My World with Jeff Jarrett - No Surrender 2007 [Show Notes] (Patreon)

It’s been months since we last talked about what was going on in TNA 15 years ago Jeff. We will cover those shows at some point in time but let’s catch everyone up where were at going into No Surrender 2007.

At Slammiversary Kurt Angle won a King of the Mountain match to become the first TNA World Champion, Jay Lethal won the X division title from Chris Sabin before dropping it to Samoa Joe…then at Victory Road - Angle & Joe teamed up to win the TNA tag team titles from Team 3D, Dustin Rhodes came into TNA as Black Reign, Andrew Martin - formerly known as Test - would debut, Kurt Angle would defeat Samoa Joe for the X division title at Hard Justice and that’s where we’re at right now.

The day after Hard Justice, former WWF/WCW star Brian Adams, also known as Crush passes away at age 44. You worked with him in the WWF and WCW…what are some of your favorite memories of Brian Adams?

Coming out of Hard Justice there’s a whole lot of controversy going on in the professional wrestling business. First things first we’re months out of the Chris Benoit tragedy and there’s a big ol spotlight on professional wrestling. When that happens…did you expect the amount of government interest in the business?

Also you’re working on the deal with Spike TV to expand two hours. This is quite the time right?

Wade Keller of the Pro Wrestling Torch coming out of Hard Justice has quite the…thought on TNA.

“On Monday, the day after TNA "celebrated" mainstream publicity from a stunt with disgraced NFL player Adam "Pacman" Jones, the Congressional Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection sent TNA President Dixie Carter a letter of inquiry.

TNA, which had a chance four weeks ago to get ahead of this story by doing all of the right things to differentiate itself from WWE, instead decided to make it perfectly clear that they are just as eager to partake in hearing on Capital Hill. They might find themselves in a worse position in terms of being able to provide decent answers to tough questions. Remember, they don't have a drug testing program.

They'll have to explain to Congress why not, as Congress's letter stated:

World Wrestling Entertainment Inc. implemented a Talent Wellness Program in February 2006. Please advise the Subcommittee by close of business on August 28, 2007, whether TNA has adopted a similar program. If so, please provide the Subcommittee with a copy of your program, as well as any other relevant records detailing the specifics of the program as well as TNA' s implementation and interpretation thereof. Records include memoranda, correspondence, and electronic communications. Please also describe any and all actions that TNA has taken - either within or outside any such program - to detect and prevent steroid abuse. Information, including the aggregate number of random tests conducted in each month this year, would assist the Subcommittee in its review, and we request that you provide that information, as well. We are sending similar information requests to other wrestling leagues.

TNA's argument is that their wrestlers don't work anywhere near the number of dates as WWE performers, plus they are true independent contractors who for other groups regularly. TNA, though, has just expanded its house show schedule, and wants to add more dates, and with a two–hour weekly show on Spike TV, the frequency of TV tapings is also sure to go up. With a smaller roster, their wrestlers may soon find themselves working nearly as many dates as WWE wrestlers. Also, TNA wrestlers aren't true independent contractors. They have restrictions on where they can work, and they have to go through TNA to get bookings outside of TNA, and TNA takes a booking fee. They aren't allowed to do media interviews without prior permission from TNA. Any argument that they're just one of many places their independent contractors work isn't going to seem credible after even the most surface-level questioning.

Did TNA gain anything from these recent decisions? Andrew Martin, a/k/a Test, just further cements TNA's image as the soft landing pad for WWE castoffs. He's never been considered particular underutilized. He's generic on the mic, limited and bland in the ring, and has a bland muscular big-man look.

