(Image credit: TNA)
NOTE: Occasionally tonight my cable would flake out on me. It would stall with a still image and no sound for as long as 2 minutes. As a result, a couple places in this recap contain information from PWTorch’s recap also in order to fill in gaps in matches that I missed action in.
We got a recap of last week’s events on iMPACT to lead off the show. Hall and Waltman were conspicuously absent from the opening montage, and the “title” of tonight’s program is “The Breaking of the Band” as we open up with the standard pyro and video intro.
We head right to the ring tonight, and open up with an Eight Card Stud Tournament Qualifier match. Brutus Magnus is out first. Taz says this has to be a huge singles match for him. We usually see him only in tag action, so this should prove interesting. He will be taking on Ken Anderson. Taz thinks we might be looking at a new TNA World Heavyweight Champion as Anderson makes his way out to the stage area, where he does his mic work. Anderson says this is the moment we’ve all been waiting for while the crowd chants that he sucks. He rolls into his standard self-announcing promo and intro.
We’re reminded about how Anderson was handpicked to face Jarrett in the main event last week. Taz says that Anderson took a shortcut to win, and questioned Jarrett’s conditioning.
They lock up, and exchange right hands. Magnus gets Anderson in the corner and the ref breaks it up. Magnus shoves the ref and Anderson gets a big shot out of the corner. Hard Irish whip by Anderson into the corner and it knocks Magnus down. He then rams Magnus’ head into the corner then stomps him down. Ref is scolding Anderson and trying to get him to back off. Now they’re off to the opposite corner and Magnus reverses Anderson’s attempt to slam him into the turnbuckle. Magnus gets a shoulder block then a Union Jack for two. Magnus picks up Anderson, looking for the Tormentum, but Anderson rakes the eyes. As soon as Anderson’s’ feet are on the mat, he nails the Mic Check for the three count and win.
Taz says he joins some good company with Wolfe and Hernandez, who are already in the tournament. Ken gets on the mic again and says “Winner Winner, Chicken Dinner, Mr. Anderson.” Taz says he doesn’t have a confidence problem, and Tenay says he’s a shameless self promoter. They ponder if the cockiness will be enough to get him to the number one contender position.
A so-so opener. Not horrible, but not that great either. Hard to get into Magnus as a singles wrestler in my opinion…he seems to work better as a tag wrestler.
We go out back, and Mick Foley is pulling up with a piece of junk car. We’re to get Foley’s answer on working things out with Bischoff tonight.
Kurt Angle will be in the Eight Card Stud Tournament Qualifiers tonight. Christy Hemme is with him in his locker room. She says that he’s got Tomko tonight, but Kurt’s not worried about that. He’s worried about Hulk Hogan. Kurt can’t get over the fact that he and Hogan shook hands, and then he got attacked by Hall and Sixx-Pac. Hemme asks if he’s accusing Hogan of setting him up, and he says “of course, because that’s the kind of guy Hogan is.” Kurt says it ends tonight. “Screw me once, shame on me, screw me twice, shame on you.” He’s going to see Hogan tonight, and he has a bad attitude.
Taz says Kurt is laying down a strong accusation and it may not be warranted. Tenay runs down the card for tonight. Tara defends the Knockouts Championship against Angelina Love. Morgan and Hernandez defend their tag belts against Team 3D. AJ Styles will compete tonight against the Pope in a non-title affair.
Eric Bischoff’s music hits, and he makes his way to the ring. Tenay and Taz remind us of the series of events between these two. Two weeks ago, Bischoff came to the ring a bloody mess and he fired Foley. Last week, after Foley denied responsibility, Hogan told them to work it out or walk away. Hogan is sometimes the cooler head, according to Taz.
Bischoff says it’s so good to be here one more time. Last week, Hogan made it clear to Foley that he had to get on the same page with Bischoff. Mick didn’t want to do that, which disappointed Bischoff. Eric goes on and says it’s going to cost Foley dearly, and Foley’s music hits. Tenay reminds us that Foley said he’d never work for Bischoff, and tonight’s the deadline. Taz says Foley’s not in a good mood.
Foley’s on the stick now. His rep in this business is that something’s wrong in his head. Not because he was willing to pay any price but because he seems to like about everyone. He names off some names, such as Paul Heyman, to cheap pops. Eric Bischoff is the lone exception that he doesn’t like.
