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Welcome to PWInsider.com's live coverage of TNA Victory Road 2007. The pre-game show was the Road to Victory Road special from SpikeTV, highlighted by Senshi defeating Jerry Lynn and Petey Williams in a very good match after the Warrior's Way doublestomp off the top rope on Williams, who had just nailed the Canadian Destroyer flip piledriver on Lynn.
There was a dark match live in the building with Havoc and Martyr defeating All Japan Pro Wrestling undercard stars Brute Issei and Akira Raijin. The All Japan stars are currently on an extended stay in the United States working to improve and get seasoning.
Interesting to note that the Elevation X structure is up for the Ultimate X match.
Victory Road opening with a video feature on the main events. Mike Tenay and Don West welcomed us and they blew up some fireworks.
Ultimate X Match
The match will have Gauntlet style entrances and you can be eliminated by being tossed over the top./ Wow, that's a letdown. The first two competitors are Jay Lethal and Christopher Daniels. You win the match by retrieving the X hanging under the structure. Daniels attacked Lethal and choked him against the ropes. He whipped Lethal into the corner but missed a charge. Lethal unloaded with rights, but Daniels cut off his offense. The third competitor in was Puma, making his return to TNA rings. Puma went right after Lethal, who elbowed him. Puma evaded him and dropkicked Lethal in the head. He went for a suplex but Lethal avoided it. Lethal tried to toss Puma out of the ring but he held onto the ropes and swung back into the ring. Lethal clotheslined both Daniels and Puma.
Homicide was the fourth man out. Lethal was working over Daniels when Homicide attacked him. Lethal went to clothesline him but Homicide avoided it and nailed an Ace Crusher. All three beat down Lethal. Sonjay Dutt came to the ring next, slowly, playing up his Guru persona. He went to the top and hit a flying bodypress on Puma and Daniels. He then hit fast offense on Homicide and Daniels. Puma drilled him with a kick to the head,
Petey Williams was sixth and came in offense on everyone, including a combo DDT on Puma at the same time he drilled Daniels with a side Russian Legsweep. Puma picked upWilliams for a Spicoli Driver but Williams turned it into a sunsetflip. The seventh guy was Shark Boy. He bit Daniels on the derriere. Elix Skipper was next for his return to the company. He and Shark Boy went at it center ring. He dumped Sharky over the top. He tossed Dutt over the top. Dutt tried to skin the cat but was kicked in the back of the head and fell to the floor.
The next competitor was Kaz, no longer sporting the facepaint. He cleaned house on everyone. The final competitor was Senshi. At this point, you can grab the X, so Kaz scrambles up. Senshi attacks him and locks a Dragon Sleeper on Kaz. Senshi began ascending the structure. He started climbing across but fell, landing on Daniels. Senshi and Homicide battled. Daniels began climbing across the structure. Kaz grabbed his boot and pulled him into the ring.
Kaz, Senshi, Lethal and Daniels all began climbing across and met in the center. They began kicking at each other and were pulled down by Homicide and Skipper. The crowd chanted "TNA." Senshi clotheslined Homicide. Daniels clobbered Lethal with a clothesline.
Daniels went to the top and began climbing across the structure's bottom using his hands and feet. Lethal followed and hit him with several knees. Daniels let go and was hanging upside down. Kaz came off the top and grabbed Daniels with a cutter, bringing him down into the ring from an upside down position. That was beyond insane and dangerous.
Senshi missed a handspring elbow on Homicide in the corner. Homicide went to suplex senshi out of the corner. Lethal grabbed Homicide. Daniels grabbed Lethal so everyone was suplexed backwards. Meanwhile, Kaz and Skipper climbed up opposite sides of the structure and walked across the top of the structure. They met halfway and seemed shocked by the lack of space before starting to exchange blows. They continued to battle as they tried to climb to the underside of the structure. They exchanged kicks while hanging before falling into the ring.
Seconds later, Skipper hit a DVDR on Lethal and was then drilled by Kaz. Kaz kicked Homicide who was on the top rope and then hit the Flux Capacitor (one man Spanish Fly). Daniels threw Kaz out of the ring and into the girder outside. He tried to climb up but Lethal threw him into the ring. Lethal began climbing. Daniels followed, trying to catch up. Lethal got to the X but was pulled down by Skipper. Daniels made his way across and finally grabbed the X while hanging on the underside with his hands and feet.
Daniels dropped into the ring as Senshi and Elix Skipper began having words. Daniels held up the X over them and the former XXX tag team reunited (as we mentioned was being talked about on PWInsider.com a few days ago).
