TheFranchise

I knew it.

Rhyno and Raven were my two thoughts.

TNA Mobile issued the following text: "Two former TNA superstars who have been TNA world champions in the past, are set to make a return to the Impact Zone this Thursday."

Had the biggest fuck off BBQ today. You watch that 11 figure go down to 4 tomorrow.

Who are you?

Yes, DW telling us all about Rocky's previous victories were awesome. Clubber Lang reference! TNA is the best show of the week, once again.

Good god. Today is the first time i've ever realised that Haystacks Calhoun and Giant Haystacks are NOT the same person. Edit:

No it's still going, I left about two years ago and the smoking ban has really helped them out, they're now mostly a food pub. Can't blame Michaels one bit for taking time off, he could phone it in at this stage of his career, but you always get a show from Michaels.

I can't remember the circumstances, but I remember Rhyno winning the title when more than one other person was the logical or favourite choice.

Bastard. You know, Fazzle would the first season of Fantasy on TSM. He's good at this, you know.

Hacksaw Jim Duggan, Goldust, Hornswaggle and Festus. The Union II.

I once worked in a pub that was literally on its last legs. There was about 4 people who came in every day and one caused trouble. So I barred him. Trust me, no matter how small the number, it's still worth it.

Hey lost in Mexico to Rey and then soon after lost it in WCW to Billy Kidman. He didn't have it when he was in WWE with the Mexicools either. Someone else wears the mask now. EDIT: I really didn't mean to triple post. My apologies. Might as well post in bits like I have done. When there's only one person posting in a thread, might as well space it out. I am going to assume Mike isn't too bothered about all the extra posts right now.

I would love to watch some early TNA stuff, the Nashville days. I didn't become a proper fan until they went to Monthly PPVs, I see glimpses of brilliance. I remember certain incidents really putting me off, though. I remember Jeff Jarrett vs (I think) Raven, where Jarrett took some 4 people (or so) finishing moves, while handcuffed, and all bloodied up, and still came back to beat Raven. Clean. That was the time frame where they started calling him Triple J. I must admit, though, Jarrett has really stepped out of the light the last few years (with the obvious reason) and even when he's come back, I could happily buy him in three or four main events on PPV. It was such a pleasure watching the main event tonight. I will be the first person to admit, that, for whatever reason, I can't *watch* a full 20 minute wrestling match. I'll have it on and do something else at the same time, like read or play on my PC, or hell, that was a reason I made my Fantasy game, for some reason or other I just get a little bored watching wrestling for long periods. But tonights main event, for the first time in a very long time, I sat back and I just watched it from bell to bell. I'll tell you something, four years ago Joe looked a LOT more motivated. Best in the world at that time by a mile.

RedJed, did you not catch my thread about everybody putting him on ignore? It would work out, seriously. The only way I have to read his messages is when some st.. some poster quotes him. :]

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They're showing the Unbreakable match!! God I haven't seen this in AGES. Joe vs AJ vs Daniels. TNA Epics, you've made a fan of me. AJ picks up the win and wins his second X-Division title of the evening, 5th in all at this point. Cracking match. ***** Only two matches tonight but they were both awesome, awesome matches. Good job TNA, tonight was 100000000000000000000000000000000% better than last week. I can't see them topping this next week.

Is that.. RICKY THE DRAGON STEAMBOAT!!!!!!! as one of the refs? I didn't know that. Damn. This being the best of the X-Division, my hopes for Samoa Joe vs Daniels vs AJ Styles has come back. I love that damn match. Apparently Psychosis was eliminated during the break but we weren't told. Low Ki eliminated which means we're down to two. I suppose this is a fitting match to crown the first ever X-Division champion. This match blows away all of last weeks matches. Definately a huge improvement so far, but with a show with classic X-Division matches, you can't really complain, they have so much quality work to choose from. Good show TNA. Jesus, Jerry Lynn just hit a SWEET jumping DDT. Styles counters another move into a DDT of his own, more of a neckbreaker, one of the best moves i've seen in a while. RUNNING POWERBOMB!! Shades of Mike Awesome! Styles Clash, which mean the next fall wins. Hey, that IS Ricky Steamboat! This match is from June 2002, by the way. Big near fall for Lynn. Fans are literally standing to see this. JESUS. What a brainbuster from Lynn!! Guys, if you haven't seen this match (like I hadn't) make sure you check it out. It's a cross between a spot monkey match and a wrestling match and the ratio is 100% right. Styles needs to go back to the short tights too. There's something about his look with the long tights that makes him look less of a superstar. This look from 2002 suits him very well. Corkscrew legdrop from AJ and he wins. Winner and new NWA:TNA X-Division Champion.. AJ Styles! Great, great match. ****1/2.

