http://www.cheap-heat.com/educated-guess-nxt-takeover-brooklyn/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/educated-guess-nxt-takeover-brooklyn/#comments Sat, 22 Aug 2015 15:50:56 +0000
Mark Adam Haggerty
Blogs
Apollo Crews
B+ Players Podcast
Baron Corbin
Bayley
Blake and Murphy
Brooklyn
Dragon Gate
Field of Honor
Finn Balor
Jushin Liger
Jushin Thunder Liger
Kevin Owens
Ladder Match
NJPW
NXT
NXT Championship
NXT TakeOver
NXT Takeover Brooklyn
Prince Pretty
Pro Wrestling Syndicate
PWS
ROH
Samoa Joe
Sasha Banks
Tag Team Championship
Takeover
The Vaudevillians
Ty Dillinger
Tye Dillinger
Tyler Breeze
Uhaa Nation
Womens Championship
WWE
http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=13675
Summer time is almost at an end, and soon we'll be privy to chilly autumn days and back-to-school shopping. But that doesn't mean we can't enjoy the last two weeks of the seasons! What's Crack-a-Lackin' everybody? My name is Mark Adam Haggerty, and tonight is NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn LIVE on the WWE Network! I will […]
Summer time is almost at an end, and soon we'll be privy to chilly autumn days and back-to-school shopping. But that doesn't mean we can't enjoy the last two weeks of the seasons! What's Crack-a-Lackin' everybody? My name is Mark Adam Haggerty, and tonight is
NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn
LIVE on the WWE Network! I will be one of the tens-of-thousands of people in attendance at the Barclay's Center, hoping against
hope
for an exclusive Jushin "Thunder" Liger t-shirt. But what about the card? What might we expect to go down when the men and women of
NXT
perform in front of 16,000 fans—40 times the size of the fledgling Full Sail fan base? I've got a few ideas. When other professional wrestling pundits are making
predictions,
I'm doing the due diligence required to form
Educated Guesses
.
Samoa Joe vs. Baron Corbin
For someone that came into the WWE on a wave of momentum, Samoa Joe sure is jerking the curtain on an event that's set to break every record imaginable. Joe was part of TNA's tapings at the
Manhattan Center
, and made a name for himself with
Ring of Honor
in smaller venues across the city. This will
DEFINITELY
be the largest crowd Joe has ever worked in New York. It might even be the largest crowd he's worked in
America
, save for the dark match wherein he crippled Tyson Kidd. This is a tough one to predict; Baron Corbin is still undefeated as far as I'm aware—at least on television. One would assume Baron's toppling of the
Samoan Submission Machine
would cement him as part of the upper echelon of NXT. But Samoa Joe losing to Baron Corbin is a hard pill to swallow, especially when you've got almost twenty thousand blood thirsty New Yorkers who paid to see professional wrestling. You'd also have to guess that Corbin is due for his inevitable humbling sooner than later. Samoa Joe is the kind of
"living legend"
that can defeat Corbin at the end of a hard-fought battle, only to raise his hand in proverbial triumph at the end. Baron Corbin could lose the fight, but gain the respect of Samoa Joe—and in turn, the NXT fans.
Educated Guess: Samoa Joe
Apollo Crews vs. Tye Dillinger
With CJ Parker exploring the independent ranks of professional wrestling, there's a
hole
left on the roster. Parker was, for lack of a better term, "Jobber to the Stars"—the first stop for future
Superstars
such as Baron Corbin and Kevin Owens. Tye Dillinger appears to have adopted the mantle, as the "Perfect Ten" is booked to compete with the recently signed Uhaa Nation—debuting as "Apollo Crews." Listen—I get what they're doing with the name; Apollo like Creed and Crews like Terry, I get it. But a simple Google Image Search for "Apollo Crews" will yield nothing but group photos of NASA astronauts. Just wanted to make that known before its too late. I think it's safe to say Apollo will more than likely achieve victory. I'll be curious to see if they do the Titan Tron "fade out" with the name change, the way they did with KENTA into Hideo Itami and Prince Devitt into Finn Balor. I'm also wondering if he'll continue to employ his "Uhaa Combination";
most
independent stars are allowed to keep their finishing moves, with the exception of Kevin Owens' package piledriver.
Educated Guess: Apollo Crews
NXT Tag Team Championship
Blake & Murphy (c) vs. The Vaudevillians
This week's episode of the
Outsiders' Edge
features our official
preview
show for both NXT and SummerSlam. No one on the show could understand why the Vaudevillians are in contention for the titles, especially since Enzo Amore and Big Cass aren't even scheduled for the
main
show. They're in an eight man tag during the TV tapings! Enzo and Cass are more
over
than the Vaudevillians, they've got
history
with Blake and Murphy, and it's their hometown! Big Cass is from the City, whereas Enzo's from Hackensack—which is
THROWING DISTANCE
from Brooklyn! I made a really outlandish guess, and said
maybe
something happens to the Vaudevillians? Maybe they get attacked before the show, or perhaps they're defeated courtesy of some underhanded tactics. We very well could see the "Certified G," as well as the big seven-foot Italian. Getting back to
this
match—there's no way the Vaudevillians are winning the titles. If this is truly the match they're going with, then I have no doubt Blake and Murphy are set to retain.
Educated Guess: Blake & Murphy
Jushin "Thunder" Liger vs. Tyler Breeze
I write a column for Daily Wrestling News called "
Weights & Measures
," about the
"Excitement Factor"
going into an event. It's just your average percentage scale with 0% representing no interest whatsoever, and 100% being the
presumable
cap. I broke the rules this month and said this match was at a
500%
.
You heard me. FIVE HUNDRED PERCENT! I mentioned earlier that I'm looking forward to finding an exclusive Jushin "Thunder" Liger t-shirt, but there's so much more involved! This guy has been wrestling
professionally
since 1984; he was in the
OPENING MATCH
on the first-
ever
WCW Monday Nitro. He's wrestled everyone from Ric Flair to Daniel Bryan to Dalton Castle! And now he's come to the WWE for the first time in his 31-year career at the age of 50 to wrestle one of the brightest stars in the company! Tyler Breeze seems to have been left by the wayside in recent months—since
NXT TakeOver: Fatal 4-Way—
and has been defeated in the opening match on the last
TWO
TakeOver specials. Tyler is destined for great things in the WWE and the business at large, he's just been submerged beneath a deluge of debuting independent darlings. His time will come; tonight will be a defining moment in the career of Tyler Breeze.
Educated Guess: Tyler Breeze
NXT Women’s Championship
Sasha Banks (c) vs. Bayley
I know everyone is enamored with how amazing the women of NXT are, and all of the Tony Schiavone-wannabes are bolstering hyperbolic boastings such as "Sasha versus Bayley will be match of the night." Guys—Kevin Steen is wrestling Prince Devitt in a fucking ladder match. Jushin Liger is making his WWE debut. Uhaa Nation is making his WWE debut. Samoa Joe is working his largest crowd in New York ever. Sasha versus Bayley will be an outstanding match—but it will
not
be match of the night. There's just no way. Sasha Banks and Becky Lynch stole the show last month, which wasn't hard to do considering the main event never got started. Still, all scrutiny aside, I believe Sasha Banks is unquestionably the most talented in-ring performer the Diva's Division has ever had. Ever. Bayley is a fantastic sports entertainer and appears to have no trouble connecting with the crowd. I've said before that Bayley could very well be the WWE's female equivalent to John Cena—a smiling role model who wears bright colors and sells a ton of frivolous merch. But I don't think her in-ring ability is on par with Becky Lynch, or Charlotte, or Paige—let alone Sasha Banks. I think this is going to be a fun match, it'll be long with a lot of drama, and there will definitely be hugging and crying in the end.
Educated Guess: Bayley
NXT Championship
Finn Balor (c) vs. Kevin Owens
I'm not a main event mark, believe it or not. I'm one of those people who saw Savage/Steamboat and has since said: "The best stuff is on the undercard." And quite often, that's very much the case. But tonight's main event is going to be special. I've been to
hundreds
of events in my life; I've seen WWE, TNA, ROH, NJPW, PWG, ECW, PWS, and dozens upon dozens of regional Indy promotions. This will be my first NXT event, and despite how long I've been attending wrestling live—this will also be my first
ladder match
. So no matter what happens, I'm going to be happy with the result. I think most people are going on the assumption that Finn Balor
has
to win this match because Kevin Owens is on the main roster. While I'm assuming Finn will win, I'm not so quick to assume Kevin
can't.
Kevin Owens needs to maintain some sort of constant presence in NXT until Sami Zayn returns. Not only is the rivalry ongoing, but with Zayn and Itami on the injured list, NXT is pretty scarce in terms of main event talent. I'm very much looking forward to this match. I think it'll probably steal the show, and could very well be the
"Match of the Weekend
" when all is said and done.
Educated Guess: Finn Balor
http://www.cheap-heat.com/roh-champions-top-13-longest-reigns/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/roh-champions-top-13-longest-reigns/#comments Mon, 29 Jun 2015 17:30:52 +0000
Mark Adam Haggerty
Top Lists
Adam Cole
Austin Aries
Bryan Danielson
Daniel Bryan
Davey Richards
Eddie Edwards
Jay Briscoe
Kevin Steen
Nigel McGuinness
Ring of Honor
Roderick Strong
ROH
ROH Champion
Samoa Joe
Seth Rollins
Takeshi Morishima
Tyler Black
Xavier
http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=12692
Welcome back to another exclusive list here at Cheap-Heat.com! In the past I’ve covered title belts in terms of great champions, iconic names in the industry, longest reigning NWA champions, WWE champions, cool designs and so much more! But it struck me–I never did a countdown of the Top 13 Longest Reigning Champions in Ring […]
Welcome back to another exclusive list here at Cheap-Heat.com! In the past I’ve covered title belts in terms of great champions, iconic names in the industry, longest reigning NWA champions, WWE champions, cool designs and so much more! But it struck me–I never did a countdown of the Top 13 Longest Reigning Champions in Ring of Honor History. This is a WHO’S WHO in the wrestling business, featuring some huge names and a couple of surprises that you probably didn’t see coming. Ready? Let’s get to it!
13. Eddie Edwards
Days as Champion: 99
Number of Reigns: 1
Coming in at number thirteen is one half of the American Wolves—Eddie Edwards. Edwards just missed the hundred day mark with 99 days as champion, and successfully defended his title a total of 3 times during his 3-month run. He won the championship on March 19, 2011 in New York City when he defeated the
current
number one contender to the ROH title, Roderick Strong. The end came for Edwards and his reign as champion on June 26, 2011 when he was unseated by his now-tag team partner, Davey Richards.
