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CALDWELL'S TAKE
CALDWELL: Full preview for tonight's Slammiversary PPV running down each match, TV time & focus, predicted outcomes

Jun 13, 2010 - 4:56:16 PM
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By James Caldwell, Torch assistant editor

TNA's Slammiversary PPV is tonight with a clean line-up of eight one-on-one singles matches and one semi-main event tag match.

The number of singles matches is a rarity for TNA, which regularly features multiple-man matches, gimmick matches, and other assorted matches to get as much of the roster on PPV as possible.

This month, TNA simplified the PPV build-up by focusing on issues mainly between two wrestlers. The focused build-up has resulted in one of the better undercards on a TNA PPV this year.

The PPV is being sold on the RVD vs. Sting TNA World Title match, though. On paper, it looks like a strong main event for TNA's anniversary celebration. However, the TV build-up was terrible, especially the final Impact leading to the PPV on Thursday night.

Sting's heel turn is as much of a mystery as TNA's "game-changing" surprise that will be rolled out over time. The standing brawl through the Impact Zone that ended Impact on Thursday was laughable and exposed Sting's poor physical state.

The storyline has been set up where the audience can tune into Impact next Thursday to find out what happened and not be in a position to have missed much of anything, barring a major angle in the main event.

Tonight's PPV is worth ordering for the undercard, rather than the main event. If the abundance of singles matches and singular feuds has captured your interest on TV, this might be the month to invest time and money in TNA's product.

Of course, the problem is that too often, the match outcomes on TNA PPVs are deemed irrelevant immediately after the match concludes. The follow-up on Impact is often non-existent unless there's a title change in-play that has to be explained to the audience.

You never know if the Impact following a PPV is going to open with Eric Bischoff strumming a guitar with no mention of the previous Sunday's PPV ever again.

TNA often hits the reset button immediately after a PPV, making it difficult to predict how TNA will book certain matches. Will this feud be reset even if it has two more months of life? Or, will this feud be dragged out even though everyone is ready to move on?

With those items in play, let's examine the PPV line-up with a look at the TV build-up, attention on TV, and predicted outcomes based on TNA's predicted booking.

TNA World Title match: RVD vs. Sting

-- The main event title match has received the most TV attention on Impact since Sting was announced as the #1 contender after the first Championship Rankings were released. How TNA arrived at Sting being #1 remains a mystery unexplainable by science or logic.

-- The quality of PPV build-up has been weak. Sting's character isn't strong despite attempts to present him as a mysterious heel with potential to "over-take the company" and "bring down TNA" if he wind the TNA Title. His promo to open Impact two weeks ago was also unexplainable by science or logic. The most TV time + an illogical storyline = not a main event worth buying the PPV for.

-- Predicted Outcome: RVD retains and Sting goes back to a part-time schedule hanging out in the rafters. RVD's next title opponent could be Kurt Angle or any number of other top stars depending on whether TNA follows up with the Championship Rankings system or drops it all together.

Jeff Hardy & Mr. Anderson vs. Beer Money

-- This feud has received plenty of TV time with focus on two top babyfaces in the company slowly forming an alliance against common enemies. The quality of the TV time has been fine with Mr. Anderson continuing to stand out as one of TNA's top stars. On the heel side, TNA has tried to position Beer Money as next-generation Horsemen-type enforcers with limited success.

-- Predicted Outcome: Beer Money needs the win more than Hardy and Anderson do. Anderson has gotten over despite losing regularly and Hardy is Mr. Teflon. Beer Money could use a credibility-booster with a victory in the semi-main event.

X Division Title match: Doug Williams vs. Brian Kendrick

-- Doug Williams has been a stand-out on the mic promoting his anti-highspot agenda for the X Division. He hasn't been given an abundance of TV time, but he's done well with the TV time he's been given to set up his title match at the PPV.

-- Brian Kendrick isn't exactly the "babyface to defend the X Division" against Williams, so this is a bit of a mis-match. It could be a good match depending on which planet Kendrick is coming to the audience from during the match.

-- Predicted Outcome: Williams retains the X Division Title and advances to finding an actual babyface from the X Division to feud against going forward. Chris Sabin and/or Alex Shelley would be good picks in a singles feud.

