IMPACT

April 20, 2006
Universal Studios, Orlando, Florida

thanks to pwtorch for the results

 



TNA Impact on Spike TV
April 27, 2006
Taped April 24, 2006 in Orlando, Florida
Report by James Caldwell, Torch columnist

- We start with a nice video recap of the brutality from the Lockdown PPV. Better than a Team Canada flag. The video faded right into James Mitchell and Abyss walking backstage with Mitchell speaking in low tunes. As Abyss walked ahead of him with the NWA Title in hand, Mitchell said they proved their point about walking out of Lockdown with the belt. The TNA Impact intro video aired to new "ECW-style" intro music.

- Mike Tenay introduced the show and set the line up. Abyss's music hit. Out came Abyss with Mitchell. Don West threw out the superlatives about the PPV being one of the best he's ever seen. Mitchell took the house mic and said Abyss carried out his promise to walk out of Lockdown with the belt. "Possesion is nine-tenths of the law," Mitchell said. He challenged anyone to come out and take the belt from Abyss. Rhino's music hit and he ran to the ring.

1 -- ABYSS (w/James Mitchell) vs. RHINO

Rhino landed hard right hands as soon as he hit the ring. He clotheslined Abyss over the top rope to the floor. I like the incorporation of an actual back-story for the opening match.

[Commercial Break]

Rhino made his comeback straight out of the break. The fans clapped along before Abyss cut him off with a hard clothesline. The referee reprimanded Abyss for choking Rhino so Abyss chased him out of the ring. Not quite Undertaker causing Brian Hebner to jump out of the ring, but good spot to establish Abyss's intimidation factor. Abyss choked Rhino across the middle rope. He worked on Rhino with chops. Rhino fired back with chops, but Abyss cut him off with a knee to the chest. West and Tenay discussed the TNA management situation with Zbyszko on probation. Abyss hit a chokeslam, but Rhino kicked out. That move needs to be protected, not used as a mid-match transition move that the fans aren't trained to recognize as a power move. Rhino came back with a shoulder block in the corner. He hit a belly-to-belly then Mitchell distracted the referee. Bobby Roode entered the ring and dropped Rhino with the Northern Lariat. Abyss dropped Rhino with the Black Hole Slam for the win.

WINNER: Abyss in 6:00 of TV time. If Bobby Roode's interference - creating another non-clean finish - leads to high profile Rhino-Roode match at the PPV to establish Roode, then I can accept it as a means to an end.

Afterwards, Christian hit the ring. He dropped Abyss with a spear then pounded away. Christian, who dressed the part of NWA Champion this week, chased Mitchell. Abyss tried to attack him, but Christian ducked, pulled the top rope down, and Abyss flew over the top. Christian took the mic. "Abyss, I believe you have something that belongs to the peeps." He said no one wants to see "Shrek" as the heavyweight champion. Eh. Christian suggested they face off at Sacrifice in a TLCC Full Metal Mayhem match. Abyss's facials were great as he reacted to Christian's challenge. Christian ran after Abyss. That should have been the lead-in to the commercial, but instead...

- Jeremy Borash was backstage with Jeff Jarrett and Scott Steiner. Steiner, who apparently doesn't understand that they tape a show to air a few days later, said Sting might have got the best of Team Jarrett "last night," but they would beat Sting and a partner of his choosing at Sacrifice. Larry Zbyszko, who apparently only packed that one ugly blue jacket, interrupted. He asked about Raven. Jarrett and Steiner walked off.

[Commercial Break]

- We saw another reality video from Alex Shelley. Shelley was in a hotel. He knocked on a door and picked up the USA Today paper in front of the door. Kevin Nash opened the door. Wearing a baseball bat, Nash said hey to Shelley. The graphic said Shelley would interview Kevin Nash next week. I like the potential here.

- Tenay and West discussed the World X Cup scoring system. A first round win equals 2 point; a second round win equals 3 points; a third round win equals 5 points.

2 -- TEAM JAPAN (HIROOKI GOTO & MINORU TANAKA) vs. TEAM USA (ALEX SHELLEY & SONJAY DUTT)

Shelley played babyface. The camera focused on the World X Cup trophy ringside. Oh dear, Scott D'Amore is taking up camera time doing commentary. Petey Williams stood behind D'Amore. Dutt worked on Tanaka's arm. West brought up the long night for Team Canada at the PPV. Shelley and Dutt worked together and D'Amore questioned Shelley's allegiance to the Team. Tanaka applied a rolling leg submission hold. Dutt broke up the hold for Shelley. Petey had a notebook and he took notes. D'Amore supported Japan's heel team. Goto applied a front half crab. Tanaka played to the crowd after the "U-S-A" chants stopped. Tanaka mocked the "Let's go Shelley" chants then kicked Shelley in the gut. Shelley broke free and hit a combination drop kick and splash on Japan. Dutt took the hot tag and cleaned house. Tanaka got cocky and took a double dropkick. The action broke down after Dutt and Shelley hit some innovative tag team maneuvers. Goto hit a rolling side suplex for a nearfall followed by a modified Angle Slam for another nearfall. Shelley grabbed Goto and hit Sliced Bread #2. Dutt followed up with a running Shooting Star Press for the win.

