Even though we only had like two weeks to set up this card, No Surrender fed into things well and most of the matches make sense. Are there matches which I don’t think anyone really asked for? Of course! (Looking at you PCO vs Kon & Jordynne v Xia v Tasha)

But hey, who knows, maybe the expected lowlights will surprise us tonight. We don’t have Steiner Math for this year’s Sacrifice, but hopefully its a great show.

Predictions:

1. Digital Media Championship: Crazzy Steve (c) vs Joe Hendry – Steve should win here since Hendry has had no build and is in a storyline completely divorced of championship gold.
2. The Rascalz (Zachary Wentz & Trey Miguel) vs Speedball Mountain (Trent Seven & Mike Bailey) – Speedball Mountain should get that win I expected them to get at No Surrender here, especially since Maclin has his own stuff to worry about tonight.
3. Steve Maclin vs Nic Nemeth – Nemeth should win this, but Maclin will call bullshit in the coming weeks, so things won’t be over.
4. Knockouts Tag Titles: MK Ultra (Killer Kelly & Masha Slamovich) (c) vs Jody Threat & Dani Luna – Jody and Dani may have gotten the solo wins to solidify their challenge, but they should be outclassed. MK Ultra should retain here.
5. NO DQ Match: PCO vs Kon – Much like No Surrender, who cares? I’d prefer to see PCO win this only because Kon is hot garbage and somehow has less upside than a nearly 60 year old Frankenstein.
6. TNA Tag Team Championship: The ABC (Ace Austin & Chris Bey) (c) vs The System (Brian Myers & Eddie Edwards) w/Alisha Edwards – I can see The System winning this one because I see the faction as a Four Horsemen style of team, so they need to be draped in gold.
7. Josh Alexander vs Alexander Hammerstone – Hammerstone is my choice here, Josh had his left knee worked over last night, so this should just be a win for Hammerstone with an asterisk; and then we can get a rubber match a little later down the line.
8. Time Machine (Alex Shelley, Chris Sabin & Kushida) vs Mustafa Ali & Grizzled Young Vets – I see Ali and the GYV winning here because of the continued implosion of Time Machine. Shelley will snap, Sabin will snap after he fails his rematch and we probably culminate all of this with a MCMG vs Intergalatic Jet Setters at Slammiversary or something.
9. Knockouts World Title: Jordynne Grace (c) vs Xia Brookside vs Tasha Steelz – Jordynne is the only won deserving of the title, so she should retain.
10. TNA World Championship: Moose (c) vs Eric Young – EY was such an ass pull of a challenger, I can’t see him winning. Kaz will play a part one way or the other in costing EY…most likely.

.@MeanGiaMiller caught up with @SuperChrisSabin, @AlexShelley313, and #KUSHIDA to talk their differences ahead of their 6-man tag team match! #Sacrifice pic.twitter.com/0IYjSOR03u

— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) March 9, 2024

Ratings:

• Nic Nemeth vs Steve Maclin: Nemeth wins via Danger Zone – *** 3/4
• TNA Tag Team Titles: The ABC (c) vs Eddie Edwards & Brian Myers w/Alisha Edwards: System wins via Roster Cut + Knee Party – *** 1/4 – TITLE CHANGE!!!
• NO DQ Match: PCO vs Kon: PCO wins via PCO-Sault – *
• Knockouts Tag Titles: MK Ultra (Masha Slamovich & Killer Kelly) (c) vs Spitfire (Dani Luna & Jody Threat): Jody wins via Roll Up – * 1/2 – TITLE CHANGE!!!
• Josh Alexander vs Hammerstone: Hammerstone wins via Nightmare Pendulum – *** 1/2
• Mustafa Ali & Grizzled Young Vets vs Time Machine (Kushida, Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin): Ali & GYV win via Grit Your Teeth + 450 Splash – *** 3/4
• Knockouts World Championship: Jordynne Grace (c) vs Xia Brookside vs Tasha Steelz: Jordynne wins via Juggernaut Driver – ** 1/2
• TNA World Heavyweight Championship: Moose vs Eric Young: Moose retains via Lights Out – ****

Results:

I don’t cover the Countdowns to the PPV usually, so I can say that both Steve and Speedball Mountain won, so I’m off to a solid start for predictions.

