Reported by Josh Boutwell of WrestleView.com
On Friday, November 14, 2008 at 3:36 AM EST

TNA iMPACT!
November 13, 2008
Orlando, Florida (iMPACT! Zone @ Universal Studios)
Commentators: Mike Tenay & Don West
Report by: Josh Boutwell of WrestleView.com

The show starts with a recap of this Sunday’s great Turning Point PPV and then we cut to the back where Jeremy Borash is with Jeff Jarrett and Mick Foley. JB asks Foley & Jarrett about the Main Event Mafia’s clean sweep of the PPV. Jeff says that everyone loses some matches and it’s all about if you can get up after getting knocked down in this business. Mick says somebody needs to go out to the ring and give the young guys some hope. JB cracks a joke about Foley must have Obama on speed dial or something and this pisses Foley off. Foley says that he was embarrassed at Turning Point and talks about Alex Shelley making fun of him and then losing his match after that. Mick says he is going to address the TNA Originals tonight.

After the intro Tenay & West run down the card for tonight and then Mick Foley’s music hits as it looks like Mick won’t waste any time tonight. Mick says that Turning Point was not exactly a stellar night for the TNA Originals and he then calls out AJ Styles, Samoa Joe, Motor City Machine Guns, Eric Young, Petey Williams, Jay Lethal, & Consequences Creed. All of them make their way out to the ring. As they come to the ring Don West points out a great fact about how the Main Event Mafia seem to work together as a unit while the TNA Originals don’t seem to be working together very well. Mick says that he wasn’t embarrassed about the Originals efforts on Sunday. Alex Shelley isn’t paying Mick any attention and Mick Foley gets pissed off and asks Alex if he’s playing with a booger. Mick asks Alex if the shape of his ass is more important than him losing the TNA Tag Titles Match against Beer Money. Mick starts to talk to Alex and he is still ignoring him and Mick gets more pissed. Mick says that Alex is a valuable part of TNA but he is not invaluable. Mick promises to deal with Shelley next week. Mick tells them they need to realize the power of words. Mick says that Joe beat Kevin Nash from pillar to post but Nash still won. He then looks to AJ and says that he beat Sting but didn’t win the match. Mick says that if they don’t learn from their mistakes then the MEM will strike them out everytime. Mick says he believes in second chances and then says that Eric Young earned a shot at the X-Division Champion. Mick says that he gets his shot tonight. Mick praises Joe and Sting and says that they will be teaming up to face Beer Money for the Tag Titles tonight! Mick then asks Jay Lethal if he wants to step up to the plate and get a shot at the TNA World Heavyweight Title tonight and Jay responds with an “OOOOOOOH YEAAAH!” Mick makes the match for tonight and then says that when they step up to the plate tonight they need to step up to the plate.

In the parking lot Lauren approaches Christian Cage and asks him about having to join the Main Event Mafia tonight. Christian says it doesn’t matter what his thoughts are because he doesn’t have a choice. Kurt Angle then walks up with the rest of the Main Event Mafia and welcomes him to the “family.” Kurt says that they are going to give him a welcome party like he’s never had before. He says that tonight he becomes a “made man” and then Scott Steiner hands him a suit. As they walk off Kevin Nash sniffs Lauren’s hair, and then when they’re gone Christian stuffs the suit into a garbage can.

Back from commercials ODB is working on something in the back when Lauren asks her what she’s doing. ODB says she has a new talk show hosting debuting next week on Impact.