Your winner, Christopher Daniels!
Fun opener with some spots that even I was questioning the safety and logic on. I wish they had announced the stipulations earlier than during the show because you couldn't help but be a little let down.
Backstage, TNA Tag Team champions Team 3D were interviewed by Jeremy Borash. Devon said it was the opportunity of a lifetime and said he couldn't wait. Devon said he's been waiting 15 years for the chance to be the World champion. He warned Kurt Angle to be prepared and said he would be the champion. Brother Ray looked surprised and said he was speechless. Brother Ray said he has good news and not so good news. He said the good news was Devon is fired up but he isn't going to be the World champion. Ray said he guaranteed Joe, Devon, and Angle weren't winning tonight. He said the "High-flying technical wizard" Brother Ray was going to win the X-Division title tonight. Devon told him a dream is a dream, but Ray's dream isn't coming true. Ray told him that Devon wasn't winning as long as he was in the ring. Devon told him to do what he's got to do and Ray will do the same. They got in each other's faces, upset with the other.
Leticia interviewed Samoa Joe. Joe said he can't trust Angle, but that won't prevent him from winning the Tag belts tonight. He said that he set up Angle "like the mark you are" and now he's going to knock him down. He said that's going to take the Tag titles and he'll be coming for the TNA title next.
Mike Tenay and Don West welcomed everyone to the PPV. They previewed tonight's card.
Leticia interviewed Voodoo Kin Mafia. VKM said that TNA said they will no longer tolerate man against woman violence, so tonight they would bring in the newest member of VKM. He said she "was imported right from the bayou of New Orleans." BG said they didn't forget about Lance Hoyt. Kip James said that he was personally going to stick his boot straight up Hoyt's a** saying he didn't forget about Hoyt turning his back on them after they took him under their wing.
Voodoo Kin Mafia vs. Damaja and Basham (with Christy Hemme and Lance Hoyt)
VKM came to the ring alone. BG took the ring mic and did their usual mic work. He said they were "soon to be NWA Tag Team champions of the world." Ooops! He then said they were happy to announce the new member of VKM, the Voodoo Queen Roxxi LaVeaux. Roxxi is Northeastern independent wrestler Nikki Roxx. For more on her, visit www.myspace.com/wrestlingroxx. Roxxi slowly came to the ring dressed up like she was going to Mardis Gras and was out of it, tons of makeup and a really bad wig. The crowd chanted "What is that?" That cracked me up. Uh, exactly what is this gimmick??? .
BG started with Damaja and like every big grudge match, they go right to the mat with a headlock. Basham and Kip tagged in and went back and forth. Kip dropkicked Basham. Basham missed his own. Kip continued to control the match. Hoyt tried to distract Kip but Kip still tacked him down. Kip chased Hoyt around the ring. Hemme slapped Kip. Kip wanted to hit her but couldn't. Roxxi got into the ring but the referee held her back. Hoyt and crew worked over BG on the floor. Basham and Damaja worked over BG.
The crowd started chanting, "Boring." Basham missed a top rope headbutt. Basham missed a running kick into the corner. Kip James got the hot tag and cleaned house. Kip hit a vertical suplex for a two count. Basham nailed him from behind. Lance Hoyt grabbed a chair and slid it into the ring. He kicked it into Kip's face. Basham covered Kip, who got his shoulder up at the last moment. Hoyt argued with the referee. BG nailed Basham with the chair and Kip covered him for the pin. The story was Hoyt cost his stablemates the match by arguing with the referee.
Christy Hemme and Lance Hoyt were jawing at ringside and she told him to get into the ring to stop VKM. BG clotheslined him over the top to the floor. Hemme got back into the ring but VKM grabbed her. They called for Roxxi. They tossed her to Roxxi who hit an over the shoulder powerslam on Hemme.
Match was whatever it was. I don't think this was a great debut for Roxx, although she's supposed to be a really good worker.
Jeremy Borash interviewed TNA champion Kurt Angle, who had both his titles and was wearing a suit. He said that 3D guaranteed they were going to win. He asked why Joe doesn't have his best interests as Angle's partner. He said that if Joe is jealous that Angle is great, he should blame Angle's mother because she made him so great. He said tonight was "Shake and Break Time....Shake and Break." Well, I guess someone in TNA saw Talladega Nights recently.
They went to a video feature on Rhino vs. James Storm.
