Hard Justice (2008)

Infobox Wrestling event
name=Hard Justice (2008)


tagline=TNA's most hardcore pay-per-view of the year.
theme="AyAyAya" (F.I.L.T.H.E.E./Brickmanraw) [cite video|people=TNA|date2=2008-08-07|title=TNA: The Hard Justice 2008 Music Video|url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMZmZLUL1kI|medium=Music Video|publisher= [http://www.youtube.com/user/TNAwrestling TNAWrestling at Youtube.com] |location=Tampa, Florida|accessdate=2008-09-12|time=0:00 - 1:37|quote=A music video featuring the Hard Justice theme song by TNA.]
promotion=Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
date=August 10, 2008
attendance=
venue=Sovereign Bank Arena
city=Trenton, New Jersey
nextevent=No Surrender (2008)
lastevent=Victory Road (2008)
event=Hard Justice
nextevent2=TBD
lastevent2=Hard Justice (2007)

Hard Justice (2008) was the fourth annual Hard Justice professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), which took place on August 10, 2008 at the Sovereign Bank Arena in Trenton, New Jersey. Seven professional wrestling matches were featured on the event's card.

The event featured a supercard, a scheduling of more than one main event. The first was a Six Sides of Steel Weapons match for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship, in which Samoa Joe defeated Booker T, who was accompanied by Sharmell. The other was a Last Man Standing match between A.J. Styles and Kurt Angle; Styles claimed victory in the match. Two featured bouts were scheduled on the undercard, both being Tag Team matches. The first pitted Team 3D (Brother Ray and Brother Devon) against Christian Cage and Rhino in a New Jersey Street Fight, in which Cage and Rhino were victorious. The second being for the TNA World Tag Team Championship, where Beer Money, Inc (Robert Roode and James Storm) defeated the reigning champions The Latin American Xchange (Homicide and Hernandez) to win the championship.

411Mania.com and Wrestling Observer.com writer Larry Csonka rated the entire event a 7.6 out of 10 stars, 3.6 stars higher than the 2007 event.

Background

Seven professional wrestling matches were featured on the event's card. These matches were planned with predetermined outcomes by TNA's creative staff and feature wrestlers playing a character for the entertainment of the audience. The buildup to these matches and the scenarios that took place before, during, and after the event were also planned by TNA's creative staff.

