TNA iMPACT!
Orlando, Florida (Impact Zone)
March 29, 2010
Commentators: Mike Tenay & Taz
Report by: Josh Boutwell of Wrestleview.com
Tonight’s show starts off with a great video highlighting last week’s show (Foley-Jarrett-Bischoff stuff).
A video from “earlier today” is shown with Jeff Jarrett in Hulk Hogan’s office. Hogan is apologizing about last week and says he has some big business for TNA to go handle in New York but he wants to make things right with Jeff. Jeff says he has nothing to apologize about because it was all Bischoff. Hogan says he has a great amount of respect for Jeff and he says tonight should be the real next start for him. He has a match against AJ! Jay Lethal walks into the office as Jeff is leaving. Hogan asks where he’s been and Jay says he’s sorry for not talking to him for awhile. He says word travels fast about Hulk not being there for the show tonight so he has an idea (the entire time he’s doing the Macho Man mimic stuff). Jay says he should fill in for Hogan and says, “one half of the Mega Powers filling in for the other half.” Hogan calls Jay “Macho Man” and says it feels right. Hogan even does a Macho Man impersonation as he says he couldn’t think of anyone that he would rather take his place! They seal the deal with a handshake and that was freaking hilarious, I’m sorry. That was just funny.
The Impact intro hits and we are on the air again for another jam packed Imapct! Tonight we get the very first Knockouts 1st Blood Match for the Knockouts Championship with Tara defending against Daffney plus AJ Styles one-on-one with Jeff Jarrett in a Non-Title Match, and a huge 6-man tag pitting The Band against Jeff Hardy, RVD, & Eric Young!
The wolf howls and The Band make their way out to the ring along with Bubba the Love Sponge (fresh off getting his block knocked off last week) to the old WolfPac theme. A big “fire Bubba” chant has erupted as they came to the ring. Hall and Pac are wearing “Bubba Army” t-shirts. Bubba taunts the crowd as they chant for him to be fired and he calls them all ‘pathetic marks.’ He says there is not one fan out there that wouldn’t want to be him. He is wearing shades to cover his black eyes up and he has a bandage on his nose. Bubba talks about his radio show saying he doesn’t even need this job but if he’s gong to work in TNA these are the people he wants to work with (pointing at The Band). A “thank you Foley” chant starts as Bubba says he’ll be interviewing The Band from now on. He hands the mic over to Kevin Nash and Nash says that the reason they weren’t on TV last week is because Hall & Pac wanted to come and gloat, but he and EY became friends over the last year so he didn’t want to do that. He asks Young to come down to the ring so that he can apologize to Young man to man. EY walks out to the ring (with no music). Nash says he knows what they did to him was wrong but EY has to realize was business and not personal. He says he talked to Hall and Pac that they’ve decided that EY should join the group, but on one condition the match for tonight is off. Nash says Hardy and RVD are not in their league. Nash offers the WolfPac sign to EY but EY punche shim in the mouth! EY is laying everybody out with rights and then he grabs Bubba by the throat but Nash attacks him from behind. Nash says that was a big mistake as Hall and Pac continue to beat on him. Pac hits a Snap Leg Drop on EY and then Hall holds him while Nash punches him. RVD & Jeff Hardy run out to make the save! The Band bails out before RVD & Hardy can get their hands on them. Jeff Hardy grabs the microphone and says they’re ready to do the 6-Man right now, but since they think they’re the Main Event they’ll make it the Main Event for tonight! Jeff says in honor of Lockdown tonight’s Main Event will be a Steel Cage Match! The Band are not happy about this!
