TNA Destination X - Live Results & Discussion
The show opens with a video package looking at Chris Sabin's road to his title shot tonight, then we go to the ring where Bully Ray comes out to talk about how all he's heard about all week has been one little boy. The fans start chanting for Sabin, so Bubba says they can chant for him all they want because he has no chance of beating the World Champion. It's the perfect night for him to destroy Sabin while the rest of Aces & Eights destroys the Main Event Mafia, so that only leaves one thing: he wants Brooke Hogan to come out and talk to him right now. Brooke comes out and says he doesn't know what else Bubba could possibly want from her, she's moved on (holding up her new engagement ring to drive the point home) and she wants Bubba to as well. Bubba says that she moves on when he says she moves on, and holds up his own wedding ring to Brooke. Hulk comes out and says that enough is enough, he's raped and pillaged this company enough, and Bubba says he's right that this isn't over because he's the World Champion and he's never gonna lose it. The Main Event Mafia suddenly comes up on screen and tells Bubba that they're going to make sure he faces Sabin in a fair fight tonight, and that he's going to lose that title.
Jason Hervey catches up to Bobby Roode backstage to ask about tonight's match with Austin Aries, and Roode says it's no secret that he hasn't scored any point yet in the BFG Series, but he'll do whatever he has to in order to regain the World Title.
Gail Kim is backstage and she'll be on Twitter for the next hour...on her phone. Geez, things must be tight at TNA if they can't even give her a laptop.
Bound For Glory Series: Bobby Roode vs Austin Aries
Jeremy Borash (who is sitting in for Taz at the broadcast booth) points out how far Roode has fallen, having won the BFG Series two years ago and been the champion while last year's series was going on, but now has yet to score any points in this year's series and is up against the man who took the title from him at last year's Destination X. They feel each other out until Roode hits a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker and punts Aries out to the apron. Roode tries to suplex Roode back in, but Aries suplexes him out to the floor and then takes him out with a double axhandle off the top rope to the floor. Aries sends Roode back inside and goes for a flying bodypress, but Roode dropkicks him on the way down. Roode connects with another shot as we go to commercial.
We're back as Roode puts Aries on the top rope for a superplex. Aries fights him off and hits the 450 splash, but Roode is out at 2. Roode slides out to the floor to dodge a slingshot senton, but Aries rolls through and wipes him out with a dive through the ropes that actually drives Roode's back into the ring steps. Aries sends Roode back in and connects with a missile dropkick, the IED, Roode escapes the brainbuster but gets rolled up for 2. Roode rolls Aries right into the Crippler Crossface as he kicks out, they trade pinning combinations, and Aries drop's Roode with a chinbreaker. Roode gets his boot up on another IED attempt and goes for a spear, Aries catches him in a front facelock and goes for a brainbuster, Roode escapes and runs Aries over with a clothesline for 2. Aries blocks a fisherman's suplex and drills Roode with a roaring elbow, then drops him with the brainbuster for 3.
Winner: Austin Aries
For the second year in a row, Aries defeats Bobby Roode at Destination X. Aries picks up 7 points, Roode still has yet to score any points in the BFG Series, and he does not look happy as he approaches the broadcast table. He picks up Borash's flat panel screen, throws it on the floor, and stomps it out, then picks up their chairs, throws them at the ring, and smashes a soda on the ringpost to boot. Bobby, calm down! TNA doesn't have the money to replace all that stuff you're breaking!
Hernandez is backstage catching up with Homicide, and Chavo Guerrero, Jr comes in and celebrates that LAX is back together, then wishes Homicide luck tonight. Chavo then tells Hernandez that he's going to win the X Division Title, Hernandez will win the BFG Series and win the World Title, then it'll be them facing each other for the title next year.
X Division Title Qualifier: Homicide vs Petey Williams vs Sonjay Dutt
We've got three qualifying matches tonight, with the winners facing off next week in Ultimate X. Good to see Homicide back in TNA, and this match was largely focused on him as he destroyed both opponents, nearly beating Dutt with an Ace Crusher and then nearly killing Petey with the Gringo Killer. Dutt breaks up the cover after that and hits Homicide with the moonsault double stomp to get the win and advance.
Winner: Sonjay Dutt
One down, two to go!
X Division Qualifier: Manik vs Chavo Guerrero, Jr vs Kenny King
They do the three way thing until Guerrero gets dumped out to the floor, then King and Manik go to the mat. He gets King in a submission until Chavo comes in and dropkicks him out to the floor, then starts working King over. Manik nearly pins Chavo off a crucifix, Chavo gives both men Three Amigos, King knocks him to the floor with a leaping enziguiri, and Manik gives King a double chickenwing into a lungblower for the win.
