TNA Against All Odds Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights from February 28, 2010
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Mahon DeLoren
March 1, 2010
Paul Heyman can proudly hang his hat on the success of the first pay-per-view to take place in his regime. The card was bursting at the seams and the entire locker room seemed fired up and motivated to give the paying customers their money’s worth in an event that Heyman himself had hyped up as showing the wrestling world how far TNA has come. Judging by some of his announcements on the night, Heyman seems hellbent on continuing the TNA expansion with plenty for fans to look forward to in the coming months.
In addition to a thirty-minute pre-show which aired for free on YouTube, Against All Odds clocked in at over three hours and those who fished over $29.99 will undoubtedly be pleased with their purchase. Aside from a couple of announcements about the coming months of TNA programming and some small interviews, this PPV broadcast was bell-to-bell action and just as well; because it wouldn’t have been possible to squeeze even one more minute of action into Against All Odds. Heyman still managed to sprinkle in a couple of BIG surprises though.
The pre-announced matches for the show:
- Pre-show - Lethal Consequences vs Motor City Machine Guns
- Pre-show - Knockouts Tag Team Championship: Sarita & Taylor Wilde © vs Circa 89
- Kurt Angle vs Bryan Danielson
- SpikeTV Championship: Kiyoshi © vs Marco Corleone
- Rob Van Dam vs Jeff Jarrett in Loser Leaves Town
- World Tag Team Championships: The British Invasion vs Eddie Kingston & Homicide © vs Beer Money vs Bad Intentions in an Elimination Match
- Knockouts Championship: Tara vs Hamada ©
- Nigel McGuinness vs Hernandez in Three Degrees of Pain
- X-Division Championship: Amazing Red © vs Francis Benedict Geraldman
- Jon Moxley vs Mick Foley in an Unsanctioned Match
- World Heavyweight Championship: AJ Styles © vs Samoa Joe
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Pre-Show - Lethal Consequences vs Motor City Machine Guns
Supposedly, the idea of running a pre-show is to give the people on the fence about buying the actual show a glimpse of the type of action they would be missing out on WITHOUT giving away draws for free. In that vein, this pre-show opener checked the boxes. It could be argued that it would be fair to expect more from these two teams given MCMG’s stock and the recent performances of Lethal Consequences but in reality, this was a good showing if a little lacking in the heat department.
Clocking in at just over ten minutes, it was maybe a little surprising for fans to see that Consequences Creed did the majority of the heavy lifting for his team, but his sequences with Shelley and Sabin were well-exchanged and fluid. Lethal did play a part and even got a near fall on Shelley after a springboard dropkick but seemed hesitant to really put himself about. This was never more evident in the closing stages when he did nothing to break up the 3-count on Creed after Sabin had planted him with a Cradle Shock.
The fans cheered for Motor City Machine Guns but the result was definitely a surprise given how well Lethal Consequences have performed recently. They’ve wrestled in back-to-back bangers at the New Year’s Impact and 8-Card Stud shows and while it is nice to see MCMG featured and pick up a big win, you have to wonder what the planned direction for Lethal Consequences is after this result.
Result
Motor City Machine Guns
Grade
B-
Highlights
- Creed and Shelley had a great striking exchange at the start of the match where they drilled each other with closed fists. Andrew Thomas had to break it up and it added some early heat to a match that had none attached to it.
- Taz and Tenay were joined at the pre-show booth by “Uptown” D’Lo Brown, perhaps indicative of a potential incoming shift in personnel in the commentary booth.
- Lethal wrestled for less than two minutes in total but his explosive offence was met with loud reactions. A point was definitely made of this as Brown insinuated that he was used to Lethal getting more involved.
- Creed actually took quite a battering and was part of an awesome Skull and Bones spot when Shelley dived from the top turnbuckle to the outside of the ring.
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Pre-Show - Knockouts Tag Team Championship: Circa 89 vs Sarita & Taylor Wilde ©
Part of me thinks that this should have gone on first rather than close out the pre-show as I can’t imagine this would draw many last-second buys from those watching. The four Knockouts performed well but it wasn’t a very exciting encounter and even the ending was a bit flat as Sarita & Taylor Wilde retained their championships cleanly.
McKay and Dashwood wrestled as underdog faces but it didn’t have the desired oomph as Sarita and Taylor are also faces. There were some decent exchanges, a mid-match flash-pin exchange between Dashwood and Sarita producing some innovative pin-attempts, and a near-fall for McKay when she drilled Wilde with a sit-out uranage. As the match wore on, Wilde and Sarita began fighting a little bit more viciously and were on top, but it was still unexpected that the end would come when Sarita locked Dashwood in a modified chickenwing armlock. Dashwood verbally submitted to referee Mark Johnson to a rather mild reaction.
The less-than-stellar reaction from the crowd might prompt Heyman and co to rethink match order on any future pre-shows, it must be said that Wilde and Sarita don’t seem to be very over but, equally, McKay and Dashwood’s reactions didn’t seem like those of a crowd baying for them to win the championships. While the Knockout Championship feuds seem to be garnering reactions, there is definitely some work that needs to be done in the tag team division,
Result
Sarita & Taylor Wilde
Grade
C
Highlights
- McKay and Dashwood’s new vibrant purple, Circa 89 ring gear looked cool as hell and made them seem more legitimate as a tag team.
