Impact opens with a video package about what one is willing to sacrifice to get a shot at the TNA World Championship. Kurt Angle and Sting have put up a sacrifice and only one spot remains for someone to step up to the challenge.
The Impact intro hits as we are welcomed to this week’s show as Mike Tenay wonders if the Motorcity Machine Guns will be able to deliver on their promise to unmask Suicide and how Mick Foley will try to retain control on the way to his first title defense at Sacrifice. Speaking of Foley, his music hits as he comes down to the ring.
Mick Foley informs the fans that Jeff Jarrett will not be a part of Impact tonight. Foley says he feels partially responsible for it and says that an incident took place in Nashville and Foley has a DVD of said incident in his possession. Foley tells the fans that they have earned the right to see what is on the DVD and portions of it will be shown throughout the night. Foley then says on May 24th he will be focused on the TNA Championship, but tonight his thoughts will be on Jeff Jarrett.
We head to the back where Jeremy Borash is with the Main Event Mafia sans Kurt Angle, who is making a movie in Hollywood. Steiner says that Angle left him charge and he is going to take care of business. Nash brings up that Jenna Morasca has informed him that she will back them financially under the stipulation that Sharmell is removed from the group. Booker and Nash get into an argument as Steiner says he will take of the domestic problem.
After a commercial break, Jeremy Borash meets up with Mick Foley bets that Borash is wondering what’s on the DVD, however, before he can reveal what is on it, Eric Young comes barging in wanting to talk to Foley. Young says he wants a better opportunity than being set up with a partner that he has never tagged with. Foley says he will get an opportunity tonight against Samoa Joe’s nation of violence.
A recap of Lethal Consequences confronting Daniels about being Suicide is aired. This brings us into our first contest of the night.
Match 1: Chris Sabin vs. Daniels
The bell rings and the two go back and forth with a quick flurry offense and Sabin gets the first upper hand by hanging Daniels in the corner and hitting him with the hesitation dropkick. Lethal Consequences come out for a closer look as Daniels is able to turn to the tide as he takes Sabin down with a backbreaker. Daniels hits a STO and picks up a two count but Sabin is able to kick out.
Daniels then goes for the Angel’s Wings but Alex Shelley causes a distraction which allows Sabin to take control of the match as he hits Daniels with a springboard clothesline. Sabin then goes for a tornado DDT but Daniels counters and drives him down to the canvas before hitting the BME for the pin fall.
The referee’s are in Foley’s office and are being interviewed for an upcoming match match. Foley quickly dismisses Slick Johnson as him and Jarrett have been friends for a long time. Foley then says a senior referee has a reputation to uphold so he dismisses Rudy Charles. Since Earl Hebner has a shady past, he tells him not to disqualify Samoa Joe during his match tonight against Eric Young.
Scott Steiner is talking with Jenna Morasca and tells her to cut the crap with Sharmell. Steiner says that he is the king of the jungle and needs to tame the two and sets up a meeting between the two and promises that Sharmell will apologize tonight.
We join Mike Tenay and Don West at the announce table as they run down tonight’s line up that will feature a tag team tournament semi-final match with the British Invasion taking on Suicide & Amazing Red. Plus Samoa Joe will take on Eric Young and Kevin Nash will take on No Limit in a handicap match. Also, Booker T will take on Jethro Holliday in an I Quit match.
Lauren is backstage with Angelina Love who wonders who she was talking to on the phone last week. She says she was talking to the only man she can trust and it is Cute Kip. Kip comes out and says that he will take on Awesome Kong in a stretcher match.
We see video footage of a day in the life of Jeff Jarrett where he takes one of his daughters out on a jet ski. Afterwards, they check the mail together.
Match 2: Eric Young vs. Samoa Joe
Samoa Joe goes on the attack before the bell rings and takes EY down with a well placed kick to the head. Young tries to fight back but Joe kicks him over the top rope and onto the floor. They begin fighting on the floor and EY is able to smash Joe’s face into a chair. Joe comes back and nails Young with the chair and then applies the rear naked choke in the middle of the ring. Young puts up a fight but he passes out and Joe wins the match.
After the match, Joe picks him up over his shoulder and takes him to the back as we head to a commercial break. Once we return we see that Joe stuffed EY into the back of his trunk before the car takes off.
