My World w/ Jeff Jarrett - No Surrender 2008 [Show Notes] (Patreon)

Let's get into our topic - as we continue to look back 15 years at TNA…hope I don’t go too hard on you Jeff.

This will be TNA’s first pay-per-view from Canada, in Ontario at the General Motors Centre. Was it difficult to be running in Canada and what are the differences between a pay-per-view in Canada and America?

The main event for No Surrender where Samoa Joe would be defending against three other men in a match called “Four Ways to Glory”...where obviously the winner would go on to be TNA World Champion at Bound for Glory. There would be three matches on the upcoming Impact shows to determine who would be in the match but really the biggest story was what was going on with Joe & his buddy Kevin Nash. Did you ever see Joe vs. Nash being a pay-per-view headline program?

Joe has the likes of Sting & Booker T coming at him from all different directions…but having Joe as the main focal point was the company’s priority was it not?

Booker is cutting promos about how he had Joe defeated until a guitar mysteriously appeared the at Hard Justice…did you want to work a program with Booker in your return?

That’s not the only time your music & guitar would appear…Kurt Angle & AJ Styles on Impact had a Gold Medal Challenge and towards the end your music would play and a guitar would appear and AJ would use it. Was it too much? Should you had only been involved with one person in your return?

Speaking of Kurt & AJ…the story is that Frank Trigg - who had been a part of TNA through various points of this year - would return and cost AJ his Four Ways to Glory match against Christian Cage - causing AJ to lose. This would build to a “MMA match” at No Surrender with AJ. What did you think of Trigg and do you think he added any exposure to the product?

If there’s anyone who can have a great match with someone we know its AJ Styles - but this MMA match - something he was worried about?

At the same time - Sting also interfered with AJ’s match the month before…was the focus lost on the main program - or was it all a plan to build the Main Event Mafia?

Matt Morgan would squash Johnny Devine on Impact and be attacked by Team 3D after before Abyss would come out in what the Torch described as his “good guy white lunatic suit” for the save and they would shake hands. Matt Morgan & Abyss - something for them to do?

Kip James is introduced as the newest member of the Beautiful People on Karen’s Angle. This man had his ass and crotch all up in their face…and here is Billy 15 years later a AEW Trios champion. What can you say about Kip James & the Beautiful People?

The Jay Lethal - Sonjay Dutt - So Cal Val story continues now that Jay is heart broken…and it leads to a match at Impact where Lethal takes on King Abdul Bashir and there’s a line that Bashir uses I want to discuss with you.

He said, “I don’t love Lady America, I just love raping her.”

That’s Russo all day isn’t it? Too far?

Bashir would get the win and it leads to Sonjay hitting a 450 splash on him. This was the beginning of some of Sonjay’s best heel work was it not?

Awesome Kong would go after Taylor Wilde after a match and Raisha Saeed would join before Gail Kim comes out for the save but she’s overcome and Gail’s sister Katie is shown at ringside concerned. Was this Earl Hebner’s daughter?

Kim would eventually come out on top to set up a street fight for the next week…but we’ll get to that shortly.

James Storm & Robert Roode are again programmed with LAX…was the tag division at this point stale in your mind?

There’s some interesting news in the Observer we should discuss…

“ESPN Star Sports signed a new deal for TNA for television, mobile content and Internet content. The contract gives the station exclusivity for TNA in countries like India (the key country because of its big population), Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Maldives. The station will broadcast Impact, Xplosion as well as the PPV shows as free television specials. Some of the programming will be custom-produced for the market. TNA has also promised an annual tour sending wrestlers to India and the station will do contests where the winners get flown to Orlando to see Impact. Holy shit. Can you imagine living in India and it’s considered winning a contest that they fly you a million hours to see an Impact taping that 99.9% of the people living in Orlando wouldn’t go five miles to see for free.”

What did this TV deal mean for TNA at the time? Do you know how much cash flow?