Knockouts Tag Team Match
Awesome Kong & Rhaka Khan w/Raisha Saeed vs. Taylor Wilde & “Hardcore Knockout” Roxxi

As Taylor makes her way to the ring Kong attacks her on the entrance ramp as Roxxi and Rhaka Khan go at it at ringside. Kong throws Taylor into the guard rail and steps on her head as Roxxi and Rhaka Khan trade forearms. Kong throws Kong into the ring and the ref rings the bell. Kong throws Taylor across the ring by her hair and then Kong chokes her on the bottom rope. Kong whips Taylor into an opposite corner and then hits a big splash. Kong tags in Khan and she hits a big scoop slam followed by a Knee Drop for a two count. Khan pushes Taylor into the corner and then chokes her with her boot Kevin Nash style. Khan nails a big Vertical Suplex for another two count. Khan tags in Kong and she whips Taylor into the corner and goes for a big splash, but Taylor moves and hits the Code Breaker on Kong. Both women are down and Taylor is finally able to tag out to Roxxi. Roxxi hits several forearms and then a spinning forearm. Roxxi jumps on Kong’s back and locks in a sleeper but Khan runs in and hits a big kick breaking it up. Taylor runs in and hits several legs kicks on Khan and then she and Roxxi hit a double clothesline. Roxxi and Taylor hit a double dropkick and then Taylor does a wheel barrow on Roxxi who then throws her into a Senton Splash on Kong! Khan attempts to clothesline Roxxi but she ducks and throws Khan to the floor. Taylor goes for a baseball slide dropkick on Khan on the floor, but Khan catches her. Khan goes for a slam on Taylor but she gets out of it and hits a forearm. Back in the ring Kong nails Roxxi and then hits the Implant Buster on Kong for the pinfall.

Winners: Awesome Kong & Rhaka Khan via pinfall (Implant Buster)

In the back Lauren is with the Motor City Machine Guns. Shelley says that their group is kind of like a snake. At the front you have AJ Styles & Samoa Joe while on the back is everybody /*, but he doesn’t get how that happened because last he checked they were in the USA not communist Russia. Shelley says that they should be at the front of the line of the TNA Originals. Sabin says that they need to do things like they do in Detroit, by any means necessary.

Back from commercials Lauren is in Traci’s office with Awesome Kong, Raisha Saeed, and Rhaka Khan. Raisha tells Traci to find Kong suitable opponents and says that if she doesn’t find her new opponents Kong will feed on innocent civilians. Lauren asks Rhaka Khan why she turned on Taylor Wilde. Khan then says who wouldn’t be on the side of the beast.

TNA X-Division Championship
“Middle Eastern Nightmare” Sheik Abdul Bashir (c) vs. “Showtime” Eric Young

Young earned this shot at the Title at Turning Point this past Sunday in the awesome X-Division Ranking Elimination Match. Bashir prays to the X-Division gods before the match as usual. Bashir’s favorite ref, Shane Sewell, will be officiating this match. Bashir goes right after Young before the bell on the apron, but Young slides under his legs and hits a big hip toss. Young then hits a big right hand in the corner and attempts to whip Bashir in the corner, but Bashir reverses it. Young nips up in the corner and Bashir runs into it. Young nails a belly-to-belly suplex for an early two count. Bashir hits a drop toe hold on Young into the corner and then stomps on Young’s face and gets a two count. The fans get behind Young as Bashir gets another two count. Basher locks in a body scissors on Young and rakes at his eyes. Young fights out of the move but Bashir puts in a sleeper, but again Young fights out and slams Bashir into the corner. Young hits a snapmare and then a big forearm. Young goes for a clothesline but Bashir ducks and then Young hits a powerslam for another two count. Basher gets a knee to Young’s midsection and then whips Young into the ropes, but Young kicks him in the gut and then this a spinning clothesline. Young beats on Bashir in the corner and Sewell pulls him off. Young throws Sewell to the side and Bashir nails Young with a low blow. When Sewell turns around Bashir covers Young but Young is holding his groin in pain. Sewell starts to make the count but stops and argues with Bashir about the low blow. Bashir is pissed and pushes Sewell down. Sewell snaps and rips his shirt off and nails Bashir with right hands and then a scoop slam. Sewell then hits a dropkick and a big right hand that sends Bashir right into a Death Valley Driver from Young. Young makes the cover and gets the pinfall to become the new X-Division Champion!

Winner & NEW X-Division Champ: Eric Young via pinfall (DVD)

After the match all the TNA Originals come down to celebrate with Eric Young as Earl Hebner gets in Sewell’s face for getting involved in the match. The Originals put Young on their shoulders as we go to commercials.

