NWA TNA Weekly PPV #6
Date: July 24, 2002
Location: Tennessee State Fairgrounds, Nashville, Tennessee
Commentators: Mike Tenay, Ed Ferrara, Don West

I would say things are picking up around here but that isn’t exactly accurate. There are some things going on but a good may of them aren’t good. With a focus on the weird Puppet stuff, whatever the Dupps are doing and Jeff Jarrett as a focal point, the show isn’t exactly thrilling content. Hopefully it improves here though so let’s get to it.

Here is last week’s show if you need a recap.

We open with Jeff Jarrett smashing a bunch of people with chairs (as he did to end last week’s show). He says the NWA World Title is his and he wants Ken Shamrock out here right now. Shamrock is in the back and yells at Bob Armstrong, saying he’s going to the ring. After heading towards the ring, Shamrock locks a door and has a rather muscular man stand guard. Bill Behrens comes to the ring instead and suspends Jarrett, who chairs him in the head. Now Shamrock gets in for the brawl but some wrestlers come out to break it up, allowing Jarrett to chair Shamrock in the head.

Commentary previews the show.

Amazing Red vs. Low Ki

Red snaps off some armdrags to start and then kicks Ki outside. Back in and a middle rope clothesline drops Ki but he’s right back with a hard kick for two of his own. A butterfly suplex into a double underhook crank has Red in trouble but he fights right back out. Red goes up top, where Ki pulls him into a hanging dragon sleeper for some rather painful cranking.

They trade kicks to the head until Red’s hat flies off, which has him so annoyed that he hits a quick standing shooting star press for two. The Code Red gets two more but Ki strikes away, only to get dropped with a spinwheel kick. Red’s corkscrew moonsault misses though and the Ki Krusher 99 finishes for Ki at 7:29.

Rating: B. This is how you make someone into a bigger deal as Red was in there hanging with someone who almost won the X-Division Title last week. The perk of a promotion still being this new is that people can still make an impact in a hurry. That’s what Red did here and it was a heck of a match as the show kicks off fast.

Jeff Jarrett tries to get back stage but is blocked by the rather muscular man.

Hot Shots vs. Chris Harris/James Storm

Earlier today, Harris told Storm that the cowboy stuff was stupid and he better not fire those cap guns. The fight starts on the floor and we settle down to Storm headscissoring Stevens. Harris comes in with a spear and a belly to belly, but O’Reilly sends him outside. A drop onto the barricade has Harris in trouble for a change though and a dropkick gives O’Reilly two back inside.

Stevens hits a handspring elbow for two of his own, only for O’Reilly to miss (meaning hits, but only because Harris didn’t roll away face enough) a moonsault. It’s back to Harris as everything breaks down, with Storm hitting a reverse tornado DDT. Harris’ northern lights suplex is enough for the pin at 5:19.

Rating: C. This was the latest win for Harris and Storm, who are rising up the ranks rather quickly. Well as many ranks as you can have so soon in a company’s history. You can tell there is a chemistry there and that is something that can take them a rather long way. The match was nothing of note though, as the Hot Shots just didn’t have much going on.

Post match the Hot Shots jump them from behind for the beatdown.

Ken Shamrock wants Jeff Jarrett.

Apolo vs. Brian Lawler

Thankfully Lawler doesn’t get to talk before he slams Apolo go start. Apolo is back up with a slam of his own and Lawler is not pleased. A Sky High gives Apollo two so Lawler goes back to the Memphis playbook with a foreign object. Some choking on the ropes keeps Apolo in trouble and a middle rope dropkick makes it worse. The chinlock goes on for a bit before Apolo is back up with a running shoulder. The legdrop gives Apolo two but the TKO is countered into a reverse DDT. Lawler, with his mouth bleeding, stops to dance…and is promptly rolled up for the pin at 7:06.

Rating: C. Again, Lawler just isn’t much in the ring and that hasn’t changed no matter what he’s been doing. That kind of style works in a place like the old Memphis territory and there is nothing wrong with it, but it’s not working here. Throw in the fact that he was just Grandmaster Sexay about a year ago and still acts the same way and it’s not exactly clicking. At least he wasn’t ranting about Jerry Lawler for once, as that isn’t working in the slightest.

Post match Lawler beats up Don West because that’s what a villain should do. There is still no security but Lawler lets him go anyway.

Here is K-Krush and we get a montage of him hanging…well actually just Norman Smiley and Scott Hall. Back in the arena, Krush talks about how he doesn’t want to go by this name because THEY gave it to him. He is being held down by THEY in the back before talking about Allen Iverson (he’s wearing an Iverson jersey) and says that like Iverson, he’s the TRUTH.

After talking about Mike Tyson and OJ Simpson, Money Brown (to what would become Abyss’ music) interrupts to brag about his own football career. Krush can blame everyone he wants, but maybe he’s just not all that. The challenge is issued but Truth (seems to be his official name) isn’t interested. The brawl is on and Brown easily clears him out.

We recap the issues between AJ Styles and Jerry Lynn. They hate each other but work well together, which is why they’re still Tag Team Champions. A lot of brawling has ensued.

We get a sitdown interview between Styles and Lynn from earlier today and, after the video doesn’t work the first time, they talk about how they still don’t get along. Tonight, they have to get together to retain the Tag Team Titles.

Tag Team Titles: AJ Styles/Jerry Lynn vs. Flying Elvises

The Elvises are challenging and Sonny Siaki is on commentary. Lynn and Estrada trade arm control to start until until Lynn elbows him in the face and grabs a running headscissors. Styles adds a running knee to the face and a legdrop gets two. An elbow to the jaw gives Styles two more but Estrada gets in a slam, allowing the rather necessary tag off to Yang.

Lynn comes back in to knock Yang into the corner, setting up a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker for two. What looks like a top rope cutter from Styles…just kind of crashes down and Yang sends him outside for a heck of a clothesline. Back in and a Koji Clutch keeps Styles in trouble, setting up Estrada’s knee to the ribs for two. The banged up ribs are dropped over the top rope for two and a Lionsault connects for the same.

Another rather slow motion knee drop into a slingshot hilo gets two next two, followed by the logical abdominal stretch. Styles tries to fight back but Lynn gets knocked off the apron so the beating can continue. A kick to the face gets Styles out of trouble though and it’s back to Lynn to clean house. Lynn dives onto Estrada but Styles accidentally takes Lynn out with a dive of his own. Lynn is VERY busted open but he’s fine enough to come back with the slingshot Fameasser over the ropes. That’s enough to pin Estrada, even as Styles is on top for the Spiral Tap, and retain at 15:24.

Rating: B. Well hokey smoke, a wrestling match broke out on this show. It really shouldn’t be any surprise that Styles and Lynn work this well together as they’re incredibly talented but at the same time the Elvises are right there with him to make their side work. This was a rather good match and one of the better things the promotion has produced so far.

And now, Glenn Gilbertti has a talk show. After referencing Joey Maggs, Gilbertti talks about how much success he has had, all while commentary WILL NOT SHUT UP about how Gilbertti isn’t a star, continuing to completely undermine the entire joke. Anyway, Gilbertti is help AJ Styles be more athletic, show Ken Shamrock how to be charismatic, and Tennessee how to be smart. Next week, it’s the debut of Jive Talkin. Just in case we didn’t have enough comedy acts.

Ken Shamrock and the muscular guy….are cut off by a camera cut.

Simon Diamond/Johnny Swinger vs. Monty Brown/Elix Skipper

Skipper kicks away at Diamond to start and it’s off to brown for a Flip, Flop And Fly of all things. Swinger gets a clothesline from the apron to take over on Skipper and some rolling suplexes into a gordbuster gets two. Skipper gets in a shot to the face though and it’s Brown coming in to clean house. Diamond drops Brown from behind but a quick Alpha Bomb gives Brown the pin at 5:34.

Rating: C. Yeah I think they know what they have here with Brown, as he’s such a ball of charisma and an athletic freak on top of that. You don’t get someone like that very often and TNA would be smart to push him even harder. Other than that, Diamond and Swinger are good choices to put out there as designated victims as they work well together.

Post match The Truth comes in to jump Brown and choke him out.

The Dupps don’t have a match tonight but intentionally bump into Goldilocks, which is supposed to set up a match. Instead Bo goes after the muscular guy and a match is made.

Bo Dupp vs. Ian Harrison

Stan Dupp is on commentary as the rather big Harrison powers Bo into the corner. A suplex gives Bo a breather but Harrison easily slams him down. Some forearms just annoy Harrison, who comes back with a powerslam for the pin….despite the referee looking confused, at 2:59. Or was it a DQ when Stan ran in? Not that it matters as the Dupps are done for the night and that’s a good thing.

Post match the Dupps go after Harrison, who clears them out with ease. Harrison was every generic monster power wrestler you can imagine. Great physique, but nothing that is going to seem interesting.

With Harrison in the ring, Ken Shamrock and Jeff Jarrett can finally brawl. It’s broken up just as fast.

We get a pretty long recap of Sabu beating Malice in a ladder match to become the new #1 contender.

NWA World Title: Ken Shamrock vs. Sabu

Shamrock is defending and hits him in the face to start. Commentary explains that to even this out, it is Ladder vs. Submission, which means Shamrock has to win by submission and Sabu has to win by climbing a ladder to get the belt (because of course they have to make this more complicated). Sabu grabs a kneebar, suggesting that he can win by submission as well, only for Shamrock to fight out and kick him in the head.

Shamrock is back with a kneebar of his own as we’re told that Ricky Steamboat will be in charge next week. Sabu’s armbar is reversed into a kneebar, with Sabu getting to the ropes. Sabu gets knocked outside where he grabs a ladder, which is kicked into his face. They fight up to the stage for a few seconds before Shamrock is sent through the barricade.

Shamrock is laid onto a table but Sabu takes too long setting up a dive, meaning he only hits table. Now Shamrock gets to go up (as Ladder vs. Submission is already getting confusing) and grabs the belt…but the lights go out. Cue Malice to chokeslam Shamrock off the ladder and grab the belt, which makes the bell ring at 9:31.

Rating: D. They had some hard hitting stuff in there, but when commentary can’t explain the rules, it might be proof that they don’t nee to be there. The idea of ladder vs. submission only makes so much sense in the first place, as there was no reason to change it from being anything other than a regular match. And then the ending is someone pulling the title down because…I have no idea what is going on in this whole thing.

Overall Rating: C+. Things might be inching in the right direction here as there was enough focus on the better, more interesting things. At the same time, there are still enough bad things (submission vs. ladder, the Dupps, Gilbertti’s talk show, anything with Lawler and more) to hold it down. I’m certainly not optimistic, but things could be a lot worse.

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NWA TNA Weekly PPV #5
Date: July 17, 2002
Location: Nashville Auditorium, Nashville, Tennessee
Commentators: Mike Tenay, Ed Ferrara, Don West

We’re back for another batch of these things and the promotion is not in good shape. Save for the X-Division, the shows are just not very good and there isn’t much of a way around it. Ken Shamrock isn’t an interesting World Champion and Brian Christopher is still getting a lot of attention for whatever reason. Then there’s Jeff Jarrett, and I mean a lot of Jeff Jarrett, on top of everything else. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

We open with a recap of Jeff Jarrett going all nuts and attacking Ken Shamrock with a chair last week.

Shamrock doesn’t have any comment but he’s ready to show how mad he is.

Opening sequence.

Scott Hall and Jeff Jarrett, the latter of whom is ready to be in a ladder match for the #1 contendership to the World Title, brawl in the back and fight outside. The fight is broken up and executive Bill Behrens says Jarrett has forfeited his spot in the match.

Here is Malice (Jarrett’s scheduled opponent) with Father James Mitchell, so it’s open challenge time for the #1 contenders ladder match. The lights go out and….let’s get this over with as fast as we can.

Malice vs. Sabu

Ladder match for the #1 contenders match and Sabu starts fast with a tornado DDT. Malice isn’t having that and chokes him down before grabbing a chair. A backbreaker plants Sabu again and Malice sends him face first into a chair in the corner. It’s time to get the ladder, which Sabu dropkicks into Malice’s face. The triple jump dive to the floor drops Malice again before bridging the ladder between the apron and the barricade.

That takes way too long though and Malice drops him onto the ladder, followed by a World’s Strongest Slam onto it as well. Naturally Sabu is right back up with a springboard leg lariat into the ladder into Malice for another knockdown. It’s way too early to get the contract though as Malice powerbombs him down, followed by a nasty overhead belly to belly into the ladder.

Malice goes up but Sabu dropkicks the ladder out and chairs him in the head. Sabu kind of bulldogs the ladder down onto Malice, who is right back with a spinebuster. Malice’s climb up the ladder is cut off with a shove through a table, allowing Sabu to pull down the contract and win at 13:29.

Rating: C+. This could have been worse, as Sabu could still move and fits in far better with this kind of carnage than a regular match. If nothing else it adds a bit of a spark, as Sabu is a big enough name to be slotted into the World Title scene, even if it is for the short term. Besides, Malice’s time in the title scene has already been wrapped up so it is time to see someone new get a shot.

Post match the Disciples of the New Church come in to beat on Sabu and a super chokeslam puts him through a table.

Jeff Jarrett and Scott Hall are still being held apart and Jarrett is ejected.

Here’s AJ Styles for an unscheduled chat. Styles calls out Jerry Lynn, who storms to the ring and says Styles must want to know why Lynn jumped him last week. Lynn says he’s been wrestling for fourteen years and done more in this business than Styles has done in his lifetime.

Styles hasn’t done anything or even had to sleep in his car eating peanut butter sandwiches. Lynn gave him a chance when they teamed up and he isn’t going to stand for the disrespect. Styles lays him out and hits the Styles Clash. This was fine and to the point, but commentary responding to EVERYTHING either of them said took away a lot of the impact.

We look back at Jasmin St. Clair stripping for Jeremy Borash and Ed Ferrara making sure it happened in a funny bit.

Francine jumps St. Clair in the back and throws her in the shower.

K-Krush vs. Norman Smiley

Before the match, Krush brags about star power (he even SMELLS like a star). Why did the NWA put him in the ring with a NASCAR driver? They were afraid he was going to become something they couldn’t control and then they would have to sell his t-shirts. He’s been treated as a second class citizen despite being better than everyone. It’s because he’s a Black man, and he’s the truth.

With that out of the way, Krush knocks Smiley down into the corner but Smiley is back with the swinging slam. The Big Wiggle into a faceplant plants Krush again but he hits a spinning forearm to cut that off. Back up and a Russian legsweep gets Smiley out of trouble but Krush plants him with a sitout gordbuster for the win at 3:25.

Rating: C-. This really didn’t work, mainly because they went from a rather serious promo from Krush into something totally goofy, which is all Smiley did at this point. Smiley did have some status, but you probably shouldn’t be having the Big Wiggle after someone went on a rant about how he was being held back because of his face. Krush should have squashed him, but maybe don’t let Smiley get in that much goofy stuff.

Post match Krush takes off his belt and whips Smiley before hanging him over the top. Smiley’s wife comes out for the save and gets choked as well. This isn’t going to go well and it wasn’t exactly comfortable stuff anyway.

Puppet is in a trashcan and all annoyed about his match with Meatball. It’s implied that he is, uh, doing something rather personal with his hand.

The Dupps are all weird and make inappropriate comments about Goldilocks.

Flying Elvises vs. Christopher Daniels/Elix Skipper

Estrada is sent outside to start and Skipper hits a quick dive. Back in and Siaki takes over on Skipper before it’s back to Estrada for a butterfly suplex. Siaki joins commentary for a second to brag about how awesome he is before stomping away back inside. Estrada comes in with a double springboard moonsault but Skipper gets over for the tag to Daniels.

A Blue Thunder Bomb gets two on Estrada but Siaki’s cheap shot from the floor lets Estrada get in a quick knockdown. Skipper comes back in as everything breaks down, with Estrada hitting a springboard moonsault. Daniels hits a much less springboardy but far better moonsault for two of his own. Siaki and Daniels fight to the floor, meaning there’s no count off Skipper’s Play Of The Day. Instead Siaki comes back in for a rolling cutter to finish Skipper at 9:50.

Rating: C+. This was a fast paced tag match with the Elvises stealing the win over the rather talented Daniels/Skipper team. The tag division is still coming together and it is kind of hard to make that work. Putting teams together work though and this is the kind of match you have to use to make that work.

Post match the Dupps run in to take out the Elvises.

Scott Hall jumps K-Krush and leaves him laying without much trouble.

Meatball vs. Puppet

Hardcore match and Puppet jumps him to start, setting up a ram into a trashcan. Meatball knocks him to the floor though and it’s an ax handle from the apron. The fight heads up towards the entrance, where Meatball pulls some food from a shopping cart to mess Puppet up a bit. A dropkick sends a chair into Meatball’s face and a DDT gives Puppet two. Puppet hits a middle rope Fameasser onto a chair and a Vader Bomb onto a chair onto Meatball is good for the pin at 6:16.

Rating: D-. Oh come on. This was stupid, it wasn’t funny, the whole thing went on too long and this whole deal feels like such a waste of time. I’m sure someone gets a kick out of this but it’s just not working, with the gag of Puppet being a hardcore wrestler having lost the charm which barely existed in the first place. Just find something else to fill in the time.

Here is a damaged Jasmin St. Clair to call out Francine.

Francine vs. Jasmin St. Clair

It’s a brawl to start, they both lose clothes, Blue Meanie comes in to DDT Francine for the DQ at 1:25. This was all about the clothes and nothing more.

Meanie carries St. Clair off and Francine is taken out on a stretcher.

We look at some of Low Ki’s and AJ Styles’ signature moves.

X-Division Title: AJ Styles vs. Low Ki

Ki is challenging and they wrestle to the mat to start. Back up and they chop it out to a standoff until Ki takes him down. Ki strikes away as fans look at someone holding a sign, with security seemingly going after him. Styles gets in a slam and a flipping splash but Ki knees him to the apron.

