Feast or Fired

Homicide and Curry Man compete in the 2008 Feast or Fired match at Final Resolution. Curry Man claimed the briefcase shown in this picture, which contained a pink slip and resulted in his firing.

Feast or Fired is a professional wrestling match concept featured in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. The idea is based on the object on a pole match, which sees wrestlers trying to gain possession of items hanging from poles attached to the ring posts. In this case, the participants in the match try to grab one of four briefcases from the poles. In the match itself, a wrestler can only claim a briefcase if he/she leaves the ring with it and both feet touch the floor.

Stipulations

[edit]

Inside each of the briefcases is some sort of paperwork. One of the cases holds a contract for an TNA World Championship match, one holds a contract for an TNA X Division Championship match, and one holds a contract for an TNA World Tag Team Championship match (with a partner of that wrestler's choosing). The fourth and final briefcase contains a pink slip, which fires the wrestler carrying it.[1] In later years, alternate titles were used as options in place of the X Division Title—the TNA King of the Mountain Championship in 2016 and the TNA Digital Media Championship in 2023.

The winners of the briefcases do not reveal what is in them that night. Instead, they are revealed in a segment on a later episode of Impact!. Before the contents of the cases are revealed, each wrestler is given a choice to keep their case or forfeit it, which protects the wrestler from being fired, but also gives up any potential title match.

Once a wrestler wins a briefcase, it may be (and has been) defended in matches similar to the way championships are.

The allocated time period during which a wrestler must invoke their title opportunity has not been explicitly stated, all that has been said is that the title opportunity can be invoked "anywhere, anytime", making it similar in fashion to the WWE Money in the Bank ladder match contract, which lasts for one year.

