TNA – No Surrender ’05 DVD Review

TNA – No Surrender – Impact Zone – Orlando, Florida – July 17, 2005

Review by Jacob Ziegler

No Surrender Countdown Pre-Show Broadcast

Jeremy Borash and Shane Douglas welcome the fans to the show, and Douglas hypes some of the undercard matches. They gradually work their way up the card, getting to Samoa Joe vs. Chris Sabin, Christopher Daniels vs. Petey Williams, and Raven vs. Abyss for the NWA World Title. This leads to a promo from Father James Mitchell and Abyss, who promise Raven a great deal of pain tonight. It gets a little long-winded but it gets the point across.

This segues to a video package for tonight’s main event. The package includes a great deal of Jeff Jarrett footage, though I could have sworn that the match was actually Raven vs. Abyss, with no Jarrett involved in any way.

Borash and Douglas are back to hype the cad, as Cassidy Riley appears behind them in full Raven garb, saying “nevermore.” I guess that has something to do with Raven breaking his fingers. I don’t recall this at all, so I’m at a loss.

They sent it over to Mike Tenay and Don West, who continue the hype for tonight’s main event, Raven’s first title defense. Jarrett comes out and tries to bully the commentators, but Tenay just won’t stand for it! Man, is Tenay ever irritating. Jarrett mentions that the WWE had a “Black Wednesday” a few weeks ago, meaning that 16 guys were let go in one day. Jarrett says that TNA is the only alternative to WWE. He thinks that if TNA hires new guys, then the old guys will be fired. Jarrett goes off on the fans, but he’s hardly convincing. He name drops Rhino and then says that this won’t be the last time we see him tonight.

Now we get a video package for the AJ Styles vs. Sean Waltman match coming up later in this show. Jerry Lynn will be the special referee.

PRE-SHOW MATCH: Shocker vs. Jerrelle Clark

Shocker was getting a push of sorts right around the time of his debut back in March, but he’s already relegated to the Pre-Show. They chain wrestle to start, which Shocker of course controls. Clark comes back with some nice flippy stuff. Clark is pretty much dominating here, actually. Shocker comes back with a pair of clotheslines. Superplex by Shocker only gets two. The Shocker-Sphere (which I think used to be called the Shockwave, which is an infinitely better name) gets the win at 4:16. That was a nice little sprint for the Pre-Game show.
Rating: **

Next we get a video package for the X-Division Title match, which seems to have an odd heel-heel dynamic. Daniels mocking Williams for being one-dimensional is pretty amusing.

Borash is with So Cal Val to make another push to sell the show. West comes over to help hype the card, which includes an appearance by Rhino! They get cut off and it’s time to start the show proper.

Introduction

The TNA video packages have been getting really good, and this one is no exception. It highlights the marquee matches and shows good footage. That just got me really hype to see this show, and it’s 3:30 in the morning.

Tenay and West welcome us to the show, along with a fireworks display. They put over that it’s Raven’s first title defense tonight.

MATCH #1: America’s Most Wanted vs. Matt Bentley & Alex Shelley

Bentley and Shelley didn’t last long as a team, but I remember liking this match when it was first on. This match is basically an extension of James Storm and Matt Bentley’s thrilling rivalry over who has the better superkick. Shelley and Storm start it off with some nice mat wrestling. Tenay talks about how Shelley is a real student of the game, particularly the British game. Bentley doesn’t want any part of Storm, but he is willing to fight Harris. Bentley is just a terrible name; not that I ever cared much for Michael Shane, but it rolls off the tongue so much easier. Shelley gets abused outside the ring, taking a bump off the entrance ramp to the floor, and when security tries to lift him up, Storm leaps off and knocks everybody down. That’s a neat spot actually. Traci interferes, which distracts Harris enough to allow Bentley to regain control. They’ve been brawling outside the ring for a good several minutes now. Traci hits a low blow on Harris, but Bentley can’t quite capitalize. Harris picks Traci up and cuffs her to the ringpost. Storm and Bentley finally get in the ring together and the crowd is getting hot for it. Shelley comes in but continues to get abused. Man, tonight is just not his night. Hart Attack clothesline on Bentley gets two. Storm tries to skin the cat but Bentley dropkicks him in the face. That’s a neat spot there. Bentley nails Harris with Traci’s platform shoe but it only gets two. Bentley goes for another shot with the shoe but Harris gives him a full-nelson slam. Shelley rushes in and Storm hits the superkick on him to get the win at 11:47. Bentley lays Storm out with a superkick of his own after the bell. That was a good little tag match and a good opener. It was a little disjointed at times but mostly fun, and if you like seeing Alex Shelley treated like a jobber then see this match.
Rating: ***¼

Hype!