- Dashwood and McKay both have some definite deficiencies but Dashwood’s energy and McKay’s character work point to some potential for the duo.
- Taylor Wilde sold a running big boot by McKay particularly well, flipping herself inside out.
- Sarita’s submission finish was unexpected, but it did look very effective - she had McKay trapped in a neckscissors as she yanked on her arms. The submission finisher could make her stand out amongst the Knockout roster.
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Kurt Angle vs Bryan Danielson
Despite the average ending to the pre-show, the fans immediately came to life for the first official match of Against All Odds. Tenay and Taz really sold this as a dream match during the introductions and despite the result, the TNA faithful already seem to have gained a new fan-favourite in Bryan Danielson as the duo used every second of the twenty-minute time limit to tear the house down - and I mean every second.
Even though Angle cut a cocky figure in the build-up to this match, he seemed extremely cautious in the opening minutes, avoiding lock-ups and opting to concentrate on striking and some take-downs. Danielson was patient and withstood some stinging blows before exploding into the match when Angle tried to initiate a lock-up for the first time: Danielson worked his way behind Angle and dunked him on his head with a German suplex. From there, the match turned into an instant epic with Danielson working Angle over hard while withstanding all of Angle’s top moves. On three occasions, Danielson had Angle locked in a submission but The Olympic Medallist managed to power to the ropes each time. Angle was out-wrestled for large portions of the match but Danielson couldn’t seem to land a killer blow, Angle’s in-ring awareness coming in clutch several times With less than thirty seconds left, after lighting Angle up with kicks, Danielson bounced against the ropes and nearly took Angle’s head off with a running knee-strike which popped The iMPACT Zone in a big way. They popped again as Angle immediately got up from the vicious strike, screamed at Danielson, ducked a haymaker, planted him with the Olympic Slam, and collapsed over his body for a three count.
The fans cheered and clapped for fifteen seconds after the ring bell sounded, only stopping when Danielson pushed the dead weight of Angle off him before pulling himself to his feet. Danielson looked out at the crowd who gave him a round of applause before turning to assist Earl Hebner in dragging Angle to his feet. Angle seemed punch-drunk as he stumbled away, holding himself up with the ropes as Mike Tenay gushed about the classic we had just witnessed.
Result
Kurt Angle
Grade
A-
Highlights
- Angle rocked Danielson with hard rights early on, one causing the literal spit and blood to fly out of Danielson’s mouth. His blood-soaked teeth as he grinned in response provided a very good visual.
- After Angle got the knees up on a Danielson moonsault attempt, he immediately took to the top rope and landed one of his own after mouthing to the camera that “This is how you freaking do it!!!”
- Danielson awed the crowd and Angle after being Irish whipped to the corner; Angle followed in quick pursuit but Danielson ran up the turnbuckles and moonsaulted over Angle, slapping Angle with a stinging open hand when he turned around.
- In an awesome spot, Danielson had Angle laid out on the ring apron after a vicious roundhouse; he got Kurt in a double-wrist clutch before stomping him in the chest, face, and head multiple times - this drew a loud response from the crowd.
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Angle Knocked Loopy - There Won’t Be A Rematch
The camera cuts to the Gorilla position, where Kurt Angle stumbles to through the entry curtain. Angle falls forward but manages to prop himself up against a production crate. Jeremy Borash quickly approaches Angle for an interview, asking for his thoughts on the match but Angle pushes by him, delirious looking in the face. Good ol’ JB doesn’t throw the towel in and follows him saying that 19 minutes and 58 seconds had elapsed when Angle pinned Kurt, he was two seconds away from drawing with Angle - did Danielson surprise Angle tonight? Before Kurt can answer, a medic approaches and says he wants to run some tests on Kurt, but JB persists and shouts after Angle as he walks off asking when the rematch was, and when could the TNA fans expect American Dragon/Angle 2. Kurt looked irate, and with a flushed face screamed at Borash and told him that it was over - he won. There won’t be a freaking rematch. Not now. Not ever. No rematch.
Grade
B+
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SpikeTV Championship: Kiyoshi © vs Marco Corleone
Kiyoshi’s electric rise has been extremely well-received by the fans but many felt that his championship win came only by technicality as Corleone was trapped in Mexico and couldn’t make his mandatory defence. The feeling was that Corleone was being primed to go all the way and make ten defences of the SpikeTV Championship before the unfortunate cancellation of his flight from Mexico. That feeling seems to be correct as, despite a competitive fight from Kiyoshi, Corleone regained his championship at the first time of asking.
Kiyoshi has garnered a bit of a reputation for fighting on instinct and striking suddenly - even garnering the nickname “Lightning Flash” following an off-hand comment from Taz on commentary - and pure instinct was all he had to rely on as Corleone rag-dolled him. He had a few hope spots, the highlight being a catapult senton to the outside where he bundled Corleone to the ground momentarily. This brief contact with the floor of the ringside arena was the only time Corleone was knocked off his feet. Corleone was well protected so when Kiyoshi lashed out with a spinning heel kick and connected with nothing but the turnbuckle, the fans knew it was over before Corleone even had time to clench his fist together to deliver that dreaded Knockout Punch.
