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Csonka’s TNA One Night Only Rivals Review 3.17.17
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Csonka’s TNA One Night Only Rivals Review 3.17.17
OFFICIAL RESULTS
– DJ Z defeated Trevor Lee @ 11:25 via pin [**½]
– Braxton Sutter defeated Spud @ 9:00 via pin [*]
– James Storm defeated Mahabali Shera @ 6:07 via pin [*½]
– Aron Rex defeated Jesse Godderz @ 9:14 via pin [*½]
– Decay defeated DCC @ 8:26 via pin [**¾]
– Angelina Love defeated Madison Rayne @ 7:05 via pin [**½]
– Broken Matt Hardy defeated Drew Galloway @ 11:21 via pin [***¼]
– Moose defeated Mike Bennett @ 7:05 via pin [**]
– Lashley defeated Jeff Hardy @ 10:37 via pin [***]
– We get a hilarious start to the show, with Mathews welcoming us and introducing his “friend, and not a rival,” Jeremy Borash. Those are the bitches of taping so far ahead and changing booking regimes.
DJ Z vs. Trevor Lee: solid back and forth work to begin, with DJ Z oddly looking to take the fight to the mat and ground Lee. Really slow pacing and a long stall session added in here, killing the momentum. DJ Z keeps trying to grapple and ground lee, going completely against the usual style and what makes him exciting. We’re 4:30 into this thing, it finally teased getting exciting with DJ Z hitting a RANA to send Lee to the floor. Lee went under the ring and that led to a sneak attack and Lee taking control and slowing things back down to a crawl. They both went for a series of pinning combos, but Lee kept control and choked out DJ Z in the ropes. Lee kept cutting off DJ Z every time he threatened to fire up and fight back, DJ Z finally put some offense together arm dragging Lee to the floor. Lee again under the ring, but the sneak attack failed and DJ Z tossed him back to the floor. DJ Z hit a series of elbows and clotheslines, but lee cut him off with a knee strike. DJ Z then went under the ring, slid back in and hit the ZDT for the win. DJ Z defeated Trevor Lee @ 11:25 via pin [**½] This was a technically fine match, the work was clean but this match felt repetitious and slow; it was like they were told, “you know all of that cool shit you can do? Don’t do it. They are capable of so much more.
– We get a video of the Spud vs. Sutter feud, including Sutter kicking Spud’s teeth out.
– Pre-Match, Spud busted out a mouth guard as Sutter admired his dental work. Sutter then said Spud had horrible teeth; so in reality, he helped him out. Sutter came off like a complete dick there.
Braxton Sutter vs. Spud: Spud attacked before the bell, worked him over and sent him to the floor. They brawled on the floor with both guys attacking the mouth, playing off of their past issues. Sutter really continued to act the heel here, targeting the mouth of Spud and again trying to injure him. Spud then hit a low blow and they have thrown out the basic heel/face dynamic, which has caused the crowd to largely check out. Spud then hit a dropkick, taking the heat after the earlier low blow. Sutter connected with a belly to back suplex, but Spud hit a corner dropkick and then attacked the mouth of Sutter and tried to bust out his teeth for revenge, but the ref got in the way to stop Spud. Sutter hit a lariat and then snap slam. He missed a kick, Spud hit a running knee and neck breaker for 2. Spud then pulled out a foreign object, but Sutter hit the running kick and picked up the win. Braxton Sutter defeated Spud @ 9:00 via pin [**] I appreciate them playing off of their history here, but the match was all over the place and had no real flow and never built to a proper climax, it just ended.
James Storm vs. Mahabali Shera: Storm slapped Shera, which fired up the big man and they brawled to the floor. Shera tossed Storm around, slamming him to the steps. Back in and Storm kicked the ropes into the balls of Shera and then took the heat. Storm then missed a corner charge, crotching himself, and allowing Shera to battle back. Shera hit a sloppy slingshot suplex for a near fall. The powerslam followed, but Storm fired back with clotheslines. Shera then set Storm up top worked rights but Storm slid out and hit the eye of the Storm for a near fall. Shera hit a spinebuster for the near fall, but seemed confused on the cover. Storm counters sky high, and then hit the superkick for the win. James Storm defeated Mahabali Shera @ 6:07 via pin [*½] Certainly not the worst Shera match here, but it wasn’t good; it was very clunky and the format felt too similar to the previous match.
