Written by: Bob Colling
National Wrestling Alliance/Total Non-Stop Action presents Impact
Date: 1/25/2007
From: Orlando, FL
Tonight, Sting has went to City Hall and will reveal the secret that Abyss has kept hidden for years.
Samoa Joe makes his way out to begin the program with an in-ring promo. Joe says that Kurt Angle has a lot of questions for him and people have one burning question for him. Joe says they are wondering why he’d help Kurt Angle. Joe wouldn’t help Angle if his car was stuck on the track and the train was going to hit him. Joe wouldn’t spit on him if Angle was on fire. Joe claims he simply ran out of time at Final Resolution to win the match. Joe says he’s the unofficial enforcer for Against All Odds. Joe promises the next time he wrestles Angle it will be for the NWA World Championship.
Kurt Angle makes his way down to the ring to confront Joe. Angle figured their issue was over when he won at Final Resolution. Angle has a problem with how Joe wants to wrestle him. Angle says that Christian Cage has a consultant who is going to beat him at the PPV. Angle wonders who the consultant could be since he knows him well and he’s pissed off. Angle is putting the pieces together that Joe is the consultant. Angle doesn’t have a problem with Joe training Cage to beat him. Angle threatens Joe to no get involved in the match or he’ll break his ankle. Joe tells Angle that he’s not a liar and that the next time they fight it will be the for the title.
NWA World Champion Christian Cage makes his way out with Tomko by his side. Cage asks if Angle thinks he has the puzzle solved. Cage reveals that Samoa Joe is not the consultant. Cage says that Joe isn’t good enough to consultant him on anything. Cage does admit he’s a liar and often times forgets when he’s lying. Cage promises to give a second hint and says that the person has been close to Angle, maybe closer than he thinks. That leads to a pull apart brawl with Joe as security gets involved.
Tomko is at the commentary table and threatens that there will be changes coming and it might start at the announcers table.
Backstage, Jeremy Borash is with Father James Mitchell and Abyss for an interview. Mitchell says that Sting committed a crime. Mitchell thinks that Sting would like to go to prison and be traded out for cigarettes. Mitchell challenges Sting to a match at Against All Odds. Mitchell says some things are better left dead and buried in the ground. Sting’s words are going to ignite heaven on fire tonight.
Backstage, Jim Cornette doesn’t understand Raven and his group. They are in his office for a discussion. Cornette says they are hired to be wrestlers and nothing else. Cornette says that Raven is wrestling tonight against Rhino tonight. They leave without saying a word.
Opening Contest: Raven vs. Rhino: Rhino takes out Devine, Maverick Matt and Kazarian to begin the segment. Raven whacks Rhino over the head with a kendo stick. Wait a minute, it was AJ Styles. Thus, the match is thrown out. Styles breaks the kendo stick over Rhino’s back. Styles smashes Rhino with a chair shot to the face. Of course, Rhino has been busted wide open and has been left laid out by Styles.
Outside, Christian Cage is in the production truck and demands to know how many trucks they have. Cage needs three more trucks for them to be all on him.
Ron Killings ad where he’s starring in “A Few Good Black Men.”
Paparazzi Productions is next with Eric Young looking for condoms with Jeremy Borash. James Storm, Miss Tennessee and a few other wrestlers enter the gas station. Storm mocks Young for buying condoms with another man at 4am.
Backstage, Traci is with Robert Roode and assures Roode she’ll seal the deal. Roode says she has until next week. Traci tells the interviewer that she knows that she wants her.
Second Contest: NWA X-Division Champion Chris Sabin vs. Jerry Lynn vs. Senshi vs. Austin Starr in a non-title match: Senshi goes after Ki, but doesn’t get his hands on him. Senshi dropkicks Lynn coming off the ropes for a two count. Lynn delivers a tilt a whirl backbreaker to Senshi for a two count. Sabin tags himself in on Lynn and keeps control on Senshi with stomps on the mat. Starr tags into the match and beats on Senshi with strikes to the back. Starr rams Senshi groin first into the corner followed by a few back rakes. Starr decks Lynn off the apron and dropkicks Senshi on the back in the corner for a near fall. Starr chokes Senshi on the mat and taunts the fans afterward. Senshi kicks Starr causing Starr to tag in Sabin. Sabin stomps on Senshi and taunts the crowd. Senshi nails Sabin with a somersault kick and tags in Lynn. Lynn dropkicks Sabin a few times. Lynn backdrops Sabin and knocks Starr off the apron. Lynn plants Sabin with the TKO, but Starr breaks the cover. Senshi and Starr brawl to the floor. Sabin kicks Lynn and tries for the Cradle Shock, but Lynn counters with a rollup for the win. (**. A fine match that didn’t get a lot of time and they didn’t go all out by any means. I’m assuming that Lynn is going to get a title shot now from Sabin. I’m not a fan of this “Lynn is old” storyline since that’s been something they’ve been doing for four years now.)
