TNA Impact 4/26/2010

Written By: Bob Colling

Total Non-Stop Action presents Impact
Date: April 26th, 2010
From: Orlando, Florida
Announcers: Mike Tenay and Tazz

A video of RVD’s matches with Jeff Hardy and AJ Styles is shown. RVD winning the TNA World Heavyweight Championship is highlighted.

“Mr. Monday Night”

TNA opening video

Mike Tenay and Tazz hype up AJ Styles/Sting taking on Jeff Hardy/Jeff Jarrett. Also, Ric Flair takes on Abyss!

Hulk Hogan makes his way down to the ring to kick off the show. Hogan says that things are wide open here in TNA. Hogan talks about being on a high since TNA Lockdown and that things are starting to change in TNA. Hogan puts over the TNA World Heavyweight Championship as a big deal. Hogan puts over the talent in the back stepping up. Hogan brings up the ranking system created by Eric Bischoff and that the fans will be having a key role with that. Hogan begins to talk about RVD’s road to the title last week beating Jeff Hardy and AJ Styles. Hogan knew that the game has changed once RVD won the belt. Hogan introduces the new TNA World Heavyweight Champion Rob Van Dam! RVD gets a good crowd reaction and wants to be called Mr. TNA. Hogan proceeds to do so and gets a cheap reaction. RVD knew that Hogan and Dixie Carter would give him a fair chance to be plain old RVD and asks Hogan to look where that got them. RVD since that people don’t understand what it takes to be so cool and kick some ass. RVD says he is the best at what he does and that this day forward he will be the greatest World Champion that has ever been in TNA! That is why he is the Whole F’n show! AJ Styles makes his way out to the ring and isn’t happy about RVD having his belt. Ric Flair is right behind Styles. Hogan says that no one invited either one of them out to the ring. Styles asks if they are done talking yet. Styles says that RVD sounds like a hallmark greeting card. Styles and Flair enter the ring and tells RVD that he is right when he says millions of people don’t understand him or his lifestyle. Styles questions the thought that RVD will be the greatest TNA World Champion. Styles asks if RVD is high right now! Styles discredits RVD’s title win. Styles believes that RVD lubed the ropes that caused him his title. Styles believes that tonight he should be getting a title shot tonight. However, he will get his rematch when he wants it and tells RVD to put that in his pipe and smoke it. Flair cuts Hogan off and says that he doesn’t care about RVD. Flair has a personal problem with Hulk Hogan. Flair takes off his jacket and talks about his Hall of Fame ring. Flair swears to God that he is going to take all of his frustration out on Abyss tonight. Flair says if you make a mockery of him, then you die. Flair and Styles leave the ring as Hogan and RVD remain calm in the ring.

Backstage, the Beautiful People are talking about Madison Rayne first title TNA Knockout Championship title defense. Rayne says that it isn’t fair to her to have to face two other women. Velvet Sky says that TNA Management has been trying to screw them over. Lacey believes that Sky said literally screw them. Madison is going to allow Tara and Angelina take each other out.

Commercials

A video highlighting the feud between Angelina Love and Tara is shown. Tara attacking Love after the match is featured.

Opening Contest: Madison Rayne defeated Angelina Love and Tara to retain the TNA Knockouts Championship: Late in the contest, Tara sends Love into the ring post and acts very psychotic for doing so. Tara locks in a guillotine choke but Rayne refuses to give up. Rayne manages to take Tara down by the hair with a face buster. Angelina connects with a double clothesline and several right hands to control the three way dance. Tara with a jaw breaker on Tara and a bicycle kick on Rayne. Tara with a spinning side slam on Angelina. Madison shoves Angelina into Tara who falls to the floor. Rayne rolls Love up and wins the match. *½
After the match, Tara attacks Love until security runs down to prevent the brawl. However, Love breaks free and goes after Tara again. Tara is backing off now in the corner as she is met with several boots. Tara is trying to say she is sorry. Angelina turns her back and is attacked by Tara again.

Commercials

Second Contest: Kazarian defeated Shannon Moore to retain the TNA X-Division Championship: Late in the match, Morgan shoved Moore off the top rope and Moore crashed to the floor. Morgan isn’t happy about being turned down by Moore last week. Kazarian with a sit down double leg breaker of sorts and retains the championship. **
After the match, Samoa Joe’s music hits and Joe comes down to the ring. Joe stares down Kazarian and super kicks Kazarian. Joe with several kicks in the corner and quickly this the Muscle Buster! Joe just leaves the ring.

