I’d be a fool not to talk about what allegedly happened yesterday with the TNA World Heavyweight Champion being arrested for possession of HGH, and stalking his girlfriend, believed to be Rhaka Khan. There’s not much that can be said here except these facts.
1. Kurt Angle is a train wreck waiting to happen.
2. All publicity is not good publicity.
3. This will sufficiently destroy any possible career for Angle outside of the six sided ring.
What would be immensely hypocrtical here is if TNA goes forward with the PPV, and keeps the belt on Angle even after all of this malarkey has gone down. I know with the Jeff Jarrett/Karen Angle situation, there is serious need for some re-evaluation of the power structure within the offices of TNA Wrestling, but if there isn’t some form of severe discipline put on Kurt Angle by TNA Wrestling after this humongous black eye for the company, then there really is a precedent set that the young wrestlers of the company ought to really take in to consideration that TNA is going to do anything to protect its own, protect its stars, and protect its limited name recognition throughout television and the wrestling industry.
At the absolute minimum, Angle needs to drop the belt, and take a vacation from television. However TNA decides to write it, that must happen. If he doesn’t end up behind bars for this type of atrocity that he pulled, it’ll be a shock. If that occurs, and he is prosecuted and convicted, then he’s done. Send him packing, and retire him permanently before he ends up killing himself, or somebody else.
The HGH thing in itself is grounds for termination in my opinion. You know as well as I that wrestling will have that stereotypical collaboration with steroids, HGH and other PEDs. To have one of the marquis participants be convicted of possession of this substance is beyond reproach. Not much else can be said. It’s a black eye for the business, for the company, and for the talents that bust their asses collectively, and remain clean.
God, I hate talking about drugs. But it’s a topic that will always rear its ugly head, no matter what sport you attempt to follow, one way or the other.
Ok, let’s do the picks.
Steel Asylum Match for the #1 Contendership for the X Division Title
Amazing Red vs. Suicide vs. Jay Lethal vs. Consequences Creed vs. Alex Shelley vs. Chris Sabin vs. Daniels
It’s rumoured, from what I’ve read, that Elijah “The Pope D’Angelo Dinero” Burke is going to debut in this match. Hell of a way for the Pope to walk in to TNA, with this type of a match. So, let’s talk experience. Suicide, whomever it is, and I think we all know who, has won this match in past life. Lethal, Creed, Shelley & Sabin have been in it before. Red and Daniels have not. Burke, well, oops, sorry, Dinero, is going to cross the line and hit a brick wall, bright red, and awfully bumpy.
Bottom line here is this. I’m picking who wins here as who is most likely to have some good matches with the champ once the pay per view is done. Out of all the men who are competing in this match, only one has history with the current X Division Champion, and the challenger for the belt come the title match, whenver it may be on sunday night. One man. And that one man vaults, literally, back in to the X Division championship picture with a victory here.
WINNER: Daniels
$50,000 Bounty Match
Abyss vs. Jethro Holliday
Ok, I know this is the epic scenario of throwing as many roadblocks at Abyss before we get Abyss vs. Stevie Richards in either 10,000 tacks or the Doomsday Chamber of Blood. Personally, I don’t like it. This is a chance for Richards to truly show how hardcore he can be, and not be reduced to a comedic act of infantile bullshit and parodies of neofacist censors. This is a chance to show the ECW style of Stevie Richards that has kept him in the major leagues of professional wrestling for, what seems to be, ever. For TNA to continue to delay the eventual climax of this feud with Richards and Abyss by implementing this bounty will only provide the stink of an eternal Eric Young feud that never seems to die. Abyss vs. Stevie in a series of insane matches needs to happen, and it needs to happen yesterday, not tomorrow.
WINNER: Abyss
And yes, I don’t give Holliday one chance in hell. Abyss is gonna kill him.
Briefcase Match
Hernandez vs. Rob Terry
As impressive as Rob Terry is physically, that’s how green this guy is as well. It’s obvious here that the booking committee has finally figured out this whole briefcase thing is ridiculous, and needs to end. Now with Super Mex healthy to retrieve his briefcase, it’s time to give it back to him, and let him take on the forthcoming TNA World Heavyweight Champion, whomever it may be. He’s got all the skills to do it, and I suspect he will succeed eventually in his quest. He definitely wins the case back in this match. Terry is muscle, and that’s it. No skills.
WINNER: Hernandez
TNA Knockouts Championship
Angelina Love vs. ODB
Best of my knowledge, this is supposed to be a tag match with Love & Sky against Deaner & ODB. Personally, I could care less because I hate, and I mean, hate all four of these talents characters. Sure, they may have the skills to get it done between the ropes, don’t get me wrong, but I’m sick of the Beautiful People, I’m sick of the ODB character, Cody Deaner’s character is so God Awfully obnoxious it’s almost inexplicable to even try and describe, and frankly, I could care less about this match, when the chips are put on the table. Love wins, because frankly, I don’t see how they can justify a change unless it’s back to Tara.
WINNER: Angelina Love
IWGP Tag Team Championship
The British Invasion vs. Beer Money, Inc.
