Written by: Bob Colling
National Wrestling Alliance/Total Non-Stop Action presents Impact
Date: 1/11/2007
From: Orlando, FL
A video promoting Father Mitchell tormenting Abyss about his secret and the brawl between Samoa Joe and Kurt Angle from last week is shown.
Backstage, Kurt Angle enters Jim Cornette’s office and has a sit down with him. Cornette tells Angle he’s been doing anything Angle has wanted him to do. Cornette tells Angle that Samoa Joe will not be involved in Angle’s match tonight. Cornette tells Angle he just needs him at ringside when he needs him. Angle doesn’t want to do anything for Cornette, but Cornette mentions that he controls who gets a title shot. Angle agrees and will be there but it better be worth his time. Angle leaves and Cornette says it will be worth his while.
Opening Contest: Kurt Angle vs. Maverick Matt: Angle tosses Matt with a German suplex to start the match. Angle uppercuts Matt into a corner. Angle boots Matt in the corner, but is held by Kazarian allowing Matt to deck Angle with a clothesline. Matt keeps control with stomps and chokes Angle on the mat. Matt takes Angle over with a snap suplex for a two count. Angle elbows out of a headlock, but Matt forearms Angle over the back. Angle backdrops Matt followed by a clothesline. Angle hits a series of German suplexs. Kazarian tries to get involved and gets a German suplex. Devine enters and is tossed with a suplex, as well. Angle hits the Angle Slam before locking in the ankle lock forcing Matt to submit. (*1/2. A fine extended squash for Angle. I’m a little surprised that Angle is being used a lot on TV, but I’m not going to complain about it. You’ve got to get a return on your investment.)
Backstage, Team 3D are dressed in military outfits and are ready to go to war against LAX. They call LAX a disgrace to themselves, the titles and USA. They declare war on LAX. Brother Ray says they will not sleep until they beat LAX.
During the commercial, Raven hit Maverick Matt over the back with a kendo stick for his loss to Kurt Angle.
There’s a cage at ringside that is reserved for someone, but nobody knows who it is reserved for.
Backstage, Jeremy Borash is with Samoa Joe. Joe says that one request was asked for him to not get involved in Angle’s match. Joe promises to cripple Angle tonight and says that Angle will not last thirty seconds at Final Resolution. Joe warns Angle to not turn his back for the rest of the show.
Second Contest: NWA X-Division Champion Christopher Daniels, Rhino & Petey Williams vs. AJ Styles, Chris Sabin & James Storm: All six men are in the ring brawling to start the contest. Sabin and Rhino start the match while Daniels hit a moonsault to the floor onto Styles. Sabin kicks Rhino in the corner, but runs into a clothesline. Williams tags into the match and chops Sabin a few times. Williams takes Sabin over with a hurricanrana. Rhino returns to the match and is driven into his opponents corner, but fights off Storm only to be clotheslined by Styles. Sabin stomps on Rhino and tags in Styles to get a near fall. Styles and Rhino trade strikes with Styles stopping Rhino with an eye rake. Styles boots Rhino in the corner and is met with a spinebuster. Daniels tags in and cleans house with clotheslines. Daniels plants Storm with an STO and a Death Valley Driver on Sabin. Daniels locks in the Koji Clutch on Storm, but Sabin made the save. Williams head scissors Sabin to the floor and hits a slingshot hurricanrana on the floor. Styles nails Williams with a clothesline on the floor. Storm hammers away on Daniels with right hands before tagging in Styles. Rhino GORES Storm, but Styles hits a springboard forearm smash. Daniels is kicked by Styles followed by right hands. Daniels drops Styles with a clothesline and a backdrop. Styles blows Daniels in the corner and tries for a springboard but lands on his knee holding it. Styles cheap shots Daniels and wins with an inside cradle to win the match. (**. They didn’t get a whole lot of time with so many guys in a match and thus not everyone had their moment to shine. Styles heel work isn’t all that compelling and I honestly hate that he’s a heel. There’s no reason for it. He got to a point where he’s enjoyable in the ring and people tend to want to cheer for him. It feels a little forced and not natural progression for him. I was surprised that Daniels took the pin, too.) After the match, Rhino chases Styles.