—COMMERCIAL BREAK—
X-Division Tag Team Match
Doug Williams & Brian Kendrick vs. Shannon Moore & Kazarian
Footage of Doug Williams beatdown of Shannon Moore after their match at DX are shown and then highlights of the insane Ladder Match that Kaz won. Moore knocks Kendrick off the apron as the bell rings and then drags Williams into the ring! Moore throws Williams into the corner and puts the beatdown on him! Moore tags in Kaz and then he whips Williams into the ropes, and Kaz nails Williams with a dropkick for a nearfall! Kaz hits a scoop slam and then a Slingshot Leg Drop from the arpon. 1…2…NO Williams kicks out! Kaz goes to pick Williams up but Williams grabs the leg of Williams and leg sweeps him. Williams then tags in Kendrick who charges at Kaz only to eat an arm drag! Kaz follows up with another arm drag and then throws a forearm. Kaz whips Kendrick into the corner hard and then connects with an Elevated Dropkick in the corner. Kaz goes to charge at him again but Kendrick pulls the referee in front of him. Kaz stops in his tracks but is clotheslined from behind by Williams. Kendrick chokes Kaz on the mat and then gets a nearfall. Williams tags himself in and hits a Knee Drop on Kaz. Williams follows up with a snapmare takeover and then locks a Head Scissors in on Kaz on the mat! Williams rolls over and starts slamming Kaz’s head into the mat while still wrapped in the head scissors (Alex Shelley refers to that move as the Skull F*ck). Williams grabs Kaz and slams him into the top turnbuckle and tags Kendrick back in. Kendrick chokes Kaz in the corner and then hits a Snapmare Takeover and then stands on the throat of Kaz! Kendrick locks Kaz in a Camel Clutch! Kendrick throws repeated crossfaces at Kaz while he has him in the Camel Clutch. Kaz is able to fight to his feet and break the hold with rights and elbows. Kaz comes off the ropes and both men collide into each other headfirst. Kaz tries to get to his corner but Kendrick grabs him and lifts him up. Kaz goes over the back of Kendrick into a rollup, but Kendrick rolls through and quickly dives for a tag to Williams! Kaz always tags out to Moore! Moore hits a dropkick on both Williams and Kendrick. Moore follows up with a spinning heel kick on Williams and then he throws Williams into the corner. Moore attempts to whip Williams into the opposite corner but Williams reverses it and then goes for a Running Knee. Moore moves out of the way and quickly climbs to the top rope! Moore dives off the top with a Flying Head Scissors Takeover on Williams! 1…2…NO Kendrick breaks it up! Moore connects with a forearm on Kendrick and then pushes Kendrick right into Kaz who locks Kendrick in a waistlock. More comes off the ropes and connects with a spinning heel kick on Kendrick as Kaz lifted him for a German Suplex at the same time! Williams levels Kaz with a Running Knee and then he hits Moore with a headbutt. Williams whips Moore into the corner and charges at him, but Moore gets his boots up. Moore climbs back up to the top but before Moore could dive off Williams pulls Kendrick into the ring right into the Mooregasm (Diving Rolling Neckbreaker)! 1….2….Williams tries to break it up but Kaz stops him….3!
Winners: Kaz & Moore via pinfall (Mooregasm)
After the match Moore writes all over Kendrick’s face with lipstick (what Williams did to Moore at DX) and stares at Williams.
In the back Bischoff is talking to someone on a phone, apparantley Hogan as he tells the person to have fun in New York. A chick (sexy chick) in a mini skirt comes into Bischoff’s office and he tells her that there is a guy that is going to try to get into his office, but he wants her to keep him out. We here someone screaming “oooooh yeah” and Jay Lethal barges in! Lethal offers the WolfPac sign to Bischoff (who actually accepts) and Lethal is carrying a clipboard. Jay asks Bischoff how he’s been and then says they’ll be working side by side tonight and if Bischoff plays his cards right he might talk to the Hulkster and make Eric the third member of the Mega Powers. Lethal hands Bischoff a clipboard and says that it’s the card for tonight and he tells the secretary to get Kabuki on the line because he has something big for him tonight. Bischoff reads off some of the card that Lethal has planned which reads Nikolai Volkoff & Iron Shiek vs. Killer Bees, Koko B. Ware vs. Akeem the African Dream, and King Kong Bundy vs. Junkyard Dog! Bischoff says Lethal is way too valuable for the undercard so he wants Lethal to think of something for the main event. Lethal says he’s going to think of something to make Eric scream “oh yeah” and leaves his office. Bischoff tells his security to go find Beer Money now!
