Chris Kelly sent this report in:
The TNA “Cross the Line” Promo is shown then the TNA Epics logo hits and we are shown clips of superstars that have made an appearance in TNA with the likes of Hulk Hogan, Scott Hall, The Road Warriors, Roddy Piper and Jeff Hardy all shown.
Mick Foley welcomes us to the show and informs us that tonight’s show is about the bloodiest battles in TNA history.
Raven vs Shane Douglas
They start slugging it out with Raven getting the advantage and tossing Douglas to the outside. Douglas comes back in as Raven leaves to get some separation, but it doesn?t work as Raven gives chase again. Douglas hits an arm twist, only to get nailed with a right hand and Douglas bumps off it.
They lock up again as the fans are solidly behind Raven. They fall to the outside and lock up there as well, with Raven getting the advantage, whipping him into the guard rail. They begin brawling in the crowd with Raven nailing Douglas with a chair. He then hands the chair to some fans, who hold it up as he rams Douglas into it. They end up back at ringside and Raven tosses Franchise back in and puts on a Cobra Clutch! Douglas fights it off, but Raven goes for the Raven Effect! Douglas drops down to escape and ducks as Raven charges, sending him flying to the outside again. Douglas follows him out, looking VERY blown up already and Raven counters with a Russian leg sweep into the guard rail?which looked VERY sloppy. He rams Douglas? head into the steel steps and Douglas doesn?t even look like he’s trying anymore. Douglas is bleeding now and Raven drop toe holds him into the steel steps. The crowd chants for Raven as Douglas walks away, with blood dripping from his forehead. Raven tries to ram him into the announce table, but Douglas counters and throws him into the steel steps.
Raven is busted open and Douglas goes right after the wound?and just like the great heel he is, he takes Raven’s blood and taunts the fans with it. Douglas hits a rolling neck snap in the ring on Raven and then hooks on an abdominal stretch. Raven reverses it and hooks on the Cobra Clutch. Douglas escapes and puts on another ab stretch, only to be hiptossed by Raven. Douglas goes for it again, but Raven reverses it and puts it on him. Douglas then hiptosses Raven over the top rope to the floor and Raven hits hard on the apron on the way down. Douglas looks MIGHTY blown up at this point and can barely stand.
He tosses Raven back in and while he’s choking Raven, he’s spitting profusely in the ring. All of a sudden, Douglas starts VOMITING in the ring! He gets up and Raven, low blows him and Douglas doubles over and vomits some more! Raven goes for a pinfall and Douglas kicks out at two. The announcers try and put over Douglas? tenacity by not being pinned, despite being ill. Douglas takes a chain out of his boot as Raven sets up an open chair and when Raven goes to pick up the Franchise, he gets nailed with the chain! Douglas with the cover which gets a 2 count
Douglas then goes to whip Raven, but it’s reversed and Raven drop toe holds him into the steel chair for two. Raven hits a running bulldog on Douglas onto the chair and gets a two count on it again. Douglas gets up and whips Raven, but Raven hits a superkick! The ref goes for the count, but Slash pulls the ref out! Raven goes back on offense and bulldogs Shane?into the ref, who’s looking at Slash in the ring. Now everyone is down in a big heap.
Raven tosses Slash out of the ring, but turns around into a superkick as Sinn comes into the ring. Sinn and Slash pull two tables from under the ring and put it in the ring. They hold Raven for Douglas, but CM Punk and Julio come in to neutralize the New Church. Meanwhile, Douglas sets up one of the tables?only for Raven to hit the Raven Effect for a 2 count. Raven perches Douglas on top and looks to superplex him through the table, but Douglas shoves him through the table! Another 2 count!Douglas then sets up the other table as the ref removes the first one and Douglas places Raven on it. Raven pops up as Douglas perches himself on the top rope and DDT’s him through the table! 2 count.
The lights come off as it’s apparent that the production crew missed their cue. When the lights come back on, the mystery man is in the ring?and it’s revealed to be?VAMPIRO!
He picks up Raven and DDT’s him. Douglas crawls over?ONE?TWO?.THREE!
