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MONSTER'S BALL: SAMOA JOE VS. ABYSS VS. RAVEN VS. BROTHER RUNT WITH SPECIAL REFEREE JAKE ROBERTS
Once all four were in the ring, Roberts called for the bell. Everyone went right after Samoa Joe. Abyss tossed Joe to the floor. Raven and Runt turned on Abyss. Raven began working over Abyss with right hands. Runt set up a chair, which Raven used to hit a drop toehold into it on Abyss. Joe returned to the ring and hit a running forearm in the corner on Runt, then drilled Raven with a knee. The crowd was going nuts for Joe. Joe nailed Raven with several facewash boots. He charged to hit another one but Abyss caught him with a chokeslam.
Abyss clotheslined Raven, then pressed and dropped Runt. He tossed Runt into the crowd, who surfed Runt back into ringside. Raven hit a discus clothesline on Abyss, who went to the floor. Raven hit a dive to the floor. Joe hit a running dive over the top to the floor on all three. The place went insane. TNA showed replays of all the big spots. Their production in terms of the replays is very much improved this month, but live, they are missing a lot here.
Raven and Joe battled up the apron with Raven nailing Joe with a gothic mask he wore to the ring. Raven sent Joe through a table off the ramp. Runt and Abyss battled up scaffolding on the side of the stage. Abyss chokeslammed Runt off the scaffolding, which looked sick. Abyss dove off the scaffolding, which TNA completely missed live but then showed a replay.
Everyone battled back towards the ring. Abyss covered Runt, but Raven pulled him off before the three count. Abyss hit the big sitdown Earthquake splash on Raven for a two count. Abyss lifted up Raven for a backbreaker but Joe was back in the ring and peppered Abyss with punches. Joe backdropped Raven over the top to the floor. Joe flattened Abyss but missed the back senton splash. Joe came back with a low kick to Abyss. Abyss and Joe went back and forth. Joe hit a powerslam on a chair for a two count.
Joe charged Raven, who dropped into a drop toehold, sending Joe to the floor. Jim Mitchell handed Abyss a bag of thumb tacks but Jake Roberts brought out the snake bag. Raven got back in the ring but Roberts shoved him aside. Raven hit Roberts and teased hitting a DDT, but Abyss drilled Raven. Abyss poured out the thumbtacks. Abyss whipped Raven into the ropes, but Joe pulled down the middle rope. Raven sailed to the floor. Joe attacked Abyss and drilled him facefirst into the tacks.
Joe cinched in the rear naked choke, but Raven drilled him with a chair. Jake Roberts took the chair from Raven and hit a DDT. Joe set up Raven and hit a muscle buster, scoring the pin. Samoa Joe couldn't get a clean pinfall during the same time period they are building to Joe vs. Angle?
Your winner, Samoa Joe!
A fun brawl. The Roberts-Raven thing at the end seemed contrived and forced. It made absolutely no sense for Joe not to get a clean win here. TNA needs to realize that, fast, because if everyone always has an out, none of the wins mean nothing.
Jake Roberts put his snake on Raven after the match. Unless that's going to be a program, I don't see why they would do that, either.
Backstage, Jeremy Borash interviewed Eric Young, who was breathing into a paper back to calm himself. Young said that if he wins tonight, he gets his dreams and career back intact. He wondered what would happen if he lost. Borash told him he had to have confidence. Larry Zbyszko showed up and said that Young doesn't have confidence and even if he did, he couldn't because he has no ability. He told Young he'd see him in "Larry Land."
ERIC YOUNG VS. LARRY ZBYSZKO
Eric Young was scared of his own pyro. That cracked me up. Zbyszko was wearing a Ribera's Jacket. They'll give those to anyone. The crowd chanted for Larry to be fired. Zbyszko stalled a lot early. Young played a lot to the crowd, who loved him. Zbyszko locked on the abdominal stretch, but Young reversed it. The referee got bumped. Zbyszko pulled out a foreign object, but Young drilled him with a low blow. Young used the object and nailed Zbyszko. Young scored the pin.
Your winner, Eric Young!
Young ran through the crowd celebrating.
A typical, short comedy match. When Larry returns to TV, he'll be the third guy fired in the last three months to return.
They aired a video feature on Senshi vs. Chris Sabin.
Jim Cornette made his way to the ring. Cornette sounded like he had lost his voice. He noted he was sick as a dog and could hardly speak but would have had to be in intensive care before he would miss tonight's event. He told the fans they've seen a great show but they haven't seen anything yet. He said he had an important announcement to make. He said Samoa Joe and Kurt Angle have problems, but tonight is not the place to settle it and promised that time would come. He said that if Samoa Joe interferes in any form tonight in the NWA title match, he'll be removed from the TNA roster immediately.
Kurt Angle came out to the ring. Fans tossed streamers for Angle. He got a monster reaction from the crowd live. He told Cornette that he knew he was supposed to get a big introduction, but when he heard the fans, he just wanted to come out and kick some ass. The crowd chanted Angle's name. Angle said that the TNA fans are the best audience in the world and said, "TNA is the best, screw the rest, and you know who I'm talking about."
Angle said that he came out because he's going to be the special main event enforcer for one of the biggest main event matches of all time, Jeff Jarrett vs. Sting. He said that he didn't need Jim Cornette to be his buffer. He said if someone came to the ring and headbutt him and punked him out, he'd want revenge too. Joe's music hit and Joe hit the ring as Angle slid out to meet him. Security tried to hold them apart as they screamed at each other and clawed to break free. Joe finally broke free and charged up the ramp at Angle but they were held apart. The crowd chanted TNA.
Joe began screaming at Cornette to let him fight. Angle charged him and they brawled for a moment, but were pulled apart again. They finally dragged Angle backstage as Joe was held on the ramp.
An awesome, awesome tease for the eventual Joe vs. Angle match. That should headline the November or December PPV. Mike Tenay and Don West reviewed what just happened. A great segment.
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