3/4 Powell's TNA Impact Live Coverage: The final show Thursday night show before the move to Monday night, final hype for Hulk Hogan Abyss vs. Ric Flair and A.J. Styles


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TNA TV Reports


3/4 Powell's TNA Impact Live Coverage: The final show Thursday night show before the move to Monday night, final hype for Hulk Hogan Abyss vs. Ric Flair and A.J. Styles
Mar 4, 2010 - 10:00 PM


TNA Impact on Spike TV
Taped at Universal Studios in Orlando, Fla.


[Q1] A video recapped last week's saga involving Ric Flair, A.J. Styles, Hulk Hogan, and Abyss... The show is called "Never Say Never"... The opening montage aired... Mike Tenay and Taz hosted the show...

A.J. Styles and Ric Flair came to the ring with four women. Flair said he wants to give back to Hulk Hogan. Abyss and Hogan came to the ring as the announcers questioned Flair's sincerity. Tenay hyped the move to Monday nights as a graphic popped up on the bottom on the screen promoting the move.

Once Hogan and Abyss were in the ring, Flair asked Hogan if this would be "a very peaceful conversation." Flair hid behind one of the women and asked if he could come over and talk to Hogan. Flair said he was going to set up Hogan with the women to make up for the "bad judgement" he and Styles showed last week. Flair said Hogan could have one or four. "You, moron, get nothing," Flair told Abyss. Hilarious.

Hogan passed and said he didn't want one of Flair's hits of Viagra. Funny. Hogan said he promised the boys in the back that he wasn't going to lace his boots up when he first signed on. But after what Flair and "that wanna be Flair" did to him, he is getting back in the game. He said he and Abyss "would take you guys to school, man."

Hogan said there was only one question left to ask. "What are you going to do..." Hogan passed the mic to Abyss, who said, "When Hulk Hogan and Abyss-a-mania run wild on you." Flair said he also retired two years ago in front of the world. He said it meant the world to him to leave on the highest note possible. Flair said that if Hogan is calling him out, he's looking forward to the match more than anything in his entire life.

Flair said the one thing he's never done is beat Hogan on national TV. He said he'll accomplish that and Abyss will get hurt in the process. Styles took the mic and said that Hogan was king when he wrestled. "Times have changed," Styles said. "I hold the title. I'm the champ." Styles said Hogan will be sacrificing his name when they get in the ring together. "Tell him, A.J.," Flair said.

Styles admired Hogan's crosses and said they look great. He patted him on the shoulder. Hogan didn't look pleased. Styles said they should get out of there. Flair said they're going to do it "Nature Boy-like" in four days. "I'll see you on Monday," Flair said. They started to leave the ring.

Eric Bischoff appeared on the stage and said, "Not so fast." He said Styles has business left on the show. Bischoff announced that Styles would defend the TNA Title in a four-way match against Abyss, The Pope, and Desmond Wolfe. Flair protested that Styles has a big match on Monday night. Bischoff told him to live with it...

At ringside, Tenay and Taz put over the move to Mondays as the graphic was shown again. Another graphic hyped the tag team main event for Monday night...

Backstage, Jeremy Borash hyped the main event of the show and interviewed Desmond Wolfe and Chelsea. Desmond said he doesn't have to beat the man to be the man tonight. He said he can beat Abyss or Pope to win the title. Chelsea said she likes Abyss's ring and wants it. Desmond said consider it done. "What Chelsea wants, Chelsea gets," Wolfe concluded...

Powell's POV: Excellent hype for the tag match on Monday. Flair was awesome and his line about Abyss not getting one of the girls was classic. By the time the segment was over, the match felt much more significant than it did going into the show. Styles was okay on the mic. He was much better and more confident last week. It was wise to have Bischoff announce the main event of this show at the end of the segment while there was still star power in the ring. Wolfe had a tough act to follow, but his promo was good. By the way, Dot Net contributor Marv Hermanstyne is discussing the show in the Dot Net Members' forum tonight.

