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My Take On 5.29.12: My Top 10 TNA Matches

May 29, 2013 | Posted by Larry Csonka

WELCOME!
Welcome back to the latest edition of My Take On! TNA Slammiversary is coming and I figure that we should focus on TNA and look at my TOP 10 FAVORITE TNA MATCHES. I am sure I will include things that people disagree with, and have things not on the list that many feel should be on the list. This will be my list as someone who has watched since day one and someone who actually spends money on the product. That does NOT make me more qualified to make the lists, it is just background for those that may be uninformed about my background with the promotion. At one time I was not only a huge TNA fan, but I waved the flag for them before it became the cool thing to do. If you agree, fantastic, if you disagree, thanks for reading and I will respect your opinion. All I ask is that you are respectful of what I have presented, and I ask that you share YOUR personal top 5 or 10 if you have the time. I will not claim that this is a perfect list; just what I came up with and what I feel are my favorite matches from the company. Here are a few notes regarding the selection process…

  • I will use my personal match ratings.
  • Match quality.
  • Historical importance.
  • No lies, personal preference comes into play.
  • No honorable mentions, only the top 10.
  • On a similar note, I am looking at a company that is over 10-years old. There are only 10 slots. Not every match will make the list no matter how bad some of you say it should. There are 10 slots; this is my opinion and my list.
  • There are a ton of matches that I could have used for my half of these spots, but again, there are only 10 spots.
  • With that being said, feel free to disagree, but do so in a respectful manner. If you do, I will reply in the same way.
  • AJ Styles, Daniels, Samoa Joe and Kurt Angle – all pretty good wrestlers.
  • Vaya con Dios, brahs…

    Again, I thank you for reading, and I hope that you enjoy the list…

    AND NOW… MY TOP 10 TNA MATCHES

    #10. Lockdown 2005: Six Sides of Steel Cage Match: AJ Styles vs. Abyss [****½]


    Now this may be hard for some of you to believe, but I do not remember every match that has ever taken place in the history of TNA. But I do remember this match for a few reasons. First of all this was the first match I watched where I really liked Abyss, and not only liked him but thought he could be a valuable part of the main event roster. This was before the character went through 100 bad angles, back when the bag of tacks meant something and before Abyss self-mutilated himself on a weekly basis. Some will say that the match is great due to AJ Styles, and that is a fair point because AJ is great. But this was Abyss busting his ass, working a great big man vs. little man match with Styles, and delivering in the PPV main event slot. This match cemented Abyss as a player in TNA for me, it further proved that AJ Styles was awesome and it led somewhere. This made Styles the official contender for Jarrett’s NWA Title, which he won the next month at Hard Justice with Title Ortiz as the special referee.

    #9. Turning Point 2012: Ladder Match – Jeff Hardy vs. Austin Aries [****½]


    This was a rematch from Bound For Glory (which was a pretty damn great match in itself) between Austin Aries and Jeff Hardy. While at the time I had some questions about Hardy as Champion, the one thing I have always said is that when he is motivated and in his element, he delivers. And when paired with Aries, they delivered an awesome main event. This match had a good pace, tremendous back and forth action; insane spots and the crowd simply loved it. While it isn’t the kind of match you want these guys to have all the time, because of the risks and the brutality they went through, it was a great main event. These guys work very well together, delivered in back to back main event matches very worthy of their PPV slots to close out 2012.

    #8. No Surrender 2006: Ultimate X – AJ Styles and Christopher Daniels vs. LAX [****½]


