A video recap highlights Samoa Joe’s return and his nation of violence and how he wants to torture the Main Event Mafia. The voiceover guy wonders who will step in for Joe and captain the team against Kurt Angle. Also what does Mick Foley has in store for Sting?
The Impact intro hits and we are welcomed to this week’s show as Jeff Jarrett’s music starts and he comes down to the ring with a guitar and a microphone. Jarrett explains how the captains for the Lethal Lockdown match were supposed to name their team members and they would meet in singles matches. The first team with two wins would win the man advantage. Since Samoa Joe has no interest in being a captain, Jarrett is going to appoint AJ Styles as the captain.
AJ Styles comes out of the tunnel with a microphone and says that he is honored to have been chosen, but he has to decline the offer. Styles says he isn’t qualified to be team captain as he has let Jarrett down. Styles mentions that when Jarrett started TNA he took a gamble on guys like himself, Joe, Christopher Daniels, Eric Young and James Storm. All of them have let him down. Styles says he will be on the team but would rather see a leader such as Jarrett himself captain the team, and he promises to not let him down this time.
Jarrett shakes Styles’ hand to seal the deal as Scott Steiner’s music hits. Steiner comes out alone with a microphone in his hand and says that when TNA started, the roster was filled with wannabes and nobodies. Today, aside from the MEM, TNA is filled with wannabes and nobodies. Steiner says he comes out as Jarrett’s friend and says that he cannot trust the young punks in TNA. Steiner says that Jarrett’s late wife told him to take care of Jarrett and his girls and Jarrett needs to trust Steiner and tells him to come back to where he belongs, with the MEM.
Styles says there is a full roster of people that Jarrett can trust and tells Jarrett to do what is right. As for the man advantage matches, Styles challenges Steiner to a match tonight to get it kicked off. Steiner agrees to the match as we head to the MEM dressing room.
Jeremy Borash is with Kurt Angle, Booker T and Kevin Nash. Angle says that the landscape in TNA has changed as Jeff Jarrett is standing all alone as Mick Foley is out of his mind and Sting is back with the Mafia and is offering Jarrett a spot in the Mafia as well. JB questions the tension between Angle and Sting and Angle says it was all his fault as he was paranoid and Sting showed his true colors when he stopped Jarrett from hitting him with a guitar. Angle says he is going to publicly apologize to Sting and tells Nash to charm Jenna Morasca to invest her money into TNA.
Lauren is backstage with Sheik Abdul Bashir and she tells him that he is getting 15 seconds. Bashir says day by day TNA’s problem is growing larger as he is surrounded by Kiyoshi and No Limit.
Match 1: Lethal Consequences & the LAX vs. Sheik Abdul Bashir/Kiyoshi/No Limit
The bell rings and Bashir goes right after Homicide but he is taken down with an overhead suplex and Hernandez is tagged in to pick up the pieces. Lethal is tagged in and Bashir is finally able to put momentum and his team isolates Lethal into their corner and works him over with quick tags. Lethal is able to slide over into his corner and tags Creed into the match but he is quickly tripped up and dragged out to the floor. The match then breaks down with bodies flying out to the floor as Bashir nails the WMD DDT on Creed to win the match.
Jeremy Borash is in the management office and tells Jarrett that he is shocked with the MEM offering him a spot in the group. Mick Foley cuts in and wonders how JB can be shocked in an illogical business such as pro wrestling. Jarrett says that Foley is acting ridiculous and asks what is wrong with him. Foley says that TNA needs the Mafia and says that he is going to make a big decision tonight as Jarrett is left wondering what he is going to do.
Jim Cornette is backstage with Team 3D and Cornette says he is going to keep his promise as the helped keep the MEM away from ringside when Angle and Sting took on Jarrett and Foley a few weeks ago and is going to return the favor. Just then, the MEM security come in and they want a match against Team 3D tonight. Brother Ray wonders what their names are and what they are doing there as they walk out of the office.