Nic Nemeth vs Steve Maclin

Quick opening flourish from both men, that start off in favor of Nemeth until Maclin posts him. After the posting, Maclin smacks him around a bit on the outside, heads back into the ring and hits a Butterfly Backbreaker for 2. Maclin starts mouthing off, calling him Dolph and Nemeth starts to fire out of irritation. Flurry of attacks drops Maclin, 9 Standing Elbow Drops and the 10th is punctuated with the Flying Elbow from the top rope for a near fall. Nemeth looks for the Fame-Asser, Maclin gets away from it, catches Nic on the rebound and just dumps him to the outside in  a not so pretty way. Scud Missile Dive from Maclin, he throws him back in quick, Jarhead Butt, misses, Fame-Asser connects, cover, 1-2-kick out!

After a small breath, Maclin retreats to the corner, Stinger Splash from Nemeth, but Maclin counters the next move with sending Nemeth head over heels into the corner, Caught in Crosshairs attempt…NEMETH SITS UP and Maclin goes flying through the ropes and into the ring announcer’s table! Referee gets to 6, Nemeth goes to collect Maclin cause he doesn’t want to win by Count Out, rolls Maclin back in and then eats a Busaiku Knee out of nowhere! Near fall, Buckle Bomb, looks for a second Buckle Bomb, Nemeth counters, Maclin counters into a Tombstone Piledriver and connects! Only a 2 count though.

Maclin sets up for the KIA, Nemeth spins out and tries the Superkick but Maclin catches the foot, spins him around and hits the KIA but Nemeth rolls out of the ring. Maclin goes out to collect Nemeth, Nemeth tries KIA, but Maclin hits the Superkick and then Danger Zone for 2! After a little yelling at the crowd, Nemeth tries the Superkick but when it gets blocked he immediately hooks in the KIA and both men are playing mind games. Lariat from Maclin, Nemeth sells into the ropes to bounce off, two quick Superkicks and Danger Zone pick up the win!

TNA Tag Team Titles: The ABC (c) vs Eddie Edwards & Brian Myers w/Alisha Edwards

Myers and Ace start, but ABC keep the fluidity of their MCMG style to hit Myers with a flurry of kicks and tandem strikes. Myers manages to tag in Eddie, but Eddie meets the same fate of eating a ton of strikes and tandem offense. Eddie’s Kobashi trained Chops finally start to give The System some offense. Ace does his Handstand dodge and as a great callback, Myers hits the Spear while Ace is upside down, but this one looks good. More crazy offense on the outside, Bey goes for a dive but Alisha steps in the way and Chris can’t hit Lish. Eddie takes advantage and bounces Chris’ face off the top buckle and now the system is taking over.

Bey is isolated, and we get Eddie feeding him into the bottom rope, distracting the ref and then Lish chokes Chris. Bey tries to turn things around, but Myers tags in and cuts him off. Myers tries to suffocate Bey but a Flapjack gets us to the simultaneous tag spot, Ace comes out hot on Eddie, Click Click Boom, Wrecking Ball Dropkick into a Crossbody to the outside. Ace ducks Myers’ offense, spins off Myers, kicks Eddie, dodges Myers again and kicks him to the side when Eddie rolls back in…Triangle Kick from Ace to get a near fall! Elbow Drop/Back Body Drop combination from ABC, Myers breaks up the pin but ABC deposits him outside. 1-2-Sweet gets caught by Eddie, Blue Thunder Bomb stops Bey, Superkick rocks Eddie, Knee Lift drops Ace, Roster Cut attempt but a Cutter from Bey takes out Myers. Everyone is in regroup mode.

Lish gets on the apron, Bey finally has enough of her, goes for the Tope but Lish ducks and he lands on Eddie and Myers. Ace fighting both men after Bey gets dumped out, Backpack Stunner + Elbow combo from the System, but Bey makes the save. Then Bey tries to fight them off, but they hit a tandem Tiger Driver, Ace fights valiantly, Lish trips Ace, Roster Cut + Boston Knee Party for the win!

