My TNA Monthly Catch-up, Apr - May 05

Impact 29th Apr 05

This was the 1st TNA I bought, back when TNA was still part of the NWA and being aired on the Fox Sports Network, matches had 10 minute time limits and Dusty Rhodes was Director Of Authority. Matches that didn't have a winner after 10 minutes were thrown to an outside judge to call a winner, normally Larry Zbyszko.

Petey Williams vs Shocker. Team Canada still existed & TNA was more about action, Shocker got the win after Williams was on top for the whole match.

Buck Quartermain vs Sonjay Dutt. This seemed like a pointless squash match on the face of it, Quartermain bumped & sold well. Dutt took the eventual win.

Mikey Batts vs The Outlaw (Billy Gunn) - Outlaw got the win, 3 Live Kru (3LK) come out & Konnan challenges The Outlaw.

Tag Championship Match - The Naturals vs America's Most Wanted (AMW). This had a 30 minute time limit, Chase Stevens & Andy Douglas are The Naturals, Chris Harris & James Storm are AMW. The Naturals took the win after their manager Chris Candido interfered.

Impact 6th May 05

Cassidy Riley vs Abyss. There was only ever going to be 1 winner in this squash match, predictably enough Abyss won off The Black Hole Slam.

Sonjay Dutt vs Shocker. A decent match watched by the Champ Chris Daniels, Shocker took the eventual win but Dutt had a decent match.

The Outlaw vs Konnan - This was Konnan on top until Outlaw beaned Konnan with a chair outside the ring, Ron Killings & BG James came out to stop any more of a beatdown but this had no finish or decision.

Chris Sabin (with Traci) vs Michael Shane (with Trinity)- This one also had a 30 minute time limit, Sabin's handstand snap headscissors was amazing. Sabin took the eventual win off a side roll but both guys had a great match.

Impact 13th May 05

4 Way Elimination Match - Elix Skipper vs Eric Young vs Jeff Hardy vs Christopher Daniels. I had to wait until the helpful graphic telling us what type of match it was popped up as we totally couldn't hear the ring announcer over West & Tenay. Hardy was snatched out of the match by Raven (his opponant for the upcoming PPV) & the ref counted him out. Daniels kept Skipper & Young at bay, Skipper made it back in eventually & was on top with a good run. Skipper eliminated Young off Sudden Death which got him the win, Daniels missed getting his pin by a second although the decision was overturned & it was deemed a draw.

10 Man Gauntlet Match - This was started off with Michael Shane vs Chris Sabin and Sabins head was taped after last weeks match. This whole match is a 30 minute time limit with a new person entering the ring every 30 seconds. Next in was Bobby Roode closely followed by Petey Williams then David Young who eliminated Roode. Next in was Trytan who eliminated David Young & Michael Shane. Next in was A1 from Team Canada as Trytan eliminated Petey Williams & the next guy in was Lance Hoyt followed by Abyss as Hoyt eliminated Trytan. The final guy in was Apolo as Abyss eliminated A1, they took a break but luckily no-one went out during that but Abyss eliminated Apolo by ducking a clothesline. Sabin was eliminated by Abyss and Abyss eventually pinned Lance Hoyt off The Black Hole Slam to take the win earning the spot as the 20th entrant into the PPV Gauntlet match.

Hard Justice PPV May 15th 05

The PPV starts with a ten bell salute following the recent death of Chris Candido.

Tag Match - Team Canada (Petey Williams & Eric Young) vs Apolo & Sonny Siaki (who almost twisted his ankle just walking down the entrance ramp!). Williams took the win for Team Canada after A1 interfered.

Mixed Tag Match - Michael Shane & Trinity vs Chris Sabin & Traci. A pretty good match apart from the weak twist finish where Traci crotched Sabin allowing Shane to superkick Trinity and get the pin off Sabin leaving both Sabin & Trinity betrayed by their partners.

Clockwork Orange House Of Fun Match - Raven vs Sean Waltman. Its a basic hardcore match, any weapons are legal & no DQ as falls count anywhere. Raven bladed very early & Waltman was bladed by Raven outside of the ring not much long after that. Raven struggled through a lot of blood flowing into his right eye as he'd bladed himself pretty deep, Jeff Hardy was supposed to be Raven's opponant here but no-one knew why Hardy wasn't here.

Waltman hit a nice spinning splash onto Raven through a table and took a heavy bump onto another table off the entrance ramp, overall this was a really good hardcore match with Raven taking the eventual win.

Tag Match - Monty Brown & The Outlaw vs Diamond Dallas Page & Ron "The Truth" Killings. Fair to average match that was going nowhere hence the shit run-in from Phi Delta Slam. Brown won off The Pounce on Page.

Tag Championship - America's Most Wanted vs The Naturals. The Naturals retain the title.

X Division Championship - Shocker vs Christopher Daniels. Daniels wins.

20 Man Gauntlet For The Gold - It's a number 1 contender match for the Heavyweight title, basic Battle Royale rules apply. 2 guys start and another person comes in every minute. In first was Bobby Roode and number 2 was former WWE employee Zack Gowan, the worlds only 1 legged wrestler. Next in was Eric Young & 4th in was Cassidy Riley followed next by Elix Skipper. Next in was Shark Boy and no-one had been thrown out yet although Shark Boy fixed that by eliminating Zack Gowan. Next in was A1 from Team Canada meaning they now had 3 guys in this and next in was Chris Sabin followed by Petey Williams, A1 eliminated Shark Boy to make a save on his team mate Williams and Eric Young eliminated Cassidy Riley with a nice head scissors. Next in was Sonny Siaki and Bobby Roode eliminated Elix Skipper with a stiff looking clothesline not long after that.

Next in was Lance Hoyt who eliminated Eric Young with a Gorilla Press and the next to enter was Michael Shane (running down the ramp as though he'd crapped in his tights) who was eliminated by Sabin taking himself out at the same time closely followed by the exit of Sonny Siaki at the hands of Petey Williams & Bobby Roode working together. The next guy in was a totally unknown to me Jerrell Clark who was eliminated by Petey Williams and after him was Mikey Batts who briefly teamed with Lance Hoyt until the entrance of The Outlaw who came in next and gave Batts 2 violent looking necktie slams.

Next in was Trytan as The Outlaw eliminated Mikey Batts and in after him was Ron Killings, Team Canada eliminated Trytan as he had his back turned and next in was Apolo who was quickly eliminated by The Outlaw and the penultimate guy in was BG James. Booby Roode was eliminated by Lance Hoyt who was eliminated by A1 and Roode helping outside the ring. BG & The Outlaw were working as a team and the final guy in was Abyss but for some reason the countdown timer still kept running despite the fact everyone was now in the ring.

BG James eliminated Petey Williams & The Outlaw eliminated A1 seconds later and Abyss came in and eliminated BG James & The Outlaw at the same time leaving Ron Killings and Abyss as the final 2, both guys bumped hard and sold well but Abyss took the eventual win off The Black Hole Slam to become #1 Contender for the Heavyweight title.

Heavyweight Championship Match - AJ Styles vs Jeff Jarrett. Our special guest referee is UFC star Tito Ortiz. Styles won off the Spiral Tap (a wicked looking corkscrew moonsault) & is new TNA NWA Heavyweight Champion with helpfrom Ortiz.