FLASHBACK FRIDAY: Looking Back At TNA Victory Road 2004

Welcome one and all to another edition of Flashback Friday here on Wrestlingnewssource.com! I am your host Sean O Connor and man, is another WWE pay per view this Sunday? I don’t know about you but I am starting to feel a little burnt out by how quickly I am seeing these pay per views pop up so for this week, I am giving WWE a pass on an old review. So the word on the street is TNA is going down the drain and to be bought by Vince Mcmahon and the WWE for its tape library while Billy Corgan wants to rebrand TNA. Formed in 2002, there were high hopes for TNA, specifically around the time-frame of 2005 to 2008 when they signed with Spike tv and had an influx of talent like Sting, Kurt Angle and Jeff Hardy etc. Yes, they would later go onto challenge WWE on Monday nights with the arrival of Hogan and Bischoff yet that would be more of a negative than a positive for the company. TNA could be easily summed up as a company with tonnes of potential but they never had anyone who could manage the company successfully. It was mishandled, raped, dragged through the gutter and came out worse on the other side. TNA might have its final pay per view with Bound for Glory so I thought I would look back on the first ever standalone pay per view that TNA produced, that being Victory Road 2004. TNA had produced weekly pay per views in its infant years but this was their first big pay per view which was built up by their weekly television show named Impact which paved the way for more pay per views each and every month following. So this was a big deal, TNA had to make a statement. The big matches of the night include Jeff Hardy battling Jeff Jarrett for the NWA/TNA title, Petey Williams facing off against AJ Styles and AMW facing off against Triple X. Let’s rock!

Opening Promo

Well this is a great package about dreams coming to reality as we see the TNA stars in the Impact Zone. AJ Styles is name dropped, Monty Brown who you might remember as Marcus Cor Van and we have Jeff Hardy in his initial TNA run. Jeff Jarrett is put over as the man, dear god kill me. I like Jarrett as a mid-carder and I find him entertaining but as a top level talent, you are pushing it and TNA was where he ran wild for the first couple of years so if you are new and want to see TNA’s past, prepare for a lot of Jarrett and his reign of terror. Package was good though, this feels big and we have Mike Tenay and Don West. They run down the card!

Jeff Jarrett Promo

Shane Douglas is the interviewer as Jarrett appears with a flip-phone and Jarrett says he is prepared to kick Jeff Hardy’s ass. Shane Douglas as an interviewing personality? Weird but let’s keeping moving along!

(Twenty Man Invitational Match Battle Royal) Sonjay Dutt vs Kazaraian vs La Parka vs Puma vs Jerelle Clark vs Miyamoto vs Matt Bentley vs Hector Garza vs Nosawa vs Mikey Batts vs Alex Shelley vs Matt Sydal vs Sonny Siaki vs D-Ray 3000 vs Sharkboy vs Spanky vs Psychosis vs Amazing Red vs Chris Sabin vs Jason Kross

