AJ Styles… Whooo! (1/21 Impact Recap)

Footage of Genesis is aired, which saw the debuts of Ken Anderson and Bryan Kendrick and the four-sided ring.  Ric Flair also assisted AJ Styles in defeating Kurt Angle to retain the TNA World Championship.  A limo then arrives and three women get out and is followed by Flair and Styles.  Styles is dressed to the nines with a custom suit as he walks into the Impact Zone.

A brand new Impact intro hits and the pyro goes off as we are welcomed to this week’s broadcast that will feature the fallout from Genesis.  Ric Flair’s music hits as he walks out to the ring with a girl in each arm.  Flair says there are three reasons he came to TNA – he hates Hulk Hogan and wants to finish their lifelong feud, to crown AJ Styles as the next Ric Flair, and he was wined and dined by Dixie Carter over a candlelight dinner.

Flair then introduces the champion, AJ Styles, who also comes down to the ring with a woman.  Styles gets on the microphone and says that he has done it all in TNA for the past eight years but the company is still not known as the House that Styles Built.  Styles runs down his list of accomplishments but people like Jeff Jarrett, Samoa Joe, Kurt Angle and Sting get to take all of the credit.

Kurt Angle’s music hits who is followed out by Hulk Hogan.  Hogan says that Genesis was supposed to be Angle’s lost shot at the title in 2010, but he decided to change his mind after seeing how their match played out.  Hogan says Angle will get another shot and if Flair gets involved, Styles will be disqualified and will lose the title.  That match will take place tonight on Impact.

Mick Foley is seen walking in the back and is demolishing everything in his path.  Foley is calling for Eric Bischoff and keeps on walking.  The announce team says that he must want to talk to Bischoff as they run down tonight’s card that will feature a match between the Nasty Boys against Kevin Nash & Eric Young.  Also, Mr. Anderson will address the fans and Kurt Angle will face AJ Styles for the TNA World Championship.

Match 1: The British Invasion vs. Matt Morgan & Hernandez (TNA World Tag Team Championship)
The bell rings and the Brits get the early advantage after double teaming Morgan.  The advantage doesn’t last long, though, as Morgan uses his strength to power Dave Williams around until a distraction allows Brutus Magnus to turn it back into their advantage.  Morgan, however, is able to make the hot tag to Hernandez, who comes in and cleans house but a double team by the Brits nearly puts the match away.

Rob Terry walks down the ramp and tosses in the Feast or Fired briefcase but Magnus accidently hits Williams and Hernandez is able to make the cover to win the match and retain the TNA Tag Team Championships.  Magnus and Terry then argue as Mick Foley comes out and beats up on all of the Brits with a steel chair.  Foley yells into the camera that he is coming to see Bischoff later on tonight.

Audio of Jeff Jarrett’s appearance on the Bubba the Love Sponge show is played.  Bubba called Jarrett multiple times during the morning and Jarrett says that TNA was profitable before Hulk Hogan and asks them to go their own way before hanging up on him.

In the office, Hulk Hogan says Cactus Jack needs to be taken care of and Bischoff says he will get on it.  Kevin Nash then walks in and Hogan states that he isn’t happy with the antics of the Band and says it needs to stop.  Hogan says they only have one shot and it is all about survival.

Christy Hemme is with D’Angelo Dinero who says he is feeling good about facing Orlando Jordan in a match tonight.  Dinero promises to hand out two pimp slaps to welcome his opponent to Orlando, Jordan.

Match 2: Orlando Jordan vs. D’Angelo Dinero
Dinero and Jordan go back and forth in an evenly contested match in the opening moments.  Jordan finally slaps Dinero hard across the face which lights a fire in Dinero but the Pope does a little too much showboating to allow Jordan to recover.  Jordan then targets the taped knee of Dinero and scores the pin fall after hitting a dragon screw leg whip.

Christy is with Kurt Angle who says it makes him sick to see what Ric Flair has done to AJ Styles.  Angle says justice was served when Hulk Hogan booked the match and promises to serve up some justice in the ring.

Part two of Bubba’s interview with Jeff Jarrett is aired and an irate Jarrett says that Hogan and his posse is not the holy grail and hangs up once again.

Eric Young meets up with Kevin Nash in the dressing room and wants to know where Nash stands in their friendship.  Young says he doesn’t want to relive history and wants to make history of their own and Nash says Young will fit right in with the Band.

A video package showing the history of the Beautiful People is aired.  Angelina Love’s exit and return is aired.  Love and Madison Rayne are both seen walking in the back and they will meet up in a match coming up next.

Part three of Bubba’s interview with Jeff Jarrett is aired and Jarrett’s states that the TNA fans hate the new changes that Hogan and Bischoff have put in.  Bubba says that he wants to set up a meeting between Jarrett and Hogan to talk it all out.  Jarrett agrees to it and Jarrett says he wants Bubba to be there.

Bobby Lashley, without Kristal, is in the office with Eric Bischoff and he has had a change of heart and wants to wrestle in TNA.  Bischoff says it took some guts to come in and admit that but he wants to talk to Hogan about it first and promises to have an answer for him next week.

Match 3: Madison Rayne vs. Angelina Love
Madison goes right on the attack at the sound of the bell, but Angelina recovers and takes over control of the match.  Angelina then delivers a hard bicycle kick that lays out Madison and Angelina wins with a pin fall.  Angelina then tears off Madison’s top as the rest of the Beautiful People come out and beat down Angelina in the middle of the ring with the Ugly Stick.

