My World w/ Jeff Jarrett - Against All Odds 2008 [Show Notes] (Patreon)

Jeff - we left off discussing TNA in early 2008 with the fallout from a lot of locker room issues, and really it’s all about getting everyone on the same page is it not?

One of the first things Dave Meltzer reports is that coming out of all this - Samoa Joe is being groomed for the heavyweight title. From the Observer: “Granted, this has been planned for a good two years and pushed back time-after-time because they didn't want to do it too soon. As far as timing goes, because this whole business is about timing, they probably missed the optimum time by at least a year. The reason he hasn't gotten a singles title shot of late is there is a mentality that the next time he gets the shot, he may not have to win it that very first night, but does have to prevail in the program. So now the idea is to get the right timing for when Angle should lose. It wouldn't shock me to see Angle vs. Joe at Lockdown…”

Did it feel like you were just delaying the inevitable with Joe? Kurt coming in I’m sure slowed down his ascent to the World Title…but here’s a guy who went on pay-per-view, shot on the company, got slapped by Kevin Nash…and now it’s looking like you’re going to groom him for the World Title…did it take him doing all that to finally get the title?

Kurt vs. Joe at Lockdown will take place and we will cover that later this year - but when do you know that’s where you’re going?

Against All Odds is scheduled to take place at the Bi-Lo Center in Greenville, South Carolina. How did booking arenas outside the Impact Zone for pay-per-views come to be…who handled it?

Why was this show booked outside the Impact Zone do you remember?

From the Torch:

“TNA has a four–day tour of Texas and Oklahoma this week. They are signed for Jan. 9 in Belton, Tex., Jan. 10 in Austin, Jan. 11 in Dallas, and Jan. 12 in Oklahoma City. It’s a big weekend for TNA, as their parent company, Panda Energy, is based in Dallas. They want to have a good showing for the office suits, especially at Friday’s show in Dallas at the House of Blues.”

Was it important to focus on these shows with Panda or was it added pressure?

Also from the Torch:

“TNA has a tentative plan to begin “baseline “ drug testing at the next set of TV tapings on January 21 and 22. TNA head of talent relations Terry Taylor made the announcement prior to the Final Resolution PPV on Sunday. Wrestlers have received advanced notice, which will allow them two weeks to make any adjustments to their “training programs “ before testing begins”

Is this a Dixie Carter initiative? What did you think of it? How costly was this?

On Impact on the 10th there’s an interesting segment where Jim Cornette and Chris Harris are talking and Harris demands respect because he’s been with the company day 1 and Cornette calls him the most miserable wrestler he’s ever seen. Was this life imitating art with Chris at this point in time?

Judas Mesias destroys him in a match right after - and he would be out of the company just a few weeks later - why do you think he floundered after the AMW breakup?

This tickled me from Impact:

“Styles hid under a table backstage as Crystal interviewed Christian nearby as he searched for Styles. After a break, Borash joined Styles under the table, then made a face and asked if he farted. Styles said he’s nervous. Eric Young found them and joined them. He suggested Styles hide in the theme park.” Later on he would be found hiding in a pharaoh costume…

This…does not feel like a way to position AJ…but who am I?

This Impact episode is best remembered for Awesome Kong beating Gail Kim in the main event to win the TNA Knockouts title in a match Meltzer would give ** ½. This is a big big deal to have them main event Impact is it not?

Did this feel like the women’s revolution for wrestling was being spearheaded by TNA?

From the Observer:

“They did a house show on 1/9 in Belton, TX, before 1,200 fans, which was nearly packed in the small Expo Center. TNA continues to get super hot crowds and they are there for the brand as opposed to any of the wrestlers.

1/10 in Austin, TX, drew a hot and heavily Hispanic 750 fans, with LAX being the most over act on the show…

1/11 in Dallas was a major show for the promotion as Panda Energy is based in Dallas so a lot of the bigwigs including Bob Carter were there, which meant the wrestlers were working extra hard.

