Nine matches on a card for a pay per view. I almost find that hard to believe. What is also hard to believe is that I think I actually am going to say some positive things about some work ups to the matches for tomorrow night’s Victory Road. That also doesn’t mean that there isn’t part of this show that I would wish to the good suits in the sky that they would get rid of. Nevertheless, it’s time for business, so let’s pick Victory Road.
Sharmell vs. Jenna Morasca
Who sees this as some way to jumpstart Kong and Sojo Bolt? Because if anyone even remotely gives two damns about these two non – talents fighting, it’d be a stretch to the fullest extent. Based on last week’s Impact, it appears this’ll turn in to some major league cluster bomb that will involve Kong, Bolt, and Saeed in some way, shape, or form. What I wonder is, during this whole fracas, will Saeed be written off, since it appears Melissa Anderson has a new direction bubbling within the ranks of TNA, as it was plainly obvious in her match last week with Sarah Stock. Whatever the case may be, this is a match that has not business one being on pay per view, and frankly, I’m just picking out of a hat here. I think Kong will be the edge that will get Jenna over. I also think Jenna has the more frail ego here, and she’d be more bruised with a loss emotionally than Sharmell will. If Sharmell is able to take worms in the throat from the Boogeyman back from WWE in 2005, she can handle losing to this chick for publicity toward the company.
WINNER: Jenna Morasca
Daniels vs. Matt Morgan
How happy am I that the Fallen Angel is back in Total Non Stop Action Wrestling? Too happy to count. I’d even be happier if I saw more of Daniels teaming with AJ, but one step at a time. Anyway, this match APPEARS to be a mismatch on paper, and it wouldn’t surprise me if Morgan got the dupe here just to keep him on the rise toward an eventual spot in the Mafia, but frankly, with Homicide winning the X Title, it’d be nice to see Daniels get a shot at the title, and a win here would definitely put him back in the running. Outside of Sabin, Shelley, Creed & Lethal, the X division is scaringly thin, and Daniels jumping back in there with a win here at the PPV would be a major jolt of adrenaline. I’ll take Daniels, but it wouldn’t surprise me to see Morgan get the win here.
WINNER: Daniels
Abyss vs. Dr. Stevie
Seeing Dr. Stevie, crap, I can’t call him that, seeing Stevie Richards return to his ECW roots here as I suspect he will, will be so much fun to watch. I didn’t watch much of the original ECW, hell, I didn’t watch any of it, and I would love to see how Richards is able to combat the size and strength of the monster. I would love also to see this match be No DQ, to really open up the flood and blood gates. I suspect that Richards will get killed here, and take the defeat to put Abyss back over as the true monster, outside of the whites, and back in to the original attire that he became a world champion while wearing. I think this could be a show stealer.
WINNER: Abyss
Samoa Joe vs. Sting
This build up of seeing Sting get choked out as Impact went off was amazing. How Taz, and if you don’t think it’s Taz, what are you smoking, how Taz gets introduced is anybody’s guess, but the deal is simple, Joe’s gonna kill Sting. Sting is probably leaning toward calling it a career, and this may be the beginning nail that will lead to the coffin that will cement the icon’s departure from professional wrestling. I don’t see how Sting can overcome Joe and Taz, especially with Taz molding Joe in to the direction that he has been traveling on these past few weeks and months.
WINNER: Samoa Joe
IWGP World Tag Team Championship
Team 3D vs. The British Invasion
I am guessing that it’s going to be Magnus and Williams fighting, as I think Rob Terry is more of the outside enforcer than an in ring competitor. Next question here is, if 3D wins, does New Japan actually recognize them as tag team champions? It’s a question that provides a lot of intrigue for the match, and from where I sit, perhaps a little bit of predictability. I am checking the sites I normally check for word on this situation from the land of the Rising Sun, and I don’t see any information one way or the other, so the match will probably go the way of 3D, because I don’t see New Japan bringing in the Brits as a championship team since they’ve never been there, to the best of my knowledge, (I know Williams has done NOAH, but it’s a different kettle of fish when talking about the IWGP titles). Bottom line here, the match will be fun, as I would love to see WIlliams use his experience to lead Magnus in to battle, and this match ought to be really physical. However, 3D retains.