We get a recap of events from the Pre-Show, featuring Jeff Jarrett of course. This is irritating to me because the Pre-Show is on the DVD in full, so I just watched this. I do see why they would include it here though, as it hypes Rhino’s debut tonight.

Shane Douglas is with Team Canada, who is still upset over the fact that Lance Hoyt injured Scott D’Amore last month at Slammiversary. Bobby Roode and Petey Williams handle the promo duties here, and they both do a pretty good job. Eric Young adds his two cents while A1 stands around and looks big, and they start to sing “Oh Canada,” but Jarrett interrupts. He convinces them that they need to stick together. He says Bobby and Petey have been here since day one, which is just a lie. Petey says that Jarrett can count on them, but Roode wonders aloud if they can trust Jarrett.

The Super X Cup is returning!

MATCH #2: Shark Boy vs. Sonjay Dutt vs. “Primetime” Elix Skipper vs. Mikey Batts

This is a one-fall four-way match, and the winner will qualify to participate in the 2005 Super X Cup Tournament. This is just a mish-mash type of a match. Sonjay and Primetime start. Everyone gets a chance with everyone in the early going. Sonjay is ridiculously athletic. It appears as though Batts is the only heel here. Shark Boy goes around biting everyone. Primetime almost kills himself going for the rope-walk rana. I think he should have stopped doing it after he did it off the cage, because it will never be that cool again. Everyone in the ring starts hitting big moves. Shark Boy goes for the Dead See Drop and appears to miss it but Skipper still bumps to the floor for some reason. Shark Boy falls to the floor too, so Sonjay nails the Hindu Press to get the win at 8:16. It looked more like he kicked Batts in the face. That was full of blown spots and ridiculousness, but at least it was kept short.
Rating: *¾

Backstage

Shane Douglas is with Konnan and Ron Killings, who haven’t heard from BG James in almost a month. Konnan doesn’t trust him anymore, but Killings wants to. They have a street fight tonight that they have worry about.

MATCH #3: Simon Diamond & David Young vs. Apolo & Sonny Siaki

Diamond grabs the microphone to put over his newest “Diamond in the Rough,” David Young. I think the only other member at this point was Trytan, who I believe was fired. Speaking of fired, neither Apolo nor Siaki are with TNA anymore. Siaki and Apolo dominate Young in the early going. They both hit really nice dives to the outside. Back in the ring Siaki and Young trade slaps. Diamond and Young cheat to take control for maybe a minute before Apolo comes back in and is a house-a-fire. Young hits the spinebuster on Siaki, but the referee won’t count the pin because Siaki isn’t legal. Apolo hits the F-5 to get the pin at 5:43. That was fine for what it was.
Rating: **

Bound For Glory!

Tenay and West hype the upcoming Bound for Glory event, which will take place on October 23 at the Impact Zone. This is going to be their “Super Bowl.”

