Impact
Wrestling
Date: December 24, 2014
Location: Impact Zone,
Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Mike
Tenay, Taz, Don West
Hosts: Christy Hemme,
Jeremy Borash
Reviewed by Tommy Hall
This is the final
episode of Impact Wrestling on SpikeTV before they head over to
Destination America early in the new year. It's also the second half
of the Top Twenty Moments countdown, which hopefully is capped off by
someone who still works for this company. Let's get to it.
#10. Impact –
February 19, 2009
Kurt Angle vs. Sting
Empty
arena match for control of the Main Event Mafia. With no one there,
of course they come out to their music. Sting throws Angle outside
to start and they hit that wall that they always hit in brawls.
Angle goes nuts with right hands and you can hear the grunting. They
go up into the empty seats as this is one of those “let's walk
around and not really do much” matches. Angle walks him back up
into the seats and somehow the cameras can't follow them, despite
there being no one to get around.
Sting dumps Angle over
a balcony but Kurt comes back with a metal trashcan. Kurt: “I HATE
YOU!” We see some fans watching in the concourse as I realize
there's no reason given for this to be an empty arena match. A low
blow puts Sting down and Angle swears a bit. Sting pops up with a
chair to the back but Angle begs off a beating from a chair. He
swears that he's sorry and says he has kids, only to change his mind
and tell Sting to hit him. Nash and Steiner finally come in to break
it up with Nash shouting to MAKE IT RIGHT. They shake hands but
start fighting again, shouting how much they hate each other.
Rating:
D-.
Again, why was this an empty arena match? It didn't make a ton of
sense when it was Rock vs. Mankind and it really doesn't make a ton
of sense here. As usual, it felt like Russo trying to do something
to make a splash instead of making sense, which is eventually going
to be exposed for the shock TV that it is.
#9. Impact – October
8, 2014.
Tag Team Titles:
Hardys vs. Team 3D vs. Wolves
The Wolves are
defending and this is Full Metal Mayhem, meaning TLC. Richards has a
somewhat bad leg coming into this but he seems to be fine. It's a
big brawl to start of course with Matt hitting what looked like the
Side Effect to Eddie on the apron. Bully hammers on Jeff on the
floor as weapons are being sets up on the floor. Matt goes for a
climb but Ray comes in for a save with a Rock Bottom.
Davey breaks up Ray's
attempt and DDTs him, only to have D-Von nail Richards a second
later. Matt gets enziguried into a German suplex onto a pair of open
chairs. Eddie throws Jeff into the air and Ray catches him in a
Cutter for a 3D. They chop it out but Matt is back up to take both
guys down. We get the Tower of Doom with Ray electric chairing Matt
who superplexes Edwards. D-Von bridges a piece of barricade between
the apron and some overturned steps but Davey headbutts him onto the
barricade.
Ray saves his partner
from a dive and powerbombs Richards down, only to miss a middle rope
backsplash. He comes right back with another powerbomb to send
Richards onto the barricade, giving Richards one of the most shocked
looks I've ever seen. Back with Jeff taking a ladder to the face and
D-Von cleans house with a chair.
Richards comes back
with a chair of his own but this time it's Jeff popping up to take
over. The Whisper in the Wind and Swanton have Ray in trouble but he
pops right back up for a brawl with Jeff on the floor. The Twisting
Stunner has Ray in trouble and Jeff brings out another table. He
bridges it between the turned over steps and the apron with the legs
up. Jeff misses the legdrop though and crashes through the table,
leaving him in a huge heap on the floor.
Back in and Ray goes
up, only to have Edwards set up a ladder of his own next to it.
Bully kicks him down but Matt comes in with a ladder of his own. All
three go up and slug it out with Edwards getting slammed off the top.
Mat and Ray grab for the belts but send them swinging around before
knocking each other off with Matt flying into a ladder.
