TNA Impact 8/16/2007

Total Non-Stop Action presents Impact
Date: 8/16/2007
From: Orlando, FL

Matches:
1.) Jay Lethal defeated Christopher Daniels
2.) Abyss defeated Christian Cage in a first blood match

Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) The show starts off with clips from Hard Justice. Apparently, Rhino fell off the wagon and drank a lot of beer. Abyss is the new number one contender to the TNA World Championship. Ron Killings confronted Adam Jones, and Jones was laid out. Karen Angle turned on Samoa Joe and helped Kurt Angle win every championship against Samoa Joe.

2.) Jeremy Borash says that Kurt Angle is holding an award ceremony with Karen. Eric Young says he’s going to get Pacman Jones autograph. Kurt Angle enters the scene and says that we witnessed the greatest acting in wrestling history. Angle calls the fans idiots for buying it. Angle says it is great to be him. Young thinks Pacman is a hero and walks off.

3.) There is a video package promoting Adam “Pacman” Jones as he got plenty of media attention last week. It was ESPN, USA Today, Chicago Sun Times and others.

4.) Mike Tenay is in the ring and brings out Adam “Pacman” Jones for an interview segment. Jones makes his way out and gets a pyro display. Tenay shakes hands with Jones. Tenay says there is some controversy around Jones. Tenay notes that Ron Killings didn’t appreciate Jones saying he was the best team player to ever play a sport. Tenay asks what happened and who was involved. Jones thinks that Ron Killings may have been involved. Jones wants to meet with Killings face to face. Ron Killings makes his way out to confront Jones. Killings says that Jones doesn’t have a problem with him. Killings says he’s not going to sneak attack Jones. Killings would do it face to face. Killings thinks they are very similar. Killings wants Jones to listen to him. Killings notes that Jones came up with nothing and made something. Killings recalls being a former two time TNA World Champion. Jones asks why would he make history with Killings after he talked smacked about him. Killings wants to be his partner and they need to be together like four flat tires. Killings vows to get revenge on the people who attacked Jones. Killings also likes the sound of being tag champs. Killings says they can go talk to Jim Cornette right now. Jones walks off with Killings. Eric Young comes out with a marker and wants an autograph. Killings decks Young from behind and stomps on Young. Well, that’s a heel turn for Killings.

5.) Backstage, Jim Cornette is not thrilled about what he just saw. Triple X enters the room and Daniels says he’s the number one contender for the X-Division Championship, but Cornette notes that Lethal pinned him at the PPV. Daniels says that a tag match, but it doesn’t matter. They meet tonight in a number one contenders match. Christian Cage enters and says he’s moving on from Abyss after the PPV. Cornette says that Abyss is willing to put his number one contender spot on the line against Cage in a first blood match. Cage agrees to take part in the match tonight.

6.) Outside the venue, Karen Angle has arrived with a family friend and is booed by the crowd. Karen doesn’t have to worry about Samoa Joe because she has an order of protection. Karen thinks that Joe should learn to take a joke. Karen brags about her performance over the past three weeks. Karen says it’s hard to be humble when you’re an Angle. Karen credits the fans for her success and walks off.

7.) Daniels attacks Lethal before the bell with a few strikes. Daniels backdrops Lethal to keep control of the contest. Daniels misses a splash and Lethal jabs Daniels followed by a kick. Lethal head scissors Daniels across the ring. Lethal hip toss Daniels followed by a dropkick for a two count. Daniels sends Lethal over the top rope to the floor as the show goes to commercial while Senshi scoop slams Lethal on the floor.

Daniels hits a split-legged moonsault for a two count on Lethal. Daniels keeps an arm lock on Lethal, but Lethal breaks free with strikes. Daniels cuts off Lethal with a strike. Daniels tries for the BME, but Lethal avoids it and hits a middle rope heel kick. Lethal clotheslines Daniels followed by a knee lift. Lethal drops Daniels over the top rope and hits a top rope axe handle for a near fall. Lethal jabs Daniels, but is cutoff. Daniels tries for Angels Wings, but Lethal counters with a hurricanrana. Lethal kicks Daniels on the side of the head followed by a scoop slam. Lethal plays to the crowd and goes to the top rope. Lethal is stopped by Senshi as the referee is distracted by Elix Skipper. Daniels hits a sit out slam off the top rope for a near fall. Senshi chokes Lethal on the apron, but Sonjay Dutt knocks Senshi off. Dutt takes out Skipper and Senshi with a dive to the floor. Lethal plants Daniels with Lethal Combination to win the match and is the number one contender to the TNA X-Division Championship. (*1/2. Not surprised that Lethal would win the match since Angle has all the gold now and Lethal would be a suitable guy to take the belt off of Angle if given the opportunity.)

