Joker's opinion on TNA (Destination X)

['Foretold' Joker]

So just watched my first NWATNA PPV and thought I'd give some thoughts from the more casual fan.

Note: I have seen a fair bit of TNA here and there but mostly it's just the occasional match on Youtube so not a whole PPV. I know the major guys and do keep a track of who's champion but that's about it.

So let's start with the matches ...

Match 1: LAX vs Team 3D

I was entertained, mainly because you just don't see these harcore fights around the arena anymore in the wwe. Team 3D looked as good as usual (What happened to Devon, he's got even more stacked!) Whilst LAX seemed entertaining I kind of got lost trying to figure out who was who, especially when every man and his dog came running to the ring. Alex Shelley seems popular but the announcers didn't really explain why he was there, or what paparazzi productions had to do with a latino/brooklyn brawl. Overall I give the match 3.5/5

Match 2: James Storm & Jacqueline Moore vs Petey Williams & Gail Kim.

Gail Kim still looking good. A bullrope tag match could be fun. It was. I have to say I liked the match thought the two women did well spending most of the time tied up by the post I think helped the match. Petey seems ok, but James Storm I could grow to like. Nice easy to watch filler match. 3/5

Match 3: Senshi vs Austin Starr

I've never really watched a Low Ki match before (except that matrix thing he did in the indies) So he was good fun, fast, high flying and the match gimmick I thought worked really well. However I really dig Austin Starr his look, gimmick and style is immensly entertaining and I am now a fan of the man. Backlund just added spice to what was a good match anyway. More please 4/5

Match 4: Voodoo Kin Mafia (B.G. & Kip James) vs Christy Hemme & the Heartbreakers

Hurray the New Age Oulaws are here (voodoo Kin Mafia is a rubbish name unless they bring in Papa Shango) How are these two still going they were stale three to four years ago ... Am I supposed to be cheering Billy Gunn or booing him? Let's see crap jokes, crap reasons, not so good wrestler and B.G James doesn't say anything ... I hate them already. Christy still looks nice, she seems to have improved on the mic ... oh lord that's her mystery team? and fast forward to the end of this match. All I can hope for is that Christy gets humilated on tna until the next ppv (maybe bring in another crap tag team, like the tolands/dicks) then at the PPV bring out some beast of a tag team like ... King Kong Bundy and Rikishi to decimate the old age pensioners. 1.5/5

Match 5: Best of 3 falls X Division Title: Jerry Lynn vs Chris Sabin

I liked the storyline here old & experience vs young & cocky. The wrestling itself was not amazing but it was certainly watchable. I didn't think C.Daniels really caused much of distraction as he just jumped on the apron but it's a minor quibble. I don't like Sabin's finsiher much either. Daniels looks as though he is about to go and commit a murder which is interesting. Overall solid but nothing spectacular here Starr vs Senshe was better. 3.5/5

Match 6: Elevation X Rhino vs A.J. Styles

Nice look for the scaffold in the shape of an X, clever. Rhyno actually looks threatening ... Cocky A.J Styles I like. So this is turning into Jake Roberts vs Rick Martel except the crowd seem less interactive. Ooh white powder backfire nice I like nostalgia. Hmmm the big bump didn't seem that big ... but they sure are milking it. Overall it was a spectacle match nothing more. 3/5

Match 7: Scott Steiner vs Kurt Angle

I see the genetic freak is still carrying footballs on his biceps. Angle looks solid. I'm not buying this Kurt angle is broken down news anymore he looks to be fine in this match. Olymic slam by Stiener! Well that wasn't as extreme as everyone is saying. looked more like an olympic/t-bone slam. Odd ending but Kurt Angle got the win so i'm happy. Not a great match but certainly not as bad as it could have been 3/5

Match 8: Casket match Sting vs Abyss

Well this looks interesting. Abyss still looks threatening (where is his gaudly dressed manager?) It's Sting. Candelabra shot was nasty nice. Ok this is slightly over the top with the casket descending. I see Russo is loved by all ;D hmm so with a giant casket in the middle of the ring they have no where to wrestle great Chokeslam was nice. Ok who though it was a good idea to have abyss tap to the scorpion deathlock? some monster in the cakset he goes. To be honest I had hopes for this match but frankly I've come away with lots of negatives. Sting looked bored and uninterested, whilst Abyss didn't look like a monster at all in the match. Poor match 1/5

Final Match: Samoa Joe vs Christian

Christian is cool being champion. Samoa Joe looks like he means business (rubbish entrance music though). This is a great match, and Christian ends up with the sneaky win at the end I like it even more. Plus there was no interference (I 'm not including the x division pushing Christian back in as interference) hell of a match 4.5/5

Other Stuff

- The announcers are so much better than on wwe. Seriously they actually call the matches and don't jabber on about stuff that has nothing to do with whats currently happenening. Very refreshing.

