of Kash$. Shelton Benjamin needs no introduction as we’ve spent the past four lines talking about him…
Shelton takes control early in this one as he quickly goes to work! EZ Money goes for a dropkick but Shelton swats his legs in mid-air, causing him to crash hard on the mat!!
Shelton grabs a hold of EZ Money and lifts him up to his feet, where he delivers a hard uppercut that sends Money off the ropes!! Money re-coils back…
SUPERKICK FROM SHELTON BENJAMIN!!!
EZ Money fades back off the ropes again, where Shelton follows him with a big clothesline that sends EZ Money crashing to the floor!!!
Shelton is looking to not only impress The Jungle, but every decision maker inside TNA tonight…
LOOK UP!!!
SHELTON FLIES THROUGH THE AIR, EFFORTLESSLY WITH A DIVING FLIP ONTO EZ MONEY ON THE FLOOR!!!
Shelton lands on his feet as he gets a loud pop from The Jungle!!
While on the outside, Benjamin decides to toy with EZ Money as he delivers another swift kick to the gut! Shelton hops up onto the apron and leaps off…
SHELTON WITH A FLYING HEADSCISSORS TO EZ MONEY OFF THE RING APRON!!!
Shelton slides EZ Money back inside the ring as he sizes him up for the ending…
SHELL SHOCK T-BONE SUPLEX!!!
1…2…3!!!
Winner at 5:00- Shelton Benjamin
The Jungle erupts in cheers for Shelton Benjamin as he gets his hand raised by Referee Slick Johnson!! Shelton looks out into the sea of fans cheering for him and he pumps a fist, signaling that he is on-board with the cheers!!
West and Tenay put Shelton over on commentary, talking about how much he has matured since last summer, and that the sky is the limit for the fast-rising superstar here in TNA!!!
We get a hype video for our next matchup,
THE FIRST TITLE MATCH OF 2003- The NWA Tag Team Championship!!
First, we see Travis Tomko and Matt Morgan winning the #1 Contender’s Match to end 2002…
Then we get a look at the INSANE Ladder Match between AMW, Murderaz Row and The Eliminators! Tons of high spots and memorable moments that have been etched into TNA forever! AMW eventually overcome all of their obstacles and WIN the Tag Titles!!
Back down at ringside, West and Tenay hype up the NWA Tag Team Championship, and wonder if Jeff Jarrett and Steve Corino will be getting involved on behalf of Tomko and Morgan!!
Match 4- NWA Tag Team Championship
©America’s Most Wanted vs. Travis Tomko & Matt Morgan
AMW get a huge pop from The Jungle, as these guys are over wherever they decide to show up!!
Tomko and Morgan head on down alongside Steve “Cornerstone” Corino and Jeff Jarrett! It is safe to say that Chosen brought all of their heat with them to NYC, as The Jungle DESPISES all of them!!
Referee Rudy Charles signals for the official bell and
WE ARE ON!!!
Tomko and Morgan waste zero time getting this one on as they attack the champions right off the bat!! Morgan works over Harris while Tomko shoves his big boot into James Storm’s throat in the corner!!
Eventually, things calm down as we get a standard tag match for the moment. Tomko continues his offensive barrage on James Storm, connecting with a
TILT-A-WHIRL BACKBREAKER followed by the dreaded BEAR HUG!!!
James Storm is close to tagging in Chris Harris, but at the last second Tomko turns the boring bear hug into something more flashy…
TOMKO HITS AN OVERHEAD BELLY-TO-BELLY SUPLEX…TOSSING JAMES STORM OVER THE TOP ROPE AND TO THE FLOOR!!!
James Storm crashes hard on the ringside floor as Tomko taunts The Jungle before tagging in Matt Morgan!
Morgan heads outside the ring and grabs James Storm, smashing him back-first into the steel ring post!! Chris Harris has seen enough as he leaps off the apron…
MATT MORGAN CATCHES CHRIS HARRIS IN MID-AIR…
AND CHOKESLAMS HIM ONTO THE RING APRON!!!
The hardest part of the ring catches Chris Harris’ back!! Morgan and Tomko are in full control as Morgan slides Storm back inside the ring…
Jarrett and Corino watch from ringside, applauding their two giants as Jarrett takes time to talk smack to every member of The Jungle in the first few rows!!
