‘TNA: Hard to Kill’ PPV Review (Jan 13th 2024)
Welcome to this review of Hard to Kill, the first pay-per-view in the NEW era of TNA Wrestling, which emanated from the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas; and – as usual – kicked off with a special 1-hour Countdown show… Let’s get straight into the review!
COUNTDOWN
Match #1: Steve Maclin def. Rich Swann
The following is courtesy of tnawrestling.com:
The first match of the new era is a battle of former World Champions! Swann is on a roll but Maclin shuts down his momentum with a mid-air forearm shot. Maclin hits a backbreaker for two. Maclin hits a modified cutter out of the corner for another near fall. Swann fights back with the 450 Splash for a near fall of his own. Maclin regains control with the Jarhead-butt. Swann is Caught in the Crosshairs, followed by the KIA from Maclin to win.
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #2: The System (Eddie Edwards & Brian Myers) def. TNA Originals (Eric Young & Frankie Kazarian)
The following is courtesy of tnawrestling.com:
Kazarian takes out Edwards with a slingshot Hurricanrana to the outside. Kazarian brings the fight to Myers and hits a springboard leg drop. Kazarian connects with a Backstabber on Edwards, then launches Myers into the slingshot cutter. Edwards hits Kazarian with the Backpack Stunner, followed by a top rope elbow drop from Myers. Kazarian hits the Unprettier on Myers. Young soars with his own top rope elbow drop for two. Myers connects with the Roster Cut on Kazarian, then puts him away with the Boston Knee Party. Myers scores the pinfall on Kazarian to win.
My Score: 2 out of 5
Match #3: Digital Media Championship – Crazzy Steve def. Tommy Dreamer
The following is courtesy of tnawrestling.com:
There are no disqualifications, no count outs and anything goes! Steve assaults Dreamer with a steel chair. Steve trips him up, sending Dreamer face-first into the edge of the chair. Steve cranks the neck of Dreamer, then introduces his signature fork into the match. Dreamer hits the Bionic Elbow to prevent him from using the fork. Steve traps Dreamer’s head inside of a steel chair and hits a cutter. Steve swings and misses with a kendo stick, allowing Dreamer to hit a cutter of his own. Steve sends him crashing into a trash can. Steve binds Dreamer’s hands together, then jams a whole slew of cutlery into his shirt. Steve hits the running cannonball in the corner, followed by Belladonna’s Kiss to win.
My Score: 2 out of 5
HARD TO KILL
Match #1: Knockouts Ultimate X – Gisele Shaw def. Tasha Steelz, Alisha Edwards, Jody Threat, Xia Brookside & Dani Luna
The following is courtesy of tnawrestling.com:
The winner of the second-ever Knockouts Ultimate X match will earn a coveted Knockouts World Title opportunity at any time of their choosing. Threat gets two for one as he hits double knees on both Alisha and Luna. Luna dives through the ropes, taking out Shaw on the outside. Brookside soars with a top rope crossbody, taking out Shaw and Luna on the floor. Threat is next to fly as she takes out three competitors with a dive off the top. Threat sends Alisha crashing into everyone off the side of the truss. Steelz hits Threat with a cutter into a sea of humanity on the outside. Alisha climbs across the cable but as Luna tries to powerbomb her off, Alisha counters into a DDT. Threat hits Brookside and Alisha with a double Pop Shove-It. Shaw launches herself off the back of Luna to spear Threat off the cables. Shaw fights off Luna and Steelz to retrieve the X and win the match.
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #2: PCO def. Dirty Dango (DQ)
The following is courtesy of tnawrestling.com:
PCO dives through the ropes, colliding with Dango on the outside. PCO is in control when Alpha Bravo gets involved, causing the disqualifcation. The trio looks to add insult to injury when Rhino comes to PCO’s aid. Director of Authority Santino Marella and isn’t going to let the match end like this. Marella turns it into a six-man tag team match with Jake Something joining Rhino and PCO!
My Score: 0 out of 5
Match #3: PCO, Rhino & Jake Something def. Dirty Dango, Oleg Prudius & Alpha Bravo
The following is courtesy of tnawrestling.com:
Something launches himself from the ramp into the ring to take out his opponents with a leaping clothesline. PCO takes out everyone with a PCO Sault off the top rope to the floor. PCO targets Dango with a De-animator on the hardest part of the ring. Minutes later, Rhino finds himself trapped on the wrong side of the ring. Dango crashes and burns on a top rope knee drop attempt, allowing Rhino to regain his composure. PCO hits a leg drop to the back of Bravo’s neck. Rhino squares off with Prudius with Rhino gaining the upper-hand. Dango sends Rhino into a Gore on Bravo. Something powerbombs Dango into his own partner. PCO puts Bravo away with the PCO Sault to win.
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #4: Knockouts World Tag Team Championship – Decay (Rosemary & Havok) def. MK Ultra (Masha Slamovich & Killer Kelly)
The following is courtesy of tnawrestling.com:
Rosemary and Havok are back as they battle MK Ultra with the titles on the line! Rosemary turns the tables on Kelly as she pummels her with a series of strikes. Havok enters the match and brings the fight to Slamovich. Havok headbutts Slamovich but MK Ultra counters the follow-up double Chokeslam attempt. Slamovich hits Havok with the Snowplow but she kicks out at one. Havok successfully hits the double Chokeslam on MK Ultra. Havok connects with an assisted sitdown powerbomb on Kelly to score the pinfall victory.
