Total Non-Stop Action presents Impact
Date: 12/25/2008
From: Orlando, FL
Matches:
1.) Chris Sabin defeated Kiyoshi in the semifinals of the TNA X-Division Title Tournament
2.) AJ Styles & Brother Devon wrestled Booker T & Scott Steiner to a no contest
3.) Christy Hemme, ODB, Roxxi & Taylor Wilde defeated TNA Knockouts Champion Awesome Kong, Raisha Saeed, Rhaka Khan & Sojournor Bolt in a Santa’s Workshop Knockouts street fight
4.) Kurt Angle defeated Rhino by disqualification
Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) A video package highlighting the Main Event Mafia and the formation of the group is shown. Their group is determined to get the respect they deserve.
2.) Mick Foley makes his way out to the ring to cut a promo. Foley wishes everyone a happy holiday. Foley has been trying to be merry all day, but it has been difficult. Foley says the Mafia gave him their word that there wouldn’t be any more gang land hits. Foley talks about Samoa Joe getting his arm mangled by the Mafia. Foley wants to ask Kurt Angle what good is the code when your word means nothing and you toss your dignity away. Foley warns Mafia that the next time there’s a gang land style hit he may have to get personally involved.
Main Event Mafia make their way out to join the segment. Kurt Angle says they have one big misunderstanding and says the Mafia weren’t the aggressor, but rather the victim. Angle talks about the Frontline being forced into the cage match like animals. Angle says shit is going to happen when wrestlers are put into the match like savages. Angle mentions Styles won the match, but left his partner, Samoa Joe, alone in the ring. Angle declares they are a family that they want Foley to be apart of and should be apart of. Foley says Angle is putting him in a bind and needs Mafia on the Genesis card. Foley can’t make a match for Kevin Nash, Booker T and Scott Steiner because they’ll put a hit out on their future opponents. Instead, Foley is going to make a double main event tonight. TNA Legends Champion Booker T and Scott Steiner will battle Brother Devon and AJ Styles tonight. Angle is upset about putting PPV matches on free TV. Foley puts Kurt Angle in a singles match with Rhino. Foley will follow through with his promise and get physically involved if things get escalated. Foley will have a visitor at ringside to watch Rhino’s back by having Jeff Jarrett at ringside.
3.) Backstage, Jeremy Borash is with Rhino for an interview regarding Kurt Angle. Rhino is there for the rush of the chase and the chase that ends in a kill. Rhino promises Angle will feel pain and he’s going to punish Angle like an animal. This isn’t about the pin fall, but rather getting revenge for Petey Williams and Brother Ray. Rhino warns the Mafia there is no way out.
4.) Kiyoshi gets wrist control, but Sabin counters with an arm drag and they have a standoff. Kiyoshi kicks Sabin followed by an overhand chop and strikes in the corner. Sabin avoids Kiyoshi in the corner, but Kiyoshi delivers a kick and a neckbreaker for a two count. Bashir comes out and sits at the top of the ramp. Shane Sewell is the referee of the match, and has the bloody towel that has Shane’s blood on it. Kiyoshi controls Sabin on the mat with a chin lock. Sabin elbows free from Kiyoshi, but Kiyoshi eye rakes Sabin. Kiyoshi dumps Sabin to the apron, but Sabin delivers a strike and tries for a springboard hitting an arm drag. Sabin nails Kiyoshi with a running boot in the corner. Sabin puts Kiyoshi in the tree of woe hitting a dropkick in the process. Sabin tries for the Cradle Shock, but settles for a tornado DDT for a near fall. Sabin forearms Kiyoshi several times. Kiyoshi kicks Sabin on the arm and delivers a knee lift. Kiyoshi kicks Sabin several times and on the head. Kiyoshi plants Sabin with a reverse Death Valley Driver for a two count. Kiyoshi drives Sabin down with a backbreaker. Kiyoshi heads to the top missing a moonsault. Sabin nails Kiyoshi with a spinning kick and hits the Cradle Shock for the win. (**1/2. Another solid match in the tournament. Honestly, I wouldn’t mind if Kiyoshi was a regular in the division at this point. They are building to a showdown between Sabin and Shelley, so the outcome was a bit obvious.)
