Hard Justice (2008)
Hard Justice (2008) | |||
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Sovereign Bank Arena | |||
Attendance | 3,500[1][2] | ||
Pay-per-view chronology | |||
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Hard Justice chronology | |||
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The 2008 Hard Justice was a
The main event was a
Hard Justice featured the start of a storyline between
In October 2017, with the launch of the Global Wrestling Network, the event became available to stream on demand.[3]
Production
Background
The fourth installment under the
Storylines
Hard Justice featured seven professional wrestling matches that involved different wrestlers from pre-existing scripted feuds and storylines. Wrestlers portrayed villains, heroes, or less distinguishable characters in the scripted events that built tension and culminated in a wrestling match or series of matches.[9]
The main event at Hard Justice was a
The predominant storyline heading into the event was the rivalry between
The TNA World Tag Team Championship was defended at Hard Justice by LAX against Beer Money, Inc. (James Storm and Robert Roode). On the June 12 episode of Impact!, Roode and Storm teamed to face LAX for the World Tag Team Championship. The match was originally won by Roode and Storm before being restarted due to interference. LAX won the restart to retain the championship. After the bout, Roode and Storm assaulted LAX and their manager Héctor Guerrero.[19] Management Director Jim Cornette scheduled a title defense at Victory Road between LAX and Roode and Storm under "Fan's Revenge" Lumberjack rules on the June 19 episode of Impact!.[21] At Victory Road, LAX defeated the newly renamed Beer Money Incorporated to retain the World Tag Team Championship.[22] On the July 17 episode of Impact!, Roode and Storm began assaulting various wrestlers, crew members, and fans in retaliation for their loss at Victory Road. Later in the program, Roode and Storm once again attacked Guerrero, prompting LAX to come to his rescue.[12] On the July 31 episode of Impact!, Roode and Storm defeated the team of Christian Cage and Rhino for a World Tag Team Championship match at Hard Justice.[20] On the August 7 episode of Impact!, the team of Cage, Rhino, and LAX fought the team of Roode, Storm, and Team 3D in an Eight Man Tag Team match, which the latter lost. After the contest, Roode and Storm slammed Homicide through a glass table, injuring his right eye in the storyline.[23]
Team 3D fought the team of Christian Cage and Rhino in a New Jersey Street Fight at Hard Justice. This match was a break-off from the rivalry between A.J. Styles and Kurt Angle. After Team 3D, Cage, and Rhino became involved in the rivalry, Team 3D injured both Cage and Rhino in the narrative leading into Victory Road. Rhino was knocked out on the June 19 episode of Impact!, while on the June 26 episode of Impact! Cage was slammed through a glass table by Brother Ray.[21][24] After the match at Victory Road and a Six Man Tag Team Elimination Tables match on Impact!, Team 3D cost Cage and Rhino a shot at the World Tag Team Championship on the July 31 episode of Impact!. Afterwards, Cage challenged Team 3D to a New Jersey Street Fight at Hard Justice, which Team 3D accepted.[20]
Event
The telecast began with a live performance of the event theme song "AyAyAya" by Filthee along with Grandmaster Caz and Melle Mel. Ice-T was advertised to perform but was absent with no reason given and was replaced by Mel.[25] It later came to light that Ice-T was unable to attend as a result of "travel problems."[26]
Miscellaneous
Hard Justice featured employees other than the wrestlers involved in the matches.
