(7) Matt Morgan vs. Crimson
I think both these men have a lot of talent, but I’ve never really been into the “giants” of pro wrestling. In this case though, you have two huge guys who can move around with a lot of speed, and a lot of power. This may end up being a good match, and certainly Morgan stands a better chance than most at ending an undefeated streak, but there hasn’t been nearly enough build or push for the Blueprint in recent months to merit that.
Prediction: Crimson wins, keeping the streak alive. I wouldn’t put interference by Samoa Joe, or even a Morgan heel turn out of the question though!
(8) Jeff Jarrett vs. Jeff Hardy
I think they have handled the return of Jeff Hardy with brilliance. Here is a lucrative talent that has the potential to draw huge numbers if handled right, that made some really bad mistakes and is paying the price. You can rage about Hardy’s lack of jail time, or the virtual “slap on the wrist” he did receive, but the bottom line is that he’s a pro wrestling talent and his real-life drama should play very little role in what we think of him. If he can entertain, let the man entertain! TNA realizes that their fans are mostly of the internet persuasion, and that a certain amount of reality is required in situations like this, and I applaud them for what they’ve done thus far. Having him come back and take the verbal beatings from his co-workers was great, as it builds sympathy for a returning face but also makes you believe Hardy is sorry for the wrongs he committed against the fans. A feud with the “King of the Mountain”, the man who brought him into the company and gave him chance after chance, is also a great move. Hardy should have a higher-profile match, but needs to remain out of the title picture until the time is right. There are too many deserving guys who didn’t show up wasted to a title match, and I think TNA is painfully aware of that. The whole thing has been handled well, and out of all the matches this one has the most realism and believability.
Prediction: Jeff Hardy has to win here. Jarrett has virtually nothing to gain from a victory, but Hardy is fighting for his right to remain in the company, although no official stipulations have been set.
(9) Bobby Roode vs. AJ Styles — TNA World Heavyweight Championship
We all love a good title match with literally two minutes of television build, right!? In all seriousness, there has been a lot of heat on TNA for the way they’ve handled the Bobby Roode situation in the past month. Should he have won at Bound for Glory? Probably… But I’m not sure how exciting Bobby Roode’s run as a face champion actually would have been. He’s a good talent, certainly one of the best TNA has built from the ground up. But James Storm is, and always has been the better mic worker, and his presence in this feud has been instrumental. It makes complete sense to turn Roode heel against Storm, and much sooner than later. Most everyone complained about rushing this feud when months of programming could have been taken from it, but if you notice…Roode/Storm isn’t the main event of this PPV. I think letting the pot stir for another month or two with a Storm concussion, and allowing somebody sympathetic like AJ Styles to fill his shoes is a perfect idea. Of course he won’t, and can’t win the match, but Styles is a good choice. It’s easy to rant about TNA’s poor booking choices, and in a lot of ways people are right on this one. But let things play out and judge them after the fact…
Prediction: Bobby Roode has to retain the title. There really isn’t any other option. Now, I say that realizing TNA is fully capable of shotgunning the title AGAIN, but I have faith in this situation that it won’t happen.
On paper, this is a decent card. I’m a fan of the main event, the Jeff Hardy/ Jeff Jarrett angle, Eric Young and Robbie E, and almost every match should at least be fun to watch. I was one of the few who enjoyed Bound for Glory, and it will be interesting to see the dichotomy in fan’s reactions to this event. As they’ve found out, it really is impossibe to please all wrestling fans!
Follow me on Twitter @MikeKillam, as I will be trying my best to live-tweet throughout the night. You can also read my tribute to Eddie Guerrero from earler today HERE.