As expected, Corleone regained the SpikeTV Championship he probably wasn’t ever meant to lose decisively over Kiyoshi, but the Japanese star still looked competitive as has now come to be expected. Konnan took the opportunity after the match to hype up the 2-time SpikeTV Champion and said his boy is still undefeated and he’s gonna run through 10 bitches before coming for the World Heavyweight Championship.
Result
Marco Corleone
Grade
B
Highlights
- Marco Corleone performed a twenty-second delayed suplex on Kiyoshi, Kiyoshi was puce in the face by the time Corleone drilled him into the canvas.
- Konnan continues to add to the presentation of Corleone without ever really directly getting involved. He smack-talks and berates from ringside but very rarely gets physical (the only example I can think of is the Monty Brown match at 8-Card Stud).
- Kiyoshi dodged an onrushing Corleone who got himself tangled in between the top and middle ropes; Kiyoshi innovatively took advantage by locking in a rope-assisted cross-face but had to break the count at 4.
- There was a sick spot where Corleone powerbombed Kiyoshi off the turnbuckle and when he popped back out, decapitated him with a lariat. That could’ve legitimately been the finish and that particular sequence may be a nice alternative to the Knockout Punch.
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Rob Van Dam vs Jeff Jarrett in a Loser Leaves Town Match
The crowd were suitably hot for the match that had been built up heavily on television over the past few months. RVD and Jarrett worked hard to put on a solid old-school face versus heel encounter that saw some interference in the finishing stretch before RVD sent Double-J seemingly packing.
The two were quick to fall to the outside of the ring and they brawled a bit amongst the fans which was well received. This match wasn’t no disqualification but Andrew Thomas certainly showed some leniency in allowing the men to brawl in the crowd and on the outside of the ring. The action descended into madness when Jeff Jarrett ducked a spinning wheel kick from RVD that ended up catching Andrew Thomas flush, knocking the referee unconscious but also to the outside of the ring. Jarrett’s allies Monty Brown, Sonjay Dutt, and Petey Williams immediately rushed the ring to take advantage of the referee bump but didn’t get very far into their 4-on-1 assault before the lights in the iMPACT Zone went out. When they returned, the crowd exploded as Sabu was standing in the middle of the ring. He tossed a fireball in the face of Monty Brown before laying into Williams and Dutt with chair shots. RVD took out Jarrett with the 5-Star and Sabu rolled Andrew Thomas into the ring to count the pin.
This was a little overbooked at the end but the fans in attendance certainly enjoyed the surprise appearance of Sabu. It felt like they really wanted this to be a no-disqualification match but kept it as a (very) loose standard rules match to save the big hardcore spots for the announced McGuinness/Hernandez and Moxley/Foley bouts. Jarrett was escorted out by security as RVD and Sabu embraced in the ring.
Result
Rob Van Dam
Grade
B
Highlights
- Jarrett dumping RVD to the outside had a little extra “oomph” on it. RVD landed awkwardly and hard against the guardrail.
- RVD nailed a great leg drop in the crowd from halfway up a flight of steps onto a prone Jarrett.
- Referee Andrew Thomas took a stiff shot from RVD to set up the interference spot.
- Questions need to be asked about Sabu’s validity as a high-end performer in 2010 but the crowd loved his appearance here. The fireball spot was also really well done and didn’t look hokey at all.
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Don West Announces TNA Tour And Gets Summoned
Don West was on hand with the big announcement that TNA was going on the road and that the upcoming Destination X live television special would be the last to emanate from The iMPACT Zone. Texas, Nevada, and California were announced as the states being toured with the Victory Road PPV airing from Houston, Texas, the Sin City Showdown live television special airing from Las Vegas, Nevada, and the Slammiversary PPV airing from Venice Beach, California. West seemed pumped to be announcing the upcoming tour and billed it as a TNA takeover. As interesting as this development is, what was perhaps more immediately engaging was the fact that a backstage producer came scurrying up to him mid-announcement and told West that Taz had disappeared from commentary and that they needed him to fill in.
Grade
B
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World Tag Team Championships: The British Invasion vs Eddie Kingston & Homicide © vs Beer Money vs Bad Intentions in an Elimination Match
Mike Tenay was joined by Don West for this match as Taz had taken it upon himself to leave the commentary area prior to the match starting. Tenay explained that although this was initially announced as one fall to the finish, with so many moving parts involved, Heyman had decided on an elimination format to ensure a definitive winner. One member from each team was allowed in the ring at any one time and until the numbers thinned, the match was absolutely chaotic.
