By Jason Powell

TNA Impact on Spike TV
Live from Universal Studios in Orlando, Fla.

[Q1] The show opened with a shot of Abyss kidnapping Dixie Carter right in front of a bunch of apparently worthless backstage crew members. He was holding the weapon he can't use without killing someone in one hand and escorting Dixie with the other. He said he was taking her where "They" instructed him to. Dixie pleaded for help, but people just watched as Abyss dragged her into the studio.

Powell's POV: Talk about a golden opportunity to score brownie points with the boss. Morons. It turns out that Abyss had Dixie chained up, which brought back fond memories for this viewer of Princess Leia in the slave outfit.

The kidnapping continued in front of the 1,000-plus group of fans inside the Impact Zone. One guy in a Phillies shirt told Abyss that he sucks and then the rest of the crowd chanted, "You suck." Eric Bischoff ran out with some security guards and asked Abyss to let her go.

Abyss eventually unchained Dixie, and then D-Lo Brown, Al Snow, and Pat Kenney escorted her away. Bischoff told Abyss it was over. He yelled, "It's over. It's over damnit, it's over." Mike Tenay and Taz checked in on commentary. Sting's entrance music played and he headed to the ring while Bischoff grabbed a pair of headsets from a crew member.

Kevin Nash, D'Angelo Dinero, and Kevin Nash walked onto the stage. [C]

Powell's POV: I'd like to thank TNA for cutting to commercial just in time for me to watch the final out of the Twins game. Down 2-0 and it's not looking good for my Twins, but I'm enjoying the hell out of the MLB playoffs so far. Memo to Twilling, Shore, Hermanstyne, and Mathieson: If I'm kidnapped by a guy with a bat of nails and you just stand there and watch, you're all fired!!!

After the break, Sting, Pope, and Nash were in the ring with Bischoff. Pope said Eric is a "no good son of a Bischoff." He said Bischoff is running a one trick pony show. Pope said that at 10/10/10, the walls will come crashing down on Bischoff.

Bischoff said he respects Pope, but he has no idea what he's talking about. He claimed Sting and Nash were leading him around like a dog. Bischoff claimed it was all about Sting and Hulk Hogan.

[Q2] Sting fired up and said that's dead on. He said what started ten years ago will come crashing down at Bound For Glory. Sting said the best way for it to happen is for Hogan to get back in the ring. Sting asked if Hogan is ready to put everything he is and is about on the line. Sting said Hogan's very soul will be be revealed at Bound For Glory.

Jeff Jarrett and Samoa Joe headed to ringside and were about to run in when Bischoff told them not to. Bischoff pointed to the big screen where footage of Hogan in the hospital was shown. They aired footage of a back surgery. Bischoff said Hogan has undergone eight back surgeries.

Bischoff told the Sting and his crew that they could kick his ass. He announced that there would be a handicap match between Sting, Nash, and Pope vs. Jarrett and Joe at the pay-per-view. Sting, Nash, and Pope were left standing there without anything to say due to the Hogan footage.

Powell's POV: We know Nash and Pope own computers, so shouldn't they have brought this footage to Sting's attention before they went to the ring? If the Hogan hospital stuff is a work, I really don't see what the point was. It got him online attention and all, but did it sell a pay-per-view or make viewers tune in tonight?

A shot aired of Mickie James arriving backstage. She was asked by someone off camera what she was doing there. "What am I doing here?" she asked. "That's a good question. You'll have to watch and see, won't you?"... [C]

Powell's POV: Uneventful debut moment by Mickie. A nice hook heading into a commercial and all, but it didn't pack a punch like her showing up in front of the live crowd would have. I'm sure they'll still pop big for her, though.

A video focussed on the Bound For Glory main event...

Team 3D were shown in Times Square in New York. Brother Ray said they were born and bred in New York. Brother Ray said they will appear at Bound For Glory and make an announcement that will change tag team wrestling forever...

Powell's POV: My guess is the announcement is that they're flying solo. I wouldn't mind that a bit. I don't have much interest in a Ray and Devon feud, so if they're going to work as singles wrestlers, I'd be fine if they just moved into separate programs. Here's hoping it's not another lame ass Team 3D invitational tournament.

