By Rich Twilling

TNA Impact on Spike TV
Taped in Orlando, Fla.

[Q1] Footage aired from the Sacrifice pay-per-view this past Sunday. Tonights show is entitled "10 Card Stud." Fireworks lit up the stage. Mike Tenay and Taz welcomed us to the show. Tenay hyped the top ten rankings...

They hyped the "Hogan-Bischoff Regime" making an announcement about tonight's main event. Kurt Angle's return was also advertised...

Eric Bischoff and Ms. Tessmacher made their way to the ring. There were three large pictures set up in the ring with the top ten contenders logo on each one. Bischoff reminded us the TNA Championship committee was comprised of Hogan, Dixie Carter, and Bischoff.

He said there were three criteria. The first was the fan voting, the second was career win-loss and championship record, and the third was TNA win-loss and championship record...

Samoa Joe checked in at number ten. A short video narrated by the Darth Vader voice played. Number nine was Rob Terry...

Twill's Two Cents: Okay, this is already BS.

Desmond Wolfe landed the number eight spot, followed by The Pope at number seven. Abyss scored the number six spot. Mr. Anderson was number five and he received both cheers and boos. He came out and did not do anything especially heelish.

Each stood on one of the two sides of the stage. Presumably, the babyfaces were on our right with Joe, Terry, Pope, Abyss, and number four Jeff Hardy. Desmond Wolfe, Mr. Anderson, and number three, A.J. Styles all stood to our left on the stage.

Kurt Angle made his return to the Impact Zone as the number two man in the rankings. Well, that was the idea. His music played for awhile but he never came out. The crowd chanted "We want Angle!"

Finally, the number one spot went to Sting. As a result, Sting will face TNA World Heavyweight Champion Rob Van Dam at the Slammiversary pay-per-view. Sting came all the way to the ring. Bischoff congratulated Sting on behalf of "TNA Entertainment."

Bischoff then made the main event for the night, pitting Sting against Jeff Hardy. Sting said he would do the same thing to Hardy as he did to Jeff Jarrett last Sunday. Sting said Bischoff, Hogan, and Dixie "wanted change." He knocked the crap out of the pictures with his bat.

[Q2] Sting then said Bischoff needed to change the way he walked. He attacked him with the baseball bat. Abyss tried to stop him but Sting kicked his ass too. Hardy finally took the bat away from Sting. He dropped the bat and they went face to face.

Hardy slapped Sting in the face. Sting hit a low blow and picked up the bat. RVD's music hit and he came out to the ring. As Sting paid attention to RVD, Hardy took out his leg from behind. He then hit an Old School Expulsion (reverse Twist of Fate). Sting got out of there and Hardy and RVD shook hands in the ring... [C]

Twill's Two Cents: I actually liked this opening segment because it was different and things were slowed down a bit. I don't want an Impact where ten things are happening at once. As for Sting vs. RVD, I guess the fan voting didn't mean shit. Sting had about 1% of the vote. Too bad Joe didn't just kick everyone's ass while standing there.

Back from the commercial, the cameraman tried to find hot girls in the stands. Footage was shown of everything that took place in the first segment...

Hervey cam checked in on Ms. Tessmacher checking on Eric Bischoff. Hulk Hogan was there too and said they needed to make Sting disappear. Matt Morgan entered and asked about his tag team championship rematch. Hogan said he had his rematch and cared more about Sting...

Roxxi made her return as well. Madison Rayne came out without either of the other two members of The Beautiful People...

1. Roxxi defeated Madison Rayne in a non-title match in 2:39. Roxxi went for a few covers within the first seconds of the match. Rayne fought back with her left handed offense. Rayne scored a two count. Out of nowhere, Roxxi hit the Voodoo Drop for the win...

Twill's Two Cents: I have mixed feelings about this. Despite being he champion, Madison still needs to win matches and build credibility. However, Roxxi winning this match helps to deepen the depleted Knockouts Division.

Backstage, Chelsea was complaining to Desmond Wolfe about having to go with Abyss for thirty days. Wolfe said she had nothing to worry about because Abyss would have to answer to him if he did anything. He was more concerned about flying solo. He said Chelsea was his girl...

Kurt Angle was walking backstage and a voice asked him why he didn't come out when he was made the number two challenger. Angle didn't say anything and just kept walking...

Twill's Two Cents: That was a waste of Angle's first appearance in awhile. I figured he didn't come out before because he was going to have a more grand entrance. By the way Dot Net Members, hang out and discuss the show with Marvin Hermanstyne right now in the Member's Forum.

[Q3] A Kurt Angle video package aired with some newer and older footage, with Angle saying he was coming back focused on the TNA World Heavyweight Championship. In case I didn't mention it, Jeremy Borash is the in ring announcer. He introduced Angle, who came out to the ring.

