IMPACT

February 22, 2007
Universal Studios, Orlando, Florida
thanks to: pwtorch.com
 

 We open with a look at the five-man ladder match to determine Chris Sabin's X Division Title match opponent at Destination X. We then saw a recap of last week's show.

A.J. Styles opened the show by walking to the ringside area. He then climbed the Elevation X structure and stood in the center to cut a promo. Styles claimed to have invented Elevation X and perfected the X Division. Tenay and West continued to talk, and talk, and talk, and talk when Styles paused. Styles said he's going to give someone the opportunity to become famous since no one can be phenomenal. Rhino's music hit, then he walked out. Tenay said he never expected Rhino to answer Styles's challenge. Well, considering they're booked in a PPV match in two-and-a-half weeks, it's not a surprise. Rhino chased Styles up the structure, then Styles left down the side exit. Rhino stood on top of the structure and accepted Styles's challenge for an Elevation X match that was already advertised.

Borash interviewed Team 3D and Steve Schirripa backstage. Ray said they're looking forward to the first-ever Belting Pot match. He said they can count on their big cousin Steve, but then asked if LAX can count on their invalid manager, Konnan. Steve talked about sticking together because they're family. Devon said his one line.

LAX and the Latino Nation then came to ringside before they cut to a break.

[Commercial Break]

[Q2]

1 -- LAX (HOMICIDE & HERNANDEZ w/Konnan and Latino Nation) vs. TEAM 3D (BROTHER RAY & BROTHER DEVON w/Steve Schirripa and The Family) -- Belting Pot match -- non-title match

Devon scored with a Thesz Press on Homicide to start things off. Devon then dumped Homicide to the floor and "The Family" of lumberjacks clubbed Homicide while Ray stomped on his head. There was a brief "3D...sucks" chant before Devon was dumped to the outside and "The Gangsters" whipped Devon. Ray took a hot tag and gave LAX dual hip tosses. Ray then gave Hernandez a lift-up slam for a nearfall after throwing Homicide to the floor. Ray and Devon teamed up for a hangman's neckbreaker, then Homicide broke up a pin attempt. After Devon and Hernandez were dumped to the outside, an ethnic fight broke out on the outside. Steve then entered the ring and held Homicide's legs apart for Devon to hit a diving headbutt between the legs. I don't even know why TNA has referees. Team 3D then hooked up on a 3D on Hernandez for the win. Afterward, The Family celebrated in the ring.

WINNERS: Team 3D in 6:00. A very rushed match with too much focus on non-wrestlers. TNA did set records for most ethnic stereotypes exploited in six minutes, but I don't think that's what they wanted viewers to take away from the match. (1/2*)

We saw footage on the Sting vs. Abyss feud. The voice-over man promised that we would hear from Sting on his death bed.

[Commercial Break]

They cut to Sting flat on his back on a mesh casket in a pre-tape video package. He said there is life after death. He then talked about yet another match with Abyss, this one at Destination X. He basically said they're having a gimmick match where he has to put Abyss on the "casket" and raise him to the heavens. Sting asked Abyss if he was going to choose life since he doesn't have the devil (James Mitchell) in his ear anymore.

Borash then found Abyss backstage pounding his head into a cage wall. He asked Abyss if he heard the comments from Sting, then asked where Mitchell is. Borash realized that Abyss wasn't going to say anything, then he tried to sign off, but Abyss grabbed him and threw him into the cage wall.

[Q3]

2 -- ROBERT ROODE (w/Ms. Brooks) & ERIC YOUNG & JAMES STORM (w/Jackie Moore) vs. B.G. JAMES & KIP JAMES & LANCE HOYT

B.G. and Young did a dance, then Storm tried to run into the ring, but he took a double clothesline from Young and B.G. Roode then entered and reprimanded Young for doing wrong. Roode gave B.G. a hard clothesline, then the heels isolated B.G. in their corner. Hoyt took a quick tag and gave Storm a pancake slam. He then went up, but Roode tripped him with Hebner distracted by someone. We don't even know who. Again, I ask why TNA even has referees. Storm then rolled up Hoyt for the win. Afterward, the Pirate Chris Harris jumped the guardrail and chased Storm around the ring as if Tom & Jerry just came to life.