Despite tons of publicity by mainstream media outlets, especially ESPN TV and website and sports talk radio, ratings went down. Spike TV was shocked. TNA was probably shocked. Educated, intelligent wrestling analysts and fans weren't; the pattern has long been established that ratings gains from celebrities occur only from near A-list celebrities in major angles (Mike Tyson, Donald Trump), not C-level borderline celebrities. "Our business is built on conflict and controversy and larger-than-life personalities," TNA executive/wrestler Jeff Jarrett, who spearheaded efforts to sign Jones, told FoxSports.com. "The man has got all three." He added: "For the words TNA to be mentioned for four or five days straight on every national outlet, that's a positive. We've gotten mainstream press we've never gotten before. It already has succeeded. There's more people today that have heard the name TNA wrestling than at this time last week."

Including Congress.”

My goodness Jeff. So let’s break it all down. The Torch thinks you could’ve gotten ahead of the governmental issues…do you think there was a way?

With bringing in Test - it does seem like anybody WWE lets go that had some type of name is almost immediately brought into TNA…

Then there’s the Pacman Jones situation. Pacman was a NFL player who played for the Tennessee Titans but was suspended after a shooting he was involved in at a Las Vegas strip club left a man paralyzed from the waist down.

Was this the type of attention you were looking to bring to the company?

After the announcement is made the Titans reach out and get a restraining order to prevent Pacman from wrestling…and you have to make a deal that he will never be touched. What was that whole situation like?

From the Observer:

“The TV contract for next season is in the process of final negotiations. It should be signed imminently, and likely at that point the two-hour show will be announced. The start date would likely be somewhere in the neighborhood of late September or early October. UFC moves from Thursday on 9/20, giving them the open hour. The actual current contract expires on 9/30, and 10/4 would be the first Thursday under the new deal. As mentioned before, the plan is to do tapings every other Monday and Tuesday, as opposed to going live or taping weekly. With the start of the art being what it is, I'd at least consider the live aspect, but right now that's not being talked about. There are live specials of some form believed to be in the new contract according to Multi-Channel News. . . TNA is in internal talks regarding drug testing. It's not at the level of what form it will be, but there seems to be the feeling with Congress looking at wrestling, they need to have a plan in place. Most likely this is going to fall in Dixie Carter's lap. It's not a Jeff Jarrett decision, although Jarrett will have impact. It's a tough call for TNA just like WWE, because are they prepared if someone tests positive a week before a PPV, to pull them from the show, particularly if it's one of the top guys? ... Jarrett was out on the night before the PPV with the Bollea family celebrating Hulk's 54th birthday at a Lincoln Park concert in Tampa. Jarrett seemed like he had a lot on his mind and left the concert early. Jarrett has been trying to get Hogan, unsuccessfully, for years”

How involved were you with the Spike TV deal, the drug testing, and still working on trying to get Hulk Hogan into TNA?

At Hard Justice Pacman debuted but was insulted by Ron Killings before being shown in the back down and bleeding. The next Impact though all of a sudden they’re a tag team. Any idea what happened here?

Also on that Impact Abyss defeated Christian in a first blood match while Christian was still able to maintain the fact that he had never been pinned or submitted, Team Pacman of Killings & Jones went for a tag team title shot to TNA commish Jim Cornette even though they’ve not a tag team and Pacman never wrestled before but Killings told Cornette Pacman equals ratings…Jay Lethal pinned Christopher Daniels to become the #1 contender for the X division title, Jim Cornette forces Kurt Angle to defend all 3 of his titles at No Surrender…and also next week on Impact the Steiner Brothers (babyfaces) will take on Kurt in a 2-on-1 handicap match and if the Steiners win they get 5 minutes with Karen…

There’s a lot going on there Jeff.

Was this when you first noticed how good Karen was as a character?

Next week’s Impact opens and this is a great line from the Torch: “The show opened with Kurt & Karen arriving in Orlando. Things have gotten bad in TNA. The King and Queen no longer arrive in a limo, but a rental car. After "swerving" everyone with their fake divorce, they are now working a gimmick where they are building up major tension to lead to an explosion, and a fake divorce. So will this one be the real fake divorce as opposed to the fake fake divorce? Karen was yelling at him for getting her into this mess where she may have to wrestle. At one point she was even yelling at him about his gold medals. That's what they were doing a few weeks ago in the fake fake argument.”

