Total Non-Stop Action presents Impact
Date: 3/6/2008
From: Orlando, FL
Matches:
1.) Kevin Nash defeated AJ Styles in a street fight
2.) Curry Man won a battle royal
3.) Tomko defeated Samoa Joe in a first blood match
4.) Rhino defeated Judas Mesias
5.) TNA Knockouts Champion Awesome Kong defeated Salinas
6.) Christian Cage defeated TNA World Champion Kurt Angle in a non-title steel cage match
Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) Backstage, Kurt Angle talks to AJ Styles and Tomko saying they have everything to gain and nothing to lose. They just have to win two out of three matches tonight to get the man advantage at Destination X. AJ asks where Karen is at, but Kurt asks if he even listened to him. Kurt tells AJ that Karen is at home where she belongs. AJ tried to call Karen, and Kurt asks why he’d do that. AJ notes that Karen considers herself married to both men. Kurt reminds AJ that he’s wrestling Kevin Nash in a street fight tonight. Kurt tells Styles to focus on Nash’s legs. Kurt tells Tomko to make Samoa Joe bleed in a first blood match since samoans love to bleed. Kurt has Christian Cage inside a steel cage. Kurt ends the pep talk, but nobody seems overly into it.
2.) Jim Cornette and Matt Morgan are in the ring to promote Destination X pay per view. Cornette talks about the three singles matches taking place tonight. Cornette repeats the matches that Kurt has already mentioned. The cage match between Christian Cage and Kurt Angle is an escape rules match. Whichever teams wins the majority of the matches will have the advantage at the PPV. Cornette brings out Booker T to join him. Cornette says the match with Robert Roode has been a long time coming for Booker T. The match at Destination X will be a strap match where they are attached at their wrists. There’s a special stipulation where Traci and Peyton will be in the corner of the men. Whichever man wins then the woman gets to whip the other woman with ten lashes. Booker calls Roode a chicken head, but Roode already cuts into the promo standing on the stage. Roode tells both Cornette and Booker to screw off. Roode tells the same thing for all the fans. Roode doesn’t want to put Banks in harms way, unlike Booker. Roode thinks Booker may find it funny to see Banks get whipped, but he doesn’t. Roode says the issue is between them and at Destination X it will end between them. Roode tells Booker to stop hiding behind his wife. Roode wants Booker to be a man and fight his own battles. Booker decides to leave the ring and they brawl on the aisle trading strikes until security runs into the scene to pull them apart.
3.) Backstage, the Unlikely Alliance is interviewed regarding the three matches they are competing in. Samoa Joe says that Kurt Angle has been warned and the Angle Alliance is in their sights. Joe says it starts with Tomko and notes there’s no other way out other than bleeding. Joe promises Tomko will bleed. Cage says they’ve come to an understanding and they understand the business. Cage says to make it in the business you should never take no. Cage says it’s called working the system. Cage notes Joe is a future world champion. Cage calls themselves the Usual Suspects and tonight they take out Angle Alliance one by one. Cage is returning the favor for the two times that Kurt screwed him out of the TNA World Championship. Christian says Kurt will find out why he calls himself champ. Nash impersonates Hulk Hogan asking AJ Styles what he’s going to do when his 17 time repaired knees come down on him.
4.) Styles goes right after Nash, but Nash decks Styles away with a few punches. Styles staggers to a corner and tries to tackle Nash, but fails. Nash knocks Styles through the ropes to the floor. Nash sends Styles into the railing, but Styles tries to come back with a springboard, but is decked by Nash. Nash tosses Styles into the wall in the crowd and continues with knee lifts as the show goes to commercial.
Styles has control with strikes on Nash. Styles hit a leaping forearm in the crowd during the break. Styles also sent Nash into the ring steps. Nash fights back with strikes and a side slam for a two count. Nash tosses Styles into the corner and delivers a few knee lifts and elbow strike. Nash drops Styles over the top turnbuckle with a snake eyes. Nash continues with a knee lift and plants Styles with a sloppy powerbomb, but Nash sells a potential knee injury. Styles kicks Nash on the knee and goes to the top rope. Nash catches Styles and hits a chokeslam for the win. (1/2*. It’s hardly a street fight as they didn’t utilize weapons or anything. I’m surprised Nash won cleanly.)