5.) Sheik Abdul Bashir makes his way down to the ring to confront Shane Sewell. Shane tries to leave, but Bashir grabs Shane and slaps Shane. Bashir wants to fight, but Shane restrains himself. Bashir shoves Shane several times, and slaps Shane. Shane starts to lose his temper, but the lights go out and Suicide zip lines into the ring to save Shane from losing his job. Suicide blocks strikes and headbutts Bashir followed by a dropkick to send Bashir to the floor.
6.) Backstage, Lauren with the Beautiful People and ‘Sarah Palin’. There are a lot of fans behind them screaming. Angelina Love insults the fans as being dirty marks. Velvet Sky doesn’t want to be touched. Cute Kip will drop them like a bad habit. Palin tells them to close their eyes as they won’t feel a thing. Palin shoves them into the dozens of dudes to end the segment.
7.) A video package detailing the history of Kurt Angle and Jeff Jarrett is shown.
8.) Earlier today, Mike Tenay interviewed Jeff Jarrett. Tenay talks about Jarrett not having any desire to get back in the ring. Jarrett tells Tenay that he just doesn’t get along with Kurt Angle. Jarrett picked Angle to replace him as the focus in TNA. Jarrett suggests asking Angle what happened between them. Jarrett notes that Kurt has lost his wife and kids. Jarrett mentions that one wrestler isn’t bigger than the promotion. Jarrett says TNA needs Kurt Angle, but Angle also needs TNA. Tenay brings up what Angle says about Jarrett’s family and how it is tough to hear it. Jarrett says it turns his stomach when he hears Angle speak like that. Jarrett doesn’t think Angle is the same guy he was two years ago. Jarrett considers preparing for the match easier than BFG. Jarrett promises it will be a fight at Genesis. This is one fight that he has to and he will win.
9.) Kurt Angle comes out to the commentary table to confront Mike Tenay. Angle asks if Tenay felt sorry for Jarrett. Angle intimidates them by faking a strike. Angle says he doesn’t feel sorry for Jarrett and says it will be a bloody fight at Genesis. Angle promises he’s going to hurt Jarrett tonight and he will not know when. Angle suggests Jarrett won’t make it to Genesis and reveals he’ll have TNA World Champion Sting in his corner.
10.) TNA Roughcut focusing on Beer Money Inc. Robert Roode talks about forming at Slammiversary for a match against LAX. James Storm says that America’s Most Wanted and Beer Money aren’t the same because Roode and Harris brought different things to the team. Roode thinks the fans like to hate them because they’re so good. Storm thinks people hate them because Roode has money and he’s good looking. Roode thinks they are the best tag team in the world. Roode thinks they will continue to be successful and they don’t care if the fans are with them or not.
11.) A video package highlighting the feud between the TNA Tag Team Champions Beer Money and challengers Abyss & Matt Morgan is shown. They will be wrestling at Genesis.
12.) Backstage, Lauren talks about them being on the short end of the beer bottle. Matt Morgan tells Abyss he has heard enough and just stand there. Morgan tells Lauren to leave. Morgan says the games are over with Beer Money. Morgan has seen Abyss get slammed through a fire table and a beer bottle over is head it is over. Genesis will not be a new beginning, but rather a very final act.
13.) Backstage, Jeremy Borash is with Brother Devon and AJ Styles for an interview. Styles says Samoa Joe’s arm is fractured. Styles reveals that Samoa Joe was told his wife was in labor with their first child. Styles says this isn’t why he got in this business and has two kids of his own. Styles talks about Joe having to hold his kid with a sling. Styles is an original and wants the Mafia to come after him. Styles leaves fired up. Brother Devon says Brother Ray can be hurt, but he can’t be taken out. Devon says the fifteen years they’ve been together he’s never seen his brother second guess himself with all the injuries. Devon doesn’t think Brother Ray will mentally ever come back. Brother Devon declares the Mafia had unleashed something they never should have unleashed. Devon promises that Team 3D will never be put down for the count.
14.) Backstage, Jeremy Borash is with Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin for an interview. Chris Sabin thinks this is karma because good things happen to good people. Borash notes that if Shelley beats Eric Young then they meet in the finals. Shelley remembers Eric Young being afraid of pyro. Eric Young enters the scene and slaps Shelley leading to a brawl until Creed and Lethal come into the scene, but Shelley and Young continue to brawl out of the room. The brawl ensues to the ringside area. Creed and Lethal are keeping Sabin away. In the ring, Shelley chokes Young in the corner. Young decks Shelley with a clothesline, but Shelley avoids a DVD. Young takes the Guns out with a suicide dive. Officials, Lethal and Creed try to keep them apart. Young gets in the ring to stand on the middle rope taunting Shelley.
