NWA-TNA Impact 2/1/2007

Written by: Bob Colling

National Wrestling Alliance/Total Non-Stop Action presents Impact
Date: 2/1/2007
From: Orlando, FL

A video package recapping what’s been going on recently between Cage/Angle/Joe and the feud between Sting/Abyss where Sting revealed that Abyss shot his father.

Footage from last week is shown where Abyss opened an ambulance that Sting was put in, but Sting wasn’t there and only his baseball bat was left.

Backstage, Jeremy Borash interviews Chris Sabin, who is acting like an old man. Sabin is using a walker and really playing up the old man taunting. Sabin will be wrestling Jerry Lynn at Against All Odds and doesn’t given acknowledge it before walking off.

Opening Contest: Jerry Lynn vs. Alex Shelley vs. Jay Lethal vs. Sonjay Dutt vs. Austin Starr: Sabin comes down to ringside with his walker saying he’s Lynn. Dutt hits a standing moonsault on Shelley. Lethal comes off the top, but Shelley locks in an arm bar on Lethal for a moment. Shelley works over Lethal’s arm before tagging in Starr. Starr beats on Lethal and chokes him over the ropes. Starr taunts the fans while choking Lethal. Starr slams Lethal followed by an elbow drop for a two count. Lethal hammers away on Starr and delivers a chop. Lynn tags in and dropkicks Starr after avoiding a clothesline. Lynn cleans house with strikes to everyone on the apron. Lynn baseball slides Starr, but Dutt hits a crossbody on Lynn. Lethal dropkicks Shelley off the apron and takes everyone out with a suicide dive. Sabin gets on the apron and taunts Lynn by wearing a diaper. Starr accidentally hits Sabin and Lynn tries for a cradle piledriver, but is tripped by Sabin allowing Starr to land on top and pins Lynn. After the match, Sabin chokes Lynn with the diaper and taunts the crowd. Shelley gets in the ring to do a three on one attack until Senshi slides into the ring to make the save. (*1/2. A rather short showcase for these guys and I was totally expecting Lynn to win since he’s got a title shot coming up at the PPV. The interference makes sense to avoid the predictable finish and give Starr a win. I wish these kinds of matches were given more time instead of being rushed in sub-five minute matches.)

Backstage, NWA World Champion Christian Cage is telling Tomko that he has to cater to someone and take one for the team. Tomko doesn’t want to do it, but eventually agrees to do so and walks off.

Paparazzi Production footage of LAX entering a restaurant and they confront a guy named Nick. Homicide smashes a plate and the chef grabs a knife, but is choked by Hernandez from behind. They are threatening to cut his fingers off. Homicide hits Nick with a cooking sheet and they try to put him in an oven before the camera shuts off.

Samoa Joe makes his way out to cut a promo. Joe says that Tomko is backstage babysitting someone and it’s not him. Joe is going to clarify his role as special enforcer at the PPV. Joe says that the only business between himself and Cage is simply how much time he’s going to take kicking Cage’s ass. Cage appears on the big screen and wonders if they are working together and says they both know the truth. Cage feels really good about their current situation. Cage promises a third hint tonight and wonders if he’s already gotten the hint. That ends the segment.

Backstage, Jeremy Borash is outside Jim Cornette’s office and wonders who the special consultant for Christian Cage is going to be at the PPV. Borash wonders if it is going to be Goldberg, Brock Lesnar or Samoa Joe. Fans can text those names to a phone number and the results will be known next week. James Storm and Jacqueline enter the scene with Storm saying that they only agreed for a match against Eric Young and Gail Kim for Jacqueline to get her hands on Gail. Eric Young enters the scene and wonders if Storm told anyone about the condoms. Storm says that the condom thing was seen by the entire world. Christy Hemme storms into Cornette’s office and Kip James goes in right after her and they both looked pissed.

Outside, Father James Mitchell is telling Abyss it is time to raise the violence and send Sting to hell. Abyss is on a mission to find Sting.

Second Contest: Robert Roode vs. Petey Williams: Roode shoves Williams away and Williams punches Roode several times. Williams hits a hurricanrana to send Roode to the floor. Williams hits a slingshot hurricanrana over the top to the floor. Roode stops Williams with a back suplex over the guard railing and delivers a stomp. Roode slides into the ring and beats on Williams with strikes. Roode drives Williams down to the mat with a vertical suplex or a near fall. Williams kicks Roode, but Roode plants Williams with a slam for a near fall. Williams dropkicks Roode from behind and dropkicks Roode over the middle rope. Williams nails Roode with a spinning heel kick. Williams continues with a tilt a whirl side Russian leg weep. Gail and Traci brawl on the floor. James Storm slides into the ring and superkicks Williams allowing Roode to win the match. After the match, Jacqueline Moore attacks Kim and the heels beat down Williams and Kim. Eric Young slides into the ring and helps the faces. Young slams Jacqueline down to the mat followed by a dropkick. Young grabs Traci, but doesn’t strike her. Young saves Traci from being shoved by Roode and they leave together. Roode smiles. (*. The interference didn’t need to happen here at all, but TNA continues to use it was a crutch in their booking.)

