TNA Against All Odds 2005 Review

First off, congratulations are in order to Daniel Bryan and Brie Bella on the news of their first child, whether it be a boy or a girl, I wish the both of them the best as they embark on a beautiful journey with one another. Sappy stuff aside, it is time for another hard-hitting review from yours truly: The Seanomaniac! Yeah, yeah it is the worst name you have ever heard, I know but I have had that nickname since I was small so I’m used to it by now. After bitching about The Reign of Jarrett’s latest conquest in my last installment, I thought I would do myself absolutely no favors by continuing to review TNA chronologically (Yes I hate myself that much). So it is time for TNA’s Against All Odds 2005 where The Kings of Wrestling shall implode!

Opening Promo

It is all about today and seizing the moment, you could gain everything or lose it all tonight. AJ Styles vs Christopher Daniels in a thirty minute Iron Man Match, Full Metal Mayhem match: It is Jeff Hardy vs Abyss while Jarrett will face Kevin Nash. Good promo which fills me in on the big matches of the night. Mike Tenay & Don West welcome us to the action!

Franchise Interview

I have no idea why The Franchise is the interviewer for TNA at this time, I can’t really get use to a polite and friendly interviewer. Douglas gets word from Larry Zbysko who gives Douglas no answers but Scott Hudson is outside Kevin Nash’s locker room.

Petey Williams W/ Coach D’Amore vs Elix Skipper

Not sure how to feel about this match kicking off the pay per view, Williams the former champion is not getting his rematch with Styles and instead, faces off against Skipper who the last time we saw on pay per view was beating up Sonjay Dutt. Skipper rolls Williams into a pin with Williams rolling out into a hammerlock. Williams sweeps the legs, blocks a heel kick. Dropkick by Skipper, lockup, armdrag to Petey. Petey asks for a break, snapmare by Skipper and a stiff kick to the back. Williams throws Skipper to the floor, cheap shot from The Coach. Slingshot hurricanrana by Williams, Canadian National Anthem to Skipper while standing on his balls (Really love that spot). 

Williams nails a snap suplex and a back suplex. Williams nails an inverted atomic drop and climbs to the top. Skipper springs up to throw Williams to the mat with a double underhook suplex. Series of clotheslines and a spin kick by Skipper, reverse suplex hangs Williams on the top rope, huge leg drop by Skipper. Williams survives and lands a tilt-a-whirl Russian legsweep. Skipper places Williams on the top rope, Coach D’Amore holds onto Petey Williams so Skipper cannot nail the tight rope hurricanrana.

 Tornado DDT by Williams, Canadian Destroyer is countered by Skipper. Series of pins that seemed sloppy and botched. Skipper blocks The Canadian Destroyer, Skipper misses a springboard dropkick and Petey attempts another Destroyer. Skipper blocks and drops Petey with Sudden Death which is a White Noise. Skipper pins Petey. More sloppy stuff from Skipper yet the company seems high on the guy as he has pinned Williams and Sabin in recent weeks. It was alright with a few botches and sloppy moments mixed in, not the worst but certainly not in the good books.

Winner: Skipper over Williams following Sudden Death!

Jeff Hammond/BG James vs Bentley/Kazarian

A bit of cross promotion here as Nascar driver Jeff Hammond steps into the ring with BG James to take on TNA’s best chickenshit heels, Bentley & Kazarian. Bentley wants Hammond, stare down. Hammond shoves over Bentley and Hammond works the arm. BG is in, takes the arm and a quick tag to Hammond. Hammond wrenches the arm and tags to BG, BG big boots Kazarian and knocks down Bentley for his two moves. Kazarian cheap shots BG, Bentley takes advantage with a dropkick.