Preliminary matches
The opening bout was for the
The second contest of the show was a
The TNA World Tag Team Championship was defended by LAX against Beer Money, Inc. in the next encounter. Jacqueline accompanied Beer Money to the ring, while Salinas and Héctor Guerrero accompanied LAX. The duration of the encounter was 14 minutes and 15 seconds. Filthee, Grandmaster Caz, and Melle Mel performed LAX's theme during their entrance. Near the end of the contest, Jacqueline and Salinas both interfered in the match. This led to Roode smacking Homicide in his injured right eye with a beer bottle while the referee was not looking. Storm then gained the pinfall to win the TNA World Tag Team Championship for his team.[29]
TNA held a Black Tie Brawl and Chain match between Jay Lethal and Sonjay Dutt, which lasted 11 minutes and 14 seconds. In this match, both competitors were tied together via a chain and dressed in tuxedos. The only way to win was to strip their opponent of the tuxedo and either make them submit or pin them afterwards. Lethal won the encounter after jumping off of a turnbuckle to drive his elbow into Dutt's chest and followed with the pin.[30]
Main event matches
The fifth match on the card was a New Jersey Street Fight pitting the team of Christian Cage and Rhino against Team 3D (Brother Devon and Brother Ray). In this match, weapons were legal to use and there were no count-outs or disqualifications. Early in the match, both teams fought throughout the crowd, at which time they both used weapons against each other. The match ended when Cage performed a
A.J. Styles fought Kurt Angle in a Last Man Standing match next. In a Last Man Standing match, there are no disqualifications or count outs, instead to win the match the competitor has to force their opponent to not be able to reach a standing position by the count of 10. However, this match was only promoted as a Last Man Standing match, instead it was held under Texas Death match rules where a wrestler must pin or submit their opponent and then have them fail to respond to a count of 10. Styles got the first fall of the night, when he forced Angle to tap out to Angle's own signature submission maneuver the Ankle lock. Angle made it to his feet before the count concluded. Angle gained a pinfall later on in the match after slamming Styles off the top of a padded turnbuckle with a suplex. Before Styles could reach his feet to beat the count, Angle slammed Styles onto the mat back-first with his signature Olympic slam maneuver and gained another pinfall to start the count over. Styles beat that count as well, with Angle trying for the Olympic Slam again before Styles' countered it into his signature Styles' Clash maneuver and pinned Angle. After Angle reached his feet, Styles and Angle fought up a padded turnbuckle with Styles gaining the advantage. At this time, Styles grabbed Angle by the neck and fell backwards from the turnbuckle and drove Angle head-first into the mat. Angle failed to reach the 10 count afterwards, with Styles being declared the winner of the contest at 24 minutes and 50 seconds. Following the encounter, the referee called for medical attention for Angle who was scripted to appear as if he had suffered a neck injury. Styles then entered the ring once Angle reached his feet and lifted Angle up and dropped him on his head. As Styles walked up the ramp, he was attacked by Sting, who drove Styles' head into the ramp with his signature Scorpion Death Drop maneuver, as Kevin Nash looked on.[29]
The main event was a Six Sides of Steel Weapons match for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship, pitting the champion Samoa Joe against the challenger Booker T, who was accompanied by Sharmell. The duration of the contest was 12 minutes and 44 seconds. Early in the bout, Booker T hit Joe in the face with a steel chair, resulting in Joe bleeding from the forehead. Later on, Booker T slammed Joe back-first onto two chairs with his signature Book End maneuver, however, Joe kicked out of a pinfall attempt. Joe gained the pinfall victory to retain the TNA World Heavyweight Championship after bashing Booker T over the head with a guitar that had appeared in the ring after the lights had suddenly gone off and back on.[30]
Reception
A total of 3,500 people attended Hard Justice, while The Wrestling Observer Newsletter reported that 35,000 people bought the event.[1][31] However, the attendance number has been disputed, with it also being reported that Hard Justice drew an attendance of 2,300 people.[2]
Wade Keller of the Pro Wrestling Torch Newsletter rated the matches out of five stars in his review of the event. He gave the main event 2 3/4 stars and discussed the amount of time it was given, stating it was "just enough time for a suitable main event" but that it did not "leave much flex time for things to run past the bare minimum for a PPV main event title match in a cage much less do whatever they're going to do with Sting and Nash." Keller also disapproved of unprotected use of weapons in the bout, commenting that TNA management needed to start fining "wrestlers for taking unprotected chairshots to the skull" because it was "just not worth the long-term cumulative risks associated with blunt trauma to the skull over years of wrestling." He gave the Last Man Standing bout 4 stars and said it was a "superb match" with a "scaring finish" since the "potential for something going wrong given Angle's legit neck problems was substantial" even if "everything was planned" to work out that way. Keller rated the Street Fight 1+1⁄2 stars and stated it "was pretty clunky late and early on the crowd brawling got a little repetitive" and that it felt "like yet another weapons match." "The match was okay, but nothing more. The tuxedos and chain served as more of a circus-like distraction than a valuable prop for the match", said Keller in his coverage of the Black Tie Brawl and Chain match, which he gave 1 1/4 stars. Keller gave the World Tag Team Championship match 2 stars, but did not give his opinion outside the rating on the contest. He did comment on the X Division Championship match, saying it was a "very good match" and gave it 3 stars.[29]
