Written By: Bob Colling
National Wrestling Alliance/Total Non-Stop Action presents Victory Road
Date: 11/7/2004
From: Orlando, Florida
Victory Road opening video
Mike Tenay and Don West welcome everyone to the show and briefly talk about the main event.
Earlier in the day, Shane Douglas met up with NWA-TNA World Heavyweight Champion Jeff Hardy in the parking lot. Jarrett just got off the phone with Scott Hall and was told that Kevin Nash will not be at the pay per view.
Mike Tenay hypes up the 20 man X-Division battle royal
Opening Contest: Hector Garza won a 20 man X-Division battle royal:
Order of Entry:
First Entrant: Frankie Kazarian
Second Entrant: Sonjay Dutt
Third Entrant: Puma
Fourth Entrant: LA Park
Fifth Entrant: Jerrelle Clark
Sixth Entrant: Miyamoto
Seventh Entrant: Michael Shane
Eighth Entrant: Hector Garza
Ninth Entrant: Nosawa
Tenth Entrant: Mikey Batts
Eleventh Entrant: Alex Shelley
Twelfth Entrant: Matt Sydal
Thirteenth Entrant: Sonny Siaki
Fourteenth Entrant: Jason Cross
Fifteenth Entrant: Shark Boy
Sixteenth Entrant: Psicosis
Seventeenth Entrant: D-Ray 3000
Eighteenth Entrant: Amazing Red
Nineteenth Entrant: Spanky
Twentieth Entrant: Chris Sabin
Order of Elimination:
First Elimination: Puma by Michael Shane and Frankie Kazarian
Second Elimination: Jerrelle Clark by Michael Shane and Frankie Kazarian
Third Elimination: Miyamoto by Michael Shane and Frankie Kazarian
Fourth Elimination: Sonjay Dutt by Alex Shelley
Fifth Elimination: LA Park by Frankie Kazarian
Sixth Elimination: Nosawa by Sonny Siaki
Seventh Elimination: Mikey Batts by Hector Garza
Eighth Elimination: Matt Sydal by Alex Shelley
Ninth Elimination: Shark Boy by Sonny Siaki
Tenth Elimination: D-Ray 3000 by Sonny Siaki
Eleventh Elimination: Alex Shelley by Jason Cross
Twelfth Elimination: Sonny Siaki by Chris Sabin and Spanky
Thirteenth Elimination: Michael Shane by Spanky
Fourteenth Elimination: Jason Cross by Psicosis
Fifteenth Elimination: Psicosis by Amazing Red
Sixteenth Elimination: Amazing Red by Frankie Kazarian
Seventeenth Elimination: Spanky by Chris Sabin
Eighteenth Elimination: Chris Sabin by Hector Garza
Nineteenth Elimination: Frankie Kazarian by Hector Garza
A video of Dusty Rhodes campaign to become the Director of Authority is shown.
Scott Hudson looks at the polls for the battle between Dusty Rhodes and Vince Russo. Dusty Rhodes is currently winning 54% to 46%. Hudson is given a note that says a web server has gone down in Stamford, CT.
Kid Kash, Dallas and the Naturals come into the scene and Kid Kash cuts a promo on rookies. Kash is the leader of this tag team and says that he has been a world champion every place he has been too. The Naturals do not appear happy with Kash’s leadership.
Second Contest: Ron Killings/Erik Watts/Johnny B. Badd/Pat Kenney defeated Kid Kash/Dallas/The Naturals: Kash and Kenney start off the contest with Kenney and Kash trading arm drags but Kenney gets the advantage. Badd tags in and is poked in the eyes, and Kash tags out to Douglas. Badd hip tosses Douglas a few times and chops Douglas in the corner. Watts tags into the contest and kicks Douglas in the ribs and sends Douglas into the ropes which allows Stevens to tag in and chop block the knee of Watts. Stevens tags out quickly to Dallas who kicks Watts in the gut but Watts recovers and choke slams Dallas. Dallas fights back with a side slam and tags out to Kash. Watts bicycle kicks Kash and tags out to Kenney. Kenney with right hands on Kash in the corner but Kash comes back with a running forearm shot in the corner and a uppercut. Dallas tags back in but Kenney hammers away on Dallas. Kenney misses a clothesline and is met with a big boot from Dallas. Dallas comes off the top rope with a moonsault but Kenney moves out of the way. Killings tags in and cleans house hitting Stevens with the scissors kick but Dallas breaks up the count. Everyone gets in the ring and brawl to the floor. Badd crotches Stevens on the top rope and connects with a hurricanrana. Killings grabs Stevens and plants Stevens with his version of a pedigree to win the match. *¼
Backstage, Shane Douglas runs up to a limo in the parking lot and believes that Kevin Nash is in the limo. The driver says that Nash is not in the limo. Douglas wants to know who is in the limo, but the driver doesn’t tell him.
