The Chrononaut Chronicles: TNA Against All Odds 2006 — Sunday, February 12, 2006
– Cold open to “Earlier Today” where we see Christian Cage arriving to the building. Also “Earlier Today”, Eric Young is very worried about something, but Coach D’Amore warns him not to mention anything about it tonight as Jeff Jarrett pulls up in a Humvee with Gail Kim. The NWA World Champion (surprisingly without his belt… foreshadowing?) brags about Sting being gone from TNA and having an incriminating tape on Jackie Gayda, leaving Christian as their only problem. However, Eric informs Jarrett that Sting isn’t really gone as D’Amore gestures wildly behind JJ’s back, motioning for Showtime to shut up. Jarrett gets Young to repeat “Sting is gone” and advises D’Amore to get Eric some help before heading into the Impact Zone to find Larry Zbyszko while D’Amore scolds Eric for bringing that up on such an important night for the champ.
– The opening PPV video builds up this evening’s Jarrett/Cage main event for the NWA World Title and features Jarrett’s “victims list”, including Kevin Nash, DDP, Rhino, and Hulk Hogan. Well-done but not up to the usual Sahadi standards for a PPV-opening video, and it’s always fun to hear Double J tell someone else that they belong in the midcard.
– This show marks the TNA debut of former WCW ring announcer David Penzer, who has a great voice but is never seen on camera for some reason.
– Austin Aries & Roderick Strong vs. The Naturals
Mike Tenay mentions that this is a rematch from the tag team tournament on Impact, and it’s also notable as the final TNA PPV appearance for Strong & Aries as they were both suspended because they chose to work the ROH show the previous night and risk missing the PPV due to a snowstorm. Obviously they both made it to Orlando, so it was stupid and shortsighted for TNA to make such a big deal out of it. Talk about cutting off your nose to spite your face. A fine or a shorter suspension would have sufficed, but whatever. Generation Next go after the Naturals right off the bat, but Chase Stevens & Andy Douglas stop them with stereo inverted atomic drops and clotheslines before whipping Aries & Strong into each other and dropkicking them. GenNext bail out, but the Naturals double-suplex Aries back in and Stevens scores a two-count. Douglas gets the tag and bulldogs Aries onto Chase’s knee for two as the Naturals control Austin with frequent tags and snazzy double-teams. Andy rams Aries into Strong, knocking the heels to ringside, and tags Chase, who goes to the top turnbuckle and wipes out GenNext with a great shooting star press.
Back in the ring, Stevens gets two with an Oklahoma sideroll on Strong, who eyegouges Chase and tags Aries. Stevens slides out to the floor to take care of Strong and Aries follows him out with a suicide dive through the ropes, which earns Austin a two-count when Roderick rolls Chase in. GenNext isolate Stevens and use their tag team expertise to control him until Stevens slams Aries off the turnbuckle and makes the lukewarm tag to Douglas, who rams Austin’s head into Roderick’s groin and superhuracanranas Strong off the top onto Aries for a near-fall. Douglas holds Aries up in a powerbomb, but Strong clips Andy’s leg and Aries falls on top for two. Awesome lariat/backdrop suplex double-team gets a near-fall for Aries, but Stevens comes in and dumps Strong. Aries goes for the brainbuster, but Chase slips out and the Naturals set Austin up for the Natural Disaster. However, Strong drags Douglas out to the floor and Aries rolls up Stevens using the ropes for leverage (the commentators note that was the finish to the Impact match and the reason for the rematch), but the ref sees it and stops the count. Andy returns and the Naturals drop Aries with the Natural Disaster, allowing Douglas to score the pin. Really good opener.
– From the Preshow, Larry Zbyszko with Dave Hebner by his side assures Jeremy Borash of a “level playing field” in tonight’s main event: no outside interference, no weapons, and a strict referee, all as a result of pressure from TNA Management.
– Jeremy Borash interviews AMW and Team Canada regarding their matches tonight. Chris Harris claims that Chris Sabin & Sonjay Dutt have no chance of taking their belts and endorses the Canadians against Team 3D. D’Amore and Gail Kim banter about the Jackie Gayda tape filmed by Alex Shelley before Zbyszko arrives with Hebner and states that anybody who interferes in the main event will be fired, because he’s not taking the fall for Jarrett, D’Amore, or anybody else. Sounds familiar.
