[2000-11-11-NWA Wildside] Air Paris vs Adam Jacobs

[soup23]

The best tv match of the day but that is kind of damning with faint praise. There was some stuff in the match with Paris working heel and Phoenix running interference on the outside that worked, but Paris overall is pretty uneven as a heel and looks more uncomfortable than AJ does. I get the narrative of him proposedly slowing things down to piss off the fans but it made the match disjointed and boring as a result. Jacobs was fine from underneath but I do think he works better as a base for a dynamic flyer or doing a strictly southern tag formula match. Interference allows Paris to pick up the win. **1/4

 

[GSR]

Air Paris is seconded by John Phoenix, however no sign of Silky Boom Boom who is Jacobs’ regular tag team partner.  The commentators say how they would expect him to be here, even if he isn’t scheduled for a match this week.  Are seeds being planted?  Paris is immediately complaining of a hair pull, Jacobs getting the crowd to back him up that there was no such thing.  It’s mentioned how Paris has started to take a more methodical approach in his matches recently, not resorting to the high spots as often as in the past.  He lands on his tailbone off a backdrop and a dropkick sends him scuttling to the outside.  Jacobs with a leapfrog but Air stops in his tracks and kicks him between the groin.  Paris then throws him to the floor, distracting the official so that Phoenix can get in some shots.  Michinoku Driver.  We’re back on the outside again and Jacobs avoids the superkick as Paris ends up crotching himself over the barricade.  After fighting in the crowd they return to the ring where Jacobs telegraphs the backdrop and Air spikes him with a DDT.  More illegal interference by Phoenix.  Rear chinlock, evidence of Paris slowing things down, as “six months ago it would’ve been a triple lindy from the top”.  Phoenix pulls down the top rope, however Jacobs reverses the Irish whip and Air sails over the top rope to the wooden floor.  Big plancha out onto both. He misses a big splash as Paris rolls out the way, but quickly gathers his bearings and clotheslines Air over the top rope to where, the floor of course!  As the official checks on him, Phoenix nails Jacobs with a missile dropkick “from hell”.  Slingshot somersault legdrop by Paris.  Jacobs rolls a shoulder on the cover so he reverts once more to the rear chinlock.  Figure four chinlock, I haven’t seen one of those for years, with Phoenix adding some additional leverage form ringside.  Somehow Jacobs manages to get to his feet and, with Paris in the Electric Chair position, he dumps him backwards to the mat.  Phoenix’s constants interference eventually pays dividends as he cracks Jacobs in the back with a chair and Air picks up the win following a spinebuster

They could’ve done with knocking five minutes off this.  I understand trying to get this new, more methodical, calculated, approach of Paris over, but as a result they spend far too long sat in chinlocks and it’s just boring.  There is also an over reliance on taking bumps to the floor, like they were short on any other ideas on how to fill the time.  Skippable.