The next three weeks of TNA television, report according to Alan Wojcik of AlanWojcik.com:
These are the notes from the three TNA Wrestling shows which will air before the May 14th Sacrifice/Global Turmoil PPV. Dave Penzer informed us tonight we would see the beginning matches in the World X Cup tournament. Except for the first hour there were no backstage vignettes shown to the fans. The following people were still MIA from TNA: Matt Bentley, Andy Douglas, Roderick Strong, Austin Aries, Monty Brown, Jeff Hardy, Sean Waltman, Lance Hoyt, Traci Brooks, Low Ki, the Latin American Exchange, the Diamonds in the Rough and Frankie “the Future” Kazarian.
Hour one to air April 27th:
Father James Mitchell and Abyss made their way to the ring. Abyss was still carrying the NWA World Heavyweight championship belt he stole from Christian Cage. Mitchell told the fans Cage didn’t survive and walked with the title firmly in his grasp. Mitchell said technically Cage was the champion and anyone that thinks they could take the belt, come on down. Rhino hit the ring followed by Rudy Charles.
(1) Abyss defeated “War Machine” Rhino.
Shockingly this was a brawl from the moment Charles rang the bell. The crowd was firmly behind Rhino and he would need them as Abyss was wrestling like the champion, with some help from the Sinister Minister. Rhino fought back but each time it looked like he would take control of the match, Abyss sent him to the canvas. Rhino went for a corner GORE but Abyss chokslammed him to the mat for two. Abyss missed a corner splash and Rhino hit a shoulder tackle and a belly to belly suplex. Just as it looked like the GORE was coming, bobby Roode hit the Northern Lights Lariat as Mitchell occupied Charles. All Abyss needed to do was hit the Black Hole Slam to win and “retain” the title. Christian Cage hit the ring and the fighting began all over again. Things settled down and Cage grabbed the house mic and said no one wants to see Shrek as the world champion. Cage said at Sacrifice we have a TLC/Full Metal Mayhem match for the belt.
Jeremy Borash spoke to Scott Steiner and Jeff Jarrett about Sting and the booked match at Sacrifice. Larry Zbyszko crashed the party asking Steiner and Jarrett to meet Sting in the ring. He asked Borash if he had seen Raven.
(2) In a World X Cup match, Team USA/TNA’s Alex Shelley & Sonjay Dutt vs. New Japan’s Hiroki Goto and Minoru Tanaka.
Before the match even began Team Canada captain Petey Williams and Scott D’amore joined Mike Tenay and Don West. Dutt and Shelley took turns working over Tanaka with stiff moves. Tanaka countered a Shelley corner move into an ankle lock. Goto tagged in and locked Shelley in a modified half crab. Team New Japan drew a bullseye on Shelley’s left knee and didn’t stop the attack for minutes. It was weird to hear the fans chant for Shelley. Shelley stopped both men from hitting a top rope move and tagged in Dutt. Shelley hit the Emeral Frosion and dropped Tanaka on top of Goto. Goto hit Dutt with a top rope double leg dropkick but got two. Things sped up from there and Dutt scored the pin on Goto with a standing shooting star press.
Jeremy Borash spoke to AJ Styles and Christopher Daniels about their match next week against America’s Most Wanted for the championships. Back from commercial Jeremy Borash and Larry Zbyszko were in the ring when they were joined by the NWA World X Division champion Samoa Joe and Jay Lethal. Before Borash could introduce the match, Raven hopped guard rail and chased Zbyszko out of the ringside area.
(3) NWA World X Division champion Samoa Joe vs. Jay Lethal.
Having wrestled each other in another promotion, someone was going to have a major tactical error. Lethal got on the attack early on but Joe took him to the mat. Lethal fought to his feet, only to be powerslammed to the mat and locked in a cross armbreaker. The offense got brutal from there including the facewash and the Ole Kick. But nothing Joe did beat Lethal as the fans got behind the challenger. Lethal got a second wind hitting the floatover into a dropkick to Joe’s face but got two. Lethal went for a springboard move but got hit with a standing STO. Joe hit the Musclebuster to end the match and remain undefeated.