5.) Backstage, Black Reign is interviewed along with Misty the rat. Reign knows Eric Young is afraid of monsters and he likes to torture people like Young. Reign says this is the real thing. Reign promises that Kaz will not be forgotten for what he did to Misty. Reign will eat Kaz’s face off at Destination X.
6.) Backstage, TNA X-Division Champion Jay Lethal and So Cal Val are interviewed. Lethal is involved in a match against Petey Williams at the PPV and a battle royal tonight. Lethal talks about when the date with Val is going to take place. Lethal says business comes first and then the date with Val will take place. Val can’t wait for the date after Lethal said something about next week.
7.) Backstage, Peyton Banks and Traci Brooks are brawling in the locker room area. Banks tries to escape as the scene comes to an end.
8.) Backstage, Jeremy Borash chats with Eric Young, who is still freaked out by the monsters. Borash reminds Young he has a tag match at Destination X. Young gets scared when he sees the monsters. Borash tells Young he needs to reach down inside and pull hard when they’re at the PPV. Young thinks Borash is talking about wedgies. Borash thinks Young as an alter ego inside and it just needs to come out for Eric Young.
9.) The winner of the battle royal can add a stipulation to their match at Destination X. Everyone involved in the battle royal already has a match scheduled for the PPV.
10.) Team 3D have to make weight for the battle royal. Brother Devon fails to make weight, again. Brother Ray fails to make weight and Earl Hebner asks what is wrong with them. Brother Ray claims they don’t want to be in the match anyway. Ray says that muscle weighs more than fat and that’s why they fail to make weight.
11.) Sonjay Dutt is seen during the battle royal getting donations from the fans. Dutt also kisses So Cal Val’s hand at ringside. Scott Steiner appeared on the aisle during the match, too. Steiner assisted Petey Williams to avoid being eliminated early into the match. Williams hit the Canadian Destroyer on Lethal and eliminated the champion. The final two are Curry Man and Rellik. Rellik controls Curry with a knee lift and tries to send Curry to the floor, but Curry avoids it. Curry stands on Jimmy Rave’s back on the floor. Rellik doesn’t realize Curry didn’t hit the floor. Curry delivers a jawbreaker and a strike. Curry clotheslines Rellik over the top to the floor. Curry Man wins and now will pick a stipulation for the match at Destination X against Team 3D. (NR. Battle royals are hard to rate. The closing sequence was fine, though. I liked that Petey Williams got momentum on Lethal in the match, as well.) After the match, Curry Man cuts a promo. Shark Boy comes out and says that nobody understands what Curry is saying. Shark Boy insults Team 3D as being the fattest pieces of garbage. Shark Boy notes that if Team 3D can’t make weight then they are gone from TNA for good. If Team 3D makes weight then they are going to have a fish market street fight at Destination X.
12.) Backstage, Jeremy Borash interviews Angelina Love and Velvet Sky. Love grabs Roxxi to join their segment since Roxxi provided an accurate prediction. Sky also admits they were wrong and admits even Beautiful People make mistakes. They offer a makeover for Roxxi to look like them.
