TNA iMPACT!
Orlando, Florida (Impact Zone)
February 25, 2010
Commentators: Mike Tenay & Taz
Report by: Josh Boutwell of WrestleView.com
This week’s show opens up with Abyss showing off Hogan’s Hall of Fame ring to the locker room. He says that he can feel the power from the ring and he says he thought last week was going to be the worst day ever, but it ended up being his best day ever. A recap from last week is then shown followed by the Impact intro.
As the show starts Tenay and Taz run down the card for tonight which will feature Desmond Wolfe one-on-one with Abyss and Rob Terry defended his Global Title against Mr. Anderson.
AJ Style’s music hits and the TNA Champion makes his way down to the ring alongside Ric Flair but minus the ‘high priced hookers’ this week. They show footage of the beat down put on Pope last week during their entrance and Taz gives us an update on Pope’s condition. He says Pope has partially torn ligaments in the ankle and he’s lucky to be able to walk. AJ grabs a microphone and says last week Pope came out in the ‘house that AJ Styles built’ and tried to make it his own temple. He says Pope claimed he was the champion of the people and says that’s ‘real cute’ and Pope wants to be the golden boy in TNA. He says that’s not going to happen. He says he gets it that Pope is a man but AJ says that he is THE man which earns a big “WOOOO!” from Ric (who has his own microphone). AJ says like Flair always said if you want to be the man you have to beat the man and AJ is the man in TNA. Another “WOO” from Nature Boy on that one. AJ says the next time Pope thinks about coming out and walking all over AJ he better think again. AJ says Pope won’t be walking for a long, long time now. Flair says last week something transpired that has him going crazy and that’s Hogan giving away his Hall of Fame ring to Abyss. Flair says that’s like giving it away to one of the fans and then he points out someone in the crowd and says “could you imagine, fat boy, it’d be like you wearing this” while showing his Hall of Fame ring. Flair says Hogan has his own Hall of Fame but to take that ring and give it to that ‘challenged person’ (he said it, not me) is ridiculous. Flair says Hogan will never be him and then he calls out Abyss who comes out to Hogan’s “American Made” theme (sounds like the actual song). Flair asks Abyss what in the hell he’s doing come out to that music and calls Abyss pathetic. He says the thought of Abyss being in the Hall of Fame disgraces it. He says looking at Abyss makes him want to puke and he makes all wrestlers look bad. Flair tells Abyss not to look away from him and he says Abyss may have superhuman strength, but he will never be a Hall of Famer. Flair says he worked his whole life to be in the Hall of Fame and this all makes him sick. He says Abyss makes him sick. Flair says the only thing Abyss will ever be good for is shining AJ’s boots. He calls Abyss a clown repeatedly. Abyss says Flair is right and that he couldn’t shine AJ’s shoes but that’s because he’s not shoe shine boy, but he’d be more than happy to remove AJ’s boots and stick them up Flair’s a**! Flair is livid! Flair screams at Abyss asking him if he knows who he is and he tells Abyss that he is a God in Abyss’ life. AJ tries to calm Flair down and tells Abyss to shutup! AJ calls Abyss a pathetic piece of crap and asks him if he really thinks the people came to see him. AJ says they came to see the World Heavyweight Champion and Abyss is a disgrace to the business. AJ tells Abyss to look at how he dresses, like a bum, and then points to himself and tells Abyss to see how he and Flair dress, like a champ. AJ says he bets under his mask Abyss probably looks like a foot that kicked a bag of hot nickels (oh boy AJ took it really old school southern on that one)! AJ says Abyss is an ugly 6’8″ piece of crap disgrace. He tells Abyss to do everybody a favor and take that Hall of Fame ring off, and then Flair cuts him off and tells Abyss to give it to AJ! AJ tells Abyss to take it off before he disgraces Hogan’s name any further! Abyss then points at AJ and does Hogan’s “YOU!” taunt. Hogan’s music hits and he makes his way out to the ring. Hogan asks AJ what he knows about having a good name. He says just because AJ walks around TNA kissing Flair’s butt and creating all the sins of mankind just like Flair did, he thinks that gives him a good name. Hogan says coming out here and running Abyss down only makes him weak. Hogan says standing in the ring there may be a few guys that will go down in history, but asks AJ if he wants it to be in the history book that AJ was the weakest Champion of all time. Flair interrupts him and says as God as his witness he knew this would happen sooner than later. Flair says he came to TNA because everything Hogan touches turns to gold, but one thing won’t happen is Hogan will never tell him what to do! Hogan tells Flair to back his a** up! Flair asks Hogan what in the hell he’s doing giving his ring to Abyss. The fans chant “Hogan’s” name and then AJ and Flair take their jackets off getting ready for a fight! Flair screams “let’s do it right now” and Abyss and Hogan drop their microphones! Before anything goes down AJ and Flair decide to walk out of the ring and walk out talking trash to the fans on the way to the ramp. Flair grabs a mic and says that since he and AJ are in a good mood it’s bought Hogan some time. Flair says before the night is over the ring will be on AJ’s finger.