[Q2] [C] Backstage, Eric Bischoff was on the phone. He said "only a moron" would try to launch a pro football league to compete with the NFL. Jeff Jarrett entered the room and boasted about the burgers he cooked last week. Jarrett said he wanted to get back to the business of pro wrestling. Bischoff came up with another job for Jarrett. He handed him a plunger. Jarrett said he'll be the best TNA janitor ever...

Powell's POV: Who knew Bischoff is tight with the UFL commissioner. Oh, wait, now I get it. Please tell me I'll read a story on one of the sketchy websites tomorrow that Jarrett's line about being the best janitor ever was his way of shooting on Kip James.

1. Beer Money defeated Matt Morgan and Hernandez, and The Motor City Machine Guns, and Generation Me in a four-way tag match in 3:10. Morgan slipped past Hernandez during their entrance. Hernandez just shook his head. At 2:55, Morgan grabbed both G-Me wrestlers by the throat and chokeslammed them. He boasted to his partner. Morgan turned around and was superkicked by Storm, and then Roode rolled him up for the win...

Powell's POV: I'm digging the Morgan and Hernandez breakup angle. They don't do much for me as a tag team, but the quick rise and fall is working well. Morgan is much better off as a cocky heel.

Backstage, Bischoff spoke with Sean Morley while referee Slick Johnson stood by. Bischoff booked Morley vs. Jarrett in a falls count anywhere, no DQ match. Bischoff said he "forgot" to tell Jarrett, and asked Morley to "finish this for me"... A shot aired of Jarrett mopping a bathroom...

[Q3] Backstage, Kurt Angle asked Hulk Hogan to let him take care of Styles on Monday night. Hogan said that's his deal. Kurt praised the job Hogan is doing. "You're too important to go out there," Angle said. "You do your job back here and let me go out there." Hogan said he appreciates it and respects it, but he needs to earn the respect for himself. Hogan and Angle shook hands...

Powell's POV: Hogan noticeably winces just sitting down and standing up from his desk. Don't get your hopes up for too much from Hulk on Monday night.

A video featured Mick Foley at etiquette class. His female instructor wanted to work with him on buttoning his jacket when he stands up and unbuttoning it when he sits down. Foley questioned whether it would just save time to leave it unbuttoned. Funny. They said the segment was to be continued...

Powell's POV: Nice line from Foley, but a charm school skit is something I'd expect to see on Wrestlicious. Ugh.

2. Sean Morley pinned Jeff Jarrett in a falls count anywhere, no DQ match in 1:35. Morley asked the referee to ring the bell outside the bathroom. He entered the room and beat up the unsuspecting Jarrett. The ref explained what was happening to Jarrett, but Morley eventually pinned him...

Backstage, Christy Hemme interviewed The Pope, who hyped the four-way main event. He said that if Flair gets involved, he'll reach back into the '80s and pullout a pimp slap especially suited for him... [C]

Powell's POV: Pope made the most of a short promo. Nice line about the pimp slap. The Jarrett odd job stuff doesn't do much for me. It felt like a weird flashback to the days when the WWF Hardcore Title had the 24/7 rule.

The cut-in featured a shot of Rob Terry, as the announcers put over his match with Doug Williams coming up after the break...

[Q4] A video recapped the British Invasion's split with Rob Terry...

3. Rob Terry beat Doug Williams in a non-title match in 1:05. It was a champion vs. champion non-title match. Terry won with a slam. Brutus Magnus hit the ring afterward and attacked Terry. The Invasion left Terry lying...

Powell's POV: Wait, isn't there an X Division themed pay-per-view coming up? I know it's not an all-X show anymore, but you'd think they'd treat the X Division Champion a little better. At this point, they should just take the belt off Williams on Monday night. They haven't done anything with him as X Champ.

Backstage, Jarrett was having a sore arm examined by a trainer. Bischoff snuck in the room and wrenched his arm. Bischoff said he was giving Jarrett a match in the ring tonight. After Bischoff left, Jarrett called him a prick...