Art imitating life Jeff?

Also in Impact Frankie Kazarian left Serotonin but was still being called Kaz and he teamed with Gail Kim to beat Robert Roode & Ms. Brooks who were showing dissension just like the Angles, James Storm was going from bar to bar to find Rhino, Killings pinned Eric Young and him & Pacman sprayed Pac on his back, Jim Mitchell was preparing to debut Judas Mesias, and in the main event, going over 11 minutes Team 3D helped Angle defeat the Steiners and save Karen.

Tell us about why Judas Mesias - Ricky Banderas - was brought in?

The next Impact opens with Team 3D scheduled to take on the Motor City Machine Guns but Scott Steiner interrupts and tells the MCMG to leave and goes after the Dudleys who end up laying him out, the MCMG challenge anyone then and VKM - Road Dogg & Billy Gunn - come out and beat them in a minute…and then challenge the locker room and LAX, XXX, Eric Young & Shark Boy all come out and brawl.

A match is made to determine who would become half of the tag team champions with Kurt Angle and Sting defeats Christian, AJ Styles & Samoa Joe. Odd mix of people to be the next tag team partner of Kurt right?

It’s speculated in the Observer that with the cost of Pacman Jones, a reported $25,000 for each appearance, that a lot of the talent wouldn’t be brought in because of being on a pay per appearance deal. Is that how you remember it?

I bring that up because it’s brought up right after about Kip James, “Kip James has megaheat with the office after being taken off the last tapings and then complaining loudly backstage about how the company is wasting all this money on Pacman Jones and not pushing any of its wrestlers”

And then then this… “Lots of the undercard guys were going nuts

because so many weren't even booked for TV, since the TV has become the Angle show. The morale, down ever since the hotel and rental cars were taken away, is said to be worse than ever with the feeling Angle has taken over the show and a complete lack of confidence in whomever is in charge's vision of wrestling. Jeff Jarrett is still the guy steering the ship, although the Vince Russo influence is the highest it has been in a while. The worst part is, the tapings last week were said to have made considerably less sense in their original form, until lots of editing changes were made at the end …”

You’re about to expand TV to two hours and you got all this locker room shit going on. How stressful is this time?

So at No Surrender it’ll be Angle & Sting taking on Team Pacman…now it hasn’t been said on TV that Pacman will be teaming with Killings even with Pacman spray painting Sting’s back…which makes Sting a total pro by the way…was there ever any thoughts or talk of having Pacman not be in the match because of the deal with the Titans?

There’s an interesting note in the Observer I wanted to ask you about: “Jones and Ron Killings became friends over the first weekend in. They talked about doing a rap record together. When Jones found out Killings wasn't staying at the Doubletree Hotel with the stars, he went to Jeff Jarrett and told him he wanted Killings moved to the Doubletree. Jarrett said no problem and noted they'd just take the difference out of Killings' check. Jones then got mad and told Jarrett that they aren't taking it Out of Killings' check. He pushed to Jarrett how he was the one doing them a favor and not the other way around …”

It sounds like you were the point man the whole way with Pacman. Do you remember this conversation?

From the Torch: “There were sources saying last week that Brock Lesnar had preliminary talks with TNA management about a potential contract with the company, including a meeting with Dixie Carter. Kurt Angle has been pushing Lesnar to talk with TNA about a light schedule. Lesnar hated the travel and grueling schedule of WWE more than he disliked performing as a wrestler. Carter apparently told Lesnar she would accommodate his need to take breaks for MMA training. Now it appears Lesnar is going to sign with UFC.”

How actually close to this was it to happening?

Also from the Torch: “Jerry Lynn has been released by TNA. He may inquire about returning to WWE as he would be a good fit with ECW. He was unhappy in TNA for a long time, including the references to his age and being old, when in fact he’s younger than Sting, and Sting’s age is not a major issue, and he’s not much older than other headliners including Jeff Jarrett and the Steiners. He was, as credited on TV, an early pioneer of the X Division, but it was a division full of younger, more charismatic wrestlers and with TNA’s de- emphasis on the division, he became expendable. He had been an agent for TNA in the past, also. He appears to be a victim of not having friends in high places and there being too few roster spots or agent spots... “

Was it just time to move on at this point with Jerry? Did you see where he was coming from with the age thing?

