TNA Impact on Spike TV
Taped in Orlando, Fla.

[Q1] The show opened with a recap of last week's empty arena match between Kurt Angle and Sting... Earlier in the day, Mike Tenay and Don West spoke from inside an empty Impact Zone. Tenay boasted about the company's record television rating for last week's show. They discussed the empty arena match and said we'd hear from the Mafia during the show...

The opening montage aired... The announcers hyped another Beer Money challenge, and the four-way ladder match...

1. Angelina Love and Velvet Sky (w/Cute Kip) defeated Madison Rayne and Taylor Wilde in 4:45. Rayne was holding her own until she went to tag her partner, who was bickering with Kip at ringside. Taylor eventually tagged in, but Rayne eventually slapped her across the face. Sky hit the Backstabber on Sky for the win...

Powell's POV: Look for Rayne to be the third member of the Beautiful People. Just a guess. Sky's version of the Backstabber is called the Beauty Mark, according to the announcers.

Jeremy Borash stood greeted the Main Event Mafia (minus Sting) as they arrived at the building, but they blew him off by walking right past him... [C]

[Q2] Inside the MEM locker room, Borash asked Angle whether he would face Sting at the pay-per-view. Angle said they would make a statement at the top of the hour. There was a knock at the door and two police officers entered the room and asked to speak to "Mr. Huffman." Booker T acknowledged that was him. Angle laughed and acted as if he didn't know Booker's real last name is Huffman. Booker said he would talk to the men outside...

2. Beer Money Inc. (w/Jacqueline) defeated The Rock-n-Rave Infection in an Off The Wagon Challenge to retain the TNA Tag Titles in 4:25. The challengers either win the titles or the person who is pinned or submitted must leave TNA forever. Jimmy Rave and Lance Rock were the babyfaces. Rave hit some flashy offense early and played to the live crowd to get them on the side of his team.

Rock picked up Roode in reverse crucifix position (?) and flipped him over into a slam. A lousy description of a cool move. Moments later, Storm hit Rock with one of the tag title belts to set up the finish. Rock lost, meaning he's gone from TNA...

Powell's POV: That's the most over the Infection guys have been since they started the gimmick. Go figure.

Sting arrived at the building and Borash was there to greet him. Sting walked right by him without saying a word. The camera picked up a shot of a man watching Sting in the background... [C]

Backstage, Borash led the police to his dressing room, which had police tape blocking the door. They went inside the trashed room, where Booker complained about damaged artifacts. Sharmell tried to calm him down...

[Q3] At ringside, the announcers recapped footage of the Booker vs. A.J. Styles feud... West plugged TNA live events and then hyped the Lockdown pay-per-view...

Abyss was in Dr. Stevie's office for another round of therapy. Abyss said bleeding reminds him of Christmas morning and finally getting the Jonas Brothers CD he'd been coveting. Stevie told him they'd meet again next week at the same time... [C]

Powell's POV: WTF was that? How is this helping Abyss or Stevie?

A "For The Record" graphic thanked fans for making last week's show the most watched in TNA history...

Powell's POV: TNA has its own version of the WWE "Did You Know" videos...

A bunch of redneck fans were featured in videos for the win a date with ODB contest...

Powell's POV: Aren't you proud to be a TNA fan after watching that video?

Booker followed the police back to their car and pressured them to do, well, whatever it is he wanted them to do. After the police drove away, A.J. Styles showed up and tried to attack Booker, but the Mafia security jumped in and pulled him away. Booker snuck in a couple of cheap shots. TNA security showed up to help break it up... [C]

Powell's POV: Could someone please let me know what Styles is so pissed at Booker about? Booker is a riot, though.

Backstage, Lauren asked Scott Steiner what would happen when Mike Tenay interviewed Sting and Kurt Angle in the ring. Steiner hit on Lauren and then complained about A.J. Styles attacking Booker again. He swore a lot and said he's looking for Samoa Joe.

Suddenly, Joe entered the room and put a big blade against Steiner's throat. Joe told Steiner not to make a sound. He said he could attack him at any time. Joe pulled the blade back and shoved Steiner aside before leaving the room. "That was a knife!" Steiner said...

Back at ringside, Tenay asked, "How about Samoa Joe's Nation of Violence?" They sent it back to Borash...

Powell's POV: What the hell? As if Joe putting a huge knife to Steiner's throat wasn't messed up enough, the announcers acted like there was nothing unusual about it.

