On Sunday, July 24, 2005 at 1:00 AM EST Full TNA Impact! Results – 7/22/05
Taped From: Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Mike Tenay & Don West
Report by: Ryan Droste of WrestleView.com
-The show opens showing still photo highlights of No Surrender, focusing on Jeff Jarrett, the Raven/Abyss match, and Jarrett and Rhino's attack on Raven at the end.
-The Impact opening airs.
David Young vs. Lance Hoyt
Young attacks Hoyt while he is getting in the ring. Young with some right hands. Young with an Irish whip, Hoyt reverses it, and nails a clothesline. Then another. Hoyt with another Irish whip and he lifts up Young and drops him flat on his face. Abyss runs out and attacks Hoyt from behind. The bell rings as the match is thrown out.
Winner: No Contest
-Young tries to fight Abyss but to no avail. Abyss nails his torture rack backbreaker, followed by a Black Hole Slam on Hoyt. James Mitchell gets in the ring with a microphone. Mitchell says that what we've just witnessed is a foreshadowing of things to come. Mitchell then says Abyss is a, "weapon of mass destruction, and I hold the detanator. Brace yourself for further explosions."
--Commercial Break--
-X Division Champion Christopher Daniels has joined Tenay and West for this first round Super X Cup match. Daniels admits that Joe has had a great first few weeks in TNA, but he wants to see him put together a run like he has.
Super X Cup - 1st Round
Sonjay Dutt vs. Samoa Joe
Dutt starts off with some kicks to Joe's legs. Dutt with a punch. Joe just pushes Dutt down. Dutt pops up and nails a dropkick to the legs of Joe. Dutt continues to kick Joe's legs.
--Commercial Break--
Joe nails a suicide dive through the ropes, connecting with a forearm shot to Dutt on the floor. Joe kind of caught his foot on the rope when doing it, but still impressive for a big guy. Joe throws Dutt back in the ring. Near fall. Joe with an Irish whip sending Dutt into the turnbuckle, and he then charges in and nails a knee to the face on Dutt. Joe with another running knee to the face of Dutt. Joe with a snap mare, followed by some kicks to the chest. Joe then nails a knee drop. Near fall. Joe with an abdominal stretch. Daniels notes on commentary this tournament should be called the "Christopher Daniels Invitational." Dutt fights out of the stretch, but comes off the ropes and runs into an elbow. Near fall. Joe with a delayed vertical suplex. Near fall. Joe pushes Dutt into the corner. Joe nails a couple loud chops on Dutt. Joe with a headbutt. Dutt with a couple right hands, but Joe just smacks him in the face sending him back into the corner. Joe with some kicks to Dutt. Joe nails a backdrop suplex. Near fall. Joe pushes Dutt into the corner. Joe with some punches and chops. Joe with an Irish whip, sending Dutt into the corner. Joe charges in but Dutt moves. Dutt with a springboard dropkick. Dutt with a spingboard huricanrana. Joe rolls to the outside. Dutt comes off the ropes and nails a dropkick between the middle and bottom ropes to Joe on the outside. Dutt then executes a flip dive over the top rope and lands on Joe on the outside. Dutt throws Joe back in the ring. Dutt goes up top and comes off with a cross body. Near fall. Dutt with a couple chops followed by a kick to the leg. Dutt with an enziguiri. Dutt comes off the ropes but runs into a powerslam from Joe. Near fall. Joe then locks on a cross arm breaker. Dutt gets his foot on the ropes to break the hold. Joe slaps Dutt in the face a few times, and then sets him up on the top turnbuckle. Joe goes to execute the muscle buster, but Dutt tries to fight out. He eventually breaks Joe's hold on him and jumps off the top rope onto Joe's shoulder to go for a huricanrana, but Joe catches him and nails a powerbomb. Near fall. Joe then locks on a STF. Joe then rolls it into the Kokino Clutch and Dutt taps out. Daniels acknowledges on commentary that, in regards to Samoa Joe, he's impressed but not yet concerned.
Winner: Samoa Joe
Match View: Very good start to the X Cup Tournamenet. I still don't know how Joe really fits into the X Division, but after this match I won't complain. He continues to impress. Dutt also got a chance to showcase a lot of his arsenal, something that it seems like he doesn't have the chance to do a lot other than on PPVs once in a while. ***1/4
-Shane Douglas approaches Joe at ringside with a microphone for a word. Douglas talks about Joe's impressive start in TNA. Douglas asks him who's in his sights as he continues to impress here in TNA. Joe just stares at Douglas and walks away.
