Afro-Ameri-Spawn
Houston's Hometown Hero
And it was totally awesome dude. Here's a recount of what happened.
Live From The Swiftel Center In Brookings South Dakota
This was TNA's first visit to South Dakota and my first TNA show ever, so I was really giddy with anticipation from the start. In order to make sure I got there on time, I skipped getting dinner and went straight to the Arena. Seeing that it was going to be a bit before the show, and having familiarized myself with my ringside seat, I got up and went to concessions to get a hot dog. When I returned, Swiftel Security had given my seat and the seats of the two guys who were going to be sitting next to me to some family who had somehow gotten sold duplicate tickets in another section. It took three security guard to straighten things out, but they eventually gave me and the two guys our seats back and moved the family elsewhere.This was right when Jeremy Borash was introduced to come out and start the show. And let me tell you, he is one hell of a hype man. He kept the crowd going all night long and kept the energy high.
Match 1
Chris Sabin vs. Suicide(c) for the X-Division title.
It was a fast paced short match, about 5 to 10 minutes, that saw Suicide win the match with his finisher and then run out in the darkness of the arena following the match. There were plenty of "Fallen Angel" chants during this match.
Match 2
Sojourner Bolt vs. ODB
On tv, Sojo looks kinda chunky but in real life she is in great shape. OBD, looked pretty much like she does on tv. Back and forth match that actually went longer than match 1. The crowd was strongly behind ODB and she played it up. Lots of comedy spots where one had Slick Johnsson fondling both women's chests at the same time. Still a great match. Even the kids present were into it. The end saw ODB do some moves that she hasn't done on tv in a while, The Dirty Dozen follwed by the second rope Lou Thez press, to get the win.
Match 3
No Limit vs. Team 3D(c) for the New Japan Tag Team titles
TV does not do the team of No Limt justice as these two guys are rock solid and cut pretty good. But that didn't matter much as the crowd was behind Team 3D the entire match. People in the crowd tried several times to get a "USA" chant going but it never really got going. Good action for a tag match where I could see that both teams worked stiff with each other. Team 3D worked fast as well and the end came after No Limit fell victim to a tag team neckbreaker/backdrop maneuver from Team 3D. After the match, Team 3D put on the the No Limit guys through a table after No Limt jumped them and brought one out from under the ring. Brother Ray then got on the mic and spoke about this being their return to South Dakota. BG James came from the back a couple of times, but I think it was to have Ray stretch out his speech. Then Team 3D gave away a huge piece of the table to a kid with a mohawk in the crowd.
Match 4
Sheik Abdul Bashir vs. Aj Styles
This was a non-title match and AJ didn't even come out with the title. BAshir seemed dominant during the majority of the match but played to the crowd and complained to the ref way too many times, slowing down the pace a bit. What seemed odd was that this was the first and only match where they announced the time limit. Didn't matter though as Aj made his comeback with his usual spots "The Pele", "Scissor Knee Drop", "Springboard Elbow Smash". And then he finished it with the Styles Clash. I was hoping to see a Spiral Tap, but I guess I was hoping for too much.
The came out and announced that there would be a 15 minute intermission while some fans who they had hand picked earlier in the night for the noise they were generating backstage to meet the wrestlers. There were quite a few kids present. When they came out, many of the kids were crying. So not sure what happened there. I also went up to one of the security guards who was present during my seating predicament and jokingly said he should try to get us backstage due to us not making a big stick out of them tryign to give our seats away earlier. The prick turned his back and walked away without a response. The intermission was ending, so I took my seat again.