Bischoff came from out of the industry as a salesman who became the worst commentator in history. Taz points out “I guess he never heard of Mike Adamle” in the line of the night. Bischoff weaseled his way to power, specifically because he wasn’t old school. Mick isn’t old school either; he’s from the school that burnt down before the old school was built. Eric says “this isn’t about them” but Mick thinks it is. Mick talks about saving every dime from the time he was 22 so that he wouldn’t have to work for people like Bischoff, and talks about JB and Abyss’ status with the company. “Who are you to mess around with other people?”
Eric stops him and will tell us what make him tick. Power and control make him tick. “I respect that you don’t want to get on the same page, but I’m going to have to turn it”, he says. Battle of the Best Sellers goes on for a minute. Foley said he hasn’t learned since WCW and that Mick was busting his backside for the business while Bischoff was making reality TV with Chachi. Ouch.
Mick won’t let someone take advantage of him, but Eric reminds Mick that he holds Abyss and JB’s futures “in the palm of my hand” as Mick storms off. If Mick wants to keep their jobs, he’ll play ball Eric’s way. A new chapter starts tonight when Foley faces Nash in a No DQ match, because Bischoff is a student of history. Foley jumped him a while back, and Bischoff knows it will be a tit-for-tat affair.
Foley is playing with a stick of dynamite with Bischoff, according to Taz. JB and Abyss are backstage watching on a monitor. Abyss wants to know if everything will be alright, and JB says he’s here to get his last check. Nothing’s changed from when he worked with Bischoff 10 years ago. JB says that if Bischoff is in charge, then no one’s okay. Abyss is worried that he’s going to be OK and trying to figure out what’s going on. Commercial.
It went on for a while and it set up a main event with two old guys in a weapons match. Blah. Awesome yet understated delivery by JB in the backstage segment.
Later tonight, Tara defends the Knockouts Championship against Angelina Love. Christy Hemme is with her and says there’s a lot of history between the two. Tara says that Love made her life miserable, but since she’s come back, she seems to be different. Tara goes on to say that if she knows Angelina, she has an eye on the prize. She has Tara’s respect, but Love’s not getting her belt.
It’s time for the tag team championship match. Team 3D is out first and Taz and Tenay remind us that Team 3D and the Nastys will hook up for the first time ever at Against All Odds. Hernandez and Matt Morgan will defend against Team 3D tonight though. Taz calls it a “night of champions”…nice WWE reference, Taz. Taz gives credit to Morgan and Hernandez for defending the belts and being fighting champions. Tenay says you can see the gold in Team 3D’s eyes and a win will give them two dozen title reigns.
Taz calls this either gutsy or dumb by the champions. Hernandez and Bubba lock up and back into the corner. A clean break there, and then they lock up again. Hernandez puts Bubba in a side headlock, and then sends him off the ropes. They go through a pair of sequences of blocking right hands off the ropes. Hernandez with a big shoulder block knocks Bubba to the corner. Hernandez misses the charge-in. Hernandez gets whipped to the opposite corner, but Bubba gets a foot to the face on the charge. Hernandez is going to the ropes but Bubba gets some chops and tosses him off. Taz with an “Air Mexico” comment following that maneuver. Bubba drops an elbow and gets a two count.
D-Von is tagged in, but Hernandez powers past him and gets a tag to Morgan. Morgan with an Irish whip but D-Von comes back with a flying clothesline. D-Von lands a leg drop and gets a quick one count. Tornado clothesline gets a two count for Morgan. Morgan tags in Hernandez and he puts D-Von in a face lock. D-Von gets back to his feet and bounces off the ropes. He runs into a clothesline for 2.
Hernandez is controlling D-Von in the corner now. Both are on the ropes and Hernandez goes for the superplex, but D-Von fights out of it by biting Hernandez’s head. D-Von nails a flying headbutt. Why is this still legal? Both men are down but get tags. Bubba and Morgan hook up again. Bubba gets in position for a German suplex, but Morgan blocks it with back elbows. Bubba gets caught with a boot by Morgan, but then connects with the German in return. Hernandez comes in and gets nailed by a fallaway slam. The double team neckbreaker by Team 3D gets a two-count. Hernandez back into the match and gets a double shoulder block. Big slam, and Team 3D goes for the Whazzup? Here come the Nasty Boys though, and they knock D-Von off the ropes. Morgan nails the Carbon Footprint on Bubba Ray to get the win off the distraction.
