TNA Impact 7/5/2007

Total Non-Stop Action presents Impact
Date: 7/5/2007
From: Orlando, FL

Matches:
1.) TNA Tag Team Champions Team 3D defeated LAX and AJ Styles & Christopher Daniels to retain the titles
2.) Gail Kim defeated Jackie Moore & Traci Brooks

Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) A video package promoting the three way tag title match is shown. Styles and Daniels believe you can’t have a title match without them. LAX believe they are a dangers force. Team 3D notes they’ve been the best tag team for fifteen years and that’s not changing. Daniels promised to become TNA World Champion and if he needs to win the tag titles to make that a reality then he’ll do jus that.

2.) Team 3D is double teamed to start the match by both challenging teams. Ray comes back with a clothesline to Hernandez, but Daniels kicks Ray and Homicide hits a top rope clothesline. Devon fights back with a series of right hands, but Hernandez shoulder blocks Devon. Styles leaps off the top with a flying forearm. LAX turn on Daniels and Styles leading to those teams brawling in the ring. Homicide monkey flips Styles, but Styles lands on his feet. Homicide tosses Styles overhead. Daniels heel kicks Homicide coming off the ropes. Hernandez has Daniels over his shoulder, but Styles saves Daniels. Ray clotheslines Daniels and Homicide is backdropped by Devon. 3D hit double team moves on Styles and Hernandez as the show goes to commercial.

Hernandez knee lifts Devon and Homicide tags in, but is tossed across the ring. Ray misses a middle rope senton splash. Homicide hits a top rope hurricanrana on Ray and decks Devon off the top. Daniels and Styles hit a clothesline/chop block combo on Ray. Homicide controls Ray with a neck vice, but doesn’t get a submission. Homicide dropkicks a kneeling Ray from behind and Hernandez tags into the match to scoop slam Ray followed by an elbow drop for a near fall. Hernandez chops Ray in the corner and Homicide taunts Devon upon tagging into the match. Ray is double teamed by LAX in the corner. Hernandez chokes Ray with his shirt while the referee is distracted by Devon. Ray is splashed by LAX in the corner leading to a two count for Hernandez as Daniels breaks the cover. Hernandez slams Ray and Homicide hits a top rope senton splash for a near fall. The show goes to another commercial break.

Ray hammers away on Hernandez until Daniels tags in and Daniels cuts Ray off with strikes. Ray overhand chops Daniels a few times, but Daniels decks Ray to the mat and chokes Ray. Ray plants Daniels with a full nelson bomb. Devon gets the tag and cleans house with right hands. Devon mounts Hernandez with right hands and slams Daniels to the mat for a two count. Devon dumps Styles to the floor and plants Daniels with a reverse DDT for a near fall. Hernandez sends Styles to the floor again. Ray slams Homicide and Devon goes to the top hitting the What’s Up. Daniels stops Devon from getting the table. Ray backdrops Hernandez to the floor. Daniels eye rakes Devon in the corner until Ray has Daniels on his shoulders. Devon goes to the top hitting a clothesline and Ray covers Daniels for a near fall. Styles hits a springboard dropkick, but Homicide tries for the Gringo Killer. Styles breaks free and nails Homicide with a Pele kick. Daniels slams Homicide and Styles hits a frog splash. Daniels connects with the BME for a two count. Hernandez tosses Daniels with a suplex and tosses Styles with the Border Toss leading to a near fall as Daniels pulls the referee out. Daniels backdrops Homicide to the floor Hernandez takes Daniels out with a dive to the floor.

Ray leaps off the top to take LAX and Styles out with a crossbody on the floor. Daniels goes to the top rope, but Devon cuts Daniels off and tries for a powerbomb, but Daniels counters with a hurricanrana. Daniels follows up with an STO. Devon counters the Angels Wings with a backdrop. Daniels turns around into the 3D and is pinned by Ray. (***1/4. That was far more entertaining than I thought it was going to be. I wasn’t thinking this match would get nearly the amount of time they would, but they made very good use of it. The action was consistent throughout and it held my interest. Daniels eating the pin might be a sign that he’s not going to be getting an elevated run since the Sting feud was a little bit of a flop.)

3.) Backstage, Jeremy Borash promotes a Lesnar vs. Angle match that took place in Japan. We hear moaning, and it’s Lance Hoyt is making out with Christy Hemme. Hoyt reveals he’s been under Hemme the entire time as Hemme is his teacher and he’s the student. They walk off kissing some more. TNA X-Division Champion Samoa Joe says that Team 3D are the next victims for him. Joe brags about pimp slapping Angle and needing to control the situation. Joe says that Angle is going to help him win the tag titles. Joe is coming for the gold after Victory Road, which is Angle’s TNA World Championship. Joe needs Angle’s help to destroy Angle. Joe promises that Angle will be broken.

