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Morning, gents. I don't know if you're printing reader responses, but here goes anyway.
Best Match: Angle vs Wolfe. Worst match: 3 way tag team bout. Thumbs WAY up for the show as a whole.
1) Amazing Red vs Homicide. This was my first TNA PPV, and my buddy who bought it has never seen a TNA PPV, or a ROH PPV. He's lived on a steady diet of WWE. By the time Red pinned Homicide with a Code Red, my friend was in awe. Great opening match. ***1/2
2)Sarita, Wilde, ODB vs Beautiful People. The only was I could talk him out of FFW this bout was telling him how hot some of the ladies were. When the Beautiful People came out, they turned around and bent over. The camera then focused on the ramp, then came back to the booties, er beauties, way too late. You idiots!! Anyway, match wasn't quite as bad as I'd expected. They did a great job of keeping Lacey on the ring apron. Sign in front: Lacey Von Botch. ODB pinned Madison. *1/2
A Desmond Wolfe promo followed, and he was great. Bow to the Howl!
3) British Invasion vs Motor City Machine Guns vs Beer Money. Midway through this match, I was worried Marc would be asleep. Nope, he's somehow riveted. Man, he really has seen too much WWE! OK match, nothing to get worked up about, thanks to the participants. The Guns are probably the best-working team here. B.M. is so over! I'm not sure why. I've seen the beer-swilling, devil-may-care character done before, much better. Kevin Nash came out and looked like he would nail EY, instead he bashed Storm over the head with the Legends Belt. Wha? It's ok, at least it added a little interest to this match. **
4)Tara vs Awesome Kong in a cage. After missing a few minor spots early, the ladies got warmed up and put on a great match. By the way, spectactular crowd. My buddy Marc was blown away-he's only seen wrestling in cavernous arenas, impersonal and detached, just the way Vince likes it. Some tremendous spots, including Kong swinging Tara headfirst into the cage, and some top rope brawling. Kong with a dropkick off the top rope! Wow. One of the better ladies matches I've seen in a while. Tara got the dramatic pin, and immediately started crying with joy. Terrific acting, fun stuff. ***1/2
Around this time, Kevin Nash was interviewed by Borash. He kept cryptically saying that he'd explain why he did what he did when Hulk said it was ok. Borash said "Hulk?" "Yes, when Hulk gives me the go-ahead." Very strange stuff-let me guess, next week they'll bring in a midget and call him "Hulk".
5) Rhino and Team 3D vs D'Angelo Dinero, Hernandez, Matt Morgan. The theatrics of the wrestlers put all of WWE's pyrotechnics to shame. This is what happens when you compete with intensity. And intense is the word to describe the men. Bubba and Rhino were especially effective. A dynamite, back and forth brawl. Only the improving but still wooden Morgan brought it down a notch, but it didn't matter much. This crowd is really, really into this show. It makes the entire PPV better. Rhino gores Hernandez for the pin. ***1/2
6) Bobby Lashley vs Scott Steiner. Falls count anywhere, No DQ. The stips were added when? Works for me, as this has the potential to be the dud of the show. Wrong though. Both guys gave all; Steiner went suplex-crazy like it was 1989, and Lashley let him have his way. A freaking Frankensteiner! Omigod, how is he not crippled? Scott landed on his head, and it bent awkwardly. He jumped right up and continued. The men brawled out of the ring, and made their way very slowly through a corridor. Ah, that's why! Steiner bladed out of camera range. Good, the story behind this match and the stipulations demand someone to bleed. Both men got into some scary spots, suplexing and tossing each other onto tables and into big pieces of wood. Instead of just leaving us to wonder why all this crap just happened to be there, Tazz wisely slid in that "they must be building a set or something, that's why that stuff is there." I love that! Tazz is awesome tonight, the best I've ever heard him. Of course, no one's talking nonstop into his earpiece, also. The guys brawl their way back to the front of the stage, and there's a platform behind the spanish announce team. Steiner starts pulling it apart, takes a metal pipe and nails Lashley with it, in a good looking spot. Steiner with the pin! Wow, shocking result to me. Now what do they do? Maybe Mrs. Lashley can be Scott's valet, let's get that going again! I miss Missy Hyatt. ***