NO DQ Match: PCO vs Kon

Kon throws the time keeper around before PCO even gets an entrance, and then he…talks. WHY. Kon thinks he’s a monster and calls out PCO…calls out a man who was already coming out. Lights go off and PCO just appears, he doesn’t even do the whole entrance gimmick.

Stupid…stupid, they hit each other with trash cans, stupid, Russian Leg Sweep from PCO into a can. PCO sets up chairs on the outside, tries to grab Kon but Kon punches him and PCO falls back into the chairs. Kon with strikes, PCO fights back and then drives Kon back first into the post a few times, bounces Kon’s head off a trash can a few different ways, PCO connects with a rough middle rope dive, then they both go under the ring at the same time for a bake off, trading cookie sheet attacks up the ramp. Kon drops PCO onto the stage, PCO fires up and then another Back Body Drop. And a third one since PCO isn’t staying down.

PCO slowly gets up, so Kon gets on top of him, clubbing blows, another Baking Sheet, goes for the Neck Snap but PCO grabs the sheet and cracks Kon a few times, Chokeslam off the stage through a table. PCO walks down to the ring and finds more chairs under the ring and starts throwing them in. Kon with a comedically lame looking sell, Reverse DDT from PCO into the pile of chairs, PCO-Sault…connects on the pile of chairs. PCO ends our misery hopefully. This was carny bullshit at its zenith.

.@AJFrancis410 battles @joehendry THURSDAY on #TNAiMPACT! #Sacrifice pic.twitter.com/fuGlqmjtev

— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) March 9, 2024

Knockouts Tag Titles: MK Ultra (Masha Slamovich & Killer Kelly) (c) vs Spitfire (Dani Luna & Jody Threat)

Jody and Dani get a team name and MK Ultra come out of the cuts and gank them during their entrance. Dani manages to drop Masha while Kelly is choking Jody with their kinky steel chain. Masha hits the Russian Death Device on the Dani on the floor but Jody is in the ring.

Bell rings, Masha charges and Jody counters and starts fighting off Masha. Jody looks for a rope run but a Thrust Kick stops Jody in her tracks and Masha starts landing a ton of strikes. Jody fires and just lays in a bunch of Short Arm Lariats before a Spinning Backfist into a Gutwrench Powerbomb from Masha stops Jody once again. Russian Death Device attempt, Jody slips it, Kelly tags in, Dani comes to and drags Masha out of the ring and Jody rolls up Kelly for the win?!

Masha isn’t happy with Kelly losing the belts, so there’s a rift there. But that was just poorly caught by the camera so it just ended in a mess.

Josh Alexander vs Hammerstone

Bell rings and Hammer goes for the Carbon Footprint immediately but Josh dodges. Josh grabs the head and wrestles Hammerstone to the ground but they get up, Hammerstone turns the headlock into a Backdrop, but Josh never lets go. Hammer tries to get in some elbows to the ribs and shoot off, but Josh keep the Headlock in. Josh finally lets go, goes for an Ankle Lock but Hammer shakes it off. Josh charges and Hammer throws him over the top and starts to get a rhythm, 10 count lariats into the corner, Josh turns it around, 10 count Knife Edge Chops from Josh, Hammer changes positions and goes back to Lariats, then Josh changes again and its a bit of an exchange until Josh hits the German Suplex out of nowhere, Hammer no sells and Lariats Josh to the outside.

Josh baits Hammer for a little chase and starts rocking him before Hammer trips him onto the apron and then a big Apron Bomb. Hammer drives the Forearm into the small of Josh back a few times before Josh tries to fight back, Hammer catches the arm and connects with a Backbreaker. Heavy Irish Whip launches Josh from corner to corner as he bounces out. Went back to the well for a second one but Josh fights back a bit until Hammer hits the Hulk Hogan-esque Big Boot. Hammer keeps the clubbing blows, Josh tries to fire out, but Hammer grabs him into a Bear Hug and looks to squeeze his breath out. Bell Clap from Josh gives him a small chance but an Overhead Belly to Belly keep Hammerstone in control. Hammerstone focused on the shots to Josh’s back, another Back Breaker, and just a deliberate pace to work over Josh.