– Alex Shelley vs. Petey Williams vs. Matt Bentley vs. Jay Lethal
D’Amore isn’t accompanying Petey, who starts off with Matt and kicks out after a jumping kneedrop off the ropes. Petey lures Bentley into the corner and hangs him in the tree of woe, but Traci hops up to stop him from doing the “O Canada” and Petey saunters up to her on the apron. Bentley frees himself and clotheslines Williams back into the ring, then hits a dropkick off the top turnbuckle and Shelley tags himself in when Petey falls near him. Jay tags himself in when Bentley gets close and gets a “Lethal” chant as he goes into a nice exchange with Shelley. Seated dropkick to the back of the head gets a one-count for Lethal, as does a bridging vertical suplex, but Alex tags out to Petey with his foot and the Team Canada Captain earns two off a backbreaker. Shelley tags himself back in and hooks a hammerlock submission on Lethal as Petey nails a dropkick on Jay. Slingshot senton by Shelley for two and Petey tags in to work over Lethal until he and Shelley argue, allowing Jay to escape and tag Bentley, who unloads on Petey and goes to the top.
Petey meets Bentley up there and Shelley comes in underneath to powerbomb Petey, but the Canadian holds on to Matt until Lethal dropkicks Petey’s hands and Alex is able to powerbomb him. Lethal quickly grabs Shelley in a bridging German suplex, but Bentley stops the pin with a flying elbowdrop off the top across Jay’s midsection. Petey dumps Bentley, but Lethal slams him with the release dragon suplex and catches Shelley with a dropkick in mid-air as he dives off the top. Lethal hits a heelkick on Shelley, but Alex drop-toeholds Jay throat-first on the middle rope and plants him with a sweet slingshot DDT. Bentley drops Shelley with a reverse STO, but Petey hits the Canadian Legsweep on Matt and sets up the Canadian Destroyer as Jackie Gayda marches out and attacks Shelley at ringside. Petey gets distracted so Bentley back-bodydrops out of the Destroyer and Lethal rolls up Williams for the 1-2-3 in a surprising upset to win his TNA PPV debut. Solid action, but the Jackie appearance cut things short and seemed a bit out of place, although it did fit the storyline.
– Jeremy Borash interviews Rhino, who cuts a great promo stating that he has no fear of extinction because he grew up in the “Murder Capital of the World” on the wrong side of 8 Mile and saw his friends die all around him. He plans on stuffing James Mitchell up Abyss’ ass and Goring both of them, but Zbyszko appears with Hebner and reiterates that anybody who interferes in the main event tonight will be fired on the spot.
– A video package documents the directions of the former 4 Live Kru members after the group’s breakup.
– Latin American eXchange (Homicide & Machete) vs. The James Gang
Konnan does some micwork referring to Homicide as his “capo” from Brooklyn and introduces Machete as a “street soldier” from the Bronx, warning Machete that this is his night to earn some stripes but if he fails, he’ll go down and another soldier will take his place. BG does his spiel and calls LAX “TNA’s version of Menudo”, but when Kip gets the mic, LAX spares us from hearing him by jumping the James Gang from behind. The Jameses end up whipping Machete & Homicide into each other and they regroup with Konnan before Homicide gets in Kip’s face despite being several inches shorter. Kip laughs and piefaces him, but the Notorious 187 dropkicks him in the knee and Kip pretty much no-sells it as he press-slams Homicide and hiptosses Machete. I think I see why LAX didn’t really get over during this feud. Kip almost drops Homicide as he powerbombs him and both guys tag out. The Gang dominate Machete until Homicide runs in and knocks Kip to the floor, where Konnan attacks him. Back inside, LAX control Kip until Homicide misses a splash off the top and the former Billy Gunn makes the tag to BG, who unloads on both Latinos and finishes off Machete with the pumphandle slam.
Afterwards, Konnan blindsides BG with the slapjack and LAX assault him until BG’s dad, Bullet Bob Armstrong, makes the save. Yes, you read that right. Konnan and his ruthless gang of hardcore street thugs ran in fear from a 66-year-old man. Sad.
– Jeremy Borash is outside Zbyszko’s office when referee Mark “Slick” Johnson makes his first appearance in a backstage skit to point out that Larry doesn’t have a ref scheduled for the main event and offers his services, mentioning that he has 85 WCW main events under his belt. Zbyszko is less than impressed and replies that he has the referee situation under control before heading off with Hebner.
