Text By Neil Cathan

What if...Kurt Angle didn't defeat Samoa Joe at Genesis 2006?

Part III

January 18th, 2007: TNA iMPACT
 
James Mitchell parades his monster, the NWA World Heavyweight Champion, Abyss to ringside to open up tonight's show. He wastes no time in gloating, while Abyss menacingly paces the ring.
 
 "Mind over muscle! I know i's a difficult concept for you imbeciles to understand, but last week, you saw a superb display of it. Kurt Angle was blinded by his fury, so blinded, in fact, that he forgot all semblance of his game plan. Instead he tried to overpower the strongest man in wrestling."
 
Mitchell seems to conveniently forget the assistance of Daniel Puder in this matter, moving swiftly on
 
 "Which brings me nicely onto you, Samoa Joe"
 
He pauses, allowing the pop at the mention of Joe to die down.
 
"Joe, Joe, Joe...Just back down. I know you've been making a real ruckus about this title shot you supposedly deserve, but you have to look after your own interests. You see, this undefeated streak of yours, it's all you've got. Don't throw it away just for five minutes of glory. You see, me and Abyss have got all the power. He's the strongest man here, and I'm the smartest. The two of us are an unbeatable unit. Don't lose the only thing you have, just to prove us right. I know that you're a smart man, so you'll do the right thing. I also know how stubborn you are, and that you'll have to take a while to reach that decision. I can wait. Give me your answer next week."
 
With this, Mitchell and Abyss stomp back up the ramp, serenaded by calls of "Joe's Gonna Kill You!" from the iMPACT Zone regulars.
 
The cameras cut to a corridor backstage, where Sting bumps into a man who looks a little less than  pleased: Raven. Raven doesn't even hide his disgust when he looks at Sting, and immediately launches on a tirade towards him.
 
"What the hell happened last Sunday, Sting? Everything you've fought for was in arm's reach. But you just throw it away, for what? For the respect of Samoa Joe? The man's a predator, Sting. The man doesn't care for, or respect anything but himself. You and me, we're carrion. We're the ugly underbelly. Carrion and predators don't keep company, Sting."
 
Sting cuts him off
 
"I did it so I can look in the mirror, and not feel shame. I did it so that when I have that title around my waist again, I know that I earned it."
 
Raven laughs at Sting, who looks confused and angry
 
"Look yourself in the mirror?"
 
A serious look crosses his face, and he pushes himself nose to nose with Sting
 
"All you see when you look in the mirror is a lie. It's a mask"
 
He runs his hand roughly across Sting's face, holding the smeared paint on his hand up to Sting's face, to illustrate his point
 
"It's a mask you wear, so that everyone won't see the darkness inside you, just the light on the outside. But they're the same, don't you see?"
 
Raven smears the white paint and black paint on his fingers together, showing the grey smudge to Sting.
 
"And if you won't embrace the dark like you did the light, then you'll never be a champion again. You'll never be anything but the guy who could've been someone great, but was no-one instead."
 
Sting has had enough, he shoves Raven back, and raises his trademark bat. Raven spreads his arms wide in the crucifix pose, eyes shut, willing Sting to strike him. It is Sting's turn to look disgusted now, as he drops the bat, and walks away from Raven, who shakes his head, muttering "Soon....Soon..."
 
The clash in the ring that follows this brings this episode's first taste of actual wrestling, although it proves to be a brief one, as Johnny Devine is utterly out of his depth against Kurt Angle, who brings him straight to the mat, applying the angle lock for a tap out. Head bandaged from the war with Abyss last Sunday, Angle looks determined to seek some retribution, and calls for a microphone.
Once he has it, he wastes no time in getting to the point:
 
"Puder! You cowardly little shit! I would have thought when I had you down and screaming on the mat, it would have been enough to make you realise that this thing between us is over! I beat you! I'm better than you! But you had to make things worse for yourself, huh? You just had to piss me off again! Well, I'll beat you one last time, at Against All Odds, you're mine!"
 
He throws the microphone down, and storms off.
 
