James Storm & Christian York vs Gunner & Crimson
This was a pretty standard tag team match, though I do think
the team of Gunner and Crimson have potential together. They looked pretty
cohesive, with Gunner splashing York in the corner leading straight to a
Crimson t-bone suplex being particularly choice. The commentary from Taz and
Tenay worked well at putting over Storm in this environment, highlighting how
he’d won the TNA tag titles 11 times, as well as noting that it was Storm who
ended Crimson’s undefeated streak. Yorks offence looks a little convoluted at
times, especially when Gunner has to assist him in hitting the rolling kick he
hits for the hot tag. Storm is a really good hot tag wrestler, as he’s got
offense that is suitably flashy but also looks like it might hurt. I really
liked him holding Gunner after hitting a codebreaker, in order for York to add
a top rope stomp on Gunner’s prone body. A Storm superkick on Gunner ends this.
Jessie Godderz & Mr Anderson vs Douglas Williams & Kid
Kash
Godderz’s character work here is excellent. His egotistical,
overenthusiastic goof act works really well as he’s desperate to tag in, using
one arm ringer, then tagging straight out again. However, his enthusiasm gets
the best of him, leading to the veteran team to really take him to town. Kash
especially takes great pleasure in beating Godderz down. I loved the spot where
Jessie could have made the hot tag, but instead woozily tells Anderson “I got
it” before getting battered again. Kash and Williams get insane elevation on a
back bodydrop. Kash’s springboard moonsault on Jessie is just beautiful, but
only gets two. The hot tag comes when Jessie just kind of falls into Anderson,
who tags in and cleans house, but Jessie stops him as he attempts a fireman’s
carry roll on Kash. Anderson, fed up with his goofy partner, nails a Mic Check
on Jessie, then reverses a Kash roll up to win for his team. Loved the dynamic
of the exasperated Anderson, the goofy Godderz and the no-nonsense veterans
here, surprisingly entertaining.
Samoa Joe & Christopher Daniels vs Chavo Guerrero &
Rob Van Dam
Daniels is overjoyed to have Joe as his partner. Daniels
works good early segments with both Chavo and RVD, with RVD’s leg
submission/pin combo looking good. The RVD/Guerrero team dominate both Joe and
Daniels early on, until Daniels nails Chavo from the outside. Despite Joe being
a face, he has a similar attitude to Daniels and doesn’t seem offended by his
partner’s blatant cheating. They work well together. They work a decent,
lengthy heat section on Chavo, until Daniels ego costs them, as he stops Joe
hitting a musclebuster, allowing Chavo time to recover and make the tag to RVD.
RVD attempts the 5* on Joe, but interference from Chavo and Daniels gives Joe
time to recover, and he plays possum, suddenly leaping up to hit the
musclebuster on RVD for the win. Perfectly watchable, but a little flat in
places.
Robbie E & Zema Ion vs Bobby Roode & Joseph Park
The team of Robbie and Ion seem perfectly suited together.
The team of Roode and Park less so. Park pulls the best “sad face” when Roode
lambasts him. I love the initial stages of the match where Roode dominates and
pretends he’ll tag Park in, before refusing to do so. Eventually, he does tag
in Park, but soon starts to regret his decision (Roode yelling “Tag me back in,
you moron” got a legit laugh from me). E and Ion work over Park after an Ion
distraction leads to a Robbie attack on Park’s leg, and look pretty good doing
it. An Ion 450 hits Park’s back as he tries to move, in an awkward looking
spot, but Ion hitting Poetry In Motion on Park only busts him open and puts him
in a rage-trance. Park destroys his opponents, hitting a Black Hole Slam on
Robbie, before coming out of his trance. I love Roode blind tagging in to cover
Robbie and claim the glory for himself. Not a great match, but plenty of fun.
Hernandez & Alex Silva vs DOC & Devon
Taz on commentary implies that Ace’s & 8’s rigged the
draw for this one. I actually thought Silva looked pretty impressive here,
taking offence well and hitting some nice underdog offence. I liked Hernandez
elevating him into Devon in the corner too. Soon, Silva gets isolated, and DOC
gets great height on a legdrop, which looks awesome. This is a basic tag
formula match, complete with heat section and a false tag, but it’s done well
enough. Silva lands on his feet on a suplex and tags Hernandez, who blitzes his
opponents with some power moves. Silva blind tags himself back in again before
Hernandez leaps from the ring onto Devon with a swank tope. This leaves Silva
with DOC, and again Silva has a nice period of underdog offence, before DOC
wipes him out with a big boot and a chokeslam. Thought Silva looked plenty
promising here.
Matt Morgan & Robbie T vs Al Snow & Joey Ryan
The underlying story here is that Snow and Ryan still hate
each other from Gut Check, and that Morgan and Ryan don’t want to fight. This
leaves Snow to work the bulk of the match, and he’s really off the pace here.
He works a section with Robbie T that is really clumsy looking. I was initially
inclined to blame Robbie for this, but his later section with Ryan is alright,
so I feel Snow is more at fault. Also, as veteran, he should really have
advised T to do something more exciting during a painful 5 minute chinlock.
Snow should surely know better. This does pick up towards the end, where Snow
and Terry conspire to leave Ryan and Morgan in the ring, as the two friends don’t
want to fight. This leads to Ryan, hilariously, raining down on Morgan with
futile blows, only for a Carbon Footprint to give the win to Morgan and Terry.
Not very good, and I can’t help but blame Snow for that.
12 Man Gauntlet for $100,000 (James Storm, Christian York, Mr
Anderson, Jessie Godderz, Samoa Joe, Christopher Daniels, Bobby Roode, Joseph
Park, DOC, Devon, Matt Morgan & Robbie T)
The gauntlet starts with Storm and Roode, which gives some
reliably solid action. The next two entrants are Devon and DOC, which means
that the ex-Beer Money members set aside their differences to eliminate DOC.
There are a few entries that come with little consequence, as Godderz, York and
Park all enter. I do love the fact that Storm and Roode fight each other just
to get the chance to strike Godderz in the corner. Anderson comes in and nails
Godderz, allowing Park to eliminate him. Daniels and Joe enter, but no
eliminations take place until Robbie T comes in, eliminating York, Daniels and
Anderson in quick succession. Morgan is the last entrant, and he too goes on a
spree, throwing Park, Joe and Robbie out. This leaves a final four of Morgan,
Devon, Storm and Roode, which soon becomes three as Morgan misses the Carbon
Footprint on Storm, who bundles him out. Knux comes to the ring and pulls Roode
outside under the middle rope, but his interference on Storm backfires as Devon
gets eliminated. Roode sneaks back in and thinks he’s won as he throws Storm
over the top, but Storm skins the cat, and nails a codebreaker and a superkick
for the win. Not much to enjoy here, as the eliminations were pretty much
grouped together, though the ending was fun. Pretty enjoyable show on the whole
though, hopefully this becomes an annual thing.