– NWA World Tag Team Title: Sonjay Dutt & Chris Sabin vs. America’s Most Wanted [champions]
A clip is shown from last night’s Impact of Sabin injuring his ankle during their tournament final victory over Aries & Strong as Tenay says that Sabin insisted on wrestling tonight. We get the “Brokeback Mountain” chant again as I realize just how fortunate it was that the movie came out a few months after AMW’s heel turn to provide that chant. James Storm goes after Sabin’s ankle right away, but Sabin avoids him and tags Sonjay, who snaps off a tilt-a-whirl headscissors and a high crossbody for a two-count. Dutt tags Sabin and they bombard the Cowboy with a couple double-teams for another two. Sabin hits a seated dropkick to the back for two, but Chris Harris grabs Sabin’s leg from ringside and wraps it around the ringpost to damage the ankle. The Wildcat tags in and pulls down Sabin’s shinpad (having some trouble in doing so) to expose the taped ankle as Storm tags in and applies a chinlock for some reason. Sabin fights out, but Storm drops him with a lungblower for a near-fall and focuses on the ankle as he tags Harris and the ref keeps asking Sabin if he can continue.
Sabin battles back and makes the tag to Dutt, who snaps off a huracanrana and a seated dropkick on Storm, but Harris breaks the pin. Sonjay springboards in with a dual-dropkick on the champs and follows up with a springboard moonsault on both men, but Storm catches him going for a tilt-a-whirl and holds him up for the Hart Attack. However, when Harris runs off the ropes to complete the double-team, Sabin dives off the top with a missile dropkick on the Wildcat and Sonjay flips over the Cowboy with the standing Sliced Bread #2 for a near-fall. Harris catches Dutt and sets him up for the Catatonic, but Sonjay revolves around into a messed-up crucifix for two. Storm slides a chair in and distracts the ref, but Sabin plants Harris with a tornado DDT on the chair and Dutt follows up with a standing shooting star press for a near-fall. Storm drags Sabin out to the floor and crushes his ankle under the guardrail before sliding into the ring and superkicking Sonjay. AMW execute the Death Sentence and Storm pins Dutt to retain the NWA World Tag Team Championship. Pretty good little match with some nice psychology.
Afterwards, AMW handcuff Sonjay in the corner and Harris goes to hit him with a chair, but Sabin runs in to make the save and AMW bail out. I’m surprised we never got a rematch after Sabin recovered from the injury.
– Jeremy Borash interviews Jeff Jarrett, who states that he’s not feeling any pressure and that if Christian fails tonight, TNA has run out of challengers for him since Sting re-retired. The NWA World Champion claims that he doesn’t need any outside interference or weapons to win, because he’s got Gail Kim and his “trusty equalizer”, the guitar. Umm okay, I’m pretty sure they both fall under those categories. Monty Brown interrupts, but Jarrett is sick of the Alpha Male disrespecting him and hilariously mocks the “PPOOOOUUUUNNNNNCCCCEE” line. Jarrett promises to shut Monty up by offering him the next title shot after he beats Christian and they shake on it. Jarrett leaves with Gail while Monty vows that the belt will be coming back to the Serengeti with him.
– A video package recaps the Rhino/Abyss feud, including Rhino Goring Abyss through a wall on Impact to set up the Falls Count Anywhere stipulation.
– Falls Count Anywhere: Abyss vs. Rhino
Rhino roars out and unloads on Abyss right off the bat before they both go over the top rope with a Cactus Clothesline from the War Machine. Rhino tosses Abyss into the crowd and dives on him off the guardrail as they brawl through the fans and Abyss rams Rhino’s head against the boards. Back to the ring, Rhino finds a trophy and some other weapons under the ring and canes Abyss. Abyss bashes Rhino with a trashcan to bust him open and canes him across the back for a two-count, but Rhino fights back with a paint tray and places the trophy between the Monster’s legs before cracking it with a baseball bat. They go out to the floor and Abyss suplexes Rhino on the ramp. The Monster stacks up four tables, two on two, near the stage and grabs Rhino for a powerbomb, but he fights out and prepares the Gore. Abyss counters with a boot to the head and Rhino rolls off the stage as they leave the Impact Zone and Abyss slams Rhino’s head against a car. Abyss swings the baseball bat and misses, but the car window doesn’t break, so Rhino tries and it still won’t break; meanwhile, Tenay screams that they smashed the window. AWWWKWARD.