“Brother Runt (a/k/a Spike Dudley) was released. He was one of those wrestlers brought in because he had a WWE background and a connection with Team 3D, but once they played out a couple angles with him, they didn’t make room for him on a deep roster with limited TV exposure... “

This is not surprising as really Spike Dudley was a short term gimmick especially at this point without the Dudley name. Is this just an overall talent evaluation of just looking at who you’re paying and being like…it’s probably best we move on?

“Doug Basham was also dropped, which is a surprise as he is considered one of the heavyweights with great potential based on his work in OVW who wasn’t given a chance to shine in WWE. But because he doesn’t have WWE TV exposure as a top heavyweight, TNA management doesn’t see him as such. Damaja was cut before Basham…”

Both the Bashams being cut in such a short time…was it just not being delivered as advertised? Did Cornette have any issues with this?

From the Torch regarding TNA now coming around to drug testing: “TNA has decided to begin random drug testing within a few weeks, although the details are being worked out. TNA does want to be able to tell Congress that they have instituted such testing. This is in response to a letter Congress sent to TNA.”

Jeff can you tell us exactly how this all entails and how it all works? Setting up a drug program is not something that is inexpensive am I right?

The next Impact that airs on September 6th and your dad’s friend Wade Keller does not speaking highly of the show:

“I think the new name for Impact should be, and granted this may not be the right week for this label, "Concussion Championship Wrestling."

No, not that they do so many weapons shots to the head, but that after you watch 60 minutes, you can't remember one thing you just saw.”

This is a common complaint about TNA TV not just during the 1 hour era but the 2 hour eras as well. Nothing had a long lasting impact. Why do you think that is?

“Sting and the Angles were together for a promo. Sting told Kurt that he didn't trust him, and that he (Kurt) shouldn't trust him (Sting) either. He then told Karen that he wants her to stay in the dressing room during their tag title match. Karen was about to slap Sting, but Kurt grabbed her hand and sided with Sting. So Kurt and Karen are fighting again. But are they worked fighting or shoot fighting?”

I gotta ask Jeff…it’s September of 07 here…what is your relationship with Karen?

“Chris Harris did a promo. I guess he and Dustin Rhodes are good friends, but Dustin has a split personality and he doesn't know this Dustin.”

Goldust really set the stage for Dustin’s career from that point forward didn’t it?

“James Storm was looking for Rhino. He went to an A.A. meeting. He made some joke about AAA. Storm was drinking beer at the meeting and telling people that his momma told him that if he had a disease, it should be one that he can have a good time with. The idea wasn't bad, but the acting was weak. Storm left a six-pack at the meeting and left.”

Looking back - hindsight and all that - I don’t know - bad taste?

In the main event from the Torch: Abyss & Lethal beat Sting & Kurt Angle in a non-title match. Abyss didn't want to fight Sting. Karen came out even though she was told not to. Kurt and Sting told her to leave and she did. Abyss pinned Kurt clean with a black hole slam. Abyss went after the thumb tacks, but Jim Mitchell came out. Abyss chased him away. With Angle down, Killings attacked Sting and Pacman Jones spray painted Kurt.”

As we’ve discussed all the talent being scaled back…in the Observer it’s written that Kevin Nash reached out about Scott Hall and Sean Waltman. It’s reported that Hall was back in shape and clear and level headed. Does Nash reach out to you?

It’s also reported that Samoa Joe had yet to sign a contract extension. Where do you think Joe stood at this point in his career?

Andrew Martin is also not being brought back. Was it the steroids investigation from Congress or did he just not have it?

