IMPACT

March 11, 2006
Universal Studios, Orlando, Florida

thanks to pwtorch for results

- Mike Tenay opened the show talking about the Ultimate X match. He reminded us that Sting Borden is returning at the Destination X PPV. We're going straight to the ring for a tag title match.

1 -- AMERICA'S MOST WANTED (CHRIS HARRIS & JAMES STORM w/Gail Kim) vs. THE NATURALS (CHASE STEVENS & ANDY DOUGLAS) -- NWA Tag Title match

Tenay and West did a good job talking about the Naturals having AMW's number. The wrestlers also did a good job by not rushing into the match. TNA incorporated the "Brokeback Cowboys" chants from previous weeks into a tree of woe spot that went terribly wrong for AMW. Douglas made a gesture to the hard camera. AMW retreated up the entrance ramp to regroup. Harris played off the spot nicely, walking away from Storm as if he were leery of his presence.

[Commercial Break]

We returned with the Naturals in control. Chase and Andy hit a double team face smash on Storm across Stevens's knee. The "Brokeback Cowboys" chants started up. Harris gained control for his team. He connected with a high-elevated suplex on Stevens, holding him in the air for several seconds. Harris spent too much time posing for the hard camera. Stevens hit an atomic drop. Douglas took a hot tag. The action broke down with two-on-two action. Douglas scored a nearfall on Harris. After a double team clothesline, the Naturals scored a very close nearfall. Gail Kim distracted the referee, allowing Team Canada to hit the ring. AMW and Canada cuffed Stevens to the guardrail on the outside. AMW hit the Death Sentence on Douglas in the ring for the easy win.

WINNERS: AMW at 9:21 to retain the NWA Tag Titles. Everything until the interference was great. The nearfalls made sense to rebuild the Naturals, who have long been forgotten in TNA storylines. The interference is tiresome, but the positives of the wrestling outweighed the interference just this one time.

- We saw a full video package on the Ultimate X match. Styles and Daniels discussed the match from the top of the Ultimate X cables. Styles and Daniels warned Joe about the match requirements. Joe was shown standing next to the Ultimate X structure. He almost forced his lines about Styles and Daniels doubting him, which they would regret.

[Commercial Break]

- We saw a video package on Christian and Monty Brown. Also, "a legend retired, but a man returns."

- Jeremy Borash was backstage with Larry Zbyszko. Zbyszko said Christian and Brown are not in the building, thanks to TNA management's decree. Zbyszko said Earl Hebner would be the referee. Zbyszko guaranteed no shenanigans. D'Amore claimed Zbyszko threw Jarrett's Army under the bus. He said he expected he would have to fix Jarrett's mess, but he didn't think he would have to fix Zbyszko's mess. He warned that there wouldn't be a next time to fix Z's mess. Borash was quizzical. Zbyszko claimed D'Amore didn't know what he was talking about. Here goes the heel turn.

2 -- SONJAY DUTT vs. ALEX SHELLEY vs. CHRIS SABIN -- Super X Cup qualifying match

They went right to the action. Tenay said there will be an International X showcase match at the PPV. Durango Kid - new booker for Inoki's L.A. dojo shows - will represent Mexico. Puma - T.J. Perkins, who is having a break out few months in PWG - will represent New Japan. Jay Lethal has already qualified. Typical fast-paced X Division action in the first three minutes. All three men recovered on the mat. Referee Slick Johnson argued with Larry Zbyszko, who was watching the match from the entrance ramp. Slick said they had no referee for an unspecified match. Dutt hit a running shooting star press on Shelley for a nearfall. Shelley hit a Tombstone on Dutt for a nearfall after Sabin broke up the pin. Sabin hit a combination of kicks on Shelley. He hit the Cradle Shock on Shelley for the win. Dutt, who is Sabin's partner, could only watch from the mat.

WINNER: Chris Sabin at 4:55. The usual high-energy action. It fits on television when you're trying to keep viewers tuned in. Add five minutes of spacing and pacing to the match on PPV and you have a winner. Unrelated to this match, the "what are they talking about?" storylines are becoming annoying. It's good to have one or two storylines where we don't know what people are discussing, but when there are now three storylines like that - Jarrett having a friend on speed dial, D'Amore questioning Zbyszko, and Slick Johnson telling Zbyszko there is no referee for an unspecified match - the effect is diminished.

