Time for a Change (1/4 Impact Recap)

A video package that highlights TNA’s seven year history is aired.  Tonight, a new era begins with the arrival of Hulk Hogan as the voiceover guy says destiny is theirs for the taking.

The Impact intro hits and the pyro goes off to kick off the 3-hour live broadcast that features the debut of Hulk Hogan.  Mike Tenay and Taz put over the historic night and run downs tonight’s card that will feature a Steel Asylum match, ODB vs. Tara for the Knockout Championship, Rhino vs. Abyss in a barbed wire massacre and Beer Money against Beer Money in a Full Metal Mayhem match for the TNA Tag Team Championship.

Bubba the Love Sponge, TNA’s newest broadcaster, is seen with the TNA fans before the show and asks them for their thoughts on TNA’s big night.  Many of them talk about not watching WWE’s kid-friendly programming and how they are ready to cross the line with Hulk Hogan.

Match 1: Chris Sabin/Alex Shelley/Homicide/Kiyoshi/Jay Lethal/Consequences Creed/Suicide/Amazing Red (Non-Title Steel Asylum Match)
The winner of this match, of course, will have to climb through the opening at the top.  The bell rings and Suicide goes right for the top but is pulled down by Creed.  Shelley begins climbing up as Kiyoshi and Lethal fight on the top rope and knock each other off.  The action continues down below as Lethal and Shelley fight near the top of the structure and knock each other down.

Quick X Division action continues to fly around the cage while the hot crowd begins a TNA chant.  Suicide and Red fight on the top rope and Suicide tosses him off and he lands on Sabin and delivers a hurricanrana.  Homicide then brings in a baton and begins hitting everyone, including Kiyoshi and the referee calls the match a no-contest due to the use of the weapon.  The crowd announces their displeasure as Homicide tries to climb out but is stuck.

Homicide finally falls down and everyone gangs up on him until familiar music hits and it is none other than Jeff Hardy.  Homicide, though, attacks Hardy on the outside of the cage as the two begin to brawl in the ringside area.  Hardy then delivers the Twist of Fate to Homicide and begins to climb the top of the Asylum and sits high above the rest of the X Division.

After a break, Jeff Hardy is seen walking in the back and meeting up with Shannon Moore.  At the announce table, Mike Tenay and Taz further hype Hulk Hogan’s debut and we see his motorcade arriving as they are en route to the Impact Zone.

Christy Hemme is backstage with Kevin Nash who says it is an epic night for TNA.  Nash says he is looking forward to seeing an old friend and mentor and goes on to say that Hogan will make TNA and him a lot of money.  Nash also says that Hogan is not coming alone.

Match 2: ODB vs. Tara (Knockout Championship)
ODB attacks Tara before the bell but Tara comes back and levels ODB with a running clothesline.  The two then exchange blows in the middle of the ring before Tara slams ODB down and connects with a moonsault for a two count.  Tara follows with a leg drop for a two count but ODB is able to counter a move with a roll up and scores the pin fall after holding the trunks to win the Knockouts Championship.

Tara doesn’t like the result and busts ODB’s celebration by kicking ODB in the midsection and driving her down to the mat with the Widow’s Peak.  Tara then puts Poison on ODB as she holds the title high above her head.

A limo has arrived at the Impact Zone and none other than the Nature Boy Ric Flair comes out of the limousine.  Flair greets a bunch of the TNA roster as he walks into the dressing room of AJ Styles.

Christy Hemme is shown with fans earlier in the day and gets their thoughts about tonight’s show when Mick Foley walks by.  Foley says he got the memo about him being barred and has a response of his own.  Foley says he doesn’t want to be a disruptive influence on tonight’s show and says he will be on his best behavior.  Security won’t let him past the gates, though.

Bobby and Kristal Lashley come out to the ring as the fans start a big “Bobby” chant.  Kristal says that her husband wants to give Hulk Hogan a message by saying that he is a huge star in pro wrestling and MMA.  Kristal says that unlike MMA, wrestling is filled with toothless degenerates and that he wants his immediate release from TNA since they have better things to do.