—COMMERCIAL BREAK—
The Pope’s music hits and the #1 Contender to the TNA World Heavyweight Championship makes his way out to the ring. Tenay and Taz say that Dinero will be going up against Desmond Wolfe tonight. Pope grabs the microphone and says April 15th at Lockdown it will be D’Angelo Dinero vs. AJ Styles inside the Steel Cage for TNA Championship. He says that will be a moment that he has dreamed about his entire life and that he has worked for his entire career only to have it jeopardized by AJ Styles & Ric Flair. Pope says he won’t call Flair the Nature Boy anymore because he was a boy 50 years ago and now it’s time to grow up. Pope says AJ Styles has been walking on edge and hoping and praying that Pope doesn’t even know he is alive because AJ is nothing more than a shadow in the street lights. He says Pope is the ‘guiding light’ to TNA and the daybreak is soon to come for AJ. Pope says he has been known to give prophetic advice from time to time and asks the fans if he can do it now and asks the fans to give him an “Amen” if they want him to. They all yell “amen” and Pope says he wants AJ to head down to Cape Canavral, Florida and walk into the Kennedy Space Center. He tells AJ to buy, rent, or steal (whichever he prefers) the most expensive astronaut suit available to man because at Lockdown Pope will take AJ to the outter limits! Pope says for all that AJ is, calling AJ phenomenal when he wants to be and obviously the champion, he will never be the “charismatic, pimptacular, hand clapping, foot tapping, pimp slapping, blinging attire, always on fire, Pope that is D’Angelo Dinero!” A big “Pope is pimpin” chant starts up as Pope is getting fired up! Pope says when the smoke has cleared he will be standing in the middle of the ring with the TNA World Heavyweight Championship! He says the congregation will not only declare that he has arrived but also that “Pope is pimpin” (the fans recite it). Chelsea walks out as Pope was getting ready to leave and gets in the ring with him. Pope calls her a ‘dime piece’ and asks how he can help her. Chelsea says there is one thing he can do for him and calls him a ‘big sexy hunk of chocolate.’ Chelsea says she’s always had everything she wanted in life but there is just one dream that she thought he could help her with. Chelsea says she wants to be a ‘ho’ (well at least she has goals) and a bunch of fans start chanting “we’ve got money” (too hilarious). Pope says he’s going to have to lay his hands on her real soon but before that he wants to ask her a question. He asks her if she knows how to drive a stick and she says she doesn’t know exactly how but she is a real quick learner. She gets right up on Pope and asks if that’s a gun in his pocket or is he just happy to see her. Pope looks down and says “calm down boy” (Taz says “subtle”) and says he’s definitely happy to see her. Desmond Wolfe jumps the guardrail to sneak attack Pope but as he’s getting in the ring Pope tells Chelsea to hold the mic for a second and he’ll be right back. Pope turns around and nails Wolfe with the pimp slap! Wolfe slides out of the ring and Pope grabs the mic and asks where were they. He then grabs Chelsea and kisses her! Pope drops Chelsea in the ring and then puts some money in her cleavage as Chelsea looks shocked. Tenay says Wolfe’s plan has backfired on him.
—COMMERCIAL BREAK—
Back from commercials Samoa Joe is shivering in front of a grainy camera as we see for the first time in weeks. Joe says that ‘they’ have spoken and the results will be different. He continues to shake and shiver as he says the results will be ‘very different.’ That was creepy.
Some weird music hits and the lights go out. Orlando Jordan is lowered down from the top of the arena and he’s covered in caution tape wrapped around his body. Jordan literally crawls all the way to a set that was set up for him(Tenay looks shocked while watching this). A very feminine looking man and a woman is sitting on a couch that Jordan sits down on. Um, what…the…hell.
In the back JB is with Tara and he asks Tara about her First Blood Match with Daffney tonight. Tara says this about revenge tonight and says Daffney knows nothing about crazy and dangerous. She took Tara’s baby and tonight she’ll pay. Tara says it’s about pain and blood tonight and that’s okay with her. Someone yells “me too!” and then Daffney blasts Tara with a forearm out of nowhere! Tara answers back with a series of slaps and then she slams Daffney into some steps! I guess we’re starting early!
