No Holds Barred STING vs. WORLD CHAMPION BOBBY ROODE This feud has been booked fairly well and has months of build. Roode is coming off the promo of his career on Impact which gave him some momentum and added some good heat going into this match. The feud really is a placeholder until we get to Roode-Storm at Lockdown. Roode has been booked as a extremely weak champion and badly needs a win as he has done a bunch of jobs in tag matches and has been ended the last three Impacts on his back. Sting has done a good job as a authority figure, but when he has gotten into Joker mode it has been a bit embarrassing. Sting is still capable of having good matches, as he has had really good matches with guys like Styles, Jarrett, Joe, and Angle among others. Roode is a solid in ring performer and the fact that it is a no holds barred should help Sting out with his deficiencies at this stage of his career. Roode loses this match and he is€™s pretty much fubared and has no cred going into his match with Storm at Lockdown. I would love to see Roode go over clean, but that is doubtful. Roode at times has been aligned with Bully Ray and Austin Aries so I predict one of them interferes in the match helping Roode win. I suspect it will be Ray which sets up both guys being in the Lethal Lockdown match at Lockdown.
Jeff Hardy v. Kurt Angle This feud has been pretty weak. Angle cost Hardy his match against Roode on Impact a month ago or so, and did not explain why for a few weeks before explaining that he hates Hardy because his son idolizes Hardy instead of him. This feud has really played a backdrop to trying to prop up Garrett Bischoff the last few weeks with the tag match last week on Impact and the five minute challenge this week between Bischoff and Angle. Angle has jobbed a ton the last few months and got beat by Hardy in the tag match a few weeks ago. I predict Angle wins this one via nefarious means either setting up a rematch at Lockdown or having both guys captaining a team in the Lethal Lockdown match. This should be a fairly good match, as Hardy seems more clear headed and healthier while Angle is Angle.
AJ Styles & Mr. Anderson vs. Christopher Daniels & Kazarian This feud seems like It has been never ending and now the always obnoxious Mr. Anderson has been added to this feud. The story was that Daniels had something on Kaz and that is why Kaz turned heel and now Kaz is a full fledged heel for whatever reason and They are talking about him having Stockholm syndrome. Yup this feuds a mess. Anderson beat Daniels this past week in a pretty good match carried by Daniels obviously. This should be a pretty good match because three out of the four guys in the match are tremendous workers. I have totally lost interest in this feud and am not happy Anderson is back. I wish they would do more with Styles say have him feud with Aries for the X Division title and put Daniels in the tag team division and have them feud with Magnus and Joe. If Russo was booking it would be a lock for a swerve here with Anderson turn heel on Styles. I will predict that Styles and Anderson pick up the win here, but get beat down after the match.
Bully Ray vs. James Storm Both these guys are awesome with Ray being the best heel in wrestling and Storm really being a very strong face. These two guys are great on the mic and I have really enjoyed the feud and their matches. The story here is that Ray feels he is the real number one contender and says Storm will not make it to Lockdown. I think both guys are very deserving to be world champion and I think they both will get title reigns this year. I think this will be a very good match with Storm winning to go strong into his title match at Lockdown.
World Tag Team Championship Samoa Joe & Magnus vs. Matt Morgan & Crimson Boy are the tag titles dead. Joe and Magnus are a fun team with a ton of potential, but they have no real other tag teams. Morgan and Crimson are a boring tag team that seem to be on the verge of breaking up on a weekly basis. Crimson seems to be going heel while Morgan seemed to be staying face to set up a feud between them, but this past week Morgan was acting heelish in helping Crimson beat Joe so who knows. I suspect that Joe and Magnus go over here and move on while Morgan and Crimson implode and have a feud no one cares about.
X Division Championship Match Austin Aries (c) vs. Zema Ion Aries is an awesome heel who needs a strong babyface to play off of, and Ion is another heel. I wish we would be getting a rematch between Aries and Shelley instead of this match nothing against Ion who has potential. This should be a good match, but probably will be heatless because the fans have no one to cheer for. I would bet Aries wins this one and hopefully moves on to feuding with Shelley again.
