Angle Alliance
Encyclopedia
The Angle Alliance was a heel
wrestling stable headed by Kurt Angle
(and briefly Christian Cage
on a self-proclaimed basis) in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
. For Lockdown 2008
, in the absence of Kurt from the stable's activities, Tomko
captained a subdivision under the name "Team Tomko".
assisted Angle in helping him keep the TNA World Heavyweight Championship
. Styles wanted to have the Angle Alliance and Christian's Coalition
join forces; however, Cage denied Angle's request of being his "lackey"; thus Styles and Tomko were dropped from the Coalition. After Angle offered membership to both Robert Roode and Christian, Roode quickly accepted while Cage stalled with insults towards all the members. He eventually followed suit under the condition that he became the leader, which the group apparently agreed to before Angle and Roode turned on and attacked him the same night, with Styles trying to hold them back and Tomko walking out on the scene. The next week Angle and Roode attacked Cage after the match again with Styles this time not helping his former captain. Roode was then simply phased out of the Alliance and concentrated on his own separate feud with Booker T
. In the weeks following, Styles had to decide to be in either the Angle Alliance or Christian's Coalition. Two weeks before Final Resolution on an episode of TNA impact!
, Tomko left both groups stating that he wants to be his own man.
finally decided to join the Angle Alliance, when he helped Angle retain his TNA World Heavyweight Championship
against Christian, turning on his former captain for good after being seduced by Karen
's charms and Kurt's power. On the following Impact!, A.J. was rechristened as "(the) Prince (of Phenomenal)" A.J. Styles, with fellow Alliance members Kurt, Karen, and J.B.
. After Christian came out running down A.J. and Karen, both he and Samoa Joe
, who came out next, claimed to deserve title shots. Before Joe and Christian could go down to the ring, Jim Cornette
interrupted and announced a 3-way #1 contender's match between Christian, Joe, and A.J. (where if A.J. won, he could have an option to have a match with Kurt Angle and get Angle two months off from defending the world title until the April Lockdown PPV). Christian, however, won and earned the title match at February's Against All Odds. Angle then went on to attempt to get Tomko back in the Alliance. In the process, however, he insulted his wife. Tomko went on to brutally beat up Angle throughout the Impact Zone, then to defeat him in a one-on-one match with Styles as the referee and with assistance from Cage - at which point the Alliance now had drawn the simultaneous ire of both Christian Cage and Tomko. At the pay per view, Tomko made his decision: he interfered on Angle's behalf, cementing his place in the Alliance and costing Christian his last title opportunity. On the following edition of Impact!, Tomko confirmed his membership in the stable, although he made it clear that he would do what he wanted and he was looking out for his own best interest not Angle's.
After losing to Christian, Joe, and Kevin Nash
at Destination X, Tomko was told to captain a four-man team against a team headed by Christian Cage for the Lethal Lockdown match at the upcoming Lockdown pay-per-view event. Tomko's team was quickly established as A.J. and Team 3D. In the middle of this, Angle appeared to show support to Team Tomko, making 3D members-by-proxy of the Angle Alliance. Eventually James Storm
was added to Team Tomko by Team Cage's secret fifth member, Matt Morgan, who revealed his true stripes at the end of the same night.
. As Samoa Joe
and Kevin Nash
interrupted Kurt and Karen's renewal of the vows, chasing Kurt off and stripping him nearly naked in the Impact Zone, Styles, whose school boy crush on Karen due to her seductions was the basis for him even being a member of the Angle Alliance, was literally thrown into wedlock with her, effectively making him her (kayfabe) second husband. Since then, Kurt has been at odds with Karen, Kurt feeling that Karen was becoming an embarrassment and a distraction, and showed little to no respect for Styles' crush on her whenever he tried to mend the fences. This also put a strain on Styles and Tomko as a tag team
, as Tomko often wanted to keep focused while Styles was distracted with Karen.