Angle had a little goatee and a huge smile. The crowd chanted "Angle!" over and over. One fan yelled, "I love you Kurt Angle." Kurt stopped and said, "Thank you, I love you too." Angle said when he came to TNA, he was the elite and the best. The crowd chanted, "You still are!"

Angle said now with Jeff Hardy, RVD, Mr. Anderson, A.J. Styles, Samoa Joe, Eric Young, and Jay Lethal, he is just another name on the roster. He said Kurt Angle was bred to be a winner and will be a winner for the rest of his life.

He said he had done it all in pro wrestling and said to reinvent himself, he was going to start from scratch. He said he was taking himself out of the top ten. He said he would wrestle every one of the top ten. He said we would see some of the greatest matches of all time...

Twill's Two Cents: Well, that means we get Angle vs. Samoa Joe first. I am cool with that. I just don't think Angle vs. Rob Terry will be one of the greatest matches of all time. Good promo and nice to see Kurt back.

Backstage, Christy Hemme interviewed Ric Flair and Beer Money. She asked about Jay Lethal and who has tag team partner would be tonight against Beer Money. Flair got pissed at Hemme for mentioning anyone else in the same sentence as him.

Flair said Beer Money was the muscle of TNA. Kazarian came into the picture and told Beer Money he needed to talk to Flair. Flair it was cool and then asked Hemme if she got married without "riding the legend" first. She was disgusted and left... [C]

Twill's Two Cents: Nice to see Flair with Beer Money. If anyone needs someone like Flair to get them over, it is Kazarian, so a heel turn for him would be a positive thing. I'm also curious to see who Lethal's partner is so far. This show has focus thus far.

[Q4] I got a NASCAR commercial that used the WWE Raw theme song... Rob Terry cut a Hervey promo (minus the closed captioning) saying his knee was injured in four places. He said he was going to knock Orlando Jordan's teeth down his throat...

2. Orlando Jordan defeated Rob Terry in a non-title match in 2:59. Terry sold the knee injury suffered at the hands of Jordan before and during the match. Jordan attacked Terry before the bell. Rob fought back.

Jordan finally went after the knee. He took off his knee pad and hit a series of moves followed by the application of a leg bar. Terry never tapped out, but referee Earl Hebner called for the bell...

After the match, Jordan would not release the hold until several referees pulled him off. He came back in and reapplied the hold. Apparently, four referees could not pull off Jordan...

Twill's Two Cents: Not exactly the PPV rematch I wanted to see. I think both men could get over with certain portions of the audience, but it is difficult to get two lesser known wrestlers when they are put in a program with each other.

Lethal cut a promo backstage saying he did not mean to offend Ric Flair. He was trying to honor him because he loved him growing up and Flair took it the wrong way. RVD came in and said he would be Lethal's partner. Lethal was pleased that he had found a partner... [C]

[Q5] Jeff Hardy was drawing on his face and said he idolized Sting growing up. Sting made him want to paint his face and step out from the norm. He always wanted to face Sting and could not wait to see what happens tonight...

Jesse Neal, with Shannon Moore trying to stop him, stormed angrily into Team 3D's locker room. Neal and Ray were in pissed off moods. Jesse said Ray was jealous. Ray said he had nothing to be jealous of. Neal told him to keep his distance. Ray slapped him. Devon and Moore held them back...

After Beer Money's entrance, Jay Lethal came out as Jay Lethal. He even instructed the cameraman to focus on the "Lethal" on his boots...

Twill's Two Cents: Ask and you shall receive Jason (about a year later).

3. Rob Van Dam and Jay Lethal defeated Beer Money in 3:55. Beer Money used classic tag team tactics on Lethal as RVD watched from the apron. Lethal fought back with a Tajiri handstand and elbow off an Irish whip.

RVD tagged in and took out Storm. After a small difficulty, he hit Roode with a top rope kick for a two count. Chaos ensued and Lethal tagged back in. He hit the Lethal Combination and locked in the figure four on Roode for the win...

Afterward, Flair stormed down the ramp and was met by Lethal for a brawl halfway. They fought to the back and RVD remained on the ramp to soak up the cheers from the crowd...

Twill's Two Cents: Lethal looks to be next in line for the monthly push. I can't say I disagree. He seems to really be getting over right now and I'm glad he was the focus in this match. That being said, why did Beer Money have to be fed to him?

RVD was shaking hands with fans and was attacked by someone in a Sting mask. It turned out to be Sting. It was short and RVD looked on from the ground... [C]

[Q6] In case you just tuned in, footage was shown of Sting attacking Eric Bischoff earlier and RVD before the break...