Tomko and Morgan continue to double-team James Storm as Harris has now recovered enough to begin cheering on his partner on the apron!!
The two behemoths tag each other in, but Matt Morgan suffers a mishap when he misses a big boot…
AND JAMES STORM DRILLS MORGAN WITH A SUPERKICK!!!
HOT TAG TO CHRIS HARRIS!!!
Harris begins to clean house as he drills Morgan with a clothesline, and then forearm smashes Tomko for good measure!! Morgan runs at Chris Harris…
HARRIS WITH A BACK BODY DROP TO MATT MORGAN!!!
Harris tags back in James Storm as the dynamic duo looks to put the two monsters away…
Harris climbs to the top…Storm sends Morgan off the ropes and connects with a
SPINEBUSTER!!!
Storm holds onto Morgan…
STEVE CORINO RUSHES THE RING!!! He distracts Referee Rudy Charles long enough…
JEFF JARRETT HOPS UP ONTO THE APRON AND DRILLS CHRIS HARRIS OVER THE HEAD WITH HIS GUITAR!!!
The Guitar Shot was so loud that Referee Rudy Charles turns back around….
Rudy must have taken a refresher course on how to officiate because he knows what Jarrett has done…
AND HE CALLS FOR THE BELL!!!
Winners at 10:00 VIA DQ AND STILL NWA TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS- AMW
The DQ finish just infuriates all of Chosen even more as Tomko and Morgan had a legitimate shot of winning gold tonight had Jarrett and Corino not gotten involved!!!
Chosen continue the beat down on Storm and Harris…
The Jungle begins to
POP LOUD…
HERE COMES MONTY BROWN!!!!
Monty sprints down the entrance ramp, and in one motion slides inside the ring…
AND DRILLS JEFF JARRETT WITH THE POOOUNNNCEEEE!!!!
Monty turns around and has two big problems as Tomko and Morgan both wrap their massive hands around Monty’s throat…
BUT NOT FOR LONG!!! HERE COMES MARK AND JAY BRISCOE!!!
The Briscoes leap to the top rope and fly off…
RIGHT ONTO TOMKO AND MORGAN!!!
Mark and Jay begin to beat down on Tomko and Morgan while Monty is like a heat-seeking missile looking for Steve Corino!!! Corino senses danger and
BEGINS TO HIGH TAIL IT THROUGH THE CROWD!!!
The Briscoes and Monty Brown clear the ring as the rest of Chosen retreats up the entrance ramp!!!
The faces help AMW to their feet, where Mark and Jay pick up the fallen Tag titles and in a sign of respect, hand them over to AMW!! Harris and Storm nod their heads as The Briscoes take a good long look at the titles, which someday they will probably end up holding!!!
The Jungle pops loud for the five men, as they are clearly key pieces of TNA at the moment, and won’t let Chosen get away with the same antics they got away with in 2002!!!
We head to the back where we see
EKMO walking alongside his manager, Don Callis! The two are conversing, and Ekmo doesn’t look too happy with whatever Don Callis is saying…our audio picks up mid-way through their conversation…
“I know I said 2002 was going to be your year, and although you didn't produce any gold, let’s be honest, I think you had a hell of a year!”
Ekmo shakes his head as Callis is more pleading with Ekmo than anything else…
“You promised me gold! You promised me more money! You promised me a bigger contract! What did I get? Broken ribs from fighting Sabu every week!”
Callis continues to plead his case with Ekmo…
“Look, trust me. If you win tonight, you’re guaranteed a World title shot! Trust me! I just spoke to Cornette and Dusty!”
Ekmo shakes his head as he thinks about picking Callis up by his collar…
“You get one more chance to make this right. Tonight. Earn your keep!”
Ekmo restrains himself for now as Callis slowly exhales…but now…Don Callis needs to make sure Ekmo beats Mike Awesome tonight!
We head over to another part of the backstage area where Mike Awesome is beginning to make his way down to the ring!
West and Tenay say that this next match is being billed as a clash between the “Two Titans of TNA” and revisit their history of fighting throughout the summer of 2002!!
Match 5- Battle of TNA Titans
Mike Awesome vs. Ekmo
The two Titans of TNA stare each other down as The Jungle is on their feet before these two even think about throwing haymakers at each other!!!