    The career of AJ Styles in TNA is very puzzling at times. Feuds with Daniels, is friends with Daniels, feuds with Daniels. Is the face of the X-Division, is the world champion, becomes a prince, and yes he even did time in the tag team division. In 2006 the “frienemies” worked together and feuded with AMW and LAX; providing some of the better tag team matches in the history of the promotion (at that time). This came at a time when LAX (Homicide, Hernandez w/Konnan) was one of the hottest acts in wrestling. With their heel heat and the skills of Styles and Daniels, it was quite honestly easy booking. They had a series of matches, regular tag matches, border brawls, cage matches; but I feel that the best was from No Surrender 2006 in Ultimate X. This was a great match with great pacing, the right spots at the right time and the build to the huge ending; where Daniels escapes Konnan (who has a kendo stick) and climbs to the very top of the rigging. Daniels then dives from the rigging all the way to the middle of the X (basically a big Superfly splash) and lands perfectly and is able to grab the title to give he and Styles the big victory. I also loved the finish because Daniels, and not AJ, got to shine and win the big one. This was a great time for tag team wrestling in TNA; AMW, LAX, AJ and Daniels, Team 3D, The Naturals and the James Gang. All different teams, all had their place and it was nice to have an actual tag team division, because as the years have gone on, we see less and less of that. While many considered this the TNA Match of the Year for 2006, it was not THE best Ultimate X match ever, that will come later in the column. That’s what we in the biz call a tease…

    #7. Turning Point 2004: Six Sides of Steel Cage Match – AMW vs. Triple X [****½]


    One of the things I loved about the early days of the TNA product (weekly PPV through 2005 or so) was the company’s willingness to go outside the box with their PPV main events. The company realized that if you booked strong characters in strong feuds around titles people cared about, that the world title did not always have to be the main event of a show. The weekly PPV era did it well at times, and when they went to monthly the best examples of this were Unbreakable 2005 (AJ Styles vs. Daniels vs. Samoa Joe) and this match, Turning Point 2004 (Six Sides of Steel Cage Match – AMW vs. Triple X). This wasn’t about the titles, this was to end the feud once and for all between the teams that made history in the first ever TNA steel cage match. The winner moves on to look for tag team glory, while the losers have to break up. When this match was complete Mike Tenay said, “You fans are watching something special, this is one of the greatest cage matches not only in TNA’s history, but in wrestling’s history.” For once he was dead on. These two teams were able to really mix the great aspects of an old school cage match, beating the shit out of your opponent, ramming them off the cage, lots of blood, and then the new school, crazy bumps and athletic action. Elix Skipper was the craziest bastard alive with that tightrope walk on the cage, so much so that the crowd chanted, “PLEASE DON’T DIE!” The crowd was so into the match, and really helped make it feel special. At the time I felt as if this may have been the best cage match I had ever seen. Maybe I was caught up in the moment, because when I went back to watch it, while still good, I didn’t feel quite the same. But when all is said and done, it’s still one of the best and most memorable matches in the company’s history.

    #6. Hard Justice 2008 – Last Man Standing: AJ Styles vs. Kurt Angle [****½]


    At the time I had been a huge fan of AJ Styles for years and I always wanted a series of AJ vs. Angle matches. AJ styles has developed over the years into a great performer, going from a spot guy in 2002 to at this time being a more complete worker, knowing when and where to do things. Kurt Angle may be held together by superglue and duct tape (both then and now) and I think we can all agree that sanity left him a long while ago; but the fact is that the guy can still go and he always busts his ass in the ring. They opted for the “Texas Death Match” rules here, pin or submission and then answer the 10-count. I prefer this format to the count when the man is down, as I think it allows for more drama. They worked a long match here, with the story that Angle didn’t want the brawl to begin with and wanted to rely on his wrestling. AJ wanted to kill him, plain and simple. They worked a good pace for the opening segment, which went around 17:00. We got dives, brawling, hell Angle busted out a senton dive off of the stage; he seriously just doesn’t care. Styles took the first fall as he countered Angle going for a Styles Clash but AJ countered with the ankle lock and grapevine, and Angle tapped. Angle would respond with some quick pins and looked to dominate the match as the climax was them fighting to the top rope, and AJ getting a SICK DDT from the top. He pinned Angle and as the ref counted commentary did a good job of playing up Angle’s neck issues, and he could not answer the count. Styles got the victory here with no help, there were no run-ins, no Karen and it was exactly what it should have been. Simple. After the match they went to stretcher Angle out, but AJ returned to the ring and gave him a brain buster for good measure, cementing the victory as a decisive one. And that he was kind of a dick, but it all worked and what we got was a damn great match that was even better when I went back to watch it. Interestingly enough they face again at this year’s Slammiversary event.

