TNA Wrestling: The Original Super Indy

[UndisputedOrca]

Breaking News: Spike TV Makes Significant Investment in TNA Wrestling; Appoints Paul Heyman as Head of Creative

October 19th, 2009 - Irvine, CA
​

As the night drifted on after TNA's biggest show of the year, the 2009 edition of Bound for Glory. The news broke and everything changed. Bryan Alverez of the Wrestling Observer has reported that Spike TV has made a significant investment in TNA Wrestling, making the broadcast company the majority owner. As part of Spike TV's investment they will be giving TNA another hour of television time: a one hour Saturday night show designed to increase the amount of TV time for underutilized stars such as the tag team, knockouts, and X Divisions. That show will begin airing immediately next Saturday with the debut episode of "Voltage"

Also as part of the deal, TNA will shift it's focus to becoming a TV company. As a result of the deal, TNA will drop from 12 pay-per-views a year to 4 quarterly events in January, April, June, & October beginning in 2010. However, the pay-per-views falling off the calendar will be replaced with 4-6 TV specials, three hour shows airing in place of Voltage on certain weeks. These TV specials will begin on December 5th, 2009 with a show titled "Against All Odds".

Potentially the biggest change with the announcement is that TNA will be hiring former ECW headman & WWE talent/creative executive Paul Heyman to head up creative in the new Spike TV era. Spike reached out to Heyman as part of the deal and was able to persuade him to make a return to the wrestling business. Sources have told us that Heyman was very impressed with TNA's roster and thought with better leadership and a capital infusion that there was a major opportunity to change the wrestling business. Heyman noted the recent success of Ring Honor and Pro Wrestling Guerrilla in his pitch to Spike management, noting that TNA has a chance to do something at a larger scale with Spike's investment. Heyman's main focus at this time is said to be to focus more on TNA's homegrown talent rather than on former WCW and WWE legends. Heyman also is said to have a vested interest in making TNA the world leader in tag team and women's wrestling. Heyman's role will be solely creative with no current plans for him to appear on TV. Other housekeeping items on this part of the news, Vince Russo has been fired with Heyman's addition and founder Jeff Jarrett will stay with the company in a backstage role and as an on-screen GM. More to come on this story as it develops.

Bound for Glory 2009 Results

The Amazing Red (c) defeated Alex Shelley, Chris Sabin, Daniels, Homicide and Suicide to retain the TNA X-Division Championship in an Ultimate X match (15:15).
Sarita & Taylor Wilde (c) defeated The Beautiful People (Madison Rayne & Velvet Sky) (w/ Lacey Von Erich) to retain the TNA Knockout Tag Team Championships (3:00).
Eric Young defeated Kevin Nash (c) and Hernandez to become the new TNA Legends Champion in a triple threat match (8:55).
The British Invasion (Brutus Magnus & Doug Williams) (c) and Team 3D (Brother Devon & Brother Ray) defeated Booker T & Scott Steiner (c) and Beer Money Inc. (James Storm & Robert Roode) in a Full Metal Mayhem Double Ladder Four Way match where The British Invasion become the new TNA World Tag Team Champions and Team 3D become the new IWGP Tag Team Champions (17:15).
ODB (c) defeated Awesome Kong and Tara to retain the TNA Women's Knockout Championship in a triple threat match (7:35).
Bobby Lashley defeated Samoa Joe in a submission match (7:20)
Abyss defeated Mick Foley in a Monster's Ball match with Dr. Stevie as the Special Referee (11:10).
Kurt Angle defeated Matt Morgan (14:45).
AJ Styles (c) defeated Sting to retain the TNA World Heavyweight Championship (13:15).

----​

As some of you may know, I start this thread over at WC and had to take a pause from writing due to some personal life stuff that unfortunately hit at the same time as WC shutting down. I took a pretty long break from working on this with about a week's worth of shows unposted before the Against All Odds special referenced above. I'm caught up on the TV and working on Against All Odds right now. I'm planning to start positing where I left off but I'll do some recap posts on the storylines that got lost to history with WC. Looking forward to being able to share this with you all.

 

[Sky]

I love BTBs with this specific divergence - TNA pre-Hogan. It could have been so much better

Will enjoy this

 

[Stojy]

Happy to see you bring this across mate, was definitely good reading. Hoping the personal stuff is taking care of itself as well. Best of luck with the new content, looking forward to reading.

