Full Credit: WrestlingObserver.com
TNA Wrestling brought us back to the soundstages of Universal Studios for the May 15th Hard Justice PPV. Before the pre-show began Jimmy Hart brought out the current NWA World Tag Team champions the Naturals (Andy Douglas and Chase Stevens) who gave a heartfelt speech about their manager the late Chris Candido. Several fans had Chris Candido tribute signs. Sign of the night: “Howard Finkel Fears Jeremy Borash”, “WWE=Worst Wrestling Ever”
The pre-show was run again by Jeremy Borash, Don West and Mike Tenay (I still miss Scott Hudson). The show featured hype to the PPV (as well as the return of So Cal Val) and the following match:
To entry into the gauntlet for the gold match, Shark Boy defeated David Young (sporting new ring gear)
TNA Hard Justice began with another spectacular opening by TNA producer David Sahadi. Surprisingly there was not a 10 bell salute to Chris Candido.
(1) Team Canada’s “Showtime” Eric Young and Petey Williams (w/Scott D’amore) defeated Apolo and Sonny Siaki.
Team Canada jumped Apolo and Siaki at the bell but it backfired as the smaller Canadians were sent to the floor. Back in the ring things stayed the same as Siaki and Apolo manhandled Williams. Williams got some distance and tagged in Young but Apolo and Siaki kept on the offensive. Young was sent to the floor by Apolo but Young dropped Apolo throat first on the top rope. Team Canada made frequent tags to keep the 300-pounder off his feet. Apolo hit Young with a superkick and made the tag to Siaki who cleaned house on Team Canada. Siaki suplexed Williams back in the ring but D’amore tripped him for a two count. Williams went for the Canadian Destroyer but Siaki countered into Siakoylpse Now. This brought out A1 who took Siaki out, then laid Williams on top for the pin.
Footage played of Tito Ortiz arriving to the building, then NWA World Heavyweight champion Jeff Jarrett with some hanger-ons entering his dressing room.
(2) In a mixed tag match, Michael Shane and Trinity defeated Chris Sabin and Tracy Brooks (sporting Jimmy Jacobs style boots)
I am still not a fan of the separating of Brooks and Shane (man do I also miss Frankie Kazarian) but this is the way it is. Brooks and Trinity showed the fans what women wrestlers looked like in the ring. Sabin was ready to come off the top onto Shane but Trinity grabbed his ankle long enough for Shane to climb up and bring Sabin into the ring with what looked like a belly to belly suplex. Sabin tried to get back on the offense but Trinity tripped him up again. Shane did his best to wear down Sabin but Sabin fought back to his feet several times. Sabin went for a tornado DDT but Shane countered, so Sabin hit an enziguri. Both men tagged out to their female partners. Brooks went for a top rope move but Trinity sent her to the floor and then bodyslammed her on the ringside rampway. Shane and Sabin soon joined them by flying over the top rope. Back in the ring Trinity hit Sabin with a huricurana and then Tracy hit Sabin in the crotch, Shane superkicked Trinity and Sabin to win the match. I guess Tracy and Michael Shane had this planned all along.
While the ring was set up for the next match a promo teaser for Slamiversary played. Terry Taylor interviewed Team Canada about their early victory and their role in the 20 man gauntlet for the gold. Taylor showed Bobby Roode who number two was. In a conference room, Dusty Rhodes spoke to Tito Ortiz about his role tonight in the NWA World Heavyweight title match. Terry Taylor spoke to Raven about Jeff Hardy’s no-show on the PPV and his opponent X-Pac (apparently Hardy missed his flight from North Carolina).
(3) In a “Clockwork Orange House of Fun Match”, Raven defeated X-Pac/Sean Waltman.
