Total Non-Stop Action presents Impact
Date: 1/10/2008
From: Orlando, FL
Matches:
1.) Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin) defeated Triple X (Senshi & Elix Skipper)
2.) Judas Mesias defeated Chris Harris
3.) Petey Williams & Sonjay Dutt defeated Voodoo Kin Mafia (BG & Kip James)
4.) LAX (Homicide & Hernandez) defeated Rock ’n’ Rave Infection (Jimmy Rave & Lance Hoyt)
5.) TNA Tag Team Champion Tomko defeated Shark Boy
6.) Awesome Kong defeated TNA Knockouts Champion Gail Kim to win the title
Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) A video package highlighting what happened at Final Resolution is shown. Kevin Nash walked out on Samoa Joe in their tag title match. Robert Roode laid out Sharmell. AJ Styles turned on Christian Cage and aligned with TNA World Champion Kurt Angle.
2.) Backstage, Robert Roode says that Sharmell was in the wrong place at the wrong time and says it was an accident. Roode suggests that Booker T protect his wife better. Roode doesn’t have any remorse because this is pro wrestling and stuff happens. Roode says that everything will go according to his plan tonight. Roode reveals that he’s wrestling Ms. Brooks in a singles match later on. If we thought Sharmell having a broken jaw is bad, just wait for what happens to Brooks tonight.
3.) Senshi and Skipper attack before the bell and double team Shelley after dumping Sabin to the floor. Shelley is met with a double elbow strike. Senshi strikes Shelley in the corner, but Shelley responds with chops. Skipper knee lifts Shelley to gain control. Senshi hits a springboard kick to knock Shelley out of Skipper’s grip. Senshi headbutts Shelley to the mat and continues with chops in the corner. Senshi manages a two count on a pin attempt. Senshi controls Shelley with a front face lock and decks Sabin off the apron. Skipper tags into the match and is sent into Senshi. Shelley hits a Codebreaker on Skipper and Sabin hits a dropkick on Senshi. Skipper is kicked in the corner by both men and Sabin nails Senshi with a running boot. Shelley tosses Skipper to the floor and hits a slingshot crossbody. Sabin is stopped by a cartwheel kick by Senshi. Senshi is stopped by Shelley. Shelley drop toe holds Skipper in the corner. Guns hit the Bullet Point in the corner. Skipper shoves Shelley into the corner, but Sabin sends Skipper to the floor. Sabin nails Senshi with a spin kick. Guns hit a powerslam/DDT combo. Guns hit a series of kicks to Senshi and Shelley pins Senshi for the win. (**1/4. That was a quality way to start the show with consistent action and the crowd was hot for the action. It sure seems as if the PPV loss isn’t going to hurt the Guns with the live crowd.)
4.) Christian Cage runs into the ring and attacks Elix Skipper sending Skipper chest first into the corner. Cage grabs Senshi and tosses Senshi to the floor, as well. Cage cuts a promo saying that he’s got a problem with AJ Styles that they need to figure out tonight. Cage can live with Styles wanting to be his own man, but he can’t live with Styles screwing him out of the TNA World Championship. Cage is going to take back everything he ever gave Styles tonight.
5.) Backstage, Chris Harris is asking Jim Cornette what it’s going to take for him to get respect in TNA since he’s been here since day one. Cornette would rather be shot, and Harris asks if he has a gun. Cornette tells Harris that he’s got a match against Judas Mesias. Harris notes he asked for more TV time and gets the blood spitting vampire demon. Harris storms out of the room. Samoa Joe enters the room and asks if Cornette set him up. Cornette assures Joe that he didn’t set him up. Joe promises to handle the Nash situation and will do so tonight.
6.) Earlier tonight, The Angle Alliance arrived to the venue with Jeremy Borash driving them. AJ Styles seems to be smitten by Karen Angle. TNA World Champion Kurt Angle reveals that Styles will be coronated into the Angle Alliance and AJ will be known as a prince. Kurt tells Borash to get the bags as they walk off.
7.) Backstage, Jeremy Borash is telling Styles to watch his back since Christian Cage is looking for him. Styles acts like he doesn’t know what he did. Styles asks Kurt what he should do about Christian crippling him tonight because he doesn’t want to be crippled. Kurt tells Styles to not worry about that. AJ asks Karen about Christian threatening to murder him and Karen assures AJ that he’s got nothing to worry about. Karen tells Styles that if she was him she’d hide. Styles tries to leave, but someone enters the room. It’s Tomko and Styles hugs Tomko. Styles is nervous, but Tomko tells AJ that he’s on his own. AJ leaves the ring and Kurt says he’ll see him out there later.
