• 3 Way match for the TNA X Division Championship: Brian Kendrick(c) vs. Alex Shelley vs. Austin Aries

So after all that work of building up the X Division, the X Division Championship is right back in the curtain jerker slot to pop the crowd. Great. This was pretty solid and easily one of the better matches of the night. Shelley and Kendrick lock up at the start while Aries watches from the floor. Shelley has Kendrick in a submission after some grappling and Aries goes to break it up, but eats a chop for his troubles. Kendrick holds Shelley’s waist and gets backed up into the corner, and Shelley kicks Aries before rolling up Kendrick. Aries takes an atomic drop from Shelley and a dropkick from Kendrick. Kendrick applies a hammerlock before Shelley tries a suplex, but Aries breaks it up and rakes Shelley’s back. Kendrick and Shelley trade shots, but Aries hits a big shoulder block and an elbow drop to Kendrick. Aries sends Kendrick to the floor but Shelley takes out his leg. Aries drops Shelley, sends him onto Kendrick on the floor, and does a suicide dive out of the ring onto both of them. Aries snaps Shelley’s leg over the ropes and does a slingshot dive for a near fall. Kendrick dropkicks Aries but Shelley catches him in a crossface. Kendrick escapes, only for Shelley to hit a dragon screw to Kendrick’s leg in the ropes. Shelley kicks Aries on the apron and hits a frog splash off the top to Kendrick before applying an inverted figure four. Aries breaks it up, hits a bulldog, and puts Shelley in the Last Chancery. Kendrick breaks that up, but Aries hits him with a shinbreaker/back suplex combo. Kendrick kicks a charging Aries and hits a dropkick, but Aries counters the sliced bread. Aries winds up on Shelley’s shoulders but Kendrick slips off the top. Aries hits the shinbreaker/back suplex combo on Shelley followed by the IED and a brainbuster. Kendrick breaks up the cover and hits Aries with a sliced bread onto Shelley, then covers Shelley for the win. Good opener, though it fell into the “revolving door singles match” trap like many other 3 ways. Aries played a good heel and will probably be the next X Division Champion. Match Time: 13:11     Star Rating: ***

• TNA Knockouts Tag Team Championship match: Tara and Miss Tessmacher(c) vs. Sarita and Rosita

Surprisingly, this was the better of the two women’s matches. Tara and Rosita lock up at the start before Sarita gets a tag, but Tara gives her a back body drop. Tessmacher hits some shots and an arm drag followed by a clothesline to Rosita. Rosita hits a hurricanrana to Tara but Tara puts up a boot when she charges. Tara is sent to the floor and Rosita gets a near fall. Tessmacher hits a back suplex and a dropkick, but Rosita responds with a dropkick herself. The heels attack Tessmacher in the corner and Sarita hits a scoop slam followed by an assisted splash from Rosita. Tessmacher reverses a powerslam attempt into a small package and Tara gets a hot tag. Tara hits some clotheslines and the faces whip the heels into each other. Tessmacher is yanked off the apron and Sarita gets a near fall after a kick from Rosita. Tara clotheslines both heels and Sarita counters the Widow’s Peak with a roll up, but Tara hits a military press slam. Rosita hits a double knee strike but Tara hits the Widow’s Peak for the win. Better than the typical Knockouts fare by a bit, but still average at best. Might have went a little bit too long. Match Time: 7:15     Star Rating: **

• Bound for Glory Series match: D’Angelo Dinero vs. Devon

Pope gets on the mic after the bell rings, saying that he respects Devon and that Devon’s family is most important to him. Pope lays down but Devon tells him to get up and the match starts. They run the ropes and Devon gets a near fall, with Pope trying to hug him during the cover. Devon slaps him and they lock up. Both guys get brief control of the arm before they run the ropes again, this time with Pope hitting a cross body and twisting the arm. Pope hits a diving forearm to the back of the head and they run the ropes a third time. Devon hits a hip toss and an arm drag followed by an arm bar. Devon hits a slam and a diving head butt before sending Pope to the floor. Devon misses a clothesline and hits the post, and Pope talks with Devon’s kids in the front row. Devon then slams Pope’s head against the guardrail and gets a near fall in the ring. Devon hits a slam and whips Pope into the corner, but Pope hits a kick, clothesline, an atomic drop, a shoulder block, some elbow strikes, the Coronation, and a cross body off the top. Devon hits a shoulder block but misses in the corner, and Pope hits the 4Up and sets up for the DDE. Pope hesitates though, and Devon spears him for 2. Devon goes for a chokeslam but Pope rolls him up for the win. The storyline is really stupid and the match was very basic, not much to it. Very much a TV match. Match Time: 9:36     Star Rating: **

• TNA Women’s Knockout Championship match: Mickie James(c) vs. Winter

This sucked. These girls had no chemistry whatsoever and it was dragged out a bit too long as well. Winter goes for a roll up early, but Mickie hits a dragon screw and catches Winter in a leg submission. Winter gets the ropes and kicks Mickie, but Mickie hits a back elbow and slides in from the apron with a roll up. Angelina Love distracts Mickie, allowing Winter to take the advantage. Mickie counters a slam and hits consecutive dropkicks to Winter’s knee and face, then chases Winter when she bails to the floor. Mickie takes out Angelina, but Winter sends her into the post and over the guardrail. Angelina kicks Mickie on the floor and Winter rolls her into the ring. Winter applies a double chickenwing submission, hits a shoulder block, and chokes Mickie on the mat. Winter hits a backbreaker and stretches Mickie’s back across her knee, but Mickie gets out by kicking Winter in the face. Winter attacks in the corner, but Mickie hits a headscissors, some clotheslines, a flapjack, and a Thesz press off the top. The ref checks on Winter, allowing Angelina to hit Mickie with a reverse DDT. Winter covers for a near fall. Mickie counters a slam with a roll up and Winter hits some shots in the corner, but Mickie hits a tornado DDT out of the corner. Angelina tries to interfere again but Mickie gives her a neckbreaker. While the ref is busy keeping Angelina out of the ring, Winter spits something in Mickie’s eye’s and covers her for the win. After the match Mickie sold it like she couldn’t see. Typical crappy TNA booking with tons of interference and a screwy finish to give Mickie an “out” for losing. Horrible match, very slow with a lot of mistimed spots. Match Time: 8:54     Star Rating: 3/4*

• Bound for Glory Series match: Crimson vs. Rob Van Dam

Earlier in the night, Jerry Lynn told RVD he would be in his corner to “watch his back” in his match. As if we all can’t see where this is headed. RVD kicks at the legs at the start, but Crimson hits a clothesline, a suplex, and a scoop slam for 2. During this match Crimson thought it was necessary to go for a cover after EVERY SINGLE OFFENSIVE MANEUVER HE HIT. RVD hits a roundhouse kick in the corner, a springboard single leg dropkick, and Rolling Thunder. Crimson hits some knee strikes, a neckbreaker, and a T-Bone suplex. They end up on the outside where RVD hits a single leg dropkick off the apron. Crimson pulls him back out from the ring and clotheslines him on the floor before getting a near fall in the ring. Crimson hits an elbow to the head but RVD drops him and hits a split legged moonsault for 2. Crimson hits a falcon arrow for 2 and goes for his finisher but RVD hits another single leg kick. RVD hits a spin kick and the Five Star Frog Splash for a near fall. RVD hits some punches and a kick but Crimson spears him for 2. RVD escapes a slam and misses a kick, and Crimson hits the Red Sky. Jerry Lynn then breaks up the cover, and Crimson wins by disqualification. Predictable, crappy finish to end a typical RVD match. Crimson is still in the learning process and the crowd doesn’t buy into this guy one bit. And once again, the terrible booking strikes. Not good. Match Time: 8:43    Star Rating: *1/2

• Immortal (Abyss, Gunner, and Scott Steiner) vs. Fortune (AJ Styles, Christopher Daniels, and Kazarian)

This was a little bit better than expected, and probably the best match of the night. Kaz catches Gunner in a seated headscissors at the start before applying a front facelock. Kaz flips out of a back suplex attempt and hits a dropkick before Steiner gets a tag. Steiner and Kaz lock up, with Steiner taunting Kaz before Kaz gets a crucifix cover for 2. AJ tags in and kicks Steiner before taking some shots in the corner. AJ hits some chops and a double team with Daniels. Abyss tags in, but Daniels hits some strikes and does a botched springboard dive. AJ comes in with a springboard clothesline and Kaz hits a springboard missile dropkick. Abyss plants Daniels and Steiner whips him into the guardrail. Gunner covers Daniels in the ring for 2. Gunner applies a rear chin lock, and Daniels hits some elbows, but Gunner hits a back suplex and tags in Steiner. Steiner hits some chops and a belly to belly slam for 2 before Abyss comes in with punches. Abyss misses in the corner and Daniels escapes a chokeslam. Kaz gets a tag and hits a hurricanrana off the top, a dropkick, a springboard back elbow, a springboard twisting leg drop, and a tornado DDT followed by a dive onto Abyss on the floor. Everyone then starts brawling on the floor, and Kaz gets dropped face first on the apron after he rolls Abyss in.

Steiner and Gunner set up a table on the floor as Abyss chokes Kaz in the ring. Steiner hits a chop, clothesline, and an elbow drop, then distracts the ref so Gunner can choke Kaz against the ropes. Gunner hits a suplex and a back elbow, and Abyss comes in with punches before Kaz hits a slingshot DDT from the apron. AJ tags in and hits a flying forearm off Abyss’s back followed by a back suplex to Gunner and a springboard cross body to Abyss. AJ counters a chokeslam attempt with a victory roll and hits a Pele kick. Gunner kicks Kaz, only for Daniels to hit an STO and the Best Moonsault Ever. AJ kicks Steiner and ends up crotched up top, and Gunner has him on his shoulders on the apron. Daniels makes the save, but Gunner tackles Daniels off the apron through the table, delivering the sole hardcore spot on a PPV entitled “Hardcore Justice”. AJ goes for a springboard moonsault to Abyss, but Abyss may not have caught him properly so it came off like a springboard Pele. Nonetheless, AJ covers him for the win. They teased an Abyss face turn later on. Had a couple rough moments, and Abyss and Steiner dragged down the action at times, but Gunner looked pretty good and there were enough athletic high spots from Fortune to hold it together. Crowd was really into it and this may have been the match of the night. Match Time: 14:44     Star Rating: ***

