5/13 Powell's TNA Impact Live Coverage: Rob Van Dam vs. Jeff Hardy vs. A.J. Styles in a triple threat match, Matt Morgan vs. Generation Me for the TNA Tag Titles, Tara vs. Taylor Wilde


prowrestling.net
MEMBERSHIP INFO | LOG-IN | CONTACT US | SUBMIT NEWS | ABOUT US
Insider News • Live TV & PPV Coverage • Hitlists • Results • Blogs

HOME | WWE NEWS | TNA NEWS | MMA NEWS | ALL NEWS | TV & PPV | ARENA REPORTS | VIEWPOINTS | PRODUCT REVIEWS | AWARDS



Dot Net App
GOT AN IPHONE, IPAD, IPOD TOUCH, SAMSUNG GALAXY TAB, OR ANDROID PHONE?

THEN BE SURE TO DOWNLOAD OUR NEW FREE APP
(or SEARCH "pro wrestling" in App Store or Android Marketplace)

Dot Net Podcast
CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO DOT NET FREE PODCAST IN ITUNES OR CLICK HERE FOR LISTING OF LATEST SHOWS

TNA TV Reports


5/13 Powell's TNA Impact Live Coverage: Rob Van Dam vs. Jeff Hardy vs. A.J. Styles in a triple threat match, Matt Morgan vs. Generation Me for the TNA Tag Titles, Tara vs. Taylor Wilde
May 13, 2010 - 10:00 PM


By Jason Powell

TNA Impact on Spike TV
Taped on May 4 at Universal Studios in Orlando, Fla.


[Q1] The show opened with a recap of the previous show... The title this week is "Three Tickets to Sacrifice"... The opening video aired... Mike Tenay and Taz introduced the show and hyped Tara vs. Taylor Wilde, and the TNA rankings system...

Eric Bischoff came to the ring and said he loves each and every one of the fans. Bischoff introduced "Mr. TNA" Rob Van Dam. Van Dam came to the ring and posed for the fans. Bischoff said a lot of interesting information was revealed in the poll. He said Jeff Hardy is one of the top names on the poll, and he thought nothing would be better than a match between Hardy and Van Dam.

Bischoff said there was one problem. He said he's been trying to track down Hardy, but no one can find him. Bischoff looked at his watch and said he doesn't have any choice other than to give RVD the night off. RVD took the mic and said he's enjoying being the TNA Champion, and he likes to prove he's the best. Van Dam said he won't take nights off and he's there to pop ratings for TNA.

A.J. Styles's music played and he headed to the ring. Tenay hyped that Styles was taking advantage of his rematch clause and challenging Van Dam at Sunday's Sacrifice pay-per-view. Styles entered the ring and said Van Dam should watch his mouth because there are children present. Styles said Van Dam should be a role model like he is.

Styles noted that Van Dam said he's ready to wrestle. A.J. said that's great because he's in the mood to hurt someone. Styles said the people came to the show to see him, not RVD. "I am TNA, and TNA is A.J. Styles," Styles said. "They did not come here to see some Cheech and Chong sideshow." Styles challenged RVD to a match on the show. Styles said he wants to break RVD's leg so that he doesn't have to break a sweat at the PPV.

Jeff Hardy's music played and he headed to the ring wearing street clothes. Hardy stood at ringside and said he's ready for his match tonight. Styles said there's already a match booked between him and RVD. Hardy suggested that Van Dam make it a three-way match. Styles didn't like the idea. RVD told Bischoff to make the match. Bischoff complied...

Powell's POV: A decent segment that had so seem odd for fans who checked the TNA website and saw that match advertised. Styles's threatening to break Hardy's leg seemed shallow. Creative should book him in a way that makes it seem like he has a sadistic streak so that such threats actually ring true instead of coming across more comedic than serious.

The announcers spoke about the match and hyped the show...

[Q2] [C] Backstage, Jeremy Borash interviewed The Beautiful People. Madison Rayne hyped her match against Tara for the pay-per-view by saying she's going to prove to everyone that she deserves the title. Velvet Sky took her turn on the mic while Lacey Von Erich squirmed. She took off running because she had to pee. Madison told her Velvet that Lacey is with them because she's really pretty...

