IMPACT

August 10, 2006
Universal Studios, Orlando, Florida
thanks to: pwtorch.com
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- We start with clips from last week including LAX right off the bat. That's how you start a show. They recapped Jim Cornette's speech last week followed by Jeff Jarrett playing fanboy.

- Jeremy Borash was outside Jim Cornette's office. Eric Young was camped out in a fold up tent. He said he was nervous about meeting with Jeff. Young tried to figure out which power tie to wear.

- The camera panned the audience and briefly focused on So Cal Val as Mike Tenay broke down the card tonight.

- Rhino came out in his usual ring gear and a zip-up jacket. He took the mic and talked about his match with Joe and Brown at the PPV. He said it's falls count anywhere so he can take the fight anywhere he wants. He said he might piledrive Brown through the announce table. He said he could cross the border and Gore Joe through the Spanish announce table into Little Mexico. Konnan told him to bring it on. He said maybe he could take the fight to the crowd. He asked the crowd if they wanted him to beat down Joe or Brown in the stands. He walked around the Impact zone and reached the concession stands. Monty Brown attacked Rhino from behind and threw him into the side of a wall. Brown took the mic and said he's at the top of the food chain. He said he used to run through guys like Rhino and Joe on a daily basis. Brown did the Pounce line then Samoa Joe's music hit to a strong reception. Joe approached Brown in the ring. They exchanged blows as the crowd roared. Joe reversed a whip to the ropes and went for the Kokina Clutch. However, Rhino ran in and three-way brawling broke out. Security hit the ring to try to break up the fight.

- They rolled footage of Sting and Jeff Jarrett to set up their Hard Justice main event match.

1 -- KEVIN NASH & ALEX SHELLEY & JOHNNY DEVINE vs. SONJAY DUTT & CHRIS SABIN & JAY LETHAL

Nash rolled through the ropes into the ring instead of doing his usual over-the-top-rope entrance. Before the match, they focused on Brother Runt standing on top of the Impact zone holding a sign encouraging Abyss to come find him. For a second, I thought it was the Prince of Punk. Sabin worked on the heels after Nash feigned an eye injury before the break.

[Commercial Break]

Sabin and Lethal hit a dual Russian legsweep on Devine out of the break. They showed Runt on top of the Impact zone rafters calling out Abyss. Nash tagged in and slammed Lethal to the mat with a sidewalk slam. He rocked Sabin and Dutt with back elbow smashes while they stood on the apron. Shelley and Nash hit a combination drop kick and back breaker on Lethal. Lethal fought off a top rope move and drop kicked Shelley in the face. Devine and Dutt took dual hot tags. Devine did some cartoon selling of Dutt's right hand punches. Sabin hit a charging kick to the face on Devine in the corner. He hit the Cradle Shock for the win. Afterwards, Jerry Lynn walked out on stage and stared into the ring.

WINNERS: Dutt, Lethal, and Sabin in 8:00. Basic action that filled a segment of TV time under the presumption of building up a PPV match, but the match didn't go anywhere.

- They showed more Jarrett-Sting clips from earlier in the year to hype the PPV title match.

[Commercial Break]

- Borash was still with Eric Young backstage. Larry Zbyszko, apparently from the Monkeys this week, interrupted and said Jay Lethal has been added to the X Division Title match at the PPV. Cornette interrupted. "Eric, right?" Cornette asked. He said they were having a meeting to discuss Young's future. Borash asked Zbyszko about kissing up to Cornette. Slick Johnson interrupted and asked, "Toupe or not toupe? That is the question." Jeff Jarrett has a sick sense of humor.

2 -- HOMICIDE (w/Konnan and Hernandez) vs. CHRISTOPHER Daniels

Moody Jack introduced Homicide with LAX. Don West said he was leaving if Konnan commandeered the announce table. After early reversals and counter wrestling, Daniels hit an elevated drop kick off the ropes. Daniels choked Homicide then Homicide rolled to the outside and threw a chair into the ring. Daniels tried to grab it, but he fought with the referee over it. That allowed Homicide to attack Daniels from behind to begin his attack. Konnan attacked Daniels on the outside then rolled him back into the ring. Homicide applied a mat hold then went into a triple suplex combination. He went up top, but Daniels met him and knocked him off the top. Daniels hit an STO out of the corner for a nearfall. Homicide slipped out of Daniels's grip and hit a flip over reverse DDT for a nearfall. Daniels blocked a move then hit an STO into the Koji clutch center ring. Homicide tapped out while the referee was distracted. Hernandez hit the ring and hit the Border Toss on Daniels. Homicide made the cover for the win. Afterwards, LAX beat down Daniels. Homicide set up for the Cop Killer, but A.J. Styles ran to the ring with a chair. Wearing the neckbrace, Styles slammed the chair over Homicide's back then Hernandez's face. LAX retreated. Styles ripped off the brace then checked on Daniels.