 Kazarian is legal, tope suicida onto BG, corner forearm on BG and a dropkick for good measure. Bentley is legal, boot and swinging neckbreaker combination. BG takes out both Bentley and Kazarian with a clothesline. Hammond is in, huge shoulder block and a spear to Kazarian. Bentley takes down Hammond, Bentley superkicks Kazarian by accident. BG and Bentley brawl on the floor while Hammond nails Kazarian with his Pitstop elbow. Celebrity matches usually are not good and this was no different. Hammond did ok though, I’ll give him credit for that but yeah, you could have skipped this match.

Winners: BG & Hammond over Kazarian & Bentley following an elbow!

Dusty Interview

So Jarrett wants to be able to use his guitar in the title match as Jarrett will lose the title if he uses the guitar in this match tonight.

Raven vs Dustin Rhodes

So Raven is a mental motherfucker who breaks rookie’s fingers. Raven is unstable and wants to kill everyone but Dustin Rhodes is not too fond of Raven’s outlook on life so the two will face off. Raven pummels Rhodes in the corner, stomps in the corner and spit by Raven. Rhodes explodes out of the corner with a tackle, right hands by Rhodes as we spill out onto the floor. Kick to the face by Raven but Rhodes fires back with a big boot.

 Raven lures in Rhodes and stomps apart the leg of Rhodes (It seems Rhodes attracts people into fucking up his leg). Discuss clothesline and shots to the leg by Raven, multiple shin breakers and a chop block. Rhodes kicks off Raven but Raven drop toeholds into an angle lock. Where was this Raven in WWF? Angle locks and working body parts? More of this please, Rhodes shakes off Raven, huge clotheslines by Rhodes. Inverted atomic drop and ten punches in the corner. Bulldog is countered by Raven, Raven is countered by Rhodes who shoves him into a turnbuckle and clotheslines him.

 Rhodes is climbing to the top rope, superkick by Raven crotches Rhodes. Raven and Rhodes fight atop the turnbuckle, Rhodes knocks Raven. Rhodes misses an elbow, eating a boot from Raven. Even Flow is blocked, superkick by Rhodes and Rhodes gets a two count. Angle lock by Raven, Rhodes rolls through and Raven falls to the floor. Shot to the ribs by Raven, third angle lock by Raven goes wrong as Rhodes applies an angle lock. Raven rolls through and puts his feet on the ropes to pin Rhodes who smashed his face off the turnbuckle.

 Raven tries beating on Rhodes after the bell, Raven superkicks Rhodes. Raven has a trash can and a straight-jacket. Raven rolls Dustin into the ring, right hands by Raven. Rhodes is nailed with a trash can and Raven ties Rhodes to a turnbuckle. Raven Even Flows Cassidy Riley who is Rhodes’ protégé. Raven whips Rhodes and security. Match was good solid psychology, really like where Raven’s character is at the moment. Total unstable mad man who is getting darker and more sinister.

Winner: Raven over Rhodes due to a roll up!

(NWA/TNA Tag Team Championship Match) AMW © vs Kid Kash & Lance Hoyt

My boys AMW are in action next as they continue steam rolling through lesser tag teams. Kid Kash, the man who respects nobody and is considered a big deal will be challenging for the titles with big Lance Hoyt. Storm and Kash to kick us off, big lockup with Storm finding Kash a slippery devil to get a hold of as Kash is tenacious in his attacks. Both men trade pins with a stand-off. Lance Hoyt is in, Harris is in and we have a shoving contest. Big hoss brawl, Hoyt blocks the suplex from Harris. Knee by Hoyt, Harris stops an incoming Kash. Harris and Storm toss Hoyt into Kash as the heels power.

 Storm is elevated to the floor by Harris, big plancha there from Storm. Hoyt drills Storm with a clothesline and a hiptoss on the floor. Kash pins Storm for a two count, the announcers sell Storm’s back like he could be absolutely screwed. Hoyt clubs Storm across the back, Kash tags in and chokes Storm. Kash moonsaults onto Storm for a two count, Hoyt is legal and Storm battles back. Hoyt powerbombs Storm into oblivion but Harris makes the save. Kash ends Storm’s latest comeback with a DDT.

