TNA Hard Justice 2006 Review (8/13/2006).

14 Aug, 2024

Nothing says "LOLTNA" quite like the building catching on fire during a PPV broadcast.

And yet, on this warm August night in 2006, that's exactly what happened! Following the opening pyro and during the opening match, part of the Impact Zone caught flames, and the building had to be evacuated. For many companies in this position, that would spell disaster. TNA, however, simply thrived off of it and once the show resumed, many people said they put on one of their best PPVs ever.

Is that a fact? That's what I'm about to find out.

The main story coming into this TNA PPV in 2006 is, if you can believe it, about Jeff Jarrett. He's the reigning NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion, and he's in the midst of a bitter year long feud with the Icon Sting. The Scorpion Man is looking to rid TNA of its cancer, while Jarrett looks to keep his stranglehold atop the mountain.

Jarrett has his insurance policy Scott Steiner in his corner tonight, while Sting has enlisted the help of his friend Christian Cage to be in his. As you can imagine, since it's a Jeff Jarrett match in TNA, chaos ensues.

We start things off with a creepy video, talking about how good and evil are eternal adversaries. No matter how overdone these videos tended to be, Barry Scott's voice made them all feel so badass.

1. Johnny Devine vs. Eric Young. This is not long after Jim Cornette disbanded Team Canada. Devine and Paparazzi Productions are annoying Cornette, so he puts Young in a match with Devine. This is also when Young is paranoid about being fired, and he has a great amount of support of people cheering "Don't Fire Eric."

Young is led to the ring by a lot of his fans, carrying signs and cheering him on. Devine has a mic and asks why Young is sucking up to the fans. He says Young always chokes and can't take the pressure. He says that tonight, Young is going to be fired.

He pokes Young in the eye, and sends him into the turnbuckle. Devine slaps him in the face. He elbows Young into the mat, as the crowd is hot for Young. Chin lock by Devine. Young is up and gets a roll up for 2. Big strike by Devine sends him into the turnbuckle.

Snap mare by Devine, and he begins to drive his knee repeatedly into the face of Young. He slaps Young in the face in the corner, and Young slaps him back. He irish whips Devine to the turnbuckle, and Devine fights back with an inverted DDT.

Above the ring, ring crew are using fire extinguishers to deal with the fire that has broken out. The entire scene is covered in smoke now. Devine pops off a suplex next. He misses a middle rope moonsault, and Young catches Devine in a small package pin for 2.

Devine punches Young in the corner, as the crowd chants "You Can't See Us." The scene looks like a literal fog. TNA is literally on fire. Young hits a powerbomb on Devine, and a lariat. Young forces Devine off the turnbuckle, and he hits a top rope elbow drop for a close 2 count.

Devine tries to roll Young up with the ropes, and he still kicks out. SLingshot Sunset flip by Young, and Devine holds onto the ref to avoid it. Devine misses an enziguri, and Young hits a flapjack neckbreaker for the win. Young celebrates with the crowd, as the smoke starts to let up. The crowd was hot for this, as they love Eric Young.

Post match, fired referee Earl Hebner attacks referee Slick Johnson.

Mike Tenay and Don West run down the card for the evening. We then see Jeff Jarrett, Scott Steiner, Christian Cage and Sting arrive to the arena.

We get a video package for America's Most Wanted, The Naturals, Kazarian & Matt Bentley and The James Gang in a Four Way Match for a shot at the NWA World Tag Team Championships.

The ring crew are changing out the ring mat, due to it being covered in all the debris from the fire extinguisher. Tenay and West talk about the four way match some more. AMW haven't been on the same page for a while, Kazarian and Bentley are reunited, The James Gang has experience, and The Naturals have Shane Douglas in their corner to help build them back up.

Looks like we are stalling for time here, as now we cut to a video package detailing the entire history between Sting and Jeff Jarrett leading to this night. At this point, the building is being evacuated so that crew can make sure that everything is good to go following the fire.

