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On this day in history in ....
1957 - Ray Stevens defeats Tor Kamata in Birmingham, Alabama for the NWA Southern Junior Heavyweight Title.
1965 - Mad Dog Vachon defeats the Crusher for the AWA World Heavyweight Title in Denver, Colorado.
1977 - Ricky Steamboat defeats Ric Flair in Richmond, Virginia to win the NWA United States Heavyweight Title.
1978 - The NWA Mid-America Title changes hands twice in one night in Nashville, Tennessee, as Dutch Mantel defeated Mexican Angel for the title (starting his fourth title reign), only to drop it to Randy Savage later that night, starting Savage's second reign with the strap.
1978 - The Invaders defeat Kengo Kimura & Hiro Sasaki in Caguas, Puerto Rico to win the WWC World Tag Team Title.
1988 - Eric Embry defeats Jeff Jarrett in Dallas, Texas to win the World Class Championship Wrestling Light Heavyweight Title for the third time.
1991 - Ted DiBiase defeats Virgil in Utica, New York to win back the Million Dollar Belt, ending Virgil's three month reign with the belt. DiBiase would never lose the belt again, although years later he would voluntarily present it to The Ringmaster (Steve Austin).
2007 - TNA held their Genesis PPV in Orlando, Florida, featuring Booker T's debut for the company. Here is Mike Johnson's original report on the show:
The PPV opened with Jeremy Borash mid-ring asking everyone to rise and honor the playing of the national anthem in honor of Veteran's Day. That was a classy idea. The cameras focused on the crowd and SoCal Val, interspersing them with shots of a flag hanging in the Impact Zone.
TNA went to a video feature on the matches on tonight's PPV.
Mike Tenay promised that tonight, the mystery over who Sting's partner would be solved tonight. Don West and Tenay pushed that the winner of tonight's fall in the main event would be the new TNA champion. Fireworks exploded. Outside a limo was sitting as Tenay said that it had to be Sting's partner.
Abyss vs. Black Reign - Shop of Horrors Match
They showed clips of different instruments of destruction as Black Reign walked to the ring, including a table with mousetraps set atop of it. They showed footage of Jim Mitchell and Reign putting a sack with Reign's rat over Abyss's face.
Abyss and Reign met in the aisle and started brawling. Reign jumped off the apron but was caught and drove onto the floor by Abyss. Abyss tossed Reign into the ring but was cut off as he followed into the ring. Abyss reversed an Irish Whip but Reign dropped down and punched him in the face. Abyss missed a charge in the corner, but when Reign charged, he was tossed over the top rope. Abyss followed to the floor and snapped a piece of board over Reign's head, shattering it. Abyss tossed Reign into the crowd and followed him into the Impact Zone. He tossed Reign into the Zone wall.
Abyss tosses Reign back into the ringside area. Abyss dumps two trash cans full of weapons all over the rampway in the aisle. He finally went after Reign, who nailed him with a board. Reign pulled out a key and tried to open the door to a chamber set up on the stage. Abyss stopped Reign and they brawled. Reign suplexed Abyss on the ramp through the trash cans, getting a "TNA" chant.
They returned to the ring, where Reign drilled Abyss with a lariat off the middle turnbuckle and began biting him. The crowd rallied Abyss. Reign went for a double sledge off the top but Abyss caught him with a goozle. Reign broke free and took Abyss down with a lariat. Reign grabbed a chair outside the ring and wedged it in one of the corners. Abyss reversed a whip into it. Reign stopped himself but Abyss kicked Reign low, then grabbed him and sent him headfirst into the chair.
Abyss grabbed a barbed wire baseball bat from under the ring. Somewhere, Axl Rotten is shedding a tear. Abyss takes a shot but Reign retreats. Abyss follows him up one of the aisles. He clobbers Reign, who knees him in the midsection. Abyss returns to his feet and chokeslams Reign off the stage to the floor (well, some crash padding). They showed a number of replays and the crowd chanted, "That was awesome."