I don’t understand in the least why Beer Money lost the TNA titles last month, and they’re getting an IWGP title shot, while 3D, who lost the IWGP titles last month, even after the 180 degree turn made by New Japan Pro Wrestling, are getting a TNA tag team championship match. Isn’t it supposed to be in reverse here? Anyways, I like the Invasion. Magnus and Williams have impressed me tremendously, but let’s be honest, Beer Money have evolved in to one of the best tag teams on the planet. Roode & Storm have all the tools, and could easily win this match. I think they will, because frankly, I have to believe New Japan wants their belts back, and they’re more likely to get a defense in Japan from Beer Money befroe the Brits. It’s nice to see this title defended here, but I am guessing really strongly that the parents want their kid back, and Beer Money is the most likely team, from past experience, to go back to Japan to put the belts up. I don’t think this change was going to be long term, even with the political change of heart made by New Japan, and I still stand by that. I thought 3D would win them back, but hey, one way or the other, the Invasion drops the gold, er, silver.
WINNERS: Beer Money, Inc.
TNA Tag Team Championship
Booker T. & Scott Steiner vs. Team 3D
I never thought I’d see the day that I’d say this, but I am sick and tired about hearing about these four guys’ past resumes. We know of the history of Steiner and Booker, and we know about the 22 times that 3D won tag team gold. We know, we know, we know, enough already. It’s bad enough that the tag team division has basically dropped to the Mafia, Beer Money, 3D, and any also ran team that they can pull together, with the Invasion closely coming up the pack to join the elite of the tag team division, but the bottom line here is, shut up, beat the crap out of each other, and stop talking about the past. Nobody’s in the mood to hear it anymore. I think the Mafia retain the gold, because I don’t see how 3D is entitled to a run with the TNA gold when they haven’t had it in a few months, and they just dropped the IWGP gold last month.
WINNERS: Booker T. & Scott Steiner
TNA X Divsiion Championship
Homicide vs. Samoa Joe
This is going to steal the show. This match maybe the one reason I buy the DVD. Kind of ironic that this title reign is the first singles reign for the Notorious 187 since the ROH World title reign back in 2006. I was there when Homicide won the ROH belt, and I was thrilled. I’m thrilled he won the X Title. Now, for the unusual part. Why is Joe, a former TNA World Champion, a former TNA X Champ, a man who’s fought numerous times in the past few months for the TNA heavyweight gold, returning to the X Division? As enjoyable as this match is going to be, and I suspect it will be a classic, this is a step backwards for Joe, and he can’t be happy about that. He was a top flight heavyweight title contender, and now he is not even in the division anymore. It’s just very weird and unusual booking as far as I am considered. I think Homicide is going to fall to Joe, and the Mafia, but I would not be surprised if I was wrong here. This is probably the most unpredictable match on the whole card. I suspect it’ll be outstanding to experience.
WINNER: Samoa Joe
TNA Legends Championship
Mick Foley vs. Kevin Nash
The old vs. the oldest. I think one of the guys from Wrestling News Live this past week even said that Foley’s skill set may be able to push Nash over the top, and make this match watchable. I personally think that may be pushing it a bit, but there’s always the possibility of a good match out of these two if for no other reason but their own experiences. Foley’s self table impalement last week was funny as hell to watch, but this match will not be funny. It will be bowling shoe ugly, and I wonder how much intereference the Mafia is going to provide, especially now that Foley no longer has his back up, that being Double J. I suspect Foley will retain, but this is also a close one to call, and either way, it wouldn’t surprise me.
WINNER: Mick Foley
TNA World Heavyweight Championship
Kurt Angle vs. Sting vs. Matt Morgan
This match takes a new perspective with Angle’s antics. I would’ve picked Angle had he not been a bad boy over the weekend. Now, it’s a toss up. I think that the booking committee would be insane enough to put the belt back on Sting, but I am hoping that they take the leap, and let a new talent have a run, however brief or long , with the strap. Morgan’s rebuff to Angle last week was classic, and I believe he has the raw ability to take the title from these two grizzled vets. Question really is not whether or not he can do it, its whether or not TNA is going to gamble with a newcomer as their marquis. I mean, let’s think about it. Last few champs, Joe, Sting, Foley, Angle. All household names. Morgan would be a stretch for the booking committee to give the belt to, but I think now, with this new wrinkle added to the match, I think it’s going to happen. It may be a brief reign, as I suspect AJ would perhaps sneak up, and put himself in to the mix for a shot, since he was close to beating Morgan during the best of three. It’s the most likeliest scenario that I think will benefit the company. Of course, we all know I’m completely off base with this, but hey, I’ll go out on a limb.
WINNER: Matt Morgan
Let’s be honest here, ladies and gentlemen. It’s obvious that TNA Wrestling is investing a lot of its product in Matt Morgan. For him to go over in a 2 out of 3 televised match series over the face of the company, and whether you agree with me or not is irrelevant, because AJ Styles is synonymous with TNA Wrestling, for Morgan to go over in a 3 match series with Styles means this: It means that the company has big plans for this 7 footer. I think it would have been slower had things stayed the same, and Angle not veered in to the path of law enforcement, but now, with this new wrinkle, I think Morgan will get thrust in to the spotlight, in a big way, and a lot faster than he, or TNA, had originally anticipated.
I think it’s a travesty that we’re on the eve of Hard Justice, and the only TNA Grand Slam Champion in history doesn’t have a match. I think it’s a travesty that this PPV, which is supposed to be “all hardcore” has no signs of that whatsoever. This show is going to be saved by one match, and one match alone, and I said what one that will be during the picks. It’s not a good card, by any stretch, and it’s been put through the microscope now, due to the black eye that’s been laid on the company. It’s definitely going to be intriguing to see what transpires coming out of the pay per view. Going in, not too much interest, but coming out, I think the interest will be piqued, especially to find out what the status will be of the TNA World Heavyweight Championship.
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