Velvet Sky is backstage and brings the cameraman into their room where the Beautiful People are playing poker.  They all seem to problems grasping the concept of poker and since they don’t have any chips, they decide to play strip poker and promise to be playing all night.

Scott Hall and Sean Waltman are seen outside of the Impact Zone but security won’t let them in.  They begin choking out the security but more security come out to pull them off.  At the announce table, Mike Tenay says that ‘TNA’ is the top trending topic on Twitter.  Hulk Hogan’s motorcade is just a few blocks away and his arrival is up next as we go to another commercial break.

After the break, the motorcade has stopped and a second limo pulls up as a shadowy figure climbs in Hogan’s limo.  The announce team is confused as to what just happened as Scott Hall and Sean Waltman are inside the Impact Zone to crash the party as we head into yet another commercial break.

A familiar NWO-style music hits as Hulk Hogan makes his TNA Impact debut.  Fireworks go off and Hogan comes out wearing a black shirt, black jeans and black bandana over his head, looking like the Hollywood Hogan of old.  Hogan’s daughter, Brooke, is also seen standing in the audience.

Hogan steps into the six-sided ring as the fans start a loud ‘TNA’ chant.  Hogan says TNA and the maniacs are making history tonight and puts over the young talent in TNA and says along with the veterans, TNA will be the number one company in the world.  Waltman and Hall begin walking towards the ring and Hogan allows them to come into the ring.

Hall and Waltman enter the ring and Hogan says if they have something to say, say it right now.  Hall says that they had to come tonight as Hogan, Bischoff and Nash were around and that means big paychecks.  Hogan says it doesn’t work that way anymore and says it will be totally different this time around as Hogan wants to do the right thing for the business.

Hall doesn’t like that as an answer and say things are going to change anyway with or without Hogan.  Nash’s music hits as he comes down to the ring and he tells Hall and Waltman that he has a role to play tonight.  Hogan butts in and says it’s not a role but Nash says he doesn’t remember that being part of their discussions.  Hogan says it is a different time and even though they are 4-life, this is for real.

Eric Bischoff comes out to the ring and reflects on their past but the times have changed and there has been a breakdown in communication.  Bischoff says that everyone has to earn their position in TNA.  Nash says he hears him loud and clear as the trio leaves the ring.  Hogan goes on to say he doesn’t care about past relationships or who has been on a role, but everything changes this instant.

Dixie Carter is seen standing in the crowd applauding as Bischoff asks to see a format of the show.  Bischoff tears it all up and says they are going to start over as he hands SoCal Val a new format.  Bischoff then says they are going to turn the company upside down.  Hogan’s music hits as the camera man catches a glimpse of Sting standing up in the rafters.

Match 3: Awesome Kong & Hamada vs. Taylor Wilde & Sarita (Knockouts Tag Team Championship)
Hamada and Sarita go back and forth in the opening moments of the match before Sarita tags in Taylor.  We cut in to the back where we see Jeremy Borash in the back calling for help as the Motorcity Machine Guns are laid out.  Back to the match, the match has broken down as Kong nearly pins Sarita after slamming her on the canvas.  The champions regroup and send Kong out to the floor with a double dropkick and dive out of the ring and onto the challengers as we head into a commercial break.

We return to the match to see Kong and Hamada double teaming Taylor.  Hamada takes Taylor down with a couple of head butts and taunts Sarita before tagging in Kong.  Kong continues on the attack but Taylor uses her quickness to her advantage to connect with a jawbreaker before tagging in Sarita.

Sarita comes in and tries to go after both of them but Kong is able to catch her and squash her with a splash.  The pin fall is broken up by Taylor to keep the match going, however, Kong is unaffected.  Hamada takes out Taylor outside before Kong and Hamada connect with a double team missile dropkick.  Kong covers for the pin fall to win the Knockouts Tag Team Championships.

We head to the Beautiful People’s poker room as Val Venis joins them.  Velvet Sky nearly says his name but Venis tells them that he doesn’t want to get caught up with old names.  Velvet then tells him he isn’t welcome to play their game but Venis convinces them to let him play as he is only wearing a towel.