By the end of the replays, Reign was back up, only to be tossed down the rampway, rolling towards the ring. There's no way he should have been up so quickly in my opinion. That only diluted the bump. Abyss slid a board full of mousetraps into the ring. Abyss opened a vice and put Reign's hand into the vice. Abyss returned to the ring with Reign's rat and set up the board. Jim Mitchell ran out and freed Reign. Abyss threatened to throw the rat onto the mousetraps (well, don't all babyfaces threaten to harm innocent animals?) when Mitchell came into the ring to distract him. Abyss shoved the rat into Mitchell's shirt and Mitchell rolled around like he was shot with a bazooka.
Reign hit an implant DDT onto the mousetraps on Abyss, who kicked up at the last second. Reign grabbed a kendo stick. He cracked Abyss in the head with it several times. Reign pulled out brass knuckles as the referee admonished him. He went to hit Abyss but was caught in the Black Hole Slam for the three count.
Your winner, Abyss!
Abyss grabbed the key and opened the box marked "crimson blood", where a masked muscular tattooed wrestler (former WCW and WWE star Johnny Stamboli) spewed mist into Abyss' face and attacked him. Reign and the masked man beat down Abyss with a nightstick. They dragged Abyss into the box and locked him in. They tipped the box over the side of the stage, where it crashed to the concrete (no crash padding) below.
It was OK in terms of plunder but Reign was really lacking a spring in his step. It was your now all too typical Abyss match. The bump at the end in the box was pretty sick, but beyond that, it was what we've already seen probably too much of in recent months. It wasn't bad, but nothing fresh beyond the box bump. The chokeslam off the stage being shrugged off like it was a hiptoss should never happen in my opinion. Neither should doing a killer bump like the one Abyss took, just to run to the next segment, instead of building the seriousness and drama of the moment.
Backstage, Jeremy Borash was outside trying to get into the limo for Kurt Angle. Someone wearing a TNA polo shirt told Borash that he was to leave the limo. Borash tried to big league him by saying that he's a big deal in TNA and that he was making more than him and to let him in or he was calling security. The guard told Borash to get his "milky white ass away from the limo" because he was security. Why is this no-name guard cutting a promo on PPV?
Mike Tenay and Don West ran down the remainder of the PPV lineup.
They aired a video feature on Team 3D vs. The Motor City Machineguns.
Crystal interviewed The Motor City Machineguns backstage, saying that they were the underdogs but were fighting for honor, respect and tradition tonight. Sabin said they were but they were also fighting to take their place among the greatest tag teams in wrestling. He said in the past, they've had their fun but tonight, 3D are stepping stones. A serious Shelley said that he could say something funny and witty, but the time for that has come and gone. He said they are taking aim at 3D and they are fighting for something even more important than just the X-Division, but for the evolution of pro wrestling.
Team 3D vs. Motor City Machineguns
The Guns charged 3D at the stage and they all brawled to the ringside area. The cameras focused on Sabin getting the better of Brother Ray on the floor. Shelley drilled Devon with a kick on the floor. The Guns tossed 3D into the ring and started double teaming Ray. They nailed him with a charge in the corner, then ducked away from Devon, causing 3D to crash into each other. They took out Devon, then double backdropped Ray. They nailed him with stereo kicks to the front and back. 3D retreated to the floor where Ray menaced the announcers.
Ray returned to the ring to face off with Sabin. Ray grabbed him in a standing side headlock, but was shoved off. He shoulderblocked Sabin down. Sabin bounced right back up and used his speed to escape Ray. Ray grabbed him for a powerbomb attempt but Sabin turned it into a hurrancanrana. The story so far was that the Guns were throwing 3D off with all their speed, aggressiveness and offense.
Ray finally cut off Sabin in 3D's corner and chopped him down. Devon and Ray started to maul Sabin but couldn't get a three count. Sabin escaped Devon and dove into his corner to tag Shelley. Devon shoulderblocked Shelley down but Shelley grabbed him in a drop toehold as he rebounded off the ropes. Shelley drilled Devon with a dropkick. The Guns knocked Ray off the apron and went to the top. They teased hitting a stereo dive but Ray shook the ropes, crotching them. Devon superplexed Shelley into the ring and drove his boot into Shelley's throat.