MATCH #4: Chris Sabin vs. “The Samoan Submission Machine” Samoa Joe

Tenay calls Joe 6’8”, which is just preposterous. They establish a cool dynamic early on, with Joe being the aggressor and Sabin wisely trying to outmaneuver him with speed and agility. Joe takes control and goes after the neck and chest area, which will serve his finishing move, The Choke, very well. Sabin fights back with some dropkicks and knocks Joe to the outside of the ring. Sabin is all fired up. He goes for the Cradle Shock but Joe reverses it into a German suplex for two. A big powerslam gets two. Sabin comes back and hits a tornado DDT for two. Joe hits the powerbomb into the STF submission. He switches it to a crossface but Sabin refuses to quit. Sabin keeps going for the ropes so Joe switches it to a Rings of Saturn, but Sabin eventually does reach the ropes and Joe is not happy about that. Joe goes for the Muscle Buster but Sabin gets a big powerbomb for two. He goes for the Cradle Shock but Joe gets out of it but Sabin hits the spinning enziguiri. Sabin goes up top but Joe kicks him off the ropes and delivers the Muscle Buster followed by the choke for the win at 14:04. That was a terrific hard-hitting match and Joe looked like a monster while Sabin looked like he could almost topple him, which is the perfect dynamic. I’d love to see this again.
Rating: ****

MATCH #5: Six Man Match – The Naturals & Lance Hoyt vs. Team Canada

Team Canada is represented by Bobby Roode, Eric Young, and A1. The video package makes this match feel kind of important, even though I know it’s not really. Shane Douglas is with the good guys, who couldn’t be lamer if they tried. Well, maybe if Jeff Hardy joined up with them. The American guys dominate the Canadian guys in the early going. In fact, I’m into the later goings of the match and Team Canada is barely getting in any offense. Jimmy Hart gets sent to the back for alleged interference, so the Canadians finally get to work on Stevens for a while. I like how Tenay and West are talking about how Team Canada is handling being without their mentor better than the Naturals are. Hoyt finally makes a hot tag. The megaphone was left at ringside, so Bobby Roode comes in and nails both Naturals, allowing Young to get the pin at 14:40. That was a pretty paint-by-numbers six man, but Team Canada can work this formula in their sleep.
Rating: **¼

MATCH #6: The 3Live Kru vs. Monty Brown & Kip James

The 3Live Kru is more like the 2Live Kru tonight, since BG James is nowhere to be found. The Outlaw officially changes his name to Kip James tonight, in an effort to curry favor with BG James. Monty cuts his usual fun promo knocking the 3LK’s boring shtick. I can’t believe how he continues to get wasted in the mid-card. Jarrett comes in on this promo and wants the support of them as well. Monty says that he and Jarrett are working on a contingency plan, being that Jarrett owes him a World Title shot. Monty has so much charisma it’s ridiculous. I think the video package and all the buildup is going to be longer than the actual match. Killings and Brown try to do some stuff, but Konnan and Kip are just kinda standing around. Kip gets busted open somehow. The referee gets knocked out early. This is mostly just brawling. The second referee gets taken out by Kip. Brown gives Killings the Pounce to get the pin at 5:25 as BG James is watching up on the ramp. Brown and Killings tried to do some stuff, but the match more or less sucked. Kip tries to resurrect the New Age Outlaws, and the crowd seems to want it. Kip suggests that BG hit Killings with a chair. He refuses.
Rating: *¼

MATCH #7: “The Phenomenal” AJ Styles vs. Sean Waltman; Special Referee Jerry Lynn

The video package for this match was shown in full on the Pre-Show. Shane Douglas is backstage with Jerry Lynn, who will be the special referee for this upcoming match. He has history with both men, who also have a bit of history with each other. Tenay still using the term “Orient” in his geography is pretty irritating. AJ dominates the early goings of the match, as Waltman tries to stall. Waltman tries to bail but AJ hits a beautiful dive to the outside, but Waltman goes after the eyes and rams AJ into the ring post. Waltman hits a really nice dive to the outside of the ring and AJ is bleeding from the nose. AJ regains control by hurling Waltman into the ring post. They so some back and forth action in the ring and AJ hits a double underhook Styles Clash but Waltman actually kicks out. Waltman recovers and hits the X-Factor but it only gets two. Waltman tries to introduce a steel chair but Lynn removes it. This distraction allows AJ to go for the Styles Clash, which is reversed, but Lynn kicks Waltman’s hands off the ropes and AJ rolls him into the Styles Clash for the win at 14:34. I don’t like the referee kicking hands off the ropes spot, but that match was really good otherwise.
Rating: ***½

There’s a commotion in the back, where Jeff Jarrett is bullying Larry Zbyszko about his rematch. They talk about Rhino, and Larry Z gets all flustered. Jarrett says that the TNA Welcoming Committee (him and his guitar) is looking for him.

