TNA Impact on Spike TV
Taped in Orlando, Fl.

[Q1] Highlights of Sting's return and heel turn from last week were shown. His quick loss to and beating of Rob Van Dam was featured. The show ending angle with Hulk Hogan, Abyss, A.J. Styles, Ric Flair, Desmond Wolfe, The Pope, and the returning Jeff Hardy closed the highlight package...

A brown Hummer pulled up and Hogan, Abyss, Hardy, and RVD exited together. Abyss was driving. The new opening video and music aired, and RVD was added to it, and fireworks lit up the Impact Zone. A.J. Styles and Ric Flair made their way to the ring...

Twill's Two Cents: Solid opening recapping all of last week's major happenings. Someone tuning in would definitely be interested in seeing how things continue with the big players tonight.

With Flair standing solemnly next to him, Styles cut a promo belittling Abyss for believing a "magic ring" could assist him in becoming the TNA World Heavyweight Champion on Sunday. Styles recalled past matches between the two and called himself a gift from God. The fans chanted "Turn his mic off." Ouch.

Flair took the mic and admittedly was out of control. He took off his suit jacket and made reference to his ground beef forehead. Flair made himself bleed heavily and said he hated Jeff Hardy. He called Styles the champ and himself the boss. He called out Hardy and he obliged, complete with a Jericho and Christian-like countdown video.

Hardy had skeleton-like face paint and a stylish cap on. Styles screamed at Hardy and asked him who the hell he thought he was. He called him a nobody. Flair got in his face too. Styles challenged Hardy to a match tonight. The fans chanted "Hardy" and Jeff pointed at them.

Hardy said it would be "a breeze." Flair went nuts and told Hardy to "get high" backstage. Hardy said he would be "flying high on the backs of his creatures of the night." He let out a wolf howl/woooo as the lights went out and his music played. He posed for the crowd...

Twill's Two Cents: Very good opening segment. Styles was not very good on the mic early, but he got better in the emotional interaction with Hardy. Flair was great and really saved the segment. Hardy is still very over and the idea of Styles vs. Hardy is a big time program for TNA, so this was a great followup of last week's happenings.

Backstage, Mick Foley approached Eric Bischoff about what happened last week. Bischoff was pissed at Foley and said tonight Foley would have his head shaved so he will look "more corporate." Foley said his look was his trademark. Bischoff replied, "Not anymore it's not." ... [C]

Twill's Two Cents: Foley getting his head shaved is a good teaser to keep people around for the show.

[Q2] Tenay and Taz ran down tonight's card. Footage was shown of the Nasty Boys beating the crap out of Jesse Neal with Jimmy Hart shouting encouragement through his megaphone...

Twill's Two Cents: Wow, time warp. I'll admit though, I'm damn glad to see Jimmy Hart and TNA utilizing managers again.

In the ring, Brian Knobs said tonight's match would now be a handicap match. Brother Ray came out and said that was not going to be the case. Brother Runt (Spike Dudley) made his return and even up the sides...

1. The Nasty Boys and Jimmy Hart defeated Team 3D and Brother Runt in 3:11. Runt started like a ball of fire but quickly succumbed to the heels. Jimmy Hart tagged in and awkwardly handed off the motorcycle helmet to Knobs as Team 3D stood around. Knobs hit Ray and Hart covered him for the win...

After the match, the Nasty Boys grabbed a table but Jesse Neal hit the ring. They put Knobs through the table and they celebrated...

Twill's Two Cents: I always liked the trio of Team 3D and Brother Runt (in any company) so it's good to see Runt back. As for the match itself, well, I guess we will get more of this program, probably to the dismay of Team 3D.

Backstage, Christy Hemme interviewed Angelina Love. Love said it made her mad that The Beautiful People were the Knockout Tag Team Champions. She placed an open challenge to any of TBP and said she would "rid the world, one Beautiful Person at a time." ... [C]

Jeremy Borash interviewed Scott Hall and Syxx Pac. Hall was wearing that hilarious TNA sweatshirt with "Wolfpac" written on it. Hall said they would win on Sunday and as a result, earn TNA contracts. Kevin Nash and Eric Young approached them.