13.) Joe goes after Tomko on the floor and rams Tomko onto the announcers table. Joe tries to use a hammer, but Tomko blocks it. Tomko also misses a hammer shot and Joe sends Tomko into the side of the ring. Joe has the referee check to see if Tomko is bleeding, but he’s not. Joe delivers a headbutt and rams Tomko into the ring steps causing the referee to check again. Tomko fights back and slams Joe on the ramp. Tomko tries to use a chair, but Joe avoids it. Joe spikes Tomko with a piledriver on the ramp! They return to the ring where Tomko decks Joe with a clothesline. Tomko continues to club away on Joe and delivers right hands in the corner. Tomko chokes Joe over the middle rope. Tomko pummels Joe in the corner and taunts the fans. Tomko controls Joe on the mat with a neck vice and switches to a sleeper. Tomko punches Joe several times on the mat. Joe elbows free and punches Tomko, but is met with a big boot. Tomko grabs a chair from the floor and wedges the chair in the corner. Tomko tries to send Joe into the chair, but Joe avoids it. Joe knee strikes Tomko and sends Tomko into the chair in the corner. Tomko covers his face, but isn’t bleeding. Joe kicks the chair into Tomko’s face. Tomko is still not bleeding. Tomko tries for a chair shot, but Joe got his arm up to block it. Tomko misses a big boot and Joe puts a choke on Tomko. Tomko is tapping out and the referee calls for the bell. The referee awards the match to Tomko because Joe is bleeding on his forearm. (*. What a weak finish. It’s obvious that Joe was going to lose, but what a lame way to lose. If Joe didn’t lose there’s be no purpose for the main event cage match. The constant blood checking was an annoying part of the match, too.)
14.) A video package highlighting VKM and how they came together as a tag team. Kip takes credit for being the workhorse while BG was a good talker. Kip was closer to the top than BG was. BG notes that they are two different people and the differences shine through.
15.) Backstage, Father James Mitchell is interviewed with Judas Mesias standing behind him. Mitchell suggests we never doubt Mitchell ever again and calls Judas his number one son. Mitchell notes that Abyss is no more now. Mitchell says the nightmare is over for Abyss and he can join his mother in the looney bin. Mitchell brings up Rhino and his struggles with booze. Mitchell says that Rhino never listened to him when they were on speaking terms. Mitchell says that Judas never drinks booze, but he does have a taste for blood and tonight he’ll get a taste of Rhino’s blood. Mitchell will laugh while Rhino chokes on his own blood.
16.) Rhino cuts a promo before his match and has the TNA Drinking Championship. Rhino calls the belt a piece of crap just likes James Storm and breaks the title. Rhino promises Storm will fall 15ft at Destination X.
17.) Rhino shoulder blocks Mesias and blocks a hip toss. Mesias delivers a throat strike, but Rhino tosses Mesias to the floor. Rhino sends Mesias into the guard railing, but Mesias fights back with strikes. Rhino sends Mesias into the railing ribs first. Mesias eye rakes Rhino and they return to the ring. Rhino chops Mesias, but runs into a boot in the corner. Mesias continues with a clothesline and mounts Rhino with right hands on the mat. Mesias sends Rhino hard into the corner. Mesias delivers a side Russian leg sweep for a two count. Mesias kicks Rhino and drives Rhino down to the mat face first. Mesias misses a top rope splash attempt. Rhino waits in the corner and hits the GORE for the win. (1/2*. Rhino competing in regular singles matches tend to not be enjoyable and that’s the case here, too. Mesias must be done for, as well.) After the match, James Storm gets in the ring and nails Rhino with a superkick! Storm gets in Rhino’s face along with Jackie Moore.
18.) Backstage, TNA Knockouts Champion Awesome Kong and Raisha Saeed are interviewed. Saeed says that Kong is sorry for what’s going to happen tonight to Salinas. Kong seeks peace until the monster is agitated. Saeed says ODB and Gail Kim have made a terrible mistake. Their fates have been sealed for Destination X. LAX enter the scene and Homicide teases looking under Saeed’s clothing, but Kong steps in front and there’s a standoff between Kong and Hernandez.
19.) Salinas starts off with kicks, but Kong stops Salinas with a clothesline. Kong steps on Salina’s head in the corner. Kong puts a Torture Rack on Salinas and casually tosses Salinas to the mat. Kong tosses Salinas across the ring by her hair. Salinas tries to deliver kicks, but is stopped by a spinning back fist. Kong hits the Awesome Bomb to win the match.
20.) Backstage, Gail Kim and ODB are interviewed. Kim says Awesome Kong does seem unstoppable and invincible, but she knows first hand that Kong can be beaten. Crystal asks who will be champion between the two if Kong gets knocked down. Kim says the better wrestler will and ODB says that’s the answer she wanted to hear.
