NWA Power results: Race to the Chase qualifying matches

This week's NWA Power opened with the William Corgan Race to the Chase tournament announcement from last week.

Seconds after, as we opened this week's show from Nashville, Tennessee's Skyway Studios, the commentary team clarified what Corgan should have said last week.

There will be four qualifying matches with the winners advancing to a fatal four-way. The winner of that match will challenge NWA World Champion Trevor Murdoch at the NWA 74 pay-per-view in August.

So, there's no tournament and there's still one qualifying match that is unknown...at least as of the start of the show. When you're fighting for the attention from wrestling fans, you have to be clear and concise with formats, rules, etc. It's been an issue with NWA for a long time and they are overdue for a continuity/sanity editor.

Let's get to the show.

Thom Latimer defeated Chris Adonis to advance to the no. 1 contender's fatal four-way match

Austin Idol joined the commentary team much to the dismay of Velvet Sky (and myself).

In the first few minutes, we learned that Mike Knox earned a bye into the four-way for reasons yet to be unknown.

These two used to be teammates in Strictly Business with Nick Aldis and Kamille. Adonis is the former Chris Masters and a former two-time NWA National Champion while Latimer has held NWA tag team gold.

Fans were behind both men as they are both babyfaces. The match was devoid of heel tactics and was a hard-hitting, professional wrestling match. 

Latimer avoided the Master Lock full nelson and hit his Lighter Side of Suffering pop-up power bomb for the pin to advance.

- Mike Knox was with Kyle Davis who was trying to understand how he got the bye. He said it was because Matt Cardona said he would and after relinquishing the title, all members of The Cardona Family got something as a result. Knox ran down Bully Ray after he attacked him and put him through a table at the Alwayz Ready pay-per-view. He said he sees Bully everywhere and hates him. I'm guessing this leads to a match down the road.

Also, Mike Knox in 2022? Alright, then.

- Kerry Morton was with May Valentine who informed him that Homicide wants to defend the NWA Junior Heavyweight title against him at NWA 74 if he's still the champion. Morton was thrilled and said it was a goal of his since his dad once held that title.

Brian Myers defeated Da Pope to advance to the no. 1 contender's fatal four-way match

Myers, of course, is Cardona's BFF and a heel while Pope is a former NWA TV Champion. 

This was a solid, if unspectacular, match. Myers used the usual heel tactics and Pope was the babyface trying to rally through it. 

Myers got a close near fall off an enziguri and flatliner. A charge attempt got a Pope gut kick and DDT to give him his own close near fall. Myers got in Pope's face and screamed, "Do you know who I am? Do you know where I've been?" that fired Pope up which led to a flurry of punches. 

After getting a breather, Myers got a double leg and a roll-through, holding onto the ropes for the illegal pin and win.

- May Valentine was with TV Champion Tyrus, BLK Jeez and Jordan Clearwater. She put over Tyrus' accomplishments and complimented him a lot for some odd reason. Jeez then said it was about business and that Otis is coming for him. Clearwater then showed off his abs. This was awful.

KiLynn King defeated Allysin Kay

This was billed as an exhibition match for some reason. King, an AEW Dark regular, recently challenged Kamille for the NWA Women's title. The veteran Kay is the former NWA Women's Tag Team Champion.

This was competitive throughout with King showing off her strength on several occasions. After one of those occasions, King went to the top rope but Kay sprung up with a forearm. Kay was unsuccessful with her AK-47 (dominator), but got on a half crab that nearly got the top. King rallied, though, hitting her cool looking Excalibuster (pumphandle 360 that put Kay flat on her face) for the pin and win.

In a promo afterward, Davis asked if King wanted to be a barrier to others getting a shot at the title. She said she was advised by her trainer (and Kamille's) Bully Ray to stay close to the title and that it was in her best interest. Davis seemed suspicious about this very obvious advice, but was told he had to go to a break. He did want to follow up though, so stay tuned.

- NWA World Champion Trevor Murdoch was with May Valentine who asked why he got Tim Storm's ban lifted. His answer was very inaudible. He said he didn't have any preference but whoever faced him would go to hell and back.

Nick Aldis defeated Tim Storm by DQ to advance to the no. 1 contender's fatal four-way match

These two had a rivalry some time ago and Aldis defeated Storm with a stipulation that Storm could never challenge for the title again. Murdoch asked Corgan to lift that stipulation for this opportunity. Both are former NWA World Champions.

Both are babyfaces, but Aldis slapped Storm early which he begged off from and regretted. However, he did it again minutes later and took a powder to the floor. Storm gave chase and Aldis Irish whipped him into the ring post.

There was a good story here, but Idol was so bad on commentary that it took away from it. The crowd, as minimal as it was, was also pretty quiet.

Storm had a nice rally and Aldis slapped him again. Storm then bypassed a move attempt and started punching Aldis in the head on the mat. Aldis hit a big top rope elbow to Storm's back and locked in the Texas cloverleaf. Storm was able to make it to the ropes to break it up. 

Storm hit his Perfect Storm (black hole slam), but Aldis got his foot on the ropes at the last second. Storm was eventually whipped into the referee to take him out and hit a second Perfect Storm, but there was no ref to count. Aldis slapped him, Storm slapped him back and then kicked him low. The ref happened to see it and called for the DQ. Ugh.

Aldis smiled while the announcement was read so his conversion back to heel has apparently begun. I'm confused why Aldis a) can't beat a 57-year-old clean in the middle of the ring and b) why the story here wasn't cleaner? You have an aging former champion looking for one more chance against a younger and more athletic opponent. The story tells itself...except for her.

Your four-way for the no. 1 contender's spot will be Nick Aldis vs. Mike Knox vs. Brian Myers vs. Thom Latimer. The story seems pretty obvious: Myers and Knox aligned under Cardona while Aldis and Latimer are former teammates in Strictly Business. 

Outside the main event finish, this week's NWA Power was fine if you like pro wrestling without much in the way of high-flying or indie-style action.