Total Non-Stop Action presents Impact
Date: 3/27/2008
From: Orlando, FL
Matches:
1.) Johnny Devine defeated Alex Shelley in a Lockdown Xscape qualifying match
2.) Homicide, Hernandez & Salinas defeated Scott Steiner, Petey Williams & Rhaka Khan
3.) Booker T defeated Robert Roode in a first blood match
4.) TNA Knockout Champion Awesome Kong defeated ODB to retain the title
5.) Christian Cage, Sting, Kevin Nash & Rhino defeated TNA Tag Team Champions AJ Styles, Tomko, & Team 3D.
Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) This is a special live 2-hour edition of Impact.
2.) The show starts with Booker T and Robert Roode brawling in the crowd. Roode tosses Booker over the railing to the ringside area. Booker decks Roode with a right hand and they enter the ring. Booker stomps Roode in the corner as Payton Banks makes her way down to the ring. Traci Brooks runs into the ring and they have a catfight. Security gets in the ring to keep them apart. Matt Morgan and Jim Cornette come out as security tries to keep Booker and Roode apart, but they are having trouble. Roode bails to the floor to end the segment.
3.) Jim Cornette gets on the microphone and says Robert Roode and Booker T will square off in an interactive match. The fans will pick the stipulation. Cornette says the options are last man standing, I Quit and first blood.
4.) Backstage, Jeremy Borash is with the TNA Tag Team Champion AJ Styles and Tomko. Styles says he didn’t signup for this workout with Kurt Angle. AJ wonders why Tomko picked Team 3D to be on their team for Lockdown when Brother Ray keeps trying to take his title and steals his food. Styles thinks it’s ridiculous and mentions that Sting could be back tonight. Tomko doesn’t sweat Sting or anyone because they are the tag champs. Kurt Angle enters the scene and says he needs them tonight. Angle needs Tomko for his size and tells Tomko to wear gloves. Angle puts over Styles for his speed. Angle promises to not hurt them, but needs them to give him everything they’ve got, or he’ll hurt them. Angle tells Borash to start working out because next week could be his turn.
5.) Devine attacks Shelley from behind as Shelley was looking at Team 3D. Devine clotheslines Shelley, but Shelley hits a Codebreaker and a springboard bulldog. Shelley forearms Devine several times. Shelley chops Devine into the corner and follows up with a clothesline. Brother Devon trips Shelley. Devine gets an inside cradle for a two count. The lights are going nuts, but it was a production issue. Shelley head scissors Devine and hits a sling blade. Wait, the lights go out and flicker more causing Team 3D to leave ringside. Shelley leaps off the apron to hit Devine with a knee strike on the floor and Devine hits the railing. Shelley hits a suicide dive to take Devine out on the floor. The show goes to commercial as Knockouts are arguing backstage.
Devine stops Shelley with a gut buster for a two count. Devine hits a snap suplex for a two count. Devine stomps Shelley on the mat and taunts the crowd. Shelley chops Devine a few times and forearms Devine. Shelley hits a seated Devine and continues with clotheslines. Shelley plants Devine with a spinebuster and a springboard moonsault for a two count. Devine misses a middle rope crossbody. Shelley superkicks Devine and tries for a Slice Bread, but Devine avoids it. Devine gets out of a backslide, but Shelley backdrops Devine over the top to the floor. Devine smacks Shelley with tripod and spikes Shelley with Devine Intervention to win the match. (**1/2. Shelley was great here and his offense felt refreshing and fun. So, naturally, Devine wins the match. Devine makes sense for the heel aspect, but Shelley would have made the match at Lockdown better.)
6.) Footage of Jay Lethal and So Cal Val at the gym. Lethal is there to train for his match at Lockdown. Petey Williams walks by and calls Lethal a lightweight. Sonjay Dutt comes over and talks to Val to distract her as Lethal is being crushed by the bar. Lethal nearly dies.