The main feud, staged rivalry, heading into Hard Justice was between Samoa Joe (Joe Seanoa) and Booker T (Robert Huffman), with the two fighting over the TNA World Heavyweight Championship. At Victory Road, Joe defended the TNA World Heavyweight Championship against Booker T, in Booker T's hometown of Houston, Texas. The match went to a staged no-contest, a decision which means that there is no clear winner or loser in the contest; this meant Joe retained the TNA World Heavyweight Championship by default.cite web|url=http://www.prowrestlinghistory.com/supercards/usa/misc/tna/victory.html#2008|title=Victory Road 2008 at pro wrestling history.com|accessdate=2008-09-13|publisher=Pro Wrestling History.com] During the match, Joe began a scripted attack on security, referees, and Booker T, which caused Sting (Steve Borden), as part of the storyline, to enter the arena and to try and calm Joe down. Instead, Joe gave Sting the middle finger and turned his back to continue his attack on Booker T, who was laying on his back in the middle of the ring. This was followed by Sting hitting Joe in the back with a baseball bat, and then allowing Booker T to cover Joe, while Booker T's wife Sharmell (Sharmell Sullivan-Huffman) counted the pinfall, because referee Rudy Charles (Daniel Engler) had earlier in the match began a scripted unconscious role.cite web|url=http://pwtorch.com/artman2/publish/PPV_Reports_5/article_26197.shtml|title=CALDWELL'S TNA VICTORY ROAD PPV REPORT 7/13: Live on-site coverage from Houston|first=James|last=Caldwell|date=2008-07-13|accessdate=2008-08-13|publisher=PWTorch.com] Booker T and Sharmell then left the arena with the TNA World Heavyweight Championship. On the July 17 edition of "TNA Impact!", Management Director Jim Cornette, an on-screen authority figure portrayed as a match maker and rule enforcer, demanded that Booker T give the TNA World Heavyweight Championship back to the rightful champion, Joe.cite web|url=http://www.f4wonline.com/content/view/6045/105/|title=7.17 TNA Impact Report by Jeff Hamlin|first=Jeff|last=Hamlin|accessdate=2008-08-13|publisher=Wrestling Observer.com] After Booker T and Cornette had a staged argument, Cornette announced that at Hard Justice, Joe and Booker T would have another one on one encounter to determine the true champion.cite web|url=http://pwtorch.com/artman2/publish/TV_Reports_9/article_26282.shtml|title=KELLER'S TNA IMPACT REPORT 7/17: A ruling on the ownership and possession of the TNA World Championship, 10-Woman Gauntlet|first=Wade|last=Keller|date=2008-07-20|accessdate=2008-08-13|publisher=PWTorch.com] Afterwards, Joe entered the arena and declined Cornette's offer for Booker T to give him the championship back; because he didn't feel that he deserved it, in storyline, since he was pinned by Booker T at Victory Road.cite web|url=http://pwtorch.com/artman2/publish/TV_Reports_9/article_26257.shtml|title=CALDWELL'S TNA IMPACT REPORT 7/17: Ongoing "virtual time" coverage of Spike TV show|first=James|last=Caldwell|date=2008-07-17|accessdate=2008-08-13|publisher=PWTorch.com] Joe stated to Booker T to keep the belt until Hard Justice when he takes it back, though Joe was still recognized as the official champion. On the following "Impact!", that aired on July 24, Joe challenged Booker T to contest their championship match at Hard Justice insides Six Sides of Steel, a sixteen foot high steel structure with six sides.cite web|url=http://www.wrestleview.com/news2008/1217013168.shtml|title=Impact Results - 7/24/08 (Joe vs Booker, Tables Elimination, & more)|first=Adam|last=Martin|date=2008-07-25|accessdate=2008-08-13|publisher=WrestleView.com] Followed by Booker T entering the Impact! Zone, the arena where TNA tapes Impact!, and making a challenge of his own, to add a extra stipulation to the match.cite web|url=http://pwtorch.com/artman2/publish/TV_Reports_9/article_26403.shtml|title=KELLER'S TNA IMPACT REPORT 7/24: Team 3D & Angle vs. Rhino & Christian & Styles, Taylor vs. Love, Beer Money vs. Guns|first=Wade|last=Keller|date=2008-08-01|accessdate=2008-08-13|publisher=PWTorch.com] For storyline purposes, Booker T wanted to add weapons to the match, as such as tables, ladders, and chairs. Joe accepted his terms, while Booker T agreed to Joe's. Later the match was made official by Cornette.

The secondary main feud heading into Hard Justice was between Kurt Angle and A.J. Styles (Allen Jones). Their rivalry began before Slammiversary, when Angle and Styles began a scripted physical attack during an episode of Impact!.cite web|url=http://www.f4wonline.com/content/view/5477/105/|title=TNA Impact TV report for May 22|last=Csonka|first=Larry|accessdate=2008-07-20|publisher=Wrestling Observer.com] The attack was later revealed to have been motivated by Angle believing that Styles and his wife, Karen Angle (Karen Smedley-Angle), were romantically involved, in storyline. Angle and Styles later fought at Slammiversarycite web|url=http://pwtorch.com/artman2/publish/TV_Reports_9/article_25850.shtml|title=CALDWELL'S TNA SLAMMIVERSARY PPV REPORT 6/8: Ongoing "virtual time" coverage of live PPV|first=James|last=Caldwell|date=2008-06-08|accessdate=2008-08-13|publisher=PWTorch.com] and in a Six Man Tag Team Full Metal Mayhem match with Team 3D (Brother Ray [Mark LoMonaco] and Brother Devon [Devon Hughes] ), Christian Cage (William Reso), and Rhino (Terry Gerin) at Victory Road.cite web|url=http://pwtorch.com/artman2/publish/PPV_Reports_5/article_26197.shtml|title=CALDWELL'S TNA VICTORY ROAD PPV REPORT 7/13: Live on-site coverage from Houston|first=James|last=Caldwell|date=2008-07-13|accessdate=2008-08-13|publisher=PWTorch.com] On the July 31 edition of "Impact!", while Styles was standing in the middle of a darkened ring, Angle entered and waited for the lights to come back on. When the lights did, Angle grabbed Styles and performed three Olympic Slams in succession.cite web|url=http://pwtorch.com/artman2/publish/TV_Reports_9/article_26401.shtml|title=CALDWELL'S TNA IMPACT REPORT 7/31: Joe shouts, screams, and hollers his way through fruitless show|first=James|last=Caldwell|date=2008-08-01|accessdate=2008-08-13|publisher=PWTorch.com] A Olympic Slam is a move in which a wrestler grabs his opponent by the arm and lifts him by the leg, then spins 90° and falls to his back, implanting his opponent into the mat back first. After the attack in a backstage interview, Styles challenged Angle to a match to end their feud at Hard Justice, it was later announced that the match would be contested in a Last Man Standing match.cite web|url=http://www.wrestleview.com/news2008/1217569090.shtml|title=Impact Results - 7/31/08 (Knockouts main event show - Sting teases)|first=Adam|last=Martin|date=2008-08-01|accessdate=2008-08-13|publisher=WrestleView.com]