As I’m seeing the commercial for Kurt Angle’s new TNA DVD I realize I really need to see that.

Back from commercial TNA recaps the X-Division title match. Lauren is in the back with the celebrating TNA Originals. Young dedicates his win to Mick Foley and says that from her e on out its their time to shine. As Young is talking AJ Styles and Samoa Joe don’t seem to be as happy and the Motor City Machine Guns are talking to each other in the back.

TNA Rough Cut w/ L.A.X.

Hernandez talks about his football career in high school and his College career. Hernandez talks about his Lucha career as Mr. Texas in Mexico. Hernandez says he has to listen to Homicide because he has been successful everywhere he’s been, and that they bonded real well quickly. Hernandez calls Homicide the General of L.A.X. and says he is Hernandez mentor. Great segment and it looks like we’ll see one on Homicide next week.

In the back JB is with the Main Event Mafia and talks about the Originals being on roll tonight. Angle says that Young didn’t beat anyone in the Main Event Mafia so it doesn’t matter. Petey Williams knocks on the door and asks to talk to Scott Steiner, but Booker T. tells him to get his punk ass out of their locker room. Steiner says this is the wrong place and the wrong time for Petey to try and talk to him. Scott says they’ll talk after his match and Petey leaves. That was kind of interesting.

In the back Lauren is with Jay Lethal. Lethal says, “God bless the new president and God bless my new boss!” Lethal says that the Men on a Mission are going down tonight and Lauren corrects him and says that it’s the Main Event Mafia. This guy is hilarious. Lethal reminds everyone that it was him who beat Kurt Angle and shocked the world. Lethal then says he’s going to Sting the Stinger. Lauren tells Petey to be careful with Scott Steiner, but Petey says that Scott is his boy and there’s nothing to be worried about.

“Big Poppa Pump” Scott Steiner w/Kurt Angle vs. “War Machine” Rhino

Kurt Angle joins Mike Tenay & Don West at the announce table for this match. Steiner goes old school and argues with some fans at ringside before the match. Rhino and Steiner lock up in the center of the ring and Scott hits an arm drag and taunts Rhino. They lock up again and brawl to the corner where the ref breaks them up, but Steiner shoves Rhino. Rhino shoves him back and they trade punches. Rhino attempts to Steiner into the ropes but Steiner reverses it and Rhino hits a big shoulder block. Steiner goes for a hip toss but Rhino blocks it and chops Steiner. Rhino whips Steiner into the ropes and goes for a back body drop, but Scott stops and hits a belly-to-belly overhead suplex for a two count. Steiner chokes Rhino in the corner and then chops him in that same corner. Steiner whips Rhino into the ropes and hits a big clothesline followed by an elbow drop. Steiner covers but after a one count starts doing pushups taunting Rhino. Steiner slams Rhino head first in the corner and then chops Rhino. Steiner whips Rhino in the corner and charges, but Rhino hits a big back elbow. Steiner comes back with a poke in the eye. Steiner attempts to whip Rhino into the ropes but Rhino blocks it and hits a TKO on Steiner out of nowhere. Both men are down as the ref does the 10 count but they both get up and trade punches. Rhino attempts to whip Steiner in the ropes but Steiner reverses it and Rhino hits a big flying clothesline. Rhino whips Steiner into the corner and hits a big shoulder block followed by a belly-to-bely suplex. Rhino sets up for the Gore and Kurt Angle quickly leaves the announce table and distracts Rhino allowing Steiner to hit a T-Bone Suplex for the win.

Winner: Scott Steiner via pinfall (T-Bone Suplex)

In the back JB is with Sting and asks Sting about his Title defense against Jay Lethal tonight. Sting says that he’s heard it all before how it was Joe’s night at BFG and how it was AJ’s night at Turning Point, but what the Originals don’t understand is that they are their own worst enemies. Sting says that they don’t only not respect the MEM but they don’t respect each other. Sting says that’s the difference between men and boys.