Ekmo slaps Awesome…Awesome slaps Ekmo…
AND WE ARE ON!!!!
AWESOME HEADBUTTS EKMO…but he forgot the legend of headbutting a Samoan….All it does it make Ekmo angry…
SAVATE KICK BY EKMO!!!
Awesome bounces back off the ropes…
AND DRILLS EKMO WITH A LARIAT!!!!
Awesome picks Ekmo up and decides to show The Jungle how a 6-foot 6 man can effortlessly leap around as he hops from ropes to the top rope…
AWESOME LEAPS OFF WITH A DIVING BACK SHOULDER BLOCK!!!!
BUT EKMO CATCHES HIM!!!!
Ekmo holds onto Mike Awesome as he tries to dump him to the floor, but Awesome hangs onto the rope and lands on his feet on the apron!!
Ekmo goes for a big right hand but Awesome ducks and drives his shoulder into Ekmo’s mid-section!! Awesome then lunges forward…
SLINGSHOT CLOTHESLINE FROM MIKE AWESOME!!!
Ekmo rolls out of the ring and to the floor as Awesome soaks in the loud response from The Jungle!!
The Jungle hasn’t taken a breath since the bell rang, and they aren’t going to yet….
MIKE AWESOME SKIES OVER THE ROPES WITH A HUGE DIVE ONTO EKMO ON THE FLOOR!!!!
HOLY SHIT!!!!
A MAN THAT BIG SHOULDN’T BE ABLE TO FLY LIKE THAT!!!
Awesome picks Ekmo up and slams him hard into the guard rail! Don Callis gets involved as he smashes the back of Mike Awesome- looking to do everything in his power to retain Ekmo after tonight!!
MIKE AWESOME WRAPS HIS HAND AROUND CALLIS’ THROAT!!!!
Awesome then easily hoists Callis up over his head…
MIKE AWESOME TOSSES DON CALLIS INTO THE FIRST ROW OF THE JUNGLE!!!!
HOLY SHIT!!!
Awesome took his eyes off of the prize as he turns around to a fully recovered Ekmo….
EKMO BLASTS MIKE AWESOME WITH A STEEL CHAIR ACROSS THE HEAD!!!!
Awesome gets his bell rung as he drops to one knee. Ekmo runs full speed ahead with the chair…
BUT MIKE AWESOME PUNCHES THE CHAIR INTO EKMO’S FACE!!!!
Both titans are down as they both slowly crawl back inside the ring! They meet in the middle as Awesome drills Ekmo with a haymaker…Ekmo winds back and
DECKS MIKE AWESOME!!!
AND THEN THE TWO BEGIN UNLOADING ON EACH OTHER IN THE CENTER OF THE RING!!!!
The Jungle goes insane for the spot! Mike Awesome flies off the ropes and goes for a shoulder block but Ekmo moves out of the way…
EKMO PUNTS MIKE AWESOME IN THE HEAD!!!!
Ekmo tosses Awesome into the corner of the ring as he runs to the opposite corner…
EKMO RUNS FULL SPEED AHEAD, DRILLING MIKE AWESOME WITH A CANNONBALL!!!!
Ekmo is feeling it as he looks for the end! Don Callis, who still may be a little bit out of it from before, decides to climb up onto the apron as he cheers on Ekmo…
Awesome slowly crawls back to his feet…
AWESOME KICKS CALLIS…WHO IN TURN SHAKES THE ROPES….
DROPPING EKMO CROTCH FIRST ON THE TOP TURNBUCKLE!!!!
This won’t end well for Don Callis!!!
Awesome then adjusts Ekmo as he
SOMEHOW LIFTS EKMO UP ON THE TOP TURNBUCKLE…
TOP ROPE AWESOME BOMB!!!!
1….2….3!!!!
Winner at 14:00- Mike Awesome
The Jungle erupts in cheers for Mike Awesome, as he picks up a very much-needed victory here to kick of 2003!!!
On the other side of this match, Don Callis enters the ring as he profusely apologizes to Ekmo. Ekmo stands with his hands on his hips, shaking his head, pissed off at Don Callis for potentially costing him tonight’s match!!!