• Bully Ray vs. Mr. Anderson

This was awful.  Not sure what the hell they were thinking with two heels and the match was pretty boring. Ray tries to sneak up on Anderson during his intro but Anderson sees it coming and they brawl around ringside before the bell. Anderosn drives Ray into the apron and Ray begs off in the ring, only for Anderson to hit some punches and whip him into the corner. Ray kicks a charging Anderson, hits a clothesline followed by a punch, and taunts Anderson. Ray hits a side slam and taunts him again. Anderson fights back with punches but Ray hits a back elbow and wrenches the face. Anderson claws at Ray’s face, but Ray hits a chop, a corner clothesline, and a suplex. Anderson hits some punches and escapes the Bubba Bomb, then hits a DDT. They trade punches and Anderson hits a clothesline, a back elbow, and a neckbreaker. Ray counters the Mic Check twice, but Anderson hits a spinning kick and a clothesline for 2. Ray hits a chokeslam for 2 and a corner splash but misses a second rope senton. Anderson hits a senton off the top for 2 and Ray rolls him up for a near fall. Ray hits a mid air cutter and grabs his chain, but Anderson hits a botched Finlay roll. Ray goes to leave and Anderson tosses him back inside. Anderson grabs the chain and while the ref is taking it away from him, Ray low blows Anderson and rolls him up for the win. Yet another screwy finish to end a very bland match. This was just punches and clotheslines with the usual shtick from both guys. Ray going over makes no sense if they’re trying to build up Anderson as a rebel breaking away from Immortal. Ray played his character well, that’s all you can really say. Match Time: 10:05     Star Rating: *1/2

• TNA World Tag Team Championship match: Beer Money(c) vs. Mexican America

The show continued to plod along with this tag title match, surprisingly high up in the card. Anarquia attacks Robert Roode at the start, but Roode hits a shoulder block and some strikes to Hernandez. Storm hits a knee strike and a neckbreaker before hip tossing Anarquia. Beer Money hit a double elbow strike and Roode hits a knee drop to Anarquia before applying a fujiwara arm bar. Roode hits an atomic drop and Storm hits an eye poke followed by a clothesline for 2. Roode pulls the leg and Storm kicks Anarquia in the head from the outside. Storm clotheslines Hernandez on the floor before being launched onto Anarquia on the floor. Roode slams Anarquia’s face in the corner but Hernandez clotheslines him from the apron. Hernandez chokes Roode against the ropes and hits a shoulder block followed by a choke toss. Storm breaks up the pin, but Roode takes a corner splash from Hernandez and a double underhook suplex from Anarquia. Hernandez applies a Sammartino backbreaker stretch, but Roode escapes and hits a spinebuster. Storm and Anarquia are in, with Storm hitting a clothesline, back body drop, DDT, and a modified TKO. Beer Money hit a double suplex to Hernandez and Storm hits a mistimed Frankensteiner off the top to Anarquia. Roode hits a frog splash, but Hernandez hits a slingshot shoulder block to Storm for 2. Storm hits a lungblower to Hernandez and superkicks a diving Anarquia for the win. This was just there for Beer Money to hit their signature offense and get crowd pops, Mexican America were just tackling dummies. In that sense it worked, but it did feel very much like a stretched out TV match. Match Time: 10:40     Star Rating: **1/4

• TNA World Heavyweight Championship match: Sting(c) vs. Kurt Angle

God bless Kurt Angle, but even he can’t get a great match out of Sting at his age. The match was actually going along good before the ending. They lock up at the start, with both guys twisting the arm before Angle applies a headlock on the mat. Angle hits a shoulder bock but Sting hits a hip toss and an arm drag followed by an arm bar. Sting then hits a shoulder block and Angle hits a hip toss and an arm drag with an arm bar. Sting whips Angle into the corner and kicks out his leg twice. Angle hits an elbow, but Sting launches him to the floor. Sting slams Angle’s head onto the guardrail and the steel steps, but Angle hits a fall away slam back in the ring. Angle applies a chin lock but Sting fights out, only for Angle to hit a kitchen sink and go back to the chin lock. Angle whips Sting into the corners but Sting hits a clothesline and both are down. Sting hits some punches and a DDT, but Angle hits a belly to belly suplex. Sting scores a near fall before Angle hits the 3 German suplexes for a 2 count. Angle misses a moonsault and Sting hits an Angle Slam followed by the Scorpion Deathlock. Angle gets the ropes and Sting hits a Stinger Splash to the back, but he misses a second one and Angle hits the Angle Slam for 2. Angle goes shoulder first into the post in the corner and Sting applies the Ankle Lock. Angle escapes and applies the Scorpion Deathlock, but Sting gets the ropes. Angle hits some knees to the back and hits a pair of Germans, but Sting counters the third one and goes for a powerslam, only for Angle to counter with the Ankle Lock. Sting counters with a victory roll for 2, and Angle accidentally takes out the ref. Hulk Hogan then comes out with a chair and Angle takes it away from him, only for Angle to hit Sting with the chair and hit the Angle Slam for the win. ANOTHER screwy finish and a swerve that many people saw coming. This booking is just nauseating. Before the finish the match was good but nothing more. Sting can only do so much at his age but this was better than his other title matches this year. Still not good enough for a PPV main event though. Match Time: 15:24     Star Rating: **3/4

Overall PPV Rating: 5/10

My name is Jared Silberkleit and I am from Orange, CT. I am a huge pro wrestling fan and follow all kinds of promotions such as WWE, TNA, ROH, PWG, CHIKARA, Dragon Gate USA, and anything else I might come across. I am a huge supporter of independent wrestling and I feel that it provides a true alternative to the mainstream promotions and also showcases a lot of innovation and hard work. Aside from wrestling I am also a really big fan of football, baseball, hockey, and MMA. I have also written for www.sportsgrumblings.com for over two years.

1.    TNA World Tag Team Championship match: James Storm and Alex Shelley(c) vs. The British Invasion

Pretty solid choice to open the show, and also one of the better matches of the evening. Storm starts the match with Douglas Williams, working the arm before making a tag to Shelley. Williams takes out Shelley’s leg and hits a shoulder block followed by a big punch, but Storm tags back in. Storm and Shelley hit a double leg wrench, double clothesline, and a double dropkick. Shelley hits an atomic drop followed by a bulldog from Storm, and Storm pokes Williams in the eye as Shelley holds him up. Shelley hits some mounted punches in the corner, but gets his leg pulled by Magnus from the outside while running the ropes. Magnus hits a kick followed by Williams hitting a scoop slam and a knee drop. Williams works the arm and combines with Magnus to hit Shelley with a straightjacket takedown. Shelley hits some forearms, but eats a suplex from Magnus and a knee strike from Williams in the corner. Magnus hits a top rope diving elbow drop but Storm breaks up the pin. Shelley hits a kick before taking an exploder from Williams, but is able block the Chaos Theory and hit a downward spiral into the middle turnbuckle. Storm gets the hot tag and hits a bunch of clotheslines and a back body drop to Williams before scoring a near fall. Williams trips up Magnus’ leg and both members of British Invasion end up on the outside. Storm stands on the middle rope and Shelley hits a suicide dive through his legs to the floor. Storm hits a scoop slam on Williams and gives Magnus a double suplex with Shelley’s assistance. Magnus tosses Storm to the floor, but Storm quickly comes back inside. Williams blocks the Eye of the Storm but ends up sandwiched in the corner. Storm hits Magnus with a lungblower and Shelley hits a diving double stomp for 2. Shelley hits a thrust kick off the top but accidentally nails Storm with a superkick. British Invasion hit a diving uppercut/spinebuster combination for 2. Magnus misses with a kick and nails his partner, then falls victim to a superkick from Storm and a shiranui from Shelley for the pin. All around good opener with some crisp, fast paced action. Match Time: 10:57     Star Rating: ***

2.    Scott Steiner vs. Matt Morgan

After a good opener, the show hit a lull until the last man standing match. Following a lengthy staredown, Morgan catches Steiner in a headlock before he drops him with a sccop slam and a head butt. Morgan hangs Steiner up on the ropes and jumps onto him, then drives him into the apron on the outside. Steiner hits a low blow in the ring and hits an elbow drop to Morgan’s knee. Steiner stalls with taunts before hitting a belly to belly slam, clawing at Morgan’s face, and kicking him in the gut. He hits some chops and punches in the corner followed by a lazy snapmare and a kick to the chest. Steiner hits a chop and kicks Morgan in the gut again, but he eats a kick from Morgan when he charges in the corner. Morgan comes back with clotheslines, a corner splash, and a side slam for a near fall. Morgan hits a Michinoku Driver but Steiner comes back with a T-Bone suplex. Morgan hits a discus clothesline, but Steiner hits a downward spiral and puts Morgan in the Recliner. Morgan tries to break it with an electric chair type move, but Steiner counters with a victory roll for 2. Steiner comes off the middle rope and Morgan catches him with a chokeslam attempt, but Steiner escapes and tries for another belly to belly. Morgan boxes the ears and comes off the ropes with a Carbon Footprint for the win. Much of the match was sluggish and boring but it ended up not being that bad with the last couple minutes. Not a good match by any stretch of the imagination but certainly not as bad as it could have been with these two. Match Time: 9:20     Star Rating: *3/4

3.    3-Way match for the TNA X Division Championship: Abyss(c) vs. Kazarian vs. Brian Kendrick

Now this was utter crap. Abyss as X Division Champion is already ridiculous enough, but the entire layout of this was a disaster and left viewers very confused as to who was playing what role both in this match and in the grand scheme of things. The match begins with the two faces dodging Abyss, before Abyss is able to toss Kaz onto Kendrick on the outside. The faces attack Abyss in the corner before the fight spills back out to the floor. Abyss punches Kaz, but Kendrick hits a flying dropkick to the outside and is all over Abyss with punches. They go back in the ring, where Kaz and Kendrick hit consecutive flying forearms and kicks to Abyss in the corner. Abyss hits Kendrick with a Black Hole Slam out of nowhere and big boots Kaz. Abyss kicks Kendrick to the floor when he crawls to the apron from the outside. Abyss chokes Kaz, whips him into the corner, hits a corner splash, and wrenches his head for a while. Kaz attempts a comeback but Abyss hits the Shock Treatment. Abyss misses a Vader Bomb and Kendrick rejoins the fray, hitting a gazillion dropkicks and a tornado DDT. Abyss hits a clothesline but Kaz hits some shots in the corner and a diving hurricanrana. Kaz hits a springboard back elbow and hits a double dropkick with Kendrick. Kaz hits a twisting leg drop and Kendrick hits a diving splash, and both guys try a double pin (HUH?) for 2. Kaz counters an Abyss chokeslam with a victory roll and Abyss gets sent to the floor. Kaz and Kendrick go at it, with Kendrick hitting a kick and countering the Fade to Black before hitting a dropkick. Abyss then yanks Kendrick out of the ring and covers Kaz for the win. This was a catastrophe. The story of this was that Abyss, the big bad monster heel, is in essence fighting a handicap match against two faces and will have to heroically overcome the odds to win the match. Then the match ends with a super cheap pin that made this big bad monster heel look like a coward. The match either A. almost buried Abyss and/or B. almost turned him into a face. The whole 2 on 1 scenario also completely killed Kaz’s face heat, which tells you something about the match because the fans usually love the guy. I don’t know who planned this, but they should be fired. Match Time: 12:05     Star Rating: *1/4

