WWE vs. TNA 2.11.07: The Roundtable (Part 1 of 3)

Welcome everybody to the WWE vs. TNA Roundtable (Part 1 of 3). Samuel Berman, Daniel Wilcox, Nick Marsico, Ari Berenstein, and I all put in our 2 cents of these first four matchups. Also, Daniel Wilcox was gracious enough to do all the SvR 2007 simulations for us. WOOT~! Let’s get this party started!

Rob Van Dam vs. Petey Williams

Ari Berenstein:
Highspot central, here we come. Not that this is a bad thing, because you should have at least one fast and frenetic match on a wrestling card, and “high”spots are what RVD does best, yuk yuk yuk. (sigh) …yeah. On paper, this seems to be a pretty one sided match towards RVD, and these matches are being contested on paper (well, internet paper) and not for real, so I need to go with my gut instinct. My feeling is that Rob Van Dam is going to swarm Petey with a lot of his big and trademark moves. Williams is not going to have much of a chance unless he can capitalize on a mistake. From there he has two options—try to injure the leg to thwart RVD’s strikes and then prepare for his version of the Sharpshooter, OR go for the big risk, all or nothing match ender, the Canadian Destroyer. While I’m sure RVD’s sell for the CD would be terrific (along the lines of how he sells the DDT by flopping his body like an exclamation point), I don’t see Williams connecting with the move. RVD stops the momentum of the CD, hits an Alabama Slam style throw down and then connects with the 5 Star Frog Splash for the win.
Winner: Rob Van Dam (pinfall via 5 Star Frog Splash)

Jordan Linkous:
I think these two can have a phenomenal showing. With their athleticism and drive, who knows what a match they could put one. I would like two see them duke it out in a cage, ladder or Ultimate X match the most, though. How sweet would a Van Terminator of the top of a cage be? Or from the wires of the Ultimate X? Or a Canadian Destroyer on a ladder? Sweet Jesus that would be awesome. For the most part, I would have to say that Mr. Monday/Friday/Tuesday Night would take the win here. Still, it would be a flippin sweet match. We can only hope, my friends, that these two have a chance to meet some where along the line.

Nick Marsico:
Rob Van Dam: Van Dam, when motivated, can absolutely tear it up in the ring. He can carry lesser opponents, and even though he has a tough to shake reputation of being way too spotty (both in the sense of doing too many spots with no rhyme or reason and his penchants to be sloppy), the man understands the psychology of a match and over recent years has shown his ability to much better place his spots and to pace himself. One of Van Dam’s biggest problems are his strikes. Not so much his kicks, because although they tend to be wild, they’re effective and ridiculously hard hitting and speedy, but his work with his hands. He transitions often with weak forearm shots to the side of the head and likes to begin a comeback with his recently adopted set of punches followed by a jumping punch. It somehow has been fairly effective against larger opponents, possibly due to the rabbit punch like style of them, but chances are against someone who is more used to taking hard shots and heavy hitting strikes to the upper body and head will not be adversely affected at all by these fairly weak punches and forearms. Of course Van Dam is a high flyer who generally bases his attack on high risk and a sort of “stick and move” offense, where he hits a big move and backs off. Taking on Petey Williams wouldn’t likely see his forearm strikes being a hindrance, but in a battle between the two, Rob’s best bet would to be to try to hit a few big moves and stay in the air so Petey wouldn’t be able to get him over for the Destroyer. The 5 Star Frog Splash is the only move that Rob generally finishes matches with, although he has been known to pull out some innovative and quick variations of roll ups to get out-of-nowhere victories.