12. Xavier
Days as Champion: 182
Number of Reigns: 1
The name Xavier might not resonate with many casual fans, but Ring of Honor historians know him as the second man to hold the coveted ROH World title. Xavier defeated Low Ki on September 21, 2002 and held onto the championship through four title defenses. It was the fifth however, that cost Xavier the strap, when he dropped it to Samoa Joe on March 22, 2003.
11. Roderick Strong
Days as Champion: 189
Number of Reigns: 1
He is the current number one contender to Jay Lethal's Ring of Honor championship, and should he be successful in his upcoming effort, Roderick Strong will be just one of three men to hold the title twice. Roddy—as his friends and fans call him—won the ROH World Championship on September 11, 2010 in New York City from the current WWE Champion, Seth Rollins AKA Tyler Black. Roderick maintained his championship for over six months with five successful title defenses to his credit. He was finally defeated on March 19, 2011 by the first "American Wolf" to hold the title, Eddie Edwards.
10. Tyler Black
Days as Champion: 210
Number of Reigns: 1
He is the current WWE World Heavyweight Champion and in just three weeks will head into battle against the "Beast" Brock Lesnar. But once upon a time, Seth Rollins was known as Tyler Black—the tenth longest reigning ROH World Champion in history. Black defeated seven challengers during his time as champion, after first conquering the 2-time ROH Champion Austin Aries. Black held the title for the better part of seven months, and finally dropped the title to Roderick Strong on September 11, 2010 in New York.
9. Takeshi Morishima
Days as Champion: 231
Number of Reigns: 1
The only man on our countdown from the "Land of the Rising Sun" is the one and only Takeshi Morishima. Morishima's size and speed made him a formidable force when mixing it up with the smaller-statured American Indy workers, and on February 17, 2007, he defeated Homicide for the coveted ROH championship. Morishima's title defense record blows the previous numbers out of the water by nearly tripling Tyler Black's defense record with a total of 20 vanquished challengers. Morishima's unprecedented 231-days as champion came to a close on October 6, 2007 when Nigel McGuinness took the gold, and held it for nearly 2 years.
8. Adam Cole
Days as Champion: 275
Number of Reigns: 1
If you started watching Ring of Honor when they began airing their pay-per-views on traditional cable systems, then Adam Cole might very well have been champion when you became a fan! Adam Cole is currently the leader of the Kingdom, and is the eighth longest-reigning ROH champion ever. Adam Cole won his first world title on September 20, 2013 when he defeated Michael Elgin in the tournament finals at Death Before Dishonor. He went on to carry the belt with him for an astounding 275 days and thirteen successful title defenses, until he was ultimately defeated by the man he bested in September, "Unbreakable" Michael Elgin.
7. Davey Richards
Days as Champion: 321
Number of Reigns: 1
Joining his tag team partner is the
other
half of the American Wolves, Davey Richards. Richards didn't beat just anyone either, but his beloved friend and confidant Eddie Edwards. That's right, the two men who are currently competing with the Dirty Heels to decide the undisputed TNA Tag Team Championship are both former ROH World Title holders. Richards won the belt on June 26, 2011 and managed to retain his title for just shy of eleven months. During his run, Richards beat ten challengers, but finally succumbed to the eleventh on May 12, 2012. The man who beat him is the current reigning NXT Champion, Kevin Owens AKA Kevin Steen.
6. Kevin Steen
Days as Champion: 328
Number of Reigns: 1
From Davey Richards to Kevin Steen, the next few names are actually listed in chronological order. Kevin Steen outdid Richards' reign by one week, and an additional 8 title defenses. With 18 challengers sent packing, Kevin Steen was among the most active world champions up to that time, with but a few noteworthy exceptions. Kevin Steen eventually dropped his title to Jay Briscoe on April 5, 2013 at Supercard of Honor VII in New York City.
5. Jay Briscoe
Days as Champion: 375
Number of Reigns: 2
And from Kevin Steen to Jay Briscoe! Jay Briscoe beat Kevin Steen after the formers 328-day reign as champion, but Briscoe would eventually outdo Steen over the course of TWO title runs. Only two men have ever held the Ring of Honor Championship twice; combining his first 89 days as champion with his other 286, Jay Briscoe ranks toward the top with 375 days. His first reign was cut short due to "injury," and the title was vacated and put up for grabs in a championship tournament won by Adam Cole. He then won the championship again from Michael Elgin, and carried it for nine months until recently losing it to Jay Lethal at Best in the World.
4. Austin Aries
Days as Champion: 419
Number of Reigns: 2
The only other man besides Jay Briscoe to hold the ROH Championship twice is the guy that likes to go by "The Greatest Man Who Ever Lived." Austin Aries first won the championship on December 26, 2004 when he defeated the longest reigning ROH Champion in history, but more on that in a few moments. His first reign lasted for 174 days, and consisted of sixteen successful title defenses. He was eventually bested by CM Punk, but regained his title on June 13, 2009 when he knocked off veteran journeyman Jerry Lynn. His second reign lasted even longer—a total of 245 days—and included an additional 13 successful defenses. Aries second championship reign came to an end on February 13, 2010 when he was beaten by the man who would one day be known as Seth Rollins—Tyler Black.
3. Bryan Danielson
Days as Champion: 462
Number of Reigns: 1
Everyone's favorite underdog wasn't always so cute and cuddly, in fact he was one of the most vicious wrestlers to ever work inside a ROH ring. Bryan Danielson, more commonly known as Daniel Bryan, won the ROH Championship on September 17, 2005 when he defeated another WWE fixture, Jamie Noble AKA James Gibson. Danielson made a name for himself by setting the record for the most successful title defenses at 38, during which time he bested some of the greatest wrestlers on the planet. Danielson carried the ROH strap for 462 days—just over five months—until finally losing to Homicide at Final Battle 2006.
2. Nigel McGuinness
Days as Champion: 545
Number of Reigns: 1
Nigel McGuinness is the current ROH Matchmaker, and with 18+ months as world champion under his belt, is a shoe-in for any future ROH Hall of Fame. Nigel initially won the championship from the monstrous Takeshi Morishima on October 6, 2007 and went on to tie Bryan Danielson's defensive record at 38. Nigel McGuinness was one of the most prolific title holders in company history, as his reign spanned three calendar years from the tail end of 2007 to the spring of 2009. Nigel was the kind of despicable heel champion that could have only been beaten by a returning legend, and on April 3
rd
, 2009, Nigel McGuinness lost the championship to Jerry Lynn.
1. Samoa Joe
Days as Champion: 645
Number of Reigns: 1
Samoa Joe made his WWE debut in 2015 at the age of 36. For many casual "Universe" fans, this was the first time they were afforded the chance to see Joe in action. Sure some of them got to know the "Samoan Submission Machine" thanks to his work in TNA, but not many fans are aware of what an important role Joe played in establishing Ring of Honor as a viable promotion. Samoa Joe is the longest reigning Ring of Honor Champion in history, and unlike Jay Briscoe and Austin Aries, his numbers are the result of a single run with the title. Joe debuted for Ring of Honor not long after the company debuted, and on March 22, 2003, defeated Xavier to become just the third man to hold the gold. During his 21 and a half months as champion, Joe defeated 22 challengers including some of the best and brightest from every corner of the globe. Joe was finally defeated the night after Christmas 2004 at Final Battle, by another fruitful champion and future ex-member of the TNA roster, Austin Aries. With 645 days as champion to his name, it's not hard to see why Samoa Joe's return to ROH this year was heralded as such a momentous occasion.
Until next time, please LIKE "The B+ Players Podcast" on
Facebook
, and FOLLOW me on
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for all the latest and greatest updates courtesy of Cheap-Heat and Daily Wrestling News!
http://www.cheap-heat.com/indy-power-rankings-indypowerrankin-for-the-week-of-june-1st-2015/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/indy-power-rankings-indypowerrankin-for-the-week-of-june-1st-2015/#comments Thu, 04 Jun 2015 13:41:41 +0000
IndyPowerRankings
Indy/Puro/Lucha
Aaron Epic
Chris Hero
Davey Richards
Drew Galloway
Drew McIntyre
FIP
I Believe in Wrestling
IPW UK
JT Dunn
Samoa Joe
wXw
http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=12209
Indy Power Rankings for the Week of June 1st, 2015 #1 Drew Galloway (@GallowaySpeaks)-Drew Galloway has arguably been the most dominant wrestler, regardless of location, in 2015. This past weekend at EVOLVE proved to be no different as he defeated Biff Busick on 5/30 to retain the Open the Freedom Gate Title, then beat […]
Indy Power Rankings for the Week of June 1st, 2015
#1 Drew Galloway (@GallowaySpeaks)-
Drew Galloway has arguably been the most dominant wrestler, regardless of location, in 2015. This past weekend at EVOLVE proved to be no different as he defeated Biff Busick on 5/30 to retain the Open the Freedom Gate Title, then beat Roderick Strong to retain the EVOLVE Title on 5/31. Galloway has been absolutely unstoppable this year, proving that he is one guy that even the WWE couldn't hold down as he proved that his release could be a great thing. Is he the king of the indies right now? Tune into the IPR 100 Mid-Year Update on June 30
th
to find out where he ranks so far this year. This is his FIFTH #1 ranking this year, which is more than anyone so far in 2015.
В
#2 Aaron Epic (@RealAaronEpic)-
If you go back and listen to the Indy Power Rankings Reveal from last week, we talked about the importance of the Florida J-Cup for I Believe in Wrestling. The host of the show picked Aaron Epic to win the tournament and those words proved to be prophetic as Epic defeated Josh Hess by DQ in the First Round, then beat Jesus Rodriguez in the Second Round, and then beat Lince Dorado in the Finals to win the tournament for 2015. You can go back and listen to that big hype central for the Florida J-Cup 2015 here:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/fillingthevoidrn/2015/05/26/indy-power-rankings-weekly-reveal
В
#3 JT Dunn (@TheJuiceee)-
"The Juice" has slipped under the radar this year after being heavily ranked time and time again last year. He returns to the Indy Power Rankings Top 10 after a long hiatus after a very good weekend in the Northeast. On 5/29 he defeated Ken Broadway at HOG, then he beat Andrew Everett at XWA on 5/30, and then wrapped up the weekend when he teamed with Chris Hero to defeat Team Tremendous at Beyond Wrestling on 5/31 to go 3-0 on the week. Can he keep this momentum going? He'll need to pick up some more wins and continue the win streak if he hopes to secure a high spot in the upcoming IPR 100 Mid-Year update.