The first elimination occurred when Douglas Williams climbed onto the turnbuckle, looking for a high-flying move on the prone Homicide. A cameraman jumped up on the apron and pushed Williams off which gave enough time for James Storm to nail Williams with a Last Call superkick and steal a pin. There was a mixed reaction as the cameraman removed his cap to show the crowd that it was none other than D’Angelo Dinero, the man who had helped Kingston and Homicide gain the Tag Team Championships in the first place. Bad Intentions were way more cautious than The British Invasion, and a ringside Giant Bernard big boot immobilized D’Angelo Dinero, but even then an outside distraction saved Kingston and Homicide once again. Karl Anderson had Eddie Kingston in a precarious position but was distracted as Brother Devon alongside a returning Brother Ray jumped the guardrail to lay into Giant Bernard. Robert Roode capitalised on the opening by drilling Anderson in the back of the head with a Northern Lariat and covering him. Beer Money were well on top in the closing exchange but once again, a team came undone by outside influences. This time D’Angelo Dinero brawled with James Storm on the outside of the ring - and even ate a Last Call for his trouble - before Taz who had come charging down the ramp, locked Storm in a rear naked choke. Roode couldn’t weather the two-on-one assault which led to Kingston and Homicide retaining.
This was probably too much considering the mass interference in the bout previous to this, but it did a superbly good job of firmly establishing Kingston and Homicide as heels. It also left no doubt in viewers' minds that Taz and D’Angelo Dinero are affiliated with the Tag Team Champions in some way. Additionally, the return of Brother Ray should see The Bad Intentions and Team 3D feud resume to prop up the tag team division alongside what one would expect to be a Beer Money/Kingston & Homicide championship feud.
Result
Eddie Kingston & Homicide
Grade
B
Highlights
- The opening sections that had four men in the ring were bonkers. West and Tenay had a hard time calling the action as it unfolded and all eight men really went for it hammer-and-tongs.
- An interesting wrinkle of The British Invasion’s elimination was Magnus shouting at Williams to get down when he scaled the turnbuckle. It seems the younger Brit wasn’t in favour of Doug’s ascent to the top rope even before cameraman Dinero got involved.
- Ray and Devon were loud and brash in their attack on Giant Bernard, giving him a verbal tongue lashing as they extracted retribution on him for “injuring” Ray.
- Taz looks in really good shape - he obviously won’t be in the ring - but he looks to have toned up for what appears to be his new on-screen role as the leader of a new stable. Dinero, Kingston, and Homicide all left with Taz after the celebrations ended.
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Knockouts Championship: Tara vs Hamada ©
It could be argued that the scheduled Knockouts Championship match between Tara and Hamada was an encounter that didn’t have the same amount of heat as other matches on the card. That didn’t stop Tenay and West from billing the bout as a big deal, trying to sell it as a dream encounter. Both women got pyrotechnics in rather elaborate entrances. During Tara’s entrance, the camera panned to the ringside to rest on a red-haired woman who was VERY well-known by the TNA-chanting fans around her. A TNA logo-adorned chyron flashes up in the middle of the screen displaying the name “Xtreme” Amy Dumas and the woman pops a Hardy-style gun taunt at a scowling Tara as she passes by.
Hamada and Tara went out of their way to put on a good contest, perhaps buoyed by what commentary was referring to as a potential new acquisition for TNA watching on, and both women were notably stiff throughout. Hamada’s back was covered in red welts after being continuously whipped into the turnbuckles and ropes and a high-angle dropkick from Hamada left Tara with a swollen lump on her face. The finish came about rather quickly as Hamada managed to escape a Widow’s Peak attempt and drill Tara with The Hamada Driver in the middle of the ring for a clean - albeit hard-fought - victory. Hamada celebrated with the title and despite a flicker of irritation from Tara, The Black Widow ultimately shook Hamada’s hand in a sign of respect.
This was a definite change from the wild, hardcore feud that Hamada and ODB embarked on. This was technically much sounder and an impressive showing of technical nous and athleticism from both women, but perhaps it didn’t reach the crowd excitement and engagement shown during the ODB/Hamada series. Excitement was definitely high for the Amy Dumas sighting and if she has signed with TNA, that’s a sensational get for the Knockouts division.
Result
Hamada
Grade
B
Highlights
- If Amy Dumas has indeed signed with TNA, there’ll be a lot of intrigue surrounding who her first programme is with. She has the star power to jump straight into the role of challenger for Hamada’s title but she also has some history with Tara, who definitely seemed a little unnerved to see her at ringside.
- Tara sprinting into the Hamada dropkick that left her face marked looked a little mistimed.
- Tara showed great strength and technique in landing what can only be described as a twisting superplex to Hamada; a great near fall.
- Hamada busted out her rarely-used La Ayakita submission but Tara managed to get her foot onto the bottom rope to break the submission attempt.
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Heyman Announces X-Division Xtavaganza And Victory Road Tag League Classic
Paul Heyman sits behind a mahogany desk in his office and thanks everybody for tuning into Against All Odds, the first PPV of the new era in TNA. He praises the performances so far tonight and says TNA have a lot more in store in the coming months. He announces two tournaments that will take place over the coming months: The X-Division Xtravaganza that will finish at the Destination X special next month and the Victory Road Tag League Classic. Heyman said that the Victory Road Tag League Classic would feature the best tag teams from not only TNA, but all over the world, and would be a round-robin tournament. He touted The X-Division Xtravaganza as being completely revolutionary and a tournament the likes of which we have never seen before on a wrestling show. He said it would feature past, present, and future stars of the X-Division. He called TNA the wrestling alternative and said that it was time he let the X-Division and Tag Division loose to show everyone just how good they really are.
