TNA Impact 7/22/2010

Total Non-Stop Action presents Impact
Date: 7/22/2010
From: Orlando, FL

A video package promoting Abyss and his recent onslaught of violence on various wrestlers is shown. Abyss promises that they will not be stopped. We are reminded about Mick Foley returning and the ECW wrestlers dominating the TNA locker room. Dixie Carter revealed that she invited them.

Earlier today, Dixie Carter arrived to the Impact Zone and she will provide an explanation for why the ECW wrestlers were invited to the promotion.

Opening Contest: TNA Global Champion Rob Terry vs. AJ Styles: Styles chops Terry, but hurts his own hand. Styles taunts Terry, but is met with a blow to the back. Terry tosses Styles into the corner and delivers a shoulder ram. Terry tosses Styles across the ring. Kazarian tries to pull Styles out, but Terry pulls them both into the ring for a moment. Terry runs into a boot in the corner. Terry catches Styles on a springboard attempt and press slams Styles to the mat. Terry tries for a chokeslam, but Styles fights free and kicks Terry. Terry nails Styles with a spin kick, but Kazarian distracts the referee. Terry gets distracted by Kazarian. Terry forearms Kazarian off the apron. Styles nearly wins with a rollup from behind. Styles goes to the apron, but Terry goes for a suplex only for Kazarian to trip Terry from the floor and Styles lands on top to win the match and title. (*. Terry showcased his power well by tossing Styles around, but the match was mostly flat. I’m fine with the title change as Styles will hopefully have time to have enjoyable matches on TV with the title on the line. I think the Terry experiment is mostly over with at this point.)

Backstage, Sarita and Madison Rayne are laughing about their issues with Wilde and Angelina. Velvet Sky and Lacey enter the scene behind Rayne. Sky gets in Rayne’s face and tells her to talk to her to her face. Sky insults Sarita about wearing the oversized helmet believing that Sarita is the mystery biker. Rayne brags about getting her championship back and they have a match to get ready for.

Moments ago, Dixie Carter was talking to the TNA producers and is upset with their actions. It was Terry Taylor, Al Snow, D’Lo Brown and Pat Kenney getting yelled at. Kenney gets up and shuts the door on the cameraman.

Prior to the next match, Earl Hebner orders Angelina Love to hand the TNA Knockouts Championship back to Madison Rayne since they don’t know who the mystery biker woman is. Love decks Rayne leading to a brawl to start.

Second Contest: TNA Knockouts Champion Madison Rayne & Sarita vs. Angelina Love & Taylor Wilde: All four women are in the ring brawling leading to a double suplex on Rayne. Love clotheslines Rayne and Sarita tags into the match. Love spears Sarita and tags in Wilde. Sarita leg sweeps Wilde to the mat to counter a clothesline. Sarita knee lifts Wilde, but Wilde takes Sarita down to the mat and follows up with strikes. Sarita tosses Wilde with a back suplex. Love tags in and yanks Rayne down by her hair a few times. Love powerslams Rayne, but Sarita decks Love from behind. Wilde and Sarita brawl on the mat. Love plants Rayne with a leaping flatliner for a three count. (1/2*. This was just a mess of a match.) After the match, the mystery biker woman appears in the crowd and enters the ringside area. Lacey and Sky are on the top of the ramp wondering who it is. Rayne and Sarita attack Love and Wilde. Rayne yells for Lacey and Lacey walks to join Rayne. Sky is livid that Lacey ditched her. Sky and Love stare at each other seemingly teasing a reunion.

Third Contest: Kurt Angle vs. Hernandez: Angle takes Hernandez down to the mat to start the contest, but Hernandez quickly gets to his feet. Angle uppercuts Hernandez a few times. Angle dumps Hernandez to the apron and Hernandez connects with a slingshot shoulder block. Angle fires back with strikes and runs into a body strike by Hernandez. Hernandez has Angle over the shoulder squeezing Angle with a backbreaker before dropping down to his knees for a two count. Angle hammers away on Hernandez in the corner and hits a splash. Hernandez kicks Angle away and goes to the top turnbuckle shoving Angle away. Angle runs the ropes and tosses Hernandez with an overhead suplex. Angle tosses Hernandez with a series of German suplexs leading to a near fall. Hernandez avoids an Angle Slam and hits a Dominator for a two count. Hernandez tries for the Border Toss, but Angle counters with the Angle Slam for a near fall. Angle heads to the top rope missing a moonsault. Hernandez runs through Angle with a shoulder block. Hernandez tries for a delayed vertical suplex, but Angle wiggles free and locks in the ankle lock and drops down to the mat. Hernandez is trapped in the middle of the ring and is forced to submit. (**1/2. Probably one of the better singles matches for Hernandez in recent memory. I enjoyed the sprint style of the match and both men hitting some impactful moves several times. They did a lot to keep interest in the match and took advantage of their time.)

