This past Sunday night, 1-14-10, TNA Wrestling presented their second PPV under the Hogan/Bischoff era, featuring an eight man tournament to determine the number one contender for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship! Who will make up one half of the world title main event matchup at Lockdown? Who will be the champ heading into Lockdown? Let’s get to the review and find out!

Eight Card Stud Quarter Final Match: “The Pope” D’Angelo Dinero Defeated Desmond Wolfe

TNA decided to open thing up with the first of four quarter final matches in the Eight Card Stud tournament, and I must say, this was a great way to open up the evening! These two had a great matchup last month at Genesis, but this topped that! Both men had their supporters, but Pope was super over! Nice back and forth action between both men featuring a very intriguing clash of styles, with Wolfe’s technical excellence topped off by Pope’s fast paced, aerial assault! Early in the match, Wolfe planted Pope with a sick, and I mean sick DDT! Many near falls starting about half way through the bout, climaxing with a beautiful superplex from the tip tip turnbuckle! After about 15 minutes of excitement, Pope hit a neckbreaker on Wolfe from the second rope, and then hit the DDE for the 1…2…3! Again, great match to open up the show! (***1/2)

Eight Card Stud Quarter Final Match: “The Blueprint” Matt Morgan (C) Defeated Hernandez (C)

Interesting contest here, featuring the current TNA World Tag Team Champions going one on one with one another. Typical big man vs. big man action in the early going which was a bit slow for my liking, with both men trying to overpower the other, but things really picked up in the final few minutes or so when Hernandez elevated Morgan up for a suplex, holding him up for a good 30 seconds before plating him down onto the canvas! Man this guy’s strong! After this, Hernandez hit his patented suicide dive over the top taking Morgan out on the ramp! Hernandez then sold a shoulder injury, which Morgan capitalized on by thrusting him shoulder first into the turnbuckle and rolling him up (using the tights) for the win. After the match, Hernandez walked out on him. Expect a possible feud between these two, which wouldn’t be too bad as long as the memorable spots they pull off outlast, or at least, override the methodical action. (***)

Eight Card Stud Quarter Final Match: Mr. Anderson Defeated “The Olympic Gold Medalist” Kurt Angle

Although I had expected this to have been a good bout, this completely surpassed my expectations! Great matchup here, which not only featured great wrestling action, but told a great in ring story as well with great ring psychology! Perfect balance here. Anderson busted Angle wide open early in the match after digging Angle’s dog tag into his forehead, and believe it or not the EMTs didn’t dive into the ring and clean him up! After this point, most of the match featured Anderson beating on an injured Angle, until Angle came back with momentum, hitting 3 German suplexes in a row! The match went about 20 minutes or so, and featured plenty of back and forth action at this point in time. Earlier in the match, Anderson had attempted to undo the turnbuckle pad, but the ref caught him. As the ref put it back on, Anderson undid the opposite one! Crafty heel work at its finest! After a very intense false finish, featuring Anderson kicking out of the Angle Slam, Angle charged at him, but Anderson sidestepped him sending him face first into the exposed turnbuckle! He hit the Mic Check for the win. Kind of disappointed that Anderson went over, but I guess it wasn’t exactly what you’d consider a clean victory. After the match, Anderson laid Angle’s dog tag on his chest, and then spit on it before leaving the ring! Looks like this feud will continue and rightfully so! IO can’t wait to see the intense promos and even matches that this will bring in the future! (***3/4)

Eight Card Stud Quarter Final Match: Abyss Defeated Mick Foley In A No DQ Match

Before this match began, Eric Bischoff told both Abyss and Foley that if they didn’t use the barbed wire baseball on one another, Abyss would be unmasked on IMPACT! Semi intriguing, much like it was when Abyss spoke for the first time. Throughout the match here itself, Abyss seemed very hesitant in doing any sort of physical maneuver to Foley because of their friendship. Foley tried his best to fire the monster up. Overall, this match was nothing like their Monster’s Ball matchup at Bound For Glory. This only featured a single chair shot and the ending, where Abyss won with the Black Hole Slam by planting Foley into a pile of tacks. The match did tell a good story though, and everything done made perfect sense storyline wise. After the match, Abyss picked the tacks out of the body of Foley. By the way, no one succeeded in using the barbed wire Baseball bat! This does create intrigue for IMPACT this Thursday night. Will Abyss be unmasked? (**)