Davey and Matt slug it
out with Hardy getting the better of it and bringing in another
table. Everyone heads outside again with Matt climbing about halfway
up a huge ladder to legdrop Davey through a table. Richards has
taken one heck of a beating here. D-Von cleans house with the ladder
and brings in the big ladder to make thing even more fun. Team 3D
loads up What's Up but Edwards shoves D-Von to the floor.
Davey goes up the big
ladder but gets shoved onto the floor and head first into the
barricade. The Hardys make another save with chairs and put Ray on
two tables. Jeff goes up top of the big ladder but Davey shoves it
over, sending Hardy into a HUGE splash onto Ray for a horrible
looking crash. Davey and Matt slug it out on top of the ladder but
Edwards makes a save and powerbombs Matt through a table, allowing
Davey to take down the belts for the win at 23:52.
Rating:
A.
I came into this show thinking this match wasn't going to be able to
live up to its hype and they got me. This was an AWESOME match with
a ton of high spots and some insane looking bumps. The fact that
they didn't save this for Bound For Glory shows you just how much
they don't care about that show this year. Excellent match and one
of the best things TNA has done in years.
#8. Slammiversary 2013.
Taryn Terrell vs.
Gail Kim
Last
Knockout standing. Gail attacks in the corner to start but Taryn
comes back with clotheslines to take over. Gail puts on an octopus
hold but lets it go early and only gets a six count. Kim goes to the
floor for a chair but has it kicked out of her hands. Some hair
drags keep Gail down for a few moments but she manages to get the
chair up to block a high cross body. Gail is up first and goes after
the knee for a bit before wedging the chair between the ropes. Taryn
blocks a ram into the chair but gets caught in the Figure Four around
the post.
Terrell is up at 8 and
dodges Gail's charge into the corner, sending her head first into the
chair in a SICK looking crash. That only gets eight so Taryn puts
her in the Figure Four around the post for eight more. Taryn misses
a charge and lands on the ramp for nine, only to be caught in a
legsweep onto the ramp for nine more. Gail tries a piledriver but
gets reversed into a bulldog off the ramp to put both girls down.
Taryn beats the count for the win at 9:18.
Rating:
B-.
This was the best Knockouts match in YEARS. The bulldog off the
stage was a bigger spot but the missed charge into the chair should
have been the finish. It looked MUCH more painful and I thought Gail
was out cold. Still though, very entertaining match and I was really
impressed with Taryn here. I'd bet on her vs. Mickie at BFG for the
title in a veteran vs. underdog title match.
#7. Impact – January
4, 2010.
It's 9pm so here's Hulk
in black. Brooke is of course in the front row. Hogan immediately
puts over the roster and the locker room for working as hard as they
have. Now we get the infamous line from this promo: “I've been in
the back all day.” Remember that this is after AN HOUR OF WATCHING
HIM DRIVE TO THE BUILDING. That line was edited out of the
rebroadcast of the show and it's painful to hear all over again.
Hogan talks about how
many new and familiar faces there are here. As he's talking, Hall
and Waltman try to get to the ring. Hogan says give them a mic and
let them get in the ring. Hall and Hogan do the Wolfpack sign and
Hall says the party is back. The boss tells him that's not how it
works anymore. Waltman thinks it's the same people so it's the same
party, but Hogan shoots him down too. In a laughable line, Hogan
says it's time to grow up.
Hall says everything is
changing, with or without Hogan. Wait so is everything changing or
is everything the same? Nash comes out and wants to know what's
going on, but Hulk insists he's not playing a role. Hogan says they
need to do this FOR REAL because it's a different time. Hall and
Waltman are ready to fight but Eric Bischoff debuts and says they
reinvented this business. Dixie Carter is shown watching from the
crowd.
Bischoff says this is
all about communication and that has broken down recently. Everyone
has to earn their position in this company, which Nash hears loud and
clear. Nash, Hall and Waltman leave and Bischoff again claims that
they can change the business again. Hogan says they've shuffled the
deck as Dixie cautiously applauds. Bischoff rips up the format sheet
to show how different things are going to be. He hands the producer
a new format because they're turning this company upside down. So
this basically boiled down to the same “this is new” promo that
every indy company starts with.