- The backstage segments with Christian were gold. Liked them all.

- The Great Muta I have a problem with. Is the casual fan supposed to know who this guy is? I mean anyone who watched TNA for the first time would have no clue. Hell I can't even remember his run in WCW. All I got from it was he was japanese, held an nwa title at some point and spits green mist at people. He needed more build, they are making assumptions that only there hardcore fans will be watching. Not good if you want to grow as a wrestling promotion.

- How long was this PPV? I nearly used up a 4 hour tape recording it! Brilliant! In comparison with WWE PPVs this is very cool. Certainly plenty of wrestling which is good, most of which was solid.


Overall I enjoyed it and will be trying to catch the next PPV in a months time.

[I Got Heat]

Great review.

[Michael Coello]

- The Great Muta I have a problem with. Is the casual fan supposed to know who this guy is? I mean anyone who watched TNA for the first time would have no clue. Hell I can't even remember his run in WCW. All I got from it was he was japanese, held an nwa title at some point and spits green mist at people. He needed more build, they are making assumptions that only there hardcore fans will be watching. Not good if you want to grow as a wrestling promotion.

Did you watch the preshow? I'm not sure, but I believe he got an introduction there during the preshow "Black and Blue" carpet thing.

[Hiroshi Hase]

I do agree about Muta, should've made it a bigger deal, plug his appearance at the PPV,might've gotten an extra few buys here and there.

[Nice Guy Cody]

Am I the only one that caught the suspiciously rubber-like way the candelabras shook whenever they were used? . . .

[punk81]

i thought the pay per view sucked balls except for the main event.

[fallenangelfan]

punk81 said:

i thought the pay per view sucked balls except for the main event.

I may never understand EXTREME vague statements like the one above, back up your opinion, While TNA is not as good as it was a year ago, Des X PPV had its hight points and its lows, the review was a great one, and I agreed with just about everything. While the match and gimmick were not that great, when was the last time you saw Sting blade like that, he appears to be giving it all, I also have to vent, why get rid of great talent like Elix Skipper only to bring it the Heart-breakers? That makes no sense to me, and why give precious TV and PPV time to a tag team whose gimmick is to make fun of WWE, when just recently both said in an interview that they would go back if they could. Short story long, I wish if people are going to make a statement like "it sucked balls" back it up with why, otherwise it sounds like your just another typical WWE lemming.

['Foretold' Joker]

sinister1 said:

- The Great Muta I have a problem with. Is the casual fan supposed to know who this guy is? I mean anyone who watched TNA for the first time would have no clue. Hell I can't even remember his run in WCW. All I got from it was he was japanese, held an nwa title at some point and spits green mist at people. He needed more build, they are making assumptions that only there hardcore fans will be watching. Not good if you want to grow as a wrestling promotion.

Did you watch the preshow? I'm not sure, but I believe he got an introduction there during the preshow "Black and Blue" carpet thing.

I recorded it on wedensday from off the Bravo 2 showing in the UK. There was no pre-show unfortunatly. Still the commentators could have at least told us who he was in more detail after the segment with Christian.

[emoney3265]

joker said:

So just watched my first NWATNA PPV and thought I'd give some thoughts from the more casual fan.

Note: I have seen a fair bit of TNA here and there but mostly it's just the occasional match on Youtube so not a whole PPV. I know the major guys and do keep a track of who's champion but that's about it.

So let's start with the matches ...

Match 1: LAX vs Team 3D

I was entertained, mainly because you just don't see these harcore fights around the arena anymore in the wwe. Team 3D looked as good as usual (What happened to Devon, he's got even more stacked!) Whilst LAX seemed entertaining I kind of got lost trying to figure out who was who, especially when every man and his dog came running to the ring. Alex Shelley seems popular but the announcers didn't really explain why he was there, or what paparazzi productions had to do with a latino/brooklyn brawl. Overall I give the match 3.5/5

Match 2: James Storm & Jacqueline Moore vs Petey Williams & Gail Kim.