1. Tara beat Taylor Wilde in 1:30. Tenay hyped that Rob Terry will face Orlando Jordan at the pay-per-view, and Abyss will face Desmond Wolfe. As for the match, Taylor leapt off the ropes and Tara caught her with a kick and then pinned her. Afterward, Tara roughed up Taylor with her knee brace. Sarita ran out for the save...

Powell's POV: Wow, that was a flat finish. I don't think anyone expected the match to end that way so the crowd just sat on their hands.

Backstage, there was a big group of people huddled around Desmond Wolfe and a sobbing Chelsea. Desmond tried to shove the people away... [C]

After the break, Christy Hemme delivered an update that was hard to make out because she was standing in front of the crowd that was huddled around Chelsea and Desmond. Hemme said Chelsea was talking with the police. As ring entrances for the next match were taking place, Taz and Tenay speculated about what might have happened to Chelsea...

2. Brian Kendrick pinned Douglas Williams in 2:15. Williams came to the ring with the X Division Title and said Kendrick isn't worthy of an X Division Title match. The announcers quickly explained that Williams isn't the champion and simply has the belt. Kazarian joined the announcers on commentary.

[Q3] Kazarian talked about stepping aside from the business for over a year and putting his personal and professional life in perspective. Taz pointed out that Kazarian could go get the belt. Kazarian said Williams has a legitimate gripe, but added that he won the title. Kazarian headed to ringside, which distracted Williams, who was rolled up by Kendrick for the 1-2-3...

Backstage, Christy Hemme pulled aside agent Pat Kenney and asked him for a comment on the Chelsea situation. Kenney, said he wasn't at liberty to say anything and he couldn't believe what he just heard... [C]

Powell's POV: For the ECW impaired, Kenney wrestled as Simon Diamond. He also worked in TNA as the tag partner of Johnny Swinger.

Backstage, Hemme said she could confirm the name of the alleged attacker, but police officials are not allowing her to release that information until the person is in custody...

Powell's POV: Was she beaten, harassed, teased, given a swirly? How about some damn details?

3. Matt Morgan vs. Generation Me for the TNA Tag Titles concluded with a non-finish. Morgan roughed up Generation Me and then took the mic. "Hogan, does it look like we're playing?" Morgan asked. He said there would be bloodshed if Hogan didn't tell him who his partner was going to be at the pay-per-view. Morgan said this is where he would make good on his promise.

Morgan threw one of his opponents to ringside. However, Samoa Joe's music played and he came to the ring. Morgan went for the Carbon Footprint, but Joe moved and returned fire with a kick of his own. Joe picked up Morgan, hit the Muscle Buster, and left him lying...

Powell's POV: That entire segment just kind of came out of nowhere without warning. It wasn't bad, but obviously it wasn't designed to do any favors for Generation Me.

With Morgan lying in the ring, The Band came out and Kevin Nash was carrying a briefcase. Tenay recalled that Nash had earned a tag title shot via the Feast or Fired match. One of the announcers said he had forgotten all about it. He's not the only one.

4. Kevin Nash and Scott Hall (w/Eric Young) defeated Matt Morgan to win the TNA Tag Titles. Nash entered the ring and hooked Morgan's leg. The referee counted to three. Hall and Nash were named new tag team champions. Young had the tag belts and took an HBK-like lap around the ring while Hall and Nash acted tired from their "match"... [C]

Powell's POV: I'm all for getting the belts off Morgan so that he can get a heel singles push. However, I don't like the idea of putting the tag titles on Hall and Nash. Granted, they need some credibility at this point, but TNA has plenty of good tag teams that can actually work. Why not put the tag belts on one of those teams (Beer Money) and have them feud with another team that really go (Machine Guns, Generation Me).

[Q4] Backstage, Hervey-Cam caught Jesse Neal and Shannon Moore discussing their pay-per-view match against Hall and Nash...

5. Ink Inc. defeated Beer Money, Team 3D, and Motor City Machine Guns in a four-way tag match in 7:20. Good action early with the Guns and Beer Money. The teams were all given moments to shine. Late in the match, Team 3D hit the Doomsday Device on Neal, but Moore brike up the pin. A short time later, Moore hit Mooregasm, and Neal followed up with a spear on Brother Ray for the win...

Powell's POV: Good action. I don't understand why they're throwing Ink Inc. a bone when the Guns and Generation Me are always on the outside looking in, but so be it. It looked like Moore lost an earring the hard way, as his ear was a bloody mess after the match.

