Slammiversary 2012
June 10, 2012
Big crowd in Dallas-Fort Worth tonight. The crowd is also loud!
Hulk Hogan comes out and hypes up the show. He plays to the crowd who is very responsive. He said tonight he will push buttons starting with our first match which is Samoa Joe vs Austin Aries. Hogan announces the match is for the X Division Title.
Austin Aries defeated Samoa Joe to retain the X Division Title in an excellent and physical matchup following the Brainbuster. After the match the two fist-bumped as a show of respect.
Hernandez defeated Kid Kash with a top rope splash. The match was very clunky at times.
Devon and Garett Bischoff defeated Robbie E and Robbie T when Devon pinned Robbie E. The crowd only seemed to be in favor of Devon. Madison Rayne appeared on the stage during the match.
Mr. Anderson defeated Rob Van Dam and Jeff Hardy to earn a World Title shot on Thursday. Anderson pinned RVD following the Mic Check. Good match here!
Crimson came out and ran down the state of Texas. He said he would beat any Maverick, any Ranger or any Cowboy. The referee started making the ten count when James Storm's music blared throughout the arena and accepted the challenge.
James Storm defeated Crimson to end his undefeated streak following the Last Call Superkick. Crimson wanted a Cowboy and he got one.
Dixie Carter came out and thanked the audience. Tonight is the largest audience in TNA's United States history. She then brought all of the wrestlers onto the stage. She then announced the first inductee into TNA's Hall of Fame. A video played highlighting the TNA career of...STING. Sting came to the ring as Dixie announced that the formal induction of Sting would take place this year at Bound For Glory. Sting said he was surprised and then thanked Dixie, the wrestlers and the fans. He said tonight it would be showtime.
Miss Tessmacher defeated Gail Kim by a Rollup to win the Knockouts Title. Gail went for Tessmacher's finisher but Brooke rolled through to win the gold. After the match, Christy Hemme interviewed her. Tessmacher was very emotional.
Joseph Park defeated Bully Ray in an Anything Goes Match. Ray destroyed Park most of the match. At the end, Ray knocked Park outside the ring. Park rolled under the ring and moments later, Abyss (probably a stand-in) appeared behind Bully Ray and Chokeslammed him through a table. Abyss then left under the ring where Park re-appeared and pinned Ray.
Hulk Hogan came out onto the stage and introduced the returning Christian Cage. Cage came to the ring to an okay pop. He made a joke about the Six-Sided Ring being gone. He talked about the guys and fans who made TNA what it is. He then introduced the #1 TNA Moment which was the arrival of Sting to TNA in 2006.
Kurt Angle and AJ Styles defeated Christopher Daniels and Kazarian to win the World Tag Team Titles when Angle forced Kazarian to tap out to the Ankle Lock. This was an incredible match and a Match of the Year Candidate for TNA.
Bobby Roode defeated Sting to retain the World Heavyweight Title. At the end of the match, Sting had Roode in the Scorpion Deathlock outside the ring on the announce table. Roode tapped but since they were outside the ring, it didn't count. Back in the ring, Roode used a beer bottle as a weapon to get the win over the Icon. After the match, Sting assaulted Roode, dragging him up the ramp onto the stage. He would then Scorpion Death Drop Roode off of the stage through a table. He celebrated to end the show.
Talon's Thoughts
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The saying is right, everything is bigger in Texas. This has to be one of the greatest crowds TNA has ever had (along with Wembley and the Brooklyn show) and I am proud to have TNAsylum Readers as part of that crowd. They were loud all night and made the show look major league.
I actually like the set the way it was done with the big ass screen on top and the wrestlers entering among the lights. I wish TNA would change up the rope color and ring apron to set these types of shows apart from other ones. It would be my personal preference to use a smaller version of the PPV look just with a smaller screen (like the new NXT look).
Austin Aries vs Samoa Joe was an awesome match. I like the fact that the X Division Title was on the line despite Samoa Joe not making weight. The X Division has been a major part of TNA over the years so it was nice of it to be represented here. This match was incredibly stiff but very well done. Austin Aries' win here only continues his climb. I expect him to be involved in the BFG Series in some form. Excellent start to the PPV.
Things slowed down a bit with Kid Kash and Hernandez. While I am a huge fan of Kash, I really don't like Hernandez. There was absolutely no build or point to this match. While it wasn't bad, it was clunky at times. I would have used the time spent on this match to possibly highlight some TNA alumni like WWE does around Wrestlemania or like TNA did last year at Destination X. This show felt like a celebration but I would have liked to see more of the pioneers.
Devon and Garett vs The Two Robbies was okay but didn't feel like it belonged on this event. The crowd was hot for Devon and while some were anti-Garett, the crowd mostly supported him. Garett is really coming into his own and while he didn't deserve a spot so high up on the roster, I think he is trying his best to earn his spot in TNA. I suspect this will set up Devon and Garett for the TV Title over the next few weeks.
