The Specialists
No Surrender 2008 Preview by Wilkenfeld
Sep 14, 2008 - 12:23:03 AM |
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By: Daniel Wilkenfeld, PWTorch Contributor
We're living in one of the most exciting times in TNA history. That is, we're living in one of the most exciting times, provided that you're following of TNA consists of watching the various contract negotiations on PWTorch. If you've actually tried watching the program lately, things aren't quite panning out that way. Sting's dramatic semi-heel turn was anything but dramatic, and hence only slightly more dramatic than the return of Jeff Jarrett. The TNA website is now hinting that Mick Foley's presence will be felt at No Surrender which, given their recent track record, I assume will take the form of him walking on camera and eating a sandwich. Oh well—as always, TNA has left the door wide open for their wrestlers to bail them out of some awful booking with good matches, so we can hope.
Daniel's YTD = 56/90 = .622
Rachael's YTD = 41/68 = .603
Samoa Joe (c) vs. Booker T vs. Christian Cage vs. Kurt Angle
World Heavyweight Championship Match
Where We've Been:
Samoa Joe defeated Kurt Angle back in April, and, because of a neck injury, Angle never really got his rematch. Instead, Joe has been feuding with Booker T, who he absolutely, positively, cannot beat, unless you count the times when they're in the ring together. On all of those occasions, Booker's pretty much gotten his ass kicked. Angle and Booker T have formed an alliance to take out the young whippersnappers, and are supported at least in spirit by Sting, who thinks that veterans should be shown respect. Joe has promised that he won't be coming to No Surrender alone, and since he and Nash recently parted ways, the assumption is that he has backup coming in the form of one King of the Mountain. Christian's involved because, well, it's a PPV in Canada.
Where We're Going:
Despite AJ and Angle having a show stealing match last month, the post-match shenanigans and current involvement of AJ with Frank Trigg speaks to that feud continuing. I'd be all for doing it with the title, but I'm not optimistic about that happening. Booker has been as near to the title as he has any business being, and while I'd be happy with a Christian Cage title win, he's been so far from the main event lately he has to pay long-distance charges just to appear in tonight's match. So I expect Booker to pair off against Jarrett, Angle to pair off against AJ, Joe to match up with Sting, and Cage to be sad.
Daniel's Pick: Samoa Joe, with an assist from Jarrett taking out Booker T, and an assist from AJ taking out Angle.
Rachael's Pick: Christian Cage. They should give him the title to keep him from leaving.
Beer Money (w/Jacqueline) (c) vs. LAX
Tag Team Championship Match
Where We've Been:
These two teams had been feuding without rhyme or reason for a couple months, till Beer Money finally won a match at Hard Justice. In so doing, they nailed Homicide in the eye with a beer bottle. In the ensuing weeks, a ticked off Hernandez beat up both Roode & Storm with both hands tied behind his back, and two weeks ago an eye-patch-wearing Homicide made his triumphant return to help out. This past week they forgot all about this match, lest they take away time from the First Annual Beautiful People's Beauty Pageant. No, I'm serious.
Where We're Going:
Assuming they're not breaking LAX up, LAX should never be more than spitting distance from the gold. There aren't really any other heel challengers on the horizon, so this one has another month left in it.
Daniel's Pick: LAX. The easiest way to stretch the feud to BFG would be to split the victories and make October the rubber match. Yes, I realize that means forgetting LAX's two victories in July, but trust me, TNA already has.
Rachael's Pick: LAX.
Petey Williams (c) vs. Consequences Creed vs. Sheik Abdul Bashir
X Division Championship Match
Where We've Been:
For those just tuning in, Sheik Abdul Bashir is Daivari channeling Mohamed Hassan (a part which he probably should have gotten in the first place). He started off semi-reasonable, but in the last few weeks has veered off into cartoon-villain territory. Such is life. He has been assaulting Consequences Creed because of Creed's red, white, and blue trunks. This led to Creed losing two title matches to Williams, who did not seem to welcome the assist. Two weeks ago Creed and Bashir had a #1 contender's match, which Creed won after TNA referee Shane Seoul reversed a decision. An irate Bashir later came to blows with Seoul, who proved surprisingly adept at fighting back (and is not, incidentally, listed on the TNA website as a referee). To accommodate Bashir for what Earl Hebner considered partial officiating, he was added to this match as well.
