TNA Slammiversary 2014
The 2014 edition of TNA Slammiversary, which comes to us live from Dallas, Texas, is now officially underway. The show opens with a live shot backstage of Kenny King complaining to MVP. Bobby Lashley is also standing there. King walks off promising to become TNA Champion tonight. From there, we shoot to the TNA Slammiversary PPV video intro.
After the video package, Mike Tenay welcomes us to the 12th anniversary show for TNA, here in Arlington, Texas. Slammiversary begins with the X-Division Championship six-way ladder match.
X-Division Championship
(Six-Way Ladder Match)
– Sanada (c) vs. Manik vs. Crazzy Steve vs. Tigre Uno vs. Eddie Edwards vs. Davey Richards
The Wolves — Davey Richards and Eddie Edwards — make their way to the ring first. Out next is Tigre Uno. Crazzy Steve of The Menagerie is out next. Manik follows him in the order, and finally, the TNA X-Division Champion Seiya Sanada makes his way to the ring. It’s time for a six-man ladder match for the X-Division Championship!
The action is immediate as Manik jumps on Sanada as he was coming to the ring. The Wolves hit a double-dive onto the floor and Uno hits a crazy spinning-splash onto all of the guys on the floor.
The ladder finally enters the ring for the first time as Sanada and Manik battle back-and-forth, all-the-while the rest of the guys are on the floor battling or selling.
All of the guys end up in the ring with the fans getting behind Steve with a repeated “Crazy Stevve” chant. Stevve does a helicopter spin with the ladder, knocking all of the guys on their butts.
Sanada hits a moonsault onto Stevve, who was laying across a ladder on the mat. Sanada goes to climb the ladder for the belt as a “this is awesome” chant breaks out, however, Uno stops Sanada. The two battle, with some high-flying spots taking place.
Things work out to where The Wolves are left alone in the ring. They both notice the title hanging from the rafters and the ladder set up underneath it. They both run to it at the same time. They both climb at the same time. They both look at each other, shrug their shoulders, and start exchanging punches at the top of the ladder. Sanada ends up breaking things up. Manik gets involved as well. Sanada ends up climbing the ladder after a big stacked-powerbomb spot. He grabs the title and retains.
Winner and STILL X-Division Champion: Sanada
MVP Clears Up Tonight’s Main Event Situation
MVP’s theme music hits and he comes out on crutches with Bobby Lashley and Kenny King. MVP says he’s supposed to be in the hospital right now and people are boo’ing him. He trashes the people for boo’ing him. MVP reveals that Bobby Lashley will face Samoa Joe, Kenny King will face Austin Aries and the winners of those two matches will go on to the main event to compete for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship against Eric Young. MVP promises not to get involved in either Lashley or King’s matches tonight.
Bobby Lashley vs. Samoa Joe
After the promo, Lashley makes his way to the ring as MVP and King make their way to the back. His one-on-one match with Samoa Joe, which has World Title implications, is up now. Out next, to a great reception from the Texas fans, is Samoa Joe.
The bell rings and here we go. Lashley gets an early jump on Joe. Lashley takes it to Joe in the corner as the fans boo, but Joe ends up catching Lashley running in with a big boot to the face. From there, Joe starts to take over the offensive flow of the match.
Joe continues his assault as the fans start up the chants. “Joe’s Gonna Kill You” and “Joe! Joe! Joe!” chants break out as Joe works over Lashley with rapid-fire punches in the corner.
Lashley rolls out to the floor to recover a bit, but Joe ends up hitting a dive through the ropes, splashing onto Lashley on the floor in the process. Lashley ends up working over Joe on the floor a bit before the action returns to the ring,, with Lashley now in control.
“Let’s Go Joe!” chants break out, but Lashley is too much for the Samoan star, as he is continuing to dominate Joe with ease. This continues for a couple more minutes until Joe hits a big spinning kick to the head of Lashley that changed things up.
Joe goes for the Rear Naked Choke but Lashley backs them into the corner to break the hold. Joe goes to hoist Lashley up for the Muscle Buster in the corner, but Lashley fought that off as well. Joe ends up turning around into a spear from Lashley seconds later for the 1-2-3.
Winner and ADVANCING to the TNA Championship match: Bobby Lashley
Jeremy Borash Interviews Dixie Carter & Rockstar Spud
Backstage, Jeremy Borash is with Dixie Carter and Rockstar Spud. They’re actually in a luxary box or something in the building. Dixie basically hypes up Ethan Carter III against Bully Ray tonight and some meetings she’s had recently. She also sends a warning to MVP. She and Spud walk off as we head back to the ring.