Speaking of cash flow…

“The 9/6 house show at the Manhattan Center has turned into a complete disaster. Due to a snafu, Ticketmaster listed the event as canceled and then refunded people’s money, but not the Ticketmaster surcharge, and wiped out all records. So anyone who bought tickets had to re-buy them and apparently pay the surcharge again, which is really a b.s. thing for a snafu on their part. There are also records wiped out regarding what seats are and aren’t out.”

What do you remember of this and how much of this was TNA’s fault or Tickermaster’s and how much did it cost TNA?

The next week on Impact a ladder match is scheduled between AJ & Kurt for Kurt’s gold medal that AJ won the week before. This seems like a lot for Kurt to be working every week - was that a focus or point of emphasis because of his ability to keep an audience? Was it burning him out physically do you think?

The Booker royalty gimmick is being formed with his locker room needing shoes removed - champagne and just speaking in craziness. Booker was just great in this role was he not?

Dutt & Lethal would interrupt Karen’s Angle with So Cal Val and it would end with Jay flinging Val to the ground. Who did you see becoming the bigger star out of this story - Jay, Val or Sonjay?

From the Torch on Impact:

“Tenay asked Nash about the extent of his relationship with Joe. He said he saw some tapes and brought him to the attention of TNA management. He said he saw raw potential. He said they’ve spent time together. He said he can’t spend time with someone he doesn’t hit it off with. He said they’ve become friends. He said it’s no secret that Joe’s Achilles heel is his temper and it might cost him his championship. Tenay said it appears Nash is the only wrestler in TNA who has a relationship with Sting. He asked for details on what’s on his mind. He said he can’t speak for Sting, but he’s known him for 20 years and it used to be a business of men, not boys. He said when he worked his first house show, Harley Race was in the locker room. He said he gave him his chair. He said he dressed standing up. He said today the young kids don’t acknowledge you, much less give up the chair. He said the business has changed. Tenay said wrestlers don’t get the pecking order. Nash said they get it, but they don’t care. Nash said Steve told him he’ll be here next week, so he’ll let Sting speak for himself.”

The story of Kevin Nash watching tapes and bringing Joe up to TNA management made me giggle and I don’t know why. But do viewers at home care about the pecking order? Does Nash look like an old fuddy duddy here?

On the show Booker would defeat Rhino to qualify for the Four Ways to Glory match. Rhino recently said he was a producer now for Impact - what do you think of Rhino in that role?

The Street Fight between Awesome Kong & Gail Kim takes place and its a great one. Go out of your way to watch it - but Kong gets the win with the Implant Buster in 7 minutes and Katie Kim runs in afterwards to check on her sister but Kong goes to attack her and she’s saved by Roxxi & ODB…but that’s not the real story here Jeff…

From the Observer

“The WWE’s signing of Gail Kim this past week after her TNA contract expired may be the first of some interesting TNA contracts to watch, as both companies try and navigate going into the new year.

TNA created the Knockouts division last year to build around Kim as the top star. The division has become, from a TV ratings standpoint, TNA’s most successful entity. While Kim has not been the centerpiece of the division in recent months, internally she was still considered the top performer and the “glue” of the division because she kept a lot of multiple person matches together with inexperienced women that would have likely fallen apart. She had been with the company for two years in a mostly valet type role before the company established the division.

When Spike increased Impact to two hours last fall, the women were put in filler segments just as something different with little in the way of booking. Naturally, they became more popular than the overbooked segments the rest of the show. More than anything else TNA had, including big name stars like Kurt Angle, Sting and others, it was the women, mostly Kong, Kim and ODB, that drew the best ratings of anyone on the show. The final Kong vs. Kim match that aired on 8/21 did a 1.20 rating, TNA’s best quarter in months.

It was largely the dynamic of Kim, a great underdog worker when faced with the monster Awesome Kong that created the division’s popularity. They stole the show on more than one PPV, with some of the best women’s matches in decades in the United States.

It was that success that led to them getting multiple segments per show, and the creative team spending more time coming up with angles. It opened the door for ODB and The Beautiful People to become stars. But even though ODB quickly became more popular than Kim as a babyface and Kong was the monster who was the biggest star, most in the company acknowledge Kim as the glue, who was far more valuable than most fans would realize. She’s also improved greatly as a worker over the past year. At first, all the women’s matches were laid out move-for-move by agents, but of late, she was starting to understand what to do and when to do it.