Grade
A
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Nigel McGuinness vs Hernandez in Three Degrees of Pain
In what was probably one of the most anticipated matches in the Heyman-era of TNA, and one of the most hotly-built feuds, the dastardly Nigel McGuinness and the eye-patch-wearing SuperMex tore the house down in the first ever Three Degrees of Pain match. Tenay quickly ran over the rules: a cage match where the first fall was decided by pinfall, the second by submission, and the third by escaping the cage and the fans were already chanting “T-N-A! T-N-A! T-N-A!” before he even finished.
The crowd were crazy into both SuperMex as a face and McGuinness as a heel and both played their part with aplomb. As soon as the opening bell rang, McGuinness sprinted at Hernandez and kicked him square in the family jewels - a move which drew huge heat from the crowd. McGuinness tried to capitalize but ended up busted open as Hernandez lifted his fist to show the crowd he was wearing brass knucks, and wasted no time in drilling it into the head of McGuinness. Both men were playing dirty from the word-go and the crowd lapped it up. After nearly fifteen-minutes of action, Hernandez went to the top rope but ended up eating another low-blow followed by a Tower of London and the pinfall. Tenay and West made a lot out of this, saying Hernandez was in big trouble as he wasn’t exactly known for his repertoire of submission moves and the second fall was submission-only. Hernandez proved there’s more than one way to skin a cat by ripping the protective pad off the turnbuckle, exposing the hook, and forcing McGuinness face-first into it, carrying out a measure of ironic retribution on his nemesis. The eye of McGuinness seemed to be badly damaged and when SuperMex began grinding that side of Nigel’s face off the cage like a cheese grater, it was a matter of mere seconds before McGuinness verbally submitted. Tied at one apiece, the winner of the match was to be decided by cage escape. The crowd were at an absolute crescendo as McGuinness and Hernandez performed a death-defying bump from near the top of the structure. Hernandez was seated on the top of the cage battling with McGuinness who was fighting from below on the turnbuckle. McGuinness delivered a stiff uppercut with the brass knucks Hernandez had brought into the ring with him and then hit a modified Tower of London; Hernandez has his feet and lower legs draped across the corner section where two sides of the cage met and McGuinness precariously balanced on the top turnbuckle. It was ugly, it was brutal, it was huge. It was enough. Despite a near thirty-second down period, and a laborious slog to the top, amongst a cacophony of booing, Nigel McGuinness managed to fling his body over the top of the cage before collapsing all the way to the floor below.
Holy shit. As soon as McGuinness flopped to the floor from the top of the cage, EMT’s and trainers swarmed the ringside area and began working on Nigel’s eye. The ribs of Hernandez were quickly wrapped and the big man was taken out on a stretcher by paramedics, being loudly clapped to the back. Tenay and West said they have never seen the likes of it before and Tenay said he doesn’t know if he ever wants to see a Three Degrees of Pain match authorised in TNA again. The fans, however, had a different idea and continuously chanted “THAT WAS AWESOME!” as the production crew worked to clear the carnage at ringside ahead of the next match.
Result
Nigel McGuinness
Grade
A
Highlights
- SuperMex dropped his cargo shorts slightly to show he was wearing a jockstrap after the opening spot. A clever and funny moment from Hernandez who has definitely shown more charisma since being placed in this feud.
- A close-up camera shot showed that McGuinness had a deep cut around his eye following the turnbuckle spot, a nice callback to McGuinness injuring the eye of Hernandez in the build-up to this match.
- Hernandez brutally performed a Border Toss into the cage wall but instead of opting to escape, he decided to inflict more punishment on his rival.
- McGuinness sold the effects of the match extremely well in his match-winning escape, the flop from the top of the cage to the ground on the outside was crazy and in my opinion, dangerously unnecessary. I can’t deny it was a fantastic visual though.
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Samoa Joe Guarantees He Will Walk Out As Champion; Old Joe, New Tricks
Samoa Joe cut a menacing backstage promo where he paced back and forth with a towel strewn over his head. He said that for all his dominance since he arrived in TNA all he had to show for it was one World Heavyweight Championship reign. He said ever since he lost it, he hasn’t been the same, but these last few months, he’s felt like the old Joe. The old Joe, whose music hitting made his opponents piss themselves in the middle of the ring. The old Joe, who would bloody and bludgeon anybody that got in his way and then choke their very last breathe out of them. The old Joe, who could not be felled, could not be stopped, and could not be beaten. He says that Heyman shook the company to the core when he took over, turned TNA upside down, and it resulted in the old Joe emerging. He says the old Joe was the best professional wrestler in the world… but the old Joe still lost the World Heavyweight Championship. He says he guarantees he will destroy AJ Styles tonight and walk out of Against All Odds as the World Heavyweight Champion. He snarls at the camera and says that this time, he’s guaranteeing he’ll keep it - no matter what. You can’t teach an old dog new tricks but AJ better be prepared for the old Joe with new tricks.
