TNA iMPACT!
Orlando, Florida (iMPACT! Zone @ Universal Studios)
March 19, 2009
Commentators: Mike Tenay & Don West
Report by: Josh Boutwell of WrestleView.com
The show kicks off with highlights from this past Sunday’s ?Destination X? PPV (which was VERY up and down with the highest up being the Ultimate X). The intro video hits and then the Main Event Mafia’s music hits.
Kurt Angle is out with Scott Steiner wearing a mask, Kevin Nash, Booker T., and then even Sting trailing in the back. They are putting over how Samoa Joe scarred Steiner and that’s why he’s wearing the mask, because he doesn?t want anyone to see his face. Kurt Angle says that everything he predicted would happen at Destination X came true. Kurt says he told them by the end of the night that Sting would show his true colors and who’s side he was on. He said Sting stood in the middle of the ring Mick Foley raising his hand only seconds after Jeff Jarrett screwed him. He says it was the biggest screwjob since Montreal and Sting tried to cover it up by having Mick hit him with a chair, but he’s smarter than that and he couldn?t work him. He says he is going to give Sting 10 seconds to explain himself before the Mafia has to do what they have to do. Sting snatches the microphone from Angle and says that Kurt has accused him of being disloyal for the last time. He says he has been true to the Mafia since day one and it’s Kurt, personally, that he has a problem with. He says he owes Kurt nothing and he thought this thing was finished Sunday. He says if he wants to continue this story then Sting is all in. Kevin Nash steps in between them and grabs the microphone. Kevin says he agrees with Sting in that he owes Kurt Angle nothing, but Sting does owe the Mafia something. He says he, Book, & Steiner have been with him the whole time. He says 2 PPV’s in a row Foley raises his hand. He says he’s not saying he smells a rat but Sting does owe them something. Sting says that it’s ?Nash & Sting? and then raises up the Wolfpac sign and asks Nash who he is to question him. He asks Nash what he has to do to prove himself but Kurt grabs the mic and says that he wants him to be his partner tonight to face Jeff Jarrett & Mick Foley! Jeff Jarrett doesn?t waste anytime as his music hits and he walks out to the ring! Jeff says he’s already told Kurt that he doesn?t have the authority to tell anyone to do anything or make any matches. He says Kurt is a wrestler on the TNA roster, maybe the greatest wrestler he’s ever seen, but still just a wrestler. He says no one but TNA management has the authority to book matches. Kurt says what he means is Jeff and Mick and that Jeff won?t book the match because he wants to protect Sting. Kurt says Sting always talks about respect and integrity but Sting doesn?t have one ounce of integrity. Kurt says he may be a lot of things but if he screws you, he?ll do it to your face. Kurt asks Sting what kind of example he’s trying to set and he’s nothing but a liar. Sting says he would love to have the opportunity to be in the ring with him again and he would love to be in the ring with Jeff Jarrett and Foley too, but Mick Foley is on the inactive list and he has wrestled his last match. Mick’s music hits and the ?Hardcore Legend? makes his way out to the ring. Mick says Sunday Kurt kicked him in the nuts and he hit him with a chair. Mick asks Sting when, exactly, he started calling the shots around TNA and calling the shots in Mick’s future. Mick says he doesn?t recall ever saying that he had his last match in TNA and Sting asks him what he’s trying to say. Mick says that he’s made a few good business decisions but deep down he’s not a guest enforcer or a business man, he’s a wrestler. He says every once in awhile wrestlers actually wrestle so as far as tonight he’s in! Jeff cuts him off and says this is not the reason Mick came to TNA and this isn?t what Mick really wants. Jeff stops him and asks if it’s not what Mick wants or is it not what Jeff wants. Jeff says there is a lockerroom full of wrestlers that would love to kick his ass tonight, but Kurt says he doesn?t want them he wants Jeff! Kurt asks Jeff if he’s going to play the role of ?inactive wrestler? tonight like he always does when Kurt wants to face him. Kurt says for once in his life he needs to MAN UP (shoutout Briscoe Brothers). Jeff says if he wants it, he’s got it! He says one way or another, it ends tonight! The segment ends with Kurt and Jeff face to face in the center of the ring! Great opening segment.
