Written by: Greg Ledson
The main event of Slammiversary IX was a little different to previous years, rather than have a King of the Mountain match (that was scrapped in 2009) or have a TNA World Heavyweight Championship match (like last year) TNA had a number one contenders match between Jeff Jarrett and Kurt Angle. But it is safe to say that this match had nothing to do with the TNA World Heavyweight Championship.
The Jarret/Angle feud was based around very true events. Karen Jarrett was the catalyst in this feud after hers and Angle’s marriage broke down and she very soon after was romantically involved and later married Jarrett.
Slammiversary IX opened with a match for the TNA Tag Team Championship. Gun Money (James Storm and Alex Shelley) (C) (with Bobby Roode) vs. The British Invasion (Douglas Williams and Magnus). The team of Gun Money, a combination of Motor City Machine Guns and Beer Money Inc. The team came about after Robert Roode's shoulder injury at the hands of Immortal so Beer Money couldn’t defend their Tag Team Championship. However, Alex Shelley, whose partner Chris Sabin was injured at the hands of Mexican America, was given permission by The Network to defend the tag titles for Roode, along with James Storm, so Beer Money could keep their gold. And that they did with Gun Money getting the win over The British Invasion.
Next up was Matt Morgan vs. Scott Steiner. This match was all about dominance, which is more dominant. And in the end it was Morgan that proved he was more ‘genetically jacked’ than ‘Big Poppa Pump’ Scott Steiner.
Next was the second title match of the evening, and was for the X Division Championship. Abyss (C) vs. Kazarian vs. Brian Kendrick. Eric Bischoff and Hulk Hogan decided to try to rid TNA of their legendary X Division to rebel against the overbearing "Network" aka Spike, who was overstepping their boundaries in terms of power. Bischoff decided to try to get an Immortal member to win the TNA X Division Championship, so Abyss vs. Kazarian, which Abyss ended up winning. Then after a number one contenders match with Kazarian vs. Kendrick ending in a time limit draw and some ‘genital’ persuasion to Abyss from Kazarian and Kendrick involving Abyss’s beloved ‘Janice’ weapon the match was made for Slammiversary IX. After a hard fought match to try and get the X Division Championship back into the hands of an X Division star, Kaz and Kendrick fell short and Abyss picked up the victory.
Next was the undefeated rookie Crimson vs. Samoa Joe. After Joe attacked Crimson’s older brother Amazing Red, Crimson confronted Joe. After the two started brawling the match was made. I’m sure that’s if you are reading this and still watch Impact Wrestling to will just that Crimson is still undefeated after over a year of being on the TNA roster, so I don’t need to tell you that it was Crimson who picked up the victory.
Then was the third title match of the evening for the TNA Knockouts Championship. Mickie James (C) vs. Angelina Love (with Winter). This match was made after James had a match with Winter and accidentally busted her open, Love attacked James for this and the title match was made. Even with Winter in Love’s corner she still couldn’t get the victory over James who retained her Knockouts Championship.
Next up and maybe one of the most psychical matches of the night was Bully Ray vs. A.J. Styles in a Last Man Standing match. After Ray powerbombed Styles of the stage though a table and injured his neck Styles was out of action, only to return at Lockdown to cost Immortal and more importantly Ray their Lethal Lockdown match against A.J’s Fortune. The pair were feuding for some weeks until the match was made. The things Styles does in this match are incredible, his dive off the stage is something to be seen and not read about, and his splash of the third rung of scaffolding putting Ray through a table is the same. But after all that Styles did to Ray it was a well-placed kick that drove A.J’s head through the staging that ensured that Ray answered the ten count and picked up the victory.
Next up was the TNA World Heavyweight Championship match; Sting (c) vs. Mr. Anderson. Anderson had been trying to get into Sting’s head for week before there match at Slammiversary. Anderson had been coming down to the ring in old Sting ring gear and face paint. Also he had brought out a former rival of Sting’s, Disco Inferno to the Impact Zone just to beat him down. Anderson event had Eric Young dress as The Great Muta to recreate a classic match between him and Sting. In the end this worked when Sting snapped and covered Anderson’s face with paint. After a pretty solid back and forth match is was Anderson who would pick up the victory and become the new TNA Word Heavyweight Champion.
Finally was the main event of the evening. Jeff Jarrett vs. Kurt Angle, in a number one contenders match for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship. As said earlier this match was not about the TNA Heavyweight Championship, to say this was personal would be an understatement. On an Impact taping before the PPV Jarrett stated that he wanted the match to be for Angle’s Olympic Gold Medal, as he had ‘already taken everything else, including his wife and kids’ it was then that the match was also turned into a number one contender’s match. After an altercation between Angle and his ex-wife Karen, Karen fell down some stairs and would therefore be unable to accompany Jarrett to the ring. So it would be the first one-on-one match the two would have without the interference for Karen Jarrett.
Below is Jeff Jarrett vs. Kurt Angle in full.
To say this is a great match is an understatement, Angle and Jarrett are both great in the ring and when they wrestle each other it’s truly amazing to watch. Then when you add the personal aspect to the match you could tell that they both brought everything they had. It is a true testament to just how professional both Angle and Jarrett are, to have all the personal animosity towards someone who was the reason for your marriage breaking down and put on an amazing match with no attempt to injure then. I honestly believe that this match is one of their best, and could very well be one of TNA all time matches.
Hope you enjoyed reading and watching leave me a comment tell me your thoughts and check back tomorrow for more Slammiversary X predictions.
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