Callis gets down on his hands and knees and pleads with Ekmo…
EKMO RESPONDS BY TAKING DON CALLIS’ HEAD OFF WITH A SAVATE KICK!!!!
THE JUNGLE POPS LOUD FOR EKMO…SIGNALING A FACE TURN FOR THE BIG MAN!!!
Ekmo then looks over at Mike Awesome, who is amused by the beating Don Callis has taken!
AWESOME REACHES OUT HIS HAND….AND EKMO ACCEPTS THE HANDSHAKE!!!!!
The Jungle continues to erupt for the two titans, as they share a moment of mutual respect!!
Mike Awesome heads to the back with his hands held high above his head, while Ekmo looks down at the unconscious Don Callis and kicks him once more for good measure!!!
Highlights from the match begin to play as West and Tenay hype up Mike Awesome, while talking about how Ekmo has finally gotten rid of Don Callis, and will now look to help Awesome on his crusade against Raven and Doomsday in the future!!!
We head inside TNA President
JIM CORNETTE’S OFFICE where he and TNA Sheriff Dusty Rhodes sit at their respective desks…
WHEN JEFF JARRETT BARGES IN!!!
“God dammit, Jeff! You can’t just barge in like that!”
Jarrett shakes his head as he doesn’t really care what Cornette has to say…
“You forget who SIGNS THE CHECKS AROUND HERE!”
Jeff Jarrett is carrying with him a stack of papers as he tosses them down on the desk of Jim Cornette, all while giving his enemy Dusty Rhodes the side-eye…
“Here is the 2003 lease. It needs to be signed by the end of tonight. Why don’t we go out there, inside the middle of that ring, and sign it for the world to see?”
Cornette is confused as he looks over the lease…
“You mean to tell me, that you, JEFF JARRETT, of all people, want to show a sign of solidarity out there tonight? What the hell do you have up your sleeve?”
Jarrett smirks and shakes his head…
“Nothing. I got nothing left. Nothing at all. You two took everything from me... It’s a new year….let’s turn over a new leaf and start things off on the right foot?”
Jarrett exits the office as Cornette and Dusty look at each other…
“Something’s a brewing, Corny. He don’t talk like that unless he’s got a master plan in place…”
Cornette nods his head in approval, as both men know later tonight they need to keep their guard up around Jeff Jarrett!!
We get a brief video package highlighting X-Division Champion AJ Styles’ meteoric rise throughout 2002! We see his legendary matches with Jerry Lynn, Amazing Red, and eventually, Shelton Benjamin at Kingdom Come!
We kick it over to April, who is standing by with
AJ STYLES! The Jungle pops at the sight of Styles on the video board, as he stands confidently with the X-Title draped around his shoulder. April asks AJ if he is ready to defend his X-Title tonight…
“I’m always ready. I plan on showing the entire wrestling world what a fighting champion looks like. We have 25 shows in 2003, and I plan on defending and retaining this X-Title for all 25 of them! Paul London…tonight it starts with you!”
AJ Styles heads off the set as April throws it back down to ringside!
West and Tenay talk about AJ Styles and say he is the measuring stick when it comes to the X-Division, however, Paul London is as tough as they come and he would love nothing more than starting out 2003 with an upset win over AJ Styles to become the new X-Division Champion!!
Match 6- X-Division Championship
©AJ Styles vs. Paul London
The Jungle is on their feet for this one as the official bell rings!! The two trade some reversals and showcase chain wrestling to the world, with neither man gaining the upper hand! London sends AJ off the ropes and goes for a clothesline but AJ ducks! AJ leaps back off…
WITH A FLYING FOREARM!!!
London is down as AJ pops right back up to his feet! AJ screams off the ropes and goes for a flying cross body, but Paul London catches him in mid-air!! London carries AJ over to the corner where he sets him up on the top turnbuckle!
London heads up to the top right AJ Styles, but AJ pushes London off, sending him back to the mat! AJ tries to climb to his feet on the top but London thinks quick and springboards off the ropes…
LONDON WITH A SPRINGBOARD DROPKICK THAT SENDS AJ STYLES CRASHING TO THE RINGSIDE FLOOR!!!
HOLY SHIT!!!!
The Jungle goes crazy for the spot…
AND LONDON ISN’T DONE YET!!!
