Slammiversary (6/8 PPV Recap)

A video package showing off some of the sights of Memphis, TN, opens the show as we get a preview of tonight’s card that is voiced over by a bad Elvis Presley impersonator.  It’s time to shake, rattle, and roll with Slammiversary.

We head to the live crowd at the DeSoto Civic Center as Mike Tenay and Don West welcome us to the pay-per-view.  They then run down the background of the X Division Title match, which is kicking off the show.

Match 1: Kaz vs. Petey Williams (X Division Title)
Scott Steiner, Rhaka Khan, and a lead pipe accompany Williams to the ring.  Williams is wearing a face guard after suffering his orbital bone injury.  The crowd immediately begins a “TNA!” chant as the bell rings for this match.

Both Kaz and Williams go back and forth in the early part of this match with quick counters and pin attempts.  The action spills to the outside where Kaz finds himself distracted by Rhaka Khan and Williams capitalizes with a DDT from the ring apron onto the floor.  Williams begins to methodically wear Kaz down and picks up a two count after landing a neckbreaker.

Kaz begins mounting a comeback, however, after landing a hard kick to the head of Williams.  Kaz then lands a slingshot neckbreaker and nearly puts this match away but Williams is able to kick out of the pin attempt.  Williams then counters with a cradle DDT but it isn’t enough to pick up the win.

Williams then slowly climbs the ropes, which allows Kaz to recover and kick Williams in the head.  Kaz and Williams tease their finishers off the top rope until Kaz finally tosses Williams out to the floor.  Rhaka Khan then comes in the ring and Kaz catches her with a dropkick, but the distraction is enough for Steiner to toss in the lead pipe to Williams, who clocks Kaz in the head while the referee has his attention focused on Khan.  Williams takes his time rolling Kaz over for the pin attempt and a bloody Kaz is able to kick out before the three count.

Williams tries a sharpshooter but Kaz fights his way out of it.  Kaz then lands the Wave of the Future in the middle of the ring, but Williams is able to kick out.  Kaz and Steiner begin fighting on the apron and Williams hits the Canadian Destroyer when Kaz re-enters the ring and picks up the pin fall.

After the match, Williams, Steiner, and Khan continue to beat down Kaz.  Steiner then grabs a microphone and asks why he isn’t in a match tonight and says that TNA is scared of him being champion and kept him out of the King of the Mountain match.  Steiner says he is going to screw Kaz over and make sure he doesn’t make it to his title match on Thursday night as Abyss’ music hits and he comes down to the ring.

Abyss is wearing a white jumpsuit and a new silver mask as Steiner tosses Williams his way and he is taken down with a Black Hole Slam.  Abyss then nails Steiner with a Black Hole Slam and then delivers one to Rhaka Khan.  Abyss then carries a bloody Kaz away from the ring.

Mike Tenay and Don West run down the pay-per-view card once again as Eric Young comes up behind them and tells them that Elvis Presley is coming to the building.  Don West wonders how he will look like as he has been dead for 30 years.  Young then points out a reserved ringside seat for Presley.

A video package questioning Kevin Nash’s motivation as the special enforcer in the King of the Mountain match is aired.  Jeremy Borash is then sitting with Nash and asks if his relationship with Samoa Joe is friends or if it is all business.  Nash says that he is friends with Joe but has a lot of stock invested in him.  Nash says that if Joe loses, he also loses.

A video package highlighting the Knockouts is aired and we head into the six-women tag team match.

Match 2: The Beautiful People & Moose vs. Gail Kim/ODB/Roxxi Laveaux
Mike Tenay says that the Beautiful People’s tag team partner, Mickie Knuckles, is now going by the name of Moose, although it still says Mickie on her trunks.  As Kim, ODB, and Roxxi make it into the ring, the Beautiful People head out to the floor, which leaves Moose surrounded by her opponents.

The Beautiful People begin heading to the back as ODB and Kim bring them back to the ringside area as Roxxi works over Moose in the ring.  A distraction from Angelina Love allows Moose to turn the momentum and the three work her over with quick tags in and out in their corner.  Roxxi, however, is able to kick Velvet Sky in the face, which gives her time to crawl to her corner and make the tag to Gail Kim.

Kim moves in and holds her own against her three opponents and nearly picks up the three count after landing a cross body block.  Kim’s momentum is turned, though, as Love trips her up in the ring and Sky begins to work her over.  Kim’s injured knee becomes a target for the Beautiful People and Moose as the work it over with submission maneuvers until Kim is able to kick Moose away and tags in ODB.

