Alex Shelley vs. Chris Sabin

[7.0] "This is smooth as silk and both guns pull out the... big guns here. There's no notes or negatives on the match itself but I don't think this quite got to the very top level. There was no heat between these guys and it's hard to generate that during one match so that limits this but again, smooooth. ***3/4."

[9.0] "The first truly great TNA match in ages, Sabin and Shelley put on the exact kind of spectacular high-flying, technical X-Division match that the company made its reputation on and had neglected for too long. The main selling point was the Motor City Machine Guns knowing each other inside and out, allowing for repeated scouted moves and counter-wrestling. In contrast to the "Fire Russo! " chants that had become common, this got a "This is awesome! " chant from the crowd and it was well-deserved. The only black mark was the cheap heel finish."

[8.0] "[****.25] what happens when you bring two men who know each other better than the palm of their hand and force them into a match against one another? two best friends who've been tagging for 5 years at this point? will the desperation of trying to win the x-division championship tear them apart, or will undivided respect remain? well, let's just say, alex shelley is a scumbag and i love it. faking a foot injury when sabin was about to hit a move from the top--forcing him stop to check up on his friend, only to hit him with the roll-up and get the win. textbook definition of a perfect ending. other than that, it was a very fun match. i mean, what do you expect when you have two of the best technical wrestlers in one match? the two reversing each other's moves, showing how much one knows the other, was such a good little addition to the match (but, i just wished it was included a bit more). popped every time alex hit the shell shock, but i do think sabin was the better performer in this lil bout."

[6.0] "I was hyped for this but it did not deliver for me. It was all very smooth but felt somewhat lifeless. Not helped by the fact this appears to be an all time bad crowd. I liked the sneaky finish from Sabin even though everyone and their dog could see it coming a mile away"

[8.0] "That awesome MCMG battle never gets old and ages so well, it's crazy to see this match fifteen years later and realize how technically correct & damn well crafted it still is after all these years, when wrestling is now more spotfest than anything. Innovative moves, technique, perfect execution, they really were ahead of their time and obviously a Shelley vs. Sabin match in this context (a tournament final) could only be of this level. Kinda liked the Shelley-ish finish too, very good stuff."

[8.0] "This was a great match. What's cool about it was the fact that both members of the Motor City Machine Guns were going for the vacant X-Division championship. This was about as great as you'd expect it to be, with two similar wrestlers who know each other so well, which was the story of the match. I actually liked the finish, where Shelley outsmarted Sabin by faking an injury and then rolling him up for the pin. I believe the Machine Guns were heels at the time, so a finish like this made sense. ****1/4"

[10.0] "This was brilliant, and some of the best the X-Division has ever produced. Great storytelling throughout, by two great wrestlers and a hot crowd, that made every near fall 10x better."

[8.0] "Great match with good characters, storytelling, counters, energy and all it was lacking was emotion. Things kick off with some slow and steady chain-wrestling before working their way up to a back-and-forth encounter that has the fans chanting loudly."

[9.0] "Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin go one on one and had a fantastic match, here. These two have just been impressing me more and more as I've been watching them, and this might be one of their best yet. They both pulled off some picture perfect sequences against each other. Both guys are just awesome technical wrestlers. I liked the ending as well, with Shelley pulling off the sneaky win after neither guy could put the other away clean. Great storytelling towards the end, but it's the technical work that stood out in this match. Awesome stuff."

[7.0] "There was some cool stuff in there, both dudes quite athletic, but I don't think it was that special. ***1/2"

[9.0] "One of the best matches in TNA history and there is a really high standard for that statement, despite revisionist history. The most popular tag team in the company went the singles route during this tournament to crown the new X-Division Champion after the title had been previously vacated. Sabin was already in the running for being the greatest X-Division wrestler of all time. Shelley, meanwhile, had never won singles gold in a company that he had wrestled with since 2004. The storytelling was immaculate, with both men being reluctant to go all-out on the other but also understanding of how significant this opportunity was. It was yet another match that made the X-Division Championship feel like one of the most important titles in the world. We saw Shelley display his desperation to finally achieve the validation that comes with singles gold in, at that point, the second-biggest company in the United States. We saw Sabin show how determined he was to become the greatest X-Division wrestler of all-time. There were amazing spots, cleary displays of familiarity, and the glaring need for innovation against an opponent who knows you as well as anyone in the world. And the finish was absolutely flawless. One of my favorite matches ever, with a story and in-ring execution that befits the label of a classic. 4.75 stars, 9.5 out of 10. Two of the best of their generation."

[10.0] "Absolutely loved this match, and everything that built up to it. The fact there was a full tournament for the two tag team partners to meet in the final (Which is something every commentator in ever tournament featuring two tag partners are in have eluded to), is such a cool thing to actually see happen! The final was also fantastic, Sabin and Shelley work as if they are complete equals, and Shelley, who always had less title success and success in general had to resort to cheating to get one over on his best friend. They shake hands, as they both know if it works, it's fair, and go back to teaming. Great story told, and is exactly how a mid-card belt should be booked to be interesting, but not take away from the blood fued for the main event."

[5.0] "This wasn't really anything special in my opinion, but it was a pretty good match between the 2 Motor City Machine Guns team mates in Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin. Pretty much a total X-Division exhibition w/ some cool counters & sequences. The ending with Shelley faking an injury and getting the win was pretty awesome. A pretty good match overall. **1/2"

[10.0] "Pure professional wrestling GOLD. A 21st century classic. I watched it like a hundred times and it still kicks ass. This X-Division showdown was fast-paced, had dozens of high-risk moves and extraordinary wrestling. All of the chains were executed with style, submission moves were served perfectly. The only thing that didn't impress me was the crowd. They reacted to moves, but they were silent throughout the match. But, hell, that was still a breathtaking experience. This is an absolute killer, a must-see for every pro-wrestling fan in the world."