A shot aired of Ken Anderson dressed up like Kurt Angle, complete with bald piece on his head. Taz said it looked like Anderson was doing a bad impersonation of Angle... [C]

Another clip of Foley at charm school aired. He walked with a book on his head and plugged his own book. After a bunch of corny one-liners, a graphic noted that there was more to come...

Powell's POV: I'm actually warming up to these skits. It's not that they're good, but it's less painful than watching Foley struggle to get through a match.

A video recapped the Kurt Angle and Ken Anderson feud...

Anderson did the Angle entrance and came out with a big tray around his neck that read, "Loser." He said he's the best wrestler in the world today while impersonating Angle. "Oh, it's real," he said. "It's damn real." He said he's the most injury prone wrestler in the world today and then pretended to suffer a neck injury while talking. "I think I just broke my neck for the 17th time," he said.

[Q5] Anderson ran through the various ways he broke his neck, which included tying his shoes and "taking a dump." Anderson kept going until the real Kurt Angle came out. Angle entered the ring and they fought. Angle got the better of the exchange until they headed to ringside. Anderson grabbed a cup of beer and threw it in Angle's face. He pulled down his strap and then performed the Angle Slam on Kurt. Taz said there's nothing more disrespectful than being hit by your own move... [C]

Powell's POV: Anderson's line about Angle being the most injury prone wrestler was comical in that it was a nice wink to his own reputation. Unfortunately, that's about the only good thing I can say about it. It was not one of the better wrestler impersonation skits we've seen over the years. There's just too much campiness tonight with the Foley skits, the Jarrett skits, and now the Anderson impersonation skit. Worse yet, they haven't done much to build toward Monday night since the opening segment.

Backstage, Abyss told Hulk Hogan that he didn't have a good childhood and wasn't raised very well. He said his mother wouldn't let him watch television, but he always found a way to sneak upstairs to watch Hogan. He said he begged her to take him to a match and she eventually did.

Abyss said the building was rocking because of Hogan. Hulk said he got his power from Abyss that night because he knew he was watching. Abyss said getting the ring from Hogan means he has his power and that he can face Flair and Styles alone. Hogan said he and Abyss are one. Hogan said they have the same blood running through their veins. He said Abyss will protect him. He said all the kids who believe in Hulk Hogan now believe in Abyss...

Powell's POV: So corny. They are catering to kids with these skits, but the rest of the show is geared toward teens and adults. At least they hyped the tag match.

Tenay and Taz plugged the move to Mondays and then introduced a video package that recapped Angelina Love's feud with The Beautiful People...

Highlights aired of The Beautiful People attacking Love at a photo shoot "earlier today." Velvet whipped her with a strap while Lacey Von Erich held her. Lacey said she thought Love had enough. Velvet disagreed. Madison Rayne acted surprised by how violent Velvet was... [C]

Powell's POV: Get ready for the strap match. I like the little touch of having Lacey and Madison act surprised by Velvet's brutality. Their reactions put it over as vicious and made it meaningful.

[Q6] [C] Love headed to the ring and demanded that Velvet come to the ring. Velvet came out and waved the strap over her own head. Love left the ring and went after Velvet, who tried unsuccessfully to run away. Angelina beat her up rolled her inside the ring, where she hit her with a big kick. Angelina picked up the strap and waited for Lacey and Madison to run out and stop her from hitting Sky with the strap. They held down Love while Sky tagged her with the strap again...

Powell's POV: They did a good job of giving close-up shots of the marks on Love's back to put over the strap shots. I could have done without her beating up

Bubba The Love Sponge entered Hulk Hogan's office and chewed him out for returning to the ring. He said he has to help Hogan out of his chair, and even had to "rub on your back" just to get him out of the building three weeks ago. Hogan said the one thing that loved him and didn't leave him is the pro wrestling business. Bubba told him he was hired for his mind. "Don't be a mark for yourself, you don't have to wrestle," Bubba said... [C]

Powell's POV: I learned two things in this clip. Hogan's ring isn't the only thing that ever loved him (apparently the business does too), and Bubba is his personal massage boy. This would have been so much more effective coming from Brooke Hogan, and I don't want to see her on the show either.

