Slammiversary is the big event on the TNA calendar. Here are the results.
TNA World Title: TLC Match: Jeff Hardy d. Chris Sabin
X Title: Submission Match: Samoa Joe d. Kurt Angle
Tags: Weapons Match: Chris Daniels/Frankie Kazarian d. Dudleys
Chavo Guerrero d. Bobby Roode
Austin Aries d. Ken Kennedy
Magnus d. Gunner
Jay Bradley d. Garrett Bischoff
TJ Perkins/Kenny King d. TexMex
So, there's some booking.
At Final Resolution, Future Endeavors was formed, at Lockdown, they took all the belts.
The build here involved Future Endeavors, in a SCUM v ROH sort of way, threatening the very existence of TNA. Hogan's going to lay all of the championship belts at the feet of Stephanie McMahon, next week, TNA might change it's name to XWWF, that sort of thing. The group does whatever legacy burning things that make sense in order to communicate that Slammiversary, the biggest show of the year, is threatened.
The response then becomes how to fight them; the "TNA group" is split, there are the Horsemen, there's the Daniels/Kazarian and TexMex babyface tag teams, there's friendless heel Austin Aries. How will they come together? Should they come together?
Respected veteran Sting, forced to retire by the Horsemen, convenes a summit, tensions must be put aside for the sake of the promotion. Everyone is dubious (Kazarian and Roode were once partners, for example) especially Aries, who is always dubious about everything.
But they agree to come together - and it sets up a War Games. Winners control the title matches, including stips, for Slammiversary.
For Future Endeavors, five former WWF belt holders (Jeff, Kurt, Duds, Chavo)
For TNA, 5 World Champions - Aries/Kazarian/Daniels/Horsemen
Aries is the last man to enter, but he's attacked in the back by Kennedy and never makes it out - TNA is allowed a replacement - it's Chris Sabin, in streetclothes, gone since being taken out by the Horsemen - he gets the submission win over Jeff.
When the TNA guys get to pick the matches, they intentionally choose the specialties of the Future Endeavors guys. The debate comes in who gets the World Title shot - Aries obviously believes its his, it was his title, he got screwed, end of story. But Sabin is the guy who got the win in the War Games; he's never been World Champ - and he gets the shot.
So, let's work up the card.
Missing from this discussion has been Tex Mex - they are attacked by Kenny King and the tag team partner he's been looking for since arriving, TJ Perkins - they're doing a cocky young guy gimmick and they don't care about whatever the broader issues are, they want to make a name so they go after the vets. They cheat to win in the opener.
Jay Bradley is just a body, but he beats Garrett, designated job guy; Magnus is cocky English heel, and he beats Gunner, just a guy.
Aries gets his revenge over Kennedy; Roode and Chavo established a feud in that WAR Games match, Chavo cheats to win here; Daniels/Kazarian win the bloody brawl with the Dudleys, their first tag titles as a team - Knox attempts to interfere for the Duds, but is wiped out by Roode, showing the Horsemen can be team players.
Joe wins his first ever X title, Hogan attempts to interfere, but Sting stops him with whatever physicality Hogan can take.
There's a full intersquad brawl during the TLC match; everyone is kicked from ringside; the finish comes when Sabin is climbing to the top, seemingly about to win, but then is pushed off by a running in AJ Styles, making his return.
Jeff climbs up and keeps. Why, AJ, Why?
TNA returns with Bound For Glory when/if we hit real world Final Resolution.
Survivor Series is next month.