TNA Knockouts Championship
First Blood Match
Tara (c) vs. Daffney
Tara slams Daffney into a big equipment case and then a fence as she screams “you crazy freaking b*tch” and repeatedly slams Daffney into the fence.
—COMMERCIAL BREAK—
Back from commercials Tara is dragging Daffney up through the tunnel and slams her head into the ramp. Tara then throws Daffney into the set as Daffney crawls away to the broadcast table. Daffney kicks Tara in the gut and then slams Tara into the set. Daffney actually starts biting Tara! Tara answers back with a Jawbreaker! Tara starts beating Daffney on top of Mike Tenay! Literally Daffney was damn near laying on Tenay as Tara was beating her! Tara drags Daffney down the stairs but Daffney kicks her in the head and then connects with a roundhouse kick to the ribs. Daffney whips Tara into the platform that the announce table is on. Daffney wraps some cable around Tara’s throat and drags her towards the ring! Daffney reaches under the ring and pulls out a broom and a tool box! Daffney nails Tara with the broom and then breaks it over the ring post making a sharp point! Tara rolls into the ring and Daffney climsb in with her. Daffney tries to jab Tara with the broken broom but Tara blocks it and kicks Daffney off of her. Tara kicks Daffney again and then hits the Widows Peak! Both girls are down now. Tara grabs the toolbox and nails Daffney with it! Daffney is busted open!
Winner & STILL Knockouts Champ: Tara via making Daffney bleed
After the match Daffney actually licks the blood off her hand and starts laughing. That chick is freaky as hell.
—COMMERCIAL BREAK—
Non-Title Match
“The Phenomenal” AJ Styles w/Ric Flair & Chelsea vs. “King of the Mountain” Jeff Jarrett
Jeff finally has his music and pyro back for good it seems. These two had many wars back in the Asylum days back in Nashville in TNA’s early days. AJ and Jeff lock it up and AJ connects with an arm drag and then taunts Jeff. They lockup again and this time AJ locks Jeff in a side headlock and then transitions into a hammerlock. AJ then goes right into a snapmare takeover and slaps the head of Jeff Jarrett to taunt him more. AJ and Jeff lockup again and this time AJ locks Jeff in a wristlock but Jeff reverses it only to have AJ reverse it right back. AJ attempts to whip Jeff into the ropes but Jeff reverses it and then goesf or a hip toss, but AJ reverses it right into a hip toss of his own. Jeff looks to be getting frustrated as AJ is out wrestling him early on. The fans start chanting “shutup Flair” and AJ screams for them to shutup. AJ taunts the crowd somemore doing the strut and then they lockup again. AJ gets a side headlock on Jeff but Jeff shoves AJ off to the ropes only to eat a shoulderblock from AJ. AJ comes off the ropes again but Jeff dives at his knees! Jeff then follows up with an arm drag followed by a hip toss! Jeff drapes AJ over the middle rope and hits the Running Guillotine on AJ! AJ tries to come back with a clothesline but Jeff ducks and then nails AJ with a series of right hands. Jeff whips AJ into the ropes and lifts AJ up into the air right into a big Atomic Drop! Jeff then clotheslines AJ over the top rope down to the floor and then Jeff does the Jarrett strut looking right at Flair. Jeff rolls out to the floor and throws AJ into the guardrail and then rolls him back into the ring. Jeff rolls back in only to have AJ throw a big right hand as he enters the ring. AJ reigns down punches on Jeff and then he chops away at Jeff in the corner. AJ whips Jeff into the opposite corner and charges at Jeff with a Splash attempt, but Jeff moves out of the way and then attempts to whip AJ into the ropes. AJ reverses it and Jeff comes off the ropes with a kick attempt but AJ catches his foot only to eat Jeff’s other foot courtesy of an Enziguri! 1…2…NO AJ kicks out! Jeff picks AJ up but AJ hits a Kneebreaker out of nowhere and then begins stomping on the abdomen on Jeff. AJ then elbow drops Jeff’s knee and then locks in the Figure Four! Ric rolls closer to the ring and hands AJ the crutch to get more leverage but the referee catches him. AJ argues with the referee and then lights Jeff up with a chop. AJ attempts to whip Jeff into the ropes but Jeff reverses it and then goes for a backdrop, but AJ stops in his tracks and goes for an Enziguri of his own. Jeff ducks it though and then locks in a Figure Four of his own! AJ is quickly able to roll over to reverse the pressure. Jeff reaches to the ropes to break it and Ric hits Jeff’s hands with the cane. The referee throws Chelsea & Ric Flair out and security takes them to the back! AJ argues the whole time but eats a big right from Jeff as he turns around. Jeff then tosses AJ back into the ring as we go to a break.