Strike exchange seems to not phase Hammerstone much, rocking Josh, Heavy Irish Whip with a unique little flourish, and Josh looks dead after he bounces out. Josh finally blocks the next Heavy Whip, Front Kick into a King Kong Knee as both men are selling for the Standing 10. They get up, Josh explodes with Forearms and Vader Hammers, Hammer tries to counter after an Uppercut, missed the Carbon Foot Print and Josh hits 10 German Suplexes in a row. Hammer powders to be seated on the apron for Josh’s Low Crossbody spot. Josh tries to throw in Hammer, but Hammer hits the Elbow, tries the apron Gorilla Press Slam, Josh slips it, drives him into the apron, Tope con Hilo from Josh. Both are back in the ring, Western Style Lariat for 2. Some fighting in the corner, big right from Hammerstone knocks the mouthguard out, Missile Dropkick gets caught for the Ankle Lock. Hammer tries to fight it off with Up Kicks twice, Josh almost kills the official, Hammer charges, Josh moves and the referee is squashed. Hammer just kind of shrugs, Josh manages to Grapevine the leg and get the Ankle Lock in. He taps, so Josh thinks he won but notices the referee is still down. Punch fake out, Low Blow since there’s no referee, Nightmare Pendulum for the win!

The right man won. 

Mustafa Ali & Grizzled Young Vets vs Time Machine (Kushida, Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin)

Ali and Sabin look to square off to start, but Ali immediately tags out to Gibson. Arm Wringer control spot, Drake tags in, continues the Arm Wringers and Sabin has to break into the ole World of Sport rolls and counter chain wrestling spots. So Chris tags out to Shelley continuing the Arm Wringer thing and Shelley also seems uninterested in even participating until someone annoys him and gets his fire going. Ali calls for the tag and Kushida wants a tag, the crowd chants for Kushida and Shelley accepts the request.

Quick spots, Kushida lands a big Arm Drag, goes to the Arm Wringer spot to tag in Sabin, but Ali scatters and tags out to Gibson. Time Machine triple team with Baseball Slides to Gibson in the tree of woe, but Gibson does manage to fire out and he and Drake hit that Poetry in Motion style move to take out the non-legal members of Time Machine. Ali is the legal member now that Sabin is on the receiving end of things, rubs in the losing end a bit, Ali is getting redundant with his “You Are Not the Leader that We Need” line. It’s like his only taunt and he’s on NPC auto pilot. Sabin finally gets a big overhand chop to Ali’s chest and Gibson demands a quick tag from Ali so they keep Sabin isolated. Drake tags, but Sabin fights out of the corner and Ali refuses to get his hands dirty when Sabin is fighting back. Sabin dives right after Ali decides to tag in, Kushida tags in and lands a lot of his signature offense on Ali. Cartwheel Dropkick, Arm Breaker, but Gibson slows things up, Shelley comes in, Time Splitters tandem action. Ali tries to intercept Kushida, Superkicks Sabin off the apron, fights off the Hoverboard Lock and looks for an Os-Cutter style move, but the Tanaka Punch lays out Ali, Hoverboard Lock! Gibson tries to break it, but Kushida no sells the offense, gets in a Double Hoverboard on GYV before Ali counters. Triple Team moves eventually take Kushida down a peg, Doomsday Device gets hit, but Kushida kicks out!

Sabin intercepts Ali trying to 450 Splash Kushida’s arm and now he’s fighting all three members. Tornado DDT takes out the GYV, Ali tries to powder but Sabin just Dives out to attack Ali. The Good Hands come down to get beat up, Sabin turns around and connects with Clothesline from Hell, Michigan on Ali. Gibson tries something but Time Machine is cooking, All Cylinders High Speed Dirt. Ali crotches Kushida, Shelley tries to save the set up, Sabin goes for Cradle Shock but Ali slips it, Shelley tries to grab Ali but the Yakuza Kick from Sabin connects on Shelley! GYV deposit Sabin on the outside, GYV Grit Your Teeth into Ali’s 450, Time Machine loses and Shelley eats the pin.