8.) Mesias attacks Harris on the floor as Harris complained to the commentary team. Mesias keeps control in the ring with chops in the corner. Father James Mitchell is on commentary talking about the secret that Abyss refuses to reveal. Harris kicks Mesias, but is met with a clothesline. Mitchell promises to reveal the secret one way or another. Mesias drives Harris face first onto the mat. Mesias misses a top rope splash attempt. Harris fights back with punches and a leaping clothesline. Harris continues with a spinebuster for a two count. Harris rams Mesias into the corner and hits a bulldog off the ropes. Harris tries for Catatonic, but Mitchell gets on the apron allowing Mesias to spit mist into Harris eyes. Mesias hits The Straight To Hell for the win. (*. This would be the final appearance for Chris Harris as a TNA regular. He’d have a short-lived run on the ECW brand in the summer. It’s honestly a shame that Harris didn’t accomplish more. Back in the late-spring, early-summer of 2007 Harris seemed on the verge of a breakout, but poor booking quickly stopped that momentum. I never would have guessed James Storm breaking through over Harris, but to Storm’s credit he has better charisma and in wrestling that can overcome a lot. Oh, and they better deliver on this secret they’ve been pushing for Abyss next week.)
9.) Backstage, Crystal interview Ms. Brooks. Brooks looks quite concerned. Brooks says she doesn’t have a choice whether or not she wrestles Robert Roode. Brooks is petrified, but the only way she can get out of this nightmare is to face Roode head on.
10.) Kip and Dutt kickoff the tag match with Kip tossing Dutt to the mat out of a lockup position. Kip gets a top wrist lock on Dutt, but Petey enters and they double dropkick Kip on the knees. Dutt hits a standing moonsault for a near fall. BG tags into the match as Williams tags in, as well. Williams drop toe holds BG and hits a dropkick. Kip misses an elbow drop and rolls to the floor. Petey delivers a jawbreaker and a spinning heel kick to knock BG to the floor. After a commercial, Kip gets a two count on Williams. Kip drives Williams down with a backbreaker. Scott Steiner comes out and switches briefcases with Petey essentially stealing the TNA World Championship opportunity. Kip tries for a delayed vertical, but Petey knees free and tags in Dutt. Kip misses a splash in the corner and Dutt kicks Kip followed by a dropkick to BG. Kip counters a wheelbarrow attempt and drives Dutt face first down to the mat. Petey realizes that his briefcase was swapped out. Petey leaves the match. Kip and BG argue with Kip shoving BG over Dutt on accident. Kip checks on BG and Dutt rolls Kip up for the win. After the match, Sonjay Dut kisses So Cal Val, who acts shocked, but may have enjoyed it. Kip and BG bicker i the ring. Kip gets a microphone and demands to know who BG is going to pick to be his tag partner next week. (1/2*. I don’t really care about Kip and BG apparently splitting up.)
11.) Backstage, Christian Cage is with Crystal looking for AJ Styles. The camera pans over to AJ Styles and Jeremy Borash hiding under a table. Styles is nervous about what Cage is going to do to him. Styles farts and Borash is grossed out by it. Eric Young appears and tells Styles to hide at the park because there’s a bunch of people there. Styles agrees and suggests they go to the park. Styles doesn’t care about the coronation and decides to hide out at Universal Studios. Young tells them he will watch the fort.
12.) Team 3D and Johnny Devine are in the ring. Brother Ray brags about beating the X-Division in the Ultimate X match. Brother Ray issues another challenge to the Machine Guns and Jay Lethal to a street fight at Against All Odds. If the Guns and Lethal win then they will give the TNA X-Division Championship back to them. Ray then says if they win then the X-Division is gone forever (I wonder who will win). Brother Devon chimes in with his catchphrase to end the segment.
13.) Backstage, Samoa Joe barges into Kevin Nash’s office, but Nash has a baseball bat and Joe backs off. Nash tells Joe that he’s not wrestling for free. Nash demands 100k for them both and then he’ll wrestle. Nash tells Joe that he has everything that Joe wants. Nash didn’t screw over Joe, but rather gave him a wake up call. Nash tells Joe that he needs his wisdom. Nash gives the bat to Joe and tells him to hit him. Joe says he should kill him, but Nash knows he won’t.
14.) TNA World Champion Kurt Angle promotes the Kong vs. Kim match and picks Kim to win because she has heart.
