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Backstage, Crystal interviewed Jay Lethal. She said that tonight was considered a long shot for Lethal. Lethal said he was going to take out the Dragon and get the belt again. Crystal said they weren't talking about Ricky Steamboat, but Kurt Angle. Lethal name dropped Jake Roberts and George Steele. Kevin Nash showed up and told Lethal he was to take a dive tonight because Angle didn't have time for this with his World title match later. Lethal responded by screaming "Snap Into It!"
TNA X-Division champion Kurt Angle vs. Jay Lethal
The crowd did dueling chants at the bell. Lethal and Angle started slow. Lethal shoulderblocked Angle and takes him down but Angle responded with a huge Beel throw. Lethal hiptossed Angle, then cartwheeled and dropkicked him. Lethal hit the double sledge off the ropes. Lethal began peppering him with punches in the corner.
Lethal goes for a boot, but Angle cuts him off and powerbombs him into the corner. Angle begins kicking Lethal on the mat. He gets a two count after a backbreaker. He begins measuring Lethal and kicked him in the gut. He suplexes Lethal for a two count. Angle wrapped his legs around Lethal, scissoring him.
Angle nails a tiltowhirl backbreaker on Lethal for another two count. He slams Lethal, measures, then kicked him. Angle choked out Lethal against the bottom rope. The announcers pushed that Angle wasn't looking past Lethal at all.
Angle drilled him with an European uppercut and a back suplex but Lethal kicked out. Angle looked angered that he hadn't put Lethal away yet. Angle continued to beat down Lethal. Lethal rebounded off the ropes and they clotheslined each other. The referee began counting them both down, but they made it to their feet.
Lethal clotheslined Angle, then nailed a flying head scissors. He kicked Angle in the back of the head but Angle got his shoulder up at the last second. Angle hit a crazy belly to back release suplex. Lethal again kicked up. Angle looked frustrated.
Angle went for the Olympic Slam but Lethal evaded and hit a DDT. Lethal covered Angle but Angle kicked up at the last second. The crowd isn't reacting like they think Lethal could win. Lethal went to the top rope but Angle grabbed him for a suplerplex. The crowd chanted TNA after Lethal kicked up again.
Angle went for the Anklelock but Lethal rolled through and rolled him into a small package for a two count. Angle began drilling him with German suplexes. He hits three but Lethal still kicked up. Angle started to get angry. He went for the Olympic Slam but Lethal grabbed him and hit the Lethal combination. Lethal seemed shocked, then hit the top rope elbow. Angle got his shoulder up at the last second. The crowd chanted that it was a three count and seemed to come alive and buy that Lethal could win now.
Angle went for a powerbomb but Lethal rolled through and nearly pinned Angle. Angle kicked up and hit a German release suplex. The crowd chanted for Lethal. Angle pulls the straps down and motions for the Olympic Slam. Lethal tries to roll through but is caught with the anklelock. Lethal rolled up Angle and pinned him clean, 1-2-3.
Your winner and new X-Division champion, Jay Lethal!
Mike Tenay and Don West pushed it as the biggest upset in the history of the company. The rest of the X-Division babyfaces came out to hug and congratulate Lethal. A really good match. That's how you make a star, considering the audience went from not believing Lethal had a shot to believing that just "maybe" he'd do it, to having a clean shocking win. Good stuff.
They showed Angle standing there angry and dumbfounded that he had been pinned.
Backstage, Jeremy Borash interviewed Black Reign. Reign had a rat that he called Misty his Artic Fox. Reign said that would bring a friend tonight against Chris Harris. He spoke in a very dark, gothic way, looking kind of Goldust meets Undertaker while dressing like La Parka.
They showed a video feature on Chris Harris vs. Black Reign.
Chris Harris vs. Black Reign.
Reign came out carrying a gothic rat cage. They called him Dustin Rhodes a number of times. Harris dove off the top rope to the floor on Reign, then tossed him into the ring. He backdropped Reign, then did so again over the top to the floor. Harris followed, then picked up and dropped Reign across the railing. He whipped Reign into the barrier with Reign taking a flip bump into it.
Reign finally cut him off in the ring. He hit a Pedigree variation for a two count. Reign worked him over in the corner and hit a running bulldog for a two count. He bit Harris and continued to work him over in the corner. He teased nailing Harris while in the corner but Harris hit him in the gut, then slammed Reign back into the ring.
Harris ducked a punch and began hitting forearms and elbows. Harris hit a bulldog after rebounding off the ropes but Reign kicked up. Reign went to use a weapon, but the referee stopped him. Harris hit a small package out of nowhere and scored the pin. Match was too short to build to anything memorable but this was way better than last month.
Your winner, Chris Harris!
They battled after the bell. Harris grabbed Reign's handcuffs and drilled Reign with them. Reign juiced. Harris handcuffed Reign to the ringpost on the floor. He grabbed a chair and charged but Reign kicked him in the gut. Reign grabbed his key and freed himself. He grabbed the chair and slammed it over Harris' back.
Reign went and got the rat from the box. He placed the rat on Harris body then held it on Harris' face. The announcers played it up like a disgusting move but I'd sure as hell prefer that to the Boogeyman's worms.
