wrestling / TV Reports

411’s TNA Slammiversary Report 6.28.15

June 28, 2015 | Posted by Larry Csonka

TNA Slammiversary 2015


* Match times are not exact.

* This will likely be a bit of a mash up between play by play and my normal review style. We’ll see what happens.

* Tenay, The Pope and Mathews are on commentary tonight.

* We get the anniversary video package, showing off the big moments and stars from the company’s past.

X-Division Title Elimination Match: Champion Tigre Uno vs. DJ Z and Manik: Uno just won the title, while Manik and DJ Z are part of the island of misfit X-Division stars that could be used so much better than they are. As soon as the bell ring they got right to action, looking to set a quick pace early. Uno cleared the ring early and looked for a big dive until Manik cut him off. Uno fought back and again looked for a dive, and was cut off this time by DJ Z. The third time was the charm as he finally hit a dive onto both of his opponents. Manik took control and got the heat on Uno with a back breaker, and then worked some of his submission game before dropkicking DJ Z back to the floor. Manik remained in control, as they kept DJ Z on the floor working the tired triple threat formula. Manik hit the multiple suplexes on Uno, and DJ Z eventually got back into the match and ran wild for a bit. Manik again countered a DDT and then we got rapid-fire moves, leading to all three men being down. DJ Z then cleared the ring as they got to their feet, and then hit a big dive onto Uno as he overshot Manik. DJ Z and Uno battled back into the ring, but Uno knocked him off the ropes and then Manik arrived and got sent to the mat. DJ Z crotched Uno and then they did a tower of doom and Manik got a near fall on DJ Z. DJ Z then hit a top rope RANA on Manik, also landing on Uno and got a near fall from that. Uno then almost dropped DJ Z and hit a sloppy DVD variation to the buckles. He then hit a split legged moonsault to eliminate DJ Z @ 9:45. Manik then misses a springboard dropkick, allowing Uno to get a near fall. Uno would miss a top rope leg drop, Manik went for a top rope splash and Uno turned it into a roll up for 2. Manik hit a lung blower, headed up top and connected with the frog splash for 2. He was not pleased with the ref’s count there. Uno countered the tiger suplex, hit a German into the corner and then hit what is best described as a sloppy split legged leg drop on Manik for the win. It was an overall fun, but at times a sloppy opener. They worked hard, but it’s hard to get invested in them due to the booking of the division.

OFFICIAL RESULT: And Still Champion Tigre Uno @ 12:06 via pin
RATING: ***

* Borash discusses TNA’s history and brings in Robbie E to discuss his match tonight. He joked around a bi, but then got serious about his match with Jessie. Jessie tried to take wrestling away from him, and said Jessie was nothing more than his bitch.

* We get a Robbie vs. Jessie video package.

Robbie E vs. Jessie “The Man” Godderz: Jessie cut an in ring promo, bragging about his looks and running down Robbie and the crowd. The crowd shit on this. Robbie has new music. They started brawling on the floor right away, which was appreciated because they are supposed to hate each other. Robbie controlled early, sent Jessie to the floor and then hit a plancha. Jessie fought back, slamming Robbie to the steps and then hitting a power slam on the floor. They teased a countout, and then Jessie got the heat when Robbie returned to the ring. They looked to do a powerbomb spot and it appeared that as Robbie fought Jessie almost dropped him. The heat was really uninspired, with Jessie not doing much but posing and waistlocks/bear hugs. As much as Jessie has improved, and he really has, he’s not a singles performer yet. We’re 6-minutes in and into out third bear hug. Robbie escaped, and made his comeback with a corner clothesline. They then exchanged rights, and then Robbie hit clotheslines and a DDT for 2. We again had issued late as Jessie tried and eventually hit a corner powerbomb. They both connected with clotheslines and did the double down spot. Jessie would hit a clothesline, and then hit a powerbomb for 2. Jessie locked in the Boston crab, but Robbie made the ropes. Jessie went to pick up Robbie, they had a conversation and Robbie then hit a reverse DDT for the anticlimactic win. This went way too long, and I was afraid for Robbie a few times as Jessie kept having issues with the powerbomb spots. Jessie’s pre-match promo also didn’t do much to get the crowd into things, and they had issues keeping the crowd here.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Robbie E @ 11:50 via pin
RATING: **

* Matt Hardy joined Borash and cut a promo about tonight’s main event. He wants to win and cement his legacy as one of the best of all time.