Devon worked over Shelley and tossed him to the floor, where Ray tossed him into the ring steps and back into the ring. Sabin argued with the referee. Devon worked over Shelley on the mat, but he got to his feet and fought off Devon. He crawled to Sabin to make the tag but Ray attacked Sabin, pulling him off the apron with Sabin crashing facefirst into the mat. Shelley went to make the tag but only Ray was waiting to lay him out. Devon picked up Shelley for a delayed vertical suplex, but Shelley kicked out.
Ray tagged in and dropped an elbow on Shelley, then failed at making a sloppy cover. Ray began slapping and berating Shelley in the corner. Devon charged Sabin in his corner, shoulderblocking him to the floor. They continued to work over Shelley. Devon drilled him with a diving headbutt.
Sabin finally got the hot tag and worked over 3D with fast kicks and strikes. He nailed a springboard clothesline on Devon for a near fall. Ray tried to sneak in the ring but Sabin nailed him. He sent Devon into the corner with a drop toehold, then nailed a tornado DDT out of the corner for a two count. So far, a very good match telling a good story. Sabin went for a fireman's carry but couldn't get it. Shelley dropkicked him off the ropes. He grabbed Devon for an STO and Sabin dropkicked Devon to add to the momentum of the move. The Gun drilled Devon with stereo kicks in the corner.
They placed Devon on the top rope and Sabin nailed a top rope Frankensteiner. Shelley hit a splash from the top but Devon kicked up. Ray blind tagged in and clotheslined the Guns. He slammed Shelley and set up for the wazzup headbutt off the top. Devon went under the ring for a table. As he put it into the ring, Sabin dropkicked it into Devon's face. The Guns nailed Ray with the High/Low but Devon pulled out the referee.
Devon took out Shelley. Ray began beating Sabin with his belt. 3D hit the Doomsday Device on Sabin, who got his shoulder up. Devon went looking for another table and brought it into the ring. They set it up in the corner as the announcers acted like it was a foregone conclusion that the Guns were finished. They whipped Sabin into the table but he ran up the table and backflipped onto his feet. Devon charged him, but Sabin sent him headfirst into the table, shattering it. Shelley returned to the ring and the Guns hit their series of kicks on Ray before pinning him clean in the middle of the ring.
Your winners, the Motor City Machineguns!
A really good match. They couldn't have done this more perfectly. It never got to the level of an "all-time" classic bout but everyone did what needed to be done and they told a really good story, even teasing the Guns were finished to build up to the surprise win.
In his locker room, TNA champion Kurt Angle was screaming at Jeremy Borash for not looking inside the limo. Borash claimed there were 50 people stopping him. Kevin Nash tried to get Angle to calm down, saying they'll know who the partner is in a few hours. Angle accused Nash of being in on the whole deal and being a backstabber. Nash grabbed him by the throat and told Angle he should be shoving Angle's head through the wall, but tonight he needs him. Nash said that they would take care of the other team tonight and then it would be down to them in the future,. Angle agreed and told Nash to go cool off. He walked out. Angle immediately started screaming that they had to find out who was in the limo while Karen Angle yelled at him to stop worrying about the limo.
They aired a video feature on the TNA Womens' title.
TNA Women's champion Gail Kim vs. ODB vs. Angel Williams vs. Roxxi
VKM were with Roxxi as apparently they needed to be on PPV. ODB was drinking from a flask as she came to the ring. Crystal interviewed Kim before she went out to the ring. Kim said that she has what it takes to overcome to the odds. She said she's come too far to lose the belt and she said they were all there to bring women's wrestling where it needed to be.
