The night started off with a match between Olympic gold medalist Kurt Angle and The Phenomenal AJ Styles. The match began at a quick pace with AJ jumping the bell and attacking Kurt. They really seem to be pushing AJ as a heel. However some of the heat I think he gained from the bell jump was quickly undone by Taz pointing out AJ’s new tattoo. AJ’s new ink features his initials and the birth dates of his three children. Gee, nothing says EVIL RUTHLESS HEEL like the commentary staff pointing out how much you love your children.
That little flub aside it was very good match. It was fast passed and very technical. Just what you’d expect from two of the worlds top wrestlers. Angle even managed to hit a moonsault form the middle rope onto a standing AJ Styles. It was very back and forth with a ton of near falls, but in the end Kurt locked in the Ankle Lock and it was just too much for the Phenomenal one to take. Kurt wins via submission and moves up the ranking system another slot.
The second match of the night was Angelina Love getting another shot the TNA Knockouts champion Madison Rayne. This was standard women’s match. I’m sorry, but the Knockouts division has been on a vicious decline since Gale Kim and Awesome Kong parted ways with TNA. Angelina picked up the win to become a five time Knockouts champ.
Match three was a triple threat featuring Mr. Anderson (Anderson) vs. “The Black Pope” D'Angelo Dinero vs. The Blueprint Matt Morgan.
This match went by very quickly. And while I enjoyed it, it was for the most part forgettable. Which is unfortunate considering the talent that was in the match. In the end Anderson (Anderson) hit The Pope with the Mic Check. While going for the cover Matt jumped back in the ring, kicked him off and stole the win.
Like I said this was for the most part forgettable. Just another triple threat match that really felt like it’s soul purpose was to fill some time.
While I’m on the topic of this match can someone please explain to me the appeal of Mr. Anderson (Anderson)? He is wildly popular, you could hardly hear the him for the crowd during his introduction. I just don’t see it. He’s ok in the ring, nothing to write home home about though. Is it because he’s such a good talker? Is it because he comes off as crass and the masses like it? I’d love to hear your opinion on the matter my dear readers.
Jeff Hardy had an open challenge to anyone in the back. I can only assume that this match was originally booked to be Hardy taking on Samoa Joe but it was nixed after Joe got suspended for childlike behavior.
So there in the ring stands the Charismatic Enigma waiting to see who he will face. Out walks his long time friend, The Prince Of Punk himself, Shannon Moore. Shannon tells Jeff that he shouldn’t be shocked and that he wanted to prove to the world that he can go toe to toe with one of greatest. I’m was pretty pumped for this as soon as Shannon’s music hit. I love seeing guys who are long time friends wrestle. The matches are always superb. Good friends just trust each other and this leads to great matches. HHH and Shawn Michaels have put on some killer matches and they’re very close, the same can be said with Jeff and his brother Matt. Good friends equals great matches.
This was a pretty fast paced bout. They booked it to make Shannon look pretty strong against Jeff. He even counted Jeff’s first Swanton Bomb attempt by getting his knees up at the last moment. When all was said and done though Hardy hit the Twist Of Fate then followed it up with a Swanton Bomb for the three count. After the math Jeff and Shannon hugged and Jeff raised Moore’s hand.
The fifth match of the night was the one that I had book looking forward to the most. The Motor City Machineguns vs. Beer Money Incorporated in a two out of three falls match for the TNA Tag Team Titles. This was the fifth and final match in their best of five series. Beer Money snaked wins for the first two via some well placed beer bottles to the back of the MMG’s heads, then the Guns picked up the second two victories. (One in a cage match and the second in an Ultimate X.)
This has been a very intense rivalry. Taz even compared it the OSU/Michigan college football feud.
Both Beer Money and the Machineguns were in top form for this contest. The crowd was fired up and ready to see this series come to a head. James Storm and Chris Sabin started the match. It was full of quick tags and killer high spots. MMG are probably the best tandem move wrestler’s in the history of the sport. They’re quickness and agility make them second to none in this quick-paced tag style. They really played up the speed vs. power aspect of this match. While Sabin or Shelly were able to knock down Storm or Roode it would often take several fast moves and momentum. Conversely either member of Beer Money could take down a member of MMG in one hard hitting maneuver. In my opinion this really added to the drama of the match. They went for sometime before the first fall was awarded to Beer Money following them hitting the DWI (Drinking While Investing). There was moer back and forth from the two teams and after not too much time had passed the Machineguns were able to tie up after pinning Roode. So now the stage was set, one pin to one pin. What followed was and emotional display of tag team wrestling. Both sets of men, were clearly exhausted from this match. As a viewer you yourself were feeling fatigued. There were many near falls. MMG hit James Storm with Skull and Bones. But Storm kicked out at the two. The Guns picked him back, the entire crown was on their feet, screaming at the top of their lungs as Sabin held Storm up in the neck breaker and Shelly dove off of the top rope to land a second Skull and Bones. Sabin went for the cover and got the win. Ladies and gentlemen, you’re TNA Tag Team Champions: Chris Sabin and Alex Shelly, The Motor City Machineguns.
This was the greatest tag match I think I’ve ever seen. This match needs to be placed in contention for PWI’s match of the year for sure. After the match MMG celebrated with a display of pyro both in the ring and on the ramp.
The main event of the evening was Rob Van Dam defending his World Heavyweight Title against the Monster Abyss in a Stairway to Janice match. Eric Bischoff was the guest referee. This was essentially a ladder match with pinfalls allowed. They wrestlers could try to retrieve Janice (a 2x4 with nails in it) from were it hung above the ring if they so chose, but it wasn’t needed to win. This was a pretty standard hardcore/extreme style match. A lot of really cool high spots with RVD doing what he does best. Flips, kicks and dives from the top. And it featured Abyss doing what he does best… Falling into crap. When all was said and done RVD was able to retain the title after hitting the Five Star Frog Splash.
After the match Hulk Hogan came out and cut a promo about how great the EV 2.0 (ECW) guys were and how they raised the bar. He brought out the old school hardcore guys for one last curtain call in the ring. Dreamer gave a little speech and the lights blacked out. When they came back on Mick Foley had been knocked out. Once your attention moved away from Mick on the ground you saw AJ Styles, Kaz, Beer Money, and Matt Morgan. All with weapons, and all beating the living daylights out of EV2.0. It took me a moment to process, but these men are all members of Ric Flair’s new group Fortune. What followed was a vicious beating. All of the Hardcore Originals were bloodied, cut, stomped, and brought to a point near unconsciousness. During the melee Abyss drug RVD away, with Janice in his other hand. By the time the camera crew caught up with them in back it appeared as though Abyss had used his “girl” to maim RVD. He was standing over a battered and blood covered world champion just shouting. It looked a scene from a horror flick. The last shot of Rob just lying there, broken and twitching.
It thought this was a completely unexpected turn. For months Abyss has been saying that “They” are coming… Was he speaking of Ric Flair’s Fortune this entire time? Only time will tell, but it appears to be the case. I think that in the long run this will be good for business. They’re using some of the old talent to hook in some extra viewers. While doing that the people new to TNA will see great young talent like AJ and Beer Money and if all goes well, will get hooked on the product. In the coming weeks I’m sure we’ll see this feud unfold and in the end I hope to see Fortune standing tall over EV2.0.
Until Next time this Switchblade saying- Win if you can, lose if you must, but always cheat.
No comments:
Post a Comment