Mick Foley is seen talking to security guards, Rocco and Big Sal, and is still trying to get inside the Impact Zone.  They won’t let him in and Foley says he has another plan as he walks away.  The Nasty Boys then show up but they will not let the Nasty Boys in either.

Match 4: Raven & Dr. Stevie vs. Matt Morgan & Hernandez
Hernandez beats on Raven for a bit before Morgan and Stevie are tagged in.  Morgan takes Stevie down with a Carbon Footprint and picks up the quick victory.

Christy is backstage with D’Angelo Dinero who says that he has been selected by Hulk Hogan to be in a match tonight.  The Pope is going up against Desmond Wolfe and he promises to knock his wanker butt down the mountain top as he is interrupted by Orlando Jordan, who is looking for Hogan.  Pope tells Jordan to get steppin’ before he walks away.

Match 5: Desmond Wolfe vs. D’Angelo Dinero
The match starts and Wolfe begins working on Dinero’s arm and takes him down with the hammerlock DDT.  Wolfe continues to work over the arm while Dinero gets in a few flurries of offense.  Wolfe goes for the Tower of London but Dinero counters with a rollup and scores the pin fall.

Jeff Jarrett is seen walking in the backstage area as the announce team wonders what he is up to before we head into a commercial break.

Jeremy Borash is backstage as Rhino is laid out in the back.  Bubba the Love Sponge walks in and takes over on the announcement and says that he will get to the bottom of it.  The announce team recaps the huge show that has gone down thus far before revisiting Hogan’s debut.  Jarrett is seen walking around the back once again and he is on his way to the Impact Zone and it’s up after the commercial break.

Jeremy Borash is in the locker room with AJ Styles who says he has been in TNA for seven years and has never experienced this amount of excitement.  Borash brings up Styles’ match at Genesis against Kurt Angle and he wants to show that he is the best wrestler in the world.  Eric Bischoff walks in and has some good and bad news for him.  Bischoff says that the bad news is that he will not be defending against Angle at Genesis.  The good news is that the match will take place tonight as the main event.  Styles smiles and says he hopes Angle is ready, because he is.

Jeff Jarrett’s music hits as he comes down to the ring with a microphone in his hand.  Jarrett says it feels great to be back in the Impact Zone, in the same organization that he started seven years ago with his hard earned money.  Now, seven years later he proved the critics wrong and is on live television on Monday night.

Jarrett goes on to say that he has done both great and bad things, but the most rewarding of all is giving the younger guys a start, such as Beer Money, the Motorcity Machine Guns, Samoa Joe, Daniels and AJ Styles.  In closing, though, Jarrett says the fans haven’t seen anything as with Hogan, Dixie and himself working side-by-side, anything can happen in TNA.

Hogan appears on the big screen and says that nobody cares about what he says.  Hogan gives Jarrett credit for starting TNA, he also ran TNA into the ground before it was resurrected by Dixie.  Hogan goes on to say that TNA was restructured and he is now Dixie’s partner, not Jarrett.  Hogan promises to give the young guys the spotlight and is going to take TNA to the top.  Hogan goes on to tell Jarrett to get in line and prove himself as he is no different than anybody else in his mind.

Christy is with Daniels who says he has faith in his ability as Jeremy Borash interrupts.  Borash says that Foley is outside and he wants to be let in.  Borash opens a door and Foley barges in and he says he has a bone to pick with Hogan and he doesn’t care who he has to go through to get to him as we head into a commercial break.

Jeff Hardy is shown painting in the locker room with Shannon Moore and they are on their way to talk to “the big man” as they leave the locker room.

Match 6: Abyss vs. Samoa Joe
This match has been changed as it was supposed to be against Rhino, but instead it has been changed to be the first ever meeting between Abyss against Samoa Joe as requested by Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff.  The bell rings and Joe goes right on the attack with a series of punches and takes Abyss down with a solid kick to the head.  Abyss, though, comes back with a big boot as Joe rolls out to the floor.