Ki misses an Asai moonsault but he’s able to kick Styles in the face to cut off a dive. They slug it out on the apron until Ki gets a dragon sleeper in the ropes. Styles uses said ropes to escape and grabs a brainbuster for two. The Spiral Tap misses but Styles reverses a fireman’s carry into a Death Valley Driver for a needed breather. It’s Ki going up but he dives into the Styles Clash to retain Styles’ title at 10:36.

Rating: B-. These two work well together and that shouldn’t be a surprise given how well they have done in previous matches. It wasn’t exactly an epic showdown or a classic match, but they were working hard and it didn’t feel like two old rejects from WCW. Styles continues to be the breakout star around here and that is likely to continue if he’s going to keep doing this well.

Post match Jerry Lynn spears Styles down and gives him he piledriver. A ladder is brought in and Lynn suplexes him into it for the nasty crash.

Scott Hall vs. Brian Lawler

Before the match, Lawler rants about how stupid people have to be to be Jerry Lawler fans. The challenge is issued again and Brian throws in some Jim Ross insults for a bonus. Hall sneaks up behind him and after even more ranting from Brian, Hall finally punches him down to get going. Some right hands send Brian outside and even more knock him off th announcers’ table.

The beating goes around ringside until Brian gets in a shot of his own to take over. Back in and Brian hammers away as there are an awful lot of empty seats on camera. A suplex gives Brian two and, after insulting the fans some more, he goes up but gets slammed off the top. Hall’s belly to back superplex connects and, after taking out K-Krush, the Outsider’s Edge finishes Brian at 8:43.

Rating: C-. At the end of the day, these matches just aren’t very good. They’re a bunch of punching, a few other moves, and then the finish. It doesn’t help when Brian is doing basic heel stuff straight out of the Memphis playbook, but that is only going to do so much to get him around the fact that he’s Brian Lawler and won’t shut up about his dad. Hall didn’t do much more than his signature stuff, which is only so good at this point.

Post match Brian and Krush beat Hall down and hang him over the ropes.  Hall goes out on a stretcher but Jeff Jarrett runs in with a chair and wrecks Hall and pretty much everyone not named Lawler or Krush.

Overall Rating: C. There is some passable stuff on here but the bad is dragging it all the way down. Other than that, the good stuff, which is mainly centered around the less goofy people, is watchable enough. In other words, as has been the case, there is a decent show here if you get rid of the terrible parts. The problem is there is quite a bit of terrible and a lot of it is getting the focus. Fix that and this goes up in value, but it isn’t looking likely anytime soon. Ultimately, the biggest issue is that I have no idea what the biggest story is supposed to be around here and I don’t think the company does either.

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Bound For Glory 2024
Date: October 26, 2024
Location: Wayne State Fieldhouse, Detroit, Michigan
Commentators: Tom Hannifan, Matthew Rehwoldt

It’s the biggest night of the year in TNA and the show is looking pretty solid. The main event is Joe Hendry challenging Nic Nemeth for the World Title, but the show is billed as a triple main event. The other two main events will see Jordynne Grace defending the Knockouts Title against Masha Slamovich, plus a three way Full Metal Mayhem match for the Tag Team Titles. Let’s get to it.

Pre-Show: Ash By Elegance/Heather Reckless vs. Brinley Reece/Xia Brookside

Reckless messes with Reece’s hair to start so Reece works on her arm. Brookside comes in for a wheelbarrow splash, followed by a double suplex. It’s off to Ash to kick away at Reece but Reckless gets taken down. The fans want Brookside as Ash faceplants Reece into a basement dropkick (which isn’t exactly smooth, with commentary saying is due to their inexperience as a team, which seems to be intentional).

Reece fights out of Reckless’ chinlock and gets in a double knockdown, allowing Brookside to come back in with some clotheslines. Broken wings connects with Ash and Reece’s Codebreaker gets two. It’s back to Reckless, whose high crossbody is rolled through so Reece can hit a TKO for two, with the Personal Concierge putting the foot on the rope. Brookside and the Concierge are ready to fight on the floor, but that leaves Reckless to hit a springboard Spanish Fly. Rarefied Air finishes for Ash at 8:38.

Rating: C. Perfectly fine match here to get things going as the fans are always going to want to see the Concierge get beaten up. If nothing else, I’m glad they didn’t start the biggest night of the year with an NXT star getting the win, as it wouldn’t have felt right. Not a great match here, but the fans were into it and that’s always a smart way to get things going.

We get the Bob Ryder Hall Of Fame video. Ryder was a longtime backstage worker in TNA and had a lot to do with building up wrestling on the internet. He also worked in ECW and WCW and helped develop a lot of the things that got the company on the map. A bunch of wrestlers say thank you and we get quite the THANK YOU BOB chant.

Eric Young is here to induct Ryder into the Hall Of Fame. Young talks about Ryder being part of the original group that made the company come together. Ryder worked in WCW and ECW, becoming a pioneer in online wrestling discussion. Ryder was in talent relations and did all kinds of things to make it work for everyone. Young and Ryder were friends and spent Christmas and Thanksgiving together and all of the Brazilian steakhouses throughout the southeast miss him.

Despite everything he loved, he loved wrestling the most and despite what one idiot backstage says, there is one King Of TNA, and that’s Bob Ryder. Young holds up the plaque for Ryder and another THANK YOU BOB chant wraps it up. You could hear how much this meant to Young and there couldn’t have been a better inductor.

We see the Rhino Hall Of Fame video. It looks at Rhino’s career before TNA, along with various people talking about how big of a deal it was for him to sign with the company. Rhino signed up here because he believed in it.

Here is Tommy Dreamer to induct Rhino into the Hall Of Fame. When he inducted Team 3D, he got 3D’d the next night. When he inducted Raven, he got DDT’d. Whoever invented the phrase “always a bridesmaid, never a bride”, he hates you. Dreamer is excited to induct Rhino into the Hall Of Fame and goes over Rhino’s career path, including coming to TNA. Rhino has found the fountain of youth because he looks the same, works the same and is the same as he has been for twenty five years. He always says it’s the year of the Lions (we pause for the chant) but this is the year of the RHINO.

This brings out Rhino for the YOU DESERVE IT chant, but he says that’s not true. WE deserve it because the fans have been here forever. Rhino talks about how much he loves Detroit and hopes to die here. After mocking Dreamer a bit, Rhino thanks his girlfriend for being here but he won’t be proposing because he doesn’t have the hardware. The fans boo, but Rhino says it’s his night.

Rhino talks about how much he loves his daughter and how much he wishes he had been there more often. He thanks a bunch of people from Jim Cornette to Paul Heyman to WWE and more, including Heath Slater. This brings up a story about his brother being diagnosed with cancer and being given a death sentence. Slater would talk to him during the long car rides and it was like the cancer went away. He thanks Slater for being a friend and a brother.

Rhino talks about his faith in God and how he prays for the family to get home save every time. His goal is to leave the planet a bit better than he found it and that’s what he hopes to do. One more thank you and he’s out. This was an excellent speech and you could feel the emotion from Rhino. Easily one of the best induction speeches I’ve ever heard for an induction and Rhino does deserve it.

Steve Maclin thanks Eric Young for his help but he’s got Josh Alexander by himself. Young is fine with that, but he’s got Maclin’s back if Alexander brings help, which seems fine with Maclin.

Call Your Shot Gauntlet

This is basically a 20 entrant Royal Rumble with 2 minute intervals at first and then 1 minute intervals for everyone else, with an anytime title shot to the winner. We have standard over the top eliminations until there are two left, when it becomes a one on one match. Frankie Kazarian is in at #1 and Zachary Wentz is in at #2. Wentz takes him down in the corner to start and then pulls Kazarian out of the air, only to get caught with a Fameasser over the middle rope. Wentz fights back again and knocks him into the corner as Jake Something is in at #3 to run Wentz over.

Trey Miguel is in at #4 and picks up the pace as Wentz gets a needed breather. Hammerstone is in at #5 and teams up with Something to wreck various people. It’s not enough for an elimination or anything, but it is quite the collection of clotheslines. Rohit Raju is in at #6 and gets in an assortment of stomps. Laredo Kid is in at #7 and is quickly knocked out for the first elimination. Something tosses Miguel and it’s Sami Callihan in at #8. That goes nowhere either and it’s John Skyler in at #9 as Hammerstone seems to have been eliminated.

That means the pace can pick up a bit but no one is eliminated so it’s Bhupinder Gujjar in at #10. Again the pace picks up, including Gujjar having to skin the cat to survive an early elimination attempt. Trent Seven is in at #11 as the ring is starting to fill up. KC Navarro makes it even busier at #12 and is promptly powerbombed by Callihan. Rhino is in at #13 and gets rid of Raju, Skyler and Gujjar in short order. Callihan is gone as well and it’s Tasha Steelz in at #14. Steelz drops Navarro with a cutter but another one to Rhino doesn’t go so well.

Lei Ying Lee is in at #15 and Steelz is quickly out. Jason Hotch is in at #16 and dropkicks Seven in a hurry. Leon Slater is in at #17 as Ying goes after Kazarian, who drops her with a clothesline. Lee is out as Jonathan Gresham is in at #18. Everyone is down so it’s JDC in at #19 to…stay on the floor instead of getting inside. Slater hits his Swanton 450 but JDC is right there to toss him out.

AJ Francis is in at #20, giving us a final grouping of Kazarian, Wentz, Something, Seven, Rhino, Hotch, Gresham, JDC and Francis. Gresham goes after Francis but gets knocked out in a hurry. The Down Payment gets rid of Seven and Hotch is out shortly thereafter. Something and Wentz fight to the apron and both gets eliminated.

We’re down to Kazarian, JDC, Rhino and Francis, with Rhino tossing JDC. Francis gives Rhino a Gore of his own but Rhino hits a clothesline to get rid of him. That leaves us with Rhino and Kazarian in a singles match for the title shot so Rhino hammers away. The referee has to duck a shot though and Kazarian hits a low blow for the fast pin at 26:33.

Rating: C. These things are mainly about getting a bunch of people on the card and there is nothing wrong with that. They were blazing through the introductions, which is kind of what has to be done in a match like this. Rhino was a great choice for the push to the end, but Kazarian was almost destined to win this as he already has a tie to tonight’s World Title match.

And now, the show proper.

Ilona sings the National Anthem.

The opening video hypes up Detroit and talks about how important it is to wrestling history, with a look at the people in the bigger matches, as well as TNA’s history in the city.

X-Division Title: Mike Bailey vs. El Hijo del Vikingo

Bailey is defending and this is something of a dream match. We get the big handshake of respect to start and the fans are very pleased to start. They trade some snazzy rollups to start until Vikingo manages to send him outside. That sets up the big head first dive to drop Bailey as the fans continue to approve. Back in and Bailey starts firing off the kicks, including some shots to the ribs for two.

Vikingo hits a kick of his own and, after avoiding a charge in the corner, kicks Bailey out to the floor. That’s fine with Vikingo, who bounces of the barricade and hurricanrans him down again. Bailey is back up with a corkscrew dive to put Vikingo down as well, meaning it’s time for a double breather. A shooting star press misses for Bailey back inside so he grabs the Green Tea Plunged for two instead.

Bailey hits a fisherman’s Falcon Arrow into a shooting star press for two and we pause for a quick breather. Vikingo ducks a superkick and hits a hard kick to the face of his own and they’re both down again. Bailey wins a battle of the kicks and even hits a crane kick to drop him again. The moonsault knees set up a tornado kick and the Ultimate Weapon gets two. The Flamingo Driver is countered into a Canadian Destroyer though and Vikingo hits some running knees in the corner.

Bailey bails out to the floor but there’s a rope walk into a corkscrew moonsault to drop Bailey again. Back in and Bailey breaks up another 630, only for the moonsault knees to hit apron. Vikingo’s Canadian Destroyer from the post to the apron knocks Bailey silly again and they both go up top. That’s fine with Bailey, who grabs something like a fisherman’s superplex (Meteor Rain) for the pin to retain at 14:49.

Rating: B. The pretty much non-existent build to this match didn’t make me think the title was in jeopardy, but that’s not the worst thing. This was more about giving Bailey a hard fought win over a top international name, which I’ll take over trying to tie everything together with a last second challenger. Rather good opener here, with two very exciting stars.

We run down the pay per view card.

Knockouts Tag Team Titles: Spitfire vs. Rosemary/Wendy Choo

Spitfire is defending. Threat sends Choo into a slam from Luna, who drops Threat onto her for a bonus. Rosemary comes in and gets suplexed for two so it’s already back to Threat. Choo busts out her special pillow (it’s dumb in NXT too) so the pillow gets suplexed, allowing Choo to take over. Choo’s running boot in the corner staggers Luna and a double dropkick in the Tree of Woe makes it worse. A running clothesline out of said corner gets Luna out of trouble and it’s back to Luna to clean house.

The middle rope dropkick hits Rosemary and a powerbomb connects for the same. Luna’s big dive takes Rosemary out again but she has to save Threat from Choo. That just means a DDT to put Luna down on the floor, setting up the big dive from Threat. Back in and Rosemary spears Luna for two but Luna reverses a double superplex into a double powerbomb. Threat comes back in and strikes away but Rosemary hits Choo by mistake. Threat sends both of them flying and the Pressure Drop to Choo retains the titles at 10:28.

Rating: C+. As usual, the titles feel like they belong on a regular TV match more than anything else, but it’s nice to see something like an actual feud over the belts. Rosemary still deserves better than Choo and hopefully that is coming soon, as the pillow stuff is just nonsense. I’m not sure who is next for the titles, but at least Spitfire is being built up.

Post match Rosemary spears Choo down to end the team.

We look at Frankie Kazarian cheating to win the Call Your Shot gauntlet match.

Kazarian is reading Earl Hebner’s book and promises to raise the hand of the World Champion at the end of the night.

Steve Maclin vs. Josh Alexander

The brawl is on in the aisle to start and Alexander is sent hard into the steps. Maclin scores with the Scud and drops him onto the apron as the bell has yet to ring. Alexander manages a quick posting and the leg is wrapped around the post as well. They both get inside and the bell rings with Maclin fighting back. A backbreaker gives Maclin two but the Jarheadbutt misses.

Alexander knees him in the ribs and snaps off a bunch of rolling German suplexes. Maclin reverses into his own rolling German suplexes and they’re finally both down. The slug out goes to Maclin, who ties him in the Tree of Woe, only to miss the running shoulder. Alexander’s crossbody to the back knocks him to the floor for two but Maclin is right back with an Angle Slam.

A top rope superplex rolled into a Death Valley Driver for two leaves Alexander staggered but the referee gets bumped. Alexander scores with a low blow and zip ties Maclin’s hands behind his back. Maclin is able to avoid a charge though and now the running shoulder hits the ribs. The Scud, still with the hands tied (which is FINE with the referee), connects and a running knee gets two on Alexander. Back up and Alexander manages a Tombstone for two, setting up the ankle lock as Maclin passes out at 14:45.

Rating: B-. The hard hitting aspect was good and I wanted to see where it was going, but the zip tie thing completely lost me. How is that either not a DQ or maybe something that earns a quick stoppage? Other than that, Alexander winning was the right call as he’s been losing a good bit lately, so this was the best result, especially with Maclin being protecte.

We recap Matt Cardona vs. PCO in a Monster’s Ball match. Steph de Lander has fallen for PCO and they got married, but Cardona doesn’t approve. Now de Lander is off getting neck surgery, so Cardona has to fight him on his own.

International Title/TNA Digital Media Title: Matt Cardona vs. PCO

Monster’s Ball, meaning anything goes and PCO is defending both titles. An early clothesline drops Cardona but he sends PCO outside, where Cardona realizes there are no countouts. That means Cardona joins him on the floor for some rams into various steel objects, including dropping him back first onto the steps. Cardona whips out a door but a nasty backdrop sends him through it instead.

With Cardona on the floor, PCO loads up a dive, which is cut off with a trashcan shot to the head. Another door, plus some chairs (Cardona doesn’t know why his face isn’t on it) are thrown in, with Cardona building up a structure with more chairs underneath the bridged door. PCO fights back but gets powerbombed through everything for two.

The bag of thumbtacks are pulled out, with some of the tacks going into PCO’s mouth for the Reboot. PCO fights up so it’s Radio Silence for two, with Cardona being stunned. A third door is brought in but PCO breaks it over Cardona’s back. PCO pulls out a bag of his own containing…well more tacks actually. Cardona gets in a low blow and finds a barbed wire baseball bat. PCO fights up, chokeslams him into the tacks and drops the PCOsault to retain at 13:16.

Rating: B-. It was violent and PCO gets his revenge, but these things have become paint by numbers over the years. You can almost guarantee the spots you’ll see, with doors instead of tables this time around. PCO smashing through the annoying Cardona is fine, but there was no big moment here that made this one stand out in any significant way.

We recap Moose vs. Mike Santana. Moose is part of the System and Santana has gone after the team. Santana wants to get into the main event scene so he’s coming after the biggest name the System has.

Mike Santana vs. Moose

Moose has JDC with him. The fight starts fast on the floor with Santana sending him into the barricade. The referee goes to check on Moose, allowing JDC to send Santana into the steps. They get inside so Moose can get two but Santana escapes a powerbomb and hits an enziguri. Santana’s running Cannonball in the corner is countered into a powerbomb to give Moose two more. A release Rock Bottom plants Santana and Moose slaps away, only to miss a spinning high crossbody.

The rolling Buck Fifty gives Santana two so Moose rolls outside, where Santana hits a huge dive. Back in and a leg lariat gives Santana two but Spin The Block misses. Santana settles for a Death Valley Driver into the corner and a 450 gives Santana two. Back up and they go to the corner, where Moose tries the super Sky High but they both crash down instead.