В
#4 Davey Richards (@RichardsWesley)-
This wolf has been devouring his competition on the indies as of late. EVOLVE weekend was just another opportunity for him to shine as he may have earned himself a future EVOLVE title shot after another great weekend. First, he defeated Caleb Konley on 5/30 and then he followed that up with another win vs. Drew Gulak on 5/31 to go 2-0 for the week. Drew Galloway vs. Davey Richards? Who wouldn't want to see that? TNA work aside, both men have been doing great work on the indies this year.
В
#5 "Bad Bones" John Klinger (@TheGermanPsycho)-
One of Europe's finest returns to the Top 10 this week. The IPW:UK World Champion defeated Demolition Davies, Michael Dante, and Scotty Saxon at wXw in Germany on 5/29, then beat Tommaso Ciampa at SWE in Switzerland on 5/30 to go 2-0 for the week. With 10 wins in his last 11 matches, Bad Bones has been tearing it up in Europe. A couple of years ago he was announced for IWA Mid-South's TPI before it was cancelled…perhaps the time has come again for John Klinger to come to the U.S. to show what he can do?
#6 Will Ospreay (@WillOspreay)-
It was a great 4-1 week for the RPW British Champion. At Progress Wrestling on 5/25 he defeated Mark Haskins in the quarterfinals, then defeated Roderick Strong in the semifinals, and then defeated Zack Sabre Jr in the final to win the tournament. His big loss on the week was when he lost the Speed King Title Match to El Ligero on 5/30 after winning a qualifying match earlier in the day. Great week for Ospreay who has been having an impressive 2015 so far.
В
#7 Samoa Joe (@SamoaJoe)-
Three up and three down for Samoa Joe as he makes another stop to the indies to continue his success around the loop. On 5/29 he defeated Chris Dickinson at HOG, then did it again at XWA on 5/30, and then completed the trifecta when he defeated Dickinson again at Beyond Wrestling on 5/31 to go 3-0 on the weekend. Certainly if he would have had some diversity in his opponents he would have been ranked higher this week, but three straight wins against competition like Chris Dickinson is still quite impressive. Expect this type of success to continue if he continues to pick up bookings on the indies.
В
#8 Chris Hero (@TheChrisHero)-
Chris is awesome? No doubt about it as he returns to the Top 10 this week after defeating Trevor Lee in a flat out war at EVOLVE on 5/30 and then teamed with JT Dunn to beat Team Tremendous at Beyond Wrestling on 5/31 to go 2-0 on the week. While Hero may not have a ton of titles to his credit right now, he's still being booked and winning all over the world. This veteran has been putting on high quality performances for years and this past weekend was no different.
В
#9 Hy Zaya-
Had it not been for the loss at Infinity Pro in a 6 Man Tag Team Match over the weekend, Hy Zaya likely would have been contending for the #1 spot this week. That being said, there was perhaps no bigger and surprising victory over the weekend than Hy Zaya's victory over the monstrous Kongo Kong to become the NEW IWA Mid-South Champion on 5/31. This victory came after a big 6 man scramble victory earlier in the night to earn the title shot. Call him "The Hood Ninja" or just "The Ninja" but in 2015, with him holding both the CCW and IWA Mid-South titles, you damn sure better respect him.
В
#10 Brad Kevins (@Hawaiian_Hero)-
The Anarchy Pro Cruiserweight Champion defeated Colin Cambridge & Brendan Conway at Blitz on 5/28, then beat Owen Travers on 5/30 to retain the Anarchy Pro Cruiserweight Title, then beat Lunatic at CSW the same day to go 3-0 on the week. This is his first ranking as he has been picking up matches everywhere he possibly can. With him being new to the Top 10, if he can keep this type of success going, the sky's the limit for this young athlete.
People's Champ. Bryan Skyline (@BryanSkyline)-
For a second straight week, the UPW Champion wins the online voting competition after he defeated Nathan Gust on 5/30 to retain the title. With 176 votes, the voting competition once again belonged to him after rallying from behind. While he didn't crack the Top 10 this week, his 3 straight victories most definitely keep him in the hunt.
Others missing out/receiving votes:
Troy Stevens-#3 in the online voting competition with 45 votes
Big R Shimizu
Santana Garrett
James Anthony-#2 in the online voting competition with 128 votes
Also search "Indy Power Rankings" for our open Facebook group where anyone on the indies can promote their various merchandise, fan pages, and upcoming events
Our Instagram where we SPOIL the Indy Power Rankings/Tag Team Top 5 #1 every Monday and Tuesday Night before you'll see it anywhere else:
@IndyPowerRankings
http://www.cheap-heat.com/the-end-of-tna/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/the-end-of-tna/#comments Thu, 21 May 2015 19:03:09 +0000
Gregory Iron
Blogs
Wrestler Blogs
Samoa Joe
TNA
TNA Impact
http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=11852
Sound the fire alarm. Ever since last night, the Internet Wrestling Community has been ablaze. One minute, Samoa Joe is on WWE TV. The next, reports begin surfacing online that Destination America has decided to pull the plug on TNA Impact by September. Now, we’re all adults here (for the most part). First […]
Sound the fire alarm. Ever since last night, the Internet Wrestling Community has been ablaze. One minute, Samoa Joe is on WWE TV. The next, reports begin surfacing online that Destination America has decided to pull the plug on TNA Impact by September.
Now, we’re all adults here (for the most part). First and foremost, if you have been online celebrating the demise of TNA, you’re a jackass. How dare you call yourself a wrestling fan. Has TNA always been a great wrestling product? No. Neither has WWE. Regardless, to be filled with joy over the fact that dozens of professional wrestlers could potentially be losing their jobs is asinine. If you’re happy about the end of TNA, you should be ashamed of yourself.
With that out of the way, we shouldn’t believe everything we read online. I know,В
I know.
I use to think that everything put on the internet is true, too! Then– I got wise. It can happen in any business, really, but particularly in the wrestling world, turns out that most wrestling sites and so-called journalistsВ
aren’t credible sources of news!
Gasp! In fact– and this may shock you– most of these “experts” and “journalists” aren’t even writers or in the wrestling business! They’re merely fans that copy and paste articles from other sites, and or attempt to craft their own articles based on ones they’ve read, with their own poor grammar and horrible grasp on the English language.
Hell– someone is dumb enough to pay me to write this garbage you’re reading right this second! You want a credible source of wrestling news? Look no further thanВ
www.KayfabeNews.com
.
Dave Meltzer is the one who reportedly broke the news last night. While Meltzer has been a somewhat credible source over the years, sometimes I wonder where he gets his information. I have friends in the business (surprised?) that Meltzer has reported various things about, knowing for a fact that what he was reporting was absolutely false. This morning, TNA official Bob Ryder has stated that the reports are false, but who knows for sure? Only Dixie Carter, that’s who. In time, we’ll all find out whether or not TNA is staying with Destination America or not.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but if TNA is booted from Destination America, that doesn’t necessarily mean the end of TNA. If I remember correctly, Impact has international deals in place that leave them contracted to produce content for various markets in various countries around the globe. So all of you guys that are wearing your party hats, eating cake and playing the kazoo, hold your horses. I will say this, however: No presence in the United States, the country in which TNA is based, is going to hurt.
Ever since week one of TNA, fans and critics have predicted the end of Total Nonstop Action. Thirteen years later, it’s still standing, but just how strong are those legs? TNA has incredible talent, but in the eyes of many, it’s a damaged brand. On top of that, it’s been heavily bated as to just how much money TNA has profited in it’s near decade and a half in business– if anything at all.
For me personally, I’d hate to see TNA go. Admittedly, I don’t watch the product, and I haven’t in a long while. But there are so many guys that I know personally that depend on TNA to support their families. If nothing else, for thirteen years TNA has given fans another wrestling option, and has given dozens and dozens of guys the opportunity to make money living their dream. Here’s hoping TNA sticks around on Destination America.
http://www.cheap-heat.com/results-premiere-wrestling-xperience-pwx-the-line-has-been-drawn-41915-charlotte-nc/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/results-premiere-wrestling-xperience-pwx-the-line-has-been-drawn-41915-charlotte-nc/#comments Mon, 20 Apr 2015 03:25:19 +0000
Cassidy Haynes
Indy/Puro/Lucha
Premiere Wrestling Xperience
PWX
Samoa Joe
http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=11206
– �The 5 Star King' Anthony Henry def Lance Lude After the match, Henry's estranged girlfriend Amber asked him to continue assaulting Lude. Henry was reticent, but obliged Amber and his former girlfriend left him alone in the ring yet again! – 4-Way Innovative Television Title Championship Match Mason Maddox def �Son of the South' […]
– �The 5 Star King' Anthony Henry def Lance Lude
After the match, Henry's estranged girlfriend Amber asked him to continue assaulting Lude. Henry was reticent, but obliged Amber and his former girlfriend left him alone in the ring yet again!
–
4-Way Innovative Television Title ChampionshipВ Match
Mason Maddox def �Son of the South' Billy Brash (c), "Mr. Elite" Drew Meyers & The "THOROUGHBRED" Jaxson James to become new PWX ITV Champion in a wild finish!
***TITLE CHANGE***
– Tessa Blanchard def Candice LeRae with a slingshot back suplex preceded by shoving a PWX official into Candice causing a distraction
–
Best of 5 Series: Match 3 (Submission Match)
"Do or Die" Chip Day submitted "The Black Cloud" Joe Black with a figure four leg lock.
– The Bravado Brothers (Harlem & Lancelot) def PWX Tag Team Champions Country Jacked (Corey Hollis & Adam Page) in a non title match
– "The Southern Savior" John Skyler def Johnny Gargano with a low blow followed by a small package
Note: A dueling "Johnny Wrestling" "Let's Go Skyler" chant broke out for several minutes before a single move was done in the match.. VERY cool moment!
– The Revolt! (Caleb Konley & Zane Riley) def Worst Case Scenario (Ethan Case & Elijah Evans IV) with a "Belushi Driver" (DVD) springboard moonsault double team.
After the match Ethan Case went to embrace his partner and Elijah Evans IV refused, leaving his partner all alone in the middle of the ring.
