Yeah, so I was doing work stuff for work and spaced out on the show.
When I tuned in, Nash and Shelley were chatting about how over Black Machismo is. Nash says Machismo and Dutt are going to be in a three-way match for the title. Speaking of Dutt, here he is in Nash's Deisel gear. He looks like a little kid playing dress-up in daddy's clothes. He throws the vest at Nash and tells him to "stick it."
If the rumors are true -- that they are thinking of giving Sabin and Shelley a push in the tag division -- then that (coupled with Starr's suspension) means that the entire X Division will be faces, and most of them goofballs at that. It's really staggering to me how far this division has fallen. For the record, I think the Sabin/Shelley tag team is a great idea -- but the damage done to the X-Div over the last few months is criminal.
Team 3D vs. Christian Cage & Abyss: This is for the titles. 3D is pretty dominant here -- they're never in danger, and they end up pinning Abyss with the Death Drop.
After the match, Cage berates Abyss and gets punched out for it. James Mitchell comes in to put a stop to this -- Abyss threatend Mitchell -- the Christian Coalition comes in to beat down Abyss. He fights them off and Black Hole Slams Mitchell! I guess that's a face turn!
The Coalition regroups and fucking KILLS Abyss. Multiple chairshots and Abyss is busted open. Barbed-wire-wrapped baseball bat shots to the arms -- his arms are bleeding and one of them is just GASHED OPEN. One man conchairto onto another chair and the bat.
Wow, they really SLAUGHTERED Abyss there. It was really not fun to watch. I dunno how I feel about an Abyss face turn -- hopefully they won't do something stupid, like unmask him.
Good thing there's a replay on Saturday -- I want to see that four-way match.
--K
Last 5 movies seen: Hedwig and the Angry Inch *** - Smokin' Aces **1/2 - The Last King of Scotland *** - Notes on a Scandal *** - The Ballad of the Sad Cafe *1/2
Originally posted by Karlos the JackalIf the rumors are true -- that they are thinking of giving Sabin and Shelley a push in the tag division -- then that (coupled with Starr's suspension) means that the entire X Division will be faces, and most of them goofballs at that.
Aren't Daniels & Styles still considered a part of the X division?
They shouldn't be, and if the rumours about a Daniels/Sting feud are true then the company have latched onto that. There's so much talent in the X Division - Black Machismo, Sonjay, Sabin, Shelley, Jerry Lynn, Austin Starr, Seratonin, Petey Williams, Senshi - that the two guys who hav been the breakout stars since day one should have been moved onto better things looong ago.
The four-way match was okay, but it was also only four minuts long. And Jo has now been completely shuffled back into the deck.
To those who say people wouldn't look; they wouldn't be interested; they're too complacent, indifferent and insulated, I can only reply: There is, in one reporter's opinion, considerable evidence against that contention. But even if they are right, what have they got to lose? Because if they are right, and this instrument is good for nothing but to entertain, amuse and insulate, then the tube is flickering now and we will soon see that the whole struggle is lost. This instrument can teach, it can illuminate; yes, and it can even inspire. But it can do so only to the extent that humans are determined to use it to those ends. Otherwise it is merely wires, and lights, in a box.-Edward R. Murrow
Originally posted by oldschoolheroThe four-way match was okay, but it was also only four minuts long. And Jo has now been completely shuffled back into the deck.
I'm tempted to say "just as Jarrett comes back." Joe sure seems to be downgraded to make room for the Jarrett/Angle/Sting/Christian story. I'm still bewildered as to the Jarrett adoration by the crowd. It's JJ; he screws people over. Have the fans learned nothing from his Horseman angle and multiple NWO runs? Why turn so hard on Angle so quickly?
If the Sonjay tantrum leads to a heel turn, good. At least they'll do something with him. He was the Impact MVP last year.
The Abyss punishment was as brutal and drawn out as any I can remember. And I like this slow pace to turn the character. This started months ago.
"To be the man, you gotta beat demands." -- The Lovely Mrs. Tracker
Personally I say put the X Division Title on Angle. Seriously if it's really not about weight limits and about no limits then why not? This would not only elevate the title but also appease another big name who might want a belt. Then have Angle run with the belt for a while to give it some cred. I'm not saying have him squash everybody, let guys like Low Ki, Shelley, Sabin, Lethal and Dutt have close matches with him but he comes out on top. Then pick which X Division you want to push hard and have him finally beat Angle.
I don't know about the Sabin/Shelley tag team myself. I said myself in the PPV thread that they had some of the best tag action in a while but I'm not sure how well they mesh with the other tag teams. I'm sure they can have an ROH type match with Homicide, but Hernandez? The Dudleys? VKM?
Originally posted by QuezzyPersonally I say put the X Division Title on Angle. Seriously if it's really not about weight limits and about no limits then why not?
There's no reason why not, which is my problem with the X Division. Try explaining the X Division to a non-fan (or a casual fan, or a new fan). How do you do it?
