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Destination X (2008)
A poster featuring two men wearing black making hand gestures with a red logo saying "Destination X" at the bottom of the poster.
Promotional poster featuring The Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley [right] and Chris Sabin [left])
PromotionTotal Nonstop Action Wrestling
DateMarch 9, 2008
CityNorfolk, Virginia
VenueNorfolk Scope
Attendance3,200[1]
Pay-per-view chronology
← Previous
Against All Odds 		Next →
Lockdown
Destination X chronology
← Previous
2007 		Next →
2009

The 2008 Destination X was a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event produced by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) promotion, which took place on March 9, 2008, at the Norfolk Scope in Norfolk, Virginia. It was the fourth event under the Destination X chronology and the third event in the 2008 TNA PPV schedule. Eight professional wrestling matches were featured on the event's card, two of which involved championships, while one match was held prior to the event.

The main event was a Six Man Tag Team match where The Unlikely Alliance (Christian Cage, Kevin Nash, and Samoa Joe) defeated The Angle Alliance (Kurt Angle, A.J. Styles, and Tomko). On the undercard was an Elevation X match in which Rhino defeated James Storm. Robert Roode defeated Booker T in a Stand By Your Man Strap match. The team of Curry Man and Shark Boy defeated Team 3D (Brother Devon and Brother Ray) in a Fish Market Street Fight.

This event marked the second time the Elevation X match was used by TNA. Jason Clevett of the professional wrestling section of the Canadian Online Explorer rated the event a six of ten, lower than the seven out of ten given to the 2007 event's ranking by Chris Sokol.

Production

[edit]

Background

[edit]

It was reported in December 2007 that Destination X was planned to be held on March 16 outside of the TNA Impact! Zone in Orlando, Florida.[2] However, in January 2008 TNA announced that Destination X would be held on March 9 instead.[3] TNA issued a press release in mid-January 2008 stating that Destination X would be held at the Norfolk Scope in Norfolk, Virginia on March 9, 2008. Tickets for the event went on sale January 25, 2008.[4] In Demand listed a preview of Destination X in late-January 2008 promoting the return of the Elevation X match.[5] TNA released a poster featuring The Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin; MCMG) sometime prior to help promote the event. The song Life Story by the band Crash Anthem was used as the official theme for the show.[6]

Storylines

[edit]

Destination X featured eight professional wrestling matches and one match prior to the event that involved different wrestlers from pre-existing scripted feuds and storylines. Wrestlers portrayed villains, heroes, or less distinguishable characters in the scripted events that built tension and culminated into a wrestling match or series of matches.

An adult white male wearing black standing in a wrestling ring.
Rhino challenged James Storm to an Elevation X match at Destination X.

The main event at Destination X was a Six Man Tag Team match pitting The Unlikely Alliance of Christian Cage, Kevin Nash, and Samoa Joe against The Angle Alliance (Kurt Angle, A.J. Styles, and Tomko). The storyline behind this match was Joe's quest to win the TNA World Heavyweight Championship from Angle, with the two scheduled to fight for the title at TNA's next PPV event Lockdown on April 13, 2008. Also connected was Cage's feud with Styles and Tomko, after the two betrayed him and cost him the TNA World Heavyweight Championship twice against Angle in the storyline at TNA's Final Resolution PPV event on January 6, 2008, and at TNA's Against All Odds PPV event on February 10, 2008.[7][8] This bout was announced on the February 21, 2008, episode of TNA's television program TNA Impact! during a backstage segment between Joe and Management Director Jim Cornette.[9] On the March 6, 2008, episode of Impact!, the participants in the match fought in a series of matches to determine who would get a five-minute man advantaged at Destination X. Nash defeated Styles, Tomko defeated Joe in a First Blood match, and Cage defeated Angle in a Six Sides of Steel Cage match, leaving it two to three, with The Unlikely Alliance gaining the advantage.[10]

TNA held the second-ever Elevation X match at Destination X between Rhino and James Storm. At Against All Odds, Rhino returned from injury to attack Storm during his encounter with Eric Young over the TNA World Beer Drinking Championship, reigniting their feud from mid-2007. Prior to this match, Rhino and Storm were involved in a storyline over past alcoholic issues by Rhino.[11] This led to the two fighting at TNA's Victory Road PPV event on July 15, 2007, which Storm won.[12] The two fought again at TNA's Hard Justice PPV event on August 12 in a Bar Room Brawl, which Storm also won.[13] Rhino defeated Storm at TNA's No Surrender PPV event on September 9, 2007, thus ending the feud.[14] In late 2007, Rhino suffered an injury sidelining him until his return at Against All Odds. On the February 14, 2008, episode of Impact! Rhino challenged Storm to an Elevation X match.[15] The match was later promoted for the event by TNA.

