Bleacher Report - Articles by christian orendorf

The Downfall Of The New ECW

christian orendorf — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:51:59 -0400

OK, so it has been awhile since I felt there was a topic worthwhile for me to write about, but after this week's ECW, I had to write down my feelings over the newly-founded anger that WWE has now brought to me.

The supposed Donald Trump Era, all of which lasted but a week, turned out to be the downfall of the new ECW, which at the time in my eyes was at its highest viewing point in the existence of the new WWE owned brand.

ECW pre-Trump was becoming one of the best hours of television, between the fledgling new Hart generation, Jack Swagger, and Evan Bourne with his high flying acrobatics. Veterans like Tommy Dreamer, Christian, Mark Henry, and Finlay were pushing their game up to a level that every show made a splash.

So, after Monday night Raw, we find out a 15-person trade was done, in which supposedly it was supposed to be five from every show being traded, yet we had the cream of the crop of ECW get moved and get the under-card of Smackdown and Raw in return.

Tell me, how the Bella Twins are going to make ECW exciting to watch with no females wrestling in ECW? Who really feels that William Regal will ever go extreme? Will Goldust become the same unwanted oddity that Boogeyman became and becomes extinct on the show once more? The only one I see making a potential splash is Shelton Benjamin, who never got the chance to shine the last time he was in ECW.

Then, we are brought with the uncertainty of the new superstar initiative once more. Yoshi was ok with his one move wonder, Shaemus dominated, and the wannabe talk show host made me wanna shoot myself.

With practically the entire brand having to start anew once again, when it had such flair and passion that the last group had, it makes me only hope that this newly-changed brand will have any chance of succeeding.

Why, oh why must WWE ruin the first good ECW product it has had?

WWE's 2009 Draft Fantasy Preview

christian orendorf — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 11:34:26 -0400

This is a fantasy draft event for Monday Night Raw's 3-hour WWE Draft, nothing more, nothing less. With that said, enjoy...

1. Rey Mysterio vs. Jeff Hardy vs Christian

This match is a high-flying spotfest, from start to finish. We place the opening contest under extreme rules, in which the winner receives one draft pick for their respective brand.

Rey Mysterio gets knocked out cold by Christian via the use of a steel chair to the head.

In the end, Jeff Hardy pulls out a ladder and hits the Whisper in the Wind from the top of the ladder onto Christian for the win.

With Hardy's win, Smackdown chooses...Rey Mysterio.

Mysterio climbs into the ring and stares down Hardy.

2. Chris Jericho vs. Matt Hardy vs. Evan Bourne

The winner of this bout gets one draft pick for their respective brand.

Early on, Evan Bourne is knocked out of the ring. Chris Jericho and Matt Hardy go at it, and eventually Jericho gets Hardy into the Walls of Jericho.

Bourne lands a flying clothesline onto Jericho, knocking him out.

While Hardy is still lying in pain from the Walls of Jericho, Bourne lands the shooting star press onto Matt for the win.

With Bourne's win, ECW chooses...Ted DiBiase.

3. Kane vs. Big Show vs. Mark Henry

The winner of this bout gets one draft pick for their respective brand. This match is declared a hardcore rules match, and drags out as any big man match would.

Mark Henry begins dominating the match by splashing Kane in the corner before Big Show goes after Henry.

Kane grabs a chair from under the ring and takes out Henry, but Big Show punches the chair into Kane's head.

Big Show picks Kane up and begins to put him into the chokeslam, but Kane reverses it into a chokeslam of his own for the win.

With Kane's win, Raw chooses...Christian.

Christian comes out to the entrance ramps, pointing out to his peeps.

4. Cryme Tyme vs. The Colons vs. Miz & Morrison

The winner of this bout gets two draft picks for their respective brand. This match also is for the unified Tag Team Titles.

Cryme Tyme dominates early on in the match, with Shad delivering a devastating bicycle kick to Miz. Morrison saves Miz from a two count, as Carlito takes out JTG.

Primo and Morrison deliver some high-paced action, but Shad throws both of them out of the ring.

Carlito and Shad fight off for a bit, but Morrison flies into the ring with a spinning heel kick that takes Shad out of the ring. Carlito goes for the backstabber, but it is reversed as Morrison reverses it into a DDT that bust's Carlito's forehead open, trickling blood.

Morrison gets on the top rope and delivers a corkscrew elbow drop onto Carlito. Miz runs in and blocks everyone else from the ring as Morrison gets the pin.

Miz & Morrison are declared the new unified Tag Team Champions.

With Miz & Morrison's win, ECW chooses...JTG and R-Truth.

5. Beth Phoenix vs. Maria vs. Katie Lea Burchill

The winner of this bout gets one draft pick for their respective brand.

Early on, Maria and Katie Lea Burchill work to try and take Beth Phoenix out of the match, but Phoenix won't have it.

This match ends in quick fashion, as Burchill is thrown out of the ring, while Phoenix makes Maria submit with a new move, the Dragon Sleeper.

With Phoenix's win, Raw chooses...MVP.

MVP comes out to the ring and cuts a promo.

6. Batista vs. Undertaker vs. Tommy Dreamer

The winner of this bout gets one draft pick for their respective brand.

Dreamer surprisingly begins this match by throwing Batista out of the ring and then trying to deliver some punches to the Undertaker.

Undertaker quickly shrugs Dreamer off and throws him to the outside. He takes Dreamer outside and pulls off the Hell's Gate outside of the ring, but loses track of time.

Batista rolls into the ring, and Dreamer and Undertaker are both counted out. Batista wins by countout.

With Batista's win, Raw chooses...The Undertaker.

Undertaker gets back into the ring, looking very pissed off, and chokeslams Batista in the ring.

7. John Cena vs. Triple H vs. Jack Swagger

The winner of this bout gets one draft pick for their respective brand.

John Cena, early on, is the victim of a vicious looking clothesline by Jack Swagger, which looks to knock him out.

Triple H and Swagger trade off blows, and Swagger picks him up into a full body press. After dropping Triple H, Swagger goes to pose but instead receives the Attitude Adjustment from Cena.

Cena goes to pin Swagger, but Triple H picks him up and Pedigree's Cena on top of Swagger. He pins both Swagger and Cena with one arm across each man.

With HHH's win, Smackdown chooses...John Cena.

Cena is still groggy from the Pedigree as CM Punk's music blares.

8. CM Punk vs. John Cena

CM Punk runs down to the ring and gives the briefcase to the ref, demanding his title shot against Cena.

