TNA has had a consistently better product than WWE over the course of the past month. This week looks to continue that trend as there are three big title matches on the show including Samoa Joe defending the X Division Title against Homicide, Bobby Lashley defending the World Title against Bobby Roode, and the third match in the tag title series between The Wolves, Team 3D, and The Hardys!
1) Knockouts Battle Royal
This was a pretty dull start to the show, in my opinion. The Knockouts have really been delivering lately, but Battle Royal usually aren't very exciting so it's no surprise that this wasn't enjoyable. Beyond that, the outcome was too predictable for me to be invested in it, so this was a dud for the most part although it did make Havok look dominant which was the main objective.
2) Chris Melendez vs. Kenny King
Phenomenal heel work from Kenny King in this match. His promos and attack on Melendez after the match garnered King some heat that he's been needing for a long time. The only questionable thing about this segment was whether or not Melendez should be placed in a heated feud just yet. I think he should continue building his name before being put into a rivalry. None the less, this was a very controversial segment/match which made for good TV.
3) Samoa Joe vs. Homicide - X Division Title Match
As a big fan of early TNA & ROH, I was excited to see these two face off for the first time in years. Unfortunately, this one delivered nothing more than a good nostalgic feel. Both guys worked hard during the time they were given, but in all honesty this wasn't anything special. Decent match.
Match rating - **3/4
4) The Wolves (c) vs. The Hardys vs. Team 3D - Ladder Match for the TNA World Tag Team Titles
The series of matches that these three teams have had over the past few weeks have been great, but they took things to a whole nother level here. These guys totally blew my mind here. Multiple awesome jaw dropping spots, some of which looked very dangerous so kudos to all six men for putting their bodies on the line. Tables and chairs became involved near the end and we saw Eddie hit a double stomp onto a chair onto Devon's back while Davey hit a foot stomp off the top turnbuckle to the outside planting Matt Hardy through a table. Phenomenal match. The best of their series thus far and a definite Match of the Year candidate.
Match rating - ****1/2
5) Bram vs. Gunner
This match was all about storytelling and it accomplished everything it set out to do. Sometimes these type segments/matches can be boring, but these guys went full speed from the opening bell and the result was an entertaining bout. These guys made great use of the small amount of time they were given and accomplished a lot. Bram comes out looking strong and a rift begins to form between Shaw & Gunner. Good stuff here.
Match rating - **1/2
6) Bobby Lashley (c) vs. Bobby Roode - TNA World Title Match
After the tag team ladder match tore the house down, I really expected this match to be a letdown simply because of how high the bar was set. My expectations were proven wrong here however because Roode and Lashley managed to put together one hell of a main event. There were a few times during the match that I thought TNA was going to overbook it, but thankfully they avoided that and made this a match to remember. Extremely physical match here with some breathtaking moments such as Roode slamming Lashley over the top rope to the floor. Beyond that, the sequence of near falls in the final minutes of the match had me on the edge of my seat. Another thing I loved here was how Roode countered the spear multiple teams which is something we haven't seen much of during Lashley's reign. Great match.
Match rating - ***3/4
Overall thoughts: The first hour was pretty lackluster as the only segment that delivered was King/Melendez. Things would turn around in the second hour however as we got two of TNA's best matches so far this year in the form of Hardys/Wolves/3D and Roode/Lashley. With that being said, TNA once again produced a great show even if the first hour was a little rocky. If you missed it, I'd highly recommend checking out the second hour of the show. You get two outstanding matches and some quality storyline development during that period of time. Good show overall.
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