—COMMERCIAL BREAK—
Back from commercials AJ has Jeff in a Sleeper. During the break AJ was able to low blow Jeff behind the referee’s back and then connect with a Slingshot Plancha over the top rope onto Jeff on the floor. Jeff is able to fight to his feet and break the hold with elbows. Jeff comes off the ropes and puts AJ in a Crucifix as AJ went for a clothesline and then he attempts to roll AJ up, but AJ blocks it and punches Jeff in the head. AJ connects with a Knee Drop on Jeff and then locks in a Rear Chinlock. Jeff fights to his feet and breaks the hold with elbows but AJ slams him to the mat by his head. AJ slams Jeff’s head into the top turnbuckle and then he lights Jeff up with a chop followed by a Snapmare Takeover. AJ locks the rear chinlock back in and Jeff fights to his feet again. Jeff breaks it with rights and lefts to the ribs but AJ slams his elbow into the back of Jeff’s head. AJ attempts to whip Jeff into the ropes but Jeff reverses it and then hits a big Backdrop! Jeff follows up with a series of clotheslines. Jeff attempts to whip AJ into the ropes but AJ reverses it and goes for a Shortarm Clothesline, but Jeff ducks it and hits a Back Suplex! Jeff hits a Pedigree! 1…2…NO AJ kicks out! Jeff climbs up to the top and dives off but AJ catches him in midair with a knee to the gut. AJ then hits a suplex and then goes out to the apron. AJ hits the Springboard Flying Forearm! 1…2…NO Jeff barely kicks out! AJ goes for the Styles Clash but Jeff counters into an Alabama Slam! Both men are down now! Ric Flair and Chelsea are back out at ringside and this distracts the referee. Flair “whoo’s” at the referee as he tries to tell Flair to leave. In the ring AJ has Jeff in a side headlock but Jeff shoves AJ off and right into the referee! The referee is knocked off the apron and in the ring AJ gets his boot up as Jarrett charges at him in the corner. AJ charges at Jeff but Jeff backdrops AJ up and AJ’s head slams into the ring post in the corner! Jeff puts AJ up on the top and hits the Super Stroke! AJ is down but there is no referee! Bischoff comes out from the crowd with a guitar and tries to hit Jeff with it but he blocks it! Jeff gets ready to hit Eric with it but AJ low blows him! AJ grabs Jeff and hits the Styles Clash and tells Bischoff to get the ref. AJ looks to be busted open too, the referee rolls in. 1…2…3 and AJ wins it. AJ’s hand is actually what’s busted open (I don’t know if he cut it in an attempted blade job or what).
Winner: Styles via pinfall (Styles Clash)
In the back JB is with EY, RVD, & Hardy. EY thanks RVD & Hardy for bailing them out earlier and he says EY has never claimed to be the smartest man but he is clever. EY says Nash was once clever and he saw EY coming up the ranks and tied his rope to him. He says now Nash wants to tie his rope to a sinking ship in Hall and Pac. EY says Nash is in the business for the wrong reasons and he’s in it for the right reasons. RVD says EY is a fighter and that should raise him up. He says once you’re at the top you still have to fight to deserve it and that’s what he and Jeff do. RVD says Hall, Nash, and Pac walk around spray painting stuff like they own the place and they’ve been doing that kind of stuff for way too long. Jeff says it’s guys like Nash that keep their boot on top of his head and he tries to climb the proverbial ladder. He sasy ‘they’ didn’t mind it when he was climbing the ladder to jump off it with a Swanton Bomb but he’s talking about the ladder to climb up to a Main Event of a PPV. He says it’s guys like Hall and Nash that wait at the top to try and kick him back down to the bottom because they know they can’t even shine Jeff’s boots. RVD tells them to get their shine boxes and EY says tonight he wants Nash to look at his partners and then look across the ring at EY’s two partners and answer honestly who traded up!
