Impact opens with a recap of the dissension between Kurt Angle and Sting and the contract signing that took place between the two last week. We then head into Jeff Jarrett’s office where he informs us that Kurt Angle has been suspended for a week without pay for his actions last Thursday. He then states that TNA has donated his pay to a worthy charity.
The Impact intro hits as we are welcomed to this week’s show by Mike Tenay as Don West is looks hesitant to be ringside. Don West tries to explain his actions from last week and apologizes for nothing and doesn’t regret saying anything. West then says that he will be a part of the broadcast team until he is told otherwise.
Mick Foley’s music hits as he comes out to the ring. Foley gets on the microphone and introduces Sting as he, too, comes out to the ring. Foley thanks Sting for saving him on last week and credits Sting for his successful career when he got to drop the elbow on Sting 18 years ago. He then says that he hopes to have seen Sting for the last time in the Main Event Mafia and that TNA and the fans need him back.
Sting thanks Foley for his words but says that he doesn’t have anything wrong with Kevin Nash, Scott Steiner or Booker T. Foley tries to explain that the MEM is using Sting as their theme music hits and the three come out to the ring. Nash tries to tell Sting that Foley is all office and isn’t one of the boys. Nash says they are supposed to be about respect and Sting flies of the handle and says that Kurt Angle disrespected him when he spit in his face.
Nash tries to play a peacekeeper and says he wants to be side by side with both Angle and Sting. He says Jeff Jarrett painted them in a corner by making them fight, but no matter the outcome, the title will stay in the family. Sting’s only other option is to turn the back on the family and he won’t finish what they set out to do.
We then see Kurt Angle walking in the backstage area even though he has been suspended as we head into a commercial.
A Rough Cut segment is aired that highlights the Ultimate X Match once again. The wrestlers give their thoughts on some of the more memorable moments of the match. AJ Styles mentions that he would like to see the match evolve into a Six Sides of Steel Ultimate X Match.
Lauren is backstage with Lethal Consequences who are dressed to the nines in suits. Creed says that Jeff Jarrett gave them a little bonus as they are the future of TNA. Lethal does a horrible Ric Flair impersonation before jumping back into his regular Macho Man routine. Lethal then talks about the disloyalty of the Motorcity Machine Guns and says that they have new heights to climb and the consequences are going to be lethal.
Match 1: Kiyoshi vs. Alex Shelley (X Division Championship)
Kiyoshi is accompanied to the ring with the tag team No Limit as we get to see a preview of Global Impact 2 where they took on the Motorcity Machine Guns. The bell rings and Kiyoshi takes Shelley down with a quick kick to the face. Kiyoshi then confidently picks Shelley apart and picks up a two count after taking Shelley down with a chop from the top rope.
Shelley begins to finally start making his way back into the match but Kiyoshi stays in control and picks up another near fall. Kiyoshi misses with a high risk move and Shelley fires back with a brainbuster followed by a frog splash for the pin fall to retain the X Division Championship. The lights then go dark in the Impact Zone and Suicide repels from the ceiling and beats both members of the Machine Guns before picking up the title and looks down at it.
We head to the MEM locker room where Scott Steiner tells Kurt Angle that he needs to leave before Jarrett suspends him longer. Angle says he’s not going to listen to Jarrett as Kevin Nash tells him that he should go home. Booker tells Angle that Jarrett gave his paycheck to the Front Line and they bought new suits. Angle says if it is his money, then it is his property and he is going to retrieve it.
A video recap of the Off the Wagon challenge is aired before sending it back to Lauren who is standing by with Beer Money. Robert Roode says he doesn’t care about those who have become unemployed due to the challenge. James Storm says that one members of the LAX will be going home tonight after they get beat in the challenge.
The LAX come down to the ringside area with their briefcases and a microphone. Hernandez says that neither of them is going home as they are going to reclaim their tag team titles. We then see Booker T talking on the phone in the dressing room. He says he needs to teach someone a lesson and asks when he is going to get there.
A video package highlighting some of the entries for the One Date with ODB is aired. One of the entrants is Shark Boy who wonders if she has ever been eaten by a shark.