—COMMERCIAL BREAK—
Back from commercials Don West and Mike Tenay put over what we just saw and the big Main Event for later tonight. Mike then puts over the amazing Ultimate X match from this past Sunday and then they show a video package hyping Suicide. If you haven?t caught that Ultimate X Match you need to see it, one of the better one’s in my opinion.
Motor City Machine Guns vs. No Limit (Yujiro & Tetsuya Naito) w/Kiyoshi
Shelley & Sabin are actually wearing the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Titles for the first time in TNA this week. No Limit has their own video and music and just for reference Yujiro is in the white trunks and Naito in the red. Shelley and Yujiro start the match off and Yujiro puts Shelley in a hammerlock but Sabin rolls through and puts one on Yujiro. Yujiro reverses it and kicks Sabin and then puts him in a side headlock. Sabin pushes him off and Yujiro nails him with a shoulderblock. Yujiro leaps over Sabin as he comes off the ropes and then Sabin goes for a cross body block but gets caught in midair by Yujiro and dropped with a big powerslam! 1?2.NO Sabin kicks out! Tenay puts over how this is a return match from these two teams IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Titles Match earlier in the year, but it’s not a title match this time. Yujiro bounces off the ropes but Sabin catches him quickly with a knee to the ribs and then throws Yujiro into the corner and tags in the former X-Division Champion: Alex Shelley. Shelley climbs to the top and hits and axe handle on Yujiro as Sabin held him. Shelley lights up Yujiro’s chest with chops and then whips him into the ropes and Naito blind tags him. Yujiro reveres the whip and then picks Shelley up and Naito hits him with a dropkick in midair! 1?2..NO Shelley kicks out! Naito tags Yujiro back in and he knocks Sabin off the apron. No Limit whip Shelley into the ropes, Yujiro with a hip toss, Naito with a basement dropkick, Yujiro with a snap leg, and then Naito finishes it up with a beautiful somersault senton! Awesome sequence and No Limit play to the crowd. No Limit whip Shelley into the ropes but he holds onto them and then backdrops Naito over the top to the floor. Yujiro tries to whip Shelley again but he reveres it and Sabin comes in and they whip Yujiro into the ropes and kick him in the ribs. Sabin with a dropkick to Yujiro’s head right into a DDT from Shelley! 1?2?NO Yujiro kicks out! Shelley sits down between the top and middle rope sticking his boots up and Sabin throws Yujiro headfirst into them. Shelley back in and the Guns whip Yujiro into the ropes again, Shelley with an atomic spot, Shelley with a dropkick to Yujiro’s knees taking him down, Shelley flips over Yujiro grabbing ahold of his neck exposing his face, and then Sabin hits a nasty sliding dropkick to Yujiro’s face! 1?2?NO Yujiro kicks out again! Sabin tagged back in and the Guns whip Yujiro into the ropes again and go for a double clothesline, but Yujiro ducks and goes for a waistlock on Sabin. Sabin reveres it and Shelley charges but Yujiro gets his boot up and then ducks a clothesline attempt from Shelley causing Shelley to hit Sabin! Yujiro with a big Spear on Shelley as he turns around! Yujiro tags in Naito who springs to the top and hits a springboard Missile Dropkick on Shelley! Naito attempts to whip Shelley into the corner but he reverses it and Naito springs to the top rope like a cat and hits a beautiful springboard cross body block and then a dropkick sending Shelley through the ropes to the floor! Naito grabs Sabin and hits a nasty bridging German Suplex! 1?2?NO Sabin kicks out! Naito tries to whip Sabin into the corner but he reveres it and charges Naito, but he backdrops Sabin over the top rope and Sabin lands on the apron and hits a big forearm followed by a springboard flying clothesline! Yujiro quickly comes in and nails Sabin with a modified Black Hole Slam! Shelley ducks a clothesline attempt from Yujiro and nails him with an STO! Shelley whips Naito into the ropes but Naito comes flying in with a flying forearm! Naito pulls Sabin to the middle of the ring and climbs to the top, but Sabin stops him and hits him with a back kick to the gut. Shelley then goes to the apron and hits Naito with an Enziguri from the apron while Sabin hits him with a Yakuza Kick from inside the ring! Shelley climbs to the top and they go for the Made In Detroit, but Naito blocks it and knocks Shelley off the top rope to the floor! Sabin then nails Naito in the gut and hits a superrana from the top, but Naito rolls through! 1?2?3 they beat the Guns! Awesome match!
