Christian Cage to retain against Samoa Joe. It has got to be a screwy finish though hasn't it? This will set up a 'steelcage' rematch at Lockdown, where the coalition can't help Cage.
Rhino to beat Styles. I really hope this match goes right- because it looks like a pretty dangerous outing...
Lynn to beat Sabin. Simply because the odds are that at least one belt will change hands on a TNA PPV.
Ladies and gentlemen, the following public service message is brought to you by your friends from D-Generation X, who would like to remind each and every one of you that if you're not down with that, we've got two words for you... Joe wins the title. They won't pass up an opportunity to begin a "new era" with a new champion to coincide with the NWA split, and they've gone out of their way to keep things in Christian's favor in the feud.
Rhino beats A.J. Add up the lack of tables, A.J.'s dominance of the feud, and A.J.'s public comments about the stipulation, and you've got one wrestler worried about the big fall he'll take.
Sabin beats Lynn. Lynn's only purpose at this point is to get the new blood over. Plus, Backlund's going to have other things to be worried about.
Sting beats Abyss, which is the only acceptable result within the storyline.
Steiner steals one from Angle, probably with Tomko's help.
Team 3D beats LAX. The titles aren't on the line and 3D's yet to get a PPV win against LAX, and you don't want to book yourself into a situation where 3D would *have* to go over next month when the titles will be on the line, or else look like total chumps.
Christy's team beats VKM. If there were any justice, VKM would be the heels.
Petey & Gail beat Storm & Jackie, with Harris' help. It's a meaningless PPV rematch, and any PPV rematch has to have a different result than the first match. Plus, Petey & Gail have gotten NOTHING in the feud so far.
Starr beats Senshi for the same "meaningless PPV rematch maxim" reason, and to set up a future Backlund/Starr match. (And yes, I'm looking forward to it, as I'm sure Bob can still go.)
smark/net attack Advisory System Status is: Elevated (Holds; June 18, 2006) While the switch from Cena to RVD should alleviate some complaints, the inevitability of the belt's return to Cena (note where Summerslam is this year) and the poor initial showing by the new ECW are enough to keep the indicator where it is for now. The pieces are in place, though, especially on RAW, for improvements to be made to the IWC's psyche in the near future.
Here are some more thoughts from a demented mind in Central Florida: Though I've been very disappointed with TNA booking as of late, I still plan to be in the Impact Zone again tomorrow (which is today and already here - D:A:D:, "Smart Boy Can't Tell Ya," 1992). Here are my predictions for the show:
Crossface-Chickenwing-Begging-for-Bob-Backlund-to-Get-Involved Match - (THE!) Austin Starr vs. Senshi - And before we knew it, Senshi had turned face. Pow, what's up now? Poor Austin Starr - he gets suspended from TNA last year for going to an ROH show (with a bad weather warning) right before TNA's Against All Odds, comes back to feud with Alex Shelley (which looks like it'll lead to a Shelley face turn and program vs. Starr/Nash) which he ultimately loses (and then becomes a forgotten issue), and now he's being set up to get his ass kicked by Bob Backlund. I bet he wishes he'd stayed full-time in ROH. Prediction - Starr tries to win by chicanery, Backlund "sets the referree straight," then Senshi wins, finally leading to Austin Starr vs. Crazy-Ass Backlund at Lockdown.
Double-Cross-Bullrope-Mixed-Tag-Team Match - Jacqueline and James Storm vs. Petey Williams and Gail Kim - I'd sure like to see Petey win one here, just because he's been looking so much like a loser as of late. (Holy alliteration, Batman!) Though I will confess that there's something about Drunken Tennessee Cowboy James Storm that I just like. Petey can't really afford to lose another PPV match. Storm can afford to lose one here - especially if it's through Chris Harris getting involved, setting up Harris vs. Storm - AMW EXPLODES! Prediction - Williams and Kim win, Chris Harris somehow gets involved, setting up some sort of Blindfold-In-A-Cage match at Lockdown between the two.