A sit down interview between Mike Tenay and Sting is aired who says that he surprised himself by putting his career on the line. He says that the TNA World Championship is worth the pain and sacrifice and says it is all or nothing for him.
Footage of Taylor Wilde’s blind date is aired as she is with Lauren at a restaurant. Daffney comes in and she says that she is the secret admirer and says at Monster’s Ball she will be the victim as she begins to attack Taylor until Lauren chases her away with a piece of broken glass.
More footage of Jeff Jarrett’s day is aired as he picks up his other girls from school. Jarrett then drops them off at their after school activities. Wow, Jarrett leads a boring life outside of wrestling.
Match 3: Cute Kip vs. Awesome Kong (Stretcher Match)
The match starts and Kong goes right after Kip and crushes him in the corner. Kip fights back by grabbing Kong by the throat, however, Raisha Saeed comes in and delivers a low blow to Kip and Kong nails Kip with a steel chair. Kong nails Kip one more time before putting Kip’s head into the chair and splashing it twice. Kong rolls Kip onto the stretcher and gets the 10 count to win the match.
Scott Steiner is with Sharmell and tells her that Jenna Morasca has agreed to apologize to her. Sharmell agrees to go to the meeting as long as she is going to apologize. After Sharmell leaves, Jeremy Borash wonders what is going to happen when neither of them apologizes.
Lauren is backstage with Team 3D who talk about the tag team division in TNA. The British Invasion then come into the picture and beat them down with LAX’s briefcases as Sheik Abdul Bashir and Kiyoshi slowly walk by to assess the damage.
More footage of Jeff Jarrett’s day is aired as he is taking in the nightlife of Nashville, TN. He runs into Jeremy Borash where he is at a nude karaoke bar and is pleading with Jarrett to lend him some money to pay his tab.
Match 4: The British Invasion vs. Suicide & Amazing Red (Tag Team Invitational Semi-Final Match)
Suicide rolls up Doug Williams for a quick pin attempt but he is able to kick out as this match starts. Brutus Magnus is tagged in and Suicide and Red work him over but Magnus is able to come back with a big boot to the face that turns Red inside out. Magnus and Williams work together with quick tags to work over Red but Red finally hits a desperation move and tags in Suicide.
Suicide comes in and takes both members of the British Invasion out and the match breaks down as Don West begins comparing the movements of Suicide to those of Daniels. With the referee’s attention focused on Red and Magnus on the outside, the Motorcity Machine Guns come into the ring and deliver a double kick to Suicide to take him out. Williams then hits a knee drop from the top rope to pick up the pin fall and advance to the finals.
After the match, the MMG’s attack Amazing Red before turning their attention to Suicide. Before they can do anything, Lethal Consequences runs down to the ring and we head into a commercial break.
We return to see Jay Lethal tell Suicide that they are going to take his mask off right now. Suicide tries to escape but the Guns and Lethal Consequences grab him and hold him and Lethal begins pulling of the mask. Daniels music then hits and he comes down to the ring and takes out the Guns as Suicide takes out Lethal Consequences. Daniels then tells Suicide that he owes him as the two shake hands.
The meeting between Sharmell and Jenna along with Scott Steiner is aired. The two immediately begin fighting as Steiner has to get in the middle of them and Steiner tells Jeremy Borash to get Booker T.
Match 5: No Limit vs. Kevin Nash (Handicap Match)
The bell rings and Naito and Yujiro go on the offensive as Naito takes Nash down with a flying dropkick. Naito goes for another high risk move but Nash is able to catch him and drive him down to the mat with a chokeslam. Nash then begins working on Yujiro with a series of knees and nails him with the huge elbow pad. Nash turns his attention once again to Naito and takes him down with a big boot and drives him down to the mat with a jackknife powerbomb to pick up the pin fall.
Nash then gets on a microphone and calls out Samoa Joe and says at Sacrifice the violence will ride into town and the name of the violence will be Kevin Nash.
We head into Foley’s office who is previewing the contents of the DVD. He is talking to Mr. Socko and says that he is aware of the TV rating and says that if the footage is too graphic to cover your eyes.
Lauren is backstage with AJ Styles who asks how he is preparing for his I Quit match against Booker T at Sacrifice. Styles says he is in the best shape of his life, but it’s not about that, it’s about heart. Styles says he is going to prove the Legends Championship is his and the words “I quit” will never come out of his lips.
