Total Non-Stop Action presents Impact
Date: 11/20/2008
From: Orlando, FL
Matches:
1.) Consequences Creed & Jay Lethal defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi & Sonjay Dutt
2.) The Beautiful People (Sky & Love) defeated Christy Hemme & Sojournor Bolt
3.) AJ Styles & Samoa Joe defeated the Motor City Machine Guns
4.) TNA Legends Champion Booker T defeated Eric Young to retain the title
5.) Kurt Angle & Kevin Nash defeated Abyss & Matt Morgan
Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) Earlier today, the Main Event Mafia arrived to the arena with a casket. Kurt Angle tells Jeremy Borash that they wanted to show appreciation and their condolences to Christian Cage. They are going to give him a proper burial.
2.) In the Impact Zone, the Main Event Mafia have the casket brought down to the ring and the group is close behind heading to the ring. Angle puts over the MEM as the greatest assemble of wrestlers and says they are there for Christian Cage’s official burial. Angle reminds us that Christian refused the commitment to not only the Mafia, but to TNA the company. Angle says they had to beat Cage within an inch of his life and send Cage back to the WWE in an ambulance. Angle considers that a warning to anyone else that crosses them. Angle mentions he’s looking forward to his match with Jeff Jarrett at Final Resolution. Angle asks if there’s anyone who would like to offer final words for the departed Christian Cage.
Rhino’s music hits and Rhino makes his way out to the stage. Rhino has something to say to the MEM. Rhino says if any of them had an issue with Cage’s decision to leave they should have done it in the back one on one like a man. Rhino has a problem with them jumping his friend. Kevin Nash doesn’t give a damn for what Rhino stands for. Rhino tells Nash he’s a veteran and demands respect. Nash tells Rhino they respect people who show respect to them and company, but Cage did neither and that’s what happened to him. Rhino thinks they are ego maniacs. Rhino says this has nothing to do with disrespect or TNA. Rhino sees a bunch of guys afraid to lose their spot and their fat contracts. Rhino thinks the men are afraid to lose their job to a young generation. Rhino thinks the young generation is a lot better than MEM. Rhino sees a bunch of pussies. Rhino thinks Booker T is the biggest pussy of them all. Booker chimes in and says Rhino is talking a lot of crap up there. Booker says Rhino has the balls the size of his tiny dog. Booker wants Rhino to say it to their face. Rhino charges the ring and is quickly overwhelmed by the MEM. Booker nails Rhino with the TNA Legends Championship busting Rhino wide open. Angle pummels Rhino on the mat. Scott Steiner chokes a bloodied Rhino as we see Jeff Jarrett and Mick Foley just watching backstage. Rhino is put into the casket to end the segment.
3.) Backstage, Jeremy Borash is with Jeff Jarrett and Mick Foley. Foley says this is getting a bit out of hand. Foley asks when did Jarrett accept the challenge, and Jarrett yells at Foley saying he hasn’t. Jarrett wants Foley to name the main event at Final Resolution and doesn’t care what Angle has to say about it.
4.) Backstage, Lauren chats with AJ Styles with several other wrestlers behind him. Lauren thinks the MEM is in control of TNA. Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin walk into the room saying they were late after watching the second season of Dexter. Samoa Joe is sick and tired of them. Sabin tells them to relax because it’s called a joke. Styles suggests they get in the ring and settle this the old way. Shelley gets a bit sassy. Mick Foley enters the room and says they don’t have the authority to make matches, but Foley does. Foley books the tag match for tonight on Impact. Foley tells Shelley he hasn’t yet begun to deal with Shelley. Styles tells them to get dressed for their match.
5.) Lethal goes after Dutt, but Tanahashi helps out until Creed pulls Tanahashi to the floor. Lethal hits a handspring back elbow to drop Dutt. Lethal gets distracted by Val and Dutt gains control by pummeling Lethal on the mat. Dutt leg drops Lethal and tags in Tanahashi. Dutt dropkicks Lethal and Tanahashi hits a somersault splash followed by another splash for a near fall. Tanahashi tries for a back suplex, but Lethal counters with a kick to the head. Lethal crawls to the corner and tags in Creed. Creed strikes Dutt several times and hits a swinging neckbreaker. Creed jabs Tanahashi followed by a superkick after striking Dutt. Dutt stops Creed with a jawbreaker. Dutt kicks Creed in the corner from the apron and tries for a springboard, but Creed catches Dutt with a TKO for the win. (*1/2. Incredibly short, which is unfortunate. However, Lethal and Creed are a fun team. Tenay is considering Creed an ‘original’ which is a bit of a reach since he’s just gotten into the company on a full-time basis.)
