Total Non-Stop Action presents Impact
Date: 12/4/2008
From: Orlando, FL
Matches:
1.) TNA Legends Champion Booker T defeated Samoa Joe in a street fight to retain the title
2.) AJ Styles & Christy Hemme defeated Scott Steiner & TNA Knockouts Champion Awesome Kong
3.) Consequences Creed, Eric Young & Jay Lethal defeated TNA X-Division Champion Abdul Bashir, Jimmy Rave & Sonjay Dutt
4.) Rhino defeated TNA World Champion Sting in a non-title match
Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) Backstage, Team 3D tell the Frontline they will stand next to them, but they have to fight for themselves tonight. Frontline represents progress and Brother Ray considers them the new generation. Ray says they’ve got to do this for the fans. Ray proclaims the new revolution begins tonight. Frontline leaves the room pumped up.
2.) Main Event Mafia make their way down to the ring to cut a promo. Kurt Angle is once again leading the charge. Nash says he doesn’t give on compliments very often, but gives Team 3D credit for duping them. Nash doesn’t understand why Team 3D chose to not join them. Nash says he’s got a lot in common with Brother Ray as they are both confident, assholes, and worry about themselves. Nash says they will lie their asses off to get the job done. Nash wants to brush off the small mistake from last week. Nash is going to give Team 3D sixty seconds to join them, and if they don’t then consider their death certificate signed.
Team 3D come out to the stage to the Frontline’s music. Brother Ray announces they are Samoa Joe and AJ Styles tag team partners for Final Resolution. Ray agrees that they are arrogant and bad guys, but not when it comes to doing the right thing. Ray considers standing with the Frontline to be the right thing. Ray says MEM has stolen every company they have ever worked for, and then clarifies they have raped every company they worked for. Ray says the MEM broke the code of the boys. Ray is determined to take out every member of the MEM. Ray introduces the Frontline, and they are standing in the crowd.
Rhino tells Angle to shut his mouth. Rhino is tired of hearing Angle talk. Rhino promises the end of the Angle in TNA. Rhino warns Angle that he’s one GORE! GORE! GORE! away from the unemployment line. Rhino is wrestling TNA World Champion Sting and thinks Sting should be standing next to him. Rhino believes Sting will realize he made the wrong choice when Rhino is kicking his ass and when he realizes his mistake it will be too late.
3.) Jeremy Borash and Lauren are in the parking lot with the Beautiful People and Cute Kip. Borash reveals that TNA Mobile is 100% free now. Borash shows the fans how to sign up and he has information for someone being in Kurt Angle’s corner at the PPV. Cute Kip thinks Sarah Palin showing up to the Impact Zone is the biggest thing in professional wrestling. They are excited to make her a member of the Beautiful People. They have some business to attend to and walk away to take care of the business.
4.) Backstage, Jeremy Borash is with TNA Legends Champion Booker T and Sharmell. Borash asks what the alliance with the Beautiful People is all about. Borash also asks why Booker would defend the TNA Legends Championship against Samoa Joe in a street fight. Sharmell says the Beautiful People are there to protect Sharmell from ODB. Sharmell insults ODB’s smell. Booker T has been training for the title defense and says he can defend the title against anyone at any time and he’s going to prove he’s the best against anyone. Booker will show that the Frontline can’t protect Samoa Joe. Booker is going to beat Samoa Joe down and beg for daddy. Booker leaves fired up and not doing his accent.
5.) Booker knee lifts Joe in the corner, but Joe responds with strikes and chops Booker several times. Booker rolls to the floor, but Joe follows. Booker kicks Joe and delivers a chop followed by a forearm strike. Joe rams Booker onto the apron face first. Joe throws Booker over the railing into the crowd. Joe is stopped by Booker with an eye rake and Booker chops Joe against the railing. Joe brawls with Booker in the crowd and rams Booker into the wall as the show goes to commercial.
Back from break, Joe knee drops Booker in the ring for a two count. Booker rolls to the floor to regroup. Joe headbutts Booker on the floor, but Booker responds with a kick and rams Joe face first into the ring post. Booker rams Joe into the ring steps face first. Booker body strikes Joe on the floor. Booker forearms Joe several times on the floor and knee strikes Joe some more. Booker rolls Joe back into the ring and heel kicks Joe to the mat for a two count. Booker forearms Joe, but Joe responds wit jabs. Booker nails Joe with a spinning heel kick to cutoff Joe. Booker tries for a cover, but Joe kicks out. Booker chops Joe in the corner several times, but Joe battles back with a series of chops. Joe snap powerslams Booker for a two count. Booker knee lifts Joe, but misses a scissors kick. Joe takes Booker down to the mat with a choke hold and Booker is tapping, but the referee is distracted by Sharmell. The Beautiful People come out and spray hairspray into Joe’s eyes. Booker takes advantage by hitting the scissors kick and wins the match to retain the title. (**. The finish is a bit dumb and this was hardly a meaningful street fight stipulation. It’s a bit weird to see Joe casually losing on TV after years of being protected, but now he’s just another guy in TNA.)
