Total Non-Stop Action presents Impact
Date: 7/17/2008
From: Orlando, FL
Matches:
1.) TNA X-Division Champion Petey Williams defeated Kaz to retain the title
2.) Matt Morgan defeated Jimmy Rave
3.) Matt Morgan defeated Lance Hoyt
4.) Velet Sky won a Ten Knockouts Gauntlet Match to become number one contender
5.) Sonjay Dutt defeated Eric Young & Johnny Devine
6.) Booker T defeated Consequences Creed in a stretcher match
Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) Outside, Booker T and Sharmell arrive to the Impact Zone. Booker has possession of the TNA World Championship, but didn’t win the title at Victory Road.
2.) Booker T makes his way out to the ring with Sharmell to cut a promo. The fans greet Booker with a “you suck” chant. Booker is out there to say a few words. Booker proved to everyone that Samoa Joe can’t beat him. Booker proved he’s the greatest champion of all time. Booker is going to raise the TNA World Championship and claim to be the new champion. However, Jim Cornette comes out and says “hang on one cotton pickin’ minute.” Cornette says Booker is going to handover the title to him and he’s going to return it back to Samoa Joe, the real champion. Cornette says Booker will have to wait for Hard Justice for a rematch.
TNA World Champion Samoa Joe joins the segment wearing a suit. Joe makes his way down to the ring. Joe gets cutoff by Booker, who tells Joe to not come out here whining. Booker believes Joe knows that he can’t beat Booker. Booker offers to hand the title over to Joe. Joe tells Booker to do himself a favor and shut his mouth. Joe recalls kicking Booker’s ass all over Houston. Joe is going to allow Booker to hang onto his title because he never takes handouts. Joe says there will be two conditions to hold onto the title. Booker will be his target and he’ll keep hitting the target. Joe is going to take the title at Hard Justice and a piece of Booker’s ass with it. Booker believes he’s in Joe’s head because Joe knows he can’t beat Booker on his best day. Joe asks if Booker has what it takes to beat Joe. Joe doesn’t think Booker has what it takes to beat him at Hard Justice. Joe wants Booker to tell Sting that he’ll kick Sting’s ass next.
3.) Backstage, Lauren is with Beer Money and Jacqueline. Lauren mentions the lashes they took from the fans. Roode hasn’t been able to sit down for the past four days. Roode doesn’t find it to be funny. Roode says tonight isn’t fans revenge, but rather Beer Money revenge. Roode threatens to go after fans at the park. Roode claims they are going to whip fans in the crowd. “That isn’t just funny, that’s money.” They walk off with Lauren to get revenge.
4.) Backstage, Jeremy Borash is with Kaz. Kaz says it is true that he let down TNA at Victory Road when he lost the World X Cup. Kaz let down all the guys that competed in the X-Division. Kaz says there is a light at the end of his tunnel and wonders if he embraces the light or is it a freight train.
5.) Williams is backed into a corner and Kaz delivers an elbow. Kaz avoids Williams in the corner, but misses a leg drop off the middle rope. Williams tries for the Destroyer, but Kaz counters and hits a spinning heel kick for a two count. Kaz continues with strikes, but Williams sends Kaz over the top to the floor. Williams hits a slingshot hurricanrana on the floor. Williams rolls Kaz back into the ring and delivers a jawbreaker. Williams continues with a spinning heel kick and taunts the fans. Williams chops Kaz and runs into a clothesline and elbow strike. Kaz tries for a backslide, but Williams breaks free. Williams avoids the Wave of the Future. Kaz backdrops free from the Destroyer. Kaz nails Williams with a slingshot cutter for a two count. Williams kicks Kaz and signals for the Destroyer, but Kaz spikes Williams with a reverse piledriver. Khan gets on the apron to distract the referee. Kaz scares her off the apron and chases around the floor. Kaz plants Williams with the Wave of the Future for a near fall. Kaz shoves Williams into the corner and sits Williams on the top turnbuckle. Kaz kicks Williams on the top rope. Williams elbows Kaz on the middle rope and tries for a sunset flip. Kaz counters with a rollup. Williams counters and gets a handful of tights to steal the match. (**1/2. The finish is rather cheap, and with how often Kaz has been losing I could see a situation where Kaz snaps and turns heel. The action was decent throughout, though.)
6.) Backstage, Jeremy Borash talks with Eric Young. Young has some hot news and says there’s a meeting between the Prince Justice Brotherhood. Young tells Borash to not tell anyone or he’ll kill Borash.