Commercials

A video of Abyss talking about the Hall of Fame ring Hogan gave him is shown. Abyss talks about the powers and says that he will never lose the powers that the ring has given him. Abyss asks what will Flair do when he takes his ring from him.

Backstage, Matt Morgan is with Jesse Neal. Morgan wants Neal to be his partner this week. Neal isn’t dumb and refuses, at first. Morgan puts over Neal’s look and says that he understands why Neal wouldn’t want to team against Team 3-D. Morgan brings up a promise that Neal made to a fallen friend and how he promised his friend he would be a wrestler and world champion. Morgan leaves telling Neal to think with his heart.

Backstage, AJ Styles says that he and Sting will be taking care of business tonight. He also says that he will be getting his belt back.

Commercials

Third Contest: AJ Styles/Sting defeated Jeff Jarrett/Jeff Hardy in a anything goes match: As expected all four men brawl throughout the contest. Jarrett and Sting go at it mostly while Styles and Hardy battle. Hardy with a snap suplex on Styles as they were on the entrance ramp. Jarrett smacks Sting with a chair across the back in the crowd. There are two referees for this match, as well. Apparently, this isn’t a Texas tornado tag match as their needs to be a legal tag. Hardy controls Styles with a front suplex and Sting heads to the backstage area. Styles crotches Hardy on the top rope avoiding the Swanton Bomb. Styles goes for the Styles Clash on the entrance ramp but is sent off the ramp way into the guard railing by Hardy. Hardy and Styles brawl by the ramp way while Jarrett and Sting brawl up stairs. Hardy sets up a ladder and goes for the Swanton Bomb. Sting hits Jarrett with several baseball bat shots and pins Jarrett before Hardy leaps off the ladder. **

Backstage, Jesse Neal is hoping for Team 3-D’s blessing as he is suppose to tag with Morgan this week. Brother Ray is telling Neal that Morgan is going to attack him. Brother Devon says they will be getting the belts back. Neal says he plans on bating them to win the titles. Ray tells Neal to be prepared tonight.

Backstage, D’Angelo Dinero is going to be coming out to the ring.

Commercials

D’Angelo Dinero’s music hits and comes out to a decent crowd reaction. Dinero is sporting a eye patch thanks to AJ Styles. Dinero talks about Styles trying to end his career by using a pen and jabbing it into his eye. Dinero lets Styles know that he hasn’t forgotten about AJ Styles, even though he doesn’t have the championship anymore. Dinero says that there is a eye for an eye. Dinero isn’t done with AJ Styles. Dinero says when he falls down he gets back up and doesn’t regroup. Pope finishes his promo but before he leaves Mr. Anderson’s music hits and Anderson mock claps Dinero as he walks down to the ring. Anderson says that Dinero is giving the fans Kool-Aid to drink. Anderson talks about the fans being gullible. Anderson brings up Kurt Angle and how he is at home licking his wounds. Anderson asks if Dinero is going to be going home. Dinero wants Anderson to get to his point and shut up! Anderson issues a challenge to Dinero for TNA Sacrifice. Anderson wants to know if he gets a Amen or a chicken sound. Dinero hits Anderson with his pimp hand and Anderson beats Dinero down with right hands. Anderson pushes his hand into the injured eye of Dinero!

Commercials

Backstage, Team 3-D put Sean Waltman through a table and is bleeding from the head. Ray says that Waltman should have never came back after no showing the PPV.

Fourth Contest: Matt Morgan/Jesse Neal fought Team 3-D to a No Contest to retain the TNA World Tag Team Championships: Really the match went on for about a minute if that when Kevin Nash and Scott Hall come out and brawl with Team 3-D. Jesse Neal comes down and helps Team 3-D in the braw. Morgan delivered a right hand on Neal and throws him back into the ring. Morgan choke slams Neal in the ring grabs his belts. Morgan taunts Neal and says he will never be a tag team champion. NR

Commercials

Jesse Neal has a microphone and says that he isn’t done with Matt Morgan. Neal wants Morgan to come out and kick his ass.