7)Kurt Angle vs Desmond Wolfe. A classic. This is the reason my friend and I got this PPV, and it delivers in spades. Angle is always dynamic, but the crowd has never seen anyone like Wolfe. The audience goes crazy for both guys, as they deliver one awesome looking suplex, submission hold, and power spots after another. The last 5 minutes or so was almost all submission maneuvers, and they faked me out a half dozen times. "This is Awesome" chants. Sure is. Finally Kurt gets Wolfe in an MMA-style submission hold, and the Brit finally taps. I thought they'd have Angle put him over, and in a way they did. There's not a person who likes this business who wouldn't want to see these 2 go at it again. Match of the year candidate. ****1/2
8) AJ Styles vs Samoa Joe vs Daniels. How can they top that last bout? They almost do. All 3 men are dynamic, practically no flubs at all, just a smooth, fluid, stiff as hell classic. As good as the 2005 match, in my opinion. AJ even does the Fosbury Flop, and later gets the pinfall win with a 450 springboard on Joe. My God, what a dynamite PPV. Doesn't Vince Russo book here? What's going on? No run-ins at all. The only swerve was Nash's brief appearance. They focused on mat wrestling, intensity, and focus. If this is how they're booking and performing now, I'm a loyal customer as of now. Yet another match of the year candidate. ****1/2
Fantastic PPV, the best from top to bottom I've seen in a while, at least from TNA or WWE.
Derek Hamel
Tulsa, OK | Hi Dave, Thumbs in the middle Best Fight: Matt Brown vs James Wilks Worst Fight: Randy Couture vs Brandon Vera Show was fine for a free event, but not much that I'll remember by the end of the month if not sooner. Far from a must see event. Probably not the kind of event that UFC was hoping as there would have been little word of mouth saying it would be worth skipping the Cotto/Pacquiao fight with this UFC. Rishi Malhotra Toronto | | Thumbs Way Up Best Match: Angle vs. Wolfe Worst Match: Beautiful People vs. Taylor, Sarita & ODB Great show, two main events that made the entire show worth it. I just wish TNA success going forward, as bringing in Hogan is a huge risk/reward deal. We shall see, but this may be their best show of 2009. Lashley must be sgning with Strikeforce the way he was jobbed clean, don't you think? Michael Barton Monticello, NY | Thumbs up Best match: Styles/Daniels/Joe Worst match: Tara/Kong Favorite crowd chants: "You can't wrestle" to Lacey and "Screw Hulk Hogan" Descent show that was carried by the final two matches which I loved. I was very impressed with Desmond in his PPV debut. Wasn't exactly sure how the match would turn out based on the TV build up, but I should have known Angle can pull off anything. Both guys worked hard and had me on the edge of my seat. Great finish.I Really enjoyed the main event. Total Nonstop Action, indeed. As for the rest of the show, not bad, but certainly not great. I thought the tag title match was really starting to build into something exciting, but that was all ruined by the whole Eric Young/Nash bullshit. Wasn't a fan of Red or Homicide. Homicide looked like he just didn't give a shit. The six woman tag was better than expected. A fun little match. What is the overall plan for Lashley? He goes over one of the main eventers for this show last month and then loses to a man ten years past his prime this month. I'm lost. Overall, I don't regret buying it and recommend the replay for the last two matches. Thanks, Jeremy Chapman Pulaski, TN TNA Turning Point
Thumbs Up
Best Match: Styles v Joe v Daniels
Worst Match: Sarita/Taylor Wilde/ODB v Beautiful People
Joe v Daniels v Styles beat their 2005 match. And where will it go? Probably nowhere, based on the lame duck booking committee until January.
Amazing how they can "lose" Sting, Foley, Booker, and Abyss and have their best show of the year, even with two ladies matches.
Angle is helping to "make" stars, but what will TNA do with them? Morgan gets buried in a six-man match (where his team loses). Now Nigel/Desmond loses on his first big show - and they might just stick him right into World Elite so he becomes invisible.