This (and any camaraderie or storyline between the Alliance members other than Styles and Tomko's tag team) was only briefly referenced coming into Lockdown, as Karen wasn't making any appearances, Kurt was focused on his title match with Samoa Joe, and A.J. and Tomko focused on captaining Team Tomko against the new Team Cage.
to Samoa Joe, and Team Tomko was defeated by Team Cage with neither A.J. or Tomko involved in the decision.
After Lockdown, Styles and Tomko lost the TNA World Tag Team Championship
to Eric Young
and Kaz
in a controversy involving Young and his "Super Eric" alter-ego, under which he pinned Styles, not recognizing each other as one and the same. This resulted in the championships being vacated. Tomko was not seen having any communication with Kurt Angle, and as he was away in Japan (figurative kayfabe
; he was actually suspended for going there earlier in the midst of the Lockdown storyline and no-showing TNA's pre-Lockdown Fanfest), Styles tried to bring Karen to the Impact Zone, but Kurt had them thrown out as soon as he caught wind of it.
Meanwhile, the associates from the instantly dissolved Team Tomko would actually expand, as Storm would align himself with former Alliance member Robert Roode, forming what eventually became Beer Money, Inc.
, though when Styles needed a partner after Tomko was injured in a shoot fight in Japan (extended kayfabe
for the suspension), both Storm and Roode refused. Styles would align with the fan favorite
Super Eric
instead. After Tomko returned from Japan and questioned Styles once again, A.J. had enough of the constant grilling and quit the Angle Alliance.
Accusing Styles of stealing Karen away whilst having no proof, Kurt Angle and Tomko then aligned with Team 3D as part of a loose collective of "bad guys" which at times had also included mostly every single important public enemy on the TNA roster at the time, most frequently Booker T
, Johnny Devine
, The Beautiful People
(Angelina Love and Velvet Sky
) and Kurt's mixed martial artist
friend Frank Trigg
. Tomko later left TNA and came back for one last appearance, while Kurt eventually moved on to form a pact with several wrestling legends within TNA, creating the stable known as the Main Event Mafia
.
The Angle Alliance had a one night reunion on the December 17th edition of Impact! in what was supposed to be a 10 man tag team match with Bobby Lashley and Abyss
but ended up turning into essentially a 3-on-2 handicap match against the British Invasion
after Lashley and Abyss took off with their then-rivals Scott Steiner
, Dr. Stevie and Raven
. Tomko, Angle, and Styles ended up winning the match after Styles pinned Brutus Magnus
with a small package, only for Styles and Angle to be attacked afterward by Christopher Daniels
and Desmond Wolfe respectively.
Heel
In human anatomy, the heel is the prominence at the posterior end of the foot. It is based on the projection of one bone, the calcaneus or heel bone, behind the articulation of the bones of the lower leg.- Human anatomy :...
wrestling stable headed by Kurt Angle
Kurt Angle
Kurt Steven Angle is an American professional wrestler, amateur wrestler, and 1996 Olympic gold medalist. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he is recognized as a 15-time World Heavyweight Champion...
(and briefly Christian Cage
Jason Reso
William Jason Reso is a Canadian professional wrestler and actor, better known by his ring names Christian and Christian Cage...
on a self-proclaimed basis) in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling is a privately held professional wrestling promotion founded by Jeff Jarrett and Jerry Jarrett. The company broadcasts its events on television and the Internet fifty two weeks a year with over a million weekly viewers on its primary television program, Impact...
. For Lockdown 2008
Lockdown (2008)
Lockdown was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , which took place on April 13, 2008 at the Tsongas Arena in Lowell, Massachusetts. It was the fourth annual event under the Lockdown chronology. Eight professional wrestling matches were featured...
, in the absence of Kurt from the stable's activities, Tomko
Travis Tomko
Travis David Tomko is an American professional wrestler, known by his ring name Tomko, who most recently worked for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he previously was a member of Christian's Coalition and the Angle Alliance and often worked alongside A.J. Styles. He was also notable for his...
captained a subdivision under the name "Team Tomko".