Taz calls it a big win for Morgan and Hernandez even with the tomfoolery by the Nasty Boys. After Morgan and Hernandez leave the ring, the Nastys come in with chairs. Morgan and Hernandez rush back in for the save before anything happens. Team 3D gets back to their feet, and eventually bump fists with the champs. Bubba brings their belts to them as Morgan and Hernandez are in the ring celebrating.
I have to say, not a bad tag match out of these teams. Won’t say awesome, but it was decent TV. Usually anything with Team 3D is hard to watch, but this match wasn’t bad. I think it helped to put Morgan and Hernandez over as more legit tag champs to go over on the 23 time champions.
The Pope is getting ready in the back, and he’s going to be competing against AJ Styles tonight. Back to commercial.
Samoa Joe is making his way to the ring for the next match. Been a while since we’ve seen you, Joe, how are you? Jesse Neal is the opponent, and I feel sorry for him. Neal tries jumping the bell, but Joe fights him off. Joe nails a big T-bone suplex. Taz is happy with his prodigy. Jesse Neal is getting worked over in the corner, then a huge kick with the knee by Joe. Crowd is fully behind Joe, so I guess he’s face now? Joe hits him hard with a headbutt.
Neal rakes the eyes in the corner to try and get back in the match. Taz is talking about Neal’s mohawk. That’s a pretty odd looking hairdo on him, to be certain. Neal hits a big forearm and tries to go with something off the ropes. Neal is punking out the crowd, so Joe calmly walks away from the cross body block that Neal was going for and Neal crashes and burns. Rights and lefts by Joe again, followed by an Irish whip to the corner and followed by another big knee. Joe slams Neal with the Muscle Buster, even including a callout to AJ Styles, for the win. Crowd is chanting “Joe”. Thanks for coming, Jesse Neal.
Why they recapped this match is beyond me. It lasted all of two minutes.
Christy is in the back with Hogan. Christy wants to know Hogan’s response to Kurt’s comments earlier. Are we setting up a Kurt vs. Hogan feud? Hogan says he didn’t hear them. Does he watch his own program? Christy tells him about how Sixx-Pac and Hall attacked Kurt last week and how Kurt is thinking Hogan put them up to it. Hogan sells frustration, and then says “tell Kurt I’ll be here all night and I’m not hard to find.” Commercial.
Pope and AJ are up next, and The Pope is out first. It’s not raining Deniro Dollars tonight that I can tell. Tenay and Taz are talking about how change is opportunity for people, and this is a chance for the Pope to prove himself. He’s about to compete with the World Champion. AJ is next out accompanied by Flair, and he’s getting booed heartily. Heel turn is now in full effect. Tenay talks about the amazing transformation we’ve seen in AJ since becoming aligned with Flair.
AJ hails from Gainsville, but he’s looking at mansions in Atlanta and property in Hilton Head. Taz and Tenay continue talking about all the changes in AJ since Flair took him under his wing. Taz equates that to getting a hall of fame NFL coach in his corner. Tenay doesn’t endorse the attitude, but Taz says it’s the right thing and Flair is teaching AJ to be a great champion.
Styles and Dinero hook it up and back into the corner. AJ lands some chops but gets a big slap across the face by Dinero. Dinero gets a drop toe hold into an armbar that Styles gets out of. Pope follows up with elbows to the head and a high back body drop. AJ needs a break and rolls out to slow Pope down. Commercial.
Back for a minute, and Pope and AJ are staring each other down. AJ gets an elbow on the Pope. Taz says slowing Pope down was exactly what AJ accomplished. Back to commercial (not sure how intentional that was, very awkward transition…).
We’re back again, and Pope with a whip off the ropes and AJ knocks him down with a shoulder block. Big chop in the middle of the ring. AJ shoots Pope off the ropes and hits him with a big dropkick. AJ starts with a Flair-like strut and big grin. AJ stomps Pope by the ropes, then catapults his throat into the bottom ropes. Taz is talking about the Pope’s night at the local adult establishment and how it might compare to Flair and AJ’s new lifestyle. AJ is controlling Pope with a facelock now.
