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EditorialTNA Slammiversary XII Recap

TNA Slammiversary XII Recap

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TNA Slammiversary XII took place on June 15, 2014 at the College Park Center in Arlington, Texas. It is the 12th anniversary celebration for TNA, the tenth event in the Slammiversary chronology. The tagline for the event was “A Dream Twelve Years In The Making”.

The event delivered nine wrestling matches, including three championship bouts. The average match length was 9 minutes, 38 seconds.

~ Manik returned to action in the X-Division title match. 

~ Crazzy Steve made his PPV match debut for TNA.

~ The Von Erichs debuted on TNA programming. Marshall and Ross were accompanied by their father, WWE Hall of Famer, Kevin Von Erich.

~ Kurt Angle returned to announce the next TNA Hall of Fame inductee. He is out of action recovering from surgery.

The show began with MVP, Lashley and Kenny King. MVP informed the fans of the situation regarding the main event. The main event was originally scheduled to be a steel cage match between Eric Young and MVP for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship, however, as MVP had picked up a legitimate injury, he was unable to compete. MVP informed us the matches between Lashley/Joe & Aries/King would determine the opponents for Eric Young in the main event, making it a triple threat steel cage match.

This was not a work by any means, MVP was legitimately injured, which led to noticeable tensions between Kenny King and MVP during the opening segment. The crowd did not seem to care for MVP at all.

Match #1 – TNA X-Division Championship Ladder Match. – (10:09)

This match set the tone for the night. Sanada has not done much to defend the title lately, so this was a more than worthy challenge for the Japanese warrior. It also included the debut of Crazzy Steve in the X-Division, Manik returning, and the TNA World Tag Team Champions, The Wolves, challenging for the X-Divison title for the first time.

The match was typical X-Division. Lots of actions, lots of great spots, far too much going on to detail it all in a short recap. Crazzy Steve was over with the crowd, and easily the most unpredictable challenger. 

Crazzy Steve had his hands on the title at one point for what felt like forever. He did not think to use his legs to go up one extra step and claim the prize. He stood there on top of the ladder, reaching for it, wasting all the time in the world until Sanada got his act together and stopped him.

The best spot of the match came after Tigre Uno set a ladder as a bridge from the top ring rope to the middle of a standing ladder. Manik delivered a summersault powerbomb to Davey Richards from the top of the standing ladder, leaving Davey Richards spiked on the bridged ladder.

Unlike usual ladder matches, the babyface champion Sanada bolted up the ladder while his opponents were distracted and received the title. It was a rather abrupt end to a decent outing for the X-Division.

The crowd were really into it, I was really into it, but I felt the match should have been given more time, and the ending was so anti-climatic to get Sanada over in the best way possible. Without the negatives, I would still rate this highly.

Match Rating: 7.5/10

Match #2 – To determine the first challenger for the TNA World Title match. – (09:17)

Lashley has been booked really strong as of late. He defeated Eric Young clean not so long ago, and he continued to do that here. With MVP out of the way, Lashley went to extra lengths in this match to put his heel antics over. Samoa Joe was seriously over with the crowd, which made the match all the better.

Both men are big, but they are also agile. They can work, and they both love to fight. I can’t really say much more about this match, I found it to be good, but it didn’t blow me away. Lashley needs to spend more time fighting guys like Joe to garner chemistry, which will produce better matches in the long term.

Match Rating: 6.5/10

Match #3 – Singles match – (10:10)

This was another standard match for this very average feud. I am still unhappy with Willow as a babyface, as he doesn’t really suit it, and with Abyss in his corner, Willow had someone to watch his back for a change. As a fan, it’s hard to root for either of the two in their current roles, and I don’t understand why they are feuding. I also feel Bram has been pushed on us too soon with barely any introduction, we know very little about him, but we are expected to believe he and Magnus can hold off two former World Champions.

The highlight of the match was the much needed interference of Abyss and Bram, and even with Abyss holding Bram at bay by involving “Janice”, Magnus was still able to pick up the win on his own. All I have to say is, please end this feud.

Match Rating: 5/10

The PPV picked up from this moment forward. The crowd became more vocal and welcomed Kurt back with open arms. Angle assured us he isn’t retired yet after the crowd gave him a “You still got it!” chant.