Initial Formation
The formation took place at Genesis when A.J. Styles and TomkoA.J. Styles and Tomko
A.J. Styles and Tomko are former tag team partners in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling who were a part of two factions together, Christian's Coalition and the Angle Alliance....
assisted Angle in helping him keep the TNA World Heavyweight Championship
TNA World Heavyweight Championship
The TNA World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship owned by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling promotion. It is currently the highest ranked championship in TNA and is primarily defended in TNA's heavyweight division...
. Styles wanted to have the Angle Alliance and Christian's Coalition
Christian's Coalition
Christian's Coalition / Team Cage was a villainous professional wrestling faction in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling led by Christian Cage...
join forces; however, Cage denied Angle's request of being his "lackey"; thus Styles and Tomko were dropped from the Coalition. After Angle offered membership to both Robert Roode and Christian, Roode quickly accepted while Cage stalled with insults towards all the members. He eventually followed suit under the condition that he became the leader, which the group apparently agreed to before Angle and Roode turned on and attacked him the same night, with Styles trying to hold them back and Tomko walking out on the scene. The next week Angle and Roode attacked Cage after the match again with Styles this time not helping his former captain. Roode was then simply phased out of the Alliance and concentrated on his own separate feud with Booker T
Booker Huffman
Robert Booker Tio Huffman , better known by his ring name Booker T, is a semi-retired American professional wrestler and currently signed to WWE, on its SmackDown brand, as part of the announcing team. Booker is best known for his time in both the World Wrestling Entertainment and World...
. In the weeks following, Styles had to decide to be in either the Angle Alliance or Christian's Coalition. Two weeks before Final Resolution on an episode of TNA impact!
TNA iMPACT!
Impact Wrestling is a professional wrestling television program for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling that currently airs in the United States and Canada on Spike...
, Tomko left both groups stating that he wants to be his own man.
Turning on Christian
At Final Resolution, A.J. StylesA.J. Styles
Allen Neal Jones , better known by his ring name A.J. Styles is an American professional wrestler currently working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
finally decided to join the Angle Alliance, when he helped Angle retain his TNA World Heavyweight Championship
TNA World Heavyweight Championship
The TNA World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship owned by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling promotion. It is currently the highest ranked championship in TNA and is primarily defended in TNA's heavyweight division...
against Christian, turning on his former captain for good after being seduced by Karen
Karen Angle
Karen Jarrett is an American professional wrestling valet and personality, currently working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
's charms and Kurt's power. On the following Impact!, A.J. was rechristened as "(the) Prince (of Phenomenal)" A.J. Styles, with fellow Alliance members Kurt, Karen, and J.B.
Jeremy Borash
Jeremy Borash , is an American professional wrestling play-by-play commentator, announcer, ring announcer, booker, interviewer, producer and website designer...
. After Christian came out running down A.J. and Karen, both he and Samoa Joe
Samoa Joe
Nuufolau Joel "Joe" Seanoa is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Samoa Joe. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling....
, who came out next, claimed to deserve title shots. Before Joe and Christian could go down to the ring, Jim Cornette
Jim Cornette
James Mark "Jim" Cornette is an American professional wrestling manager, commentator, promoter, and booker. As a manager, he has worked for Jim Crockett Promotions, World Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Federation and from 1991 to 1995, was the owner of Smoky Mountain Wrestling...
interrupted and announced a 3-way #1 contender's match between Christian, Joe, and A.J. (where if A.J. won, he could have an option to have a match with Kurt Angle and get Angle two months off from defending the world title until the April Lockdown PPV). Christian, however, won and earned the title match at February's Against All Odds. Angle then went on to attempt to get Tomko back in the Alliance. In the process, however, he insulted his wife. Tomko went on to brutally beat up Angle throughout the Impact Zone, then to defeat him in a one-on-one match with Styles as the referee and with assistance from Cage - at which point the Alliance now had drawn the simultaneous ire of both Christian Cage and Tomko. At the pay per view, Tomko made his decision: he interfered on Angle's behalf, cementing his place in the Alliance and costing Christian his last title opportunity. On the following edition of Impact!, Tomko confirmed his membership in the stable, although he made it clear that he would do what he wanted and he was looking out for his own best interest not Angle's.