Cena struggles to his feet, wobbling around as the bell rings. He tries to defend himself from Punk's kicks and punches, but is unable to stop him.

He is quickly put into the go-to-sleep by Punk. However, Cena kicks out at a two count.

Punk begins to get angry at the kickout, and suddenly puts Cena into the anaconda vice.

Cena is forced to tap out to the submission, making CM Punk the new World Heavyweight
Champion!

My Disappointment With WWE Wrestlemania 25

christian orendorf — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 01:17:08 -0400

I hate to say it, but there were a number of factors that contributed to the dissatisfaction that was Wrestlemania 25. I only loved a few spots in Wrestlemania 25, so here is a list of what was disappointing.

1.) Rey Mysterio -vs- JBL for the Intercontinental Championship. This was one of the biggest disappointments of the night. I was really hyped to see Rey Mysterio come back to Wrestlemania, and he delivered with the Joker outfit.

With that said, the match, as JR stated, lasted all of 26 seconds. I felt ripped off, I was expecting at least a decent, 10-15 minute match. But instead, we were shafted as fans with a quick win. Yes, I was happy to see Rey win, and to see JBL quit afterwards, but I still feel shafted.

2.) The Colons -vs- Miz & Morrison for the WWE Tag Title Unification Match. I only have one thing to say...you hype the match on both ECW and Smackdown, make it a lumberjack match to boot, and you don't even have the decency to show it on Wrestlemania 25. I had to go to WWE.com just to find out the finish. That pissed me off after spending the $55 pricetag.

It reminds me of the battle royal match last year to determine the #1 contender to face Chavo Guerrero for the ECW title, where they did the same thing by not showing it, but then shafting us with an 8 second ECW title change.

3.) The 25 Diva Battle Royal. Not one returning diva was even introduced until they were eliminated. I saw Molly Holly, Torrie Wilson, and Victoria. They also said Sonny showed up, but I didn't see her. Last I checked the roster, I saw 18 official divas on the roster. With Candice Michelle on the injured list, that made 17 in the ring. Who else was in the ring to make it 25 women other than Santina?

4.) Money in the Bank Ladder Match. I understand they still wanna push CM Punk, but after the year he's had already, with a Heavyweight Title run, an Intercontinental Title run, and a Tag Title run, I was expecting either MVP or Christian to win. They were the only 2 wrestlers I saw with any reason to win it this year. CM Punk has had a year of greatness, WWE needs to push another to greatness as well.

5.) No blood. Pretty simple in itself, with all of the matches they held throughout the entire event, not even one drop of blood was shown. How could you go through two tables and not bleed? How could one get hit with a sledgehammer and not bleed? My party swore we saw Orton lose a tooth, but other than that, no blood. Disappointing.

6.) The main event...Randy Orton -vs- HHH for the WWE Title. This match was a disappointment, from beginning to end. I expected to Orton to dominate for most of this match, and he did for awhile. I was expecting a run-in from Legacy as well as the McMahon's again like Monday's Raw, and none came.

This match dragged for the majority of it, most looked punishing to both opponents, but for a main event, I was expecting both a devastating ending, or a new power emerging. In the end though, neither happened, and the ending seemed cheapening to both me and those who attended the Wrestlemania 25 party I held.

7.) No Vince McMahon. 25 years of Wrestlemania, 25 years of his baby, and he can't even show his face for a brief minute to acknowledge the fans. I know he doesn't need to be in the spotlight, but he deserves his due as being the man who brought most of us a lifetime of entertainment. Regardless of you no-showing the event, thank you Vince McMahon for giving us Wrestlemania.

With that said, there were some good highlights of Wrestlemania 25. The Hardy match is a must see, as was the Undertaker -vs- Shawn Michaels match was worth the price of the event alone. I was impressed with the Money in the Bank Ladder match with the exception of the ending. But this was my review, take it what you will. Nuff said, im out.

Samoa Joe's Nation of Violence

christian orendorf — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 10:29:23 -0400

Ok, so Samoa Joe has been stating he has this Nation of Violence, but thus far, we have only seen Joe and his awesome knife. What has been making me think of is, who would be an asset in Joe's Nation of Violence.

And it got me thinking of Samoan stars who have yet to have a real push. So let's do a little rundown of some of the potentials who haven't seen the limelight.

Rosey

Rosey was a member of Three Minute Warning, who with Jamal (aka Umaga) dominated as a tag team in the early days of Eric Bischoff's run as Raw's GM.

When Jamal left, Rosey was left in a void which only became fulfilled when The Hurricane took him under his wing. However, when Gregory Helms removed his moniker as The Hurricane, Rosey quickly became a distant memory.

Given a real chance, Rosey in TNA could be an asset in Joe's Nation of Violence, given his previous dominance during his 3MW days.

Manu

Manu was a Samoan who really didn't get enough of a real chance to shine in WWE. He came in as the stooge of Priceless, and did a decent job in the young stable.

Then, Orton came in, taking Priceless under their wing, and ditched the overweight buffoon of the group, Manu, in which the WWE decided to quickly drop him from the limelight soon after.

Given a real chance, Manu could be a violent upstart in the group.

Rikishi

I know what most of you will say, he already had a TNA run and he blew it by demanding more money too soon. Here's what I have to say on it...Rikishi needs a spot in TNA right now.

With the economy at its worst, and him not being on any major television spots right now, he should take what he can get.

With that said, Rikishi came into WWE and had a good run. He had a good run as a part of Too Cool, as well as his rivalries were well enjoyed by all.

He showed a dark side as the guy who supposedly ran over Stone Cold Steve Austin, so he already has the signs of being a main event player who could definitely play the anger role. Plus, he has the face value that would boost the Nation of Violence.

With a four-man team, all Samoan, it would make for an interesting faction, especially if they went with the same fury and vigor that Samoa Joe is already displaying.

Could you imagine the intensity if that four-man team came in and decimated the Main Event Mafia on the first night that all of them appeared?

It would make for television gold, and ratings gold, as well as making a credible faction that TNA has truly been seeking.

Will Vince McMahon Be Forced Into Retirement?

christian orendorf — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 12:14:20 -0400

In regards to a recent attack by Randy Orton on Raw, Vince McMahon was taken to the hospital, where he was treated for a concussion as well as other injuries.

Well, it seems to have gone for the worse, as the concussion has led to the chairman of WWE to fall into a coma.

Vincent Kennedy McMahon is currently in intensive care in Stamford, CT at an undisclosed location.

The family of Vince has been quiet on the issue, wishing to retain that all is well, while trying not to worry the fans or the stockholders of his multi-million dollar business that might be in jeopardy.

