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Welcome to the first PPV coverage of the New Year here on PWInsider.com!
TNA's Final Resolution 2008 opened with a video package for the show, followed by Mike Tenay and Don West wondering whether AJ Styles would side with Kurt Angle or Christian Cage tonight.
LAX vs. Jimmy Rave & Lance Hoyt (with Christy Hemme)
Hoyt and Homicide opened up with Homicide getting caught by Rave with a quick cradle. Homicide nailed a belly to belly overhead suplex, but was drilled into the corner. Hoyt tagged in and nailed him with a Fall away slam. Hernandez tagged in and faced off with Hoyt, which the crowd was into. They exchanged shoulderblocks against each other. Hernandez sent Hoyt out of the ring. Homicide attempted a tope con hilo but was cut off by Rave, so Hernandez hit a running dive out of the ring on Hoyt instead. The crowd was super hot for LAX.
LAX worked over Rave in the corner. Homicide nailed him with a dropkick to the face. They nailed Rave with a catapult combination that ended with Rave laid out over Hernandez' knees, complete with Homicide hitting a senton back splash across Rave's chest. Hoyt returned to the ring and slammed Homicide with a faceplant. Homicide fought back against both but was cut off with an inverted atomic drop. Hoyt nailed Homicide with a big boot to the face.
Homicide ducked under a double clothesline, setting up Hernandez hitting a springboard double clothesline into the ring on Hoyt and Rave. Hernandez catches Rave in mid-air and drilled him with a sit down powerbomb. Hernandez charged Hoyt but was caught with an elbow. Hoyt nailed a moonsault, but was caught with head scissors by Homicide. Homicide finally caught the tope con hilo to the outside.
Hernandez picked up Rave for a powerbomb, but Christy Hemme interfered, pulling Rave back down. Rave caught him with a knee to the gut and began working him over in the corner with punches. Rave went to the top but was shoved off and Rave crotched himself between the pole and turnbuckle. The female member of LAX stalked around at ringside. Hernandez set up Rave and nailed a Border Toss off the ropes for the pin on Rave.
Hernandez was attacked from behind by Hernandez. The female member went after Hoyt and lowblowed him. Christy went after her and was laid out. The female member finally unveiled herself as Shelley Martinez, formerly Ariel in ECW. Holy crap, she looked hot.
A really hot opener with everyone working hard. Good stuff. The crowd was really alive for the match since they love everything LAX does and let's hope this is the start of a new run for the team as it's blatantly obvious the audience loves them and wants to see them pushed. Hoyt and Rave had one of their better showing ever here as well.
We went to footage from "last night" from part one of the Drinking Championship Series between Eric Young and James Storm. Jeremy Borash and Crystal were the witnesses. They did a deal where James Storm won a contest where he got to take a drink anytime Eric Young said something that he had never done, but Storm had. Those things included going to the moon, killing a lion with his bare hands and being responsible for riots in Detroit in 1967. I didn't think it was funny, but that's just me.
Mike Tenay and Don West ran down the remainder of the lineup.
Backstage, Crystal tried to get comments from AJ Styles on whether he was siding with Kurt Angle or Christian Cage tonight. Styles said that he promised he would make a decision tonight, but the night wasn't over, so he still has time to think. Tomko told Styles he was completely wrong and was out of time because they have a title match with Kevin Nash and Samoa Joe tonight. Tomko said that he needs to make his suggestion sooner rather than later and if he screwed up tonight, his problems were going to be huge. Crystal asked again for a decision and Styles said he would let her know sooner or later.
They aired a video feature on Black Reign vs. Kaz.
Black Reign vs. Kaz.
As soon as Kaz hit the ring, he went right after Reign. He nailed Reign with a series of rights, then hit a springboard back elbow. He whipped Reign into the ropes, but Reign pulled himself out of the ring. Kaz followed and hit a running clothesline off the apron to the floor. He went to whip Reign, who reversed it, sending Kaz into the railing. Reign charged Kaz, who moved out of the way. Kaz kicked him onto the entrance ramp. Kaz followed him up the ramp, kicking him in the rear. Reign nailed a mule kick low from behind. He nailed a running kneelift, sending Kaz off the ramp to the floor. They said Kaz caught his hip on the corner of the stage.
Reign dragged Kaz back into the ringside area. Reign pulled Kaz through the ropes and nailed a neckbreaker. He then punched Kaz with a right, sending him down. He nailed an elbow and locked in a side chinlock. Kaz began battling out with elbows but put his head down and Reign caught him with a dropdown uppercut.
