TNA SLAMMIVERSARY PPV FLASHBACK REPORT
JUNE 18, 2006
ORLANDO, FLA.
REPORT BY WADE KELLER, PWTORCH EDITOR

PREGAME SHOW

-Jeremy Borash and Christy Hemme introduced the pregame show and hyped the PPV.

-A video feature aired on the King of the Mountain match.

-Monty Brown walked to the ring. Brown mocked a fan booing him by saying he shouldn't boo if he can't spell it. He mockingly said that the fan would spell it "Bu." Brown said what doesn't kill him makes him stronger, and now that he's not in KOTM, he's about to go streaking through the competition. He turned his attention to Joe, saying he's already had a winning streak of his own. He said Joe's streak may end tonight against Steiner. He said if he ever faces him, he will make "Fat Joe lean back, lean back, lean back." He said to the "new face of TNA management," he wants to introduce himself as someone who has been there from the start. He said he is sick of being held back and sick of being held down. The crowd chanted, "Joe's gonna kill you." Monty said he has his hands full already. He said he tried to be nice before, but now he is going to be himself and he's going to do it by running through everybody put in his path. He said he'll do that with The Pounce. He's a one man show, and that's one of his more inspired promos in a while. He does have a knack for mannerisms and catch phrases that rather than seeming forced for marketing purposes (as is the case with Kip James), they seem to be an extension of who he really is (and they are; he talks on answering machine messages to friends the same way he gives promos on TV).

-A video feature aired on A.J. Styles & Christopher Daniels vs. AMW.

-Borash and Christy ran through the entire PPV line-up from mid-ring.

-Mike Tenay and Don West talked about the PPV, encouraging people to order the PPV.

A -- TEAM CANADA (A1 & "Showtime" Eric Young) vs. THE NATURALS (w/Shane Douglas)

The Naturals gave A1 their finisher. Young came off the top rope to blindside Andy Douglas, leading to Team Canada scoring the three count. Shane wasn't happy, and he climbed into the ring and chewed out The Naturals again. "Are you trying to make a fool out of me?" he asked. He said he offered to take them back to the top of the sport. He said to be no. 1, you do what you have to do. He said three days after reconstructive surgery on his elbow, he entered the ring and beat Taz to regain "my title." He said he retained the title on PPV against Al Snow while injured. "I did what I had to do," he said. "If you think I've spent 24 years in this business to let you squander what it means to be a franchise, you're mistaken." He said he has earned the respect of the fans, who were chanting "Franchise, Franchise." He said they would not be able to enter the Impact Zone again until he says they are ready. He said they will not make a fool of him again. He said if the let him down, "I will personally kill you myself, I will franchise your asses." He said it won't be a cake walk. He can't pull them on his legacy. He said it will be hard work. He ordered them back to the locker room. They sheepishly returned to the back.

WINNERS: Team Canada in 2:00.

-Next, a video feature on Samoa Joe vs. Scott Steiner aired.

-Team 3D walked into the ring for a live promo. Brother Ray said TNA is hottest wrestling promotion in the country. He said tonight is the fourth anniversary of what pro wrestling will be in the future. He promised three things - great athleticism, hardcore violence, and no zombies. "It's a Zombie-free Impact Zone!" declared Tenay. "No zombies or vampires." Ray added: "Hey, guy, listen up. We said it, you guys knew it, the whole world knows it. That product sucks." Team 3D said they wanted to start Slammiversary with a bang and demanded a ref head to the ring right now. He begged for a ref. Slick Johnson ran to the ring with an oversized ridiculous bow tie. Ray said, "You've got a lot of heat with me for that bow tie, but that's okay." He said if the James Game won't come to the ring, he's going back there to drag them out to the ring. Team 3D headed to the back as Tenay yelled one final plug for Slammiversary. Good promo by Team 3D. A nice answer to the first ECW show on Sci Fi.

-A final 90 second video aired hyping the event.

PAY-PER-VIEW

-The show opened with a new preview video for the King of the Mountain match, including a clip from the first KOTM match on June 2, 2004. Soundbites aired with each of the wrestlers involved.

-The official opening for Slammiversary aired, followed by an intro to the show by Mike Tenay and Don West.