Kevin Nash makes his way down to the ring and embraces Angle on the aisle. Nash calls out Jeff Jarrett and wants to have a talk in the ring. After a commercial, Jeff Jarrett makes his way down to the ring. Nash says that something just didn’t feel right the more that he thought about it. Nash says that Jarrett almost had him convinced that Sting left a log in the punch bowl. Nash talks about Sting letting him stay in his house for nothing early on in his career. Nash thinks it was Jarrett who left the log in the punch bowl. Nash asks if Jarrett eats a lot almonds. Nash says a lot of guys lookup to Jarrett and those are the victims. Jarrett says that he has no idea what Nash is talking about. Jarrett is sure that the fans aren’t buying what Nash is saying. Jarrett notes that Nash screwed people by getting Hall and Waltman their jobs in TNA. Jarrett knows Nash and the fans do too. Nash tells Jarrett he doesn’t need to continue with the history lesson. Nash brings up Jarrett’s daughters and tells him that when they grow up and realize that their father is a selfish prick. Nash tells Jarrett to juggle that in his sleep before walking off to end the segment.

Backstage, Dixie Carter is pacing back and forth and meets with Kurt Angle. Angle asks what is going on and Dixie asks Angle to believe in her. Angle hopes she knows what she is doing. Angle tells Dixie that he trusts her and kisses her on the cheek before walking off.

Eric Bischoff calls in during the match to provide insight regarding Dixie Carter’s announcement. Bischoff says they aren’t there due to Hogan having surgery. Bischoff hasn’t had a chance to talk to Carter and they are her to help her.

Fourth Contest: Samoa Joe vs. Jeff Hardy: Joe works over Hardy at ringside, but Hardy sends Joe into the ring steps face first to gain the advantage. Hardy hammers away on Joe in the corner to keep the momentum. Hardy keeps a sleeper hold on Joe, but Joe gets up and breaks free with a jawbreaker. Joe kicks Hardy a few times and follows up with a knee drop. Hardy fires back with strikes and avoids Joe in the corner, but is met with a kick to the face. Joe nails Hardy with several elbow strikes on the mat. Joe chops Hardy in the corner and connects with a leaping kick to drop Hardy to the mat in the corner. Joe covers Hardy managing a two count. Hardy elbows Joe several times to break free and runs into a snap powerslam for a near fall. Joe jabs Hardy several tomes followed by a chop against the ropes. Hardy stops Joe with a short arm clothesline and a clothesline off the ropes. Hardy kicks Joe into the corner and delivers a dropkick after a clothesline for another near fall. Hardy drives Joe down to the mat with a headlock sleeper for a near fall. Joe chops Hardy into the corner, but runs into an elbow. Joe atomic drops Hardy and comes off the ropes with a big boot and senton splash for a two count. Joe plants Hardy with a powerbomb and switches to an STF, but Hardy isn’t going to give in. Hardy manages to reach the ropes with his boot. Joe forearms Hardy a few times to gain control. Hardy tries for Twist of Fate, but Joe counters. Hardy sends Joe into the corner face first and hits the Whisper In the Wind. They begin to trade strikes as Borash announced there was thirty-seconds left in the match. They roll around on the mat trading strikes leading to a draw. (*1/2. For a first time ever match this was a major disappointment. The finish was weak and the action didn’t feel like it flowed very well for me. It just felt like a match going through the motions until the draw.) After the match, a few more referees come down to the ring to keep them apart after a brief brawl.

Backstage, Jeff Jarrett is talking with Dixie Carter in the hallway. Carter knows that everyone is disappointed. Carter doesn’t want everyone thinking she has something that’s not good for the company. Jarrett promises to have Carter’s back tonight.

Fifth Contest: Matt Morgan vs. Mr. Anderson: Anderson tries for a rollup in the opening moments of the match, but Morgan kicks out at two. Morgan backs Anderson into a corner and delivers a back elbow and clubbing blows. Morgan stomps on Anderson and chokes Anderson briefly. Morgan keeps Anderson in the corner to deliver a series of back elbows. Morgan splashes Anderson in the corner and connects with a side slam. Anderson punches Morgan several times, but Morgan cuts Anderson off. Anderson ducks a clothesline, but Morgan hits a fallaway slam for a near fall. Morgan nails Anderson with a short arm clothesline a couple of times. Anderson counters a clothesline with the Mic Check to win the match. (*. I’m not sure what they are doing with Morgan in recent weeks/months. He’s been looking like an absolute fool on TV losing matches quickly or getting laid out by other guys.) After the match, Morgan hits Anderson with his microphone and that sliced Anderson open on his forehead.

Main Event: TNA Tag Team Champions Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin vs. Bobby Roode & James Storm in a street fight, match two of the best of five series: Shelley and Sabin go right after Beer Money and they brawl around ringside. Storm sends Sabin into the ramp shoulder first and rams Sabin face first onto the ramp. Roode pummels Shelley with strikes and they try for a double suplex, but Sabin makes the save. Guns forearm Roode against the ropes a few times. Sabin gets a running head start and nails Roode with a dropkick to the face. Shelley leaps off the ramp to double stomp Roode for a two count. Roode hammers away on Shelley, but misses a chair shot and hits the post. Shelley leaps off the apron to knee strike Roode. Storm has grabbed a trash can and tosses it into the ring. Sabin dropkicks Storm off the apron to the floor after leaping off of Shelley’s back. Sabin tries for a suicide dive, but Roode had a chair to block it. Roode whacks Shelley on the knee with a chair shot. Roode tosses Shelley into the ring and double team Shelley in the corner. Shelley sends Roode face first into a chair in the corner, but Storm hits a Codebreaker for a two count. Roode continues to strike Sabin in the corner. Sabin goes to the apron and missile dropkicks a chair into Roode’s face for a near fall.