6.) Backstage, Lauren is with the Beautiful People and Cute Kip. Velvet Sky doesn’t know who Sojournor Bolt even means and insults her parents for naming her that. Sky is sure the kids had fun bullying her in the class by suggesting she was a called a hoe. Cue makes a gesture to his groin, which is blurred. Angelina Love thinks Christy Hemme is still trying to play wrestler. Love says this is not a strip club since there’s no poles and no champaign room. Love warns she’s going to shove her foot up Hemme’s bone ass.
7.) A video package promoting Suicide is shown.
8.) A video package promoting Feast or Fired. The concept has three championship matches, but there’s one briefcase that would fire a wrestler.
9.) Backstage, Shane Sewell, Sheik Abdul Bashir and TNA X-Division Champion Eric Young. Cornette tells Shane that his wrestling career is over after a successful run in Puerto Rico and Canada, but he never made it in the States and has to let it go. Cornette doesn’t care if Shane doesn’t like Bashir and cost him the championship. Cornette orders Shane give back the X-Division Championship to Bashir. Cornette tells Young he’ll make it up to him and tells Shane he’s on probation. Cornette tells Shane he’ll be fired if he does it again. Cornette tells Shane he’s not a blip on their radar screen. Cornette books Young into a match with Booker T for the TNA Legends Championship. Young is going to focus on that and take it away from the Mafia.
10.) Bolt and Love kickoff the tag match with Love forearming Bolt. Bolt shoulder blocks Love and runs the ropes, but Love delivers a pump kick. Love mounts Bolt and delivers several strikes on the mat. Sky tags into the match and hits a double elbow drop with Love leading to a two count on Love. Sky rams Bolt’s head onto the mat several times. Sky rams Bolt into the corner and taunts Hemme allowing Love to choke Bolt over the middle rope. Sky stomps Bolt and sends Bolt into the ropes, but misses a clothesline. Bolt hits a crossbody, but Sky kicks Bolt a few times to regain the advantage. Sky chokes Bolt on the mat. Sky keeps Bolt on the mat with a sleeper, but Bolt breaks free with a jawbreaker. Love and Hemme get tagged into the match with Hemme clotheslining Love and sledges Sky. Hemme drives Love to the mat with a facebuster. Hemme avoids a clothesline by Sky and kicks her a few times. Kip gets on the apron and is knocked down by Hemme. Love hits the Lights Out and pins Hemme for the win. (*. Short, which is fine. I’m not overly invested in the Beautiful People in-ring wise. Their promo work tends to be enjoyable, but action wise I’m not entertained.)
11.) TNA Roughcut focuses on LAX going through their history. Homicide says he was an alter boy and doesn’t know what happened by associating with the wrong group. Homicide loves professional wrestling and recalls being shot and having a tampon taped into his wound. Homicide wrestled with the tampon in his leg.
12.) ODB’s Angle hosted by ODB is up next. ODB’s guest is Sharmell for the first ever show. Sharmell suggests ODB could use some tips about her set. ODB offers a beer, but Sharmell declines. ODB asks who would name their kid Sharmell and asks if that’s a toilet paper. Sharmell explains her name means strength and character. ODB asks if Sharmell wears boxers or briefs. ODB wears nothing. ODB asks Sharmell how the spinarooni actually feels, but Sharmell wants to be serious. ODB asks why not the Mafia leave and let the young guys take over. Sharmell believes the MEM made this company and the young guys need to learn respect. ODB calls out Sharmell fakeness. Sharmell says she’ll cut ODB. ODB wants to wrestle Sharmell at Final Resolution. Sharmell accepts the challenge. ODB tells Sharmell that Booker left his shoes by her bed and security intervene to prevent violence.
13.) Backstage, Jeremy Borash is with the MEM. Kurt Angle wants to help Foley with the double main event at Final Resolution. Angle says Abyss and Matt Morgan are wrong place, wrong time tonight as they are taking over. Angle has offers Foley can’t deny. Angle claims the first main event will see him kicking Jarrett’s ass. Angle notes there’s a tag match tonight between Styles & Joe vs. the Guns. The winner of that match can pick two partners to wrestle the other members of the MEM in an eight man match. Angle says this is the time for the boys to step up.
14.) A video package highlighting Petey Williams and it is noted that Scott Steiner turned on his pal. Petey Williams suffered a concussion and will be out for a bit.
