On Friday, June 30, 2006 at 12:01 AM EST Full TNA iMPACT! Results – 6/29/06
Taped From: Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Mike Tenay & Don West
Report by: Ryan Droste (Droste@wrestleview.com) of WrestleView.com
-The show starts with highlights from last week.
-The Impact opening airs.
-Christian Cage's theme comes on and he makes his way down the ramp to the ring with a mic in hand. Christian says he wants to talk to Sting face to face. He calls out Sting. Sting's theme comes on and he comes out. Christian says Cornette is going to do the right thing later and give him back his title, he knows it. He says if what Sting wants is a title shot, he's got it. But Christian says he at least needs to have the balls to say it to his face. Sting calls Christian "Jeff Jarrett." He says he thought he was coming out to talk to Christian Cage. Christian asks if he's wearing white pants, or if he looks like a complete ass? Sting says at this moment, he does. Sting tells him to shut-up and let him do the talking. Sting says he knows what its like to be Christian, to be wanted by many people. Sting says Christian is cracking under pressure. He says this leads to second guessing people, like he's second guessing him. Sting says there is a bigger picture than the world title, there's a bigger problem in TNA. Sting says its Jarrett. Sting says what he went to talk to Cornette about last week was a tag match that involves Christian that will be next week. It will be he and Christian vs. Jarrett and Steiner. Sting asks him if Christian gets it now and if he the light bulb is going off? Christian says he gets it. Christian says next week on Impact it's showtime, but he still looks at Sting a little bit pissed.
--COMMERCIAL BREAK--
-Jeremy Borash is backstage with Jarrett and Steiner. Steiner wants to know from Sting what it's like to go through a match knowing you can't win. He talks about why he's better than Sting. He says Sting shouldn't have picked a partner from Canada. He then says people in Ethiopia have better muscle tone than Christian. Jarrett says Cornette gave him 7 days to think, and he's come to the decision that Cornette has been backed into a corner by Jarrett and outsmarted. Jarrett says he is the most hated and smarted man in wrestling. He says the only option Cornette has is to crown him World Champ. Steiner closes by saying, "Hey Samoa Joe, you learn your lesson yet boy?"
Team Canada (Petey Williams & Eric Young) w/ Scott D'Amore, A-1 Ralphz & Bobby Roode vs. Chris Sabin & Jay Lethal
All 4 men go at it at the beginning. Sabin and Lethal take advantage. Lethal catches Williams with a kick as Sabin holds him up. Sabin with a backbreaker on Young followed by an elbow off the second rope. Williams distracts Sabin and hits him from behind on the apron. Williams is tagged in. LAX is shown in there protest spot. A-1 comes to interfere as Williams holds Sabin in the corner, but Young gets in the way to prevent him. Tenay says this is because Young doesn't want anything illegal in the match because he doesn't want to get fired.
--COMMERCIAL BREAK--
Sabin is hung upside down in the corner as Williams tries to go up and stand on his crotch, but Young stops him. Williams with a snapmare followed by a kick to the back. Williams puts Sabin's arms in a pretzel. Sabin fights to his feet and breaks the hold. He comes off the ropes and uses a sunset flip for a 2 count. Williams comes back with an enziguiri and tags in Young. Young drops an elbow to the back and gets a 2 count. Young with a backelbow after throwing Sabin into the ropes. He tags Williams back in. Williams with a kick to the gut and he then chokes Sabin across the middle rope. Young goes and stops D'Amore from doing anything to Sabin. Petey with a dropkick to a seated Sabin. Sabin fights back with fists to the gut. Williams escaped an offensive attempt and nails a Russian legsweep. Young is tagged back in. Williams holds his boot up for Young, but Young tags his foot instead of doing the illegal move. Lethal is tagged in after Sabin takes out both opponents. He nails some kicks to Young. he gives Williams a neckbreaker and a northern lights suplex. Lethal gives D'Amore and A1 a kick. Sabin flips over the top on to both of them then. Lethal with a flip kick to Young. He then plants Williams on his face. Alex Shelley and Johnny Devine come out with a camera. Lethal is knocked off the top rope by D'Amore. Williams goes for the Canadian Destroyer and nails it. Williams makes the cover to gain the pinfall.
Winners: Team Canada
-A video package airs showing Shane Douglas training the Naturals. Douglas talks about teaching them the things that took him to the top.
Monty Brown vs. Norman Smiley
Smiley does his dancing around and Brown slaps him. Brown with some right hands sending Smiley to the mat. He throws him into the corner and then across the ring. Smiley gets a boot up and works over Brown with some punches on the mat. Smiley with some uppercuts. Brown comes back with a kick to the gut and double underhook slam. Brown with a fallaway slam. Brown then nails the pounce and gets the pin.
Winner: Monty Brown
--COMMERCIAL BREAK--
No DQ Match
America's Most Wanted (Chris Harris & James Storm) w/ Gail Kim vs. Team 3D (Brother Ray & Brother Devon)
Harris and Storm hide next to the entrance tunnel that Team 3D is set to come out at. They then jump them from behind as they are on the ramp, just after their pyro goes off. Storm works over Ray on the outside, repeatedly throwing him into the rail. Harris throws Devon into the rail on the other side. Storm throws Ray into the ring. Ray gets in a back elbow. Ray sits on the top, and Harris climbs up and suplexes him off. Harris gets a 2 count. AMW gives Devon a double suplex.
