Rasslin’ Roundtable — Destination X

Features, Roundtables, Top Story

Abyss vs. Brian Kendrick – X Division Title

Steven Gepp: This PPV means nothing – absolutely nothing – in the grand scheme of things. The results will mean nothing, the crowd reactions will mean nothing, and the fact they are advertising the return of the 6-sided ring means nothing. However, I know that this is going to be a great PPV from a spectator’s point of view. I am going into this as though I was watching a PPV from the 1990s/early 2000s today. I know it does not mean anything in this day and age, but it’s still fun to watch. Having said all that… I do not like Abyss as a wrestler. And as an X-Division wrestler he is a joke. He stands out on this card like McDonalds-eating bogan at the Sydney Operas House. As such, I have very low expectations of this match and think it will be the worst match of the night.
Winner: (please! And I never thought I ask for this) THE Brian Kendrick

M.C. Brown: Kendrick is here to liberate us from Abyss and his stranglehold on the belt.
Winner(and new Champion): Brian Kendrick

Blair A. Douglas: Hahahahahaha! Wow, I didn’t even know this was happening. Well, I know I’m in the minority here, but I think Kendrick is way over-rated, and also that Abyss is very under-rated. I don’t know about “X-Division PPV” under-rated, but still good.
Winner:
Abyss

Rhett Davis: Hopefully Brian Kendrick takes care of the problem that is Abyss with the X Division Championship. I think this will be close to the opener in an attempt to rally the crowd into thinking that TNA will do this PPV right. Which they might. Not likely, but they might.
Winner (and new X-Division Champion): The Brian Kendrick

Christopher Daniels vs. AJ Styles

Steven Gepp: This should be headlining PPVs for the TNA World Championship, not thrown together on some “keep the fans happy” flippy floppy PPV. I expect brilliance, if they’re given enough time (and TNA does tend to give PPV matches time, for all its faults). These two are great talents and their current use is verging on criminal. A tough one to call, though, as in both storyline and ability, there is neither greater than the other.
Winner: (coin toss… and I mean that literally) Christopher Daniels

M.C. Brown: I think it’s a safe bet for AJ to win and for Daniels to turn with the handshake. Although Daniels did take the fall in the Four Way this past Thursday. Fortune while not as solidified on camera are still very much faces so while Daniels could win then flaunt it, a more frustrated Daniels obsessed with beating AJ could make for a nice storyline, too. AJ is also coming off PPV losses to Dreamer and Bully Ray, so he should in a likelihood get a victory here.
Winner: AJ Styles

Blair A. Douglas: Well, as I said in my article this week, no matter how good this match is, TNA is telling you that this is a match between 2 guys who couldn’t beat anyone else on the roster. So it’s nice that one of these dudes will actually get a win, even if it’s against another jobber. Like when Barry Horrowitz beat Skip. Kidding aside, this will steal the show above all else, and I’d like to see Daniels get the surprise legit win here, leading to him feuding against a heel AJ. That probably won’t happen, I just think it’d be cool. I’m going with AJ for my pick, though.
Winner: AJ Styles

Rhett Davis: A great match-up but sadly there is no Samoa Joe to relive the magic from a few years ago. Regardless this match should still be great and full of high risk maneuvers. It’s hard to pick a winner here, but I’ll go with AJ just because TNA seems to never do Daniels right since Hulk took over.
Winner: AJ Styles

Samoa Joe vs. Kazarian

Steven Gepp: If Styles/Daniels should be fighting for the World Title, then these two should be fighting for the #1 contendorship. But everything I wrote in the Styles/Daniels match can be cut and pasted in here.
Winner: (coin toss) Samoa Joe

M.C. Brown: How many times can Samoa Joe keep losing and maintain any credibility? He needs this win. This should be solid.
Winner: Samoa Joe

Blair A. Douglas: Much like AJ and Daniels, I think this is a match in the same the way that ducks think hunting is a sport. And again, both guys are awesome, and if they let them go balls-to-the-wall, it could steal the show as well. Who will be the next to job to Matt Morgan? This match will answer that important question. Kaz seems to be very under-rated to me, but I’m going with my man Joe.
Winner: Samoa Joe

Rhett Davis: Although we don’t get Joe/AJ/Daniels again, at least Joe is on the card. Both of these men are amazing wrestlers and have done some pretty crazy stuff in the X Division. Tonight I think the match will go to Kaz. Joe just can’t seem to cut a break. Why would tonight be any different?
Winner: Kaz

Rob Van Dam vs. Jerry Lynn

Steven Gepp: I would have said this one was 12 years too late to mean anything. Well, that’s true, but after Impact this past week, both men can certainly go and this could well be entertaining. (I am a Lynn mark… and I don’t care who knows it.) A match designed to entertain the crowd is wonderful, but even though wrestling fans need a little bit of story nowadays, I think the crowd will get into this. Well, I am looking forward to it, and will probably mark out like a 14 year old.
Winner: (heart rules the mind) Jerry Lynn

M.C. Brown: RVD gets win after win and if he was going to win this match, too, then I question why he won the four way when he could have lost without getting pinned in that one very easily. This leads me to believe Lynn will get a shocking victory here and maybe RVD promised it to him in order to coax him back for one more match. Or could we get one more series? One could only hope.
Winner: Jerry Lynn