Raven came to the ring first; X-Pac came from the heel entry way to attack Raven. Raven got busted open early by a garbage can shot from X-Pac. X-Pac went for the Bronco buster but Raven threw a garbage can at him hitting the mouth. The crowd for some reason turned on Waltman/X-Pac. Raven used trash can lids and the steel cage part to bust open X-Pac’s head. Raven slapped on his ankle lock but X-Pac refused to submit. Raven got his patented chair ready but X-Pac was ready and threw the chair at Raven. He followed by two spinning heel kicks and the Bronco Buster. X-Pac dragged Raven out of the ring and laid him on the table. X-Pac climbed to the top rope and hit Raven with a senton bomb. Back in the ring Raven blocked a X-Pac move and hit the Raven Effect but X-Pac kicked out!!! Raven took X-Pac out onto the rampway and then threw him off it to the floor below. Raven went under the ring and found a pair of handcuffs which he used to handcuff X-Pac to the ringpost. Raven got a kendo stick and hit X-Pac as he dogged him on the mic. Dusty Rhodes and a second referee came to the ring to uncuff X-Pac. X-Pac got the kendo stick and hit Raven several times. Next off the chains came the staple gun and several staples into Raven’s forehead. X-Pac went for a move but Raven backdropped him into the cage which fell to the floor as X-Pac went into it. Raven covered X-Pac to win the match and both men got a standing ovation from the fans.
Tito Ortiz was shown explaining the rules of the match to AJ Styles. Footage of the BG James/DDP vs. Outlaw/Monty Brown match played. Terry Taylor spoke to Diamond Dallas Page who said BG James text messaged him about travel delays and then dropped an “S” bomb on the air. Ron Killings came by and told DDP he would be his partner.
(4) Monty Brown and the Outlaw defeated Ron “the Truth” Killings and Diamond Dallas Page.
Brown and Page began the bout taunting each other and trying to establish dominance. Neither man gained a real advantage so Killings and Outlaw tagged in and Killings took over on the Outlaw with armdrags and huricuranas but Outlaw blocked a huricurana and hit Killings with a slam. Brown and Outlaw made several tags to try and wear down the former World champion. Outlaw went for a corner splash but Killings got both boots into Outlaw’s face and hit a spinning kick before tagging in DDP as Outlaw tagged in Brown. DDP took the fight to both of his opponents and hit Brown with a sitout powerbomb but Outlaw broke up the pin. As DDP was attacking Outlaw Phi Delta Slam (???) came out and attacked DDP, but DDP hit them with Diamond Cutters. DDP set Outlaw up for a Diamond Cutter but Brown hit the POUNCE!!!!!!!! to win the match.
Mike Tenay interviewed the NWA World Tag Team champions Andy Douglas and Chase Stevens about the passing of Chris Candido. Douglas and Stevens spoke about a “true legend” giving them the time of day today.
(5) NWA World Tag Team champions the Naturals (Chase Stevens and Andy Douglas) defeated America’s Most Wanted (“Tennessee Cowboy” James Storm and “Wildcat” Chris Harris)
The Naturals brought out a yellow towel and placed it on a chair in tribute to Candido. Early on the crowd was not into the match and you know why, if not you don’t have a heart. AMW took turns attacking Stevens and then Douglas. I had a surreal feeling throughout the match. It felt like the Naturals were babyfaces for an evening as AMW took over on Stevens for several minutes. As in their previous matches the fighting went to the floor for even longer then before. Finally the match returned to the ring and the fighting continued. Stevens went up top, but Harris met him, Douglas met him and Storm brought all three into the ring with a power bomb. Stevens went for a DVD but Harris countered into the Catatonic but Stevens countered back into a DVD. The Naturals went for the Natural Disaster but Harris speared Douglas to beak it up. AMW went for the Death Sentence but Stevens broke it up and rolled up Storm using the ropes for leverage. The fans gave the Naturals a standing ovation as they went to the locker room.
Tito Ortiz had a confrontation outside Jeff Jarrett’s locker room with David Young. Out of the room came Jarrett and Monty Brown talking strategy. Jarrett introduced the two men and then brought Ortiz into the locker room to go over rules.