TNA World Heavyweight Championship
“The Icon” Sting (c) vs. “Black Machismo” Jay Lethal

Sting is coming off of a great performance against AJ Styles at Turning Point while Jay Lethal was the runner up in the X-Division Seeding Match Sunday night. This should be a very interesting match. JB does the usual Boxing style intros TNA is known for with title matches. Sting is getting a few more boos now adays as it finally seems like most of the fans are seeing him as a true heel. Sting and Lethal lock up and Sting forces Lethal to the corner. Lethal hits several big jabs and right hands and slams Sting head first into the corner. Lethal with more jabs and attempts to whip Sting into the ropes but Sting reverses it. Sting goes for a clothesline but Lethal slides under his legs and hits a dropkick. Lethal with right hands and whips Sting into the ropes and hits a big flying forearm for a two count. Lethal this a double axe handle off the top for another two count. Lethal slams Sting into the corner and then mounts him and hits several right hands. Lethal whips Sting into the corner and charges but Sting throws him over the top to the apron. Sting goes for a right hand but Lethal blocks it and hits a huge slap to Sting’s face. Lethal with a springboard Missile Dropkick and Sting bails to the outside, but he’s not safe as Lethal hits a big Suicide Dive through the ropes to the floor. Sting is limping but as he gets back in the ring Lethal goes right at him with punches and kicks. Right before TNA goes to commercial Sting hits a big clothesline. Back from commercials Sting hits a big clothesline on Lethal out of the corner and Sting is still limping around. Sting hits a Vertical Suplex followed by a splash. Lethal bails to the outside and Sting follows. Sting throws Lethal into the guardrail as the Motor City Machine Guns walk down to ringside. Sting slams Lethal into the guardrail again and rolls Lethal back into the ring. Sting puts Lethal in a sleeper as the MCMG beat on the mat. Lethal with back elbows but Sting stops him and goes for a back suplex, but Lethal lands on his feet and then hits a flying clothesline. Lethal with another clothesline and a back elbow. Lethal with a hip toss into a handspring basement dropkick for a two count. Lethal attempts to whip Sting into the ropes but Sting blocks it and Lethal chops and punches at Sting. Lethal with a leapfrog and then they both run into each other. Alex Shelley gets on the ring apron and distracts the referee as Sabin picks Sting up and holds him. Lethal tells Sabin to get out of the ring and throws Sting to the side. Lethal then throws Sabin to the floor and Sting hits a big kick to Lethal’s back followed by a Scorpion Death Drop for the win!

Winner & STILL World Champ: Sting via pinfall (Scorpion Death Drop)

Samoa Joe & AJ Styles make their way to the ring and get in MCMG faces until the rest of the Original’s come out and break everything up.

In the back the Main Event Mafia are assaulting Petey Williams! Steiner nails Petey with a garbage can and Nash hits him with a 2x4. Steiner drags Petey over to a ladder and slams his head into it. Steiner then drags Petey up the ladder and throws him head first off the ladder to the floor! They continue to scream at Petey as we go to commercials.

In the back the TNA Originals are watching as EMT’s attend to a lifeless Petey Williams.

JB is in the back with Beer Money Inc. and he asks them about their title defense against Joe and AJ. Jacqueline puts her hand over JB’s mouth and asks who Mick Foley is thinking he can tell Beer Money what to do. Roode says that Beer Money is the best tag in the world and says that he could buy and sell Mick 10 times over and Mick is a bum. Roode tells Mick to hit the road as James Storm starts singing “Hit The Road, Jack.” Storm tells AJ & Joe they better start worrying about them instead of their little soap opera they have going on. Storm says they only have 2 things on their mind, “Mind on our Money, and Money on our Beer.”

