Impact opens with footage of Team 3D calling out the Main Event Mafia and challenging Kurt Angle and Sting in singles matches at Against All Odds. The Impact intro hits as we are welcomed to this week’s show that will feature an elimination match between the MEM and the Front Line as well as a first blood match between Beer Money and Abyss & Matt Morgan. The main event will see Kurt Angle take on AJ Styles in a tables match.
Match 1: Sonjay Dutt vs. Sheik Abdul Bashir vs. Chris Sabin vs. Alex Shelley (X Division Title Match)
The bell rings as Dutt and Bashir go to the outside so the Motorcity Machine Guns partners start the match out. The two pick up a couple of quick pin attempts before Dutt and Bashir come in and attack them from behind. Sheik and Dutt isolate Sabin in the ring and wear him down but Sabin is able to fight back and the teamwork between Dutt and Bashir comes to an end as Dutt sends Bashir out to the floor with a dropkick.
Shelley comes back into the ring a turns Dutt inside out with a clothesline but Bashir comes back into the ring and nails Shelley with an ensuguri. Sharmell begins making her way down to the ring to take a look at the action as Dutt nearly picks up a pin fall on Sabin after driving him down with a DDT. Shelley then comes in and rolls Dutt up for the pin fall to retain his X Division Title in his first title defense.
After the match is over, Sharmell begins telling referee Shane Sewell that Booker T wants to see him in his locker room right away. We then see Kurt Angle, Sting and Scott Steiner make their way towards the Impact Zone as we head into a commercial.
Jeremy Borash is in Booker T’s locker room and Booker asks Shane Sewell to take a seat next to him on the couch. Booker says that Sewell did something out of order last week and that was putting his hands on Booker. He says that he would usually bury him but he wants a favor from him instead and that is to make sure that he, Steiner and Petey Williams are the last three in the elimination match. Sewell doesn’t give a response and walks away.
The music for the MEM hits as Angle, Sting, and Steiner make their way to the ring. Angle says that things didn’t go as planned for them last week and says that with Team 3D in Japan and Mick Foley in Europe, they will get theirs next week. As for Petey Williams, they are surprised that he was able to recover from the hit they put on him and he will be the last one standing in the ring tonight against the Booker and Steiner.
As for AJ Styles, he will whip his ass in their tables match and they will put him out permanently after the match. Moving on to Team 3D, Angle says that there is no way that they will wrestle either of them on a pay-per-view. Sting taps Angle on the shoulder and says he will speak for himself and says that he will choose the people he fights against.
Jim Cornette, with his own entrance music, comes out and says that Team 3D does not have the ability to book matches, but he does. He says those matches won’t be happening but he is going to make a 4-way match between Sting vs. Brother Ray vs. Kurt Angle vs. Brother Devon for the TNA World Championship. Cornette says that he knows Team 3D can work together, but wonders if Angle and Sting can.
A video package highlighting the history between Petey Williams and Scott Steiner is aired. We then see Lauren standing by with Petey Williams who says the thing between him and Steiner is personal. Williams says that he better worry about tonight and calls him a little bitch before leaving.
We are then joined by Team 3D via satellite who are sitting in front of their newly won IWGP Tag Team Championship. Devon says that they are now the 21-time tag team champions and Brother Ray calls it an honor to win it at the Tokyo Dome in Japan. Don West then informs them of their title match and they are happy about it. They say that they have fought each other as brothers before and are willing to do so again for a shot at the World Championship. Mike Tenay asks which one will win the title as the audio cuts out and we don’t get to hear their response.
Jeremy Borash is in the MEM’s locker room and asks Sting for his thoughts on the four corners match. Sting says that they are family and they are all on the same page and they will keep on moving forward. Steiner then jumps in and says that Petey Williams cost him victory last week and he will pay for it tonight.
The newest TNA Rough Cut segment is aired and Sojourner Bolt talks about having confidence and says that she is the 100% real deal. Jeremy Borash and Terry Taylor give their thoughts on her and say that there is a fine line between confidence and arrogance and she is all about confidence.