The Beautiful People past and present made their entrances...

[Q3] 1. Angelina Love and Velvet Sky defeated Madison Rayne and Tara to win the Beautiful People name. Miss Tessmacher walked onto the stage with a notepad in hand to watch the match. In the end, Love and Sky hit simultaneous kicks on Tara. Love pinned her to win the match. The announcers said they won the Beautiful People name and entrance music.

After the match, Tessmacher cut a promo about the four-way match at the pay-per-view. She said she doesn't want them to have alliances during the match. She said she's assigned a special referee to make sure her orders were followed. Mickie James came out to entrance music that started with the words "Hardcore Country."

James said hello to the ladies and referred to herself as the newest Knockout. She said it will be her honor to present the winner the Knockouts Title, and then it will be her pleasure to take the title away in a future match...

Powell's POV: It would have been great if Marylin Manson had run in and attacked all four women. Anyway, Mickie got a nice reaction. It still felt kind of flat. Yes, most online fans knew it was coming. We also had a damn good idea that Chris Jericho was going to debut on Raw back in the day, but that was pretty damn exciting. I'm just saying that Mickie's debut should have been a bigger moment.

A pre-taped segment aired with Mick Foley holding up his book and hyping his match against Ric Flair. He recalled Ric Flair saying he'd kiss his ass if he lost the match. Foley said Flair will kiss his big ass... Tenay hyped Foley vs. Flair before the show went to break... [C]

Powell's POV: It's great that Foley gets to plug his book, but how about putting it down when you're cutting a promo about what they've portrayed as a major match? Let the announcers hype the book or hype it some week when you're not wrestling.

Backstage, a flustered Dixie Carter told Bischoff that she wants it done tonight. She said it's Bischoff's responsibility. Bischoff said she would go find Abyss and tell him they are done. Dixie told Bischoff to bring Abyss to the ring and humiliate him just like he humiliated her...

Powell's POV: I'm leery of writing this because I don't want her to become completely overexposed, but Dixie showed some acting ability in that segment. For anyone asking why she doesn't just call the cops, you have to ask the same thing about why Abyss was allowed to kidnap and torture two random dudes backstage without being arrested a couple weeks ago. At least they are consistently ridiculous with this story.

Ring entrances for the Foley vs. Flair match took place...

[Q4] 2. Ric Flair vs. Mick Foley in a Last Man Standing match. They brawled to ringside and Foley's book ended up in the ring. Foley bled round his right eye around a minute into the match. He pulled out the barbwire baseball bat. The brawl went up to the stage and Flair bladed also.

Flair threw Foley off the stage and through a merchandise table. They replayed the shot of Foley taking the crazy bump and the show went to break... [C] After the break, footage was shown of Flair tearing up a copy of Foley's book and stomping on the pages.

Both wrestlers were bloody messes. Flair went to ringside and pulled out a bag of tacks. He spread them out all over the ring, and ended up taking a bump on the tacks when Foley backdropped him. Yes, Ric Flair just took a tack bump. Foley headed to ringside and brought a barbwire board inside the ring.

Foley worked over Flair with repeated punches at 9:40. He picked up the barbwire board and ran it into Flair's head in the corner. Foley instructed referee Earl Hebner to count Flair down as the fans chanted Foley's name. Flair beat the count. Foley grabbed a table from ringside as Flair sat in the corner and begged off.

When Foley approached Flair, he was greeted with two low blows from the dirtiest player in the game. Flair placed Foley on the table and then slammed the barbwire board onto him. Flair went to the top rope, which usually means disaster, but this time he successfully splashed Foley through the table.

The referee started his count as the fans chanted "TNA." Both men tried to get to their feet. Flair got to his feet first and took a Flair face dive. Foley was able to stand up longer, so the referee named him the winner. Rocky Balboa would be proud of the finish. Flair flipped out afterward.

Powell's POV: Does this mean we have to see Mick Foley's ass on television? Is Mick Foley going to bring sexy back? Stay tuned.

