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Hard Justice (2009)
Encyclopedia
Hard Justice was a professional wrestling
pay-per-view
(PPV) event produced by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
(TNA) promotion
, which took place on August 16, 2009 at the TNA Impact! Zone
in Orlando, Florida
. It was the fifth event under the Hard Justice chronology. . Nine professional wrestling matches
were featured on the event’s card
.
The main event
saw Kurt Angle
defending his TNA World Heavyweight Championship
against Sting
and Matt Morgan in a 3 – way match
. Kevin Nash
defeated Mick Foley
to win the TNA Legends Championship
. Other matches featured on the card included a Falls Count Anywhere match
and a singles match. In the first, The Main Event Mafia (Booker T & Scott Steiner
) defeated Team 3D
(Brother Ray & Brother Devon) to retain the Tag Team championships
. The second was for the TNA X Division Championship
, in which Samoa Joe
defeated Homicide to win the championship.
The event featured the debut of D’Angelo Dinero
in TNA, who had previously worked for the WWE. . The event was released on DVD on October 20, 2009 by TNA Home Video.
. Wrestlers were portrayed as either villains
or heroes
in the scripted events that built tension and culminated into a wrestling match or series of matches.
The main feud heading into Hard Justice was between Kurt Angle
, Sting
, and Matt Morgan over the TNA World Heavyweight Championship
. On TNA's primary television program TNA Impact!
in the weeks leading to the event, Morgan competed against A.J. Styles
for a spot in the main event at Hard Justice. Morgan won their contest and injured Styles in the process. Angle tried to trade Morgan a spot in The Main Event Mafia in exchange for Morgan making sure that Angle kept his title at the event. Sting had been attacked by Angle and The Main Event Mafia
on Impact!, and his presence distracted Kevin Nash
and Angle long enough for Mick Foley
to win the TNA Legends Championship from Nash with the help of Bobby Lashley.
Another feud was between Mick Foley and Kevin Nash over the TNA Legends Championship. Foley had won the title from Nash in a tag team match with special stipulations that also involved Angle and Bobby Lashley. Foley and Nash then argued about whether wrestling was about the wrestling or the money, which heated up their emotions leading into the event.
A feud on the mid-card revolved around Rob Terry
stealing Hernandez
's Feast or Fired Briefcase which holds a title shot at the TNA World Heavyweight Championship. Their match at Hard Justice would be with the briefcase on the line. The final major feud heading into the event was between Abyss
, Dr. Stevie
, and Jethro Holliday. Dr. Stevie had offered $50,000 to anyone who could beat Abyss, and Holliday took up the offer and attacked Abyss with a steel chair while he was giving an interview on Impact!.
was rated a 1.5 out of 5 stars, while the Tag Team Match for the IWGP Tag Team Championship was rated a 2.5 out of 5 stars. Phil Alley, a journalist for United Kingdom
newspaper, The Sun felt that overall, "the PPV did nothing to move storylines along or push any characters". He also stated that the TNA Legends title
brawl was a “real blood bath” and that the Falls count anywhere match was "an arena-wide brawling that both teams excel at".
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
pay-per-view
Pay-per-view
Pay-per-view provides a service by which a television audience can purchase events to view via private telecast. The broadcaster shows the event at the same time to everyone ordering it...
(PPV) event produced by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling is a privately held professional wrestling promotion founded by Jeff Jarrett and Jerry Jarrett. The company broadcasts its events on television and the Internet fifty two weeks a year with over a million weekly viewers on its primary television program, Impact...
(TNA) promotion
Professional wrestling promotion
A professional wrestling promotion is a company or business that regularly performs shows involving professional wrestling. Promotion also describes a role which entails management, advertising and logistics of running a wrestling event...
, which took place on August 16, 2009 at the TNA Impact! Zone
TNA iMPACT! Zone
The Impact Wrestling Zone is the professional wrestling nickname for Soundstage 21, a sound stage in Universal Studios Florida in Orlando, Florida...
in Orlando, Florida
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
. It was the fifth event under the Hard Justice chronology. . Nine professional wrestling matches
Mock combat
Mock combat involves the execution of combative actions without intent to harm. Participants can engage in such sparring for ritual, training, recreational or performance reasons...
were featured on the event’s card
Card (sports)
In sports, a card comprises a listing of the matches taking place in a title-match combat-sport event. Organizers divide overall cards into a main-event match and the undercard, which encompasses the rest of the matches. One can also further subdivide the undercard into midcard and lower card,...
.