They were at the House of Blues in Dallas which holds 1,500, and it was sold out, but tons of people had Panda badges so it was almost like a party for the company people as well…”

What do you remember of this tour - and how successful was it?

The 1/17 Impact is very successful which we’ll cover shortly - do you credit that coming off the women’s match before or do you think the promotion of the main event - Christian vs. Samoa Joe vs. AJ Styles in a #1 contenders match helped push it over the edge?

I’m referring to over the edge as TNA set its all-time-record with 1,623,000 viewers and a 1.22 rating. This was the week it finally toppled ECW head-to-head by about 133,000 viewers. The show did a 0.88 in Males 18-34 and 1.12 in Males 35-49.

From the Torch: “From Jan. 15, the ECW on Sci–Fi show during the week averaged a 1.1 rating and 1.49 million viewers. Impact had never outdrawn ECW before. TNA posted a story on its website touting the ratings success. They also noted the show beat ECW. It was something they had set as a goal for a long time, and each week they anticipated the ratings recently since ECW dropped within striking distance.”

Was it a goal to beat ECW?

“The UK Sun ran an article with the headline: “TNA overtakes ECW in America,” with the opening line: “TNA management and wrestlers were popping the champagne corks this weekend with the news that their TV show Impact now has more viewers than ECW in America.”

Well were you popping champagne?

Global Impact was even a success as the show - featuring Angle vs. Yuji Nagata after Impact from the Tokyo Dome show did a .8 rating and 949,000 viewers and Meltzer would state that Spike was hoping for a .6 rating out of the special in that time slot. You’re showing Spike you’re worth the money at this point do you think?

Also from the Observer:

“There were a lot of comments at the tapings regarding the Global Impact show, with an almost universal feeling it was a great show, some said the best TV the company had done in a long time.

As you can imagine, Jim Cornette raved about it, as did a lot of the wrestlers. The booking team was also positive on the show, even though it's a 180 degree difference from the product they are producing. It's too soon to see if any of the elements from that show are used, but it's doubtful. One aspect is that when you do a show based on realism and use the sports build-up, you lessen the importance of the writers. So the people who would make the decision to change the product would also be cutting their own throats.”

What do you say to that?

You tape a no rope barbed wire match in the Impact Zone between Abyss and Judas Mesias for the pay-per-view because the South Carolina state athletic commission wouldn’t permit the match to happen in South Carolina. How did you end up finding out they wouldn’t allow the match and the decision to hold it at the Impact Zone?

Cheerleader Melissa comes in to be Awesome Kong’s associate - and she’s dressed in traditional Middle Eastern clothing. The idea to bring her in as this…and the gimmick…do you know who put that all together?

From the Observer:

“UFC made deals with both WWE and TNA to promote the Brock Lesnar vs Frank Mir UFC 81 fight. Besides getting the rights to use WWE footage in the TV commercials in a deal that was described as not difficult at all to put together as both sides felt it was mutually beneficial, they will also have Lesnar vs. Mir promoted with a Lesnar video on the WWE.com web site.

A second Lesnar, Mir and Kurt Angle video airs on TNA this week, with all three talking both about pro wrestling and hyping the fight. TNA is also supposed to be pushing the All Access show with Lesnar that was to air one hour after Impact on Spike.”

How … crazy is UFC going to both companies to help promote Brock with the UFC? Did you have any issues with this deal since they also worked with WWE - and do you know if they had any issues with you guys being worked with?

Also from the Observer:

“TNA is looking at making major upgrades to its television in the upcoming months, including significant talk of taping Impact live. Wrestlers and office staff were told the plan is to move the television tapings from Mondays and Tuesday to Thursdays and Fridays. It is not official, nor is there a start date.

The impression was it could come as early as late March, and wrestlers were told from that point forward not to take Friday night independent bookings. TNA sources believe the change would happen no later than summer. Details of whether this happens or how far along talks are have not been confirmed, but there is talk at Spike TV of adding a second weekly show, which would be a one hour show built around only the Knockouts division.”