A nasty powerbomb onto the apron has Santana in more trouble but he beats the count at nine. JDC comes in with a chain around his hand (works for the referee) but almost hits Moose, earning himself a Spin The Block. Moose’s spar gets two and the fans are into it again. Another spear is countered though and Spin The Block finishes for Santana at 13:44.

Rating: B. There was no reason for Moose to win here, as Santana has hit the ground running as a singles star and very well could be moving into the World Title scene sooner rather than later. What mattered here was getting Santana the biggest singles win of his career and he fought back to overcome the odds to get there. Perfectly acceptable match, with the result being what matters.

We recap Jordynne Grace defending the Knockouts Title against Masha Slamovich. Grace helped her out against the System and now Slamovich wants another shot at the Knockouts Title. Grace beat her before at Bound For Glory and now it’s time for the showdown against a much improved Slamovich.

Knockouts Title: Jordynne Grace vs. Masha Slamovich

Grace is defending. Feeling out process to start with Grace winning the battle over a lockup. Slamovich gets in some shots of her own but Grace ties her in the ropes for a kick to the leg. They head outside where Grace hits a rolling Death Valley Driver for a near fall back inside. Grace starts kicking away at the leg but it’s too early for the Juggernaut Driver. Slamovich fires off some kicks but the leg is too banged up for the full impact. A guillotine keeps Grace in trouble but she powers up into a Jackhammer for two.

They go up top where Slamovich plants her back down, setting up the Snowplow for a fast near fall. Slamovich knees her down and hits a running spinwheel kick, only for Grace to knock her down again. They fight back up and Grace runs her over, setting up the Juggernaut Driver for two. A leglock immediately goes on but Slamovich bails to the ropes. They go up again, and this time it’s a super Snow Plow to bring Grace down. A package piledriver gives Slamovich the pin and the title at 12:42.

Rating: B. Take two powerhouses, let the beat on each other until one of them can’t get up anymore. That’s all you had here and it worked rather well, with Slamovich FINALLY getting the big title win that she’s been needing. It was a good powerhouse match too, and now we’ll have to see who is coming after the title next. I’m not sure how much longer Grace has on her deal around here, but odds are she’ll be in WWE sooner than later, so this isn’t much of a setback.

We recap Joe Hendry challenging Nic Nemeth for the World Title. Hendry has been the hottest thing in the company and now he needs to win the big one. Nemeth isn’t so sure of that, but Frankie Kazarian, now with his guaranteed title shot, is lurking around as guest referee.

TNA World Title: Joe Hendry vs. Nic Nemeth

Nemeth is defending and Frankie Kazarian is guest referee. They go rather slowly to start with Hendry’s wristlock not getting him very far so Nemeth hits a nice dropkick to really stagger Hendry. The fans do NOT like Nemeth’s home state of Ohio so Hendry running Nemeth over makes them feel better. A rather delayed vertical suplex puts Nemeth down and Hendry drops him again with some right hands.

There’s the fall away slam to send Nemeth flying but it’s too early for the Standing Ovation. Instead Alexander grabs a pop up powerbomb for two and the ankle lock goes on (as I remember Kazarian is the referee, as he hasn’t been a factor thus far). Nemeth makes the rope so Hendry puts him on top and grabs a super fall away slam. Kazarian teases the cash in but Hendry tells him to do his job instead.

That’s enough for Nemeth to hit a Fameasser for two, even with Kazarian counting rather quickly. Hendry rolls through a high crossbody and hits an AA for another near fall. They fight out to the apron, with Nemeth planting him down with Hendry falling out to the floor. Kazarian tries to cash in again but John Bradshaw Layfield is here to give him the Clothesline From JBL.

Another Clothesline takes Hendry down and there’s a third to take out Nic’s brother Ryan Nemeth. Back in and Nic, who might not have seen what happened, hits Danger Zone and another referee comes in to count two. The superkick is countered but Nemeth counters the counter into Danger Zone to retain at 15:10.

Rating: B-. Yes really, JBL just helped cost Joe Hendry the World Title in the main event of Bound For Glory. I don’t care if Hendry is leaving next week (which he isn’t), you need to give him the title here. Hendry has been the next big thing for way too long around here, but instead of going with the title change, we’re sticking with the TNA tradition of NOT going with what the fans are begging to see. The match was good but not great, with a rather slow pace until the big messy finish. Which was about JBL.

We look at the Hall Of Fame inductions.

Genesis is back on January 19, a Sunday.

Here’s what’s coming on Impact.

We recap the Tag Team Titles in Full Metal Mayhem. The Hardys and ABC both want the belts back do we’ll do it in TNA’s version of TLC.

Tag Team Titles: Hardys vs. ABC vs. The System

The System is defending and it’s basically Tables, Ladders And Chairs. The ring is all painted up in something Jeff Hardy had to design, complete with something like a ramp on the floor in front of the hard camera. We starts slowly as the champs get double teamed to the floor with Poetry In Motion.

Bey takes them out with a dive and a bunch of chairs are brought in, but instead we get Austin splashing Myers through a table out in the crowd. Matt legdrops Eddie off a ladder through another table so we’re down to challengers vs. challengers at the moment. The Hardys take over inside, with the Plot Twist taking Bey down. Jeff gets knocked into the corner for Poetry In Motion but comes back with some ladder shots.

ABC grabs a specialty ladder and tries to climb but it takes too long to hold up, allowing the Hardys to make the save. The big ladder is bridged in a regular ladder, basically cutting the ring in half. They grab chairs and walk across the bridge until Austin and Jeff get knocked onto the bridged part, leaving everyone down. The System returns from the dead to pour a bunch of ladders out before setting up a bunch of tables (which are all painted as well).

The Hardys are put through the tables but Bey breaks up the Conchairtos. The 1-2-Sweet takes Myers down and Bey goes up but gets Blue Thunder Bombed off the ladder for another crash. Matt tries to climb, only to get pulled down with the Art Of Finesse. Myers and Bey go up the ladder to slug it out but Bey is left hanging. Myers hits a spear off the ladder ala Edge in 2001 and everyone is down.

It’s Matt coming back in with a chair, which he wraps around Edwards’ neck for the Twist Of Fate. Jeff brings in the really big ladder and Swantons Myers through a table at ringside. Austin goes up so here is Alisha Edwards to break it up. Matt takes out Alisha but Eddie goes up, only for the Hardys to throw chairs at him and powerbomb him off the ladder through tables at ringside. That’s enough for the Hardys to win the titles at 27:17.

Rating: D+. As soon as the Hardys were announced for the match, you could tell what was coming. As soon as it was announced as Full Metal Mayhem, you knew it wasn’t going to be very good. But then they went nearly half an hour in slow motion, with the whole thing being a Hardys tribute, because the Hardys have to win everything.

The painted ring, ladders and tables were little more than an eyesore and didn’t help anything. Also, why would TNA allow the challengers to set up the mood of the match or whatever it was? Shouldn’t that be the System’s deal? Either way, rather weak main event, as the Hardys just cannot do this anymore. Naturally, they’re the Tag Team Champions and get the big, ahem, feel good moment to end the show.

The Hardys celebrate with the fans to wrap it up.

Oh and one more thing:

I was watching on TNA+, the official TNA streaming service.

Show ends, Thanks For Watching graphic comes up. Fine.

Below that.

“Don’t Miss Bound For Glory On October 26!”

Overall Rating: B-. And that’s TNA in a nutshell: they have some good stuff (most of the matches were completely acceptable or better) and a nice moment with Slamovich FINALLY winning the title, only to entirely overthink the ending of the two biggest matches. Hendry winning the title, even if he loses it back on Thursday, was what the fans wanted to see. Instead, they got JBL and Ryan Nemeth getting involved before Hendry lost pretty much clean (he fought back up and even tried his finisher, so he at least had a chance).

Then there’s the main event, which was roughly the 14th time this promotion has paid tribute to the Hardys. They’re a great team and legends and everything, but that doesn’t mean they need to win the titles in the main event of your version of Wrestlemania. Right now, TNA needs something to fire the fans up.

That could have been Hendry, but instead they have a bunch of rather aged champions (save for Mike Bailey, 36, the youngest men’s champion is 44 year old Nic Nemeth). You can be older and still more than hang in the ring, but you might want to go with some people whose heyday wasn’t 15+ years ago.

Overall, this show was good, but it had the same problem that has plagued TNA for almost its entire history: they won’t just give the fans what is right there in front of them. I liked most of the show and most of it worked, only for the last two matches to leave a really bad taste in my mouth. That shouldn’t be happening very often, and it is almost a tradition around here.

Results
Ash By Elegance/Heather Reckless b. Brinley Reece/Xia Brookside – Rarefied Air to Reece
Frankie Kazarian won the Call Your Shot Gauntlet last eliminating Rhino
Mike Bailey b. El Hijo del Vikingo – Meteor Rain
Spitfire b. Rosemary/Wendy Choo – Pressure Drop to Choo
Josh Alexander b. Steve Maclin – Ankle lock
PCO b. Matt Cardona – PCOsault
Mike Santana b. Moose – Spin The Block
Masha Slamovich b. Jordynne Grace – Package piledriver
Nic Nemeth b. Joe Hendry – Danger Zone
Hardys b. The System and ABC – Hardys pulled down the titles

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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Victory Road 2024
Date: September 13, 2024
Location: Boeing Center At Tech Point, San Antonio, Texas
Commentators: Matthew Rehwoldt, Tom Hannifan

It’s the last big stop before Bound For Glory and the big main event is a rematch from earlier this year as Nic Nemeth faces Moose, this time with Nemeth defending. Other than that, Jordynne Grace defends the Knockouts Title against NXT’s Wendy Choo as the crossover continues. Let’s get to it.

Kickoff Show: Kushida vs. Leon Slater

The fans are behind Kushida as he goes behind Slater to start. With that going nowhere, Kushida takes him down and goes after the leg before both of them miss a kick and we go to a standoff. Slater’s headlock doesn’t get him anywhere so he kicks Kushida in the head to take over. Another shot sends Kushida outside but it’s too early for the dive, allowing Kushida to hit a running handspring kick in the corner. The big flip dive to the floor drops Slater and it’s time to go after the leg back inside.

With that not working, Kushida switches over to the leg, which tends to be his custom. Kushida dropkicks him into the corner but misses a clothesline, allowing Slater to hit a dropkick of his own. A slugout goes to Slater but Kushida pulls him into the Hoverboard Lock, which is broken up just as fast. Slater knocks him outside for a big running flip dive, with Slater sticking the landing. Back in and Kushida grabs the Hoverboard Lock for the really sudden tap at 7:54.

Rating: B-. Kushida is a great choice to open the show, as he can go out there and pop the crowd by being so smooth at everything he does. That is more than most wrestlers around here, or anywhere for that matter, can do and it is going to keep him around for a long time. Nice opener here, with Slater looking good in defeat.

Kickoff Show: Hammerstone/Jake Something vs. Eric Young/Steve Maclin

It’s a brawl before the bell with the villains hitting stereo clotheslines to take over. We get the official start with Hammerstone dropping Maclin, who sends the villains into each other to fight back. Maclin sends them into the same corner and fires off some clotheslines before tying Hammerstone in the Tree Of Woe. The running shoulder misses though and Something runs Maclin over on the floor as the fans want Eric.

Back in and Maclin gets in a shot for a breather, allowing the tag to Young to pick up the pace. A sitout powerbomb gets two on Something and it’s back to Hammerstone to take Young into the wrong corner. Young gets away rather easily though and Maclin’s running shoulder in the corner sets up Young’s top rope elbow for two. Everything breaks down and Something hits Into The Void to pin Young at 7:45.

Rating: C. Well, at least the villains finally won. Something and Hammerstone both feel like they should be much bigger deals but for some reason they’re lucky to win a match like this. Hopefully this is the start of something good for them, though it is hard to believe that given their track record. For now though, I’ll take a single win.

The show proper opens with a look at the main matches, including a bunch of titles on the line.

Hardys vs. First Class

Jeff and Navarro start things off with Navarro mocking Matt and quickly being knocked down. That means Jeff gets to dance, as is his custom, before it’s off to Matt to work on the arm. Francis gets knocked to the floor but he grabs Matt’s leg for a distraction, allowing Navarro to get in a cheap shot to take over.

Francis comes in for a big boot and a running knee in the corner, followed by a side slam for two. For some reason Francis tries a Swanton, which goes as well as expected. The tag brings Jeff back in to clean house, including a rollup for two. Francis comes back in and gets double DDT’ed, leaving Navarro to take the twist of Fate into the Swanton for the pin at 9:39.

Rating: C+. The Hardys are one of those things that will always work in wrestling, even when they’re in their late 40s and nowhere near what they were before. There is a good chance that this leads them back into the Tag Team Title picture though and it wouldn’t shock me to see them getting the Bound For Glory shot. That isn’t exactly appealing, but you know what you’re getting with the Hardys.

We run down the card.

X-Division Title: Mike Bailey vs. Zachary Wentz

Wentz is defending after winning the title in Ultimate X last month. They trade takedowns to start and neither gets anywhere so it’s an early standoff. Wentz lets Bailey slap him in the face and then takes it outside as commentary talks about the history of the title. Back in and Bailey knocks him to the floor this time, setting up an early dive as the fans find this awesome.

Wentz sweeps the leg but Bailey is back up with the rapid fire kicks to cut him off. A quick snapmare sets up a running kick to Bailey’s chest but they both miss running shooting star presses and kick the other in the head for a double knockdown. They get back up again, with Bailey letting Wentz hit him this time. The slugout sees both of them knocked to the floor, where Bailey does his head fake into the Asai moonsault. A springboard flip dive lets Wentz drop Bailey for a change but of course he’s right back with the moonsault knees on the apron.

Wentz hits a DDT but Bailey gets his knees up to block the Swanton. The Flamingo Driver is broken up and Wentz grabs a middle rope cutter for two. Bailey powerbombs him out of the corner and hits a great looking shooting star press for two of his own. Wentz grabs a running flipping DDT for two, only for Bailey to hit a poisonrana. The UFO is blocked and Bailey hits the Flamingo Driver to get the title back at 17:41.

Rating: B. Well, that Wentz reign was a big waste of time. He won the title in something close to a ladder match and then loses it back in a clean match two weeks later. Bailey getting the title back is as uninspiring of a decision as you can get as it feels like he’s had the thing for the better part of ever. Good match, but dang can we let someone look good over Bailey for a bit?

The System is ready to reboot tonight.

Rhino/PCO vs. Matt Cardona/Steph de Lander

Steph is in a Property Of Matt Cardona shirt. Hang on though as she talks about the roller coaster her career has had…and now she needs neck surgery. Matt is still her best friend and she thanks him for everything, and she is so happy with her husband. Now though, she needs them to figure this out without her. This is not a retirement and she’ll see you later and she loves us. PCO and Steph leave together and Cardona hits Rhino with Radio Silence. No match.

Nic Nemeth is ready to get his win back against Moose.

Knockouts Tag Team Titles: Masha Slamovich/Tasha Steelz vs. Spitfire

Spitfire is challenging and will split up if they lose, while Steelz is replacing an injured Alisha Edwards (here with the champs). Luna shoves Steelz down to start so Steelz takes her down for some glaring. Slamovich comes in to work on Threat’s arm but a slam puts Slamovich down. Luna slams Threat onto her, only to have Slamovich come back with a suplex.

It’s back to Steelz who fires off some chops in the corner before cranking on the arm some more. Slamovich gets two off Three Amigos and Steelz puts on the camel clutch. With that broken up, Threat tornado DDTs her way to freedom and Luna is back in with a powerbomb for two on Slamovich. Everything breaks down and Luna breaks up Steelz’s Sliced Bread attempt. Slamovich gets tossed into a sitout powerbomb to give Spitfire the titles back at 11:12.

Rating: C+. These titles still do not feel important and having Spitfire put their career as a team on the line against a makeshift team (not TNA’s fault) didn’t help things. Neither team, including the Alisha version felt like a special pairing, but that is going to happen when they have barely been together. This was about as good as it could have been, which isn’t saying much.

Post match Alisha yells at Slamovich and Steelz has to make a save.

Jake Something and Hammerstone say their win on the Kickoff Show was just a start.

We look at Josh Alexander turning evil at Slammiversary, which doesn’t work for Joe Hendry. Alexander is jealous of Hendry’s success and Hendry is ready to prove himself.

Joe Hendry vs. Josh Alexander

Alexander powers him into the corner to start and Hendry isn’t sure what to do with that. A headlock takeover works a bit better for Hendry but he’s right back out for a staredown. Hendry’s running shoulder puts Alexander on the floor so he comes back in, where Hendry is waiting with a rather delayed running suplex for two. This time Alexander wants to go outside, where he gets in a shot on Hendry to set up the running crossbody on the apron.

Back in and Alexander goes after the Ankle lock before snapping off a German suplex. The chinlock goes on before Alexander switches to a front facelock. That’s reversed as well as Hendry muscles him up with a suplex and there’s the fall away slam. Alexander bails to the floor again so Hendry gives him a trust fall on the floor. Back in and Alexander hits a quick backbreaker for two but Hendry crotches him on top.

The super fall away slam gives Hendry two and they slug it out. Alexander picks the ankle for the ankle lock though, with Hendry being believed over to the ropes. Hendry hiptosses him into the arm and stomps away but the referee gets bumped. The C4 Spike is countered and Hendry gets his own ankle lock, with Alexander tapping. Alexander uses the delay to go low…and Hendry is wearing a cup, having learned at Slammiversary. The Standing Ovation into an ankle lock makes Alexander tap at 16:54.

Rating: B. That might be Hendry’s best match in TNA so far and he beat a former multiple time World Champion clean. At the end of the day, Hendry needs some big wins like this one on what should be his path to the World Title. Hendry getting smart with the cup was a nice feature as well and it came after a good match, with Hendry getting some credibility to go with his natural star power.

We recap the System using their rematch to get another shot at the Tag Team Titles they lost earlier this year.

