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This is a review of the NWA Charlotte April 11 "Final Destination" card, which
features the finals for the NWA Charlotte U.S. title tournament and continue the
Flair Invasion storyline with the NWA Charlotte debut of Reid Flair in a six man
match.
After being introduced by ring announcer Eddie Rich, NWA Charlotte President
J.D. Costello call for color commentatot Lodi to enter the ring. Just as
Costello touches on Lodi's substituting for Raven in the US title tournament and
losing, Jim Cornette comes out to the Midnight Express theme music, to a big
ovation. Cornette puts over Charlotte and the Midnight Express's history in
Charlotte. Both Lodi and Costello thank Cornette for his influence and/or help
he's given them over the years. Cornette reads a FedEx message from Raven,
announcing that Lodi will face a Raven-selected opponent that night with a
to-be-announced stipulation should he lose. Cornette puts over NWA Charlotte one
more time before exiting. Lodi looks concerned as he resumes his color duties.
The first match is a three-way tag match with the American Gangsters, New Wave, and Team Ego. Ego and New Wave start the match off (the announcer should given the individual names of the tag team members) with the Gangsters watching from the apron. Fast paced, even match between the two teams as the Gangsters engage fans and complain to the ref about not getting into the match. When they do get in, they were very impressive: stiff but not reckless and surprisingly agile especially the larger one who dropkicked the New Wave member while he was perched on the top turnbuckle. There was this kid who kept telling one "he looked like (R&B singer) T-Pain". As the Gangsters dominated New Wave, Ego grabbed the mic, berated the Gangsters and walked out, refusing to wrestle them. The Gangstas pin New Wave after a stiff looking spear. They continue beating on New Wave after the match which leads to Cornette and Costello coming out and telling security to escort
them out. Funny piece of business here as only one guy went in and the Gangsters beat him down as Cornette and Costello exhort the others to get him to save him, Cornette even told one "What are you, gutless?" When the guy didn't get in, Cornette says, "I guess you are.". After a couple security guys finally do make the save, Costello not only throws them out of the ring but the arena as well, making them exit out the door. Very good match, sets up an Ego-Gangsters feud. I was a little surprised that New Wave got in so little offense since it appeared that NWA Charlotte was pushing them the premier babyface team.
Phil Shatter comes out and cuts a promo on Jim Cornette. A "What" chant starts building (why? what year is this and who thinks this is still funny?). Cornette enters the ring and asks the fans to stop yelling "What" since it just means Shatter will be out there all day. Shatter and Cornette go back and forth with Cornette finishing by announcing Shatter's opponent, the debuting Michael Youngblood. Youngblood does the old Indian gimmick with a few new touches and exists some charisma (he kissed this fan at ringside and about put her in la-la land). A good enough match with Shatter winning after countering the ten punches to the head in the corner spot with a powerbomb and pulling the tights. Youngblood showed promise and Shatter continues to look strong.
We go to the Interview Stage for an interview hosted by Lodi with Truitt Fields, one half of the US title tournament final. Fields is adequate on the mic but nothing special. The interview is interrupted (a theme for the night)by his opponent, "Roughhouse" Ryan O'Reilly. O'Reilly has a sizable fan base with this crowd much like the other top heels for the company, Phil Shatter and Michael Judas. O'Reilly attacked Fields, kicking him in the chest and knocking him into the wall. He then stomps him until security breaks it up. O'Reilly walks to the back laughing as Fields is helped up, favoring his left shoulder.
The third match is a tag team match with some of their top
cruiserweights Dylan Kage and Caleb "The Obsession" Conley against Josh Magnum
and Zack Salvation. The winner of the fall will get a 3 minute pass in the TLC
battle royal to determine the first cruiserweight champion. Fast paced with only
a couple of blown spots but easily covered up. After a double team "Styles
Clash" on Kage, Magnum and Salvation argue as Zack breaks up the pin attempt by
Josh. Makes sense in a booking sense. Just as the match seems to break down as
Salvation starts throwing in chairs, the American Gangsters enter the ring from
a door in the back of the arena. They decimate everyone but Kage, who stays on
the floor. Cornette comes back out and suspends them for 30 days without pay and
threatens to make it 60 as they menace him. They leave back out the door they
came in while Kage wins the match by pinfall after catching Salvation (I think)
with a spinning super kick. A
little chaotic at the end but entertaining.