Grade
A
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X-Division Championship: Amazing Red © vs Francis Benedict Geraldman
You would nearly feel bad for Red and Kazar- I mean, Francis Benedict Geraldman - having to follow up such a hot encounter but to be honest, with the Unsanctioned Match and World Heavyweight Championship still to come, this was probably the ideal placement for this X-Division Championship match to allow the fans cool down some.
That doesn’t mean that Red and FBG put on a slow, plodding match; in fact, they did the opposite. Both men wrestled an X-Division style with Red being the flippier and faster of the two and FBG hitting more impactful moves. At times, FBG would slow the match down to announce a whimsical, perhaps meaningless, Shakespearean quip to the crowd or even perform a little bow. This was always followed by a particularly nasty strike to the X-Division Champion. Red tried to springboard but FBG pushed the rope from under him, crotching him in the process. FBG hoisted Red up and whispered to the audience, “Fade… to black.” before performing the move of the same name, bowing, and pinning Amazing Red.
The character transformation and subsequent character work Kazarian has implemented has immediately made him stand out in a sea of X-Division wrestlers who are all incredibly talented but some who are perhaps lacking in the gimmick/charisma department. The result comes as no surprise to me and I’d wager on Francis Benedict Geraldman having a decent reign.
Result
Francis Benedict Geraldman
Grade
B
Highlights
- Amazing Red continues to be a human highlight reel. A springboard shooting star press to a standing FBG on the outside had the iMPACT Zone on their feet.
- FBG laid the character work on thick, he quoted Shakespeare’s “Merchant of Venice” before a hangman’s neckbreaker transitioned into a DDT.
- FBG flung Red into a turnbuckle with an impactful leg hook suplex that made the fans nearest the action wince.
- It’ll be interesting to see who emerges as the first couple of challengers for FBG as I can’t see him losing the belt soon.
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Earl Hebner’s Pre-“Match” Instructions
Earl Hebner goes into a locker-room and the live crowd cheer loudly as a tartan-jacket wearing Mick Foley sits, taping up his fists. Earl says that he has a lot of respect for Mick and that he’s partially the reason he’s agreed to do this. He stresses he can’t stop anything that is happening when it begins with Moxley and he’s literally there to count the pin. Everything else is fair game. Mick shakes Earl’s hand and remains silent, a steely gaze on his face. Earl makes his way into a locker-room where Dewey Foley sits on a chair, smoking a cigarette. Earl asks where Moxley is and Dewey simply blows smoke in his face. As Earl coughs, Noelle Foley emerges from the shower area of the locker-room in just a towel… a bare-chested Jon Moxley soon follows from the same area and the arena ERUPTS into a sea of cat-calling and booing. Earl says he’s here to talk about the rules of the match. Moxley smiles wickedly and says there are no rules, TNA haven’t even got the balls to call this an official match so he can do anything he wants to Foley. Earl nods his head and says that’s right - he just wanted to make both men aware that the only thing he will do is count the pin. Moxley smiles, puts an arm around Noelle, and winks at Hebner.
Grade
N/A - Hard to grade this but it was a nice way to emphasize the Foley/Moxley encounter and play into the gimmick.
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Jon Moxley vs Mick Foley in an Unsanctioned Match
In a match that has been built since Moxley’s debut in the company back in November, the old and new of hardcore wrestling entertained and horrified the live crowd and all those watching at home. Prior to the “match” starting, a disclaimer was aired saying that the following was an unsanctioned match and not endorsed by TNA Wrestling. The ring aprons branding the TNA logo were traded in for plain black aprons, the canvas a worn white mat devoid of any sponsorships, and neither man were given entrance music nor entered from the backstage area. Tenay and West doubled down on not being in favour of the match and when Mick Foley emerged from the crowd clad in street clothes and brandishing a kendo stick, Tenay implored him not to go through with it. Foley simply stated that he “has no choice.” The rev of Jon Moxley’s motorcycle signaled his arrival and when the man himself rode out from the side entrance with Noelle Foley in tow, Don West stood up and excused himself from the commentary booth saying he’d play no part in this and wasn’t having his name attached to the disgrace that was about to unfold. Tenay hesitated for a moment but then “for the integrity of the sport” joined West in abandoning calling the action, leaving an arena full of seething fans shouting obscenities at Moxley the only audible sound on the airwaves. A nervous looking Earl Hebner signaled for the bell in what was a chilling start to this unsanctioned bout.
