Total Non-Stop Action presents Impact
Date: 4/17/2008
From: Orlando, FL
Matches:
1.) TNA X-Division Champion Jay Lethal defeated Johnny Devine to retain the title
2.) Petey Williams defeated TNA X-Division Champion Jay Lethal to win the title
3.) Eric Young & Kazarian defeated TNA Tag Team Champions AJ Styles & Tomko, and LAX to win the titles
4.) Christian Cage & Rhino defeated Team 3D
5.) TNA Knockout Champion Awesome Kong defeated Roxxi Leveaux to retain the title
6.) Sting, Booker T & BG James defeated James Storm, Robert Roode & Kip James in a Lethal Lockdown Revenge
Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) The new TNA World Champion Samoa Joe makes his way down to the ring to start the program to cut a promo. Joe shows off the championship to the fans. Joe says that tonight WE are the champions. Joe sacrificed everything in his life for a shot at the championship. Joe put everything he holds dear on the line against Kurt Angle. Joe put over Kurt as one of the baddest men he’s ever been in the ring with. Joe recalls the ankle lock being put on him and admits losing his will to be champion or even have a career. But, then he looked up into the eyes of the TNA fans and he knew there was no surrender and he’d be the new TNA World Champion. Joe says the title win and title run is dedicated to the fans. Joe promises the title will be defended with respect, honor, the sweat on his brow and the blood on his fists. Joe says it’s damn real, but is cutoff by Scott Steiner.
Scott Steiner has the TNA Heavyweight title shot briefcase with him and has Petey Williams and Rhaka Khan by his side. Steiner notes that Petey sacrificed a lot to gain his respect. Steiner hands over the TNA X-Division Championship briefcase for his efforts to get respect from Steiner. Steiner tells Joe that he’s sacrificed his whole life and career. Steiner says it’s why he has a scholarship from Michigan and looks the way he does. Steiner insults Joe’s weight and says that Joe sacrificed by eating more Twinkies and burgers. Steiner says that in Joe’s case bigger isn’t always better. Steiner calls Joe genetic junk. Steiner says he hasn’t been a world champion in only one place and it changes at Sacrifice. Steiner tells Joe he’ll be his sacrificial lamb. Steiner is cutoff by… Kurt Angle.
Angle makes his way down to the ring and is looking stoic. Angle tells Joe there are no excuses and puts over Joe for beating him at Lockdown. Angle always learns from his mistakes and whenever he has a match he always learns from it. Angle takes his sunglasses off and looks at Joe saying he never makes the same mistake twice. Angle notes Steiner has a title shot and has earned it despite his last important win was in 1975 against the Road Warriors with his idiot brother. Angle doesn’t mean to offend Steiner. Angle whips out a contract, and says that it doesn’t mean Steiner will wrestle Joe at Sacrifice. Angle reveals a title rematch clause. Angle notes that he can have a rematch at any time he chooses and reveals that he’s decided to have his rematch next week on Impact. It’s real, it’s damn real.
2.) Backstage, Crystal meets up with Christian Cage and Rhino. Cage says that anything can happen in wrestling in regards to them having a future as a team. Cage notes they have had a 10-year friendship and grew up in the business. They had a blowup, but they’re back together. Rhino says they’ve been through hell and been to hell together. Team 3D enter the scene and tell Cage and Rhino they’re in hell now. Devon chimes in and says Cage is just like them. Devon thinks that Cage will never change his stripes and thinks that it’s just a matter of time before Cage turns on Rhino. Brother Ray asks what happened to the cool animal that Rhino was and calls Rhino a big puss now. Brother Ray tells Rhino to throw a punch. Kip James, Robert Roode and James Storm come up from behind and the heels attack Rhino and Cage.
