Csonka’s TNA One Night Only LIVE! January Review 1.06.17

Csonka’s TNA One Night Only LIVE! January Review 1.06.17

OFFICIAL RESULTS
– Lashley defeated Davey Richards @ 14:40 via pin [***¾]
– X-Division Title Elimination Match: : Champion DJ Z defeated Braxton Sutter, Trevor Lee and Andrew Everett @ 12:22 via pin [***]
– Bram defeated Robbie E @ 7:57 via pin [**½]
– No Holds Barred Non-Title Match: Impact Grand Champion Moose defeated Mike Bennett @ 18:00 via pin [****]
– Mahabali Shera defeated Marshe Rockett @ 6:00 via pin [*]
– Knockouts Title Match: Champion Rosemary defeated Sienna @ 8:56 via pin [***]
– James Storm defeated Jessie Godderz @ 10:20 via pin [**½]
– Tag Team Title Match: Champions The Broken Hardys defeated Eli Drake and Tyrus @ 12:35 via pin [**½]
– World Title Match: Champion Eddie Edwards defeated EC3 @ 15:45 via pin [***]

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– Lashley is here to kill Davey Richards for getting involved in his title match last night. He buried Davey & Eddie, noting that if he did it he would be hated. He will break Richards and retire him for good.

Lashley vs. Davey Richards: Richards has been out with a torn ACL but has recently worked indies, so he won’t be completely rusty. Lashley attacked before the bell, working him over with ease and sending him to the floor. Richards fought back, hit the running kick and then rolled Lashley back into the ring. Lashley quickly hit the neck breaker and then choked out Richards in the ropes. Lashley then ran into a boot from Richards, Richards laid in kicks but Lashley worked a torture rack, and then tossed Richards to the mat. Lashley looked to ground him, but while Richards escaped, Lashley leveled him with the back elbow. Lashley tossed Richards to the floor, Richards returned and Lashley hit the stalling vertical suplex, followed with Back elbow strikes and then rights. Richards managed to send Lashley to the floor and hit three suicide dives. Richards up top, hits the double stomp for the near fall. Lashley then hit some knee strikes, rolls into a submission and slowed the pacing of Richards. Richards transitioned onto the stump puller, but Lashley got the ropes. Richards continued to attack the knee, but Lashley ended that bullshit and hit a powerslam to the apron. Richards beat the count, but got tossed right back to the floor. Lashley is in full gives no fucks mode, slamming him to the steps and rolling him back in the ring. Lashley up top, Richards cuts him off with a kick, follows him up and hits the superplex, rolls through into another and covers for a near fall. He then works the ankle lock; Lashley rolls through and sends Richards to the post. Lashley tried the spear, but dropped due to the work on the leg. Lashley escapes the ankle lock, applies a key lock and Richards submits. Lashley defeated Davey Richards @ 14:40 via pin [***¾] This was a very good opener, with some great stuff from both as they worked very well together, and Lashley gave Richards a lot in his return match. I’d be down to see these two feud; this was a lot of fun with a good energy and intensity.

X-Division Title Elimination Match: Champion DJ Z vs. Braxton Sutter vs. Trevor Lee vs. Andrew Everett: Sutter & DJZ worked together against the heel duo early, clearing the ring and then working back and forth. Lee returned, dumping DJZ as he and Everett worked over Sutter. DJZ back in and hit the inside out face buster on Everett. Lee then pulled DJZ to the floor; Everett hit a dive, accidentally taking out Lee. DJZ then takes both of them out with a dive. DJZ then cradled Everett @ 4:00 and eliminated him. Lee then got to run wild for a while, beating on Sutter and tossing him around. Lee then attacked the previously injured wrist of DJZ. Good control from Lee, although the pace and energy dropped a lot here especially when he worked with Sutter. Sutter hit the snap slam, high cross by DJZ to lee. It broke down, Lee then rolled up Sutter with the tights @ 8:55 for the elimination. Lee then hit the dead lift German for the near fall. Lee worked the wrist a bit; and hit another German for a near fall. Lee then hit the charging double stomp for another near fall. They worked through a nice series of counters; DJZ hit the ZDT and retained the title. Champion DJ Z defeated Braxton Sutter, Trevor Lee and Andrew Everett @ 12:22 via pin [***] Good match, but I am completely over the random cluster matches with no real feuds. They have the talent, they just need the booking. Honestly, there Is too much talent to waste them in these multi-man matches all year long, again.

– Edwards tried to console Richards after his loss, but Richards is piss because he feels like a sidekick. IT’S A TRAP!

– Robbie E is out and issues a challenge to anyone in the DCC, to absolutely no reaction. He promises to be a better Robbie E.

