Here we are. The first episode of TNA iMPACT on SpikeTV. Much better than the afternoon timeslot on FSN, no? Even if they took up the old Velocity timeslot, it’s better to get this kind of publicity than none at all. Much better.
You might be familiar with The Neeldown up to this point, it has been done for 2 Friday night SmackDowns including the debut and TNA Unbreakable. If not welcome along and don’t hesitate to tell me what you thought.
– TNA Arena
– Mike Tenay & Don West
– The first ever SpikeTV episode of TNA iMPACT kicks thins off with pyro and fans chanting “T-N-A” similar to the ECW chants at their arena.
AJ Styles v. Roderick Strong
AJ takes him down to start and hits chops in the corner. Strong gets a german but Styles no sells and rams him into the corner. Strong blocks a whip and clubs Styles down but Styles blocks a suplex and gets chops. Pair of leap drogs and Styles hits a textbook dropkick sending him to the outside. Styles springboards out with a senton getting a lot of crowd reaction. Pin gets 2 back inside. Styles tries a submission but breaks it. As Styles goes to more chops Chris Daniels comes out for a distraction, allowing Strong to get a reverse dropkick and back suplex for 2. Camel clutch applied by Strong but Styles fights out and gets a f*cking sweet pele kick. Double slignshot DDT by Styles and the Styles Clash finished it.
Winner: AJ Styles
**, the big spots by Styles were nice as always, but would have been nice if we saw an opener with both guys putting fourth a lot of effor for a good match.
Break.
Monty Brown promo is shown with mention of Brown’s NFL days and Mike Tenay commentary.
Backstage interview: Shane Douglas on Monty Brown. Brown does a noise similar to the shouts at the begginning of Led Zeppelin’s Immigrant Song, and then says that we are about to feel the POOOOuuunnce. Period.
Raven is knocking various people down in the back with a garbage can until it’s broken up with security. So Raven has a garbage can. I thought he was made up to be “different” in TNA?
Monty Brown v. Lex Lovett
Brown goes squash crazy to begin until that other guy attacks with punches to head of doom, but Brown soonly after ends it with the POUNCE. Uh… couldn’t we have showcased the big shot we just spent time promoting better than a half minute squash? I guess it makes sense.
Winner: Monty Brown
– no rating –
Break.
Promo for X division rolls which is surprising that it is the first time they’ve stressed it since we are 21 minutes in. AJ Styles, Samoa Joe, Petey Williams, Chris Sabin, and Christopher Daniels are mentioned and showcased.
Petey Williams v. Alex Shelley v. Chris Sabin
Shelley takes down Sabin to start while Williams watches, but then Williams gets a dropkick on Shelley to break up the submission on Sabin. They go back and fourth with roll ups until Sabin gets in control and kncoks Williams down with a drop toe hold. Sabin springs in with a stomp to the back of Petey’s head. Sabin gets a baseball slide on Williams, and then Sabin jumps through the legs of Sabin with a suicide dive. Sabin then gets an Asagi Moonsault taking out both of the men as we go into mid-match break. Really nice spots so far. After what seems like a perticularly long series of advertisements, we are back with Sabin kicking out of William’s pinfall after a tornado DDT. Shelley hits Sabin with a spinning back breaker and then locks in a figure four leg scissors. Williams and Shelley get a double suplex on Sabin but argue over who should pin him, and end up brawling, giving Sabin time to get a double kick on them from the ground. Shelley spears Williams on accident and Sabin drop toe holds Shelley into William’s groin. Shelley gets out of the Cradle Shock and hits a modified brain buster for a near fall. Sabin fights off an inveted DDT and Williams takes Shelley down. Petey goes for the Canadian Destroyer but Sabin catches him so Sabin and Shelley both have a hold of him, Sabin lifts him up and slams him down into a schoolboy which is broken up by Shelley. Sabin gets an enzigiri and nails the Cradle Shock on Shelley for 3 after Williams nearly broke it up. Petey attacks afterward and hits a nice Canadian Destroyer.
Winner: Chris Sabin
***3/4, matches with that kind of chemisty don’t get much better. Awesome effor and spots from all the guys in this one which made for one hell of a match.
Break.
TNA Home Video promo featuring the best of X Division volume 1, Enigma: Best of Jeff Hardy, best of Raven, and best of AJ Styles.
3 Live Kru promo which it is announced that they will make their SpikeTV next week against Team Canada.
Jeff Hardy v. Rhino
Rhino attacks Hardy from behind to start and kicks a mudhole in the corner. Jeff fights back with elbows but gets chopped back down to size. Jeff dodges a clothseline and hits a flying forearm. Rhino gets an elbow but Hardy follows with an enzigiri. Top rope double feet stomp to Rhino’s chest gets 2. Rhino gets up and nails a BIG spinebuster however for 2. Rhino goes with the bottom rope choke offense followed by a scoop slam. Rhino misses a second rope headbut leading to a slugfest. Hardy wins it and takes Rhino down with a big whip, then hits the double leg kick low blow for 2. Rhino gets back into it with a belly to belly and sets up for the GORE, but misses it and GORES the turnbuckle. Hardy gets the Twist Of Fate then, and looks to be setting up for the Swanton until Abyss comes out and attacks. Hardy hits a motified Poetry in Motion on Abyss but gets overwhelmed by the Rhino-Abyss double team. James Mitchell slides in a chair as the lights go out, and as they come back in SABU is in the ring who hits chair shots on the heels. Hardy planches Rhino on the outside, and Sabu planches Abyss.
NO CONTEST
*1/2, the usual stuff you would expect in a match like that leading to oodles of interference for a sloppy ending. Nice to see Sabu on the big debut though.
Break.
Main event footage: Jeff Jarrett winning the NWA World Heavyweight Championship with help from America’s Most Wanted in Canada.
Jeff Jarrett heads on out to the ring with AMW and gets on the microphone saying that it is the best day of his life, TNA on Spike, and him being the Champion, and thanks Harris and Storm. He now introduces Coach Scott D’Amore. Scott says that he lived up to his end of the bargain, and that anytime he needs something JJ will give it to him. They hug. Double J rants more until 3LK interrupt. They tell Jarrett to shut up and Jarrett tells them to “make him.” Brawl breaks out. The rest of Team Canada join in as the heels gain the upperhand. The music sounds, it’s the DUDLEY BOYS, Bubba Ray and D’Von! They clean face house and hit the 3D on James Storm. 3D on Chris Harris. They set up the 3D on Jarrett, but Jarrett bails to the outside. As Jarrett tries to get up up the ramp, Kevin Nash heads on out, forcing Jarrett into the ring where he is powerbombed by Bubba and then hit with the Wuzzzzup headbut by D’Von. Nash nails the Jacknife on Jarrett. Show ends with Nash and Team D celebrating.
End of show.
Well not TNA’s best effort here for such an important show, but with big appearences by the likes of Sabu and Nash, first ever footage of Jarrett winning the title in Canada, and the debut of the Dudley Boys made for an exciting show needless to say.
Join me back in 7 days for the another thrilling installment of the NeelDown: iMPACT Zone!
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E-mail: Mark.A.Neeley@gmail.com