—COMERCIAL BREAK—
Back from commercials Foley is arriving into the Impact Zone and Taz says that Foley is none too happy about what happened last week. Tenay and Taz then run down the card for tonight again
Tables Match
Nasty Boys w/Jimmy Hart vs. Team 3D
Footage of the Nasty Boys and 3D’s horrendous match at Against All Odds is shown with Jimmy Hart making his return (he formerly was the manager of The Naturals if you don’t remember) screwing over 3D. The Nasty’s meet 3D on the ramp and the fight is on! Bubba throws Knobbs into the ring steps while Saggs and Devon brawl into the ring. Tenay says that Knobbs dislocated his shoulder at the PPV. That is NOT a fun injury. In the ring Saggs whips Devon into the corner and then hits a Running Clothesline in the corner. Saggs goes for another one but Devon nails him with a clothesline of his own. Devon then rolls Saggs out of the ring as Knobbs and Bubba brawl into the ring. Knobbs whips Bubba into the ropes and hits a back elbow and then whips him into teh corner. Knobbs charges (in slow motion) at Bubba but eats a back elbow. Bubba climbs to the middle rope and connects with a Flying Shoulder Block. Bubba follows up wtih a seires of jobs and then a Elbow to the top of the head. Saggs comes in and charges at Bubba but Bubba connects with a Scoop Slam. Devon climbs to the top and hits the Whatsup Diving Headbutt on Saggs! Bubba then tells Devon to get the tables! Devon slides a table into the ring and then 3D sets it up near the ropes. Nasty’s connect with Forearm as 3D turns around and then they roll Bubba out of the ring. The Nasty’s grab Devon and then whip him into the ropes and hit a Double Hip Toss, but Bubba moved the table out of the way. Bubba climbs to the top but Jimmy Hart grabs ahold of his foot and the Saggs chunks him off the top. Jesse Neal comes out from the back and grabs the motorcycle helmet from Hart and nails Saggs with it! Neal then tosses it over the head of Knobbs to Devon! Devon lays Knobbs out with the helmet and then tosses it back to Neal. 3D on Saggs through the table!
Winners: Team 3D via putting Saggs through the table
In Bischoff’s office Foley is confronting Bischoff. Foley says Bischoff set Abyss up by having Foley out of the building. Bischoff says he can’t understand Foley’s Machiavellian (shout out to the Tupac fans!) state of paranoia that he’s always in. Foley says Bischoff’s actions compel people to feel paranoia. Bischoff tells Foley to look at the end result rather than the methods to get there. He says Abyss now has Hulkamania literally in the palm of his hands and he’s happier than he’s ever been. Foley asks Bischoff if he is really going to take credit for that and Bischoff says if it didn’t go down the way it did Hulk would’ve never came down and did what he did for Abyss. Bischoff asks Foley why he’s trying to make it all about him but Foley says it’s not about him, it’s about Abyss. He says he admits that Abyss was happy but he still thinks that it was Bischoff’s plan to get him out of the building to setup Abyss. Bischoff tells Foley to let it go because Abyss and even JB is fine. Bischoff asks Foley where the suit he paid for is but Foley says he wasn’t planning on wearing a suit there so it’s back at the hotel. Bischoff tells Foley to get the suit but he says he’ll try.
