WLWB Special: My Top 5 Favorite TNA Moments In 2016, So Far

By Brandon Albright, @B_Rock1978

Wrestling Lockup with Brandon, brought to you by Triple Threat CLE brings you my latest wrestling blog.

Last week I provided you all with my latest blog stating whatmy top 5 own personal favorite moments were in the WWE so far in 2016. This week I'm moving down to the little engine that could that resides in Orlando, Florida. This is my Top 5 personal favorite moments of TNA in 2016, so far.

#5: Beer Money Reuniting and Winning the TNA World Tag Team Championship One Last Time: Whether heels or faces, I've always had a soft spot for James Storm and Bobby Roode. Both men are TNA Originals and have sacrificed so much for TNA to try to get the product out there. When TNA put Roode and Storm together as Beer Money back in 2008, I was immediately hooked on their gimmick. I mean who doesn't love two guys that love to drink and make money? Beer Money was born. Storm and Roode together would go on to have many memorable feuds and win the TNA World Tag Team Championship together a total of 5 times. TNA kicked off 2016 with a returning James Storm wanting nothing more than to have fun again in TNA and wanting to do it with his best friend Bobby Roode. Beer Money was back. James Storm went on to win a Feast Or Fired Contract for a future shot at the TNA World Tag Team Championship. Beer Money's big night came in March, when Storm cashed in Feast Or Fired and along with Roode defeated The Wolves to win the TNA World Tag Team Championship. The reunion and title run, however, hit a last call, as Beer Money dropped the titles to The Decay the next night and then Bobby Roode left TNA and signed with NXT. Though it only lasted three months, my love for Beer Money belongs on my top 5 list, hands down.

#4: Drew Galloway Wins The TNA World Heavyweight Championship: Whoever would have thought that the man who was once known as Vince McMahon's Chosen One in the WWE would finally get his big break in the wrestling business. After being misused by the WWE, Drew McIntyre, was released by the company. Just like a shark smelling blood in the water, TNA swooped in and signed Drew McIntyre, who now goes by Drew Galloway, to a TNA contract. Galloway kicked off 2016 by winning the Feast Or Fired briefcase, which had a contract inside for a future TNA World Heavyweight Championship match. Drew Galloway cashed in his contract on Matt Hardy in March, after Matt Hardy successfully defended his championship. Galloway quickly defeated Matt Hardy and became the new TNA World Heavyweight Champion. By winning the TNA World Heavyweight Championship, Galloway may have just proven to Vince McMahon that he really was a Chosen One.

#3: Signing Damien Sandow: Another story of a talented individual that was misused by Vince McMahon in the WWE. Damien Sandow who had a huge fan following was destined to be great in the WWE, however, Vince McMahon didn't see things that way and released Damien Sandow in early 2016. TNA knew talent when they seen it and signed Damien Sandow to a TNA contract once he became available. Sandow officially made his debut with TNA in August and went by the name Aron Rex. Upon Rex's arrival he has already gone face to face with TNA World Heavyweight Champion Bobby Lashley and is currently feuding with Drew Galloway. This past week at TNA Bound for Glory, Rex added his first TNA Championship to his resume, as he became the first ever TNA Grand Champion. As long as TNA can stay afloat, I'm expecting big things from Aron Rex in 2017.

#2: Bobby Lashley Wins TNA World, X Division and King of the Mountain Championships: One thing you can say about Bobby Lashley is he is a dominant force in TNA Wrestling. Lashley proved that this year as he won three different TNA championships in 2016 and held all three of them at the same time. Lashley's dominance began in June, as he faced Drew Galloway in a Knockout Or Tapout Match for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship. Lashley went on to defeat Drew Galloway by knockout and claimed the TNA World Heavyweight Championship. Eddie Edwards and the X Division was next on Bobby Lashley's radar. Lashley went on to defend his TNA World Heavyweight Championship against Eddie Edwards in July, who was defending his TNA X Division Championship as well. Lashley came out victorious, making him a TNA World and X Division Champion. Next up was James Storm and his King of the Mountain Championship on Bobby Lashley's radar. Lashley and Storm met one on one with Lashley coming out victorious yet again, making Lashley a TNA World, X Division and King of the Mountain Champion. Lashley's reign with all three titles didn't last long though, as he threw down the X Division Championship and the King of the Mountain Championship, calling them both unworthy championships.

#1: Broken Matt Hardy: As goofy as the gimmick may seem sometimes, Matt Hardy has stumbled onto probably one of the greatest gimmicks of his career with Broken Matt Hardy. Whether he is playing the piano poorly, talking in his fake accent, shooting off fireworks at his opponents, going to great wars in his backyard ring, flying drones or chanting delete, Broken Matt Hardy has become one of TNA's biggest hits right now. Hardy debuted the Broken Matt Hardy character at the end of May, after losing an I Quit Match to his brother, Jeff Hardy, where Matt Hardy ended up being taken out on the stretcher. Matt Hardy claimed to now be broken, talked with a new accent and sought out to delete his brother Jeff Hardy. The Hardys met in what was called The Final Deletion and was one of TNA's highest rated segments. The Final Deletion consisted of the Hardys battling in a backyard style ring at Matt Hardy's estate, which saw the use of drones and fireworks. Broken Matt Hardy would go on to break his brother Jeff Hardy, reform The Hardy Boys tag team with their broken personalities and win the TNA World Tag Team Championship at Bound For Glory. The Hardy Boys recently had a second version of The Final Deletion take place called Delete Or Decay, where they battled Abyss and Crazy Steve in Matt Hardy's backyard estate. Just how popular has Broken Matt Hardy's new gimmick gotten? Ask WWE fans who now chant "delete" during boring WWE matches.

So there you go that is my top 5 TNA moments of 2016, so far. Thanks for taking a moment to read my blog, be sure to follow me at @B_Rock1978 and please follow us at @TripleThreatCLE, for all of your sports, wrestling and entertainment needs.