TNA Genesis 1/8/2012

Total Non-Stop Action presents Genesis
Date: 1/8/2012
From: Orlando, FL

Matches:
1.)TNA X-Division Champion Austin Aries defeated Jesse Sorensen, Kid Kash & Zema Ion
2.)Devon defeated D’Angelo Dinero
3.)Gunner defeated Rob Van Dam
4.)TNA Knockouts Champion Gail Kim defeated Mickie James by disqualification
5.)Abyss defeated Bully Ray in a Monster’s Ball Match
6.)TNA World Tag Team Champions Matt Morgan & Crimson defeated Samoa Joe & Magnus
7.)Kurt Angle defeated James Storm
8.)Jeff Hardy defeated TNA World Champion Bobby Roode by disqualification

Angle Developments/Notes:
1.The opening match was actually an elimination match, which I don’t remember it being promoted as such. Jesse and Ion were given the spotlight to open the bout with Aries and Kash just hanging out on the floor. All four men try to get quick roll ups, which is the obvious spot to take place during the match. Aries tried to pin all three men after they did a triple slam spot out of the corner, but wasn’t able to get the pin on anyone. Ion hit a twisting dive off the top rope onto Kash and Aries on the floor. That was a nice spot. Jesse got in on the action with a springboard somersault dive to the floor as well. Kash gets eliminated following a 450 splash by Ion. Aries does the same move onto Jesse, but he kicks out. Doesn’t that seem pointless? Moments later, Jesse counters a tornado DDT attempt by Ion and rolls him up to eliminate him. Ion remains at ringside and crotches Jesse on the top rope moments later. That allows Aries to dropkick Jesse and hit a middle rope brain buster to retain the title. I thought it was a decent match to start off the show. Kash didn’t really impress me, but the younger three guys did. Jesse is probably going to be the guy to take the title from Aries, and I don’t think I’m against that. Hopefully they drag it out a few more months, though.

2.Backstage, Jeremy Borash talks to Pope and Devon’s kids. Tonight, he is going to beat up Devon so badly, he will never forget it.

3.Devon opened the bout hammering away on Pope with several strikes and a clothesline. Pope “accidentally” pushed the referee into the ropes to cause Devon to be crotched on the top rope. The sons look to be kind of concerned for their father after Pope kicks him head first into the ring post. Pope wants the kids to enter the ring as Devon is laying on mat. He wants the kids to finish their father off. They look more worried than vicious. Pope is pissed that they won’t do it. Pope tosses one of the kids to the floor and punches the other son with a right hand. Devon recovers from the previous beating and splashes Pope in the corner. Devon finishes Pope off with the Saving Grace to win the match. After the match, the sons embrace their father and all is good with the world.

4.Backstage, Velvet Sky wants to talk to Sting. She gets her wish and wants to talk to him about the VP position. She wants the position. Sky doesn’t want Madison Rayne to get the position. Sky has apparently done something to keep Rayne from getting involved in the Knockouts Championship match tonight. Sting proceeds to put over Jeff Hardy big time.

5.Gunner picked up a huge win on the pay per view when he was able to pin Rob Van Dam. Gunner is obsessed with the concrete floor. He ended up planting RVD face first onto the concrete with a DDT to win the match. I’m assuming that RVD is going to be off television for several months because he is a really stale character and has looked quite lazy as of late. He did do a stretcher job, by the way.

6.As if anyone cared, the TNA Knockouts Championship was on the line. Madison Rayne was locked in a cage by Velvet Sky to prevent her from getting involved. James controlled Kim throughout the entire match with clotheslines and a hurricanrana as the main move sets. Rayne was above the ring in the cage, but still found a way to get involved in the match. She dropped two sets of brass knuckles for Kim. The first set was discovered by the referee and second one was intercepted by James. James used the brass knuckles on Kim and was disqualified for doing so.

7.Backstage, Bully Ray cut a promo saying he was a king at hardcore matches. He went on to say that Mick Foley and Terry Funk bow down to him.

8.This is probably one of the matches that I have been looking forward to. Mainly because I’m a sucker for hardcore matches and Bully Ray is doing a great job with his heel role. Abyss drops Ray early with a choke slam but Ray just gets up and big boots Abyss. Abyss proceeds to toss just about everything into the ring. Abyss punches a trash can into Ray’s face. Abyss ends up grabbing Janice from under the ring, and Ray bails. Ray is brought back and sends Abyss shoulder first into a barbed wire board and slams the board into Abyss’s face! Abyss uses the cheese grater on Ray’s groin. Abyss dumps out some tacks and tries for a choke slam but Ray avoids it with a low blow. This is more comical than it is violent. Abyss choke slams Ray through a table but only got a near fall. Abyss brings in two barbed wire boards into the ring. Ray slams Abyss onto one of the boards for a near fall. Ray sandwiches Abyss between both boards and leaps off the middle rope to back splash one of boards onto Abyss! Abyss blocks being hit with Janice and choke slams Ray onto the tacks for only a two count. Ray fights back working on Abyss with several kendo stick shots. Abyss hits the Black Hole Slam onto a barbed wire board to win the match. I don’t know, I was really disappointed by this. The first five or so minutes was rather comical and not all that violent. It was just your standard hardcore match, really. There were a few good spots, but it I wouldn’t say it was “awesome” like the goons at the Impact Zone chanted.