After losing to Christian, Joe, and Kevin Nash
Kevin Nash
Kevin Scott Nash is an American professional wrestler and actor. As of 2011, Nash is signed to a five year contract with WWE under their WWE Legends program and appears as part of their Raw brand roster...
at Destination X, Tomko was told to captain a four-man team against a team headed by Christian Cage for the Lethal Lockdown match at the upcoming Lockdown pay-per-view event. Tomko's team was quickly established as A.J. and Team 3D. In the middle of this, Angle appeared to show support to Team Tomko, making 3D members-by-proxy of the Angle Alliance. Eventually James Storm
James Storm
James Allen Cox is an American professional wrestler who competes under the ring name "The Cowboy" James Storm. Since 2002, Storm has been employed by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he, along with A.J...
was added to Team Tomko by Team Cage's secret fifth member, Matt Morgan, who revealed his true stripes at the end of the same night.
Setup for the breakdown
Since the night Tomko officially rejoined the Angle Alliance after Against All Odds, tensions already started developing involving Karen AngleKaren Angle
Karen Jarrett is an American professional wrestling valet and personality, currently working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
. As Samoa Joe
Samoa Joe
Nuufolau Joel "Joe" Seanoa is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Samoa Joe. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling....
and Kevin Nash
Kevin Nash
Kevin Scott Nash is an American professional wrestler and actor. As of 2011, Nash is signed to a five year contract with WWE under their WWE Legends program and appears as part of their Raw brand roster...
interrupted Kurt and Karen's renewal of the vows, chasing Kurt off and stripping him nearly naked in the Impact Zone, Styles, whose school boy crush on Karen due to her seductions was the basis for him even being a member of the Angle Alliance, was literally thrown into wedlock with her, effectively making him her (kayfabe) second husband. Since then, Kurt has been at odds with Karen, Kurt feeling that Karen was becoming an embarrassment and a distraction, and showed little to no respect for Styles' crush on her whenever he tried to mend the fences. This also put a strain on Styles and Tomko as a tag team
A.J. Styles and Tomko
A.J. Styles and Tomko are former tag team partners in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling who were a part of two factions together, Christian's Coalition and the Angle Alliance....
, as Tomko often wanted to keep focused while Styles was distracted with Karen.
This (and any camaraderie or storyline between the Alliance members other than Styles and Tomko's tag team) was only briefly referenced coming into Lockdown, as Karen wasn't making any appearances, Kurt was focused on his title match with Samoa Joe, and A.J. and Tomko focused on captaining Team Tomko against the new Team Cage.
The Alliance's Breakdown
At Lockdown, Kurt Angle was met by his wife Karen, who he promptly proceeded to throw out of the building so as to avoid any distractions. In the double main events, Angle lost his TNA World Heavyweight ChampionshipTNA World Heavyweight Championship
The TNA World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship owned by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling promotion. It is currently the highest ranked championship in TNA and is primarily defended in TNA's heavyweight division...
to Samoa Joe, and Team Tomko was defeated by Team Cage with neither A.J. or Tomko involved in the decision.