Before Joe could even exit the ring, Scott Steiner and Jeff Jarrett hit the ring. Both men got in Joe’s face but no blows were traded. Eric Draven, sorry Sting joined them wearing a new jacket. Jarrett and Steiner demanded to know who Sting’s partner will be at Sacrifice. Sting said why would he tell them who his partner is, when he waited until the last minute to announce the team for Lockdown. Sting offered two people for Jarrett and Steiner to choose. I suddenly felt like I was at a Monday Nitro taping in 1999. Sting brought out Christy Hemme to be the game show hostess of sorts. Jarrett told Steiner they should leave but Sting goaded them into sticking around. Behind curtain number one apparently was a former member of the NWO (he should have limited the list a bit) and on probation from Cobb County, GA. Marcus “Buff” Bagwell. Behind curtain number two was a University of Miami football player and another man on probation, “the Total Package” Lex Luger. This made Jarrett and Steiner hit the bricks, probably looking for the time machine door back to 2006. I have to confess I was surprised to see both men.
Hour two to air May 4th:
(1) NWA World Tag Team champions America’s Most Wanted (“Tennessee Cowboy” James Storm and “”Wildcat” Chris Harris w/Gail Kim and Jackie Gayda) vs. “Phenomenal” AJ Styles and “Fallen Angel” Christopher Daniels.
This match began when AMW jumped their opponents and sent Daniels to the floor. Daniels got on the top rope and hit a double clothesline sending AMW to the floor and the show to a commercial break. The match finally became a tag team match as Styles and Daniels went to work on Storm’s injured ribs. Too bad for Daniels he got too close to the AMW side of the ring and paid for it with a beatdown that lasted several minutes. Somehow a cut opened on Storm’s forehead. Daniels was one step ahead of AMW and was able to tag in the well rested Styles. At one point he hit Harris with the Human Torture Rack into a Blue Thunder Driver but the referee ended up on the floor. Kim used this chance to try and hit Styles with a top rope huricurana. Styles caught her and was going to hit the Styles Clash when Storm hit a superkick and Kim hit a Code Red. Storm scored the pin.
(2) In a World X Cup match, Team Mexico’s “1000% Guapo” Shocker and Magma (damn Penzer for mumbling the name) defeated Team Canada’s “Showtime” Eric Young and “Hotshot” Johnny Devine (welcome back Johnny).
Team TNA’s Alex Shelley and the Paparazzi Cam were at ringside during the match that the Mexican’s had control of for several minutes including some aerial moves to the floor. Their control ended when Devine and Young got Shocker isolated but Shelley was on the apron filming and Devine collided with him. This allowed Shocker to pin Devine. D’amore and his buddy Shelley had words about what transpired.
Larry Zbyszko joined Tenay and West at their table and talked to the home audience when Raven hit the ringside area once more.
Back from commercial we were treated to the “Sting’s Partner” game show as Sting, Jeff Jarrett and Scott Steiner came back to the ring. Sting cut right to the chase and said there was only one choice this round. Jarrett said he already had a partner and Sting needed to stop playing games right now. As the thirty seconds elapsed Steiner and Jarrett argued about how bad Howie Mandel looked on his game show. Sting offered a deal again and Jarrett offered the choice to the fans. The fans said accept the deal and of course Jarrett declined. The person was made null and void, top Atlanta real estate agent, Rick Steiner!! Scott Steiner and Jeff Jarrett once again retreated to the safety of their locker room until next week when Sting would make the choice for them.
(3) In a non-title match, NWA World Heavyweight champion “Captain Charisma” Christian Cage defeated Alex Shelley.
Thanks to a lock up of my laptop, I get to tell you Cage won by hitting the Unprettier. He took the house mic and told Abyss at Sacrifice he would reclaim the title belt.
Team 3D hit the ring. Ray thanked the American fans for the support they gave at Lockdown. They took offense to AJ Styles and Christopher Daniels receiving an NWA World Tag Team title shot before them. They were interrupted by the James Gang. They took offense to Team 3D calling themselves the most decorated tag team champions in history since they never beat the James Gang. Ray reminded them they dropped the WWE tag titles to them. Kip said they used a 5 foot long red pipe to do it. Ray said it didn’t matter what kind of pipe it was, even if it belonged to BG. BG went to jar the memory, saying they sold out MSG 47 times in a row when Team 3D was playing a bingo hall. 3D fired back by saying they couldn’t have gotten over in the bingo hall. It seemed the trash talking would lead us to a match at Sacrifice.
Hour three to air may 11th:
(1) In a World X Cup match, Team TNA/USA’s “the Future” Chris Sabin defeated Team Mexico’s Puma (w/”1000% Guapo” Shocker).