So we have twenty X division competitors competing for a trophy. You have to be thrown over the top to be eliminated, when they are two left it is down to pinfall and submission. We have Sonjay Dutt and Kazarian to kick us off, Dutt throws Kaz around the ring with awesome smoothness. We have Puma, Puma drops Dutt with a Falcon’s Arrow like move. La Parka, the chairman of WCW is here with a chair. Puma and Dutt and Kaz are smashed with the chair, Parka poses and struggles to take off his jacket. Jerelle Clark is Mr. 630, he does that move so yeah, I am sorry I do not know this guy. Next up is Miyamoto who looks like a mini Great Muta, nobody has been eliminated thus far. Jerelle nails his 630 and the crowd roars like mad. That was cool but here comes Matt Bentley. Bentley and Kaz are tag team partners so they toss out Puma and Clark. Miyamoto is out thanks to Kaz and Bentley. Hector Garza comes in and wrecks the dynamic duo, La Parka helps Hector Garza. Nosawa comes in, Shining Wizard on Garza. Dutt is double teamed by Kaz and Bentley while Nosawa is with La Parka. Mikey Batts comes into the match and briefly wrecks Kaz. Bentley cuts off Mikey Batts, Parka and Garza wipe the floor with everyone else. Alex Shelley is next, he looks so young and chubby in a way, Dutt is eliminated by Shelley. La Parka has been eliminated, Matt Sydal (Evan Bourne) is now in the ring, Sonny Siaki is in the ring now and Siaki tosses over Nosawa over the top rope. Mikey Batts is elevated over by Garza. Jason Kross is in the ring, hurricanranas all around by Kross. Siaki kills Sydal and the commentators make a big deal of Shelley not being eliminated but rolling out of the ring. Sharkboy is out, Sharkboy bites Kaz and Bentley. Shelley is still in the match as Sydal is eliminated by Shelley. Psychosis is in the ring, some big stars of Mexico have been in this match. D-Ray 3000, fear for the fro bro? God I wish I knew this guy, Siaki wipes out D-Ray and Sharkboy. Amazing Red is in the match while Shelley is eliminated. Spanky (Brian Kendrick) comes running down to the ring, flying forearm and an elbow by Spanky. Chris Sabin is the final entrant, kick off DDT by Sabin. Siaki is eliminated by Spanky and Sabin. Bentley is eliminated, huge tower of doom superplex spot. Psychosis killed Kross and dumped him over the top rope, Amazing Red eliminates Psychosis. Kaz eliminates Amazing Red, Spanky was eliminated after a Sliced Bread attempt. We are down to three, Sabin, Garza and Kaz. Kaz survives an onslaught from Sabin and we have Hector Garza vs Kaz. Slugfest, Kaz sweeps the legs, springboard leg drop for a two count for Kaz. Garza blocks The Wave of The Future, clothesline by Garza, moonsault by Garza for a two count. Slingshot DDT by Kaz, two count. O Connor roll fails for Kaz as Garza rolls out and dropkicks Kaz. Kaz dodges Garza’s corkscrew, Kaz applies a la magistral but Garza reverses the hold and picks up the win. Battle Royals are always fun. That was quick paced, lots of spots and it showed off a lot of TNA talent. Fine opener!

Winner: Hector Garza over Everyone Else by surviving!

Dusty Rhodes Promo

Dusty Rhodes is running for Director of Authority, it is like a presidential campaign and that’s pretty funny. The event is sponsored by Backyard Wrestling while we find out Dusty Rhodes is competing against Vince Russo of all people. Scott Hudson is the backstage interviewer as Lance Hoyt, Kid Kash and The Naturals are ready for their match tonight. The heels are disagreeing as Kash is an asshole. More WCW Talent with Hudson doing interviews, I feel like it is 2000 all over again!

Kid Kash/Lance Hoyt/The Naturals vs Erik Watts/Pat Kenney/Johnny B. Badd/Ron The Truth Killings

What is this match? We have Simon Diamond, Erik Watts, Marc Mero and R-Truth on the same team? Simon Diamond as a face? Kash and Diamond wrestle before Badd is tagged into the match. Mero look awful without a beard and boxing trunks, Badd wrestles Douglas by beating the young boy around the ring. Erik Watts dressed like Luke Harper is taken down by Chase Stevens. Hoyt is in, Watts slams Hoyt. Hoyt slams Watts, Kash is legal and eats a boot from Watts. Diamond is chopped to bits by Kash, Hoyt comes in and boots Simon Diamond. Hoyt performs a moonsault, the guy is a giant and he is doing moonsaults. Truth comes in and beats the piss out of anything that moves. All hell breaks loose, Badd crotches Stevens, frankensteiner by Badd and Ron nails a Pedigree like manoeuvre for the win. Ok that was quick everyone had to try fit in something and it was not all that interesting so let’s move on.
Winners: Team Old Timers + Truth over Cocky Kids following a Pedigree

Mascarita Sagreda vs Piratita Morgan

A fat man vs a midget, Sagreda flys around the ring while Sagreda takes bump for the little guy. Sagreda scores with a victory roll for a two count. Morgan punches Sagreda, fireman’s carry and a senton by the pirate. Sagreda feigns being dead and armdrags the ref, Morgan nails the referee and Sagreda rolls up Morgan. Like did I really see that on pay per view on TNA? Did I really see a pirate wrestle a midget? Man, what am I doing with my life?

