Impact Wrestling
Orlando, Florida (Impact Wrestling Zone)
June 2, 2011
Commentators: Mike Tenay & Taz
Report by: Josh Boutwell of Wrestleview.com
This week’s Impact Wrestling opens up with Eric Bischoff arriving at the Impact Zone and being served some papers by a man in a suit. He tells Bischoff that he’s been “serve” and Bischoff says “by the Network?” and asks why they didn’t just call him.
We cut to the back where ODB is beating the hell out of Velvet Sky! ODB even beats the hell out of TNA Photographer, Lee South! Velvet comes back on her as ODB turns around from whooping on South. Velvet Spears ODB through the set where South was taking photographs apparently of Velvet. ODB and Velvet continue to brawl down a hallway where ODB chokes Velvet on the ground. ODB drags Velvet out into the arena and tosses her into a table. She slams Velvet onto the table and continues beating on her and slamming her into a wall and choking her. Finally Velvet is able to duck out of the way when ODB charged at her. Velvet slams ODB into a table and then the same wall ODB was slamming Velvet into. ODB comes back and slams Velvet hard into a side of one of the bleachers. ODB picks Velvet up and slams her into a bleacher and finally security runs out to separate them. ODB kicks the security guards in the nuts but turns around into a bunch of chops and kicks from Velvet. Velvet tries to toss ODB into the guardrail but ODB turns it around and slams Velvet into it and then starts spanking Velvet as she hung over the railing. She then slams Velvet into the ring apron repeatedly. ODB tells the fans to kiss her ass and then she rips Velvet’s t-shirt off and continues beating her down before tossing her into the ring.
ODB climbs in and starts choking Velvet with her own shirt. She holds Velvet down and counts three, slamming her hands on the mat and screams “the bitch is back now bitch!” She spits on Velvet and finally leaves Velvet laid out in the ring. Ms. Tessmacher runs down and helps Velvet up.
Tenay and Taz hype up the show for tonight with Angelina Love vs. Ms. Tessmacher, an AJ Styles/Bully Ray face-to-face, and big Tag Team Match pitting Jeff Jarrett & Scott Steiner against Kurt Angle & Matt Morgan.
Sting’s music interrupts Tenay & Taz as they were hyping up the show for tonight, but instead of the Champ it’s Mr. Anderson dressed as old school Sting again. Damn, Sting must have reached WAY back in his closet to pull out all these different sets of ring gear. Anderson said tonight he’s taking this whole thing with Sting to a whole new level. He says tonight he will face one of Sting’s most storied competitors, one of his most famous rivals. He says we need to stay tuned.
In the back Bischoff is on the phone with someone bitching about the papers when Brian Kendrick walks up and thanks Bischoff for giving him the shot at Abyss, but he wants to redeem himself and get another shot at Abyss. Bischoff asks what’s wrong with the X-Division guys and asks if they’re glutens for punishment. He calls Kendrick “dumb as a rock” and says Kaz is getting his rematch with Abyss at Slammiversary which complicates things for him. He instead suggests Kaz and Kendrick go out there and beat the hell out of each other tonight and Abyss will feast off of whatever is left.
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During the break Bischoff is bitching to Hogan on the phone about the papers and he asks Hogan that he thought Hogan had everything under control. Bischoff says it’s not a “TNA thing” it’s a “Spike TV thing” and he says this isn’t good.
Bischoff’s music hits and he walks down to the ring. Taz says Hogan is on his way to the building. Bischoff says he doesn’t have a lot of time so he wants to get down to business and he calls Beer Money down to the ring. They don’t make Eric wait too long, Roode still has his arm in a sling. Bischoff says Beer Money knows that they have 30 days to defend the belts and they’re not going to be able to because Roode won’t be cleared in time. He says they’re booked for Slammiversary to defend the belts against British Invasion but there is no one to defend the belts so he has no choice but then to strip them of the belts. Bischoff tells Beer Money to just hand the belts over. Roode calls Bischoff a real son of a bitch and he says it was Bischoff’s goons that took him out in the first place and now he wants to strip them of the belts they busted their asses for. Roode says they isn’t going to happen and he’ll be at Slammiverasry hurt or not and if he wants those belts it will be over his dead body. The Motor City Machine Guns music hits and Alex Shelley walks out to a nice pop!