Petey Williams: Petey is much more versatile than RVD. He is known as a high flying star of the X Division and does tons of flashy moves like the slingshot headscissors to the outside of the ring and of course the Canadian Destroyer. He is obviously a very quick moving fellow, but don’t be surprised when he pulls out some psychology and some mat based skills. He’ll work your back the entire match, and that opens you up for the Sharpshooter, something he first revealed in TNA that he can do when he was feuding with Chris Sabin and was being accused of being one dimensional. That isn’t the case, as he can beat you in a number of ways. And of course the fact that he can work over the back in order to set up for the possible use of the Sharpshooter works well in his favor, because he can focus on that just in case he doesn’t get a chance to use the Canadian Destroyer, a move that needs no work beforehand. If he hits that, it’s over, so it opens the man up to focus elsewhere, making Petey a big threat.

Winner: It would be a very competitive match up with some back and forth action, but Van Dam is a veteran who has had a bit of a fire lit under his ass recently and he is more of a ring general than ever before. Petey is young and tenacious, but I don’t think he’s refined enough to tame RVD, and I don’t think he’ll be able to hold on to RVD long enough to pull off the Destroyer. It has taken a lot to make RVD tap out in the past, so short of a quick roll up or a mistake from RVD that would lead to the Canadian Destroyer, I don’t see Petey winning.

SvR Simulation
Van Dam hits a couple of quick forearms early. Williams ducks a kick but RVD sweeps him with the other leg. Standing moonsault by Van Dam connects but no cover. Petey pulls Van Dam’s legs out from under him and delivers some pretty stiff shots to the nose of RVD. Williams whips Van Dam into a corner, follows up with a short clothesline/bulldog combo and rolls Van Dam over, cover gets 2. Knee smashes to the head of Van Dam. Petey drags him up and they do some quick chain wrestling – Petey controls with a wristlock but Van Dam forces Williams off, elbow tie up into a side headlock by RVD. Petey shoves him off and nails a shoulder block. Williams misses and elbow and Van Dam gets a thrust kick taking Williams down. Van Dam connects beautifully with a cartwheel/moonsault combo straight into a pin for 2. Petey regains control with a thumb to the eye of Van Dam, and Petey grabs a front facelock before planting Van Dam with a Tornado DDT. Petey sets up RVD and applies a chinlock, but RVD is too close to the ropes and gets out of it. Petey launches Van Dam back into the corner but charges and eats a back elbow. Williams is groggy and Van Dam comes out with a cross body and gets 2 from it. Van Dam looks for, and nails the Rolling Thunder! Split-Legged Moonsault connects! One…Two…Thr-NO! Williams just kicked out, it was a very slow count. Petey gets a low blow in and locks in the Sharpshooter! Van Dam is fighting but he’s not anywhere near the ropes. Eventually Williams just releases the hold. Snapmare by Petey and he posts the back of Van Dam, but RVD fights out with elbows. RVD charges but Williams connects with a nice leg lariat. Williams again takes RVD into the corner and sets him up in the tree of woe. He climbs the turnbuckles and stands on the groin of RVD, a move which he calls “O Canada” I believe. No singing of the National Anthem though, damn it. Petey up top, waits for Van Dam to get up, and connects with a big missile dropkick! Cover gets 2. Van Dam surprises Williams with an inside cradle and gets the quick 3 count.
RVD wins @ 7:12! **¾

Rob Van Dam Wins 4-0
WWE 1 – TNA/ROH 0

Shawn Michaels vs. AJ Styles

Ari Berenstein:
The air traffic controllers are going to have to clear about 10,000 miles above the arena this match would be held in tin order to able manage all the high flying that would inevitably occur. AJ Styles is an amazing talent and can hit from all angles, but let’s face it, HBK is the master at the game—Styles for all his talent, tends to crash and burn a hell of a lot on his high risk moves. Shawn Michaels, meanwhile, hits way more than he misses. Michaels is also a great technical wrestler, which Styles would only be able to counter through his arsenal of high impact moves. That’s where Michael’s defensive wrestling would come in to block or counter—I just don’t see AJ being able to effectively use moves like the pump-handle flapjack press or the torture rack bomb on Michaels. So the deal is, while Styles would have Michaels initially blustered and gassed through a variety of his innovative flying closelines, leg drops and flips, eventually HBK will be able to find the answer, and that comes in the form of one steady shot of Sweet Chin Music. HBK would prove that even a Phenomenon can have his show stopped.
Winner: Shawn Michaels (pinfall via Superkick)