TNA World Tag Team Championships
Beer Money Inc. (c) w/Jacqueline vs. “Samoan Submission Machine” Samoa Joe & “The Phenomenal” AJ Styles

James Storm is actually driving a mobile cooler to the ring. Storm is hilarious. Storm and AJ lock up in the center of the ring and AJ locks in a side headlock. Storm pushes AJ to the corner and hits a shoulder block followed by a big slap. Storm whips AJ into the ropes and goes for a back body drop but AJ back flips over Storm and hits a scoop slam followed by a big knee drop. AJ tags in Joe and Joe hits a couple of body shots. Storm shoves Joe into Beer Money’s corner and tags in Roode. Roode throws Joe head first into the corner and this chops and punches, but Joe copes back with jabs and whips Roode into the corner. Joe charges with a back elbow in the corner followed by the Olay kick! Joe with a full arm twist followed by a big chop. Joe tags in AJ and then hit a double back elbow. Joe then hits a headbutt followed by a double hiptoss from Joe & AJ. Joe clotheslines Roode to the outside and Styles hits a dropkick on Storm sending him to the floor too. Team 3D walks down the ramp as we go to commercials. Back from commercials AJ hits a big backbreaker for a two count. 3D is at the announce table as Roode comes back on AJ with a couple of right hands. Roode slams AJ into the corner and attempts to whip AJ into the corner, but AJ reverses. AJ charges at Roode but Roode throws him over the top rope to the apron. AJ lays Storm out and then punches Roode. AJ goes for a springboard flying cross body, but Roode counters him in midair with a gutbuster. On commentary Brother Ray says that “since Obama’s the president Devon thinks he can do whatever he wants.” That was kind of funny. Roode stomps on AJ and then throws AJ to the corner. Storm lays into AJ with big right hands and whips AJ into the ropes and goes for a clothesline, but AJ ducks and Storm lays him out with a running knee. Storm tags in Roode and they whip AJ into the ropes. Roode catches AJ with a scoop slam followed by an elbow drop from Storm and then Roode for a two count. Roode puts in a waistlock on AJ on the mat. Storm taunts 3D at the announce table as Roode goes for a back suplex on AJ, but AJ lands on his feet. AJ dives to try and tag in Joe but Roode catches him in midair and slams him to the mat. AJ nails Roode with an Enziguri as Roode had hid foot and tries to tag in Joe, but Storm quickly knocked Joe off the ring apron. Storm then threw AJ to the outside and Jacky beat on his back. Back in the ring Storm gets a two count on AJ and hits big knee strikes. Storm tags in Roode and they hit the Beer Money Double Suplex. Roode tags Storm back in and goes for the Eye of the Storm, but AJ lands on his feet. Storm goes for a clothesline but AJ ducks and hits the Pele out of nowhere! Both Storm and AJ are down and they both are able to tag out at the sametime. Joe with big jabs to both Storm and Roode. Joe whips Storm into the ropes and hits a Shinning Wizard on him followed by a Samoan Drop on Roode. Joe with headbutts to Roode followed by a Powerbomb into a front slam and knocks Storm off the apron. AJ quickly hits a slingshot cross body onto Storm on the floor! Roode comes off the ropes but Joe catches him with a snap powerslam for a close two count. Roode rakes Joe’s eyes and then chops him while Storm throws AJ into the guardrail on the outside. Roode attempts to whip Joe into the corner but Joe reverses it and charges at Roode, but Roode hits a back elbow and climbs to the top rope. Joe hits the Olay kick out of nowhere on Roode on the top rope and goes for the Muscle Buster, but Storm spits beer in Joe’s eyes. Storm is setting up Joe for the Last Call when Brother Ray on the ring apron spits beer into Storm’s face causing a DQ!

Winners & STILL Tag Champs: Beer Money via DQ

After the match Team 3D attacks Beer Money and cleans house on them. Samoa Joe & AJ Styles are pissed off at 3D as the camera shows that Robert Roode is busted open.

TNA shows another vignette of Suicide and we still have no idea when this guy is going to show up.

In the back the Beautiful People are dressed up like Sarah Palin and they talk about how Palin spent $100,000 of her campaign money on clothes. Beautiful People welcome Palin to join the Beautiful People and say that if Palin comes to Final Resolution TNA will give her $50,000 to give to any charity of her choice (or spend on shoes haha).