Before we get to No Surrender let’s discuss where the company is at. You’ve added a ton of talent in the last few months…and you’re holding steady in the ratings between a 1.1 and 1.2. Is that a disappointment?

I ask that because it’s announced on No Surrender the deal is now complete. From the Observer: “After five years, TNA finally got the next to last step of what had been a long-time goal. Once it became apparent that the business model of weekly $9.95 PPV shows with no television didn't work, the goal was to recreate the Monday Night Wars, and be i n the WCW position, but with far less stupid spending and hopefully far less stupid booking. And they do spend less. TNA and Spike TV announced a two-year extension on their deal which would go through the fall of 2009, and in doing so, made the two-hour time slot from 9-11 p.m. official. In its press release announcing the deal, TNA bragged about its audience increasing 18% over the last year, but that's more due to a 9 p.m. time slot instead of an 11 p.m. slot, and bragged it was the only national cable wrestling show that saw an increase this past year (Smackdown has shown slight increases due to CW being available in more homes than UPN and during the summer because last summer they were on a lot of lame duck stations that preempted or didn't promote the show).

In theory, this is what the doctor ordered, although people in TNA themselves have often stated that 90 minutes would be the perfect time for the show. They were almost always cramming in a 60 minute show, not allowing the segments to breathe and have the impact they need to have to make an impression because it's always rush out and into the next thing you end up not caring out. The real question will be answered pretty quickly if they try and write twice as much, or maybe 15% more but give it more time to develop. The problem also with TNA is the emphasis on the ratings. The actual audience is up, more due to a favorable time slot, but PPV numbers are way down, and even today, PPV should be the major revenue stream for any sports entertainment type of company. TNA is the exact opposite of UFC, in that the more time goes on, the lower the percentage of their television viewers is buying their PPVs. There are two reasons for that. The first is the nature of the TV shows, where everything is rushed, nothing is important, and the angles don't work. The job of an angle isn't to be creative, or to surprise people, or in many cases, to make people groan. The job of an angle is to build something that in the end, people want to see concluded enough to pay money for it.

On occasion, TNA gets that, but it's not with its angles. It's usually with the signing of a major star, like the first show of Sting or first two shows of Kurt Angle (the second show because of the first Angle vs. Samoa Joe match, which was a natural money feud handed to them that they rushed and burned out and actually made people not want to see by three months in). While no financials are available, they probably got a significantly better money deal for this new contract. The company is notoriously cheap, sometimes in ways that would make you shake your head, but it probably had to be to keep losses down. Obviously, the emphasis would be to sign one of the major few free agent stars to debut on 10/4, with the most obvious push likely to get Booker T (if he is contractually available), Chris Jericho (who is entertaining offers from both sides) or Rob Van Dam. Bill Goldberg has mentally come to grips that he's almost 41 and a retired pro wrestler, and hasn't expressed any interest.”

How big an achievement is this for the company? How does your stress level come down before going right back up about making sure you’re putting the best product on?

Do you agree that the best amount of time for the company was 90 minutes not 2 hours?

We’re at the show now Jeff!

No Surrender itself is well received - 92% thumbs up. But only 75 responses. The show only gets 20,000 buys - which is tied with Victory Road as the least drawing pay-per-view of the year. It’s down 10,000 buys from No Surrender 06 which we discussed last year in the archives featuring you vs. Samoa Joe on top in a fan’s revenge lumberjack match. When you look at the talent roster in 07 compared to 06 and to drop in pay-per-view purchases…is that just on creative you think?

From the Observer: “The show, built around three Kurt Angle matches, was TNA's best PPV show in a while. It was a night of extremes, with some things extremely good and others extremely bad. There seemed to be an emphasis on giving people finishes without outside interference.”

Is there a shift in creative knowing you’re about to get 2 hours?