Jordan Linkous:
AJ Styles and Shawn Michaels are both phenomenal athletes, and they have TONS of endurance. Shawn may be a bit older, but he can still go with the younger ones. They are both charismatic, and very similar in their prime. If anyone doesn’t want to see this match, they deserve to be shot. A match between these two would be nothing short of a four star event, and everyone knows these guys can go. I would personally like to see an Ironman Match between these guys, because we all know that these guys can pull off an extraordinary match. I don’t think HBK would go down without a fight, but if Styles could nail the Super Styles Clash in the last minute, I would have to assume that he would win the match. Nevertheless, both would put one a great showing and not let the fans down.

Nick Marsico:
Shawn Michaels: He’s Shawn Michaels, what can you say? Shawn’s big asset, other than his incredible timing, is his guts and will. He’s the classic small guy with a huge heart that takes tons of abuse and just comes back for more. It takes a lot to put him away, and often when you think you’ve finally beaten him, he gets up and takes even more punishment before firing back with some of his own. When he’s not getting beat up, Michaels fights smart, but he also tends to take chances when he needs to. He picks his spots. In the context of this match, Shawn’s ability to take a beating doesn’t have to come into play. It is one of the few times where he’s the bigger man (at least in height), and he’s facing a guy who, as a TNA wrestler, likes to fly around with reckless abandon and not do much else unless he is pushed very hard to do so.

AJ Styles: As mentioned, AJ is the quintessential high flyer. His acrobatic moves are amazing, and he does things that most people wouldn’t expect any person to be able to do. He has a huge moveset and can hit a lot of his moves out of nowhere, and when he connects, the result can be devastating. One thing that goes against him, however, is that though he has been a pro for the better part of a decade, he can still be a bit too reckless for his own good at times.

Winner: It’s going to come down to how AJ performs. If he tries to go all out and take too many chances, Michaels will end up taking him apart, finishing him with the Sweet Chin Music that AJ will have basically just set himself up for. If he works smart and only pulls out a couple huge spots and chooses the timing very wisely, he can pull out what most people would likely call an upset victory. AJ’s recent change in attitude, however, bodes well for him, as he has become much more crafty in the ring and has been coming up with ways to bewilder and frustrate opponents that have led to victories. That considered, Michaels has historically done just that, and while AJ truly is Phenomenal, Shawn is the show stopper.

Samuel Berman:
It’s actually strange to see Michaels in this kind of matchup, because I think we’re all so used to seeing him compete with athletes a lot bigger than he is. It would seem on first look that Shawn would make quick work of AJ, if only because we’ve seen him dispatch seven-foot, three hundred pound monsters with some regularity. However, the Phenomenal One’s speed and explosiveness are the X-factors that could give him an edge in such a matchup. We have seen (both in ROH and TNA) that AJ can hold his own with both large, hard-hitting opponents like Abyss & Samoa Joe, as well as with smaller, faster, technically excellent grapplers such as Christopher Daniels, Chris Sabin and Petey Williams. In the end, though both men are former multiple-time champions on every level, HBK’s seemingly indomitable ability to take his foe’s best shots and keep on coming would probably lead him to victory when Styles misses a Spiral Tap and turns around into a stiff round of Sweet Chin Music.

Daniel Wilcox:
This is the match everybody would die to see and it would no doubt be a classic. There really is no point in talking about how good these two guys are, because we all already know that they are two of the best athletes around to today, and certainly in his prime, Shawn Michaels is one of the best ever. Both men are experts when it comes to putting on performances to amaze the fans, and both would fly around the ring in this match, trying to out-do, or out-perform the other. I think in the end it would be a mistake by one of these two that would open up the opportunity for the other to take advantage and get a win on the other, so experience would no doubt be a factor. Styles has been a pro for only 8 years, which isn’t much compared to HBK’s 20 or so. Both guys have the ability to hit their respective finishers out of just about nowhere, but Michaels’ Sweet Chin Music would just about ease out the Styles Clash when it comes to unpredictability and effectiveness. It would be Michaels experience, heart and determination, as well as the ability to connect with Sweet Chin Music from absolutely anywhere that I think gives Michaels the edge and the win. Would no doubt be a classic.