Robbie E vs. Bram: Robbie E is wearing tights now, dropping his usual trunks, and looks weird. Using Bram here feels odd, it should have been Kingston to get him a win and to get him more familiar with the audience. Bram tried to walk so Robbie E hit a big high cross to the floor. To the floor for WALK AND BRAWL BRAM, every fucking match. Back in and Bram posted Robbie E, took the heat and hit some clotheslines. Robbie E and his Flock of Seagulls hair cut fire up and make a comeback, until Bram hits a pop up powerbomb for a near fall. He hits another and then another clothesline, but Robbie E kicks out. Robbie E then hits the boom drop out of nowhere, but can’t cover. Bram hits a low blow and then the brighter side of suffering and wins. Bram defeated Robbie E @ 7:57 via pin [**½] This was a perfectly solid professional wrestling match. I’d care more about the new and serious Robbie E if I hadn’t watched it during the Bound for Glory Playoffs, where it was quickly dropped after Robbie E had his best TNA singles matches. Robbie E is way better than given credit for.

– Bennett cut a promo, promising to beat Moose and take him out of TNA.

No Holds Barred Non-Title Match: Impact Grand Champion Moose vs. Mike Bennett: Bennett attacks before the bell, and choked out Moose with a shirt. Moose powered out, sent Bennett to the floor and then they battled to the floor. Bennett got a chair and then a ladder. He makes a ladder bridge, they trade strikes and then Moose lays in a series of chops. The big boot followed, laid Bennett on the ladder but Maria pulled Bennett off the ladder before Moose could fly. More chops by Moose, Bennett on the ladder and goes for the dive but eats ladder as Bennett moves. Bennett lays in some ground and pound, sets up a table, tosses chairs in but Moose fires up with rights. Bennett hits a drop toehold and Moose lands on a chair. Chair shots by Bennett, and the cover gets 2. Moose then dropkicks the chair into Bennett’s face. Noose hits the powerbomb, senton and then a moonsault. They both teased finishers, Moose fires up with jabs, but Bennett hits the piledriver and then another on a chair for the near fall. Bennett hit a clothesline and boot, but Moose hit the sky-high for a near fall. Moose got the ladder, set it up in the corner but Maria distracted him. Eye rake by Bennett, hits a tornado DDT but Moose hits an overhead toss, sending Bennett onto the ladder. Bennett sends Moose to the floor, and then into the steps. Bennett looked for a piledriver on the steps, but Moose backdropped him through a table. Moose set up another table in the ring, lays Bennett on it, Moose went to run up the ropes, slipped, and then did a delayed jump off and ate a cutter through the table.

Cutter through the table by @RealMikeBennett! #TNA pic.twitter.com/QOuOlCOuHt

— Garrett Kidney (@garrettkidney) January 7, 2017

Bennett then covered for a good near fall. Bennett then hit the wind up rights, but Moose hit the game changer but Maria dove in and broke up the count. Moose then avoided the spear and Bennett speared Maria; Moose hit the game changer and won. Impact Grand Champion Moose defeated Mike Bennett @ 18:00 via pin [****] This was world’s better than their Impact match, partly because of all of the smoke and mirrors, but also because both guys actually felt as if they were working with a sense of urgency and real aggression. This was Moose and Bennett’s best match together and also the beet outings they have had in TNA. Considering I feel both guys have been disappointments in the ring during their TNA runs, I felt that this was excellent.

Marshe Rockett vs. Mahabali Shera: Nice to see Marshe Rockett is still alive. Rockett cut a Caprice Coleman style promo, saying jive turkey a bunch of times, and little else. 2017 will be his year. They did some back and forth; Shera used his power advantage, hitting shoulder strikes and clotheslines. That’s all he did but it was fine. Rockett then grounded Shera, ensuring that he shows no flash, because why let him show off at all. They did a short floor brawl, Shera ought back with rights and clotheslines. The slam follows, but Rockett hits a leg lariat. Shera hits a powerslam, the sky high and then won. Mahabali Shera defeated Marshe Rockett @ 6:00 via pin [*] This was easily the worst thing on the show, it has no flow, no energy and felt twice as long as it actually was. It was more bland and boring than bad to be honest with you,

– Gail Kim is here; she is not medically cleared to wrestle but is not retired. She promises to return for her title. Rosemary claims that Kim is not hurt and that she had been poisoned when Rosemary misted her. Rosemary says Kim will never wrestle again; they had a brief pull a part.

Knockouts Title Match: Champion Rosemary vs. Sienna: They brawled right away on the floor. Back in and Sienna hit a clothesline on the apron, and then speared her to the apron. Back in the ring and Sienna connects with kicks and knee strikes, she covers for the near fall. Rosemary fired up and they again brawled to the floor with Sienna slamming Rosemary onto a chair. Sienna worked an arm bar and bit the fingers of Rosemary. Rosemary bit her back, but Sienna attacked the back again but missed the senton, Rosemary took her down and laid in ground and pound. Sienna managed a Samoan drop, and then a side backbreaker. The running boot connected, and then got pissed and screamed at her, hit a high kick and corner splash; the pacing and intensity has picked up well down the stretch as Sienna again attacked the back. Rosemary dropped to the floor after eating the silencer. Sienna followed her out, rolled her back in and covered for 2. Sienna argued with the ref, MIST by Rosemary. Rosemary hit the red wedding and retained. Champion Rosemary defeated Sienna @ 8:56 via pin [**¾] They had some difficulty capturing the crowd early, due to the heel vs. heel dynamic. But they thankfully worked a smart match, with good work and overall this turned into a pretty good overall outing.