When iMPACT draws to it's end, it is much the same way as it started, with gloating in the ring. Christian Cage, dressed in a sharp suit, makes his way to the ring. Pacing around the ring, and climbing the turnbuckles as if the fans were giving him a heroes welcome, Christian cannot keep the smile from his face. Eventually, he raises the microphone to his mouth, brings it back down, swallowing as though choking back tears, and finally speaks
 
"I know! I could just sit here and bask in this all day!"
 
He spreads his arms wide, pretending to enjoy some adoration from the fans.
 
"What? No cheers? Don't you fans realise that I'm the new franchise player here? Sure, it used to be that AJ guy, but let's look at his last three Pay Per View outings... Let's see, at Genesis, I beat him. At Turning Point, I beat him. At Final Resolution, I'm sure he managed to...no, wait, me and Daniel Puder beat him and Christopher Daniels. He's done with. He's the past of this company, I'm it's present and future. Get used to the sight of me celebrating in the ring, peeps. It's your future."
 
The electrifying guitar riff of "I Am" hits the speakers, and out comes AJ Styles, to a huge pop from the live crowd. Dressed in wrestling gear, a serious expression on his face, he marks an immediate contrast to the 'Instant Classic' Christian Cage. He raises his own microphone, and begins to speak
 
"None of those were clean wins, and you know it, you little punk! Give me one more match, give me one more chance. I'll prove to you who the better man is. It can be at Against All Odds, it can be next week, it can be right now, it can be after the show in the car park, for all I care! Let me get my hands on you one more time."
 
Christian laughs, sitting cockily on the top rope "Listen, kid. I've beaten you. I have nothing, nothing to gain from beating your hick ass all over the ring again."
 
Styles has heard enough, and dashes towards the ring furiously. Christian bolts just as fast, ducking into the hostile crowd, flanked by security, to make his escape. iMPACT ends with AJ Styles standing alone in the middle of the ring, look of deep frustration etched on his features.
 
January 25th, 2007: TNA iMPACT
 
Mike Tenay and Don West open the broadcast by telling viewers about tonight's main event, which will see Vampiro return to the company to tag with Abyss against Team 3D. Before that, however, there's a match about to start in the ring to deal with.
 
Already in the ring, having made their entrances before the taping, are Daniel Puder and Sonjay Dutt. Puder paces Dutt in a predatory fashion, and Dutt looks scared of the dangerous shoot-fighter. Puder feints with a jab, which sends Sonjay stepping back. Puder throws another jab, and Dutt makes a little less of a jump back. The third jab is ducked, and Dutt swings his right leg in for a head kick. This turns out to be exactly what Puder was looking for, as he immediately grabs Dutt's leg, and drags him down to the mat. He scuttles up to the arm, quickly applying the key lock. Dutt screams in pain, and looks in vain for a way out, before tapping to make Puder relinquish the deadly submission. Puder wastes no time in finding himself a microphone, apparently having a message of his own for Kurt.
 
"Kurt, I don't like having to take cheap attacks like I did. But the fact is, it's the only way to make you pretend you're a man long enough to fight me! I came right into your house, and beat your bitch ass at it's own game in 2004, and rather than fight me again, you screwed me out of a future! Well, February 11th, you can't dodge me, because we're gonna have us an old fashioned cage fight."
His point made, Puder tosses the microphone down and storms to the back.
 
AJ Styles is the next to take the ring, microphone in hand, grave expression on his face. When the pop dies down, he visibly hesitates in the ring, contemplating what he's about to do. Finally, he raises the microphone to his mouth, and begins to speak
 
"Christian. Last week, you told me I couldn't fight you, because you had nothing to gain. Well, how about this?"
 
Again, he pauses
 
"How about, if I put a year of my career on the line? I will not step foot in a ring, I will not do the very thing that I live for, for 365 days, if you can beat me at Against All Odds. Suddenly, the main event's a lot thinner, and you can make your mark again."
 
Christian, smug grin on his face, saunters onto the entrance ramp.
 
"So, all I have to do, is do what I've done for the last 3 months, and show everyone once again, that I'm the best in this company, and you'll be out of sight for a year? I'm game. Enjoy your vacation."
 
He strolls off the stage, and AJ leaves through the crowd, being slapped on the back by supportive fans.
 