SvR Simulation
Straight into an elbow tie-up, which Shawn Michaels gets the better of and shoves AJ down to the mat. AJ up but Michaels grabs a side headlock and takes Styles over. AJ gets a head scissors forcing Shawn to break and both men are in a stale mate, but AJ wastes little time and gets a quick arm drag, and another, and then Michaels runs into a lariat. AJ whips Shawn to the ropes but HBK holds on, then nails AJ with a flying forearm and an early kip-up! Shawn with chops to AJ, followed by an inverted atomic drop. HBK hooks AJ and takes him over with a suplex. Shawn connects with a pair of elbow drops, but misses the third and AJ knocks Michaels down with a clothesline and then a dropkick when he gets back up again. Great sequence here. Shawn throws a right that knocks AJ down but Styles gets a thumb to the eye and back drops HBK all the way to the floor. The referee counts to 2, when AJ springboards and perfectly hits the Shooting Styles Press (springboard Shooting Star Press)! AJ drags Shawn over to the ringsteps and smashes his head off them over and over, but it fatigues Styles to too, and Shawn rolls back into the ring first. AJ follows at an 8 count. Shawn hits a double-axe handle and goes to the top rope. AJ has it scouted though, and dropkicks Michaels feet out from under him and Shawn crotches himself and then falls to the mat. Knees to the head by Styles. AJ drags Michaels further into the ring and applies a half Boston crab. Styles obviously didn’t pull Shawn far enough, because HBK quickly grabs the bottom rope, only for AJ to refuse to relinquish the hold until the referee counts to 4. Yes, this is heel AJ. Long tights and all. AJ goes back to the leg of Shawn with some elbows to the knee of the Heartbreak Kid. AJ now goes for the arm; applying a cross arm breaker, but relinquishes the hold after just a few seconds. Senton by AJ. Styles tries to pull Shawn up, but HBK takes him down and gets a Jacknife roll-up for a quick 2 count. Shawn is first to his feet and knocks AJ down with a clothesline. Styles whipped against the ropes and runs into a flapjack from the Showstopper. Shawn now takes AJ into the turnbuckle and hoists him up onto the top rope. Shawn follows, hooks AJ and hits a beautiful superplex! It hurts both men’s’ backs though, and Michaels is unable to make a cover. Michaels and AJ pretty much get to their feet at the same time and Shawn scoops AJ up and slams him. Michaels to the top, goes for the elbow drop but Styles gets the knees up and buries them deep into the gut of Michaels! Both men up again, Michaels is groggy, kick to the gut, Styles Clash connecting! Styles rolls Shawn over, cover, one…two…thr-Shawn kicked out! That was close. AJ pulls Shawn up and nails the PELÉ! AJ covers, but Shawn kicks out again! Shawn gets desperate and low blows AJ, before connecting with SWEET CHIN MUSIC! One…two…thr-NO! AJ kicked out of Sweet Chin Music! Shawn goes up top, and this time, the elbow drops connects perfectly. Straight into a cover but Styles gets a shoulder up at 2. Shawn gets eye raked again by Styles, and AJ connects with two sweet European uppercuts and AJ charges and hits a quick swinging neckbreaker. Styles pulls Shawn up and hoists him into a fireman’s carry, and drops him, FU-like, into the centre of the ring. More knee smashes by Styles, and AJ follows up with an inverted DDT. Cover by AJ, hooks the leg and gets 2. Shawn fights back with right hands to the gut, ducks a forearm and comes back with a flying forearm and there’s the kip-up! AJ gets clotheslined over the top and to the floor. Michaels – suicide plancha connects and both men are down on the floor one more time! Rights by Michaels on the outside, but AJ eventually blocks one and comes back with a few of his own, then Shawn ducks one and goes for Sweet Chin Music, but AJ avoids that and plants Shawn on the floor with a DDT! AJ rolls in and the count is at 6. 7…8…9…and Shawn JUST makes it back in before the count. AJ dropkicks the knee of Shawn, but Michaels comes back with a big right hand, attempts a sunset flip, but AJ rolls through and delivers a sweet dropkick to the face of HBK. AJ drags him up, there’s the STYLES CLASH once again! Shawn kicks out again! In AJ’s defense, the move does have weak stats on this game. AJ goes to the top rope – SHOOTING STAR PRESS! Shawn gets the knees up! HBK is up, he’s tuning up the band, AJ turns into it – SWEET CHIN MUSIC! ONE…TWO…THREE!
Michaels wins @ 19:27! ****½ Best damn match I’ve ever simulated.

