Total Non-Stop Action presents Xplosion
Date: 3/1/2003
From: Nashville, TN
MATCH #1: TRINITY VS. ODB
NOTE: Desire joined commentary for the match
FINISH: Trinity counters a powerbomb attempt with a hurricanrana to pickup the win. After the match, Desire attacks Trinity to leave her laying for a moment.
Bob’s Take: ODB has a manager named Pat Taylor, who is nicknamed the Super Model. ODB obviously would go on to have a successful run with TNA a few years later when the Knockouts division is formed. ODB is not doing her known gimmick here in 2003. The Nashville crowd let Pat Taylor know they think he’s a queer because he’s a model. The action wasn’t bad this week between the women. ODB would be far more entertaining and show her charisma later on in her career. Taylor seems to be TNA’s attempt to have a Rico-like character on their hardly watched secondary show.
Match Rating: *1/2
Jeremy Borash and Mike Tenay are the hosts this week and they talk about the recent happenings where David Flair, Brian Lawler and Erik Watts attacking NWA World Champion Jeff Jarrett.
MATCH #2: MIKE SANDERS & GLEN GILBERTTI VS. KEN ANDERSON & SHAWN DAIVARI
FINISH: Sanders superkicks Daivari to pickup the victory.
Bob’s Take: In just a couple of years, Anderson and Daivari would be major fixtures on WWE TV. Anderson tried to get a crowd reaction, but if you’re an unknown it is going to be tough to get the crowd to care about you. To their credit, both Anderson and Daivari come across as if they’re TV ready from a ring gear perspective, which isn’t always the case on these shows. Gilbertti did a cutter at one point and taunted DDP, which should’ve been a lawsuit. There wasn’t much to this from an entertainment standpoint.
Match Rating: *
MATCH #3: SONNY SIAKI VS. VEX
FINISH: Siaki picks up the win following the Siakalypse.
Bob’s Take: Vex apparently trained at the WCW Power Plant and worked for Dusty Rhodes Turnbuckle Championship Wrestling, so he has connections. Needless to say, Vex was probably not at the top of his class in his Power Plant group.
Match Rating: 1/2*
MAIN EVENT: ELIX SKIPPER VS. CHRIS VAUGHN
NOTE: I think there is a production issue because Vaughn came out to SEX music and Skipper came out to generic music, which was likely for Vaughn.
FINISH: Skipper hits the Play of the Day for the win.
Bob’s Take: On the TNA Cross The Line podcast, I’ve made it clear that Vaughn is a favorite along with Rick Vaughn, and Vaughn gets a few matches on Xplosion, so I get to see him in a non-security role. There wasn’t much shine put on Skipper here, but he’s part of XXX and needs to be presented just as strong as his fellow members. Also, the music blunder happens after he wins, too.
Match Rating: *
Final Thoughts:
A bit of a downer this week in terms of notable enhancement names or general entertainment. Ken Anderson screams the kind of guy that you’d want to have in SEX. A skippable week for Xplosion.
Thanks for reading.