I wrote this live. It’s not complete play by play, but it covers everything.
TNA Genesis
January 9, 2011
Orlando, Florida
By John Canton
Follow me on Twitter @johnreport
We get a video package featuring Matt Morgan and Mr. Anderson as a preview of their #1 Contender’s match. They do video packages well in TNA these days. Not as good as WWE, but they are still very good.
X Division Title: Jay Lethal vs. Kazarian
The deal is that all the guys in Fortune “have” to win the gold here. The announcers put it over, saying they need the titles as leverage due to the legal battle with Dixie Carter. It’s not a great angle, but it works. Two good workers here. Kazarian’s a diehard St. Louis Rams fan like me, though, so I’ll root for him. Nice offense by Lethal early on. He’s in control for the first four minutes of the match. The moonsault on the floor was the best spot so far.
Kazarian takes over, showing off his athleticism. Great handspring back elbow by Lethal. The build for this match has been pretty poor, but as workers both guys are very good. Huge chop by Lethal and then he does a hangman type move on Kazarian. Nice sunset flip powerbomb by Lethal. I wish Impact had more matches like this. It would make it a better show. They need quality wrestling on Impact, not 15 backstage segments an episode. Lethal Combination by Jay and it only gets two. Kazarian goes for the reverse Tombstone, but Lethal counters that and Kazarian hits a slingshot DDT for two. Lethal chops the hell out of him, knocking Kazarian down. Lethal hits a suplex and takes forever pointing to the corner. Kaz hits a kick while Lethal’s on the top. That was the longest climb to the top ever. Mark Henry could get up there faster. Kazarian gets knocked off and he goes into the ref. He hits the ropes and Lethal falls. Kaz pulls him out and hits a reverse Tombstone for the pin at 13 minutes.
Winner: Kazarian
Analysis: ***1/4 Quality wrestling match. I liked the nearfalls and the finish worked too, aside from the ref bump that didn’t seem necessary. It’s not illegal to hit the ropes when the guy is on the top, so why have a ref bump? I enjoyed it, though. Lethal’s X Division title reign didn’t last very long. It does go with the “Fortune wins every belt” angle. I assume Beer Money wins later and Styles loses, to turn him babyface.
Backstage, Eric Bischoff had a powwow with Ric Flair and AJ Styles. Apparently Styles is hurt and out for a month or so. He got hurt playing with his kid. Bischoff yells at him to get it together. Flair says they’ll figure something out. They always do.
Knockouts Title: Madison Rayne vs. Mickie James
Mickie’s sporting a jacket on her outfit this time. She’s looking lovely of course. I’m biased, but Madison’s looking great too. Taz says Mickie’s boots look like they’re from the old AWA days. Nice cartwheel into a dropkick by Mickie. The announcers keep saying Tara’s been out with an arm injury even though she’s wrestled twice on TV since the injury. I’m a fan of Madison’s screaming, I have to admit. There’s the Thesz Press by Mickie. Madison bails to the floor and comes back in, dropping Mickie’s throat across the top. The crowd’s chanting “You Can’t Wrestle” for some reason. Why? Mickie’s obviously very good and Madison’s very solid. That was odd. Seated dropkick by Mickie for two. Mickie goes up and Madison whips her off by the hair. Now Madison’s screaming is getting a bit excessive. Another hair whip by Madison and some face gouging. Mickie comes back with a rollup, but Madison keeps her down. Now there’s some hair pulling by Madison. Her offense is a bit limited. Mickie blocks the leg scissors with a slam and hits some forearms to gain control. She hits a flapjack and kips up. Mickie spanks her in the butt a few times. That was tremendous. Top rope Thesz Press by Mickie. She goes for the DDT and there’s Tara’s music. She comes out. That’s lame to have the music play. The ref goes outside the ring to get Tara out. Madison puts something into her loaded left glove and knocks her out. Predictable finish at 11 minutes.
Winner: Madison Rayne:
Analysis: *1/2 Not a great match. I think Madison’s offense was only just average although Mickie’s comebacks were very good. The feud will continue for sure. I think Mickie will get the title at the next PPV, likely with a gimmick.
Backstage, Christy talked with Kazarian who bragged about winning the X Division Title. Beer Money vs. Motor City Machine Guns is next. Bischoff says Abyss will replace AJ Styles against Doug Williams. We won’t know RVD’s opponent even though most people online know it’s Matt Hardy.