Nash challenged Hall to "five minutes" on tonight's show and offered him $25,000 if he could beat him. Hall accepted and Nash made a joke about expensive health care...

Twill's Two Cents: That was the best and healthiest Hall has looked in a long time. TNA has done a nice job with this program and although I'm sure some people don't want to see it, give them credit for properly building it up.

[Q3] Mr. Anderson and Desmond Wolfe entered to Anderson's music. Kurt Angle and Pope came out to Angle's music...

Twill's Two Cents: This match is a perfect example of how valuable Kurt Angle (and others, if they choose to) can be when not in the title picture. Pope, Anderson, and Wolfe are all potential main event guys and long programs with Angle will do nothing but help them get there.

2. Kurt Angle and D'Angelo Dinero defeated Mr. Anderson and Desmond Wolfe in 3:27. Angle hit a great overhead belly to belly suplex early on. Pope tagged in and enjoyed some impressive offense despite the bad wheel. The crowd was strongly behind him. He nearly won the match but Anderson broke up the pinfall.

Angle entered to offset the double teaming of the heels. Wolfe attempted to take advantage of Pope's bad leg by applying a figure four leg lock, but Pope countered with a small cradle for the win...

After the match, Wolfe attacked Pope and they fought up the ramp. Anderson attacked Angle and left him laying. He took Angle's "warrior medal" and drove it into the forehead of Angle. Anderson grabbed his house mic and delivered a promo right into Angle's very bloody face. He then hit him with the microphone over and over...

Twill's Two Cents: The match highlighted Pope and the post match attack highlighted Anderson. Anderson's foil to Angle's American hero character has been near perfectly done. I wish Wolfe was made to look a little stronger, but his association with Styles and Flair is solid, especially with Pope facing Styles at Lockdown.

In Hogan's office, he addressed Jeff Hardy and Rob Van Dam. Apparently, they had been talking already. Hogan told Hardy to take care of Styles and not worry about Flair. He made sure Hardy, RVD, and him were all on the same page. They thanked Hogan and left.

Bischoff entered Hogan's office and was a bit miffed that Hogan brought in Hardy and RVD without telling him. Hogan said Bischoff had other things going and that they were a team. Eric reluctantly said Hogan made a "great call" and that they were cool. Hogan said "that was weird." ...

Twill's Two Cents: TNA has done a great job separating and giving programs to both Hogan and Bischoff. The tension between the two is just starting to stir and when it boils, it should be very entertaining.

[Q4] Angelina Love made her entrance. TBP came out to the ramp and Velvet Sky and said Love would face "an honorary member of The Beautiful People." Daffney came from under the ring and attacked Angelina...

3. Angelina Love vs. Daffney (with The Beautiful People) ended in a no contest in 1:19. The match was thrown out after Daffney grabbed her toolbox and TBP attacked Angelina. They began a four on one attack after the match but Tara hit the ring and hit the Widow's Peak on Madison Rayne. Daffney escaped and they stared each other down from a distance...

Twill's Two Cents: All of a sudden, the Knockout Division has new life. With a similar prognosis for both the Tag Team and X Divisions, TNA seems to be successfully bringing these divisions back to life.

Jeff Hardy vs. A.J. Styles was hyped... [C]

Footage of Sting's return, loss to Rob Van Dam, and post match beating of RVD was shown from last week...

Hulk Hogan and his badass music headed out to the ring. The crowd was red hot for his entrance. Tenay said Sting was in the building and Hogan wanted answers from him...

Hogan entered the ring and said, "Cut that damn music." ...

Twill's Two Cents: I guess I like his music more than he does.

Hogan said lying in a pool of blood next to his partner was "nothing new Jack." He ranted and raved at Sting for selling out and turning on Dixie Carter. He called him a coward and had the camera shoot up in to the rafters. Sting was shown walking around the catwalk and Hogan said he was scared to face him eye to eye.