A lot to unpack here - as we’re in the middle of the WWE’s move to HD, how much of this is in flux and how realistic was another Impact show being about the Knockouts?

It’s constant and consistent that week after week the highest quarter hour of the show is the women…so it would make sense for them to be interested in having more of them right?

Was money a concern with HD, or going live, or did that all fall under Spike’s purview?

Were you already telling the boys not to take dates on those days in prep for it - and how close do you think it was to reality at this point in time?

With the success of the Texas tour - there’s more talk of adding more house shows - so you have to think it’s the path to success right?

From the Torch: “TNA continues its ambitious expansion plans for 2008 by announcing a tour of the UK in June. There will be at least three shows in Coventry, Liverpool, and Brentwood–Essex. Dates have not been announced yet, and TNA plans to release information in waves in exclusives to the UK media to maximize publicity. Dixie Carter traveled to London two weeks ago to finalize agreements with arenas and meet face–to–face with local promoters and the media.”

How important is it to continue the TNA expansion plans and how ambitious was it?

On Impact - Shark Boy wrestles as “Stone Cold” Steve Austin - using his catch phrases & the stunner…no worry about an IP lawsuit huh Jeff?

Lance Storm would write this on his website: ““For the most part imitations, despite the cheap pop they initially garner, just make the imitator come off second rate. Famous people never imitate average people average people imitate celebrities, so in my opinion Jay Lethal and Shark Boy come off like mark Indy workers imitating real stars, which really shouldn’t be the booking goal of the company they work for.”

What say you on Lance’s opinion?

Johnny Devine defeats Jay Lethal…I mean Black Machismo for the X division title. There’s a definite shift in plans here as according to the booking sheets we got access to - there’s a lot of moving plans going on in the X division and it seems like there’s some issue with the Motor City Machine Guns. They’re in the middle of a big story with Team 3D and Jay and Johnny Devine…and well we’ll let the Torch tell the story…

“There were some wrestlers within TNA really upset with TNA fining Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin for refusing to blade recently as part of a beatdown by Team 3D. There is also equal heat on Shelley and Sabin for thinking they’re above doing what almost every wrestler in history has agreed to do one time or another, even if not all that often.

The issue with the fine is that it just looks so bad. Imagine the publicity of a lawsuit or just a mainstream media story if TNA, owned by a big corporation Panda Energy, fined contracted talents for not slicing their forehead open to bleed. Shelley has a rep for being more against blading than Sabin, but Sabin is a hardly a follower. In fact, a couple years ago Sabin was asked to bleed, but refused, and ended up using a mix of Karo syrup and food coloring to simulate bleeding. Nobody was the wiser.

Those who are most against Shelly and Sabin thinking they’re above blading think TNA shouldn’t have threatened fines, but instead punished them in unofficial ways, like jobbing them on TV for four straight weeks to the Rock ’n’ Rave Connection. Jay Lethal, by the way, volunteered to blade in the angle with Team 3D, and that would have been enough to get the angle over as needed.”

Jeff - what do you remember of all this? The decision to fine, their refusal, the whole saga?

A sitdown interview takes place between Mike Tenay and Abyss and Tenay informs him that Father James Mitchell…is in fact his father. This…I don’t know Jeff.

Curry Man debuts for TNA…the idea of bringing him in for this role…a Daniels decision? Creative?

Lesnar loses to Frank Mir in his UFC debut and well…

“Dana White went out of his way to praise both WWE and TNA for helping promote the event.

TNA was filming at the show.

Unlike the WWE guys who were there watching the fights, Angle came in, wearing his suit & tie gimmick and did a big entrance that didn't air on the PPV, filmed by TNA just before the Nathan Marquardt vs. Jeremy Horn fight. It wasn't shown on the screen, but in that part of the arena, people reacted like he was a major celebrity coming down the aisle and the WWE guys were kind of laughing about it as he walked past them. Angle was billed on the PPV as "TNA world champion," even though Lesnar in his introduction was billed as "Former WWE superstar" but not as a former world champion. Angle seemed real upset after the Lesnar loss.”