(6) NWA World X Division champion “Fallen Angel” Christopher Daniels defeated “1000% Guapo” Shocker
Shocker got this title shot by winning the Xscape match at Lockdown last month. In case you forgot Shocker is Mexican he wore a sombrero to the ring. Things began slow until Shocker hit Daniels with a huricurana from the ring apron to the floor and then a tope spear. Daniels got back in the ring and hit Shocker with a modified hot shot. Daniels began to wear Shocker down with a chinlock but Shocker fought to his feet. Daniels took Shocker back to the mat raking his eyes, putting on a neckvise and firing insults as he did it. Shocker got to his feet as Daniels went for a head scissor so Shocker took him to the mat in a power bomb. They traded chest chops but it only fired Shocker up who hit a top rope frog splash for two. Shocker picked Daniels up but Daniels hit an STO and a spring board moonsault onto Shocker’s back. Daniels had Shocker in a waistlock but Shocker countered into a pin for two. He followed it with a dropkick to the face. Shocker set Daniels for a top rope move but Daniels counter didn’t work and Shocker came off with a faceplant move. Shocker got Daniels in the STF but Daniels refused to submit so Shocker put him in a Camel Clutch. Daniels didn’t submit to that move either. Shocker drove Daniels into the top turnbuckle chest first and climbed up to finish Daniels off. Daniels recovered and blocked Shocker and hit a top rope Angel’s Wings to win the match as the fans chanted “Fallen Angel.” Daniels got the house mic and told the fans Mr. TNA defeated Mexico’s best luchador.
They showed highlights from the gauntlet match done on Impact last week.
(7) In the 20 Man Gauntlet match to determine the number one contender to NWA World championship at the Slamiversary PPV, Abyss pinned Ron Killings. The entries happened in this manner; hopefully I caught who tossed out whom.
(1) Bobby Roode (eliminated by Lance Hoyt) (2) Zach Gowen (yes that Zach Gowen, eliminated by Shark Boy) (3) Eric Young (eliminated by Lance Hoyt) (4) Cassidy Reilly (eliminated by Eric Young) (5) Elix Skipper (eliminated by Bobby Roode) (6) Shark Boy (eliminated by A1) (7) A1 (eliminated by BG James) (8) Chris Sabin (eliminated by Michael Shane) (9) Petey Williams (eliminated by Outlaw) (10) Sonny Siaki (eliminated by bobby Roode and Petey Williams) (11) Lance Hoyt (eliminated by A1) (12) Michael Shane (eliminated by Chris Sabin) (13) Jerrelle Clark (eliminated by Petey Williams’ Canadian Destroyer) (14) Mikey Batts (eliminated by the Outlaw) (15) The Outlaw (eliminated by Abyss) (16) Trytan (eliminated by Team Canada) (17) Ron Killings (18) Apolo (eliminated by the Outlaw (19) BG James (eliminated by Abyss) (20) Abyss
The David Sahadi produced AJ Styles promo video played.
(8) AJ STYLES became three time NWA World Heavyweight champion by defeating Jeff Jarrett with special referee Tito Ortiz.
I am not sure why Ortiz is here other then to get mainstream press for the promotion. Ortiz seemed to be calling it down the middle making both men break when the action made it to the ropes until he had words with Jarrett. Styles got some momentum going so Jarrett bailed out of the ring. Jarrett came back and was hit with a dropkick and a slam. Jarrett got some distance as he raked the eyes of Styles and then began to work over Styles’ left leg. Styles fought back but Jarrett returned to the attack with a figure four leg lock in the center of the ring. Styles refused to submit and reversed the leg lock putting pressure on Jarrett’s legs. Jarrett went right to the ropes to cause a break of the hold. Styles hit Jarrett with right hands and went to the top and hit Jarrett with a tornado DDT and clotheslined him to the floor. Styles went for a tope but Jarrett clipped his leg driving Styles face into the mat. Each time Styles got close to re-entering the ring, Jarrett drove him back to the floor. On the third exchange Ortiz blocked Jarrett from hitting Styles. The two fought on the floor and Jarrett got the guitar to hit Styles but Ortiz stopped him. Styles got the guitar from Jarrett; Ortiz stopped him from hitting Jarrett so he smashed it on the floor. Back in the ring, Styles got on the offense but Jarrett hit a power bomb for two. Styles blocked the Stroke but ran right into a Jarrett powerslam for two. Styles hit a backslide for two. Styles hit Jarrett with a handspring into a kick. Jarrett hit Styles with the Styles Clash for two. Not to be outdone, Styles hit Jarrett with the Stroke for two. Styles went for the Styles Clash but Monty Brown ran out and POUNCED Jarrett by mistake. Rudy Charles ran out to count the pin Ortiz broke it up by dragging Charles from the ring. Jarrett went to hit a top rope superplex but Ortiz got shoved and confronted Jarrett. He slugged Jarrett in the jaw; Styles hit a top rope splash to cover Jarrett to WIN THE TITLE!!!!!!
The show went off the air with the Slamiversary promo.