3.) Backstage, Jeremy Borash is with the TNA X-Division Champion Jay Lethal. Lethal is waiting outside the women’s bathroom for So Cal Val. Lethal puts over Val as the best redheaded knockout. So Cal Val leaves the bathroom… with Sonjay Dutt. Borash pulls Dutt back and asks Dutt what he’s doing in the bathroom. Dutt promises Borash he was just talking to Val. Borash isn’t buying it and tells Dutt he’s no snitch, but knows that Dutt is up to no good.
4.) Hermie Sadler has joined commentary for the next match.
5.) Devine attacks Lethal before the bell with strikes and a backdrop as Lethal comes off the ropes. Devine pummels Lethal with right hands in the corner and chokes Lethal. Devine hits a slingshot leg drop onto the apron and knocks Lethal to the floor. Devine stalks So Cal Val at ringside, and sends Lethal into the railing. Devine puts an abdominal stretch on Lethal in the ring, but doesn’t get a submission. Devine drops Lethal gut first over the top rope and leaps off the middle rope to deliver a double axe handle strike. Devine stomps Lethal on the mat several times. Devine drives Lethal down with a cutter and heads to the top rope hitting a moonsault for a near fall. Devine tries for Devine Intervention, but Lethal counters with a double leg slam. Lethal jabs Devine several times followed by a flying forearm smash and a kick to the head. Lethal drops Devine over the ropes throat first and hits a springboard dropkick. Lethal hits Lethal Combination and heads to the top rope hitting an elbow drop for the clean win. (**. Not too bad of a match with Devine doing a good show controlling the majority of the match. There just wasn’t a doubt that Lethal would retain here. The end game has to be Lethal/Dutt for the title and likely for Val.)
6.) Lethal celebrates the win on the middle rope, but Petey Williams runs down and hits Lethal with the briefcase. After a commercial, Williams stomps Lethal’s head in the briefcase. During the break, Williams hit a tornado DDT onto the briefcase. Williams grabs a microphone and reveals he’s cashing in his title shot right now. Lethal is knocked out. Williams demands the referee ring the bell and the referee does so, but he’s not thrilled about it. Williams hits the Canadian Destroyer and pins Lethal to win the title. (NR. Well, I was not expecting that. I suppose Lethal/Dutt wouldn’t need the title since the prize is Val between them. I’m taking this as Petey essentially turning full heel with his association with Steiner.) After the match, Sonjay Dutt slides into the ring to check on Lethal.
7.) Backstage, Lauren is with LAX and Salinas as LAX has a chance to become TNA Tag Team Champions once again. Homicide thinks that tonight is their night. Homicide says that Hernandez has been saying they should charge the ivory towers with machetes, but he talked the big man down. Homicide says they are done talking and they are taking now. Salinas threatens Lauren for seemingly no reason.
8.) Matt Morgan makes his way down to the ring with a microphone to cut a promo. Morgan says that his relationship with Jim Cornette has been revealed and considers Cornette as more of a father figure rather than a boss. Morgan says that timing is everything in pro wrestling. Morgan is here to make his time right now. Morgan considers it a joke to hear people complain about money and spot on the card as a sacrifice. Morgan had to be a bodyguard for TNA officials to get his foot in the door. To wear a suit and cover up his muscles is a sacrifice. Morgan is going to make a mark on the business. He’s going to be the blueprint of how a giant looks, talks and wrestles. Morgan is going to show what makes him the most genetically jacked, athletically stacked athlete going today. (This did not connect with the crowd. There were some horrible crowd edits to make it seem as if the crowd cared. I’ve never been a big Morgan fan and it sure appears he’s going to get a monster push.)
9.) Backstage, Lauren is with TNA World Champion Samoa Joe for an interview. Joe says the challenges come with the terrority as champion. Joe thinks they are sadden mistaken to think they will take the title from him. Joe is now the standard bearer. Kevin Nash is standing behind Joe. Joe welcomes Angle to come next week to find out who the undisputed champion truly is. Joe and Nash walk off together to end the segment.