Tag Team Titles: System vs. ABC

ABC is defending and Alisha Edwards is here with the System. Bey and Myers lock it up to start with Myers kicking him in the ribs, only to get dropped with a dropkick. Austin comes in to work on the arm, with la majistral getting two. The champs hit a double basement dropkick for two but Eddie low bridges Austin to the floor. Alisha offers a distraction and Myers spears Austin out to the floor.

Back in and Bey gets sent hard into the corner, where his ribs are banged up early on. Myers is smart enough to grab a waistlock to stay on the ribs, followed by a nasty backbreaker from Eddie. Bey tries to fight out of the corner but gets chopped back down, with a dropkick to the ribs into a Backstabber getting two. Bey gets in a quick hurricanrana though and it’s back to Austin to clean house.

The springboard kick to the head and a running double stomp gets two on Eddie as everything breaks down. A double Art Of Finesse gets two on Myers but the 1-2-Sweet is countered into a Blue Thunder Bomb to give Eddie two of his own. Myers is back up with the Roster Cut to Austin and the Boston Knee Party gives the System the titles back at 15:41.

Rating: B. The System getting the titles back is a bit of a surprise as they already held the for so long, but we’ve kind of done the whole ABC as champions thing. The division needs some fresh blood and hopefully that doesn’t mean the Hardys. For now though, I can go with a good match and something of a surprise title change.

We recap Jordynne Grace defending the Knockouts Title against NXT’s Wendy Choo. Grace’s title defense was interrupted by Choo, meaning it’s time for her own title shot.

Knockouts Title: Jordynne Grace vs. Wendy Choo

Grace is challenging and gets a big home state reaction. They start fast with Grace running her over and taking things outside where Choo gets in a cheap shot to take over. The loaded pillow (because Choo uses a loaded pillow) is broken up by Grace’s mom (in the front row) so they head inside, where Choo chokes in the corner. Grace gets tied in the Tree Of Woe for a running dropkick but Choo has to block a superplex attempt. The Million Dollar Dream goes on in the corner but Grace powers out with a big crash back down.

Grace slams her a few times and hits a DDT for two more. It’s too early for the Juggernaut Driver so Grace grabs a Vertebreaker for two instead. Grace blocks a sunset bomb but gets superplexed instead, setting up a brainbuster to give Choo two. Another Million Dollar Dream is broken up so Choo full nelson slams her for two more. Grace has had it with this and hits a powerbomb, setting up the Juggernaut Driver to retain at 11:10.

Rating: C+. This is where the problem with the whole crossover things comes from. While the matches are good enough and it’s fun to see who shows up where, at some point it stops mattering if nothing really happens in the whole thing. It’s more along the lines of “hey this is kind of interesting” rather than “wow that happened”, which is going to have a limited shelf life. Grace continues to smash people but she is going to need a bigger challenger sooner than later.

Post match Rosemary runs in to jump Grace and the villains leave her laying.

Arianna Grace runs into Santino Marella and they agree to keep everything professional. Wink wink.

We recap Nic Nemeth defending the World Title against Moose. Nemeth failed to beat Moose earlier this year so now he’s out to prove that he really is the best.

TNA World Title: Moose vs. Nic Nemeth

Nemeth is defending and Frankie Kazarian is on commentary. Moose wastes no time in powering him into the corner but Nemeth is back with a dropkick. Some right hands in the corner are broken up with a hard shove though and Moose stomps away. A Sky High out of the corner gives Moose two and Nemeth’s missed charge sends him shoulder first into the post.

Moose mixes it up with an abdominal stretch but Nemeth bites the hand to escape. They go outside, with Moose getting backdropped onto the ramp for a breather. The chinlock wakes Nemeth up, as chinlocks tend to do, so Moose takes him outside, where Nemeth gets powerbombed onto the apron. Back in and Nemeth manages a Cactus Clothesline to the floor and a posting has Moose in more trouble. The Fameasser is loaded up but Moose powerbombs him through a table for the big crash.

Nemeth is fine enough to hit a Fameasser for two back inside so here is the System for a distraction. That’s fine with Nemeth, who grabs a sleeper. Moose breaks that up and hits the spear for two so Alisha Edwards throws in the title. Cue Mike Santana to take it away from Moose so JDC and Santana fight to the back. Danger Zone gives Nemeth two so he goes up, only to get superplexed back down.

Moose floats over into a powerbomb, which is countered into a Fameasser in a pretty slick sequence. Cue the System AGAIN to pull the referee out, but Nemeth begs for the match to continue. Cue JBL to take out the System, leaving Moose to hit another spear for another two. They strike it out until Nemeth hits some superkicks and the Danger Zone to retain at 19:43.

Rating: B-. Nemeth is John Cena at this point, as the amount of stuff that he survives, and occasionally just shrugs off, can be downright ridiculous. That was the case here as he took two spears and got up, only for JBL of all people to even the odds. I’m still not sure what is going on there, but at least they’re being consistent with the confusion. For now, a good enough main event, but I have no idea how you beat Nemeth when he’s basically a superhero.

Nemeth celebrates to end the show.

Overall Rating: B. This show benefits from having very low expectations, as it’s pretty much just the bonus show you get before Bound For Glory next month. That being said, there isn’t anything truly bad on here and three title changes is nothing to sneer at. It might not have been some classic, but for a show you get as part of TNA+ for the month, there are far worse ways to spend a Friday night.

Results
Kushida b. Leon Slater – Hoverboard Lock
Jake Something/Hammerstone b. Eric Young/Steve Maclin – Into The Void to Young
Hardys b. First Class – Swanton to Navarro
Mike Bailey b. Zachary Wentz – Flamingo Driver
Spitfire b. Masha Slamovich/Tasha Steelz – Toss sitout powerbomb to Slamovich
Joe Hendry b. Josh Alexander – Ankle lock
Jordynne Grace b. Wendy Choo – Juggernaut Driver
The System b. ABC – Boston Knee Party to Austin
Jordynne Grace b. Wendy Choo – Juggernaut Driver
Nic Nemeth b. Moose – Danger Zone

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Emergence 2024
Date: August 30, 2024
Location: Old Forester’s Paristown Hall, Louisville, Kentucky
Commentators: Matthew Rehwoldt, Tom Hannifan

We’re back on TNA+ with another special and in this case we have a stacked card. Granted it’s not stacked that high as there are only about five matches on the main show, mainly due to the main event being a sixty minute Iron Man match as Nic Nemeth defends the World Title against Josh Alexander. Other than that, Ultimate X is back for the X-Division Title. Let’s get to it.

Kickoff Show: Frankie Kazarian vs. Kushida

Kazarian begs off to start and yes we have to pause for his official introduction as the King Of TNA. Kushida doesn’t care for that and sends him outside, setting up the knee off the apron. A Shotei palm strike gets two on Kazarian and Kushida starts in on his arm. Back up and Kazarian elbows him in the face, allowing him to do his own Time Splitters post. A powerslam into the springboard spinning legdrop gives Kazarian two more and he sends Kushida into the buckle to cut off the comeback attempt.

The chinlock goes on but Kushida fights up and sends him into the buckle buckle to even things up. The basement dropkick staggers Kazarian again but Kushida has to slip out of a chickenwing attempt. Back up and the handspring elbow is pulled into the chickenwing, which is broken up again. Kushida hits him in the face and a flipping kick to the head connects on top. A dive to the floor sets up a cross armbreaker on Kazarian but the referee breaks it up because of the whole outside deal. That lets Kazarian kick the rope for a low blow on the way back in though and Fade To Black finishes Kushida off at 9:56.

Rating: B-. There is a very simple concept of “let talented wrestlers have a match” and that’s what they did here. Neither of these two feel like they are going to be in the World Title picture anytime soon, but they are both more than capable of doing something like this. Good stuff here and a fine choice to warm the crowd up.

Kickoff Show: Digital Media Title/International Heavyweight Wrestling Title: Shera vs. PCO

PCO, with Steph de Lander, is defending and Shera is replacing an injured Matt Cardona. They start fast with PCO beating him up around ringside but Shera gets in a shot of his own. Shera yells at de Lander and they go inside where Shera hits a spinning spinebuster for two. More yelling at de Lander just fires PCO up though and he hits a DDT out of the corner. Shera rolls outside so there’s the big dive to take him down again. The DeAnimator connects as commentary tries to figure out what kind of strange things PCO and de Lander do together. The PCOsault retains the titles at 6:02.

Rating: C. They didn’t have much time here but this wasn’t the match advertised anyway. Cardona not being here took away any heat that it might have had and thankfully they didn’t treat Shera as anything more than a glorified workout for PCO. The big story will be the Cardona vs. PCO match, likely at Bound For Glory, so this was just a quick stop on the way there.

And now, the show proper.

The opening video looks at the major matches and talks about how it isn’t about where you start, but where you emerge, while looking at the show’s major matches.

X-Division Title: Riley Osborne vs. Zachary Wentz vs. Laredo Kid vs. Jason Hotch vs. Hammerstone vs. Mike Bailey

Ultimate X, meaning you win by pulling down the title and with your feet hitting the mat while holding the belt (meaning shenanigans can ensue after the title comes down) and Bailey is defending. For those unfamiliar, Osborne is from NXT. Hotch makes an early climb attempt and gets nowhere, leaving Hammerstone to wreck some people. Kid is tossed at Hammerstone for a hurricanrana to the floor as commentary points out how hard it is to get the title. Hotch hits a big dive to the floor and the fans are impressed to start.

Back in and Bailey kicks away at Hammerstone, who runs him over without much effort. Hammerstone cuts off a dive to the floor, leaving Kid and Hotch to slug it out on the apron. Something like a Tower Of Doom onto Hammerstone leaves just about everyone down. Back in and Wentz hits a super cutter on Osborn and everyone is down again. A bunch of people go up the structure but Bailey moonsaults off onto a bunch of people. Wentz makes the first serious attempt at the belt but is joined by everyone but Bailey.

Hammerstone kicks the rest of them down, only to be pulled off the cables just in time. We hit the parade of strikes to the face until Kid goes up, with Hammerstone gorilla pressing him down onto the pile at ringside. Hotch cuts Hammerstone off with a torture rack bomb but gets taken down by Kid. Osborne goes up and shooting stars down onto a bunch of people before they can pull him down. Bailey hits the Ultimate Weapon to Osborne before going up on the cables with Wentz. They kick it out and Wentz actually kicks him down to win the title at 10:25.

Rating: B. Points for a surprise finish there as I would not have bet on a title change here. There is a good chance that this sets up Wentz’s match with Wes Lee at No Mercy as a title match and that could go in a variety of directions. For now though, heck of a match here with some big time spots and Hammerstone looking like a monster despite not winning. You kind of know what you’re getting with this match and that’s ok, as it wound up being a pretty cool spectacle, as usual.

Josh Alexander says he is the standard of the main event and the Iron Man match is his thing. He’s going to show Nic Nemeth that he doesn’t belong here because the title is all he needs. Tonight, he has Nemeth for sixty minutes and after this, Nemeth will be lucky to be alive. Rather fired up promo here.

Eric Young vs. Steve Maclin

They stare at each other to start and fight over a lockup, which goes nowhere. After some more staring, Young starts slugging away in the corner until Maclin reverses into an Angle Slam. Young does his slide between the legs into a sunset flip for two though before knocking Maclin down. The moonsault is broken up and Young winds up in the Tree of Woe, meaning the running shoulder to the ribs can connect for two. It works so well that Maclin does it again for two before hammering away.

Back up and they hit stereo crossbodies for the double knockdown. Young sticks out his chin so Maclin can hit him…which is exactly what Maclin does. That just makes Young happy and he punches the chin that Maclin sticks out at him. Maclin knees him outside but the Scud only hits floor. Back in and Young’s top rope elbow gets two, followed by a piledriver (after a struggle) for the same. Another piledriver is loaded up but Maclin reverses into a rollup for the pin at 9:54. Even commentary points out how sudden it was.

Rating: B-. Neither of these two have much going on but Maclin has more of an upside out of the two. Maclin needed a nice win to boost himself up a bit and beating a former multiple time World Champion is a good way to go. Much like the opener, this wasn’t going to steal the show but there are far worse things that could be added to a card.

Post match Young offers and receives a handshake.

Nic Nemeth knows what Josh Alexander can do and Alexander has had the only sixty minute Iron Man match in TNA. He knows what Alexander can do but Nemeth can get up and kick him in the mouth to come out on top, like he always does.

Jordynne Grace/Spitfire vs. Alisha Edwards/Masha Slamovich/Ash By Elegance

It’s a brawl to start and Threat hits a big flip dive to the floor to take out the villains. Luna hits a dive of her own and Grace teases one…but we pause because Alisha is apparently banged up. Grace takes Ash inside for a cover but the referee is with Alisha. Tommy Dreamer and medics check on Alisha who is still down as Threat clotheslines Ash in the corner and hits an exploder suplex for two. Dreamer carries Alisha to the back (for some nice applause) and an assisted powerbomb gets two on Ash.

Luna gets caught in the wrong corner but suplexes her way to freedom, allowing the tag off to Grace to clean house. Threat hits a running crotch attack to the back of Slamovich in the ropes but Ash cuts her off again. Rarefied Air misses though and Pop Shove It gives Threat the pin on Ash at 7:54. Alisha did not appear again after being taken out.

Rating: C+. This is on a completely sliding scale as they were likely having to make a lot of that up on the fly. There was only so much that could be done if that was a legitimate injury and doing a match 3-2 in favor of the heroes is only going to get so far in the first place. They did what they could here and hopefully Alisha is ok.

Tag Team Titles: ABC vs. First Class

First Class (AJ Francis and KC Navarro, the latter of whom is replacing a suspended Rich Swann) is challenging. The much taller Francis offers Austin a test of strength to start, earning himself a slap to the face. Bey comes in and kicks Francis in the head but has to escape the Down Payment. Navarro gets in a cheap shot from behind though and Francis scores with a big boot to take over. A trip sends Bey throat first into the ropes but he grabs a heck of a back breaker and a hecker of a clothesline for two.

Austin comes in for a chop in the corner as Rehwoldt gets on the fans for only knowing ABC instead of the rest of the alphabet. A quick distraction lets Navarro take Austin down though and another kick puts Bey down so the villains can take over. Francis comes in for a YOU CAN’T WRESTLE chant, which has Rehwoldt going on about the Kentucky public education system (as a product of that system, I would say Rehwoldt can keep talking). Bey kicks his way to freedom and it’s off to Austin to pick up the pace on Navarro.

A brainbuster drops Navarro but a fireman’s carry to Francis is just a bad idea. The second attempt works a bit better as Francis is planted with an AA, leaving Austin to drop Navarro for two of his own. A belly to back suplex/top rope clothesline combination connects on Navarro but Francis is back in with a double suplex. The Down Payment connects on Bey but Francis isn’t legal so there is no count. Austin grabs the Fold and a small package to Navarro gives Bey the pin at 11:41.

Rating: B-. For a match that was thrown together on the show earlier in the night, this could have been a lot worse and I had a good time with what we got. ABC doesn’t really have a top team coming for the titles right now and since the regular First Class was unavailable, this was about as good as it could have gone. Nice match here and another good addition to the card.

We recap the System vs. the Hardys/Mike Santana/Joe Hendry, which is the top heel stable vs. the plucky team of opponents, all of whom are sick of the villains.

The System/JDC vs. Joe Hendry/Mike Santana/Hardys

Hendry’s special entrance talks about how he believes in the Hardys, which leads to Hendry doing the DELETE pose. Santana and Moose start things off but Moose hands it off to JDC instead. That’s fine with Santana, who knocks JDC into the corner and then into the buckle. Santana drops him again and asks who wants the Hardys. Matt comes in for a running corner clothesline and lets Santana play Jeff for Poetry In Motion.

The real Jeff gets to play Jeff as well but JDC gets in a shot to Matt and Eddie comes in to hammer away in the corner. That’s broken up and it’s back to Jeff as everything breaks down, meaning it’s a big group suplex to take the System down. The Hardys and Hendry all do Hendry’s pose and the fans start to sing. We settle down to Santana in the wrong corner but avoiding Moose’s charge, allowing Santana to hit a middle rope double dropkick.

JDC gets tossed over the top and onto the pile, setting up Santana’s big dive. All eight get inside to brawl at once but Matt’s Twist of Fate is broken up. Not that it matters as it’s already back to Jeff as everything breaks down again. Jeff hits the Twist of Fate on Myers but JDC breaks up the Swanton. That lets Eddie come in and hammer away before Moose grabs a chinlock. JDC’s hard whip into the corner gets two on Jeff, with the fans singing about how THEY BELIEVE IN JEFF HARDY.

Moose gets caught in the Twisting Stunner though and that’s enough for the tag off to Hendry. Eddie’s middle rope crossbody misses (almost Samoa Joe style) and Myers spears JDC by mistake. Moose tries a top rope cutter but Hendry walks away instead, setting off more singing. A pop up powerbomb gets two on Myers but Eddie and Hendry clothesline each other. Santana hits Spin The Block on Moose, setting off the parade of finishers. Moose pulls Matt off the cover from the Twist of Fate, earning himself one on the floor. Eddie kicks Matt low back inside and the Boston Knee Party finishes at 19:17.

Rating: B-. This was one of the bigger matches of the night and it wound up going well enough. That matters here is the System gets a little momentum back and now it’s time to get them into their big matches at Bound For Glory. Odds are you’ll be seeing Santana vs. Moose and Eddie/Myers vs. the Hardys, but I have no idea how you could put Hendry in anything but a main event spot. There is still time for that though, and this match helped set up a few things for the future.

Impact preview.

We recap Nic Nemeth defending the World Title against Josh Alexander in a sixty minute Iron Man match. They went to a time limit draw in a thirty minute match so let’s do it again here, with sudden death an option if necessary.