After Lockdown, Styles and Tomko lost the TNA World Tag Team Championship
TNA World Tag Team Championship
The TNA World Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling world tag team championship owned by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling promotion. It is primarily contested within TNA's tag team division. It was created and debuted on May 14, 2007 at the taping of TNA's primary television program,...
to Eric Young
Eric Young (wrestler)
Jeremy Fritz is a Canadian professional wrestler, best known under his ring name Eric Young. He currently performs for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he has gained popularity using a variety of comic relief gimmicks....
and Kaz
Frankie Kazarian
Frank B. Gerdelman is an Armenian-American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Frankie Kazarian or simply Kazarian. He is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
in a controversy involving Young and his "Super Eric" alter-ego, under which he pinned Styles, not recognizing each other as one and the same. This resulted in the championships being vacated. Tomko was not seen having any communication with Kurt Angle, and as he was away in Japan (figurative kayfabe
Kayfabe
In professional wrestling, kayfabe is the portrayal of events within the industry as "real" or "true". Specifically, the portrayal of professional wrestling, in particular the competition and rivalries between participants, as being genuine or not of a worked nature...
; he was actually suspended for going there earlier in the midst of the Lockdown storyline and no-showing TNA's pre-Lockdown Fanfest), Styles tried to bring Karen to the Impact Zone, but Kurt had them thrown out as soon as he caught wind of it.
Meanwhile, the associates from the instantly dissolved Team Tomko would actually expand, as Storm would align himself with former Alliance member Robert Roode, forming what eventually became Beer Money, Inc.
Beer Money, Inc.
Beer Money, Inc. was a professional wrestling tag team consisting of Robert "Bobby" Roode and James Storm in the professional wrestling promotion Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , where they are former four-time TNA World Tag Team Champions, while also holding the record for the longest reign as...
, though when Styles needed a partner after Tomko was injured in a shoot fight in Japan (extended kayfabe
Kayfabe
In professional wrestling, kayfabe is the portrayal of events within the industry as "real" or "true". Specifically, the portrayal of professional wrestling, in particular the competition and rivalries between participants, as being genuine or not of a worked nature...
for the suspension), both Storm and Roode refused. Styles would align with the fan favorite
Face (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a babyface or face or in simple words, a fan favorite is a character who is portrayed as a heroic relative to the heel wrestlers, who are analogous to villains...
Super Eric
Eric Young (wrestler)
Jeremy Fritz is a Canadian professional wrestler, best known under his ring name Eric Young. He currently performs for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he has gained popularity using a variety of comic relief gimmicks....
instead. After Tomko returned from Japan and questioned Styles once again, A.J. had enough of the constant grilling and quit the Angle Alliance.
Accusing Styles of stealing Karen away whilst having no proof, Kurt Angle and Tomko then aligned with Team 3D as part of a loose collective of "bad guys" which at times had also included mostly every single important public enemy on the TNA roster at the time, most frequently Booker T
Booker Huffman
Robert Booker Tio Huffman , better known by his ring name Booker T, is a semi-retired American professional wrestler and currently signed to WWE, on its SmackDown brand, as part of the announcing team. Booker is best known for his time in both the World Wrestling Entertainment and World...
, Johnny Devine
Johnny Devine
John Peter "J.P." Parsonage is a Canadian professional wrestler, better known by his ring name "Hot Shot" Johnny Devine...
, The Beautiful People
The Beautiful People (professional wrestling)
The Beautiful People was an alliance of professional wrestlers that appeared in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , consisting of Angelina Love, Velvet Sky, Cute Kip, Madison Rayne and Lacey Von Erich. The stable was known for their narcissistic gimmick, and holding the TNA Women's Knockout...
(Angelina Love and Velvet Sky
Velvet Sky
Jamie Szantyr is an American professional wrestler currently working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling under the ring name Velvet Sky. She is a former TNA Women's Knockout Champion and TNA Knockouts Tag Team Champion with her former Beautiful People partners Madison Rayne and Lacey Von Erich...
) and Kurt's mixed martial artist
Mixed martial arts
Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...
friend Frank Trigg
Frank Trigg
Dewey Franklin Trigg III is an American mixed martial artist, color commentator, pro wrestler and co-host of MMAWeekly radio show and TAGG radio show...