Match 5
Beer Money Inc(c) vs. LAX for the TNA tag team titles
There was no mention of this being an "Off The Wagon" challenge and, after having read other house show results from the house shows leading up to this one, I was expecting a one on one match between Robert Roode and one or both menbers of LAX. Especially after seeing how heavily Storm's leg was wrapped and braced. But he endured through his alleged leg injury tonight and this match did not disappoint. I got the see Supermex fly and Homicide wearing a "Body Count" t-shirt from Ice T's old rock band. But the end saw Beer Money Inc use a move similar to what Team 3D used to win their match and Homicide was pinned cleanly to retain the titles. No announcement was made about him leaving, so I assume this was not a "Off The Wagon" challenge. There also was no Miss Jacquiline either. Of course, this was the first match won by a heel and the first where the second guy out didn't win. Weird pattern they had going before this though.
The Main Event
Kurt Angle vs. Jeff Jarrett
Angle looks shorter in real life, but is still pretty ripped. Jarrett isn't as big as he used to be, but still has some muscles on him. Good paced match that had people on their feet much of the night. Both men pulle dout their usual moves such as The Figure Four, The Annkle Lock, and Stroke and Angle Slam attempts. The ending saw Sheik Bashir come down to the ring and slide Jarrett's guitar in to Angle after a ref bump took out Slick Johnson. Angle took a swing, but missed and Jarrett got it after Aj Styles interfered on his behalf and used it to take out Angle. Jarrett them pinned Angle for the 1...2...3 and the win.
After the match, Angle went straight to the back without breaking character, even though alot of people were telling him that he put on a good match. Jarrett and Styles remained in the ring and people were allowed to come in and take pics with them for 20 bucks. Even for your whole family to take one with them. A few wresters came from the back and signed autographs and took pics with people around ringside. LAX came out. ODB came out. And Alex Shelly came out. They were all real nice and I got pics with each one of em. I skipped getting the pic in the ring with Jarrett and Styles as the line was too long. Jeremy Borash DID announce that they WILL be back for another event in Brookings sometime in the future due to how alive the crowd was.
On a funny note, there were some ICP fans present who had signs that said "Too Sweeet" and who got into an arguement with a John Cena fan when they began a "Cena Sux" chant. There was also some loser out in the parking lot selling knock off Wrestlemania t-shirt for ten bucks. I thought it was a pretty classless thing to for TNA's first trip to SD.
Live From The Swiftel Center In Brookings South Dakota
This was TNA's first visit to South Dakota and my first TNA show ever, so I was really giddy with anticipation from the start. In order to make sure I got there on time, I skipped getting dinner and went straight to the Arena. Seeing that it was going to be a bit before the show, and having familiarized myself with my ringside seat, I got up and went to concessions to get a hot dog. When I returned, Swiftel Security had given my seat and the seats of the two guys who were going to be sitting next to me to some family who had somehow gotten sold duplicate tickets in another section. It took three security guard to straighten things out, but they eventually gave me and the two guys our seats back and moved the family elsewhere.This was right when Jeremy Borash was introduced to come out and start the show. And let me tell you, he is one hell of a hype man. He kept the crowd going all night long and kept the energy high.
Match 1
Chris Sabin vs. Suicide(c) for the X-Division title.
It was a fast paced short match, about 5 to 10 minutes, that saw Suicide win the match with his finisher and then run out in the darkness of the arena following the match. There were plenty of "Fallen Angel" chants during this match.
Match 2
Sojourner Bolt vs. ODB
On tv, Sojo looks kinda chunky but in real life she is in great shape. OBD, looked pretty much like she does on tv. Back and forth match that actually went longer than match 1. The crowd was strongly behind ODB and she played it up. Lots of comedy spots where one had Slick Johnsson fondling both women's chests at the same time. Still a great match. Even the kids present were into it. The end saw ODB do some moves that she hasn't done on tv in a while, The Dirty Dozen follwed by the second rope Lou Thez press, to get the win.
