The Show
The show started out with The Management (Authority figure Marcus Thorn, 'Malicious' Michael Adams (MMA), and one half of The Heavy Metal Cowboys; Bunker Roberts) coming out to ringside. From the exchange, I gathered that Thorn had taken sole-control of the NBWA and no longer needed his lackeys; disbanding The Management to pursue better opportunities. This would anger MMA and Roberts; MMA quietly taking a seat at ringside without question; Roberts threatening to hit Thorn before being reminded that he would be fired if he were to do so. This segment confused me.
My issue here: who was heel and who was face as a result? This was not clear at all. By disbanding the group, would this make Thorn a evil boss and Roberts (and co.) faces who would rise up against this new regime? With Roberts threatening to hurt his former boss, and Thorn confidently (and heel-like) reminding him that he would be fired, this would seem to show that Roberts was now a face and Thorn would continue his evil authority figure? Did I see this right? Is everyone keeping up with this?
Further adding to my confusion was that Thorn would come out in the following confrontation between Stixx/Doug Williams and Chris Walker/Kay Jutler and would support the face team berating Walker and Jutler (heels), letting them know that a tag team match would happen between the four and that Jutler's NBWA contract would be terminated should his team lose. Surely if Thorn was a heel then this match would have been set up between the four of them instead? So Thorn's a face then?
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| 'The Male Model' Kay Jutler (credit: Superkick.co.uk) |
To relate this to a current situation in the WWE: Triple H has recently become a heel authority figure. We know this because he has betrayed the ultra-popular Daniel Bryan and sided with new, hand-picked Champion Randy Orton - also a heel as a result. These turns were clear as day and didn't need confirming - we knew what battle lines had been drawn. It was simply done and we, as fans, now know where we stand.
Onto the rest of the show.
After the confusion of the first segment, Stixx came to the ring for a number one contenders match (for a future shot at the NBWA Championship) against Doug Williams. This confused me at first as I thought they were going to give away the main selling point of the show in the first match. After good exchanges between two very competent guys, 'The Filth' Chris Walker and former NBWA Champion, Kay Jutler would run to the ring and attack both men. This would then set up the main event for later in the evening - Doug Williams and Stixx vs Chris Walker and Kay Jutler. For me, this was a good outcome - two of the UK's top talents in Williams and Stixx against two guys that I know can put on a decent show; Jutler and Walker.
In a more adult-orientated show, Sancho Cortez would make use of the platform to get a 'boobies' chant going. I like his style. His match against Bunker Roberts (the only Heavy Metal Cowboy on the show) wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Sancho was possibly the funnest, and funniest, that I have seen him and Roberts (a trainee) did show signs of improvement - that can only be a good thing.
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| Bacardi |
The main event lived up to my expectations. Williams and Stixx; two of the UK's best, would battle 'The Filth' Chris Walker and 'The Male Model' Kay Jutler to try to avenge the attack that they received earlier in the night. A really good match coupled with the usual comedy from Walker and Jutler, made this something that would trap my attention and keep me guessing who would win. It would have made sense for Williams and Stixx to gain revenge with a win, but I really liked it that Walker and Jutler came away with a hard-earned victory - Jutler getting the underhanded pin to save his contract with NBWA. Walker and Jutler made a great pairing, too, as it displayed a nice balance of sleaze, confidence and cockiness.
Results
- Number One Contendership: Stixx vs Doug Williams (No contest due to interference from Walker and Jutler)
- Sancho Cortez defeated Bunker Roberts (heel? face? I don't know...)
- Falls Count Anywhere: Bacardi defeated Rebel Yell
- Frankie Fellasarno & Joey Sanchez defeated The Dirty Little Scoundrels (Jayme Future & Damien Vaine) w/ G. John Chase
- 'Special K' Kirk Langley defeated Scorpion
- 'The Male Model' Kay Jutler & 'The Filth' Chris Walker defeated Doug Williams & 'The Heavyweight House of Pain' Stixx
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| Stixx |
Structure/Logistics
I am pleased to say that this was a six-match card. This is a hell of an improvement to the last shows. It used a lot less workers and was digestible. The confusions I had over the Thorn/Management situation could do with a little clarity but other than that it was simple one-on-one matches that everyone could follow.
As a company though, NBWA still put on two shows over the course of the day and I would question what the cost of this was. This is where things might not have changed. I don't know all the costs that go into a wrestling show but I have a good enough idea. There were deals on ticket prices and admission over the two shows, so even though they might have seemed "packed", (I can't comment on the first show as I didn't attend) the actual money taken probably didn't reflect that. Also, with a two-show-day, you've got to be hoping for two separate audiences, no? I can't imagine the same audience sitting through 5-6 hours of wrestling in a day...
I really hope that these shows did turn a profit. This will be a great step in going forward with these shows and would show that lessons have been learnt. If it didn't (and only a few will know this for sure) then things need to be seriously looked at further.
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@jimmosangle
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