6.) Backstage, MEM are happy with seeing Booker T winning the match. Scott Steiner says they are going to fight for the world title like it is their own. Scott Steiner says Brother Ray is just a fat ass and thinks they joined the Frontline because they didn’t have enough donuts. Kurt Angle is going to talk to Mick Foley and then he’s going to tell the world.
7.) Backstage, Lauren interviews Samoa Joe. Team 3D enter the room and ask Joe what he’s going to do. Brother Ray pulls the towel off Joe’s head and tells Joe they are on his side. Ray says this is about winning the war and not losing a battle. Ray has been at war with guys like the MEM their whole career. Ray asks Joe how many times Ric Flair had been champion and that means he lost it that many times, as well. Ray notes they’ve won the tag titles twenty times and they lost it just as many times. They come back hungrier and swinging. Ray tells Joe to forger the loss to Booker T and tells Joe to man up and go to war. Ray tells Joe they know they’re on the same side. Joe nods in agreement and seems to be in the right headspace now.
8.) ODB’s Angle hosted by ODB is next. Taylor Wilde and Roxxi joined the show. Roxxi talks about being from Boston and works out. Roxxi likes to cuss now. Wilde likes to design clothing and play instruments. ODB tells them that she’s on her period. ODB insults Booker and Sharmell for hiring the Beautiful People. ODB has a problem with the match at Final Resolution. Wilde and Roxxi offer their help for the PPV and ODB accepts it. So, now it’s a six woman tag match at the PPV.
9.) Backstage, Beer Money Inc. run up to Abyss, but Abyss pushes James Storm against the wall and threatens Storm. Abyss says he’s going to win the TNA Tag Titles at Final Resolution with Matt Morgan. Roode tries to apologize. Storm says it was not his fault about hitting Abyss with a beer bottle and tried to give Abyss a drink. Storm wants to make it up to Abyss. Abyss promised his therapist that he wouldn’t drink with his meds. Abyss wants to go to the Drunkin’ Clam. Abyss thinks the show is real life. Abyss takes a shot and chases it with a beer. Abyss liked the stuff in the little glass (vodka). Abyss is going to be getting drunk.
10.) In the parking lot, Lauren is with the Beautiful People awaiting the arrival of Sarah Palin. A woman exits the limo, which is a Sarah Palin impersonator. She looks quite a bit like Palin, so it’s not too bad. Kip tries to tell Angelina Love something, but they runoff with Palin.
11.) A video package highlighting Christy Hemme training with AJ Styles is shown as she’s preparing for her PPV match against TNA Knockouts Champion Awesome Kong. Styles thinks Hemme can win at Final Resolution.
12.) Steiner and Styles kickoff the tag match with Steiner striking Styles for the early advantage. Steiner scoop slams Styles and rams Styles into the corner. Steiner chops Styles in the corner several times. Steiner hip tosses Styles across the ring. Styles stops Steiner with a jawbreaker and several chops. Steiner holds the ropes and forearms Styles a few times. Steiner waits for Styles to get up, but runs into a dropkick. Kong enters and chops Styles a few times. Styles can’t strike Kong and Steiner strikes Styles to the mat. Styles tosses Steiner to the floor. Kong shoves Hemme, but misses a running attack and goes over the top to the floor. Styles is stopped on the apron, but Hemme knocks Saeed out with a baseball slide. Kong leg sweeps Styles onto the apron. Steiner clotheslines Styles and does some pushups as the show goes to commercial.
Steiner throws Styles over the top, but Styles pulls himself up and chops Steiner a few times. Styles drives Steiner down with a backbreaker for a two count. Steiner eye rakes Styles, but Styles ducks a clothesline to hit a Pele kick on Steiner. Kong tags into the match and misses a splash. Hemme is caught coming off the top rope, but Hemme gets a choke on Kong. Kong breaks free in the corner, but Hemme kicks Kong away. Steiner grabs Hemme, but Styles forearms Steiner to the floor. Styles takes Steiner out with a slingshot crossbody. Kong clotheslines Hemme a couple of times. Kong splashes Styles in the corner, but misses a sit down splash on Hemme. Styles assists Hemme to hit a tornado DDT on Kong and picks up the three count! (**. Well, I will give them credit for that finish. Hemme pinning Kong gives at least a little doubt that perhaps she could beat Kong. This wasn’t too bad of a match.)