Abyss is in a secluded room where he hasn’t been given any food or water for 24 hours.
Third Contest: Mascarita Sagrada defeated Piratita Morgan: Sagrada gets the win with a crucifix pin. That’s all you need to know regarding this match.
Backstage, Scott Hudson is still talking about the voting battle between Rhodes and Russo. Hudson is joined by the 3LK. Konnan says that himself and BG James will be bringing the tag team titles to their camp. Konnan says that Team Canada doesn’t know to finish what they started. BG James tells Team Canada that they are going to school them.
Scott Hall makes his way down to the ring and gets a pretty good reception from the Orlando crowd. Hall starts off with his “Hey Yo” as expected. Hall says you can’t start a party without inviting Scott Hall. Hall knows that he hasn’t missed many parties. Hall reveals that Kevin Nash will not be at the show and Hall can be trusted on that statement. Hall says that he invented the ladder match (Bret Hart introduced it to the WWF), and says “may the best Jeff win”.
A video hyping up the NWA-TNA World Tag Team Championship match is shown.
Before the next match, Konnan and BG James do their usual catchphrases.
Fourth Contest: BG James/Konnan defeated NWA-TNA World Tag Team Champions Bobby Roode/Eric Young to win the tag team titles: James and Roode are the men to start off the title match. Roode with a shot to the midsection and a over right hand to gain control. James ducks a clothesline and takes both champions down with jabs. James sends Young into Roode in the corner and the champions roll to the floor. James attempts a cross body coming off the ropes but Young drops down to the mat and James flies to the floor. On the floor, Roode rams James back first into the apron. Young works on James in the corner and tags out to Roode. Roode with several stomps in the corner and tags out again to Young. Young with a backbreaker and gets a two count. Roode tags back in and scoop slams James followed by a elbow drop from Young. Roode goes for the cover but James is able to kick out at two. James kicks Roode in the chest as Roode attempted a backdrop but James is knocked down with a shoulder block from Roode. Young enters and chokes James behind the referees back. James tags Konnan as he is in a front face lock but the referee didn’t see it as Roode distracted him. Roode with a vertical suplex and Young leaps off the top with a elbow drop for a near fall. Young has a hockey stick but James avoided being hit with it and jumps onto the stick to send Roode and Young into each other. Konnan gets the tag and clotheslines Roode and drops Young guy first down to the mat. Double leg slam by Konnan on Young and plays to the crowd. Konnan locks in the Tequila Sunrise on Young but Roode breaks up the submission. Roode drives James down with the spine buster and goes for a clothesline but Konnan grabs his foot. Roode breaks free and runs into a big boot from James. James goes for the pump handle slam but Scott D’Amore runs in. However, Ron Killings runs down and prevents anything from happening. Roode nails James with a running clothesline but Konnan is able to drop Roode with the face buster and wins the match and titles! *½
After the match, 3LK celebrate their win!
Raven is sitting in a dark room but is able to find a camera and cuts a promo. Raven says that being crazy has allowed him to not become insane. Raven wants out of the room because he wants to hurt someone.
A Vince Russo campaign video is shown.