Blair A. Douglas: These two dudes had a couple of the best matches put on in the 1990’s. I saw Lynn a few years back in ROH, and he’s still great. RVD is still slower than he was back then, and part of that is that he adapted his style to a WWE-style so it would be easier on his body as his career went on. So the match won’t be as fast-paced – BUT that doesn’t mean it won’t be a really, really good match. Even slowed down, Van Dam is still a better wrestler than most of WWE’s or TNA’s roster, and Lynn is still tremendous. I’m going with Van Dam. He doesn’t need another loss this year.
Winner: Rob Van Dam

Rhett Davis: There are some awesome matches on this card and this is definitely one of them. I pick RVD to win here because Jerry will be gone after this show most likely.
Winner: RVD

Zema Ion vs. Low Ki vs. Austin Aries vs. Jack Evans
For TNA contract

Steven Gepp: Man, these guys have a tough call. Of course they want to win, but the prize is a TNA contract? What’s second prize, 2 TNA contracts? These guys are really stuck in a bind. They can go the ROH/Indy route where they can be real professional wrestlers and indulge themselves and be seen as masters of their art but earn less than a teacher’s aide. Or they can go to WWE and try to make it but be misused and treated like second rate citizens and forced to change everything about themselves to be like everyone else, then be let go because they don’t stand out. Or they can go to TNA and be misused and be jobbed out to over-sized, under-skilled morons. I feel for these guys because they are superb athletes, but since the demise of the WCW cruiserweight scene they will not get their just desserts. Okay, rant over. This should be a really good match and I think it’s going to come down to Low Ki and Austin Aries.
Winner: Low-Ki

M.C. Brown: The winners are the fans with this match up. Jack is a fresh face although I’d love to see Low Ki and Austin Aries return. Perhaps all four get contracts if this one tears it up like it should.
Winner: Jack Evans

Blair A. Douglas: Yeah, I’m doing this without an internet browser, and so I couldn’t remember the third guy’s name.  I don’t know too much about ???, but from what I remember he was good. Low Ki and Aries, if they want TNA contracts, should both get one. I just have no interest in seeing them lose to Gunner in one move. This match will tear shit up to an absurd degree. This is a tough one, but I got Ki.
Winner: Low Ki

Rhett Davis: These guys are some great talent… TNA is a waste for any of these guys. Therefore I pick Austin Aries to win. Why not?
Winner: Austin Aries

Alex Shelley vs. Robbie E vs. Shannon Moore vs. Amazing Red
Ultimate X match; No. 1 contender to the X Division Title

Steven Gepp: Okay, the match has Robbie E in it for a start, so that automatically lowers it a fair bit. And Shannon Moore leaves me cold. But Alex Shelley is willing to die for the crowd and Amazing Red bounces like a ping pong ball, so I hope they make up for the other deficiencies. But my issue with this match is that with these four should it be on a PPV? Because of the whole X-Division thing, sure, but, really, I’d say not a PPV worthy match… but this company pushes Crimson and Anarquia and Gunner, so I’m not surprised.
Winner: Alex Shelley

M.C. Brown
: I’m pulling for Red as there are two tag team guys in there and a stale act. Red represents the X-Division more out of the bunch and would match up nicely against Kendrick. Damn shame they couldn’t fit Gen Me into this match, tho.
Winner: Amazing Red

Blair A. Douglas: I heard one of these was going on, but I have no idea who is in it, and again, I have no internet browser. Regardless of that fact though, Shelley should win, and if he’s not in it because TNA is dumb, then Hernandez should win, but TNA forgot that he’s a great wrestler, so Amazing Red should win. Too bad Anarquia crippled Sabin.
Winner: Amazing Red

Rhett Davis: Robbie E should be fighting for the TV title. He is not X Division material no matter how they try to force him into that division. Shannon Moore is a waste. I’d be okay with either of the other two winning, but I’m picking Shelley as he needs something to do with his partner out. And Red can continue losing to nobodies.
Winner: Alex Shelley

Douglas Williams vs. …open challenge

Steven Gepp: I have no idea who the challenger could be, but Rob Terry springs to mind, as does Jay Lethal. Anyway, we all know how these open challenges go.
Winner: The surprise entrant (not Williams)

M.C. Brown: Usually the mystery man should get the win.
Winner: Homicide or whoever the mystery man will be. Jay Lethal? For serious lack of heels winning in my predictions, a heel should win here if Douglas is now a face.

Blair A. Douglas: Another great job by TNA of doing a match no one had any idea was coming. I dunno, Lethal? Homicide? Red? Suicide? Doesn’t matter. Williams ain’t winning which is sad, because the dude is solid.
Winner: Not Doug Williams

Rhett Davis: I’ll just agree with Hargrove for once and say that the mystery opponent will be Homicide. And that he will win.
Winner: Homicide (or whoever Doug fights)

Kelly has been with Inside Pulse since 6/2010, beginning with just her 10 Thoughts on WWE Superstars column. Now she brings you her 10 Thoughts on Smackdown weekly, and constructs the Rasslin' Roundtables for PPV's. In her spare time, she works with indy fed, Future Stars of Wrestling - AZ, wrangles children for her day job, and is generally and exceptionally awesome.