TNA Genesis - January 8, 2012
1. Austin Aries vs. Jesse Sorensen vs. Kid Kash vs. Zema Ion for the TNA X Division Championship - Apparently, this is an elimination match. Was it always or was this something they tacked on sometime over the weekend? At any rate, a fun & fast paced match to start the show off with that featured some good action. It was a little hard to follow a few times, but thats the nature of these three way & four way dance X Division matches. Kid Kash is the first to be eliminated about the 6 minute mark by Zema Ion. Austin Aries performed the same splash on Sorensen that Ion did for Kash for a nice near fall, earning a few Jesse, Jesse chants from the crowd. Zema Ion is eliminated a short time later by Sorensen via small package, leaving only Aries & Sorensen remaining. Ion complains about his elmination, taking the refs attention from the match where Sorensen looks to have Aries pinned. Aries did kick out though after the ref eventually saw he was down. Ion refused to leave the ringside area and, predictably, interfered as he pulled Sorensens foot out from under him after hed climbed to the top rope, causing him to straddle the turnbuckle. Aries takes advantage and delivers the Brainbuster for the win and to retain the title about the 11 minute mark. Overall, a fun opener with a predictable, but still the right, ending. The lack of depth in the X Division is really starting to show in my opinion. The X Division still doesnt have a strong, solidified face presence and its getting a little old watching Aries continuously defeat the same handful of guys in one match or another time after time. **3/4
2. Devon vs. The Pope DAngelo Dinero - The match in and of itself was ok but had a very anti-climactic ending. Pope controlled much of the match and I was a little surprised to see that so many fans in attendance had invested themselves in this feud. There were dueling chants for both Pope & Devon in the match. About the 7 minute mark, the match took a predictable turn downhill as Pope called Devons boys into the ring. They both hesitated, which pissed Pope off, and he attacked one of them while the other complained before getting punched out. Devon then Hulked up and went on the attack for a bit before Pope got the advantage back, before spitting on one of Devons boys. Devon rallied and delivered his finisher for the win at the 10 minute mark. Afterward, Devon & his boys hugged. The match was decent for what it was while the overall story was horrible. Devons boys had no trouble hitting the old man with chairs several weeks back but they cant put the boots to him tonight? I think TNA realized that this feud just really hasnt clicked with a lot of people and decided to just rush through it tonight and get it over with. At least Im hoping thats the case because Devons family drama with Pope needs to go away. *1/2
Sting & Velvet Sky - This was a brief backstage promo segment with JB initially talking with Sting about Jeff Hardy. Sting continued to put Hardy over before Velvet Sky interrupted him. She told Sting she wanted to take over the spot at Knockouts VP and suggested she had a plan to keep Madison Rayne out of the Knockout title match later on. Harmless segment but Im not sure I like the idea of Velvet Sky being the Knockouts VP. It just doesnt seem like a role that fits well with a female wrestler thats spent her entire career thus far playing the scantily clad cocktease. Thumbs In The Middle
3. Rob Van Dam vs. Gunner - Nothing particularly special or memorable about this match. Ive seen RVD face Gunner several times in TNA over the course of 2011. This match wasnt any better, nor was it any worse. We got all the expected RVD signature spots & offense and Gunner generally looking like hes out of his league. Flair eventually comes into play and distracts Earl Hebner, something Im sure will happen more than once tonight, while Gunner delivered the DDT to RVD on the concrete floor after pulling the mats away earlier in the match. Gunner rolled RVD back into the ring and got the win a little before the 7 minute mark. RVD sold the injury and was being helped out of the Impact Zone, so it looks as if this just might be RVDs last TNA appearance as its an easy way to write him off television. Nothing special here, but the match got the outcome that needed to happen if TNA is serious about continuing to push Gunner. *1/2
4. Gail Kim vs. Mickie James for the TNA Knockouts Championship - Prior to the match, Velvet Sky announced her plan to keep Madison occupied and it was to lock her inside a cage. Unfortunately, so much attention was focused on Madison Rayne and her being in the cage that it did take some attention away from the match. At one point, Madison tries to introduce some brass knuckles into the match, which seemed a little too convenient that shed have such a handy way to help Gail Kim retain her title and suggests some poor writing. Earl Hebner sees the attempt to slide the knucks in and he reprimands both Gail & Madison. Madison slips out another pair and tries to deliver them to Gail only for Mickie to get them. She gets them and uses them just as Earl Hebner turns around to see Mickie use them. Mickie is DQd at the 6.5 minute mark and Gail retains. Not a fully blown clusterfuck here, but more of the same chaotic booking & referee incompetence weve gotten used to seeing take center stage in Knockout matches. 3/4*