TNA needs to move Lacey to either a complete ringside role or put her only on edited TV shows, where they can remove the "You Can't Wrestle" chants. Lacey may be flaky, but she realizes she needs to market herself as frantically as possible. After every PPV, she is auctioning off her outfits and gear on ebay. I'm sure some private investors are bidding for the undergarments as well.
Jeff Cohen
Flushing, NY Dave
TNA Turning Point 2009: Thumbs Up
Best Match: Hands down Desmond Wolfe vs. Kurt Angle
Worst Match: ODB/Sarita & Taylor Wilde vs Beautiful People
Overall, this was a great great card. The best matches were given time to tell a story and the weaker matches were quick, painless and will be quickly forgotten about afterwards. If TNA could make their PPV's this good every month, then WWE would have no choice but to move forward and not give us the same old same old
Amazing Red vs. Homicide for the X-Division Title
I enjoy the idea of keeping Don West as an online character in some part but I am wondering whether or not he is somewhat miked when he goes out there. I am finding him at times irritating in long matches with his yelling of encouragement, akthough he is good at getting the crowd fired up
A really good match that was fast paced and exciting and get your blood pumping and excited for the Pay Per View
ODB, Sarita & Taylor Wilde vs. Beautiful People for the women's titles
This makes the 3rd Pay Per View to have Taylor Wilde and Sarita vs. Beautiful People and it was short and sweet. I am not surprised by the winner of the match but am getting seriously concerned about the apparent lack of tag teams for Sarita and Wilde to feud with
British Invasion vs. Motor City Machine Guns vs. Beer Money for the TNA World Tag Team Titles
After last Thursday's Impact, I start this match wondering why do they need Beer Money in this match since I think the MCMG and British Invasion could have a good feud on their own.
I have to admit to not being a fan of these 3-way Tag team matches as I just never got the feeling that it works to do this with traditional tag team rules
Were the Motor City Machine Guns even in this match?? I know they were there for a little bit of offense, but why make them the #1 contenders and treat them as an afterthought
Thank God for Eric Young and Kevin Nash's appearances to take away from a good match by focusing on them for the home crowd
Tara vs. Awesome Kong in the 6 Sides of Steel
This match was really good and you got to hear things that you thought you would probably never hear like "Awesome Kong just hit the missle dropkick" or "Tara just powerbombed Awesome Kong"
It seems like Kong was hurt or shaken up pretty good by what seems to be a Lou Thesz press off the top of the cage that just looked bad
Team 3-D & Rhyno vs. Hernandez, Matt Morgan and "The Pope" D'angelo Dinero
This storyline concerns me as ever since Rhyno started talking about the Young Guns wanting the big names out of the picture, I am having horrible, horrible flashbacks from WCW's New Blood vs. Millionaire's Club feud being rehashed.
Another really good match and proving a few things. #1 - Team 3-D works better as heels then they do as faces. #2 - As good as Hernandez and Morgan are becoming and as over they are with the crowd, they did not look as good as Dinero did. The crowd was so into him I felt like Dinero was the big star of the face team
Overall, with the teasing of Dinero turning on his partners, the right team came up on top in this match
Scott Steiner vs. Bobby Lashley - No DQ / Falls Count Anywhere
This match was just a mess. Steiner is past his prime and you can tell he is in pain when he walks and Lashley looks like he is wrestling conservatively and cautiously to protect himself for his MMA career. It also seems what the comment that Lashley would leave TNA if the right MMA offer from Strikeforve came through, looks like he may be used less as a unstoppable force and more like a way to potentially make TNA talent look tougher. If the Strikeforce deal isn't there then I think TNA is sending a message about how they will use someone who openly says they would leave TNA
Kurt Angle vs. Desmond Wolfe
This was definitely the match of the night and was absolutelt incredible. Wolfe and Angle worked brillantly together and I can honestly say that after 30 years, this is one of those matches that is truly worth the price of the Pay-per-view and can only hope that this is not the end of these 2 in the ring together.
