01/15 Twilling's TNA Impact Live Coverage: Kurt Angle vs. AJ Styles with Mick Foley as the special guest referee, update on Jeff Jarrett, number one contender's match for the tag titles

TNA Impact on Spike TV
Taped in Orlando, FL

[Q1] Footage aired from the Genesis pay-per-view. The show is entitled, “When Icons Collide.” The opening video aired. Mike Tenay and Don West ran down the card as fireworks lit up the Impact Zone...

The Main Event Mafia’s music played and they came out to the ring (minus Kevin Nash). Scott Steiner directed the cameraman to point his camera at a fan with a Steiner t-shirt on. It’s nice to see Steiner embracing a fan and not threatening him.

Kurt Angle took control of the microphone and called the Mafia the greatest array of champions assembled in the history of the business. Sting was shown in a way that had him doubting the entire premise of Angle’s words. Angle showed a short video package of the carnage left behind by the Mafia in past weeks.

Angle said he and Sting won their battles at the pay-per-view, but due to Mick Foley and Nash’s injury, they did not win the war. Does anyone else notice there are two MEM shirts? Angle and Sting have a grey one on. Steiner is wearing a black one with five silhouettes of the five members. I wonder when they will get rid of the black shirt.

Angle described tonight’s main event as a “double hit,” because Styles and Foley were going to be in the same place at the same time. All of a sudden, LAX’s music hit and Hernandez came out with Shane Sewell. Hernandez said he was cashing in his world title briefcase right now... [C]

Twill’s Two Cents: Did we really need to see Sewell standing there with the briefcase opened? We understand that Hernandez has a shot. I am disappointed that they did not build this up and unless the title changes hands, it will seem like a wasted opportunity. Angle’s promo was good, but predictable.

[Q2] 1. Hernandez defeated Sting (with the Main Event Mafia) by disqualification in a TNA Heavyweight Championship match in 4:08. Hernandez dominated the opening moments of the match as the Mafia looked on with concern on the floor. Sting countered a suplex into the Scorpion Death Drop, but his hesitation to make a cover only allowed him to score a two count. Sewell is refereeing the match.

Hernandez came back and set up Sting for the Border Toss. The Mafia hit the ring and attacked Hernandez. Sewell called for the bell. He then took the Legend’s Title from Booker T and backdropped him to the floor. Homicide hit the ring (where the hell was he before?) and the Mafia kicked the crap out of everybody.

AJ Styles hit the ring and had some success, but fell victim to the numbers. Team 3D hit the ring to a pretty big pop and evened the numbers. Brother Ray has a Mohawk now. LAX and Styles positioned a table in the middle of the ring. Ray powerbombed Angle through the table... [C]

Twill’s Two Cents: I will admit, I was pissed when it seemed like TNA threw away Hernandez’s title shot. However, I bet they give him another one. I question the logic of why it took so long for the help to come out and why it came out so sporadically, but I liked the way the segment ended. It was nice to see Ray get the upper hand on Angle. However, a buildup to that could have been money.

Back from commercial, Team 3D and AJ Styles were still celebrating with the crowd. A “Welcome back!” chant was directed at Brother Ray. Brother Devon cut a promo on Kurt Angle and called Team 3D the tag team standard bearers. Devon said one thing they have not done is prove their worth as singles competitors. He challenged Kurt Angle to a match at Against All Odds.

Twill’s Two Cents: I guess he forgot his amazing run as Reverend Devon.

[Q3] Ray took over the microphone duties and showed some serious fire and life. He said a real Mafia would have gotten the job done but he is still going. He looked at Devon and said they should go on as singles wrestlers. He said since Devon wants Angle, he wanted Sting. He said Sting did nothing while he was being beaten, and that was worse than anything. He said he would become the World Heavyweight Champion...

Twill’s Two Cents: Call me crazy, but TNA has hit a homerun here with Team 3D and made them interesting again with this run. I am intrigued and the idea of Brother Ray as a singles main eventer is a good thing.

Backstage, The Beautiful People were excited about being involved in “the Governor’s inauguration” on January 20th. Ugh. Kip James told them they were on their own... [C]

Tenay and West introduced and showed footage of the Angle vs. Jarrett match from Genesis. By the way, and I know I have asked this before, but why are Tenay and West facing away from the ring? How stupid does that look? They set it to the back where the medical staff determined Angle could not wrestle tonight. Steiner said he would take his place, but Angle said no and threw everyone out of the room... [C]

[Q4] Footage aired of The Beautiful People paying their dues to become members of “The Governor’s” cabinet. This reminds me of those crappy WWF vignettes from the mid-90s...

TBP and the Governor came out to the ring. Daffn errrrrrrrrrrrrrrr, Governor Palin praised Velvet Sky and Angelina Love for their work over the past few weeks. They signed an official document to become official members of Palin’s cabinet.

Taylor Wilde’s music hit and she came out with Roxxi. Taylor said everything about TBP was fake, including their boobs. “I think Velvet’s are real,” said West. Funny! Roxxi called them hoes and told them everything we all have been thinking, that that was not the real Sarah Palin. She said they were about to get “mucked.” Then, a mud like substance fell onto TBP from the ceiling. Palin was in on it and laughed at the top of the stage with Wilde and Roxxi. TBP cried. A close up of the “muck” showed there were chocolate chips in there. Muck could be worse I guess... [C]

Twill’s Two Cents: A segment with Velvet Sky that I would rather have not seen? Well, hell has frozen over because this was it. At least these stupid segments are over and Velvet can go back to being, well, Velvet.