One of two featured matches on the undercard was a Tag Team match between two teams: Team 3D (Brother Ray and Brother Devon) and Christian Cage and Rhino. Their feud began in May at Sacrifice, when Cage and Rhino fought Team 3D in The Deuces Wild Tag Team Tournament.cite web|url=http://pwtorch.com/artman2/publish/PPV_Reports_5/article_25556.shtml|title=CALDWELL' TNA SACRIFICE PPV REPORT 5/11: Ongoing "virtual time" coverage of live PPV|first=James|last=Caldwell|date=2008-05-11|accessdate=2008-08-13|publisher=PWTorch.com] During the match, Ray hit Rhino over the head with a kendo stick, which allowed Devon to cover him for the three count. Their feud continued with Cage and Rhino helping to protect The Latin American Xchange's (Homicide [Nelson Erazo] and Hernandez [Shawn Hernandez] ) (LAX) manager Hector Guerrero (Hector Llanes) from attacks by Team 3D. Whom Team 3D were having a storyline rivalry with at the time over the TNA World Tag Team Championship. Leading up to Victory Road, staged attacks took place between Team 3D and Cage and Rhino. In one instance, Team 3D powerbombed Cage through a glass table on an episode of Impact!.cite web|url=http://www.f4wonline.com/content/view/5812/105/|title=Jeff Hamlin's TNA Impact report|last=Hamlin|first=Jeff|accessdate=2008-09-13|publisher=Wrestling Observer.com] After Victory Road, on the July 31 edition of "Impact!", in a match pitting Cage and Rhino against Beer Money, Inc (Robert Roode and James Storm [James Black] ), Team 3D interfered and performed the 3D on Rhino, which allowed Roode to cover him for the pinfall.cite web|url=http://pwtorch.com/artman2/publish/TV_Reports_9/article_26424.shtml|title=KELLER'S TNA IMPACT REPORT 7/31: Knockouts tag match headlines, Joe rants about Sting, Beer Money vs. Rhino & Christian|first=Wade|last=Keller|date=2008-08-04|accessdate=2008-08-13|publisher=PWTorch.com] A 3D is a double team maneuver where one man grabs his opponent by the legs and lifts while at the sametime falls backwards, then his partner grabs the suspended opponent by the head and drivers it into the mat. After the match, Cage challenged Team 3D to a New Jersey Street Fight at Hard Justice, which Team 3D accepted.cite web|url=http://pwtorch.com/artman2/publish/TV_Reports_9/article_26401.shtml|title=CALDWELL'S TNA IMPACT REPORT 7/31: Joe shouts, screams, and hollers his way through fruitless show|first=James|last=Caldwell|date=2008-08-01|accessdate=2008-08-13|publisher=PWTorch.com] A New Jersey Street Fight is a match in which no one can be disqualified or counted out, the only way the contest can be won is by pinfall or submission.