As Senshi makes his way to ringside, Mike Tenay informs the viewers that Sting has requested a match against Senshi to prove to himself that he can still go with the best of them. Indeed, Sting looks solemn as he steps between the ropes, as if his career rested on this match. Sting and Senshi circle each other, and tie up, Sting getting the best of a chain wrestling sequence. However, caution seems to cut off the killer instinct, and he backs off. Senshi gets back to his feet, recognising his advantage. A loss to Sting doesn't hurt him at all, so long as he can show that he can hold his ground against the seasoned wrestler. A loss for Sting, however, would be devastating. And it's Sting's fear of the loss that makes him most likely to lose. Senshi circles Sting for another tie up, but as they go to the middle to tie up, Senshi throws a kick hard into Sting's ribs, driving all the air out of them. He follows up with a series of forearm smashes across the head. Sting staggers back, dazed. Senshi gives him no time to regroup, whipping him across the ring to the turnbuckles, and charging in with a lariat. Sting uses the ropes to pull himself up, but is caught midway with a DDT for a two count. Senshi knows that if things continue this way, the match is his. The same fact seems to trigger something in Sting too, who fights his way to his feet, the fire reignited in him, as he hurls punches and chops frantically, before capping it off with a Stinger Splash. Sting takes a moment to do his trademark scream to the crowd, before returning to the business at hand. Dragging Senshi to the middle of the ring, Sting puts him in position for a Scorpion Death Drop. Senshi, sensing opportunity, however, trips the legs of Sting, rolling him forward into a pinning combination that surprises Sting, and gets the job done. Senshi earns a major upset victory, and Sting, dejected, rolls from the ring, and heads backstage.
 
Sting's night isn't yet over, though, as he bumps into Raven backstage. Raven is the first to speak, using a taunting tone
 
"What was that? Admit it, without the darkness, you're nothing. You're past it. If you won't embrace your destiny, why don't you just go and find somewhere to curl up and die? I don't want to even look at you."
 
Raven pushes roughly past Sting, who offers no resistance, and is left standing alone and defeated in the corridor.
 
Another man who is having no fun backstage is Vampiro. Almost as soon as the cameras pick him up arriving at the arena, they see Samoa Joe, steel pipe in hand, enter from stage left, and smash it into Vampiro's back, before laying the boots in. He turns to the camera, and speaks in a deadly calm voice
 
"Here's your answer, Mitchell. I'll see you and your boy at Against All Odds."
 
The message delivered, Joe leaves, and the cameras take one last close up on the battered form of Vampiro.
 
The main event rolls around, and it seems no-one else was willing to take the part of Abyss's partner, whether out of fear of the man, of his opponent's or disgust at the home invasion. Whatever the reason, Abyss was out there alone, Mitchell not fool enough to put himself into a match with Team 3D. Abyss holds his own against the brothers well enough, but with the men involved, this was always going to quickly degenerate into a brawl, and Abyss finds himself quickly battling both brothers on the entrance ramp. While the melee on the ramp continues, Joe emerges from the crowd, leaping over the guardrail, behind James Mitchell. Mitchell has no time to turn around, being caught instantly in the Coquina Clutch. Joe slings the fallen form of Mitchell over his shoulder, and disappears  with the manager, back through the crowd. Abyss downs D-Von with a head butt, before spotting the retreating form of Joe, and ploughs through the crowd, looking in vain.
 
Earl Hebner is left with no option but to call the match as a countout in favour of Team 3D. Team 3D look as irritated at the non-ending of the match as the fans do, and sate their rage by pulling Hebner into a quick 3-D to pop the crowd one last time before iMPACT goes off air.
 
February 1st, 2007: TNA iMPACT
 
Mike Tenay, sitting in a studio, confirms for the fans that Vampiro will be making it to tonight's main event, facing the man who took him out of last week's-Samoa Joe.
But first, to address what he's doing in a studio, rather than at the desk. Well, since last week, he tracked down MMA Analyst Frank Trigg, and talked to him about his thoughts on Angle vs Puder.
 