Backstage, Christy Hemme and Kip James are yelling at each other in Cornette’s office. Cornette stops them from yelling and asks them to calm down. Hemme demands a public apology from Kip and if she doesn’t get it then he needs to be fired. Kip doesn’t apologize and tells her to suck it. Cornette tells Hemme she’ll be wrestling a match at the PPV. Cornette says her opponent is to be determined.

Ron Killings vignette is shown where Killings is dressed as a marine while cutting the promo.

Father James Mitchell makes his way down to the ring to cut a promo. Mitchell says that Sting played with fire and got burned. Mitchell says that Sting can’t say he wasn’t warned and can’t think of anyone more deserving than him. Mitchell notes that he made Abyss a world champion and Sting cost Abyss the championship by getting in his head. Mitchell claims that Sting had to reveal the darkest, deepest secret that Abyss had when he shot his father. Mitchell says that Abyss is nothing without him. Mitchell has domesticated Abyss to do his work and when the time comes he will put Abyss at the slaughter house and he’ll get another one. Mitchell has sent Abyss to get sting. By the way, there’s something under a sheet in the ring behind Mitchell. Mitchell threatens to send tape of his kidnapping to the police. Mitchell challenges Sting to a Prison Yard match at the PPV. It’s literally a penalty box type of thing behind Mitchell. Mitchell promises that Sting will serve his time one way or another. Sting’s music hits and appears in the rafters wearing an Abyss mask to end the segment.

A video package promoting Christopher Daniels is shown. Daniels talks about feuding with Samoa Joe last year and feels like he’s not made any progress recently. There needs to be a purpose.

A video package of Lance Hoyt cutting a promo on Dale Tolberg and AJ of the White Sox. Hoyt respects them and their baseball careers. Hoyt challenges them to step into the ring and wrestle him. Tolberg was a wrestler for WCW.

Backstage, Jeremy Borash is with Brother Devon for an interview. Devon is a man of few words and says it’s time he starts talking. Devon says that Bubba is with the family. They’ve never thought about disrespecting someone’s family. Devon promises there will be payback next week when Brother Ray returns. They will teach LAX about respect.

Main Event: Samoa Joe vs. AJ Styles: Joe tries to kick Styles, but misses a few times to start the match. Joe settles for a jab to knock Styles into the corner. Joe elbows Styles followed by a kick to the head sending Styles to the floor. Styles hides behind the referee and cheap shots Joe with a few right hands in the corner. Styles puts a chin lock on Joe, but doesn’t get a submission. Styles nails Joe with a dropkick and taunts the crowd before getting a two count. Styles eye rakes Joe in the corner to gain control. Joe jabs Styles a few times to break free. Joe blocks a leapfrog and sends Styles crashing to the mat. Joe elbows Styles to the mat followed by a snap slam for a near fall. Joe dumps Styles over the top to the floor. Rhino attacks Styles from behind on the aisle and rolls Styles into the ring. Joe and Rhino double team Styles as the match is thrown out. Styles slingshots over the top to the floor and runs away from Rhino. The match is a no contest. (*. There’s just no reason to waste these matches on TV if you’re just going to do a dull no contest finish.)

Samoa Joe tosses a chair into the ring and grabs a microphone. Joe demands Christian Cage to come out to the ring and see him face to face.

Backstage, Kurt Angle is walking towards the ring as we go to commercial.

Kurt Angle is in the ring with Samoa Joe. Angle tells Joe that if he wants to screw him over just do it in front of his face. Angle calls Joe a liar and Joe proceeds to respond with jabs in the corner. Christian Cage enters with a chair and misses Joe instead smashing Angle in the face with a chair. Christian wants to shake hands with Joe, but Joe flips him off and decks Cage with strikes. Joe puts a chokehold on Cage, but Styles holds Joe’s legs allowing Cage to get several strikes in on Joe. Styles whacks Joe over the back with a steel chair shot. Styles beats on Joe with several chair shots. Styles his Angle with the chair and Cage plants Angle with the Un-Prettier. The heels stand tall to end the program.

Final Thoughts:
The most memorable aspect of the show was the attempted murder by LAX on a chef in a pizza joint. The matches on paper looked like they’d be entertaining, but they were booked horribly. S prime example of what poor writing can do to excellent talent. A bad episode of Impact this week.

Thanks for reading.