Reported by Mike Siciliano of WrestleView.com
On Friday, September 9, 2005 at 2:45 AM EST

It's time to do some more predictions as TNA presents Unbreakable this coming Sunday, September 11th at Orlando's Universal Resort. I am a little surprised that TNA would come out with a pay per view on September 11th, but hey, maybe it's a good distraction from the Hurricane relief and the anniversary of the 9-11 attacks. Anyway, let's not go down that old dirt road, and let's go down the road of talking TNA. Here we go.

PETEY WILLIAMS vs. AUSTIN ARIES

Last month at Sacrifice, TNA had a poll for Christopher Daniels' opponent, which Aries won by a landslide, then he came to TNA and impressed a lot of people and officials with his performance against the Fallen Angel. Hence, the ROH superstar comes back for another showcase against the Team Canada captain. This one could lead off the pay per view, yet, if brought in to another major federation, it could be the main event, bar none. I am going to ROH in a couple of weeks, and I hope beyond hope that Glory By Honor IV will have Aries on the card, he is that talented to witness in person. However, the pint sized Canadian destroyer will have the numbers game over Aries, and hence, I believe the numbers game will give him the dupe. Hopefully, from this, Aries will end up getting some more television time with TNA on Impact going off this pay per view, and leading in to the Spike TV debut.

WINNER: Petey Williams

3 LIVE KRU vs. THE DIAMONDS in the ROUGH

It's not listed which two members of the 3LK will compete in this contest, but I would have to guess Konann and B.G. will go since everyone and their mother is still suspecting that the Outlaws will reunite in some form in TNA soon after the Spike TV debut. This match could be the final straw in the career of the 3LK, while in the process, elevating Simon Diamond's faction in to tag team title contention. I am surprised to see David Young involved in a situation with a winning combination in TNA, but, Diamond has brought out the best in the talent of David Young, and Prime Time is still one of the most athletic competitors in the company. It should be interesting, from both angles. Let's take Skipper and Young to win, with the 3LK going their spearate ways.

WINNERS: David Young & Prime Time Elix Skipper

BOBBY ROODE vs. JEFF HARDY

Personally, I think Jeff Hardy will suffer from the decision of his brother Matt to return to WWE. Hardy was in the beginning stages of a push that would've involved Matt and Jeff reuniting and a probable run at the NWA World Tag Team Championship. Now with Matt gone, Jeff had no action, and only one segment on the 4 weeks of Impact leading up to Unbreakable while Bobby Roode is firmly entrenched in work with his Team Canada compatriots. Roode had a tremendous showing in the work up to Unbreakable against the World Heavyweight Champion Raven, and Hardy has had ZERO wrestling work in TNA leading up to Unbreakable. I think Hardy is going to get buried now in TNA as a out of bounds way of showing Matt Hardy that his decision was the wrong one.

WINNER: Bobby Roode

LANCE HOYT & APOLO vs. KIP JAMES & MONTY BROWN

Monty Brown is a tremendous athlete. He is a competitor that has the potential to be World Heavyweight Champion, from an ATHLETIC perspective. His promos absolutely suck. No question asked. They are wretched. However, teaming with Kip James is nothing short of a major plus for the Alpha Male, as Kip James has years of knowledge as a WWE Tag Team Champion to siphen in to the head of the former NFL superstar. The team they are facing is a newly formed unit following the destruction of Apolo's full time tag partner, Sonny Siaki. While Hoyt has impressed last month at Sacrifice in his match with Abyss, and then had some very impressive showings in the Candido Cup with Konann, this matchup is a bit of a stretch I think for the former "Dallas" giant. Apolo doesn't really impress me, he is one of those guys that's just there, very similar to Shocker. Not a tremendously gifted talent, I have yet to hear him speak, and hence, I doubt he will have any sort of major run within TNA. James and Brown will still have some work to do with the 3LK when BG joins Kip to form the James Gang, so their run is still ongoing.

WINNERS: Kip James & Monty Brown

CHRIS SABIN vs. SHOCKER

Prior to writing this column, I watched last week's Impact, and they announced this match soon after the Candido Cup loss for the team of Shocker and Sabin against Sean Waltman and Alex Shelley. Sabin, I think, has some major league potential, and his technique has been very enjoyable to watch. Shocker, they have called him a legendary lucha libre competitor since his debut in TNA from Mexico. Personally, he doesn't impress me. I think TNA has the possibility of making Sabin in to a future superstar of mega proportions. Already a 2 time former X Division title holder, Sabin has world title aspirations, and I think he could pull it off. The only possible problem that could occur in this one is the injury that Sabin suffered in the Candido family following the superkick by Shelley. If that is healed, Sabin will win. If not, Shocker has more of a shot. I'll pick Sabin, though.

WINNER: Chris Sabin

SABU vs. ABYSS

This one intrigues me to no end. You have the man who fears nobody, and not one thing, especially pain, against a man who I thought initially was just a Kane rip off, but who has shown me a lot of ability as a competitor, and with the maniac that is James Mitchell controlling the strings of the monster Abyss, there is no telling where or how far TNA will let this man, or beast, as the case may be, go. This one could be just as devastating from a brutality spectrum as I expect the World Heavyweight title match to be, and I would also suspect you're going to see a lot more of these two men in various matches when TNA debuts on Spike TV. I am very very interested to see how Sabu handles the 100 plus extra pounds of the monster, but until I see it happen, Sabu is virtually indestructible, and I would be a fool not to go down that route, especially with the clean win that was garnered by the homicidal maniac and Raven this past week on Impact.