They brawl back into the building down to ringside, where Rhino posts Abyss and slides a table into the ring, propping it up vertically in a corner. James Mitchell passes a staple gun to Abyss, who staples Rhino’s forehead and brings in another table as Mitchell gives the “Doomsday” signal. Rhino counters with a belly-to-belly suplex and prepares to Gore him through the table, but Abyss catches him by the throat and chokeslams him through the other table for a near-fall. Mitchell hands the bag of thumbtacks to Abyss, but Rhino manages to Gore him through the corner table first and the Monster kicks out as the crowd chants “This is awesome”. Rhino goes after Mitchell at ringside and Abyss blindsides him as they brawl up into the bleachers, where Abyss rams Rhino’s head into the barrier and kicks out the wall like a true horror-movie monster. Abyss grips Rhino by the throat, but Rhino kicks him in the Monster’s Balls and Gores him off the bleachers all the way down through the four tables set up earlier before hopping down to the floor to score the pin as the crowd rightfully chants “Holy Shit”. Good brawl with an awesome finish.
– Jeremy Borash interviews Samoa Joe, who claims it’s not about a code of sportsmanship; it’s all about the World X Division Championship. Joe holds up the blood-stained towel as a reminder and also has a clean towel to create another souvenir for the trophy case as he warns Styles and Daniels that the only thing worse than going against all odds is going against him.
– Back in the Impact Zone, trainers and TNA Security are still attending to Abyss, who finally gets up as the crowd applauds.
– A great video package builds up the X Division three-way rematch from September’s Unbreakable.
– TNA X Division Title: AJ Styles vs. Christopher Daniels vs. Samoa Joe [champion]
Joe grabs a headlock on Styles, who shoves Joe off into Daniels. Daniels hits the heelkick on Styles, but Joe snapmares Daniels and chops him across the back, kicks him in the chest, and drops the jumping knee off the ropes. Styles bodyslams Joe and drops a nice knee of his own before dropkicking the X Champion and then the Fallen Angel. AJ tries to suplex Joe but can’t get him up, so Joe counters with a front-suplex and charges at AJ in the corner, but Daniels drives him back with a forearm. Daniels monkeyflips Styles toward Joe to recreate the amazing Unbreakable spot, but this time Joe catches AJ and applies the Samoan Crab, which Daniels breaks with a stiff kick to the back. Unfortunately, the commentators didn’t point out that connection to the original three-way, so I didn’t pick up on it watching live. Daniels knocks Joe through the ropes with a flying knee and runs off the ropes, but AJ cuts him off with a back-elbow and steps out on the apron to jump on Joe, only for Daniels to knock him to the floor. Daniels goes to dive through the ropes on AJ, but Joe cuts him off with a palm thrust to the face, hanging Daniels over the middle rope. Nice.
Styles whips Joe into the railing and suplexes Daniels in the ring before applying a reverse Mutalock until Joe kicks Daniels off and locks in the STF on AJ. Daniels then grabs Joe in the Koji Clutch for an awesome three-way submission. The ball of submission is broken and Daniels lands a slingshot elbowdrop on Styles for a two-count. Joe crunches Daniels with the flying knee in the corner and facewashes him, followed by the running facewash to knock Daniels out of the ring. Styles charges at Joe in the corner, but the Samoan Submission Machine slams him with the standing STO and slaps Daniels off the apron. AJ runs off the ropes, but Joe ducks and Styles soars over the top rope with a beautiful somersault onto Daniels. Those two trade shots on the floor as Joe flies through the ropes and wipes them out with suicide elbowdives. Joe returns his challengers to the ring and stands on the apron, but Styles legsweeps him and Daniels knocks Joe to the floor with a charging knee. Styles cradles Daniels for a pair of two-counts and they slug it out as Joe comes in and Daniels grabs him in a headlock. Styles uncorks a discus clothesline on Daniels as Joe dumps him on his head with a brutal backdrop suplex. OUCH.
Joe levels Styles with a front leg lariat off the ropes and covers Daniels, but he kicks out as we get a “This is awesome” chant. Inverted atomic drop followed by the one-footed dropkick and the senton backsplash on Daniels gets two for Joe, who snap-powerslams the Fallen Angel. Daniels kicks out again and Joe hooks a cross-armbreaker, but Daniels gets his legs on the ropes to break it right away. Joe pounds Daniels in the corner, but Styles nails Joe with an enzuigiri and goes after Daniels, who grabs AJ in a reverse STO as Joe comes off the ropes with the one-footed dropkick to the back of AJ’s head to drive him down. Daniels holds onto AJ and applies the Koji Clutch, but Joe breaks it with a sharp kneedrop to Daniels’ head. Daniels snaps off an impressive release German suplex on Joe and slams him with a standing STO before landing the BME for a near-fall. Daniels hooks Joe for the Angel’s Wings, but Styles runs up Joe’s back and sunset-flips over Daniels for the Styles Clash. However, Daniels escapes and forearms Styles before Joe beheads the Fallen Angel with a vicious lariat for a close near-fall.