Robert Roode versus Booker T in a Stand By Your Man Strap match was another highly promoted match heading into the event. The feud regarding this contest began at Final Resolution, where Roode accidentally punched Booker T's wife Sharmell, fracturing her jaw in the storyline, after a Mixed Tag Team match pitting Roode and his then-manager Ms. Brooks against Booker T and Sharmell.[7] Booker T and Roode then fought at Against All Odds to a double count-out.[8] Cornette announced on the February 14 episode of Impact! that Booker T and Roode would face in another match at Destination X.[15] On the February 28, 2008, episode of Impact!, Roode handcuffed Booker T to the ring ropes and beat him with a belt, until Roode's former manager Ms. Brooks, now Traci Brooks, came to Booker T's defense. However, Roode and his new manager Payton Banks ended up attacking both with belts.[16] On the March 6 episode of Impact!, Cornette announced that Booker T and Roode would face in a Stand By Your Man Strap match, in which if Booker T won then Brooks would be allowed to beat Banks with a strap ten times and vice versa.[10]

Curry Man and Shark Boy fought Team 3D (Brother Devon and Brother Ray) in a Fish Market Street Fight at Destination X. At Against All Odds, Team 3D and Johnny Devine lost a Six Man Tag Team Street Fight to Jay Lethal and MCMG (Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin). Due to pre-match stipulations, Team 3D was then forced to work with a weight-limit in TNA in order to compete in matches, with the limit set at 275 lb (125 kg).[8] On the February 14 episode ofImpact!, Team 3D fought Curry Man and Shark Boy in which Ray did not make weight, leaving Devon to face them alone. Devon won the contest after help from Ray.[15] On the February 21, 2008, episode of Impact!, another match was held between the teams, in which Devon did not make weight, but Ray still won the bout after cheating.[9] On the February 28 episode of Impact!, neither of Team 3D made weight, losing the match by disqualification.[16] Curry Man and Shark Boy won a battle royal on the March 6 episode of Impact! to add a stipulation to a match between them and Team 3D at Destination X. The two chose that if Team 3D did not make weight then Team 3D would be forced to leave TNA, but if they did then the contest would be a Fish Market Street Fight.[10]

The TNA Women's Knockout Championship was defended in a Three Way match by Awesome Kong against Gail Kim and ODB, also on the card. Build to this encounter began on December 2, 2007, at TNA's Turning Point PPV event, where then-TNA Women's Knockout Champion Kim defeated Kong by disqualification.[17] Kim then fought Kong again at Final Resolution in a No Disqualification match, in which Kim retained the title.[7] On the January 10, 2008, episode of Impact!, Kong defeated Kim to win the title in a match which gave Kim an injury in the storyline.[18] Kong then defended the title against ODB at Against All Odds, which Kong won.[8] Leading up to Destination X, Kim and ODB started a partnership in order to try and take the championship from Kong on the February 14 episode of Impact!.[15] TNA later promoted a Three Way match between the three leading up to the event.

Event

[edit]

Prior to the show, TNA held a match for the crowd between Roxxi Laveaux and Angelina Love, which Roxxi won.[19]

Miscellaneous

[edit]

The event featured employees other than the wrestlers involved in the matches. Mike Tenay and Don West were the commentators for the telecast. Jeremy Borash and David Penzer were ring announcers for the event. Andrew Thomas, Earl Hebner, Rudy Charles, and Mark "Slick" Johnson participated as referees for the encounters.[20] Crystal Louthan and Borash were used as interviewers during the event. Besides employees appearing in a wrestling role, Salinas, Christy Hemme, Rhaka Khan, Scott Steiner, Sonjay Dutt, SoCal Val, Raisha Saeed, Jim Cornette, Johnny Devine, Payton Banks, Traci Brooks, and Jackie Moore all appeared on camera, either in backstage or ringside segments.[21]

Preliminary matches

[edit]
Two adult Latino males, one doing hand signs and another holding a camera.
The Latin American Xchange (Homicide and Hernandez) became number one contenders to the TNA World Tag Team Championship at Destination X.