1 -- TEAM 3D vs. THE JAMES GANG -- "Bingo Hall Brawl"

They went to the entry tunnel where the two teams were brawling their way to the ring. A four-way brawl broke out with chairshots. When they brawled to ringside, LAX attacked Brother Devon when he was thrown into their area. LAX didn't take sides, though, as they punched B.G. James, too, when he crossed into their "border area." Brother Ray set up a guard rail on chairs. Ray tossed Kip onto it. Kip, by 4:00, looked like he had been through a 60 minute draw. B.G. and Ray brawled into the crowd. Ray tossed a trash can full of weapons into the ring. Ray held up a pink bra and choked B.G. with it. Next came a cheese grater, but Kip low-blowed Ray to avoid getting hit with it. A minute later, though, Ray rubbed the grater over Kip's forehead. Kip came up bleeding. Ray held B.G. spread-legged with a headbutt toward B.G.'s crotch. B.G., though, blocked it with a trash can lid. Ray then bashed the lid, as it pay on B.G.'s crotch, with a golf club. Kip drove Ray face-first into a trash can. Kip used a cookie sheet over Devon's head. The crowd chanted, "This is awesome." Team 3D came back with a Doomsday Device for a near fall. The crowd chanted, "Get the table!" at Ray, at his prompting. He grabbed a table and set it up mid-ring. The crowd then chanted, "We want fire!" Devon tossed B.G. over the top rope to the floor. Team 3D then gave the 3D to Kip through a table for the win After the match, Ray said, "You know it damn well. That's how it should be done!"

WINNERS: Team 3D in 10:00.

STAR RATING: **1/2 -- Pretty basic in some ways for this style of match, but the crowd enthusiasm and high-energy of the wrestlers took it above average. Kip is just terrible, though. He has no cardio and really no place in the ring at this point. It's sacry that someone is holding B.G. James down, since he's hardly a beacon of physical fitness and inspiration at this point in his career, either. Given all the hype for the feud, though, this match didn't feel like a fitting climax, or else it exposed the limitations of some off the wrestlers at this point.

-Tenay and West were shown at ringside. They previewed other PPV matches.

-Jeremy Borash interviewed Jeff Jarrett backstage. Jarrett said it's nights like this that he got into the wrestling business. He said it's on nights like this that good wrestlers become great. He said when he was told he was too small and slow to be a basketball player in college, he became an academic all-star. He compared himself to Joe Montana in the fourth quarter two touchdowns down. He references Reggie Jackson and Michael Jordan. Has Jarrett been awake for the last 15 years of sports? I mean, Reggie Jackson? Even Michael Jordan is pretty dated at this point. This is as bad as Monty Hall. Jarrett needs to get out less and plug into the culture a little more. He then noted that nobody gave TNA six weeks, and look at them now, four weeks later. He ripped on the egos of Sting and Christian. He said, "Tonight, just like it's always been in the history of TNA, it's my blood, it's my sweat, and it's my tears that has got us where we're at. Tonight, I'm regaining what is rightfully mine, and that's my title." Larry Zbyszko walked into the picture and said he has bad news for him. He said the "new face of TNA management" is exactly who he thought it was, and it don't look good. Borash asked Zbyszko who it was, but Zbyszko walked off.

2 -- RHINO vs. SCOTT D'AMORE & BOBBY ROODE

After entering the ring, D'Amore said it was a historic night, but he sees through Rhino's plan. He said it's because he couldn't handle getting "his ass handed to him" in a one-on-one match. D'Amore said it may be a handicapped match, but the only thing handicapped in the match is Rhino's IQ. He told Roode that his job is to stand at ringside and be dazzled by his "catch as catch can brilliance." Rhino's music interrupted his rant. Rhino ran to the ring. D'Amore ran to the back as Roode battled Rhino in center-ring. Roode retreated and talked with D'Amore. D'Amore said he wasn't ready yet. D'Amore entered the ring, jumped into the air and touched his toes in mid-air, but then immediately tagged out to Roode. West and Tenay said D'Amore was already gassed. At 1:00, Roode went to tag in D'Amore, but D'Amore backed away. He told Roode to get him. D'Amore patted Roode on the back, and the ref counted that as an official tag. Rhino yanked D'Amore into the ring, then chased him around ringside. West and Tenay speculated about the "new face of TNA management" and what he'd have to say. Roode hit Rhino with a hockey stick and threw him back into the ring, where D'Amore stomped on him. D'Amore did some cocky jumping jacks. Rhino grabbed him from behind. D'Amore did a cartoonish "ahhh!" reaction. Roode intervened with a stunner to save D'Amore from a beating. D'Amore scored a two count, then flexed and posed. D'Amore tagged Roode into the ring. Roode again saved D'Amore as soon as Rhino was about to execute any offense against D'Amore. After Roode took Rhino down, D'Amore took the opportunity to execute some offense, including a legdrop and fistdrop. West said D'Amore does know what he's doing in the ring, which is what makes him such a good coach. Rhino began a comeback at 7:00 against Roode. D'Amore hit Rhino from behind with a hockey stick. D'Amore went for the "D'Moralizer." Rhino blocked it and took D'Amore down, then backdropped a charging Roode over the top rope. He followed up with a Gore on D'Amore for the win.