4.) It’s announced that Christian Cage vs. Chris Harris is signed for Victory Road. Rhino vs. James Storm is also signed for the PPV. Jim Cornette says that Ultimate X may be appearing at Victory Road, too. However, they don’t expand on that.

5.) Christian Cage and Tomko make their way out with Cage using a megaphone. Cage says it’s a symbol of a director or producer. Cage has produced a lot for Cornette. Cage produces ratings for the show. Cage takes credit for Jarrett, Joe, Rhino, Abyss and others. Cage says that Chris Harris will become a superstar just by breathing the same air as him. Cage tells Cornette he’ll have to be put back in the main event scene. Cornette responds saying that Harris is fixing to kick his ass and Abyss is still looking to get his hands on Cage. Cage doesn’t believe that and Abyss’s music hits scaring Cage up the ramp with Tomko.

6.) Earlier today, Mike Tenay had a interview with Rhino. Tenay asks Rhino why he flipped out recently. Rhino talks about his father drinking and dying when he was young. Rhino has turned to alcohol during various low points in his life. Rhino says that one drink puts you back in that one bad spot. Rhino says that James Storm is putting him back in that spot when beer was dumped on him.

7.) Moore goes after Kim with strikes in the corner, but Brooks gets a few shots in as well on Kim. They can’t agree on who beats up Kim more. Moore decks Brooks with a forearm and chops Brooks against the ropes. Moore elbows Brooks to the mat for a near fall. Kim side slams Moore for a two count. Brooks chops Kim agains the ropes. Brooks delivers a facebuster and knee lifts Kim through the ropes to the floor. Kim pulls Brooks to the floor where Moore baseball slides Brooks on the floor. Kim dives off the top to take both women out with a crossbody as the show goes to commercial.

Moore and Brooks have stereo leg locks on Kim, but they begin to slap each other. Moore nails Brooks with a kick to the back of the head. Moore works over Brooks in the corner with strikes and sits Brooks on the top rope. Brooks shoves Moore off and Kim runs over with a forearm shot Kim hits a top rope hurricanrana. Moore tosses Kim with a release German suplex. Brooks clotheslines Moore. Kim forearms Moore and Brooks and takes them over with a headlock/head scissors combo. Kim head scissors Brooks to the floor. Moore tries for a rollup, but Kim rolls through and pins Moore for the win. (**. A solid women’s match with the offense surprising me. They made good use of the time they had and I was entertained. Hopefully there’s a women’s division at some point because these three women could be really good in that division.) After the match, Moore and Brooks beat on Kim until Eric Young runs down to make the save. Brooks shoves Young and Moore jumps on his back, but Young flips them both down to the mat. Robert Roode slides into the ring from behind and attacks Young with right hands. Roode and Brooks stand tall.

8.) Backstage, Jeremy Borash is with Sting as they walk down to the bowels of the building. Sting says that everyone is wondering about him and Abyss. Sting says that he never gave up hope on Abyss. Sting thought he could relate to Abyss and they’ve both been hiding behind paint or a mask. Sting says that Abyss has something he wants to say, which he’ll say next week. Borash is surprised to hear that Abyss will speak. Abyss is there and reveals he’s wearing Sting’s face paint.

9.) TNA & IWGP World Champion Kurt Angle makes his way down to the ring because tonight is Kurt Angle Appreciation Night. Angle defeated Lesnar to win the IWGP Championship. Angle says he’s done great things in TNA, which stands for Total Non-stop Angle. Angle takes credit for putting TNA on the map. Angle takes credit for the highest TV ratings and PPV buyrates. Angle notes that Team 3D will have the chance to tell their children they were in the ring with him.

Team 3D make their way down to the ring to cutoff Angle. Brother Ray continually says “blah blah” in the microphone. Ray says that Angle has a lot of nerve to take credit for TNA success. Brother Ray says that the ratings have been high because of them but also because of the fans. Ray credits the fans for their success and it’s not only because of Angle. Angle thinks they live their lives and dreams through him. Angle reminds Ray who he is and calls Ray an idiot. Angle tells Ray that he sucks. Ray tells Angle that he blows then. Angle tries to attack, but is nailed by Devon. Ray calls for a table while kneeling on Angle’s chest. Devon gets a table from under the ring. Samoa Joe runs into the ring and clotheslines Team 3D. Joe dropkicks Ray to the floor and Samoan Drops Devon to the floor. Angle comes up from behind and puts Joe through the table with an Olympic Slam! Angle leaves up the ramp as Joe remains laid out to end the show.

Final Thoughts:
I enjoyed the show this week. I’m not really digging Team 3D in the main event title scene, but I’m figuring it’s just a filler month for content. Also, why can’t we get a Cage/Abyss match on PPV since that’s one of the stronger feuds in the company, but they are refusing to put in on PPV. I’m kind of baffled by that. Anyway, a solid show this week with some quality offense and advancing some feuds well.

Thanks for reading.