MATCH #8: X Division Championship Match – “The Fallen Angel” Christopher Daniels vs. Petey Williams

I’ve already recapped this video package, since they showed it in the Pre-Show. On an episode of Impact just days before this show, Petey and Eric Young beat Daniels and Samoa Joe in a tag team match, so Joe was on a losing team, and I hate that they did that. Why couldn’t they have given Daniels a different partner, one not doing and undefeated streak gimmick? Petey attacks Daniels before the bell and takes the early advantage. I like that, because Daniels was questioning Williams’ ability, calling him one-dimensional, so Williams is wrestling like he has something to prove. A1 is playing Coach D’Amore at ringside. Petey goes for a rana on the floor but Daniels powerbombs him against the ring apron in a sick spot. Daniels naturally gains control back in the ring, and Petey is over as the underdog with this crowd. Daniels hits a nice delayed vertical suplex for two. Petey fights back but Daniels hits the STO into the Koji Clutch, but A1 drags Petey to the ropes so the hold has to be broken. Petey fights back as Samoa Joe shows up on the ramp to check out the action. Both men exchange big moves and near-falls. Daniels lets himself get distracted by Joe so Petey locks on the Sharpshooter. Daniels barely reaches the ropes. Petey goes for the Destroyer but Daniels awesomely reverses to the Angel’s Wings but Petey blocks it. Daniels goes for it again but Petey gets a rana out of it. Daniels body slams Petey off the top rope, which looks pretty cool. Then he misses a cross body block. Petey gets a near fall and A1 tosses him a chain, but Daniels had one too and he decks Petey first. Best Moonsault Ever follows and Daniels gets the win at 16:20. That was a terrific match that I don’t remember liking this much initially. I haven’t heard any talk about it at all.
Rating: ****

Tenay and West put over the Super X Cup Tournament, starting this coming Friday on Impact and culminating at Sacrifice on August 14. The main event is up next!

MATCH #9: Steel Chain Dog Collar Match for the NWA World Heavyweight Title – Raven vs. Abyss w/ James Mitchell

I recapped this video package already as well. This is actually Abyss’s first one-on-one title shot ever. He was supposed to get one on Impact when he beat Jeff Hardy back in February, but it never happened. I always think TNA should have a title defense on Impact when the Pay-Per-View that month doesn’t have one. I think at least one title match a month is necessary. Abyss uses his size and power to dominate the early going. Raven combats it by throwing chairs at him and then uses the chain to pull Abyss’s head into a chair that was wedged in the turnbuckle. They abuse each other with chairs and the chain, and Raven even gets the staple gun out and staples money to Abyss’s head. Both men are busted open. Abyss takes Raven up to the top of the ramp and goes for a chokeslam but Raven goes low and knocks Abyss off the ramp through two tables. Raven hits the Raven Effect but it only gets two. Abyss takes the collar off so he is free from the chain. Abyss goes under the ring and grabs the thumbtacks. Abyss tries to slam Raven onto the tacks, but Cassidy Riley comes out wearing a Raven shirt and short shorts. He gets slammed through a table. Abyss of course takes the tack bump. Black Hole Slam by Abyss gets two. Raven recovers and hits the Raven Effect onto a pile of tacks to get the win at 19:01. That was a good hardcore match that really picked up in the last couple minutes or so. This was definitely a good first program for Raven as champion.
Rating: ***½

Jeff Jarrett comes out with his guitar and a microphone. I’m surprised he’s not here in his tights to challenge Raven to a match so he could win his title back. Jarrett is in front of Raven, as Rhino sneaks up behind him and delivers the Gore! Rhino looks huge.

The 411: What a tremendous show, with a good opener, three good matches on top, and some okay stuff in between, I can’t recommend this one enough. It has good X-Division action (Daniels vs. Petey, Joe vs. Sabin, AJ vs. Waltman), a good hardcore main event, and a debut of a new star. This is probably one of the top five TNA shows of he monthly PPV era.
Final Score:  8.0   [ Very Good ]