Sting made his return to the ring at Final Resolution in January, teaming with Christian Cage to defeat Jeff Jarrett and Monty Brown. Then, Sting decided to retire immediately. He said it was a memory he loved and didn't want tainted. Jarrett couldn't live with that.

So, with the help of Paparazzi Productions, Jarrett stalked Steve Borden, the man behind Sting, while he was with his family. Borden didn't take kindly to this, and returned at Destination X to get his revenge. There, he ran into Scott Steiner.

The war would move to Lockdown, where Sting's Warriors would defeat Jarrett's Army in the Lethal Lockdown Match. At Sacrifice in May, Jarrett and Steiner would face Sting and his mystery partner, Samoa Joe. Sting and Joe would be victorious, but Sting suffered a post match beatdown - one where Joe would keep his word of only having Sting's back DURING the match.

At Slammiversary in June, Sting would participate in the King of the Mountain Match, where Jarrett would take back the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship thanks to a conspiracy involving him, Earl Hebner and Larry Zbyszko. Moving on to Victory Road in July, Sting competed with Scott Steiner, Christian Cage and Samoa Joe for a #1 contendership. Sting took victory, and that's how he got his title shot here tonight.

We're back live outside the Impact Zone, with Tenay and Jeremy Borash. Firefighters are here, and they are doing a test to make sure the venue is safe to be inside of. They recap what happened during the opening match. A banister on the ceiling caught fire, and we actually get to see the fire itself.

Don West says that the test went well, and everyone will be allowed back inside within minutes. Tenay and West continue to hype the card coming up. You have to love the enthusiasm these two brought to every single show. They talk about how incredible it was that fans stayed put during the Eric Young match despite the fire.

They interview Eric Young, and he says that he hopes that Jim Cornette knows that the fire was not his fault.

Monty Brown is here, and he hypes up the Falls Count Anywhere Match later.

Fans are now being allowed back inside the Impact Zone, so it looks like we're all good to continue! Shane Douglas is here, and he talks about adversity. He asks The Naturals if they can rise up, or if they will let adversity beat them.

Back inside the arena, Alex Shelley speaks on behalf of Kevin Nash, who cannot compete tonight due to a neck ailment. Shelley will be taking his place. Nash rolls up in a wheelchair and says this is the darkest day of his life.

So, that Four Way Match never happens tonight due to the fire causing so much chaos. I think it gets rescheduled for an episode of Impact later on.

2. #1 Contenders Match: Chris Sabin vs. Alex Shelley. The Motor City Machine Guns explode! This is before they become one of the greatest tag teams in TNA history. Nash is wheeled out by Johnny Devine, and he's now wearing jeans, when backstage, he was wearing shorts. Time is an illusion, folks.

Sabin and Shelley lock up, and Shelley gets to the ropes immediately. Shelley with a sunset flip, and an arm drag. He drops Sabin and kicks his thigh. Arm drag by Sabin, and he's got Shelley on his toes. Shelley kicks low, and sends Sabin into the turnbuckle.

Sabin with another arm drag, and he springboards off the ropes with a dropkick to the chin. That gets a nearfall. Sabin with a kick to the back, followed by a low dropkick. Sabin looks for the Jacknife Powerbomb, mocking Nash, but changes to a dropkick to the head.

Shelley avoids a back suplex and rakes the eyes. He connects with a bulldog to Sabin. Shelley hits a springboard moonsault for a 2 count. A chop by Sabin, and a back elbow by Shelley. Sabin hip tosses Shelley to the outside, and Sabin connects with a suicide dive to the outside.

Sabin goes to dive into the ring, but Shelley catches him by the balls. Spin kick by Sabin, and one to the back of the head, and a dropkick to the leg. Springboard leg drop by Sabin gets a close 2 count. Sabin pops off a running boot in the corner to Shelley, and he places him on the top rope.

Shelley counters Sabin's offense with an atomic drop off the top. He spins out into the Border City Stretch. Sabin is able to crawl and get to the bottom rope. Power slam by Shelley, and he goes to the top rope. Sabin attacks him and has him hanging upside down.