Reign began choking Kaz. He snapmared Kaz to the mat, then cinched in a rear chinlock. Kaz got to his feet as the crowd rallied him and began nailing punches to the gut, but was cut off. Reign nailed him in the jaw and covered him for a two count. Reign went back to the chinlock.
Reign missed a clothesline and was caught with a high cross bodyblock. The referee began to count both men down on the mat, but they returned to their feet at the count of eight. Kaz ducked a punch and nailed several kicks. Kaz drilled Reign with a spinning neckbreaker but Reign kicked up at two. Kaz avoided a Reign charge in the corner and hit a slingshot DDT for another two count.
Reign moved to avoid a legdrop and hit the Lights Out, but Kaz got his shoulder up at the last moment. Reign went for another, but Kaz got to his feet and nails the twisting DDT for the clean pin.
Your winner, Kaz!
Decent match. It wasn't anything out of the ordinary but it was solid.
After the match, Reign began coddling the cage holding his rat. Kaz took the cage and walked out with it. Reign began screaming that he wanted it back. Mike Tenay said, "Kaz is leaving Final Resolution with the rat."
Backstage, Jeremy Borash was telling Kurt Angle that after all they had done for AJ Styles, he still hadn't sided with Angle. Kurt questioned Borash for saying "we" and told him, "There's you and there's me and my wife. You are an interviewer." Angle then asked Borash for advice, but Karen cut them off and said they are going to do whatever they do during a time like this. She told Angle to worry about the match and she was going to take care of business. He said that every time Karen tries to take care of business, she gets them in trouble. She leaves and Angle tells Borash to follow Karen. Karen didn't seem to be wearing a cast, by the way. It was the usual type of silliness involving the Angles and Borash.
They aired a video feature on the TNA Knockouts title bout.
TNA Women's champion Gail. Kim vs. Awesome Kong - No DQ
I sure hope this is as fun as last month.
Kong charged Kim as she was on the apron, but Kim jumped down. Kim grabbed Kong's ankle and pulled her to the floor. They started brawling on the floor. Kong drilled her with a clothesline on the floor, then cleared the announcer's table. She teased a powerbomb on the table, but Kim fought back with a kick. Kong tossed Kim into the ring and smothered her with a boot to the throat. Kong snaps Kim across the mat by the hair, then choked her with a boot to the chin.
The announcers said an associate of Kong's from Japan was in attendance, according to rumors. Kong continued to work over Kim, who fought back with elbows. Kim tried to come off the ropes but was nailed with a spinning back fist. Kim fell backwards over the ropes, hanging upside down, before being shoved to the floor. Kim grabbed at her knee. Kong followed her to the floor.
Kong dragged her around ringside, but Kim began fighting back. Kong just slapped her down. Kong followed her around the ring, stalking her prey. She picked up Kim by the legs and swung her into the guard rails headfirst.
They brawled in the crowd. Kim fought back but was tossed onto the steps of the bleachers. Kong dragged her into the bleachers and choked her throat. Kim continued to fight back. She grabbed a plastic bottle from a fan and began beating Kong with it. Kong tossed her down the stairs to the floor. Kim fights back and dumps Kong over the railing back into the ringside area.
Kim grabs Kong with a hammerlock, then runs her shoulder into the ringpost. Kong just shakes it off and slaps down Kim. She rolls Kim into the ring and beats her down. Kong grabs a chair and drills it down but Kim moves and Kong slaps herself with it. With Kong dazed on the floor, Kim went to the top rope and dove off. Kong still caught her and tossed her into the ring. Kong beats Kim down with a punch to the back.
Kong grabbed Kim by the hair and beat her with a series of back fists. Kong went for a powerbomb, but Kim rolled out of the way to the mat. Kong went for a sitdown splash but missed. Kim avoided a charge in the corner. Kim came off the top but was caught. Kong nailed an inverted sitdown powerbomb, but Kim kicked out at the last second. Some in the crowd booed that, believing it was the finish.
Kong wasn't happy with the referee's count and powerbombed Slick Johnson. Kong went to the floor and got a chair, then nailed Johnson with it. Kim grabbed the chair and began beating Kong in the head with it. Kim went to the top and nailed a splash off the top, but the referee was out. Kim called for a second referee and Rudy Charles hit the ring. He counted, but Kong kicked up at the last second.
Kong nailed a chokeslam on Kim, who kicked up. Kong grabbed Charles and went to powerbomb him but Kim rolled up Kong, who crashed backwards with Charles atop of her. Charles counted three and Gail Kim got the victory.
Brutal, fun and a unique finish. This was officially the first great match of TNA for 2008.
Kong tried to go after Kim after the match but security and some of the other Knockouts hit the ring to separate them. The crowd chanted "TNA."
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