Shelley asks Roode for the mic and he hands it over. Shelley says he heard all of what Roode just said and he announces (for the first time on TV I think) that Chris Sabin tore both his ACL & MCL and we won’t be seeing Sabin for the rest of the year. Shelley says that made him think about the Guns past accomplishments and it made him go back to a year ago when there were two teams that went on a 5-Match tear and asks Beer Money if they remember that. Shelley says one of the things he learned from those matches is respect and he respects Beer Money. Bischoff asks Shelley what the hell he wants and Shelley says he has an offer for Beer Money. Shelley says he heard Bischoff talk about rules and they can get around that. He suggests at Slammiversary Roode allow Shelley just ONCE to defend the belts with Storm for them. Bischoff asks Shelley if he thinks he can just come out and insert himself in a Championship bout. Shelley says Bischoff said it himself, that Roode can’t go and he can’t think of a better replacement than himself. Bischoff asks who told Shelley who told him could do that and Shelley says the Network did! Shelley asks Beer Money what they think about Gun Money one time! Roode shakes Shelley’s hand and Shelley takes a swig of Storm’s beer! Bischoff congratulates Shelley and says that takes one set of big balls to do what he just did, but he’s also a man that just made Bischoff’s “shit list.”
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“Cold Blooded” Matt Hardy vs. Crimson
They’re really trying to put over Crimson’s winning streak. Clips of Crimson’s highlights the last few weeks including his win over Abyss are shown as he comes to the ring. Someone in TNA is really high on this guy. Crimson and Hardy circle each other and then as Hardy tries for a lockup, Crimson picks Hardy up into the air and slams him into the corner. The referee pulls Crimson out of the corner which allows Hardy to kick Crimson in the gut and follow up with a Side Headlock. Crimson shoves him into the ropes and Hardy tries to knock Crimson down with a shoulder block, but Crimson doesn’t budge. He then nails Hardy with a Clothesline that takes Hardy down. Hardy decides to roll out to the floor to try and cut off Crimson’s momentum. Hardy comes back into the ring and ducks a lockup attempt and gets Crimson in a Waistlock and punches Crimson in the back repeatedly. Crimson answers with a back elbow and then a big right hand. Crimson whips Hardy into the ropes and connects with a big Back Elbow and then he slams Hardy into the corner with several Shoulder Blocks. Crimson whips Hardy into the opposite corner hard and then drags him to the center of the ring and gets a nearfall. Crimson ducks a right hand attempt and connects with a T-Bone Suplex and again Hardy rolls out to the floor. Crimson reaches over the ropes and pulls Hardy up onto the apron by his hair, but Hardy nails him with a Jawbreaker onto the top rope. Hardy then comes back into the ring and hits a Swinging Neckbreaker. Hardy climbs up top and dives off with a Clothesline for a nearfall. Hardy hits Crimson with repeated elbows to the back of the head and then connects with a Leg Drop for another nearfall. Hardy picks Crimson up and locks him in a Cravate and then transitions into a side headlock followed by another Neckbreaker. Hardy climbs up top but Crimson crotches him on the top rope and climbs up with Hardy. Crimson goes for a T-Bone Superplex, but Hardy fights it off with elbows and shoves Crimson off. Hardy then connects with a Guillotine Leg Drop to the back of Crimson’s head off the top! 1…2…NO Crimson kicks out! Hardy locks in another Cravate and then he whips Crimson into the ropes but eats a Shoulder Block followed by a Back Elbow and then a clothesline. Crimosn follows up with a Double Underhook DDT! 1…2…NO Hardy kicks out! Crimson picks Hardy up and goes for a suplex but Hardy grabs onto the ropes to block it. Crimson beats on Hardy in the corner now hitting him with knees and right hands and then stomps him down. Crimson attempts to clothesline Hardy but Hardy counters with a back elbow and then a Sleeper Slam! 1…2…NO Crimson kicks out! Hardy goes for the Twist of Hate but Crimson shoves him into the corner. Crimson then charges Hardy into the corner but Hardy gets his foot up. Hardy then charges but eats the Red Sky! 1…2…3!