The 3-Way Match was fun even if all three guys seem directionless. I feel TNA needs more top level heels and either Anderson or RVD would fit that role. The spot where Hardy hit the Leg Drop Pin on RVD while Anderson had him in a backslide was really cool. Anderson picking up the win here sets up Roode vs Anderson on Thursday's IMPACT.
I am a huge fan of Crimson as a heel and feel that it is disappointing that TNA ended his Undefeated Streak so early.Its cool to see James Storm back and if there was one member of the TNA Roster I would have been fine with, it would be him. Storm ending Crimson's undefeated streak puts another notch in his belt as he battles his way to Roode. I guess Crimson could call his loss to Storm a fluke and continue to refer to himself as "your undefeated hero."
Part of me really liked the Hall of Fame segment but part of me didn't. I liked that Dixie Carter came out and brought out the entire roster, to play the video inducting Sting. I don't like that they announced his induction tonight, had him speak to see his official induction as Bound For Glory. Having the Hall of Fame a Slammiversary tradition where one man is inducted every year in a fashion similar to this one is something I prefer. You don't want to be compared to WWE any more than you have to and having something incredibly official and formal will only make it happen.
By the way, congratulations to Sting are in order. As I mentioned in my preview, I am fine with a wrestler who is nearing the end of their wrestling career to be announced as a Hall of Famer as the ring implies experience and legacy; both of which Sting has. While I would have preferred Jeff Jarrett as the first inductee for what he has done, I understand why TNA chose Sting.
Gail Kim vs Tessmacher was a solid affair with some okay wrestling. The finish with Tessmacher winning the title makes sense since they are in Texas and a fresh face for the Knockouts Division was needed. I would keep Tessmacher away from the microphone however as she isn't much of a speaker.
Bully Ray vs Joseph Park told a good story. Park is so fresh right now and well portrayed that he made Ray look like a badass. Ray on the other hand is such a good dick that he made Park look lovable. I love both characters right now so I enjoyed the match. I expected something like this to happen during the match. I found it interesting that they used a stand-in for Abyss rather than using Park himself. While I think they will reveal Park and Abyss as the same person with a split personality, they just used two people to make it easier to pull off the match.
As much as I was looking forward to Christian Cage's appearance, I felt it was underwhelming. Maybe the dude lost his touch but it seemed like he didn't want to be there. Maybe a different spot on the card would have suited him better though. Why the hell did TNA change around his music as the one he had was awesome. It was a cool sight to have the WWE Intercontinental Champion on a TNA Show though.
The match of the night and a Match of the Year Contender was the Tag Team Title Match. All four men were on their game tonight as there were so many cool spots including AJ sliding under the guardrail, AJ getting caught in the ropes, the double German Suplex by Kurt and the Shooting Star Press onto the outside by AJ. It is interesting to know that while TNA doesn't have a tag team division anymore, they have better tag team wrestling than the WWE. I am guessing that Angle and AJ will lose it back to Daniels and Kazarian probably at Destination X in an Ultimate X Match or something.
I wanna say that Bobby Roode looked like a champion during his entrance. His short haircut, new entrance video, the title and robe from 2006 made him look like a star. He is the type of guy that WWE would love to get their hands on because he has "the look."
The main event was okay and nothing special. I felt their matchup at Victory Road was probably better but this match was solid. Sting got the false victory by forcing Roode to tap on the outside. I could have done without the beer bottle victory as Roode needed a clean win here but it doesn't bother me that it didn't go that way. Sting freaking out after the match only to Death Drop Roode off the entrance ramp was an awesome way to go out. Sting and Roode need to be less audible when asking each other if they're okay though.
Overall I felt this PPV is so far the TNA PPV of 2012. Victory Road was enjoyable as well as last month's Sacrifice but the mix of moments and incredible matches put this one over the top. For moments you got Christian back in TNA (for one night), the return of James Storm, the end of the undefeated streak, Sting announced for the Hall of Fame and two title changes. You also got an excellent Aries vs Joe bout as well as an awesome Tag Team Title Match. This show is definitely worth the money.
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The saying is right, everything is bigger in Texas. This has to be one of the greatest crowds TNA has ever had (along with Wembley and the Brooklyn show) and I am proud to have TNAsylum Readers as part of that crowd. They were loud all night and made the show look major league.
I actually like the set the way it was done with the big ass screen on top and the wrestlers entering among the lights. I wish TNA would change up the rope color and ring apron to set these types of shows apart from other ones. It would be my personal preference to use a smaller version of the PPV look just with a smaller screen (like the new NXT look).
Austin Aries vs Samoa Joe was an awesome match. I like the fact that the X Division Title was on the line despite Samoa Joe not making weight. The X Division has been a major part of TNA over the years so it was nice of it to be represented here. This match was incredibly stiff but very well done. Austin Aries' win here only continues his climb. I expect him to be involved in the BFG Series in some form. Excellent start to the PPV.