5. Abyss vs. Bully Ray in a Monsters Ball match - I was disappointed in this match to be quite honest. There was too much comedy stuff going on with Ray overselling his groin injury, such as screaming Motherfucker, my balls!!!!, due to Abyss sliding a cheese grater across them. Using a cheese grater across a guys balls just..well its just kind of silly. They also pulled out Janice for this match and I audibly groaned when they did. Introducing a weapon into a match that you cant actually use to hit someone because youd kill them just doesnt add anything to a weapons match. Im also guessing that the barbed wire used in much of this match was gimmicked because in spite of all the times both men were slammed into a table or something with barbed wire wrapped around it, they didnt have a scratch on them aside from the cut on Abyss arm. It could have been cut if TNA used some real barbed wire on the board he slammed into earlier in the match, or he couldve merely bladed on his arm to get the desired effect. There was some decent action in the match at various points, but some of what went on just looked extremely, extremely fake or was just plain silly and it definitely hurt this match. Abyss did ultimately get the win at the 15.5 minute mark after putting ray though a barbed wire board via the Black Hole Slam. **
6. Matt Morgan & Crimson vs. Samoa Joe & Magnus for the TNA World Tag Team Championship - This match didnt really do much of anything for me either. It wasnt really bad, but it wasnt really good either. It was just one of those matches thats there and that hasnt really had a particularly strong build up. There was some decent action at times, but it doesnt necessarily say good things when they cut away from a title match going on inside the ring to devote attention backstage to where Bully Ray attacks Abyss. Morgan & Crimson wind up getting the clean win at the 9.5 minute mark after hitting Magnus with a double chokeslam. I just wasnt particularly excited about seeing the tag champs, who arent exactly in the same league as Beer Money or the MCMGs, defend the titles against a makeshift heel tag team. *1/2
7. Cowboy James Storm vs. Kurt Angle - The match initially started off at a quick pace with a flurry of offense from James Storm, but things slow down after a bit once Kurt Angle gains control. A lot of Angles early offense consisted mostly of chinlocks & headlocks, but things did pick up nicely in the second half of the match. Angle ended up delivering is trio of German suplexes and hit a top rope moonsault for a nice near fall. Storm comes back and delivers a DDT after Angle takes too long to follow up. Angle eventually makes a comeback, hitting the Angle Slam for another nice near fall. Eventually, Storm is going for the last call but Angle pushes the ref in front of him. Angle took advantage of the confusion and delivered a low blow followed by a kick to the face on Storm for the win at the 13.5 minute mark. The ending to the match was a bit anti-climactic and the live crowd wasnt all that into it. Overall though, I thought it was an entertaining match that told a good story. ***
8. Bobby Roode vs. Jeff Hardy for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship - Overall, an entertaining match that also had something of an anti-climactic finish. Most of the match consisted of good back & forth action with both wrestlers looking strong throughout, including both hitting some of their signature offense. About the 16 minute mark, Roode takes a powder and attempts to make off with the title. Hardy does catch up to him and tosses him back into the ring. As hes going for a move, Roode kicks him to counter it and then hits the Fishermans Suplex for a great near fall. Hardy quickly gains control once again with a Twist of Fate & Whisper in the Wind on Roode, who manages to kick out. About the 19 minute mark, Roode hauls off and kicks Earl Hebner in the nuts, getting him disqualified. I did think the finish was weak and thought it hurt the match a little, but at least it wasnt the massively overbooked cluster I expected it to be. Roode & Hardy told a good story and Im guessing that theyre ultimately going for some sort of no DQ match or some sort of gimmick match between the two where Roode will drop the title. **3/4
Final Thoughts - Overall, Genesis was an ok show in my view mostly because of the X Division, Angle vs. Storm & Roode vs. Hardy matches. The rest of the card was pretty forgettable and nothing really stood out. The Monsters Ball match between Abyss & Ray had potential but there was too much silliness with Rays overselling, the use of a cheese grater, Janice making a return, what could be gimmicked barbed wire, etc. The X Division, Angle vs. Storm & Roode vs. Hardy matches were all pretty good and delivered very solid action and/or storytelling. None of those three matches were massive blockbusters that will be heavily discussed I dont think, and the endings for the latter two matches were a little on the weak side, but they did keep the ppv from being entirely forgettable. Even though the rest of the card was forgettable, TNA made some good booking decisions such as having Gunner go over RVD and Crimson & Morgan retain the tag titles. Genesis wasnt a great show, but it did deliver some solid overall booking and a handful of good matches.
Grade: C+
