By Wade Keller, Torch editor

TNA NO SURRENDER
JULY 17, 2005
ORLANDO, FLA. AT UNIVERSAL STUDIOS

-On the pregame show, Jeff Jarrett threw a fit in the ring that from what I'm told looked more like a meltdown. I missed it, but did tape it, and will comment later. He talked about released WWE wrestlers coming to TNA, but how TNA should be focusing on him for carrying the company on his back and bringing it from a dream to reality the past several years. Mike Tenay got in Jarrett's face about it. I'm not thrilled with TNA portraying acquisitions as being a result of "WWE releases" since it sure takes the gloss off of the acquisitions. If Rhino was let go by WWE, that means he's a leftover. TNA needs to realize that wrestlers they have under contract are much more valuable than most all WWE cast-offs, especially Rhino-types who were on top of ECW by default, never was over at the level of other ECW headliners that preceded him, and was a virtual jobber in WWE. I'm looking forward to seeing if he had more in him than he's shown so far in his career, but TNA shouldn't hype him as if he's a major acquisition because very few people will buy that sales job.

-Also on the pre-PPV show, Shocker won a match, Jim Mitchell did a good promo for Abyss, Borash hyped Rhino appearing as if they had just signed Shawn Michaels or John Cena (ugh), and West predicted Samoa Joe's winning streak is coming to an end.

-A video aired previewing the Raven vs. Abyss match.

-Mike Tenay and Don West introduced the show and indoor fireworks shot off as the camera panned the crowd.

1 -- ALEX SHELLEY & MICHAEL SHANE (w/Traci) vs. AMERICA'S MOST WANTED

Tenay called AMW the greatest team in TNA history. Tenay touted Shelley's young age (22) and his Euro-American style inside the ring, different from anyone else in the match. Tenay talked about how Tracy orchestrated the formation of the AMW tag team. Shane avoided Storm when Storm tagged in, immediately tagging out to Shelley. Traci interfered once too often, so Harris handcuffed her to the ringpost. Storm then finally got his hands on Shane in the match. Shelley interfered, but Storm gave him a DDT for a two count at 9:30. Storm gave Shelley the Eye of the Storm. AMW then hit Shane with a Hart Attack for a near fall. They set up a Death Sentence, but Shelley intervened. Storm went to Skin the Cat back into the ring, but Shane dropkicked him in the face while he was hanging upside down, which was the move of the match. Shane then KO'd Harris wit a shoe for a near fall. Harris gave Shane a full nelson slam. Shelley flipped into the ring, but was met with a Storm superkick for the three count. Shane then blindsided Storm with a superkick after the match.

WINNERS: AMW at 11:47.

STAR RATING: **3/4 -- Good opening tag match.

-They replayed Jarrett's rant from earlier. He said 40-50 wrestlers have been fired in the last few months. He said he knows the idiots running TNA are going to open the door to those people "because TNA is the only national wrestling alternative in existence." Tenay said the history of TNA is that wrestlers who make it into TNA deserve to be and belong in TNA. Jarrett asked if Rhino was in the building. Tenay said he talked to Larry Zbyszko from the championship committee and he heard Rhino would be on the PPV.

-Tenay and West then commented on Jarrett's comments and his vow to be part of No Surrender.

-Jarrett approached Team Canada backstage trying to warn them about an influx of wrestlers trying to take their jobs. They listened, but when he left, they expressed a lack of trust in him.

2 -- SONJAY DUTT vs. SHARK BOY vs. PRIME TIME vs. MIKEY BATTS

The winner of this match gets automatic entrance into the 2005 X Cup Tournament. Batts was described by Tenay as the least experienced. Shark Boy of course was called a cult favorite. Dutt dove onto Batts and Shark Boy at ringside at 5:45. Primetime fell backwards off the top rope. After four-way near chaos, Shark Boy attempted to give , Primetime his Dead Sea Drop, but it got blocked. Dutt then kicked Shark out of the ring. Dutt then hit his Hindu Press (twisting corkscrew splash) for the win. West said it's fitting that Dutt has made it into the tournament.

WINNER: Dutt at 8:22.

STAR RATING: **1/2 -- Nice highspot fest.

-Shane Douglas interviewed Konnan and Ron "The Truth" Killings. Konnan said he didn't have any trust or faith in B.G. James anymore. He said he wants to know whether he's with them or with Outlaw. Killings said James will pick them.

