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TNA's first ever PPV in Canada kicks off with The Rock n' Rave Infection and their manager/valet Christy Hemme taking on a team of goofs - Curry Man, Super Eric, and Shark Boy. This isn't as bad as one might think because the babyface team are comprised of three solid workers and Daniels is clearly having fun in his Curry Man gimmick. I'm not super into comedy matches and this would definitely fall into that category. I also really disliked Mike Tenay having to call Hemme's leg drop the "Firecrotch Guillotine." Puke-worthy moment there. They didn't overstay their welcome, another positive. Still, this wasn't "PPV worthy" in the slightest. (2/5)
Awesome Kong took on ODB in a Falls Count Anywhere match. ODB was attacked by Kong's manager/handler Raisha Saeed before the match and Don West notes that ODB had pulled Saeed's mask off on a recent episode of Impact (and, to Don's credit, he does say that this made him feel uncomfortable). The brawling around the ring wasn't too special and I kinda wish they had pushed things a bit further with how hardcore things got. We eventually get a table bump that goes awry when ODB powerbombs Kong from the corner into the table and it only half-breaks. ODB's stomach goes into the edge of the table and it looks even more painful than what Kong went through. I figured that would've been the finish of the match, but it doesn't seem so as the match continued for another few minutes and Saeed got involved. ODB spits some booze in the monster's face but ends up getting spinebustered through another table to end the match. I'm usually higher on Kong's matches, but I thought this was sorta boring. (2/5)
Christian cut a rather lengthy promo before the next match - Team 3D vs. Abyss and Matt Morgan. This is what you'd expect, which isn't good or bad, really, just unremarkable. Lots of brawling, Team 3-D acting like cowards and trying to walk out on the match, the crowd pleading for the use of tables after 5-6 minutes. Hokey finish with Johnny Devine showing up and hitting Morgan with a chair and I kinda zoned out after that. During the post-match, Morgan isn't sure who hit him with the chair and argues with Abyss about it. I wish the crowd chanted "Watch the Replay!" or something because I hate this trope so much, especially when it is so obvious that Abyss didn't do it. (1.5/5)
The X-Division Champion, Petey Williams, defended his title in a triple threat against Consequences Creed and Sheik Abdul Bashir next. This was fun for what it was and the crowd eventually got passed booing and chanting "You Screwed Bret" at referee Earl Hebner long enough to get behind Williams, the home country hero. This doesn't last long but they do some good three-man stuff in it, including Creed hoisting Williams up for a press slam, Bashir intervening, and Creed dropping Williams onto his knees. The finish saw Williams deliver the Canadian Destroyer but then get pulled out of the ring by Bashir, who then stole the pinfall over Creed. This was fine for what it was, but nothing I'd seek out. (2.5/5)
Angelina Love challenged Taylor Wilde for her Knockouts Championship in the next match. Not much here to talk about, maybe best summed up as "ugly wrestling featuring beautiful women." It went 6 minutes but felt even shorter as there was a considerable amount of "fluff" before the match when Wilde brought out her "new best friend," Rhyno. Good to see Rhyno get a little bit of time in front of a Canadian crowd, but someone should've told him to come out in a Maple Leafs jersey or something to really get the crowd into this. The finish was a clusterfuck as Kip James got into the ring to eat a Gore and then Madison Rayne nearly got knocked off the ring apron when she also tried to get involved. (0.5/5)
The next match was the next - and final? - chapter of the never-ending and rarely-entertaining Sonjay Dutt/Jay Lethal feud over So Cal Val. This time they did battle in a ladder match with a wedding ring hanging from the ceiling and the winner ostensibly then getting to marry So Cal Val. This is Russo shit, and if its not Russo shit, he should feel bad that people think its Russo shit because it is so stupid. The action in this match is great, no doubt, as Dutt and Lethal mostly connect and execute a series of huge, dangerous, and nasty spots involving multiple ladders. There's a noticeable hiccup when Lethal attempts to catapult Dutt into a ladder that is just way too high for that to be possible, but everything else looks incredibly painful. I also liked that Don West spoke for the fans here a bit, basically admitting on commentary how dumb the stipulation was before selling the fact that, even with such a preposterous gimmick, the action was incredible. There are some convoluted spots - Dutt applying a cobra clutch on top of two ladders set-up a good 2-3 feet away from the prize of the match - but way more than come off as organic. The finish is a downer and further proof that the booking and "creative" behind this feud really left a bad taste in fans' mouths. With a more creative finish that actually left the crowd happy - even if it did have to involve a turn - this would probably be remembered as a much better match than what it was. (3.5/5)
The TNA Tag Team Champions, Beer Money, defended the titles against LAX in the next match. Decent but unremarkable match with a standard heel finish as Jacqueline interfered on behalf of the heels. Inoffensive but not worth seeking out. (2/5)
The next match was a very odd one - Frank Trigg vs. AJ Styles in an MMA Rules match. Trigg cut an anti-Canada promo before the match to get some heat before the bell rang. His mic skills were not too great. Styles came out to a pop. The match was designed to go for three 5-minute rounds but within the first two minutes, you could tell that this was not working and going the distance would've been a terrible decision. The crowd chants "Fire Russo" around minute 3. For some reason, Styles was booked super strong here when, with it being MMA rules, it should've been Trigg who dominated most of each round. Instead, it's AJ Styles who nearly wins with a submission in the final moments of Round 1. When Round 2 starts, Styles inadvertently knees Trigg in the groin and the match is ruled a No Contest. Styles then attacks Trigg with a Kendo Stick. I'll award this 1 point for Styles trying to make the best of an absolutely shitty situation that was booked nonsensically. (1/5)
Main event time - Samoa Joe defending the TNA World Heavyweight Championship against Kurt Angle and Christian in a triple threat match. Booker T was supposed to be in this match, but was unable to appear for some reason (maybe VISA issues?). Any which way, this match may actually benefit from him absence because these three guys all had terrific chemistry with each other. Before the match begins, Joe gets into it with Sting, who would be facing the winner of this contest at Bound for Glory. Joe had come down hard on Sting in a pre-match promo over not sacrificing enough for TNA and being a full timer. The match begins with Joe and Christian teaming up on Angle, but that doesn't last long and this becomes a fairly even match-up with everyone getting a chance to shine. There's good and bad here. Christian takes great bumps to the outside. I love the timing whenever Angle has to break up a pin. The crowd is into this. They deliver a really cool "tree of woe" spot. But there's also elements I didn't enjoy such as Angle applying the double Ankle Lock, which is a bit hokey and unrealistic and, to my eyes, doesn't look like it would be super effective. Overall, though, this was a very good match and, though I was wary when I saw Jeff Jarrett make his way down the aisle, I liked how the ending set-up another major storyline/match for Bound for Glory. Strong match, but a notch below "must see" territory. (3.5/5)
With a Kwang Score of 2.06-out-of-5, No Surrender 2008 was a disappointing watch. The main event was solid, but too many of the undercard matches fell flat or were just outright bad (Trigg/Styles, Love/Wilde, the Team 3D match). As I've been making my way through TNA pay-per-views, I've noticed a bad trend of never-ending feuds that result in forgettable matches, giving the shows a feeling of being very "samey." Here's hoping Bound for Glory offers something new...
FINAL RATING - DUDleyville
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