TheOneBigWills take on T.N.A.s Against All Odds: February 8th, 2009:
Opening Segment:
You know, outside of M.E.M. (minus Sting) getting out of a limo, I dont think Sting, nor the Dudleys, had a clue how to work with the cars they arrived in. The Dudleys apparently didnt understand that the trunk to their modified version of a truck didnt open all the way, yet Don West tried playing it off as if that was a vehicle that theyd had for a while.
Meanwhile, Sting pulled up in one of the sweetest vehicles ever, yet apparently seemed shocked that the doors opened up-ward, instead of out-ward. This was T.N.A. meets Fast and the Furious, at its finest.
X-Division Championship: Alex Shelley © v. Eric Young:
The opening contest of the show at least didnt disappoint too much. Young isnt who Id consider worthy to be in this division, but at least Shelley carried him to a decent match. Both men had their back and forth work going on, including a spot that looked like Young almost broke Shelleys neck, by botching what seemed to be a DVD from the top rope, only to have Shelley try to get out of it, and Young just drop down, causing Shelleys head and neck to violently snap across the top turnbuckle.
The only true disappointment to this contest, outside of Young being in it to begin with, was the finish. I understood the roll-up, cheap victory, for Shelley against Sabin to win the title. But is it going to be an every match thing now, where Shelley has to fake being hurt, only to get a quick roll-up and steal the victory away. Could they not have just easily allowed Shelley to win via a finisher? Apparently not.
Grudge Match: Scott Steiner v. Petey Williams:
This match wasnt nearly what I was hoping itd be. It bored me for the most part, as Steiner apparently has no clue how to make a cruiserweight look good. Meanwhile, Williams did everything he could to attempt staying in the match, but kept botching some of Steiners power moves, such as mistiming a clothesline and randomly falling on his own, before Steiner even extended his arm.
Williams got some offense in and I was honestly thinking hed win. I still dont understand the purpose of Steiner winning this, especially with how he did. (Basically squashed Williams throughout, then finally hit a screwdriver which I hadnt seen in ages, and pinned him) After the match, Steiner seemed to want more, but the lights went out and Samoa Joes music hit.
Joe came on the tron screen, and basically told Steiner hes the first person on Joes hit list. Steiner was yelling for him to come down to the ring and well do it now, while Don West apparently took that and translated into
Just look at Scotts face, he doesnt know what to think hes so scared.
Open Challenge: Brutus Magnus:
So on the pre-show its announced that Rhino has accepted the challenge. Don West announced that Rhino had accepted the challenge, on the pre-show. During the actual Pay per view, Don West was generally excited to see who accepted. It ended up being Chris Sabin.
This proves two things to me. First, Don West is a moron. Second, not even Don West listens to what he says.
Brutus Magnus cuts a promo before the match, basically saying he isnt the normal british, tea drinking, bad teeth having, (insert random other stereo-types on british people) then went on to claim hes a real gladiator. Right
. So he bad mouths his own country, then claims hes fictional. I see.
I suppose because Magnus is nothing more than a cruiserweight himself, this was the better option than a match against Rhino. Sabin delivered nicely, and Magnus didnt really impress me anymore than he did on iMPACT! Of course the Gladiator remained undefeated. My guess is hes building toward an X-Division title match w/ Shelley.
Knockouts Championship: Awesome Kong © v. O.D.B.:
In all honesty, I think this match couldve easily happened on iMPACT! Nothing about this match stuck out to me, and in the end Awesome Kong retained. So I have to ask the question.. Why?
Shes more or less ran through everyone in the division. Outside of now going back through everyone, or possibly being matched up against her own Kongtourage, I fail to see whats next for her that would be of any interest or have any meaningful solution to help the Knockouts.
Legends Championship: Booker T. © v. Shane Sewell:
I cant believe they made Booker T. look like a bitch. That pretty much sums this up. Booker destroyed Stool throughout the entire match, until Stool Hulkd up and started taking it to Booker T. This lead to Sharmell grabbing Stools foot, tripping him into a scissors kick, allowing Booker T. to pick up the victory.