Matches

[edit]
Year Title
(Date) 		Winner Other competitor(s) Time
2007 Turning Point
(December 2) 		Scott Steiner (Case 2 – World Title match) (11:54)
Petey Williams (Case 4 – X Division Title match) (03:04)
B.G. James (Case 1 – Tag Team Title match) (04:53)
Senshi (Case 3 – Pink Slip) (06:27) 		Shark Boy, Lance Hoyt, Christopher Daniels, Elix Skipper, Homicide, Hernandez, Kip James, Jimmy Rave, Chris Harris, and Sonjay Dutt[2] 11:55
  • On the December 13 episode of TNA Impact!, Steiner beat Williams, James, and Daniels. Following the match, Jim Cornette offered him $50,000 for his briefcase, which he refused. Steiner then switched briefcases with Williams (who ended up with Steiner's original case which was a World Title match), stating afterwards he would get his original briefcase back the next week. At Against All Odds, Steiner defeated Williams to win both briefcases, after a distraction from an unknown woman later introduced as Rhaka Khan. On the April 17, 2008 episode of Impact!, Steiner issued an open challenge, which Williams answered. Williams lost after interference by Khan. Steiner would later form an alliance with Williams and give him the X Division briefcase.
  • On the December 6, 2007 episode of Impact!, Christopher Daniels defeated Senshi with Elix Skipper as special guest referee to win his briefcase, which turned out to contain the pink slip, resulting in Daniels being fired. (Kayfabe)
2008 Final Resolution
(December 7) 		Hernandez (Case 4 – World Title match) (03:53)
Homicide (Case 1 – X Division Title match) (09:33)
Jay Lethal (Case 2 –Tag Team Title match) (12:10)
Curry Man (Case 3 – Pink Slip) (06:31) 		Alex Shelley, Chris Sabin, Jimmy Rave, Lance Rock, Sonjay Dutt, B.G. James, Consequences Creed, Cute Kip and Shark Boy. 12:10
  • On the April 30 edition of Impact, Hernandez had his briefcase stolen by the debuting British Invasion but, won it back from Rob Terry at Hard Justice.
  • On the April 30 edition of Impact, Homicide had his briefcase stolen by the debuting British Invasion but, won it back from Douglas Williams in a ladder match on the July 9, 2009 episode of Impact!
  • Curry Man was fired. (Kayfabe)
2009 Final Resolution
(December 20) 		Samoa Joe (Case 3 – World Title match) (09:20)
Rob Terry (Case 4 – X Division Title match) (05:00)
Kevin Nash (Case 1 – Tag Team Title match) (07:14)
Sheik Abdul Bashir (Case 2 – Pink Slip) (04:47) 		Robert Roode, James Storm, Global Champion Eric Young, Homicide, Kiyoshi, Cody Deaner, Jay Lethal, and Consequences Creed 11:00
  • On the January 19, 2010 episode of Impact!, Terry was forced by his British Invasion teammates to give his briefcase to Doug Williams.
  • Bashir was fired. (Legit)
2013 Impact Wrestling
(December 12) 		Gunner (Case 1 – World Title match) (14:11)
Zema Ion (Case 2 – X Division Title match) (08:39)
Ethan Carter III (Case 3 – Tag Team Title match) (02:06)
Chavo Guerrero (Case 4 – Pink Slip) (12:19) 		X Division Champion Austin Aries, Chris Sabin, Curry Man, Dewey Barnes, James Storm, Norv Fernum, Hernandez and Samoa Joe. 14:11
  • Gunner defended the briefcase against James Storm on the December 26, 2013 episode of Impact Wrestling. The match ended in a double countout, enabling Gunner to retain the case.
  • Gunner successfully defended the briefcase in a Briefcase on a Pole match against James Storm on January 16, 2014 at Impact Wrestling: Genesis (aired on January 23).
  • Gunner successfully defended the briefcase in a tag team match with James Storm against Bad Influence during the January 30 broadcast of Impact Wrestling
  • Gunner successfully defended his briefcase, and won Carter's Tag Team Championship briefcase in a tag team ladder match on January 31, 2014. Gunner teamed with James Storm, while Carter teamed with Magnus. Later, Gunner would give the Tag Team Championship briefcase to Storm. The match aired on the February 13, 2014 broadcast of Impact Wrestling.
  • Guerrero was fired. (Legit)[3]
2015 Impact Wrestling
(aired January 23) 		Austin Aries (Case 1 – World Title match) (05:45)
Rockstar Spud (Case 4 – X Division Title match) (04:20)
Magnus (Case 3 – Tag Team Title match) (07:43)
Velvet Sky (Case 2 – Pink Slip) (01:17) 		Crazzy Steve, Samuel Shaw, Gunner, Jessie Godderz, DJ Z, Robbie E, Davey Richards, Eddie Edwards and Bram 07:43
  • On the August 28, 2015 taping of Impact Wrestling, GFW co-founders Jeff and Karen Jarrett invoked Magnus' briefcase because he was part of their roster and gave his title match to Brian Myers and Trevor Lee.
  • Sky was at ringside in support of Robbie E, and climbed up to grab the case on his behalf. Since she was the one who grabbed the case, she was the one who was fired. (Kayfabe)[4]
2016 Impact Wrestling
(aired January 26) 		Drew Galloway (Case 1 – World Title match) (10:07)
Eli Drake (Case 4 – King of the Mountain Title match) (12:38)
James Storm (Case 3 – Tag Team Title match) (16:06)
Grado (Case 2 – Pink Slip) (04:16) 		Bobby Roode, Robbie E, Aiden O'Shea, King of the Mountain Champion Eric Young, Bram, Jessie Godderz, Chris Melendez and Rockstar Spud[1] 16:06
  • Grado was fired (kayfabe), but it was later revealed that Drake had peeked into his case before they were supposed to be opened, and may have switched the contents of his case with Grado's. After posting video evidence of this, Grado was given a chance to win his job back if he could beat Drake in a ladder match with a new contract at stake, which he did on March 16.[5]
2018 Impact!
(taped January 13, aired March 15 and 22) 		Moose (Case 4 – World Title match)
Petey Williams (Case 2 – X Division Title match)
Eli Drake (Case 1 – Tag Team Title match)
Ethan Carter III (Case 3 – Pink Slip) 		Rohit Raju, Taiji Ishimori, Trevor Lee, Caleb Konley, KM and Tyrus 17:50
  • Eli Drake defeated Moose to win his briefcase in a Case vs. Case match (aired April 12)
  • Ethan Carter III was fired. (Legit)
2023 Impact 1000
(taped September 9, 2023, aired September, 14, 2023) 		Moose (Case 2 - World Title match) (13:34)
Crazzy Steve (Case 1 - Digital Media Title match) (06:17)
Chris Bey (Case 3 - Tag Team Title match) (02:54)
Yuya Uemura (Case 4 - Pink Slip) (09:45) 		Alpha Bravo, Bhupinder Gujjar, Black Taurus, Brian Myers, Heath, Jai Vidal, Joe Hendry, Johnny Swinger, John Skyler, Jonathan Gresham, Kevin Knight, Kushida, Laredo Kid, PCO, Sami Callihan, and Steve Maclin 13:34
  • Yuya Uemura was fired. (Legit)

