Impact opens with a recap of last week’s Impact takeover by the Main Event Mafia and focuses on the handicap match that Kurt Angle put Sting in against Team 3D. The video about Samoa Joe’s return is also aired as we hear the familiar chant of “Joe’s gonna kill you.”
The Impact intro hits as we are welcomed to tonight’s show that will feature Sting & Kurt Angle against Team 3D in the main event. The music for the MEM hits as they walk into the Impact Zone wearing the trademark suits, with the exception of Sting who is dressed in his ring gear.
Kevin Nash gets on the microphone says that he has done a lot of business in the ring, but most of his work was done behind the curtain. He brings up Samoa Joe’s choice words for Scott Hall and says that he wanted him gone from TNA since. Nash says that he is also going to go back to his roots, kick his ass, and make Joe his bitch.
Kurt Angle is the next one on the microphone and says that he thought he knew Sting, but he isn’t so sure anymore. Angle talks about their original focus about respect and says that none of them have lost sight of that. He then guarantees that the TNA World Championship will stay with the Mafia once their match is over on Sunday, regardless of what he has to do.
Lauren is backstage Team 3D and Brother Devon says that Kurt Angle may be one of the greatest wrestlers in the history of the business, but they are going to be ready for everything on Sunday. Brother Ray says that Angle has been taking this mafia stuff too seriously as he sent his partner to the wolves last week. Ray promises to Angle that he will never make the tag to Sting in their match tonight as they are going to cut the ring in half and give him some of his own medicine.
The newest edition of TNA Rough Cut is aired and this week it is focusing on Kiyoshi. Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin talk about his travels across North America and how he modeled his wrestling style after the Great Muta. The Great Muta talks about his first impressions of Kiyoshi and how there was nothing special about him but he had a passion to learn. Sting even says that with Muta backing Kiyoshi that we can expect big things from him. Kiyoshi says that he would like to surpass Muta’s legend in his career.
We see a replay of last week’s beat down of Eric Young, Jay Lethal and Consequences Creed as it is mentioned that the Motorcity Machine Guns were in the building but nowhere to be found during the attack. Lauren is backstage with Lethal and Creed, who says that the MMG’s are no different as the MEM tonight in their match. Lethal tosses out a ton of WWE references about the their match tonight and their tag team title match at Against All Odds and says that they will be taking the tag team titles home on Sunday.
Match 1: Motorcity Machine Guns vs. Jay Lethal & Consequences Creed
Prior to the match, Beer Money attacks Lethal and Consequences from behind as the Machine Guns stand in the ring and watch. Creed and Lethal are able to hold their own and fight back for a moment before Storm uses a chair on Creed’s arm against the ring post and we head into a commercial break.
We come back and this match has finally started and Creed has been taken to the back and this has been turned into a handicap match. Lethal is able to hold his own against the Guns and takes them both out on the floor. The numbers game ends up being too much for Lethal, though, and Sabin nearly picks up a two count after a backbreaker. Shelley is tagged in and Lethal rocks him with an ensuguri but he isn’t able to capitalize as the MMG’s use double team moves to keep him down.
Eric Young comes out and stands on the apron and is Lethal’s new partner. Lethal is able to make it to his corner to tag EY in and he comes in and takes both members of the Guns down and nails Shelley with a top rope leg drop but Sabin is able to break up the pin fall. Young is able to come back and hit the double Death Valley Driver on both members and picks up the pin fall by covering Shelley.
After the match, Alex Shelley asks for a microphone and says that the two most important things to him are his partner and the X Division Title. He then challenges EY to a match at Against All Odds for the title. Young says that as long as he promises that his “life partner” isn’t ring side he will take him on.
Mike Tenay and Don West run down the card and we are told that the X Division match between Eric Young and Alex Shelley has been made official so there will be a total of five title matches going on at Against All Odds.
Jim Cornette is with the Kongtourage and tells that it will be Awesome Kong against ODB without Raisha Saeed, Rhaka Khan and Sojourner Bolt in her corner. As they leave his office, Booker T and Sharmell enter and Booker is wearing a referee shirt. Booker wants to referee the match between Shane Sewell and Sheik Abdul Bashir. Cornette doesn’t allow it and Booker says something will happen tonight and it will be on Cornette’s head.
Lauren is backstage with the Beautiful People and Cute Kip. Angelina Love steals the microphone away from her and promises to Roxxi and Taylor Wilde that they won’t have an opportunity to fight back in their match tonight. Velvet Sky says the fun and games are over and that they will take back their throne and their dignity.
Match 2: Sheik Abdul Bashir vs. Shane Sewell
The bell rings and these two rivals lock up and Bashir is the first one to get the upper hand. Sewell comes back with a clothesline and tosses Bashir around a bit before Bashir retreats to the floor. Bashir pulls him out to the floor and sends him flying into the guard railing before rolling him back into the ring.