WINNER: Sabu

NWA World Tag Team Championship
Candido Cup Champions SEAN WALTMAN & ALEX SHELLEY vs. TEAM CANADA (Young & A-1) vs. AMERICA'S MOST WANTED vs. THE NATURALS (champions)

AMW and the Naturals will annihilate each other. Team Canada will watch that, sit back, and laugh. I can see Waltman and Shelley stay in the shadows, watch the carnage develop, and come during the end of the contest to surprise the world and capture the belts. I think there is too much emotion between the three teams, AMW, the Naturals, and Team Canada, that each of them are liable to make a serious mistake. Waltman and Shelley have had the major run of a lifetime in winning the Candido Cup, and I can see TNA giving the World Tag Team Championship to this new team for two reasons. Waltman is a major recognizable name as a former World Tag Team Champion in WWE, and putting a belt on Syxx-Pac and Alex Shelley may discourage Waltman from possibly resigning with the WWE. I'm going to take the upset, and have the Candido Cup champs become the champs.

WINNERS: New Champions Syxx Pac Sean Waltman and Alex Shelley

NWA TNA X Division Championship
SAMOA JOE vs. A.J. STYLES vs. The Fallen Angel CHRISTOPHER DANIELS (champion)

Daniels walked and talked himself in to this triple threat with his interference and bitching following the Super X Cup tournament. It wasn't bad enough that Daniels had to face the man who has been running roughshod through TNA since his debut. Now with Styles in the mix, there could be the possibility of anything wacked out happening in this contest. Styles has got to be still smarting after his loss to Joe at Sacrifice and the subsequent back injury that he suffered. He is back, competing, and ready to go for this contest, but the auspice of going back up against the man who caused the injury may be a tough road to hold for the Phenomenal One. Meanwhile, there's the enigma that is the Fallen Angel. While it is no doubt that Daniels is an offensive juggernaut with damage capabilities of limitless proportions, Joe may be even more dangerous. I have the distinct opinion that the TNA brass may be considering Joe for a long term run as a title holder similar to the way Ring Of Honor had Joe run with their world title for nearly a year. This one may be the stepping stone for an eventual feud with the World Champion, or to revitalize and revolutionize the X Division. As much of a fan I am of all three competitors, Joe is the most impressive independent superstar I have ever seen. I think he will be one of the cornerstones of the Spike TV era of TNA wrestling.

WINNER: New Champion Samoa Joe

NWA World Heavyweight Championship
RHINO vs. RAVEN (champion)

2 months, and Rhino has a world title shot. In however many years he was with WWE, he never had a shot at either of the two titles, and barely had a cup of coffee as WCW US Champion. When the hardcore belt was dissolved, so was Rhino's chances at WWE gold.

Unfortunately, for the Man Beast, I don't see TNA going in to the Spike TV era with Rhino as it's flagship champion. I mentioned eariler how bad a promoter Monty Brown is. I think Rhino may be worse. He is a gifted athlete, and a hardcore icon just a level or two below the Sandman, but in this scenario, nobody is better at bringing the pain than Raven. Raven will pull out stops in this one that may marvel last month's tag match, or the Dog Collar match two months ago against Abyss. Raven can be marketed in to a champion that the TV audience, like him or hate him, will get behind. I don't see that with the Man Beast.

Blood will spill. Heads will roll. This will be a contest of ECW style proportions. However, when the chips fall, and the tacks, and the chairs, and the ladders, and anything else that isn't nailed down, the man from the Bowery will remain the top dog in the NWA.

WINNER: Raven

It's another impressive card leading up to the debut on Spike TV. I gotta be honest. More and more I am exposed to TNA, ROH, and the others, more and more I am becoming less fond of WWE. WWE needs to pull a rabbit out of the hat in a big hurry, or they're going to be involved in a war that will make the WCW Monday Night War look like a tea party. I don't think Panda Energy or the Jarretts are like Ted Turner. They don't care. They just want to make a good product, and then the money will come in. I think they're on their way.

Debate me if you wish. Click here to drop me an email.

Also, check out NewYorkSportsWorksInc.Com for info on who's coming in the next couple of weeks, for anyone on Long Island.

See ya down the road, people.

Kimosabe, Sumo!!?!?!??!?!?!?

ADDED: 9/9 2:15PM. Thanks in no small part to the reporting of my colleague Adam Martin, I found out about two major changes to the Pay Per View card which would drastically change my picks. Sabin/Shocker is out. Aries/Petey Williams is out... It is now....

AUSTIN ARIES vs. RODERICK STRONG

These two guys will put on a show that will probably get them both TNA contracts before the night is done. TNA management would be stupid not to. They both have the talent, the charisma, and the it factor to make a major impact on Spike TV. Personally, however, Aries is purely evil, and I love that in a competitor, so I am going to go with the former ROH World Champion and say Aries gets the dupe in what would probably be a show stopping match for this card.

WINNER: Austin Aries

PETEY WILLIAMS vs. CHRIS SABIN

Two former X Division title holders. Two major players in the future of TNA on Spike TV and onward. Two of the most talented sons of blanks I have seen compete in years. Sabin is a tactician the likes of which I haven't seen, combining speed, quickness and aerobatics with a power game that is nearly impossible to contain. Williams, for his frame, is just down right lethal. The Canadian Destroyer is probably my most favorite finishing move in all of pro wrestling. One on One, this would be amazing. However, when has any of Team Canada's matches been one on one? Not in a long time. The numbers game will take out the man from Heil, Michigan, and the captain will get the dupe.

WINNER: Petey Williams

Personally, I am sad about the problems with TNA having to change the card like this, but honestly, they did addition by subtraction. Shocker can't appear, so they book an indy star who could really steal the show like Aries did at Sacrifice against the Fallen Angel. It could be very intriguing, to say the least.

All right, that's it. I promise. I had to add this to correlate with the news I just found out, so let's go this far, and say, SEE YA! HAIL SABIN! :) Just kidding.

Kimosabe, Sumo!?!?!?