Winners: No Limit via pinfall (rollup)
After the match Kiyoshi comes in and celebrates with No Limit when Beer Money comes out of nowhere! Storm takes Kiyoshi out with the Last Call and then Beer Money knock No Limit off the top ropes as they celebrated. They then nail No Limit with the Tag Title belts! Roode grabs the mic and calls 3D out. It doesn?t take 3D long to come out either. Roode says with all due respect 3D just needs to listen tonight. He says he and James respect everything that 3D has done in their careers and for tag team wrestling, and in their eyes 3D is the best that’s ever been. Roode puts over how 3D are the current IWGP Tag Champs, but says they are the TNA World Tag Team Champions and they have proven themselves night in and night out. He says to this day people look at them like their joke and that they?re a flash in the pan. The fans chant ?you suck? at them and Roode says that next month that they will put their belts up against 3D again at Lockdown inside the Six Sides of Steel in a city that’s very dear to 3D (Philly). He says when they beat 3D in their own backyard they will get the respect that they deserve. Ray says that when Roode says that 3D is the best tag team ever, he isn?t just blowing smoke cause it’s true. Ray says at Lockdown they want to do it the right way, title for title! TNA Tag Titles vs. IWGP Tag Titles! Oh hell yeah! Ray says Philly is their backyard and where they became a legendary tag team and it’s home to the most violent tag team ever. He says in Philly 3D will become the 22-time World Tag Team Champions! Oh my brother, testify! 3D and Beer Money get face to face and each hold up their titles! Damn, that segment was well done!
—COMMERCIAL BREAK—
JB is in Foley’s office and puts over the Main Event for tonight and then hypes up TNA text message service. Jeff Jarrett bursts into the office and asks Mick what in the hell was going through is mind and that he didn?t bring Mick into TNA. Jeff says that Mick pretty much backed him into a corner and made him accept the match. Mick cracks a joke about JB’s eyes and talks about Pumpkin Pie and Jeff gets pissed about Mick joking. Mick says he didn?t get involved with TNA to hand out water bottles or sit in meetings. He says back in the day they didn?t wrestle because they were mad, they did it because they loved it. He asks Jeff to go out there and have fun and not out of anger. He puts over how there will be 4 former World Champions in the ring at the same time and it’s good business to have the match.
—COMMERCIAL BREAK—
They recap that horrible One Night with ODB thing from Sunday. Cody Deaner is shown in the crowd cheering.
Awesome Kong & Raisha Saeed vs. ODB & Taylor Wilde
Raisha and ODB start the match off and lockup. Raisha gets the advantage with a waistlock but ODB reverses it into one of her own. Saeed is able to fight to the ropes and then hits ODB with back elbows and then follows up with big right hands and chops. Saeed goes for a clothesline but ODB ducks and hits a scoop slam. ODB with a wristlock and then tags Taylor in who hits an axe handle on Saeed. Wilde tries to whip Saeed into the ropes but she reverses it and Taylor hits a head scissors takeover out of nowhere and then a beautiful arm drag. Taylor tags ODB back in and kicks Saeed in the ribs. ODB puts Saeed in a headlock but she pushes ODB off right into a waiting Kong! Saeed then hits a running forearm and tags in Kong who puts the boots to ODB and chokes her. ODB comes back with back elbows of her own but eats a Mongolian Chop from Kong and then Kong hits a huge corner splash! Saeed back in and Curb Stomps ODB! 1?2?NO ODB kicks out! Saeed puts ODB in a spinning toe hold and then goes for another one but ODB kicks her off into the corner. Saeed goes for an elbow but ODB moves and then they clothesline each other. Both girls down now. Kong and Taylor tag in and Taylor hits a big forearm and then a big dropkick. Taylor with another dropkick and then Taylor goes to the top and hits a gorgeous Missile Dropkick! 1?2?NO Saeed breaks it up! Saeed and ODB fight to the floor while Kong picks Taylor up and Gorilla Presses her, but Taylor slips out of it and rolls Kong up! 1?2?3!