The main event
Card (sports)
In sports, a card comprises a listing of the matches taking place in a title-match combat-sport event. Organizers divide overall cards into a main-event match and the undercard, which encompasses the rest of the matches. One can also further subdivide the undercard into midcard and lower card,...
saw Kurt Angle
Kurt Angle
Kurt Steven Angle is an American professional wrestler, amateur wrestler, and 1996 Olympic gold medalist. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he is recognized as a 15-time World Heavyweight Champion...
defending his TNA World Heavyweight Championship
TNA World Heavyweight Championship
The TNA World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship owned by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling promotion. It is currently the highest ranked championship in TNA and is primarily defended in TNA's heavyweight division...
against Sting
Sting (wrestler)
Steven James "Steve" Borden , better known by his ring name Sting, is an American semi-retired professional wrestler, currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
and Matt Morgan in a 3 – way match
Professional wrestling match types
Many types of matches, sometimes called "concept" or "gimmick matches" in the jargon of the business, can be found in the form of performing art that is professional wrestling....
. Kevin Nash
Kevin Nash
Kevin Scott Nash is an American professional wrestler and actor. As of 2011, Nash is signed to a five year contract with WWE under their WWE Legends program and appears as part of their Raw brand roster...
defeated Mick Foley
Mick Foley
Michael Francis "Mick" Foley, Sr. is an American semi-retired professional wrestler, author, comedian, actor, voice actor and former color commentator. He has worked for many wrestling promotions, including WWE, WCW, ECW and TNA. He is often referred to as "The Hardcore Legend", a nickname he...
to win the TNA Legends Championship
TNA Legends Championship
The TNA Television Championship is a professional wrestling championship owned by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling promotion. It was introduced on the October 23, 2008 episode of TNA's television program TNA Impact! as the "TNA Legends Championship"...
. Other matches featured on the card included a Falls Count Anywhere match
Professional wrestling match types
Many types of matches, sometimes called "concept" or "gimmick matches" in the jargon of the business, can be found in the form of performing art that is professional wrestling....
and a singles match. In the first, The Main Event Mafia (Booker T & Scott Steiner
Scott Steiner
Scott Carl Rechsteiner is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Scott Steiner. Steiner is perhaps best known for his appearances with World Championship Wrestling alongside his older brother Rick as the Steiner Brothers and as a member of the New World Order...
) defeated Team 3D
Team 3d
Team 3D may refer to any of the following:*Dudley Boyz, a professional wrestling tag team in the WWF/E and TNA.*3D.NY, an American electronic sports club.*Final Boss, a team of professional Halo 3 gamers who compete in Major League Gaming ....
(Brother Ray & Brother Devon) to retain the Tag Team championships
TNA World Tag Team Championship
The TNA World Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling world tag team championship owned by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling promotion. It is primarily contested within TNA's tag team division. It was created and debuted on May 14, 2007 at the taping of TNA's primary television program,...
. The second was for the TNA X Division Championship
TNA X Division Championship
The TNA X Division Championship is a professional wrestling championship owned by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling promotion. It is primarily defended in TNA's X Division—a style based on a fast-paced, daredevil type of wrestling...
, in which Samoa Joe
Samoa Joe
Nuufolau Joel "Joe" Seanoa is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Samoa Joe. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling....
defeated Homicide to win the championship.
The event featured the debut of D’Angelo Dinero
Elijah Burke
Elijah Samuel Burke is an American professional wrestler, currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling under the name of "The Pope" D'Angelo Dinero; a gimmick in which he portrays a Harlem street preacher...
in TNA, who had previously worked for the WWE. . The event was released on DVD on October 20, 2009 by TNA Home Video.
Background
Hard Justice featured nine professional wrestling matches that involved different wrestlers from pre-existing scripted feuds and storylinesNarrative thread
A narrative thread, or plot thread , refers to particular elements and techniques of writing to center the story in the action or experience of characters rather than to relate a matter in a dry 'All knowing' sort of narration...
. Wrestlers were portrayed as either villains
Heel (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a heel is a villain character. In non-wrestling jargon, heels are the "bad guys" in professional wrestling; the term heel coming from the term take to you heels, which means to run away which heel champions tend to do to avoid losing their titles.storylines...
or heroes
Face (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a babyface or face or in simple words, a fan favorite is a character who is portrayed as a heroic relative to the heel wrestlers, who are analogous to villains...
in the scripted events that built tension and culminated into a wrestling match or series of matches.