In storyline
development, Shera makes it to the top of a hill where Sotrm is
waiting with a jug of water. Storm pours it on top of him and
welcomes Shera to the Revolution.
#6. Impact – January
9, 2014.
TNA World Title: AJ
Styles vs. Magnus
No DQ and both guys are
champion coming in. Magnus immediately goes to the floor and does it
again for a second time in less than ninety seconds. No contact yet.
Magnus gets back in but here are Ethan Carter and Spud to jump AJ
before any contact is made. AJ fights them off and superkicks Magnus
in the ribs but Carter breaks up a Styles Clash attempt. Sting
finally comes out for the save but doesn't do anything as AJ saves
himself. Magnus bails to the floor and we take a break.
Back with the two
champions still not making contact as the Bro Mans and Zema Ion come
out to jump Sting and AJ and giving us six run-ins in less than eight
minutes. Zema DDTs AJ and the Bro Down gets a delayed two on Styles.
Sting comes back in as Magnus just chills at ringside. The Brit
finally comes back in and AJ quickly loads up the Clash, only to have
Bad Influence make the save and lay him out with a
powerbomb/neckbreaker combo.
Earl Hebner refuses to
count so Dixie and Brian Hebner get us to ELEVEN people coming out
for this match. Bad Influence goes High/Low on AJ for two and Brian
gets yelled at. Sting lays out the Bro Mans with a double Death Drop
on the floor before putting Ion in the Deathlock. AJ fights back
against Bad Influence as Sting comes in to help even more. We're
down to Magnus vs. AJ with Styles getting the Calf Killer, only to
have Kazarian take out the referee.
Kazarian monkey flips
AJ into Daniels but AJ clotheslines him down and Peles Kaz. Now the
Styles Clash takes out Magnus but there's no referee. Earl Hebner
hobbles back out (we'll call that #12) to count two before AJ dives
over the top to take out Bad Influence yet again. AJ goes up top but
Bobby Roode makes it #13 by shoving Styles into the ropes. Three
AA/DVDs lay AJ out for about the fifth time, giving Magnus the pin
(thanks to referee #3 and the fourteenth person added to the match)
and the undisputed title at 15:47. Sting was being held back by most
of the heels in case you were wondering.
Rating:
D.
So they spent all night hyping up the match before going full Russo
on it. That's what we spent months and months building to? The
match was definitely energetic but we really had to spend all this
time setting up Dixie with her corporate champion? Assuming AJ
leaving isn't a HUGE swerve, this was one of the biggest wastes of
time I can remember in years.
#5. Impact Wrestling –
January 17, 2013.
Are they kidding???
It's wedding time. Ray
is in a tux which is weird to say the least. The groomsmen come out
with the bridesmaids (looking GOOD tonight) and here's Brooke. Hulk
finally comes out (setting a record in getting into a tuxedo) to a
big ovation. The fans tell Hulk to shake Bully's hand. They get
through a LONG intro from the minister and saying how much they care
about each other.
No
one objects, they both say I do, and Tazz takes the mic from the
minister. Tazz asks if Bully is sure, then says it's too hot in
here. He takes off his jacket, and reveals an Aces and 8's vest.
The big brawl ends the ceremony and show. Brooke gets kidnapped
again as Ray takes a pedestal to the face to end the show.
So quick recap here.
There are four moments left and we have the following to go off the
top of my head:
Kurt Angle debuts
AJ Styles wins the
World Title at No Surrender 2009
Unbreakable triple
threat
Elix Skipper walks the
cage
Angle
vs. Joe from Genesis 2006
ANYTHING from before
October 2007
Somehow they're going
to screw up something as simple as “hey, does anyone remember any
great matches from the last twelve years?”
#4. Impact – November
3, 2011.