 

[UndisputedOrca]

ROSTER

Abyss
AJ Styles
Alex Shelley
Alissa Flash
Amazing Red
Angelina Love - Currently Off Screen with Visa Issues
Awesome Kong
Bobby Fish
Bobby Lashley
Brother Devon
Brother Ray
Brutus Magnus
Chris Sabin
Consequences Creed
Daffney - Off-Screen (Injured)
D'Angelo Dinero
Daniels
Doug Williams
Dr. Stevie
Eric Young
Hamada
Hernandez
Homicide
James Storm
Jay Lethal
Jeff Jarrett
Jesse Neal
Kevin Nash
Kiyoshi
Kurt Angle
Lacey Von Erich
Madison Rayne
Matt Jackson
Matt Morgan
Mick Foley - Off Screen Injury
Nick Jackson
Nigel McGuiness
ODB
Petey Williams
Raven
Rhino
Rob Terry
Robert Roode
Roxxi
Samoa Joe
Sarita
Shannon Moore
Sonjay Dutt
Sting - Off Screen (Vacation)
Suicide
Tara
Taylor Wilde
Traci Brooks
Velvet Sky

Tag Teams, Groups, Alliances, etc.
Beer Money Inc: James Storm & Robert Roode
The Beautiful People: Angelina Love, Lacey Von Erich, Madison Rayne, & Velvet Sky
The British Invasion: Brutus Magnus, Douglas Williams, & Rob Terry
Kiyoshi & Sheik Abdul-Bashir
Lethal Consequences: Consequences Creed & Jay Lethal
Motor City Machine Guns: Alex Shelley & Chris Saban
Taylor Wilde & Sarita
Team 3D: Brother Devon & Brother Ray
World Elite: Eric Young, Homicide, The British Invasion, Kiyoshi, & Sheik Abdul-Bashir
The Young Bucks: Matt & Nick Jackson

Other On-Air Talent
Commentary Team: Mike Tenay & Taz
Backstage Interviewer: Jeremy Borasch
Ring Announcer: Christy Hemme
Manager/Advocate of Amazing Red: Don West
Special Adviser to Abyss: Father James Mitchell


Championship History

TNA World Heavyweight Championship
(1) AJ Styles: September 20, 2009 - Present
(Defeated Champion Kurt Angle, Sting, Matt Morgan, & Hernandez in a Five Way Dance @ No Surrender)
Successful Defenses:
Sting via Pinfall @ Bound for Glory 2009
Scott Steiner via Pinfall on the October 29th, 2009 Episode of Impact

TNA Knockouts Championship
(2) ODB: September 20, 2009 - Present
(Defeated Cody Deaner in an intergender match for the vacant title @ No Surrender)
Successful Defenses:
Defeated Awesome Kong via pinfall on the October 1st, 2009 Episode of Impact
Defeated Tara & Awesome Kong via pinfall @ Bound for Glory 2009
Defeated Hamada via pinfall on the October 31st, 2009 Episode of Voltage

TNA Legends Championship
(1) Eric Young: October 18, 2009 - Present
(Defeated Champion Kevin Nash & Hernandez in a Triple Threat Match @ Bound for Glory)
Successful Defenses:
Hernandez via Escape in a Steel Cage Match on the October 24, 2009 Episode of Voltage

TNA Tag Team Championships
(1) The British Invasion: October 18, 2009 - Present
(Defeated Champions Scott Steiner & Booker T, Beer Money Inc. & Team 3D in a Full Metal Mayhem Match @ Bound for Glory)
Successful Defenses:
Team 3D via pinfall on the November 12th, 2009 Episode of Impact

TNA Knockouts Tag Team Championships
(1) Taylor Wilde & Sarita: September 20, 2009 - Present
(Defeated The Beautiful People for the debuting championships at No Surrender)
Successful Defenses:
ODB & Tara via pinfall on the September 24, 2009 Episode of Impact
The Beautiful People (Velvet Sky & Madison Rayne) via pinfall @ Bound for Glory 2009
The Beautiful People (Madison Rayne & Lacey Von Erich) via pinfall on the November 19th Episode of Impact