What remains to be seen, if Vince comes out of his coma, is whether he would finally settle down and retire to avoid future mishaps like this.

One would suggest at his age that the man is due for a well-earned retirement from the limelight that has made him so famous over the years. For his health and welfare, let the show go on without him.

TNA Wrestling's Destination X PPV Review

christian orendorf — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 11:32:14 -0400

Ok, so last night's Destination X was one of the great one's in my book. I found a few problems in which made me miss the first five minutes of the event due to rebooting my DVR because of messed up audio, but let me begin my review...

The Beautiful People -vs- Taylor Wilde, Roxxi, and "The Governor"

This match was ok, I wouldn't say that it was the best in the world. For an opener, it had some good spots, Roxxi pulled off a pretty devastating sit down powerbomb.

It ended in traditional fashion of any tag team match, as everyone got into the ring to fight, but in the end, the Beautiful People got the shaft once again. Not the most memorable match of the night, but it was alright.

Brutus Magnus -vs- Eric Young

This match I believe was crap. EY came out to accept the open challenge Magnus set forth, and it was quite the bore fest. EY keeps trying to push himself, yet he gets stuck in this jobber position which is unsettling to me.

I almost wish he would go back to that underdog role he used to have, it worked better, plus he won more matches. Anyways, there were some decent spots in this match, but in the end, Magnus got the win. And it begs to be asked...Does anyone actually care to see Brutus Magnus at all?

Matt Morgan -vs- Abyss

The match of a thousand tacks. This was a decent match between the two powerhouses. Both got in some pretty good spots, and teased throughout the match the usage of the tacks.

Abyss set himself up for the fall, and I already suspected that Morgan wouldn't go through the tacks, seeing as his body is his moneymaker for American Gladiators, and his potential TV and movie future.

But Abyss lost the match when he was kicked off the entrance ramp, through the two cases of tacks that Abyss himself set up earlier in the match.

I thought the only downside was that I felt Lauren should've came down to check on Abyss after the match, but she didn't even show her pretty lil face. Ah well.

ODB's One Night Stand Finals

So, this was priceless. ODB comes out looking somewhat decent for a change, and they call out the three finalists...a redneck, Shark Boy, and some old douche in a suit.

They say some stupid phrases to her, do the worst dance off I've ever seen, and even tribute the late Dale Earnhardt. In the end, ODB has to make the decision, and she chooses the redneck with the mullet and mutton chops, nothing I didn't already expect.

Shark Boy actually tries to change her mind, but JB sends him on his way as ODB is happy with her choice. Ah well, I hope she wrecks the redneck lol...

Awesome Kong -vs- Sojurner Bolt

This match had a lil' hype to it, so I really was expecting more than what we got. Sojo really did not show the quality I was hoping for out of her. This was basically the same Kong squash match we've grown to know and love.

Sojo tries her best to win, even taking Kong outta the ring for a bit. But Kong is too powerful, and wins with her same old powerbomb.

Nothing we haven't seen before, but its making me wish they would actually give someone else a shot at a title run, the Kong show is getting stale. I'm not saying Sojo is the one deserving of the shot, but I'm saying we need a new champion to help bring the Knockouts Division to another level.

Scott Steiner -vs- Samoa Joe

I was waiting on this match, and it did deliver, although not in the manner I expected. Joe from the get-go beat the crap outta Steiner, not giving him a chance to recover or anything.

Joe was relentless, and cut Steiner open to bleed within the first ten hits. It was ridiculous.

So, Steiner somehow gets outta the ring and grabs his signature pipe, and Joe somehow gets it and clubs Steiner in the back of his neck. Priceless. So the ref calls the match over within a minute, and Joe beats the crap outta not one, but two refs, and continues to beat the crap outta Steiner.

He literally takes Steiner outta the Impact Zone, still beating the crap outta him.

Let me say this...I LOVED THIS. Although I wish the match was longer than five minutes, and I wish Steiner had gotten choked out as well. Sorry, but even the fans in the ring agreed...JOE'S GONNA KILL YOU...

AJ Styles -vs- Booker T

This match was amazing. I was really into this from the beginning to the end of the match. Truly, this felt like the second best match of the night. This was a fast paced, action packed match between AJ and Booker.

Both got off their spots, and really, there was no feel at any given point that one wrestler truly had the upper hand on the other. I really was happy to see that AJ won the match, and won the Legend's title in the process.

AJ has been the work horse of the company for so long, its good to see him be the first grand slam champion (meaning he has held all the belts in the company) of TNA Wrestling.

Hopefully, these two can have a rematch at Lockdown because this was truly a great match to watch.

Team 3d -vs- Beer Money

This match was disappointing. Beer Money made fun of Team 3d early on, but then went on to be dominated by Team 3d. It got to the point that Team 3d almost won the match a couple times, pulling almost all of their spots on Beer Money.

But Beer Money decided to cheat, and blatantly got DQ'd by utilizing a chair on Brother Ray. So, Jim Cornette comes back and states he is reinstating the match, now making it No DQ rules.

So, Beer Money grabs the titles and run out of the arena, getting counted out, but retaining the titles.

I was hoping for more, but would could I expect? I'm believing now that this is for the push for Lockdown, saying that Beer Money will have nowhere to run with the steel cage in place.

Ultimate X Match

This match was my favorite of the night. It was literally a spotfest for the five X-Division stars, being Alex Shelley, Chris Sabin, Consequences Creed, Jay Lethal, and Suicide. It started off strong, with the two tag teams and the wild card doing moves some thought 10 years ago would've been impossible to pull off.

So many went for the belt, only to be shunned by the others in the match. The Motor City Machine guns proved how great they were as a tag team, but Shelley started favoring an injured leg through the course of the match, I hope he is ok.

Anyways, Suicide did a flying jump from the metal beams which held up the Ultimate X cables, pulling down the belt for the win to become the new X-Division champion.

It really did show Suicide's true colors however to be Christopher Daniels. That was the same movie Chris did years ago to win the belt, which they had even highlighted Chris's leap in the preview video before the match.

I hope he pulls off the mask to prove who he really is, I want my Christopher Daniels back!

Sting -vs- Kurt Angle

You know, for all the hype up this match had, for centering all of the Impact tapings on this, I was very disappointed. Sting was not in one of his better forms in this match, and I felt that Kurt did carry him for a lot of this match.

Kurt wasn't in his best of forms either, but he still held his own.

Anyways, the usual happens, Kurt gets angry and takes out the ref (Jarrett), then proceeds to try and attack Sting with a weapon. Foley, as the guest enforcer, stops him, but gets a kick to the balls for his trouble.