ODB comes in and goes after everything that gets in her way.  ODB then spits some of her liquid courage into Moose’s face as the match begins to break down with everyone jumping in.  Kim and Roxxi are able to send Love and Sky out to the floor as ODB delivers a running power slam to Moose to pick up the pin fall.

Lauren is standing by with Rhino, who says that the past year has been difficult for him and that making peace with Christian Cage has helped him progress.  Tonight, he plans on proving that he can once again stand at the top of the mountain and get his second chance.

A video package highlighting the feud between Team 3D and the LAX is aired.  Tonight, Team 3D will try to become the tag team champions for the 21st time as they face the reigning champions, the LAX.

Match 3: Team 3D vs. the LAX (TNA Tag Team Championship)
The match between these two teams starts out pretty slow as they feel each other out.  Mike Tenay talks about Brother Ray’s weight advantage over Homicide and makes a reference to Ray needing to weigh in a 275 from earlier in the year, which Don West seemed to have forgotten about as he said Ray hasn’t weighed that much since the 6th grade.

Hernandez delivers a single drop kick to both members of Team 3D, which sends them both out to the floor.  The LAX then take turns diving out of the ring and landing on Ray and Devon on the outside.  Once the action returns to the ring, Homicide climbs up the ropes and Devon pushes him out to the floor.

The action returns to the floor with Ray sending Homicide into the guard railing before sending him back into the ring against Devon.  Homicide continues to take the brunt of the punishment in the ring as Team 3D is in complete control of the match.  Devon finally misses with a flying headbutt and this gives Homicide enough time to crawl over to his corner and make the tag to Hernandez, however, the referee doesn’t see it and makes him stay out.

Team 3D continues to slowly work Homicide over until he is able to knock Devon off of his feet with a jawbreaker from the top rope.  Homicide finally makes a tag into Hernandez that the referee sees and he comes in and clears house.  Hernandez gives Devon a long standing dropkick and a corner splash to Ray, before tagging Homicide back in.

Homicide flies into the ring with a cross body block on Ray, but Devon makes the save before he is able to make the pin fall.  Devon tosses Homicide out to the floor and set Hernandez up for the flying headbutt, but Homicide makes the save by pushing Devon down to the canvas.

Hernandez slams Ray down to the ring and sets him up for the flying headbutt as Salinas climbs the ropes.  Johnny Devine comes to the aid of his friends but Hector Guerrero pulls him out of the ring and nails him with a kendo stick as Salinas delivers a headbutt to Ray’s crotch.

Homicide and Hernandez hit a top rope Gringo Cutter on Devon and Homicide follows up with a frog splash to Ray and makes a pin fall attempt but Devon pulls the referee out of the ring just before he makes the three count.  Homicide tries to take Devon out on the floor, but he misses as Ray lands a low blow on Hernandez in the ring.  Team 3D set up to deliver the 3D to Hernandez, but Homicide runs into the ring and rolls Ray up from behind to score the pin fall and win the match.

Team 3D look on with a stunned look on their faces as the LAX celebrate with their tag team gold.

A Robert Roode video package airs as we see him sitting with Jeremy Borash.  Roode says that he is here to prove that he belongs in the main event and that he is for real.

A video package highlighting Awesome Kong’s $25,000 challenge is aired, which brings us to our next contest.

Match 4: Awesome Kong vs. Serena Deeb ($25,000 Challenge)
Jeremy Borash does his usual challenge introduction on the microphone and they find two fans up to the challenge.  The first one is Serena Deeb and the other is Josie Robinson.  Serena is the chosen one and she signs the waiver to take part in the challenge.

The bell rings and Serena jumps on Kong’s back but she is just slung over Kong’s shoulder and down to the mat.  The contest spills to the outside where Kong slings Serena into the railing and then into the steel steps before heading over and pushing Josie in the crowd.  Kong sends her back into the ring and ends it with the Implant Buster for the win.

After the match, Josie is still getting in Kong’s face and Borash asks Kong if she wants to take on the other girl.  Kong agrees and Josie quickly signs the waiver before lunging out at Kong.

Match 5: Awesome Kong vs. Josie Robinson ($25,000 Challenge)
The two continue to fight on the outside as Kong sends Josie into the railing a few times.  The fight finally makes it into the ring and Kong knocks Josie down with a back fist and she makes quick work of her with the Awesome Bomb for the win.

