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Introduction:
Welcome fans to the newest installment of PPV by the Numbers. Over the past half-year I have been trying fresh and new ideas out and changing the format of this column. The bottom line is that this is a column about previewing the upcoming PPV wrestling events of TNA and WWE and helping people who are on the fence about buying this event decide if it is something they should drop their hard earned money on. In my past efforts, I have felt this column was confusing and long winded and so I think I have finally come up with the final better format. In the article you will now get a narrative about each match as well as a paragraph or two about the overall card. Each match will be rated from 1-5 (Five being the worst) based on a lot of different characteristics…enjoy!
TNA WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
Angle & Nash vs. Sting & Mystery Partner
It’s nice to see Mr. Nash back in the ring and on paper this match has a lot of intrigue but in the end it won’t deliver the goods. Angle to me has really become subdued in his in ring performance since leaving the WWE. He is still one of the top technical wrestlers in the business but he has become myopic in his move choice and uninteresting. Nash is definitely a variable since no fan today really knows what “Diesel” is capable of anymore. Sting still has it and can come across great in the ring. As far as the whole mystery partner goes, to me it comes down to three people, Scott Hall (Who has been portrayed not to be Sting’s partner), RVD (who doesn’t seem ready to come back to wrestling yet) or Booker T (whom may or may not be eligible due to his former contract and “Days he can’t wrestle in other organizations” clause). Another name to throw in the hat is Paul “Big Show/Giant Wight” but I truly think his wrestling days are behind him. If pressed to pick who will show up, my bet would be Booker. For all we know it could be The Ultimate Warrior (who has held a world championship in every promotion he’s been in). All we know is that the dude is stepping into a main event bout for a company who needs a main event star and he is a former world champ. I don’t see the match as being “one for the ages” or even a “slobber-knocker”. It won’t suck, but it won’t be great and Angle will retain
2/5 Banzai Drops
Both these men to me right now are fantastic. Look for this one to have a nice long match time. I think they will work well together and put on a great show. It won’t be the epic battles that Angle had with Joe or even Cage had with Joe, but it will be a good long bout. I have a feeling Roode might just get the win here…with some Ms. Brooks interference of course.
4/5 Banzai Drops
Team 3D vs. The
This to me has the potential to be the match of the evening or the train wreck of the night. It all depends on which version of Team 3D shows up. As many of you know I write Tag Team Weekly and have been covering all the tag teams now for almost half a year in every promotion. Team 3D can give you all they got and bring in a great match like they did in their tables match with The Steiner’s last month, or they can give a lackluster performance. The MCM on the other hand are one of the brightest, youngest teams to hit a ring, whether it is 4-sided or 6-sided. I think 3D will win this contest but just barely.
3/5 Banzai Drops
TNA WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP
Gail Kim vs. Roxxi Laveaux vs. ODB vs. Angel Williams
I absolutely love TNA’s current women’s division and these four women may be the best there are right now. I think we are going to see a title change and Kim will get pinned clean by Laveaux. This to me is the must see match of the night and I can’t wait.
4.5/5 Banzai Drops
SHOP OF HORRORS
Abyss vs. Black Reign
In the word of Josh Wheedon (of Buffy the Vampire Slayer fame) all I can say is Grrr…Argh. I don’t like the gimmick, I don’t like
1/5 Banzai Drops
The Steiner’s vs. Styles/Tomko (Tag Championship)
I think that this is going to be a “paint by numbers” match and there really won’t be much to it. That said, it has one phenomenal athlete and three very good ones. Technically it could outshine some of the other matches on the card. I think the Steiner’s may win the match but Tomko and Styles will hold onto the belts.
3/5 Banzai Drops
Jay Lethal vs. Sonjay Dutt (X Division Championship)
This could have been helped by a better storyline and maybe a gimmick. However, I don’t want every match to be a gimmick match and there is already too much stuff on this PPV with a gimmick. This match should have been a single gimmick match (such as a ladder match or cell match) on a card where no other match had a gimmick going into it. I think Lethal will win and it will be an excellent high-flyers match
3/5
Kaz vs. Christian Cage (Fight for the right ladder match)
I love both these guys and I think they will absolutely steal the show. Give Cage a chance with a ladder and sparks are bound to light up around him. He and another certain “Brood” member used to make ladder matches a must watch ordeal and this will be no different. Cage will be the ring general and own this match but Kaz will squeak out an upset win
5/5
In Closing
Is this PPV worth it? Well if we tally all the Banzai Drops up it gets a 25.5/40 and I don’t think that is enough to give my green light. If the number was between 25 and 30 then I’d say yes but it just isn’t. The Shop of Horrors bout does nothing for me and to be quite honest TNA overall isn’t doing much for me either. They continually push former WWE/WCW mid-card talent (with the exception of Angle and Sting) and do nothing with their home grown guys like Shark Boy and Chris Daniels. I actually haven’t been saying much in my other columns about TNA lately because of their not up to par showings on Thursday nights. It’s all for you fans to decide though, not me…personally I’d wait for Survivor Series and January’s Royal Rumble to spend your hard earned cash on.
