TNA Epics TV Show report
July 4, 2009 - Week 8
Aired on Bravo in the U.K.
Report by Cody Endres, Torch TV contributor

-We open the show with footage from the September 17, 2003 weekly PPV. Raven had just lost a hair vs. hair match to Shane Douglas. We get to watch Father James Mitchell shave Raven's head. Mitchell uses the shaver in the wrong direction and practically scalps Raven. This remains uncomfortable to watch.

-Following the opening montage, host Mick Foley welcomes us to the show. On this episode, we get to see the best of TNA Hardcore Wars Part 1. Foley said we would see blood, violence, and more blood. "We'll get to see Abyss, Jeff Hardy, Sabu, Team 3D, Rhino, lions, tigers, and bears," he said.

1 – JEFF HARDY vs. ABYSS – Full Metal Mayhem #1 Contenders Match

This match is from the Against All Odds PPV held on February 13, 2005 in Orlando, Fla. Two contracts are hanging above the ring. One contract is blank while the other contract is a world title match on Impact. Hardy comes out to the theme music he composed himself. You can listen to more of his music on the Ultimate Insiders DVD with the Hardy Boys. Let's hope he sticks with wrestling. Abyss flings Hardy into the air and lets him drop to the mat. Hardy goes to the outside early and throws some chairs into the ring. Abyss ducks to the floor to try to escape. Hardy sets up a chair in the ring and does a running jump off the chair onto Abyss at ringside. Hardy slams Abyss into the guardrail and the steps. Back in the ring, Hardy hits Abyss over the head with a chair. Hardy attempts a Sabu-like jump off a chair into the corner, but Abyss hits him with a chair. Abyss works on stacking tables at ringside. Abyss attempts a powerbomb, but Hardy slips out. Hardy with the Whisper in the Wind out of the corner. Hardy places Abyss in the corner with a ladder against his gut. In an innovative spot, Hardy runs up the ladder and dropkicks a chair into Abyss' face. Hardy sets up a ladder seesaw in the ring. Hardy jumps from the top rope onto one end of the ladder and the other end crashes into Abyss.

[Commercial Break]

Abyss is tangled in the ropes on the apron. Hardy runs at him, but Abyss gives him a release belly to belly suplex out of the ring and through a table. Abyss sets up a table at the top of the entrance ramp. Hardy with the Twist of Fate and he places Abyss on the table. Hardy climbs up to the top of the entrance stage. West claimed he was up 30, maybe 40 feet. Hardy with the Swanton Bomb off the stage to put Abyss through the table. Hardy sets up a gigantic ladder in the ring and climbs up. Hardy grabs a contract, but it was the blank one. Hardy climbs the ladder again, but Abyss tugs him down. Abyss whips Hardy across the ring and Hardy does a crazy bump over the top through the stack of tables. Abyss climbs the ladder and gets the real contract.

WINNER: Abyss in 15:23 of what aired. Good match with a lot of unnecessary risks.

[Commercial Break]

2 – TEAM 3D (BROTHER RAY & BROTHER DEVON) & RHINO vs. AMERICA'S MOST WANTED (CHRIS HARRIS & JAMES STORM) & JEFF JARRETT (w/Gail Kim)

This is the main event match from the Genesis PPV held on November 13, 2005 in Orlando, Fla. The match starts with all six men brawling amongst the fans for an extended period. I feel like I'm watching a CMLL show with all of the cuts to the crowd. Rhino suplexes Jarrett on the entrance ramp. In the ring, Brother Ray attacks James Storm with a cheese grater. Both members of AMW have been busted open.

[Commercial Break]

Team 3D sets up a table and attempts to suplex Storm through it, but Chris Harris moves the table out of the way. Harris clotheslines both members of Team 3D. Harris hits Brother Ray in the crotch with the cheese grater. On the entrance stage, Rhino hits Jarrett with a trash can. Brother Ray powerbombs Harris on the floor. Rhino gives Jarrrett a piledriver on the ramp. Rhino sets up a table against the entrance tunnel. Storm superkicks Rhino at the top of the ramp. Back in the ring, Harris connects with a double axe handle off the top rope onto Brother Devon. Devon with a lifting inverted DDT for a nearfall. Team 3D and AMW exchange nearfalls in the ring. Jarrett comes in and lowblows Brother Ray. Jarrett follows up with The Stroke, but Brother Ray manages to kick out cleanly. You don't see that much. Rhino gores Jarrett, but Harris pulls the ref out of the ring. AMW hoists up Rhino and send him crotch first into the ringpost. AMW lifts up Brother Ray and slams him to the mat. AMW hits the Hart Attack on Devon for a nearfall. Brother Ray shoves Harris off the top rope to the floor. Team 3D isolates Storm and hits the 3D for the win.

WINNERS: Team 3D & Rhino in 15:25 of what aired. Another good match. A throwback to the '90s with all of the brawling in the crowd.

[Commercial Break]

3 – ABYSS (w/Father James Mitchell) vs. SABU – Barbed Wire Massacre Match

This match is from the Turning Point PPV held on December 11, 2005 in Orlando, Fla. Both men exchange go-behinds. Sabu gets a chair and flings it into Abyss' face. Sabu leaps off a chair and onto Abyss for a nearfall. Abyss kicks out sending Sabu face-first into the barbed wire. Sabu has been busted open. Abyss slams Sabu throat first onto the barbed wire and cameras manage to miss this. Sabu assaults Abyss' arm with a spike. Abyss' arm is now bleeding. Sabu leaps off a chair towards Abyss. Abyss ducks out of the way and Sabu crashes into the barbed wire.

[Commercial Break]

Sabu sends Abyss into the barbed wire with a drop toe hold. Sabu hits Abyss with a chair for a nearfall. Abyss chokeslams Sabu onto a chair for another nearfall. Mitchell throws in a chair wrapped with barbed wire. Sabu hits Abyss across the head with it twice. Abyss retreats to the floor. Sabu does a running jump off the chair onto Abyss at ringside. Sabu tosses a barbed wire plywood sheet into the ring. Abyss front suplexes Sabu onto the barbed wire. Abyss hoists Sabu into the air and sends him belly-first onto the barbed wire board. Abyss brings another barbed wire board into the ring and places it in the corner. Abyss misses Sabu and runs into the barbed wire board in the corner. Sabu sandwiches Abyss between the barbed wire boards and hits an Arabian facebuster for the victory.

WINNER: Sabu in 10:48 of what aired. Sick spectacle of a match. Not as violent as say Sabu vs. Terry Funk at Born to be Wired, but let's hope something like that never happens again.

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