Kace’s Countdown – TNA Victory Road 2007
Due to having to deal other issues this past week, I was unable to watch TNA Impact this past week. Sorry ’bout that. But here now, the Victory Road Countdown! Here, I’ll list off the Top 10 Moments of the Pay Per View from this past Sunday Night.
But first…
Stuff
We have new NWA World Tag Team Champions, with Joey Ryan and Karl Anderson as they defeated Incognito and Sicodelico Jr., then Sean Waltman and Billy Kidman, with Kidman turning against Waltman during the match and setting off what’s sure to be a great feud throughout the Indys…well, maybe not. Then again, ya never know.
Linkage
Pulse Glazer doesn’t like it when ROH isn’t praised. I say that lovingly, jokingly. This also guarantees me another, “loss,” next time I participate in Vs.
Kyle David Paul takes a look back at WWF WrestleMania III. I understand there was a pretty good turnout for that show.
Scott Keith goes on a Rant, which is always good. This time around, he takes Ken Kennedy…Kennedy to task for some recent comments he made online. Speaking of Scott, I went through the archives and recently read one of his classic Rants, called King Lear which discusses the state of the WWF between 1992 and 1996. It’s still an awesome read and the follow up Rant, Lazarus is even better.
Iain Burnside answers your questions and provides YouTube videos to help you catch your breath in between questions.
Top 10 Moments – TNA Victory Road 2007
Also Ran Moments & Thoughts
I ignored the 30 Minute Preshow…I was busy.
It’s great to see Elix Skipper back and with no Simon Diamond in sight, either.
There are no faces in the Hemme Vs Voodoo Kin Mafia feud as far as I’m concerned. Hemme’s not exactly teamed up with good guys and the VKM’ers can’t be considered good, either given how this whole thing started in the first place. Then again, people who cheer the unrelated James Brothers probably still pop mindlessly for Steve Austin…emphasising on, “mindlessly.”
Motor City Machine Guns? Reminds me too much of that WCW midcarder/jobber fella, Motor City Madman. Seeing Bob Backlund enter the arena to the sound of a death metal sounding theme is rather humorous.
Dustin Rhodes is back. Package Envy in TNA suddenly skyrockets. It is great that in the World of Russo, one can simply show up and do a heel turn, despite it never really being etablished that said person was a face in the first place. And what was the point of Chris Harris bringing the handcuffs??? Did he and James Storm make some sorta bondage related bet? If so, I’d say Chris better pay up.
Abyss’s promo style kinda reminds me of Kane a bit. No real opinion on Abyss & Sting defeating AJ Styles & Travis Tomko, since the match was just sorta there (along with a few others), but James Mitchell is back…skyrocketing Package Envy even more.
Had Raven been there, he probably would have let Kurt Angle beat up his boys anyway. He’s like that. But then Raven would hang one of ’em on a cross afterwards just to be pissy.
#10 – Devon’s Fired Up, Ray’s Guaranteeing
Being interviewed for the Main Event matchup, the Match Of Champions, Devon gets things going by excitedly telling the World that he’s been waiting for the moment in which he could receive a shot at the World Title. Ray meanwhile is a little more enthuisiastic about being the new King of the X Division. The Brothers appear to be at odds with one another over who’s going to get the win, teasing a little tension on their end of things heading into an already tension filled matchup.
#9 – Kurt Angle Attacks Jay Lethal In The Bathroom
Lethal’s becoming more Randy Savage than Randy Savage nowadays. Kurt was hoping to get someone to back him up in the Match Of Champions, but Jay declines the offer. Maybe he was waiting for Kurt to offer him the other half of the Tag Championship first. Before that can happen, Kurt loses his cool and beats up Jay. Poor Jay.
#8 – Frankie Kazarian Vs Elix Skipper Up Top
During the Ultimate X match, Kazarian climbs up top and decides to go to the very top itself, climbing atop the rails leading to the X and guaranteeing that he’s not brought down by his feet. Skipper meanwhile decides to climb up and meet him up there. At first it appears that Skipper has it in mind to Rana Kazarian off, but he begins to lose his footing so instead both men stand and give each other a brief staredown while balancing for all they’re worth high above the ring. They punch each other repeatedly until they lose their balance and after holding on as long as they can, both fall down to the ring.
#7 – Christian’s Coalition, Kurt Angle & Sonjay Dutt
What starts off as an interview conducted by Jeremy Borash with Christian Cage, AJ Styles and Travis Tomko eventually ends with Kurt Angle beating up Sonjay Dutt. While Christian hypes up his match against Chris Harris and Travis does his best to make sure AJ’s focused on their match against Abyss & Sting, Kurt arrives, looking for someone to be his supporting backup for the Match Of Champions. Christian declines on behalf of the team, arguing that they have their own issues to deal with and leave. Kurt’s not happy. Cue the always smiling and peaceful Sonjay Dutt, who’s full of peace and love and looking to take donations to fight for a worthy social cause. Kurt responds by beating up Sonjay. Kurt throws a dollar on Sonjay afterwards before walking off as his donation…only to change his mind at the last second and take the cash with him. Now that’s violent comedy.