4.    Samoa Joe vs. Crimson

This was a bit better than the previous two matches, but nothing exceptional. Crimson is very green and the fans know it. Crimson hits some shoulder thrusts in the corner early but Joe tosses him to the floor. Crimson hits a forearm to a charging Joe and hits a cravat neckbreaker back in the ring. Crimson hits some punches but Joe hits a dragon screw and slams Crimson’s head into the corner. Joe hits a slam and applies a leg bar, and Crimson gets to the ropes before Joe puts him in another leg hold, twisting his ankle. Crimson tries to counter with a triangle choke but that ends up broken up and Crimson hits what was supposed to be a T-Bone suplex.  Joe comes back with a German suplex, a clothesline, a big slap, and a diving leg lariat. Joe follows with a powerbomb, which he transitions into a single leg Boston crab. Crimson gets a rope break and hits a spear out of nowhere. Both guys are slow to get up and Crimson hits some punches, but Joe hits some slaps and sets up Crimson for the muscle buster, only for Crimson to escape. Joe applies a cobra clutch, but Crimson gets out of it and hits the sitout chokebomb for the win. Crowd was completely dead for this and the finish came out of nowhere. Wasn’t a god awful match but it felt very much like an exhibition for Joe with a fluke win for Crimson. Match Time: 10:33     Star Rating: **1/4

5.    TNA Women’s Knockout Championship match: Mickie James(c) vs. Angelina Love

Love comes out with Winter, who almost singlehandedly killed this match. They lock up hard before Love tosses Mickie to the mat twice. Love works the arm, hitting a leg drop to it and twisting it. Love hits a shoulder block and kicks Mickie in the corner. Mickie hits a hurricanrana but Love scores a near fall and stomps Mickie’s back. Mickie hits a snapmare but Winter hits a cheap shot. Love rakes Mickie’s eyes and tosses her to the floor. Mickie sends Love into the steps before they trade punches in the ring. Mickie hits a flying forearm, some clotheslines, and a flapjack, followed by a diving Thesz press. Mickie trips Love’s leg and goes for a pin, but Winter puts Love’s foot on the bottom rope. Love hits a bicycle kick and Mickie gets the rope to break the pin, but Winter tries to push her arm off the rope. The ref sees this and yells at Winter but doesn’t eject her. Wow. Love hits some punches and Mickie knocks Winter off the apron before countering a move from Love with a northern lights suplex. Love scores a near fall with leverage from Winter, but Mickie hits a horribly botched DDT for the win. For the most part, an average mainstream women’s match that was hampered by the excessive involvement from Winter as well as the botched ending. As two pros they should have known better than to end that way. Match Time: 8:01     Star Rating: *1/2

6.    Last Man Standing match: AJ Styles vs. Bully Ray

Most will probably argue that this was the match of the night. I disagree, but it was still better than anything on the show at this point and was better than I expected. After a long staredown, AJ unloads on Ray with a ton of punches, a knee strike, and more punches. AJ hits an enzuigiri but can’t clothesline Ray to the floor, allowing Ray to hit a clothesline. Ray hits some shots in the corner but AJ comes back with more punches, a head butt, and a leaping forearm. AJ whips Ray into the corner but Ray knocks him down and hits some punches. Ray hits a back body drop, a corner splash, and a knee to the gut. Ray twists AJ’s arm and tosses him to the outside, where Ray picks up the steel steps and sets them up on their side. Ray hits an elbow to the head and gives AJ snake eyes on the steps. Ray then puts the steps on AJ’s midsection and stands on them. AJ beats the count and they return to the ring. Ray gives AJ a series of hard chops, with AJ egging him on and begging for more after each one. AJ gets up at 6 after Ray pops him in the jaw. AJ hits some strikes, an enzuigiri, and a springboard flying forearm. Ray is up at 6, and AJ sets him up in the corner and hits a Pele. AJ sets up for a hurricanrana but Ray counters with a superbomb into the ring. Both guys wind up on the outside, with Ray missing when he swings a chain at AJ. AJ gets the chain, wraps it around his fist, and punches Ray in the face, busting Ray open.

AJ hits some more punches and puts Ray back in the ring, where he hits a springboard 450 splash. Ray is up at 8, and AJ throws him over the ropes and into the steel steps on the outside. AJ then vaults himself over the ropes onto Ray on the floor. AJ goes for the Styles Clash, but Ray drops him on the apron. Ray throws AJ up the ramp and onto the stage, and then teases a powerbomb off the stage. AJ counters and hits a Pele, then kicks Ray to the floor. AJ then does a running diving forearm off the stage to the floor. AJ then sets up a table, punches Ray, hits him with a steel chair, and puts him on the table. AJ then climbs a steel tower and leaps off with a crazy elbow drop through the table. Both guys are down, but as AJ tries to get up, Ray kicks him, which sends him crashing headfirst through the base of the stage. Ray then gets up at 10 for the win before falling immediately back down. The BS finish really irritated me, especially considering that AJ just jobbed to TOMMY DREAMER at the last PPV and now once again had to lay down for a veteran. The match had great storytelling, but this isn’t the type of match/opponent that I want to see AJ wrestle, since he became severely limited in his moveset and had to resort to punches for the bulk of his offense. The finish also hurt it, because given the way the match was laid out and executed it made no sense for Ray to get the win. Still a good match nonetheless and the crowd ate it up. Match Time: 20:18     Star Rating: ***1/4

7.    TNA World Heavyweight Championship match: Sting(c) vs. Mr. Anderson

Seeing as this is one of TNA’s premier events of the year, it was very interesting to not see the World Heavyweight Championship defended in the main event. Given the way this match turned out, I completely understand why. Sting attacks Anderson on the stage before the bell and punches him down the ramp and into the ring, where the bell rings. They quickly go outside, where Anderson this some punches only for Sting to slam his head into the guardrail and toss him into the crowd. Sting whips Anderson into a wall and they do the same lengthy stand up crowd brawl that tends to happen in every Sting title match. Eventually, Anderson is tossed over the guardrail and the action returns to the ringside area. Anderson slams Sting’s head onto the ring post, slams his arm onto the steps, and wrenches his arm around the post. Anderson applies an arm bar, hits a pair of elbow drops, and continues to slowly work the arm. Anderson hits a botched single arm DDT and a punch, but misses a corner splash. Anderson comes back with a front slam and wrenches the arm again. They trade punches and Sting hits a series of clotheslines, a back body drop, and a corner splash. He goes for the Scorpion Deathlock but is distracted when Eric Bischoff comes out. Anderson hits a Finlay roll for 2 and Sting hits a DDT, but Anderson gets his knees up to block a Vader Bomb. Sting blocks Anderson’s first attempt at the Mic Check but takes the move on the second try. Sting crotches Anderson in the corner, hits a corner splash, and nails the Scorpion Death Drop, but Bischoff messes up the count and Sting is confused. Anderson hits a low blow RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE REF, who does nothing, and then hits a Mic Check for the win. No reaction whatsoever to the title change, which was fitting considering the crowd was dead for the rest of the match as well. It was just typical boring, sloppy Anderson and the very formulaic Sting. Put the two together and you have a sluggish, awful world title match that absolutely no one cared about. Thank God this didn’t main event. Match Time: 15:52     Star Rating: *1/2

8.    Jeff Jarrett vs. Kurt Angle

The stipulations were that the winner would be the #1 contender to the TNA World Heavyweight Championship as well as gain possession of Angle’s Olympic gold medals. This wasn’t the best Angle/Jarrett match ever but it was still really good and the best match on the show. Angle takes control early with a headlock and a snap suplex, but Jarrett launches him to the floor when he charges. Jarrett sends Angle headfirst into the guardrail and shoulder first into the steps. Jarrett stomps Angle in the ring, then slides out and hits him in the face. Both guys are down after Jarrett attempts a cross body and they collide. Angle hits some punches and gets caught in a sleeper, but Angle escapes, leaps over Jarrett in the corner, and hits a German suplex. Both guys are slow to get up but eventually trade shots, with Angle following with a belly to belly for 2 and a dropkick out of the corner. Angle catches a charging Jarrett with a powerbomb and transitions into the Ankle Lock, but Jarrett rolls out and hits a DDT for 2. Angle hits an Angle Slam for a near fall but misses a moonsault, and Jarrett hits the Stroke for 2. Both guys counter out of Tombstone attempts, and Angle again cinches in the Ankle Lock. Jarrett rolls out and this time there’s a ref bump, which allows Jarrett to grab a guitar and smash Angle over the head with it. A second ref, Earl Hebner, comes down to count the pin but Angle kicks out. Angle scores a near fall with a schoolboy and hits the 3 Germans for 2. Both guys go up top, with Jarrett kicking Angle off only for Angle to run back up with a super belly to belly suplex for 2. Jarrett hits a Stroke off the second rope for another near fall. Angle does a sunset flip but Jarrett applies the Ankle Lock himself. Angle struggles for a bit but eventually kicks Jarrett off and puts him in the Ankle Lock, forcing Jarrett to tap out. Very good, clean match with no shenanigans (except for the guitar, which was fine) to close the show and end the feud. Just really solid, well executed pro wrestling. Match Time: 17:42     Star Rating: ***3/4

Overall PPV Rating: 6/10

My name is Jared Silberkleit and I am from Orange, CT. I am a huge pro wrestling fan and follow all kinds of promotions such as WWE, TNA, ROH, PWG, CHIKARA, Dragon Gate USA, and anything else I might come across. I am a huge supporter of independent wrestling and I feel that it provides a true alternative to the mainstream promotions and also showcases a lot of innovation and hard work. Aside from wrestling I am also a really big fan of football, baseball, hockey, and MMA. I have also written for www.sportsgrumblings.com for over two years.

1.    TNA World Tag Team Championship match: The Motor City Machineguns(c) vs. Generation Me

The PPV opened with the best match of the night, a very fun and athletic match for the tag titles. The Guns and Generation Me really brought it and I thought this was a bit better than their match from No Surrender. Max Buck and Alex Shelley start the match, with Max driving Shelley into the corner and laying into him with punches and kicks. Shelley hits some chops, an arm drag, and a leg sweep before taking down Max again and tagging in Chris Sabin. The Guns knock Jeremy Buck off the apron and hit some double team moves on Max before Max is able to tag in his brother. Both brothers end up outside the ring where the Guns hit simultaneous suicide dives. Back in the ring, Shelley hits a diving cross body to Jeremy for a near fall. Jeremy fights off a sliced bread attempt and Gen. Me hit a double elevated DDT to Shelley. Jeremy and Shelley trade slaps before Jeremy hits an enzuigiri for a near fall. Max tags in after hitting a double team dropkick with his brother. Gen. Me hit some more double team moves until Jeremy applies a rear chin lock, only for Shelley to fight out. Shelley knocks Jeremy off the top turnbuckle and hits a diving double foot stomp, then tags to Sabin, who hits a ton of jumping elbows and forearms. Max gets hung up in the tree of woe and the Guns hit back to back baseball slides. After some more double teaming, Shelley tries an outside dive but crashes and burns. Max hits a wheelbarrow facebuster for a near fall and Gen. Me tries for a double DDT only for Shelley to break it up. The Guns try for a sliced bread/powerbomb combo but Sabin is sent to the outside and Max dives onto Shelley. Max holds Shelley over the ropes and Jeremy hits a 450 splash, but the pin attempt is broken up. Shelley misses a diving double stomp and eats a ton of double team moves from Gen. Me. Gen. Me try to go for More Bang for Your Buck but it’s broken up and Sabin hits a release German superplex, which is followed up by the Skull and Bones and the Guns retain the titles. Awesome, action packed opener that got the show off to a hot start. I would have liked to see it go on longer though. Match Time: 12:58     Star Rating: ***3/4