The camera pans left, and we see the former fighter himself, sitting on a sofa. He takes a drink of water as Tenay asks him
 
"So, obviously Angle's got a great history as an Olympic gold medal winning wrestler? Do you think Puder can match him on the ground?"
 
Trigg pauses a moment, before answering
 
"It's easy to underestimate Daniel Puder. He's a champion amateur wrestler himself. I'd give the edge on the ground to Angle, but I wouldn't give it by much."
 
Tenay responds
 
"Interesting. And how about on their feet? Who will win the stand up game?"
 
Trigg takes another drink of water before continuing
 
"Well, Angle's got those mean throws, but Puder's a solid boxer, and kickboxer, and I think he could shut Angle's suplex game down, so I'll give him the edge here."
 
Tenay moves to wrap the interview up
 
"Any final thoughts? Who do you reckon will come out on top?"
 
Trigg pauses, and thinks for a moment.
 
"I'd put my money on Puder. He's just that much hungrier. He has so much to prove in this fight. I reckon he can stop Angle."
 
Tenay wraps the pre-tape up
 
"Well, thank you for joining us, and I suppose that on February 11th, we'll find out..."
 
We fade back into the iMPACT broadcast, where Tenay is now sitting with Don West at their ringside table. The camera quickly cuts to the ring, where Senshi is awaiting the entrance of Sting, who is looking to avenge his recent loss to Senshi. When Sting arrives, however, the confidence he usually carries himself with is gone, and he trudges dejectedly to the ring, sliding under the bottom rope.
 
Remembering the overconfidence that cost him his last match in going for the finish too early, Sting is the exact opposite here, fighting timidly, using his greater size to keep Senshi from closing in on him, but not doing much more. Senshi slowly begins to boil over, and eventually looses his frustration, charging Sting, but bowling referee Andrew Thomas over in the process. Sting and Senshi roll to the outside in their brawl. Raven, steel chair in hand, stalks his way to ringside, just as Sting hurls Senshi into a guardrail. He turns around, spotting Raven standing behind him, wielding a chair. Raven hands the chair to Sting, who wails on Senshi, smashing him repeatedly against the barrier with it. Raven cheers him on, until Sting turns on him, cracking him across the head with the chair, drawing blood. Sting dives on his tormentor from here, pummelling him into the ground. Security rushes to take Sting away, as Raven lies in a bloody heap, laughing victoriously through the pain.
 
When the cameras switch from the disturbing visual of Raven laughing triumphantly, covered in blood, they change to Christian Cage backstage, the usual self assured smirk plastered over his face. It seems he hasn't said enough to AJ Styles, as he once again holds a microphone. When he speaks, it's with a faux friendly tone
 
"AJ! My man! I thought you might want to warm up for our little match that's coming up. Especially since it'll be your last for a year. I thought I'd let you get in the ring with my...problem solver, next week."
 
At the mention of "problem solver", a hulking bald man, covered in tattoos steps into the picture, arms folded menacingly.
 
Christian continues, with the reason for his even higher degrees of self confidence fairly evident.
 
"Next week, Tyson Tomko will give you the beating of your life. Well, aside from the one I'll give you just three days later, of course..."
 
The show's main even between Joe and Vampiro sees the Vampiric One engage in his usual attempts at intimidation. Joe stares, blank faced throughout the proceedings, breaking his stillness only to slap Vampiro across the face when Vampiro goes nose to nose with the Samoan Submission Machine. Vampiro returns the gesture, which is the only piece of offence he gets in during the match, as from here, Joe smashes Vampiro from one end of the ring to the next, before sending him outside for the same treatment. The brutality stops only when Abyss storms to the ring, changing Joe's attention. The two make an instant beeline for each other, as security, referees and road agents fill up the entrance ramp, fighting to keep the two monsters apart as iMPACT draws to a close...
 
February 8th, 2007: TNA iMPACT
 
The focus as iMPACT opens up tonight is once again on the battle between Angle and Puder, as the two stand in the ring, glaring daggers at each other. Both are dressed in suits for the event. Puder steps up to the scales, and Jeremy Borash calls the weight as 235 lb. Puder steps off the scale, gesturing casually with one arm for Angle to step onto the scales himself. Angle does so, never taking his eyes off of Puder as he does. The announcement comes in at 240 lb, and Tenay and West debate, unable to come to a decision about whether this is an advantage, or a disadvantage for Angle. As Angle steps off the scales, he goes nose to nose with Puder, and the two look ready to fight, before turning tensely to sign the contracts for the fight that Sunday, postponing business until then.
 