The Sexist, Egotistical, Lying, Hypocritical Bigot Tag Team Match - VKM vs. a team of Christy Hemme's choosing - Wow, did Kip James show us just how much of a dick he really is over the past two months, or what? The sexist angle with Christy, ripping off her clothes, going on radio and basically saying, "If I had a choice, I'd still be with WWE right now"... thank God he's in wrestling, because people in the real world get fired for stuff like that. Not sure who Christy's team will be, but I've got a sneaking suspicion that they're bringing in the Brisco Brothers from ROH (who lost the ROH Tag Titles not too long ago). Come on, who else would it be? Serotonin? Jay Lethal and Sonjay Dutt? There's nobody left in the tag team division for it to be. And unless TNA Management really wants to look like wusses for not "punishing" Kip James for his comments, they'll bury him here. Hard. Prediction - Christy's team turns out to be the Brisco Brothers TNA debut, and they beat the crap out of Kip James en route to victory.
Ghetto Brawl Non-Title Tag Match - LAX (champs) vs. Team 3D - wow, has Brother Ray been sucking it, or what? Ray, Mick Foley called, and said you really need to drag your ass into the gym and work out sometime. Really. LAX, despite me hating their angle and the fact that they're associated with Konnan, is still one of TNA's few hot properties. But Team 3D needs to win one, so they don't look like total bitches here. Prediction - Team 3D wins this, setting up the final match at Lockdown in a cage... and LAX has never lost in a cage match.
X Division Championship - Two Out of Three Falls - Chris Sabin (champ) vs. Jerry Lynn - Strange that, on a roster with Jay Lethal, Alex Shelley, Sonjay Dutt, AJ Styles, Christopher Daniels, etc., previously-retired former-X-Division-champ Jerry Lynn remains one of the (if not THE) most over guy in the Division. I have to say, I loved Sabin's old school heel work in their most recent matches. This should be a good match, but presents a serious booking problem. If Lynn wins, who does he defend against, and ultimately lose the belt to? If Sabin wins, who's the next challenger? Interesting note - the X-Division Championship has always changed hands at Destination X. Of course, the past two years, it was Christopher Daniels, who's nowhere to be seen. Does that mean anything here? Prediction - Jerry Lynn wins the X-Division Championship. Total shot in the dark with that prediction.
Steroid Bowl Match - Scott Steiner vs. Kurt Angle - I hate Scott Steiner. Period. That's all there is to it. Does anyone remember that old DX promo from around 97 or 98, where Commissioner Slaughter came to the ring to bitch them out, and they put on helmets with spray shields? That's what they really need for anyone who has to listen to a Scott Steiner promo in person. As much as I'm not really a fan of what TNA's done with Kurt Angle, I want to see Kurt destroy Steiner. I mean, literally destroy him By my count (which could be wrong), Kurt's got only two TNA losses so far - Samoa Joe at Turning Point, and Christian Cage at Against All Odds. What benefit comes from having him lose to a washed-up Scott Steiner? Prediction - Kurt Angle wins, in a match that I hope will be a total destruction of Steiner, but because he's such an asshole and doesn't want to tap out to the Angle Lock or take an Angle Slam, will end with him being pinned by some transition move. Did I mention that I hate Scott Steiner?
We-Can't-Legally-Call-It-a-Casket-Match-or-a-Buried-Alive- Match-So-We'll-Make-It-a-Last-Rites Match - Sting vs. Abyss - My only real problem with this match? Apparently, you've got to dump your opponent on this deathbed and have him raised to the ceiling to win. But won't the Elevation X Structure be blocking the way (unless they decide to put up the Elevation X Structure on the fly, which, if I'm AJ Styles or Rhino, I have three words - "No fucking way.")? Another interesting booking problem here. Sting is, apparently, Born Again(TM) and on the path of righteousness, so he should win by that logic. But Abyss has just been on a total rampage. And it's getting to be March-April, and we traditionally get an Abyss-as-World-Title-Contender push around this time of year. Let me hedge my bets this way: Prediction - What I'd Like To See - Abyss goes batshit and destroys Sting and wins. Prediction - What I Think Will Happen - Sting wins.
Elevation X - AJ Styles vs. Rhino - Does anyone really understand what the object of this match is? Is it to get up on the X and get some object first? Is it like an old scaffold match, where to win, you have to knock your opponent to the floor? How does one win this? This prediction ass/u/me-s that, to win, one must throw his opponent off of the X structure and have them hit the ring or the floor. Though this match may be AJ's "creation," I really don't see Rhino taking the big ass bump here. But please, God, let both wrestlers be okay after this one. Prediction - Rhino wins.
