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It's time for TNA's third biggest PPV of the year, after Bound for Glory and Slammiversary. Last month they had very little build-up but some very good wrestling. Since then we've had a month of TV that ranged from fairly dull to decent, with sadly a bit more of the former than the latter. We've also had WrestleMania XXIV, which reminded me of what a great PPV looks like, so many of us might be coming in with a bit higher standards than usual. They're compensating with a fairly legitimate double main event. If they deliver as well on the wrestling this month as they did last month, this should actually be quite a show. Anything less than a great effort, though, and this PPV will whither in the shadow of Mania and a bunch of mediocre Impacts.

Daniel's YTD Average = 38/57 = .667
Rachael's YTD Average = 27/40 = .675

Kurt Angle (c) vs. Samoa Joe
World Heavyweight Championship vs. Career Match

Where We've Been: This is almost certainly the longest standing feud in TNA. Upon Kurt Angle's arrival a year and a half ago he immediately butted heads with Samoa Joe (literally as well as figuratively), and since then they've had three okay matches and one incredibly good one (their second). This feud's been on the back burner since August, when Kurt Angle beat Samoa Joe to briefly unify every TNA title. Prior to that match, Kurt Angle feigned a break-up with his wife, who came to the match as Joe's guest only to turn on him. Over the last month Kurt has once again supposedly separated from his wife, and while it might be kind of funny if Joe fell for the exact same trick twice, it would not do great things for his credibility. Joe got this title shot by playing contractual hardball with TNA management, but has since said that he will only sign the contract after he wins the title—if he loses (or, more precisely, if he doesn't win the belt) he's done with professional wrestling. For the last month he's been off training with MMA fighters.

Where We're Going: Scott Steiner has announced that he will be cashing in his Feast or Fired title shot next month at Sacrifice. If that match actually happens as a one-on-one encounter I'll be surprised, but it's probably safe to expect Steiner to be in the mix somehow. They've invested a lot in Angle's heelish character, and I wouldn't think they'd want to risk him getting cheered over Steiner. Moreover, when I anticipated that this would be a career vs. title match two months ago, I pointed out that there are only two ways such matches can end—with the predictable triumph of the face or with something incredibly stupid. I suppose they could have Joe lose and come back as a lying heel (this could actually be fun, especially if he gets a lawyer to undo the contract he signed with Angle), but short of that I can't think of any vaguely non-idiotic way to back out of Joe's promise to leave professional wrestling if he doesn't win the title here. I'm guessing we're looking at a triple-threat next month, with Joe defending.

My Pick: Samoa Joe
Rachael's Pick: Samoa Joe. "Lame."

Christian Cage, Sting, Matt Morgan, Rhino, & Kevin Nash vs. Tomko, AJ Styles, James Storm, & Team 3D
Lethal Lockdown Match

Where We've Been: Christian Cage was hunting Kurt Angle's world title from the end of November till the end of February, during which time his two lackeys Styles and Tomko actually managed to turn on him twice each. Tomko seemed to be the one that hurt him the most, as he previously made a show of staying neutral. Last month Cage helped Samoa Joe pick up a win over the newly formed Angle Alliance, and so now Christian and Tomko are captaining their own teams in a Lethal Lockdown match-up. Nash is left over from Christian's alliance with Joe last month, and Rhino was approached as the newly face Christian Cage tried to mend his ways. Sting returned to much fanfare to see the new Christian and team with his old sometimes-ally Kevin Nash, and Matt Morgan jumped at the chance Christian offered him of actually getting a shot in the ring. Tomko recruited his tag team partner AJ styles, and Team 3D signed on essentially as mercenaries. James Storm showed up a few weeks ago to attack Sting because he couldn't stand the fact that Sting's return was garnering so much attention.

Where We're Going: So far Christian hasn't had a singles program with either Styles or Tomko, so presumably we're building towards one of those. Since he's the opposing team captain, I expect that Tomko is on deck. AJ might drift towards Kurt Angle as they feud over Karen, particularly if they're willing to let next month's main event be Joe vs. Steiner. I guess that leaves Morgan and Rhino to feud with Team 3D, and I'd be happy to see Storm and Sting do a short program.

My pick: Team Cage. The faces almost always win these things.
Rachael's pick: Team Cage. Though she does point out the plot benefits of giving Tomko a win here.

Jay Lethal (c) vs. Sonjay Dutt vs. Curry Man vs. Shark Boy vs. Consequences Creed vs. Johnny Devine
X-Scape Match for the X Division Championship

Where We've Been: There are four threads here that have been lumped together with virtually no relation. The major story of the match is that while Jay Lethal is courting SoCal Val his best friend Sonjay Dutt keeps cropping up and interfering. I think I've said every month for the last year that Sonjay Dutt has a heel turn coming, so who knows when that'll actually hit. Also, we can hope he gets rid of his ridiculous and possibly racist "guru" gimmick. The second story is that Consequences Creed, after a week or two of video vignettes, made his Impact debut this past Thursday and won a spot in this match. The vignettes were very good, and I really liked his performance at Bound for Glory, so he could be someone to watch. Third, Johnny Devine is there to continue Team 3D's quest to destroy the X Division. Finally, both members of the tag team Shark Boy & Curry Man got in because the Impact Zone loves them—it'll be interesting to see how well that translates to Boston.

