TNA Impact 8/5/2010

Total Non-Stop Action presents Impact
Date: 8/5/2010
From: Orlando, FL

Tommy Dreamer makes his way down to the ring to start the show and cut a promo. Dreamer calls out Raven to explain himself. Raven makes his way out to confront his longtime rival. Raven remains on the aisle and Dreamer tells Raven that he knew how much this meant to him. Dreamer thought their issues were behind them. Raven says they’ve known each other for thirty years as the fans are chanting “Uncle Scotty” after Dreamer mentioned his kids called Raven that. Raven will never forgive Dreamer for stealing his girl. Raven says the kids should have been his and not Dreamer’s. Raven knew sooner or later that Dreamer would commit to something that he could ruin it. Raven thinks the kids should be calling him daddy. Raven is going to cripple Dreamer and then he’s going to have sex with Dreamer’s wife and she’ll call him daddy. Dreamer attacks Raven, but Abyss comes out and saves Raven. RVD has a chair and whacks Abyss over the back. RVD jabs Abyss in the midsection and tosses a chair at Abyss. RVD leaps off the ramp to kick Abyss followed by another chair shot. Raven plants Dreamer with a DDT on the ramp. Mick Foley has a barbed wire bat and hits Raven in the midsection. Foley gets a microphone and says that at Hardcore Justice he’ll be the special referee and promises there will be a winner.

Opening Contest: TNA Knockouts Tag Team Champions Velvet Sky & Lacey Von Erich vs. Taylor Wilde & Hamada: Wilde and Lacey start the match with Wilde getting a two count with a rollup. Lacey tosses Wilde with a fallaway slam and Hamada tags into the match. Hamada works over Lacey with strikes and a headbutt. Hamada nails Lacey with a spinning chop to the chest. Hamada drops Sky over the top rope, but Lacey comes back with a kick for a two count. Sky works over Hamada with strikes and Sky delivers a kick to the shoulders for a near fall. Hamada is driven back first into the corner a few times and driven down to the mat. Lacey misses a couple of elbow drop attempts on Hamada. Hamada knee lifts Lacey and tags in Wilde. Wilde forearms Lacey a few times and hits a German suplex, but Sky breaks the cover. Hamada works over Sky in the corner with stomps. Wilde and Hamada nail the champs with strikes after avoiding being sent into each other. TNA Knockouts Champion Madison Rayne is on the ramp and the mystery biker woman is at ringside. The fans are chanting “Tara”, but it’s edited out. Sky misses a clothesline and collides with Hamada as they are both driven down to the mat face first. Sky accidentally slaps the referee in the corner and goes to the floor with Hamada. Lacey gets a chair from the mystery biker woman, but Wilde dropkicks the chair into Lacey’s face and gets the win. (1/2*. I just don’t care about the Knockouts division. I like Wilde, but the Beautiful People are just coming across as annoying and not in a good heel way.) After the match, Velvet Sky is pissed while Rayne is trying to not smile at her expense.

Second Contest: TNA Television Champion AJ Styles vs. Rob Terry: Terry clotheslines Styles over the top to the floor and press slams Styles into the ring. Terry stalks towards Kazarian, but Kazarian runs up the ramp to get away. Terry keeps control in the ring and clotheslines Styles. Terry lifts Styles up by his neck and tosses Styles into the corner. Terry shoulder rams Styles in the corner a few times. Terry backdrops Styles and has dominated the early moments of the match. Terry blocks a boot in the corner and elbows Styles in the corner. Terry chokes Styles over the ropes. Terry tosses Styles off the middle rope. Styles chops Terry several times, but Terry doesn’t budge. Styles eye rakes Terry and sneaks a low blow in the corner as the referee is out of position. Styles connects with the Pele Kick and a springboard 450 splash for the win. (1/2*. Terry just isn’t good and probably shouldn’t be on TV on a regular basis. Styles did what he could and the finish was good enough. I hope this means Terry is getting phased out.)