The other featured match on the undercard was the encounter between the teams of LAX and Beer Money, Inc for the TNA World Tag Team Championship. At Victory Road, LAX successfully defended the World Tag Team Championship against Beer Money, Inc in a "Fan's Revenge" Lumberjack Strap match,cite web|url=http://pwtorch.com/artman2/publish/PPV_Reports_5/article_26196.shtml|title=KELLER'S TNA VICTORY ROAD PPV REPORT 7/13: Ongoing "virtual time" coverage of live event from Houston|first=Wade|last=Keller|date=2008-07-13|accessdate=2008-08-13|publisher=PWTorch.com] a match where fans chosen by TNA are placed around the ring and given a strap to whip whoever falls outside the ring. On the July 17 edition of "Impact!", Beer Money began a staged assault on a planted fan, a person that is intentionally placed in the audience to take part in staged segments that are meant to gain negative reactions from the fans, in what they called "Beer Money" Revenge.cite web|url=http://www.wrestleview.com/news2008/1216368649.shtml|title=Impact Results - 7/17/08 (Joe vs. Booker set for Hard Justice - more)|first=Adam|last=Martin|date=2008-07-18|accessdate=2008-08-13|publisher=WrestleView.com] The attacks continued each week on "Impact!", going as far as to assault LAX's manager. On the July 24 edition of "Impact!" after a strap match with The Motor City Machine Guns (Chris Sabin [Joshua Harter] and Alex Shelley [Patrick Martin] ) (MCMG), another scripted assault took place with Beer Money whipping MCMG with straps until LAX came to MCMG's defence.cite web|url=http://pwtorch.com/artman2/publish/TV_Reports_9/article_26403.shtml|title=KELLER'S TNA IMPACT REPORT 7/24: Team 3D & Angle vs. Rhino & Christian & Styles, Taylor vs. Love, Beer Money vs. Guns|first=Wade|last=Keller|date=2008-08-01|accessdate=2008-08-13|publisher=PWTorch.com] On the July 31 edition of "Impact!", Beer Money, Inc defeated Cage and Rhino in a number one contendership match to the World Tag Team Championship, because of their victory they gained a chance to fight LAX at Hard Justice.cite web|url=http://pwtorch.com/artman2/publish/TV_Reports_9/article_26424.shtml|title=KELLER'S TNA IMPACT REPORT 7/31: Knockouts tag match headlines, Joe rants about Sting, Beer Money vs. Rhino & Christian|first=Wade|last=Keller|date=2008-08-04|accessdate=2008-08-13|publisher=PWTorch.com]

A minor storyline heading into Hard Justice was between Jay Lethal (Jamar Shipman) and Sonjay Dutt (Retesh Bhalla). The whole rivalry between these two competitors began at Slammiversary, when Dutt ruined Lethal's and his on-screen girlfriend's, SoCal Val (Valerie Wyndham), wedding reception. Lethal later began to seek revenge on Dutt after he assaulted him with part of the wedding set at Slammiversary. Lethal and Dutt meant it a Standard Wrestling match at Victory Road, in which Lethal won. After a series of events between Dutt and Lethal, TNA announced that they would meet again in a Black Tie Brawl and Chain Match at Hard Justice. A Black Tie Brawl and Chain Match is a match where both of the participants wear Tuxedos and are attached by a steel chain, the object of the match is to either remove your opponent's Tuxedo or score a pinfall.

Event

Before the event aired live on pay-per-view, a predetermined segment took place outside of the arena between Lauren Thompson and Sting, who was making his unknown (kayfabe) arrival. Thompson repeatedly asked him about his actions at Victory Road and on Impact! in the weeks leading to the event. Sting refused to answer her request as he remained silent entering the arena.

The event officially began with a live performance of the official theme song for the event, AyAyAya, by Filthee along with Grandmaster Caz and Melle Mel. The show was advertised to also feature an appearance by rapper Ice-T, but he was absent with no reason given, and was seemingly replaced with Mel.

Preliminary matches

The first match to air live was a standard wrestling match for the TNA X Division Championship, between, the reigning champion, Petey Williams, who was accompanied by Rhaka Khan (Trenesha Biggers), and Consequences Creed (Austin Watson).cite web|url=http://www.f4wonline.com/content/view/6349/105/|title=TNA Hard Justice PPV report|last=Meltzer|first=Dave|accessdate=2008-09-13|publisher=Wrestling Observer.com] Half way through the match, Creed slammed Williams' head forward to the mat with the Creed-DT to gain a near fall. Towards the end of the match saw Creed perform a TKO on Williams' valet Khan. A TKO is a move in which the wrestler performing the move has his opponent in a fireman's carry position. He then spins his opponent behind him and falls to the mat below, slamming his opponent's head into his shoulder. While the referee was attending to Khan, Sheik Abdul Bashir (Shawn Daivari) entered the arena and grabbed a steel chair. In the ring, Creed set Williams up for a running clothesline, when he bounced off the ropes, Bashir hit Creed in the back with the chair. Which allowed Williams to perform the Canadian Destroyer, a 180° flipping piledriver, on Creed to gain the pinfall and to retain the X Division Championship.cite web|url=http://www.wrestleview.com/news2008/1218423570.shtml|title=Hard Justice PPV Results - 8/10 - Trenton, NJ (Joe vs. Booker T, more)|last=Martin|first=Adam|date=2008-08-10|accessdate=2008-09-13|publisher=WrestleView.com]

