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King of the Mountain: TNA champ Samoa Joe vs. Christian Cage vs. Rhino vs. Robert Roode vs. Booker T with Kevin Nash as ringside enforcer
OK, here are the rules. To win, you have to hang the TNA title over the ring after climbing a ladder. To be able to climb the ladder, you have to pin one of your opponents. When someone is pinned, they are sent to a penalty box. Got all that?
They did small video features and entrances for each competitor, followed by the Jeremy Borash in-ring introductions.
It was chaos from the bell. Booker and Joe traded chops on the floor. Rhino tossed Cage into a ladder on the floor. Rhino and Cage worked over Roode in the ring. Joe and Booker battled up the aisle.
Cage went to the top but was shoved off by Booker. Rhino and Booker battled in the ring. Booker cut him off with a kick. Booker nailed a kick on Rhino, but missed a clothesline. Rhino clotheslined Booker over the top to the floor.
Joe entered the ring and went back and forth with Rhino. Joe hit a running leg lariat, then a back splash senton for a two count. Roode broke up the pinfall. Joe whipped him into the corner, but Roode kicked him as Joe charged. Roode jumped off the ropes but Joe walked away and there was no water in the pool.
Cage returned to the ring. Roode tried to hit the Payoff but Cage nailed him with a DDT. Cage and Joe exchanged chops. Joe nailed an enziguiri in the corner on Cage. Cage avoided Joe's attempts to set up a muscle buster but was caught with a snap powerslam for a two count. Joe tied Cage to the tree of woe and nailed a running kick to the face of the upside down Cage. Cage went to the floor.
Joe set up for a dive but Booker grabbed his leg and pulled him out. Booker slammed Joe into the penalty box, then beat the crap out of Joe on the floor with punches and kicks, before slamming him into the announcer's table.
Booker returned to the ring, where he caught Rhino with the Bookend and pinned him.
Booker T is now eligible to hang the belt. Rhino goes to the penalty box.
Booker laid out everyone else, then took the belt from Nash after going nose to nose with him. Joe grabbed the ladder to prevent Booker from setting it up. Booker and Joe battled over the ladder outside the ring by the apron. Cage dropkicked the ladder into them. As Cage returned, Roode attacked him with chops in the corner.
Rhino returned to the ring. He and Cage shook hands, then went at it. Rhino nailed a belly to belly and set up for the gore, but Joe cut him off. Joe caught Cage with a uranage in the corner and began stomping him. Joe hit a running dive over the top onto Booker, Rhino and Roode. Cage climbed to the top of the penalty box and dove off onto everyone on the floor.
Cage grabbed a table from under the ring and began setting it up on the floor. He grabbed the ladder to use on Roode but Roode nailed it with a chair and pinned Cage.
Booker T and Robert Roode are now eligible. Cage goes to the penalty box.
Rhino rolled up Roode, so he has to go to the penalty box. Roode ignored the orders, so Nash pulled him out of the ring, fought with Roode and tossed him in. Roode and Cage battled inside the box.
Booker T, Rhino and Robert Roode are now eligible.
Rhino climbed the ladder but it was tipped over by Booker. Joe tried to lock on a choke on Booker. Booker escaped and went for the Ax Kick. Joe avoided it and locked on the choke again. Cage was released from the box, then hit a frog splash onto Booker and Joe. Cage pinned Booker.
Booker T, Cage, Rhino and Robert Roode are now eligible.
Cage set up the ladder and climbed up but Roode pulled him down. Roode gets the belt and heads up the ladder. Joe pulled Roode down with a suplex. Cage climbs up. Joe follows and Joe grabs him with an Ace Crusher off the ladder. Rhino gored Joe.
Booker T was released. He grabbed the TNA belt and laid out everyone with it, including Kevin Nash. Booker climbed up but Nash got into the ring and powerbombed Booker off the ladder. So much for an impartial official! Joe grabbed Cage for a musclebuster but escaped. Rhino gored Cage out of the ring through a table. Roode hit the Northern Lariat on Joe. Roode took out Rhino.
Roode grabbed for the belt at the same time Joe does. They have a tug of war. Roode swings at Joe with the belt while on the ladder. Joe ducks and kicks Roode. He hits a muscle buster off the ladder, pins Roode to qualify and puts the belt above the ring.
Your winner and still TNA champion Samoa Joe!
Nash and Joe shook hands to close the show. The announcers said that Joe made history, being the first man to enter King of the Mountain and retain his title.
Considering the convoluted stipulations of the bout, this was about as good as you could hope for. Everyone worked really hard and there was some good stuff, but this didn't feel like a main event bout that blew me away, especially when the King of the Mountain bout on Impact was actually a stronger match. There were spots that were good and the work ethic was there, but it was just decent, not a blowaway finish to the show.
Overall, a thumbs in the middle PPV. Nothing truly bad except for Sonjay Dutt turning heel and immediately being killed by older "legends" as opposed to garnering some heat. The matches were all OK and that's probably the best way to describe this PPV. An OK effort. There's some good wrestling here and they did a really good job building to the main event.
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