Shawn Michaels Wins 5-1
WWE 2 – TNA/ROH 0

Samoa Joe vs. Bret Hart

Ari Berenstein:
Believe it or not, Bret Hart has fought a few men who go about things very similar to the style of our favorite “Samoan Submission Machine.” Hart vs. Yokozuna, vs. Vader and vs. Bam Bam Bigelow have all been at times the zenith of Hart’s outings against big men. Each time “The Excellence of Execution” has proven himself capable of countering the big man’s attack and chopping the metaphorical redwood’s down enough to get the victory. The question is, could even Bret Hart deal with the evolved and enhanced combination of attacks that the Samoa Joe of 2007 could provide in this match. You see, Joe isn’t like the other big men I’ve mentioned. Not only does Joe provide a deadly strike attack of chops, punches, kicks and flying Enziguri, but he also matches Hart in the submission game as well. Joe’s Koquina Clutch / choke is a simple enough move but it has proven deadly to foes both big and small. Joe also has a number of other holds to go to, specifically the STF and Crossface, moves which target a number of points on the body. Could Hart deftly a voice these submissions? For a time, perhaps. Maybe he could even use his “Wrestlemania VIII / Survivor Series 1996” reversal to escape danger (but it wouldn’t be good enough for a pin). I’m sure that Hart could withstand Joe’s lightening speed attacks (relative for a big guy) long enough to take Joe down and work on the leg in preparation for the Sharpshooter. The problem, again, is that Joe is just as deadly standing as he is on the ground. When Hart realizes that a regular Sharpshooter won’t be good enough, to the point where he has to lean back hard for leverage, he places himself close enough to danger. It’s akin to putting your head inside the shark tank—eventually you’re going to have your head bitten off. Joe will be able to maneuver himself well enough to sink that choke in, and then Hart goes to sleep. Joe is just too much for Bret Hart, even in his prime, to take out. No doubt about it though, this one would be the epitome of a classic.
Winner: Samoa Joe (submission via K. Clutch)

Jordan Linkous:
Like Ari mentioned, Bret has experience facing bigger men. Yokozuna, Bam Bam, and Vader have all fallen pray to Bret. However, I don’t think Bret would be prepared for the challenge of Samoa Joe. When it comes down to it, I think Joe has the definite advantage. He is technical, agile, and STIFF, and I just don’t think the “Excellence of Execution” could go toe to toe with the “Samoan Submission Machine.” These guys would most definitely put on a clinic. While Bret Hart is one of the greatest wrestlers alive, I just don’t think he has what it takes to keep up with Joe. I see the match ending like this: Hart tries a flying clothesline, but Joe catches him, and hits the Musclebuster. Then Bret would find himself in a Coquina Clutch, not giving up, but passing out, similar to the match between Hart/Austin.