All three tried to corner Kim, who came out battling. Kim backdropped Williams over the top to the floor. Kim clunked Roxxi and ODB's heads together. Kim caught Roxxi with a bulldog stle faceplant, kicking ODB down in the process. Kip James argued with the referee after putting Roxxi's feet on the ropes during a pin attempt. The referee threw VKM out from ringside. Roxxie tried to hypnotize the referee, who acted like he was in a daze. UGH. Kim got tossed into the ringpost outside the ring by Williams. Williams returned to the ring, only to be cut off by ODB and Roxxi. Williams was tossed into the corner. Roxxi held her for ODB to spank her.
Roxxi and ODB turned on each other. They got in each other's faces and Roxxi nailed her with a kick to the face. Roxxi hit a running splash in the corner. ODB went to the top, grabbed Roxxi and began beating her into the top turnbuckle, which was between ODB's legs. She covered Williams but Kim broke it up. Kim worked over ODB.
Kim went to the top and kicked off Roxxi to the floor. Kim dove to the floor on Roxxi. They showed several replays. Williams began working over ODB with forearms. Williams scored a two count. ODB cut off Williams with a kick to the midsection. ODB showed a ton of poise and charisma as the decadent female. ODB went for an Unprettier but Williams kicked off the ropes and landed a DDT for a two count.
ODB caught Williams as she climbed to the top rope. Roxxi slid underneath and they did a Tower of Doom spot out of the corner. Kim nailed Roxxi with a top rope missile dropkick. All four women were down on the mat as the referee counted them down.
Kim and Roxxi were up first. Kim nailed a legdrop off the ropes but ODB broke up the pinfall. She drilled Kim with a sideslam, but Williams attacked her to break up the pin. ODB manhandled her to the floor but threw dust in ODB's eyes. Kim took our Roxxi, then nailed a neckbreaker on ODB for the pin.
Your winner and still TNA Women's champion, Gail Kim!
A solid match with all four working really hard.
Awesome Kong's music hit and she made her way out to the Imapct Zone. Kim and Kong glared at each other.
Backstage, Karen Angle was trying to find out who was in the limo. Jeremy Borash told her that it wouldn't work but she said she was going to make Kurt Angle happy. She psyched herself up. She walked right up to the guard that had cut the promo on Borash earlier and asked if she could see inside. He said, "Sure, go right ahead Mrs. Angle." When she opened the door, it was Jackie Moore, Eric Young and James Storm inside having a drinking contest. They were all drunk. Young asked Storm if Karen could come with them and Storm said no because she was obviously dressed to go to the prom. He asked security why they were guarding the limo because it wasn't the surprise limo, but was the heavyweight drinking champion's limo. He even brandished a toy belt with a beer bottle attached to the main plate. Borash tried to help himself to a beer but Storm told him he couldn't have one if he wasn't part of the competition. A funny segment.
I've gotten word that there may be more than one surprise set for tonight, so stay tuned. If Booker isn't the partner, the only other names that fit into the clues would be Hulk Hogan (who is in San Diego at an NFL game) or Paul Wight.
TNA X-Division champion Jay Lethal vs. Sonjay Dutt
They showed So Cal Val making goo goo eyes for Jay Lethal as he entered the ring. Lethal was wearing the coolest fringed tights ever. He looked like a Sid and Marty Kroft feathered character. Dutt and Lethal hugged at the bell. Dutt grabbed a sideheadlock, was sent off and shoulderblocked Lethal down. Lethal missed a kick and they faced off.
They locked up again. Lethal and Dutt had some sort of miscommunication but saved it with Lethal powering him over with a backslide. They went into a series of quick pins and reversals. Dutt got mad and slapped Lethal, then composed himself and hugged Lethal. Lethal got the better of Dutt, who slapped him. This time, he didn't want a hug.
They locked up a third time. Lethal tried to shoulderblock Dutt, who grabbed him and tossed Lethal to the floor. Dutt hit a running flip dive to the floor, which they showed a replay of. Dutt tossed Lethal back into the ring but could only get a one count. Dutt began working him over with punches and kicks. Dutt continued to work over Lethal, who came back with a cartwheel dropkick.