15.) Jeremy Borash promotes the TNA Mobile app and says two stars are in contract talks.
16.) Backstage, Lauren is standing with Christy Hemme, Traci, Roxxi, ODB, and Taylor Wilde. They are dressed as elves and they are competing in a street fight. ODB is going to have a party tonight in the street fight. Taylor Wilde can’t think of a better way to beat out the old and bring in the new.
17.) A video package highlighting the MEM taking out the TNA Frontline is shown. There have been five thus far.
18.) Booker and Devon kickoff the tag match. Booker knee lifts Devon followed by strikes. Devon fights back with right hands, but Booker gets the advantage for a moment. Devon pummels Booker in the corner with right hands and stomps in the corner. Booker knee lifts Devon followed by strikes against the ropes. Devon mounts Booker with more right hands and punches Steiner before tagging in Styles. Styles continues to work over Booker with strikes against the ropes. Booker knee lifts Styles and Steiner tags into the match. Steiner chops Styles several times and rams Styles into the corner. Styles misses a clothesline and Steiner hits an overhead suplex. Steiner rams Styles into the corner. Styles boots Steiner in the corner and pummels Steiner with right hands. Styles slams Steiner and delivers a knee drop. Styles tries for a cover, but Steiner kicks out at two. Devon tags into the match and strikes Steiner in the corner. Styles returns to the match and hooks Steiner, but is backed into the corner. Steiner knee lifts Styles in the corner and continues to strike Styles. Booker decks Styles with a clothesline and decks Devon off the apron. Devon gets involved to helped Styles. Styles dumps Steiner over the top to the floor. Booker brawls with Devon on the floor. Styles baseball slides Steiner on the floor. Styles rams Steiner into the railing while Devon rams Booker into the announcers table as the show goes to commercial.
Devon and Booker have brawled outside the Impact Zine while Styles and Steiner are brawling in the crowd. The referee has thrown the match out as it is now a no contest. The brawling continues for an extended period of time. Kurt Angle and Kevin Nash blindsided Brother Devon outside and beatdown Devon in the parking lot. Nash handcuffs Devon to the wall. Angle continues to beat on Devon and Booker knee lifts Devon several times. Steiner clotheslines Styles, but the match has been thrown out awhile ago. Styles stops Steiner with a jawbreaker. Steiner dumps Styles to the apron and Styles hits a springboard forearm smash. Styles pummels Steiner on the mat. Kurt Angle comes out, but Styles avoids Angle and delivers several strikes. Styles dropkicks Nash on the floor and clotheslines Angle to the floor. Booker T comes out, but Styles nails Booker with the Pele Kick. Styles gets overwhelmed as Nash delivers a side slam. Angle pummels Styles on the mat with a flurry of strikes. Angle hits the Angle Slam on Styles. The Frontline storms the ring to prevent Styles getting his arm broken. Mafia gain the advantage, but Rhino comes out to make the save. Angle cuts off Rhino. Steiner whacks Rhino over the back with a chair shot several times. Angle attempts to break Styles arm.
Mick Foley’s music hits and Foley runs to the ring. Foley fights off the Mafia with right hands. Foley pummels Booker in the corner. Foley grabs Mr. Socko. Foley shoves the sock into Angle’s mouth, but Nash pulls Angle out of the ring. Foley stands tall in the ring. (**1/2. So, the match is actually fairly decent as it came across as a fight rather than your typical wrestling match. The aftermath was effective again for the feud between the Mafia and the Frontline. I’m liking the chaos. Foley getting involved is fine, though it was a bit comical that the Mafia couldn’t overwhelm Foley of all people. Regardless, it was an enjoyable segment.)
19.) Mick Foley grabs a microphone to cut a promo. Foley says just when he thinks he’s out they drag him back in. Foley says they offered him no other choice than to get involved. Foley wants to give the Mafia a Christmas present. Foley announces that Booker T, Scott Steiner and Kevin Nash will compete in a six man tag match at Genesis. Foley announces the opponents as Brother Devon, AJ Styles and Mick Foley himself! Angle can’t believe this.