WINNER: Rhino in 11:00.

STAR RATING: *3/4 -- Well done for that type of match. It delivered what it needed to in order to fit the storyline. Roode and Rhino aren't exactly overflowing with personality, so D'Amore had to carry that end of it, and he did a good job, keeping his lame cartoonishness to a minimum. TNA continues it streak of almost every undercard match lasting around 8-12 minutes.

-Borash interviewed Samoa Joe backstage in a dark sitdown setting. When Borash said he's never faced anyone like Steiner. Joe said Borash had it backwards, because it's Steiner who has never faced someone like him. He said regarding Steiner's short fuse, he'll be the one to be sparking the lighter across the ring from him. He said Steiner hasn't been pinned since entering TNA, and he's about to take that away from him.

3 -- SENSHI vs. SHARK BOY vs. PETEY WILLIAMS vs. JAY LETHAL vs. ALEX SHELLEY vs. SONJAY DUTT -- X Division Contenders' Match

Tenay said the order of elimination will affect the X Division rankings. West said that means some wrestlers may choose not to enter the match if at all possible since there's always a risk when inside the ring. But he added that pride is on the line. At 4:00, Lethal and Senshi tagged in and had a stiff exchange of chops to the chest. Shelley tagged in against Lethal and the two had a nice series of mat holds and counters. Dutt tagged in against Shelley and used his speed to take Shelley down with a head scissors. He moved at twice the speed of anyone else in the match. Tenay said Dutt is the one guy on the X Division roster who is on the verge of breaking out. Dutt did the top rope strut, but Shelley yanked him off balance. As Dutt straddled the top rope, Shelley dragged him along the top rope, creating a rope burn to end all rope burns. Shelley reached his hand down the front of his trunks, then offered a tag to Shark Boy. Shark pulled back, so Shelley palmed him in the face. Shark entered. It led to a six-pack suplex with three wrestlers suplexing the other three at the same time. It settled into Shark vs. Dutt. Shark went for the Dead Sea Drop, but Dutt blocked it. Shark surprised Dutt with a neckbreaker. Shark went to the top rope and went for a flying elbow, but Dutt moved, then hit a backflip splash for the pin. No surprise, Shark Boy was the first eliminated at 7:00. Lethal eliminated Shelley at 9:00 after a released full nelson overhead suplex. Shelley had taken knees to his back when he went for a top rope senton. Senshi entered the ring against Lethal. Dutt did a flying backflip off the top rope onto the other three at ringside at 10:00. A fresh Petey tagged in and finished Lethal with the Canadian Destroyer for the pin in 10:00. Down to Dutt, Petey, and Senshi, Senshi blindsided Petey with a running lariat. Senshi then went to the top rope to hit Dutt. Petey met him on the top rope. Petey set up a top rope sunset flip. Senshi blocked it. Dutt then tag Petey a cool neckbreaker move. Senshi leaped off the top rope with the stomp to pin Petey at 14:00. That left Senshi and Dutt as the final two. Dutt took Senshi with a top rope huracanrana followed by a running basement dropkick for a near fall. Dutt scored another two count after a float over DDT. Senshi came back with a double foot stomp for a two count. Dutt fired back with a neckbreaker followed by a Hindu Press attempt. Low Ki blocked it, then dropkicked Dutt with great force. He hung Dutt upside down in the corner and gave him the double stomp for the win. West asked Tenay if he had ever seen that move. We know West doesn't watch ROH tapes in his free time to orient himself to the wrestlers he's paid to analyze on national TV each week. Nothing like the color analyst exposing that he's less of a fan and less informed than many of TNA's target audience who have seen Low Ki's ROH, indy, and Japan matches through various mediums.