Sting slowly made his way down the stairs as the cameraman followed him from behind. Hogan said Sting better take his time because he would get the ass whipping of a lifetime. RVD attacked Sting from behind and beat on him around the ring as Hogan watched from the ring. RVD and Hogan did their poses.

[Q5] Van Dam continued the onslaught as the crowd chanted "RVD." Van Dam threw Sting's bat to Hogan and rolled Sting into the ring as well. Hogan was going to hit Sting with the bat but was stopped by Bischoff. "What are you doing? What the hell are you doing?" Bischoff said Hogan was there to lead the company, not to wrestle.

Eric called for security to escort Sting from the ring and to safety. He berated Hogan and reminded him he made a promise to Brooke that he would stay out of the ring. "Be done with it, be done with it Hulk." Bischoff left, Hogan soaked in the moment, and hugged Brooke at ringside...

Twill's Two Cents: They did not do a whole lot with RVD last week, so this week's followup has been very well done. All of these interlinking feuds and programs have the potential to produce a lot of intriguing and different matchups. Hogan and Bischoff having a power struggle should be done slowly, so they shouldn't blow through it too fast.

Backstage, Hernandez told Jeff Jarrett he remembered who gave him his first shot and that he had Jarrett's back against Beer Money. Bischoff was listening and then interrupted. He placed Hernandez in a handicap match with Beer Money and made Jarrett the referee. He said if Jarrett messed up, he was done with the company... [C]

4. Scott Hall apparently defeated Kevin Nash in a $25,000 Challenge Match in 3:07. Tenay pointed out Hall would get the money if he could last the entire five minutes. Hall wore jeans and his sweatshirt. Typical Hall vs. Nash match. Taz called it "vintage" and said he would trying to say that every Monday night. Funny.

Syxx Pac attacked Nash from behind and they double teamed him. The referee just stood there with the money in his left hand. Eric Young made the temporary save but after handcuffing Nash to the ropes, Hall and Pac beat up Young and ended up with the money, hence making Hall the winner... [C]

Twill's Two Cents: Well, Sunday's match is not going to be in an ring classic and hopefully Young and Pac are ready to work. The formula of short television matches building to pay-per-view matches worked damn well in the late 90s, so I understand the theme of this, and recent, TNA Impact broadcasts.

[Q6] JB interviewed Beer Money backstage. They explained their heel turn by saying they have been "left in the back like a couple of rookies" since Hogan and Bischoff came to TNA. Bischoff finally gave them an opportunity and they took it by beating up Jarrett. Storm said they would do the same to Hernandez tonight...

5. Beer Money defeated Hernandez in a handicap match in 3:38. Jarrett was the guest referee. The match was tornado style with both Storm and Roode in the ring at once. Matt Morgan came out but decided to join the announce booth instead of going to the ring.

Morgan heeled it up and said Hernandez wanted to be someone else's partner tonight. He said they needed a warmup match but Hernandez put his nose in someone else's business. After a lot of double teaming, Beer Money scored the pinfall. Jarrett reluctantly made the count and raised the hands of Beer Money...

After the match, Jarrett took off the referee shirt and attacked Beer Money as Hernandez came to and helped Jarrett fight off Beer Money. Morgan had already left the announce booth and headed to the back... [C]

Twill's Two Cents: However it has to be done and I don't care if it is predictable, Beer Money needs to win back the titles on Sunday. If Morgan turns on Hernandez, fine, they are not a real team anyway. Beer Money will breath new life into the belts. This show is doing a nice job focusing on a pay-per-view without a big selling match.

[Q7] With a barber's chair in the ring, Eric Bischoff stood with a microphone. He said Jeff Jarrett's ass would "be mine" next week. He called Foley out to the ring. He sat Foley down but Mick had a change of heart and along with Mr. Socko, applied the mandible claw to Bischoff, knocking him out.