Gail Kim still looking good. A bullrope tag match could be fun. It was. I have to say I liked the match thought the two women did well spending most of the time tied up by the post I think helped the match. Petey seems ok, but James Storm I could grow to like. Nice easy to watch filler match. 3/5

Match 3: Senshi vs Austin Starr

I've never really watched a Low Ki match before (except that matrix thing he did in the indies) So he was good fun, fast, high flying and the match gimmick I thought worked really well. However I really dig Austin Starr his look, gimmick and style is immensly entertaining and I am now a fan of the man. Backlund just added spice to what was a good match anyway. More please 4/5

Match 4: Voodoo Kin Mafia (B.G. & Kip James) vs Christy Hemme & the Heartbreakers

Hurray the New Age Oulaws are here (voodoo Kin Mafia is a rubbish name unless they bring in Papa Shango) How are these two still going they were stale three to four years ago ... Am I supposed to be cheering Billy Gunn or booing him? Let's see crap jokes, crap reasons, not so good wrestler and B.G James doesn't say anything ... I hate them already. Christy still looks nice, she seems to have improved on the mic ... oh lord that's her mystery team? and fast forward to the end of this match. All I can hope for is that Christy gets humilated on tna until the next ppv (maybe bring in another crap tag team, like the tolands/dicks) then at the PPV bring out some beast of a tag team like ... King Kong Bundy and Rikishi to decimate the old age pensioners. 1.5/5

Match 5: Jerry Lynn vs Chris Sabin

I haven't watched it yet as I went to eat something and came back to find I'd forgotten to push pause, I decided i'll go back to it after I watch the rest of the PPV. (I'll update when I have)

Match 6: Elevation X Rhino vs A.J. Styles

Nice look for the scaffold in the shape of an X, clever. Rhyno actually looks threatening ... Cocky A.J Styles I like. So this is turning into Jake Roberts vs Rick Martel except the crowd seem less interactive. Ooh white powder backfire nice I like nostalgia. Hmmm the big bump didn't seem that big ... but they sure are milking it. Overall it was a spectacle match nothing more. 3/5

Match 7: Scott Steiner vs Kurt Angle

I see the genetic freak is still carrying footballs on his biceps. Angle looks solid. I'm not buying this Kurt angle is broken down news anymore he looks to be fine in this match. Olymic slam by Stiener! Well that wasn't as extreme as everyone is saying. looked more like an olympic/t-bone slam. Odd ending but Kurt Angle got the win so i'm happy. Not a great match but certainly not as bad as it could have been 3/5

Match 8: Casket match Sting vs Abyss

Well this looks interesting. Abyss still looks threatening (where is his gaudly dressed manager?) It's Sting. Candelabra shot was nasty nice. Ok this is slightly over the top with the casket descending. I see Russo is loved by all ;D hmm so with a giant casket in the middle of the ring they have no where to wrestle great Chokeslam was nice. Ok who though it was a good idea to have abyss tap to the scorpion deathlock? some monster in the cakset he goes. To be honest I had hopes for this match but frankly I've come away with lots of negatives. Sting looked bored and uninterested, whilst Abyss didn't look like a monster at all in the match. Poor match 1/5

Final Match: Samoa Joe vs Christian

Christian is cool being champion. Samoa Joe looks like he means business (rubbish entrance music though). This is a great match, and Christian ends up with the sneaky win at the end I like it even more. Plus there was no interference (I 'm not including the x division pushing Christian back in as interference) hell of a match 4.5/5

Other Stuff

- The announcers are so much better than on wwe. Seriously they actually call the matches and don't jabber on about stuff that has nothing to do with whats currently happenening. Very refreshing.

- The backstage segments with Christian were gold. Liked them all.

- The Great Muta I have a problem with. Is the casual fan supposed to know who this guy is? I mean anyone who watched TNA for the first time would have no clue. Hell I can't even remember his run in WCW. All I got from it was he was japanese, held an nwa title at some point and spits green mist at people. He needed more build, they are making assumptions that only there hardcore fans will be watching. Not good if you want to grow as a wrestling promotion.

- How long was this PPV? I nearly used up a 4 hour tape recording it! Brilliant! In comparison with WWE PPVs this is very cool. Certainly plenty of wrestling which is good, most of which was solid.


Overall I enjoyed it and will be trying to catch the next PPV in a months time.

