RADICAN'S TAKE RADICAN'S DVD REVIEW: TNA Turning Point 2007 Mar 9, 2008 - 10:02:45 AM

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By Sean Radican, PWTorch columnist

TNA Turning Point 2007 (DVD)
Dec. 2, 2007
Orlando, Fla.
By Sean Radican, PWTorch Columnist

-The opening segment with Angle and Styles was funny and everyone played off each other well.

(1) Team 3D & Johnny Devine beat The MCMG & Jay Lethal in a Tables match. This was pretty good as far as these type of matches go. Team 3D did a good job of playing the bullies in this match and the MCMG got to show off some really nice maneuvers. Unfortunately, the director once again missed a lot of the high-flying spots and had the camera in the wrong place. I don’t understand how this happens. The finish with Team 3D switching Devine and Lethal on top of the broken table was well-done and logically continues the feud. (***1/4)

-Everybody hates everybody: Kevin Nash and Samoa Joe were interviewed backstage. Of course, Joe got mad at Nash while he’s explaining why Scott Hall isn’t there. Nash one-upped Joe when he called him Triple S (Super Serious Samoan).

(2) Laveaux Angelina Love & Velvet Sky beat ODB & Roxxi. This match made me feel dirty just watching it, as the smut factor was high. ODB is just a scary broad. The match itself was alright, but I could have done without the headbutts into ODB’s crotch spot. This match was too campy and went against the family-friendly product TNA presents when they put on live events. All you need to know is that Velvet Sky was selling her crotch after this match was over (*)

-Jeremy Borash met Angle backstage in front of Christian’s locker room. He is good in his role interacting with Angle and questioning him. It was hilarious when Borash told Angle he does deep breathing exercises with his wife. Angle asks Christian to join his faction. Of course, Cage said no and told Angle to hit the bricks. Cage was funny when he told Robert Roode to follow his lead after Roode was congratulating him for the way he talked to Angle.

(3) James Storm (w/Ms. Jackie) vs. Eric Young. They showed Storm and Ms. Jackie backstage prior to the match. Jackie told him she didn’t want him to drink until after the match. West said on commentary during the match that not drinking until after the match will give him focus, which made me groan. Storm beat on Young forever and worked his arm on the mat. Young made a comeback and sold his arm each time he landed a maneuver on Storm. The finish saw Jackie accidentally spit beer into Storm’s face. Storm grabbed the beer from Jackie and drank it. He then tried to hit Young with it, but the ref stopped him and Young rolled him up for the pin. This was okay. (**1/2)

-Tenay and West previewed the rest of the card.

-LAX was interviewed backstage. Homicide said they would take what they wanted in the Feast or Fired match.

(4) 15 Man Feast or Fired match: West and Tenay explained before the match in order to win the briefcase you had to be holding it with 2 feet on the ground outside of the ring. There were a ton of wrestlers in the ring. Then they all went to the outside and Petey Williams managed to get a case and land with both feet on the ground. Chris Harris just stood on the outside, as Tenay and West said he didn’t want to get fired. Kip James got a briefcase, but ended up being surrounded by several men inside the ring, so he threw it to B.G. James, who was on the outside. Senshi got a briefcase and jumped to the floor, which left one briefcase left up for grabs. Harris ended up coming into the ring and clotheslining Daniels. He told Shark Boy to go for a briefcase and then turned on him when he climbed the poll. Can anybody get along in this promotion? Christopher Daniels grabbed the last case but Hernandez cut him off. Daniels ended up hitting him with the case, but Kip James cut him off. Scott Steiner grabbed the briefcase and took it to the floor. This was really a bad concept to watch unfold on my TV screen. (n/a)

--A good highlight package aired for the Gail Kim-Awesome Kong match.

-Gail Kim was interviewed backstage by Cristal. Kim said she takes pride in being a champion and all Kong takes pride in is hurting people. Kim said she would stoop down to Kong’s level tonight. Kim said the only way Kong would win the title from her would be to kill her. That was a good promo.