Backstage, Ric Flair spoke to Hervey-Cam. He said he thinks there might be a little rift between RVD and Hardy. Flair said Styles doesn't need him, and said Van Dam would be limping his way to Sacrifice...

A shot aired of Rob Terry walking backstage. The announcers hyped Terry's match against Abyss for after the break... [C]

Backstage, the Hervey-Cam was watching Jeff Hardy put his makeup on when Rob Van Dam entered the room. Hardy thanked him for the match. RVD asked if Hardy could imagine how loud the fans would be. They put each other over and showed no signs of the rift that Flair teased there was...

[Q5] Tenay hyped that "the fighting champion" Rob Terry would face Abyss. Terry made his entrance. The "American Made" theme song played, but Abyss didn't come out. The camera cut backstage where the police were putting the handcuffs on Abyss. Christy Hemme actually tried to stop them.

"Where's Hulk?" Abyss asked. "I didn't do this. I'm telling the truth." Desmond showed up and took a shot at abyss. Pat Kenney and the police pulled off Desmond. Hogan showed up and tried to calm Abyss down. Abyss swore on his life that he didn't do anything wrong. Abyss said the cops wanted his mask. Hulk turned Abyss away from the camera, removed the mask, and then covered Abyss's head. The police drove away with Abyss in he backseat of the squad car...

Tenay and Taz said they now know that Abyss is accused of assault. Terry was still in the ring. Orlando Jordan attacked him from behind and low-blowed him, and then followed up with a pipe shot to the head. Orlando placed a card that read, "The Wild Card" on Terry's back... [C]

Powell's POV: Zero heat for the OJ and Terry segment. It doesn't help that they're having two guys who are struggling to get over working in a program together. The Abyss stuff was really campy, which is just par for the course. Let the record show that I miss my free Thursday nights. Yes, I'm whining.

Jordan was in the ring after the break. He said the foreplay is over. He said he's the wild card of TNA. The fans booed. He asked if they want him to leave. They cheered. He said they have to allow him to fulfill their every fantasy. He issued an open challenge to the locker room, which led to the next match...

6. Orlando Jordan beat Tomko in 3:10. In the end, Jordan applied a guillotine choke. He lost his grip for a second and reapplied it. Referee Earl Hebner stopped the match...

[Q6] The Hervey-Cam was focussed on Hulk Hogan in a backstage area. Hogan said he knows Abyss "isn't that man." Lacey Von Erich entered the room and said it's all been a big mistake. She handed Hogan a mobile device. He looked at it and the show went to break... [C]

Powell's POV: Come back after the commercial break to find out whether the aging Hulkster has any idea what the device was that Lacey just handed to him. In all seriousness, is this the beginning of Lacey's babyface turn? Oh, and all the fuss over Orlando keeping his hand on Tomko's crotch during the low-blow was silly. He held his arm there maybe a second longer than Ric Flair does when he delivers low-blows.

Backstage, Eric Bischoff told Tara that she's going to wrestle Sarita. He said her attitude has been piss poor. He ordered her to get to the ring without saying another word...

7. Tara pinned Sarita. Sarita came out first and then attacked Tara during her entrance. She knocked her off the entrance ramp and then made some dumb finger pointing gesture. They battled to ringside and eventually into the ring. Sarita tried to rip Tara's knee brace off. The referee pulled her off. She tried to get away and accidentally elbowed him in the head. Tara hit Sarita with the knee brace and scored the pin...

Powell's POV: They're putting so much focus on Tara that I'm beginning to wonder whether they've worked out a new deal. I'm all for it if they did because she's arguably the best worker in the division right now.

A shot aired of A.J. Styles backstage in his wannabe Naitch robe... [C] A video hyped the Sting vs. Jeff Jarrett match for the Legends of Wrestling 2, er, TNA Sacrifice pay-per-view...

[Q7] The entrances for the main event took place. The announcer noted that it was a non-title match. Tenay hyped Hardy vs. Mr. Anderson as another pay-per-view match as Hardy and then Styles made their entrances. Hervey-Cam showed RVD talking generically about the match backstage... [C]

Rob Van Dam made his entrance after the break...

Powell's POV: I like the way they saved RVD's entrance. The champ should get that type of showcase moment. It's also good to see this match should get a lot of time given that it started over 20 minutes before the top of the hour.

