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The 411 Wrestling Top 5 07.01.13 Week 225 – Top 5 TNA Matches

July 1, 2013 | Posted by Michael Benjamin

Hello everyone and welcome to 411 Wrestling’s Top 5 List. We take a topic each week and all the writers here on 411 wrestling will have the ability to give us their Top 5 on said topic, plus up to three honorable mentions.

So, onto this week’s topic…

TOP 5 TNA MATCHES

Michael Benjamin
5. Amazing Red and Jerry Lynn vs Triple X – 9-04-03 – This was the main event of the first weekly TNA PPV I ever ordered and it cemented the show as a weekly “must order”. The match is filled with great high spots and is probably even better than you’d expect even with the names involved. It was so fresh at the time to see four cruisers headlining a show. Obviously this is a personal pick, but it’s what made me a fan. I proceeded to order every PPV until they made the switch to Fox Sports. Seek this out. Better yet, I’ll provide you with it. Watch it. Please!

4. Elevation X: AJ Styles vs Rhino – Destination X 2007 – Sure, this isn’t one of the best matches quality-wise. No shit, it’s a prettier version of a scaffold match. Despite the limitations of the stipulation, they delivered a well worked match that I’ll never forget. AJ was in complete dick heel mode here and I loved every second of it. He had a bunch of fun and innovative tactics to avoid being eliminated such as hanging beneath the scaffold so that Rhino couldn’t touch him. Given that the scaffold was far bigger than most, they were able to actually put in some work up there as well. It’s the best scaffold match I’ve ever bared witness to, with both men doing a great job delivering plenty of false finishes. If you want to see a GOOD scaffold match, check this bad boy out.

3. Six Sides of Steel: Americas Most Wanted vs Triple X – Turning Point 2004 – These teams had already had a steel cage match prior to this but their Turning Point bout was so much better. The two biggest differences are that they had double the time to work the match than the previous one and also, this was inside the six sided cage rather than the traditional four sided cage. The cage didn’t even come into play for awhile as all four men were focused on hurting one another. This is one of the exceptions where handcuffs coming into play really made the match far more enjoyable for me. The beating that Chris Harris took was astounding as he was locked to the turnbuckle helpless. Once Chris Harris escaped they exchanged spots that were bigger and better than what they had done two years prior. Of course, this match is most famous for Elix Skipper walking the top of the cage and delivering a hurricanrana to Harris in one of the most jaw dropping spots I’ve ever seen in professional wrestling.

2. Ultimate X: AJ Styles vs Chris Sabin vs Petey Williams – Final Resolution 2005 – I watched this match live and was on my feet for the entire duration. This set the precedent for all Ultimate X matches and in my opinion, not a single Ultimate X match has even come close. It was well worked, nothing seemed contrived, and it was FILLED with innovative spots throughout. I screamed at the top of my lungs when AJ was hanging from the wire and got drop kicked to the floor. He did the flip sell down to the floor in one of my favorite spots ever. I’ve watched the match a dozen times and I’ll probably check it out again now. Writing about it is giving me the urge! If you’re a fan of Ultimate X matches and haven’t seen this classic, I urge you to check it out. I’ll give it a straight ***** every time.

1. AJ Styles vs Daniels vs Samoa Joe – Unbreakable 2005 – Yep, this is the best match in TNA history and I don’t think there’s very much dispute regarding the subject. These guys were given the main event slot and they took the opportunity and ran with it. They were given so much time yet never had a dull moment. It’s the only triple threat match that may be better than the Wrestlemania 20 main event. Every move delivered by all three men was smooth and crisp. The spots were breath taking and constant. Every time I’ve watched this match I’ve always wondered how mapped out this was because it was literally flawless. Putting three young guys who wrestle their asses off in the main event of your pay-per-view is a unique and ballsy move. This is the type of focus on quality and homegrown talent that could make TNA stand out a bit more than they are in 2013.


Larry Csonka
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.

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.


MICHAEL WEYER
5. Samoa Joe vs Kurt Angle, TNA World Title, Lockdown, 2008 Some sniffed at this match with its MMA theme and even calling it “boring.” But it was anything but. After matches before, these two restarted their rivalry in fine fashion in a fantastic match, each going hard on the other and the cage made it feel like a true gladiator battle. Both men were giving it their all those in the crowd who understood that appreciated it as they amped up the action and thrills with every moment. At long last, Joe got the win, a clean finish that not only avenged his losses to Angle but finally earned Joe the TNA World title he’d long deserved. The best bout of two masters that showed how you can use a cage to new effect.

4. Motor City Machine Guns vs Beer Money Inc, 2-out-of-3 falls TNA World Tag Team title, Impact, August 12,2010 For a beautiful period, TNA had a throw-back to old-styled tag team wrestling feuds as the MCMG and Beer Money went at it in a great best-of-five series for the belts. They saved the best for the final match, each pulling out the stops, Beer Money getting the first fall, the MCMG the second and the third was nothing less than a war of attrition, each team pulling out double-team moves, kicks, counters and more, each flowing against the other in a fantastic series of moments that had the crowd freaking out. In the end, the MCMG were able to get the pin to retain the titles, capping off a fantastic tribute to what tag team wrestling should be and how, for a time, TNA actually cared about that.

3. Petey Williams vs Chris Sabin vs A.J. Styles, Ultimate X title match, Final Resolution, 2005 Ultimate X remains the most innovative match idea TNA has ever done, taking the concept of a ladder match to new heights (no pun intended). This remains the best of the bunch as Williams defended against Sabin and Styles in a bout filled with spots you can’t believe anyone could ever think up: Williams hitting a rana on Sabin who’s on Styles’ shoulders; Williams countering a Cradle Shock to a reverse DDT only for Styles to bounce off the ropes, grab him and hit them both with a DDT; Styles drop-kicked from the cables and doing a spin in mid-air before landing on the mat; and the ending of Sabin and Williams hanging from the X, each grabbing the belt in a tug-of-war only for Styles to leap off the ropes and grab it away from them. A truly great example of how a gimmick match should work well.


