Video footage of D’Angelo Dinero, Kurt Angle, Jeff Hardy and Mr. Anderson talking about tonight’s tag team match kicks off Impact. Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff talk about this match being controversial and how it is needed to see who will step up and deserves to be TNA World Champion.
The Impact intro then hits and we head right into the Impact Zone where Hogan’s music is going off. Hogan, Bischoff and Ms. Tessmacher come down to the ring where Hogan puts over the TNA locker room before calling the Fatal Four down to the ring. Anderson, Dinero, Hardy, and Angle all come out to the ring one-by-one and Hogan tells them they have to raise the bar to another level as he doesn’t want to see what happened to RVD happen all over again.
Bischoff then chimes in and says it was controversial to put the four in a match together just three days before No Surrender, but it was necessary to help determine which one of the four of them is worthy of becoming TNA World Champion. Just then, Abyss is seen walking towards the ring with Janice propped over his shoulder. Abyss then enters the ring and says he has news worthy revelations from “them.”
Hogan cuts in and says he, and everyone else, knows “them” is Fortune and tells him to cut the crap. Abyss says the “they” he refers to was never EV2 or Fortune, but “they” have told him that everything is in place and a date has been set – 10, 10, 10. Abyss says that when they arrive, they will take over TNA and remove Dixie Carter and will exterminate Hogan, Bischoff and the rest in the ring until Hardy finally attacks Abyss and we head into a commercial break.
A video package highlighting the friction between the Beautiful People and Madison Rayne is aired. This leads us into the first match of the night.
Match 1: The Beautiful People vs. Madison Rayne & the Motorcycle Woman
Both sides come out to the same music and attack each other in the ringside area before the match officially starts. Madison Rayne then finds herself stuck between Velvet Sky and Angelina Love and tries to plead with them for a moment until the Motorcycle Woman comes in and clotheslines them both.
The bell finally rings and the Beautiful People works over Madison for the opening moments with quick tags in and out and they get a quick pin attempt but it is broken up. Angelina then spears the motorcycle woman out to the floor and Velvet tries to put Madison away but the motorcycle woman nails Velvet with the motorcycle helmet from behind. Madison then drapes her arm across Velvet to pick up the pin fall.
After the match, the two continue to beat on the Beautiful People and the motorcycle woman finally takes off her mask to reveal to the world what everyone already knew, and that it is Tara. Madison and Tara celebrate in the ring as we head into a commercial break.
The docu-cam is with Stevie Richards who says he is not scared to face Abyss tonight and promises to step out of the shadows of his comrades and stand out on his own. A ReAction video package then focuses on Abyss and the wrestlers talking about who “they” possibly are. We are then told that RVD will speak next week for the first time since suffering the brutal attack from the hands of Abyss.
Match 2: Stevie Richards vs. Abyss
Richards attacks Abyss on the floor prior to the match and sends him flying into the steel steps, but Abyss fires back with a big boot to the face. Abyss then rolls Richards into the ring to get this match started a continues with the beat down before grabbing a steel chair. Abyss brings the chair into the ring and Richards hits a superkick into the chair that goes into Abyss’ face and he picks up the surprising pin fall.
Richards’ victory is short-lived, though, as Abyss quickly knocks him down and hits the Shock Treatment. When then see a split screen where EV2 and Fortune are brawling in the ring and are being separated with security. Since security has their hands tied, Abyss is able to continue beating down Richards until Brian Kendrick comes out and makes the save and runs with Richards into the back.
The docu-cam is with Mr. Anderson who says that he has had a rocky relationship with the Pope as Dinero comes in and the two talk about putting their differences aside for tonight so they can get the job done. Dinero says Anderson better not screw him over in their match while Anderson wonders if he can trust Pope to make tags in and out of the ring. The announcers then hype the main event and the match between Sting and Jeff Jarrett, which will also take place tonight.
Tommy Dreamer, Rhino, Sabu, and Mick Foley are standing together in the ring. Foley is limping around and Dreamer calls out Fortune for hurting Foley’s ankle. Fortune comes out of the entrance tunnel and AJ Styles says they don’t get called out in their own house as they are the ones that make the rules. Styles says EV2 doesn’t have a chance at No Surrender and he promises to embarrass Tommy Dreamer in his own house. Dreamer says they don’t have to wait until Sunday and they can do it right now and challenges them to an 8-man tag team match.