Winner: Manik
One more spot to fill, and we'll find out who gets it later tonight!
The Main Event Mafia is backstage getting fired up for tonight's mission: taking out Aces & Eights and making sure Bully Ray loses the TNA World Title.
We see a video package looking at Chris Sabin wanting this since he was a kid, then we go backstage where Hulk Hogan has some advice for Sabin. He understands the injuries and setbacks, but he will give him the same advice he gave Bully: go out there and win the title, and make sure they remember you.
The Main Event Mafia comes out to the ring and take turns proclaiming how they're the greatest set of champions ever assembled, and they tell Aces & Eights to come out and face the family. Aces & Eights appears on the screen and Ken Anderson says they're not going to come out there at their beck and call, and cordially invites them to come to the clubhouse. The Main Event Mafia thinks that's a great idea, and they make their way backstage to go looking for a fight. We follow them to tha back where Anderson lures them into the clubhouse so Aces & Eights can ambush them. Bubba and Devon drag Angle outside, lock the door behind them, and dump Angle in the back of a pickup truck that drives off with him. Looks like the Mafia is down one man already as we go to commercial!
Austin Aries is backstage and now he'll take over for Gail Kim on Twitter, then we go back to the ring for the final X Division qualifier!
X Division Qualifier: Greg Marisciulo vs Rubix vs Rockstar Spud
Spud won the British Bootcamp and is making his first TV appearance for TNA since then, while Marisciulo is the former Trent Baretta, as the fans remind us by chanting his old name. Well, at least he wasn't Husky Harris. Spud plays the guy who's afraid to lock up with either opponent and spends much of the match outside and letting the other two go at it. He looks really tiny when he is in there next to the other two. He finally dodges a charge from Rubix and dishes out some offense, but Marsciulo is the former WWE wrestler and, by laws of physics, will look awesomer than anyone TNA has. He does hit an awesome dive to the floor onto Spud but gets drilled with a shot from Rubix. Spud tosses Rubix to the floor and steals the cover, but Marsciulo is out at 2 and Spud wastes way too much time screwing around making faces at the fans and allows Marsciulo to get up, hit him with the Jig & Tonic (which also happens to be Rubix's finish) for the win.
Winner: Greg Marsciulo
Marsciulo looked awesome here, her really came off like someone who felt like he had something to prove and he worked his ass off to make an impression.
Bully Ray is backstage on the phone with whoever drove off with Angle talking about how perfectly their plan went earlier. He tells him to take Angle to the spot they talked about earlier and, to do it mafia style, make him an offer he won't refuse.
Marsciulo looked awesome here, her really came off like someone who felt like he had something to prove and he worked his ass off to make an impression.
Bully Ray is backstage on the phone with whoever drove off with Angle talking about how perfectly their plan went earlier. He tells him to take Angle to the spot they talked about earlier and, to do it mafia style, make him an offer he won't refuse.
We see Kurt Angle coming back to the arena in the pickup truck he was taken away in, and he staggers inside as we're left to wonder what turn of events happened to rescue him from his earlier predicament.
Mickie James is in the ring talking about what a momentous moment we saw last week, and she plays the video for us on the screen. Yeah, I know you're expecting the ladder match, but instead we see Mickie's concert in Nashville where she performs, waves at her fans, and says that like the moon landing and the invention of the Twinkie, this is one of the greatest moments in history. We go back to the ring where Mickie gloats some more, but she's interrupted by Gail Kim, who strolls out to say that the real moment last week was when she won the ladder match, and she'll top it when she beats Mickie for the Knockouts Title. Mickie tells her to step back because she has a certain amount of breathing room written into her contract, and says that the ladder match was good, it was like a 2, while her performance was a solid five. She goes to slap Gail, Gail ducks and slaps her, and they wind up fighting in the middle of the ring until they're separated by TNA referees. Mickie takes her belt and leaves, but that doesn't stop Gail from trying to get past the referees to get to Mickie.
Austin Aries comes to Chris Sabin backstage and says that he's not here to start anything, but he wants Sabin to know that he doesn't want to diminish anything Sabin has done here over the last ten years, but he's responsible for Sabin being where he is tonight. He doesn't mean Option C, he means that he made Sabin elevate his game to a level even he didn't probably realize he could, and that's what Aries does: he tests people because he's the litmus test. He's beaten Bubba before so he knows he can do it, but Sabin beat him so that means his odds tonight are pretty good. Aries says this probably doesn't mean much to Sabin, but he's pulling for him tonight. Awesome segment.
AJ Styles is backstage and says he made the X Division and put it on the map. Next week, he's up against Jeff Hardy: a great wrestler and a hero. TNA is no place for a hero, and he's taking his points.
It's all on the line, because it's main event time!