TNA World Title: Nic Nemeth vs. Josh Alexander

Nemeth is defending in a sixty minute Iron Man match. They go with the grappling to start with Nemeth grabbing something like an abdominal stretch. That’s reversed into a front facelock, with Nemeth going straight to the ropes. They go to the mat for more grappling with Alexander having to bail into the corner.

Alexander throws him down so Nemeth reverses into a cradle for two before Alexander grabs a headlock. With that going nowhere, they get up again and the grappling continues with Alexander getting a standing armbar. Alexander takes him to the mat in a hammerlock, with Nemeth reversing into a cradle for two.

With that broken up, Alexander grabs a headlock as the fans are split here. Back up and Nemeth tries a dropkick, which is countered into the ankle lock to send Nemeth straight to the ropes. The headlock goes on again so the fans entertain themselves with an I BELIEVE IN NIC NEMETH chant. Back up and Alexander tries the ankle lock but Nemeth reverses into a cradle for the pin at 12:21.

Nemeth – 1
Alexander – 0

Alexander knocks him down again as they’re certainly not in a hurry here. A whip into the buckle makes it even worse for Nemeth and there’s a German suplex to send him flying, with a turnbuckle pad coming off at the same time. The chinlock with a knee in the back keeps Nemeth down before Alexander sends him chest first into the corner. A rather delayed vertical suplex drops Nemeth again but he grabs a rollup for two and a breather.

They go outside with Alexander slowly slugging away, though being smart enough to break the count at the same time. Nemeth sends him shoulder first into the steps, followed by the right hands in the corner. A top rope elbow connects but Alexander rolls him up for two. The C4 Spike is blocked and they trade rollups for two each until Nemeth hits a Fameasser for two more. The Danger Zone is loaded up but Alexander slips out, only to get Danger Zoned for the pin at 24:30.

Nemeth – 2
Alexander – 0

Nemeth sends him into the corner and slowly stomps away, setting up the jumping elbow for two. The armbar is countered into Alexander’s ankle lock but Nemeth breaks out rather quickly. Nemeth knocks him to the apron as they finally put the clock back up, because a countdown clock is too much to ask for in a match based on time. The clock goes away again with about 30:00 to go and Alexander cranks on the leg.

Alexander rolls some German suplexes, getting all the way into double digits, before slowing down to mock the fans. Nemeth uses the breather and rolls some German suplexes of his own before letting go, allowing Alexander to grab his own German suplex. A double knockdown leaves them both laying and some more time gets burned off. They get up at nine and Nemeth headbutts him so hard the headgear comes off. Alexander gets the ankle lock for a good while and adds the grapevine but Nemeth crawls over to the rope.

Alexander slowly kicks at the ankle and cranks on it some more as this is dragging horribly. Back up and Nemeth tries the running DDT but gets shoved into the referee with 20:00 to go. Alexander drops the referee and it’s time to load up a table. The C4 Spike onto the apron is countered with a scary looking backdrop to the floor but Alexander is back with a spinning Tombstone for two. Alexander grabs a chair but the referee takes it away, allowing Alexander to break off a piece of his knee brace to knock Nemeth cold. The C4 Spike finishes Nemeth at 43:52.

Nemeth – 2
Alexander – 1

Another C4 Spike ties it at 44:35.

Nemeth – 2
Alexander – 2

Alexander covers what’s left of Nemeth for two as we have less than 15:00 to go. Nemeth is back up with a sleeper and jumps on Alexander’s back, with the two of them falling out to the floor for a crash. They both get back in and then fall outside again, with Alexander hitting a toss powerbomb to knock Nemeth silly again. Nemeth beats the count back in and counters a C4 Spike with a backdrop over the top and through the table (which Nemeth didn’t know was there).

Alexander is down on the floor as we have 10:00 left. He count is beaten and Alexander hits a quick C4 Spike for….two, as Nemeth gets his foot on the rope. They strike it out on the floor until Nemeth grabs the running DDT back inside for two. They go up top with Alexander knocking him back down as we have 6:00 left. Nemeth’s top rope superplex sends both of them crashing down and a very delayed cover gets two on Alexander as we have five minutes left. Fans: “FIVE MORE MINUTES!”

Nemeth hits a superkick for two more and Alexander’s straps are down. A release German suplex sends Nemeth flying as we have 3:00 left. Alexander lawn darts him into the exposed buckle and grabs what is supposed to be Danger Zone for two, because Nemeth is freaking Superman in this thing. Another C4 Spike is escaped with 1:00 left and Nemeth hits the Danger Zone. Nemeth is back up with his own C4 Spike for the lead at 59:39.

Nemeth – 3
Alexander – 2

And time expires as Nemeth retains at 60:00.

Rating: C-. Oh sweet goodness what was that? This wasn’t a bad match but rather all kinds of boring save for a few nice spots here and there. I never once felt like Nemeth was in any danger of losing the title (he never even trailed) and some of the kickouts and near falls were just ridiculous.

It’s ok to give up a fall to a multiple time World Champion in an Iron Man match, as Nemeth was only really giving anything up for about five minutes out of the hour. I was losing interest about twenty minutes in and it just kept going. This absolutely should have been thirty minutes max, but instead we got this mess. Really dull stuff and a big disappointment.

And then John Bradshaw Layfield shows up. He whispers something to Nemeth, who nods, as JBL leaves. Nemeth celebrates to end the show.

Overall Rating: C+. Shows with a huge main event like this are always going to be weird because one match takes up so much of the match time. Unfortunately in this case that one match was not exactly great, but the rest of the show was more than good enough to balance a lot of it out. It’s not a show that lived up to its hype, but as a show included with TNA+, it could have been worse. Just fix the main event and the show leaps up in quality, but that was a really lame way to spend a third of the show.

Results
Frankie Kazarian b. Kushida – Fade To Black
PCO b. Shera – PCOsault
Zachary Wentz won Ultimate X
Steve Maclin b. Eric Young – Piledriver
Jordynne Grace/Spitfire b. Alisha Edwards/Masha Slamovich/Ash By Elegance – Pop Shove It to Ash
ABC b. First Class – Small package to Navarro
The System/JDC b. Hardys/Joe Henry/Mike Santana – Boston Knee Party to Matt
Nic Nemeth b. Josh Alexander 3-2

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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AND

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NWA-TNA Weekly PPV #4
Date: July 10, 2002
Location: Nashville Auditorium, Nashville, Tennessee
Commentators: Mike Tenay, Ed Ferrara, Don West

The promotion is still getting started and still in search of a top story. We have Brian Christopher turning on Scott Hall so Jeff Jarrett could b a bigger villain, Ken Shamrock doing whatever he has going on and AJ Styles and Jerry Lynn being partners who can’t stand each other. That makes for a bit of a mixed bag around here, but odds are we’ll be seeing a bunch of dumb ideas to go with those. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

We recap how AJ Styles and Jerry Lynn won the Tag Team Titles in their first match as a team (minus Low Ki that is).

Tag Team Titles: AJ Styles/Jerry Lynn vs. Disciples Of The New Church

The Disciples (Slash/Tempest, with James Mitchell) are challenging. Slash shoulders Lynn down to start but a powerslam is escaped. Lynn runs the corner for a bulldog and Styles comes in for a running flipping splash to the back. Tempest (better known as Crowbar) comes in and gets his arm cranked, followed by a kick to the face for a bonus. Back up and Tempest runs him over, only to be sent outside. That doesn’t last long as Tempest is back in to take over, including an anklescissors out of the corner.

Styles gets backdropped to the apron but comes back in with a springboard missile dropkick, allowing the tag back to Lynn. Everything breaks down and the Disciples pull a diving Styles out of the air. Lynn makes a quick save and Styles adds a Lionsault for two on Tempest. Back up and Tempest’s Death Valley Driver gets two on Styles so Slash can come back in for some rams into the buckle.

What would become James Storm’s Eye of the Storm sends Styles flying but he’s fine enough to catapult Slash into the corner. Lynn comes back in to start the comeback, including a sitout bulldog for two on Tempest. Another Death Valley Driver is broken up and Lynn hits the cradle piledriver, only for Slash to kick him in the face. Styles tags himself back in and (kind of) hits the Spiral Tap to retain at 10:37.

Rating: C+. This was a way to show that the champions who don’t quite get along can get along well enough to retain the titles, even if they were still having issues. It’s still probably the top story in the promotion at the moment, or at least the most interesting, though I’m not sure how much ground that is covering. The New Church is already looking like a bunch of losers and odds are that is going to continue without much to make it better.

Post match a bunch of pyro goes off, which seems like quite the celebration for a title defense. Lynn isn’t pleased with Styles’ celebration and walks out.

Commentary shows us the end of last week’s show, with Brian Christopher turning on Scott Hall, leading to a big Jeff Jarrett beatdown. Hall calls in and swears vengeance, with the audio from the replay drowning out his interview, because this promotion doesn’t know what it’s doing.

Here is Christopher to say it’s time for his to transition from a child to a man. For his entire life, he has been known as Jerry Lawler’s son and now, screw Jerry. His dad was a terrible father and last week, Christopher took Hall out. He tells Jerry to go to h*** and goes on a rant about how Jerry was never there so now it’s time to be his own man. From now on, it’s all about Brian LAWLER. So Jerry shows up soon for a fight right? Otherwise, that would be a pretty big waste of a promo.

Brian Lawler vs. Norman Smiley

Lawler jumps him to start but Smiley gets in a shot of his own and stops to dance. The Big Wiggle ensues so Lawler plants him down to cut that off. A running shoulder in the corner has Smiley in more trouble but he avoids another one, with Lawler going shoulder first into the post. Smiley hammers away in the corner, only for Lawler to get in a low blow. The Hip Hop Drop (he does at least take off the goggles) finishes Smiley at 4:48.

Rating: C. It’s a heel turn, but unfortunately it’s a heel turn for Brian Lawler. You’re just only going to get so much out of that and I’m thinking we’ve already seen the peak of the whole thing. The Jerry promo was just weird and the match itself was just ok.

Post match Lawler calls out Scott Hall, who is next on his list.

Jeff Jarrett is told that he doesn’t have a World Title shot. He shoves Bill Behrens (How many authority figures does this show need?) and gets suspended before storming off. As this goes on, we can hear James Mitchell yelling at the New Church but the door is shut before we see anything.

K-Krush vs. Hermie Sadler

Before the match, Krush threatens the fans for liking NASCAR too much. They yell at each other to start before Krush hammers away, only to be sent outside. Sadler gets in a few shots and then rains down some right hands inside for two but Krush is back with the ax kick for an arrogant near fall of his own. A suplex gives Krush two more and a powerslam gets the same (with one finger). The Figure Four goes on but Sadler turns it over for the break, because he knows how to do that. Krush dives into a sitout powerbomb but Krush rolls him up with feet on the ropes for the pin at 5:06.

Rating: D+. What is there to say about this? It’s been one of the worst parts of the company for the first four weeks and it was bad again here. Sadler isn’t a wrestler and isn’t interesting but he’s the closest thing to a celebrity that they have who can get in the ring. The match was pretty bad even by celebrity standards and the Krush just cheated to beat him. Nothing to this one and hopefully it’s over.

Then Krush hits Sadler after the match and the decision is reversed. Victory?

Takao Omori, the #1 contender to the World Title, pays Alicia off.

Hot Shots vs. Briscoes

That would be Cassidy O’Reilly/Chase Stevens vs. those Briscoes, the latter of whom don’t get entrances. Jay headscissors Stevens down to start and it’s off to Mark, who gets spinebustered down. Mark comes back in with a springboard missile dropkick to the back but gets backdropped hard to the floor. The Hot Shots hit stereo dives….and cue Malice of the New Church to jump Stevens for the DQ at 2:10. This was rather fast paced but just a bunch of moves until the quick ending.

Post match Malice wrecks everyone as James Mitchell and the New Church approve. Mitchell says they aren’t leaving until Ken Shamrock’s blood is on Malice’s hands. There is no Shamrock, so Mitchell has the Disciples beat up the timekeeper. Now Shamrock runs in but gets beaten down, with Takao Omori running in for the save before their title match later.

The Dupps are rather disgusting but are ready to beat up the Flying Elvises. If the shoe fits, it’s probably the right size.

We’re ready for a tag match but adult film star Jasmin St. Clair interrupts instead. She knows what the letters TNA really stand for so who wants to see the real thing tonight? A chair is thrown in and ring announcer Jeremy Borash (described as her “little sex toy”) is sat down for a dance (with his eyes bugging out in a hilarious visual. Bill Behrens comes in with a towel and Ed Ferrara runs in to spear him down (ok points for a funny bit). St. Clair is taken out with the towel anyway to end an unintentionally funny but stupid segment.

Flying Elvises vs. Dupps

Fluff is here with the Dupps. It’s a brawl to start and Siaki is put down with a spinebuster as Mortimer Plumtree comes out, because something has to happen in every single match. Estrada gets sent into the corner as Plumtree says the Johnsons needed discipline after last week. Stan’s Alabama Slam out of the corner doesn’t even get one due to a foot on the rope but Siaki fakes a tag and takes over on Bo. The split legged moonsault gives Siaki two but Bo plants him back down. Stan comes in as everything breaks down, with Estrada hitting a springboard spinning Swanton for the pin on Stan at 5:03.

Rating: C. I’m not sure if you could have Vince Russo’s fingerprints on a match more than this one. Not only do you have a lowest common denominator gimmick like the Dupps, but you have another goofy thing in the Elvises, plus someone walking out without having much to do with the match, which is not exactly great in the first place. It’s a case of too much going on and the stuff that is going on not being very good anyway. Much like a lot of this show.

Jerry Lynn and AJ Styles are brawling throughout the back, with Lynn sending him into the barricade and hitting a cradle piledriver onto an anvil case.

NWA World Title: Takao Omori vs. Ken Shamrock

Shamrock is defending and fires off some knees to the ribs to start. A figure four headscissors has Omori in more trouble as Harley Race is watching at ringside. That’s broken up and the bigger Omori fights out of the corner and hits a running spinwheel kick. The chinlock doesn’t last long so Omori whips him into the corner, where the spinwheel kick misses.

Shamrock chokes on the rope but Omori grabs a running neckbreaker (though he seemed to come in from the wrong direction for a weird visual). Omori shrugs off some kicks to the bad leg (as injured by the missed kick) and hits a clothesline for two. A kneebar has Omori in more trouble so he makes the rope, meaning the ankle lock goes on…and here is Jeff Jarrett to chair Shamrock for the DQ at 7:53.

Rating: C. Of course that’s how it ends. This was another good example of what’s going wrong with a lot of this show: who is Omori, why should I care about him, and is this going to lead anywhere for him? Omori was named (not shown) last week and suddenly gets a World Title shot based on his reputation in Japan. You could have had him do a squash match or something last week to show us even a glimpse, but instead he’s debuted and loses his focus in less than eight minutes. That doesn’t make me want to see more, but rather wondering why I’m supposed to be interested.

Post match Jarrett beats up both of them, plus security.

Jerry Lynn won’t talk about what he did to AJ Styles. James Mitchell and the Disciples of the New Church come in, looking for Jeff Jarrett and the sin he just committed. Did he try the ring? As in where Jarrett just was? Anyway, we cut over to Bill Behrens, having been bound and gagged with FU written on his stomach, just like Jim Miller last week.

Low Ki vs. Elix Skipper vs. Kid Romeo vs. Christopher Daniels vs. Jerry Lynn vs. Tony Mamaluke

This is an elimination match to establish the X-Division rankings (the first wrestler eliminated is #6, the next is #5 and so on) and thank goodness there are tags. Romeo and Daniels start things off with Romeo working on the arm before switching to a headlock. A dropkick puts Daniels down again so it’s off to Skipper to kick him in the face. Mamaluke comes in to help double team Skipper down as commentary goes over some WCW history.

Skipper gets his leg dropkicked out to cut him off again but he hands it off to Lynn for a monkey flip. Ki comes in and kicks Mamaluke’s head off for two (that should have been an elimination) but Mamaluke is back with a suplex. It’s back to Romeo to chop away at Daniels until Lynn comes back in and sunset flips Romeo for two. A middle rope tornado DDT gives Lynn two more but Daniels monkey flips Lynn outside.

The Arabian moonsault drops Lynn again, setting up a big dive from Romeo. Ki and Skipper hit stereo flip dives of their own and everyone is down. Back in and Lynn hits his slingshot Fameasser over the ropes to Daniels, only to get crotched on top. Actually that’s it for Lynn, who is eliminated via….countout at about 10:15? That’s quite the stretch after EVERYONE WAS ON THE FLOOR JUST A FEW SECONDS AGO.

Anyway, Mamaluke gordbusters Daniels and grabs a Koji Clutch but Skipper comes back in with a running clothesline. The Play Of The Day gets rid of Mamaluke at 11:29 and we’re down to four. Ki comes in and stomps away on Skipper before sending him hard out to the floor. Back in and a Ki Crusher into the corner knocks Skipper silly for two, as these kickouts on Ki are a bit ridiculous. Skipper is back up with a backbreaker and a missile dropkick but it’s back to Daniels to slug away. Matt Hardy’s Ricochet drops Daniels and the Last Rites (something like Cross Rhodes) gets rid of Skipper at 14:54.

Romeo faceplants Daniels for two and dropkicks Ki off the apron, leaving Ki holding his arm. Daniels takes Romeo up top, only to get pulled into a super Air Raid Crash (that looked good) for the…not pin as Daniels’ foot was on the rope. Ki comes back in with the dragon sleeper to make Romeo tap at 17:03 and now we’re down to Ki vs. Daniels.

They trade chops in the corner until Daniels grabs a Downward Spiral for the double knockdown. The Best Moonsault Ever gives Daniels a delayed near fall and they trade cradles for two each. The dragon sleeper has Daniels in trouble again but he flips out in time. Daniels grabs an Iconoclasm (Fall From Grace) out of the corner for two more but a quick Ki Crusher gives Ki the win at 21:41.