TNA World Title: James Storm vs.
Bobby Roode
Feeling out process to start as
they're playing up the idea that they know each other very well. Off
to a test of strength which doesn't last long. Neither guy has an
advantage as we go to a break. Back with Storm ramming shoulders
into Roode in the corner. They keep countering each other and Roode
can't get much of an advantage. Storm stays ahead with a superplex
but both guys are down.
They slug it out and Storm takes
over with some running shots. Blockbuster gets two for Roode.
Backstabber gets two for the champ. Eye of the Storm is countered
into a spinebuster for two. They head to the floor and both guys
barely get back inside in time. Storm tries an Orton DDT but gets
countered into a Crossface. Storm makes a rope and Roode is
frustrated. Roode tries a superplex but Storm counters into a top
rope elbow for two.
This is getting good. Last Call
misses as Roode grabs the fisherman's suplex. Storm counters that
and is almost sent into the referee. The referee avoids the contact
but twists his knee in the process as Roode is sent to the floor.
Roode succumbs to the demons inside and grabs the beer bottle which
he breaks over Storm's head to BIG heat. It gives him the world
title at 17:40.
Rating:
B.
This was a very solid match that could have easily main evented a PPV
with about five minutes extra. Still though, good stuff here and
that's what they needed to do. I'm really not sure I like the ending
but it's TNA after all so how good can it get? The heel turn was
needed, but Roode is going to have to step up his emotions as a heel
to deserve this spot. Good match though.
#3. Unbreakable
X-Division Title:
Samoa Joe vs. AJ Styles vs. Christopher Daniels
Daniels is the longest
reigning champion ever at this point, AJ is a four time champion and
Joe is undefeated. This is TNA's greatest match ever so let's see if
it holds up. AJ and Joe team up to beat down Daniels to start which
is kind of a surprising move. Joe kicks him HARD in the back and AJ
does the same thing. It turns into a contest and I think Joe wins by
a hair. Daniels gets up but Joe kicks him in the face. Cool
sequence.
AJ grabs a fast rollup
on Joe and we're ready to get going. They trade pinfall attempts so
fast that I can't type them until Joe hooks a modified Rings of
Saturn. Daniels breaks it up and kicks AJ down for no cover. Joe
chops the champ and hits a standing enziguri to knock him to the
floor. AJ takes Joe down but Daniels is back in to take over on
Styles, getting two. Joe chops them both in the corner but Daniels
fires back with chops of his own.
Styles headscissors
both guys down into opposite corners and fires off kicks at Joe. Joe
is like screw that and suplexes him down overhead style. There's the
Facewash to Styles but Daniels breaks up the running kick to the
face. Daniels hits a springboard moonsault onto Joe on the floor but
you know AJ has to top him, so he hits a springboard shooting star to
take both guys down. He rolls Joe back in for two and things slow
down a tiny bit.
Actually scratch that
as Styles hits the drop down/dropkick combo for two. Daniels comes
back in again and monkey flips AJ at Joe but AJ twists in mid air
into a rana on the fat man. Daniels O'Connor rolls Styles for two
and then launches him over the top and out to the floor. A flying
knee sends Joe into the corner and Daniels slaps him in the face.
Joe will have none of that and slaps Daniels back but Daniels rolls
him up for two.
Joe counters the rollup
into the Clutch so Styles busts out Spiral Tap to break up the hold.
That gets two on both guys and Daniels sends Styles back to the
floor. An STO puts Joe down but AJ breaks up the BME. I feel like
I'm talking to a 3 year old after that last exchange with all the
spelling. Daniels gets caught in the Tree of Woe and AJ kicks away,
but Joe splashes AJ into Daniels. A running dropkick to the face
breaks the Tree and Daniels is out.
The running big boot
that Joe does knocks AJ's head into Tallahassee somewhere and the
backsplash gets two. Daniels comes back out of nowhere and hits the
Death Valley Driver on Joe. Everyone is down until Daniels covers
Joe for two. AJ gets sent to the floor and both he and Daniels miss
moonsaults. They slug it out so Joe hits a corkscrew plancha to take
both guys down. The fans are losing their minds over this stuff.