London leaps over the top rope…
PAUL LONDON WITH A CORKSCREW PLANCHA ONTO AJ STYLES ON THE FLOOR!!!
Paul London wants to walk out of this one with the X-Division title!!!
London sends AJ back inside the ring and follows behind as he slingshots over the ropes and hits an elbow drop!!!
London goes for the pinfall!!!
1…2…NOO!!!
There is still a lot of fight left in AJ Styles!!
London looks to continue the offense but he is thwarted when he goes for a clothesline, but AJ ducks!!!
Paul London turns back around…
PELE KICK FROM AJ STYLES!!!
Styles got all of that kick as London falls into the corner of the ring, dazed from the shot!!
AJ hoists London up onto the top turnbuckle, and follows behind him. London fights off AJ Styles, and somehow, we end up with AJ Styles in the
ELECTRIC CHAIR POSITION on Paul London’s shoulders…
London tries to fight AJ off, but AJ is too strong and lunges backwards…
AJ STYLES WITH A POISON RANA OFF THE TOP ROPE TO PAUL LONDON…WHO GOES CRASHING DOWN FROM THE TOP ROPE, TO THE APRON, ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR!!!!
HOLY SHIT!!!!
The Jungle is in awe as West and Tenay lose their minds on commentary!!!
AJ is super-human tonight and is back on his feet, and back to the top rope…
With Paul London out cold on the floor, AJ Styles looks to capitalize…
SPIRAL TAP TO PAUL LONDON ON THE FLOOR!!!!
THIS MAN AJ STYLES IS INSANE!!!!!
London has no fight left in him as AJ slides him inside the ring!!! It’s all but over at this point as AJ gets London in the STYLES CLASH position…
STYLES CLASH!!!!
AJ rolls London over…
1….2…3!!!!
Winner at 11:00 AND STILL X-DIVISION CHAMPION- AJ Styles
The Jungle gives AJ Styles a huge ovation as he is handed his X-title!!! AJ celebrates his title win by posing on the top turnbuckle!!!
AJ helps Paul London up to his feet and the two share a handshake, signaling the sportsmanship that makes the X-Division the greatest in the world today!!!
AJ Styles claims he is a fighting champion, and makes good on that promise tonight as he successfully defends the title and kicks off 2003 on the right foot!!!
We head down to the infamous
BASEMENT for the first Doomsday gathering of 2003!!
We are in a new building, but that doesn’t mean we couldn’t find a new BASEMENT!!!
NWA World Champion Raven sits in the corner, with his new girlfriend, Alexis, on his lap. Jack Foley, Vampiro, Abyss and Father James Mitchell all flank their cult leader as the camera zooms in…
“As the calendar flips, the same troubles from yesterday appear today…everybody gunning for my head…Mike Awesome, Rhino, Ken Shamrock, Ron Killings…..Sting….all of them have the same thing in common…they all want what they can’t have…”
Alexis drapes her arms around Raven as the rest of Doomsday looks on with devilish grins on their faces, all while Abyss snarls at the camera…
“We aren’t afraid of any of you…and what happened at the end of Kingdom Come…it was just another failed attempt to gather the gold-wrapped Raven…see nothing changes when you’re at the top…new building…new faces…new foes…same rooster you all come to snuff…Tonight will be no different as I continue my reign of terror, unleashing DOOMSDAY down on ANYBODY that gets in our way…”
Father James Mitchell lets out a sadistic laugh while Jack Foley places his hand on top of Raven’s head…
“QUOTE THE RAVEN….NEVERMORE!!!”
We get the classic jump scare of Vampiro while Jack Foley does Raven’s signature arms-stretched out pose behind his leader as scene quickly fades to black…
We get a three-way shot of Rhino, Ken Shamrock and Ron Killings all warming up for the
HUGE MAIN EVENT which will happen in just a few seconds!!
West and Tenay begin to hype up our main event, and say that Raven has been in these multi-man matches before, and somehow, always finds a way to pull out a victory- usually with the help of his Doomsday henchmen. Will that be the case tonight???
Rhino and Ken Shamrock, once best friends and tag team partners, are now bitter enemies after Shamrock turned on Rhino at Kingdom Come!!