Roddy Piper comes down to the ring and says that tonight is about legends. Piper says that he has been stabbed and has had people try to kill him. Piper wants to talk about legends. Piper introduces the guy who put the X in X-Division. Piper introduces Jimmy Snuka! Snuka slowly makes his way down to the ring and is greeted with a good reception from the crowd. Piper says that hitting Snuka with a coconut has been haunting him for twenty years. Piper puts over Snuka’s ability to fly off the top of the cage. Snuka has a pretty hilarious look on his face as Piper cuts his promo. Piper gives Snuka a coconut and tells Snuka to hit him with a coconut to even up the score. Piper turns around and wants Snuka to hit him but Snuka doesn’t. Piper turns his back again but Snuka doesn’t do it. Kid Kash makes his way down to the ring to break up the promo. Kash tells Piper to step back as he didn’t like Piper putting over a guy who has done nothing in the business, according to him. Kash says that Snuka is best known for falling off a steel cage in MSG. Kash says that Snuka would never be able to carry his jock strap. Kash goes to hit Snuka but Snuka grabs Kash by the throat and chops Kash. Michael Shane and Frankie Kazarian run down to attack Snuka. Piper pulls all three men off of Snuka. Sonjay Dutt comes down and dropkicks Kash but is beaten down by Shane and Kazarian. Dutt with a moonsault off the middle rope and clotheslines Shane and Kazarian over the top. Kash as a coconut and nails Sonjay Dutt with the coconut! Piper chases Kash out of the ring and checks on Dutt. Kazarian tells Kash that wasn’t cool and Shane doesn’t like it either. Kash is trying to say he didn’t bring the coconut into the ring.
Monty Brown is in a dark room and cuts a promo about being most dangerous when he has a purpose.
A video hyping up Trinity is shown.
Before the next match, Johnny Swinger says that people show up when there is a open challenge. Glenn Gilbertti goes to cut a promo but Trinity yanks the microphone away. Trinity isn’t surprised that no one showed up and believes that all the women are afraid of her. Trinity gives the paparazzi a beauty shot as he is on the shoulders of Gilbertti and Swinger. Jacqueline shows up and takes out all three members of the NYC.
Fifth Contest: Trinity defeated Jacqueline: After about two minutes of action, Swinger drops Jacqueline throat first across the top rope and Trinity hit’s a moonsault off the top to win the match.
Backstage, Scott Hudson is with Triple X, Elix Skipper and Christopher Daniels. Skipper tells Daniels that their new attitude has always been their old attitude. Daniels tells AMW to say their prayers and says that the only way they leave the ring is if they beg.
A video hyping up the Monsters Ball match is shown.
Sixth Contest: Monty Brown defeated Raven and Abyss in a Monster’s Ball match: Abyss crotches Raven on the guard railing as Brown makes his entrance. Brown has set up a table on the floor and hammers away on Abyss. Abyss sends Brown head first into the ring post and goes into crowd to attack Raven. Raven with a few right hands but Abyss hits Raven and Brown with a trash can. Abyss lifts Raven up by the throat and drops Raven down on the steps. Brown is sent into the ring as there is a dark figure in the rafters. Abyss with the Shock Treatment on Brown in the ring for a near fall. Raven broke up the count and along with Brown try to double team Abyss but they are met with a clothesline. Abyss splashes Brown in the corner and Raven knocks Abyss down with a discus clothesline and goes for the floor to grab a chair. Abyss kicks Raven in the face and goes to hit Raven with the chair but is met with a super kick. Raven clotheslines Brown and drop toe holds Abyss into a chair for a near fall. Brown avoids being sent into the chair and hits both Raven and Abyss with the chair. Brown clotheslines Abyss over the top to the floor and kicks Raven in the face. Brown with a t-bone suplex on Raven and follows up with a fall away slam! Brown goes for the Pounce but Raven pulls the referee in the way and Brown hit’s the referee! Brown lifts Abyss up and connects with a running power slam! Brown goes for the Pounce and knocks Raven off the apron but Abyss catches Brown and drives Brown down with the Black Hole Slam! Abyss goes under the ring and grabs his bag of thumbtacks. Brown is placed on the top turnbuckle and they trade right hands as Raven is on the floor. Abyss dumps the bag of thumbtacks and goes towards Brown but is met with right hands. Abyss goes to the middle rope and attempts a superplex but Brown blocks it. Brown and Abyss trade head butts and right hands until Raven slides in and power bombs Abyss onto the thumbtacks! Raven goes for the cover but only gets a two count! Raven and Abyss go to the floor where Raven throws another table into the ring. Raven hammers away on both Brown and Abyss. Raven knocks Abyss off the apron sending him through a table on the floor. Raven turns around to be met with the Pounce sending him through a table set up in the corner! Brown covers and picks up the win. **
Backstage, Shane Douglas is still arguing with the limo driver to let him talk to the person in the limo. Douglas argues with Don Harris as well.