Another Foley charm school video aired. She wanted to work on saying goodbye with him. He gave her a big bear hug...

Powell's POV: Make it stop!

A video recapped the Kevin Nash and Eric "Grease Lightning" Young feud with Scott Hall and Syxx-Pac... Tenay said Nash and Young will have a live promo on Monday about Hall and Pac...

Powell's POV: The balance of power is sure to shift now that they've announced a Nash and Fonzie promo for Monday night!

[Q7] 4. Jeff Jarrett pinned Tomko in 4:00. Jarrett held his shoulder as he came to the ring without entrance music. Tomko went right after it to start the match. Some guy wearing Hogan gear in the front row held up a sign that read, "We want Bubba." He's all yours, buddy. Take him, please. Jarrett fought back and rolled up Tomko for the win. A shot aired of an angry Bischoff watching the match on a backstage monitor... [C]

Powell's POV: Tomko must have the same abdominal issue that prevented Matt Hardy from working on his ab muscles.

Backstage, Eric Bischoff told Hogan that his brand is everything to the company. He asked him to reconsider his position on wrestling on Monday night. Hogan said it's a one shot deal and a "make or break." Hogan said Flair and Styles attacking Abyss was like them attacking a family member...

Ring introductions took place for the main even four-way title match. Pope came out hobbling on a bad ankle. The announcers said he was ignoring doctor's orders by competing in the match. They aired footage of Flair and Styles wrapping a chair around his ankle and stomping on it. Tenay said Pope suffered an Achilles Tendon injury...

[Q8] 5. A.J. Styles (w/Ric Flair) defeated The Pope, Desmond Wolfe (w/Chelsea), and Abyss in a four-way match to retain the TNA Title in 7:00. Pope was hobbling to start the match with Styles. Abyss and Pope cleared Wolfe and Styles from the ring before the break. [C]

The babyfaces were still roughing up the heels during the cut-in. After the break, the match continued. Taz said he still hasn't heard anything from Samoa Joe. In the end, Styles applied the Figure Four on Pope, who tapped out.

After the match, Flair pulled out the barbwire baseball bat and hit Abyss with it. Styles and Wolfe roughed up Abyss until Hulk Hogan headed to the ring. Hogan punched Flair and ended up with the bat. Hogan hit Flair with it, and Flair bled heavily. Security hit the ring and Hogan punched out most of them. A couple of agents entered the ring (including former WWE wrestler Dave Taylor), and Hogan finally mellowed out long enough to stop throwing punches. Tenay said they'd be back after the break. [C]

Powell's POV: The announcers did a really nice job of stressing that Styles's title was in jeopardy several times during the match. It was nice to hear announcers tease a possible title change consistently. I'm fine with Pope losing here because they set up the injury going into the match. By the way, if I'm ever thrown in the back of a van and no one knows where I am for a few weeks, call the f'n cops!!!

After the break, Flair was a bloody mess on the entrance ramp. Hogan said it was an example of what Monday night will be like. Pope took the mic and said he doesn't want to wait four days. He told them to come back to the ring. Styles and Wolfe walked toward the ring, but security cut them off. "Four days, Flair," Hogan said while holding up four fingers to close the show...

Powell's POV: The build for the Monday night tag match main event was solid. I'm not sure why Hogan got the better of Flair going into the match, but it wasn't like he did much to him. Rather, Flair just bladed heavily. I'm surprised they didn't announce more for Monday beyond the tag match and the Nash and Grease Lightning promo. I didn't expect them to hype too many matches, but I thought they would have had the announcers tease some surprises. Thanks for watching along with me for the final Thursday night Impact. I'll be by on Friday with the TNA Impact Hitlist.

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