Thoughts on TNA’s “Turning Point” 2010
Leave a CommentIt’s more of a list, really.
It’s more of a list, really.
-I have absolutely no idea what in the hell I just saw. That’s really all I can think of to say. Where to start?
-I guess I’ll start with the obvious, the Main Event. Another great match put on by AJ and Angle but what a horrendous finish. Just absolutely horrible. How many times of we seen the damn screw job recreated? But this was a damn recreated completely. Angle even screamed about going back to WWE (kind of like Hart drawing the WCW letters in the air) and then spit on Hogan and even trashed the announce table. That was the worst ending to Impact I have ever seen and I say that without hesitation. My head hurts from that. The AJ heel turn at Genesis was GREAT! I loved it, but this was just dumb.
-Now going back to the opening promo, that was great! Great execution from all involved and I think AJ is going to benefit greatly from this pairing with Flair. Nothing but good things can come out of that for him.
-The Brits were all but squashed in their rematch. Dinero lost in under 3 damn minutes to Jordan after putting on one hell of a match against Wolfe at Genesis.
-Love’s return was nice but did that match even go 2 minutes? In fact, I think AJ-Angle was the ONLY match that even went over 5 minutes all night. For a company that keeps screaming about how they are ‘pro wrestling’ and not ‘entertainment’ they sure aren’t doing a lot of actual wrestling right now.
-Anderson’s promo was good and I actually think he has A LOT of upside if he can stay healthy. A feud with Abyss doesn’t really seem like it would benefit either of them though.
-Who knows where the thing with Lashley is going? I don’t think they even know.
-And how sad is that we saw more of Bubba the Love Sponge tonight than any of the Knockouts or X-Division or guys or even Samoa Joe or Christopher Daniels at all? Just wow. I’m not going to speak on that pile of dog crap (Bubba the Love Sponge), I’ve said enough this week about him.
-I have absolutely no desire to see the Nasty Boys in TNA but it looks like they’re here to stay and Young got completely buried in the process.
-I would actually like to see Hall and Pac stick around, especially Pac since I think he still has a ton left to offer. I just don’t want to see a rehash of the nWo for the 100th time.
-TNA just doesn’t seem to have much of a direction at all right now. Maybe things will start to come into focus in the next few weeks but I just don’t know.
-I think hogan is going to run TNA in to the ground he was trying to say that he thought Vince EVERYTHING he knows….well Mr. hogan you are a fucking liar. Vince SR sold the company to Vinny Mac because he knew it was going to be in good hands Vince made you what you are today. A star an 80’s star that has run out of gas, and money. your wife left you for a 20 year old. your daughter is a whore that cant sing that tries to live off of your name. And lets not mention your son who crippled his “best friend” then you blamed the accident on the passenger.
-i think Eric Bishoff is to proud to fail twice but if he wants this to work out Dixie has to get rid of hogan and i don’t think that’s going to happen. look at what hes doing to the iMPACT zone it looks like a episode of WCW Thunder. Eric is a very intelligent mind in the world of wrestling but i think him in TNA is just rehashing old feelings of what he did to WCW
The usual Impact intro hits and then we cut to the Impact Zone where Mike Tenay & Taz welcome us to the “New Year’s Knockout Eve!” Tonight a TNA Knockouts #1 Contenders Tournament called “New Year’s Knockout Eve” will be held. Madison Rayne, Hamada, Velvet Sky, Roxxi, Traci Brooks, ODB, Daffney, & Awesome Kong will all be involved in the tournament. The winner will earn a Knockouts Title shot for Monday. Also, tonight the top 3 matches of TNA (voted on by the fans) will be shown in their entirety and those matches will be Desmond Wolfe vs. Kurt Angle from Turning Point, Sting vs. AJ Styles from Bound for Glory, and AJ Styles vs. Samoa Joe vs. Christopher Daniels also from Turning Point!
New Year’s Knockout Eve Tournament Quarterfinals
Madison Rayne vs. Hamada
We have a first time one-on-one matchup here. The two girls lockup at the bell and Hamada puts Madison in a side headlock but Madison counters with an inside roll-through and then she mocks Hamada with a Japanese bow. They lockup again and this time Hamada ducks underneath Madison and locks in a waistlock and then transitions into a wristlock. Hamada repeatedly drops her elbow down on Madison’s elbow all the while still holding onto the wristlock. Hamada transitions into a hammerlock and then goes for a hiptoss but Madison lands on her feet and hits an armdrag sending Hamada across the ring. Madison showing she can go hold-for-hold with Hamada. Madison taunts Hamada wagging her finger in Hamada’s face only to get it kicked by Hamada and then kicked in the face with a Jumping Front Kick! Hamada charges at Madison but she backdrops Hamada over the top rope. Hamada lands on her feet and then blocks a right hand from Madison and follows up with a headbutt. Hamada grabs Madison’s hand in a Greco-Roman Knucklelock and then climbs to the top and starts walking the ropes Undertaker (or Hakushi aka Jinsei Shinzaki for you Japanese fans and Elix Skipper for you old school TNA fans) style! Hamada then springboards into a somersault going for a springboard somersault armdrag, but Madison blocks it and then puts the boots to Hamada in the corner as she hits the mat hard. Madison chokes Hamada in the corner and then whips her into the opposite corner. Madison charges at Hamada but eats a Superkick from Hamada that would make Shawn Michaels blush! Madison charges again at Hamada and she gets her boots up but Madison catches her boots and slings them into the ropes tying Hamada up in the ropes and then slams her to the mat by the back of the head! 1…2…NO Hamada kicks out! Madison taunts Hamada by slapping her in the back of the head and then puts her in a Front Chancery and throws some knee strikes followed by a Spinning Neckbreaker! 1…2…NO Hamada kicks out! Madison goes for another pin and again only gets a 2 count. Madison mounts Hamada and slams her head to the mat repeatedly. Madison picks Hamada up and slams her headfirst into the top turnbuckle and then charges at Hamada only to eat a back elbow from the Japanese star. Hamada hits a Running Yakuza Kick! Both women are down now but Madison gets to her feet first and goes for a clothesline, but Hamada ducks and hits another sickening Superkick! Hamada grabs Madison and throws a series of headbutts and chops at Madison! Hamada then hits a Scoop Slam and gets a nearfall. Hamada drags Madison closer to the corner and then climbs to the top and goes for the Moonsault, but Madison moves and Hamada lands on her feet. Madison hits a running Knee Strike and then sets up for what looks like a DDT, but Hamada blocks it and then destroys Rayne with a nasty spinning heel kick! Hamada follows up with the Hamada Driver! 1…2…3 and Hamada moves onto the finals!
Winner: Hamada via pinfall (Hamada Driver)
In the back Christy Hemme is with Knockouts Champ: Tara. Tara says it’s music to her ears to hear her name associated with the Knockouts Title and then says she’ll be representing the Knockouts division with the most loyalty, respect, and class. She says everyone in the Tournament is great but she’ll be walking out of the ring Monday night the same way she walks in it, the Knockouts Champ. Tara says she’ll be introducing the top 3 matches of 2009 tonight on the show.
