IMPACT

May 10, 2007
Universal Studios, Orlando, Florida
thanks to: pwtorch.com
 

We open with a recap from last week with the ongoing Roode, Young, and Jarrett saga, the NWA Tag Title picture, and the Sting-Christian-Angle feud that led to Jim Cornette booking a three-way NWA Title match at Sacrifice.

We start the show with LAX, which is always a smart way to start the show. Homicide came to the ring for a three-way match and we saw Konnan ringside in his wheelchair. Brother Devon then came out with Brother Ray, followed by Scott Steiner without Tomko. The bell sounded and Tenay and West announced A.J. Styles vs. Samoa Joe for the PPV on Sunday.

1 -- HOMICIDE (w/LAX) vs. BROTHER DEVON (w/Brother Devon) vs. SCOTT STEINER

Homicide took a pounding early on, then Devon worked on Steiner in a neutral corner. Homicide jumped Devon from behind, then Steiner and Homicide double-teamed Devon. They executed a double suplex, then we saw Hector Guerrero sitting in the cheap seats somewhere in the building. Steiner ran over Devon with a clothesline, then he dropped an elbow and showcased his physical fitness with a series of push-ups. Steiner caught Devon off the ropes and executed a belly-to-belly suplex, but Homicide only scored a nearfall. Steiner got under Ray's skin just for kicks and giggles, then he continued to work on Devon in the ring. Homicide ruined a good thing by slapping Steiner on the back, so Steiner dismantled him with a rolling belly-to-belly suplex for a nearfall. Steiner then placed Homicide in the Recliner, but Devon broke it up. Devon came back with a neckbreaker, then he clotheslined Steiner over the top rope to the floor. Homicide took a mid-ring slam for a nearfall, then Steiner and Ray brawled on the floor. In the ring, Machete distracted the ref, allowing Hernandez to drop Devon with the Border Toss in the ring. Homicide then made the cover for the win, with Ray too late to interfere to make the save. After the match, Steiner snapped on Ray and tossed chairs into the ring. Well, he actually missed the ring and the chair bounced off the ropes.

WINNER: Homicide in 5:00. Good action for five minutes. The match was sharp and Homicide got a little rub from working with Steiner for a good three minutes. (*1/2)

Tenay and West plugged the Road to Sacrifice show this Saturday night. They broke down the Sacrifice PPV card.

Backstage, Jeremy Borash was set to interview Christy Hemme, but Steiner interrupted and asked Borash if he saw what happened. Steiner screamed and hollered about Christian and Tomko being nowhere to be found. He grabbed Borash by the lapel and said his brother never would have left him out to dry like that. Seeds have been planted for a Rick Steiner return. Steiner stormed off. Christy then walked into the shot and said her boys would beat VKM at Sacrifice. She said she finally has her own team. Kip and B.G. interrupted and called her bumper girl, after Borash asked if she was better of just handling the TV bumpers. Christy told them to come to the ring or not come to the ring to hear her announcement. She left, then Kip got exciting, thinking maybe she was bringing out Serotonin again. Can you bury a team that's already six feet deep?

[Commercial Break]

Christy Hemme came to the ring, then VKM followed out close behind. Suddenly, the Bashams blind-sided VKM and knocked them around the ringside area. Tenay called them "these guys" and said they're not even under a TNA contract. The Bashams dismantled both men in the ring, using chairs. Talk about two guys who look completely different than during their WWE run. Christy then took the mic and introduced Kip to her boys, Basham and Damaga. She slapped Kip, then Lance Hoyt made the save. Tenay said VKM are scheduled for a tag match against the Motor City Machine Guns.

Don West introduced a video clip on Jeff Jarrett's history of self-serving before losing the NWA Title to Sting in October 2006. They aired a video interview from after that Bound for Glory PPV where Jarrett did the big babyface promo and said he would step away from the spotlight. They flashed forward to his return when Jarrett said it was time for him to give back. They aired a recap of last week when Robert Roode laid out Young and Jim Cornette before Cornette booked Jarrett vs. Roode at Sacrifice. And Young gets his chance to extract revenge on the red-hot heel, Roode, at what point in this feud?

[Commercial Break]

Backstage, Borash found Mr. Backlund. Backlund said Shelley and Sabin stole his book. "By God, I want you!" he screamed before leaving. Kevin Nash then introduced Jay Lethal and Sonjay Dutt. Lethal did his Savageisms, then Borash started to sign off, but Dutt interrupted. He guessed correctly that he has no mic time scheduled tonight. Borash confirmed his lack of mic time, then sent it back to Tenay and West.

2 -- MOTOR CITY MACHINE GUNS (CHRIS SABIN & ALEX SHELLEY) vs. BLACK MACHISMO JAY LETHAL & SONJAY DUTT

Boy, Dutt made a fast wardrobe change from a San Diego Padres logo t-shirt to his wrestling gear. The bell sounded and West discussed the rift between Lethal and Dutt. Lethal came off the top with a double sledgehammer smash on Shelley in the opening minute, but Sabin and Shelley came back with double-team combos. Tenay then announced the four-way X Division match. Lethal escaped a double team situation with a kick to the head on Sabin, then he made a hot tag to Dutt, who cleaned house. He hit a springboard moonsault on Shelley, but it was good for a nearfall only. Lethal suddenly hit the Lethal combination back breaker on Shelley. Lethal had the finish on Sabin with a top rope elbow drop, but Dutt wanted the glory. Instead, Sabin and Shelley hit a series of combos before Shelley dropped Dutt with the Celtic Cross for the pin and the win.