A video package focusing on Kurt Angle wanting to defeat everyone in the top ten on his quest to win the TNA World Championship. Angle is 41-years old and wants to prove he’s still the best. Angle isn’t ready to retire or leave the business. Angle is ready to defeat everyone in his way.

Earlier today, Jay Lethal is at catering and he’s talking about needing one thing to go from a kid to a man. Tonight, he’s got a street fight with Flair. Lethal knows this is probably a setup with Fortune. Lethal promises to bring the man in the street fight with Flair.

Backstage, Velvet Sky is trying to get her hands on Madison Rayne and during the commotion Lacey Von Erich got sent into a production case. It looks like the Beautiful People reunion was short lived.

Robert Roode cuts a promo telling the Motor City Machine Guns they don’t like them, but they have redefined tag team wrestling. Roode says they have had one goal since day one and that is to be the best in the world. Roode believes the only way to be the best is to be the tag team champions. Roode says they will defeat them in their own match and they will be four time tag team champions. Sabin asks if they see the titles around their waists and tells Roode they are the best and the tag titles prove that statement. Sabin tells Roode they chose Ultimate X because it is their world and they will only lose the titles if they pry them from their cold, dead fingers.

Third Contest: TNA Tag Team Champions Chris Sabin & Alex Shelley vs. Robert Roode & James Storm in an Ultimate X match: Sabin and Shelley try to climb early, but they are quickly stopped by Roode and Storm. Guns avoids clotheslines in the corner and hit running clotheslines of their own. Storm is dumped to the floor as is Roode. Shelley and Sabin hit stereo springboard crossbody blocks to the floor. Shelley protects Sabin as Sabin goes to climb, but Storm cuts Sabin off as Roode was on the apron with Shelley. Sabin dropkicks Roode off the apron and Sabin hits a bulldog on Storm. Sabin climbs the ropes and tries to reach the X, but is pulled off and tossed into the corner back first. Shelley tries to reach the X, but Roode hits an atomic drop and catapults Shelley into a DDT by Storm. Storm tells Roode he’s been drinking and can’t climb, so Roode tries to climb. Sabin splashes Storm in the corner and Roode is stopped on the top rope. Storm is knocked into Roode in the corner. Roode is put in a tree of woe in the corner and Sabin hits a baseball slide dropkick on Roode.

Shelley tries to get the X as Roode hit a back suplex on Sabin. Beer Money try for a neckbreaker, but Shelley breaks free and almost hits a Slice Bread on Roode, but Storm hits a backstabber. Beer Money takes Shelley over with a double snap suplex. They play to the crowd as Sabin climbs the ropes. Shelley is decked by Storm in the corner. Roode’s cut on his forehead has opened from the cage match. Storm clotheslines Shelley and Roode follows suit with a clothesline, too. Sabin fights off Storm hitting a middle rope atomic drop. Roode is climbing the rope and is near the X, but Shelley pulls Roode down and delivers a boot to the midsection. Shelley spikes Roode with a DDT. Shelley goes to the top rope and double stomps Roode. Storm is forearmed by Shelley and is eye raked off the middle rope. Shelley goes across the ropes trying to reach the X, but Storm hits the Eight Second Ride. Sabin is on the rope and kicks Storm a few times before hitting a hurricanrana off the top rope! Roode plants Sabin with a spinebuster. Roode is going across the ropes while standing on Storm’s shoulders, but they are kicked and Roode is yanked down onto Storm by the champs.

Shelley kicks Storm on the apron and hits a Slice Bread on the apron! Roode is climbing the structure and walking the rope! Sabin is on the other side and gets to the middle first. Sabin kicks Roode to crotch Roode on the rope and manages to retrieve the X as Roode fell to the mat. (***1/2. It didn’t have the usual big spots that you’d expect from X-Division Ultimate X matches, but it was still a good match between these two teams. I really liked Beer Money thinking of new ways to get the X, especially when Roode was on Storm’s shoulders. These two teams continue to be a bright spot on TNA TV.)