Winners: Taylor Wilde & ODB via pinfall (rollup)
After the match Kong attacks Taylor & ODB from behind. Kong throws Taylor to the floor and then hits ODB with the Implant Buster and then goes for the Awesome Bomb, but Cody Deaner runs in to stop it! Cody turns his cap around and stands up to Kong who leaves the ring and stares Cody down.
Samoa Joe is shown walking towards the entrance and he faces Sheik Bashir next.
—COMMERCIAL BREAK—
Back from commercials JB is with Kurt Angle in the MEM lockerroom. JB goes over the match at DX with Angle. JB goes over all the things Kurt did at DX (spit at Jarrett, punched him, and kicked Foley in the nuts) and asks Kurt if he thinks none of that had anything to do with him losing. Kurt says absolutely not, it was one on three. He says he had no other choice than to do all those things, but tonight they?ll find out whose side Sting is really on.
Sheik Abdul Bashir vs. ?Samoan Submission Machine? Samoa Joe
Joe is of course sporting his new look consisting of long, baggy pants, a long coat to the ring, and of course the tribal facepaint (which he actually starting wearing in Japan a few years ago whenever he got pissed). Joe sprints to the ring and hits a big boot to Bashir knocking him down and then repeated rights and lefts to Bashir’s face! Joe continues to destroy Bashir as the referee is screaming at him to stop. Joe finally stops only to punch the referee in the face! Joe goes to the floor and throws Bashir into the announce table repeatedly and then chokes him and drags Bashir to the back.
Winner: NO CONTEST
—COMMERCIAL BREAK—
In the back Lauren is with the Beautiful People. They asks where Kip James is and they say he has been placed on probation until he can learn that not even he is bigger than the Beautiful People. Angelina says you don?t just walk into the Beautiful People, Madison Rayne has to prove herself. Angelina says they are the most beautiful creatures to grace the earth. Velvet says they aren?t interested in a 1, 2, 3, they are interesting in leaving the mark of the Beautiful People on Daffney and tonight the hazing starts. They send Madison to the ring and says this week it’s the governor, and next week the beast.
They recap the great match between AJ Styles and Booker T. this past Sunday (which isn?t getting enough love because that match was very good). In the ring Jim Cornette calls out the new Legends Champion: AJ Styles. Just a note, AJ Styles once again is the only Grand Slam Champion in TNA’s history having won every single title that he’s eligible to win. Cornette congratulates AJ winning the title and says that the belt starting out as a vanity with Booker T. but now it’s a real Championship. The fans chant ?AJ? and he says that it’s a small step for him but a giant leap for TNA and the Front Line. He says the Mafia ran all over him the last few months and they had the support of 3D and Rhino, but the originals have to come out and do it themselves. He says that after all the things the Mafia has taken from them, he finally took something back. He says the Legends Title now represents hope, faith, respect, and most importantly TNA. He says as long as he’s champion he will give any deserving competitor a shot because he’s a fight champion and he is ?the one, the only, the original: AJ Styles.? Booker T.’s music hits and he and Sharmell make their way out to the ring. West shows the first signs of being a heel tonight as he says it wasn?t fair for Booker to have to defend the title. Booker says he paid a lot of money for that title and AJ isn?t going to defend that title against anybody until he gets a rematch. AJ tells him to back off and he has no idea what Booker just said. AJ says he will defend the title against a deserving wrestler, and Booker was no more than a paper champion and he doesn?t deserve it. AJ gets in Booker’s face and asks Book what he’s going to do and Sharmell gets in between them and says that AJ stole it from AJ and that Booker will get it back in his own time. As they leave the ring AJ says something like ?I?m gonna knock that weave off your head,? haha wow.
