NWA-TNA Impact 4/12/2007

National Wrestling Alliance/Total Non-Stop Action presents Impact
Date: 4/12/2007
From: Orlando, FL

Matches:
1.) Jay Lethal defeated NWA X-Division Champion Chris Sabin in a non-title match
2.) Robert Roode & Traci Brooks defeated Petey Williams & Gail Kim
3.) Samoa Joe defeated AJ Styles

Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) Backstage, Jeremy Borash promotes the show being the final one before Lockdown. LAX enters the scene and Konnan promises a big surprise tonight for Team 3D.

2.) Team Angle are in the ring to begin the show with Kurt Angle getting a full entrance. Sting apologizes for not returning Angle’s phone calls and needed to come to grips with a few things. Sting says he’s a pro wrestler who loves TNA. Sting is excited to be on Team Angle at Lockdown. Sting notes they need one more person and tells Angle to introduce the fifth member. Angle respects Sting, but can’t reveal the fifth member right now. Samoa Joe grabs the microphone and wants Angle to be real. Joe is starting to not believe Angle anymore. Joe says they are heading into slaughter. Joe knows that Angle’s road to the title is easier if his teammates aren’t around. Joe demands Angle to step up and reveal who their partner is for Lockdown. Angle tells Joe to never question his integrity. Angle promises on the USA flag that there will be a fifth member and walks off.

3.) Kevin Nash is in the ring and says there will be many imposters, but only one Black Machismo. Jay Lethal makes his way out doing a full Macho Man Randy Savage impression. Lethal shakes hands with Nash and does an “Oh Yeah!”

4.) Sabin controls Lethal with a headlock and a shoulder block. Sabin tries for a Cradle Shock, but Lethal breaks free and drops Sabin throat first over the top rope. Lethal heads to the top rope hitting an axe handle for a two count. Sabin begs off and eye rakes Lethal. Lethal elbow strikes Sabin to the mat and heads to the top rope, but Sabin crotches Lethal. Sabin kicks Lethal off the ropes to the mat. Sabin stomps on Lethal to keep control of the contest and hits a senton splash for a two count. Sabin keeps a headlock on Lethal, but doesn’t get a submission. Lethal fights free with strikes and a back elbow off the ropes. Lethal manages a two count after a clothesline. Lethal is tripped by Sabin and Sabin plants Lethal with a tornado DDT from the apron into the ring for a two count. Lethal blocks a kick, but Sabin delivers a kick. Lethal plants Sabin with the Lethal Combination. Lethal goes to the top rope and hits an elbow drop for the clean win. (**. Lethal getting a clean win probably means that TNA is prepared to push him to the moon in the division. I’m fine with the non-title win and hopefully this leads to Lethal being the challenger to Sabin following Lockdown, figuring Sabin retains at the PPV, of course.)

5.) Backstage, Leticia Cline interviews Team Cage. Christian is sure that everyone is happy about the stipulation added to Lethal Lockdown where whomever wins the match gets a shot at his title. Styles chimes in and says this is just business. It’s all about business and it’s all about the title. Styles wants them to focus on Lethal Lockdown because they have the numbers advantage. Cage knew the numbers advantage and they argue for a moment. Cage doesn’t think Angle has a partner if he doesn’t have by this point. They’ll focus tonight and Steiner says he’ll get his title match. Cage insults Abyss for not washing his mask.

6.) Backstage, Jeremy Borash is with Jay Lethal and Kevin Nash. Sonjay Dutt enters the scene as Vinnie Vegas. Lethal is doing a full on Savage impression and it’s quite good. Eric Young is sitting in the corner when Robert Roode enters the scene and tells Borash to stop talking to Young. Roode tries to cut a promo on Petey Williams, but James Storm chimed in about Chris Harris. Roode says it pays to be rude. Roode tells Young to sit and not move a muscle.

7.) Gail Kim goes right after Jackie Moore to start the match while Williams plants Roode with a flapjack, which Kim does to to Moore, as well. Williams hits a slingshot hurricanrana on the floor on Roode. Kim slams the back of Moore’s head against the mat. Roode drives Kim down to the mat with a back suplex. Williama hits a slingshot Codebreaker into the ring. Williams forearms Roode in the corner, but is stopped by Moore. Roode nails Williams with a running clothesline. Roode runs into a boot in the corner, but stops Williams with a spinebuster as the show goes to commercial.

