TNA iMPACT!
Orlando, Florida (Impact Zone)
August 27, 2009
Commentators: Mike Tenay & Taz
Report by: Josh Boutwell of WrestleView.com
Well, tonight many people will have their eyes glued to the return of the great Michael Vick, but for us it’s time to cross the line!
The show opens up with highlights from last week and then we cut to a shot of Lauren approaching Sting and AJ Styles arriving in a yellow convertible (with suicide doors, oh yeah). Lauren asks AJ if he’s quitting and AJ holds up a bag and says it’s his gear and he’s here to work. Sting sniffs the air and says he smells success and tonight TNA will do a lot of growing up. Kip James approaches Sting and asks him if he wants him to park his car but Sting says he doesn?t have to park his car. Kip says he used to have one of those cars when he was over (1999?).
The Impact intro hits and then the pyro goes off in the Impact Zone and at ringside Mike Tenay & Taz hype up the card for tonight which includes the on-screen debut of TNA President Dixie Carter and a big Six Man War pitting Sting, AJ Styles, & Hernandez against Morgan, Steiner & Booker!
Daniels is at ringside for this matchup and says he wants a chance to watch the X-Division Champion up close tonight.
Non-Title Match
Suicide vs. ?Samoan Submission Machine? Samoa Joe
Joe looks over at Daniels when he walks by and just stares before getting into the ring. Taz makes the comment on commentary that Daniels isn?t ready for Joe and Tenay points out that it’s been 4 years since Joe and Daniels have faced each other. Suicide charges Joe but eats a Front Kick followed by several jabs and chops and then Joe throws several body shots at Suicide backing him into a corner. Joe then whips Suicide into the opposite corner and hits a running back elbow followed by a Leaping Enziguri! Joe puts the boots to Suicide in the corner and then grabs Suicide by the feet and flings him up into the air but Suicide lands on his feet and starts throwing right hands at Joe. Suicide attempts to whip Joe into the corner but Joe reverses it and then charges but Suicide uses the ropes to float over Joe and then hits a big dropkick sending Joe back into the turnbuckles. Suicide kicks Joe and then hits the Running Snapmare Driver into the middle turnbuckle followed by another dropkick. Suicide covers and gets only a one count. We see D?Angelo Dinero now walking down (looking mighty clean I may add) and he stands there looking at Suicide which distracts the former X-Division Champion. Suicide turns around and eats a running Front Kick from Joe. The fans chant ?pope is pimpin? (classic) as Suicide rolls out of the ring to get a breather. Pope picks Suicide up and chops him but Suicide answers back and they begin trading rights and lefts! Joe runs out and helps Dinero beat on Suicide until Daniels leaves the announce table and evens up the odds! Referees run out to break up this big brawl as the match is thrown out.
Winner: NO CONTEST
David Penzer announces that Earl Hebner has thrown the match out but it will be settled as later on tonight in a Tag Team Match pitting Joe & Dinero against Daniels & Suicide! Tenay says that is a result of the new power that has been given to the referees.
In the back Lauren is with Eric Young (who stares at her like a rapist or something, it was kind of creepy) and she asks Young if she thinks Hernandez will join the World Elite and he says it’s guaranteed. Young says that according to the American people Hernandez isn?t even considered an American, he’s a second class citizen, but tonight he finds sanctuary with the World Elite. Young says that tonight he?ll open his eyes.