Sabin hits the Hesitation Dropkick to Shelley's upside down face. Sabin with a inverted DDT for a very close 2 count. Sabin places Shelley on the top rope, and Shelley bites his head. Shelley jumps off and hits a back stabber to the mat. Shelley hits Shell Shocked, but Devine was up on the apron distracting the ref.

Nash tossed a chair into the ring, and Shelley goes for Sliced Bread. Sabin avoids it and dropkicks the chair into his face. Sabin hits the Cradle Shock and gets the win, and the future title shot. These two don't miss. They have always had great chemistry together.

Jeremy Borash is in the back with Abyss and James Mitchell. Mitchell says that Brother Runt is a cockroach, and he doesn't have a chance against Abyss. He says that Runt didn't take any advice from Team 3D about laying low, but allegedly, he's been taking advice from Raven instead, who may be telling Runt that he could beat Abyss.

3. Abyss vs. Brother Runt. Abyss doesn't get any pyro. Probably a good idea, considering how this night has gone.

Runt goes on the offensive right away, and Abyss tries to throw him out of the ring. Runt headbutts Abyss in the midsection several times, and then Abyss press slams him into the front row, ECW style. At ringside, Runt hits the Acid Drop on Abyss, dropping him face first on the guardrail. Raven is watching from somewhere in the arena.

Runt grabs two chairs and brings them into the ring. The ref argues with Runt, while Abyss sets one up in the turnbuckle. Abyss sends Runt head first into the chair. Abyss squashes Runt against the turnbuckle. He places Runt on the top rope, and he uses the chain against Abyss.

Double foot stomp from the top gets Runt a two count. Abyss goes for a choke slam, and Runt kicks him low. Runt connects with the Acid Drop, and Abyss kicks out. Runt tries it again, and Abyss sends him into the ref. Abyss ends up squashing the ref by mistake.

James Mitchell slides the thumbtacks in to Abyss. He lays the tacks across the mat, and stomps Runt's head into the tacks. Yikes. Runt seems to like the pain though, and he headbutts Abyss. He runs at Abyss, who lifts him up and lets him fall chest first into the tacks.

Abyss hits the Black Hole Slam to Runt into the tacks, and that's enough for the win. Decent little hardcore match. Very one sided for Abyss, though. This feud is far from over. Raven poses at ringside. He'll be joining this feud soon.

Jeremy Borash is backstage with Rhino, who talks about the chaos of tonight. He was looking for Samoa Joe and Monty Brown earlier, and he says he's going to destroy them no matter where it ends up. He promises to cut someone in half with a Gore.

We get a recap of the Falls Count Anywhere Match. Rhino talks about how he was offered to join the new ECW - the one that WWE started up - but he wasn't doing that because the new ECW sucks. He then burned and destroyed the original ECW World Title - who knows if it was the actual ECW Title, because it was in a bag - and then challenged anyone to face him.

Samoa Joe answered, and they had a match on Impact, where Monty Brown also got involved. They've been brawling for weeks, and now it's coming to a head here.

4. Falls Count Anywhere Match: Monty Brown vs. Rhino vs. Samoa Joe. Monty Brown is one of wrestling's greatest "what if" stories. I believe that if he hadn't retired so early - his sister passed away and he opted to take care of her kids - that he would be a huge star in wrestling. He had the skill and unmatched charisma.

Rhino in 2006 is still a badass. I was always a big fan of his work in TNA. I also appreciate that he didn't go back to WWE for the ECW revival. Because aside from a few things that I can count on one hand, it sure did suck.

Samoa Joe is unquestionably the hottest wrestler in the United States in 2006. Despite not winning a world championship in the entire year, he is molten in TNA, having consistently great matches, and being fire on the mic. At this point, he is still undefeated in TNA.

Joe and Rhino go at it immediately, and Brown joins in, striking Joe into the corner. He goes towards Rhino too, as he looks to maintain dominance. Chop exchange by Brown and Rhino, and the War Machine sends the Alpha Male over the top. Rhino with a slingshot to the outside onto Brown, and Joe follows with a suicide dive to Rhino.