20.) Saeed and Wilde kickoff the street fight, which has tag rules. Saeed strikes Wilde several times, but Wilde responds with forearm strikes. Wilde head scissors Saeed and tags in Roxxi. Roxxi comes off the top rope to axe handle Saeed. Saeed forearms Roxxi, but Roxxi delivers a spinebuster for a two count. Saeed eye rakes Roxxi and tags in Bolt. Roxxi hip tosses Bolt and tags in ODB. ODB kicks Bolt in the midsection and delivers a scoop slam. Hemme tags into the match and takes Bolt down to the mat with a wrist lock. Hemme delivers a kick to Bolt’s back and continues to taunt Kong on the apron. Kong puts a nerve hold on Hemme despite not being tagged, but it is a street fight. Kong cleans house with strikes. Hemme kicks Kong in the corner a couple of times and jumps on Kong’s back with a sleeper. Kong drops to a knee, but Hemme gets attacked. The match has lost order and all eight Knockouts are in the match now. Wilde and Saeed are in the ring while everyone else brawls on the floor. Wilde kicks Saeed and delivers a dropkick to send Saeed to the apron. Wilde forearms Saeed off the apron to the floor. Wilde leaps off the top rope and dives onto all the women on the floor. Hemme drops Kong over the top rope. Hemme tries for a crossbody, but Wilde dropkicks Hemme onto Kong and gets a two count. Wilde dropkicks a seated Kong. Saeed pulls Hemme to the floor. Khan nails Wilde with a kick over the back. Wilde takes Khan down with a rollup and picks up the win. (*1/2. I mean, this is a harmless match. Again, it’s not really a street fight as they are just brawling and there weren’t any weapons used. Wilde getting the pin is fine, but I feel like Hemme should be picking up wins heading into Genesis. It kind of takes the focus off of Hemme.)
21.) A vignette promoting the debut of Brutus Magnus is shown.
22.) Angle bails to the apron at the start of the match as Rhino wants to start the bout. Rhino kicks Angle followed by strikes. Rhino shoulder blocks Angle and rams Angle into the corner followed by several right hands. Rhino punches Angle against the ropes. Angle kicks Rhino, but misses a clothesline. Rhino clotheslines Angle over the top to the floor. Rhino rams Angle face first onto the apron and sends Angle into the railing ribs first. Rhino rolls Angle into the ring, but Angle runs over Rhino with an elbow strike. Angle spits at Jarrett. Jarrett tries to get in the ring, but officials and Rhino hold Jarrett back in the corner as the show goes to commercial.
Angle sends Rhino into the corner back first and continues with stomps on the mat. Angle hooks Rhino hitting a snap suplex for a two count. Rhino fires back with right hands. Angle knee lifts Rhino coming off the ropes for a near fall. Angle backs Rhino into a corner and delivers an uppercut. Angle shoulder rams Rhino in the corner several times. Angle covers Rhino for a two count. Angle controls Rhino with a bearhug, but doesn’t get a submission. Rhino prevents his arm from falling three times. Rhino punches free and collides with Angle on stereo clotheslines. Rhino strikes Angle and hits a leaping clothesline and elbow. Rhino shoulder rams Angle in the corner followed by a belly to belly suplex. Angle kicks Rhino to avoid the GORE. Rhino plants Angle with a spinebuster. Rhino covers, but Angle kicks out at two. Angle avoids a powerbomb and takes Rhino down to the mat to lock in the ankle lock. Rhino rolls through and sends Angle to the floor. Jarrett taunts Angle on the floor. Angle slaps Jarrett! Jarrett misses a clothesline and hits the railing ribs first. Rhino tries for a suplex into the ring, but Angle lands on his feet and puts an ankle lock on Rhino.
Jarrett gets in the ring and attacks Angle causing a disqualification. Angle and Jarrett trade blows until security get in the ring to pull them apart. They break free and begin to brawl again. BG James and Terry Taylor are in the ring trying to break them apart along with referees and security. BG calls Angle a stupid SOB. Angle drops BG James with a sucker punch to end the program. (**1/2. A decent match and the ending doesn’t bother me since it should be expected that Jarrett would snap. I don’t understand the focus on BG James at the end, but I guess since he’s friends with Jarrett they can tie that into the issue as well, but the issue is personal enough that it doesn’t need to happen.)
Final Thoughts:
I thought this was a good episode of Impact to close out 2008. Frontline/Mafia continues along, Foley is returning to the ring, and Jarrett/Angle is by far the most personal feud in TNA. Genesis is shaping up to be a decent card to kickoff 2009 PPV wise.
Thanks for reading.