Team USA
Encyclopedia
Team USA is a wrestling faction brought together as part of Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
's X-Cup Tournaments
, which involved a team of X Division
superstars from various countries representing their nation in an international wrestling competition.
after he was appointed by TNA Management as the man for the job due to being a pioneer of the X Division
. The other teams in the X-Cup Tournaments were Team Mexico
or Team AAA, Team Britain
, Team Canada
, and Team Japan
or Team AJPW.
Team USA did not have a very good showing early on, as they lost the inaugural America's X-Cup Tournament to Team Mexico
(consisting of Juventud Guerrera
, Hector Garza
, Mr. Águila
, and Abismo Negro
).
, a TNA superstar who believed he was wrongfully overlooked by Lynn with regards to the selection of the team. Kazarian proceeded to make his point by attacking and defeating members of Team USA in an attempt to get Lynn's attention. Sonjay Dutt eventually left the team to pursue a grudge with Kazarian regarding this situation. Kazarian defeated Dutt and demanded the now-open spot on the team.
TNA responded by putting him in a match with Christopher Daniels for the open spot. Daniels won the match and joined Team USA.
. The team's members were chosen through qualifying matches held during episodes of TNA Impact!
.
Jay Lethal
was the first to qualify for the team, defeating Shannon Moore
and Roderick Strong
in a triple threat match. Chris Sabin
was the second to qualify, defeating Alex Shelley
and Sonjay Dutt
for the role. Sonjay Dutt
, who defeated Matt Bentley
and Elix Skipper
, was the third to qualify. Finally, Alex Shelley
would qualify by defeating Roderick Strong
and Chase Stevens
.
At a later time, former Team USA captain Jerry Lynn was given the authority of coach/mentor for the team. Despite never coming to the ring with the team during the competitions, he advised them backstage and appointed former teammate Chris Sabin as the team captain for 2006.
of Team Japan on TNA Impact!
to earn Team USA 2 points. Chris Sabin then defeated Puma of Team Mexico to earn Team USA another 3 points. After not scoring any points in the Gauntlet for the Gold
match at Sacrifice, the team found themselves tied for first place with Team Canada
after Petey Williams
pinned Puma to win the Gauntlet.
Director of Authority Larry Zbyszko
announced a sudden death tiebreaker between the captains of the two teams for the following episode of TNA Impact to determine the winner of the World X-Cup. Just before the match started, both respective teams were locked out of the Impact Zone. Chris Sabin defeated Petey Williams with the Cradle Shock to win the match at the tournament for Team USA.
wrestlers, while Shelley was a heel working for Jeff Jarrett
's Planet Jarrett
faction. Problems with Shelley led to initial losses in exhibition matches featuring Team USA taking on Team Canada and Team Japan, but Shelley turned things around and became a productive member of Team USA, aiding their efforts.
Shelley later got involved with a second controversy that started during the World X-Cup. He was invited by Kevin Nash
to conduct an interview with the big man. During the interview, Nash criticized TNA and threatened to destroy the X Division. Shelley showed the tape to Team USA, who took serious offense.
Nash appeared after the Gauntlet match at Sacrifice, beating down Puma after he had lost the match and delivering a Jackknife Powerbomb to the Team Mexico competitor. Nash also appeared the following week on TNA Impact, attacking Chris Sabin after he won the trophy. Nash broke the trophy and used parts of it to gouge Sabin, then delivered a Jackknife Powerbomb to him as well. Jerry Lynn and Team USA eventually was allowed back into the arena and made the save, but Shelley mysteriously departed with Nash.
. Meanwhile, Sonjay Dutt and Jay Lethal are an on-again-off-again tag-team. Lethal is now known as "Black Machismo" and his character is based on that of "The Macho Man" Randy Savage
. Dutt, on the other hand, is currently playing a character that is based on Gandhi.
(Captain) Chris Sabin
Elix Skipper
Sonjay Dutt
(Left the team to pursue a feud with Frankie Kazarian
) Christopher Daniels
(Replaced Dutt)
(Captain) Chris Sabin
Alex Shelley
Curry Man
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...
's X-Cup Tournaments
TNA X Cup Tournaments
The TNA X Cup Tournaments consist of various types of X Division tournaments that feature wrestlers and/or Teams from all over the World competing in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling to fight for a trophy or a group of trophies.-History:...
, which involved a team of X Division
X Division
The X Division is a high-flying, high-risk, fast-paced style of professional wrestling seen originally in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling and since then in various NWA member promotions...
superstars from various countries representing their nation in an international wrestling competition.
America's X-Cup
Team USA was created and led Jerry LynnJerry Lynn
Jeremy "Jerry" Lynn is an American professional wrestler who is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
after he was appointed by TNA Management as the man for the job due to being a pioneer of the X Division
X Division
The X Division is a high-flying, high-risk, fast-paced style of professional wrestling seen originally in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling and since then in various NWA member promotions...