Motor City Machine Guns vs. Beer Money
It should be a great match. I expect Beer Money to win. The chemistry between these two teams is awesome. They had some amazing matches last year. Nice double suicide dive by the Guns. Beer Money takes control, though, with a Roode clothesline to the back of Shelley. Beer Money takes over from there, isolating Shelley. They are very good offensively and working as a team. It’s very fair to say they are the best teams in TNA or WWE right now. That’s not saying much considering WWE’s shoddy tag team division. Shelley hits the Sliced Bread #2 on Storm. Somewhere Brian Kendrick is fuming. Or he’s stoned backstage and he doesn’t give a damn. He goes to tag, but Roode pulls him off.
We’re ten minutes in with the heels still isolating Shelley. I like when Shelley’s the one that gets worked over because Sabin’s offense is so good. That’s not to say Shelley’s offense is poor. I’m more of a mark for Sabin. Shelley fights back with an enziguri on Storm and then drops Roode face first into the corner. The Guns are such an awesome babyface tag team. They do everything right. Sabin gets the tag and goes nuts. There’s the hesitation dropkick on Roode. He hits Storm with a suplex right on top of Roode. Hurricanrana on Roode and then Shelley hits a spike DDT after leaping off of Sabin’s shoulders. That was fantastic. Sabin puts Roode down and Shelley hits a double foot stomp for two. Back stabber by Storm on Shelley, then Sabin hits an enziguri. Roode spits beer into Sabin’s eyes, Roode hits a spinebuster and I think that’s it, but no, Shelley kicks out. Shelley takes out Storm on the floor. Awesome double kick on Roode. There’s the neckbreaker/crossbody combo for two, but Storm pulls the ref out. How is that never a DQ? Shelley takes out Storm again. Roode counters a DDT into a bridging Northern Lights for two. Another nearfall for Beer Money. Loving this match! The Guns mess up, Sabin kicks Shelley in the head, Roode rolls up Sabin and that earns them the pinfall at 18 minutes.
Winners: Beer Money
Analysis: **** This was another great tag match between these two teams. The amount of nearfalls were fantastic. The timing they have is magnificent. The heel victory makes sense due to the story. The question is, does that finish mean the Guns might be breaking up? I hope so. They’re the perfect babyface tag team. They didn’t play up any kind of breakup post match, so that’s a good sign.
Backstage, Devon cut a promo. I bet you could grate cheese off Devon’s forehead. That is disgusting. So many blade jobs in his life, I guess. We got a long video package highlighting the Bubba/Devon feud. It’s been built up pretty well.
Bully Ray vs. Devon
From “Hell’s Kitchen, New York” is where Bully is from. I’m probably going to be calling him Bubba through this. Sorry. I’m used to it. Ray grabs Val, trying to throw her in front of Devon to keep him away. They brawl up the ramp a bit. They fought all over the ringside area before finally getting in the ring after a few minutes and the bell rang. The offense was mostly done by Devon. In terms of workrate there’s not much to speak of. It’s mostly a standup brawl with punches. Ray hit a RKO/Diamond Cutter after Devon leaped off the ropes and it only got two. The crowd barely reacted. Nice spinebuster by Devon as we reach the ten minute mark since they entered the arena. Superplex by Ray gets two. Ray goes for a chain. He doesn’t use it. Devon gets it and he beats on Bubba with it. The ref DQ’s Devon.
Winner by DQ: Bully Ray
The crowd chants “let them fight” after the match. The refs come out and try to pry Devon off him. Hey there’s D-Lo Brown and Simon Diamond, they’re TNA backstage agents. More brawls with them. Bully hits a cheapshot to the balls and leaves. I’m guessing chain match next month?
Analysis: *1/2 Decent brawl. Not much of a match, as it was mostly a standup brawl to keep the story going.
Backstage, Jeff Jarrett talks about the MMA challenge with Kurt Angle. It’s going to be three rounds of two minutes each. He doesn’t want anybody getting hurt. He said Angle hasn’t been in the ring for six months. What? Bound for Glory was three months ago. He said he’s taking him out in round three.
TV Title: Douglas Williams vs. Abyss
I’m not really sure why they booked AJ out of this match. I don’t think he’s legitimately injured and it disappoints me because Williams vs. Styles was the one match I was looking forward. I thought AJ would lose to set up his babyface turn. Five minutes in, Abyss has been in control the whole time and the crowd starts chanting “we want AJ!” Yes, they chant about wanting a heel. That’s not what you want out of the crowd typically. I’m getting tired of the Orlando crowd. Bischoff was right in an interview saying they need to do PPVs/TVs on the road because it’ll make the product fresher. Having a show in front of a crowd that doesn’t pay money and is in a theme park isn’t the best venue for it. It is a money saving move, though. Williams finally gets offense in at the 8 minute mark. Back suplex by Williams, who is selling a left hand injury. Williams hits a knee drop off the top, which is uncharacteristic for him. Running knee in the corner is countered to a chokeslam by Abyss. Abyss gets the bat with nails. The ref tells him to put it down. Styles comes out limping, hits Williams in the head with the title and Abyss finishes him off with the Black Hole Slam for the pin. Match was 11 minutes.
