FORUM HOME > Wrestling > US Independents
Slammiversary Thoughts (Spoilers)

AnubisPosted on 06/19/06 at 07:53:28

Figured I'd go ahead and post more positive things around here since people seem to want that to balance out all the negative stuff I speak on.

Slammiversary . . . Where to begin?  By the way, I did actually see it and ordered it on PPV (as opposed to reading about it or downloading it), just FYI.

Anyway, on to a short review.



BINGO HALL BRAWL
The James Gang vs. Team 3D

Good match, but it wasn't much more true to ECW than the weekly ECW program has been so far.  Still too many trash can lids and such.  Still, it was much closer, and at least the match was exciting.
Rating: ** 1/2

HANDICAP MATCH
"The War Machine" Rhino vs. Bobby Roode and Coach Scott D'Amore

This match was boring whenever Rhino and Roode were going at it, but improved once D'Amore started participating more.  I can't figure out why D'Amore doesn't wrestle more often, he's great in the ring and very entertaining.
Rating: **

X DIVISION RANKINGS MATCH
Sonjay Dutt vs Alex Shelley vs Jay Lethal vs Senshi vs Shark Boy vs Petey Williams

Senshi, Shelley, Lethal, and Williams looked great in this match, but Dutt and Shark Boy are the bad kind of spot monkey.  Sadly, Dutt was pushed hard in this match.  The quality was good overall because Senshi was able to save it, but by the end, I was loving Senshi doing multiple sick fatal-looking moves on Dutt.  My God Dutt is annoying to watch; he really brought the match down.
Rating: ** 1/4

Kevin Nash vs. Chris Sabin

If you actually saw this match, you would have had a heart attack.  Nash is usually slow and sloppy and Sabin is usually an annoying spot monkey only slightly better than Dutt, but they actually put on a very fucking good match here.  Nash was acting like an old school heel and Sabin fit the underdog role well, and the chemistry was amazing between these two.  Good show here, and I'm glad to see Nash actually trying.  I think he realizes this is his last chance to be anything in this business.
Rating: ** 3/4

NWA WORLD TAG TEAM TITLE MATCH
America's Most Wanted (c) vs. AJ Styles and Christopher Daniels

This match was OMFG great.  While I figured AJ and Daniels would win it, this match went back and forth so much that I was really clueless.  As a bonus, not only did I predict it right, but I even predicted who would get the fall on who and how right.  The action was unbelievable.  AJ and Daniels are definitely two of the best workers in the United States, and Harris and Storm aren't too shabby either.  I have no idea as to the identity of the woman who "neutralized" Gail Kim, though.  At first, from the side, I thought it would be Nora Greenwald.  Then, after seeing her from the front, she looked like Chyna at first glance.  After getting a better look, I realized that I had no idea who she was.  That or I'm having a serious brain fart.  Still, if it had been Sarah Stock, I'd have pissed my pants and this would be my favorite match ever.  Ah well, nothing's perfect, hahaha.
Rating: *****

WHO IS TRULY UNSTOPPABLE?
"The Samoan Submission Machine" Samoa Joe vs. "Big Poppa Pump" Scott Steiner

Like Nash, I think Steiner realized this is his last chance.  He actually looked good out there, and he meshed very well with Joe.  Happily, I will still be watching TNA, because Joe did indeed get the win.  A solid strong style bout for the most part and very good.
Rating: ***

KING OF THE MOUNTAIN MATCH FOR THE NWA WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE
Christian Cage (c) vs. "The Monster" Abyss vs.
Ron "The Truth" Killings vs. Jeff Jarrett vs. Sting

I saw Zbyszko's full turn coming a mile away (especially given that he's been teetering on heeldom for months now), but it was pretty obvious, so I guess that's nothing to really brag about.  I did not, however, see Hebner's turn coming, so I'd have to give props to anyone who did.  I actually thought Slick was gonna be the one to turn, honestly.  I knew it was time for Jarrett to get the belt back, and while that may be questionable given what happened at the end, he did win the match.  This was an excellent match.  Abyss was pretty mild as usual, but Jarrett and Truth stepped it up a notch.  Cage and Sting were fantastic here.  I'm glad Cage lost the belt, though, because despite his performance here, he was still a dud as Champion.  Jarrett got skyrocketed into super heel status in the wake of this match as well, given the crowd reaction.  Given how Joe is getting pushed, though, I imagine that Jarrett will have a short reign before dropping to Sting, who will hopefully go on to face Joe.
Rating: ****

Overall:

Aside from the boring moments with Rhino and Roode and having to watch way too much of Dutt, I can't really complain.  Doesn't quite beat ONS2, but is definitely a close second, showing that TNA continues to impress on PPV even if their weekly show is kinda lackluster.
Rating: ***
HugeRockStar760Posted on 06/19/06 at 08:32:16

I heard that Scott Steiner made Samoa Joe look weak. He got a little too much offense on Joe. At least the right person won here.

I agree, Sonjay Dutt is so freakin' annoying to me. He has the absolute worst taunt or gesture.

The Bingo Hall Brawl basically validates everything Paul Heyman said about TNA using the WWE and past grudges to get their wrestlers over. Yes, great, ECW is bad right now...But what is the point in advertising your competitor? Maybe there are some people who will tune into next week's ECW show on SciFi, out of curiousity, and maybe just maybe it'll be exactly what the old ECW was like...Then, that viewer will be watching the next week and maybe won't watch TNA the next.

I'm just tired of The Former Dudley Boyz bitching and moaning about ECW this and that. They are entitled to their opinion, but had the WWE paid them (overpaid) like they wanted, they would've talked glowingly about the product. It's hypocritical. The only reason there was a zombie character on the debut show was a tongue in cheek sarcastic jab at the network, much like the Tease of the Week was a jab at the stereotypical notion that SciFi geeks can't get laid.

And no, The Dudleyz were NOT the heart of ECW. Sorry "Bubba". The heart of ECW will always be Tommy Dreamer because he stayed true to ECW until the promotion folded.

I think losing the title will make Christian better. His promo on the last Impact was the best mic work I've heard from him in TNA. It's no coincidence that it happened to be heelish in tone either.

And the Orlando crowd always boos Jarrett...So I wouldn't say he's super over as a heel. He basically has Triple H heat like Triple H had back in 2003.
AnubisPosted on 06/19/06 at 12:11:20

On 06/19/06 at 08:32:16, HugeRockStar760 wrote:And no, The Dudleyz were NOT the heart of ECW. Sorry "Bubba". The heart of ECW will always be Tommy Dreamer because he stayed true to ECW until the promotion folded.
Tommy Dreamer and Rob Van Dam.
JustinPosted on 06/19/06 at 13:54:15

No just Dreamer... Dreamer was with he promotion since its inception in the early 90's. RVD came in around 97-98. Sure he stayed til he end but Dreamer was the diehard that turned down offers from the "Big 2" so he could be true to what he believed in.
pszPosted on 06/19/06 at 13:57:14

And Sandman. Yes he left, but no matter WHERE he went, he was ALWAYS "ECW's Sandman", even if the announcers didn't say it.
Rick GarrardPosted on 06/20/06 at 01:56:23

Dreamer and The Tasmaniac and Joey "Keep Jason away from me or I'll get hives again" Styles were the heart of ECW... Taz being the only guy other than Dreamer that started with ECW and stayed until almost the bitter end.