Total Non-Stop Action presents Impact
Date: 10/30/2008
From: Orlando, FL
Matches:
1.) Christy Hemme & ODB defeated The Beautiful People (Angelina Love & Velvet Sky)
2.) Eric Young defeated TNA Tag Team Champion James Storm
3.) Motor City Machine Guns (Shelley & Sabin) defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi & Volador
4.) AJ Styles & Samoa Joe defeated Booker T & Kevin Nash
5.) Abyss defeated Kurt Angle by disqualification
Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) TNA has a new opening video package, which is actually not too bad. The tunnels are now on the same side at the Impact Zone.
2.) AJ Styles makes his way out to begin the program alongside Samoa Joe. Styles says he’s glad Mick Foley is there, but says they are going to fight this war on their own. Styles has been there for six years and seen TNA grow from Tennessee to the Impact Zone. Styles has grown up along with TNA and the talent continues to grow. Styles mentions Sting, Kevin Nash, Kurt Angle and Booker T. Styles hasn’t forgotten about three of the four of them causing another company going out of business. Styles proclaims this isn’t about them, but rather this is about TNA growing. Styles recalls getting beaten up in HD last week and notes that some of the young guys didn’t come out and help them. It bothers him. Styles says if you want the main event in TNA you’ve got to take it. Styles asks if the young guys have the balls to cross the line and stand with him and Joe.
Jay Lethal, Consequences Creed, Petey Williams, ODB and Eric Young come out and agree to be part of the group. Joe says he appreciates them coming out, but gets cutoff by Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin. Shelley thinks everyone is going to be brainwashed by Samoa Joe. Shelley says they aren’t going to bite. Shelley wants to know why they should be part of the battle. Joe tells Shelley this is their war and either you’re in or out. Joe says this is about everyone’s future and tells Shelley it would be in their best interest to help them overcome the people who held them down. Shelley tells the guys to not bite. Shelley doesn’t think Joe cares about them. Joe slaps Shelley across the face and Shelley is held back.
Main Event Mafia music hits and the new group make their way out to the stage. Angle says they are a disgrace to TNA and all the fans that pay good money to see them. Angle considers the MEM to be a family. Angle says they have over 75-years of experience that demands respect. Angle says they only wanted a thank you. Nash chimes in and says and tried to teach Joe how to act towards the stars. Instead, Joe spat in his face. Nash tells Joe that Scott Hall didn’t show up to the PPV because Joe wasn’t worth the rub, and Nash agrees in retrospect. Nash declares they’ve got a war if they want one. Booker T grabs a microphone and calls them bums. Booker says if they want to talk about the Mafia they say it to their face. Booker declares the war starts tonight. Booker doesn’t believe any of them in the ring will be there at the end of the year. Booker says “it’s all about the five.” Commentary wonders if that means a fifth member.
3.) Backstage, Jeremy Borash is with Jeff Jarrett. Jarrett thinks the guys are ready for the war and he’s not going to get involved. Mick Foley enters the scene and thinks it is time he has a heart to heart with his buddy Sting. Borash asks Foley what he’s going to say. Foley has to keep all his investments on line, especially Sting.
4.) Backstage, Lauren is with the Beautiful People and Cute Kip. Angelina Love says everyone can see Lauren’s pimples and wrinkles. Love asks since when did Christy Hemme become a wrestler. Love suggests Hemme stick with Playboy and insults her looks. Love says the ring is no place for someone like Hemme. They’ll gladly help her with a makeover if she wants. Velvet Sky asks if ODB is a dude or a tranny. Sky says ODB is as female as Rosie O’Donnell and they quiver. Sky is sick to death of the jealously and they were born beautiful.