"It's not about weight limits, it's about no limits," but what does that mean? It's for the guys who try really hard? Well, that should be everyone on the roster. It's for the best wrestlers in the company? Then what's the world title for? It's for the guys who know how to really work? Try explaining that one in kayfabe terms.
It's not about size if Samoa Joe can be the X Division. It's not about style if Sonny Siaki can win the belt. The X title is not a runner-up to the world title (like the Intercontinental belt is on Raw) if only certain wrestlers can win it.
Really, I don't care what logic they use to define who gets into the X Division, as long as they say what the criteria is and they're consistent with it.
And if you think I can whine a lot about the inconsistencies here, don't even get me started on the WWE brand extension.
Originally posted by QuezzyPersonally I say put the X Division Title on Angle.
Oh, man, that'd be awesome.
I've been saying for some time that the X Division should ALWAYS have a big guy in it -- he doesn't need to be in the title hunt, he just needs to be someone who can demonstrate that it's not about size. (Samoa Joe, Sonny Siaki, and "X" have all filled this slot in the past.) Lance Hoyt, for example, would work.
In the old days, the X title was -- if not on a par with the World title -- not far behind. Killings went for the X title while he was world champ, IIRC. But they've gone out of their way to make it entirely incidental and turned the entire division into a joke.
They've got a ton of Main Eventers right now, which is kinda rare in the TNA universe. Shifting Angle over would be great -- it'll never ever happen, of course. Maybe Rhino? Of course, there doesn't need to be a "divide" between the divisions, either -- people used to drift back and forth more when the X Division wasn't such a "ghetto."
KJames' concerns are noted. For me it's kind of like, "I know it when I see it," but if anything it's being way too narrowly defined right now. It doesn't make sense that no one is barred from going for the title, it's just that no one cares.
Originally posted by QuezzyI don't know about the Sabin/Shelley tag team myself. I said myself in the PPV thread that they had some of the best tag action in a while but I'm not sure how well they mesh with the other tag teams. I'm sure they can have an ROH type match with Homicide, but Hernandez? The Dudleys? VKM?
Um, Hernandez is AWESOME. An LAX vs. Sabin/Shelley feud would be super super great.
As far as 3D and VKM go -- well, the problem is, who do THEY mesh with? If the issue is, "well, here's an awesome team, but they don't mesh with the old sucky teams," I know who I'D get rid of.
(If it was up to me, for instance, I'd hire Necro Butcher and Kimbo Slice and have them absolutely KILL 3D and send them packing. Yeah, they're not much younger, but they'd be a hell of a lot less stale.)
--K
Last 5 movies seen: Hedwig and the Angry Inch *** - Smokin' Aces **1/2 - The Last King of Scotland *** - Notes on a Scandal *** - The Ballad of the Sad Cafe *1/2
Don't get me wrong, I love Hernandez and he could toss Sabin and Shelley around like rag dolls, I'm just not sure how their offense would look against Hernandez, I don't know. I've never really seen many matches where Hernandez has wrestled X Division guys or Shelley and Sabin have wrestled bigger guys. I'd be willing to get it a shot. I certainly like Hernandez better than the Dudleys, VKM, or any big guys in TNA.
Of course you're right about the tag division. Nobody really meshes with the Dudleys and VKM and if awesome tag teams can't mesh with them then they should be the ones to go. But just like Angle being in the X Division, that is obviously never gonna happen.
Man I'd love to have Triple X (or any 2 out of the 3) and AMW back to go with Shelley/Sabin, LAX and even Serantonin. It's a shame that AMW was broken up for what has been a very bad feud, it should've been a very easy paint by numbers feud. And I don't know what's up with Daniels, if it eventually leads to Sting vs. Daniels I could dig that but why is Daniels wearing Sting stuff and they aren't interacting in any way? It's pretty frustrating because I actually like Daniels even more than Joe and AJ.
Abyss got a nasty gash at the Lethal Lockdown match so I'm guessing it was the same gash that got reopened. That guy takes a ton of punishment in all those hardcore matches.
It is Jarret's wife that he took a break for, she has had cancer for several years but I haven't heard anything new in a while so I'm not sure if something in particular happened that made him decide to take some time off.
According to 411 a week or two ago, Jarrett's wife is not doing well. (Apologies -- I don't remember where they got it from, or the details -- I think maybe it was pneumonia, due to her immune system being shot.)
--K
Last 5 movies seen: Steven Wright: When the Leaves Blow Away *** - 10 Items or Less *** - Hedwig and the Angry Inch ***1/2 - Smokin' Aces **1/2 - The Last King of Scotland ***
Too add more to the Mad TV-Wrestling connection: I forgot Joanie "Chyna" Lauer was also on. I remember she was in this REAL FUNNY skit which had some random dude play Michael Cole and he was interviewing Chyna (as herself)