[2000-10-21-NWA Wildside-Fright Night] Lazz vs Onyx & Jeff G. Bailey (Handicap)

[soup23]

This match had been built well. It was southern as a turnip green but entertaining to watch as the crowd is firmly behind Lazz. After a good brawl on the outside to start, the match settles in with Eddie Golden becoming heavily involved with the action. The referee gets fed up with it all and then deems if Golden gets pinned, that counts. This allows Lazz to win the light heavyweight title by pinning Golden. Its a little wonky psychologically but it is a feel good moment for the crowd and worked for me given the way the feud has been presented. *** (5.8)

[GSR]

There has been a strong build in the Lazz/Onyx feud, leading up to this ‘Ménage a Trois’ handicap match for the latter’s Junior Heavyweight title.  Check out the stone faced security guard completely no selling Lazz as he dances in front of him!  Lazz rushes Onyx the moment he walks through the curtain and the two have a heated brawl on the floor to get us started.  Bailey, despite looking like he is about to pick his shots, is content to leave them to it.  Onyx lands on a couple of fans after being backdropped into the front row and Lazz then levels him with a crossbody off the barricade.  Back on the other side of the guard rail, Onyx reverses the Irish whip and dumps Lazz face first onto the apron.  They finally make it into the ring and the bell rings as it turns out the match wasn’t officially underway yet.  The NWA Elite really need to get their act together as on separate occasions both Onyx and Bailey accidentally hit the other with Steve Martin going crazy as he watches on.  Onyx misses a standing moonsault, but lands a huge press slam into a stomachbreaker as it finally looks like the Elite are on the same page.  Twisting belly to back suplex and Bailey drops a knee from the middle rope before getting a bit of payback for earlier, pummelling away with punches from the mount.  The commentators mention that it looks like he’s blown himself up in the process though!  Lazz ducks the clothesline, ‘Britney Spear’, but Bailey breaks up the cover.  That shows that Lazz is going to have his work cut out to win this as unless he incapacitates both men, the other will always be there to save their partner.  The Elite call Steve Martin in and he and Bailey team up for a ‘Poetry in Motion’!  Martin struts around like he’s Ric Flair although doesn’t realise Bailey crashed and burned as Lazz avoided a flying Jeff G., turning around and straight into a Lazz kiss.  After Onyx kicks out of a schoolboy, Al Getz says “Lazz has done more schoolboys than Bert Prentice!”  Ow!  Kick to the chest by Onyx followed by a neckbreaker.  Martin passes a chair to Bailey which he clocks Lazz over the back with.  Jumping DDT and Bailey refuses to allow the pin, wanting to dish out more punishment.  Onyx holds him for a Bailey superkick, however Lazz moves out the way and he takes out Onyx instead.  ‘Britney Spear’ to Bailey and Lazz is the new NWA Wildside Junior Heavyweight champions.  A fuming Onyx holds Bailey responsible and, after Eddie Golden lost the TV title earlier in the night, the Elite are now title less.

While the finish with Bailey doing the job was predictable, it’s the ultimate payback for the NWA Elite after how the feud has gone and how they’ve constantly interfered in matches.  On the back of Styles/Bliss from the other week does this mean things are starting to unravel for the group?  Of the three matches from Fright Night that we’ve watched this is the final one and the fans have definitely been entertained this evening.