 Storm counters the frog splash with his knees, double crossbody leave both men down on the ground. Harris is legal, three clotheslines to Hoyt, bulldog and spinebuster. Vertical suplex on Hoyt, Kash kicks Harris, springboard hurricanrana on Harris. Storm wipes out Kash with The Eye of the Storm, Hoyt hammers Storm on the top turnbuckle. Super sidewalk slam by Hoyt on Storm for a two and a half. Harris shoves Kash to the floor, hurricanrana by Storm on Hoyt, elbow by Harris for a two count. Kash grabs the title belt and nails Storm in the head, Storm kicks out at two!

 Hoyt lifts up Storm, Harris spears Kash. Superkick to Hoyt, Harris handcuffs Kash. How is that legal? Harris rallies the crowd to give Storm strength to lift Hoyt for The Death Sentence. Storm obliges and Death Sentence puts away Hoyt. Good match, not a barn-burner like AMW’s last two matches but not every match can be an absolute classic.

Winners: AMW over Kash & Hoyt following The Death Sentence!

Jeff Hardy vs Abyss (Full Metal Mayhem Match)

Think of it as TNA’s Extreme Rules match, there are tables everywhere, chairs and ladders. However, there is also a contract hanging above the ring, two contracts actually. One holds nothing and the other holds a championship opportunity. Jeff ducks Abyss’ attacks and works the arm. Big dropkick staggers Abyss but does not take the monster down. Abyss flapjacks Hardy but misses an elbow. Hardy drops a leg on Abyss’ groin before throwing in a few chairs.

 Abyss dodges a poetry in motion in the ring but Hardy nails a poetry in motion to the floor. Abyss is staggering around the ringside area, Abyss climbs to the apron and dares Hardy to charge him. Abyss is nailed with chairs by Jeff, poetry in motion does not work the third time as Abyss swings a chair in Hardy’s face. Abyss has some tables set up by ringside, Hardy grabs a ladder, placing it in the ring. Abyss slams Hardy into the steel steps. Abyss aims for a powerbomb through the tables, Hardy fights out of the powerbomb, Whisper in the Wind finds the mark on Abyss. Jeff stabs Abyss with the ladder, Van Daminator by Hardy. Jeff uses his signature ladder spot where the seesaw smacks his opponent in the face when Jeff leg drops the ladder.

 Jeff pummels Abyss on the apron and charges at the monster but it is a bad idea as Abyss belly to belly suplexes Jeff through a table on the floor. Jeff clubs Abyss with the chair, Abyss battles back, exploiting Jeff’s injured back. Abyss places a table on the entrance way, Jeff Twist of Fates Abyss on the ramp. Abyss is laid out on the table by Jeff, Jeff climbs the stage structure and drops a massive Swanton Bomb. Ridiculous move by Jeff who sacrifices his body to take out Abyss. Jeff slowly makes his way to the ring, grabbing a ladder in order to reach the contract.

 Jeff is on the high ladder, Jeff pulls down the contract but it is the empty contract. Hardy readjusts to retrieve the other contract, Abyss drags Hardy down. Abyss Irish whips Hardy into the four tables, Jeff actually kicks out at the tables for missing the majority of them with his body. Abyss grabs the contract and is your winner as Jeff starts kicking and stomping on the tables he did not break with his body.

 I don’t think that match really lived up to what many people thought it would be, I don’t think there was a lot do it that I really liked, it felt rushed in a way and someone was not happy about the kind of botched ending. I expected a hardcore war with lots of spots but this just was not it.

Winner: Abyss over Jeff Hardy following retrieval of the contract!