WINNER: Homicide in 5:00. Just that basic TNA match formula of the heel finding a way to circumvent the referee to take control of the match then use outside interference to win. Not the best use of LAX lately. The babyfaces needed to be in more jeopardy of losing the tag belts by the end of this, but Styles looked strong showing some much-needed intensity.

[Commercial Break]

3 -- ABYSS (w/James Mitchell) vs. SHARK BOY

They showed Brother Runt setting up a ladder on the stage while holding a sign asking why wait until the PPV. Shark Boy jumped on Abyss's back before the opening bell. Abyss hit the Black Hole Slam for the win.

WINNER: Abyss in 1:00.

- Afterwards, Mitchell grabbed the mic and asked Brother Runt if he thinks he's really funny, like Eddie Murphy. Dane Cook would have been a much more contemporary reference, but this is TNA. Abyss ran up the entrance ramp and Runt flew off the top of the stage with cross body splash. They rolled down the entrance ramp then went back into the ring. Abyss tried to attack Runt, but Runt fought him off then cleared Abyss to the outside. Abyss became angry on the outside.

- More clips hyping Jarrett vs. Sting, going back to the King of the Mountain match at Slammiversary.

[Commercial Break. A Summerslam commercial aired hyping Hogan-Orton. Interesting.]

- More clips of Jarrett vs. Sting, going back to Victory Road in July. Sting astounded the world with his comeback, according to the voice-over man. They built up Sting's eight-month journey to fulfill his destiny.

- Eric Young was backstage with Borash and Cornette. He pulled out presents. He offered him a bag of Wendy's. Oh dear. Following were bottles of whiskey and booze. Cornette said Wendy's is his favorite burger, but he can't eat them because he's watching his blood pressure. Same with the whiskey. He booked Young in a match against Johnny Devine at the PPV because Paparazzi Productions is giving him trouble. He asked Young if he could draw ratings, sell PPVs, or have good matches because that's what he's looking for. Groan and shaking of head. It's difficult to get wrapped up in the show when TNA reminds viewers every week that it's just a performance to separate viewers from their money. Slick Johnson ran in and said the main event was up next. They left Young hanging backstage.

4 -- SCOTT STEINER vs. CHRISTIAN CAGE

Jim Cornette joined the announcers for commentary. He said Steiner would use his power while Christian would use his speed in the match. Steiner shoved Christian to the corner out of the initial lock up. Cornette said he wants Jarrett to lose the NWA Title at Hard Justice because he's bad for business. Steiner flipped Christian over the top rope to the floor.

[Commercial Break]

Steiner did some push-ups after a two count out of the break. Nice from Steiner. He followed up with the patented turnaround belly-to-belly suplex out of the corner. Christian made his comeback with initial weak right hands then hit a clothesline off the ropes. Cornette said both men have drawn ratings and they're having a good match, which is helping set up the PPV. Goodness. Christian went up top, but Steiner caught him and dropped him with a fallaway slam. Steiner applied the Steiner Recliner at 8:00. Christian bit Steiner's hands to break the hold. He went for the Unprettier, but Jarrett ran into the ring. Christian ducked a clothesline, but Jarrett attacked him, which caused the referee to call for the bell. Cornette said he's not worried about who won the match, but who's going to get hurt. Jarrett applied the Scorpion Deathlock on Christian. Tenay said he was sending a message to Sting. The lights went out then we came back to find Jarrett locked in the Scorpion Deathlock. Sting fought off Steiner then cleared Jarrett to the outside with a clothesline. Christian handed Sting the NWA Title.

WINNER: Christian via DQ in 10:00. Another basic formula match straight out of the Thunder playbook. Cornette did the best he could to sell the title match main event, but the constant reminders of this being a performance and match outcomes being less important than how many people are watching the matches does no one any good. TNA simply doesn't understand its audience.

- Afterwards, they aired last-minute promos from the PPV players, including LAX, Daniels, Styles, Joe, Steiner, Christian, Jarrett, and Sting.