    #5. Sacrifice 2007 – Texas Death Match: James Storm vs. Chris Harris [****½]


    At the 2007 Lockdown PPV these guys had one of the WORST matches ever as they were given the task of working a blindfold cage match. YUP! This time it was a story of redemption as they turned it around and had one of the best matches of the year on this show. They had the classic Texas Death match; come dressed as you are, pin or submission and then you have to answer the 10-count. So they began brawling into the crowd to kick things off, no locking up, no grappling, they wanted to kill each other. Later on, Storm just destroys Harris with a chair shot in the tree of woe, and we had the first blood loss of the match. Storm would get a whirly bird through a table and got a pin. Harris would battle back, and get a catapult to Storm, who was laid under the table, and this produced a SICK amount of blood from Storm. There was so much blood that they HAD to change the apron afterwards, so that’s some next level bloodletting there kids. They kept battling; Harris got the catatonic through a trashcan for a close fall. Later Storm got a sweet superkick into a chair on Harris for a close fall. Finally they went for beer bottles, and went to hit each other and Harris FINALLY got the redemption and finished Storm with it. Storm couldn’t answer the count and Harris got the big win. Storm was a total crimson mask, a very impressive sight, and this was nothing short of awesome as Chris Harris got the revenge and looked to be moving onto bigger and better things. This is where I started to believe in Storm as a singles guy. For years everyone thought Harris was the guy (whoops) but Storm stepped up his game here and was awesome.

    #4. Turning Point 2009: AJ Styles vs. Daniels vs. Samoa Joe [****¾]


    When you discuss AJ Styles vs. Daniels vs. Samoa Joe, you talk great workers, great wrestling and great matches almost every time out. But more specifically, people discuss Unbreakable 2005; regarded by many as the best match in TNA history. Is that tease? Possibly. The fact that these three guys these guys had a five star match (according to many) in 2005 was a positive and a negative here. It was a positive because there was excitement that four years later the guys that wrestled that great match were meeting again, in a PPV main event, and this time for the world title. It was a feeling of vindication to many. But a negative because no matter how good they did, most would complain (and they did) that it, “wasn’t nearly as good as the first.” That’s the price of being awesome I suppose. The chemistry that these guys have is simply amazing, and this match goes up their with the first as one of my all time favorite three way bouts. The execution of the three way moves was flawless, they set a rapid pace and kept it, and it just worked. The match simply pulls you in and they make you care. Some questioned of they could put on something so good four years later with that much more on their bump cards, but with age usually comes wisdom; and while all three may have been a little slower than they were four years before, they made up for it with what they learned. They were still great, but with more presence and the knowledge of WHEN to do stuff instead of just doing shit. There’s a fine line. This had the same guys, same match, different title, same winner and greatness all around. Some went the full boat on this one, but I still find the first to be the best; but make no mistakes about it, this was more than a worthy sequel.

    #3. Final Resolution 2005 – Ultimate X: AJ vs. Petey Williams vs. Chris Sabin [****¾]


    In many ways this match represents everything that people initially loved in TNA. A style you could not see in WWE, innovative matches, new talent and AJ Styles. In 2005 AJ Styles was “Un-Fuckwith-Able.” Not quite Ric Flair in 1989, honestly more like Shawn Michaels in 1996; which is pretty damn fantastic. This was the sixth Ultimate X match in the company’s history, at a time when the match wasn’t completely over exposed and thrown out there for no reason. To put things into perspective, the match debuted in August of 2003 and at Slammiversary we will be having the 30th edition of the match. Anyway, at the time the X-Division was still good and a main focus, and you had Williams and Sabin largely leading the way, while Styles was on one of his many trips down for a visit in between world title runs and feuds. Williams and Sabin were simply fantastic working together, and Styles could work with anyone. Add those factors together, the break neck pace, the bumps, the lay out, the way the used the gimmick to their advantage and this is just a match that you have to see if you’re a fan of the guys involved. Like most things in wrestling the Ultimate X has been used, overused and then abused to where it means both jack and shit. But this right here is the peak, this is the best Ultimate X Match TNA ever did. It was also one of the top 10 matches in 2005; and a good bit of those (in my opinion) featured AJ Styles.

