[2000-10-14-NWA 52nd Anniversary Show] A.J. Styles vs Lazz

[soup23]

A house show from the looks of things but a nice hard camera shot on the action. Knowing AJ's personal feelings against Lazz lifestyle that he is portraying, this is an interesting study in who is the heel and face. Lazz has a ton of fun offense with the crowd rallying behind him. Onyx gets involved to allow AJ to gain the advantage. Lazz is able to make his comeback and has AJ reeling including a nice spear when Onyx come sin for the cheap DQ and predictable beatdown by Bailey and associates. Faces help Lazz out and he is able to give a private dance to Bailey to end the segment. **3/4

[AstroBoy]

This was pretty good as Lazz has lots of character and carries himself strongly even if he is fairly average.  AJ of course bumps big and he is a good cocky heel, though a bit one note.  He also didn't link things together well on offense and the heat he put on Lazz was kind of stop and go.  

 

**1/2

[GSR]

Whoa, NWA Wildside house show footage, I wasn’t expecting this.  This is being held in ‘The Mecca’ and Jeff G. Bailey says that these people finally have someone in their presence worthy of worship in the shape of ‘the Role Model’ A.J. Styles and Onyx (“he’s blacker than South Atlanta and ten times as dangerous!”).  There’s a long shot of the arena and it turns out that that this isn’t an NWA Wildside show, but is in fact the NWA 52nd Anniversary ‘Battle of the Belts 2000’ show.  Lazz has ramped up the Britney look tonight with a knotted shirt and short skirt, although still collects those dollar bills off the fans.  While I did like Rob Norwood coming out to ‘Brick House’, Lazz’s entrance is right up there with the Backseat Boyz’s as my favourite for the year.  Lots of comedy with Lazz backing into Styles, taking him down and writhing on him, slapping his backside etc. all of which the crowd enjoys.  A.J. backdrops Lazz over the top rope to the floor but Lazz drags him out with him.  He’s about to slug him when Onyx hooks his arm to prevent him from doing so.  Styles swings at Lazz, who ducks, and he nails his partner instead.  Lazz has got his work cut out here as not only are Onyx and Bailey seconding Styles, but so is Steve Martin too and on more than one occasion finds himself being either double or triple teamed.  Lazz escapes the over the shoulder backbreaker only to walk into a kick to the face.  DDT for a two count.  Styles floats over on the German suplex, pancakes Lazz to the mat then looks on in disbelief as his opponent kicks out of the cover.  He runs into a big boot and Lazz with a shotgun dropkick.  Missile dropkick off the top, ‘Britney Spear’ and Onyx breaks up the pin for the cheap DQ.  A light “bullshit” chant from the crowd over that finish.  The ‘Hot Shots’ save Lazz from a post-match beating and they turn the fans around with Lazz kissing Martin before lap dancing both he and Bailey.

Interesting to see Styles in a house show setting and they work it differently to as if this was a TV match.  I subsequently found out that this is the opening match on the Anniversary Show, so that would explain why it was a more grounded, even slower, affair.  These screwy finishes, DQ’s aren’t as bad as OVW yet but I do hope they limit them from here on in because there have been too many for my liking over the past month or so.