WINNER: Low Ki in 19:00 to become no. 1 X Division contender.

STAR RATING: ***1/2 -- Very good match. It allowed everyone showcase moments, and it gave Dutt and Senshi an especially strong spotlight.

-Borash interviewed Kevin Nash and Shelley backstage. Nash asked Shelley what happened. He said there were ten or twenty guys, and some had knives or guns. Nash said, "I didn't see any of that." Shelley said, "Cameras adds 15 pounds. Lighting has a lot to do with it. My concentration was one your celebration after this match." Nash sent a message to Chris Sabin's father, Walt Sabin, "probably watching on that crappy 19 inch TV." He mockingly predicted how the conversation would go between father and son. He told Sabin to ask his dad if indeed size doesn't matter.

-A video aired recapping the hype for the Kevin Nash-X Division storyline.

4 -- KEVIN NASH vs. CHRIS SABIN

Tenay said he isn't counting last week's match on Impact, so this counts as Nash's first match in a year. Somehow TNA managed for this match to start without any reference to Sabin other than his name. No background, no personality profile, no insight into his thoughts. Just crazy that the four-year pattern continues. Nash opened with a knee to Sabin's chest, then the signature elbows and punches into the corner. Sabin made a comeback a few seconds later with a barrage of punches. Nash kneed his way out of the corner. When Sabin made another comeback, Nash poked him in the eyes. Nash blocked a roll-up attempt, but Sabin then dropkicked him. Nash took the first flat-back bump of the night. Nash regrouped at ringside and called for Sabin to join him at ringside. Shelley distracted Sabin, leaving him prey to a clothesline by Nash. Nash shoved his boot into Sabin's face in the corner at 3:00. Sabin came back with a dropkick off the second rope for a two count. Sabin tried to lift Nash, but couldn't leverage him into the air. Shelley grabbed Sabin's leg. Nash then gave Sabin a big boot which the director missed. They had to replay it. Nash then hit a side slam for a two count. Nash gave Sabin a backbreaker and then bent him over his knee. That led to another two count. Tenay said Nash hasn't proven anything to him so far. West said without Shelley, Nash wouldn't have the advantage right now. Tenay said Sabin has been the better man. Nash gave Sabin another big boot. The crowd chanted, "Let's go Sabin!" Nash went for the Jackknife, but Sabin punched out of it and dropped onto Nash for a near fall. Sabin lifted Nash, but Shelley yanked Nash's leg to break Sabin's grip. Sabin hit Nash with a dropkick to the knee. Sabin then dove through the ropes onto Shelley out of frustration with his interference. Shelley returned to the ring and continued to go after Nash's knees. Sabin hit a springboard clothesline to take Nash down for another two count. Sabin left Nash on his back in mid-ring. Sabin hit a top rope legdrop for a two count. Shelley knocked Sabin off balance on the top rope. Nash got up, dropped his straps, and stalked Sabin at 8:00. He gave Sabin the Jackknife powerbomb for the win.

WINNER: Nash in 9:00.

STAR RATING: ** -- It told the story it needed to tell while extending the feud and interjecting Shelley into it. Nash looked very limited. The announcers gave away Nash's win by constantly talking about how Nash hadn't proved anything for five minutes leading up to Nash's win. Shelleys' interference allows Sabin to save face while Nash brags undeservedly about proving his point. TNA has to give Sabin mic time, though, or he'll lose face with fans.

-Borash interviewed AMW and Gail Kim backstage. Storm said a six pack ago he would said how much he respected them, but now "I'm happier than a gopher in soft dirt." Kim said there will no equalizer on this night.

