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Welcome to PWInsider.com's live, ongoing National Wrestling Alliance Into the Fire from Atlanta, GA at the GPB Studios, airing on www.FITE.TV:
Tonight's coverage is sponsored by our friends at Wrestlecon, who will have a massive gathering and series of live events over Wrestlemania 36 in Tampa. For more, visit www.Wrestlecon.com!
Into the Fire opened with a nice video package on everything leading into tonight’s PPV, narrated for Stu Bennett.
Joe Galli and Bennett welcomed everyone to the event. They had a Christmas tree set up next to the announcers. I am betting that gets used tonight.
Ken Anderson vs. Eli Drake
Dave Marquez is the ring announcer.
The wrestlers are coming from the top of the bleachers. There are Into the Fire posters featured different talents on the wall behind them as they enter. Nice attention to detail there to keep it from just being a bland background.
Anderson is the heel here as he teased throwing a shirt out to the crowd, then didn’t do it.
They locked up and pushed each other around the ring, muscling the other to try and get the advantage. They broke the clinch. They went to lock up again but Anderson faked Drake out and grabbed his arm. Drake and Anderson exchanged hammerlocks with Anderson maintaining control at the end of the exchange. Anderson controlled Drake and nailed a Facewash in the corner.
Drake fought back and nailed a Stun Gun, followed by a neckbreaker for a two count. Drake locked in a side chinlock, wearing Anderson down. Anderson snapmared him over to escape but Drake rebounded, scooping and slamming Anderson. He dropped an elbow for a two count. Drake nailed a series of knees to the back of the neck. Anderson and Drake exchanged blows. Drake snapped him into the ropes and kicked him in the face. Drake nailed a slingshot elbow for a two count.
Drake tied up Anderson on the mat, trying to force a submission. Drake drilled Anderson with another neckbreaker. He went back to another chinlock variation, again working over the neck. Anderson came back with a series of rights and then he was the one drilling Drake with a neckbreaker. Anderson nailed his rolling Samoan Drop for a two count.
Drake went for an Air Raid Crash but Anderson scouted it and rolled him up for a two count. Anderson went to the top but Drake leapt to the top in a nice athletic moment to catch him They battled on the top. Anderson went for a sunset flip off the top but Drake held on, then dropped all his weight down on Anderson’s chest and hooked the legs, pinning him.
Your winner, Eli Drake!
Good solid wrestling with a nice competitive flow. A good, basic, logical finish as well. Theoretically, Anderson shouldn’t have been able to come back from that.
Dave Marquez interviewed NWA Champion Nick Aldis at the podium. Aldis said that about two and a half years ago, the NWA was a memory in the past. When it looked like all was lost, one voice echoed in the darkness. That Texas drall said, "That is my mountaintop." Then there were two and now there's an audience and fans and competitors watching all over the world. The crowd popped and stood up and chanted, "NWA!" Aldis said that they are live on PPV and it's being headlined by Sweet Charlotte, the Ten Pounds of Gold. He said that it may seem like he and James Storm are so different, but they are very similar. They are the only two men who tonight, can live forever. He said that James Storm has to wade into the deep water and face him. Marquez noted Kamille wasn't there. Aldis said there will be no excuses. He gave her the night off.
Marquez brought out James Storm. He said that he heard everyone standing up and everyone should because neither Nick nor he did this. "We" did this as a team. This is the NWA and tonight, when the smoke clears and the dust settles down, Nick will know he's been in the ring with one of the toughest SOBs to walk Planet Earth. He promised that Marquez would be announcing him as the new NWA World Champion and told Aldis, "Sorry about your damn luck" and walked off.
They aired a video feature on Melina's debut and actions in NWA.
Tasha Steelz vs. Thunder Rosa.
This is Steelz' NWA debut. Steelz cut a good promo to introduce herself, showing some swagger.
They had some nice back and forth action early. Steelz nailed a rana and went for another move but was clotheslined in the face. Rosa kicked Steelz and choked her against the ropes. She tried Steelz upside down in the corner. Rosa nailed a big kick to the exposed mid-section and covered her for a two count. The crowd chanted for Rosa.
Rosa verbally mocked Steelz, who tried to fight from underneath. Rosa scored several two counts. Steelz fired away with chops but was trapped in a swinging pendulum. Rosa dragged her face across the ring mat and smashed her into the bottom buckle. Rosa missed a double stomp off the top and was kicked in the face. Steelz nailed some big uppercuts in the corner and a nice stunner for a two count. Steelz looked really impressive.
Rosa cut her off with a kick to the face and nailed a double stomp to the back from the top rope, scoring the pin.
Your winner, Thunder Rosa!
Rosa attacked her after the bell and began beating Steelz down with rights. Ashley Vox hit the ring and broke it up, but Rosa cut Vox off with a kick to the gut and nailed a shoulderbreaker. Rosa tied her up and snapped her elbow “out of the socket.” With Vox slated to wrestle later, the idea is that Vox competing is in question.
The match itself was a good showcase for Rose and a nice debut for Steelz, who showed charisma, good timing and some great in-ring work. There’s something to her for sure. Rosa played a very good heel in all of this, especially the angle.
They aired a video feature on the recent issues between Ricky Starks and Aron Stevens.
Trevor Murdoch vs. The Question Mark.
Aron Stevens, dressed in a karate gi, came out with Question Mark. The announcers claimed he had earned a third dan in Mongrovian Karate. Stevens took the mic and said tonight was a very special evening. To commemorate the evening, the man everyone knows as Question Mark, the marvelous masked martial artist, will perform the sacred Mongrovian Flag ceremony. It was all Mark doing some grunt-like singing as Stevens unfurled and held up the flag. Murdoch's music and entrance halted the ceremony.
They had another masked man standing in the hard camera shot holding the flag. That was distracting and annoying.
They locked up and early on, The Question Mark used “Karate” to strike at Murdoch. Murdoch had enough and fired back. Murdoch scooped and slammed him several times. Mark went to the outside and Murdoch tried to unmask him. Mark nailed him and used a karate “spike” thrust to the throat for a two count.
The Mark kicked him in the head and nailed a big stomp to the face. He began drilling Murdoch with chops to the head and shoulders. Murdoch fired back with chops. The intimacy of the venue and the crowd reaction made this way better than it would have been anywhere else. Mark cut him off and covered Murdoch but he put his foot on the ropes to break the pinfall.
Murdoch rolled out of the way of an elbow. He fired away with right hands. Mark charged but was caught with a rough-looking spinebuster. Murdoch went to the top and grabbed the Mongrovian flag, then threw it on the ground. Aron Stevens went after Murdoch, who chased him away. The Question Mark, angry about the flag, his Murdoch with a double karate thrust strike to the throat for the pin.
Your winner, The Question Mark!
The Question Mark has turned into a silly undercard cult character here. The crowd loved the hell out of him, but at times, this was rough. It was mostly character stuff for the Mark. Murdoch throws a hell of a right hand and his throwback style works well here.
They showed footage of the Rock N' Roll Express winning the NWA Tag Team Champions for the ninth time.
Coverage continues on Page 2!
For more on the NWA, visit www.NationalWrestlingAlliance.com.
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