Full Credit: F4WOnline.com’s Jeff Hamlin
The Big News: Well, I would say Impact got some new blood. Except it’s the same as the old blood. Raven and Shane Douglas made their surprise returns. Victoria, under that name, made her TNA debut to a much better reaction and instantly became the top female babyface in the company.
1. Suicide defeated Amazing Red in 5:16 to retain the X Division title. Crowd was slightly more receptive than previous weeks, but still below par for this match. Part of the problem with Kaz behind the Suicide mask is he gets the hot ring entrance, but once the bell rings, the heat level goes down because he simply doesn’t do many exciting high spots. And he’s the top face in a division loaded with fast-paced workers. Red opened with near falls attempts, including the victory roll. Suicide beheaded him with a clothesline and a wheelbarrow drop into the barricade. After several minutes on the defensive, Red hit a float over DDT and a spin kick. He attempted the code red, but Suicide turned it into a dominator for a good near fall. Suicide attempted a hip toss, but Red countered it into a sunset flip for another near fall. Suicide finally hit a kick and pinned him after a suicide solution. **3/4
The Main Event Mafia walked into the arena, with Sting as the new Godfather leading the pack while Kurt Angle was moping in the back upset about being relegated to just another member of the group.
A commercial for the film “The Hangover” was shown with Mike Tyson singing “In the Air Tonight.” That ad was a lot funnier one week ago.
The Mafia came out with Sting doing all of the talking. He was back in a suit and appeared more than eager to take the reigns. Sting reminded all of them that they were supposed to put their egos in the backseat ahead of what was best for the group. He was content that he’s lived up to his end of the deal, but wasn’t sure if everyone else had been true to the mafia’s mission statement. He was looking right at Angle was saying it. Sting said Kevin Nash had let jealously between Jenna and Sharmell to get in the way of what the mafia set out to do, so he banned Jenna and Sharmell from the mafia. Jenna and Sharmell were upset and started arguing with their respective men about it. Booker looked concerned but Nash didn’t. Sting got in Angle’s face about hiring his own private security team without anyone else’s approval, so he fired Rocco and Sally Boy. There goes some negative star classics. Angle was furious and looked totally distraught. Sting asked if anyone had anything to say about the moves he made, they should speak now. Samoa Joe came out to total silence. You’ll have to pardon my lack of enthusiasm when I’m told Joe’s gonna get a major push again from TNA creative. From what I’ve seen, TNA creative has helped Joe like the FBI helped Bruce Willis’ character in “Die Hard.” Joe said he has been ordered to take out each member of the mafia down one by one until he faces Angle. He said he’s been ordered to kill Kurt, and again there was the tease that Taz was Joe’s mentor, though the name was never mentioned.
Mick Foley was backstage in his office. The entire office is filled with Foley’s pictures, and Jeremy Borash asked him where was Jeff Jarrett’s old photos. Foley acted like he was still trying to get a crack removed from it, then asked Borash to put Jarrett’s nameplate up for an online auction. Foley said thee were some King of the Mountain qualifying matches coming up tonight, including Jarrett facing Eric Young while Daniels would face A.J. Styles. He also mentioned a meeting that was held in Nashville earlier that day among TNA shareholders and Jarrett, and it did not go well. I guess somebody saw the buy rates. Foley said he would address the controversy later tonight, but walked out when Borash asked him to elaborate.
The British Invasion issued an open challenge. Doug Williams would put his X Division briefcase on the line in a ladder match tonight. It’s finally been acknowledged that they stole the briefcases from LAX, so they now have the title shots. They pretended like the briefcases would only be on the line tonight during the match. But if they’re stolen during an attack backstage and now seemingly belong to the Invasion, aren’t the briefcases on the line every second of every day? Kind of like the old Hardcore Belt in the WWF. Borash asked them about potentially joining Sheik Abdul Bashir and Kiyoshi, but Brutus Magnus played dumb.
Lauren asked Jenna about her program with Sharmell. She started talking junk when Sharmell burst into the dressing room and choked her, sending makeup and Q-tips flying. Booker had to pull Sharmell away. Surprisingly, this was the last we would see of the mafia for the rest of the show.
