Total Non-Stop Action presents Impact
Date: 2/26/2009
From: Orlando, FL
Earlier today, Mike Tenay and Don West are in an empty arena. Tenay praises that TNA had the biggest rating last week as over two million fans watched the show. We see highlights from last weeks match between TNA World Champion Sting and Kurt Angle. We will hear from the Mafia tonight on Impact.
MATCH #1: THE BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE (ANGELINA LOVE & VELVET SKY) VS. MADISON RAYNE & TAYLOR WILDE
FINISH: Late in the match, Madison Rayne slaps Wilde allowing Sky to hit the Beauty Mark and pins Sky for the win.
Bob’s Take: Rayne and Wilde work well together early on to control the Beautiful People. There’s actually consistent action during the match to keep interest in the bout instead of being slow and plodding. For a few that seemingly never ends, this is one of the better matches thus far between these Knockouts. Wilde had a good hot tag to clean house. It figures that as soon as I enjoy the team of Rayne and Wilde that Rayne would turn on her. At least it’s a new feud for Wilde. This was a fine match, though.
Match Rating: **
Outside, Jeremy Borash tries to get a word with Kurt Angle arriving to the Impact Zone, but Angle doesn’t say a word and walks off with the Mafia.
In the locker room, Borash tells Angle that the fans have a right to know if there’s a match at Destination X. Angle disagrees and says they will have a statement at the top of the hour. Two cops arrive and Scott Steiner says “she was nineteen, JB you were there.” But, they aren’t there for Steiner. They are looking for a Mr. Huffman, which is Booker T. The Mafia doesn’t know Booker’s last name and they make fun of him. Booker goes outside the room to talk to the cops.
MATCH #2: TNA TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS BEER MONEY INC. (JAMES STORM & ROBERT ROODE) VS. THE ROCK ’N RAVE INFECTION (JIMMY RAVE & LANCE ROCK) — OFF THE WAGON CHALLENGE
FINISH: Rock hits the Blackout, but the referee gets distracted allowing Storm to hit Rock with a championship and Rock is pinned. As a result. Lance Rock is gone from TNA.
Bob’s Take: Rock and Rave got off to a good start in the match getting some good momentum on the tag champions. Rave looking a bit more serious than normal, as well. Rave bumps around for the tag champs, too. Beer Money are such a good tag team and its even more evident now. Rave battles back showing some good heart to fight off the champs before tagging in Rock. Rock gets a good reaction for his power offense that included a choke bomb backbreaker on Roode. Rock hits Blackout finisher, but the referee got distracted leading to the finish. Similar to last week and Petey Williams, Rock and Rave looked the best they’ve been in many months and now they’re gone from TNA. It’s a weird approach for these guys to look good and now we won’t see them on TV. Anyway, this was a solid tag match.
Match Rating: **1/2
Earlier today, TNA World Champion Sting arrives to the Impact Zone, but he’s also ignoring Jeremy Borash. The camera focuses on a man behind the scene, but it’s blurry.
Backstage, Booker T is with the cops and he’s upset about his locker room being destroyed. Booker doesn’t want them to touch anything and says AJ Styles stole from him. Booker demands that the cops do something about this. Booker shows his picture with Ali and how important it is to him. Booker lists all the crimes that Styles committed on him. The officer promises to get to the bottom of this.
Abyss therapy session with Dr. Stevie is next. Abyss talks about enjoying cutting himself, but he enjoys how it feels a lot. Abyss asks if he could be a teen idol, and Stevie shakes his head yes. Abyss can’t lose his mask, though. Stevie ends the therapy session again. Abyss manically laughs looking forward to the next session already.
One Night with ODB video package is shown. A lucky fan will get the chance to date ODB for a night. We see a few fan applications. Honestly, these guys are incredibly creepy.