Feast or Fired Cash-in Matches

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Record

[edit]
Championship Wins Losses Total
World Heavyweight/Global Championship 2 6 8
Digital Media Championship 0 1 1
King of the Mountain Championship 1 0 1
Tag Team Championship 7 1 8
X Division Championship 4 2 6

Matches

[edit]
# Case Holder Championship Event Title Opportunity Invoking Date Results
1 B.G. James Tag Team Against All Odds February 10, 2008 James and his partner Bullet Bob Armstrong lost to TNA World Tag Team Champions A.J. Styles and Tomko
2 Petey Williams X Division Impact! April 17, 2008 Williams defeated Jay Lethal to become the new TNA X Division Champion
3 Scott Steiner World Heavyweight Sacrifice May 11, 2008 Steiner lost to TNA World Heavyweight Champion Samoa Joe
4 Jay Lethal Tag Team Impact! December 16, 2008 Lethal and his partner Consequences Creed defeated Beer Money, Inc. (Robert Roode and James Storm) to become the new TNA World Tag Team Champions
5 Homicide X Division Impact! June 25, 2009 Homicide defeated Suicide to become the new TNA X Division Champion
6 Hernandez World Heavyweight Impact!


No Surrender 		January 15, 2009


September 20, 2009 		Hernandez invoked his title opportunity vs Sting and won via disqualification due to outside interference by the Main Event Mafia. Due to the disqualification, TNA Managing Partner Mick Foley returned the briefcase to Hernandez, allowing him a second chance.