Borash interviewed Jeff Jarrett, who said no team ever remains united in wrestling because it's an individual sport. He predicted the demise of the Main Event Mafia and said business would go back to usual...

[Q4] [C] The latest edition of Hardcore History with Mick Foley aired. He said his favorite match for many years was the 1996 In Your House match with Shawn Michaels. He said it changed in 2004. He recalled teaming with Rock at WrestleMania and said the match was only okay. He said he got a second chance when he faced Randy Orton in April, 2004. He recalled suffering a concussion that night and said he threw up all over Edmonton...

Tenay introduced the Main Event Mafia. They group walked out together. Tenay asked whether there would be a match between Sting and Angle at the Destination X pay-per-view. Kevin Nash took the mic and said he's been deemed spokesman of the Mafia. Nash said things weren't great, but they had a week to patch up their differences and now they're a family.

Tenay said he doesn't feel that vibe. Nash got in Tenay's face and ask who he works for. "I work for TNA," Tenay replied. Nash said he works for Jeff Jarrett. Tenay bickered with Nash. Powerbomb, please? Nash turned his attention to Sting and Angle, who were standing across the ring from one another. He said they don't work for Jarrett and Foley. Nash yelled while he asked Angle and Sting to respect one another and, most importantly, respect the family.

Jeff Jarrett's music played and he came to the ring with a mic in his hand. Jarrett said he's known Sting for 20 years and knows he's not buying "this crap for one minute." Jarrett said Sting is supposed to be all about honor, respect, and integrity. He asked Sting where the integrity was in having one of his brothers spit in his face.

Powell's POV: Suddenly, the Mafia members ganged up on Jarrett and Tenay and beat the living hell out of them. No, not really. They just let him keep talking.

[Q5] Jarrett got a "Let Them Fight" chant going from the live crowd. He said he was booking Sting vs. Angle for the TNA Title for the pay-per-view. Booker took the mic and asked who died and made Jarrett the law in TNA. "What exactly did you found?" Booker asked. "A company of nobodies and a bunch of wannabes?"

Booker said Jarrett started the company out of a flea market, and said the rumor was that Jarrett painted the building himself. Booker threatened to kick Jarrett's ass. Steiner and Nash restrained him. Jarrett said Booker wouldn't do a damn thing and said he could kick his ass all over the ring. Jarrett said it's true that he painted the TNA Asylum (old Nashville venue).

"Look at us now," Jarrett said while looking around the Impact Zone. He said the people have become his family and he's going to give his family what they want - a match between Angle and Sting. He said he'd be back with the contracts later in the show... [C]

Powell's POV: There were some flaws, but I like the idea of having the angle play out through the top of the hour. The story about Jarrett paining the TNA Asylum in Nashville is a true story. As I recall, he, his late wife Jill, and others painted the old Nashville Fairgrounds building to make it look better on television. By the way, Marvin Hermanstyne pointed out that the Velvet Sky finisher is the Backstabber, not the Codebreaker, as I incorrectly labeled it earlier.

At ringside, Tenay said there would be a contract signing for Sting vs. Angle for later in the show. He credited Jeff Jarrett with making the match happen. West accused him of going into ass-kiss mode. Tenay asked what he was talking about. West pushed on and said he should go backstage and kiss Sting's ass too.

West stood up and took the house mic. He said they've been friends for years and called every Impact together. He said there was a meeting recently regarding West's future as the color commentator. He said Tenay was at the meeting and didn't say a word for or against him. He said the people put Tenay on a pedestal. No we don't.

West said Tenay wouldn't pick sides. "You're nothing but a selfish prick," West said. He added that he doesn't know what the future holds for him, but their friendship will never be the same. "You can take this microphone and shove it up his ass," West said before storming off as the show went to commercial... [C]

Powell's POV: Another WTF moment. West was believable. He received more cheers than boos. I guess West is turning heel, but Tenay hardly came across as the babyface. Strange.

[Q6] After the break, Tenay had the producer replay highlights of West's comments...

Sojourner Bolt and Rhaka Khan walked to the ring. Tenay apologized for being distracted. Bolt and Khan cut a short promo about their new issues with Awesome Kong and Raisha Saeed, which apparently just materialized...

