NWA-TNA Impact 10/26/2006

Written by: Bob Colling

National Wrestling Alliance/Total Non-Stop Action presents Impact
Date: 10/26/2006
From: Orlando, FL

It is announced that at Genesis on November 19th, Kurt Angle will wrestle Samoa Joe.

NWA World Champion Sting makes his way down to the ring to start the show. The crowd greets Sting with a warm reception. Christian Cage is standing in the ring and tells Sting that he hates to rain on his parade. Cage says that Sting has been stealing his thunder for long time that he’d return the favor. Cage thinks it is a load of crap that he has to wrestle in a tournament to get a shot at a title that he never lost. Cage is pissed that sixteen other guys that aren’t on his level are getting a shot to get a title opportunity. Cage wonders if this has to do with him hitting Sting a few months ago with a guitar. Cage sees a man who is scared and terrified that he’s no longer the biggest star. Cage wants to cut the crap. Cage knows that Sting has the stroke to name his opponent at Genesis and wants to be named the opponent. Christian wants Sting to stop hiding behind the makeup and wants Sting to be a man. Sting grabs the microphone and tells Cage he can have a shot at the title. Sting tells Cage it won’t be at Genesis but rather when he says so. Sting hits Cage in the midsection with his baseball bat and clotheslines Cage over the top to the floor.

Backstage, Jeremy Borash promotes Kurt Angle until Samoa Joe appears. Joe says they have already gotten to know each other and tonight they will get up close and personal.

Shane Douglas is in the ring to cut a promo. Douglas says that the Naturals finally get their tag title opportunity tonight on Impact. Douglas says it’s an honor to introduce the Naturals.

LAX is attacked by AMW during their entrance. They brawl into the crowd with AME continuing to beat on the new tag champions. Konnan gets a few shots in on Storm, but Storm fights Konnan off. LAX are rolled into the ring for the match to start.

Opening Contest: NWA Tag Team Champions LAX vs. The Naturals: Douglas and Stevens continue to beat on LAX with right hands in the corner. Hernandez shoulder rams Douglas while Stevens tosses Homicide across the ring. Hernandez is met with a double shoulder block. Douglas knee lifts Homicide to the mat. Naturals drive Hernandez down to the mat. Stevens gets a two count on Hernandez. Douglas is sent to the floor and Stevens hammers away on Homicide. Douglas is selling his ribs on the floor. Stevens clotheslines Hernandez, but Homicide plants Stevens with the Gringo Killer! Douglas rolls into the ring and hammers away on Hernandez. Konnan hits Douglas with the slapjack on the apron allowing Hernandez to hit the Border Toss and Homicide wins the match. After the match, LAX beat on the Naturals for a few moments. Shane Douglas can’t believe what he’s seen on the aisle. Shane slaps Stevens in the corner but Stevens returns the slap. Andy decks Shane with a right hand. Naturals are standing up for themselves. Shane is bleeding from his mouth, which you can tell he bit into something. Shane likes what he’s seeing and shaking his head yes. (1/2*. This should effectively end any kind of push for the Naturals. I get the aftermath, but I really don’t see the Naturals being a top team. They lack energy and their in-ring isn’t all that impressive compared to other teams at this point.)

A Paparazzi Productions video is shown where Alex Shelley is talking to Kevin Nash. Shelley hopes that Nash doesn’t think that Austin Starr is better than him. Nash is glad that Johnny Devine is gone for not being part of a snuff film. Austin Starr entered the room and Nash praises Starr for bringing the division back after one night. Shelley wants to know why he needs to record Starr, and it’s because he’s the Austin Starr, according to Starr.

There are three stages to the Fight For The Right tournament. Stage 1 will have 18 wrestlers starting outside the ring. First seven over the top rope continue. Stage 2 will have the 7 wrestlers compete in a battle royal to determine seeding. Final two continue. The final two meet in a singles match where the winner gets a bye into the tournament finals.

Second Contest: Fight For The Right Tournament Stage 1: Everyone brawls at ringside as they try to enter the ring, but have to climb over the top. Robert Roode is the first man to get into the ring. Chris Sabin is next to get into the ring. Matt Bentley is watching the match with a drastic new look. AJ Styles and Christopher Daniels enter the ring. Abyss is able to get into the ring, as well. Lance Hoyt enters the ring and there’s one spot left. Shane Douglas is cornered by Team 3D and the Naturals. Christian Cage and Ron Killings fight on the apron. Rhino prevents Cage from getting into the ring and Ron Killings manages to get into the ring. AMW are brawling with LAX. We have our final seven and stage two begins after the break.