James Caldwell, also of the Pro Wrestling Torch Newsletter, published a review of the show in which he also gave ratings out of 5 stars and some comments on the top matches on the card. He considered the main event "underwhelming" due to the "audience having sat through every possible gimmick match combination prior to another Joe-Booker bout that everyone knew was going to end with some sort of gimmicky finish" and that it was "not memorable" but that it would "generate talk about Jarrett." He gave the bout 2 stars. "That was an epic match", said Caldwell when discussing the Last Man Standing match. However, he felt the bout had a "silly pin-and-count-'em stipulation" and that the "all-too-real neck injury angle, followed by some post-match activity that took away from Styles's win." Caldwell felt the match made Styles look "like a star when he won, then he came across like a punk attacking Angle, then a fool being in position for Sting to take him out" but that he had a "memorable, star-making victory over Angle." He disapproved of Styles being "used a means to the end of explaining Sting's purpose-driven TNA life." Caldwell rated the encounter 4 stars. As for the Street Fight, he said it was a "fun brawl for the audience" and gave it 2+1⁄2 stars. Caldwell believed that the World Tag Team Championship match had "good heat" that "over-rode the stream of outside interference, referee incompetence, and overall over-booking" and that it was "refreshing to see TNA use an injury angle from TV to set-up the finish of an important PPV match." He gave the match 3 stars. The X Division Championship match was given 3 stars and he said it would have been "great" if it had avoided involving "outside interference."[30]
Aftermath
The feud between Samoa Joe and Booker T ended after Hard Justice. On the August 14 episode of TNA Impact!, Management Director Jim Cornette announced that Joe would defend the championship at TNA's next PPV event No Surrender on September 14 in a Four Ways to Glory match. Cornette stated that over the weeks leading to the show three qualification matches would take place to determine the challengers to Joe.[32][33] Booker T won the first qualifying match was on the August 21 episode of Impact! by defeating Rhino.[34] Kurt Angle defeated Kevin Nash on the August 28 episode of Impact! to qualify for the contest.[35] The final qualifier was Christian Cage, who defeated A.J. Styles on the September 4 episode of Impact!.[36] Booker T could not attend the event due to Hurricane Ike, making the bout a Three Ways to Glory match instead. Joe retained the championship at the show.[37]
The finish to the main event and the segment after the Last Man Standing match led to several matches and segments following Hard Justice. Sting was announced at No Surrender to be the challenger for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship at TNA's
The rivalry between A.J. Styles and Kurt Angle continued after Hard Justice leading into No Surrender. On the August 14 episode of Impact!, Styles fought Angle in an Olympic Wrestling match for Angle's 1996 Summer Olympics gold medal in freestyle wrestling. Styles defeated Angle to win the medal on the telecast.[32] Styles and Angle fought a week later on the August 21 episode of Impact! in a ladder match for the medal, with Styles retaining the medal.[34] Styles then went on to feud with Angle's on-screen best friend Frank Trigg, who attacked Styles with a kendo stick during Styles' Four Ways to Glory qualification match with Cage, costing Styles to bout in the process.[36] This led to Styles challenging Trigg to a bout at No Surrender, which Trigg agreed to but only if it was contested under Mixed Martial Arts rules on the September 11 episode of Impact!.[42] Styles and Trigg fought to a no contest at No Surrender due to Styles accidentally hitting Trigg in the groin. Afterwards, Styles beat Trigg with a kendo stick to end their feud.[38] On the September 25 episode of Impact!, Styles was ordered to return Angle's gold medal by Jeff Jarrett, who had taken a role as a TNA management authority figure. The medal was returned to Angle on the October 9 episode of Impact! by Jarrett.[43]
Sonjay Dutt and Jay Lethal ended their rivalry at No Surrender. Dutt attacked Lethal after he was defeated by Sheik Abdul Bashir on the August 14 episode of Impact!.[32] On the September 11 episode of Impact!, TNA promoted a Ladder of Love match at No Surrender with the winner becoming engaged to SoCal Val.[42] Dutt won the contest at No Surrender when Val betrayed Lethal and aided Dutt.[44] Beer Money, Inc (James Storm and Robert Roode) went on to defend the TNA World Tag Team Championship against The Latin American Xchange (Hernandez and Homicide) at No Surrender in a rematch. Beer Money, Inc retained the title at the show.[37] Petey Williams defended the X Division Championship against Consequences Creed in a rematch on the August 21 episode of Impact!, with Bashir once again interfering by attacking Creed, resulting in Creed winning by disqualification and Williams retaining the X Division Championship.[32] TNA promoted a Three Way match between the three for the X Division Championship for No Surrender, which Bashir ended up winning to become the new champion on the telecast.[38] Team 3D (Brother Devon and Brother Ray) and the team of Christian Cage and Rhino ended their conflict after Hard Justice. Team 3D instead went on to fight the team of Abyss and Matt Morgan at No Surrender, which the latter won.[44]
Results
No. | Results TNA World Heavyweight Championship 12:44 | | |||
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References
- Footnotes
- ^ a b c "Hard Justice 2008 at Pro Wrestling History.com". Pro Wrestling History.com. Retrieved 2015-11-15.