3 -- SIMON DIAMOND & DAVID YOUNG vs. SONNY SIAKI & APOLLO

Before the match, Simon said he had a problem. He said he has seen untapped potential in Young. West said it was the best they've seen Siaki & Apollo look as a team so far.

WINNERS: Siaki & Apollo when Apollo pinned Young at 5:32.

STAR RATING: *

-Tenay and West plugged that the October 23 PPV is "Bound for Glory." They pitched it as their Super Bowl and a new annual tradition.

4 -- SAMOA JOE vs. CHRIS SABIN

Tenay billed Samoa Joe at 6-8 and over 280 pounds. That's a pretty crazy exaggeration. I guess to keep Jarrett's height from being exposed as grossly exaggerated, they have to exaggerate everyone else's. Lots of mat exchanges early. Sabin got the advantage at 1:30 with a dropkick and then a flying elbow into the corner. Sabin went to lift Joe, but he couldn't. Joe then slammed Sabin to the mat hard with the back of his head hitting first. Joe then gave Sabin a leg lariat and followed up with a running knee to Sabin's chin in the corner. He then gave Sabin the face rub with the bottom of his boot. He followed with a charge into the corner with a knee. Joe went to his roundhouse kick, chop, running kneedrop sequence. West put over Joe big-time as seemingly unbeatable, pointing out that no one seems to get any sustained offense against him. Sabin came back with a springboard dropkick. Joe bailed out of the ring. Sabin gave hi a dropkick on the apron, and then flew off the apron with a dropkick, knocking him into the railing. Nice sequence. Back in the ring, Sabin scored a two count that the director missed entirely as he cut to a replay instead. Sabin tried to keep his momentum going and hit a legdrop for another two count. He went for Cradle Shock, but Joe blocked it. Joe then gave Sabin an unreleased German suplex and then a sudden snap powerslam. When Joe charged Sabin, Sabin caught him with a reverse sidekick and then a tornado DDT for a near fall at 9:15. Joe hit Sabin with a powerbomb for a near fall, then applied an STF which popped the crowd. Sabin teased tapping, struggled to escape, teased tapping again, then crawled toward the bottom rope. Joe then shifted into two other submissions. Tenay called him the Samoan Submission Machine. When Sabin reached his leg over the bottom rope, Tenay called it a miracle. Joe rammed Sabin's face into the top turnbuckle. The crowd competed with "Let's Go Sabin" and "Let's Go Joe" chants. Sabin came back with a running sitout powerbomb off the ropes for a very near fall that popped the crowd. Sabin stood and showed fire as he was encouraged by his momentum. He lifted Joe for his Cradle Shock, but Joe fought out of it for the third time in the match. Sabin hit an enzuigiri, then went to the top rope. Joe did a leaping roundhouse kick to knock Sabin off balance, then gave Sabin the Muscle Buster followed by his sleeper/body scissors finisher for the passout win.

WINNER: Joe at 14:02.

STAR RATING: ***1/2

-Douglas interviewed Jimmy Hart, Lance Hoyt, and The Naturals backstage.

5 -- TEAM CANADA (Eric Young & Bobby Roode & A1) vs. LANCE HOYT & THE NATURALS (w/Jimmy Hart)

Tenay said Team Canada was fighting this match to avenge the loss of their coach. West said the air smells better and water tastes colder without Scott D'Amore around. Fast paced match from the opening minute. Bobby Roode threw a hockey stick at Jimmy Hart and then fell as if he had been hit. The ref saw Hart holding the hockey stick and ordered him to the back. In the ring, A1 gave Stevens a running powerslam for a two count. Roode tagged in and continued to work over Stevens. Stevens remained isolated for several minutes. At 13:00 Stevens finally hot-tagged Hoyt. Hoyt battled all three opponents as they came at him one after another. Hoyt powerslammed Young and Douglas tagged in and scored a near fall. Six-way chaos resulted. The Naturals then set up Young for a Natural Disaster. Roode hit Douglas with Jimmy Hart's megaphone, which he left behind, and scored the pin.

WINNERS: Team Canada at 14:44.

STAR RATING: **1/2 -- Above-average tag.

-Douglas interviewed Outlaw and Monty Brown. Outlaw said he and B.G. James would be a team again soon. He said James's family were so great to him all of these years that he was changing his name to Kip James. Jarrett barged in and asked if those two were with him. Outlaw said yes. Brown said they can work together on a contingency agreement - and that is a promise of a World Title shot, but since he doesn't hold the belt, he'll have a hard time holding up his end of the agreement.