“The show opened with a video and a catchphrase that "Nobody else does PPV like TNA," which may have been true at one time, but certainly hasn't been of late. And because of it, a lot of people who have jumped off, missed a very good show. Our response volume to the show indicated a bad buy rate, as we were down 36% from last month's Kurt Angle vs. Samoa Joe match for all the belts, and that did below what were average figures for the promotion a year ago. More viewers than ever. Less PPV buys than ever. That should send a message. But somehow it doesn't. The difference between the old-time promoters were that they lived and died by how the big show did, because it was their own money and lithe angles and direction didn't work, either they changed them and found something that did, or they weren't around. And they either learned what worked, or they weren't successful promoters. Granted, it was tons easier to be successful if you were the only wrestling in town, but you still couldn't book things your audience didn't care about. Today, when you just get funded even when it's not clicking and you're not learning, you just continue in a direction that isn't clicking. The lack of being under pressure to learn or die makes it a lot easier to continue without learning.”

What say you Jeff to this criticism from Dave?

“1. Adam "Pacman" Jones & Ron Killings won the TNA tag titles from Kurt Angle & Sting in 5:32. Not much to this. Sting did some armdrags with Killings. Jones kept refusing to tag in. Karen Angle came out in a white dress. Sting had earlier in the show told her not to come to ringside and told her to leave. She shoved Sting and then slapped him in the face. Then, she took a dive like she was some heel Luchador who wasn't kicked low trying to get a cheap DQ. Kurt saw his wife on the ground. Sting said he didn't do anything but Karen said Sting hit her. Angle then ran in the ring and gave Sting an Olympic slam.

At this point, Jones tagged in and covered Sting.

Observer ½*

(just for Karen's dress as the match itself was pretty much non-existent)

Torch ¾ *”

You did the best you could with what you were dealt. I get it since Pacman can’t touch…but man Pacman pinning Sting. Did that take some convincing on your part?

“2. Rhino pinned James Storm in 9:23. Rhino did one of those Russo interviews where to make it a shoot, he uses his real name. He called himself Terry Gerin and said that Terry Gerin is an alcoholic, but said he was sober. Why did they make him an alcoholic in the first place as he recovered in weeks and didn't do any skits showing any signs of alcoholism? They brawled in the stands for 4:00. At one point, Storm came off the balcony with a dive, but Rhino caught him and drove him into a wall. When they finally got the match started it was "Let's Go Rhino, Let's Go Cowboy" dueling chants. Rhino used a gore but Storm kicked out. Rhino went out of the ring looking for chairs, but Storm ended up using a diamond cutter off the ropes dropping Rhino on two chairs for a near fall. Storm used a superplex for a near fall. Rhino gored Storm through a table and got the pin. After the match, Jackie Moore tried to put Rhino's face into beer, but he blocked it, got Moore in the ring and gave her a mini-gore. Crowd very hot for this match.

Observer ***¼

Torch **¾ “

I mean these dudes beat the shit out of each other and it’s great. I’ve always thought Rhino was super underrated and same with Storm. What say you Jeff?

“Angle was furious. Dr. Nash told Angle that Sting never slapped Karen and that Karen lied. Kurt didn't believe it. At this point, Sting attacked Kurt and was choking him against the lockers. Jim Cornette and Nash broke it up. Cornette kicked Karen out of the building and said if she didn't leave, then Kurt could go with her and forfeit all of his remaining title belts.”

Kevin Nash as Dr. Nash - as hilarious as it was - you’re spending some money on Kevin Nash here as our buddy doesn’t come cheap. Worth the investment for the entertainment?

“3. Robert Roode pinned Kaz in 13:47. The gimmick was that Ms. Brooks was out with Roode but secretly rooting for Kaz. Both took a bump out of the ring to establish that Brooks went to comfort Kaz, not Roode. Then Roode tackled Kaz and he knocked down Brooks in the process and she sold a wrist injury from her fall. Really good match and the hot crowd didn't hurt. Kaz got near fall after near fall. Roode pulled out a chain but Kaz kicked it out of his hands and out of the ring. Brooks got the chain and put it under the ring. Roode came out and wanted to get the chain back but she wouldn't tell where it was. Kaz used a running flip tope, and then kissed Brooks' hand. At another point, Kaz was on the apron, jumped over the top rope and in doing so, hooked Roode's head and DDT'd him. Kaz did the Takao Omori backwards tombstone piledriver for a near fall. In my mind, that move should never be used unless it's a finish. People went nuts for the move, though. Kaz missed a legdrop off the top rope, and Roode got the pin with the payoff (fisherman suplex).”

