A video package for the second annual TNA Turkey Bowl is aired. Among the participants are Hernandez, Alex Shelley and Matt Morgan as the voice over guy tells us to loosen our belts as there will be mid-air collisions, unnecessary roughness and plenty of unsportsmanlike conduct during this Turkey Bowl.
The Impact intro airs as we are wished a Happy Thanksgiving from Mike Tenay and Don West tells us that tonight’s show will feature the annual Turkey Bowl where the winner will win $25,000 and the loser will be forced to wear the turkey suit.
New music for the TNA Originals hits as they are now apparently called the Frontline. Rhino leads them all out to the ring and is holding the microphone. Rhino says he took the liberty of naming their group TNA Frontline and says that they are the soldiers for TNA. Rhino says he is willing to go to war with them and fight for a company that he believes in. Rhino then goes out into the crowd and says that the fans believe in them and gets a “TNA” chant started.
Rhino goes back into the ring and says that he will take out Kurt Angle at Final Resolution and rid him from TNA. He tells AJ Styles and Samoa Joe that it is up to them to take care of the rest of the Main Event Mafia. He says that nobody else in the ring has enough experience to get the job done and says that they will add more members tonight to become not just an army, but a force.
The music of the Main Event Mafia hits and Kurt Angle tells Rhino that he will destroy him to get to face Jeff Jarrett at Genesis. Angle then asks who they plan on recruiting and says that everyone loves the MEM. Angle gives Rhino three seconds to rethink his choice on facing Angle and Rhino tells him to kiss his ass and that he will rip him in half with the Gore.
Jeremy Borash is standing by with Kurt Angle who tells him that Jeff Jarrett has just appointed a special guest enforcer for their match and it is Mick Foley. Angle punches the wall and goes out to find Jarrett.
Match 1: Rhino vs. Sonjay Dutt vs. Hernandez (Turkey Bowl Semi-Finals)
Dutt goes after Rhino as the bell rings but Hernandez makes quick work of him with a backbreaker. Rhino gives Hernandez a look over as then both send Dutt out to the floor before they decide to go at it. Rhino sends Hernandez out to the floor with a shoulder block as Dutt comes back in and clobbers him with a few rights and begins wearing Rhino down with a headlock.
Dutt shoves Rhino towards Hernandez, who takes Rhino down with a flying shoulder block. Dutt stays on the offensive, however, and takes Hernandez down with a hurricanrana but isn’t able to keep him down for the three count as Hernandez powers out that sends Dutt out to the floor. Hernandez follows that by taking Rhino down with a missile dropkick.
Dutt comes back into the ring and takes Hernandez down with a dropkick to the knees that sends Hernandez to the floor. As Dutt is doing a little showboating, Rhino delivers the Gore to Dutt to pick up the three count and advances to the finals of the Turkey Bowl.
We go to Jarrett’s office where he says his decision about Mick Foley is final. Kurt Angle asks where his balls are at since he is hiding behind Foley. Jarrett says it has nothing to do with him and everything to do about his thugs. Jarrett says that if he tries to get his group involved, he will personally tear his contract up. Angle says he doesn’t need them but will have someone watching his back.
Lauren is the hallway with Rhino, AJ Styles and Samoa Joe as they head into the locker room of Team 3D. Styles and Joe want no part of it but Rhino tries to get Team 3D to see things from their perspective and asks if they have another fight left in them. Brother Ray asks what’s in it for them and Joe interrupts by saying that nothing is in it for them but they should do what is right. Joe says they expect an answer in two hours. As they leave, Ray tells Devon that this is exactly what the MEM is talking about – no respect from the younger guys.
Match 2: Consequences Creed vs. Cute Kip vs. Alex Shelley (Turkey Bowl Semi-Finals)
The match starts and Cute Kip and Alex Shelley go against Creed. Kip stops Shelley and tells him that there should be no 2-against-1 and Shelley drops back. Creed ends up giving Kip an ensuguri and then takes Shelley down with a neckbreaker. Creed ends up sending them both out to the floor and then dives over the ropes and onto Shelley. Kip, however, is right there waiting and decapitates Creed with a clothesline.