Dutt scissored Lethal with his legs, trying to force a submission. Lethal broke free and began nailed punches. Dutt took down Lethal with an armdrag takedown, then hit a standing moonsault. Dutt started showing some aggressive tendencies, kicking and punching Lethal. Lethal fired back out of the corner with chops. Lethal came off the ropes and drilled Dutt down.
Lethal began peppering Dutt with punches. He nailed several clotheslines. Dutt floated over Lethal as he charged into the corner but Lethal moonsaulted him for a two count. Lethal nailed a springboard missile dropkick, sending Dutt to the floor. Lethal hit a tope suicida to the floor. Lethal tossed Dutt into the ring for a two count.
Dutt rolled up Lethal for a two count, then locked on the camel clutch. Lethal rolled him off and nailed a Pele style kick for a near fall. Dutt kicked Lethal and hit a moonsault. Lethal tried to move but Dutt landed on his feet and hit a standing moonsault press, then hit a standing shooting star press for a two count.
Dutt went for a reverse Diamondust but Lethal caught him with a faceplant. Dutt got his shoulder up at the last second. Dutt played possum and drilled Lethal with an Ace Crusher, then locked on a camel clutch. Lethal made his way to the ropes. Dutt began slapping Lethal, who fired back with punches.
Dutt nailed a guillotine legdrop on Lethal, then springboarded into the ring. Lethal caught him on his shoulders, then nailed the Lethal Combination. Lethal went to the top and drilled Dutt with a flying elbow for the pin.
Your winner and still TNA X-Division champion, Jay Lethal!
Another really good back and forth athletic bout. Dutt got the chance to show a lot more personality than usual since he and Lethal actually had some time to work. Good stuff.
They showed SoCal Val looking on approvingly at Lethal. Dutt and Lethal hugged after the match. Lethal finally called Val into the ring as she acted all embarrassed. They channeled Randy and Elizabeth as Dutt tossed rose pedals into the air. 3D attacked Dutt and Lethal. Ray began whipping Lethal with the title belt. Devon nailed Dutt with the belt. 3D menaced Val as she screamed in horror.
Ray demanded a ring mic. They nailed the Dudley Death Drop on Dutt, then snapped Lethal with it. Ray grabbed the mic and claimed the Motor City Machineguns cheated earlier tonight. He said that they could never defeat 3D. Ray said the X-Division was paying the price and they were taking the X-Division title hostage. I actually like that angle.
Backstage, Crystal asked Kevin Nash if he was sure Scott Hall wasn't the tag partner tonight. Nash said he was 100% sure. Hall isn't backstage, so Nash is telling the truth. Crystal heard a ruckus and followed it to the ongoing beer drinking championship going on between Eric Young and James Storm. It was more silliness.
TNA Tag Team champions AJ Styles & Tomko vs. The Steiners
Scott and AJ started off. Scott got the better of Styles, invcluding a tilowhirl backbreaker. Styles nails Steiner with an enziguiri and he falls to the floor. Styles does a dive to the floor. Styles tosses Steiner back in and gets caught with a belly to belly suplex.
Rick and Tomko tag in. At one point, Rick picked
up Tomko and gave him one of the scariest looking Death Valley Drivers of all
time. Seriously, I thought Tomko was hurt. Tomko comes back with a
killer clothesline but gets powerslammed.
Scott tags back in and nails Tomko and Styles with belly to belly suplexes.
He gets a two count after a T-Bone suplex. Rick and Tomko brawl on the
floor. Styles gets backdropped by Scott. He sets Styles on the top
rope for a Frankensteiner off the ropes but Tomko slips in underneath and
powerbombs Scott into the ring.
Styles takes control on Steiner, who comes back with a belly to belly. Scott comes back with clotheslines on Tomko and AJ and tags in Rick. Rick makes the hot tag and cleans house, well, in theory. Scott puts AJ on his shoulders and Rick comes off the top with a bulldog. Tomko breaks up the pin at two.