AJ Styles vs. Samoa Joe vs. Daniels for the TNA World Heavyweight Title
40 minutes left going into the main event is a great sign that this match should tell a great story
Another match that is worth the price of the Pay-per-view. Even with 40 minutes, this is one of those matches that you would love to see go a full hour or more is possible
The one nice thing to see was that TNA finally made AJ Styles look like a credible World Champion and these 3 easily put on the kind of match that the upcoming Survivor Series could only hope for
Mark Hutton
Fulton, NY Turning Point
Thumbs up
Best Match: Styles vs Joe vs Daniels
Honorable mention: Angle vs. Wolfe
Worst Bout: 6 women tag.
A very good wrestling PPV, only thing that sucked was the angle with Nash, which made no sense, other that than, everyone seemed to work really hard and every match was good to incredible.
Mike Malasev
UFC 105 Feedback
Thumbs Up
Best fight: Michael Bisping v. Dennis Kang
Worst fight:None
I don't have much to say about the show, it was fun to watch and definitely great as a free show. Bisping was a lot of fun to watch and he seemed more sympathetic than cocky after the ending of the Henderson fight.
I think Hardy against GSP will be fun but almost assuredly a GSP win. Hardy against Swick seemed like a fight between two very even guys.
Couture and Vera was fun, I thought that Vera had won but don't consider it a robbery.
Dave Musgrave
Markham, Ontario
Thumbs way up for a great show.
I hate to give a best fight because they were all great, but I loved Swick/Hardy. I love
both guys and was rooting for Swick, but I had Hardy winning 30-27, and would love to see
a GSP/Hardy fight. Everything about this fight, the strategy, the clinch, the technique
- it's everything I want in a stand up fight. Both made mistakes, Swick never let his
hands go (and I agree with Rogan, he was too hurt early) and Hardy didn't follow up.
No worst fight (Dave - I think you should list as a stat in the newsletter when someone
STATES they don't think there was a best or worst fight)
Some thoughts:
UFC needs to learn how to do post-voice-overs
Someone needs to tell Spike the definition of "Live"
Bruce Buffer may suffer the first in-ring octagon death. He's going to give himself an
aneurism (or "annerism") some day.
Michael Bisping was incredibly impressive as Rogan said. I was ready to write him off
but he grounded and pounded a BJJ black belt. Problem is, he's got to stop charging in.
He's lucky he didn't get caught. The stuff with his son was tremendous.
Randy Couture continues to be amazing. This fight will get a lot of votes for worst
fight, but having been schooled in the clinch against the wall, I can guarantee it's some
brutal shit. Randy imposed his will, Vera managed to fight him off for the most part.
It's a chess game and I'd love to see if Randy can impose his will against Machida.
Mike DeGeorge Thumbs WAY up! Dug this show, jazzed to get it free!
Best fight: Dan Hardy vs Mike Swick. Almost hate to pick a best fight because I dug so many of the matches.
Worst fight: Couture vs Vera, though I don't think it sucked. I could have enjoyed Couture's against-the-fence strategy if fights went 10 rounds, but for a three-rounder... good strategy, but not fun to watch for a mere three rounds.
Dude, I've been enjoying our roller derby correspondence! I'll e-mail a lengthier response to your most recent e-mail really soon.
Hope your flight back & forth was A-OK... did you wind up reading the Hogan book on the plane? I would think that would add to the jet-lag effect big time!
Kurt Brown
Thumbs... up. I guess. Slightly.
Best fight: Brown vs. Wilkes
Worst fight: Hamman vs. Gustafsson. Looked like a couple 8th graders at the bike racks at 3:15.
KO: Winner
Sub: yet again, none
Pearson impressive with the one sided win over Riley, who I thought he was not ready for.
I thought Brown vs. Wilkes was real good. Brown surprised by more than holding his own with Wilkes on the ground, while dominating the striking as expected.
Winner can punch. Delgado is too... well, delgado ('skinny' in Spanish). Good technique but frail. Needs to muscle up and fight heavier.
Bisping did good but Jesus, Kang beat himself again. Tried that backward roll escape till Bisping was expecting it. Kang needs to hang it up. All that skill but his mind is not right. He should take Vera with him.
Hammon and Gustafsson, like I said, was like a junior high fight. Zero skill displayed.
Hardy keeps winning fights he should lose. Can't imagine him being competitive vs. GSP.