Before the main event of the night, the camera inside Cornette's office picks up a meeting between him and Samoa Joe. Cornette is his usual furious self
 
"For the love of god, Joe! You kidnapped a manager, not that I care much for the creep myself, I'll admit. But you can't wreak havoc all over this company. And what's worse, is that you've given Abyss free reign to do just the same! It' god-damn chaos, Joe! And what are you going to do about it?"
 
Joe is calm and steely, marking an immediate contrast to Cornette.
 
"Make my match with Abyss no-DQ. Let me and him tear each other apart, rather than this company."
 
Cornette pauses for a second, before replying
 
"You know what, Joe? I think you might just be the only son of a bitch crazy enough to request a no-DQ match with Abyss. Go ahead, it's yours. Maybe one of you will beat some god-damned sense into the other."
 
Joe stands to leave, and as he opens the door into the corridor, a hand grabs him, pulling him into the corridor. The cameras quickly pan to show Abyss using the element of surprise to pound Samoa Joe into the ground. Once again, Security, Referees and Road Agents rush in, pulling Abyss away from the unusual sight of a downed Samoa Joe.
 
Tyson Tomko makes his TNA debut in the ring next, using his size and power to keep AJ Styles briefly in check, before Styles is able to start to build some momentum of his own, quickly proving to be too much for Tomko to handle. It's at this point that Christian Cage makes his way to ringside to interject himself in the match. Spotting the approach of his rival, Styles quickly hits the ropes, and hurtles over the top rope, smashing into Christian with a corkscrew plancha that popped the crowd. Styles rolls back into the ring, just as Tomko regains his feet. Styles keeps on the attack, kicking Tomko in the gut, and delivering a picture perfect Styles Clash for the three count.
 
Before iMPACT fades to black, however, the cameras go to a strange room, with Raven sitting hunched on a crate. He looks up at the camera, and begins to talk in an almost reverent manner.
 
"In three days time, the journey of a decade will complete. It will have been over ten years since Sting first descended from his lofty heights, adorned in the guise of a crow. Well, this Raven recognises the fellow carrion creature. He knows you for what you are, just like me: A creature of darkness. And on that day, when you first descended from the rafters, I thought you had accepted your descent to my level. But no, you continued to fight for those same "virtues", those same lies. But I knew the day would come that you would accept your place with the night, with the shadows, with the Raven. And this Sunday, ten years of destiny will culminate, and you will transcend to a new plane of being. And I will be there to guide you to the promised land, your anti-hero, your rejected messiah, your Raven. Quoth The Raven, Nevermore."
 
With this, Raven stands, and stalks back into the dark, as the cameras finally fade to back.
 
February 11th, 2007: TNA Against All Odds
 
After an undercard of the usual high impact wrestling and car crash booking, the maincard starts off with Sting vs Raven in a Raven's Rules match. Sting descends from the rafters looking solemn, determined to rid his life of Raven, and get his stalling career back on track. He forgoes pacing, or playing to the crowd at all, and stands in a corner, signature baseball bat at his feet, awaiting the arrival of his enemy.
 
When Raven arrives, it's in an unorthodox way. Rather than the descent from above of Sting, Raven  rises on a platform up to the ramp, before taking his time reaching the ring, allowing Sting and the fans to get a good look at his face, painted all black, with white markings in the same place as Sting's black markings stand. Raven seems resolute that the darkness in Sting be acknowledged, and if Sting won't do it himself, he may as well stand as a representation of it.
 