—COMERCIAL BREAK—
ODB vs. Tara
This is ODB’s first appearance since dropping the Knockouts Title to Tara in the 2/3 Falls Match. She of course has been gone due to having one of her implants burst. Footage of Daffney destroying Tara last week is shown. Daffney immediately charges at ODB as she gets in the ring but ODB gets out of the way and Daffney nails the ring post. ODB then spanks Daffney and then lights her up with chops. ODB is still holding her flask as she throws Daffney into the top turnbuckle and lights her up with chops. ODB then tosses Daffney into the opposite corner as we get a side-by-side shot of Christy Hemme in the back with Tara. Tara says she was viciously attacked by Daffney last week and she calls her a crazy psycho. She says Daffney is extremely violent and she learned it the hard way last week. Christy says that Daffney has her sights set on Tara’s title and Tara says if she wanted to get her attention she has it. She says she’ll be ready for Daffney next time and Daffney has definitely not heard the last from her. Daffney hits a hits a chop block on the right knee of ODB and then goes to work on the knee stomping it repeatedly. Daffney then drags ODB’s leg to the apron and slams it into it. ODB kicks Daffney off with her free leg but Daffney comes right back and slams ODB’s knee into the ring post repeatedly. She even pulls down ODB’s knee pad before slamming it into the post! Daffney then pulls out what looks like an extra ring step from under the ring and slams it into ODB’s knee with it sandwiched between the steps and the ring post! Daffney then pulls out a broom or something and lays into ODB’s knees with it. Finally Stevie runs out and drags Daffney off.
Winner: ODB via DQ
In the back JB is with the Tag Champs, Hernandez and Morgan. He talks about their controversial finish at Against All Odds. Hernandez says they talked about it already and their cool. He asks JB if he’s trying to stir something up. Morgan says that’s what JB does and he says what he did is no big deal. Morgan says he saw an opening and grabbed it. Hernandez chimes in by saying ‘literally’ and Morgan says he’ll give him that. Morgan says he didn’t do anything that Hernandez wouldn’t have done himself. He says they both agreed before the match they would do whatever it takes to win. He says that’s all he did and he’s not going to spend another second thinking about it and neither should anyone else. He tells JB this is the part that JB nods his head and says ‘yes sir.’ JB says ‘yes sir’ and nods his head. Morgan says their focus is now fully on the Tag Titles and he says they’ll defend the belts anytime, anywhere. He says noone will beat them anytime soon and when it’s all said and done they will be known as the most ‘physically most dominating, black and blueing, door blasting, tag team of all time’! Hernandez says that’s who they are and that’s how they do. Morgan tells TNA that they can line them up and they’ll knock them down!
In the parking lot we get a shot of Scott Hall and Syxx-Pac standing by a dumpster where Hall finds a pipe. Tenay says that word is Kevin Nash & Eric Young are looking for a fight with Hall and Pac tonight!