A video highlighting the weekend of TNA events.
Backstage, Scott Hudson is standing with Scott D’Amore and NWA-TNA X-Division Champion Petey Williams. Hudson mentions that tonight has not been a good night for Team Canada. Hudson says the odd makers have made Petey Williams the underdog for his match against AJ Styles. Williams wants to see how Phenomenal AJ Styles is when he falls to the Canadian Destroyer. D’Amore says that Styles doesn’t know who he is dealing with. D’Amore makes a bold statement by saying that if AJ Styles wins the title he will go back to Canada and will never be heard of again!
A video hyping up the NWA-TNA X-Division Championship match is shown.
Seventh Contest: NWA-TNA X-Division Champion Petey Williams defeated AJ Styles to retain the title: They trade forearm shots until Styles takes Williams down with a go behind a few times. Williams elbows out and tries a German suplex but Styles lands on his feet and rolls Williams up a couple of times for a near fall. They trade a series of pin attempts but neither man gets a three and they have a stand off. They trade a few chops until Williams pokes Styles eyes. Williams trips Styles as he comes off the ropes but is taken down with a kip up hurricanrana and Styles connects with a nice dropkick. Styles leaps over the top but lands on his feet and attempts a moonsault but lands on his feet again and kicks Williams on the back. Williams is sent back first into the railing and Styles leaps over the top taking Williams out with a somersault dive! Williams stops Styles with a jawbreaker and kicks Styles in the midsection. Williams drop toe holds Styles chest first into the ring ropes and D’Amore gets a cheap shot in on Styles. Williams places Styles into the tree of woe in the corner and steps on Styles groin while singing the Canadian national anthem. Styles with a few right hands but Williams backs him into a corner and sends Styles into the corner where Styles attempts a moonsault reverse neck breaker but Williams to far away so Styles hits Williams with his legs. Williams crotches Styles in the corner and goes to step on Styles groin again but Styles reverses it with a German suplex while in a tree of woe! Styles nails Williams with the Pele kick as Williams stands on the apron and falls back into the ring. They trade right forearms until Styles goes off for a flurry of shots. Styles drives Williams down with a back suplex but is kneed in the midsection and sent to the floor. Styles quickly comes back with a springboard forearm shot off the top and gets a near fall. Williams knees Styles in the face and takes Styles down with a side Russian leg sweep. Williams goes for the Canadian Destroyer but Styles gets out of it and attempts the Styles Clash but Williams gets out of it. Styles double leg slams Williams into the corner and Styles signals for the Styles Clash. Williams rolls through but Styles rolls through on top and gets a near fall as Scott D’Amore gets on the apron. Williams has a hockey stick but it is yanked away by the referee. Williams grabs his championship and hits Styles with it but only gets a two count! Williams goes for the Destroyer but Styles crotches Williams on the top turnbuckle. Styles drops down to the mat and is able to deliver a few shots to Williams. D’Amore tries to grab Styles foot but Williams slams Styles off sending him chest first down to the canvas. Williams leaps off the middle rope and plants Styles with the Canadian Destroyer to win the match. **½
After the match, Styles beats down Scott D’Amore until Team Canada runs down to try and get their hands on him.
Backstage, NWA-TNA World Heavyweight Champion Jeff Jarrett is tapping up his wrists. While, Jeff Hardy rubs paint on his face and screams in a mirror.
A video hyping up the NWA-TNA World Tag Team Championship match.