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #5: X-Division Championship – Chris Sabin def. KUSHIDA & El Hijo del Vikingo
The following is courtesy of tnawrestling.com:
The first person to score a pinfall or submission will leave Las Vegas with the TNA X-Division Championship! KUSHIDA attempts a handspring but Sabin cuts him off with a dropkick. Sabin locks in an STF on Vikingo but KUSHIDA breaks it up with a dropkick of his own. KUSHIDA hits Sabin with a Hammerlock suplex, sending him crashing into the arms of Vikingo. Vikingo soars with a top rope Moonsault to the outside. KUSHIDA takes down Vikingo with a flying senton but they both get taken out with a top rope crossbody from Sabin. Everyone is down in the middle of the ring and we’ve got ourselves a stalemate. Vikingo hits a step-up springboard 450, driving the ribs of Sabin into the ramp. Sabin spikes Viking with a springboard Canadian Destroyer on the ramp. Sabin fights off the Hoverboard Lock from KUSHIDA and hits the Cradle Shock to win.
My Score: 4 out of 5
Match #6: Josh Alexander def. Alex Hammerstone
The following is courtesy of tnawrestling.com:
Alex Hammerstone makes his TNA Wrestling debut but standing in his way is the former longest-reigning TNA World Champion of all time, Josh Alexander! Hammerstone hits a big boot, knocking Alexander off the apron. Alexander targets the knee of Hammerstone as he begins to chop down the big man. Hammerstone hits an explosive belly-to-belly suplex out of the corner. Alexander drops Hammerstone spine-first on the hardest part of the ring. Alexander locks in the Ankle Lock but Hammerstone fights it off. Alexander hits repeated kicks to the face but Hammerstone turns it around with a swinging slam. Alexander avoids the Nightmare Pendulum, then transitions into the Ankle Lock. Hammerstone crawls to the bottom rope to break the hold. Hammerstone successfully hits the Nightmare Pendulum but the damage to his knee prevents him from going for the cover. Hammerstone connects with a Death Valley Driver on the apron, followed by a TKO for two. Moments later, Alexander hits the C4 Spike to win.
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Match #7: TNA World Tag Team Championship – ABC (Ace Austin & Chris Bey) def. The Rascalz (Trey Miguel & Zachary Wentz), Grizzled Young Vets (James Drake & Zack Gibson) and Mike Bailey & Laredo Kid
The following is courtesy of tnawrestling.com:
It’s a stalemate in the early going as the referee maintains control of this combustible situation. Bailey fights out of the Rascalz’ corner, taking Wentz off his feet with a leaping dropkick. Kid spikes Drake with a big DDT. Kid sends Wentz crashing off the top with a sitdown powerslam. Austin kicks Bey into a neckbreaker from Bey for two. Grizzled Young Veterans almost put Wentz away with double team offense but it’s not enough for three. The pace quickens as Kid takes out both members of GYV with a top rope dropkick. Bailey picks Drake off the top with a Poison Rana. Bailey hits a Tornado Kick on Drake. Bailey hits Drake with Ultima Weapon but the Rascalz break the pin attempt. ABC hit 1, 2 Sweet on Miguel to win.
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Match #8: Knockouts World Championship – Jordynne Grace def. Trinity
The following is courtesy of tnawrestling.com:
It’s an epic first-time-ever showdown for the Knockouts World Championship! Grace plants Trinity face-first into the mat with innovative offense. Grace hits a running clothesline, then sends Trinity to the outside where she hits a Juggernaut Driver on the floor. Both Knockouts exchange open palm strikes until Trinity delivers a pinpoint kick to take Grace down. Trinity hits her signature split-legged Moonsault for two. Grace connects with a Muscle Buster for a near fall of her own. Trinity locks in Star Struck but Grace fights free. Trinity hits the Rear View for yet another near fall. Trinity spikes her head-first into the hardest part of the ring. Trinity connects with a powerbomb, then locks in another Star Struck. Grace uses her strength to counter into a German suplex. Grace hits the Juggernaut Driver to win.
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #9: TNA World Championship – Moose def. Alex Shelley
The following is courtesy of tnawrestling.com:
It’s main event time as Moose activates his Feast or Fired briefcase for a shot at TNA World Champion Alex Shelley! Shelley spits water in Moose’s face, then dropkicks him into the turnbuckles to gain the early advantage. The fight spills to the outside where Moose delivers a thudding powerslam. Shelley targets the left arm of Moose, and it appears that Moose is in serious pain. Moose returns the favor and begins to pick apart the right leg of Shelley. Moose hits a pump kick but Shelley counters the follow-up powerbomb into a DDT. Shelley drives the injured arm of Moose into the steel ring post, the hits Shellshock on the floor. Moose barely makes it back into the ring before the referee’s count of 10. Moose breaks free of the Border City Stretch, then hits a thunderous powerbomb for two. Shelley connects with Sliced Bread for another near fall. DeAngelo Williams, as well as Eddie Edwards and Brian Myers of The System come to ringside but Chris Sabin and KUSHIDA fight them off. Back in the ring, Moose counters Shellshock into another Spear to win.
My Score: 3 out of 5
News of the Night:
- Xia Brookside made her TNA Wrestling debut.
- Ash by Elegance (fka Dana Brooke) was ringside for the Knockouts World Title match.
- Nic Nemeth made his TNA debut after the main event.
Final Verdict: 3.75/5
A solid start for the new era of TNA, with a card stacked with a LOT of the company’s talent, some great matches, a handful of surprises and a crowd that were REALLY into the in-ring action. It was a great night for women’s wrestling in the company, with an Ultimate X match; the return of Decay in a tag team match and a title match that saw Jordynne Grace win the title once again! As for the men, the X-Division match was an instant classic; Alexander versus Hammerstone was a hard-hitting BATTLE, like a real fist-fight rather than a traditional match; the tag team title match was a great showcase for TNA’s awesome men’s tag teams; whilst the main event – whilst not having the right winner IMHO – was a great end to the show… even more so when Nic Nemeth popped up and super-kicked Moose!