2.    4-Way match for the TNA Women’s Knockout Championship: Angelina Love(c) vs. Tara vs. Madison Rayne vs. Velvet Sky with Mickie James as Special Guest Referee

It appears this match will be fought under Four Corners rules. Love and Rayne look set to start the match but Rayne tags to Sky. Love and Sky do some chain wrestling early on before they both hit a shoulder block. Rayne gets a tag and Love hits a drop toehold, but Rayne charges her in the corner and slams her head into the mat. Rayne chokes Love in the corner while arguing with Mickie, before Love is able to score a near fall off a scoop slam and Tara breaks up the pin. Love tags out to Sky, who hits a head scissors. Sky puts Tara in an octopus stretch but Tara fights out and dropkicks her. Sky reverses a suplex and hits some flying forearms, a kick, and a bulldog. Everything breaks down with Love hitting a bicycle kick, Rayne hitting her weird neckbreaker, and Sky hitting a DDT to Rayne. Tara attacks Sky from behind and tries for the Widow’s Peak but Sky fights out. Tara gets the pin with the weakest looking roll up I have ever seen. Rayne’s pissed after the bell but Mickie lays her out. A very typical Knockouts match and Tara going over made no sense, but at least she can wrestle well. Match Time: 6:17     Star Rating: *1/2

3.    Ink Inc. vs. Eric Young and Orlando Jordan

Oh my God. Jordan and Jesse Neal start the match but Young pulls the ref out and starts to ref the match himself. Young argues with the ref as Jordan and Neal fight, with Neal hitting a diving cross body. Shannon Moore gets a tag and hits a dropkick before Jordan makes a comeback. Jordan tags to Young, who high fives everyone before catapulting Jordan over the top rope. Ink Inc. both splash Jordan, and Young and Jordan both wind up crotched on the top rope. Jordan hits Moore with a spinebuster for a near fall and tries to get Young to come in, but Young pulls out a rule book and won’t enter. Jordan and Moore double clothesline each other, and Jordan slaps the rule book out of Young’s hand. Jordan tries to get him to come in but Young runs to the other corner. Young gets a tag from Moore (?) and starts to attack Jordan, hitting some clotheslines and a back drop before Ink Inc. get the win with their finisher. This was unbelievably stupid and Young’s brain damaged character is completely distasteful in 2010. Waste of time. Match Time: 6:36     Star Rating: *

4.    TNA X Division Championship match: Jay Lethal(c) vs. Douglas Williams

The show entered a brief good stretch with this match. Williams tries for a series of takedowns and Lethal fights out, locking in an arm bar. Williams gets to his feet and kicks Lethal in the leg before hitting a clothesline. Lethal hits the Lethal Combination, then hits a slingshot cross body when Williams bails to the outside. Williams applies a side headlock back in the ring, then hits some knees to the head before hitting a big boot/clothesline combo. Williams wears Lethal down with a rear chin lock but Lethal is able to fight out and hit some punches and a flying clothesline. Lethal hits some flying kicks and connects with a springboard moonsault. Williams hits a suplex for a near fall, hits a high knee in the corner, and a snap suplex. Williams hits some uppercuts and an exploder for a near fall. Williams hits the Chaos Theory, but only gets two and argues with the ref. Williams hits a top rope hurricanrana but Lethal rolls through and gets the win with a roll up. He celebrates in the crowd afterwards. Match was a bit too short but pretty good. The chemistry is definitely there between these guys. Match Time: 8:18     Star Rating: ***

5.    Monster’s Ball match: Abyss vs. Rob Van Dam

I went into this one with very low expectations, so this match was a pleasant surprise. It wasn’t a great match but it was a fun little brawl. They trade blows at the start, with RVD hitting a bunch of kicks and dragging Abyss over to the apron where he hits a slingshot leg drop. RVD grabs a chair and comes back into the ring, hitting a single leg dropkick and a chair assisted dropkick in the corner. RVD dives on top of Abyss on the outside, then throws a barbed wire board into the ring. Van Dam hits a baseball slide but Abyss pops back up and hits a back elbow. Abyss hits some punches and teases a chokeslam onto the barbed wire, but Van Dam fights out and hits a bulldog to Abyss onto the barbed wire. Van Dam goes for rolling thunder but Abyss moves and Van Dam goes into the barbed wire. Abyss grabs a table from under the ring, and sets it up across the apron and the barricade, then does the same with another barbed wire board at another section of the ringside area. RVD and Abyss trade blows on the apron, with Abyss almost suplexing RVD through the table. RVD is able to hit some shots on Abyss, who falls back onto the table. RVD then hits rolling thunder over the top rope and onto Abyss, driving him through the table. Abyss tries to hit RVD with a chair in the ring but RVD kicks it into his face. Van Dam goes for a coast to coast with the chair but Abyss throws the chair into Van Dam’s face, causing him to fall off the top and through the barbed wire board. Abyss brings Van Dam back into the ring and sets up another barbed wire board in the corner. Van Dam sends Abyss into the barbed wire and coast to coast dropkicks the board into his face. RVD tries for the Five Star Frog Splash but misses. Abyss picks up Janice from the announce table and goes to hit RVD with it, but RVD moves and throws a chair in Abyss’s face. RVD then hits Abyss in the gut with Janice, causing Abyss to bleed from the mouth, before hitting the Five Star Frog Splash for the win. Not a crazy brutal Monster’s Ball but definitely a good, fun street fight style match. Better than the usual Abyss fare. Match Time: 13:00     Star Rating: ***

6.    Handicap match: D’Angelo Dinero, Kevin Nash, and Sting vs. Jeff Jarrett and Samoa Joe

The PPV went downhill with this match. Joe and Pope start the match with some chain wrestling until Pope hits a shoulder block. Joe comes back with some punches and a slam before beating on Pope in the corner. Pope comes back with punches of his own but Joe hits a high knee. Sting gets a tag and looks at Jarrett, but Joe hits some punches. Joe misses a splash in the corner and Sting hits one of his own, but gets put down with a uranage when he tries for a second. Joe launches Sting into the barricade on the outside but Nash catches him with a knee to the back. Sting sends Joe into the barricade before returning to the ring where he tags in Nash. Nash hits some knees and elbows to the head and tags in Pope. Pope botches an attempt at a corner elbow and hits it on the second try. Joe eats the 4Up but double clotheslines Pope and Sting. Nash comes in, moving extremely slow, and hits a really weak corner splash. Joe tries for a tag but Jarrett hops off the apron and retreats up the ramp, betraying Joe. Joe then attacks all 3 men but ends up getting beat down. Nash ends it with a Jackknife powerbomb for the win. I sure hope that the rumors of Nash’s retirement are true because he was awful here. Match was really bad and it was sad to say Joe and the Pope get wasted here. Match Time: 7:46     Star Rating: *1/2

Team 3D came out for an announcement after the last match. They recapped their careers and all of their successes worldwide and said they had nothing left to accomplish and were retiring. They requested one final match for the tag titles against the Motor City Machineguns so they could retire as champions, unless MCMG win and in that case they get to say they retired Team 3D. Glad to see Team 3D stepping down as their time has come and they are getting up there. Hopefully they pass the torch and the Guns go over in their last match.

7.    Lethal Lockdown match: EV 2.0 vs. Fortune

Very strange to see Lethal Lockdown occurring at a PPV other than Lockdown, as Lockdown is supposed to be the one time you get to see the match each year. They had both teams come out in their entirety at the start, accompanied by Mick Foley and Ric Flair respectively, waiting at ringside and coming in one by one at the appropriate time intervals. Stevie Richards and Kazarian start the match, with Kaz getting the upper hand with some forearms until Stevie hits a few neckbreakers. He then slams Kaz into the cage multiple times but misses a dropkick. Kaz comes back with a body slam and a springboard leg drop. Richards comes back with a chop and mocks Flair. Stevie hits a reverse STO before applying a modified Koji Clutch until AJ Styles enters the match. Styles hits a dropkick and double teams Stevie with Kaz. Styles applies the Figure Four with Kaz holding Stevie’s arms as the second interval expires and Tommy Dreamer enters, going right after AJ. Stevie tries to superplex  Kaz but AJ powerbombs him for the Tower of Doom spot. Robert Roode is in next and the heels take advantage, with AJ raking Dreamer’s bloody face against the cage. Roode and Styles hit some splashes before Sabu enters. Sabu is all over the place with splashes and clotheslines and hits Styles with a DDT. Sabu puts Styles in a camel clutch and Dreamer hits a powerslam. Dreamer puts Styles in a crossface, but Styles fights out as James Storm enters the match. Beer Money double suplex Sabu and Dreamer until Stevie superkicks Roode, but Storm superkicks Stevie back. It breaks down into a massive brawl until Raven enters the match.

Raven sends Roode into the cage and hits him with a handkerchief (?), leaving him busted open as Dreamer hangs AJ in the tree of woe. The brawl resumes as Matt Morgan enters the match. Morgan sloppily powerbombs Sabu into the side of the cage, this some elbows to Dreamer, and a big boot to Stevie. Fortune is beating down EV 2.0 until Rhyno comes in as the final entrant, and the roof lowers with the weapons as the lights go out. Flair and Foley are brawling on the outside but the lack of lighting makes it difficult to see. Everyone is grabbing weapons and hitting each other as this match devolves into a mess. Kaz gets launched out of the cage and climbs to the top, with Stevie following him. Kaz sets up a ladder atop the cage as Sabu does a suicide dive onto Morgan and Beer Money through the door. Stevie sets up a table on the roof but Kaz puts him on the table. Kaz climbs the ladder but Brian Kendrick comes out of nowhere and knocks him off, then backdrops him through the table. Back in the ring, Dreamer hits a super Dreamer Driver to Styles onto a chair for the win. Stupid, stupid booking decision having EV 2.0 go over here as a win for Fortune would have done a lot for them. The match wasn’t awful but it was pretty much just a mess with boring parts in the middle. It depended on the weapons and when it got there, they didn’t do too much aside from the usual brawling. Worst Lethal Lockdown ever. Match Time: 24:49     Star Rating: **1/2

8.    3-Way match for the vacant TNA World Heavyweight Championship: Jeff Hardy vs. Mr. Anderson vs. Kurt Angle

Stipulation is that Angle said he’ll retire if he loses. This was a really good to great main event ruined by an awful ending. Hardy and Angle beat on Anderson in the corner but Angle ends up missing a splash. Hardy hits a forearm but Anderson hits a neckbreaker for a near fall. Anderson hits a big boot to Angle but Angle hits a belly to belly suplex. Hardy beats on Angle in the corner but is hit with a double sledge from Anderson. They do a double German spot with all 3 guys which looked pretty cool. Angle hits Hardy with an uppercut before back dropping him to the floor. Angle and Anderson trade blows on the outside but Hardy takes them both out with a suicide dive. Angle hits Hardy with a snap suplex in the ring and applies a rear chin lock but Hardy fights out, only to take a super belly to belly suplex from Angle. Anderson hits a standing Green Bay Plunge before taking a mule kick from Hardy, but Hardy misses the Swanton. Angle hits the three Germans to Anderson and then to Hardy before putting both men in a weird double Ankle Lock. They both fend him off and Anderson hits a Green Bay Plunge to angle off the top. Hardy does a Swanton onto both of them to break up the pin and gets a near fall of his own. Hardy knocks Anderson off the apron but Angle hits him with an Angle Slam. Angle hits Anderson with an Angle Slam off the top but Hardy hits the Whisper in the Wind  to Angle and a Twist of Fate on Anderson. Hardy tries to cover Anderson but Angle pulls him off with an Ankle Lock. Hardy fights out of the Ankle Lock and launches Angle into the Mic Check. The cover is broken up and Angle hits a moonsault to Hardy. Angle and Anderson trade blows with Angle clotheslining the ref. Angle hits a German but Anderson hits the Mic Check.