- ^ a b Martin, Adam (2008-08-12). "Plans for No Surrender PPV, attendance for Hard Justice, highlight video". WrestleView.com. Retrieved 2015-11-15.
- ^ "Anthem, Impact announce Global Wrestling Network launch". Retrieved 20 March 2018.
- ^ Martin, Adam (2008-01-01). "TNA Wrestling announces all 'Pay Per View' dates in 2008 and TV tapings". Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. WrestleView.com. Retrieved 2015-11-15.
- ^ Martin, Adam (2008-05-18). "World X Cup Tournament, PPV's in Northeast and House Show footage". WrestleView.com. Retrieved 2015-11-15.
- ^ Martin, Adam (2008-05-21). "TNA mobile alert about Abyss, 'Hard Justice', and South Carolina & Texas". WrestleView.com. Retrieved 2015-11-15.
- ^ Martin, Adam (2008-06-19). "TNA Wrestling confirms 'Hard Justice' PPV on August 10th in Trenton, New Jersey". WrestleView.com. Retrieved 2015-11-15.
- ^ TNA (2008-08-07). TNA: Ice-T & Filthee Music Video (Music Video). Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. Retrieved 2015-11-15.
A music video featuring the Hard Justice theme song by TNA.
- Discovery Communications. Retrieved 2015-11-15.
- Canadian Online Explorer. Retrieved 2015-11-15.
- ^ Canadian Online Explorer. Retrieved 2015-11-15.
- ^ a b Keller, Wade (2008-07-20). "Keller's TNA Impact report 7/17: A ruling on the ownership and possession of the TNA World Championship, 10-Woman Gauntlet". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved 2015-11-15.
- ^ a b Keller, Wade (2008-08-01). "Keller's TNA Impact report 7/24: Team 3D & Angle vs. Rhino & Christian & Styles, Taylor vs. Love, Beer Money vs. Guns". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved 2015-11-15.
- ^ Caldwell, James (2008-02-14). "Caldwell's TNA Impact report 2/14: Ongoing coverage of Spike TV show". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved 2015-11-15.
- ^ Caldwell, James (2008-03-13). "Caldwell's TNA Impact report 3/13: Ongoing coverage of Spike TV show". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved 2015-11-15.
- ^ Wilkenfeld, Daniel (2008-05-16). "5/15 Impact review by Wilkenfeld: tag teams and women continue to dominate post-Sacrifice show". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved 2015-11-15.
- ^ Keller, Wade (2008-05-23). "Keller's TNA Impact report 5/22: Styles vs. Booker, Roode vs. Homicide, major bloody beatdown by heels ends show". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved 2015-11-15.
- ^ Keller, Wade (2008-06-08). "Keller's TNA Slammiversary PPV report 6/8: ongoing "virtual time" coverage of live event". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved 2015-11-15.
- ^ a b Caldwell, James (2008-06-12). "Caldwell's TNA Impact report 6/12: Ongoing coverage of Spike TV show". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved 2015-11-15.