Crystal interviewed Christian Cage. She said that Cage made it personal last week by attacking "Joe's kin." Cage boasted that he was never pinned or submitted. He said that Joe hit him with a chair and cost him a chance at the title, so he made it personal. Cage said that Joe cares about his family but the only thing Cage cares about is becoming the World champion again. He ripped on Joe's family and said that he didn't ask Joe's family to stop Cage. Cage said Joe needs people to fight battles for him but Cage doesn't need that. Cage said that he was giving AJ Styles and Tomko the night off. He told them he wanted them to win the TNA Tag Gauntlet later. He said Tomko's IWGP belt was legit and he wanted Tomko to add to it. He told AJ to go win a title like his idol. Styles said that his idol didn't win a title. Tomko said they would win.
Tag Team Championship Gauntlet
Team #1 is AJ Styles and Tomko, represented by Styles. Team #2 is XXX, represented by Christopher Daniels. Every minute, another competitor enters. It's over the top rope elimination until they get down to the last two men, at which point their partners will join them for a tag bout. Wow, that just gave me a headache.
Styles and Daniels began slapping each other. Styles misses a dropkick but not a second. He begins kicking at Daniels, who comes back with a spinning powerbomb.
Competitor #3 is Homicide. Things are looking up.
Daniels tosses Styles into the turnbuckles. Homicide drilled Daniels with a back elbow. The crowd chants, "187." Styles and Daniels work over Homicide as the clock reaches zero.
Competitor #4 is Chris Sabin. Sabin poked Styles, Daniels and Homicide all in the eyes. Sabin and Daniels exchanged blows. Daniels charged and was taken down by both. All four battled in the ring.
Competitor #5 was Havoc. He charged the ringand drilled Homicide and Styles with knees. He hit armdrags on Daniels and Styles. He dropped Styles down with a faceplant, then hit a hammerlock into a powerslam. Havoc looked good. Sabin hit a top rope forearm off the ropes. Homicide teased the Gringo Killer.
Competitor #6 was Petey Williams. He hit the Canadian Destroyer on Havoc, then hit a double knee stirke on Sabin. Sabin went for the springboard tornado DDT but was tossed out. Somewhere in this, Homicide was tossed out as well. If their partners can make it to the end, they can return for the tag match. Someone hand me the Aleve.
Competitor #7 was Brother Devon. He chokeslammed AJ, then choked Daniels in the corner with his knee. Devon hit a spinning back elbow on Daniels.
Competitor #8 was the debuting/returning Jimmy Rave, who was with Christy Hemme. Hemme disrobed him and he hit the ring. Rave unloaded with chops on Daniels, then hit a shining wizard on Williams. Rave hit a spinning headscissors into a Fujiwara armbar. They put over his Dragon Gate tours.
Competitor #9 was Brother Ray so Team 3D were the first full team to compete at the same time. Ray just laid everyone out. Styles unloaded with chops and an enziguiri on Ray.
Competitor #10 was Raven. He hit a discus clothesline on AJ. He smeared the snotrag in Daniels' face. Team 3D grabbed Raven and tossed him over the top to the floor. Havoc and Raven are officially gone.
Competitor #11 was Shark Boy. He unloaded with dropkicks on everyone. Devon tossed him over the top but he landed on the apron. Sharky bit Devon on the rear end. Ray came from behind and tossed Ray over the top in a brutal way.
Competitor #12 was Sonjay. Rave was tossed out as was Petey Williams, both by 3D. Styles and Daniels destroyed Dutt. Daniels hit an STO on Devon but Ray nailed Daniels with a sitdown full nelson powerbomb.
Unlucky #13 was VKM's BG James. James went right after Ray and Daniels.
#14 was LAX's Hernandez. He shoulderblocked down Dutt and Daniels as Ray backed up. He drilled Dutt with the Cracker Jack. He goes to powerbomb Styles out of the ring but AJ escaped and dropkicked Hernandez.
Competitor #15 is Tomko. Ray clubbed Tomko as he entered the ring. Tomko came back with a big boot to both Devon and Ray. Tomko eliminated both. He and Hernandez faced off.
Competitor #16 was Elix Skipper (with Senshi). Skipper went right after Tomko. Why go after the biggest most fresh guy in the ring other than you? XXX worked over Tomko trying to toss him. Hernandez tossed Dutt, who landed on the apron and slid back into the ring.
Competitor #17 was Alex Shelley. More of the same.
Competitor #18 was Lance Hoyt. Hoyt slammed and tossed Skipper to the floor. Tomko chopped Hoyt.
Competitor # 19 was Kip James of VKM. More of the same.
The last competitor was Eric Young. Young got a big pop. At this point, it's been a typical Battle Royal. Nothing great but some decent spots and teases. Young grabs Shelley in a side headlock. Young keeps grabbing headlocks on others until Kip James hit a back suplex. Hernandez and Toko start slugging it out in the center of the ring.
Tomko clotheslined Hernandez, so LAX is out. Young then backdropped Tomko out. Lance Hoyt was out next. Daniels and Kip James tumbled out of the ring next. It's like the Titanic with everyone diving overboard.
It's down to Styles, Young and Shelley. Both are trying to trick Young into thinking they'll be his ally but attack him. Young gets some offense on both to pop the crowd. Shelley and Styles finally toss Young.
It's AJ Styles & Tomko vs. The Motor City Machineguns!
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