NWA-TNA Impact 4/26/2007

National Wrestling Alliance/Total Non-Stop Action presents Impact
Date: 4/26/2007
From: Orlando, FL

Matches:
1.) Sting fought Kurt Angle to a no contest
2.) Jay Lethal & Sonjay Dutt defeated Senshi & Shark Boy, Jerry Lynn & Petey Williams, and Alex Shelley & Kazarian in a four way match

3.) NWA Tag Team Champions Team 3D defeated Scott Steiner & Tomko to retain the titles
4.) NWA World Champion Christian Cage defeated Sting by disqualification

Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) Sting controls Angle with a side headlock to start the match. Angle counters with a hammerlock. Sting elbows free and sends Angle into the corner chest first. Sting hits a Stinger Splash and goes for the Scorpion Death Lock, but Angle avoids it and Sting bails to the floor to avoid the ankle lock. Angle kicks Sting in the midsection followed by an uppercut. Sting clotheslines Angle and continues with strikes in the corner. Angle tosses Sting with an overhead belly to belly suplex. Angle sends Sting to the floor. Sting rams Angle chest first into the railing. Sting sends Angle over the railing into the crowd. Angle sends Sting into a wall back first and they return to the ringside area. Christian Cage, Tomko, Styles and Steiner rundown to the ring and attack both men causing the match to be thrown out. Angle is sent into the ring steps and Sting is jabbed with a chair shot. Tomko stomps on Angle followed by strikes. Steiner has the Steiner Recliner on Sting. Cage whacks Angle over the head with a steel chair. Angle is held in the corner and Cage hits Angle over the back several times. Angle has been busted open. Christian plants Angle with a jumping DDT onto a chair. Sting rolls into the ring with a chair to send the heels running out of the ring. (NR. Alright, I hate the bait and switch. Sure we get a few minutes of Sting/Angle, but the run-in by the heel group is not a shock at all. But, don’t do the match on free TV. Sting vs. Angle for the first time should have been on pay per view and for the title. It should have been a long played out match that fans would be excited to finally see. It’s lazy booking for a three minute match with a run-in. It doesn’t need to be done.)

2.) During a commercial break, Angle was stretchered out of the arena with Sting by his side.

3.) Backstage, Jeremy Borash interviews NWA World Christian Cage. Cage accomplished his goals the last two weeks. Cage is tired of people skipping ahead for a title shot. Cage thinks that guys like Shark Boy and Sonjay Dutt deserve a title shot. Cage has already defeated Kurt Angle and says there is no more second chances. Cage will wrestle Sting in a singles match at Sacrifice. Cage tells Sting that he better make his second chance worth it. There will not be a third chance. Cage tells Steiner and Tomko to win the tag titles tonight. Don West runs into the scene and tells Cage that Jim Cornette said that Cage will defending the title tonight against Sting in thirty minutes. West also says that if Team Cage gets involved then Cage is stripped and Sting will be champion.

4.) Whomever wins the next match will move on into a three way match against NWA X-Division Champion Chris Sabin at Sacrifice.

5.) Kaz and Shark Boy start off the four way match. Kaz kicks Shark followed by a springboard leg drop, but misses. Shark bites Kaz on the butt and Williams tags in hitting a slingshot Codebreaker on Kaz. Shelley rolls in and spits at Williams. Shelley enters the match legally and Shelley tries to pin Kaz, but that is stopped. Dutt hits a slingshot hurricanrana on Kaz and a facebuster. Dutt continues with a neckbreaker and hits a springboard moonsault for a two count. Shelley made the save and kicks Dutt in the face. Williams comes off the ropes and hits a side Russian leg sweep on Shelley. Senshi nails Williams with a kick to the back of the head. Lethal hits a suicide dive to the floor. Shark hits a facebuster on Kaz. Lynn bites Shark on the butt and hits a TKO on Shark. Kaz dumps Lynn to the apron, but Lynn leg drops Kaz over the middle rope. Senshi takes everyone out with a springboard dive to the floor. Dutt plants Kaz with a Slice Bread and Lethal goes to the top rope hitting an elbow drop to pin Kaz for the win. (*1/2. I mean the action fast pace and hard to follow, but it was a fine match. The right duo went over since they have been getting a focus in the division.) After the match, Dutt isn’t happy about Lethal getting the pin, I think. Nash tried to celebrate, but Dutt walks off.

6.) Backstage, Jeremy Borash talks with Sting and his title match tonight. Sting says they were here to settle it tonight man to man. Sting is going to take the chance against Cage. Sting is confident because Cage can’t have his buddies involved in the match. Sting says it will be showtime tonight.

7.) Bobby Roode and Traci are in the ring. Roode wants answers and demands to know who Eric Young has been saying is his friend. Eric Young comes out to join the segment. Young wants a moment to speak and tells Roode to relax. Young tells Roode that he has everything and that includes the skill to accomplish anything in wrestling. Young only has wrestling and Roode is trying to take that from him. The fans chant that Young has them, too. Young says his reputation and word mean a lot to him. Young says that this person has been there for him through the thick and thin. Young tells Roode that he can fire him, but his word will never be broken. Young tries to leave, but is stopped by Roode. Roode doesn’t care about Young’s past. Roode demands to know who the friend is. Roode grabs Young by the face, but Young smacks Roode. Roode responds with a slap. Young gets in Roode’s face and is slapped again. Roode says that Young is gutless and won’t hit him. Young decks Roode and continues with right hands in the corner. Traci slaps Young, but Young tosses Traci with a powerbomb! Young decks Roode with right hand to keep Roode on the mat. Traci stops Young with a low blow. Roode pummels Young on the mat with right hands. Roode smashes Young over the head with a steel chair. Young has been busted wide open as Roode handcuffs Young. Roode threatens to scramble Young’s brains with the chair or tell him the friend.