10.) Styles and Young kickoff the match with Styles delivering a scoop slam after a knee lift. Styles chokes Young on the mat, but Young gets up and delivers a few strikes. Young kicks Styles followed by right hands and tags in Kaz. Kaz hits a slingshot DDT for a two count on styles. Kaz forearms Styles against the ropes. Hernandez knee lifts Kaz from the apron, but Kaz decks Hernandez with a kick. Kaz tries to run the ropes, but Hernandez hits a slingshot shoulder block. Tomko decks Homicide off the apron as the show goes to commercial as Young runs backstage.
Kaz superkicks Styles, but Homicide hits a cutter on Kaz. Tomko grabs Kaz and the champs hit a twisting slam with Styles for a near fall as LAX made the save. Tomko decks Hernandez with a clothesline. Tomko tosses Homicide to the floor, but Tomko falls to the floor, too. Hernandez takes Tomko out with a dive to the floor. Styles goes to the top, but Kaz hits a dangerous Flux Capacitor and it looked like Kaz landed on his shoulder. Young comes back out as Super Eric. Eric hammers away on Styles, but runs into a boot. Eric avoids the Styles Clash and hits a bridging suplex to pin Styles for the win and titles. (*1/2. It’s probably time to get the titles off of Styles and Tomko, but I would have figured LAX would be the team to win the titles. I’m not sure how I feel about Super Eric and Kaz winning the titles. Super Eric appears to be over with the crowd, but a comedy act with a title such as the tag titles has never been a direction I’d go in. I’m assuming this will be a rather short run.)
11.) Backstage, AJ Styles and Tomko are flipping out in Jim Cornette’s office. Cornette doesn’t understand how Eric Young could interfere in his own match. Styles and Tomko claim that Eric has two personalities and thus it is outside interference. Styles wants Cornette to ask Young if Eric Young and Super Eric are the same person. Cornette agrees to ask Young if he’s two different people to make them happy.
12.) Cage and Devon kickoff the match. Cage fights off Ray from behind and punches Devon several times. Cage slides through Devon’s legs, but is met with a clothesline. Devon tries for a reverse DDT, but Cage lands on his feet and plants Devon with a reverse DDT for a two count. Ray tags into the match and is chopped by Cage several times. Ray tackles Cage to the mat and delivers a few shoulder rams in the corner. Cage runs into a shoulder block. Ray waits in the corner and misses a splash. Cage leaps off the middle rope to deliver an uppercut and covers Ray for a two count. Rhino tags into the match and punches Ray against the ropes. Ray kicks Rhino and misses a clothesline. Rhino hits a belly to belly suplex on Ray for a two count. Ray yanks Rhino down by his hair and tags in Devon. Rhino hits a double clothesline and clotheslines Devon over the top to the floor. Cage climbs to the top and takes both men out with a crossbody on the floor. Cage and Rhino pose in the ring as the show goes to commercial.
Devon drops Cage with a few strikes and gets a two count. During the break, Ray sent Cage into the post and ring steps. Devon drives Cage down to the mat with a delayed vertical suplex for a two count. Devon controls Cage on the mat with a sleeper. Cage fights out with right hands, but Devon eye rakes Cage in the corner. Ray tags back into the match and delivers a strike to Cage’s ribs. Cage chops Ray a few times, but Ray stops Cage with a backdrop and decks Rhino off the apron to the floor. Ray stomps Cage on the midsection. Ray crotches Cage on the top turnbuckle and puts Cage in the tree of woe. Devon stands on Cage’s groin. Devon stomps Cage in the corner to keep control of the match. Devon tries for a cover, but Cage kicks out at two. Devon punches Cage several times on the mat. Ray tags into the match and chops Cage followed by a scoop slam. Cage low blows Ray on the middle rope and hits a top rope hurricanrana for a near fall. Devon and Rhino get tagged in with Rhino cleaning house. Rhino shoulder blocks Devon and sends Devon into the corner to deliver a shoulder ram and a belly to belly suplex for a two count. Rhino plants Ray with a spinebuster, but Devon decks Rhino to the floor. Cage knocks Devon to the floor and tries for the Un-Prettier, but Ray low blows Cage. Ray splashes Cage in the corner and Rhino tries to GORE Ray, but misses and hits Cage on accident! Devon collides with Ray and Rhino manages to get a rollup on Devon to win the match. (**. If there was ever a time to put Team 3D over it would have been right here. The miscommunication between Rhino and Cage was nicely done and giving the heels some actual momentum would have been nice. The booking right now is not doing most of the heels any favors.)
