TNA Just Pulled Off the Strangest Variation on the Dusty Finish

Hardy is an ex-Champion just as soon as he was a Champion
Photo Credit: WWE.com

TNA Wrestling has lost a lot of luster over the last year to the point where Bound for Glory, its major pay-per-view event, happened over the weekend to little fanfare. Still, fans and casual observers had a reason to watch; Ethan Carter III has been a critically acclaimed World Champion, and he was defending his title against both Drew Galloway and Matt Hardy in a three-way dance in the main event. Hardy ended up winning the match and claiming his most prestigious Championship since he was the WWECW Champion in '08. As TNA sails into the great unknown as its television deal, it will do so with the elder Hardy Boy as its figurehead.

Or will it?

Yep, TNA rolled out the Dusty Finish, which is not just code for any fuck finish, but for the specific act of having one finish at the event, only to have it overturned at a point in time afterwards by some kind of administrative decision. This incident is the first time I can remember the Champion himself initiating the Dusty Finish himself and forfeiting the title. Truth be told, it's not necessarily a bad story. ECIII, the character, is a spoiled brat who lost his biggest plaything, and he'll do anything to get it back, even hold the company hostage. Hardy also did the honorable babyface thing.

But the whole thing playing out over two days seems really quick. Then again, the whole angle is probably precipitated by the dicey state of TNA's television. The angle has been planned since July, when the company taped several months of TV in one shot at the Impact Zone. So now, TNA is left to begin the final part of its run on Destination America with no one on top of the company. It's not the angle I would have done, but then again, I'm not a booker.