--COMMERCIAL BREAK--
Ray throws a trash can into the ring with some weapons. Devon gets a kendo stick out and nails Storm with it. Ray smashes a board across Harris' head. Ray and Devon use crutches on their opponents. Gail Kim runs away from the ring in terror. Devon gives Storm a powerslam for a 2 count. Harris comes in and slams Devon. He nails a legdrop off the second rope. Harris is busted open. Gail Kim comes in and nails Ray with a trash can lid to the head, but it does nothing. Ray slams Gail. They place the trash can lid on top of her and Brother Run nails a golf club shot to it. Ray slams Storm and holds his legs open as Devon comes off the top with the headbutt. Ray calls for the tables. They go to bring a table into the ring, but it gets kicked into their face on the apron by AMW. Harris and Storm come out to the outside with Team 3D. They set up the table. Storm gets back body dropped by Devon. Harris then nails him and throws Ray into the ring post. Devon is rolled into the ring. Harris gets the trash can. AMW argue over which weapon to use, the beer bottle or trash can. Harris accidently hits Storm with the can. Harris then turns around right into the 3D and he gets pinned.
Winners: Team 3D
-After the match, the James Gang theme comes on and they come out. BG says Team 3D gave them 7 days to find a partner. BG says that Team 3D's third teammate is a family member (Brother Runt). BG says the roots in their family tree run deep. He says they went out and found the ugliest, nastiest, biggest, badded SOB on the family tree. BG says we got two words for ya, "Turn around." They turn around and Abyss is in the ring to take them out. Abyss throws Brother Runt over the top through the table on the ground on the outside. BG immitates Jim Ross on the mic, saying "My God! He's got a family! He's dead!"
--COMMERCIAL BREAK--
-Cornette is in the ring for the first ever "Company Meeting." The wrestlers and all the officials are out on the ramps. Cornette first addressed LAX. He talks about them feeling discriminated against. Cornette says in TNA, a work stoppage means a check stoppage. He says they will be returning to the ring, and if they don't like that decision Jiffy Lube is hiring. He then addresses D'Amore and Team Canada. He calls him "butterball." He says as far as he is concerned Team Canada is going to be disbanded. He then addressed AMW's request for a rematch for the Tag Titles. He announces at Victory Road there will be a rematch in a six man tag. AMW & Gail Kim vs. AJ Styles, Chrostopher Daniels and the "amazon looking woman." He says the tag titles will be on the line in the match. Next, Cornette addresses Earl Hebner. Cornette calls him, Larry Zbyszko and Jarrett into the ring. Cornette says he and Earl have been friends for 20 years. He says refs should command credibility and respect. Cornette says Hebner has his hand in somebody's pocket. Cornette says because of what he did at Slammiversary, he's fired. Young is shown cheering on the ramp, happy he wasn't the one that got fired. Cornette says he's sick of hearing about Montreal and he's not letting it go any further. He then addresses Larry Z. Cornette asks Larry if he'll perform any task he's required to do, like his contract says. Cornette says Larry's contract allows him to be booked in wrestling matches. Cornette says he understands that Larry and Raven don't like each other, and he's a bit sensitive about the "comb over" hair he has. Cornette announces Larry vs. Raven in a hair vs. hair match at Victory Road. Cornette then addresses Jarrett. Cornette says this all boils down to the NWA World Title, which he has in his hands. Cornette doesn't like the idea of giving titles away. He makes a joke about promoters giving titles to their son in laws. Cornette says that Jarrett did win the match, but he says the thing the TNA fans want to see most is Jarrett pounded into gravy. Cornette says he is going to get the 4 toughest guys in TNA, and there will be a 4 way match at Victory Road. He says the 4 men will be: Christian, Sting, Scott Steiner and Samoa Joe. He says when those 4 men get finished in the 4 way match, the winner will be the number one contender. Cornette says Jarrett will then get his precious belt if he agrees to defend it against the winner of that match. Cornette hands the belt over to him, but he says he doesn't think it will be his for long. Jarrett says Cornette found out the hard way that when you come to TNA, Jarrett doesn't have to deal with you but you have to deal with him. The fans boo and throw trash in the ring. Jarrett talks about the tag match scheduled for next week. Jarrett says he doesn't want to wait until next week, he says get his partner and let's go right now. Steiner and Jarrett don't see Sting get in the ring behind them. Sting, Steiner, Jarrett and Christian brawl in the ring. Sting nails the Stinger Splash on Jarrett in the corner. Christian takes Steiner to the outside. They fight up the ramp. Christian nails Steiner as he falls backwards right into Samoa Joe. Joe then locks Steiner into the Kokino Clutch as we go off the air.
Closing Thoughts: In all honesty, this was a kind of dull edition of Impact other than the closing promo by Cornette. No matches that were much to speak of. The Monty Brown squash was what you'd expect. The AMW vs. Team 3D match wasn't bad, but it seemed at times like 3D was working in slow motion. Team Canada vs. Sabin & Lethal was the best match of the show, and it was given a good amount of time. Even so, it was a pretty average match out of these guys compared to what they usually do. However, Eric Young's actions where he tried to avoid his team cheating were entertaining.
The opening segment with Sting and Christian was good, and Christian continues to slowly build to what looks like an inevitable heel turn. It's been interesting so far, and I think Christian is much better as a heel anyways so it's for the better.
As I said, the closing segment with Cornette was the best part of the show. Could we possibly be seeing a Samoa Joe world title reign soon? It would seem at this point that he'd be the front runner to win the four way match and face Jarrett for the belt. A lot of people are going to be pissed about the decision to give Jarrett the belt. If they are planning on Joe winning the four way number one contender's match and then winning the title, though, Jarrett is probably the best guy for him to defeat for his first title run.