We-Used-To-Be-The-NWA-TNA-World-Heavyweight-Championship-But-Now-We're-Just- The-TNA-World-Heavyweight-Championship Match - Christian Cage (champ) vs. Samoa Joe - tough one to call here. I see - and like! - Texas Kelly's point with a new champ to begin a new era with the NWA split. But Christian's still never been pinned or tapped out since being in TNA. The closest he's come so far? Losing through Chicanery(TM) at King of the Mountain at Slammiversary 2006; not winning the 4-way-match to determine the #1 contender to Jeff Jarrett at Victory Road 2006; "losing" the ladder challenge against Samoa Joe on Impact circa late-September or early-October 2006; and not winning the triple threat match at Final Resolution 2006.
If Christian retains here, he might lose at Lockdown. But the even-better idea would be to have him go into Slammiversary's King of the Mountain match as champ (with NO JEFF JARRETT this time, thankyouverymuch) and all the guys he screwed over to get to the belt in 2006 as the challengers. Also, there would be the cool concept of Christian trying to kill the taint of being screwed out of the title last year. Prediction - another total shot in the dark here - Christian retains through some Chicanery(TM).
Gripes about the show - no Alex Shelley, no Eric Young, no Jay Lethal, and NO CHRISTOPHER DANIELS - boy, I hope they're building to something gigantic with Daniels, for all the promos and time they've kept him off of TV.
Why yes, I am both a musician and a lawyer. Thanks for asking. :)
VKM vs. Christy Hemme's Mystery Team Sure, I'd like it to be the Briscos, but it's going to be either the Heartthrobs, the Bashams, Gymini, or the Dicks. VKM wins, regardless, and then beats the other three teams over the next three PPVs. Also, Hemme's team will have a new name that works in some subtle humor at WWE's expense, like "Double H" or "The Hardly Boys."
James Storm and Miss Jackie vs. Petey Williams and Gail Kim I don't even know why this is going on -- Petey is such a fifth wheel it's crazy. Storm kills Williams to "send a message" to Harris (who runs in afterward). Match itself will be awful.
Senshi vs. The Austin Starr Should be a good match -- if we get to see it, since they'll spend half the time cutting to Bob. Senshi wins due to Starr getting distracted by Bob.
LAX vs. Team 3D I have no idea if this is title or not. Um, LAX wins, by sheer force of numbers, while looking weak, ineffective, and foolish. (3D will win the titles and the feud at Lockdown.)
Chris Sabin vs. Jerry Lynn I dunno if Lynn is back for the duration or not...I'll say Sabin retains, and we'll get this again with more gimmicks next month.
Scott Steiner vs. Kurt Angle Steiner wins, with help; we get this again with more gimmicks next month.
Rhino vs. AJ Styles Rhino wins.
Sting vs. Abyss Don't care. Sting, I guess.
Originally posted by FLRockAndLawBut won't the Elevation X Structure be blocking the way (unless they decide to put up the Elevation X Structure on the fly, which, if I'm AJ Styles or Rhino, I have three words - "No fucking way.")?
Well, if this match goes on after the X, maybe they could take the X down quickly. Or, maybe the Rites Bed will be somewhere else -- at the top of one of the ramps, maybe? (It's amusing, of course, to speculate that this has not yet occurred to Russo.)
Last 5 movies seen: Casino Royale **** - Emperor Jones *** - Billy Budd ***1/2 - Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan ***1/2 - Stranger Than Fiction ***1/2
AUSTIN STARR vs. SENSHI Winner: Senshi after something whacky between Starr & Backlund.
JAMES STORM & JACQUELINE vs. PETEY WILLIAMS & GAIL KIM Winner: Storm & Jacqueline.
V.K.M. vs. Christy Hemme's Mystery Team Winners: Christy Hemme's mystery team. You're fooling yourself if you think it's going to be someone the quality of the Briscoes. I'm thinking either some WWE rejects (see Karlos the Jackal's post) or a team consisting of Somalia Joe and Big Fat Oily Guy because OMG VINCE RUSSO IS TEH FUNNY.