Sting outwrestles Raven in the early goings, using fairly low impact moves, but keeping in control of the match, until a Raven low blow turns things around. Sting soon finds himself under attack with all manner of weaponry, climaxing when he is brought outside to receive a russian leg sweep into the guardrail, followed closely by a piledriver on the outside. Raven roughly tosses Sting into the ring, and fetches a table from under the ring, sliding it in, and taking the time to set it up. He takes too long doing this, however, and Sting is able to reach his trusty baseball bat, which he brings crashing down on Raven's back. Sting pushes Raven onto the table he had set up, before ascending the turnbuckles to splash both him and his opponent through it. This desperation act was sadly not enough to earn him the victory, as Raven is able to kick out at two. When both men regain their feet, they trade shots amongst the wreckage of the table, Sting gaining the advantage, and whipping Raven across the ring, only to have it reversed, and take a drop toe hold into a chair. Raven then drags Sting's limp form up by the head, and drops him roughly with the Evenflow DDT. Raven rolls his left arm exhaustedly across the prone form of Sting, the lacklustre cover not enough to keep the icon down. Raven slowly sits up, and starts hurling abuse at Andrew Thomas, who he feels was slow in his count.
 
While Raven is arguing his case, Sting is crawling towards his goal, his salvation, his aluminium bat. His fingers outstretched, he makes contact, pulling it close to him as though it were something or someone very dear to him. Fighting from his back, not yet recovered enough to find his feet, he swings violently at Raven's right leg, causing him to drop in pain, and stare in shock at Sting. The fear in Raven's eyes seems to drive Sting up to his feet, and as soon as he is standing over Raven, he is delivering shot after shot to the legs with the bat, demolishing them in animalistic fury. He yanks Raven to the centre of the ring, where escape is not an option, before locking in his patented hold for the second time. The visual of Raven, paint partially worn from his face, screaming in pain is mirrored by the rage filled screams of Sting, his face likewise a patchwork of flesh and paint.  There is no escape for Raven this time, who screams in anguish as his hands repeatedly slap the mat. Sting celebration of his victory is initially joined in by West and Tenay at commentary, before Tenay brings up in a concerned tone that Sting may have inadvertantly proven Raven right about the darkness in his heart with that vicious onslaught. 
 
The six sides of steel descend onto the ring, setting the scene for Kurt Angle vs Daniel Puder. Angle makes his way out, wrapped as ever in the American flag, looking calm and determined. The look of calmness dissapears, however, when Puder, bearing a sign that reads "I Hurt Kurt", cockily swaggers his way to the cage.
Angle and Puder each are assigned a corner by "Slick" Mark Johnson, while Jeremy Borash goes over the rules for the fans. There will be no ropebreaks, the fight can end only in knockout, submission or referee stoppage, and closed fist strikes are legal.
 
Angle and Puder move carefully around each other, sizing the other up. Angle is almost squatting in an amateur wrestling stance, keeping his centre of gravity low, while Puder has a boxer's guard up. The boxing is the first to come into play, as Puder keeps Angle at bay with jabs, some of which connect. Angle learns the rhythm, however, and goes under a jab, sweeping Puder to the ground.
The two engage in a quick chain wrestling sequence from here, with neither having an obvious advantage. Back on the feet, Puder's kicks come into play, staggering Angle each time he's hit. Angle manages to get inside one of them, however, and throws Puder over his head with a belly to belly suplex. He quickly turns around, and moves for Puder's ankle, which he seizes firm hold of, turning it over and grapevining the leg. Puder screams, and crawls away, but is unable to find a way out of the hold, eventually tapping furiously.
 
Kurt raises his arm triumphantly. Though the match itself was short, it was a hectic battle from start to finish, and looks to have taken a lot out of him. When Puder is able to stand, Angle extends a hand to him, and Puder shakes it, each having earned a grudging mutual respect for the other.
 
Another bout built on respect follows next, with Christian Cage feeling that he hasn't been given his dues in the company, while disrespecting the franchise of TNA, AJ Styles. AJ makes his way to the ring full of emotions, about what may be his final outing in what would be a long year for TNA fans, and an eternity for AJ Styles, who lives to wrestle. He throws his trademark ring jacket into the crowd, and stands on the top turnbuckle, staring deep into the sea of people, as tears well up in his eyes. The overwhelming emotions take a turn for the enraged when Christian Cage, accompanied by Tyson Tomko, makes his way to ringside.
 