The main feud heading into Hard Justice was between Kurt Angle
Kurt Angle
Kurt Steven Angle is an American professional wrestler, amateur wrestler, and 1996 Olympic gold medalist. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he is recognized as a 15-time World Heavyweight Champion...
, Sting
Sting (wrestler)
Steven James "Steve" Borden , better known by his ring name Sting, is an American semi-retired professional wrestler, currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
, and Matt Morgan over the TNA World Heavyweight Championship
TNA World Heavyweight Championship
The TNA World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship owned by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling promotion. It is currently the highest ranked championship in TNA and is primarily defended in TNA's heavyweight division...
. On TNA's primary television program TNA Impact!
TNA iMPACT!
Impact Wrestling is a professional wrestling television program for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling that currently airs in the United States and Canada on Spike...
in the weeks leading to the event, Morgan competed against A.J. Styles
A.J. Styles
Allen Neal Jones , better known by his ring name A.J. Styles is an American professional wrestler currently working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
for a spot in the main event at Hard Justice. Morgan won their contest and injured Styles in the process. Angle tried to trade Morgan a spot in The Main Event Mafia in exchange for Morgan making sure that Angle kept his title at the event. Sting had been attacked by Angle and The Main Event Mafia
The Main Event Mafia
The Main Event Mafia was a heel stable in the professional wrestling promotion Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
on Impact!, and his presence distracted Kevin Nash
Kevin Nash
Kevin Scott Nash is an American professional wrestler and actor. As of 2011, Nash is signed to a five year contract with WWE under their WWE Legends program and appears as part of their Raw brand roster...
and Angle long enough for Mick Foley
Mick Foley
Michael Francis "Mick" Foley, Sr. is an American semi-retired professional wrestler, author, comedian, actor, voice actor and former color commentator. He has worked for many wrestling promotions, including WWE, WCW, ECW and TNA. He is often referred to as "The Hardcore Legend", a nickname he...
to win the TNA Legends Championship from Nash with the help of Bobby Lashley.
Another feud was between Mick Foley and Kevin Nash over the TNA Legends Championship. Foley had won the title from Nash in a tag team match with special stipulations that also involved Angle and Bobby Lashley. Foley and Nash then argued about whether wrestling was about the wrestling or the money, which heated up their emotions leading into the event.
A feud on the mid-card revolved around Rob Terry
Rob Terry
Robert "Rob" Terry is a Welsh professional wrestler and bodybuilder. He is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling . Before signing with TNA, he was under contract with World Wrestling Entertainment and competed in the company's developmental territory, Florida Championship...
stealing Hernandez
Shawn Hernandez
Shawn Hernandez is an American professional wrestler of Mexican and Puerto Rican descent, better known by his ring names, "Hotstuff Hernandez" and "Hernandez"....
's Feast or Fired Briefcase which holds a title shot at the TNA World Heavyweight Championship. Their match at Hard Justice would be with the briefcase on the line. The final major feud heading into the event was between Abyss
Chris Parks
Christopher J. "Chris" Parks , better known by his ring name "The Monster" Abyss, is an American professional wrestler currently working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
, Dr. Stevie
Stevie Richards
Michael Manna is an American professional wrestler, better known by the ring name Stevie Richards. Also known by his ring names, Steven Richards and Dr...
, and Jethro Holliday. Dr. Stevie had offered $50,000 to anyone who could beat Abyss, and Holliday took up the offer and attacked Abyss with a steel chair while he was giving an interview on Impact!.
Reception
411mania.com writer Arnold Furious rated the event 4 out of 10 stars, which was lower than the 2008 event’s rating of 7.6 out of 10 stars. The main event for the TNA World Heavyweight ChampionshipTNA World Heavyweight Championship
The TNA World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship owned by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling promotion. It is currently the highest ranked championship in TNA and is primarily defended in TNA's heavyweight division...
was rated a 1.5 out of 5 stars, while the Tag Team Match for the IWGP Tag Team Championship was rated a 2.5 out of 5 stars. Phil Alley, a journalist for United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
newspaper, The Sun felt that overall, "the PPV did nothing to move storylines along or push any characters". He also stated that the TNA Legends title
TNA Legends Championship
The TNA Television Championship is a professional wrestling championship owned by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling promotion. It was introduced on the October 23, 2008 episode of TNA's television program TNA Impact! as the "TNA Legends Championship"...
brawl was a “real blood bath” and that the Falls count anywhere match was "an arena-wide brawling that both teams excel at".