Back in and Daniels breaks up the MuscleBuster but Styles goes up
too. AJ and Daniels fight on the top so Joe backdrops both of them
down at the same time.
Joe gets up first and
he looks MAD. He and AJ slug it out with AJ taking over but Joe
slugs him right back and hits a big old German release suplex to take
over. There's the MuscleBuster but Daniels comes in with the belt.
He charges at Joe but the Samoan hits a snap powerslam to cut that
off. Joe picks the belt up but Daniels kicks it into his face.
Daniels and AJ slug it out and that just feels appropriate. A blue
thunder bomb out of nowhere gets two on Styles.
Release Rock Bottom
puts AJ down and the BME gets two as Joe makes the save. Daniels
puts a Dragon Sleeper on Joe and hooks the Last Rites (rolling cutter
which he didn't use that often) to send Joe to the floor again. AJ
bounces back up and hits the moonsault into the reverse DDT for two.
Styles goes up but Daniels hits a palm strike to stop him. Daniels
superplexes him down but he can't cover. Joe comes in and covers
both guys for two.
Joe focuses on Daniels
and hits his powerbomb into the Boston Crab into the STF sequence so
he can call a LONG spot to Daniels. Daniels (wearing a wedding ring)
gets the rope so Joe beats up AJ a bit more. He fires off forearms
but AJ snaps off the Pele to take over again. The Rack into a
neckbreaker gets two for Styles but Daniels is back up. AJ hits a
sunset flip into the Clash but Joe makes the save at two. Daniels
ducks a charging Joe to send him tot he floor. AJ and Daniels slug
it out and Daniels tries the Angel's Wings. AJ counters into a
bridging backdrop and stays on top for the pin and the title.
Rating:
A+.
Yeah that's the easy answer but there's no real other option to go
with here. This was about twenty three minutes long and the longest
they go without action is maybe 20 seconds. These three have
incredible chemistry together and it was a great example of what
smaller guys can do. It's not the best match in TNA history by a
mile but it's the best match by a few feet. Great match.
#2. Bound For Glory
2010.
TNA World Title:
Jeff Hardy vs. Kurt Angle vs. Mr. Anderson
Anderson beat D'Angelo
Dinero and Hardy and Angle went to a time limit draw, forcing the
three way. Hardy debuts new music which should tell you a lot.
Anderson gets double teamed to start but Kurt is sent out to the
floor. Angle comes back in and throws Jeff to the floor so he can
kick at Anderson's knee in the corner. A release overhead belly to
belly gets two on Mr. with Hardy making a save. Jeff gets back into
it and picks up Anderson, so Angle Germans both guys at the same
time.
Anderson goes outside
for the first time but Jeff backdrops Angle up and over the top for a
bad landing. Thankfully he's ok enough to pull Anderson out to the
floor for a brawl, but Hardy dives over the top to put everyone down.
Back in and Kurt puts Anderson in a chinlock until Jeff makes a
save. He goes up top very slowly though, allowing Angle to run the
corner for the belly to belly. Jeff pops back up, only to miss the
Swanton on Anderson and give Kurt a near fall. Dixie Carter is
watching at ringside.
Angle loads up a
superplex but Andeson turns it into a Tower of Doom for two on both
guys. It's Angle up first to roll some Germans on Anderson before
doing the same on Hardy. He wants to keep things together so there's
an ankle lock to both guys at the same time. Angle goes up top but
Anderson's ankle is fine enough for the rolling fireman's carry for
two. Hardy breaks it up with a Swanton for two on both guys.