—COMMERCIAL BREAK—
As we come back from commercial the World Elite has gathered inside the ring. Young says that Bashir has asked to speak to the American public and hands him the microphone. Bashir says he wants to take the time to speak about something very serious and he takes off his towel over his head so that the fans can lose all ?preconceptions? of him. Bashir wants to talk about the war in Iraq and talks about Bush declaring the war over back in May of 2003 and wants to know if that’s true then who, 6 years later, is killing his ?brothers & sisters? every day. He is getting TONS of heat. Bashir says that innocent men, women, & children are being murdered and we know nothing about his people. He says we are brainwashed to believe everything the government tells us and that we think voting for an American Idol is more important than voting for a president. He says that we?re brainwashed to think that a dead King of Pop is more worthy of being front page news than a dead Iraqi child. He says the truth is that America doesn?t want Iraq’s land or install democracy or even stop terrorism. He says America is a junkie for oil and we?re fiending for more oil to make our planes fly cheaper. He claims we?re itching to be the richest country on the planet again as he starts to get fired up and the boos continue to rain down on him and he throws a beep in there too. Young thanks Bashir for enlightening us and making us better people but that wasn?t the only reason EY came out tonight. EY says he wants to talk about a man who is handcuffed by his handcuffed morals, Hernandez, and he doesn?t make EY wait very long as he walks straight out to the ring. Hernandez says that if Young has something to say he should say it to his face. EY points out that Hernandez comes out draped in the colors of Mexico and says that the people don?t respect him for that and they will never respect him. He says Hernandez will never be treated like an equal and will always be a foreigner to the American people, and he will always viewed as a street thug and a good-for-nothing thief. Young asks Hernandez if that’s who he is and he says that Hernandez needs to come home to the World Elite as the fans chant for him to ?kick his ass.? Young tells Hernandez that he needs to ?be Elite just like me.? Hernandez says ?come home? I am home, b*tch!? and he says that the people in the Impact Zone are his mi familia (family). He says that America is his country and he says to either love it or not to let the door hit Young on the a** on the way out and then leaves the World Elite standing there!
In the back Lauren is with Sharmell and Traci Brooks and she asks them about their Knockouts Tag Tournament Opening Round Match against Kong & Saeed tonight. Sharmell says they aren?t afraid of Kong or Saeed and says that ?gangsta? is running through her veins. Sharmell is about as ?gangsta? as Adam Martin (sorry had to Adam!). She calls Kong an elephant and then Traci says that Sharmell is the First Lady of MEM and Traci is the ?chosen one? and she claims they?ll roll over their ?fat a**es? tonight. Death warrant signed.
—COMMERCIAL BREAK—
Back from commercials Lauren is in the backstage area to hype up the Tag Tournament when he hear Alex Shelley’s voice (behind the camera) telling her to move the microphone a little to her side and then he zooms the camera on her boobs. She continues to hype up the Tournament but finally realizes that Shelley is zooming in on her chest and Sabin screams for cut. Sabin is also staring at her boobs and says that Shelley isn?t a professional cameraman but he is doing the best he can the whole time looking at her chest as she tries to cover it up. Stevie Richards walks up and asks the Guns if their tired of fooling around and ready to make some real money. Shelley says ?yuk? and Sabin tells him that he like Stevie but he’s just not IN like with him, classic. Stevie offers the Guns $50,000 to end the career of Abyss. The Guns hold up a tissue holder and say that would be just enough money for them to get distribution for their new line of Motor City Machine Guns tissue holders. They accept Stevie’s offer and walk off.
TNA Knockouts Tag Team Championship Tournament 1st Round
Traci Brooks & Sharmell vs. Awesome Kong & Raisha Saeed
Kong charges Traci but she ducks and decides to bail out to the floor. Traci’s ring gear is EXCELLENT, wow. Kong and Sharmell argue on the floor about who’s going in but finally Raisha tags in so Sharmell gets in with her. Sharmell shoves Raisha and then gets pushed down by Raisha so she tags Traci back in. Traci and Raisha shove each other and then Raisha hits a forearm followed by a chop and then she whips Traci into the corner. Raisha follows up with a Running Forearm Smash and then hits a scoop slam in the center of the ring. Raisha hits an Elbow Drop and gets a nearfall. Raisha hits a snap suplex and gets another nearfall and then attempts to whip Traci into the ropes, but Traci reveres it and Sharmell grabs Raisha by the mask as she hits the ropes. Raisha knocks Sharmell off the apron but eats a clothesline as she turns around for a nearfall. Traci chokes Saeed on the middle rope and then hits a Running Knee Strike to the back of Saeed for another nearfall. Traci grabs Saeed by the legs but she kicks Traci off and tags in Kong! Kong with a big clothesline followed by another one and then a Corner Splash! Kong grabs Traci for the Implant Buster but Traci quickly escapes through Kong’s legs and comes off the ropes, but she eats a big Chest Bump from Kong. Kong climbs up to the middle rope and hits the Awesome Splash! 1?2?NO Sharmell breaks up the pin! Kong turns around and looks at Sharmell which causes her to run out of the ring screaming. Raisha tags herself in and covers Traci, 1?2?3! Raisha celebrates the win but Kong looks pissed that Raisha stole the pin!