9.The TNA World Tag Team Championships were on the line with there really not being any story or reason for this to happen. Joe and Magnus won the Wild Card tournament, but there isn’t any personal issues between these two teams. That being said, I didn’t care for the match. Morgan pinned Magnus after a he and Crimson hit a double choke slam. Moving on…

10.Can James Storm beat Kurt Angle for a third time? Storm had the early advantage with a neck breaker and went for the super kick but Angle bailed to the floor. Angle returns to drop Storm across the top rope and follows up with a over head belly to belly suplex. Angle maintains control with a leg drop after letting go of a headlock. Storm blocks a clothesline with a side Russian leg sweep. Storm hits a Back Stabber but only manages to get a two count on a cover attempt. Angle battles back with three German suplexs. Angle hits a top rope moonsault but isn’t able to put Storm away. Storm ducks a clothesline to hit a DDT. Storm misses a super kick but counters the Angle Slam with an arm drag. Angle hits the Angle Slam but Storm powers out at two. Storm with a double knee to Angle’s face and hits an ace crusher for a near fall. Angle pulls the referee into his way as Storm went for the Last Call. Angle low blows Storm and delivers a kick to Storm’s face to win the match. I didn’t like the finish, but the match was a fine bout. It makes sense for Angle to win as he is still an important piece to the company. Plus, it was a cheap win so it works out fine.

11.It’s time for Jeff Hardy to fulfill his redemption. The start of the bout starts off rather slow with Roode working on Hardy’s arm. Hardy takes the champ down with a head scissors out of the corner. Hardy sends Roode to the floor following a clothesline and hits a baseball slide drop kick. Hardy leaps off the apron to clothesline Roode on the floor. Hardy tosses Roode into the steps and proceeds to leap off the steps after a running head start to splash onto Roode up against the railing. Roode crotches Hardy on the top rope and puts him in the tree of woe to deliver several boots. Roode begins to work on Hardy’s back with a back breaker and sends the challenger hard back first into the corner. Roode hits a middle rope knee drop but only gets a two count on a cover. Hardy is sent to the floor where Roode drops Hardy throat first across the guard railing. Roode avoids a kick and locks in the Crossface. Hardy reaches the bottom rope to break the hold. Roode mocks Hardy before he leaps off the middle rope but he is met with a double boot shot to the face by Hardy. Hardy makes his comeback with a backdrop and a spin kick. Hardy delivers a jaw breaker but runs right into a spine buster. Roode only gets a near fall on the cover. Hardy blocks a superplex and drops Roode to the mat. Roode bails to the floor and walks up the ramp way to take a count-out. Hardy comes running out and stops Roode. Roode stops Hardy with a kick and hits a fisherman suplex only to get a near fall. Hardy hits the Twist of Fate, and hits the Whisper in the Wind but only gets a near fall. Roode avoids a second attempt and grabs his championship to get a count-out but Hardy prevents that from happening again. Roode nearly steals a victory with a roll up with his legs on the ropes but referee sees it. Roode shoves the referee and is nearly rolled up by Hardy. What in the hell.. Roode just low blowed the referee. Hardy hits the Twist of Fate but the referee called for the bell. Well, that was disappointing. After the match, Hardy hits a Swanton Bomb. You’re still not the champion, though. Roode is given his championship and holds onto it on the mat to close the show.

Final Thoughts:
I’d consider this to be a bad pay per view. The main event didn’t cause that to happen, but it didn’t help. There were only three matches that had entertainment value to me. Those were the opener, Ray/Abyss and Storm/Angle. Heck, the Storm/Angle match was borderline good, anyway. People have been complaining about the main event, but it makes sense. They want Roode to be champion a little longer and they booked themselves into a bad situation. Hardy can’t lose so soon and Roode needs be the champion Hardy chases after. Sure, the DQ finish sucks, but it’s really their only option. I don’t know why they just didn’t have Roode feud with someone before going to Hardy. I’d skip this show as it just feels flat and isn’t all that entertaining.

Thanks for reading.