TNA Impact 5/31/2007

Total Non-Stop Action presents Impact
Date: 5/31/2007
From: Orlando, FL

Matches:
1.) Christopher Daniels fought Rhino to a no contest
2.) Rhino defeated Homicide
3.) TNA X-Division Champion Chris Sabin defeated Frankie Kazarian in a non-title match
4.) AJ Styles defeated Tomko in a qualifying match for KOTM

Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) Jim Cornette is in the ring to kickoff the show. Cornette notes that Joe and Angle have qualified for the KOTM match. Cornette talks about the match scheduled tonight between Styles and Jarrett for another spot. However, Jarrett has been dealing with some serious family issues and Jarrett will not be able to be there to compete, which Cornette supports. That leaves Cornette with a tough decision to find a replacement. Christian Cage makes his way out to join the segment. Cage has a question and asks what is wrong with the picture. Cage thinks that if Styles had to opt out that Cornette would be having a party. Cage says they are going to have their own party and Cornette isn’t invited. Cage wants Cornette to do the right thing for once and wants Cornette to raise Styles arm in victory. Cage thinks that Cornette handles business like it’s a joke. Cage knows what happened at Sacrifice and is onto Cornette’s games. Cage says that Cornette still couldn’t beat him. Cage demands to know who his opponent is for the KOTM. Cage reminds Cornette that this is his show and Cornette better not forget it. Cornette was going to do some bad business and give the spot to Styles, but he’s not going to do that now. Cornette thinks the fans want to see a match tonight. Cornette books Styles in a match against Tomko. Styles isn’t happy, but Tomko is smirking. Cage wants to know who his opponent is for his KOTM spot. Cornette tells Cage to worry about the problems now and not that match. Cornette noted that Cage’s opponent is someone Cage said is beneath him before.

2.) Backstage, Jeremy Borash teases that some wrestlers have been trying to jump to TNA from other companies. He’s plugging TNA mobile, which is like the 1-900 number in WCW. Christopher Daniels enters the scene and says he went to Sting to be enlightened, but was sent away. Daniels has made his choice and wants Sting to make his choice, too.

3.) Backstage, Leticia Cline is with Eric Young in Cornette’s office. Young needs to talk to Cornette. Cornette enters the scene and asks Young what is going on. Robert Roode enters the scene with Traci and tells Young to answer the phone. Roode slaps Young, but Cornette knocks that off. Cornette books them into a singles match at the PPV. Cornette says that if Young wins he’s free, but if Roode wins then he can fire Young. Roode is man enough and accepts. Roode is going to make sure that Young never steps foot in a TNA ring ever again. Cornette tells Young to make the most out of this. Bob Backlund enters the scene and he’s freaking out about Chris Sabin stealing his book. Backlund needs a match with Sabin. Cornette says that Backlund is almost 60-years old. Cornette needs paperwork so that they don’t get sued.

4.) Sting attacks Daniels during his entrance for his match against Rhino. Sting pummels Daniels with right hands several times and gets a steel chair to whack Daniels over the back. Daniels looks for help, but nobody is there in the ring. Sting big boots Daniels and nails Daniels with a clothesline over the top to the floor. Daniels bails through the crowd, but Sting follows and continues to punch Daniels. Sting claps Daniels head and they continue to brawl through the crowd. Sting sends Daniels into the wall. Sting drops Daniels chest first over the railing. Sting sends Daniels into the railing shoulder first. Sting just happens to find a baseball bat and whacks Daniels in the midsection and over the back. Sting leaves the scene as Daniels is laid out.

5.) Rhino cuts a promo saying he was there to knock Daniels teeth down his throat. Rhino is here to earn his pay and issues an extreme challenge to anyone in the back to fight him. Rhino is split anyone in half with the GORE. Homicide answers the challenge.

6.) Konnan cuts a promo saying that LAX almost had the belts taken away from them and they gave the Dudley’s dozens of matches until they won the titles from them. Konnan puts over LAX as the nastiest tag team in the business. Konnan notices Hector Guerrero again and suggests Hector sold out. Konnan asks if Hector is going to run like a usual Guerrero. Hector gets on the apron as the show goes to commercial.

7.) Rhino shoulder blocks Homicide as the match is just a singles one. Rhino backdrops Homicide coming off the ropes. Homicide sends Rhino to the floor and hits a somersault suicide dive! Hernandez delivers a few shots on the floor to help Homicide. Homicide chokes Rhino, but doesn’t get a submission. Homicide elbows Rhino and locks in a chin lock. Rhino fights out, but is yanked down by his hair. Homicide covers, but Rhino kicks out at two. Homicide goes to the top rope and leaps off hitting an elbow drop for a two count. Homicide keeps a nerve hold on Rhino, but Rhino gets up and fights out with right hands. Rhino clotheslines Homicide a few times. Rhino shoulder rams Homicide followed by a belly to belly suplex. Rhino sets up for a GORE, but Hernandez causes a distraction. Homicide decks Hector off the apron. Homicide tries for a tornado DDT, but Rhino tosses Homicide off and hits the GORE for the clean win. After the match, Hernandez attacks Rhino. Konnan has his crutch, but Hector makes the save. Konnan jabs Hector with the crutch while Hernandez held Hector. Konnan does the same to Rhino. Chris Harris runs down to make the save, but is also attacked with the crutch. Homicide punches Harris several times on the mat. LAX stands tall. (*1/2. Clean finish always gets a thumbs up from me. The aftermath was fine, but I don’t find a connection to Harris and Rhino being a unit against LAX. It feels like TNA has nothing for Harris and Rhino right now.)

