Alan Wojcik reports: TNA Wrestling Impact tapings to air January 7th and January 14th on Fox Sports Net. In the crowd some people wore t-shirts that said “Free Niemi, F*ck Fairplay” on them in reference to NWA Florida’s Ron Niemi who is being taken to court by former TV game show contestant Johnny Fairplay who was supposed to make some sort of appearance today. Among the names not on the show wrestling: Alex Shelley, Sonjay Dutt, the NYC’s, Frankie Kazarian, Hector Garza, Michael Shane, Abyss, Amazing Red, Mikey Batts and Jerrelle Clark.
TNA Impact to air Friday January 7, 2005
The show opened with some guy in the ring working out with 3 Live Kru, who were interrupted by what looked to be Michael Shane and Frankie Kazarian.
(1) AJ Styles defeated Chris Candido.
During the show the “Fallen Angel” Christopher Daniels sat with Mike Tenay and Don West. Candido looked in great shape and he was put to the test by Styles. Candido blocked a top rope huricurana with an inverted atomic drop. Candido hit several offensive moves including a second rope leg drop but couldn’t put away the younger Styles. Styles fought back and eventually put Candido away with the Styles clash.
Back from commercial Shane Douglas highlighted the Ultimate X match where Petey Williams will defend his X Division title against AJ Styles and the winner of a match between Christopher Daniels and Chris Sabin. Traci Brooks talked to Trinity and Johnny Fairplay about a note Dusty Rhodes left for them.
(2) NWA World X Division champion Petey Williams (w/Scott D’amore) defeated Andy Douglas (w/Chase Stevens.)
I’m not too sure why this match is even happening since the Naturals should be wrestling Team Canada for the NWA World Tag Team titles they wrongfully lost September 8th. Douglas was babyface by default in wrestling Williams. D’amore and Stevens interfered on their talent’s behalf so both men had control of the match. Williams went for the Canadian Destroyer but Douglas tossed him over the top rope. Williams went for it a second time but Stevens distracted him. D’amore then distracted Stevens and referee Andrew Thomas. During this scrum, Williams countered Douglas’ pinning attempt with a rolling cradle to win the match.
Back from commercial a replay of America’s Most Wanted victory over Team Canada that led to the title match at Final Resolution. Shane Douglas spoke with AMW about the match.
(3) NWA World Tag Team champion Bobby Roode (w/Scott D’amore) defeated Chris Sabin
This was an interesting battle of a cruiserweight and a heavyweight. Roode overpowered Sabin and beat him down for several minutes but the crowd re-energized Sabin. Sabin went for the Cradle Shock but Daniels left the broadcast table holding a chair intending to hit Sabin. Sabin dropped Roode as D’amore distracted referee Mike Posey. Roode hit Sabin in the back of the head with a clothesline and on the follow through Sabin’s face hit the chair. Roode covered Sabin as the crowd rained boos upon the Team Canada member.
(4) 3 Live Kru’s Konnan (w/Ron Killings and BG James) defeated David Young.
Before the match Konnan dissed Young on the house mic. The crowd loved everything Konnan did in the match and chanted “We Don’t Know You” towards Young. BG James distracted Andrew Thomas as Killings hit Young with the scissors kick. Konnan finished Young off with the sitout face plant thing.
Raven and Diamond Dallas Page had a confrontation about old news involving Kimberly and Erik Watts. Raven claimed he had Watts wrapped around his finger. Bad part for Raven was Watts was standing behind him as he made the comments. He punched Raven and then dragged him to the ring and beat him up. Guess Watts and Page kissed and made up. To go into commercial they teased the return of Ryan Wilson as his new persona Titus.
Back from commercial Mike Tenay brought NWA World Heavyweight champion Jeff Jarrett to the ring to talk about his three possible opponents at Final Resolution. Jarrett didn’t seem to care who his opponent will be as he picked apart Diamond Dallas Page and Monty Brown. He then talked directly to his King’s of Wrestling partner Kevin Nash. As Jarrett finished his comments, DDP came back out through the fans and attacked Jarrett. He was followed by Monty Brown who jumped both men. This brought Kevin Nash and Scott Hall out but in the fighting Jarrett accidentally hit Hall. Nash went to confront Jarrett but he got clotheslined by Brown. TNA officials and security hit the ring to calm down the situation.