—COMERCIAL BREAK—
Back from commercials Beer Money is already in the ring. Roode says it was almost 2 years ago that he and Storm made the decision to form a little tag team known as Beer Money. He says on that day he and Storm made a promise to one another and that is that every time they stepped foot in the ring they would be the best they could be every single night. He says he and Storm built a reputation that could be summed up in one word, and that word is PRIDE. Roode says all they ever wanted to be was the best and here they stand as not only the greatest tag team in TNA but the greatest tag team in all of professional wrestling. Storm says they’re not out there to have a war of words with Hulk Hogan or Eric Bischoff, they’re out there plainly stating the fact that they’ve been in TNA since day one. He says they were there when the so called veterans didn’t want to come into TNA and it was up to the young guys to carry and they did that. He says the numbers don’t lie. He says they’ve made TNA a lot of money because the Beer Money merchandise outsells everyone (I’m fairly sure that’s true). He says for some reason the new TNA management wants to put Beer Money on the sidelines (which gets a chorus of boos) and that doesn’t sit well with them. He points to Roode and says that man needs his money and then he points to himself and says he needs for Roode to make his money so he can buy his beer! Storm says they have seen the highest of highs and the lowest of lows and right now TNA is as high as it’s ever been, but if TNA is going to take that next step they’re going to have to have a little Beer Money and if you don’t then “sorry about yo damn luck.” Hernandez’s music hits and he makes his way out onto the stage. Hernandez says they don’t have to prove anything to anyone because everyone knows their reputation and how good they really are. Hernandez says just like Beer Money he and Morgan want to be the best so he’s going to go straight to Hogan’s office and ask for a title shot….for Beer Money! Hernandez asks what they say about that. Roode says the answer is simple and it’s yes! Hernnadez says may the best team win.
In the back JB is with Nash and Young. JB says he knows that they want revenge on Hall and Pac but they aren’t under a TNA contract so that complicates things for a match down the road. Nash says they’re not even asking for a ring or a jackass in a striped shirt. He says all they want is Pac and Hall in a fight. He says they just want to bust them up, break some bones, and crack some skulls. Young says they pleaded to Hogan and Bischoff not for a match but just a little bit of TV time. Young says he’s willing to bet that TV time will be the highest segment ever in TNA history because he and Nash will be living the dream that 1,000’s of people have wanted to do for years, and that’s taking Pac & Hall and busting them up and sending them packing for good. Nash says he did what he could to get them a spot in TNA but they repay him by jumping him. Nash says he can live with the physical pain but the emotional pain of having your 2 best friends turn on you is “4 Life”.
Jeff Jarrett walks into Bischoff’s office and asks Eric if last week is all Eric’s got. Jarrett says just because he didn’t do what he wanted he uses 6 thugs to jump him. Jarrett says it will take alot more than just 6 thugs to run him out of his company. Jarrett says his whole life he had to fight for what he has. Bischoff says he apologizes and Jeff tells him not to give him that crap. Bischoff tells him to settle down and listen to him but Jarrett says he’s worked too long and too hard to let this happen to him. Bischoff says he’s doing his best in TNA and Jeff asks him if he is trying to get him to feel sorry for him. Bischoff says he knows that he’s been wrong about Jeff and it took a big set of stones to stand up to him last week, but last week Jeff did the right thing. Bischoff says he respects that. He tells Jeff to meet him out in the ring tonight because he deserves better from Bischoff. Bischoff tells Jeff just to trust him and if their going to fix this thing there has to be trust. Jeff says “Jarrett trust Bischoff?” and then starts to walk off but stops and says he’ll see him out there alright.
—COMERCIAL BREAK—
Back from commercials a video package recapping Bischoff and Jarrett’s history the past few months.
Eric Bischoff’s music hits and he makes his way out to the ring. Bischoff says thank you to the fans and tells them he ‘loves them’ (sarcastically). Bischoff says one of the things he prides himself on are is that he admits when he makes mistakes, but when you get older you have to look back at the things you’ve done wrong and you have to grow from them. He says he thinks he was wrong about Jarrett and asks Jeff to come out now. Jeff comes out and this time he gets his entrance music and even his pyro. Bischoff says he knows it’s been tough between he and Jeff but he can put it all behind him. Bischoff calls someone from the back to bring him something from his office and it’s the barbed wire bat. Bischoff says he asked Jeff to do something last week and it may have been wrong. Bischoff says most people would’ve thought what he asked Jeff to do was a disgusting thing to do and Jeff did the right thing. Bischoff says in almost every respect Jeff did the right thing but the problem is he didn’t do the right thing by him! Bischoff drops the bat and says that is the reason he and Jeff have their problems. He tells Jarrett that he never seems to be able to do what Bischoff wants him to do. Bischoff says he’ll give “Jeffery” one more shot to do the right thing. Since Jeff didn’t want to use the bat then he wants to go to the back and flip a few burgers back in catering and hands Jeff a spatula. Bischoff then pulls out a hair net and says he wants to make sure they abide by all the health codes and puts it on Jeff’s head. Bischoff then asks Jeff if he has anything to say and then says that Jeff could just quit and make it easy on the both of him. Bischoff says he didn’t think so and then says “happy flipping” and leaves the ring.