7.) Backstage, Jeremy Borash chats with TNA World Champion Samoa Joe. Kevin Nash enters the room and tells Joe that there was never a moment that he doubted Joe could beat Booker T. Nash explains that he needed to make sure Joe didn’t let Booker breath. Nash puts Joe over as being the best. Joe tells Nash that Booker didn’t give up despite the beating he gave Booker. Nash says Booker wants Joe to doubt himself and get in his head. Nash assures Joe that Booker didn’t win the match. Joe knows who walked out with the belt and it wasn’t him. Nash says when a man no longer believes in himself he has nothing left.
8.) In the production truck, Beer Money is whipping the production staff and do the same to the cameraman.
9.) Jeremy Borash is in the parking lot where Brother Ray exits a limo with a Sting mask on. Brother Devon and Kurt Angle follow behind him wearing a Sting mask, too. Borash walks over to the Prince Justice Brotherhood meeting between Curry Man, Shark Boy and Super Eric. Eric denies knowing Eric. Eric says they are there to rid TNA of the filth. Beer Money attack Curry and Shark Boy after Super Eric departed to piss.
10.) Rave forearms and knee lifts Morgan a few times before biting Morgan’s forehead. Rave runs into a big boot as Christy Hemme runs backstage. Morgan splashes Rave and hits a swinging slam for the quick win. After the match, Lance Rock (new name) comes out to confront Morgan. Rock says he’s the toughest SOB and says he’s going to rock Morgan’s world.
11.) Morgan strikes Rock several times, but is met with a kick. Morgan catches Rock on a crossbody attempt and hits a fallaway slam. Hemme distracts the referee to allow Rock to gain the advantage with a few kicks. Rock taunts the fans and leaps off the top missing a moonsault attempt. Morgan splashes Rock in the corner and delivers a running big boot. Morgan delivers another swinging slam out of a vertical suplex and pins Rock for the win. (1/2*. I feel I’m not going to enjoy this Morgan push.)
12.) Backstage, Jim Cornette is with the entire Knockouts division. They are all bickering and none of them can agree on who will be the spokesperson for them. Traci manages to get them to shut up. Cornette notes that Taylor Wilde is the new champion and he knows they all think they can beat her. Cornette books a ten woman gauntlet match where the winner gets a title shot next week. Cornette noted that he hopes none of them are married because their husband should commit suicide. Traci sticks around and reminds Cornette about her offer. Cornette appears flustered as Traci walks off.
13.) A video promoting Karen’s Angle a new talk show segment will be debuting next week. Karen promises to get the truth and ask the questions nobody is going to ask.
14.) Outside, Beer Money are yelling at Lauren as they beat up security.
15.) Kurt Angle makes his way out wearing a Sting mask. Team 3D is with him. Kurt is out there to celebrate their victory from the PPV. Kurt wants to welcome Sting to their fraternity. Kurt says anything is possible in TNA. Kurt believes that Sting has finally showed his true colors. Kurt thinks Sting has shattered the dreams of all the little Stingers and the fans want to know why. Kurt says Sting is pissed off and he’s not going to take it anymore. Sting is tired of the lack of respect, according to Kurt. Kurt claims he spoke to Sting last night.
AJ Styles, Christian Cage and Rhino come out and join the segment on the aisle. Styles says Kurt is going to be talking to his right hand in a minute. Styles believes only Sting knows why he did what he did. Styles trusts Sting and believes he did it for the right reasons whatever those reasons were. Styles says they are out there to talk about the three morons. Brother Ray chimes in and mocks Styles accent. Ray thinks they want a rematch and they have been licking their wounds for four days. Ray says they tried to break Rhino’s neck and put Cage through a glass table. Ray calls Styles a little child in a grown man business. Ray says Rhino doesn’t have brains. Ray says Christian’s ego is bigger than Awesome Kong’s toilet seat. Ray agrees to a rematch for Hard Justice in a six man tables match. Christian chimes in and agrees he’s got a little bit of an ego. Cage claims the glass table was the worst pain of his life. Cage had time to think about it and asks how Ray thinks he has authority to issue match stipulations. Cage insults Ray for his last order being through a drive thru. Cage says the rematch will take place next week on Impact. Cage makes it an elimination tables match. Cage wants Ray to go home and continue to celebrate the beating they gave them. Cage wants them to think about it until Cage tells Rhino to get the tables.