WINNERS: Team 3D
TNA Knockouts Championship
Tara vs. Angelina Love
I have to believe this is the last straw for the Beautiful People for the title for a while, as I suspect that TNA is grooming Sarita to be the next challenger for the title, unless Melissa Anderson’s dual personality situation becomes one, and she gets a focus that she needs to vault her career. One way or the other, this match will go Tara’s way for one reason. Love’s ego. Love is going to demand help from her stablemates, and I suspect Sky is losing some patience with Love’s whining. I can’t say I blame her, not to mention that Sky and Rayne haven’t even sniffed a shot at the title. The spider thing is a bit over the top, but it’s funny. One thing’s for sure, it appears Tara may not like her ring name, but she’s loving what’s she doing right now, and I’m really happy for her.
WINNER: Tara
TNA World Tag Team Championship
Beer Money, Inc. vs. Scott Steiner & Booker T.
It sure as hell seems that the titles are going to go the way of the Mafia here, especially with last week’s beatdown of Roode. One thing has to be said, though. Roode & Storm have proven major league championship material, and if anyone can hang with the experience of the Mafia when the sides are balanced, then it’s Beer Money. The true question here is, will TNA give the Mafia all the power. There’s a point that needs to be made with that as well before we go any further.
Everyone’s talking about how The Mafia has a shot to win all the power and all the gold this weekend. Question: Is the X title not gold? I mean, does it look like the ECW title or something?? I know Homicide won it this week, and I can’t be happier for the Notorious 187, but if this doesn’t de-value the prestige of the X Division, what does?
Anyway, back to the tag title scene, this is a pick ’em, I would think. However, I have to also think that there will be a partial swing of power, and someome will lose their title, and I think this may be the place where it happens. Sorry Beer Money, I’ve enjoyed your turn to faces, but I don’t see you beating the experience edge of Booker and Scott.
WINNERS: Booker T. & Scott Steiner
TNA Legends Championship
Kevin Nash vs. A.J. Styles
Can Nash stop AJ? I don’t think so. I think Nash is way too slow to even consider stopping AJ. AJ, to me, is the true leader of this company, and the face of the franchise. AJ Styles is where TNA is headed. Not Kurt Angle, not the mafia, or anything like that. AJ and Samoa Joe are the company, and how they go is how the company will go. With that being said, I don’t see AJ dropping the belt to Nash. I see this ending dirty, and it being a DQ or something to that extent, or even perhaps a clean defense for AJ, but TNA putting a belt on Nash at this time just doesn’t leap out and scream ratings. What it does is scream politics. I pray to God that Jeff realizes this, and does the right thing, and keeps the belt right where it is.
WINNER: AJ Styles
TNA World Heavyweight Championship
Kurt Angle vs. Mick Foley
It’s truly a dichotomy here. We have Angle, who says mere days before Slammiversary he doesn’t need the TNA title, and then has it handed to him by the face of the franchise, or one of them, as I said before. And we have Foley, who was turning insane with the title on his shoulder, seemingly possessed to go through the beating of his life to get it back. And let’s face it. Kurt Angle vs. Mick Foley 10 years ago would be fun to watch, but bowling shoe ugly. Now, it’s going to be ugly, and it’s not going to be worth a main event spot on a pay per view. Angle’s gonna kill Foley. No question about it. Foley said it on his own blog that this match is one he’s dreading, and I can’t blame him one bit. Angle will crucify him and keep the belt. I don’t see any other way around it. One of two things will happen, likely, after this match. Either AJ will step up and try to take it from Angle himself, or with Taz out and about, maybe the payoff for Joe isn’t enough, and he demands another shot at the title, and we get Angle vs. Joe, again. Either way you put it, another title run for Foley is just not in the cards here. No chance in hell, if you pardon the pun.
WINNER: Kurt Angle
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