The Nasty Boys Defeated Team 3D

I’m not going to lie, this match pretty much sucked bad! Can’t believe their weren’t any sort of hardcore stipulations here, for that’s the only way this match could have been watchable whatsoever. The Nasty Boys were very sloppy in the ring (timing, speed, bumps, and all) and you could really tell that Team 3D was pretty frustrated with this. After waking up from a 10 minute nap, I couldn’t believe my eyes! Guess who threw in a helmet allowing Sags to use it and get the pin? “The Mouth Of The South” Jimmy Hart! I personally have no problems with him being involved in TNA, but why manage The Nasty Boys? How’s that going to help elevate any younger talent, which should be the purpose of legends nowadays? It isn’t! (*1/2)

Eight Card Stud Semi Final Match: “The Pope” D’Angelo Dinero Defeated “The Blueprint” Matt Morgan

Another interesting clash of styles here, this time featuring the high flying ability of Pope mixed with the power game of “The Blueprint”. Slower match here in the early (these two already wrestled once mind you) but again really picked up in the final few minutes, featuring a vicious lariat from Morgan taking Pope’s head off as he went for the DDE! Very close count here! Then, Morgan went for the Carbon Footprint, but Pope sidestepped him causing him to ge entangled in the ropes. Pope hit a beautiful DDE for the win! (***)

Eight Card Stud Semi Final Match: Mr. Anderson Defeated “The Monster” Abyss

Quite ironic that these two also faced one another last month at Genesis. Although this was better than that match, there was really nothing memorable whatsoever that went on. Nice ring psychology on the part of Anderson though, who worked on the knee of Abyss throughout the entire matchup, bringing him down in size. After some fairly formulaic stuff, Anderson blinded Abyss with the mask, kicked him in the injured knee, hit the Mic Check, which consequently earned him the victory. (**1/2)

“The Phenomenal” AJ Styles (C) With Ric Flair Defeated “The Samoan Submission Machine” Samoa Joe To Retain the TNA World Heavyweight Championship With Eric Bischoff As The Special Ref

Pretty damn shocked this wasn’t the main event, but I guess Pope and Anderson needed some time to recuperate. Overall, I wouldn’t say that I was disappointed with this matchup, but it defiantly wasn’t on caliber with the matches these two have had in the past. This seemed to be a bit more tones down, with a lot more focus on ring psychology and telling a story, which comes with the new found territory I guess. I really did appreciate the balance though. Nice heel work on the part of AJ as well as intensity on the part of Joe. Both men went back and forth exchanging offense in the early going, with Joe eventually picking up momentum with a suicide dive onto AJ on the outside, sending him crashing hard into the guardrail! Soon after, AJ began to work on Joe’s knee, after Flair rammed it into the ring post behind Bischoff’s back. This is where AJ presented excellent ring psychology, with the assistance of Flair at ringside. Later Joe came back with momentum, and the two fought back and forth offensively once again. Finally, Joe got AJ up for the Muscle Buster and connected, but Flair pulled Bischoff to the outside. Bischoff preceded in punching Flair right in the nose! The distracted Joe though who grabbed Bischoff in frustration. Aj hit the Pele and the Styles Clash, forcing Bischoff to make the three count. Bischoff was very, very hesitant. Again, not as epic wrestling wise as these two have done in the past, but this was a great match nevertheless which told a great story. Again, perfect balance in my opinion. (****)

Eight Card Finals: “The Pope” D’Angelo Dinero Defeated Mr. Anderson To Become The Number One Contender For The TNA World Heavyweight Championship

Before the match began, Pope was attacked by Hall and Waltman backstage. They said they’re coming for Hogan next. Nice way to incorporate them into the PPV without having them become too heavily involved. Anderson beat on Pope for the majority on this main event, being that Pope was injured at the hands of “The band”. pope was certainly fighting Against All Odds! Pun Intended! Slow 25 minute match, but told a great story. Last few minutes were Very intense with Anderson kicking out of the DDE and Pope kicking out of the Mic Check! Finally, Pope hit another DDE for the victory! Pope wins! He will now face AJ for the title at Lockdown! Should be awesome! (***3/4)

Overall, I felt that this wasn’t a great PPV, but defiantly a very good one! The major matches seemed a bit toned down and told more of a story, but there was still plenty of action so no problem. Although it’s still fat too early to comment on how exactly the Hogan/Bischoff era will effect TNA, if this is any indication of that, I’m happy! Very good balance between wrestling and psychology. Very good PPV overall! (7.5/10)

Todd Frizzell is from Columbus Ohio, and has been a huge professional wrestling fanatic for the last ten years. Todd is very interested in all aspects of pro wrestling, including what goes on when the cameras aren’t rolling. Todd is very excited to write about his passion, and will try his best to entertain and provoke the wrestling fans.

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4. TNA Wrestling Genesis 2010 Preview and Predictions
5. TNA Wrestling Lockdown Preview and Predictions