The event opened with a Three Way Tag Team match to determine the number one contenders to the TNA World Tag Team Championship between The Latin American Xchange (Hernandez and Homicide; LAX), who were accompanied by Salinas, MCMG (Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin), and The Rock 'n Rave Infection (Jimmy Rave and Lance Hoyt), who were accompanied by Christy Hemme. The bout lasted ten minutes and twenty-eight seconds. LAX won the bout thus becoming number one contenders after Hernandez pinned Rave following his signature Border Toss maneuver.[22]

Jay Lethal defended the TNA X Division Championship against Petey Williams, who was accompanied by Rhaka Khan, in a contest lasting eleven minutes and forty-one seconds. Near the end of the bout, Khan distracted the referee, at which time Steiner came down to the ring and interfered in the match, allowing Williams to perform his signature Canadian Destroyer maneuver. SoCal Val then interfered as the referee was counting the pinfall, removing him from the ring. Khan began to chase Val, before Sonjay Dutt came to her rescue. When Williams went for another pin attempt, Lethal countered it into a small package pin, winning the match and retaining the TNA X Division Championship.[23]

The team of Eric Young and Kaz were pitted against the team of Black Reign and Rellik in the third match. The duration of the encounter was ten minutes and three seconds. During the contest, Young left the ring, leaving Kaz to fight off both Reign and Rellik by himself. Later, Young returned to the ring dressed as a superhero, where he performed a double Death Valley Driver on Reign and Rellik slamming them both into the mat, thus winning the match.[22]

A Three Way match for the TNA Women's Knockout Championship was held in which then-champion Awesome Kong, who was accompanied by Raisha Saeed defended the title against Gail Kim and ODB. Near the end, ODB was tripped by Saeed, which led to Kong performing her signature Awesome Bomb maneuver at eleven minutes and thirty-three seconds to win the contest.[22]

Main event matches

[edit]
Adult white male wearing a black cowboy hat and a camouflage jacket.
James Storm fought Rhino in an Elevation X match at Destination X.

The team of Curry Man and Shark Boy were pitted against Team 3D (Brother Devon and Brother Ray), who were accompanied by Johnny Devine, in a thirteen-minute-and-twelve-second Fish Market Street Fight. Prior to this bout, Management Director Jim Cornette announced that if Team 3D made weight, then the weight restriction on them would be lifted. Also, that Kurt Angle originally won the Six Sides of Steel Cage match against Christian Cage, however the decision with The Unlikely Alliance gaining the advantage in the Six Man Tag Team match was still in effect. Before the bout, both members of Team 3D were weighed, with both coming in below the mark. In a Fish Market Street Fight the match is won by pinfall or submission, in which there are no disqualifications and the ring area is covered by fish paraphernalia. Devine interfered in the match near the end, accidentally throwing white powder in Ray's face. This led to Shark Boy tossing him out of the ring and through a table. Afterwards, Ray mistakenly performed Team 3D's signature tag team maneuver the 3D on Devon with Curry Man, allowing Shark Boy to cover for the pinfall victory.[23]

Robert Roode, who was accompanied by Payton Banks, fought Booker T, who was accompanied by Traci Brooks, in a Stand By Your Man Strap match. The duration of the contest was seven minutes and fifty-six seconds. In a Stand By Your Man Strap match, both competitors are connected with a ten-foot-long strap, with the match won by either pinfall or submission. Roode gained the pinfall after punching Booker T with a pair of handcuffs. After the match, Banks got to lash Brooks with a strap ten times, until Sharmell made her return attacking Roode and Banks with a strap.[21]

The second-ever Elevation X match was held between Rhino and James Storm, who was accompanied by Jackie Moore. The bout lasted thirteen minutes and eighteen seconds. In an Elevation X match, both opponents fight on a scaffolding several feet above the ring, in which the only way to win is for one to fall off and down to the ring. The two brawled at ringside during the opening minutes. Rhino won the match after kicking Storm off the scaffold and down to the ring through a table.[22]

The main event was a Six Man Tag Team match pitting The Unlikely Alliance (Christian Cage, Kevin Nash, and Samoa Joe) against The Angle Alliance (Kurt Angle, A.J. Styles, and Tomko). The match duration was twelve minutes and twenty-nine seconds. Angle was forced to sit out of the match for five minutes, giving The Unlikely Alliance the three on two advantage. Joe won the encounter after he forced Tomko to submit with his signature Coquina Clutch submission maneuver.[23]

Reception

[edit]