16.) A video package promoting the Knockouts division is shown.
17.) Jackie and Kim kickoff the gauntlet match with Kim hitting a head scissors, clothesline and dropkick. Jackie avoids a neckbreaker and a sunset flip attempt. Jackie puts a triangle choke on Kim, but Kim reaches the ropes. This is actually a battle royal despite the gauntlet announcement as you can only be eliminated over the top to the floor. Jackie and Angelina Love can’t agree on working together and Kim delivers a double clothesline. Kim splashes Love in the corner, but Love comes back with a spinning heel kick and eye rakes Kim on the mat. Salinas comes out next and forearms Love and Jackie. Salina delivers a reverse DDT to Love. Kim tries to eliminate Jackie while Salinas tried to eliminate Love and they both failed. Jackie chokes Kim with a head scissors in the corner. Velvet Sky runs into the ring next and decks Salinas from behind. Kim elbows Jackie in the corner. Salinas is double teamed by Sky and Love in the corner. Love scoop slams Salinas and hits an elbow drop with Sky. Salinas is choked over the middle rope. Roxxi is the next entrant and goes right after Love and Sky with strikes. Salinas forearms Roxxi and delivers a facebuster. Love kicks Salinas, and eventually Salinas is eliminated. Rhaka Khan is the next entrant. Khan tosses Kim into the corner, but Roxxi attacks Khan. Khan delivers an axe kick to drop Roxxi. Kim forearms Khan a few times, but runs into a kick.
Traci comes out next and spears Love after kicking Sky. Traci forearms Khan from behind. Khan tries for a chokeslam, but sends Traci into the corner. Traci is stopped on the top rope. Traci leaps off the middle rope to deliver a facebuster. Christy Hemme is the next entrant. Hemme goes after Traci and delivers a leg drop. Hemme strikes Kim against the ropes several times. Hemme clotheslines Kim coming off the ropes. Hemme chokes Kim in the corner.
ODB is the final entrant. ODB cleans house with strikes. ODB sends Sky into Love and splashes both women as the show goes to commercial. ODB forearms Khan. During the break, Khan was eliminated by ODB. Hemme was eliminated by Kim and Traci was eliminated by Love. Jackie tosses ODB to the floor. Jackie head scissors Roxxi to the floor from the apron. Roxxi pulls Jackie off the ropes to eliminate Jackie. Kim is left with Sky and Love. Sky pummels Kim on the mat. Love forearms Kim to the mat and Kim continues to be double teamed. Sky holds Kim, but Love accidentally kicks Sky. Love apologizes to Sky and Kim forearms Love a few times. Love kicks Kim, but Kim stops Love with a Codebreaker. Kim tries to eliminate Love, but Love pulls Kim to the apron. Kim knocks Love off the apron to the floor. Sky rolls Kim up from behind and pins Kim as the final two became a regular match. (*. Sky isn’t connecting with me as a potential contender to the title. It’s not a surprise that one of the Beautiful People members won since they are the top heel duo in the division. Wilde has potential to have some great matches with Kim, ODB, Roxxi and Jackie if given the opportunity. Velvet may be the least appealing challenger of the group.)
18.) Backstage, Jeremy Borash chats with Booker T in his locker room. Booker is looking through a magazine looking for an opponent. Booker picks Consequences Creed. Booker is going to give Creed a shot at the TNA World Championship. Booker pulls out his phone and calls 911 to have an ambulance at the Impact Zone. Booker makes the match with Creed a stretcher match.
19.) Backstage, Jeremy Borash is with Jay Lethal and So Cal Val. Borash asks when does it end with Sonjay Dutt. Lethal says it ends when he says it ends. Lethal claims Dutt tossed their friendship away. Val asks what Lethal wants Dutt to do. Val walks off after saying she thinks Lethal is being too hard on Dutt.