Kurt then tries for the pin twice, only for the two count. Kurt then spits in Jarrett's face, and Jarrett punches him in the face, which leads to Sting rolling up Kurt for the win. Kurt then chases Jarrett up the rampway, as Sting celebrates with Foley in the ring.

Now, I enjoyed this ppv, it was worth the buy for some of the matches. I was disappointed during certain segments, but overall, I was glad I watched it. Now that this is over with, in the words of Mick Foley, have a nice day!

WWE & TNA Wrestling Presents the Final Day PPV: Part One

christian orendorf — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 23:22:14 -0500

Open Scene. Camera angles begin showing the Six-sided ring with the labeled on the mat ‘WWE/TNA Wrestling’s The Final Day PPV’.

Pyrotechnics cut off from the ceiling above the ring...

Cameras cut to the announcing booth...

Mike Tenay and JR Ross sit ringside.

JR: Hello, folks, and welcome to WWE and TNA Wrestling’s first ever pay per view, The Final Day! JR Ross here, with me, TNA Wrestling’s finest commentator, Mike Tenay!

Tenay: Thanks for that kind introduction, JR. Hi, I’m Mike Tenay, and what an exciting lineup we have in store for fans tonight!

JR: We’re first gonna start this off right with a fatal four way between some of the best and brightest up and comers in the business today, Chris Sabin versus Evan Bourne versus Jay Lethal versus Kofi Kingston.

Tenay: What a great lineup, there. But that will most likely be toppled by the next match, a title unification match, it’s the Intercontinental Champion, CM Punk versus the X-Division Champ, Alex Shelley.

JR: That will be a great match I’m sure, but I’m definitely looking toward the Samoa Joe versus Randy Orton Last Man Standing match.

Tenay: Speaking of Orton, his fellow Legacy comrades vie for the TNA Tag Team Title’s tonight against current champions, Beer Money Inc.

JR: And how about one of the potentially most vicious matches of the night, the monster Abyss takes on the diabolical Kane in the monster’s ball match! I’m getting chills just thinking about it!

Tenay: Love that match, but not as much as the dream match, the epic, the first ever meeting when the phenomenal AJ Styles takes John Cena!

JR: That match will truly be one for the ages, but so will our main event tonight. Shawn Michaels, HHH, the Undertaker, Chris Jericho, and Jeff Hardy takes on the Main Event Mafia in a team elimination match.

Tenay: Enough hype, let’s get to the action…

Camera cuts to the ring where Lillian Garcia stands next to a referee...

Lillian: The following contest is scheduled for one fall, and is a fatal four way match.

Cmera cuts to an entrance ramp showing the TNA Wrestling logo. The Motor City Machineguns music begins to play...

Lillian: Introducing first, hailing from Detroit Michigan, one half of the Motor City Machineguns, Chris Sabin!

Chris Sabin comes down to the ring, gets into the ring, smiling and winking at the fans from the top rope as he points to his hand. The camera angle then points back towards the entrance ramp, now showing the WWE logo, and Kofi Kingston’s music begins to blare.

Lillian: Coming out next, representing from Jamaica, is Raw’s own former intercontinental champion, Kofi Kingston!

Kofi runs down to the ring, slides inside the ring, climbs on top of another turnbuckle, gives his “BOO BOO BOO” hand slaps to the crowd, and then goes to his corner. The camera then goes back to the entrance ramp, where the TNA Wrestling logo has reappeared on the ramp way. Jay Lethal’s music begins to play.

Lillian: Our third participant hails from Elizabeth, NJ. Former X-Division champion, Black Machismo, Jay Lethal!

Lethal make his way down to the ramp, dressed in his full red, white, and blue attire. He gets into his ring, and throws his cowboy hat out into the crowd. The fans are cheering more for Lethal than all the rest.

Lillian: And our fourth and final participant, he hails from St. Louis, hailing from ECW, Evan Bourne!

Evan Bourne runs down the entranceway, slides into the six-sided ring, and spears Chris Sabin, pummeling Sabin with a barrage of punches. Lethal and Kingston are forced to pull the two away from one another, sending them both to their respective corners.

JR: Oh man, those two have been going crazy at each others throats since Sabin interfered two weeks ago in the ECW Title match between Evan Bourne and Jack Swagger.

Tenay: Yes, the rivalry exploded even further just last week when Evan Bourne interfered in the TNA Tag Team Championship match when the Motor City Machineguns faced Beer Money Inc., costing the Motor City Machineguns the tag team titles.

Lethal and Kingston remain in the ring as the bell sounds. Lethal runs at Kingston, jumping high into the air and utilizing a hurricanrana on Kingston. Lethal bounces against one of the ropes, and does a dropkick into the kneeling Kingston, sending him to the mat. Lethal poses for the crowd.

Kingston drags himself over and tags in Bourne, who jumps over the ropes, flying in midair and catches Lethal in the back of the head with a flying clothesline. Lethal falls to the ground, and Bourne runs over, dropkicking Sabin to the ground from the mat. Sabin hits his head on the back of the guardrails, and writhes about in pain on the ground.

Bourne turns around, and does a standing moonsault to the laying Lethal. He goes for the pin, and the referee counts a two count before Lethal kicks out. Bourne climbs a turnbuckle, and goes for the shooting star press. Lethal moves out of the way, and Bourne lands on his chest to the mat, gasping for air.

Lethal stands up, and picks up Bourne, sending him to the turnbuckle. Lethal sits Bourne up on the turnbuckle, and DDT’s Bourne from the top rope to the mat. Bourne begins to get up, when Lethal jumps from the top rope and lands a leg drop against the back of Bourne’s head. Lethal goes for the pin, and lands a two count before Bourne kicks out.

Lethal goes over and tags in Sabin. Sabin runs in, picks up Bourne, and puts him into a dragon sleeper submission hold. Bourne begins to fight for air. Sabin suddenly picks Bourne up by the back until his chest slams into Sabin’s shoulder, and Sabin flips Bourne forward into a front slam onto the mat. Sabin then gives the Motor CityMachineguns hand sign.

Sabin picks Bourne up, tossing him into the ropes. He picks Bourne up, and puts him into a tree of woe position. Sabin runs to the other side of the ring, and then does a jumping dropkick into Bourne’s chest. Bourne falls to the ground clenching his chest. The camera cuts over to Kingston who is looking to tag in. Bourne tries to crawl over, but Sabin lands an elbow to Bourne’s back.