Backstage, VKM is interviewed by Leticia Kline. BG James wants to apologize to Chrissy Hemme and anyone that was offended. Kip James had tape on his mouth, but switches spots with BG. Kip says that women have no place in a wrestling ring and that wrestling is a man’s place. BG walks off because he doesn’t agree with it.
A video package promoting the feud between LAX and Team 3D is shown. Konnan had a pre-tape promo from his home where he’s using a walker to get around. They’ve broken Daniels & Styles and they split up AMW. They’ll do the same to Team 3D.
Sting makes his way down to the ring to cut a promo regarding the secret that Abyss has kept hidden for sixteen years. Sting went into the public records and knows what happened. Sting says that everyone has their demons and he’s no different. Sting admits it tough to believe what Abyss had done. Sting says that Abyss has been protecting what he did for sixteen years. Sting is going to reveal what Abyss did and knows that Abyss will go off as a result. Sting says this is for the good of Abyss. Sting reveals that Abyss put three bullets into the back of a man and that man went into coma. However, the man recovered and that man was… Abyss’ father! Why did Abyss do that? Abyss comes out without any music and begins to beat on Sting with strikes and a clothesline over the top to the floor. Abyss sends Sting into the ring steps face first. Abyss rams Sting into the guard railing and over into the crowd. Abyss sends Sting into the wall in the crowd. Sting isn’t trying to fight back at all. Abyss chokeslams Sting through a table in the crowd. Abyss sends Sting through doors and they go outside the venue. Abyss tosses Sting through another wall. Father James Mitchell appears and tosses a fireball into Sting’s eyes to end the segment.
After a commercial, Sting has been put into an ambulance and received medical attention.
Backstage, NWA World Champion Christian Cage says that through everything that just happened he’s still the star of the show. Cage thinks the ambulance will be needed for Christopher Daniels, as well.
Prior to the next match. Christopher Daniels cut a pre-tape promo. Daniels thinks he needs to think of whose best interests he needs to be serving.
Main Event: NWA World Champion Christian Cage vs. Christopher Daniels: Cage hammers away on Daniels followed by a chop. Daniels hip tosses Cage and delivers a few chops in the corner. Daniels stops Cage with a powerslam and a slingshot elbow drop for a two count. Daniels rams Cage into the corner, but Tomko shoves Daniels off to the floor to help the champ. Cage notices Samoa Joe walking down to ringside with a chair in hand. Cage continues to work over Daniels as the show goes to commercial.
Cage keeps a headlock on Daniels as Jeremy Borash comes out to interview Samoa Joe at ringside. Joe is out there to prove a point to Kurt Angle. Daniels elbows Cage, but runs into a dropkick leading to a near fall for Cage. Cage connects with a neckbreaker and taunts the crowd. Daniels blocks a suplex attempt and almost wins with an inside cradle. Cage drops Daniels with a running clothesline. Cage misses a splash in the corner and Daniels delivers a few jabs followed by a heel kick. Daniels knee strikes Cage and hits a Death Valley Driver for a near fall. Daniels hits a springboard moonsault for a near fall. Daniels slams Cage and goes to the top rope missing the BME, but lands on his feet. Cage tries to pin Daniels with his feet on the ropes, but fails. Daniels avoids the Un-Prettier by hitting an STO and locks in the choke. Cage breaks free and low blows Daniels to hit the Un-Prettier for the win. After the match, Samoa Joe enters the ring to run Cage and Tomko from the ring. Cage has grabbed Joe’s towel and gives Joe a thumbs up. Kurt Angle slides into the ring and confronts Joe from behind. Angle and Joe just have a standoff to end the program. (*1/2. I don’t mind the finish with Cage having to cheat to win. It appears they are changing up Daniels persona or giving him a different direction considering his promo before the match. The action was alright, but this didn’t have a main event feel to it.)
Final Thoughts:
This week felt heavy on promos to add to some angles, which I’m fine with. I’m not sure if the angles are really connecting with me, though. I mean, Kurt Angle has been in the company since October and we’re to believe that Samoa Joe knows him really, really well because they had a few matches? It just feels rushed. The Abyss reveal isn’t some monumental moment or anything. The Sting/Abyss angle has been struggling to find momentum and this week didn’t help.
Thanks for reading.