6 -- MONTY BROWN & OUTLAW vs. KONNAN & RON KILLINGS -- Street Fight

West said they're not going to call Outlaw by his requested name, Kip James, and accused him of sarcasm and rubbing in the dissension on the ranks of 3 Live Kru. Outlaw and Brown interrupted Konnan's prematch mic bit. Konnan brawled with Outlaw near the announcer's table. Outlaw began bleeding right away. The first ref had to be replaced after getting knocked out with a cookie sheet. Outlaw attacked the replacement ref. A chaotic clustermess of a match fought with no tags. Brown surprised Killings with a Pounce for the win. B.G. James stepped out onto the stage and watched the final minute of the match. Outlaw said he has two words for the fans. The crowd chanted "Suck it!" He said, "No. My brother." B.G. James then walked toward the ring slowly. He entered the ring without giving any clue about where he stood. Outlaw offered James a chair so he could prove his allegiance to Outlaw rather than the 3 Live Kru gang. James didn't do it. He dropped the chair and walked out of the ring. Still inconclusive. This may end up being the most drawn out angle in history.

WINNERS: Brown & Outlaw at 5:20.

STAR RATING: 1/2* -- Not a pretty match. There was some value in the unhinged chaotic nature of it, but it never got into a flow at all.

-A recap aired of the Sean Waltman-A.J. Styles set-up. Jerry Lynn commented about having been in big feuds with both of them and teamed with both of them. He said it's been more than a decade since he's stepped foot into the ring with Waltman. He said he helped build the X Division and he wants to see them do it right.

-Douglas interviewed Lynn live backstage. Lynn said it's been a frustrating year with his shoulder surgery. Douglas interrupted and asked if he was going to give either man an edge. Lynn said he doesn't know him well since he had hate-filled bloody battles with both. He said no matter what job he's had in his life, he's always taken pride in his work. He said he would make sure the best man won.

7 -- SEAN "X-PAC" WALTMAN vs. A.J. STYLES

Lynn came out with a full ring introduction. Tenay talked about how Lynn and Waltman put the X Division style on the map in the early '90s with the Global Wresting Federation on ESPN. West said Waltman has shown a renewed vigor and desire in recent months. A "Let's Go A.J." chant sounded early. There was a competing "Let's Go X-Pac" chant at 2:00. Waltman used Lynn's shoulders for leverage to flip out of a hold, then gloated and smiled. Waltman bailed out of the ring to regroup a minute later. A lout "A.J." chant rang out. Waltman asked for a time out. When he re-entered the ring, he mock applauded Styles for his moves earlier. Styles applied an Indian Death Lock into a back bridge with a chinlock. Waltman elbowed out of it. Styles hit him wit sound roundhouse kicks and then a vicious dropkick off the ropes. Waltman bailed out again. Styles flipped onto Waltman on the floor at 5:45. Styles rammed Waltman's head into the ring apron at ringside. Waltman came back and rammed Styles crotch-first into the ringpost. Waltman went into a side headlock and then a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker for a two count. Styles blocked a Bronco Buster and attempted a Styles Clash. Waltman escaped and hit the Bronco Buster. Tenay raved about Waltman's ability to escape the Styles Clash and said wrestlers around the country would be taking notes on that. Waltman then flip-dove onto Styles on the floor. Styles landed with a thud. Both men were slot to get up. Styles came up bleeding from his nose. Styles returned the favor by sending Waltman crotch-first into the ringppost at ringside at 10:15. Styles hit a springboard elbow to Waltman's face followed by a hard clothesline and a double chop. Waltman revesred Styles into the ropes, but Styles reversed Waltman into an inverted DDT. Waltman flipped out of a suplex attempt and then mule kicked Styles, followed by a Northern Lights Suplex for a near fall. Waltman went back to the top rope, but Styles met him mid-air with a dropkick. Styles went for a backslide. Waltman rolled through. Styles then gave Waltman the Styles Clash for a near fall at 12:30. Styles looked shocked. That also meant Waltman would probably be doing the job. It's a courtesy move to let the veteran doing the job kick out of your finisher before dropping the match. Styles went for a corkcrew splash, but Waltman moved and then fired back with an X Factor for a near fall. Waltman put Style's leg in a chair and went to the top rope. Lynn scolded Waltman and then removed the chair. Waltman jumped back to the mat and confronted Lynn. Styles then surprised the distracted Waltman with a sunset flip attempt. Lynn kicked Waltman's leg off the top rope. Styles then hit the Styles Clash for the win. Tenay said, "Well, how about that one? A hell of a match."

WINNER: Styles at 14:37.