Jeff Jarrett is in the back talking to Samoa Joe and tries to get him to watch his back once more. Jarrett says it’s up to Joe to do the right thing but Joe says the one thing he knows about this business is that you should mind your own as he walks away.
The docu-cam is with Kevin Nash and Sting who say they want to mess with Jarrett tonight. Sting says that he knows someone else will show up and when he does he is going to pull him in the ring. Another docu-cam is with Jarrett and he says that he hopes that someone will stand up on his side tonight.
Match 3: Jeff Jarrett vs. Sting
Sting is wearing red face paint for this match and Mike Tenay informs us that the 8-man tag team match between EV2 and Fortune is set to take place tonight and it will be an elimination match. The match between Jarrett and Sting starts and Nash gets involved by tripping Jarrett a few times and Jarrett goes after him but the numbers game is too much for him. Sting goes after Jarrett on the floor and Jarrett tries to make a comeback, but Nash again gets involved and causes Jarrett to lose the match by pin fall.
Sting then begins choking Jarrett with a baseball bat until Hulk Hogan comes out of the entrance tunnel. Hogan is able to cause a distraction as Samoa Joe comes in from the other side and takes out Nash. Sting then yells at Joe and tells him he doesn’t belong there and backs off.
Another video package for Shore is aired that says coming soon. We then head to the announce team as they hype the No Surrender card that takes place this Sunday on pay-per-view.
London Brawling is in the ring and Desmond Wolfe says while Queer Money and the Motorcity Cap Guns have been beating each other up, they have been beating every time of wankers that have been put in front of them on Xplosion. Wolfe claims they are the best tag team in TNA and at No Surrender they will prove it. Magnus chimes in and says the belts will be leaving the boys and coming over to the men on Sunday.
The Motorcity Machine Guns music hits as they come down to the ring and Alex Shelley says they are the best tag team in the world and they are not going to lose the belts that easily. The two teams then trade insults which include sexuality, pubic hair and their manhood. Chelsea is finally is brought into the mix and she rips into Wolfe’s manhood, which leads to a brawl between both teams. London Brawling get the best of the champs as Chelsea and Wolfe continue to argue.
EV2 is in the back as Tommy Dreamer talks about all of them going down as the trainer is looking at Mick Foley’s ankle. Brian Kendrick comes in and offers his services but Dreamer tells him not to get involved. Foley says the only person that will name his replacement is himself and Foley says Kendrick is crazy enough to do it. Kendrick thanks them for the opportunity as Dreamer tells him to be prepared.
Jeff Hardy and Kurt Angle are seen talking in the back and Hardy reminds Angle that if he loses on Sunday his career could be over. Angle guarantees that he will not lose at No Surrender as the two shake hands and leave.
Match 4: Fortune vs. EV2 (8-Man Elimination Tag Team Match)
Rhino takes a brief beating in the ring before he actually hits Kazarian with a dropkick and he tags in Sabu. Sabu comes in and hits Kazarian with a flurry of moves and goes up to the middle rope where Douglas Williams shoves Sabu down to the mat. Kazarian then rolls up Sabu for the three count to eliminate Sabu from the match. Sabu then springs up and dives out at Douglas Williams and the two fights their way to the back.
Tommy Dreamer and Brian Kendrick both work over Kazarian as this match continues. Robert Roode is tagged into the match and he powers Kendrick around the ring for a moment before turning it back over to Kazarian. Kendrick and Kazarian go back and forth with pin attempts until Kendrick takes Kendrick out with a drop kick and picks up the pin fall on Kazarian.
Styles comes in and he and Kendrick go at it and Kendrick intentionally hits the referee with a dropkick. The match then breaks down as other referees run out to check on Brian Hebner and Mick Foley walks out of the tunnel as we head into a commercial break.
We return to the action to see Kendrick has been disqualified from the match for dropkicking the referee. Slick Johnson takes over the match and we see Beer Money wearing down Tommy Dreamer but he is able to tag Rhino into the match. Rhino comes in and goes after all members of Fortune before finally hitting James Storm with a Gore but Roode is able to break up the pin attempt.
Rhino then gives Roode a belly-to-belly suplex and sets up for the Gore but Abyss comes and distracts Rhino as they begin fighting in the crowd. Rhino is then counted out of the match for the third elimination as Dreamer is up against Beer Money and Styles. Roode then takes down Dreamer and goes for a couple of quick pin attempts as Fortune begins to use quick tags in and out to wear down Dreamer. There is some miscommunication, though, and Dreamer is able to pin both members of Beer Money in rapid succession.