Jessie Godderz vs. James Storm: Bram and Kingston are at ringside. Storm controlled early before running into a dropkick. Bram and Kingston got involved and beat down Godderz on the floor. They wasted several minutes on that, which killed the in ring flow because it took too long. Godderz fired up, hit the side back breaker and then locked in the Adonis crab. Godderz got distracted, Storm escaped but Godderz fought back and covered for the near fall. Godderz hit a powerslam, more distractions and Godderz sent Storm into Kingston and got a roll up for 2. Storm hit the whirly bird, the cover got 2. Godderz tossed to the floor, gets beat down again. Godderz then fights back and hits the springboard forearm. Fought off the superkick, locked in the Adonis crab but Kingston and Bram ran in for the save right in front of the ref. Superkick by Storm picks up the win. James Storm defeated Jessie Godderz @ 10:20 via pin [**½] This was a perfectly solid professional wrestling match, where it fails is the constant interference. The goal of that is to piss off the crowd, elicit a reaction and to create sympathy and emotion for the face. That never really happened here. The in ring work was technically sound.

– Post match, Decay attack the DCC, beat them down and mist them.

– The Broken Hardys cut a delightfully wacky promo; deletions were promised. Matt also told the Nefarious Brother Nero that he could be Jeff Hardy tonight.

Tag Team Title Match: Champions The Broken Hardys vs. Eli Drake and Tyrus: Drake talked too much shit and Matt tries to bite his fingers off. Jeff tagged in, grounded Drake and then he and Matt double-teamed him. Matt missed a charge, allowing Drake to hit a neck breaker. Tyrus tagged in and rime stood still as he slowed the pace to a crawl, and not in a big man kicking ass fun sort of way. Tyrus and Drake worked the heat on Jeff, Drake hit a good superplex for the near fall. Tyrus hit the heart punch, tagged Drake back in and he hit an elbow drop for 2. Tyrus back in as the heat drags on. Matt made the save, biting Tyrus. Matt was sent to the floor and then Tyrus hit a suplex on Jeff. Tyrus hit the corner splash and then missed the Vader bomb. Jeff finally tags in Matt, he runs wild on Drake and hits the side effect for a near fall. Tyrus made the save, Drake demanded to be tagged in, but Matt fought him off. Jeff hits a twist of fate to Tyrus on the floor, one to Drake in the ring and then one from Matt. Swanton by Jeff and the Hardys retain Champions The Broken Hardys defeated Eli Drake and Tyrus @ 12:35 via pin [**½] The Hardys and Drake were good, Tyrus not so much. This was a solid match overall.

World Title Match: Champion Eddie Edwards vs. EC3: Lashley arrived during the introductions, and took a seat to watch. Slow beginning here, some basic back and forth leading to stalemates. Edwards then worked the arm and hit hip tosses, sending EC3 to the floor. EC3 back in, hits a clothesline and takes control, hitting an elbow drop for 2. Edwards fired up with chops and a dropkick. EC3 hit a dropkick off the second rope and then dumped Edwards to the floor. EC3 then hit a dropkick off the apron, and then a suplex on the floor. Back in as Lashley heads to ringside. Edwards connects with a head kick, to he apron and Edwards hits a belly to back suplex on the apron. Back in the ring, EC3 struggles to hit a suplex and then Edwards hits the blue thunder bomb. A senton to the back follows, as Edwards shows good focus. Chops follow, EC3 avoids a charge into a cradle and then a sitout powerbomb. Lashley gets closer to the ring, corner splash by EC3 hits and then hits the TKO for the near fall. EC3 looks for he choke, we get a series of counters and then EC3 turns Edwards inside out with a lariat. Edwards hits the code breaker off the ropes for a near fall. Edwards hits the backpack stunner, which gets a near fall. Lashley distracts Edwards, so Edwards hits a dive, leading to the ref bump. EC3 hits the one percenter as Edwards climbs back in, but there is no ref to count. EC3 then hits the TKO off the ropes. Lashley is in with a chair, hand it to EC3. EC3 refuses to use it, gets speared and Lashley grabs the chair but Richards takes it and accidentally hits EC3. Edwards hits the knee strike and covers for the win. Champion Eddie Edwards defeated EC3 @ 15:45 [***] The match was good, and picked up well down the stretch. Unfortunately, the extra curricular activities took away from it for me. This, in theory, should also lead to EC3 turning as he keeps coming close, but losing the big one. It will only work if it, on top of Richards’ frustration leads to his heel turn. I love Edwards as the fighting champion, but I wish his wins came off as a bit more definitive. You can sell Edwards as “scrappy,” but also a formidable athlete, due to his diverse style to make him feel more legit.

– End scene.

-Thanks for reading.

“Byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyye Felicia!”

7.0

The final score: review Good

The 411

This was a good show, easily one of the best One Night Only shows they have produced. We actually got some good matches, Bennett & Moose finally impressed, they played off of Impact well and it was enjoyable. These shows tend to feature dead crowds and a complete lack of urgency in the ring. Tonight was the complete opposite in all of the right ways. If you can, check out Lashley vs. Richards and Moose vs. Bennett. It's really nice to see one of these shows deliver.