. The other teams in the X-Cup Tournaments were Team Mexico
Team Mexico
Team Mexico is a professional wrestling stable that was first formed in 2004 to compete in TNA Wrestling's America's X-Cup Tournament and has since returned to compete in other TNA X Cup Tournaments.-2004:...
or Team AAA, Team Britain
Team Britain
Team Britain, or Team UK, was a professional wrestling stable brought together to compete in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling's 2004 America's X-Cup Tournament.-2004:...
, Team Canada
Team Canada (TNA)
Team Canada was a heel professional wrestling stable in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, which was active from 2004 to 2006.-2004 X-Cups:In 2004, wrestling promoter and personality "Coach" Scott D'Amore brought together fellow Canadians to form his own incarnation of Team Canada in Total Nonstop...
, and Team Japan
Team Japan
Team Japan is a wrestling faction that was brought together as a part of Total Nonstop Action Wrestling's World X Cup Tournament.-2004:Team Japan started as six-man team as team captain Nosawa from All Japan Pro Wrestling teamed with Osaka Pro Wrestling's Ebessan and Kamen competed in...
or Team AJPW.
Team USA did not have a very good showing early on, as they lost the inaugural America's X-Cup Tournament to Team Mexico
Team Mexico
Team Mexico is a professional wrestling stable that was first formed in 2004 to compete in TNA Wrestling's America's X-Cup Tournament and has since returned to compete in other TNA X Cup Tournaments.-2004:...
(consisting of Juventud Guerrera
Juventud Guerrera
Eduardo Aníbal González Hernández , better known as Juventud Guerrera, is a Mexican professional wrestler who is best known for his work in many wrestling promotions worldwide, including all the major American wrestling promotions, such as World Wrestling Entertainment, World Championship...
, Hector Garza
Héctor Garza
Héctor Solano Segura is a Mexican professional wrestler, known by his ring name Héctor Garza, who is currently working for Asistencia Asesoría y Administración and Perros del Mal Producciones...
, Mr. Águila
Mr. Águila
José Seldano is a Mexican professional wrestler or luchador currently working for Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre...
, and Abismo Negro
Abismo Negro
Andrés Alejandro Palomeque González was a Mexican Luchador . He is best known for appearing under the stage name Abismo Negro, which is Spanish for "Black Abyss" or "black hole", in the Asistencia Asesoría y Administración promotion...
).
Frankie Kazarian
They were also embroiled in a feud with Frankie KazarianFrankie Kazarian
Frank B. Gerdelman is an Armenian-American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Frankie Kazarian or simply Kazarian. He is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
, a TNA superstar who believed he was wrongfully overlooked by Lynn with regards to the selection of the team. Kazarian proceeded to make his point by attacking and defeating members of Team USA in an attempt to get Lynn's attention. Sonjay Dutt eventually left the team to pursue a grudge with Kazarian regarding this situation. Kazarian defeated Dutt and demanded the now-open spot on the team.
TNA responded by putting him in a match with Christopher Daniels for the open spot. Daniels won the match and joined Team USA.
World X-Cup
With Daniels on Team USA, the team enjoyed instant success, winning an 8-man tag warm-up for the World X-Cup. Their momentum carried into the World X-Cup, where Team USA emerged victorious.Team Formation
Team USA would return to TNA Wrestling to take part in the 2006 World X-CupTNA 2006 World X Cup Tournament
The TNA 2006 World X Cup Tournament was a professional wrestling X Cup Tournament staged by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling in April and May 2006...
. The team's members were chosen through qualifying matches held during episodes of 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...
.
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...
was the first to qualify for the team, defeating Shannon Moore
Shannon Moore
Shannon Moore is an American professional wrestler, who is signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling . He is best known for his work with World Championship Wrestling between 1999 and 2001 and with World Wrestling Entertainment for several years in the 2000s.Moore befriended Matt and Jeff Hardy...
and Roderick Strong
Roderick Strong
Chris Lindsey is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Roderick Strong. Strong currently competes in several independent promotions, most notably Ring of Honor , Full Impact Pro , and Pro Wrestling Guerrilla .He initially debuted as The Jester on the Floridian...
in a triple threat match. 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...
was the second to qualify, defeating 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...
and Sonjay Dutt
Sonjay Dutt
Retesh Bhalla is an American professional wrestler of Indian Punjabi descent, better known by his ring name, Sonjay Dutt. He is best known working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, and is also known for his stints with Combat Zone Wrestling, Major League Wrestling, and other various independent...
for the role. Sonjay Dutt
Sonjay Dutt
Retesh Bhalla is an American professional wrestler of Indian Punjabi descent, better known by his ring name, Sonjay Dutt. He is best known working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, and is also known for his stints with Combat Zone Wrestling, Major League Wrestling, and other various independent...