Jim Cornette comes out to talk to Ricky Steamboat Jr. Steamboat won't be wrestling since he sustained an injury the night before that required 14 stitches in his arm. His opponent for the night, Vordell Walker, comes out and trash-talks Steamboat, saying if he were hurt, he would still wrestle. Steamboat tells him he'll be back at the next show on the 25th and he'll show him why his name's Steamboat. Not a bad segment, both wrestlers showed some fire.
That segues into the next match of Walker and "Mr. Mid-Atlantic" Damien Wayne, substituting for Steamboat. Decent match with one badly blown spot and one not-so-badly blown spot, both by Wayne. Wayne pinned Walker with a small package in what must be considered an upset. I thought they should have had Walker get his heat back by attacking Wayne after the match but as he walked back to the locker room, getting into it with fans, he was favoring his left arm. Might have gotten hurt somewhere in the match. We go to 20 minute intermission.
We come back to action with the "Korean Assasin" Kimo with Jeff G. Bailey against Eric Adams. Squash. Kimo is another heel that gets face pops from the Charlotte fans. After beating Adams, Kimo continues his assault until security comes in the break it up. Bad idea and continues the bad night for NWA Charlotte security. Kimo manhandles several of them until Cornette comes back out (busy night for the guy) and books an impromptu match with Timber, the Insane Lumberjack. A wild, short brawl with trash and trash cans everywhere that ends in a double countout. Bailey pulls back Kimo as Timber stands in the ring. Cornette announces the rematch for the April 25 card, big pop from the audience. Shows that they're ready to push Kimo.
We go to the six man match with "The Feature Presentation" Jeff Lewis, C..W. Anderson, and the Masked Superstar against Brad Anderson and David and Reid Flair. Decent match overall. They give Reid a lot of ring time and he needs it. He looked solid in spots but not very fluid yet. Match ends with a double pin with Reid on Lewis and C.W. on Brad. Cornette and Costello agree with the second ref and give the match to the Flairs and Brad Anderson. Costello then, inexplicably, awards Reid Flair Lewis' Mid Atlantic Heritage title. Huh? This title has a bizarre history already. Barbarian wins it by default when Ivan Koloff doesn't show for a rematch, then loses it to Baby Doll (!) the same night. Then Doll loses it to Phil Shatter when she lets Larry Zbyszko defend it. Shatter almost immediately sells it to Jeff Lewis. They keep this up and they're going to start getting "Fire Russo" chants.
It's time for Lodi's match with Raven's handpicked opponent, it's Mikael
Judas. Very good match with a few false finishes. During the match, I saw Lewis
come out to do color in place of Lodi and overheard him complaining about
getting ripped off for his title. Judas won cleanly with a chokeslam-backbreaker
combination. After the match, Cornette comes out and tells Lodi the consequence
for losing: he must face Raven at the 3/25 show in a "Clockwork Orange House of
Fun" match.
In the main event, it's "Roughhouse" Ryan O'Reilly and Truitt Fields in the
finals for the NWA Charlotte U.S. tile. Fields is selling the shoulder injury
from the earlier attack. Fields is a pure babyface and O'Reilly tries hard to be
a true heel but the crowd is split, sort of like a John Cena match. Good match
with O'Reilly's power being dominant. They go to the floor, still with O'Reilly
having the advantage. Fields make a few strong comebacks and falls behind again.
Fields wins with a sunset flip out of nowhere. Fans throw confetti (handed to
them by Costello) into the ring in celebration and they allow kids to get in the
ring to congratulate the new champion.
Very good, entertaining show that went a little over 3 hours.
