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Mike Tenay and Taz welcomed us to Arlington, Texas and the PPV. They did a great job in showcasing the crowd size here. I'd guess 5000-6000 fans there.
Hulk Hogan made his way to the ring. Big reaction to Hogan. Hogan said that the ten years have been awesome and he hopes everyone has their seatbelts bolted in, because the next ten years are going to be twice as awesome. Big "TNA" chant. Hogan said he's been around the block a few times and TNA is shooting for the moon. He said things are changing and as the GM, he loves pushing people's buttons around here.
Hogan said the first button he's pushing is the first match because he's going old school. He announced Samoa Joe would indeed challenge X-Division champ Austin Aries for the title, throwing the weight limit they instituted out. I love that.
TNA X-Division champion Austin Aries vs. Samoa Joe
The sight of the crowd makes this show look so big time.
They locked up. Joe took Aries to the mat but Aries slipped out and returned to his feet. Aries grabbed a side headlock and was sent into the ropes, eating a shoulderblock. Joe had this look on his face, smirking like he knew he had Aries' number.
They went to lock up but Aries through a roundkick at Joe's legs. Aries went for some strikes but was blocked. Joe drilled Aries with a series of kicks to the chest. Aries came back with a rana, sending Joe to the outside. He went for a suicide dive but was kicked in the face as he hit the ropes.
Joe returned to the ring and chopped Aries hard in the corner. He whipped Aries into the corner and drilled him with a hard back elbow. Aries crumbled in the corner and Joe nailed a series of Facewash kicks. Joe sent Aries into the corner and was drilled with punch after punch.
Aries kicked him off during a charge but was nailed with an inverted atomic drop, leg lariat and a back senton splash, but Aries pulled his knees up on the splash. Aries drilled Joe but was nailed with a big strike, sending him to the outside. Joe went for a dive but Aries got out of the way. Aries hit the ring and nailed his suicide dive to the outside. There was a big chant for Aries, which led into dueling chants for both men.
Aries nailed a neckbreaker and a missile dropkick. He was caught by Joe in a running shoulderbreaker for a two count. Big "Joe" count. Aries and Joe exchanged chops and strikes Aries went for a rana but was caught and powerbombed then turned into a Boston Crab. Joe then turned it into an STF.
Aries grabbed the ropes and fought Joe off in the corner. He went to the top but was nailed by a series of kicks. Joe went for a superplex but Aries nailed some headbutts and strikes. Joe fell into the ring, where Aries nailed him with a 450 splash for a two count.
Both men down but battled to their feet, slugging it out back and forth. Aries got the better of the exchange as the dueling chants broke out again. Aries went for a discus clothesline but Joe caught him with the sleeper. Aries tried to get to the ropes but Joe scissored him and took him down. Aries flipped over trying to trap Joe in a pinfall but Joe kicked out at two.
Aries charged Joe but was hit with a big Uranage. This is great stuff. Joe placed Aries on the top for the muscle buster attempt. He picked up Aries, who slipped out and used a crucifix like move to drilled Joe hard backwards into the mat. Aries nailed a big dropkick and discus clothesline. He killed Joe with a hard dropkick in the corner and nailed the brainbuster for the pin.
Your winner, Austin Aries!
Great, hard hitting and physical back and forth match. Really great way to open the show. The crowd is alive. I just wished TNA had them mic'd better but this shows feels so different than most TNA shows already.
Joe and Aries shook hands after. Joe had a little blood under his nose.
Mike Tenay and Taz talked about the show and TNA's big anniversary.
Kid Kash vs. Hernandez
Hernandez was announced as one half of Mexican America, even though the other one was released awhile back. Hernandez got a big reaction since he's from Texas.
Kash nailed several shots but was nailed with a massive shoulderblock, sending him to the floor. Hernandez went for a dive but Kash retreated from the area. Kash argued with the referee but was slingshot into the ring by Hernandez.
Hernandez went for a running charge but Kash used a droptoehold to drape him over the ropes. Kash tied up his arm and used the ropes for leverage while pulling at it. Kash nailed a series of kicks and bit Hernandez on the nose.
Kash chopped Hernandez hard in the corner and locked on an armbar. Kash continued the beating until they messed up a rana, with it looking like Kash instead drove him into the mat like a DDT. Kash nailed a tornado DDT, sending Hernandez to the outside on the apron.
Hernandez leapt over the ropes back in with a big shoulderblock. Both men were down and the crowd was counting along with the referee. Hernandez splashed Kash in the corner. He rolled to the floor. Hernandez hit a crazy dive over the top to the floor onto Kash in the aisle. That was nuts.
Back in the ring, Kash slipped out of the Border Toss and nailed Hernandez with a dropkick. Hernandez was cut off on the top but nailed Kash back down into the ring. Hernandez came off with a top rope splash for the pin.
Your winner, Hernandez!