Jeff - are you at this event? What did you think of all the cross promotion between two rival wrestling companies for a MMA event?

From the Observer:

“This next PPV is going to be very interesting in regards to the buy rate. TNA's consistent television audience is now at record levels. But it's funny because as someone who watches everyone's TV, without even thinking, I know every key match at No Way Out and the money matches at the next several UFC's. I had to stop and think before coming up with Angle vs. Christian in a rematch for Against All Odds as the main event. I certainly don't feel any kind of a buzz that indicates the number will be any different than the last few months.. . “

The most consistent ratings run of your company and Meltzer has that to say…do you think you were a more successful television company than pay-per-view company?

Did you make more money from Spike or from pay-per-view?

Did you ever think of opting out of monthly pay-per-views?

Also from the Observer: “Right now, about 90% of the writing of television is Vince Russo. Dutch Mantel is largely in charge of the booking of the women's stuff and some other aspects of the show. It's hard to tell because right now both favor the comedy approach to the product and as best I can tell nobody ever talks buy rates or house show attendance and progress or lack thereof is only measured by weekly ratings so there's no way they are going to be making any changes from the current formula.”

So you had nothing to do with this Jeff?

On TV a real life situation is playing out as the Torch reports it’s not a guarantee that Samoa Joe is going to resign and on TV it’s the main story about him as Jim Cornette is trying to get him to resign. Were you worried about Joe leaving when he wasn’t resigning right as you’re giving him a major push?

Scott Steiner & Petey Williams are still arguing about briefcases…how good were these two together?

Also you’re building up BG James teaming up with Bullet Bob Armstrong at the pay-per-view for a world tag team title shot. Two things - it was time to break up the James Gang wasn’t it - and you wanted to give Bob one last shot at the big time is that right?

It’s announced that WWE is leaving the CW and taking SmackDown elsewhere…were you worried how this may effect TNA at some point in time?

On Impact on February 7th - Black Reign defeats Kaz in a Rat on a Pole match. So that’s the end of the Kaz push isn’t it?

Also on the go-home Impact:

“(3) Homicide (w/Celinas) beat Johnny Devine via DQ in 5:00 so Devine retained the X Title. Botched finish as Homicide had Devine pinned, but Devon was late to break up the pin, so Homicide had to just sit up from his pin attempt for no reason after hitting both of his finishers. Stuff happens, but that was almost worth a reshoot, it was that bad. Tenay said titles no longer change hands on a DQ in TNA, as of last week. (*1/4)”

Why wasn’t this re-filmed do you think?

Paul Heyman had this to say about TNA:

““I have no interest in TNA. They don’t want someone to come in and completely change their formula. I don’t even think they want to hear that their formula is in need of changing. TNA is a vanity piece and they don’t want someone who comes in and says, ’We really have to address all these situations.’” He added: “I think TNA has a major hurdle to overcome and that’s the fact that they have no brand. There’s no one on that roster that is branded TNA… Are there hot moments? Sure. Are there personalities to like? Sure. Is there a good work rate? Sure. But there is no TNA style, TNA persona, or TNA brand”…

Was it ever close to having Paul come in up at this point?

Let’s get to the show Jeff and there’s progress! The show draws 30,000 buys - up from the year before of 25,000 and No Surrender drew 20,000 buys. Always good right?

The show was well received by Wrestling Observer readers - 47.2% thumbs up. But Meltzer points this out:

“There really isn't much new to say about TNA after the Against All Odds show. Ratings have never been higher. In fact, two weeks ago, UFC did a live show on a Wednesday and TNA ran on a Thursday and more people watched TNA.