5 -- AMERICA'S MOST WANTED (James Storm & Chris Harris w/Gail Kim) vs. A.J. STYLES & CHRISTOPHER DANIELS -- NWA World Tag Team Title match

Before the match began, Harris made West wish his father a happy Father's Day. Meanwhile, it appeared Storm hid something in the ringside steps. Styles and Daniels dominated offense early. Daniels used a drop toe hold to send Storm onto Harris in a 69 type position. The crowd chanted "Brokeback Mountain." Storm mistakenly took Harris over the top rope with a head scissors. Styles flew onto both of them at ringside. West said Styles and Daniels are showing great unity and teamwork. At 6:00 all four brawled at ringside. AMW got the better of it. Back in the ring, Harris went for a pin on Styles. Styles lifted his shoulder before two. AMW isolated Styles for several minutes. Styles hit the Pele Kick at 11:00. West declared it one of the best Peles he's ever seen. Styles hot-tagged Daniels. Daniels worked over both members of AMW. Daniels hit an Arabian moonsault on Storm. Harris's interference backfired. When Kim jumped onto the ring apron, Styles shoved her into the ring. The insurance policy entered the ring, a large woman who chokeslammed Kim and tossed her out of the ring. Then she carried Kim to the back. AME regrouped during that minute. When Daniels went for Angel's Wings, Harris escaped. Harris sent Daniels head-first into a chair held up by Storm. Daniels kicked out at 14:00. Styles tagged in and hit a flying forearm off the top rope. Styles flipped off the ropes into an inverted DDT on Storm. He followed with a pump handle gutbuster on Harris. He then positioned Harris and went for the Spinal Tap, but Harris moved. Storm slipped Harris handcuffs. He wrapped them around his knuckles and KO'd Styles for a near fall. Daniels yanked the ref out of the ring before he counted to three and protested the use of a weapon. AMW set Styles up for the Death Sentence. Daniels entered the ring and gave Storm the Death Valley Driver. Styles somersaulted onto Harris for a two count. Storm interrupted a Daniels attempt at Angel's Wings with a clothesline. Daniels, though, came right back and hit Angel's Wings on Storm. That got a near fall, broken up when Harris gave the ref an elbow drop. Storm swung a beer bottle at the back of Daniels's head, but Daniels ducked and the bottle hit Harris instead. Daniels then took Storm to the mat with a chokeslam. Styles hit a frog splash. Daniels hit the BME for the win.

WINNERS: Styles & Daniels to win the NWA World Tag Team Titles at 18:00.

STAR RATING: ***3/4 -- Very good TNA/AMW-style tag match. A good mix of storyline stuff mixed with hot athleticism. Styles & Daniels put on a hell of a title win celebration.

-Borash interviewed Sting backstage. He cleared up his ambiguous comments from Impact last week, stating that if the opportunity presents itself, he will grab the World Title. He told Christian not to let his mouth override his rear end. He said he wants to keep Jeff Jarrett away from any kind of power "if it's the last thing I do, because it's Showtime!"

-A TNA Fourth Anniversary video aired with clips from the previous four years. The cameos included Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, Roddy Piper, Razor Ramon, Lex Luger, Buff Bagwell, Jeff Hardy, Ken Shamrock, Harley Race, Ricky Steamboat, Dennis Rodman, Chris Rock, and more. No sign of X-Pac in any of the clips, which is a strange omission.

-Mike Tenay introduced Jim Cornette as the new "face of TNA management." He said he will hold everyone in TNA accountable for their actions. Tenay said Cornette is so dedicated to pro wrestling that he insisted on being present even though he had knee surgery just last week. Cornette walked out with a cane in hand. He swung the cane and it flew out of his hands. He carefully walked to the ring. Cornette declared, "Finally, Jim Cornette has come back to pay-per-view!" He said he always wanted to say that, and this seemed like the right time. He said, "That's what tag team wrestling is all about!" He said he was present for a very specific reason, but he wanted to go over some background first. He said he's sick and tired of looking at the old way of promoting professional wrestling. He said the last few weeks, he's been paying close attention to TNA. He talked about how people said TNA wouldn't last four weeks, then four months, but now it's lasted four years. They showed Larry Zbyszko watching backstage. Tenay said Zbyszko couldn't be happy.