Bashir continues to work Sewell over until Sewell hits a back suplex and hits a bulldog but he isn’t able to keep Bashir down. Sewell picks up another near fall with a fisherman’s suplex but Bashir is able to come back and inadvertently hits Slick Johnson. With the ref down, Booker T comes down as the other refs try to stop him. Sewell tries to make a cover on Bashir but Booker doesn’t count and instead begins attack Sewell. This match has been tossed out as security has to come in and split these two up.
Jeremy Borash is with Sting and asks where he stands with Kurt Angle. Sting says he doesn’t know where he stands with him and says that if anyone else gets their hands on his title, the championship will be defiled. Borash question what he means by that but Sting just walks away.
A video package recapping the history between the Beautiful People, Roxxi and Taylor Wilde is aired. This sets up the tag team match between these two teams and that match is up next.
Match 3: The Beautiful People vs. Taylor Wilde & Roxxi
The fight between these two starts on the entrance ramp as we are treated to a split screen of the action. Sky sends Roxxi face first into the steps as Taylor is sent into the ring and the Beautiful People both beat her down. Taylor begins to fight back but she isn’t able to start any lasting momentum. Roxxi is finally able to get up to the ring apron as her partner takes the brunt of the punishment in the ring. Taylor is able to finally counter a move and make the tag to Roxxi but she is quickly put away by the Beautiful People’s double team moves and she is pinned by Velvet Sky.
After the match is over, the Beautiful People continue to beat down Taylor. They then give their opponents the brown bag treatment. Presidential music hits as the Gov. Palin impersonator slides into the ring and delivers a low blow to Cute Kip and takes down the Beautiful People. As she is about to give Love the brown bag treatment, Cute Kip slides her out of the ring as they all leave up the ramp.
We then see the back of Brutus Magnus and his TNA debut is up next.
Another edition of TNA Rough Cut is aired and this time it focuses on Kiyoshi trying to find an identity. Scott D’Amore talks about how quickly wrestlers can move up in the ranks in America, but wrestlers in Japan can take years before they wrestle at a major event. Kiyoshi says that it is his intention to honor the Great Muta and not copy him and he will forge his own identity.
Match 4: Shark Boy vs. Brutus Magnus
Shark Boy goes on the early attack before the bell rings and Magnus picks him up and slams him down to get a two count. Magnus hits a running knee and a leg drop but it isn’t enough to keep Shark Boy down. Shark Boy is able to get a little bit of offense with the Lou Thesz press and begins stomping a mudhole in him. Shark Boy goes for the Chummer but Magnus is able to counter and puts him away with the Tormentum, which looked like a spinning Samoan drop.
After the match, Magnus grabs a microphone and talks about the competition of TNA and issues an open challenge at Against All Odds before saying that his time for glory is upon us.
Jeremy Borash is with Kurt Angle and he says that people like Borash, West, Tenay and fans want to stir things up with the MEM. He says that they are family and any dissention is not going to happen. As for what Team 3D said tonight, Angle says he doesn’t need Sting and will do it on his own.
We are treated to a video package featuring the fallout between Matt Morgan and Abyss. Morgan’s match against Rhino is up next.
Match 5: Matt Morgan vs. Rhino
Matt Morgan and Rhino go back and forth in the opening moments before Morgan finally gains control and begins to methodically pick Rhino apart. Rhino is finally able to fight back and takes Morgan down with a shoulder block. Rhino goes for the Gore, but Morgan is able to jump over him and nails him with the Carbon Footprint.
Instead of putting this match away, Morgan goes out and grabs a steel chair and sets up for the Hellevator but Abyss comes down with a couple of bags. Abyss drives Morgan down with the Black Hole Slam and Abyss dumps out a bag of tacks onto the canvas. Abyss goes for a chokeslam but Morgan is able to slide out of the ring and quickly heads up the ramp.
After a commercial break, the ring is seen full of weapons as Abyss gets on the microphone and introduces Morgan to his best friend and his name is Abyss. Abyss says he has endured a lot, such as abusive fathers (yes, plural) and shock treatment but Morgan knew how delicate his situation was and befriended him with a false sense of trust. Abyss begins to punch the tacks with his fists and says that he is going to hurt the ones he loves the most and kick his ass on Sunday. Lauren comes out and tries to calm him down and says that she will call his therapist.
Jeremy Borash is with Mick Foley and gets his thoughts about tonight’s main event. Foley says that we will get to see if Sting and Angle will even be able to co-exist in the ring together. Borash asks for an update of Jeff Jarrett and Foley says he will return to Impact next week.
Match 6: Sting & Kurt Angle vs. Team 3D
Kurt Angle starts the match off against Brother Devon and Angle finds himself on his back a few times as he refuses to tag Sting into the match. Brother Ray is tagged in he works Angle over with an arm bar and slams him down to the mat, which gets him a two count. Sting extends his hand to tag but Angle refuses to tag him in and finally gets in some offense against Ray.
Angle goes right for the ankle lock but Ray is able to kick him off. Devon is tagged into the match and Angle still refuses to tag Sting into the match. Angle rolls out to the floor and he tells Sting that he doesn’t need his help. Sting says that he thought they were family as Steiner comes out to play peacemaker and we head into a commercial break.
