IMPACT

July 13, 2006
Universal Studios, Orlando, Florida
thanks to: pwtorch.com
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-They opened with Rhino standing in the ring. He said, "Over the last several weeks, I had some decisions I had to make. You see, Vince McMahon came knocking on my door wanting to give me a job. I told Vince McMahon, 'You can kiss my ass!' Because I am T-N-A!" The crowd chanted, "TNA, TNA, TNA." He said Vince wanted to start up ECW again, "and how can you start up ECW when you don't have their last-ever ECW Television Champion and their last-ever World Heavyweight Champion on their roster?!" The camera focused on a red bag in his right hand. "You see, Vince McMahon, you can't do that. Why? I'm the only man to unify those two titles, and in that bag is that title that I've had for the last five years in my cellar. I was the last-ever unified champion in ECW, and in this bag is the title to prove it. I would pull this belt right out of this bag, but seeing how Vince McMahon handles business, he sticks his lawyers after you. He sent me legal letter after legal letter to give back this title. What I said to Vince McMahon is, 'If you had the balls and you are a man, come down to the Impact Zone and take this belt from me.' Oh, oh, oh, I'm feeling it!" The crowd chanted "Rhino, Rhino." He continued: "I'm standing here as the War Machine and I'm going to do something that I should've done five long years ago." He dropped the mic and left the ring with the bag. Don West praised his passion. Mike Tenay wondered where he was going. (Oh, gosh, West's wheezing isn't any better this week.)

A camera caught up with Rhino in the parking lot. "I'm sick and tired of people trying to recreate the past. I'm sick and tired of people trying to resurrect what is dead. Look around here in TNA. You've got Shane Douglas, you've got Raven, you've got Team 3D, and you've got myself. That was the heart and soul of ECW. ECW's dead and the only thing that is left is a proper burial." He then dropped the red bag in a trash can. Then he step the trash can contents on fire. "I'm sick of Vince McMahon profiting off of our blood, sweat, and tears. Long live TNA. I've got an extreme challenge for you. It doesn't matter who you work for, what company, whether it's a four-sided ring, six-sided, or eight-sided. Bring your ass to the Impact Zone and face me face-to-face because the result is always the same - Gore, Gore Gore!"

-The Impact opening then aired followed by the pryo and introduction from Mike Tenay.

1 -- ABYSS (w/James Mitchell) vs. NORM SMILEY

A soundbite aired during Abyss's ring intro where Mitchell talked about Abyss joining forces with B.G. James & Kip James. The crowd chanted "Norman, Norman" at the start. Norman did his little mid-ring dance to mess with Abyss, but Abyss quickly took him down with a big foot. He followed with a corner splash - but left Smiley leaning in the corner much longer than was realistic while he flexed and posed. Then he hit the Black Hole slam for the win.

WINNER: Abyss in 1:00.

STAR RATING: n/a

-After the match, B.G. James and Kip James walked out with mic in hand. B.G. said he was going to make a deal with the devil. "Do you promise that this freak will fight side-by-side by the James Gang on July the 16th at Victory Road? Do you promise that?" asked B.G. to Mitchell. Mitchell shook hands and nodded. Abyss wound up to punch B.G., so B.G. told him to control him. Abyss knocked knuckles with B.G. B.G. then turned to the camera and said that Victory Road has become Team 3D's personal highway to hell.

-A video feature aired with Sting talking about his current feuds. He said he isn't running from anything. He said Samoa Joe doesn't owe him anything, but he said that didn't stop him from being disappointed with him. He said he wouldn't mind locking horns with him at a later time. He said his main goal on Sunday it be sure the belt is off of Jeff Jarrett's waist and on his or even someone else's - just not Jarrett's. TNA is producing better than anyone ever has, and some of that may be Sting realizing his strengths and weaknesses. Having him talk in a segment like this, with music and clips, where his words are spliced and post-produced to be concise and on-point, really is the best way to feature him compared to the stand-up promos where he often loses his train of thought or trails off at the end before awkwardly falling back on the "Showtime" catch-phrase.

[Commercial Break]

-A segment aired with Shane Douglas talking about how he sucked all of the negativity out of The Naturals. He said today they are a much different team than viewers will recall. He said on Sunday, the new Naturals would begin their path back to the NWA Championships.

-A video segment aired on A.J. Styles & Christopher Daniels. Again, produced like the Sting video, it told a nice story effectively. Daniels talked about how America's Most Wanted kept having interference on their behalf and costing them their title opportunities. They said since Larry Zbyszko and TNA didn't stop the interference, they took matters into their own hands by bringing in the new woman, Zerelda, to offset Gail Kim.

2 -- SENSHI vs. JERELLE CLARK -- Non-Title Match

Senshi opened with a roundhouse kick and a chop. Senshi stopped a Clark offensive run and nailed him with a running flat dropkick. He then finished him with The Way, the double-foot stomp, for the win.