Abyss follows as Joe swings a chair but misses and hits the ring post instead.  Abyss then sends Joe into the steps before rolling him back into the ring.  Joe regains control of the match and takes Abyss down with a kick before hitting a backsplash for a two count.  Sting is seen in some unknown location in the Impact Zone as Abyss connects with a clothesline on Joe.  Abyss follows with a side slam but is only able to pick up a two count.

Joe begins to mount a comeback and connects with a series of kicks before being caught by Abyss after trying a high risk move.  Abyss hits a choke slam but Joe is able to kick out of the pin attempt and again rolls to the outside.  Joe then hits Abyss with a chair without the referee seeing and locks Abyss in the rear naked choke.  Abyss beings to reach for the ropes but isn’t able to reach before finally tapping out.

Eric Bischoff is with one of the producers and is making changes to the show while Kristal Lashley comes over to him.  She says that she wants to know what Hulk Hogan has to say about Lashley’s request and Bischoff blows her off and tell her to stand in line like everyone else.  Kristal responds by saying Bobby won’t be happy to hear that and that TNA will be losing it’s biggest star.

Bubba the Love Sponge is backstage where Beer Money has been laid out.  Bubba says he has an idea of who did this and will get back to us with the full details as we head into another commercial break.

The Nasty Boys are still trying to get in but security will still not let them in.  Bubba the Love Sponge says they must be on the list and takes a walk with the security guard, thus allowing Knobbs and Sags into the building.

Jeremy Borash is with Kurt Angle who says he lost his TNA World Championship to a talented wrestler in AJ Styles.  He lost it in a 4-way match and has never gotten a one-on-one rematch and it is time for Angle to reclaim his TNA Championship.

Jeff Hardy and Shannon Moore are walking in the parking lot with envelops in their hands as a bunch of screaming girls run up to them.  Hardy gives them the painting he made as both he and Moore leave in Hardy’s sports car.

The Nasty Boys are seen walking around and walk into Team 3D’s locker room as they are gone wrestling in Japan.  Security comes in and apologizes for the mix-up and they demolish Team 3D’s locker room and spray paint ‘Nasty Boy’ over a photo of Brother Devon.

Match 7: Kurt Angle vs. AJ Styles (TNA World Championship)
There is only 24 minutes before the end of the show, but this main event championship match is given a 60-minute time limit.  The bell rings and the fans are loud in cheering for their favorites.  Styles connects with a dropkick and Angle heads out to the floor.  Styles then kicks Angle off the ring apron and flies over the top rope and connects with a suicide dive.

A masked man runs out and tries to attack Styles but Angle clotheslines him over the top rope.  Security takes the man to the back as the match continues. The distraction allows Angle to gain control of the match as he hits Styles with a running powerbomb into the turnbuckle and we head into a commercial break.

We return to see Angle wearing down Styles with a headlock.  Styles fights his way out and comes back with a couple of blows before hitting a backbreaker.  Styles then tries for the forearm but Angle catches him and hits a belly-to-belly overhead suplex.  Angle tries for the Angle Slam but Styles counters and nails Angle with a clothesline.  Styles looks to go for the Styles Clash but Angle counters and hits a series of German suplexes.

Angle goes for another Angle Slam but Styles gets out of it and tries for the Pele kick but Angle ducks out of the way and puts on the ankle lock.  Styles rolls out of that and nearly pins Angle and comes with a Pele that connects but Angle is able to count out at two.  Angle makes a comeback with an Angle Slam but that isn’t enough to keep Styles down.

Angle tries to backdrop Styles over the ropes but Styles stays on the apron and connects with a forearm.  Styles climbs to the top rope but Angle gets up and tosses Styles down to the mat and picks up a near fall.  Angle then heads to the top and misses with a frog splash and Styles comes back with a Styles Clash but Angle kicks out.

Styles sets Angle up on the turnbuckle but Angle fights out and connects with a frog splash but Styles kicks out before the count of three.  Angle goes for another Angle Slam but Styles counters with a DDT and Angle again kicks out as the crowd begins chanting “who needs Bret?”  Angle then is able to counter a sunset flip with an ankle lock but Styles kicks out before Angle hits with another overhead suplex.