Winners: Kong & Saeed via pinfall (Awesome Splash)
They show a vignette hyping up Matt Morgan and then highlights Morgan’s problems with Angle and the Mafia. In the back JB follows Morgan into the MEM lockerroom and Booker screams at Morgan wanting to know what he wants. Angle asks if this has anything to do with what happened last week. Angel admits that he screwed up last week because usually it takes him 3 seconds to get to the top rope not 3 minutes like it did Morgan. Angle says Morgan lacks experience and Morgan says that the reason that he’s teaming with Scotty and Booker tonight is to give him more experience obviously. Angle says that’s correct and he says Dixie signed off on it. Morgan tells Angle that she’s here this week and Morgan says that he pitchced himself to Dixie Carter to be added to the 4-Way that she signed for No Surrender for the title! Morgan says not to worry because he’s going to have Angle’s back like Angle had his at the PPV and last week and then he smiles and hugs Angle and walks off. Morgan looks at the camera and says ?go Mafia? sarcastically. As he walks off Joe says Angle should just let him handle him but Book and Steiner say they?ll take care of him.
—COMMERCIAL BREAK—
After commercials Mike Tenay points over the article on Homicide that’s in this month’s The Source Magazine (at one time referred to as the Hip Hop Bible). Taz makes a joke about Tenay being a hip hop fan.
?War Machine? Rhino vs. Jesse Neal
They show a vignette highlighting the history of Rhino and Jesse Neal. Would someone please get this guy some proper wrestling gear. Rhino offers a handshake to Jesse but kicks him in the gut instead and then beats him down in the corner. Rhino throws Neal into the top turnbuckle and then beats him down somemore and chokes him on the middle rope. Rhino chokes Jesse down further Rhino whips Jesse into the ropes and kicks him in the face with a Front Kick for a nearfall. Rhino hits a big Spinebuster and gets the pinfall. After the pin Jesse tries to get to his feet but gets obliterated by a Gore! The referee then waves it off and raises the hand of Neal! He disqualifies Rhino due to excessive force and reverses the decision!
Winner: Jesse Neal via DQ (reversed decision)
Afterward Rhino snaps and puts the boots to Neal further until Brother Devon runs out and gets in Rhino’s face. Rhino backs down from Devon.
In the back JB is in Foley’s office with ODB & Cody Deaner. Foley is wearing a judge’s wig as their going to hold court over the title. Abyss walks in with Foley’s barbed wire bat and then hands a bag of groceries to Abyss for a gift. He tells Abyss to hit Deaner with the bat before he leaves and Abyss was about to do it before Foley tells him he was kidding. Foley tells Abyss that to take it easy on Alex Shelley tonight because his kids love him. Foley tells ODB to plead her case and she says it’s a women’s title. Deaner shows a picture of Mike Tyson and says that’s one of the many men he has ?knocked out? in his career. He claims that he stole Tyson’s tiger and Tyson showed up at his hotel room so he knocked him out (Hangover anybody?). The next picture is Chuck Norris and he says he was a guest on the set of Walker Texas Ranger when Chuck tried a sidekick on him but he ducked it and knocked him out. Foley says that Chuck Norris counted to infinity twice so he can?t believe that. Foley says that the title will be held up until No Surrender when ODB will face Deaner for the belt. ODB chases Deaner out of Foley’s office. JB asks Foley if he’s okay because he’s been kind of quiet around TNA lately. Foley says he’s just sitting back for now but he has something up his sleeve and holds up the barbed wire baseball bat.