Rating: B. Shockingly enough, this was the most entertaining match of the night, which probably comes from it getting more time and allowing the people involved to do their thing for a good while. I like the idea of having rankings in the division, but that isn’t going to matter if they don’t stick. It would not shock me at all to see Ki getting a shot and then Lynn jumping into a title match because of personal reasons, making most of the concept pointless, but at least they had a very fast paced match on the way there.

Post match the Flying Elvises run in to clean house because they wanted in the match (fair point). Tony Mamaluke and Kid Romeo run in for the save.

Commentary previews next week’s show….and here is Jeff Jarrett, who was suspended earlier tonight and it means nothing. He wants the World Title shot next week and yells at fans until going after some Tennessee Titans, who jump the barricade for the brawl. Cue the Disciples of the New Church, with Malice brawling with Jarrett into the crowd to end the show.

Overall Rating: C. Believe it or not, the X-Division is carrying this show, but at the end of the day, there is only so much that you can get out of them when the rest of the show is pretty horrible. As has been the case, it doesn’t feel like there is much in the way of focus around here and the show feels all over the place as a result. There are stories going on, but they’re not exactly things that I want to keep watching. The Lawler stuff feels like it could get stupid in a hurry and Jarrett whining about wanting a title shot has already lost its appeal. There’s good stuff in there, but there is a lot of bad to sit through to find it.

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NWA-TNA Weekly PPV #3
Date: July 3, 2002
Location: Nashville Auditorium, Nashville, Tennessee
Commentators: Mike Tenay, Ed Ferrara, Don West

We’ve got more titles to establish this week with the Tag Team Titles being set up this time. So far the World and X-Division Titles have gone well enough so maybe they can continue the trend. The shows are still not exactly great though and they have a long way to go with what they are doing. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

Commentary runs down the card and hype up the main event of Jeff Jarrett/K-Krush vs. Scott Hall/Brian Christopher.

NWA President Jim Miller joins us to present the promotion with a trophy. Other than that though, he is bringing in a new star to face the winner of tonight’s World Title match.

Tag Team Title Tournament Semifinals: America’s Most Wanted vs. The Johnsons

Mortimer Plumtree is here with the Johnsons. #1 drives Harris into the corner to start but gets armdragged down, followed by some left hands. It’s off to #2 for a double toss into the air to Storm, followed by a double shoulder for two. One heck of a double backdrop puts Storm down again but #1 comes off the middle rope for the sole purpose of diving into raised boots. Storm scores with a superkick and hands it back to Harris to clean house. Everything breaks down and Harris hits a spear on #2, setting up a crossbody. #2 pulls him out of the air, only to have Storm add a missile dropkick for the pin on #2 at 4:42.

Rating: C. This is where the promotion is coming off as a bit of a mess, as you have a good, young team in AMW who could go somewhere but their two matches have been against comedy/joke teams. That is only going to get them so far and shows what happens when you have the wrong people putting everything together. The match was pretty run of he mill, but the faster they find some serious opponents for AMW, the better things will be going.

Post match Plumtree yells at the Johnsons and gets laid out.

Here is Scott Hall for a chat but Jeff Jarrett cuts him off before he can get started. Jarrett isn’t impressed but Hall tells him to bring it. Jim Miller cuts Jarrett off though and Jarrett says he’ll see Hall in the main event…as K-Krush jumps Hall. That earns K-Krush a fall away slam and a clothesline out to the floor. Well that was short.

America’s Most Wanted has been attacked and left bloody.

Monty Brown vs. Anthony Ingram

This is Brown’s debut and he cuts a promo before the match, which is drowned out by his music. Brown slugs away to start and hits a running powerslam, setting up the Alpha Bomb (slam lifted up into a powerbomb) for the pin at 1:32. Total destruction and Brown is a ball of charisma.

Jim Miller has gone missing but Puppet comes in, saying he wants to beat up either Gary Coleman, Mini Me or the midget from the Howard Stern Show.

Buff Bagwell and Apollo are ready to win the Tag Team Titles.

Tag Team Title Tournament Semifinals: Rainbow Express vs. Buff Bagwell/Apolo

Joel Gertner is here with the Express. Bagwell hiptosses Bruce to start but stops to pose, allowing Bruce to send him into the corner. Cue Alicia to get money from Ed Ferrara as Apolo comes in with a powerbomb for two on Bruce. A Gertner distraction lets Lenny come back with a running DDT and Apolo gets stomped in the corner. Lenny’s slow crawl over Apolo doesn’t sit well and Apolo is back up with a full nelson slam for two. Buff comes in to slug away but a crossbody to Lenny…doesn’t work as planned, leaving Apolo to TKO Bruce. Lenny makes the save and sends Apolo outside, setting up a superkick to finish Bagwell at 5:49.

Rating: C-. There wasn’t much to be seen here and that shouldn’t be a shock, as you have a makeshift team losing to a comedy team but they went with a clean pin instead of any kind of cheating. That doesn’t make for the most thrilling match and it wasn’t like Bagwell was one to lead a match if need be. And now we are on the way to a rematch from last week with AMW vs. the Express, assuming the former can go, which isn’t the most thrilling idea.

Post match Bagwell is mad about losing to “two gay guys” and quits.

Here is World Champion Ken Shamrock for a chat. He wants to fight anyone but here is James Mitchell for a distraction so Malice can jump Shamrock before their title match tonight. So the champ is easily dupped. Got it.

Jim Miller is busy and doesn’t have time to talk to Jerry Lynn.

Puppet vs. Todd Stone

This is the result of Puppet wanting to “kill a midget”. Puppet slugs away with a kendo stick and trashcan as this is apparently anything goes. Stone gets slammed onto the trashcan, which is then put onto his head for a beating with the kendo stick. A fireman’s carry faceplant onto the trashcan finishes Stone at 1:45. This was stupid, as you probably guessed.

Post match Puppet chases the referee to the back.

We’re not sure if Ken Shamrock can defend the World Title.

We look at Francine being annoyed at losing the lingerie battle royal and beating up the winner, Taylor Vaughn.

Francine vs. Taylor Vaughn

And never mind as Francine whips out a belt to beat her like last week. Vaughn takes it away and whips her instead…and only Vaughn is disqualified.

Post match Ed Ferrara comes in to raise Francine’s hand but she puts his hand on her chest. Then she slaps him.

Here is Hermie Sadler for a chat. He thanks the NASCAR fans for coming out tonight but here is K-Krush to interrupt. K-Krush doesn’t like race car drivers and insults him, so Sadler gives him a spear. The match is made for next week.

NWA World Title: Malice vs. Ken Shamrock

Shamrock is defending and Malice has James Mitchell with him. Shamrock comes straight to the ring without any notable problem so the whole injury angle seems to have been a waste of time. Malice jumps him before the bell and hammers away on the floor before choking on the ropes. That’s not enough so Malice lifts him up for more choking, setting up a legdrop for two.

Shamrock can’t get a cross armbreaker so Malice sends him outside in a heap instead. Back in and Malice hammers on the banged up neck (which was apparently hurt in the backstage attack, though you wouldn’t know it as Malice jumped him before the bell anyway), which he bends around the top rope. Then Shamrock fights up and hits a belly to belly out of nowhere to retain at 5:53. It’s as sudden as it sounds.

Rating: C-. What was that? Malice jumped him, beat him up and then loses to Shamrock’s one move. That’s straight out of the mid-90s Randy Savage playbook and that is not meant as a compliment. Shamrock feels like he is living off his reputation as champion and that’s a really bad sign just two weeks into his reign.

X-Division Title: David Young vs. AJ Styles

Young, with Bobcat, is challenging. Styles flips over him to start and hits the dropkick but the bigger Young hits a running shoulder for a knockdown. Back up and Styles sends him outside for something like a running Buckshot Lariat out to the floor. Young breaks up the springboard back inside but Styles is fine enough to flip out of a German suplex. An overhead belly to belly sends Styles into the corner for two and a running kick to the head gets the same.

Bobcat answers a phone call as Young grabs a headscissors choke, which just fires Styles up. That earns him a suplex back down and Young grabs the chinlock. Back up and Styles hits a superkick for two before striking away, only to walk into a spinebuster for two. They go up top together, where Styles gets in a shot to the face and hits a super Styles Clash to retain at 8:45.

Rating: C. Young wasn’t much of a challenger here but Styles got to show just how smooth he can be in the ring, which is quite the sight to behold. There is a reason he has become one of the early bright spots around here and being able to move that way has a lot to do with it. This was all Styles and that is what it should have been.

Bobcat gets in the ring to celebrate for some reason and Young is rather confused.

Joel Gertner and the Rainbow Express are ready to win the Tag Team Titles. If AMW can’t wrestle, it makes things even easier.

Tag Team Titles: America’s Most Wanted vs. Rainbow Express

For the vacant titles and Joel Gertner is here with the Express. Hold on though as AMW can’t wrestle but we have replacements.

Tag Team Titles: AJ Styles/Jerry Lynn vs. Rainbow Express

For the vacant titles and yes this is indeed a Vince Russo booked show with tag partners who do not get along. It’s a brawl to start and the Express is sent to the floor, with Lynn hitting a dive. The tired Styles hits a dive of his own and it’s time to head inside, where Lenny and Lynn fight over a German suplex. Bruce gets sent face first into a low blow on Lenny, who is nice enough to kiss Bruce’s hand for a tag.

Lynn is sent to the apron for a slingshot Fameasser to drop Bruce but he’s back up with a quick low blow to take over. Styles breaks up Lenny’s Liontamer but Bruce gets in a cheap shot. Lenny gets two off a delayed vertical suplex and Bruce counters a headscissors into a faceplant for two more.

The figure four necklock has Lynn in more trouble but he’s back up for an exchange of countered piledrives. Lynn gets in a DDT and that’s enough for the tag off to Styles to pick up the pace. Lenny hits a Skull Crushing Finale on Styles but gets caught with the cradle piledriver. Lynn and Bruce go to the floor, leaving Styles to hit the Spiral Tap on Lenny for the pin and the titles at 12:23.

Rating: C. This was long and showed that the Express really wasn’t much in the ring. The problem is that the team is only around because of their gimmick and that gets old very fast. I could go for seeing more from Styles and Lynn, but they’re going to need better opponents to make that work.

Lynn isn’t sure about this but he’ll take a title.

Jim Miller has been attacked with the letters FU written on his stomach.

Brian Christopher/Scott Hall vs. Jeff Jarrett/K-Krush

Fallout from last week’s big brawl. They start fast and fight into the crowd with Hall and Jarrett fighting into one of the dancers’ cage. Christopher takes over on Krush and sends him inside, only to miss the Hip Hop Drop. Hall is back in with a chokeslam to Krush but gets jumped by Jarrett. We settle down to a regular match, with Christopher missing a charge into the corner, leaving Hall and Jarrett to knock each other down.

Krush comes in for a running spinning forearm, which kind of goes flying over Hall’s back. Hall rolls through Jarrett’s high crossbody for two, leaving Jarrett to grab a sleeper. As they’ve done hundreds of times, Hall reverses into a sleeper of his own, only for Jarrett to easily break it up.

Krush’s reverse chinlock is countered into an electric chair drop, followed by a double clothesline for…well not a tag off to Christopher, as he hits Hall in the face instead. Hall beats all of them up at once and hits the Outsider’s Edge on Krush, only for Christopher to break up the same thing to Jarrett. The Stroke into the Hip Hop Drop lets Jarrett get the pin at 11:43.

Rating: C. This match showed the biggest problem with this story: the matches aren’t very good and even worse, they’re not interesting. If Brian Christopher turning on Hall a full week after joining up with him in the first place is their best idea, they don’t have much to go on here. Hall feels like a star and he has a history with Jarrett, but that doesn’t exactly scream top story in 2002.

Post match Jarrett yells about how many times he’s beaten Hall before knocking him outside. The trophy (from the beginning of the show) is broken over Hall so a stretcher is brought in. That’s not enough for Jarrett, who drops an elbow off the apron onto Hall onto the stretcher. Jarrett is still not done and turns the stretcher over while ranting about how he should be World Champion.

Commentary previews next week’s show as Jarrett stomps away one more time to wrap it up.

Overall Rating: C-. There are some good points here, but the wrestling ranged from dull to pretty lame throughout the two hours. That being said, the promotion is still only three weeks old and there is only so much you can tell from that little time. The show still feels big, but they are going to need to make things a good bit more interesting than what they are doing so far. It’s just not that good and it was showing badly this week.

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Slammiversary 2024
Date: July 20, 2024
Location: Verdun Auditorium, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Commentators: Tom Hannifan, Matthew Rehwoldt

This is one of the biggest shows that TNA presents every year and we should be in for a good one as the show is fairly stacked. The main event will see Moose defending the World Title against five challengers at once, along with hometown boy Mike Bailey challenging Mustafa Ali for the X-Division Title. Let’s get to it.

Pre-Show: Faby Apache vs. Gisele Shaw vs. Tasha Steelz vs. Xia Brookside

We get a loud TNA chant as Shaw and Brookside kick the other two down. A celebration is cut off as Steelz shoves them into each other though and the villains take over. Apache drops Steelz though and grabs an early surfboard. Shaw is back in with Shock And Awe for two as commentary talks about everything else on the card. Steelz Codebreakers Apache to the floor and hits a suicide dive, followed by Shaw diving onto both of them.

Brookside dives onto all three of them (show off) and throws Steelz back in for two. The Brookside Bomb is broken up so Shaw Samoan drivers both Steelz and Brookside at the same time (geez). Apache goes up but dives into a powerbomb, leaving Shaw to spear Brookside. Shaw’s running knee hits Brookside but Steelz grabs the pin at 6:37.

Rating: C+. This was a fine choice to get the show going and warm the crowd up a bit but I really do not get that ending. This felt like it was Shaw’s to win and instead it’s Steelz, who hasn’t really been doing much lately. It’s weird to go with something that will deflate the crowd a bit, but at least the action was good.

Pre-Show: Kushida vs. Rich Swann

Kushida is in Hakushi cosplay because….I have no idea really. Swann is replacing an ill Jonathan Gresham. Kushida is slow to start before grabbing a wristlock but it’s too early for the Hoverboard Lock. They take turns flipping away from each other and Swann is knocked into the ropes. Swann chokes on the ropes and kicks him in the back but Kushida….stops to mediate, earning himself another kick.

A dragon screw legwhip into a Tajiri handspring elbow staggers Swann but he’s right back with the poisonrana. Swann’s Lethal Injection gets two but the middle rope 450 misses. Kushida punches him down, only to miss the moonsault, allowing Swann to kick him in the face for two more. Swann takes too long going up though and gets pulled down into the Hoverboard Lock for the tap at 6:43.

Rating: C+. I’m guessing this was Kushida’s response to Jonathan Gresham being all evil and corrupted. All that did is make me remember how horrible the Gresham stuff has been and that’s not the best way to get things going. Other than that, it was the kind of quality you would expect here, albeit with Kushida’s stuff not really fitting his usual style.

Pre-Show: Knockouts Tag Team Titles: Alisha Edwards/Masha Slamovich vs. Spitfire

Spitfire is challenging. Threat and Slamovich start things off with Threat cranking on the arm. Luna comes in to shove Edwards down without much trouble so Threat adds a basement clothesline for two. Slamovich slips in for a double suplex to Threat and a trip to Luna makes it worse. A hard kick to the chest gets two on Luna and a snap suplex is good for the same.

Luna manages to kick her way out of the corner and it’s back to Threat to pick up the pace. A double running crotch attack against the ropes connects on the champs and Edwards is Michinoku Drivered onto Slamovich for two. The Hart Attack gets two but Luna is sent outside, leaving the Snowplow to hit Threat for a rather near fall. With nothing else working, Slamovich distracts the referee so a belt shot can knock Threat silly. A Steiner Bulldog retains the titles at 8:48.

Rating: B-. This was one of the better Knockouts tag matches I’ve seen in a bit as they were given some time and didn’t have a commercial in the middle. That makes for a nice improvement and the action was there to back it up. The division still lacks depth, but at least this felt like part of a story rather than just a one off match.

Here is Santino Marella to say he used to live here and thanks the fans for their biggest show in over ten years (nice job). He even has a bonus match for us.

Pre-Show: Eric Young vs. Hammerstone

Nice to see Hammerstone back. Hammerstone wastes no time in knocking him outside where a hard posting ensues. Back in and a missile dropkick gives Hammerstone two as the fans chant something in French. Young is back up with his slide between the legs and a lariat but the top rope elbow takes too long. The breaking up is broken up as well though and Young drops the elbow for two. The piledriver is cut off with straight power but Young slips out of the torture rack….and grabs a rollup for the pin at 5:26.

Rating: C. I’m sorry what now? You have the return of a beast like Hammerstone and he loses to Eric Young? That’s one of those things that feels like it is straight out of the TNA playbook: when your company is feeling a bit stale, it’s time to go with the guy who has been around for the better part of twenty years. I’m fine with Young getting a win because he’s someone the fans will get behind, but you can’t put some low level villain out there instead of Hammerstone?

Post match Young thanks the fans for supporting the company and says this is TNA.

And now, the show proper.

Annie St-Onge sings O Canada.

The opening video looks at recent events and talks about how big of a show this is. We also get the normal looks at the bigger matches.

Matt Hardy vs. JDC

Matt is Broken and out for revenge after JDC took out Rebecca Hardy on Impact. The beating is on outside before the bell and JDC (in his American flag pants) has to get in a quick flag shot to take over. Now the bell rings and JDC sends him chest first into the corner, meaning it’s time for some dancing.

Hardy is draped over the top rope for a running boot to the head and two, followed by an elbow to the face. The bodyscissors works on Hardy’s ribs for a bit but Down And Dirty on the apron misses for JDC. Hardy sends him into the corner over and over, setting up a middle rope elbow. The Side Effect gets two but Dango is back with a Falcon Arrow. Another Down And Dirty is broken up and a middle rope Twist Of Fate gives Hardy the pin at 4:36.