AJ is choking Pope on the middle rope, and he uses the count as far as he can to take the wind from Dinero. Big snap suplex nets AJ a one count (with a nonchalant cover), and then he mounts and rains in the right hands on Pope. AJ shoots him off the ropes, but Pope flips over AJ into a Sunset Flip for two. AJ gets up and nails a hard clothesline for two. Another chinlock by AJ, and now the crowd is chanting hot for Pope. Pope tries to power out, but gets stomped back down to the mat.
AJ stands up Pope and measures for a right hand but Dinero blocks it and starts bringing the hands himself. AJ is staggered, and Pope lands an atomic drop then a flying back elbow for two. AJ goes for a rake to the eyes and then a Pele kick. Flair is yelling “let’s see what you’ve got” to Pope. Styles crashes in the corner and lands on the ropes. Pope goes for the Coronation, but AJ moves. Flair might have telegraphed that to help AJ. AJ goes for a suplex, but Pope reverses it into a small package for the surprise win.
Flair and AJ go for the beat down on Pope after the match, but Joe comes out for the save. Joe gets AJ backed in to the corner and splashes him. Flair chops him but Joe no-sells it and turns around and screams at Flair. As Joe has his back turned AJ goes after the leg with a chop block. Joe gets a stomp to the crotch, but Pope is back to his feet to help Joe. Joe clotheslines Flair out, AJ is getting beaten in the corner, and security comes out to break things up. Commercial.
Wow. I didn’t see that win coming for Pope. Probably the best worked match of the night in my opinion. Thought this should have been the main event match, but this is the Hogan/Bischoff era of TNA. Well done and I’m glad to see Samoa Joe around on TV again.
We come back and Flair is on the mic, screaming as only Flair can: “You wanna die tonight? You ought to know better, you will get your ass beat.” Security is still holding back Pope and Joe. Joe gets on the mic and tells Flair to shut up before Joe “shoves that Nature right up his ass.” Joe calls AJ an unrepentant scumbag and tells Flair to shut up.
Joe says he doesn’t care when it was, when they were friend or foe, but AJ was always a warrior. Joe asks: “you gave that all up for what? Some nice suits and Flair’s wholesale hookers?” Ouch, Joe…or is that a name of a store? Joe says he’s going to remind AJ of how to be a man and a champion. Joe is cashing in his title shot at Against All Odds. He tells AJ to cherish the belt, knowing he’s going to face the inevitable. Joe and Pope slip past security to go after Flair and AJ.
Not bad mic work by Joe here. It should be a good title match at Against All Odds.
Christy Hemme is with Angelina Love. Christy asks if Love expects TBP will get involved in the match tonight. Angelina says she does, and if she were still with TBP she would do the same thing. She went on to say she taught them everything they know, but she didn’t teach them everything she knew. One thing is that they never should have tried to replace her and asks how that’s going for them. Anyhow, she is a two time Knockouts Champion, and maybe three will be her lucky number tonight. Success is the best revenge, and Angelina is awesome at revenge.
Nash and EY are in the back talking strategy. Eric Bischoff comes in and has no idea who EY is. Way to go, Bischoff, bury that young talent. Young introduces himself and Eric acknowledges that and then asks EY to leave. Bischoff admits he won’t remember the name in the morning. Awesome, keep burying, Bischoff. Eric wants Mick Foley destroyed in the No DQ match. Nash says “so you want me to do you a favor?”
Nash claims it’s convenient, as he needs a favor as well, while Sixx-Pac and Hall need jobs. Oh great, here we go again, pleading for their employment. Bischoff says Nash knows the score there, and they’re not working for TNA because they’re screw-ups who refuse to follow the rules. Bischoff lays it down to him and says he can be a screw-up like them or go out and destroy Mick Foley tonight. Not sure what that was supposed to be, a threat maybe? And is this the heel moment for Bischoff tonight? Commercial.
Recap from earlier, when Foley was told he would fight Nash in a No DQ match, and they show the time when Foley jumped Nash from behind about 2 months ago in an empty studio.