Sabin runs over and yanks Kingston into the ring, and tosses Kingston into Lethal headfirst, knocking Lethal to the ground. Sabin then tosses Bourne to the ground by Lethal, when suddenly Kingstontries a rollup on Sabin. The ref counts a two count before it is broken up by Lethal who jumped in with an elbow to stop the count.

Lethal and Kingston begin to fight it out, returning punches and chops amongst one another. Lethal tosses Kingston against the ropes, and then clotheslines Kingston over the ropes, knocking both of them to the ground.

Sabin then does a running dive through the middle ropes, knocking both Lethal and Kingston down. Bourne then climbs on the top turnbuckle, and moonsault’s himself onto the trio below. Bourne climbs back into the ring and poses.

Sabin climbs back into the ring and Bourne immediately does an enzeguri to the back of Sabin’s head. Bourne picks Sabin up, and Sabin turns it around to go for the cradle shock, but Bourne reverses it into a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker.

Bourne climbs atop the rope, and does a shooting star press, landing atop of Sabin. Sabin writhes in agony, as Bourne goes for the roll up. Bourne gets a two count when Kingstonbreaks up the count, throwing Bourne out of the ring in the process.

Kingston goes for the pin on Sabin when Lethal drops the elbow from the top rope onto the back of Kingston’s head, causing Kingston to roll out of the ring. Lethal picks up Sabin, and superkick’s Sabin, planting Sabin on the mat. Lethal goes for the pin and gets the three count, winning the bout.

Lillian: And here’s your winner, Jay Lethal!

JR: I never in my life thought I would have seen a better match out of these four competitors than I did here tonight.

Tenay: Neither would I, JR. These men put in their heart and souls into this one.

Kingston, Bourne, Lethal and Sabin all look at each other, and then shake hands with one another.

Tenay: That’s the kind of good sportsmanship that our X-Division stars always show.

JR: These gentlemen are class acts.

Kingston, Bourne, Lethal and Sabin all walk out of the ring together. The camera cuts back to Lillian, who is standing in the ring once more.

Lillian: Our next match is scheduled for one fall, and is a Monster’s Ball match!

The camera cuts to the entrance ramp, where white fire begins to erupt from portions of the stage. The TNA Wrestling logo shows up against the wall, and out comes Abyss.

Lillian: Our first competitor hails from parts unknown, he is the monster Abyss!

Abyss walks down to the ring with a bag in hand, presumably tacks. He climbs into the ring and poses. The camera pans back to the entranceway, where a WWE logo is showing.

Lillian: His opponent also hails from parts unknown, he is the diabolical Kane!

Kane walks down to the ring with a chair in hand. He stops before entering the ring, giving an angry, yet vacant stare in Abyss’s direction. Kane climbs into the ring, and poses as the red fire erupts from all 6 turnbuckles. Abyss looks angry and runs at Kane, clotheslining Kane, who drops the chair in the process.

The bell rings. Kane gets up and the two start trading punches. Kane throws a jab under Abyss’s jaw, causing him to step back. Kane irish whip’s Abyss, which Abyss reverses, causing Kane to slam into a turnbuckle. Abyss sits Kane up on the turnbuckle, and then scoop slams Kane onto the mat. Kane sits up, shrugging off the slam.

Kane stands up, and Abyss clothesline’s Kane over the top rope to the ground level. Kane falls back against the crowd barrier. Abyss takes the chair and places it between the top two ropes of a turnbuckle.

Kane goes under the ring and pulls out a table. Kane tosses it into the ring, and then hits Abyss from behind.

Abyss starts to get up, and Kane suplexes Abyss to the mat once again, against the table which is still flat on the mat. It cracks slightly, but doesn’t break. Abyss rolls out of the ring, as Kane takes the table and places it against a second turnbuckle. Kane goes out of the ring to follow Abyss, but Abyss irish whip’s Kane into the ring stairs.

Abyss reaches underneath the ring and pulls out Scott Steiner’s signature steel pipe. He tries to hit Kane’s arm which is laying on the stairs, but Kane narrowly escapes as the pipe ricochet’s onto the ring stairs, causing Abyss to drop the pipe. Kane picks up the pipe, and jabs it into Abyss’s ribs.

Abyss starts to hobble away while holding his stomach, but Kane then hits Abyss in the left shoulder with the pipe.

Abyss rolls into the ring, avoiding a third strike from Kane. Kane tries to climb into the ring, and Abyss drops an elbow into Kane’s back. Abyss picks Kane up, and irish whip’s Abyss into the table. Abyss goes for a running charge at Kane, but Kane avoids Abyss as Abyss slams into the table, breaking it in half against Abyss’s shoulder.

Abyss rubs his forehead as a slow trickle of blood eminates from a cut. Abyss stands up, and he staggers over to Kane, picking him up by the throat with both hands, and planting Kane to the mat with a chokeslam. Kane writhes in pain, and as he rolls over, we notice a small shard of table fragment has jabbed into his back around the right shoulder blade.

Abyss tries to pick Kane up again, but Kane pushes Abyss off with one hand. Kane grabs Abyss with his left arm, and spikes Abyss into the turnbuckle with the chair lodged in it, headfirst. Abyss spews even more blood onto the mat as he lies motionless. Abyss starts to stir very slowly, as the blood pours to the mat still.

Kane climbs on top of the turnbuckle, and as Abyss stands up, Kane drops the flying clothesline. Abyss gets back up, and Kane tries for a chokeslam of his own, only for it to be reversed by Abyss into the Black Hole Slam. Abyss then looks around for the bag he brought into the ring.

Abyss finds the bag, and pours out the thumbtacks over Kane’s body. Kane rolls around slightly as he is lightly stabbed by the dropping thumbtacks, and then Kane stands up giving an angry look at Abyss. Kane grabs Abyss, and chokeslams him against the thumbtacks, making Abyss screams in pain. Kane goes for the pin and receives the three count.

Lillian: Here’s your winner, Kane!!!

Kane goes to Abyss’s body, yanks out a small clump of Abyss’s hair out of his head, and smiles before walking out of the ring.

JR: That was insane!

Tenay: I’ve seen Abyss rip out his own hair before, but never have I watched another man rip out his hair. That was an all out scalping!

JR: Kane is a madman!

TO BE CONTINUED...

WWE: A Look Back at the 2008 Draft

christian orendorf — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 12:14:52 -0500

With Wrestlemania 25 almost upon us, and the 2009 WWE Draft upcoming, I felt a need to review 2008's WWE Draft so we can get a better perspective on the upcoming draft.