Winner: Abyss
Analysis: *3/4 It was okay. Not the technical classic we could have got with Williams/Styles. The story is that Immortal has won all the belts now although this could steal lead to Styles turning face soon.
Backstage, RVD says he wants Hardy. Bischoff says “you want Hardy, you got Hardy in the ring.” He didn’t say Jeff.
Rob Van Dam vs. Matt Hardy
Matt Hardy comes out with dreadlocks. The crowd chants “Hardy! Hardy! Hardy!” The announcers are shocked. They don’t know if he’s a part of Immortal. This news got leaked on the internet about four or five hours before the show. If it was me I’d promote Matt Hardy beforehand, but TNA thinks surprises are draws. Matt looks in better shape than we last saw him in WWE three months ago. The announcers just mentioned that “TNA Genesis” is trending on Twitter. I wonder how many people paid for the PPV and how many are streaming online illegally? RVD knocks him off the apron with a side kick. It looks like Matt’s working like a heel. It’s not that obvious, though.
RVD hits a flip dive on the floor, but Matt comes back to get control. I really think TNA’s at fault for not advertising this. Matt’s not a huge name, but he’s a name. And mystery opponents have never really proven to be draws. The crowd’s not really booing Matt. They’re happy to have him there, it seems. Nice neckbreaker by Hardy, who keeps working on RVD’s neck. He leaps off the middle rope, but RVD counters with a back kick. Matt quickly comes back, though, working on Rob’s neck. RVD comes back with his kick heavy offense followed by clotheslines and a sidekick. Spin kick by RVD and a spinning dropkick. It would be nice if he sold the neck injury a little. Small package by RVD. If Matt’s a heel he needs to be more heel-ish. A standing sidekick by RVD off the rope followed by Rolling Thunder. He hits the Five Star Frog Splash. Matt’s hand is under the bottom rope, so the pin doesn’t count. “Twist of Hate” by Hardy. RVD had his foot under the ropes. The ref didn’t see it because he was looking at the shoulders. He counts the pinfall for Matt.
Winner: Matt Hardy
Analysis: ** Is Matt a heel? He needs to heel it up even more. I’m pretty sure we’ve seen that finish recently in TNA too. Like usual, the refs are incompetent and the faces are made to look like complete idiots. That’s a frustrating thing about TNA that never changes. That wasn’t a very impactful debut of Matt Hardy. I don’t hate the guy or anything. I’m just saying it could have been better.
Backstage, Kurt Angle talked. He said he’s in shape and Jeff should ask his wife, who is of course Kurt’s ex-wife Karen. Then we get the video package.
In case you’re wondering, heels are 6-0 on this PPV so far. The faces always look like idiots in TNA. That’s an ongoing problem with the booking.
MMA Exhibition: Jeff Jarrett vs. Kurt Angle
This is three two-minute rounds. I’m not using star ratings for this. Angle says if anybody jumps in the ring he will break their neck. They have a clock in the bottom corner. Most of the 1st round is Jarrett running away and Angle finally gets a choke on at the end of it. Jarrett’s saved by the bell. Jarrett sits in the corner with his “team” while Angle throws his stool away. Now we’re onto round two. Angle’s in control again with Jarrett only being able to get rope breaks. He can’t do much else, which is predictable. Angle gets an arm bar and then the ankle lock. The time in the round expires. Tenay says it’s not an exhibition, it’s a clinic. The security team of Jarrett loaded his glove and he punched Angle, knocking him out. Then Angle was on the ground and the camera showed him blading. There he was with the blade in hand. It cut away before the cut, but when it came back we could see it. That’s a very sloppy job by the director. That almost never happens in wrestling.
Winner: Kurt Angle by DQ
Post match, Jarrett continues the assault and talks trash to him. He says Angle’s going to have a retirement party and all three of them are going to be there. Jarrett, Kurt and “you know who.” So it’s another surprise in TNA? They love those.
Analysis: Not much of a match, but it adds heat to the angle. I wouldn’t mind seeing a straight up match with these too.
Jarrett yells at the announcers, saying he’s retiring undefeated from his MMA challenge. They’re having the retirement party on Impact and “all three of us are coming.” Does that mean Karen Jarrett? I dunno.