7.) TNA Interactive tonight is focusing on who will challenge Awesome Kong for the TNA Knockout Championship. Angelina Love, Christy Hemme, Gail Kim, ODB, Roxxi, and Velvet Sky are the options. Also, the stipulation for Robert Roode and Booker T tonight is either first blood, last man standing, or I Quit.
8.) Backstage, Booker T cuts a promo saying his plan was to get Robert Roode in the ring tonight and beat him up like he’s his daddy. His plan worked. Booker promises that Roode will never step in the ring with his wife ever again. Booker plans on making it so that Roode will not make it to Lockdown. Booker makes it clear that he wants Roode’s blood tonight.
9.) Backstage, Jeremy Borash is with Team 3D and Johnny Devine for an interview. Brother Ray kicks Borash out of the scene. Ray puts over Devine for advancing to Lockdown. Ray tells Devine that he needs to continue what they started and destroy the X-Division. Ray focuses on Sting and says their paths have never crossed. Ray says Sting was babied in WCW while they were carrying ECW and busting ass in WWE. Ray tells Sting that Sting needs to stay away from them and they’ll stay away from him. The lights flicker again and Ray freaks out.
10.) They decide to show Dereck Graham-Couch in the crowd and with the label of WWE wrestler. If you don’t know who he is, he was one-half of the Highlanders tag team. He went by the name Robbie McAllister.
11.) Homicide goes after Williams with right hands, but Steiner clotheslines Homicide. Hernandez and Steiner have a standoff. Steiner eye pokes Hernandez followed by a knee lift and chops. Steiner misses a clothesline and Hernandez catapults Steiner into a clothesline by Homicide. Homicide senton splashes Steiner over Hernandez knees. Hernandez runs over Williams and Homicide delivers a strike to send Steiner and Williams to the floor. Williams hits a spinning heel kick on Homicide to get the advantage. Steiner tags into the match and chops Homicide in the corner. Steiner tosses Homicide overhead with a suplex for a two count. Steiner sits Homicide on the top turnbuckle and hits an overhead belly to belly suplex. Steiner tries for a cover, but Homicide kicks out at two. Williams tags into the match and Homicide fights back with right hands followed by a cutter. Homicide kicks Williams away, but Steiner decks Homicide to the floor. Hernandez his a slingshot shoulder block to Steiner and tosses Williams overhead a couple of times. Hernandez dropkicks Steiner and hits a twisting sit down powerbomb on Williams for a two count as Khan breaks the cover. Salinas jumps on Khan’s back, but is taken down. Hernandez flies over the top rope to dive onto Steiner on the floor. Williams avoids the Gringo Killer and tries for the Canadian Destroyer, but Homicide counters with a bridging suplex and pins Williams for the win. (*1/2. The crowd was going nuts for the idea of the Gringo Killer, but it’s only ever used on a rare occasion since it’s a devastating move. I was mostly bored by this, and I think it’s because the team of Steiner and Williams doesn’t seem to connect for me. LAX looked good in there spots and I enjoyed their offense. The women didn’t do much of anything and I’m not sure why they were involved in the match, really.)
12.) TNA Rough Cut continues and BG James says Feast or Fired was the root cause of the issue for them. Kip won a briefcase and tossed it to BG James and got upset with BG not knowing who would be his partner. BG wanted to be a tag champion with his father. Kip understands the dream, but he’s BG’s partner. Kip didn’t put time and effort into this to be thrown to the side. BG doesn’t understand Kip being jealous. Kip disagrees with being okay to sit off to the side. Kip says in wrestling they strive to be the best. BG thinks the misunderstanding part is out the window. BG says they are like brothers and brothers mean something. BG thinks Kip tossed their legacy aside because his ego is too big.
13.) A vignette promoting a new wrestler, but there is an issue with audio. It was got Consequences Creed, who is debuting on April 10th.