—COMERCIAL BREAK—
In the back Morgan approaches Hernandez and asks him what the hell he just did. Morgan says he can’t leave Hernandez alone for five minutes, but Hernandez says it was Morgan says they were up for any challenge anytime. Morgan says the problem is that he assumed they would start out with Generation Me or the Machine Guns or a some other young team. Morgan says he said what he said because he thought it would sound cool, but then he stops himself and says that Hernandez is right and he did say that. Morgan says before Hernandez goes out there and puts their belts up they need to make that decision together. Hernandez says Beer Money deserves a title shot and they don’t shy away from any challengers. Morgan says Beer Money is the best tag team in TNA besides them and they do deserve a shot but if they’re going to hang onto the titles they need to think. Morgan says they need to be on the same page before they make a decision like that anymore.
TNA X-Division Title #1 Contenders Match
Brian Kendrick vs. Kazarian
The winner of this match will earn a shot at the X-Division Title against Doug Williams at Destination X. Kaz and Kendrick kick off the match with a Greco-Roman Knuckelock, but Kendrick quickly turns it into a wristlock and drops his elbow down on the arm of Kaz repeatedly. Kaz reverses the wristlock and turns it into a hammerlock, but Kendrick counters with a back elbow and then reverses it back into a wristlock of his own. Kaz grabs the top rope and flips forward reverses the wristlock and then hits an arm drag followed by a Scoop Slam as Tenay goes over Kaz’s past including how he ‘left’ TNA back in 2008 after he felt that he let TNA down in the World X-Cup (losing in the Ultimate X to Team Mexico’s Volador Jr.). Kaz hits a Slingshot Leg Drop from the apron over the top onto Kendrick in the ring. Kaz then hits an Elevated Dropkick on Kendrick who was sitting in the corner. Replays of the moves Kaz just hit are shown and then back to live action Kaz charges at Kendrick in the corner, but Kendrick moves and then rolls Kaz up! 1…2…NO Kaz kicks out and then Kendrick lays him out with a nasty Leaping Enziguri! Kendrick then hits a Neckbreaker over his knee! 1…2…NO Kaz kicks out again! Kendrick climbs to the top as footage (back to the picture-in-picture type view) of Samoa Joe being abducted last week is shown. Kaz lays Kendrick out with a Leaping Enziguri of his own as Kendrick was perched up on the top! Kaz follows up with a crazy with a Leaping Front Kick to Kendrick as he was crotched on the top! Kaz climbs to the top and hits the Flux Capacitor (Moonsault Side Slam) on Kendrick for the pin! First time we’ve seen that move in awhile!
Winner & X-Division #1 Contender: Kazarian via pinfall (Flux Compacitor)
In the back Nash and Young are taping their hands up getting ready for the fight.
—COMERCIAL BREAK—
In the back Abyss is with JB. Abyss says AJ Styles, Ric Flair, or anyone else wants to come and get the ring from him bring a chainsaw, a see-saw, or whatever else they want to try and get it. He says the power within the ring comes with great responsibility. He says Hogan saw something in him and gave him this ring that has given him powers that he never thought he had. He says Flair and AJ can come and get it but he just may come and get them because now he’s not the lord, but he’s the Monster of the Rings.
A video package hyping up the Global Championship and recapping it’s history from when Booker created it as the Legends Championship and then Young winning it and renaming it the Global Championship.