Rhino vs. James Storm (with Jackie Moore)
The referee threw Moore out of ringside before the match. Rhino attacked Storm on the floor and whipped him into the guard rail. He hiptossed Storm onto the ramp, then tossed Storm into the crowd. They battled into the second level of the Impact Zone. Storm tried to escape but Rhino grabbed him. They battled across the Impact Zone with Rhino in control. Rhino ran Storm headfirst into the wall of the Zone, then grabbed a beer bottle. He teased hitting Storm, then tossed it into the crowd. He tossed Storm back into the ringside area. He tosses Storm into the ring and they rang the bell for the match to officially start.
Rhino drilled Storm with a clothesline. The crowd is enjoying the hell out of this. Rhino went to the top rope but was shoved off by Storm. Storm worked over Rhino on the floor, then tossed him back into the ring. Rhimno battled his way back to his feet but Storm tossed him over the top rope to the floor. Storm worked over Rhino on the floor. He brought Rhino back into the ring and cinched on a side chinlock. The crowd chanted, trying to rally Rhino.
Rhino finally breaks free and hits a clothesline and back elbow. He hit a shoulderblock in the corner, but Storm cut him off with a swinging neckbreaker for a two count. Storm goes to the top but Rhino catches him on the top and nails a superplex. Rhino gets a two count. He goes to clothesline Storm, but Storm ducks and the referee eats it. Storm takes out Rhino. Rhino comes back and tossed Storm into a corner. Storm grabs a beer bottle. Rhino goes for the gore but Storm smashes the bottle over the head and pinned Rhino.
Your winner, James Storm!
Rhino was busted open. Storm brought a noose into the ring. He hogtied Rhino's body around the ropes, trapping him. He drilled Rhino with a chairshot to the head. Jackie Moore returned to the ring with a small keg and began pouring it into Rhino's mouth while Moore and Storm took turns taking pictures of the other. Storm began screaming in Rhino's face. He continued to work over Rhino. The referees got Storm to leave the ring. He teased leaving, then grabbed a chair, returned and drilled Rhino with it.
I enjoyed the heck out of this. Good brawl and good angle. James Storm is coming along really great.
Leticia interviewed Jerry Lynn and Bob Backlund. Lynn said that he and Backlund were old school and stood for everything that good about professional wrestling - respect, honor and talent. He said they were going to beat respect into Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley. Backlund went nuts and said they were fighting for the family unit and America.
They aired a video feature on the Old School vs. New School match
Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin (with Kevin Nash) vs. Bob Backlund & Jerry Lynn
Backlund and Sabin started off with Backlund frustrating Sabin. Sabin tried to claim Backlund pulled his hair after an armdrag attempt. The storyline early here was that the older veterans were keeping the young punks off balance with good technical wrestling. Sabin and Shelley began double teaming Lynn, tagging in and out. Lynn used a Lucha armdrag and a dropkick to ward off Shelley. Lynn hit a leaping back elbow on Shelley. He DDT'd Sabin for a two count. Lynn went for the a piledriver on Sabin, but Shelley spit a mouthful of water in his face. Shelley dropkicked Backlund off the apron to the floor.
Kevin Nash distracted the referee to give his charges a chance to work over Lynn. Lynn starts to mount a comeback but they cut him off. The referee had words with Backlund, who wanted to get in and help Lynn, allowing Sabin and Shelley to destroy Lynn. They tied Lynn upside down in the corner. Shelley hit a sliding kick, followed by Sabin's hesitation dropkick. Backlund lost it and attacked them. He hit the atomic drop on Shelley, who bumped out of the ring.
Kevin Nash entered the ring as the referee pushed Backlund out of the ring and drilled Lynn with a big boot. Shelley and Sabin destroyed Lynn with a series of fast kicks and scored the pin.
Your winners, Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley!
Match was good when Lynn was in and pure silliness when Backlund was involved. It was good.
Backstage, Kurt Angle was looking for "back up" with Jeremy Borash in tow. They went into a bathroom where they found Jay Lethal. Angle asked him if he wanted the chance of a lifetime and watch his back tonight. Lethal said, "Wash your back?" Angle called him an idiot. Angle tried to bribe Lethal with the promise of a title shot. Lethal was acting like Randy Savage in his full glory. Angle put his TNA and IWGP belts on Lethal's shoulders, then attacked him. He began screaming at Lethal, asking whether he wanted to help him or not. Angle tossed him into the the shower stall and then smashed him into the sink. He tossed Lethal into a toilet stall, stopped to fix his suit and tie and walked off. Uh, why would you make Lethal, one of the hottest undercard gimmicks in the entire company, look like a goof in a vignette role that any expendable undercard guy could have filled?
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