Total Non-Stop Action presents Impact
Date: 1/24/2008
From: Orlando, FL
Matches:
1.) James Storm & Robert Roode defeated Sonjay Dutt & Eric Young
2.) Shark Boy defeated Elix Skipper
3.) Johnny Devine defeated TNA X-Division Champion Jay Lethal in a street fight to win the title
4.) Tiger Mask & Curry Man defeated Rock ’n’ Rave Infection (Jimmy Rave & Lance Hoyt)
5.) TNA Tag Team Champions Tomko & AJ Styles defeated Team 3D & The Motor City Machine Guns to retain the titles
Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) Moments ago, Jim Cornette had a meeting with the locker room and says the committee is coming after him for the referee mistake in DQing Samoa Joe last week. Cornette announces some matches tonight to save his buff. TNA X-Division Champion Jay Lethal defends against Johnny Devine in a street fight. TNA Tag Team Champions Tomko & AJ Styles defend the tag titles against the Motor City Machine Guns. Brother Ray insults Crystal saying that she was a one night stand and she wasn’t too good. Ray tells Cornette that Matt Morgan told them about the title match and demands being put in the tag title match instead of the Guns. Cornette agrees to put Team 3D into the match with two conditions. First, it needs to be a great match and they need to leave them alone. They agree to the terms while Ray also notes that he and Devon love three ways to end the segment.
2.) Kevin Nash makes his way down to the ring to cut a promo. Nash says that Cornette screwed up last week and that Samoa Joe got screwed. Nash talks about growing up in Michigan and how they had the easy way and the hard way of doing things. Nash suggests they do this the easy way by Cornette coming out and make things right. Or, they do it the hard way with Joe dealing with Cornette face to face. Nash asks what it’s going to be.
Matt Morgan makes his way out to confront Nash on Cornette’s behalf. Morgan tells Nash that its not the 1990s anymore and nobody cares what Nash has to say. Morgan calls Nash “Grand daddy Cool” and notes that everything Nash is associated with in the past is dead. Morgan thinks that Nash’s career is on life support at best. Morgan proclaims that he’s the new giant on the block. Morgan tells Nash that he’s younger and overall better than Nash. Morgan says he’s the law in TNA Wrestling. Morgan offers Nash a chance to leave on his own or he’ll take him out. Nash grabs Morgan by the throat and tells Morgan to never disrespect him ever again. Nash lets go and Morgan proceeds to attack Nash from behind. Samoa Joe coms to the ring through the crowd and nails Morgan with a big boot to send Morgan bailing to the floor.
Samoa Joe gets on the microphone and says that tonight he and Nash will get it done the hard way. Joe tells Cornette to get ready because he’ll never forget the name Samoa Joe.
3.) Backstage, Jeremy Borash is with The Angle Alliance. Borash hypes up the TNA Awards being revealed tonight on the show. Kurt Angle cuts into JB’s promo. Borash reminds Kurt that he’s just an announcer and Kurt needs his full attention and support. Kurt tells Styles they need a sit down with Tomko. Kurt believes he can offer Tomko something he can’t refuse. Styles doesn’t seem too confident about getting Tomko to join them. Karen chats with Styles and promises to give AJ a little favor tonight if Styles does this favor. Karen lowered her strap and Styles quickly decided to set up the meeting.
4.) Backstage, Crystal is with Christian Cage to talk about the TNA Awards. Cage wonders if he should get his acceptance speech ready. Cage wonders if Kurt never listens to people speak because Tomko wants to be his own man. Cage respects Tomko to give him his space. Cage hopes the sit down meeting goes well for Kurt.
5.) Young and Roode kickoff the tag match. Storm decks Young from behind to allow Roode to get control of the match. Roode hammers away on Young in the corner. Young is sent upside down into the corner, but lands on the apron. Young hits a belly to belly suplex for a two count. Roode knee lifts Young and hammers away on Young. Young trips Roode and heads to the top rope, but Storm crotches Young to the mat. Roode tries for a cover, but Young kicks out a two. Roode tags in Storm to maintain control of the match. Storm clotheslines Young and deliver a knee drop followed by an elbow drop for a near fall. Storm stomps Young in the corner and tags in Roode to maintain control of the match. Young stops Roode with a jawbreaker. Dutt tags in and dropkicks Storm off the apron. Dutt elbows Roode to the mat and delivers a heel kick. Dutt dropkicks Roode and hits a springboard moonsault for a two count as Storm makes the save. Young punches Storm in the corner while Dutt kicks Roode in the corner. Dutt is met with a superkick by Storm on a springboard attempt. Roode hits the Payoff and pins Dutt for the win. (*1/2. Considering Roode’s involved in a major angle with Booker it’s no surprise that he’s winning the match, as he should be. The match was decent for what it was, which was basically just a filler.) After the match, Traci Brooks attacks Payton Banks. Banks and Brooks are held apart by the wrestlers.