WINNERS: Dutt & Shelley at 5:57 to earn 2 points for Team USA. A great TV match. No mid-match commercial. Six minutes of uninterrupted action. A back-story. Good commentary. Tanaka showing some color. Solid booked match.

- Borash was backstage with A.J. Styles and Christopher Daniels. Daniels looked professional. Styles looked like he just woke up and slapped on a cap and t-shirt. Styles said he chose Christopher Daniels as his partner to make a change in the NWA Tag Title picture. Borash said Zbyszko has signed Styles/Daniels-AMW for a title match. Daniels talked up each other. He gave AMW a warning that next week they would see "first hand" what Styles and Daniels have potential to be as a team. Same story as the New Year's Day title match between the two teams. Good character spot for two of the X Division's finest.

- Samoa Joe walked to the ring with the X Division Title in hand. Tenay said Joe-Lethal was next. Good hook for the flip side of the break.

[Commercial Break]

- They showed a video package on Senshi. They focused on Low Ki's tattoos and warrior attitude. His deep voice is a great asset to make him stand out.

- Borash was in the ring with Zbyszko, who was holding the X Division Title. Before Borash could do the official ring introductions, Raven interrupted and chased Zbyszko. The bell rang.

3 -- SAMOA JOE vs. JAY LETHAL -- X Division Title match

Joe attacked Lethal as soon as Raven hit the ring. Lethal came back with a neck breaker. They really needed to give background on Lethal before this match. Unlike Joe, he doesn't carry enough personality to the ring to be a strong character on his own. Joe caught Lethal in mid-air with a front slam off the ropes. Joe delivered deliberate kicks and chops before crashing down with a knee drop across the chest. Joe toyed with Lethal. Tenay talked about next week's matches. Nice hook, which wasn't the case Week One. Lethal made a brief comeback before Joe caught him with a powerslam. Joe applied an armbar submission, but Lethal reached the ropes to break the hold.

[Commercial Break]

Joe continued to dominate. He delivered a stiff kick to the head in the corner. After washing Lethal's face, Joe delivered a charging boot to the face. The fans rallied behind Lethal. He broke free of a chinlock then slammed Joe and followed up with a float over drop kick. Momentum built behind Lethal, but Joe cut him off with a powerslam. He delivered a hard knee in the corner then hit the Muscle Buster for the win.

WINNER: Samoa Joe in 6:00 of TV time to retain the X Division Title. Not enough time to really sink your teeth into the match, but an effective way to build up Joe, give Lethal some exposure, and present the X Division in an important title match.

- Right after the bell sounded, Jeff Jarrett's music hit. Jarrett and Steiner walked to the ring. Joe walked out of the ring. They met at the heel entrance ramp. Jarrett and Joe went face-to-face. Jarrett told him to leave, but Joe just snarled. Steiner and Joe went face-to-face in a hot five-second TV spot. Joe showed no desire to back down. Great tease. The show could have ended right here without any complaint.

[Commercial Break]

- Jeff Jarrett and Scott Steiner were in the ring. Sting's music hit and the lights went down. Sting slowly made his entrance. Jarrett wanted to know who his partner is. Sting mocked Jarrett for making his demand. Jarrett told the fans to shut up. He said there was one wrestler at tunnel one and one at tunnel two. Jarrett said this isn't Price is Right and Sting isn't Bob Barker. Sting said he's Jarrett's worst nightmare and the guy who is going to get rid of the cancer - Jarrett - of TNA. Steiner and Jarrett had a conference. Lots of editing in this segment. Christy Hemme came out as Vanna White. Sting called for game show music. Jarrett and Steiner conferenced again. Jarrett acted like it was the biggest decision of his life. Sting said Jarrett could pick this week or pick again next week. "Deal or no deal?" Sting asked. Jarrett said he's pushing to next week. Steiner wanted Jarrett to pick. Sting read a card advertising tunnel one. He said this person is on probation in Cobb County, Georgia, "and that's a shoot," he said. Buff Bagwell came out. Way too much TV time spent on Buff's ring entrance. Sting introduced tunnel two. He said he's internationally wanted by authorities, "and that's a shoot," he said. Lex Luger came to the ring to a knock-off version of his old WCW theme and he looked more disheveled than in that indy show promo circulating the Internet. Jarrett and Steiner bailed. Sting, Luger, and Bagwell remained in the ring. I see the point in this. Eventually, Sting will show that Joe is more deadly as a tag partner than Bagwell, Luger, and Steiner by picking Joe as his partner to get the job done in removing Jarrett from TNA. Theoretically, that will make Joe more of a star by being chosen over guys who Jarrett perceives as legitimate big name wrestlers. However, giving these guys an inordinate amount of TV time is difficult to stomach as the mean to an end of establishing Joe.