Results
| # | Matches | Stipulations | Times |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Daniels Christopher Daniels Daniel Christopher Covell is an American professional wrestler, best known in the United States by his ring name "The Fallen Angel" Christopher Daniels. He is also known for performing under the ring name Curry Man. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , while also... defeated Suicide Suicide (character) Suicide is a fictional character from TNA Impact! the video game. In December 2008, the Suicide character was introduced on television as a real-life wrestler in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling... , Chris Sabin Chris Sabin Joshua Harter is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Chris Sabin. He is currently working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , where he currently teams with Alex Shelley as The Motor City Machine Guns.After being trained by Scott D'Amore, Sabin debuted in 2000 for... , Amazing Red Amazing Red Jonathan Figueroa is a professional wrestler better known by his ring name, Amazing Red, or simply Red for short. He is best known for working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he is a former three-time X Division Champion, while also working on the American independent circuit... , Alex Shelley Alex Shelley Patrick Martin , is an American professional wrestler, better known by the ring name Alex Shelley. He wrestles for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he currently teams with Chris Sabin as The Motor City Machine Guns. He previously gained fame on the independent circuit, working most notably for... , Jay Lethal Jay Lethal Jamar "Jay" Shipman better known by his ring name Jay Lethal, is an American professional wrestler currently signed to Ring of Honor , where he is the ROH World Television Champion... , Consequences Creed and D'Angelo Dinero Elijah Burke Elijah Samuel Burke is an American professional wrestler, currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling under the name of "The Pope" D'Angelo Dinero; a gimmick in which he portrays a Harlem street preacher... |
Steel Asylum match to become the number one contender to the TNA X Division Championship TNA X Division Championship The TNA X Division Championship is a professional wrestling championship owned by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling promotion. It is primarily defended in TNA's X Division—a style based on a fast-paced, daredevil type of wrestling... |
16:33 |
| 2 | Abyss Chris Parks Christopher J. "Chris" Parks , better known by his ring name "The Monster" Abyss, is an American professional wrestler currently working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling... defeated Jethro Holliday (with Dr. Stevie Stevie Richards Michael Manna is an American professional wrestler, better known by the ring name Stevie Richards. Also known by his ring names, Steven Richards and Dr... ) |
$50,000 Bounty Challenge Hardcore wrestling Hardcore wrestling is a form of professional wrestling that eschews traditional concepts of match rules in favor of matches that take place in unusual environments, using foreign objects that are not normally permitted... ; If Holliday won, he would have claimed the $50,000 bounty on Abyss. |
8:49 |
| 3 | Hernandez Shawn Hernandez Shawn Hernandez is an American professional wrestler of Mexican and Puerto Rican descent, better known by his ring names, "Hotstuff Hernandez" and "Hernandez".... defeated Rob Terry Rob Terry Robert "Rob" Terry is a Welsh professional wrestler and bodybuilder. He is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling . Before signing with TNA, he was under contract with World Wrestling Entertainment and competed in the company's developmental territory, Florida Championship... (with Brutus Magnus Nick Aldis Nicholas Harry "Nick" Aldis is an English professional wrestler and actor. He is currently working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling under the ring name Magnus, where he is a one time World Tag Team Champion with Doug Williams... and Doug Williams Doug Williams (wrestler) Douglas Clayton Durdle is an English professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Doug Williams. He is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling under the ring name Douglas Williams... ) |
Singles match for Hernandez's TNA World Heavyweight Championship Feast or Fired briefcase | 0:09 |
| 4 | The British Invasion The British Invasion (professional wrestling) The British Invasion is a professional wrestling alliance in the American promotion Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , currently consisting of English wrestlers Douglas Williams and Magnus. The group previously also included their Welsh enforcer Rob Terry... (Brutus Magnus and Doug Williams) (c) defeated Beer Money, Inc. Beer Money, Inc. Beer Money, Inc. was a professional wrestling tag team consisting of Robert "Bobby" Roode and James Storm in the professional wrestling promotion Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , where they are former four-time TNA World Tag Team Champions, while also holding the record for the longest reign as... (Robert Roode and James Storm James Storm James Allen Cox is an American professional wrestler who competes under the ring name "The Cowboy" James Storm. Since 2002, Storm has been employed by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he, along with A.J... ) |
Tag Team match for the IWGP Tag Team Championship | 8:45 |
