Total Non-Stop Action presents Impact
Date: 10/4/2007
From: Orlando, FL
Matches:
1.) Rhino defeated Black Reign
2.) Gail Kim defeated Jackie Moore
3.) TNA Tag Team Champions Adam Jones & Ron Killings defeated Team 3D by disqualification
4.) Eric Young won a 10-man gauntlet
5.) Samoa Joe, Junior Fatu, Homicide & Hernandez defeated Christian Cage, AJ Styles, Senshi & Christopher Daniels
Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) This is the first ever two-hour edition of TNA Impact. From here on out, Impact would be two hours barring specials or programming issues.
2.) There is a good video package celebrating the achievement to reach two hours and how the company had it’s struggles, but never gave up.
3.) Rhino shoulder blocks Reign and delivers a short arm clothesline for a two count. Rhino hammers away on Reign in the corner causing Reign to bail to the floor. Rhino rams Reign into the apron and railing. Rhino delivers a leg drop for a two count. Reign kicks Rhino, but is met with a belly to belly suplex. Rhino waits in the corner, but misses the GORE and Reign delivers a few strikes and a leg drop over the middle rope on the apron. Reign sets Rhino up in the corner, but goes back to strikes before hitting a stunner for a two count. Reign sends Rhino into the corner hard back first for a two count. Raven is seen watching the match backstage as the show goes to commercial.
Reign tries for a suplex, but Rhino counters with a snap suplex. Rhino hammers away on Reign and delivers a leaping clothesline. Rhino sends Reign into the corner followed by a shoulder ram. Rhino tosses Reign with a belly to belly suplex. Raven has come down to ringside and is hiding. Raven moves Reign out of the way and Rhino decks Raven on the apron. Reign collides with Raven allowing a rollup by Rhino for the win. (*1/4. Pretty much by the book here with nothing being standout. I’ve grown accustomed to Rhino being in more relaxed rules contests, so this was kind of boring to me.) After the match, Rhino stomps on Raven until Reign beats on Rhino from behind. Reign goes to the top rope, but Abyss comes down to make the save. Abyss cleans house with strikes and backdrops Reign. Rhino knocks Raven to the floor. Abyss chokeslams Reign as Rhino and Raven go to the floor. Father James Mitchell tries to get involved, but Havok comes out to hit Abyss with a kendo stick. Abyss plants Havok with a Black Hole Slam. Reign nails Abyss with a spike to save Mitchell from a chokeslam. Reign goes to use the spike on Abyss, but Sting’s music hits and Sting clotheslines Reign to the floor. Abyss and Reign brawl into the crowd.
4.) Kurt Angle appears on the big screen and is at a football field asking if Sting is ready for some football. After a commercial, Angle is still at the football field. Angle had some family business to take care of and it’s Sting’s family. Angle is at Sting’s son football practice. Angle claims he’d never miss his sons football game, if he had a son. Angle says he’ll ask Sting’s son Garrett if he’ll slap a woman. Sting threatens to kill Angle if he lays a hand on him.
5.) Backstage, Jeremy Borash is with Jay Lethal and Sonjay Dutt. Lethal says he’s going to beat Christopher Daniels at Bound For Glory. Dutt thinks they should talk about love and not hate. Dutt talks about ebola and ending that sickness. Team 3D enter the scene and attack them. Borash was knocked down, too. Ray hits Lethal with the X-Division Championship. Lethal and Dutt are sent into the wall. They brawl their way towards the ringside area. They enter the ring where Ray clotheslines Lethal. Shark Boy runs down to the ring and Ray begs off. Boy has a neck brace one and is attacked by Devon from behind. 3D on Boy to lay him out. Ray powerbombs Dutt off the middle rope. 3D get a table from under the ring. Ray says their tag match with Team Pacman better be for the tag titles tonight. If not, they will continue to do this. Lethal is put through the table with a 3D.
6.) Backstage, Sting gets in the production truck and flips out on director Keith Mitchell. Sting looks at the screens and demands a headset to talk to Angle. After a commercial, Sting threatens Angle to not lay his hands on his son. Angle wants this kind of Sting to get the old Sting back. Angle gave the kid an autograph and blames Sting for trying to get him arrested.
7.) Earlier in the day, Crystal interviewed Robert Roode and Traci Brooks. Roode talks about his brand and has hired a PR firm and marketing team. Roode reveals he got his money from his grandfather, who passed away. Roode says there will be change in the company. Roode asks what Brooks problem is with him. Roode says he’s the boss and she’s the employee. Roode knows that Brooks is with Kaz and tells her to quit. Brooks can’t quit because her mother is sick. Roode tells Brooks that she’s done nothing for him. Roode tells Brooks she better win because losers are not accepted. Leticia Cline enters the scene to confronts Crystal. Cline is pissed about her taking her spot. They shove each other until security gets involved.