Winner: Sagreda over Morgan with a roll up!

(TNA/NWA Tag Team Championship Match) 3-Live Kru vs Team Canada ©

Scott Hall is in the ring before our tag team title match, Scott Hall is supporting Jeff Jarrett but is cheered due to another big star coming through the TNA doors. Scott looks a bit rough but things would get worse for The Bad Guy, Scott Hall says there is no Kevin Nash tonight. Team Canada had won the championships from AMW but Konnan and Road Dogg are coming to beat down Eric Young and Robert Roode. Roode looks like a lesbian Modercai from WWE, it is awe-inspiring that his goatee is that bad. Roode kicks BG in the gut, BG smacks Roode and Young with right hands. James misses a crossbody block, Roode rams James into the ring apron. Young stomps James in the corner, Roode continues the stomping. Backbreaker by Young and Young gets a two count, Roode is legal, scoop slam and double elbows. Two count for the champions, USA chants for the Mexican Konnan. BG battles back until Roode cuts him off, Young and Roode put the boots to James. Illegal choke by Young and a front chancery, referee misses the tag to Konnan. Team Canada double team BG James until James makes Team Canada smash heads. Konnan gets the hot tag, flapjack and hiptoss on Team Canada. Alabama slam by Konnan on Young, Tequila Sunrise on Young. Roode saves his partner, BG is planted with a spinebuster. Konnan saves BG from a clothesline from Roode. Big boot by BG, Pumphandle Slam is blocked by Team Canada’s coach. Ron The Truth chases away with the coach. Konnan drops Roode with a K-Factor for the win, we have new champions! Well, BG did less than he usually does as there was no shake rattle and roll kneedrop. Was ok, Team Canada seem like the kind of team you want as your top heels while 3-Live Kru feel like they are your best choice for opening matches. Maybe this was the wrong call to have Team Canada drop the straps.

Winners: 3 Live-Kru over Team Canada following a K-Factor

Piper/Russo Promo

Russo’s Director of Authority promo plays, Russo is cool and hip while Rhodes is old. Piper is interviewing Jimmy Snuka in the ring because reasons. Piper tells Snuka to hit him with a coconut, Piper teases Snuka but Snuka will not hit Piper with a coconut. Kid Kash interrupts Piper? Kash disrespects Snuka, Snuka wipes out Kash. Kaz and Bentley beat down Snuka so Piper starts wrecking shop. Sonjay Dutt appears and wipes out the heels. Kash smashes a coconut over Dutt. Kash bails from Piper. Kid Kash is a big feature of this show and I cannot get over that. The fact that they have the man squaring up to Snuka and Piper is crazy, did they not have any other heels for this spot?

Trinity W/ Disco Inferno/Johnny Swinger vs Jacqueline

More WCW and ECW talent as The Disco Inferno and Johnny Swinger are here. Trinity thinks she is the shit and has an open challenge ready for this pay per view. Trinity makes fun of her opponent because Trinity is the New York Hardcore Queen. Jacqueline is here, she kills Swinger and Disco with a side headlock hurricanrana combination. Trinity is dropkicked into her entourage and Jacqueline wipes out all three of the group. Disco Inferno grabs Jacqueline’s leg, Trinity stomps Jacqueline and rakes the eyes of the veteran. Kick to the head by Trinity gets a two count, Jacqueline battles back and floors Trinity. German suplex by Jackie, Disco saves Trinity. Jackie is hung up by Johnny Swinger and Trinity scores with a moonsault and Trinity wins. Nice to see Jacqueline but TNA made the right move putting over their talent. There would be no Knockout’s Division until 2007 so I imagine I will sporadically see women’s matches throughout TNA and Trinity might be a big deal? Well, she did end up in ECW by 2006 so that’s cool.