Winner: Crimson via pinfall (Red Sky)
Did Matt Hardy just put over a young guy?!
After the match Crimson’s celebration is short lived as Samoa Joe dead sprints down to the ring and tries to attack Crimson but Crimson Spears him as he gets in the ring! Joe rolls out to the ring and starts screaming at Crimson that he will never be safe. Crimson laughs and dares Joe to get back in the ring.
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Back from commercials Mr. Anderson approaches Eric Young and EY says he knows why Anderson is there. He says everyone in the wrestling business is trying to get EY to run seminars for them so they can learn how to have epic battles like he and Gunner had last week. Anderson says that definitely was an epic battle and he says that reminded him of another epic battle, 1989 Sting vs. Great Muta! EY says he loves Great Muta and says he’s awesome. Anderson says he would like to recreate history but EY cuts him off and says he saw what Anderson did to Disco last week and he’s not going to let him do that to him. EY also says Sting is one of his heroes. Anderson says he’s not trying to disrespect Sting and he’s paying homage to him. He says he’s just trying to remind people of the old days, when wrestling mattered. EY says if it’s really about respecting Sting and Muta then he’s got a deal and they pinky swear with each other. Anderson and EY shake hands and Anderson walks off saying it’s going to be epic tonight. EY winks at the camera as Anderson turned away.
We cut to Winter bitching to Angelina about getting her lip busted open last week by Mickie. She says it’s up to Angelina to defend her honor. Angelina cuts her off and finally speaks in her zombie form and says they must once again become royalty. Oh jeez. She says she’s going to start by taking out Tessmacher tonight in Winter’s honor and the worst storyline in the history of TNA continues.
In the back Bischoff is talking to Immortal about the papers he was served. He says he doesn’t even have to open the papers he knows what’s in it. Bischoff says he’s been down this road before and he’s worked with big networks before and says what they think a wrestling company should be is completely different from what he and Hogan think it should be. Bischoff says he and Hulk will never forget what Immortal has done for them and Jarrett says it’s not over. Bischoff is teasing he and Hulk being gone? We cannot be that lucky.
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Miss Tessmacher vs. Angelina Love w/Winter
Angelina is coming out to Winter’s music now. Tessmacher rolls Angelina up at the bell but only gets a two count. She then ducks a clothesline from Angelina and rolls her up again! 1…2…NO Angelina kicks out! Angelina grabs Tessmacher but Tessmacher locks her in a headlock out of nowhere. Tessmacher goes for a Headlock Takeover but Angelina blocks it and then shoves Tessmacher into the ropes and connects with a shoulder block. Angelina grabs Tessmacher by the throat and throws her across the ring. She then nails Tessmacher with a series of right hands and then whips Tessmacher into the ropes. Angelina goes for a Clothesline but Tessmacher ducks and connects with a Cross Body Block! 1…2…NO Angelina kicks out! Winter distracts Tessmacher and Angelina attacks her from behind. Tessmacher falls out to the floor and Angelina follows and continues to beat on her on the floor. Back in the ring Tessmacher makes a comeback on Angelina with clotheslines and forearms. Tessmacher climbs up top and climbs on Angelina’s shoulders for the Victory Roll but Angelina blocks it back dropping down on her back slamming Tessmacher on the map. Angelina then picks Tessmacher up and hits a WICKED new finish where she hits a Reverse DDT into a Backstabber for the pin!
Winner: Angelina via pinfall (Reverse DDT/Backstabber)
After the match Angelina locks Tessmacher in a modified Sleeper on the ground and chokes her out. The referee tries to stop her but Winter shoves the referee away and says “she’s mine!” Finally Angelina releases the hold and Winter raises her arm.
In the back Anderson is strutting around in the back in the old school Sting gear.
