411’s Instant Access: TNA Genesis 2007

Posted by Christi Csonka on 11.11.2007

After this, I need to chase the Devil too…

Introduction: Christi Csonka here, also known as The Wife. Once again, I'm giving you my take on the most recent TNA PPV, Genesis. You won't find a detailed recap, nor a lot of wrestling jargon, but you will get a casual fan's perspective, sarcasm and all.

TNA Genesis 2007

Match #1: SHOP OF HORRORS MATCH: Abyss vs. Black Reign
Match Result: Abyss via pin
Match Length: 11:00
Match Analysis: May I first ask, why would one name a rat Misty? I find it hard to feel terror of any kind when Black Reign brings the little fur ball down with him. Before the bell even rings, Misty ignores the action as her owner and Abyss gets to it, mostly outside the ring. Abyss got Reign over the head with a piece of dry wall. Woo (dead pan). I hoped the horrors would improve. Hope was all I would have. Reign flipped Abyss back first into a row of trash cans set up by Abyss. Not hard to have foreseen that turn of events. Reign set up a chair in the turnbuckles, and, shocker… Abyss sent Reign into it head first. Ah, the predictability. Then came the barb wire bat, from which Black Reign ran. Okay, it was more a slow mosey up the ramp. At the top Abyss meets up with him and eventually Abyss choke slams him to the floor, which was covered by a black sheet of plywood. The pace can be best described as slow and steady. If it weren't for the hits, it would be like watching these guys walking in a Relay for Life. Abyss then put Reign's hands in a vise (kinda believable, maybe), and then puts the mousetraps (not rat- too small!!) in the ring, and can you guess what happens? That's right! Abyss takes the bump on the traps. Yes, the predictability is getting annoying. Like Reign having brass knuckles, who got pinned before he can use them. Thank God for small blessings. I will say this, the after match is much more interesting.
Match Rating/personal enjoyment index: 3


Match #2: Team 3-D vs. The Motor City Machine Guns (Sabin & Shelley)
Match Result: The Motor City Machine Guns via pin
Match Length: 17:50
Match Analysis: Ah, the Machine Guns attack before 3-D can get down the ramp. Lovely. Ass kickings abound! Sabin & Shelley keep the pace fast and furious, so much so, 3-D can't seem to get things together enough to counter. Soon, they began to walk off, blowing the Machine Guns off, but naturally, after a good deal of booing, came back to face the firing squad. While 3-D may show power in this beginning of this match, Sabin & Shelley show agility, speed, and a quick ability to bounce back. Shelley taunts Devon into taking him down, selling nicely before jumping up much to Devon's chagrin. While Sabin argues with the ref, Ray bangs Shelley up outside the ring. I knew we'd hit the segment where power would began to win over speed, but I wanted to see the come back, and soon. Call me impatient. Ray slapped Shelley around, keeping him from tagging Sabin, an expected development. After 5+ minutes of Shelley in the ring, he got the tag, and Sabin ran in to whip around 3-D like a tornado. Definitely enjoyable! As the Machine Guns tagged again, they kept the pace steady with some great double teaming. Despite their efforts, Devon kept managing to avoid that third count. Just as Sabin was about to pin Ray, Devon pulls the ref out. (You knew that was coming right?) The near falls kept the crowd pumped, and actually weren't driving me nuts as I too was enjoying the suspense. The double team on Ray before Sabin pinned him was awesome!
Match Rating/personal enjoyment index: 5


