TNA Slammiversary 6/2/13

Tonight, TNA celebrates 11 years. It was also tonight, a good friend of mine, Greg Cain and his wife, who is a great friend too, Bethany came over, and we watched it together. See, 11 years ago, Greg and myself started to watch TNA, even on the first episode, and watched it every week. We also had our pictures taken with at the time NWA-TNA World Heavyweight Champion, Jeff Jarrett when they came to a Canton show. We have great memories, so this means even more watching this show. Greg and Bethany recently moved back to Cleveland, from Georgia. This was the first time we saw each other for a year, we expect to watch a good show.

Here we go.

Todd Kenely, Taz, and Mike Tenay welcome us to the show. We are in Boston, Massachusetts. Sting Vs Bully Ray in a No Holds Barred match will headline the show. If Sting loses, he will never receive a title shot again. We will also see AJ Styles face Kurt Angle in what is being called a big grudge match. We also find out who is the next induction into the TNA Hall of Fame. Will it be the founder, Jeff Jarrett?

We kick the show off with Ultimate X Match for the X-Division Title, the 30th match in this series. Kenny King Vs Chris Sabin Vs Suicide.

Chris Sabin wins the X-Division Title in what was an incredible match kicking things off. This Boston crowd is on fire tonight, and these three men know how to start the PPV off.

Hulk Hogan shows up to congratulate Chris Sabin on the big title win. A great story for Sabin, who had blown 2 ACL’s, and literally hurt the first, then in his first match back, hurts the other ACL, only to come back victorious. A great story on perseverance.

Hogan announces that Chris will have a big opportunity this summer, at Destination X, which I will assume is a big Impact show in either July or August. Chris will get a chance to give up the X-Division Title for a World Heavyweight Title shot. Just like Austin Aries did last year.

Hogan has big plans set for Slammiversary, and here come Aces and 8’s, specifically, Anderson, Bischoff, and Briscoe.

Anderson tells Hogan that Aces and 8’s will ruin this party, but Hogan tells Anderson he has complete confidence in the TNA wrestlers in the back to take care of business, jack. He says that Bischoff is a bitch, just like his father. Okay, that was funny.

Joseph Park will take care of Devon’s Television Title reign, Sting will take care of Bully Ray. And these three men will lose to the team of Magnus, Samoa Joe, and the returning Jeff Hardy.

Amazing pop for Hardy, and this match will take place, now.

Hardy, Joe, and Magnus win the match with a Snapmare, Elbow Drop, Swanton win. I’ll let you figure out who did what, pinning Briscoe.

By the way, not that I am complaining, but wasn’t D.O.C. supposed to wrestle in Anderson’s spot?

Did they fire D.O.C.?

We see Sting’s legacy, and it begins at Bound for Glory 2006, where Sting defeats Jeff Jarrett to become the TNA World Heavyweight Champion for the first time.

JB is in the back, plugging the last 11 years of TNA. It was one year ago since this man, Joseph Park made his in-ring debut.

11 years for TNA, 1 year for JP. He loves Boston, this is his first title opportunity.

He gets jumped from behind by Devon and Knox. So this was Knox’s role in the show?

They jump him, and send him into the wall, in a puddle of his own blood. You don’t want to make Joseph Park angry.

Our next match is the Gut Check challenge, winner gets into the BFG Series. Jay Bradley Vs Sam Shaw.

Bradley wins with a Boom Stick Lariant. Honestly, the crowd didn’t care for this match, and I didn’t either. They worked hard, but nobody knows these guys very well.

Christy Hemme asks Jay how it feels, he will be the first one in the BFG Series, and he will be the last one out.

JB is with Roode and Aries.

Tonight, a 4-team elimination Tag Team match.

Roode reminds us he was the most dominant World Champion, and longest reigning champion in TNA history. Aries reminds us that someone gets a chance to cash in the X-Division Title to become new World heavyweight Champion, and he did that in defeating Bobby Roode. But champions equal Tag Team Gold, and that is what they will achieve. Roode tells Storm to always remember this, he may have a new partner in Gunner, but he isn’t Bobby Roode.

Our next match is for the Television Title, Joseph Park Vs Devon.

Devon comes out with Knox. He orders the referee to make the count now, and if Joseph doesn’t make it to 10, Devon will win the match.

Brian Stiffler makes the count, and no Joseph Park, so he rewards the match to Devon.

But Devon runs his mouth, he said no Joseph Park, and if Abyss was here, he’d beat him down too, and even put the Television Title on the line.

Abyss’ music plays, wait a second, that is Abyss!! Devon made the challenge, the referee calls for the ball, and we have our title match.

Abyss wins the match with a Black Hole Slam, and becomes the new Television Champion, and is now an official Grand Slam winner.

I have a feeling we will get a reversal though, because it’s not an “official” title match. But right now, Abyss is the new Television Champion.

We see Sting’s title victory from Bound for Glory 2007 against Kurt Angle.

Sting was the first induction into the TNA Hall of Fame. We now find out who will be the next.