14.) Mike Tenay sat down with Karen Angle earlier in the day for an interview. Karen asked for a separation from Kurt Angle two weeks ago. Karen says this is real and asks if Tenay knows how hard it was to take her children out of the only home they’ve ever known. Karen feels horrible for doing all the things she’s done to innocent people. Karen can’t do it anymore and needs to set a good example for her children. Karen asks if Tenay has seen Kurt the last few weeks and says that Kurt is obsessed with Samoa Joe. Kurt doesn’t embrace his children when he gets home from work. Karen understands having to take a backseat, but her children don’t deserve it. Tenay notes that there are rumors that Karen is seeing someone on the TNA roster. Karen admits that she has met someone and someone who knows how to treat a woman. Karen doesn’t confirm anything else.
15.) Footage of Samoa Joe training in a cage in California. Joe says money can’t buy Kurt heart and desire. Joe says this is about Joe taking something from Kurt that means a lot to him. They show footage of Joe training in the ring, but it’s not within a cage. Joe has never seen someone like Kurt show up with so much backup, but a cage prevents that.
16.) Samoa Joe joins the show via satellite. Joe says everyday he trains he gets closer to taking Kurt Angle out and promise there will be a war. Tenay mentions that Kurt Angle has won three out of the four matches they’ve had. Joe could make excuses why he didn’t win the four matches. Joe is going to take the belt and hold it with honor and respect. Joe is going to earn the title and not do it by doing politics and being a snake. Tenay asks if Joe has had any second thoughts about Joe promising to leave TNA if he lost. Joe admits he does regret it, but if he can’t beat Kurt Angle then it’s not worth it for him to be there. Joe promises to take the title and will take it by force at Lockdown on April 13th.
17.) Frank Trigg joins commentary for the Kurt Angle training session.
18.) Kurt Angle starts off with Tomko for one minute. Angle jabs Tomko and takes Tomko down to the mat. Angle puts an arm triangle on Tomko, but Tomko reaches the ropes. Angle keeps control on Tomko on the mat as the round ends. Tomko has been busted open. AJ Styles enters to start the second round. Styles avoids Angle’s attempts to take him down. AJ simply avoids Kurt for the entire minute. Tomko returns to the session. Angle almost gets a front face lock choke, but Tomko breaks free. Tomko gets a front face lock on Angle, but Angle breaks free. Tomko takes Angle down, but Angle counters into the ankle lock! Tomko doesn’t submit and holds out for the minute. Angle takes Styles down with a choke, but Styles breaks free quickly. They are really driving home that Angle is getting frustrated with AJ. Tomko gets involved as Angle shoves Styles.
Christian Cage makes his way out with Rhino and Kevin Nash. Cage asks if this is a joke as Samoa Joe is training and taking his title match seriously. Cage thinks that Angle is embarrassing himself and offers their services to be part of the training session. Angle bails from the ring and heads backstage. Styles and Tomko are beaten up, but Team 3D slide into the ring and outnumber the babyfaces. Tomko and Styles grab a table from under the ring. The lights go out and when the lights come back on… STING appears in the ring. Sting has a baseball bat and scares the heels to the floor. The crowd is going nuts for Sting. Sting says it is really good to be back in Orlando and to be LIVE. Sting doesn’t want to wait for Lockdown and suggests they fight tonight. Tomko accepts!
19.) Backstage, Jeremy Borash is with Robert Roode for an interview. Borash reveals that Roode will wrestle Booker T in a first blood match. Roode says that Booker thinks he has suckered Roode in tonight, but Roode knows Booker’s game plan and it’s not going to work. Roode says he’s going to get Sharmell inside the six sides of steel and Booker’s life will become a nightmare and there’s nothing Booker can do about it. Roode tells Booker that they are on the same page in wanting each others blood. Roode wants Booker’s wife blood at Lockdown.