Eric Bischoff then comes down to the ring with a chair. Hulk Hogan’s music then hits and he comes to the ring on crutches. They yell back and forth with Bischoff grabbing a crutch. Hardy rolls back into the ring and Hogan hands him the other crutch. Hardy then breaks the crutch over Angle’s back and Bischoff hands him the other crutch. Hardy hits Anderson with it and then connects with the Twist of Fate. Bischoff pulls the ref back in and makes him count the pin, and Jeff Hardy is the new TNA World Heavyweight Champion. Abyss then comes to the ring and hugs Hogan, followed by Jeff Jarrett who does the same. It appears that this whole faction is “They”. Rob Van Dam comes out to talk to Jeff, but Jeff blasts him with his title belt. So in the same building where the original nWo formed back in 1996 we now have the same thing in 2010 with Jeff Hardy, Abyss, Jeff Jarrett, Hulk Hogan, and Eric Bischoff.  I despise this company. They ruined a terrific main event with this ass-backwards booking. How can they actually expect fans to boo Jeff Hardy who has never been a heel his entire career? He’s not even developed well enough as a character to pull this off. The announcers also never acknowledged during any of this that this may have been the end of Kurt Angle’s career due to the pre-match stipulations. This was a complete failure. Match was going along great before this. TNA gives me headaches. Match Time: 17:40     Star Rating: ***1/4

Overall PPV Rating: 6/10

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 two years.

1.    TNA World Tag Team Championship: The Motor City Machineguns(c) vs. Generation Me

Some incident occurred with London Brawling (aka Desmond Wolfe and Magnus, who were originally scheduled to challenge MCMG for the titles) that caused Generation Me to be inserted into this match to challenge for the titles. This was a pretty good opener but I feel like these teams are capable of having better matches. Jeremy starts the match with Alex Shelley and they do some chain wrestling for a bit before Jeremy tags in Max. Solid mat wrestling from Shelley follows before he tags in Chris Sabin. Sabin and Max trade quick offense, including both guys kicking each other’s feet when they go for dropkicks. They go nose to nose before tagging in their partners. Jeremy hits a moonsault and works Shelley’s arm, hitting a double stomp to it. Sabin gets the tag and the Guns double team Jeremy, hitting a chancery/dropkick combo. Shelley then puts on an inverted Boston Crab (Colt Cabana’s Billy Goat’s Curse) with a modified surfboard lift. Max gets a tag and hits a ton of offense. Shelley tags in and hits Max with a single leg dropkick. Shelley hits Max with an enzuigiri but takes a neckbreaker from Jeremy on the apron. Shelley fights out of a suplex attempt but eats a double dropkick from Generation Me. Jeremy gets a near fall before putting on a full nelson. Shelley is able to tag in Sabin, who comes in as a house of fire. Sabin hits a springboard tornado DDT but Jeremy breaks up the pin. Shelley does a suicide dive onto Jeremy while Sabin and Max go at it in the ring. Generation Me hits an assisted sliced bread for a near fall and try for More Bang For Your Buck, but don’t get it. A spot ensues with everyone trying for superkicks, and the Guns end up getting the win after hitting Skull and Bones. After the match, Generation Me attacks the Guns, which I guess means they are turning heel. Good stuff all around but these teams are capable of putting on better matches. Match Time: 12:53     Star Rating: ***1/2

2.    TNA X Division Championship: Douglas Williams(c) vs. Sabu

This match disappointed me, as instead of getting the strangely crisp Sabu we got at Hardcore Justice, we got the usual sloppy Sabu and so this match was chock full of botches. Sabu takes down Williams early on before the two trade holds. Sabu does a headlock takeover and makes it to the ropes to get out of a Williams submission, but Williams puts on an armbar before Sabu gets to the corner to force a break. Sabu hits a clothesline and a slingshot leg drop from the apron before putting on a camel clutch. Sabu sends Williams to the outside and does a somersault dive before beginning to set up a table. Williams sends Sabu into the ring and hits a diving uppercut for a near fall. Both guys fight up top where Sabu horrendously botches a hurricanrana, but Williams sells it anyway. Sabu gets a chair and the ref confronts him about it, but Sabu is still able to beat on Williams before using the chair for a triple jump moonsault. Sabu missed the top rope but was lucky enough to land on the middle rope to avoid another botched spot. Williams sends Sabu into the chair with a drop toehold, hits a clothesline, then works over Sabu’s back. Williams hits an uppercut but Sabu comes back with a springboard DDT. Sabu hits a springboard back elbow for a near fall before jumping off the chair with a leg lariat. Williams hits a gutwrench suplex and tries for a German, but Sabu fights out and Williams goes to the outside. Sabu screws up a springboard spot so he drops back before diving onto Williams on the second attempt. Sabu puts Williams on the table but ends up going through it himself when Williams moves. Williams tries to use the chair but the ref takes it away, so Williams cracks Sabu with the X Division title to win the match. Sloppy match that was boring in parts, but Williams made it not horrible. Sabu should never wrestle, ever, ever again. This guy can’t do anything right. Match Time: 11:18     Star Rating: **

3.    Madison Rayne vs. Velvet Sky

These two girls actually came out TO THE SAME MUSIC. The music never even paused, it just continued for Velvet after Madison came out. Rayne sends Sky into the corner and chokes her with her boot, before putting her down on the mat to punch and choke her. Rayne puts on a camel clutch but Sky fights out and slaps her in the face. Sky gets a quick roll up but Rayne regains control with some near falls of her own. Sky blocks a headscissors attempt and builds steam with some clotheslines and a back elbow. Sky hits a spear and slams Rayne’s head into the mat, then hits a facebuster. When she goes for the pin, Tara pulls her to the outside but Angelina makes the save. In the ring, Sky counters Rayne’s finisher and hits a DDT for the win. Very typical knockouts match, but at least it was short and they didn’t mess anything up. Match Time: 4:46     Star Rating: *1/2

4.    Falls Count Anywhere match: Rhino vs. Abyss

It’s a TNA PPV, which means it’s time for the stupid Abyss gimmick match! Yay! This match actually turned out not quite as bad as what I expected but these guys have had far better matches. Rhino attacks Abyss during his entrance and starts throwing weapons in the ring. Rhino dives out of the ring onto Abyss on the outside, but Abyss is up and they brawl with each other through the crowd and out to the back. They actually go outside the building into Universal Studios and fight near a ROLLER COASTER. The camera is shaking like crazy during this, as if it were strapped to a monkey’s head. Abyss sends Rhino into a fence before they just keep on punching as they head back into the Impact Zone. The come back into the ring where Rhino hits a clothesline, but Abyss sends him into a trash can set up in the corner. They fight outside the ring with both guys slamming each other into the barricade, before Abyss throws Rhino through the side of the stage. They then GO INSIDE THE HOLE and fight underneath the stage, where the cameraman apparently falls down and we can’t see what’s going on. They crash through the other side of the stage before brawling back into the ring. Abyss grabs a barricade and sets it up in the corner. Rhino hits a big clothesline and wails on Abyss with a cookie sheet. Rhino hits a gore and a belly to belly slam and tries for another gore, but Abyss catches him and chokeslams him onto the dented trash can. Abyss grabs Janice and returns to the ring but Rhino hits a gore for a near fall. Abyss hits a black hole slam for another near fall and tries to powerbomb Rhino into the barricade, but Rhino counters. He tries for a gore, but Abyss moves and Rhino hits the barricade. Abyss hits a black hole slam for the win. Match was really bad for the first half, then it got pretty good once they just decided to have a match in the ring. Hmm, imagine that.  Match Time: 12:47     Star Rating: **1/2

5.    Kevin Nash and Sting vs. Jeff Jarrett and Samoa Joe

Before you ask, yes it is the year 2010. Joe and Sting look to start things off but Nash and Sting do a pre-match attack on the faces. Joe hits a running knee and takes down Sting with a kick. Jarrett gets a tag and pounds away at Sting, before Nash tags in and hits a big knee and a sidewalk slam. More knees from Nash before Sting tags in and wrenches at Jarrett’s arm. Sting hits a Stinger Splash and tries for a Vader Bomb, but Jarrett gets the knees up. Jarrett gets a tag but the ref doesn’t see it. Sting and Jarrett clothesline each other, and Joe eventually gets the tag. Joe takes out Nash with a suicide elbow while Jarrett and Sting go at it. Jarrett gets a hold of the bat and hits Sting in the gut with it. Joe puts Sting in the Coquina Clutch and Sting passes out, so the faces get the win. The match wasn’t good but at least it was short and they put over Joe strong. For that, I didn’t really hate this, though there wasn’t much there. Match Time: 6:05     Star Rating: *3/4

6.    I Quit match: AJ Styles vs. Tommy Dreamer

This match really surprised me and ended up far better than I expected. This has got to be Dreamer’s best match in many years. Styles tries to hit Dreamer with his TV title during Dreamer’s entrance but Dreamer ducks and beats on AJ as they had back toward the ring. Dreamer backdrops AJ to the floor and puts on a rear chin lock around the post. Both guys trade punches and chops before Dreamer puts on a full nelson camel clutch. Styles fights out of it and charges Dreamer in the corner but connects with the ring post. Styles goes to the outside but Dreamer hits a running clothesline off the apron. Dreamer tries to suplex AJ on the ramp but AJ ends up planting him. Styles tries for the Figure Four, but Dreamer bashes Styles with one of the stage lights and wraps the cord around AJ’s mouth. Styles sends Dreamer into the apron, then exposes the concrete floor for a Styles Clash attempt, but Dreamer sends Styles into the post. Dreamer hits a big shoulder breaker and gets a chair from the crowd. In the ring, Dreamer works over AJ with an armbar, wraps a chair around AJ’s arm, and hits a leg drop to it. Styles fights out of a chair assisted arm lock but Dreamer hits a flying arm bar into the chair. Styles bails to the outside but Dreamer wraps his arm around the barricade to continue to work the arm. AJ doesn’t quit and picks up Dreamer, crotching him on the guard rail. They go back into the ring where AJ kicks at Dreamer’s legs and crotches him against the post before putting on a Figure Four around the ring post. Dreamer turns over, but Styles fights out and plants Dreamer on a chair. Dreamer stomps at a chair wrapped around AJ’s leg and pulls out a fork, but Styles hits a Pele. Styles tries to dive onto Dreamer on the outside, but is met with a kendo stick shot to the head. Dreamer hits AJ with a kendo stick assisted pumphandle slam, then does a kendo stick assisted crossface, slowly breaking it against AJ’s face. AJ doesn’t quit and gets the fork, jabbing Dreamer in the face with it. Styles digs the fork into Dreamer’s eye and Dreamer eventually quits. Good match that told a pretty good story and had nice spots. Ending was also really well done. Match Time: 16:30     Star Rating: ***1/4