The Beautiful People come to the announce table and run down the fans before saying that they are going to give Taylor Wilde a hair cut, Beautiful People style.
A pre-taped interview between Mike Tenay and Mick Foley is aired. Tenay wonders about Foley hitting Sting with a chair and Foley says it has been building inside of him for quite sometime. Foley says he has been giving Sting too much credit with making his career and he plans on nailing Sting with a perfect elbow drop from high above the ring. When it comes to the TNA Championship, why can’t Foley be champion?
We head into Dr. Stevie’s office as Stevie tells Abyss to stop using weapons and wonders why Abyss has been missing his appointments. Abyss says he has accepted a match against Matt Morgan and it is going to be a Doomsday Chamber of Blood match. Stevie then gets up and slaps and punches Abyss while screaming for no more violence.
TNA Rough Cut is up next and Team 3D talks about being hardcore. Brother Ray says it is a state of mind and Brother Devon says it takes a toll on the body. They talk about the weapons and matches that they like and how they want to give the people of Philadelphia what they want.
Match 2: MEM Security vs. Team 3D
Beer Money is watching the match and is joining the announce team. As Team 3D turns their attention to them, they are attacked by the MEM Security from behind. Sal and Rocco work over Brother Ray until Ray is able to slam Sal down to the mat. Ray finally tags in Devon who comes in and cleans house and picks up a couple of near falls until Rocco is able to turn the tide. Rocco heads to the top rope but Team 3D is able to grab him and slam him down to the mat and they hit the 3D on Sal to score the pin fall.
Robert Roode gives Team 3D a thumbs up for their victory as Rocco takes them out with a couple of chair shots. Beer Money gets in the ring and help Team 3D and take out the MEM Security and hand them their IWGP Tag Team Championships.
Jeremy Borash is backstage with Mick Foley as Samoa Joe steps in and says he wants every member of the Mafia and Foley can make that happen. Foley says he will see what he can do.
Lauren is backstage with Beer Money and she wants them to explain their actions. Roode says they are trying to show their serious side and they want Team 3D at their very best at Lockdown. Until then, Beer Money has Team 3D’s back. Storm steps in and wants to prove that they are the best tag team and want to see the look on their fans faces when they win the IWGP titles.
The Main Event Mafia make their way to the ring and Angle tells Sting to come out to the ring as he has something to say to him. Sting comes out to the ring and Angle says that he questioned Sting’s loyalty and his word and Angle admits that he was wrong about him. Angle apologizes and sticks out his hand but Sting backs up.
Sting wonders if a simple handshake is going to fix everything. Sting mentions that it was once all about respect and says that Angle is the biggest spoiled brat in TNA and that he is not buying it. Angle apologizes once more and Sting just leaves the ring. Nash speaks up and wonders if Sting can turn the other cheek as the fans chant “walk away!” Nash pleads with Sting to give Angle a chance as Mick Foley’s music hits.
Foley is seen up in the rafters and says he has been getting reacquainted with an old friend and pulls out a baseball bat wrapped with barbed wire. Foley says that he is happy that the MEM is back together and says that he has booked Sting in a match tonight against Samoa Joe and he will enjoy the view from the rafters.
Dr. Stevie is shown again and this time he is with the Governor, who is dressed up as her old self. She talks about loving to act and she got a call from Roxxi and Taylor to do a job, however, when the scissors got involved, all of her repressed feelings came back and thanks Stevie for listening.
Match 3: Madison Rayne vs. Taylor Wilde
Taylor is able to dropkick Madison out of the ring and the Beautiful People get involved and pull Taylor off of the ring apron to assist their sorority sister. Madison continues to work Madison over in the ring and picks up a few pin attempts but Taylor is able to quickly roll up Madison for the pin fall.
The Beautiful People charge the ring and attack Taylor from behind. Angelina Love pulls out the scissors but Taylor is able to slide out of the ring and run up the ramp. The Beautiful People then get in Madison’s face and tell her to run after her and get her with the scissors.