Kim, 32, had her contract expire at the end of this month and received a WWE offer that was said to be substantially more than TNA felt it could match. No figures have come out as to what ballpark that is. WWE usually doesn’t offer high downsides to the women.

One friend of hers described is as, “Sometimes you just a reach a point in your life where as sad as it is, money is a decision maker over where you’d be the happiest.”

Jeff - who’s running talent relations at the time? Was this the first time WWE had really stuck their neck out for a performer built up on your shows to get a big money offer that hadn’t been successful in WWE previously?

Did you know she was leaving before the Kong match or after the Kong match?

Was it a big loss to the company at the time?

The ladder match between AJ & Kurt ends with - well your music playing and lights going out - a guitar appearing - and AJ hitting Kurt and grabbing the medal…

At this point - no one has mentioned your name during all this but everyone knows your music etc - was that your idea? Russo’s? What did you think of that?

Speaking of yourself…from the Observer

“On the Sting front, there is some question as to whether the booking team, and in particular, Jeff Jarrett, would be in favor of signing him to a new contract. While nothing has been outright said, last year Jarrett wasn’t in favor of the cost it took to get Sting, particularly since he works no house shows and didn’t even work big international dates like in Japan, Mexico or the U.K. The idea that there will be a power play isn’t true, because the decision is 100% Dixie Carter and nobody else has any input into. She sees him as a real superstar good for the company to have, who opens up doors for licensing

and TV deals, although that may be her justifying it because it’s hard for me to believe his name is a deal maker when you have Angle. A lot of the key people in power have soured on him, because he hasn’t proven to make a difference in ratings or PPV, and if he’s not booked very creatively, he’ll flounder, plus he works such a limited schedule and turns down a lot off ideas from creative so they aren’t enamored with him. But it’s not a debatable issue. It’s entirely up to Sting wanting to do another year at big money or not as the ball is in his court.”

Jeff - what say you to Sting? Were you for or against and was it Dixie’s decision?

Was it tiring to have this same conversation come up year after year with Sting since it seemed like he only signed one year deals?

Speaking of Sting on the next Impact he opens the show and the Torch has some criticism of the way he’s shown:

“They went to Lauren catching up with Sting in the parking garage. She eagerly told him that they’ve been waiting over a month to hear from him. He said the time is now and tonight is the night. I really question showing him in painters pants and a white t–shirt wearing sunglasses and no make–up on TV when his whole image is that of this mysterious, mystical, magical icon. Imagine if WWE showed Undertaker showing up in street clothes carrying his own suitcase? Talk about a mystique–buster.”

Does that kill the mystique in your mind?

Kong is transitioned into a feud with ODB - what were your feelings on ODB at the time?

From the Torch

–Karen interviewed Abyss. He said his name is Chris Parks, not Abyss. He said he wants to make himself more comfortable. He tipped over the coffee table and sat on the floor, rocking back and forth. She asked about his stay at the mental institution. He said it’s not a mental institution, it’s his home. He said they fed and clothed him. He said he learned that Abyss is a destructive, menacing force that destroys people. He said they taught him that he is a good person. He said Chris is a good person and is always trying to come out. He said he doesn’t know what the future holds for Abyss or Chris, but they are now one.”

This would end with Abyss reading her a poem and pulling his hair out like Mankind…why was this the right time to transition to this form of Abyss?

Its announced on this episode that Kurt Angle & Kevin Nash will be facing off later on tonight…its the first time these two have been in a ring in a singles match and its rare for Nash in general to wrestle on TV in a singles match…do you think there was any money or TV ratings in promoting this match ahead of time?

Traci Brooks is put in charge of the Knockouts division because Cornette is too busy to do it himself. This…is not the best look for the division is it?