Ron Killings is looking to finally break through after spending much of 2002 on the outside looking in…
NWA World Champion Raven is hoping to keep the same strategy of letting his opponents beat each other down enough for him to swoop in and collect another victory!!
Main Event- NWA World Championship- Four Way Dance
©Raven vs. Rhino vs. Ken Shamrock vs. Ron Killings
West and Tenay remind us that under
“Four Way Dance Rules” there are no DQ’s…which means
DOOMSDAY WILL BE RUNNING FREE DURING THIS THING!!!
The Jungle is on their feet for
THE FIRST MAIN EVENT OF 2003!! Raven sits in his signature spot in the corner of the ring…Ron Killings is ready to rock…Rhino and Ken Shamrock jaw jack at each other…
THE OFFICIAL BELL RINGS!!!
Rhino and Ken Shamrock immediately go for each other…
AND A HAYMAKER BATTLE ENSUES!!! After tossing cinder block hands at each other…
KEN SHAMROCK TACKLES RHINO OUT OF THE RING AND TO THE FLOOR!!!
Ron Killings charges at Raven in the corner, but Raven moves out of the way at the last second!! Raven turns Killings around and drills him with rights and lefts before delivering a vicious uppercut in the corner!!
Raven tosses Killings out of the corner and follows behind him, hitting a big splash in the opposite corner! Raven goes for the extremely early pinfall…
1…NO!
Before Referee Rudy Charles can count past 1, Rhino and Ken Shamrock spill back inside the ring and land on top of the pinfall!!
Rhino and Shamrock continue to roll around…
AND BOTH MEN FALL BACK TO THE FLOOR!!!
Shamrock gets the best of Rhino as he
GOUGES AT HIS EYES!!!
Shamrock runs full speed ahead, but Rhino is waiting and blasts him with a clothesline!!
Raven and Killings spills out to the floor, as Raven puts the boots to Killings in front of all of Doomsday!!
Rhino waits for Shamrock to get to his feet…
RHINO GORES KEN SHAMROCK THROUGH THE STEEL GUARD RAIL…INTO THE FRONT ROW!!!
HOLY SHIT!!!!
Killings gains the upper hand on Raven…
UNTIL JACK FOLEY CRACKS KILLINGS IN THE BACK WITH A STEEL CHAIR!!!
Abyss and Vampiro begin to set up a table near ringside as they place the fallen Killings onto it. Raven heads inside the ring, races off the ropes…
RAVEN FLIES OVER THE ROPES BUT RON KILLINGS MOVES…AND RAVEN CRASHES THROUGH THE TABLE!!!
Killings blasts Vampiro with a sidekick!!! He drills Foley with a clothesline!!! Killings tosses the steel chair inside the ring...
AND THEN HE RUNS RIGHT INTO ABYSS!!!
BUT NOT FOR LONG!!!
BECAUSE RHINO BACK BODY DROPS KEN SHAMROCK RIGHT INTO ABYSS!!!!
Rhino catches Killings off guard as he decks him with a hard right hand before tossing him back inside the ring!!!
Rhino calls for the end as he waits for Killings to get to his feet…The Jungle is firmly behind Rhino…
COULD THIS BE RHINO’S MOMENT?!?!?!
ALEXIS LEAPS OFF THE TOP ROPE AND HITS A HURICANRANNA ON RHINO!!!!
Killings races for the pinfall on the distracted Rhino…
1…2…NOO!!!
JACK FOLEY GRABS KILLINGS BY THE FEET AND SLIDES HIM OFF THE PINFALL!!!
Killings kicks at Foley until he can get to his feet…
Ron Killings runs off the ropes, looking for a dive on Foley…but throughout this entire time Raven has been waiting and has set up the chair in the middle of the ring…
KILLINGS BOUNCES OFF THE ROPES…
RAVEN DROP TOE HOLDS KILLINGS FACE-FIRST INTO THE CHAIR!!!
KEN SHAMROCK PUTS RAVEN IN THE ANKLE LOCK!!!!
Raven screams in pain in the center of the ring as Shamrock has it locked in tight…
RHINO GORES KEN SHAMROCK!!!!
Rhino gets right up, turns around…
RIGHT INTO A BLACK HOLE SLAM FROM ABYSS!!!!
The Doomsday numbers are in full effect!!!
Raven pins Rhino!!!