, who defeated Matt Bentley
Matt Bentley
Matthew James "Matt" Bentley is an American professional wrestler best known for his work in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling by the ring name Michael Shane. He was trained by his cousin, former World Wrestling Entertainment wrestler Shawn Michaels, and he took the name Michael Shane as a play on...
and Elix Skipper
Elix Skipper
Elix Skipper is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances with World Championship Wrestling, where he was a one-time Cruiserweight Champion and a one-time Cruiserweight Tag Team Champion, and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he is a four-time NWA World Tag Team...
, was the third to qualify. Finally, 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...
would qualify by defeating Roderick Strong
Roderick Strong
Chris Lindsey is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Roderick Strong. Strong currently competes in several independent promotions, most notably Ring of Honor , Full Impact Pro , and Pro Wrestling Guerrilla .He initially debuted as The Jester on the Floridian...
and Chase Stevens
Chase Stevens
Chase Stevens is an American professional wrestler. He is known for his work in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling where he was a member of The Naturals alongside his tag team partner Andy Douglas.-Career:...
.
At a later time, former Team USA captain Jerry Lynn was given the authority of coach/mentor for the team. Despite never coming to the ring with the team during the competitions, he advised them backstage and appointed former teammate Chris Sabin as the team captain for 2006.
World X-Cup Run
Team USA jumped ahead early in the World X-Cup, with Alex Shelley and Sonjay Dutt defeating Minoru Tanaka and Hirooki GotoHirooki Goto
is a Japanese professional wrestler. He has wrestled primarily for New Japan Pro Wrestling since his debut.-Career:Goto attended Kokushikan University, where he took part in freestyle wrestling and Greco-Roman wrestling. Upon graduating, Goto qualified to join New Japan Pro Wrestling, but left the...
of Team Japan on 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...
to earn Team USA 2 points. Chris Sabin then defeated Puma of Team Mexico to earn Team USA another 3 points. After not scoring any points in the Gauntlet for the Gold
Gauntlet for the Gold
The Gauntlet match as defined by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, is a battle royal-style match. When it involves title implications, such as a title on the line or contendership for a title, it is called a Gauntlet for the Gold...
match at Sacrifice, the team found themselves tied for first place with Team Canada
Team Canada (TNA)
Team Canada was a heel professional wrestling stable in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, which was active from 2004 to 2006.-2004 X-Cups:In 2004, wrestling promoter and personality "Coach" Scott D'Amore brought together fellow Canadians to form his own incarnation of Team Canada in Total Nonstop...
after Petey Williams
Petey Williams
Peter "Petey" Williams III is a Canadian professional wrestler. He is best known for his tenure in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he is a two time X Division Champion and a former captain of Team Canada. Williams Currently Wrestles for Lucha Libre USA...
pinned Puma to win the Gauntlet.
Director of Authority Larry Zbyszko
Larry Zbyszko
Lawrence "Larry" Whistler is a professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Larry Zbyszko. Zbyszko is perhaps best known for his feud with his mentor, wrestling legend Bruno Sammartino during the early 1980s....
announced a sudden death tiebreaker between the captains of the two teams for the following episode of TNA Impact to determine the winner of the World X-Cup. Just before the match started, both respective teams were locked out of the Impact Zone. Chris Sabin defeated Petey Williams with the Cradle Shock to win the match at the tournament for Team USA.
Shelley/Nash Controversies
The inclusion of Shelley on the team created controversy for Team USA, as the team was mostly full of babyfaceFace (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...
wrestlers, while Shelley was a heel working for Jeff Jarrett
Jeff Jarrett
Jeffrey Leonard Jarrett is an American professional wrestler and wrestling promoter. He is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , an organization he co-founded along with his father and in which he holds some stock but not total control...
's Planet Jarrett
Planet Jarrett
Planet Jarrett was a professional wrestling stable in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, led by the eponymous Jeff Jarrett and containing many of the main event heels in the promotion...
faction. Problems with Shelley led to initial losses in exhibition matches featuring Team USA taking on Team Canada and Team Japan, but Shelley turned things around and became a productive member of Team USA, aiding their efforts.
Shelley later got involved with a second controversy that started during the World X-Cup. He was invited by 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...
to conduct an interview with the big man. During the interview, Nash criticized TNA and threatened to destroy the X Division. Shelley showed the tape to Team USA, who took serious offense.
Nash appeared after the Gauntlet match at Sacrifice, beating down Puma after he had lost the match and delivering a Jackknife Powerbomb to the Team Mexico competitor. Nash also appeared the following week on TNA Impact, attacking Chris Sabin after he won the trophy. Nash broke the trophy and used parts of it to gouge Sabin, then delivered a Jackknife Powerbomb to him as well. Jerry Lynn and Team USA eventually was allowed back into the arena and made the save, but Shelley mysteriously departed with Nash.
