Total Non-Stop Action presents Impact
Date: 2/5/2009
From: Orlando, FL
A video package promoting the recent happenings between Team 3D and the team of TNA World Champion Sting & Kurt Angle. Remember, at Against All Odds it will be a fatal four way match for the championship. We also saw a video package of Samoa Joe returning with a paint on his face.
Tonight, Team 3D teams up to take on TNA World Champion Sting & Kurt Angle in the main event.
Main Event Mafia make their way out to the ring with Kurt Ange leading the charge. Mike Tenay notes that the order is the same each time with Angle leading because he’s the founder and Sting entering last. Booker T has a cigarette in his mouth, which is new. Kevin Nash has a microphone and says he’s been in the business for quite a while. Nash admits he has been around the block a little bit. Nash has done a lot of business in the ring, but most of his work happened backstage. Nash says if he wanted someone gone, they were gone. Nash talks about Samoa Joe running his mouth about his friend Scott Hall about a year ago. Nash wanted Joe gone when he did that. Nash admits Joe is the first man to still be there when he wanted someone gone. Nash talks about Joe’s new look and thinks that makes Joe a tough guy or something. Nash yells at the crowd about kicking Joe’s ass. Nash says Joe is going to play the part of being their bitch in their movie.
Kurt Angle grabs the microphone and says everyone is thinking about Against All Odds and what is going to happen with the TNA World Championship. Angle thinks they could get a clearer picture when they team tonight against Team 3D. Angle thought he knew Sting, but he’s not sure anymore. Angle recalls making a pact when they formed about getting the respect they’ve earned in the business. Angle tells Sting this is all about respect and they haven’t lost sight of that. Angle makes a promise that the TNA World Championship will remain in the Main Event Mafia regardless of what he has to do. Angle finishes off saying he’ll see Sting tonight. Sting stares down Angle to end the segment.
Backstage, Team 3D are interviewed by Lauren. Brother Devon says they know Kurt Angle very well and puts over Angle as being one of the best wrestlers to lace his boots. Devon promises they will be ready for anything and everything. Brother Ray says they have Sting where they want him, but suggests he’d rather have Angle murdered in various mafia ways. Ray thinks Angle has taken the mafia aspect a bit too far. Ray insults Devon for sleeping with a few pigs, which Devon objects to. Ray knows what Angle is trying to do. Ray doesn’t believe Angle will team in Sting because they will beat up Angle tonight. Ray promises one of them will win the TNA World Champion.
TNA Roughcut focuses on Kiyoshi this week. Kiyoshi is a recent addition to the TNA roster. Kiyoshi came to Canada in 2007 and wrestling to Mexico and Japan. Shelley and Sabin provide insight on Kiyoshi mimicking his style to Great Muta. Muta himself provided some comments on Kiyoshi saying that there wasn’t anything special about him, but he as impressed by his desire to learn. Sting also provides comment saying that if Muta took time to train Kiyoshi, that there has to be something impressive with Kiyoshi.
Backstage, Lauren interviews Lethal Consequences. Creed says the issues is not with the Frontline, but the Machine Guns. Creed says when you have a family you think of the group instead of stroking ego. Creed thinks the Guns are no different than the Main Event Mafia. Lethal chimes in comparing the Guns to the Rockers. Lethal also promotes Against All Odds saying Beer Money Inc. are Terry Funk and Ted DiBiase. Lethal suggests they bring Virgil because they are going to win the TNA Tag Team Championships.
TNA Tag Team Champions Beer Money attack Lethal Consequences during their entrance for the first match on the show. Lethal and Storm brawl in the crowd while Roode and Creed trade strikes on the floor. Sabin and Shelley are watching the brawling from the ring. Storm whacks Creed’s left arm with a chair against the ring post. Creed is screaming in agony and is out of the tag match now. The Machine Guns couldn’t care any less in the ring.
MATCH #1: THE MOTOR CITY MACHINE GUNS VS. ERIC YOUNG & JAY LETHAL
NOTE: During the match, Eric Young came out to be Lethal’s partner.
FINISH: Young pins Shelley following the double Death Valley Driver.
Bob’s Take: Lethal does a good job working on his own against the Machine Guns, and did so well that I almost forgot that he was wrestling initially in a handicap match. Lethal and the Guns did a good job of keeping my interest before Young arrived. Young had some enjoyable offense when he got the hot tag, but the Guns survived and cut him off. I feel like typically this result wouldn’t count since Young wasn’t contracted to the match, but whatever. Young pinning the champion could mean a future title match, right?