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NYKE Tournament Quarterfinals
Traci Brooks vs. ODB
Boy, Traci really knows how to fill out a shirt doesn’t she? ODB is coming off of dropping the Knockouts Title to Tara at Final Resolution. ODB took a swig from her flask and as the referee turned around to signal the bell to be run she spat it in Traci’s face! ODB then follows up by slamming Traci to the mat by her hair and then she hits a clothesline to the back of Traci. ODB follows up with a kick to that arm which has been pointed out she suffers from a birth defect (some form of Palsy) in. Traci gets angry and starts throwing rights and lefts at ODB in the corner but ODB kicks her in the gut and then slams her to the mat by that arm. ODB grabs the arm and stands on it with one foot and then stomps it with the other. ODB then stands on both arms and throws rights at that arm and then gets a nearfall. ODB continues to work on the arm with a Shoulderbreaker on that arm. ODB slaps Traci and Traci hits a Double Leg Takedown and throws a bunch of punches at ODB (still selling the arm). Traci then stomps ODB out in the corner and attempts to whip her into the corner, but ODB blocks it and slams her to the mat by that arm again for another nearfall. ODB goes for the TKO but Traci blocks it with knee’s to the face and then she shoves ODB into the corner and hits a big Spear! Traci lights ODB up with chops and then hits an Atomic Drop and rips her TNA t-shirt off (YES!). Taz says “speaking of huge”, real subtle there, Tazzy. Traci hits Running Knees on ODB and then a clothesline for a nearfall. ODB comes back with a knee to the gut and then she throws Traci into the corner and chops that massive pectoral region of Traci (you know what I mean). ODB then goes for a Corner Splash but Traci hits a back elbow and climbs to the top. ODB grabs Traci by the arm and snatches her off the top by that arm and then follows up with the TKO for the pin.
Winner: ODB via pinfall (TKO)
In the back Christy Hemme is with the Beautiful People and she reminds Velvet that all hope of the BP getting a Knockouts Title shot rest on her. Madison is pissed and thinks Christy is trying to rub her loss in. Madison calls Christy a mic stand and says she could beat Hamada any day of the week. Velvet says if Madison had beaten Hamada then they would’ve had to have faced each other after she beats Roxxi. Velvet says Madison softened up Hamada for her. Lacey says some dumb stuff and then says that Christy is only here because Lauren got fired for assaulting her. Christy says Lauren was tortured by BP and then Velvet says Lauren put her hands on Lacey and there is no room for that sort of unprofessionalism in TNA. Lacey says some more dumb stuff and then Madison says if they have to they’ll cleans anyone from TNA they have to and that includes Christy.
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NYKE Tournament Quarterfinals
Velvet Sky vs. Roxxi
When I die I want to come back as Velvet Sky’s wrestling tights. Is that wrong to say? Velvet kicks Roxxi in the gut at the bell and then throws her headfirst into the top turnbuckle and follows up with a series of shoulder blocks. She then chokes Roxxi in the corner with her boot and then whips Roxxi in the opposite corner and hits a big Splash followed by a Bulldog for a nearfall. Velvet mounts Roxxi and reigns down a series of rights and then she blatantly chokes Roxxi and gets another nearfall. Velvet then locks Roxxi in an Octopus submission hold and actually bites the arm of Roxxi at the same time. Velvet then transitions into a rollup but Roxxi rolls through and kicks Velvet in the face! Velvet goes for a forearm but Roxxi blocks it and hits a series of forearms of her own! Roxxi then hits a Roaring Elbow! She whips Velvet into the corner and this a Running Back Elbow followed by a Mafia Kick for a nearfall! Roxxi goes for a Scoop Slam but Velvet blocks it and then goes for a DDT, but Roxxi counters it into the Voodoo Drop! 1…2…3 and Roxxi advances!
Winner: Roxxi via pinfall (Voodoo Drop)
JB approaches Roxxi at ringside and says it feels great to be a part of this tournament and it feels great to take out some of that ‘trash’ (the Beautiful People). Roxxi says she has a ton of respect for Tara and she can’t wait to get in the ring with her. Lacey Von Erich comes running down the ramp and hits her in the back with her nightstick and then she chokes Roxxi with it. I can’t believe Lacey did all that without falling down or something.
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We see a vignette highlighting Jeff Jarrett’s career in TNA. We then cut to Tara in the back as she introduces the #3 Best Match of 2009.
Desmond Wolfe vs. “Olympic Hero” Kurt Angle
Turning Point
November 15, 2009
This was obviously the first ever matchup between Kurt Angle and Desmond Wolfe (formerly Nigel McGuinness in Ring of Honor) back at Turning Point last month. A match that a some have called Match of the Year in wrestling this year. I’m not going to do play-by-play for these matches (like I did last year), however due to how long tonight’s show is. After an amazing back and forth matchup with both guys pulling out all the stops Angle counters a Tombstone Piledriver into an Ankle Lock and Wolfe attempts to kick Angle off but he holds onto the hold. Wolfe again rolls over to kick Angle off but he quickly locks Wolfe in a Side Triangle Choke with a Side Armbar at the same time (this was the finis of the year for me) forcing Wolfe to tap quickly.
Winner: Angle via submission
(This ranks up there with AJ-Joe-Daniels II and Taker-HBK for Match of the Year this year. Just flat out a wrestling clinic. *****)
A pretty cool behind the scenes look at the signing of Hulk Hogan for TNA’s new show “Before The Bell” (which will air on DirecTV I think).
NYKE Tournament Quarterfinals
Daffney vs. Awesome Kong
Daffney freaks me out but she’s still oddly hot for some reason. Daffney challenges Kong to a test of strength to start of the match which Kong gladly accepts but Daffney starts leg kicking Kong as it starts off. Daffney then comes off the ropes and Chop Blocks Kong and then goes for the test of strength again with Kong on her knees but Kong still shoves Daffney to the mat and then lights her up with a series of nasty chops. Kong then tosses Daffney clear across the ring and then just steps on her throat. Kong then elbow drops the leg of Daffney and locks in a Legbar on Daffney. Kong grabs Daffney by that same leg and starts stomping it. Kong then picks Daffney up and lights her chest up somemore before putting her up on her shoulders. I am not joking with you Kong literally wrapped Daffney’s body around Kong’s head and kicked Daffney in the head with her own damn foot! That was disgusting! You are not supposed to bend like that! Somewhere in the back Christy Hemme is having some flashbacks on that one (Kong did her that way on more than one occasion without the kicking of the head with her own foot though). Daffney decides it’s time to bail out as she rolls to the floor but Kong follows her and slams her into the ring steps. Back in the ring Daffney is able to muster up a series of leg kicks as Kong got back into the ring and then she stands on Kong in the corner and repeatedly stomps on her. Daffney grabs Kong by the leg but Kong just kicks her off and then counters a clothesline into the Implant Buster! 1…2…3 and she is definitely done.