There were a few moments of awkwardness but a lot of smooth moments spotlighting Hernandez' power and insane agility. Kash is so smooth as a worker, it's nuts. Easily the most underrated and underused talent on the national scene. Good match that did what it was designed to do.
The #3 Top Moment in TNA History was AJ Styles becoming the first X-Division champion.
TNA TV champ Devon & Garett Bischoff vs. Robbie E and Robbie T.
Garett went back and forth with E, nailing a series of clotheslines. E backed back off into his corner. T tagged in and the clotheslines didn't work. E tripped Garett and pulled him to the outside, working over him. Devon argued with the referee.
Madison Rayne showed up in a red dress smiling all over someone since she's got a secret crush on Garett. The crowd was chanting, "We want Devon." E takes down Garett and locks him in a side chinlock.
Garett gets out and comes back with the oddest looking flapjack ever to hit PPV. Devon makes the hot and cleans house with a series of elbows on E. E was drilled with a shoulderblock. Devon nailed T off the apron and hit E with a Thesz Press.
Devon nailed E with an Avalanche in the corner and a shoulderblock but T interfered to break up the pinfall. Garett pulled down the ropes as T rebounded, sending him over the top to the floor. Bischoff hit a bodypress to the floor.
Devon nailed a sidewalk slam on E for the pin.
Your winners, Devon & Garett Bischoff!
As entertaining as a match of this length was going to be. They are trying hard to get Garett over with Madison and he's showing a little more charisma, doing a silly dance with Devon after. He still needs a lot of work but was in the right role here. He's absolutely trying so you can't fault him for his effort. The crowd wasn't in love with him but man, did they friggin' love Devon. Devon was just on with everything he did. E is really good in his role and T is a hell of a frightening looking monster of a man. They did everything on point here. The crowd was bigtime into the entire scene with the crowd clapping like crazy and going nuts for the babyfaces. It's a hell of a scene.
Jeremy Borash said it's been his honor and pleasure to be with TNA from day one. He brought in the TNA Tag Team champions Daniels and Kazarian. Kazarian said you always remember your firsts, mentioning all the things he did first in TNA. Daniels handed Borash a glass of champagne and said that they promised to continue to be the champions, to make fans want to be more like them and to continue to reveal the truth. Solid promo.
Jeff Hardy vs. Rob Van Dam vs. Mr. Anderson to crown number one contender for TNA title.
The winner gets a title shot at the TNA belt this Thursday on Impact. All three battled back and forth early. Anderson did his usual mic work. The entrances come off so much big time here than usual.
RVD nailed a series of shoulderblocks in the corner including his backflip into one. Van Dan took out Hardy with a stiff kick but Jeff was under the ropes so the referee wouldn't count it.
RVD went for a monkey flip out of the corner on Anderson but was dropped down for a two count. He charged Hardy, who kicked him off. Hardy went to the ropes for a legdrop but was nailed. Anderson went for a superplex. RVD slipped under for a Tower of Doom but Anderson realized it and drilled RVD, removing him from the equation. Anderson nailed the superplex. RVD jumped to the top for a splash but they rolled out of the way. Good stuff with a nice pace early.
The referee counted everyone down on the mat. RVD nailed the Ryder kick off the ropes on Hardy for a two count. Anderson reversed a whip into the corner but was kicked away by RVD. The crowd chanted, "This is wrestling." RVD hit the Hollywood Star Press onto Anderson but Hardy broke up the pin.
RVD nailed the monkey flip out of the corner, launching Anderson onto Hardy. RVD covered him for a two count. This has been fun stuff with lots of RVD signature spots and near falls. RVD drilled Hardy with a thrust kick. RVD flipped over an Anderson backdrop attempt. Anderson caught him and nailed a backslide. Hardy hit the Cruncher legdrop on RVD, covering him for a two. That was cool as hell.
RVD tripped Anderson when he was whipped into the ropes by Hardy. They battled on the outside but Hardy hit a bodypress to the outside on them. Hardy tossed RVD into the ring and brought him to the corner. He whipped RVD out. RVD reversed but was nailed with an elbow charging. Hardy leapt to the top and hit a twisting moonsault to RVD. The crowd chanted, "This is awesome" after the near fall.
Hardy drilled RVD with a sick looking bulldog. He nailed Anderson and came off the top with a swanton on RVD for a two count when Anderson pulled referee Brian Hebner away. Anderson tossed Hardy out hard to the floor and slammed RVD into the turnbuckles. RVD blocked it and nailed Anderson.
RVD went for Rolling Thunder but Anderson caught him with the Mic Check and pinned him clean. Wow, didn't see that coming.
Your winner and number one contender, Mr. Anderson!
Real good and frenetic match with everyone working their ass off and doing their signature spots. This was the best match Anderson has had in a long time. Hardy and RVD, as much as they are talented, can sometimes be hit and miss but this was absolutely a strong showing for all three here. I love a good motivated RVD and wow, this was a motivated RVD.
So far, a really enjoyable first hour.
Coverage continues on Page 2!
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