—COMMERCIAL BREAK—
Madison Rayne w/The Beautiful People vs. ?Governor? Daffney
Madison takes Daffney down and then slaps her on the back of the head and then puts her in a side headlock, but Daffney pushes her off and hits a droptoe hold right into a Half Boston Crab! Angelina distracts the referee allowing Velvet to come in and kick Daffney in the head. Madison with knee strikes and then a Roll of the Dice for a nearfall. Madison with forearms and then whips Daffney into the ropes and goes for a clothesline, but Daffney ducks and then hits a Cross Body Block for another nearfall. Madison comes back with a kick and then throws Madison to the apron and distracts the referee while Angelina & Velvet choke Daffney. Madison gets another nearfall and then throws more forearms and whips Daffney into the ropes, but she catches Madison’s arm and hits a nice swinging neckbreaker. Daffney with a spinning heel kick and then a clothesline and a double sledge and then a dropkick. Daffney with a running hip attack to Madison in the corner and gets another nearfall. Daffney tries to whip Madison into the ropes but she reverses it and the BP trip Daffney. Madison picks Daffney up and goes for a suplex, but Daffney rolls her up! 1?2?3!
Winner: Daffney via pinfall (rollup)
After the match the BP attack Daffney and put the boots to her as West says it was a fast count. Angelina hits the Lights Out on Daffney and hands Madison that bag to Angelina. It’s a pair of scissors and they cut Daffney’s hair.
They show a video package hyping up Lockdown and apparently Smashing Pumpkins is doing the theme song. I have no idea who they are except that they are a rock group.
Tenay & West hype up the main event once again and then we cut to Samoa Joe in the parking lot hanging Bashir upside down! Joe puts that machete in Bashir’s face and says that no one wants Bashir in TNA and suggests that he goes back to where he came from (WWE?). He says to tell everybody if they get in the way of his ?Nation of Violence? the same will happen to him. He puts the machete in Bashir’s mouth and tells him to hold it and leaves. Joe comes back and says he forgot one vital part of the lesson and then canes him! VIOLENTLY, I mean very violently! He leaves Bashir pretty much weeping.
—COMMERCIAL BREAK—
TNA Rough Cut w/ Team 3D
Devon talks about growing up loving wrestling and how his grandmother wouldn?t allow him to watch it when he was younger. He talks about borrowing the money from his grandfather to go to wresting school and how Brother Ray lived only 10 minutes from him growing up but never knew it. He says when he came into ECW they wanted someone with a Mike Tyson look, so he put a part in his hair (he had hair at that time) and Devon was born. He says they are brothers in every aspect in life and will defend each other to the death. He says they balance each other out perfectly and they?ve lasted so long because they?ve always been on the same page. He says the art of the sport is dancing together and if you don?t dance together then you won?t last.
They show a video package highlighting the feud between Sting and Kurt Angle. That Survivor chick is in the crowd tonight, good for her.