(5) Dustin Rhodes and Jeff Hardy defeated Kid Kash and Dallas.
Jeff Hammond sat with Tenay and West during this match. The last commercial took place so there was some stalling. Rhodes and Hardy had control until Rhodes got distracted by Kash then got sucker punched by Dallas. The duo made several tags but a double team move backfired as Kash did a back flip off the shoulders of Dallas and spiked himself on the mat. Rhodes tagged in Hardy who hit Dallas with the Swanton after Rhodes hit a bulldog headlock.
They cut to the backstage where Jeff Jarrett confronted his fellow King’s of Wrestling partners as the first taping ended.
TNA Impact matches to air Friday January 14, 2005.
To open the show Tenay and West talked on camera and as usual we didn’t hear anything.
(1) NWA World Tag Team champion Eric Young (w/Scott D’amore and Bobby Roode) vs. Tennessee Cowboy James Storm (w/ Chris Harris)
Mike Posey and Andrew Thomas ordered Roode and Harris to the locker room as Storm unloaded on Young. Storm’s offensive attack lasted for several minutes until D’amore broke up an attempted top rope huricurana by Storm. There was a collision and all three men (including referee Rudy Charles) went down. D’amore entered the ring and went to hit Storm with the flagpole but Storm hit him with a punch. Young got to his feet and hit Storm in the head, then covered Storm. Roode ran out to attack Storm but Harris came back to defend his partner.
(2) Dustin Rhodes defeated Chris Candido.
Candido put up a good fight but Rhodes was too much for him as he hit the Bulldog headlock for the quick victory.
Back from commercial they replayed the Titus/Ryan Wilson vignette.
(3) AJ Styles defeated “Hotshot” Cassidy Reilly.
Reilly and Styles went back and forth until Reilly got control by running Styles’ head into the ring barricade and his back into the ring post. Back in the ring Reilly put Styles in an interesting submission move but Styles didn’t tap out. Reilly hit Styles with a handspring elbow but his moonsault hit Styles’ knees. Styles got back on the offensive and finished off Reilly with the springboard into the slop drop.
Backstage Raven attacked Erik Watts with a trash can shot to the head and then told him he still had Watts wrapped around his finger. Tracy Brooks showed Trinity and Johnny Fairplay another clue, something about a match at Final Resolution.
(4) “Primetime” Elix Skipper defeated David Young.
Young was supposed to be the babyface but it didn’t happen that way. Skipper beat up Young for a few minutes until Young back suplexed skipper over the top rope and to the floor. Skipper was able to recover and hit the Play of the Day to win the match.
The same Ultimate X match vignette played before the main event. Shane Douglas spoke to Team Canada about their matches at Final Resolution.
(5) “The Future” Chris Sabin defeated “Fallen Angel” Christopher Daniels to get the third spot in the Ultimate X match at Final Resolution.
Watch this match because it was amazing. Sabin hit Daniels with a spinning flip and landed hard on the floor. The match went to commercial as both men fought on the floor hitting the barricades and each other. The action returned to the ring as Daniels countered Sabin’s attempted springboard move with an STO. Daniels worked on Sabin’s neck, possibly for the Angel’s Wings. Sabin went for a head scissor but Daniels countered with a power bomb. Daniels attacked Sabin’s neck once more hitting a modified DVD but each move didn’t lead to a victory. Both men pelted each other with forearm shots to the face but Sabin hit an enziguri to send Daniels to the mat. Sabin hit two clotheslines and a sit out power bomb but got 2. Daniels hit a spinning backbreaker and an STO but got 2. Daniels went for a triple jump moonsault but missed and Sabin hit him with a tornado DDT. Sabin went for the Cradle Shock but Daniels countered and went for the Angels Wings. Sabin countered out and rolled Daniels up for the win.
After the taping the gentleman wearing the “Free Niemi, F*ck Fairplay” shits attempted to get a photo with Fairplay but he wouldn’t be a good sport and ran into the locker room.
Credit- The Wrestling Observer