5.) Hemme and Sky kickoff the tag match with Sky shoving Hemme to the mat and delivering stomps. Sky keeps a headlock on Hemme, but Hemme fights out and leg sweeps Sky. Hemme puts an arm bar on Sky before tagging in ODB. ODB leaps off the middle rope to axe handle Sky. Love tags into the match and ODB shoulder blocks Love for a two count. ODB tags out to Hemme and Hemme delivers a kick to the arm. Love strikes Hemme and Love drops Hemme over the ropes. Love nails Hemme with a spinning kick and smashes Hemme’s head onto the mat a few times. Love and Sky deliver a double elbow drop. Sky stomps Hemme on the mat and chokes Hemme on the mat for a few moments. Sky stomps Hemme on the mat. Love enters and kicks Hemme against the ropes. Love sends Hemme into the corner, but is met with an elbow. Hemme and Love trade strikes in the corner. Love misses a clothesline and they drive each other down to the mat face first. Sky and ODB get the tags with ODB cleaning house. ODB sends Sky into the corner and hits a splash. ODB continues with a fallaway slam. ODB hits a running powerslam on Sky, but Love breaks the cover. Hemme kicks Love through the ropes to the floor. Kip catches Hemme coming off the apron. ODB grabs Sky and hits a side slam for the win. (*1/2. Not too bad of a match for the most part. Hemme seems to be getting over as a babyface.)
5.) Backstage, Lauren is walking with Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley. They are walking up to Samoa Joe. Sabin says what happened out there was a mistake and want to start over. Sabin tells Joe they are in for the war. Joe says he has trust issues and he’s looking at Shelley. Joe says when the bullets are flying, we’ll see if the guns are shooting back.
6.) Backstage, Jeremy Borash interviews Eric Young. Borash notes that Young was there for Joe and Styles. Young says a lot is on the line including his job and dreams. This is serious and he’s tired of laying down and letting it happen. Tonight, Young is going to show who he truly is. Young has a much more serious tone.
7.) Storm pummels Young at the start of the match and delivers a strike in the corner. Young fights back with right hands in the corner. Young avoids Storm in the corner and delivers a dropkick. Young heel kicks Storm and continues with strikes. Young dumps Storm to the apron, but Storm kicks Young to the floor. Roode attacks Young while the referee is distracted by Storm. Storm plants Young with an elevated DDT. Storm snapmares Young and keeps control with a sleeper on the mat. Storm nails Young with a high knee lift. Storm picks Young up and hits the Eye of the Storm for a near fall. Storm ducks a wild swing, but Roode spits beer into Storm’s face. Young gets a rollup and pins Storm to win the match. After the match, Roode attacks Young with stomps and right hands on the mat. Storm superkicks security getting on the apron. Shelley and Sabin come out to attack Beer Money and make the save. (*. There wasn’t much to the match, but it was fine for what it was. Young being a more serious wrestler and winning matches would certainly help the young side of this feud. Sabin and Shelley didn’t prove themselves to me here since they didn’t combat the MEM.)
8.) Backstage, Taylor Wilde and Roxxi are walking with weapons and Roxxi tells Lauren they are going after Kong.
9.) A vignette promoting Suicide is shown. Suicide is a character created for the TNA video game that is now a TV character.
10.) Backstage, Jeremy Borash is with TNA Knockouts Champion Awesome Kong and Raisha Saeed. However, Roxxi and Taylor Wilde quickly storm the locker room and attack. Kong is sent into the lockers and laid out.
11.) TNA X-Division Champion Sheik Abdul Bashir makes his way out to the commentary table.
12.) Tanahashi and Volador attack Sabin and Shelley before the bell for the early advantage. Volador head scissors Sabin to the floor and hits a somersault dive to the floor! Tanahashi holds Shelley over the ropes allowing Volador to hit a leg drop. Volador delivers a Codebreaker for a two count on Shelley. Tanahashi strikes Shelley followed by a leaping forearm strike and a senton followed by somersault splash for a two count. Tanahashi strikes Shelley in the corner several times. Shelley spin kicks Tanahashi, but is stopped quickly. Sabin tries to get involved, but is sent to the floor. Volador powerbombs Shelley and misses a springboard moonsault attempt. Shelley crawls towards Sabin, but has to kick Tanahashi away. Sabin springboard arm drags Volador followed by a dropkick to Tanahashi and clotheslines Tanahashi to the floor. Sabin elbow strikes Volador in the corner and hits a top rope clothesline for a near fall. Shelley heel kicks Tanahashi to the floor and hits a slingshot crossbody to the floor. Volador kicks Sabin into the corner. Volador is met with kicks by the Guns in the corner. Shelley double stomps Volador on Sabin’s shoulders and Sabin hits the Cradle Shock for the win. (**. A short match, but a decent match.)
13.) Sheik Abdul Bashir is not happy about the match result and enters the ring to yell at Tanahashi and Volador. Rhino enters the ring from behind and GORES Bashir.