Main Event
Tag Team Dream Match
?Olympic Hero? Kurt Angle & ?The Icon? Sting vs. ?Hardcore Legend? Mick Foley & ?King of the Mountain? Jeff Jarrett
The opening bell sounds and Jarrett and Angle will start the match off. They lockup and push each other around the ring before the referee breaks them up. Angle kicks Jarrett in the gut and then puts him a sideheadlock but Jarrett pushes him off into the ropes and Angle comes back with a shoulderblock and then a side headlock takeover. Jarrett fights to his feet and pushes Angle off to the ropes and goes for a big back elbow, but Angle ducks and then hits another shoulderblock. Angle with another side headlock and again Jarrett pushes him off and goes for a back elbow, but Angle ducks again. Jarrett goes for a clothesline this time but again Angle ducks, but Jarrett is able to hit a droptoe hold as Mike Tenay announces a huge main event for next week. A 20-Man Six Sides of Steel Gauntlet Match to decide the two captains for the Lethal Lockdown match at Lockdown! Wow! Jarrett with a running body guillotine on Angle drapped over the middle rope and then does the Flair strut. Jarrett’s been doing that strut since like 1995 hasn?t he? Jarrett comes off the ropes and Angle goes for a clothesline, but Jarrett ducks and hits a nice dropkick. Jarrett with a wristlock on Angle and then tags in Mick Foley. Mick goes for the lockup but Angle ducks underneath and puts Mick in a waistlock, but Mick reverses it and hits a belly-to-back suplex on Angle! Mick holds onto the waistlock on the mat and Angle quickly gets to the ropes. Mick taking a page out of Kurt’s book with that one. Angle charges Mick but eats a clothesline and then Mick clotheslines Angle over the top to the floor! Mick goes to throw Angle over the guard rail when Main Event Mafia security run over only to eat right hands from Foley. 3D came out to fight off the security distracting the referee as Angle hit Foley with a steel chair from behind and then the Angle Slam on the concrete!
—COMMERCIAL BREAK—
Back from commercials Angle hits repeated elbows on Mick and gets a nearfall as they show what happened before the break. Angle with kicks to the knees of Foley and then tries to whip Foley into the ropes but Foley’s legs give way and Angle taunts him. Sting tries to tag in but Angle pulls his hand away and then continues the beatdown on Mick. Angle with a running clothesline, 1?2?NO Angle pulls Mick up. Sting comes in the ring and gets in Angle’s face and tells him to finish it. As the referee tells Sting to get out of the ring Angle stomps on Foley’s groin. Sting gets back in his partners face again and says that’s enough. Angle pushes Sting off the apron! Jeff Jarrett comes in and this a big clothesline on Angle! Jarrett with a Pedigree and then an Enziguri! Jarrett picks Angle up and goes for the Stroke, but Angle reveres it into the Ankle Lock! Jarrett rolls through it and then goes for a clothesline but Angle ducks and Jarrett hits the ref! Angle sees the referee down so he goes to the outside and grabs a steel chair. Angle tries to hit Jarrett with it but Jeff low blows him and grabs his guitar! Sting grabs the guitar from Jarrett and thinks about hitting Jarrett with it as Foley picks up the chair and starts to hit Angle with it but Angle quickly bails out to the floor! Mick turns around and absolutely blasts Sting with the chair! Jarrett tells the referee to make the pin, 1?2?3!
Winners: Jeff Jarrett & Mick Foley via pinfall
Mick smiles after the match as Jeff looks shocked. West questions if this was Mick’s plan the whole time.
—COMMERCIAL BREAK—
Back from commercials Sting is pissed off. Sting tells Mick that if he wanted back in the game all he had to do was ask. He says he doesn?t know what inspired him but now he is inspired! Twice he’s hit Sting with a steel chair so now he’s calling Mick out because it’s ironic that two weeks ago Mick said Sting made his career, because now he is going to be responsible for ending his career! He challenges Mick to a match at Lockdown inside the Cage! He says, light, cameras, action, it’s showtime! Kurt Angle looks on smiling at what just transpired. We cut to the back where JB is with Jeff Jarrett and Mick Foley. Foley is still smiling and says he doesn?t know what happened and he’s proud of it and what inspired him was Sting. He says make no mistake, Kurt Angle beat the crap out of him and that’s fine, but he heard coming from the corner ?he’s had enough, pin him!? and calls Sting a ‘skinny little bitch? and asks who Sting is to say when he’s had enough! Mick asks Sting if he makes all the decisions now and says that he?ll say when he’s had enough. He says if Sting wants to go ?back to school? inside a cage and asks if Sting really thinks that’s a good idea because what Sting calls hell, he calls home. He says he was looking for happiness and he’s found it and he accepts Sting’s challenge! Have a nice day!