The action briefly returns to the ring where Shelley and Kip go at it until Kip is sent to the outside and Shelley nails him in the face with a knee. Shelley enters the ring once again and the action goes back and forth between him and Creed until Creed lands a face plant on Shelley.
Kip comes back in and nails Creed and sends Shelley out to the floor. Kip goes for the Fameasser, but Shelley grabs his ankle to distract him and Creed sends Kip out to the floor. Shelley comes back in and hangs Creed up on the ropes and rolls him up for the pin fall.
Lauren is standing by with the Beautiful People who says that they have two problems. One, Cute Kip just got screwed and two, they want to know why they don’t have a match for Final Resolution. A random TNA employee walks in and hands Angelina Love a letter and she gets all excited.
Love reads the letter and its says that Sarah Palin has taken them up on their charity, but is unable to appear at the pay-per-view due to her taking part in a moose hunt the same day. She goes on to say that she will appear next week on Impact, however, to pick up the check for her favorite charity, Hockey Moms of America. As they are celebrating, Sharmell walks up and tells them that Booker T wants to see them right away.
Rhino is with Jeff Jarrett, who says Rhino needs to focus on Kurt Angle for TNA’s sake. Rhino says he won’t let Jarrett down and that he won’t have to worry about Angle again after Final Resolution.
The newest edition of TNA Rough Cut is aired and this week focuses on the beginning of the LAX. Homicide and Hernandez talk about teaming together and how well they work together. Others give their thoughts about how well the small/fast and big/power combination work together as Homicide and Hernandez talk about being like family.
Lauren is standing in the locker room with Team 3D and ask if they have made their decision. Brother Ray says that they have been thinking about what they said and know what they are going through. He goes on to say that this is a business when Scott Steiner walks in. He says that if they want to talk business, they will talk business and the MEM will give them an offer they can’t refuse. Brother Ray says that since they listened to one side, they will listen to the other.
Christy Hemme is talking with Traci Brooks and wants another match with Awesome Kong. Christy says that she has been training for the past three months but Brooks says she still isn’t ready. Brooks gives her a match with Raisha Saeed and says that if she wins she will get a shot against Kong at Final Resolution.
Match 3: Jimmy Rave vs. Sheik Abdul Bashir vs. Matt Morgan (Turkey Bowl Semi-Finals)
Rave and Bashir do some rock/paper/scissors to see who will go up against Morgan first. It doesn’t matter, though, as Morgan is easily able to power them both around. There is strength in numbers, however, as one well placed chop block drops Morgan to the canvas as Bashir and Rave begin working on Morgan’s legs.
Morgan is able to fight his way out of this predicament and knocks Rave’s and Bashir’s heads together before landing a double cross body block. Morgan then delivers a double fallaway slam and delivers the Carbon Footprint to Morgan on Rave. Morgan tries it on Bashir but he ducks out of the way and Morgan falls out to the floor. Bashir then delivers the WMD to Rave and scores the pin fall. After the match, referee Shane Sewell regretfully raises Bashir’s hand in victory.
We head to Booker T’s locker room where Lauren is standing by with the Beautiful People and Cute Kip. Booker wants the Beautiful People as back up through the pay-per-view. Booker says he will look out for them and says whatever they want, he can get them. Angelina asks for their locker room if Sharmell wins her match against ODB at the pay-per-view, which makes Booker spit out his champagne. Booker doesn’t go with it and the Beautiful People refuse their offer. Booker then reluctantly agrees to their terms. Sharmell doesn’t like it and tells Lauren to get out of the room as they need to discuss the terms.
We head to the back where Kurt Angle is explaining to Team 3D what the MEM is all about. Brother Ray thinks they are blowing smoke up their asses. Angle reassures them that the MEM is the future of wrestling and wants to hear their decision shortly. Steiner then hands them suits and tells them to put them on to make it official.
Match 4: Raisha Saeed vs. Christy Hemme
Christy tries to put this match away with a couple of quick pin attempts in the opening moments of the match. Christy misses with a dropkick as Mike Tenay says that Petey Williams will be returning for Final Resolution. Back to the action, Saeed tosses Christy out to the floor where Awesome Kong and Rhaka Khan are waiting and send her into the railing.