Joe with a palm strike to Rhino, and he irish whips him to the barricade. Brown has a trashcan and he hits both men. Joe punts the can into Brown's face, and then sets a chair up. He places Brown on the chair, and he hits the Face Wash to Brown, sending him face first to the barricade.

Rhino and Joe exchange fisticuffs, and Rhino tosses Joe over the barricade. He hits Joe with a cookie sheet, and then follows him into the crowd with a kendo stick. He smashes it across his back, then chokes him with it. Joe fights back and hits Rhino across the back with it. Joe hits the Face Wash to Rhino, crushing his head into a wall.

Joe brings Rhino back to the barricade, and Brown leaps over the barricade onto both men. Rhino throws Brown into the wall, and then does the same to Joe. Joe avoids an attack and sends Rhino into the wall, which is now falling apart. Brown throws Joe into part of the broken wall.

Joe throws a piece of the wall at Brown, and Rhino pokes Brown's eye. He brings Brown up into the stands among the fans. Joe has a crutch with him and he hits Rhino with it. A fan gives Joe a chair and he hits Rhino with it. Brown is there to attack his back.

Brown is taunting both men, and a woman looks like she's having the best time of her life. Rhino climbs onto the ramp, and Joe hits him with an umbrella. Rhino responds to that with a stiff shot to the head with a trash can lid. Brown throws a chair at Rhino from the crowd, and as he comes over the barricade, Rhino hits him with the lid. Suplex by Rhino on the ramp to Brown.

He follows Joe up to the stage, and Rhino with a belly to belly suplex. Joe blocks the Gore, and Brown hits a double arm suplex to Rhino for a 2 count. Joe is here to attack both men, but he walks into a dropkick by Brown. That gets him a 2 count.

Rhino with the trash can lid again, and he stiffs Brown several times. Rhino sends him back into the ring, and he grabs several chairs and lids. Brown punches him in the corner, and irish whips him hard into the turnbuckle. Joe with a lid to Brown, and an atomic drop. Dropkick, and a senton to Brown by Joe.

Rhino drives a chair into Joe's midsection. Joe responds with slaps to the face, and Rhino responds with a spinebuster onto a chair for 2. Rhino places Joe on the top rope. Joe counters with a sunset flip power bomb onto the chair for 2. Brown pulls Joe to the outside, and smashes his head off the announcer's table, then throws a trash can onto his back.

Brown grabs a table from under the ring, and sets it up beside the ramp. Joe throws a paint tray at Brown, who takes it and drags Joe up the ramp. He goes for a suplex, but Joe fights back with chops and brings him up to the entrance. Brown fights back with a swinging neckbreaker right on the stage.

Brown prepares for the Pounce, but here comes Rhino, who levels both men with a trash can lid. Rhino grabs two tables and lays them against a near by wall. He sets Brown up for a Gore, but Brown avoids it and Rhino goes crashing through the two tables!

Brown goes right back to Joe, who grabs him and hits an STO off the ramp through the other table, and that's enough for the win. That's one of the best plunder matches you will ever see in pro wrestling. It has an unmatched intensity, and unlike a lot of "fights" in wrestling, this felt like a true street fight. I highly recommend this. It's one of my favorite TNA matches of all time.

Afterwards, Joe grabs a mic and says regardless if the building burned or not, he came here looking for a fight and he got it, and he wants to do it again. As awesome as that sounds, it would never happen, as this was Brown's last TNA match before heading to WWE to compete...on the ECW brand. As I said, tragedy struck and his career ended before it could really get going.

Jeremy Borash is backstage with Larry Zbyskzo, who is clueless as to why Earl Hebner was here earlier tonight. He denies any conspiracy surrounding Slammiversary and Jeff Jarrett winning the World Championship.

We get a recap of the feud with Gail Kim and Sirelda. Kim was getting involved in the matches between America's Most Wanted and AJ Styles & Christopher Daniels. Styles and Daniels brought Sirelda in as insurance to prevent Kim from interfering. This is a continuation of that.