13.) Team 3D are arguing in the ring and shove each other. Security gets in the ring to keep them apart.
14.) Backstage, Jim Cornette meets with Eric Young, who is playing with figures. Cornette tells Young that Styles and Tomko are claiming the outside interference. Young is confused by Super Eric being involved and he missed him again. Cornette tells Young to meet him out there when he calls for him.
15.) Backstage, Jim Cornette walks down the hall and all the knockouts are yelling. Cornette is pissed and tired of the women complaining all the time. Cornette calls them spoiled. Cornette promises some changes are going to be made and calls them spoiled brats before leaving.
16.) In the ring, Jim Cornette is with AJ Styles and Tomko. Cornette apologizes to the fans for all the stupidity going on during the show. Cornette notes that Styles claims that Eric Young and Super Eric are two different people and the titles should be returned to them. Cornette calls for Eric Young to join the segment. Instead of Eric Young, Kaz makes his way out with the tag titles. Cornette says he’s tired of Young and says he’ll strip them of the titles if he doesn’t come out. Cornette tries to count to three, but Super Eric’s music hits and Super Eric joins the segment. Cornette wants Eric to explain what is going on. Eric claims to not know who Eric Young is and Jim tells Young that he’s losing his patience. Eric asks why Cornette’s face is getting red. Kaz chimes in and tries to convince Young to tell the truth so they can celebrate the tag titles. Eric says he can not confirm he’s Eric Young and says he’s Super Eric. Styles and Tomko are celebrating this development. Styles and Tomko take the titles back. Cornette thinks that Eric needs a doctor and reveals the titles are stripped from Young and Kaz. Cornette grabs the tag titles from Styles and Tomko. Cornette notes the titles are stripped and not given to Styles and Tomko. Cornette announces there are no champions and will figure out what to do for next weeks episode.
17.) Backstage, Lauren is with James Storm, Robert Roode and Kip James. Kip says he’s megastar Kip James and brags about beating up his partner of ten years and he’s proud of it. Kip claims he’s BG’s daddy and he’s knocking BG down. Storm chimes in and tells Kip that his joke is old. Storm tells Kip that he’s jealous that his cowboy gimmick didn’t get over fifteen years ago. Storm is pissed about Sting getting involved in his business all the time. Storm becomes a bigger star than anyone when he beats Sting. Storm wants Sting to tell everyone that he went through and got his ass kicked. Roode chimes in and talks about Booker T, who thought his name would take him to the top. Roode stops Booker dead in his tracks. Roode has made Booker’s life a living hell since day one. Roode has made Booker and Sharmell miserable and that’s not going to stop tonight. Roode says Sting, Booker and BG will find out that it pays to be rude.