Kong rolls Christy back into the ring and Saeed tries for a pin but Christy is able to kick out. Saeed then misses with a high risk move and Christy goes up for the FFG, but misses as well. Saeed tries for a powerbomb but Christy reverses it into a pin attempt and picks up the three count to win the match.
As Christy is celebrating her victory, Kong enters the ring and tosses her around but she is able to duck out of a double clothesline attempt from Kong and Khan and leaves the ring.
A pre-taped interview between Mike Tenay and AJ Styles is aired. Tenay asks about Rhino’s involvement with the TNA Originals. Styles says that Rhino has won world titles and can lead them in the right direction. Tenay then asks about the dissention but Styles says that they will makes some mistakes and learn from them.
Styles then goes on about what Sting said about his family. Styles says he wasn’t kicked out his house and that he had to leave after he knocked his father out once he say him knock out his mother. He said he earned the respect of his family that night by ending a bad situation.
Lauren is with Sting and Kevin Nash to get their reaction to the interview. Sting says he doesn’t know how to feel but a lot doesn’t match up from what he has heard. Nash says he is full of crap and calls Styles a spoiled brat. Stings asks Nash what if he is telling the truth but Nash says they have more important things to deal with tonight.
Lauren is backstage with the Motorcity Machine Guns. Alex Shelley says that if he won $25,000 he could probably buy AJ Styles a personality, a singlet for Samoa Joe or a wardrobe for Mick Foley.
Match 5: Alex Shelley vs. Sheik Abdul Bashir vs. Rhino (Turkey Bowl Finals)
Bashir and Shelley go right on the attack against Rhino. Rhino is able to overpower them as he sends Shelley out to the floor and begins working over Bashir. Rhino nearly puts this match away early but Shelley breaks the pin attempt. Rhino then delivers a spinebuster to Shelley and tries for another pin but that is broken up by Bashir as we head into a commercial break.
We return to see Bashir and Shelley working over Rhino on the outside. The match returns to the ring and Bashir locks in a headlock. Rhino powers out of it but the numbers game works against him until the alliance between Bashir and Shelley begins to break down as they pull each other off of pin attempts. Bashir finally turns on Shelley and takes him down with a clothesline. The two begin to duke it out as Rhino comes back and nails Shelley with a Gore to win the match.
After the match Shelley rolls out of the ring and refuses to put on the turkey suit. Mick Foley heads to the ring and gives the check to Rhino for winning the match and tries to plead with Shelley to put on the suit. Foley says that Shelley knew the stipulation and tells him to put it on and says that if he doesn’t, he will lose his job.
Foley gives Shelley to the count of 10 to put it on and Shelley grabs it at six and puts it on one leg. Foley makes him continue putting it on and Shelley slowly puts the suit on. Jeremy Borash comes in and warns Shelley that Governor Palin will be on the show next week and we all know what happens to turkeys when she is around before announcing him as the Turkey of the Year.
Shelley gets the microphone and says that the only pro coming out of this may be a nice MySpace photo. Shelley then gives Foley the finger and Foley knocks him down to the canvas. Foley drives him down with a DDT and tells Shelley to be thankful that he still has a job and to have a nice day.
A new Suicide vignette airs in which he says the time draws near. He says he is the alpha and the omega and that you cannot stop it.
Rhino, AJ Styles and Samoa Joe make their way out to the ring and Styles says that Team 3D’s time is up and wants to know what side they are going to be on. The music for the Main Event Mafia hits as they all come down to the ring and Angle announces Team 3D as the newest members of the Mafia as they come out in suits.
Brother Ray gets on the microphone and say that they gave it a lot of thought but say that the MEM are right but so are the young stars. Ray calls Angle a smart man and he told them to think about the future and the Mafia will grant them that future. He goes on to say that he wants Team 3D to be remembered as one of the greatest tag teams just like the Road Warriors, the Steiner Brothers and Harlem Heat.