Really? Really?! They couldnt of just had Booker T. defeat the Referee in the same manner Scott defeated Petey Williams? They had to have his Wife basically help screw the OFFICIAL out of winning this match?
After the contest, much like the Steiner one, Booker apparently wanted to deliver more damage to the official, only for A.J. Styles to return and run Booker from the ring. Styles cut a promo, that will more or less lead him to becoming the only guy in the company to have won all 4 titles.
Grudge Match: Abyss v. Matt Morgan:
So, Morgan has a staff infection that West points out wasnt nearly as bad as Nashs, thus is why he could wrestle.. Yet it was still against Doctors orders. Pretty much like the Kong match, I fail to see the purpose in having an actual winner in this.
This match flat-out bored the shit outta me. Abyss and Morgan do NOT have any chemistry against each other in a regular match, what so ever. Abyss kept trying to use weapons, only for the official to deny it and continue to grab them from him. Yet the action spilled to the outside of the ring, and went everywhere. (apparently that was turned legal, at some point) Weapons ended up being used, but the official apparently didnt care half way through anymore.
In the end, Abyss won with a second Black Hole Slam. Why? Why was there a winner, if it wasnt going to be Morgan? Granted, I cant stand Morgan, and this match proved how much hes awful and sucks.. Even with weapons being remotely legal, but come out.. Abyss winning this match, pretty much killed the feud. Morgan will likely attack Abyss later with unfinished business but its not like itll mean anything.
Tag Team Championships: Beer Money, Inc. © v. Lethal Consequences:
I think the level of the Pay per view brought this match down a couple notches. Im still giving it match of the night props, but not even this match could save the shitfest Against All Odds was.
The whole surrounding purpose of this was that Creed could barely use his arm. Yet, it was Lethal who ended up getting punched in the face with a chain, that cost them the match. Why even bother playing off an injury, if its not going to be the deciding factor in a match?
This match was by far the best of the night, but I still just felt it was missing something, and Im not sure what.
T.N.A. Heavyweight Championship: Fatal Four Way: Sting © v. Brother Ray v. Brother Devon v. Kurt Angle:
I have to admit, by this point in the night, nothing couldve saved this match from me not giving a shit. At one point, Angle got busted open around the eye.. And Im not even sure how.
Id have to say the greatest part of this match, was when Brother Ray intentionally laid down, and tried giving Devon the victory. I honestly wish it wouldve happened. How great would that have been for the company.. Devon, the lesser of the two Dudleys, the new Heavyweight Champion. At this rate, hell have a best of DVD out by Summer.. All containing Main Event matches hes had this year.
Sting and Angle played off being buddy, buddy, but in the end Sting retained his Championship and Angle kept swearing and using foul language because of it. Sting smirked and kept replying to him with Were still Family, right Kurt?
Overall Thoughts:
Overall, I dont know what to say other than I cant believe I seriously spent $30.00 on this fucking show. Cute Kip couldve honestly and in all seriousness likely saved this Pay per views Main Event.
So Samoa Joe & A.J. Styles werent at all promoted for this Pay per view, you know, other than being ON THE FUCKING POSTER.. And in the end, Styles shows up and seems a lock to be the next Legends challenger/champion. Meanwhile, we get another stupid ass promo from Sloppy Joe, in which he cant even figure out which way the camera is, because he keeps beginning the promos with his back to it.
Mick Foley came out to do commentary for the Main Event. After the match was over, Foley went to the ring, took the Championship from Sting, only to hand it back to him and raise his hand. WHAT THE FUCK FOR?! Do the officials now believe theyre above doing that? I wouldve got it, if Foley swerved Sting and clocked him with the belt.. but he didnt. Nothing happened. Foley just took some spotlight, and thats it. WHY?!
I would NOT advise anyone to pay for this, through a replay, or when it comes out on DVD. This show, flat-out, was the worst show T.N.A. has ever done. Nothing good came from it. And infact, dont even you tube the shit in a month.. Because its time youll wish you had back, that wont ever happen.
1 outta 10, simply because I enjoy Beer Money. Thats it.
