TNA Impact 7/19/2007

Total Non-Stop Action presents Impact
Date: 7/19/2007
From: Orlando, FL

Matches:
1.) Christopher Daniels, Elix Skipper & Senshi defeated Havok, Martyr & Raven
2.) Kip James defeated Lance Hoyt
3.) Christian Cage & James Storm defeated Chris Harris & Rhino

Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) Highlights from Victory Road start the show. Christopher Daniels won the Ultimate X. James Storm defeated Rhino. Dustin Rhodes returned to TNA and cost Chris Harris his match against Christian Cage. Father James Mitchell returned following Sting & Abyss winning their match against Styles and Tomko. Samoa Joe earned the victory for himself and Kurt Angle to defeat Team 3D to win the tag team titles in the main event.

2.) Backstage, Jeremy Borash is trying to get a word with TNA World Champion Kurt Angle, but Angle doesn’t care. Angle is in a tanning bed. Angle tells Borash that Cornette knows where to find him if he needs him. Angle tells Borash that he’s busy and claims that Borash was looking at his package. Angle dismisses Borash, but Borash wants clarify that Angle is busy tanning. Angle continues to block his package from Borash looking. Borash brings up Samoa Joe and Hard Justice. Angle says that Joe robbed him of the TNA Tag Team Championships. Angle says it’s great to be him.

3.) Havok and Skipper start off the six man tag until Daniels attacks from behind and legally starts with knee strikes and an STO to Havok. Raven hits Daniels with a kendo stick and Havok mounts Daniels with right hands. Havok and Martyr hit a vertical suplex/crossbody combo for a two count. Martyr elbows Daniels and works over Daniels in the corner. Daniels knocks Havok off the apron, but is slammed by Martyr. Havok stomps on Daniels and Havok hits a snap suplex for a two count. Raven enters the match and works over Daniels with stomps in the corner. Havok uppercuts Daniels followed by a right hand and Martyr returns to the match. Martyr is nailed by Skipper with a spin kick. Senshi tags in and cleans house with a clothesline and a springboard kick to Martyr. Raven gets involved hitting Senshi with a knee lift, but Daniels takes Raven down with a drop toe hold. Senshi kicks Raven on the back of the head. Havok is kicked by Skipper, but Raven clotheslines Skipper. Daniels dumps Raven to the floor. Daniels slams Havok and XXX goes to three corners hitting a leg drop, BME and a double stomp for the win. (*1/2. It’s not a great match, but I think this was a fantastic way to showcase XXX on TV. I honestly got a vibe from them that they could be elevated into being a strong trio outside of the X-Division. The finish was great and the crowd seemed to be buying into them as a group once again. It’s a little weird of a pivot for Daniels to seemingly be back as a face, but he’s capable of being a really good face anyway.) After the match, Kaz runs down to the ring and attacks Martyr, Havok and lastly Raven until the numbers overwhelm him. Kazarian escapes the ring and walks up the ramp.

4.) Backstage, Jeremy Borash is back with Kurt Angle in the tanning bed. Angle claims that Borash was looking at his ass. Borash says that Angle will be fined $10k if he doesn’t meet with Cornette. Angle realizes his suit, underwear and belts are gone. Angle asks of Borash is wearing his underwear, but Borash doesn’t wear underwear. Angle leaves to see what Cornette wants.

5.) Backstage, Leticia Cline is with Christian, AJ Styles and Tomko. There is a revenge match tonight, apparently. Cage says that tonight on Impact the same thing will happen that happened at the PPV. Cage is going to pin Chris Harris. Cage didn’t ask for the help from Dustin Rhodes. James Storm is there, too. Storm says after they win they are going to drink, but that is Styles saying that since it was gibberish. Tomko thinks this is all just ridiculous.

6.) Team 3D comes out and Brother Ray is telling the fans to shut up. Ray has something to say and knows that the Steiner Brothers aren’t there. Ray knows that the Steiner Brothers are watching. Ray says that the Steiner Brothers ruined their night at Victory Road. Ray says they could have been World Champion or X-Division Champion, but they cost them the tag titles. Ray demands the Steiner Brothers arrive to the Impact Zone next week. Ray believes that Scott Steiner has a little injury, but Tenay notes that Scott almost died in Puerto Rico. Devon puts a headlock on Tenaty. Ray grabs West by his neck. Ray grabs the hammer to scare security.

7.) Backstage. Kurt Angle is in a speedo asking people if they’ve seen his stuff. Angle enters Cornette’s office as the show goes to commercial.

8.) Backstage, Kurt Angle is in the locker room with other wrestlers and is looking for his stuff that was stolen. Angle sees a lot of lower card wrestlers and wannabes. Angle sees potential truck drivers and 7/11 workers, but doesn’t see his stolen stuff anywhere. Angle demands it is returned right now or there is hell to pay. Angle gets mad at Shark Boy smiling, but that’s just his mask. Angle decks Boy with a right hand and uppercut. None of the wrestlers are helping as Angle delivers another uppercut.

9.) Hoyt decks Kip with a right hand and continues with several in the corner. Hoyt doesn’t budge on a shoulder block and knocks Kip to the mat. Kip dropkicks Hoyt to the floor. Hoyt sends Kip into the ring post face first. Hoyt big boots a kneeling Kip from behind for a near fall. Hoyt mounts Kip with right hands for a two count. Hoyt misses a clothesline and Kip mounts Hoyt with strikes. Kip comes off the ropes with a forearm drop for a near fall. Kip plays to the crowd, but misses a splash in the corner. Hoyt misses a big boot and Kip hits the Fameasser for the clean win. (1/2*. Man, what was the point of Hoyt’s turn if he loses cleanly in his first singles encounter? That’s a disappointment.) After the match, Hemme tries to low blow Kip, but Kip blocks it. Roxxi rolls into the ring and hits the over the shoulder Dominator to leave Hemme laying.