There were many changes to the WWE throughout 2008, with titles switching brands, prime time players moving to other brands, and a renewed sense of vigor throughout the WWE.

So let's begin, shall we?

In 2008, Raw had one of the biggest changes I felt, as they truly began to push the younger generation. Stars like CM Punk rose to prominence by capturing the World Heavyweight Title, Tag Titles, and Intercontinental Title.

The young stars of the WWE truly had a chance to shine, with new stars like Kofi Kingston, Cody Rhodes, and Ted Dibiase beginning to come into their own. Veterans of the WWE ring like Batista, Rey Mysterio, Chris Jericho, Randy Orton, and Kane were given a fresh chance to re-establish their dominance against the younger generation.

Now, out of Raw's side of the draft, I did notice some problems. For one, a lot of the high-flying small guys were stuck facing some of WWE's largest competitors in underdog matches.

How many times did we have to suffer watching Rey Mysterio face Mike Knox and Kane?

It seemed like a sham to the fans. Where were the great matches on Raw?

Not once were we treated to a Kofi Kingston vs. Rey Mysterio match.

We received one match between CM Punk and Rey Mysterio in the Intercontinental Title tournament, and one match between Rey Mysterio and Evan Bourne. Other than that, there wasn't much to brag about on Raw.

ECW, with the exception of Matt Hardy, Evan Bourne, Finlay, and Miz & Morrison, pretty much got the shaft in the WWE Draft.

Most of the show at the beginning of the year focused on Mark Henry, in which we had a powerhouse not doing much to show his worth as ECW Champion.

Matt Hardy's title win brought fans to ECW, but with a lack of real competition his reign became stagnant. He ran with the show as long as possible, but with a lack of real opponents his creative abilities were limited.

A new breed of athlete emerged to win the championship as Jack Swagger became the new ECW champ. Swagger, however, still needs to prove himself as main event material.

ECW got stuck, I believe, with the shaft for a few reasons.

They lost the majority of the fast paced superstars which were making ECW great prior to the draft. Elijah Burke, Shelton Benjamin, CM Punk, and Kofi Kingston all found new homes.

Second, with the lack of a full roster, it limited the amount of matches that ECW could actually have.

Third, with the talent exchange, we usually saw Hardy, Finlay, Henry, Bourne, Miz & Morrison on the other brands on a weekly basis. We hardly saw anyone of value come to ECW from Smackdown or Raw. It was a bit disappointing.

Smackdown got the better end of the veterans in the WWE universe. With JR added to commentary, Jeff Hardy and HHH moved to Smackdown, and others like Umaga and Shelton Benjamin helped bring a stable roster of main-eventers to the Smackdown locker room.

With stars like Edge, Big Show, and the Undertaker, we had main event quality matches on a weekly basis. New stars like R-Truth and Kozlov began to make their mark on the WWE and Jeff Hardy went so far as to finally win his first WWE Title on Smackdown.

The only downside I saw to Smackdown was that they had these main event superstars, but never utilized them in a manner that exceeded the show value.

We had the Undertaker and Big Show feud, which in my eyes was appalling. All the Edge vs. Hardy vs. HHH storylines began to feel overplayed. Kozlov's undefeated streak seemed dreadfully boring, as the man seems to need some more training in my eyes.

Overall, the draft for 2008 brought about many changes throughout the shows.

We saw variations of the WWE that hadn't been seen before, dream matches no one would expect, new champions were bred, and existing superstars got new chances to shine. Congrats to the WWE, and hopefully the 2009 draft will be even better.

TNA Wrestling's X-Division...Where Do We Go From Here?

christian orendorf — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 16:21:26 -0500

In just a week, TNA Wrestling has lost two of its best in the X-Division. With Petey Williams gone, and Sonjay Dutt now being removed from the roster without even a word of goodbye, it leaves a bit to be wondered, where is TNA Wrestling headed?

TNA was once synonymous with the X-Division and the great matches that were performed on a nightly basis, of men who gave their bodies, hearts, and souls to a new generation of fans who demanded excellence.

At one point, we watched and wondered and were amazed by the likes of Low-Ki, Sonjay Dutt, Primetime Elix Skipper, The Amazing Red, Kaz, Christopher Daniels, Jerry Lynn, Psycosis, and many others.

We reveled in the amazing Ultimate X matches, death-defying thrills, and spots that left you gasping for breath at times. We waited in anticipation for another moment of excellence every single time we tuned into TNA Wrestling.

But what happened? Differences in management? Poor booking decisions? Or were the X-Division wrestlers just tired of receiving the shaft? Many speculate, but none have a definite answer. But the reality is that the X-Division is lacking the greatness it once held in TNA Wrestling.

We as a fan base are longing for greatness. We don't always need to see a wrestler have a gimmick to get ahead, so long as the wrestler performs at a level that exceeds his own expectations of himself, wrestlers who believe in the industry and are willing to fight to make a company great.

This was what TNA was originally formed for, to be a beacon of the wrestling industry, proof that an old Connecticut fossil doesn't own the rights to the wrestling industry as a whole.

The wrestlers of the X-Division were once that shining beacon, that light of hope, the potential for the future of the wrestling industry. Should TNA start believing in its X-Division again, it still has the potential to be great. Let us hope as fans that we shall see this day come to pass.

My Comedic Look at WWE's Royal Rumble 2009

christian orendorf — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 12:52:50 -0500

Today, I review my thoughts after watching last night's Royal Rumble ppv. Note that I had to laugh at a number of segments throughout the Royal Rumble, so if my review makes you laugh by the memories alone, then I've done my job well.

So let's begin...

1.) Matt Hardy vs Jack Swagger for the ECW Title- No. 1 I gotta say I don't believe Swagger should have the title to begin with. He's not had enough time with the company to deserve it in my personal opinion.

He looks like a college kid whose probably been to enough beer bashes for JBL to pick him up after a pukefest in the bushes by the frat house.

Anyways, back to the match.

Hardy dominates early on in the match with his striking abilities. Swagger seems shocked that someone's actually taking the fight to him instead of a bunch of little nobodies letting him give them a beating.

Swagger begins to get some offense in. I kinda blanked out for a bit cause this match seemed a bit boring, but it was the opening match of the ppv, so I wasn't expecting much.

The Herr's cheese curls distracted me with its awesome flavor. Anyways, my memory kicked back in just in time for Hardy to get thrown into a turnbuckle, which led to Swagger doing his powerbomb for the win. Big whoop. Swagger rolls out to another drinkfest, and Hardy sits on the steps crying like a woman.