Foley is with Christy Hemme, and she wants to know whether or not he’ll fall in line. Foley says he was offered a choice, to play nice or lace up; thankfully, Mick has a new pair of boots. Christy then moves on to the buckets of bad blood between Nash and Foley. Foley says he’d have gone with “unresolved issues” and put it in his cold case file. But Nash put him on a wild goose chase all across the country, and it re-opened the case. Abyss interrupts in a panic. Foley says “whatever I touch, melts in my clutch, because I’m too much”. Foley tells Abyss not to worry and makes him promise to stay backstage. Mick says “he’s too much” as Abyss leaves.
Now we’re up to the fourth slot for the Eight Card Stud Tournament. Tomko is taking on Kurt Angle in this match. First out is Tomko, while Taz and Tenay are talking about the accusations made at Hulk Hogan. Kurt Angle comes out next. Taz says there is no disrespect intended to Tomko, but Kurt may destroy him because he is of single focus. Kurt thinks Hogan is in cahoots with Hall and Sixx-Pac and he’s furious.
Explosive suplex by Kurt to start countered with a big kick by Tomko. Both are back up fast. A running clothesline puts Tomko out of the ring. Kurt goes after him outside and bounces him off the ring stairs. Taz and Tenay say that Angle’s getting opportunity that may not be otherwise afforded him. Kurt rolls Tomko in, but gets nailed with a running snap slam by Tomko. Tomko throws Kurt into the corner, followed by a splash, and then whips Angle to the ring post. Tomko follows up with a powerslam for two.
Taz and Tenay are equating the Eight Card Stud Tourney to the Super Bowl…oh, ok? The winner will be the new number one contender and there’s the Hogan/Bischoff ranking system in play also. Tomko is in control with a nerve hold that Angle gets out of, but Tomko gives him a two-handed choke slam for his troubles. Tomko is going to the ropes, working the crowd. He took too long, as Kurt sends Tomko to the mat with a belly to belly suplex off the ropes.
Kurt gets a pair of German suplexes in, but the third is blocked by an elbow. Kurt’s dazed in the corner, but Tomko misses a charge-in and eats an Olympic slam for his effort. Tomko gets a decapitating clothesline as he gets up and is looking for a big boot, but Angle ducks it and nails a German suplex. Explosive throws for each of these, and he lands a total of five suplexes. Angle drops the straps and gets the Ankle Lock with the leg grapevine and Tomko taps out.
If Kurt was distracted, it didn’t show. Kurt is motivated and in a bad move according to Taz. Wolfe, Hernandez, Angle, and Anderson are your four decided tournament participants with four more to come. Tara and Angelina are shown on their way to the ring as they go to break.
A good match for five minutes. Even in defeat, I have to say Tomko looked sharp and had a decent showing.
Coming back from commercial, we get a video recap of the European tour. Is it me, or did they use the six-sided ring in this tour? And what’s the deal with still shots; did they not take any video on this trip?
In order to set up the Foley-Nash main event (blah!) we get a full recap of all the events coming from the time Hogan signed with TNA up to the last few weeks worth of incidents.
Nash and Hogan are in the office, and Hogan mentions some sort of Tri-Star deal. Nash says he’s a team player and doesn’t care for Foley anyhow. He suggests though that Hogan give Hall and Waltman one more shot. Hogan says they’ve been given enough chances and they’re a mess. Hogan says Nash needs to distance himself from them. Nash thinks they need him the most right now, and asks for Hogan to consider it one more time. Nash wants Hogan to keep an open mind.
They show us a video promo leading into the Knockout Championship match. We see the apology from Velvet and Madison, the introduction of Lacey Von Erich. They then show Angelina’s return on January 4 where she beat up on TBP, and the match between Love and Madison. Also included was last week’s beat down on Angelina by TBP, and TBP saying how 2009 Angelina is.
Angelina is out first for this match. Taz is a huge fan and is glad she kept the middle rope entrance. Tara is headed out next.
It opens with a high headlock takedown by Tara. Tenay says she has a strength advantage. Taz says it might be enjoyable to be in a headlock by a woman. Angelina reverses it into a head scissors, but Tara turns it into a bridge for two. Angelina goes for a backslide but Tara gets out after two. Out to commercial.
Back. Tara is in control with a wrist lock, and Angelina gets to her feet. Back out to commercial.