Styles flips out of a Muscle Buster and unloads on both men, dropping Daniels with a pumphandle flip gutbuster for two. Torture Rack Bomb gets two when Joe breaks the pin, but Styles hits the springboard-moonsault inverted DDT on Joe for a near-fall. Daniels breaks up the Styles Clash and drills Joe with a Death Valley Driver after AJ dives off the top with a kick to Joe’s head. Styles breaks the pin at one and covers Joe himself, but Daniels kicks him off at one and AJ hiptosses him over the top rope before climbing the turnbuckles. Daniels grabs AJ’s legs until Joe kicks Daniels back to the floor and brings Styles down in the Muscle Buster for the 1-2-3 to retain the X Division Championship. Great match I enjoyed a lot more this time after seeing the Unbreakable three-way. Afterwards, Daniels claims it’s not over because he’s still alive.
– A video package sets up the “fan-voted” match between Team 3D and Team Canada.
– Jeremy Borash interviews Team 3D as Ray cuts a good promo about how the entire country hates Team Canada. Shockingly, Devon doesn’t testify. Must be the bandage around his head (due to Team Canada’s attack on Impact), or maybe he likes Canadians.
– Team Canada (Eric Young & Bobby Roode) vs. Team 3D
Team 3D storm the ring from the opposite side and all four men brawl around ringside as Ray back-bodydrops Roode on the ramp, busting through one of the grates. Back in the ring, Ray batters Roode and plants him with a release German suplex before slamming Eric off the turnbuckles and tagging Devon. Sideslam/legdrop double-team gets two for Devon, who levels Young with the spinning back-elbow as the crowd wants tables, but doesn’t get them yet. Devon runs off the ropes and Roode pulls down the top rope so he crashes out to the floor, where D’Amore rips the bandage off Devon’s head and tosses Devon into the ringsteps. Ugh, I’m so glad this guy isn’t a manager anymore; when did Bobby Heenan ever toss a wrestler around? Devon is busted open again as Team Canada control him in the ring with frequent tags, double-teams, and interference from D’Amore. Devon finally makes the hot tag to Ray, who dives off the top turnbuckle with a crossbody on both Canadians and cleans house until they drop him with a flapjack, but he kicks out and superplexes Eric for two.
Roode cracks Ray with the hockey stick and Young covers him, but Ray kicks out and ducks the Northern Lariat, causing Roode to hit Young. Roode gets thrown over the top rope before Devon comes in to help 3D Eric and Ray pins him. Afterwards, Ray catches D’Amore trying to Pearl Harbor him and AMW runs in. Team 3D fight them off, but Roode blindsides Ray with the Northern Lariat and AMW retrieve a table. They lay Devon on the table, but Ron Killings makes the save and ends up legdropping Eric through the table. The Truth celebrates with 3D as Ray leads the fans in a “Truth” chant, which is cool.
– Jeremy Borash interviews Christian Cage, who admits that he’s nervous as hell because this is the culmination of his 12-year career. Cage states that the level playing field means no excuses and will answer the questions about whether he made the right choice in leaving WWE, and takes another shot at Jarrett’s white pants. Captain Charisma promises to leave Orlando as the new NWA World Heavyweight Champion, because THAT’S… how he rolls.
– A video package builds up our main event of the evening.
– In the ring, Jeremy Borash introduces Larry Zbyszko and Dave Hebner along with the specially-appointed referee… Earl Hebner, who receives a very faint “You screwed Bret” chant. Either TNA fans have gotten over 1997, or weren’t watching at the time.
– NWA World Heavyweight Title: “Captain Charisma” Christian Cage vs. Jeff Jarrett [champion]
Ironically (or perhaps not) despite all of his cracks about Jeff’s white pants, Christian is wearing white tights. We get JB’s Super Special Ring Introductions after the entrances and Jarrett gets a “Please Retire” chant. Hey, at least they’re polite. Tenay mentions all of the countries that Jarrett has defended the NWA Title, which is a nice touch; did he really defend it in Finland though? If so, was it against Ludvig Borga? Christian shoulderblocks Jarrett down twice for a pair of one-counts and goes for the Unprettier, but JJ scrambles away and slaps Cage. Christian throws chops and sunset flips Jarrett for two, and they both end up on the apron, where Cage drops down with an inverted DDT. Cage’s wife Denise is shown in the front row as Christian misses a dive off the top turnbuckle and eats the guardrail. Jarrett swings Cage’s skull against the railing and throws him on the announce table with a poorly-done catapult, which looked to be mostly Christian’s fault. Back in, Jarrett hits a dropkick for two and thunderbombs Christian for another two. Cage fights out of a chinlock, but Jarrett hotshots him across the top rope and chokes him over the middle rope until referee Earl Hebner pulls the NWA Champion off by the hair.