7.    TNA World Heavyweight Championship Tournament Semifinal match: Jeff Hardy vs. Kurt Angle

The winners of the two semifinal tournament matches advance to the finals in the main event of Bound for Glory. This match here between Angle and Hardy was outstanding from a wrestling standpoint but was marred by horrendous booking. Things are slow at the start with some side headlocks before Hardy hits a shoulder block and another side headlock. They go into the corner and Angle hits some right hands. Hardy hits a front suplex and picks up steam but Angle hits a powerbomb. Angle puts on a rear chin lock, hits a back elbow, then puts on a reverse bear hug. Hardy hits some forearms and clotheslines, messes up a dropkick, but hits it on a second attempt. Angle hits a release belly to belly suplex and wears down Hardy with a rear chin lock. Hardy fights out and they end up on the top turnbuckle where Angle hits a super belly to belly suplex. Angle tries for an Angle Slam but Hardy counters with a sloppy arm drag before hitting a Twist of Fate. Hardy misses the Swanton and Angle connects with the Angle Slam for a near fall. Hardy fights off an Ankle Lock attempt but Angle hits the 3 Germans. He tries for a moonsault but Hardy moves out of the way. Hardy hits the Whisper in the Wind for a near fall before they go to the outside, where Hardy hits a Twist of Fate on the floor. Hardy then hits a crazy Swanton Bomb off the top rope to the floor onto Angle. Both guys trade blows in the ring and Hardy tries for a Twist of Fate, but Angle counters with a German and hits a frog splash for a near fall. Angle tries for a powerbomb but Hardy backdrops him and hits a Twist of Fate. Hardy hits a slingshot leg drop and the Swanton, but Angle kicks out. Hardy hits a second Swanton for another 2 count and tries for a third, but Angle gets the knees up.

Angle hits the Angle Slam for a near fall and tries for the Ankle Lock, but Hardy counters and sends Angle to the outside. Hardy hits a diving clothesline off the apron and puts Angle back in the ring, but gets caught in the Ankle Lock. Hardy makes it to the ropes and kicks Angle away to break the hold, but Angle clotheslines him and puts the hold back on. Angle grapevines the leg and Hardy struggles for some time before the bell rings, even though Hardy didn’t tap. Borash announces that the 20 minute time limit (which was NEVER announced before the match began) has expired. Eric Bischoff comes down to ringside and says that due to the importance of the match, they will give these guys another 5 minutes. Angle goes back to work on the ankle, but Hardy sends him to the outside and hits a dropkick, sending Angle into the guard rail. Hardy sends Angle into the steps, but Angle crotches him on the top rope back in the ring. Angle hits a HUGE Angle Slam off the top but Hardy still kicks out. Hardy dumps Angle over the top rope but Angle comes back in. There’s a double clothesline spot and Angle gets a near fall as the five minute period expires. TWO DRAWS IN A ROW? Bischoff says they get five more minutes and this is just stupid. Angle chokes Hardy with his boot and hits some shoulder blocks, but goes shoulder first into the ring post and falls to the outside. Hardy slams Angle into the steps and Angle is busted open. Hardy applies a Boston Crab in the ring but Angle counters into the Ankle Lock. Hardy struggles but doesn’t tap out as this THIRD TIME INTERVAL EXPIRES. TNA ACTUALLY BOOKED THREE DRAWS IN A ROW. Doctors and trainers come into the ring to check on Angle, wiping the blood off with a towel. Bischoff comes into the ring and says that Angle’s cut is too bad and this has to end in a no contest. Keep in mind that Angle wasn’t even bleeding once he was wiped off. UNBELIEVABLE. This is why I hate TNA. This booking was PREPOSTEROUS. Excellent effort from Angle and Jeff but my god the script just gave these guys no chance at all. Match Time: 30:20 (bell to bell for all 3 time intervals)     Star Rating: ***3/4

8.    TNA World Heavyweight Championship Tournament Semifinal match: Mr. Anderson vs. D’Angelo Dinero

No Surrender comes to a close as Mr. Anderson and The Pope are faced with the impossible task of trying to follow up Kurt Angle and Jeff Hardy. Even with the no contest, I still would have had that match as the main event and not this. This match was solid but not main event quality. They do some quick grappling early on, with Pope locking in a front face lock that Anderson reverses into a hammerlock. Both guys trade punches and Anderson stomps at Dinero in the corner. Anderson hits some punches but Dinero hits a single arm DDT. Dinero puts on a hammerlock then drops Anderson with a belly to back suplex. Pope drops a knee before working Anderson’s arm, slamming it into the mat and hitting a hammerlock slam. Anderson fights out of a keylock and hits some clotheslines and a back elbow. Anderson avoids a diving shoulder block and stomps away at Pope. Anderson sends Pope into the corner and gets a near fall, then chokes Pope against the middle rope. Dinero fights back but Anderson hits a big boot for a near fall. Dinero fights out of a keylock but Anderson hits a knee to the midsection. Anderson hits a hammerlock suplex and works Dinero’s arm but Dinero comes back and they do a double clothesline spot. Pope makes a comeback with an inverted atomic drop and a flying shoulder block before hitting the Coronation. Anderson crotches Pope on the top rope and tries for a superplex, but Pope crotches him on the top rope and Anderson falls to the outside. Pope does a dive to the outside and gets a near fall back in the ring. Both guys counter each other’s finishers and Anderson hits the Green Bay Plunge for a near fall. Dinero hits the 4-Up and a lungblower for another 2 count. Anderson hits the Mic Check for a near fall of his own but Dinero comes back with some offense. He tries for the DDE but Anderson avoids it and hits a second Mic Check for the win. It turned into a good match by the end but not that great for a main event match. It was pretty decent but it also was too long and dragged in parts. It will be interesting to see what they book for the Bound for Glory main event. Match Time: 17:26     Star Rating: ***

Overall PPV Rating: 7/10

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 two years.

1.    Winner is #1 Contender to the TNA World Tag Team Championship: The Motor City Machineguns vs. Beer Money Inc. vs. Team 3D

The show opened with a pretty good 3 way tag match where the winner would be the number one contenders for the tag titles. All 3 teams were showcased well, however it just seemed like Team 3D couldn’t care less about the match. Robert Roode and Alex Shelley begin with a ton of chain wrestling before Shelley hits a hurricanrana and a wheelbarrow into a bulldog for a near fall. Roode fights back with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker before tagging in his partner. Storm lands some shots on Shelley and knocks Sabin off the apron. Storm rolls to the outside but is met with a kick from Sabin. The Guns then double team Roode in the ring and do the same to Storm once he is tagged in. Storm gets a high knee on Sabin but Brother Ray gets the blind tag on Storm. Ray works Sabin’s arm for a bit before Sabin comes back with some kicks to the ribs, but Ray puts him back down with a right hand and a big boot. Devon is tagged in and does a backbreaker leg drop combo with Ray but Shelley breaks up the pin attempt. Shelley lands a dropkick on Devon but misses a dive to the outside on Ray. Devon hits a slam on Sabin but Storm breaks it up. Ray is tagged in and hits a chop to Sabin before knocking both members of Beer Money off the ring apron. Ray goes for a senton but Sabin avoids it and tags in Shelley. Shelley starts to work over both members of Team 3D, gets caught on a cross body attempt, but Sabin dropkicks Shelley allowing him to connect. 3D collide on a Ray dive to the outside before Sabin hits an outside dive onto Beer Money. Roode gets a tag and clotheslines Shelley before hitting a double suplex with Storm. Shelley eats a ton of offense before Storm puts on a rear chin lock. Beer Money continue to work over Shelley before Shelley gets the tag to Sabin. Everything breaks down with 3D throwing bodies everywhere. 3D hit a doomsday device to Roode and an elbow to Storm. Sabin hits a springboard cross body on Ray for a 2 count before Sabin is thrown to the outside. 3D tries for the 3D but Storm spits beer in Devon’s eyes. The Guns enter and hit a neckbreaker cross body combo on Roode to win the match. Pretty good opener, happy the Guns won. Match Time: 12:38     Match Rating: 6.5/10

2.    TNA Global Championship: Rob Terry(c) vs. Orlando Jordan

Although it was the worst match of the night, this was not as bad as I was expecting given the disgusting and bizarre storyline. Terry pounds on Jordan all across the ring at the start before hitting a big hip toss. Terry hits a corner clothesline and a big lariat, then hits a back body drop, a corner splash, and a big side slam for a 2 count. Jordan hits a boot to the face but Terry responds with a spin kick. Jordan tries to crawl away up the ramp but Terry brings him back into the ring. Terry hits a big running powerslam for a near fall before missing a kick and getting his leg hung up in the ropes. Jordan kicks away at the leg before slamming it down to the mat. He wrenches away at the leg before tying it up around the ring post. Jordan is still pounding away at the knee, interrupted by a couple failed submission attempts. Terry tries to fend him off but Jordan responds with some punches before going back to the knee, hitting a very messed up looking weak knee drop. Jordan misses another knee drop and Terry hits a chokeslam out of nowhere for the win. Very boring match that dragged out a bit longer than it needed to. Match Time: 7:52     Match Rating: 3/10

3.    TNA X Division Championship: Kazarian(c) vs. Doug Williams

This was arguably the match of the night. Not your typical X Division spotfest at all, these guys worked to put on a very good match that incorporated multiple wrestling styles. After a couple lockups and breaks, Williams puts on a front chancery  before taking Kaz down to the mat. Kaz puts on a headscissors but Williams powers out. More mat wrestling between these two as they trade holds. Kaz fights out of a second chancery and puts on an armbar. They go up top but Kaz gets knocked off and crashes face first on the edge of the entrance ramp. Kaz goes to the apron but Williams sends him back down with a neckbreaker. Williams sends Kaz into the apron on the outside before putting on a front face lock in the ring. Kaz suplexes Williams into the ropes before dropkicking him to the outside. Kaz hits a cross body over the ropes to Williams before they return to the ring again where Kaz hits a springboard dropkick. Kaz hits a ton of strikes before hitting a spinning neckbreaker for a near fall. Williams almost catches a charging Kaz in the corner with the Chaos Theory but Kaz counters with a roll-up. Kaz slingshots himself over the ropes with a DDT for another near fall. Williams hits a couple headbutts, a clothesline, and a running knee, but Kaz comes back with a springboard forearm. Williams hits a partly botched turnbuckle powerbomb, with Kaz hitting the back of his head on the bottom turnbuckle. Williams goes for a pin after a suplex but Kaz kicks out. Kaz hits a reverse Russian leg sweep, then fights out of a piledriver attempt with a back body drop. Kaz tries for an electric chair off the top but Williams fights out, rolls through, and hits the Chaos Theory for the win. I wish the title wasn’t hot shotted like this, but this was still a very good X Division title match. Match Time: 14:01     Match Rating: 7/10