Rating: C. This would have been short on Impact but it gave the fans a nice moment while Hardy gets some revenge. The stuff before the match felt like someone wanting to get back at JDC but the rest was just a normal match. I’ll take this over Hardy being all weird though so this could have been worse.

Post match Hardy hits two more Twists Of Fate to blow off some steam.

The System, in their matching American flag track suits, is ready to dominate tonight.

We run down the card.

Tag Team Titles: ABC vs. The System

The System, with Alisha Edwards, is defending. Austin strikes away at Eddie to start and it’s Bey coming in for a double Japanese armdrag. A Hart Attack (with ABC in pink and black) gets two on Myers but a running knee to the face hits Bey for the same. Alisha gets in some choking from the floor but Bey ducks a double clothesline and brings Austin back in (the fans are REALLY pleased).

Bey is back up with a big running flip dive, only to have Alisha distract Austin so Eddie can send him into the apron. Back in and Eddie’s snap suplex gets two, which causes some frustration to set in. Myers’ reverse chinlock doesn’t last long so Eddie catapults Austin throat first into the middle rope for a nasty impact. Austin fights up and makes the tag….but Myers has the referee for the classic misdirection, meaning no tag. The chinlock goes on for a bit, though Austin is ready for the Roster Cut.

That’s enough for the hot tag off to Bey so house can be quickly cleaned. Eddie is sent outside but Alisha is right there to cut off a dive. They all wind up on the apron, with Bey hitting cutter to set up Austin’s big Fosbury flop. Back in and Bey’s frog splash gets two on Eddie but the 1-2-Sweet is broken up. Myers’ spear gets two on Bey so Austin comes back in for a Magic Killer to Myers for two more. Alisha comes in and accidentally gets caught in the Art Of Finesse, leaving Myers to get caught in the 1-2-Sweet for the pin and the titles at 16:44.

Rating: B. ABC is a heck of a team and they are becoming one of the most decorated teams the company has ever seen. This was treated as a big deal, even if it ends a mostly mediocre run from the System. They were milking those near falls near the end too and I was into it for most of the time. Solid opener here.

Mike Bailey is so serious about winning the X-Division Title that he speaks French.

Jake Something vs. Mike Santana

The fans are way behind Santana here. We start with a fight over a lockup until Santana cranks on a headlock. Something tells him to bring it with the running shoulders before knocking a Thesz press out of the air. Back in and Santana hits a heck of a springboard flip dive to drop Something and a German suplex gets two back inside. Santana’s chinlock doesn’t last long as Something fights up and grabs a slam.

Something stomps away in the corner until Santana scores with a kick to the head. The rolling Buck Fifty connects for Santana and a middle rope dropkick sets up a Cannonball for two. Another Cannonball is pulled out of the air for a sitout powerbomb but Santana runs the corner for a release German superplex (dang that looked nasty). They slug it out with Santana knocking him down, only for Something to tell him to bring it. Spin The Block gives Santana the pin at 11:32.

Rating: B-. Sometimes you just need two strong guys beating each other up until one of them gets the pin. That’s exactly what we got here and it was a nice addition to the card. Santana continues to be someone that TNA is interested in promoting and that is not a bad idea when he is putting in a string of solid work. Something continues to feel like a prospect but after all of these losses, it’s hard to imagine he goes anywhere.

We look at Eric Young pinning Hammerstone on the pre-show.

Young talks about how big of a win that is and says he’ll be watching the World Title match.

We recap the No Quarter Catch Crew invading TNA and the Rascalz getting NXT’s Wes Lee to help them fight back, setting up a six man tag.

Rascalz vs. No Quarter Catch Crew

The Rascalz have Buzz Lightyear style gear and….yeah it’s really not working. Lee’s in particular looks like he is trying to wear the sexy Halloween version of the costume and it’s kind of a disaster. Borne and Miguel start things off with Miguel working on the arm. Dempsey comes in and gets anklescissored by Lee and Wentz adds a Bronco Buster for two. It’s off to Heights for a release German suplex and a gutwrench suplex for two on Wentz.

Back up and Wentz brings in Miguel to send Borne into the corner, meaning Dempsey needs to grab a suplex of his own. One heck of a clothesline gives Heights two and it’s a suplex into the chinlock. Miguel fights up and ducks a clothesline, setting up a needed enziguri. The tag brings in Lee to clean house but the Crew takes his partners own and triple teams Lee.

Dempsey’s dragon suplex connects but Lee breaks it up with a frog splash. Lee hits the big dive and Wentz has to break up a double submission. Back up and Heights gets caught in the Soup Kitchen (Dominator/top rope double stomp combination) and Hot Fire Flame finishes for Wentz at 14:07.

Rating: B-. This was the way the match needed to go as it gives us the feel good moment of the Rascalz not only coming back together but also getting the win. You had to have the villains come in from outside and lose, as there is no reason to have them win. Perfectly nice match here, which was more about the feeling than the wrestling.

We recap PCO challenging AJ Francis for the Digital Media (and unofficial Canadian National Heavyweight Champion) Title. Francis won the title and messed up PCO’s date with Steph de Lander, so it’s time for revenge.

Digital Media Title: PCO vs. AJ Francis

Francis, with Rich Swann and some rappers) is defending and this is a street fight. Before the match, Francis mentions that PCO has been attacked, so here is a casket, which is struck by lighting to let PCO out. The brawl is on to start with Francis getting in some chair shots. PCO shrugs that off and hits a moonsault to the floor, meaning it’s time for a table. That takes too much time so Francis is back with some shots of his own.

A bunch of chairs are thrown in, with Francis putting a trashcan over PCO’s head and then unloading on him with a chair. A legdrop onto the trashcan gives Francis two but PCO fights back with a clothesline. PCO goes up top but gets pulled back down with an electric chair onto the chairs. That’s shrugged off as well, as PCO sends him through the tables at ringside.

Josh Bishop (of Francis’ entourage) is up with some chair shots and a toss Razor’s Edge onto some open chairs (GEEZ). Sami Callihan comes in for a failed save attempt but Rhino comes in for the save and the Gore to Swann. PCO is back up to drop Francis and the PCOsault gets two. Francis hits a Tombstone with the Undertaker cover for two but PCO chokeslams him onto the chairs. Another PCOsault gives PCO the pin and the title at 13:50.

Rating: C+. You can pretty much chalk this one up to an obvious result, as there was no reason to believe that a local legend was going to lose in his kind of match against a loudmouth heel. This was tailor made for PCO to win in a feel good moment and that is exactly what we were given.

Post match here is Steph de Lander….who proposes to PCO, who accepts. Well that escalated quickly.

We recap Jordynne Grace defending the Knockouts Title against Ash By Elegance. Ash says she deserves the title and cost Grace the NXT Women’s Title. Grace wants revenge.

Knockouts Title: Jordynne Grace vs. Ash By Elegance

Ash, with her Personal Concierge, is challenging and flips out of some early suplex attempts. Grace chops her down and hits a spinebuster for an early two as we see a lurking Rosemary. The interfering Concierge is ejected so Rosemary whips out a knife to chase him off. Ash uses the distraction to get in a cheap shot and take over with some shots to the back. A sleeper is broken up with a drop down, setting up some not so snappy powerslams.

Grace’s MuscleBuster gets two but Ash is back with a running tornado DDT for the same. They go up top, where Grace grabs a superplex and rolls into a Jackhammer for two. With nothing else working, Grace just tackles her and hammers away. Ash comes back with a Canadian Destroyer of all things but Rarefied Air hits raised knees. Back up and a quick Sliced Bread gives Ash two so she hammers on the back again. Grace pulls her into a quickly broken sleeper and then reverses a kick to the face into the Juggernaut Driver to retain at 12:09.

Rating: B-. I thought they might change the title here as Ash had been pushed fairly strong coming into this. That being said, Grace has been presented as the biggest star in the division in a long time so this is only so surprising. The division has some depth to give Grace some trouble and that might make for some interesting results. For now though, good match, with Ash holding her own.

We recap Mustafa Ali defending the X-Division Title against Mike Bailey, another hometown boy. Bailey was granted a title shot but Ali took it back before attacking Bailey’s partner Trent Seven. Now it’s about revenge and the title.

X-Division Title: Mustafa Ali vs. Mike Bailey

Ali, with Campaign Singh, is defending and they fight over a headlock to start. Ali snaps off a running hurricanrana for two but Bailey kicks him down. The threat of the Tornado Kick sends Ali out to the apron and a quick shot has Bailey in early trouble. Bailey is right back to knock him to the floor for the middle rope moonsault, with the fans greatly approving. The Secret Service offers a distraction though, allowing Ali to come back with a middle rope tornado DDT.

Back in and Ali’s rolling neckbreaker gets two, setting up the chinlock to slow things down. A spinning Downward Spiral gives Ali two and he is already looking frustrated. Back up and Bailey hits a Falcon Arrow into a shooting star press for two of his own. The moonsault knees only hit apron so Ali hits a hard superkick. They both go up, where Bailey manages a super Spanish Fly onto the Secret Service/Singh for the big knockdown.

Back in and they trade rollups for two each (Ali’s cheating doesn’t help) so Bailey knocks him down. The Ultimate Weapon is knocked out of the air though and a Cheeky Nandos dropkick rocks Bailey again. Bailey scores with another kick into the Ultimate Weapon for the pin…but Ali’s foot was on the rope. The referee accidentally gets kicked down so the Secret Service and Singh come in to lay Bailey out.

Cue Trent Seven to break up the cover and take out Ali’s crew. Ali gets in a cheap shot though….and Earl Hebner comes in to referee. Ali grabs a Sharpshooter and Hebner teases calling for the bell but can’t do it. The frustrated Ali gets a chair, only to have Bailey kick it away. The Sharpshooter gives Bailey the title back at 20:24.

Rating: B. This was more or less the amped up version of PCO’s win with the more important title. Ali had held the title for a long time and Bailey had to put in the work to get there. That being said, naturally we just had to do the Montreal Screwjob stuff because nothing else has ever happened in the history of wrestling in this city.

the Personal Concierge yells at Santino Marella about what happened. Hammerstone comes in to yell as well and the Concierge seems interested.

We recap Moose defending the World Title in a six way and qualifying matches ensued. There isn’t much more to it than that, but Joe Hendry is the hottest thing in the world and has his shot here.

TNA World Title: Moose vs. Nic Nemeth vs. Steve Maclin vs. Joe Hendry vs. Frankie Kazarian vs. Josh Alexander

Moose is defending and this is elimination rules. Moose tries to get the early alliance with Kazarian, who bails to the floor…and then comes back in to stomp on Moose in the corner. Kazarian is sent outside as well and the other four pair off to start fast. Hendry throws Nemeth onto Moose and follows him to the floor, leaving us with Alexander, Kazarian and Maclin inside for a weird three way.

Kazarian gets beaten into the corner before Alexander and Maclin can fight again, as is their custom. Alexander starts snapping off the German suplexes to just about everyone, including the rolling editions to Maclin for two. A double German suplex sends Maclin and Kazarian flying but Moose is back in to take over. Nemeth cuts that off and drops the ten elbows but Moose rolls outside, meaning it’s a jumping elbow to hit him as well.

Back in and Kazarian gets to hit some slingshot cutters for two on Moose, leaving everyone down. Hendry comes back in but Maclin is right there to send people outside, setting up the series of Scuds. Back in and Maclin loads up the KIA on Kazarian, only to get speared by Moose for the pin and the elimination at 10:43.

The fans sing Maclin off so he flips them off on his way out. Moose release Rock Bottoms Kazarian, powerbombs Hendry and Buckle Bombs Nemeth. Another powerbomb gets two on Alexander and another powerbomb onto the apron hits Kazarian. Hendry jumps Moose though and Alexander hits the crossbody on the apron to put everyone on the floor. They all fight up to the stage, where Moose has to backdrop his way out of a C4 Spike attempt.

Nemeth escapes the Fade To Black as well and superkicks Kazarian off the stage and through a table. Most of them go back to ringside, where Moose chokeslams Nemeth onto Alexander. Hendry comes up behind him though and cutters Moose for two. The fall away slams hit everyone else around and Hendry is rolling. Moose spears Alexander and Nemeth but Hendry reverses into a backslide. Back up and Moose kicks Hendry in the face but gets dropped with a hard clothesline. The Standing Ovation finishes Moose for the elimination at 21:37 and the fans believe that much more.

Then Alexander kicks Hendry low and hits him with the C4 Spike for the elimination at 22:51 and the fans are GONE. Alexander sits on Hendry and slaps him a bunch before going after the referee. Nemeth breaks that up but gets caught with a powerbomb backbreaker for his efforts. Alexander hammers him own and poses a lot before going after Nemeth’s bad shoulder. That’s broken up though and Nemeth grabs a running DDT for a needed breather. Another C4 Spike is escaped and Nemeth hits a superkick to get rid of Alexander at 28:44.

We’re down to Nemeth vs. Kazarian, the latter of whom hasn’t been seen since going through the table. Kazarian comes back in with a Fade To Black for two, followed by the chickenwing. That’s broken up and Nemeth hits a superkick for two more. A Backstabber rocks Nemeth but he’s right back with a superkick into the Danger Zone for the pin and the title at 30:51.

Rating: B. It was an action packed match and I got into it, but the ending didn’t have much in the way of drama. The bigger problem here though is the fact that it isn’t Hendry winning. Nemeth winning isn’t a bad way to go, but ultimately this is likely to be seen as the latest instance of the hot homegrown star being passed over in exchange for the older former WWE star. It’s still a good match and Hendry could win the title (I’ll give him until the end of Bound For Glory) but there are going to be some annoyed fans and they might have a good point.

Ryan Nemeth and a bunch of champions come out to celebrate to end the show.

Overall Rating: B. The show was good with nothing overly bad and some nice moments, but it didn’t have that one big match or moment to carry it to the next level. It felt like the end of the System’s dominance and that’s a big step, but the next round of feuds should be interested. I was expecting a pretty awesome show and only got a good one. That’s not a terrible way to go, but they need to follow up on this rather well.

Results
Tasha Steelz b. Faby Apache, Gisele Shaw and Xia Brookside – Running knee to Brookside
Kushida b. Rich Swann – Hoverboard Lock
Alisha Edwards/Masha Slamovich b. Spitfire – Steiner Bulldog to Threat
Eric Young b. Hammerstone – Rollup
Matt Hardy b. JDC – Middle rope Twist Of Fate
ABC b. The System – 1-2-Sweet to Myers
Mike Santana b. Jake Something – Spin The Block
Rascalz b. No Quarter Catch Crew – Hot Fire Flame to Heights
PCO b. AJ Francis – PCOsault
Jordynne Grace b. Ash By Elegance – Juggernaut Driver
Mike Bailey b. Mustafa Ali – Sharpshooter
Nic Nemeth b. Moose, Frankie Kazarian, Josh Alexander, Steve Maclin and Joe Hendry – Danger Zone to Kazarian

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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Impact Wrestling
Date: July 11, 2024
Location: 2300 Arena, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Commentators: Tom Hannifan, Mathew Rehwoldt

We have two shows left before Slammiversary and as of last week, the main event is set with all five challengers ready to come after Moose’s TNA World Title. The rest of the show is mostly set as well but we can probably get some more things set up this week. That could also include more from NXT’s Charlie Dempsey, who invaded the show last week. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

Opening recap.

We pick things up from last week, with Frankie Kazarian revealing that he attacked Nic Nemeth but seeing someone filming him. That someone is Ryan Nemeth, who distracts Kazarian so Nic can jump him.

Knockouts Title: Jordynne Grace vs. ???

Grace is defending in an open challenge against….NXT’s Izzi Dame. The bell rings but here is Ash By Elegance’s personal concierge to say that Ash will be watching via satellite from an undisclosed beach. We get a quick shot of Ash on said beach as Dame grabs a waistlock but gets backed into the corner. The much bigger Dame’s right hand gets blocked and Grace muscles her up with a suplex.

A gutwrench faceplant sends Dame outside but the concierge has to be chased….into Rosemary, who is sitting in the crowd. Dame uses the distraction to get in a neck snap across the top and a Falcon Arrow out of the corner gets two. Grace blocks a powerbomb attempt and takes her into the corner for some hard forearms. The Juggernaut Driver is blocked though, meaning they slug it out from their knees. Grace Death Valley Drivers her, setting up the Juggernaut Driver to retain at 8:34.

Rating: C+. That’s what this kind of match needed to be, as Grace gets to beat someone from the other promotion. While Dame might not be the biggest name in NXT, it is better than beating another lower level TNA star. This crossover has made Grace look like an even bigger star, which should help when she likely heads to WWE early next year.

Santino Marella announces a wild card tag match for tonight, with the teams being drawn at random. That gives us a main event of Josh Alexander/Joe Hendry vs. Steve Maclin/Moose.

Charlie Dempsey vs. Zachary Wentz

Trey Miguel is in Wentz’s corner as they grapple to start. Wentz takes him down for a basement dropkick, only for Dempsey to pull him down by the arm. Dempsey cranks on the arm before having to block Wentz’s kick. That earns Wentz a dragon screw legwhip but he’s back up with a handspring knee to the face. A German suplex sends Dempsey into the corner and a running shooting star gets two. Cue Dempsey’s teammate Myles Borne to jump Miguel for a distraction though, allowing Dempsey to grab a dragon suplex for the pin at 4:46.

Rating: C+. They’re doing a good job of keeping the invasion/crossover stuff to the lower levels of the show and that is a smart idea. The Rascalz are a big enough team that it means something when NXT comes in to mess with them, though the addition of Wes Lee as a bridge between the two companies could make for a good blowoff at Slammiversary. For now though, nice enough here, even with the limited time.

Post match Dempsey and Borne lay out Wentz and Miguel.

The System is ready for the Hardys to be back next week.