The Nash & Angle match is to determine another slot in the Four Ways to Glory and its a pretty good match - and Kurt gets the win in 10 minutes to enter the main event at No Surrender after Joe walks to ringside and distracts Nash. Joe vs. Nash could’ve been something - was there ever a thought to steer off course and put them together in Bound for Glory?

I ask because this is in the Observer:

“Kevin Nash has said that he had two months left on his contract and if he gets the money he’s asking for he’ll sign a new deal, but if not, he’s gone. Nash’s creative control in his contract gives him the right to turn down anything asked of him to do physically. His walking out on the tapings was within his rights as far as turning down appearing in the Battle Royal. He exercised this right in the past, as he turned down taking a back suplex that was laid out in one of his matches (I think the TV match with Booker but not sure) because he didn’t want to take the bump because of his past neck issues. During the deal at the tapings, he said in a Baltimore Sun interview that he and Jarrett talked it over and Nash made suggestions and shook hands before he left. Nash noted that after he lost, he got a text message that he was needed back but didn’t come back.”

You know what you’re getting into with Kevin but was this putting a strain on your relationship with him?

Finally you’re discussed on Impact…

“A video package aired on “the guitar.” It showed lots of guitar shots by Jeff Jarrett, but also several others. The narrator talked of guitars mysteriously appearing in recent weeks. After closing with a clip of Styles using a guitar to beat Angle last week, they went back to Tenay and West. Tenay said for weeks the wrestling world has been “speculating on who is the individual who is behind the mystery of the guitar.” West said everywhere they go— hotels, airports, restaurants—and they want to talk about the guitar mystery. That’s just not believable. Sorry.

They threw to another video, this one on Jeff Jarrett. The screen said he was “the heart of TNA from day one.” Jarrett talked about the early days of TNA and his decision to walk away from the ring on Oct. 22, 2006. He talked about “carrying the company on his back” in the early years (nothing personal everyone else who worked the same shows). Then they went to the coverage of his wife Jill’s death from cancer. The graphic then asked, “What’s next for the King of the Mountain?” Gee, the announcers aren’t allowed to state the obvious by mentioning Jarrett’s name when speculating about the guitar, but they can air a video package on Jarrett right after Tenay and West talk about what a big mystery the guitar situation is? Odd.”

Was this odd to put this back to back like this?

Sting finally does his main event promo and talks about how Joe showed no respect for Booker and it was Sting’s job to intervene. HE said when he was his age, a young Ric Flair took him under his wing because he believed in him the way he now believes in Joe. I mean…is this admitting wrestling is a work Jeff?

It ends with AJ coming out and telling him he’s dead wrong…and they go at it and Sting gives him a Scorpion Death Drop before your music plays and Sting smiles & laughs. This is a lot of mind games but it feels like the story is all over the place. How heavily involved are you in putting all this together?

The next week on Impact opens with Angle & Booker in the ring discussing their match with Samoa Joe at No Surrender and how Christian and AJ are facing off tonight to determine the last man in the match. Angle also cuts a promo on you saying that they’ll search the entire arena and stick the guitar up “that country hick’s ass”. I don’t know how else to ask this but at this point - the relationship with you & Kurt was still professional, right?

The match would end with Frank Trigg running out and hitting AJ from behind with a kendo stick to give Christian the win. Now the match is set for No Surrender - Joe vs. Christian vs. Kurt vs. Booker. That’s a lot of big name talent in one match is it not?

The main event promo takes place with Joe & Sting and Kevin Nash comes out at the end. The story is that no one knows if Nash is on Joe or Sting’s side…Joe goes at Nash but Sting cuts him off and hits him with the bat and a Scorpion Death Drop before your music plays…again. Sting mentions your name and says that you have his attention and that next week you two can talk and Tenay closes the show with, “I know Jeff Jarrett and I know he has never backed down from a challenge in his life.” It is the first time Tenay has mentioned your name since the guitar angle story started. Does it hurt the announcers credibility when everyone else besides them knows what’s going on?

It is announced from the Gillepsie Agency that Mick Foley signed a short term deal with TNA and that it’s a combination deal between TNA & Spike TV. How does this deal come together?