4.    Title vs. Career match for the TNA Women’s Knockout Championship: Madison Rayne(c) vs. Tara

Though this was not that great of a women’s match at all, it ended up being a bit better than what it should have been due to this being Tara’s farewell match in TNA. Tara attacks Rayne from behind and beats her on the ramp, but Rayne fights back and sends Tara into the ring. Rayne hits a knee and puts on a submission but Tara fights out. Rayne goes to the outside and sweeps out Tara’s leg, but Tara slams Rayne face first into the apron and gets a near fall in the ring. Rayne unsuccessfully tries to win with a couple roll-ups but then hits a big clothesline. Tara hits a face buster and sends Rayne into the corner before tossing her across the ring by her hair. Tara hits a suplex and puts on a front guillotine but Rayne hits some punches before kicking Tara in the side of the head. Tara hits a clothesline but Rayne fights out of a Widow’s Peak attempt. Tara hits the Widow’s Peak but the impact is so great that Rayne is sent rolling to the outside. Tara puts her back in the ring and hits a slam followed up by a top rope moonsault but only gets a 2 count. Tara goes for a second moonsault but Rayne avoids it and hits a spinning neckbreaker onto her leg for the win. After the match the crowd showed their appreciation for Tara as she left. This was an okay, short Knockouts match. Match Time: 6:31     Match Rating: 4/10

5.    TNA World Tag Team Championship: The Band(c) vs. Ink Inc.

This was a pretty poor tag team match, a sharp contrast from the very entertaining opening tag contest. Shannon Moore slaps Scott Hall in the face and they lock up, with Hall slapping Moore in the back of the head. Moore comes out of nowhere with a roll-up attempt but Hall hits a knee before sending Moore into the corner where Hall hits a dropkick. Moore fights back with a second rope dropkick and a spin kick but Hall fights out of the pin attempt. After a shove from Hall both men tag in their partners. Jesse Neal sends Kevin Nash into the corner, burying his knee in Nash’s midsection and elbowing him in the head. Neal starts to pound away but Nash comes back and chokes him with his boot. Nash hits a couple knees before tagging in Hall, who puts Neal in an abdominal stretch before doing a terrible assist in front of the ref. Neal hits a hip toss to Hall, allowing him to tag in Moore as Hall makes the tag to Nash. Moore hits a ton of offense before capping it with a cross body to Nash and tagging in Neal. Moore hits a neckbreaker to Nash but then goes after Hall, going over the ropes with a cross body. Neal accidentally spears the ref, but is all over Nash with punches. Eric Young comes down to ringside with a kendo stick. Nash hits Moore with the stick but Neal spears Nash and takes the stick. EY takes it back but Brother Ray appears on the ramp. He whacks EY with the kendo stick and goes in the ring. Neal says he’s got it now, but Ray hits him with the kendo stick and Nash crawls onto him for the win. Not a bad swerve but the match was weak. Match Time: 8:03     Match Rating: 3.5/10

6.    Chelsea vs. Ring match: Desmond Wolfe vs. Abyss

Surprisingly, this match was pretty solid and had no overbooking or interference. Abyss jumps Wolfe during his entrance, pounding away at him and sending him to the floor. Wolfe tries to throw his entrance attire into Abyss’s face but this fails as Abyss sends him into the ring. Wolfe hits a kick and a punch but just bounces off of Abyss when he attempts a cross body. The two trade some strikes before Abyss hits a couple clotheslines. Abyss tries for a chokeslam but Chelsea distracts him, allowing Wolfe to send him to the floor with a shoulder block. Wolfe hits a kick to the midsection but Abyss tries for the chokeslam again. Wolfe fights out but Abyss hits a big kick followed by a corner clothesline and a side slam for a near fall. Wolfe fights out of yet another chokeslam attempt by hitting a quick DDT. Wolfe goes to work on Abyss in the corner, hitting a big uppercut and attacking the arm. Wolfe tries for a lariat but Abyss hits a chokeslam. Abyss tries to chokeslam Chelsea, but she distracts the ref and Wolfe hits Abyss with some brass knucks. Abyss kicks out at two, then Hulks up before hitting the Black Hole Slam for the win. A pretty decent match between these two, but a bit short. Match Time: 9:06     Match Rating: 6/10

7.    Jeff Hardy vs. Mr. Anderson

This was a pretty good, solid match between these two but I feel like they could have done a bit better. It was billed as one of the main event matches of the evening and failed to fully live up to that billing, instead being more of a “good midcard match”. Anderson knees Hardy in the stomach and pounds away at him with punches and stomps before Hardy fights back. Hardy tries for a flying clothesline but Anderson avoids it and Hardy is sent to the outside. Anderson sends Hardy into the apron before rolling him back into the ring where he misses an elbow drop. Hardy hits a couple clotheslines and some more strikes but when he tries for the corner dropkick, Anderson blocks it with his foot. Anderson tries for a quick pin before continuing to pound away at Hardy with a bunch of right hands. Hardy fights out of an abdominal stretch but Anderson hits a knee for a near fall. Hardy puts his foot up as Anderson comes off the top, but Anderson catches it and hits an elbow drop. Anderson is still all over Hardy with the strikes, and puts on a second abdominal stretch. Hardy tries for a headscissors in the corner but ends up crotched on the ropes. Hardy backdrops a charging Anderson onto the entrance ramp, where he uses a chair to do the Poetry in Motion leg lariat to Anderson against the ropes. The two go back and forth in the ring with Hardy hitting some clotheslines and a neckbreaker. Hardy hits some more clotheslines and tries for a suplex, but Anderson hits a Finlay roll. Hardy fights out of the Mic Check, but Anderson sends him into the ropes and connects with his finisher. Hardy kicks out of the pin attempt and hits some kicks followed by a front suplex. Hardy hits a Twist of Fate before the two battle on the top rope. Anderson tries for a Green Bay Plunge but Hardy avoids the impact, driving Anderson face first into the mat. Hardy hits a Swanton Bomb to Anderson’s back and gets the win. Good match, but there was room for improvement. Match Time: 14:00     Match Rating: 6.5/10

8.    Jeff Jarrett vs. Sting

This ended up not being much of a match. Sting and Jarrett are brawling backstage, with Jarrett getting busted open. Sting continues the assault, focusing on Jarrett’s shoulder, as officials try to get them to move to the ring. They enter the Impact Zone where Sting slams Jarrett into the barricade and beats him down with the bat and the ring steps, just destroying his shoulder. He tosses Jeff in the ring, then hits the Scorpion Death Drop just as the bell rings for the quick win. Jarrett was stretchered out but Sting attacks again, leading Hogan to come out. This belonged on Impact, but it wasn’t terrible. Match Time: 0:11     Match Rating: N/A

9.    TNA World Heavyweight Championship: Rob Van Dam(c) vs. AJ Styles

The heavily hyped match between RVD and AJ Styles ended up not being nearly as good as wrestling fans around the world had hoped for. This was a good main event, but TNA had hyped this thing up like it was going to set the world on fire. The match begins with a very lengthy 3 minute stare down with posing, interrupted by some kick attempts and a lock up. AJ interrupts an RVD pose but gets clotheslined to the outside. AJ pulls RVD to the outside where they fight near the ramp. RVD avoids an AJ moonsault from the ramp and hits one of his own. Both men roll back into the ring when Flair distracts the ref, leading to him getting ejected from ringside, only for him to hop on commentary, which was quite distracting. AJ argues with the ref before hitting RVD with a punch and rolling into the ring. Van Dam tries to follow but Styles knocks him back into the barricade before hitting a crazy somersault senton out of the ring that came off like a leg drop. Styles goes to work on RVD in the ring, hitting a slam and a knee drop. AJ hits a series of kicks to Van Dam and chokes him against the ropes, eventually breaking. Van Dam tries to fight back but AJ lands some punches and a dropkick. Styles puts on a rear chin lock but RVD gets to his feet. AJ tries sending him into the corner but RVD hits a single leg dropkick and both men are down. Van Dam hits some clotheslines and sends AJ into the corner with a big kick before hitting a monkey flip which got a ton of height. RVD tries for the Five Star but Styles avoids it. Styles hits a springboard clothesline and a Pele kick but gets a 2 count each time. RVD averts a corner splash from Styles and hits a Northern Lights suplex before Styles gets a small package for two. RVD crotches AJ on the ropes and hits a single leg dropkick for a near fall. Styles blocks rolling thunder with his knees and spins RVD out from a torture rack into a powerbomb. AJ hits a flying forearm for yet another near fall. RVD fights out of the Styles Clash before both guys clothesline each other. RVD tries for a couple of roll-ups but to no avail. AJ jumps off the second turnbuckle with a moonsault into an inverted DDT. RVD moves out of the way to avoid the springboard 450 splash. Flair runs onto the ramp but Jay Lethal is out to stop him. Both guys trade chops before Lethal hits a low blow and puts Flair in the Figure Four. Styles tries for a superplex back in the ring but RVD knocks him off and sends him throat first into the ropes. RVD hits the Five Star Frog Splash for the win to retain his title. The match was not nearly as exciting as this report may suggest. It was incredibly long and had several slow parts, feeling as long as it was. People expected something truly phenomenal and all they got in the end was a little step up from their Impact match. Match Time: 24:57     Match Rating: 7/10

Overall PPV Rating: 6.75/10

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.