5. Gail Kim vs. Sirelda. Kim is one of the best women's wrestlers ever in the United States, and it should be applauded that she got that way by not being in WWE. Her TNA run changed a lot of things for women's wrestling here in the States.

Kim attacks Sirelda right away, and she attacks the back. Sirelda uses her power to drop Kim quickly. Sirelda gets a clothesline in the corner, followed by a press slam. She hits an elbow to the back for a 2 count. I think the crowd is chanting "she's a man" at Sirelda. That's unfortunate. Kim snaps Sirelda's neck off the top rope.

Kim gets several nearfalls off of Sirelda. She chokes Sirelda against the middle rope. Kim gets the Tarantula, Taijri style, then stomps her chest. Middle rope leg drop by Kim gets a 2 count. Sirelda avoids a top rope crossbody, and then pops off several running clotheslines.

Front slam by Sirelda gets a nearfall. Kim tries for a sleeper hold, but Sirelda brings her to the turnbuckle to avoid it. Kim comes off the middle rope with a neckbreaker, and that gets the win. That was inoffensive, but there wasn't much there to stick out.

Jeremy Borash is backstage with Scott Steiner. Oh boy! Steiner talks about how Sting made a fatal mistake picking Christian to be in his corner. This is because Christian can't understand anything Steiner says. Steiner talks about his great upbringing, and Christian is Canadian trash. He says when Jeff Jarrett beats Sting, they will pack their bags.

A video package plays for the X Division Championship match. Petey Williams won a 5 Way Match to earn a shot at the title, but Jay Lethal's performance earned him a spot in the match anyway. Senshi isn't concerned with either of them. Senshi is of course the former Low-Ki, also known as "Warrior." I said that in his voice, if you couldn't tell.

6. 3 Way Match for the X Division Championship: Senshi vs. Jay Lethal vs. Petey Williams. This is apart of the new era of the X Division, one that's not so focused on Samoa Joe, AJ Styles or Christopher Daniels like in the past.

Petey Williams has the coolest finisher at this time, and one that would be just another move in 2024. Jay Lethal is not yet one of the best in ring workers in the world, but still a young hot prospect. He also doesn't know yet that he can do a great impression of Randy Savage or Ric Flair.

Senshi with a forearm to Lethal first, and a chop. Williams with forearms to Senshi, and Lethal with a strike to Williams. Dropkick by Lethal, and Senshi sends him to the outside. Williams springboards to the outside with a hurricanrana to Lethal.

Senshi dives to the outside onto Lethal and Williams, and lands on his feet at that. Lethal chops Senshi and brings him back into the ring. Williams avoids a powerbomb and stomps Lethal in the chest. Senshi strikes him with a kick and brings Lethal into the ring.

Several chops to Lethal connect flush, and Senshi stomps him hard in the corner. Williams is back in, and he chops Senshi and forearms him in the jaw. Williams dropkicks his leg from under him, and here comes Lethal, who comes off the middle rope with a moonsault, but misses.

Williams gets a chin lock on Lethal, and he's wide open for kicks from Senshi to the chest. Senshi kicks Lethal in the gut, and sends him into Williams. Williams kicks Lethal from the turnbuckle, and Senshi chops Lethal. Williams chops him next, and we get a little teamwork now.

Williams places Lethal upside down on the turnbuckle, and stands on his nuts, singing the Canadian national anthem. Senshi chops Williams, and kicks him in the gut, and follows with a hook kick to the back of the head. Senshi goes to the top, and Lethal meets him there.

Senshi knocks him backwards, and Lethal is upside down again. Senshi jumps towards Williams, and they fight. Lethal gets back up and hits a dropkick to both men from the top. Lethal goes to work on both men, hip tossing Senshi and scoop slamming Williams.