6.) Backstage, Booker T arrives to the venue and doesn’t offer a response to Sharmell’s health update.
7.) The 2007 X-Division Wrestler of the Year is revealed in the ring with Jeremy Borash hosting the award ceremony. The winner of the award is the TNA X-Division Champion Jay Lethal. So Cal Val is in the ring to celebrate the win with Lethal. Lethal cuts a serious promo without acting like he’s Randy Savage and says he performs every week because he loves the fan. Lethal talks about the abuse he’s suffered by the hands of Team 3D and he’s lost his smile. Lethal is mad and isn’t going to take it anymore. Lethal plans to start tonight with Johnny Devine. Lethal promises an ass kicking that Team 3D deserves, but on Devine. Lethal is going to do it for the people.
8.) Backstage, Crystal is with Black Reign. Reign says he wants Misty back from Kaz and he’s not done with Kaz. Samoa Joe enters the scene and attacks Reign. Kaz walks into the segment and takes the hammer and black wig before walking off.
9.) A video package highlighting Shark Boy’s injuries over the recent weeks and his hospital stay. However, after glass broke while in bed, Shark Boy woke up and began acting like ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin.
10.) Shark Boy goes right after Skipper with right hands and a Thez Press to deliver right hands. Boy delivers a forearm drop off the ropes. Shark Boy is doing a Stone Cold impression fully. Skipper gains control with a snapmare and a kick to the back. Skipper sends Boy into the corner and misses a splash. Boy stomps Skipper several times in the corner. Skipper hits a headlock suplex for a near fall. Skipper hits a belly to belly suplex. Skipper leaps off the top missing a leg drop attempt. Boy hits a stunner and pins Skipper for the win. (*. Skipper is done, too? Is Triple X completely done for since Daniels was ‘fired’? That’s kind of a bummer. I’m not sure if this Shark Boy gimmick will last since it’s a comedy character, but we’ll see.) After the match, Shark Boy cuts a promo talking about getting his butt kicked for the past three months. That’s no longer going to happen because Shark Boy just whipped your ass 24/7. Instead of beer, he’s drinking clam juice.
11.) 2007 Knockout of the Year is presented in the ring by Jeremy Borash. Borash reveals that Gail Kim won the award. Gail Kim makes her way out to the ring to accept the award. Kim thanks the fans for making her the 2007 Knockout of the Year. Kim says it has been an incredible year. She’s still suffering from the concussion she suffered thanks to Awesome Kong. Kim says the championship means everything to her and women’s wrestling. Kim calls Kong a disgrace to the title. Kim says that Kong couldn’t care less about the hard work, but instead she only cares about hurting people. Kim promises that Kong hasn’t taken her out. TNA Knockouts Champion Awesome Kong’s music hits and she makes her way down to the ring. Kong is with Saeed. Kim avoids Kong in the corner and delivers a few strikes, but Kong stops Kim with a headbutt and a spinning back fist. Kong tries for a powerbomb, but ODB makes her way out and runs to the ring, but Kong stomps on ODB. ODB fights back with a few strikes, but Kong delivers a clothesline. Kong tries for a powerbomb, but ODB breaks free. ODB dropkicks Kong into the ropes and knocks Kong through the ropes to the floor. Saeed stops Kong from returning to the ring.
12.) Backstage, The Angle Alliance meet with Tomko. Kurt offers Tomko a spot in the group if Tomko helps him beat Christian Cage. Kurt offers Tomko all the perks that AJ gets like the cars and whatnot and also Karen Angle. Tomko says he’s married and has a kid, so he doesn’t need the inspiration. Kurt puts over Karen as not being a girl you picked up from the strip club. Tomko decks Kurt and sends Kurt into the locker as the segment fades to commercial. Upon returning, Tomko continues to beat on Kurt as they head towards the ringside area. Tomko pummels Kurt with right hands on the mat. Tomko shoves security away as Kurt escapes to the floor. Kurt screams that Tomko blew it and challenges Tomko to a match next week. Kurt hopes that Tomko’s wife has the night off so she can take Tomko to the hospital. Tomko breaks free to attack Kurt on the floor and they continue to brawl.
