Live TNA Victory Road PPV Notes: Returns, Debuts & A 3 Title Main Event

Please credit Alan J. Wojcik of http://alanwojcik.com if used, thank you.

These are live notes from the TNA Wrestling Victory Road 2007 PPV where someone will walk out of the main event with two championship belts. Jeff Jarrett was in attendance and it was great to see him with a smile on his face. As was Fighting Spirit Pro Wrestling star George Rodriguez and “M-Dogg 20” Matt Cross.



For the Impact Zone fans only, they saw Serotonin members Havok & Martyr defeat Akira Reijin & Gote (apologies on the misspelling of the New Japan names.)



(1) In an Ultimate X gauntlet match to name a new #1 contender, “Fallen Angel” Christopher Daniels defeated Frankie “the Future” Kazarian, “Prime Time” Elix Skipper, Puma, Black Machismo” Jay Lethal, “the Guru” Sonjay Dutt, “Notorious 187” Homicide, Shark Boy, Senshi and Petey Williams.

If you need any additional reason to buy this PPV on replay this match is the reason. With so much action going on, it is hard to make a coherent recap. Penzer said the rules were 2 matches in one: it opened as battle royal gauntlet with a new person every minute. They can be eliminated battle royal style. When all 10 enter the Ultimate X match begins. The order of entry in the gauntlet and who eliminated them: (1) Daniels (2) Jay Lethal (3) Puma (eliminated by Williams) (4) Homicide (5) Sonjay Dutt (eliminated by Skipper) (6) Petey Williams (eliminated by Homicide) (7) Shark Boy (eliminated by Skipper) (8)Elix Skipper (9)Frankie Kazarian (10) Senshi. The move of the match saw Kazarian bring Daniels off the X with an Acecrusher to the mat below. He was followed by a five person tower of doom. Kazarian and Skipper fought onto the top of the monkey bar like apparatus but fell down as they tried to get the X. Kazarian fought with Homicide on the top corner and Kazarian hit I think the Wave of the Future or Flux Capacitor. But as everyone fought below, Daniels used his arms & legs to bring down the X and with Daniels and Senshi, they reformed the dreaded XXX.



As the Ultimate X structure was taken down, Jeremy Borash spoke to Team 3D who seemed at odds over who was going to pin Kurt Angle to become TNA World Heavyweight champion or Samoa Joe to become X Division champion. Leticia Cline spoke to Samoa Joe about his chances considering his rivalry with Angle. He pretty much said Angle was in trouble. Leticia Cline spoke to VKM about who was their surprise against Christy Hemme.



(2) Voodoo Kin Mafia (Kip & BG James w/ Roxie LaVoe) defeated Basham & Damaja (w/Christy Hemme & Lance Hoyt).

This was a rematch from the previous two PPV’s and the extra addition was Hoyt being on the other side of the ring from VKM and Roxie LaVoe. Ms. LaVoe’s entry was not well received by the Pit people. Like the previous encounters, this was a hard hitting power based bout. VKM controlled it until Hoyt tripped up Kip and it distracted him long enough that Hemme slid into slap Kip but LaVoe joined her. Referee Earl Hebner told LaVoe to get out. But as that went on in the ring, Hoyt took BG to the floor and tossed him into the barricades. Basham/Damaja took over on BG for a while but he tagged out to a frustrated Kip who cleaned house. With the referee busy Hoyt tossed a chair in the ring and Kip picked it up. But Hoyt came in and kicked the chair into his face, tossing Damaja on top but not getting the win. As Hebner put things in order, BG came in and hit Damaja with the chair and the match ended. Afterwards LaVoe got her hands on Hemme and the fans rejoiced.



Jeremy Borash spoke to TNA/IWGP Heavyweight champion Kurt Angle about his role in the main event. Needles to say Angle’s confidence oozed all over the place. A video recap of the Storm-Rhino alcohol induced feud was recapped.



(3) “Tennessee Cowboy” James Storm (w/Jacqueline Moore) defeated “War Machine” Rhino.

Before the opening bell Rudy Charles evicted Ms. Moore from ringside. As Storm argued with Rudy, Rhino jumped him from behind and beat him around the ring and into the fans. Rhino used everything he could grab as a weapon including bottles and the Impact Zone walls. When the action came back to ringside, Storm got in some punches to the ribs. Finally Rudy rang the bell to officially begin the match and the Rhino butt kicking contest continued until Storm tossed Rhino from the top rope to the floor. Storm brought Rhino back to the ring where the trash talking began as the kicks were delivered to the ribs. Storm took Rhino to the mat with a rear chinlock. But rhino fought up to his feet so Storm used the rope momentum to toss Rhino out again. Storm tossed Rhino back in the ring but got two. Storm went back to the rear chinlock and Rhino fought out again. But this time Rhino hit two clotheslines and a corner spear. Storm stopped the momentum again and got two. Storm slid to the floor and got his trusty beer bottle but Charles talked him out of using it. Storm went up top but Rhino caught him and hit a superplex for two. Rhino went for a running forearm but hit Rudy Charles instead of Storm. Storm went for a superkick but Rhino caught him and hit a belly to belly suplex. This usually sets up the GORE but instead it set up Storm shattering the bottle on Rhino’s head. Charles counted the pin and Storm tied up Rhino as Ms. Moore brought down a mini-keg to shoot into Rhino’s face. Some Polaroids were taken for posterity sake as Storm also laid in the chair shots to the helpless Rhino’s head.