Cornette said TNA is owned by a major corporation, one of the most successful of its kind in the country. He said they didn't know about wrestling, so they hired experts to run the project. "They hired guys with experience in wrestling, but those people unfortunately brought with them personal agendas, personal vendetta, grudges, conflicts, politics, nepotism, favoritism, they've been on the take. And it's caused TNA not to accomplish everything that this promotion can, and that's why I'm here. What does any corporation do when they have been the victim of malfeasance? They go to the State Penn and get one of these guys doing two to five years for white collar crime because they know how it's done and they hire that guy to protect themselves so it doesn't happen again. Well, Jim Cornette, while I may be controversial, while I may not be politically correct, I get results. I have worked in management for every major promotion in this country. I know the tricks." He said he has been hired to oversee the operations of the company for the fans. He said there are guys in the locker room whom he expects to step up and hit homeruns. He said there are other guys sitting back on their big fat reputations, and they need to step up or step off. They went to a shot of LAX listening.

Cornette said his responsibility is to see that every seat is full and that they are filled with fans wanting to see more and chanting "TNA." Cornette looked into the camera and told all TNA personnel that there are three goals: he wants people who can have great matches, who can sell PPVs, and who can draw TV ratings. He said if you can do one of those three, you are on Cornette's good side. He said if not, it's not a good thing for them. He said if they don't think he has pull, they're wrong. He said he has management on his side and if it comes down to "me or you, you ain't gonna make it." He said they want what's best for the fans because that's what's best for business. "TNA will be the new face of wrestling, and the new face of TNA will be success," he said. He urged and invited anyone backstage to try to test his power. "Make sure you've got cab fare in your pocket when you do because you're going to be hittin' that back door. That back door is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. To anybody who can't play by those rules. Those who can are going straight to the top." He said those who will benefit are the fans of TNA. He concluded, "I know it's been said before many times in many ways, but believe me baby, you ain't see nothin' yet." He asked for one more "TNA, TNA" chant. Excellent speech.

-Borash interviewed Scott Steiner. He told Borash not to call him Samoa Joe, "but rather call that half-breeded fat bastard Sloppy Joe." He said there are fat redneck fans who want Joe to beat him. He held up the Samoa Joe DVD and said that crap was unsellable. "Samoa Joe, I'm gonna show you why they call me Big Poppa Pump. Tonight you're winning streak ends. Tonight, I kill you!" he said.

6 -- SAMOA JOE vs. SCOTT STEINER

Tenay said Joe has yet to be challenged by someone of Steiner's size and strength. Steiner got the first takedown, then slapped away at his face. Steiner chopped Joe in the corner, then armdragged him. After a paint brush to the face, Joe took a deep breath and looked serious. Joe spit on Steiner as Steiner flexed. Joe and Steiner punched away at each other. Joe got control with his series of rapid-front kicks. He followed with a chop to the back, roundhouse to the chest, and running kneedrop, his signature series. The crowd chanted, "Joe, Joe, Joe." Steiner gave Joe an overhead released suplex. He followed with a boot to the face, then choked him over the middle rope. Joe caught a charging Steiner with a boot to the face. Steiner rolled out of the ring to avoid Joe, so Joe charged and dove through the ropes, knocking Steiner into the ringside security railing at 4:00. Steiner reversed momentum by slamming Joe face-first into the ringside steps. Steiner took Joe down with a clothesline, then dropped an elbow and did push-ups. Steiner fended off a Joe comeback with an eye poke. Steiner gave Joe a belly-to-belly. West said since arriving in TNA, Steiner is rejuvenated. Steiner powerbombed Joe, but Joe went for an armbar in a great MMA style counter. Joe took Steiner down with a rapid-fire series of punches. Steiner blocked Joe's attempt at a chokeslam and slammed him to the mat. Steiner shoved Joe through the ropes to the floor. Steiner slapped a fan off camera, but Tenay and West referenced it. Joe came back with chops and punched a chair into Steiner's face. Steiner rammed the chair into Joe's gut and then threw Joe into the ringpost. He followed with a baseball bat swing of the chair into Joe's face. An official announcement was made that the two wrestlers had until the count of ten to return to the ring or they'd be counted out. Steiner hit Joe with a chair, then rolled into the ring. Joe barely made it into the ring before the ten count in dramatic fashion. Joe fired back with a series of open hands and inverted atomic drop followed by the big boot and senton splash. At 10:00 Joe caught a charging Steiner with his powerbomb out of the corner, which Steiner had blocked earlier. Joe powerbombed Steiner for a two count. Joe applied a rear naked choke sleeper and wrapped his body with his legs. Steiner stood up and powered out. He backed Joe into the corner. Joe reapplied it. Steiner mule kicked to escape. Steiner suplexed Joe backward onto his head. Both men were down. Steiner applied the Steiner Recliner. West said, "That's it." That gave away Joe was escaping. Joe's arm dropped twice, but Joe powered out on three. He then lifted Steiner onto his shoulders, dropped him, and powerslammed him for the clean three count.