Foley immediately creased Moxley across the cranium with the kendo stick eliciting a loud roar from the fans in the iMPACT Zone. Foley then proceeded to rattle the stick repeatedly over the head of Moxley until he drew blood. “Please sir, CAN I HAVE SOME MORE!?” was the exclamation from Moxley before Foley snapped the kendo stick over Jon’s head, finally bringing him to the canvas. A wild, gory melee ensued in what those watching would be hoping was Foley’s final foray. The legend got suplexed from the top rope onto thumbtacks, took countless unprotected chairshots to the head, and was even put through a flaming table as Moxley cruelly picked him apart. Foley left Moxley with some scars of his own: he speared Moxley through a glass panel, launched him off the ramp through a production crate, and in an iconic callback to his own infamous injury, got Moxley in a hangman spot in the ropes and lacerated Moxley’s ear. The biggest spot was reserved for Foley - but not Mick. Moxley could have ended the match on several occasions but would not pin Foley until Foley uttered, “You’re hardcore.” After putting Foley through a flaming table, Moxley produced the baseball bat that had industrial sized nails jutting out from the curvatures of the weapon and demanded he say the words. Foley refused and as Moxley was about to drill Foley with the weapon, Dewey Foley entered the ring and told Moxley he’d done enough, he’d won. Moxley drilled Dewey with the weapon, DDT’d Foley, and then beat Dewey up the ramp. Trying to escape, Dewey scaled to the top of the tron with Moxley in pursuit. Once they got to the top, Moxley headbutted Dewey, leaving him knocked loopy atop the structure. Mick regained consciousness in the ring and begged Moxley to reconsider and even screamed “YOU’RE HARDCORE - YOU’RE HARDCORE!!!”. Moxley simply smirked and said, “I fuckin’ know.” before sending Dewey plummeting from the top of the set through the production crates below. Mick staggered up the ramp but by that time Moxley had climbed back down and met him with a kick between the legs. Covered in blood, Moxley announced himself the new King of Hardcore before drilling Foley with his own double-underhook DDT and FINALLY allowing Earl Hebner make the three count on the ramp.
The reaction was absolutely toxic as fans hurled trash towards Moxley. Honestly, they were literally on the brink of rioting, even the security looked worried. This was a sickening spectacle that isn’t rated as highly as Hernandez/McGuinness because the wrestling was actually really good in that one, and because this might have been too much for some viewers. Moxley looked every bit the new big heel in town as Noelle joined him on the back of his motorcycle and he took off without so much as a backward glance at the carnage he left in his wake. This has to be the end for Foley, and if it is, he certainly left everyone with an ever lasting memory of just how hardcore he is… but hardcore has a new poster boy now, and his name is Jon Moxley.
Result
Jon Moxley
Grade
A-
Highlights
- The silence offered by the lack of commentary really enhanced both the crowd interaction and the trash talk between the two competitors.
- Moxley delivered a disgusting line after licking the bleeding forehead of Mick Foley: “I prefer the taste of Noelle’s.” The fans reacted exactly how you would expect.
- They really had to amp up the hardcore aspect of this one; Foley is past it as in-ring talent but Moxley did the heavy lifting and he was able to hide the deficiencies extremely well with the hardcore spots.
- The match-closing sequence involving Dewey was a little long and convoluted, but the crowd were fully invested in it which is a testament to Moxley’s work during this feud. Perhaps it was a little unexpected to end with a DDT on the ramp given the increasing brutality of the spots in the match but the story was that Foley was already done and the last little resurgence he displayed was due to what had happened to Dewey. It worked but some may criticise it.
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AJ’s Company - Bring EVERYTHING You Got
AJ delivered a passionate backstage promo where he told Samoa Joe that he wasn’t one bit afraid of him. AJ said that by being the TNA World Heavyweight Champion, he was the number one wrestler in the world. He said he was proud to carry the mantle of the world’s best wrestler and he was proud to be the champion of TNA. He said that this was his title, TNA was his company, and that Joe needed to bring absolutely everything he’s got to even stand a chance at beating him in the six-sided ring. AJ said that he turns into a different animal, unlocks a new level, goes to a gear that Joe doesn’t have when the TNA World Heavyweight Championship is on the line. AJ mentions Joe choking him out from behind at the press conference but tonight he has to look him in the eye and that’s when Joe is going to realise that in a fair fight, he can’t beat “The Phenomenal One” AJ Styles. AJ lifted the TNA World Heavyweight Championship in front of him as the pre-match promo concludes.
Grade
B
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World Heavyweight Championship: AJ Styles © vs Samoa Joe
In what was probably an intentional move to allow the crowd simmer down from the Moxley/Foley encounter, a very snazzy video promo was played that showcased Joe and AJ’s TNA journeys before cutting to clips of their recent feud and encounters. Big props to the production theme on that one. Tenay and West returned to the booth and went into super-hype mode billing the main event of the evening for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship one of the biggest possible matches in the sport. Both man got loud reactions from the crowd during their entrance each drawing crowd chants and by the time Jeremy Borash introduced the two men, the crowd were at fever pitch.
This had a big fight feel and the opening five minutes was an absolute sprint with both men getting off a variety of their patented moves, truly living up to the nonstop action moniker of the company. An AJ Fosbury flop to the outside drew the first of many loud “THIS IS AWESOME” chants. Samoa Joe drilled AJ into the barricade with bullet-like suicide dive and the two brawled around ringside for a while before the action returned to the ring. AJ got an unexpected opening when he ducked under a huge Joe chop, Joe’s hand smashing against the turnbuckle in what looked a painful spot. It was an unorthodox mode of offence for AJ as he focused his assault on the right hand of Joe. It came into play in a strike for strike spot when Joe nailed AJ with a right hook but was left recoiling with the pain, allowing AJ to springboard off the top rope and nail Joe with an inverted DDT for a nearfall. As the action approached the twenty minute mark, AJ landed the Styles Clash but was shocked as Joe powered out at one to a big pop. AJ was reduced to attempting flash pins as Joe seemed to get on top of the encounter but after twice hitting a Muscle Buster and twice failing to get the pin, worry seemed to set in for Joe. He became a little sloppy and this allowed AJ to unexpectedly regain control - he soon found out Joe’s resilience matched his own as Joe kicked out after a Phenomenal Forearm and then a Superman 450 Springboard Splash. Knowing he had to reach deep into his bag of tricks as the match closed in on thirty minutes, AJ took to the top rope and performed an awe-inspiring Spiral Tap… into the knees of Samoa Joe. Joe quickly tore AJ to the ground with his Coquina Clutch, and despite a trashing AJ’s best efforts, he did not let go. A minute of titanic struggle passed before AJ’s arms stopped flailing and the life drained from his face. Mark Johnson had seen enough and called for the bell to a rather sizeable pop.