—COMMERCIAL BREAK—
A video clip of something that went down during the break is shown. Jay Lethal stops Bischoff in the hall and says he has the perfect Main Event, Brutus Beefcake vs. The Model! Bischoff says there is only one real Main Eventer in the building tonight and Jay thinks he’s talking about Jimmy Snuka. Bischoff is talking about Jay and he says Jay is wrestling now!
Handicap Match
“Black Machismo” Jay Lethal vs. Beer Money Inc.
Roode goes after Jay as he gets in the ring but Jay ducks a clothesline and connects with a series of jabs until Storm attacks him from behind. Beer Money beat on Lethal all around the ring. They then stomp on Jay in the corner before they whip him into the ropes and hit a Double Backdrop. Lethal rolls out to the floor and Beer Money follows. They whip Jay into the ring steps and Storm asks him how it feels to be a Main Eventer. Back in the ring they hit the Beer Money Double Suplex on Jay. Jay comes back with jabs and rights on Beer Money until Roode grabs Jay and lifts him up onto Storm’s shoulders and Storm swings Jay right into a Swinging Side Slam from Roode. Storm goes out to the ramp to get his beer when Lethal rolls Roode up out of nowhere! 1…2…3!
Winner: Lethal via pinfall (rollup)
Bischoff in the back can’t believe it and Beer Money in the ring is freaking out.
—COMMERCIAL BREAK—
Back from commercials Tenay and Taz discuss Hernandez’s injury last week when Morgan kicked Hernandez into the ring post. Taz says he’s heard that it may take several months for him to return and Tenay says that the injury is herniated disks and cervical damage to his neck. Tenay and Taz wish Hernandez well and they confirm that next week we will hear from Matt Morgan live.
“The Pope” D’Angelo Dinero vs. Desmond Wolfe w/Chelsea
Wolfe jumps Pope at the bell and slams Pope to the mat with a modified Cobra Clutch, but Dinero reverses it into a hammerlock. Wolfe gets to his feet and gets to the ropes. Wolfe then hits a back elbow followed by a European Uppercut. Wolfe grabs the leg of Dinero and leg drops the leg and then puts him in a crazy modified Figure Four type of knee lock but Pope rolls over to reverse the pressure! Wolfe gets the ropes to break the hold. Pope slaps Wolfe as Chelsea says something to Wolfe. Wolfe hits another European Uppercut and then he slams Pope’s head into the top turnbuckle, and then slams him into the second turnbuckle and kicks the turnbuckle as Pope’s head laid on it. Wolfe hits a Spinning Arm Wringer and looks back over to Chelsea. Wolfe locks in a wristlock and then hits another Spinning Arm Wringer, but this time Pope rolled through it and connects with a big double fore arm smash. Pope follows up with an Atomic Drop and then a Shoulderblock! Pope attempts to whip Wolfe into the ropes but Wolfe reverses it only to get reversed right back by Pope! Pope hits a Thesz Press as he channels Stone Cold reigning down right hands. Pope goes for the Pimp Slap but Wolfe ducks and kicks Pope. Wolfe whips Pope into the corner and charges but Pope gets out of the way and destroys Wolfe with an uppercut! Pope then hits the Outter Limits Elbow Drop! Chelsea gets up on the apron distracting Hebner as Wolfe pulls out a chain and wraps it around his wrist! Wolfe blasts Pope with it and covers him! 1…2…3 and Wolfe gets the win!