WINNER: Joe at 13:00.

STAR RATING: ***1/4 -- Good power battle. Well executed and suspenseful. Whether this helps or hurts Joe depends on whether fans expected him to dominate and crush the former WCW main eventer and WWE flop, or if Steiner still has credibility as a top tier talent, and thus Joe having an even match and winning clean moves him up a notch. Steiner's promos were so strong headed into this match, I think Joe is just fine. The downside comes if fans expected Joe to march through Steiner, but the bright side to that is that Joe is awesome in the ring and strong (and getting better every month) on the mic, and so he's still money if they keep his streak alive for a while. The other bright side is Steiner might have gotten a rub from Joe and might have more life in him because Joe carried him to a strong match.

-Tenay and West reflected (too) briefly on the impact of Samoa Joe's victory over Scott Steiner. Then West ran through the rules of the King of the Mountain match.

-Borash interviewed Christian Cage backstage. Christian gave Borash a hard time, then recounted that no champion has ever retained his title in a King of the Mountain match. He said if he had a dime for every time he's heard that the last few weeks, "I'd have (pause) 51 dimes." Christian said once you've been the champ, you can't live without it; it's like a drug that you can smell and taste. He said tonight's match will be the toughest of his career, but he is confident. He said as soon as he stepped foot in a TNA ring, TNA became his property. He said he will leave as champ because "that’s..." And the crowd finished, "...how I roll."

-A video aired previewing the main event. Jarrett said in a soundbite that his only chance of staying in TNA, given whom he believed the new authority figure would be, might be winning the NWA Title tonight. He said he was convinced this would be his last title shot.

7 -- CHRISTIAN vs. JEFF JARRETT vs. RON KILLINGS vs. STING vs. ABYSS (w/James Mitchell) - King of the Mountain match

During the very long ring intros, during Jarrett's ring intro, the announcers said Jarrett's very existence in TNA may rest on regaining the title in this match. So much stress was put on his backstory compared to others, it strongly indicated the finish. Jarrett and Killings began the match one-on-one inside the ring and others brawled at ringside. Killings got in the most offense, which according to Booking 101 means he'll be the first eliminated. Christian and Killings worked together against Jarrett as Sting brawled with Abyss. Christian and Killings danced, smiled, and shook hands, but Killings then blindsided Christian with a kick leading to a two count. Christian cleared the ring of Jarrett, then dove onto him at ringside off the top rope. Sting and Abyss entered the ring. Sting and Killings took turns punching Abyss. Abyss broke through a double clothesline attempt and set up a chokeslam. They poked his eyes to stop him. Killings then hit his spinning legdrop, then asked the crowd "What's up?!" They shouted back, "What's up!?" Killings flipped onto Jarrett, Christian, and Abyss at ringside. Sting then climbed to the top of the penalty cage in the ring, but completely oversold it as he often does. Sting dove off the top of the cage onto all four. In the ring, Sting gave Jarrett a Stinger Splash. Killings then hit Jarrett with a top rope dropkick and a pin. That was Jarrett's way of showing he was willing to be the first to job, which shows he's not a glory hound after all despite winning in the end. As a result, per the match rules, Killings was now eligible to win the match and Jarrett had to spend two minutes in the penalty box without a chance to score a win. Christian teeter-tottered a ladder over the middle rope into Killings's chin for a two count. Abyss broke up the count. Tenay said he didn't understand why Abyss would break up the pin, and West actually corrected Tenay with the obvious answer, which was that Abyss didn't want Christian to be eligible to win the match. Christian schoolboyed Abyss for a three count. Abyss clotheslined Christian before going to the penalty cage at 6:00. Jarrett pleaded with Abyss that they should work together, scared of what would happen when Abyss entered the cage. Jarrett’s two minutes expired just as Abyss entered.