After the match, Backlund came to ringside and jumped the men in the winner's circle. Lethal then worked on Shelley with a right hand blow before Backlund suplexed Shelley across the ring. Sabin then took an atomic drop that sent him over the top rope to the floor. And there goes any credibility for your X Division champion.

WINNERS: Shelley & Sabin in 4:00. Good in-ring action, good storyline advancement with the rift between Lethal and Dutt growing wider, and a much-needed win for the MCMG's. It didn’t matter after the match, though, since the old veteran dominated the X Division champion and his running buddy. I'm still not seeing any benefit to putting over Backlund at the expense of the entire X Division. (*1/2)

[Commercial Break]

Borash found Christian Cage backstage, then they went to a three-man split screen with Sting being talked to by Christopher Daniels and Kurt Angle in a separate location. Sting blew off Daniels, then he said Angle would have taken the same gift from Jeff Jarrett that he took at Lockdown. Angle retorted that Sting gave him a gift last week and the only reason why he did that was to match Jarrett's match-giving. Look at the supposed babyface heroes tearing each other apart. Sting told Christian to shut up after he said he's siding with Angle. Christian then sided with Sting when everyone discussed Angle getting Sting DQ'ed two weeks ago in a title match. Angle said it should only be himself vs. Christian. Christian tried to talk in a low voice as the "heroes" continued to argue and he said neither one should be in the match. Sting told Angle to come find him and they could have at it. Angle left his location as Sting told him to come find him. Christian came out the strongest, as he was the most entertaining. Angle and Sting were more than willing to tear each apart and expose each other's weaknesses.

Time for the main event six-man tag match. Samoa Joe led out the troops, with Gail Kim taking her usual position of precedence in front of Chris Harris, who was sporting sunglasses this week. Rhino followed along for the ride.

[Commercial Break]

A.J. Styles's music hit and Christopher Daniels led out Styles, James Storm, and Jackie Moore. Tenay told us to tune in to the Road to Sacrifice show on Saturday night.

3 -- SAMOA JOE & RHINO & CHRIS HARRIS (w/Gail Kim) vs. A.J. STYLES & CHRISTOPHER DANIELS & JAMES STORM (w/Jackie Moore)

Storm joked around with his cowboy hat, then Joe started things off by kicking Storm in the ring. Harris took a quick tag, and Storm instantly bailed to the outside. Styles came in for the heels and Harris gave him a titty twister. Tenay said Harris lost the eye patch last week, and made a faster-than-expected recovery. The quicker they can distance Harris from that gimmick, the better. Joe then entered the match and dominated Styles with kicks and slaps. Rhino then entered the ring and took his turn working on Styles. Styles then grabbed the referee, allowing Daniels to throw Rhino off the top rope to the floor. Storm then pounded on Rhino before they cut to a break.

[Commercial Break]

We came back with Daniels working on Rhino in the ring. Styles then tagged in and worked on Rhino. Tenay gave us an update on Abyss that no one associated with TNA has had contact with Abyss, while James Mitchell is searching for a replacement(s) for Abyss. Rhino came back on Styles with a clothesline, but Daniels answered with an STO. Styles then made a cover for a nearfall. Storm with beer in hand, then entered the ring and played around with Rhino before spitting booze in Storm's face. Rhino then ducked a clothesline and hot-tagged to Storm, who cleared the ring with left hand blows. Storm tried to sneak attack Harris, but Harris answered with a bulldog out of the corner. Joe then ran over Daniels, but Styles ran over Joe, and Rhino ran over Styles, then Storm ran over Rhino. Goodness. Joe then snapped off a powerslam on Styles. The action spilled to the outside, except for Storm and Harris. Jackie airmailed a beer bottle over Storm's head and it landed in Harris's hands. He tried to attack Storm, but referee Earl Hebner stole the bottle. In the confusion, Storm rolled up Harris with a handful of tights for the win.

Afterward, Storm tried to head for safety into the grandstands, but Harris gave chase. Harris then dumped Storm over the guardrail to the floor below. Sting and Kurt Angle then brawled through the entrance tunnel, down the entrance ramp, and into the ring. Security intervened, then Christian Cage walked out on stage with the NWA Title belt resting comfortably on his shoulder. He smiled that classic toothy grin as Angle knocked the facepaint off Sting's face. The cameraman took a blow in the ring, then we closed with Tenay talking about Christian being the arson to tear down Angle and Sting.

WINNERS: Styles & Daniels & Storm in 10:00. The finish was a mere formality, with the post-match activity taking its usual precedence over the in-ring wrestling. To cap off the night, another solid, action-packed match that got some people excited for the Sacrifice PPV. Regarding the Angle-Sting-Christian ordeal, it was a strong conclusion with the faces appearing to be in jeopardy just by the simple fact that they're tearing each other apart. Meanwhile, the heel champion who's been booked to have little in-ring credibility stands to benefit from the misfortune of others. I say this facetiously, but if the booking brings everyone down to a lowest common denominator, then viewers could be more intrigued to see who wins the title since there's no clear favorite going into the PPV. Smart piece of booking. (**)