What is it about Mick that you felt he needed to be a part of TNA?

Did you see him wrestling full time or having a part time deal where he would work some TVs and pay-per-views?

Is this something that you thought could boost TNA’s global reach?

Did you have - too much talent - at the top? Between yourself, Joe, Foley now, Nash, Kurt, Booker, Christian, AJ…that’s a lot of people for eight hours of TV a month and 3 hours on pay-per-view is it not?

The go-home Impact features Kevin Nash setting Joe up to have 3 matches against unknown opponents to see if he’s ready for what he’s about to deal with at the pay-per-view. Those three men are…Johnny Devine, Lance Rock (now Lance Archer)...and Tomko. Why bring Tomko back here for this spot after you fired him?

Joe dispatches them in 8 minutes and Nash declares Joe’s ready. I mean…I wouldn’t compare those three to Christian, Kurt or Booker but who am I Jeff?

There’s an odd match between a now babyface Abyss and a now babyface Christian that ends with Angle & Booker interfering for a DQ. They try to convince Abyss to hit Christian with a chair but since they don’t pay attention to their own TV, they don’t know that Abyss isn’t like that anymore. So Abyss gets double teamed before Matt Morgan comes out for the save. Morgan cuts a promo and challenges them to a tag match later on. Where did you see the ceiling on Matt Morgan and who was super high on him in creative?

There’s a show long Beauty Contest with an evening gown competition, a talent competition & bikini competition between Taylor Wilde & Angelina Love…and it feels like the mixing of goofy with Curry Man, Super Eric & Shark Boy as judges…with the Knockouts division. Is this just where you had to go with characters like the Beautiful People?

Sonjay & Jay will face off at the pay-per-view in a Ladder of Love match and the winner gets to be engaged to So Cal Val. This is some silly shit isn’t it Jeff?

Karen would interview Sting on Karen’s Angle and Sting says the same thing he’s been saying for weeks …he wasn’t demanding respect for veterans but for the whole business. She asks him about retirement and he blows her off and she closes with asking about you and that Sting is waiting to hear what you have to say. Sting in this environment is not known for his ability to speak…but throughout this story - he did a pretty damn good job didn’t he?

AJ & Frank Trigg have a promo and the Torch points this out:

“Trigg said Styles had a mouthful of words for him, but he didn’t have his hick meter on, so he couldn’t understand half of them, “you hillbilly.” This show is scripted from such an East Coast male–centric perspective with the digs at anyone with a Southern accent or any ethnicity or non–straight–beer–swigging–strip–club–loving male or under–six–feet–tall.”

What do you think of that assessment?

Kong and Roxxi face off in a Knockout Bimbo Brawl and Kong destroys her in 8 minutes after cutting her open with a chair and the blood was a lot. Any issue with Spike and women bleeding on TV?

The babyface in Taylor Wilde of course wins the Beauty Pageant and is beaten down by the Beautiful People. Rhino made the save for her because…well why not?

Abyss & Matt Morgan take on Booker & Kurt and there’s a spot in the match where Brother Ray comes out and holds Abyss for a chair shot from Brother Devon and the Torch would have this to say:

“Brother Ray came to ringside and held Abyss in place as Brother Devon nailed him flush with a chairshot. Seriously, those have to stop. And if they don’t, and Abyss ends up with complications from concussion syndrome, that’s on Dixie Carter and Jeff Jarrett—and they’re leaving themselves open to a lawsuit from Abyss or his family for paying him as he took flush chairshots to his skull time after time within two years of the high–profile concerns that concussion syndrome”

When do you think you needed TNA to stop doing chair shots like that? Were you for or against them?

The go-home promo with Sting calling you out but first Joe is up in the rafters…before your music plays and you stand on the roof of the entrance set as pyro blasts & lasers shot out into the crowd. The Torch would say…”pro wrestling’s notoriously worst dresser was wearing a flower-print shirt with weird folds at the cuffs.”

Jeff - that’s worse than any star rating Dave Meltzer has given you isn’t that right?