3. Sojourner Bolt and Rhaka Khan defeated Awesome Kong and Raisha Saeed in 5:10. Tenay worked solo. Bolt played to the fans, so apparently she and Khan are the babyfaces in this match. After a bunch of horrible wrestling, Bolt rolled up Saeed for the three count. Afterward, Kong powerbombed Bolt onto Khan... [C]

Powell's POV: Wow, that was terrible. They should really pull Khan from the ring until she improves. Tenay working solo was not good, but it was kind of odd to not having West screaming throughout a match. By the way, Tenay has yet to respond to West's comments.

Split screen shots aired of Angle (inside the Mafia dressing room) and Sting (inside a separate room)...

[Q7] A Rough Cuts segment focussed on the Ultimate X match. Alex Shelley said he's afraid of heights and is terrified of being any higher than the top rope. Hernandez said he was afraid of heights, but not anymore. Chris Sabin recalled Frankie Kazarian practicing before the first Ultimate X and having the four pillars move inward. They decided to use a different setup 10 minutes before show time...

A Hoobastank video mixed with Ultimate X highlights aired...

Powell's POV: By the way, I believe we went 45 minutes without a match before the Knockouts tag team clunker.

4. Alex Shelley defeated Chris Sabin and Jay Lethal and Consequences Creed in a four-way ladder match to retain the X Division Title. The Guns worked together for the first two minutes leading into the commercial break. [C]

[Q8] Late in the match, Shelley hit a jawbreaker on Lethal off the ladder. He followed up with Sliced Bread off the ladder on Lethal. Shelley climbed the ladder and retrieved the belt to win the match.

As Shelley was celebrating, Suicide swung into him. Suicide beat up everyone. He picked up the X Division Title and looked at it. He made a gun symbol and pointed it at his head. The lights went out and Suicide disappeared...

Powell's POV: Vince Russo must be booking the X Division because I don't think there are any heels or babyfaces anymore. Less than five minutes of the match aired on television. The action was solid while it lasted, but it's hard not to be disappointed by such a short ladder match. Too many angles and not nearly enough wrestling.

Backstage, Jarrett picked up a guitar and started to leave his office. Tenay said it was "thanks to this man" that Sting and Angle would be facing off at the PPV. Separate shots aired of Angle and Sting... [C]

Powell's POV: West was right. Tenay is an ass kisser. He keeps thanking Jarrett for the Sting vs. Angle match. Unfortunately, I don't think we're supposed to sympathize with West.

Jeff Jarrett walked to the ring with a guitar in one hand and a contract in the other. THANK YOU, JEFF!!! Sigh. Jarrett entered the ring with the contract and introduced Kurt Angle, who came to the ring with Kevin Nash, Scott Steiner, Booker T, Sharmell, and Mafia security.

Nash took the mic and said it doesn't have to be this way. He said Booker already told him there wouldn't be a match. "And now I'm telling you, and you don't want to screw with me," Nash said. "This match ain't gonna happen." Jarrett asked Angle who the boos was. He said Booker was doing all the talking earlier, and now Nash is doing all the talking.

Jarrett said he's not a movie buff, but he's seen his share of gangster movies. He said the leader usually does the talking. He listed a series of fictional mob bosses and said the difference between them and Angle is that they had balls, but Kurt doesn't. Kurt took the contract from Jeff and signed it.

Angle took the contract clipboard and slammed it over Jarrett's head. Angle attacked Jarrett until Mick Foley ran out. The Mafia all backed off. Angle hit Foley from behind and applied the ankle lock.

Sting jogged out in a Mafia sweatshirt and carrying a baseball bat. Sting hit Angle from behind with the bat. He helped Jarrett and Foley to their feet while the other Mafia members stood by at ringside. Sting signed the contract while a disappointed Nash and other Mafia members looked on. Sting dropped the contract clipboard onto Angle, who was layed out in the middle of the ring.

Tenay said they've answered several questions during the show, but the burning question is how the Mafia will survive with Angle facing Sting at the pay-per-view...

Powell's POV: This was an overbooked mess of a show. There's just too much going on. They had Samoa Joe hold a huge knife to Steiner's throat, and it wasn't even a topic of conversation the rest of the night. The show two weeks ago was so much better because they slowed down and focussed heavily on Sting vs. Angle for 30 minutes. They just jumped all over the place this week and everything is a blur now that the show is over. Furthermore, they failed to hype anything for next week's show. Disappointing followup to two better than average weeks of TNA television.

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