Street Fight: Bram vs. Matt Morgan: Bram has been challenging former TNA stars, and when he was beating down Vader on Impact Morgan made his return to make the save and that’s how we got here. Morgan cut a promo in the ring, noting that it felt good to be back home. Morgan made this a street fight. Morgan controlled early, and they worked to the floor. Bram crawled under the ring and got his turnbuckle and nailed Morgan with it. This led to Bram tossing some of the hardcore toys into the ring (trashcans, chairs and such) and then used the trashcans on the floor to beat Morgan down. They went back into the ring, and Morgan fired up immediately and then looked for a chokeslam but Bram escaped. He hit the carbon footprint to Bram, who was holding a trashcan and sent him to the floor. Bram would then stun Morgan off the ropes and then looked for something under the ring as Morgan awkwardly sold for a long time. Bram returned to the ring with nothing, and then grabbed a chair. Nope, he went back to the floor and looked again. This felt like it lasted forever, so he grabbed another chair. Morgan fought back and hit a chokeslam onto a chair for 2. Bram hit a low blow and the brighter side of suffering onto a chair for the win. This started well enough, but slowly escalated into bad. The work was slow, awkward at times and then there was the long stretch where Bram looked for a weapon that never appeared that destroyed the flow. Also, this was a really tame “street fight”. I will say that I do like the idea behind the Bram angle as long as there is a good payoff.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Bram @ 9:35 via pin
RATING: *½

* EC3 and Tyrus met with Borash. Carter said he would win the title on Wednesday. He tried to say that tonight wasn’t all about him, but Tyrus disagreed and said that he would worry about everything with their match tonight. Carter then said change was coming.

Winner Chooses The Match Stipulation For Match Five of The Tag Team Title Series: Austin Aries vs. Davey Richards: The Wolves and Heels have been battling in a best of five series for the vacant TNA Tag Team Titles. They are now tied 2 –2, and the winner here gets to pick the stipulation for the final match. They worked a slow and methodical opening stretch, with Aries stalling at times. They then picked up the action with a cool sequence of counters before heading to the floor and Richards taking control before sending Aries back into the ring. As Richards headed up top, Aries was able to crotch him and then hit the double axe handle to the floor. Back into the ring as Aries hit the slingshot senton and an elbow drop, but Richards kicked out at 1. Aries had control until Richards was able to fight back and send him to the floor where he connected with a suicide dive. They headed back to the ring, and Richards hit the missile dropkick and then a handspring enziguri for 2. Aries would rake the eye of Richards off the ropes and then send him to the floor and hit his suicide dive. Aries then hit a missile dropkick, but Richards countered the shotgun dropkick. He missed creeping death, and then Aries locked in the last chancery. Richards would get the ropes for the break. They traded strikes and kicks late, with Aries then hitting the shotgun dropkick only for Richards to counter out of the brain buster to hit a Michinoku driver for 2. We had the big forearm exchange late, but Richards hit the toss up kick, Kawada corner kick and then a TBONE suplex. Richards would then hit the double stomp, but only got 2. Roode then got involved, Edwards made the save but then Aries got a roll up and the tights for the win off of the distraction. The match was really good, and both men played their roles well. The finish felt lazy and really put a wet blanket on what was a really hot singles outing for these two. Sure it plays into the Dirty Heels deal, but it doesn’t mean that it added to the match. With that being said, this was easily the best thing on the show.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Austin Aries @ 17:25 via pin
RATING: ***¾

* Aries then announced that match five would be a 30-minute iron man match. That match takes place on Wednesday.

* Eric Young cut a promo about tonight’s KOTM main event. He’s held every title in TNA and wants to take the KOTM title from Jarrett.

* We get a Dollhouse video package.

Brooke & Awesome Kong vs. Dollhouse (Taryn Terrell, Marti Belle and Jade): Terrell cut an in ring promo, discussing the fact that she’s the greatest Knockout’s champion in TNA history. She said that they have the advantage tonight and that Brooke and Kong can’t take the title from her next week. They brawled early, with Kong and Brooke clearing the heels from the ring. They did the spot where the faces sent all of the heels to the corner, and Kong whipped Brooke into them. Kong then took he time, like 10-15 seconds before hitting her splash. Dollhouse had to essentially stand in the corner, hugging and waiting on her, which was not good. Kong and Jade then officially started, Kong largely controlled things and hit a splash onto Jade, Marti failed to make the save so Kong splashed them both. Brooke then tagged in and hit a RANA off the ropes, but then got trapped in the heel’s corner. This allowed Dollhouse to take control, with Jade and Marti doing all of the work as Taryn yelled orders to them. Brooke would fight back and make the tag, but the ref didn’t see it and that allowed Dollhouse to beat her down three on one as the ref had to hold Kong back. Brooke would make the tag a few minutes later and Kong got almost no reaction. Kong and Brooke then controlled, and tried to go after Taryn but Jade and Marti made the save. Brooke hit an X-Factor off the top on Jade and scored the win for her team. The match was ok, the crowd was not into it but they tried. From a booking standpoint, Taryn did nothing and had her “heavies” do all of the work. She barked orders and took some cheap shots, and from that point it was exactly what it needed to be. The strategy ultimately failed, and the faces overcame the odds to win and set up the three-way title match on Wednesday.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Kong and Brooke @ 8:05 via pin
RATING: **