Winner: Kong via pinfall (Implant Buster)
The semifinals will consist of Hamada vs. Roxxi and Kong vs. ODB.
In the back Christy is with the Knockouts Tag Champs, Sarita & Taylor. Taylor says tonight they will bring in the New Year the best way they know how and that’s showing everyone why they are the Tag Champs. Taylor mentions at Sarita just became another champion as well as she won this year’s CMLL Women’s Body Building Competition awhile back (under her Dark Angel name down there). They show a picture of her with her trophy back in Mexico. For those that don’t know she still wrestles down in CMLL off and on as Dark Angel. Sarita says tonight it’s all about their belts and Taylor says it’s a bummer because they can’t put their belts on the line tonight because Hamada & Kong are already scheduled for a shot this Monday! She says whoever they get into the ring with tonight they’ll be imagining Kong and Hamada. Sarita says Kong and Hamada may be two of the toughest women in the world but so are they!
——————-COMMERCIAL BREAK———————-
They show a vignette highlighting the Final Resolution show and then one hyping up 2010.
The British Invasion’s music hits and the Tag Champs make their way out to the ring (unscheduled says Tenay) and they have new tights for tonight. Brutus says they are going to be joining Tenay & Taz on commentary. Williams says finally people will be able to understand what’s said on commentary (not likely Mr. British accent, sir). We need some subtitles for these guys like UFC does on the Ultimate Fighter show with their British fighters. I can’t understand a word these guys say!
Non-Title Match
Taylor Wilde & Sarita vs. Lorelei & April Hunter
I’ve seen April Hunter live a few times down here but I’m not familiar with Lorelei. April is formerly a partner with Velvet Sky (who then wrestled under her real name, Talia Madison) as ironically T&A. April was also one of the nWo girls in WCW. Lorelei is a very gorgeous girl but we’ll see how she does in the ring here. Sarita and Lorelei will start off the match. They lockup and Lorelei takes Sarita down with a waistlock takedown and then she transitions into a Front Chancery, but Sarita rolls through it and gets back to her feet. Sarita then hits a rollup for a nearfall. Sarita quickly elbow drops the back of Lorelei and then Knee Drops the arm of Lorelei. Sarita then tags in Taylor and they whip Lorelei into the ropes and Sarita hits a drop toe hold followed by a front dropkick from Taylor. Taylor picks Lorelei up and hits a series of forearm smashes and then she attempts to whip Lorelei into the ropes but she reverses it and April grabs Taylor from the apron and holds her. Lorelei attempts to hit Taylor but she ducks down and Lorelei nails April! Lorelei then tags in April and turns around for a clothesline attempt, but Taylor ducks and hits a dropkick. April then comes in and goes for a clothesline of her own but Taylor ducks it and then goes for a Cross Body, but April catches her and hits a Spinning Sidewalk Slam! April tags Lorelei back in and April drops down to her back and puts her knees into the back of Taylor while also having her in a Straight Jacket Crossface! Lorelei then comes running in with a Bulldog on Taylor! 1…2…NO Taylor kicks out! Lorelie hits some weak punches and then she tags in April back in. April slaps and chops Taylor but Taylor comes back with some big Forearms and then a Backstabber! Taylor and April tag out at the same time. Sarita hits a running back elbow on Lorelei and then a wristlock snapmare! Sarita then hits a Hip Toss followed by a crazy Wristlock Northern Lights Suplex! April charges in but Sarita sidesteps her and April flies through the ropes down to the floor. Lorelei hits Sarita from behind and then attempts to whip her into the ropes but Sarita blocks it and kicks Lorelei in the gut. Taylor tags back in and then Sarita lifts Taylor up into a dropkick on Lorelei and then she backflips Taylor into a Moonsault on Lorelei! 1…2…3 and the champs win it.
Winners: Taylor & Sarita via pinfall (Moonsault)
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TNA Match of the Year #2
TNA World Heavyweight Championship
Three Way Dance
“The Phenomenal” AJ Styles (c) vs. “Samoan Submission Machine” Samoa Joe vs. “Fallen Angel” Daniels
November 15, 2009
Most people (including myself) thought there was no way these three could top themselves from their 2005 match but I really feel that they did in my Match of the Year choice. These three went absolutely all out in this classic throwback to the 2005 X-Division. These guys pulled out everything including AJ hitting the Fosbury Flop. The finish came when Daniels hit the STO on Joe followed by the BME and then AJ hit the Springboard 450 on Daniels as he covered Joe and pinned Joe to retain his belt.
Winner & STILL World Champ: AJ Styles
(Like I said this was my Match of the year. Just incredible stuff from all three guys. I could watch this match all day long. *****)
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A vignette is shown highlighting Mick Foley’s paranoia about Hogan.
We cut to ODB drinking some Jack Daniels. She says she should still be the Champion and Tara should be still walking around whining. ODB says she didn’t beat ODB and tonight she’s going to win the Tourney and get her belt back this coming Monday. ODB turns up the Jack and chugs it.
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NYKE Tournament Semifinals
Roxxi vs. Hamada
Roxxi has her ribs taped up as she makes her way out to the ring due to that post match beatdown by Lacey Von Erich. Hamada with a waistlock and then a takedown and she transitions into an arm bar. Roxxi rolls through and counters into a wristlock. Hamada counters it and then hits a drop toe hold taking Roxxi back down to the mat. Hamada then locks Roxxi in a toehold and then pulls Roxxi up back to her feet and locks in a hammerlock. Roxxi counters into a Front Chancery and then an arm drag. They circle each other now and try and get the crowd into it. They lockup in a Greco-Roman Knucklelock and Hamada forces Roxxi back into a bridge and then slams her hard to the mat. Hamada then puts Roxxi in a sort of modified Ankle Lock and then she elbow drops the leg of Roxxi and put her in a Kneelock only to have Roxxi counter into a Cross Armbreaker. Hamada rolls over and then gets her foot on the bottom rope to break the hold. Hamada with a legsweep and then she comes off the ropes and locks Roxxi in a side headlock as she got to her feet. Roxxi shoves Hamada off into the ropes and hits a Shoulderblock but it was weak so she hits another to take Hamada down. Roxxi then comes off the ropes again but Hamada hits an arm drag and Roxxi comes back with an arm drag of her own. Both girls then attempt a dropkick at the same time and we have a standoff. Roxxi is selling the ribs. They lockup again and Hamada kics her in the gut and then she begins to stomp the ribs. Hamada then locks Roxxi in a modified Abdominal Stretch and then counters into a modified Octopus really working on those ribs. Hamada climbs up top and hits a Double Foot Stomp onto the back/rib area of Roxxi as Roxxi was bent over! This chick does not play. Hamada locks Roxxi in a VICIOUS Half Boston Crab. Hamada releases the hold and hits a series of headbutts and chops and then comes off the ropes but Roxxi quickly hits a Suplex out of nowhere! Roxxi then hits a Running Hip Attack in the corner followed by the Running Mafia Kick! 1…2…NO Hamada kicks out! Roxxi climbs up top but Hamada hits a rolling Palm Thrust! Hamada then climbs up top with Roxxi but Roxxi knocks her off only to eat a Leaping Backkick out of nowhere from Hamada! Hamada climbs back up and hits the Superrana! 1…2…NO Roxxi kicks out! Roxxi’s leg hit REALLY hard on the mat there and I thought for sure that’s where she broe her ankle but it doesn’t look like it. Hamada climbs up top and hits a Missile Dropkick! Hamada then lifts Roxxi up in a Fireman’s Carry but Roxxi counters with a Crucifix Rollup! 1…2…NO Hamada kicks out! Hamada hits the Spinning Heel Kick again and then goes for the Hamada Driver but again Roxxi rolls her up! 1…2…NO Hamada still kicks out! Hamada goes for a clothesline but Roxxi counters with the Voodoo Slam! 1…2…NO Hamada still kicks out! Roxxi has Hamada up in a kind of a modified Torture Rack but she has Hamada wrapped around Roxxi’s back instead of on her shoulders. Roxxi drops her back and gets yet another nearfall. Roxxi sets up for the Voodoo Drop but Hamada blocks it with several headbutts and then she rolls Roxxi up for the pin! I just saw where she broke her ankle. As Hamada was rolling Roxxi up her ankle got caught under Hamada’s back and turned it in a really nasty angle. I slowed it down and it really was nasty. I think Dixie Carter said on her twitter that she broke it in two places, ouch.