8. A.J. Styles defeated Rob Van Dam and Jeff Hardy in a three-way non-title match in 5:55. Early in the match, Hardy hit a Stunner-like move on Van Dam. Even Taz noted that it looked like a Stunner. Styles quickly took control of the match and targeted Van Dam's knee. Styles applied the figure four at 4:00, but Hardy broke it up.

Hardy was bumped to ringside by Styles. Mr. Anderson came out and clotheslined Hardy. Anderson threw repeated punches at Hardy. Meanwhile, the ref was bumped in the ring. RVD headed to ringside and went after Anderson. Styles performed a big flip dive over the top rope onto all three men.

Styles DDT'd RVD on the floor and then rolled him back inside the ring where he used the ropes for leverage and scored the pin. Anderson walked up the ramp and insincerely said, "I'm so sorry." He then applauded Styles. Meanwhile, RVD helped Hardy to his feet. Hardy told RVD to go backstage. Hardy invited Anderson to the ring. Anderson started toward the ring, but stopped.

Hulk Hogan's NWO theme played. He walked onto the stage and crossed his arms while the crowd cheered. Hulk looked at Anderson and shook his head no. Anderson eventually took a swing at Hogan, who, of course, blocked the punch and threw one of his own that knocked Anderson down the ramp, where Hardy was waiting. Hardy and Anderson brawled into the break... [C]

Powell's POV: That's all? Really? You can't tease people with a "dream" three-way match and deliver a forgettable six-minute match. The live crowd didn't even react to the finish. If TNA doesn't deliver something memorable with that matchup, why would anyone get excited the next time they hype a big television match?

Hardy and Anderson were still brawling after the break. The announcers said we'd see the footage that Lacey showed Hogan shortly. Meanwhile, Hardy set up a table on the floor and placed Anderson on top of it. Hardy went to the announcers table and performed a Swanton off the table and onto Anderson, which drove him through the table. Hardy played to the crowd while referees tended to Anderson.

Powell's POV: I can't wait to see babyface Hardy get his revenge on heel Anderson on Sunday. Um, never mind.

Video footage aired of Desmond tearing Chelsea's dress and coaching her on what to say to the police. The video was shot with Lacey's mobile device. The announcers noted that Wolfe is putting Chelsea on the line against the Hall of Fame ring that Hogan gave Abyss. The announcers delivered one final push for the pay-per-view...

A long video previewed the various Sacrifice pay-per-view matches...

Powell's POV: The videos were well done. I'm just have a feeling that a lot of people turn the channel when they sense that the studio portion of the show has concluded. Sadly, the show didn't get me excited about Sunday's pay-per-view. It has the potential to be a good show if they give the right matches enough time, but this wasn't the hot show the company needed after a 10 day layoff.

I'll have a lot more to say tonight in my TNA Impact audio review, which is available exclusively to Dot Net Members. You are running out of time to sign up for the $5 per month charter membership rate, which expires on May 25. If you are a charter member, your rate will stay at $5 per month (as long as you don't cancel) even after the rates increase to $7.50 per month. You can sign up now in via the Dot Net Members' Signup Page.

RECOMMEND THIS ARTICLE:


READ OUR INSIDER NEWS BEFORE ANYONE ELSE! BECOME A MEMBER FOR JUST $7.50 A MONTH (or less with a year-long sub) - GET THE FIRST LOOK AT EXCLUSIVE INSIDER DOT NET NEWS, TONS OF EXCLUSIVE AUDIO CONTENT, MEMBER MESSAGE BOARD ACCESS, START YOUR OWN BLOG, AND VIEW THE SITE WITHOUT ANY ADVERTISING: SIGN ME UP (or MORE INFO)



RELATED ARTICLES FROM MGID AFFILIATE SITES...



MEMBERSHIP INFO
Become a Dot Net Member right now for $7.50 a month or $66 a year ($5.50 a month avg.). Get exclusive audio, first-look insider news, Forum access, member blogs, more...

CLICK FOR SIGN-UP INFO


The Current Must-Read List
ACCESS PREVIOUS MUST-READ ARTICLES

Vote In Our Latest Poll


Dot Net Free Podcasts
CLICK FOR FULL LISTING OF ALL PODCASTS

Latest from Our Affiliate Site

_pwtorch.com_
CLICK HERE FOR MORE PWTORCH HEADLINES

© 2008-2012 LAST ROW MEDIA LLC • ALL RIGHTS RESERVED -- PRIVACY POLICY