Main Event Mafia Welcomes Christian Cage Into The Group

The MEM make their way down to the ring to their Godfather-like music. Kurt Angle asks Christian to come out to the ring. Christian slowly makes his way out to the ring. Kurt says that rule #1 is when they give him a suit to wear he wears it. Kurt says that they’ve had their differences but they’re still welcoming him into their family. Kurt says family is helping your brothers out no matter what the consequences are and no matter if their right or wrong. Kurt talks about Scott Steiner’s knee injury and how he came back from that and is now the hitman of the Main Event Mafia and how Booker T. & Kevin Nash got lucrative contract offers from other promotions but decided to stay in this fight in TNA. Kurt says that recently he found out that when Christian’s contract with TNA is up in a few months he was going to defect to WWE. Kurt says that Christian was quoted saying he was “tired of being in the big fish in the company.” Kurt says that they have all had that offer to return to WWE but they stayed. Kurt says that this isn’t a welcoming party it’s a farewell party. Kurt says that none of the young guys are going to help him either because when he abandoned them he abandoned the young guys too. Kurt says that he hopes his trip up north is well worth the ass kicking he’s getting tonight. Kurt says that tonight Christian sleeps with the fishes and Christian attacks all the Mafia members immediately. The numbers game gets the better of him and they beat him down. Booker lays into Christian with hard right hands and then Scott Steiner set Christian up on the top rope. Steiner hits a vicious Belly-to-Belly Suplex off the top and then Booker hits the Axe Kick on Christian. Christian is out cold but MEM aren’t done as Nash nails Christian with the Jackknife Powerbomb. I’m just now noticing that Sting isn’t in the ring as Kurt Angle hits the Olympic Slam on Christian. Impact Ends as the Mafia members put their suits back on and leave Christian unconscious in the ring.

Final Thoughts

Tonight was a very solid show. TNA is coming off of a great PPV this past Sunday and needed a strong show to start the buildup for next month. The beatdowns the MEM did tonight were vicious and I’m going to just go right into the Christian Cage deal. I’m sure we’ve all heard the rumors that Christian was jumping to WWE and we pretty much got our confirmation that he was leaving. If he does decide to stay and resigns with TNA then they can go right into a revenge story for him, but if not then he left with an ass kicking.

The opening promo from Foley was nice and I’m really interested to see where they’re going with the Motor City Machine Guns thing.

The opening Knockouts Tag was a really nice match and it showed how great of a team Khan and Kong will be, but Taylor and Wilde are still top contenders in my opinion. Its going to be interesting to see what new challenges Traci Brooks brings for Kong.

The X-Division Title match was short, decent, but had controversy. If TNA keeps it like this and Young remains the Champion then its good because Bashir needed to drop the title quick. TNA got the X-Division back on the right track at Turning Point with the amazing Elimination Match so hopefully they’ll continue that.

Steiner vs. Rhino was decent but the main thing was that it showed that the MEM is a unit and they will help each other win.

Sting and Lethal was a really great TNA Title match and Sting put Lethal over very nicely, and furthered the tension between the MCMG and the rest of the Originals, and showed that the MEM would win by any means.

The Main Event was an awesome Tag Match between Beer Money & Joe/AJ. Really a great match with a disputed finish. It was classic tag team wrestling at its finest. Quick tags, double teams, great chemistry, it was great match. It put both teams over in my opinion as neither had to do the job, and set up the feud between Beer Money and 3D.

The beat down of Christian was nice and Angle was dead on when he said that no one in the back was going to help Christian because he was bailing on them too.

- Match of the Night: TNA Tag Titles – Beer Money (c) vs. AJ Styles & Samoa Joe

- Segment/Promo of the Night: MEM beat down on Christian

- Overall Grade: B+

Scheduled For Next Week:
Consequences Creed & Jay Lethal vs. Sonjay Dutt & Tanahashi
Beautiful People vs. Christy Hemme & Sojourn Bolt
Booker T. vs. Eric Young
Kevin Nash & Kurt Angle vs. Matt Morgan & Abyss
Foley Makes Major Announcements Concerning Final Resolution

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