Ray says the MEM is now complete and they are the Magnificent Seven. He says that the young stars are full of guts and balls and always want to fight. Ray says that guts and balls are good, and being a part of the Frontlines is wrong, then he doesn’t want to be right. Ray opens his jacket to reveal a nightstick that Styles and the rest of the Frontline uses against the Mafia as Team 3D stands up for the Frontline.
Brother Ray calls out for a table and Team 3D sets it up in the ring. They are about to deliver the 3D to Kurt Angle but Sting pulls Angle out of the ring. The MEM shout some words for the top of the entrance ramp as the Frontline celebrate together in the ring.
Quick Results
- Rhino defeated Sonjay Dutt and Hernandez in the Turkey Bowl Semi-Finals.
- Alex Shelley defeated Consequences Creed and Cute Kip in the Turkey Bowl Semi-Finals.
- Sheik Abdul Bashir defeated Jimmy Rave and Matt Morgan in the Turkey Bowl Semi-Finals.
- Christy Hemme defeated Raisha Saeed by pin fall.
- Rhino defeated Alex Shelley and Sheik Abdul Bashir to win the Turkey Bowl and $25,000.
Starman’s Thoughts
With tonight’s show taking place on Thanksgiving, I was assuming most of the show would be filler material due to the holiday. I was right for the most part, but there were a couple of developments that took place that I was surprised to see. All of these developments revolved around the TNA Originals, or as they are called now, TNA Frontline.
For starters, the TNA Originals name was dropped and they are now known as the TNA Frontline. I feel it is a better name and fits the group of young stars. What I didn’t like about it is the fact that Rhino was the one that brought it to the group and nothing much was made of it. No unveiling, no big announcement, just “hey guys, here is the new name that we will be known as.”
To make matters worse, they all came out to a new video entrance and music before the name was announced. Shouldn’t that have happened the other way around? Just my thought, I guess.
The other notable event from tonight’s show was the recruiting of Team 3D. Both the Frontline and the MEM tried to add the services of Team 3D and wanted their answer at the end of the show. As promised, Team 3D gave their answer and chose the side of the Frontline.
Now, I have said it before and I’ll say it again, but I really want these groups to be small focused groups and not involve every wrestler on the roster. As the weeks go by, it seems that my wishes are getting further and further away. What’s worse than that, however, is that the young lions are now being invaded by the exact people they wanted to separate themselves from.
Having Rhino jump in and help out the young talent is fine. Rhino hasn’t been in the main event picture in some time, but has been there before. With Rhino in the forefront of the group gives the Frontline instant credibility and some needed star power. Now with Team 3D in the fold, those three established stars can and will cast a shadow over the younger stars. Maybe I am wrong, but wasn’t the whole point of this feud to help get the younger stars over?
I will say that it wouldn’t surprise me in the least if Team 3D turns on the Frontline at Final Resolution or in the near future. I wouldn’t bother me in the least and I would actually be happy to see it as the Frontline should be about pushing the younger guys and not a tag team that has been around for 15 years. Plus, a double swerve like that is right up TNA’s alley.
Speaking of Final Resolution, did I hear right when Mick Foley was announced as the Special Guest Enforcer at the pay-per-view? Wasn’t Foley in that role a month ago at Bound for Glory in the match between Kurt Angle and Jeff Jarrett? If you want to make it hard for the Main Event Mafia to interfere in the match between Angle and Rhino, make it a steel cage match. That usually works. Another guest enforcer match with two of the three people that were involved last time is just silly.
I will say that I am looking forward to seeing if Sarah Palin shows up on Impact next week, but I highly doubt she will. With all of the spelling “errors” that she wrote in the letter and her name being written as “S. Palin,” it leaves a lot of room open for TNA to work with. Not to mention the quick jokes made at her expense during the Turkey Bowl of her “pardoned” turkey. All of which point to her being highly unlikely to show up.
If she does show up on Impact I truly will be surprised for once and applaud both her and TNA for working together. At any rate Governor Palin should use up all 15 minutes of fame before she is forgotten. Palin in 2012? I think there is a better chance of the world ending as stated in the Maya calendar than her running for President that year.