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Mr. Anderson vs. “Showtime” Eric Young (dressed as the legendary Great Muta)
Anderson comes dressed like Sting again and out to Sting’s music. For the younger fans that don’t know what feud Anderson is alluding to, Sting and the Great Muta had a legendary feud back in the 80’s and 90’s (and a less legendary feud in the 2000’s) that spanned across America and Japan in WCW and New Japan. They had SEVERAL classic one-on-one matches as well as tag matches together. Christy Hemme introduces Young as “the Not-So-Great Muta.” Young is wearing the old Muta face paint rather than the mask and comes out in baggy pants. Anderson hits a Stinger Splash on the turnbuckles mocking Sting and starts beating on his chest and howling like Sting. Young doesn’t look happy and says he thought this was a tribute. Young tries to leave but Anderson keeps stopping him and finally punches him in the face. Anderson hits Young with Shoulder Blocks in the corner and then whips him into the opposite corner and hits a Running Clothesline. Anderson Chop Blocks Young’s knee and then howls at him. Anderson then hits repeated Elbow Drops for a nearfall. Anderson tosses Young into the corner and goes for the Stinger Splash but Young moves out of the way and hit’s a Muta Chop! Young then follows up with a Runnign Forearm for a nearfall. Young picks Anderson up but Anderson blocks whatever he was attempting and goes for the Green Bay Plunge. Young blocks it and reverses into a Belly-to-Belly Suplex! 1…2…NO Anderson kicks out! Anderson goes for a clothesline but Young counters into a Crucifix Rollup! 1….2…NO Anderson kicks out! Young whips Anderson into the ropes and goes for a backdrop but Anderson kicks him in the head and then hits a Swinging Neckbreaker for a nearfall. Anderson picks Young up but Young catches him with a Jawbreaker followed by a Scoop Slam. Young climbs up top and hits the Muta Moonsault! Gunner runs out and distracts the referee which allows Anderson to attack Young from behind. Anderson goes for a Scorpion Death Drop but Young blocks it and spits the Green Mist in Anderson’s face! Young rolls Anderson up! 1…2…3!
Winner: Young via pinfall (rollup)
After the match Gunner attacks Young and beats the hell out of him along with Anderson. Sting’s music hits and the real Sting runs out and goes after Gunner! Anderson bails out as Sting clotheslines Gunner over the top! Sting chases Anderson up the ramp and then goes back into the ring to check on Eric Muta. Someone please book the real Great Muta vs. Sting before Sting hangs up the boots? Is that too much to ask for? Make it happy Dixie…I mean Jarrett…I mean Hogan…I mean Bischoff…oh hell whoever just book it!
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TNA X-Division Title #1 Contenders Match
Brian Kendrick vs. Kazarian
The winner faces Abyss at Slammiversary for the X-Division Title. Kendrick and Kaz shake hands and then lockup in the center of the ring. Kendrick gets Kaz in a Hammerlock but Kaz reverses it and then transitions into a Drop Toehold and then he transitions into a chinlock. Kendrick fights to his feet and counters out of the hold and retreats to the corner to regroup. They lockup again and this time Kaz forces Kendrick into the corner and then whips him into the opposite corner. Kendrick floats up and over a charging Kaz and then connects with a series of beautiful Arm Drags! After the 2nd one Kendrick locks in an Armlock. Kaz rolls over and gets to his feet and tries to shove Kendrick into the ropes but Kendrick holds onto Kaz’s arm and springboards off the ropes into a Springboard Armdrag! Kendrick waits for Kaz to get to his feet and then attempts another arm drag but Kaz blocks it and then hits an Oklahoma Roll for a nearfall. Haven’t seen that kind of counter to an armdrag before, nice. He just simply sidestepped Kendrick as he went for the armdrag. Kaz follows up with a series of arm drags of his own and then a Firemans Carry Takeover followed by a Spinning Heel Kick! Kaz picks Kendrick up and hits a Gutwrench Suplex for a nearfall. Kaz picks Kendrick up again and connects with a Scoop Slam followed