8.) Moore kicks Kim to start the match and rams Kim into the corner a few times face first. Moore jabs Kim in the corner. Kim arm drags Moore a few times. Kim arm drags Moore out of the corner and is tripped by James Storm allowing Moore to get control from behind. Moore chokes Kim over the middle rope as Roxxi and VKM come out to the ringside area. Moore continues to work over Kim in the corner and drops Kim with a right hand. Kim battles back with forearms, but Moore connects with a tilt a whirl backbreaker. Christy Hemme, Hoyt and Rave come down to ringside. Moore rams Kim down to the face first several times. Kim elbows Moore followed by a boot and a few clotheslines. Kim comes off the ropes with another clothesline and knee drop for a two count. Kim chops Moore and avoids a splash. Kim drops Moore with a neckbreaker for the clean win. After the match, Roxxi attacks Kim from behind. Of course, this leads to a brawl amongst the women. Kim avoids a big boot by Roxxi and bails to the floor. The other women begin to brawl to end the segment. (*1/2. A decent match, but again this was just the typical method of promoting the gauntlet match at BFG.)
9.) Backstage, Jeremy Borash is in Jim Cornette’s office. Cornette is sick of Team 3D complaining so he awards them a tag title match. Cornette tells Borash that what goes around comes around in regards to Team 3D. Sting storms into the office and he’s yelling in Cornette’s face, but we go to commercial.
10.) Kurt Angle is sitting in the bleachers providing commentary for the game. Angle apparently took out Larry a security guard and Larry will have a limp forever. Sting flips over the table and screams that he’s going to kill Angle.
11.) Killings and Devon kickoff the tag title match. Devon works over Killings with a knee lift and strike over the back. Killings ducks a clothesline to heel kick Devon into the corner. Killings splashes onto Devon’s groin in the corner. Killings nails Devon with a twisting forearm for a near fall. Jones tags into the match and stares down Devon. Ray tags in with a football and taunts Jones with it. Jones leaps over a charging Ray with the football and taunts Devon on the apron. Ray wants to try again saying that Jones cheated. Ray throws the ball at Jones, but Jones doesn’t try to catch it. Jones throws the ball at Ray and ducks a clothesline. Killings decks Ray from the apron. Devon is sent to the floor and Killings hits a missile dropkick. Jones holds Ray’s legs to allow a leg drop off the top rope. Ray clotheslines Killings coming off the ropes. Ray misses a chair shot and Killings kicks the chair into Ray’s face. Jones tags back in and has the chair, but Ray begs off. VKM pulls Killings out to the floor and attack him leading to a DQ. After the match, Jones chases VKM with a chair. Killings is driven down by Team 3D, but here comes the Steiner Brothers to run them off and return to TNA. (DUD. Bad. This was just bad. Pacman did nothing and if anyone tuning into this came to see Pacman they’d have to be disappointed. I’m not even sure ESPN would waste their time mentioning this segment.)
12.) Backstage, Jeremy Borash meets with Raven on the stairs. Raven says that people think he’s washed up. Raven mentions Terry Funk and his retirements. Raven wants the other guys to beat each other up and he’ll come in as a vulture. Raven wants to wrestle Rhino and Abyss. Raven wants them in a match at Bound For Glory. Abyss enters the scene and gets in Raven’s face to make the match a Monsters Ball. Abyss tells Raven to bring Black Reign with him.
13.) James Storm and Kazarian kickoff the gauntlet match. Kazarian shoulder blocks Storm, but is tripped to the mat. Storm kicks Kazarian and hits a backstabber. Kaz nails Storm with a jawbreaker and a spin kick. Kazarian misses a baseball slide on the apron and hits a slingshot DDT into the ring.
Robert Roode is the next entrant and trades strikes with Kaz. Roode is stopped by a leg sweep. Kaz hits a springboard leg drop on Roode. Kaz dropkicks Storm in the corner. Roode plants Kaz with a double leg slam.
Petey Williams comes out next and shoulder rams Storm before hitting a slingshot codebreaker. Williams hits a side Russian leg sweep on Roode. Williams tries for the Destroyer, but Storm gets involved. Roode slams Williams to the mat to save Storm.
Eric Young makes his way out next. Young shoulder rams Roode on the apron and almost tosses Roode to the floor. Storm is sent into Roode on the apron, but Roode hangs on.
Jimmy Rave comes out and nearly tosses Petey Williams out. Rave gets an arm bar on Kazarian, but Williams makes the save.
Chris Sabin enters the match and backdrops Storm and arm drags Rave. Sabin plants Roode with a DDT. Ms. Brooks makes her way out onto the entrance way.
Alex Shelley is next to enter the match and spits water at Rave. Rave is rammed groin first into the turnbuckle and met with dropkicks in the corner. Shelley dumps Williams to the floor and Rave is dropkicked off the apron by Sabin to the floor.
Lance Hoyt makes his way down to the ring. Hoyt chokeslams Kaz and side slams Roode. Hoyt tosses Young away and tries for a chokeslam on Shelley, but Sabin helps out Shelley. Hoyt dumps Sabin to the floor.
Chris Harris is the final entrant. Harris clotheslines Hoyt, but is kicked by Shelley. Harris plants Shelley with a spinebuster and a full nelson slam to Roode. Harris almost tosses Storm out and is met with a flapjack by Hoyt. Kaz missile dropkicks Hoyt to the mat. Roode knee lifts Kaz through the ropes where Brooks checks on Kaz. Roode goes to the floor and gets in Brooks face. Roode sends Kaz into the ring steps and yells at Brooks as the show goes commercial.