2.) Melina vs Beth Phoenix for the Women's Title- Yay another pointless title match. Although I do prefer Beth as champion, she has needed some real competition for some time now.

Watching past matches against the beautiful Kelly Kelly have been appalling. Anyways, Melina got pretty much owned for most of the match. Some of the stuff Beth did to her was kinda sick.

In the one position, she had Melina in a single legged boston crab, and then proceeded to arch the leg back to the point where she was smacking Melina in the back of her head with HER OWN FOOT.

My friend Hoyer who was at my house watching it with me kept yelling "stop hitting yourself, stop hitting yourself!" It made me crack up hysterically. Anyways, I never really saw the nail in the coffin cause I had to grab a drink from my bar, but apparently Melina won the match and is the new women's champion.

It really wasn't a match that kept me enthralled, but what can you expect from a WWE's women match these days? Beth did look completely surprised though at the end of the match, like as if in shock.

3.) John Cena vs JBL (w/Shawn Michaels in his corner) for the World Heavyweight Title- This by far was one of the most entertaining matches of the night. Many bumps throughout the course of the match, they kept acting like Shawn was really gonna get into it, but he really didn't much.

This was really a back and forth brawl, both Cena and JBL getting in their normal spots.

Finally, the ref gets knocked out somehow (I always find it funny that a single shot can knock out a ref for hours on end in wrestling, but that's another story for another day), and Shawn enters the ring.

JBL is giving the "aw yeah" kinda smile as he prepares for Shawn to take Cena out, when BOOYAKA he gets the superkick of doom to the face. Cena smiles, and BOOYAKA Shawn whacks Cena with the superkick as well!

With the ref and both Cena & JBL out, shawn puts JBL atop of Cena, and rolls out. Another disposable ref comes down for the count, only ends up with Cena kicking out cause of the time lapse.

Cena magically hulks up and gives JBL the FU for the win. Whoopity doo! It's not like I care for Cena at all, but JBL in my eyes NEVER should EVER hold a major title AGAIN. And this will hopefully bring back the rivalry anyways between JBL and Michaels.

4.) Jeff Hardy vs Edge for the WWE Title- Man oh man, this match was annoying to begin with. First, Vickie comes out and turns it into a No DQ match, and immediately Chavo walks out with Edge, so I knew already that it was gonna be a crapfest.

It mainly became a brawl between the three of them, and I really wasn't impressed. Hardy botched a jump from a ladder onto Chavo when apparently the ladder gave way, turning what I believed was supposed to be a body splash into a horrible looking headbutt.

I actually chanted BENOIT when the headbutt hit. Edge and Hardy were going at it when suddenly Matt Hardy came down, bringing a chair. He acted like Jeff and him should do a con-chair-toe (lol sorry not certain if its spelled correctly), when WHACK he took out his own bro Jeff. Edge looks surprised, and goes for the pin.

Matt had this whole vacant stare look. The last time I saw that look on anyone, Shawn Michaels had just superkicked Hogan in the face for the first time. So we'll see where this crazy storyline goes...

And finally...

5.) The Royal Rumble Match- This match really was great, had an eclectic mix of superstars from all 3 brands represented. There were a number of spots from each wrestlers, from chokeslams to frog splashes, from 6-1-9's to RKO's, this match had em all.

Miz and Morrison did good as a team for awhile, but were eliminated almost simultaneously. RVD made his surprise return, which really pumped me up. Santino even made the new record of fastest eliminated superstar in the rumble history by Kane.

Hacksaw Jim Duggan even took on the Undertaker and Big Show for a bit, which surprised me. My Asian friend Hoyer pointed out something interesting though, that in all reality only one african-american superstar would be in the ring at a time, and if a second came in, it almost spelled certain doom for the superstar that was already in the ring.

Anyways, it came down to the final six superstars of Legacy, HHH, Big Show, and Undertaker. Big Show and 'Taker pretty much took each other out, bringing back that abysmal fued between the two which no one really cared for.

HHH got stuck being dominated by Legacy, and he eventually went on to take out both Rhodes and Dibiase before being taken out by Orton for the win. I was proud of Orton winning, he was actually my first choice for winner of the rumble anyways. Let the decimation of the WWE begin lol.

Overall, the ppv was ok in my personal opinion. Not the best event they have held, especially for one of the top 4 ppv events WWE usually holds each year. But, it was interesting to say the least.

It was worth the buy somewhat, although I only purchase the ppv's because of the discount I recieve for being a cable employee lol. But, I hope you enjoyed my review. 'Nuff said, im out...

My WWE Curse at the University of Delaware

christian orendorf — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 22:09:19 -0500

OK, so I wish, as a man, to ask my fellow colleagues if I am cursed when it comes to WWE events hosted in the University of Delaware. For you to understand my meaning, I am going to have to explain myself...

Two weeks before the death of Eddie Guerrero, I happened to go to a WWE Smackdown live event, which was hosted at the University of Delaware basketball stadium. Eddie was scheduled to face Rey Mysterio, but due to an injury sustained by Eddie, Rey was unable to attend the house show. So The Big Show faced Eddie in what ended in a DQ when Eddie hit Show with a chair.

But I was happy to see Eddie wrestle, since he was an icon to me from his time in ECW, WCW, and then the WWE.

Two weeks later, he passed away. I was devastated, considering I had been raised watching him. He was a wrestler I idolized and was proud to call a hero of mine. I still cherish the memory of him, for everything he did to make his fans happy. I really didn't consider this a curse, though, until the following time I attended a WWE event there.

The following event I attended there turned out to be two weeks before Chris Benoit killed his family and then himself. Chris was my idol. I loved his wrestling ability more than anyone alive, even more than when Eddie was still alive. I had been raised on his motto, believing that hard work and dedication can bring about greatness. He had more heart and soul than most wrestlers in WWE.

I had the honor of meeting Chris Benoit and shaking his hand at this event. He took place in not one, but two matches that night. The first match of the night was a WWE United States Championship match, which Chris had lost (if I remember right) just prior to the live event to MVP. He went on to win by DQ because of interference by Edge, which later led to a tag match later that night between Chris Benoit & Batista vs Edge & MVP.

I got to see my hero win, and I was proud of him.

But two weeks later, he did the unthinkable. This brought about my fear of ever going to see a WWE show there again, and with just cause. I began to feel I was cursed at WWE events in this venue.

So I went to prove this truth by going to a different venue, at a Raw event in the Wicomico Civic Center in Salisbury, MD. The last of my classic idols I grew up watching was wrestling that night. It was Chris Jericho vs. CM Punk for the World Heavyweight Championship in a non-disqualification match in which CM Punk was the title-holder at that time. CM Punk won that night, by the way.

