Impact opens with video highlights of the empty arena brawl between Sting and Kurt Angle that took place last week. Footage from earlier in the day is aired as we head into another empty arena where Mike Tenay and Don West who thank the fans for the record setting television ratings set last week. They then run down the events of last week’s main event and they say we will hear from the Main Event Mafia tonight on Impact.
The Impact intro hits as we head to a Impact Zone full of fans and on deck for tonight is another “Off the Wagon Challenge” with Beer Money defending the titles and a 4-way X Division Ladder Match for the X Division Title will take place. We then head right into the first match.
Match 1: The Beautiful People vs. Taylor Wilde & Madison Rayne
The two teams go at it with quick back and forth action before Taylor Wilde is able to isolate Velvet Sky in her corner. Madison Rayne is tagged in and Cute Kip causes a distraction with Taylor and referee Slick Johnson, which allows the Beautiful People to gain control of the match after some quick double teaming with the referee’s back turned.
The Beautiful People hold Madison into their corner and use quick tags to work her over. Madison is able to kick out of a few pin attempts and is able to make it to her corner after taking Angelina Love down with a jawbreaker. Taylor comes in and takes down both members of the Beautiful People but the numbers game finally catch up with her. Madison comes in and pushes them both away and the slaps Taylor across the face. Velvet Sky then nails Taylor with the Beauty Mark and picks up the pin fall.
Jeremy Borash is outside as the Main Event Mafia is arriving. Borash asks if Sting has accepted the challenge, but Angle and the rest of the Mafia remain silent and make their way towards the Impact Zone.
After a commercial break, Borash is with the MEM in their locker room and tells Angle that the fans have a right to know if Angle will be challenging Sting for the World Championship. Angle says that the fans don’t have a right to know but he will make a statement at the top of the hour. A couple of police officers come in and ask for a “Mr. Huffman.” The MEM pokes fun of his last name as he leaves with the two officers.
Match 2: Beer Money, Inc. vs. the Rock n’ Rave Infection (Off the Wagon Challenge)
The Rock n’ Rave Infection are quick to get this match going as their careers are on the line. The match quickly breaks down with all four in the match and Beer Money comes out on the winning end as they begin working over Rave in the ring. Beer Money works Rave over with some double team moves but Rave is able to come back and takes Storm down with a clothesline and tags in his partner.
Rave comes in and cleans house and drives them both down with choke slams and nearly picks up the pin fall but it is broken up by Storm. Rock tries once more to put this match away but Jacqueline distracts the referee as Storm nails Rock with one of the tag team title belts. Storm then holds Rave back as Roode covers Rock for the pin fall. Unlike Petey Williams, Lance Rock’s final bow in a TNA is very short lived.
Footage of Sting arriving in the Impact Zone and Jeremy Borash runs out to ask if he will be facing Kurt Angle at Destination X. Sting also gives him the cold shoulder as the camera then zooms in on an unidentified man in the background who is watching on.
After a commercial break, Jeremy Borash is with the police outside of his personal locker room and is guiding him through it and tells the police officers that his Legends Championship was stolen and he wants all of the trailer parks and truck stops searched for AJ Styles. At the announce table, Don West and Mike Tenay run down the history between the two.
The latest therapy session between Dr. Stevie and Abyss is aired and this week Abyss talks about cutting himself and his love for the Jonas Brothers. Abyss wonders if he can be a teen idol as well but doesn’t want to lose his mask. Dr. Stevie then cuts it short and we will return for more next week.
A promo for the One Night with ODB is aired as they show some of the videos that have been sent in.
Booker T is still walking around with the police officers and he tells them to find AJ Styles and put him in jail. The police then get a call and leave in their car as Booker turns around in the parking lot to see AJ Styles there waiting for him. Styles beats Booker down a bit before MEM security hold Styles back. Booker then gets in a few shots before TNA security rush out there to separate the two.
Lauren is backstage with Scott Steiner and asks what is going to go down tonight between Sting and Kurt Angle. Steiner dodges the question and tells her to find Samoa Joe and tell him that he is looking for him. The lights then go out and Joe and holds a machete to Steiner’s neck and says that he can come up on him at any time as Steiner pleads for his life.
Jeremy Borash is with Jeff Jarrett and asks him for his thoughts on the future of the Main Event Mafia. Jarrett says that wrestling is an individual sport and knew that there selfishness would get in the way. Jarrett goes on to say that it looks like their family is going to break up and business will be back to normal.
The next installment of Mick Foley’s Hardcore History 101 is aired and this week he talks about his greatest match. Foley talks about a match in 1996 against Shawn Michaels and talks about a match at WrestleMania and teaming with the Rock. The match between him and Randy Orton in 2004, however, where he elevated Orton to the top of the game remains his personal favorite hardcore memory.