Match 6: Jethro Holliday vs. Booker T (I Quit Match)
Booker and Holliday begin trading punches to start out the match. Holliday gets the upper hand and clotheslines Booker out to the floor but Booker fights back and drops Holliday across the guard railing. Booker takes the match back into the ring and methodically works over Holliday but he refuses to quit.
Holliday begins to fight back after ducking out of the way of an axe kick. Holliday begins to pound his fists into Booker’s face but Booker refuses to quit. Holliday then takes Booker down with a hard clothesline but Sharmell is able to slide in a chair to Booker as she begins to distract the referee. Booker smashes the chair over Holliday’s head and takes him down with an axe kick, which is finally enough for Holliday to give up.
Mick Foley comes down to the ring and delivers on his promise to show the contents of the DVD. Foley warns the fans that the footage is graphic so young children should leave the room.
The footage starts as Jeff Jarrett is standing outside of the Asylum where Jarrett’s career, and TNA, started. Jarrett shows the tiny dressing room and the arena box office, which used to also double as his office when TNA ran shows there. As Jarrett is showing the office, Foley attacks him from behind and chokes him with an electrical cord. Foley then begins to beat him down and nails Jarrett with multiple chair shots to his legs. The crowd at the Impact Zone begins booing Foley as they start a “you suck” chant.
Foley begins to laugh and says that he guesses he was partially responsible for Jarrett being gone this week. Foley says he was trying to teach Jarrett a lesson in that sometimes you can’t go home again. Don West chimes in and says he is going to try to get the DVD onto shoptna.com as Impact comes to a close.
Quick Results
- Daniels defeated Chris Sabin by pin fall.
- Samoa Joe defeated Eric Young by submission.
- Awesome Kong defeated Cute Kip in a stretcher match.
- The British Invasion defeated Suicide & Amazing Red by pin fall in the Tag Team Invitational Tournament.
- Kevin Nash defeated No Limit in a handicap match.
- Booker T defeated Jethro Holliday in an I Quit match.
Starman’s Thoughts
Tonight’s show didn’t have any overly great matches but the majority of them were solid. As a matter of fact, it almost seemed that about a quarter of the program was dedicated to wrestling, which for Impact is a good improvement.
The match between Chris Sabin and Daniels was a good opener and for once a match like this wasn’t too rushed. Usually X Division matches such as this one are almost too fast paced and it doesn’t give the audience time to really appreciate what is going on in the ring. It still did have fast paced action, but it seemed to be toned down a bit and it was more enjoyable for me.
Speaking of Daniels, I have to give credit to TNA for at least making the identity of Suicide and interesting storyline. Most of us are under the assumption that Kaz is once again under the mask, but at least they are having some fun with it and are giving some of the mid-card wrestlers something to do. This angle could go on for a while with the Machine Guns and Lethal Consequences blaming Kaz and having Daniels go back under the mask or having more than one Suicide run around.
It was also enjoyable to watch Cute Kip be mauled by Awesome Kong. I have never been a big fan of Cute Kip, or any of his other personas, and I wasn’t too thrilled to see his face grace my television screen once again. One can only hope that being squashed by Kong will put an end to at all and that his appearance was a one time thing. I’ll keep my fingers crossed for that one.
Is it just me or is Jeff Jarrett’s life boring as hell. I wasn’t a big fan of the footage from a few weeks ago of Foley walking around and aimlessly talking to fans after becoming the TNA World Champion and I sure as hell wasn’t a fan of watching Jeff Jarrett checking his mail and picking up his girls from school. This was all to build up to a pre-taped beat down that Foley gave to Jarrett later in the day. Judging by what I was forced to watch, I am under the assumption that the TNA production crew has never heard of the phrase “less is more.”
I am fine with watching a beat down of Jeff Jarrett due to a sneak attack of Mick Foley as that was used to further an angle. With that said, I don’t want to see the rest of Jarrett’s boring everyday life. I know that I would never subject someone to sit through the more mundane tasks that I do everyday and try to pass it off as entertainment. The time spent on the day in the life segments could have been better used in giving the matches a few extra minutes, or better yet, used for TNA Rough Cut. Whatever happened to that segment anyway?
Even so, Impact, at least for tonight, seemed to be a little more about wrestling and a little less segment heavy. TNA hasn’t quite reached a reasonable balance between the two but it does seem like they are heading in the right direction.