Cameras reach up with them in the women’s locker room and the Beautiful People hold Taylor down as Madison cuts her hair. TNA security come in to the shower to stop the beating as they cut to the announce team who hypes upcoming TNA live events.
Lauren is backstage with Jenna Morasca and wonders if she heard Kurt Angle’s comments. She said that she hadn’t as Kevin Nash comes into the picture and wants to leave with her on a date.
Match 4: Scott Steiner vs. AJ Styles (Lethal Lockdown Advantage Challenge)
Styles is able to take Steiner down with an atomic drop and a clothesline before brutally attacking Steiner with closed fists. Steiner, however, is able to turn the match around with a mule kick between the legs as we head into a commercial break.
We return to the match to see Styles connect with a boot and takes Steiner down. Styles attempts the Styles Clash but Steiner is able to counter and takes Styles down with a back body drop. Steiner picks up a near fall with a powerbomb and pin attempt but Styles is able to come back with a backbreaker.
Styles tries for a flying forearm but Steiner pulls Slick Johnson in the way as Kurt Angle runs down and slides a chair into Steiner. Steiner swings at Styles but Steiner misses and Styles hits Steiner with the Pele kick. Jeff Jarrett comes down and nails Angle from behind as Styles picks up the chair but Jarrett stops him from using it and being disqualified. Steiner then drives Styles down onto the chair with the referee’s attention is turned to Jarrett and costs Styles the match as Steiner picks up the pin fall.
Jeremy Borash is backstage with Sting and says he is focused on Joe but he will survive. He promises that Mick Foley will pay for this next week.
Match 5: Sting vs. Samoa Joe
Samoa Joe runs to the ring and goes immediately on the attack. Sting, though, is able to knock Joe down to the mat and puts Joe in the Scorpion but Joe is able to kick out of it. Joe then slams Sting down to the mat and Joe is warned by Andrew Thomas to break a choke hold after counting to five. Joe continues on the attack and again the referee has to step in between the two as Joe tosses Thomas down to the mat. Thomas calls for the bell and disqualifies Joe.
More referees come in and Joe takes Rudy Charles down with a knee to the gut before driving Sting down to the mat with a muscle buster. Joe then locks in the rear naked choke as Booker T comes out to help Sting and Joe nails Booker with a kick to the head. Joe goes out and grabs a chair and Sharmell tries to get Joe to stop and Joe drops the chair before leaving the ring. Joe goes around and grabs Sharmell and takes her out of the ring and leaves with her over his shoulder as Impact comes to a close.
Quick Results
- Sheik Abdul Bashir/Kiyoshi/No Limit defeated Lethal Consequences & the LAX by pin fall.
- Team 3D defeated MEM Security by pin fall.
- Taylor Wilde defeated Madison Rayne by pin fall.
- Scott Steiner defeated AJ Styles by pin fall.
- Sting defeated Samoa Joe by disqualification.
Starman’s Thoughts
I am not sure what has happened to the TNA creative team but I hope it stays this way. Tonight’s show had a lot of strong points and showed glimpses of how good TNA can be when they remove the comedy and the gimmicks and put together some rational angles. Maybe it’s just me, but it almost seems like the company is listening to their fan base and is trying to right the things that they have wronged.
I really cannot say many bad things about tonight’s show. Beer Money and Team 3D’s interaction is great, Jarrett teasing a turn to the MEM is great, Foley on the microphone hyping the Lockdown main event is great, the TNA originals banding together with founder is great, everything really seemed to work well tonight. All of these angles will come to a head at Lockdown, which, by the way, is shaping up to be a tremendous card.
The only thing I could have done without is the Dr. Stevie segments, but even that served a purpose as they have done away with the Governor gimmick and brought Shannon Spruill back as Daffney. Like I said, they really seem to be trying to right their wrongs.
Now, if they would only put a little more in-ring wrestling on Impact and I will admit that they have earned and deserve their recent television ratings increases.