Winner: Hamada via pinfall (rollup)
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NYKE Tournament Semifinals
ODB vs. Awesome Kong
ODB is apparently a little tipsy as she decides to meet Kong on the ramp with right hands! Kong lays into her with some nasty chops and rights before rolling her into the ring. ODB quickly rolls back out and Kong kicks her in the head repeatedly. Kong then whips ODB into the ring steps! Kong lifts ODB up but she punches Kong in the gut and then lays into her somemore on the back. ODB then slams Kong headfirst into the ring steps. ODB argues with the referee and eats a nasty knifeedge chop from Kong. Kong then follows up with a Shortarm Clothesline! Kong finally rolls ODB back into the ring and then hits a Scoop Slam followed by a Big Splash attempt, but ODB moved out of the way! She covers Kong and gets a nearfall. ODB puts the boots to Kong as we go to commercials.
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Back from commercials ODB is still on the offensive with a clothesline to the back and then she hops on Kong’s back and locks in a Sleeper! Kong slams ODB into the corner but ODB kicks Kong in the gut and climbs up top. ODB then slams Kong into the top turnbuckle headfirst repeatedly. Kong then lifts ODB up off the top rope, though, for an Awesome Bomb attempt but ODB blocks it and then hits a Shoulderblock. ODB hits another one and then hits a series of chops. ODB hits the Corner Splash and then she puts the boots to Kong in the corner. ODB hits the Bronco Muncher and then gets a nearfall on Kong. ODB goes for a Scoop Slam but her back gives out and Kong lands on top of her and gets a nearfall. Kong grabs ODB by the throat for a Chokeslam but ODB blocks it and hits a clothesline but Kong doesn’t go down. ODB sets up for another clothesline but gets destroyed by one from Kong followed by another one and then a Corner Splash. Kong destroys ODB in the corner with the Running Hip Attack! Kong goes for the Awesome Bomb but ODB blocks it and Kong then whips ODB into the corner again. Kong goes for the Corner Splash but ODB drops down and pulls the referee into the splash at the same time! ODB then reaches over and picks up the whiskey bottle and blasts Kong with it as she picked her up for the Awesome Bomb! The referee comes to and counts the pin!
Winner: ODB via pinfall (bottle to the noggin)
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Match of the Year #1:
TNA World Heavyweight Championship
“The Phenomenal” AJ Styles (c) vs. “The Icon” Sitng
October 18, 2009
This is the #1 Match of the Year as voted on by the fans (not my choice but to each his own). This was back at BFG with AJ defending against Sting who was wondering (still wondering) if this was his final match. Finish came when AJ hit the Springboard Splash for the pinfall.
Winner: AJ Styles via pinfall (Springboard Splash)
(This was a very good back-and-forth match that was kind of hurt by the weak, anti-climatic finish. ***1/2)
——————-COMMERCIAL BREAK———————-
A vignette hyping up the “is Sting retiring” stuff is shown. Audio clips of Sting talking about Hogan and Dixie are heard throughout. At ringside Tenay & Taz hype up the Monday show for next week. The New Year’s Knockout Eve Tournament Finals is up next.
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NYKE Tournament Finals
ODB vs. Hamada
Hamada comes into the Finals with wins over Madison Rayne and Roxxi while ODB defeated Velvet Sky and Kong to advance to the Finals. ODB mocks Hamada with a bow and then she piefaces her. Hamada kicks ODB in the gut and then hits a series of headbutts and chops on ODB. Hamada then comes off the ropes and ducks a clothesline from ODB and hits a head scissors takeover! Hamada then hits a Springboard Tornado DDT! 1…2…NO ODB kicks out and then rolls out to the floor to catch a breather! Mike Tenay showing us why he is known as ‘The Professor’ giving great background on both Hamada and ODB in this match early on talking about their wrestling training. ODB stalls out on the floor and talks trash with the fans and the referee before finally slowly getting back in the ring and charging at Hamada. Hamada side steps her and sends her into the corner. Hamada whips ODB into the opposite corner and charges but ODB floats over Hamada and taunts her again only to eat that sickening Superkick! 1…2…NO ODB kicks out! Hamada with the La Magistral Cradle! 1…2…NO ODB kicks out! Hamada then goes for another La Magistral but ODB kicks out again. Hamada hits a Scoop Slam and then climbs to the top but ODB knocks her legs out from under her hanging Hamada upside down in the corner and puts the boots to her as we go to the break.
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During the break ODB hits a Sidewalk Slam for a nearfall. Back from commercials ODB has Hamada in a Bear Hug but Hamada fights out of it with nasty back elbows only to have ODB slam her to the mat by her hair. 1…2…NO Hamada kicks out. ODB puts the boots to Hamada and then hits the Fall Away Slam. ODB keeps selling the fatigue from wrestling two matches already as she gets another nearfall on Hamada. ODB puts Hamada in another Bearhug lifting Hamada up off the ground this time. ODB then slams Hamada into the corner and chops away at her. ODB goes for a Running Knee Attack in the corner but Hamada sidesteps her and then hits a nasty Enziguri! Both girls are down now, though. ODB gets to her feet first and she hits a forearm but Hamada answers and they continue to trade forearms with each other until Hamada connects with a series of big headbutts! Hamada then follows up with a series of chops in the corner and then she attempts to whip ODB into the opposite corner, but ODB reverses it and Hamada springboards out of the corner into a Moonsault! 1…2…NO ODB kicks out! Hamada whips ODB into the ropes and hits another nasty Spinning Heel Kick! 1…2…NO ODB still kicks out! Hamada shows her frustration by slapping the mat. Hamada says it’s time for the Hamada Driver but as she reaches down to pick ODB up she hits a Jawbreaker on Hamada! ODB puts the boots to Hamada as Awesome Kong walks down the ramp carrying a table! She sets the table up at ringside as ODB continues to put the boots to Hamada while screaming at Kong at the same time. Finally more referees come down and get Kong to go back to the back. In the ring Hamada comes back with a sick uppercut followed by a leaping roundhouse kick that sends ODB out to the floor! Hamada hits a Somersault Senton off the apron onto ODB on the floor! Hamada points out at the table and the fans erupt! Hamada sets the table out closer to the ring and then lays ODB out on the table and climbs to the top rope! We have seen this before! Hamada sets up for the Moonsault but ODB moves off the table and Hamada eats every bit of the table! ODB picks Hamada up and rolls her back into the ring. ODB lifts Hamada’s limp body up and hits the TKO! 1…2…3 and ODB earns her rematch!