Observer ***½

Torch **¾

Once again two dudes that can go and man do they ever here. Is the story redundant though between Karen’s bump in the first match and this match here?

“In another Russoriffic moment, as Jay Lethal was cutting a promo in his Randy Savage voice about Ricky Steamboat, George Steele and Jake Roberts, Dr. Nash came out and told him that he made his career and that tonight he has to take a dive. He said that Angle needed to be fresh for his main event. But they missed the point that you have to bribe someone to take a dive. I guess Russo never watched bad boxing movies. You would think people would remember everything WCW did, and never do it again.”

Again - Nash kills it - Lethal kills it - but the story. It’s got holes like cheddar cheese. Someone’s gotta raise a hand up and be like…guys this doesn’t make sense.

“4. Jay Lethal pinned Kurt Angle in 12:18 to win the X Division title. Excellent match. The story was that Lethal kept getting near falls and people got behind him as an underdog, but deep down they never exploded because they never believed he had a chance to win. Angle flipped Lethal head over heels in doing a German suplex for a near fall. He did a belly-to-belly superplex for a near fall. Lethal used an inside cradle for a near fall as well as a Randy Savage elbow off the top rope. The finish saw Angle finally clamp on the ankle lock, but Lethal reversed it into a front rolling cradle and got the three count. The place exploded. The only negative is they had some guys celebrate with Lethal and put it over as the biggest upset in TNA history, but cut away from the scene too fast, which hurt its overall impact. That, and by the end of the night, by how Lethal was positioned, it was all a waste.

Observer ***¾

Torch ***¼”

Letting things breathe has always been a thing with TNA…maybe 120 more seconds and this resonates more because - A) it’s a great match and a big victory/moment in Lethal’s career and B) He just beat Kurt Angle live on pay-per-view - CLEAN. This is a big deal isn’t it Jeff?

“5. Chris Harris pinned Black Reign (Dustin Runnels) in 5:13. Reign brought out a nasty looking rat, named Misty (I'm sure there's somebody getting back as someone), in a rat cage to the ring. Not much to the match, although Harris did a big dive. He won clean with an inside cradle. After the match, Harris handcuffed Reign, who juiced by this point, to the corner, but Reign kicked Harris low, got his own handcuff key and released himself. He then got the rat out of its cage and put the rat on Harris' face. Reign then kissed the rat. People weren't into the match but at least it was short.

Observer *

Torch ¾ *”

I don’t get it.

“6. Tomko & A.J. Styles won a gauntlet (Royal Rumble) in 25:38 to get a tag team title shot at the next PPV. The funniest stuff was the Christian pre-match pep talk. First, he put over Tomko's IWGP tag team title belt he always carries around. The funny thing is, unless I've missed it, they've never once explained what it is and who his partner is. It's so weird he carries the belt on his promos. Then Christian told Styles to go out there and win a championship, "Just like your idol (referring to himself)." Styles then said, "But Barry Sanders never won a championship." The rules were like a regular Royal Rumble, except one minute between entrances are too short. It felt to me almost like they were largely killing time with 20 minutes of ring entrances. At the end, when only two men were left, their two partners got to return and they did a tag team match. Styles and Christopher Daniels started. Homicide, Chris Sabin and Havok were the next three in. Homicide was the first one eliminated, thrown out by Daniels. Petey Williams was next in and ran in and did a Canadian Destroyer. Styles threw out Sabin. Devon, the returning Jimmy Rave (what a complete waste debuting a guy like this in a way he can't possibly get over), Brother Ray and Raven were next in. Rave showed up on his entrance with Christy Hemme, since his tag partner is Lance Hoyt. Team 3-D threw Raven out in seconds. They always have to have one guy doing the Bushwhacker spot. Shark Boy was next in, and he was thrown out by Brother Ray in seconds. Sonjay Dutt was next in. Devon threw out Rave and Brother Ray threw out Williams. B.G. James, Hernandez and Tomko were in. Ray accidentally threw out Devon, and then Tomko eliminated Brother Ray. Elix Skipper and Alex Shelley were the next in. Shelley threw out B.G. James. Lance Hoyt was in, and threw out Skipper, who took a nasty looking fall. Kip James and Eric Young were the last ones in. Then people started getting thrown out. Kip threw out Dutt after Dutt hugged him. Tomko threw out Hernandez. Young threw out Tomko. Kip James dropkicked Hoyt out. Daniels, who had been in from the start, went over the top rope with Kip. At this point the final three were Styles, Young and Shelley. Styles & Shelley combined to throw out Young in 22:01. This meant Styles & Tomko had a match against Sabin & Shelley. Styles pinned Sabin with a rolling reverse cradle, holding the tights. Match was maybe slightly better than a typical Battle Royal.

