On this week's episode, the show finalizes the stipulation between Nick Aldis and Marty Scurll and sets a new #1 contender to the NWA Women's Championship, right before it takes a one-week break.
It's been settled at ROH Free Enterprise last weekend that Marty Scurll will cut a check for $500,000 should he lose his title shot at The Crockett Cup this April. I'm not actually sure if that amount is equal to all the tickets that'll be sold for that show, as they seem to have glossed over that in the escalation of the feud.
It's okay, though, as I've got faith in both men to turn it up over the course of a month or so. I just need Scurll to show up on Powerrr more (they're due for another set of tapings during their break next week) as we can't keep relying on replays of cross-brand appearances and Nick Aldis sidequests against the Rock 'n' Roll Express—who, let's face it, are just not who they used to be.
The wedges between Melina, Marti Belle, and Thunder Rosa continue to be driven further. Melina's now the #1 contender, while Allysin Kay is trying to counter-brainwash Marti Belle's programming. Thunder Rosa is pretty much a lock to turn face possibly after this match, whenever it happens.
The real highlight of each episode now, I believe, is the Television Championship. Ricky Starks is a great guy to build this division (if we can call it that) around, and the caliber of midcard talent the NWA is bringing in to complement him is outstanding. Pretty much everyone who wrestles on Powerrr is really good in the shorter format, but the 6:05 time limit of the TV title matches seem to rejuvenate everyone in them. As a fan of establishing gimmicks that feel like real sports, I dig the Lucky 7 rule and everything they can do with it.
Because of the TV title's growing buzz, it's starting to be a shame that the National Championship has been reduced to being a vehicle for Aron Stevens and his comedy gimmick, but it looks like they're going to use it to elevate Trevor Murdoch. One can only hope.
The Powerrr Train
- James Storm chugging from the Crockett Cup was a hilarious visual. He should do that every week (after the Cup also gets cleaned every week).
- Do we really need this Sal Rinauro-May Valentine-Royce Isaacs storyline? Maybe there's something good up the show's sleeve, but Royce didn't even get six months with May. If Thom has Kamille, surely Royce could have his own valet, just to make Strictly Business even more imposing. Please let this breathe for a while.
- This storyline with a dude dressing up as Tim Storm's mom isn't it. It just is not it. Just reveal who's really behind this stupidity and have Tim feud with that guy already. Get to the point.
- I want to like Pope, but he just sticks out as a second-rate Rock copycat. Eli Drake does a better Rockesque gimmick with all the (dumb, but original) catchphrases and call-and-responses. That said, Pope is the kind of manager the Dawsons need, but I just wish the tag division would pick up already.
*****
Romeo Moran (@roiswar) is the Editor in Chief of Smark Henry, one of the four hosts of the Wrestling-Wrestling Podcast, and is associated with Philippine Wrestling Revolution. He gets by in this hard knock life through working in publishing. Smark Henry was his and Stan Sy's original vision of a watering hole for local wrestling fans. He roots for the undersized guys who hit hard, and he likes taking your wrestling questions over on his Curiouscat account.
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