14.) Backstage, Lauren interviews Christian Cage regarding a match with Booker T at Turning Point. Cage talks about issuing the challenge for the TNA Legends Championship that Booker created and didn’t beat anyone for. Cage accepts the challenge that if Cage loses he will be forced to join the MEM. Cage doesn’t need to align himself with either side. Cage thinks Booker is confused as to who he truly is. Cage says he knows he always the champ. The side Cage ends up on will the be side he’s always been on… his own.
15.) Styles and Nash kickoff the tag match. Styles gains control with a waist lock, but Nash goes to the ropes quickly. Nash knee lifts Styles followed by a few strikes to knock Styles to the mat. Nash strikes Styles into the ropes, but Styles fights back with a dropkick to the knee and knocks Booker off the apron. Styles nails Nash with a springboard dropkick and Joe suicide dives onto Booker on the floor as the show goes to commercial.
Joe jabs Nash a few times and backs Nash into a corner. Joe eye rakes Nash and argues with the referee briefly. Joe forearms Nash against the ropes followed by a chop. Nash elbows Joe coming off the ropes. Booker returns to the match, but Joe chops Booker until an eye poke stops Joe. Booker knee strikes Joe, but Joe responds with a shoulder block. Nash decks Joe from the apron and Booker delivers a scissors kick for a near fall as Styles breaks the cover. Nash elbow drops Joe for a two count. Nash drives Joe down with a side slam for a two count. Booker tags into the match and strikes Joe in the ribs. Booker heel kicks Joe to the mat leading to a near fall. Booker keeps Joe on the mat with a top wrist lock. Joe breaks free, but Booker nails Joe with a kick to the head. Nash comes off the ropes to elbow drop Joe for a near fall. Nash knee lifts Joe in the corner to maintain the advantage. Booker pummels Joe from the apron as the referee is distracted by Styles. Booker keeps Joe on the mat with a sleeper. Joe elbows free, but Booker kicks Joe. Booker comes off the ropes and is met with a snap powerslam by Joe. Joe crawls to the corner and tags in Styles. Styles cleans house with strikes and elbows Nash against the ropes. Styles continues with strikes, but is dumped to the apron. Styles nails Booker with a flying forearm and kicks Nash. Styles puts a cross arm bar on Booker, but Nash breaks the submission. Booker holds Styles, but Joe puts a choke on Nash. Booker forearms Styles to the mat and saves Nash. Booker knocks Joe to the floor. Booker kicks Styles and misses a scissors kick. Styles connects with the Pele kick and cleanly pins Booker! (**. This was a little bit dull and seemed to lack intensity that you’d maybe think there’d be in this feud. I am a bit stunned that there was a clean finish, but it makes it feel like an even battle instead of MEM potentially running through the TNA roster for an extended period of time.)
16.) After the victory, the locker room comes out to celebrate with Styles and Joe showing their unity.
17.) Backstage, Lauren is with Abyss and Matt Morgan for an interview. Abyss thanks Lauren for asking if he’s fully healthy. Abyss says he’s fine and that it is a just a flesh wound. Morgan reminds Abyss that Angle was close to losing to him two weeks ago. Morgan isn’t going to sit here and watch Abyss go into a battle that he’s not ready for. Abyss doesn’t forget what Angle did to him two weeks ago opening up his wounds. Abyss laughs when saying it didn’t feel good.
18.) Backstage, Jeremy Borash interviews TNA World Champion Sting in the hallway. Borash brings up Mick Foley and asks if Sting has any idea what Foley will say. Sting says nobody has confirmed to him that Foley is his boss. Sting hasn’t talked to Foley in a decade and he’s going to enter this with an open mind and hopes Foley doesn’t try to close it.
19.) Mick Foley makes his way down to the ring to cut a promo. Foley puts over the new look Impact Zone. Foley wants to announce two huge main events for Turning Point. The first main event will see Kevin Nash battling Samoa Joe. Foley says the second main event will see TNA World Champion Sting defend against AJ Styles. Foley would like to have a word with Sting.
