Slammiversary IX: Predicting TNA's Ninth Anniversary Show

Believe it or not, TNA Wrestling has been around for nine years and this Sunday they celebrate that with Slammiversary IX.  With eight matches, four of which are title matches, this has the potential to be a great show.

All matches, except for a few, have been built up better then recent matches on pay-per-view.  TNA has overall built up their big anniversary show very well.  I can’t see myself getting disappointed much like I have with recent wrestling PPV shows, whether they’re put on by TNA or WWE.

Wrestling PPV’s have been very lackluster so far this year.  Slammiversary, to me, looks like the first to break that mold.

So let’s get started.

Matt Morgan vs. Scott Steiner

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Here’s a feud that was started last month but was bumped off of Sacrifice.  So now we get to see them battle it out on TNA’s ninth anniversary show. 

Not much time has really been given to this feud, though.  The only time we saw them in the ring recently was two weeks ago during a tag team match.  On this past Thursday’s show, it was only mentioned in passing while hyping the card.

Morgan and Steiner didn’t get the chance to advance their rivalry on television which signifies to me that this is just something to fill the card or to give Morgan something to do. 

I think this will be an okay match.  Definitely a physical one.  Scott Steiner has nowhere to go in TNA and should just hang up his boots.  Matt Morgan on the other hand has a World Title in his future.

Winner: Matt Morgan

Samoa Joe vs. Crimson

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This feud has been a waste of Samoa Joe’s talents.  Crimson is in line for a push but is still quite green in the ring.  So I guess TNA gave Joe the job of making him look good inside the squared circle. 

Their rivalry has gone nowhere.  The most you saw them in the ring together was when one was in a match and the other did a run-in.  Samoa Joe is one of the most talented wrestlers TNA has got.  He should be in the World Title picture, not having his time wasted by Crimson. 

This too will be an okay match, carried mostly by Joe.  With Crimson in line for a push, and Joe going nowhere, I think it’s pretty obvious who’ll win this.

Winner: Crimson

Bully Ray vs. AJ Styles: Last Man Standing Match

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This I believe will be match of the night.  This has been a great feud and this is a good way to end it. 

Ever since Ray power bombed Styles through some tables by the stage, Ray has solidified himself as a great heel. 

Bullying is a hot topic in the world today, and as his name says, he’s a bully.  He bullies his smaller opponents, Christy Hemme, SoCal Val, and the fans.  Nobody likes a bully, and the audience doesn’t like Ray because he is one.  Styles is that kid that stands up to his bully and he plays it really well. 

This should be a great match and the bullied will prevail.

Winner: AJ Styles

Mickie James vs. Angelina Love: Women’s Title

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This feud kind of came out of nowhere.  Why is Angelina the #1 contender? I don’t remember her winning any kind of match to get the spot.  No matter how she got it, the match is happening. 

The whole zombie Angelina thing worries me in terms of this match.  If Angelina was just Angelina, I’d have confidence that this would be a great match.  Both Mickie and Angelina are great inside the ring. 

With Angelina being all zombie-like, though, this match may be a train wreck.  Since becoming like that, she hasn’t wrestled much.  When she has, she didn’t do much in the ring.  I’m hoping I’m wrong and these Knockouts have the great match I know they can have. 

Either way, I don’t see Angelina winning the title back just yet.

Winner: and still champion Mickie James.

Gun Money vs. British Invasion – Tag Team Titles

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The British Invasion, like Angelina Love, just appeared one day and were #1 contenders.  No matter how they got there, this should be a great match. 

Alex Shelley and James Storm proved that they work very well together and so do the Brits.  The big factor in this finish is Bobby Roode.  He’s in line for a major singles push, but to do that Beer Money have to lose the titles. I’m not so sure it’ll happen here, though. 

With Mexican America getting pushed and wanting title shots, I would think they’d lose the titles to them.  I can see Mexican America interfering and costing the British Invasion the match. Then at the next pay-per-view, they’ll defeat Beer Money for the titles.

Winners: and still champions Gun Money

Abyss vs. Kazarian vs. Brian Kendrick: X-Division Title

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This has been a very interesting storyline.  Abyss is by no means an X-Division wrestler, but he renamed the title the Xtreme Championship.  That’s fits him more.  The TNA website, though, doesn’t recognize the name change so it just may be something Abyss is calling it. 

The burial of the X-Division as of late has been very disappointing.  The X-Division was what made TNA different from everyone else.  When Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff came in, the division became just a card filler. 

Kaz and Kendrick are both great inside the ring.  They had a phenomenal match a few weeks ago on Impact Wrestling.  Add in Abyss and I think they can still pull it off and have a great Triple Threat Match.  As for the winner, I’d like to see Kendrick get the belt.  I see Abyss retaining, though, and holding onto it until Destination X where he’ll lose it in an Ultimate X Match.

Winner: and still champion Abyss

Kurt Angle vs. Jeff Jarrett: Kurt’s Gold Medal on the Line

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This was supposed to be a No. 1 contender’s match as well, but all the attention has been put on the gold medal. 

Despite going on for too long, this has been a great feud.  Every time these two are in the ring together they put on a show.  With Karen out of the equation, this should be a step up from their previous matches since we won’t have any interference. 

This one is hard to predict, though.  Does Kurt win, keep his gold medal, then go onto to face his fellow good guy in Sting?  Or does Jarrett take home the gold, literally, and try to take the title away from the Stinger? 

I think I got to go with Angle.  There’s more money in Sting vs. Kurt Angle then there is in Sting vs. Jeff Jarrett.  I think this would be a good opportunity for Jarrett to step away from the ring and get things in order backstage.

Winner: Kurt Angle

Sting vs. Mr. Anderson: World Title

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This too has been a great feud, especially the mind games played by Anderson.  In 90s Sting garb, Anderson was the splitting image of Sting.  He screwed with Sting’s mind for a month and mocked him like no one has mocked him before.  Sting wouldn’t even get the upper hand in this feud until this past Thursday when he choked out Anderson in a trailer. 

Anderson is a great talent and is phenomenal on the mic.  Is it his time, though, to become a two time World Champion? 

I don’t think so.  As long as Sting can still go in the ring, he’ll have the title until Bound for Glory in October.  There, we’ll have the final showdown of Sting vs. Hulk Hogan for the title.

Winner: and still champion Sting

Conclusion

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Slammiversary IX is looking like a great show.  More than half of the matches have the potential to be great in themselves. 

Will they be?  Who knows?  TNA has a history of taking matches that could be phenomenal and booking them to end up like crap.  With this being their big anniversary show, let’s hope they’re all booked to their full potential.