WINNERS: ROODE & YOUNG & STORM in 2:00. If the opening match was rushed, this was beyond rushed. Completely pointless. (n/a)

Christopher Daniels did a pre-tape video on his soul-searching. He said the important thing is that he has to be willing to sacrifice who he is to become who he wants to be.

Suddenly, Don West was in the ring with Andre Rison. West asked Rison how it felt to be back in shoulder pads on Pros vs. Joes. They edited this heavily, then Abyss's music hit. West asked Abyss if he had something to say. Rison extended a hand, then Abyss took it and gave Rison a Black Hole Slam.

[Commercial Break]

We saw a quick movie poster for "Rambuck Killings" starring Ron Killings.

We saw a recap of Rison taking the Black Hole Slam in the previous segment. Tenay and West then talked about the #1 Contender ladder match.

Eye Spy this week was back with Paparazzi Idol. Jay Lethal did another Randy Savage impersonation. Nash then pulled Lethal in close and told him to play the race card. Lethal then put on a black cowboy hat and thanked Nash for the hat.

Tenay was now joined by Jim Cornette in the ring with a contract table over a red carpet. Cornette broke down the Destination X card. He said both Christian Cage and Samoa Joe are in training this week before their NWA Title match. Maybe we could get some of that footage instead of a repeat Paparazzi Idol segment? Cornette then introduced Scott Steiner and Kurt Angle for the contract signing. This was the longest pro wrestling contract table in history. Not good, not bad, just different. Everyone sat down, then Cornette talked about the official execution of the instrument. Steiner guaranteed he'd beat Steiner, then he said he would melt down the Olympic gold medal, then see how much money he could get for it. Angle took the mic and said his reasons for coming to TNA weren't for the money, but to make the company bigger and better. What does this have to do with a wrestling match? Angle said Steiner came to TNA to rape it for every cent that it's worth worth. He said he was going to make an example out of Steiner, then told him to make as much as he can with the match because he was going to end his career. West continued to yap during pauses without letting the moment tell its own story. Steiner and Angle turned over the table, then Steiner gave Angle a headbutt. Tomko then jumped Angle, who was bleeding from the forehead. Suddenly, Christian jumped into the ring to show up Cornette for being a sucker believing that Christian was in training. They beat down Angle, then Steiner shoved the contract in Angle's mouth and posed over him.

[Q4]

[Commercial Break]

Samoa Joe cut a promo about Christian Cage. He said he learned about his limitations facing Kurt Angle, while being denied of his title shot for 20 months. Joe said Christian would learn why he is Samoa Joe and the Samoan submission machine at Destination X.

3 -- AUSTIN STARR vs. SENSHI vs. JERRY LYNN vs. SONJAY DUTT vs. JAY LETHAL -- #1 Contender ladder match

Starr and Senshi brawled to the floor to start things off. Lethal and Dutt then double-teamed Lynn, but Lynn came back with a back breaker on both men. Lynn slid a ladder into the ring, then Dutt grabbed it and ran off the ladder for a dropkick onto Lynn. They kicked a second ladder into Starr and Senshi on the outside. We then saw Bob Backlund step out on the entrance stage.

[Commercial Break]

Senshi caught Lynn with a double foot stomp to the chest out of the break. Starr then gave him a dropkick before catching Lethal with a dropkick sending the ladder into his face. Lynn quickly recovered, then three ladders were set up in the middle of the ring. Everyone except for Lynn battled on the ladders before Lynn powerbombed Lethal and Dutt to the mat. Senshi tried to grab the "X" hanging above the ring. With the action reaching its climax, Tenay and West decided it was the best time to discuss Kurt Angle's health. Lynn then fought of the whippersnappers and retrieved the "X" to win the match.

Backlund then entered the ring and shook Lynn's hand. Starr wasn't happy with Backlund, so he wiped his sweat in Backlund's face. Backlund then put him in the Crossface Chicken wing and threw him around the ringside area. End DVR.

WINNER: Lynn in 6:00. Another rushed match where it didn't feel like anything was on the line despite the #1 Contender stipulation. TNA continues to bury the younger stars by having Lynn beat them in matches that should be won by a more athletic wrestler. Imagine if the NBA decided to put Michael Jordan in the Slam Dunk Contest last weekend. Sure, he could probably still out-dunk the younger guys, but why make the future NBA stars look bad by putting them in a position to be shown up by a 44-year-old retired player in an athletic contest?