Winner: Wolfe via pinfall
—COMMERCIAL BREAK—
The cage has been lowered and we get our first look at the new four-sided cage in TNA and it is a bit different than we’re used to. They are using more of a panel look now with sections of the chain link seperated by big beams. It actually is very easy on the eyes and you can see through the cage pretty well. Kurt Angle makes his way out to the ring and gets inside the cage. Angle says ever since Mr. Anderson came into TNA he set his sights on Angle and after Destination X some people have suggested that he might be every bit as good as Angle. Angle asks if Anderson even knows what motivates Angle and he wants to give him some insight into what he really is. Angle says he’s an Olympic champion that has made a living on winning and playing by the rules because that’s what athletes do. Angle says somehow he lost all control in this feud and maybe it was because Anderson spit in his face or because he cut him up or maybe it was because Anderson degraded the American troops. Angle says at Lockdown it will be him vs. Anderson one last time inside the Steel Cage! Angle says the only way to win the match will be to walk through the door and he says the ending to the match will see Angle’s face, hands, and body covered in Anderson’s blood. Anderson’s music hits and he walks out onto the stage wearing his new t-shirt. Anderson he thinks it’s about time for he and Angle to damn real with each other. Anderson says their little feud has to stop because they’re going to kill each other. Anderson says each week they take turns bloodying up each other, laying each other out with chairs, and even trading wins. Anderson says that TNA decided to put them inside the cage to settle their differences once and for all. Anderson says Eric Bischoff came to him and told him that he sanctioned a match next week between Anderson and Angle, in a Ladder Match! Anderson says at the top of the ladder will be a key and that key will open up the door to their steel cage at Lockdown. Anderson starts to say “may the best man win” but says the best man won’t win. He admits that Kurt is a better man than him, says he’s a better father than Anderson ever will be, he’s a better role model than Anderson cares to be, and he even asks the fans if they think Kurt is a nice guy. Anderson says nice guys always finish last and then says, “thank God, I’m an a**hole….A**HOLE!” The Band’s music hits as Angle is walking to the back and Nash and Angle stop and look at each other. Nash offers Angle the WolfPac sign and Angle returns it before walking to the back.
Main Event
6-Man Tag Team Steel Cage Match
The Band (Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, & Syxx-Pac) vs. “Showtime” Eric Young, “Charismatic Enigma” Jeff Hardy, & “Whole F’N Show” Rob Van Dam
Jeff Hardy wears some of the weirdest damn facepaint. The Band wait at the door and as Young was coming to the cage Pac kicked the cage into EY’s face! The Band then atack the face’s on the ramp. Syxx nails RVD with a spinning heel kick on the ramp! Nash drags Hardy into the cage and beats on him as Hall and Pac toss RVD into the cage and close the door and lock it as EY is still out on the floor! RVD is coming back on Nash with forearms and kicks but eats a knee to the gut. Hardy slams Hall into the corner and puts the boots to him until Pac comes over and starts choking him wtih a t-shirt as Hall tosses RVD into the cage wall. RVD hits a Spinning Back Kick on Hardy and then follows up with the Bronco Buster! Nice camera view from the top of the cage. Pac lights Hardy up with a chop and RVD is kicking the hell out of Nash with roundhouse kicks and leaping side kicks. Finally Hall comes over to make the save for Nash. Pac whips Hardy into the ropes and goes for a Hurricanrana but Hardy counters into a Powerbomb! RVD is coming back and hits a Rolling Thunder on Pac as Hardy held him and then Hardy hits a Leg Drop to the groin on Pac! Hardy then hits a Sliding Dropkick to Pac! Hall and Nash come over and go back on the attack on RVD & Hardy. Nash attempts to whip Hardy into RVD but RVD was able to drop to his knees and Hardy leaps off RVD’s back into the Poetry In Motion on Hall! RVD dropkicks the knee of Nash and then hits a Swinging Neckbreaker on Nash! EY is now climbing up the cage! Syxx-Pac climbs up and tries to cut him off until RVD comes up and throws Pac off the top! RVD perches at the top of one corner as Hardy climbs to another and EY is up on top of the cage! RVD leaps off with the 5-Star Frog Splash on Hall and Hardy with the Swanton Bomb on Nash at the same time! Young dives off the top of the cage with a Flying Elbow Drop on Syxx-Pac! Holy crap! 1….2…3! The fans went absolutely ape sh*t for that!