13.) Backstage, Crystal interviews Johnny Devine, who says he’s doing the talking and not Team 3D. Devine says we’ll find out why he jumped to the dark side. Brother Ray chimes in and says that Devine will go hardcore on Lethal tonight. Ray continues to cut a promo on the Machine Guns and tag champs. Brother Ray is confident that they will win the tag titles and bring them to Against All Odds. Ray says they don’t care what anyone has to say about it.
14.) Lethal and Devine brawl on the floor to start by trading strikes and chops. Lethal rams Devine face first onto the ring steps and continues with chops. Lethal grabs a steel chair and rams Devine head first into the ring post with a chair wrapped around his head. Lethal tosses a trash can into the ring and rolls Devine into the ring. Lethal sends Devine to the apron, but is dropped over the top rope throat first. Devine tosses a chair onto Lethal and misses a springboard moonsault. Lethal plants Devine with a DDT onto the chair as the show goes to commercial.
Lethal hits Devine over the head with a trash can. Devine has been busted wide open by this point. Lethal nails Devine with another trash can shot and hits a hip toss. Lethal dropkicks the trash can into Devine’s head. Lethal whacks Devine with a kendo stick and hits the Lethal Combination. Lethal climbs to the top rope, but Team 3D come out and Lethal hits a top rope crossbody onto them! Lethal is dropped throat first onto the steel chair by Devine. Devine crawls over and covers Lethal for a two count. Lethal destroys Devine with a chair shot, but Brother Devon pulls the referee out of the ring. Brother Ray hits Lethal off the top with a kendo stick. Devine is put on top and the referee counts the pin. Devine is the new champion. (**. I don’t mind the title change, but there’s no chance of the X-Division being broken up at the PPV. If Devine keeps the belt for a bit it would make for an interesting dynamic.) After the match, Samoa Joe enters the ring and chokes out Devine as Team 3D leaves.
15.) Mike Tenay had a sit down interview with Abyss regarding Father James Mitchell. Abyss wears a mask because he’s ashamed of the blood in his body. Abyss admits that Father Mitchell is his father and witnessed the abuse. Abyss has challenged Judas Mesias to Barbed Wire Massacre. His wounds have healed, but Judas never will.
16.) 2007 Most Memorable Moment Awards is presented in the ring by Jeremy Borash. Kendall Gill is in the ring, who is on the newest season of Pros vs. Joes. Gill is there to promote Kurt Angle’s appearance on the program. Booker T and Sharmell coming to TNA wins the award. Booker T makes his way down to the ring to accept the award. Booker tells Sharmell that he loves her very much. Booker has never been hurt like this before. Booker says it has been hard for him and he doesn’t know when he’ll be back in the ring. Robert Roode appears on the big screen and says that this is Booker’s fault. Roode never expected Booker to accept a mixed tag match and questions what kind of husband Booker is to put his wife in harms way. Roode says he’d never do that, but Booker T did. Roode tells Booker to get home and take care of his wife. Roode asks for Booker to give her his best. Booker is seething with anger.
17.) Backstage, BG James and Bob Armstrong are interviewed. BG puts a t-shirt over Crystal because he has a wife and kid. BG talks about Bob being his tag partner for Against All Odds. BG says it’s going to be a party for the next three weeks. Bob chimes in and says that vacation isn’t something BG should be doing. Bob tells BG they’re going to be doing boot camp to get ready for the match. BG walks off trying to convince Bob to not do that.
18.) Christy Hemme is with the Rock ’n’ Rave Infection and she acts like a singer screaming into the microphone. Jimmy Rave says “thank you, Cleveland.”