Jarrett shoves Earl and Earl shoves back, but Jarrett goes back to choking Cage and gives us the Ray Traylor Tribute Show. Jarrett distracts Earl while Gail Kim dives off the top with the HuraKimrana on Christian. Of course, in keeping with the storyline, she was fired on the spot. HAHAHA, yeah right. Jarrett covers Cage for the near-fall and they trade sleepers before Christian counters a huracanrana attempt with a powerbomb and applies a figure-four, but Gail helps Jeff reach the rope and the hold is broken. Fired again, right Larry? Christian shoves Earl and receives an enzuigiri from Jarrett, who slaps on the Sharpshooter as Cage grabs Earl’s leg and screams “NO”, afraid that Hebner will screw him. Cage touches the rope, but Earl didn’t see it and Jarrett drags him to mid-ring in the Sharpshooter, which Christian finally reverses with a Sharpshooter of his own ’97-style. Jarrett pushes Cage off, but he falls head-first into JJ’s groin and they’re both down. Christian hits an inverted atomic drop and a discus clothesline, followed by a forearm off the ropes, but Jarrett catches him going for a crossbody and Cage counters with a DDT for a near-fall.
Christian whips Jarrett into the ropes and JJ slides through his legs, but slides into Earl’s ankle and he goes down while Cage climbs to the top. Gail interferes AGAIN by holding his leg as some fans catch on and chant “Fire Gail” while Jarrett climbs up and Strokes Christian off the turnbuckles. Everybody groans as Jarrett crawls over on Cage and we get Earl’s famous slow count, but Christian kicks out as West is sure to point out that Jarrett would have had the pin if Hebner wasn’t down. Ugh. Hebner takes another shot in the corner and Christian plants Jarrett with the Unprettier, but Earl is out so Slick Johnson slides in to make the count and Jarrett kicks out. Christian sets up the Stroke, but Jarrett mulekicks him low and Slick threatens to call for the bell so JJ kicks Slick in the testes and dumps him to the floor. Stupid stupid stupid; just an excuse for Jeff to play Stone Cold, because a DQ would have helped him keep his belt, so why would he stop it? Gail passes a chair in to Jarrett, but Christian dropkicks it back in his face and chases Gail into the ring. Cage hooks Gail in the Unprettier, but Jarrett busts the guitar over his head. I guess he’ll be fired immediately.
Jarrett covers and Earl crawls over for the ultra-slow count, but Cage gets the shoulder up at the last possible nanosecond and the fans pop. Gail goes to the top as even Tenay wonders how many times we can see this, but Christian counters the HuraKimrana with a powerbomb. Jarrett hooks up Cage for an Unprettier, but Cage counters with a Stroke attempt that Jarrett blocks. Finally, Christian drills Jarrett with the Unprettier for the three-count to win the NWA Heavyweight Championship of the World. Afterwards, Christian celebrates with the belt as fireworks explode and he kisses his wife at ringside. Back in the ring, Rhino is there to lift Christian up as the six-sided squared circle fills with fans in a really special moment to close the PPV.
Afterthoughts: I think of Christian pinning Jarrett as TNA’s version of HHH tapping out to Chris Benoit, since nobody really believed it would happen until it happened. My buddy doesn’t even like Christian and this was the first full TNA PPV he watched, and even he marked out when Cage won. The match itself was solid but way too overbooked, especially after all the time spent reinforcing the point that ANYBODY WHO INTERFERED OR USED WEAPONS WOULD BE FIRED, so I definitely scale down my original opinion of the main event. In fact, it really pisses me off now how TNA set these rules up throughout the show and then totally f*cked it up. At least we got the right result in the end, but how long did that last? The closing moments with Christian, Rhino, and the fans was truly special and different though.
Despite the main event’s flaws, this was another strong PPV with an awesome X Title three-way, a great opening tag match, an entertaining Falls Count Anywhere with a super finish, and everything else was pretty good. Even the LAX/James Gang match was too short to expose the Gang’s limitations, so all in all another recommended show. Thanks for reading, and I’ll see you in the future.