Winner: ODB via pinfall (TKO)
——————-COMMERCIAL BREAK———————-
Back from commercials ODB is still in the ring with JB. JB says that ODB will earn her title shot Monday night. ODB says she’ll be taking her title back Monday night as the fans boo her and then she says she has proven to everyone that she can outwrestle every Knockout in TNA. JB says that Awesome Kong may beg to differ with that and ODB tells him to shutup. ODB tells Tara to go back where she came from where they prance around and dance in the ring (WWE). She says that all they do is dance around and show their skin and that’s probably why Tara came to TNA because nobody wanted to see her skin. Tara’s music hits and she makes her way out to the ring. Tara asks ODB if she was ‘dancing’ when she kicked ODB’s ‘fat a**’ at Final Resolution. She then goes from that nice slam to a horrible one when she says at least she isn’t tatted up like some jail house prisoner (should’ve said whore Tara). Tara says she looks like a Truckstop restroom wall and then says she came to TNA to be a Knockout Champion and that’s all ODB needs to worry about. ODB says Tara is a joke and then calls her a ‘crybaby b*tch’ which is when Tara slaps the taste out of ODB’s mouth. ODB then Spears ODB and the catfight is on! They roll around punching each other for awhile until security runs out to break it up.
Yep, I actually paid to see TNA live and here’s what happened: (more…)
Apologies for the lateness. Yesterday was rough. Let’s pretend it’s still Sunday night, and cross the line!
Pre-show:
Eric Young vs. Danny Bonaduce
Danny Bonaduce actually looked fairly legit and cool, although someone should point out that having a motorcycle with skull-themed artwork does not automatically make the motorcycle’s owner a man to be feared. Way too many close-ups of that. Still, the whole “free pre-show” idea is a sound one, and TNA should look into doing it more often. This particular match may not have sold any ppvs, but the idea itself isn’t bad.Bonaduce busted out a set of nunchuku, and spun them all around. Don West pointed out that Bonaduce is actually a third-degree black belt. Bonaduce attempts some skullduggery with his nunchuku, but Young rolls him up and gets the pin in less than four minutes. The post-match doings were the bigger deal. Bonaduce shook Young’s hand, and Young turned his back on Bonaduce to leave. No. No, Eric. Bonaduce attacked him from behind, causing Rhino to rush the ring and plant Bonaduce with a Gore! Gore! I Voted for Gore! Putting this match on the pre-show made sense, if they were going to do it at all, but in the end, the hype seemed too great for a Rhino run-in to be the high point of everything. This match actually got more hype than the three-way IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team title match, so it just seemed unfulfilling.
Winner: Eric Young
We meet Dixie Carter on tv for the first time. JB points out that TNA is not owned and operated by an egotistical billionaire businessman, they are, in fact, owned and operated by an attractive mother of two from Dallas, Texas. Dixie came off well, very sweet and down-to-earth, sincerely thanking the fans and talking about what the company means to her. That she’s nice to look at (if you’re into the MILFy kind of thing) didn’t hurt. Please don’t make her an on-air character! On to the main show!
Christopher Daniels and AJ Styles arrive together. Samoa Joe and Jeff Jarrett are nowhere to be seen. In contrast, the Main Event Mafia arrives (mostly) together.
The Smashing Pumpkins song (“Bullets with Butterfly Wings”) plays again. Billy Corgan speaks the lyrics rather than singing them, and adds a line about “still just a rat in a steel cage.” Nice!
Match #1: X-scape match for the X-Division Championship Suicide defends against Sheik Abdul Bashir, Kiyoshi, Consequences Creed, and “Black Machismo” Jay Lethal
For those with no previous X-scape match experience, wrestlers are eliminated via pinfall or submission until two remain. Then, the first man to climb out of the cage and land both feet on the floor wins. A perfectly sound concept. Referring to this match as a “fun” match with “some decent spots” isn’t really fair. A solid story was being told, as in this particular match, the champion was on his own, and the four challengers were actually two tag teams. Suicide did a neat “appearing in the center of the ring” entrance instead of flying in. Shaking up his entrance really helps the character, particularly before it can get stale. Jay Lethal eliminates Kiyoshi at between three and four minutes in with a top rope elbow drop, followed by a double-pin from Lethal and Creed. Lethal and Creed are extremely sloppy. Kiyoshi is better than this. Bashir plants Creed with the WMDDT (That’s one of the most ignorant, pointless, STUPID names for a finishing move ever! It isn’t a clever play on words. It’s just dumb.), and eliminates him. Now the team factor is gone, and Bashir and Lethal must go after Suicide on their own. Lethal squares off with Suicide, but is hit with the Suicide Solution. Bashir throws Suicide into the cage and steals the pin on Lethal, eliminating him at almost eight minutes in. Down to champion Suicide and challenger Bashir. Bashir tries to get out through the cage door, but Suicide is having none of it. Both men climb to the top of the cage. Suicide headbutts Bashir and causes him to fall, but not to the floor. Kiyoshi runs out and tries to climb the cage and stop Suicide, but several security members restrain him. Suicide looks down at Bashir, who is almost to the floor, and makes a beautiful “Suicide Dive” onto Kiyoshi and the security guards to hit the ground first.
Winner and still X-Division Champion: Suicide
Match #2: “Queen of the Cage” match
Sojo Bolt vs. Madison Rayne vs. ODB vs. Daffney
The one problem with this match is that Daffney was the only one actually wrestling in it. Super cool look for Daffney, both in ring gear and make-up. Everyone piles on ODB at first, but she’s not even brawling in the style in which we know she can. She’s a cartoon character, even more so than she was before. Cody Deaner pours the liquid from the flask into ODB’s mouth, and she cleans house. Actually, she mostly slaps her own butt and boobs, but that’s neither here nor there. Don Wests complains that if ODB isn’t going to share with everyone, she shouldn’t be allowed to drink from the flask during matches because it isn’t fair. Pretty funny. At one point, ODB is down long enough for Daffney to outwrestle everyone else, and nearly pins Rayne and Bolt. Another flask shot sees ODB hulk up, spit the flask’s contents into the eyes of Sojo Bolt, hit Bolt with a power slam, and get the pin. ODB and Cody Deaner celebrate. TNA gets rid of Sonjay Dutt, Jimmy Rave, and Petey Williams and brings in Cody Deaner. Cross the line….
