HeadLocker– Jay Shannon
Destination X Predictions!
Our resident philosopher, Jay Shannon, predicts the outcomes of the various matches that will be presented on Sunday at Destination X
I’m not all that impressed with the matches for Destination X. Angle should be defending his TNA title, not bogged down in some silly six man match. The Triple Threat match for the Knockout title seems to confuse the status of the various Knockouts. Allow me to run down the card and give my thoughts and predictions.
Kaz & Eric Young v Black Reign and RelliK
Kaz should be highly insulted that he has been de-pushed into this nowhere feud. Kaz took Kurt Angle to the limit in a championship match, recently. Kaz should, at least, be challenging for the X-Division title. This is a throw-away match. Black Reign is a badly created character that is just floating around in Mid-Card Hell. RelliK is even worse. Eric Young is being set up to be the new “Eugene”. When the original character is flawed, any imposters are going to be pathetic. I’m hoping that Eric debuts his new “Alter-Ego” at Destination X. If he comes out in a Superman costume with a reversed “E” on it, I sweat I will hurl Day-Glo. I don’t expect much from this one. Kaz will likely hit a few highlight reel moves, but he will have to carry the match.
Expected winners: Eric Young and Kaz
Expected grade: C+
Rock & Roll Infection v LAX v Motor City Machineguns
Number One Contender’s Match for the TNA Tag Titles.
I realize that the Infection is getting a hard push, currently. I’m not sure I understand why. Rave and Hoyt might play spoiler in this match. This would be a monster match if LAX faced the Guns. The injection of the Infection could elevate or kill this one. I do hope for at least one good catfight between Christy and Salinas.
The Guns got a huge push in their feud with Team 3D. Having them get the shot against Tomko and Styles would make the most sense. Creative might be looking to push a new team, thus the Infection gets the nod. If this were to go to pure talent, I’d give the win to LAX. I know I’m going back and forth, but I think the match will, too. In the final analysis, I have to think beyond this match to who would be the strongest team for future feuds. With that being said…
Expected Winners: The Motor City Machine Guns
Expected Grade: A-
Shark Boy & Curry Man v Team 3D
Fish Market Street Fight
Special Stipulation: If Team 3D loses or can’t make weight, they are gone from TNA, permanently.
What the heck is a Fish Market Street Fight? A comedy act gone bad is my guess. There is just no way that TNA is going to let Team 3D lose this one. A feud over the Tag Titles is in the future for Team 3D. I expect Ray and Devon to use some under-handed antics to steal the win in this one. I do expect some slipping and sliding and fish slapping before this yawn-fest comes to an end.
Expected Winners: Team 3D
Expected Grade: C (or would that be SEA)
Awesome Kong v Gail Kim v ODB
Triple Threat Knockout Championship Match
This is going to be the best match of the night. All three women are excellent in the ring. I expect an alliance between Kim and ODB to start, which will fall apart as the match progresses. Expect Kong to focus on the smaller Gail Kim. Even though Kim has more experience and talent than ODB, Kim is half the size of Kong. In the end, Kong will use the Awesome Bomb on Kim to retain her title.
Expected Winner: Awesome Kong
Expected Grade: A
Booker T v Robert Roode
Stand By Your Man Strap Match
Ok, this is a passingly interesting concept. If Booker wins, Tracy gets to strap Payton. If Roode wins, Payton gets to strap Tracy. Both men will be tied together with a Strap. Booker needs a definitive win in this match. If Roode were to lose, then it could be chalked up to lack of experience. If Booker loses, it kills his momentum. Expect the girls to get into a Catfight that teases a “wardrobe malfunction”. In the final analysis, expect Booker to get his revenge against Roode.
Expected Winners: Booker T and Tracy Brooks
Expected Grade: A-
“Black Machismo” Jay Lethal v “Maple Leaf Muscle” Petey Williams (w/Rhaka Khan)
X-Division Title Match
Petey is in the middle of a major push. Plus, this X-Division title shot has been a major story twist for months. Common sense says that Petey will end up wearing the X-Belt. I expect a major swerve in this one. Sonjay Dutt is sweet on So Cal Val, Jay’s soon-to-be girlfriend. I expect Dutt to distract Jay, which will allow Petey to finish off Jay with the Canadian Destroyer. That would set up a feud between the two former friends. The love of a woman has caused many wars, and another one is just a few weeks away.
Expected Winner: “Maple Leaf Muscle” Petey Williams
Expected Grade: A
“The War Machine” Rhino v “Cowboy” James Storm
Elevation X Match
Scaffold matches are notorious for being slow and boring. Despite being several feet in the air, the stars aren’t about to risk too much. Storm will likely play up his fear of heights to the extreme. While everyone might expect Rhino to hit the Gore to drop Storm, but I’d be surprised to see that happen. A missed step could take either or both men out, possibly permanently. I’ve only seen one match (an XPW match) where the guy actually fell from the top of the scaffold. I expect Storm to get knocked off the platform, only to hold onto the structure. He will eventually let go and fall (harmlessly) to the mat.
Expected Winner: Rhino
Expected Grade: C-
The Angle Alliance (Kurt Angle, A.J. Styles and Tomko) v The Usual Suspects/Unlikely Alliance (Christian Cage, Samoa Joe and Kevin Nash)
Six-Man Tag Team battle
What a pathetic choice for a main event. No titles are on the line,. The winner doesn’t get a title shot. There is just nothing special about this match, at all. Cage’s team gets a 5 minute, 3-on-2 advantage. Big Deal. Nash can barely walk, these days. Cage’s team is actually at a disadvantage going in. I really don’t see why this match is scheduled. I could understand Cage v Angle and Tomko/Styles v Joe/Nash. That would at least put the titles on the line. The only thing that could save this turkey of a match would be if Nash were to be taken out (most likely in a backstage attack) and then they brought in a surprise replacement (Rob Van Dam/Sean Waltman/Sting/etc…). Left to the stated grouping, I see no reason to have the Angle Alliance lose. If a title shot was on the line, maybe. With the winning team getting nothing but bragging rights, I will go with the champs to take out Nash to take the win.
Expected Winners: Kurt Angle, A.J. Styles and Tomko
Expected Grade: D-
In Conclusion:
TNA is in an odd position for Destination X. With this PPV being so close to Wrestlemania, they have to know that a lot of viewers will pass on their show to save money for the highest-profile (and highest costing) Pay Per View of the year. TNA probably wants to play it safe. Give the loyal fans some good matches, but save the top-notch stuff for Slammiversary or Lockdown, when viewers will have more money in the budget.
Expected Final Grade: B-
– Jay Shannon
Jayof PWD@SBCGlobal.net
(3/7/08)
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