He dropkicks both men. Senshi kicks Williams, and Lethal comes off the ropes with a kick. Lethal gets a bridging suplex on Senshi for a close 2 count. Williams with a side Russian Leg Sweep. He's going for the Canadian Destroyer to Lethal, who counters with a bridging German Suplex for 2.

Everyone pops off a roll up attempt on the other, and then we get a Double stomp to Williams by Senshi, and that gets a nearfall. Lethal with a gut wrench suplex. Williams with an elbow to Lethal's leg, and he locks in the Sharpshooter.

Senshi with a Shining Wizard to Williams gets a nearfall. Senshi with machine gun chops, Kobashi style, to Lethal, and Lethal counters with a full nelson release suplex, and Williams breaks up the pin. Lethal drops Williams, and he goes to the top rope. He misses the Diving Headbutt, and Williams connects with the Canadian Destroyer. Senshi is in, and kicks Williams away, and he sneaks away with the pin on Lethal.

That was a solid effort from all 3, but I think it was missing something to take it to the next level. Everybody busted their ass, and it was a good showcase of the next generation of the X Division.

Jeremy Borash is backstage with LAX, led by the bitchy current owner of AAA Konnan. He says you can't stop a revolution, and they are going to take what belongs to them.

We get a video package of the next match, where Konnan talks about how the white people have taken from the Latino nation. And now, LAX - Homicide and Hernandez - will get their payback and take everything that is owed to them. They think AJ Styles and Christopher Daniels are poster boys for TNA, and they hate that. The contract for this match was signed in Daniels' blood.

7. NWA World Tag Team Championships: AJ Styles & Christopher Daniels vs. LAX. Their Ultimate X and Six Sides of Steel Matches are legendary in TNA lore. But how was their feud when it first started? Let's find out.

Daniels and Hernandez start things out, and Hernandez quickly uses his power to overwhelm the Fallen Angel. He gets a huge powerslam off, and he tries for a suplex. Daniels escapes and hits a dropkick and a hurricanrana, followed by a knee that sends Hernandez to the floor.

Homicide tag in, and Styles tags in as well. Styles lifts Homicide up and drops him to the mat. Homicide with elbows to the back of the head, and Styles pops off a strike to the head. They grab each other and start throwing strikes like a hockey fight!

Styles forearms Homicide against the ropes, and Homicide gets a hurricanrana off. Styles with one of his own, and he dropkicks Hernandez, and Daniels comes off the top with...something. I think they botched that. They're on the outside, and Styles continues his attack on Homicide.

Daniels tags in, and he and Styles double team Homicide. He stomps Homicide against the turnbuckle. Styles tags back in, and they do a hip toss/power bomb combo. Styles makes the cover, and Homicide kicks out. Homicide sends Styles to the apron, and he elbows Hernandez off. Homicide drops Styles head first into the mat for a 2 count with a neckbreaker.

Hernandez tags in, and he irish whips Homicide into Styles in the corner, and follows with a splash for a 2 count. Half Nelson Suplex from Hernandez sends Styles flying inside out. Homicide tags in, and he gets a chin lock applied. Styles ends up on the outside, and Homicide hits a Tope through the middle rope that sends Styles into the barricade.

Konnan gets involved, attacking Styles while he's down. Homicide makes the cover, and Daniels breaks up the pin. Hernandez tags in, and hits an elbow to the chest. He cranks on the neck next. Homicide comes back in, and he tries for a suplex, but Styles counters into an inverted suplex that drops Homicide onto the turnbuckle.

Daniels makes the tag, and he goes after both members of LAX. Power slam to Homicide, and a split leg moonsault gets a 2 count. Hernandez sends him to the apron, and another split leg moonsault to Homicide on the outside. Hernandez spears Daniels off the apron, and then he dives to the outside onto Daniels!

LAX double teams Daniels, and then Styles flies to the outside with a springboard Shooting Star Press onto all 3 men! Styles brings Homicide back into the ring, and he face plants him for a 2 count. Styles knocks Hernandez off the apron. Daniels lifts Homicide up for a suplex, and Styles dives off the top rope for a splash, and Hernandez breaks up the pin.