Match 3
No Limit vs. Team 3D(c) for the New Japan Tag Team titles
TV does not do the team of No Limt justice as these two guys are rock solid and cut pretty good. But that didn't matter much as the crowd was behind Team 3D the entire match. People in the crowd tried several times to get a "USA" chant going but it never really got going. Good action for a tag match where I could see that both teams worked stiff with each other. Team 3D worked fast as well and the end came after No Limit fell victim to a tag team neckbreaker/backdrop maneuver from Team 3D. After the match, Team 3D put on the the No Limit guys through a table after No Limt jumped them and brought one out from under the ring. Brother Ray then got on the mic and spoke about this being their return to South Dakota. BG James came from the back a couple of times, but I think it was to have Ray stretch out his speech. Then Team 3D gave away a huge piece of the table to a kid with a mohawk in the crowd.
Match 4
Sheik Abdul Bashir vs. Aj Styles
This was a non-title match and AJ didn't even come out with the title. BAshir seemed dominant during the majority of the match but played to the crowd and complained to the ref way too many times, slowing down the pace a bit. What seemed odd was that this was the first and only match where they announced the time limit. Didn't matter though as Aj made his comeback with his usual spots "The Pele", "Scissor Knee Drop", "Springboard Elbow Smash". And then he finished it with the Styles Clash. I was hoping to see a Spiral Tap, but I guess I was hoping for too much.
The came out and announced that there would be a 15 minute intermission while some fans who they had hand picked earlier in the night for the noise they were generating backstage to meet the wrestlers. There were quite a few kids present. When they came out, many of the kids were crying. So not sure what happened there. I also went up to one of the security guards who was present during my seating predicament and jokingly said he should try to get us backstage due to us not making a big stick out of them tryign to give our seats away earlier. The prick turned his back and walked away without a response. The intermission was ending, so I took my seat again.
Match 5
Beer Money Inc(c) vs. LAX for the TNA tag team titles
There was no mention of this being an "Off The Wagon" challenge and, after having read other house show results from the house shows leading up to this one, I was expecting a one on one match between Robert Roode and one or both menbers of LAX. Especially after seeing how heavily Storm's leg was wrapped and braced. But he endured through his alleged leg injury tonight and this match did not disappoint. I got the see Supermex fly and Homicide wearing a "Body Count" t-shirt from Ice T's old rock band. But the end saw Beer Money Inc use a move similar to what Team 3D used to win their match and Homicide was pinned cleanly to retain the titles. No announcement was made about him leaving, so I assume this was not a "Off The Wagon" challenge. There also was no Miss Jacquiline either. Of course, this was the first match won by a heel and the first where the second guy out didn't win. Weird pattern they had going before this though.
The Main Event
Kurt Angle vs. Jeff Jarrett
Angle looks shorter in real life, but is still pretty ripped. Jarrett isn't as big as he used to be, but still has some muscles on him. Good paced match that had people on their feet much of the night. Both men pulle dout their usual moves such as The Figure Four, The Annkle Lock, and Stroke and Angle Slam attempts. The ending saw Sheik Bashir come down to the ring and slide Jarrett's guitar in to Angle after a ref bump took out Slick Johnson. Angle took a swing, but missed and Jarrett got it after Aj Styles interfered on his behalf and used it to take out Angle. Jarrett them pinned Angle for the 1...2...3 and the win.
After the match, Angle went straight to the back without breaking character, even though alot of people were telling him that he put on a good match. Jarrett and Styles remained in the ring and people were allowed to come in and take pics with them for 20 bucks. Even for your whole family to take one with them. A few wresters came from the back and signed autographs and took pics with people around ringside. LAX came out. ODB came out. And Alex Shelly came out. They were all real nice and I got pics with each one of em. I skipped getting the pic in the ring with Jarrett and Styles as the line was too long. Jeremy Borash DID announce that they WILL be back for another event in Brookings sometime in the future due to how alive the crowd was.
On a funny note, there were some ICP fans present who had signs that said "Too Sweeet" and who got into an arguement with a John Cena fan when they began a "Cena Sux" chant. There was also some loser out in the parking lot selling knock off Wrestlemania t-shirt for ten bucks. I thought it was a pretty classless thing to for TNA's first trip to SD.