TNA X Division Championship
(2) Amazing Red: October 5, 2009 - Present
(Defeated Champion Samoa Joe on Impact!)
Successful Defenses:
Alex Shelley, Chris Sabin, Daniels, Suicide, and Homicide in an Ultimate X Match @ Bound for Glory 2009
Homicide, D'Angelo Dinero, Kiyoshi, & Sheik Abhul-Bashir via pinfall on the October 24th, 2009 Episode of Voltage
Shannon Moore via pinfall on the November 7th, 2009 Episode of Voltage
Petey Williams via pinfall on the November 12th, 2009 Episode of Impact

Weekly Shows
Impact! - Thursdays from 9-11 PM EST on Spike TV
Voltage! - Saturdays from 9-10 EST on Spike TV



Upcoming Special Events
Against All Odds: Three Hour Saturday Night Special on Spike
December 5th, 2009 in the Impact Zone! (Orlando, FL)

Genesis: Pay-Per-View
January 17th, 2010 at the McFarlin Auditorium in Dallas, TX

Turning Point: Three Hour Saturday Night Special on Spike
February 27th, 2010 in the Impact Zone! (Orlando, FL)

Hard Justice: Three Hour Saturday Night Special on Spike
March 27th, 2010 in the Impact Zone! (Orlando, FL)

Lockdown: Pay-Per-View
April 25th, 2010 in the Jay Pritizker Pavilion in Chicago, IL (Outdoors)

Sacrifice: Three Hour Saturday Night Special on Spike
May 29th, 2010 in the Impact Zone! (Orlando, FL)

Slammiversery: Pay-Per-View
June 26th, 2010 in Nashville, TN​

 

[UndisputedOrca]

2 Weeks Away - TNA's Debut 3-Hour Spike TV Special!!

Confirmed for Against All Odds - December 5th, 2009 on Spike

TNA World Heavyweight Championship Match
Champ AJ Styles defends against Abyss w/James Mitchell

10-Man Unsanctioned Tag Team Match - Falls Count Anywhere
Legends Champion Eric Young, TNA Tag Team Champions the British Invasion, Rob Terry & Homicide
Vs.
Kurt Angle, The Motor City Machine Guns & Beer Money Inc.

TNA Golden Ticket Tournament Finals - Winner Receives a Future TNA World Heavyweight Championship Match
Christopher Daniels vs. Suicide

Feast or Fired Match
Confirmed Participants: Jay Lethal, Consequences Creed, Hernandez, Samoa Joe, Kevin Nash, Matt Morgan, & Scott Steiner, TBD, TBD, TBD

Knockouts Championship Match
Champ ODB defends against Velvet Sky

TNA X Division Championship Match
Champ The Amazing Red defends against "The Pope" D'Angelo Dinero

Knockouts Tag Team Championships Match
Champs Taylor Wilde & Sarita defend against Awesome Kong & Tara

And More.....!!

Coming Soon: "How We Got Here: Men's Heavyweight Division"

​

 

[Death By Looch]

TNA 09 is an interesting one, since that was about the time between the two big phases, where I watched it regularly. I'm looking forward to see what you'll do with this and you better be pushing Hamada.

Good luck with this, mate!

 

[UndisputedOrca]

As I’m sure some of you know, this thread initially started over at Wrestling Clique with a good chunk of shows in the bank. The last show posted was the November 21st, 2009 episode of Voltage. Instead of reposting every show, I’ll be posting a series of recaps to highlight key points that have happened along the way to get everyone primed for what’s about to happen next. And so we start, with the men’s heavyweight division.

How We Got Here: Men’s Heavyweight Division

The Sharks Circle Styles

On the October 22nd, 2009 episode of TNA Impact, TNA World Heavyweight Champion AJ Styles addressed the Impact Zone just four short days after his successful defense over Sting at Bound for Glory. Styles vowed to be a fighting champion, defending his title against all comers and offering the opportunity of a lifetime: The Golden Ticket Tournament (see below) for his fellow competitors who hadn’t yet held the gold. Scott Steiner, who took objection to not being included in the tournament, challenged Styles to a title match for the next week’s Impact. Being a fighting champion, AJ accepted.

On the October 29th, 2009 edition of TNA’s flagship show, Styles successfully defended his title against Steiner. The Phenomenal One picked up the win by countering a Frankensteiner into a Styles Clash from the top rope. The celebration was short lived as AJ was attacked after the match by “The Monster” Abyss who had been cutting a series of mysterious promos about a new adviser and a new thirst for violence after his Monster’s Ball Victory over Mick Foley at Bound for Glory.