Then UFC did a PPV where maybe 600,000 bought the show. And a week later, TNA did a PPV where maybe 25,000 bought the show. This past week, UFC put tickets on sale for Montreal for the first time ever in the market, sold out immediately and scalpers are getting ridiculous prices. TNA ran in Greenville, its first time ever in the Carolinas, and sold less than 2,000 tickets.”

I get where he’s going…but what do you say to this comparison?

“The show drew 3,500 according to the box office at the Bi-Lo Center, a 16,000-seat arena that had to be given a smaller set-up. There were less than 2,000 paid, and that's with two-for-one tickets the last week. There was heavy papering, even in the ringside section. But those there were enthusiastic. And the wrestlers, for all their effort, clearly deserve better leadership.”

“A. Local radio hosts The Rise Guys came out to challenge Traci Brooks. Jackie Moore came out. The bell rang for the match to start. Curry Man came out to his music and was dancing at ringside. The Rise Guys were watching Curry Man and Moore gave both of them low blows and pinned one of them. There was no wrestling, but the crowd got a kick out of it.”

How does something like this get put together? This is some old school stuff isn’t it?

“B. Sonjay Dutt & Consequences Creed (who got a big reaction as he played football at Furman University in Greenville) beat Lance Hoyt & Jimmy Rave. No Christy Hemme with them. Good match. Creed did a running flip dive. Creed pinned Rave to win the match.”

Consequences Creed - the current Xavier Woods and Sonjay Dutt - two guys who just get the business isn’t it?

“The crowd was very upset at the announcement that the commission wouldn't allow the Abyss vs. Mesias match. Maybe the commission should've had protected the consumers and if they weren’t going to allow the match, they should have forced the promotion to make it clear the match wouldn't be taking place or advertised for the city?”

Considering the fact that this was taped weeks in advance - the reaction here - is it avoidable? What’s the commissions liability in this? Why is it the companies? Is this just frustrating as the promoter - or an issue that could’ve been resolved if you didn’t book the match coming up with this venue?

“1. A.J. Styles & Tomko beat B.G. James & Bob Armstrong in 7:45.

Mike Tenay noted that Bob and B.G. both had their Marine Corps basic training nearby at Paris Island, SC, with Bob going through it in 1957 and B.G. in 1987. In all the build-up of the match they pushed that Bob was 67 years old. The Marine Corps color guard came to the ring with them. Styles and Tomko argued before the match. Styles got on the mic to start the show telling Tomko to come out, noting that he hadn’t returned any of his phone calls for weeks and wanted to know where he stood and yelled at him for siding with Christian.

This was a bad match, but Styles was great in bumping for everyone. There was a miscue spot where Styles did a springboard elbow, but James moved and he hit Tomko. Styles kicked out of the pump handle slam. Yep, we were kicking out of finishers all night here. They were being really careful with Bob, and that was a good thing on one hand but didn't make for much of a match.

The thing is, the Carolinas were really not Bob's territory and if they were going to do this with Bob as the ancient legend, it would have worked a lot better in Georgia or the Gulf Coast. After a springboard dropkick by Styles to the knee of James, Styles & Tomko did their double-team tornado suplex on James for the pin. Post-match saw Kip James come in to check on Bob & B.G. and he didn't even tum on them.

Observer 3/4*

Torch *”

Road Dogg has talked about this on his podcast that it would’ve been better to be in Georgia or the Gulf Coast…but the entrance…the story…it all worked…just not everything is going to be 5 stars right?

“Karen was yelling at Kurt and Jeremy about not getting enough attention. Kurt was mad because he had a world title match and all of a sudden she's complaining. It happens once a month, like TNA PPV's, where they are doing fake fake dissensions, real fake dissensions and fake real dissensions.

I don't know which one this was, and frankly, am long past caring. But it was funny as hell. Angle told her to take some Midol.”

This did seem to happen a lot - it feels like we talk about this every pay-per-view…but it felt like it was the same story over and over. Didn’t it feel that way for you?