21.) Cage and Angle trade waist locks until Angle takes Cage down to the mat. Angle shoulder blocks Cage and goes back to a headlock. Angle backs Cage into a corner and delivers a few strikes against the ropes. Cage flapjacks Angle coming off the ropes and pummels Angle with strikes. Cage sends Angle into the corner, but is met with an elbow. Cage stops Angle from escaping, but Angle kicks Cage a few times followed by strikes to the back. Cage chops Angle a few times, but is met with a kick to the chest. Angle kicks Cage after avoiding a clothesline and powerbombs Cage into the steel cage. The show goes to commercial.
Angle tries to leave through the door, but Cage stops Angle on the apron. Cage chops Angle a few times, but Angle delivers a knee lift to the midsection. Angle hooks Cage for a suplex and hits a snap suplex. Angle sends Cage into the steel cage a few times. Angle waits for Cage to get up and continues to deliver strikes and an uppercut. Angle puts a sleeper on Cage in the middle of the ring. Cage punches free from Angle, but Angle takes Cage back down and catapults Cage into the steel cage face first. Cage counters an Angle Slam by hitting a DDT. Cage elbows Angle to the mat followed by a strike. Cage plants Angle with a reverse DDT. Cage begins to climb the cage, but Angle stops Cage at the top of the cage. Angle tries for a suplex, but Cage knocks Angle off and hits a frog splash! Angle kicks Cage and sends Cage chest first into the corner. Angle waits for Cage and tries for the Angle Slam, but Cage counters with an arm drag. Cage misses a spear and hits the steel age. Angle begins to climb the cage, but Cage gets up and stops Angle again. Angle rams Cage into the steel cage and tries for a top rope German suplex, but Cage holds onto the ropes. Cage elbows Angle and delivers a boot. Cage tries to climb over the top, but Angle hits a top rope Angle Slam!
Angle gets up and tries to escape the door, but Cage stops Angle. Cage pulls Angle back into the ring. Angle puts the ankle lock on Cage in the middle of the ring. Cage kicks Angle away and nearly escapes the cage, but Angle gets the ankle lock on Cage again. Cage tries to break free, but Angle forearms Cage to maintain the advantage. Angle tries for Angle Slam, but Cage counters, but Angle sends Cage into the steel cage. Angle proceeds to hit a few German suplexs. Cage tosses Angle overhead with a back suplex. Cage climb the steel cage, but is stopped by Angle. Angle punches Cage on the top rope and blocks a kick by putting an ankle lock on Cage on the top rope. Cage somersaults off the ropes and sends Angle flipping to the canvas. Angle kicks Cage on the knee and delivers several stomps as Cage is trapped in the ropes. Cage tries to grab Angle’s leg, but Angle stomps free again. Angle climbs the cage and taunts the crowd, but Cage manages to stop Angle. Cage and Angle are both on the outside of the cage. They both begin to climb down and they both fall to the floor. Earl Hebner has to make a decision and awards the match to Christian Cage. (***. It’s a good match with some good high spots, but for the love of God why can’t Angle lose clean here especially since it’s escape rules? We never got a replay to see who did touch first, so there’s not a concrete way to say that Cage won here, at all. If you can’t produce a winner, don’t book the match.)
22.) AJ Styles and Tomko run to the ring and attack Christian Cage. Styles tosses Cage into the ring and the cage door is locked by Tomko. Cage is triple teamed. Angle hits an Angle Slam. Styles hits the Styles Clash on Cage. Samoa Joe tries to get in the ring, but can’t. Tomko hits a neckbreaker as Joe continues to try to get into the ring. Joe tries to climb the cage as Kevin Nash tries to unlock the cage door. Joe and Nash can’t open the cage as Angle kept an ankle lock on Cage to end the program.
Final Thoughts:
I’m going to give this a thumbs down. The main event is a good match, but it doesn’t overcome the rest of the show that is kind of boring. Sure, the show is not exactly a chore to get through, but it’s disappointing the direction they go in with various matches and feuds. This show didn’t help my desire to watch Destination X either, which is the goal of the go-home show.
Thanks for reading.