MY TNA EXPERIENCE

CAPTIALS MAKE IT DIFFERENT THAN SG's.

So I made the hour plus trip to Winston-Salem for my 1st ever TNA show. I got their a bit earlier than I expected to hear over the intercom "AJ Styles vs. Kurt Angle will not be taking place. Instead, Styles with face Samoa Joe." I was mostly confused because TNA's website had been saying Angle, Booker, and Steiner vs. AJ and Beer Money for about a week so I began to think I would get no Kurt Angle at all, which would be a real bummer as he was a big reason why I decided to go.

The card ended up being exactly the same as the previous nights house show in Tennessee, but I'll still share my thoughts.

Sabin vs. Lethal vs. Suicide was pretty ing awesome. I yelled "SHAPESHIFTER!" a few times when Suicide came out and Jay looked at me like "I know, right!". And so before the match he got on the mic and asked if he should take "that shapeshifter's" mask off.

Daffney vs. Rhaka Khan was pretty okay, even though I hate Khan. Someone ed up the ending though as Daffney had Khan in a victory roll and Earl Hebner counted "1..2..." and then stopped even though Khan was down for several more seconds. That got some jeers.

Kip James vs. Matt Morgan was okay. To my shock Kip was over huge, especially when he did the DX crotchchop. Morgan got a lot of heat and won with the Carbon Footprint.

Beer Money vs. Scott Steiner and Booker T was BMI's usual good match. Steiner and Booker both ragged on the audience hard, calling us rednecks and fat while BMI were over huge with constant "Beer! Money!" chants. BMI retained their belts (of course) and I liked how afterwards heading up the aisle (where I was seated) Booker and Scott both slapped some hands and thanked the crowd, which I thought was a nice gesture.

INTERMISSION

Madison Rayne vs. Taylor Wilde was a pretty good match, but one spot ruined it for me and others. Madison was choking Taylor on the ropes near our side and then went to kick Taylor in the head, only she completely held up by about two feet and it looked SOOOO terrible. Thankfully Taylor didn't sell it.

AJ Styles vs. Samoa Joe are incapable of having a bad match, and put on the best match of the night. Before the match JB was on the mic and promised a suprise after the Main Event, which I figured would be "AJ Styles will be in the ring to take pictures and other people will sign autographs!" I had made up my mind that only Kurt Angle was worth $20 to me and I'd just leave (and maybe try to get a few autographs) if AJ was in the ring.

Low and behold though after the match AJ goes backstage and JB gets on the mic and introduces KURT ANGLE. I of course couldn't resist doing the "I am not worthy" arm movement. He came out limping and said that he had a groin injury and couldn't compete tonight, but that he wouldn't let down the fans who came here. He talked about how great TNA and it's fans are, and echoed JB's statement about coming back here soon (which they say to every city). Then they announced Kurt would indeed be the guy in the ring to take pictures with, and I was ALL OVER THAT SHIT. Of course so was 70% of the building, but I was over there right away.

Seeing as the line was enormous and all, I didn't get to say much other than "Hey Kurt" but he was super cool, thanked me for coming, shook my hand (I had also got a hand slap during his entrance), and said it was nice to meet me. And damnit, it felt genuine to me.




Overall it was a really fun show and I personally recommend TNA house shows based of my experience, even if others are knocking them.