Match 2: Sojourner Bolt vs. ODB
Bolt attacks ODB before the bell rings and takes her down with a hard clothesline before picking up a two count. Bolt tries for a splash for the middle rope but ODB is able to get out of the way and she begins to fight her way back into the match by taking her down with a series of clotheslines. ODB takes Bolt down with the Lou Thesz Press as Awesome Kong comes down to the ring and kicks ODB from behind. The referee calls for the bell as Kong delivers the Implant Buster to ODB. Roxxi and Taylor Wilde run down to the ring to make the save and chase her and the rest of the Kongtourage out of the ring with a steel chair and a pipe.
Lauren is standing by with the fake Sarah Palin and tells her that she did a wonderful job with fooling the Beautiful People. She says that she has had a lot of fun the past few weeks as Angelina Love and Velvet Sky run out and attack her. Sky breaks a 2×4 over her back as they continue to pound on her until security comes out. Cute Kip comes out and tell them to let her go as she has had enough.
Match 3: Booker T & Scott Steiner vs. Petey Williams & Eric Young (Tag Team Elimination Match)
The match starts and Booker goes on the offensive against Eric Young before turning it over to Scott Steiner. The Mafia work together with tags in and out and work over Young until he is able to take Booker down with a suplex. Young isn’t able to capitalize as Booker hits the axe kick and picks up the pin fall to eliminate Young from the match.
After taking a commercial break we return to see Steiner working over Williams in the middle of the ring. Steiner takes his eyes off Williams for a moment and Williams is able to work that in his favor by taking Steiner down with a pair of knees to the face. Steiner steps out of the ring for a moment to regroup before getting back in and making the tag to Booker. Williams is able to hit a dropkick on Booker but he responds by delivering the spinebuster before tagging in Steiner.
Steiner comes in and Williams takes him down with a jawbreaker before hitting a tornado DDT but Steiner is able to kick out of the pin attempt. Williams sets up for the Canadian Destroyer but Booker comes in and kicks Williams in the face to prevent him from pulling off the move. Steiner hits a fallaway slam from the middle rope and covers but Steiner pulls the head up before the three count.
Booker is tagged back into the match and he takes Williams down with an axe kick but he still won’t allow Sewell to make the three count. Booker hits a second axe kick on Williams before finally putting this match away.
After the match, Booker gets in Sewell’s face and slaps him as he begins fighting back. Steiner hits him from behind as Booker comes back and delivers the Book End to the referee. Earl Hebner comes down to check on his referee partner as we head into a commercial break.
A video package highlighting the tag team of Matt Morgan and Abyss is aired. The tag team makes their way out to the ring where Lauren is standing by to interview them. Morgan says his temper has been his Achilles Heel and says that he might have lost his best friend last week due to his attitude. Morgan apologizes to Abyss and wants to move forward. The two shake hands and hug and Abyss says that he has a bad temper as well and say that they should start going to therapy together.
Match 4: Matt Morgan & Abyss vs. Beer Money, Inc. (First Blood Match)
The two teams begin fighting on the ramp and they battle around the ring. There are two referees watching the action to make sure they can tell when a competitor bleeds. Roode and Abyss begin fighting in the bleachers before making their way to the ring. Roode brings in a chair but Abyss punches it into his face before setting it up in the corner of the ring. Abyss sends Roode into the corner, but Roode stops himself but Abyss nails him with a kick between the legs and sends him face first into the chair.
Morgan and Storm finally make it into the ring as Roode and Abyss head to the outside. As Morgan is about to slam Storm, Roode comes in and clocks Morgan in the head with a tag team belt but it doesn’t make him bleed. Abyss enters the ring and takes both members of Beer Money down with a clothesline as Roode goes out to the floor and Storm stays in the ring and answers back with an ensuguri. Abyss is able to recover, though, and takes Storm down with a chokeslam before going out a grabs a chair. Before Abyss is able to use it on Storm, Roode is able to take him down with a chop block.