Angle tosses Styles in the corner and Styles dodges a charge and counters with an inverted DDT but Angle again kicks out.  The two then begin trading blows with Styles on the turnbuckle and Angle hits an Angle Slam from the top rope but Styles again kicks out.  Angle then locks Styles in the ankle lock but Styles rolls through and connects with a kick to the head.  Styles then hits the Styles Clash once again but Angle kicks out once again.

Styles tries for a third Styles Clash but Angle counters with an ankle lock and lays down with it.  Ric Flair comes out of the tunnel to watch the match as Styles is able to kick his way out of the hold.  Mike Tenay informs us that Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff has made a deal with SpikeTV to stay with this match until the end as Styles begins to climb the ropes and a springboard dive but Angle again kicks out and we head into a commercial break.

We return to the match to see Angle has Styles locked in a submission but Styles counters into a Styles Clash but Angle counters into ankle lock.  Ric Flair walks away as Styles hits yet another Styles Clash in the middle of the ring.  Instead of covering, Styles heads to the apron and hits a springboard 450 splash to finally put Angle away to retain the TNA World Championship.

Match highlights are aired as Dixie Carter is also shown applauding the match from within the crowd.  Afterwards, Angle embraces Styles and raises his arm in victory as Hulk Hogan comes out of the entrance tunnel with a microphone.  Hogan says Angle and Styles are the two greatest wrestlers in the business today and has nothing but respect for them and says that Styles has raised the TNA bar to a whole other level.

Just then a security guard whispers in Hogan’s ear as Hogan abruptly leaves and the cameras follow Mick Foley in the back.  Foley busts in on the poker game and demands to know where Hogan is.  Venis tells where Hogan’s office is but Eric Bischoff is sitting in the chair.  Bischoff says has lost his stake in the company and tells him to put the boots on and fight for his spot.

Foley says he would never work for him again and says he will give him a reason to be fired.  Hall, Nash and Waltman then attack Foley from behind as Hogan looks on with what just happened and looks at everyone in the room without saying a word as Impact comes to a close.

Quick Results
- Steel Asylum match went to a no-contest.
- ODB defeated Tara by pin fall to win the Knockout Championship.
- Awesome Kong & Hamada defeated Taylor Wilde & Sarita by pin fall to win the Knockouts Tag Team Championship.
- Matt Morgan & Hernandez defeated Raven & Dr. Stevie by pin fall.
- D’Angelo Dinero defeated Desmond Wolfe by pin fall.
- Samoa Joe defeated Abyss by submission.
- AJ Styles defeated Kurt Angle by pin fall to retain the TNA World Championship.

Starman’s Thoughts
Wow, for the first time in a long time I have felt excited to be a wrestling fan.  Of course, I haven’t had the chance to watch WWE Raw yet, but I feel that TNA delivered on their end of the one-time Monday Night War.  Tonight’s main event alone outlasted and outshined most of all wrestling on Raw combined on most weeks.  I will have to say, though, that Impact was a little heavy on the guest appearances.

Not only did Hulk Hogan make his debut, but so did Ric Flair, the Nasty Boys, Orlando Jordan, Eric Bischoff and Val Venis.  That doesn’t even take in to consideration wrestlers from TNA’s past in Jeff Hardy, Shannon Moore, Scott Hall, Sean Waltman and Sting.  Out of all of those names, Jeff Hardy and Ric Flair are the biggest surprises and I really hope that a few of them were only one-time appearances.

Judging by what went on tonight, all of them but Venis and Jordon (neither of which were mentioned by name) are probably the only two making one-time appearances.  The rest will probably be sticking around at least for the time being.  With the exceptions of Flair, Bischoff, Hardy and Moore, I’m not too impressed with the new acquisitions.

Speaking of new acquisitions, is Bubba the Love Sponge really going to be a backstage interviewer?  Sure, there is a bit of name recognition that comes along with him, but he seemed really annoying the little bit that he was on television tonight.  For example, he suggests that he knows who attacked Beer Money and says that he will get back to us after the break, but he never did.  That must have been the part that Bischoff took out of the script.