[Q5] Highlights of the match were shown. Flair was on his way up the ramp when Foley reminded him over the mic that there was the ass kissing stipulation. Flair headed back to the ring. Before he could pucker up, Fortune hit the ring and put the boots to Foley. EV2 ran out and Fortune fled to ringside. Flair said that's kissing his ass, and Fortune is going to kiss all their asses on Sunday. "EV2 my ass," Flair said.

Powell's POV: That was a hell of a brawl between Foley and Flair at this stage of their careers. Great effort from both guys. It's just a shame they didn't have that same match on the Bound For Glory pay-per-view.

A shot aired of a pool of blood that was on the announcers desk as they discussed the match and Bound For Glory...

Powell's POV: This just in, Mike Tenay has filed a lawsuit against TNA for being subjected to a hazardous work environment.

Eric Bischoff was shown walking backstage and then he made his way to the ring. He said that was one hell of a train wreck. He checked with the production woman at ringside. He said they don't have much time, so they needed to get it over with. Bischoff called out Abyss and they went to break... [C]

Bischoff called out Abyss again. Rob Van Dam's music played instead. Van Dam came to the ring and said he's fighting Abyss on Sunday or he doesn't even want to be in TNA. Van Dam said he's 1,010 percent sure of what he's saying and his mind is unchangeable.

Van Dam told Bischoff to tell Dixie Carter that Abyss wrestles through Bound For Glory on Sunday or she loses RVD. Bischoff said he'd comply if that's what RVD really wants...

Powell's POV: I'm not a fan of the Abyss silliness, but Bischoff does a nice job of looking like a guy who is desperately trying to keep his master plan ("They" saga) in motion without having it exposed. The idea there was that his character got some unexpected and likely unintentional help from Van Dam demanding that Abyss has to be there on Sunday.

Footage aired of Tommy Dreamer and Rhino getting a hero's welcome outside the ECW Arena prior to their recent house show. The graphic claimed the footage was from earlier this week, but it was actually from September 25. Why lie?...

[Q6] [C] The TNA live events video aired with plugs for upcoming house shows... A video showed Eric Young and Orlando Jordan playing a game together at a carnival (or at the theme park). Jordan hugged Young, who looked uncomfortable...

Powell's POV: That was pointless.

3. Orlando Jordan and Eric Young defeated Ink Inc. Highlights of Young's bump that caused his character to go loopy was shown. The bell rang and Young tagged Jesse Neal and tried to wrestle Jordan briefly. Jordan stayed in and rubbed his back on Neal in the corner and then tried to kiss him.

Jordan also rubbed his, um, crotchal region on Neal and moved it toward his face until Neal threw him off. Moore tagged in and hit some flashy offense, but Jordan eventually low blowed him and scored the pin.

After the match, Young took the mic and said he and Jordan would like to forfeit the match. Jordan was pissed. Young said the finish would never stand up in a court of law. Young said he's kind of a big deal around here, and would propose that they all head to Daytona, get matching tattoos, and do the match all over again. Tenay said he'd like to see a rematch at BFG...

Powell's POV: If anyone was on the fence about ordering Bound For Glory, I'm sure that was just the nudge they needed...to watch anything but Bound For Glory.

Footage aired of Jay Lethal at his parents home in New Jersey. He said he lives in Tampa, but his parents house will always be his home...

Tenay hyped the battle royal as shots aired of the BFG main event participants. He said they would all be part of the match that was coming up after the break...

[Q7] [C] Backstage, Dixie Carter told Rob Van Dam that she'll let Abyss work at the pay-per-view, but he's fired after that. Bischoff stepped in with paperwork that made would make Abyss's release effective at midnight on Monday morning. Dixie signed it. Bischoff said he'd send it to Guy (TNA attorney). Dixie told Van Dam to win on Sunday...

The Shore made their entrance. Robbie E. and Cookie made their entrance and cut an in-ring promo while the crowd greeted them with what seemed to be "go away" heat. They mocked the Impact Zone crowd in a Jersey Shore knockoff manner. Robbie said the fans live with their mothers and are posers like the people on MTV. They hyped something for next week and said the party is here...