Mike Tenay is standing in the ring and calls the Main Event Mafia to the ring to get answers. The Mafia comes out all together as Mike Tenay asks if Kurt Angle and Sting will face each other at Destination X. Kevin Nash gets on the microphone and says that he is the spokesman for the MEM. Nash says that things have gotten pretty bad but they are a family. Tenay says he doesn’t feel the vibe and Nash tells him to stop stirring the pot and blames their problems on Jeff Jarrett. Nash says neither Jarrett nor TNA can break them apart and asks Sting and Angle to respect the family and each other.
Jarrett’s music hits and he comes down to the ring with a microphone and says that he see Sting isn’t buying into the crap. Jarrett begins talking about respect and says that Angle and Sting are polar opposites. As the founder of TNA, Jarrett grants Angle his wish and puts Angle in a match against Sting for the TNA World Championship at Destination X.
Booker interrupts and says that Jarrett goes on about being the founder of TNA and runs down its modest beginnings. Booker tells Jarrett to get in the back and Jarrett steps up and says that he has given everything he has for TNA and says that the fans want to see Sting and Angle fight for the title. Jarrett then says he wants to have Sting and Angle sign a contract tonight to make the match official before leaving the ring.
After a break, Mike Tenay runs down the huge contract signing between Kurt Angle and Sting and Don West suddenly tells Mike Tenay that as he is doing so much ass kissing, to run to the back and kiss Sting’s ass, too. Tenay tries to asks what this sudden change is coming from and West tells Tenay to stop playing dumb.
West gets up and grabs a microphone to say that they have done a lot together in seven years. West says that he and Tenay have called every TNA match, however, there have been some meetings recently about West’s future at broadcast table. West overheard that Tenay said nothing in his defense during said meeting and then calls Tenay a selfish prick. West says that their friendship will never be the same again and tells Tenay to shove the microphone up his ass.
Lauren is in the backstage hallway where the Kongtourage are arguing amongst themselves. Lauren says she has no idea what is going on but will tell us more once she finds out as Sojourner Bolt and Rhaka Khan suddenly walk away from Raisha Saeed and Awesome Kong.
Mike Tenay is at the broadcast table by himself and apologizes for Don West’s meltdown. As we are treated to a recap of what West had to say. Apparently, Tenay will finish the rest of the show solo.
Sojourner Bolt and Rhaka Khan make their way out to the ring with a microphone and Bolt says that neither Kong nor Saeed are her mama’s. Khan grabs the microphone and begins rhyming and calls Kong and Saeed out to the ring.
Match 3: Sojourner Bolt & Rhaka Khan vs. Awesome Kong & Raisha Saeed
The match starts and Bolt takes Saeed down with the Lou Thesz Press before tagging in Rhaka Khan. Saeed quickly turns the tide and Kong enters the match and squashes Khan before tagging Saeed back into the match. Bolt tries to come in and help her partner but this only allows Kong and Saeed to use double team moves as Earl Hebner is distracted.
Khan is finally able to make the tag to her partner and she holds her own and this match quickly breaks down as Saeed and Khan are tossed into each other. As Kong goes after Khan on the outside, Bolt nails Saeed with a superkick and pins Saeed with a backslide pin fall. Kong immediately comes back into the ring and breaks up their celebration and gives Bolt an Awesome Bomb on top of Khan.
Another TNA Rough Cut segment about the Ultimate X match is aired. The X Division stars talk about the height of the cables and how they didn’t decide to use the lighting rigs until about 10 minutes before the first Ultimate X match. They then talk about how they get themselves prepared for the match. A video featuring music by Hoobastank is aired to hype the upcoming Ultimate X match at Destination X.
Match 4: Consequences Creed vs. Chris Sabin vs. Jay Lethal vs. Alex Shelley (4-Way Ladder Match for X Division Title)
The bell rings and they pair off before the MMG’s take control of the match. Chris Sabin goes out to grab a ladder as Lethal and Creed work together to take Shelley down. The two then head out to Sabin and roll him back into the ring. They both try to slide in ladders but the Guns deliver sliding dropkicks to the ladders and send them into the opponents as we head into a commercial break.
We return to the match to see Sabin driving Lethal onto a ladder as Creed and Shelley fight on the outside. Sabin begins climbing up the ladder in the ring but Creed comes in and stops Sabin. Shelley enters the ring and helps his partner and Sabin drives Creed onto a ladder and sends him out to the floor. Sabin tries for the title once again and Lethal enters to stop him and drives his back down onto a ladder.