Roode eliminated Harris during the break with a backdrop. Shelley elbows Storm in the corner and goes to the top rope. Hoyt big boots Shelley off the top to the floor. Roode and Young send Hoyt over the top to the floor. Young and Roode trade strikes until Roode knee lifts Young, but Kaz hammers away on Roode. Kaz slides to the floor and kisses Brooks hand. Kaz clotheslines Roode over the top tp the floor. Kaz kicks Storm and holds on to remain in the match, but Storm superkicks Kaz to the floor.
Storm and Young are the final two and now it’s a regular match. Young hammers away on Storm followed by a forearm and dropkick. Storm goes for a sleeper, but Young fights out and is met with a sleeper again. Young steps off the corner and lands on top of Storm for the win. (*1/2. I was bored by this and it felt like it was done to fill time, but also to get as many guys on the show as they can. I understand doing that for the first two hour show, but I was just waiting for this one to conclude and move on.)
14.) Earlier today, AJ Styles is talking with Tomko. Christian Cage enters and asks why they are going to Japan. Tomko has to defend the IWGP tag titles in Japan. Cage says that Styles is staying with him.
15.) Kurt Angle is talking with a cheerleader and she says that Garrett is really good. Kurt tells her that Sting slapped his wife and she awkwardly laughs. Kurt knows that Karen didn’t like being slapped and promises Sting witnesses it all. Kurt said he was going to slap Garrett on the ass, but in private to not embarrass him.
16.) Hernandez and Daniels kickoff the match. Daniels and Senshi double team Hernandez, but they are both knocked down. Hernandez backdrops Senshi and tags in Homicide. Homicide clotheslines Daniels and senton splashes Daniels over Hernandez knees. Homicide tags in Fatu to deliver a series of right hands. Styles tags into the match and Fatu is ready for him. Styles eye rakes Fatu and double teams with Daniels. Styles tries for a sunset flip, but Fatu blocks it. Fatu grabs Styles by the throat and sends Styles into the ropes. Fatu knocks Senshi and Daniels off the apron before hitting a superkick. Homicide hits a somersault suicide dive to the floor. Homicide works over Cage in the corner, but Skipper drops Homicide over the top rope. Cage waits on the middle rope to hit a dropkick as the show goes to commercial.
Senshi keeps Homicide on the mat with a head scissors. Daniels tags in and heel kicks Homicide. Senshi leg drops Homicide for a two count. Cage enters to hammer away on Homicide for a two count. Cage controls Homicide with a chin lock, but Homicide falls backwards to break the hold. Styles tags into the match and elbow drops Homicide. Styles dropkicks Homicide for a two count. Styles tags in Cage to keep control on Homicide. Homicide hits a double DDT and tags in Joe. Joe cleans house with strikes and kicks. Joe atomic drops Daniels followed by a big boot and tosses Senshi onto Daniels to hit a splash on both men. Joe snap slams Cage and now everyone is brawling. Fatu hits a Samoan Drop on Daniels. Joe takes Cage out with a suicide dive to the floor. Fatu hits a splash in the corner on Senshi and Daniels. Fatu goes for the stink face and delivers it to Daniels. Styles nails Fatu with a springboard forearm to save Senshi. Styles tries for the Styles Clash, but Homicide dumps Styles to the floor. Hernandez tries to Border Toss Senshi, but Senshi dumps Hernandez to the floor. Joe knocks Senshi to the floor. Cage tries for the Un-Prettier, but Joe counters with a choke. Daniels makes the save and eye rakes Joe followed by stomps in the corner. Daniels is on Hernandez shoulders allowing Homicide to hit a cutter. Hernandez tosses Senshi overhead and takes Styles out with a dive to the floor. Joe sits Cage on the top rope and tries for the Muscle Buster, but Cage counters with a reverse DDT. Senshi goes to the top, but misses a double stomp. Joe delivers a double clothesline. Fatu drops Skipper with a Fatu Driver. Senshi accidentally kicks Cage off the top to the floor. Joe plants Senshi with a Muscle Buster for the win. (***. A good main event with some solid action throughout. The right team went over and there being a clean finish is always a good thing.)
17.) Kurt Angle is in the parking lot putting over Garrett for being a great athlete just like his dad use to be. Angle wants the old Sting to wrestle him at BFG. Angle knows that he’s got to do something extreme and runs up to Garrett. Garrett runs away from Angle, bu Angle stops Garrett at his car. Garrett rams the car door into Angle, but Angle pulls Garrett out and shoves the cameraman down saying he’ll leave the rest to Sting’s imagination.
Final Thoughts:
I found it a little bizarre that Kurt Angle wasn’t live in the arena for the first two-hour show. The show long story of Angle stalking and then attacking Sting’s young son was a little weird to me. I understand where they were going for the story, but it was just off putting a little bit. I think they have some things to figure out when putting together a two-hour show in terms of timing and placement of segments. I’d consider this an average overall show.
Thanks for reading.