L.A.X. vs. TEAM 3D Winners: LAX. At least I fucking hope so.
KURT ANGLE vs. SCOTT STEINER Winner: Angle. Who's the crazier pillhead? WE'LL FIND OUT TONIGHT!
STING vs. ABYSS in a Last Rites Match Winner: Sting. I wouldn't be too shocked if James Mitchell returns with his new "monster."
Chris Sabin vs. Jerry Lynn Winner: Jerry Lynn, new X-Division Champion.
AJ STYLES vs. RHINO Winner: Rhino, and hopefully Styles will make it out of this match without taking a very bad bump that ends his career. This gimmick is the bad idea to end all bad ideas. It's a dangerous match, somebody's going to get hurt, and the PPV will still only pull somewhere in the neighborhood of 25,000 to 30,000 buys.
Christian Cage vs. Samoa Joe Winner: Samoa Joe, "this is now the TNA Championship," blah blah blah.
VKM vs. Christy Hemme's Mystery Team Let's see...it's Vince Russo booking...it'll probably be a team no one wants to see...I personally take a wild stab in the dark and say Hemme's team will be yet another reincarnation of the Harris Brothers. Either way, VKM gets the win.
James Storm and Miss Jackie vs. Petey Williams and Gail Kim Chris Harris returns to cause a DQ and he and Storm brawl to the back. Everyone completely forgets Williams even exists.
Senshi vs. The Austin Starr Run-ins galore, culminating with Backlund turning on Starr. Why? Because it would be a SHOCKING SWERVE~!
LAX vs. Team 3D Konnan makes a gutsy one-time return and CHEATS TO WIN for his guys. Give it to LAX and let them move on.
Chris Sabin vs. Jerry Lynn Sabin gets the cheap win to continue this dreadful feud.
Scott Steiner vs. Kurt Angle I have a feeling this will be a better match than people predict. Angle wins clean with the Angle Slam, but Steiner decks him afterwards to set up a rematch.
Rhino vs. AJ Styles Echoing Deputy Marshall, this can only end in a serious injury. I predict Rhino gets taken out on a stretcher. The show goes on.
Sting vs. Abyss Are these two STILL feuding? Sting wins. Abyss turns on Mitchell.
JAMES STORM & JACQUELINE vs. PETEY WILLIAMS & GAIL KIM Winner: Petey Williams & Gail Kim
V.K.M. vs. Christy Hemme's Mystery Team Winners: V.K.M. Although I see Christy Hemme's mystery team being the Heartthrobs, as they've actually been showing up backstage at TNA's tapings in the last couple months. If I'm correct, Christy will bring in a couple different teams who are beaten badly by VKM (to build up VKM), and finally, Christy brings in the Bashams who win one for Christy. There has to be a chase of some sort, or else what's the point of this angle?
L.A.X. vs. TEAM 3D Winners: L.A.X.
KURT ANGLE vs. SCOTT STEINER Winner: Angle
STING vs. ABYSS in a Last Rites Match Winner: Abyss
Chris Sabin vs. Jerry Lynn Winner: Jerry Lynn
AJ STYLES vs. RHINO Winner: Rhino
Christian Cage vs. Samoa Joe Winner: Samoa Joe... but I'm fine with Christian keeping the belt via a DQ.
Ladies and gentlemen, the following public service message is brought to you by your friends from D-Generation X, who would like to remind each and every one of you that if you're not down with that, we've got two words for you...
Originally posted by chillThere has to be a chase of some sort, or else what's the point of this angle?
Um, to bury Kip for being a sexist asshole and for saying he'd rather be with the competition, perhaps? God knows Christy deserves a million times better than she's been getting in this.
smark/net attack Advisory System Status is: Elevated (Holds; June 18, 2006) While the switch from Cena to RVD should alleviate some complaints, the inevitability of the belt's return to Cena (note where Summerslam is this year) and the poor initial showing by the new ECW are enough to keep the indicator where it is for now. The pieces are in place, though, especially on RAW, for improvements to be made to the IWC's psyche in the near future.
I'd love to see Joe win, but I've heard that his knee is all sorts of messed up and that he's badly in need of surgery. If that's the case, I don't think he's going to get the title, because he's not going to be able to defend it on a consistant basis...
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