Leticia Cline talked to Jerry Lynn & Mr. Bob Backlund about their match with the Motor City Machine Guns.



(4) Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley & “the Future” Chris Sabin w/ Kevin Nash) defeated Jerry Lynn & Mr. Bob Backlund.

Sabin and Backlund were going to begin the match when Backlund bailed to the floor for some reason, only to return and lock up with the former X Division champion. Sabin locked in a full Nelson but Backlund fought out of it and reversed it. Sabin went to the ropes for salvation and both men tagged out.

Shelley and Lynn traded armdrags but Lynn got control, even as Shelley tagged Sabin back in. the Guns had some miscommunication but that ended when Shelley hit Lynn with an STO. The Guns took turns beating up Lynn and posing for the cameras while Nash called out things for them to use on Lynn. Shelley took off his belt and tossed it on the mat so the referee wouldn’t see the tag out to Backlund and it worked like a charm. Backlund came in and went bezerk on the Guns. But as Andrew Thomas put Backlund in his corner, Nash came in and kicked Lynn in the face. This set up the Guns and a series of kicks to Lynn’s head.



Jeremy Borash followed Kurt Angle backstage as he was looking for backup. They ran into Jay Lethal who went all “Macho Man” on Angle’s request to watch his back. Angle grew frustrated trying to understand the Machismo Lethal was spurting out and tossed Lethal all over the restroom. We saw a video package reminding people how we got to this mixed tag team match.



(5) “Showtime” Eric Young & Gail Kim defeated Robert Roode & Ms. Brooks.

Roode &Young picked up where they left off at Slammiversary, fast paced action with Kim & Brooks joining. Roode bailed to the floor and young followed with a tope. Brooks went to check on her man when Kim followed with a tope of her own. Young’s in ring momentum was killed by Brooks who tripped him up and dragged him crotch first into the nearest ring post. Roode & Brooks tried to wear down young but they didn’t get the job done as he tagged out to Kim who hit both of them with huricuranas. All four got involved and Kim hit Brooks with a missile dropkick. Roode save her from a pin but dropped an elbow on Brooks. Young sent Roode to the floor and Kim pinned Brooks. After the match Rood threw a fit, tossing the ring steps and blamed Brooks for the loss. As Roode told Brooks to hit the bricks Eric Young snuck in the ring and pulled down Roode’s tights, showing us all how rude Bobby Roode is.



Jeremy Borash spoke to “The Instant Classic” Christian Cage, “Phenomenal” AJ Styles and Tomko about their matches. They were interrupted by Kurt Angle who tried to make a deal with Cage and friends. They declined and left, as “the Guru” Sonjay Dutt came asking for donations to a charity. Angle decided to donate by hitting Dutt in the head with his own tambourine.



“Wildcat” Chris Harris spoke about his five year journey in TNA Wrestling and breaking the glass ceiling tonight against Christian Cage. The package was interrupted by Cage boasting about his own background in TNA.



(6) “The Instant Classic” Christian Cage defeated “Wildcat” Chris Harris.

Cage seemed to overlook the past of Harris, the multi-time World Tag Team champion and his part in high profile matches in his tenure in TNA. Harris went to work on Cage with kicks and a suplex that lasted about 20 seconds before Harris dropped Cage. Cage bailed to the floor so Harris followed out and the two fought until Harris backdropped Cage on the rampway. Back in the ring Cage dragged Harris to a corner and drove his crotch into the post. Cage went to the second rope and hit a European forearm to the jaw for two. Cage locked in an abdominal stretch but Harris refused to submit. Cage released the hold and tossed Harris to the floor. Cage went to use a chair but Rudy Charles took the chair away. Harris tossed Cage into he ring steps but when the action came back to the ring Cage took over. That stopped when Cage slapped Harris and it made him mad. Harris hit a series of moves but Cage tossed him to the floor, only to see Harris go up top and hit a bodyblock for two. Cage went for a pin with his feet on the topes but Harris kicked out. Cage blocked a superplex and hit a sitout facebuster for two. Harris got to his feet and his Catatonic was blocked as was the Unprettier which Harris reversed into an Unprettier of his own. Cage went for a move but hit with a spear for two. Cage floated over and Harris speared the ring post. Cage hit the Unprettier but Harris kicked out. The top buckle got split open and Cage went to toss Harris into it but Cage hit it and was hit by a full nelson slam for two. As Cage went to win the match, DUSTIN RHODES appeared on the rampway. With Cage in shock Harris rolled up Cage for two and Cage got to his feet, signaling for Tomko. Harris went for the Catatonic; Rhodes used Harris’ own handcuffs to the back to allow Cage to win via pinfall.