And again like I said, Vera should go away. You got a guy Randy's age hurt that bad and you can't put him away, you got no whine coming about losing the decision when he dominates you 95% of the fight. Randy will beat the head cases like Vera till he's 100 years old with his mental strength. I dunno what this fight accomplished. Vera wasn't even top 10 in UFC.
Crimson Mask
I give UFC 105 a thumbs up
Not really any spectacular fights or knockout, except for the Andre Winner knockout which didn't air on Sportsnet. The bad judging is getting a bit frustrating to watch as a fan of the sport. I thought that Vera won the main event. It was a close fight like most of the fights on the main card but I think Vera won the last two rounds in my opinion. Randy controlled the ring for a lot of the fight but Vera's strikes were more damaging. While I understand it's hard to weigh certain aspects of a fight against others during a close fight, ring control isn't going to win a fight while damaging strikes will. When giving points during a round, both shouldn't count equally.
Best match: Kang vs. Bisping. I liked this fight the most. Bisping looked like he destroyed Kang by the end. Brown was impressive with that sick flying knee. Hardy and Swick was also a good match. Hardy vs GSP will be a good fight but I don't think Hardy will win. Sportsnet didn't start the show until 320pm, they just showed promos until then and only aired the main five matches live, no prelim matches.
| Jason McNeil | Thumbs Up. Best Match - Michael Bisping vs. Denis Kang Worst Match - Randy Couture vs. Brandon Vera Just got back from the MEN and overall I thought it was a success, but the Main Event left a bitter taste in my mouth. I think the fight was boring, was refereed poorly and the result was a travesty. In fact, i think the judging in the earlier Dan Hardy match was off-par too. I think that had the Bisping match been placed in the Main Event Spot, or even semi-final spot, I would have come away from the show thinking a lot more of it. I thought the pre-lims were all very good matches, especially the first two. The crowd was hot and respected the fighters. They could have, at several times during the evening, booed 'boring' fights but only did so when it became over-whelming, like during the Couture match. I think Couture is finished and is no longer a Main Event guy. What this says for Vera I don't know, but all in all I thought it was a lack-luster performance by the two of them. This evening belonged to Bisping. Whilst a lot people around me, including myself, were worried about the implications of a Bisping loss as far as his career goes, we need not have worried. He came out pumped up and full of spunk. The first round looked like he may get out-classed, but his performance in the second was fabulous and really got the crowd into it. All in all, 9 or 10 of the fights were good or better, so it's hard to say this was anything but a great show with a poor main event. | Roland Savage Thumbs up
Best match: Probably Kang-Bisping, although I'm sad that Kang lost.
Worst match: Couture-Vera
Very good show overall. Joe Rogan embarrassed himself, however, with his
rant against the judging in the main event. This was no Hamill-Bisping
or even Shogun-Machida. It was a fight that was even at 1-1 in rounds
going into the third, and the third round was a toss-up. It would have
gone either way. Rogan's reaction was like a 30-26 fight went to the
wrong guy.
Mike Jenkinson
Edmonton, Alberta
Thumbs down
Best: Brown vs. Wilks
Worst: Vera vs. Couture
There must have been a satellite feed problem because the event didn't start on Rogers Sportsnet until 3:20. They only showed the 5 main card fights.
This was a good show until the main event. I couldn't agree with the decision to give Couture the fight. Even Randy's biggest fan, Rogan, didn't agree with it. How do you win a fight when 95% of your offense is leaning on your opponent against the fence, landing few strikes and not getting the takedowns you desperately wanted. Even though he neutralized Couture on the fence, won the stand-up and did the most damage, Vera should have been more active, especially when he dropped Couture and didn't do squat when he jumped on him.
I have to give Bisping credit for coming back from adversity in the 1st round and finishing Kang.
A. Wong
Toronto, ON
Thumbs up
Best fight - Wilkes vs. Brown
Worst - Couture vs Vera
I'm a big Randy fan, but the clinch fight is getting super boring.
And while I can't really argue with the decision, I don't think that
performance warrants any title shot.
Surprised by Swick's performance. Disappointed in Kang wilting. I
think the only thing Bisping's better at is killer instinct. Kang's
skilled but fights like a robot with no ferocity.
Dean Jenkinson
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