Matt Cardona’s NWA 75 open challenge answered by 67-year-old ‘rookie’

Matt Cardona returned to the National Wrestling Alliance at NWA 75. His mission was to save the NWA again. Cardona did it once by becoming the champ, and he sought to do the same for a second time. Cardona issued an open challenge on Night 1 to get the ball rolling. The Indy God received a taste of his own medicine on Night 2.

Cardona riled up the crowd with insults. He demanded respect as the savior of the NWA. Cardona didn’t come to pass the torch in this open challenge. Instead, a young rookie will receive the Cardona rub in a losing experience.

Who was the young rookie to accept?

67-year-old Ricky Morton answered the call. (Commentary mentioned that age, however, various sources have Morton at 66.) Morton is a Hall of Fame tag team specialist with the Rock ‘n’ Roll Express.

Cardona mocked Morton’s age. Cardona didn’t want to embarrass the legend, so he requested that Morton lay down. Morton thought it over, then he dropped to the mat. When Cardona smugly went for the pin, Morton rolled him up. Cardona kicked out, and the match was on.

Morton held his own, but Cardona’s tricks were too much. Cardona pulled the referee in front to block Morton’s path. When Morton shoved the ref aside, Cardona struck with a low blow. Cardona hit the Radio Silence leg lariat to win.

Afterward, Cardona grabbed a chair. Kerry Morton and Alex Taylor rushed to the ring for the save.

Kerry Morton called out Matt Cardona for Night 2.

Cardona can be a blowhard, but Kerry was even worse on this evening. Disrespect spewed from Kerry’s mouth crapping on the crowd with an arrogant attitude. He claimed to be the uncrowned world champ, and he’ll prove it starting now against Cardona.

Kerry was fired up, so Cardona slowed down the pace. The action intensified with cheap tricks. When Kerry was in trouble, Alex Taylor ran down for support. Cardona sensed malarkey, so he punched Taylor off the apron. Kerry swooped in for a roll-up with his foot on the rope for leverage. The referee wasn’t fooled and caught the cheater. Cardona came back for his signature leg lariat. On the pinfall, Kerry reached the ropes for the break. Kerry used the referee’s position to score an unseen mule kick. He blasted Cardona with a running knee and finished with an inverted facelock elbow drop.

Despite saying otherwise, it looks like Cardona did pass the torch. Kerry gets the rub, and Cardona goes back to the drawing board in his plans to save the NWA.

The replay for NWA 75 is available for streaming through Fite TV as a bundle or single shows (Night 1, Night 2).