Victory Road 2006: Sting Wins the Big Opportunity, but the Card Takes Too Long to Get There

Johnny Devine met Shark Boy in a short Victory Road 2006 pre-show singles match, with Alex Shelley accompanying Devine and filming as part of the Paparazzi storyline. Shark Boy took early control and connected with a slingshot splash to the floor. The sequence then swung back toward Devine, who targeted Shark Boy's neck and interrupted an attempt to build another comeback. This was not a televised championship match: Shelley was an outside second and camera operator, not Devine's tag partner. Historical contemporary reports call Devine's closing move by both the Moneymaker name and its double-underhook piledriver mechanics, allowing identification without inventing a different finisher.

When Shark Boy turned to confront Shelley on the apron, Devine seized the opening and hit the double-underhook piledriver. Johnny Devine pinned Shark Boy at the archived 3:30. Shelley caused the distraction but did not take part in the decisive fall, and Shark Boy's attempted DSD did not connect. The inherited C- / 5.5 and SKIP acknowledge that a brief preliminary match carries little consequence beyond the Paparazzi program. The result stays in the Event File rather than disappearing simply because it was off the paid broadcast.

The Naturals, Andy Douglas and Chase Stevens, returned to the paid TNA card under Shane Douglas' guidance against Diamonds in the Rough wrestlers Elix Skipper and David Young. Shane had emphasized that his team needed a new attitude, and the Naturals wore gear associated with the Franchise. Simon Diamond accompanied the losing duo without being a third active tag wrestler. The teams traded short tags, and David Young launched a moonsault to the floor during the match. The match's central identity is the newly guided Naturals against two genuine tag opponents, not a three-on-three contest among both managers as well.

In the closing combination, Stevens lifted an opponent into a powerbomb position and Andy Douglas jumped from the top with a missile dropkick as the Naturals scored the winning pin. The Naturals defeated Elix Skipper and David Young at the archived 5:27. A contemporaneous Wrestling Inc recap and the Pro Wrestling History ledger identify Skipper as pinned, while a separate live Inside Pulse description calls the man lifted by Stevens Young. The supported team result and tandem finish are firmer than one fully reconciled pinned name. C- / 5.8 and SKIM preserve the quick tag-team story without hiding that source difference.

Monty Brown and Rhino began fighting outside the ring before the bell, continuing their confrontational television storyline rather than settling into a technical singles match. Brown threw Rhino into the guardrail, and Rhino answered with a slingshot dive to the floor. Once they entered the ring, Brown charged for the Pounce, but Rhino moved and referee Andrew Thomas took the impact. The officials' involvement matters to the official outcome: neither competitor could simply claim the match was a decisive pinfall because both kept fighting even after the first referee collision.

When Rhino charged for the Gore, Brown avoided it and Rhino struck Thomas a second time. Brown and Rhino then fought into the audience despite security trying to regain control. Monty Brown and Rhino ended in a no contest at the historical 4:56 when TNA stopped the brawl. Neither man was pinned or submitted and the lack of a winner was part of the unresolved feud, not a draw by time limit. The C- / 5.5 grade reflects the deliberately aborted fight and SKIM directs viewers to the referee collisions and abrupt stoppage.

The Latin American Xchange's Homicide and Hernandez faced Sonjay Dutt and Ron Killings after the faction's controversial comments about its place in TNA. Konnan accompanied the LAX team and handled their presentation, but was not one of the four legal competitors. Dutt and Killings began with dives to the floor, then Homicide and Hernandez isolated Dutt while Konnan helped from outside the ring. Killings had a comeback with an axe kick against Homicide, but could not prevent Dutt from being exposed to another late attack. The separate Spanish-language presentation was part of the faction's angle, not an excuse to add Konnan as a third legal partner.

As Dutt climbed toward the top rope, Konnan struck him during a referee distraction. Hernandez then picked him up in a crucifix powerbomb and hurled him across the ring. Hernandez pinned Sonjay Dutt at the archived 10:07 for the Latin American Xchange win. Neither Ron Killings nor Homicide made the decisive cover, and Konnan's interference materially aided the finish. C+ / 6.8 credits the tag exchanges and dangerous-looking throw while classifying it as a compromised result. SKIM the finishing stretch.

Senshi entered Victory Road as the TNA X Division Champion without knowing which former champion would challenge him. Frankie Kazarian answered, bringing a faster aerial offense against Senshi's hard kicks. They began with holds and slaps before Kazarian hit a swinging neckbreaker and later a slingshot DDT for near falls. Senshi countered attempted lifts with knees, chops and a body-scissors hold, repeatedly attacking Kazarian's chest and head as the challenger tried to generate momentum. No one else legally entered the match and the NWA World title was not being contested here; the belt at stake was Senshi's X Division championship.

Kazarian survived a charging sequence but could not stop Senshi's final top-rope attack. Senshi landed the Warrior's Way double stomp, then Senshi pinned Kazarian at the archived 11:19 to retain the X Division Championship. The result was a direct pinfall, not a cage escape or a technical submission. B / 7.6 rewards Kazarian's near falls and the decisive aerial finish, with WATCH suited to a focused review of the belt defense.

