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Crimson charged the ring and they began brawling and exchanging strikes in the center of the ring. Crimson drilled him with shoulders in the corner. Joe fired back with several knee strikes and tossed him to the floor. Joe went for a dive but was smashed with a forearm as he hit the ropes.
They battled on the floor before Joe rolled back into the ring. Crimson mounted Joe and drilled him with punches. He cinched in a cravate on Joe and nailed several knees and a neckbreaker for a near fall.
He went back to the cravate, but Joe caught him with a Dragon Screw legwhip. Dueling chants. Joe began working on Crimson’s leg. Joe went for another but Crimson didn’t take it right. They played it up like the knee was that hurt. Joe began slapping and trash talking Crimson. Crimson slammed Joe into the buckles and charged Joe. Joe caught him and slammed Crimson down on his knees.
Joe locked on a legbar, trying to force a submission but Crimson made it to the ropes to force a break. Joe locked on another leglock but Crimson again made it to the ropes. It’s nice to see the old Samoa Joe persona coming back out here.
Joe channeled Terry Funk, locking in a spinning toehold. Crimson kicked Joe’s ankle to knock him over, and cinched in an armbar with his legs. Joe grabbed the ropes. Joe slapped him so Crimson tossed him with a T-Bone Tazplex.
Crimson kicked Joe and nailed a double arm leaping DDT for a two count. He peppered Joe with rights. Joe caught Crimson with a great back suplex and a clothesline across the mush for a two count when Crimson got his shoulder up. That was great.
Joe continued beating on Crimson, powerbombing him for a two count and turning it into a one legged crab. Crimson again made it to the ropes. Joe began drilling him with Kawada kicks. Crimson and Joe exchanged slaps. Joe was caught with a spear. Both men were down from the force of the move.
They made their way back to their feet. They battled back and forth with right hands. Crimson began to get the better of him. Joe fired back with slaps and chops. Crimson leapt over Joe to get out of the corner but his knee seemed to bother him a little. Joe locked on a choke but Crimson slammed him backwards into the corner and caught Joe with a sit-down slam for the win.
Your winner, Crimson!
Easily the best match of Crimson’s TNA career, although he would really be served well to be booked in shorter matches and he needs work on his offense. They need to book him like Goldberg or JYD with really fast and hard hitting matches. The longer he goes, the less likely he will get over like a monster. That said, Joe did an excellent job here carrying him and showing signs of the vintage Joe that fans loved. I think once they hit the spear, the crowd thought that was the finish and while the rest was good, the crowd was spent. You could see their interest waning as it went on.
Joe shook Crimson’s hand afterward and warned him they would battle again. I hope so, as Joe brought the most out of him to date. Another decent match but Crimson is obviously a work in progress.
Jeremy Borash interviewed Winter and Angelina Love. Winter told Love that now they are really together, they are going to be closer to their dreams and destiny by Love winning the Knockouts championship. Winter told her that she knew it was her time. She tried to slip Love a pill but Love told her that she didn’t need to do that and she “gets it now.†She told Winter they were on the same page.
TNA Knockouts champ Mickie James vs. Angelina Love
They went back and forth early. Love grabbed her in an armbar, powering James to the mat. Love is in ridiculously fit shape. Love shoulderblocked her in the corner and began nailing her with kicks and strikes.
James used a rana out of the corner but was caught with a suplex for a two count. Winter tripped James and then pulled her out of the ring for a powerbomb on the floor. Love followed her to the floor, nailing several kicks. She slammed James’ head into the mat.
Love nailed several forearms but James nailed a clothesline coming out of the corner. Love tossed James to the floor in front of Winter. She tried to toss James into the ring steps but James reversed it and Love ate the steps.
The women met in the center of the ring, exchanging shots. James was fired into the corner but came out with a leaping clothesline. James nailed a series of forearms and fired up with clotheslines.
James nailed a flapjack on Love and went to the top rope for the Thesz Press. She nailed it. Winter tried to grab James’ leg but James still caught Love with a kick. Winter put Love’s foot on the rope and broke the pin. Love nailed her kick on James. James grabbed the rope but Winter pulled her hand off. Earl Hebner saw it and yelled at Winter.
James was grabbed and nailed with a Northern Lights suplex for a two count. She rolled up James and Winter tried to help but James still kicked out. James went for her leaping DDT but the timing was awful and I thought Love broke her neck for a second. James still covered her and got the pin.
Your winner and still Knockouts champion Mickie James!
Winter attacked James and began whipping her with a belt. She started strangling James with it. Hebner tried to stop her but Love grabbed James and began strangling her as well. This seemed like a spot for Velvet Sky to make the save but it didn’t happen. The heels left James laying. They still played her music, which was weird since it was supposed to be this dramatic moment where the hero was taken down a notch.