(5) TNA Knockout Champion Gail Kim vs. Awesome Kong. Kim was really good in her role as the undersized babyface champion. Kong attacked her as she made her ring entrance, but Kim fired right back on the outside and showed some really good facial expressions. Kong continued to beat on Kim inside the ring. Kim made several brief comebacks, but couldn’t sustain any offense on Kong. The crowd really got into the match and began chanting for both women after several minutes of action. Kim hit a flurry offense, but was unable to send Kong down until she hit a missile dropkick to Kong’s head. Kim then hit a senton for a nearfall and the crowd counted along and groaned when Kong kicked out. Kong choked Kim in the corner with her boot and the ref admonished her. Kong ended up shoving the ref over the he threw the match out. This was great while it lasted, but short. (**1/2)

-Kong hit a sitdown powerbomb on the ref after the match. Velvet Sky ran out and attacked Kong, but got choke slammed for her troubles. Angelina Love brought a steel chair down to the ring, but Kong punched it into her face. The crowd chanted for ODB, but she didn’t come out. Kong picked up Kim and then powerbombed her on the steel chair. This was a great post-match angle. Kong came off like a total monster, as it took several members of security to pull her off of Kim.

-A series of highlights from the Kim-Kong matched aired.

-Styles was yelling at Angle backstage. He said he wanted to be on Angle and Christian’s team. Everyone started yelling at each other backstage. Karen said she thinks they can turn Joe against Hall & Nash. Angle said he would go talk to Joe. Styles questioned Angle and his ability to sway Joe. Angle told Styles to let the captain do his job.

-A highlight package for the 10,000 Thumbtacks match aired set to Christmas music.

-Crystal interviewed Black Reign in his backstage area. He liked Misty the rat. Reign welcomed Raven & Abyss to their nightmare.

Tenay and West announced Rhino wasn’t in attendance, so Raven would take his place.

(6) 10,000 Tacks match: Black Reign & Rellik vs. Abyss & Raven. Raven hit a dive to the outside taking out the other 3 men in the match and both teams brawled into the crowd. Abyss used Reign’s darkness falls weapon on Reign (the sharp pointed side). Rellik came at Abyss with a chair, but he elbowed it into his face. Reign came up bleeding. Reign cut Abyss off and threw him head-first through a chair set up in-between the turnbuckles and Abyss came up bleeding. Rellik put some tacks into Raven’s mouth and punched him across the face several times. Raven came up bleeding from the mouth. All of this blood for seemingly nothing is just another example of the dark and unnecessary elements that seem to creep in on TNA PPVs. Abyss hit a black hole slam on Abyss through a pile of tacks set up in the ring to win the match. (**)

Comments: I don’t agree with TNA’s decision to put matches like this on their PPV month after month. They’re unnecessarily violent and put the wrestlers at risk. Abyss would be much better utilized wrestling straight matches and keeping his participation in hardcore style matches to a minimum.

-Borash was in the back with Angle, who confronted Joe. Angle told Joe they were on the same wavelength when it came to Hall & Nash using Joe to get them over.

-Crystal interviewed Booker T backstage. Booker said he had history with Christian, but he came here for the TNA Hvt. Championship and to face some of the best young talent in TNA. Booker talked about Roode and said he had a great future, but tonight Roode would take his finish.

(7) Christian Cage & Robert Roode (w/Ms. Brooks) vs. Booker T & Kaz (w/Sharmell). Booker & Kaz had the advantage early. Kaz had a couple of nice spots, including a great dive over the top rope to the outside to take out Roode & Christian. Christian and Roode worked over Kaz for several minutes. The crowd sounded moronic, as they would chant for both men going at it in the ring no matter who it was. Kaz hit the wave of the future on Christian, but was unable to cover him. Kaz tried to tag in Booker, but Roode pulled him off the apron. Kaz finally tagged Booker in and he ran wild on Roode and Christian. Booker crotched himself on the ropes after missing a kick, but Kaz took out Cage and Roode with a springboard kick. The numbers game eventually caught up to Kaz, as Roode backdropped him to the outside. Booker recovered and ended up alone in the ring with Christian, but Roode prevented him from hitting the ax kick. Roode went to hit Booker with a chair, but he ducked and Roode connected with Christian. Booker then connected with the ax kick for the pin. (**3/4)

Comments: This was a solid formula tag match. Kaz looked good at times, but most of the match was so basic that it didn’t seem like anything more than you would see out of a tag match on Impact. It didn’t take long for TNA to turn Booker into just another guy.

