Written by: Bob Colling
National Wrestling Alliance/Total Non-Stop Action presents Impact
Date: 3/8/2007
From: Orlando, FL
Kurt Angle and Samoa Joe are in the ring to start off the show to cut a promo. Angle feels like Destination is a forever away, but promises that Scott Steiner is his at the PPV. Angle knows that he isn’t on Joe’s Christmas card list, but notes he was able to fight him face to face. Angle says that himself and Joe are on the same page tonight. Angle is going to be Joe’s biggest fan at Destination X when Joe challenges for the NWA World Championship. Angle says they can settle their unresolved issues for the championship. Angle calls out Christian Cage and Scott Steiner to come out to the ring.
NWA World Champion Christian Cage, Scott Steiner and Tomko make their way out to the stage. Cage says that Angle and Joe have had an on again off again relationship. Cage says they are the Christian Coalition as they are a family. Cage has no issue with kicking their ass tonight, but they will do so as a family. Christian suggests they find another partner for a six man tag tonight. Cage doesn’t want to hear about the whining and crying. Angle calls Christian a chump and has someone in his mind to be their partner. Angle says this person may be seen as a little crazy. Angle teases the partner to be revealed later tonight.
Opening Contest: Havoc, Frankie Kazarian & Martyr vs. BG James, Kip James & Lance Hoyt: All six men start brawling in and around the ring. Kip shoulder blocks Martyr, but is stopped by a chop block. Kazarian tags in and leg drops Kip on the leg followed stomps and driving Kip down to the mat knee first. Kip jabs Kazarian a few times and hits a cutter. Hoyt is tagged in and big boots Devine followed by a big boot to Martyr. Kazarian is clotheslined to the floor by Hoyt. Hoyt hits a Texas Tornado Slam for the win on Devine. (1/2*. I don’t have high hopes for the trio of VKM/Hoyt. They are three guys with nothing going on and no direction.) After the match, Raven comes out and hits all three members with a kendo stick shot to the back. Kazarian stands up to Raven before a strike to the back. Raven demands Kazarian kneel down and Raven hit him with the kendo stick.
Backstage, Jeremy Borash interviews Christian Coalition. Cage asks who had the idea for them to find a tag partner and Tomko says it was Cage who had the idea. Steiner doesn’t care about the mystery partner and only wants a piece of Kurt Angle. Cage knows that Abyss is the mystery partner. Steiner reminds Cage that Abyss just laid out Joe last week. Steiner walks off because he wants Angle. Tomko leaves after saying that Cage will have him by his side when he gets a title shot.
A video package promoting AJ Styles competing in Elevation X is shown.
Jeremy Borash is in the ring with Jeremy Borash, Leticia Cline and So Cal Val. Borash introduces Hector Guerrero to join the TNA family. Guerrero says he is humbled by Tenay’s introduction. Guerrero thanks his family for inspiring him. Guerrero speaks in Spanish for a few moments. Tenay presents Guerrero with a plaque, but Abyss’ music hits to stop the segment. Val gives the plaque to Abyss, but Abyss throws it down and hits the Black Hole Slam on So Cal Val.
A video package promoting Samoa Joe getting a NWA World Championship opportunity at Destination X is shown.
Backstage, Jim Cornette is dealing with a bunch of wrestlers. Cornette books James Storm and Jackie Moore in a double bullrope match against Petey Williams and Gail Kim at the PPV. Chris Sabin will defend the NWA X-Division Championship against Jerry Lynn at the PPV in a best two out of three falls match. Senshi and Austin Starr can only win with the chicken wing submission, which makes Backlund happy. Christy Hemme has a surprise team that she wants to wrestle against VKM, which Cornette grants.
Prior to the next match, Lethal does a brief Macho Man impression.