—COMMERCIAL BREAK—
$50,000 Bounty Challenge Handicap Match
?The Monster? Abyss vs. Motor City Machine Guns w/Stevie Richards
Sabin grabs Abyss? leg as he gets in the ring and Shelley jumps Abyss from the other side. The Guns throw rights and lefts at the monster and then leg kick him getting him to his knees and sandwich Abyss with big headkicks. The Guns then hit double back elbows and go for a Double Suplex but Abyss blocks it and Double Suplexes the Guns! Abyss hits a Sidewalk Slam on Shelley and then Chokeslams Sabin on top of Shelley! Abyss hits a Corner Splash on Sabin and then goes for one on Shelley but he avoids it and then Shelley hits a Leaping Enziguri from the apron to the back of Abyss? head while Sabin hits the Mafia Kick at the same time! Sabin leaps off of the back of Shelley and hits a dropkick and then Shelley goes for a Slingshot Cross Body but Abyss catches him in midair! Sabin then hits a Suicide Dive through the ropes into Shelley & Abyss! Back in the ring Shelley dives off the top with a Flying Cross Body but again Abyss catches him in midair, and again Sabin dives off the top with a Missile Dropkick to the back of Shelley sending Abyss crashing to the mat with Shelley on top of him! Shelley covers Abyss and Sabin climbs on top as well, 1?2?.NO Abyss kicks out! The Guns hit a Double Backkick and then Shelley goes for Sliced Bread but Abyss shoves him off and then lifts him up for the Shock Treatment but Sabin charges only to eat a Big Boot from Abyss! Abyss then hits the Shock Treatment on Shelley while dropping a Leg Drop on Sabin at the same time! Stevie Richards climbs in the ring to interfere but Abyss grabs him by the throat! Sabin dives off the top but Abyss catches him in midair and drops him with the Black Hole Slam! 1?2…3 and he gets the win!
Winner: Abyss via pinfall (Black Hole Slam)
After the match Stevie shoves The Guns so they kick the hell out of him! Shelley then hangs Stevie upside down from the corner in the Tree of Woe! Sabin hits the Hesitation Dropkick and Abyss looks on and applauds it. Abyss climbs back in the ring with a steel chair but before he can use it Kevin Nash’s music hits and the Legends Champ makes his way out to the stage.
—COMMERCIAL BREAK—
Nash says if Stevie has $50,000 for Abyss? head that works for him because Abyss stuck his nose in Nash’s business at Hard Justice and he says he?ll hand Abyss? head on a silver platter just over business, but when Abyss stuck his nose in Nash’s business he made it personal and calls Abyss a b*tch.
Taz and Tenay hype up the rest of the show including Dixie’s announcement, the big 6-Man Tag, and the debut of new Knockout Hamada against Daffney in a No DQ Match!
In the back Lauren is with Daffney and she asks Daffney how she can plan to face Hamada. Daffney says she is incapable of planning and she relies on violence. Daffney says violence is there even when she’s in a peaceful state of mind. Daffney says at night she counts sheep but she doesn?t let them jump the fence instead she attacks them and drains their blood and then wears the skin. That chick has issues. She says that’s disturbing because she’s disturbed and Hamada will see just how crazy she is.