After the match, Eric Young comes out and interrupts and introduces Elvis Presley.  A horrible looking imposter comes out who says that thanks to Eric Young, the King is back in Memphis.  Elvis makes his way out to the ring and asks Kong if he liked visiting his house and Kong answers with an Awesome Bomb to the King.

A video highlighting Christian Cage is aired as we then see Lauren sitting with him.  Cage says he took a step back to get everything in order and realized that he loves being the champ.  Cage goes on to say that he is the most qualified to be the champion as he has the best win/loss record and he wants his named etched in the history books as one of the best.

We are treated to a package on the relationship between Jay Lethal and SoCal Val and the wedding ceremony between them is up next.

The Marriage of Jay Lethal and SoCal Val
The ring is set up for the wedding and Brother Hank Whitman is presiding over the ceremony.  American Idol finalist Ace Young comes out to a chorus of boos as one of the groomsman.  He is followed by Kamala, Jake “the Snake” Roberts, Koko B. Ware, and George “the Animal” Steele as the rest of the groomsmen stand on the entrance ramp.  Sonjay Dutt, the Best Man, and Sarah Donnaghan, the Maid of Honor, come out to the ring and he is followed by Jay Lethal, who comes out to his theme music and shakes the hands of all of the legends that are there to be a part of his wedding.

SoCal Val is the last one out to the ring and the ceremony starts.  Lethal and Val are about to share their “I do’s,” but Dutt interrupts and professes his undying love for her as Val looks on with a shocked look on her face.  Dutt says that she should be marrying him as Lethal and Dutt get into an arugment and Dutt hits him with a wedding decoration.

Ace Young comes to the rescue but Dutt clocks him in the head and sends him to the canvas.  Koko B. Ware and Kamala come into the ring and take Dutt out as Roberts tosses his snake into the ring.  SoCal Val leaves with her Maid of Honor with tears in her eyes as George Steel eats one of the turnbuckles and Koko B. Ware destroys the wedding set.

A video package highlighting Booker T’s involvement in the King of the Mountain match is aired as we see him sitting with Jeremy Borash.  Booker T says that TNA promised him the world but all he got was a locker room that smelled like elephant urine and tonight he will take what it rightfully his, the TNA World Championship.

A package highlighting the Kurt Angle/Karen Angle/AJ Styles saga is aired.  The fight between these two former friends is coming up next.

Match 6: Kurt Angle vs. AJ Styles
Tomko is standing in Kurt Angle’s corner in this match.  The bell rings and these two start out with some traditional mat wrestling with neither of them gaining the upper hand.  Angle rolls out to the floor and gets some advice from Tomko before coming back into the ring and nailing Styles with a couple of European uppercuts, but Styles fires back with a huge dropkick.

Tomko begins yelling at Styles from the outside and the distraction gives Angle an opening to go back on the attack but it quickly comes to an end after Angle misses with a shoulder block and hits the ring post.  Styles comes back with a flying forearm and picks up a near fall.  Angle comes back and sends Styles out to the floor as Tomko slowly stalks him but Hebner sends him to the back.

Angle goes out to argue with Hebner as Styles leaps over the ring ropes and nails Angle with a flip dive.  The match goes back into the ring and Styles continues to work on Angle and picks up a few near falls until Angle is able to turn the tide with a back body drop.  Angle then slows the match down with a headlock and continues to work over Styles, who now has a bloody nose.

The two begin to fight on the middle rope and Angle tries for a superplex, but Styles is able to counter it into a front suplex.  Styles then comes back with a series of clotheslines and picks up a near fall after landing a neckbreaker.  Angle, though, comes back with a couple of German suplexes but Styles reverse a third attempt and turns it into an overhead release suplex.  It isn’t enough to keep Angle down, though, as Angle answers back with an overhead suplex of his own.

Angle then tries for the Olympic Slam, but Styles counters it into a DDT and picks up a two count.  Styles sets up for the Styles Clash, but Angle counters it into the ankle lock.  Styles is able to roll out of the submission hold and sends Angle into the corner and follows with an inverted DDT.  Styles heads to the top rope but Angle quickly recovers and hits the Olympic Slam from the top rope.

Angle once again locks Styles in the ankle lock but Styles rolls up Angle for another near fall.  Styles then hits the Pele kick, but Angle is too close to the rope and is able to grab it to break up the pin attempt.  Styles goes for another attempt at the Styles Clash and Angle is able to counter into an ankle lock.  Styles kicks Angle off of him and sends Angle into Earl Hebner.