Nick Marsico:
Bret Hart: They call him the best there is, the best there was and the best there ever will be. Personally I’ve never been a huge fan of his, and that will certainly influence this write-up. I’ve loved a lot of his matches, but his style tended to often be pretty boring, as technically sound as he was. Bret was known as the guy who defined technical wrestling, but outside of that he generally didn’t have much to offer in the ring. He could brawl against other guys similar with him, but didn’t stand a chance in a brawl with a brawler. A true high flyer would likely throw him completely off his game – he would have to slow the man down and get the guy grounded from just about the very beginning of the match, because otherwise he would have a tough time keeping up. His only opportunity would come with a mistake from the other man, though against someone who takes a lot of chances it certainly is possible.

Samoa Joe: Much to the opposite of my feelings on Bret Hart, I cannot sing this man’s praises enough. He can work any and every style, and he can work all of them more than proficiently. He’s a heavy guy, so he’s not the best high flyer, but he even does death defying moves that tend to shock everybody, especially the first time they see him pull them out. Joe is a great brawler, an incredible striker, a fantastic technician, a surprising high flyer, and one of the most well-rounded wrestlers in the last however many years you can count back. He’s a large man, and he’s very strong, and once he gets a hold of you – he’s a smart monster – he knows what to do with you.

Winner: Both of these men, at their best, would put on a really fun match. I think, though, and I may get heat for this, that Joe is just superior to Hart. He’s more charismatic, more entertaining and much more versatile. He’s also just as smart as Bret, and though he has less experience, the rest of Joe’s attributes more than make up for it. Be it the choke, the muscle buster or anything else Joe has to use, Bret and his Sharpshooter wouldn’t be enough to put Joe down. Joe isn’t the average big man that Bret was put up against for his entire career. Shorter, but just as heavy as most of them and much more of a force overall. Joe wins this one. He wouldn’t dominate, but he would control.

Daniel Wilcox:
Joe would want to put Hart away early here. Bret is the Excellence of Execution and would look to pick a body part, most likely a leg of Joe and work on it the entire match. If Hart could take away a knee from Joe, you take away Joe’s speed and thus most of his arsenal. Joe surprises his opponent with how he moves in the ring, but if Bret can keep him grounded and stick to a mat wrestling contest, Bret shouldn’t have a problem with Joe. But Bret would have to put the Samoan Submission Machine away early or risk getting caught by Joe. Joe is a machine and can put opponents away with just a few moves. His style is so unlike anything North America has ever seen from a guy Joe’s size, and Bret would need to find away to avoid all of Joe’s offence and not allow Joe to build any momentum. Samoa Joe would have to avoid the Sharpshooter, but I think Joe would turn it into a brawl if he needed to and take it to the floor, where Joe could use the environment to punish Hart, and then use either the Muscle Buster or Coquina clutch to finish off Bret Hart.

SvR Simulation
Joe leaps and connects with a step-up enziguri! Awesome start! Knee smashes by Joe, cross armbar and Joe is in control but Bret is at the ropes. Hart fights back with shots to the gut and takes Joe over with a snap suplex. Hart against the ropes and drops a Harley Race-like knee in the face of the Samoan Submission Machine. Hart misses an elbow and Joe gets some combination slaps before nailing a tilt-a-whirl side slam on the Excellence of Execution. Joe whips Bret into the corner and follows up with a big clothesline. Boots in the corner by Joe and big choke using the boot of Samoa Joe. FACEWASH~! Joe is DOMINANT right here. Joe whips Bret and nails a snap powerslam, straight into a cover, leg hooked, gets 2. Knee smashes to the head of Bret Hart. Bret with a thumb to the eye of Joe, go behind, charging bulldog headlock takedown and Hart has a chance to get back in this. Bret to the top turnbuckle, connects with a fist drop. Bret waits for Joe to get up but Joe swats away a dropkick attempt. Joe charges and NAILS Hart with a lariat that turns him inside mother fuckin’ out! Joe takes Bret into the corner, and there’s the MUSCLE BUSTER! Joe covers, and gets the 3!
Joe squashes Bret @ 3:58! ½* Whodda seen that one coming?!