Aside from all of the new faces throughout the night, it seemed to me that most of the talent tried their hardest to put their best foot forward in their matches tonight.  It is only the fourth day of the year, but Styles/Angle may be one of the better matches of the year – at least on free television.  The back and forth action with near fall after near fall and counter after counter was great.  During his media rounds, Hogan said he wanted to bring the art back to pro wrestling and I feel that this match did just that.

Bischoff making this match tonight instead of at Genesis, by the way, was a great move to keep fans tuned in to the show.  I know Impact will lose in the ratings against Raw but it will be interesting to see if there is a spike towards the final half hour of the show.

Dinero and Wolfe also put on a solid, albeit short, contest that was a lot of fun to watch.  It was good to see Wolfe in a meaningful match on Impact but I cannot stand to see him lose once again.  Wolfe had a ton of momentum coming in to TNA and all of that was basically killed with the signing of Hulk Hogan.  Sure, he had great matches with Kurt Angle, but not gaining any victories in the ring is really hurting him.  This match, although decent, wasn’t doing him any favors.

Both Knockouts titles switched hands tonight with ODB defeating Tara for the Knockout Championship and Awesome Kong & Hamada defeating Taylor Wilde & Sarita for the Knockouts Tag Team Championships.  One of those surprised me while the other one didn’t.

I was surprised to see Tara lose the belt so easily and quickly to ODB.  Tara just won the championship a little over two weeks ago and has already lost the belt.  This reign was even shorter than her first reign that also lasted less than a month.  I’m not sure why they can never keep the title on her as she is an instantly recognizable face – especially with the possibility of new fans tuning in tonight for the first time.

I wasn’t too surprised with the Knockouts Tag Team Titles changing hands as I felt Taylor & Sarita’s reign had lasted long enough.  I never really felt that they were too deserving anyway – as my mind thought the Beautiful People were going to win it before Angelina Love’s visa issues – and the team of Taylor & Sarita never did much for me.  Kong & Hamada haven’t been together long, but they both can wrestle and are dominant in the ring, so the pairing of the two makes sense.

The X Division was featured for the first time in what seems like forever in the mess that is known as the Steel Asylum.  I’m not sure why TNA hasn’t figured out how hard it is to see inside of the structure – take it from me, I have seen it in person at Bound for Glory IV – but they keep on insisting on having this type of match with the X Division.  The match was highlighted by a couple of high risk moves but ended when Homicide used a baton during the match.

So, let me get this straight.  Wrestlers can use the steel cage as a weapon, but they cannot use a baton?  Too bad Bischoff showed up too late to rip that decision out of the script.

I will give TNA credit during their first hour, though, as it ran unopposed to Raw and featured both the X Division and the Knockouts – two aspects that are unique to TNA – but both of them were made out to look foolish.  The X Division with the stupid no contest decision and the Knockouts with a quick, cheap, finish that lead to a title change.

Kristal Lashley came out and cut a heel promo for her husband about leaving TNA.  The last time Bobby Lashley was in the ring, he defeated Scott Steiner in a last man standing match at Final Resolution.  Lashley, of course, recently signed with Strikeforce MMA and is fighting Shane Del Rosario at the end of the month.  This explains his need for an absence, but I hope he comes back soon as I think I could start liking him with his wife being his heel mouthpiece.

Before I end this, I will again applaud TNA for giving us an outstanding start to 2010.  Impact was a lot of fun to watch this week and everyone seemed to be having a good time.  Hogan has promised to put the focus on the young guys, which many faithful TNA fans have been saying for years, and I really hope this comes to be reality.

It was talked about on many occasions during the show that TNA wants to become number one, but that may be a little far fetched even with their extraordinary amount of talent they have on their roster.  Instead of reaching for the stars, I would rather see TNA up WWE’s game while also making their product better.

It was said that WWE is the 800 pound gorilla, and they are just that, but if TNA can at least bring some competition to the table, both products will win in the end.  Like I said at the beginning, this was one of the first times I have been excited as a wrestling fan in a long time and I hope this raises the bar on both sides.

If things keep up like this, 2010 should play out to be a great year for wrestling fans.