15.) Joe, Styles, Sabin and Shelley start off brawling in the ring. Shelley avoids a suicide dive by Joe and delivers a kick. Sabin ends up taking Joe out with a suicide dive on the floor. Styles knocks Shelley to the floor and hits a somersault dive onto both Sabin and Shelley. Back from commercial, Sabin dropkicked Joe on the back from behind and Shelley delivered a flatliner. Shelley strikes Joe in the corner and tags in Sabin. Guns kick Joe on the mat and taunt Styles on the apron. Sabin fist drops Joe on the mat. Joe chops Sabin several times in the corner. Sabin kicks Joe in the corner and tries for a tornado DDT, but Joe avoids it and snap powerslams Sabin. Shelley and Styles enter with Shelley chopping Styles, but is met with a dropkick after running the ropes. Styles goes to the apron hitting a flying forearm on Shelley for a two count. Styles signals for the Styles Clash, but Sabin kicks Styles. Shelley is sent chest first into the corner and Joe delivers a kick sending Shelley to the floor. Sabin leaps off the top to clothesline Joe. Styles chops Sabin and is met with a kick to the midsection. Sabin and Shelley nail Styles with boots in the corner. Shelley is crotched on the top as Styles Pele kicks Sabin. Joe clotheslines Sabin and Styles plants Shelley with the Styles Clash to pickup the win. After the match, MEM come out and attack Styles and Joe. Angle hits the Olympic Slam on Joe while Nash Jackknife Powerbombs Styles. Booker nails Joe with a scissors kick. Jay Lethal and Consequences Creed come out, but they are taken out, too. TNA World Champion Sting is watching on the floor as the beating takes place. (**1/2. I mean, it’s still fairly obvious that the Guns are not on the same level as Joe and Styles. There was some competitive back and forth here, but the Guns never came across as a serious threat.)
16.) Backstage, Traci Brooks tells Saeed, TNA Knockouts Champion Awesome Kong and Rhaka Khan that she hasn’t found any more challengers because Kong is dangerous. Saeed says they are going to keep their promise and find an innocent victim.
17.) Backstage, Rhino throws Sabin and Shelley into the locker room and tells the other TNA wrestlers he doesn’t want to hear another word. Rhino asks if they are all a bunch of pussies. Rhino tells them he’s fought this fight before and notes his body is covered in scars. Rhino reminds them he helped build a company known as ECW. His concern is everyone in the company. Rhino tells AJ Styles he knows what is like to be at the top and he can be a champion again. Rhino tells Samoa Joe he knows what it is like to bleed in front of 100 people. Rhino asks Sabin and Shelley if they know what is like to bleed with men in a fight. Rhino says they have a choice to stand up like men and if they stand with him he will fight right next to them and he will not let them down. Rhino says they will have to eventually make that choice.
18.) Booker backs Young against the ropes to kickoff the match, but cleanly backs off and taunts the fans. Booker puts a hammerlock on Young for the early advantage, but Young counters and Booker reaches the ropes. Booker works over Young with strikes in the corner. Young avoids Booker in the corner and delivers an arm drag. Young keeps arm control, but Booker strikes Young followed by a chop. Booker misses a clothesline and Young delivers another arm drag. Young keeps arm control on the mat for a moment. Booker knee lifts Young and misses a heel kick. Young strikes Booker several times into the ropes. Booker drops Young throat first over the top rope. Booker continues with a standing sidekick and a superkick leading to a near fall on Young. Booker misses a leaping sidekick, but eye rakes Young. Booker puts a sleeper on Young on the mat. Young forearms Booker followed by a scoop slam for a two count. Booker avoids a DVD, but misses a scissors kick. Young plants Booker with the Death Valley Driver for a two count. Sharmell distracts Young allowing Booker to deliver a strike and hits the scissors kick. Booker covers and retains the title. After the match, ODB slides into the ring and checks on Young. (*1/2. Well, not only did Young get stripped of the X-Title, but now he loses to Booker T. So, this is a bit of a rough night for EY. The action was decent, and I thought the scissors kick at the end looked especially good.)
19.) Backstage, Mick Foley tells Jarrett that he doesn’t think Kurt Angle is going to like his announcement. Jarrett doesn’t care what Angle thinks and if he takes a step toward Foley he’ll come out and help Foley.
20.) Backstage, Jeremy Borash chats with Team 3D and brings up their recent issues with the TNA Tag Team Champions Beer Money Inc. Brother Devon says Beer Money don’t know who they are messing with and says they’ve been together for six minutes and think they can hang with the big guys. Devon says they’ve done more in one hour than they have done in their whole career. Devon reminds Beer Money who they are and says they are gonna play. Brother Ray jokes that since Obama won Devon has done more talking than ever. Brother Ray says MEM can’t claim to have the best world champions since Team 3D aren’t associated with them and says they know how to find them. Ray notes Beer Money has been costing them matches for two months. Ray says they have more shower time than they do ring time. They will not be stopped from winning the tag titles for a 21st time. Ray demands they learn some respect.
21.) Hermie Sadler doing his Hot Seat show on TNA.com is shown, but TNA Knockouts Champion Awesome Kong shows up and attacks Sadler to end the segment.
