TNA iMPACT! Spoilers, courtesy of Alan Wojcik:
This is the live report of TNA Impact’s tapings to air before the December 11th Turning Point PPV. During this time they will tape an Impact to air this Saturday and one to air on Thursday December 8th, due to some video game awards show taking the spot on Saturday night. Apparently WWE does watch TNA since they had Detroit Tigers star Dimitri Young on their PPV, knowing AJ Pierzynski of the World Series champion Chicago White Sox would be appearing on TNA TV. While waiting in line I saw wrestling legend Bobby “the Brain” Heenan, who it appears might have signed onto work for TNA as a commentator. The ring ropes were down and barbwire ropes was up when the fans were admitted into the Soundstage. Team 3D weren’t used during the tapings, or Shark Boy and Gail Kim to name a few.
Several things were filmed out of sequence so I am not sure what is on which hour of Impact. Abyss and Father James Mitchell made their way into the ring of barbwire to call out Sabu. The house lights dimmed for a more intimate feel. Sabu appeared in the ring but TNA security pulled him out of the ring. He re-entered the ring but Abyss and Mitchell bailed before any fighting could ensue. The ring crew hit the ring to dismantle the barbwire before any matches began. The fans chanted, “What Was That?”
Mike Tenay waited in ring with Chris Sabin, Sonjay Dutt and NWA World X Division champion AJ Styles. Tenay spoke about 2005 being remembered for TNA’s debut on Spike, the PPV’s and the emergence of the X Division. Bobby ‘the Brian” Heenan, former wrestler Dale Torborg and Chicago White Sox catcher AJ Pierzynski were brought to the ring. Tenay briefly interviewed Heenan and Pierzynski. Styles and Pierzynski traded memorabilia. The item passing was interrupted by the Diamonds in the Rough. Simon Diamond felt we shouldn’t be celebrating a team that took 86 years to win since it took him six weeks to turn Elix Skipper and David Young into winners. Diamond brought up the disputed third strike call in the ALCS that went in favor of Pierzynski. Torborg stepped into to protect his friend. This led to a brawl between the Diamonds in the Rough and the duo from the White Sox. ESPN SportsCenter here we come.
Don West was outside waiting for Raven to arrive but he found Samoa Joe and Bobby “the Brain” Heenan instead. Joe refused to speak but Heenan mentioned he would be with the Chicago White Sox group on Thursday. They played a recap of the 4 Live Kru forming plus the arrival of Jackie Gayda.
(1)In a four way X division match, “the Future” Chris Sabin defeated Petey Williams, Austin Aires and Alex Shelley (w/a video camera that he placed at ringside).
There were no allies in this one as all four men fought in, out and flew above the ring. It briefly settled into a mat match when Aires and Williams were alone. Shelley tagged in but Aires was ready and hit what looked like a flipping Samoan drop. Shelley paid him back with hard hitting offense like a spinning kick to the jaw. Shelley locked his knees around Aires head and drove it into the mat as the crowd chanted “that was gay.” Williams tagged in and sang O’ Canada while standing on Aires crotch. Shelley came back in to hit a slingshot elbow for two. Shelley taunted Aires like he was going to tag in Sabin, so Aires hit Shelley in the face and tagged out to Sabin who hit Shelley and Williams with dropkicks and enziguris. Aires tagged back in and went to hit Williams with a brainbuster but Williams countered and hit the Canadian Destroyer. Sabin broke up any pin attempt when he dropkicked Williams in the head. This softened Williams up for the Cradle Shock finisher to allow Sabin to win the hard fought match.
Back from commercial Terry Taylor interviewed the NWA World Tag Team champions America’s Most Wanted about their PPV match with Team 3D. AMW was watching the video of the 3D funeral. Chris Harris said Team 3D should have left TNA when they had the chance. James Storm put his beer down to say that AMW was going to perfect the table’s match at Turning Point.
(2) Abyss (w/Father James Mitchell) defeated Kenny King (yes of Tough Enough 2.)
I am not sure if Al Snow trained King to be prepared for a wrecking machine like Abyss. King looked good in the ring but he was hit with the Shock Treatment backbreaker and the Black Hole Slam. Mitchell spoke to the camera but didn’t say much as Sabu brought the lights down then up. Sabu had the barbwire chair but this time Sabu wasn’t afraid of it and tossed Sabu around ringside and into the crowd and outside the building. Abyss took the barbwire chair from Mitchell and hit Sabu in the head with it. Next came a chokeslam on a panel of steel cage and then Abyss dropped the barbwire chair on Sabu’s face.