-Cage slapped Roode in the face after the match and Roode shoved him back, but Styles came down to the ring to separate them.

-Crystal was backstage and there was more yelling. Joe was yelling at Nash and Nash was yelling at Joe. I think they said Hall wasn’t going to be there. Nash said he’d be out there tonight. Joe said he’d be other there as well, but he couldn’t be alone.

-A video package for the main event aired complete with Hall & Nash highlights.

-Joe made his ring entrance and got on the mic. Joe said management had told him to go out there and tell the fans that Scott Hall hadn’t shown up. Joe said Hall had punked out on everyone in the building. Joe said he had just been given a live mic on PPV. Joe said there were 2 types of wrestlers. The first was the TNA diehards who bust their a-- every night of the week. He said the other type was superstars who came into the company and did whatever they felt like. Joe said the superstars screwed the hard working wrestlers. Joe said TNA was the MCMG trying to break into this business and Black Machismo entertaining the fans. He said TNA was Samoa Joe being the best wrestler in the world. Joe said others show up and pad their pensions while staring at Nash. Joe told Hall to kiss his a--. Joe looked into the crowd and said go head and fire me. Joe said he was looking for a partner and many wrestlers stood up and wanted to do it. Joe said he had chosen Eric Young. What a choice. Nash certainly didn’t look happy while Joe rambled on.

Comments: This sounded like a promo scripted straight out of Russo’s run with WCW that just sucked the life out of the company. Wrestling fans want to go to TNA to see something fresh and exciting. They don’t want to see wrestlers bickering about political issues. Joe’s promo ran nearly 8 minutes and with each minute that passed, his promo took time out of the main event.

(8) TNA Tag Team Champions The Angle Alliance (Tomko & A.J. Styles) & TNA Hvt. Champion Kurt Angle vs. Samoa Joe & Eric Young & Kevin Nash. Joe and Style started the match off nicely with some crisp exchanges. Joe looked at Nash and tagged in Young. Young had the advantage for a few moments, but the Angle Alliance gained the upper hand and Styles worked him over in the ring. Young tagged in Nash, who ran wild on Tomko and Styles. Joe then tagged himself in and directed Young to slingshot onto Tomko & Styles, but Young got caught. Joe then hit a dive over the top to take out Young, Tomko, and Styles. Angle had Nash in the ankle lock. Joe teased walking away, but then superkicked Angle. Joe tagged in and ran wild on Tomko and Styles. Nash ran in on Angle and hit the jackknife powerbomb and dispatched of Styles to the outside, but Tomko took him down. Joe then hit a kick on Tomko and Young followed up on him with a TKO. Joe then hit the muscle buster for the pin. (***)

Comments: This was a passable main event and I give credit to the TNA booking committee for having a night where most of the matches did not end due to outside interference. I’m not sure how much rub Young got from being in the match, as he’s a comedic character in TNA and can only go so far. The in-fighting between everyone in the main event during the show got really annoying at times and the match seemed unimportant and was more of a backdrop to the issues between the people involved than the resolution to anything meaningful.

-Nash didn’t stay in the ring to celebrate with Young and Joe.

Bonus: The DVD edition of Turning Point 2007 contains footage from the Dec. 7, 2007 edition of Impact.

Overall thoughts:. There was nothing terribly offensive from TNA on this night, although the tone of the booking of the Knockouts Tag Team match and the 10,000 Tacks match didn’t match up with the rest of the show. There were some good matches, but nothing stood out as great. The best thing on the show was the Kong-Kim match and post-match angles, which were electric. Otherwise there was a lot of forgettable filler on this show.

Score: 5.0

You can purchase this DVD at most major retail stores or at TNAwrestling.com.

Email Sean Radican.

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