Good review. I pretty much agree with your ratings. And Muta was announced on the preshow. The preshow is free so if people watched the preshow, maybe they bought the PPV. I heard the whole country of Japan bought the PPV when Muta was announced.

[antimcmahon]

I see the genetic freak is still carrying footballs on his biceps. Angle looks solid. I'm not buying this Kurt angle is broken down news anymore he looks to be fine in this match. Olymic slam by Stiener! Well that wasn't as extreme as everyone is saying. looked more like an olympic/t-bone slam. Odd ending but Kurt Angle got the win so i'm happy. Not a great match but certainly not as bad as it could have been 3/5

I'm so glad you said this, although I agree that he's broken down. I don't get why people are saying he's a bad wrestler now, he can still go. I think it should be admired that he'll work through injuries to continue doing what he loves. Call me a mark if you will , but that's my opinion.

I may never understand EXTREME vague statements like the one above, back up your opinion, While TNA is not as good as it was a year ago, Des X PPV had its hight points and its lows, the review was a great one, and I agreed with just about everything. While the match and gimmick were not that great, when was the last time you saw Sting blade like that, he appears to be giving it all, I also have to vent, why get rid of great talent like Elix Skipper only to bring it the Heart-breakers? That makes no sense to me, and why give precious TV and PPV time to a tag team whose gimmick is to make fun of WWE, when just recently both said in an interview that they would go back if they could. Short story long, I wish if people are going to make a statement like "it sucked balls" back it up with why, otherwise it sounds like your just another typical WWE lemming.

I am equally glad that you said this. Picture yourself as Sting for a minute. If a company offered you good money at 40 to wrestle for them, would you turn it down? And at his age he could easely refuse to take certain bumps, but he's blading himself, diving onto concrete, and taking bumps on thumbtacks. Not to mention that he offered to job cleanly to Abyss for the title, a trait that most veterans of Sting's calibur have forgotten about a long time ago. I feel he is just working as hard as he can at doing what he loves, for a good price.

Basically I just don't see why he gets trashed so much that's all, but your all entitled to your own opinion and that's mine.

[emoney3265]

antimcmahon said:

I see the genetic freak is still carrying footballs on his biceps. Angle looks solid. I'm not buying this Kurt angle is broken down news anymore he looks to be fine in this match. Olymic slam by Stiener! Well that wasn't as extreme as everyone is saying. looked more like an olympic/t-bone slam. Odd ending but Kurt Angle got the win so i'm happy. Not a great match but certainly not as bad as it could have been 3/5

I'm so glad you said this, although I agree that he's broken down. I don't get why people are saying he's a bad wrestler now, he can still go. I think it should be admired that he'll work through injuries to continue doing what he loves. Call me a mark if you will , but that's my opinion.

I may never understand EXTREME vague statements like the one above, back up your opinion, While TNA is not as good as it was a year ago, Des X PPV had its hight points and its lows, the review was a great one, and I agreed with just about everything. While the match and gimmick were not that great, when was the last time you saw Sting blade like that, he appears to be giving it all, I also have to vent, why get rid of great talent like Elix Skipper only to bring it the Heart-breakers? That makes no sense to me, and why give precious TV and PPV time to a tag team whose gimmick is to make fun of WWE, when just recently both said in an interview that they would go back if they could. Short story long, I wish if people are going to make a statement like "it sucked balls" back it up with why, otherwise it sounds like your just another typical WWE lemming.

I am equally glad that you said this. Picture yourself as Sting for a minute. If a company offered you good money at 40 to wrestle for them, would you turn it down? And at his age he could easely refuse to take certain bumps, but he's blading himself, diving onto concrete, and taking bumps on thumbtacks. Not to mention that he offered to job cleanly to Abyss for the title, a trait that most veterans of Sting's calibur have forgotten about a long time ago. I feel he is just working as hard as he can at doing what he loves, for a good price.

Basically I just don't see why he gets trashed so much that's all, but your all entitled to your own opinion and that's mine.

Agreed Steiner CAN wrestle still. And Sting is 47. He works well with Abyss but I still don't believe he should be getting $500,000 a year. Crap I'd blade, and take spots on thumbtacks and whatever for that. Not disagreeing with you but just saying.

[antimcmahon]

Agreed Steiner CAN wrestle still. And Sting is 47. He works well with Abyss but I still don't believe he should be getting $500,000 a year. Crap I'd blade, and take spots on thumbtacks and whatever for that. Not disagreeing with you but just saying.