No DQ Match
?Scream Queen? Daffney vs. Hamada
Hamada is the Japanese superstar, Ayako Hamada, who has spent the most of her career in Japan and Mexico. For most of 2007 and 2008 she wrestled for AAA down in Mexico where she was a dominant luchadora. After leaving AAA she joined luchadora, Martha Villalobos?, wrestling school as a trainer. Hamada herself was trained by the great Aja Kong (considered by most to be the greatest women’s wrestler of all time) and her father Gran Hamada. She was trained in Mexico as well for some time by one of the greatest Lucha Libre trainers of all time, Gran Apache and she has won belts all over the world. Daffney jumps Hamada at the bell with stiff forearms and then a snapmare takeover. Daffney then hits a rolling neckbreaker to a seated Hamada followed by a big headkick. Daffney then steps on the head of Hamada and gets a nearfall. Hamada and Daffney begin trading stiff chops and then Hamada slaps Daffney in the face hard which Daffney responds with a Leaping European Uppercut! Daffney comes off the ropes but eats a Running Front Kick from Hamada! Hamada then puts the boots to Daffney in the corner and then whips Daffney into the ropes and goes for a backdrop, but Daffney stops in her tracks and kicks Hamada in the chest. Daffney charges Hamada but she backdrops Daffney over the top rope. Daffney lands on the apron but then Hamada hits a Superkick sending Daffney to the floor.
—COMMERCIAL BREAK—
Back from commercials Daffney whips Hamada into the corner and hits a Running Forearm and then climbs up top as Tenay lets us know that Hamada set up a table outside the ring. Daffney hits a Elbow Drop off the middle rope for a nearfall. Daffney whips Hamada into the corner and charges but eats another stiff kick from Hamada followed by an Enziguri! Hamada with a running chop followed by a clothesline and then repeated headbutts! Hamada hits a Leaping DDT! 1?2?NO Daffney kicks out! Hamada goes for a spinning heel kick but Daffney ducks and hits a sidekick to the gut of Hamada followed by the Shinning Wizard! 1?2?NO Hamada kicks out! Daffney throws Hamada threw the ropes to the floor and slaps Hamada on the back repeatedly. Daffney goes over and grabs a chair and swings but Hamada ducks and Daffney hits the ring post. Hamada picks the chair up and puts it over Daffney’s head and slams her into the ringpost! Hamada screams ?TABLE? and then lays Daffney on top of it and climbs up on the top rope! Hamada dives off with a Moonsault through Daffney and the table! Holy crap! ?TNA? chants start up as we see replays of that move and Taz says that he’s having flashbacks of Sabu putting him through tables via that same move. Hamada rolls Daffney back in the ring and hits the Hamada Driver! 1?2?3!
Winner: Hamada via pinfall (Hamada Driver)
In the back the Beautiful People are searching the backstage area for Madison Rayne.
—COMMERCIAL BREAK—
In the back BP are still searching for Madison and they find her in the makeup room. They talk trash to Madison and Angelina says that they heard Madison found herself a mystery partner for the Tag Tournament and they drew them in the opening round. Angelina says they don?t care who her partner is because they?re going to kick their a**es! Madison tells them to stop talking about it and do something and then she pie-faces Angelina and shoves Velvet into the door! They jump Madison and beat her down and Velvet sprays hairspray into her eyes. JB finally gets in between them and Madison.
They reveal the Tournament Brackets for the Tag Tourney and the matches left are Sarita & Taylor Wilde against Daffney & Alissa Flash (is she getting paid double for this stuff?), Beautiful People against Madison & her mystery partner, and the final match of the Opening Round is Hamada teaming with Sojo Bolt against Tara & Christy Hemme.
?The Pope? D?Angelo Dinero & ?Samoan Submission Machine? Samoa Joe vs. Suicide & ?Fallen Angel? Christopher Daniels
Man, The Pope is getting over quick. Joe and Suicide will start the match off as Taz chimes in that he believes Joe is the one that is suffering because of this match because now Daniels not only gets to watch Joe he can be in the ring without worrying about not winning (because the title isn?t on the line) and really scout Joe. Suicide goes for the collar-and-elbow tieup but Joe hits an arm drag and then locks Suicide in a keylock armbar. Joe tags Dinero in who whips Suicide into the ropes and goes for a backdrop, but Suicide backflips over Dinero and hits an armdrag of his own followed by a dropkick. Suicide tags in Daniels and they double team Dinero in the corner. They whip DInero into the corner and then Daniels whips Suicide into a Running Forearm on Dinero in the corner and then he drops down to his knees and Daniels leaps off his back and hits a Running Back Heel Kick to Dinero in the corner! Daniels hits a Scoop Slamand then hits the Split Legged Moonsault! 1?2?NO Dinero kicks out! Daniels hits several jabs and then attempts to whip Dinero into the ropes but Dinero reverses it and Joe catches Daniels with a knee to the back as he hits the ropes, and then Dinero follows up with an STO!