22.) Angle and Abyss kickoff the tag team main event. Abyss shoulder blocks Angle to the floor. Nash regroups with Angle to think of a game plan. Angle kicks Abyss followed by a right hand, but Abyss doesn’t budge. Abyss screams and clotheslines Angle coming off the ropes. Abyss pummels Angle in the corner with forearm strikes. Angle eye rakes Abyss, but runs into a big boot. Abyss tries for the Shock Treatment and hits it for a near fall. Morgan tags into the match, but Angle kicks on Morgan’s left knee. Angle ducks a clothesline, but is met with the Carbon Footprint for a near fall as the show goes to commercial.
Morgan scoop slams Angle and comes off the ropes to deliver an elbow drop for a near fall. Angle rolls to the corner and tags in Nash. Nash has a stare down with Morgan in the middle of the ring and they trade right hands. Morgan strikes Nash in the corner, but Angle chop blocks Morgan allowing Nash to deliver a clothesline for a near fall. Nash knee lifts Morgan in the corner several times. Nash elbows Morgan in the corner and chokes Morgan. Angle works over Morgan with strikes, but Morgan fights back with right hands. Angle kicks Morgan on the knee and delivers an elbow drop to the knee. Morgan tries to punch free, but Angle keeps leg control on the mat. Morgan kicks Angle over the back several times. Angle uppercuts Morgan several times. Morgan avoids the Angle Slam and clotheslines Angle. TNA Tag Team Champions Beer Money are making their way down to the ring to watch the match.
Abyss clotheslines Nash and Angle a couple of times. Abyss splashes Nash in the corner and does the same to Angle. Abyss side slams Nash for a two count as Angle makes the save. Abyss tosses Angle over the top to the floor. Nash eye rakes Morgan and elbows Morgan in the corner. Abyss brawls with Beer Money on the floor briefly before sending Angle back into the ring. Abyss is on the middle rope, but James Storm breaks a glass beer bottle over Abyss head. Nash big boots Abyss for the win. After the match, Morgan appears to be a bit frustrated with the loss. (*. The action is mostly average. I have almost zero interest in Abyss and his team with Morgan. It feels a bit forced to make them challengers to Beer Money.)
23.) Mick Foley makes his way down to the ring to close the show where Foley is going to announce the main events for Final Resolution. Foley has always admitted that the Main Event Mafia are a huge part in wrestling history. Foley considered them the current stars in TNA up until recently. Foley has to agree that the Main Event Mafia could be the greatest group of champions to ever step foot in the ring. Foley made a major investment into TNA because he sees the potential for change. Foley says it was never his intention to play favorites, but rather level the playing field. Foley wanted to give the TNA Originals an opportunity. Foley believes Final Resolution could be their last chance for restitution. Foley has booked two major matches for the PPV. Foley announces that we will see Booker T, Kevin Nash, Scott Steiner and TNA World Champion Sting take on Samoa Joe and AJ Styles. Foley has put a twist on the match. Foley says if MEM win the match than Sting holds onto the title. If Joe, AJ or their two partners of their choosing win then AJ Styles specifically wins the title. Foley announces Kurt Angle will take on… Rhino.
Kurt Angle marches out to the ring and he’s pissed off about the announcement. Angle tells Foley this is bullshit and wants to know why Jarrett won’t face him. Angle says he always gets what he wants in his life. The only thing he hasn’t done in his life is beat Jeff Jarrett. Angle is demanding that Foley book him in a match with Jarrett. If he can’t get Jarrett the he wants Foley. Angle slaps Foley across the face. Jeff Jarrett’s music hits and Jarrett makes his way down to the ring. Jarrett tells Angle he’s had it with Angle. Jarrett tells Angle they are playing by his rules and not Angle’s. Jarrett tells Angle that he swore he’d never be in the ring again. Jarrett wants Angle out of his company worse than Angle wants to fight him. Jarrett admits he can’t fire Angle because of a clause in his contract, but he can make Angle an offer he can’t refuse. Jarrett tells Angle he’s going to fight Rhino at Final Resolution. Jarrett tells Angle if he can beat Rhino then he’ll wrestle Angle, but if Rhino wins then Angle is gone from TNA for good. Jarrett offers a handshake, but Angle slaps Jarrett across the face! Jarrett smiles as Angle turns around and Rhino hits the GORE to leave Angle laying to end the program.
Final Thoughts:
I think the best thing on this show was Rhino rallying the troops backstage. It came across as a passionate uplifting promo to get them on the same page. Aside from that this felt like a chore to get through a little bit. Why is AJ the designated guy to win the title if his team wins at the PPV? Why wouldn’t it be any man that pinned MEM? I appreciate the slow build to Angle vs. Jarrett II, but it makes the Angle vs. Rhino match predictable and it’s being presented as a match to pay for. An underwhelming episode of Impact.
Thanks for reading.