Final Resolution 2009: Angle-Wolfe and Styles-Daniels Carry an Excellent Second Half

The British Invasion (Brutus Magnus and Doug Williams) (c) defeated The Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin). This is a tag team match for the tna world tag team championship on the main card, and the 11:47 runtime gives the match a clearly defined window. The championship stake gives every near fall and finish more weight than a routine supporting match. British Invasion and the Machine Guns are given nearly twelve minutes and a simple championship premise. The contrast between the teams produces a sharp opener, and the champions retain without the match feeling static. The score reflects the whole package rather than the reputation of the names involved: how well the idea fits its time, whether the finish adds something, and how much the match improves Final Resolution 2009 as a complete show.

Tara defeated ODB (c). Framed as a singles match for the tna women's knockout championship on the main card, the bout runs 5:39 and arrives with a straightforward job to do on the card. The championship stake gives every near fall and finish more weight than a routine supporting match. Tara’s title victory is the important part of this five-and-a-half-minute match. The result lands, but the short runtime prevents ODB and Tara from developing the kind of championship bout the change deserves. That leaves the match with a clear place in the event rather than an inflated grade based on later reputation. Its C at 6.3 reflects execution, stakes, placement and replay value together.

Kevin Nash (World Tag Team), Rob Terry (X Division), Samoa Joe (World Heavyweight) and Sheik Abdul Bashir (Pink Slip) defeated Cody Deaner, Consequences Creed, James Storm, Jay Lethal, Robert Roode and World Elite (Eric Young, Kiyoshi, and Homicide). The main card places the match in a feast or fired match setting, with 11:00 available to turn the premise into something more than a result. Without a championship at stake, the match has to earn its value through the pairing, stipulation, pacing and the consequence of the result. Feast or Fired has plenty of movement and future consequences, but the briefcase concept divides attention across too many wrestlers and outcomes. Eleven minutes keeps it entertaining even when the logic is busy. In the context of Final Resolution 2009, that is enough to make the bout feel purposeful even when it is not the card's main attraction. The 6.8 score weighs the actual match, its time allocation and the result as one package.

D'Angelo Dinero, Hernandez, Matt Morgan and Suicide defeated Jesse Neal, Team 3D (Brother Devon and Brother Ray) and Rhino. At 16:30, this eight-man tag team elimination match has enough information in its premise to establish what the wrestlers need to accomplish without much explanation. Without a championship at stake, the match has to earn its value through the pairing, stipulation, pacing and the consequence of the result. The eight-man elimination format gives several midcard programs one shared platform and sixteen minutes to breathe. It is more useful than essential, but the extended structure gives the participants enough room to create momentum. The important point is what the match contributes on this night, not what the wrestlers did elsewhere. Graded at B- (7.4), it lands where its execution, stakes and placement justify it.

Bobby Lashley defeated Scott Steiner. This is a last man standing match on the main card, and the 9:13 runtime gives the match a clearly defined window. Without a championship at stake, the match has to earn its value through the pairing, stipulation, pacing and the consequence of the result. Lashley and Steiner fit a Last Man Standing match, and the nine-minute runtime keeps the brawl from overstaying. Lashley’s win provides a direct payoff to a rivalry that had already leaned heavily on physical confrontation. The score reflects the whole package rather than the reputation of the names involved: how well the idea fits its time, whether the finish adds something, and how much the match improves Final Resolution 2009 as a complete show.

Abyss and Mick Foley defeated Dr. Stevie and Raven. Framed as a foley's funhouse rules match on the main card, the bout runs 9:31 and arrives with a straightforward job to do on the card. Without a championship at stake, the match has to earn its value through the pairing, stipulation, pacing and the consequence of the result. Abyss and Foley against Stevie and Raven is built around character and weapons more than clean wrestling. The Funhouse Rules framing gives it identity, but the nine-minute match remains supporting material rather than a major attraction. That leaves the match with a clear place in the event rather than an inflated grade based on later reputation. Its C+ at 6.8 reflects execution, stakes, placement and replay value together.

Kurt Angle defeated Desmond Wolfe (2–1). The main card places the match in a three degrees of pain setting, with 26:14 available to turn the premise into something more than a result. Without a championship at stake, the match has to earn its value through the pairing, stipulation, pacing and the consequence of the result. Angle and Wolfe use the Three Degrees of Pain structure to turn their rivalry into a long-form test. Twenty-six minutes gives each fall room to matter, and the 2-1 result makes the match feel earned rather than mechanically staged. In the context of Final Resolution 2009, that is enough to make the bout feel purposeful even when it is not the card's main attraction. The 9.1 score weighs the actual match, its time allocation and the result as one package.

A.J. Styles (c) defeated Daniels. At 21:02, this singles match for the tna world heavyweight championship has enough information in its premise to establish what the wrestlers need to accomplish without much explanation. The championship stake gives every near fall and finish more weight than a routine supporting match. Styles and Daniels receive twenty-one minutes and the world title spotlight with no extra stipulation needed. The match closes the year by trusting two long-time TNA wrestlers to carry a pure main event, and that confidence is rewarded. The important point is what the match contributes on this night, not what the wrestlers did elsewhere. Graded at A (9.1), it lands where its execution, stakes and placement justify it.