Kurt Angle gracefully announced the next inductees into the TNA Hall of Fame, the team of Brother Ray (Bully Ray) and Brother Devon, the most decorated tag team of all time, Team 3D (AKA The Dudley Boyz). Their accomplishments include:

  • ECW World Tag Team Championship (8 times)
  • WWE Tag Team Championship (1 time)
  • WWE World Tag Team Championship (8 times)
  • WCW World Tag Team Championship (1 time)
  • IWGP Tag Team Championship (2 times)
  • NWA World Tag Team Championship (1 time)
  • TNA World Tag Team Championship (2 times)
  • PWI Tag Team of the Year (2001, 2009) PWI Tag Team of the Decade (2000–2009)

Team 3D made their entrance to a great ovation. The crowd chanted “Get the tables!” for several minutes, and it would have continued forever if Bully Ray didn’t speak up. They also got a classic “3D” chant, paying tribute to their finishing manoeuvre.

As Devon talked, the crowd chanted for “One more match!”, and overall it was an enjoyable moment for all. It makes you wonder if Team 3D will have that one last match sometime soon. Bully Ray pandered to the audience a lot, and they finished with Devon giving his vintage “Oh my brother … Testify!”.

Match #4 – To determine the second challenger for the TNA World Title match. – (10:07)

When I originally saw this match on the card, I was disappointed, as I felt Aries deserved a little more then another match with Kenny King. With MVP’s injury, it made this match mean something, and it didn’t disappoint.

As both men have chemistry, they pulled off another good match, and it helped to sell Kenny King as a valid competitor. Aries was really over, and even more so after he hit Kenny King with a Super Brainbuster from the top turnbuckle. It probably wasn’t the best match I have seen from these two, however it got the match quality back on track and the crowd were into it.

Match Rating: 7.5/10

Match #5 – Tag Team Match – (05:23)

Wow. When I heard the announcement of the Von Erichs appearing at Slammiversary, I had no idea it would end up as great as this. We got a crowd who loved this so much, it got the highest reaction of the night. They could do no wrong in this match.

Marshall and Ross Von Erich, the sons of Kevin Von Erich, squared off against the Bromans, Jessie Godderz and DJ Z. No idea where Robbie E was, but nobody seemed to care anyway. Marshall started the match for the Von Erichs, and the commentators made us know that he was wrestling barefoot just like his father did. The match itself was solid, and it showed that the Von Erich team knew the basics and could go for the victory. 

After the back and forth, Jessie decided he wanted to end the match by attacking them with a steel chair. The Bromans were disqualified, however, it was soon interrupted as the crowd POPPED very loud as Kevin Von Erich stormed the ring and sent them packing after giving DJ Z the Iron Claw.

This couldn’t have gone down any better. Nobody was expecting the 57 year old to attack so suddenly. It will go down as a special moment in TNA history. The only reason it does not get a 10 is due to the short match.

Match Rating: 9/10

Match #6 – TNA Knockouts Championship – (06:47)

How disappointing. I was all for The Beautiful People returning, but if I knew how predictable the booking would be, I would have reconsidered. In yet another match between Angelina and Gail Kim, the numbers game caught up to the challenger. The Velvet Sky interference was short lived, as Earl Hebner decided to march down and order her to the back. He took over the referee position from the clearly corrupt referee (I wonder how many favours Velvet’s done for that referee lately), which didn’t end up helping anybody, as the corrupt ref would count the pinfall anyway after Hebner was knocked down.

This was bad on so many levels. The angle has been done at least two times before many years ago with TBP, and it didn’t sink well with me. Put it this way, will that referee be fired for his actions? How can his pinfall count if the senior referee withdrew him from the position? It didn’t make a lot of sense, and I expected a lot more from this match. Just … no. Something fresh please.

Match Rating: 5/10

Match #7 – Texas Death Match – (17:15)

Complete mixed feelings on this match. On one hand, they hyped it significantly during the PPV and mentioned legendary Texas legends such as … The Fabulous Freebirds, Stan Hansen, and Terry Funk. On the other hand, I still cannot buy Bully Ray as a babyface. I am disappointed by the recent run of EC3 as well, he was beginning to look good in his feud with Angle, but this one has not helped him in my opinion.