1…2…NOOO!!!
Rhino kicks out, and gets jolted with energy as he gets right back to his feet and
BEGINS TO CLEAN HOUSE!!!
Rhino clotheslines Ken Shamrock!!!
He sets his sights on Abyss….
RHINO CLOTHESLINES ABYSS OVER THE ROPES AND TO THE FLOOR!!!
Alexis jumps on Rhino’s back but he easily tosses her off…
RHINO GORES ALEXIS!!!!!
HOLY SHIT!!!!
Alexis is broken in half as Rhino doesn’t care what you are or who you are…if you stand in his way…
YOU WILL GET GORED!!!
Meanwhile, Jack Foley has taken Ron Killings on the outside and places him onto a table! Foley hops up to the apron…
RHINO GRABS FOLEY BY HIS HAIR!!!
Rhino heads out onto the apron with Foley, as Killings has now slid off the table…
RHINO PICKS FOLEY UP…
RHINO HITS JACK FOLEY WITH A PILEDRIVER OFF THE APRON THROUGH THE TABLE!!!!
RHINO IS ON ABSOLUTE FIRE!!!!
Back inside the ring…
RAVEN WITH AN EVENFLOW DDT TO KEN SHAMROCK!!!
1…2….NOOO!!!
RON KILLINGS LEAPS OFF THE TOP TURNBUCKLE WITH A TOP ROPE LEG DROP TO BREAK UP THE COUNT!!!
Killings can taste victory as he looks to put Raven away…
BUT ABYSS REACHES OVER THE ROPES AND GRABS KILLINGS BY HIS HEAD!!!
Killings tries to wiggle out of it, but the big man has a vice grip on him…
RAVEN WITH A SINGAPORE CANE SHOT TO RON KILLINGS’ CHEST!!!!
Killings bounces forward…
EVENFLOW DDT ONTO THE STEEL CHAIR!!!!
1…2….3!!!!!
Winner at 17:00 AND STILL NWA WORLD CHAMPION- Raven
The Doomsday numbers were just too much for the other three to overcome…and in the end…once again…
RAVEN IS STILL YOUR NWA WORLD CHAMPION!!!
Raven is handed his title as he sits in the center of the ring, exhausted from the match. His fellow Doomsday members head inside the ring and look to strike their pose…
UNTIL THE LIGHTS GO OUT!!!!
THE JUNGLE ERUPTS!!!!
THE LIGHTS TURN ON….
IT’S STIIINNNNGGGGG!!!!
Sting, armed with his baseball bat, begins swinging for the fences, but Doomsday was ready for this sneak attack, and begin to beat down on Sting…
UNTIL MIKE AWESOME AND EKMO RUN DOWN TO EVEN UP THE ODDS!!!!
Awesome and Ekmo both have bad blood with Doomsday, and are all-too excited to join in on the fun!!!
The carnage ensues and eventually, everybody besides Mike Awesome ends up on the ringside floor…
MIKE AWESOME TAKES FLIGHT…
AND WIPES EVERYBODY OUT AT RINGSIDE!!!!
Doomsday begins to retreat up the aisle way as the trio of Sting, Mike Awesome and Ekmo stand tall and share a moment of respect as they all share the mutual bond of destroying Doomsday!!!
West and Tenay hype up what we’ve all just witnessed, saying Raven’s days as NWA World Champion are numbered if he has Sting, Mike Awesome and Ekmo gunning for him!!!
The show would usually end right here and now, but instead, we gear up for the final segment of the night…THE SIGNING OF THE 2003 LEASE!!!
West and Tenay continue to hype up 2003 as they say this will be the biggest and most important year of TNA’s history, and it could, in fact, either make us or break us!!
We cut back to a shot inside the ring, where TNA Ring Announcer Jeremy Borash is standing, hyping us up for this historic signing ceremony!! A table is placed in the center of the ring with three chairs, one for each Cornette, Dusty and Jeff Jarrett. The 2003 Lease is centered on the table, and there are three pens for the three signatures!!