Styles wastes no time, hurling himself over the top rope onto both antagonisers in a picture perfect three-quarter turn senton. From here, Styles props Christian up against the steel steps, and lands a kick hard against Cage's head, knocking it into the steel steps with a clanging sound. The crowd react loudly to it, prompting Styles to repeat the process several times. Unknown to him, however, Tyson Tomko is back on his feet behind Styles, a fact he's quick to alert Styles to, grabbing him by the back of the neck and ramming his head hard onto the apron, before irish whipping Styles into the turnbuckle. Styles doesn't go down, but instead is sent stumbling away from it, busted open before the match has even begun. With the match not officially started, Styles is at the whim of Tomko and Cage, who put this to good use, performing a con-chair-to on Styles, before high fiving. Things look grim for the firm fan favourite, who Tomko press slams into the ring, Earl Hebner starting the match officially.
 
The scene in the ring is eerily familiar to the last outing between this pair, at Turning Point, with an injured Styles at the mercy of Christian Cage. Considering the conclusion to that last bout, things do not bode well for the career of AJ Styles. Sensing this, Christian stalks Styles, pushing him down with his boot each time he attempts to regain his feet, toying with Styles. In underestimating Styles, however, he has made a huge mistake. His other mistake lay in enraging Styles further, as Styles kips up to deliver an incredible frankensteiner off his back. He then hits the ropes, rage and adrenaline pushing him on, as he charges into giving a running enzuiguri to Cage that leaves him staggering to the corner to regroup. Styles gives Cage no time to do such, rushing right into the corner, and hooking Cage's head for a Tornado DDT in one fluid motion, which earns him a two count when Cage gets his foot on the ropes. Sensing that his employer is in trouble, Tomko ascends the apron behind Styles, but Styles has him spottted from the corner of his eye, flipping over to pele kick Tomko off the apron. Tomko is not alone in receivership of kicks, as a spinning heel kick downs Christian again, giving Styles the requisite time to spring up to the top rope and perform a beautiful frog splash, that once again falls just short of keeping Christian down for three. Styles goes to the apron, waiting to hand out his innovative springboard forearm smash. As he leaps up for the start of the manoeuvre, however, Tomko grabs at his leg, pulling him down to a face first collision with the apron that looks to have knocked the young star out. With their hero lain face down outside the ring, seemingly oblivious to Earl Hebner's count, the TNA faithful attempt to revive him with a rousing chant of his name
 
"6...7..."
 
"A-J-STYLES! A-J-STYLES!"
 
"8..."
 
"A-J-STYLES! A-J-STYLES!"
 
AJ is groggily back to his feet, face covered in the proverbial crimson mask
 
"9..."
 
AJ re-enters the ring, Christian looking on in disbelief. He slaps AJ across the face, his hand coming back stained in blood from the contact. A fire awakens again in AJ, who throws a head butt, an uncharacteristically finesse-less move, which makes for a spectacular visual, as Christian's head is now stained in AJ's blood. Cage back pedals, desperately trying to escape, but is caught with a flurry of strikes. He is able to duck a superkick, however, and it finds a different target in Earl Hebner. No sooner has Hebner hit the ground than Tomko is in the ring, helping Christian. Styles fights valiantly against his two opponents, but the numbers game quickly wears him down. Tomko  leaves the ring, but due to an impulse to set up a table outside the ring, rather than any sudden rush of sportsmanship, and he soon re-enters, taking up a premature victory pose with his employer. Out to even things up is long time friend and ally of Styles, Christopher Daniels. The Fallen Angel springboards off the top rope for a tornado DDT that downs Tomko, as Christian stares open jawed. Shock at the easy dispatching of his henchman soon translates to anger. How dare Daniels get involved? A quick rush at Daniels is clumsy, however, and easily switched around into an Angel's Wings facebuster, keeping Christian down. Styles is back on his feet now, hugging Daniels in gratitude for the potential saving of his career from his sometimes rival, always friend. The two of them part from the embrace, and both look at the table set up outside the ring, then to Tomko, the saying "Great minds think alike" springing to mind.
 