15.) Earlier this week, Mike Tenay conducted an interview with Booker T at the hospital. Booker is somber and says it is pretty bad for Sharmell. Booker reveals that Sharmell has a shattered jaw. Tenay asks what thoughts Booker has, and Booker blames himself for this. Booker thinks this may have been the biggest mistake of his life to allow Sharmell to compete. Booker has been beating himself up over the whole situation. Booker says the day Sharmell walks out of the hospital is the day he’ll stop beating himself up and is the day he’ll focus his efforts on Robert Roode. Booker says this is personal and it’s about being a man. Booker thanks everyone for their concern and leaves the interview to be with his wife.
16.) Robert Roode comes out and puts down Booker T for his pathetic interview and mocks the situation. Roode says that Booker agreed to the match and insults Sharmell for being in the match, as well. Roode doesn’t care that he broke her jaw. Roode thinks that he should be thanked for Sharmell being able to lose a few pounds. Roode calls Ms. Brooks an overweight skank. Roode announces that Ms. Brooks has officially been fired and means nothing to him. Roode is going to do something that he should have done a long time ago. Roode says a broken jaw is going to look like a little splinter. Roode calls out Brooks for a match.
Ms. Brooks comes out and she’s emotional, but tells Roode to shut up. Brooks asks if her being scared makes him happy. Brooks tells Roode that she’s petrified and notes what Roode did to Sharmell. Brooks asks if hitting her will get Roode off. Brooks puts over Roode for having everything, but none of that matters. Brooks says that he’s just a “prick named Bob.” Roode calls Brooks a fat skank and says she blew an opportunity to be with greatness. Roode says it’s time for Brooks to find out that it pays to be Roode. Jim Cornette comes out and warns Roode to not even move or breathe. Cornette isn’t going to allow Roode to do this. Cornette says that Roode is an embarrassment to the male species. Cornette tells Roode he has the power and should suspend Roode for the rest of his career. The crowd likes that idea and Roode looks nervous. Cornette wants to see what happens when Booker T comes back to take Roode apart piece by piece. Cornette tells Brooks to meet with security and she’ll be escorted out. Cornette promises Roode will no longer mess with Brooks. Brooks goes to the ramp and is attacked by Roode’s mystery fan. The fan hits Brooks over the back with a chair. Roode scares Cornette away with a chair as Brooks is pummeled. Roode reveals her name as Ms. Peyton Banks. Matt Morgan runs down with Cornette as Roode and Ms. Banks leave the scene.
17.) Outside, Jeremy Borash talks about AJ Styles hiding out in the park as Christian Cage is looking for Styles. Styles appears dressed up in a costume. Styles says he’s not doing the coronation. Borash mentions Karen Angle looking for him and Styles accepts going to the coronation.
18.) Hernandez and Hoyt start the match with Hoyt kicking Hernandez in the midsection after absorbing a shoulder block. Hoyt works over Hernandez trying for a suplex, but Hernandez counters hitting a delayed vertical suplex. Rave tags in and is met with a backdrop. Homicide enters the match and tosses Rave overhead with a belly to belly suplex. Homicide runs into a boot in the corner. Hoyt tags in and Homicide fires back with strikes. Hoyt avoids a cutter and hip tosses Homicide followed by a big boot. Hoyt tries for a modified powerbomb, but Homicide breaks free to hit a cutter. Hernandez and Rave tag in with Hernandez tossing Rave across the ring with his shirt. Hernandez misses a splash, but shoulder blocks Rave. Homicide clotheslines Rave followed by a splash from Hernandez. Hernandez catapults Rave into a clothesline by Homicide. Homicide hits a senton on Rave over Hernandez’s knees. Hernandez shoves Hoyt off the top rope to the floor. Homicide tries for the Gringo Killer, but Rave counters for a two count. Homicide ends up hitting the Gringo Killer and wins the match. (*1/2. I mean, this match was worth it just to see Homicide actually hit the Gringo Killer finisher. Rave looked to have taken the both badly.)
19.) Backstage, TNA Tag Team Champion Tomko is interviewed regarding AJ Styles. Tomko doesn’t feel for AJ Styles because Styles created the situation. Tomko says he knew there was no winning out of the situation. Tomko thinks AJ picked the Angle Alliance because of a school boy crush. Crystal doesn’t get it, of course.
20.) Shark Boy is all taped up due to various injuries over the past several weeks.
21.) Tomko nails Shark Boy with a big boot to avoid a shot with a crutch. Boy delivers a right hand, but is decked by a clothesline from behind. Tomko press slams Boy and switches to a fallaway slam. Tomko hits a modified TKO and pins Shark Boy quickly. (NR. Tomko push continues. I am finding this character for Shark Boy kind of funny.)