. Tomko later left TNA and came back for one last appearance, while Kurt eventually moved on to form a pact with several wrestling legends within TNA, creating the stable known as the Main Event Mafia
The Main Event Mafia
The Main Event Mafia was a heel stable in the professional wrestling promotion Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
.
The Angle Alliance had a one night reunion on the December 17th edition of Impact! in what was supposed to be a 10 man tag team match with Bobby Lashley and Abyss
Chris Parks
Christopher J. "Chris" Parks , better known by his ring name "The Monster" Abyss, is an American professional wrestler currently working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
but ended up turning into essentially a 3-on-2 handicap match against the British Invasion
The British Invasion (professional wrestling)
The British Invasion is a professional wrestling alliance in the American promotion Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , currently consisting of English wrestlers Douglas Williams and Magnus. The group previously also included their Welsh enforcer Rob Terry...
after Lashley and Abyss took off with their then-rivals Scott Steiner
Scott Steiner
Scott Carl Rechsteiner is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Scott Steiner. Steiner is perhaps best known for his appearances with World Championship Wrestling alongside his older brother Rick as the Steiner Brothers and as a member of the New World Order...
, Dr. Stevie and Raven
Scott Levy
Scott Anthony Levy , better known by his ring name Raven, is an American professional wrestler, wrestling producer, wrestling writer, and occasional author and actor currently working for Juggalo Championship Wrestling , where he is co-holder of the JCW Tag Team Championship, as well as other...
. Tomko, Angle, and Styles ended up winning the match after Styles pinned Brutus Magnus
Nick Aldis
Nicholas Harry "Nick" Aldis is an English professional wrestler and actor. He is currently working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling under the ring name Magnus, where he is a one time World Tag Team Champion with Doug Williams...
with a small package, only for Styles and Angle to be attacked afterward by Christopher Daniels
Christopher Daniels
Daniel Christopher Covell is an American professional wrestler, best known in the United States by his ring name "The Fallen Angel" Christopher Daniels. He is also known for performing under the ring name Curry Man. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , while also...
and Desmond Wolfe respectively.
Championships and accomplishments
- Total Nonstop Action WrestlingTotal Nonstop Action WrestlingTotal Nonstop Action Wrestling is a privately held professional wrestling promotion founded by Jeff Jarrett and Jerry Jarrett. The company broadcasts its events on television and the Internet fifty two weeks a year with over a million weekly viewers on its primary television program, Impact...
- TNA World Heavyweight ChampionshipTNA World Heavyweight ChampionshipThe TNA World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship owned by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling promotion. It is currently the highest ranked championship in TNA and is primarily defended in TNA's heavyweight division...
- Kurt AngleKurt AngleKurt Steven Angle is an American professional wrestler, amateur wrestler, and 1996 Olympic gold medalist. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he is recognized as a 15-time World Heavyweight Champion...
(1 timeTNA World Heavyweight ChampionshipThe TNA World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship owned by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling promotion. It is currently the highest ranked championship in TNA and is primarily defended in TNA's heavyweight division...
) - TNA World Tag Team ChampionshipTNA World Tag Team ChampionshipThe TNA World Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling world tag team championship owned by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling promotion. It is primarily contested within TNA's tag team division. It was created and debuted on May 14, 2007 at the taping of TNA's primary television program,...
- A.J. Styles and TomkoA.J. Styles and TomkoA.J. Styles and Tomko are former tag team partners in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling who were a part of two factions together, Christian's Coalition and the Angle Alliance....
(1 timeTNA World Tag Team ChampionshipThe TNA World Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling world tag team championship owned by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling promotion. It is primarily contested within TNA's tag team division. It was created and debuted on May 14, 2007 at the taping of TNA's primary television program,...
)
External links
- Kurt Angle Profile at Online World Of Wrestling