Where We're Going: One would assume that eventually they will do Dutt-Lethal as a serious feud, though when that will be is anybody's guess. I wouldn't mind Creed being pushed into the title picture relatively soon, but I would think a month or two to get over with the crowd would probably make sense first.

My Pick: Sonjay Dutt. If Johnny Devine got to be X Division Champion than Dutt is long overdue.
Rachael's Pick: Jay Lethal

Booker T. & Sharmell vs. Robert Roode & Payton Banks

Where We've Been: Three months ago Sharmell started getting in Robert Roode's face for how he treated Ms. Brooks just as Roode was getting in Booker's face for taking his spot on the roster. The result was a mixed-tag match, at the end of which Roode accidentally punched Sharmell in the face. Since then Booker T's been out for blood, and last month Sharmell made her triumphant return to attack Robert Roode. Unfortunately she also attacked security, a few referees, and Jim Cornette, so as punishment she was booked to be in this month's mixed tag match.

Where We're Going: This feud has been going for four months—I was surprised they managed to keep me interested for two. I'd like to say that things will end here, but unfortunately I don't see what's in store next for either man, so I fear we might have one more month of this before a blow-off one-on-one match.

My Pick: Booker T & Sharmell. They wouldn't really make Booker job twice in a row to Roode, would they?
Rachael's Pick: Booker T & Sharmell

Awesome Kong & Raisha Saeed vs. Gail Kim & ODB

Where We've Been: Kong has been crushing her opponents since she took the Knockouts' Championship off Gail Kim, sometimes cleanly and sometimes with the assistance of her manager Raisha Saeed. Unfortunately, now that she's crushed the only two credible challengers, they have to kill some time before giving one of them another shot or developing someone new from the undercard. Kim and ODB have had a hard time working together, but claim to be united in their desire to take down Kong and Saeed.

Where We're Going: You would think it would be time to promote a fourth woman to the upper ranks, but I doubt TNA has any idea who will work. They've created such a divide between the top three and everyone else that I think we'll have at least one more month with some permutation of these three, possibly leading to Kong dropping the title so that they can credibly give someone else a chance.

My Pick: Kim & ODB. It makes sense for them to take out Saeed this month so that one of them can win the title at Sacrifice.
Rachael's Pick: Kim & ODB

Kip James vs. BG James

Where We've Been: BG and Kip were of course one of the more successful tag teams of the late 90s and early 00s. When Kip came to TNA they immediately started working together, much to the chagrin of BG's then-allies in the 3 Live Kru. After a couple years of that, they finally got a title shot a few months ago at Feast or Fired, but BG, who technically held the contract, decided to fulfill a dream of his and cash it in with his father. They lost, after which Kip turned on BG and his father Bullet Bob for stupidly throwing away their show at the title. For the last month they've been showing quick fake-shoot interviews about how their relationship deteriorated.

Where We've Been: I don't know how well this feud will play. On the one hand, it does have a nice bit of history behind it. On the other hand, neither one of them can wrestle so well anymore, and only one of them could ever talk. I would think this should be a one-shot deal—it'll seem less important every time they do this match, and it doesn't feel all that important to begin with. I doubt TNA will see it that way though.

My Pick: BG James. Bullet Bob could get involved here.
Rachael's Pick: Kip James

LAX vs. The Rock & Rave Infection vs. The Motor City Machine Guns vs. Black Reign & Rellik vs. Kaz & Eric Young vs. Petey Williams & Scott Steiner
Cuffed in the Cage Match

Where We've Been: There's a bit of crisscrossing here. LAX are the #1 contenders for the Tag Team Championships, which they won over The Guns and The Infection. The Infection have formed a small alliance with Reign & Rellik, which amight prove funny. Kaz & Eric Young have been working to overcome EY's fear of monsters, and in so doing they unleashed Young's alter-ego, Super Eric. Scott Steiner has been "initiating" Petey Williams for months, in moments that have ranged from uncomfortable to really boring.

Where We've Been: Steiner is moving on to bigger things, at least for a few weeks, and I assume he's bringing Petey with him. Other than that, the only team out of this match with a clear trajectory is LAX, who at some point are owed a tag-team title shot. The rest don't much matter.

My Pick: Scott Steiner & Petey Williams. I doubt Steiner would lose a throwaway match right before challenging for the World Heavyweight Championship.
Rachael's Pick: LAX

Angelina Love vs. Velvet Sky vs. Roxxi Leveaux vs. Ms. Jackie vs. Tracie Brooks vs. Christy Hemme vs. Salinas vs. Rhaka Khan
Queen of the Cage Match

Where We've Been: The only people who have a feud going into this match are The Beautiful People Velvet Sky & Angelina Love and Roxxi Leveaux. She warned Love that Kong was going to hurt her, and when they tried to "thank" her by giving her a makeover, things didn't go well. Everyone else came out and just started brawling for no discernible reason.

Where We're Going: I'm actually slightly looking forward to see what some of these women can do. As I said, the women's division could use some new blood at the top, and this seems like the place for one or several of these women to step up.

My Pick: Roxxi Leveaux
Rachael's Pick: Christy Hemme. She admits that it's not the most likely, but thinks Christy should get credit for being the first in the show to point out that maybe the women should be allowed to really wrestle.

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