Hulk Hogan, Eric Bischoff and Ms. Tessmacher make their way down to the ring to cut a promo. Bischoff hypes up the special next week that is PPV quality for free on TV. Bischoff promotes the card taking place next week which will see Abyss taking on TNA World Champion Rob Van Dam in a Stairway To Janice match and Bischoff will be the special referee. MCMG and Beer Money will compete in the final match of their series. Kurt Angle squares off against AJ Styles. Angelina Love challenges Madison Rayne for the Knockouts Championship. Jeff Hardy has a open challenge. Dinero battles Mr. Anderson and Matt Morgan.

Kevin Nash makes his way down to the ring to have a meeting with Bischoff and Hogan. Nash finally has the chance to talk them face to face. Nash is annoyed that he’s not mentioned yet again. Hogan tells Nash that they have all taken a step back because their time is over and they need to let the young guys takeover. Hogan tells Nash they need to pass the torch and stop conning for a paycheck. Nash can’t believe Hogan is talking to him about politics. Bischoff chimes in and says that Nash’s whole career has been politics. Nash tells Bischoff he’s the guy you don’t mess with. Nash sends Bischoff into the corner and Hogan punches Nash several times. Nash low blows Hogan and delivers a few knee lifts in the corner. Nash side elbows Hogan in the corner and goes to the floor to grab a steel chair. Nash lays a chair on the mat and goes for the Jackknife, but Bischoff gets involved only to be shoved down. Nash tosses Bischoff away and goes to use the chair, but Jeff Jarrett gets in the ring hammering away on Nash. Sting comes into the ring and stops Jarrett from using the chair. Sting has Wolfpac face paint on and hits Hogan with the chair as Nash hit Jarrett with the baseball bat.

Backstage, Christy Hemme tries to talk to Sting and Kevin Nash, but they just walk away.

Fourth Contest: D’Angelo Dinero vs. Orlando Jordan: Dinero knocks Jordan to the mat after Jordan tried some mind games. Jordan takes Dinero down to the mat, but Dinero counters quickly. Jordan backs Dinero into a corner an grinds on Dinero, but Dinero responds with strikes. Jordan cheap shots Dinero and continues with stomps on the mat. Jordan knee drops Dinero a few times followed by left hands on the mat. Eric Young has come out and he’s taking the money on the aisle from Dinero’s entrance. Jordan is distracted and doesn’t like Young being out there. Dinero atomic drops Jordan and hits a backdrop. Dinero lowers his knee pad hitting a double running knee and drops Jordan to the mat from behind for the win. After the match, Matt Morgan attacks Dinero with a clothesline. Morgan stands over Dinero, but Mr. Anderson runs into the ring with a chair to run Morgan off. Gunner and Murphy get in Anderson’s face telling him to leave the ring. (1/2*. This was just a segment I didn’t care about as I have no interest in the Jordan/Young feud.)

Backstage, Christy Hemme is with Ric Flair and she notes that Fortune is banned or Flair will be suspended. Flair talks about women being crazed once they got his touch. Flair brags about his outfit and says that only one man walks out of the street fight. Flair is a wrestling God and he’ll prove that tonight.