TNA Epics - 5/22/2009 Mick Foley tells us tonight its the best of the X-Division! First match is a double elimination match to crown the new champ. Here comes AJ STYLES!!!! He's.. BORN IN THE UUU SSSSSSSS AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA. I loved this damn music. Styles looks very different here. From Mexico City... Psychosis without a mask. I don't recall him taking it off, but hey. Tenay tells us he's a former WCW Cruiserweight champion. Good going Mike. I like Psychosis. The third person.. It's Low-Ki. This man has always looked the same. This match promises to be a good one. Hey it's former world champion Jerry Lynn! It appears we're going to have a double elimination match with 4 people. Two people have started the match and the other two are on the floor. Tenay, tell us how it works! It's interesting seeing TNA in a four corner ring again. The production values are better for this match. STYLES CLASH! So Psychosis is one defeat down, but now goes to the outside. Watching this match, and with Ki now in WWE's development, i'd love to see Low Ki and Tyson Kidd go at it.

Ah, I didn't catch where the key came from. Thanks for clearing that one up. The problem was, in my eyes of course, the match with AMW/XXX being the blow off to a 2 year fued full of great matches, is that I didn't know that. I wasn't a big TNA fan at that time and like a lot of other people catching TNA for the first time, wouldn't know why it was significant. Which brings me to another point that I was trying (and failing, because I re-read and it didn't make it clear) to make, the first show should have been a great way to introduce new fans to the product, they have so much material to use. Something along the lines of a Sting vs Jarrett match, or the Angle vs Joe cage match would have been perfect. Again with LAX, I wasn't really focused on TNA at the time (I'd catch the occasional match that was recommended to me) but for a one off match, it didn't really *mean* much. Please don't get the idea that i'm trying to argue with you just for the sake of arguing, the last few years i've *really* wanted TNA to take that next step, every week i've constantly thought iMPACT! was the better wrestling show (now that SmackDown! has become better, it's a coin toss) but back then, my opinion of TNA was very low. Being used to WWE standard production, though, as you touched on, TNA's older production values made the show seem second rate. The one thing we can agree on though, is that we both thought the show was okay with nothing special. That's what bugged me more than anything, because there is so much potential for a show such as this. Could use an extra half an hour though just to make the matches 100% complete. Agreed 100%.

From what I remember last week, I thought they'd have been better with a huge super special match to kick the series off. I guess I was just expecting more from the first show hosted by Mick Foley. It was decent to watch but nothing that i'd go out of my way to watch. I'll see what tonight holds.

Overall League Table - SmackDown!

SmackDown! - Monthly League Table

SmackDown! Scorers: Jeff Hardy 12 John Morrison 11 Shad 10 Edge 10 JTG 10 CM Punk 8 Michelle McCool 8 Chris Jericho 7 Dolph Ziggler 7 Ricky Ortiz 7 Charlie Haas 7 Shelton Benjamin 7 Umaga 6 Gail Kim 5 R-Truth 4 Alicia Fox 4 Rey Mysterio 4 Teddy Long 4 Melina 2 The Great Khali 2 Ranjin Singh 2

SmackDown! - 05/22/09 "Extreme Repercussions" - Episode #509 Appearances (2) Edge 3 Teddy Long 2 Jeff Hardy 2 Ricky Ortiz 1 Charlie Haas 1 Shelton Benjamin 1 John Morrison 1 Shad 1 JTG 1 Melina 1 Alicia Fox 2 Michelle McCool 1 Gail Kim 1 Rey Mysterio 2 Chris Jericho 2 CM Punk 1 Umaga 1 Dolph Ziggler 1 R-Truth 1 The Great Khali 1 Ranjin Singh 1 Match (2) Ricky Ortiz 1 Charlie Haas 1 Shelton Benjamin 1 John Morrison 1 Shad 1 JTG 1 Michelle McCool 1 Gail Kim 1 Chris Jericho 1 CM Punk 1 Dolph Ziggler 1 R-Truth 1 Jeff Hardy 1 Edge 1 Winning a match (3) Shad 1 JTG 1 John Morrison 1 Michelle McCool 1 CM Punk 1 Dolph Ziggler 1 Jeff Hardy 1 In the Main Event (2) Jeff Hardy 1 Edge 1 Speciality Match (3) Ricky Ortiz 1 Charlie Haas 1 Shelton Benjamin 1 John Morrison 1 Shad 1 JTG 1 Finishing Move Connects (1) John Morrison 1 Gail Kim 1 Michelle McCool 1 Chris Jericho 1 CM Punk 1 Umaga 1 Jeff Hardy 1 Weapon Shot (1) Umaga 3 Notes If Dolph wins one more match with.. that move, he'll have it as a finisher.

I'll hate you if its RVD. That would be a huge markout moment (like it was at the Rumble). ...Good call.