2004 TNA World X Cup Tournament

History

America's X Cup Tournament was used somewhat as a preview for the World X Cup Tournament. America's X Cup featured four Teams: Team USA (representing the National Wrestling Alliance/Total Nonstop Action Wrestling), Team Canada, Team Mexico (representing AAA), and Team Britain. The concept of America's X Cup was that it was to be defended by Team USA against challengers from around the world. In an upsetting turn of events for Team USA, Team Mexico virtually dominated the international competition and ended up being the eventual winners of America's X Cup.

Rules

The competition is divided into four rounds.

• In Round One, there will be a gauntlet involving all 16 wrestlers. The winner gets three points for their respective team. The runner-up gets one point for their respective team.
• In Round Two, there are two tag team matches. The winners get two points for their respective teams.
• In Round Three, there will be a Ladder match involving 1 member from each team. The winner gets four points for their respective teams.
• In Round Four, there will be an Ultimate X match involving 1 member from the top 3 teams. (The team in last place is eliminated). The winner gets five points for their respective team.
• In the event of a tie, the captains of the two teams will compete in a singles match in order to determine the champion.

Teams and Members

• Team TNA
  • USA Jerry Lynn (Captain)
  • USA Christopher Daniels
  • USA Chris Sabin
  • USA Elix Skipper
• Team Canada
  • CAN Petey Williams (Captain)
  • CAN Johnny Devine
  • CAN Bobby Roode
  • CAN Eric Young
• Team Mexico
  • MEX Héctor Garza (Captain)
  • MEX Abismo Negro
  • MEX Heavy Metal
  • MEX Mr. Águila
• Team Japan
  • JPN NOSAWA (Captain)
  • JPN Ryuji Hijikata
  • JPN Mitsu Hirai Jr.
  • JPN Taichi Ishikari

Preview Matches

• TNA Weekly PPV 91: April 28, 2004
  • USA Team TNA defeated MEX Team Mexico
• TNA Weekly PPV 92: May 5, 2004
  • CAN Team Canada defeated USA Team TNA
• TNA Weekly PPV 93: May 12, 2004
  • CAN Team Canada's Bobby Roode & Petey Williams defeated MEX Team Mexico's Héctor Garza & Abismo Negro
• TNA Weekly PPV 94: May 19, 2004
  • USA Team TNA's Jerry Lynn defeated CAN Team Canada's Bobby Roode
  • MEX Team Mexico defeated JPN Team Japan

Results

Round One (The Gauntlet) - 3 Points

• TNA Weekly PPV 95: May 26, 2004
  • 16-man Gauntlet: MEX Team Mexico's Héctor Garza was the last remaining competitor, thus winning the match. USA Team TNA's Elix Skipper was the runner-up, thus earning Team TNA one point.

Round Two (Tag Team Matches) - 2 Points

• TNA Weekly PPV 95: May 26, 2004
  • USA Team TNA's (Christopher Daniels and Elix Skipper) defeated CAN Team Canada's (Bobby Roode and Johnny Devine)
  • JPN Team Japan's (Ryuji Hijikata and Mitsu Hirai Jr.) defeated MEX Team Mexico's (Abismo Negro and Heavy Metal)

Round Three (Ladder Match) - 4 Points

• TNA Weekly PPV 95: May 26, 2004
  • CAN Team Canada's Eric Young defeated USA Team TNA's Jerry Lynn, MEX Team Mexico's Mr. Águila and JPN Team Japan's Taichi Ishikari

Round Four (Ultimate X Match) - 5 Points

• TNA Weekly PPV 95: May 26, 2004
  • USA Team TNA's Chris Sabin defeated CAN Team Canada's Petey Williams and MEX Team Mexico's Héctor Garza

Standings

World X Cup Events

The World X Cup Tournament began almost immediately after Team AAA was decisively victorious in America's X Cup Tournament. Team Britain departed from TNA after America's X Cup ended, and Team Japan was brought in to fill the gap. Several Team changes were also made during the World X Cup. Team Mexico's Captain, Juventud Guerrera, was released from TNA after an in-ring accident involving Team USA's Captain, Jerry Lynn. Hector Garza took Guerrera's place as the Team Captain during the end of America's X Cup and the entire duration of the World X Cup. Jack Evans and Teddy Hart both departed from TNA. Jack Evans' departure was due to TNA and Ring of Honor cutting ties in 2004 amidst Rob Feinstein's pedophilia scandal, while Teddy Hart was released from the company following an altercation at a restaurant with CM Punk stemming from an ROH show, where Sabu had to separate the two. Teddy, the former captain of Team Canada, was replaced by Eric Young, while Jack Evans would be replaced by Bobby Roode. In addition, Petey Williams would be named the new captain of Team Canada by their "coach", Scott D'Amore

Despite a strong showing from Team Mexico during America's X Cup events, Team USA enjoyed the majority of the success during the World X Cup. Team Japan was eventually eliminated from the tournament and it came down to the United States vs. Canada vs. Mexico in an Ultimate X match. Representing Team Canada was "The Canadian Destroyer" Captain Petey Williams. Representing Team Mexico was Captain Hector Garza. Despite the fact that both Canada and Mexico used their Team Captains for the Ultimate X match, Team USA was represented by Captain Jerry Lynn's hand-picked selection, Chris Sabin. This proved to be a wise decision for Team USA, as Sabin was able to defeat Williams and Garza and win the World X Cup Tournament for Team USA and the NWA/TNA.