Winner and “Queen of the Cage”: ODB
Jeff Jarrett arrives alone. Tension!
Match #3: IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Championship Title match
Motor City Machine Guns defend against No Limit and LAX
Regardless of who actually held the belts, there should have been more focus on this match. It’s hard to buy into the whole “international prestige” of titles from another company in another country, when you yourself (TNA) haven’t made that big of a deal out of them. A few short promos and/or video clips would have done wonders for this match. Show some clips from the matches where each team won gold, explain why they’re all fighting, and so on. LAX holds tag team gold in Puerto Rico. The Motor City Machine Guns hold tag team gold from Japan. No Limit used to hold the titles that the MCMG now hold, and want them back. This could have been “International Tag Team Domination,” for lack of a better term. I know. There was no time. If it was going on the ppv, time should have been made.
Some people seem to delight in referring to any TNA match not involving established main-eventers as “a fun little match with the usual cool spots,” or some variation thereof. This implies that no psychology, no storytelling, and no coherent plan are taking place. The aforementioned description does not apply to this match. “Texas Tornado” rules apply, which means that all six guys will be in the ring at once, and no tags have to be made. The big story here was both No Limit and MCMG going after Hernandez and trying to incapacitate him. This plan doesn’t work so well. Hernandez sends Sabin into the cage with a huge shoulder block. Ouch! Shelley and Sabin eventually try to double-team Hernandez with a suplex, but he reverses it and suplexes both of them instead. Hernandez is soon beaten down, and thrown into a corner, where every other guy takes at least one turn hitting him with a running clothesline. The double-team action can’t be done justice by trying to call it, so watch the match, already! All three teams look solid and strong throughout. At one point, Hernandez Cracker Jacks Sabin into the cage, and Sabin comes down head-first and painfully. Seriously, it looked bad, and I hope he’s ok. Shelley gets Border Tossed into the cage, and fares slightly less terribly than his partner. While the MCMG are down, LAX and No Limit go. Yujiro has Homicide on the top turnbuckle for something, but Hernandez gets Yujiro on his shoulders, and Homicide hits him with an Ace Crusher. The recovered MCMG take out Hernandez, and slam Naito from the top turnbuckle with the Made in Detroit combination. One! Two! Three! YES! It’s true! Don West actually says that now, TNA has to start considering the MCMG for a shot at the TNA tag team titles and a place in the division. Oh, ya think????
Winners and still IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Champions: the Motor City Machine Guns
Match #4: “Doomsday Chamber of Blood” match
Abyss vs. Matt Morgan
In this match, the object is to make the opponent bleed, then he can be pinned or made to submit. Fair enough. I’m not a fan of these types of matches, so I can’t really say how it compares with others of the kind. After punching chairs and such, Morgan opens up Abyss first. Abyss can now be pinned or made to submit. Morgan only gets a two-count. Morgan opens a bag of glass, and tries to drive Abyss’s head into it. Then Morgan tries to stab Abyss in the head with a shard of glass. Abyss sends Morgan into the cage, then choke slams him, but since Morgan isn’t bleeding, the referee refuses to count it. Abyss cuts Morgan’s forehead open with glass. Both guys can now be pinned or made to submit. Dr. Stevie comes out, and is finally publicly revealed as Stevie Richards. He takes a chair away from Abyss, and yells at him not to engage in violence with weapons. Morgan uses this opportunity to hit Abyss with the Carbon Footprint, but only gets a two-count. Abyss gets a bag of thumbtacks from under the ring. Stevie tells him not to. Stevie takes off his jacket, enters the ring, and slaps Abyss around like a little bitch. Morgan low-blows Abyss while Abyss argues with Stevie, then plants Abyss on the thumbtacks with a spine buster for the win. Stevie gets his jacket and leaves. Curious as to where this is going. Not down on it, but curious.
Winner: Matt Morgan
Match #5: Knockouts Championship Title match
Awesome Kong defends against Taylor Wilde and Angelina Love
Velvet Sky and Raisha Saeed are at ringside. Angelina Love looks terrified after Kong advances on her, which is totally the thing to do. People were really into Kong, which is nice to see. This was brute power (Kong) against technical prowess and sneakiness (Angelina Love) against vaguely high-flying (Taylor Wilde). Storywise, a good idea. Taylor Wilde just isn’t that good. Angelina is much better in the ring and it shows. If you need one good reason to watch this match, Awesome Kong does a somersault splash from the top turnbuckle. Read that last line again. Awesome Kong. Somersault splash. Top turnbuckle. Yes, I was sober at the time. Great moment when Angelina tied what was left of Kong’s braids to the cage wall, with the help of Velvet Sky. Raisha Saeed tried to untie them, but ends up chasing Velvet Sky around the ring. Taylor Wilde has Angelina Love in a rear chinlock hold, but Kong kicks out at Wilde, allowing Love to roll Wilde over and get the pin on her.
Winner and new Knockouts Champion: Angelina Love
Match #6: Tag Team Domination match (IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team titles vs. TNA Tag Team titles, winners take all)
Team 3-D (IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Champions) vs. Beer Money (TNA Tag Team Champions)
The rest of the wrestling world may disagree, but the wrong team won. For months now, the build has been just about perfect. Beer Money won matches. Team 3-D won matches. Beer Money are the TNA tag team champions for a long period of time. Team 3-D win the IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team titles in Japan. Mutual respect. Wanting to know for sure who is the best. A great sit-down interview with Tenay. Lots of “Rough Cuts” packages on Team 3-D. The last-minute destruction of mutual respect, even to the point of echoing Team 3-D’s own line, “Because we can!” Near-constant promos, video packages, and vignettes about Team 3-D. This was the absolutely perfect “pass the torch” moment. They didn’t do it. Just about every odd that could be stacked against Beer Money had been spelled out. There was no way that they could beat Team 3-D in Philly, therefore having them do so would have been the perfect thing to do. Too much has been made about the Philly fans. What? Would they have burned down the building if Team 3-D had lost? Sure, you eventually have to give the people what they want. Eventually. When the time is right and it suits the story being told. To have Beer Money lose this match, regardless of how strong they looked in it, defies good storytelling and long-term planning. Did Team 3-D need this win? No. Was Team 3-D in dire need of getting over? No. Where does the tag team division go from here? Does Team 3-D retire and allow the “young guys” to have a tournament to claim the vacated titles? Oh, that’s ever so much more effective than actually having Beer Money defeat a legendary tag team on their own. Beer Money defeating Team 3-D in their adopted hometown, and at their own game, in front of the oh-so-terrifyingly bloodthirsty Philly fans was exactly what should have happened, and that it didn’t is quite simply wrong.