The next week, on the November 5th episode of Impact, Styles called out Abyss and demanded he come out and fight. AJ told a heartfelt story about getting terrified calls from his children after Abyss sent him to the hospital. The Monster responded via satellite, saying he would be present in the Impact Zone next week with his new adviser.

After some stalling tactics by Abyss’s adviser, the champ finally got to call out the Monster on the November 12th episode of Impact. Styles was quickly interrupted by a returning Father James Mitchell, who was revealed to Abyss’s adviser. AJ went to bring the fight to Mitchell but was quickly assaulted and put through the announce table by Abyss. With AJ unconscious, Mitchell used the opportunity to tell the story about Abyss reached out to him after being betrayed by the likes of Mick Foley, Dr. Stevie, and Raven. Mitchell claimed he had channeled Abyss’s rage and thirst for blood and that Abyss never meant to attack AJ Styles. He just couldn’t help himself and is misunderstood. But now that AJ had upset the Monster, Abyss would be the next World Heavyweight Champion. The promo concluded with Abyss holding the World Title over his shoulder and telling each one of the Styles children good night by name.

On the November 19th, 2009 episode of Impact, the World Title Match between AJ Styles and Abyss was made official for the Against All Odds Spike Special on Saturday December 5th. With AJ away selling the damage from Abyss’s attack. The Monster faced off with Styles’ best friend, “The Fallen Angel” Christopher Daniels. The match ended in a double count-out, with Abyss seeming to have no interest in actually wrestling Daniels and laying down a violent beatdown at ringside.

A Golden Ticket Opportunity

From the brilliant minds of the TNA World Heavyweight Champion AJ Styles and TNA Director of Wrestling Operations Jeff Jarrett came the First Ever Golden Ticket Tournament. An eight man, single elimination tournament featuring exclusively competitors who have never held the TNA World Title. The winner will receive a future shot at the TNA World Heavyweight Championship. The bracket was set with the following first round match-ups.

Suicide vs. Jay Lethal
Robert Roode vs. Eric Young
Christopher Daniels vs. Hernandez
Matt Morgan vs. “The Pope” D’Angelo Dinero.

The first two matches took place on the October 29th, 2009 episode of Impact. The show up opened with Christopher Daniels defeating Hernandez in a hard fought match to move on in the tournament with the Best Moonsault Ever sealing the deal. Later in the night, Suicide defeated Jay Lethal in a renewal of their rivalry. The masked man showed his first signs of a new edge by winning with a tights assisted rollup.

In the main event of the October 31, 2009 episode of Voltage, The Pope defeated Matt Morgan in a match that Morgan had all but won. After a ref bump, a mystery man in a hoodie laid out Morgan using a led pipe. Pope used the interference to his advantage, hitting the Dinero Express for the win. Post-Match, the man revealed himself to be Samoa Joe. Joe subsequently beat down Morgan, badly injuring his shoulder.

On the November 5th, 2009 episode of Impact, the final quarter final match main evented the show. In the midst of a heated rivalry between World Elite and Beer Money Inc. (to be discussed in a later post), the leader of World Elite, Eric Young faced BMI’s Robert Roode. The two former Team Canada members had a hard fought match with World Elite barred from ringside. All things appeared to be coming up Roode. Young thought fast on his feet and pretended to be attacked by Storm’s tag team partner, James Storm. While the referee was dealing with Storm, Young used the opportunity to smash a beer bottle over his former tag team partner’s head and score the victory.

The semi-finals kicked off on the November 12th, 2009 edition of Impact when Christopher Daniels defeated “The Pope” D’Angelo Dinero in a hard fought clean win. The match concluded with Daniels dodging a Dinero Express to hit the Best Moonsault Ever for the win.

Over the weeks subsequent to Bound for Glory, Suicide had been acting strangely. The masked man had been wandering into backstage segments leaving short cryptic messages or saying nothing at all. Things hit peak weirdness in an in-ring interview on the November 7th episode of Voltage where the former super hero refused to answer Jeremy Borash’s questions, got in Borash’s face and simply said “soon….”

On the November 14th episode of Voltage, Suicide punched his ticket to the tournament final by defeating Eric Young in a match dominated by outside interference from World Elite, Kurt Angle, The Motor City Machine Guns, and Beer Money. As the masked man turned farther to the dark side, he took advantage of the chaos. Hitting the leader of World Elite with Young’s Legends Championship belt before hitting his finisher to secure the win.