How did it feel to be back in front of a crowd and have that reaction?

Let’s talk ratings before we get to the pay-per-view. The first show in the build for this drew a .9 rating, but on August 21st it drew a 1.11 rating, with a .95 with the male 18-34 demo. It is the highest for that demo since Impact extended to two hours on Spike TV and it’s noticeable to point out that Awesome Kong & Gail Kim drew that big rating we talked about earlier and it dropped afterwards to the Styles vs. Kurt ladder match…what do you attribute that to?

For the rest of the build to No Surrender it seems like the Knockouts are leading the way even after Gail Kim leaves…was there a thought that they should be booked in a bigger way compared to the likes of Kurt if they were drawing the highest ratings?

You’re able to convert 20,000 buys for No Surrender, same as No Surrender the year before but down 15,000 from Hard Justice the month before. Why do you think with the viewership increasing, pay-per-view buys just weren’t moving?

The show has issues before it even kicks off…from the Observer:

“The main event was scheduled as a four-way with Booker T. Due to Hurricane Ike shutting down the Houston Airport, Booker couldn’t get there for the show and even though Sting was there as a suitable replacement, they decided against using him because it would take away from Bound for Glory. It was announced early in the PPV, but it was never announced to the live crowd for some reason, which led to “We Want Booker” chants when the main event started. Kevin Nash, who did promotional work for the show and would have been a good storyline replacement, was not flown in, although the reality is he probably would have hurt the main event, which on this show, wouldn’t have been a positive.”

When do you hear about Booker and not being able to make it in?

Looking back - if you did have Nash in the building - would you had used him in that spot?

There’s a big Canadian contingent on the show who got a big reaction including Christian, Robert Roode, Petey Williams, Angelina Love & Taylor Wilde…how big a deal do you think it was to them to be a part of this event?

There is some more talent movements behind the show…

From the Observer

“Shelly Martinez (Salinas) quit the promotion before the show. During the show they announced that Jackie Moore, who had four of her teeth knocked out at the house show in London, ONT, the night before, had attacked and injured Salinas in the bathroom.

Martinez wrote on her myspace account that she was leaving to film an Italian movie, which she started work on this week. They wanted her to come in and film a departure angle but she decided against coming. Her contract was expiring before the end of the year, and she was uncertain over her future. The idea of breaking up LAX for Hernandez to go as a single have resurfaced of late, with the idea of doing a tag match, likely against Beer Money, doing the stip that LAX would have to break up if they lost. Martinez saw that as a bad thing for her, so that played a part in the decision.”

What do you think of the work of Shelly Martinez and her decision to leave?

Let’s get into the show Jeff!

“The show opened with Sting doing a promo. The crowd popped big when he came out, but booed him when he said that he would be challenging the winner of the main event for the title at Bound for Glory. He lost his train of thought and stood there and didn’t say much. Then he started talking about how some of the younger wrestlers, but not all of them, don’t respect the veterans and he was going to teach them respect. He said the locker room has some real men and some snot-nosed baby brats. Then he started talking about how ten years ago there was a man who fought for the same cause I’m fighting for, and mentioned it was Bret Hart. That name got a big pop, although I was confused. Was Sting fighting for Canada and family values against the Americans like Stone Cold? Later in the show, Joe did an interview and brought up that Sting never works house shows even though he makes more money than anyone else.”

Not the best promo and you can see Sting lose his train of thought but bringing up Bret Hart here…where was this going do you think?

“1. Shark Boy & Curry Man & Super Eric beat Lance Rock & Jimmy Rave & Christy Hemme in 7:35. Mostly a comedy match, with the idea Curry Man was trying to run on Hemme at every opportunity. At one point Hemme came off the top rope and did the splits, doing a legdrop onto Curry Man and Eric. Finish saw Shark Boy hit Hemme with the stunner, Eric used a death valley driver on Rock & Rave at the same time allowing Curry Man to pin. Wrestling itself was sloppy.

Observer *

Torch *¾”

A hell of a way to open a show?