“2. Traci Brooks pinned Payton Banks in 5:07. Brooks was aggressive and the match had a lot of heat. Not good but people were into the feud. Banks missed a charge into the comer and Brooks schoolgirled her for the pin. Post-match saw Banks hit Brooks with a Northern lariat, but Brooks made her own comeback and tried to tear Banks clothes off, but Banks ran from the ring.

Observer *¼

Torch ½ *”

You’re presenting this Knockouts division as the highest rated part of TV…and then you have this story underneath. Does stuff like this not fall into that type of division - or do you think it hurts it when it’s all presented as the same?

“3. Scott Steiner beat Petey Williams to win briefcases that gets him both a TNA title shot and an X Division title shot in 9:24.

It started with loud dueling chants. Steiner used a belly to belly superplex and picked Williams up at two. Steiner picked Williams up from a pin a second time. Steiner put one of the briefcases between the second and third rope, but Williams reversed and put Steiner into them for a near fall. Williams used a Frankensteiner on Steiner for a near fall. Steiner blocked a Canadian Destroyer and turned it into an Alabama slam for a near fall. They went back-and-forth with near falls for the next several minutes. The finish killed it, as Williams went for the Canadian Destroyer again.

A 6-2 muscular African-American woman (Trenesha Biggers, a former Florida State volleyball player who was in Deep South under a WWE contract in 2005-06 before being cut) distracted Williams. This allowed Steiner to give Williams a last ride power bomb for the pin. Biggers just looked like a complete zilch out there other than being a big bodybuilder looking woman with major implants and less than zero personality.

Observer *½

Torch **”

Jeff - tell me where Trenesha Biggers came from and why she was involved here?

Scott & Petey though - they would become legendary in TNA lore wouldn’t they?

“The comedy continued. Jeremy was telling Kurt what a ladies man he was and giving Kurt advice. He asked Kurt what Thursday was. Kurt said Impact. He kept asking him and finally Kurt figured out it was Valentine's Day and Borash told Kurt to renew his vows with Karen on Impact.

Wrestling weddings do traditionally equal ratings.”

Moving on…

“4. Eric Young pinned James Storm in 7:49 to retain the TNA drinking championship belt.

They did a tongue-in-cheek vignette before the match started trying to get over the prestige of the drinking title. It wouldn't be so funny if you realized they don't even do that with their world title. Good heated match. Young did plancha to the floor. Young took a hiptoss on the floor after Storm removed the padding. Young suplexed Storm on the concrete. Young did a moonsault for a near fall. They traded near falls including Storm doing a sunset flip into a power bomb for a near fall. Finish saw Jackie Moore give Storm a beer bottle, and as he was about to use it, Rhino showed up and gored Storm, allowing Young to get the pin. Rhino then came out and said he had a lot to say, but wasn't going to say it now, but tune in on Thursday for Impact. He just shouldn't have said anything and just had Tenay & West later in the show say Rhino will be doing an interview on Impact.

The way they did it came off so sleazy, plus, when you spend $29.95 for a show, you don't want a promo telling people to watch TV next week for a payoff.

Observer ***

Torch *¾”

Do you think it was counterproductive to have something like that - where the pay-per-view is used to promote the TV - or do you think it’s just the way things go?

Also - the beer drinking championship video - why didn’t you do anything like that for the TNA title?

“5. Awesome Kong pinned ODB to retain the Knockouts title in 6:54.

This had the most heat for any match thus far in the show, but it was just that both are over, as the match wasn't all that good. Kong played monster early and ODB couldn't get her off her feet. They built the whole match for a spot where ODB slammed Kong off the top rope for a near fall. But Raisha Saeed (Cheerleader Melissa Anderson all covered up) distracted ODB, and Kong used a spinning backfist and sit out power bomb for the pin.

Observer **¼

Torch **¼”

Look - this isn’t Awesome Kong & Gail Kim but you also can’t do that match over and over - but this just was a styles clash at the end of the day wasn’t it?