A total of three thousand two hundred people attended the event.[1] Canadian Online Explorer writer Jason Clevett rated the entire event a six out of ten,[23] which was lower than the seven out of ten given to the 2007 Destination X event by Chris Sokol.[24] Destination X's rating was lower than TNA's previous event Against All Odds, which was given a seven and a half out of ten.[8] It was also lower than the six and a half given to TNA's next event Lockdown.[25] Compared to rival World Wrestling Entertainment's WrestleMania XXIV PPV event held on March 30, 2008, Destination X was rated lower as WrestleMania was given a nine out of ten by Dale Plummer.[26] The highest rating of Clevett's review, an eight out of ten, was given to the Women's Knockout Championship match and the Three Way Tag Team match. The Elevation X match received the lowest rating of the review with a zero out of ten. The main event was rated a five out of ten, while the Stand By Your Man Strap match was ranked a three out of ten. The Fish Market Street Fight was rated four out of ten. Clevett felt Destination X "was not a bad pay per view," but "it wasn’t particularly good."[23] Wade Keller of the Pro Wrestling Torch, in his published review of the event, rated the main event three and one-quarter stars out of five, the Elevation X match one star out of five, the Stand By Your Man Strap match one and one-quarter stars out of five, and the Fish Market Street Fight two stars out of five. The Women's Knockout Championship match and the main event were the highest rated matches in the review, with the Elevation X match the lowest. Keller thought the main event was a "good six-man tag match, but it didn't feel substantial enough to be a PPV main event." Regarding the Elevation X match, Keller felt it was "pretty bad." Commenting on the Stand By Your Man Strap match, Keller said it was a "letdown." Remarking on the Women's Knockout Championship match, Keller thought that "in some ways, just excellent" and that it was a "strong showing again by these women."[22] The event was released on DVD on May 13, 2008, by TNA Home Video.[27]

Aftermath

[edit]
A dark-skinned adult male wearing a multi-colored T-shirt signing an autograph
Samoa Joe defeated Kurt Angle in a Six Sides of Steel Cage match for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship at Lockdown.

Following Destination X, Samoa Joe went on to Lockdown on April 13, 2008, to face Kurt Angle in a Six Sides of Steel Cage match for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship. This match was announced on the March 13, 2008, episode of Impact! by Management Director Jim Cornette.[28] On the April 10, 2008, episode of Impact!, a stipulation was added that if Joe lost he would retire from professional wrestling.[29] At Lockdown, Joe defeated Angle to win the championship.[25]

Christian Cage and Tomko were announced as the annual team captains in the 2008 Lethal Lockdown match by Cornette on the March 13 episode of Impact!.[28] Over the weeks leading up to the event the two picked their team members, ending up with Team Cage consisting of Cage, Rhino, Kevin Nash, Sting, and Matt Morgan, while Team Tomko was made up of Tomko, A.J. Styles, James Storm, and Team 3D (Brother Devon and Brother Ray). At Lockdown, Team Cage defeated Team Tomko in a Five-on-Five Lethal Lockdown match.[25]

With the return of Sharmell at Destination X, an Intergender Tag Team Six Sides of Steel Cage match was held at Lockdown, pitting Sharmell and Booker T against Payton Banks and Robert Roode. The bout was announced on the March 20, 2008, episode of Impact! by Cornette.[30] Sharmell and Booker were the victors in the contest at Lockdown, thus ending the feud between Booker T and Roode.[25]

TNA X Division Champion Jay Lethal went on to defend the title in an Xscape match at Lockdown. The match was promoted on the March 13 episode of Impact!, with qualifying matches held leading up to Lockdown.[28] The wrestlers who qualified for the bout were Shark Boy, Curry Man, Johnny Devine, Sonjay Dutt, and Consequences Creed. Lethal ended up retaining the title at the event.[25] Lethal eventually lost the title on the April 17, 2008, episode of Impact!, when Petey Williams used his TNA X Division Feast of Fired Title shot.[31]

LAX (Hernandez and Homicide) became number one contenders to the TNA World Tag Team Championship at Destination X. They were given their championship match on the April 17 episode of Impact!, however at Lockdown the team of Eric Young and Kaz won a Cuffed in the Cage match earning them a championship match as well. Due to this, it became a Three Way Tag Team match between LAX, the team of Young and Kaz, and TNA World Tag Team Champions Styles and Tomko. Young and Kaz won the bout, however, due to a controversial finish the championship was vacated by Cornette.[31] Cornette then set up the Deuces Wild Tag Team Tournament heading into TNA's Sacrifice PPV event on May 11, 2008, to crown new champions. LAX went on to the event to win the tournament, thus winning the championship.[32]

In October 2017, with the launch of the Global Wrestling Network, the event became available to stream on demand.[33]

Results

[edit]
No.Results[1]StipulationsTimes[1]
1PRoxxi Laveaux defeated Angelina LoveSingles match—
2The Latin American Xchange (Hernandez and Homicide) (with Salinas) defeated The Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin) and The Rock 'n' Rave Infection (Jimmy Rave and Lance Hoyt) (with Christy Hemme)Three-Way Dance to determine the #1 contenders to the TNA World Tag Team Championship10:26
3Jay Lethal (c) defeated Petey Williams (with Rhaka Khan)Singles match for the TNA X Division Championship11:39
4Eric Young and Kaz defeated Black Reign and RellikTag team match10:03
5Awesome Kong (c) (with Raisha Saeed) defeated Gail Kim and ODBThree-Way Dance for the TNA Women's Knockout Championship11:27
6Curry Man and Shark Boy defeated Team 3D (Brother Devon and Brother Ray) (with Johnny Devine)Fish Market Street Fight13:13
7Robert Roode (with Payton Banks) defeated Booker T (with Traci Brooks)Stand By Your Man Strap match7:56
8Rhino defeated James Storm (with Jackie Moore)Elevation X match13:13
9The Unlikely Alliance (Christian Cage, Kevin Nash, and Samoa Joe) defeated The Angle Alliance (A.J. Styles, Kurt Angle, and Tomko)Six-man tag team match12:26
(c) – the champion(s) heading into the match
P – the match was broadcast on the pre-show