Eighth Contest: America’s Most Wanted defeated Christopher Daniels/Elix Skipper in a last team standing match: All four men brawl as soon as the bell sounds. They go to the floor where Harris and Skipper trade right hands while Daniels and Storm quickly go back to the ring only for Storm to dump Daniels over the top to the floor. Storm takes Skipper down with a lifting reverse DDT. Storm holds Skipper and Harris comes off the ropes with a clothesline for a near fall. Daniels misses a clothesline and is super kicked by Storm. AMW attempt the Death Sentence on Daniels but Skipper breaks up the attempt but is nailed by Harris with a leg drop off the top. Storm drives Daniels down with the Eight Second Ride and pins Daniels. Daniels has a ten count to answer and if he doesn’t he is eliminated. Daniels gets up at eight and is power bombed by Storm. Harris tags in and clotheslines Daniels but runs into a big boot in the corner. Daniels with a side slam and tags out to Skipper. Skipper kicks Harris on the back and gets a near fall. Skipper tags back out to Daniels and they double team scoop slam Harris. Skipper scoop slams Daniels onto the back of Harris and Daniels taunts Storm on the apron. XXX with a vertical suplex/cross body combo on Harris and Skipper gets a near fall. Skipper scoop slams Harris and tags in Daniels. Daniels drives his knee into the back of Harris and delivers a few right hands. Harris battles back with a few rights but Daniels hammers away on Harris. Daniels is met with a clothesline and Storm tags into the match. Storm takes Daniels down with a tilt a whirl head scissors and side slams Skipper for a near fall. Storm goes for the super kick but Daniels clips Storm’s injured right knee. XXX drive Storm down with a power bomb/neck breaker. Daniels covers Storm and gets the three. Storm has a ten count to answer and manages to get up at nine. Skipper gives Daniels a chair and Daniels nails Storm across the injured knee with the chair as Skipper distracted the referee. Daniels pins Storm and Storm is unable to make the ten count.
First Elimination: James Storm has been eliminated.
Harris comes in and misses a clothesline on Daniels. Daniels with a book end on Harris and misses the Best Moonsault Ever. Harris connects with the spear and covers Daniels but only gets a two count. Skipper slips off the top rope and axe handles Harris. Harris knocks Skipper off the apron and Skipper falls to the floor. Harris leaps off the middle rope and connects with a leg drop on Daniels to get a three count. Daniels is unable to make the ten count.
Second Elimination: Christopher Daniels has been eliminated.
Harris hammers away on Skipper as they make their way into the ring. Skipper goes for the Play of the Day but Harris reverses into a power bomb. Harris goes for the cover but Skipper kicks out. Harris goes for a vertical suplex but his back gives out. Skipper botches the Play of the Day and grabs a chair. Skipper shoves the referee away and goes to hit Harris but Harris blocks it and connects with the Catatonic onto the chair! Harris covers and gets the three even though Skipper appears to have kicked out. The referee counts Skipper out and AMW wins. *
After the match, Daniels comes back to the ring and hits Harris across the back with a chair. Daniels has handcuffs but James Storm runs down and hammers away on Daniels. Storm turns to Skipper and is nailed with a chair by Daniels. Daniels handcuffs AMW to each other by the wrists. Daniels whacks both AMW members across the back with the chair.
Backstage, Scott Hudson interviews NWA-TNA World Heavyweight Champion Jeff Jarrett. Jarrett says that Jeff Hardy has “No Nash, No Hope, No Title”.
In the ring, Mike Tenay has the results of the DOA voting. Tenay announces that Dusty Rhodes has won the DOA spot with a 55% vote over Russo’s 45%. Russo shakes hands with Larry Zbyszko backstage as Rhodes makes his way down to the ring. Dusty Rhodes cuts a promo about how TNA has waited 2 ½ years for this night. Rhodes announces that on December 5th their will be a steel cage match between Triple X and America’s Most Wanted! Rhodes says that “way up north they are glued to their televisions and know they are in for a war”. Rhodes hypes up the ladder match and that’s it.
A video hyping up the NWA-World Heavyweight Championship match is shown.