Scott Steiner clotheslines Tomko over the top to the floor. They battled outside. Tomko goes to grab a chair. Rick Steiner is suplexing AJ all over the place. The referee goes to stop Tomko and Scott takes out the referee accidentally. Rick has AJ pinned but there's no referee. Styles grabs the chair left on the apron and goes to hit Rick, but Rick avoids and goes to nail a German suplex, Styles kicks him low and drills Rick in the head with the chair for the pin.
Your winners and still TNA Tag Team champions, Tomko and AJ Styles!
This felt really disjointed, especially when Rick
Steiner was in the ring.
The white hummer, uh, limo was now shown.
They aired a video package on Samoa Joe vs. Robert Roode.
Backstage, Robert Roode swore he was going to kill Samoa Joe tonight. He said Joe was going to be reminded that Roode made him bleed like a pig. Roode turned his attention to Ms. Brooks and told her to stay out of her the way tonight. Brooks asked about "the fan" in the crowd and Roode blew her off, saying he thought that was her friend.
Samoa Joe vs. Robert Roode
Joe starts out aggressive, chasing after Roode and backdrops him followed by a
number of strikes and kicks. Roode goes to the floor and Joe hits the dive
into the forearm smash. Joe grabs a chair from a fan in the front row and
sets up Roode in a chair for the Ole Ole kick. Roode avoids it and slams
Joe's foot on the chair. I thought that was a great defense to the kick.
Roode follows Joe into the aisle and beats down Joe. He tries to suplex
Joe but can't get him up. After working over Joe some more, he's finally
able to suplex him on the ramp.
Roode tries to Irish whip Joe into the ring steps, but Joe reverses it and Roode slams into the steps. I was expecting blood here playing off Impact but it didn't happen. Joe tosses Roode into the ring and sets him up for the muscle buster but Roode fights him off and hits a forward roll. He works over Joe in the corner and hits the running snap mare. Roode channels Curt Hennig's mannerism as he plays to the crowd. Ms. Brooks and Roode's fan (Rain from SHIMMER) are seen sneering at each other.
Joe fights back but is taken down with a nerve hold
Joe fights back and is caught in a rear chinlock. Joe fights his way back
to his feet and Roode turns it into a sleeper. Joe runs and shrugs off
Roode, who falls through the ropes to the apron. Roode scrambles up to the
top rope and goes for a dive, but Joe catches him with an Ace Crusher. The
camera shows a shot of Brooks down and out on the floor outside, presumably from
a blow given by Roode's "fan." EMTs and referees crowd over
Brooks.
Joe nails a leg lariat and a clothesline for a two count. Joe catches
Roode with a uranage out of the corner, then turns it into a Boston Crab before
turning it into a STF. Roode makes it to the ropes, forcing a break.
Roode catches Joe low and nails a DDT for a two count. Joe tries to set up for a muscle buster, but Roode grabs his arm and jumps out of the ring, snapping it over the ropes. Roode spikes Joe with a piledriver for a two count. Roode goes for the Payoff, but Joe powers him onto the top rope, then nails the Muscle Buster and scores the pin.
Your winner, Samoa Joe!
Another good match. I think the crowd wasn't as electric as they usually
are for a Samoa Joe bout, partially because of the Ms. Brooks angle and
partially because they may not have seen Robert Roode as on Joe's level.
Still, really good work from all involved. You can see Roode improving by
the month.
Backstage, they showed the limo again. Kurt Angle was losing his mind
screaming that they needed to know who was in the limo. Karen kept trying
to tell Kurt that everything was under control but he didn't care. Karen
and Jeremy Borash followed Angle as he made his way to the limo. Karen
asked JB to help her stop him and he quipped, "he's your husband."
The announcers acted like they didn't know what was going on. Angle made
his way to the limo and started taking out security, but before he had a chance
to look inside, Sting showed up and they were all pulled away from each other by
the guards.
They aired a video feature on Kaz vs. Christian Cage.