by the Springboard Leg Drop attempt but Kendrick rolls out of the way. Kaz lands on his feet as Kendrick rolls to the apron. Kaz goes for a shoulder block through the ropes but Kendrick actually flips over the top rope which causes Kaz’s momentum to take him out to the floor. Kaz lands on his feet and then turns around as Kendrick attempts a Tope Suicida! Kaz leaps out of the way and Kendrick eats the floor. Kaz rolls Kendrick back into the ring and immediately covers him for a nearfall. The fans are really getting into it as Kendrick fights back on Kaz with Forearms. He hits the ropes but Kaz nails him with a Tilt-A-Whirl Backbreaker! 1…2…NO Kendrick kicks out! Kaz picks Kendrick up and connects with a Vertical Suplex for another nearfall. Kaz picks Kendrick up and whips him into the ropes and hits a dropkick for another nearfall. Kaz is starting to get a little frustrated now. Kaz locks Kendrick in a Straight Jacket Choke. Kendrick fights to his feet and back sKaz into the corner repeatedly but Kazarian maintains the hold on him. Kendrick starts slamming his head back into Kaz’s head to loosen the hold and then he’s able to fling Kazarian off of him. Kendrick follows up with Forearms but Kazarian answers with Forearms of his own! The two nail each other with BIG Forearms back and forth and then Kaz hits the ropes only to eat a Front Kick from Kendrick! Kendrick climbs up top and hits a Missile Dropkick! 1…2…NO Kaz kicks out! Kendrick attempts to whip Kaz into the corner but Kaz reverses it and Kendrick springboards off the top with a Moonsault, but Kaz avoids it. Kendrick lands on his feet and hits an Enziguri on Kaz! Kendrick is getting fired up as he picks Kaz up and goes for the Sliced Bread, but Kaz blocks it in midmove with a damn Neckbreaker off the top! Damn what a counter! 1…2…NO Kendrick kicks out! Kaz calls for the finish now as Kendrick gets to his feet. Kaz goes for Fade 2 Black, but Kendrick is able to grab the ropes to block it. He then escapes it and connects with a NASTY Superkick! Kendrick climbs up top and dives off with a Frog Splash! Kaz gets his knees up and then connects with the Shining Wizard! The move caused Kendrick to fall out through the ropes to the floor so Kaz can’t pin him. Kaz rolls out to the floor and drags Kendrick back into the ring. Kaz goes to cover Kendrick but Kendrick catches him with an Inside Cradle out of nowhere! 1…2…NO Kaz kicks out! Both men get to their feet and Kendrick goes for a clothesline but Kaz grabs his arm and rolls him up with a Backslide! 1…2…NO Kendrick kicks out and then rolls Kaz up! 1…2…NO Kaz kicks out! Kendrick rolls back to the corner and Kaz charges at him but Kendrick sidesteps him and then rolls Kaz up but Kaz rolls through only to have Kendrick roll through as well and then Kaz rolls through and Kendrick falls through the ropes! The bell rings! Oh man, time limit draw damn! Christy Hemme announces that this is a DRAW and Kaz demands overtime and Kendrick demands it as well. The fans chant for 5 more minutes and So Cal Val hands Hebner a headset. He says something to Hemme and she announces that Bischoff has given it a 5 minute Sudden Death! Kendrick and Kaz face off in the center of the ring and start trading forearms again! Kaz gets fired the hell up and connects with a series of nasty forearms! Kendrick shoves Kaz away and then both men charge at each other with Cross Body Blocks! Both men are down now! They both sell it like their heads slammed into each other. Abyss runs down and gets into the ring. He surveys the damage and then grabs Kaz but Kendrick jumps on his back with a Sleeper! Abyss flips Kendrick off and then nails Abyss with a big right hand. Abyss grabs Kendrick and hits the Shock Treatment! Tenay puts over how these two have been beating the hell out of each other for 10 minutes and Abyss is picking up the scraps. Abyss grabs Kaz and hits the Block Hole Slam!
Winner: NO CONTEST
Abyss taunts the crowd by holding up the X-Division Title. He then looks into the camera and says “in the Art of War, Sun Tzu says “there is no instance where a nation benefits from prolonged warfare…the war is OVER. The X-Division is dead.”