18.) Kong tosses Roxxi to the mat to kickoff the match and delivers a boot in the corner. Kong knee strikes Roxxi in the corner. Roxxi fights back with strikes but Kong delivers a strike to the back. Kong splashes Roxxi in the corner. Kong tosses Roxxi across the ring. Roxxi overhand strikes Kong in the corner and tries to send Kong into the corner. Kong stops Roxxi with an overhand strike to the upper back, again. Kong chops Roxxi against the ropes several times. Kong puts a chin lock on Roxxi, and then drops Roxxi to the mat face first. Kong locks in a camel clutch. Roxxi breaks free with a jawbreaker and a forearm strike. Roxxi delivers several strikes in the corner, but Kong nails Roxxi with a running body strike out of the corner. Kong slams Roxxi and delivers a leg drop for a two count. Kong misses a middle rope splash attempt. Roxxi nails Kong with a running big boot for a two count. Roxxi ducks a spinning back fist and hits a swinging neckbreaker. Roxxi hits a senton splash off the ropes, but Kong kicks out at two. Kong avoids a suplex to deliver a spinning back fist. Kong plants Roxxi with the Awesome Bomb to win the match. (**1/2. Roxxi had a moment there where she felt like a true challenger to Kong and on the verge of winning the title. Kong doesn’t get made to look vulnerable all that often unless it’s Gail Kim, so this was rather surprising to me. A good match for Kong and Roxxi proved she can excel in a bigger role.)
19.) Backstage, Kurt Angle is trying to get into his dressing room, but his name is off the door. Borash says it’s a storage room. Borash tells Kurt they have a dressing room for the champion. Kurt breaks down and kicks the door. Kurt tells Borash he’s the champion who slipped up once. Kurt always bounces back and knows that Joe will slip up next week and he’ll be champion again. Kurt asks what he has to do to get respect around here. Kurt wants to hurt Jo with his own hands. Kurt wants Joe to enjoy his short title reign as he’ll regain the title next week.
20.) Booker and Roode kickoff the main event with Roode going to the ropes quickly and tags out to Kip. Kip knee lifts Booker and delivers a strike to stagger Booker into a corner. Kip continues to deliver strikes, but Booker fights back with a chop. Kip elbows Booker charging the corner. Kip rams Booker into the corner, but Booker delivers a few chops and strikes. Sting enters the match and kicks Kip in the midsection. Kip knee lifts Sting and tags in Roode. Sting hip tosses Roode followed by an atomic drop and clothesline. Sting tries for a cover, but Roode kicks out at two. BG tags into the match and kicks Roode in the midsection. Roode knee lifts BG and misses a clothesline. BG jabs Roode several times. BG decks Kip off the apron and Storm hits a backstabber leading to a near fall for Roode as the show goes to commercial.
Roode nails BG with a standing dropkick to keep control of the match. Roode sends BG into the corner and delivers a clothesline. Roode hits a rolling neck snap and taunts the crowd. Roode and BG trade right hands in the middle of the ring. They collide heads in the middle of the ring. Storm and Booker get the hot tags with Booker cleaning house on the heels. Booker nails Storm with a spin kick and nails Kip with a heel kick. Booker clotheslines Kip over the top to the floor. Booker plants Storm with a spinebuster. Booker tries to do the spinarooni, but Roode attacks from behind. Sting clotheslines Roode to the floor. Storm nails Booker with a kick to the head. Storm grabs the beer bottle and waits for Booker. Matt Morgan enters and nails Storm with a big boot. Booker recovers and hits the scissors kick on Storm. Booker covers and pins Storm for the win. (*1/2. They do not want to heat up any heels, which is incredible to me. Samoa Joe is going to need challengers for the title and there’s nobody outside of Kurt Angle that appears to be a viable challenger to Joe.)
21.) Booker T doesn’t seem thrilled that Matt Morgan helped the team. Sting tries to cool things down, but Booker shoves Sting away. Booker grabs a microphone and tells Morgan that he doesn’t need Morgan’s help. Booker tells Sting that if Sting backs Morgan then they’ve got a problem. Booker tells Sting if he wants some he can have some next week. Booker walks off.
Final Thoughts:
Booker appears headed for a heel turn, which is kind of baffling to me since he just was involved in defending his wife against a heel. It’s a weird pivot, but when you don’t have any heels ready for the new face champion you’ve got to make a sacrifice and that appears to be switching Booker to a heel. The show this week was an average showing. The heels need steam and they need to get some fast.
Thanks for reading.