Winner: Trinity over Jacqueline with A Moonsault

(Monster’s Ball Match) Raven vs Abyss vs Monty Brown

TNA’s version of a hardcore match, nice package for the match showing off all the wrestlers in this match. Apparently, all men have been starved for a day and left in a room. Abyss looks absolutely jacked, Raven is in a straightjacket, every man so far is selling the effects of the lights in the arena due to being held in darkness overnight. Seems comical for such a serious person about gimmick matches like Raven. Abyss plants Brown with Shock Treatment, Raven makes the save. Raven and Brown block a double Chokeslam but eat a double clothesline from the monster Abyss. Abyss squashes Brown in the corner, discuss clothesline by Raven. Raven superkicks Abyss and clotheslines Brown. Raven has the chair and nails his drop toehold spot. Two count for Raven on Abyss, Brown blocks the drop toehold and wipes out Raven and Abyss with right hands. T-Bone suplex by Brown and a Fallaway Slam for good measure by The Alpha Male. Raven dodges a Pounce by pulling the referee into the way, Monty Brown running powerslams Abyss. Monty Brown was thinking Pounce but Raven runs into Brown accidently and Abyss plants Brown with The Black Hole Slam. Abyss grabs his black bag from under the ring, Abyss has Brown on the top rope. Abyss pulls out his thumbtacks out of the bag, Brown fights Abyss. Abyss wins the exchange, Abyss is thinking superplex onto the tacks but Brown battles out of the suplex. Raven powerbombs Abyss into the thumbtacks, Raven has the pin and gets a two count after a new referee runs to ringside. Raven and Abyss are on the floor, Raven has a table in the ring and a table on the floor. Raven stacks the table in the corner and knocks Abyss through the table by ringside. Raven is blindsided by a Pounce by Monty Brown through the table. Monty Brown covers Raven for the win! That was ok, some cool spots but not much were going on at any stage. It is clear Brown is being positioned as a big deal and a potential future champion, he is over with the crowd and Jarrett could be in his future. Abyss was not taking the pin as expected because he was still a machine at this stage of his career so poor Raven had to do the job.

Winner: Monty Brown over Everyone Else with The Pounce!

Petey Williams Promo

Petey Williams is not happy with being the underdog even though he is the champion while Coach Scott D’amore says AJ Styles is going to lose this match. If Styles wins, The Coach is going to leave the company. Petey looks shocked at his manager but they go to the ring for their match.

(X Division Championship Match) Petey Williams © W/ Coach Scott vs AJ Styles

AJ Styles is the goldenboy of TNA, he is simply phenomenal but Petey has The Canadian Destroyer, a move that nobody has an answer for so can Styles counter the incredible move? Styles takes down Petey before Petey grabs the ropes for a break, Styles counters a German suplex by landing on his feet, both men trade quick pins before a standoff. Styles chops Petey, rake to the eyes by Williams. Shoulder block by Styles, Petey grabs the feet but Styles does his kip up hurricanrana and nails his beautiful dropkick. Styles kicks Petey in the back of the head after a moonsault misses. Tope Con Hilo onto Williams. Styles rolls Williams into the ring, champion counters with a jawbreaker, kick to the mush and drop toehold by Williams. Cheap shot by The Coach, Williams distracts the referee. Styles is placed in the tree of woe, Williams stomps on the balls of The Phenomenal One. Dueling chants for both superstars, springboard Pele kick by Styles. Both trade forearm shots, Styles is crotched by Williams, Williams was thinking of stepping on Styles’ manhood for a second time but Styles used his strength to German Suplex Williams to the mat from the tree of woe position. Massive enzuigiri to the head of Williams, another forearm exchange with AJ winning the battle. Pumphandle back suplex by Styles, Phenomenal Forearm by Styles gets a two count. Knee to the head by Petey, Russian legsweep out of a headscissors. Petey is going Canadian Destroyer but both men counter one another finishers. Coach Scott has the championship, Styles is thinking Styles Clash, Petey fights out, Styles has Petey beaten but Scott distracts the referee. Petey has a hockey stick, the referee saves Styles but Petey nails AJ with the title belt. Styles kicks out at two and a half! Canadian Destroyer is blocked once more, Styles perches Williams on the top rope. Styles superplex is blocked, Canadian Destroyer and the match is over! That was good, I like the heel character of Williams, the singing the anthem tree of woe spot is just great, D’Amore as a manager is super irritating which means he is doing a great job and Styles is a great babyface, so likeable, relatable and easy to have sympathy for, I like the story they told and Williams winning using The Canadian Destroyer puts over the move which can build to a future narrative like Styles figuring out a counter if there are rematches down the line. Really good stuff though.