Fifth Contest: Jay Lethal vs. Ric Flair in a street fight: Flair is actually wrestling in his suit and not ring gear. Lethal is wearing jeans and a tank top. Flair eye rakes Lethal for the early advantage and chops Lethal to the mat. Flair continues with chops and strikes in the corner. Flair low blows Lethal and delivers a knee drop to the groin. Flair goes to the floor and grabs a trash can with a kendo stick. Lethal rolls under the ring on the other side, but Flair didn’t see him do that. Lethal comes up the other side and hits a springboard missile dropkick. Lethal chops Flair in the corner and gouges Flair’s face followed by more chops. Lethal backdrops Flair coming out of the corner and has a kendo stick whacking Flair over the head. Flair has been busted wide open. Lethal pummels Flair with right hands in the corner and Flair drops to the mat face first. TNA X-Division Champion Doug Williams has made his way down to ringside as Lethal hits Flair with a trash can lid. Lethal rips off Flair’s pants to reveal his underwear. Lethal gets Flair’s belt off and begins to whip Flair with it several times. Flair has been stripped of his suit. Lethal blocks a trash can and nails Flair with it and Flair drops to the mat. Flair heads to the top rope, but is whacked by Lethal with a trash can lid. Lethal hits a superplex off the top rope. Williams pulls Lethal out on the cover attempt and Lethal punches Williams. Lethal goes to the top and gets a sunset flip pulling Flair’s underwear down, which is censored. Flair blocks it and Williams decks Lethal with the X-Division Championship. Lethal had his boot on the bottom rope, but Williams knocks it off and Flair wins the match. (*. I hated this. First off, it was mostly a comedic match, which ruins the intensity of the feud and any elevation that Lethal could get from this. I also hate that Flair won. Sure, Lethal won on PPV, but TV is where most people watch the show and quite frankly the PPVs aren’t even that big of a deal. Clearly Lethal is going back to the X-Division and his push up the ranks is likely over at this point.)

Backstage, Christy Hemme interviews TNA World Champion Rob Van Dam. Hemme doesn’t think anyone wants to be in RVD’s shoes for the next week. RVD has a tag match tonight, then at Hardcore Justice he’s in the main event against a mystery opponent and then he’s got the Stairway To Janice. RVD is taking things one night at a time. Tonight, he’s teaming with Dreamer against Abyss and Raven. RVD is looking forward to his battle with Abyss. RVD repeats that he’s focused tonight on the tag match. Jerry Lynn enters the scene and tells RVD that he’ll be wrestling at Hardcore Justice and wishes the champ luck.

Main Event: TNA World Champion Rob Van Dam & Tommy Dreamer vs. Abyss & Raven: All four men begin to brawl on the ramp. Abyss tosses Dreamer into the ring to start the match legally. RVD dives over the ropes to tackle Abyss in the ring. Dreamer snap suplexs RVD onto Abyss, but Raven chop blocks Dreamer from behind. Abyss works over Dreamer in the corner with several strikes. Abyss splashes Dreamer in the corner and tags in Raven. Raven rubs a snot rag into Dreamer’s face and keeps control with stomps. Raven eye gouges Dreamer before sending Dreamer to the floor. Abyss decks Dreamer over the back and Raven gets a two count. Abyss tags into the match, but Dreamer fires back with strikes. Abyss forearms Dreamer followed by a scoop slam and covers Dreamer for a two count. Abyss misses a splash in the corner and Dreamer tags in RVD as Raven enters as well. RVD kicks Raven followed by a few clotheslines and a kick to the face. RVD knocks Abyss off the apron and kicks Raven before hitting the rolling thunder splash. Abyss goes for a double chokeslam, but RVD and Dreamer clothesline Abyss to the floor. Dreamer plants Raven with a DDT and RVD hits the Five Star Frog Splash for the win. (1/2*. What the hell was that? They hyped this up as four hardcore wrestlers and not one thing in this match resembled hardcore wrestling. This was just a majorly disappointing match.)

Abyss attacks Dreamer and RVD from behind and mounts RVD with strikes. Abyss plants RVD with a chokeslam. Abyss goes for a chokeslam, but Stevie Richards gets in the ring and hammers away on Abyss, but is decked by a clothesline. Rhyno gets in the ring and tries for the GORE, but Abyss blocks it with a big boot. Team 3D run into the ring and shoulder block Abyss. They go for the 3D, but Raven hits them with a chair. The lights go out…

Sandman is in the ring and hits Raven and Abyss with a kendo stick several times. Sandman stands tall in the middle of the ring as Mick Foley comes out and brings out the agents with a cooler of beer to end the show.

Final Thoughts:
TV has zero momentum heading into the PPV and the special next week. The usage of ECW is really coming across as desperation. If it weren’t for MCMG/Beer Money, I don’t think there has been anything redeeming on Impact TV for several weeks now. I’m really hoping that the Impact special next week over delivers.

Thanks for reading.