8.) Backstage, Jeremy Borash is with Samoa Joe for an interview. Joe can’t even speak when Kurt Angle enters the scene and calls him a coconut head. Angle suggests that Joe worry about him and he never has liked Joe and never will. Angle is here to tell Joe that he’s going to cripple Joe before KOTM. Joe tells Angle he better pray he doesn’t get to him first and says let the games begin.

9.) Backstage, AJ Styles is freaking out on Christian Cage and says he’s always getting in trouble when Christian is around. Tomko thinks this is all funny to him. Cage says that Cornette is getting exactly what he wanted. Christian says they are like family. Christian notes that brothers fight but the next day they are family again. Cage says that everything will be cool after the match. They unite hands, but Tomko tells Styles it will be painless tonight. Christian has a plan, though.

10.) Kazarian has a headlock on Sabin, but they collide on shoulder block attempt. Sabin delivers a knee, but Kazarian comes back with a dropkick. Kazarian knocks Sabin down out of the corner for a two count. Kazarian gets stopped by an eye rake and knocked off the apron. Sabin hits a suicide dive to the floor. Sabin rolls Kazarian into the ring and delivers a springboard fist drop. Sabin keeps Kazarian on the mat with a chin lock. Sabin jabs Kazarian and delivers a leaping elbow strike in the corner. Kazarian leg sweeps Sabin and hits a springboard leg drop. Kazarian nails Sabin with a pump kick for a two count. Kazarian prevents Sabin from leaving, but Sabin delivers a kick to the head and tries for Cradle Shock. Kazarian counters with Wave of the Future for a near fall as Sabin got his boot on the bottom rope. Kazarian sits Sabin on the top turnbuckle, and delivers a boot to the face. Raven is watching the match in the rafters. Kazarian is distracted and crotched in the tree of woe. Sabin delivers a running dropkick in the corner and finishes Kazarian off with the Cradle Shock for the win. (**. A decent match, but the distraction stuff with Raven was a bummer. Kazarian needs to shed this alignment with Raven and be the regular Kaz. The sooner the better for that. Sabin needs something better as champion that isn’t feuding with Bob Backlund.)

11.) BG James cuts a pre-tape promo saying that he promises he will try to cripple Damaja and Basham. BG says he’s a pissed off redneck. BG declares they are in for the fight of their life.

12.) Paparazzi Productions is up next. Lethal is drinking decaf coffee. Sonjay Dutt wants to talk with Lethal and says he’s going to show who he truly is. Dutt hopes they tune in to see his new look.

13.) Tomko shoves Styles into the ropes as Cage makes his way down to ringside. Tomko shoves Styles to the mat. Cage is sitting on a chair at ringside. Styles tries to take Tomko down and is tossed to the mat. Styles eye rakes Tomko and is met with a shoulder block. Tomko tosses Styles to the floor. Cage checks on Styles as the show goes to commercial.

Styles works over Tomko with strikes. During the break, Tomko confronted Cage allowing Styles to chop block Tomko from behind. Styles sends Tomko across the ring, but Tomko drops to the mat holding his knees. Styles continues to work over Tomko as Kurt Angle comes down to ringside. Styles tries for a knee breaker, but Tomko kicks free. Samoa Joe comes out and confronts Angle on the aisle. Tomko powerslams Styles and sends Styles into the corner. Tomko hits a press slam turned into a fallaway slam for a near fall. Styles nails Tomko with a Pele kick. Tomko tosses Styles into a corner. Styles nails Tomko with a springboard forearm shot after Cage got on the apron. Cage is on the apron allowing Styles to get a chair. Tomko big boots Styles for a near fall. Cage has gotten the chair, but Styles gets a rollup on Tomnko from behind to win the match and qualify for KOTM. (*1/2. I was honestly kind of expecting a bait a switch where Tomko may have just laid down for Styles. The action was fairly basic and I’m glad that Styles won since he’ll likely be the spot gut for the KOTM. Tomko has to be eventually breaking free from Cage and Styles, right?)

Final Thoughts:
An average episode this week for Impact as there wasn’t a lot of advancement for the PPV. I didn’t like the Daniels/Sting segment since that made Daniels look like a joke. Also, lets end the Roode/Young feud finally… please?

Thanks for reading.