Written by: Bob Colling
National Wrestling Alliance/Total Non-Stop Action presents Impact
Date: 2/15/2007
From: Orlando, FL
Footage from Against All Odds is shown. Chris Harris made his return with an eye patch. They show results for a few matches. Christian Cage used a pipe to retain the NWA World Championship against Kurt Angle in the main event.
Scott Steiner makes his way out to begin the program to cut a promo. Steiner says that Christian called him a month ago asking if he knew how to beat Angle. Steiner didn’t know it would be so easy for the plan to work. Steiner mentions his contract got put on hold when they signed Kurt Angle to a big deal. Steiner lists guys that’s he’s beaten that Angle has beaten, too. Steiner knows that he’s better than Angle and says that his wife keeps calling him. Steiner tells Angle to tell his wife to stop calling him.
Kurt Angle’s music hits and Angle makes his way down to the ring to confront Steiner. Angle doesn’t know Steiner well, but knows he’s a self centered egomaniac. Angle would gladly kick his ass for free. Angle came to TNA and help build something great. Angle wants to help them compete against his former employer. TNA doesn’t need someone like Steiner. Angle asks if Steiner is going to talk or doing something about it. That leads to a brief brawl with Angle hitting a German suplex and locks in an ankle lock. Christian Cage slides into the ring and is tossed over with an overhead suplex. Angle has the ankle lock on Cage, but has to let go to suplex Tomko. Steiner decks Angle from behind and Angle is worked over until Samoa Joe runs into the ring and the locker room empties to chase the heels. Angle talks to Joe and promises that Joe will get a title shot, but he’s going to have to go through him in the gauntlet match. They shake hands to show mutual respect.
Mike Tenay and Don West talk about Elevation X, which is essentially a scaffold match. It will be taking place at Destination X.
Backstage, Jeremy Borash is with NWA Tag Team Champions LAX for an interview. Konnan thinks Team 3D is mad because they beat them in their own match. Konnan doesn’t care about TNA and the censorship by Spike TV. Konnan says that trying to silence them will come with a price.
Backstage, NWA World Champion Christian Cage, Tomko and Scott Steiner are talking. Steiner kisses Leticia on the cheek. Cage says it is 12 against 1 when it comes to the gauntlet match. Cage is banking on them not going for the title. Cage wants them to eliminate everyone and they both forfeit the match. Steiner says he’s not going to throw the match and he’s going for a title match. Cage wants a group hug, but Steiner bails. Cage says that Tomko has always been like a son to him. Tomko tells him he’s got a match and leaves the scene.
Opening Contest: NWA Tag Team Champions Homicide & Hernandez vs. Norman Smiley & Shark Boy: LAX goes right after Smiley and Shark Boy beating on them with right hands. Smiley and Boy come back with stereo dropkicks. Homicide plants Boy with a cutter. Hernandez tosses Smiley overhead with a suplex. Hernandez powerbombs Boy and Homicide leaps off the top to hit a senton for the easy victor.y. (*. I’ve been enjoying the LAX squash matches.) After the match, Team 3D appear on the big screen and say that they are the guys that won’t go away. They bring in Steve from Sopranos. He’s pissed about their attack on Uncle Nick. Brother Ray says they are going to have a “Belting Pot” match. It’s a lumberjack match with belts. Konnan chimes in and says he’ll pop a cap in all their asses. They will be on them like Team 3D on a medium pizza.
Don West talks about Eric Young thinking he was going to sleep with Traci Brooks. We see footage from Against All Odds where they were in a hotel room and Traci was seducing Young. Traci got Young to sign the contract and Robert Roode reveals he owns Young.
Backstage, Eric Young asks Traci what happened because he thought they were in love. Traci calls Young an idiot and that nobody would ever love Young. Young got screwed by Ms. Brooks. Roode enters the scene and tells Young to get rid of the “Don’t Fire Eric” shirt. Roode says that Young needs to make sure he’s victorious. Borash tells Roode that Young doesn’t know what he’s doing and he shouldn’t do what he’s doing. Roode dismisses that and walks off. Bob Backlund randomly walks into the scene and then walks off without saying a word.
Second Contest: Jacqueline Moore vs. Gail Kim in an arm wrestling contest: After a brief exchange, Kim wins the arm wrestling contest. After the contest, Kim spears Jacqueline. James Storm holds Kim allowing Jacqueline to punch Kim until Petey Williams makes the save. Storm decks Williams from behind. Chris Harris comes into the ring through the crowd and chases Storm out of the ring.