13.) Backstage, Kurt Angle meets up with Mick Foley in the hallway. Angle doesn’t want to make their issues any worse. Angle says Foley screwed him at Bound For Glory. Angle guarantees Foley will never walk again if he screws him at Final Resolution. Foley isn’t going to let Angle intimidate him. Foley reminds Angle that Angle started it at BFG and he just responded. Angle tells Foley it’s a singles match with Rhino and he’s going to have someone there to watch his back.
14.) Backstage, Abyss is partying with TNA Tag Team Champions Beer Money. Abyss likes the feeling and asks if he’s still going to be a top guy in TNA. Storm says Abyss can have anything he wants when hanging out with them. Storm offers up Jackie for Abyss, which Jackie didn’t agree to. Storm tells Jackie to show how much she likes Abyss. Jackie kisses Abyss and Abyss asks if that means he’s not a virgin anymore. Abyss tells Lauren that the kiss meant nothing and hopes it doesn’t change anything between them. Lauren assures Abyss that he’s fine.
15.) Lethal and Dutt kickoff the six man tag match as Bashir left the ring and demanded the headset at the commentary table. Bashir refuses to compete with Shane as the referee of Young involved. Lethal takes Dutt out with a suicide dive on the floor. Lethal rolls Dutt into the ring and covers for a two count. Young tags into the match and keeps wrist control followed by a forearm strike and clothesline. Rave decks Young from behind and stomps Young in the corner. Rave controls Young with a front face lock and Dutt helps double team Young. Rave delivers a leg sweep clothesline and Dutt hits a running senton splash, but Lethal makes the save on the cover. Dutt strikes Young on the ribs and chokes Young with wrist tape. Dutt keeps Young on the mat and casually kicks Young. Rave tags back into the match as Dutt knee lifts Young and hits a shining wizard for a two count. Rave strikes Young into the corner. Creed tries to get involved, but is stopped. Dutt is splashed by Rave and Creed hits a crossbody on both men. Creed decks Dutt and Rave with strikes. Creed covers Rave for a two count as Dutt made the save. Lethal rams Dutt into the railing. Creed hits the TKO on Rave for the win. After the match, Bashir attacks Young on the floor. Young fights back with strikes, but Young hip tosses Bashir onto the stage. Bashir backs off as Young gets the TNA X-Division Championship and plays to the crowd. (*. Bashir is doing some decent heel work here, but I didn’t find the match to be all that interesting. I feel like I’d be pushing Creed a lot more.)
16.) A video package promoting the Feast or Fired concept is shown.
17.) Backstage, Jeremy Borash is with TNA World Champion Sting for an interview. Borash suggests there’s a lot going on with Sting after hearing AJ Styles story regarding his father at the age of 15. Sting admits he does have a lot going on in his life, which he didn’t expect. Sting seems a bit flustered regarding AJ and his father. Sting says at Final Resolution we will see a family and we will see how a family functions. Sting is going to be in the ring with people he can trust. Sting doesn’t really have a problem with Rhino, but tonight he has to go out there and do what he knows how to do and that’s wrestle. Sting promises nothing will stop him from finishing what he knows needs to be finished.
18.) Backstage, the Beautiful People are chatting with ‘Sarah Palin’ and they are excited about having Booker T’s locker room when they win at the PPV. ‘Palin’ meets Booker T and says she’s had moose smaller than Booker. Booker talks with Cute Kip and tells he needs to get the two bimbos out of the room. Booker is not using the accent there and Kip takes the warning suggesting they leave the room.
19.) TNA Roughcut continues to focus on LAX. Hernandez likes to be a role model showing kids there’s a better way. Hernandez has been thanked by people for being a positive representative of Latinos in wrestling. Homicide also says that if he can make it then anyone can make it, as well. Homicide loves wrestling and says always be humble and never forget where you came for. Hernandez wants to be considered the best Latino tag team to ever compete.
20.) Backstage, TNA Tag Team Champions Beer Money is still partying with Abyss. A phone goes off and Abyss thinks it is Matt Morgan. Beer Money tells Abyss to not tell him they are there. Abyss can’t wait to see him and hangs up the phone. Abyss thinks they should invite Morgan to have a drink with them. Storm says they don’t have anymore booze. Storm ends up breaking another beer bottle over Abyss head. Roode tells Abyss they aren’t going to take their titles at Final Resolution.