The next encounter was a Six Woman Tag Team match with Special guest referee Traci Brooks (Tracy Brookshaw) between The Beautiful People (Angelina Love [Lauren Williams] and Velvet Sky [Jamie Szantyr] ) and Awesome Kong (Kia Stevens), who was accompanied by Raisha Saeed (Melissa Anderson), and Gail Kim, O.D.B. (Jessica Kresa), and Taylor Wilde (Shantelle Malawski).cite web|url=http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/2008/08/11/6412826.html|title=Hard Justice delivers action and teases|last=POLLOCK|first=JOHN|date=2008-08-11|accessdate=2008-09-13|publisher=Slam Sports.com] The match was mainly back and forth with quick tags and high paced moves. The team of Kim, O.D.B., and Wilde were victorious in the match when Wilde pinned Love with a Straddle.cite web|url=http://pwtorch.com/artman2/publish/PPV_Reports_5/article_26482.shtml|title=KELLER'S TNA HARD JUSTICE PPV REPORT 8/10: Ongoing "virtual time" coverage of event - Samoa Joe vs. Booker T in cage|last=Keller|first=Wade|date=2008-08-10|accessdate=2008-09-13|publisher=PWTorch.com] A Straddle is a pinning maneuver in which a wrestler lays on their back while their opponent sits on their chest and holds the legs behind his/her back for the three count.

The next match was for the TNA World Tag Team Championship between The Latin American Xchange (Homicide and Hernandez with Salinas [Shelly Martinez] , Hector Guerrero, and F.I.L.T.H.E.E.) (LAX) and Beer Money, Inc (Robert Roode and James Storm with Jacqueline [Jacqueline Moore] ).cite web|url=http://pwtorch.com/artman2/publish/PPV_Reports_5/article_26483.shtml|title=CALDWELL'S TNA HARD JUSTICE PPV REPORT 8/10: Ongoing "virtual time" coverage of live PPV|last=Caldwell|first=James|date=2008-08-10|accessdate=2008-09-13|publisher=PWTorch.com] While LAX were making their way to the ring, F.I.L.T.H.E.E. performed their entrance music and accompanied them to the ring. The match began with Homicide and Storm squaring off. Early on in the match, Storm and Roode worked on Homicide's right eye since it had been kayfabe injured on Impact!. Most of the match was dominated by Beer Money, Inc as they weakened the injured Homicide by targeting his eye. Beer Money, Inc claimed victory in the match when Homicide was setting Storm up for the Da Gringo Killa, Roode then entered the ring and crashed a beer bottle over Homicide's head while the referee wasn't looking.cite web|url=http://www.411mania.com/wrestling/columns/82459/411//s-Instant-PPV-Analysis-08.10.08:-TNA-Hard-Justice-2008.htm|title=411's Instant PPV Analysis 08.10.08: TNA Hard Justice 2008|last=Lansdell|first=Chris|date=2008-08-10|accessdate=2008-09-12|publisher=411Mania.com] Followed by Storm pinning Homicide. As a result of their victory, they won the TNA World Tag Team Championship.

The Black Tie Brawl and Chain Match between Jay Lethal and Sonjay Dutt was next. Most of the match was dominated by Lethal as he used the chain to his advantaged and repeatedly pulled Dutt into different types of moves. Most of the match was marred by both trying to remove the other's Tuxedo. The finish saw Lethal perform a Diving elbow drop from the top rope to gain the pinfall.cite web|url=http://www.tnawrestling.com/content/view/987/84/|title=Hard Justice Results, Replays, Pics, Video|date=2008-08-12|accessdate=2008-09-12|publisher=TNAWrestling.com] A Diving elbow drop is a top rope jumping elbow strike to the chest of a opponent who is laying flat on his back in the center of the ring.