ASH by Elegance walks out to watch the match, such a great gimmick so far.

Knockouts World Championship: Jordynne Grace (c) vs Xia Brookside vs Tasha Steelz

Tasha looks like her gear is kind of Scar from Lion King inspired again. Which even though I hate 80% of Tasha’s wrestling matches, she does have great style. 

Xia looks to shake hands with Jordynne, but Tasha kicks the shake, tries another kick and Jordynne just catches the foot, hands it to Xia and they team up a little on Tasha. Jordynne chucks Tasha outside, the two Babyfaces shake hands and then start a little one on one. Xia lands a Headscissors Takedown on Jordynne, but then Tasha pulls Xia out and tries to take advantage of the situation but yeah, that doesn’t work super well. Tasha only finally gets something going when she claws Jordynne’s eyes and pushes her into Xia, so the incidental contact seems to keep Jordynne reeling a little. Stupid looking strike combo from Tasha, attempted Shiranui but no, Uppercut levels a charging Xia, Kinniku Buster set up, Xia tries again but Jordynne Lariats her and connects the Kinniku Buster for 2.

Jordynne tries to stack the two smaller women, but Xia catches Jordynne and the numbers seem to be always causing Jordynne an issue every other move attempt. Someone gets a foot up or connects on a strike. Jordynne catches both women in an Airplane Spin style move, then puts Tasha in a Standing Indian Deathlock, while Xia puts on an Octopus Stretch so a double submission spot, but Tasha manages to get to the ropes and cause the whole thing to break up.

Struggles on the apron, Xia with a Foot Stomp between the Shoulder Blades as Jordynne recoils into Tasha and eats a Codebreaker. Jordynne falls off the apron, and a Xia takes out Tasha then takes out Jordynne. Xia reverses Tasha spills the champagne into ASH. ASH freaks out and walks away, Iceman slips up the ramp, which is perfect comedy. Xia hits a Tornado DDT on Jordynne into a Brooksie Bomb using Tasha to crash into Jordynne, but only a two count. Jordynne fires, Double Knees into Xia’s back, Vader Bomb, but Tasha breaks the pinfall with a Frog Splash. Locomotion pinfall attempts, Tasha tries a Springboard move after doubling over Xia, Jordynne places her on top of Xia, Lariat creates a Code Red, Juggernaut Driver on Xia to retain.

TNA World Heavyweight Championship: Moose vs Eric Young

While I like EY having his ribs taped after the beat down yesterday, the tape/compression job looks stupid as well. 

Moose charges on the bell trying to hit Lights Out immediately, EY moves and 10 Count Punches after Moose posts himself, then goes to the next corner and bounces Moose’s face off the top buckle for a 10 count as well. Moose powders, EY follows and 10 count head smashes into the apron! EY is really on an old school doing the move 10 times streak. EY throws him in, Moose rolls all the way back out, Knee Lift into the bad ribs and then a Scoop Slam onto the ramp as Moose is besides himself still collecting himself from the 10x move flurry he absorbed early. Moose wants the Jacknife Powerbomb but EY Back Body Drop counter, and then Plancha from the ring to the outside. The typical devil may care offense even though he’s got the obvious injury.

Kitchen Sink from Moose has EY selling, Moose rips off the tape, stomps and punches to the ribs and then runs down the crowd. Moose uses the rib tape to choke EY and the ref kinda has to allow it since EY introduced it. Irish Whip to the corner, Moose powders out and starts running down the fans and continues to dismantle EY slowly on the outside. Young finally ducks a chop so Moose chops the post, and now EY starts a little something, but Moose counters by bouncing EY off the top rope and he flips back into the ring.

