Lex Lovett - Career - NWA Florida

NWA Florida

He spent the next several months in the St. Petersburg area for promoter Frankie Reyes and later Howard Brodie's NWA Florida territory. He feuded with the stable Tampa Clique, which at the time included Pepi Prado, Buck Q, Scoot Andrews and Mike Sullivan, during his first five months in the promotion. Still in his rookie year, he eventually defeated Pepe Prado for the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship in Tampa on November 14, 2000. Several months later, he was involved in a controversial storyline in the feud between NWA Florida and IPW Hardcore when he accepted a title challenge from former referee Spanky Malone during an NWA Florida supercard at the Homer W. Hesterly Armory in Tampa on April 24, 2001. He pinned Malone with an Asai Moonsault in 56 seconds and was immediately attacked by 6 wrestlers from IPW Hardcore who were sitting at ringside. Lovett was hit by a fireball during the attack before the wrestlers were arrested by security.

After a nine-month reign, he lost the title to Jet Jaguar in Ybor City, Florida on July 18. Soon after, he participated in the NWA Super Junior Open tournament. Lovett successfully advanced to the tournament finals to face Scoot Andrews and Christopher Daniels in a three way match. On August 21, he defeated Mike Thunder for the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship in Tampa. He had faced Thunder while in Texas the previous month and was one of the top contenders when Thunder, despite having a torn ligament, defended the belt in Florida. Lovett was helped due to outside interference by Jason Rumble who attacked him following the match.

Two months later, Lovett defended the title against top junior heavyweights Jet Jaguar, Jimmy Rave, Brandon K and Jason Rumble in a "Fatal Five-Way" match at the NWA 53rd Anniversary show in St. Petersburg on October 13. Losing the title to Jason Rumble, he was later part of an interpromotional match between NWA Florida and Independent Professional Wrestling pitting Team NWA Florida (Lovett, Buck Q, Rod Steel, Chris Nelson and Vito DeNucci) against Team IPW (Scoot Andrews, Mike Sullivan, Jet Jaguar, Chaos and The Shane Twins). The match was a "Wargames"-style match and eventually ruled a no-contest.

His match with Jason Rumble was eventually seen by World Wrestling Federation officials who were impressed with the match. He was invited to Cincinnati by Kevin Kelly where he would be evaluated along with 14 other wrestlers by Jim Cornette, Al Snow, Tom Prichard, Arn Anderson, Raven, Tommy Dreamer and Bill DeMott. He and the others worked on matches and promos with six wrestlers receiving contracts with the WWE, although three wrestlers were later released. On December 21, Lovett was given a tryout match against Crash Holly on WWF Jakked.