Backstage, Cage told Crystal that he's never lost a ladder match and tonight would be no different. He said he was used to people making their name off of him. He said that Kaz wants to go to the top, so he had better hold on because Cage was going to carry him to the top and leave him to go crashing down. He told AJ Styles and Tomko that he was going to make a statement tonight by doing it on his own and told them to stay backstage. As he prepared to leave, Styles ignored Cage and told Tomko to follow his lead. Tomko said that he thought Cage was being serious but Styles said he was the captain of the team and what he said goes.
Kaz vs. Christian Cage - Ladder Match for TNA title shot Cage bridges a second ladder outside the ring but Kaz gets the better of him
and places Cage on the ladder. Cage ctaches Kaz low, then kicks him,
sending Kaz atop of the ladder. Cage goes to the top rope and delivers a
frog splash onto the ladder, WHICH DOES NOT GIVE. Ouch. TNA showed a
bunch of replays and the fans chanted, "That was awesome." Cage set up the ladder and climbed up, but Kaz tipped the ladder. Cage
landed on his feet. The crowd rallied both men. Cage was Irish
Whipped into the ladder face first at MACH5. Kaz set up Cage in the corner
with the ladder and charged, but Cage flung the ladder in his face. Five
minutes in and this is sick. Cage set up a ladder bridged across the ropes in one corner and slingshot Kaz
underneath into the ladder. Cage goes to set up the ladder in the center
of the ring, but Kaz attacks him. Cage tosses Kaz out of the ring but he
lands on his feet. Kaz shoves the ladder at Cage. Kaz uses the
ladder like a weapon, swinging it at Cage, who goes to the floor. Kaz sets the ladder and starts climbing. Cage catches him with a punch,
then uses a second ladder like a battering ram to stop Kaz from reaching the
contract. Cage sets up a second ladder and they battle atop of them.
It looked like they were going for the Flux Capacitor (Spanish Fly) off the
ladders, but they weren't sturdy enough. Cage caught Kaz with an inverted
DDT off the ladders. The crowd chanted "TNA." Cage set up one of the ladders in a 45 degree angle in a corner. He
goes to slam Kaz, who escapes and monkey flips Cage atop the ladder. Kaz
hits a springboard legdrop onto Cage, laid out prone on the ladder. Kaz
picked up the ladder and suplexed it down onto Cage. That was sick. Kaz set up the larger ladder in the corner and went to the top. He
teased trying to leap for the contract, but instead LEGDROPPED OFF THE LADDER
ONTO CAGE, WHO MOVED, SO KAZ ATE NOTHING BUT THE SECOND LADDER. I was
having flashbacks to Johnny Stamboli injuring himself in WCW doing a springboard
legdrop to the floor during the Vince Russo Nitro era,. Don West said that
Kaz had to have broken his leg and I would be shocked if he didn't suffer some
injury. If he didn't he should thank his lucky stars. Cage set up the ladder but Kaz shockingly went right after Cage, not selling
the leg. Cage kicked him off. Kaz springboarded off the ropes and
dropkicked the ladder out from under Cage. AJ Styles and Tomko came to the ring as Cage was climbing the ladder.
He tried to wave them off to leave, annoyed. Kaz followed Cage up the
ladder and they battled. The ladder topped over and Cage sailed to the
outside, taking out Styles and Tomko. Kaz was able to recover, set the
ladder right and scramble up to capture the contract and the title shot. Your winner, Kaz! This was one hell of a spectacle and probably worth the price of the entire
PPV. Although Kaz not selling the leg after that hellacious legdrop was
insane, you can't do anything but praise the performances of everyone involved
here. This was absolutely a physical, sick match. Unbelievable.
The first person to retrieve a contract hanging above the ring will be the
winner. They face off for a long time. They go back and forth.
Cage slides outside and grabs a ladder. Kaz kicks Cage while he's holding the
ladder. Kaz does a springboard dive outside onto the ladder and Cage, who
is immediately busted open around the eye from the shot.