At the same time I don't disagree with you either, I think Sting was a huge waste of money. But I can't deny that I'm enjoying his run, and I don't blame him for accpeting the offer. I would do the same. And I also agree that Steiner can still wrestle, maybe not as good as he did in the early 90's, But good enough to put on a solid match like he did with Angle.

[Hiroshi Hase]

If I was Sting, I'm sure I'd take the money too, just that even so he hasn't exactly been taking TNA by storm,IMO.

[erisi236]

I wonder how many of the WSX guys they could hire for a year with $500,000?

[Freakzilla]

The one thing which did dissapoint me about Steiner Vs Angle was there was'nt much in the way of amateur wrestling aside from the usual suplexes. It still was'nt bad but not as good as Steiner Vs Joe. I mean in that match Steiner hit Joe with a half nelson suplex! I had'nt seen him break out that move in years and that match also had a better flow to it. I would still like to see Angle and Steiner have a rematch but hope they click better in the ring next time.

[punk81]

fallenangelfan said:

punk81 said:

i thought the pay per view sucked balls except for the main event.

I may never understand EXTREME vague statements like the one above, back up your opinion, While TNA is not as good as it was a year ago, Des X PPV had its hight points and its lows, the review was a great one, and I agreed with just about everything. While the match and gimmick were not that great, when was the last time you saw Sting blade like that, he appears to be giving it all, I also have to vent, why get rid of great talent like Elix Skipper only to bring it the Heart-breakers? That makes no sense to me, and why give precious TV and PPV time to a tag team whose gimmick is to make fun of WWE, when just recently both said in an interview that they would go back if they could. Short story long, I wish if people are going to make a statement like "it sucked balls" back it up with why, otherwise it sounds like your just another typical WWE lemming.

hey it's my friggin opinion Sting's match was the worst of ppv VKM and the Heartthobs i guess it's a classic to you it wasnt it sucked
and putting a talented guy like Aj styles in a stupid gimmick match is
pretty pointless. and wow a Bullrope match for Petey Williams another great talent being wasted in another pointless match and the problem with tna is too many stupid gimmick matches every damn month i guess Russo is still the Genius everybody says he is.
oh i cant wait for Jarrett to come back and get his other world title Regin.

['Foretold' Joker]

Just updated the match I missed - Lynn vs Sabin.

[Aya Reiko]

erisi236 said:

I wonder how many of the WSX guys they could hire for a year with $500,000?

All of them probably.

[emoney3265]

punk81 said:

fallenangelfan said:

I may never understand EXTREME vague statements like the one above, back up your opinion, While TNA is not as good as it was a year ago, Des X PPV had its hight points and its lows, the review was a great one, and I agreed with just about everything. While the match and gimmick were not that great, when was the last time you saw Sting blade like that, he appears to be giving it all, I also have to vent, why get rid of great talent like Elix Skipper only to bring it the Heart-breakers? That makes no sense to me, and why give precious TV and PPV time to a tag team whose gimmick is to make fun of WWE, when just recently both said in an interview that they would go back if they could. Short story long, I wish if people are going to make a statement like "it sucked balls" back it up with why, otherwise it sounds like your just another typical WWE lemming.

hey it's my friggin opinion Sting's match was the worst of ppv VKM and the Heartthobs i guess it's a classic to you it wasnt it sucked
and putting a talented guy like Aj styles in a stupid gimmick match is
pretty pointless. and wow a Bullrope match for Petey Williams another great talent being wasted in another pointless match and the problem with tna is too many stupid gimmick matches every damn month i guess Russo is still the Genius everybody says he is.
oh i cant wait for Jarrett to come back and get his other world title Regin.

Apparently you don't realize that Dutch Mantell writes the TV and PPV shows for TNA. Vince Russo only has "pet projects" like VKM, Christy Hemme, and Ron Killings. Lay off of the blind Russo hate. It's really annoying. No offense but you just sound like WWE mark who bashes TNA blindly. Yes it's your opinion but you express it in a very negative, and unnecessary fashion.

joker said:

Just updated the match I missed - Lynn vs Sabin.

I agree with the rating. Nothing spectacular but still a good match.

[chibidiablo]

I'm glad you liked it Joker. It's strange though I've watched almost every tna ppv for the last 2 years and I thought if 1 would put someone off forever it'd be this.