Match Rating: **
The Motor City Machine Guns have remained in the ring to cut a promo. Alex Shelley says two things mean the most to him which are his partner and the championship. Shelley warns Young if he’s going to come to the king he better not miss. Shelley challenges Young to a title match at Against All Odds. Young wants Shelley to promise that Sabin will not be at ringside and Young will see Shelley at Against All Odds.
Backstage, Jim Cornette meets with TNA Knockouts Champion Awesome Kong and her entourage. Cornette tells them that at Against All Odds it will only be Kong vs. ODB. Bolt warns Cornette that it will be on when Cornette doesn’t have Borash around. Cornette tries to get his blood pressure taken when TNA Legends Champion Booker T and Sharmell enter the room. Booker says that they need a referee tonight and Booker wants to be the referee. Booker is already wearing a referee shirt. Cornette says it is a crummy idea and tells Booker he’ll have to wait for Against All Odds. Booker warns Cornette that it is on him for what happens to Sewell tonight.
Backstage, Lauren is with the Beautiful People and Cute Kip. Angelina Love promises Taylor Wilde and Roxxi will not have the opportunity to fight back tonight. Love promises a massacre tonight. Love says they aren’t going to wrestle tonight and instead a tragedy. Velvet Sky chimes in and recalls the disgusting things they were put through. Sky declares the fun and games are over with. Love says what they do to them tonight would put a slaughter house to shame.
MATCH #2: SHANE SEWELL VS. ABDUL BASHIR
FINISH: Late in the match, the referee gets knocked down and Booker T tries to enter the ring and avoids the attempts of Earl Hebner and Rudy Charles. Booker T begins to count and helps Bashir, but Bashir missed a top rope leg drop. Sewell hit a top rope crossbody, but is attacked by Booker T. The match is thrown out. Sewell fights back with right hands, but security enters the ring to keep them apart.
Bob’s Take: There is still some heat to this feud, which feels like it has been going on forever. Sewell is someone that is growing on me with his in-ring ability and if given the chance to shine he looks good. I think to some point the placement of being a referee set him back a little bit from being seen as a credible wrestler. The end result was obvious once Booker made it clear he wanted to get involved. I don’t think there’s any chance that Sewell wins at the PPV against Booker T.
Match Rating: *
Backstage, Jeremy Borash interviews TNA World Champion Sting and asks where Sting stands with Kurt Angle. Sting has no idea where he stands with Angle and suggests everyone watch the PPV to find out. Sting believes anyone else getting their hands on the title would be tarnished. Borash asks if Angle wins the title then it is tarnished and Sting simply walks off without a response to that question.
MATCH #3: THE BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE VS. ROXXI & TAYLOR WILDE
FINISH: Sky pins Roxxi after a big boot by Love. After the match Roxxi and Wilde get the paper bag treatment and are left laying. The Governor comes out and low blows Cute Kip. Governor fights off the Beautiful People. Governor tries to put the paper bag on Love, but Kip pulls Love to the floor.
Bob’s Take: This whole issue has been going on for eight months, which is incredible to think about. Roxxi is taken out of the match early on after being sent into the ring steps face first, but she eventually recovers to get on the apron. This was mostly one-sided for the Beautiful People. They must be destined for a big push if they got their revenge rather handily.
Match Rating: *
Backstage, Brutus Magnus is walking to the ring, but we only see him from behind.
TNA Roughcut focusing on Kiyoshi is next with the topic being his search for identity. Kiyoshi learned to be a good fighter in AJPW. Shelley thinks wrestlers need to earn their stripes in Japan. Shelley thinks Kiyoshi ventured out because you can be stuck at a certain level. Scott D’Amore says a lot of people quit in Japan because it takes years before performing in front of a crowd. Kiyoshi is trying to honor Muta and not copy him.
MATCH #4: BRUTUS MAGNUS VS. SHARK BOY
NOTE: This is the TNA debut of Brutus Magnus. Magnus stars on the UK version of Gladiators.
FINISH: Magnus hits a spinning modified Samoan Drop for the win. After the match, Magnus grabs a microphone and says he finally arrived in TNA and isn’t impressed with the competition given to him. Magnus has a message for the locker room and issues an open challenge for Against All Odds. His time for glory is upon us.