Main Event matches

The encounter of Team 3D (Brother Ray and Brother Devon), and Christian Cage and Rhino in a New Jersey Street Fight was the fifth match. The encounter started off as an all out brawl between the four men. Team 3D gain the advantage early, by attacking Cage and Rhino while they had their backs turned to them. Quickly the four participants began to brawl outside the ring and throughout the crowd, where the team of Cage and Rhino took control and began to pour bottles of beer over Ray's and Devon's heads and by using the weapons that were around the ring. The conclusion to the match saw Rhino attempting to perform a Gore, a running shoulder block, to Ray, aimed at a table. When Rhino and Ray hit the table it did not break, causing the fans at the Sovereign Bank Arena to "boo" at what professional wrestling fans like to call a botch, an unplanned failing of a spot, move, etc. After the botch, Rhino pinned Ray to claim victory in the match for Cage and himself. Following the match, an allie of Team 3D's, Johnny Devine (John Parsonage), entered the arena with a kendo stick. After he entered the ring, he began to beat Cage and Rhino with the stick, while Ray and Devon helped, until Abyss (Chris Parks) came to Cage's and Rhino's aid, by dismantling Team 3D and Devine. While Ray and Devon were making their escape, Abyss grabbed Devine and performed the Black Hole Slam, a 360° spinning side slam.

The first match of the double main event was the encounter between A.J. Styles and Kurt Angle in a Last Man Standing match. Though the match was billed to be a Last Man Standing match, at Hard Justice, the match was contested under Texas Death match rules. Now the only way the contest could be won is to pin your opponent, then he has till the count of ten to get up and stand on two feet. If he does not stand before the referee's count then he is declared the loser of the contest. Different from a Last Man Standing match, in which a wrestler does not have to be pinned, he must just be unable to reach the ten count. The beginning of the match saw Angle trying to evade Styles by repeatedly leaving the ring and standing on the floor. This angered Styles, which preempted him to climb out of the ring and chase Angle around it. Angle then entered the ring, this caused Styles to entered as well, where Angle took advantage with stiff shots to the back. Afterwards, Styles began to fight back, from there on the match was back and forth. At one point Angle and Styles were fighting on the stage for the event when Styles was suplexed over the side, followed by Angle performing a modified senton from the stage. A senton is a move in which a wrestler performs a front flip and lands his back on his opponent's chest. The first fall on the match came when Styles countered Angle trying to perform one of Styles signature maneuvers the Styles Clash into one of Angle's signature maneuvers the Ankle lock. After Styles locked in the move Angle fought it off for a few minutes but eventually tapped out. The referee then began the count, however, Angle reached his feet before the count of ten. The next fall came when Angle performed a German suplex from the top rope on Styles, in mid air Styles performed a backflip and landed on his face when he connected with the mat. A German suplex involves a participant grabbing his opponent by the waist and lifting, then slamming him to the mat neck first. Styles beat the referee's count but immediately Angle performed the Olympic Slam and pinned him to start the count again. Again Styles beat the count, as soon as Styles reached his feet Angle grabbed him and tried to perform the Olympic Slam again, which Styles countered into a Styles Clash. The Styles Clash involves a wrestler being held upside down, with their arms trapped behind their opponent's legs, he is then slammed face first to the mat below. After he performed the move he pinned Angle, which started the ten count. Angle reached to his feet before the referee counted to ten. Styles then placed Angle on the top rope, where they traded strikes while standing on the ropes. Angle went to perform belly-to-belly suplex which Styles counter into a DDT, and came crashing down to the mat below where Angle landed right on his neck, followed by Styles pinning him. A DDT is a move in which a wrestler grabs their opponent by the head and falls backwards, crashing the top of their opponent's head into the mat below. This time Angle did not reach to his feet before the count of ten which meant Styles was declared the winner. After the match, the referee called for medical attention for Angle, who has been widely known to conjure multiple neck injuries in the past. While EMTs were attending to Angle, Styles entered the ring and performed a modified Fisherman suplex on Angle, landing him right on the back on his head and neck again. The fisherman suplex involves having your arm being placed over someone's shoulder and neck, and grabbed by the leg. Then lifted up and dropped on your back when the person performing the maneuver falls to their back. Styles left the ring and walked up the ramp while leaving a motionless Angle in the ring with the EMTs. When Styles approached the top of the ramp, the lights in the arena went off, when they came back on Sting appeared, holding Styles under his arm. He then performed the Scorpion Death Drop, a reverse DDT, on Styles and walked to the backstage area. While Kevin Nash looked on disapprovingly.