Observer **¼

Torch **”

I mean we could’ve found a way to shave 5 minutes off this and give it to Lethal’s celebration right?

“7. Christian Cage beat Samoa Joe via DQ in 14:59. The idea was Joe came in hot because of the angle on TV. At one point he flung Christian into the guard rail. At another point Joe used a tope. Super hot crowd for this match. Joe hit a death valley driver at one point. Christian missed a frog splash and Joe used an STF, leading to a rope break. Christian used a reverse DDT off the top rope. The finish saw Joe put on a choke, but Christian made the ropes. Joe was refusing to break, so ref Rudy Charles pulled Joe off by the hair. This happened a second time, and Joe threw down the ref. He used a Samoan drop and muscle buster on Christian, but no ref. Security started running in, but Joe was throwing them out as quickly as they got in. Williams, Lethal and Dutt came out to calm Joe down, but they got rid of all them. He started choking Christian with a T-shirt and threw him over the top rope and hung him with the T-shirt. Finally Jim Cornette and Matt Morgan came out and calmed Joe down. Joe and Morgan had a quick stare down but I don't think people really saw it as such. Weak finish on paper, but it wasn't as weak as it reads. Strong match until the finish.

Observer ***½

Torch ***”

Lots of ga ga here…and it seemed like there was always a lot in matches where Christian was a heel. These two together can go though and I know we’ve said that a lot on this show but this is a really good wrestling show. That was important for TNA was it not?

“8. Kurt Angle beat Abyss to retain the TNA title in 19:24. Pretty simple match. Angle kept working on Abyss' left knee and ankle. Abyss would make some comebacks until Angle would cut him off and go right back. Abyss finally hit a choke slam, but Angle kicked out. Angle did a moonsault onto Abyss halfway across the ring for a near fall. Abyss used a black hole slam for a near fall. The match dragged a little early, as the crowd had seen enough of Angle for one show. But it picked up as they started working for the finish. Abyss went to get thumbtacks, but Angle grabbed the ankle lock. Angle ended up cutting Abyss' boot, and then pulled the boot off his foot. He started attacking the ankle, with the idea that with no boots, it has no support. He then used the ankle lock. In reality, a move like that is more dangerous with the boot on, but who would know? Abyss actually tapped clean to the move. After the match, Jim Mitchell was on the big screen and told Abyss that Judas Mesias was already there and was taking Abyss to hell. A hand came through a hole made in the ring, and pulled a scared Abyss into the hole as the show went off the air. Good match, shockingly clean finish and the post-match angle to set up the new program wasn't done at the expense of giving people a clean ending.

Observer ***½

Torch ***¼ “

This almost feels like a blowoff of the Abyss character in the clean as a sheet win here for Kurt but the Mesias debut was good and really it’s a great match and these two together worked really well together.

What did you think of the show Jeff? I think it was great. You?