Footage of Bully Ray Powerbombing AJ off the stage is shown and the confrontation between those two is up next.
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AJ Styles music hits and he comes down to the ring as replays of Ray Powerbombing him a few months ago are shown as well as AJ’s return at Lockdown and Dreamer Piledriving AJ. AJ says that he heard that Bully Ray was going to call him out tonight but nobody calls him out in his house. Bully Ray’s music hits and the ultimate Bully makes his way onto the ramp. He asks AJ if he really just called this his house and he says it’s a building filled up with inbred rednecks so he guesses it is AJ’s house. Ray tells AJ to wipe that smug look off his face and says AJ is riding a high because he and his “girlfriend” Daniels beat Ray & Dreamer in a Street Fight. Ray says AJ never beat him in a Street Fight or Piledrove him on his head, he beat Dreamer NOT AJ. Ray says Dreamer is a HORRIBLE Tag Team partner and calls him another weak link, saying he’s almost as a big a piece of crap as Devon. Ray says AJ represents everything he hates about a modern day pro wrestler. He says AJ would rather go to his hotel room and play video games on his LAPTOP while Ray would rather go to the strip club, drink whiskey, and get a LAP DANCE. Ray says AJ is a boy and Ray is a man and AJ is a punk while Ray is a Pro Wrestler. Ray says that look AJ has in his face right now is pure fear. He says he knows it’s true because he puts the fear of God in everybody. Ray says if God was a bully he would be him.
AJ says those are big words coming from a guy that changed his name from Brother Ray to Bully Ray because of how insecure he is about his penis. Ray didn’t like that one and starts arguing with the fans. Ray says there is nothing wrong with his penis. AJ asks if Ray thinks because he’s the bigger guy, that he’s the bigger MAN. AJ says despite the “fame, the glory, and the FORTUNE” he’s still the crazy redneck that looks for the biggest guy in the fight and knocks his head off! AJ says the old saying goes “a Bully is no different than a balloon, pop that Bully one time and it goes away forever.” Ray asks if AJ thinks he’s the man that will pop him and AJ says he better believe it. AJ says if Ray wants him to stoop down to his level he has no problem with that and suggests at Slammiversary it’s Ray vs. AJ one-on-one in Last Man Standing! Ray asks AJ if he’s out of his mind and climbs into the ring with him and asks him again.
Ray asks AJ if he has any idea what he’s getting himself into and AJ gets right into Ray’s face and says “the question is…do you know what YOU’RE getting yourself into?”
The best feud in the company with the best segment of the night? How is that not surprising?
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Main Event
Jeff Jarrett & Scott Steiner w/Karen Jarrett vs. Kurt Angle & Matt Morgan
Earl Hebner has other referees come down and take Karen to the back as Kurt laughs. Morgan and Steiner look like they’re going to start things off but Steiner tags Jarrett in. Before they can lockup Morgan tags in Angle and Jarrett runs over to Steiner and tags him in. The former Main Event Mafia brothers lockup and Steiner forces Angle into the corner. Steiner swings at Angle but Angle ducks and nails Steiner with a series of rights. Angle whips Steiner into the opposite corner and charges at Steiner but Steiner gets his boot up. Steiner charges at Angle but Angle catches him with a Belly-to-Belly Overhead Suplex! 1..2…NO Steiner kicks out! Steiner comes back with a knee to the gut and tags in Jarrett. Jarrett charges at Angle but Angle catches him with a Hip Toss and then he nails Jarrett with right hands sending him into the corner. Angle hits a European Uppercut and then a Shortarm Clothesline. Angle goes for the Ankle Lock but Jarrett blocks it and kicks Angle into the corner where Morgan tags himself in. Morgan grabs Jarrett by the back of the neck and tosses him into the corner. Jarrett stumbles to his corner for a tag but Steiner alligator arms him and walks down the steps. Jarrett turns around into a Chokeslam Atomic Drop! Morgan headbutts Jarrett and tags in Angle as we see Bischoff talking to Hogan in the back. Angle attempts to whip Jarrett into the ropes but Jarrett reverses it and Steiner hits him from behind. Angle turns around and swings at Steiner but Steiner ducks and Jarrett goes for a clothesline. Angle