20.) Devine and Dutt work over Young to kickoff the match. Dutt tries to cover Young, but Devine stops the cover. Dutt almost pins Devine with an inside cradle. Devine nearly pins Dutt with a rollup. Young sends Dutt to the floor, but is decked by Devine. Devine sends Young into the corner and delivers a knee strike. Devine covers, but Young kicks out at two. Devine takes Young over with a snap suplex as Dutt remains on the floor. Devine stomps Young and misses a springboard moonsault as Young got his knees up. Young forearms Devine followed by a clothesline. Young tries for a wheelbarrow suplex, but Devine counters and boots Young in the corner. Young hits a Death Valley Driver for a two count. Young delivers another Death Valley Driver, but Dutt enters and chop blocks Young to pickup the win. After the match, Lethal attacks Dutt until Devine tackles Lethal and helps Dutt beatdown Lethal. Lethal fights back with a double clothesline and knocks Devine to the floor. So Cal Val runs down to the floor and tells Lethal to stop it. Lethal sends Dutt to the floor and rams Dutt into the ring post. Lethal grabs a chair, but Val takes the chair away. Dutt grabs the chair and hits the post before tossing it back to Lethal. Val turns around and believes Lethal hit Dutt with the chair. Lethal tries to tell Val he didn’t do that. (1/2*. Val has to be turning on Lethal, I’d guess.)
21.) Backstage, Beer Money say they don’t care about female fans and hope they get fined.
22.) Beer Money Inc. makes their way down to the ring to cut a promo. Roode says the people screwed with them at Victory Road. Roode says the fans thought it was a joke when they got whipped like dogs with the straps. Roode wants to see who gets the last laugh tonight and tells Storm they need to get whippin’. Beer Money goes to the floor and taunt several fans in the front row. They flip a fan into the ringside area and whip the fan in the ring. Officials run into the ring and get whipped. Scott D’Amore is attacked and his pants fell down as he’s running away. Beer Money confront Hector Guerrero at the commentary table and they brawl. Guerrero gets whipped by Storm. Guerrero tries to fight back in the ring, but can’t. Guerrero is handcuffed in the corner and trapped. Storm pulls Guerrero’s shirt up and Roode whips Guerrero. Storm does the same. Beer Money continue to whip Guerrero until LAX runs into the ring to make the save. Beer Money runaway to avoid a confrontation.
23.) Backstage, Jeremy Borash is with Kurt Angle, Team 3D and Tomko. Angle wonders if Styles, Cage and Rhino know what they’re getting themselves into. Angle claims Team 3D has never lost a tables match (which is not true). Angle says they will be getting splinters out of their asses for weeks. Angle hints that Sting is going to be there. Angle wants Tomko to crash Karen’s new talk show segment next week.
24.) Backstage, Lauren interviews and excited Consequences Creed. Creed says this is the kind of opportunity that he needs. Creed believes Booker T isn’t aware of what he’s getting himself into tonight. Creed is confident he is going to the top tonight.
25.) Booker takes Creed down to the mat, but doesn’t follow up. Booker arm drags Creed and taunts Creed. Booker gains control with a headlock, but Creed shoves Booker off and Booker delivers a shoulder block. Booker chops Creed into a corner and continues to deliver strikes. Booker knee strikes Creed into the corner. Booker strikes Creed into the corner, but Creed responds with a few forearm strikes. Creed forearms Booker, but Booker knee lifts Creed. Creed nails Booker with a somersault clothesline. Creed hits a crossbody and Booker bails to the floor to regroup as the show goes to commercial.
Creed yanks on Booker’s arm, but Booker knee strikes Creed. Creed responds with jabs, but Booker heel kicks Creed. Booker plants Creed with a spinebuster. Booker drops Creed chest first over the top rope. Booker rams Creed into the corner face first followed by a chop and forearm. Creed responds with strikes, but Booker comes off the ropes with an axe kick. Booker sends Creed through the ropes to the floor. Booker knee strikes Creed in front of the stretcher and rams Creed onto the stretcher face first. Booker lays Creed onto the stretcher and delivers a few more strikes. EMTs push the stretcher towards the ambulance and Booker wins the match. After the match, Booker pummels Creed some more on the stretcher. Sharmell opens the ambulance and Samoa Joe pops out to attack Booker. Joe tosses Booker into the ambulance and the ambulance drives off. Joe blocks a bat shot by Sharmell and asks who gave her the bat. Joe tosses the bat on the ground. (*. Honestly, that was massively disappointing. There wasn’t even a sadistic side to Booker to put Creed on the stretcher. The match felt flat and it was a weak manner for Creed to not fight off the stretcher. I thought there’d be a better fight from Creed.)
Final Thoughts:
This week felt as if they were hyping up a bigger show taking place next week. There was some decent storytelling, but the Sting angle is incredibly played out and some of the comments by Kurt saying that Sting had never turned bad is blatantly wrong. I’d consider this a skippable week of TV.
Thanks for reading.