Sabin gets beer spat in his face by Storm allowing Roode to hit a spinebuster for a two count. Shelley uses a kendo stick on Beer Money to save Sabin. Sabin ducks a clothesline and Roode takes out the referee on accident. Sabin hits Roode with the trash can and accidentally takes out a second referee with a baseball slide. Sabin leaps over and knocks Storm to the floor. Shelley elbows Roode several times and the Guns hit a Slice Bread/powerbomb combo out of the corner. Storm nails Shelley with a beer bottle and superkicks Sabin. Roode is on top of Shelley and gets the three count. (***. It’s a good brawl and I am for sure invested in this series of matches. I’m not a fan of Beer Money going up 2-0 only because it’s obvious that MCMG will win the next two to even the odds. I’d much rather split the first two to allow reasonable doubt for the next few matches. It’s just leads to predictable booking by having the heels go up 2-0 in a best of five. Regardless, these four guys are a ton of fun to watch and are a guarantee good match for at least three more weeks, I’m guessing.)

Backstage, Brother Devon meets with Brother Ray and is there to talk about last Thursday and helping the former ECW guys because they are family. Devon wants to know if Ray will have their back. Ray doesn’t know why he’d associate with them because they have nothing left to prove. Ray was randomly wearing an LAX t-shirt.

Backstage, Christy Hemme interviews TNA World Champion Rob Van Dam regarding the former ECW wrestlers. RVD thought it was awesome to be in the ring with his friends. RVD is proud of his career in ECW. RVD is very happy to be here in TNA now, though. Hemme asks if RVD has any insight about Dixie’s announcement, but he has no idea. RVD is hopeful about what it could be. RVD is grateful that people still remember what they did many years ago. RVD can’t forget about Abyss wanting the title that he currently holds. There is a lot to celebrate, but also a lot to stay focus on.

Dixie Carter makes her way down to the ring to reveal her announcement. Dixie puts over the fans as being the best fans in pro wrestling. Dixie has said that TNA will be a company about the fans. Dixie loves to talk to the fans on social media. Dixie has noticed one common theme and that is love for extreme hardcore wrestling. Dixie introduces five gentleman to the ring. Tommy Dreamer, Rhino, Raven, Stevie Richards and Mick Foley make their way down to join Dixie. Carter wanted them to come here tonight to tell the fans what they meant to the industry. Foley says that this is the first time Dixie has done a wrestling promo in the ring. Dixie compares them to Hogan in the 80s to ECW in the 90s. Dixie says it’s about honor and respect. They did this for loving the business and not for a fat paycheck. Dixie thanks them for setting the bar high. Foley thinks they should be thanking Dixie. Foley recalls being fired four months ago and thanks Dixie for allowing him to make a last impression. Foley feels like he shouldn’t be remembered for his head hanging low. Foley puts over Tommy Dreamer for being a great ambassador.

Tommy Dreamer grabs the microphone and the fans greet him loudly. Dreamer recalls watching TNA back when they were in the Asylum in Nashville. Dreamer admits he was scared to jump ship back then. Dreamer saw similarities between original ECW and TNA. Legends would go to ECW to reinvent their careers. Dreamer compares Samoa Joe to Tazz in ECW with suplexs. Dreamer compares what Flair did for Lethal, Terry Funk did for him and Foley. Francine and Beulah were the Beautiful People. Dreamer thanks Dixie for bringing back his passion. Dreamer witnessed his friends get fired when WWE brought back ECW. Dreamer quit his job because he couldn’t stomach watching ECW fail. Dreamer says they put a plan together and there’s one person who can put it together and that is Dixie. Dreamer says this is not an invasion and about taking over. Dreamer gets emotional about people losing their jobs. Dreamer doesn’t want their legacy destroyed. Dreamer asks for one night to show what they had and show their legacy. Dreamer asks the crowd if they want one night and the crowd goes nuts. Dixie has one stipulation and that is that they plan show and it has nothing to do with TNA. The crowd chants for Sabu. Dreamer says “Impact Zone, we’re going extreme.” Dreamer embraces Dixie to end the show.

Final Thoughts:
The ECW reunion is really played out to me and I’m not interested in it. I mean, most of the ECW mainstays have had some kind of run in TNA to begin with and they weren’t presented as main event guys. So, now we are supposed to buy into them as some threats? It’s questionable presentation. The episode was average this week, but the MCMG/Beer Money match was solid as was Angle/Hernandez.

Thanks for reading.