“6. Abyss pinned Judas Mesias in 14:51 in the barbed wire massacre match.

The promos before the match by Jim Cornette and Jim .Mitchell were excellent, particularly the Cornette promo which was the closest thing to a glimpse of a promo that made you want to see a match you went in not caring about (those should be on television, not on the PPV, but I guess having promos designed to get you to want to buy a PPV is one of those outdated parts of the industry that doesn't work, like doing documentaries to build up matches or trying to sell winners, losers, consequences and athletics.

This match was actually taped on 1/22 in Orlando. To make it seem legit and live, they had Cornette, ref Earl Hebner and announcer Crystal Louhan only involved with this match, which is why Scott "Tim Boetsch" Hudson was brought back to do backstage interviews in Greenville.”

Let’s pause there - do you think the promos cut for this would’ve been better on TV compared to the pay-per-view?

Who’s idea was it to make it feel live?

“Mesias was bleeding a little from his chest. Abyss bled heavily from his forehead and both anns. Abyss choke slammed Mitchell on a barbed wire board and Mesias speared Abyss into a vertical barbed wire board. Finish saw Abyss use a black hole slam on a barbed wire board for the pin.

Observer ***¼

Torch **¼”

Is this a hit? Is this a miss? Violence and blood - at the end of the day did it really mean anything?

“7. Booker T went to a double count out with Robert Roode in 9:17.

You could see a difference between Booker and everyone else on the show, in that the people here work their matches to have a good match. Booker worked his character to do the storyline. He was pissed off and looking for revenge and just out to fight. It was a good brawl until the crappy finish, where Roode just walked off. Booker chased after him and both were counted out. Fans booed this finish like crazy. Booker chased Roode to the back where he jumped into the drivers' seat of his car, throwing Payton Banks out of the seat onto the parking lot, and sped away.

Observer **3/4

Torch *¾”

The story continues but can you really put into words how good Booker was/is?

“8. Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin & Jay Lethal beat Team 3-D & Johnny Devine in 12:30 of a multi-stipulation street fight match.

If Shelley & Sabin & Lethal won, Team 3-D couldn't wrestle in TNA unless they both weighed in at less than 275 pounds. In addition, if they won, whomever scored the winning pin would become X Division champion from Devine. If Team 3-D & Devine won, then the X Division would be extinct. In theory, this made no sense because Devine was X Division champion so by winning, Devine would be losing the title. Of course this was never brought up, and in fact, I didn't get so much as one email asking about that which shows people expect TNA to do things that make no logical sense.”

Next month - which we’ll also cover - is already announced and being promoted as Destination X so does that hurt the promised stip?

This just turned into something of a punishment of sorts of Shelley & Sabin right?

“At this point Team 3-D did the 3-D on both Sabin and Shelley, and they were eliminated from the match. This left Lethal against all three guys. The first half of the match was everything it shouldn't have been and the second half was everything it should have been as the crowd got into Lethal fighting the odds and trying to keep the X Division alive. Although, in truth, the crowd clearly didn't care about that stipulation because they were chanting "We Want Tables," near the finish when it was designed for them to be caring about Lethal coming back and winning. So they just wanted to see a car crash and didn't care about the stip. Right here should tell you that you've got to establish stips as meaningful, because if they don't care about something tangible, how can you draw money with any angle?

Ray pulled SoCal Val into the ring and threatened to shred her face with a cheese grater. If this was 1988 and it was Elizabeth, people would still be remembering the spot today. It was a pretty intense moment. Lethal made the save and the big comeback getting all kinds of near falls before pinning Devine with an elbow off the top rope through a table. Ray tried to leave with the X Division belt, but Lethal gave him a plancha and took the belt back. They had a big post-match celebration for saving the X Division, concentrating on Lethal and Val celebrating together.

Observer *** ½

Torch ***”

It’s really a great moment for Lethal in his career - as he saves the girl - saves the division - gets the win overcoming 3 on 1 odds - but how did Team 3D feel all about this…and the issues with Sabin & Shelley?

