IMPACT

July 20, 2006
Universal Studios, Orlando, Florida
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-After a clip of the finish of the main event of Victory Road, Jeremy Borash stood outside Sting's locker room. Jay Lethal walked out of the room. Borash asked what he was doing in there. He said he asked about what he should do with his title shot. He said Sting said to go for it all, so he is challenging Jeff Jarrett for the NWA World Hvt. Title.

-The Impact opening aired, then Mike Tenay and Don West introduced the show.

1 -- THE NATURALS (Chase Stevens & Andy Douglas) vs. MAVERICK MATT & KAZARIAN

Shane Douglas stood mid-ring and introduced "the new Franchised Naturals." Maverick Matt is the former Matt Bentley. Douglas returned to the back as the match began. Tenay noted how unique that is for a wrestling manager not to remain at ringside during the match to offer advice. West said Douglas wants them to learn how to survive on their own. They to a break about a minute in.

[Commercial Break]

At 6:00 Douglas hot-tagged Stevens who went on a flurry of offense. After some four-way chaos, The Naturals won. Douglas came out and again chewed out his team. He slapped Stevens. He shouted, "Your shoulders should never touch that damn ring." Tenay said they might never make Douglas happy.

WINNERS: Naturals in 7:00.

STAR RATING: 3/4* -- Indistinctive styles by everyone. Okay action, but nobody stand out and they all seem cut from too similar of a mold.

-Tenay and West were shown on camera introducing a clip of Jarrett dressed in black squirting gasoline in Sting's face, with Sting going on to win anyway.

-Back to Borash outside Sting's locker room, Eric Young appeared in the background. He interrupted Borash and said he's been looking for him all over. He accused Borash of avoiding him. Borash assured him he wasn't. He said he wants an idea from Borash to secure his spot. Borash was interrupted and said something was going on at the desk.

-They cut to Jarrett and Scott Steiner at the announcers' desk. Jarrett was doing one of his favorite things - yelling at Tenay as if everything is his fault. He said Sting conned Lethal into wrestling in a division he doesn't even belong in. He said Sting is going to try to screw him out of the title because he doesn't want to face him at Hard Justice. He said wherever he goes, Steiner will follow tonight. Tenay told Jarrett to get ready to face Lethal later.

-Christy Hemme plugged the main event and the next match going into the break.

[Commercial Break]

-An Eye Spy segment aired. Kevin Nash said he needs to get in the head of an X Division star to know what goes through one's head when they get to the top rope. Alex Shelley narrated footage of international X Division style matches on a video camera. The footage from Madagascar confused Nash because he said they were wrestling in a two-sided ring. "Japan, Mexico, they've got nothing on Madagascar," said Shelley. Nash noted the fans were sitting on the floor because "chairs are a luxury there." Shelley offered Nash a business class flight to train with those guys. Nash hugged Shelley and got emotional. Shelley said, "You're holding me too tight." Funny stuff. Totally stupid, too, but in a good way.

2 -- RHINO vs. ROBERT ADAMS

Rhino (artist Joseph Borzotta, PWTorch)
Rhino took Adams down at the bell. Tenay announced that Bound For Glory would take place in Rhino's hometown. Rhino then won with a Gore before Tenay could get into details of what was announced at the last PPV.

WINNER: Rhino in 1:00.

STAR RATING: n/a

-After the match, Rhino said that wasn't the competition he was looking for. Out walked Samoa Joe walked out. Rhino said he threw out an extreme challenge, and he welcomes a fight from Joe. He asked if he wants to fight now, next week, or at Hard Justice. The crowd chanted, "Joe is gonna kill you!" Joe said due to certain events, he might feel a little bit depressed, and nothing makes me feel better than a good old fashioned brawl. Rhino, I've heard you're the best brawler in town." He said he talked to Cornette, and if he wants a fight, he can have it next week. Rhino said, "Why do we have to wait 'til next week. Why don't we kicked each other's ass right now." Tenay said there's no reason to wait. Security cut Joe off and tried to keep them apart. Tenay said, "It's a battle of machines - the War Machine and the Samoan Submission Machine." They cut to the back as security held them apart.

-Borash interviewed Team 3D - Brother Ray, Brother Devon, and Brother Runt. Ray told Runt to have a seat. He said they're not blaming him for the loss, but the fact remains that they lost. He said he and D-Von are splitting for a while and regroup. "We had a goal when we came to TNA and we've always achieved our goals." He said they accomplished everything they wanted in ECW and WWE. He said now they've come to the future of pro wrestling, and had AMW right where they wanted them, but the tag titles slipped through their fingers, then they got sidetracked by the James Gang. He said now A.J. Styles & Christopher Daniels are the tag champs. "Things just aren't right," he said. "We've going real hard for 12 years like machines. We're going to take some time off, refocus and regroup, and come back and get the one thing we need to make us the greatest of all time." He said they need a big favor from Runt. Devon told him to stay out of people's way and "hold it down for the family" until they return. Ray told Runt to go after the X Title because it would be perfect for him.