Jeff Hardy cut a promo in the ring. He threatened Sting to "try and figure me out within the next hour." He said himself and the Creatures of the Night would blow Sting's imagination...

Twill's Two Cents: Hardy is very over and I love his promos because I have idea, and neither does he, what he is going to say.

Backstage, two security clowns picked up Chelsea from Desmond Wolfe. Wolfe talked shit to the guys as Chelsea reluctantly left with them...

Abyss came to the ring and yelled for Wolfe to bring Chelsea to him. Wolfe, Chelsea, and the security guys came out. Abyss said he made Desmond his bitch at Sacrifice, and tonight, "I'm taking yours."

Wolfe said Abyss would only take Chelsea over his dead body. He then kicked Abyss and both security guys in the nuts. He took an empty looking Jack bottle and broke it. He sliced Abyss with it. He was going to go in for more but Chelsea tried to stop him.

Abyss was bleeding from the arm yet the glass had no blood on it. He recovered, knocked the glass from Wolfe and hit him with the Blackhole Slam. He then picked up Chelsea and took off with her... [C]

Twill's Two Cents: Wolfe is great on the mic and the more I see of him, the more I either miss him in ROH or want TNA to do something more with him. Other than that, this whole storyline is ridiculous.

[Q7] Back from commercial, The Band stood in the ring as their music played. Eric Young took the mic for some reason. Young said the crowd was jealous because he was in The Band and they weren't. He said Hall and Nash were the only wrestlers that had anything in common with him.

He said he was the newest member of The Band. He said the three of them were there to take the big bucks. Hall and Nash did the cool point thing to Young. He said they would take what they want and there was not a damn thing anyone could do about it. Ink Inc. made their way out to the ring.

Twill's Two Cents: Not exactly the game breaking heel promo there from Young. I do think his best chance of getting over is in a situation like this, so it is sink or swim time for him.

4. Eric Young (with Scott Hall and Kevin Nash) defeated Shannon Moore (with Jesse Neal) in 3:41. Fast pace early on with Moore gaining the advantage with a series of four or five moves. He went to the top and hit a Whisper in the Wind for a two count.

Brother Ray came out and was met by Jesse Neal. The referee stupidly paid attention to that and that allowed Hall to hit Moore in the back with his belt. Young then hit a piledriver for the win...

Twill's Two Cents: How stupid does a referee look for turning his attention away from what is going on in the ring to try and police what is going on outside of the ring? Ugh. I have to think this is Young's big chance to really get over once and for all.

Brother Ray came down and beat on Jesse Neal some more. Devon tried to stop him. Ray kept screaming, "I brought you in! I'll take you out!" ...

The announcers hyped Jeff Hardy vs. Sting... [C]

A new DVD set featuring both Beer Money and the Motor City Machine Guns was promoted...

Tenay asked Taz his thoughts behind the rift between Team 3D. Taz said there were definitely issues between the two...

[Q8] Due to Kurt Angle vacating his number two spot, everyone moved up a spot and TNA booked an eight man X Division battle royal to determine a new number ten...

5. Kazarian defeated Chris Sabin, Alex Shelley, Max Buck, Jeremy Buck, Amazing Red, Homicide, and Brian Kendrick in a battle royal to determine a new number ten in the rankings in 2:50. Eliminations happened damn quickly. Kaz and Kendrick were the last two. Flair came out and applauded after Kazarian eliminated Kendrick...

Twill's Two Cents: I hope nobody blinked or you would have missed the whole thing. That was the most thrown together and random battle royal ever. I do like Kazarian and Flair on the same page though. That is exactly what he needs.

Hardy vs. Sting was hyped for after the break... [C]

Sting and Jeff Hardy made their entrances...

6. Jeff Hardy defeated Sting in 5:39. Dueling "Let's go Hardy! Let's go Sting!" rang throughout the crowd. Hardy got the best of Sting and Sting paced the floor but was caught with a dropkick. Hardy then jumped at Sting but Sting moved. He tossed Hardy back into the ring.

[Overrun] Sting worked on Hardy's leg and knee. Hardy missed the Whisper in the Wind and Sting applied the Scorpion Death Lock. Hardy made it to the ropes. Sting set up for the Death Drop, Mr. Anderson came in and hit Sting's own move on him. Hardy pinned Sting...

Hardy shoved Anderson but looked willing to listen to him. Anderson called for his mic, but Sting knocked out both men with his baseball bat...

Twill's Two Cents: Jeff Hardy vs. Sting is not a dream match anymore because Sting cannot go like he used to. I like where they are going with the Anderson character in that they are keeping people guessing about his motives. This was a very mixed bag show with some good things and not so good things. I'll have more to say in tonight's audio show 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.

RECOMMEND THIS ARTICLE: