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Hulk Hogan came back out to the ring. Hogan said he had a surprise for everyone and introduced Christian Cage aka WWE Intercontinental champion Christian. Cage was in street clothes and made his way to the ring. No title belt with him. Old TNA theme music. Taz said he was shocked to see him and that he hasn't seen him in forever. Cage saluted the audience. The crowd chanted, "Welcome back."
Christian took the mic and asked if anyone can guess the question he was asked the most this week. He was asked if he would be appearing on Slammiversary. The crowd chanted, "Yes!" Cage asked who would have thunk it - Cage standing right here in a TNA ring. He started talking and stopped, counting how many corners they had. He said the last time he was here, there had a few more corners. He said that there may be changes in the ring and in the competitors and who competes but the one thing that hasn't changed are the fans.
Cage said that the fans gave TNA the chance to exist and asked everyone to stand and give themselves a round of applause. How surreal to see a WWE guy doing that. Cage said that the fans voted for the top ten moment in TNA history and it was his pleasure to present it to the fans.
The top moment was Sting's return to wrestling in TNA in 2006. I can see some being disappointed that this was all Cage did but the fact TNA event got him here is pretty damn amazing, especially considering they are currently suing WWE! There was no way he was going to be taking a bump so using him to put over the TNA fans was a nice idea.
TNA Tag Team champion Daniels and Kazarian vs. AJ Styles and Kurt Angle
The video feature before the bout was all about the Styles/Carter allegations. Styles and Kazarian started and went back and forth. Styles dropkicked Kazarian out of the ring, then nailed Daniels. Styles followed Kazarian to the floor. Kazarian reversed a whip but Styles slide under the guard rail, nailed him and came off the guard rail with a flying forearm.
Daniels tried to come interfere but Angle saw him coming and nailed a flying clothesline off the apron. Back in the ring, Styles nailed a big kneedrop on Kazarian for a one count. Angle and Daniels tagged in. Daniels nailed a leg lariat and slammed him into the turnbuckles.
Angle reversed a whip into the ropes and backdropped Daniels off the rebound. Styles tagged in and nailed a series of rights and an over the knee backbreaker. Kazarian tagged in. Styles was caught tied up around the top rope hanging outside. Daniels and Kazarian took turns working it over. Angle tried to help but was held back by the referee.
The champs nailed Styles with a series of moves but Angle broke it up. Daniels dragged Styles back to their corner and tagged in Kazarian. Mike Tenay did a nice job explaining why they would do that, to make it farther for Styles to get to make a tag. Kazarian worked over Styles but was nailed with a neckbreaker.
Styles made the hot tag to Angle, who went nuts with offense. Daniels caught him with an elbow but Angle shrugged it off and nailed a big belly to belly overhead suplex. Angle started suplexing everyone. He nailed the Angleslam on Daniels for a two count. He nailed a pair of German suplexes on Kazarian. Kaz grabbed Daniels by the waist to stop it. Styles nailed Daniels and Angle German suplexed both. That was awesome.
Angle locked in the anklelock on Daniels but Kaz nailed him. Daniels went for Angel's Wings but Angle backdropped him. Kaz tagged in but was nailed with a springboard forearm smash. The champs doubled on Styles but he made his own save with a combo inverted and traditional DDT on both at the same time. Styles missed a leaping splash in the corner and kicked him to Daniels, who laid him out.
Angle nailed a T-Bone Tazplex on Daniels but Kazarian nailed him with a leaping DDT. Styles caught him with a forward facebuster for a two count. This is really good stuff. Styles placed Kazarian on the top for a superplex but was shoved into the ring. Angle leapt to the corner and nailed a superplex on Kazarian. Daniels drilled him with a STO.
Daniels and Styles brawled back and forth in the center of the ring. Styles used a headbutt to get the advantage. Styles goes for the discus clothesline but is caught with a Uranage. Daniels goes for the BME but missed and is caught with a German suplex. Kazarian is drilled with the Pele Kick. Angle goes to the top with a Frog Splash for a two count but Daniels pulled the referee outside.
Styles hit a shooting star springboard press to the floor on Daniels. Holy sh** that was freaking insane. Kazarian went for the Fade To Black but Angle rolled through and locked in the anklelock. Kazarian tried to make it to the ropes but was just inches away. It may as well have been miles as he finally tapped.
Your winners and new TNA Tag Team champions, Kurt Angle and AJ Styles!
Really great match that serviced the work ethic and athletic style that was at one point the hallmark of TNA PPV. Just great stuff. Loved this. This has been a really well done show tonight.
TNA champ Bobby Roode vs. Sting
The crowd was bigtime into Sting, who had the offense on Roode early. Sting tried a few times to go for the Scorpion Deathlock, only for Roode to go outside to break up the momentum. Sting finally followed him when he realized Roode was trying to walk out, nailing him and slamming him into the ringsteps.
Sting tossed Roode back into the ring but the champion rolled outside again. Sting tried to pull him but Roode snapped him throat-first over the ropes. Sting was choked against the ropes. Roode nailed a series of kicks and drilled him across the throat with a shot while Sting was laid out on the apron.
Back in the ring, Roode worked over Sting and chopped him hard. Roode snapmared him over and drilled him with the rolling snap. Roode drilled Sting but it was blocked. Roode kicked him and covered Sting for a two count.
Roode locked in a sleeper. The crowd kept chanting for Sting. Sting fired back with a series of elbows to break free and locked in a sleeper of his own. Roode nailed a back suplex to escape.
Sting nailed Roode with a right hand as Roode went to the top. Sting superplexed Roode into the ring and went for the Scorpion Deathlock. Roode teased tapping but fought through the pain and finally made it to the ropes. He went right to the floor and tried to walk out.
Sting caught up to him in the aisle and sent him into the guard rail. Roode tried to get away but Sting caught him and sent him into another rail near the production stage. The crowd chanted, "You still got it." Sting tossed him in but Roode rolls out to the floor. Sting nailed the Sting Splash against the rail.
Roode climbed on the announcer's table. Sting locked him in the Scorpion Deathlock on the table and Roode tapped but it didn't matter. Roode returned to the ring carrying some of the beer left over from James Storm's celebration earlier. He tried to nail Sting with a bottle but was stopped by Sting. The referee got rid of the bottle but Roode nailed him with another, busting him open. Roode covered Sting.
Your winner and still TNA champion, Bobby Roode!
The main event was what you would expect from a Sting match. They worked hard and the crowd was into the drama but it was missing something. I was glad to see Roode actually get a win here and the way he got it sets up the eventual Storm vs. Roode rematch at what I am assuming will be Bound for Glory. Not awesome but solid. In no way should that be seen as a negative - It was impossible for them to follow that Tag title bout.
Sting got up, pissed and nailed the referee and attacked Roode. He brought Roode up to the ramp and suplexed Roode on it. Sting slammed Roode head-first into a piece of the steel stage. Sting nailed him with the Scorpion Death Drop off the stage through a table on the floor that conveniently was set up to look like a safe landing. I can't complain about that. The crowd chanted "Holy sh**." The show went off the air with Sting returning to ringside.
Overall, a very, very good show.
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