-Christy plugged that the tag champs were up next.

[Commercial Break]

-Borash interviewed America's Most Wanted with Gail Kim. Chris Harris scolded Borash for calling them former champs. James Storm and Harris bickered. Kim blamed Sirelda for their problems. She complained about her jumping her with her back turned. She said we'll see how brave she is when she has to meet her face-to-face at Hard Justice.

-A.J. Styles & Christopher Daniels came out with the NWA World Tag Team Titles. Tenay said there were so many memorable moments from Sunday's PPV, such as Larry Zbyszko losing to Raven and getting his head shaved and Styles & Daniels retaining the tag titles. West said the longer they're together, the better they get. Daniels said it's good to be tag champs. He asked Styles how they prove to their critics that they're in the tag division for the long haul. Styles said they have an envelope filled with contracts offering tag title shots to every team in TNA including Team 3D, The James Gang, The Naturals, and Christian Cage & Sting. Konnan interrupted and said he didn't hear LAX on that list. Konnan said they're overrated. Styles told Konnan to shut his mouth because if he held off for a few more seconds, he'd have heard there's a contract there for LAX. Konnan said he doesn't believe it. He said they've been spoon fed since they got to TNA. Daniels said all he hears Konnan do is bitch, but he said there is a contract and held it up. Konnan said, "Am I supposed to read it from here?" Daniels offered to hand it to him in person. Daniels threw it onto the Spanish announcing desk. As Daniels handed him a pen, he dropped it and said, "Oops!" Homicide and Hernandez then attacked and spit on Daniels and Styles. Daniels bled. Homicide gave Styles his finisher where he underhooks him and drops backwards driving Styles onto the back of his head and neck. Konnan then signed the contract with Daniels's blood. Good, old-school angle. Basic stuff, but everyone played their parts well, so it worked.

-Borash was still outside of Sting's locker room. He said the door is open and there's no Sting. Larry Zbyszko walked into the picture wearing a wig. He said he's still there, and Jim Cornette is dropping the ball on big decisions. Zbyszko said Cornette shouldn't be giving away Rhino vs. Joe on free TV. He also said the youngest guy is getting a shot at the most prestigious title. Slick Johnson walked up and was going to say something, but then he noticed Zbyszko's wig and laughed and ran off.

[Commercial Break]

-A vignette aired on Bobby Roode. He talked in the third person about being born to be a wrestler. He said he's a thoroughbred. He said Team Canada might have held him back, but not it's his time. "If you get in my way, I will take you out," he said. He challenged the top stars in TNA and put them on notice that he has arrived. "The heavyweight landscape will never be the same," he said. "You're looking at the new face of TNA."

3 -- JEFF JARRETT vs. JAY LETHAL -- NWA World Hvt. Title

Tenay called an NWA Title defense a "rarity on Spike TV." Impact used to have more than eight minutes of in-ring wrestling headed into the main event, but that's what they had this week. It's fine, because the other content was solid, but it's hardly "more action, less talk" anymore. Borash handled ring intros to add a sense of gravitas to it. As Jarrett stood on the top rope with his arms in the air, Lethal powerbombed Jarrett to the mat to jump-start the match. He went after Jarrett with a flurry of rapid offense including an early top rope elbow for a near fall. Jarrett bailed out to ringside. Lethal punched away at him on the floor. Lethal hit a crossbody for a near fall in the ring at 2:00. Lethal dove through the ropes onto Jarrett at ringside at 3:00. Out walked Steiner with a metal pipe. Jarrett shoved Lethal off the top rope to the floor as they cut to a break.

[Commercial Break]

Tenay and West said during the break Jarrett dominated. Steiner tossed Lethal into the ring through the ropes. Tenay shifted gears and talked about what Jarrett's strategy would be against Sting at Hard Justice. It came across like Tenay had already looked past Lethal's chances of winning. Lethal surprised Jarrett with a schoolboy for a near fall at 7:00. Lethal then turned Jarrett into a figure-four. Steiner grabbed Jarrett and yanked him to the bottom rope. As the ref scolded Steiner, Lethal flipped over the top rope onto Steiner. Lethal then hit a springboard dropkick and an armdrag into a cartwheel, capped with a dropkick and top rope headbutt for a near fall. Lethal pleased with the ref about the count, giving Jarrett a chance to attempt a Stroke. Lethal escaped, but Steiner hit Lethal on the back with the pipe as Jarrett distracted the ref. Jarrett then gave Lethal a Stroke off the top rope for the win.

WINNER: Jarrett at 9:00.

STAR RATING: **1/2 -- Really good, spirited effort from Lethal, and Jarrett played the role of the sneaky, cocky veteran well. It's a formula match used in wrestling for years, but when done well, it works and helps create a star. This worked for Lethal.

-After the match, as Steiner had Lethal in the Steiner Recliner, the lights went out, then came back on with Sting in the ring cleaning house.

-The show ended with a brief music video recapping the show. That continues to be a nice touch at the end of Impact.