References

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Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Destination X (2008)

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from Grokipedia
Destination X 2008 was a (PPV) event produced by (TNA), held on March 9, 2008, at the in , drawing an attendance of 3,200 fans. As the fourth installment in TNA's annual Destination X series, the event emphasized the high-flying style of the while incorporating distinctive stipulation matches, including the second-ever Elevation X scaffold match in company history. The card featured ten matches, with the main event being a six-man tag team clash between The Unlikely Alliance (Christian Cage, Kevin Nash, and Samoa Joe) and The Angle Alliance (, A.J. Styles, and Tomko), which The Unlikely Alliance won via pinfall. Championship defenses highlighted the undercard, as retained the against in a singles match, and successfully defended the TNA Women's Knockout Championship in a triple threat bout against and . Other notable contests included LAX (Homicide and Hernandez) securing a TNA World Tag Team Championship number one contendership in a three-way match against The Rock 'n' Rave Infection and the , as well as Rhino's victory over in the high-risk Elevation X match after Storm fell from the scaffold. Quirky stipulations added variety, such as the Fish Market Street Fight where and Curry Man defeated Team 3D (Brother Devon and Brother Ray), with the losers facing potential job loss due to a pre-match weight stipulation enforced by TNA management. Additional results saw Robert Roode defeating Booker T in a strap match, Eric Young and Kaz beating Rellik and Black Reign in action, and a dark match win for over .

Production

Background

Destination X is an annual (PPV) event produced by (TNA), designed to highlight high-flying maneuvers, innovative match stipulations, and the athleticism of the roster. The , known for its emphasis on no weight limits and a focus on speed and creativity over traditional power-based wrestling, serves as the cornerstone of the event's concept. The 2008 edition represented the fourth installment in the series, following previous iterations in 2005, 2006, and 2007, each building on TNA's reputation for delivering unique spectacles distinct from mainstream promotions. The 2008 Destination X was scheduled as the third PPV in TNA's 2008 calendar, taking place on March 9 at the arena in . This marked a departure from earlier events held primarily at the in , as TNA began expanding to larger regional venues to broaden its audience reach. Tickets for the event became available in late January 2008, reflecting standard production timelines for TNA's monthly PPV cycle. The official theme song for the event was "Life Story" by the band Crash Anthem, aligning with TNA's practice of selecting energetic tracks to underscore the high-octane nature of the show. In the broader context of early , TNA under president was pursuing a strategic shift toward enhanced mainstream visibility, building on the expansion to a two-hour night slot on Spike TV from late 2007. This period emphasized developing high-profile feuds to sustain momentum toward major events like the upcoming PPV in April. The Destination X card spotlighted prominent talents such as and , whose involvement helped elevate the event's profile within TNA's evolving roster dynamics.

