The 2010 Genesis was a professional wrestlingpay-per-view (PPV) event produced by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) promotion, which took place on January 17, 2010 at the TNA Impact! Zone in Orlando, Florida.[2] It was the fifth event under the Genesis chronology and the first event of the 2010 TNA PPV schedule. The PPV poster was released in early December 2009, promoting Hulk Hogan's debut on TNA PPV.[3] It is the first event since TNA moved to the Impact! Zone to feature a four-sided ring (as opposed to the six-sided ring used by TNA since the move).
The main rivalry showcased at Genesis was between Kurt Angle and defending champion A.J. Styles, both fighting for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship. Ric Flair made his debut in the company on the January 4, 2010 live episode of TNA Impact!, getting acquainted with A.J. Styles on a monumental night for the company, where in a high-profile match, Styles retained his championship by defeating his competitive rival in Kurt Angle. By doing so, and for the past months, Styles solidified himself as champion successfully defending his title. Angle would later receive one last chance at the TNA World Heavyweight Championship, with Angle claiming that he only needed one more chance to be able to defeat Styles.
Bobby Lashley was lined up to compete with Abyss but was attacked backstage by Abyss before the match. As a result, this set up a mystery opponent to take on Abyss leading to the re-debut of Mr. Anderson, who last made appearances for TNA in its early years.
A feud on the card had Beer Money, Inc. (Robert Roode and James Storm) seeking vengeance against Kevin Nash and Scott Hall. It was revealed that Hall and Nash had mysteriously attacked Roode and Storm. Wanting to avenge the beat down they encountered, an upset Roode and Storm approached on-screen executiveEric Bischoff and requested a match with Hall and Nash at Genesis.
Another feud was between D'Angelo Dinero and Desmond Wolfe. D'Angelo Dinero started a feud with Desmond Wolfe calling him "Desmond Ruffy". With the two competing in a one-on-one match, Dinero was able to gain the victory with a successful small package pin. After Wolfe later secured a victory over Samoa Joe, Dinero and Wolfe accosted each other, both claiming they would beat one another at the PPV.
A match in the Knockout Division pit Tara against defending champion ODB for the TNA Women's Knockout Championship. This match came about after ODB defeated Tara for the TNA Women's Knockout Title, setting up a rematch at Genesis.
Sean Morley made his debut in TNA, much to Daniels displeasure, claiming Morley was someone who did not belong in "his company" during a brawl between the two.
The event began with Amazing Red defending the TNA X Division Championship against a mystery opponent, which was revealed to be Brian Kendrick. After an intense back and forth, high flying contest, Red was on the apron as Kendrick charged him. Red countered the charge into his finisher Code Red and scored the pinfall victory, retaining the championship.[4]
The following contest saw the in-ring debut of Sean Morley as he competed against the villainous Daniels. During the contest the heel Daniels was cheered by the crowd, while the supposed face Morley was booed.[4] The match concluded after Daniels missed the BME, allowing Morley to capitalize and connect with the Money Shot, followed by the pinfall.[4]
The fifth contest saw Desmond Wolfe attempt to defeat D'Angelo Dinero in re-match from their bout on the January 4 edition of Impact!, which Dinero had won. Wolfe was successful in the contest after connecting with a lariat and scoring the pinfall.[4]
After a backstage segment in which The Band members Syxx-Pac and Scott Hall competed in a game of rock, paper, scissors to determine who would be Kevin Nash's tag team partner, the following match began.[4] The match saw Nash and Syxx-Pac face Beer Money, Inc., aka Robert Roode and James Storm. As the match neared its finish, Nash attempted his Jackknife Powerbomb, however was distracted by the emergence of Hall, which allowed Storm to hit a Last Call, and Roode to pin him with a roll-up.[4] During Hall's walk to the ring he kayfabe assaulted a fan at ringside by slapping him and pulling him over the barricade to kick him.[4]
Main event matches
The first of Genesis' two main event matches saw Abyss compete against a mystery opponent. Abyss was scheduled to face Bobby Lashley, however Lashley was replaced by Hulk Hogan, after Abyss knocked out Lashley with a computer monitor while defending Eric Bischoff in an altercation between the three.[4] After Abyss' entrance the arena lights were killed momentarily as Mr. Anderson (formerly Mr. Kennedy), made his TNA debut. During the match Anderson played on Hogan's demand (that Abyss not use weapons to prove his abilities), by attempting to use a chair, or throwing the chair in the ring. As Abyss grabbed the chair from the ring he momentarily appeared to contemplate using it, however decided to hand the chair to the referee, which allowed Anderson to retrieve brass knuckles from his tights and hit Abyss with them, which he followed with the pin and the victory.[4]
The eighth and final contest of the event was between A.J. Styles and challenger Kurt Angle for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship in his last chance for the title. The contest was highly competitive, featuring back and forth action between he two. Eventually Styles connected with the Pelé, providing him with a near fall on Angle.[4] Angle followed this with his finisher the Angle Slam, which provided him with a similar near fall.[4] During the contest Ric Flair made his way to ringside to watch the match. Styles managed to gain momentum once again and attempt a Styles Clash, which Angle countered into the ankle lock submission. Styles managed to make it to the ropes, but only momentarily, as Angle quickly locked the submission in again, though Styles once again countered it. In desperation, Angle attempted a moonsault, which he missed, allowing Styles to capitalize with a 450° splash attempt, which Angle managed to avoid.[4] Angle once again locked in the ankle lock, and after several moments, he followed it by grapevining his legs around Styles' leg. After several moments Styles submitted to the hold, however, the referee did not witness the submission due to Ric Flair suddenly pulling him out of the ring.[4] Angle chased Flair around the ringside, but when he returned to the ring, he ran straight into a clothesline from Styles. Flair then retrieved the championship belt from ringside and slid it to Styles, who thought hard about using it but in the end decided to hit Angle with it, thus turning himself heel.[4] Flair threw the referee back into the ring to make the three count, which meant that Styles retained his championship.[4]
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