The Katz Files – Arnie Katz
My Turning Point : Preview & Predictions
The Kingfish Arnie Katz gets you ready for TNA’s November pay per view event!.
Turning Point, TNA’s November pay per view isn’t one of the company’s highest-profile events, but it could prove crucial this time. The reason is the war between the Main Event Mafia and the TNA Originals.
The feud has begun and it sure looks like this PPV will be the first major battle in this struggle for respect and control.
Let’s look at what’s in store – and what might actually happen at the show:
X-Division Seeding Match
The Story: TNA is showing a lot more energy about every facet of the show. Part of the push to reinvigorate some aspects of the promotion that have lagged is this X Division cluster schmazz to decide the top contenders.
My Prediction: You can only do so much with videos, so it is past time for Suicide to make his debut. In fact, he should triumph over all opposition to leap into the thick of the X Division championship scene. The winner pretty much needs to be a fan favorite, so that they can face Sheik Abdul Bashir. If it isn’t going to be Suicide, the winner could be someone like Consequences Creed.
Predicted Grade: A-
Rhino vs. Sheik Abdul Bashir
Non-Title Grudge Match
The Story: The War Machine took great umbrage over Bashir’s anti-American comments. That led to some verbal and physical confrontations between the two. And now they are taking it to the ring.
My Prediction: My heart wants me to pick Rhino, who has had some trouble finding a good spot in TNA for some time. My head says that the Sheik won’t be losing any matches until someone, most likely Suicide, beats him for the title. Though the fact that this is a non-title match raises the possibility that Rhino will win a tainted victory, my prediction is that it will be Sheik Abdul Bashir who wins the tainted victory.
Predicted Grade: B-
Kurt Angle vs. Abyss
The Story: Kurt Angle is on a vengeance quest to force Jeff Jarrett to fight him again. TNA’s founder has steadfastly refused, through Angle has made menacing comments about Jarrett’s little girls. Jarrett threw Abyss at the former Olympian, hoping to distract him. The feud got savage in a hurry, but Angle’s main purpose is to get through Abyss and tighten the screws on Double J.
My Prediction: Kurt Angle has to come out of this match looking like the Man Who Would Be Champion. Yet the dynamics of Abyss’ push dictate that he not come out of this as an enhancement wrestler. Probably the best way to achieve both ends is for Abyss to get to the verge of winning when the Main Event Mafia explodes all over the ring. There will be a counter- run-in by elements of the TNA Originals. The net effect will be that the referee will throw out the match, Since the Main Event Mafia crossed the line first, Abyss will win a DW victory. It’s also possible that it will be declared a No Contest so that neither man has a loss on his record.
Predicted Grade: B-
Roxxi & Taylor Wilde vs. Awesome Kong & Raisha Saeed
The Story: Roxxi and Taylor have started to walk the hardcore road as a result of their continuing enmity with Awesome Kong and her masked manager. To retaliate against the babyfaces’ raid on their dressing room, Kong and Saeed assault Roxxi on the 11/6 iMPACT. This could be the right time for some satisfying payback, though revenge may be hard to get against this nefarious pair.
My Prediction: The faces have to look good if TNA wants to set up singles competition against Awesome Kong. Roxxi will score the pin on Raisha Saeed.
Predicted Grade: B
Beer Money, Inc. vs. The Motor City Machine Guns
The Story: Beer Money has become the most successful TNA tag team since the heyday of America’s Most Wanted. The Machine Guns got the nod as 2007’s tag team of the year as voted by the fans, but they have never worn the gold. After a period during which Sabin and Shelley appeared to lose concentration, the Detroit Duo has regained its intensity. Will it be enough to take the title?
My Prediction: Everything seems set for a title change. The announcers have pounded home the fact that Sabin and Shelley have never held the title, Beer Money needs anew feud and a win by the Guns would propel the team into the middle of the Generation War.
Predicted Grade: A-
Booker T vs. Christian Cage
TNA Legends Championship Match
Stip: A Cage loss forces him to join MEM
The Story: Booker T’s linguistic eccentricities and his introduction of the Legends Championship belt really got under Christian Cage’s skin. His irritation with Booker T caused Cage to fire some devastating verbal salvos and challenge Book to put up his bogus title in the ring.
My Prediction: The ideal way to end this match would be to have Booker T retain his belt without forcing Christian Cage to join the Main Event Mafia. The latter is important, because otherwise TNA will have a plot that seems ludicrous even by the promotion’s lax standards. TNA has a chance to make history by turning one of those “window dressing” belts into a real one by having Booker T lose it to Christian Cage. That’s what I think will happen and then there’ll be a hellacious beatdown that forces Christian Cage to make a choice and ally himself with the Main Event Mafia. This outcome would also set up an exciting rematch in which Booker tries to take back his title.
Predicted Grade: B+
Samoa Joe vs. Kevin Nash
The Story: Samoa Joe has suffered the unkindest cut of all, the betrayal of a trusted friend and mentor. Joe has craved revenge ever since Bound for Glory and hopes to get it in the ring against the multi-time former champion.
My Prediction: The biggest single factor in forecasting this match is the state of Kevin Nash’s health. He has looked surprisingly good in his limited exposure, but his medical history is certainly against him. If Big Sexxy looks like he can wrestle some after this, he should beat Samoa Joe. And to set up a cage match or something similar, he should lose due to outside interference. Scott Steiner isn’t doing anything right now, so the MEM Hitman is likely to practice his craft at Samoa Joe’s expense.
Predicted Grade: B+
A.J. Styles vs. Sting
TNA World Title Match
The Story: At first The Phenomenal One didn’t want to believe that Sting had thrown in his lot with the Old Guard, now known as the Main Event Mafia. Events have proven that Styles’ initial optimism was misplaced. The Icon has relentlessly badmouthed AJ with special emphasis on his bad home life growing up.
My Prediction: AJ Styles should take the title despite the Main Event Mafia’s strenuous efforts to help Sting keep it. The best way to propel the feud would be to switch the titles back and forth between the MEM and the TNA Originals. We might be looking at Angle-Styles for the title in our near future.
Predicted Grade: A-
Predicted Grade for Turning Point: B+
That’s it for today. I’ll be back on Monday with another installment of the Internet’s fastest-rising daily wrestling column. I’ll have the recap and analysis of No Surrender and you’ll be able to laugh at my predictions.
— Arnie Katz
[email protected]
(11/8/08)