—COMMERCIAL BREAK—
Back from commercials Joe is popping Daniels with jabs and big rights. Joe comes off the ropes and goes for a Lariat but Daniels catches his arm, spins him around, and hits a Leaping Enziguri! Daniels then kicks Joe in the face and hits an STO of his own! Both men are down and they both tag out. Suicide with big rights to Dinero and then he attempts to whip Dinero into the ropes but he reverses it and goes for a clothesline. Suicide ducks and hits a Springboard Back Elbow followed by a clothesline of his own! Suicide whips Dinero into the ropes and hits his Running Russian Legsweep! 1?2?NO Joe breaks up the pin attempt! Suicide picks Dinero up and hits the Rolling Fireman’s Carry Slam! 1?2?NO Joe breaks it up again! Daniels comes in and hits a big uppercut on Joe while Suicide beats down Dinero in the corner. They both attempt to whip Dinero & Joe into each other but Dinero reverses it sending Suicide right into a huge clothesline from Joe! Joe hits a Superkick on Daniels sending him right into a huge German Suplex from Dinero! Daniels rolls out to the floor and Joe goes for the Elbow Suicida but Daniels was able to avoid it and then hits the Split Legged Moonsault off the top onto Joe on the floor! in the ring Dinero goes for a big right hand but Suicide ducks and goes for a springboard cross body, but Dinero ducks and then Dinero pulls his knee pads down and goes for the Dinero Express (that’s what I?m going to refer to the Elijah Express as until they come up with a new name which I hear will be next week), but Suicide moves and Dinero nails the turnbuckles with his knees! Suicide then hits a Slingshot Oklahoma Roll! 1?2?3 and the faces get the win!
Winners: Suicide & Daniels via pinfall (Slingshot Oklahoma Roll)
After the match Dinero can?t believe he just lost and Joe is pissed.
—COMMERCIAL BREAK—
Back from commercials it’s time for Dixie Carter’s big announcement. JB is in the back with Dixie Carter and Bobby Lashley. Damn, that chick is fine. Dixie announces that TNA has just signed a new 3-year deal for Impact with Spike TV and they are also planning a new TV show (they need it bad). She says this is a big deal for TNA and then they put over the signing of Bobby Lashley. Lashley says that he still has a passion for professional wrestler but also for fighting and didn?t think he could do both until he had a meeting with Dixie and she showed him a way he could do both. Dixie puts over Lashley’s athleticism and talent and says TNA will help promote Bobby’s MMA fights. JB asks Bobby what his goals are in TNA and asks Dixie what her hopes are for Bobby in TNA. Bobby says he wants to make an impact (no pun intended) and he says he wants to get a big match with Kurt Angle and wants the TNA World Title. Dixie says she would like to see the TNA Title on one of his shoulders and an MMA Title on the other. Dixie says that Bobby’s first PPV match will be at No Surrender when he goes one-on-one with Rhino!
Kurt Angle makes his way out to the announce table and Taz says he invited Kurt to come out to do guest commentary.
