NWA-TNA Impact 4/5/2007

National Wrestling Alliance/Total Non-Stop Action presents Impact
Date: 4/5/2007
From: Orlando, FL

Matches:
1.) Rhino defeated Tomko in a street fight
2.) BG James & Kip James defeated NWA Tag Team Champions LAX by disqualification in a non-title match
3.) Austin Starr defeated Senshi in a submissions match

Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) Backstage, Tomko is interviewed by Leticia Cline. Tomko is laughing about his turn last week on Team Angle. Cage is proud of their swerve. Cage is taking credit for the idea, but Tomko says it was his idea. Tomko is annoyed with having to fight Rhino in a street fight tonight. Father James Mitchell brings up the title shot promised to Abyss, which causes Styles and Steiner to get upset about their promised title shots, too.

2.) Rhino and Tomko start their fight backstage after Rhino did his entrance and ran backstage to find Tomko. Rhino sends Tomko into the wall, but Tomko sends Rhino into the guard railing. Tomko sends Rhino into the wall by the fans. They continue to brawl in the crowd trading strikes. Tomko sends Rhino over the railing and they continue to brawl in the crowd. Tomko whacks Rhino over the back with a chair shot as the show goes to commercial.

Tomko wedges a trash can in the corner. We see footage of Tomko dominating Rhino with a trash can during the commercial. Rhino sends Tomko into the trash can in the corner and sets a table up in the corner. Rhino forearms Tomko several times and hits a GORE through the table. Abyss slides into the ring and has a steel chair. Abyss accidentally hits Tomko with the chair and Rhino sends Abyss to the floor. Rhino waits in the corner and and GORES Tomko for the win. (*1/4. It just brawling with minimal entertaining stuff, which is a bit a bummer. Tomko’s offense essentially being limited to a recap out of the commercial was an interesting choice. Tomko just defeated Samoa Joe and we’re not going to highlight him? I didn’t think this was a good segment.) After the match, Abyss chokeslams Rhino. Kurt Angle slides into the ring and goes after Abyss with right hands. Samoa Joe enters the ring and puts a chokehold on Abyss. Christian Cage, AJ Styles and Scott Steiner enter the ring to make the save. Tomko decks Angle with a clothesline as Styles hits the Spiral Tap on Rhino. Abyss plants Joe with a Black Hole Slam. Steiner puts the Steiner Recliner on Angle to end the segment.

3.) Backstage, Jim Cornette is dealing with James Storm, Robert Roode and NWA X-Division Champion Chris Sabin. Cornette tells them they will know their matches for Lockdown tonight at the company meeting. Cornette doesn’t want to deal with their mess. Gail Kim runs in and attacks Jackie Moore from behind until security breaks them up.

4.) Backstage, Christian Coalition are celebrating their success in attacking their opponents. Cage believes they have already won at Lockdown. Christian wants to bring this party to a club down the street. Cage doesn’t invite Abyss because he almost killed Tomko tonight. Abyss needs to learn to be a real team player. Mitchell tells Abyss to clean up the mess. Abyss makes more of a mess and screams to end the segment.

5.) Lance Hoyt picks up Christy Hemme during their entrance with the James Gang. It looks like Hemme was nearly losing her top during the segment.

6.) BG and Hernandez start the tag match with Hernandez delivering a knee lift and striker over the back. Hernandez misses a clothesline and BG delivers a couple of jabs. Hernandes tosses BG overhead with a belly to belly suplex. Homicide heads to the top rope and hits an elbow drop for a two count. Homicide works over BG in the corner and tags in Hernandez. Homicide clotheslines BG in the corner and Hernandez follows up with a splash. Hernandez holds BG over the top rope and Homicide leaps off the top to drop BG over the top rope. Hernandez tries for a cover, but only manages a two count. Hernandez runs into a big boot by BG. Kip is waiting for the tag in the corner. BG tags in Kip and Kip cleans house with right hands. Kip foreamrs Hernandez and sends Homicide over the top to the floor. BG kicks Hernandez, but Kip is tripped on the floor. A bunch of members of the Latino Nation attack Kip and BG. After the match, Team 3D make their way down to the ring to make the save. Brother Ray accepts the challenge for Lockdown. (1/2*. Kind of a random match and I was a little nervous that the James Gang were going to win the match. This was simply just a match to add more hype for the Lockdown match with Team 3D.)

7.) Backstage, Jermey Borash interviews Team Angle. Samoa Joe is pissed because Kurt Angle promised them they’d take out Christian Coalition. Joe asks if Angle will fix this or he’ll have to do it. Angle isn’t enjoying this and says that Sting isn’t answering his phone call. Rhino wants to know who the fourth member is that they have. Angle will tell them when he’s ready to tell them.