Jeff Jarrett’s music hits and Jarrett runs into the ring with a guitar. Jarrett low blows Roode and delivers a few right hands. Jarrett sends Roode into the corner and hits a backdrop. Jarrett tosses Roode over the top to the floor. Traci is still in the ring and tries to low blow Jarrett, but Jarrett blocks the attempt. Jarrett grabs Traci and has the guitar. Roode is on the aisle and is concerned. Jarrett smashes Traci over the head with the guitar to end the segment. (I enjoyed this segment quite a bit. Good work by Roode and Young showing a serious intense side.)

8.) Backstage, Jeremy Borash is with Scott Steiner and Tomko. Steiner is already pissed off and says he doesn’t walk in anyone’s shadow. Steiner tells Tomko he’s a dedicated wrestler. Steiner tells Tomko that he’ll show him how to win.

9.) Devon and Tomko start the tag match trading right hands. Tomko forearms Devon against the ropes, but Ray enters to hit a double flapjack for a two count on Tomko. Ray chops Tomko in the corner several times. Ray splashes Tomko in the corner, but Tomko comes back with a big boot. Steiner tags into the match and chops Ray in the corner a few times. Ray atomic drops Steiner followed by jabs. Ray hits a Bubba Bomb for a near fall. Steiner tosses Ray with an exploder suplex. Steiner decks Devon off the apron and tags Tomko back into the contest. Hector Guerrero is watching the match as Ray and Tomko collide in the middle of the ring. Devon tags in and pummels Tomko with right hands. Devon shoulder blocks Tomko and hits a neckbreaker on Steiner. Devon clotheslines Steiner and powerslams Tomko for a two count. Ray scoop slams Tomko and signals for the What’s Up. Devon is shoved off the top by Steiner. Hernandez pulls down the ropes causing Tomko to fall to the floor. Homicide tries to get involved and Tomko powerbombs Homicide. Team 3D hit a double team neckbreaker on Tomko for the win. (*1/2. The finish was a little flat, but the interference by LAX should lead to a triple threat match, I’d assume.) After the match, Steiner and Tomko send LAX to the floor.

10.) Paparazzi Productions is next with Alex Shelley meeting up with Bob Backlund on the sidewalk. Shelley tells Backlund he bets he could beat Backlund in nine-seconds just like Kevin Nash. Backlund asks Shelley to ask that to Nash if he could do it again. Backlund finds the X-Division Championship in the brush. They tease that next week we’ll see footage of Sabin wrestling Backlund on the sidewalk.

11.) Jeremey Borash provides an update on Kurt Angle saying that they have stabilized the neck and that Angle may have suffered a concussion. NWA World Champion Christian Cage doesn’t care about that. Cage is tired of Jim Cornette screwing with him. Cage mocks Sting for being champion for a cup of coffee. Cage is the champion now and says he doesn’t need any interference to keep his championship.

12.) Sting attacks Cage on the aisle to start the main event. Sting pulls off Cage’s jacket and chokes the champ with it around ringside. Sting sends Cage into the guard railing chest first. Sting rolls Cage into the ring and the bell officially sounds. Sting sends Cage chest first into the corner and hits a middle rope splash for a one count. Cage fights back with right hands and goes to the top rope, but Sting shoves Cage to the floor. The show goes to commercial.

During the break, Sting hit a suplex on the ramp, but Cage delivered a neckbreaker. Cage misses a top rope diving headbutt. Cage chops Sting a few times, but Sting no sells it. Cage continues with strikes and Sting decks Cage with a flurry of strikes. Sting backdrops Cage coming off the ropes. Cage kicks Sting, but Sting press slams Cage to the mat. Sting hits a splash in the corner. Sting misses a second splash and Cage tries for the Un-Prettier. Sting counters with the Scorpion Death Drop for a near fall. Sting hits a superplex and both men are down. Kurt Angle makes his way down ripping a neck brace off. Angle shoves the referee and attacks Cage causing a disqualification. Angle hits the Angle Slam on Cage. Cage is pulled out to the floor. Sting jabs Angle in the midsection with a baseball bat shot to end the show. (*1/2. I was enjoying the match and I knew that despite Team Cage not being allowed to get involved, that wouldn’t stop a “injured” Kurt Angle from getting involved. I’m perfectly fine with a three way feud for the title at Sacrifice since they all have legit issues with one another. They’ve built the feuds up fairly well and it’s PPV worthy.)

Final Thoughts:
I’m gonna say this was a good week for impact TV. The Roode/Young segment was done well as I liked that Young may be shedding the comedy stigma. It’s fine to use it, but not rely on it all the time. Jarrett being involved with Young is only going to help get Young over more. They are also doing a good job with the Cage/Sting/Angle feud and I’m interested in the title scene heading into Sacrifice. We also can’t forget that Abyss will eventually return and probably be targeting Cage upon his return. There’s a lot going on and there’s some entertaining feuds currently.

Thanks for reading.