By Jared Silberkleit – In a sharp contrast to the standards of their last few PPVs, TNA’s Against All Odds 2010 was a very dismal, disappointing show. The card looked promising with good talent featured in the 8 Card Stud Tournament as well as an intriguing World title match, but the talent was let down by the booking on numerous occasions and the PPV fell flat on its face.

1.    8 Card Stud Tournament Quarterfinal: Desmond Wolfe vs. D’Angelo Dinero

The show opened with 4 straight quarterfinal matches in the tournament, the first of which was this Genesis rematch. This was a good match but not as good as their first encounter due to the shorter amount of time they were given. The two men do some chain wrestling early on before Wolfe hits a big uppercut. Dinero responds with some strikes but Wolfe hits a huge shoulder block. Dinero counters the Tower of London but Wolfe starts to regain control, working over Pope’s arm and utilizing a chin lock. He hits a DDT for a near fall and then starts to wrench at Dinero’s head. Dinero fights back into it with some more strikes and an inverted atomic drop before hitting the Coronation followed up by a top rope cross body for a near fall. Wolfe’s second attempt at the Tower of London fails but he hits a big chop followed by a superplex. Dinero ducks the big lariat and goes for a roll up but it’s only good for 2. Wolfe charges Dinero in the corner but Dinero moves and hits a second rope hung neckbreaker, followed up by the running knees to the back (the DDE) and a successful pinfall. The match was way too short but still enjoyable. Match Time: 7:40     Match Rating: 6/10

2.    8 Card Stud Tournament Quarterfinal: Hernandez vs. Matt Morgan

Our next quarterfinal match starts off with a stare down before the big men lock up. Morgan hits a couple shoulder blocks before Hernandez responds with one of his own. Morgan counters the Border Toss and hits the rapid fire elbows in the corner. Hernandez goes for a move off the second rope but they botch and Hernandez just sort of falls down. Morgan hits a splash in the corner and a side slam but only gets a 2 count. He connects with an apron leg drop for another near fall before hitting a couple clotheslines. Hernandez reverses an Irish whip and slingshots himself over the top rope with a shoulder block and both men are down. Hernandez hits a delayed vertical suplex before Morgan rolls onto the entrance ramp. Hernandez hits a big shoulder block over the top rope onto the ramp but clutches his shoulder. Morgan holds down the ropes to let Hernandez get back in the ring, but once he enters Morgan throws him shoulder first into the ringpost, then rolls him up and hooks the tights for the win. This was a very sloppy big man match with a dumb ending. Match Time: 9:01     Match Rating: 3/10

3.    8 Card Stud Tournament Quarterfinal: Mr. Anderson vs. Kurt Angle

This was arguably the best match in the whole tournament, which isn’t really saying much. Anderson gets a headlock takedown early but Angle responds with a shoulder block and a side headlock. Anderson chokes Angle with his boot but Angle hits a snap suplex and punches Anderson in the corner. Anderson sends Angle into the ringpost before cutting him open with Angle’s dog tag necklace. Anderson hits a DDT and puts on a rear chin lock. Angle fights back into it with some clotheslines, a belly to belly suplex, and a huge lariat. Angle hits three Germans in a row but can’t hit the Angle Slam. Anderson tries to tear the padding off a turnbuckle but the ref ties it back on. Anderson unties another turnbuckle and tries to send Angle into it, but Angle hits the Angle Slam for a near fall. Anderson fights out of the Ankle Lock and sends Angle into the exposed turnbuckle before hitting the Mic Check for the victory. Good, solid match. Match Time: 9:49    Match Rating: 6.5/10