TNA World Champion Sting makes his way out to the ring to have his face to face discussion with Foley. Foley says this is the first time they’ve seen each other in fourteen years. Foley credits Sting for putting him on the map in 1991. Foley wonders where his life would have ended up if he hadn’t encountered Sting. Foley asks the question, why? Foley thinks they are on the verge of something very big in TNA. Foley puts over the talent in TNA that make a difference in TNA. Foley sees Sting as the glue to hold all the pieces together. Foley says Sting isn’t acting as the glue, but is instead trying to drive a wedge. Sting tells Foley he wanted to be the glue and promises his intentions are the same as Foley. However, he was rejected by Joe and Styles. Sting tells Foley that the respect Foley has for Terry Funk is lacking towards him and thinks Foley faces the same level of disrespect from the new generation. Sting tells Foley this is not his war, but it is his.
20.) Backstage, Kurt Angle shoves Jeremy Borash out of the scene and asks how long Jeff Jarrett is hiding behind Abyss. Angle has an obsession with getting Jeff Jarrett in the ring and he always gets what he wants. Angle wants Jarrett in the ring and knows what makes Jarrett tick. Angle knows Jarrett doesn’t want him to go there, because he will. Angle is capable of doing anything to get Jarrett in the ring.
21.) Angle decides to bail to the apron to regroup before locking up with Abyss. Angle gains control with a headlock, but Abyss sends Angle into the ropes and delivers a shoulder block. Abyss shoves Angle to the mat and delivers several strikes in the corner. Abyss clotheslines Angle charging off the ropes. Angle walks up the aisle and seems to be done with the match, but Abyss follows and decks Angle over the back. Abyss punches Angle back towards the ring. Abyss rolls Angle into the ring, but Angle kicks Abyss on the knee. Abyss plants Angle with a side slam for a two count. Abyss clotheslines Angle over the top to the floor. Angle climbs over the railing and tries to hide in the crowd as the show goes to commercial.
Abyss brawls with Angle in the crowd knocking Angle down the steps. Abyss sends Angle into the wall. Abyss tries for a chokeslam, but Angle kicks Abyss on the knee and chop blocks Abyss. Angle stomps on Abyss knee several times on the mat. Angle chop blocks Abyss onto the mat and taunts the crowd. Abyss chop blocks Abyss to the mat again. Abyss clotheslines Angle charging him. Angle strikes Abyss a few times, but Abyss isn’t bothered. Abyss big boots Angle followed by a clothesline and splashes Angle in the corner. Abyss hits the Shock Treatment for a two count. Abyss tries for a chokeslam, but Angle counters and locks in the ankle lock. Abyss kicks free and chokeslams Angle for a two count. Angle kicks Abyss on the knee and delivers the Olympic Slam for a two count. Angle climbs to the top, but Abyss powerbombs Angle to avoid a moonsault attempt. Abyss covers for a two count. Angle grabs a steel chair on the floor and smashes Abyss over the head causing a disqualification. (**. There’s a formula these two have, and it doesn’t make for an all that exciting match. Abyss is a restricted character outside of gimmick matches. At this point, Abyss doesn’t have creditability to win against MEM members.)
22.) Angle puts the ankle lock on Abyss, but Abyss kicks free. Angle scratches at Abyss’s burns on his body. Angle locks in the ankle lock again. Matt Morgan runs into the ring and attacks Angle with strikes. Morgan nails Angle with the Carbon Footprint. Booker T and Kevin Nash run down to the ring and help attack Morgan. Nash has a chair and whacks Morgan over the head. Nash nails Abyss with a chair shot, too. Nash chokes Abyss with the chair. The locker room empties to runoff the Main Event Mafia.
Scott Steiner comes in from behind with a lead pipe and proceeds to hit everyone with the lead pipe. Steiner noticeably didn’t hit Petey Williams with the pipe, though. Scott Steiner is the fifth member of the Main Event Mafia. TNA World Champion Sting comes down to the ring and helps AJ Styles to his feet. Styles spits at Sting, which prompts Sting to deliver the Scorpion Death Drop. Main Event Mafia stand tall to end the program.
Final Thoughts:
There wasn’t a memorable match, but the action was at least decent throughout. They made some good progress in the MEM vs. TNA Originals feud. I like that MEM took a clean pin fall loss to make this seem like a back and forth war. Scott Steiner being added to the MEM makes a lot of sense to me and I think they are a great heel group. I’ll consider this a solid show and I’m interested in Turning Point with Sting vs. Styles and Nash vs. Joe having some good steam attached to them.
Thanks for reading.