Main Event: NWA-TNA World Heavyweight Champion Jeff Jarrett defeated Jeff Hardy in a ladder match to retain the title: Hardy slides a ladder into the ring during his introduction. Jarrett goes after Hardy before the bell but Hardy backs Jarrett in a corner and hammers away on the champ. Hardy with a clothesline but Jarrett jabs Hardy in the midsection and rams Hardy into the corner. Hardy sends Jarrett back first into the ladder set up in the corner, twice. Hardy rams a ladder into the midsection of Jarrett in the corner and runs off the ladder to deliver a dropkick to the face of Jarrett. Hardy places Jarrett between the ladder and slams the ladder across the back of Jarrett. Hardy with a double leg drop onto the ladder driving the ladder across Jarrett’s back. Hardy steps on the metal bars holding the ladder up into the back of Jarrett and comes off the ropes with a dropkick. Jarrett prevents Hardy from climbing the ladder as he pokes Hardy in the eyes. Hardy sends Jarrett face first into the ladder and leg sweeps Jarrett down. Hardy leaps off the top and over a ladder attempting a leg drop but Jarrett rolls out of the way. Jarrett slams a ladder across Hardy a few times. Jarrett tosses Hardy chest first into a ladder set up in the corner. Jarrett bridges a ladder between the apron and guard railing. Jarrett drops Hardy chest first across the ladder a few times. Jarrett rams the ladder into the ribs of Hardy back in the ring. Hardy rolls to the apron and is knocked off as Jarrett rams the ladder into the head of Hardy. Jarrett and Hardy on the floor as Jarrett sends Hardy face first into the ladder. Jarrett sets the ladder up in the middle of the ring and begins to climb towards the belt. Hardy climbs the ladder on the floor and leaps off the top to dropkick Jarrett off the ladder! Hardy with a few right hand shots and scoop slams Jarrett onto the ladder. Hardy heads to the top rope and leaps off connecting with the Swanton Bomb as Jarrett remained on the ladder! Hardy sets the ladder up over Jarrett and Scott Hall runs down to the ring. Hall grabs Hardy as he climbs the ladder and plants Hardy with the Razors Edge! Security comes down and escorts Hall away from the ring. Hall goes to the floor and grabs a chair where he promises he will behave. Security lets him sit down and Hall is cheering for Jarrett. Hardy grabs a chair and leg drops the chair across the back of Jarrett. Hardy brings a second ladder into the ring and places the ladder on top of the other ladder. Jarrett places Hardy on the top rope and attempts a superplex. Hardy battles Jarrett and Jarrett drops down. Hardy leaps off the top rope and catapults the other side of the ladder into the face of Jarrett! Hardy and Jarrett start to climb up the ladder and begin to trade right hands. Hardy grabs Jarrett connects with a face buster off the ladder! Hardy gets a few stomps in before he is dragged out by Hall who hammers away on Hardy on the floor. Hardy ducks a clothesline and cuts Jarrett off as he was climbing the ladder. Hardy tips the ladder over and Jarrett crotches himself on the middle rope. Hardy begins to climb the ladder and is at the top but the ladder is tipped over by Jarrett and Hardy lands onto Hall! Hardy sends Hall into the ring steps and Hardy sends Jarrett into Hall. Hardy has a chair and goes back into the ring where he leaps off the chair and dives onto both Jarrett and Hall! Hardy goes under the ring to grab a third ladder which is much bigger than the other ladders. Hardy climbs up the ladder on the floor and Jarrett climbs up the other side. They trade right hands but the ladder tips over and they crash hard to the entrance ramp and the ladder falls on top of Hall! Hardy and Jarrett are back in the ring and set up ladders. They start climbing different ladders and trade right hands as they reach the top of each ladder. Hardy low blows Jarrett and goes for a sunset flip power bomb but Jarrett doesn’t let go of the ladder so it is botched. Hardy goes for a sunset flip power bomb to the floor and connects this time. Hardy climbs up the ladder but Hall comes in with a chair and has the chair kicked in his face. Hardy with the Twist of Fate and Hall stumbles around before falling to the mat. Hardy leaps off the top and connects with the Swanton Bomb. Hardy starts to climb the ladder but Jarrett enters and eventually hits Hardy with a chair. Jarrett has brought a guitar into the ring and climbs up the ladder with the guitar. Some music begins to play and Kevin Nash arrives with two guitars. Nash gives Hall one of the guitars and they hit Hardy three times. Jarrett yanks down the championship to win the match. **
After the match, Kevin Nash grabs a microphone and says he was wondering why Hardy was green. Nash believes that Hardy is green with envy after standing next to Nash in the bathroom. Nash cuts the typical New World Order promo about taking over the business and taking all the money. Nash calls out the locker room to take them on. AJ Styles makes his way down to the ring and takes Hall/Jarrett out with springboard double clothesline. Styles avoids Nash’s offense and dropkicks Nash. Styles goes for the Styles Clash on Jarrett but Nash delivers a big boot. 3LK come down to the ring and they get the upper hand briefly. Hall with the Razors Edge on Killings. James is power bombed by Nash. The limo door outside opens and the mystery man makes his way out. Some familiar music hits and it is revealed to be…. RANDY SAVAGE! Savage makes his way down to the ring but is prevented from entering the ring by security. Savage plays to the crowd as the pay per view ends.