The main event for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship in a Six Sides of Steel Weapons match was next, which pitted the reigning champion Samoa Joe against Booker T, who was accompanied by Sharmell. From the start Joe and Booker T tried to use the weapons that were inside the cage. In one instance, Joe placed two chairs in the middle of the ring and stacked them, he then set Booker T up for the Muscle Buster. Booker T counter the move when they got to the chairs and performed the Booker-End, a kneeling side slam, on the chairs to Joe. Earlier in the match Joe was busted open by a chair shot. Near the end Booker T set Joe up for the Scissors kick, but when he came close the lights went off. When the lights came back on, Joe was standing behind Booker T with a guitar in his hand. After Booker T turned around, Joe slammed the guitar over his head and pinned him to retain the TNA World Heavyweight Championship.

Aftermath

After Hard Justice, Samoa Joe went on to No Surrender to defend the TNA World Heavyweight Championship against Kurt Angle and Christian Cage in a Three Ways to Glory match. Booker T was originally scheduled to be in the match to make it a Four Ways to Glory match but could not make it to the event because of Hurricane Ike causing all flights out of Houston, Texas to become grounded, since Booker T resides in Houston, Texas. Joe defeated Angle and Cage to retain the championship at No Surrender.cite web|url=http://www.wrestleview.com/news2008/1221447182.shtml|title=No Surrender PPV Results - 9/14 - Oshawa, ON (Joe vs Angle vs Cage)|last=Martin|first=Adam|date=2008-09-14|accessdate=2008-09-15|publisher=WrestleView.com]

Styles went on to start a rivalry with Frank Trigg (Dewey Trigg III). They had an encounter in a Mixed Martial Arts match at No Surrender, which end in a no-contest.cite web|url=http://www.f4wonline.com/content/view/6735/105/|title=TNA No Surrender match-by-match coverage|last=Meltzer|first=Dave|accessdate=2008-09-15|publisher=Wrestling Observer.com]

Jay Lethal and Sonjay Dutt continued their rivalry at No Surrender in a Ladder of Love match. Dutt defeated Lethal in the match with help from SoCal Val.cite web|url=http://www.tnawrestling.com/content/view/1063/84/|title=No Surrender PPV Results & Replay Times|date=2008-09-14|accessdate=2008-09-15|publisher=TNA Wrestling.com]

The Latin American Xchange (Homicide and Hernandez) got their rematch with Beer Money, Inc (Robert Roode and James Storm) for the TNA World Tag Team Championship at No Surrender, in a losing effort as Beer Money, Inc retained the championship.cite web|url=http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/PPVReports/2008/09/14/6765681.html|title=No Surrender a bore|last=Clevett|first=Jason|date=2008-09-15|accessdate=2008-09-15|publisher=Slam Sports.com]

At No Surrender, Petey Williams lost the TNA X Division Championship to Sheik Abdul Bashir in a 3-Way Dance also involving Consequences Creed.

Reception

411Mania.com and Wrestling Observer.com writer Larry Csonka rated the entire event 7.6 out of 10 stars.cite web|url=http://www.411mania.com/wrestling/columns/82480/Wrestlings-4Rs-PPV-Edition-8.12.08:-TNA-HARD-JUSTICE-(2008).htm|title=Wrestling’s 4R’s PPV Edition 8.12.08: TNA HARD JUSTICE (2008)|last=Csonka|first=Larry|date=2008-08-12|accessdate=2008-09-16|publisher=411Mania.com] The rating was higher than the 2007 event, which was given a 4 out of 10 stars.cite web|url=http://www.411mania.com/wrestling/columns/58358/Wrestlings-4Rs-PPV-Edition:-TNA-Hard-Justice-(2007).htm|title=Wrestling’s 4R’s PPV Edition: TNA Hard Justice (2007)|last=Csonka|first=Larry|date=2007-08-14|accessdate=2008-09-16|publisher=411Mania.com] The Last Man Standing match, one of the matches from the double main event, was rated 4 out of 5 stars. The main event match for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship was rated an 2 and half out of 10 stars.

Results

ee also

*TNA Hard Justice
*List of TNA pay-per-view events

References

External links

* [http://www.indemand.com/product/view/87497 Hard Justice (2008) at Indemand.com]
* [http://sovereignbankarena.com/ The official website of the Sovereign Bank Arena]
* [http://tnawrestling.com/ TNA Wrestling.com]