Backstage, Jeff Hardy cut a promo saying anything can happen. That’s it. It’s ridiculous to not put the champ in a match on PPV. You’re only making your company look stupid when you do that.
Number One Contender’s Match: Matt Morgan vs. Ken Anderson
It’s a match where a heel can’t win since they’re both faces. It’s starting at 10:22pm. I really doubt they’re going 20 minutes, but I guess we’ll see. This is your main event.
They are working very slowly, but Morgan ends up in control after driving Anderson to the ring post. Anderson’s selling the head injury. This match isn’t drawing much of a reaction from the fans. Morgan gets the elbows in the corner, misses the charge and Anderson goes after his left knee. He stomps away at the knee. He continues working on the left knee of Morgan using typical offense. With neither guy being heel the crowd’s still pretty quiet. Morgan comes back with a couple of clotheslines 10 minutes in. Anderson is selling like he’s really out of it and then he comes back with his Mic Check finisher. Morgan kicks out.
They get back to their feet and slug it out. Morgan gets the Carbon Footprint finisher and Anderson kicks out. Anderson follows with a nearfall of his own. Kennedy hits a flying forearm, Morgan stumbles around and Anderson pins him with a cradle at the 15 minute mark.
Winner: Ken Anderson
Analysis: ** They worked hard, but the crowd was dead during most of it. It’s tough when you do face vs. face and neither guy is on the level of a gigantic superstar.
Post match, Eric Bischoff comes out to announce that Ken Anderson is getting his title shot right now. Could this be a way to get the belt off Hardy if that’s the plan?
TNA World Title: Jeff Hardy vs. Ken Anderson
Hardy comes out in street clothes and a cigarette. He puts the cig out on his way to the ring. Jeff hits the Twist of Hate. Anderson kicks out. Jeff is shocked. Another Twist of Hate by Hardy. Anderson kicks out again. He throws Hardy to the floor. Matt Morgan hits the discus clothesline on Hardy and rolls him back in. Anderson covers for two. They do the dueling punches spot we just saw Morgan and Anderson do. Anderson comes back with a clothesline. Swinging neckbreaker by Anderson gets two. Hardy comes back with the Whisper in the Wind off the top. Hardy’s jeans are ripped in the front. That’s why you don’t wrestle in jeans. Hardy goes for a chair. Out of nowhere comes Mick Foley to grab the chair, preventing him from using it. Security comes out to stop Flair from going after Foley. They get back in the ring and fight on the top. Hardy hits a Swanton Bomb. Anderson kicks out again. Anderson’s bleeding now. Time check is 10:48. Jeff’s calling out Matt Hardy, who is not trending on Twitter, but Tyler Reks is. RVD comes out to take Matt away. They brawl up the ramp. What would a title match be without interference? Bischoff goes in the ring with a chair. Anderson gives him the Mic Check. Hardy goes back in, Anderson hits the Mic Check and pins him for the victory. New World Champion at 10 minutes.
Winner: Ken Anderson
Analysis: *1/2 They had a lot of run-ins, but they didn’t have the usual ref bump. It was just a case of the ref being incompetent like usual. I guess the reason for this is because Hardy’s pleading guilty to his drug charge and it’s not a good idea to have a World Champion that is pleading guilty to a drug charge.
To close the show, Anderson says he’s the new TNA Champion. Too bad the belt looks like it’s from Transformers. They need to dispose of that belt immediately. It’s awful for somebody to hold that’s not Jeff Hardy and even Jeff’s case it wasn’t great.
Final Thoughts
I think the marketing of this company is very poor. They should have advertised. They should have said Jeff Hardy faces the winner of Anderson/Morgan too. You need to advertise World Title matches because you’re going to get more views by saying the World Title is on the line. The “surprise” title match is silly. And if Immortal doesn’t want to lose the belt why not have every guy in the stable interfere to make sure Jeff wins? It’s inconsistencies in the booking like that which hurt the product.
The tag match was fantastic. I think all MCMG/Beer Money are very good to great and this was no exception. The ongoing story of Immortal getting all the belts worked really well. I’m not sure what’s up with AJ Styles, but I hope it leads to him turning babyface because I think he’s better in that role.
It was a heel dominated show with a babyface standing tall at the end. It’ll be interesting to see where things go from here, especially with Jeff Hardy. I am genuinely happy for Ken Anderson. He has worked his ass off and deserves to be a World Champion. He would have been in WWE if not for outside circumstances and injuries.
I’ll give it a 5 out of 10 for everybody working hard and some solid wrestling, but the booking always holds TNA back. These matches are consistently overbooked. Clean finishes would be a welcome change.
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