* Magnus cut a promo, stating that TNA has been his home and that no matter how much he hates Storm he has to allow the love of his family to fuel him. He’s not running from the devil tonight, because he’s already inside him.

* We get a video for the Magnus vs. Storm feud.

Non-Sanctioned Match: James Storm vs. Magnus: THANKFULLY they started to fight on the floor, if Magnus had locked up with Storm after he tried to kill his wife I would have lost it. They brawled into the crowd and Storm countered a powerbomb and back dropped Magnus through a table full of snacks and such. SON OF A BITCH THOSE CUPS HAD A FAMILY. Storm yelled at Mathews at one point because he said he went too far, and then spit on him. Magnus introduced a table after that, but Storm tuned the tide with the low blow. It lasted like, 5 seconds (seriously, you have to sell the low blow man) and then Magnus kicked Storm down and did the catapult so that Storm ate the table on the way up. They brawled through the crowd and then into the back as Earl Hebner repeatedly warned then to get away from the area because “IT’S HIGH VOLTAGE HERE MAN”. They really lost the crowd when they did that second trip through and to the back, but they did react when Magnus powerbombed Storm through a table in the ring. Storm then fought back and set up a table on the floor. He laid Magnus on the table and drank some beer. His argument with Earl Hebner allowed Magnus to fight back and he laid Storm on the table. Magnus then missed the top rope elbow from the ring to the table on the floor, leading to a weak holy shit chant and possibly even weaker this is awesome chant. This crowd doesn’t care. Storm took Magnus back to the ring and covered for 2. Storm went all 1983 Memphis and busted out some powder from his trunks and Magnus then slapped it into his face, but it also blinded the ref. Magnus got the phantom pin, but as Magnus checked on the ref, Storm hit the superkick for a close 2. Storm failed with the cowbell shot, and Magnus hit a uranage for 2. Storm then used the cowbell and two superkicks and Magnus still kicked out. Storm then got a piece of the guardrail and chairs; making a bridge with them. Magnus ended up superplexing Storm onto the guardrail bridge and only got 2. They both got beer bottles and hit each other at the same time, they then collapsed to the mat and Storm fell onto Magnus and picked up the win. I felt under whelmed by the match. It wasn’t bad, but it felt as if it lasted forever as they went down the stretch and they really didn’t get the crowd into it even with all of the props. The crowd reached to some spots, but they never felt fully invested into the work. It really lacked something to pull you in emotionally, as Magnus at one point really needed to snap and just lay into Strom to get revenge for he and his wife. Also, this was the big revenge encounter, and the heel went over which didn’t make much sense to me especially with Magnus fighting for his family. They worked their asses off, there is no doubt there, but between the lack of engagement from the audience (and I personally never really got into it) and the booking, it just never worked into a great or memorable match. I saw some say that blood would have helped, and maybe it would have because it would have fit the feud. But I will say that blood for the sake of blood doesn’t always fix things. It was good, but I felt that the booking was all wrong and the intensity wasn’t there; for a comparison, it didn’t hit the greatness that was the Storm vs. Chris Harris Texas Death match from 2007.

OFFICIAL RESULT: James Storm @ 16:38 via pin
RATING: ***

* Drew Galloway cut his promo, hyping the main event and the match with the BDC on Wednesday.

* They are having issues with the commentary audio.

Lashley and Mr. Anderson vs. EC3 and Tyrus: Lashley controlled early but had issues suplexing Carter, which was odd. Tyrus got involved to save Carter, and then he worked over Lashley. Carter tagged in, but Lashley avoided the corner splash and tagged in Anderson. Anderson worked over Carter and hit the Finlay roll for 2 as Tyrus was late breaking it up. Anderson tried the roll on Tyrus, but Carter pulled out the leg of Anderson to save Tyrus. The heels got the heat on Anderson, it wasn’t much and the crowd entertained themselves by doing random chants for Carter. Lashley got the tag and ran wild for a bit, Carter fought back and Tyrus then got involved as it broke down. Anderson and Lashley worked over Tyrus and then Carter. Carter took a nap on the apron as Tyrus then fought back and suplexed both men, and sent Anderson to the floor. Lashley then speared Tyrus, but Carter ran in to hit the one percenter for the win. The right guy won since Carter is challenging for the title on Wednesday, but the match was just there and completely forgettable. It had no excitement what so ever.