ducks and hits a German Suplex! Angle runs over and grabs Steiner but Steiner hits him with a Jawbreaker onto the top rope. Angle stumbles back into an Enziguri from Jarrett! Steiner does tag in now and tosses Angle into the corner and puts the boots to him. Steiner picks Angle up and chops away at him and then connects with a Belly-to-Belly Suplex for a nearfall. Steiner tags in Jarrett as Tenay announces that next week Sting & Eric Young will face Mr. Anderson & Gunner! Jarrett goes for the Stroke but Angle counters into the Ankle Lock! Jarrett rolls through it and they clothesline each other! Both men are down. Jarrett tags in Steiner and Angle tags in Morgan. Morgan connects with clotheslines on both Jarrett & Steiner and then he whips Jarrett into the ropes and goes for a clothesline but Jarrett ducks. Jarrett goes for a Cross Body but Morgan catches him in midair and hits a nasty Spinning Sidewalk Slam! Steiner attacks Morgan from behind and attempts to whip him into the corner but Morgan reverses it and hits a Splash followed by a Sidewalk Slam for a nearfall. Morgan attempts to whip Steiner into the ropes but Steiner reverses into a Belly-to-Belly Suplex attempt. Morgan blocks it by slamming his arms into the sides of Steiner’s head and then he hits a Michinoku Driver! 1…2…NO Jarrett breaks it up! Angle comes in and knocks Jarrett to the outside and fights him up the ramp. Angle locks Jarrett in the Ankle Lock on the stage and Karen runs out and jumps on Angle’s back. Angle lets it go and then he’s about to attack Karen but Jeff attacks him from behind and they spill into the back. In the ring Steiner low blows Morgan as Hebner tries to see what just happened with Angle and Jarrett. the camera follows and we see Angle looking down some stairs and Jarrett at the bottom of the stairs with Karen lying on the ground. Jeff screams for help as Kurt looks shocked. In the ring Steiner covers Morgan for the pin.
Winners: Morgan & Jarrett via pinfall
Kurt screams at Jeff that “she never should have been involved” and that this on his hands and he calls him a stupid son of a bitch and an idiot. Angle calls for help now too. Jarrett tells Angle to “shut the f*ck up” and they continue to argue over who’s fault it is as EMT’s come over to help Karen.
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Back from commercials Karen is loaded up in an Ambulance with Jeff in toe. Taz and Tenay discuss what just went down and Taz mentions that Angle was right, Karen should have never been involved. They show different camera angles of what happened but they’re selling like you can’t tell if Kurt backed her down the stairs and she fell or if Jarrett (who was attacking Kurt from behind) shoved Kurt into Karen and that’s how she fell.
Hulk Hogan’s music hits and he and Bischoff make their way down to the ring. Bischoff says if this is the last time he and Hogan are on TV together then people are going to listen but the fans chant “we don’t care” at him. Bischoff says he has known Mick Foley for 19 years and when he first met Cactus Jack when he wasn’t good at anything, but he could cut a good interview while he sucked in the ring. He says Foley built a career out of doing nothing but chasing people around with a sock on his hand and how the hell he was able to convince Spike that Foley of all people had any grasp on the wrestling BUSINESS is a testimony that Foley isn’t good at anything but talking. Bischoff says he has achieved more in the worst week of his career than Foley ever has in his.
Hogan grabs the mic and asks Bischoff is he forgot who the hell he is. Hogan says Bischoff is his partner and his brother. He says they have made history together and that piece of paper puts no fear in him at all. He opens up the paper and reads it and it says effective immediately upon receipt of this notification they have exercised their right to terminate said position, MICK FOLEY! Hogan shows Bischoff the papers and laughs about Foley and does the whole “MICK FOLEY YOU’RE FIRED” angle. Bischoff says this is the happiest day of his life.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Before I talk about the show, I have to say that next week I will be on vacation and without internet access (the mountains) so I won’t be handling the Impact Recap (or the Lucha Column). I’ll be back the week after Slammiversary though like normal. There should be results up regardless though.