Abdominal Stretch from Moose, he tries to add some pressure with a claw to the face but EY bites the already injured hand, tries to fight from underneath but Moose lands the Uranage to maintain control. Moose talks smack, Paintbrushes EY a few times, EY fires, Moose looks concerned but then grabs him into a Bear Hug. EY breaks out with clubbing blows, hits the ropes but then gets caught again with a Bear Hug. Back Elbows, into a Release German Suplex might finally give EY some real offense. Vertical Suplex attempt from EY, but he sells the ribs, eats a Pump Kick and gets perched. Moose looking for the Superplex and connects, hold on and EY counters with his own Vertical Suplex after Moose says “I can do this all fucking day”. Eric connects with like 4 Right Hands, Moose tries to fire with a “Fuck You” Discus Punch, but eats a Scoop Slam. EY looks for the Macho Elbow but they’re back on the top, Moose is pushed off, but he re-scales quickly, gets dropped again, Macho Elbow, 1-2-KICK OUT!

EY is calling for the Piledriver finish, Moose blocks him back into the corner, perches him and hits the GO TO HELL! I love that move, but only a near fall. Right hand from EY, and we go into a Fighting Spirit spot, fuck the Fighting Spirit, Hockey Fight spot! Vader Hammers from EY, Thumbs to the eyes from Moose, Lights Out counter, Pump Kick, rope run into a Discus Lariat from EY, PILEDRIVER FROM EY! 1-2-foot barely lands on the bottom rope! Piledriver attempt 2, blocks, throats EY over the top rope, LIGHTS OUT! But EY kicks out! Moose is shocked, looks for a Jacknife on the apron, but EY says no, Piledriver on the apron! They both spill to the floor.

Another Piledriver, this time on the floor mats! EY finally rolls Moose back in and calls for 1 more Piledriver. Eddie and Myers start running down the ramp but EY dives to meet them, Avalanche Canadian Destroyer hit on Moose! 1-2-Myers pulls the referee out! EY stops the ref, tells him to kick them out instead. While the ref is kicking out Eddie and Myers, Kaz, dressed as ring crew chokes EY with a camera cable, feeds him into Moose and LIGHT OUT allows Moose to retain!

Overall Score: 7.75/10

Now this was a fairly fun card, and my predictions went 9-1…so I’m a little mad at Spitfire seemingly causing the soon to be demise of MK Ultra; but lets be serious for a second, who really cares about the Knockouts Tag belts? Kon vs PCO was the massive low light but at least the right person one and the Triple Threat was at least passable, like I wasn’t offended watching it. But there is an issue when the highlight of the match is the comedy spot with ASH and Iceman spilling the champagne and then Iceman slipping up the ramp.

The System holds as much gold as is really available to them (no Alisha should not wrestle, so I don’t consider her a contender for the Knockouts title), Kaz may be headed towards a partnership, Shelley is about ready to explode, Nemeth comes out looking good even if the feed was complete garbage for the first 40 minutes of the show and Hendry versus AJ keeps some heat. It should be interesting to see what direction these stories go, since Rebellion is 4/20, so we have plenty of time to slow build something. Moose doesn’t really have a babyface challenger especially with Hammerstone showing heel or at least opportunistic qualities in his match with Josh. Yes I’m aware Nemeth is probably the one that makes the most sense with how this card played out, but that seems entirely too soon.

My biggest fantasy book coming out of this, is if MK Ultra break apart, catapulting Masha to #1 Contender and having her dethrone Jordynne would be great, especially since I believe Masha is 0-4 against Jordynne. So Masha has the built in reason to beat Jordynne and Kelly would have the easy angle on why she’d want to take out Masha for pinning blame on her or whatever. Very easy booking for the next few months, oh, and throw the Knockouts Tag into the Upside Down or lose them in Space Time like around the Decay vs Hardy’s silly crap. Those Knockouts Tags are an albatross to a decent division watered down because of too many belts.

Either way, nit picks aside, it was a fun show and outcomes seemed to generally make sense. If only the feed wasn’t in 140p streamed on dial up through a ColecoVision for the first 40 minutes.