Dr. Stevie snuck up behind Lauren backstage and started coming on to her. Stevie said he was going to give Abyss a live therapy session tonight called “Mind Control.”
2. Doug Williams defeated Cody Deaner in a ladder match in 5:21. I guess the ladder match has replaced the Royal Rumble as the Impact match that has to be done to death. Tenay said that Homicide wasn’t in the building to accept Williams’ challenge because of a death in the family. Crowd is getting more and more into Deaner. Williams, who isn’t moving as smoothly in TNA as he did in ROH, rammed Deaner into the ladder and tried to climb for the briefcase, but Deaner gave him a dropkick off the second rope. It turned into crazy stuff like Williams slamming Deaner onto the ladder, but missing a kneedrop and catching the ladder. Deaner grabbed the ladder and tried to place it under the briefcase, but Williams hit a crossbody onto Deander. Williams tried a power bomb onto the ladder, but Deaner backdropped him onto it. Deaner gave Williams a backdrop over the top, onto Rob Terry and Brutus Magnus at ringside. Terry and Magnus had to stand at ringside holding the ladder forever, and it looked bad. Deaner climbed for the briefcase since he was the only wrestler in the ring, but Williams managed to get in the ring and tip the ladder over. Deaner took a totally sick bump over the top rope and could have been injured easily, but appeared okay after he landed on his feet and went into the barricade. Williams got the briefcase to win. Postmatch, Bashir and Kiyoshi came out to shake hands with members of the invasion. **1/2
Jeff Jarrett was backstage when Borash told him he still had his shares in the company after last Sunday. I doubt know how anyone can care about this company when they can’t even keep track of their own storylines. Borash brought up how Eric Young has done everything that Jarrett has asked of him for seven years and maybe he has a point about deserving a break. Jarrett cut a promo on Young saying regardless of who wins tonight, they should start their relationship over again after the match. When Borash asked Jarrett about the mysterious Nashville meeting earlier in the day, Jarrett wouldn’t even answer.
Dr. Stevie made his first in-ring Impact appearance and called out Abyss. Stevie explained that because Abyss choke slammed him into the thumbtacks last weekend at Sacrifice, they would have to start the therapy process over again. Since Stevie was choke slammed into thumbtacks, I’m sure you wondering how scarred up he was. You would think pretty badly since it was thumbtacks he was thrown onto just four days ago. And you would think wrong since he never sold anything. Stevie ordered Abyss to put on a straight jacket. Abyss didn’t want to, but finally relented after Stevie berated him. Stevie then pulled out a kendo stick (I so badly want to type Singapore cane) and teased hitting Abyss. This brought out Lauren, who begged him to put the stick down. Stevie teased hitting Lauren. Finally, Raven showed up and hopped the rail coming out of the crowd. He teased going after Stevie, but the two old friends smiled, and Raven grabbed the stick and laid waste to Abyss. Raven was wearing face make up and looked like he had dropped a few pounds.
Raven did an interview with his voice noticeably at a higher pitch. Daffney was with him, so apparently she has joined their group.
Angelina Love defeated Sojourner Bolt in 2:36 to retain the Knockouts title. Cute Kip, Velvet Sky and Madison Rayne were all back after getting laid out by Awesome Kong in the weeks leading up to Sacrifice. This was Bolt’s first Impact appearance in weeks. I guess to reduce the chances of the Knockouts disasters from earlier this year, it looked like the match was rehearsed ahead of time. In that regard, it wasn’t bad even though Bolt’s punches still aren’t ready for prime time. Finish saw Madison Rayne take the ref while Velvet Sky threw hair spray to Love. This time, there was spray in the can, and Love sent it right into Bolt’s eyes. Love then got the pin after a lights out. 1/2*
Postmatch, Love got in Kip’s face and asked him why he was still hanging around the Beautiful People when she fired him a month ago. She was upset about bringing him back to protect her from Kong, only to get laid out on a stretcher. She ordered Kip to be led away by security. Kip went quietly to the back, but still smiled smugly. Then Love issued an open challenge for anyone to come and get her. Then, Lisa Varon, who was called Victoria by Tenay and Don West, came out. She looked tons better than any other female in the company in terms of ring ability, look and charisma, and she got the biggest reaction of the show so far. Victoria took out Rayne and Sky, then traded forearms with Love. Finally, Victoria finished her off with the spider’s web and widow’s peak, and said she would answer Love’s challenge. Just the way it should have gone.