Also, I have to mention I was obviously wrong (as so many have pointed out) that last week Angle-RVD wasn’t a first time ever match, they faced during the WWE’s version of ECW, and TNA also was billing it as “first time ever in TNA” rather than first time ever.
Tonight was a really solid show from start to finish for the most part. The obvious highlights were Kaz-Kendrick and the Ray-AJ showdown. The X-Division match was really, really good and the best X-Division match on Impact for quite some time. I don’t like the non-finish but it’s obviously leading to a 3-Way between Kaz, Kendrick, and Abyss. That should be a really fun match if it is how they go. THAT is the kind of thing they need to show us with this Wrestling Matters campaign and MORE of it.
Bully Ray-AJ was easily the best segment of the night with both guys sounding good minus AJ’s penis line. I really love this feud and I’m looking for a great match between these two with tons of intensity at Slammiversary.
The opening segment with ODB and Velvet felt kind of flat even though ODB was pretty intense and how great it’s always to see Velvet Sky in a bikini.
The Angelina Love-Winter saga continues and continues to be awful, with that said Tessmacher-Angelina was decent enough and Tessmacher is definitely getting better and better in the ring.
Too much Bischoff tonight, way too much. They teased that it was over for Immortal but it never felt like it was really a possibility. I’m not really sure where they’re going with the Foley stuff but if they have already abandoned Foley as Spike’s rep, it really makes no sense seeing that it hasn’t been but a few weeks since they started it. I guess I’ll have to see where it goes before I can really say anything about it.
Crimson-Hardy was good and someone in TNA definitely likes Crimson. I like his intensity and the comparisons to Matt Morgan continue but Crimson seems to be a little better in the ring for what I’ve seen. If they continue to build him this way and really play up this winning streak who knows where it could go. The match with Joe should be pretty good if they give them some time. They had built Morgan up pretty well a few years leading into his match with Angle at Bound for Glory but completely dropped the ball after that so hopefully they make it up here with Crimson.
The Main Event was a solid match but I HATED how they completely made the finish seem like nothing as they didn’t even show how Steiner got the pin even on replays. I don’t mind the way they’re taking Karen off TV especially if this leads to an actual one-on-one match between them finally with NO Karen involvement.
Having Shelley replace Roode in the Tag Title Match definitely seems like this is the way they’re trying to get the belts off of Beer Money and have them split up without actually splitting up. Drop the belts and have Roode go solo while Storm does the same without getting into a feud, I would really prefer that than the standard one partner attacks the other split. Regardless Storm-Shelley should make a pretty interesting team, I just don’t know if putting the belts on the Brits right now would accomplish much. Yes they’re former champs and a great team but they have been on TV very little since returning. I would imagine the plan was to go with Ink, Inc. until Jesse Neal was injured.
The Anderson-Young stuff was just kind of there, just boring. The build towards Anderson-Sting has been the complete opposite of the build for Lockdown where everything was hot. Anderson doing the throwback Sting stuff has gotten really old. Move on to something else. Don’t know how great it puts your #1 contender over to have him lose to a guy that was running around with a fake Title 2 weeks ago either.
Overall good action in the ring most of the night with some good promos too, some bad but more good.
– Promo/Segment of the Night: Ray/AJ
– Match of the Night: Kaz vs. Kendrick (***1/2)
– Overall Grade: B
Scheduled for Next Week:
-Sting & Eric Young vs. Mr. Anderson & Gunner
Slammiversary IX Lineup:
– TNA World Title: Sting (c) vs. Mr. Anderson
– TNA Tag Team Titles: Alex Shelley (subbing for Roode) & James Storm (c) vs. British Invasion
– TNA Knockouts Title: Mickie James (c) vs. Angelina Love
– TNA World Title #1 Contenders Match: Jeff Jarrett vs. Kurt Angle (if Jarrett wins he also gets Angle’s medals)
– Last Man Standing: AJ Styles vs. Bully Ray
– Crimson vs. Samoa Joe
– Matt Morgan vs. Scott Steiner