Kurt Angle is seen backstage who is attacking Consequences Creed and says he wants his suit and money back. Security tries to stop him but they don’t do much and Angle warns them they he will get back at Jarrett.
Match 2: The Beautiful People vs. Awesome Kong & Raisha Saeed vs. Rhaka Khan & Sojourner Bolt vs. Roxxi & Taylor Wilde (4-Way Knockout Tag Team Match)
The match starts and there a several tags as no team are able to get the upper hand. We see Madison Rayne walking down the ramp as we head into a commercial break. We return to see the Beautiful People in control over Taylor Wilde. Wilde is able to hit Velvet Sky with a clothesline and tags in Roxxi.
Roxxi comes in and clears house until Kong comes in and pushes her down. Kong then goes right after Bolt and begins beating her down on the outside. The Governor enters into the ring as the referee is distracted and assists Roxxi but Madison Rayne comes in and nails Roxxi with a missile dropkick. Love then hits the Lights Out on Roxxi and picks up the win.
Jeremy Borash is backstage with Jeff Jarrett who promises that there will be repercussions for Angle’s actions tonight.
A video recap of the bubbling feud over the past few weeks between AJ Styles and Booker T is aired. Booker T, Scott Steiner and Sharmell then head out to the ring and Booker has a microphone in his hand. Booker says he has said some harsh words about AJ Styles in the past but was just trying to give him tough love. Booker asks Styles to come out and put this behind them.
AJ’s music hits and his pyro goes off but he doesn’t show up. Styles then comes in from the back and attacks Booker and Steiner from behind but the numbers game proves to be too much for him. Styles, however, is able to escape the ring with the title as a group of police in riot gear is there to take him away. One police officer, however, gets into a shoving match with Steiner and he takes off his mask to reveal that it is Samoa Joe.
Joe takes Steiner down to the mat and places his knife across Steiner’s neck as security come into the ring to try and calm him down. Joe finally lets Steiner go and we head into a commercial break.
We return to the show to see a recap of what just occurred as Mike Tenay and Don West bicker about what just happened. We head to the outside where Styles is being placed in a car and is being brought to jail. Tenay and West continue to fight at the announce table and West gets up and leaves once again.
As West leaves, Kurt Angle is seen heading through one of the tunnels and is beating Jay Lethal the whole way. Angle delivers the Angle Slam to Lethal and takes his suit coat off of Lethal and leaves the ring. We then head to Jarrett’s office who says he has seen enough and says he is going to go out there to kick his ass.
Another segment with Abyss and Dr. Stevie is aired. Abyss talks about cartoons and how Tom and Jerry always fight but are friends in the end. Dr. Stevie wants to talk about his weapons use and Abyss says he will no longer use any weapons and is cured.
Match 3: Matt Morgan vs. Shane Sewell
Matt Morgan powers Shane Sewell around to start the match out. Sewell sneaks in some offense as Morgan becomes distracted with the referee but Morgan quickly battles back with a powerbomb. Mike Tenay announces that Jim Cornette has taken the Legends Championship away from Booker T and hopes to get more details on the situation.
Back to the match, Morgan continues to beat down Sewell and doesn’t allow himself to pin Sewell. This allows Sewell time to begin psyching himself up and he nails Morgan with a low blow as the referee has his back turned. Morgan however is quick to once again regain control of the match and puts Sewell away with the Hellevator for the win.
After the match, Morgan grabs a back of thumb tack from under the ring and says that it is the most important thing to Abyss. Morgan begins to compare his accomplishments with the of Abyss and says that he is going to sink down to his level and challenges to a Match of 10,000 Tacks.
Lauren is backstage with Eric Young who is the last one standing of the Front Line with a suit. It doesn’t last long as Kurt Angle comes into the picture and begins beating Young down but the Main Event Mafia security pulls Angle off of Young as we head into a commercial.
