TNA Genesis 2006 Review

Hello and welcome to another edition of Seanomaniac Wrestling Reviews, the only wrestling review series on the internet that delivers less than The Mcmahons when it comes to change! It is time for TNA’s Genesis 2006 and this is a monster of a show as Abyss looks to capture the NWA/TNA World Heavyweight Championship from Sting while Kurt Freakin’ Angle looks to make his mark on TNA by battling the undefeated Samoan Submission Machine Samoa Joe. The promo package for the show is so God damn epic, it sets the tone for this show! Will this be a hit? Let’s find out!

(Handicap Match) Serotonin vs The Voodoo Kin Mafia

The New Age Outlaws come out to battle TNA’s version of The Flock. Kaz and Matt look completely out of place while Johnny Devine looks like a beefy Shannon Moore. Large DX sucks chants, BG and Matt start. BG punches, superkick by Bentley. Serotonin stomp BG, Devine bites BG before tagging Bentley. Dropkick by Bentley for two, reverse chinlock from Bentley. BG rallies and nails a flying forearm, tag to Kip James. Kip slams everyone, atomic drops. Pedigree on Bentley, Bentley is thrown to the floor and well as Kaz. One and Only on Bentley and this match is over.

Not the best way to get your new faction over, funny looking at Road Dogg and Billy Gunn take the piss out of Michaels and Triple H while they are now all buddy buddy. Big boys throwing out their toys, but the match got the crowd excited so it seems to be fine.

Winners: The James Gang over Serotonin via One & Only!

Sonjay Dutt & Jay Lethal vs The Naturals W/ Shane Douglas

The Naturals sucks, they have always sucked and I will never ever care for them in the slightest. They tried to put these two over many times, their latest attempt is having The Naturals attack Team 3D. The Naturals jump Dutt & Lethal to begin the match, Dutt & Lethal battle back and dive onto The Naturals. Lethal and Stevens pair off, bulldog and dropkick by Lethal. Douglas saves Stevens, Lethal elbows Stevens. Headscissors out of the corner is countered by Stevens, blatant low blow.

Douglas comes in and chokes Lethal, eye rake by Douglas. Douglas stomps Lethal, tag to Stevens. Axe handles by Stevens, wishbone split by The Naturals. Stevens chokes Lethal on the middle rope following the wishbone, Douglas enters illegally without the tag. Douglas reaches out to Stevens for extra leverage. The referee catches Stevens, Lethal fights back but eats a huge knee for two. Tag to Stevens, big boot to the face. Lethal mounts another comeback, wheelbarrow suplex from Stevens for two. Stevens climbs to the top rope, diving axe handle for two.

Douglas tags in, axe handle does not connect as Lethal smashes Douglas in the ribs. Tag to Dutt, Stevens eats right hands. Leaping leg lariat and tilt-a-whirl headscissors, neckbreaker from Dutt for two. Stevens uppercuts Dutt, Dutt dodges and nails Douglas with a springboard seated senton. Stevens eats a backbreaker and flatliner combination, springboard moonsault from Dutt for two. Boot by Dutt, Shane Douglas gets involved. Stevens and Douglas nail an assisted dropkick powerbomb for the win.

Well, that finish look absolutely weak. The fans chant you fucked up at The Naturals and do I need to say much more? I truly do not care about those two boys, they just do not have the talent that their push warrants but I have to give credit on TNA for not giving up on those two. Lethal has connected with the TNA audience just like he did with ROH, it is for the best and Sonjay Dutt is a talented freak who is ignored when it comes to pushes, this is not fair.

Winners: The Naturals over Lethal & Dutt via Powerbomb!

(TNA X-Division Championship Match) Christopher Daniels © VS Chris Sabin

After vowing to move on from the X Division likes of Samoa Joe, AJ Styles and Christopher Daniels, we have Christopher Daniels as X-Division Champion. What? Yes, Daniels and Styles traded the belt with Sabin who was the newly-christened champion after dedicating himself to his craft to defeat Senshi. Fortunately, Sabin has finally found an edge as a cocky and arrogant heel. They lock-up, eye poke by Sabin who backs away from an irate Daniels. Side headlock by Daniels, Sabin escapes and slaps Daniels.