“2. Awesome Kong pinned ODB in a falls count anywhere match in 10:23.

Raisha Saeed

attacked ODB early. They ended up brawling in the crowd. Kong clotheslined the ringpost when ODB moved. ODB then came off the apron with a Thesz press to the floor. At one point ODB wen to put Kong through a table, but the table only bent rather than broke and the crowd started to boo. Kong picked ODB up and ran, driving her into a table that was leaning in one of the corners for the pin.

Observer *

Torch *¼”

This…is not the Gail Kim classics with Kong. Why was it so different with ODB? Work styles?

“3. Matt Morgan & Abyss beat Team 3-D in 11:33. They didn’t outright say it, but teased that the winner of this match would get a title shot. Morgan did the Undertaker rope walk spot and the crowd started booing, until he came off the rope walk into a crossbody. I think people wanted to hate the spot but couldn’t. Morgan had Devon pinned but Bubba pulled the ref out of the ring. The crowd kept chanting for tables, which they had already gotten in the previous match. Devon kicked out of Abyss’ choke slam. The finish saw Devon with a chair, but Morgan punched the chair into Devon’s head. Abyss then pinned Devon after a black hole slam. After the match, Bubba hit Abyss with a chair shot and then threw the chair to Morgan. Morgan was holding the chair when Abyss turned around. He thought Morgan hit him with a chair. It was a bit early, given that the team has only been together for a few weeks, to already start the break-up phase. Crowd booed Morgan when it was over. Morgan didn’t look good working with Team 3-D.

Observer *

Torch 3/4*”

Was this too much too soon in the Morgan - Abyss story or did you need to hurry up and get somewhere?

“4. Sheik Abdul Bashir won the X Division title over champ Petey Williams and Consequences Creed in 8:15.

Fans booed the hell out of Creed since he wears an American flag outfit. I don’t know if it’s something about TNA or modern times, because Jim Duggan and Hulk Hogan never got booed in Canada in the 80s. Williams was the crowd favorite. Earl Hebner was the ref, leading to loud “You Screwed Bret” chants. Crowd popped when Williams did his plancha into a huracanrana spot. They kept teasing the Canadian Destroyer. The match died in one spot, but overall far more heat than anything up to this point. Finish saw Williams finally hit the Canadian Destroyer, but Bashir pulled Williams out of the ring and jumped onto Creed, stealing his pin.

Observer **1/4

Torch **½”

The reaction here is something - do you think Canada just turned heel after Bret Hart’s story with the US?

Petey Williams losing in Canada to the Sheik…quite the creative decision Jeff. Walk us through it…

Where do you stand on hometown heroes getting their wins or where the WWE uses it to build heat on heels?

“5. Taylor Wilde beat Angelina Love to retain the Knockouts title in 6:22.

Kip James had a new hair color. I couldn’t exactly explain it but it looked hideous. Maybe he was using his wife’s hair color and not listening to that computer voice in the commercials. Even though the crowd was into Wilde because of the Ontario connection, it’s really clear she doesn’t have the facials and charisma to be the top babyface. The problem is, I can’t come up with anyone on the outside who they can put in that position. Roxxi sure isn’t, and ODB is best as a gimmick in tags. Wilde brought out Rhino to be in her corner. They have even less chemistry together than Jay Lethal and SoCal Val. Traci Brooks was taking notes. Velvet Sky interfered early. The finish saw Kip James run-in, but Rhino gave him a gore. Wilde dropkicked Love into Sky. Love staggered back to the center of the ring and Wilde used a Northern Lights suplex for the pin.

Observer *1/4

Torch *¼”

Replacing Gail Kim is not easy - did anyone step up in your mind to take the spot?

“6. Sonjay Dutt beat Jay Lethal in what was billed as a ladder of love match in 13:19.

