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Just in time for the holiday season TNA The Best of the X-Division Volume 2 is out and probably to moonsaulted its way into more than a few stockings this week. The sequel to volume one does have some big shoes to fill as we are taken through to April 2006 of X-Division mayhem.
Introducing the DVD are the voices of TNA, Mike Tenay and Don West. The first 46 minutes are outlining from start to finish the intense feud between A.J. Styles, Christopher Daniels, and Samoa Joe.
This war, which started with Samoa Joe winning the Super X Cup finals in 2005, details his rise to become the most feared competitor in the X-Divison. The heated rivalry between A.J. Styles and Christopher Daniels is also recapped and blended into how their past spills into their new common enemy, Joe.
None of the following matches are shown in their entirety, but rather flip back and forth between clips and commentary by one of the three stars involved. The characters speak in a half shoot/half kayfabe manner that does not provide the usual behind the scenes insight normally associated with specialty wrestling DVDs.
Initially this may come across as a disappointment, however, the highlights and voiceovers are merged so smoothly that one comes away feeling that they received thorough coverage of that particular encounter. All of the pay-per-views involving Styles, Daniels, and Joe from TNA Unbreakable in September 2005 to TNA Destination X in March 2006 are covered in reasonable detail. The only match displayed in full was from TNA's April 13, 2006 Impact debut on Spike TV where Samoa Joe faced Christopher Daniels for the X-Division Title.
Following these epic bouts Tenay and West outline that the X-Division is much more then the three stars just profiled. They explain how the division is full of international flavour, such as Senshi, and combine many different styles of wrestling, not simply highflying acrobatics. After the introduction the viewer is treated to twelve uninterrupted, full length matches of Impact and pay-per-views from 2005/2006.
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Although many of the contests contain the same wrestlers, namely Alex Shelley and Petey Williams, each bout does come away offering something new and exciting for the fans. The only slight downside to the collection could be that many of the Impact matches run around the 6 to 10 minute mark and at times seem rushed or blurred together.
Regardless, TNA The Best of the X-Division Volume 2 is a must have for any wrestling enthusiast who enjoys fast paced, hard hitting action from start to finish. This DVD truly proves that the X-Division is "not about weight limits ... it's about no limits!"
DVD Contents:
- A.J. Styles, Christopher Daniels, and Samoa Joe documentary (including full length Daniels vs. Joe X-Division championship match from the April 13 episode of Impact)
- IMPACT: Three-Way Match: Chris Sabin vs. Petey Williams vs. Alex Shelley
- IMPACT: Three-Way Match: Christopher Daniels vs. Matt Bentley vs. Austin Aries
- IMPACT: Four-Way Match: Chris Sabin vs. Petey Williams vs. Austin Aries vs. Alex Shelley
- Destination X: Chris Sabin vs. Sonjay Dutt vs. Petey Williams vs. Puma
- IMPACT: A.J. Styles vs. Jay Lethal
- Lockdown: Xscape Match: Chris Sabin vs. Petey Williams vs. Puma vs. Chase Stevens vs. Shark Boy vs. Elix Skipper
- IMPACT: World X cup Match: Team USA (Sonjay Dutt & Alex Shelley) vs. Team Japan (Goto & Tanaka)
- IMPACT: Four-Way Match: Senshi vs. Jay Lethal vs. Alex Shelley vs. Shark Boy
- Slammiversary: Contender's Match: Sonjay Dutt vs. Alex Shelley vs. Senshi vs. Jay Lethal vs. Petey Williams vs. Shark Boy
- IMPACT: X Championship Match: Samoa Joe vs. Senshi vs. Sonjay Dutt
- Hard Justice: X Championship Match: Senshi vs. Petey Williams vs. Jay Lethal
- IMPACT: Chris Sabin, Jay Lethal & Sonjay Dutt vs. The Paparazzi & Petey Williams
Andy McNamara is a freelance writer for SLAM! Wrestling and also writes the weekly Smackdown column. Andy's favourite part of the DVD was the Styles vs. Daniels vs. Joe feud, and invites you to email in your favourite portion. Andy can be reached at andymcnamara@hotmail.com. Happy Holidays to all of SLAM! Wrestling's readers.