Monty Brown & DDP vs Team Canada

So after the burial of Brown at the last pay per view, Brown is looking to rebound with taking on Jarrett’s secondary allies: Team Canada. Brown and Young to start, Brown overpowers Young. Young takes the arm but Brown hurts Young, twisting the arm multiple times. Japanese arm drags and clotheslines by Brown. Roode saves Young from The Pounce, Brown grabs Young’s arm and yanks him into the ring. DDP is legal, double arm wringer by Page & Brown and a reverse elbow. Roode is legal, DDP wants a piece. DDP grabs a side headlock, transition to a hammerlock, shoulder block and discuss clothesline. Brown is legal, double clothesline on Roode. Snap suplex, cover and a two count. 

DDP is back in, cheap shot from Young and Rood nails DDP with a clothesline. Roode distracts Brown while Young and Devine choke Page. DDP battles out of the corner but Roode, drop toeholds DDP, tag to Young who drops an elbow on Page. Roode is legal, DDP & Roode bang heads. Tag to Brown, Brown punches both Roode and Young. Big back body drop on Young, fallaway slam by The Alpha Male. Roode nails Brown with the Canadian hockey stick as the referee is blocked by Coach D’Amore. Elbwo from the top by Young, Young beats down Brown. DDP does get the hot tag though, clotheslines by DDP. Big boots all around, scoop slam to Young.

 Roode saves Young, Brown beats up Roode. Dosey doe by DDP and Brown who clothesline Team Canada. DDP clotheslines Young to the floor, Pounce on Roode. DDP crotches Eric Young and Diamond Cutters Young from the top rope. Good tag team match step down for Team Canada and Monty Brown but they are still entertaining, Brown was still a house of fire even though he was robbed of a lot of momentum at the last pay per view.

Winner: Monty Brown & DDP over Team Canada following a Diamond Cutter!

(X Division Championship Match) AJ Styles © vs Christopher Daniels (Thirty Minute Iron Man Match)

The beginning of their rivalry in TNA, this is historical for a rival that would continue on and off for many years in the company. Time for talking is done, let’s go with these two. Some wrestling to being with, Styles has the front facelock, Daniels sweeps the legs and works the left leg of the champion. Quick roll ups before Daniels says fuck that and clotheslines AJ. Daniels saw the dropkick coming or so he thought as Styles flattens Daniels with a massive dropkick. Hurricanrana from the ring apron, chop war on the floor and a forearm war for good measure.

 Armdrag by Styles, and another keeps down Daniels until Daniels works the head with a scissors. Kip up from Styles who lands another armdrag, make it two. Stiff kicks by Styles who blocked an O’Connor roll from Daniels, more arm work by The Phenomenal One. More kicks to the arm by Styles, Daniels eats a baseball slide, springboard splash by Styles. Daniels uses the referee as a shield to block a springboard from Styles, Daniels rushes Styles and knocks him off the barricade. Knees to the ribs by Daniels.

 Styles blocks a STO but Daniels drives his knee into Styles mid-section. Two count for Daniels, Styles battle backs to his feet but Daniels shoves AJ into the turnbuckle. Spear by Daniels, moonsault by Daniels gets a two count. Styles creates separation with a huge discuss clothesline. Springboard reverse DDT for a two count. Brainbuster for a two count, Styles eats a right hand from Daniels. Styles drills Daniels with a back suplex, Styles was climbing high, Daniels blocks Styles from flying off the top rope. Styles blocks the suplex, Daniels hits the mad hard, Daniels blocks the 450 with his knees. Angel Wings and Daniels is up 1:0!

Gutbuster by Daniels, The Fallen Angel stomps all over Styles while showboating at the same time. Codebreaker by Daniels, abdominal stretch by Daniels. Styles is hanging on by a thread, the ribs are busted up badly. Daniels does not capitalize though, he continues mocking AJ. Gordbuster for a two count, Styles explodes with a handspring elbow ala Tajiri. Styles kicks Daniels, fireman’s carry into a neckbreaker across the knee.