Winner: Shane Douglas
Full Metal Mayhem: Abyss vs. Jeff Hardy from Against All Odds 2005
The bell rings and here we go. Jeff Hardy gets in a few punches on Abyss. Hardy hits a dropkick followed by a jumping elbow. Abyss catches Hardy as he comes off the ropes again and lifts him the air, slamming him back down hard on the mat. Abyss misses a leg drop on Hardy and Hardy answers with a leg drop of his own. Hardy puts a few steel chairs into the ring that were on a table at ringside. Hardy sets up a chair in the corner as Abyss gets out quickly. Hardy sets up another chair where Abyss went down. Hardy jumps off the chair and takes out Abyss on the outside. Hardy nails Abyss off the guard railing as well as the steel steps. Abyss walks around the ring trying to regain some composure as Hardy sets up another chair. Abyss gets up on the ring apron and knocks it away. Hardy jumps at Abyss, Abyss catches him, Abyss goes for a press slam, but Hardy counters off and knocks out Abyss with a steel chair. Hardy sets up a chair in another corner, jumps off, but Abyss knocks him out with a steel chair in mid-air. Both go to the outside again and Abyss throws Hardy into the guard railing.
Abyss puts a table on top of two others side-by-side as Hardy puts a ladder into the ring. Abyss knocks out Hardy by the ring apron and grabs another table, stacking two tables on top of two making it four in all. Abyss gets in the ring, grabs Hardy, puts him in a powerbomb position, Abyss lifts up Hardy, Hardy fights off with some punches, Hardy jumps off the top rope and hits a corkscrew knocking out Abyss. Hardy sandwiches Abyss in the corner with the ladder. Hardy grabs a steel chair, runs up the ladder and kicks the chair in the face of Abyss. Hardy gets another ladder and puts it in the ring. He uses two ladders to set up a catapult. Abyss grabs Hardy and puts him up on the top rope. Hardy hits a few punches on Abyss, jumps off, lands on the ladder and it bounces up in the face of Abyss. Hardy picks up Abyss and gets in a few right hands. Abyss is leaning up against the ropes when Hardy charges. Abyss grabs Hardy and gives him a belly-to-belly suplex over the top allowing Hardy to crash through a table at ringside. Hardy gets on his feet with a steel chair in hand. He gets in a shot on Abyss. Both start to exchange punches up the entrance ramp.
Abyss gets a table and sets it up at the top of the entrance area. Hardy grabs Abyss and hits the Twist of Fate. Hardy grabs him again and hits another Twist of Fate. Hardy puts Abyss on top of the table. Hardy then climbs up the top of the TNA set. Hardy flips off and lands on Abyss, crashing through the table with impact. Hardy starts to roll down the ramp and gets near the ring. Hardy gets a third ladder that is bigger than the other two and puts it in the ring. Abyss starts to crawl down the ramp towards the ring. Hardy sets up the big ladder and grabs one of the envelopes. He opens it and it is empty. Abyss pulls him down, but Hardy fights him off. Hardy climbs up again to get the other one. Abyss starts to pull him down. Abyss grabs Hardy and irish whips him with force as Hardy goes over the top rope and crashes through the four tables at ringside. Abyss goes up the ladder and grabs the last envelope with the contract inside to win the match.
Winner: Abyss
NWA World Champion Jeff Jarrett w/ Gail Kim & NWA World Tag Team Champions America’s Most Wanted vs. Rhino & Team 3D
During the Team 3D’s entrance, Jeff Jarrett and AMW all took three different positions at the top of the crowd. The bell rings and Rhino and Team 3D take off into the crowd. Rhino goes after Jarrett and gets in some stiff rights. Brother Ray takes out James Storm on the steps and starts up a TNA chant. All six men brawl either in the crowd or near the ringside area. Brother Ray sends James Storm on top of the announcers table. Ray also takes out Storm with one of the announcers chairs. We then see Jarrett get press slammed into the floor. Jarrett then fights back sending Rhino through a series of set up steel chairs on the cloor. Ray continues to brawl with Storm. Jarrett and Rhino brawl into the stands near the spanish announce team. Devon brawls with Harris. Ray drops an elbow on Storm and then displays a Team 3D sign. The action is literally every where inside the IMPACT ZONE. The camera men are doing their best to show the action. Jarrett and Rhino get up on the spanish announce table. Rhino looks to take out Jarrett when Jarrett gives him a low blow. Rhino falls off the table and rolls across the steps. Devon continues to give Ray some hard rights followed by choking him against the ring. Storm fights back against Ray, choking him with a steel chair. Harris finally mounts a comeback with a knee to the gut on Devon. On the ramp, Rhino gets in some right hands on Jarrett. Rhino then gives Jarrett a suplex on the ramp right on top of a steel chair! On the opposite end, Storm throws a beer bottle at Ray and Ray dodges it. Near the ramp, Devon sends Harris into the steel guard railing. Devon gets the ring bell and takes out Harris with it.