The “JOE! JOE! JOE!” chants only grew louder as Samoa Joe was announced the winner and announced as the NEW TNA World Heavyweight Champion. Joe held the title in his hands as he collapsed to his knees amidst a rain of confetti, the absolute classic he just embroiled in with AJ taking a massive toll on the new champion. AJ lay eagle-spread in the ring as Joe cradled the championship in what would have been a fitting image to end a spectacular first PPV outing… but the night wasn’t over yet.
Result
Samoa Joe
Grade
A
Highlights
- The intensity from the opening bell was off the charts, everyone bought the early near falls, particularly when Joe was on the offence. The crowd felt like Joe was going to be crowned in this one and it showed in the early goings.
- It’ll never cease to amaze me how explosive Joe looks when performing a suicide dive. AJ crashing into the barricade after it looked great on television.
- AJ continued to show why he is considered one of the best in the world. His work on the injured hand of Joe showed off a whole new dimension to his in-ring work. Joe’s selling of the hand should be commended as well.
- The natural alignment of both men seemingly went out the window with both getting huge ovations. The Spiral Tap into the Coquina Clutch finishing spot showcased this: the whole crowd were on their feet when AJ took to the top rope, willing him on, but when Joe locked in the submission the whole arena popped. A rare paradox but it made the World Heavyweight Championship fight feel huge.
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It’s Not AJ’s Company, It’s Not Heyman’s Company … IT’S OUR COMPANY
The crowd grew silent as Taz emerged on the entrance ramp clapping his hands. Tenay suggested that Taz might be out to congratulate Joe on his monumental victory over AJ but West was altogether more suspicious than his broadcast counterpart. The arrival of D’Angelo Dinero and the TNA World Tag Team Champions, Homicide and Eddie Kingston, furthered West’s belief that the Taz-led group were up to no good. They descended upon the ring and immediately surrounded Joe and AJ Styles who had just come to his senses. The confetti stopped and the booing began as Taz started jaw-jacking the duo in the ring. AJ and Joe went back to back, motioning for the group to bring it on. Mild irritation turned to downright fury when Joe turned around and clocked AJ Styles with his newly-won TNA World Championship and Taz’s trio began laying the boot into AJ. Taz and Joe embraced in the ring to loud displeasure as Dinero and Homicide dumped AJ unceremoniously to the outside. Taz got on the microphone and said he’d put together the biggest group of killers the professional wrestling world had ever known. His message was simple: “It ain’t AJ’s company, it ain’t Heyman’s company… IT’S OUR FREAKIN’ COMPANY!!! And if ya gotta problem with that, well… maybe our champ will say it best.” Joe stepped forward and leaned into Taz’s mic before menacingly shouting, “Then Joe’s gonna KILL YOU!”. Samoa Joe’s music sounded as the group posed together to a loud, mixed reaction to end the PPV broadcast.
Grade
A
Final Thoughts
The addition of Samoa Joe - as the newly-minted TNA World Heavyweight Champion, no less - to the stable Taz has been putting together in the background instantly propels them to the number one act in TNA Wrestling. The segment got a loud reaction to end a fairly exceptional PPV outing for TNA. This was a tremendous night of action in Heyman’s first foray into the PPV world of TNA but looking back over the results, it seemed a little heel-heavy, especially in the latter stages of the PPV. It’ll be interesting to see who steps forward on the face side to combat the likes of McGuinness, Moxley, Francis Benedict Geraldman, and of course, Taz’s new stable.
Quick Results
Pre-show - Motor City Machine Guns def Lethal Consequences
Pre-show - Sarita & Taylor Wilde © def Circa 89 for the Knockouts Tag Team Championships
Kurt Angle def Bryan Danielson
Marco Corleone def Kiyoshi © for the SpikeTV Championship
Rob Van Dam def Jeff Jarrett in Loser Leaves Town
Eddie Kingston & Homicide © def Beer Money, The British Invasion, and Bad Intentions in an Elimination Match for the World Tag Team Championships
Hamada © def Tara for the Knockouts Championship
Nigel McGuinness def Hernandez 2-1 in Three Degrees of Pain
Francis Benedict Geraldman def Amazing Red © for the X-Division Championship
Jon Moxley def Mick Foley in an Unsanctioned Match
Samoa Joe def AJ Styles © for the World Heavyweight Championship
+Sabu and Amy Dumas
-Jeff Jarrett
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