Final Thoughts
Holy crap, tonight was awesome! One of the most entertaining Impact’s in a while! What in the hell got into the writers tonight or were the guys allowed more freedom in what they said? Because the promos were top notch all night! There just wasn?t a lot of stuff to complain about tonight (though I KNOW there will be plenty of smarks that do).
The opening segment between the Mafia and Angle/Foley was done very nicely and all people involved were great. That was a great way to kick off the first TV show since a fairly disappointing PPV.
The Machine Guns vs. No Limit was really great and they have to have a rematch on PPV for the Jr. Tag Titles which is what it seems like they were setting up. All four guys worked well together as the language barrier didn?t seem to be a problem in that match.
The Beer Money/3D promo was top notch as well. That whole segment was done perfectly in my opinion. Beer Money didn?t try to be the over the top heel but they said they respected 3D and wanted to prove themselves inside the cage. I love the Title for Title idea but I guarantee u most TNA haters will say they?re ripping off the WWE’s version of this match (World Tag Titles vs. WWE Tag Titles) set up on ECW last night even though TNA was taped before ECW. Regardless, great segment.
Kong & Saeed vs. Taylor & ODB was a decent back and forth match, looks like their setting up Taylor vs. Kong Pt. 3.
I love Samoa Joe’s new found aggression but again I hate him carrying around the stupid machete. That said, the thing with Bashir was awesome, he beat the ever loving sh*t out of Bashir with that kendo stick, and you could say those screams Bashir were giving out were definitely real. That segment was kind of disturbing but still good. He just needs to get rid of that stupid machete. I want to talk about the thing between he and Steiner from the PPV. It was stupid for the most part, but I keep hearing people talk about how it was stupid to make us believe Joe actually murdered Steiner. When exactly did Joe say that? I guess I was the only one paying attention because Joe CLEARLY told Lauren to ASK Steiner how bad he scarred him the next time she saw him. I still think that is dumb but it’s not more dumb than Brian Pillman pulling out a pistol on Steve Austin, Austin sticking a hose up Vince McMahon’s ass or putting a rattlesnake in HHH’s lockerroom, Vampiro setting Sting on fire and throwing him off a scaffolding, or Hulk Hogan running over an ambulance with The Rock inside with a diesel truck. People say they want to see more ?attitude era? stuff but as soon as it’s done they complain. Again, I?m not saying I think it’s good because I hate it, but I also thought all those other things I just listed were dumb (except the Pillman incident).
AJ Styles? promo was also done very well and it seems like they are finally trying to make the Legends Title mean something which is good.
Daffney and Madison Rayne was kind of sloppy at times but was still a decent little match. I?m hoping that the Beautiful People cutting Daffney’s hair means she will be repackaged.
The Main Event really was a PPV caliber type match. The actual match itself was pretty good, I didn?t like all the interference but it was to be expected. The part with Foley nailing Sting with the chair blatantly and smiling about it was a nice swerve. The promos from Sting and Foley were on freaking point, both guys show great emotion and have me wanting to see more!
I?m actually very exciting about next week as I?ve been told that the Gauntlet Match is going to get a lot of time next week so that should be very fun. Also, they are booking Lockdown way ahead of time giving them plenty of time to hype matches up unlike the past several months where most of the card isn?t revealed until almost a week before the PPV. Very fun Impact this week!
– Match of the Night: MCMG vs. No Limti (***)
– Segment/Promo of the Night: TIE – Beer Money/3D promos, Sting/Foley final segment
– Final Grade: A
Scheduled for Next Week:
– TNA X-Division Title: Suicide (c) vs. Kiyoshi
– Beautiful People vs. Raisha Saeed & Awesome Kong
– 20 Man Six Sides of Steel Gauntlet Match (Final 2 are the Captains for this years Lethal Lockdown teams!)
Lockdown Linep so far (all matches inside Six Sides of Steel):
– TNA World Title: Sting (c) vs. Mick Foley
– Lethal Lockdown: Team TBA vs. Team TBA
– Title for Title: IWGP Tag Champs: Team 3D vs. TNA Tag Champs: Beer Money Inc.
– X-Division Title Xscape Match: TBA