It was official: Suicide versus Christopher Daniels in the finals for a World Title shot at Against All Odds. There was just one piece of business to take care of first. Daniels had to face Abyss to avenge his best friend AJ Styles on the November 19th, 2009 episode of Impact. After the match spiraled into a double count-out, Suicide came out to the ring from the rafters and actually SAVED DANIELS. The superhero stole the Monster’s barbed wire bat. As James Mitchell pulled Abyss away from the fray, Suicide turned around and used the bat to ASSAULT DANIELS as Impact came to a close….


Coming Up Next: How We Got Here: The War with the World Elite….​

 

[UndisputedOrca]

How We Got Here: The War with World Elite

World Elite Takes Control

On the October 22nd, 2009 episode of Impact, Kurt Angle kicked-off the show announcing the official disbanding of the Main Event Mafia. After his hard fought battle against Matt Morgan at Bound for Glory, Angle had found a new lease on life, wanting to focus on having great matches with all the young talent in TNA. As a result, Angle announced an open challenge to anyone who wanted to face him.

Fresh off a dominant night at Bound for Glory, Angle was interrupted by Eric Young’s all foreigner faction of the World Elite. Post Bound for Glory, Young now possessed the TNA Legends Champion and the British Invasion were now TNA Tag Team Champions. The World Elite announced their intention to take over TNA and they started off with a bang on this episode of Impact. Kiyoshi & Sheik Abdul Bashir defeated Lethal Consequences & The Motor City Machine Guns to earn X Division Title matches (with some help from Young taking out the Guns) and a beatdown of Kurt Angle to end the night after his match with Brutus Magnnus. Young made things personal, targeting Kurt Angle’s neck with a piledriver attempt on a chair only for the Motor City Machine Guns to make the save.

Over the coming weeks, World Elite would make enemies of Angle & the Guns. On the debut episode of Voltage, the Guns cost Kiyoshi & Bashir in their 5-way X Division Title match that also included the Pope, Homicide, and the retaining Champion Amazing Red. Alex Shelley lit a fire under Angle by accepting his open challenge and having a banger match on the November 5th, 2009 episode of Impact.

While Angle & The Guns were building a relationship, World Elite was going on a hot streak. Eric Young successfully defended his title in a steel cage against Hernandez on the same debut episode of Voltage and the British Invasion scored a tag title defense over Team 3D on the November 12th, 2009 episode of Impact.

Along the way, World Elite made another enemy out of one of Young’s former friends, Robert Roode and Beer Money Inc. Young and his former tag team partner were paired together in the first round of the Golden Ticket tournament. The Legends Champion had some harsh words for his former Team Canada partner, ridiculing him for Americanizing himself by succumbing to greed and alcohol. Their first round match ended with Young scoring the win using James Storm’s beer bottle. Beer Money took the assault personally, declaring war on World Elite & siding with Angle & the Guns.

Tensions hit their peak on the November 14th episode of Voltage, where Young faced off with Suicide in his semi-final match. World Elite tried to get involved, which drew out Angle, the Guns, and Beer Money. Suicide used Young’s Legends Belt to score the win throughout the chaos. After the match, Jeff Jarrett declared that this had to stop and that he would declare a resolution on the coming episode of Impact.

On the November 19th, 2009 episode of Impact, we opened to a scene of the World Elite, Kurt Angle, The Guns, & Beer Money in the ring; separated by TNA President of Wrestling Operations Jeff Jarrett and security. Jarrett laid out the ground rules for Against All Odds on December 5th: A 5-on-5 Unsanctioned, Falls Count Anywhere Street Fight between Angle, The Guns, Beer Money & 5 Members of World Elite. The match would only go if there was no further interference in matches or physical contact outside of a TNA ring. Angle implored Young to be a man and face him one-on-one for the Legends Title. Young responded by saying that Angle was everything that was wrong with America and promised to make sure Angle breaks his neck for his country again in the Street Fight at Against All Odds.

With the battle lines drawn, several battles took place over the week to come. Chris Sabin defeated Douglas Williams, Brutus Magnus defeated James Storm, and Kurt Angle defeated Homicide. What will come next as we ride down the path to this unsanctioned carnage at Against All Odds?

Coming Up Next: How We Got Here, the Knockouts Division....​