Samoa Joe Wins 5-0
WWE 2 – TNA/ROH 1

The Hardy Boyz vs. Americas Most Wanted

Ari Berenstein: Both teams are well known for their cohesiveness. Before they broke up, AMW was a working unit for four years—so in that time you’d get to know the ins and outs of your tag team partner. The Hardy’s trump the time factor, as they are a family, and have wrestled with and against each other all of their lives. The Hardy’s are also responsible for a whole bunch of tag team innovation, with the Poetry in Motion, Spin Cycle and double team legdrop moves all to their credit. AMW studies from the best teams and replicates the big moves in the ring (AMW often used a Hart Attack closeline and their finisher, the Death Sentence, is owed to the Midnight Express). Harris and Storm do have some innovative and powerful moves as singles that they can incorporate into their matches, but Matt and Jeff Hardy are battle tested and would find a way to kick out of such moves as the 8 Second Ride and the Catatonic. This match comes down to The Hardys being the superior team in too many aspects of the game. The Twist of Fate and Swanton combination will be too much too take for the Cowboys.
Winner: The Hardy Boyz (pinfall via TOF / Swanton)

Jordan Linkous: When I first picked this matchup, I had no idea who would win. Nor did I know the Hardyz would reunite, or that AMW would break up. The Hardyz pioneered some of the Extreme tag team stuff, whereas AMW was THE tag team in TNA. When it comes down to it, I would think brotherly love would prevail. Sure, they have had their share of scuffles, but who hasn’t. They are an innovative tag team and have experience on their side. I think the match ending would be as follows: AMW has Matt set up for the Death Sentence, but Jeff rebounds of the ropes knocking down Storm and hitting Harris with a dropkick to the back to the head. Matt The grabs Harris, holds him for the Death Sentence, but Jeff hits a Swanton Bomb instead, and the Hardyz pick up the win.

Nick Marsico:
The Hardy Boyz: They are the most daring tag team of the past 10 years. The things they’ve done in the many ladder and TLC matches is stuff of legend, and they’ve beaten some of the best teams of all time over the course of holding tag team gold together 6 times. Jeff is the crazy one while Matt is the rock, the solid foundation, but if you sleep on Matt, you’re likely to look up just in time to watch him crash down on top of you from high above. As a team they are very hard to come up with a game plan to combat, and their chemistry, being brothers, is almost unmatched. Even after spending almost 5 years apart, they seamlessly got right back together and started teaming as though they never split in the first place.

America’s Most Wanted: Before their recent break up, these two were THE tag team in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. They got together for the first time more than 4 years ago near the beginning of TNA’s run after spending years as opponents elsewhere. This allowed them to know each other well upon teaming, and they were able to complement each other’s styles based upon this knowledge. As a pair, they have produced multiple classic matches against the other top teams in TNA, especially in probably the most dangerous match TNA has, the Six Sides of Steel, and before that the classic steel cage, and they were involved in the first of both in the company. They are not small men, but some of the things they’ve done have to be seen to believed, especially in the many cage matches. AMW is quite happy just beating you up, and it’s not something they have any trouble doing, but don’t be surprised when beating you up is taken to the next level.

Winners: This is the toughest one yet. Before Jeff Hardy left WWE in 2002, the Hardyz were a team together in the WWF for almost 5 years. They’ve been opponents and partners for their whole lives, however, being that they are brothers and have been wrestling since their teenage years. America’s Most Wanted teamed for 4 years together and were opponents before joining forces. The Hardyz lack a tandem finisher and prefer to end a match with a Twist of Fate from Matt followed by Jeff’s patented Swanton Bomb. AMW does have a tandem finisher, the Death Sentence, which is a tandem top rope leg drop which sees Harris fly from the top while Storm holds one of their opponents just above the mat to be driven down hard on his head and neck. They also have their own signature and finishing moves, most notably Storm’s Eye of the Storm and Harris’ Catatonic. The Hardyz do utilize tandem maneuvers but don’t have one that they use to finish off a match. In that category, AMW have them beat. It’s a toss up, but I like AMW in this one. When it comes down to it, I think the Hardyz lack depth. In a series of matches the teams would certainly trade wins and losses, but in a one time only contest, America’s Most Wanted would make the most of their opportunity. Neither team is completely well rounded, but I think AMW, if comparing the two, is the more well rounded between them, and they would have more to prove.