Two men are enough to put Tomko in the unusual position of the one being manhandled, as he is dragged by the head towards the apron, and double suplexed from the ring, to the table on the outside, prompting the fans to chant "T-N-A!" in appreciation. Styles feels an obvious need to finish this on his own, shaking Daniel's hand, before asking the X division pioneer to leave. The playing field evened, Christian no longer looks so sure of victory as he groggily reaches his feet following the Angel's Wings. The two go back and forth, but Styles will not be denied his victory at last over Christian, and things soon turn in his favour, staying that way long enough for a Styles Clash to come into play, allowing Styles to pin Christian, the first time he, or anyone else in the company has managed such a feat. Styles is ecstatic in victory, having defeated his long time foe, broken his recent streak of big match losses, and kept his career alive, all in one outing. Styles jumps the guardrail, sharing in the excitement of the moment with the enthusiastic fans.
 
Anticipation is at fever pitch for the first ever meeting between TNA's resident monsters, Abyss and Samoa Joe. With no disqualifications, and the title on the line, as well as the right for the winner to call themselves the most dominant man in TNA, this has big fight feel written all over it. After Jeremy Borash announces the match, he dives from the ring, not wanting to get caught in the cross fire between these two giants.
 
The two rush towards each other as soon as the bell rings, and Joe's strikes buy him the early advantage, using his mix of speed and power to overwhelm Abyss, the power of them eventuall sending him outside, where Joe hurls himself onto Abyss wit a twisting suicide dive. Abyss laying down next to the apron, however, gives him ample chance to seek a weapon under the ring, which he uses to turn the tide,  smashing the chair across Joe's skull. From here, Joe is violently tossed around, with Abyss making use of the chair and the ringside environment to keep in control, the high spot of which sees him pin Joe's head against the ringpost, and deliver a thunderous chairshot, sandwiching his skull between the two steel objects.  Joe is tossed into the ring, but kicks out at two, refusing to be denied the title so early.
 
Abyss opts to throw his weight around literally, as after tossing Joe into the corner, he charges in for an avalanche splash himself, only for Joe to catch him with a Uranage, the force of which brings Joe to his knees himself. Abyss sits up dramatically, a sight which usually inspires fear, but represents only opportunity to Joe, who chops Abyss across the back, kicks him in the chest, downing him again, and finally delivers a big knee drop. Abyss is the draped into the bottom turnbuckle, and given repeated boots across the face, prompting songs of "Óle" from the crowd, before hitting the ropes to deliver the final running boot. Joe rolls from the ring, bringing a table in, and propping it a short while from the turnbuckles, before then retrieving the bag of thumbtacks that Abyss brought to the ring with him, pouring them all over the table. He moves back to the corner Abyss lies in, and hoists him onto the top of it, measuring him for a musclebuster. Moving Abyss's weight in this difficult way proves a struggle for Joe, which Abyss is able to use to hammer Joe across the back, doubling him over. Still sitting atop the ropes, Abyss grabs the hunched over Joe into a powerbomb position, and hurls him through the thumbtack covered table with a super-bomb. As he lays motionless amongst thumbtacks and broken table shards, Joe looks as close to losing the streak as he ever has, but somehow finds the strength to kick at 2.
 
Abyss runs his hands through his hair in shock, pacing the ring feverishly as Joe regains his feet. Joe staggers towards Abyss, throwing kicks. Abyss is able to grab the throat of Joe, however, going for a chokeslam. Joe plants a boot in Abyss's gut, and manages to powerbomb him. The bomb only earns him two, but he soon turns it over into a boston crab. Abyss shows exactly how much the title means to him when he crawls through the thumbtacks on his hands towards the ropes, eventually reaching them, forcing a break of the hold. A low blow earns Abyss a moment to pull tacks from his hands. He grabs a shard of table, smashing it across Joe's skull, turning him around with the force of it. With Joe's back to Abyss, he scoops him up for a Shock Treatment, but Joe is somehow able to float over on it, pulling Abyss back as he locks his arms around the neck of Abyss, locking in the clutch to choke Abyss out, and finally earn his NWA World Heavyweight Championship.
 
As he celebrates, one question is raised by Tenay. With Joe holding the belts now, could the stakes possibly get higher when Angle and him decide to see who the better man really is...

The End