Backstage, Chris Sabin is interviewed and continues to act like an old man and acts as if he has no teeth. Bob Backlund enters the scene saying that Sabin has made a lot of old people upset. Backlund is going to be at the ladder match next week and find someone to beat Sabin.
Paparazzi Productions is up next and they are doing a ripoff of American Idol. Jay Lethal doesn’t do well according to the judges. Lethal does his Macho Man impression. Nash advances Lethal. I believe that’s the first time Lethal did his Macho Man impression on TNA television.
Ron Killings vignette doing a Rocky theme is shown and argues with an oversized woman named Adrienne.
Main Event: 14-man gauntlet match: Sting and AJ Styles begin the gauntlet match. A new wrestler comes out every minute. Styles avoids Sting and taunts him. Styles eye rakes Sting, but Sting backdrops Styles followed by a scoop slam a couple of times. The next entrant is…
Rhino as Sting hit a splash on Styles in the corner. Rhino decks Styles with right hands and a shoulder block. Rhino back elbows Styles as the show goes to commercial. There’s a Christopher Daniels vignette during the commercial break.
James Storm, Chris Sabin and Kip James have joined the match as there are no eliminations. Abyss comes out next and goes after Sting with right hands in the corner. Abyss big boots Rhino coming off the ropes. Styles wants to give a high five, but is chokeslammed. Sabin tries for a tornado DDT, but Abyss knocks Sabin over the top to the floor.
Kurt Angle runs down to the ring and tosses Storm with a German suplex. Angle clotheslines Kip coming out of the corner and Storm hammers away on Angle. Angle dumps Storm over the top to the floor. Sting pummels Abyss with punches in the corner.
Tomko is next to join the contest. Tomko goes right after Sting with strikes in the corner. Styles tries to head scissors Rhino over the top, but Rhino blocks it. Tomko eliminates both Styles and Rhino. Angle tosses Tomko with a German suplex.
Samoa Joe is next to come out. Joe cleans house with jabs, but Kip decks Joe a few times. Joe tosses Kip by his ponytail and we go to another commercial. BG James, Robert Roode and Eric Young have joined the match. Scott Steiner is the final entrant for the match.
Steiner cleans house with clubbing blows. Steiner pummels Sting in the corner. Steiner tosses BG over the top to the floor. Tomko almost eliminates Angle, but Sting saves Angle. Joe nails Abyss with a kick to the head. Joe nails Abyss with a running big boot to send Abyss over the top to the floor. Angle hits a German suplex on Roode. Angle tried to eliminate Roode, but Steiner comes over from behind to eliminate Angle! Steiner taunts Angle. Roode nails Sting with a big clothesline. Roode tries to eliminate Sting in the corner and demands Young help him. Young doesn’t help and Sting fires back with strikes on Roode. Sting hits a splash in the corner and eliminates Roode with a clothesline. Steiner eliminates Sting! Tomko boots Young and tosses Young over the top to the floor.
Samoa Joe, Tomko and Scott Steiner are the final three. Steiner tackles Joe in the corner and Tomko beats on Joe with right hands. Steiner clotheslines Joe followed by an elbow drop. Tomko takes Joe over with a snap suplex. Joe is taken over with a double suplex. Steiner dumps Joe to the apron. Joe hangs on despite being double teamed. Tomko and Steiner begin to argue. Joe hip tosses Steiner from the apron over the top to the floor. Tomko waits in the corner, but misses a big boot. Tomko rams Joe into the corner and delivers right hands. Tomko misses a splash and is kicked by Joe. Joe sits Tomko on the top rope hitting the Muscle Buster for the win. Joe gets a title shot at Destination X against Christian Cage. (**1/2. I enjoyed the battle royal and I like that there was some surprising eliminations. Steiner was made to look unstoppable and then gets eliminated by Joe. I enjoy that booking to put some steam on Joe’s momentum. A far better battle royal than I was expecting.)
NWA World Champion Christian Cage comes out and he’s pissed at Steiner and Tomko for losing. Kurt Angle slides into the ring to stand by Joe to make sure nothing happens to end the program.
Final Thoughts:
An enjoyable show this week as there was a fun squash match and the main event delivered some entertainment. It’s also notable for Lethal showcasing his Macho Man impression for the first time on TV. I’m looking forward to next weeks show.
Thanks for reading.