Eric Young did a promo filled with inside terms, like the company always asked him to make the other guy look like a million bucks, but was then forgotten about. He claimed this would be a night Jarrett would never forget.
Foley came out and announced Joe would face Nash next week with Lethal Lockdown rules in a King of the Mountain qualifier. After retaining the belt on Sunday in the four-way match, Foley said he was upset about being in a King of the Mountain match, since it was named after Jarrett. Foley claimed he didn’t want to defend the title very often since his body can’t keep up with the grind of being champion. So Foley said after Slammiversary, he would defend the title only once a year. Foley had to be very careful with her verbiage in this promo since he was essentially burying himself. Well, he still had a more grueling title defense schedule than Wanderlei Silva in Pride. Pretty much guarantees a title switch at Slammiversary.
Styles and Daniels were standing side-by-side playing up their match tonight. Joe walked in and acted like he wanted to apologize to Styles for everything he’s done over the last month. Styles said they would talk later.
Lethal Consequences and the Motor City Machine Guns were together backstage. Black Machismo did his usual 80’s references. Story is they’re going to team together to find out who Suicide really is. Guns didn’t look too enthusiastic about it.
Jeff Jarrett defeated Eric Young in 3:21 in a King of the Mountain qualifier. Jarrett still doesn’t get the reaction a top babyface should. Story was Young was more aggressive against the top star in the company in an effort to prove himself. Young got all the early offense, including blocking a figure four leglock attempt by Jarrett and turning it into a small package. Young missed a moonsault, and Jarrett hit the stroke, but Young got his foot on the rope. Young escaped out the backdoor and tried an ocean cycle suplex, but Jarrett turned it into a victory roll for the pin. *1/2
Young looked pissed afterwards and started to walk out. Then he turned around and shook Jarrett’s hand. Jarrett called him back in the ring and hugged him, but Young jumped him from behind and stomped on his hamstring to some cheers and some boos. He came off the top with a splash on the leg and left with a demented look on his face. Young did a heel interview with Borash chasing after him following the break asking him if Jarrett will ever forget him again. Turn was well handled and it was certainly time for Young, who had nowhere left to go.
Team 3-D came out to introduce Beer Money for winning the Team 3-D Invitational Tag Team Tournament. Beer Money were total faces. In fact, TNA has almost done their jobs too well in regards to reestablishing tag team wrestling because Beer Money are the closest thing the company has to an over act below the age of 40. But it’s a tag team, so there’s only so far they can go. Both James Storm and Robert Roode got trophies, and incredibly they weren’t broken. 3-D even led the cheers for Beer Money and presented them with this huge check for $100,000 like you see during victory celebrations on the PGA Tour. How do they ever void those checks anyway? Crowd was funny chanting “That’s a lotta beer.” 3-D then gave Beer Money a six pack of beer and drank with them. Storm was drinking the beer out of the trophy.
A.J. Styles defeated Daniels in 5:10 in a King of the Mountain qualifier. They started the match with ten minutes remaining in the show, yet they still interrupted it for a commercial. If you’re going to give such a high-profile match so little time, what’s the point in doing it? Think of all the segments on this show that could have been eliminated to show this match in its entirety. Before the break, Styles hit his patented dropkick and followed with a moonsault block off the apron to the floor. They had to cram a whole bunch of stuff into three minutes down the stretch, including Daniels hitting a split-legged plancha, Styles blocking a clothesline with a Pele kick and Daniels missing the best moonsault ever. Finish saw Styles go for the Styles Clash, but Daniels blocked it and teased the Angel’s wings, then Styles escaped but Daniels kicked him and tried a tiger driver, but Styles reversed into a huracanrana for the pin. The two men hugged afterwards. Then Shane Douglas, wearing a very loose fitting shirt and looking like he hadn’t seen a gym since the last episode of Nitro, came in from the crowd and hit Daniels with a chain to end the show. ***