STAR RATING: ***1/2 -- Very good match, the best from Waltman in years. Nice set-up for a renewal of the Lynn-Waltman match.

-Jarrett confronted Zbyszko backstage, demanding to know where Rhino was. Zbyszko said he was there, but he didn't know where. Jarrrett told Zbyszko to tell his new Golden Boy that his welcoming committee was waiting for him, pointing at his guitar.

-A vignette aired hyping Petey Williams and Christopher Daniels.

8 -- CHRISTOPHER DANIELS vs. PETEY WILLIAMS (w/A1)-- X Title match

Rapid-fire opening few minutes including an absolutely brutal looking powerbomb by Daniels of Petey back-first over the edge of the ring apron at ringside. Daniels remained on offense for a while and scored some near falls. Daniels had Petey in a submission, but A1 yanked Petey's leg over the bottom rope to force a break at 7:30. Daniels yapped at A1. Samoa Joe watched the match from the stage with his arms crossed. Petey came back and locked on the Sharpshooter at 12:00. Daniels reached for the bottom rope. Petey grabbed his arm. Nice touch. Daniels broke his hand free and grabbed the bottom rope. Petey set up the Canadian Destroyer, but Daniels blocked it. Daniels set up a suplex, but Petey dropped down to block it. He then took Daniels over with a huracanrana. Petey set Daniels on the top rope. Daniels punched out of it and bodyslammed him to the mat. He then went for a crossbody block, but Petey moved. Daniels crashed and clutched his abdomen. A1 tossed Petey brass knuckles. Daniels had his own knux and KO'd Petey and then hit the BME (Best Moonsault Ever) for the win.

WINNER: Daniels at 16:24.

STAR RATING: ***3/4 -- The third really good match of the night.

-Tenay said the finals of the X Cup tournament would take place at No Surrender.

-Still no Rhino, which means Jarrett is going to find a way to force himself into the final scene of the PPV even though he's not advertised for the card when he does whatever he's going to do with Rhino.

9 -- RAVEN vs. ABYSS (w/Jim Mitchell) -- Chain Match/No Surrender Rules

Not enough was done to make Raven feel like the centerpiece of the promotion now that's he's won TNA's top title. Raven began throwing chairs into the ring in the opening minutes. He yanked Abyss head-first into a chair in the corner. Raven punched away at Abyss at ringside. Abyss grabbed Raven by the throat to set up a chokeslam. Raven blocked it. Abyss kneed Raven and then tossed him back into the ring. Raven used the staple gun against Abyss. They brawled up the ramp to the stage. Raven knocked Abyss off the edge. Abyss crashed through a table. Fans chanted "TNA, TNA." Abyss yanked Raven to the floor by the chain, then wrapped the chain across Raven's mouth. Raven couldn't submit to end the match, as pointed out loudly by Mitchell. Abyss set up a table at ringside, leaning it against the ringpost. Raven charged and tackled Abyss, sending him through the table. Back in the ring, Raven wrapped a chain around Abyss's neck and hung him from the ring apron. Mitchell attacked Raven from behind with a weapon. Raven was shown on camera looking over at Abyss. Tenay tried to cover, saying his eyes were rolled back in his head. Abyss eventually rolled over to make the cover for a near fall. Abyss, disconnected from the chain at this point, brought a bad of thumb tacks into the ring. Abyss ripped off Raven's t-shirt, then poured out the thumb tacks (there were 2,594 of them, by the way). Abyss set up Raven for a superplex. Cassidy Reilly ran out and stopped Abyss. Tenay said he's become a follower of Raven ever since he got his fingers broken by him. Abyss shoved Cassidy off the apron and through a table at ringside. Raven recovered enough to send Abyss back-first onto the tacks with a powerbomb, then scored a two count. Raven set up a DDT, but Abyss surprised Raven with a Black Hole Slam near the tacks and scored a near fall at 18:15. Raven blocked Abyss's next move and DDT'd him head-first onto the tacks for the win.

WINNER: Raven at 19:17.

STAR RATING: ***1/2 -- What you'd expect, and that's not a bad thing. It came off better due to there being nothing else like it on the undercard.

-Jeff Jarrett walked out and offered Raven a "reality wake-up call." He said there is no one who can stop him from going to the ring and taking back what is rightfully his. Jarrett then walked to the ring. Rhino, though, entered the other side of the ring. Jarrett told Raven to turn around. Rhino then gave Raven a Gore. Tenay screamed, "Jarrett swerved us the whole night! Jarrett is with Rhino!"

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