Winners: RVD, Hardy, & Young via pinfall (Elbow Drop off the top of the cage)
Several replays of that nasty Elbow Drop are shown and then the 3 babyfaces pose on top of the cage.
We cut to the back where Abyss is with Christy Hemme who will reveal the first member of Team Hogan. Abyss says Sting at one point mentored him but now he’s on the other side, the wrong side. Abyss says there will be three more members of Team Hogan other than himself. He says he has made his selection for the first member and Hogan has agreed to it. Jeff Jarrett walks up and says this is great isn’t it! Jeff says he’s just getting started with Bischoff but they’re moving onto other business. He says Ric Flair wants to get involved in his match and now he’s going to start getting involved in Flair’s matches and it starts at Lockdown! He says he has alot of pent up frustration and he’ll blow it all off at Lockdown in St. Louis. Abyss says it’s Flair’s move now.
Final Thoughts
Solid show tonight, not as fun as last week (I will say that the feel and the energy during the Live shows really hurts these taped shows because it just doesn?t have that same feel) but still solid for the most part.
Hogan and Bischoff have been taking much more of a backseat on camera in the last few weeks and this week Hogan did so big time only appearing on camera once and Bischoff only 3 or 4 short times.
The opening segment with The Band was okay but it did the best in setting up the Main Event for tonight.
The Pope cut a great promo yet again really putting over how much the TNA Title meant to him and getting to this put was hard for him. The stuff with Chelsea was entertaining as well. The Wolfe-Pope match was okay, they?ve had better matches but I was surprised to see Wolfe go over. I would much rather see Dinero get stronger heading into Lockdown but this doesn?t hurt him too bad with Wolfe needing the chain to win.
The Samoa Joe thing was weird, I?m not going to judge it (like I?m sure 100?s already have enough) until I see where they go with it.
The Orlando Jordan thing was just freaking weird, I don?t think I want to know where they?re going with this guy. He really creeps me out forreal.
Decent First Blood Match but given more time it could?ve been really good. I?m sure we?ll get a Cage Match between the two though.
Styles-Jarrett was excellent and easily the best match of the night tonight. They were given plenty of time and both guys worked their tales off. Jarrett looked good in AJ still going over.
The X-Division Tag was good as well. Kaz & Moore worked pretty well together and Moore is really starting to hit his stride. Hopefully we?ll get an X-Division Xscape for Lockdown.
Jay Lethal was just flat out funny tonight in all his skits and I?m glad he actually went over in a match but I?m not happy he went over Beer Money in a handicap match. Who have they pissed off?
Kurt Angle and Anderson?s promos were excellent as usual and I?m really looking forward to not only the Cage Match but the Ladder Match as well.
I liked the Cage Match for a few reasons. First, it gave the first time viewers a little taste of the new 4-sided cage and it gave the TNA crew a chance to set it up for a TV match and they need that since they?ve never set this one up. The new TNA fans got a little sample of what they?ll get for Lockdown and I liked that it was EY that dove off the cage instead of Hardy or RVD. We know those guys are diving off the top at Lockdown, that is a given and it also put EY over. It was a decent cage match for the time but that was more for selling Lockdown than anything else.
Don?t forget that next week Impact is on an hour earlier, 7:00 central time (8:00 eastern) instead of the regular time.
–Promo/Segment of the Night: Anderson & Angle
–Match of the Night: AJ vs. Jarrett (***)
–Overall Grade: B
Scheduled for Next Week:
-Ladder Match: Kurt Angle vs. Mr. Anderson
Lockdown Lineup (all matches held inside the Steel Cage):
– TNA World Title: AJ Styles (c) vs. D?Angelo Dinero
– Lethal Lockdown: Team Hogan (Abyss, Jeff Jarrett, TBA, & TBA) vs. Team Flair (Sting, TBA, TBA, & TBA)
– Kurt Angle vs. Mr. Anderson (only way to win is escape through the door)