He placed Bischoff in the chair and shaved the middle of his head. The camera showed Bischoff with from behind with his head leaning back. Foley woke Bischoff up and showed him his handy work with a mirror. Bischoff was irate as Foley retreated up the ramp... [C]

Twill's Two Cents: From that camera Angle of Bischoff, he looked like Hogan. Fun angle that gets me wondering if Brutus Beefcake was watching and thinking his gimmick was stolen, or if his return is imminent. Bischoff and Hogan have a lot of balls in the air, but everything is clicking right now, from the bottom of the card to the top.

Shannon Moore cut a promo backstage about his X Division Championship match on Sunday. Afterwards, a close-up of the Ultimate X was shown. The Motor City Machine Guns were in the ring. Chris Sabin cut a basic promo explaining Ultimate X and then turned up the volume asking what Generation Me has ever done to deserve a spot in the match.

Generation Me came out to the ring. They pointed out they defeated the Machine Guns two months ago. Alex Shelley called it luck and said G-Me was good, but they were great. "We are the X Box to your Atari." After a comment about their girlfriends, a brawl ensued.

Brian Kendrick, Amazing Red, Daniels, and Kazarian entered the ring to involve themselves in the brawl. With ladders, they gave a preview of what will happen on Sunday. Red, from the top of the ladder, hit a somersault plancha on all four heels on the floor. The babyfaces posed on the ladder in the ring...

Twill's Two Cents: A spot fest X Division segment that did more for the division than most any of the matches in the division over the past several months. The segment did a solid job putting over the division and each guy in it. Oddly though, the winners of the match on Sunday earn a tag team championship match, so there is a sprinkle of one division into the other one.

[Q8] Abyss, tonight's special enforcer in the main event, cut a promo. He said someone was finally jealous of him. He yelled and then delivered Hogan's catchphrases. He is moving away from the jittery and nervous incarnation of himself, which is a good thing... [C]

6. Jeff Hardy defeated A.J. Styles (with Ric Flair) in a non-title match with Abyss as the special enforcer in 9:09. Hardy was announced as his previous TNA nickname, "The Charismatic Enigma." Hardy made his entrance and posed in the corner as the show went to commercial... [C]

The bell rang as soon as the commercial break ended and Styles enjoyed an early advantage before Hardy came back with a second rope leg drop for the first nearfall. Abyss and Flair teased going at it on the floor. Styles hit a nice dropkick and worked on the leg of Hardy.

[Overrun] Styles grounded Hardy with a rear chinlock. Hardy fought back and hit several moves followed by the front suplex. He scored a two count after the delayed corner dropkick. Styles came back with a sick brain buster for a long two count. Hardy hit the Whisper in the Wind (not called by the announcers) out of nowhere.

Hardy attempted the Twist of Fate (called by the announcers) but Styles countered with the Pele kick. Conflicting "Let's go Hardy, let's go A.J." chants could be heard, even though Tenay said the crowd was "firmly behind Hardy." A springboard move knocked the referee out. Styles went for a chair but Abyss stopped him in his tracks.

Styles tried the springboard 450 splash but missed. Hardy hit the Twist of Fate and then the Swanton Bomb. With the referee down, Abyss came in and made the three count for Hardy. After the match, Flair hit Hardy with the chair, but Abyss could not be beaten down.

Abyss chased Flair up the ramp, Hulked up, and punched the chair out of his hands. He then chokeslammed Flair through the ramp. Styles was shown cowering in the corner of the ring clutching his belt to his chest...

Twill's Two Cents: Normally, I do not like when champions lose non-title matches, but I like that Hardy got the win here instead of a screwy non-finish. Hardy looks great for pinning the champion, Abyss looked beyond relevant, and Flair will always be over. Styles actually came out looking the weakest, but I will stand by my support of him and Flair together as a unit. I'll have more to say in the Member's Exclusive audio and tomorrow's Hitlist.

What did you think of the show? Feel free to let me know by shooting an email to dotnetrich@gmail.com.

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