Storylines

The primary storyline heading into Destination X centered on the escalating tensions between Kurt Angle's dominant Angle Alliance—consisting of Angle, A.J. Styles, and Tomko—and The Unlikely Alliance of Samoa Joe, Christian Cage, and Kevin Nash. This feud originated from Samoa Joe's prolonged pursuit of the TNA World Heavyweight Championship, building on the recent end of his undefeated streak that had defined much of TNA programming since late 2006, contrasted with Angle's authoritative reign and alliances formed after joining TNA in 2006. Key developments unfolded across Impact! episodes in February 2008, including Joe's interruption of Angle's vow renewal ceremony alongside Nash on the February 14 episode, leading to a chaotic attack on Angle by the Unlikely Alliance, which prompted Styles to symbolically "marry" Karen Angle in retaliation. On the February 21 episode, promos from Joe emphasized his determination to dismantle Angle's empire, while a non-title match saw Angle defeat Booker T, only for Roode's interference to spark a post-match brawl involving Cage, Joe, and Nash against Angle and his allies. The rivalry intensified on the March 6 episode with a steel cage escape match where Cage bested Angle, followed by an immediate assault by Styles and Tomko on Cage, underscoring the Alliance's numerical advantage heading into the six-man tag team clash at the event. A prominent undercard feud pitted Rhino against James Storm in the high-stakes Elevation X scaffold match, rooted in Storm's Beer Money Inc. antics that mocked Rhino's intensity. The conflict ignited when Storm poured beer on Rhino during a confrontation, escalating through a blinding angle involving Jacqueline, where Storm's actions blinded her in storyline fashion, drawing Rhino's vow for extreme retribution. On the February 14 Impact!, Rhino formally challenged Storm to the perilous scaffold stipulation, highlighting the match's danger in promos that framed it as the ultimate test of their animosity. This buildup continued on February 21, with Rhino reiterating his intent to make Storm suffer a dramatic fall, tying into broader themes of personal vendettas within TNA's midcard landscape. Other significant arcs included Robert Roode's confrontation with Booker T, culminating in a "" Strap match driven by 's interference in prior encounters and Roode's assertion of dominance through his . The gained traction after Roode's attack on Sharmell, prompting Booker to demand retribution, with the featuring a promo from Roode that mocked Booker's legacy, leading to a brawl and the addition of a where the losers' valets would administer lashes. In the X Division, tension brewed between champion and challenger , centered on their contrasting styles of quick-strike aerial maneuvers and Williams' Canadian heritage pride, amplified by Scott Steiner's mentorship of Williams. Williams secured a number-one contender spot on February 14 via a victory aided by interference, setting up clashes that highlighted their technical prowess. Comedic elements infused the rivalry between Team 3D and the underdog duo of Curry Man and , evolving from backstage segments into a Fish Market Street Fight after Team 3D's failed weigh-in on , where Curry Man's win imposed the amid their anti-X Division tirades. The women's division storyline showcased Awesome Kong's reign of terror as Knockouts Champion, leading to a three-way defense against and , who had initially allied against Kong's dominance but fractured due to internal rivalries. On February 14, Kong retained her title in a street fight, underscoring her unmatched power, while the March 6 episode saw her overpower Salinas, teasing the challengers' desperation. In the tag team ranks, LAX defended their contention spot against the and Rock 'n' Rave Infection in a three-way match amid ongoing faction wars, with LAX's streetwise aggression clashing against the Guns' technical innovation and the Infection's chaotic interference, built through multi-team skirmishes on Impact!.

Event

Event details

The 2008 Destination X event took place on March 9 at the , a multi-purpose arena in , with a general capacity of around 10,000 seats but configured for wrestling to suit mid-sized gatherings of several thousand. Approximately 3,200 fans attended, filling a portion of the arena and generating a lively atmosphere, with particularly strong reactions to the acrobatic X Division sequences and star power from main event competitors. The pay-per-view aired live starting at 8:00 PM EST on platforms such as , running for about three hours with standard commercial interruptions. A pre-show dark match saw defeat , while and Don West handled commentary throughout the broadcast. The event featured the Elevation X match as a highlight, marking only the second scaffold stipulation in TNA history, where two elevated platforms were connected by a precarious bridge suspended high above the ring for the competitors' confrontation.