In the back Christy Hemme is with Mr. Anderson. Anderson pushes her microphone away and then one of his own drops down from the ceiling. Anderson tells Christy to stand there and look pretty. Anderson asks who the guy that has been unstoppable since coming into TNA and that has on more than one occasion has left the self proclaimed greatest wrestler in the world bloody. He says tonight he gets his first taste of TNA Title gold and he takes the first step towards becoming the TNA World Champion. He says that Rob Terry is strong but he’s been in the ring with guys that are bigger, stronger, and faster than him. He says Terry is stronger than 6 gorillas and he has beaten 6 gorillas before. Anderson then does his Mr. Anderson spiel.
A shot of Kurt Angle walking towards the entrance way is shown.
—COMERCIAL BREAK—
In the back Rob Terry is getting ready for his match when Brutus Magnus walks up and says that he and Williams carried Terry for a year and now he’ll see what it’s like without them. He tells Terry that he was much better off with them as allies than enemies. Magnus says Terry will answer to putting his hands on him. Magnus pokes Terry with his finger and Terry grabs it and twists it. He says “thanks for the warning, mate now piss off!” So ‘piss off’ is the first words that Terry says in TNA? Could’ve been worse.
TNA Global Championship
“Big” Rob Terry (c) vs. Mr. Anderson
This is Terry’s first defense of his title and the first time it’s been defended in a long time on TV. Anderson gets on the mic before the match before he does his usual thing he asks if he’s supposed to be sorry for spitting on some medal that was given to Kurt Angle from the widow of a soldier. Anderson pulls out his own set of dog tags and looks down at them and smiles as Kurt Angle comes up from under the stage (like he does in his entrance) holding a steel chair in hand! Angle lets Anderson talk somemore trash. Anderson says the dog tags he’s wearing were given to him by the widow of a fallen soldier but that widow and that soldier just so happen to be Vietnamese (wow he did not just go there) and that’s okay. Anderson then says the fans should be ashamed of themselves and Angle blasts him with the chair! Angle points to Terry and tells him to come get Anderson. Terry picks Anderson up and takes him back to the ring and the bell rings! Terry grabs Anderson and hits a Running Powerslam and gets the pin.
Winner & STILL Global Champ: Terry via pinfall (Running Powerslam)
Angle laughs from the entrance way and then we cut to the back where Jarrett is actually flipping burgers in the back! Foley then is shown walking into the Impact Zone in a trench coat.
—COMERCIAL BREAK—
A video package is shown highlighting the history of what’s went down between Nash and The Band here in TNA.
Nash and Young walk out the door and Syxx-Pac is there waiting for them. Syxx gives Young the old “suck it” DX crotch chop and then Young throws a few rights at him! Pac comes back and throws Young into a table and then we see a shot of Nash laying on the ground screaming and Hall standing over him with a pipe laughing. Nash is holding his knee. Young picks up a trashcan and then throws it at Pac but turns around and eats a couple of slaps and chops from Hall. Hall says “it’s nothing personal, it’s family business so stay out if” and then slaps him again. Pac then destroys Young with a spinning heel kick on the concrete. Pac picks up a trash can as Hall tells him to tag him. Pac sprays “4-Life” on his back and asks Hall if that brings on old memories. Pac and Hall then do the “suck it” chop to Nash as they walk off.
—COMERCIAL BREAK—
In the back Jarrett is now cutting up onions and then we cut to Bischoff’s office where Foley walks in. Foley is wearing the trench coat and then he takes it off revealing a nice suit. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Foley in a suit. There is a stain on the collar of the suit and Bischoff asks what that is. Foley says it’s mustard and he can explain it. He says he was in catering eating a hot dog and he saw Jarrett working the grill so it caught him off guard and he spilled it on him. Bischoff says he talked to his assistant and told her to find Foley and edict coach so he can carry himself with dignity. Foley says this could be a fresh beginning for him and then says he’s off to ‘edict school’ and walks off. Bischoff busts out laughing as soon as Foley is out the door.