Main Event
6-Man War
?Big Poppa Pump? Scott Steiner, Booker T., & ?The Blueprint? Matt Morgan vs. ?The Icon? Sting, ?Super Mex? Hernandez, & ?The Phenomenal? AJ Styles
Booker and Stinger will start the match off and Sting is showing off his new t-shirt. They lockup and Booker forces Sting into the corner and nails Stinger with body shots as the referee tried to break them up. Booker goes for a right hand but Sting blocks it and hits a backhand followed by an Atomic Drop and then a dropkick! Sting puts the boots to Book but then Book comes back with a poke to the eyes! Book attempts to whip Sting into the ropes but Sting reverses it and hits a Hiptoss! Sting tags in AJ and he hits a forearm but Book comes back with a Backkick and quickly tags Steiner in. Steiner chokes AJ on the middle rope and then whips him into the ropes and in a bad spot AJ’s neck and head slipped underneath the top rope as he hit and caused a really bad whiplash like affect. That looked bad for AJ. Steiner throws AJ into the top turnbuckle and then whips AJ into the ropes again and goes for a clothesline but AJ ducks it and then and then went for a leapfrog but Steiner held onto the ropes. Steiner then charged AJ but ate the Phenomenal Dropkick. AJ hits a Knee Drop and gets a nearfall until Book came in and made the save. Hernandez tags in and he allows Steiner to tag Morgan in so the two big boys can go at it. Hernandez comes off the ropes and hits a Shoulder Block but it only rocks Morgan. Morgan tells him to do it again and it still doesn?t take Morgan off his feet. Hernandez goes for a third but Morgan hits a Discuss Clothesline as he came off the ropes. Morgan comes back with a knee strike and then he hits the Delayed Vertical Suplex! He held Morgan’s big a** up there for at least a minute! Morgan bails out to the floor to catch his breath and Steiner & Book climb down to get in his face. Hernandez then hits the Super Mex dive over the top onto all 3 of the heels! The fans are really into this match as we see a replay!
—COMMERCIAL BREAK—
Back from commercials Steiner has AJ in a Sleeper but AJ is able to get to his feet and break the hold with back elbows and a big right hand. AJ comes off the ropes for a clothesline but eats a Belly-to-Belly Suplex for a nearfall. Steiner tags Morgan back in and he puts the boots to AJ. Morgan picks AJ up but AJ shoves him off and then he rolls through a clothesline attempt and tags in Hernandez! Hernandez with a Slingshot Shoulder Block that sends Morgan halfway across the ring! Hernandez with a clothesline on Booker and then a forearm shot to Steiner knocking him off the apron and a clothesline for Morgan! Hernandez hits a Spinebuster on Booker but Morgan pokes him in the eyes and then whips him into the corner. Morgan goes for the Carbon Footprint but eats a HUGE Shoulder Block! 1?2?NO Steiner breaks it up! AJ takes Steiner out to the floor and Sting goes at with Booker on the other side of ringside. In the ring Hernandez goes for a Corner Splash but Morgan moves and then sets him up for the Hellevator! Steiner climbed in with a steel chair and Morgan thinks Steiner was going to hit him with it but Steiner tries to explain to him that they need to hit Hernandez with it. Hernandez shoves Morgan into the steel chair knocking Steiner down and then AJ hits a Springboard Cross Body! 1?2?3 and they pickup the win!
Winners: AJ, Hernandez, & Sting via pinfall (Springboard Cross Body)
After the match Kurt said that Morgan could still be a part of the Mafia if he would be a team player but Morgan lays out Steiner & Booker and stares Angle down as the show ends.
Final Thoughts
Before I talk about the show tonight I want to talk about something I just noticed. Every Thursday after the show airs I always go to TNA’s website and make sure I know everything that’s planned for Impact the next week and the PPV. Well, tonight I noticed a link on the site that said ?Announcement on Tournament Brackets?. I actually thought this was the Knockouts Tag Tournament brackets but it’s actually news surrounding a Mini-Tournament TNA will be holding to name the contenders for the Fatal 4-Way Title Match at No Surrender and this is what it reads:
?Due to a pending legal situation the brackets for next week’s No Surrender World Title Qualifier Tournament cannot be posted at this point. TNA Officials are working as we speak to iron out the problems, and TNAwrestling.com is being told the brackets will appear right here at 9AM Eastern time Friday morning instead.”