- ^ a b c Keller, Wade (2008-08-04). "Keller's TNA Impact report 7/31: Knockouts tag match headlines, Joe rants about Sting, Beer Money vs. Rhino & Christian". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved 2015-11-15.
- ^ a b Caldwell, James (2008-06-19). "Caldwell's TNA Impact report 6/19: Ongoing coverage of Spike TV show". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved 2015-11-15.
- ^ Caldwell, James (2008-07-13). "Caldwell's TNA Victory Road PPV report 7/13: Live on-site coverage from Houston". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved 2015-11-15.
- ^ Keller, Wade (2008-08-08). "Keller's TNA Impact report 8/7: Eight-man gauntlet, very bloody Angle, final Hard Justice hype". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved 2015-11-15.
- ^ Caldwell, James (2008-06-26). "Caldwell's TNA Impact report 6/26: Ongoing coverage of Spike TV show". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved 2015-11-15.
- ^ a b c Martin, Adam (2008-08-10). "Hard Justice PPV results - 8/10 - Trenton, NJ (Joe vs. Booker T, more)". WrestleView.com. Retrieved 2015-11-15.
- ^ Martin, Adam (2008-08-11). "Why Ice-T wasn't at Hard Justice, TV tapings, and Monday Night Mayhem". WrestleView.com. Retrieved 2015-11-15.
- .
- ^ Canadian Online Explorer. Retrieved 2015-11-15.
- ^ a b c Keller, Wade (2008-08-10). "Keller's TNA Hard Justice PPV report 8/10: Ongoing "virtual time" coverage of event – Samoa Joe vs. Booker T in cage". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved 2015-11-15.
- ^ a b c Caldwell, James (2008-08-10). "Caldwell's TNA Hard Justice PPV report 8/10: Ongoing "virtual time" coverage of live PPV". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved 2015-11-15.
- ^ Martin, Adam (2008-12-24). "Estimated domestic PPV buyrates for TNA in 2008". The Wrestling Observer Newsletter. WrestleView.com. Retrieved 2015-11-15.
- ^ a b c d Keller, Wade (2008-08-16). "Keller's TNA Impact report 8/16: Styles vs. Angle in Gold Medal contest, Storm vs. Hernandez, Taylor vs. Christy Hemme". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved 2015-11-15.
- )
- ^ a b Caldwell, James (2008-08-21). "Caldwell's TNA Impact report 8/21: Ongoing "virtual time" coverage of Spike TV broadcast". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved 2015-11-15.
- ^ Keller, Wade (2008-08-29). "Keller's TNA Impact report 8/28: Sting finally addresses speculation, Nash vs. Angle, Beautiful People vs. Taylor & Roxxi". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved 2015-11-15.
- ^ a b Keller, Wade (2008-09-06). "Keller's TNA Impact report 9/4: Sting thanks fans for cheering him in midst of heel turn, Styles blows up, ODB in the bathroom". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved 2015-11-15.
- ^ a b c Keller, Wade (2008-09-14). "Keller's TNA No Surrender PPV report 9/14: Ongoing "virtual time" coverage of live event from Canada". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved 2015-11-15.
- ^ Canadian Online Explorer. Archived from the originalon 2015-04-19. Retrieved 2015-11-15.
- Canadian Online Explorer. Retrieved 2015-11-15.
- Canadian Online Explorer. Retrieved 2015-11-15.
- Canadian Online Explorer. Retrieved 2015-11-15.
- ^ a b Keller, Wade (2008-09-11). "Keller's TNA Impact report 9/11: Ongoing "virtual time" coverage of telecast on Spike TV". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved 2015-11-15.
- ^ Keller, Wade (2008-10-10). "Keller's TNA Impact report 10/9: Final hype for Bound For Glory, Styles vs. Booker, Knockouts Tag". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved 2015-11-15.
- ^ a b Martin, Adam (2008-09-14). "No Surrender PPV results – 9/14 – Oshawa, ON (Joe vs Angle vs Cage)". WrestleView.com. Retrieved 2015-11-15.
- ^ Cohen, Eric. "TNA PPV results". Pro Wrestling About.com. Retrieved 2015-11-15.
- Bibliography
- .
External links