Bulldog by Homicide to Daniels, and Styles breaks up the pin. Styles places Homicide on the top rope, and he blocks a DDT attempt. He goes for a suplex, and Hernandez power bombs Styles to the mat, while Styles also suplexes Homicide. Hernandez with a Cracker Jack to Daniels.

Styles kicks Hernandez in the head, and he hits the Inverted DDT, and Hernandez kicks out. Homicide with a Cutter to Styles, and Daniels with the Blue Thunder Bomb to Homicide. Styles with the Pele Kick to Hernandez, and Daniels uses a knee to send Hernandez to the outside.

Homicide knocks Styles down, and Daniels hits the Urinage to Homicide. Styles goes for an aerial attack, but Konnan slows him down. Hernandez chops Daniels in the corner. He tries for the Border Toss, and Homicide tries for the Gringo Killer, but they're able to escape it, and they hit the High Low on Hernandez for the win!

While not anywhere close to the next two PPV matches that they'd have, that was a damn good starting point for this rivalry. These two teams have great chemistry with each other, and it was just nonstop action for the entirety of the contest.

We get a preview of the next PPV, No Surrender. I'm sure nothing important is announced there (spoiler: That's where TNA formally announces the signing of Kurt Angle. So, yeah, my previous statement was sarcastic.)

Mike Tenay and Don West get us ready for the main event of the evening. Jeremy Borash is standing by backstage with Christian Cage. He asks if Jarrett tried to set the building on fire to get out of this match. He says he is here tonight to ensure that Sting wins the championship, because he deserves it more than anyone.

We get a recap of how we got here. It's part of the same video that played earlier while they were stalling for time during the fire.

8. NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship: Jeff Jarrett w/Scott Steiner vs. Sting w/Christian Cage. The crowd pops for Sting, as he looks to remove the cancer from TNA. If you can believe it, the crowd boos the ever loving shit out of the defending champion, Jeff Jarrett.

We have a bunch of officials in the ring to keep everybody separated from each other.

The bell rings, and we are under way! Sting woos to start out, then they lock up. Sting shoulder tackles Jarrett and goes for the Scorpion Deathlock immediately. Jarrett slaps Sting, and Sting tries for it again. Jarrett gets to the ropes and slips to the outside.

Sting throws Jarrett onto the announcer's table. Sting hits him with a fan, and then throws him into the audience. Cage and Steiner follow them. Sting throws Jarrett into a wall, and then does it again. He drops Jarrett chest first on the barricade. They fight further into the crowd. That woman from the Falls Count Anywhere Match earlier hates Jarrett!

Sting decks Jarrett with a right hand. Sting takes a towel and blinds him. He throws Jarrett into another wall. They make their way back to ringside, and Sting throws water into Jarrett's face. Sting brings Jarrett back into the ring. With the ref distracted, Steiner hits Sting with a chair right on the knee. Cage confronts Steiner, and he belly to belly suplexes Cage onto the floor.

Jarrett begins his work on the injured leg, sweeping it out from under Sting. Jarrett places Sting's leg on the bottom rope, and drops all his weight on it. He slams Sting's knee onto the mat, then drops an elbow on it. Jarrett locks Sting in the Figure Four Leglock next.

Cage tries to will Sting on, as the fans also give him their support. Jarrett starts to slap Sting, who gets fired up by this, and he turns the move over to reverse the pressure. Jarrett with a running strike, and Sting fights back with punches of his own.

Running clothesline by Sting, and he misses the Stinger Splash. Jarrett goes for the Stroke, but Sting reverses into the Scorpion Deathdrop. He makes the cover, and Steiner pulls the ref out of the ring. Cage comes over and starts to beat the hell out of Steiner. He grabs the chair, and the ref stops him. Steiner hands Jarrett the NWA Title.