Back again. Tara and Angelina are locking up in a with a knuckle lock/test of strength hold. Angelina scores a take down into the hammerlock. Angelina is still working on the arm as Tara gets to her feet and reverses the hold into one of her own. Love picks Tara’s leg up and puts her on the mat, then picks her up and slams her head-first into the turnbuckle. She goes for it again in the opposite corner, but Tara reverses it. Love over in the corner and gets a School Girl for two. Tara gets her up for a spinning slam for two. Angelina goes for a bicycle kick but misses it. Tara goes for Widow’s Peak, but Love reverses that into a Victory roll. Tara re-reverses that and gets a roll up for the win.
There’s a show of respect between Tara and Love when TBP hit the ring. TBP starts a 3 on 1 assault, but Tara joins the fray to help Love. TBP get beat down and get out of Dodge while Tara and Love stand tall.
Again, why are women’s matches not getting more time. It wasn’t bad for the time worked, and yes it was a packed show, but someone needs to be doing a better job of blocking segments. By the way, apparently there was a wardrobe malfunction going on for Tara, as certain shots were “blurred” at chest level.
Hall and Sixx-Pac are wandering around outside, and Taz reminds us that last week Hall said they’d see us “next week”. Well, they’re here.
Kurt storms in to Hogan’s office and wants to know how he could shake Kurt’s hand then have him ambushed by Hall and Sixx. Hogan is confused, because he never even offered those two contracts. Hogan says that Kurt’s temper is his problem and Hogan’s known about in the three years since he got there. Hogan doesn’t want him to blow another opportunity. Kurt disagrees and is worried about Hogan’s agenda, saying he knows all about him. Kurt says he’s not going to let Hogan screw him like he did to others, and to consider this his last warning. Hogan says “do yourself a favor and get out of my office”. Kurt slams his fists on the desk and walks out. Taz says he can’t accuse the guy he works for of things like this.
Mick Foley is out first for the main event, barbed wire baseball bat in hand. Bischoff wants Foley destroyed. Nash is wheeling a cart full of weapons as he comes to the ring. Nash is turning it into a favor from Bischoff to destroy Foley to get Hall and Sixx into the company.
This is a hardcore match, plain and simple. Nash is on defense from Foley from the baseball bat. A garbage can and a steel chair both get destroyed by it. Nash takes Foley down with the hockey stick. Nash gets Foley’s barbed wire bat and tries to shove it in his face at the ropes. A well-placed low blow by Foley gets him out of that one. Running forearm shot by Foley. Nash gets out of the ring to slow him down, but Foley is in hot pursuit. Everything’s a weapon here, and Foley slams Nash’s head off the rail and the apron. Foley back in the ring first and he grabs a picture. Mick hesitates to use it, allowing Nash to hit a big boot for the win. The picture was Abyss and Mick, so no wonder it made Mick hesitate.
Plain English: this was an absolute disaster of a main event.
Hall and Waltman are coming to the ring through the crowd. Hall and Waltman get in the ring, and start arguing. Hall suddenly takes a shot at Nash, knocking him down. Waltman and Hall continue to beat down Nash. Hall throws a shot at Foley just to keep him out of the way and then they beat down Nahsh some more. Hall and Waltman celebrate in the ring for a minute, and then pose for the cameras outside the ring as the show ends.
Aside from the main event, it was not a horrible show. I have missed Samoa Joe and I was glad to see they’re bringing him back as the “bad ass” version. There was some good mic work by various folks along the way tonight as well (in particular Joe, Bischoff, and Foley). The main event was whack for a number of reasons. With Hall having randomly attacked a fan at a PPV, what happened with Nash wasn’t all that shocking to me. The angle has directions it could go and could prove intriguing but we all know how TNA writes stuff. It was also a weak show ending and would have been better placed in the middle somewhere.
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A 37 year old engineer by day that enjoys writing on the side. I go back a lot of years in pro wrestling, from the old NWA/WCW days and the 80's WWF up til today with TNA, WWE, and occasionally some of the other independent federations. Primarily my scene here will be TNA, but expect a little bit of everything in terms of opinions and recaps in the world of pro wrestling from me.
I have to agree with ya dude. Impact is making some steps to improve the product. I think if they can sign a couple more big names like RVD. They can be a major player on mondays.