Roode grabs the chair and is about to crack Abyss in the head but Morgan comes in and wrestles the chair away from him. Morgan then takes a couple of wild swings at Roode and Storm before intentionally nailing Abyss with the chair. Morgan makes Rudy Charles check for blood and Abyss has been busted open and the match is over.
Morgan continues on the attack after the match is finished and makes Abyss a bloody mess. Morgan nails Abyss with another chair shot as he tells him that he did this to himself.
After a commercial break we see Abyss freaking out and is tossing tables and chairs around in the backstage area. Mike Tenay says that Abyss has finally reached a boiling point as we are then treated to a video package that focuses on the history between AJ Styles and Kurt Angle.
Jeremy Borash is standing by with Kurt Angle who says that he has given AJ Styles too many passes because he felt sorry for him. Since then Styles has taken everything away from him and he will end his career tonight. Borash then asks about what happened between him and Sting but Angle just stares him down before walking away.
Match 5: Kurt Angle vs. AJ Styles (Tables Match)
The match starts as these two go back and forth until Styles takes Angle down with a dropkick. Angle rolls out of the ring to regroup before going back in the ring and onto the attack. Styles sends Angle down to the floor before hitting a flying forearm from the ring apron. Styles begins setting up a table on the floor as Angle quickly rolls back into the ring and we head into a commercial break.
We return to the match and see Angle in control as he sends Styles down with a release overhead suplex. Angle goes to the outside and slides a table into the ring before he works Styles over some more. Angle sets the table up in the ring but Styles is able to knock it down as they begin trading blows. Styles is able to take control after crotching Angle on the edge of the table.
Styles begins wearing Angle down and knocks him down with a flying forearm. Styles sets the table back up in the ring but Angle comes back and locks Styles in the ankle lock. Styles is able to kick Angle off of him and nails him with the Pele kick. Styles puts Angle on top of the table and dives off the ropes but Angle is able to get out of the way. Styles is able to stop himself from going through the table but Angle grabs him and gives him the Angle Slam through the table to win the match.
After the match, Angle continues to attack Styles and works on his ankle. Angle puts Styles’ ankle in a chair and stomps on it before locking in the ankle lock. Angle then walks over to the announce table and grabs a microphone and says that tonight is the beginning of the end of TNA. Angle says that they are going to take everyone out one-by-one starting next week as Impact comes to a close.
Quick Results
- Alex Shelley defeated Chris Sabin, Sonjay Dutt, and Sheik Abdul Bashir in a four way match to retain the X Division Title.
- ODB defeated Sojourner Bolt by disqualification.
- Booker T & Scott Steiner defeated Petey Williams & Eric Young by pin fall.
- Beer Money defeated Matt Morgan & Abyss in a First Blood match.
- Kurt Angle defeated AJ Styles in a tables match.
Starman’s Thoughts
A tables match, a first blood match, a four-way match and a tag team elimination match. The gimmick matches were back tonight and in full force. It was almost like I was watching the Hard Justice pay-per-view all over again. I guess TNA missed the memo about how overusing gimmick matches can make them less meaningful when they are needed most.
While I am on the topic of gimmick matches, I guess the 8-man tag match at Final Resolution for the TNA World Championship wasn’t quite enough, so now we are getting a four-way match for the title. At least this time around the winner of the match will walk away as champion. I will say that Kurt Angle has a better chance at winning the title during this match than either member of Team 3D does, but at least we don’t have to see them in singles matches.
Sorry for being so negative about tonight’s broadcast, but it just seemed to be an overall lackluster show. One of the few things that I did enjoy was the in-ring interview with Lauren, Abyss and Matt Morgan. It wasn’t so much the interview itself as it was the backdrop during the interview. It was a nice change to have it take place in the ring before a match instead of in the backstage area as it usually happens. I would like to see more of this in the future.
Finally, even with the main event being a tables match, Kurt Angle and AJ Styles put on a good television match. These two work great together and I don’t think I could ever tire of watching them go one-on-one against each other. After the match was over, Angle promised to start taking everyone out one-by-one starting next week, so here’s to hoping that it brings in a little more compelling television.
And less gimmick matches.