Knockouts Championship Match Gail Kim (c) vs. Madison Rayne Another heel vs heel match up here. I do not€™t care for this feud and wish Gail would turn face and feud with Sarita or stay a heel and feud with Mickie again as they have had good matches in the past. I predict Gail will win this one.
Plus, Television Champion Robbie E has an open challenge
I do not really care about this one. The belt should dropped as should Robbie E. Last month Robbie took on Moore in an underwhelming match at AAO and with Devon added to the house show schedule I would guess he will be the mystery opponent and job to Robbie.
"The Insane Icon" Sting vs. World Champion Bobby Roode No Holds Barred, Non-title Bobby is a magnificent bastard, but he has little reason to pull out all stops to win a non-title match. Ray interferes, because you can't have a main event without Bully Ray. Joker/Ray at Lockdown. Winner: Sting
"The Charismatic Enigma" Jeff Hardy v. "Future Two Time Olympic Gold Medalist" Kurt Angle Winner becomes the sole idol of Kurt Angle's kids Angle is distracted with his Olympic training and Angle Foods. Hardy is the sure winner unless he gets distracted by a snake eating his phone and/or dog. Winner: Jeff Hardy
"The Phenomenal" AJ Styles & Mr. Anderson "...Anderson" vs. "The Fallen Angel" Christopher Daniels & "Perennial Nice Guy" Kazarian Winners get the right to use the name Fortune in my imagination Daniels is always good to take the pin. I would love to see Daniels/Kaz win, but that's not going to happen. Winners: Styles and Anderson
"Calf-zilla" Bully Ray vs. "The Cowboy" James Storm Number One Contender's Match in "Calf-Zilla's" Imagination Normally, I expect Calf-Zilla to be unstoppable, but The Cowboy has a really sweet kick. Winner: James Storm
"The Blueprint" Matt Morgan & "The Undefeated" Crimson versus "The Samoan Submission Machine" Samoa Joe and "Surprisingly Competant" Brutus Magnus (c) WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP Finally the Unstoppable Morgan/Crimson have been stopped. I don't expect them to be unstopped. Joe avoids losing when Brutus gets the victory. Morgan ends the streak at Slamiversery, after failing to do so at Lockdown. Winners: Joe/Magnus who need a team name
"Hairspraying" Zema Ion vs. "Record-setting" Austin Aries (c) X DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIP Someone mysteriously throws a football at Ion, which knocks him out. Winner: Austin Aries
"Queen Bee" Madison Rayne vs. "Empress Bee" Gail Kim (c) KNOCKOUT'S CHAMPIONSHIP Hopefully they stay friends after this is over. Melina is on the horizon. Winner: Gail Kim
"Unknown" Open Challenger vs. "Big" Robbie E. (c) w/"Bigger" Robbie T. TELEVISION CHAMPIONSHIP The TV title needs to be defended on TV more. That said, the awesome Robbie E. retains in an awesome manner. Woo woo woo, you know it. Winner: Robbie E.
Next month, Angelina and Winter conduct an occult ritual to bring John Morrison back to life. He attacks James Storm after Storm wins the title at Lockdown, and they have a title match at Sacrifice or Slamiversery.
This should be a fairly good match, as Hardy seems more clear headed and healthier
Famous last words
"It breaks your heart. It is designed to break your heart. The game begins in the spring, when everything else begins again, and it blossoms in the summer, filling the afternoons and evenings, and then as soon as the chill rains come, it stops and leaves you to face the fall alone." --- Bart Giamatti, on baseball
Oh I'm not a big believer in him and wouldn't be shocked if he crashes and burns again. I would have fired him last year after Victory Road. I hope he stays on a straight arrow, but I'm not expecting him to even with all the positive reports on how much he's changed.
Hm, Robbie E has an open challenge and Garrett Bischoff is suspiciously absent from the card?
I smell a new television champion because, why not. The TV championship means about as much as the tag titles and the Knockouts title, these days.