Third Contest: Fight For The Right Tournament Stage 2: The final two here will meet in a singles match. The others are for seeding. Killings hits a flatliner on Daniels while everyone else is brawling. Killings is eliminated first and Sabin hits a missile dropkick on Roode. Sabin boots Roode in the corner but is sent over the top to the floor to be eliminated. Hoyt big boots Daniels. Roode hits the roll of the dice on Hoyt. Daniels helps Styles by beating on Abyss with strikes. Abyss tries for a chokeslam, but Styles saves Daniels. Daniels clotheslines Abyss and Roode clotheslines Styles. Daniels trades rights with Roode for a moment. Daniels sits Roode on the top rope delivering a strike. Ms. Brooks holds Daniels leg allowing for Daniels to be eliminated. Roode is tossed out as well. Styles tries to eliminate Abyss. Abyss tries for a press slam and manages to hip toss Styles over the top to the floor.

Main Event: Abyss vs. Lance Hoyt Fight For The Right Tournament Stage 3: Abyss splashes Hoyt in the corner and delivers several strikes in the corner. Hoyt kicks Abyss and ducks a clothesline. Hoyt hits a leaping forearm strike. Hoyt continues to work over Abyss in the corner with more punches. Abyss comes back with a running big boot. Abyss is given a chair by Mitchell. Abyss tries to use the chair, but the referee pulls it away. Hoyt drops Abyss with a big boot of his own. Hoyt hits a top rope moonsault for a near fall. Hoyt runs into a boot and Abyss hits the Shock Treatment for a near fall. Abyss misses a splash in the corner and is dropkicked by Hoyt. Hoyt puts a chair in front of Abyss in the corner. Hoyt leaps off the top to dropkick the chair into Abyss face! Hoyt tries for a cover, but Abyss kicks out at two. Hoyt has Abyss on his shoulders, but Abyss breaks free and hits the Black Hole Slam for the win. (**1/2. I enjoyed that quite a bit as they worked a good pace and Hoyt was able to showcase some fun offense. It was a lot better than I was expecting, honestly. Hoyt may be a guy that deserves a bigger opportunity.)

Footage from Bound For Glory is shown where Jeremy Borash sat down with Jeff Jarrett following his loss to Sting. Jarrett appears to be a little distraught about it. Jarrett says that for more than half the match he had Sting’s number. Jarrett thinks that something transformed in Sting and he was the better man tonight. Jarrett is going home now and not looking for a rematch. Jarrett says every wrestler has to take a step back and refocus. Jarrett says that he may have dropped the ball on some personal things and professional things. Jarrett is going home. Jarrett has one last thought and tells Sting to be careful for what he wished for. Jarrett hopes Sting is ready for the pressure. Jarrett hopes Sting is up for the task as champion.

Kurt Angle makes his way out to cut a promo. Angle says a lot of people asked why he left “the other place” and Angle says he quit. Angle wanted to wrestle for the best audience and puts over the Orlando crowd. Angle puts over the talent in TNA and wanted to be part of the roster. Angle wanted to be part of the roster to kick all their asses. Angle turns his attention to a man who has been undefeated in TNA and that man is Samoa Joe. Angle claims he is terrified of Samoa Joe, but he loves fear because that’s when he wrestles at his best. Angle didn’t know Joe was a bleeder, and Joe’s music hits. Joe runs into the ring and they have another brawl until security enters to stop them quickly. They break free but security stops them again. Wrestlers from backstage enter the ring to get involved and keep them apart. Joe breaks free again and goes after Angle in the corner for a moment. Angle breaks free as well and gets a shot in as the show comes to an end.

Final Thoughts:
I was liking the idea of a Sting/Cage PPV match, but that doesn’t appear to be happening. Joe/Angle is a great feud and is making for must-see TV. Hoyt/Abyss was a fun match and I think Hoyt is someone that TNA would benefit in pushing a little bit. He may lack personality, but there are ways around it. I’ll give the post BFG episode of Impact a thumbs up.

Thanks for reading.