 Phenomenal forearm by Styles, two count for AJ. Blue Thunder Bomb by Daniels for a two count. Pele kick by Styles, both men are down. Forearm shots by Styles, Daniels drops Styles with a Samoan drop, BME does not connect. German suplex by Styles, Daniels misses a cutter, Angel’s Wings by Styles for a two count! Daniels was looking for a pumphandle suplex but Styles rolls through for a school boy and Styles ties up the score! 1:1

Daniels smashes Styles to the floor, Daniels rams Styles into the turnbuckle. Styles is a bloody mess on the floor, Daniels drags Styles into the ring. Cover and a two count for Daniels, closed right hands into the cut of Styles. Headbutts by Daniels, knee to the head by Daniels. More right hands and kicks by The Fallen Angel, Daniels nails a running STO. Two count for Daniels, vicious headbutt by Daniels who is just beating on Styles. Daniels really looks like a sick psychotic individual as he is laughing through his victimizing of Styles.

 Angel Wings is being blocked by the champion, forearm war with Styles coming out stronger. Complete shot into a koji clutch, Styles is caught in the centre of the ring, Styles is hanging on, we are down to ten seconds. Styles survives the time limit but he appears to be out-cold. Daniels grabs the microphone and says he wants sudden death overtime. Dusty Rhodes grants Daniels’ request. Daniels hammers Styles who is all bent up, neckbreaker by Daniels and Styles stays alive! Daniels talks trash in the corner, Styles is on the top turnbuckle, Daniels’ hurricanrana is blocked, hurricanrana by Styles, Daniels roll through but Styles reverses the pin attempt into a Styles Clash!

 2:1 to Styles, Styles retains! That was a great match, so much intensity and crowd investment, they cut away for a Jarrett interviewer following the match and that is a bad call! It should have stayed with the match. Anyways, Styles and Daniels wrestled one of their best matches, Styles was so sympathetic as a babyface while Daniels was such a great heel. Daniels was malicious in his attempts to break down the resilient champion, Styles was so good once he was opened up, he sold his ass off like he had nothing left and when he pulled out that clash with the last of his strength, you really felt he fired his last shot, it was go big and go home. Fantastic stuff!

Winner: Styles over Daniels following Styles Clash!

(NWA/TNA World Heavyweight Championship Match) Kevin Nash vs Jeff Jarrett ©

If Jarrett uses the guitar, he loses the match. Now, let me be clear, I like Jarrett, I do not think he was main event calibre but I can’t change the past so it happened, Jarrett’s reign of terror was in full-swing by this time and if you want an idea of how bad it was, go back and look at his over-booked halting of Monty Brown’s momentum at their last pay per view. My expectations going into this match are super low, Jarrett has already been champion for 8 months by this time.

 Interesting story with the Kings of Wrestling falling apart because Jarrett accidently punched Nash’s close friend: Scott Hall. I am interested to see what Nash can do before being completely immobile in the ring (See his WWE 2011 run). Nash knees Jarrett and elbows the back of the head of Jarrett, reverse elbow from Nash. Knees in the corner and Nash tosses Jarrett around the ring, Nash continues kneeing Jarrett and elbowing the bejesus out of the champion.

 Jarrett is given a lucky break by the referee and Jarrett starts attacking the leg of Nash, multiple right hands to the dome of Nash, Nash fires back with a clothesline to the floor. Snake eyes onto the announce table, Jarrett kicks Nash who was making his way into the ring. Jarrett pounds the face of Nash (No don’t think like that, get your mind out of the gutter). Nash and Jarrett spill into the crowd, we are backstage and Jarrett smashes into catering. Nash stabs Jarrett with the table and clubs the bejesus out of Jarrett. Chair shot to the spine, Nash celebrates while Jarrett bleeds on the floor. Nash tares up the ring mats to expose the concrete by ringside. Nash was thinking powerbomb but Jarrett low blows Nash.

