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Countdown to TNA Turning Point
By
SLAM! Wrestling STaff
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It's the end of the PPV year for TNA, and the company looks to go out on a high-note with
Turning Point. Whether they'll suceed or not, however, is a major question.
Looking up and down the card, there is some potential for new stars to be elevated, but
at the same time, there is also re-hashing of "old favourites". There's also the
introduction of yet another gimmick match.
Let's look at the card for tonight's Turning Point PPV.
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SIX-MAN TAG TEAM MATCH
Kurt Angle/AJ Styles/Tomko vs.
Samoa Joe/Scott Hall/Kevin Nash
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SLAM! Predictions
Jon Waldman
Riddle me this, Batman - why would you even bother re-hashing The Outsiders again
when both men are more suited for canasta than ring action? If the idea here is to get
Joe back into the title picture, then fine - I can live with that; but methinks this
will end up with Angle vs. Nash, at which point you'll see the absolute most negativity
coming from SLAM!'s crew. As editor, I fear having to encounter so many #s, %s and &s
in a PPV rundown in January, so please, for the love of god, don't go down that road. I'd
like to say I care about the outcome here, but honestly, i hate these matches.
Bob Kapur
Other than the novelty of the reunited Outsiders, there's little upside to this
main event. The problem is, where does any of thislead? Spinoff Joe vs Angle? Seen it.
An AJ and Tomko split? No point. A Nash/Angle feud? God help us. Joe's team wins.
Jason Clevett
Yes, my worst fears have come true - Kevin Nash once again in the ring.
Here is an idea for TNA, why don't you have your world champion defend the belt
on PPV in a one on one match - something that has only happened four times in 2007.
The rest have all been multi-mans and tag matches like this.
Anyone remember the awesome Jarrett/Hall/Nash vs. Savage/Styles/Hardy match from
a few years ago? No? Well consider yourself lucky. The only saving graces in this
one are Joe, Angle and Styles, who should save this crapfest to end TNA's PPV year.
The Angle Alliance wins amidst the usual 1,200 run-ins and garbage.
Matt Mackinder
The very old against the somewhat-young. Wouldn’t a Hulk Hogan run-in be just
gold? Nash and Hall are fossils and are out of shape. Odds are, Angle’s team
carries the (slow) match, but jobs out in the end to the Outsiders and Joe team.
I suspect Christian Cage may interfere, too, but for which side?
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MAIN EVENT: SIX-MAN TABLES MATCH
Team3D vs. Motor City Machine Guns/Jay Lethal
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SLAM! Predictions
Jon Waldman
If this isn't the blow-off to this feud, what is? Honestly, Team 3D needs to go over
here, with Devine getting the win. Maybe this splinters off into a Devine/Lethal
feud. That's my hope, and that's my prediction.
Bob Kapur
It's great to see Johnny Devine in a marquee feud. Hopefully it builds to something more.
Team 3-D lost last time, so have to win in order for this feud to progress any further.
Jason Clevett
I will freely admit my bias as a Johnny Devine fan. After years of non-speaking
gimmicks and roles, I really hope he finally gets the chance to show what he
can do. The Machineguns and Black Machismo are a great group to show it against.
I'll pick Team 3D and Devine here.
Matt Mackinder
You know my bias towards Sabin and Shelley and heck, even towards Lethal.
And while I like the Devine push, Team 3D has a stale gimmick and needs
to just go away. That being said, I smell a 3D-Devine win.
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10,000 TACKS MATCH
Abyss/Rhino vs. Black Reign/Rellik
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SLAM! Predictions
Jon Waldman
How would you like to be the intern who has to count out the tacks to ensure there
are 10,000 for this bout? Honestly, the circus sideshow garbage known as hardcore
wrestling must end for TNA before someone is seriously hurt. And hey, how about that
new Rellik guy eh? Has he won a match yet? Feh. Stamboli is just a spotholder until
Judas Mesias returns, which I expect to be tonight. The bad guys win.
Bob Kapur
Other than having a cool look, has Rellik done anything significant since coming
in? I think he's lost every match so far - hardly seems like a threat. He and
Reign get the win, putting Abyss into the tacks.