    #2. Lockdown 2008: Six Sides of Steel – Samoa Joe vs. Kurt Angle [****¾]


    I know some hated it at the time, but I personally love this match. The first thing I want to say that I am far from the only person that gave the match a high rating. Secondly, I feel that most people that disliked the match went in wanting to hate it due to the MMA theme and likely hate MMA itself. Not all, but a good portion. Which is fine, it all comes down to personal preference and I personally loved the match. If you didn’t cool, if you watched it and were disappointed, cool. I never said you didn’t have the right. This is one of those matches that people will either love or hate. Again, “I FEEL” that this was great, but if you didn’t I fully understand. TNA is often bashed on for not living up to their claim to be an alternative. At this show they did something different, something out of the box and it was great. The first 6-minutes or so was almost exclusively MMA work. Angle came out as promised dressed for battle. MMA shorts, taped hands and ankles and was set to fight. Joe already works leg kicks and strikes and that is what they worked early and it worked. Angle would try takedowns, go for a mount and drop hard punches. They then slowly worked into more of a pro wrestling match, which they did at the right time. These guys took a risk, they could have done the usual match and played it safe, but they took a risk and it paid off. The realism, the psychology, it clicked and it worked to me. People were popping for the rope breaks; the submissions and I just loved it. Plain and simple. Some people are blowing the small “boring chant” out of proportion, saying that it was due to the MMA theme. That happened during a figure four spot that went a bit long. That has nothing to do with MMA. The match built very well all the way to the ending, and the crescendo was the Joe win, which has been in the works forever. We got pay off which was that huge moment for Joe. Joe vs. Angle were able to blend MMA elements into wrestling and make it work. We also got a CLEAN FINISH IN A TNA MAIN EVENT! That is an important thing to mention. I dug it, and it was refreshing to see different stuff. I also love the fact that they only used the cage ONE TIME, and it MEANT SOMETHING at the finish. This match came off as a BIG TIME main event, it was pushed as such, and it delivered. Add to the fact that this PPV live and on PPV MADE MONEY and it certainly belongs.

    AND NUMBER ONE IS…

    #1. Unbreakable 2005: AJ Styles vs. Daniels vs. Samoa Joe [*****]


    Coming in at #1 on the list is a match that many call the best match in the history of TNA, the Unbreakable triple threat match between AJ Styles, Samoa Joe and Christopher Daniels. This match doesn’t just come in at #1 because it is that damn good, it comes in at the top also because of what it represented. This was another example, similar to the Turning Point tag team match between AMW and Triple X, where TNA decided to give the main event of a three hour PPV to their younger guns, their fresh faces, the guys that didn’t have that WWE pedigree. They handed the ball to these guys and let them do their thing, and that was to have a compelling wrestling match for a title that was hotly contested after. For this PPV they put the NWA Title match (Raven defending against Rhino) on the backburner in semi-main event status, and they presented the X-Division title as important, and on top of that, they presented Daniels, Joe and AJ as stars. Again, the match is simply fantastic, and delivers on every level as a wrestling match and as a PPV main event. When people think back on great TNA matches, this match always comes up in the conversation as one of the very best, put on by three of the very best. I think if you’re looking for a perfect example of why people loved TNA and thought that they had so much potential, I think that this match is the example of why they believed.


    Again, I am sure I missed some of your selections, and if I did, again I ask that you are respectful of what I have presented, and I ask that you share YOUR personal top 5 or 10 if you have the time. This is not the end all be all list or any where near perfect, just my opinion and I would love to hear yours.

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