–
PWX Heavyweight Championship Match
"Kick 2 Kill" Cedric Alexander retains defeating Samoa Joe by DQ after interference from John Skyler who interrupted the match as Joe had the rear naked choke locked in on the champion.
The Revolt hit the ring and the champion bailed out. Zane & Caleb set Skyler on the top rope and left him for Samoa Joe to hit the "Muscle Buster" Joe had some choice (non PG) words for PWX Champion Cedric Alexander following the match.
http://www.cheap-heat.com/total-nonstop-analysis-tna-lockdown-32015/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/total-nonstop-analysis-tna-lockdown-32015/#comments Sun, 22 Mar 2015 03:17:41 +0000
Cassidy Haynes
Other Reviews
Reviews
Angelina Love
Austin Aries
Awesome Kong
BDC
Beat Down Clan
Bobby Lashley
Bram
Bro Mans
Davey Richards
DJ Z
DJ Zema
Earl Hebner
Eddie Edwards
Gail Kim
Great Sanada
Impact
James Storm
Jesse Godderz
Kurt Angle
Low Ki
Magnus
Manik
Matt Hardy
Rockstar Spud
Samoa Joe
Taryn Terrell
Taz
The Revolution
The Wolves
TNA
wrestling
Zema Ion
http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=10580
Total Nonstop Analysis TNA Lockdown 3/20/15 Written by Mark Adam Haggerty It's a beautiful Saturday morning here in Long Beach, and the sun is just now starting to peak through the hazy daze of Southern California. My name is Mark Adam Haggerty and I'm in a fantastic mood this weekend because I'm just a few […]
Total Nonstop Analysis
TNA Lockdown 3/20/15
Written by Mark Adam Haggerty
It's a beautiful Saturday morning here in Long Beach, and the sun is just now starting to peak through the hazy daze of Southern California. My name is Mark Adam Haggerty and I'm in a fantastic mood this weekend because I'm just a few hours away from launching the very first episode of my new podcast, "The B+ Players," right here at Cheap-Heat.com. I'm back with you once again to offer the most concise coverage of TNA Impact you're bound to find anywhere on the world wide web. This week's show wasn't as intense as its blood-spattered predecessor, but still kept me on the edge of my seat from the first segment through the main event.
The show opens with a video package describing Bobby Lashley's title defense against Kurt Angle as "the match you've all been waiting for." The action kicks off in the Wembley Arena for the second time in as many weeks with tag team competition. The Wolves make their way to ringside as they prepare to defend their tag team titles in a triple threat Ultimate X match with DJ Z and Jesse Goddard of the Bro Mans as well as Manik and Sanada of the Revolution. The Wolves are in control from the moment the bell sounds, and almost toss the Bro Mans to the side so that they may concentrate on the Revolution. The Great Sanada is on the receiving end of an enormity of offensive attacks via Richards and Edwards, as is Jesse Goddard who hopelessly tries to reenter the equation. The Wolves howl into the air and run off in an attempt to hit their patented double suicide dive, when Angelina Love climbs onto the apron and causes them to stop dead in their tracks. DJ Zema Ion tried to take advantage of the distraction but was launched over the top rope onto his own teammates by the Wolves. The Wolves maintained their edge until a drop kick courtesy of Jesse Goddard grounded Eddie Edwards, and gave both opposing teams the opening for success. Manik and Goddard worked in tandem to take down the tag team champions, until all four heels enjoyed a distinct advantage over Davey Richards. Goddard held Richards with his arms behind his back as Manik climbed the aerial ropes and worked his way to the title belts hanging above the ring. Goddard finally realized the error of his ways and unleashed another high-angle drop kick to Manik who was hanging above. DJ Z joins the action and the Bro Mans try to piggy back off one another to avoid climbing the ropes. DJ Z climbs onto Jesse's shoulders and reaches for the belts, but is soon met by Manik who is sitting on the shoulders of the Great Sanada. The game of chicken commences until the Wolves enter the fray and knock everybody down and out of the ring. The Wolves are back in control again as the audience begins to chant "this is awesome." DJ Z is still trying to climb the ropes but is sent headfirst into the steel structure surrounding the ring. Everybody is down once again, allowing Jesse Goddard and Sanada the opportunity to battle it out above the six-sided ring. They hammer one another into the steel structure in the corner until Sanada is able to blind Goddard with the trademark Muta mist. Sanada is inches away from reaching the belts, but is thwarted by Eddie Edwards who performs a top-rope hurricanrana, sending Sanada flying into the center of the ring. Davey Richards then capitalized with a double foot stomp to seal the deal. The Wolves climbed the cable from opposite ends and met in the middle where they retained their world tag team titles.
Austin Aries enters the arena with a microphone, but without his prestigious "Feast or Fired" briefcase. "For the last two weeks I've been out of commission because our good friends, the BDC, put me through a table." Austin tells the audienceone thing missing from TNA television has been the "world's greatest fans chanting for the world's greatest man that ever lived." He immediately gets down to brass tax: "I'm going to make this real short and simple; I want my property back and I'm not leaving this ring until I get it. So Low-Ki, Samoa Joe—you put me through a table? You stole my briefcase? I'm not going to come and jump you from behind, I'm going to stand in this ring like a man and tell you to come out here and bring me my briefcase back!" Ask and you shall receive, at least according to Taz. The BDC's music plays and Samoa Joe leads the deadly duo comprising both he and the X-Division Champion to the ring. Low-Ki carries the Halliburton briefcase and smiles at the former X-Division title holder who dares address the Beat Down Clan. "Austin," Ki began with a wide smile, "Let me get this straight: you believe that
WE
have something that belongs to you." Low-Ki held the briefcase up in the air, and Austin responded by saying it's not a belief, "it's a fact, jack." Low-Ki falls back on the ol' "possession is nine tenths of the law," excuse. "As long as the BDC has this, Austin Aries can't play his games of �will I, or won't I go after the world title.'" Austin had enough of the games being played and gave the Beat Down Clan two very good reasons why they should return his property. "One—you're not Austin Aries. You're not the man that makes history, you're not the man that cashes in opportunities for world championships." The crowd erupted. "Number two—you're not Austin Aries. Which means that briefcase legally has no value to you, because you can't do a damn thing with it. But I'll tell you what, I've got a way that we can remedy this. You see, I just came out for my briefcase—that I've earned. But you stole something else from me Low-Ki; you stole my X-Division championship. You and the BDC. So I've got a proposition for you, you're a gambling man? I say right here, right now: winner takes all. My briefcase for the world championship—my X Division Championship you
STOLE
? Put your money where your mouth is, winner takes all. Right here, right now." The fans inside Wembley went wild as they waited for Low-Ki's reply. "Fair enough, Austin. But you simply don't deserve a shot at my X-Division title." Before the words could come out of Ki's mouth, Austin Aries was blindsided by the brutal Samoan Submission Machine. "But if you really want it that bad," Low-Ki continued, "You're just gonna have to go through Joe."
Away to commercial and once we return, the action is underway with Senior Official Earl Hebner calling the match. Joe is dominant from the early going as his peripheral attack on the former world champion earned him a decided advantage over Aries, who is unable to stand on his own two feet. Joe chops away at Aries with thunderous right arms, and continues with a corner-based striking frenzy, grounding Aries in the BDC corner. Low-Ki is walking around ring-side, in an attempt to scout the action as best he can. "Austin Aries" resonates throughout the arena, and the 2-time Ring of Honor World Heavyweight Champion gains his second wind and starts to take the fight to Joe. A leapfrog over the big man in the corner, and Aries is ready to start in on the offensive. He attempts his signature Brainbuster vertical suplex, but is unable to lift the 300+ pounder. Samoa Joe gains the upper hand and tosses Aries out of the ring and down to where Low-Ki can get involved. Ki runs his mouth from a few feet away, careful not to get his BDC bandmate disqualified in the process. Joe joins the two and mounts a diabolical assault on Aries with striking right elbows to the sensitive trapezius muscle of Austin Aries. Back inside the squared—or six-sided—circle, Austin tries to settle the score but is consistently caught off-guard by Samoa Joe. He locks Aries in a cross-face variation to wear him down and follows up with a full body attack and a brisk kick to the back of the head. Despite his heelish tendencies and BDC affiliation, Joe receives a warm reception from the United Kingdom crowd; "Joe is gonna kill you" echoes throughout the arena as the superheavyweight judoka continues with reckless abandon, managing to thwart each of Austin's offensive attempts. When Austin finally gained the upper hand, he mounted Samoa Joe in the corner and proceeded to deliver ten right hands as the crowd counted along. Joe tossed him over the top rope, but Aries landed on the apron. He hit Joe with a neck breaker, using the rope to his advantage, and capitalizing with a big drop kick. Once again, Austin Aries went for his Brainbuster vertical suplex, but was dragged down to the ground by the submission specialist, who proceeded to wrench down on the arm of Aries. In control once again, Samoa Joe lifted Aries onto the top rope and set to deliver his signature Muscle Buster. Austin Aries powered out and finally knocked Joe down to his back with a spear-like suicide dive to the outside. With Joe flat on his back, Austin Aries played to the audience, ready to wrap this up once and for all. But that's when Low-Ki became involved, striking Aries from the back, causing Earl Hebner to call for the bell. Both Beat Down Clan members brought Austin back into the ring and did just as their name would suggest—they beat him down. Samoa Joe held Austin Aries as Low-Ki prepared to strike with the solid steel briefcase. Aries then slipped out of Joe's grasp, causing Ki to hit Joe instead. Austin hit Low-Ki and requisitioned his briefcase, leaving the ring as both BDC members struggled to stand. While one number one contender was on his way out of the arena, another was just making his way down the aisle. Rockstar Spud—who is in possession of the X-Division briefcase—runs down to ringside as Low-Ki is still dazed from the effects of Austin's assault. His head is bandaged from the effects of last week's Hair vs. Hair match, but hands the briefcase to Earl Hebner nonetheless. The bell rings and Spud hits the "underdog" on Low-Ki; after a quick 1-2-3, Rockstar Spud is your NEW X-Division champion in less than 8 seconds.
