TNA Hard Justice 2008 Review

Match 1: X Division Championship - Petey Williams (c) vs. Consequences Creed
This is my first time reviewing a TNA show and it just so happens to be a super random show. Regardless, we got a really good opening match here between two guys with over-the-top gimmicks to go with it. Consequences Creed is now known as Xavier Woods in the WWE and you could really tell why the WWE signed this guy here. He was fantastic in playing with the audience and definitely had that flair to him. Petey Williams was mimicking Scott Steiner for whatever reason and the crowd was hot for him. I can't recall what exactly the story is between he and Steiner, it's been eight years! Sheik Abdul Bashir runs in with a steel chair and nails Creed in the back with it to allow Williams to hit his Canadian Destroyer for the victory. Bashir then gets on the mic and rips Creed. Ridiculous gimmicks all over the place in what was a great opening match. Fast, fun, and hectic.
Winner: Petey Williams
Rating: ***1/2

Match 2: Gail Kim, ODB & Taylor Wilde vs. Awesome Kong & The Beautiful People
I almost forgot how ridiculous TNA was back in 2008, it felt like I was watching a stereotypical professional wrestling show from 30 years ago. Even the Knockouts have silly gimmicks. The match was really centered around Awesome Kong getting her hands on the champ in Taylor Wilde. The match itself was definitely much better than what you would see on WWE television. Good action that eventually broke down with all the ladies getting in the ring at once. Finally, Wilde was able to roll up Angelina Love to score the win for her team.
Winners: Gail Kim, ODB & Taylor Wilde
Rating: **

Match 3: TNA World Tag Team Championships - The Latin American Xchange (c) vs. Beer Money, Inc.
TNA always did tag team wrestling right, this match is a perfect example. I love both teams and their different styles worked well here. Crowd was very much into the match and fun would be the best way to describe this. I loved their gimmicks, more stereotypical pro wrestling stuff but it worked! The coolest spot of the match had to be Hernandez Border Tossing Homicide over the post and onto Beer Money. It was pretty unreal. However, Robert Roode was able to nail Homicide with a beer bottle which allowed James Storm to cover Homicide for the win. Hectic match that worked. Beer Money made for a great heel team and the win solidified the way they do things. But let's just count how many odd finishes we get for the rest of the night.
Winners: Beer Money
Rating: ***

Match 4: Black Tie Brawl & Chain - Jay Lethal vs. Sonjay Dutt
Would you look at that, another typical TNA match! What does that mean? It means chaining up two guys in tuxedos and having them rip their clothes off each other for whatever reason. This has to be one of the most embarrassing and most atrocious things I have ever seen in pro wrestling. The crowd was crapping all over the match and it just looked stupid to watch. They're chained together, why is Sonjay Dutt banned from choking Jay Lethal with it? Why are they in tuxedos? Why are they ripping it off each other? Why is Jay Lethal's family smiling when he is getting tortured? Lethal wins with an elbow from the top rope. Geez.
Winner: Jay Lethal
Rating: 3/4*

Match 5: New Jersey Street Fight - Christian Cage & Rhino vs. Team 3D
I always love me a good street fight. These four guys make for a great combination in this style of a match. Who doesn't love it when the action spills into the crowd? They brought out an array of weapons as if we took a train ride back to the old ECW days. Just not as exciting. I liked the concept but TNA does these matches at every PPV that it becomes so forced. Christian Cage & Rhino score the win after Rhino Gores Brother Ray through a table that barely broke. It made the finish fall flat on its face. The match was fine but not as exciting as the advertisement put it out to be. Johnny Devine comes out to Team 3D's rescue until Abyss comes out and makes the save. You just can't get an ending to a match without something happening.
Winners: Christian Cage & Rhino
Rating: **3/4

Match 6: Last Man Standing - AJ Styles vs. Kurt Angle
TNA's version of a Last Man Standing match is different than the WWE's. You need to be able to pin your opponent first before having the referee start the count to ten. I get that they want to be different than the WWE, but it definitely kills a little bit of the excitement for me. Loved the story they told here, Kurt Angle did not look a tad bit concerned in this match against AJ Styles. On the other side of things, Styles did not look a tab bit concerned over Angle. Great energy here, thy went at it from the start and I didn't feel like the match dragged at all. Angle showed us what a beast he was, even in 2008. He looked hungry and in incredible shape. The spots on top of the stage had me both nervous and on the edge of my seat. They needed a big finish and they gave us one as Styles hit a huge DDT from the top rope on Angle. Styles was able to get the win as Angle continued to sell the move. Styles then attacked Angle after the match as everybody else began to show compassion for Angle. Great match despite my mixed feelings for the guidelines for the match itself. Sting then appears and lays out Styles before Kevin Nash came out to confront Sting. Seriously, there's just way too much to digest here.
Winner: AJ Styles
Rating: ****

Match 7: TNA World Heavyweight Championship - Six Sides of Steel Weapons - Samoa Joe (c) vs. Booker T
This is their rematch from Victory Road as the fluke finish leads to them going at it within the confines of steel. Booker T utilizes the weapons to his advantage early on and seems to be in control of the match. As a matter of fact, I don't really recall Samoa Joe having any flashes of dominating Booker throughout the entire match. I get he's the babyface playing defense, but why to this extent? Booker T looks to finally close out the match until the lights turn off and the entire arena is dark. Samoa Joe emerges out of the darkness with a guitar and crushes Booker with it for the very underwhelming victory. What on Earth was that? The match looked to have some potential. It felt like it was just getting out of first gear. And once it was about to, it came to a screeching halt. Another stupid finish, another question for another PPV.
Winner: Samoa Joe
Rating: **3/4

Overall Show Thoughts and Rating:
It's unbelievable to look back at a show like this in 2008 and wonder how this company is still in business. It's almost like I went back to 1980 and watched a professional wrestling show at a circus. A couple matches were good but everything else was bad to passable. But why exactly are there so many shenanigans? Why does every match have to end with somebody coming out for an ambush? More questions were made as compared to how many were answered. This is a PPV, what a slap to the face of the customer.
Rating: 5.75/10