Main Event
Desmond Wolfe w/Chelsea vs. “The Monster” Abyss
Abyss comes out this time to a mix between his usual theme and the “American Made” theme. Wolfe and Abyss lockup and Abyss shoves him off but Wolfe comes right back with a kick to the gut and then he puts Abyss in a rear chin lock. Abyss fights the hold and gets to his feet and backs Wolfe into the corner, but Wolfe grabs him again only to eat a back elbow from Abyss. Abyss goes for a Corner Splash but Wolfe moves and then grabs Abyss by the back of the head, kicks him in the back, and then hits a clothesline. Wolfe tries to put Abyss up on the top rope but Abyss blocks it so Wolfe hits a cross chop on Abyss and then a Running Forearm Smash on Abyss in the corner. Wolfe then sets up for another but Abyss kills him with a Splash in the corner! Abyss then goes for a Chokeslam but Wolfe blocks it and hits the Arm-Wringer Slam followed by the Lariat attempt, but Abyss counters into the Black Hole Slam! 1…2…3!
Winner: Abyss via pinfall (Black Hole Slam)
After the match AJ and Flair walk down to the ring and Abyss lays them both out! Wolfe then blasts Abyss with a chair repeatedly! Abyss shrugs them off and points at Wolfe Hogan-style but Flair chop blocks him from behind! Flair low blows Abyss and then he and AJ put the boots to him! Wolfe joins in and handcuffs Abyss to the ropes! Hogan walks down to the ring to a huge ovation! Flair turns around and starts doing his strut right into a right hand from Hogan! Hogan lays out AJ and then Wolfe. Clotheslines from them all but Flair comes back with a chop block on Hogan now. AJ lays into Hogan with right hands and then Hogan low blows Hogan and Wolfe connects with rights of his own. Flair and Wolfe pick Hogan up and rip his shirt away to allow Flair to chop away at Hogan’s bare chest. Wolfe then holds AJ so he can chop him! Flair with rights and lefts now. Flair continues to stomp on Hogan as AJ holds his belt up and talks trash and then blasts Hogan with it! Hogan is busted open as Flair throws more rights at him. Abyss goes ape sh*t and rips the handcuffs off the ropes and goes after Flair, AJ, and Wolfe but they bail out. Abyss then checks on Hogan as we go to a break.
—COMERCIAL BREAK—
Back from commercials Abyss is helping Hogan to his feet as replays of what just went down is shown. Taz thinks they set Hogan up. Hogan grabs a microphone and tells Flair to hold on before they leave and he says since Flair always wants to stick his nose into matches on March 8th when they go live Flair is coming out of retirement! Flair says he’ll do what he wants to do it and he’s not coming out of retirement! Hogan tells them turn Flair’s mic off and then he says not only is Flair getting in the ring but AJ is going to be his partner in a match against Abyss and his partner. Abyss’s partner will be Hulk Hogan! The fans went nuts for that and Tenay said “holy sh*t”! Well, March 8th just got even bigger.
Final Thoughts
Okay, well the first place I have to start off is the big announcement for March 8th. It’s very obvious that TNA is going all in with that, but there is two ways to look at it. They?re setting up a HUGE Main Event for that show but are they shooting themselves in the foot by making both Flair and Hogan’s first matches in TNA be on a free show? You can never have another FIRST match. With that said I think TNA has an opportunity in that match to do something good. Not only draw in a ton of casual fans but also to put over AJ and Abyss. If Abyss gets a clean win on a legend like Flair or even better AJ pins Hogan then that’s big, but if it ends up with AJ just bumping like a mad man for Hogan to get pinned by a 50+ year old man that can barely walk TNA is taking about 100 steps backward. They do NOT need their TNA World Heavyweight Champion jobbing to Hogan, they just don?t need that. Hogan’s going to show everyone whether he is serious about making TNA a contender or if this whole thing is just one huge ego stroke for himself. Now that that’s out of the way onto the show.