Jason Clevett
TNA has killed the hardcore match. Every pay per view has tacks, broken glass...
it doesn't make an impact anymore. Plus guys take these insane bumps and just get
back up again. Abyss and Rhino usually seem to win these and I don't expect things
to be any different.
Matt Mackinder
The match of blood. Let’s all blade and give the fans what they want. Aside
from Abyss, this is a match of WWE cast-offs. Wonderful. Abyss and the Detroiter take it.
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TNA WOMENS TITLE MATCH
Gail Kim vs. Awesome Kong |
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SLAM! Predictions
Jon Waldman
For god's sake, stop calling the belt the Knockout Title. At least WWE has enough
respect for its women to not call their championship the Diva Title. The match should
be good, and I expect Kong to go over.
Bob Kapur
This has been a good slow burn to this match, and they've made Kong look
totally unstoppable. I'd say let it continue with a win over Gail, leading
to a Rocky-esque storyline where she has to find her Eye of the Tiger and
ultimately find it in herself to win it back.
Jason Clevett
Part of me is excited for this, part of me wishes they would have held out
longer. Kong is a monster and should destroy Kim, take the belt, and make it
really mean something when Kim regains.
Matt Mackinder
Again, wasn’t Awesome Kong a WCW wrestler back in the early 1990s? Kong will
eventually win the title, but not just yet. Maybe she gets DQ’d or counted out
waiting in line at the concession stand, but Gail retains somehow.
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FEAST OR FIRED MATCH
Participants TBD |
SLAM! Predictions
Jon Waldman
I made a comment on a message board that I'm sure TNA is going to screw this up.
Either the pink slip will be in the wrong case, the cases will fall or a wrestler
will grab the wrong one. Regardless, I'm betting that Christopher Daniels gets the
tag contract, Sonjay Dutt gets the X bout, World title match goes to Shark Boy
(just for poops and laughter) and Sting gets fired, allowing him to have his retirement
match vs. Ric Flair at WrestleMania.
Bob Kapur
Not sure who's in it, so hard to pick. I'd guess that Steiner isn't going to be fired.
It'd be interesting if they don't come to terms with Sting and he has to be
the one to get fired... but I doubt that will happen.
Jason Clevett
Yet another lame gimmick to get people on the show. zzzz. Don't care..
Matt Mackinder
With 15 guys in this, it’s a roll of the dice. As for who gets fired? I’ll pull
a random name out of the hat and say Ron Killings gets the axe. The title matches
go to Kazarian (X-Division), Chris Harris (World) and Homicide (Tag Team). But we
don’t even know who’s in the match, do we?
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TAG TEAM GRUDGE MATCH
Christian Cage/Robert Roode vs. Booker T/Kaz |
SLAM! Predictions
Jon Waldman
Welcome to TNA King Booker, land of 1,000 WWE alumns. I guess Sharmell is now the MAKE?
Doesn't have the same ring to it. I hope Kaz wins here and continues his ascent to
stardom.
Jason Clevett
This can go one of two ways - the WWE guys bury the up and comers, or we
actually see the TNA raised talent shine. I am going to hope for the latter
and Kaz pinning Christian Cage.
Matt Mackinder
It'd be hard to see Booker or Kaz jobbing out here as Book just arrived
and Kaz is in the midst of a big push. Cage and Roode forming a new tandem
is intriguing. This match should go 15 minutes or so and watch
for the Spin-A-Rooni from Booker and then him getting the pin on Roode.
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TAG TEAM GRUDGE MATCH
Roxi Leveaux/ODB vs. Angeline Love/Velvet Sky
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SLAM! Predictions
Jon Waldman
I get the sense that ODB will be the next in line for Gail, so I like the idea of
putting her over here.
Jason Clevett
ODB is awesome. There are two womens matches on this PPV and I give TNA a lot of credit
for pushing them as legitimate matches not girls in skimpy outfits. I expect
this will be a good one, very close to call, but I will pick ODB and Roxi.
Matt Mackinder
This may actually be a decent match. Even though the average fan has no clue who
these gals are, from what I've seen, they can actually wrestle. I'll go with
ODB and Roxxi here.
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-- compiled by Jon Waldman