Moore works over Williams with strikes, but Roode eye rakes Williams to help his partner. Roode slams Williams and stomps Williams on the face. Kim is being helped on the aisle by a referee. Williams hammers away on Roode and elbows free to hit a spinning heel kick. Kim returns to the ring and tosses Moore into the ring. The referee is in the middle of it as Williams kicks Roode and delivers a dropkick into the ropes. Williams hits a tilt a whirl side Russian leg sweep on Roode. Williams punches James Storm on the apron, but Roode gets a rollup from behind and pins Williams. (*1/2. I found myself more interested in the issue between Moore and Kim than I was regarding Roode and Williams. The match was alright, but it was mostly just Roode and Williams wrestling. So, there wasn’t much of a mixed tag match here at all.) After the match, Chris Harris slides into the ring and makes the save. Storm chop blocks Harris when Harris grabs Moore. Eric Young is seen at the top of the aisle with a chair. Young runs into the ring to make the save. Roode is pissed that Young is there. Young wants to use the chair and Roode bails to the floor. Young looks like he has snapped. Roode demands that Young drop the chair. Young drops the chair and goes to working for Roode because he has no choice.

8.) Backstage, Jeremy Borash is trying to talk with Daniels who has a baseball bat. Daniels says nothing and pushes Borash against the wall with a bat. LAX enter the scene with Brother Runt, who is taped up. Konnan has a gun and promises that Runt is going to pay a price.

9.) In the ring, LAX has brought Brother Runt to the ring and Konnan has a message for Team 3D. Konnan promises to whoop their asses into shape at Lockdown. Konnan says they tired of being discriminated against. Konnan will not stand for the corrupt US government. Oh, it’s not a gun. Konnan has a taser gun, but Team 3D come out and Brother Ray says Konnan should not shoot his brother. Konnan shoots Runt with the taser. (it is noticeable that Runt is wearing something under his shirt to protect him.) Konnan and LAX runoff after Team 3D run into the ring.

10.) Styles avoids a leg sweep attempt and thinks that some sort of victory in itself. Joe nails Styles with a kick to the head a few to the legs. Joe takes Styles down to the mat, but Styles reaches the ropes to break the hold. Joe chops Styles on the back followed by a kick to the chest. Styles tries for a dropkick, but Joe just sidesteps it and knee drops Styles. Styles hammers away on Joe in the corner, but is dumped to the apron. Styles hits a springboard forearm smash as the show goes to commercial.

Styles slams Joe to the mat after a bit of a struggle to keep Joe up. Styles knee drops Joe and forearms Joe in the corner several times. Styles shoulder rams Joe several times. Styles back rakes Joe and Joe responds with jabs. Styles dropkicks Joe on the knee followed by stomps to the knee. Styles rams Joe into the corner and delivers an elbow strike. Styles splashes Joe in the corner and plays to the crowd. Joe elbows Styles followed by strikes in the corner. Joe slams Styles with an STO out of the corner to counter a splash attempt. Joe clotheslines Styles a few times and hits a snap powerslam for a two count. Styles stops Joe with a jawbreaker and elbows Joe in the corner. Styles hits a springboard reverse DDT for a near fall. Styles clotheslines Joe in the corner, but Joe leaps off the middle rope to accidentally dropkick the referee as Styles pulled the referee in the way.

Styles connects with a spin kick to the side of the head. Joe backdrops Styles followed by a running knee in the corner. Joe tries for the Muscle Buster, but Styles avoids it. Joe counters a rollup with a chokehold and Styles is tapping, but there’s no referee. Team Cage and Team Angle come out and begin to brawl around ringside.

JEFF JARRETT makes his way out and smashes a guitar over Styles head to allow Joe to pin Styles. Jarrett signals that he’s the fifth guy. (**. The match was rather standard considering the guys involved. The Jarrett reveal was done fairly well and I think he’s a great choice to finish the Team Angle squad. I liked how Jarrett came down the heel ramp to cause some doubt, too.)

Team Cage can’t believe it’s Jeff Jarrett and it looks like Samoa Joe and Sting aren’t thrilled, either.

11.) There’s a video package promoting the Lockdown matches to end the show.

Final Thoughts:
Black Machismo has arrived, Jeff Jarrett has returned and there was a teased murder attempt by LAX on Brother Runt. Quite the whirlwind of emotions watching this show, but I thought it was an entertaining hour of TV. They promoted Lockdown well and it looks to be a good show on paper.

Thanks for reading.