20.) Roode tries to get the early advantage, but Booker fires back with right hands and elbows Roode coming off the ropes. Booker nails Roode with a standing side kick. Booker drops Roode throat first over the top rope and connects with another kick to the face. Booker knee strikes Roode several times. Roode punches Booker a few times, but runs into a spinebuster. Booker tries for a scissors kick, but Roode avoids it. Roode avoids the Book End, but Booker dumps Roode over the top to the floor. The show goes to commercial.
Roode drives Booker down onto the apron face first. Roode rams Booker face first onto the apron before returning to the ring. Roode brings a chair into the ring and sets it up. Booker fights back with right hands, but Roode drop toe holds Booker onto the chair, but Booker isn’t bleeding. Roode pummels Booker on the mat with right hands. Roode wedges the chair in the corner. Roode sends Booker into the corner chest first followed by chops. Booker sends Roode back first into the steel chair in the corner. Booker and Roode trade right hands in the middle of the ring. Roode tries to use the chair, but Booker blocks it with a kick. Roode avoids a spin kick and smashes Booker with a chair shot. Booker is not bleeding, though. Roode misses a chair shot and hits the ropes causing Roode to hit himself. Booker clotheslines Roode to the floor and Roode hits the railing. Roode isn’t bleeding and tries for a piledriver on the floor. Booker counters and catapults Roode into the ring post face first. Roode has been busted open and Booker wins the match. After the match, Booker pummels Roode with strikes to get Roode’s blood on his hands literally. (*. Of the three stipulations I was least interested in a first blood match. Booker gets a win and they avoid Roode having to take a pin or submission in the process. It was a boring match, though.)
21.) Backstage, Crystal is with TNA Knockout Champion Awesome Kong and Raisha Saeed. Saeed tells Crystal to be silent. Saeed reads a statement by Kong and says that tonight is a special night. It doesn’t matter who the fans choose. It means nothing. What does matter is that whomever the fans vote for will be a vote for defeat and destruction. Saeed says that Kong will continue to destroy everyone in her way.
22.) Backstage, Jeremy Borash is with Gail Kim and ODB. Borash says only 500 votes were the difference between the two of them. Borash reveals ODB won the vote. Kim tells ODB to get the job done tonight.
23.) Kong shoves ODB into the ropes, but ODB responds with right hands and plays to the crowd. ODB decides to try for a slam, but Kong lands on top of ODB managing a two count. Kong chops ODB in the corner and tosses ODB across the ring by her hair. Kong chokes ODB over the middle rope. Kong casually drives ODB face first down to the mat. Kong puts a camel clutch on ODB, but doesn’t get a submission. ODB tries to fight back and send Kong into the ropes, but Kong holds onto the ropes. Kong splashes ODB in the corner. Kong puts another camel clutch on ODB, but ODB fights free. ODB forearms Kong, but runs into a clothesline. Kong clotheslines ODB and misses a splash. ODB kips up and forearms Kong several times. ODB clotheslines Kong a few times, but Kong only staggers. ODB dropkicks Kong into the corner. ODB heads to the middle rope and hits a Thez Press for a two count. Kong misses a splash in the corner and ODB hits a bulldog. ODB covers Kong, but only gets a two count. Kong nails ODB with a spinning back fist and hits the Awesome Bomb for the win. (*1/2. For the most part, ODB didn’t get a lot of offense in which I’m fine with. Kong has been dominating as champion and I enjoy it quite a bit. It feels like Gail Kim is the only viable threat to Kong unless they bring in another woman, but I’m not sure who would be suitable.)
24.) Backstage, Crystal is with Christian Cage, Rhino, Kevin Nash and Sting for an interview. Cage says it didn’t look like he had a friend let alone three guys to team with him for Lethal Lockdown. Cage recruited the best political beast in Kevin Nash and then smoothed over his issues with his ten plus year friend Rhino before finishing off the team with Sting. Cage says he’s trying to makeup for some of his mistakes. Cage will always be the champ no matter what and he strives to be the best. Cage promises that Team Tomko is about to find out and if they don’t know now they know.