Before anything else goes down inside the ring, camera's catch up to Bram and Magnus who are halfway into what seems to be a serious street fight in the parking garage. Magnus is in firm control as he beats Bram through a set of double doors asking, "Where you going?" Magnus puts Bram on a rolling equipment cart and sends him careening into a set of red and yellow garbage cans that look like giant ketchup and mustard containers. This is the first time since Bram attacked Magnus in New York City that the former world champion is able to get this much offense without worrying about any defense. Bram struggles to get away from Magnus, who is throwing heavy boxes of who-knows-what while dragging him through the darkened halls of Wembley Arena. Josh Matthews reminds us that Magnus promised to spill Bram's blood on the "hallowed grounds of London," and this could be his last chance as TNA is close to returning to America. Magnus knocks Bram through the curtain and into the arena; Bram trips and stumbles down the aisle toward the ring where Magnus goes absolutely crazy. Magnus leaves Bram between the six sides and grabs a steel chair from the ringside area. He returns to Bram and unleashes a fury of heinous shots to Bram's back. He turns his former best friend over and prepares to drill the business-end of the chair directly into Bram's sternum, but is stopped by referees Brian Stiffler and Brian Hebner. Magnus broke through the line of defense and clotheslined Bram, taking the microphone and warning, "You just took a match and burned your hopes and dreams to the ground!" More officials and members of security hit the ring and separated them further, until Magnus's wife Mickie James appeared and started attacking Bram as well. The referees kept both Mickie and Magnus at bay long enough for Bram to retreat up the ramp-way, but Magnus still wasn't finished. He followed behind Bram, stalking him like an animal, and delivered a crippling snap-power bomb to Bram on the crux of the entryway.
The TNA Knockouts are next with the title on the line. The first to appear under Impact's beautiful big screen "TNA-tron" is the former Knockout Champion Awesome Kong, who saunters to ringside to the beat of her menacing entrance tune. Gail Kim is the second to arrive, running down the aisle slapping hands with the UK crowd, wearing a black cut-off t-shirt that says "London." The TNA Knockouts Champion Taryn Terrell doesn't receive the same ovation as Gail Kim, but is most certainly favored over the depraved Kong. Both babyfaces set to work together and team against the monstrous Kong, who thwarts their advances with little-to-no effort of her own. Gail kicks Kong in the stomach, but Kong is quick enough to send the charging former champion speeding head first into the current title holder. Kong conquers them with an avalanche splash in the corner and capitalizes with a powerful sleeper hold slam. Neither Taryn nor Gail can gain any momentum as Awesome Kong continues to throw them around the ring by their hair, keeping them separated and thus unable to form a lasting alliance. Awesome Kong hits Gail Kim with a hard spike to the back, as Taryn Terrell ascends the ropes behind the Amazon's back. Taryn jumps but is clotheslined in mid-air by Awesome Kong, who then sets her sights on Kim once again. Kong lifted Gail Kim into the air for a powerbomb, but was stopped by Taryn who rolled them both up in a very innovative pin-attempt. Taryn hits the ropes and jumps from the second story onto Awesome Kong with a drop kick, sending Kong reeling back toward the center of the ring. Taryn hits the ropes one more time and jumps from the top with a cross body onto Kong, nearly earning a pinfall then and there. Awesome Kong came back with a quick burst of energy, but Taryn Terrell countered with a devastating Diamond Cutter. Kong vacated the ring in an attempt to regroup, and both Taryn and Gail sought to capitalize from the top rope. The two women tried to climb from the same corner and instead of focusing on Awesome Kong, Gail Kim and Taryn Terrell began mixing it up with one another. Taryn fell to the canvas, and Gail Kim flew to the floor, landing cross body on Kong and earning a raucous reception from the audience. Kim then hit Taryn with a sunset flip into a powerbomb out of the corner, but was unable to achieve victory. She shoved the sole of her shoe into Taryn's throat and attempted the "Eat Defeat," but was rolled up by the champion for a successful 1-2-3 combination. As Taryn stood tall in the ring with her belt in hand, she looked off into the distance at Awesome Kong, almost on the brink of tears and unware of what might await her next week.
The Revolution almost ended the career of Jeff Hardy in an instant when James Storm knocked him out on top of the steel cage at Lockdown, sending him plummeting to the steel steps below. Since then there's been more than bad blood between Jeff's brother Matt and the leader of the Revolution. Two weeks ago Bram went one-on-one with Matt Hardy and was asked by the Cowboy to "take him out." Hardy is still in service however, and about to go head-to-head with James Storm in a no holds barred match. Storm heads down the entryway with every member of the Revolution in tow—the odds will most certainly be in the Cowboy's favor this evening. Matt Hardy is happy to take the challenge and is cheered by the overwhelmingly positive response from the live audience. Storm meets Hardy halfway down the ramp and the match finally begins when Hardy rolls the Cowboy into the ring. Matt gets to work supplying their match by going deep under the ring and tossing an array of chairs and trash cans toward Storm. Manik grabs Hardy by the leg as he tries to enter the ring, which gives the Cowboy an opening to start things off in his favor. Hardy comes back with the trash can and he and Storm trade blows with the can and its lid. Hardy knocks James Storm flat on his back and exits the ring once more, climbing the ropes where he is tripped up by both the Great Sanada and Manik. James Storm readies two chairs in close proximity to one another and delivers a vertical suplex to Matt Hardy from the top rope and through the steel. Abyss is on the outside and raises his scarlet satin sack of thumbtacks—try saying that three times fast—and hands them to his �fearless' leader. The Cowboy litters the canvas with a line of golden tacks and attempts to plant Hardy directly in their path. Matt however has plans of his own and throws the Cowboy into the tacks instead, following up with a big elbow drop for a near-fall. The Revolution drags referee Brian Stiffler out of the ring before he can count three, and the match turns into a 5-on-1 assault. All of the Cowboy's allies equip themselves with weaponry; Khoya lifts a non-folding chair above his head, and Josh Matthews asks, "What kind of chair does Khoya have–?!" Funniest line of the night. Hardy retrieved the mysterious chair that Matthews was unfamiliar with and hit the Indian athlete in the back, leading Taz to exclaim, "Oh! That un-folding chair!" Matt did away with the distractions, finishing off Manik with a Twist of Fate, and reentered the ring hoping to end things with the Cowboy as well. Storm had Matt Hardy well scouted however and used his momentum to send him head-first into a steel chair propped in the corner. With both men reeling, it was anybody's match; Matt Hardy leaned over the top rope and for the second time tonight, the Muta mist came into play thanks to the Great Sanada. Hardy was blinded and tripped directly into Storm's Last Call Superkick. Matt Hardy was on spaghetti legs from the initial shot when the "Cowboy" sent him spilling over with a second—far more devastating superkick. James Storm and Revolution are victorious, but that's not enough as the sadistic Storm seeks to removed
BOTH
Hardy brothers from TNA Impact. They held Hardy by the arms on the lip of the apron, while James Storm berating him from behind: "Matt Hardy! I am the reason your brother is out of professional wrestling! And now you can visit your brother—in the hospital!" Storm swung his cowbell bull rope and struck Hardy in the small of the back in what amounted to a pretty anti-climactic end to an enjoyable match.
The theme of the entire night has been the TNA World Heavyweight Championship match between Kurt Angle and the current title holder, Bobby Lashley. The show has been filled with interviews, promos, vignettes, and all sorts of propaganda hyping this as a "dream match" in TNA. I'm not going to argue that because it's certainly going to be an interesting bout for the most prestigious prize on Impact. But a dream match—I'm not sure about that. Kurt Angle's music hits as he walks out of his dressing room in the back, just like Goldberg during the good old days of WCW. He walks briskly down the dark hall and through catering, arriving at the shadowy Gorilla position, where he waited for the beat to drop and the Trademarc lyrics to hit. The challenger makes his way down the ramp as Josh Matthews starts to recite each of Angle's accolades including but not limited to his success as an Olympian, as well as his run with the WWE. The beginning of Bobby Lashley's music begins to play on repeat just as Angle's did, skipping until the Destroyer is ready to enter the arena. He hits himself in the face and jumps in one spot—kind of like the current
WWE
World Champion—and finally makes his way through the curtain. According to Josh Matthews, this is Bobby Lashley's 72nd day as World Champion, which might not sound like much—but it's pretty long considering he won the belt during the reboot of Impact back in January. The bell rings and Jeremy Borash introduces the champion and challenger, and referee Brian Hebner allows both men the chance to check out what they're fighting for. A brief commercial break occurs before the match might get underway, and we return to the action just as the bell sounds. They circle one another and prepare to lock up, but back away for a moment until Lashley is the first to attack. He goes for Angle's leg and is unable to drop the Olympic Gold Medalist to the ground. They slink away from one another again, and Lashley comes back with a more calculated take-down, knocking Kurt off his feet, if only for a moment. The action doesn't truly get underway until either man is done feeling out his opponent. They enter into a mat-based amateur style that allows for Kurt to hit Bobby Lashley with four consecutive Suplexes. Lashley finds himself on the wrong side of the Ankle Lock, but gains leverage when he makes it to the ropes, forcing a break by Brian Hebner. Lashley begins retreating from the match, dropping in and out of the ring to catch his breath. Angle chases the champion and reaches him just in time to drop head first on the steel barricade. Lashley is in control now, and uses his power advantage over the venerable ring general. Lashley seems to be losing support from the crowd, and was even booed during his cowardly escape from Angle just a moment ago. He punishes Angle in the center of the ring with both a powerful Suplex and an unnerving bow and arrow submission, while the audience chants in favor of the challenger. Kurt starts to mount a comeback beginning with a leap from the middle rope, and this match turns into a donnybrook where left and right hands reign supreme. Another German suplex by the "Wrestling Machine"—and then another, and another. Kurt Angle is laying into Bobby Lashley the same as Brock Lesnar did to John Cena at Summerslam 2014. The straps come down and Kurt Angle means business when he prepares to apply the Ankle Lock. Lashley kicks him away and capitalizes with a running powerslam, but is unable to achieve victory. Another commercial break and once we return, Kurt Angle is in command and turning Bobby Lashley over by his ankle. They're separated by another rope break, and Lashley comes back with an attempted Spear. Kurt Angle hits Lashley in the face with a big boot and follows up with an Olympic Slam for a near three count on the champion. "This is awesome," is all anyone can hear as this match winds down to the final few moments. Bobby Lashley hits Kurt Angle with a sadistic Spear, and is shocked when the former champion answers the call before the three count. Bobby is out of ideas and resorts to the top rope—a place that he's considerably unfamiliar with. He jumps across the ring where nobody is home; Kurt Angle ascends the same ropes and hits the Destroyer with a cross body. Lashley used Angle's momentum to flip them both over and applied an Ankle Lock of his own, directly in the center of the ring. Angle screamed in pain, unable to reach the ropes as he struggled to find a way out. Finally he made it to the edge of the ring where Lashley was forced to relinquish the hold. Kurt hit Bobby with a surprising Olympic Slam for a 2-and-three quarters count. The Destroyer took advantage of the noticeably exhausted veteran Angle by applying a cross arm bar, using his legs for leverage. Angle summoned nothing but sheer power and determination to remove himself from hold, and once again locked the champion in his signature Ankle submission. The crowd went crazy, stomping the floor and shaking the camera as Kurt dropped to the ground and grapevined the champion's leg. Bobby cried in agony as he reached for the ropes, but was unable to find the same strength that Kurt did just a moment ago. Perhaps thinking of his MMA career, the Destroyer Bobby Lashley had no choice but to slap the mat in submission. Your winner and TNA World Heavyweight Champion for the sixth time—the only Olympic Gold Medalist in Professional Wrestling, Kurt Angle.