Another thing that I was disappointed by was the fact that … despite it being a Texas Death Match, it was more like a Last Man Standing match. Texas Death Match stipulations usually involve the wrestler having to pin their opponent, or make them submit, before the referee can begin counting them for the final ten count.

Bully Ray got some “ECW” chants as he set up the ring with many weapons. The match was good, but not the greatest hardcore bout of all time, but not the worst either. The spot of the match was when EC3 splashed his body into the shards of glass he had originally placed for Bully Ray.

This was the longest match of the night, and it could have been shortened to give some of the other matches more time for sure. It took a turn for the worse when Dixie Carter came down, was chased by Bully Ray, only to run into EC3 by accident and end up falling down like a sack of potatos. Man .. she can sell, she can sell a run into someone like Dolph Ziggler would if Mike Tyson punched him. Bully Ray placed her on two tables, and it appeared all too predictable that he would not elbow drop his large frame through Dixie Carter, because well let’s face it, she would die.

It ended in a “bull%$£&” chant from the crowd as EC3 hit Bully in the back of the head with a kendo stick, leading to him falling staight through the two tables. It wasn’t much of a fall either, only off the ring apron. Of course, Spud was there to pull Dixie out of the way, and Bully sold the kendo stick shot and the following fall so much that everyone knew it was the end. Dixie talked smack in the awkward way that she does, reminding me just how cringing and unbelievable her acting is.

Match Rating: 6.5/10 

Match #8 – Singles Match – (05:22)

I am a fan of both men, and they are both more than capable of building a feud which culminates in a classic, but this one definitely did not live up to that. This match didn’t need to happen. It was the shortest match of the night, and I still don’t understand why these two guys hate each other. 

They both keep making jokes about each other, but we never understood why they hated each other in the first place, so the match didn’t deserve a hype video, and it took away time from the other matches that really needed it.

James Storm decided to deliver his old “Sorry about your damn luck” line, despite the new look and attitude he had adopted months ago where he would say “Sorry … not sorry”. Anderson can’t be bothered to finish his announcement of himself anymore, hinting that he really needs to change his image soon. 

The match was alright, for what it was, but it only served one purpose, and it was used to get the Dallas Cowboys into the ring by having James Storm goad them into coming after him. Mr Anderson posed with them after the victory, and no doubt TNA used this match to get some media press.

Match Rating: 4/5/10

Match #9 MAIN EVENT – Triple Threat Steel Cage Match for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship – (12:18)

With MVP’s injury, TNA did a good job at salvaging the main event, and I believe they made the absolute right choice by having Aries and Lashley in this match. It was a true test for the fighting champion, something which TNA has been adamant about since EY won the title. EY wants these big matches, he wants to cement himself as a main event guy, and with every victory he is gaining more respect.

I loved the dynamic of the match. EY and Aries are two wrestling veterans, able to go hold for hold, while Lashley is a big powerhouse who can go for real. Lashley felt at home in the cage, and he was a definite threat, so much so that Aries and EY had to team together to stop his momentum at times.

I was initially disappointed by the last minute announcement that the stipulation would involve only pinfall and submission, meaning that escaping the cage would mean nothing. They took away my disappointment by putting on one hell of a cage match, which included some great triple threat action, and one hellacious elbow drop from the top of the cage to Bobby Lashley which was delivered perfectly. Aries was a star in this match, the crowd were behind him, which shows just how great Aries is, he deserves these chances more often.

This match could have been won by any of them, but I felt certain that TNA would finally do the right thing and end a PPV with a feel good moment. I was sat there at the end, waiting, hoping, praying that TNA wouldn’t deliver another end to a show which involved a screwjob or someone decimating the babyface champion. It didn’t happen, and I was happy for it, because I could enjoy Eric Young ending the PPV as champion, and I could walk away from the PPV surprisingly pleased with how Slammiversary went down.

The PPV had a decent card from top to bottom, and although some matches clearly lacked in heat, buildup, and length, TNA produced a better PPV then their recent outings, so I wll give a generous rating. 

I hope they continue the trend by improving the quality of their weekly Impact shows. A lot has happened in the past couple of months that has screwed their booking, and with the shows being taped one after another in a very quiet Impact Zone, the quality of the weekly show has dropped, but this PPV proved they can still deliver when it really matters. What would you rate this PPV out of 10?

Overall PPV Rating: 7.5/10