TNA World Title Match: Bully Ray vs Chris Sabin
Bubba backs Sabin into the corner and talks trash to him, saying he can walk out right now because he's going to take him out just like he's done to everyone else. Bubba turns around to take his belt off and set it on the top turnbuckle, and Sabin now gets in his face to say that he's going to pin him and become the new World Champion. Bubba shoves him down and the ref calls for the bell, and Bubba backs off from Sabin until he sees an opening to take him down with a single leg, drag him around by the leg, then toys with him by standing on his face. Sabin fires some kicks at Bubba, Bubba returns fire with a big chop, a second one reels Sabin, a third one fires Sabin up, and he tells Bubba to give him more and kicks him in the ribs. Sabin's chest has marks on it already as he goes nuts unloading on Bubba with chops, forearms, then mounts Bubba in the corner and hammers him with punches to the face. Bubba takes Sabin back down and drops an elbow on one of his bad knees, and Sabin rolls out to the entry ramp to recover. Aces & Eights comes down the walkway and stands over Sabin as he lays on the ramp clutching his knee, but the Main Event Mafia comes out and Aces & Eights backs off. The two groups surround the ring as we go to commercial.
TNA World Title Match: Bully Ray vs Chris Sabin
Bubba backs Sabin into the corner and talks trash to him, saying he can walk out right now because he's going to take him out just like he's done to everyone else. Bubba turns around to take his belt off and set it on the top turnbuckle, and Sabin now gets in his face to say that he's going to pin him and become the new World Champion. Bubba shoves him down and the ref calls for the bell, and Bubba backs off from Sabin until he sees an opening to take him down with a single leg, drag him around by the leg, then toys with him by standing on his face. Sabin fires some kicks at Bubba, Bubba returns fire with a big chop, a second one reels Sabin, a third one fires Sabin up, and he tells Bubba to give him more and kicks him in the ribs. Sabin's chest has marks on it already as he goes nuts unloading on Bubba with chops, forearms, then mounts Bubba in the corner and hammers him with punches to the face. Bubba takes Sabin back down and drops an elbow on one of his bad knees, and Sabin rolls out to the entry ramp to recover. Aces & Eights comes down the walkway and stands over Sabin as he lays on the ramp clutching his knee, but the Main Event Mafia comes out and Aces & Eights backs off. The two groups surround the ring as we go to commercial.
We're back and Bubba is working Sabin's knee over on the rampway, then points down at Rampage Jackson on the floor and talks trash to him before kicking Sabin's knee back out from under him. Bubba goes around giving his buddies the pound before kicking Sabin's knee out again, then grounds him with a leg grapevine. Sabin gets out and fires back at Bubba, but Bubba takes his knee out again and starts firing right hands right into his skull. Bubba pulls off both knee braces just to make Sabin that much more vulnerable before firing a low clothesline to the back of Sabin's knee. Bubba pulls out a new trick and hits a kneeDT, then gets back in Rampage's face. bubba dares Sabin to hit him, so Sabin throws a few forearms before Bubba kicks his leg out again. Someone in the crowd pops me by yelling "GET HIM A BODYBAG!" Gotta love Karate Kid references. Devon yells to Bubba to do what he's gotta do as Bubba fires a chop down at Sabin before going back to mouthing off to the Main Event Mafia. Bubba whips Sabin across the ring, but Sabin collapses on the way across, prompting a smiling Bubba to stroll across the ring to go after him. Sabin kicks him off and goes up top, Bubba shakes the ropes and tells Rampage that this is for him before superplexing Sabin and going for a cover. Sabin kicks out at 2, so Bubba goes for the Bully Bomb, Sabin blocks and lays him out with an enziguiri, then goes to the top rope. Angle cheers Sabin on as he gets to the top and comes off with a missile dropkick that drives Bubba into the referee and knocks him out. Bubba calls for the hammer, but the Main Event Mafia gets in and stops that action, then brawls all the way back to the locker room with Aces & Eights, leaving Bubba and Sabin alone in the ring. Bubba is up first and has the hammer, he tres to hit Sabin with it but Sabin ducks and kicks Bubba, causing him to drop the hammer. Sabin picks it up and goes after Bubba with it, Bubba dodges and nails Sabin before going for a powerbomb, but Sabin drills Bubba with the hammer and lands on top of him just as the referee comes to. Sabin cradles Bubba's leg, the referee counts three, and we have a new World Champion!
Winner and NEW TNA World Champion: Chris Sabin
Great match and a hell of a way to wrap up a terrific show. They did a great job building to this, I really felt like making the show about how hard Sabin worked to get here made you feel like something special was going to happen, and it did! He deserves it, and TNA deserves credit for giving Sabin his day in the sun.
