The second pay-per-view of the Hogan/Bischoff regime is upon us and it is a tournament heavy event with a couple of other matches thrown in. The 8 Card Stud Tournament is the primary focus of Against All Odds and will be used to decide the top seed for a shot at the title at Lockdown. Also, AJ Styles will defend the TNA World Championship against Samoa Joe and Team 3D faces off against the Nasty Boys in a grudge match.
- AJ Styles vs. Samoa Joe w/ Eric Bischoff as the guest referee (TNA World Championship)
- Team 3D vs. the Nasty Boys
- 8 Card Stud Tournament
AJ Styles vs. Samoa Joe w/ Eric Bischoff as the guest referee (TNA World Championship)
Samoa Joe was the lucky recipient of the briefcase that held the shot at the TNA World Championship in the Feast or Fired match at Final Resolution. After seeing AJ Styles change his pure ways after aligning with Ric Flair, a fire was lit in Joe and decided to cash in his shot at the title. To complicate matters, Eric Bischoff decided to book himself as the special guest referee after seeing how Earl Hebner was paid off last month by Styles and Flair.
Styles and Joe have had great matches in the past and I expect this one to be no different, however, the addition of Bischoff as the referee adds a whole other level that is intriguing. What I like about Bischoff is that he plays the cocky, arrogant, boss but he does not play favorites. Chances are he will not call this down the middle, but it isn’t obvious as to what side he will favor. In the end, I have to side with Styles if for the sole fact that the Dirtiest Player in the Game is in his corner.
Starman’s Prediction: AJ Styles to retain the TNA World Championship.
Team 3D vs. the Nasty Boys
When Hulk Hogan made his debut on January 4th, so did a lot of his friends and associates, including the Nasty Boys. Upon their arrival, the Nasty Boys trashed Team 3D’s locker room while they were wrestling in Japan. Once Team 3D returned, the two sides have had a few scuffles and a war of words, which has led us to this grudge match between these two similar tag teams.
I’m not predicting a five-star classic match between these two teams, but it could actually be a lot of fun to watch. These two teams have similar brawling styles and are hard hitters, but the one drawback is that the Nasty Boys seemed to be in bad ring shape in their one match on Impact a few weeks ago. Even so, I am looking forward to this match and I’m sure this won’t be the final time we see these two teams square off in ring.
Starman’s Prediction: The Nasty Boys to win and continue on with their feud.
8 Card Stud Tournament
Over the past few weeks there were six qualifying matches on Impact to decide six of the eight spots in the 8 Card Stud Tournament. Eric Bischoff handed the final two spots to Mick Foley and Abyss, who will face each other in one of the quarter final matches. Also in quarterfinal action will be D’Angelo Dinero against Desmond Wolfe, the TNA Tag Team Champions, Hernandez and Matt Morgan, will face each other, and Kurt Angle will take on Mr. Anderson.
This tournament is intriguing due to the fact that there are a few deserving stars who have never held the title, along with some established veterans in the brackets. Looking over the brackets, the only people I don’t see having any possibility of winning the tournament is Mick Foley and Hernandez. The rest of the competitors all have the potential to walk away with thing in my mind.
As much as I hate trying to predict how a tournament will play out, I will do my best to predict the outcome. Wolfe will defeat Dinero to advance to the semi finals to go up against Matt Morgan. On the other side of the bracket, Mr. Anderson will defeat Kurt Angle after the Band interferes and will go up against Abyss, who will defeat Mick Foley in the quarterfinals.
Desmond Wolfe will defeat Matt Morgan to go on to the finals of the 8 Card Stud Tournament. Mr. Anderson will get his second match against Abyss, who will walk away with an upset victory over the brash Anderson to face Wolfe in the finals. Abyss will walk away with the tournament to get a shot at the title at Lockdown, but of course, will end up having to unmask next Thursday on Impact.
I went out on a limb and chose Abyss as for one, he doesn’t seem like an obvious choice, and I don’t think Mr. Anderson would be a good fit to go against Styles in a match at Lockdown. With the amount of times characters can turn in TNA, it could happen if Anderson does win. The Pope is also my dark horse pick.
The last time TNA had a tournament that took up the majority of a pay-per-view was Sacrifice in 2008. That tournament featured the Deuces Wild Tag Team Tournament, which featured four established teams against four mix and match tag teams that were drawn at random. Aside from one random team being announced prior to the event, the brackets nor the random teams were announced until the pay-per-view.
In the end, the LAX defeated Team 3D for the vacated TNA Tag Team Championship, however, the competitors were not nearly as compelling as they are in the 8 Card Stud Tournament. With that said, I still believe that tournaments should never take up an entire pay-per-view, unless it is a tournament for the World Championship, such as WrestleMania IV.
As always, live coverage of Against All Odds will happen live on Gerweck.net starting at 8:00 EST.
I think TNA needs more bloody feuds – because LockDown is knocking on the door and there are no reasons to see a one-night Steel Cage matches with no GOOD stories.
As far as this PPV goes, I hope, at least, good matches.
AJ-Joe: we already saw this a thousand times (in and out of TNA), and I hope this two can deliver it again. I’m not a fan of big men (like Joe) being babyface, because they need to be carried (it’s the “law” of pro-wrestling, but I understand Joe can and has to do something, of course) by the heel – in this case, AJ. I hope they give them 20+ minutes. As far as Bischoff goes… it’s so obvious he’s helping someone. But I’d handclap in satisfaction if they don’t do that. AJ wins after all, maybe making this continue until LockDown?
3D-Nastyz: what can we expect? Make this a hardcore thing. I really hope they turn Hell before the match begins, so Hogan can change it. The winners? Unfortunately, the Nastyz.
8 Card Stud stuff: I agree in this one with you – it would be very nice to see something other than the obvious (Kurt Angle win).
Foley-Abyss: we saw a Monster’s Ball 5 months ago. Abyss, just because Hogan likes him, and because Foley has his “thing” with EB.
Morgan-Hernandez: I liked when they announced this one. It may seem a little meh, because they won the straps not too long ago. I can see they pull out a nice match, and Morgan wins just because I think he will.
Pope-Wolfe: a rematch! Really liked their two matches and I hope they are able to deliver it again. We get two babyfaces winning, so, I say: let’s go, Wolfe!
Angle-Anderson: I hope both man can make this a good one, because Angle can make a good match with almost everyone. It would be a little surprised to see Angle eliminated right on the first round. And because of the push they’re giving to Anderson, this is the one that I just don’t know what will happen.
Abyss vs. Anderson/Angle: if he faces Anderson, it’s again a rematch and he can’t win. If we see Angle/Abyss, Abyss may win. Or not. I don’t know!
Wolfe-Morgan: Wolfe can put on a great match, even if his opponent is Matt Morgan. Wolfe wins… I PRAY.
Wolfe vs. Abyss/Angle/Anderson: whoever it is, it will be a nice match.
For winner, I’d REALLY like to see Wolfe getting the shot. But I predict Pope and Abyss to be chosen. Anderson and Angle are, to me, unknown.
I STINK in previews/predictions, and – Hell! – this one will not be different.