10.) Backstage, Leticia Cline is with Samoa Joe, who just happens to have Kurt Angle’s titles. Angle gives a hint to Cline that he’s going to issue the biggest challenge of his career. However, we’re going to have to wait.

11.) Backstage, Kurt Angle is standing on a table during a producers meeting. Angle says that he will take on any of them. Angle knows that they can get a lot of money from his titles and suit, but that’s stealing. Angle claims that Joe stole the tag titles at Victory Road. Angle wants his stuff on the table when he turns around. Angle stands in front of a guy, but one of them tries to leave, but is attacked by Angle. Angle sends the producer into the wall a few times. Angle uppercuts the guy out of a chair.

12.) Harris and Cage kickoff the main event with Harris delivering a few strikes. Harris mounts Cage with left hands on the mat, but Cage rams Harris into the corner. Rhino tags in and shoulder blocks Cage to the mat. Cage kicks Rhino followed by a few chops in the corner. Rhino nails Cage with a running clothesline out of the corner. Rhino lifts Cage up and down to the mat gut first. Cage kicks Rhino and yanks Rhino down by his hair. Storm tags in and runs around ringside allowing Cage to deliver a clothesline off the apron as the show goes to commercial.

Cage and Rhino trade strikes until Cage nails Rhino with a spinning heel kick for a two count. Storm kicks Rhino from the floor while the referee is distracted. Storm tags into the match and gouges Rhino over the middle rope. Tenay announces that the Steiner Brothers will be here next week. Rhino is crotched onto the top rope and Cage tries for a superplex on Storm’s shoulders, but Rhino blocks it and ends up hitting a top rope clothesline on Cage off of Storm’s shoulders. Harris is tagged in and nails Storm with a clothesline. Harris bulldogs Cage out of the corner. Harris plants Storm with a full nelson slam for a near fall as Cage makes the save. Harris atomic drops Cage and Rhino clotheslines Cage to the floor. Harris spears Storm in the corner and Rhino tosses Storm with a belly to belly suplex. Cage pulls Rhino to the floor to avoid the GORE. Harris knocks Cage off the apron and blocks a superkick to hit the Catatonic on Storm, but Tomko pulls the referee out. Dustin Rhodes slides into the ring with a chair and whacks Harris over the back. Storm covers Harris and gets the three count. (**. There wasn’t exactly much structure to the match, but that’s alright. I figured Dustin would get involved, but I wish they didn’t drive home the fact that Dustin had arrived at the PPV as it really made it obvious he’d show up again.) After the match, Jackie Moore grabs Rhino by the hair. Rhino has Moore set for a press slam, but Tomko enters and big boots Rhino. Tomko leaves the ring. Cage and Storm proceed to grab beers, but Abyss makes his way down to make the save. Cage and Storm naturally bail to the floor to avoid him. Sting is behind them and hits Storm and Cage with the bat. Sting low blows Cage with the bat and Abyss beats on Cage in the ring, but Cage bails to the floor.

13.) Backstage, Jim Cornette thinks that Kurt Angle is crazy to think he’s going out in front of the crowd like that. Cornette still wants the 10k by Monday.

14.) In the parking lot, Christian Cage is running with AJ Styles and they are looking for the truck. Bobby Roode runs over and wants to take care of Abyss for Cage. Styles and Roode argue. Cage and Styles get in the truck and Abyss is in the back of the truck scaring them out of the truck. Abyss continues to chase after them.

15.) TNA World Champion Kurt Angle makes his way down to the ring. Angle says he has a sense of humor and does find pranks funny. Angle admits this one is pretty funny. Angle has gone through talent and the crew, but can’t find his stuff. Angle thinks one of the fans stole his stuff to sell on eBay. Samoa Joe makes his way out and has all the titles and suit with him. Joe enters the ring and says he’d not a thief. Joe came out for one reason and once to put their past nine months behind them, which Angle is relieved to hear. Joe wants to start the next chapter of their story. Joe hands over the titles that belong to Angle. Joe says they wrestle to find out who the best truly is. Joe says they are two of the best wrestlers in the world today. Joe hands over his suit and promises he didn’t touch any underwear. Joe tells Angle the last nine months are under the bridge. Joe wants to wrestle Angle one more time at Hard Justice. Joe wants all the gold on the line. Joe asks if Angle is in for the match. Joe offers his hand and Angle is thinking about it in a robe. Angle shakes hands with Joe and they embrace. Joe proceeds to headbutt Angle and delivers an elbow shot. Joe goes under the ring and grabs a table. Joe slides the table into the ring. Joe sets the table up in the corner, but Angle wiggles free and tackles Joe through the table in the corner. Angle locks in the ankle lock and Joe is screaming in pain. That’s how the show goes off the air.

Final Thoughts:
It’s interesting that Joe can seemingly never get long-lasting momentum against Angle. Joe/Angle at Hard Justice will likely be really good, but it feels like a match where they didn’t have any other good idea so might as well just go back to the Joe/Angle feud. Angle was enjoyable on the show as his show long focus was entertaining each time. I’ll give this a mild thumbs up.

Thanks for reading.