It's also sad when JEFF HARDY is described as the more clear-headed and healthier of two people.
Sting vs. Roode: Unless they're completely stupid, Roode will win since they're building toward Roode and Storm (and Sting with the belt makes no sense). I'm sure that Roode will get the weakest win possible, though, given his history as champion.
Angle vs. Hardy: Wow, I really don't care about either of these guys - how far have they fallen. Hardy will probably win since the teen girls in the audience heads will probably explode if he doesn't.
AJ/Anderson vs. Daniels/Kaz: I think that Anderson is the most annoying person ever but there's no way Daniels or Kaz win.
James Storm vs. Bully Ray: Obviously Storm already has a shot next month against Roode - they're obviously building for that. He wins.
Joe/Magnus vs. Crimson/Morgan: Remember when the tag division was hailed as one of the best things of TNA? Yeaaah. Joe and Magnus win then go on to feud against the Lighting guy and the concession vendor, since they have no tag teams left.
Aries vs. Ion: I agree this should have been Shelley instead of Ion because I couldn't care less about Ion. Aries will win - geez, how far the X-Division, like the tag division, has fallen.
Kim vs. Rayne: Gail Kim because why not? Knockouts division: see tag team and X-Division comments.
Robbie E vs ??? As stated above, Garrett Bischoff wins the belt that nobody cares about.
Roode over Sting after Bischoff-terference. Storm over Bully Ray Hardy over Angle Joe/Magnus over Morgan/Crimson when they actually pin Crimson. Morgan and Crimson break up the next Thursday on Impact. AJ/Anderson over Daniels/Kaz Kim over Rayne Aries over Ion (this is the only match where I am passionate about wanting someone to win. Fuck Ion.) Robbie E over whoever he faces (my prediction is Robbie T takes the challenge)
"Put on your helmets, we'll be reaching speeds of 3!" "It was nice of you to give that dead woman another chance." "All right, look alive everybody...oh sorry Susan."- MST3K: Space Mutiny Click Here (facebook.com)
"The Insane Icon" Sting vs. World Champion Bobby Roode No Holds Barred, Non-title Hard to say. Never underestimate TNA's hard on for Sting. But all logic says Roode wins if they want the match with Storm to mean anything.Winner: Roode
"The Charismatic Enigma" Jeff Hardy v. "Future Two Time Olympic Gold Medalist" Kurt Angle
Coin flip. I still hate Hardy, but TNA continues to go back to him like an abused housewife. Winner: Jeff Hardy
"The Phenomenal" AJ Styles & Mr. Anderson vs. "The Fallen Angel" Christopher Daniels & Kazarian
No brainer. Daniels never wins. Winners: Styles and Anderson
Bully Ray vs. "The Cowboy" James Storm
Both guys are doing great stuff right now. Never thought I'd look forward to Ray being on my TV. But again, they want Roode Vs Storm. Winner: James Storm
"The Blueprint" Matt Morgan & Crimson versus "The Samoan Submission Machine" Samoa Joe and Brutus Magnus WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP All signs point to Crimson and Morgan feuding. Winners: Joe/Magnus
Zema Ion vs. Austin Aries (c) X DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIP Now that they've mentioned that Aries is the longest running X-Division champ, I don't expect him to drop the strap until it's a big deal. Winner: Austin Aries
Madison Rayne vs. Gail Kim (c) KNOCKOUT'S CHAMPIONSHIP Interesting that we have two heel vs heel matches. I think that Aries might start a face turn, but these ladies are too good as baddies. Winner: Kim
Open Challenger vs. Robbie E. (c) TELEVISION CHAMPIONSHIP If the challenger is a gag celeb like Jason Hervey, Robbie retains. If it is an actual wrestler, he drops it. I expect a debut of someone (Morrison?) Winner: Myster Man (Do I get bonus points if it's Morrison?).
I didn't mind the show...but would it have hurt to have booked a title change for the show? And why didn't they have RAW out there this year? I mean...Smackdown was there last year. All in all, it was a good show. JBL totally RULED in his promo.