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HeadLocker — Jay Shannon

Genesis: Predictions and Analysis

Our resident philosopher, Jay Shannon, breaks out the crystal ball and tea leaves to predict the winners and losers in Sunday’s PPV.

Genesis should be a decent PPV. They have several solid matches. This PPV will likely get passed by many people, since Royal Rumble is so close at hand. The budget isn’t there for both, with most people. It’s a real shame, because this card is going to rock the house. Let’s take a look.

Shane Sewell v Sheik Abdul Bashir

The Backstory: Sewell was the ref that cost Bashir his X-Title. Bashir has been acting like a serious bully to Sewell, ever since. Sewell snapped and kicked the daylights out of the Anti-American on a few occasions. Sewell ended up suspended for beating on the former Daivari. Shane was warned if he attacked Bashir again, for any reason, he’d lose his ref job. Bashir attacked Sewell and when the guy stood up for himself, Cornette fired him, kind of. Sewell will come back on Sunday…as a wrestler.
Prediction: This one is a given. Bashir is on a slide since dropping the X-Title. Sewell needs a big win to establish himself in TNA.TNA is going to go one of two ways with this one. Sewell is either going to radically trash Bashir or the match will end up a double disqualification. While I’d like to think that Sewell will trounce the guy that cost him his job, I’d just about bet the farm that it ends up as a double DQ or double countout.
Predicted Winner: Double DQ
Predicted Grade: B

Christy Hemme v Awesome Kong
TNA Knockouts Championship Match: Lumberjill Rules
Backstory: Kong has now expanded her little clique into the Kongtourage. It includes Sojournor Bolt, Rhaka Khan and Raisha Saeed. She’s bringing the ladies with her to this catfight. Hemme is going to counter with Taylor Wilde, ODB and Roxxi. Hemme came very close to upsetting Kong for the Knockout’s title at the last PPV. Hemme was re-trained for the ring by A.J. Styles. Kong has started carrying around a photo of Hemme to focus on. This is very similar to what she did with Gail Kim.
Predictions: This should be a major squash match. Kong is 10 times the wrestler that Hemme will ever be. Kong has her goon-ette squad with her. For some strange reason, I’m feeling an upset in the works. Hemme is getting a monster push, right now. I’ll be darned if I can figure out why, other than she looks sexy in spandex. Kong will over-power Hemme for most of the match. Hemme will look like she doesn’t have a prayer of winning. Kong will miss a Big Splash in the corner. Hemme will hit her FFG Leg Drop. I wouldn’t be surprised if Hemme shows off a Pele kick, taught to her by Styles.
Predicted Grade: B
Predicted Winner: Christy Hemme (new Knockouts Champion)

Beer Money v Abyss & Matt Morgan v Jay Lethal & Consequences Creed
TNA World Tag Team Triple Threat Match
The Backstory: Lethal Consequences slipped in the back door after Robert Roode tweaked his knee on Impact and cashed in their Feast or Fired title shot. Lethal blith-whapped Storm with the steel briefcase and took the gold. Originally, Beer Money was set to defend on Sunday against Morgan and Abyss. The booking committee just threw all three teams into the mix. Abyss and Morgan are having their issues. Roode’s knee is an unknown.
Predictions: Abyss and Morgan are going to implode at Genesis. I see that as clear as the moon on a cloudless sky. Their tag team just hasn’t clicked like it should. The “old” Abyss is going to return. (It’s about time!) Lethal and Creed are carrying the flag for the Frontline. Lethal and Creed should retain and move on to battle some combo on the Main Event Mafia (most likely Kevin Nash & Scott Steiner) for the tag belts.
Predicted Grade: B
Predicted Winners: Lethal Consequences (Jay Lethal and Consequences Creed)