8.) Paparazzi Productions is up next. Lethal took the braids out and has colored hair. Lethal is going to be in an Xscape match at Lockdown. Nash has given Sonjay Dutrt his Oz outfit, which he made six figures in. Dutt thinks he’ll be an embarrassment.

9.) Backstage, Jeremy Borash interviews Kurt Angle and Angle says that when he’s ready to reveal their partner when he wants to. Angle promises there will be five members.

10.) Starr knee lifts Senshi followed by left hands against the ropes. Senshi chops Starr, but Starr shoulder blocks Senshi. Senshi dropkicks Starr followed by a scoop slam and elbow drop. Senshi drives Starr down with a backbreaker and goes for a sleeper hold. Starr dumps Senshi through the ropes to the floor. Starr takes Senshi out with s suicide dive on the floor. Starr rams Senshi face first onto the apron as the show goes to commercial.

Starr drives Senshi down with a front suplex and locks in the Last Chancery, but Senshi refuses to give in. Senshi fights free in the corner and chops Starr a few times. Senshi delivers a forearm smash and a kick to the back of Starr’s head. Senshi hits a springboard kick off the ropes and Starr drops to the mat. Senshi locks in the dragon sleeper, but Starr eye rakes free. Starr dropkicks Senshi in the corner and crotches Senshi over the top turnbuckle. Starr hooks Senshi for a suplex, but Senshi blocks it and drops Starr down to the mat. Senshi gains footing on the top missing a Warrior’s Way double stomp. Starr chop blocks Senshi and delivers a knee breaker. Starr connects with a back suplex and taunts Bob Backlund on the floor. Starr puts a half Boston Crab on Senshi. Backlund walks up with a towel as Senshi tries to reach the ropes. Starr pulls Senshi away from the ropes and Backlund throws the towel in to give Starr the match. (**. I knew there was now way that Senshi was going to submit, so the towel finish doesn’t surprise me at all. The match was alright, but they are capable for a lot better.) After the match, Starr tries to attack Backlund, but Backlund counters and Starr bails to the floor. Senshi is pissed about the towel being thrown in and confronts Backlund throwing the towel at him.

11.) Earlier this week, Mike Tenay had a sit down interview with Sting regarding Abyss. Sting apologizes to Abyss for not knowing things would end up like this. Sting had no idea it would further imprisoned Abyss. Sting returned at Bound For Glory and was on top of the world, but now everything is slipping through his fingers. Sting has to go home and look his family in the eyes and know that he failed. Sting was emotional about admitting this.

12.) Jim Cornette is in the ring to conduct a meeting regarding Lockdown. The locker room are on the floor and aisle way. Cornette is literally announcing the entire card for Lockdown.
Sabin vs. Dutt vs. Lethal vs. Shelley vs. Shark Boy in an Xscape match for the X-Title
Robert Roode vs. Petey Williams
Jerry Lynn vs. Christopher Daniels, Daniels wasn’t at the meeting
Senshi vs. Austin Starr with Bob Backlund being the special referee
Chris Harris vs. James Storm in a blindfold match
Gail Kim vs. Miss Jackie Moore
NWA Tag Team Champions LAX vs. Team 3D in a electrified cage match
Lethal Lockdown: Team Angle vs. Team Cage

Cornette mentions that he’s worried about Team Angle and asks Kurt to find members four and five. Cornette says that next week a member from both teams will wrestle on Impact and the winner will have the numbers advantage for Lethal Lockdown. Christian Cage enters the ring with his team and confronts Cornette about being at a mandatory meeting. Cage has something to get off his chest and again notes that Angle only has three members. Cage will not be held responsible for what happens to Team Angle at Lethal Lockdown. Cornette tells Cage to shut up. Cornette says that Cage wouldn’t be able to find members for his team had he not promised title shots. Cornette notes that Cage doesn’t pick his opponents but rather Cornette does. Cornette says that Cage has to worry about his own team, too. Because, the man who earns the winning fall that man will get a title shot against Cage at Sacrifice in May. Cage is livid about this announcement. Cage wants to take out Team Angle, but the lights go out and Sting appears in the ring with a baseball bat. Sting attacks everyone with the bat and helps Team Angle. Sting stands tall with Team Angle and has joined their team for Lethal Lockdown. Angle raises Sting’s arm to officially have him on the team.

Final Thoughts:
There’s no shock that Sting joined Team Angle for Lethal Lockdown. There was not many choices for who else could join the team. I’m not sure who the fifth guy could be for Team Angle. I think Lockdown is shaping up to be a decent card overall considering all the main event guys are in one match. This weeks episode was a little bit underwhelming and lacked good in-ring action.

Thanks for reading.