We head back into Jarrett’s office who is with Jim Cornette and Mick Foley. Jarrett is getting his street clothes on and Foley tells him to do what he has to do as Cornette pleads with Jarrett not to do anything. Sting walks in and promises to take care of Angle in two weeks. Jarrett responds by saying that he will leave a piece of Angle for him.
Match 4: Beer Money, Inc. vs. the LAX (Off the Wagon Challenge)
The LAX start off on a roll against the tag team champions and Hernandez sends his partner over the top rope with a Border Toss onto Storm and Roode on the floor below as we head into a commercial break.
We return to the match to see Beer Money in control of the match and work over Homicide with some double team moves. Roode is able to get a near fall after a power slam but Homicide is able to kick out to keep the challenge alive. Homicide is able to finally make the tag to Hernandez, who comes in and cleans house.
Hernandez nearly scores the pin fall after delivering a sit out powerbomb to Roode but Storm is able to break up the pin attempt. Beer Money is sent out to the floor and Hernandez flies over the top rope and takes them both out. Back in the ring Hernandez takes a drink of Storm’s beer and spits it in his face as Roode enters the ring and nails Hernandez in the back with a steel chair. It was a blatant hit in front of the referee and he calls for the bell.
The two teams continue to fight and Beer Money takes them out with chair shots. Team 3D’s music hits as they come out to the ring to come to the aid of the LAX. Brother Ray gets on the microphone and talks about their Off the Wagon Challenge and says it is pretty low. They then challenge Beer Money to a tag team match for the titles at Destination X.
Kurt Angle then heads to the ring and sends his personal security to the back. Angle says he is demented and is going to eat Jarrett alive tonight. Jarrett’s music hits as he comes down to the ring and the two go at it in the middle of the ring. Jarrett clotheslines Angle over the top rope and sends him into the guard railing a few times before heading into the crowd.
Jarrett continues to beat Jarrett down in the crowd until Angle is finally able to crotch Jarrett across a railing. Angle begins to beat on Jarrett but Jarrett is quick to recover as the fight continues on through the crowd. Jarrett again gets the upper hand and sends Angle to the parking lot as he is met up by Team 3D and Mick Foley who are there to congratulate him. Jarrett and the others head into the ring and celebrate with their hands in the air as Mike Tenay wonders what will come of the Main Event Mafia.
Quick Results
- Alex Shelley defeated Kiyoshi by pin fall to retain the X Division Title.
- The Beautiful People defeated Roxxi & Taylor Wilde, Rhaka Khan & Sojourner Bolt, and Awesome Kong & Raisha Saeed in a 4-way Knockout Tag Team Match.
- Matt Morgan defeated Shane Sewell by pin fall.
- The LAX defeated Beer Money, Inc. by disqualification in the Off the Wagon Challenge.
Starman’s Thoughts
Tonight’s show was basically a repeat of last weeks that had very little action and a lot of talking. I guess if ratings are up its best not to change a thing no matter how bad it really is. I usually try to point out the good points of the show but I am seriously having a tough time thinking of anything that I enjoyed.
I wouldn’t say that I had high hopes, but the show did kick off to a good start with the interaction between Mick Foley, Sting, and the MEM. After that was all said and done, the show really tanked and never really recovered. The show ending brawl between Jarrett and Angle was well done, but isn’t the current feud between Kurt Angle and Sting and not Kurt Angle and Jeff Jarrett? Yes, they have a history and Angle defied Jarrett’s suspension, but having Jarrett get physically involved took away from the main event of Destination X in my mind.
To make matters worse, I really did not like Don West’s commentary tonight. Sure, that should be a given, but I am not feeling his heel persona. I was intrigued by West’s blowup last week as it caught me off guard, but I was hoping that it would open things up to bring in another personality to the table. Instead we got a sourpuss Don West who suddenly applauds everything that the Main Event Mafia does, even though he had detested their actions, and the actions of every other heel, for years now. It didn’t seem natural and doesn’t bring anything new to the broadcast team or help the broadcast.
I really cannot bring myself to write much more about tonight’s show, but I will try to end this on a positive note. I second AJ Styles’ idea of having an Ultimate X Match inside the Six Sides of Steel. That would be something to watch.