21.) Kurt Angle makes his way out to the ring to cut a promo. Angle calls out Jeff Jarrett to join the segment and Jarrett makes his way out quickly with a guitar in hand. Angle wants to tell Jarrett one thing and tells Jarrett to enjoy himself tonight. Jarrett has remained on the ramp. Angle wants everyone to enjoy themselves tonight. Angle wants them to celebrate the potential that this is his final Impact appearance. Angle says the more they celebrate the more focused he becomes. Angle says it is a sick, twisted demented focus. Angle had never been more focused when training for the Olympics. Angle eat, sleep, f* wrestling. Angle tells Jarrett this focus is about one thing and it’s Jarrett. Angle is focused solely on Jarrett. Angle signed with TNA two years ago and ever since they have butted heads and had not agreed on a single thing. Angle says everyone knows about their issues. Angle was on the way up and Jarrett was on the way out. Angle realized that Jarrett was jealous of his success and Jarrett dodged him every step of the way. Angle got screwed by Foley at Bound For Glory and that’s why he’s there tonight. Angle promises he will not get screwed at Final Resolution and he’ll destroy Rhino at the PPV. Angle is going to taste Rhino’s blood and then cripple Foley. Angle will then have Jarrett at Genesis. Angle knows about Jarrett’s kids at home and knows they miss their mother and Jarrett misses his wife. However, Angle has no remorse for Jarret. Angle proclaims he’ll own the company, Jarrett’s family and Jarrett himself. Angle says this isn’t about wrestling. He’s never been this out of control that he doesn’t know what he’s going to do to Jarrett when he gets him in the ring. Jarrett responds by saying if Angle is going to try and take everything from him there’s only one way to do it and that’s over his dead body.
22.) Backstage, Lauren interviews Rhino. Rhino heard every word Angle just said to Jarrett. Rhino could only think about his family and daughter. Rhino knows how much Jarrett’s daughters mean to him. Rhino says Angle has crossed the line. Rhino says Angle has broken every code between the boys. Rhino thinks it is almost barbaric. Rhino wants Sting to take a look at him and says he doesn’t know what he’s capable of doing to Sting.
23.) A vignette promoting Suicide is shown.
24.) Backstage, Jeremy Borash is with the Frontline for an interview. Borash notes if they win then Styles wins the TNA World Championship. Brother Ray thinks the people have heard enough from them. AJ Styles says he considers Joe a brother and considers Christopher Daniels to be family. Styles never thought they’d be on the same side as Team 3D. Styles says this isn’t about respect. Doing the right thing gets you respect. Doing the right thing is how you become a legend or an icon. Styles says they are going to take the torch from Sting. Samoa Joe chimes in and says that’s all that needs to be said.
25.) Rhino puts a headlock on Sting to start the main event. Rhino shoulder blocks Sting and runs the ropes. Sting tries for a hip toss, but Rhino counters with right hands in the corner. Rhino stomps Sting and plays to the crowd. Rhino rams Sting into the corner and hip tosses Sting out of the corner. Rhino waits in the corner, but Sting bails to the floor. Rhino punches Sting on the floor and rams Sting into the railing. Rhino sends Sting back first into the railing. Rhino waits on the floor looking for the GORE, but Sting sidesteps and sends Rhino into the railing. Sting drives Rhino into the railing face first. Rhino has been busted wide open as the show goes to commercial.
Sting pummels a bloodied Rhino over the middle rope. Sting punches Rhino several times on the middle rope and stomps Rhino some more. Sting drives Rhino into the mat face first. Sting kicks Rhino and continues to punch the wound on Rhino’s forehead. Rhino tries to fight back with strikes and nails Sting with a leaping clothesline. Kurt Angle runs down to ringside and roots on Sting to get up. AJ Styles comes down to the ring, as well. Rhino punches Sting several times, but Sting delivers several strikes. Rhino shoulder rams Sting in the corner and decks Angle off the apron. Sting decks Rhino with a clothesline and locks in the Scorpion Death Lock. Styles pulls Angle off the apron and strikes Angle. Sting gets distracted allowing Rhino to hit the GORE and pins Sting for the win! After the match, Angle can’t believe it as the Frontline celebrates with Rhino in the ring. (**. Sure there was a distraction leading to the finish, but it’s still relatively clean and it’s a big win for Rhino, who needs this kind of win if he’s the motivational speaker for the Frontline. If there wasn’t the stipulation that Angle would be fired from TNA, I’d buy into Rhino having a shot against Angle a bit more.)
26.) The show ends with a video package promoting Feast or Fired taking place at Final Resolution, which we saw earlier. The video package also runs down the card for Final Resolution.
Final Thoughts:
An average episode this week as they did a fine job doing some last minute hype for Final Resolution. The end game is Jarrett/Angle at Genesis, which I think they’ve been promoting very well for the eventual heated showdown. Final Resolution is shaping up fairly well, but the usage of stipulations that don’t enhance the match are holding them back a little bit.
Thanks for reading.