Match summaries

The event opened with a high-energy three-way match to determine the number one contenders for the , pitting LAX (Homicide and Hernandez) against the ( and ) and the Rock 'n' Infection (Jimmy and Lance Rock). The action started at a blistering pace with rapid exchanges and high-flying maneuvers, including Shelley's Shiranui and Homicide's somersault senton, drawing strong crowd approval for the athletic display. As the bout progressed into chaotic multi-man spots, Hernandez isolated for a dominant sequence featuring a stalling and plancha to the outside, while Tenay and West hyped the potential implications for the tag division. LAX secured the victory at 10:25 when Hernandez executed the Border Toss on Rave for the pinfall, earning them a future title opportunity. Transitioning smoothly to the X Division showcase, TNA X Division Champion Jay Lethal defended his title against Petey Williams in a technical clinic filled with counters and near-falls. Lethal, channeling his "Black Machismo" persona, traded holds and aerial attempts with Williams, who targeted the legs with a Sharpshooter and attempted his signature Canadian Destroyer amid interference from Rhaka Khan and Scott Steiner at ringside. The crowd rallied behind Lethal's resilience as he reversed the chaos, with West noting the personal stakes from their ongoing rivalry. The match culminated at 11:45 with Lethal rolling up Williams for the three-count retention, preserving his championship reign. The undercard continued with a standard bout featuring Eric Young and Kaz facing Black Reign and Rellik, where Young's character transformation into "Super Eric" added a layer of to the proceedings. Early dominance by the heels gave way to a comeback highlighted by Kaz's Wave of the Future and Young's crossbody dives, eliciting laughs and cheers from the audience as Tenay questioned the sanity of the pairing. The finish came at 10:12 when the babyfaces connected with a double Death Valley Driver on Rellik for the pin, providing a feel-good moment before the women's action. In the TNA Women's Knockout Championship triple threat, champion , accompanied by Raisha Saeed, overwhelmed challengers and from the outset with her raw power, including multiple avalanches and a spinning backfist. Kim and ODB briefly cooperated with tandem dropkicks and superkicks to stagger the champion, but Saeed's interference disrupted their momentum, allowing Kong to reassert control amid a vocal crowd urging the underdogs. Tenay emphasized Kong's monstrous presence as she hoisted ODB for the Implant Buster (Kong Bomb) at 11:37, securing the pinfall and title retention in a display of dominance. The midcard injected humor into the card with the Fish Market Street Fight between Team 3D (Brother Ray and Brother Devon, with ) and the unlikely duo of and Curry Man, utilizing an array of weapons like fish slaps and a for comedic effect. The brawl spilled outside with table teases and Devine's meddling, as the crowd erupted at Curry Man's "Shining Wizard" with a fish and Shark Boy's high spots, while West quipped about the absurdity of the tied to Team 3D's weight clause. Chaos peaked when Team 3D accidentally collided, leading to a reversal at 13:30 where Curry Man pinned Devon following a botched 3D attempt, marking a surprising upset. Building tension, Robert Roode battled Booker T in a Stand By Your Man Strap Match, where the competitors dragged their valets (Payton Banks and ) into the fray with strap shots and chases around the ring. Roode's aggressive tactics, including whipping Booker and a bump, overshadowed Booker's scissor kicks, with the booing the antics as Tenay referenced their heated over respect. The bout ended abruptly at 7:57 when Roode handcuffed Booker to (despite the strap rules) and secured a controversial pinfall , drawing for the valet-focused drama. The featured Elevation X scaffold match pitted Rhino against , elevated on a massive structure with crossbeams for high-risk navigation. Storm, aided by Jacqueline, threw and taunted from afar, leading to a deliberate brawl across the X-shaped platforms with near-misses and punches, as the crowd held its breath for the potential falls while West warned of the dangers. At 13:20, Rhino shoved , causing him to crash through a table below for the win, providing a climactic spot that shifted the event's energy toward the close. Capping the night, the main event six-man tag saw The Unlikely Alliance (Samoa Joe, , and ) clash with The Angle Alliance (, A.J. Styles, and Tomko) in a heated faction war stemming from recent betrayals. The match featured explosive sequences like Joe's tope suicida, Styles' springboard forearm, and Nash's Jackknife powerbomb, with tags keeping the pace brisk and the audience split in cheers for the stars. Tenay and West dissected the man-advantage controversy as alliances frayed, culminating at 12:33 when Joe locked in the Coquina Clutch on Tomko for the submission victory, giving the babyfaces the edge in their ongoing saga. Overall, the event maintained solid pacing with quick transitions between the opener's athleticism and the gimmick-heavy midcard, building suspense through varied storytelling, while the crowd's reactions to high spots and upsets kept the atmosphere electric throughout the three-hour broadcast.

Post-event

Reception

Jason Clevett of SLAM! Sports rated Destination X (2008) a 6 out of 10, commending the continued innovation in the and the novelty of the X match while critiquing the predictable outcome of the main event and the brevity of the strap match between Booker T and Robert Roode. Media and fan responses highlighted positives in the undercard's creative elements, such as the humorous absurdity of the Fish Market Street Fight involving Curry Man and Shark Boy against Team 3D, which earned praise for exceeding expectations despite its gimmicky setup, and Samoa Joe's commanding presence as a rising star that elevated the overall card. However, criticisms centered on TNA's over-reliance on elaborate gimmicks, like the scaffold-based Elevation X, which some viewed as unnecessarily risky and detracting from in-ring quality, alongside growing fatigue with the Angle Alliance storyline dominating the main event. Contemporary coverage of the event was limited in diversity, primarily appearing in specialized wrestling outlets such as SLAM! Sports, Pro Wrestling Torch, and newsletters like the Wrestling Observer, reflecting the niche media landscape of 2008. Subsequent historical analysis remains sparse, with few modern retrospectives exploring the event's significance in TNA's mid-2000s creative peak, leaving gaps in broader scholarly or journalistic reevaluation. Initial commercial performance included a DVD on May 13, 2008, by TNA Home Video, which contributed to the promotion's expanding home media library amid modest overall PPV sales averaging around 28,600 buys for TNA events that year.