Second Contest: Jay Lethal, Petey Williams & Sonjay Dutt vs. Robert Roode, James Storm & Eric Young: Roode works over Lethal with a few strikes to gain the cheap advantage. Young is tagged in and he doesn’t seem to be overly excited to wrestle Lethal. Young shakes hands with Lethal and is slapped by Roode. Roode dares Young to punch him, but Storm is tagged in. Lethal dropkicks Storm and tags in Williams. Williams dropkicks Storm into the corner chest first. Roode plants Williams with a slam and Storm gets a near fall. Williams is taken over with a double suplex by Roode and Storm. Roode clotheslines Williams in the corner. Roode plants Williams with a back suplex for a near fall. Roode runs into a boot in the corner and Williams hits a tornado DDT. Storm and Dutt tag in with Dutt hitting a missile dropkick. Dutt splashes Storm and plays to the crowd. Dutt hits a springboard moonsault for a near fall. Williams nails Roode with a spinning heel kick. Lethal clotheslines Roode to the floor where Williams hits a hurricanrana. Gail Kim brawls with Jackie Moore on the floor. Storm superkicks Dutt for the win. (*. They tied in a few different feuds together here, so that added some interest. The action was just all over the place and nothing held my attention.)
Backstage, Jeremy Borash is with NWA World Champion Christian Cage as Cage looks to get an answer out of Abyss. Cage walks up to Abyss screaming and tells Abyss he comes in peace. Cage knows what its like to lose a father, but admits that’s not true. Cage knows who he can trust and never told Abyss secret unlike Sting. Sting told the whole world. Cage says that Angle and Joe are just like Sting. Cage thinks Abyss is a somebody and a friend. Cage suggests he can help Abyss with a family. Cage sacrifices Borash to Abyss and runs off. Abyss lifts Borash into the air against a cage and runs off the cameraman.
A video package promoting the Team 3D/LAX match is shown.
A video package promoting the Last Rites match between Sting and Abyss is shown.
The mystery partner is revealed to be Rhino.
Main Event: NWA World Champion Christian Cage, Scott Steiner & Tomko vs. Kurt Angle, Samoa Joe & Rhino: All six men brawl on the floor to start the match with Steiner chopping Joe in the ring a few times. Joe atomic drops Steiner followed by a big boot and a senton splash. Joe jabs Cage a few times and comes off the ropes with a running kick to the face. Cage sends Joe through the ropes to the floor. Angle tosses Cage overhead with a suplex and a uppercut. Angle elbows Cage again and tosses Cage over the ropes with a suplex. Tomko nails Angle with a clothesline to gain control. Rhino enters the ring and hits a belly to belly suplex on Tomko. Rhino waits in the corner for the GORE, but AJ Styles slides into the ring and Rhino backdrops Styles to the mat. Styles is climbing the Elevation X structure, but Rhino follows as the show goes to commercial.
Cage has a sleeper on Rhino and yanks Rhino down by his hair. During the break, Rhino was sent into the ring steps. Tomko and Steiner double team Rhino in the corner. Tomko takes Rhino over with a snap suplex for a near fall. Tomko holds Rhino to allow Cage to deliver a strike. Rhino chops Cage a few times, but Cage delivers a back elbow. Rhino hits a TKO to drive Cage down to the mat. Angle tags in and tosses Steiner with a German suplex. Angle does the same to Cage and Tomko. Angle holds onto Tomko to hit a series of them. Cage tries for the Un-Prettier, but Angle counters with an overhead suplex. Joe and Cage go to the floor while Tomko big boots Angle to save Steiner from the ankle lock. Rhino GORES Tomko! Cage hits the Un-Prettier on Rhino! Joe has Cage hitting the Muscle Buster, but Steiner tosses Joe with an overhead suplex! Steiner plants Angle with a belly to belly suplex. Steiner tries for the Steiner Recliner, but Angle hits the Olympic Slam and locks in the ankle lock on Steiner! Abyss slides into the ring and attacks Angle to cause a disqualification. (**. It’s a fine match with a cheap ending. I think there is a tease for Abyss to eventually turn face on Christian Coalition, though by all accounts that stable isn’t solid whatsoever. They just did the regular formula format for these kinds of matches.)
Angle hammers away on Abyss, but runs into the Black Hole Slam. The lights go out and Sting appears on the staging, but then appears in the ring. Sting beats on Abyss with the baseball bat as the show comes to an end.
Final Thoughts:
I felt like this was a weak go-home show for the PPV. Despite that, Destination X feels like a strong card and an intriguing pay per view.
Thanks for reading.