Raven finally wrestled Larry Zbyszko at Victory Road 2006 in a Hair vs. Hair match built around Zbyszko's long attempt to remove Raven from TNA. Guest referee Mark Slick Johnson arrived after telling Zbyszko he would officiate, making the authority figure's own bout especially awkward for him. Raven attacked from the opening bell, while Zbyszko attempted old-school leg grappling and a piledriver. One missed move struck the referee and delayed a count after Raven hit the first Evenflow DDT. This was a straightforward singles match with an unusual post-result for the loser, not a preannounced handicap or three-way with the referee.

Zbyszko continued fighting after the first DDT because the referee was down. Raven caught him again with the Evenflow and Raven pinned Larry Zbyszko at the archived 3:48. Security prevented Zbyszko from leaving, and Raven tied him to the barber chair and cut his hair. The postmatch haircut fulfilled the stipulation but was not the decisive move in the wrestling contest itself. C- / 5.8 and SKIM reflect the character payoff and short in-ring duration.

Chris Sabin and Jay Lethal confronted the Paparazzi team of Kevin Nash and Alex Shelley, who had Johnny Devine outside filming and interfering. Shelley opened against Sabin with quick chain wrestling; Nash tagged in to dominate the younger Lethal through his size advantage. When Sabin returned, he dropkicked Nash's leg and used Nash's bent back as a platform for a hesitation dropkick on Shelley in the corner. Devine attempted to enter, only for Lethal to knock him away and dive outside. Nash was a genuine legal partner in this tag match, not a manager, while Devine was present as their extra ringside supporter.

Shelley countered Sabin's attempt at Cradle Shock into a lift of his own. Sabin reversed that maneuver into a quick cradle, and Chris Sabin pinned Alex Shelley at the documented 9:07. Nash and Devine helped Shelley beat down the winners afterward, but Jerry Lynn ran in carrying a chair and forced them out. That postmatch rescue was distinct from the official tag-team result. B- / 7.0 and WATCH credit the underdog pairing's counters and the feud progression toward Nash, Shelley and Lynn.

The James Gang's B.G. James and Kip James joined Abyss against Team 3D's Brother Ray, Brother Devon and Brother Runt in a no-disqualification six-man match. James Mitchell accompanied Abyss but was not a fourth partner. The conflict combined the teams' rivalry with Runt's repeated attempts to confront the much larger Abyss. Ray used an ECW-versus-TNA sign and a staple gun, and both teams brought trash-can lids and other weapons into the ring. Abyss even threw Runt over the barrier into the audience, where fans supported his crowd-surfing return. The stipulation permitted those weapons but did not require either team to win by a table break alone.

Team 3D attempted its usual double-team table finish, but Kip James interrupted the attack with a kendo stick. Abyss then caught the smaller Brother Runt and drove him through a table with the Black Hole Slam. Abyss pinned Brother Runt at the archived 10:24 for the James Gang and Abyss. B.G. and Kip supplied the tag support, but neither scored the fall, and Mitchell remained outside the legal team. C+ / 6.8 and SKIM capture a distinctive hardcore finish despite a crowded undercard setting.

NWA World Tag Team Champions AJ Styles and Christopher Daniels teamed with Sirelda against America's Most Wanted wrestlers Chris Harris and James Storm alongside Gail Kim in a mixed six-person title defense. Unlike several other TNA matches with a manager at ringside, both Sirelda and Kim were legal wrestlers in this six-person bout. Harris and Storm used conventional tag tactics to isolate Styles while Kim targeted Sirelda, but Daniels answered with a Death Valley Driver and Angel's Wings near fall. Sirelda also confronted Kim directly; the women were not interchangeable with outside seconds. The championship was held by Styles and Daniels, not by Sirelda as a third belt holder.

James Storm brought a beer bottle into the ring, but his attempted attack nearly struck Harris. Harris later aimed a steel chair toward Styles outside the ring and mistakenly hit Storm. Styles capitalized with a springboard sunset-flip cover, and AJ Styles pinned James Storm at the documented 11:52. The retained tag title followed from that pin and AMW's miscommunication rather than a title belt being newly awarded to the mixed trio. B / 7.8 and WATCH reflect the consequential championship retention and legal Sirelda–Kim exchanges.

The Road to Victory four-way matched Sting against Samoa Joe, Christian Cage and Scott Steiner for the next NWA World Heavyweight Championship challenge at Hard Justice. Joe and Sting opened with quick counters and Sting threatened the Scorpion Deathlock, while Cage and Steiner traded physical attacks at ringside. Steiner interrupted Sting's hold, and Joe later leapt through the ropes to take Cage and Steiner down outside. The four competitors were legal participants in one elimination-free match, not separate singles bouts. The champion Jeff Jarrett was not scheduled as a participant, a distinction that became central to the late interference.

Jarrett entered dressed as a cameraman and sprayed Sting in the eyes, forcing the challenger to leave temporarily for treatment. Steiner even drove Joe through a ringside table with an elbow drop while Sting was away. Sting returned wearing a headband, stopped Cage's closing offense and countered Steiner's attempt to finish. Sting hit the Scorpion Death Drop, and Sting pinned Scott Steiner at the archived 14:09 to become the No. 1 contender. Jarrett's disguised attack was real interference, but it did not turn the bout into a five-way or give Jarrett another legal result. The inherited B+ / 8.4 and WATCH credit the multi-man near falls and decisive comeback, keeping the future title shot distinct from winning the NWA belt that night.