4.    No Disqualification 8 Card Stud Tournament Quarterfinal: Abyss vs. Mick Foley

Bischoff makes this match No DQ in a backstage segment, making this match better than it would be ordinarily but still not that good. Basically a typical Abyss garbage match only with his opponent utilizing the weapons rather than him. The story was Abyss didn’t want to use weapons because he didn’t want to hurt Foley. The men lock up a couple times, with Abyss shying away from using a barbed wire bat. Foley hits Abyss in the face a few times before the two fight outside the ring. Foley sends Abyss into the guardrail before hitting him with a chair. The action returns to the ring where Abyss hits a big kick but Foley connects with a spinning neckbreaker. Foley pounds on Abyss before dumping a bag of tacks in the ring. Abyss grabs Foley by the throat, but is careful to chokeslam him away from the tacks. Abyss gets the sock and tries for the Mandible Claw, but Foley takes a shoe off the ref and takes his sock to put the Mandible Claw on Abyss. Foley breaks the hold and grabs the bat, but Abyss catches him with a Black Hole Slam onto the tacks for the win. Decent story but still not a good match. Match Time: 7:44     Match Rating: 4/10

5.    The Nasty Boys vs. Team 3D

Ugh. Yuck. What a horrible match between these dinosaurs. Match kicks off with the Nasty Boys punching and stomping at 3D as the faces entered the ring. The Nasties eventually leave the ring after 3D starts to get the upper hand. Wow, Knobs’s punches looked awful. Ray and Sags start things off with Sags raking Ray’s eyes before tagging in Knobs, who also uses some cheap tactics. 3D takes down Sags with a double clothesline and the Nasties take a long pause outside the ring. The Nasties then work over Devon for a really long time. Sags chokes D-Von on the floor before Knobs hits him with a scoop slam in the ring. Devon starts to fight back into it with some strikes but can’t make the tag. Knobs then applies a weak-looking abdominal stretch. Devon finally gets the tag to Ray who cleans house. Ray hits a couple corner splashes, but when he tries for a uranage on Sags, Sags refuses and just sort of falls down (BOTCH!). Sags takes a botched 3D, but Jimmy Hart enters the ring and gives Knobs a weapon. Knobs hits Ray with it and pins him to win the match for the Botchies (Sorry I meant Nasties, eh same thing.). This was an atrociously terrible match. The Nasty Boys should be ashamed of themselves. Match Time: 10:40     Match Rating: DUD (0/10)

6.    8 Card Stud Tournament Semifinal: D’Angelo Dinero vs. Matt Morgan

This was a little better than expected but still not a particularly good match. Dinero tries to go after Morgan’s leg but Morgan exploits his own size and strength, tossing Pope around. He hits the rapid fire elbows, a splash, and a side slam before choking Dinero against the ropes. Dinero fights out of a bear hug and kicks Morgan in the knee a couple times. Morgan hits a big slam for a near fall but Pope hits a big tornado DDT and both men are down. Pope sends Morgan into the ropes but Morgan hits a lariat as Pope went for the Coronation. Morgan pounds on Dinero in the corner, but Pope sidesteps the Carbon Footprint. Morgan is hung up in the corner and Dinero hits the DDE for the win to advance to the finals. Decent big guy vs. smaller guy match but way too short. Match Time: 8:31     Match Rating: 5/10

7.    8 Card Stud Tournament Semifinal: Mr. Anderson vs. Abyss

This was very similar to their match at Genesis, except this one was a bit shorter. Anderson does a good job playing the heel and hits a lot of punches and kicks early on. Abyss doesn’t budge during Anderson’s powerslam attempt, so Abyss just slams him. Abyss sends Anderson to the outside and uses the steps and guardrail as weapons. Anderson dropkicks Abyss in the knee back in the ring and pounds away at him before attempting to rip Abyss’s mask off. Anderson continues to focus the attack on the knee, kicking at it and tying it up in the ropes. Abyss comes back with a back body drop, corner splash, and a side slam. He hits Shock Treatment for a near fall as Anderson rips away at the mask. Anderson rips at the mask again as Abyss goes for a chokeslam. Mistaking the ref for Anderson, Abyss grabs the ref by the throat. Anderson then kicks Abyss in the leg before hitting the Mic Check for the win. Very uneventful match but some decent storytelling with the leg and mask. Match Time: 8:09     Match Rating: 4/10