Daniel Wilcox:
In their prime, the Hardyz were one of the most innovative tag teams we have ever seen wrestling on television. Few teams found the combination to their high-flying antics, and that is what Matt and Jeff Hardy would have to rely on here. America’s Most Wanted, Chris Harris and James Storm, are Tag Team Wrestling 101. They’ve shown time after time that they know just about every tag team wrestling trick in the book and were never afraid to utilise them. Harris and Storm had tremendous chemistry in the 7 years that they were teaming together, and were no doubt in their respective primes when teaming together. The Hardyz would no doubt look to take AMW with their high flying offence and risk taking manoeuvres, and providing they connect with them all, should be able to put AMW away early. But I think AMW would take advantage and find away to avoid that offence, and isolate on of the Hardy brothers, cutting the ring in half and using that sound tag team formula to keep the match in their own favour. When it comes down to it, this match will be decided by if AMW can keep The Hardy Boyz grounded and I think they should be able to. In a normal tag team environment, tag team wrestling 101 beats out the high flyers every time.

SvR Simulation
Hey, it’s my Simulation, I can add Divas if I want. Besides, if I think Kim and Lita were at these guys sides when they were all in their respective primes, so that’s how we’re rolling here. Anywho, Matt starts us off with James Storm. Storm takes control of Hardy with a wrist lock but Hardy gets a snapmare and a dropkick to the back of the head of Storm. Matt quickly tags in Jeff who charges and knocks Storm down with a forearm. Standing senton by the “Charismatic Enigma” connects. Storm whipped into the Hardyz corner and a tag to Matt. They both kick the crap out of Storm in the corner before Jeff leaves the ring. Matt hits a snap suplex, but on trying to pull Storm to his feet gets taken down. Storm now starts to go to work on the leg of Hardy, just stomping away on the knee joint. Now some elbows to the knee by Storm. The Cowboy pulls Hardy up but gets surprised by Matt who comes firing back with a pair of right hands, and nails a quick Side Effect! Hardy covers but Chris Harris is in to break the count, prompting Jeff Hardy to come in. 4 MAN BRAWL! Jeff nails a headlock takedown on Harris and then he and Matt go to Storm, and hit a double suplex. The referee is trying to get Jeff out of the ring when Harris comes in from behind and nails a scrapbuster. Storm goes to the top rope, and connects with a leg drop. Cover gets 2 and Jeff and Harris are in again. Storm connects with Jeff’s face off a superkick and Harris applies an abdominal stretch to Matt. The referee regains control and manages to get the illegal men out of the ring, just as Gail Kim decides to throw a chair into the ring. Storm has it, but Matt grabs it off of him, drops it, TWIST OF FATE connects! One…two…thr-NO! Harris is in again, Jeff stays out this time. Harris and Storm gets a nice superkick/German suplex combination move, and now Jeff comes in to even the odds. He backdrops Storm to the floor, and then connects with a baseball slide. Harris tosses Jeff over the top now too. Matt hits an inverted DDT on Harris but Harris isn’t the legal man. Matt goes to the top rope anyway and connects with a leg drop, but in comes Storm back in with another superkick and that’s enough for the 3. AMW wins @ 9:22! **¼

Americas Most Wanted wins 3-2
WWE 2 – TNA/ROH 2

That wraps up this week. We end up with WWE tied with TNA/ROH 2-2, but who knows what next week has in store. Join us next Sunday for Part 2!