Winner: Petey Williams over AJ Styles with A Canadian Destroyer!

(Tag Team Elimination Match) Triple X vs AMW (America’s Most Wanted)

Who is the best tag team in TNA? We shall see, story of this match is James Storm’s leg is wrapped up after a chair shot to the leg by Christopher Daniels. Chris Harris clubs Elix Skipper while Storm battles Daniels. Skipper is in the ring with Storm, reverse suplex by Storm. Hart Attack by AMW, Daniels eats a Superkick from Storm. Skipper saves Daniels from The Death Sentence. TKO by Storm on Daniels and Daniels has been pinned. I thought this was a simple elimination match but no, you have to stay down for 10 after being pinned. Harris clotheslines Daniels, Daniels puts up a boot and Skipper is now legal. Double slam on Harris, Skipper slams Daniels into Harris. Daniels works the back of Harris, suplex and crossbody combination by Triple X. Two count, Daniels works the back of Harris, Harris battles back before Daniels nails two right hands. Harris scores with a flying clothesline, tag to Storm who runs wild, headscissors and a powerslam on Skipper. Storm was measuring Skipper for the Superkick, Daniels smashes the knee with a low dropkick. Triple X lay out Storm with the Payoff, Storm is pinned but he is back to his feet. Daniels uses a chair on the leg of Storm, Daniels pins Storm off the chair shot and Storm cannot make the ten count, Storm is eliminated! Harris is drilled with a slam by Daniels, BME misses by Daniels and a huge spear by Harris. Daniels kicks out and Skipper is knocked to the floor by Harris. Leg drop by Harris on Daniels get a pinfall for Harris. Daniels does not make the ten count so we are down to Skipper vs Harris. Harris plants Skipper with a powerbomb, two count. Harris cannot nail a suplex due to his back, Skipper botches the Overdrive finishing move as both men fall awkwardly to the floor. Skipper recovers by grabbing a chair, Harris blocks the chair shot and nails a Catatonic on the chair, Skipper kicks out but referee says three and counts. Skipper does not make the count so yeah, massively botched ending. Daniels and Skipper lay out Storm and Harris, Triple X handcuff AMW together and beat them down with chairs across the back. That was a little rough, AMW are the premier team of the division and Triple X do more than hold their own but there were some sloppy moments with Skipper, not the biggest fan of the guy. On a sidenote: if you want to see a great match between these two, check out their cage match at the next pay per view, they go to war with AMW coming out on top and being white hot in their pursuit of the tag team titles.

Winners: AMW over Triple X following a Super Botch

(TNA World Heavyweight Championship Match) Jeff Jarrett © vs Jeff Hardy (Ladder Match)

