NWA World Heavyweight Title
Christian Cage vs. Monty Brown
Eric Szulczewski: I have said it before, and I’ll say it again: they’re doing just enough with Monty to keep him from calling Johnny Ace. He’s never going to get the ball. People have wondered how much of a hypocrite I am for wanting Monty to get the title considering my distaste for low-workrate types. The difference between Monty and the other low-workraters is that Monty has enthusiasm and love for the business on a par with Ernie Ladd, and has tried to improve over time. Also, I hate to see TNA waste an asset like this. Maybe if Christian doesn’t have to carry him, some more minds might be changed in this area.
Winner – Christian
Jeremy Lambert: Way too early to take the belt off of Christian Cage. While Monty Brown deserves the NWA World Title, he’s facing the wrong man at the wrong time.
Winner – Christian Cage
Matthew Michaels:
Winner – No reason to take the belt off of Cage just yet. Should be a good match, though.
Mark Neeley: I honestly do not see them taking the gold strap off of Christian so early, after the hallmark moment and positive crowd reaction. But Christian as champion isn’t pulling them the grand slam ratings they had hoped for, in fact, the first Impact after Against All Odds where he won the title only pulled a 0.7, which Jarrett as champion was able to beat. Basically, Sting on the Shelley Cam has been what has been important, not Christian as champ. This whole feud seemed pretty slopped together in my book. Anyway, I just don’t see Christian losing this early.
Winner – Christian
David Brashear: You’ve got to feel sorry for Monty Brown. He finally looks like he’s getting a world title feud against Jarrett and they turn him heel. Now they’ve built him up again just in time for Christian to come in and take the belt from JJ. While I think that Brown’s got potential and is someone that TNA should build for the future, no way is he winning the title.
Winner – Christian Cage
Ultimate X Match
X-Division Title
Samoa Joe vs. AJ Styles vs. Christopher Daniels
Jeremy Lambert: And with this, TNA puts out another MOTYC. Once again TNA suckers me in to spending 30 dollars by having Joe/Styles/Daniels face off in a Ultimate X Match. Oddly enough I was watching the Ultimate X Match from Final Resolution and I thought to myself “Can they top this?” It’s a tough match to top but if any three guys can do it, it’s these three. I say Joe finally loses the title…but of course, he has still yet to be pinned, thus keeping the undefeated streak in tact.
Winner – AJ Styles
Matthew Michaels: Part of me thinks this is the best way to take the belt off of Joe (as Eric has said in the past, he would still be unpinned after the match), although then what? Joe should be X Champ until they’re closer to giving him a Heavyweight Title run, and I think timing for that’s closer to, say, Bound For Glory.
Winner – Joe
Mark Neeley: Should be entertaining with the cables. It will be interesting to see if one of them can take it off of Joe here, but I don’t see it. Just pure and simple like that.
Winner – Samoa Joe
David Brashear: Like Lambert said up above, I think that this is going to be the match that gets everybody talking the next day. However, I don’t think it’s going to be the action that does it. I think it’s going to be the unorthodox way that Joe wins the match and keeps the title.
Winner – Samoa Joe
Eric Szulczewski: As a person who accentuates the negative, I have been dreading this one. Again, this is an “I’ve said this before” situation: forcing Joe to demonstrate a level of agility that he’s never had to has the possibility of exposing him and weakening his mark cred. If he’s able to handle Ultimate X, good for him, but I doubt that he can. Now, rumors are floating around that he’s going to drop the title. Would that count as a loss if it’s in Ultimate X? If so, they’re not going to blow the winning streak this way. I still think any title transition is going to happen in an environment where there’s a definite pinfall that Joe’s not involved in. That’ll have to be next month in the cage. So we’ll all be treated to the sight of a 280-pound guy trying to cross a wire to grab a belt and succeeding.
Winner – Samoa Joe
Jeff Jarrett, AMW, and Abyss vs. Rhyno, Team 3D, and the Truth
Matthew Michaels: How many times does Team 3D have to get wins over AMW yet still remain title-less? I guess we’ll find out.
Winners – Team Former WWE
Mark Neeley: I’m just glad A. This is a Jeff Jarrett match that is not a main event, and B. That Abyss is in not facing Rhino one on one. I don’t see JJ jobbing two straight PPV’s, with Christian winning, look for this to be the token heel win on the card.
Winners – Planet Jarrett
David Brashear: This has potential, but it feels more like a buildup match you’d see on Impact than on a PPV (where things are supposed to be settled, in my opinion). I’m going to give the win to Rhino, 3D, and Killings – mainly because I’d like to see Killings get the pin (and hopefully get moved up the card now that 3 Live Kru aren’t holding him back).
Winners – Rhino, 3D, and Truth
Eric Szulczewski: Five white guys, two black guys, and a Puerto Rican walk into a ring…oh, you’ve heard that one before. The purest form of Angle Advancement Match available: the match is totally irrelevant as opposed to the run-in. You-Know-Who helps the good guys win, or the match will be thrown out due to Uncorrectable Chaos.
Winners – either thrown out or the Face Grouping
Jeremy Lambert: As I mentioned in At Ringside, this is just a cheap way to throw 8 men in a match and continue 2 feuds. Borden will probably come out and take Jarrett out of the match, Abyss/Rhino need to brawl all around the arena, Killings needs to say WASS UP, and a Dudley needs to pin an Outlaw.