– Spud returned to introduce Rex.
– Rex cut a promo, he talked about things, but I did not care. It was pure filler.
Aron Rex vs. Jesse Godderz: Rex stalled a lot to begin. Spud buffed his nails and then toweled him off. Rex stalled some more, and Godderz chased him to the floor. Rex hit a back elbow, but Godderz fired back with uppercuts. Rex again rolled to the floor. Rex then raked the eyes, laid the boots to Godderz and Spud gave some assistance. He distracted Godderz, allowing Rex to attack from behind. Rex took control back in the ring, working elbow drops and the cover for 2. Rex kept control, hitting ground and pound followed by a suplex. Godderz slowly started to fight back, hitting clotheslines and a corner splash. Mounted rights followed, and then the back breaker into the Adonis lock try, but Rex escaped. Rex to the floor, Godderz followed and rolled him back in and hit a springboard clothesline but Spud distracts the ref. Rex then looks for the loaded punch, Godderz avoids it, but Rex KOs him as Godderz tried for the Adonis lock. Aron Rex defeated Jesse Godderz @ 9:14 via pin [*½] this felt like one of those lackadaisical house show matches where a heel in trying out his new gimmick so that’s 90% of the match. It didn’t play well at all, it felt way too long and also felt like “two dudes doing stuff,” at no point did it feel like a concentrated effort to have a wrestling match. The Rex gimmick is no good; when I see him I know I am going to get a lot of stalling, Rex playing up his gimmick and average at best wrestling.
– Storm meets with Shera and tells him not to bitch about losing, but instead to man up and get better. Storm even shook his hand and told him he knows he can be better.
– Rosemary cut a great little promo on DCC, noting that Decay are the death dealers; she may have promised to kill Bram and his friend.
Decay (Crazzy Steve & Abyss) vs. DCC (Bram & Kingston): Steve and Kingston stared off, with Steve biting Kingston in the face. Bram in now, he’s looking for revenge since Decay left him for dead one time. Abyss and Bram in and they brawl center ring, Abyss caught Bram off the ropes and then hit the chokeslam. Kingston and Steve then brawled; it of course spilled to the floor. They brawled on the floor, Steve hit a dive and then Kingston almost dropped Steve as he hit a Thez press. DCC took the heat, isolating Steve in their corner. Fake tag spot, allowing DCC to continue control as the ref had to keep Abyss out of the ring. Steve finally escaped the DCC attack, got the hot tag to Abyss who cleaned house. Corner splashes followed, Steve hit the cannonball to Kingston and Bram; the chokeslam to Kingston got 2. It breaks down, low blow by Kingston to abyss and Rosemary goes face to face with Bram. MIST to Bram. Abyss hits Kingston with the black hole slam for the win. Decay defeated DCC @ 8:26 via pin [**¾] This was far from a great match, but was easily the best thing on the show. It had a good intensity and a solid flow throughout, the work made sense and felt focused in getting to the end.
– Love & Rayne cuts promos about loving and hating each other because they are frienemies.
Angelina Love vs. Madison Rayne: They worked a solid back and forth, Love looked rusty/slow in there, where as Rayne looked really crisp in comparison. Love cut her off with a cheap shot, laid in some ground and pound and some clotheslines. Love then sent Rayne to the floor, allowing Love to take the heat. Rayne hits a jawbreaker and then fires up with clotheslines. Rayne then kicked Love in the face, which scored a near fall. Love cut her off with a flatliner and rolled into the koji clutch. Rayne made the ropes, fought off the reverse DDT, hit the Rayne check but Love kicked out at 2. Love raked the eyes, hit a sloppy schoolgirl with the tights and picked up the win. Angelina Love defeated Madison Rayne @ 7:05 via pin [**½] This was a solid, but at times sloppy match; where it thrive as compared to many of the other matches is that it had a well defined beginning, middle and end as far as their layout goes.
– We get highlights of Drew Galloway defeating Matt Hardy for the TNA title; well that’s just awkward. I wonder what happened to that Galloway kid.