Jarrett attacked Christian at ringside, ramming him into the ringpost. Then he sandwiched Christian in a ladder and stepped on it. Sting, meanwhile, beat up Killings inside the ring. Jarrett and Abyss worked together to stack two tables at ringside. Sting went over the top with Abyss on a clothesline. Killings moved toward Jarrett, and the director inexplicably decided to cut away to a gasping Sting at ringside. When they cut back to the ring, Killings was straddling the top rope. Jarrett gave Killings his Stroke off the top rope into the railing at ringside, then scored a three count on the floor. Jarrett was now eligible to win, while Killings headed to the penalty box (since he already qualified, that didn't hurt him much as it gave him a chance to rest). Christian and Jarrett fought into the crowd. Christian choked Jarrett on a fence as Abyss and Sting brawled in the crowd elsewhere. Sting gave Abyss a stiff chairshot. In the ring, Killings was released from the penalty box and smartly went into the ring with the belt to climb the ladder. Unfortunately, he looked like a complete idiot as he took forever to set up and climb the ladder, then misjudged how high he had to climb. That gave Abyss a chance to knock him off the ladder. Jarrett and Abyss worked together with the ladder to lift and dump Killings over the top rope. Christian and Sting dropkicked the ladder into Jarrett and Abyss. Nice spot. Christian put Jarrett in the upside down latter in a V-position and tried to climb it. Abyss lifted Christian onto his shoulders and they both tumbled to the floor. Killings against set up the ladder and misjudged how high he had to climb and looked like a complete dolt again. At 18:00 Abyss again dumped him over the top rope, then swung the ladder backwards to knock out Hebner. Abyss grabbed the belt and was going to climb the ladder, but Jarrett yelled at him and snatched it away. Abyss gave him a Black Hole Slam and scored a three count by ref Slick Johnson. That meant Jarrett had to spend two minutes in the penalty box and Abyss was eligible to win. Zbyszko entered the ring. Tenay didn't address what kind of power Zbyszko now has with Cornette officially present. Abyss climbed the ladder. Sting tipped the ladder over and knocked Abyss through two side-by-side stacks of two tables. Three of the four broke in half. Sting was not eligible to win, so he walked past the ladder. Christian took some shots at Sting, but Sting no-sold them. Sting then fired back and took Christian out with a Stinger Splash. He applied the Scorpion Deathlock, trying to qualify to win the match. When Jarrett entered the ring with the belt, Tenay and West wondered if he had served the full two minutes. As Jarrett climbed the ladder, Sting released Christian and went after Sting. Jarrett hit Sting with the belt a few times, then grabbed his guitar. Christian yanked the guitar away from Jarrett, and then Sting gave Jarrett a Russian Leg Sweep. Sting grabbed the belt and tried to revive the ref. Sting, though, tossed the belt to Christian and told him to climb it as he put Jarrett in the Scorpion. Zbyszko entered the ring and low-blowed Christian as he was about to climb the ladder. Sting then punched Zbyszko, who took a cartoon bump out of the ring. Jarrett then surprised Sting with a Stroke attempt, but Sting reversed it with a Death Drop. Sting made the cover and slapped the left arm of the KO'd Hebner on the mat three times. Tenay acted as if that was as official as anything, not questioning whether that would be unofficial, which made Tenay seem biased or stupid. As Sting climbed the ladder to win, Christian met him on top and yanked on the belt. Hebner got up at that point and mistakenly fell into the ladder. He knocked both Sting and Christian over the top rope. Jarrett got up and climbed the ladder to win. Fans began booing and pelted the ring with garbage.

WINNER: Jeff Jarrett at 23:00 to apparently win the NWA World Hvt. Title.

STAR RATING: ***1/2 -- Good action. I don't mind these types of convoluted finishes occasionally. The risk, of course, is upsetting viewers with a non-finish in the main event. If there's a proper explanation afterward that plays into a major storyline from this point forward, it won't seem like a controversy for the sake of not wanting to do a finish, but a genuine attempt to launch a storyline from the confusion and controversy. Given the clean finishes throughout the rest of the show (other than Nash's win), I can live with it.

-As the fans threw debris, Zbyszko and Hebner ran for cover. Then ref Rudy Charles ran up and yanked the belt out of Jarrett's hands and gave it to Cornette on the stage. Jarrett let out three or four ridiculously phony cartoonish "No! No! No!" yells while clutching his head like a robot as the PPV ended.

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