Match #3: TNA WOMEN'S TITLE MATCH: Gail Kim © vs. Roxxi vs. ODB vs. Angel Williams
Match Result: Gail Kim via pin
Match Length: 9:08
Match Analysis: As you might expect, we started with Angel, Roxxi, and ODB eyeing Kim up like a slab of meat. Though any pin would win it, they all wanted a piece of Kim, which she gave them! Thankfully, when VKM showed up, the ref sent them back. I hoped it wasn't a sign of things to come… not that TNA would do such a thing. Eventually, they turn their attentions to available opponents, which is good, minus ODB's but smacking Angel. Please, let's keep this as wrestling, not the slop we normally get fed! I have higher expectations for TNA. Thankfully, Kim got involved and brought back the seriousness, dropping Roxxi to the floor outside from the top rope! For a while we focus on Angel and ODB, which is fine, especially when Roxxi got involved and ODB sold the Tower of Doom wonderfully. Soon, we're back to Roxxi and Kim, which I think is the more interesting pair. Roxxi blinded ODB with something to the face, which enabled Kim to get the pin. After the match, Kong appears. And yes, if looks could kill, Kim would be in a body bag.
Match Rating/personal enjoyment index: 5


Match #4: X-DIVISION TITLE MATCH: "Black Machismo" Jay Lethal © vs. "Guru" Sonjay Dutt
Match Result: "Black Machismo" Jay Lethal via pin
Match Length: 12:05
Match Analysis: I knew Sonjay was holding out on me! Look at all the bills he collects before the match, don't tell me he couldn't cover shipping on the shirt! Sonjay starts the match with a hug. Yes, a hug. Then they roll around. (Wow, that sounds bad.) The exchanges are great. I liked the pacing, and especially the slaps from Sonjay that were rather out of character. Oh, how I miss the mockery! Sonjay flip dived out of the ring onto Lethal, yay! Sonjay gets more aggressive as it continues, reminding me of the Sonjay I first saw at a house show over a year ago and instantly loved. It was nice to see the Guru take a break for a while. And arguing with the ref! The two fly, flip and take each other down, the sort of action you expect from the X division. What's sad is the crowd is rather quiet for the most part, which is a shame really, these two are delivering! If you look away, you'll miss something, like Sonjay's double moonsault, one from ropes immediately followed by a standing one. Niiiice. But, as expected, Lethal kept the title. Unfortunately, also as expected… 3-D had to come down and crash the party. Am I the only one that thinks this whole anti-X division angle isn't the best way to go? Could they have found a better way to belittle the end of this match? I think not.
Match Rating/personal enjoyment index: 6


Match #5: TNA TAG TEAM TITLE MATCH: A.J. Styles & Tomko © vs. Steiner Brothers (Rick and Scott)
Match Result: A.J. Styles & Tomko via pin
Match Length: 10:44
Match Analysis: Scott and A.J. starts the match off, with Scott's strength being the main focus. What would normally look bad, looks down right frightening the way A.J. sold it. A.J. does get a nice leap out of the ring, but doesn't stay long as he took the opportunity to tag Tomko after Scott tags Rick. Despite size differences, Rick gets the upper hand at first, but you know what happens… Tomko plants Rick into the mat. With so much braun, the pace of this match is slower, but for the most part, harder hitting. Poor A.J. looks like the target for the evening as Tomko is too evenly matched for the Steiners, but I have to give A.J. credit for mocking Scott. Brave little soul. You know he's gonna take a hard hit for that later. The crowd is again, not very receptive. Did they peak too early with the Machine Gun match? As Tomko and Scott go outside the ring, the camera men aren't sure which pair to focus on and you can't blame them there, even when the ref gets bumped. Which, surprise, surprise, A.J. takes as his opportunity to introduce Rick to a chair.
Match Rating/personal enjoyment index: 4