Sting blocks a shot, and Jarrett gets tripped by Cage. Sting takes the belt and hits Jarrett. He gives it to Cage, and he takes the title away. Sting makes the cover, and Steiner is arguing with the ref. That distraction leads to Jarrett getting his foot on the bottom rope. Sting drops Jarrett with a shoulder tackle, and Steiner hits Sting with a chair, causing Sting to fall head first into Jarrett's nuts.

Steiner comes in with the chair, and Cage cuts him off. He stomps Steiner out of the ring. The ref argues with Steiner, and Cage hits Jarrett with the chair! The ref catches on, and sends Cage to the back! But hey, fair is fair, and the ref sends Steiner to the back as well!

Jarrett avoids a dropkick by Sting, and he locks Sting in the Scorpion Deathlock. Sting is able to force his way out of it, and he puts the Deathlock on Jarrett. Jarrett is able to get to the ropes. Sting didn't have the leg strength to keep the hold on. Sting goes for the Stinger Splash, but he ends up squashing the ref.

Jarrett connects with the Stroke. Steiner is coming back, and he hands Jarrett the guitar. Jarrett goes to the top rope with it, but Christian is back with Sting's bat. He sends Steiner to the outside, and then throws Jarrett off the top rope. Christian has the guitar, as Sting hits a back suplex to Jarrett.

Sting goes to the top rope, and goes to dive on Jarrett, but he lands into Christian hitting him with the guitar! HE SWERVES WHEN HE DRIVES, BRO! Christian leaves with a smirk on his face. Jarrett crawls over to Sting, and makes the cover. The ref counts, and that's the win.

Jarrett and Steiner both look confused at all of this, but happy nonetheless. That was okay, but like a lot of the PPV main events involving Jeff Jarrett around this time, it had a lot of smoke and mirrors, and a lot of bullshit. There was constant interference, a lot of brawling, and not a lot of structure.

Christian's heel turn, while shocking, didn't make a lot of sense when you think about his involvement in the match. He was actively fighting both Jarrett and Steiner during the whole thing, so him striking Sting with the guitar seems like a shock for the sake of a shock. He's mad because Sting cost him the World Title at Slammiversary, and then moved ahead of him in the title hunt.

It did led to a great heel run for Christian Cage, and he'd move from this to a feud with Rhino that I remember being pretty good. Sting would take a two month sabbatical following Hard Justice, to prepare for his rematch at Bound for Glory in October, where he'd wager his career for another shot at Jeff Jarrett. That match would have a special enforcer: Kurt Angle.

I think Scott Steiner was injured, and he wouldn't return until February of 2007.

So, would I call this one of TNA's best PPVs? I can't, honestly. It's not a bad show, though, and it's a fun 3 hours of wrestling. The opening match had a super hot crowd that loved Eric Young, and the fire was certainly a unique experience for anyone watching the show, or for those who attended. I think TNA handled it very well, and I like that they kept all that footage in the YouTube link of the show that I watched.

From there, the only true dud of the show was Gail Kim vs. Sirelda. The main event was weak, but I don't think it was outright bad. It was just an overbooked cluster, which isn't surprising considering it's Jeff Jarrett in a TNA main event on PPV. The Tag Title match was a great starter to what would end up being one of TNA's best feuds. The X Division Title match was good, though it lacked cohesion. Abyss vs. Brother Runt was a decent hardcore match. Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin are always guaranteed to deliver.

The real reason to watch this show is the Falls Count Anywhere Match between Samoa Joe, Rhino and Monty Brown. What an absolute classic war they had. A total plunder that had genuine intensity to it, and it felt like the most controlled car crash you've ever seen. Rhino was awesome, Monty Brown was awesome, and Samoa Joe was as hot as anyone in 2006.

All in all, not a bad way to spend 3 hours. TNA PPVs are historically hit and miss. Few are bonafide classics, and most feature a lot of fluff and garbage. But Hard Justice 2006 was a fun show with a little bit of everything. With the signing of Kurt Angle on the horizon, as well as their first 3 hour PPV outside of the Impact Zone coming up in October at Bound for Glory in Detroit, TNA was firing on all cyclinders around this time. Good wrestling is all we ever ask for as fans, am I right?