Powell's POV: Where's Michael Cole with that gong from NXT? Wow, that was the shits. Plus, there's nothing like reminding your viewers that the real Jersey Shore is airing on MTV right now, which is what they indirectly just did.

A video focussed on Kurt Angle, Mr. Anderosn, Jeff Jarrett, Ric Flair, Mick Foley, Samoa Joe, and Dixie Carter hyping Bound For Glory... Mr. Anderson and Kurt Angle made their entrances as the first two entrants in the battle royal...

4. Gauntlet Battle Royal. Tenay noted that the match had a new entrant every 45 seconds. Jeff Hardy was out next, meaning the three BFG participants were the first three entrants. They barely did anything before A.J. Styles made his entrance as the fourth entrant.

Powell's POV: Hardy barely even made it to the ring and then Styles's music started. There's not enough time in between for my taste, but I guess they're trying to keep it moving with these rapid fire entries. I wish they had scrapped Shore and that throwaway tag match in favor of taking their time with the battle royal.

[Q8] [C] After the break, Chris Sabin, Tommy Dreamer, Max Buck, Sabu, and Douglas Williams were in the ring. Jay Lethal was out next. Jeff Jarrett followed. Pope entered next. Robert Roode came out. The announcers stressed that no one had been eliminated yet. Sting made his entrance. [C]

Powell's POV: Don't forget that TNA Reaction is live tonight after Impact. I will cover the show through this battle royal even if it carries into Reaction. Once the match concludes, Rich Twilling will be covering the remainder of Reaction live via his report on the main page.

After the beak, there were more entrants and then the rapid fire entrants began. Abyss eliminated the majority or all of the rapid fires that included Raven, Stevie Richards, Chris Sabin, Jay Lethal, and others. There was a big pile up in the corner with all the wrestlers piling onto Abyss.

Sting did the splash onto the pile. He went for a second splash on Abyss, who caught him and dumped him over the top rope. Kevin Nash and Matt Morgan were the next men out. They ended up having a staredown that Samoa Joe's entrance music distracted the crowd from.

[Overrun] Morgan and Nash were fighting near the ropes when Abyss dumped them both over the top. Tenay said Abyss eliminated eight or nine guys. James Storm was out next. Tommy Dreamer nearly eliminated Abyss, but he came back and eliminated both of the Bucks.

Alex Shelley came out next. So much for the Guns and Bucks feud continuing in the battle royal. Rhino was out next and was also the next man eliminated. Abyss eliminated Jarrett.

TNA Reaction

Samoa Joe eliminated himself when he ran at Abyss, who pulled down the rope. We get it. Abyss is a god. Beer Money went after Abyss. He eventually eliminated both of them because he's TNA's John Cena. Styles hit the Pele Kick on Styles, only to be eliminated by Abyss. He then pressed Styles over his head and eliminated him.

The match came down to Angle, Hardy, Anderson, and Abyss. Hardy hit the Swanton on Angle, only to be eliminated by Abyss. Although minutes had past since there had been an entrant, Rob Van Dam's music played and he was named an official entrant. Really? Van Dam beat up Abyss and actually stopped to do his thumb pointing routine. Van Dam dove at Abyss near the ropes and they both tumbled to ringside and were eliminated.

The last two entrants were Angle and Anderson. Angle ended up using the Olympic Slam to eliminate Mr. Anderson. Angle was given a stock of money, which he held above his head in celebration...

Powell's POV: If the Royal Rumble had a meth problem, it would morph into the TNA gauntlet battle royal. What a mess. It showcased Abyss, and somewhat Angle, Anderson, and Van Dam. It didn't make me want to see Bound For Glory, nor did the rest of the show. Very disappointing effort from TNA with lackluster hype for their biggest event of the year. Whatever happened to the big change that Dixie Carter teased? Don't forget to check out Rich's TNA Reaction coverage on the main page. I'll be back on Friday with the TNA Impact Hitlist.

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