Sabin continues to frustrate Daniels, arm-wringer from Sabin. Daniels eats another eye poke, Sabin stomps all over Daniels. Hiptoss by Daniels for two,  the two trade counters before another hiptoss by Daniels. Sabin rolls out to the floor, Sabin shoots for a takedown, more flips before Daniels steps on the head of Sabin. Curb stomp by Daniels, split-legged moonsault for two. Sabin is bounced off the turnbuckle multiple times, headbutt by Daniels. Two for Daniels, Sabin elevates Daniels to the apron. Sabin dropkicks Daniels to the floor who smashes his back off the concrete.

Apron axe handle by Sabin, Sabin drops Daniels throat-first onto the guardrail. Two for Sabin, fist drop and dropkick to the back of the head by Sabin for two. Nerve hold from Sabin, Daniels fights out but Sabin maintains control. Knee across the back on the middle rope from Sabin, snapmare into a stretch from Sabin. Daniels is crotched in the tree of woe, hesitation dropkick by Sabin. Sabin grabs a chair, AJ Styles takes the chair from Sabin. Daniels dodges a hesitation dropkick and lands a crossbody to the floor. Jawbreaker in the ring, forearms by Daniels.

Running STO by Daniels, cross-armed powerbomb by Daniels for two. Uranage by Daniels, Sabin grabs the leg of Daniels to stop the BME. Sabin is on the apron, springboard DDT for two. Pop-up powerbomb by Sabin for two, Irish whip to the corner. Sabin nails a spinning sole butt, springboard ddt is countered for a Death Valley Driver by Daniels. BME connects and Daniels gets two. Angel’s Wings is blocked, dragon screw by Sabin. Yakuza Kick in the corner, Cradle Shock is reversed for a crucifix at two and a half. Low dropkick by Sabin, Argentine backbreaker is countered for a roll-up, Daniels wins. Jerry Lynn saves Daniels from an assault from Sabin.

The X Division Style always leads to a fun match, that is never a doubt when it comes to these wrestlers, their style is fun to watch and the crowd goes nuts especially during the glory years of TNA. However, this did not pay off for me when it came to story-telling in this match. Sabin has a fun character tweak with this entitled cocky douchebag but that leaves the match after the first sections where Sabin slaps Daniels. After that, is Sabin doing anything truly heelish? Grabbing a chair when he is the challenger in a title match? Was his plan to lose his championship match by DQ? You see why I have trouble with this story-telling?

Winner: Christopher Daniels over Chris Sabin via Roll-Up!

Ron Killings & Lance Hoyt vs Paparazzi Productions

Kevin Nash on commentary is gold, I will hear nothing less. So, Starr and Shelley have issues under Nash’s tutelage while Killings and Hoyt have nothing to do.  Shelley and Killings begin, Shelley steps on the hands of Killings. Killings nails a shoulder block, kick by Shelley. Lots of dancing, flatliner by Killings. Starr tags in, more dancing. Starr goes to work, stomps in the corner. Starr leapfrogs and dances, Killings nails a running powerslam. Hoyt nails a right hand, Starr is pinballed between the two.

Hoyt tags in, double hiptoss. Elbow drops for two, Shelley saves Starr. Knees by Hoyt, Starr eats a massive flapjack. Hoyt looks for his moonsault, Shelley illegally trips Hoyt, Starr nails a running dropkick to Hoyt who is in the tree of woe. Shelley tags in, Shelley and Starr take turns wrenching the knee of Hoyt who screams out in pain. Starr nails his corkscrew slingshot splash for two, more knees by Starr. Tag to Shelley, neckbreaker from Shelley. Shelley climbs to the top rope, Hoyt blocks the splash with a big boot. Hoyt clotheslines Shelley on one leg.

Tag to Killings, right hands to Starr & Shelley. Lie Detector, Starr & Shelley miscommunicate and Shelley wheel kicks Starr. Osaka street cutter by Truth for two, Starr saves Shelley. Double dropkick by Killings, Hoyt helps Killings nail  a dropkick to the groin. Killings misses a leg lariat, Starr elbows Killings to the floor. Hoyt eats a kick to the knee, heatseeker by Starr onto Killings. Shelley frogsplashes the knee, Starr shoots Shelley with the camera but Hoyt small packages Shelley for the win.