Harris is busted open at this point. In the ring, Ray takes out a cheese grader and nails Storm in the face with it. Ray licks the cheese grader and then applies the grader on the forehead of Storm some more, busting open Storm in the process. Rhino and Jarrett continue to brawl near the ramp as Devon puts a table in the ring. Ray and Devon set up the table in the middle of the ring. Ray and Devon grab Storm, hit a double-suplex, but Harris moves the table away. Harris takes out Ray and Devon with a double-clothesline. Harris then grabs the cheese grader and low blows Ray with it. We then see Rhino grab a garbage can and slam it over the face of Jarrett at the top of the heel ramp. On the outside, Harris grabs Devon and puts him in a powerbomb position. Ray breaks it up and goes to powerbomb Harris. Storm moves the table and Harris gets powerbombed on the concrete floor! Storm then grabs a steel chair and nails Devon with it a few times. Rhino then grabs a table and brings it up to the top of the ramp with Jarrett. Jarrett cuts off Rhino with a few punches and kicks. Rhino then counters, grabs Jarrett and hits a big piledriver! Rhino then sets up the table on the entrance tunnel. Storm grabs Rhino and Rhino sends Storm face first into the side of the tunnel area. Rhino backs up on the ramp. Jarrett stands up in front of the table, Rhino charges, but Storm catches Rhino in a big superkick! In the ring, Harris throws Devon back inside. Harris gets up on the top and takes out Devon with a sledgehammer drop. Harris then grabs Devon, attempts the Catatonic, but Devon counters into a jumping reverse DDT. Devon covers, but only gets a two count.
Storm then hits the ring and hits a reverse DDT off the corner of his own. Storm covers Devon, but only gets a two count. Brother Ray hits the ring and hits Storm with a full nelson bomb. Ray covers, but only gets a two count. Jarrett hits the ring. Ray looks to give him a full nelson bomb as well, but Jarrett low blows Ray with his leg. Jarrett then hits The Stroke on Ray. Jarrett covers.for a 2 count as Ray kicks out! Jarrett can’t believe it and shoves the referee. The referee shoves Jarrett back, Jarrett turns around and Rhino gives him the Gore. Rhino covers for a 2 count as Harris pulls out the referee. Harris runs away. Rhino chases him, but Storm catches Rhino with a big clothesline on the outside. Both AMW give Rhino a double-low blow into the steel post. Back in the ring, AMW double-team Ray hitting a spinebuster. Devon hits the ring. Storm gets Devon up and Harris hits a big clothesline. Harris covers, but only gets a two count. AMW then set up another table inside the ring. Storm picks up Devon, holds him over the table, Harris is up on the top looking to hit the Death Sentence, but Ray pulls him off. Devon throws the table away. Team 3D then hit the 3D on Storm. Devon covers for the 3.