Winners and still IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Champions and new TNA Tag Team Champions: Team 3D
Match #7: “Lethal Lockdown” match
Team Angle (Kurt Angle, Scott Steiner, Booker T, and Kevin Nash) vs. Team Jarrett (Jeff Jarrett, AJ Styles, Christopher Daniels, and Samoa Joe)
Who was Joe talking to? By many accounts, it’s Tazz, which would be awesome. However, how many “mentors” does Samoa Joe need? We saw how well it worked out with Kevin Nash. The concept of “Lethal Lockdown” isn’t bad, but there were just too many bodies in the cage. A three-on-three match may have worked better. The AJ/Angle bit on the top was scary nice, and AJ’s landing looked pretty bad. This was not a bad match. It was simply too crowded, and the guys on Team Jarrett were limited in their movesets because of the cage. The Jarrett saga continues very nicely, and the chair shot to AJ looked completely accidental. Don West jumped all over it, which was great. Jarrett teasing the guitar shot to his own team, and then hitting Team Angle was ok, but it really gave off the vibe that Team Jarrett would not have won on their own. Again, the whole “We can’t do anything without Jarrett the Great to lead us!” only undermines the former Front Line even more. It was like, “Here, young guys, I am giving you this victory with this guitar shot.” Still, the drama of Jarrett’s true feelings has to keep going, and this was as good a way as any to do it. The appearance of Bobby Lashley as a possible ally of Angle and new member of the Main Event Mafia did nothing for me, but he is a former World Champion, and meets the membership requirements. I personally do not and have never cared for Lashley, and would just as soon he were not there, but the audience in Philly seemed pretty excited about his appearance. We shall see where this goes.
Winners: Team Jarrett
Match #8: TNA World Heavyweight Championship title match
Sting defends against Mick Foley
Wow. I truly did not think that Foley would win this one. Things will definitely get interesting now, as the fallout from this title win could go in many directions and covers quite a lot of ground. The match itself was quite good. Yes, they’re both old and slow. And? That was the whole point, that this could be the last match for either one of them. Foley’s Gollum/Smeagol changes during the match were great, like making sure that the cage door was properly locked at the start of the match, and then demanding that the door be opened later after Sting had taken out his left leg. Kicking the camera man through the camera hole and trying to get out that way was certainly novel. Pulling the barbed wire bat through the hole was also a nice touch. Sting went after Foley with the bat repeatedly, which raised the question of just how far into Foley’s world Sting was willing to descend. Did anyone expect Foley to win? It’s certainly intriguing. And isn’t that the point?
Winner and new TNA World Heavyweight Champion: Mick Foley
FINAL THOUGHTS: Several of the other sites that I’ve visited are practically crowing about how feedback on “Lockdown” has been almost universally negative. If so, it’s not deserved. The only truly bad match in terms of wrestling was the “Queen of the Cage” match, and that’s only because three of the four women were not actually wrestling. Sting and Foley were slow, yes. So only legends currently employed by WWE can have good matches? Enough with the TNA bashing just because it’s TNA, already! Honestly, if the Sting/Foley match had happened in a WWE ring, people would be saying almost across the board that while it wasn’t as good as HBK/Taker, it told a very solid story, the ending was a huge surprise, and the two old guys can still go pretty well, all things considered. You know it. I know it. The American people know it. Foley’s title reign is not the doom of TNA, and does not harken back to the dying days of WCW, and does not prove that there is no hope for the company. Quite the opposite, in fact. I paid for “Lockdown,” and don’t feel ripped off. I actually enjoyed most of it.
Join us later this week for “Impact” Impressions and the fallout from “Lockdown!”
Peace out,
Drowgoddess
Your Empress of “Impact” has waxed obsessive lately in regard to Ultimate X matches. After watching several on dvd for the gazillionth time, I actually e-mailed TNA. I asked if they had ever considered releasing a dvd of every Ultimate X match ever done. (more…)
TNA’s decision not to renew the contracts of Petey Williams, Jimmy Rave, and Lance Hoyt is just the beginning. More talent cuts are said to be forthcoming, and the supposed logic behind TNA’s non-renewals really brings to mind the saying, “There are none so blind as those who cannot see.” It isn’t releasing talent, we’re told, it’s just not renewing their contracts when they expire. This is semantics. Isn’t the end result the same? TNA wants to pump some new life into the undercard of their roster, and bring in new people. With a finite number of spaces and limited resources, someone has to go in order for this to be possible. Okay.
Yes, it’s late. Don’t pretend you’re disappointed.
Find a line and cross it, peoples!
Match #1: Alex Shelley defeats Eric Young: Be still, my heart! We actually open with a match, and a match that was the best of the night on paper, at that! This means it’s Alex Shelley versus Chris Sabin for the X-Division title at “Genesis,” which is proof that God exists, and wants us to be happy (thanks, Ben Franklin!). However, note the use of the words “on paper.” Why? This was the semi-finals match of the tournament to crown a new X-Division champion. After the Main Event Mafia/Front Line story, this should be the most important thing going. The announce team should be making this out to be a tremendously important thing. Video packages of past X-Division glory should air, along with each of the competitors talking about why the title is so important and how much they want to win it. None of this happened. A match of this magnitude went less than five minutes, and was nowhere near as good as it should have been. Shelley and Young did what they could, but there was no reason to rush this match. Back when this sort of thing mattered, and TNA had something going for it, there was a match between Christopher Daniels and Chris Sabin to determine the third man in a three-way Ultimate X match for the X-Division title at the pay-per-view that weekend. That match was given a full fifteen minutes, and the announcers made it sound like this one qualifying match was the most important thing in the company. I have yet to think of a good reason that the same treatment was not given to ANY of the X-Division tournament matches this time. Not one of the tournament matches went much over five minutes, and for what? The two-hour program featured what else, exactly? All the same, just watch TNA blame the X-Division and the guys in it for not getting over, not getting rating and buy rates, and so on. Grrrrrrrrrr!
After the match ended, referee Shane Sewell was again attacked by Sheik Abdul Bashir, prompting an in-ring confrontation. Jim Cornette came out and fired Sewell as a referee, much to the dismay of the audience. Cornette then turned on the gloating Bashir, announcing that Sewell was fired for three days, and would be hired as a wrestler beginning Sunday at “Genesis,” where he would have a grudge match against Bashir.
To the ring! Main Event Mafia promo time. They all talk. Why?
To the back! Borash asks Jeff Jarrett and Mick Foley how they intend to survive the Main Event Mafia onslaught. Brother Devon and AJ Styles come in, and inform them that they have their backs. Nice moment when Devon gives Foley Brother Ray’s red flannel shirt and says that “he would want you to have this.”
To the farm! No, really. Today’s embarrassingly untimely Sarah Palin skit has been brought to you by “The Simple Life.” Has anyone told the writers how long that show has been around?
Match #2: Awesome Kong defeats Madison Rayne: The latest hottie debut and squash. As much as I like the term “Kongtourage,” it cheapens Kong by having a big group around her. She’s been so dominant that she’s proven that she doesn’t need them. If she has to have Raisha Saeed, so be it, but the others need to go, and find their own thing.