2. America’s Most Wanted vs XXX, Six Sides of Steel, Turning Point, 2004 Quite wisely, TNA decided to have this be the main event of their second PPV rather than a horrendous tag match involving Hall, Nash and a mostly absent Randy Savage. After two years of feuding, these teams were ready to go at it with the condition the losing team would have to break up. They saved the best for last, both teams smashing the hell out of each other, XXX using handcuffs to try and split up AMW but the faces fighting back, blood everywhere and insane moves like a stacked superplex that nearly killed Christopher Daniels. But what will always be remembered is Elix Skipper making the greatest spot in TNA history by walking across the top of the cage to hit a rana, a move that still blows your mind watching. AMW got the pin but the fans were the winners in a battle that helped elevate TNA right as their PPV era was starting.

1. A.J. Styles vs Christopher Daniels vs Samoa Joe, X Division title match, Unbreakable 2005 It doesn’t matter if you’re a TNA die-hard or just a casual fan. No match in the company’s existence has topped this one in terms of workrate, psychology, impact and having the crowd in the palm of your hand. Daniels, the longest-reigning X Division champion of all time; Styles the four-time champ out to regain the belt; and Joe, the undefeated force who’d torn through all compeitition. Fans were expecting something big but no one could have predicted the utter genius we witnessed. From Joe and Styles starting it off by kicking Daniels in turn (and his hysterical yelling to Stop…kicking me! and getting kicked down by both in response) to AJ doing a Spiral Tap to break a chokehold and Joe flying over the top rope to splash both men, it was stunning to watch. Nothing summed it up then the moment of Joe whipping Daniels toward Styles in the corner, Daniels monkey-flipping Styles back and Styles hitting a rana on Joe, all in one smooth motion. It was like watching a trio of chess masters or dancers perform, each move perfectly flowing into another. In the end, Styles reversed an Angel’s Wings attempt into a bridging pin and to this day, if you want to see what true wrestling is, you watch this match and how, for one glorious September night, these three men were the biggest stars in the business and send the crowd home truly happy.


Justin Watry

5. Motor City Machine Guns vs. Beer Money Inc: Summer of 2010 – I could not pick just one. All of them were great. These two teams had a ‘summer series’ of their own three years ago. This is when TNA is at its best – just letting the talent go out there and wrestle. Once Hulk Hogan, Eric Bischoff, and others dig their claws into something, it is done. Look no further than the Aces and 0.8’s story line. However none of that nonsense was around back in 2010. Beer Money was riding high, and Alex Shelley/Chris Sabin were finally finding themselves as a top tag team. Put the four together, and you have a winning formula. The one downside is that, in typical TNA fashion, this played out on free television – not making a dime off potential pay-per-view buys.

4. America’s Most Wanted vs. XXX: Six Sides of Steel – To be honest, this match is best known for one spot. That is fine. A lot of excellent matches have that one standout moment. However, that is not doing justice to this entire feud. On top of that, TNA gave this the proper slot – main event. Nobody disappointed with such lofty expectations. The right team won, and it was matches like that made you think TNA stood a chance to actually make an ‘impact.’ Oh well…

3. Samoa Joe vs. Kurt Angle, TNA World Title: Lockdown 2008 – For me, this could be ranked anywhere on a ‘best of’ list. From 1,000 to 25 all the way to the top spot, it would not be argued. However, there are two ways to look at this. On one hand, the match was a tad off. I don’t like the word ‘boring,’ so I will stay away from that. Obviously, that was due to the MMA gimmick. I’m sorry, but this has been tried MANY times in professional wrestling. The two genres do NOT mix inside the ring. Once the bell rings, fans want to see a certain style. If they wanted MMA, they would watch MMA. They wanted wrestling. Lucky for us, Samoa Joe and Kurt Angle are more than capable to perform any kind of match. What gives this the top billing, though, is its success. I know that has nothing to do with the actual in-ring performance, but it matters to me. The event drew an estimated company record 60,000 PPV buys, had a good live crowd (on the road) also on hand, and is heralded as the biggest money making feud in TNA Impact Wrestling history. For that alone, it deserves recognition.

2. Christian Wins NWA-TNA Title: Against All Odds 2006 – This was more than a match. This was one man trying to prove he was a main event caliber performer to the world (and his former employer). Now, I don’t consider the TNA Title to be a ‘World’ Title, but this was as high as you could go for Christian in that company. Currently holding the belt was none other than Jeff Jarrett – somebody is not shy about winning at all costs. Well, these two went at it for 20 minutes in one memorable bout. The finish seemed like yet another Jarrett-guitar screwjob, until Christian kicked out. HE GOT OUT! At this point, Don West was losing his mind. A few minutes later, the Unprettier was hit. At long last, Christian stood tall as champion. It was a beautiful sight and was treated as such. The announcers put it over the top. Fans rushed the ring. His wife was ringside. Love TNA or hate TNA, this was amazing to watch.

1. A.J. Styles v.s Christopher Daniels vs. Samoa Joe, X Division Title match, Unbreakable 2005 – I am not a fan of the X-Division. Flip flopping all over the squared circle and doing ‘spots’ with no selling in not my cup of tea. However, there is one match that epitomizes TNA after all these years. Just one! It is this match. Styles. Daniels. Joe. X-Division. When the Fall and Fall of TNA DVD is released by WWE down the road, this will surely be one of the extra matches on the second disc. Unreal for any wrestling fan to witness and certainly worth going out of your way to see if you haven’t yet…


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