Chris Sabin v Alex Shelley
X-Division Tournament Finals
The Backstory: When Shane Sewell didn’t count down Eric Young and eventually gave the win to Eric, TNA held up the belt. They ran an 8 man tourney to determine the new title holder. The two members of the Motor City Machine Guns survived all the challenges to end up in the finals. Mick Foley confronted the two and warned them that if they made this championship match a joke, then both men faced serious disciplinary actions from the company.
Predictions: This is either going to be the Match of the Year or the worst thing ever booked by TNA. Foley’s warning sent a cold chill down my spine. I could seriously see the Guns turning this into a comedy skit. I like to keep a positive mindset, so I’m hoping that the two men show some class and really give it their full “A” game. If they do, I’m going to go with Alex Shelley to take the crown. It would just irk the living daylights out of Mick Foley if Shelley were the X-Title holder. I do think he will drop the strap to Homicide very shortly after this battle.
Predicted Grade: A+ or F (depending on which path they take)
Predicted Winner: Alex Shelley

“The War Machine” Rhino v “The Icon” Sting
TNA World Title Match
The Backstory: Rhino has stepped to the front of the Frontline squad. Sting is the co-leader of the Main Event Mafia. Rhino wants to take the title from Sing in the worst way. Sting is determined to keep his belt, no matter what.
Predictions: If Rhino wins this, the sun will rise in the West and time will run backwards. Rhino just isn’t in the same league with Sting. He’s a good wrestler but he’ll never be a Legend. To help Rhino save face, expect the Mafia to get involved. Rhino might even get the DQ win in this battle. There is no way that he’s taking the gold back home to Detroit.
Predicted Grade: B
Predicted Winner: Sting (or Rhino by DQ). Sting retains, either way.

Mick Foley, AJ Styles & Brother Devon v Booker T, Kevin Nash and “Big Poppa Pump” Scott Steiner
The Backstory: This match is the in-ring return of Mick Foley. In case you hadn’t heard (four hundred times in the 2 hours of Impact). Brother Devon’s long-time partner, Brother Ray, was annihilated by the Mafia, a few weeks back. Styles was one of the original catalysts of the whole Respect War thing. On the other side, the weak links of the Mafia. Steiner and Nash are far beyond their prime and Booker is just spinning his wheels in TNA.
Predictions: This is all about Mick. He is going to be the key to this match. I’m still expecting him to turn on the Frontline, eventually. I’ve predicted, incorrectly, for several PPVs that Mick would do the turn. I doubt seriously that he will go there, this time. I’ll probably be completely wrong. I figure that Foley is going to go “Old School Hardcore” on everyone in sight. We will likely see the Cactus Clothesline and the Diving Elbow off the apron. I’m sure he’ll break out the Mandible Claw. The only question is who he’ll use it on. I’m betting Booker T. That could set up a Booker v Foley match for the Legends title, down the road.
Predicted Grade: B+
Predicted Winners: Styles, Devon and Foley

TNA Founder Jeff Jarrett v Olympic Gold Medalist Kurt Angle

The Backstory: Kurt has said some major nasty things about Jeff. Angle crossed the line when he brought Jeff’s family into the mix. Jarrett already holds one victory over Angle. Angle is determined not to lose again. This is not going to be a wrestling match, its going to be a monster war. There’s going to be blood. There’s going to be pain. The question is: Who is going to win it?
Predictions: This was actually a tad more difficult to predict than I originally thought. Jeff needs to keep the Mafia at bay. Angle needs a great win, especially if the other Mafia members lose to Foley and the boys. Expect the arrival of a new Mafia member to take out Jarrett. Who is it? I can think of several: Foley, Brother Ray, Ric Flair (they ARE in Flair country), Scott Hall, Rick Steiner, etc… Al Snow showed up at the last PPV, so I doubt that they’d use him again. I’d love to see a clean victory by one man or the other, but it’s not going to happen. Angle will pull a rabbit out of the hat and cheat his way to a victory, I’m sure of it.
Predicted Grade: A
Predicted Winner: Kurt Angle
Final Grade: B+
Final Thoughts: This isn’t going to be TNA’s best PPV. They have to know that going up against Royal Rumble is a losing effort. I sat and talked with some close friends about the PPV. I told them that I was going to order one or the other. It was unanimous, spend the extra few bucks and go with the WWE. I still think this is going to be a great card but TNA will likely hold back until Slammiversary.
–Jay Shannon
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(1/10/2009)