WINNER: Senshi in 3:00.

STAR RATING: 3/4* -- Short, but a decent glimpse at Senshi's unique style.

-A video feature aired with Scott Steiner soundbites vowing to end Samoa Joe's winning streak at Victory Road. He said regarding the prospects of facing Jeff Jarrett, he said, "I will be wrestling for the World Title. Friends will be friends, but in the ring, I have no friends. I will become the next World Heavyweight Champion."

-Christy Hemme plugged the Styles & Daniels match up next.

[Commercial Break]

-A video feature aired on Victory Road's line-up.

-A video segment aired with Christian soundbites. He chastised Cornette for not doing the right thing, even though he vowed to do the right thing, by giving Jarrett the belt back. He said Victory Road is the first step in the process of him getting his belt back. Short, to the point, but well-produced. Compare this to what the overworked WWE production department is churning out these days, and there's no comparison. TNA is lapping WWE in this area these days.

-Alex Shelley and Johnny Devine talked about facing Styles & Daniels and a desire to make Kevin Nash proud. Ring introductions took place for the tag match.

[Commercial Break]

3 -- A.J. STYLES & CHRISTOPHER DANIELS vs. ALEX SHELLEY & JOHNNY DEVINE

Shelley & Devine are calling themselves The Paparazzis. Tenay announced that Rhino vs. Monty Brown was added to the PPV line-up since Cornette knew they were both throwing around open challenges. They showed Konnan and Moody Jack doing the Spanish commentary. Tenay noted that it's nice that Homicide and Hernandez aren't allowed out there anymore, thanks to Cornette. Daniels hot-tagged Styles at 3:00, who went on a flurry against Devine and Shelley. Styles set up a Styles Clash on Devine, but Shelley broke it up with a kick. He then grabbed his tripod. Zerelda yanked the tripod away from Styles. Meanwhile, Daniels and Styles beat down Devine, ending with a Styles Clash for the win. After the match, Zerelda and Gail Kim got into a fight at ringside while in the ring, AMW handcuffed Daniels to the bottom rope and beat on Styles.

WINNERS: Styles & Daniels in 4:00.

STAR RATING: *1/4 -- Good action for a short match.

-A video feature aired on the Larry Zbyszko-Raven feud. Raven said he's been scalped once before. Footage aired of Raven being shaved after a match once before with bleeding cuts on his skull. Zbyszko called Raven a whiner. Zbyszko said Raven was a World Heavyweight Champion who lost not only his belt, but his dignity. Zbyszko said that would never happen to him.

-They showed referee Slick Johnson passing out pictures to fans at ringside of a bald Zbyszko. Zbyszko walked out and tried to rip away the pictures.

-A video package aired with Samoa Joe speaking on his opportunity at Victory Road. Joe said: "Christian Cage, you take your problems to Jim Cornette to solve. That's the difference between me and you. I have the ability to get it done and you have the ability to bitch about it until somebody fixes it."

[Commercial Break]

-A video package aired on Jeff Jarrett talking about the title situation. He offered to take a lie detector test to show he had nothing to do with the decisions that favored him recently. He said Christian's momentum has been extinguished. He said he's up for a fight against Joe. He said the wildcard thrown into the mix is Steiner, and he's prepared for that if it happens. He closed regarding Sting: "It's me or him. When I get backed into a corner, I always win."

-Jeremy Borash interviewed Team Canada backstage. D'Amore said this was a defining moment for them because if they lose, they're disbanded forever, but if they win, they're back on track. D'Amore gave everyone a pep talk, except Eric Young. He chewed him out and said if he doesn't come through, all of his nightmares will come true.

4 -- RHINO & JAY LETHAL & TEAM 3D vs. TEAM CANADA (Eric Young & A1 & Bobby Roode & Petey Williams w/Scott D'Amore)

Brother Ray and Lethal got in offense for two minutes, then they cut to a break.

[Commercial Break]

Lethal scored a very near fall with a schoolboy on A1 at 8:00. D'Amore interfered with the hockey stick, but Brother Runt yanked it away and gave him the Runt Drop. He followed by diving onto Young and Roode on the floor. Meanwhile, Rhino gave A1 a Gore followed by a Lethal top rope headbutt for the win. As a result of the win, Lethal gets a title shot of his choice next week on Impact. Tenay said the 20 year old Lethal has a hell of a decision to make. Young grabbed onto West's leg at ringside and the rest of Team Canada looked on in shock.

WINNER: Rhino & Lethal & Team 3D in 10:00.

STAR RATING: *1/2 -- Okay action. Nothing particularly stand-out in quality.

-A final video aired with an overview of the issues at stake at Victory Road.