This was the second in a series of two very strong weeks for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. Last week I stated—following the BLOODBATH between Carter and Spud—that I only hope Impact might be able to keep up its forward momentum. I'm not keen on Kurt Angle winning the world title, as I think there are far more deserving wrestlers on the roster that aren't 46-years old. But who can argue with Kurt's one-of-a-kind career? Next week's episode of Impact returns stateside and features the return of Jeff Hardy in a "revenge" match inside the six sides of steel with the Cowboy James Storm. Until then, this has been Mark Adam Haggerty reminding you to keep checking out Cheap-Heat, follow me on Facebook by LIKING "The B+ Players," and be sure to look for my upcoming podcast by the same name.
http://www.cheap-heat.com/results-ring-of-honor-roh-conquest-tour-31415-chicago-ridge-illinois/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/results-ring-of-honor-roh-conquest-tour-31415-chicago-ridge-illinois/#comments Sun, 15 Mar 2015 05:45:11 +0000
Cassidy Haynes
Indy/Puro/Lucha
ACH
Beer City Bruiser
BJ Whitmer
Bobby Fish
Cheeseburger
Cliff Compton
Conquest Tour
J. Diesel
Jay Briscoe
Jay Lethal
Jimmy Jacobs
Kyle O'Reilly
Mark Briscoe
Matt Jackson
Matt Taven
Michael Elgin
Nick Jackson
NJPW
Proving Ground
reDRagon
Ring of Honor
Rocky Romero
Roderick Strong
ROH
Romantic Touch
Roppongi Vice
Samoa Joe
Silas Young
Stokely Hathaway
Tommaso Ciampa
Trent Baretta
Trent?
Truth Martini
Will Ferrara
Young Bucks
http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=10431
ROH Conquest Tour March 14, 2015 Chicago Ridge, IL Credit: Greg Davis Dark match: Romantic Touch def Stokley Hathaway Truth Martini came out with J. Diesel and informed the crowd that the House of Truth had accepted the Street Fight with Cliff Compton for later in the evening. J. Diesel def Will Ferrara with his […]
ROH Conquest Tour
March 14, 2015
Chicago Ridge, IL
Credit:
Greg Davis
Dark match: Romantic Touch def Stokley Hathaway
Truth Martini came out with J. Diesel and informed the crowd that the House of Truth had accepted the Street Fight with Cliff Compton for later in the evening.
J. Diesel def Will Ferrara with his AA variation
ACH def Jimmy Jacobs with the 450
– after the match Jacobs shook ACH’s hand which annoyed BJ Whitmer but the Decade still left together
Four Corner Survival: Proving Grounds match for the main event against ROH World Champion Jay Briscoe
Silas Young def Mark Briscoe, Matt Taven, & Roderick Strong after getting his knees up on an attempted froggy bow from Briscoe and pulling on the shorts
– Post match Silas wants a handshake but everyone leaves
ROH TV Title Street Fight
Jay Lethal def Cliff Compton with the lethal injection
– It’s basically a 3 on 1 handicap. Brawling outside. Jay wrestled in business attire. But was stripped of it later and is now in boxers. Lethal hit an elbow outside though a table. Truth hit Compton with salt which lead into the lethal injection
Beer City Bruiser def Cheeseburger with the Rikishi driver
Tommaso Ciampa came out to cut a promo. He talked about his injured ribs and stated that he’s a free agent because he hasn’t gotten a new contract yet. The promo was finally interrupted by Silas Young. Silas said we all have problems with our bosses. “You’re hurt, go to the back, so the last real man can win the title.” Refs had to separate the two.
Proving Ground: Instant Reward for ROH World Title
Jay Briscoe def Silas Young with the jay driller
Proving Ground: Instand Reward for ROH Tag Title
Roppongi Vice def reDRagon to win the instant reward for a ROH Tag Title match
– The Champs tried to leave but they were forced to come back
ROH World Tag Titles
reDRagon def Roppongi Vice to retain their titles after Kyle reverses Trent’s reversal of Chasing the Dragon
– Post match Roppongi Vice says they will be back for the titles but that for now they are going to focus on going back to NJPW and getting the jr tag titles from the Young Bucks
http://www.cheap-heat.com/roh-announces-the-return-of-samoa-joe/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/roh-announces-the-return-of-samoa-joe/#comments Tue, 24 Feb 2015 20:52:24 +0000
Cassidy Haynes
Indy/Puro/Lucha
Ring of Honor
ROH
Samoa Joe
TNA
http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=9995
Ring of Honor has officially announced the much anticipated return of form TNA Super Star Samoa Joe. So far he is scheduled for the next set of television tapings on March 7th in Baltimore along with March 13th in Milwaukee, March 14th in Chicago Ridge, the Supercard of Honor card on March 27th over WrestleMania […]
Ring of Honor has officially announced the much anticipated return of form TNA Super Star Samoa Joe. So far he is scheduled for the next set of television tapings on March 7th in Baltimore along with March 13th in Milwaukee, March 14th in Chicago Ridge, the Supercard of Honor card on March 27th over WrestleMania weekend as well as the April 4th television tapings in San Antonio and April 25th live event in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
You can watch the official hype video released earlier today:
http://www.cheap-heat.com/total-nonstop-analysis-tna-lockdown-2615/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/total-nonstop-analysis-tna-lockdown-2615/#comments Mon, 09 Feb 2015 03:35:24 +0000
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Total Nonstop Analysis TNA Lockdown 2/6/15 Written by Mark Adam Haggerty When Total Nonstop Action Wrestling began airing their pay-per-view events free-of-charge on cable television, many industry insiders predicted the beginning of the end for the barely thirteen-year-old company. And while TNA has undoubtedly had its struggles since the beginning of 2014, the personalities on […]
Total Nonstop Analysis
TNA Lockdown 2/6/15
Written by Mark Adam Haggerty
When Total Nonstop Action Wrestling began airing their pay-per-view events free-of-charge on cable television, many industry insiders predicted the beginning of the end for the barely thirteen-year-old company. And while TNA has undoubtedly had its struggles since the beginning of 2014, the personalities on Impact are well along the road to recovery and dare I say there is light at the end of the tunnel? These "free-per-views" have been highly enjoyable, but none so much as this evening's Lockdown, filmed just a few weeks ago at the Manhattan Center in New York City. Lockdown is generally the best-selling PPV of the year, and this year's broadcast on Destination America gave a wider audience than ever a chance to see why. From the opening tag team battle to the main event, TNA appears to be working within their wheelhouse again. Let's kick things off with the TNA Tag Team Championship.
TNA Tag Team Championship
Matt & Jeff Hardy vs. James Storm & Abyss (c)
I've been highly critical of both Matt and Jeff Hardy in recent years; Jeff has embarrassed himself on several occasions inside the ring and Matt has always been the
other
Hardy, for lack of a better word. But this match and their series of in-ring encounters as of late have been nothing short of the Hardy Boyz I knew during the Attitude Era. This match saw the brothers from Cameron, North Carolina challenging Abyss and the leader of the Revolution, James Storm for the TNA world tag team titles. The match is off and running and the Hardy brothers make quick work in proving why it is they defined an era in high risk competition. Before long, fellow Revolution member Manik enters the fray in an effort to aid his fledgling leader James Storm, who's having more than his share of trouble in fending off the tenacious Hardy Boyz. The Hardy's outsmart the Revolution by handcuffing Manik to the cage before he can become too much of a burden and continue to run rough shod over James Storm and Abyss. Jeff pulls off an impressive Whisper in the Wind, followed by a Twist of Fate by Matt on both the Cowboy
and
the Monster. The Hardys go for a double cover, to which the referee responds with a two-handed double-count, but both members of the Revolution kick out just in time. The action intensifies, and it's around this time that I begin to notice the gaping holes around the cage. I imagine they're for camera operators to get a clear shot of the ring, but then Khoya of the Revolution pulled Matt Hardy through it and to the outside. I guess
that's
why those holes are there. Matt was on the outside but didn't win as the rules specifically stated the winner must go through the door or over the top. Jeff was now alone inside the ring and climbed to the top of the cage; by the time Jeff reached the top, the Great Sanada was on hand to blind Hardy with a powerful blue mist. Hardy fell back into the cage and back into the lion's den where Storm was waiting with the Last Call Superkick. 1-2-3 and the Revolution retains the TNA tag team titles.
The Revolution got to work assembling a table on the outside of the ring, which stood only a moment before Matt Hardy was power bombed through the wood at the hands of the monstrous Khoya. Another table was draw from under the ring, but by now Jeff was on his feet inside the ring fighting back against the relentless Revolution. The Charismatic Enigma climbed to the top of the cage but was knocked off and crotched on top of the steel door. The Cowboy James Storm ascended the Cage himself and struck Jeff right in the skull with the cowbell he carried into the contest, knocking Jeff off the door, sending him several feet to the ground—landing hard on the steel steps below. The paramedics retrieved Jeff's �broken' body as the fans inside the Manhattan Center cheered him on, chanting: "TNA! TNA! TNA!"
For some strange reason the Beat Down Clan—or rather, TNA management decided that now was a good time for an in-ring promo by MVP and his goons. The segment worked for the better however, as the BDC used their presence in the ring as bait to lure Team Angle out from hiding. Once they had Angle's team mates within their sights, the BDC set to work dismantling their opponents, paying special attention to Gunner. When the dust had cleared, questions arose as to whether Gunner would be cleared to compete in Lethal Lockdown. With hope all but lost, Kurt Angle went to go find Bobby Lashley.