That was decent like the rest of the card, Nash is a treasure on commentary while Killings and Hoy deserve more to do on pay per view. Starr is a fun gimmick but Aries is so talented, it really is a waste to not let him rip people apart in the X Division but the feud between Shelley and Starr continues so I am looking forward to that.

Winners: Hoyt & Killings over Paparazzi Productions Via Small Package!

AJ Styles vs Christian Cage

This is a big match, Christian turned heel for no apparent reason earlier in the year which made no sense other than they needed to ensure Sting was the number one babyface in the company (More on that later folks!). So, Christian turned heel, fitting himself into a role he is all too familiar with as a cocky, arrogant ass who wants to be champion. Standing across from Christian is Mr. TNA AJ Styles, this will be fun plain and simple. Styles is in there with a huge star and Styles always rises to the occasion.

Huge lock-up to start, aggressive lock-up which sets the tone for this match. Christian takes the back, Styles switches to the back. Christian slams Styles to the mat, Christian maintains control before Styles goes to the ropes. Christian gives the clean break after a slap to the back, Styles slaps Christian in the face. Forearms and shoulder block by Styles, shoulder block by Christian. The crowd chants for both wrestlers as the two stare one another down, Styles chops and kicks Christian. Styles nails another shoulder block, Christian takes a breather with Styles saying “Is that all you have got?”

Side headlock by Styles, Christian elbows Styles in the face. Chops by Christian, Unprettier attempt is reversed for an electric chair drop, Christian rolls to the floor avoiding a Styles Clash. Christian wants a chair, Styles goes to the floor and throws Christian into the ring. Back in the ring, Christian elbows Styles. Flapjack by Styles, La magistral for two. Christian goes to the floor again, Styles nails a tope atomico to the floor. Styles continues to hold his ankle after the dive, Christian eats a baseball slide but avoids an Asai moonsault. Styles is rammed into the guardrail, Christian has assumed control of this match.

Christian nails Styles with a backbreaker for two, reverse chinlock from Christian. Christian is caught by a kip-up hurricanrana, Christian drills Styles with a clothesline for two. Styles misses a corner forearm after reversing Christian, Christian looks for the Unprettier. Styles survives with a massive backbreaker, Christian recovers and climbs to the top rope. Styles meets Christian on the top rope, top rope hurricanrana by Styles. Styles nails his signature dropkick, massive clothesline and knee drop. Two for Styles, Styles nails his middle rope inverted DDT for two.

Styles climbs to the top rope, Christian dodges and nails a Spear for two. Unprettier is blocked again, Styles Clash is blocked. Pele Kick by Styles for two, Styles tries a springboard but eats a massive powerbomb. Christian has a chair, Daniels tries to steal the chair but Styles attempts a sunset flip, the leverage allows Christian to trap Styles in a cradle and Christian gets away with the win.

That did not hit the levels I thought it would reach, it was good but it did not reach that next level. Styles and Christian could tear the house down if they wished to but it just did not, they do this awkward angle between Styles and Daniels where it seems Styles could be the heel and that is the dumbest shit and out of character thing I have ever seen for Styles at this point in the career. However, could Styles be doing something we have not seen Styles do in quite some time?

Winner: Christian Cage over AJ Styles via Roll-Up!

(NWA/TNA Tag Team Championship Match) AMW W/ Gail Kim vs LAX © W/ Konnan

AMW were the premier tag team in TNA for many years but they ran out of teams to face until the likes of Styles & Daniels, LAX and Team 3D came to the division. With this fresh crop of tag team talent, AMW have become rejuvenated in my eyes and they are all set to make this an awesome match. Hopefully, they do because this pay per view has been very average thus far.

AMW jump LAX, brawling on the floor to begin this match. Storm and Homicide are in the ring, underhook suplex by Storm. Harris and Storm toss Homicide onto Hernandez, Konnan distracts Harris and there’s a big clothesline by Hernandez. Hernandez clubs Harris, tag to Homicide. Slingshot tope atomico by Homicide, tag to Hernandez. Shoulder block by Hernandez, reverse chinlock by Hernandez. Harris fights back but is speared back into the heel’s corner, tag to Homicide. Illegal choke from Hernandez, Homicide applies a reverse chinlock.