25.) The main event is being presented commercial free.
26.) Cage and Styles kickoff the eight man tag main event. Styles backs Cage into a corner, but Cage quickly counters and slaps Styles. Cage drop toe holds Styles and tries for an Un-Prettier, but Styles avoids it. Styles tries for a springboard reverse DDT, but Cage moves and hits a middle rope uppercut for a two count. Styles strikes Cage, but Cage gets out of a headlock by dropping Styles to the mat gut first. Tomko enters and is chopped by Cage several times. Tomko runs into an elbow by Cage in the corner and Nash tags into the match. Tomko strikes Nash in the corner several times and elbows Nash, but Nash responds with a side slam for a two count. Rhino tags into the match and works over Tomko with strikes. Tomko stops Rhino with a knee strike and Brother Ray tags in to chop Rhino. Devon enters to deliver a double shoulder block for a near fall. Rhino chops Devon a few times and delivers a clothesline for a near fall. Devon sends Rhino into the corner, but Rhino elbows free. Rhino is tripped and crotched into the ring post. Rhino is double teamed by Ray and Tomko on the floor while the referee is distracted. Devon comes off the ropes to deliver a headbutt for a near fall. Devon continues with strikes on the mat to control Rhino. Devon slams Rhino and tags in Ray. Ray hits a middle rope splash for a near fall. Ray controls Rhino with a neck vice on the mat.
Tomko works over Rhino with strikes in the corner and puts a chin lock on Rhino. Rhino punches free, but is met with an elbow strike. Ray controls Rhino with a body scissors on the mat. Ray delivers a few strikes while in the body scissors. Styles tags into the match and stomps Rhino on the mat followed by strikes. Styles dropkicks Rhino coming off the ropes. Ray is tagged back into the match and works over Rhino in the corner. Devon misses a splash in the corner and Rhino clotheslines Ray. Rhino crawls to the corner and tags in Sting. Sting cleans house with strikes to all the heels. Sting splashes Devon in the corner and does the same to Tomko. Sting splashes Team 3D in the corner before hitting an atomic drop on Styles. Sting locks in the Scorpion Death Lock on Styles, but Ray makes the save. Everyone is in the ring at this point brawling. Sting counters a slam and hits the Scorpion Death Drop on Tomko. Team 3D hit a back suplex/neckbreaker combo on Sting. Nash clotheslines Devon and chokeslams Ray. Tomko nails Nash with a clothesline and rams Cage into the corner. Tomko sits Cage on the top rope, but Cage hits a tornado DDT. Styles hits a top rope flying forearm on Cage. Sting press slams Styles to the floor onto Tomko. Rhino GORES Ray and Sting takes Devon down to lock in the Scorpion Death Drop. Cage and Nash stand guard and Devon is forced to submit. (**1/2. It’s interesting to essentially do the Lockdown match, but without the cage here. I’m not sure how it adds to the match for the heels to do a clean job on TV. If they can’t win a straight up eight man tag, I can’t buy into them as being a threat in a cage. The heels are a weak team and this doesn’t help matters. Of course, Sting’s not going to be losing in his return match on TV. The crowd was energetic and the match was enjoyable for what it was.)
27.) James Storm runs into the ring as pyro goes off for the victory and smashes a beer bottle over Sting’s head. Storm hasn’t been seen since Elevation X. Storm stands over Sting and taunts Sting. Tomko, Team 3D, AJ Styles and James Storm stand over Sting to end the show.
Final Thoughts:
By the looks of it, James Storm is likely going to make Lethal Lockdown 5 vs. 5, but I have no idea who Cage would recruit for a fifth member. So, in that sense, I guess it’s a good move to keep interest in the main event and provides another question needed to be answered. This felt like a lackluster live episode. There’s nothing going on right now that I would deem as being the best angle. Booker/Roode seems a bit played out at this point and I’m hoping after Lockdown Booker can move onto something bigger.
Thanks for reading.