The National Wrestling Alliance (NWA), in partnership with Ring of Honor (ROH), Consejo Mundial Lucha Libre (CMLL) and New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW), has brought back the Crockett Cup Tag Team Tournaments. This is a smaller version with eight teams vying for supremacy, but this is hopefully the beginning of the NWA’s continued re-invention by re-connecting with its history. The event takes place Saturday, April 27 at the Cabarrus Arena in Concord, North Carolina. NWA legends Magnum T.A., Nikita Koloff (1987 Winner w/ Dusty Rhodes as Super Powers), and The Midnight Express with Manager Jim Cornette who also brings his unique linguistic stylings to the evening’s telecast with Joe Galli on Fite TV and Honor Club.PCO
The Crockett Cup is split into two Blocks, A & B with four teams each. The Winners of Block A and B will face each other for the Crockett Cup Title.
Preview: NWA – 2019 Crockett Cup (4/27/19)
A Block
The Briscoes (Jay & Mark Briscoe) vs. Rock N’ Roll Express (Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson)
Arguably two of the ten best tag teams of all-time step in the ring at different places in their careers, but what will still be historic. The 10x Ring of Honor Champions take on Morton and Gibson who racked up plenty of hardware themselves as 7x NWA World Tag Team Champions and 10x Smoky Mountain Wrestling Titleholders. They made the double-dropkick famous and will look to set up Dem Boys for one or more of those to steal an upset and advance.
Villain Enterprises (Brody King & PCO) vs. Satoshi Kojima and Yuji Nagata
Former Ring of Honor Tag Champs PCO and Brody are looking for some redemption after their very brief Title reign. If you blinked you missed it and a win over the Japanese legends could get a rematch with The Briscoes if they can hold serve in the other half of the A Block bracket. Yuji Nagata has won just about everything in Japan. He’s Two-Time IWGP Heavyweight, Never Openweight, and 2X IWGP Tag Champion (with Manabu Nakanishi & Wataru Inoue). Satoshi Kojima is well accomplished in his own right as he’s also 2X IWGP Heavyweight, and 7X IWGP Tag Champs once also with Nakanishi and an incredible six times with Hiroyoshi Tenzan as TenKoji.
B Block
Flip Gordon & Bandido vs. Guerrero Maya Jr. & Stuka Jr.
Gordon and Bandido recently met in a Fatal Four-way at ROH Masters of the Craft with the luchador coming out on top. Both men are elite aerial attackers and together could be very dangerous. It comes down to how well they can work together since both are predominantly singles stars. Although two of the winners of previous Crockett Cups were done by the same type of team. Dusty Rhodes teamed with Nikita Koloff as the Super Powers to win the Cup in 1987, and Sting teamed with Lex Luger to win the 1988 Edition, so clearly this type of pairing can work. Their opposition from CMLL second-generation stars Stuka Jr. and Guerrero Maya Jr. Both are accomplished Tag Wrestlers having won tag Titles with different partners throughout Mexico. The winner here could go deep in the bracket.
War Kings (Crimson & Jax Dane) w/ Road Warrior Animal vs. Wild Card battle royal winners –
The War Kings were impressive in their Crockett Cup Qualifying victory over Jay Bradley and Caleb Konley at New Year’s Clash January 5 to earn a spot in the eight-team field. The recently dethroned OVW Southern Tag Team Champions will have a major disadvantage having no time to prepare for their opponents. The same can be said for whoever has to compete with them since it could easily be two wrestlers that have never teamed prior. The Wild Card winners will be determined by a battle royal to open the show, and so far only Dalton Castle’s Boys and The Dawsons (Zane & Dave Dawson) have been announced.
NWA National Championship: Willie Mack (c) vs Colt Cabana
Mack won the National Championship last year against Samuel Shaw at NWA 70 with one of the best Stunners you’ll ever see. That move can be delivered from anywhere in the ring at any point in the match so it’s easy for his opponents to become pre-occupied with it. If you give Willie any room to operate he becomes very dangerous. Cabana wants to reduce that space and keep him grounded. He’ll want to ground the Champion to avoid the variety of aerial options at Mack’s disposal. Cabana is a very intelligent wrestler and former NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion so he’s been there before and will be more than ready for what Mack has to offer.
Hear @ColtCabana on what fighting for the @NWA National Championship means to him… pic.twitter.com/k5ESKq6Agp
— ROH – Ring of Honor Wrestling (@ringofhonor) April 25, 2019
NWA Worlds Women’s Championship: Allysin Kay vs. Santana Garrett
After the unfortunate news that NWA Worlds Women’s Champion Jazz had to relinquish the Gold, Allysin Kay will now face Santana Garrett for the Vacant Title. Garrett has competed with Women of Wrestling (WOW), Shine, STARDOM, and The Crash Lucha and brings an impressive resume to this contest. Garrett competed as Brittany with TNA and Allysin Kay is a 2x IMPACT Wrestling Knockouts Champion (Sienna) defeating Gail Kim and Rosemary during those reigns. Kay is a powerhouse and it requires the absolute best from Garrett to get her hand-raised. She must keep her distance and not let the monster control the center of the ring where she does the most damage. If Kay gets her hands on Garrett early it could be a long night.
#CrockettCup UPDATE!
Presenting the @NWA Worlds Women's Championship to the winner of Allysin Kay (@Sienna) vs. @SantanaGarrett_ is…
Madusa (@Madusa_rocks)
This Saturday | 7pm
Concord, NC! pic.twitter.com/NwtcdU6rWZ— NWA (@nwa) April 24, 2019
NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship: Nick Aldis (c) vs. Marty Scurll
It’s safe to say former friends NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion Nick Aldis and Ring of Honor’s Marty Scurll square off in a match the entire world has been talking about. “The National Treasure” Nick Aldis can safely be called one of the best NWA Worlds Champions in history, and a victory over “The Villain” would remove any doubt. This match will require a different strategy for Aldis because Scurll has an unorthodox style and the rest of Villain Enterprises (PCO and Brody King) at his disposal. It was clear the moment Scurll shocked Aldis and the wrestling world when he challenged his “friend” for the #TenPoundsofGold that he was prepared to do whatever is necessary to gain an advantage prior to the match. We know he’ll do it after the bell rings. This one will be good.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aE_0ajuxJuo&feature=youtu.be
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