Harris catches a lucky break with a massive spinebuster, Storm comes in like a house of fire. Right hands and back drops, headscissors on Hernandez. Eye of The Storm is blocked, dropkick by Storm. Hernandez saves Homicide, Border Toss is stopped by Harris, Hernandez drags in Harris. Crossbody by Harris, Homicide nails a spinning DDT on Harris. Storm shoulder blocks Homicide, Death Sentence is stopped by Hernandez who throat tosses Harris off the top rope.

Storm is caught for a spinning powerbomb, Homicide nails a top rope splash with Harris saving Storm. Harris does not hit Catatonic, Gringo Killer is blocked. Hart Attack by AMW for two, Hernandez drags Harris to the floor. Homicide trips Storm, enzugiri to Homicide, enzuigiri to Hernandez. Harris nails a diving clothesline on Hernandez, Death Sentence connects! Konnan distracts the referee, Gail Kim pulls down Konnan. Homicide cracks Storm with a blow torch and LAX are still champions.

Good tag team match, AMW showed a lot of the fire that I fell in love with them for, LAX have been great heels since joining the TNA roster. Konnan has always been phenomenal on the microphone, so much heat and so much momentum so the right team won this match, I am just interested to see where they go next with LAX. Oh, nevermind they fuck it up in the next five minutes. Cornette comes out and says that LAX are stripped of the titles for being big dirty racists which means this team loses all the heat they have built up because the pay off is LAX losing the titles so why strip them? This company is so stupid sometimes it is incredible.

Winners: LAX over AMW via Blow Torch To The Head!

(NWA/TNA World Heavyweight Championship Match) Abyss W/ James Mitchell vs Sting ©

Finally, Sting defeated Jeff Jarrett at TNA’s biggest show Bound For Glory. Sting is in deep trouble though as The Monster Abyss is here for Sting’s championship. Sting comes down to the ring and clotheslines Abyss to the floor using his signature bat, plancha by Sting. We have some nice crowd brawling as Sting continues to batter Abyss, Abyss’ head is rammed off the guardrail by Sting. Sting misses a Stinger Splash, Abyss smashes Sting with a chair. Abyss grabs tables and places them by the ramp, Abyss has a barbed-wire table.

Abyss wants to powerbomb Sting through the table, Sting fights out and punches Abyss down the ramp. Knees by Abyss, eye rake against the guard rail. The two enter the ring for the first time, chinlock from Abyss. Stinger Splashes from Sting, Abyss is in big trouble. Two for Sting, Sting is on the top rope. Abyss climbs up too but is shoved off, Sting nails a massive splash for two. Abyss tries using the championship on Sting, Sting ducks and has the Scorpion Deathlock. Abyss reaches the ropes though, Sting looks at the championship.

Sting wants to use the championship, Sting shoves the referee down. Black Hole Slame! 1..2.. Sting kicks out of Abyss’ finisher. No chokeslam for Abyss, the referee is knocked down as Sting is shoved into the referee. Abyss wants thumbtacks, Sting has his Bat. Sting knocks away the tacks, bat to the ribs and a Scorpion Death Drop but James Mitchell pulls out the referee. Sting pulls out the tacks, Abyss chokeslams Sting onto the tacks. 1….2….Sting kicks out and Sting shakes it off like nothing. Sting drop toeholds Abyss into the tacks, Scorpion Deathlock, Mitchell distracts the referee.

Mitchell is caught by Sting, Scorpion Deathlock and Mitchell taps like a mad man. Sting waffles Abyss with a chair, Sting has some ropes. Sting wants to hang Abyss upside down, Sting has a chair and Sting beats Abyss like a pinata. Sting clotheslines the referee and throws Abyss through the barbed wire tables beside the ramp. So, Abyss wins the championship by DQ due to a rule that has never been acknowledged ever.

Well, this was a load of shit. Abyss, The Monster who destroys everything wins the championship by being beaten to death. Sting, who we had sacrificed Joe winning the championship and Christian turning heel for Sting to win the championship loses his title on his first defence. Why? Why? Why? This was such a load of shit when it came down to everything, this ridiculous this pay per view is such garbage at this point.