A small video package aired on Rhino’s troubles while he worked for WWE (I think he called it a publicly traded company). Rhino spoke about his issues between himself and his ex-wife. Back from commercial Mike Tenay and Don West spoke to the home audience when NWA World Heavyweight champion Jeff Jarrett hit the ring. Jarrett said he didn’t feel like he was on Impact he felt like he was on Dr. Phil. Jarrett said TNA was trying to make Rhino into a huge babyface to knock him off the mountain. Jarrett said it was Rhino’s fault he wrecked a hotel lobby; that his wife left him and moved to Germany. Jarrett said he was the one with problems not Rhino. Jarrett said Gail Kim won’t return his phone calls and it was the fault of TNA Wrestling. Jarrett didn’t want to address why Jackie Gayda slapped him. Jarrett said at Turning Point he would send Rhino back to the trailer park. That brought out not Rhino but Christian Cage! Cage invoked Jarrett’s trademark “Slap Nuts” catch phrase. Cage didn’t like Jarrett calling him “the flavor of the month.” Cage said he was like everyone in the building, bored of Jarrett coming out to the ring and bitching about how all of TNA is against him. Cage said after he beat “the Urkel look alike” Monty Brown at Turning Point he was coming to fulfill his destiny and face the winner of Rhino/Jarrett. Jarrett finally talked saying he was giving Cage two choices, leave the building or come down to the ring. Cage came to the ring and fought Jarrett. The fight went on until Jarrett was close to being hit with the Unprettier. Jarrett escaped and Bobby Roode hit Cage from behind with the clothesline. As Roode beat down Cage, Jackie Gayda came out and slapped Jarrett one more time. AMW hit the ring to get Jarrett to safety. I am anxious to see how TNA ties Gayda to Jarrett since neither has been in the same promotion until now.
Larry Zybzsko and Raven argued about the release letter Zybzsko has been pushing into Raven’s face for weeks. Online they said Raven’s House of Fun was to air this weekend but Jeremy Borash said that match would be the final one of the taping.
(3) Samoa Joe defeated the Amazing Red.
To the ringside area came Alex Shelley and his video camera. Joe hit a clothesline that flipped Red over. Next came a back chop, kick to the chest and a kneedrop. Joe hit the running knee, facewash and was going to hit the Ole kick when he spotted Shelley. This distraction allowed Red to roll up Joe for two but his offense was stopped by the vicious Powerslam, Muscle Buster and the Kokina Clutch which made Red tap out.
(4) 4 Live Kru members Konnan and Kip James (w/BG James and Ron Killings) defeated Sinn and Elvis (they wrestled on the last tapings) via submission. After the match “Bullet” Bob Armstrong stood on the rampway signaling to the 4LK.
Terry Taylor tried to talk to Bobby Roode about why he jumped Christian Cage. Roode and Scott D’amore took the mic and badmouthed Cage.
They filmed hour number two’s opening.
(5) NWA World Tag Team champions America’s Most Wanted (“Tennessee Cowboy” James Storm and “Wildcat” Chris Harris) and NWA World Heavyweight champion Jeff Jarrett defeated the Naturals (Chase Stevens and Andy Douglas) and Jeff Hardy.
Time for a quick cheap plug, be sure to check out the new www.chase-stevens.com.
Big shock a match between AMW/Naturals that started as an all out brawl. After fighting all over the building with Hardy, Jarrett looked like the Incredible Hulk’s stunt double. Finally the match entered the ring when Harris superlexed Douglas into the ring. Douglas hit a running knee and tagged out to Stevens. Stevens hit Storm with a DVD and Hardy hit a Swanton but Harris saved his partner from being pinned. The Naturals were attempting to hit Jarrett with the Natural Disaster when Storm superkicked Douglas. Jarrett hit Stevens with the Stroke to win. AMW set up their Team 3D table and hit Douglas with the 3D.
Another video on Rhino played. It focused on Rhino’s chase for the NWA World title and his love of the fans.