Hernandez lost to A.J. Styles, who would become the new TNA World Heavyweight Champion, in a five-way match also involving the former TNA World Heavyweight Champion Kurt Angle, Matt Morgan and Sting
7 Doug Williams X Division Impact! January 19, 2010 Williams defeated Amazing Red to win the TNA X Division Championship
8 Samoa Joe World Heavyweight Against All Odds February 14, 2010 Joe was defeated by TNA World Heavyweight Champion A.J. Styles in a No Disqualification match with Eric Bischoff as the special guest referee
9 Kevin Nash Tag Team Impact! May 4, 2010 Nash and his partner Scott Hall defeated Matt Morgan to become the new TNA World Tag Team Champions
10 Zema Ion X Division Impact Wrestling January 30, 2014 Ion was defeated by TNA X Division Champion Austin Aries.
Aired February 6, 2014.
11 Gunner World Heavyweight Impact Wrestling January 31, 2014 Gunner was defeated by TNA World Heavyweight Champion Magnus.
Aired February 20, 2014.
12 James Storm Tag Team Impact Wrestling September 19, 2014 James Storm and his partner Abyss defeated The Wolves (Davey Richards and Eddie Edwards) to become the new TNA World Tag Team Champions.
Aired November 12, 2014.
13 Rockstar Spud X Division Impact Wrestling January 31, 2015 Spud defeated Low Ki to win the TNA X Division Championship.
Aired March 20, 2015.
14 Austin Aries World Heavyweight Destination X May 11, 2015 Aries was defeated by TNA World Heavyweight Champion Kurt Angle.
Aired June 10, 2015.
15 GFW Tag Team Impact Wrestling July 28, 2015 Brian Myers and Trevor Lee defeated The Wolves (Eddie Edwards and Davey Richards) to win the TNA World Tag Team Championship.
Aired September 2, 2015.
16 James Storm Tag Team Impact Wrestling January 31, 2016 Beer Money (James Storm and Bobby Roode) defeated The Wolves (Davey Richards and Eddie Edwards) to win the TNA World Tag Team Championship.
Aired on March 8.
17 Drew Galloway World Heavyweight Impact Wrestling March 15, 2016 Galloway defeated Matt Hardy to win the TNA World Heavyweight Championship.
18 Eli Drake King of the Mountain Impact Wrestling April 23, 2016 Drake defeated Bram to win the TNA King of the Mountain Championship.
Aired May 31, 2016.
19 Eli Drake Tag Team Redemption April 22, 2018 Drake and his partner Scott Steiner defeated LAX (Santana and Ortiz) to win the Impact World Tag Team Championships[6]
20 Petey Williams X Division Redemption April 22, 2018 Williams was defeated by X Division Champion Matt Sydal.
21 Eli Drake Heavyweight Impact Wrestling April 23, 2018 Drake was defeated by World Heavyweight Champion Pentagón Jr.
22 Chris Bey Tag Team Bound for Glory October 21, 2023 ABC (Chris Bey and Ace Austin) defeated The Rascalz (Zachary Wentz and Trey Miguel) to win the Impact World Tag Team Championships.
23 Crazzy Steve Digital Media Impact Wrestling October 22, 2023 Steve defeated Digital Media Champion Tommy Dreamer by disqualification meaning Steve didn’t win title.
Aired on November 9, 2023.
24 Moose Heavyweight Hard To Kill January 13, 2024 Moose defeated Alex Shelley to win the TNA World Championship.

Race for the Case

[edit]

Race for the Case was a similar concept used by Impact in 2017. This was a pole match where different colored briefcases hang from poles. Retrieving a briefcase allows to the participant to challenge any wrestler in any match stipulation on an Open Fight Night episode of Impact Wrestling. Inside each briefcase contained a number from one to four, which denotes the winning wrestlers placement in being able to make a challenge. Once a wrestler lays down a challenge, the other briefcase holders are no longer able to make the same challenge.[7]

Year Title

(Date)

Winner Other competitor(s) Time
2017 Impact Wrestling
(January 19) 		Eli Drake (Red Case – #4)
Trevor Lee (Blue Case – #3)
Bram (Yellow Case – #2)
Jeff Hardy (Green Case – #1) 		Matt Hardy, Tyrus, Mike Bennett, Crazzy Steve, Andrew Everett, Kingston, Jessie Godderz, Mahabali Shera 13:04
Challenges took place on the February 2, 2017 Open Fight Night episode of Impact Wrestling:

References

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  1. ^ a b Impact Wrestling 1-26-16 - 411 Mania.com
  2. ^ Sokol, Chris (2011-04-11). "Chaos rules at Turning Point". SLAM! Sports: Wrestlling. Canadian Online Explorer. Archived from the original on July 20, 2012. Retrieved 2011-07-21.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  3. ^ Guerrero fired - PW Insider.com
  4. ^ "Velvet Sky fired - Impact Wrestling.com". Archived from the original on 2015-01-27. Retrieved 2015-01-24.
  5. ^ Csonka's Impact Review - 411 Mania.com
  6. ^ Howell, Nolan (April 22, 2018). "Pentagon Jr. becomes world champion at Impact Wrestling: Redemption". SLAM Wrestling. Archived from the original on April 28, 2018. Retrieved June 1, 2019.
  7. ^ "Race For The Case: What Is It?". Anthem Wrestling Exhibitions. January 18, 2017.
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