1.    Ultimate X match for the TNA X Division Championship: Amazing Red(c) vs. Suicide vs. Homicide vs. Daniels vs. Alex Shelley vs. Chris Sabin

Wow. Talk about a way to kick off a PPV. What an amazing match for TNA to have as the opener to this show. Yes it was a spotfest but it was a very fun and jaw-dropping spotfest. The Guns replace D’Angelo Dinero because he had to leave due to a family emergency. Only a couple minutes in Red hits an amazing (no pun intended) hurricanrana to Daniels off the top turnbuckle which sends Daniels onto everyone else outside the ring. Homicide is one of the first to go for the title but Suicide springboards off the ropes to pull him down. The Guns do many of their double team moves throughout, including a nice doomsday device missile dropkick and a spot where Sabin did the giant swing to Suicide followed by a dropkick from Shelley. One of the most memorable spots for me was when Red was dangling from the X and Suicide did a springboard dropkick to him, resulting in Red falling a long distance to the ring. There was also a unique tower of doom spot where Red hits a powerbomb to Sabin while Sabin hits a release suplex to Suicide, who is able to dropkick Daniels while falling to the mat. The men also are able to connect with their finishers, which includes Red hitting a corkscrew leg drop, Daniels hitting the BME, and Suicide hitting the Suicide Solution. Eventually, Daniels, Suicide, and Red climb to the top of the structure: the X scaffold holding the red ropes in place. All 3 men brawl atop the structure and both Daniels and suicide tease suplexes to each other. Daniels climbs down through the scaffold and onto the ropes, then hits an absolutely stunning and dangerous looking release suplex to Suicide off the structure, resulting in both men crashing to the ring. The Guns then try to climb across the ropes to get to the title, but Red crawls through the scaffold and knocks off Shelley before grabbing the title to win the match. I have to catch my breath now. Match Rating: 8.5/10

2.    TNA Knockouts Tag Team Championship: Sarita and Taylor Wilde(c) vs. The Beautiful People

Lacey Von Erich’s attempts at seducing the referees fail as she is ejected from ringside before the start of the match. This was for the most part the same fun match these two teams had at the last PPV but it was even shorter than that match. Both teams work each other over with hot tags and double team moves for a couple minutes before Sarita takes out Velvet Sky with a missile dropkick. With Wilde locking her hands around Madison Rayne’s waist, Sarita hits a dropkick to Rayne immediately followed by a German suplex into a bridge pin from Wilde, and the faces retain their titles. I feel that these belts should be on The Beautiful People and that this match shouldn’t have been on the card, but we can’t always get what we want. Match Rating: 3/10

3.    TNA Legends Championship: Kevin Nash(c) vs. Eric Young vs. Hernandez

This match really surprised me and ended up being probably Nash’s best match of the year and a pretty fun match in its own right. They told a good story with Hernandez looking like the big power guy who could take on anyone and Nash and Young staying allied to wear down the (face) big man. They use a lot of punches and kicks to keep Super Mex down while Hernandez went after the heels with his power moves. Young counters a suplex from Hernandez into one of his own, which is impressive considering the size difference between the two. Hernandez also impressed for a guy his size with some high flying moves such as a diving double clothesline, a suicide dive over the ropes onto Young, and a big missile dropkick to Nash. Late in the match, Nash big boots Super Mex and goes for the Jackknife Powerbomb, but Young throws Hernandez headfirst into Nash’s balls before pinning Nash to become the Legends Champion. I really liked the ending and thought it came off very well and this was a decent match. Match Rating: 5.5/10

4.    Full Metal Mayhem for the TNA and IWGP World Tag Team Championship: Booker T and Scott Steiner(TNA champions) vs. The British Invasion(IWGP champions) vs. Team 3D vs. Beer Money Inc.

Surprisingly, though it had its spotty moments, this match was not a complete nonsensical spotfest. The way they set this match up was that one of each title was hung on the steel X scaffold from the Ultimate X match. The match starts out with the Mafia and Beer Money accepting British Invasion’s earlier backstage proposal and ganging up on Team 3D. Eventually this breaks apart with 3D fighting the Mafia and Beer Money fighting the Brits. Steiner uses a ladder to work over Devon’s shoulder while Beer Money sends Doug Williams into a chair set up in a corner of the ring. Steiner chokes out Devon while Beer Money hit the DWI to Booker T, who is later seen outside the ring and is carted off on a stretcher. Meanwhile, Steiner chokes out Devon with an extension cord before going in the ring to clean house by belly to belly suplexing everyone. He then hits a very impressive Frankensteiner to Williams. I must say, Steiner really worked hard in this match and turned in a great performance. 3D eventually works their way back into by hitting chair shots to everyone, which leads to Ray giving Zakk Wylde a chair at ringside and letting him hit Magnus. Williams gets chokeslammed through a table before 3D gives simultaneous chokeslams through separate tables to each of Beer Money. Steiner scales a ladder to go for the TNA titles but 3D hits a dual powerbomb to him off the ladder through a table. Ray and Devon then climb the ladder to get the IWGP belt but Rhino charges the ring and hits both men with chair shots. Devon is able to hang onto the title as he falls off the ladder so Team 3D are the new IWGP Tag Team Champions. This was likely done because NJPW is very upset with TNA’s treatment of the belts and many in Japan already considered 3D to still be the champions. Anyway, the match continues with Beer Money hitting a nasty looking suplex off two side-by-side ladders to Williams before being met with chair shots from Magnus. Storm hits a sunset-flip powerbomb to Magnus off a ladder but takes a chair shot from Williams. Roode and Williams fight atop the ladder, with Roode getting the upper hand, but Rob Terry enters the ring and picks up Roode before press slamming him over the top rope through a table outside the ring. He then gives Williams a boost up to allow The British Invasion to become the TNA World Tag Team Champions to end the match. I was pleased with the outcome and the match was just awesome. Match Rating: 7/10

5.    TNA Women’s Knockout Championship: ODB(c) vs. Tara vs. Awesome Kong

This match was a mild disappointment after starting off so promisingly. Great action between all three ladies that included Kong hitting a double splash to ODB and Tara, Tara putting a tarantula submission hold on ODB around the ropes, and Tara hitting a moonsault to ODB for a near-fall. They did the short-lived alliances between ODB and Tara, Kong looking like the dominant heel, and all that good stuff and this looked to be one of the best women’s matches in a very long time. Unfortunately, it got hurt by a spot in the middle where Tara, while outside the ring, brawled with a “fan” revealed after the show to be Kim Couture, and she had to go to the back. This left the crowd silent as ODB basically had a one on one match with Kong. They did some okay back and forth but not nearly as good as what was going on with Tara in the ring. ODB hits a nice samoan drop for a near fall before Tara comes back to the ring. Kong tosses her out and hits a top rope splash to ODB, but Tara breaks the pin up. Kong again gets rid of Tara before hitting ODB with an Implant Buster for a near fall. Raisha Saeed then comes to ringside to give Kong a chair, but Kong doesn’t want it and keeps kicking it away. Kong goes for a second Implant Buster but ODB counters into a bulldog on the chair before covering Kong to retain her title. A decent women’s match but it could have been better. Match Rating: 5.5/10

6.    Submission match: Samoa Joe vs. Bobby Lashley

This match greatly underdelivered and ended up being very disappointing. It started off very good with a lot of back and forth action from Joe and Lashley that included many power moves. Lashley hits a nice spinebuster to Joe and also at one point in the match counters an abdominal stretch with a solid hip toss. Joe did some cool things such as a powerslam and a suicide dive early on. Unfortunately, much of this match consisted of Joe and Lashley putting on various armbars and leglocks and the whole thing felt rushed as well. Just after hitting the 8 minute mark, Joe apparently passes out while Lashley has Joe in some kind of armbar/neck hold combination, resulting in Lashley winning the match. The finish was poor and Joe ends up getting really hurt by this match. Disappointing. Match Rating: 4/10

7.    Monster’s Ball: Mick Foley vs. Abyss w/ Special Guest Referee Dr. Stevie

Considered by some to be a dream match come true, this hardcore match was not quite as good as it could have been but it was still fairly enjoyable. Only a couple minutes in, Foley and Abyss brawl on the side of a steel structure on the entrance stage, which ends with Foley knocking Abyss off, sending him through part of the stage. This looks cool until we are shown that he landed on cardboard. Foley then dives onto Abyss with the barbed wire bat before walking back to the ring. Abyss then returns to the ring where he and Foley brawl with trash cans and a ton of barbed wire. Abyss drags the guardrail closer to the ring and lines up a barbed wire board across the rail and the ring apron. Abyss irish whips Foley into a barbed wire board in the corner, but goes into the barbed wire himself when Foley moves out of the way as Abyss charges at him. Abyss then gets sandwiched in between two barbed wire boards and is shown bleeding from the arm and the face. Foley then dumps tacks out in the ring and Abyss goes to chokeslam him on them, but Stevie tells him that if he does, he will be disqualified (a stipulation was that Abyss couldn’t use thumbtacks). Abyss hits a Torture rack backbreaker to Stevie before Daffney comes down to the ring and hands Foley a…….taser. Ugh. This time, there is an explosion when the taser is used on Abyss. Another ref comes down to the ring, botches the attempted pinfall, and Abyss kicks out. An insane spot then occurs when Abyss chokeslams Daffney through that barbed wire board set up earlier. He then gives Stevie a black hole slam on the tacks before chokeslamming Foley on another barbed wire board. Abyss then drags Stevie over to Foley and uses Stevie’s hand to count the pinfall. Good hardcore match but not quite as brutal as what people expected. Match Rating: 6.5/10

8.    Kurt Angle vs. Matt Morgan

This match was actually a very pleasant surprise. It started off somewhat slow and had me questioning how exactly they were going to book this thing, but it ended up being a very entertaining “what do I gotta do to beat this guy” match. Morgan hits many rapid fire elbows to Angle early on before the two brawl outside the ring. Morgan misses a Carbon Footprint and gets caught in a Figure Four from Angle. Morgan eventually turns over on his back and the hold is broken when Angle reaches the ropes. He later hits a big fall away slam and chokeslam to Angle for near falls, but Angle retaliates with three big German suplexes. He goes for the Angle Slam, but Morgan counters and hits the Carbon Footprint for a near fall. Morgan then misses a splash in the corner and gets caught with an Angle Slam, but kicks out. Angle then applies the Ankle Lock again but Morgan powers out. Morgan then hits a Hellevator for another near fall, then goes for a Tombstone Piledriver, but Angle rolls through and applies a third Ankle Lock. Morgan powers out yet again but is caught with a second Angle Slam. Rather than going for the pin, Angle hits a tope rope splash, but Morgan again kicks out. Morgan then has Angle on his shoulders, but Angle gets out of hit and gets the win with a victory roll roll-up. I didn’t mind the finish and the match told a great story and was highly enjoyable. Match Rating: 7/10

9.    TNA World Heavyweight Championship: AJ Styles(c) vs. Sting

After doing so much right on this PPV, TNA ends the night on a sour note. The big confrontation between Styles and Sting was totally lackluster and disappointed greatly. For much of the first 5-10 minutes of the match, all the two did was brief headlocks and lockups before pausing to mug for the camera. The match finally starts to heat up when Styles dropkicks Sting, sending him out of the ring before Styles dives off the apron and crashes into the guardrail. The two then brawl briefly outside the ring before heading back into the ring, where Sting counters a Tombstone attempt from Styles with one of his own for a near fall. Styles hits a nice springboard elbow before a series of counters ends with Sting hitting the Scorpion Death Drop. Sting then splashes AJ in the corner before connecting again with the SDD for a near fall. After again briefly fighting in the ringside area, Styles hits a Pele kick to Sting on the ring apron before hitting a springboard splash for the 1-2-3 to retain his title. Really? That’s it? An anticlimactic finish out of no where? Anyway, Sting makes a speech after the match, where he basically answers those inquiring about the continuation of his career with, “I don’t know”. This lackluster match was the main event to TNA’s biggest show of the year. The company still hasn’t figured out a way to end a PPV well.  Match Rating: 5/10

Overall PPV Rating: 8.25/10

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 roughly a year now as well.