Lethal tries to go for the belt but Shelley stops him and gives him a jawbreaker from on top of the ladder. Shelley then takes Lethal down with the Sliced Bread #2 and goes for the belt and wins the match to retain the title. Suicide’s music then hits as he repels down to the ring and knocks Shelley off of the ladder and takes down all four stars in the match. He then picks up the X Division Title and looks at it before placing it over Shelley’s chest as the lights go out and he disappears.
Jeff Jarrett’s music hits as he comes out to the ring for the contract signing between Kurt Angle and Sting. Jarrett has the contract in his hand and calls Kurt Angle down to the ring, who is escorted by the rest of the Mafia. Nash gets on a microphone and says that the match isn’t going to happen. Jarrett questions Angle’s leadership within the Mafia and hands the contract to Angle.
Angle slowly and hesitantly signs it before nailing Jarrett over the head with the clipboard and hits Jarrett with the Angle slam. Angle begins laying a series of fists into Jarrett as Mick Foley comes into the ring and Angle backs off Jarrett only to attack Foley and puts Foley into the ankle lock. Sting then comes down with a baseball bat and hits Angle from behind and clears the ring. Sting then helps Jarrett and Foley to their feet and signs the contract to make the match official before dropping the clipboard onto Angle’s chest as Impact comes to a close.
Quick Results
- The Beautiful People defeated Madison Rayne & Taylor Wilde by pin fall.
- Beer Money, Inc. defeated the Rock n’ Rave Infection by pin fall.
- Sojourner Bolt & Rhaka Khan defeated Awesome Kong & Raisha Saeed by pin fall.
- Alex Shelley defeated Chris Sabin, Jay Lethal and Consequences Creed in a 4-way ladder match to retain the X Division Title.
Starman’s Thoughts
TNA pulls in its highest television rating ever on Impact last week and they come back with a show that mostly consisted of talking and very little action. Just take a moment and think back to the matches on tonight’s show. There were two Knockout tag team matches, a regular tag team match and an X Division ladder match. I will give the benefit of the doubt and say that two of the matches were title matches, but all of the matches were too short and overbooked to be meaningful.
Both Knockout tag matches left a lot to be desired, the ladder match ended abruptly and was way too short for the amount of talent in the match, and the “Off the Wagon” tag team match was cut away from so quickly that it didn’t give people time to realize that Lance Rock was just terminated from the company. Last week’s send off with Petey Williams was done with class, this week Lance Hoyt didn’t get much more than a passing glance before his time in the spotlight was over.
It is a shame, too, as tonight was one of the first times in a long time that I actually enjoyed watching the Rock n’ Rave Infection in the ring. It’s amazing how my feelings on a tag team can change when they are used with a purpose as their careers were on the line instead of being used as a lame comedy tag team that used the same boring lines and used the same overplayed gimmick.
It appears that the Kongtourage faction is already on the outs with Sojourner Bolt and Rhaka Khan leaving the group and calling the other two out. I liked the assemblage of all of these potentially badass women and I hate to see it end so quickly. I really wish TNA would have let the tension between Awesome Kong and Sojourner Bolt build for a while. Let Bolt watch Kong’s back all the while having her hold the future title match over her head. Unfortunately, none of this happened and I guess Bolt and Khan have turned and they had a terrible tag team match to boot.
Speaking of turns, another Knockout turned as well, I guess, as Madison Rayne turned on her new friend, Taylor Wilde. This, too, was out of nowhere and really did nothing for me as Rayne didn’t have much going into her character prior to this happening. I do think that she would make a great third person for the Beautiful People, so this does have the potential to at least play out in a good way.
Was it just me or were the WWE references by Mick Foley in his Hardcore History segment a little gratuitous and over the top? You knew that he was going to have to talk about them at some point in his history lessons, but every match he recalled tonight was a match from his WWE days. I don’t think I’d mind it as much if it was done in small amounts, but hearing a constant barrage of WWE references during a TNA broadcast isn’t something that I want to hear, historic purposes or not.
One thing that I did like to hear, however, was Don West’s blow up on Mike Tenay. This totally took me by surprise and I found it to actually be highly entertaining. The TNA announce team was in dire need of a shake up, as evident when West pointed out that he and Tenay had called every match in TNA (with the exception, of course, of the matches that were called by Black Snow and Chet Lemmon a few weeks back). This is an intriguing way of doing just that and hopefully opens the door for someone else, say Mick Foley, to drop in and fill the role. I would much rather hear Foley on color instead of with Hardcore History, just as long as he keeps the WWE references to a minimum.
One last though before I wrap this up and that is was the knife really all that necessary tonight? I could have done without that.