8.    TNA World Heavyweight Championship: AJ Styles(c) vs. Samoa Joe

Eric Bischoff is the special guest referee for this title match, which shockingly is not the main event. AJ comes to the ring with blonde highlights and a Nature Boy robe. Joe and Styles lock up several times before AJ hits a couple shoulder blocks. Joe responds with one of his own, pounds on AJ in the corner, and hits a big kick. Styles fights back with a jawbreaker and a chop but Joe hits a huge leg lariat. Joe hits a couple kicks but Styles counters a third kick with a dragon screw. Joe knocks AJ to the outside before hitting a suicide dive into the guardrail. AJ sends Joe into the ring post before removing some padding from the floor. He tries for a suplex on the exposed concrete, but Joe counters and tries for one of his own. AJ counters that but retreats to the ring. Both men trade several chops before AJ puts Joe on the top turnbuckle. He tries for a Frankensteiner, but Joe hangs on and hits a leg lariat off the second turnbuckle for a near fall. Joe connects with a uranage, but AJ starts to punch away at Joe before being admonished by Bischoff, allowing Ric Flair (who was at ringside the whole time) to slam Joe’s knee into the ring post. Styles goes to work on Joe’s knee, hitting elbow and knee drops onto it before putting on a modified Indian Deathlock. He then utilizes the Figure Four and holds Flair’s hand for leverage, but Bischoff sees this and forces AJ to break the hold. Joe hits some clotheslines and an atomic drop before hitting a snap powerslam for a near fall. AJ comes back with a springboard forearm before hitting a moonsault inverted DDT for a near fall. Joe reverses the Styles Clash with a rear naked choke, but instead of dropping to the mat he hurls AJ backwards with a suplex. Joe hits the Muscle Buster, but Bischoff is busy with Flair outside the ring and can’t make the count. Joe gets physical with Bischoff, allowing AJ to recover and hit a Pele kick followed by a Styles Clash for the win. Very good title match, but these guys have probably done better. Match Time: 21:27     Match Rating: 7.5/10

9.    8 Card Stud Tournament Final: D’Angelo Dinero vs. Mr. Anderson

In an interview segment, Pope got ambushed by Scott Hall and Syxx Pac, so he limps out onto the entrance ramp as the ref began counting him out to open the match. Anderson breaks the count repeatedly to beat down Pope on the ramp with punches. Pope hits a slap before the fight goes to the ringside area. Anderson hits a knee before sending Dinero into the steps. Dinero finally gets back into the ring after selling injuries and hits some strikes, but Anderson sends him into the corner and kicks him in the back of the head. Dinero comes out of nowhere with a small package attempt but Anderson sends him into the corner. Both guys trade even more strikes (this pattern goes on FOREVER) before Anderson chokes Dinero and applies a rear chin lock. Pope avoids some clotheslines but Anderson hits a knee and some stomps followed up by a clothesline for a near fall. Dinero finally mounts some offense by hitting a shoulder block and a couple suplexes. He hits and STO for a near fall but Anderson responds with more strikes. Pope hits the 4 Up before hitting the DDE to Anderson’s chest, but only gets a 2 count. Anderson hits a clothesline, then grabs the mic and says he’s about to be the number one contender. He hits the Mic Check but Dinero kicks out. Anderson hits a Finlay roll but misses a senton. He charges at Dinero in the corner but is sidestepped, which is followed by Pope hitting the DDE to win the match and the tournament. Putting over Dinero is the one good thing that came out of this “pay-per-view”. The main event itself was a very bland, slow, plodding match that was heavily repetitive and boring. Match Time: 15:47     Match Rating: 5/10

Overall PPV Rating: 5.75/10

My name is Jared Silberkleit. I am from Orange, CT and am a huge fan of pro wrestling. I mostly follow WWE and TNA but I also watch the smaller promotions such as ROH and DGUSA. I have been a lifelong WWE fan and have become a TNA fan over the past few years. Aside from wrestling, I also really love baseball and football and follow many other sports such as hockey and MMA. I have written for www.sportsgrumblings.com for over a year now.

Tagged with: Atomic Drop, Card Stud, Cross Body, D Angelo, Dde, Ddt, Desmond, First Encounter, Intriguing World, Lariat, Matt Morgan, Ppv, Ppvs, Quarterfinal Match, Quarterfinal Matches, Rapid Fire, Stud Tournament, Top Rope, Tower Of London, Uppercut

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