– Matt & Galloway cut promos, noting that they have been battling for a decade. Matt wants revenge for Galloway beating him for the title back in the day.
Broken Matt Hardy vs. Drew Galloway: Galloway was having none of this broken Matt shit and backed off early because Matt was trying to bite him. They grappled back and forth and then worked to the floor. Galloway took control with chops, and then took Matt back into the ring, where Matt fought back by biting Galloway. Galloway with strikes and suplexes to slow down Matt; he then looked to ground him. They battled up top, Matt fought off Galloway, but Galloway popped back up and suplexed him off the top. Galloway then laid into Matt with strikes, head butts followed and then forearm strikes; good intensity from both. Matt again bites away at the hand of Galloway, and then slams him repeatedly off of the steps. Matt hits the belly-to-belly suplex back in the ring. Matt then spiked Galloway on top of his head with a DDT. Galloway fights off the bulldog and hits a bell to belly for a near fall. Matt fights off the future shock, hitting a side effect for the near fall. Galloway is able to fight off the twist of fate into the Celtic cross; Matt counters the claymore into a side suplex. Galloway posts himself, Matt hits the twist of fate and picks up the win. Broken Matt Hardy defeated Drew Galloway @ 11:21 via pin [***¼] This was a good match, between two pros that are used to having to deliver. They worked a smart match, they both showed a great sense of urgency and worked this as if they cared, which made me care.
– We get highlights of the Jade vs. Rosemary cage match from December.
Moose vs. Mike Bennett: these two had one of if not the best TNA matches of the year at the LIVE One Night Only show. They had the benefit of smoke and mirrors since it was a gimmick match, but they did a lot of good things. Hopefully they can find more of that magic here. Bennett killed time, noting that he forgot his knee pads and can’t have a wrestling match tonight. Moose said that this was fine because he wanted a fight. INSTA FLOOR BRAWL. Considering how heated their January match was, this felt extremely tame and even a bit lifeless as they simply felt as if they were going through the motions during this floor brawl. After three-minutes of floor brawl, the match hit the ring and they “officially started.” Maria got involved, so Henber tossed her to the back. More floor brawling followed, Moose missed a spear and hit the steps. Bennett followed with a piledriver on the floor, which was used as a transition spot so Bennett could take the heat. Moose rolled back in and essentially no sold the piledriver, and then literally ran wild on Bennett. Fucks sake man, give me something on that. Moose hit a dropkick and the game changer for the win. Moose defeated Mike Bennett @ 7:05 via pin [**] This featured heatless floor brawling, a lackadaisical effort from both guys, Moose no selling a floor piledriver and the usual enthusiasm of Mike Bennett. If that appeals to you, then this is certainly the match for you! It was ok, nothing more.
– So long Mike & Maria.
Lashley vs. Jeff Hardy: Lashley looked to over power Jeff early, and then took him to the ground to keep him from doing Jeff Hardy things. Jeff tried to fire up, but Lashley dropped him with a lariat and then followed with a stalling suplex. Lashley looks for a spear but Jeff side stepped him and then hit a dive to the floor. Back in the ring and Lashley hit the spinebuster to cut Jeff off. Lashley then slowed the pace, taking his time to beat Jeff down. Hard elbow strikes by Lashley follow and then cross face strikes also connect. Jeff fired up, hitting a clothesline and atomic drop, the leg drop to the balls followed. The twist of fate follows, Jeff up top, hits the swanton but Lashley kicks out. Jeff sends Lashley to the floor and hits a slingshot senton to the floor. Jeff sets up the steps, slams Lashley to the apron and then to the steps; Jeff then hits the twist of fate on the steps. Jeff then lays Lashley on the steps, climbs up top and HITS the swanton! Back into the ring they go, and Jeff covers for 2. Lashley uses the ref as a shield and then hits the spear for the win. Lashley defeated Jeff Hardy @ 10:37 via pin [***] To his credit, Jeff has become a smarter worker due to his various injuries. They worked a smart match, with Jeff selling a ton and then transitioning into his hope spots and big time offense, making him look as if he could win before Lashley put him away. Good match.
– April’s One Night Only PPV is Victory Road.
– End scene.
-Thanks for reading.
“Byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyye Felicia!”