Crystal filled in JB about the drinking contest. He said that after his long day, he had to see this. It was more drunken silliness with Young and Storm drinking out of funnel. Storm poured Jack Daniels into the funnel and he drank it. Somewhere, the Freebirds are smiling. Storm told Young that the first one out the door was the winner. They shook hands and Storm collapsed drunk. Young took the drinking title belt and declared himself champion. Jackie tried to tell him not to take it, but he did. Totally silly, but I liked it.
TNA champion Kurt Angle & Kevin Nash vs. Sting & Mystery Partner
The mystery partner was the debuting Booker T after they waited forever with dramatic music. Booker looked excited to be there and the crowd reacted like it was a major deal, chanting his name. Mike Tenay even noted that the first wrestlers he ever interviewed on live TV was Harlem Heat. They teased that Kurt Angle didn't expect Booker, looking shocked. I guess he wasn't a PWInsider.com Elite subscriber. The crowd chanted Booker's name and then chanted for the "Spinaroonie."
Sting and Angle started. They went back and forth. Sting slammed Angle and nailed a pair of armdrags. The crowd chanted for Booker to be tagged in. Sting powdered Angle in the corner with punches and kicks. Angle scrambled out of the ring and hid behind Nash in the corner before tagging out.
Nash kicked Sting in the corner. Sting fight his way out by kicking Nash in the knees. Well, that's where I would kick. Nash cut him off and tagged back in Angle. Sting cut off Angle with a back elbow and tagged in Booker. Angle ran from the ring. Booker offered to hold the ropes open for Angle.
Booker took control quickly with a springboard into a flying forearm and a scoop and slam. He hits a sideslam for a two count. Angle whips Booker towards Nash, who knees him in the back. Nash tags in and elbows Booker in the neck. Booker ducks under a clothesline but is caught with a sideslam.
Nash tagged in Angle, who suplexed Booker over for a two count. Booker fought out of a side chinlock and catches Angle with a spinkick. Sting tagged in and cut off Nash. Sting drilled Angle with the Stinger Splash, then locked Nash in the Scorpion Death Lock. Angle took Sting out. The crowd is enjoying it.
Nash nailed another sideslam. Karen Angle came to ringside. Remember that earlier she said she had taken care of everything. Angle tagged back in and he and Nash glared at each other for a second. Nash hit a back suplex on Sting, but Booker made the save. Nash scissored Sting with his legs and rode him to the mat, cinching in a chinlock at the same time. Sting finally fought out and tagged Booker, who clotheslined Angle before he could tag in. Booker knocked Nash off the apron.
Booker escaped the Olympic Slam and nailed a spinebuster on Angle. Booker gave us the long awaited return of the Spinaroonie. He then hit Angle with the Axe Kick. Nash broke up the pin at the last possible second. The timing was perfect. Booker "hit" (well in theory) Nash with a spin kick. Angle and Booker jockeyed for position. Nash powerbombed Booker but Sting hit him with the Scorpion Death Drop.
Karen Angle jumped on the apron to distract the referee. AJ Styles and Tomko hit the ring and attacked Sting. Styles got tossed out of the ring but Tomko drilled Sting with a clothesline. Sharmell made her way to the ring (there's the second surprise) and attacked Karen Angle. Nash pulled down the straps and teased another powerbomb on Sting. AJ Styles slid the TNA title to Angle, who drilled his own partner with it.
Angle hit the Olympic Slam on Sting. Angle covered Sting and scored the pin.
The winner and still TNA champion, Kurt Angle!
Angle shook Tomko and AJ's hands. Christian Cage, looking like hell from the ladder match, did not look happy.
Main event was as good was what you would expect from these four. Booker seemed to be really excited about being there and the crowd loved it. Beyond that, it was the usual caliber performance from everyone else involved. Styles and Tomko coming out was lame. TNA needs to start doing clean finishes in the main event because when everyone has a reason why they lost, no one ever really wins. It's one of the most frustrating things about the company. When Joe beat Cage last month, it meant something because it was a true victory. UFC does a ton of business because everyone knows they are going to see a winner and loser. TNA has far too many asterisks involved in the finishes of the main event matches.
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