It was SoCal Val’s engagement ring hanging from the ceiling. I guess that means we’ll have a wedding on TV in a week or two. Despite the fact this feud has been awful much of the way, including that horrible wedding angle a few months back in Memphis, this was the show stealer. Not only that, but it was probably the best Don West has ever been with the promotion. He was hilarious, particularly as the match got really good and he said that maybe they should put women at stake more often. Finish saw Lethal get his foot caught in the ladder so he was stuck and Dutt was about to win. Val then ran in and unhooked Lethal, but it was the Russo needless swerve. Lethal was about to win and then Val gave him a low blow, so Dutt climbed up the ladder and got the ring. The two were making out big- time with West talking about how they need to get a hose out.

Observer ***1/2

Torch **¾”

Dave liked this a lot more than Wade even with the “Russo” finish - but was this the perfect blow off for the program?

“7. Robert Roode & James Storm beat Homicide & Hernandez to keep the tag titles in 8:42.

Not as good as some of their matches have been in the past. Storm worked even though he was hospitalized the night before. Hernandez did his usual big dive. Finish saw Homicide going for the gringo killer on Roode, but Jackie threw powder in his face behind the refs back and Roode then pinned Homicide after the payoff (fisherman suplex). It is quite weird when there is powder all over Homicide’s face and all over the mat, but the ref has to pretend to not know it. Not that this hasn’t happened a million times before in wrestling.

Observer **

Torch *¼”

What do you say to that? Was it time to break up LAX at this point?

“8. A.J. Styles no contest Frank Trigg in what was billed as a three round MMA match.

A funny story is that several cable systems during this fight went blank, and for a brief period switched onto a porn movie. Too bad, as those people missed one of the stupidest finishes of the year. Trigg cut a heel promo before the match and he was so smug. He was born 30 years too late for this business and he’d have been one of the great heels of the 70s. Lot of “We Want Wrestling” chants, which were funny, because at the time, they were wrestling. Don’t worry, some people picked up on that silliness and changed it to “We Want Fake Wrestling.” That was a first. Then there were the loud “Fire Russo” chants. Trigg just kept taking Styles down in the first round until Styles did a flying armbar at the end of the round. The problem was they worked it to look like a fake MMA fight as opposed to stiff standing exchanges and a realistic pro wrestling match which would have worked better. Basically, they took the part of MMA that MMA fans don’t like and built a match around it. Trigg must have potatoed Styles because his right eye was swelling shut and he didn’t look very happy. That makes two times Trigg has nailed someone. The second round saw them go out and trade punches, which the crowd got into until it just ended with Trigg selling a low blow. They stopped the match and ruled it as a no contest. People have seen enough boxing and MMA to know that you don’t end those fights on a low blow unless the guy can’t continue. After the match, Styles nailed Trigg with several kendo stick shots. The good thing is, Trigg’s career can only go up from here.

Observer DUD”

Between the chants, the action, the work - was this a hit or a miss in your mind?

Why do you think TNA fans liked to chant “Fire Russo” when this type of match or gimmick takes place? Do you think Vince got a lot of heat for no reason?

“9. Samoa Joe retained the TNA title in a three-way beating Christian Cage and Kurt Angle in 15:27. Sting came out before the match and Joe left the ring and attacked him. At one point Angle had the ankle lock on both guys at the same time, until they simultaneously kicked him off. They started doing finishers and the third guy would save. Christian used an unprettier on Joe, but Angle pulled Hebner out of the ring. Match ended up good, but just felt too similar to so many TNA PPV main events with the ref bump and ref pulled out spot, that they already did earlier in the show. Hebner was knocked down and Angle grabbed a chair and hit Christian and then hit Joe. He put the ankle lock on Joe. Jeff Jarrett came out and hit Angle with a guitar shot to the head. With Angle’s neck, I don’t know if he should be taking those. He was bleeding all over the place. Joe then pinned Angle after a muscle buster.

Observer  ***1/4

Torch ***¼”

Do you remember what the original plan was for this match if Booker was in it?

Was it tough to re-do everything?

The finish with you coming out and hitting Kurt to cause him to lose to Joe…was that the right finish in your mind?

You coming out does overshadow the victory for Joe and he’s supposed to main event the biggest show of the year next month - do you think it helped both stories this way?

Looking back - what do you think of the show?