Things slowed down a bit with Kid Kash and Hernandez. While I am a huge fan of Kash, I really don't like Hernandez. There was absolutely no build or point to this match. While it wasn't bad, it was clunky at times. I would have used the time spent on this match to possibly highlight some TNA alumni like WWE does around Wrestlemania or like TNA did last year at Destination X. This show felt like a celebration but I would have liked to see more of the pioneers.
Devon and Garett vs The Two Robbies was okay but didn't feel like it belonged on this event. The crowd was hot for Devon and while some were anti-Garett, the crowd mostly supported him. Garett is really coming into his own and while he didn't deserve a spot so high up on the roster, I think he is trying his best to earn his spot in TNA. I suspect this will set up Devon and Garett for the TV Title over the next few weeks.
The 3-Way Match was fun even if all three guys seem directionless. I feel TNA needs more top level heels and either Anderson or RVD would fit that role. The spot where Hardy hit the Leg Drop Pin on RVD while Anderson had him in a backslide was really cool. Anderson picking up the win here sets up Roode vs Anderson on Thursday's IMPACT.
I am a huge fan of Crimson as a heel and feel that it is disappointing that TNA ended his Undefeated Streak so early.Its cool to see James Storm back and if there was one member of the TNA Roster I would have been fine with, it would be him. Storm ending Crimson's undefeated streak puts another notch in his belt as he battles his way to Roode. I guess Crimson could call his loss to Storm a fluke and continue to refer to himself as "your undefeated hero."
Part of me really liked the Hall of Fame segment but part of me didn't. I liked that Dixie Carter came out and brought out the entire roster, to play the video inducting Sting. I don't like that they announced his induction tonight, had him speak to see his official induction as Bound For Glory. Having the Hall of Fame a Slammiversary tradition where one man is inducted every year in a fashion similar to this one is something I prefer. You don't want to be compared to WWE any more than you have to and having something incredibly official and formal will only make it happen.
By the way, congratulations to Sting are in order. As I mentioned in my preview, I am fine with a wrestler who is nearing the end of their wrestling career to be announced as a Hall of Famer as the ring implies experience and legacy; both of which Sting has. While I would have preferred Jeff Jarrett as the first inductee for what he has done, I understand why TNA chose Sting.
Gail Kim vs Tessmacher was a solid affair with some okay wrestling. The finish with Tessmacher winning the title makes sense since they are in Texas and a fresh face for the Knockouts Division was needed. I would keep Tessmacher away from the microphone however as she isn't much of a speaker.
Bully Ray vs Joseph Park told a good story. Park is so fresh right now and well portrayed that he made Ray look like a badass. Ray on the other hand is such a good dick that he made Park look lovable. I love both characters right now so I enjoyed the match. I expected something like this to happen during the match. I found it interesting that they used a stand-in for Abyss rather than using Park himself. While I think they will reveal Park and Abyss as the same person with a split personality, they just used two people to make it easier to pull off the match.
As much as I was looking forward to Christian Cage's appearance, I felt it was underwhelming. Maybe the dude lost his touch but it seemed like he didn't want to be there. Maybe a different spot on the card would have suited him better though. Why the hell did TNA change around his music as the one he had was awesome. It was a cool sight to have the WWE Intercontinental Champion on a TNA Show though.
The match of the night and a Match of the Year Contender was the Tag Team Title Match. All four men were on their game tonight as there were so many cool spots including AJ sliding under the guardrail, AJ getting caught in the ropes, the double German Suplex by Kurt and the Shooting Star Press onto the outside by AJ. It is interesting to know that while TNA doesn't have a tag team division anymore, they have better tag team wrestling than the WWE. I am guessing that Angle and AJ will lose it back to Daniels and Kazarian probably at Destination X in an Ultimate X Match or something.
I wanna say that Bobby Roode looked like a champion during his entrance. His short haircut, new entrance video, the title and robe from 2006 made him look like a star. He is the type of guy that WWE would love to get their hands on because he has "the look."
The main event was okay and nothing special. I felt their matchup at Victory Road was probably better but this match was solid. Sting got the false victory by forcing Roode to tap on the outside. I could have done without the beer bottle victory as Roode needed a clean win here but it doesn't bother me that it didn't go that way. Sting freaking out after the match only to Death Drop Roode off the entrance ramp was an awesome way to go out. Sting and Roode need to be less audible when asking each other if they're okay though.
Overall I felt this PPV is so far the TNA PPV of 2012. Victory Road was enjoyable as well as last month's Sacrifice but the mix of moments and incredible matches put this one over the top. For moments you got Christian back in TNA (for one night), the return of James Storm, the end of the undefeated streak, Sting announced for the Hall of Fame and two title changes. You also got an excellent Aries vs Joe bout as well as an awesome Tag Team Title Match. This show is definitely worth the money.