TNA President Jim Cornette and TNA Sheriff Dusty Rhodes come out first, to a MASSIVE POP!!! Any rumors that these two wouldn’t be as over here in NYC were just that- rumors! The two men slap the fans hands as they head inside the ring and sit down on their respective chairs…
Jeff Jarrett heads out next, and he continues to have NUCLEAR HEAT with The Jungle! West and Tenay remind us all that although Jarrett doesn’t have an official title here in TNA…he does…in fact…sign the checks! Jarrett then reminds The Jungle that he is responsible for them being here tonight as he jaw-jacks on his way down to the ring!!
Jarrett stops at the bottom of the ramp and decides to head underneath the ring, where
HE GRABS A TABLE!! Jarrett slides the table inside the ring as he sets it up opposite of Cornette and Dusty! Jarrett takes his chair and pen as he sits across on his
OWN TABLE!!
Jeremy Borash begins to narrate as first
, Jim Cornette signs his name!!!
Then,
Dusty Rhodes signs his name!!!!
Borash tells Jarrett to grab the 2003 Lease and sign it…and
TNA WILL BE OFFICIALLY LOCKED INTO THE JUNGLE FOR ALL OF 2003!!!
“Why don’t you bring it over to me? Make yourself useful! REMEMBER WHO SIGNS YOUR DAMN CHECK, BORASH!”
Jarrett sits back with his feet kicked up on the table, waiting for somebody to hand him the contract. Dusty wants to get this over with as he keeps peeking over his shoulder, waiting for Chosen to attack, and tosses the contract on the table for Jarrett to sign!!
Jarrett gets more heat with The Jungle as he begins to read over the 2003 Lease in its entirety, which happens to be over 50 pages long!!! Following a painful half-minute of Jarrett reading over the terms…
JEFF JARRETT SIGNS THE 2003 LEASE!!!
Jeremy Borash hypes up The Jungle as he announces the official 2003 Lease has been signed!!!!
“TNA! TNA! TNA!”
The Jungle cries out at the top of their lungs as Cornette and Dusty pump their fists…all while Jarrett continues to kick back with a grin across his face…
Borash starts one more “TNA!” chant as Dusty and Cornette get up from their chairs…
WAIT A MINUTE!!!!
WHAT THE HELL??????
ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!?!?!?!?
JEREMY BORASH GETS ABSOLUTLEY BUM-RUSHED…
BY THE DUDLEYS?!?!?!?!?!?
West and Tenay are beside themselves on commentary…
THE DUDLEYS ARE HERE IN TOTAL NONSTOP ACTION!!!
Bubba pounces on Borash while Dvon tosses the table over, knocking Cornette and Dusty to the mat…all while Jarrett slowly exits the ring, watching from the floor…
Bubba takes Jarrett’s table and sets it up in the center of the ring…
3D TO JEREMY BORASH THROUGH THE TABLE!!!!!!
COME ON…NOT OUR RING ANNOUNCER!!!!
Cornette falls out of the ring and crashes
HARD to the floor!!!
Dusty stays and is ready to fight, as it is not in Dusty Rhodes’ nature to back down…
BUBBA AND DVON CLOBBER DUSTY DOWN INTO THE CORNER OF THE RING!!!!
Dvon sets the second table up as Bubba climbs to the top turnbuckle!!! Dvon lifts Dusty’s motionless body up for Bubba…
BUBBA WITH A TOP ROPE POWERBOMB TO DUSTY RHODES THROUGH THE TABLE!!!!!
“NO! GOD DAMMIT!!! CAN WE GET SECURITY OUT HERE? PLEASE!!! WE NEED HELP!!! TNA IS UNDER ATTACK!!!”
West and Tenay are
IRATE on commentary…
The Jungle cannot believe their eyes as they are stunned silent…
The camera pans in to show Bubba sitting in the pile of rubble, with an absolute stone-faced stoic look…
All while Jeff Jarrett stands in the center of the entrance ramp, soaking it all in…
West and Tenay begin to sign us off as the credits begin to roll….TNA will call The Jungle home for all of 2003…The Dudleys are in TNA…
and Jeff Jarrett once again has proven that although he doesn’t have an official title…he IS the sole power source of TNA…which means 2003 might just be
“THE CHOSEN YEAR” of TNA!!!!
Glad to be back at it like we never left! Hope you all enjoy the world I’m trying to build for 2003, complete with a new look and feel. I’ll see you all in the same spot in two weeks! Enjoy the first of 25 shows from The Jungle!!