Winner: Abyss over Sting via DQ!

Kurt Angle vs Samoa Joe

Angele vs Samoa Joe, biggest match in TNA history up to this point. Two submission beasts, no offence to Sting or Christian but Kurt Angle is the biggest star in TNA. This was massive and on such a disappointing card, I pray that this is the best thing since sliced bread. Joe has been undefeated, nobody can touch Joe while Kurt Angle is Kurt Freakin Angle.

Lock-up, Angle backing up Joe. Angle takes down Joe, Joe grabs the ropes. Joe knees Angle, right hands by Joe. Stomps by Joe, kicks to the various body parts of Angle. Boots by Angle, belly to belly suplex and clothesline by Angle. Joe pulls Angle to ringside, Angle is smacked off the guard rail. Uppercuts by Angle in the ring, Angle misses a corner spear and crashes to the floor shoulder first. Suicide dive by Joe, Joe rams Angle into the guard rail. Joe admires his handy work inside of the ring.

Angle is bleeding everywhere, headbutt from Joe. Joe digs his fingers into the wound of Angle, Angle is bleeding profusely. Angle fights back, snap powerslam from Joe. Two for Joe, tilt-a-whirl backbreaker from Joe for two. Slap by Joe, Angle slaps back. Tornado DDT by Angle, two for Angle. Angle unloads with German suplexes, three suplexes by Angle for two. Joe counters an Angle Slam, high knee in the corner. Massive enzuigiri, Muscle Buster by Joe for two. Angle Slam out of nowhere for two, Kurt Angle pulls down the straps.

Ankle Lock from Angle, Joe attempts to escape multiple times. Joe counters the Ankle Lock for The Coquina Clutch, it was beautiful. Angle is in the middle of the ring, is there anywhere Angle can go? Angle fights his way out and locks in The Ankle Lock, middle of the ring and Angle wrenches back with the commentators screaming like morons! Joe counters, Joe hits the ringpost hard. Angle Slam, Ankle Lock with a grapevine in the middle of the ring. Joe cannot reach the ropes and Samoa Joe taps out in the middle of the ring.

Once again, I find myself at odds with the booking of TNA. This match felt massive, I will not take that away from TNA. This felt huge and the crowd lose their absolute minds in the last few minutes but at what cost? Samoa Joe was not homegrown but Joe was TNA through and through, what could have it done for Joe if The Samoan Submission Machine tapped out Kurt Angle? They also build to this incredible match and they ask if they want to see a rematch and Angle who was portrayed as the babyface in the match snubs Joe like you are not worth my time bitch, I popped for that because of course babyface Angle ended the night as a coward.

Winner: Kurt Angle over Samoa Joe Via Ankle Lock!

That was TNA’s Genesis 2006, an average pay per view that descended into chaos as the booking continued throughout the night. So, you have the usual X Division style matches and tag matches that have people on the card for the sake of filling the card, they were grand no real qualms with those matches. From there, we get to the championship matches and this is where the decline sets in. First, you have Sabin vs Daniels which is a fine match from a workrate standpoint but there is nothing to flesh out Sabin’s new character, it starts off good with slaps and running away from Daniels but after that, it is the same Sabin match I have watched since I began reviewing TNA pay per views, if you are going to go chickenshit heel, go all in on that chickenshit heel.

The tag championship match was fine from a workrate standpoint too and then what do they do? Kill all the heat that LAX have built up by announcing they will strip them of the titles on Impact? The fuck would you do that for? Where is the heat? Who came up with this idea? How does this further any storyline? If anything, I am sympathetic for LAX for being stripped of the titles! Things only get worse with the world championship, a rule that has never been brought up in years costs Sting the championship. Sting uses chairs, bats and thumbtacks but hitting the referee is what causes a DQ? If we believe the narrative that the referee did not want to disqualify Sting because Sting would lose his title, why wouldn’t the referee call off the match after Sting punched him? Couldn’t the match have been thrown out as a result rather than Sting being disqualified? I am reading far too deeply into this but that’s what happens when TNA annoys me to such a degree. Also, why in the name of God did Sting chase the championship only to lose it a month later? Thanks for reading and remember: There’s always another night!