TNA No Surrender
February 23, 2024
Alario Center
Westwego, Louisiana
Attendance: 750
It’s time for the 2nd PLE under the TNA Banner, TNA No Surrender. I haven’t been happy with TNA creative since the relaunch but that is only because I expected better. I am however, excited to see how this show goes down. We kick off with the Countdown show!
Tag Team Match
The Rascalz (Trey Miguel & Zachary Wentz) vs. Speedball Mountain (Mike Bailey & Trent Seven)
The Match:
Speedball Mountain are having their first match in TNA, and surely they win here to get themselves over. The match started with some fake dives, which is disappointing because I expect better from anything Trey Miguel is involved in. They then did some other fake dive spots to the outside with Trent and Mike and this was already off to a bad start. Bailey barely even hit the mark. The Rascalz are a great time, but I wish they would try harder to be more realistic. Mike Bailey is probably the best Indie Wrestler of the last 2 years, and he got the hot tag to Trent Seven who I know nothing about other than he was in NXT UK. This was just an over choereographed match. Bailey hit a Shooting Star Press for a near fall, that’s all you need to know. Maclin got involved and the Rascalz won via submission.
Winner/s: The Rascalz via submission in 8:12.
Frankie Kazarian cuts a promo about his match with Eric Young being for the #1 Contendership for the TNA World Title. That is lazy.
Tag Team Match
Kevin Knight & KUSHIDA vs. The System (Brian Myers & Eddie Edwards) (w/Alisha Edwards)
The Match:
Alisha Edwards looked hubba hubba. I am sure this will be much like the first match. The System HAVE TO WIN THIS ONE. Kevin is still not so established. The System had a heat on KUSHIDA, and Alisha kept getting involved. Kevin Knight got a hot tag and went nuts and showed off his athleticism. This was a good battle, and there were some good near falls. Roster Cut and Boston Knee Party ended it.
Winner/s: The System via pinfall in 8:47.
TNA World Title #1 Contendership Match
Frankie Kazarian vs. Eric Young
The Match:
These two have been feuding for a while after Frankie turned his back on Eric after 2 matches together because they lost both matches, and that made Frankie 100% change his whole disposition as a human being. They sold the heat well. These two are the last two of a generation that give a shit about wrestling a proper wrestling match without all the usual BS. Frankie was in charge early, and bro, this dude has a solid right hand. Great drama from these two. Eric Young locked in a crucifix pin to beat Frankie and I can’t see this being over yet. Frankie laid out the referee after the match, which was slightly awkward. He ended up continually assaulting the referee which was awesome.
Winner: NEW #1 Contender for the TNA World Title, Eric Young via pinfall in 9:23.
Grizzled Young Vets Interview with Gia Miller
They want the tag titles, its not going to be pretty, Gia is pretty though. They are not utilizing her enough on the shows!
TNA World Tag Team Title Best Of Three Series Match #3
ABC (Ace Austin & Chris Bey) (c) vs. Grizzled Young Vets (James Drake & Zack Gibson)
The Match:
It’s time for the feud ending match, and unfortunately ahead of time I knew the Grizzled Young Vets lost this one, but let’s see how the match goes. I’ve already seen their previous matches. James Drake dropkicked Chris Bey off the apron and it was hilarious. GYV were on top and had a good heat on Bey. They choked Bey with their scarf. Ace Austin got the hot tag! and we got the obligatory Ace Austin dive on Zack Gibson. Grizzled Young Vets had the ABC in double submissions, and they want to finish them. Austin got taken out, and the GYV tried to finish them off. The ABC retained in usual fashion.
Winner: STILL TNA World Tag Team Champions, The ABC via pinfall in 17:48.
There’s a real cookie cutter segment backstage with Speedball Mountain confronting Maclin and the Rascalz backstage.
Singles Match
PCO vs. Kon
The Match:
If Kon loses this, he is done. If you want to get him over, he has to beat PCO. This is Big Kon’s biggest match of his career. This is the brawl we have come to expect, and as it wore on PCO missed his shot off the top rope onto Kon on the outside, Kon ended up hitting PCO with a chair and the match was thrown out, as Kon kept on PCO and snapped his neck and killed him. He’s dead. PCO is dead. Kon piled chairs on PCO. Kon tosses the timekeeper around after this and ragdolled him. PCO burst out of the rubble of chairs, and attacked Kon in the ring. PCO clocked Kon with a dive. Then PCO wore Kon out with a chair. Kon fought back on the stage, and laid PCO out. Kon then tied PCO up and backed off and left the scene.
Winner: PCO via DQ in 3:49.
Backstage Alex Shelley is asking for KUSHIDA and Kevin Knight, and how he doesn’t want them to throw in the towel in for him.
TNA Knockouts World Tag Team Title Match
Decay (Havok & Rosemary) (c) vs. MK Ultra (Killer Kelly & Masha Slamovich)
The Match:
Kelly and Masha have the best entrance in wrestling today. Dave Penzer not being the ring announcer is obvious. Both teams brawled solidly to start the match. Masha is so intense! Killer Kelly is so hot. MK Ultra had a great tactic, they cut off the ring well on Rosemary. MK got itense in the eyes of defiance from Rosemary. Havok got the hot tag and laid waste, but Jessicka hit the DVD for a two count. Snow Plow by Masha Slamovich and MK Ultra thankfully won the belts back! After the match they attack Decay and Jody Threat/Dani Luna made the save.