 Jarrett pulls out a guitar case and it is not a guitar but a cello. Jarrett smashes Nash with a cello on the leg. Jarrett smashes the leg of Nash against the ringpost. Cello case to the leg of Nash, I did not know this match was no disqualifications, all the commentators mentioned was there was no guitars allowed but I guess I should have figured it out due to the stipulation. Figure four by Jarrett, Nash makes it to the ropes but Jarrett drags Nash to the middle of the ring. 

Nash fights through the pain and beats Jarrett with his good leg. Nash nails a big boot, sidewalk slam, snake eyes on two turnbuckles. Jarrett blocks the third snake eyes and chops the leg, Jarrett has the broken cello, Nash low blows Jarrett. Referee blocks the cello shot, Nash nails a Jackknife Powerbomb on the cello but the referee was smacked by Jarrett’s leg. Billy Gunn interferes and smacks Nash with a chair shot. Referee is awake and Jarrett pins Nash but Nash survives! Billy Gunn is blocked by a referee, X-Pac is in the ring, bronco buster on Jarrett and an X-Factor on Jarrett. Nash stirs and pins Jarrett but of course, Double J has to kick out. Gunn has the belt in the ring, Road Dogg (BG James) stops Gunn from using the belt and Jarrett smacks Nash with the belt.

 Nash still kicks out at two, more over-booked nonsense. Stroke nails Nash and Jarrett cannot believe it as Nash kicks out! Ok all signs are pointing to a Nash title win, Jarrett goes up top, Jarrett blocks The Chokeslam, low blow and Stroke for the win. OH MY GOD, I swear TNA are just trying to piss me off, you had Monty Brown kick out of everything and still be beat by The Stroke, you had Nash kick out of everything, belt shots, cello shots and interference from Billy Gunn. Nash survived it all including another Stroke from Jarrett ONLY to be beat by a low blow and a Stroke after surviving everything except a fucking nuclear bomb landing on his head.

 This booking is so stupid, so over-produced and such an ego-trip for the man called Jeff Jarrett, I do not even know what to say now, that’s two pay per views in a row where I feel raped and shit on by Jeff Jarrett. Honestly, that has left a really sour taste in my mouth I do not understand the booking of a match where the babyface survives such an onslaught of cheating and tricks only to be still defeated in the end. In any other case, the babyface would win the title and overcome the odds so we can all celebrate and have a happy moment.

 This was awful the last five minutes took anything I have for the match away, I cannot rate this higher than a DUD. Trust me you have to see this last five minutes to understand how god awful this booking was, you won’t regret it!

Winner: Jeff Jarrett over Kevin Nash following the over-booking equivalent of a gangbang!

Overall, Against All Odds 2005 was not a bad show, there were a lot of solid matches and a lot of good matches too. There was nothing truly awful apart from that main event which I will get to in a second. Styles vs Daniels was a great match, great storytelling mixed in with a lot of crowd reaction and psychology. Ending with Styles barely outlasting Daniels is a nice set-up for a rematch in the near-future. AMW had another good match defending their tag team titles, I feel they need some fresh blood in the division as I do not currently see anyone on their level. I am liking the continued push of Monty Brown who I still see as a future champion at this point, Raven’s current character is quite appealing and I want to know what happens in the future of Elix Skipper. The main event, ok I have had some time to collect my thoughts so I will not rant for days. I think it was really poorly booked from the interference to the ending, Jarrett feels like a more annoying Triple H during his Raw dominance years, Triple H comes off as slightly more tolerable due to not overloading his matches with over-booking. Jarrett’s matches are turning off the fans and it is almost go away heat levels when the bell rings and Jarrett retains. I look forward to Jarrett’s removal from the main event scene with the influx of the likes of Christian, Sting and Kurt Angle. Unfortunately, I have a long way to go and it doesn’t look like it will be getting any easier but I hope, and I mean I really hope, there is no more over-booked main events to protect Mr. Jarrett’s ego. This has been another review from The Seanomaniac and I’ll see you next time for more!