Backstage, Matt Morgan is talking to Christy Hemme. Morgan doesn’t know who Neal is. Morgan says that he or we are the tag champions. Hulk Hogan says that Morgan needs to deal with Hogan or Neal. So, Morgan heads to the ring to brawl with Neal. Neal brawls with Morgan on the entrance ramp. Neal is hit with a tag team championship belt. Shannon Moore runs down and connects with a missile dropkick on Morgan.

Backstage, Eric Bischoff is in his office and brings up his rankings idea. Bischoff says that it will be up to the fans to vote on TNA’s website to vote for the man who deserves the shot. Jay Lethal comes into the office and says he is ready to vote. Lethal brings up several WWF gimmicks from the 1980s and Bischoff can’t believe what is going on.

Commercials

Backstage, Orlando Jordan is talking about his soul and passion. Jordan talks about Rob Terry and how he destroys everyone in front of him. Jordan says that he will have a talk show “The O Show” with Terry being his first guest. Jordan says it will be delicious.

A video of Ric Flair talking about his retirement and the Hall of Fame ring that he has worked hard for.

Commercials

Backstage, Scott Hall and Kevin Nash are telling the camera man to leave the area. Nash says that they will bring someone next week as their will be three next time.

A video hyping up the Abyss ring angle. Flair not liking that Abyss has the HOF ring is also highlighted.

Main Event: Abyss defeated Ric Flair: Flair works on Abyss with right hands and chops in the corner. Abyss with several right hands of his own in the corner. Abyss takes Flair over with a backdrop and Flair rolls to the floor. Flair chops away on Abyss as they brawl on the floor. Abyss with more right hands and sends Flair into the guard railing. Flair has been busted open and is sent into the railing once again. Abyss slams Flair off the top rope to the mat. Abyss with more right hands and a big boot. Abyss follows up with a side slam but doesn’t go for the cover. Abyss splashes Flair in the corner and Flair falls down in the ring. Flair low blows Abyss and the referee with a kick. Abyss checks on the referee and is hit with brass knuckles. However, Abyss doesn’t sell it. Abyss comes forward but Flair hits Abyss again with the knuckles in the groin. Flair covers and picks up the win! Wait, no he doesn’t. Flair drops the knuckles as he gets his hand raised. The match restarts. Abyss no sells some right hands and chops. Abyss with several right hands and the Black Hole Slam to win the match. *¼
After the match, Hulk Hogan comes down and celebrates the win with Abyss. Hogan takes Flair’s ring off and plays to the crowd. Hogan puts the ring on his finger and poses with Abyss. Hogan knows who to present that ring to next week. Flair flips out as the show ends.

End of show

My Take: This weeks show just didn’t excitement me or keep me all that interested. The taped shows just feel a lot different from the live shows. The opening segment just didn’t add anything new to what was going on between those four men. The same guys keep on opening the show and apparently the ratings for them are never good.

The first two matches were not all that great. Tara/Love feud will be short since Tara is leaving the company. Seems like TNA is focusing more on that feud than they are on the actual champion. Seems rather odd to me. Then again it is TNA so this sort of things is normal.

Samoa Joe is going back to dominating the X-Division. That’s fine with me as I don’t think he should have been working with guys bigger than him or close to his size. He just looks better taking out the smaller wrestlers.

The falls count anywhere match was just weird. It’s a falls count anywhere match with no rules but you need a legal tag? Really? That is just stupid to me. Also, the finish of having Sting pin Jarrett where no one could see it and doing so before Hardy could hit the Swanton on Styles kind of killed the crowd. From then on the fans seemed to be less vocal about the show.

Morgan is doing well with his new character. It’s one of the brighter spots for the show in my opinion. Not really interested in the Band vs. Team 3-D feud. Nash saying they will have a third guy next week just makes me assume its another washed up former New World Order member. I expect the worst, but hoping for something slightly decent.

Flair/Abyss just didn’t work well with me. Flair’s first match back is with Abyss and on a TAPED show. Are you serious? That is the dumbest thing you could do to bring back Flair in a wrestling role. I don’t even know who will be getting Flair’s ring now. It could be Jay Lethal for all I know.

Overall, I didn’t enjoy this show really at all. Such a huge drop off from last week. That’s all I have to say.

Thanks for reading.