The No Quarter Catch Crew (Charlie Dempsey/Myles Borne/Tavion Heights) are ready to dominate. Santino Marella comes in to say they’re in a six man next week, but we’ll have to see who will team with the Rascalz. Given that we saw a video of them reuniting with Wes Lee before the match, this might not be the biggest mystery.

Kushida vs. Jonathan Gresham vs. Mike Bailey

For a future X-Division Title shot. They all go for a rollup to start until Bailey takes over. Gresham and Kushida are sent outside for a moonsault from Bailey and the running shooting star press gets two on Gresham back inside. We take a break and come back with Bailey grabbing the ropes to get out of Gresham’s Figure Four. Kushida is back up to kick away at Bailey, setting up a cartwheel dropkick.

Gresham blocks the Hoverboard Lock before Bailey and Kushida kick it out. The Tornado Kick is blocked in the corner and Kushida dives onto Gresham on the floor. Bailey goes up but gets crotched by Gresham, who can’t use the ink on Kushida. Instead it’s green mist to Gresham, allowing Bailey to hit the Ultimate Weapon for the pin and the title shot at 8:25.

Rating: B-. Commentary played up the idea that Bailey wasn’t just being handed a title shot and had to earn it. I rather like that, as there is little reason for bailey to have gotten the title shot other than he and Mustafa Ali are having issues. It gives things a bit more realism and didn’t take too long, even if there was little doubt about how this would ind up.

Post match Mustafa Ali and company run in to beat down Bailey but Trent Seven cuts off a big chair shot. Seven gets wrecked for his efforts, with Ali putting him in the Sharpshooter.

Steph de Lander is sitting on the beach and upset over how things have been going with PCO. She has to tie up some strings in Australia but hopes PCO will wait or him.

Slammiversary rundown.

Digital Media Title: Rhino vs. AJ Francis

Francis, with Rich Swann, is defending and mocks the Philadelphia Phillies, meaning it’s a jump start by Rhino and an ECW chant. Swann comes in for the DQ at 43 seconds.

Post match Santino Marella says he doesn’t think so, meaning it’s time to restart this as a street fight.

Digital Media Title: AJ Francis vs. Rhino

Francis is defending in a street fight so they head outside with Francis hitting him in the back with something made of metal. Rhino fights back and sends the table in That takes too long though and Francis hits him low for the pin to retain at 1:38. Other than ticking off the fans, I’m not sure if I see the point in this entire thing.

Post match PCO comes in but misses a dive, allowing Francis to plant him on the ramp.

Tasha Steelz vs. Gisele Shaw

Steelz jumps her before the bell and sends her back first into the apron a few times. They get inside for the opening bell and Steelz grabs an early chinlock. Shaw is back up with some rollups for two each before they forearm it out. Shock And Awe (the Lethal Combination) gives Shaw two and she grabs a scoop powerslam for two more. Shaw’s running knee finishes at 4:17.

Rating: C. It’s good to have Shaw back and she is feeling more like a star. While this is probably leading to some kind of match involving Gail Kim, I could absolutely see Shaw getting back into the title picture off of this whole thing. That being said, none of that matters if she doesn’t actually win the title at some point, as she has come so close multiple times now.

Xia Brookside wants Alisha Edwards and knows that Steph de Lander will be back.

JDC vs. Chris Bey

Ace Austin is here with Bey. They start fast with Bey sending him to the floor, setting up the big running flip dive. Back in and Bey kicks him down for two, only to miss a charge and fall out to the floor. Cue the System as Bey starts the comeback and hits a running clothesline in the corner. A neckbreaker out of said corner brings the System outside to fight with Bey and Austin. The distraction lets JDC hit a quick Down And Dirty for the pin at 5:03.

Rating: C. This didn’t have time to get very far and was more about having the System screw over part of the ABC before their likely title match at Slammiversary. JDC is still good for a match like this and giving him a win keeps him looking strong as he is now part of the System. Not much of the match, but it did what it needed to do.

Video on the Hardys in TNA. They’re ready to take the Tag Team Titles next week.

Joe Hendry/Josh Alexander vs. Steve Maclin/Moose

Before the match, Hendry talks about how he’s against Dancing Moose and Maclin, who wants to tag em and bag em. After tonight, he’ll only be bagging Hendry’s groceries because the people believe. Hold on though as here is Frankie Kazarian to join commentary. Alexander and Maclin start things off as Kazarian talks about how it is time for him to do things for himself.

The KIA and C4 Spike are both escaped to start so Alexander grabs an armdrag into an armbar. Moose comes in for a slam and wants Hendry, who comes in to hammer away in the corner. Everything breaks down and Alexander suplexes Maclin, followed by Hendry doing the same to Moose (with an assist from some believers). Alexander comes back in to send Maclin into the corner but Moose beaks up the running crossbody.

Maclin’s elbow to the face gets two as commentary is not pleased with a lot of Kazarian’s bragging. Alexander manages to low bridge Moose to the floor but gets tied in the Tree of Woe. A middle rope hurricanrana gets Alexander out of trouble though and it’s off to Hendry to clean house. Hendry grabs a cutter on Maclin and a powerbomb to Moose but Maclin slips out of the Standing Ovation. Alexander comes back in to roll some German suplexes and everything breaks down. A hard clothesline drops Moose but Kazarian offers a distraction to Hendry. The spear and KIA finish Alexander at 12:20.

Rating: B-. This was a bit of a random match but that’s kind of the point of the six way. The title match is going to be all about the chaos and everyone fighting everyone so throwing some random pairings out there is interesting. The villains get to stand strong on the way there, but the title match is all about whether Hendry can win the title and there is no hiding that right now.

Overall Rating: B-. This show did a nice job of building on matches and stories that were already set for Slammiversary and that is not a bad thing. The show is in less than a month and while most of the card is set, you can occasionally use a fine tuning show like this one. It helps get ans more invested in the show and they did that rather nicely again this week. Not a great show, but one they needed to do.

Results
Jordynne Grace b. Izzi Dame – Juggernaut Driver
Charlie Dempsey b. Zachary Wentz – Dragon suplex
Mike Bailey b. Jonathan Gresham and Kushida – Ultimate Weapon to Gresham
Rhino b. AJ Francis via DQ when Rich Swann interfered
AJ Francis b. Rhino – Low blow
Gisele Shaw b. Tasha Steelz – Running knee
JDC b. Chris Bey – Down And Dirty
Moose/Steve Maclin b. Josh Alexander/Joe Hendry – KIA to Alexander

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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NWA-TNA Weekly PPV #2
Date: June 26, 2002
Location: Von Braun Center, Huntsville, Alabama
Commentators: Mike Tenay, Ed Ferrara, Don West

So after last week’s not so great debut, we have the followup here, which was taped after the first show. The big story is Jeff Jarrett (shocking I know) vs. Scott Hall, which was set up at the end of last week’s show. In addition, we’re crowning the first ever X Champion, which should be quite a fun way to go. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

We open with a long recap of last week. Dang that’s a lot of Jeff Jarrett.

Opening sequence.

Commentary previews the show.

Scott Hall vs. Jeff Jarrett

Jackie Fargo and Toby Keith (yes the singer) are here with Hall, who knocks Jarrett down to start. That means an early standoff, which lets Jarrett yell at the referee. Hall slugs Jarrett down and sends him flying with the fall away slam, as he tends to do. Back up and Jarrett snaps off some dropkicks before grabbing the sleeper.

Hall reverses into one of his own but gets suplexed down (they LOVED that sequence) for a delayed two. The discus punch and some clotheslines have Jarrett in trouble but cue K-Krush to break up the Razor’s Edge. Jackie Fargo goes after K-Krush so Keith comes in to hit Jarrett low. A double faceplant finishes Jarrett at 6:58. Ignore that the referee would have seen everything Keith did.

Rating: C+. This was a match that wasn’t exactly lighting the mat on fire but what mattered was the star power. This might not exactly be a top level match on the biggest stage, but it is a pair of big, established names. That is how you get people watching and hopefully they stick around for everything else, though that is quite the tricky situation to make work.

We look at the various women in the lingerie battle royal, including the fight between Francine and Elektra last week.

Cheex vs. Frank Parker

Cheex, who probably weighs over 500lbs, has the Brown Eyed Girl with him. Parker’s clotheslines have no effect so Cheex slams him down and hits the running hip attacks. Parker gets in a cheap shot though and hammers away as Alicia is here to talk to Jeremy Borash. Not that it matters as Cheex fights back and hits the big splash for the pin at 2:10. This was exactly what you would think it would be.

Post match, Borash pays Alicia off.

Next week: Tag Team Titles.

We look back at K-Krush arguing with the NASCAR drivers last week, with Brian Christopher making the save.

K-Krush vs. Brian Christopher

Christopher has Sterling Marlin and Hermie Sadler (the aforementioned drivers) with him. Krush jumps him to start and hits an elbow in the corner but Christopher fights back in a hurry. A running bulldog gives Christopher two but Krush is right back with a suplex. We hit the chinlock for all of a few seconds before Christopher fights up and hits an enziguri. Christopher goes to hammer away in the corner but gets atomic dropped back down. Krush goes to the apron and gets crotched by the drivers. The Hip Hop Drop finishes Krush off at 5:07.

Rating: C. Something tells me Christopher is going to be getting a lot of TV time in the near future and that is only so interesting. There’s a reason he is best known for his time either as part of a team or with his dad and that is likely going to be on display here. The match was little more than an excuse for the drivers to hurt Krush and that is hardly interesting in the first place.

Miss TNA: Lingerie Battle Royal

Joanie, Francine, Shannon, Alexis Laree, Elektra, Taylor, Erin, Sasha, Tyler

This is bra and panties rules and the winner gets a contract. The fact that commentary doesn’t bother mentioning most of the entrants during their individual entrances isn’t the best sign of things to come. It’s a brawl to start as Ferrara talks about wanting to see skin pop out.

Various clothing is removed and Tyler and Sasha are out rather quickly. Erin is gone and a bunch of women get together to eliminate Francine. Joanie is out too and we’re quickly down to four. Ferrara goes over to hit on Francine and gets whipped for her efforts. Shannon and Laree eliminated in the melee, leaving Taylor to eliminate Elektra for the win at 4:48.

Rating: D. This was barely a match as it was more about everyone running all over the place and getting eliminated. There’s only so much you can get out of something like this and they weren’t hiding the point. That being said, this was bad even under this style’s standards, which says a lot as it doesn’t exactly have standards in the first place.

Post match Francine comes back in, takes out Taylor, and whips her with the belt.

Goldilocks is interviewing Apollo when Bobcat, with David Young, interrupts. Bobcat wants to know why she isn’t getting attention and yells at Goldilocks, who isn’t having it.

Apollo vs. David Young

Bobcat is in Young’s corner. Young’s running shoulders have no effect and a double arm trap belly to belly sends Young flying again. Back up and Apollo misses a charge into the corner as Bobcat hits on Jeremy Borash. A chinlock doesn’t last long so Young grabs a suplex for two, setting up another chinlock. Apollo is back up with a tornado DDT but Young snaps off a spinebuster. Instead of covering though, Apollo yells at Bobcat for being on Borash’s lap. The distraction lets Apollo hit a superkick into a TKO for the pin at 5:27.

Rating: C. This was a nice enough showcase for Apollo, who was treated as a pretty big deal in last week’s Gauntlet For The Gold. The company is going to need to build up some names that aren’t all WWF/WCW castoffs and Apollo could be a nice place to start. He certainly has a good look and that is more than a nice foundation, with the col finisher helping too.

Post match Bobcat gets in the ring with Young and celebrates, leaving Young to walk off.

Here is Joel Gertner to limerick about various things and then talk about the joys of alternative lifestyles. That’s enough to bring out the Rainbow Express and we’re ready to go.

Rainbow Express vs. The Dupps

Hold on though as we cut to the back where the Dupps aren’t going to wrestle. Executive Bill Behrens panics but runs into Chris Harris and James Storm, who he sends to wrestle the match instead.

Rainbow Express vs. Chris Harris/James Storm

The Express jumps them during their entrance but Storm kicks away at Lenny. A tornado DDT puts Storm down and Lenny kisses Bruce’s hand for a tag. Bruce’s sunset flip gets two and everything breaks down for a bit. The Express uses the distracted referee to get in a cheap shot on Storm, allowing Lane to grab the Tiger (Lion) Tamer. Harris isn’t having that and breaks it up with a clothesline, meaning it’s a hot tag to bring in Harris to clean house. Everything breaks down and the Express is rammed together, with Harris grabbing a rollup for the pin at 4:48.

Rating: C-. The right team won, which is at least somewhat due to how terrible the Express is presented. The wrestlers are fine, but it’s playing up every stereotype and treating them as heels, which is hardly a great way to go. Harris and Storm fall into the category of “they’re new and young so maybe try something”, which is something that has to happen in a big way around here.

Here is Ricky Steamboat, in a referee shirt, to bring out World Champion Ken Shamrock for a chat. Steamboat puts over the title as important and Shamrock promises to defend the title with honor. Cue James Mitchell to interrupt, saying he is on a mission from God (his, not yours) and that is why the Disciples of the New Church will control the NWA World Title. Mitchell issues a title challenge for next week against Slash. Shamrock says let’s do it tonight but here is Malice from behind to lay him out. Apparently Malice is getting the title shot instead. Makes more sense.

We look at last week’s six man tag with the Flying Elvises beating AJ Styles, Low Ki and Jerry Lynn. The three losers and Psicosis are in the X-Division Title tournament, leaving Ferrara to ask the logical question: why aren’t the WINNERS fighting for the title?

X Title: Jerry Lynn vs. AJ Styles vs. Psicosis vs. Low Ki

For the vacant title and it’s double elimination, meaning it’s a string of singles matches and you have to lose two falls to be eliminated, with the last man standing being the champion. That’s a unique idea and I could go for seeing it used again. Styles chops at Psicosis to start but gets faceplanted down for his efforts. A superkick gives Styles two but Psicosis knocks him down and hits the guillotine legdrop for two. Back up and a hurricanrana is countered into the Styles Clash to give Psicosis his first loss at 2:01.

Psicosis – 1 loss
Styles – 0 losses
Ki – 0 losses
Lynn – 0 losses

Low Ki comes in to kick away at Styles, including an enziguri. Another Styles Clash is broken up and they go to the corner, where Ki reverse superplexes him into a dragon sleeper. Styles makes the rope so Ki kicks him in the face, only to miss a Phoenix splash. A hard clothesline takes Ki down again and a belly to back faceplant gives Ki his first loss at 4:21 total.

Psicosis – 1 loss
Ki – 1 loss
Styles – 0 losses
Lynn – 0 losses

Lynn is in next and immediately hits the cradle piledriver to pin Styles at 4:41 total.

Psicosis – 1 loss
Ki – 1 loss
Styles – 1 loss
Lynn – 0 losses

Psicosis comes in to dropkick Lynn down but he’s back up with a middle rope bulldog for two. A headscissors sends Lynn outside and there’s the big flip dive to drop him again. Back in and a top rope spinwheel kick gives Psicosis two but he gets dropkicked out of the air. Another cradle piledriver pins Psicosis to officially eliminate him at 7:42 total.

Ki – 1 loss
Styles – 1 loss
Lynn – 0 losses
Psicosis – Eliminated

Ki is back in to kick Lynn down for two and a power drive elbow gets the same. A super hurricanrana connects but Lynn rolls through into a sunset flip for two of his own. There’s an enziguri to stagger Ki again and Lynn hits a jumping Fameasser from the apron. Ki tries a triangle choke but gets powerbombed down for a VERY near fall, with the fans not exactly seeming convinced by the kickout. Ki’s fisherman’s buster is countered into a DDT (nicely done) and the cradle piledriver gives Lynn the pin at 12:02 total.

Styles – 1 loss
Lynn – 0 losses
Psicosis – Eliminated
Ki – Eliminated

So it’s down to Styles vs. Lynn, with Styles needing to beat him twice in a row to win the title. Styles is right back in with a discus lariat and a spinwheel kick gets two. A tilt-a-whirl backbreaker gives Lynn two of his own but Styles blocks a sunset flip and hits a slingshot splash for two. Lynn’s tornado DDT gets two more and they’re both down for a breather. Back up and Styles’ neckbreaker gets two, followed by Lynn’s rather snappy Liger Bomb out of the corner getting the same. Styles is right back with a Styles Clash for the pin at 16:05 total.

Styles – 1 loss
Lynn – 1 loss
Psicosis – Eliminated
Ki – Eliminated

It’s one fall to a finish for the title and Ricky Steamboat comes in to referee. They trade pinfall reversal sequences to start until Lynn knocks him to the floor. There’s a whip into the barricade to drop Styles but he’s right back with a shot of his own. Back in and Lynn hits a reverse suplex to drape Styles over the top before reversing a hurricanrana into a flipping faceplant for two.

Back up and Styles hits the fireman’s carry backbreaker for two of his own but Lynn’s brainbuster gets two more. The sleeper goes on, with Styles jawbreaking his way to freedom. Styles goes up and gets superplexed back down for two and Lynn is getting frustrated. Lynn takes him up again but gets shoved down, setting up the Spiral Tap to give Styles the pin and the title at 25:59.

Rating: B. This was a really cool idea and something I could go for seeing again. The double elimination stipulation made it feel like the best person won and helped cover the idea of the last person entering having a huge advantage. Styles is someone who has already stood out and beating someone with the status of Lynn is only going to help move him along.

We look at all of the falls in the title match.

Commentary previews next week to end the show.

Overall Rating: C+. Good enough show here, though the promotion is firmly still in the “getting its feet wet” stage. They have only presented about three and a half hours of content and are still getting their initial champions set. That should make for some good enough shows, but they are still having some of the freak show aspects with things like Cheex. The main event is rather good though, as they are trying to find a mixture of established names and young up and comers, which seems to be working well enough, at least so far. It’s way too early to tell though and that is going to be the case for a long time.

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