Backstage, Jeremy Borash is with Father Mitchell, who has the NWA World Championship. Mitchell doesn’t know where Abyss is at and doesn’t know what Abyss is doing. Mitchell made Abyss a World Champion but now he’s no longer here. Mitchell knows the secret for sixteen years and is going to reveal it tonight unless Abyss proves his loyalty tonight. Mitchell claims he’s the only man Abyss can trust. Mitchell hopes Abyss makes the right decision to come home once and for all.
Paparazzi Productions this week has them playing poker. There will be a ten minute time limit match at Final Resolution between Alex Shelley and Austin Starr. The winner will be PCS champion and if it goes to a draw there will be judges scoring the event.
Jeremy Borash had a sit down interview with Chris Harris who is wearing an eye patch. Harris says there’s a chance that he could lose his vision and doesn’t know if he’ll be able to return to the ring. Harris can’t believe that James Storm would do this to him. Harris is still hurt and confused over everything that happened. Harris says they will never look back at what they did together with a smile. He never wanted AMW to end this way.
In the crowd, Team 3D apparently attacked Konnan and they get in the ring. Brother Ray says they took out Konnan because LAX took out Brother Runt. Ray says they are in for a war that they will not be able to handle.
Backstage, Jeremy Borash meets up with Eric Young. Young has some pills and says his chest is tender. Team 3D enters the scene and asks if LAX knows who they are screwing with. They took out Konnan and now they have two more to go at Final Resolution. They are one team away from accomplishing history to be the champions. Brother Ray declares that LAX is dead.
A video package of Voodoo Kin Mafia going to the Alamo to confront Shawn Michaels. They search around but they don’t find Michaels. They declare victory.
Jim Cornette is in the ring with Christian Cage and Tomko before the main event starts. Cornette reminds them that Tomko would be barred from ringside at the PPV. Cornette says that Christian will be the man put inside the cage at ringside to prevent his involvement in the main event. Christian claims that nobody wants to see him in the cage. Tomko gets in Cornette’s face about anyone being able to put him in the cage. Cornette says he has a guy who owes him a favor to put Christian in the cage. That brings out Kurt Angle to be the muscle. Angle enters the ring to confront Christian. Christian backs off and leaves the ring. Christian doesn’t want to lose his championship opportunity. Christian enters the cage as the show goes to commercial.
Main Event: NWA World Champion Abyss vs. Tomko in a non-title match: Tomko attacks Abyss from behind and hammers away on the champion. Tomko kicks Abyss, but runs into a clothesline. Abyss clotheslines Tomko over the top to the floor. Tomko pulls Abyss to the floor, but Abyss hammers away on Tomko and rams Tomko face first onto the apron. Abyss sends Tomko into the ring steps, as well. Abyss misses a running strike and hits the ring post fist first. Tomko drops Abyss with a big boot and follows up with stomps before returning to the ring. Tomko tries for a back suplex, but Abyss avoids it. Tomko eye rakes Abyss followed by right hands in the corner. Abyss stops a charging Tomko looking for a chokeslam, but Tomko elbows free. Abyss plants Tomko with a chokeslam but only manages a two count on a cover attempt. Abyss runs into a clothesline by Tomko. Christian roots on Tomko from the cage. Tomko grabs a chair and it is kicked into his face. Abyss nearly wins on a cover. Samoa Joe runs down to the ringside are and attacks Angle sending Angle into the cage. Joe rams Angle’s face onto the announcers table. Angle counters with the anklelock on the floor. Joe sends Angle into the announcers table to break free. Christian is able to grab the key that fell out of Angle’s hand. Cage has broken free as Abyss hit the Black Hole Slam. Christian uses the chair on Abyss causing a disqualification. After the match, Abyss continues to be beaten up while Angle and Joe brawl around ringside. (*1/4.A decent main event that didn’t have a lot of action or anything of note. I always hate when the heel gets out of the cage and ruins the match completely making the stipulation useless.)
The lights go out and Sting appears and hits Tomko with his baseball bat. Christian Cage and Tomko bail to the floor. Abyss raises Sting’s arm, but goes for the Shock Treatment as Mitchell gave the thumbs down. Abyss wants to reconcile with Mitchell and is given the NWA World Championship.
Final Thoughts:
Abyss remaining heel makes sense considering the PPV is a few days away and it’s probably ideal to make it clear where he stands. For a go-home show it didn’t really add excitement to the PPV, but the lineup is strong enough to keep me interested in it regardless.
Thanks for reading.