Back up and Anderson
goes up, only to get caught in a belly to back superplex to give Kurt
a near fall. Whisper in the Wind puts Angle down and there's a Twist
of Fate to Anderson. The Swanton crushes Mr. but Angle grabs Jeff's
ankle. Anderson breaks it up with the Mic Check for two on Kurt and
everyone gets two off a rollup. Kurt actually hits the moonsault for
two on Hardy, who falls out of the ring. Angle escapes the Mic Check
but accidentally clotheslines the referee. Everyone knows the big
THEY reveal is coming.
Anderson hits the Mic
Check on Angle but can't follow up. This brings out Eric Bischoff
with a chair but Hogan comes out (I'm as shocked as you are) before
he can swing it. Hulk is on crutches and moving pretty slowly as we
have to wait even longer. Bischoff throws the chair down but takes
away a crutch. Hardy gets back in to calm things down but Hogan
hands him his crutch.
Jeff squares off with
Bischoff....and breaks the crutch over Angle's back. Hogan smiles
and Bischoff says that was awesome. Hogan points at Hardy and hugs
Eric as they watch Hardy break the other crutch over Anderson's back.
The Twist of Fate is enough to pin Anderson and give Hardy the
title.
Rating:
B-.
The match is good but this was ALL about the booking and big swerve
at the end. Hogan and Bischoff weren't really surprises so it was
all down to who was going to side with the new mega heel faction.
Hardy winning the title is fine and the best option given who was in
there.
Bischoff introduces
Jeff as the new World Champion and a smiling Jeff Jarrett comes out.
Abyss follows them out and hugs Hogan. Fans throw trash in the ring
ala the NWO debut (there were rumors this was planted) as RVD comes
out to ask Jeff what he's doing. Hardy lays him out with a belt shot
and poses with THEY to end the show.
Quick recap of the top
ten.
And now, I kid you not,
this is considered the #1 moment all time in TNA wrestling history.
#1. Impact – August
7, 2014
Here's all of Dixie's
team but she fires Stephens and Snitsky like the maniac she is. Cue
Team 3D and Dreamer with a table but Dixie hides behind everyone
she's paid off. Ray promises to put Dixie through a table and
Dreamer says Dixie is everything that's wrong with this business. Mo
nails Dreamer and the brawl is on with the ECW guys taking over.
Suddenly Dixie is alone in the ring with 3D but runs when she's about
to take 3D.
Spud swears it's never
going to happen but the entire locker room comes out to throw Dixie
to the wolves (Team 3D, not Richards/Edwards). D-Von loads her up
(and grabs her in a rather personal spot) and Bully powerbombs Dixie
off the middle rope through the table, in what I believe was Dixie's
first bump ever. We even get Bully's old euphoric look and the
announcers are WAY too happy to see this.
I'm not sure how I feel
about this. I have no problem with a heel, male or female, taking a
big bump to end a story. What I'm not wild on is how everything was
announced in advance. This is going to cause some issues in the
mainstream media given how violent it was, but that's the nature of
pro wrestling. It felt very scripted though and that's not a good
thing, but the ending was exactly what it should have been.
Here's the entire top
20 in case you didn't catch last week.
20.