Outside, Booker T continues to talk to the cops and says they need to lockup AJ Styles. The cops get a call and they drive off. AJ Styles appears behind Booker T and they brawl. Booker’s security gets a hold of Styles, but TNA security comes over and they have a pull apart.
Backstage, Lauren interviews Scott Steiner. Steiner hits on Lauren about going back to his hotel room. Steiner is pissed about Styles attacking Booker T. Steiner is mad about Samoa Joe attacking him and calls him fat. Steiner wants Lauren to find Samoa Joe and tell Joe he’s looking for him and he’s going to kick his ass. Samoa Joe comes into the room after turning the lights off. Joe has a knife against Steiner’s throat and Joe is threatening Steiner. Steiner is pleading with Joe to not do it. Joe shoves Steiner away and walks off. Steiner looks at Lauren terrified saying it was a knife.
Backstage, Jeremy Borash interviews Jeff Jarrett. Jarrett says no team ever stays united in this business and knew it was just a matter of time before they broke up. Jarrett thinks business will go back to normal.
Hardcore History 101 with Mick Foley is up next and talks about his favorite match. His favorite match was with Shawn Michaels at Mind Games in 1996, but that changed in 2004 when he wrestled Randy Orton at Backlash 2004. Foley believes it was his best personal hardcore memory.
Mike Tenay is in the ring and says it is time for answers from the Main Event Mafia. Kurt Angle comes out first followed by the other members of the Mafia, including TNA World Champion Sting at the end of the line. Tenay talks about the recent brutality between Sting and Angle. Tenay talks about the challenge made for Destination X. Tenay asks if the match will happen at Destination X. Kevin Nash grabs a microphone and hates to rain on Tenay’s parade, but he’s been named the spokesman for the Mafia tonight. Nash says they knew there would be rocky roads and it wouldn’t be easy. Nash says they have patched up their differences and declares they are a family. Tenay doesn’t feel the vibe that they are a family. Nash gets mad with Tenay for trying to stir things up because Tenay works for Jarrett and Foley. Nash believes Jarrett worked Angle and Sting to get a number out of the Mafia. Nash believes they are stronger together than anyone else. Nash says they don’t have to love each other, but asks Sting and Angle to respect the Mafia. If they do that then they can’t be beaten.
Jeff Jarrett makes his way out to join the segment and enters the ring by himself. Jarrett sees Sting isn’t buying this crap for one minute. Jarrett talks about Sting standing on a platform on integrity and tradition. Jarrett asks where the integrity is at when one of his brothers spat in his face. Jarrett thinks Angle and Jarrett are on two different ends of the spectrum. Jarrett grants Angle his wish for the title match at Destination X. Booker T grabs the microphone and isn’t thrilled about this development. Booker wants to know who died and made Jarrett the law. Booker doesn’t care about Jarrett being the founder. Booker insults the company as being full of nobodies when Jarrett founded the company. Booker recalls the company being founded in a flea market and thinks there wouldn’t be a TNA without the Mafia. Booker suggests Jarrett head backstage before he kicks his ass. Booker is held back by the Mafia and Jarrett says Booker isn’t going to do anything. Jarrett talks about pouring everything into the company. Jarrett considers the fans his family and the fans want Sting vs. Angle at Destination X. Jarrett says they’ll be back out later tonight for a contract signing.
Mike Tenay promotes the main event between Kurt Angle and Sting at Destination X. However, Don West tells Tenay to continue to be an ass kisser out of nowhere. West tells Tenay to not act stupid and says Tenay knows what this is all about. West says there needs to be something said. West grabs a microphone and and talks about being best friends for seven years. West talks about their wives being friends, too. West talks about management holding meetings and his future at the announcers table was brought up. West has heard that Tenay had nothing to say about West future on commentary. Tenay didn’t stand up for his friend. West calls Tenay a selfish prick, but Tenay didn’t have the balls to do the right thing. West knows two things. First, their friendship will never be the same. West tells Tenay to take the microphone and shove it up his ass. Tenay looks into the camera frustrated.