Karen Angle appears in the entrance ramp and makes her way out to the ringside area with a chair.  She hands the chair to Angle but doesn’t let go of it as Styles is able to take advantage of the distraction and nails Angle with the Styles Clash for the pin fall.

After the match, AJ Styles and Karen Angle celebrate in the ring as Kurt Angle nails Styles with the chair in the back.  Angle begins to go after his wife as she chases her out and Tomko comes back into the ring and takes out all of the members of security that come to try and break it up.  Angle locks in the ankle lock on Styles as Karen walks back up the ramp with a concerned look on her face.

A video package highlighting the TNA World Champion, Samoa Joe, is aired.  Lauren is sitting with Joe who says that he is there to make a difference.  Joe says that he will fight hard to keep his belt and become the first man to walk out of a King of the Mountain match with the World Championship.

Match 7: Rhino vs. Robert Roode vs. Christian Cage vs. Booker T vs. Samoa Joe (King of the Mountain Match)
The special enforcer, Kevin Nash, is the first one out for this match up.  The bell rings and a five-man brawl ensues.  The ring clears as they all begin fighting on the outside as Joe and Booker fight on the ramp and Cage and Rhino team up against Roode.

The match finds its way back into the ring and Booker tosses Cage off of the top rope and onto the floor and it looks like Cage hurt his leg after landing awkwardly on the ring apron.  Rhino sends Booker out to the floor with a clothesline as Joe and Rhino face off in the ring.  Joe picks up a near fall but it is broken up by Roode but he isn’t able to capitalize on it.

Cage seems to have recovered nicely but get leveled by one of Joe’s kicks.  Joe lands a couple of snap slams on Cage and Booker and is about to dive out onto Cage, but Booker trips him up and sends Joe into the penalty box.  Booker then goes into the ring and delivers the Book End on Rhino and he picks up the win to be eligible to hang up the championship.

Booker tries to help out his cause by taking out the rest of his opponents on the outside before grabbing the World Championship from Nash so he can hang it up.  Booker slides a ladder into the ring but Joe grabs it and tries to stop Booker from hanging up the belt.  The two begin to fight over the ladder as Cage flies in and takes them both out with a well placed dropkick on the ladder.

Roode begins to work over Cage in the ring as Rhino’s time in the penalty box is up.  Rhino and Cage join in a friendly battle and Rhino is about to Gore Cage, but Joe trips him up and crotches Rhino on the ring post.  Joe then follows by diving over the ropes and taking out Roode and Booker.  Cage then climbs up on the top of the penalty box and takes out all four of the competitors in the match.

Cage sets up a table on the outside of the ring and slides a ladder into the ring but Roode is waiting for him and nails him with a chair shot.  Roode then pins Cage and sends Cage to the penalty box.  Right after that pin fall, Rhino enters the ring and rolls up Roode for the pin to also send him to the penalty box.

With Roode and Cage in the box, Rhino grabs the title and heads to the top but Booker is there to push down the ladder.  Joe comes into the ring and has a rear naked choke locked in on Booker until Cage is out of the box and lands a frog splash on Booker and picks up the pin fall.

Cage grabs the title from Nash but Roode is there to stop him from reaching the top.  Roode tries for the title as well, but Joe is there and he delivers a back drop onto the canvas below.  Joe is then gored by Rhino and is the only one in this match who hasn’t qualified to be able to hang the belt.

As Booker comes out of the penalty box, he begins laying people out with the title, including Kevin Nash.  Booker begins the climb the ladder until Nash comes into the ring and sends him crashing into the canvas.  Joe then delivers the muscle buster to Roode and picks up a pin fall to be eligible and he then climbs the ladder to hang the belt to win the match.

After the match, Samoa Joe celebrates with the championship in the ring and shakes hands with Kevin Nash before leaving the ring as Slammiversary comes to a close.

Quick Results
- Petey Williams defeated Kaz by pin fall to retain the X Division Title.
- Gail Kim/ODB/Roxxi Laveaux defeated the Beautiful People & Moose by pin fall.
- The LAX defeated Team 3D by pin fall to retain the Tag Team Championship.
- Awesome Kong defeated Serena Deeb in the $25,000 Challenge.
- Awesome Kong defeated Josie Robinson in the $25,000 Challenge.
- AJ Styles defeated Kurt Angle by pin fall.
- Samoa Joe defeated Rhino/Robert Roode/Christian Cage/Booker T in a King of the Mountain match to retain the TNA World Championship.