To the back! Lauren interviews Abyss. It’s bad. It’s really bad. Please stop the pain. Abyss is upset because his best friend Matt Morgan is still mad at him. He thinks that Lauren is his girlfriend, and hopes that she isn’t mad at him too, because he just couldn’t take it. You know what, Abyss, neither can I.
Tenay and West run down the card for “Genesis.”
To the back! JB asks the Motor City Machine Guns whether they are concerned that the X-Division title match between them will cause problems in their friendship and their tag team. Chris Sabin went into sarcastic mode, informing JB that it was “an interesting, intriguing, insightful question.” Alex Shelley pointed out that the best things come in pairs, not the least of which was Mick Foley and poor hygiene. Shelley gets bonus points for referring to Foley as Duke “the Dumpster” Droese. Shelley goes on to say that the bond they share is unbreakable, and is bigger than JB, the X-Division title, or TNA. Foley steps in, and tells the Guns that he knows that they have the ability to steal the show, but they also have the ability to completely stink up the pay-per-view and ruin his show, which he literally cannot afford. If they blow off the match and try to lay down for one another, or anything else of that nature, Foley will give them one-way bus tickets back to Detroit, and they will never get another X-Division title shot again. Whoa, time out! Two things. Thing the first. While it’s totally true that having the Guns put over the X-Division title as something important that they both really want would have been helpful, TNA hasn’t made it look like it’s really worth having already. Thing the second. Why is Foley so mad? What has Alex Shelley or Chris Sabin ever said or done that would imply that they weren’t going to have an awesome match, or that they would deliberately pull something? All they ever said was that the two of them would be in the finals. If anything, two guys with the egos that they have been portrayed to have would go out of their way to show up the rest of the roster and prove how much better they are in the ring than everyone else. The point has been made for the past several weeks in these reviews that without promo or segment time being given to these subplots, things that happen like this seem random and disjointed. There’s really no excuse for it.
“Rough Cuts” time! We get another endearing and babyface-ish segment for Beer Money. Honestly, if you’re turning them face, you have to do it on the actual show and in the ring, not just with these segments. It’s confusing to see this stuff, then watch the same guys wrestle a completely heel match immediately afterward.
Match #3: Matt Morgan (with Abyss) defeats Robert Roode (with James Storm and Jacqueline): This match actually ended with ref stoppage. Morgan doesn’t seem to want Abyss around, and if he turns on Abyss, it may be hard to boo him. The match was stopped by the referee because of Robert Roode’s knee injury. Consequences Creed and Jay Lethal (still in full “Macho Man” mode) come out and watch, then announce that they will be cashing in their Feast or Fired tag team title shot right now. Did it ever get explained that cashing the title shots in at any time was allowed? I don’t recall ever hearing that part. I know that it worked for CM Punk, but cashing in a title shot when one of your opponents is practically incapacitated is a pretty heelish thing to do. Creed and Lethal don’t have much of a reason to do it.
Match #4: Consequences Creed and Jay Lethal defeat Beer Money, Inc. for the Tag Team titles: The match itself wasn’t bad, but it was essentially a handicap match. It took Creed, Lethal, and hitting Storm with the briefcase for the new babyface champs to get the win. They really looked weak.
To the back! The Front Line celebrates the tag team title win in the locker room. I wanted to be excited about it, but it was not clicking for me.
Tenay and West run down the “Genesis” card again, announcing that the tag team title match is now a 3-way match due to the title change.
To the back! BG James is an emotional mess as he tells Jeff Jarrett why he has to get in the ring with Kurt Angle. Some people thought it was ridiculously over the top, but I think it worked rather well.
To the farm! More fake Palin. Damn my eyes!
Match #5: Kurt Angle defeats BG James: The match wasn’t as bad as I had anticipated. Afterwards, the Main Event Mafia hits the ring and destroys BG James in a similar fashion as they did to Samoa Joe. Mick Foley and Jeff Jarrett run down, and the MEM bails. We go to commercial.
When we return, Jarrett loses control and shouts about what he’s going to do to Angle on Sunday. Foley calms him down and speaks about being ashamed of his inaction in regard to the doings of the MEM. HE admits that he is older and slower and isn’t the man he used to be, but that he is the Hardcore Legend, and he’ll be drawing strength from Brother Devon and AJ Styles in their match. “I may not be as good as I once was, but for one night I will be as good as I ever was!” Great line. A video package running down the “Genesis” card closes the show. I have promoted high school plays that I directed better than TNA promotes their pay-per-views.
“Genesis” Predictions
Rhino vs. Sting (World Heavyweight Championship): Sting retains. Is there really any doubt?
Jeff Jarrett vs. Kurt Angle: This could go either way, but if Angle wins, the story is over. I don’t think they’re done yet, so I pick Jarrett to win.
Mick Foley, AJ Styles & Brother Devon vs. Booker T, Kevin Nash and Scott Steiner: If Angle loses, the MEM wins here. Foley will probably be taking the pin, or possibly even turning on his team here and costing them the match. After all, we wouldn’t be expecting it after his strong ending promo on “Impact,” now, would we?
Beer Money vs. Abyss & Matt Morgan vs. Jay Lethal & Consequences Creed (Tag Team Championship): Lethal and Creed retain. I don’t want it to happen, but it probably will. The new champs have to retain, or the entire Feast or Fired deal is wasted. Granted, most people hate it anyway, but if TNA is going to keep doing it, they have to make it matter. There’s also the built-in tag team title feud between Lethal and the Guns stemming from the Feast or Fired match, if we can ever get to that point.
Chris Sabin vs. Alex Shelley (X-Division Championship finals): Alex Shelley wins. As much as I would love for the future Mr. Drowgoddess to have a title belt, Shelley has been the one at the forefront, and his having the belt will allow the Shelley/Foley friction to escalate. Also, the Guns were not booked to go on the European tour that’s coming up, and Alex Shelley by himself was added to be on it just recently. I think that means that the X-Division champion has to be included on the tour. It should easily be the match of the night, and I just pray to every form of divinity ever devised by the minds of men that this match doesn’t signal the break-up of the tag team. If it does, the whole universe is going to die. (Anyone seen that video?)
? vs. Awesome Kong (Knockout Championship – Lumberjack Match): If it’s true that Christy Hemme won’t be in the match due to a neck injury, and won’t be showing up during the match to get involved, interesting possibilities are raised. If Gail Kim hadn’t signed with WWE, this would be the best surprise ever for her to return unannounced and face Kong for the title. I hope they didn’t introduce Madison Rayne on “Impact” just to put her in the title match at the pay-per-view with no build-up. Roxxi or ODB would be good, but they’ve been beaten by Kong to many times. Angelina Love would be good, but she’s a heel and otherwise occupied with stupid skits. Please don’t let it be Taylor Wilde. In any case, Kong retains unless it’s someone truly exceptional.
Shane Sewell vs. Sheik Abdul Bashir (Grudge Match): Sewell to win. He’s endured to much from Bashir with too little payback, and if he does win, Bashir can whine and threaten and make excuses.
Check back on Monday or Tuesday for a review of “Genesis.” Yes, I’m getting it. Like you had to ask.
Peace out,
Drowgoddess