#6 – Christopher Daniels Wins Ultimate X, Triple X Reunites
The exciting Ultimate X Gauntlet ends with Elix Skipper and Senshi, The Former Low Ki aiding Daniels in his quest to become the Ultimate X Winner. They do just that as Daniels grabs the big red X. Even though the trio was forced to split up some time back, I guess it can’t stop them from reuniting. Maybe Team Canada should remember that.
#5 – NWA Tag Champs? Roxxy Laveaux?
Uhhh…okay. Maybe it’s just habit for BG James to say, “future NWA Tag Team Champions of the WOOOORRRLLLLLD!!!” but seriously, pay better attention there. You wanna be TNA Champs now. Then again, maybe Karl Anderson & Joey Ryan will issue an open challenge to the Voodoo Kin Mafia, just for fun. And why not? They just beat one former DX’er in Sean Waltman so why not two more? Since Man On Woman Violence is no longer permitted, save the Baby Jesus crying, the VKM’ers decide to do the next best thing…bring out a white female voodoo equivalent to the Boogeyman (without the worms for now). Her name is Roxxy. And uhhh…yeah. I would comment on the crowd reaction, but there was none. Nora Greenwald could’ve beaten Christy Hemme up and looked better doing it. …But then I’m biased.
#4 – Steinerference Leads To Samoa Joe Eventually Winning The Match Of Champions
Thirty Seconds and storylines galore! First, Rick & Scott Steiner arrive to mess up Team 3D’s chances of winning, including a vicious plastic pipe shot from Scott. The Steiner Brothers leave and Samoa Joe fights with Kurt Angle over who’s going to take advantage. First it’s Joe, then it’s Angle, then it’s Joe again after a nasty clip on Angle. Joe gets the pinfall victory, retain his TNA X Championship and is now one half of the of TNA World Tag Team Champions. Who he picks as his partner shall be revealed later on. Team 3D are without their Titles while Kurt Angle retains his TNA World Heavyweight Championship. So… Kurt’s still Champ. Joe’s got two Titles. Joe gets to pick a Co-Champion for the Tag Titles. Team 3D’s feud with Rick & Scott picks back up. Kurt and Joe still hate each other’s guts.
#3 – Eric Young & Gail Kim Defeat Robert Roode & Traci Brooks
My favorite rivalry in TNA with a tribute to the Rock N’ Roll Express. I approve! Young and Kim hit the Double Dropkick on Roode, knocking him out of the ring while Brooks is still out cold from earlier attacks and Roode miscues. Brooks is pinned and the team of Young and Kim win, much to the crowd’s delight. Afterwards, as Young and Kim celebrate on one ramp, Roode chastises Brooks in the ring, blaming her for the loss and telling her to leave, which she does up the opposing ramp. With Roode focused on Brooks, he doesn’t notice Young sneaking into the ring. Young yanks Roode’s trunks down, causing further embarrassment for Roode, whose night has been about as bad as Jay Lethal’s.
#2 – Frankie Goes BANG From Up High
Perhaps the most replayed portion of the Pay Per View will be this one. During the Ultimate X, Christopher Daniels tries to fight off Homicide, only to find himself upside down while Homicide winds up on the mat. Frankie Kazarian is at the top rope and decides to leap towards Daniels, catching him by the neck and hitting a sick Diamondcutter that gets a roar from the crowd. While Daniels would go on to win the match anyway, it’s Kazarian who arguably winds up with the signature moment.
#1 – Beer Bottle To The Face, James Storm Defeats Rhino
Suddenly, we have a feud of pure hatred on our hands and a morality play. Yes, it’s been done before in the WWF in 1996 with Jerry Lawler and Jake Roberts (it appears Lawler definetly won that one) and also in either ROH or some other Indy (I’m sure Aaron knows) with Tommy Dreamer and Chick Magnet Punk. This time around, it’s bloody and soon to be full of angst with Storm as the perfect bad guy for this situation and Rhino the perfect face, given the buildup. Rhino, who’s been dealing with issues of alcoholism and sobriety for some time now has to fight the demons in a somewhat literal fashion with Storm trying to force the beer into his mouth and down his throat. With the Ref unable to notice, Storm counters a would be Gore from Rhino with an empty beer bottle to the face, causing Rhino to bleed from the forehead. The Ref, initially unconscious after an inadvertant strike against him, comes to just in time to count the pinfall in Storm’s favor. After the match, Storm’s manager and confidant, Jacquelyne Moore (kinda hard for me to call her, “Jackie Moore,” since the name reminds me of the singer) brings some beer to the ring, which Storm occassionally takes a swig of, but mainly tries to force down Rhino’s throat. Now tied to the ropes against his will and his face full of blood, Rhino must now endure a physical, psycological and mental form of torture from Storm as they torment him with the beer and snapshots of the moment. The fans boo and the Refs have a hard time dealing with Storm, who eventually leaves with Moore in tow. Both are happy with their efforts.
Overall, the Pay Per View wasn’t great, but it wasn’t bad either. The best part was nobody died in a limo explosion and the only Homicide involving any of the wrestlers was the wrestler using the name itself.