22.) Backstage, AJ Styles helps Karen Angle get ready for the coronation by clipping her dress in a men’s stall. Karen asks for some privacy, and Borash is promised some quality time later with Karen. Karen tells AJ it’s his time to step up and tonight is the night. Karen is clearly seducing Styles and says that AJ is more of a man than Kurt. Karen tells AJ that tonight is his night and nobody can take it from him. AJ finds confidence and leaves the bathroom.
23.) Backstage, Crystal interview Kaz who has Marlena, which is a rat. Crystal says that the rat looks like Black Reigns rat. Kaz says if his friend wants his rat back he can come and get it. Marlena is the name of the manager for Goldust in the 90s, who was played by Terri Runnels.
24.) TNA World Champion Kurt Angle, TNA Tag Team Champion AJ Styles and Karen Angle make their way down to the ring for the coronation. Kurt introduces the newest member of the Angle Alliance, Prince AJ Styles. Styles takes a seat on a throne and Kurt is ready to put a crown on AJ. Kurt announces Styles as Prince AJ Styles and AJ is excited. Kurt talks about AJ’s decision at Final Resolution to join him no matter the consequences. Kurt puts over AJ for screwing over Christian Cage. Kurt says that AJ is onto bigger and better things. Kurt calls AJ a genius for how he did it. Kurt describes how AJ did it, but they are cutoff by Christian Cage!
Christian Cage appears at the top of the ramp as AJ Styles appears worried. Cage says that Kurt forgot something. Cage reminds Kurt that Kurt submitted to his own ankle lock. Cage addresses Styles and the fans are calling AJ a princess. Cage asks if Styles is ready to man up. Styles is ready to man up and not take any more of Cage’s crap. Cage asks if Styles is just a puppet for Karen. Cage insults Karen for using her mouth for just four dollars. AJ warns Cage to never talk to her like that. AJ thinks he can take Cage. Cage suggests they find out and makes his way to the ring. However, Samoa Joe’s music hits. Joe appears on the other side. Joe says he’s there for his title shot. AJ tells Joe to shut his mouth because Kurt is the champ. AJ says they call the shots and not Joe. Joe insults Kurt. Cage pitches Joe on agreeing to kick their asses, but Jim Cornette appears in the ring. Cornette agrees that Cage deserves a rematch. However, Cornette also agrees with Samoa Joe that he should be a challenger for the TNA World Champion. Cornette would love to see Styles get whooped. Cornette announces a three-way dance between Christian Cage, AJ Styles and Samoa Joe next week. If AJ wins the match then he can either get a title shot, or Angle gets two months off and doesn’t defend until Lockdown. Kurt likes that idea.
25.) Awesome Kong has a mystery associate with her at ringside for the main event.
26.) Kim avoids Kong in the corner and Kong misses a splash in the corner. Kim chops Kong in the corner and avoids another splash. Kong knocks Kim off the apron with a backhand. Kong rams Kim face first onto the ring steps. Kong chokes Kim on the ramp, but Kim kicks free and leaps of the ramp, but is caught by Kong and rammed into the side. Kong sends Kim in the wall back first. Kong misses a running attack and crashes through the stage. The show goes to commercial.
Kong rams Kim face first onto the apron before returning to the ring. Kim runs into a body strike by Kong. Kong pulls Kim up by her hair and crotches Kim onto the top turnbuckle. Kim delivers another spinning back fist, but Kim responds with a tornado DDT for a near fall. Kim punches Kong on the mat and heads to the top rope hitting a senton splash. Kim tries for a cover, but Kong kicks out at two. Kim climbs to the top rope, but Kong catches Kim and hits a slam for a near fall. Kong sends Kim across the ring, but misses a splash. Kim strikes Kong in the corner, but Kong kicks Kim and hits an double under hook slam for a near fall. Kong tries for a powerbomb, but Kim slides off and dropkicks Kong. Kim tries for a hurricanrana, but Kong hits a powerbomb and a second powerbomb. Kong plants Kim with the Awesome Bomb and pins Kim to win the title. (***. This is an example of TNA’s business being TV based. More eyes are going to see Kong win over Kim on TV compared to PPV, which doesn’t bother me as a viewer. Kim’s role as an underdog is perfect match for Kong’s dominance in the division. I thought they did a great job in the match and it held my interest. It was not a dull match by any means. I’m glad this got the main event spot over the coronation segment.)
Final Thoughts:
AJ Styles as a comedy character bums me out. I like the serious AJ or the overly cocky AJ from early TNA. Leave the comedy to Eric Young. AJ’s going to be a face eventually when he realizes that Karen and Kurt are using him for their gain. There’s a lot going on, but I enjoyed the show. Roode/Booker is personal and it has a purpose moving forward. I thought they built up the feuds on the show well this week.
Thanks for reading.