Now, I just thought that was a little interested and I can?t think for the life of me what legal matters they could be involved with. Just thought I would pass that along. Now onto the show.
Tonight was just great! An awesome show from top to bottom! Storyline and characters are continuing to be built and some of the best wrestling on Impact in quite some time.
I liked how they built up the tag match for later on with the opener between Suicide & Joe, but it also was bad in that TNA already hyped up that tag match on their website this week. They really have to start going live.
The interaction between Hernandez and World Elite was great. The Elite got so much heat it’s not even funny, it was damn near Jericho heat. Hernandez just furthered his big time babyface push, I?m expecting a Hernandez-Young match at the PPV.
The Knockouts Tag Tourney started in a positive way with the weakest team (Sharmell & Traci) getting ousted early. I had a fear that they would win the tourney. What is extremely interesting is the team of Alissa Flash & Daffney are facing the team of Taylor & Sarita next week and they are in the same bracket as Kong & Saeed. If you don?t already know, Alissa is actually Raisha Saeed so I obviously figure Taylor & Sarita to win but it still gives it some intrigue. As far as the Knockouts Title goes it’s a bit frustrating but with this great Tag Tournament goes it’s doesn?t hurt as bad just as long as ODB beats Deaner.
I hate this thing with Jesse Neal and I really hope they are moving forward to something else and it seems maybe so with Devon coming out to face off with Rhino. I didn?t really get that but hopefully they will explain it in the coming weeks. I also like the idea of Rhino against Lashley at the PPV. 1st off Rhino hasn?t been in a PPV match in awhile and he’s the perfect solid midcarder for Lashley to start off with to knock some of that ring rust off before he gets into the Title picture.
I hate that the Guns lost to Abyss but it was actually a solid Handicap Match and the Guns still looked good and saved face in the end. Also, Abyss and Nash is pretty interesting and it really seems with the continued interaction between Foley and Abyss they are setting something up there. Hopefully Foley can bring the Monster back.
Hamada and Daffney was simply awesome! Damn it Hamada is great and Daffney really showed out as well! Best women’s match on TV so far this year in my opinion or at least up there with Sarita and Flash from a couple of months ago. This knockouts division is so damn stacked.
The X-Division Tag Match was great. All 4 guys worked well together and it was a very fun, fast paced match. Not only that it furthered two different feuds simultaneously. Great stuff and I love how they are using Dinero.
The interview with Dixie actually came off pretty good and she is definitely easy on the eyes. I was hoping she would have appeared in front of the fans but maybe she’s not ready for that just yet.
The Main Event was yet another solid match and everybody involved looked good. Morgan’s storyline with MEM continues and he continues to look strong despite his 3rd straight loss. AJ is back on top as well. Angle vs. Sting vs. AJ vs. Morgan is what I?m expecting at the PPV.
As far as the announcing situation goes I felt like Taz seemed a lot more relaxed this week and his color commentary was very solid. I also liked that Tenay was able to go to Taz with the ?what would you do?? situations with Taz’s wrestling past.
– Match of the Night: TIE – Daffney vs. Hamada, Suicide/Daniels vs. Joe/Dinero (***1/2)
– Promo/Segment of the Night: World Elite promo (especially Bashir)
– Overall Grade: A +
Scheduled for Next Week:
-Knockouts Tag Titles Tourney 1st Round: Hamada & Sojo Bolt vs. Tara & Christy Hemme
No Surrender Lineup so far:
– TNA World Title Fatal 4-Way: Kurt Angle (c) vs. Matt Morgan vs. TBA vs. TBA
– TNA X-Division Title: Samoa Joe (c) vs. Daniels
– TNA Knockouts Title: ODB vs. Cody Deaner
– Bobby Lashley vs. Rhino
– TNA Knockouts Tag Titles Finals: TBA vs. TBA
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