Aftermath

Samoa Joe's victory in the main event six-man match against The Angle Alliance at Destination X directly advanced his storyline pursuit of the TNA World Heavyweight Championship, culminating in his defeat of champion in a Six Sides of Steel match at on April 13, 2008, to end Angle's reign that had begun in September 2007. This win marked Joe's first world title in TNA and solidified his transition from competitor to main event star. Meanwhile, Jay Lethal's successful defense of the against maintained the division's momentum, leading to Lethal's title retention in a six-man Xscape match at on April 13, 2008, involving Curry Man and others, before losing the championship to on the April 17, 2008, episode of Impact!. The Angle Alliance effectively dissolved in the weeks following the event's loss, as its members shifted to individual pursuits; Kurt Angle focused solely on his title defense against Joe, while A.J. Styles navigated personal tensions with Karen Angle, ultimately turning face and distancing himself from the group by late spring. The rivalry between Rhino and James Storm, highlighted by Rhino's Elevation X win, extended briefly into television matches but gradually faded without a major payoff, allowing both to pivot to other feuds. Robert Roode's strap match triumph over Booker T reinforced his heel persona and managerial role with Payton Banks, boosting his midcard prominence and setting the stage for his 2008 tag team partnership with James Storm as the heel duo Beer Money, Inc., which captured the TNA World Tag Team Championship in July. Destination X bridged TNA's narrative toward the cage-centric pay-per-view, with the Elevation X match's high-altitude spots inspiring increased incorporation of extreme gimmick elements in subsequent events to emphasize the promotion's athletic differentiation. The show contributed to TNA's modest growth, as the promotion averaged 28,600 pay-per-view buys across the year amid expanding television exposure, though Destination X itself drew an estimated 20,000 to 25,000 buys, underscoring persistent challenges in competing with WWE's dominance in the PPV market during that era. In the long term, Destination X is viewed as a pivotal midcard pay-per-view in TNA's history, particularly for accelerating Samoa Joe's ascent as a cornerstone main event talent whose undefeated streak and intense style defined the promotion's peak creative period in the late 2000s. Recent analyses highlight its role in showcasing TNA's innovative match formats, though contemporary reflections in the 2020s emphasize Joe's performance as a lasting highlight amid the event's otherwise transitional booking.

References

  1. https://www.thesmackdownhotel.com/events-results/ppv-special/tna-destination-x-2008
  2. https://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/results/tna/tna-ppv-results/tna-destination-x/tna-destination-x-2008/
  3. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1203535/
  4. https://wrestlingrecaps.com/2011/06/09/tna-destination-x-2008-3-9-2008/
  5. https://www.profightdb.com/cards/tna/destination-x-3908-1107.html
  6. https://411mania.com/wrestling/more-tna-news-updated-destination-x-card-and-ticket-sales/
  7. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJ_SRtzHRTc
  8. https://www.wrestlezone.com/news/198469-dixie-carter-discusses-christian-cage-tnas-2008-revenue
  9. https://slamwrestling.net/interviews/dixie-carter-sings-a-happy-two-hour-tune/
  10. https://www.profightdb.com/cards/tna/against-all-odds-857-1107.html
  11. https://wrestlingrecaps.com/2024/09/11/tna-impact-2-14-2008/
  12. https://wrestlingrecaps.com/2024/09/13/tna-impact-2-21-2008/
  13. https://wrestlingrecaps.com/2024/10/15/tna-impact-3-6-2008/
  14. https://prowrestling.fandom.com/wiki/Norfolk_Scope
  15. http://www.profightdb.com/cards/tna/destination-x-3908-1107.html
  16. https://www.cagematch.net/?id=1&nr=18686&page=2
  17. https://www.wrestlingdata.com/index.php?befehl=shows&show=30057&feld=card
  18. https://411mania.com/wrestling/411s-tna-destination-x-report-3-09-08/
  19. https://411mania.com/wrestling/destination-x-2008-breakdown/
  20. http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/PPVReports/2008/03/10/4923885.html
  21. https://411mania.com/wrestling/the-furious-flashbacks-tna-destination-x-2008/
  22. https://aminoapps.com/c/wrestling/page/blog/tna-destination-x-2008-review/5kHV_ueNgM2xJKZRmW23JMQQBnXbwv
  23. https://www.wrestlingdvdnetwork.com/complete-list-tna-dvd-releases/59540/
  24. https://www.wrestlinginc.com/news/2008/12/what-do-tna-ppvs-draw-buyrates-514720/
  25. https://prowrestlingstories.com/pro-wrestling-stories/kurt-angle-samoa-joe/
  26. https://www.ewrestlingnews.com/editorial/the-history-of-tna-wrestling-2008
  27. https://wrestlingrecaps.com/2015/09/01/reliving-a-title-run-16-bobby-roode-as-tna-world-champion-11-12/
  28. https://www.2xzone.com/tna/buyrates.shtml
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