That event took place in August of 2008, and Chris Jericho is still alive to this day (unless they are cloning him lol j/k). But it brings about my fear still of attending another WWE event at the University of Delaware venue in Wilmington, DE.

I want your input if possible. Do you believe I'm cursed to attend a WWE event there?

The Punt Heard Round The World

christian orendorf — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 10:26:04 -0500

Last night, a history-making event took place:

The punt that was heard around the world.

Randy Orton punted Vincent Kennedy McMahon, knocking the man unconscious.

Never was I more proud of Randy Orton than I was that night.

Regardless of his actions, I like the man he's become. He's ruthless, aggressive, and willing to do anything to get ahead.

This is the Randy Orton I have came to believe in and love to watch.

This reminds me of his tenure in the months coming up to his second title reign he had. Orton had a tendency to decimate any and all opponents, knocking some unconscious and others onto the injured list. The Orton that came just prior to the "Age of Orton" was a calculating man who was willing to do anything to win. This was the man I was proud of, the man who practically owned WWE in terms of wins.

Then came the actual Age of Orton. His second title reign, which did last a awhile, but didn't have half the power and strength he could've put into his reign. A pure example was watching Orton defend the title last year at the royal rumble against Jeff Hardy, where Jeff Hardy owned him the entire match, only for Randy to get lucky with a random RKO for the win.

It felt like a sham to watch Randy Orton during the Era of Orton. I was not proud of his time in the Era of Orton.

I have once again become proud of his work though as of late. He has come back to the calculated killer i've come to know and love. He is a heel that is well deserving of another title run, so long as he keeps his attitude up and his decimation of his opponents.

With Legacy by his side, he has the potential to become one of the best heels of our era, given the proper motivation and push to dominance.

And with a single punt to Vince McMahon, all those dreams can come true.

The Dream Tag Matches We'll Probably Never Have the Honor of Seeing

christian orendorf — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 10:08:45 -0500

Ok, so this has been floating around in my head for awhile, and i've come to realize I wanted to get it out of my head in its own way. So, without further ado...the dream tag matches we'll probably never see.

1.) Cryme Tyme vs LAX. Both have the same dynamic, the one part speed on part power combo. Both at times can have the gang mentality. Both, if need be, can dominate the tag scenes in their respective shows. LAX has had the opportunity to hold the tag belts of TNA, Cryme Tyme has gotten the shaft by WWE when it comes to holding the tag belts.

Upside: a good match potential should either team switch companies.

Downside: whatever group switches will probably get the shaft when it comes to the win.

Predictions to win: I would pick LAX to win for a number of reasons. Homicide has a better amount of moves he could execute properly, as well as Hernandez has his power game down, and can dominate a match easily. Cryme Tyme has the problem of mainly being spot wrestlers in my personal opinion, and need to work on their move base to become better wrestlers.

2.) AJ Styles and Samoa Joe vs CM Punk and Kofi Kingston. This match I really wish would happen. The amazing high flying abilities of all these wrestlers would make this one incredible match. I for some reason would expect Samoa Joe to bleed though in this one, he has a tendency to bleed anymore in his matches.

I'd expect AJ to be his normal bump magnet self and probably take some bad hits. Kofi would probably get some more recognition in this match just because of the high impact this match would make.

Upside: Great match, hopefully fulfilling at least a good 20 minute match and ending with a clear victor.

Downside: Won't probably ever happen.

Predictions to win: I hate to say it, but I see AJ Styles and Samoa Joe winning after CM Punk turned on Kofi. And then i'd hope Joe would choke out AJ so that CM Punk and Samoa Joe would be the dominant tag team.

3.) Evolution vs Main Event Mafia. Honestly, two of the greatest factions of this decade, and a four on four match would be awesome (I am taking Steiner out of the MEM for this match). I could see Batista vs Nash, Orton vs Booker T, Sting vs Flair, and HHH vs Angle, all great one-on-one matches, but would still make a great four on four match, perhaps even an old school WARGAMES match.

Upside: Main event appeal at its greatest, a ppv event in itself worth enough for an actual $39.95 pricetag lol.

Downside: So many egos, so little time.

Predictions to win: Evolution has the young blood in the group, giving the ability for longevity in a match. MEM has workhorses of the company, who constantly bust their butts, and have been dominating matches lately. This is a tough sell, but im actually choosing Evolution on this one.

This is only a few of the matches i've been wishing for...lemme know what you think...

TNA's Turning Point PPV: Why it Failed

christian orendorf — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 04:40:48 -0500

So I ordered TNA's Turning Point PPV on sunday, and I really dont know what to say.

It began with the X-Division ranking match, which itself was awesome, even with the relatively unknown wrestlers from other promotions. Eric Young was the winner and he cut a nice promo at the end even though the crowd didnt really seem to care on tv.

The show then proceeded to the womens match, which I used the bathroom during since it didn't entice me to watch it at all. I came back just in time for the Rhyno/Bashir match, which was so horrible that I actually passed out.

I awoke just in time to watch Christian Cage lose to Booker T in typical fashion. I was told that Beer Money beat the Motor City Machine Guns while I was asleep, but I wasnt even enticed to rewind my DVR to watch it. Maybe another time. Anyway, supposedly Christian Cage will now have to join the Main Event Mafia and hopefully will start winning some matches again.

Kurt Angle vs Abyss was easily one of my favorite matches of the night. They pulled all the spots and really put on a great show. Although the ending was crap. A simple uppercut takes out Abyss? Bull. Crap. I'm sorry, but I've seen Abyss go through tables, barbwire, flames, tacks...and an uppercut ends it? For shame...

Then we head over to the Kevin Nash/Samoa Joe match. I can't remember the last time anyone decimated Joe like that. It took many finishers to put Joe down and many blows to the head which left Joe a bloody mess. It seemed somewhat of a squash match.

Finally the AJ Styles/Sting World Heavyweight Title match. Ok, so AJ decides to wrench Sting's arm for a bit, then Sting dominates AJ for awhile. AJ gets off that lil corkscrew moonsault of his, and tries to go for it again to be screwed over once again. BS.

All in all, I understand the need to boost the Main Event Mafia. You need to have some legitimacy in what's supposed to be a heel faction so that it makes the heroes worthwhile when going against them. But I just felt a little let down by this ppv, which could've been better with the 4 big matches on the card.

Hopefully the next ppv will change the landscape of TNA just a little more, but it remains to be seen.