Tonight’s show wasn?t very good to be honest. The lack of actual wrestling is starting to get old and they?re doing the exact opposite of the thing they keep preaching. ?We?re professional wrestling not sports entertainment? well then you need to show that. When you?re longest match on the card is a less than 4 minute Nasty Boys match, something is wrong. You can?t keep throwing barbs at WWE about their lack of wrestling on their TV show (RAW) and then turn around and do this crap. I?m fine with a segment/promo heavy show but this is just too much. It makes the matches seem like an afterthought and this oozes Vince Russo. I?m sure he?ll get on facebook and talk about how it doesn?t need anymore wrestling after hearing everyone complain about it (I guarantee I?m not going to be the only one).
I loved the opening segment, everyone played their part especially AJ and Flair. Flair was awesome in his mad rambling rant and AJ was the same. Really good stuff but this thing with Abyss just doesn?t do anything for me. I?m all for a change in his persona but him going into this stupid ?oh the ring gives me power? crap rather than being the idiot isn?t much better.
3D and Nasty Boys was short and sweet. It wasn?t overly bad but that’s because they were in the only setting they should ever be in, a hardcore setting. I really feel sorry for 3D being stuck in this feud.
ODB and Daffney was okay while it lasted but I?m loving the push they?re giving Daffney have your just go insane.
Hernandez and Morgan’s promo tonight was solid and I?m loving this littler ?tweener? thing Morgan is doing right now. Beer Money’s promo was great and I?m glad to see them put back in the spotlight.
The Jarrett and Bischoff stuff was good again. I?m loving Bischoff right now but I?m just not sure where they?re going to go with this. You obviously can?t have Jarrett actually have a match with Bischoff.
Kazarian and Kendrick was decent for what it was but they gave that match no hype at all. I had no clue they were even having a contenders match. Also, for those that don?t know Destination X is no longer going to be an all X-Division PPV but rather an ?X-Division Showcase? with the X-Division Title Match, Ultimate X, and maybe another match or two (at least I hope).
Anderson was gold yet again tonight but he may be pushing it with the Vietnamese reference. I liked the setup of Angle raising up from under the entrance ramp too and having Anderson lose that way doesn?t really hurt him and gives Terry a win over a big guy.
I liked the Nash/Young-The Band thing in the parking lot for the most part, it was okay. This is obviously going to have to end in a match so Hogan or Bischoff just needs to go ahead and make the match. With a stipulation of if Hall and Pac win they win a contract or something. The thing with them sneaking around the parking lot is getting old.
Wolfe and Abyss COULD have had a good match if it was given more than 2 minutes. I am not big on Wolfe jobbing to Hogan-lite in a few minutes, but I DO love the thought of Wolfe being put with Flair and AJ. The thought knocked me upside the head when Wolfe pulled out the handcuffs of them setting up a potential Four Horsemen or Evolution type of group. Wolfe would be beyond perfect for that group. Throw in a tag team like Beer Money and you have a new age 4-Horsemen with Flair in the role of J.J. Dillon. That may just be a pipe dream but one thing is for sure TNA and wrestling in general really needs more stables/groups.
Anyway solid segments all throughout tonight for the most part but just too much of it and not enough actual wrestling. Also, they didn?t follow up enough on the angle with Samoa Joe and there was no Pope tonight obviously selling the injury angle to his ankle.
– Promo/Segment of the Night: AJ and Flair-Hogan and Abyss
– Match of the Night: Kaz vs. Kendrick (*1/2)
– Overall Grade: C
Scheduled for Next Week:
– Fatal 4-Way: Beer Money vs. Generation Me vs. Morgan & Hernandez vs. Motor City Machine Guns
– Doug Williams vs. Rob Terry
– Tomko vs. Jeff Jarrett
Destination X Lineup
– TNA X-Division Title: Doug Williams (c) vs. Kazarian
– Ultimate X: TBA
– TNA Tag Titles: Hernandez & Matt Morgan (c) vs. Beer Money Inc.