End of show.
My Take: The opening x-division battle royal was a entertaining way to start off the show. As expected their were a few high spots throughout the contest but it was a good way to pump up the crowd. Garza was in line for a pretty big push it appeared but legal issues a couple months later prevented him from ever competing in TNA ever again.
The eight man tag team match wasn’t all that bad as it went by pretty quickly. Everyone was given a chance to showcase what they offer to TNA so I can’t hate on the match too much. Badd should have just gotten the pin on Stevens though, Killings didn’t need to hit his pedigree type move. Speaking of Killings, six months ago he was a world title contender and now he is in a throw away eight man tag match. Clearly, TNA never thought much of the guy.
The tag team title match wasn’t all that bad. Seemed pretty basic and the crowd seemed kind of dead for it. A pretty quick match as well so the action never really died down, which if it did would have made the match worse.
TNA could’ve made Kid Kash stand out of the X-Division if they had Kash hit Piper with the coconut. Instead, he just hits Dutt and I would assume that will lead to a meaningless X-Division feud. Kash has the ability and charisma to be a top heel in TNA. His only drawback for the company would be his size as AJ Styles is really the only “small guy” to succeed in TNA at this point.
Monster’s Ball match was a decent brawl but it wasn’t all that hardcore. I liked the finish as it just seemed like it came off well. Brown is one of the more popular wrestlers for TNA and is clearly being groomed for bigger things. Good decision to put over Brown here.
Williams/Styles was a major letdown for me. Considering all the hype for the match I was expecting a four star match or more. When I bought this pay per view back in 2004 I remember being shocked at how short the match was. I believe they were running short on time, but I noticed that the main event was still almost twenty minutes. Another good finish with the Destroyer coming off the middle rope.
The last team standing match was very, very boring. Their was quite a few botches and the finish was poorly executed. Skipper must have forgotten the finish because he clearly kicked out and the referee must have told him to stay down as Skipper quickly got up to his knees and just fell back down. Those four guys could have done a lot better.
The main event had plenty of things wrong with it. I did like that they used the ladder quite a bit, but it got to the point where perhaps they actually used it too much. Anyway, all the interference by Scott Hall really hurt this match. It’s not a good way to finish off your first big pay per view with a screw job main event. That is what doomed WCW (among other things, obviously). Another thing is why are they yet again going to rehash a New World Order type of group? No one wants to see that anymore. I thought having one guy like AJ Styles come down and clean house before going for his finisher on one guy (which makes zero sense given the situation). I know Styles is a big player for TNA but to have him take out three heels who are much bigger than him makes the new apparent group extremely weak. The debut of Randy Savage is a odd way to finish the show. Savage did nothing other than come down and just play to the crowd. I wonder how much TNA paid him for ten seconds of airtime. Waste of money I would have to think.
Overall, the opening match was a entertaining match that I didn’t rate because I don’t rate those type of matches. A lot of the matches seemed to be rushed and not given enough time (Styles/Williams and Monsters Ball) for them to be anything good. I would to say this show was a disappointment.
Thanks for reading.