Knockouts Title match: Madison Rayne vs. Roxxi

-- TNA announced this match early on in the PPV build-up, then completely forget they announced this match until officially listing it the week before the PPV.

-- Roxxi seemed to "jump to the front of the line" for a Knockouts Title shot after her surprise return to TNA last month. There isn't as much heat on this feud as a result, but it has potential to be a good match.

-- Predicted Outcome: Madison retains the KO Title. TNA is building her up as the top heel in the division - by virtue of possessing the title - to set up a feud with a likely incoming WWE Women's wrestler. Madison should keep the belt for a while to build to a meaningful title switch down the road.

Kurt Angle vs. Kazarian

-- Kazarian has been put in the spotlight over the last four weeks building to the PPV with his association with Ric Flair. Meanwhile, Angle has been in a separate spotlight returning to TNA after a one-month hiatus.

-- The build-up itself hasn't received much attention and there isn't a true issue on the line, but both wrestlers have been given plenty of TV time to promote their involvement on the PPV.

-- Predicted Outcome: Kurt Angle wins despite often-times putting over a younger star in these types of situations. Angle seems to be destined for a TNA Title match in the next month or two. A victory in his PPV return match makes the most sense to set that up. Kazarian's "star can be enhanced" even without a victory if the match lives up to its potential as one of the stand-out matches on the PPV.

Matt Morgan vs. Hernandez

-- Matt Morgan was the main focus of the PPV build-up before Hernandez returned to TNA this week on Impact. Morgan vs. Hernandez wasn't officially set up until Thursday, which took away some of its potential drawing power, but a PPV match was ready-made months ago when Morgan took out Hernandez on TV.

-- Morgan's heel character has been one of the highlights of TV the past few weeks and he received plenty of quality TV time setting up Hernandez's reintroduction. Morgan is a strong character on TV right now and that means whatever he's doing is important.

-- Predicted Outcome: TNA probably won't deliver a decisive match outcome right after re-introducing Hernandez on TV three days ago. The program still has plenty of room to grow and it wouldn't be a good idea for either wrestler to lose clean in this match. Morgan needs to be protected as a potential top heel and Hernandez can't lose his return match on PPV.

A.J. Styles vs. Jay Lethal

-- The feud has received a large share of TV time leading to the PPV due to Styles's recent PPV main event status and association with Ric Flair. There's a clear issue in play and there's potential for this to be a stand-out PPV match. Neither wrestler is in a money-drawing position, however. Lethal plays a role fit for TV and Styles walked out of his main event run looking more like Ric Flair, Jr. than a serious threat as a heel.

-- Predicted Outcome: Jay Lethal gets a needed PPV victory to look credible as a potential future star for TNA. I could just as well see Styles win the match to gain some needed credibility as a heel, though.

Abyss vs. Desmond Wolfe in Monster's Ball

-- On the last four weeks of TV, TNA didn't do much with Chelsea's 30 days of service after Abyss went over Wolfe at last month's PPV. That's not a complaint, just an observation.

-- The feud was toned down on TV and everyone is just about ready to move on from this program. Going forward, Wolfe could be positioned as a top heel if paired with the right opponent. Meanwhile, Abyss has lost momentum after the failed experiment with Hulk Hogan.

-- Predicted Outcome: Abyss wins to end the feud and everyone moves on trying to avoid collateral damage from this program that included attempted vehicular homicide, a false assault accusation, and sorry attempts to create a CSI or Law & Order crime drama. Paging Horatio Caine.

Jesse Neal vs. Brother Ray

-- It's a classic story of teacher vs. student. Brother Ray is the unlikable teacher and Jesse Neal is the oddball student that a certain percentage of the audience cheers for while another percentage looks at with raised eyebrows. And, no, he's not over "organically" as some in TNA would suggest.

-- TNA has devoted a significant amount of TV time to getting over this feud and the involved participants leading to the PPV. The build-up has been quality, even if it's questionable TNA has devoted this much time to this particular feud.

-- Predicted Outcome: Jesse Neal wins, but with some outside interference or "confusion among involved parties." This will probably be more of an angle than a match, which should be fine in an undercard match.


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