Winners – Team 3D, Killings, Rhino
The James Gang (Kip & BG James) and Bullet Bob Armstrong vs. the Latin American Exchange (Konnan, Homicide, & Machete)
Mark Neeley: Don’t care, nor does it help with Bob in it.
Winner – James Gang
David Brashear: Ouch. I don’t see Bullet Bob adding much to this one, and I believe that my feelings about Konnan being on my TV have been made perfectly clear before. Still, I’m sure it’s just a matter of time before we get the James Gang feuding with AMW…
Winner – James Gang (and Dad)
Eric Szulczewski: Sorry, Homicide, but not even you can counter the other five guys in there. However, this is worth watching for one reason: Bullet Bob’s going to demonstrate that he has better workrate than his teammates. Always has, always will.
Winners – NAO Plus Dad if this is the blowoff, Sheremetyevo if it isn’t. Hey, I have no clue where they’re going with this angle.
Jeremy Lambert: I really don’t care about this match. I hope Homicide kills everyone 187 style.
Winner – James Gang
Matthew Michaels: I think they should bring in Low Ki to help LAX to win (or at least to assist in a post-match beat-down). Does that lead to X Pac joining the James Gang to even things out? Oh help us…
Winners – LAX
Lance Hoyt vs. Matt Bentley
David Brashear: Anybody want some popcorn? This looks like a good chance to grab some. Anyway, with the rumors of upper management getting upset with Hoyt’s attitude beginning to fly, I’ve got to say that he takes the loss this time.
Winner – Matt Bentley
Eric Szulczewski: Who cares? I mean, really, who the f*ck cares? Does anyone other than the Impact Zone Crazies give a f*ck about either of these guys? Will I do a sentence in this summary that doesn’t include the word “f*ck”? Hoyt has the size, Bentley has the tits, tits win every time.
Winner – Matt Bentley
Jeremy Lambert: Hey it’s like Shawn Michaels vs. Diesel all over again. Except Hoyt actually has talent. They seem to be giving the push to Bentley with the recent heel turn so I figure they’ll give him this match.
Winner – Matt Bentley
Matthew Michaels: Seriously?
Winner – Bentley
Mark Neeley: The forgotten guy against the forgotten X-division guy? Who cares?
Winner – Lance Hoyt
(pre-show matches)
The Prince of Punk vs. Cassidy Riley
Eric Szulczewski: Moore’s getting a push, Riley’s lost without Raven around. Unless Raven’s coming back to assist his acolyte, it’s obvious.
Winner – Shannon Moore
Matthew Michaels: Should be a fun little bout.
Winner – Moore
David Brashear: It’s astonishing that I could care less about Shannon Moore than I did during his WWE run, but TNA has managed to pull that off. Riley’s out there for two reasons: 1) make Moore look good, and 2) make sure there aren’t any lights burned out while he’s getting pinned.
Winner – Shannon Moore
The Diamonds In The Rough (Skipper & Young) vs. Shark Boy & Norman Smiley
Matthew Michaels: Shark Boy and New Jack… then Shark Boy and D-Ray… Now Shark Boy and another overly-gimmicked black wrestler? Why not?
Winner – Diamonds in the Rough
Mark Neeley: Sharky is due for a win.
Winners – Shark Boy & NORMAN SMILEY
David Brashear: The Diamonds could use a few more wins to solidify themselves as a strong tag team that deserves a shot at the tag titles. Even though I don’t think they’ll win, I’ll be happy so long as we get the BIG WIGGLE!
Winners – Diamonds in the Rough
Eric Szulczewski: Oh, something’s gotta give. It’s been a long time since we’ve had to answer the question, “What happens when two sets of jobbers get in the ring against each other?” This is an open invite for someone to come in and destroy everybody. I’m not sure who, though. Abyss is the obvious answer, but 1) he’s got a match later on and 2) it really adds nothing to his feud with Rhiyno. If it goes to a conclusion, we will see the Big Wiggle, but Simon Diamond’s presence means too much.
Winner – The Diamonds, if it goes to a finish
BONUS: Will Sting appear, and what will he do?
Jeremy Lambert: No, Sting will not appear, but Steve Borden will. He will attack Jarrett until…wait for it…wait for it….LEX LUGER COMES TO TNA!!!!!!!
Matthew Michaels: No. But STEVE BORDEN will show up, setting up Sting vs. Jarrett in a cage for the next PPV.
Mark Neeley: I see some sort of Steve Borden reference with JJ.
Eric Szulczewski: No, Steve Borden will appear. That’s what he said, and I have no reason to disbelieve him. As for what he’ll do, f*ck knows. Read excerpts from Dan Brown’s upcoming book, When I Said “Harrison Ford”, I Didn’t Mean “Tom Hanks”?
David Brashear: Yes, Sting will show up (in street clothes, calling himself Steve Borden), and could very easily cost Team Jarrett their match against Rhino, the Dudleys, and the Truth. Still, you’ve got to think that Sting’s biggest problem would be with Alex Shelley (who’s mysteriously not on the show). I’ll be interested to see how they tie Jarrett and Shelley together for Sting’s attack. Shelley taping the match, maybe?