19.) Hoyt and Tiger kickoff the tag match with Mask hitting a few kicks. Hoyt shoulder blocks Mask to the mat and tags in Rave. Rave runs the ropes and is catapulted across the ring. Mask monkey flips Rave out of the corner followed by a hurricanrana. Curry Man tags in and elbows Rave alongside Tiger Mask. Curry steps over Rave and delivers a jawbreaker and right hand to drop Rave to the mat. Curry tries for a suplex, but Hoyt prevents the move and tags in to work over Curry. Curry tries for a crossbody, but is tossed down to the mat. Hoyt distracts the referee to allow Rave to choke Curry. Rave knee lifts Curry followed by a knee strike to the face for a near fall. Hoyt returns to the match and runs into a back elbow by Curry. Rave tags in, but Tiger Mask gets the tag and hits a tilt a whirl backbreaker for a two count. Mask puts Rave on the top rope and hits a double under hook suplex for a near fall. Rave rams Mask into the corner, but Mask hits a backflip kick. Hoyt tosses Mask off the top and Curry sends Rave into Hoyt. Hoyt catches Mask on the floor and hits a slam. Curry plants Rave with the Spicy Rack, but Hoyt breaks the cover. Rave is left in the ring as Curry dives onto Hoyt on the floor with a crossbody. Tiger Mask hits a top rope diving headbutt to pin Rave for the win. (*1/2. Filler. I’m assuming the point of this was for Tiger Mask’s appearance since this advanced nothing.)
20.) MVP for 2007 award is up next with Jeremy Borash in the ring to present the award. The winner of the award is revealed as being Samoa Joe. Joe says he’s the most valuable wrestler in the company and wants Borash to explain why he hasn’t gotten his title match. Borash reminds Joe that he did get a title shot a few months ago and didn’t win the title. Joe proceeds to nail Borash with a clothesline. Jim Cornette comes out asking if Joe has lost his mind. Joe tells Cornette this stops when he says it stops. Joe destroys the MVP award and stalks Cornette. Kevin Nash comes out and backs Joe off. Borash is helped backstage by security. Cornette admits that it was a bad call last week and Joe got screwed. Cornette says he wants to make Joe the special guest enforcer for Cage vs. Angle at Against All Odds. Cornette promises to give Joe an opportunity for the title at Destination X and Joe doesn’t accept. Cornette wants to know what Joe wants. Joe wants a five year completely exclusive contract and get paid 15% more than Kurt Angle. Cornette asks for some time to think about this since he’s on the spot. Cornette agrees to the terms and tells Joe to be here next week. Joe high-fives Nash.
21.) Backstage, Crystal is with the TNA Tag Team Champions Tomko and AJ Styles. Styles says Tomko and Angle are hot heads and says that Kurt is sorry. Tomko tells Styles that Kurt will be handled next week and that AJ is close to being a problem, too.
22.) Sabin and Brother Ray kickoff the main event. Ray backs Sabin into a corner, but tries a cheap shot only for Sabin to hit an arm drag and keeps arm control on the mat. Sabin twists Ray’s wrist on the mat. Sabin yanks on Ray’s arm, but Ray eye rakes free. Sabin kicks Ray and tries for a clothesline, but Ray counters to hit a Rock Bottom for a two count. Styles enters the match and works over Sabin with strikes. Sabin elbows free and is met with an uppercut. Sabin kicks Styles and hits a springboard tornado DDT for a near fall. Tomko tags in and cleans house. Ray knocks Tomko over the top to the floor. Styles hits Ray with a springboard forearm smash. Styles dives over the top to take the Guns out with a somersault dive. Karen Angle distracts Brother Ray on the floor. Styles tries to fight Ray, but Ray tosses Styles into Karen. Karen is holding her head on the floor and Styles tags out to Devon. Tomko is tagged in as Styles carries Karen backstage. Team 3D hits a back suplex/neckbreaker combo as the show goes to commercial.
Tomko tries to fight off Devon, but is met with a knee lift to the midsection. Devon climbs to the top rope and leaps off missing a diving headbutt. Tomko pummels Devon with right hands in the corner. Ray decks Tomko and puts him in an electric chair position allowing Devon to hit a top rope clothesline for a near fall. Shelley and Sabin kick Team 3D to the floor. Sabin splashes Devon in the corner and Shelley hits a leaping forearm. Devon is nailed by a combo kick in the corner. Tomko decks Ray and nails Devon with a clothesline to pin Devon to retain the titles. (**. Well, I was not expecting Devon to take the fall. Tomko seems to be setup for a full fledged face run, and I think he might excel in that role. Tomko is a believable badass, and I don’t think that steps on Samoa Joe’s role at all.) After the match, Christian Cage is seen applauding Tomko at the top of the ramp to end the show.
Final Thoughts:
Well, the main angle on the show was the Awards, which just fills time and doesn’t really add much to anything. It was nice they had interactions, but it’s nothing overly creative. Robert Roode is coming across very well in his heel role with Booker T. Action wise this show was lackluster and the angles carried the entertainment.
Thanks for reading.