Havok vs. Awesome Kong
For fans of ladies wrestling this match was a dream contest in TNA, and was contested inside the six sides of steel! That's unprecedented! The match began with quite a bit of brawling on the outside—in fact several minutes went by before either behemoth even entered the cage. Kong controlled Havok for the first few moments, walking with swag between strikes and slams. Havok is no pushover, as Taz made mention this contest was talked about before Kong even returned to TNA when Havok first made her presence felt back on Spike TV. Finally the two enter the ring and continue their brawl where both individuals display their respective strengths. Amidst a "Better than Diva's" chant, Josh Matthews broke the fourth wall of wrestling and made mention that Awesome Kong was once a WWE Superstar known as Karma. This goes along with TNA's newfound sense of where they exist in the wrestling food-chain, no longer seeking to compete and rather speaking positively about the entertainment superpower. Kong and Havok exchange chops inside the ring, and each "goozle" one another, hoping for a choke slam to end the bout. But it is the returning Kong that gets the better of Jessicka Havok with a powerful choke slam followed by a powerbomb off the top rope. To add insult to injury, the �Amazing' Amazon finished off the defeated Havok with a big splash from the top, earning the pin fall and reigning supreme in the "Land of the Knockouts."
We see a video recording from two weeks ago featuring Velvet Sky after just receiving her pink slip courtesy of "Feast or Fired." She hugs Angelina Love and explains the situation, apologizing for ruining the Beautiful People, and telling her how awful she feels. Love offers sympathy to her best friend, but smiles when her back is turned as that is one fewer female to stir things up in the Knockout locker room. This was a well-conceived segment, but if it was recorded two weeks ago, why save it for Lockdown—a show that needs to be less about the sizzle, and more about the
STEAK
! An ill-timed three minutes in my opinion.
Kurt Angle is looking for the TNA world heavyweight champion Bobby Lashley. Kurt is now desperate as he is still without a fourth member of Team Angle in what is now the eleventh hour. A camera man tells Bobby that Kurt's looking for him; Lashley smiles and says, "I'm not that hard to find."
Eric Young vs. Bobby Roode
The most personal encounter on the card pits "Showtime" Eric Young against the man he cost the TNA world heavyweight title, Bobby Roode. Roode basically demolishes EY for the better part of the match with Eric coming back for a few heel spots before finally succumbing to the punishment. Of the half-dozen matches at Lockdown, this made the best use of the cage itself as Bobby Roode was in no way shy about tossing Young into it without remorse. Finally EY gets the upper hand and uses the cage to his advantage, trapping Roode between the ropes and the steel, and delivering a heinous cross body momentarily crippling the "It Factor" in the process. With the odds turning to either side at the drop of a hat, the leader of the BDC entered the equation and once again used the large holes in the cage—this time to hand EY a steel chair. EY controlled the pace of the match until Roode powered out and called an audible by sling-shotting Young head-first into the cage. As he struggled to his feet, the audience could see the blood flowing from EY's skull. Bobby Roode attempted to end it with a Roode Bomb off the top but to no avail; EY pushed Roode off the top rope and capitalized with a flying elbow drop. By this point Eric Young's face was covered in blood, and referee Earl Hebner wasn't reaching for a latex glove but continuing to call the action. Eric dropped the steel chair on Roode's broken body and climbed the ropes to finish him once and for all. Regardless of whether it was a clever game of possum or the wherewithal to succeed, Bobby Roode rose to his feet and tossed the chair at Young, dazing him for a moment. Once again he used the chair to his advantage, striking his fellow former Team Canada member. Finally, Bobby Roode lifted Eric Young into the air and dropped him on his neck performing a picture-perfect Roode Bomb, earning Bobby Roode a hard-fought victory.
Backstage Bobby Lashley and Kurt Angle have come face to face, but Bobby wants no part of what Kurt has to pitch. "You need us and we need you," Kurt yelled in the champions face, getting physical in the process. "Wake your ass up! Come on Bobby!"
Mark Andrews & Rockstar Spud vs. Tyrus
Mark Andrews AKA "Mandrews" and Rockstar Spud are set to take on Ethan Carter's personal bodyguard Tyrus in a 2-on-1 handicap match, which seems easy enough—except for the imposing nature of Tyrus. The former bodyguard of Snoop Dogg is escorted to the ring by Ethan Carter, debonair as always as he carries the same set of electric clippers that claimed the cowlick of Jeremy Borash just one month ago. Tyrus has the upper hand, dominating the much smaller athletes with a series of clothes lines and body slams, as well as big splashes both on the mat and in the corner turnbuckle. Josh Matthews keeps calling the duo of Spud and Mandrews "Spandrews," which Taz takes issue with by the second time he says it. Spud's ingenuity would save him time and again during the match, but never more so than when he would fight out of a powerbomb and use the opportunity to scale the cage. Now at the top of the six sides of steel, the young cruiserweight from the United Kingdom stared around the arena at the TNA fans in New York City. I couldn't help but recall JR's famous line as Jeff Hardy climbed the ladder in his match with the Undertaker: "Go ahead kid! Make yourself famous!" Spud saw his chance to make history and descended the steel in a fiery blaze, somersaulting into a leg drop over Tyrus' back. The crowd went wild, but before Spud could capitalize, EC3 pulled Mandrews from the match and held him ransom at ringside. Spud went after EC3 in an attempt to save his friend, but his compassion would cost him when Tyrus came out of nowhere with the Asiatic Spike for the win. When the bell sounded, Borash climbed into the ring and let everyone know that it was "scalping time!" He plugged the electric sheers into the broadcast desk and proceeded to go after Spud and Mandrews. However before EC3 could have his fun, Jeremy Borash unplugged the clippers—foiling Ethan Carter's master plan!
Bobby Roode is on hand to give a post-match interview regarding his encounter with Eric Young earlier in the evening. Roode says that it's time to move past his predicament with EY, and it's time to focus on once again becoming the TNA World Heavyweight Champion.
Lethal Lockdown
Team Angle vs. The Beat Down Clan
Lethal Lockdown is an interesting concept not unlike War Games in the NWA/WCW. Two men enter and a coin toss determines the order in which each team sends additional support, thus giving the early advantage to one team. Nobody may win until all eight participants have entered the match, and that is when Lethal Lockdown begins. The first entry is Kenny King, which means the Beat Down Clan will get the early advantage of 2-on-1, 3-on-2, and so forth. His opponent is a wildcard entry in Gunner, who suffered an injury to his arm earlier on the show at the hands of the BDC. I predicted we'd see Gunner lead Team Angle as it makes sense to stack the deck against the babyfaces, and what better way to do that than to feature a handicapped performed in a handicapped situation? Gunner quickly attempts to even the odds and make up for his disadvantage by making early use of the weapons hanging around the cage. By two minutes however, he is at a severe detriment when Low Ki enters at number two for the BDC. Low Ki and King team up on Gunner who has trouble fending off his formidable opponents. I noticed that Kenny King has tights with the New York Skyline and a crown over the Empire State Building. I hope his moniker the "King of New York" is a Manhattan Center-only gimmick. That leads me to wonder if he'll have different tights for other cities that he works? Does he have a pair for his hometown Las Vegas, or how about the return to the Impact Zone in Orlando, Florida? Kenny King could be a modern day "Ravishing" Rick Rude if he keeps his tights game on point. Back to the action: evening the odds for Team Angle is Austin Aries who makes it a tag team situation, followed by the third member of the BDC, Samoa Joe. Joe is the only member of the Beat Down Clan that comes out to his own music. Each new entrant in the match makes a statement by attacking the opposition and quickly retreating into the background so as to allow the next performer the chance to shine. Kurt Angle is the third and possibly last member of his team, and MVP is the fourth and final member of the BDC.
Lethal Lockdown had officially begun as all of the announced participants are now locked inside the six sides of steel. The battle wages back and forth with both teams having equal opportunity at walking away victorious. But the numbers game soon catches up to Team Angle, and the BDC is able to mount a sizeable offense. Each member of Team Angle lay crippled at the hands of the BDC while MVP walked across the canvas with a smile on his face—until the wailing siren of the Destroyer's anthem began to blare. The music hit and the fans inside the Manhattan Center knew that the TNA world heavyweight champion was in the building. But to quote Bobby the "Brain" Heenan at Bash at the Beach 1996: "Yeah, but whose side is he on?" The Destroyer walked to the ring and entered the cage as if a regularly scheduled entrant. He smiled at the BDC, and at his former friend Montel Vontavious Porter. The champion held his hand out to MVP, and they shook. But Bobby didn't let go. He tightened his grip on MVP's hand and the match itself. Soon Team Angle was back in control. Austin Aries, Kurt Angle, and Gunner held Kenny King, Samoa Joe, and Low Ki down in their respective submissions as Lashley turned MVP upside-down and inside-out with his championship Spear. The Destroyer came and concurred on behalf of Team Angle.
Don't take my word for it as my command of the English language is no match for the TNA wrestlers and Knockouts and their ability to shine inside the six sides of steel. I was particularly fond of the grudge match between Bobby Roode and his one-time best friend Eric Young, but if I had to pick a match of the night it'd be tough to choose anything other than Lethal Lockdown. An incredible night with twists and turns; a preview of what's to come in the new TNA maybe? Apparently there was something between Brooke and her former beau Robbie E, but I didn't get that on my DVR—even after rewinding and watching again. So maybe it was cut for time in some markets, if not all of them. Next week TNA promises to answer several questions plaguing the TNA fan community, including: "Where does Lashley stand?" Until next time ladies and gentlemen, my name is Mark Adam Haggerty and this has been "Total Nonstop Analysis."
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Total Non-Stop Analysis TNA Impact 1/16/15 Written by Mark Adam Haggerty The cat is out of the bag and if you aren't yet aware that TNA Impact is on Destination America, then your cat is DEAD! Suffocated by sheer lack of knowledge and not knowing that Dixie Carter and her merry band of B-level bandits […]
Total Non-Stop Analysis
TNA Impact 1/16/15
Written by Mark Adam Haggerty
The cat is out of the bag and if you aren't yet aware that TNA Impact is on Destination America, then your cat is DEAD! Suffocated by sheer lack of knowledge and not knowing that Dixie Carter and her merry band of B-level bandits have moved to Friday Nights on Destination America. After last week's abysmal performance in the ratings, one might assume the second show in the reboot might fare better now that fans are hip to when it's on. Oh but that's just the thing, they don't know when to watch it because last weeks "preview" edition was on Wednesday and this week's "official debut" is on Friday night. All jokes aside I have to give credit to the Discovery Channel and its enormous network of channels for proving good on their word and promoting their new product just as well as they do Shark Week. I got to this week's episode of Impact about twelve hours after the internet, and by the time I did I heard everything from good to bad to absolutely atrocious! When I sat down to watch it I thought it was a bit heavy on the promos, and there were a few key moments I couldn't get passed but it wasn't terrible. It was far better than what was being produced for Spike TV this time last year, so in that regard it was another step in the right direction for a company with plenty of competition nipping of their heels.