We return to the match to see Angle in control as we see he got a little help from Steiner during the break, but Earl Hebner also sent Steiner to the backstage area. Devon is able to counter an attempt at the Angle Slam and tags in his partner who hits Angle with the full nelson sitout bomb. Angle is able to comeback, however, and nails Ray with a German suplex.
Angle begins climbing the ropes for a moonsault, but Ray is able to recover and puts Angle on his shoulders and Devon nails him with a clothesline from the top rope as Sting argues with Hebner in the ring. Booker T comes out and hits Ray and Hebner then calls for the disqualification. Scott Steiner comes back out and begins to assist on the attack of Team 3D as Sting stands on the outside with his baseball bat.
Team 3D is able to mount a comeback against Booker and Steiner and get them out of the ring as Sting and Angle begin jawing on the floor. Mike Tenay and Don West actually cut out for a moment as we can hear Angle say that he hates Sting and doesn’t want him to be a part of the Mafia any more. Sting asks Angle if he is a friend or foe as we are treated to an Against All Odds video package as Impact comes to an end.
Quick Results
- Jay Lethal & Eric Young defeated the Motorcity Machine Guns by pin fall.
- Sheik Abdul Bashir and Shane Sewell fought to a no-contest.
- The Beautiful People defeated Taylor Wilde & Roxxi by pin fall.
- Brutus Magnus defeated Shark Boy by pin fall.
- Matt Morgan and Rhino fought to a no-contest.
- Team 3D defeated Kurt Angle & Sting by disqualification.
Starman’s Thoughts
Tonight’s show featured six matches, half of which ended in a no-contest or a disqualification. Two of the other ones were basically handicap matches and another was basically a squash match. On a normal week I would have been ranting up and down about the lack of quality matches on the broadcast, but tonight I am going to say that I enjoyed how they all played out.
TNA really did put the hype for Against All Odds into overdrive tonight and put together a good send off show for a pay-per-view that was really lacking for the most part. Even with the lackluster matches on tonight’s show, they all served a purpose and that was to promote the Against All Odds pay-per-view. Nearly every match on the card was touched upon in some way tonight and a new title match was added as well.
The bickering between Kurt Angle and Sting started light tonight and ended in a boil, which gives this match an added dimension. By the end of the show, Angle was talking about how much he hates Sting and that he wants him out of the MEM. I groaned when I first heard about the four way match between Sting, Angle and Team 3D, but they really have added some compelling elements into the angle that will make it interesting to see how it plays out.
Everything isn’t all roses on the side of the Front Line either as it seems that some of the young stars are sick of the attitudes of the Motorcity Machine Guns. This also came to a head tonight, and although it wasn’t a slow build like the one seen in the Main Event Mafia, it still was a good progression. I did find it odd that Shelley would challenge Eric Young to a match for his title, especially if it is so important to him, but that doesn’t mean I won’t be looking forward to the match.
Something else I have been looking forward for a while is the Abyss of old and tonight we got just that. Over the past few months I had been so tired of his sympathetic tone that his promo tonight really blew me away. He probably gave one of the best promos of his career and breathed some life into his feud between Matt Morgan. Plus, I couldn’t help but cringe every time he punched his fists into the mat that was covered in tacks.
Abyss wasn’t the only one to regain their focus tonight either, as the Beautiful People took on a more serious tone after being humiliated with the fake Governor Palin skits that took place. Seeing them revert back to their former selves was a refreshing change of pace, however, the Governor still had to rear her ugly head. Much like Jay Lethal’s Black Machismo character, TNA doesn’t know when to pull the plug and Daffney is still stuck with this lame gimmick.
As always, the TNA Rough Cut segments delivered and gave Kiyoshi a bit of a personality by filling in on his background. Like Shelley challenging an opponent for his title, I did find Sting’s comments odd as he was talking so highly of a youngster but it does fit well as most wrestling fans are aware of the history between him and the Great Muta. I also enjoyed seeing two of these segments on one show. I wish they would start doing this more often instead of running those repetitive “Cross the Line” promo videos.
As you can tell, I enjoyed most of everything with tonight’s show, but there still were a few flaws. Brutus Magnus made his debut and it wasn’t nearly as impressive as I would have liked. For one, I thought that Shark Boy got in too much offense as it should have been a huge squash match with the amount of hype Magnus got before his in-ring debut. Also, I felt his debut was a bit stale with his generic poses and his bland offense. I will give him a few more shots to impress me, but I was expecting a little more.
Another thing I didn’t particularly like was the lack of Samoa Joe on tonight’s episode. Now, I wasn’t expecting him to come out and wrestle or anything, or even show up to the Impact Zone at all. A follow up video interview, another video package, or anything like that would have been good to build up his return. I suppose keeping him off television will make his return more impactful so I am willing to at least overlook that.
Overall, tonight’s show gained a lot of momentum as we head into Against All Odds. It still isn’t the best pay-per-view on paper, but it seems more tolerable after tonight’s events. As always, check back this weekend for my Against All Odds Preview and Predictions.