OFFICIAL RESULT: EC3 and Tyrus @ 10:14 via pin
RATING: *½

* Jarrett curt his pre-match promo, name dropped GFW and said he was heading out there for one last match.

King of the Mountain Match: Jeff Jarrett vs. Matt Hardy vs. Eric Young vs. Drew Galloway vs. Bobby Roode: This match is for the new King of The Mountain Championship. The title is the old legends/global/TV title, the company stated this in a promo video and basically they are keeping the lineage of those titles and weaving it into this one.

Once you get a pin, you are eligible to get the title and climb to hang it. Pins count anywhere, and once you get pinned, you have to go to the penalty box for 2-minutes. The guys brawled to the floor, minus Jeff Jarrett who stood in the ring for a while and then got into it with Galloway. Jeff Jarrett ran wild for a little bit, but then Roode snuck in and got a roll up on him and the pin to become eligible to hang the title. Roode looked to climb, but Hardy cut him off. As Jarrett’s time expired in the penalty box Young attacked him and scored a pin on him with a DDT on the floor. Young then climbed, but Hardy cut him off by shoving him off of the ladder. Galloway foolishly used his DDT on Hardy onto the ladder, which looked as if it sucked. As everyone brawled, Karen gave Jeff a pep talk as his time was expiring. Jarrett returned and ran wild for about 20-seconds until Young hit a low blow and sent him back to the floor. Hardy and Galloway picked up pins and that sent Roode and Young to the penalty box. While there, Young appeared to try Roode into working with him. Everyone is eligible, minus Jarrett. Jarrett ran in and shoved Galloway and Hardy off the ladder, and then hit the stroke on Galloway for 2 as Hardy made the save. Jarrett hit the stroke on Hardy and Galloway made the save as they try to freeze him out. Roode and Young retuned and they worked together to take control of the match. They even did a tribute to the old Team Canada days and did the OHHHH CANADA pose. Young then turned on Roode and they battled to the floor. We had a tower of doom spot as Jarrett took out Hardy and Galloway, but Roode and Young rushed back in and stole the pins on them so Jarrett remained frozen out. Roode, Young and Jarrett brawled center ring. Young got slapped by Karen as he grabbed the guitar, but Jeff low blowed him and grabbed the guitar. EL KABONG on Roode! Jarrett gets the pin and becomes eligible. Hardy and Galloway are out of the penalty box, and grabbed the title and brawled on the ladder with it. There was a mistimed spot where Jarrett was supposed to hit the ladder with another ladder, and they fell off first. Jarrett got the ladder and climbed, but Young grabbed him off and then spilled to the apron. There was a ladder bridge and Young PILEDROVE Jarrett onto the ladder bridge. Karen went to check on Jeff. Roode got out of the penalty box as Galloway climbed on top of the box and hit a senton dive onto Young, Roode and Hardy. Galloway grabbed the title and tried to climb, but Hardy was back in with him and also climbed. Hardy then hit a twist of fate off the ladder and then climbed with the title. Roode cut him off and climbed with him, and hit a powerbomb. Roode grabs the title but Young cuts him off with a ladder shot. He sets up another ladder, they fight and both fall to the mat. Young then looks to climb, Jarrett is alive again and he also climbs. Jarrett brawls with Young and hits the stroke off of the ladder. He gets the title, climbs and hangs the title to win. And we come full circle. That match itself is what it is; it’s a weird version of a ladder match, but his wasn’t bad. I liked the booking of keeping Jarrett frozen out early, at least they tried to play up the fact that he hadn’t been wrestling and that he was an outsider. It wasn’t a great main event by any means, but they worked hard, there were come good spots and the booking was overall solid.

OFFICIAL RESULT: And NEW KING OF THE MOUNTAIN CHAMPION Jeff Jarrett @ 21:00
RATING: ***

* Commentary wondered what this could mean for the title and future of the company, Mathews felt really forced on his delivery here. Jarrett brought his kids into the ring to celebrate.

* End scene.

* Thanks for reading.

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“Byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyye Felicia!”