Nowhere near as strong as you'd think.
Jeremy Borash interviewed Bully Ray. Ray asked Borash what type of match they were having. Borash said it was a last man standing. Ray said the key word was “manâ€, something Borash and AJ Styles know nothing about. He said he was a real man in a real man’s business. He said he should have taken Styles out three months ago. He said he’s a wrecking machine that’s in the best shape of his life and asked how Styles was going to hurt him. He said he was going to apologize to himself for not getting rid of AJ a long time ago and said he was going to beat Styles an inch from his life. Awesome promo.
Last Man Standing: Bully Ray vs. AJ Styles
Styles and Ray battled back and forth with punches early. Styles nailed him with a big kick. Styles tried to clothesline him over the top but couldn’t. Ray took him out with a big body blow as Styles rebounded off the ropes. The crowd was more behind AJ then anyone else thus far on the show.
Ray worked over Styles, who came back with shots of his own. Styles punched him low. Styles whipped Ray into the corner and nailed a leaping forearm in the corner. He whipped Ray into the opposite corner but met a kick when he charged at Ray.
Ray began nailing Styles with crossfaces and backdropped Styles. He set up for a clothesline and drilled him in the corner. The referee began counting Styles down. Ray nailed some knee strikes in the corner.
They battled to the floor, where Ray set up stairs in the aisle. Ray drilled him across the back with stiff shots and raked his face against the railing. Ray pressed and dropped him across the stairs, which were on their side. That looked brutal.
The referee began counting Styles down. Ray pulled him up and ran him into the stairs, which fell over. The count began anew. Ray flipped them on Styles and trapped him on the floor. The referee counted it, which surprised me. Ray continued to trash Styles around ringside. Styles was counted down but returned to the ring.
Ray set up Styles in the corner and chopped him hard across the chest. Styles pulled himself up and dared Ray to hit him again and give Styles his best shot. Ray killed him with another shot so hard, the crowd chanted, “holy sh**.†You could see the welts rising on Styles’ chest.
Styles dared him again and told Ray to lay one in on his chin. Ray punched him in the face and told the referee to count. Styles pulled himself back up again. Ray charged him but this time, Styles punched him. Styles nailed a series of rights and finally an enziguiri.
Styles went to the outside and nailed a beautiful springboard forearm. Styles charged but was caught with an elbow. Styles still nailed a Pele Kick. He placed Ray in the corner. They battled atop the ropes. Styles just drilled Ray with punches. Ray caught him with a sitout powerbomb off the top. This is easily the best thing on the show.
They went to the outside. Ray tried to use a chain on Styles but missed. Styles grabbed it and nailed a leaping punch with it on the outside. Bubba was busted open and Styles began choking him and nailing him around ringside. Styles tossed him back into the ring and nailed a springboard 450 splash.
Ray was counted down but got to his feet at nine. AJ grabbed Ray and dumped him over the top where he crashed to the apron and then into the steps, nearly taking out a cameraman at the same time. Styles then hit a pescado to the floor. Styles went for the Styles Clash on the floor but Ray backdropped him into the apron.
Ray pulled him onto the ramp and hiptossed Styles onto the stage. Fans were yelling for tables. Ray teased powerbombing Styles off the stage but Styles escaped and kicked Ray, then nailed a Pele kick. Ray almost fell off the stage. Styles nailed a punting kick, sending Ray to the floor. Styles then hit an AMAZING flying leap into a forearm smash. That was awesome.
Ray is almost counted out. Styles took a table where security was sitting away and placed Ray atop of it after nailing Ray with a chair across the back.
?Styles went back to the stage but realizing he was too far away, instead climbed a truss on the stage. He stopped about halfway, looked down and said, “f*** it†then kept coming. He leapt off and dropped an elbow through Ray and the table. That was pretty crazy and having been to that venue, I can tell you that’s a hell of a distance down.
The crowd began chanting Styles. The referee started counting both men down. Styles made his way up at six and was hunched over. Ray saw it and kicked him, sending Styles spiraling forward into the stage, where he crashed through a piece of it. Ray pulled himself up using the guard rail and was up while Styles was out when the referee made it to ten.
Your winner, Bully Ray!
The fans were chanting “Bullsh**†after. Officials came out to check on both men after the match.
By far, the best thing on the show. This was brutal as hell and they told a great story of Styles showing that he was indeed a man by taking Ray’s best shots and still asking for more. The idea here was that Styles could go toe to toe with Ray as a fighter. Even without the crazy stage spots, they had put together the best thing on the show. Ray is in incredible shape and you have to consider him the most improved guy in 2011. Just all around greatness here. This will be what this PPV is remembered for.
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