After a video package, Jeremy Borash spoke to Sting & Abyss about their match.



(7) Sting & Abyss defeated “Phenomenal” AJ Styles and Tomko.

These four men just don’t like each other and it showed throughout the match. Abyss and Styles started out and it was like old times, Styles trying to rock Abyss with punches and those punches having zero effect. Abyss hit a backbreaker but Styles got away and tagged in Tomko who showed last month in Nashville he isn’t afraid of Abyss. They went head to head with punches until Sting tagged in. Styles & Tomko went to double splash Sting but Tomko ended up getting splashed and then both men were hit with Stinger Splashes before Abyss tagged back in. Abyss caught Styles in mid air and went for the Styles Clash but Tomko kicked him in the face. The duo fought on the floor and back to the ring where Tomko kept control of the bout. Styles & Tomko had some good chemistry as they beat down Abyss but it didn’t last long and the monster tagged out to Sting who sent Tomko to the floor where abyss met him. Sting and Styles fought as Abyss went up top but Styles did or harm than good as he dropkicked Abyss into Tomko. Styles and Sting soon followed with planchas of their own. Sting used a chair on Tomko and took Styles back to the ring going for the Scorpion Deathlock but Styles hit a Pele kick for two. Tomko tagged in and hit Sting with a throwaway slam for two. Styles tagged in and locked Sting in a chinlock, but as Sting got to his feet he was hit with a dropkick for two. Styles placed Sting on the top but his huricurana was blocked and Sting hit a move sending both men racing to their corners to tag out. Abyss became a one man wrecking crew and nearly won with a chokeslam but Styles saved Tomko. All four men got in and fought but Abyss hit Styles with Shock Treatment. Tomko came in and hit Abyss with a double arm chokeslam but Sting locked Tomko in the Scorpion Deathlock but Andrew Thomas was busy with Styles. Tomko tapped out but the referee missed it. But he didn’t miss Abyss hitting Tomko with the Black Hole Slam to win. Father James Mitchell came on rampway and told the winners there were debts to be collected and he was the man to do it.



The “Machines” promo package played before the main event. Before Angle hit the ring, he tried to talk Serotonin into aiding him. When they refused he kicked the crap out of them.



(8) TNA/IWGP Heavyweight champion Kurt Angle & World X Division champion Samoa Joe defeated World Tag Team champions Team 3D (Ray and Devon) when Samoa Joe pinned Ray to win the TNA World Tag Team titles.

After the introductions Joe and Devon stared down before locking up. Joe got an armlock but Devon got out with a forearm to the face but Joe fired back with one of his own. Joe dragged Devon to a corner and tagged in Angle but Devon fought off Angle. Ray tagged in and after being armdragged and waistlocked, backed Angle to a corner for some chops. But Angle hit a German Suplex and tagged in Joe who hit several punches to the jaw. Devon tagged back in but Joe hit a series of moves into the senton for two. Angle tagged back in and hit Devon with a snap suplex for two. Joe kept the offense going with a series of shots to Devon’s upper body. Angle and Joe made several tags but couldn’t get the pinfall even as they took shots at Ray. Devon stopped Angle’s offense with a slam but Ray stopped the pinfall from going down. He tagged in and hit Joe with a Rock Bottom but Devon stopped the pinfall from going down. Team 3D had a little argument and Ray left Devon in the ring. But he came back to help Devon double team Joe & Angle while calling for a truce. 3D went back to work dissecting Joe as Angle tried to aid his partner, but did more damage than aid. Somehow Joe survived this onslaught and hit Devon with a top rope knee to the face before tagging out to no one as Ray sent Angle to the floor. Joe avoided a 3D double team move and tagged in Angle who was on fire (Dan Patrick Style) but Devon saved Ray from the Olympic Slam. Devon went up top for the Wassup but Joe dropped him on the buckle and Angle hit a belly to belly for two. All kinds of moves were used on each other but Angle hit Devon with a moonsault for two. Ray called for the tables but Angle & Joe locked 3D in ankle locks. Ray got out and they hit Angle with a 3D but Rick Steiner came out and ended that pin attempt. As 3D looked for revenge on Rick, Scott Steiner attacked Ray with the lead pipe. Confusion ensued but Joe got the win and the tag titles. Guess we will find out on Impact who Samoa Joe will pick for a partner or if he will relinquish the belts.



After the PPV went off the air Team 3D said the reason they lost the titles was because of the fans, who they told could kiss their asses. Jeremy Borash interviewed Tenay & West for TNA Today.