9. Sting vs. Kurt Angle In An Empty Arena Match
The 'Main Event Mafia' was a faction TNA hoped would help raise the profile of the entire promotion. Forming in 2008, Kurt Angle, Kevin Nash, Booker T (with Sharmell), Scott Steiner and Sting were painted as a huge deal, all having won numerous titles down throughout the years in top promotions worldwide. It was a sound idea, but much like many factions, the stable would eventually be watered down and would lose meaning less than a year after debuting. One of the main story threads running throughout the whole ordeal was the struggle for power between Kurt Angle and Sting, and the pair would regularly collide, struggling to come to terms with who was in charge of the MEM. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcmXoSKBnYA An 'Empty Arena Match' is often something fans will chuckle at the idea of, especially when TNA are involved. Jokes were cast at the company for booking the stipulation - the general idea is that the match is going to be so brutal that fans shouldn't see it, but jokes were cracked that TNA would be as well staging events in empty arenas, because they didn't charge for tickets. What ever the case, this bout was well-worked, and had a unique feel.