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Triple Threat Match
Crimson v. Matt Morgan v. Samoa Joe
This match is all about Samoa Joe. For the past three years, dating all the way back to Bound for Glory 2008 when he lost the TNA World Heavyweight Championship, Joe has been a listless flaccid weak competitor. He has had some flashes of brilliance along the way but for the most part he has lost far too many matches than a man of his talent and skill dictate. Never was this made so evident than during the Bound for Glory Series. Reading the list of competitors in the competition Joe should have had some easy wins against guys like D-Von, Gunner or Scott Steiner and should have been able to gut out some wins against the likes of AJ Styles, Bobby Roode and The Pope, but when the Bound for Glory Series ended Joe had zero points.
A guy as talented as Joe should have been among the best not dead last. Because of all this Joe got angry and started to eliminate the competition. Is this a glimpse of that old fire Joe had in 2008 or is this just a temper tantrum from a baby that is realizing that he’s no longer good enough to hang with the upper echelon of the business? It is tough to tell but Matt Morgan, a perennial contender, and Crimson, a dominant rookie, may bring out the best in Joe, but will Joe answer the call? Just as in the four way Knockouts match, multi-man matches are more a matter of luck than talent.
So let’s look at each man’s greatest asset. Crimson’s biggest asset is his belief that he cannot be defeated and anger at Joe. Morgan’s biggest asset is his God given abilities, size strength, speed and intelligence. Joe’s biggest asset is his big match experience as well and his anger at getting his spot usurped. In the end a triple threat is all about keeping a level head and I think in this match Morgan has the level head.
Winner: Matt Morgan
TNA X-Division Championship Match
-Austin Aries (c) v. Brian Kendrick
The Wizard of Odd looks to regain his X-Division Championship from the greatest man that ever lived. This match is fairly cut and dry, Austin Aries and Brian Kendrick are so evenly matched that it becomes fairly difficult to pick a favorite. Obviously A Double has a win on Kendrick but that doesn’t mean that Kendrick couldn’t have easily won that match. Aries is a little bigger than Kendrick, but Kendrick has more speed. Aries is a little bit stronger than Kendrick, but Kendrick is more unpredictable. Aries will do anything to win, but Kendrick believes the X-Division is his destiny and for a guy as out there as Kendrick destiny means a lot more to him than to others.
This match really comes down to who is having the better night, but as a prognosticator I cannot actually make a true prediction as to who will have a better night so all I can go with is what I think will be the X-factor for the X-division. The x-factor is, not to mince any words, Austin Aries’ willingness to cheat to win. These guys are so closely matched that I think Aries’ willingness to do anything will allow him to retain.
Winner: Austin Aries
Full Metal Mayhem Match
-Jerry Lynn v. Rob Van Dam
It’s amazing how a match that will most likely be the best match of the night it is also the match with the least amount of question as so who will win. Does anyone actually believe that Jerry Lynn will win this match? Has Jerry Lynn ever beat Rob Van Dam in a big match? If he has I cannot remember. The astounding thing about that stat is because Jerry Lynn is actually fairly well matched to Rob Van Dam. The two of them are as close as A is to B as far as talent is concerned but it always seems RVD gets the upper hand.
And Sunday night is going to be no different. When dealing with two competitors that have faced each other you have to wonder what is different this time than the others. One thing that is different this time is that Jerry Lynn essentially egged RVD into this match by screwing him from wining the BFG series. For the first time in their rivalry Jerry Lynn is wrestling for more than just pride or out of competition. Lynn is wrestling to make RVD pay for what he perceives as holding him in his shadow. RVD is also angry at Lynn for costing him a TNA World Heavyweight Championship match. The emotion in this match is essentially a wash.
The only other new factor for this match that has occurred many times before is that this will be a Full Metal Mayhem match which is basically just a glorified ladder match. Lynn and RVD have experience in ladder matches but RVD has great success in ladder matches winning Money in the Bank and the Intercontinental Championship twice in ladder matches. The ladder match also favors RVD. This is a storied rivalry that RVD has dominated and it has only gotten worse for Lynn because the match the two of them will wrestle in greatly favors Rob Van Dam.
Winner: Rob Van Dam
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