“9. Kurt Angle pinned Christian Cage to keep the TNA heavyweight title in 20:40.

Samoa Joe was ringside enforcer.

Joe and Angle got into it with Angle shoving Joe and Joe shoving Angle hard and he took a big bump. Angle hit two German suplexes, but as he went for a third, Christian reversed and gave Angle a German suplex almost on the top of his head. With Angle's neck issues, you'd think they'd have avoided anything close. Angle used all his usual moves like the ankle lock leading to a rope break and the Olympic slam leading to a near fall. Angle missed a moonsault. Christian went to the top but Angle climbed up and used an Olympic slam off the middle rope for a near fall. Christian came back with an unprettier for a near fall. Right about this point, the match was awesome. It didn't matter what they did with it. And then ref Andrew Thomas went down.

And it went from being TNA's best match in a long time to every other TNA main event that by the time it's over, you really don't care.”

Why was the ref bump so customary in TNA big match main events?

“Christian got the ankle lock on Angle and Angle was about to tap, but Joe jumped in from being the enforcer and Angle couldn't tap. Christian really needs to make it look like he's actually doing the move. Angle was teasing tapping but got to the ropes. Karen Angle slapped Christian. Kurt went to clothesline Christian but instead crashed into Karen. Christian used a schoolboy foranearfall.

Joe then carried Karen out of the ring and dumped her on a chair at ringside. Styles hit the ring but Joe attacked Styles and chased him to the back. Angle grabbed a chair and went to hit Christian, but Tomko jumped in the ring and stopped Angle from using a chair. That made perfect sense since Tomko's next move was to give Christian a Hercules cutter and Angle scored the pin.

Observer ***¾

Torch ***½”

The swerve - double swerve bro - does it wear on an audience?

Well Meltzer thinks so…

“Against All Odds to me was a thumbs up show because of the last two matches. Granted, the show ended frustratingly, as Angle and Christian Cage were having the best main event the company has had in some time, and then it was ruined by the predictable run-ins that, because they are done every time out, are no longer heat, but just lead people not to care. It's the craziest thing. All these fans want an alternative. They want to care. They like the wrestlers. And the promotion just beats it out of them.

In the end, they just got Tomko over as a-stand- alone face, and what do they do? Why, they tum him back heel? Why? Because nobody expects it? But the minute he did the run in and pretended he was helping Christian, what is everyone trained to expect? Yep, expect what makes no sense. So he turned on Christian and it led to Angle keeping the title.”

Did booking like this stunt the growth of the company do you think?

Meltzer would continue…

“I can see a thumbs down or in the middle, because I still do get frustrated by the lack of popularity growth after all these years and all this prime time television. In a sense, if I'm here to judge the show from a business standpoint, which is, did this show equal forward progress, well, probably not, and they probably hurt themselves slightly because people were starting to get into Tomko and they pulled the rug from under them. Again, if this stuff was working, and they were hot and selling tickets, it doesn't matter if it doesn't make sense.

But at the same time, when it's not and it isn't, at what point do you say, “Let's try another approach?" Hell, a great percentage of the company and its fans thought the Global Impact was the best TV show the company ever produced. So why, when things aren't working, everyone praises something completely different, do you not even investigate giving another direction a chance? Actually, there is a reason. When a show is all about the writers overwriting, the key people in power are the writers. When the writers make the show around the wrestling, the value of the writers in theory diminishes. And in 2008, you can't have one without the other. You do need some comedy. But you also have to know how to book main eventers and main event programs, as opposed to booking the stars the same as the prelim guys.”

Jeff - what do you say to that?

Next week…we’re going to be discussing your rookie year! 1986! From debuting against Tony Falk, working on the road, Billy Travis, Dutch Mantel, Tojo Yamamoto, Akio Sato & Tarzan Goto, winning the tag titles with Pat Tanaka, & more!