Match #6: Samoa Joe vs. Robert Roode
Match Result: Samoa Joe via pin
Match Length: 16:00
Match Analysis: Hmm, Roode's fan seems to be familiar. Wonder why? Joe's running down Roode outside the ring at the start of the match was a bit marred by his slipping on something on a turn. Oops. As you might have anticipated, Joe starts us off with some Roode bashing, and it is good. We also get some dirty looks between Tracy and The Fan. I expect that little story line to pick up REAL soon. Meanwhile, Roode got to turn the tide for a time outside the ring, even getting to flip Joe to his back on the ramp. The crowd got into this match more than the previous few, which is a good sign that they were indeed still there. I was beginning to suspect they were replaced with cardboard cut outs. Back in the ring, it's mainly strength that dominates this match as they took turns having the upper hand. Roode eventually began to stay in control, with Joe looking weaker by the moment. It began to get old, and for a moment it looked as though Joe was getting his second wind… but no, more Roode. Both then look dead. The crowd sounded like they were dying as well. Joe does get his second wind, and the reaction is lukewarm. I think the crowd was lost along the way, just as I felt when they pan to Tracy and she'd on the floor, her vitals being checked. WTF? Do they show us anything that might explain this phenomenon? Course not, but we do get the obligatory numerous near falls, which doesn't bring the crowd back. They pop finally at the match's close when Joe finishes Roode. It could have come earlier, but thank God not later. Do they explain the Tracy situation? Course not. It's TNA.
Match Rating/personal enjoyment index: 4


Match #7: #1 CONTENDER'S LADDER MATCH: Kaz vs. Christian Cage
Match Result: Kaz via capture
Match Length: 15:10
Match Analysis: One word to describe the start- grapplin'. Cage is angry and it shows, Kaz on the other hand, stays calm and collected. Hmm… how does that scenario usually play out again? As Cage tried to get the ladder and use it against Kaz, Kaz slipped out in time to turn the tide and jump onto Cage, sending the ladder into his face as they all went to the floor outside the ring. Lip busted and eye swelling, Cage set up the ladder, but we do remember how that's been going tonight right? Yeah, well, they FINALLY let the guy who set it up pull it off and poor Kaz got no love as the ladder does NOT give when Cage lands on the two. At all. I think I heard Kaz's spine crack. As you could guess, the crowd loved it! While Kaz got himself up, Cage took another ladder and went after the contract. Too early in the match, so naturally, Kaz stopped him. Still bleeding, Cage set up another ladder across the ropes, which Kaz again got up close and personal with. The crowd is cheering and sounding livelier than ever, which is a nice change after their vacation. Then comes the ‘both men on a ladder' spot. What would a ladder match like this be without one dropping the other from atop a ladder? Despite its predictability, the crowd loves it as Cage takes down Kaz. Next we got our expected ladder spots, including Kaz kicking the ladder out from under Cage as he grabs at the contract. The contract falls too, which I doubt was planned, so then they had to get the clipboard down, which was still above the ring. Now, considering he's never been ‘pinned' in TNA, you can figure he can lose by not getting the contract and still have bragging rights… and you'd be right.
Match Rating/personal enjoyment index: 7


Match #8: TAG FOR THE TTLE TNA WORLD TITLE MATCH: Sting and Booker T vs. Kevin Nash & Kurt Angle ©
Match Result: Kurt Angle via pin
Match Length: 13:36
Match Analysis: I wasn't surprised to see Booker T, and honestly, who was? As the match started, Angle and Sting face off, both looking strong. That is, until Angle tags Nash by hugging his legs. Nash lays into Sting, without tearing anything. The crowd cheered for them to tag in Booker, but it took a while for it to come about. Angle, of course, seemed at a loss as to how to approach Booker, selling well when Booker takes him down. The pace was better than I expected as I had my misgivings about Nash. Every time Booker was tapped in the crowd popped, a good way to come into the company. Just as it looked like Booker might pin Angle, Nash interferes. As expected, chaos ensues, Sting coming in first, then A.J. and Tomko outside the ring, the ref being distracted by Mrs. Angle, before being distracted herself by Sharmell. Could TNA add any more? Don't ask, just don't ask. No need to tempt them! Angle has to drag the ref into the ring to get the pin on Sting.
Match Rating/personal enjoyment index: 4

Final Thoughts on Show:

Match of the Night: >#1 CONTENDER'S LADDER MATCH: Kaz vs. Christian Cage
Trash of the Night: SHOP OF HORRORS MATCH: Abyss vs. Black Reign
Final Analysis: No eye gouging necessary, but definitely nothing to call home about either. Unless you REALLY want to see Kaz and Cage, just read the recap. In fact, it might be more exciting that way.
Verdict: 5.0