During the match Team TNA members Sonjay Dutt and Jay Lethal were on the rampway with Jerry Lynn.
In the opening minutes Sabin and Puma traded high flying moves. Sabin hit a dropkick to Puma’s face. Puma took Sabin to the mat with an armbar into a modified Cloverleaf. When he didn’t get a submission Puma released the hold and went for a pin of two. Puma kept on the attack but couldn’t keep Sabin pinned for the win. Puma locked Sabin in what looked like half abdominal stretch, half chinlock. Sabin escaped as Team New Japan looked on. But Sabin got caught in another leglock, this time making it to the ropes. Sabin put Puma in the Tree of Woe and delivered a dropkick to Puma’s face. Sabin hit the Cradle Shock to gain a victory for Team TNA/USA.
(2) Abyss defeated Chase Stevens of the Naturals.
Father Mitchell spoke on screen saying he was backstage holding the title belt for the PPV. I hope Andy Douglas comes back soon because this wasn’t fair to Stevens, who is a tag team wrestler. Stevens fought for his life as Abyss practiced for Full Metal Mayhem. Abyss brought the proper items: a table, a ladder and a chair. To make a short match even shorter, Abyss chokeslammed Stevens into a table and won. This brought out Christian Cage who attacked Abyss with the ladder. As TNA security held back Abyss, Cage took full advantage and climbed the ladder and jumped off onto Abyss.
Sting, Jeff Jarrett and Scott Steiner came out for the final rendition of “Who’s Sting Partner at Sacrifice.”
Sting came out with Marcus Bagwell, Lex Luger and Rick Steiner. So Sting told Jarrett he could make the choice, even though he said he was going to make the decision. Jarrett claimed Sting was out of choices since Hulk Hogan, Kevin Nash, Randy Savage and Scott Hall were all occupied with personal problems. Sting’s choice was a performer in the 1984 Olympics, was a former mortgage broker and is the undefeated SAMOA JOE!!!! Jarrett and Steiner left the ring in total shock as were the fans except me(read my interview with Samoa Joe from early 2005.)
(3) “Fallen Angel” Christopher Daniels, “War Machine” Rhino and “Phenomenal” AJ Styles defeated “Canadian Destroyer” Bobby Roode (w/Scott D’amore) and NWA World Tag Team champions America’s Most Wanted (“Tennessee Cowboy” James Storm and “Wildcat” Chris Harris).
AMW and Roode used some tomfoolery to get control over Rhino. Rhino tagged out to Daniels who went to work on Harris with help from Styles. Styles got too close to the ropes and Storm grabbed him. Styles stomped on Storm’s hand (hopefully not the drinking one) and when he turned around got hit with a full nelson slam. Styles survived the beating he received and the match turned into a six person brawl. Jackie Gayda came out to ringside with a cup of coffee and argued with Kim. Storm superkicked Styles and Rhino and went to tell Gayda to get lost. She tossed the coffee in Storm’s face and he washout by Rhino and the GORE!!!
Matches taped to air on Xplosion:
(1) Team Canada member A1 (w/Scott D’amore) defeated Ron “the Truth” Killings when D’amore distracted Killings long enough for A1 to hit a power finishing move. D’amore took the mic and demanded acknowledgment for A1’s power. Raven was called out by D’amore for Sacrifice. So of course Raven came out to confront A1.
(2) NWA World X Division champion Samoa Joe defeated Chase Stevens of the Naturals when Joe countered out of a rollup into the Kokina Clutch which made Stevens tap out.
(3) Team TNA/USA member “the Future” Chris Sabin, Jay Lethal and Sonjay Dutt defeated Team Canada members “Canadian Enforcer” Booby Roode, “Showtime” Eric Young and Tyson Dux when Dutt hit Dux with the standing shooting star press.
The fans that stuck around were treated to an autograph session with most of the TNA roster.
Announced for Sacrifice/Global Turmoil PPV:
***In a Full Metal Mayhem/TLC Match, NWA World Heavyweight champion “Captain Charisma” Christian Cage vs. Abyss (w/Father James Mitchell)
***”Big Poppa Pump” Scott Steiner and Jeff Jarrett vs Sting and NWA World X Division champion Samoa Joe
***Raven vs. Team Canada’s A1 (w/Scott D’amore)
***Team 3D (Ray and Devon) vs. the James Gang (Kip and BG James)
***Matches involving the World X Cup teams that will probably be revealed on Impact.
Credit: AlanWojcik.com