8.) Outside the venue, Borash is with Kevin Nash. Nash is honored to get an award tonight. Borash suggests that there may have been a connection between Karen and Kevin. Kevin dismisses that and thinks that Karen may be like Angelina Jolie falling in love with a co-star. Nash says he’s a doctor and walks off.

9.) Backstage, Adam Jones tells Cornette he wants to listen to him. Ron Killings tries to sell Cornette on his idea. Killings says that ratings = money. Killings says that if they were the champs they’d get media attention. Killings wants a tag title match. Killings says that Eric Young got what he deserved for being disrespectful. Killings again tells Cornette to book the tag match. They can do it the easy way or the hard way. Matt Morgan steps in and Cornette says they will take it under consideration. Killings says they will leave it peacefully this time.

10.) TNA World, X-Division and Tag Champion Kurt Angle makes his way down to the ring for the award ceremony. Kurt says this is a night fo celebration for suckering everyone in. Kurt credits himself and wife as the greatest acting duo ever. Kurt shows a video of their acting. Kurt credits Kevin Nash for his acting and Nash comes down to the ring. Kurt also credited their friend, Trademark. Karen Angel is awarded supporting actress. Karen thanks the fans for being stupid and believing them. Karen thanks Samoa Joe for allowing her to suck him in. Jim Cornette enters the scene and cuts off the award ceremony. Cornette is out there to give Angle credit for holding three championships. Cornette tells Kurt he’s defending all three titles at No Surrender. Jay Lethal will challenge for the X-Division Championship. Either Christian Cage or Abyss will challenge for the TNA World Championship. Kurt needs to find a partner to defend the TNA Tag Championships against Team Pacman. Kurt is livid and grabs Cornette, but is shoved down by Matt Morgan. Karen slaps Morgan and security gets involved to keep everyone apart.

11.) Backstage, Jeremy Borash teases a new story regarding Pacman Jones from Hard Justice to shill Hard Justice. Christian Cage enters the scene and says that every man has their breaking point, which he is at right now. Cage notes he’s never been pinned or submitted in TNA and is the real champion. Samoa Joe charges into the scene and gets in Cage’s face saying that he’s the real champion. Joe tells Cage he’ll be number one contender over his dead body. Cage goes to find Tomko and AJ to prevent Joe from getting involved in the main event.

12.) Cage attacks Abyss from behind during his entrance with strikes. Abyss sends Cage into the ropes and press slams Cage to the mat gut first. Abyss misses a splash in the corner. Cage bites Abyss on the forehead. Abyss shoves Cage off out of the corner. Cage runs into a big boot in the corner. Abyss nails Cage with a running back splash in the corner. Abyss tries to ram Cage face first into the metal rod, but Cage avoids it. Cage is sent across the apron into the corner. Cage drop toe holds Abyss into the ring steps as the show goes to commercial.

Cage is working over Abyss with a steel chair. Tomko has given Cage a screwdriver during the commercial, but Abyss avoided it. Cage misses a chair shot and Abyss gets up, but Cage avoids a few moves. Abyss counters the Un-Prettier and punches a chair into Cage’s face. Abyss wedges a chair in the corner, but Cage dropkicks Abyss on the knee. Cage lays a chair onto Abyss before going to the top rope. Cage leaps off looking for a frog splash, but Abyss tries for a chokeslam. Cage sends Abyss head first into the chair in the corner, but Abyss is not bleeding. AJ Styles runs down to the ring and looks under the ring. AJ tosses a barbed wire bat to Cage. Samoa Joe runs down with a chair to chase Styles around ringside. Joe gets on the apron to yank the bat away and whack Cage with a chair. Abyss nails Cage with a chair shot over the head and Abyss is the winner as Cage is busted wide open. After the match, Kurt Angle runs into the ring and attacks Abyss with right hands from behind. Kurt whacks Abyss with a few chair shots to the back and head of Abyss. Kurt continues with vicious chair shots over the head. Karen gets a chair and Cornette tells Karen to freeze. Cornette announces on the big screen that Kurt is going to wrestle a handicap match against the Steiner Brothers. If the Steiner’s win then they get five minutes alone with Karen. Kurt can’t believe it to end the show. (**. Considering the months of torment that Abyss had been dealing with from Cage and his alliance, I really think Abyss should have won this match cleanly and without the help from Joe. I know they are now going into a Cage/Joe direction for a feud, but why can’t Abyss get a big win to end the feud with Cage and do so in a match that would favor Abyss anyway? I understand protecting Cage, but there’s no pin or submission here anyway.)

Final Thoughts:
Heavy on storyline and mostly on Adam “Pacman” Jones, which was not something I’m overly excited about. Karen Angle must really prefer to be hated because her work here was a lot better than the weeks when she was playing a babyface role. The handicap match for next week seems completely bizarre to me since Kurt doesn’t have an issue with the Steiner Brothers to begin with, but whatever. As for the show in general, I think I can give it a positive review. There’s a lot going on and the show certainly isn’t boring at this point.

Thanks for reading.