Post X-Cup
After the 2006 World X-Cup, Alex Shelley formed the Paparazzi Productions along with Kevin Nash and they developed a short feud with USA 2006 Team Captain, Chris Sabin. Since then, Sabin is now teaming with Alex Shelley as the Motor City Machine GunsMotor City Machine Guns
The Motor City Machine Guns is a professional wrestling tag team consisting of Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin. The team currently works in the American company Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where they are former TNA World Tag Team Champions...
. Meanwhile, Sonjay Dutt and Jay Lethal are an on-again-off-again tag-team. Lethal is now known as "Black Machismo" and his character is based on that of "The Macho Man" Randy Savage
Randy Savage
Randall Mario Poffo , better known by his ring name "Macho Man" Randy Savage, was an American professional wrestler, best known for his time with the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling .Savage held twenty championships during his professional wrestling career and was a...
. Dutt, on the other hand, is currently playing a character that is based on Gandhi.
2004
Jerry LynnJerry Lynn
Jeremy "Jerry" Lynn is an American professional wrestler who is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
(Captain) 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...
Elix Skipper
Elix Skipper
Elix Skipper is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances with World Championship Wrestling, where he was a one-time Cruiserweight Champion and a one-time Cruiserweight Tag Team Champion, and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he is a four-time NWA World Tag Team...
Sonjay Dutt
Sonjay Dutt
Retesh Bhalla is an American professional wrestler of Indian Punjabi descent, better known by his ring name, Sonjay Dutt. He is best known working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, and is also known for his stints with Combat Zone Wrestling, Major League Wrestling, and other various independent...
(Left the team to pursue a feud with Frankie Kazarian
Frankie Kazarian
Frank B. Gerdelman is an Armenian-American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Frankie Kazarian or simply Kazarian. He is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
) Christopher 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...
(Replaced Dutt)
2008
KazFrankie Kazarian
Frank B. Gerdelman is an Armenian-American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Frankie Kazarian or simply Kazarian. He is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
(Captain) 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...
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...
Curry Man
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...
World X Cup record
| Competition | Notes | Position | Points | Captain |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 America's X Cup TNA 2004 America's X Cup Tournament The TNA 2004 America's X Cup Tournament was a tournament that was hosted by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. It was the forerunner to the TNA 2004 World X Cup Tournament... |
2nd | N/A | Jerry Lynn Jerry Lynn Jeremy "Jerry" Lynn is an American professional wrestler who is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling .... |
|
| 2004 World X Cup TNA 2004 World X Cup Tournament The TNA 2004 World X Cup Tournament was an X Division tournament that was hosted by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. It was the successor to America's X Cup Tournament.-History:... |
1st | 7 | Jerry Lynn Jerry Lynn Jeremy "Jerry" Lynn is an American professional wrestler who is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling .... |
|
| 2006 World X Cup TNA 2006 World X Cup Tournament The TNA 2006 World X Cup Tournament was a professional wrestling X Cup Tournament staged by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling in April and May 2006... |
1st | 6 | 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... |
|
| 2008 World X Cup TNA 2008 World X Cup Tournament The Total Nonstop Action Wrestling 2008 World X Cup Tournament was the 3rd World X Cup that was hosted by TNA in the months of June and July 2008. The tournament featured four Teams: Team TNA, Team Mexico, Team Japan, and Team International... |
2nd | 7 | Kaz Frankie Kazarian Frank B. Gerdelman is an Armenian-American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Frankie Kazarian or simply Kazarian. He is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling... |
Championships and accomplishments
TNATotal 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 World X Cup (2004)TNA 2004 World X Cup TournamentThe TNA 2004 World X Cup Tournament was an X Division tournament that was hosted by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. It was the successor to America's X Cup Tournament.-History:...
- Jerry Lynn, Chris Sabin, Elix Skipper and Christopher Daniels (2004 World X-CupTNA X CupTotal Nonstop Action Wrestling has held a variety of professional wrestling tournaments competed for by wrestlers that are a part of their roster.-TNA Hard 10 Tournament:...
Team} - TNA World X-Cup (2006)TNA 2006 World X Cup TournamentThe TNA 2006 World X Cup Tournament was a professional wrestling X Cup Tournament staged by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling in April and May 2006...
- Chris Sabin, Jay Lethal, Sonjay Dutt and Alex Shelley (2006 World X-CupTNA X Cup TournamentsThe TNA X Cup Tournaments consist of various types of X Division tournaments that feature wrestlers and/or Teams from all over the World competing in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling to fight for a trophy or a group of trophies.-History:...
Team)