-Backstage Sean Waltman is yelling at Jerry Lynn, asking him "What was that?!" in regards to the match at No Surrender. Waltman says he is trying to steal his spotlight. Lynn says that he wouldn't have a spotlight if it wasn't for him and the matches they had years ago. Lynn talks about giving him his first job and feeding him when Waltman was struggling and first starting in Minneapolis. Lynn says once Waltman was called up to the big leagues he never heard from him again. Lynn mocks Waltman saying he was too big of a superstar to hang with him and he was too busy with his "Kliq." Waltman say that that's right. Waltman says he worked 300 days a year, he barely had time to talk to his family let alone call him. Waltman tells him to stay out of his business or he's going to pay. Waltman turns to walk away, but Lynn grabs him and tells him, "Don't you turn your back on me!" Waltman screams, "Don't you touch me!" Lynn says the real BS here is he tried to hurt AJ seriously. Lynn asks him if he ever though that AJ has a wife and newborn that he has to take care of? Waltman says nope, and Lynn says that doesn't surprise him. Waltman says when he had his neckbroken, nobody thought about his two kids. Waltman says it's a tough business. Lynn says he tried to save him. Waltman challenges Lynn to a match at Sacrifice and Lynn accepts. Waltman says Lynn will go down just like he always did before. Lynn tells him to remember that he started this. Extremely well done promo.
--Commercial Break--
Kip "Billy Gunn" James & Monty Brown vs. Sonny Siaki & Apolo
Tenay notes on commentary that Kip James was trained by Bob Armstrong, BG James' father. Tenay says Armstrong considers him like a son, so he has picked up the last name James. Siaki and Brown start things off. Brown with a kick and a punch. Siaki nails a punch of his own. They exchange punches and chops before Brown takes the edge. Brown with a kick and forearm. Brown with a loud chop in the corner to Siaki. Siaki comes back with a chop. Brown nails one. Brown comes off the ropes, but Siaki nails a dropkick. BG James is shown at the top of the ramp watching the match. Brown rolls to the outside. James runs in but Siaki takes him down with a drop toe hold. He works over James in the corner with right hands and chops. Saiki sends him into the opposite turnbuckle, but then runs into a boot from James. Tenay notes that James has been fined for his actions against the referees at No Surrender. James works over Siaki in the corner. James pushes the ref down. James then throws Siaki into the ropes, and Brown nails the Pounce. Siaki went crashing into the ref on the mat as he received the Pounce. Brown goes for the cover and another referee runs down and makes the 3 count. He orders the time keeper to ring the bell at 2:21.
Winners: Kip James & Monty Brown
Match View: Not a lot to this match. Apolo never officially got involved, and it was a squash more than anything. A brawl with not many wrestling moves, although furthering the storyline with Kip James and the referees was good. *1/2
-After the match, Konnan and Ron Killings run down and attack Kip James and Brown. They fight throughout ringside. Brown and Killings fight right in front of the announce crew before fighting to the back.
-Backstage, Simon Diamond is telling David Young that that match tonight was unacceptable. Young says he was close, but Diamond says close isn't good enough. He says he's offering him his guidance because he is a physical specimen that has the ability to be much better. Diamond says he only lacks the mental ability to win, which is why he's giving him his guidance. Young says he has nothing to lose, and they shake hands.
--Commercial Break--
-A clip is shown of Kip James attacking the referees at No Surrender. The refs are shown now backstage with Larry Zbyszko arguing that they are in an unsafe work environment. Larry notes it's always been unsafe being a referee of professional wrestling. Larry says he needs a tough crew. They all refuse to referee Kip James.
-NWA World Heavyweight Champion Raven comes out to the ring. Raven says plans are like tyrant, the simpler they are the easier they are to execute. He says his plan at No Surrender was simple. He talks about ripping his back to shreads executing the evenflow on thumbtacks, but he knew the only way to assure Abyss would land in the tacks was for him to land in them as well. Raven says then Jarrett and Rhino came down. Jarrett tried to steal his thunder once again before he could even bask in the glow of his hard faught victory. Raven has come to the conclusion that TNA is not big enough for him and Jarrett and one of them will have to go. Raven screams and says he's fed up. He says he and Jarrett need to end it once and for all. Raven says Jarrett can't hide because there will be no escape. Raven says Jarrett is a pollutant polluting the air, but he's a human cancer. Jarrett comes out. Jarrett says all Raven is doing is complaining and making excuses. Jarrett says, "No wonder you don't have any friends Raven." Jarrett says Raven should be at the top of the list to get fired. Jarrett talks about all he's done for this company, building it from the ground up, and now TNA wants to fire him. Jarrett says the difference between them is when he gets mad he gets the job done. Jarrett says Raven wants revenge, but he wants his belt back. Jarrett says Raven is hiding behind the championship committee. Raven says when he's done with Jarrett the only thing he'll be qualified for is an autopsy. Raven lays down the belt on the mat and says if Jarrett wants some, come and get it. Rhino then runs in the ring behind Raven. Jarrett tells Raven he has one last word of advice, and it is "turn around." Rhino goes to Gore Raven, but Raven moves. Raven fights off Rhino with some right hands. Raven with a clothesline. Jarrett runs in the ring and nails come punches on Raven. Rhino then nails the Gore on Raven. Jeff Jarrett then locks on the Figure Four. Rhino pounds on the face of Raven as he's in the leglock. Good segment.