Backstage, Lauren stumbles upon the Kongtourage arguing.
Before the next match, Sojo Bolt cuts a promo about Raisha Saeed not being her mother and not being able to tell her what to do. Bolt insults Kong for looking like she ate her mother. Rhaka Khan chimes in and rhymes her promo saying they’re not going down easy essentially.
MATCH #3: TNA KNOCKOUTS CHAMPION AWESOME KONG & RAISHA SAEED VS. RHAKA KHAN & SOJOURNOR BOLT
FINISH: Bolt pins Saeed with a backslide. After the match, Kong attacks Khan and Bolt. Kong powerbombs Bolt onto Khan.
Bob’s Take: I understand the switch in Bolt for being a potential babyface to challenge Kong for the title, especially after a recent TNA Roughcut package. However, I feel like Bolt hasn’t done anything to make herself likable. It seemed like Khan was getting a stronger reaction than Bolt, too. There were a couple of clunky moments during the match that made the match feel a bit awkward. This felt like it took forever and a lot of the pacing felt off to me. Bolt probably would have benefited from a more impactful finish.
Match Rating: 1/2*
TNA Roughcut focuses on the Ultimate X match again with several wrestlers providing comments about fear. They show a long music video performed by Hoobastank.
MAIN EVENT: TNA X-DIVISION CHAMPION ALEX SHELLEY VS. JAY LETHAL VS. CHRIS SABIN VS. CONSEQUENCES CREED — LADDER MATCH
FINISH: Shelley hits the Slice Bread on Lethal and is able to retrieve the championship to win the match. After the match. Suicide flies into the ring knocking the ladder over and knocks Shelley off. Suicide attacks all the wrestlers hitting a powerbomb on Creed and drives Lethal face first into the turnbuckle. Suicide slams Shelley to the mat and holds the X-Division Championship.
Bob’s Take: The TV feud continues, but not in a tag format. I don’t hate this and I am a sucker for ladder matches no matter how many times they may happen in wrestling. Despite it not being a tag match, they still worked this as a tag team match and it shouldn’t be a shock by that happening. They use the ladder fairly well during the match. I’d say I preferred the street fight tag match over this match. Suicide is clearly being setup as the next challenger to the championship and I’m indifferent about that.
Match Rating: **1/2
Jeff Jarrett is in the ring to host the contract signing between TNA World Champion Sting and Kurt Angle. There isn’t a table setup, so nobody is going through a table. Kurt Angle and the Mafia come out. Nash tells Jarrett that the match isn’t happening at Destination X. Jarrett asks Angle who the boss is among the Mafia. Jarrett questions who is the boss and doesn’t understand. Jarrett needs Angle to explain who the Godfather is amongst them. Jarrett says the thugs normally stand behind the Godfather. Jarrett lists several mafia actors and characters saying Angle is suppose to be like them. Jarrett tells Angle that he doesn’t have balls. Angle steps up to Jarrett as the fans chant “no balls” towards Angle. Angle grabs the contract and Booker T is telling Angle to not sign it. Angle signs the contract, and signs all over the contract. Angle whacks Jarrett with the contract and hits the Olympic Slam. Angle pummels Jarret until Mick Foley runs into the ring to make the save. Angle proceeds to deck Foley and puts the ankle lock on Foley! TNA World Champion Sting comes out with a baseball bat. Sting whacks Angle with the bat a couple of times! The fans are loving this. Sting helps Jarrett to his feet as the Mafia look on from the floor stunned. Jarrett hands the contract to Sting and Sting signs the contract to end the program.
Final Thoughts:
An average episode this week, but I’m leaning towards a thumbs up. Sting vs. Angle has been built well, and the crowd appears to be invested in the feud. Angle comes across well as a psycho wanting all the control and the title. I’d imagine Sting is going to end up with the Frontline to kill what he help create in the Mafia.
Thanks for reading.