Vince Russo is disgusted as Dusty Rhodes is announced the new Director of Authority. Mike Tenay congratulates Dusty who speaks to the fans and thanks everyone for voting etc. There is also going to be a six sided steel cage match at the next pay per view so there’s something to look forward to at my next review. Dusty Rhodes goes on and on and on and on and on, what will he not just leave and let us see the match? Jeff Hardy became the number one contender by winning a fatal four way, Jeff chose a ladder match because Jeff feels at home on a ladder while we are seeing Jarrett thinking he is the man. Scott Hall is in Jarrett’s corner while Kevin Nash is in Hardy’s corner. Kevin Nash has not arrived though so Hardy is all alone. Jeff looks like a bulimic Incredible Hulk with his green paint. Jeff runs to the top of the ramp to bring a ladder right into the ring. It is funny to see Jeremy Borash trying to announce while Jarrett and Hardy try to kill one another. Jeff chokes Jarrett in the corner, flying clothesline by Hardy. Jarrett props the ladder in a corner, Jarrett is flung into a ladder by Hardy. They fight over a ladder before Jeff dropkicks Jarrett in the face. Double J eats the ladder, Hardy slams the ladder on Jarrett’s back. Jeff uses the ladder to squish Jarrett before dropkicking The King of The Mountain. STO by Jeff Hardy, Hardy is climbing the turnbuckle and Hardy misses his leapfrog legdrop as Jarrett dodges. Jarrett buries Hardy under a ladder, Irish whip into the ladder by Jarrett. Jarrett places a ladder between the guard rail and the ring. Front suplex onto the ladder, ladder into the ribs by the champion. Jarrett batters Jeff with the ladder, Jeff falls onto the referee. Jarrett climbs for the title belt, Jeff dropkicks Jarrett off the ladder. Jeff places Jarrett on the ladder, Swanton Bomb on Jarrett who is lying on the ladder. Jeff is climbing for the win, Scott Hall saves Jarrett’s title with an Outsider’s Edge on Jeff Hardy. Scott is supposed to be escorted away from the ring but he is allowed to sit on a chair and watch the match. Jeff drops Jarrett with a leg drop. Jarrett and Hardy brawl onto a top rope, Hardy smashes a ladder into Jarrett’s face in the seesaw spot. Jarrett and Hardy are on the ladder, facebuster by Jeff on Jarrett off the ladder. Scott Hall pulls out Jeff and hammers The Charismatic Enigma. Hardy prevents Jarrett from winning, Jarrett lands groin first on the top rope. Jarrett tips over the ladder with Hardy, Hardy falls onto Scott Hall but Hardy takes out both of his opponents. Jeff nails a Poetry in Motion over the top rope onto both Hall and Jarrett. Jeff has a huge ladder, Jarrett and Hardy brawl atop the ladder on the outside, both champion and challenger fall to the floor. They spring back to their feet which is ridiculous. Two ladders are set up in the ring, Jarrett and Hardy brawl more. Hardy botches a sunset flip powerbomb with Jarrett falling to the floor. Hardy nails the sunset flip powerbomb on the floor. Hardy is climbing and Scott Hall has a chair, Hardy drills Hall with a Twist of Fate. Swanton Bomb on Hall, Hardy is climbing again but Jarrett has his guitar. Hardy kicks away the guitar but Jarrett drops Hardy with a chair shot. Jarrett climbs to the top of the ladder with a guitar in hand, here comes Kevin Nash in a tracksuit and grey hair. Hardy is smashed with three guitars as Nash turned on Hardy. Jarrett pulls down the belt as The Kings of Wrestling are formed. That was not a great match, Hardy went through all his signature ladder spots match was largely slow though. It did make Hardy look like a babyface that you wanted to see get his revenge though so mission accomplished in that regard. Nash siding with Hall seemed so predictable but I guess it puts more heat on Jarrett. After the match, TNA stars try to beat The Kings of Wrestling but Nash, Hall, and Jarrett are too strong. However, fear not as The Kings of Wrestling are in shock when The Macho Man Randy Savage comes out to beat their asses. The pay per view ends abruptly with a fade to black but it made you want to tune into the action, Nash, Hall and Jarrett together? The Macho Man is here? What’s going to happen next?

Winner: Jarrett over Hardy by retrieving the belt!

Overall, I feel TNA tried to pack a lot of action into this pay per view with mixed success. The battle royal, women’s match, and Mexican midget matches had no story and were more there to kill time and show off. The X Division match I thought was very entertaining while the main event was slow and predictable. I will give credit to TNA though, if I saw this in 2004, I would want to see what was going to happen next. I had a vested interest in Styles and the X Division after this pay per view, I wanted to see where Monty Brown went from here and I would have liked to seen Jarrett get what he deserves at the hands of the babyfaces. So yeah, I liked this show despite its flaws and I would welcome more TNA into my home. So what did you think of Victory Road 2004? Is TNA done once and for all? Do you want to see TNA rebranded? Do you care about TNA anymore? Let us know and of course, tune in next week for another Flashback Friday!