Where We're Going:
If the X Division Title still means something, it shouldn't go to Bashir—he's done nothing to earn it yet. Creed hasn't either really, but at least he seems to have a connection with the crowd. Petey is awesome, but has been somewhat rudderless since he lost Big Poppa Pump.
Both Picks: Consequences Creed.
AJ Styles vs. Frank Trigg
MMA Match
Where We've Been:
AJ Styles has been feuding with Kurt Angle for about three months, and in all that time Kurt has had support from his best friend Frank Trigg. AJ somewhat exacerbated the problem when he accidentally beat the snot out of Trigg one day after mistaking him for Kurt Angle.
Where We're Going:
They could have ended the AJ-Kurt saga after AJ's dramatic win last month, but this match seems to indicate that that's not happening. That's cool though, particularly as Karen seems to have fallen completely off both men's radar.
Both Picks: Frank Trigg. Akebono doesn't job in a sumo match, and Trigg is not jobbing in an MMA-style fight.
Sonjay Dutt vs. Jay Lethal
Ladder of Love Match
Where We've Been:
This is still fallout from Dutt ruining Lethal's wedding to SoCal Val at Slammiversary. Val, seeming to find a moral equivalence between the two men, proposed this match to determine once and for all who will "win" her. As I said last month, she's either heel or a complete moron.
Where We're Going:
Thankfully, where we're going seems much more promising than where we're coming from. This should be a stellar match, and once the Val issue is settled these two can have a sweet blow-out grudge match next month sans needless distractions.
Daniel's Pick: Sonjay Dutt.
Rachael's Pick: Lethal.
Taylor Wilde (c) vs. Angelina Love
Women's Championship Match
Where We've Been:
Angelina Love has been pinned cleanly at each of the last two PPV's, but someone finally remembered that unless they want to give the belt back to Kong she's the only heel they've got. So here we are. Last week Taylor Wilde beat Love in a beauty pageant, after showing off what to my untrained ear sounded like some impressive chops on the drum to seal the talent competition.
Where We're Going:
Assuming they want to keep Kong with ODB for a little while, this feud can't end too decisively. Then again, I have the feeling we're in for a massive gauntlet type match at BFG anyway, so it probably doesn't matter much who gets the nod here.
Both Picks: Taylor Wilde
Abyss & Matt Morgan vs. Team 3D
Where We've Been:
Abyss made his triumphant return two months ago, fighting the forces of evil, which generally took the form of Team 3D. He kept preventing them from putting away Christian and Rhino, and then made an assist when they randomly took up Matt Morgan's open challenge. Morgan and Abyss shared a hearty handshake. That's about it.
Where We're Going:
Team 3D doesn't really have much else going on, and I have the distinct feeling that they have no clue what to do with either Morgan or Abyss. I guess that means we get some other iteration of this next month?
My Pick: Morgan & Abyss
The Rock & Rave Infection vs. The Prince Justice Brotherhood
Where We've Been:
This feud began a few weeks ago when The Prince Justice Brotherhood tried to issue The Infection a noise complaint (I say again: no, seriously). The rockers took this oddly personally, and the next week used Christy Hemme to bait Curry Man into an ambush. Cornette, wanting to take advantage of the fact that they won't be on Spike TV, booked this match with Christy in it.
Where We're Going:
I assume all five of the men here will be involved in some massive X Division wackiness next month, and they're just treading water till then.
Daniel's Pick: The Prince Justice Brotherhood
Rachael's Pick: The Rock & Rave Infection
ODB vs. Awesome Kong (w/Raesha Saeed)
Falls Count Anywhere Match
Where We've Been:
Since losing her title, a ticked off Kong has been squishing everything that moves. A couple weeks ago ODB got sick of it, and unleashed such a brutal attack that, for the first time, Awesome Kong was forced into a retreat. Since then Kong has wanted none of ODB.
Where We're Going:
I'm expecting a multi-woman brawl next month, so it doesn't much matter. Otherwise, they could run this for a couple months.
Both Picks: Awesome Kong
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