(6) “Captain Charisma” Christian Cage defeated Bobby Roode (w/Scott D’amore)
Cage and Roode fought on the floor before the match hit the ring and Cage took over on Roode. Roode fought back and avoided the Unprettier and dropped Cage on the top rope before sending to the guard rail. Roode bodyslammed Cage on the ramp and retuned to the ring so D’amore could get in some cheap shots. The fans chanted USA (despite Cage also being Canadian) as Roode brought Cage back to the ring and locked in a bearhug. Cage escaped and got a rollup for two. Roode hit a shoulder tackle to the corner and a gutbuster. Roode came off the second rope but met Cage’s boots. Cage hit right hand punches and a discus clothesline Kerry Von Erich style for two. D’amore hit Cage with the hockey stick and Roode hit the Perfectplex to get a two count as the referee saw D’amore try to enter the ring. The referee hit the mat after being hit by both men. Cage went for the Unprettier but Roode countered so Cage hit a Slop Drop. This brought out Monty Brown but his POUNCE missed Cage and hit D’amore. Roode got the hockey stick but Cage hit Roode with a drop toehold and the stick smacked Roode in the face. Cage hit the Unprettier to win but Brown came back in the ring and hit the POUNCE!!!
They cut to some footage of Abyss and Father James Mitchell walking though some strobe lights. Next thing you knew they were in the ring calling out Sabu once more. Mitchell said he has gotten Abyss over his fear of the barbwire. Not a shock the lights went down and up to bring Sabu with a normal folding chair. They fought around ringside. It took the TNA crew several minutes to set up for main event. Larry Zybzsko and some TNA security waited in the ring as Raven came to the ring. Zybzsko tried to talk Raven out of the match but Raven would sign it if he could do it in Larry’s blood. Larry went to the locker room as we went to commercial and once the show was back he brought out the opponent….I mean opponents the Diamonds in the Rough
(7) In a Raven’s House of Fun match ordered by Larry Zbyszko, the Diamonds in the Rough (Simon Diamond, Elix Skipper and David Young) defeated Raven.
Raven needed to play hit and run the whole match to survive. Diamond and Young crotched Raven on the ringpost. Skipper and Young took down several weapons and beat on Raven’s body. Diamond and Young held a garbage can in front of Raven’s face as Skipper hit a missile dropkick. Young ripped open Raven’s head with a pizza cutter. As Raven bled all over the place, Cassidy Riley came out to take on the Diamonds and faired well until Skipper hit him with a garbage can. This bought enough time for Raven could get a second wind but it was cut short by a drop toe hold into a folding chair. Before Diamond was going to hit Raven with a garbage can, Zybzsko asked Raven to sign the waiver. Raven spit in Larry’s face. The Diamonds tossed Raven out of the ring and head first into the ring side guard rails. Somehow Raven was declared the loser.
They showed footage of Samoa Joe attacking AJ Styles, telling him he didn’t respect the X division code.
Borash said these matches were for TNA Xplosion:
(8) Team Canada’s “Showtime” Eric Young and Petey Williams defeated Sonjay Dutt and Lance Hoyt after Williams hit Dutt with the Canadian Destroyer.
(9) Matt Bentley (w/Traci Brooks) defeated “the Messiah of the Backbreaker” Roderick Strong after hitting the superkick
Bentley wore to the ring a t-shirt for the Orlando based training school he runs with AJ Gallant and some other people, Federation X Entertainment. Call 407-816-1045 for more information on the school. Before and after the match Bentley and Brooks joined the Pit in the world famous Bentley Bounce.
(10) In a hard hitting bout, Rhino defeated A1 after hitting the GORE!!!
Announced matches for Tuning Point December 11th
***NWA World Heavyweight champion Jeff Jarrett vs. Rhino
***In a Tag Team Table’s match, NWA World Tag Team champions America’s Most Wanted (“Tennessee Cowboy” James Storm and “Wildcat” Chris Harris) vs. Team 3D (Brothers Ray and Devon)
***In a Six Sides of Barb Wire match, Sabu vs. Abyss (w/Father James Mitchell)
***NWA World X Division champion “Phenomenal” AJ Styles vs. Samoa Joe
*** “Alpha Male” Monty Brown vs. “Captain Charisma” Christian Cage
***Team Canada (w/Scott D’amore) vs. 4 Live Kru
***Diamonds in the Rough (Simon Diamond, Elix Skipper and David Young) vs. Chris Sabin, Sonjay Dutt and Dale Torborg (w/AJ Pierzynski)