| 5 | ODB Jessica Kresa Jessica Kresa is an American professional wrestler and actress better known as ODB , currently working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where she is a former three–time TNA Women's Knockout Champion.... and Cody Deaner Cody Deaner Chris Grey , better known by his ring name Cody Deaner, is a Canadian professional wrestler, who worked for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling.-Independent wrestling :... defeated The Beautiful People The Beautiful People (professional wrestling) The Beautiful People was an alliance of professional wrestlers that appeared in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , consisting of Angelina Love, Velvet Sky, Cute Kip, Madison Rayne and Lacey Von Erich. The stable was known for their narcissistic gimmick, and holding the TNA Women's Knockout... (Angelina Love (c) and Velvet Sky Velvet Sky Jamie Szantyr is an American professional wrestler currently working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling under the ring name Velvet Sky. She is a former TNA Women's Knockout Champion and TNA Knockouts Tag Team Champion with her former Beautiful People partners Madison Rayne and Lacey Von Erich... ) (with Madison Rayne) |
Tag Team match for the TNA Women's Knockout Championship TNA Women's Knockout Championship The TNA Women's Knockout Championship, often referred to simply as the Knockouts Championship, is a professional wrestling women's world championship owned by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling promotion. It is primarily contested for in TNA's women's division... |
7:26 |
| 6 | Samoa Joe Samoa Joe Nuufolau Joel "Joe" Seanoa is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Samoa Joe. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling.... (with Taz Tazz Peter Senerchia is a retired American professional wrestler and current color commentator best known by his ring name Tazz, originally Tazmaniac and later shortened to simply Taz... ) defeated Homicide Nelson Erazo Nelson Rodriguez Erazo is an American professional wrestler of Puerto Rican descent, better known by his ring name, Homicide... (c) |
Singles match for the TNA X Division Championship TNA X Division Championship The TNA X Division Championship is a professional wrestling championship owned by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling promotion. It is primarily defended in TNA's X Division—a style based on a fast-paced, daredevil type of wrestling... |
8:56 |
| 7 | The Main Event Mafia The Main Event Mafia The Main Event Mafia was a heel stable in the professional wrestling promotion Total Nonstop Action Wrestling... (Booker T Booker Huffman Robert Booker Tio Huffman , better known by his ring name Booker T, is a semi-retired American professional wrestler and currently signed to WWE, on its SmackDown brand, as part of the announcing team. Booker is best known for his time in both the World Wrestling Entertainment and World... and Scott Steiner Scott Steiner Scott Carl Rechsteiner is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Scott Steiner. Steiner is perhaps best known for his appearances with World Championship Wrestling alongside his older brother Rick as the Steiner Brothers and as a member of the New World Order... ) (c) (with Sharmell) defeated Team 3D Dudley Boyz Team 3D was a professional wrestling tag team, consisting of Brother Ray and Brother Devon, formerly sporadically joined into a stable by Brother Runt on several intervals... (Brother Ray and Brother Devon) |
Falls Count Anywhere match for the TNA World Tag Team Championship TNA World Tag Team Championship The TNA World Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling world tag team championship owned by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling promotion. It is primarily contested within TNA's tag team division. It was created and debuted on May 14, 2007 at the taping of TNA's primary television program,... |
13:08 |
| 8 | Kevin Nash Kevin Nash Kevin Scott Nash is an American professional wrestler and actor. As of 2011, Nash is signed to a five year contract with WWE under their WWE Legends program and appears as part of their Raw brand roster... defeated Mick Foley Mick Foley Michael Francis "Mick" Foley, Sr. is an American semi-retired professional wrestler, author, comedian, actor, voice actor and former color commentator. He has worked for many wrestling promotions, including WWE, WCW, ECW and TNA. He is often referred to as "The Hardcore Legend", a nickname he... (c) |
Singles match for the TNA Legends Championship | 10:38 |
| 9 | Kurt Angle Kurt Angle Kurt Steven Angle is an American professional wrestler, amateur wrestler, and 1996 Olympic gold medalist. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he is recognized as a 15-time World Heavyweight Champion... (c) defeated Sting and Matt Morgan |
3-Way match for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship TNA World Heavyweight Championship The TNA World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship owned by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling promotion. It is currently the highest ranked championship in TNA and is primarily defended in TNA's heavyweight division... |
11:22 |
See also
- Hard Justice
- List of TNA pay-per-view events
External links
- Hard Justice at In Demand.comIN DEMANDIn Demand is a provider of pay-per-view and subscription video-on-demand services, jointly owned by Comcast, Cox Communications, Time Warner Cable, and Bright House Networks...
- TNA Wrestling.com