- Tenay said he would hear from Jeff Jarrett...and thousands clicked away...in the next segment about Sting Borden's return.

[Commercial Break]

- We saw a video package on Sting Borden's return to TNA at the Final Resolution PPV, his subsequent retirement speech, and Shelley's voyeurism gone wrong.

- We went to a pre-taped interview with Jarrett and Tenay. Jarrett said Shelley did not take the voyeurism too far. He said Sting quit on himself, the fans, and his family. He called Eric Young a moron and he said Eric was responsible for the Sting problems. "I've got something up my sleeves," he said. Jarrett said his mystery man has been all over the world, has never been in TNA, has held World Titles, and he knows Sting from the WCW days. Jarrett said, "the King of the Mountain never ends up on the short end of the stick."

- Tenay and West speculated about Tenay's man. They played a game of "Guess Who?" West said so many names are going through his mind. They discussed the Ultimate X match.

- The Global Impact video spot was from Tucson, Arizona for Chicago White Sox spring training. Chris Sabin presented A.J. Pierzynski with a replica X Division Title belt to be the "game ball" during the season. Dale Torborg said the company line about the White Sox and TNA working together. They discussed the White Sox World Series victory. (Do they really have to pour salt in the wound?)

[Commercial Break]

- Tenay and West spoke in hushed tones about the Destination X PPV card. Tenay discussed Christian's fall from the stage last week. Tenay introduced Christian and Brown live via satellite to discuss their title match. Tenay asked Brown about the "unprovoked attack" last week. Brown said it was anything but unprovoked. West asked Christian about his condition. Christian, who was dressed slightly better than last week, said he wasn't 100 percent, but he wasn't making excuses. (No guarantees this month.) Brown said he was ready for the match. West asked about Christian letting down. He said that's the risk you always face in sports and competition. He said he would prove the doubters wrong again. Tenay brought up Brown's NFL background. Brown said his Super Bowl experience gives him an edge. He said he is an example of a true professional athlete. Christian pulled a Cena and complemented Brown on his physical attributes. Christian downplayed himself and built up Brown. However, he called Brown no Lawrence Taylor. He said Brown is a good wrestler, but he isn't Christian Cage. Brown confidently said he would dominate and destroy Christian. They argued over each other before Tenay pulled the interview back and said they would compete at Destination X. Christian looked bad in this interview.

3 -- ELIX SKIPPER & DAVID YOUNG (w/Simon Diamond) & SHANNON MOORE & "MAVERICK" MATT BENLEY (w/Traci) vs. TEAM 3D (BROTHER RAY & BROTHER DEVON) & RHINO & RON KILLINGS

Bentley is billed from San Antonio, yet his nickname is Dallas's basketball team name. I suppose "Spur" Matt Bentley doesn't have the same ring to it. Killings had the Impact Zone jumping to his theme song. Rhino and David Young started things off. The babyfaces dominated the first minute before Shannon attacked Ray with chops. Ray came back with an overhead suplex. Devon tagged in and worked on Shannon. Devon and Maverick had an awkward exchange before Devon fought out of the heel corner. Maverick cut him off and went back to work.

[Commercial Break]

Skipper drilled Devon with a kick to the head. Simon Diamond interrupted Tenay and West. He said it was an abomination to hand a title over to A.J. Pierzynski. He accused Tenay, who he noted as a wrestling purist, for selling out. Tenay said Diamond's words sounded like a threat. Devon fought off the heels and made the hot tag to Killings. Tenay said Team Canada vs. The Naturals has been added to the PPV. The action broke down in the ring. Ray slammed Maverick in the ring. Traci tried to make the save, but Ray slammed her. Killings and Ray held Traci's legs open for a Devon diving head butt. They cut to an extended crowd shot as, presumably, Devon kept his head buried in Traci's crotch. (She was wearing a skirt.) Ray went under the ring for a table, but he was cut off, as were the babyfaces in the ring. Rhino gored Skipper. Killings hit the axe kick on David Young for the babyface victory.

Afterwards, Jarrett, Gail Kim, and James Mitchell walked to the entrance ramp. Jarrett said the war was on.

WINNERS: Team 3D & Killings & Rhino at 10:25. Plenty of action, but too much was going on at the same time.

- We closed with a video recap of the Sting Borden-Jarrett-Shelley storyline followed by Ultimate X, 3 Live Kru, and other PPV preview highlights.