Winners: Rhino & Team 3D
Barbed Wire Massacre Match
Abyss w/ James Mitchell vs. Sabu
The match starts with Abyss kicking Sabu when he tries to get in the ring. Sabu then grabs a baseball bat wrapped in barbed wire, comes in, swings at Abyss, Abyss dodges it and Sabu hits the barbed wire ropes with it. Both lock up, Abyss gets behind Sabu, Sabu counters, goes behind Abyss, but Abyss pushes him away. Sabu grabs a steel chair and throws it at Abyss. The chair hits Abyss right on the head. Sabu gets another chairshot, sets up a chair, jumps off, Abyss catches Sabu, but Sabu punches himself to the ground. Abyss then throws Sabu at the ropes and Sabu hits the barbed wire chest first! Abyss chokes Sabu on the ground who is still recovering from the shot of the barbed wire. Abyss dodges a shot to the barbed wire face first from Sabu. Sabu gets in a few rights, but Abyss takes him down with a stiff right. Abyss picks up Sabu, Sabu gets in a few rights, Sabu backs up, charges and Abyss lifts Sabu up in the air. Sabu comes down chest first against the barbed wire! Sabu pulls his chest off the barbed wire and then attacks Abyss with a sharp object. Sabu drives it into the arm of Abyss a few times, busting him open. Sabu sets up a chair, jumps, Abyss moves and Sabu hits the barbed wire leg first! Sabu grabs his leg in pain as he pulls it off the barbed wire. Blood is rolling down the arm of Abyss as he throws the chair away and hits Sabu with a hard right.
Abyss works on Sabu with a few rights near the barbed wire ropes. Abyss backs up, charges, but Sabu gives Abyss a drop toe hold right into the barbed wire! Sabu covers Abyss, but only gets a two count. Abyss fights back with a stiff right on Sabu. Abyss picks up Sabu and gives him a chokeslam right on top of the steel chair. Abyss covers, but only gets a two count on Sabu. James Mitchell then slides in a steel chair covered in barbed wire. Abyss places it on the chest of Sabu. Abyss realizes he can’t spring off the ropes twice, then jumps on Sabu, but Sabu turns the chair and Abyss low blows himself on it. Sabu then nails Abyss with a chair shot with the barbed wire covered chair. Sabu hits him again with it and taunts to the crowd. Abyss rolls to the outside regaining some composure when Sabu sets up a chair and leaps over, taking out Abyss on the outside. Sabu then throws a large piece of plywood covered in barbed wire into the ring. Abyss then grabs Sabu and gives him a front suplex over the top of the barbed wire! Sabu is hanging across the barbed wire grabbing his chest in pain. Sabu pulls himself off with his chest covered in blood. Abyss grabs the plywood piece covered in barbed wire, setting it up in the middle of the ring. Abyss grabs Sabu, gets him into a powerbomb position, but Sabu counters himself off. Abyss attempts a chokeslam, Sabu blocks that. Abyss then catches Sabu for a third time, lifts him up into the air and Sabu comes down chest first on the barbed wire!
Abyss brings another barbed wire filled board into the ring and sets it up in the corner. Abyss tries to irish whip Sabu into the board in the corner filled with barbed wire, but Sabu stops himself and almost hits the referee. Abyss then charges, Sabu moves and Abyss hits the board with force! Abyss backs off from the corner and the barbed wire is literally sticking to him. Sabu kicks Abyss back and he hits the other barbed wire board on his back! Abyss is sandwiched between both boards on the ground! Sabu jumps and lands on top of the board with Abyss traped for the 3 count
Winner: Sabu
Epics Thoughts
I thought tonight’s show was ok for what it was worth, we got four matches on the show tonight and all four were fun to watch but I’m not sure basing a show under the name “bloodiest battles” will attract people to watch.
Does having a wrestler bleed heavily during a match make it a better match or can blood ruin a match? In my opinion, blood in wrestling can be useful to make a match look brutal but if you have it in every match it will lessen the effect on it.
Superstar of the show: Abyss
Abyss was featured in two of the four matches tonight and he looked awesome. He looked like the “Monster” Abyss – a far cry from the current Abyss on TNA TV. If TNA can get him back to the Monster he could be a big time player. In my opinion, he needs a mouth piece, maybe bring back James Mitchell?
Overall Rating: C-
To wrap up TNA Epics, I enjoyed it but wouldn’t like a blood based show anytime soon.
Once again, I will be recapping ECW for WrestleView, but for one week only ECW will be on Thursday at 7:00 p.m. Eastern (6:00 p.m. Central).
So that’s it for TNA Epics, I would be interested to hear feed back on the blood in wrestling debate and your thoughts on TNA Epics. Send any feed back to chriskismad@hotmail.com
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