It is all even with Styles and Dreamer being the final two left in the match. Styles tries for the Styles Clash but Dreamer counters into a crossface but Styles is able to make it to the ropes. Styles comes back with a dropkick and puts Dreamer in an armbar but Dreamer makes it to the ropes. Styles then heads to the top rope but Dreamer meets him on the turnbuckle and takes him down with a superplex.
Dreamer then is about to put Styles in a figure four but Morgan hops on the ring apron and distracts Dreamer. Dreamer is able to hang Morgan on the top rope as Mick Foley and Ric Flair begin going at it in the ringside area. Shortly after, Styles pokes Dreamer in the eyes and hits the Pele kick to pick up the pin fall and the victory for Fortune.
After a commercial break we head right into the main event.
Match 5: Mr. Anderson & D’Angelo Dinero vs. Jeff Hardy & Kurt Angle
Angle goes right after Dinero as he and Anderson are arguing in the corner as the bell rings. Angle tags Hardy in who scores a near fall on Hardy but the Pope is able to take Hardy down and tags Anderson into the match. Anderson comes in and is able to score another near fall on Hardy after hitting a hard clothesline as Dinero and Hardy tag in and out to work over Hardy. Hardy, though, is able to block an attempt at the Mic Check and counters with a Twist of Fate.
Hardy crawls back to his corner and tags in Angle who takes Anderson and Dinero down with a series of suplexes and goes for a pin attempt on Pope after hitting an Angle Slam. Anderson breaks up the pin attempt and both Angle and Anderson connect with clotheslines. Hardy then heads to the top rope and goes for a Whisper in the Wind but Anderson moves out of the way and hits Angle instead. Anderson then hits the Mic Check on Angle as Dinero comes in and picks up the pin fall.
The celebration between the winning partners doesn’t last long as Dinero and Anderson go at it and fight their way out to the floor. Meanwhile, Angle and Hardy start going at it in the ring until security comes out and breaks up the melee and Impact comes to a close.
Quick Results
- Madison Rayne & Tara defeated the Beautiful People by pin fall.
- Stevie Richards defeated Abyss by pin fall.
- Sting defeated Jeff Jarrett by pin fall.
- Fortune defeated EV2 by pin fall in an 8-man elimination tag team match.
- Mr. Anderson & D’Angelo Dinero defeated Jeff Hardy & Kurt Angle by pin fall.
Starman’s Thoughts
Tonight’s go home show started off with a huge opening with the Fatal Four, Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff all standing together in the ring. Abyss then came out and gave a little more insight to “they” and announced that they have plans to reveal themselves on 10/10/10, which of course, is Bound for Glory. Just when it started getting good, Hardy was seen attacking Abyss as we head went into a commercial break.
Nice little cliffhanger, right? Makes you want to stick around and see what went down and what will come of this, right? But we get nothing. TNA decided to go right into the first match of the night, which had absolutely nothing to do with what just happened in the ring. Furthermore, the announce team didn’t even give it a passing mention. That was a horrible, beyond excusable, transition and pretty much killed everything that took place in the first segment.
At the very least, at least 10/10/10 is a lot cooler date than May 19th.
I was happy to see Samoa Joe walk away from Jeff Jarrett last week and not accept his offer to have his back. I was also happy to see Joe once again walk away from another offer from Jarrett. You can then imagine my displeasure when Joe finally did come out to Jarrett’s rescue during tonight’s broadcast.
The Jarrett/Hogan/Sting/Nash saga that nobody really cares about isn’t something that Joe should have been brought in to. At the very least, at least it gives Joe some TV time, but to me it seems like punishment for his outburst in the production truck. If this works out for the best for Joe, I guess I can live with it, but I have my doubts.
I was happy to see that TNA didn’t save the motorcycle woman’s unmasking for a live pay-per-view event as I believe that everyone and their mothers knew it was Tara hiding under the mask. I just hope they have a logical explanation for why Tara is teaming up with Madison as she was the one that forced Tara out of TNA in the first place.
Rob Van Dam will speak next week on Impact, but in case you blinked you might have missed it. You would think that something of this nature, you know, the former World Champion who was stripped of the title due to a brutal assault and hasn’t been on TV since, would get more than a graphic and a passing mention. TNA really needs to learn when to hype things up and make them seem more special.
At any rate, No Surrender takes place this Sunday and I will return this weekend for my preview and predictions.