Back from commercial, the geniuses at TNA realized they still had a show to do and had to clean up the ring. The crew looked pissed and confused because the ring mat was in bad shape. By the way, thank you to loyal reader Brian Buckley for letting me know the announce table is on a swivel. That definitely makes sense...

Backstage, Lauren interviewed the “Kongtourage.” Sojourner Bolt was pissed when Lauren called her “SoJo.” She cut a promo on the face Knockouts...

[Q5] A TNA Rough Cuts segment aired about Bolt. Again, the timing here was bad because this was a babyface piece about a heel wrestler. They talked about a date she had where the guy ordered her a number one from McDonald’s when she wanted a number two. She kicked his ass and threw Diet Coke in his face because she wanted grape soda...

Twill’s Two Cents: The guy deserved an ass kicking for taking her to McDonald’s in the first place.

2. ODB, Taylor Wilde, and Roxxi defeated Rhaka Khan, Raisha Saeed, and Sojourner Bolt in 9:39. Wow, is this really only the second match of the night? The match went to commercial after Khan tagged out and hopefully, she won’t tag in again... [C]

Back from commercial, Saeed was working over ODB. Bolt tagged in and the heels worked on ODB in their corner. Roxxi and Rhaka tagged in and Roxxi took out everyone as they came at her. All six women came into the ring. Rhaka ended up with Roxxi in the ring and Roxxi hit the Voodoo Drop for the win...

Twill’s Two Cents: ODB and Roxxi looked good in the ring. I found it odd that Roxxi scored the pin when ODB is getting the next title shot, and they immediately went to another shot instead of furthering the angle.

[Q6] Backstage, Booker T told Kurt Angle he needed to relax and the Mafia had things taken care of tonight. Angle reluctantly agreed. By the way, Booker’s pony tail is adorable tonight... [C]

3. Jay Lethal and Consequences Creed defeated Matt Morgan and Abyss to become number one contenders for the TNA World Tag Team Championship in 9:20. Abyss kept doing things to piss off Morgan. Don’t you understand? He is too nice and Morgan hates it! Creed did that stupid ass splits punch but Morgan caught him with an axe kick as the show went to commercial... [C]

[Q7] Back from commercial, Morgan was in the match and did not want to tag in Abyss. Lethal and Creed double teamed Abyss in the ring and hit a double suicide dive onto Morgan on the floor. Impressive. A missile dropkick on Abyss scored a two count. In a weird finish, Abyss powerbombed Lethal onto Morgan because he thought Creed was there. Lethal scored the three count...

After the match, Morgan pie faced Abyss and Abyss retaliated. The two had to be separated by security and referees. They continued to fight through the officials to beat on each other...

Backstage, Jim Cornette was in the locker room of the Main Event Mafia. He told Angle he needed to pick a replacement to face Styles. Steiner and Booker argued over who would face Styles. They even did “Inney Minnie Miney Mo.” Wow. Cornette put Steiner in the match and said interference would result in fines and suspensions... [C]

Twill’s Two Cents: Could you imagine Tony Soprano and Sylvio Dante doing “Inney Minnie Miney Mo?” Me neither.

Mick Foley cut a promo backstage saying he would take out any member of the MEM willing to get involved in tonight’s main event...

4. AJ Styles defeated Scott Steiner with Mick Foley as the special guest enforcer in 15:02. Steiner came out with a pipe and Foley grabbed a chair. The bait and switch sucks, but I think we can all see what is coming here. West called Angle the leader of the MEM, further devaluing the TNA Heavyweight Title. Earl Hebner is the referee and Foley remained on the floor. I thought Foley was refereeing the match. My bad.

[Q8] Steiner used his power and mat prowess to ground Styles early in the bout. Styles applied a headlock takeover for a two count and held onto it. Steiner went to the floor and Styles shot himself over the top onto Steiner as the show went to commercial... [C]

Back from commercial, Styles hit a big knee on Steiner for a two count. Steiner locked in a bearhug and awkwardly applied a belly to belly overhead suplex in which Styles did not flip to his back, so he landed on his face. That was weird. Steiner brought a chair into the ring and wedged it in between the ropes. He tried to Irish whip him into the chair, but Styles reversed it and Steiner was whipped into the chair.

Styles hit a springboard flying forearm for his first nearfall of the match. Styles hit a very impressive Northern Light’s suplex with a bridge for a nearfall. Styles tried a Stinger splash but Hebner took it instead. Foley came in to check on Hebner, but Steiner hit Foley over the back with his pipe. He then hit Styles with the pipe, but he kicked out as Hebner slowly made the count.

Steiner then locked in the Steiner Recliner as Hebner continued to come to. Foley was okay all of a sudden and cheered on Styles from the apron. Foley put Mr. Socko on his hand and came up to the apron. Hebner met him. With everyone distracted, Petey Williams came down and hit a missile dropkick on Steiner. Styles hit the Pele kick for the win...

After the match, Styles and Petey embraced in the middle of the ring. Tenay and West said the Front Line was stronger than ever and wondered how the Mafia would respond...

Twill’s Two Cents: Solid main event and finally, the Front Line had exposed some weaknesses in the Mafia. I like that the announcers remembered Petey and what Steiner did to him. This was a nice return for Petey and the Front Line, although the names may not have “marquee” value, looks game to go head to head with the Mafia. I will have more to say in the Impact Hitlist.

What did you think of the show? It had its ups and downs. Let me know by shooting me an email. I can be reached at dotnetrich@gmail.com.