Angle vs. Joe – Lockdown 2008
19. Aries vs. Roode – Destination X 2012
18. Motor City Machine Guns vs. Beer Money – Victory Road 2010
17. WOO Off – Impact – July 7, 2010
16. Ultimate X – Bound For Glory 2009
15. Bully Ray vs. Jeff Hardy – Lockdown 2013
14. Knockouts Title Gauntlet Match – Bound For Glory 2007
13. Karen Angle marries Jeff Jarrett – Impact – March 3, 2011
12. Lashley vs. Roode II – October 29, 2014
11. Sting vs. Hogan – Bound For Glory 2011
10. Sting vs. Angle – Impact – February 19, 2009 (Empty Arena Match)
9. Impact – October 8, 2014 – Team 3D vs. Wolves vs. Hardys (Full Metal Mayhem)
8. Gail Kim vs. Taryn Terrell – Slammiversary 2013 (Last Knockout Standing)
7. Hogan and Bischoff Debut – Impact – January 4, 2010
6. AJ Styles vs. Magnus – Impact – January 9, 2014
5. Bully Ray marries Brooke Hogan – Impact Wrestling – January 17, 2013
4. James Storm vs. Bobby Roode – Impact – November 3, 2011
3. Styles vs. Joe vs. Daniels – Unbreakable
2. Jeff Hardy vs. Kurt Angle vs. Mr. Anderson – Bound For Glory 2010
1. Dixie Carter Goes Through A Table – Impact – August 7, 2014
19. Aries vs. Roode – Destination X 2012
18. Motor City Machine Guns vs. Beer Money – Victory Road 2010
17. WOO Off – Impact – July 7, 2010
16. Ultimate X – Bound For Glory 2009
15. Bully Ray vs. Jeff Hardy – Lockdown 2013
14. Knockouts Title Gauntlet Match – Bound For Glory 2007
13. Karen Angle marries Jeff Jarrett – Impact – March 3, 2011
12. Lashley vs. Roode II – October 29, 2014
11. Sting vs. Hogan – Bound For Glory 2011
10. Sting vs. Angle – Impact – February 19, 2009 (Empty Arena Match)
9. Impact – October 8, 2014 – Team 3D vs. Wolves vs. Hardys (Full Metal Mayhem)
8. Gail Kim vs. Taryn Terrell – Slammiversary 2013 (Last Knockout Standing)
7. Hogan and Bischoff Debut – Impact – January 4, 2010
6. AJ Styles vs. Magnus – Impact – January 9, 2014
5. Bully Ray marries Brooke Hogan – Impact Wrestling – January 17, 2013
4. James Storm vs. Bobby Roode – Impact – November 3, 2011
3. Styles vs. Joe vs. Daniels – Unbreakable
2. Jeff Hardy vs. Kurt Angle vs. Mr. Anderson – Bound For Glory 2010
1. Dixie Carter Goes Through A Table – Impact – August 7, 2014
Overall
Rating: C-.
I'm just talking about the top ten this week. While last week's had
some funny moments that felt more like honorable mentions than
anything else, this week had some incredibly bizarre picks. First
off though, let's knock out the ones that make sense and that I have
no issue with. #9 is fine and was pretty easily one of TNA's best
matches of the year. #8 might be the best Knockouts match ever. #7
is indeed huge for TNA. #4, #3 and #2 are all fine either for
importance, quality and hype respectfully.
Then
on the other side, what in the world is the empty arena match doing
on here? Yeah it's Sting vs. Angle, but those two headlined Bound
For Glory together and traded the World Title. Instead though we get
probably their least memorable match ever which is only there because
it had a lame gimmick attacked. What an odd choice that sounds like
someone saw the names on a page and picked the match without looking.
#6....eh yeah it was a big moment but it didn't lead anywhere and is
FAR too high up. #5 is a joke.
That
leaves us with #1. Yeah it's a big moment, but the top moment in the
history of the company? Really? Not signing Kurt Angle five months
after he was defending the World Title at Wrestlemania? Not Elix
Skipper walking the cage in an outstanding match that was on every
TNA highlight reel until Hogan and Bischoff rebooted the company? On
top of that, nothing from Raven's great run back in 2003? Abyss'
only mention is a cameo at the end of Bound For Glory 2010? He had a
great match against Styles at Lockdown 2005, but apparently only
Unbreakable happened in the first five years of TNA history.
Overall
this list feels like it was thrown together by a slightly more than
casual fan of TNA. Some of these are obvious, but for the most part
this comes off like a list from the last six years instead of the
best ever from TNA. Having stuff in there like the two weddings or
the WOO Off (funny moment, but they showed it in the package before
they aired the full thing) takes up another spot that could go to
something more important. It did hit some spots though including
most of the important ones, save for the top one that is.
Remember to check out my website at kbwrestlingreviews.com and head over to my Amazon author page with wrestling books for under $4 at:
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