The festivities kicked off with a vignette highlighting the events of last week accompanied by more Trademarc music, and then we're introduced to Josh Matthews and Tazz in—well they aren't in New York City. They're in the TNA World Headquarters in Nashville; Tazz is wearing an inordinately large winter coat, and Josh is displaying a fist full of rings, and a sleeve of tattoos. Much different than the button-up play-by-play announcer we knew in WWE. They throw the action immediately the ring where MVP enters the Manhattan Center alongside his yet-to-be-named posse of Kenny King, Samoa Joe and Low-Ki. The fans go wild with disgust for MVP and his allies, most notably Samoa Joe and Low-Ki. "Jah can't keep a good man down," MVP erupts onto the microphone with another explosive promo beginning with a �Rastafarian-themed' singsong introduction. Kenny King is on hand wearing a long red scarf looking more like a beatnik than the "King of Las Vegas" or whatever he claims to be. MVP wastes little time in naming his group of wayward wanderers, all oppressed talent without any hope of survival except to ban together. He calls them, "The Beat Down—Clan." Or the CLAN for short. Aside from the obvious Wu Tang references implied throughout the night, when was a clan ever a popular club to be a part of? Clan is right up there with "Adolf" as far as cringe-worthy words. And I know my discomfort is more with the word "Klan," but every woman who hates the "C-word" would have just as much trouble with the "k-word," so I stand by my critique: Beat Down Clan is a dreadful name that needs to go yesterday.
MVP introduces a man who is apparently not a member of the �Clan, but an associate and the man who cost Bobby Roode the title last week on Impact—"Showtime" Eric Young. Young is met with "you sold out" chants from the hostile crowd, to which EY responds, "Just to be super clear, your opinion doesn't matter." Eric Young is a far better heel than a face, whether he's the weasely underdog we saw with Team Canada or the dominant aggressor we'll see later tonight. EY is much more believable in the villainous role, and paired with MVP and the BDC makes for a partnership similar to Owen Hart and the Nation of Domination during the Attitude Era. MVP requests the TNA World Heavyweight Champion Lashley's presence but more Trademarc music plays and we get the TNA Director of Broken Friggin Necks, Kurt Angle. Angle tells the Beat Down Clan that everybody wants to see Kurt and Joe, and that Joe wants Kurt. Angle challenges Samoa Joe to a match—tonight! Incredible, right? Well, hang on. We head into a commercial break and when we return, Kurt Angle is in a painfully outdated red, white, and blue leotard, locked up with Samoa Joe. Kurt Angle is returning to regular competition against his long-time nemesis and they started the match during the commercial? They started the match during the commercial on a taped show, and then proceeded to show clips from during the break. I'm not sure if Joe was just playing nice to protect Kurt during his recovery, but the entire match was slow and lacked any kind of climax. And then, during the match, cameras went backstage to a producer banging on Bobby Lashley's door. Is the NWO back there? Kurt hooked in the ankle lock for what seemed like an eternity and all I could think was, "there's that guy who goes to IHOP with his daughter and posts about it every Sunday." Social media has ruined Kayfabe, but that's another argument for another day. When the match ended, it was Samoa Joe whose hand was raised after making Kurt tap to a rear naked choke. The Beat Down Clan put the boots to the Director of Instagram once more, before Bobby Roode tore into the ring like a bolt of lightning across the sky, brandishing a steel chair and saving Angle.
Back from break once more and Bobby Roode is pacing around the ring until he finally delivers another excellent promo beginning with expressing his enormous level of frustration based on what happened last week. He singles out Eric Young, his former best friend and Team Canada member, "Every word that spewed out of your [Young] mouth was a bunch of BULLSHIT!" He went on to tell the New York City faithful that tonight is not about professional wrestling, a sport that both he and Eric love. No, tonight is about payback and tonight is the night that Bobby Roode will seek his revenge on the treacherous Eric Young. Back in the Nashville studios, Josh and Tazz are on hand once again to plug Saturday's debut edition of "Impact: Unlocked." Similar to last week, we get an inside look at what we might expect from this new series starring "The Professor" Mike Tenay, as this week he speaks to Magnus about his status as an "independent contractor." The backstage shenanigans continue with Rockstar Spud apologizing to Jeremy Borash for the impromptu haircut he received at the hands of Ethan Carter III last week on Impact. Rather than backing down, JB instead told Spud that his hair would grow back and EC3 was going to get what was coming to him. Back in the Manhattan Center, James Storm arrived with the Revolution and stood in the balcony under a spotlight through the entire match. The match was simplistic and predictable for a long while until about three before it came to an end. Maybe I've been watching too many junior heavyweight tag matches, but I don't get excited watching Jeff Hardy huff-and-puff as he tries to run along the top ropes. It also appeared everyone was in action for the entire match. Where was the tagging in this tag team contest? In the end the Wolves do the job to the Hardy's as anyone might expect in front of the mainstream New York City audience. Lurking backstage, Ethan Carter and Tyrus interrupt John Gaburick who's busy working in the Gorilla Position. They convince him to take a break so that they can gain control of the Impact camera operators. EC3 sets his sights on ring announcer Jeremy Borash who's now without a hat on his bald head and sitting ringside. Ethan Carter challenges JB to a match next week, and gives him a half hour to decide. Instead of talking about it later, fast forward thirty minutes and Jeremy reluctantly accepts.
It's time for the no holds barred throw-down between former champion Bobby Roode and "Showtime" Eric Young. This match was a one-sided surprise with Eric Young achieving much of the offense throughout the fight, earning a concise 1-2-3 victory in the end. What struck me was the ferocity in "Showtime" as he systematically dismantled his former best friend from start to finish. After Bobby Roode's insignificant title run, this virtual squash match to a cruiserweight-sized competitor makes me think the plan was to push EY all along. After dragging the fallen champion around the ring and introducing his skull to some of its finer points, Eric Young delivered an expert piledriver to Bobby Roode atop a steel chair for the win. MVP once again made his presence known, this time to say, "Maybe someone will take you to the hospital, but maybe not. Because you damn sure didn't visit EY when
he
was in the hospital." Next is Brooke, a TNA Knockout for whom I formed no opinion until she said the words, "only a classless Jersey douchebag," regarding the Kayfabe comments made by Robbie E. I was raised in the beautiful Blueberry State and I take offense to some glorified stripper running her mouth. I didn't pay any attention to the match because I was busy tweeting. The Beautiful People picked up the win and the auditorium went black, signifying the arrival of Awesome Kong. After Kong dismantle the Beautiful People and DJ Z, the music hit and Havok arrived. The stare down was imminent lasting but seconds until the animosity gave way to violence and security was forced to step in. Backstage James Storm introduces audiences to "Hoya." Storm says "Hoya" means "Lost" in Hindi. I'm not saying Google is smarter than James Storm, but the translator told me "Kho gaya" is "Lost." I hope this Hoya character improved since his days with Ring Ka King in India, because he was pretty gosh darn terrible. The match of the night was without question the X-Division championship match between defending champion Austin Aries and Beat Down Clan member Low-Ki. An awesome match with minimal interference from BDC members stationed around the ring, but interference nonetheless throughout the contest. The most prominent instance of �Clan involvement was when Kenny King served to trip an offensive Aries while climbing the ropes. This misstep caused Austin to fall onto Low Ki's shoulders where the former champion would deliver a devastating "Ki-Crusher" to win his fourth X-Division Championship.
I enjoy Montel Vontavious Porter just as much as anyone. But do I need to hear MVP talk this much over the course of one broadcast? He's by far the most talented talker in the promotion, one of the best in the world, but that doesn't mean a wrestling company needs to constantly hang its hat on talking. But sure enough the show ends with another promo by the leader of the Beat Down Clan, coming to once again beckon the TNA World Champion Bobby Lashley, whom we now know is in the building. Lashley emerges with the title, a belt MVP says belongs to the Beat Down Clan. He proceeds to list the ways in which �Clan members helped Lashley in securing the title just one week ago. Lashley tells MVP, "That's what you're about. I'm not about that." Just as things begin to heat up between two supposed friends, Bobby called MVP "Hassan," leading MVP to utter, "Oh you called me my government, huh?" Then in a surprising move to all, MVP embraced Lashey, telling him that it's okay. He then kissed the champion on the cheek and the entire BDC attacked Bobby Lashley. I mean with wrestling offense, not with kisses. To be honest, the "Kiss of Death" gimmick is cool and all, but it looked weird and didn't come off the way I assume they wanted it to. The show closed on MVP and his �Clan laying into Bobby Lashley. My biggest takeaway from the formation of the Beat Down Clan is—what the hell is Samoa Joe doing? Or rather, what is TNA doing with Samoa Joe? Joe is a former world champion surrounded by midcarders, and remains a skilled wrestler in a wrestling company that needs to refocus on wrestling. I'm hoping he continues whatever that creative curveball with Kurt Angle was, although I'd like to see the entire match sans commercials and with a better conditioned Kurt Angle this time. Once the final segment had already concluded, Josh Matthews said, "What else is going to happen?" I'm just saying, don't say that if nothing else is going to happen. On his way out the door, MVP stole the title belt from Bobby Lashley in a move ImpactWrestling.com is referring to as a "hijacking!"
In case you couldn't tell, I tried to go into this episode of TNA Impact with a good sense of humor. There were only four matches on a 2-hour card that featured three in-arena promos by MVP. It's hard to walk away with much positive to say about that, but I will try and give Dixie Carter the benefit of the doubt this week. John Gaburick and Josh Matthews aren't morons and if they're involved in the production process I'm optimistic that this initial mess of hazy booking might be leading somewhere. Maybe the combination of MVP, Low-Ki and Samoa Joe with a title they all feel justified in carrying could lead to new concepts in storytelling. Impact closed with a preview of next week's show featuring a literal street fight on the gritty asphalt of Manhattan. Also next week is the annual "Feast or Fired" tradition, so I'll be looking forward to what I'm cautiously hopeful might be a good show. Until then this is Mark Adam Haggerty reminding you to check out TNA Impact on Friday nights exclusively on Destination America.