Here comes Dixie Carter.

Dixie announces that Kurt Angle is the newest induction into the Hall of Fame.

She has all of the wrestlers come out from the back before making the introduction.

Kurt comes to the ring, in tears. We see this awesome video presentation, talking about Kurt winning the 1996 United States Olympic Gold Medal, and 10 years later, he comes to TNA, to help the company grow, and become the business it is now.

Kurt is very touched, and honored. He thanks Jeff Jarrett and Dixie Carter for bringing him into the company. And without guys like AJ Styles, Samoa Joe, Hulk Hogan, Bobby Roode, James Storm, and so many of these originals that deserve this honor over him, he wouldn’t even be a Hall of Fame candidate without them.

Such an awesome speech, and a great moment.

More Sting World Title footage, when he beats Samoa Joe to become World Heavyweight Title, at Bound for Glory 2008.

Sting entered the building earlier tonight.

JB is with Bad Influence.

They talk about how valuable the Tag team Titles are now because of them. So Valuable that two former World Heavyweight Champions want them. So valuable that a third generation superstar finally comes to TNA, and teams with Mexico’s strongest man, and the one time a Viking and a Cowboy can get along.

But at the end of the day, they will win the Tag Team Titles, and when they do, you have their permission to worship them.

Elimination Fatal 4-way Tag match for the Tag Team Titles. Chavo and Hernandez Vs Bad Influence Vs Dirty Heels Vs “Cowboy” James Storm and Gunner, the new team name of Beer Slingers, that credit goes completely to Bethany Cain.

Here we go.

Bad Influence are DQ’d when Daniels nails Chavo with the Tag Title.

Roode pins Chavo for the pinfall.

It’s between Beer Slingers Vs Dirty Heels.

Storm gives Austin the Last Call Superkick, Gunner makes Austin tap to the Torture Rack, and Beer Slingers win the Tag Team Titles.

JB is with Brooke Hogan, talking about the growth of the Knockout Division. Our next match is the Last Knockout Standing match, this will be an exciting night.

JB wants dirt on Bully Ray, does she still love him?

Brooke ends the interview.

Last Woman Standing Match, Gail Kim Vs Taryn Terrelle, next.

Taryn wins the match, when she and Gail went off the ramp, and onto the floor, Taryn gets up at 9. Incredible match, and in fact this was by far Taryn’s best match to date. Gail did a great job with her, but Taryn also deserves a lot of credit for this too. The only problem is they didn’t go long enough, they had the crowd at that bump, but then all of a sudden, they ended the match.

Sting’s 4th title win over Mr. Anderson back at Victory Road 2010.

AJ Styles Vs Kurt Angle, now.

AJ has new music it seems, the same music that was played in the video last Thursday night. I do like the song, but they need a new Titantron for him.

Kurt has him beat in a double leg hookup. Amazing match that told a great story. AJ doesn’t fly anymore, not like he did. Instead, he picks his spots, and that was the story told here. But at the end of the night, Angle finds a way to win.

Our main event is next, Bully Ray vs Sting in a No Holds Barred match. If Sting loses, he has no more title chances.

The fans that voted tonight believe Sting will win with 64%.

Bully Ray is in the back, he said he gave Sting this opportunity, he respects everything he has done, so he will tell us how he wins tonight, with a piledriver. He is giving Sting a heads up.

Our big title match is now.

Bully Ray defeats Sting with his trusted hammer, when Sting was coming off the top rope. Bully Ray did the Piledriver two times, yet our hero kicked out. He was put through a powerbomb, breaking through not one table, but two. Bully ripped the mats, so we have the wood that is holding the wrestling ring together. Aces and 8’s tries to help, but it didn’t work, until Anderson handed him his trusted hammer.

Brooke even came out in the middle of the match, when Bully was getting his ass beat, but Sting stopped Brooke, and told her to go back. An incredible match, and Sting went out on a blaze of glory.

As Todd Keneley said, an end of an era has indeed happened.

Kevin’s Thoughts:

This was one of the best PPVs I have seen TNA run in quite some time. Every match worked, or had meaning, except for one match. The women’s match was incredible, and I give both women credit for it.

I love that moment Chris Sabin had, and now he will have a chance at the World Heavyweight Title soon. Keep watching.

The team of Beer Slingers, I love that tag team name pulled off an upset here, and made history.

We also had a new Television Champion, though I believe that will be changed this Thursday.

Great choice in Kurt Angle. I would have went with Jarrett, but Kurt is also a no-brainer. That first moment he had with Samoa Joe was a moment I will never forget, and it helped put TNA on the map.

But I do disagree with him beating Styles. AJ should be the one to be pushed as the man who will beat Bully Ray, and now they take away that momentum. Not sure where they are going here. Can Chris Sabin pull off the mistake?

Hell of a work by Sting and Bully Ray. It truly is an end of an era, and I want to thank Sting for giving us so many great memories.

TNA came off as a major league company tonight, and let’s hope they can continue this run. What did you think of the PPV? Send me your thoughts.