It's the biggest show on the TNA calendar behind their annual Slammiversary, and 10/10/10 has been promising big things! The vacant World Heavyweight Championship will finally be decided, while former-champ RVD gets payback, and a lethal lockdown cage sorts the extreme from the fortunate!
Triple Threat World Heavyweight Championship match
Mr. Anderson vs Kurt Angle vs Jeff Hardy
I can't help but feel this match is in the middle of two better situations. With RVD on the card elsewhere, there's a big part of me that wishes this could've been evened out to a four-way to keep the title from being officially stripped. It's an ugly and unnecessary decision that will marr the records, an RVD loss would be superior. At the same time, on the flipside, I can't help but feel a one-on-one bout between Angle and Hardy was a much purer attraction, even if a potentially sticky affair given Kurt Angle's on-going claim that a loss will end his career.
I'm not an Anderson fan and I simply cannot entertain the notion of his winning the top gold. Angle already has the most reigns as champ in the post-NWA title era, with three officially recognised reigns, one of those a combined two-fer. He can't lose, but winning asks a lot, so I would expect one of the others to pin the other, avoiding Angle's early retirement whilst naming a new champ. It seemed, for a while, Jeff Hardy's legal issues would keep him out of that predicament, but with the situation resolving itself and the next PPV poster boasting a solo shot of the big draw, I'm gonna put my chips down on Hardy's title win. I'm just not convinced by Anderson's credentials, even if that makes him the least predictable outcome. Hardy could enter a rematch program with RVD, which would probably be fun. Although, on that same note, the attraction of Hardy/Angle due to their never having fought probably rolls on to Angle/RVD, too. Fingers crossed there's no wacky swerve to delay a champ being named.
Prediction: Jeff Hardy
Monster's Ball match
Rob Van Dam vs Abyss
As already mentioned, I think it's a real shame to have RVD fit to fight on this card, while his title goes on the line in another match. Aftermath from being brutalized by Abyss' nail encrusted 2X4 would presumably give him a weakened out, but an unconvincing defense is better than no defense at all! That aftermath will presumably play a role in a match that's got the weight of other storylines on it, namely Abyss' mounting feud with Dixie Carter and the mysterious influence of 'them.' RVD's only had one loss from his nineteen televised matches, but I would think the smartest option here is to convert his weakness to an easily justified loss. That's not necessarily what will happen, particularly with those hardcore stips (which are billed as an Abyss trademark, but hand the perfect out to beat a monster). Maybe RVD gets the assist from his ECW buddies?
Prediction: Abyss
Ten Man Lethal Lockdown match
Fourtune (AJ Styles, Kazarian, Matt Morgan, Robert Roode, James Storm) vs
EV 2.0 (Tommy Dreamer, Raven, Rhino, Sabu, Stevie Richards)
It was easy to criticize the early Hogan/Bischoff decision to turn AJ Styles heel with a Nature Boy Jr gimmick. It seemed tired and part of a sweeping disregard for what TNA Had done under old management. The irony is that [Ric] Flair's team has grown to effectively represent the pure TNA Originals! With that fact in mind, I'm never quite sure who to cheer here. Quantity service for the big show. EV 2.0 haven't had a lot of luck in their clashes with TNA stalwarts, but then, isn't that spirit of the loser underdog what ECW was all about? I don't know where they intend to go with EV 2.0, and in the absence of a swerve, they might as well just aim to hurt someone.
Preiction: Team Fourtune
X-Division Championship match
Douglas Williams vs Jay Lethal (c)
Wacky antics during the month as Jay Lethal dropped the X-title for a couple of nights to Amazing Red via a hometown house show. Didn't do a lot of favours to the belt. Would be a real misstep to drop the belt off Lethal again so quickly. Douglas Williams was an awesome champ, but the best case scenario here is a high quality job, for the good of the strap.
Prediction: Jay Lethal
Tag Team Championship match
Generation Me vs Motor City Machine Guns (c)
Having the wholesome second-coming of the Hardy Boyz turn heel at such an early stage in their TNA rise really surprised me, but it clearly hasn't hurt their trajectory. The clean living Young Bucks (Max and Jeremy; GenMe) are more seasoned than they look, and with silky smooth tag team high flying, have all the chutzpah to make it work down the line when they've put some more yards in, I think. With the vacated belt up for grabs in the main event, I'd hate to see an arbitrary title change. Keep the Bucks in the hunt, but let Sabin and Shelley continue to wear the belts proudly.
Prediction: Motor City Machine Guns
Tag Team Handicap match
Sting, Kevin Nash & D'Angelo Dinero vs Jeff Jarrett & Samoa Joe
Despite a couple of false starts, Samoa Joe continues to loiter in the mid-card. The on-going feud between Jarrett and Nash/Sting runs the risk of getting real tired, but a recent interview spotlight of opposing views gave the Nash side of things a great short in the arm. To borrow the metaphor, one man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter. I like the philosophy behind the battle, but it seems a shame to drag Joe and The Pope into the battle. BFG isn't quite Wrestlemania, so I'd be willing to give the bad guys better than even odds.
Prediction: Sting, Kevin Nash & The Pope
Four Corners Knockouts Championship match
Velvet Sky vs Madison Rayne vs Tara vs Angelina Love (c)
The Beautiful People have a stranglehold on the women's slot, it seems, as the likes of Sarita, and the Knockouts Tag champs (Taylor Wilde & Hamada), remain off the big card. A change would do them good, but this should at least be an acceptable showdown. Not sure where they're going.
Prediction: Angelina Love
Tag Team match
Eric Young & Orlando Jordan vs Ink Inc.
On paper, I'm not sure it should work, but Eric Young's wackiness and Jordan's... tackiness have a weird way of gelling. Internatioinal audiences will be a lot more familiar with what's going down here, which is something I appreciate. TNA critics and so-called experts should make an effort to be informed. Presumably there'll be a tag opening, particularly with London Brawling still missing in action (despite a Desmond Wolfe appearance on Xplosion). I'd like to see Neal/Moore get the shot, but you never know, and neither does Eric Young.
Prediction: Shannon Moore & Jesse Neal (Ink Inc)
The Kayfabe Countdown: TNA Top Ten
Cumulative tally based on the win/loss records of televised matches.
#1 AJ Styles [+1] (Television Champion)
#2 Rob Van Dam [-1]
#3 Kurt Angle [+1]
#4 Jeff Hardy [+1]
#5 Abyss [-2]
#6 Robert Roode [--]
#7 Ken Anderson [RE]
#8 Velvet Sky [-1]
#9 James Storm [-1]
#10 "The Pope" D'Angelo Dinero [RE]
#1 Robert Roode & James Storm [--]
#2 Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin [--] (Tag Team Champions)
#3 Velvet Sky & Madison Rayne [--]
#4 Hernandez & Matt Morgan [--]
#5 Shannon Moore & Jesse Neal [--]
Originally posted: http://www.1up.com/do/blogEntry?bId=9059833
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