--Commercial Break--
Super X Cup - First Round
Matt "Michael Shane" Bentley w/ Traci vs. AJ Styles
Styles with the go behind, but Bentley gives him some elbows. Bentley comes off the ropes, Styles jumps over him, and Bentley goes to the outside to gather himself. Bentley with a kick to the gut and a right hand. Bentley throws Styles into the turnbuckle. Bentley fires off some right hands. Styles reverses an Irish whip and nails a drop kick on Bentley.
--Commercial Break--
Bentley is on the outside and Styles in the ring. Bentley gets back in. Bentley with a kick followed by a right hand. They exchange punches. Bentley with a knee to the gut. Styles hip tosses Bentley right into his knee. Styles with another arm drag taking Bentley down to the mat and holding on locking in an armbar. Bentley fights to his feet. Styles with a vertical suplex. Near fall. Styles with a right hand. Styles with an Irish whip, and he catches Bentley and nails a backbreaker. Near fall. Bentley with a fist to the stomach, but Styles nails some elbows to the back. Styles comes off the ropes, but Traci grabs him from behind distracting him. Styles grabs Traci by the hair and pulls her up to the apron. Bentley charges in, and Styles moves, and Bentley nails Traci with a punch to the head. Styles charges at Bentley, Bentley tosses styles over the top, but Styles lands on the apron on the other side of the ropes. Bentley slams Styles' arm across the top rope. Both back in the ring, Bentley locks on an armbar. Styles reverses an Irish whip and sends Bentley into the turnbuckle. Styles charges in but Bentley moves and styles runs shoulder first into the ring post. Bentley with an axe handle smash across the shoulder. Bentley throws Styles shoulder first into the turnbuckle. Bentley continues to work over Styles' shoulder. Bentley with an Irish whip followed by a drop kick. Near fall. Bentley continues to put pressure on Styles' shoulder with an armbar. Styles fights out with some right hands. Styles with a chop. Bentley gives him one back. They exchange chops. Bentley with a kick to the gut and an armbreaker. Near fall. Bentley wrenches Styles' arm and shoudler across the bottom rope. Bentley then distracts the ref and Traci does the same to Styles. Near fall. Bentley body slams Styles, then drops a knee across the shoulder and arm. Near fall. Bentley continues to wrench back on Styles arm with a grapevine type manuever. Styles rolls through into a pinfall attempt for a near fall. Bentley quickly nails an armbreaker. Near fall. Bentley again puts Styles into an armbar on the mat. Styles screams in pain and tries to fight to his feet. He gets up and nails some right hands to the head of Bentley to break the hold. Styles nails his awesome looking backflip dropkick. Styles with three charging clotheslines in a row. Styles with an irish whip that Bentley reverses sending AJ into the corner. Bentley charges in and AJ moves. Styles springboards off the top rope to nail a flying forearm. Styles with a clothesline. Near fall. Styles goes for the Styles Clash, but Bentley blocks it and nails an STO. Near fall. Bentley nails a kick to the face. Bentley comes off the ropes, AJ jumps to look to nail a huricanrana but Bentley catches him and powerbombs him to the mat. Near fall. Traci distracts the ref and Bentley brings in a foreign object. AMW comes out to ringside. Bentley goes to nail AJ with the foreign object, AJ ducks, and Storm nails Bentley with a superkick. Styles makes the cover and gets the pinfall.
Winner: AJ Styles
Match View: Solid match. These two have had more exciting than this one, but it was strong and had a good build to it. It was nice to see AMW get involved in the finish, James Storm paying Bentley back with a superkick since Bentley had superkicked him at No Surrender. Little things like this make all the difference. Styles and Bentley were strong as usual. I'd definitely recommend downloading this show off TNA's website and giving it a watch if you haven't seen it. The two X Cup matches from this edition of Impact are worth watching. ***1/4