Bob’s Take: Shark Boy is a great first opponent for Magnus because he’s a beloved character and having a heel steamroll through him is going to generate heat on him rather easily. Shark Boy did get some brief offense in on Magnus, but this was always going to be a spotlight for Magnus. I wouldn’t say this was overly impressive.
Match Rating: *
Backstage, Jeremy Borash interviews Kurt Angle. Angle asks Borash what Sting said, but believes Sting didn’t say anything and people just want to start things with the Mafia. Angle believes they are tight like a family. Angle wants to talk about what Brother Ray said. Angle doesn’t care how many times Team 3D won the tag titles. Angle doesn’t need anyone and he’s going to prove it tonight. Borash suggests Angle may need Sting at Against All Odds. Angle insists he can do it on his own.
MATCH #5: MATT MORGAN VS. RHINO
FINISH: Late in the match, Morgan avoids the GORE and hits the Carbon Footprint. However, instead of going for a cover Morgan grabbed a chair. Morgan looks to slam Rhino onto the chair, but Abyss comes out and has two bags full of tacks. Morgan doesn’t backdown and Abyss clubs Morgan with right hands and a clothesline. Abyss lays out Morgan with the Black Hole Slam. Abyss grabs a bag and dumps out tacks. Morgan bails to the floor to avoid the tacks. Technically, Morgan won this by disqualification, but I think it was thrown out.
Bob’s Take: Morgan looks to be far more confident than he normally does, but this is also a new heel persona for himself, so that’s probably why. Morgan controlled most of the match, but Rhino fought back with a leaping clothesline at one point. Rhino may be moving down the card at this point, which is a bit odd since he was basically the leader of the Frontline heading into Genesis.
Match Rating: *
Abyss has remained in the ring and had thrown in several weapons into the ring. Abyss addresses Matt Morgan by introducing Morgan to his real best friend. His name is not Chris, but rather ABYSS! Abyss recalls the things he’s gone through including an abusive father and shock therapy. Abyss claims Morgan knew how delicate his situation was and Morgan befriended him with a false sense of trust, which doesn’t exist in Abyss’s world. Abyss grabs the camera and shows Morgan what happens when you add Abyss into the mix. Abyss proceeds to pound on the tacks and they get stuck in his knuckles. Abyss mentions hurting people you care about the most. Abyss says he will prove those words never more true and promises to kick Morgan’s ass.
Backstage, Jeremy Borash interviews Mick Foley in his office. Foley shares his thoughts on the main event saying we’ll see if Sting and Angle can even coexist tonight let alone Against All Odds. Foley says we will all find out if they can get along at the PPV and it’s an intriguing part of the match. Foley reveals Jeff Jarrett will return to Impact next week.
MAIN EVENT: TNA WORLD CHAMPION STING & KURT ANGLE VS. TEAM 3D
NOTE: During the commercial break, Scott Steiner helped Angle, but was ejected by Earl Hebner.
FINISH: Booker T slides into the ring after the Doomsday Device on Angle and the referee throws the match out. After the match, Team 3D is beaten down by the Mafia. Sting remains standing on the floor as Team 3D fight back to send the Mafia reeling to the floor. On the floor, Steiner holds Angle back from going after Sting. Team 3D is liking what they’re seeing. Angle is heard yelling that he doesn’t want Sting in the Mafia. Sting asks if it is friend or foe before walking away from Angle.
Bob’s Take: I feel like if I’m Kurt Angle I wouldn’t start the match knowing Team 3D has said they wouldn’t let him tag out, but Angle already showed his ego by saying he would fight them off anyway. I honestly have zero interest in Team 3D being involved in main event angles, and it seems like they try to do this at least once a year and it’s usually to fill a secondary pay per view. Sting constantly offers a hand for a tag, but Angle refuses to tag out true to his word. At one point, Scott Steiner tries to cool things down as Sting told Angle he needs his help.
Match Rating: *1/2
The show ends with a recap leading to Against All Odds and Samoa Joe saying “let me introduce you to the real Samoa Joe.”
Final Thoughts:
Well, that was a mostly boring show heading into Against All Odds. The main interest is the dynamic between Sting and Angle. Team 3D are not a draw for a main event on PPV with the TNA World Championship on the line. I think it is safe to say Against All Odds is not a show I’d be paying money for.
Thanks for reading.