Bubba the Love Sponge is backstage with Scott Hall and SyxxPac and asks what they were thinking during Genesis.  They say that everyone knows that when they are around, stuff happens and draws ratings.  Hall promises that the two of them will be walking out with TNA contracts after tonight.

Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff come out to the ring and Hogan says there is a lot of business to take care of, right here and right now.  The Band interrupts and Hogan tells them to stop in their tracks and says their party is over and tells them to hit the road.  Security comes out to prevent them from getting into the ring as Mick Foley begins to make his way towards the ring.  Bischoff tells security to take Foley into his office and they will talk later on.

Back from a break, security still has their hands full with the Band as Kevin Nash promises to take care of things and Hall and Waltman leave the Impact Zone.

Match 4: Nasty Boys vs. Kevin Nash & Eric Young
The match starts and the Nasty Boys work over Young in the early going before he finally rolls out of the way of an elbow drop from Knobs and rolls over to make the tag to Nash.  The Nasty Boys regain control of the match once again but Nash takes Sags down with a big boot before tagging EY back into the match.  On the outside, Knobs sends Nash into the ring post as the Nasty Boys then double team Young and wear him down.  Sags then scores the pin fall over Young after hitting a pump handle slam.

After the match, Team 3D caught up with the Nasty Boys in the back and laid them out with a couple of steel chairs to welcome them back to professional wrestling.

A video package highlighting Ken Anderson’s debut at Genesis is aired.  Anderson then joins the Impact Zone and says he is not here for the fans but because Hulk Hogan called him personally and asked him to join TNA.  Anderson says he is not there to run his mouth but to let his actions speak for themselves and his actions were loud at Genesis.

Just then, Abyss sneaks into the ring and stands behind Anderson runs his mouth about Abyss.  When Anderson finally gets to his trademark phrase, Abyss taps him on the back and begins to beat him down until Anderson is finally able to get out of the ring.

After a commercial, Abyss is with Eric Bischoff and is apologizing for his actions.  Bischoff says he still has a job because Hulk Hogan likes him and asks Abyss if he has some other place to be.  Bischoff has other important things going on and he has to meet up with Mick Foley.

Bischoff walks into the office where Foley is being held back by a bunch of security guards.  Bischoff asks security to leave so they can have some private time as he is confident he will not need them.  Foley says he will not stand there and let Bischoff and Hogan tear down what he built up with his own money.  Bischoff says it is getting tense in here and orders the cameraman to also leave the office.

Match 5: Kurt Angle vs. AJ Styles (TNA World Championship)
Styles attacks Angle before the opening bell but Angle turns Styles inside out with a clothesline and takes control of the match.  Angle nearly pins Styles on several occasions after hitting a few slams and continues to beat the champ down.  Styles finally turns the tide of the match after hitting Angle with a low blow that the referee didn’t see.  Styles is in control of the match as we head into a commercial break.

We return to the match to see Styles take Angle down with a chop block and puts Angle in the figure four leg lock.  Angle is able to make it to the ropes to break the hold and takes Styles down with an overhead suplex before hitting a series of German suplexes.  Styles is able to get up and connect with a Pele kick and sets up for the Styles Clash but Angle counters with an ankle lock.  Styles is able to roll through and puts on the ankle lock on Angle and Earl Hebner calls for the bell.

The ring clears as Angle looks on in confusion as AJ Styles is awarded as the winner.  The announce team then wonders what is going on as Angle didn’t tap out.  Hulk Hogan comes out and Angle says he is quitting TNA to go back to the WWE before spitting on Hogan.

During the commercial break, Angle is seen going berserk and smashed Mike Tenay’s chair before walking away.  The announce team wonder if Hulk Hogan is involved in the matter as Eric Bischoff is seen walking to the ring with blood pouring out of his forehead.  Bischoff grabs a microphone and announces that Mick Foley is fired as Impact comes to a close.

Quick Results
- Matt Morgan & Hernandez defeated the British Invasion by pin fall to retain the TNA Tag Team Championship.
- Orlando Jordan defeated D’Angelo Dinero by pin fall.
- Angelina Love defeated Madison Rayne by pin fall.
- Nasty Boys defeated Kevin Nash & Eric Young by pin fall.
- AJ Styles defeated Kurt Angle by submission to retain the TNA World Championship.

Starman’s Thoughts
After having to sit through matches with the likes of Orlando Jordan, Kevin Nash, and the Nasty Boys in action, the show pretty much ends with the TNA version of the Montreal screwjob, complete with the same referee and the face full of spit.  I’m glad Hogan is sticking to his word and turning TNA around by rehashing an angle that was done over a decade ago and showcasing wrestlers that haven’t been relevant in about as long.

Speaking of Hogan sticking to his word, it didn’t take long before Angle got another title shot in 2010.  As I said before, I can watch Angle and Styles wrestle all of the time and I was starting to think it was poor planning on TNA’s behalf to hold this title shot on a moments notice.  That all changed after I saw the conclusion of the match.  The screwjob ending would have probably pissed me off even more had the match been hyped for a solid week.

Other than that, the four-sided ring will take some getting used to, I am looking forward to seeing how Mr. Anderson will be used, and I just don’t get what anybody can see in Orlando Jordan.  After all that has gone down the past few weeks with the Hogan era in TNA, I am spent and am cutting this short.  Thankfully I will be heading to Mexico for a weeks vacation and away from all things wrestling.