Winner/s: NEW TNA Knockouts World Tag Team Champions, MK Ultra via pinfall in 7:27.
Backstage Moose and The System talk about the title match later on and he won’t quit as he will trust the System.
Singles Match
Simon Gotch vs. Josh Alexander
The Match:
This is Simon Gotch’s biggest match of his career. Simons upper body is weird looking. Simon is against the odds here. I expect an Alan Angels interference. Josh is too much for Simon earlier on. They trade everything. Simon gets on the former Aiden English’s case. I love Rehwols insight. Gotch was in charge but Josh weathered the storm. This angle is so them trying to keep Josh busy till he’s in the championship section of the card again. Gotch seemed to have it together, but Josh fought back. They went back and forth, Alexander put in the hard yards and beat Gotch with the C4 Spike.
Winner: Josh Alexander via pinfall in 16:43.
TNA World Title No Surrender Rules Match
Moose (w/Alisha Edwards, Brian Myers & Eddie Edwards) (c) vs. Alex Shelley (w/Kevin Knight & KUSHIDA)
The Match:
The ring announcer appeared to be struggling to announce the rules of the match to begin with. This is a No Surrender Match, at No Surrender. It appears the match can only end if one of their cornermen throw the towel in. Alex Shelley started to work on the knee of Moose. Shelley collided with the ring post. Shelley then tried to break Moose’s finger on the turnbuckle with a wrench and Brian Myers was thinking about throwing the towel in. Moose smashed a chair on Shelleys hand that was stuffed in a turnbuckle, which was brutal but funny. This match had a really interesting psychology to it! All they have done is torture one another. By the way, Alex Shelley needs to Shampoo and Condition his hair, or get a treatment put through it. Moose got powerbombed onto an upside down trash can on the corner of it, jesus! Eddie and Brian were constantly helping Moose throughout the match, as Moose denied the use of the brass knuckles he was given, but missed a spear through a table in the corner. Alex Shelley locked in a Border City Stretch with a chain. Knight does a dive to the outside onto Eddie and Brian who stood there waiting for it, and Moose eventually hit a spear on Alex Shelley, followed by another! KUSHIDA really didn’t want to throw in the towel for Alex, but did it anyway, as Moose hit 2 spears with a chain wrapped around him.
Winner: STILL TNA World Heavyweight Champion, Moose via referee stoppage in 20:07.
Ash By Elegence is introduced to the show by her personal concierge. I think she should have been wearing a nice coat. “I really hate this concierge guy to be honest” – Tom Hannifan popped me. She’s sitting at ringside.
TNA Knockouts World Title Match
Jordynne Grace (c) vs. Gisele Shaw
The Match:
Jordynne Grace is fairly unlikely to lose this one, lets be honest on that. She only just won it. I think Gisele does need to win it for the first time later this year. She’s been dedicated to getting better for a long time, I’ve noticed the concerted effort on her behalf. Especially at getting aggressive in the ring. They cut to Ash By Elegence again at ringside, and it just looks odd. Could they not put a bit more into the budget and get her a better chair than a computer chair? I think perhaps she really needed to be put on commentary here but perhaps they felt that wouldn’t work out too well. Gisele did a spinning splash off the top rope but it wasn’t timed very well. I think a habit TNA has is that too many people get into the hunt for championships in easy fashion. Gisele’s Spanish Fly off the apron onto the floor was so painful looking! This was a very good match. Jordynne Grace ended up putting Shaw away with the Juggernaut Driver.
Winner: STILL TNA Knockouts Champion, Jordynne Grace via pinfall in 10:38.
I also can not understand how Nick Nemeth isn’t on this PLE, I assume he has a prior engagement.
Jake Something wants a shot at the winner of the X Division title match.
TNA X-Division Title Match
Chris Sabin (c) vs. Mustafa Ali
The Match:
In his TNA Wrestling debut, Mustafa Ali faces off here against Chris Sabin for the X-Division Championship, after weeks of build up with paid advertisements. Sabin initiates the action with a surfboard submission, but Ali manages to break free, responding with a touch of disrespect. Sabin quickly retaliates, delivering a big time running clothesline, and then showcasing his agility with a head scissors that sends Ali to the arena floor.
As the match continued, Sabin executed a top rope crossbody. However, Ali seized an opportunity and targeted Sabin’s arm with a precise 450 Splash. Momentum shifted when Sabin executed a snap German suplex, creating an opening he needed. The crowd erupted as Sabin hits his signature tornado DDT, and was super close to getting the win. After more back and forth, chaos ensued at ringside when Chris Sabin took out Ali’s security team with a crossbody from the top rope, which I found hilarious. Interference from The Good Hands helped Ali in rolling up Sabin with a handful of tights for a near fall. Sabin retaliates with his signature Clothesline from Hell Michigan, followed by the Cradle Shock, but Ali kicked out!. In a dramatic turn of events, Ali counters a top rope Cradle Shock into a Sunset Flip, finishing the match with a 450 Splash to claim the X-Division Championship!
I don’t necessarily have a problem with Ali, I’ve just never really got into this character. I think it’s SO TNA that Ali comes in and wins the X Division Title in his first match. It was obvious he was going to win ahead of time, I feel. This was a good match depite my complaints.
Winner: NEW TNA X-Division Champion, Mustafa Ali via pinfall in 19:37.
Final Thoughts:
It was a good show indeed, it’s just that I have this feeling ingrained into me right now that I can’t shake as it pertains to how I feel about TNA. Even on the enjoyable show like this, I still feel frustrated!
